Guyana chronicle e paper 03 02 2018 by Guyana Chronicle

New Lethem mayor banks on transparency 25 PAGE

No. 105201

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2018

Price: $80

( VAT I n c l u s i v e )

Happy Holi to all Guyanese

'We feel safer now' … White Water residents hail set up of new army base

… say soldiers’ presence puts check on fuel smuggling

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President David Granger plays Phagwah with this little girl during a State House-sponsored Chowtaal session and pre-Holi celebrations on Thursday (Samuel Maughn photo)

‘Bury them in one coffin’

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02 … Seelall Persaud instructed, Lyken owner tells Lindo Creek COI

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

Seelall Persaud ordered Lindo Creek victims buried in one coffin … Lyken owner tells CoI By Svetlana Marshall

CO-OWNER of the Lyken Funeral Home, Dr. Dawn Stewart, a mortician by profession, said the country’s then Crime Chief, Seelall Persaud had ordered back in 2012 that the charred remains of the Lindo Creek victims be lumped into a single coffin and buried, but she objected. The decision was reportedly handed down some four years after the charred remains of the eight gold miners were discovered at Lindo Creek in the Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice District in June, 2008. Dr. Stewart, who is a U.S trained retired Registered Nurse with a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and Clinical Psychology, and a PhD in Environmental Science, was among four persons who took to the stand on Thursday as the Lindo Creek Commission of Inquiry (CoI) public hearings commenced. She has been a mortician since 2007. Jogging her memory based on a statement she submitted to the Commission, Legal Counsel Patrice Henry took Dr. Stewart back to June 21, 2008 when the Lyken Funeral Home was contacted by the Guyana Police Force. As

Chairman of the Commission, Justice (Ret'd) Donald Trotman, and family and friends of the deceased listened attentively in the chamber of the COI Secretariat at the Department of Public Service, Dr. Stewart said the parlour was contacted to pick up some burnt and decomposed human remains from an interior location. Upon request, a porter was sent by air to a “designated area” to assist in moving the remains from the interior location to the city. That person, who was identified as “Mavis”, had flown into the interior on the morning of June 21, 2008 from the Ogle Airport, and had returned the afternoon with ranks of the Guyana Police Force, and the charred remains. A hearse was then dispatched to the airport to uplift the remains along with Ms. Mavis, who is now deceased. The remains were those of Cecil Arokium, Dax Arokium, Horace Drakes, Bonny Harry, Lancelot Lee, Compton Speirs, Nigel Torres and Clifton Berry Wong. Questioned whether ranks of the Police Force had accompanied the mortician from the airport to the funeral parlour, Dr. Stewart responded in the affirmative, and even positively identified

Detective Sergeant Clemsford Burnette as one of the police investigators who had accompanied the mortician to the Lyken Funeral Home.

BUNDLED TOGETHER Dr. Stewart said when the hearse arrived at the Lyken Funeral Home, she noticed that the remains had been wrapped together in a large tarpaulin. “It was a large bundle of human remains, approximately 6 foot long and 4feet wide… It was maintained in that condition as we picked it up from the airport until it was required from the Police Force for the next step,” she recalled. However, Dr. Stewart said she did not see the contents of the tarpaulin at the time. “We didn’t open the tarpaulin at that time, because we were not allowed to tamper with the evidence. We were allowed to save it in the position that we received it, and we now refrigerate it in a secured area until further direction from the Guyana Police Force,” she explained. According to her, the remains remained in that condition for a number of days, while the Police Force put systems in place for post mortems to be conducted. However, a decision was made for Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) testing to be done on the remains, because they were unidentifiable.

“Once the inspectors were there to look at and to take pictures, and to take DNA studies, we were able to see the remains which included charred parts of bodies, skulls, hands and torsos, and various different parts of human (body),” Stewart explained to Counsel Henry before the Commission. According to her, the remains continuously remained in the custody of the Lyken Funeral Parlour for approximately four years. During that period, Dr. Stewart said, there were visits by local and foreign investigators approximately four times in the first two years of the investigation for the purpose of removing samples from the burnt remains. PREPARED FOR BURIAL After approximately four years, the remains, on September 11, 2012, were prepared for burial, but only after consistent queries by the Lyken Funeral Home. It was the longest period the Lyken Funeral Home, in its 95 years of existence, had ever kept human remains for, Dr. Stewart noted. “Before the point of burial, I often visited the CID Division to determine when we were going to bury these bodies, and what we were going to do with these bodies because they were there for a long period of time. And

I would speak to Detective Cosbert and Detective Seelall Persaud, who were in the CID Division, in reference to early burial of the human remains,” the mortician told the Commission in response to a question posed by Attorney Henry.

‘BURY THEM IN ONE COFFIN’ According to Dr. Stewart, it was after she had constantly visited the CID Headquarters at Eve Leary that she was told that the investigation was completed, and the remains could be turned over to the families for burial. It was at that point she reportedly told the CID that eight coffins were required, but the then Crime Chief objected. “I was instructed by the then Crime Chief that there was only one coffin needed for the burial. However, through my negotiation, we were able to attain three coffins for them to be buried in three different tombs at that time, on that said 11th day of September,” she explained. Dr. Stewart said it was the decision of the funeral home to hold a small home-going service for the miners before interment at the Le Repentir Cemetery. One relative had attended that service, but the mortician noted that during the first two years, family members of the deceased had repeatedly called the parlour to ascertain when the remains would be released for burial, and were always directed to the police, because the remains were still in their custody. “My understanding from that particular family,” Dr

Co-owner of the Lyken Funeral Home, Dr. Dawn Stewart testifying during the first round of public hearings yesterday into the Lindo Creek Massacre Stewart said, “was that they were just notified on the morning of the burial, that the burial would be taking place, and they were under the impression that the other families didn’t know. The following day we got calls from other family members, asking and querying about the human remains, and we ended up with three coffins, and we buried them. And we did not know exactly who was in which coffin.” Dr. Stewart assured the commission that the area in which the miners were buried could be located through the Cemetery Office. The COI is investigating the circumstances surrounding the murder of miners on or about June 21, 2008 at Lindo Creek. Upon the completion of its work, the Commission will submit a report of its findings and recommendations to President David Granger.

'We feel safer now'

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

… White Water residents hail set up of new army base

… say soldiers’ presence puts check on fuel smuggling By Alva Solomon AS GUYANA prepares to defend its territory at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) , residents of White Water village close to the Venezuela border have expressed satisfaction at the military’s presence in the Barima/Waini village. At the same time, the move by the authorities may have had a domino effect, one in which smugglers, including those involved in the trading of fuel have had to regularise their operations while others have discontinued utilising the border location as a port of entry. President David Granger visited the village two weeks ago and the Head of State met with residents after a new patrol base was set up by the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) in the community on February 14. The base was established at the village after the Regional Intelligence Committee reported in a letter to the Head of State some security

concerns as a result of the current situation in Venezuela. The reports were acted upon swiftly by the government and the base was set up in less than 72 hours. During a visit to the village last week, Toshao Cleveland DeSouza told the Guyana Chronicle that residents have welcomed the move by the authorities. He said that it was one which the villagers were requesting since there were concerns about persons crossing the border and into the village. He said that while some may have been seeking medical assistance, there were instances in which persons suspected of having connections to the feared “sindicatos” were seen within the village lands. De Souza said too, that in the past a number of persons would trade various items through the village and according to him, the military post has seen persons having to state the purpose of their visit while crossing the border into Guyana. He noted that

persons trading fuel are stopped by the army, and during the exercise contact is made with the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) official stationed at Mabaruma, to determine the legality of the trader’s operations. The village leader said that villagers are still adjusting to the post’s establishment but he noted that persons feel more secure, especially at nights. His view was supported by Deputy Toshao, Orbin Domingo . The business community in the developing village has also expressed satisfaction at the recent development. Meanwhile, reports are that the high numbers of persons seeking medical attention at the health centre at White Water has dipped since the army base was established. De Souza said that persons, including those from far flung areas on Guyana’s side, as well as from Venezuela, who have been visiting the health centre for various ailments, including malaria, are not being deterred from seeking

Traders prepare to load several bags of rice to be ferried across the Venezuela border at “Gaja Landing” at White Water on Thursday afternoon

A man walks along the main roadway passing through White Water village. The road leads to small waterways which connect to the Amacuro River medical attention. “It’s just their understanding of the situation that has resulted in that,” he said. Over at the health centre, several persons with Venezuelan roots were seeking treatment from the health officials on duty during this newspaper’s visit. Deputy Toshao Domingo, who is a trained health worker, explained that some persons who have been turning up for treatment have Guyanese roots. He said the visiting

population is comprised of persons who may have relocated to Venezuela in the past and are now returning to Guyana given the difficult circumstances being experienced in that neighbouring country. According to the Ministry of the Presidency, Regional Chairman, Brentnol Ashley who accompanied the President during the visit to the village two weeks ago, called on the residents to give their full cooperation to the GDF and other Joint

Services ranks and urged them to be vigilant and to report promptly, any possible security threats. The village of Whitewater has an area of over 74.8 kilometres. It is located within close proximity to the Amacuro River which separates Guyana and Venezuela. Residents of the community depend largely on farming, fishing, hunting and small entrepreneurial ventures for their livelihoods.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

Phagwah fosters cohesion, respect and understanding -- says President Granger

COLOURS filled the air at State House on the eve of Phagwah as President David Granger and First Lady Sandra Granger ushered in the Festival of Colours with a celebration under the Baridi Benab. The President, along with the First Lady, ministers of Cabinet and distinguished guests had a grand time as they exchanged colourful powders, listened to the singing of Chowtal (a form of folksong of North India’s Bhojpuri region) and were entertained by

cultural dances. “Festivals such as Phagwah/Holi helps to foster cohesion, respect and understanding,” said President Granger in his address to the gathering. In that regard, he implored Guyanese from

across the country to celebrate the festival as one so as they will gain a better understanding and appreciation for the diverse cultures of Guyana. President Granger had set the precedent for celebration together by hosting

celebrations at his residence for various national holidays. “Many of the holidays and observances that usher in the season of spring are celebrated in Guyana, including Chinese New Year and Easter… they all

Children flocked President David Granger to apply colourful powder to his face at State House on the eve of Phagwah (Samuel Maughn photos)

Chowtal was also a highlight of the event on Thursday

Friday, March 2, 2018

Saturday, March 3, 2018

DATE: Wednesday, February 28, 2018

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Dancers of the Nachgana group entertained the gathering with a cultural performance

05:00 hrs

Sunday, March 4, 2018

05:00 hrs

Monday, March 5, 2018

05:00 hrs

Thursday, March 1, 2018

The highlight of the programme was the dances by talented youths, especially this dance which was done by girls from Canje, Berbice

Various colours and water are thrown on each other, amid loud music and drumming to celebrate Holi. The festival is one of the most popular Hindu festivals, celebrated by people both young and old. From lighting the Holika bonfire, to playing colours, to visiting friends and family, Holi is a wonderful celebration that brings communities together.

celebrate colours, they all celebrate the end of winter, they celebrate the start of a new phase of life,” said the president. He went on to explain that the message of Phagwah is a spiritual one as it signifies the triumph of good over evil. Holi, known as the Festival of Colours, is celebrated on the full moon day falling in the month of Phalguna (February-March).

Thursday, March 1, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

Guyana, Haiti sign pact Miner busted with marijuana in crotch to deepen cooperation in a range of areas

G U YA N A a n d H a i t i signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen cooperation in a range of areas on the sideline of the just-concluded CARICOM Inter-Sessional summit held in that country. The MoU was signed by Carl Greenidge, Second Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and his Haitian counterpart, Antonio Rodrigue. The document provides a framework for the deepening of collaboration between Guyana

A 37-year-old miner of Berbice was found with over 100 grams of cannabis in a black plastic bag stuffed in his crotch during a stop and search operation at Itaballi, Region Seven, on Thursday. The miner has since been taken into custody and is assisting police with their investigation. Police in Bartica also searched a passenger boat at the Bartica Stelling and unearthed over 400 grams of cannabis stashed in a hammock in a haversack that allegedly belonged to Lana

One of the parcels of cannabis seized by police

Joshia, 32, a cook of Bachelor’s Adventure, East Coast Demerara. She was charged and pleaded not guilty. She was remanded to prison until April 27, 2018. Also on Thursday, police ranks stationed in Bartica

Ramjattan apologises to Chabrol, media workers

Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge and Mr. Antonio Rodrigue, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Religious Affairs of Haiti

PUBLIC Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan, has apologised to veteran journalist and longstanding Guyana Press Association (GPA) member, Denis Chabrol, and other media workers for his derogatory remarks at the conclusion of the Commissioner of Police farewell parade on Wednesday.

ter said in retrospect he should not have expressed his feelings on the matter to Chabrol as he did.

Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan

GPA President Nazima Raghubir

(From left ) Mr. Marc Kinson Antoine, newly-appointed Honorary Consul of Guyana to Haiti; Mr. Carl B. Greenidge, Second Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs; Ambassador Yolette Azor, Chief of the Cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Haiti; Mr. Antonio Rodrigue, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Religious Affairs of Haiti; Ms. Charlene Phoenix, Guyana’s Ambassador to CARICOM and Director, Department of the Americas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Ms. Jocelyne Belizaire, Member of the Cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Haiti.

and Haiti in the areas of tourism, agriculture, water management, forestry, food security and other sectors facilitating the economic and social development of the two countries. A Joint Commission will be established to implement the agreement

conducted a search on a passenger boat at about 16:40 hours and found a black bag containing two transparent plastic bags with a quantity of tablets suspected to be ecstasy. The tablets weighed 40 grams. No one was arrested.

and give further impetus to the bilateral relationship. The first meeting of the Commission is expected to take place within six months of the entry into force of the Agreement and thereafter, the Commission is expected to meet annually, or as otherwise agreed.

In one of his comments, he told Chabrol “Haul you ass” after he had earlier that day used expletives in a phone conversation with the journalist. In a letter to the GPA President Nazima Raghubir, Ramjattan said, “I humbly apologise to you, your Press Association, Mr. Dennis Chabrol and all media workers for what transpired on February 28, 2018.” He, however, noted that the contents of the GPA letter to him calling for the apology were not entirely accurate. The public security minis-

“I intended him no abuse nor hostility by that expletive. From now on I assure you he will not hear anything from me of that sort. Probably, not anything at all!” Ramjattan said. The minister said he was provoked after he indicated

several times to Chabrol that he will not make any public comments about the commissioner of police at the farewell parade. He believes that being questioned on the matter was “totally out of place and wholly unwarranted”. The minister was at the time being questioned on whether the application for a firearm dealership license by Commissioner Persaud had reached his desk, which would have been required before approval is granted. GPA President Nazima Raghubir acknowledged receipt of the minister’s apology and noted that Chabrol remains one of “our most respected members and journalists”. “We remain committed to ensuring that our members are treated with respect while they too understand and apply that respect during their functions,” she said.

Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

Good over evil THE holy festival of Phagwah is once again upon us, and Guyanese from all walks of life will be soaking up the spirit of the jolly occasion. Phagwah, the Festival of Colours, as it is also called, was first brought to these shores with the arrival of Indian indentured labourers from Bharata (India), more than 170 years ago; and from the simple celebrations of the festival in their community, the occasion has, over time, grown in popularity, attracting participation from citizens of all ethnic backgrounds and beliefs. Phagwah undoubtedly is among the unifying events in Guyana, as it brings all together and washes away, even though temporarily, vexatious issues of race, culture, religion and political affiliation. After all, the occasion is about the cele-

bration of good over evil. But this is just one way of looking at the ancient Spring Festival Guyanese Indians today have inherited from their forefathers of a different land. The story of Phagwah has its genesis in the story of a tyrannical king, Hiranyakashyapu, who tried for all he was worth to kill his son Prahalad, because the latter refused to worship him as God. Legends regale us that the king was wealthy, lustful, haughty, deceitful, and arrogant; and these blinded him to his real purpose in life. But his son, even though recognising the value of obedience to his father, vehemently refused to see and honour him as the Supreme Being of Man. And this was only natural, for the boy was given in divine birth. According to the stories,

told eons ago, the Prince was a devotee of Lord Vishnu (the Sustainer of the Universe) and his arrival into the family of the despotic king happened at a time of great adharma, or unrighteousness. Naturally, his birth was an act to restore righteousness (Dharma) in his father’s kingdom, who was a mortal, even though no ordinary human being. King Hiranyakashyapu had been granted a boon by Brahma (the Creator), after great penance, that he would not be killed by any living or non-living creature created by him (Brahma); will not die within or outside his residence during the day or night, on the ground or in the sky, or by any weapon; and have no worthy rival in the battlefield. These powers made King Hiranyakashyapu who he was, and, no doubt, over time would have

made him believe that there is no God but him, since he had almost complete control over his kingdom and everything within its domain. His evil was insurmountable, but Lord Krishna, in the Bhagavat Gita Chapter: 4. Verses: 6 and 7, reminds us that unrighteousness has no permanent place in this world. “Whenever there is decay of righteousness and there is exaltation of unrighteousness, then I myself come forth for the protection of good, for the destruction of evildoers, for the sake of firmly establishing righteousness; I am born from age to age.” It was in keeping with this promise that Lord Vishnu came in the form of a half-man, half-lion to end the reign of King Hiranyakashyapu within the boon granted to him by Lord Brahma. The Lord, in

the Hindu Trinity, in abiding by the promise made by Brahma, visited the demonic king at twilight, which is neither day nor night; on the verge of his courtyard, which is neither indoors nor out; and put the king on his thighs, which is neither earth nor space. And using his nails (neither animate nor inanimate) as weapons, he gutted and killed the demon king. There have been many interpretations of the story, with many contending that, in essence, it celebrates the triumph of good over evil; but it also tells a story of the triumph of spiritualism over

materialism. The Prince in refusing to worship his father as a god, the destruction of a wealthy and powerful king, and the establishment of righteousness as supreme show that material power is all but fleeting. So, as Guyanese celebrate Phagwah today in fun and frolic, they should all make it a duty to end the evils of hatred, greed and arrogance, and strive for a unified Guyana where all can live and work in harmony. After all, as narrated in the story of Phagwah, only righteousness will prevail.

Cultural diversity in action and living colour Dear Editor,

FIRST of all, I must wish all Hindus throughout Guyana, and those within the Diaspora – joyous Phagwah greetings. Holi, a traditional Hindu festival which celebrates the beginning of spring as well as the triumph of good over evil, is best known around the world [as a time] for eating sweetmeats, singing of chowtals, beating of drums and the powder that revellers throw on each other, leaving their faces coloured beyond recogni-

tion by the end of the day. Here in Guyana, Pagwah is one such festival which unites all Guyanese despite their ethnic, religious or political differences and points clearly to appreciation and acceptance across the ethnic divide of ethno-cultural festivals. Editor, the world’s experience in such countries has mostly been examples of intolerance which has resulted in bloody strife and genocide. The brutal assault on the Rohingyas in Myanmar (Burma), by the Buddhist segment,

causing mass exodus of the Rohingya people, is a most recent example. For all the tensions that have emanated from the Guyanese experience, we do still find a cultural common ground despite our ethno-cultural diversity. Phagwah or Holi observances in Guyana has become one of several occasions when especially, both Afro and Indo Guyanese have fun with water, powder, and abeer, among other colourful displays of celebration. As a Guyanese who

would have lived virtually all his life in good old GT, I hasten to say that Guyana is indeed a very unique place, despite its multi-cultural experience. Anyone wanting to understand this day of togetherness between the country’s two major race groups should visit the southern ward of Albouystown. From Calendar Street to Hogg Street--the main James Street thoroughfare--is transformed into a fun-filled scene of both groups, of all ages, having a great time. I am certain

that it will be repeated today, as it has been for the decades past. Such scenes are also replicated in places such as Alexander Village, another community of mixed ethnicities; and even in the Ruimveldt areas, that although predominantly afro-Guyanese, do join the fun. Throughout both coastal divides, this colourful scene of cultural fun in diversity takes place in a spontaneous manner as many passersby get a good dousing with water or abeer. This particular fes-

tival, the manner of its observance in Guyana, always open a tantalizing window, showing what it is like when the nation’s two principal ethnicities unify in fun and play. I often wonder whether this example cannot start becoming a national practice in other matters pertaining to the nation’s onward well-being. Have we tried enough? Happy Phagwah to all! Regards Earl Hamilton

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

What is there to celebrate? Dear Editor,

THE very thought that the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown is even considering splurging Twenty Million Bucks on itself under the guise that it is hosting a week of activities to celebrate its anniversary is just revolting. The members of the administration and or the committee that came up with such a reckless proposal are evidently demented and not in touch with reality. They should be ashamed of themselves and condemned by those in authority at City Hall. How on earth could a municipality that is bankrupt, that is supposedly

penniless, that constantly runs to central government for bailouts and other forms of financial assistance, that owes as they say in Guyana ‘Tom, Dick and HarryLall’ even conceptualize such an idea. It is at best ludicrous, but more likely another scheme to siphon off money for the boys. But the real question to be asked is what does Georgetown have to celebrate? The collapsed wharf at Stabroek Market? The clocks at the various markets that do not work? The fact that the iconic City Hall is crumbling and falling apart? The rise in crime around the municipal markets? The non-completion of the Kitty Market? The

statutory rape of a minor and killing of a mentally ill man whilst in the custody of the City constabulary? They have done absolutely nothing to rejoice about but rather effecting scam after scam. It would seem that the only validation and rationalization that the Mayor could advance for the hosting of this ostentatious merriment, is that the event is something which was held in the past but had been stopped, and that the event could be likened to that of the annual New Amsterdam, Bartica and Linden town weeks. This reminds us of the pidgin-style saying ‘Monkey see, monkey

That BBC documentary on suicide… Dear Editor, A VIDEO clip of a BBC ‘documentary’ on suicide in Guyana has been making the social media rounds. That clip is questionable in a number of ways. For one, the statistics referenced are inaccurate and in depth analysis is non-existent. As well, information about suicide is wrong. And little mention is made about the successes in suicide prevention over the years as a result of the hard work of NGOs and activists. The statement that Guyanese joke about and trivialize suicide is awfully untrue. In fact, having done work on the ground in six of the ten regions in Guyana, The Caribbean Voice (TCV) can testify to the opposite–Guyanese take the issue of suicide very seriously and have been craving for education and training so they can become actively involved in suicide prevention. A survey commissioned by

TCV in 2016 found that 96% of Guyanese were willing to engage in suicide prevention if provided with the requisite training. Given the content of the video clip, one must ask why the following were not interviewed: NGOs, including Guyana Foundation, the Corriverton Domestic Violence Centre, Monique’s Helping Hands, Crossroads Suicide & Mental Health Awareness Services, Mibicuri Community Developers, and others that do substantive suicide prevention work; counselors who handle suicidal and suicide survivor cases and suicide survivors. As well why were no suicide hotspots visited? This video was time and again brought to the attention of The Caribbean Voice by Guyanese from all walks of life, in and out of Guyana, who were disturbed by its contents. They all felt that BBC has trivialized an issue that Guyanese have been seriously tackling with some degree of success and implored

TCV to publicly respond to the video. The bottom line is that suicide is far too serious an issue to be superficially analyzed. It is an issue that has seen significant headway made by suicide prevention activists to tackle myths and misinformation and any documentary that promotes myths and misinformation is quite frankly one that seeks only to sensationalism. As well, like any media worth its salt, the BBC would know that professional reportage must be characterized by triangulation and by varied sources in order to ensure fair, objective and newsworthy reporting. We therefore urge the BBC to stop propagating a documentary that presents an inaccurate, sensationalized picture and do one that focuses on the reality, if it is genuinely interested in documenting suicide in Guyana. Regards The Caribbean Voice

do’ which implies the act of mimicry, usually with limited knowledge and/ or concern for the consequences. How pathetic. Do [the]New Amsterdam,

Bartica and Linden municipalities fail to remit workers’ contributions to the Guyana Revenue Authority or the National Insurance Scheme, leav-

ing their workers without any sickness, injury or maternity benefits? Regards Modi Sankar

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

Lindo Creek COI ...

Detective recalls seeing pile of charred human remains By Svetlana Marshall

IN A packed chamber at the Department of Public Service, the public hearings into the Lindo Creek massacre commenced on Thursday with Retired Guyana Police Force Detective Sergeant, Clemsford Burnette telling the Commission of Inquiry (COI) that upon visiting Lindo Creek, he saw a pile of human remains approximately one foot high and eight feet wide. The miners, he said, were burnt beyond recognition. On the outskirts of the Department of Public Service, friends and family of the eight murdered miners

lined Waterloo Street with placards calling for justice, even as the retired detective was being questioned by the Commission’s Attorney, Patrice Henry in the presence of the Chairman of the Commission, Justice Retired Donald Trotman. Owner of the camp, Leonard Arokium, whose son and brother were among those killed at Lindo Creek in the Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice Region on or about June 21, 2008, was among close family members of the deceased who sat in the chamber listening attentively. The retired detective had served in the Guyana Police Force from 1983 to 2013, during which period he re-

ceived specialised training locally and internationally in the areas of scenes of crime, fingerprint analysis and photography. In June 2008, he was a Detective Sergeant attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters at Eve Leary, Georgetown. In flipping back the pages of history, the retired detective told the Commission that the Lindo Creek crime scene was among several such scenes that were visited in June 2008. Burnette said he was at CID Headquarters when he received information from his immediate boss, Edgar Thomas on June 21, 2008 that there was an inci-

–– during visit to crime scene

dent at Lindo Creek in which several miners were killed and burnt. “Working on information received, myself and other ranks from the crime lab went to Ogle Airport, where we were into flown into Kwakwani,” the retired detective recalled, while adding that he was equipped with his camera and crime scene kit. Once in Kwakwani, Region 10 (Upper Demerara/ Upper Berbice), retired Detective Sergeant Burnette and team joined the Joint Services vehicle and journeyed along a trail for approximately three hours before coming to a halt. With the Joint Services leading the way, they then walked for another three to

Retired Guyana Police Force Detective Sergeant Clemsford Burnette

Family and friends of the eight deceased miners picketing outside the Department of Public Service yesterday four miles before arriving at Lindo Creek, he testified. Senior Superintendent Crawford and Senior Superintendent Thomas were the most senior officers at the time of the journey. CRIME SCENE According to Burnette,

the scene as identified by the Joint Services was an opened area of approximately 117ft in length and 80ft in width, surrounded by trees, and consisting of two camps. A dredging operation, he recalled, was set up on the south-western side closer to the trees. “I checked the camps and

Chairman of the Lindo Creek COI, Justice (Ret'd) Donald Trotman making a point during the hearings on Thursday (Photos by Samuel Maughn)

I found that the camp closest to the northern side, which was covered in a blue-andgreen tarpaulin. Beneath was a fireside which they used for cooking, groceries, mechanical tools and clothing,” Burnette recalled. He said it was at the camp which, from all indications, was used as a resting place for the miners, that he observed a pile of charred remains. And upon closer examination of those remains, he said, he came to realise that they were human. “There were skeleton bones, parts of skull, limbs…” he recalled. But the remains were not all that Burnette and team found at the camp. According to him, one 7.62x35 ammunition and four 7.62 x 39 mm spent shells were discovered, in addition to one sledge hammer, a Scotiabank bank book, a birth certificate belonging to one Barry Lloyd Patrick Harry, a burnt passport, and an Identification (ID) Card. Upon being further See page 9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

Murdered NWD miner trial …

Marlon Freeman and others expected on the stand on Monday

WHEN the Turtle Creek Road, Five Star Backdam, North West District murder trial continues in the Georgetown High Court on Monday at 09:00hrs before Justice James BovellDrakes and a 12-member jury, the accused Marlon Freeman is expected to lead his defence. He along with three other witnesses - his mother and two brothers - will testify. Several witnesses took the stand during the trial in which Government Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh testified that he performed a post-mortem on the body of Timothy Adams in 2013.

He gave the cause of death as shock and haemorrhage due to an incised wound to the neck, compounded by blunt trauma to the head. The accused Marlon Freeman was indicted for the murder of a city gold miner/ dredge owner, Timothy Adams. In presenting the state’s case, Prosecutor Lisa Cave told the court that between December 22 and 23, 2013, the accused allegedly murdered the miner. The accused has since pleaded not guilty and is being represented by defence attorney Folio Richards.

