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No. 105200

THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2018

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Not a blade of grass (VAT Inclusive)

…President tells Baramita residents Guyana will not O3 surrender one centimetre of its territory PAGE

Top Cop flayed for bypassing licensing board

President David Granger interacts with students of Baramita during a visit to Region One (Barima-Waini) on Wednesday (Ministry of the Presidency photo)

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Dr Dukhi restores paralysed patients – in first-of-its-kind surgery in South America

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Woman killed by 10 speeding car near E'bo supermarket PAGE

500,000 barrels oil per day – expected with latest discovery here

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 1, 2018

Top Cop flayed for bypassing …tries to defend approving licensing board own gun licences By Ariana Gordon and Zena Henry OUTGOING Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud was on Wednesday flayed for bypassing the Firearm Licensing Board when he attempted to grant himself a licence to open a firearm dealership as well as an upgrade of the calibre of weapons he is allowed to carry. The commissioner, however, sought to defend his decision, saying this was done by his predecessors. Persaud told reporters just after his farewell parade held at the Police Sports Club, Eve Leary, that he simply followed precedents set by previous Police Commissioners. “If you look historically you would see that over the last 25 years, all the Commissioners,

maybe with the exception of one, granted themselves firearm licences. This is not anything new,” declared the police commissioner who added “you know we live in a society today where one set of circumstances is good for one person but not good for the other.” However, former Minister of Home Affairs under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Clement Rohee on Facebook on Tuesday begged to differ. Rohee, in response to the story initially published by the Guyana Chronicle said, “As regards issuing himself a licence to be a firearm dealer, that should have gone through the Firearm Licensing Approval Board located at the MOPS for the Board’s as well as his subject Minister’s consideration, just as it was done when I served

Former Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee Outgoing Police Commissioner, Seelall Persaud speaks with the media after his farewell parade held Wednesday at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary, Georgetown. (Adrian Narine photo)

in that capacity.” “In fact, his application for a private firearm licence should have also gone through the Board as well, in the interest of transparency and accountability. Better yet, he should have had a word with the President and his subject minister on his intentions,” Rohee continued. The former Home Affairs Minister opined that while Persaud may have been fearful that his applications would not have been approved, given that he is already in the bad

books” he should have acted differently. Rohee’s comments were echoed by former Police Commissioner, now serving as Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix. Felix told Guyana Chronicle that where there exists a gun Licensing Board, the Commissioner ought to have gone through the relevant process to acquire approval. Felix said too that during his tenure as police commissioner, there was no Licensing Board in place and the power was vested in the Police Commissioner to issue approvals. The former Top Cop said when his tenure ended in 2006; no gun Licensing Board was in place, so in his case, he issued himself the approval. “But now in 2018, there is a Board, a Board is in place and he is not the final authority. It cannot be the same thing, he (Persaud) did not notify the Board,” Felix asserted. As it relates to the firearm dealership licence, Persaud told reporters that in the 1980s, a Commissioner of Police granted himself a dealership licence. “So there is precedent…However, I was discouraged to go along that line of business, so I won’t pursue that.” When questioned why he applied for the licence in January 2018, just a month prior to his retirement, Persaud said “Because the business will only start when I retire; that will be during May.” “There is precedent –

and like I said, it is a business …I can’t do business on the job…so it will only be operationalised after I retire,” he explained, reiterating that there was nothing wrong with what he did. “No, there is precedent for it…it happened with all the commissioners. Something is wrong with this commissioner that they tell the public that it is wrong?” REVOKED The dealership licence has since been revoked by Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan. The Police Commissioner who will retire as of Monday, March 5, said he has no feelings with respect to the revocation of the licence he granted himself. “I am neutral. It doesn’t matter—that was one line of business I was contemplating and that won’t happen any longer, but I have a lot of experience, credibility…I am very confident in my next phase of life,” said Persaud. Asked whether he would be challenging the revocation, he said, “I am saying I am very, very comfortable. If things are significant I challenge; it is not significant. I don’t think I would pursue that – I have lots of other options.” Meanwhile, when asked to comment on the issue, the Public Security Minister said he had nothing to say on the issue and that the media “should have a time and place”. Persaud, who served within the Guyana Police Force for 33 years, in a letter dated January 29, 2018 and seen by this newspaper, in response to an application written by himself said “Dear Sir, I refer to your

Former Police Commissioner, Winston Felix

application in relation to the above subject and wish to inform you that approval is granted for your business Professional Outdoors Supplies to become a registered Firearms Dealer.” Persaud further wrote “Please make contact with the Assistant Commissioner Law Enforcement at the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters, in connection with the issuing of the licence.” In another letter dated January 26, 2018 and captioned “Application for firearm licences, Mr Seelall Persaud (DSM) wrote to himself “Dear Mr Persaud, I refer to your application in relation to the above subject and wish to inform you that approval is granted for you to be issued with firearm licences to use (1) 9MM Pistol, (1) 12, 16 or 20-Gauge Pump Action Shotgun.” In the same missive, Persaud wrote to himself saying, “Please make contact with the Divisional Commander ‘A’ Division at the divisional headquarters, Brickdam, in connection with: the issuing of the licences and the conditions under which the licences are granted.” The police chief’s letter to himself added: “You are advised to ensure that there is adequate means of security for the firearms when they are in use.” He further advised himself that “If you neglect to proceed expeditiously to obtain the necessary licences within one year, then you may be denied same if the conditions under which you were granted this approval have changed.”

Not a blade of grass GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 1, 2018

…President tells Baramita residents Guyana will not surrender one centimetre of its territory PRESIDENT David Granger on Wednesday told residents of Baramita, Barima-Waini (Region One) that the Government is working to ensure the security of their community and region against threats to Guyana’s territorial integrity as a result of claims to the nation’s territory by Venezuela. Speaking at the Baramita Primary School, the Headof-State declared that his administration will do everything in its power to ensure the safety of the residents of Baramita and other residents of what he has defined as front line communities along the 800 kilometres border with Guyana’s western neighbour. “Venezuela has been claiming more than half of our country--the Barima-Waini, the Cuyuni-Mazaruni and the Rupununi regions--but I want you to know that we are not surrendering one centimetre of our territory; not a blade of grass. We are here to work with your village, with your region, with your Toshao, with your residents, whether they are Caribs, or Warraus or Arawaks or Arecunas, to make sure Guyana is safe. Just as we inherited Guyana from our foreparents, we want to pass it on to our children,” he said. PEACEFUL RESOLUTION Noting that Guyana is only interested in a peaceful resolution to the conflict, President Granger told residents of the decision by the United Nations’ Secretary General, Mr. António Guterres to refer the matter to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) after the Government of Guyana had lobbied him and his predecessor, Mr. Ban Kimoon. “We have fought, we have struggled to make sure that this country will not be invaded. We will go to court and we will settle the matter peacefully and I am confident Baramita that it will be settled in your favour and you will be able to pass this land to your children and grandchildren,” he said. While Guyana looks forward to making its case before the international court, the unstable situation in Venezuela has presented some threats to Guyanese who live in the bordering communities with that country. Noting that Barami-

President David Granger, upon arrival at Baramita, waves to schoolchildren who lined the street to greet him (MotP)

ta is vulnerable to illegal migration, the spread of disease, transnational crime and attacks from what is known as the Venezuelan Sindicato gang, President Granger said that Government will work with the Regional Administration, the Toshao and the village councillors, as well as the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to sure up security mechanisms. He said, “We want to see a village that is strong, we want to see people who feel safe and we want a region that is secured, that is why we are here. We are here to strengthen this village to protect the people and to ensure that their entire region remains secured.” In that regard, the President said that there is a role for the people of Baramita to play and called on them to report any threats they observe. “We want Baramita to be safe, stable, and strong. We believe that Baramita is one of the frontline villages. When

I say frontline, I mean that you are our eyes and ears to tell the rest of Guyana when there’s danger… Every one of us has to be concerned about protecting this country and I’m convinced that it is only because of the determination of Guyanese, ordinary Guyanese, that we were able to keep aggressors at bay for the last 52 years. Because they know that we love our country, that we’ll fight to protect our country; every river, ever tree, every village,” he said. GUARD OUR SOVEREIGNTY President Granger called on all Guyanese to treasure their nationality and to guard Guyana’s sovereignty, noting that peace in the region is critical to the development, safety and security of South America, including Guyana. “Our country Guyana is [a]democratic country. We gained Independence 52 years ago but for every one of us it is unique. All of us stood up

when the national anthem was played, all of us recognised the national flag, all of us are citizens of Guyana. All of us believe that Guyana should be allowed to live in peace; that Venezuela should live in peace; that Brazil should live in peace; that Suriname should live in peace. We don’t want to invade anybody else and we don’t want anybody to invade us. We want to develop our country so that our children could inherit this land,” the Head-of-State said. Noting the value of the symbols of national identity, President Granger told the residents of Baramita that all Guyanese should be proud of their nationality. He said, “I would like you to treasure your citizenship. You must be proud of being Guyanese, proud of your flag, proud of your national pledge, proud of your national anthem, proud of your citizenship,” even as he indicated that Government will ensure that there is complete registration of all resi-

Residents gathered at a school in Baramita during Wednesday’s visit by President David Granger (MotP)

dents so that they can access all of the services of the state. The President identified education and enterprise as two key areas that will improve the lives of the residents of Baramita. He noted that it is Government’s aim in the future to ensure that teachers in the region are able to teach students in their native tongue. President Granger said that no child must be prevented from learning because of language barriers and called for every child to be conversant in the language of the state as well as their native language. The Head-of-State noted that in addition to providing improved social services such as quality healthcare to the residents of Baramita, his administration is working with the regional administration to improve communication and infrastructure, since these are critical to the development of enterprises and the delivery of services. Following the village meeting, he visited the site of the almost completed $82M Government complex, which now houses the new Baramita Primary and Nursery School buildings, the Medical Centre, teachers’ and nurses’ quarters. President Granger noted that the complex is part of the development of a model that will be replicated in other hinterland communities. Other Government offices will be added to the complex over time. Regional Chairman, Mr. Brentnol Ashley noted that the Regional Administration is committed to working with the central Government for the good of all the residents of the Region. He expressed his satisfaction with the leading role the President has been taking in ensuring their security. “I want to thank you Your Excellency for coming to this community and to recommitting your solidarity in showing that the lives of all Guyanese and in specific

to the people of Baramita is secured. I know that just a few days ago you were in the community of Whitewater in which you made a similar commitment to the people who would have been gathered there and we at the level of the Regional Democratic Council reiterate our firm commitment to working with the Central Government in ensuring and securing the vision of a good life for all Guyanese and one of that being security of all our people,” he said. IMPROVEMENTS IN SERVICES Toshao of Baramita, Mr. Trevor Matthews said that it is the first time in his memory that a Head-ofState has visited the community. He noted as well that the community has begun to notice some improvements in the delivery of services and development of infrastructure since 2015. “We would like to thank you Mr. President and your team for showing a lot of attention to this village, Baramita. Since you are in office you have turned your attention to Baramita and a lot of changes and development has been going on and a lot [of] attention in all Government areas like health, education, birth certificates and such,” the Toshao said. Minister of Public Affairs, Ms. Dawn Hastings-Williams noted that Government will continue to work closely with the community to ensure continued development for residents. Accompanying the President on the visit were Chief of Staff of the GDF, Mr. Patrick West, member of the National Security Committee, Brigadier Bruce Lovell and Senior Superintendent Kevin Adonis, GPF Divisional Commander. (Ministry of Presidency)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 1, 2018

Georgia teacher fires gun in empty classroom A Georgia teacher who barricaded himself in his classroom and fired a handgun is in police custody. Jesse Randall Davidson, 53, locked his students in the hallway and fired a shot when the principal opened the door, according to US media reports. No students were hurt by the alleged gunfire but one sprained her ankle. The incident came two weeks after 17 were killed at a Florida high school and President

Trump called for teachers to be armed to tackle mass shooters. Dalton police spokesman Bruce Frazier said that the Dalton High School teacher barricaded the door when his students tried to enter. When the headmaster, Steve Bartoo, attempted to open the door with a key, he heard a gunshot. The school in Dalton - a city about 90 miles (145km) northwest of Atlanta - was placed on lockdown, the spokesman said.

