Guyana chronicle e paper 04 15 2018

15th April, 2018

Unbeatable

No.105245

– interest rate for $30B bond pegged at 4.75 per cent

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Doris lands historic gold medal at Commonwealth Games

… red-carpet welcome to be extended by the National Sports Commission

Historic! Guyana’s Troy Doris is elated after winning gold in the Men’s Triple Jump at the Commonwealth Games in Australia. Doris leaped 16.88 metres to win Guyana’s first field events medal at the games, and their fourth gold medal overall (See story on back page)

Guyanese woman McAllister stabbed 08 celebrates to death in B’dos 104th birthday PAGE

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, April 15, 2018

Chance encounter bears fruit --helps get amputee barber back on both feet, brings expertise here

The visiting team and Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre staff and patients

By Alva Solomon A WEEK ago, popular Stabroek Market barber, James Boyce was trimming the hair of his customers on one foot.

Boyce, called “One Foot”, has been “hopping around” for decades following a surgery which went horribly wrong; a move which saw his left leg being amputated.

On Friday, the 71-yearold was a happy man, thanks to the assistance he received

from the National Orthotic and Prosthetic Appliance Workshop at the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre, which this week benefited from the expertise of a visiting team of experts who specialise in prosthetics and orthotics, as well as therapy.

The team of experts, which includes Jon Batzdorff, Director of the California-based Prosthetika; Ian Carrick of RSF International Inc of Canada; and England-based Laura Burgess,

Canadian orthotics specialist, Ian Carrick, attending to Erika Halley at the Centre on Friday

Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist, met with patients undergoing rehabilitation at the Centre.

Administrator of the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre, Cynthia Massay told this newspaper during an interview on Friday that the facility’s capacity to assist patients has been challenging over the years. She said many persons were trained to assist patients, but after gaining experience, they left for greener pastures.

As such, the training provided by the team was beneficial to the centre, she said.

The partnership commenced several months ago when Massay received a call from David Nicholas, a British traveller who himself had his left leg amputated following an accident.

Nicholas, who accompanied the team to Guyana, told the Guyana Chronicle that he came here two years ago and while walking around Georgetown, he recognised that there are a number of persons “hopping around” on one leg.

CHANCE MEETING He said he grew emotional when he visited the Stabroek Market and encountered Boyce who offered him a hair-cut. Since then, he said, he has been working to ensure that he can assist such persons. And on his return to England, he contacted his physiotherapist, Burgess.

“When I went back to England, I mentioned to Laura that there was a need for someone to provide support to Guyana,” Nicholas said.

“That conversation grew, and one person got onto the other and here we are in Guyana,” he added.

The two contacted Batzdorff, who runs a charity in the United States which addresses the needs of amputees and similar patients, and together they decided to travel to these shores after establishing contact with the rehabilitation centre.

Batzdorff said that in the past, he taught the subject in California at universities and also runs the non-profit organisation which he noted provides services which require such training.

“We don’t come in with the idea,” he said. “What we do is find out what the situation is; usually it starts with some kind of request.”

He said the work of his organsiation is to connect with others, such as the Ptolemy Reid Centre, via training and this he noted is what the project undertaken over the past week entailed.

“If we fit 20 or 30 people and then leave, then we only help them,” Batzdorff said.

“But if we help to train that amount, then it benefits thousands.”

He said he found the Centre on the Internet and wrote them, and found out through Massay that there is an interest.

TREMENDOUS HELP Massay said the Centre have been working hard to build its workshop capacity, and the experience this past week has benefited staff tremendously. She said that the staff seemed eager to

benefit from the training provided by the team; that some even stayed beyond their working hours to gain additional knowledge.

She said there are 20-odd persons at the clinic, and there are children who have “lots of needs”.

Badsdorff said that now that the two parties have met, they will be planning ahead.

He said the visiting group will assist with the tools for upper extremities, such as those who lost their arms, and also work on how they will fund future

exercises.

“We want to have a longterm relationship, and we are very happy with what happened this week,” Massay said.

In addition to government support, she said that Guyana Goldfields Inc has been a partner with the Centre, and has been funding the local expenses of the entity. She said that there are user charges which she noted have been helping the workshop to fund its expenses.