Detective recalls seeing pile ... From page 8 questioned by Attorney Henry, Burnette told the Commission that the items were taken as evidence, and with the assistance of other ranks, he placed the charred remains into a large tarpaulin, using protective gear. The investigators then fetched the wrapped remains by hand along the trail to the point where the Joint Service vehicles were waiting. They were then transported to Kwakwani, where a porter from the Lyken Funeral Home was waiting to render assistance. With the remains secured, the expanded team journeyed to the Ogle Airport, where a hearse was waiting to transport the remains to the Lyken Funeral Home. Other evidence collected from the scene of the crime was recorded into the system, and statement compiled by Burnette and submitted to the Homicide Department which was headed by Assistant Superintendent Reid at the time. CAUSE TO REVISIT The retired detective said he had cause to revisit Lindo Creek, the scene of the crime, at least two other times, once with a forensic team from Trinidad and Tobago, and subsequently with a team from Jamaica. It was noted that the Jamaican Team of investigators had also visited the Lyken Funeral Home to inspect the remains. While post mortems were conducted on the remains, Burnette said, they were done in the absence of family members. While Burnette had played an integral role in the investigation, he told the Commission that he was never privy to any results or findings with respect to the investigation. Prior to visiting Lindo Creek, Burnette reported that on June 8, 2008 he had reported to a crime scene at Christmas Falls in the same region where a man had been shot dead. The retired Detective Sergeant was among four persons that took the stand on Thursday as the public hearings into the Lindo Creek Massacre got underway. Commissioner Trotman at the opening of the public hearings told those present that notwithstanding the delay in the hearings, the Commission was working behind the scenes and had conducted a number of interviews including in camera hearing. The COI is investigating the circumstances surrounding the killing of Cecil Arokium, Dax Arokium, Horace Drakes, Bonny Harry, Lancelot Lee, Compton Speirs, Nigel Torres and Clifton Berry Wong on or about June 21, 2008 at Lindo Creek in the Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice Region.

100 contracted to harvest cane at Rose Hall estate SOME 100 cane cutters have been contracted by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited’s (NICIL) Special Purpose Unit (SPU) on Thursday to harvest cane at the former GuySuCo Rose Hall Estate. In a statement to the media, the SPU said Rose Hall is one of the estates shuttered by GuySuCo at the end of 2017 and handed over to the SPU for priva-

tisation and/or diversification. Initial SPU surveys revealed that GuySuCo had left a sugarcane crop in the ground that was going to be ready for harvesting, the statement said. “The sugarcane in the ground at Rose Hall represented significant value that would be lost if not harvested. The sugarcane at Rose Hall also represented an opportunity for the SPU to produce molasses to

help meet local demand in 2018,” the SPU noted. Meanwhile, as part of the ongoing collaboration between the SPU and GuySuCo, the sugarcane harvested at Rose Hall would be taken to GuySuCo’s Albion factory for crushing. “The SPU took the decision to contract the Albion factory to crush the sugarcane harvested at Rose Hall since it represented a more cost-effective and efficient option. Crushing at Rose

Hall would require capital expenditure to restart the factory and, the assembling of a significant workforce.” The cane harvesters, who commenced work this week, are expected to harvest 2,300 hectares. They will be paid by the SPU while that money would be recouped from the molasses sales subsequently. The Rose Hall estate also has 4,300 hectares of sugarcane in the field for the second crop in 2018.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

Chronicle celebrates Phagwah with colour, flair

Staff of the Guyana Chronicle and special invitees gathered in the passageway to usher in the Festival of Colours By Navendra Seoraj

Accounts Clerk Yogeeta Sooklall entertains the audience with a cultural dance

STAFFERS of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited (GNNL) ushered in the Festival of Colours with

a lively Phagwah concert held in the corridor of the company on Thursday. The celebration was made possible through much planning and collaboration between staffers of the various departments and was a first of its kind at the Chronicle. Though GNNL Chairperson Geeta Chandan-Edmond was unable to attend the celebration due to an overseas assignment, her message was delivered by News Editor Tajeram Mohabir. Chandan-Edmond, in her message read by Mohabir, noted that the message of Phagwah: the celebration of good over evil, is universal in nature. “The celebration of good

over evil is a celebration of unity, a celebration of togetherness and a celebration of courage to shun evil acts,” she said, adding: “Let us at the Guyana Chronicle embrace this message, in work and in our personal lives, let us be clean in our in thoughts and actions and let us love and respect our colleagues and make a genuine effort at what we do so that this company improves in all of its departments.” Today Guyanese will be smearing each other in a variety of colours in much fun and frolic. These colours, the chair said are symbolic in a sense that they depict unity in diversity. Prior to the chair’s remarks, the hidden talents of

GNNL Chair Geeta Chandan-Edmond GNNL staffers were unveiled when Accounts Clerk Yogeeta Sooklall took the floor to perform an Indian medley dance. The performance captivated the gathering which had much more to cheer about when Editor-in-Chief Nigel Williams took to the floor, showcasing his sleek, elegant and dazzling dance moves. The celebration which also features songs and messages of the significance of the festival, concluded with distribution of Indian delicacies. Aside from the internal celebration, the company also extended Holi greetings to Guyanese across the country.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

Duo jailed for beating Two years in man with wood absentia for fighting

TWO labourers from Wakenaam Island, Region Three, were on Wednesday sentenced to 18 months imprisonment each for beating a man with a piece of wood. Twenty-one-year-old Asif Mohamed and Ravi Razack were both found guilty of the offence. Essequibo Magistrate Esther Sam passed the sentence on Wednesday at the Wakenaam Magistrate’s Court. A trial was conducted

into the matter and the duo was found guilty of the offence. They were charged in 2017 for the offence which alleged that they feloniously wounded Alex Clementson at Sans Souci. They were both intoxicated when they used a piece of wood to hit Clementson, causing injuries. They were asked by the magistrate if they had anything to say before being sentenced, but both defendants remained silent.

Six months for stealing aunt’s curtains A 37-year-old labourer from Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast was on Wednesday, March 1, sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for stealing curtains. Vijai Dass made his first appearance before Magistrate Esther Sam at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court where he admitted that he went into

his aunt’s home and stole a quantity of curtains. It is alleged that on February 27, he broke into the house of Miss Dass and stole curtains to the value of $8,000. He was charged for break and enter and larceny. After his guilty plea, he was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment.

TWENTY-four-year-old Arfaan Ahmad of Wakenaam Island in Region Three was sentenced to two years in absentia for causing injuries to another man from Wakenaam. The sentence was read out in court by Essequibo Magistrate Esther Sam. An ex parte trial was conducted into the matter and Ahmad was found guilty of the offence. The magistrate then sentenced him to two years. A warrant is to be issued for his arrest so he can serve his time. On June, 19, 2017, Ahmad was charged for felonious wounding committed on 18-year-old Naseeb Kelawan of Friendship, Wakenaam. After bail was granted, he continuously missed his trial. The matter, however, continued with evidence which proved that he indeed injured Kelawan. He has to spend two years in jail for the offence.

Jailed and fined for smoking cannabis

A 19-year-old bowman, Kawal Diban of Belle Plaine, Wakenaam, Region Three, was on Wednesday fined $30,000 and ordered to serve one-year’s imprisonment after he was found guilty of smoking cannabis. The sentence was read to the teenager by Essequibo Magistrate Esther Sam at the Wakenaam Magistrate’s Court. The teen was caught on May 15 last year smoking cannabis on the Island. He was charged for the offence and later a trial was conducted. On February 28, he was found guilty and was sentenced and fined.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

Scalping murder accuseds’ statements … Judge to rule on admissibility

By Jeune Bailey Van Keric

JUSTICE Sandil Kissoon will rule whether the statements attributed to scalping murder accused women, Hemwantie Abdulla and Seerojini Permaul, were given free and voluntary, and did not breach the Judges’ rule. Almost two weeks ago, a voire dire {a trial within a trial} was triggered in the murder case after defence counsel Mursalene Bacchus and Nigel Hughes respectively, objected to statements attributed to the accused women who face a joint indictment of murder committed on United States citizen Abdool Shakeel Majid. The lawyers who had consented to a single smaller trial had submitted that among other legal issues there was a breach

of Rule Two of the Judges’ rule. Earlier, Detective Corporal Dwayne Harvey, had testified to seeing the scalpless, battered body of an unidentified male of East Indian ancestry, dressed in a multi-coloured shorts at the Number 63 Beach on April 27, 2012. The body of the deceased was riddled with marks of violence. His left arm was broken and one finger was fitted with a white metal ring with three stones encircled. After taking photographs, the remains were taken to Skeldon and New Amsterdam Hospitals respectively, where post mortem examinations were conducted by Dr. Nehaul Singh. The witness recalled it was on May 15, 2012 that Nafeeezuel Hack, was taken to the New Amsterdam mortuary , where he identified the body of Abdool Shakeel Majid. Further, five days later, at 07:30hrs, he was instructed to go to the Enquiries Department, where, he contacted Hemwantie Abdulla and with the assistance of a female rank, took her to the Criminal Investigation Department, where Detective Sergeant Joseph told the accused of the allegation that she murdered her husband between April 26 and 27, 2012 at the Number 63 beach. On Tuesday, February 13, Justice Sandil Kissoon commenced hearing the scalping murder trial in which Hemwattie Abdulla called Annie and Anese, along with Seerojane Per-

maul known as Surojnie or Usher, are accused of unlawfully killing Abdool Shakeel Majid, a citizen of the USA on April 26, 2012 at Number 63 beach, Corentyne, Berbice. They have pleaded not guilty to the murder indictment. Majid, along with his wife of four months Hemwattie Abdulla , had arrived in Guyana on April 22, 2012 with the intention of spending a two-week vacation . But five days later, the battered, lifeless body of Majid, whose scalp was missing, was found on the popular beach. In the meanwhile, Abdulla had returned to the United States of America, where she is a resident and had informed relatives of deceased that her husband was enjoying himself in Surinam, and that he had urged her to return home as her daughter had sustained a fractured arm. The deceased brother, Abdul Hasseeb Majid, of Jamaica, Queens, USA, in his testimony before the mixed 12- member jury, recounted the last time he saw his brother alive, and thereafter it was the utterances of Hemwattie Abdulla, the number one accused, which caused him to make a missing person report at the New York City Police Department , before travelling to Guyana, where at his local address at Diamond Housing Scheme he discovered his sibling’s suitcase, clothing ,United States of America passport, along with other personal documents.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

Holi Messages Holi must preserve its vitality as a festival which unities communities –President Granger HOLI, in the spiritual sense, recounts the trials and triumph of Prahalad. It reminds us of the virtue of an unshakeable belief in God and the inevitability of the triumph of good over evil. Holi, in a secular sense, fosters faith in the future by celebrating rebirth and regeneration. These are universal themes which are common to all the major religions in Guyana. Holi is a unifying festival that helps to break down barriers of class, race and religion. When people shower each other with abrack or abeer, they do so usually without regard to the status

they enjoy in society or the God they worship. Holi is an enduring example of cultural retention. The festival was brought to Guyana by Indian indentured immigrants who came to work on the sugar plantations 180 years ago. The festival implanted hope by assuring immigrants that good would overcome evil, that enlightenment would overcome ignorance and that right would overcome might. Immigrants were thrust into a strange land but they drew strength and succor from their faith and festivals.

Holi celebrations, in our multi-cultural country, bring people together. They play a vital role in social cohesion by reinforcing community identity; fostering healthy and helpful relations between persons of different cultures; dismantling barriers which have traditionally divided our people and by implanting spiritual values of hope and togetherness. I urge communities, countrywide, to celebrate this festival with faith and fervour. I encourage mass celebrations because they promote community identity and

reinforce bonds of social solidarity. Respect for cultural diversity is at the heart of social cohesion. Holi must preserve its vitality as a festival which unities communities. It must be celebrated vigorously at the community level so that we can have more cohesive communities. Holi helps to break down barriers of division and bring people together, particularly at the community level. We must build a more cohesive country, beginning within and among our communities. Happy Holi!

Holi has evolved into a truly national celebration ––GAWU

THE Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) joins with the Hindu community and indeed all other Guyanese in celebrating this year’s Festival of Holi. Though it has its roots in the Hindu community, this Festival is generally recognized as an integral part of our Guyanese social and cultural history and Holi has evolved into a truly national celebration. Holi, popularly known as Phagwah, is now embraced by numerous sections of the population and is yet another expression of our diversity. GAWU sees the togetherness in joyous colourful celebration on this occasion as an example of the need to

forge common efforts to bring about and ensure the well-being, peace of mind and steady enhancement of the prosperity of our people. The spirit of unity that is so well manifested on this occasion is testimony to the good prospects we have to strengthen our nation and overcome divisiveness. GAWU realizes that the messages of unity, goodwill and optimism exchanged during such Festivals as Christmas, Mashramani, Eid and Phagwah are positive contributions to instill hope and productive relationships between our people and build strong foundations for our future generations. In this regard, we feel that discriminating practices, whatever their form and a

callous attitude to sections of the population will not serve to promote a national environment of trust, confidence and genuine togetherness so vital to peace and a healthy economy. It is appropriate to recall the narrative linked to Phagwah which speaks of the defeat of intrigues and the triumph of a just cause. Thus, we are optimistic that our economic hardship that the trauma

stemming from crime and growing want of retrenchment will be overcome soon and completely. May the understanding associated by Festivals like Holi lead to a united and better country where our people of different faiths will take pride in our progress and developments, knowing that a secured future is being built for all. Happy Holi 2018 from GAWU!

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

Holi Messages

Holi emphasises unity and equality ––Dharmic Sabha HOLI or Phagwah is celebrated at the end of the Hindu calendar year in the dark half of the Hindu month of Phalgun. Phagwah is derived from the word Phalgun. Phagwah heralds the Hindu New Year which is celebrated fifteen days after the festival on the first day of the bright half of the Hindu month of CHAIT. Also called Holi, the word comes from the Sanskrit word “Hola” which means grain. The festival coincides with the harvest of the spring crop and is considered a Spring or Vasant festival. Holi commemorates the regeneration of nature from her slumber. An air of joy pervades the home and the family expresses affection by greeting each other in a dignified manner. Children touch the feet of their parents, spray them with perfume and place ABRAK and powder on their faces. Parents bless their children and wish them not only HOLI KE

SHUBH KAAMNAYEA, but a bright and prosperous future. Greetings are extended to relatives and friends by squirting them playfully with abeer and placing abrak/gulal on their faces. The colours of the abrak and abeer reflect the vivid hues of spring as at this time nature blooms in abundance. Holi is all embracing and possesses an unparalleled social dimension which is conducive to reunion, exchanges and togetherness occurring in an atmosphere of absolute cordiality. The festival is proletarian in outlook with elements which spontaneously fashion an atmosphere of total equality and people from all walks of life and social strata are literally engulfed in merriment, joy and happiness. Holi transcends all barriers. There is complete unity. The RANG or colours which smear us and make us virtually unidentifiable emphasizes the oneness of humanity or the famous Hindu concept VASUDHAIVA KUTUMBAKAM – Hu-

manity is one family. With the passage of time, the legend of Prince Prahalad and his despot father King HIRANYAKASHYAP became associated with the festival. In this story, the event where the King sought to have his saintly son consumed by fire is recaptured. The King’s sister Holika had a boon which made her immune to the effects of fire. Prahalad was placed on her lap in a pyre in an attempt by his father to have him killed. Instead, the cruel aunt Holika was consumed and the saintly Prince Prahalad escaped unscathed. In Guyana and the Caribbean--much like UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA--a pyre is built and burnt, reminiscent of this event on the eve of Holi-Holika Dahan. On Holi morning the ash is collected and placed on foreheads, symbolic of the triumph of good over evil. Holi is a time for reflection and analysis. Consequently, the merriment and

joy which Holi brings should not make us oblivious of the true significance of the festival. Holi does not license anyone to recklessly and wantonly drench passers-by or to barge into people’s homes and splash water on the occupants. Holi should never be associated in any way with events not in consonance with its spiritual dimension; alcohol, vulgar and lewd music, barbeques and similar activities should not be associated with Holi or Phagwah. These acts are against the spirit of our lovely Holi festival and should not form part of the Phagwah celebration. Every effort made to divest this unique festival of practices alien to Phagwah. On behalf of the Dharmic family of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, I take this opportunity to extend Holi greetings to all my brothers and sisters – all of Guyana and wish you the infinite blessings of Bhagwan Krishna. Shubh Holi!