Jesse Randall Davidson

A standoff lasted up to 45 minutes before Mr Davidson was taken into custody. Mr Bartoo said the teacher made “nonsensical noises” during the exchange. Police announced late on Wednesday that the teacher has been charged with “aggravated assault, carrying a weapon on school grounds, terroristic threats, reckless conduct, possession of gun during commission of a crime, and disrupting public school”. He is a social studies teacher employed at the school since 2004 and the announcer for the school football team, according to Dalton police. Investigators say a note was found on February 21 at the high school mentioning a threat against the building the following day, but it is unclear if that is related to Wednesday’s incident. “It is really serious after so many things have happened all over the country,” student Ricardo Perez told television station WTVC after the incident. “I’m shocked, I can’t believe it. I thought it was a dream.” One Dalton student tweeted at the National Rifle Association to argue that giving teachers guns is a bad idea. (BBC)

Thursday, March 1, 2018

Walmart joins Dick’s Sporting Goods in raising age to buy guns Walmart Inc (WMT.N), the largest U.S. retailer, joined Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc (DKS.N) in raising the minimum age to purchase firearms to 21 after the massacre at a Florida high school that has reopened a fierce debate over gun control in America. Walmart said that “in light of recent events” it was raising the age for purchasers of firearms and ammunition to 21 from 18. The retailer is also removing items from its website that resemble assault rifles, including non-lethal airsoft guns and toys. Walmart stopped selling assault firearms and accessories in 2015 and only sells handguns in Alaska. Dick’s, a U.S. retailer of camping supplies, sporting goods and guns, will stop selling assault rifles and high-capacity magazines. It will not sell any guns to people under age 21, Dick’s chief executive, Ed Stack, said in an open letter on the company’s website. The announcements came the same day that classes resumed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where 17 people, mostly students, were killed two weeks ago in one of the deadliest U.S. mass shootings. The accused gunman, 19-yearold Nikolas Cruz, legally purchased a weapon at Dick’s in November, although not the type used in the shooting, Stack said. Cruz, a former student at Stoneman Douglas, is accused of using an AR-15 assault-style weapon to carry out the killing. The massacre spurred a youth-led wave of protests, and state and national officials are considering whether to pass stricter gun control measures. The powerful National Rifle Association traditionally opposes

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such curbs, citing the right to bear arms under the U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment. Dick’s removed assault-style weapons from its Dick‘s-branded stores after the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut that killed 20 first graders and six adults, but continued selling them through another retail brand. Wednesday’s move takes them out of its 35 Field & Stream outlets as well, Stack said, adding the measure would be permanent. Some analysts said the 2012 decision did not hurt the retailer’s sales, likely giving company executives confidence to make Wednesday’s move. Stack said he knew the company’s decision would upset some customers, but he cited the passionate response by the students and families in Parkland. “We have heard you,” he said. Stack said in his letter that Dick’s respects the Second Amendment and law-abiding gun owners but was obliged to address a national gun epidemic that is killing too many children. After the Parkland shooting, it was clear there were not enough systemic protections to prevent gun sales to people who are potential threats, Stack said, adding that Congress should tighten background checks to include relevant mental health information. Dick‘s, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, operates about 715 Dick’s-branded stores across the United States. It was the latest company to take action after the Florida shooting. Other businesses have cut ties with the NRA and gun manufacturers. Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O), the world’s largest online retailer, has long prohibited the sale of firearms and explosives on its websites, as well as ammunition and gun accessories in most cases. It declined comment on the issue on Wednesday. EBay (EBAY.O) said its policy prohibits the sale of firearms and high-capacity magazines of more than 10 rounds. Since the Florida shooting, gun-control supporters have called on Amazon as well as Roku, Apple Inc (AAPL.O) and others to drop the National Rifle Association’s programming from their streaming services. Outdoor goods retailer Bass Pro Shops, which acquired Cabelas Inc last year and sells guns under both retail brands, did not respond to requests for comment. Package delivery company FedEx Corp (FDX.N) declined to comment on whether it would change its firearms shipping policy after the Florida shooting, while rival United Parcel Service Inc (UPS.N) said it was not changing its policies.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 1, 2018

Brazil’s top court approves controversial forestry law Brazil’s supreme court has upheld major changes to laws protecting the Amazon rainforest, delivering a blow to environmentalists. The revision of the 2012 law includes an amnesty programme that scraps penalties for landowners who have cut trees down illegally in the past. Environmentalists say it will make illegal deforestation of the world’s

largest rainforest acceptable. Farmers say the changes give producers confidence to grow the economy. The Amazon rainforest is the largest tropical rainforest in the world and home to plant and animal species that are still being discovered by scientists. Most of its millions of square kilometres are inside Brazil, where under laws dating back to

1965, landowners must keep a percentage of their terrain forested. That percentage ranges from 20% in some parts of the country to 80% in the Amazon. But the supreme court’s decision eases that rule. The changes will reduce the amount of land that should be restored by 112,000 sq miles (290,000 sq km) - an area the size of

Italy. It also provides an amnesty from fines owed for illegally clearing trees before July 2008, although larger landholders would have to replant most of the cleared area or preserve the same amount of land elsewhere. Environmentalists say the revised laws will reward those who have deforested in the past. Speaking to Reuters, Nurit Bensusan

from the non-governmental organisation Instituto Socioambiental said: “With this amnesty you create a climate that invites deforestation in the future. It creates the impression that if you deforest today, tomorrow, you are handed an amnesty.” Under the new bill, farmers will be able to cultivate land closer to

hilltops and riverbanks, which are especially vulnerable to erosion if trees are chopped down. Farmers and Brazil’s powerful agriculture lobby argue that the new laws allowed for continued growth of a key sector of the Brazilian economy without hindering it by dealing with crimes from the past. (BBC)

CARICOM leaders agree on counter-terrorism strategy

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders have adopted a regional counter-terrorism strategy at their inter-sessional summit that ended here on Tuesday. The leaders also agreed that the member countries would table in their respective parliaments the legislation by July 4, this year to support the strategy and that an effective monitoring and evaluation process should be put in place to determine the region’s success in addressing this critical matter. The strategy was developed by the Trinidad-based Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) which, in consultation with its stakeholders and regional and international partners, will review the document biennially to consider updating it to respond to the evolving terrorism landscape. The summit also agreed that all member states should enact legislation related to the Advance Cargo Information System (ACIS) and Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS) to assist counter-terrorism efforts, among other security matters, and to share information on crime and violence among themselves in a more consistent manner. Crime and security was among the main agenda items during the two-day summit and the leaders agreed that IMPACS will create an intra-regional task force comprising experts, to examine and suggest innovative regional solutions to combat the issue regionally. Meanwhile, St. Lucia’s Prime Minister, Allen Chastanet, has described the summit as being ‘ very fruitful.’ ‘I thought that the prime ministers came very serious. I think that we are all frustrated with how long it traditionally takes to get things done on decisions that are made in CARICOM,’ Chastanet told reporters on his return to his homeland. ‘I think the Prime Ministers wanted to be reassured that not only were we making decisions, but time lines were given for implementation,’ Chastanet said, adding “‘I also believe that people want to hold everybody much more accountable for the decisions we are making and I think there is a greater sense of urgency is building up”,

According to Chastanet, the issues of climate change, crime and the regional marketing campaign were at the forefront of the summit. “Other areas like the CCJ (Caribbean Court of Justice), in which there was a general commitment by a lot of countries initially to be able to join and yet how many years afterwards, that has not happened,’ Chastanet said, commenting also on the report done by the former Jamaica prime minister Bruce Golding on his country’s relationship with CARICOM and the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM). Golding chaired a CARICOM Review Commission which made a number of proposals aimed at addressing the structural and organisational deficiencies in the regional organisation. Chastanet said the leaders did not get a chance to discuss the paper in any formal detail. “But I think there will be a meeting that will be taking place in July when the heads of government meeting will be taking place in Jamaica and some time will be set aside to

discuss it. “But I think that the document – the paper is extremely timely and it really is an important crossroad for CARICOM to make the decision as to what we are going to do. Are we going to stick together and see the benefit of sticking together, or are we going to change what we are doing?’ he added. Bahamas Foreign Affairs Minister, Darren Henfield, told reporters Tuesday night that “I believe the Community is in a position to determine a couple of matters”. Henfield, who headed the delegation after Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis left early, said that the leaders had examined disaster preparedness and response with the Bahamas being able to”speak to what we experienced …during the last hurricane cycle where we had to evacuate 1200 Bahamians from MICAL (and); where we were able to evacuate some 300 from Bimini. “We in this region live in the Hurricane Belt. Hurricanes are a part of the natural envi-

ronment of the Caribbean. It is anticipated that with climate change, these systems will become more frequent; they will become more ferocious, and so we have to be able to sustain ourselves. “We have to be able to respond after they have hit us and we need to put ourselves in a position, as a people, to be able to do most of this ourselves,” Henfield said, adding that discussions also centred on the availability of regional assets to respond to natural disasters such as hurricanes. “We also spoke to the importance of CDEMA (Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency) whose

officials travelled to The Bahamas and visited Ragged Island following the passage of Maria, and we spoke about shoring-up CDEMA to put it in a position to do its work as we know it’s required to be done.” Henfield said regional leaders also addressed the possibility of the acquisition of helicopters in order to be able to “move about rather quickly” in the aftermath of a natural disaster. “When you look at what happened in Dominica, when you look at Barbuda, you know the entire infrastructure was disrupted.” He said the issue of crime

was discussed in caucus adding “crime is prevalent throughout the region not only in The Bahamas and we must look at ways to curb this blight on our tourism economy, potentially, if it is not checked. We also talked about counter-terrorism initiatives. “It is my belief that the two are associated in a sense that we have a lot of young people who feel disenfranchised, who feel disassociated from society, who are quite vulnerable to those who would encourage them into a life of criminality,” he added. (CMC)

Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 1, 2018

Need for more constructive debate

A CLICHE quote is Mark Twain’s about statistics. He says there are three types of lies: “lies, damn lies and statistics.” To use this quote in a slightly different way, you could say what Twain is really trying to convey is, you’ll confuse people if you claim to be an expert, but do not deeply understand the issues you are speaking about. This is of course very much the case with statistics, which can be interpreted in so many ways, and seems also to be the case with the clauses of the ExxonMobil contract. With the current admin-

istration releasing the oil contract the previous one signed with CGX, there is a great deal of confusion in the atmosphere. The terms of that contract are virtually the same as those in the Exxon contract, so does this mean that these are standard terms and those decrying the government are uninformed? It is important for members of civil society always to question government actions, as this helps a democracy remain healthy, but the proliferation of “experts” on oil and gas that now inform national discourse does mean Guy-

anese need to take some opinions with a grain of salt. After all, how can we really tell who is an “expert,” and how much of an expert can someone be if this is their first real experience with the topic? Even further, we are not often hearing such advocates explain why they see particular clauses as bad in an oil industry as well as local context. We are no experts, but we would suggest that the so-called “notorious clause” that restricts new taxes or other financial levies on Exxon and CGX in the future is there for many important

reasons. This is not to suggest such increases are bad or good, desirable or undesirable. Rather, we need to be very aware that these underlying issues are not being addressed by “expert” opinions in the media. Condemning all criticisms of the contract is not the goal we must strive for, as it is important for constructive criticism to come through. But if we don’t address underlying arguments we will quickly find ourselves in deep difficulty. As an example, if we do not honour our contracts with Exxon, we can be taken to

court. Argentina was dragged through the courts for many years because it refused to honour contractual obligations, in this instance, national debt commitments. The consequence of this was that they were unable to similarly procure international funding. We can expect that other oil firms would be very hesitant to do business with Guyana

if we did not honour our current contracts. We need to look closely at narratives and opinions in the media, and try to think through the implications of each point made in the oil-and-gas debate. Debate is good, and brings out the very best in the nation, but it can also end up just like Mark Twain’s statistics, even if the debaters don’t intend for this to happen.

Members of the Guyana Bar A great and enjoyable Mash Association must take action to restore its integrity and dignity Dear Editor,

Dear Editor, AN article captioned: “Major fallout at Bar Council” that was published in the February 28, 2018 edition of the Guyana Chronicle, detailed multiple resignations of executive members from the Guyana Bar Association (GBA). The upheaval is ostensibly over disagreements with the partisan political agenda being pursued by the GBA leadership. On February 21, 2018, the GBA issued a partisan, pernicious, politically charged statement attacking President David Granger on his contemplated appointment of a chancellor of the judiciary and chief justice. Consequently, I penned letters to the press on February 21 and 25, expressing grave concern about the politicisation of the GBA and

denounced its reckless and contemptuous attack on the Head of State. The Guyana Chronicle article quoted a senior member of the GBA as saying :“Another example of the Council’s posture is their recent statement condemning what they ‘anticipate’ would be the President’s actions in the appointment of the Chancellor and Chief Justice, with no indication from the President that he intends to act outside of the provisions of the constitution. These actions have many in the legal fraternity questioning the agenda and motive of the current Bar Council.” A senior GBA member has impugned the integrity of the executive council and acknowledged that its attack on the President was whimsical and without merit. Five executive members have

now resigned, allegedly because they disagree with the rancid, PPP partisan, political agenda of the executive leadership. This disaster vindicates CGID’s position that the GBA executive is an out-of-control morass of political saboteurs, who have left the GBA’s credibility in tatters. If an ordinary attorney knowingly files a meritless, capricious action in the courts and acted contrary to the bar’s canons of ethics, that attorney will be subjected to disciplinary proceedings. I respect and believe in the honour of the general membership of the GBA. However, the executive leadership has devolved the association into the mouthpiece of the opposition political party of which most of them are members. GBA members are among the most elo-

quent professionals the country has produced. They should not remain silent amidst this destruction of their regulatory law body. I therefore call on the general membership of the bar, especially the eminent members of the inner bar and other senior lawyers, to demonstrate collective audacity and integrity by raising their voices in dissent of its leadership’s pursuance of a partisan political agenda, and take resolute action to restore the respect, integrity and dignity of the association. They cannot allow a political cabal to continue to hijack the GBA. Regards Rickford Burke President, Caribbean-Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID)

IF anything, the thousands of spectators who lined the streets of Georgetown to get a glimpse of the floats of Mashramani 48, or those who were among the thousands who watched the live broadcast on television or social media, or even its weeks of pre-activities throughout the regions, will agree that this was perhaps the best republic anniversary celebration. To the organisers, beginning from the Mash Secretariat; the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture; Ministry of Education, and for that matter the entire government whose full support was pivotal; the many sections of the private sector, inclusive of both large and small entities which sponsored the Soca, Pan-o-Rama, Chutney and Calypso competitions and other segments of this grand carnival, especially designers of the floats – the nation can only be grateful for a cultural treat in diversity which added to the splendour

of the sun-kissed day. To the police and its enforcement arm, much gratitude for the maintenance of good order that kept everyone safe. To the Mayor and City Council for the sanitation efforts before and after the Mash – Guyanese have been able to enjoy themselves in an atmosphere which was clean and incident-free. Editor, apart from the kaleidoscope of colours which bedecked the revellers, my most vivid memory of this spectacular celebration will be of the thousands, comprising an increased number of ethnic groups who not only embraced Mashramani 48 as the national cultural celebration, but paid homage to Guyana’s diversity while enjoying themselves. Anticipating Mashramani 49, when the streets in the regions and towns will come alive again with even more people to Mash! Regards Troy Garraway