British traveller, David Nicholas (Photos by Adrian Narine)

Unbeatable 3

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, April 15, 2018

– interest rate for $30B bond pegged at 4.75 per cent

By Ariana Gordon THE National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited’s (NICIL) Special Purpose Unit (SPU) has been able to secure a 4.75 per cent interest rate on the $30B syndicated loan it negotiated to revive the ailing Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).

Head of the SPU, Colvin Heath-London told reporters at a news conference hosted

by Finance Minister Winston Jordan on Friday at his office that the bond, which was secured from syndicated banks led by Republic Bank, to aid in the revitalisation of the country’s sugar industry, will be delivered in two tranches.

He explained that the bond was borrowed for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and that entity is being treated as a business. According to London, syndicated banks give a loan or bond based on their prediction of how the identified business will perform in the future.

“It is not just a loan, but is a loan based on the prediction of the business in the very near future,” he said, noting that during negotiations, it was stated that the risk was spread around the local and regional financial sector so that the risk is wider across the region.

Heath-London said too that the SPU also insisted

left to right: Head of SPU, Colvin-Heath London and Finance Minister, Winston Jordan (Delano Williams photo)

that in terms of building capacity, the legal fraternity in Guyana be involved.

“In the past it was the legal fraternity outside of Guyana who then contracted the local people. That is also to build local capacity for other future developments.

After all the technical work was done, we were able to cap the loan at 4.75 per cent.

That is because of how the risk was spread,” the SPU head told reporters.

As it relates to the tranches, he explained that the first tranche will amount to G$15B while the second will total US$75M. The United States dollar tranche, Heath-London said, is to facilitate capital injection and projects which he hopes would be implemented in

GuySuCo in the near future.

The G$15B is geared at beefing up GuySuCo’s operations and to do some

internal development and modification which he believes will put the industry in a good position for serious

growth soon.

“The bond, we have a one-year moratorium, meaning that within a 12-month period we don’t have to repay or make any payments.

We have an option that we can repay the bond within a five-year period which is GuySuCo and NICIL’s goal,” said Heath-London.

Additionally, he noted that the regional banking fraternity in examining GuySuCo’s plans for the future with respect to diversification or value-added products are “pretty confident” that within a three-year period the plan, if implemented in a timely fashion, will ensure GuySuCo is successful.

“By the end of the second year, we would be able to see if the industry is turning in a

very positive direction,” the SPU head added.

DECENT RATE Meanwhile, in response to critics, Minister Jordan made it clear that the syndicated bond secured by the SPU has a decent interest rate in comparison to other projects acquired under the former People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration.

“When the last government borrowed from the syndicated Republic Bank to build the Marriott Hotel … what rate did they get the syndicated loan at?” he asked rhetorically, noting that the initial rate of the loan borrowed for the Marriott Hotel was 8.6527 per cent. When the APNU+AFC coalition Turn to page 9 ►

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, April 15, 2018

Winnie Mandela laid to rest LARGE crowds gathered in South Africa for the funeral of the anti-apartheid campaigner Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.

Thousands of mourners crowded into a stadium in Soweto, near Johannesburg, where the campaigner was given a high-level send-off before her burial in Johannesburg.

Her casket was draped in the national flag, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the eulogy.

The former wife of Nelson Mandela died earlier this

month at the age of 81.

A controversial figure, Mrs Madikizela-Mandela was lauded for her role in the anti-apartheid struggle.

But she was later shunned by the political elite for endorsing punishment killings for government informers.

At the funeral, Mrs Madikizela-Mandela’s daughter Zenani Mandela-Dlamini berated the “extreme cruelty” of those she said had led smear campaigns against her mother and isolated her, only to clear her name after her death.

“It is so disappointing to

Goodbye Winnie

see how they withheld their words during my mother’s lifetime, knowing very well

Canada backs Syria strikes

LIMA (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday backed air strikes by the United States and its allies on Syria’s chemical weapons program but Argentina, Brazil and Peru voiced caution during a regional summit about the escalating military action.

Speaking at the Summit of the Americas in Peru, Trudeau and several other Western Hemisphere leaders forcefully

condemned the use of chemical weapons, following a suspected poison gas attack last week in a Damascus suburb that killed up to 75 people and sparked international outcry.

Washington blamed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government for the attack and, together with Britain and France, launched missile strikes overnight on what it said were Syrian chemical weapons facilities.