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

GRA rearranges staffers to strengthen integrity By Zena Henry

AT LEAST three mid-level staffers have been rearranged at the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) in what is being described as the “usual re-alignment” of the agency’s resources. An assistant commissioner, a manager and an official from the agency’s law enforcement department were “adjusted” as the state revenue agency seeks to strengthen its integrity. GRA Chairman Rawle Lucas told the Guyana Chronicle, that while the rearrangement did not immediately see the dis-

missal of any staff, it is likely that this could soon be the case. The chairman explained that the agency is going through a usual staff change and it is likely, “that some persons would be released in the process”. Lucas said the GRA is keen on strengthening its legal abilities while ensuring the probity of the agency in particular areas of interest. “We have no major shake-up,” the chairman said, adding: “What we have is the usual realignment of our staff. We are trying to maintain the integrity of the agency and

improve its performance in the area of customs.” The chair also mentioned other adjustments that are being made with regards to law enforcement. Commissioner-General Godfrey Statia described the adjustments as “a normal rotation of staff so as to align our resources as I see it should be”. There have been at least three major shakeups at the state revenue agency following the change in government. A number of very senior officials received dismissal letters amid breaches of agency regulations, corrupt practices

Holi Messages

All Guyanese embrace Phagwah-PNCR THE People’s National Congress Reform extends sincere Holi greetings to the Hindu Community of Guyana in particular, and Guyanese in general, on the celebration of the Festival of Phagwah. All Guyanese embrace Phagwah or Holi. The festival signifies the victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring, the end of winter and for many, a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forgive and forget and repair broken relationships. The significance of Phagwah is twofold. Its secular significance lies in the advent of the season of spring, and its real

and allegorical implications of fertility, rebirth, renewal and regeneration. The religious significance of Holi lies in the conquest of good over evil, manifested by the destruction by Prahalad of his demonic father, King Hiranyakashipu. As the celebrated Indian national, KulapatiVani wrote many years ago, “… festivals are gatherings for refreshing the spirit and enjoying life,” we urge all Guyanese to use this occasion to refresh their spirit and enjoy life and to participate fully in this colourful festival and enjoy the rich elements of our religious and cultural diversity.

and poor performance, among others. While some top-level staffers were terminated, some were reassigned and others were promoted. In the earlier cases of those axed workers, Lucas had cited the unsatisfactory performance of divisions within the GRA and thus announced a major shake-up at the agency. The dismissal of persons has however caused some panic among staffers, especially for those who GRA sources say may be involved in unscrupulous practices. A senior official, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, explained that GRA’s top brass has a huge task in addressing the corrupt behaviours of some within the employ of the agency. “Well the dishonesty of some staffers was evident long before this government and that was

one of the areas of concern for the Board and the Commissioner General.” The staff said that not only were senior officials involved in accepting bribes and other like behaviours, but rackets and other illegal practices were also discovered. “So of course, as soon as you hear someone got dismissed or there is a repositioning of staffers, some persons start to panic.” The source mentioned one recent case where the GRA was about to move in on a popular businessman for illegal practices, but had to abandon their actions when it was found that a very senior official within the agency had leaked documents to the said businessman. This newspaper was told that the regular readjustment of staffers at GRA could be one of management’s best de-

GRA Chairman Rawle Lucas fences against the illegal and sometimes unprofessional behaviour by its staffers. The source described keeping some employees in line and ensuring their integrity in the performance of their duties as an “uphill task”.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

The Duke Art Gallery and Restaurant By Lisa Hamilton

BRINGING a brand new perspective to wine, food and art in Guyana, The Duke Art Gallery and Restaurant opened its doors to the public on Wednesday evening, showcasing Guyanese talent at its best in both the art and culinary world. Seeking to give young up-and-coming artists in Guyana a means to express their creativity, the new establishment, a subsidiary of the Roraima Duke Lodge, shares a sim-

ilar location at 95-95 Duke Street, Kingston. In welcoming the gathering to the launching, Co-Founder, Gerry Gouveia (Jr) said that every single painting and photograph on display is an original piece created by a local artist, and every item in the restaurant and gallery is either up-cycled or refurbished. Telling of the idea behind the undertaking, Co-Founder and Project Manager, Amber Low said that it stemmed from the Lodge’s need to give back, and its long history

–– a confluence of wine, food and art

Co-Founder and Project Manager, Ms Amber Low during her presentation on Wednesday evening of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) “We noticed that the art community was a little small and a little shunned in some ways, so I reached out to some people in the community and asked them, ‘What do you think?’ And it was an explosion from there,” Low said, adding: “This is a first; I think that we have a very diverse culture, so it’s really important to embrace it and share it with the world. And this is definitely a way to share that with each other and the rest of the world.” The evening’s event showcased the work of 13 out of approximately 40 youthful artists who teamed up with the The Duke, many of whom are having their pieces on display for the very first time. The artists get to set their own prices for their artwork, and a commission is not taken in return. Eighteen-year old Ashley Anthony, who had two items on display, one a water colour painting and the other charcoal, said that she was anxious to see how well her art work would be received. “I am quite excited!” the self-taught artist said, adding: “Initially, I was thinking about doing my own exhibition, but when I heard about The Duke, I thought that this would be a much easier and less expensive way to get some of my art on display. “And, depending on

how well this goes and how well it’s received, I might try to continue putting a few other pieces up.” PLEASANTLY SURPRISED Much to Ashley’s surprise and delight, one of her paintings was purchased before the night was even halfway through. Meanwhile, Guyanese-born photographer, Michael Fernandes said that when he saw the opening on Instagram, he knew instantly that he had to be involved, but for an even greater cause. “Art is not a big thing here, whether it’s painting, photography or makeup, so the more awareness us artists can get, I want to be a part of it,” Fernandes said. “All my stuff is going towards charity. So, if you were to buy my piece, I would take back the money I spent to print it, but everything, all the proceeds; all the profits will go to a charity of the buyer’s choice,” he added. Recently, The Duke visited the David Rose School for special-needs children where they helped design the cushions which are now on display and on sale in the lounge of the establishment. In attendance was President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce & Industry See page 17

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

Deaf Mission Director robbed at gunpoint

A 67-YEAR-OLD representative of the Guyana Deaf Mission was on Wednesday evening robbed by a gunman who is suspected to have trailed him from a bank to his office on Vlissengen Road, Kitty, Georgetown. Based on reports received, Lawrence

Clarke, the Director of the Guyana Deaf Mission had just withdrawn a sum of cash from a city bank and arrived at his office. However, approximately 10 minutes after arriving, Clarke said he responded to a knock at his door and upon opening it, a man, armed with a gun, pushed his

way into the office. The bandit allegedly demanded that Clarke turn over his cash. However, before he could comply, the bandit picked up a haversack which was lying nearby and fled the scene. Outside, the victim said he observed

that a man on a motorcycle was waiting for the gunman. The duo then drove south along Vlissengen Road. Clarke reportedly lost over $35,000 in cash and other valuables. A report was made to the police as investigations continue.

The Duke Art Gallery ... From page 16

(GCCI), Mr Deodat Indar, who said that he was pleased that the Roraima Duke Lodge continues to raise the bar locally. “Art is something in Guyana that is very much low-key,” he said, “so I hope, and it is my expectation, that we get attraction to art, and that the work of some of the artists here can be exposed.” Present at the opening also was Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Mr Eddie Boyer, who said: “It’s not an easy thing to have this fine dining quality restaurant; it has to be supported. We, in our own rights, have to support it.” There, too, was fashion designer, Ms Sonia Noel who made the point that there’s no telling the far-reaching effects the venture may have, and commended the

co-founders for creating a platform for the creative sector. “We have so much talent across this country… You’re going to have different people from different parts of the world dining here, so you never can tell where that piece of art is going to go,” Noel said. Now under construction is the restaurant’s open studio and gallery, which will allow for live artistic work to be done simultaneously with fine dining. Meanwhile, the restaurant aspect of the establishment offers a diverse option of local and international cuisines such as the Spanish and French-influenced dish, the Jambalaya, as well as the Kong Pong Chow.

‘Duke’ Co-Founder, Gerry Gouveia Jr, seated right, shares a table with PSC Chairman, Mr Eddie Boyer, second right; and GCCI’s Mr Deodat Indar, left (Photos by Samuel Maughn)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

Banks DIH donates $4.3M to charities

BANKS DIH Limited made financial donations to 27 organisations on Wednesday to the tune of $4.3 million during a presentation ceremony hosted at the company’s Corporate head office at Thirst Park. Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Andrew Carto, Human Resources Director said the presentation of the monetary donations (Deeds of Covenant) to charitable

organisations has its origin in a decision taken some time ago by the Board of Directors of Banks DIH Limited. “We see this not only as a part of our Corporate social responsibility but we also do this because of the exceedingly good relations that we have with the public and with organisations that work within the wider community in various forms of charitable work,” he added.

Mr. Carto disclosed that the Deeds of Covenant is just one aspect of the Company’s contributions to organisations, noting that there are other methods including financial support to sports organisations and other groups. He said the organisations can look forward to continued support in the future. Mr. Carto was assisted by fellow directors Messrs. Michael Pereira and Mo-

hamed Shabir Hussein, in making the presentations to the recipients. Representatives expressed gratitude to the company for the financial assistance. The 27 organisations are: Missionaries of Charity, St. Andrew’s Kirk; The Scouts Association of Guyana; Girls Guides Association; St. John’s Ambulance Brigade; The Guyana Conference of Seventh-Day

Adventist; Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA); Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA); Uncle Eddie’s Home; Salvation Army; Gentlewomen’s Relief Association; St. George’s Cathedral; St. Joseph’s Mercy Hospital; Guyana Red Cross Society; Guyana Society for the Blind; Guyana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; St. Thomas

Moore Men’s Home; St. Philip’s Parish Church; St. Vincent De Paul Society; St. George’s Cathedral (School Feeding Programme); Dharm Shala; Guyana Sanathan Dharma Maha Saba; Shaheed’s Boys and Girls Orphanage; St. Ann’s Orphanage; St. John’s Basco Boy’s Orphanage; Ruimveldt Children’s Home and Care Centre; and Our Lady of the Mount Charities.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

Representatives of the various charities at the handing over ceremony

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

Inspire Inc promises ‘biggest ever’ Phagwah Mela

INSPIRE Inc will be hosting its sixth annual Phagwah Festival at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara today. The organisers say that inevitably, the event would be one of the biggest to be held in the country, as people from all walks of life are expected to gather at the venue to participate in the festivities. There will be an abundance of water, colourful powder and abeer at the event to guarantee patrons a fun time. Sprinkles will be set up, food stalls will be

in place, and already the artistes are rearing to begin their performance. This year, the entertainment group will be concentrating on promoting local artistes, and from all indications, those slated to perform will undoubtedly energise patrons. Among those slated to perform are the members of the Shakti Strings Band and Prince JP. The event is sponsored by the Ministry of Social Cohesion, Hindus United for Guyana and Inspire Inc. Admission is absolutely free.

Sheriff Street-Mandela Avenue road works to start this month THE Government of Guyana will be forging ahead with the US$31.03M Sheriff Street-Mandela Avenue Road Enhancement Project, and works are scheduled to commence this month, March 2018, a statement from the Ministry of Public infrastructure said Thursday. In December 2017, a contract was awarded to Sinohydro Corporation Ltd., with funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Works for the two-year project includes the relocation of utilities, lane and shoulder improvements, placement of sidewalks and paved shoulders, traffic signals, traffic signs, streetlights, drainage, a pedestrian overhead walkway, culverts, bridges and a roundabout. During the period of construction, residents living close to the road, road users, and the wider community may be inconvenienced by traffic delays, dust, as well as general construction activities. “The Ministry wishes to emphasise that these impacts will be temporary and will be constantly monitored to ensure their minimisation. The Ministry advises that persons take all necessary precautions,” the statement added.