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 1, 2018

500,000 barrels oil per day -- expected with latest discovery here

PRESIDENT of ExxonMobil Exploration Company, Steve Greenlee, said the new discovery of oil at the Pacora well will be developed in conjunction with the Payara field and other phases to help bring Guyana’s production to more than 500,000 barrels per day. According to a report from the BUSINESS WIRE, Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM), the company and its exploration partners HESS and CNOOC Nexen have discovered 65 feet (20 metres) of high-quality, oil-bearing sand-

stone reservoir at the Pacora-1 exploration well. ExxonMobil reported that the well was safely drilled to 18,363 feet (5,597 metres) depth in 6,781 feet (2,067 metres) of water. Drilling commenced on January 29, 2018. Initially, the company had projected daily output at 120,000 barrels per day from 2020. “This latest discovery further increases our confidence in developing this key area of the Stabroek Block,” said Greenlee in the report. The Pacora-1 well is located approximately four miles

west of the Payara-1 well and follows previous discoveries on the Stabroek Block at Liza, Payara, Liza Deep, Snoek, Turbot and Ranger. Following completion of the Pacora-1 well, the report indicated that the Stena Carron drillship will move to the Liza field to drill the Liza-5 well and complete a well test, which will be used to assess concepts for the Payara development. ExxonMobil announced project-sanctioning for the Liza phase one development in June, 2017. Following Liza5, the Stena Carron will con-

duct additional exploration and appraisal drilling on the block. The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres). Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited is operator and holds 45 per cent interest in the Stabroek Block. Hess Guyana Exploration Limited holds 30 per cent interest and CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana Limited holds 25 per cent interest. Early January, the U.S. oil company announced its sixth oil discovery offshore Guyana, adding to its previous discoveries since 2015.

The company said its Ranger -1 well encountered approximately 230 feet of high-quality, oil-bearing reservoir, located some 60 miles northwest of its Liza phase one project within the Stabroek Block. “To date we have overseen the drilling of seven wells by Exxon, six of which have borne fruit, one has not. So far we have an excellent record,” said the Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, who congratulated the crew on the Stena Carron drillship. In a recent report, he said

the Stena Carron has done about 90 per cent of the discoveries without a day lost or any injuries or lost man hours. ExxonMobil, the largest publicly traded international energy company, uses technology and innovation to help meet the world’s growing energy needs. ExxonMobil, which holds an industry-leading inventory of resources, is one of the largest refiners and marketers of petroleum products, and its chemical company is one of the largest in the world.

Theft of NIS funds is an industry for some businesses Dear Editor,

IT is a national disgrace that the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) is often forced to list the names of employers who fail to remit NIS deductions from their workers’ pay, as well as the employers’ contributions. I contend that if employers who deduct PAYE and NIS contributions from workers’ salaries then keep it for their own use for whatever length of time are committing fraud, which is a criminal offence. It is incomprehensible to me that so many fine companies and businesspersons in Guyana seem willing to steal or attempt to stealing their employees’ NIS contributions and face public shame and ridicule. Are these employers not human beings with feelings for fellow human beings, especially those who are at or beneath the poverty line? What happens to these poor employees if there are accidents or sudden medical emergencies and they find out belatedly that they are not covered by NIS? Lives and families could be destroyed. I know personally that some of the persons listed by NIS for withholding workers’ contributions find the funds to maintain multiple homes

and ‘wives’. When the Bible refers to people who eat human flesh, I wonder if this is a metaphorical reference to such heartless people. It causes me to wonder what else they are doing. People who steal NIS contributions will also be stealing Pay As You Earn (PAYE) income tax deductions, corporate taxes and VAT. Government needs to investigate them for that. I saw three security services on a recent list. My information is that some of these businesses have contacts within the NIS and actually dare workers to go to the scheme and complain about the non-payment of NIS deductions. When they return, the owner asks the employees mockingly what they were told, knowing quite well that they would have had little success. As far as I am aware, the commissioner of police has even more power in the security industry than NIS and the tax department themselves and can shut down a security company immediately for breach of tax laws or NIS laws. I see a business school failed to pay its contributions and even a big business. Do the government of Guyana and the NIS board know why? I highlighted the

reason two years ago, and two years before that and a few years before that. It is simple: breaching the NIS laws does not result in criminal charges, even though it involves acts of theft, which is a criminal offence. The NIS is in the habit of going to employers and begging them to pay; they allow the employer to pay their outstanding sums without interest and then they grant such businesses compliance certificates, although they owe outstanding monies and the promises to pay are never kept. Deducting money to remit to NIS and failing to do so is fraud. This must be prosecuted as criminal offences. If it will take some time to enact the required criminal laws to support NIS, there is the route of private criminal court action. I am no legal master, just a layman, but I know that it can be done. With appropriate laws in place, NIS could seize employers’ properties and watch the money roll in. If they do not have properties, rework the laws so that NIS can go after the properties of the general secretaries and the heads of such businesses and watch the money roll in. This is why NIS is suffering. They lack money;

people are not paying. NIS and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) pressure people like me who are fully compliant and operate in an honest and principled way, because they don’t have the gall or the capacity or

wisdom to figure out how to go after the real culprits. As I did in the past, I am offering my service to show the NIS and GRA how to recover these funds for a very expensive fee. I must be paid as a consultant or advisor; I

can’t work for free. The fee I am asking is $1 per year. I am offering this for the good of my country and the people of my country. Regards Roshan Khan Snr

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 1, 2018

Guyana Goldfields distributes KN report on $16M in grants to NGOs Karimbaksh THE Guyana Goldfields Inc. has continued its philanthropic efforts locally by distributing $16 million in grants to 22 Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) from across the country. Some of the NGOs that benefitted were the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, Joshua House, Help and Shelter and the Guyana Society for the Blind. “This is our seventh year of doing the Children’s Needs Development Initiative which was the brainchild of the company’s Founder and Director, Patrick Sheridan…we want to be seen as a company that contributes to and assists local NGOs to work with children and the affairs of children,” said Country Manager, Violet Smith during the presentation at Herdmanston Lodge on Wednesday. Over the past seven years, the company has donated a total of almost $100 million in grants to NGOs and local communities such as Caria Caria and St Cuthbert’s Mission, said the country manager. Through the initiative, the company provides support for Guyana’s

President of the Guyana Society for the Blind, Cecil Morris expressing his gratitude to Guyana Goldfields Inc (Adrian Narine photo)

vulnerable youth population, through support for programmes. It also explores ways to partner with neighbouring and engaged communities such as St. Cuthbert’s Mission, Caria

Caria, Buck Hall and Great Troolie on sustainable, developmental projects. Smith said their philosophy is to have a diverse workplace and reach so that every Guyanese or vulnerable child could benefit in some way from their initiatives. Representatives of the various NGOs expressed their gratitude to the company for its donation which they said would go a far way in helping them to provide help and assistance to those in need. Guyana Goldfields Inc. is a Canada-based Company, focussed on the exploration, development and operation of gold deposits in Guyana, South America. Their operation is the 100 per cent owned Aurora Gold Mine which reached commercial production in January 2016. They also hold a contiguous 216,888 acre land package located in the Aranka district of Guyana, approximately 30 kms northeast of the Aurora Gold Mine, known as the “Aranka Properties” where the Sulphur Rose Project is located.

Officials of the company interacting with representatives of the various NGOs that benefitted from the grants (Adrian Narine photo)

misleading

THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) has refuted claims in an article in Wednesday’s edition of Kaieteur News headlined “commander removed as investigation into harassment launched”. A statement from the Force said that Senior Superintendent Fazil Karimbaksh, who was temporarily posted to ‘D’ Division, was as of Tuesday assigned to the Force’s Projects Office, located at Police Headquarters. Due to a shift in the Force’s command structure, his predecessor, Senior Superintendent Errol Watts was posted as Second-in-Command ‘Operations’. “The Force wishes to state that indeed there is an ongoing investigation by the Force’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) against Senior Superintendent Karimbaksh and other ranks of alleged ‘Police harassment,’ by an ex-member of the Force who was dismissed and recently charged with corrupt

Senior Superintendent Karimbaksh

transaction by agent, which allegedly occurred when he was a member of the Force,” the GPF said. The case, which is before the court, was investigated by OPR and legal advice was obtained before the criminal charge was instituted. Several other allegations of corruption against the said ex-cop are being investigated. The police deemed the article to be misleading and demanded that an apology be made to Senior Superintendent Karimbaksh who has an ‘impeccable’ track record.

MotP hails Trotman’s leadership’ of oil-and-gas sector THE Ministry of the Presidency (MotP) on Wednesday rejected media reports which suggested that Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman has been stripped of his responsibility for the oil-and-gas sector. In a strongly worded statement, the MotP described the claim by Citizens Report, an online media outfit and the Guyana Times newspaper as “false.” The MotP said despite Trotman indicating on Tuesday that he had made a proposal to Cabinet for the establishment of a Department of Energy, which is to be managed under the Ministry of the Presidency, “the articles, it appears, were deliberately crafted to mislead the public”. In a MotP release published on Tuesday, it was disclosed that the concept

note submitted to the Cabinet by Minister Trotman outlined the need for the new department and the role it would take on with regard to oil management. It stated that “given the evolving macro-economic and national security considerations, and the transformative nature of the imminent production of petroleum,” it is his view that several matters must be taken into consideration. Key among those was the proposal that “all policy matters, including, but not limited to, the negotiating and entering into contracts, and issuing of licences for exploration and production, be transferred/re-assigned to the Ministry of the Presidency and placed within a Department of Energy and Development.” Trotman’s proposal was accepted by the Cabinet Tuesday after detailed dis-

cussions on its contents. Trotman in his public statement said, “The second announcement is that last year, I did propose to His Excellency the President that we begin considering the establishment of the Department of Energy; a department which will be focused only on development of the petroleum sector. Today we held and had a very lively discussion on the proposal, which I presented and it has been determined and decided that we will have the Department of Energy established and this will be coming within the next few months. It will be housed at the Ministry of the Presidency and so the President and the Cabinet has mandated that I will head the Task Force, which would comprise the quintet of ministers, that would be Ministers of Finance, State, Public Infrastructure, Busi-

Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman

ness and myself and we will include the other Ministers of Public Security, Public Telecommunications and hopefully the Ministers of Education and Social Protection.” Eventually, the expectation is that the Ministry of Natural Resources will hand over responsibility for the

functioning of petroleum to this new department and we will see a more direct and focused mandate from this Department of Energy and we will of course, as a Cabinet be supporting the Department,” Trotman added. The MotP said Trotman has provided sterling leadership in development of the sector and noted that it is under his stewardship that significant progress has been made in capacity-building and preparations for ‘first oil’. Some notable achievements include the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Petroleum Institute of Mexico for training and capacity-building, which has seen the commencement of training for Guyanese, the drafting of the Petroleum Commission Bill, Sovereign Wealth Fund Bill and Health, Safety and Environ-

ment Regulations and the revision of the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act with the help of the Commonwealth Secretariat, the MotP stated. “The two articles are, therefore, at odds with the utterances of Minister Trotman and the facts of the matter and can be deemed malicious and dishonest…While the Government of Guyana promotes and stands solidly behind press freedom, the MotP calls on the Guyana Times, Citizens Report and all media houses to pay attention to the ethics and responsibilities that ought to be observed in the profession of journalism. The media must take its responsibility to provide accurate information to the members of the public seriously,” the statement concluded.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 1, 2018

Seelall goes out with pomp and ceremony AMID a scandal of him approving gun licences for himself, Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud on Wednesday bade farewell to the Guyana Police Force after serving for 33 years. Though his retirement will take effect on March 5, the outgoing Top Cop’s farewell parade was held on Wednesday at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary, Georgetown, with hundreds of persons gathered at the Kingston facility. The event started just after 16:00hrs. As Persaud’s vehicle drove onto the Police Sports Club ground, many spectators jumped to their feet and applauded him. But it was not only the spectators who greeted the outgoing police commissioner with cheers, but many of his junior ranks. Seelall, dressed neatly in his uniform, received a general salute from the parade after which he reviewed the parade. But it was the drill display, dancing and beating of the retreat by the Police Military Band and singing by the Police String Band that stole the show. Beautiful renditions were played by the Force’s military and string band, which saw spectators singing along.

Special invitees gathered at the Police Sports Club Ground Wednesday. Among those seated in the front row are: (Second from left) Police Legal Adviser, Justice Claudette Singh, Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority, Justice Cecil Kennard, Fire Chief, Marlon Gentle and Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix (Adrian Narine photo)

The string band sang Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way,’ while the military band played Shah Rukh Khan’s “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai,” sending the spectators into a frenzy. But even as the activity which lasted for just over an hour was filled with entertainment, the heat caused many of those in the parade to collapse. Meanwhile, amid the pomp and ceremony and a plethora of military displays, Persaud in his eight- minute farewell speech reminisced on his years of service within the Force. During his tenure, Persaud served in various departments and expressed gratitude to all those who encouraged and motivated him during his years of ser-

vice and even thanked his subordinates, whom he said have worked well over the last four years he served as police commissioner. The Top Cop said the various aspects of exposure he received over the years led to him becoming a better person and more particularly, a better leader. “The exposures that I have had in the Force contributed significantly to my development over the years. Local training and interaction with the Guyanese community, overseas training, regional and international; joint investigations locally, regionally, and farther afield, including some of the finest from some of the most reputable lawenforcement agencies in the

Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud reviews the parade Wednesday (Adrian Narine photo)

world, have certainly impacted my development through a unique brand of learning experience.” He described his tenure as a “long, eventful but enjoyable journey that I have had” and noted that there are many who are responsible for his success. Persaud thanked God, his family -whom he said stayed by his side through thick and thin – and senior officers who shaped him in his “snowballing type of development”. He also thanked his subordinates, for it was through them he said his elevation within the Force was possible. “I am leaving the Force in good health and with full confidence going into the next phase of my life,” he said, while noting that the Force over the years has done much and has crossed “some uncharted territories.” The outgoing Top Cop pointed to the Force’s ability to rebuild public trust, something he said was not possible without the help of civil society and the many faith- based organisations which assisted. “Indeed, it has been a good journey,” he said, while cautioning members of the GPF that it is at a critical juncture where it will face several challenges. “The Force at this time,

Outgoing Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud salutes on Wednesday during his farewell parade at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary (Adrian Narine photo)

the country at this particular time saw several factors that will contribute to an environment that is likely to pose a greater challenge to the Force in the future. Those will include the operation of western businesses in Guyana and the rise of terrorist threats within the Region,” said Persaud, who referenced the Security Sector Reform Programme (SSRP) which aims to address those challenges. He wished his successor every success and pledged his full support to the GPF as he is set to demit office on March 5. He did not hand over the man-

tle to a successor as one is yet to be named. Assistant Police Commissioner David Ramnarine will act as police commissioner until such time that a new police commissioner is appointed. The farewell parade was attended by Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan, Minister of Citizenship and former police commissioner, Winston Felix, along with other former police commissioners and senior police officers, Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Patrick West, and members of the diplomatic corps.

Learning kits for all nursery school teachers by September …project to cost MoE $142M DURING her 2017 budget presentation, Minister of Education Nicolette Henry had announced that this year, greater emphasis will be placed on the early childhood programme. In this regard, tangible sums will be expended in 2018 to strengthen the nursery programme across the country. According to Deputy Chief Education Officer (Ag) Ms Ingrid Trotman, come

September this year the Ministry of Education (MoE)will be procuring 1500 nursery school kits for coastland teachers to assist with the delivery of the Nursery School Programme. The kits will cost $142M; one kit consists of 25 to 30 pieces of items, including counting blocks, a doctor’s set, and a baker’s set. Additionally, the kit contains packages with different kinds of animals. “We are exposing

them to different animals… we have puzzles and books to go with it” Ms Trotman said. The kits are currently being used in a pilot project started in 2014, by teachers in four hinterland regions: One, Seven, Eight, and Nine, with the objective of ensuring that teachers are in possession of materials to assist with the learning process. Prior to 2014, teachers were concerned that they were spending most of their time preparing learning materials

for their lessons. According to Ms Trotman, “instead of spending time preparing materials, we [MoE] provided them [teachers] with materials, so that they can spend time fine-tuning the different strategies and methods in teaching the children.” According to Trotman, since the project was piloted in 2014, the MoE has seen the literacy rates improve in the schools where the kits are being used. She said it is for this reason that the initiative will be rolled out to all

schools across the country. Added to that, Trotman said the pilot project provided vital information since the MoE had found that some materials were underutilised. Further, she noted that those will be substituted with local materials generic to that specific area. Notwithstanding that, Trotman said that although there can be minor adjustments, generally the kit is standardised so that all nursery schools are operating on the same level. “What we have found,

out of the 30 different materials in the kit, we looked at how many were being used on a constant basis, and those materials that are popular with the teachers and the children.” According to Ms Trotman, the materials are multi-dimensional, they can be used for literacy, numeracy and for other aspects of learning and teaching as well. At present, the education system has 1,918 nursery school teachers, 332 nursery schools,15 annexes and 161 nursery classes.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 1, 2018

Teacher murder probe still incomplete AFTER months of an investigation, the police are yet to complete the file into the murder of schoolteacher Kescia Branche and are still awaiting the phone records between her and her alleged killer, Matthew Munroe. Munroe, a 47-year-old taxi driver is currently on remand for allegedly killing Branche on November 7, 2017 at Georgetown. When the matter was recalled before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman, Police Prosecutor Arwin Moore disclosed that the police investigation into the matter was still incomplete. The magistrate further adjourned the matter until March 9 for report. Branche, a mother of one, who resided in Cum-

mings Lodge, Greater Georgetown, was last seen on November 4, 2017, when she left for a night out with her friends.

However, her unconscious body was found in the vicinity of Princes Street and Louisa Row the following day. Her left leg was

broken and there was evidence that she had sustained multiple head injuries. The Richard Ishmael Secondary School teacher

died at the Georgetown Public Hospital two days after being found battered. A post-mortem indicated that she died as a result of brain haemorrhage. During the investigation, three suspects who were being questioned regarding the death of Branche were released. The father of Branche’s three-year-old son was released on November 14 and placed on station bail, along with two police constables. The two officers were later charged departmentally for neglect of duty, consuming intoxicating liquor while on duty, improperly entering licensed premises and acting in a manner likely to bring discredit to the reputation of the Force. At the time of the trio’s

release, the police were seeking to contact a taxi driver whose cell phone number appeared repeatedly on Branche’s mobile device. The taxi driver’s car was impounded at the Brickdam Police Station, subsequent to his reported departure from the country, after Branche was found in an unconscious state. Investigators are of the opinion that the driver may have been the last person to see the teacher alive. When arrested, the taxi driver claimed that his car was involved in an accident after he drove into a pothole, but according to a police report, the damage to the car is consistent with the injuries Branche received.

Woman killed by speeding car near E'bo supermarket By Indrawattie Natram MEMBERS of a QUEENSTOWN, Essequibo Coast family are still in a state

of shock at the manner in which their dear one, Nandranie Singh, 54, called “Annette” lost her life Tuesday evening.

Nandranie was struck down by a car that was allegedly speeding on the Affiance Public Road in front of the Imam Bacchus

Supermarket. According to daughter of the deceased, Reema Singh, she and her mother went grocery shopping at the supermarket and just as her mother left the business place she was struck down by the car. Reema was inside the supermarket when the accident occurred. "I knew mommy was outside, the staff at the supermarket knew me, so they called me and told me to go outside. When I went outside, I saw a crowd, I immediately ran and then I saw my mom lying and the grocery she shopped all scattered, my mother was hit down," Reema related. The saddened daughter said a Guyana Defence Force (GDF) vehicle was passing at the time and officers rendered assistance. "Mommy suffered head injuries, the doctors

Dead: Nandranie Singh

said she had a fracture, she went in conscious; she was talking when the doctors questioned her, she responded, she knew where she was, but they kept giving her injections on injections to ease the pain," the daughter said, noting that it was all in vain. Around midnight Tuesday, she received a call

from an official at the Suddie Public Hospital saying that her mother had succumbed to her injuries. Reon Alphonso, 23, the driver of the car that hit Nandranie was taken into police custody and is assisting with the investigation. Information disclosed that the hire car was proceeding south along the eastern side of the Affiance Public Road at a fast rate when the driver saw the pedestrian next to the crossing and applied brakes, but still ended up hitting the pedestrian. According to an occupant of the car, the driver was on his mobile phone and speeding and did not recognise that a woman was near the pedestrian crossing in front of the supermarket. A breathalyser test on the driver found that he was not under the influence of alcohol.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 1, 2018

State to call nine witnesses in Christmas Day murder THE jury for the Christmas Day murder which took place at James Street, Albouystown, in 2015 was empanelled and the trial started before Justice Navindra Singh and a 12-member jury on Wednesday in the Georgetown High Court. The state’s case is being led by Abigail Gibbs who told the court that the accused, Mark Greaves was indicted for the December 25, 2015 murder of Winston Fredericks called “Fluffy” in the county of Demerara. The accused pleaded not guilty and is being represented by defence attorney, George Thomas. The state is expected to call nine witnesses to take the stand. In her opening statement, Prosecutor Abigail Gibbs told

the court that the accused, who stands indicted for the murder of Winston Fredericks, reportedly stabbed the deceased during a heated argument. She added that the men had a row and during the exchange, the accused reportedly inflicted the fatal stab wound on the deceased, who did odd jobs in the area. The state called its first witness, Dr. Vivekanand Brijmohan, who testified that he performed the post-mortem on the body of the deceased at the Georgetown Public Hospital mortuary. Dr. Brijmohan told the court that he observed a stab wound to the left upper neck near the ear lobe on the body of the deceased. He gave the cause of death as shock and haemorrhage as a

Mark Trevor Greaves

result of a stab wound. Earlon Batson, who is self-employed, testified that he identified the body of his uncle, Winston Fredericks. Police Constable Leslie Williams then took the stand and told the court that on the day in question, he was on duty at the CID Head Quarters’ Crime Lab when he was instructed to visit a crime scene at James Street, Albouystown where he took 15 photographs. He testified that he printed 15 photos and uplifted same which he presented in the magistrate’s court in 2016. Xavier Vasconcellos, an ex-cop testified via Skype from Miami, Florida, stating that on December 25, 2015, he was on duty at East Ruimveldt Police Station General Duties Section when he was instructed by then

Sergeant, Herbert Henry, to escort the accused to the Diamond Hospital where he was examined by a doctor and issued a medical report after which, he was placed in custody. Detective Inspector Herbert Henry testified that he was the Inspector in-charge of Crime at the East Ruimveldt Police Station and relative to a report of an alleged murder committed on Winston Fredericks on December 25, 2015, he, in company of then Deputy Superintendent Michael Kingston, visited the Golden Grove Police Station. There they contacted the accused Mark Greaves and escorted him to CID office. They then identified themselves as policemen in plain clothes after which the allegation of murder was put to Greaves.

Henry said he cautioned the accused who then began telling him his story and he was asked whether he wanted to give a written statement and he elected Henry to record same for him. The witness told the court that the accused requested a phone call to his sister during which he was heard saying “I want to tell the police what happened” before he ended the call using Henry’s cell phone. As such, a caution statement form was filled out with his particulars and his statement was recorded by Inspector Henry after which he affixed his signature in the presence of Deputy Superintendent, Michael Kingston. The proceedings continue today (Thursday) when more witnesses are expected to testify.

Cuyuni-Mazaruni health Guyana appoints consul general to Haiti posts to be upgraded SECOND Vice-President and 6 October, 1970 and efforts bilateral cooperation between required. The Consulate will HEALTH posts at Phillipai, Isseneru, Waramadong, Kako, Jawalla, and Imbaimadai, Region Seven, have been earmarked for upgrades as part of the ongoing move to upgrade health facilities countrywide. Initially, Imbaimadai and Waramadong were to undergo initial expansion works in 2017. These two facilities have been re-included in the 2018 budget. They are being given more attention, since they cater to a wider mining community. The soon-to-be health centres or ‘community hospitals,’ as they are referred to by regional officials, will be able to render care on an in-patient basis and monitor persons with reported serious illnesses. Also, other critical and much-needed services will be made available for those seeking care at the health centres. For example, completion of the rehabilitation and extension of the Waramadong health facility

is much anticipated, as dentistry will be added to the suite of services to be provided. Residents of the communities will have a wider range of health issues being attended to which, in turn, will contribute to better patient care and fewer referrals to the district and regional hospitals in Region Seven. Under the guidance of the Department of Regional Health Services (RHS) at the ministry, there is the need to build regional capacity through infrastructure and human resources. Region Seven is one such region which is utilising its health budget to accomplish this vision. Region Seven has more than 20 health posts with two health centres, one district hospital and one regional hospital. The health posts are strategically located in areas where they can serve residents from a number of villages and indigenous settlements.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl B Greenidge, on Tuesday handed over the Letter of Commission appointing Marc Kinson Antoine as Honorary Consul of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana to the Republic of Haiti. Mr Antoine is a well-established businessman who is the assistant general manager and co-owner of ADEKO Enterprises, a freight forwarder and shipping agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a release. He is also a licensed custom broker and maritime agent. In addition, he serves as a member of the board of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Haiti and the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham Haiti), one of the largest and most active business associations in Haiti since 1980. Guyana and Haiti established diplomatic relations on

have since been ongoing to strengthen those relations in a mutually beneficial way for both countries. Mr Antoine is expected to promote tangible

Guyana and Haiti through the promotion of trade and other linkages. He will also render consular assistance to any Guyanese citizen in Haiti as

be located at ADEKO Enterprises S.A., 42 Boulevard Toussaint Louverture, Route de l’aéroport, Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 1, 2018

Recommit to national consciousness -- Ferguson urges at Region Two flag-raising ceremony

Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson delivering the keynote address during the Region Two flag-raising ceremony last Thursday

By Svetlana Marshall GUYANESE were reminded of the significance of Guyana’s republican status, when Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson took the podium last Thursday as she joined the residents of Region Two to usher in the country’s 48th Republic Anniversary with a flag-raising ceremony. “Fellow Guyanese, being a republic nation means the supreme power rests in all the citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by representatives elected, directly or indirectly, by them and responsible to them. It means that instead of a monarchy, this country is now represented by a President, who is Head-of-State,” Minister Ferguson told the hundreds of residents gathered at the Anna Regina Car Park for the flag-raising ceremony. In her very detailed address, highlighting Guyana’s rich history from the days of slavery to colonialism to Independence, Minister