Jordan raps Stabroek News for ghost story THE Ministry of Finance says it has noted with consternation an “incredible” headline in the Thursday edition of the Stabroek News titled, ‘Finance Minister proposal on GuySuCo Chair draws opposition at Cabinet’, and the “equally incredible story” that followed. In a terse statement, the Finance Ministry said Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan was in fact attending an important Pre-Governors meeting of the IDB in Jamaica, which ran from February 26 to 28, 2018, and only returned to Guyana on Wednesday night. “Therefore, contrary to Stabroek News’ sources,” the ministry said in its statement, “Minister Jordan was NOT present at Cabinet on Tuesday, and consequently, did not propose, argue, make a presentation or reasoned with Cabinet as reported.” The Ministry of Finance is therefore calling on the Editor of the Stabroek News to retract, forthwith, all actions attributed to the Minister of Finance in its article, and to apologise to its readers for this misinformation.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

National Drama Company to stage ‘The Tempest’ for CSEC Students – Extends show times to include evenings for adults

FOR the last three years, the National Drama Company (NDC) has been making an indelible contribution to the learning process for Fifth Form Literature students by bringing to life plays that are part of their Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Syllabus. In 2016, it was Derek Walcott’s ‘Ti-Jean and his Brothers’; in 2017, they staged Wole Soyinka’s ‘The Lion and the Jewel’; and this year, the NDC will bring to the stage Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’. The play, which is directed by Esther Hamer and Keron Bruce will have both matinee and evening performances for the first time and will run from April 13-15 and 17-19. At a press conference hosted at the National Cultural Centre on Wednesday, Hamer explained that the NDC saw huge benefits in presenting plays from the CSEC syllabus given that the visual, dramatic and musical display of the pieces performed significantly help to develop clarity and understanding of the play’s plot, characters and themes. “After each matinee performance, there is an interactive question and answer section that caters to the specific needs of students. Through these interactions and those with Literature teachers, we can safely say that those performances have helped Guyana’s CSEC students to properly prepare for their Literature examinations,” she said. Hamer stated that the night performances were added this year because the NDC began to receive requests from adults who were unable to make the matinees. “We didn’t expect all that interest from the adults and a lot of people were not able to come [in the previous two years] because they are working so now we are trying to capitalise on that,” she said. If all goes well and if finances and other factors permit, the NDC hopes to take this educational venture on the road to schools in other parts of the country. Hamer added that as far as possible, the play will stick to the original script and language. She added that they are also trying to source original music (with minor additions and mixes in between) and stay true to the

(From Left) Co-Director of The Tempest, Esther Hamer; Creative Director of the NDC, Al Creighton and NDC President, Tashandra Inniss at the Press conference

mance and elements of the supernatural. With a rich mix of dance and music, Creighton said that the play draws heavily on several aspects of traditional theatre as well. As they continue to fulfil their mandate, the NDC also hopes that sometime in the future, more Guyanese will gravitate to genres of theatre outside the highly popular comedies that are usually staged. “This is not easily done. The company has tried to perform cutting-edge theatre that moves into the frontiers of theatre through set design, costum-

mode of dress of the period. The cast comprises of a skilled group of actors who are all members of the NDC as well as former students and/or lecturers of the National School of Theatre Arts and Drama (NSTAD). OTHER OPPORTUNITIES Asked whether there would be opportunities to involve students in the actual production of plays in the future to give them first-hand experience, NDC’s Creative Director, Al Creighton stated that such an initiative would need to be done through the Allied Arts Unit within the Ministry of Education which has direct responsibility for students in the arts. “Our immediate mandate is the School of Drama so we focus on that, but we also assist secondary schools, for example, we have a team of mentors who go out and assist groups in producing theatre and we send them to secondary schools through Allied Arts so we have some input. There is also the annual National Drama Festival which has a category open to secondary schools,” he said. The NDC also hosts an annual workshop for teachers which train them in stage management, set design, costuming and other areas of theatre. IDENTIFYING WITH THEMES The NDC believes that as they bring ‘The Tempest’ to life, students will be better able to identify with some of the themes that Shakespeare incorporates such as ro-

Creative Director of the National Drama Company, Al Creighton

ing, post-modernist techniques and performance. This has been done in many of our performances and we are still trying to get large numbers of people. We have to try to find ways to get the larger audience to see these things and become aware of them,” he said. Hamer added that even as they continue to hope for larger crowds, the company will continue to do its work and that eventually, things will pick up. “We need to be constant and consistent and people will come … it will take a while… but if we keep working on it, it will happen,” she said. As for ‘The Tempest’, the NDC believes that the audience will certainly enjoy the production. “We plan to make it an experience. For you to become enveloped in what we are doing,” Hamer said.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

Lisa Punch continues to make strides in the US By Michel Outridge

LISA Punch says things are going well with her since she relocated and is living, working and studying in the US. “Lots have been going on with me. I released an album last year called ‘Perfectly Imperfect’. I did two features with the BBC. One for BBC World News and one for BBC Stories. They heard of the work of my organisation...and contacted me via Twitter to do a story. The features were released this month,” Lisa told The Buzz in an interview. Lisa caught the attention of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) after they heard about the work of her organisation Prevention of Teenage Suicide (POTS) Guyana. This ‘Guyanese to the bone’ is always representing her homeland Guyana and she is on a new television series called “Growing Up Caribbean” that will be out in a few

months in the USA with some talented actors. Punch added that Terri Ann Peters is the mastermind behind the show. She is an actress who left Guyana at a young age and wanted to showcase the Caribbean and its people in all of our glory. She related that the series is set to be on either Netflix or Amazon Prime upon its release in the US. “I’m also still singing as I have a few performances in the UK later in the year. I’m also managing two artists, Bedeyah and Josh. So it’s been really busy for me,” she said. Lisa has been recognised for her singing for years including winning the local competition ‘Star Guyana’ at the age of 14. She left Guyana in 2013 and was accepted to perform on ‘Rising Star’ in March of 2014. She recalls that being on that show which was aired in June/July 2014 was a good experience. “Because I lived in the moment while I was on ‘Rising Star’ I was able to still

feel what it is like to be surrounded by the amazing team and contestants. It’s an experience I wouldn’t trade for the world,” Lisa explained. Along with ‘Perfectly Imperfect’, Punch has another album titled “The Evolution of Lisa Punch” which consists of seven songs. She also held the title of Miss World Guyana 2015, placed among the top 10 at the International Miss World Competition and also won the Talent Segment at that Competition. “There are multiple opportunities available in the US for me. I’m able to do much of the things I wanted to do since there is scope,” Lisa said. Even though she is overseas, Punch told The Buzz that Guyana is always on her mind and she will continue to represent her country nevertheless. Punch is pursuing studies in Social Sciences: Criminology and Psychology.

Lisa Punch

Region Two hosts Chutney, Calypso competitions after eight years By Indrawattie Natram LOUD cheers and screams emanated from a large crowd at the Anna Regina Car Park in Region Two when the winners of both the Regional Chutney and Calypso competitions were announced. The crowd was not surprised when Shamdai Singh Bennie, fondly known as `Sandra’, of Bushlot Village was named Essequibo's Chutney Queen and Cromwell Mentis from Queenstown Village was crowned the new Calypso King. These two singers both have a passion for singing. For almost eight years Chutney and Calypso adult competitions were not hosted in Region Two and the Regional Mash Committee had included the event this year as part of its Republic Celebrations. The Region had decided that both Calypso and Chutney contribute to Guyanese entertainment and therefore hosted the competition this From left to Right- Miss Sandra Bennie, middle, Haimwattie Lall year with the aim that this music (Verona) third place and second will remain alive. place to the left Ramrattie Heeralall According to Deputy Regional (Miss Amanda-little lady) Executive Officer, RoopKumar ulations to all those who took part. Persaud the Regional AdministraParticipating in the competition of Region Two was delightful to host the tions were six calypsonian artistes competitions. He noted that it was something in and six chutney artistes. Each the making for the past years. RoopKumar said singer put up a relentless battle, the event was successful and offered congrat-

determined to secure one of the three cash prizes which ranged from $25,000 to $10,000. As each calypsonian and chutney artiste took the stage, a mood of excitement was created as those who were in the crowd were dancing to the melodious tunes. As the competitions came to a close, the six judges, all experienced chutney and calypso singers,tallied up the final results. Copping the first prize in the chutney competition was Shamdai Singh Bennie (Sandra), Ramrattie Heiralall (Amanda-Little Lady)

brought second, while Hemwattie Lall (Verona–Lady V) emerged third. Seasoned calypsonian Cromwell Mentis from Queenstown Village emerged as the King while Arth Austin placed second. Coming in third place was Toshao of the Mainstay community, Joel Fredricks. The other six artistes were all awarded $5,000 each for their participation. Participants for the competitions were all happy to be a part of the show and called on the regional administration to make the event an annual feature. One young chutney singer, Karashma Ashley Mohabeer,who competed in the Chutney competition said she was happy for the experience gained on stage.

Winners of both the Chutney and Calypso competition- From Left to right- Chutney singer Haimwattie Lall (Verona) who gained third in the chutney, Joel Federicks third place winner for the Calypso competiton, Ramrattie Heeralall (Miss Amanda-Little Lady) Second Place winner for the Chutney competition, Arth Austin third place winner for the Calypso competition, Miss Sandra Benniem Chutney Queen and First place winner for Calypso Cromwell Mentis

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

FROM THE REALMS OF THE JAGUAR TO THE THRONE OF THE BLACK PANTHER Our Sister Letitia Wright is our Royal Ambassador ALMOST two decades ago the Stabroek News did an interview with me, then I was classified as a young businessman. They asked me to identify three business people worldwide that I admire, I’m in the illustrated arts business (Comic Book-Graphic Novel creation from concept to finish) so I identified Stan Lee of Marvel comics, Steven Spielberg and someone else, I think it was Walt Disney. At the time, I knew that Disney had supported the Nazi party, but I was focused on the Studios which had transcended him and with the people who were then managing it. Omar Saied attacked me on the pretext that they were all white. He and I had before then had a man-to-man public dissension on the prevalence of Afro-Guyanese victims of extrajudicial killings, which he also had brought in his letters to the public through the then PPP-manipulated Chronicle. The curiosity with Stan Lee was my knowledge of The Black Panther movement, founded by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale in October 1966, militant, socialist, but community-minded, and the so-called Banana Republic methods that the law-breaking Edgar Hoover and his FBI under Nixon had used against them even forcing a top female (Caucasian) film star who supported them to commit suicide. The Marvel comic book character of the Black Panther appeared as a sub-character in July 1966, featured In Fantastic Four, but was afterwards subdued in prevalence to the politics against the vibrant Black Panther party. The character was created by the late Jack Kirby and Stan Lee of Marvel comics, but that Marvel in that troubled time of the

Civil Rights Movement had brought the ‘Black Panther’ into American pop culture had demanded some courage. 2018: Letitia Wright is an official cultural self-appointed ambassador of Guyana, land of the Jaguar, her birth country, which makes me proud in more than one way. The foremost is that she emerges from the creative and cultural niche, which is still in the state

ing promotional procedures that have to be adhered to. Perhaps if it can occur. August would be a great time, an Emancipation event with an aura of pageantry. I have mentioned this to the acting Director of Culture in a phone conversation. There’s interest there, and I have great anticipation that Guyana can respond and host this young actress who definitely is on the journey of her career and

of fledgeling recognition as a significant Industry worth investing in on the home front. Then, that her talents are honed, vibrant to completely enforce her symbolic role in the iconography of the ‘Black Panther.’ We must find a medium to invite and engage this talented sister; in an appropriate relaxed moment, for she is building a career in the volatile world of the very serious entertainment-arts industry with its demand-

can share with us what she has learnt so far, providing we can fashion the dialogue that will extract and impart equally to all. The Black Panther is a consequence of the American Civil Rights struggle and the two eras of European colonising history coupled with the mythologies of tribal origins. For example, the ancient Dahomeans of West Africa believed that an ancestor of their tribe was a magical Leopard that mated with a hu-

man princess. Such a background contributes to the mystique of the Black Panther. Perhaps these influences merged with the artistic skill that is required in the genre of illustrated storytelling launched this unorthodox of that time. A comic book character in 1966 is now animated on the screen and manifested by live actors, tapping into our historical memory with recognition of its symbolisms. Wherever the movie takes us does not interfere with the symbolic memory it has aroused. There is also the subliminal awareness that such strong Afro characters were resisted both overseas and in Guyana not so long ago (I have written about my experiences). I had to create special circumstances to achieve publication. The comic book has long defied the simple description that refers to a dynamic medium of expression and even political propaganda. The comic book hero embodies our timeless inheritance of tribal heroes, our fond tales, and the conflicts of our pagan Gods. Today it captures and transforms the human culture from where we began artistically as species, to tell our stories in bold graphics in caves and on hewn stone, to the technological creatures we have now become. We must follow Letitia Wright. She has worked her way into a landmark production that will now influence whatever she does next, and as a matter of fact, this will apply to her entire lead team. The Black Panther follows the path of Blade, but its superhero portrayal is separate; its platform unique in symbolism, cast and imagery in that it spreads across the African Diaspora. The Black Panther is a very smart and timely production.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018 parade- the last everything for Mash! It’s all going down at the National Park. Music by HJ 94 Boom DJs and fusion sounds. It’s the “Bad in Bum Bum” Dance, with special guest appearance by Subance & Mighty from St Lucia at the indulgence Hookah Lounge. Music by Selector Andre, David Hype and Genius Selector Grinch. It is definitely going to be lots of fun! Don’t miss it! Go-kart action is back!!! The season speeds off with the first Georgetown Grand Prix of 2018. Witness top drivers from Guyana and Trinidad &Tobago battle for supremacy in the exciting Shifter Pro Cup! Don’t miss the intensity of the Sun Burst Kids Cup 60cc, the 125cc senior and Junior and the Easy Cup categories. Admission is absolutely FREE; now that’s an offer you can’t afford to miss. So head down for the speed, skills and thrills plus enjoy treats at our concession area - only at GT Motorsports, Albert Street and Thomas Lands, Georgetown. SUNDAY

WE all know the mash is over but there are still some after mash parties going on around town and since it’s the Phagwah holiday known as the festival of colours, there will also be some water wet fete parties to keep you on your toes for the weekend. TODAY

The Berbice County (New Amsterdam) will be celebrating their Mash with lots of fun, costume parades and more exciting entertainment. So take a drive up with the family and get a second taste of Mash- Berbice style. Linden will also have its Mashramani celebrations. Remember, this is where it all started! So if you’re nearby or feel like taking a quick spin up that side, be sure to check out the festivities.