Ferguson said Republic Day provides an ideal opportunity for Guyanese to reflect on the foundation laid by their forefathers and an even greater opportunity for them to build on what already exists. “Republic Day is about a national consciousness that I believe has not developed in the best and fullest manner

up to this time, but is slowly growing as more and more citizens of this country find a national consciousness and a collective voice,” she said. The Junior Public Infrastructure Minister said Guyanese have realised the aspirations of their ancestors, but bemoaned that there is much more to be done. “There is a great responsibility upon us to ensure that its sanctity [is] maintained for the development of our nation so that succeeding generations to come will leave a heritage of continued growth and development,” she said. The minister told those present that the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government has been playing its part in the development of the country since taking office in 2015. “When APNU+AFC Co-

alition came in to power in 2015, we were faced with 23 years of corruption under the former regime and we are still cleaning up that mess today. These are the facts friends…. It was former managers of the state apparatus who turned the government into a criminal enterprise, engaged in massive corruption, allegedly facilitated the narcotics trade and was complicit with torture, extrajudicial and death squad killings, jettisoned and politicised the judiciary and Supreme Court Registry, engineered inordinate delays and backlogs in court cases, and generally perverted the course of justice in Guyana,” she summarised. WILL OVERCOME Despite its past struggles and disappointment, Guyana, she said, will overcome, noting that it is on the path

A local group performing a cultural piece during the flag-raising ceremony at the Anna Regina Car Park, Region Two

Guyana signs revised CXC, Multilateral Air Services agreements GUYANA has signed the revised Caribbean Community (CARICOM) agreement which established the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), and the Multilateral Air Services Agreement on the margins of the 29th Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM held in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The agreements were signed on Tuesday, February 27, by Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge on behalf of the country. “The Revised Agreement seeks to update the legal structure of the CXC and contains provisions on associate membership, the security of examinations, privileges and immunities and dispute settlement,

amongst others,” the Foreign Affairs Ministry explained on Wednesday. The agreement was ratified by Guyana on April 29, 1972. On Tuesday, the revised agreement was signed by other member states, including Barbados. The Multilateral Air Services Agreement (MASA) was also signed by a number of member states, including Guyana. It intends to serve as a mechanism to maximise the economic and social benefits arising from aviation activities for CARICOM Air Carriers, consistent with the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. The agreement amends the original MASA which was opened for signature in 1996.

Vice-President and Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge signing the agreements on behalf of Guyana in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Guyana’s Golden Arrowhead being hoisted

to greater development. Pointing to a number of achievements, Minister Ferguson noted that the administration has achieved more than 125 goals since entering office, including the lowering of the Berbice Bridge tolls, a cleaner city, holding Local Government Elections after more than two decades, less piracy and more transparency. “There has been an increase in salaries for public servants and almost 70,000 persons are exempted from income tax. On the labour front, collective bargaining has been restored with reduced house lot costs, better drainage and irrigation, and more pumps have been installed. After a few years of being in limbo, new telecoms laws have finally been passed, paving the way for new players to enter and compete in the market. More than 98,000 citizens are provided with free Internet and a number of community radio stations in Lethem and Mabaruma, Paiwomak, Annai, and the most recent, Radio Aishalton, while several more are under construction,” she pointed out. She noted that with the VAT threshold increasing to $15M, several items have become zero-rated. Additionally, VAT has been reduced to 14 per cent from 16 per cent. Guyana, at the end of 2016, recorded the highest gold declaration. “In addition to the banning of Styrofoam, miners have benefitted from more

lands and there is now a permanent home for the Bureau of Statistics. The achievements also included the restoration of professionalism in the public service and government being taken to the people through more outreaches. In the city and its environs, the age-old problem of non-working fire hydrants are being fixed -- more than 400 of them have been rehabilitated,” Minister Ferguson added. In Region Two, residents, she posited, benefitted from a number of infrastructural projects in 2017. “We have rehabilitated over eight streets… in Bus Shed Street, Queenstown; Middle Street, Queenstown; Church Street, Good Hope; Airy Hall access road, just to name a few. This cost the government $141,595, 090 in 2017. In sea defence we have spent over $85M in Wesbury, Aurora, Supernaam and a number of other areas,” she pointed out while adding that this year the Public Infrastructure Ministry will spend $53B in infrastructural works. The regional flag-raising ceremony, which entailed the hoisting of the Golden Arrowhead at midnight, was also attended by chairman of Region Two, the Regional Executive Officer, Members of Parliament, regional councillors, members of the private sector and residents of the region.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 1, 2018

STEM pilot programme launched in Bartica THE Office of Climate Change (OCC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education launched a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) pilot programme in Bartica, Region Seven on Tuesday. The pilot programme was launched at the Three Miles Secondary School in the presence of the First Lady Sandra Granger; Chief Education Officer, Marcel Hutson; Mayor of Bartica, Gifford Marshall; Head of the OCC, Janelle Christian; Assistant Executive Director, Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), Dr. Mark Bynoe; members of the STEM Guyana team; teachers and students from Three Miles Secondary school as well as the Bartica Secondary School. In her address, the First Lady, who has been a champion for the implementation of the STEM programme in Guyana, underscored the importance of STEM education in future developments, expansion and maintenance of energy security in Bartica and across the country. Mrs. Granger lauded the OCC and the CCCCC (5Cs) for their respective roles in making the programme possible. “I applaud the vision and the efforts of the Office of Climate Change and the 5Cs for supporting it to ensure that the children of this region will have the skills required to survive and thrive in the world we inhabit, through the establishment of STEM clubs and the children’s participation in electronic leagues, which will test and improve their skills in

Mathematics, scratch programming and robotics,” she said. Reviewing the success of the STEM programme since its launch in August 2016 in Guyana, the First Lady recalled how well the Guyana team per-

to the technology sector. Stressing the importance of a new approach to education also was Chief Education Officer, Marcel Hutson, who said that it was time for Guyana to move away from the traditional

students. “I am happy that our school was selected because this activity is a hands-on activity for the students. They can learn by using their hands and even to the child that may

The project, which is being executed by OCC, aims to establish a reliable point of reference for the existing state of energy in Bartica. The OCC, taking into consideration the work

First Lady Sandra Granger delivering the feature address during the launch of the STEM Pilot Programme in Bartica

formed at the 2017 First Global Challenge in Washington, D.C. where they placed 10th out of 165 countries. She encouraged all teachers and education representatives to rethink their approach to education when dealing with students in this new age of learning. “Children who are not performing optimally in the traditional subjects taught in our schools should not be automatically shut out of any activity that will engage their interest and spark their enthusiasm, an enthusiasm that can likely spill over to interest in developing skills in other subject areas,” she said, adding the examples of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and other successful individuals who were college dropouts, but who contributed tremendously

‘chalk and talk’ approach to learning onto a more ‘learning by doing’ approach in the classroom. BEYOND ‘CHALK AND TALK’ “As we prepare new generations to live well in a changing world, we recognise that learning by doing is an essential part of education for sustainability. For too long our children have not been doing well in the classroom because learning would have been reduced to just ‘chalk and talk’ and now we are moving beyond that because we recognise the importance of our children actively engaging in the process of education delivery,” he said. Meanwhile, the Mayor of Bartica described the launch of

Ratio Guyana Limited contract features 50/50 production split …1% royalty paid by Government

THE Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) between the Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and the Ratio Guyana Limited has cost oil percentage of 75 per cent and the 25 per cent balance profit oil split 50/50 for Government and contractor. Further, a royalty of 1 per cent payable from the Government’s take of the profits is specified in the Ratio Guyana Limited contract. The Ratio Guyana Limited PSA is the third to be released since December 2017; the others being ExxonMobil and CGX Resources Inc. It is envisaged that the Ministry of Natural Resources will release at least two petroleum agreements monthly, fulfilling a commitment made by the administration to release all petroleum agreements and

the STEM programme in Bartica as the ultimate investment in the future of Bartica youths. “This programme has the potential to equip you with tools needed to green Bartica. This project increases your

eventually all agreements in the natural resources sectors. The Ratio Guyana Limited agreement was signed on April 28, 2015 by then President Donald Ramotar and the President of Ratio Energy Limited, the parent company of Ratio Guyana Limited. Ratio Guyana Limited, whose parent company is Israeli-based, is a joint venture partner of ExxonMobil subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) in Guyana’s offshore Kaieteur Block. EEPGL has the majority stake at 50 per cent while Ratio Guyana Limited and its parent company Ratio Energy Limited each have a 25 per cent stake. The Ministry of Natural Resources said in a release on Wednesday that Ratio Energy Limited—now Cataleya Energy Limited by way of a duly

registered change of name-and Ratio Guyana Limited commenced negotiations with the previous Government of Guyana for a Petroleum Licence within the ultra-deep water Guyana Basin area in mid-2012. “At the time, that area was known as Annex B. Negotiations were nearly completed when the October 2013 Anadarko/Venezuelan incident occurred. It took until the 1st Quarter of 2015 before negotiations resumed. On April 28, 2015, the production sharing agreement was signed by both the then Government of Guyana and Ratio’s principals. The concession was then renamed the ‘Kaieteur’ Block, and totalled approximately 13,535 sq. kms,” said the Ministry in the press release.

The First Lady; Education Ministry, regional and local officials standing in the presence of students of Bartica who will be the main beneficiaries of the STEM Pilot Programme

ability to materialise green solutions. Science, Technology and Mathematics are areas key to greening,” he said. The mayor urged the students to fully utilise the opportunity presented to them as it would be their inventions that would boost the development of Bartica. In an invited comment, the headmaster of Three Miles Secondary School, Daniel Williams, said he is elated about the introduction of the programme as he believes it will significantly benefit his

be considered a slow learner would be able to work with this programme. They will be able to build robots and get ideas. The children are very excited and ready to work,” he said. The Government of Guyana through the OCC had received financing from the Government of Italy in partnership with the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre to support a project called “Transitioning to National Energy Security” (TNES) for the Bartica community.

done by the Ministry of Education to promote the STEM programmes, decided to build on those initiatives by offering support in the form of sponsorship of STEM leagues in both the Three Miles Secondary and Bartica Secondary schools. The OCC hopes that with the launch of the programme, STEM-based solutions can be formulated to transform Bartica into the first ‘green’ town in Guyana and the Caribbean.

Guilty of raping child – will know fate next week COLLIN Cummings was found guilty of the rape of a child under the age of 16 years old after a 12-member jury deliberated for more than two hours on Wednesday in the Sexual Offences Court in the Georgetown High Court. The matter states that the accused on August 20, 2016 in the county of Demerara, engaged in sexual penetration with a child, who was then eight years old. After the foreman of the jury announced a unanimous guilty verdict before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall, the accused was asked by the judge to address the court and he maintained that he was innocent of the charge and asked for the minimum sentence. This was done after the judge pleaded with defence attorney, Clyde Forde, to advise his client at what stage they were at in the trial, since he was obligated to do so. However, his attorney made an application to the court for a probation report

Collin Cummings

to be prepared and presented. As such Justice Morris-Ramlall granted the application. The probation report will be presented on March 7, 2018 at 09:00hrs and the defence attorney will make

his plea of mitigation after which sentencing will be handed down by Justice Morris-Ramlall. The state’s case was presented by Orinthia Schmidt and Seeta Bishundyal.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 1, 2018

Chinese Ambassador stresses importance of Sino-Guyana relations

MEMBERS of staff of the University of Guyana (UG) were enlightened on the history of China’s development and its future plans to strengthen relations with Guyana and other countries at the 7thVice-Chancellor’s Renaissance Lecture series, yesterday. Invited to present at the university’s Education Lecture Theatre was Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Guyana, Cui Jianchun, whose topic for the evening was: ‘A new era for China and China-Guyana Relations’. Director of Multilateral and Global Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Troy Torrington, in introducing the Chinese Ambassador established China as a fascinating country with a long history and a vast contribution to the world. He said that China’s recent One Belt and Road Initiative (OBRI) is an exemplification of its meaningful engagement with other countries and reminded those present that Guyana is the first English-speaking Caribbean country to recognise and establish relations with China. In the featured address, Ambassador Cui said that he was thankful to Vice-Chancellor Griffith for the invitation to share his knowledge about China with the university and lauded the Renaissance Lecture Series initiative as a practicable one. “I do believe that this is [a] very, very good programme…I

do believe this would be helpful to the students here and faculty to develop this university,” he commented. The focus of his lecture was on the fact that China is about to enter a new era of national and international undertakings, which will see the country increasing its involvement with the international community.

out help, without other nations’ cooperation.” He pointed out that many visit China and leave with the idea that the entire country is fully developed, when the country experiences “unbalanced development” in some rural areas and by working along with other countries it can move forward. A total of 33 million peo-

nese are invited to visit China to learn about international imports and exports and other areas in which the country specialises. Cui told the gathering that when he got information that he would be working in Guyana, he thought of how he could strengthen cooperation between the two countries, as not all Chinese know about

mutual development. These 5 ITs are: Infrastructure, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Investment, Industry, Integration as well as Thought exchange, Talent, Technology, Trade and Tourism. Plans to improve tourists’ access to Kaieteur Falls through infrastructure; internet and communication

“I’m ready to work with the Guyanese business people, the government, also the university to try to… put this vision into action.” During the question-and-answer segment, he put forward the proposal that scholarships could be provided to the top students of the University of Guyana to visit and study in China as a form

Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Guyana, Cui Jianchun, receives an award for his contribution to the University of Guyana (UG) Renaissance Lecture Series, presented by Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ivelaw Griffith (photo by Lisa Hamilton)

The One Belt and Road Initiative is a main undertaking which will see China pushing for the connectivity of policy and numerous trade and investment opportunities with countries in continents such as Asia, Africa, Europe and in the Caribbean. According to Cui: “Every nation, every society is interconnected and interdependent because of new technology. No nation has survived with-

ple in China still live below the poverty line which is a reality the country hopes to eradicate by the year 2020. Calling this an extremely difficult mission, Cui said, “The President has instructed all the governors... that we have to finish this job.” This is one of the reasons China continues to encourage its citizens to work in other countries such as Guyana, to earn a living the same way. The Ambassador said Guya-

The audience listens to the history of China’s development and how China and Guyana can strengthen their relations (photo by Lisa Hamilton)

Guyana. After conducting his own research, he presented the ‘5 IT initiative’ or ‘Jianchun Initiative’ through which both countries can benefit by means of trade and investment, building mutual trust and fostering

improvements and training in technology to further develop the country are all possibilities that can occur with the initiative on a larger scale. “We think it is a new era for China and Guyana and we should work hard,” he said.

of exchange of information and culture. After the session, Professor Ivelaw Griffith presented the Ambassador with a token of appreciation for the knowledge he had imparted to those present.