For an enjoyable holiday Ex Entertainment & Team Unstoppable present “Bacchanal Dancehall Colour Fete” featuring from St Lucia Mighty & Subance as well as Guyanese Dancehall Artiste Lil Million. The event will be held in Linden at Club Extreme. Kaneville presents the Wet Fete called “Soak” at Second Street, Kaneville, EBD. Music by Big Life, Team Hardball and DJ Barry. The fun starts at 10:00hrs. Powder and water all day. Banks Phagwah Party. Show up and get and get a tequila shot FREE Eight BANKS Beer $2,000. Venue: 214 Shell and Vlissengen Road, Kitty. TOMORROW If you didn’t get a chance to enjoy the Mash activities, here is your chance, with the party called “Last Fete by De Truck”. It’s the last jouvert, wet fete, party truck, costume

Armageddon Clash winners receive prizes

The top five DJs strike a pose with Lee Baptiste and Mortimer Stewart, Dwain Bristol and Justin Stoby of Banks DIH Limited

GUYANA’S top five deejays (DJs) who participated in the recently held Armageddon Clash 2018 were rewarded for their efforts by sponsors Banks DIH Limited and Guinness during a presentation ceremony at Thirst Park. DJ Magnum (Dorrel Romeo) won the first prize of $600,000 and a Trophy, while DJ Keston (Keston Tyrell) secured the second position, winning him $300,000. Third place finisher was DJ Dillion

(Dillion Jennings) and he took home $150,000 while Selector Face (Serette Mc Allister) placed fourth and earned a cash prize of $75,000. Berbician DJ Dauren (Dauren Deonarine) placed fifth and secured $50,000. The prizes were presented by Lee Baptiste Guinness Brand Manager assisted by Mortimer Stewart, Outdoor Events Manager of Banks DIH Limited. The Armageddon Clash 2018 was organised by US-based Empire Inc.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

Lethem’s new mayor banks on transparency

FOLLOWING municipal elections at the border town of Lethem on Thursday, businessman Kerry Jarvis was elected mayor and the newly elected official is banking on transparency. Reports from the Ru-

pununi are that Jarvis won the support of the council by a 5-4 margin while Deputy Mayor, Maxine Welch-Hendricks was re-elected unopposed. Jarvis told the Guyana Chronicle that while he was surprised by the result of the

Newly elected Mayor Kerry Jarvis stands alongside Deputy Mayor, Maxine Welch Hendricks following elections on Thursday.

mayoral election, he was happy to be in a position to serve the people of Lethem.” At the end of the day it’s all about serving the people,” he said. The mayor noted that in the past he had cause to shy away from any leadership role given that “a lot is on my plate.” He said, however, that he was approached by several persons , including members of the business community who raised is-

sues which he noted needed addressing. “So I decided to take-up the nomination,” he added. The newly elected official said that the council has several programmes on its agenda and according to him, the body will continue to undertake same. “But I plan to be more transparent going about it,” he added. Jarvis said that an immediate matter which he plans

to address is the issue of drainage in the town. He noted that there is need for proper drainage facilities at the town and according to him he will “as early as possible” discuss the matter at the level of the council. In the long-term, the mayor noted that there is need for an indoor facility for sports, such as a gymnasium , at the town. He said that

this is a project idea which he plans to address. In addition, the mayor noted that he plans to ensure the town council establishes a closer relationship with the Lethem Rodeo committee. The new mayor noted that he is an approachable individual and as such he plans to work along with all stakeholders towards the development of the town of Lethem.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

Farmer died by strangulation caused by hanging – post-mortem report

A post-mortem examination done on the body of young West Berbice cash crop farmer, Rohit Devnarine, who was found hanging at his home on Tuesday, revealed that he died as a result of strangulation caused by hanging. Investigators were

however still stumped by the fact that young farmer of Lot 100 Lovely Lass Village West Coast Berbice (WCB), was found hanging by the neck but with both hands tied behind his back. Commander of `B’ Division Lyndon Alves, confirmed the results of the post mortem

examination on Monday and said that to date there have not been any signs of foul play but the investigations are ongoing. “We were looking for signs of struggle; that is one of the things we were waiting on the post mortem examination to ascertain; there were no signs of

struggle. The house was not disturbed. If there had been a struggle the furniture would have been displaced etc! etc!. There was nothing of the sort.” he said. Asked whether the dead man could have tied his hands behind his back then hung himself since some would consider this an acrobatic feat, the Commander said: “Well I don’t know! I don’t know!”

Dead: Rohit Devnarine He reiterated that the investigations are ongoing and as soon as they are completed a file would be prepared and sent for legal advice. The dead man reportedly lived alone at his home, in an isolated area at the southern edge of the village. Neighbours said that around noon on Tuesday they saw the door to the man’s house slightly ajar but he was not seen moving around as usual. After some time had elapsed they decided to make a check on him and made the tragic discovery.

Devnarine’s mother, Mrs Shamoon Jameer, who resides some distance away at Number 22 Village, WCB, said that she last saw her son late on Monday evening when he visited her and they chatted and he ate some food. He did not seem in any way depressed and he left for home shortly after finishing his meal. She said that she was at work on Tuesday when she received a telephone call around noon, telling her of the discovery of her son who was one of her eight children.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

CARICOM leaders to meet ICC on future of Windies cricket

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, (CMC) – CARICOM leaders will meet with the International Cricket Council (ICC) next month in London to discuss their recently adopted position on the future of West Indies cricket, as they step up pressure on embattled Cricket West Indies (CWI) ito restructure its governance. St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, chairman of CARICOM’s Prime Ministerial sub-committee on cricket, will lead a small delegation of regional leaders who will sit down with cricket’s world governing body in an attempt to convey the “desperate urgency” of the changes required. According to Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley, CARICOM leaders had adopted legal advice at the two-day Intersessional in Haiti earlier this week, concerning CWI’s right to manage the “public good” of West Indies cricket. Rowley had indicated last July that CARICOM had sought legal advice and had been assured there was a case to be argued on the basis of CWI, as a private entity, continuing to manage a public

good. “The Heads have now taken a decision that we will now, on the basis of our legal advice – which we have adopted at this meeting – we will approach the ICC and indicate to them the position of the Heads of Government of the region, with respect to our adoption of this position of this public good,” Rowley said here. And we trust that in approaching the ICC – to the extent they will talk with us – we will be able to indicate to them … the desperate urgency that is required for West Indies cricket to be saved by this legislative approach to bring best practice to this public good of West Indies cricket.” He added: “We are of the view that the advice of the lawyers needs to be pursued in a way, not to bring about the management and the operations of the cricket, but to set down proper best practice governance rules for West Indies cricket.” According to the meeting communique, a move was agreed towards “the development of a legislative framework for the governance of cricket which was consistent with international best practices and with the International Cricket

Committee principles.” The CARICOM delegation, which will include Rowley, will use the occasion of the Commonwealth Meeting in London from April 16-20 to engage the ICC. Discussions, Rowley said, would be held against “the background of this interpretation of the protection of the public good of West Indies cricket.” He, however, made it clear that even though CARICOM had agreed to “intervene in the governance of West Indies cricket”, regional leaders had no interest in managing the affairs of the regional game. “Caribbean politicians represented by the Heads of Government have no interest, desire or requirement to manage the West Indies cricket team or West Indies cricket,” Rowley stressed. “What we are aiming to do is to intervene to protect this public good by ensuring there is legislative best practice standard arrangements by which this public good can be managed, and that the value of the legacy can be protected, and that there can be a future for West Indies cricket.” CWI and CARICOM have

been at loggerheads ever since the regional grouping intervened in 2014 to help find a solution to the crisis following the Windies abandoned tour of India, which resulted in the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) slapping the regional governing body with a US$42 million claim for damages. The friction between the two bodies deepened after a CARICOM-commissioned Governance Review panel, headed by UWI Cave Hill Principal Professor Eudine Barriteau, released a report that branded the CWI structure to be “antiquated”, “obsolete” and “anachronistic”, and called for the “immediate dissolution of the West Indies Cricket Board and the appointment of an Interim Board.” CWI rejected the recommendation on the basis it was an “impractical” and an “unnecessary and intrusive demand”, and claiming that the panel’s investigations were “limited in scope” and had “triggered findings and recommendations … which are not supported by the facts.” The Governance Review panel had assessed West Indies cricket as a “public good managed by a private company.”

Sparkling City close in on title by thrashing Arsenal again By Hugh Lawson

LONDON (Reuters) - Manchester City tore Arsenal apart for the second time in five days on Thursday, beating them 3-0 on a freezing night at The Emirates to restore their 16-point lead as they close in on the Premier League title. Arsenal hoped for redemption after City thrashed them by the same scoreline in the League Cup final at Wembley on Sunday but first-half goals by Bernardo Silva, David Silva and Leroy Sane handed the Gunners their second home league loss this season. Arsenal’s club record signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang added to the home side’s woes when his penalty was saved by Ederson early in the second half

after fellow new arrival Henrikh Mkhitaryan was brought down just inside the area. The win leaves Pep Guardiola’s scintillating City side on 75 points from 28 games ahead of second-placed Manchester United and they only have to win five of their last 10 matches to be crowned champions for the third time in seven seasons. We are close. It’s in our hands, we can’t deny it,” Guardiola said, while stressing his team must focus on the next game at home to last season’s champions Chelsea on Sunday. He expressed some sympathy for Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who has faced renewed speculation over his future at the London club as the Gunners slide out of contention for Champions League football next season for the second year in a row. “He knows my admiration

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for him... I know all the managers can be in that situation. I‘m sure he’s going to take the right decision for him and for the club,” Guardiola told a post-match news conference without elaborating.

Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva celebrates scoring their first goal. REUTERS/David Klein

LOW CONFIDENCE The result leaves Arsenal sixth, 10 points outside the Greyville 11:15 hrs Esstoora 11:45 hrs Great Dictator 12:20 hrs The King Of Randsom 12:55 hrs Roman Courtesan 13:35 hrs Just Vogue 14:10 hrs Accidental Tourist 14:40 hrs Harlan County 15:10 hrs Roy’s Novice English Racing Tips Southwell 09:45 hrs Swashbuckle

top four places that guarantee Champions League football next term. They can still qualify for Europe’s elite club competition, but to do so they will almost certainly have to win the Europa League in which they meet AC Milan in the last 16. “We played with low confidence, you could see that at the start of the game and we paid for it,” said Wenger. “We needed the penalty to go in, but that was another negative. We lost to a team that is the best in the country at the moment... The difference in the league is no coincidence.” On a snowy night at The Emirates, City’s Portuguese forward Bernardo Silva opened the scoring in the 14th minute, collecting a pass after a long weaving run from Leroy Sane and delightfully curling his shot into the far corner past goalkeeper Petr Cech. 11:20 hrs Brotherly Company 11:50 hrs Good Tradition 12:25 hrs Fin And Game 13:00 hrs Flash The Steel Lingfield 10:30 hrs Wicker 11:35 hrs Cayuga 12:10 hrs Take The Helm 12:45 hrs Jazirat 13:15 hrs Sportswriter

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

2018 Smith, WarnerWorld hitCuphalf-centuries as Aussies reach 225 for five on first day

DURBAN, (Reuters) Captain Steve Smith and opener David Warner both

scored fifties on Thursday as Australia reached 225 for five before poor light brought play to an early close on the opening day of the first test against South Africa. Smith, who was prolific with the bat in leading Australia to success in the Ashes, scored 56 while Warner contributed a characteristically quickfire 51. Shaun Marsh added 40 and his younger brother Mitchell was 32 not out, along with Tim Paine on 21, when the umpires took the players off in gloomy conditions with 14 overs still remaining. South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj took two wickets, including that of top-ranked Test batsman Smith, while Vernon Philander also bagged a pair.Smith did not hesitate to bat when he won the toss, but early hopes of forging a formida-

ble total on a slow deck went as Cameron Bancroft (5) and Usman Khawaja (14) were dismissed inside the opening 12 overs.Smith and Warner put on a 56-run partnership that ended with the last ball before lunch as Warner was caught by AB de Villiers at second slip off Philander, and Australia were 95-3 at the end of the first session. Another 56-run partnership with Shaun Marsh ended when Smith, after reaching a fifth successive Test half century, feathered a bottom edge off Maharaj that went through to strike wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock on the shoulder and pop up for de Villiers to take another catch. After tea, Marsh edged Maharaj to de Villiers at slip again to leave Australia precariously placed at 177-5 but Mitchell Marsh and Paine released the pressure with a

U.S. Olympic chief resigns after sex abuse scandal, health cited By Keith Coffman DENVER (Reuters) - U.S. Olympic Committee Chief Executive Scott Blackmun is resigning for medical reasons, the organisation said on Wednesday, following months of sustained criticism stemming from the sex abuse scandal involving former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. The USOC cited in a statement Blackmun’s “ongoing health issues” related to prostate cancer, for which he has been receiving treatment. It also outlined in the same media release new reforms aimed at protecting its athletes from abuse. The Colorado Springs, Colorado-based USOC, which announced the change less than a week after the Winter Olympic Games ended in Pyeongchang, South Korea, had resisted calls to fire Blackmun over the Nassar case. Blackmun, 60, did not attend the Games. The scandal prompted the entire board of directors at USA Gymnastics, the sport’s U.S. governing body, to resign, along with the president and athletic director at Michigan State University, where Nassar also worked. It also spawned lawsuits and criminal and civil investigations. A number of critics, including athletes who said they were abused and two U.S. senators - Iowa Republican Joni Ernst and New Hampshire Democrat Jeanne Shaheen - had called for the ouster of Blackmun and USOC board members,

accusing them of failing to act promptly on complaints raised against Nassar and fostering a culture of silence. “Scott Blackmun’s resignation as CEO of the U.S. Olympic Committee is long overdue,” John Manly, a lawyer representing 120 of Nassar’s victims, said in a statement. “Under his leadership, USOC has focused nearly all its efforts on money and medals while the safety of our athletes has taken a back seat.” Shaheen also welcomed the resignation, citing Nassar’s years of abuse. “It’s clear that the culture at the U.S. Olympic Committee desperately needs to change,” she said in a statement. Olympic gold medalist swimmer Nancy Hogshead-Makar, an advocate for female athletes and member of the Committee to Restore Integrity to the USOC, said in a Twitter post Blackmun “didn’t enact basic #ChildProtection policies or educate the membership about how to prevent it.” “His legacy will be that he failed athletes,” she said. The USOC statement did not address whether the sexual abuse scandal played a role in Blackmun’s departure. His compensation in 2016 totaled $1.075 million, according to USOC tax filings. “Given Scott’s current health situation, we have mutually agreed it is in the best interest of both Scott and the USOC that we identify new leadership,” USOC Chairman

Larry Probst said in the statement. Nassar pleaded guilty to molesting female athletes under the guise of medical treatment and was sentenced to life in prison. Authorities say Nassar victimized more than 260 women and girls, including several Olympic gold medalists. Nearly 200 of them offered testimony during a pair of sentencing hearings in Michigan earlier this year. USOC board member Susanne Lyons, who was chosen in January to lead a working group to address problems that the Nassar case had exposed, will serve as acting CEO while the organization searches for a permanent replacement. The USOC also said on Wednesday it would increase funding for support and counseling for victims as well as investigations into abuse allegations, among other reforms. Separately, USA Gymnastics said its vice president of development, Luan Peszek, has left the organization after nearly 30 years. Following a lengthy stint with the team’s communications department, Peszek was the top administrator for the women’s program for two years before assuming her most recent post in 2015. Her daughter Samantha was a 2008 Olympic silver medalist. A team spokeswoman, Leslie King, declined to explain the circumstances of Peszek’s departure or say when the exit occurred. She said it was not related to the Nassar scandal.

unbeaten 48-run partnership for the sixth wicket. South Africa were just six overs from taking the second new ball, looking to make further inroads into the visitors’ batting order, when the umpires consulted their light metres and the batsmen quickly departed.Australia are playing a four-Test series in South Africa.