Bartica Business Summit a success By Svetlana Marshall

BARTICANS were exposed to a menu of business models, in addition to information on funding and challenges faced by small business operations and procedures when the Bartica Town Council partnered with the Small Business Bureau and Tourism Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) to host a Small Business Summit on Wednesday. Attended by more than 65 entrepreneurs, potential entrepreneurs and businessmen and women, the one-day summit was successfully hosted in the Town Hall at First Avenue, Bartica. During the opening ceremony, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Small Business Bureau, Dr. Lowell Porter said there are many options available to small businesses. Pointing out that the Small Business Bureau is poised to support small businesses in Guyana through a range of support services, Dr. Porter said funding is available in the form of loans and grants. “Government has injected G$100 million to the Small Business Development Fund

which will be a revolving loan fund to be accessed by small businesses,” he detailed. He added that Government, through the Small Business Bureau and Ministry of Finance, is also fulfilling the mandate of the Procurement Act 2003 to facilitate small businesses access to 20 per cent of government procurement for goods and services. However, to be eligible, businesses must be registered with the Small Business Bureau to access this opportunity. The Small Business Bureau Research and Marketing Officer, Shamane Headley, during her presentation, informed those present that the bureau, with support from the Education Ministry, implemented the In-School Entrepreneurship Programme which has thus far benefitted 100 students across the country. Bartica Secondary is one of the schools in the programme. She explained that 10 students at the Fourth Form Level were issued grants of $30,000 each to start a business in conjunction with their SBAs. “We have evaluated the businesses of those students, which are all profitable thus far. This first phase of the

programme will conclude in March,” she said. Another initiative is the very successful ‘YouthBiz 592’ programme, Headley added. “This was a collaboration with the Ministry of Public Security, which facilitated access

in Guyana, Headley said small businesses could learn a lot from these initiatives. THAG Executive Director, Treina Butts told Guyana Chronicle that the association’s presentation to the more than 60 members of Bartica’s Small

necessity of compliance which protects them and their guests from dire consequences such as litigation,” Butts explained to this newspaper. She added that capacity building through THAG and the Small Business Bureau will

The Bartica Small Business Summit in session on Wednesday

to funding of $300,000 to 65 young persons from Sophia Georgetown and Angoy’s Avenue, Berbice. This programme was held in 2017 and will be expanded to 22 communities in 2018,” the Bureau Research and Marketing Officer explained. LEARNING EXPERIENCE Noting that the youth programmes are geared towards reducing youth unemployment

and Medium-sized Enterprises(SME) focussed on its work and support mechanisms that are in place for SMEs which are directly and indirectly linked to the tourism and hospitality sector. “The team addressed the importance of operators’ compliance with regulations under the laws of Guyana as applicable to the mode of business. Often operators need to be reminded of the usefulness and

develop skillsets of SMEs to better manage their operations and simultaneously create market-ready products. Butts noted too that attendees were encouraged to use the resources available to develop market-ready and compliant businesses. “Focus was also placed on the importance of partnerships and information-sharing to grow their businesses and to expand upon their networks.

Networking with the association’s members will highlight business opportunities available in Bartica and the partnerships that can be developed,” the THAG executive director posited. THAG, she said, was pleased by the response of the local SME representatives and will be further engage with several members in new product development ventures within the municipality. Butts and board member, Camille Boodhoo represented THAG at the event. Mayor of Bartica, Gifford Marshall, who was among local officials present, said small businesses remain the backbone of the town’s economy. “We felt the need to ensure that we offer the business owners every possible opportunity to advance themselves. The development we seek for them must start with increased knowledge and utilisation of avenues available,” he subsequently told this newspaper. Pledging that council will continue to build the capacity of its people, Marshall said the elected leaders of the municipality will continue to push for similar events to be held in the town.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 1, 2018

Dr Dukhi restores paralysed patients – in first-of-its- kind surgery in South America By Nafeeza Yahya GUYANA has become the first country in South America to perform a Vault C Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion System (ACDF) implant surgery, restoring motor functions to two patients who were partially paralysed. The procedure was performed at two separate private institutions here by Guyana’s only neurosurgeon, Dr Amarnauth Dukhi, on two male patients, ages 51 and 65. Carlo Koren, President of Innovation Medical Tech-

GPHC Head of Neurosurgery, Dr Amarnauth Dukhi

nologies Inc., the South American distributor of the titanium plate used in the surgery, confirmed that Guyana is the only country on this continent to perform the procedure. According to Precision Spine, the U.S.-based company that manufactures titanium plates, Vault C Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion System (ACDF) is a zero profile, modular system featuring a titanium anterior cervical plate with an integrated, one-step locking mechanism and a snap fir PEEK-OPTIMA spacer. The system is designed to restore sagittal profile,

while providing anterior column support to enhance the fusion process. To get a better understanding of what the procedure entailed, the Guyana Chronicle sat down for an exclusive interview with Dr Dukhi. He explained that both patients suffered from spinal injuries due to separate motor vehicle accidents, which rendered them bedridden and paralysed. He explained the surgical procedure.

“A small incision is done on the neck, where you have to go from the anterior approach through the skin, then you separate the trachea , the esophagus to one side and then all the vessels and the nerves to the other side. You go through all those structures through the neck to the spine. When you get to the spine then you have to prepare it, after preparation – the traumatic disc that has migrated and compressing the cord will be removed.

So you decompress the cord by removing that disc and now [in] that space that is left empty, the implants are placed. It is fixated into that spacing so you reconstruct and realign the spine using implants, then it is fixed by utilising the screws.” The surgery is very technical and without due care and precision can be fatal to the patient or in some cases, render them fully paralysed. Turn to page 16 ►

Dr Dukhi restores... GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT Dr Dukhi was able to successfully accomplish this very complex task in a timely manner. “This type of surgery depends on how quickly you get the patient. This surgery will not change the prognosis in patients who are paralysed for a prolonged period and surgeries delayed for long periods. If there is hope, the correct thing to do is immediate surgery. If the spinal cord is damaged, there is also no point for surgery. Timing is critical,” he noted. Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle, one of the patients who requested anonymity, a 51-year-old businessman and a father of four of Foulis, East Coast Demerara, said he is thankful to regain full control of his body. “I had about three accidents with the last one in the U.S. in December

last year and I used to feel numbness in various parts of my body, coupled with severe pain which caused me to walk with a limp and due to the pain I went to get local massage which made it worse. When I went to the doctor, I was told to get an MRI. I was later told my case was rare, but there was hope. After agreeing to have it done locally, I realised it was the best thing I ever done because I can now walk and do all the things that were not possible before surgery. I still have physical therapy, but I am very thankful to Dr Dukhi.” Dr. Dukhi explained that in the case of the 51-year-old male, a double implant was performed. Prior to the surgery, the patient experienced severe weakness in the upper and lower limbs, difficulty walking and limited or no function of the arms. In the case of the 61-year-old male, the patient suffered a motor vehicu-

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 1, 2018

From page 15

lar accident in December 2017 in the interior region, rendering him completely paralysed. However, through the post-ACDF implant, he was able to recover movement of the upper limbs and is currently under rehabilitation to recover movement in the lower limbs. His surgery was done five days after the incident. Dr Dukhi, who has been performing neurosurgical procedures in Guyana since 2015, has successfully completed over 450 surgical procedures, giving patients a new lease on their lives. LONG WAY TO GO Additionally, he believes that based on the progress made thus far, Guyana still has a long way to go, but with the support of government and private institutions, Guyana can be the premier State for medical treatment in the future. “Prior to 2015, there was

X-ray shows post-ACDF with double implants performed on the 51-year- old patient

nothing neurosurgical in Guyana. Neurosurgical capacity was nil. I think we would have gone a long way to where we are now in building a Department of Neurosurgery at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where we are now able to offer surgeries for brain tumours among others, where persons previously would have had to go overseas.” He continued, that Guyanese will have a lot to look

forward to in terms of avoiding costly trips overseas to have these procedures done. “Vascular neurosurgical procedures is the peak of neurosurgery, it takes a lot of technology, instruments, human resource capacity to develop that and that by itself is very costly, so we would have to have the political willpower, build our own human resource capacity in terms of training more doctors in neurosurgery, so we can facilitate

these type of surgery in the future and I have no doubt we would get there. We are working towards that, we are now almost into minimally invasive neurosurgical procedure. We were able to source through the government a neuroendoscope and tower, where sooner or later we would be able to start up procedures so that babies do not have to have open shunting surgeries for hydrocephalus.” Four doctors are currently being trained in the field of neurosurgery at the GPHC. “In terms of formal training, we are presently drafting a post-graduate programme, myself and Professor Ivor Crandon from Jamaica, where we are working to create in the local health system a programme where we are able to train local doctors to a post-graduate level that will be a University of Guyana/University of the West Indies programme. Hopefully, everything in this should be available in less than a year,” the enterprising doctor said.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 1, 2018

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday March 1, 2018

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Abioce Heywood waves ‘goodbye’ to rugby … Former player talks about slow road to recovery after concussion

By Rawle Toney SHE was considered to be local rugby’s brightest female star and the player to carry the mantle in the future for the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU). But now, Abioce Heywood is walking away from the game she loves, by both choice and force. “As much as I love rugby, I love myself more, so I have to say goodbye to rugby” Heywood said during her exclusive interview on NCN’s 100.1FM Sports Vybz. When Guyana’s Sevens female rugby team travelled to Mexico for the Rugby Americas North (RAN) Sevens Championship last November, their hopes of landing their fourth title rested on the shoulders of a diminutive 21-year-old scrum-half, Abioce Heywood. Guyana, behind Heywood’s brilliance, got off to a perfect start, as they managed to upset last year’s champions, Jamaica, 19-12, in their opening game of the tournament. Heywood scored 10 points (two tries) of her own, while she wowed the crowd with her defensive skillset.

In their second game, Heywood scored Guyana’s lone try in their 5-12 ‘humdinger’ loss to Trinidad and Tobago. Guyana went on to defeat the Dominican Republic 17–12, but narrowly fell to eventual winners Mexico 12–17 and drew 7–7 with Bermuda. Fans at the Campo Marte athletics ground in Mexico City stood still when Heywood lay motionless on the ground after being tackled. She was admitted to the ICU at a nearby hospital, and subsequently sedated as a neurological protective measure, according to a medical report. A Computed Tomography (CT) scan was also done on Heywood following her admission and was sedated in order to properly rest. The diminutive but versatile player had remained in Mexico as doctors continued to monitor her progression while the other players returned to Guyana. It is believed that she may have suffered the concussion injuries during the previous game against Trinidad and Tobago, in which both players remained motionless on the ground for several minutes.

Thirty-five goals scored on ...

for Tucville, starting with Dellon Williams (3rd), Jahall Greaves (6th), Raphael Edwards (14th) and Dennis Edwards (17th) Game two saw Alpha Warriors down Kingston 5-1 with Benji scoring a hat-trick with strikes in the 10th second, 1st and 8th minutes. Akosi Jervis added his goal in the 15th minute and Delwin Fraser added the final nail in the 17th. Nigel Denny’s 5th minute goal was the only strike for Kingston. Bent Street were also big winners over California Square, ending with

In a video replay of the game, the Guyanese player is seen collapsing to the ground after having gotten up and continuing to play. The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) player, Heywood, returned to Guyana in the company of team physio, Abiola Blair, also of the GDF, and female team manager, Petal Adams, who also serves as the GRFU General Secretary. Heywood said that while her injury was unfortunate, she hopes that from it, better awareness is made for the importance of players being properly insured in sports, especially while travelling. Rugby, she said, is one of the toughest sports out there right now, but it’s also one that she enjoys, along with football, where she represented Guyana at both the junior and senior levels. Heywood said thanks to GDF’s Chief of Staff Brigadier Patrick West, she was well taken care of since her return to Guyana. Apart from the one time she was treated by the members of her team, she is yet to hear from the top-brass of the GRFU. “It’s sad because I gave everything to my country and

this is how they turn around and treat me. Thanks to the GDF and Chief of Staff, they took care of me. I’ll be back at work this week, but I would be nothing strenuous for the next couple of years, all thanks the GDF,” Heywood pointed out. The soft-spoken Heywood said that she, along with her family more so her mother, will continue to take their doctor’s advice with regard to her progression to normalcy, since she hopes to lace up her cleats once again, but this time in a return to the football field. “I am done with rugby, there’s no going back there, not even in the future. I hope to one day play football again but I will let the doctors decide. I hope that proper measures are put in place in the future so that others don’t have to suffer like I did,” Heywood emphasised. The GRFU indicated that the final cost for Heywood’s hospitalisation exceeded the total insurance the Union had on her. Heywood’s costs for hospitalisation was in the vicinity of some $200 000 pesos (US$10738).

From page 22►

a 5-0 margin thanks to a double from Ryan Hackett (6th and 12th), Solomon Austin (12th), Travis Lyken (19th) and Andrew Murray 19th. Ol Skool Ballers were also victors on the night with a 4-1 win over New Market Street. Orlando Rickett’s 13th minute strike was the only registered goal for New Market. On the other end, Raushan Ritch’s brace (12th and 13th) along with Omari James and Fabian Crawford, 18th and 11th, respectively, sealed the deal. Channel Nine were on the end of

a beat-down, losing to North East 4-0 with Kelvin Moore scoring back-toback goals in the 5th and 6th and Mickel Brandt and Keifer Brandt also scoring in the 13th and 14th. West Front Road also overcame Sophia by a 4-1 margin with Jamal Pedro (6th), Hubert Pedro (18th), Collin Nelson (16th) and Joshua Brown (17th) each scoring. Dwayne Lowe (17th) scored for Sophia. The tournament is sponsored by NAMILCO under its Wheat Germ brand.

CPL draft takes place today in London A TOTAL of 348 players have registered their names for the player draft for 2018 Hero Caribbean Premier League, which is scheduled to take place today 15:00hrs GMT (20:30hrs IST, 11:00hrs ECT, 10:00hrs EST) at the state-of-the-art Gfinity eSports arena in London. There will be analysis from Daren Ganga and Harsha Bhogle who will be discussing the world-class cricketers who will be taking part in this year’s tournament that gets underway on August 8. The following platforms will be showing the broadcast – Facebook – www.facebook.com/CarnivalT20; Twitter – www.twitter.com/CPL and Sportsmax across the Caribbean. A total of 227 overseas players from 18 countries have registered

their names in the players’ draft. Apart from players from new Test members, Afghanistan & Ireland, there are players from Canada, USA, Oman, Hong Kong, Scotland, Nepal, UAE and Kenya, who are part of the draft. All the franchises will also need to pick a player from the ICC Americas region. The players can either be retained from the 2017 edition of Hero CPL or will be picked from the USA team, which participated in the just concluded CWI Super50 regional tournament. The Hero CPL will have the best cricketers taking part in the tournament, from around the world as well as from across the Caribbean. The window for this year’s event means that there are no West Indies fixtures that clash with the Hero CPL so the very best West Indian players

will be available for selection. This year the draft is a reflection of the global nature of the tournament. With owners and sponsors from around the world investing in the Hero CPL and the Caribbean as a whole, having the draft in London helps from a logistics point of view and helps sell the region to a global audience. Some of the players who will be available for selection or retention this year will be Brendon McCullum, Chris Lynn, Mohammad Amir, D’Arcy Short, Kieron Pollard, Chris Gayle, Hashim Amla, Shahid Afridi and Usman Khawaja as well as English players Alex Hales and Adil Rashid. The tournament bowls off on August 8 and concludes on September 16.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday March 1, 2018

Stokes shines as England beat Kiwis to level ODI series (REUTERS) - Ben Stokes shook off any rust following an enforced break with his 11th ODI half-century as he guided England to a six-wicket win over New Zealand in the second game of their five-match series at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui yesterday. Stokes made his return to international cricket in the first match in Hamilton on

Sunday after an incident outside a Bristol nightclub last September led to him being charged with affray and being stood down by selectors. He entered a plea of not guilty on February 13. The 26-year-old scored 63 not out and combined with captain Eoin Morgan (62) in an 88-run partnership as the visitors cantered to 225 for four in 37.5 overs to level

the series at 1-1. Jos Buttler finished 36 not out. Stokes also claimed two wickets and was responsible for one of New Zealand’s four run-outs as the hosts were bowled out for 223 with two balls remaining. The total, however, was never enough for the powerful England batting lineup even if Jason Roy and Joe Root both failed to get into

Ben Stokes shines with bat and ball as England level ODI series.

double figures. Morgan, who was dropped on 27 by wicketkeeper Tom Latham and then Henry Nicholls at midwicket on 40, brought up his 35th half-century before he hit a return catch to Colin Munro. “We wanted to come back strong after the defeat in the first game,” said manof-the-match Stokes. ”We thought we let ourselves down in the first game and the lads showed that with the intensity in the field. “It’s good to get out here and train and implement it in

the games. I wanted to make sure I was there in the end and it was a good stepping stone for the games coming up.” New Zealand struggled throughout their entire innings in the face of some superb England fielding, with Roy taking two brilliant diving catches. They had slumped to 108 for six after 30 overs, despite Martin Guptill scoring 50, his 34th ODI half-century. All-rounder Mitchell Santner, who hit the winning runs on Sunday, notched his

SCOREBOARD NEW ZEALAND innings Martin Guptill c Jason Roy b Moeen Ali 50 Colin Munro c Jos Buttler b Chris Woakes 1 Mark Chapman c David Willey b Chris Woakes 1 Ross Taylor run-out David Willey 10 Tom Latham c Tom Curran b Moeen Ali 22 Henry Nicholls c Jason Roy b Ben Stokes 1 Colin de Grandhomme run-out Jonny Bairstow 38 Mitchell Santner not out 63 Tim Southee run-out Ben Stokes 6 Lockie Ferguson c Adil Rashid b Ben Stokes 19 Trent Boult run-out Ben Stokes 2 Extras: (lb-5, w-5) 10 Total: (all out, 49.4 overs) 223 Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-9, 3-48, 4-79, 5-82, 6-108, 7-141, 8-147, 9-216. Bowling: Willey 5-0-16-0 (w-2), Woakes 7.4-1-42-2, Rashid 10-0-32-0, Curran 9 -0-53-0 (w-3), Moeen Ali 10- 0 – 33- 2, Stokes 8- 0- 42- 2. ENGLAND innings Jason Roy c Mitchell Santner b Trent Boult 8 Jonny Bairstow c (sub.) b Lockie Ferguson 37 Joe Root c Colin de Grandhomme b Trent Boult 9 Eoin Morgan c & b Colin Munro 62 Ben Stokes not out 63 Jos Buttler not out 36 Extras: (lb-2, w-8) 10 Total: (for 4 wkts, 37.5 overs) 225 Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-47, 3-86, 4-174. Bowling: Southee 7- 0-55-0 (w-2), Boult 8-1- 46-2, Santner 7.5-0-40-0, Ferguson 8-0-48- 1, Colin de Grandhomme 2-0- 11-0 (w-1), Munro 5 -0-23- 1 (w-1).

first half-century and finished 63 not out while Colin de Grandhomme added 38 as the lower order ensured they made the final over. “We raised our level of intensity, especially with the first 10 overs with the ball and that was backed up in the field,” England captain Eoin Morgan said. “It was as good a performance we could have hoped for in the field.” The third match is in Wellington on Saturday.

South Africa not seeking quick pitches against Australia DURBAN, South Africa (Reuters) - South Africa have not asked for quick pitches to be prepared for their four-Test series against Australia, which starts in Durban today, after the ploy backfired just over a month ago, captain Faf du Plessis said yesterday. “I learnt my lesson,” du Plessis told a news conference after his call for groundsmen to prepare pacey wickets in the three-Test series against India in January saw South Africa lose by 63 runs in the last Test at The Wanderers. The pitch was also criticised by the International Cricket Council (ICC). “Obviously, when you’re playing against a sub-continent team (Asian), you try to get an advantage somehow but Australia and South Africa are two similar teams,” said du Plessis. “We play in the same conditions. There’s nothing different that we are expecting. We both will play on what we get. We’ve not asked for anything specific.” The wicket for the opening Test at Kingsmead is expected to be slow. “The Durban wicket over the last few years has

The captains, Steve Smith and Faf du Plessis, pose with the Test series trophy.

definitely slowed down a bit. That’s the nature of the square. I expect it to be quite slow. It might take a bit of turn. If anything, a little tennis-ball bounce,” added the South Africa captain, who is back after missing last month’s limited overs contests against India through injury. Wickets at the next two Test venues -- Port Elizabeth and Cape Town -- could also prove slow. But the last Test at The Wanderers, which starts on March 30, is expected to significantly favour the quick bowlers, enhanced by being played at altitude, 1,750m above sea level. Following the India Test, The Wanderers deck was labelled “poor” and the ICC

imposed a three-demerit points-sanction on the Johannesburg venue after play was suspended late on the third day when South Africa batsman Dean Elgar was struck on the helmet by a rising delivery from paceman Jasprit Bumrah. The match officials cited concerns over the players’ safety after numerous batsmen were struck on the body during the Test. The demerit points will remain active for a rolling five-year period and if during that time The Wanderers reaches the threshold of five demerit points, the venue will be banned from staging any international cricket for 12 months.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday March 1, 2018

Guysuco Training Centre completes successful tour of Suriname

GUYSUCO Training Centre cricket team get the better of the Nickerie cricket team.

Russian Olympic Committee reinstated by IOC ZURICH/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia was reinstated by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) yesterday after the remaining tests of the country’s athletes at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics were all returned negative. Russians competed as neutrals at the Games after the IOC suspended the country’s Olympic Committee (ROC) in December, saying it had found evidence of an “unprecedented systematic manipulation” of the anti-doping system. The IOC reinstatement means athletes can compete under the Russian flag and wear a national team uniform, while the national anthem can be played at gold medal ceremonies. It also means Russian officials can take part at IOC meetings. On Sunday the IOC said Russia, which has repeatedly denied state involvement in doping, would be automatically readmitted if there were no more doping violations from the Games. “The final notification of all remaining test results from the Olympic Athlete from Russia (OAR) delegation has been received,“

the IOC said in a statement yesterday. “The IOC can confirm that all the remaining results are negative. “Therefore, as stated in the Executive Board decision of February 25, the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee is automatically lifted with immediate effect.” The decision was announced earlier yesterday by ROC president Alexander Zhukov on state television. “The Russian Olympic Committee has had its rights fully restored,” he said. “It’s a decision of the utmost importance for us.” NEUTRAL TEAM A team of 168 Russians competed as part of a neutral ‘Olympic Athlete from Russia’ (OAR) team in Pyeongchang but two of them failed drug tests - medal-winning curler Alexander Krushelnitsky and bobsledder Nadezhda Sergeeva. They had all been required to prove they were clean before the Games. Under the neutrality rules, the Russians were unable to wear national uniforms or have their anthem played at medal pre-

sentations, although on Sunday the men’s ice hockey team sang the national anthem after winning gold. Widespread doping by Russian athletes at the 2014 Sochi Winter Games was exposed by an independent report for the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). WADA said in a statement yesterday that Russia remained non-compliant with its code “as it has not yet met the necessary criteria of RUSADA’s (Russian Anti-Doping Agency‘s) Roadmap to Compliance, following Russia’s proven systemic manipulation of the doping control process.” Russia also remains suspended from world athletics. Forty-three Russian athletes were disqualified from the 2014 Sochi Winter Games and banned by the IOC after the Olympic body followed up the WADA investigation, although 28 of those had their results reinstated and bans overturned after appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Those 28, however, were not invited to Pyeongchang by the IOC.

GUYSUCO Training Centre (GTC) completed a successful tour of Suriname with Spartans volleyball club of Nickerie from February 22 to February 25 last. A contingent of 40 apprentices and six officials represented the GTC in Nickerie, Suriname. Games played were volleyball, in which GTC won in straight sets 3-0, 3-0, 3-0. There was six-a-side football; four teams were involved two teams representing the GTC advanced to the final after defeating Nickerie in a fourteam encounter. Goal scorers were Shamar Wilkie with 3 goals and Shaquan Spencer collected 2. The GTC team 1

won the final. In a 15/15 over cricket match between hosts Nickerie, GTC won the toss and batted first, scoring 141 for the loss of nine wickets. Jermain Pollard top-scored with 38 and Devindra Latchman chipped in with 18. In reply, the Nickerie team were restricted to 102 for 9. The GTC players were presented with a trophy for their success. The Sparta volleyball club, being the premier organiser, was thanked for the invitation and organising of the games. Words of appreciation were also expressed to Guysuco Training Centre for turning up and it is hoped that another exercise can take place.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday March 1, 2018

Position: Windies-A lead by 291 runs.