SCORECARD

AUSTRALIA 1st innings Cameron Bancroft c Quinton de Kock b Vernon Philander 5 David Warner c AB de Villiers b Vernon Philander 51 Usman Khawaja c Quinton de Kock b Kagiso Rabada 14 Steven Smith c AB de Villiers b Keshav Maharaj 56 Shaun Marsh c AB de Villiers b Keshav Maharaj 40 Mitchell Marsh Not Out 32 Tim Paine Not Out 21 Extras: 4b 2lb 0nb 0pen 0w 6 Total: (76.0 overs) 225-5 Fall of Wickets : 1-15 Bancroft, 2-39 Khawaja, 3-95 Warner, 4-151 Smith, 5-177 Marsh To Bat : Starc, Cummin`s, Hazlewood, Lyon Bowling: Morkel 16-3-48-0,Philander 17-8-36-2, Maharaj 24-4-69-2, Rabada 16-4-58-1, Markram 1-0- 2 -0,Theunis de Bruyn 2 -0 -6 – 0.

BUSH Lot United Cricket Club of West Coast Berbice defeated Floodlights Masters by six wickets with five balls to spare in a thrilling T20 fund-raising match played at the Bush Lot cricket ground recently. The match was part of a family fun day, organised by the executive members of the Bush Lot Mandir. Proceeds go towards repairs to the fence of the place of prayers. Floodlights Masters won the toss and took first strike. They galloped to 42-1 in the first four overs. Opener Robin Bacchus, a national senior cricketer and guest player was the first to go, bowled by R. Kishun for 19. His partner, former national Under-19 opener Alex Algoo, who was another guest player, continued the assault along with Yuniss Yusuf and former Berbice Under-15 all-rounder Aaron Beharry, to take the score to 143 in the 15th over. Algoo made 58 with three sixes and nine fours, Yusuf 26 and Beharry 22. Thereafter, the innings fell part with the visitors losing quick wickets in quest for runs, ending on 171-8 off their allotted 20 overs. Tameshwar Persaud was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3-22 in his four overs. In reply, the hosts started poorly, losing their first wicket at 20. A. Matabeek joined Raphael Estriado and played positively to take the score to 60 in just the fifth over before

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

Bush Lot United triumph GCA cricket continues this weekend over Floodlights Masters

FIRST and second division cricket clubs, who are competing in tournaments, played under the auspices of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA), will be back in action this weekend, as that entity continues to take advantage of the perfect weather conditions prevailing at present. Two matches will be contested in the GISE/Star Party Rentals/Trophy Stall two-day first division cricket competition while a similar number of matches will be played in the Noble House Seafoods two-day second division competition. Three matches will be played in the New Building Society 40 overs second division tournament. At Camp Road, the hosts Everest Cricket Club will play Malteenoes Cricket Club while Demerara Cricket Club will host Police in the two first division games. Play is expected to start at 09:30hrs daily. In the Noble House Seafoods two-day second division competition, GCC will host DCC, while Transport and Everest clash at GYO. Play is scheduled to start at 11:00hrs on both days. In the New Building Society 40 overs second division tournament, two games are billed for Saturday with Police and GDF clash at Eve Leary, while Malteenoes and GNIC play each other at MYO. On Sunday MYO host UG. Games are expected to start at 11:00hrs on each day.

Steve Narine of GFSCA (left) hands over the trophy to Rajbance Hemraj, captain of the winning team in the presence of his team members

Matabeek was dismissed for 22. Christendat Bissoon was then dismissed for 10 with Floodlights fighting back. However, Bush Lot United had other ideas as the skipper Rajbance Hemraj came to the crease. He lost Estriado for 31, but teamed up with Ralph Ogle to take

his team to victory in the final over. Hemraj was unbeaten on 59 while Ogle made a fighting unbeaten 17. Anil Beharry took 2 wickets. At the presentation ceremony, Hemraj was named man-ofthe-match. Speaking on behalf of the visitors, Steve Narine

congratulated the winners and thanked the organisers for the invitation. In a kind gesture, Ricky Deonarain donated $50 000 on behalf of the GFSCA. Lalta Gainda of Gainmart, UG Road and of Bel Air RUBiS also made a contribution of $25 000 towards the project.

Guptill, Simmons biggest picks in CPL 2018 draft NEW ZEALAND opener Martin Guptill and Windies opener Lendl Simmons were the biggest picks, with Barbados Tridents and St Lucia Stars going for them in the first round of the Caribbean Premier League 2018 drafts on Thursday..

Among the marquee players, Shahid Afridi (Jamaica Tallawahs), Shoaib Malik (Guyana Amazon Warriors), Evin Lewis (St Kitts and Nevis Patriots) and Chris Lynn (Trinbago Knight Riders) directly negotiated with the respective franchises and did not enter the draft process.

Hamilton fastest as F1 wraps up first test of 2018 BARCELONA (Reuters) Formula One wrapped up the first pre-season test of the year in Barcelona on Thursday with four-times world champion Lewis Hamilton back on top of the timesheets for Mercedes. The Briton, who had done only 25 laps earlier in the week after snow and rain wreaked havoc with the schedule, completed 69 more with a fastest time of one minute 19.333 seconds using the medium Pirelli tyres. “I was really happy to get out today, to be honest,” Hamilton told reporters at the end of the day’s session at the Circuit de Catalunya. ”I don’t like testing but today I actually was really keen to get out, obviously because we hadn’t had many laps... to get a feel for the tyres and warm-up process and kind of stretch the legs a little bit on this new car. “So far it’s positive.” The pace of the Mercedes came as no surprise, with the team having won the last four drivers’ and constructors’ titles, and they already look the team to beat even though testing times can be deceptive. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, also a four-times champion

and last year’s runner-up to Hamilton, has already said that Hamilton and Mercedes will be favourites when the season starts in Australia on March 25. Hamilton said he was not looking at other teams’ performance, however.

was second quickest although he was using the much faster hyper-soft tyres. Vandoorne’s time of 1:19.854 was still half a second slower than Hamilton‘s. The Belgian’s Spanish team mate and double world

“I’d have liked to have driven more, but we can do that next week (at the second test), when we will start to get a clearer picture,” said Vettel, who spent some time in the garage as mechanics worked on the car. Lendl Simmons

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W08

“I don’t know what they’ve been doing,” he said. “I’ve seen a couple of them on track. I’ve not even seen their livery, I just know it’s red.” Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne, in the now Renault-powered McLaren after that team’s split with Honda at the end of last year, did 110 laps and

champion Fernando Alonso did another 51 laps and was fifth on the timing screens. French driver Pierre Gasly, in the Honda-powered Toro Rosso, did the most mileage -an impressive 147 laps -- while Vettel completed 120 and was third fastest on a day that started wet but dried out.

Mexican Sergio Perez had his first taste of the new Force India, after the snow stopped him getting any mileage on Wednesday, and lapped eighth fastest. The second and final pre-season test starts on Tuesday at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya.

The likes of Sohail Tanvir (Guyana Amazon Warriors), Andre Russell (Jamaica Tallawahs), Chris Gayle (St Kitts and Nevis Patriots) and Dwayne Bravo (Trinbago Knight Riders) were retained by their respective sides for the first round of draft pick. While the retained players have bagged a contract of USD 160,000, Guptill was snapped for USD 90,000 by St Lucia Stars who finished last in the previous season, and Simmons was picked for USD 70,000. With each of the six teams expected to have 18-member squads, 47 were picked from the drafts while 61 were already retained. In a season which witnessed the highest number of transfers, Kieron Pollard was the biggest earner. After having led the Jamaica Tallawahs for four seasons, he asked the franchise to release him. St Lucia Stars picked him for USD 130,000.

Martin Guptill

Leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane, who was picked in the IPL auction earlier this year, became the first Nepal player to be picked in a CPL draft, after the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots signed him for USD 5,000. The teenage legspinner hadn’t set a base price before entering the auction. The English trio of Alex Hales, Adil Rashid and Tymal Mills failed to bag a contract for the upcoming season as they went unpicked. One of the primary reasons for England players to not find interest in the CPL was because of the NatWest T20 Blast scheduled to overlap with the CPL. (Cricbuzz)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

Miller (5-20) helps Windies defend 115 against UAE

THE spin and pace combination of Nikita Miller and Kemar Roach saved the Windies blushes in their ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 warm-up match against the United Arab Emirates when they bowled the twotime former world champions to a 32-run victory at the Harare Sports Club on Thursday. The Windies were heading for an embarrassing defeat when they were spun out for 115 in 33.4 overs after being 31 for no loss at one stage with wrist spinner Imran Haider claiming four for 16, off-spinner Rohan Mustafa bagging two for 10 and left-arm spinner Ahmed Raza snapping up two for 14. However, left-arm spinner Miller and Roach turned the screws on the UAE batsmen and reduced them to 58 for seven before rain stopped play. When the match resumed, the UAE innings lasted for another 7.1 overs as they were bowled out for 83 in 29 overs. Miller finished with figures of 10-2-20-5, while Roach claimed three for 15. Off-spinner Ashley Nurse captured two of the last three wickets, to finish with two for 21. Captain Rohan Mustafa (12), Shaiman Anawar (12) and Rameez Shahzad (11) were the only batsmen to reach double-figures as the result

meant the UAE lost both their warm-up matches in the build up to the event proper which will start on Sunday, 4 March. For the Windies, the victory must have lifted their spirits, morale and confidence as they bid to qualify for next year’s World Cup, but a few questions remain unanswered from the batting perspective. On Tuesday, the Windies were bowled out by Afghanistan for 110 while chasing 140, and today they managed only 115. With the likes of Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Marlon Samuels and Jason Mohammed in their ranks, they will need these proven performers to live up to their reputation and help the Windies take maximum carryover points into the Super Six stage. Elsewhere, Ireland defeated Scotland by two wickets, while Zimbabwe carved out an easy five wickets victory over Papua New Guinea (PNG). The Hong Kong and Nepal match was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to a wet outfield, while the Netherlands and Afghanistan match was abandoned in the 18th over of the Dutch side who were chasing a revised target of 202. SCORES IN BRIEF: Ireland beat Scotland by two wickets, Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo

Scotland 239 all out, 49.3 overs (Michael Leask 91, George Munsey 77, Calum MacLeod 29; Boyd Rankin 5-38, Tim Murtagh 3-42, Barry McCarthy 2-54)

overs) Afghanistan 216-9, 49.5 overs (Rashid Khan 63, Sharafuddin Ashraf 42, Mohammad Nabi 32, Dawlat Zadran 18; Shane Snater 4-46, Roelof van

Nikita Miller

Ireland 248-8, 50 overs (Andrew McBrine 79, George Dockrell 47 not out, Niall O’Brien 35; Gary Wilson 21; Chris Sole 2-53, Stuart Whittingham 2-26, Ali Evans 2-64) Zimbabwe beat PNG by five wickets, Bulawayo Athletic Club, Bulawayo PNG 195 all out, 49.4 overs (Vani Morea 58, Assadollah Vala 30, Jason Kila 19; Sikandar Raza 2-20, Tendai Chisoro 2-22, Blessing Muzarabani 2-22) Zimbabwe 196-5, 40.3 overs (Hamilton Masakadza 54, Brendan Taylor 52 retired out, Solomon Mire 36) Netherlands v Afghanistan, Old Hararians – match abandoned due to rain (target revised to 202 in 45

der Merwe 2-23) The Netherlands 86-1, 17.3 overs (Wesley Barresi 38, Maxwell O’Dowd 38 not out) The Windies beat the UAE by 32 runs, Harare Sports Club, Harare Windies 115 all out, 33.4 overs (Shimron Hetmyer 20, Chris Gayle 16, Marlon Samuels 15, Evin Lewis 10; Imran Haider 4-16; Rohan Mustafa 2-10, Mohammad Naveed 2-27, Ahmed Raza 2-14) UAE 83 all out, 29 overs (Nikita Miller 5-20, Kemar Roach 3-15, Ashley Nurse 2-21) Hong Kong v Nepal, Kwekwe Sports Club – match abandoned without a ball being bowled due to a wet outfield. (ICC)

LABA Malta Supreme March Madness tourney bounces off tonight By Joe Chapman DESPITE some challenges, the Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA) is going ahead with its 2018 opening competition dubbed ‘Banks DIH Malta Supreme ‘March Madness’ Open tournament’ bounces off tonight featuring its top four clubs at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court. In the opening matches at 18.30hrs, Retrieve Raiders face number one ranked Victory Valley Royals and at 20.00hrs, second seed Half Mile Bulls face third ranked Amelia’s Ward Falcons. The two-group round-robin format initial round play will decide which four of the six participating clubs will advance to the semifinals to produce a final. The six-club five-day championship will be played in a two-group round-robin format initially with the top four teams advancing to the semifinals. The playing dates are March 2, 11, 16, 18 and 24 when the final is to be played and the contesting clubs are Victory Valley Royals, Half Mile Bulls, Amelia’s Ward Jets, Retrieve Raiders, Block 22 Flames and Bankers Trust Falcons. President of the Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA) Lawrence Simon, in his report when the LABA held its Annual General Meeting in January, said he was optimistic about this second half of his tenureship as three officers were elected as replacements for the existing officers who were elected at the start of last year for the stipulated two-year term. Dr. Perreira was unanimously elected to serve as 2nd Vice president while Joel Webster is now the treasurer after being elected last year as assistant secretary. Dillette Marville is the new assistant secretary. They join the existing executives who were elected at the AGM and Biennial Elections in 2017, when among those elected were President Lawrence Simon; Abdulla Hamid as 1st Vice President; Joseph Chapman as Secretary; Christopher Pollydore as Organising Secretary; Tracey Liverpool as Public Relations Officer. The committee members are Kevin Joseph , Eusi Francis and Hubert Wade. The association also decided that female national players, Shanua Chester and Nichola Jacobs will alternate as female basketball representatives to the executive body where special emphasis will be made to formalise the playing of the sport among the females in the town. Kerwin Abrams will be the refereeing and table officials’ representative. Simon, speaking at the AGM on January 10, at the Mackenzie Sports Club Lounge, said he was elated “to report that we are making some progress in some areas, but we still have a lot of work ahead of us.”

Rose Hall Town Jammers to Webb likely to get sentence host UG Trojans this weekend postponed for seventh time Former CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb is expected to have his sentence pushed back for a seventh time after submissions in court were accepted earlier this week.

football’s governing body indicted by US courts in 2015. The former Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) accepted the charges in November of 2015 and

The UG Trojans will take on Rose Hall Town Jammers in two games on March 3 in Berbice.

THE University of Guyana’s (UG) Trojans Basketball Team will be travelling to Berbice on Saturday and will compete in two games in New Amsterdam at Vryman’s Erven Court. They will be playing the Rose Hall Town Jammers U-23 and senior teams.

The coach of the Jammers, Vibert Garrett noted that in 2018, his side will be inviting more teams to Berbice so that “we can expose more of our players to a higher level of basketball just as Georgetown and Linden does.” The reason for this Gar-

rett pointed out is based on the recent ‘Road to Mecca’ competition which saw games being played on a more competitive level than those that played in Berbice. “We are trying to upgrade our level in the basketball game in Berbice” Garrett concluded.

Former CONCACAF PRESIDENT Jeffrey Webb

Webb pleaded guilty to seven counts of fraud in relation to his role in the FIFA corruption probe, which saw 14 officials of world

also agreed to forfeit more than US$6.7m as part of his plea. Webb, who has been under house arrest in the United States since then,

was originally to be sentenced in June of 2016. After numerous delays the latest date given to the former football boss was March 7 but if the court of the Eastern District of New York agrees with the latest submissions, Webb would not face sentencing until September. According to court documents Webb and dozens of other FIFA officials solicited bribes from sports marketing companies in exchange for directing lucrative broadcasting and commercial rights deals for various football tournaments to the bribe-payers. The bribes are alleged to have been paid by the sports marketing company Traffic USA, in return for being awarded TV and marketing rights for the Caribbean countries’ qualifying matches in the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. (Sportsmax).

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

Teachers presented with coaching certificates

Rose Hall and Port Mourant Primary schools cricket teams strike a pose with their coaches and managers

Teachers pose with their certificates

THE Ministry of Education/National Sports Commission conducted a follow-up evaluation programme on the 28th February last at the Port Mourant Community centre for Primary and Secondary school teachers who at-

tended the National Sports Commission cricket-coaching workshop last year at the said venue. The three-day programme, which was carried out last year, saw male and female teachers from 20 schools drawn from New

Amsterdam to Crabwood Creek, being tutored on the basics of cricket. Sessions were conducted by former Guyana national female and NSC level one (1) cricket coach, Latchman Yadram, who said, “This clinic sought to give a start in the

foundation of coaching in both theory and practical’’. In addition, the threeday fundamentals in cricket coaching saw teachers being actively involved in lectures and several practical sessions. The participants were schooled on the basic roles of a coach, coaching styles and principles, understanding of coaching objectives, the warm-up, batting, bowling and fielding techniques.

The evaluation session got underway at 10:00hrs with Facilitator Latchman Yadram testing the previous knowledge of the teachers present. The teachers were eagerly engaged. Port Mourant and Rose Hall Primary were invited to participate in a cricket match, whereby the teachers were involved in organizing, coaching, and managing the two teams.

Rose Hall Primary was victorious in the exciting eight-overs a side encounter. They chalked up an imposing 118 for the loss of five wickets off their allotment. Port Mourant Primary could only muster 34 when their eight overs expired. At the end of the programme, the teachers were presented with their ‘Fundamentals in cricket coaching’ certificates.

Vickery breaks into top 100 Appiah’s family honours Hamid as the oldest active cricketer in Berbice ...Player ranked 99, looks ahead to Indian Wells premier

PUTTING IN SOME WORK AT HOME! Guyana Chronicle Samuel Maughn was on hand at the GBTI Tennis Courts in Bel Air to catch tennis star, Sachia Vickery during training on her visit to Guyana in January.

SACHIA Vickery’s sensational form in tennis didn’t go unnoticed, with the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) latest world Rankings seeing the 22-year-old earning her highest career ranking of 99. Vickery, born to Guyanese parents, Paula Liverpool and Rawle Vickery, from Region 10, had recently signalled her intention to represent Guyana on the international stage, and more so at the 2020 Olympic Games. On a short visit to Guyana in January, the diminutive but powerful player had told

Chronicle Sport that breaking into the Top 100 in the world is atop her priority this year. Vickery is one of only 11 Americans in the top 100 which is headed by Romanian Simona Halep and had ranking of 102 prior to yesterday’s leap. Vickery is presently in California where she’s preparing for the 2018 BNP Paribas Open (also known as the 2018 Indian Wells Masters) with the hope of cashing in on the tournament’s US $8,648,508 prize. (Rawle Toney)

FYRISH second division cricketer, 73-year-old Zamin Hamid was recently honored by the Appiah family for his contribution to the development of the game, both as a player and administrator. Hamid, who is also the oldest active player in the County, was also honored for his role in community development. He participated in the inaugural Ramnarine Appiah Memorial cricket competition and was one of the outstanding bowler. He also participates in the New Building Society Limited and Raffik and Sons second division cricket competitions, along with other tournaments run by the Berbice Cricket Board. At a simple, but significant ceremony held recently, Mukesh Appiah presented a beautiful plaque to Hamid with his photograph engraved, along with medals, trophies and a button. The recipient expressed gratitude to the Appiah family for recognising his contribution to society in general, and promised that he will continue to play as long as possible.

73-year-old Zamin Hamid proudly displays his token in the presence of Mukesh Appiah (left) and Matthew Appiah (right).

Appiah urged the youngsters around to emulate the attitude and commitment of the senior citizen. Other senior citizens honoured were the oldest living resident in the area--97-year-old Gulcharran Kandie--along with Bharrat Budhram, Partab Mangal and Nelson Crandon.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Friday March 02, 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) 86 (2) 35 Today’s Quiz: (1) Who has made most appearances for the WI women in ODIs to date? (2) Who has made most appearances for WI women in T20 Internationals to date? ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, March 2, 2018

Warrican snatches another 10-wicket haul as Windies A crush Lions by 212 runs NORTH SOUND, Antigua, (CMC) – Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican snatched a third career 10-wicket haul as West Indies A crushed England Lions by 212 runs in the final four-day “Test”, to pull off a highly anticipated series whitewash here Thursday. The hosts needed just around 90 minutes to complete victory, after Lions, resuming from their overnight 132 for six in pursuit of an improbable 408 for victory in the day/night affair at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, folded meekly for 195 in their second innings.

Warrican again was the star of the show, claiming two of the four wickets to fall to end with five for 55 and match figures of 11 for 88. For the 25-year-old, it was his fourth five-wicket haul of the three-match series, leaving him with a remarkable 31 wickets for the tour. He passed 200 first class wickets in the match and now has 204. The 20-year-old Keemo Paul (2-25) and off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall (2-49) both ended the innings with two wickets apiece. Wicketkeeper Alex Da-

SCORECARD

WEST INDIES A 1st Innings 236 Lions 1st Innings 102 West Indies A 2nd Innings 273-9 decl. Lions 2nd Innings (target: 408) (overnight 132 for six) *K Jennings c Reifer b Paul 14 H Hameed st Hamilton b Warrican 26 N Gubbins b Cornwall 21 J Clarke b Warrican 22 S Northeast run out 6 +A Davies c Paul b Warrican 23 P Coughlin b Warrican 4 J Leach c wkp Hamilton b Cornwall 14 D Bess c wkp Hamilton b Paul 18 R Gleeson not out 12 S Mahmood lbw b Warrican 9 Extras: (b10, lb5, w5, nb6) 26 TOTAL: (all out, 70.3 overs) 195 Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-78, 3-80, 4-102, 5-118, 6-126, 7-153, 8-153, 9-180, 10-195 Bowling: Reifer 4-0-22-0, Joseph 9-0-29-0, Paul 7-0-25-2, Cornwall 23-7-49-2, Warrican 27.3-13-55-5.

Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican finished with 11 wickets in the match.

Hemraj and Shepherd depart for maiden WI-A call up ...Hard work and dedication paid off, says duo

By Rajiv Bisnauth HEAD-coach of the Guyana Jaguars, Esaun Crandon believes the selection of talented batsman Chanderpaul Hemraj and fast bowler Romario Shepherd to the West Indies-A One Day squad for the limited overs leg of the England Lions tour of the Caribbean, is a testimony of the development of Guyana’s cricket. The duo joins fellow Guyana Jaguars’ teammates, Keemo Paul and Raymond Reifer in the squad for the threematch series. “Well as the coach, I am obviously happy, but it’s not all about championships for me, but to produce quality players for the West Indies is what matters the most,” Crandon said during an exclusive interview yesterday. The former national fast bowler added “The selection of Hemraj (Chanderpaul) and Shepherd (Romario), who now join Keemo Paul and Reifer (Raymond), is a testimony of the development of Guyana’s cricket. It also shows that the new Professional Cricket League system has paid dividends”. Both Hemraj and Shepherd were in top form in the just concluded Regional four-day and Super50 tournaments. “I’m absolutely delighted about the selection. I’ve been scoring some runs of recent so I’m happy it’s been rewarded,” said the 24-yearold Hemraj who spoke with Chronicle Sport yesterday Although there has been

no official release from Cricket West Indies selection committee, the duo departed yesterday afternoon for Antigua. Hemraj, the stylish left-handed batsman has matured in his approach to the game since his return to competitive cricket, and has practically batted himself back into the senior team’s fold.

proaching. “I am not surprised at all, I think the hard work and dedication is paying off, so I just will take it one game at a time and hope that the opportunity go my way,” said Hemraj. On the other hand, Shepherd, who took 15 wickets in the four-day format, and 11 in the Super50 tournament, said he is excited about the selec-

Chanderpaul Hemraj (left) and Romario Shepherd before they departed the Eugene F. Correia International Airport yesreday for Antigua. (Rajiv Bisnauth photo)

While he was unable to convert any of his five fifties into hundreds, Hemraj was the Jaguars’ leading run-scorer in the four-day tournament with 623 runs. He also managed 227 runs in the Super50 edition, with a top knock of 80. However, with the West Indies A call-up, the former West Indies Under-19 player feels his dream of playing international cricket for the West Indies is fast ap-

tion, adding that the feat is just one of the goals he had set out during the recently concluded regional tournaments. “Definitely I want to make full use of the opportunity; I want to make a valuable contribution to the series,” the 23-year-old said. The Windies-A will face England Lions in three 50-overs matches at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.

vies, unbeaten overnight on 15, made 23 before falling in the fifth over of the afternoon to Warrican and with no addition to the score in the following over, Jack Leach was caught at the wicket off Cornwall, after

adding nine to his overnight five. On 153 for eight, Dominic Bess (18) and Richard Gleeson (12 not out) resisted in a 27-run ninth wicket partnership before the last three wickets fell for 15 runs. West Indies A dominated the series, winning the open-

ing “Test” in Trelawny by two wickets and the second in Kingston by an innings and 17 runs inside three days. The two teams will now turn their attention to the three-match one-day series which bowls off next Tuesday at Coolidge Cricket Ground.

Warrican snatches another 10-wicket haul as Windies A crush Lions by 212 runs

See page 35

CARICOM leaders to meet ICC on future of Windies cricket See Page 30

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley.

St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves

West Indies crickters

Eight Guyanese among Warriors’ 18-man squad for CPL 2018 … Jacobs, Hemraj and Beaton also part of sixth edition

EIGHT Guyanese are a part of a star-studded Guyana Amazon Warriors Unit for this year’s Hero Caribbean Premier League. After the players draft yesterday in London, where the six franchises finishised their respective squad for the 2018 tournament, set to be played in August-September, the lo-

cal franchise went ahead for a strong local-based set of players, with Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd and Akshaya Persaud being the local fresh faces in the squad. Veerasammy Permaul, Shimron Hetmyer, Devendra Bishoo, Gajanand Singh and Keemo Paul, are the other Guyanese.

Guyana Amazon Warriors, one of the most consistent sides in the tournament, confirmed all-rounder Shoaib Malik, batsman Cameron Delport, leg-spinner Imran Tahir and ICC Americas player Saurabh Netravalkar as their international newcomers. The Warriors have retained their best batsman

and bowler from last seasonChadwick Walton and Sohail Tanvir. Opener Walton had 458 runs, the most in the competition, while Tanvir had the most wickets (17) in the tournament. All-rounder Rayad Emrit, Luke Ronchi, Jason Mohammed, Singh, Permaul, Paul and Roshon Primus were re-

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tained from last season. Other Guyanese to be part of the sixth edition are Steven Jacobs (Jamaica Tallawahs), Chandrapaul Hemraj (St. Lucia Stars), and Ronsford Beaton (Trinbago Knight Riders). THE FULL SQUADS ARE AS FOLLOWS: G U YA N A A M A Z O N WARRIORS: Sohail Tanvir, Shoaib Malik, Chadwick Walton, Cameron Delport, Rayad Emrit, Imran Tahir, Jason Mohammed, Luke Ronchi, Veerasammy Permaul, Roshon Primus, Shimron Hetmyer, Devendra Bishoo, Gajanand Singh, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Keemo Paul, Saurabh Netravalkar and Akshaya Persaud. BARBADOS TRIDENTS: Martin Guptill, Shakib Al Hasan, Hashim Amla, Dwayne Smith, Jason Holder, Nicholas Pooran, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Raymon Reifer, Ashley Nurse, Roston Chase, Shai Hope, Tion Webster, Imran Khan, Dominic Drakes, Shamar Springer, Sunny Sohal and Mark Deyal. J A M A I C A TA L L A WAHS: Andre Russell, Shahid Afridi, Imad Wasim, David Miller, Ross Taylor, Rovman Powell, Samuel Badree, Kemar Roach, Glenn Phillips, Andre McCarthy, Krishmar Santokie, Johnson Charles, Steven

Taylor, Kennar Lewis, Steven Jacobs, Oshane Thomas, Elmore Hutchinson and Kristian Kallicharran. ST. LUCIA STARS: Lendl Simmons, Kieron Pollard, D’Arcy Short, Darren Sammy, Rumman Raees, Andre Fletcher, Mitch McCleneghan, Kesrick Williams, Niroshan Dickwella, Rakheem Cornwall, Qias Ahmad, Kaveem Hodge, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Dasun Shanaka, Christopher Lamont, Obed McCoy, Jaskaran Malholtra and Odean Smith. TRINBAGO KNIGHT RIDERS: Dwayne Bravo, Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Brendon McCullum, Darren Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Colin Munro, Shadab Khan, Khary Pierre, Ronsford Beaton, Junior Dala, Javon Searles, Terrence Hinds, Kevon Cooper, Nikita Miller, Anderson Phillips, Hamza Tariq and Amir Jangoo. ST. KITTS AND NEVIS PATRIOTS: Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Ben Cutting, Carlos Brathwaite, Mahmadullah Reyad, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tom Cooper, Sheldon Cottrell, Brandon King, Devon Thomas, Graeme Cremer, Fabian Allen, Sandeep Lamichhane, Shamarh Brooks, Jeremiah Louis, Alzarri Joseph, Ibrahim Khalil and Javil Glenn. The 2018 tournament will run from August 8 to September 16. FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2018