Warrican & Cornwall combine to put Windies ‘A’ in control of third Test NORTH SOUND, Antigua ( CMC) – Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican snatched his third five-wicket haul of the series as West Indies-A dominated England Lions on the second day of the day/night third four-day ‘Test’ here Tuesday night, to enhance their chances of a clean sweep. The 25-year-old picked up six for 33 as Lions, resuming from their overnight 20 without loss, were bundled out for a disappointing 102 in their first innings, to extend their wretched batting woes in the three-match series. Haseeb Hameed topscored with 48 but was just one of three batsmen in double figures and the only one to pass 20. Armed with a lead of 134 runs, Windies-A finished the night on 157 for four in their second innings – 291 runs

ahead, heading into yesterday’s penultimate day at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground. First-innings top-scorer Shamarh Brooks again got a start with 37 while Jahmar Hamilton continued his decent form with an unbeaten 36 and captain Kieran Powell, 28. Chasing a relatively modest target for first-innings lead, captain Keaton Jennings and Hameed extended the Lions opening stand to 38 before being separated. The left-handed Jennings had scored 16 from 53 deliveries when he fell lbw to leftarm seamer Raymon Reifer and Nick Gubbins lasted 18 balls before he too departed lbw, trapped by off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall (3-46). Seven balls later with the score on 52, Warrican claimed his first wicket when

Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican has taken 26 wickets in the series.

he sent back Joe Clarke, lbw without scoring, confirming the collapse which saw the last seven wickets tumble for 50 runs. With his latest heroics, Warrican took his haul in the series to 26 wickets while Cornwall now has 17. Batting a second time, Windies-A were handed a solid start by Powell and fel-

low left-hander John Campbell (22) who added 54 for the first wicket. Powell had struck two fours and a six in a breezy 36-ball knock when he was lbw to 20-year-old off-spinner Dominic Bess (3-45), leading to a slide where three wickets perished for 19 runs. Brooks then combined in a 54-run, fourth-wicket

SCOREBOARD WEST INDIES A 1st innings 236 LIONS 1st innings (o/n 20 without loss) K. Jennings lbw b Reifer 16 H. Hameed lbw b Warrican 48 N. Gubbins lbw b Cornwall 4 J. Clarke lbw b Warrican 0 S. Northeast c Hamilton b Cornwall 3 A. Davies b Warrican 8 P. Coughlin c Blackwood b Cornwall 11 J. Leach c Cornwall b Warrican 0 D. Bess stp. Dowrich b Warrican 4 R. Gleeson c and b Warrican 0 S. Mahmood not out 4 Extras: (b-1, nb-3) 4 Total: (all out, 54.1 overs) 102 Fall of wickets: 1-38, 2-49, 3-52, 4-63, 5-72, 6-92, 7-92, 8-96, 9-97. Bowling: Reifer 7-2-16-1, Paul 3-1-30, Joseph 2-0-3-0, Cornwall 24-8-463, Warrican 18.1-5-33-6. WINDIES A 2nd innings J. Campbell c Jennings b Bess 22 K. Powell lbw b Bess 28 J. Blackwood c Gubbins b Leach 10 S. Brooks lbw b Bess 37 J. Hamilton not out 36 S. Dowrich not out 13 Extras: (b-4, lb-5,nb-2) 11 Total: (4 wkts, 45 overs) 157 Fall of wickets: 1-54, 2-57, 3-73, 4-127. Bowling: Mahmood 3-0-17-0, Gleeson 7-1-34-0, Coughlin 6-0-23-0, Bess 18-6-45-3, Leach 11-2-29-1.

stand with Hamilton, to keep Windies-A on top. The right-handed Brooks faced 64 balls and counted five fours while Hamilton has so far struck five boundaries in a 75-ball stay at the crease.

GCB Intercounty U-17 tourney bowls off on March 7 A SELECT Under-15 squad will form part of the four-team Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Inter-county Under-17 one-day tournament which is set to bowl off on March 7. Three rounds with two games each are billed for the tournament and will be played on March, 7, 9 and 11. In round one, Demerara will play Essequibo at the Lusignan Community Centre while Berbice clash with the Select Under-15 team at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground. In round two, Berbice take on Demerara at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground while Essequibo and the Select X1 battle at the Lusignan Community Centre. In the final round, the Select Under-15 will face Demerara at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground while Essequibo and Berbice clash at the Everest Cricket Club ground.

McDonald expresses gratitude for Int’l support for Patrick Ford Memorial boxing card By Michael DaSilva HEAD of the McDonald’s Boxing Group Alford McDonald has extended his gratitude to those international firms that contributed to the successful staging of the just-concluded inaugural Patrick Ford Memorial Amateur Championships.

Speaking to Chronicle Sport of the championships, held at the National Gymnasium on Sunday night, McDonald, a former member of the Guyana Defence Force’s (GDF) boxing team said his support of this inaugural Patrick Ford tournament is his way of giving back to the sport. The former soldier/box-

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday March 01, 2018) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1)

Windwards Volcanoes

(2)

Roland Cato (Windward Islands)

Today’s Quiz: (1) How many women have represented the WI in ODI cricket to date? (2) How many women have represented the WI in T20 Internationals to date? Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Alford McDonald

er, now a seafarer, working with an international shipping company, expressed his gratitude to Norma Freights Shipping Company of Puerto Rico, Turnball Sand, Challenger Trucking Service, Top Notch Trucking Service, Island Gas and Petro Gas of St Thomas, Ferrol Trucking Service and Water Spirits Services of St Croix for their financial support of the card. McDonald said he was approached by Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) pres-

ident Steve Ninvalle last year to support the card since he (McDonald) was a former amateur boxer with connections that can go a long way in promoting amateur boxing in Guyana. McDonald said he immediately heeded the call for support since he is of the view that Guyana can secure its first-ever Olympic gold medal through amateur boxing. McDonald said he is very impressed with the perfor-

mances of Guyana’s two Olympic prospects - Colin `Superman’ Lewis, Guyana and the Caribbean junior welterweight champion; and Guyana & Caribbean bantamweight champion Keevin Allicock - over the past two years and he is very confident the duo can do Guyana proud at the 2020 Olympic Games. McDonald said he will do all he can to ensure they get the much-needed exposure needed leading up to the 2020 Olympic Games.

Thirty-five goals scored on second night of Corona Futsal THIRTY-FIVE goals were scored as the second night of the annual Corona Futsal tournament got going at the National Gymnasium on Tuesday. In the first game, a goal fest ensued with Showstoppers overpowering Tucville 6-4. A hat-trick for Dexroy Adams (5th, 13th and 18th) was complemented by single strikes from Trayon Bobb (19th), Marvin Josiah (12th) and Ryan James (13th). There were four different goal-scorers Turn to page 19 ►

Action in the Corona Futsal tournament which is sponsored by NAMILCO is heating up.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday March 1, 2018

Four teams win in opening of BFA/GFF/Pele Alumni/Frank Watson U-15 League By Colin Bynoe THE 2018 football season in the Ancient County of Berbice opened with a grand march past, which featured the ten competing teams in the BFA/GFF/Pele Alumni Frank Watson U-15 League at the Esplanade Park in New Amsterdam last Sunday. Following a warm welcome to the ten clubs and their management teams, Berbice Football Association secretary Joseph Simon expressed delight at the turnout The teams were addressed by Georgetown Football Federation (GFF) Technical Director Ian Greenwood, who encouraged the youths to work hard and maintain focus in order to be rewarded with the appropriate skills, to firstly be inducted into the Academy Training Centres (ATC) which will put them a step closer to the National team. The first match saw East Bank Gunners against Orealla Falcons – a match which lasted 70 minutes. The Gunners had no answers for the lads from Orealla. They went down 9-nil at the hands of a relentless Orealla Falcons, whose goals came from, Shano Edwards in the 8th, 12th & 34th minutes, backed by a brace from Daniel Alexander in the 22nd and 30th minutes. This was followed by a hat-trick of goals from Brett Sarius in the 39th, 44th and 45th. Carlton Hamilton ended the assault with the

ninth goal in the 57th minute. The second match ended in a 3-0 victory for Corriverton Links over Arsenal FC. .The three goals came from the boots of Matthias Lewis in the 35th, 46th & 59th minutes. In match three, Monedderlust FC gained a 2-1 win over NA United. Bryon Bailey scored for Monedderlust in the 22nd minute

The Orealla Falcons goalscorers

and Michael Jordon in the 27th. Bryon Bailey accounted for NA United’s lone goal, courtesy of an own goal. However, due to Monedderlust FC fielding an overaged player, Daniel LaRose, the match will be forfeited and will be awarded to NA United with full 3 points. In match four, Cougars FC humbled

as he continuously challenged the Hearts of Oak defence. Brown eventually got an opening and placed one in the back of the net in the 67th minute. This brought the supporters to their feet and the match ended 1-1. The Orealla Falcons goalscorers NEXT FIXTURES: Friday 2nd March 2018, all matches will Young Strikers Nicolas Brown (yellow shirt) last-minute goal provides his team be at the Esplanade Park. Arsenal vs Orealla – Esplanade park with a draw. Hopetown United Rangers 4-0. Tyrese – 10:00hrs NA united vs Hopetown Rangers Tim made his mark in the third and 56th minutes while Kevon Hamilton found his 11:30hrs East Bank Gunners vs Monedderlust – range in the 27th and 49th to hand his 13:30hrs team an easy victory. Cougars FC vs Young Strikers – In the final match of the day, Hearts of Oak came up against Young Strikers. It was 15:00hrs Orealla Falcons vs Rrosignol – a keenly contested match with Hearts of Oak taking the lead. They scored midway 16:30hrs Saturday 3rd March 2018 Corriverin the first half. Young Strikers’ Nicholas Brown showed some skills above the others ton Links vs Hearts of Oak – 15:00hrs. Points Standing Pos 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Teams Orealla Falcons FC Cougars FC Corriverton Links FC N A United FC Hearts of Oak Young Strikers FC Monedderlust FC Arsenal FC Hopetown United Rangers F East Bank Gunners Rosignol United

GABA knockout tournament to bounce off March 5 … ‘Best-of-three’ final to decide winner FIRST and second division teams in the City will, from March 5, bounce back into action in the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) Knock-Out tournament at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. On the tournament’s opening day, Sonics and Plaisance Guardians U-23 units will clash from 18:30hrs, while in the night’s second double-header from 20:30hrs, Kobras’ second division team will do battle with Pacesetters. According to the GABA, matches will be played Monday to Thursday, and the finals for the respective categories will be decided on a ‘best-of-three’ format. “I think this is a good start to the year, taking into account it would give the players some time on the floor and get them in shape to challenge for a spot on the National team,” said the GABA’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Rawle Toney. The Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) announced the country’s participation at the June 22 to July 1 Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Championships in Paramaribo, Suriname, and Toney is of the view that players within the confines of the clubs affiliated with the GABA, “should take this tournament seriously.” “I think they should look at it as a dress rehearsal for whatever the GABF has planned to use for selection. But also, this tournament is in keeping with the GABA’s mandate to have continuous play at all levels,” Toney said. Georgetown’s leading club Colts will be joined by rivals Ravens, Pacesetters, Plaisance Guardians, Nets, the University of Guyana Trojans, Kobras, Eagles and Sonics in the First Division tier.

Kobras, Pacesetters, UG Trojans, Sonics, Eagles, Plaisance Guardians and Colts are set to contest the Division Two title, and in the U-23 category, Sonics, Guardians, Kobras and UG Trojans will square off.

Mt Pl 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0

W 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

D 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

L 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 1 1 1 0

GF 9 4 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

GA 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 3 4 9 0

GD +9 +4 +3 +1 0 0 0 -3 -4 -9 0

Points 3 3 3 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

Johnson wraps up CONCACAF Targeted Advanced Referee Programme FIFA referee Gladwyn Johnson yesterday wrapped up a three-day training programme for CONCACAF 2018 elite referees being held in Costa Rica. The programme, which began on February 25, is aimed at the continued development of the elite referees, both male and female. Johnson’s participation was part of the Targeted Advanced Referee Programme (TARP). In an invited comment, Johnson, who successfully completed the fitness test as part of the programme, said he was eager to share the knowledge acquired with the other national referees. Johnson noted that he “will continue to work, do well at the fitness test, and perform all classroom tests as well as training on the field. As I strive for excellence to officiate at the highest level (World Cup), I will pay attention to all details so that I can get better than I am. When I return home, I will share the knowledge I gain with my fellow referees so that everyone can be at

Gladwyn Johnson

their best.” Johnson also expressed gratitude to the Creator for having the opportunity of being among the 31 top referees who participated in the CONCACAF programme, which included 19 elite referees and 12 targeted referees. Among the key areas focussed on were the physical fitness testing, practical and technical training and classroom and field sessions including video tests.

Four teams win in 23 opening of BFA/GFF/ Pele Alumni/Frank Watson U-15 League PAGE

Silver Sharks swim club honours top performers GOODWILL Swimming Championships record-holder Leon Seaton was awarded for being the ‘Most Decorated and Accomplished Swimmer for 2017’. He was among over 20 swimmers who were honoured by the Silver Shark Aquatic Swim Club last weekend at a ceremony at Herdmanston Lodge. The ceremony was a part of the club’s effort to reward its swimmers for their good performance. “It’s our vision to promote swimming by enhancing the skills and commitment of our swimmers. With this in mind, we had decided to award our swimmers for their efforts for the year 2017,” a club representative noted. The club also expressed gratitude to their sponsors: Go Invest, Scotiabank and Maggie’s Catering Service. Seaton, unquestionably the club’s most accomplished swimmer for last year, had started his 2017 season by being Guyana’s first swimmer to qualify for CARIFTA Swimming Championships, and is one of only three swimmers who made qualifying times. At the Goodwill Swimming Championships he was Guyana’s second-best performer with nine medals, including five for record-breaking performances. He also continued his medal-grabbing ways at the Suriname year-end swim meet. Seven other swimmers, including Trumaine Cole, who also medalled at the Suriname meet, were awarded for ‘Outstanding Performances 2017’. The others are Jadyn George, Danielle George, Joseph Matthews, Nathon Hackett, Latisha Blair and Shamal Bryan. Thirteen swimmers were awarded for ‘Improved Participation 2017’. They were Darion Pereira, Daniel Claxton, Nickel Charles, Adasema Roberts, Anan Roberts, Kenmar Roberts, Nicholas Verwey, Emani O’Brien, Joshua Pitt, Joshua Verwey, Vonique Stewart, Hamani Paul, and Leancia Smith. Certificates were also presented to those swimmers who attained over 90% attendance for the year 2017.

Some of the swimmers with their certificates and awards

CPL draft takes place today in London PAGE

Abioce Heywood waves ‘goodbye’ to rugby … Former player talks about slow road to recovery after concussion PAGE

Chris Lynn

Brendon McCullum

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Abioce Heywood powers to score a try against Jamaica in Mexico at the RAN 7s Championship. THURSDAY MARCH 1, 2018