“Canada stands with our friends in this necessary response and we condemn in the strongest possible terms the use of chemical weapons in last week’s attack,” Trudeau said in his speech. “Those responsible must be brought to justice.”

But the retaliatory action drew pleas for caution from several Latin American countries.

“There’s deep concern in Brazil with the escalation of

what they would have meant to her. Only they know why they chose to share the truth

with the world after she departed,” Mrs Mandela-Dlamini said.

President Ramaphosa described Mrs Madikizela-Mandela as a symbol of resistance who laid bare the edifice of patriarchy. He apologised for only belatedly recognising her contribution.

“I’m sorry, Mama, that your organisation delayed in according you its honour, to this point in time and moment. As president, I will propose that we award you the highest order of our movement, you richly deserve to be awarded,” Mr

Ramaphosa said.

There were loud cheers when the radical Economic Freedom Fighters leader, Julius Malema paid tribute to Mrs Madikizela-Mandela.

Mrs Madikizela-Mandela was a social worker when she met her future husband, then a prominent anti-apartheid campaigner, in the 1950s.

They were married for a total of 38 years, but for almost three decades of that time, they were separated by Mr Mandela’s long imprisonment.

They had two daughters together. (BBC)

- others at Americas summit concerned military conflict in Syria,” Brazilian President Michel Temer told the summit. “It’s time to find permanent solutions based on international law to a war that has been going for far too long and ended too many lives.”

Peru, a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, called for moderation from all parties involved in Syria and said it was working to find a political solution,

according to a foreign ministry statement.

Argentine President Mauricio Macri also appealed for greater coordination on Syria “in the framework of existing international commitments”, remarks later echoed by Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.

Outside the summit, the strikes drew swift condemnation from left-leaning governments in Bolivia and Cuba, outspoken critics of U.S. influence.

But Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, a close U.S. ally in Latin America, appeared to back Washington as he condemned chemical weapons.

“We support actions to punish their use and seek their total elimination,” Santos said.

The Pentagon said the missile strikes in Syria had hit

every target. It said the military action was aimed at delivering an unambiguous signal to the Syrian government and deterring the future use of chemical weapons.

The official theme of the Summit of the Americas is the fight against corruption. Many countries in attendance are also expected to condemn a pending election in Venezuela.

But Syria, China and trade loomed over the talks on Saturday as Washington seeks to advance the agenda of U.S. President Donald Trump, which is widely unpopular in the region.

Trump canceled his attendance at the summit to focus on Syria. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, filling in for him, was expected to discuss Syria in his speech on Saturday and in meetings with heads of state.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, April 15, 2018

Jordan commissions development centres in Region Two

YOUTHS living within proximity of Dartmouth and Suddie, Essequibo Coast, Region Two, will benefit from vital training programmes in the near future as two state-of-theart, early childhood development centres were commissioned on Saturday.

The centres, located at Suddie and Darthmouth, were commissioned by Finance Minister Winston Jordan. At Dartmouth, scores of persons gathered at the commissioning ceremony to welcome the minister and his team.

During the minister’s address, he urged residents to make full use of the centres, pointing out that the facilities will provide young people with marketable skills.

Regional Executive Officer Rupert Hopkinson said the centres are “a wonderful initiative that will not only help with the development

of the children as they aim to meet their full potential, but the development of the country.”

The centres, which will provide training for unemployed and underemployed youths in the region, were made possible through a

collaborative effort between the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Youth Empowerment Unit (PAYEU).

The contract to build the centres was awarded to Essequibian firm Builder’s Hard-

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ware and General Supplies and was executed to the tune of $32,655,130.

Minister Jordan was accompanied by junior Finance Minister Jaipaul Sharma; Presidential Adviser on Youth Empowerment Aubrey Norton; and BNTF represen-

Finance Minister Winston Jordan helps to cut the ribbon to open the Dartmouth Centre

The new early Child Care Development Centre located at Dartmouth, Region Two

tative Bernard Lord, among other government officials.

The minister also used the opportunity to visit

the Suddie Public Hospital and the Rooster’s Coconut Processing Plant at Land of Plenty.

Soesdyke woman dies in accident

THE police are investigating an accident which caused the death of Yvonne Mohan, 52, of Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara on the Land of

Canaan Public Road, East Bank Demerara, on Friday.

Police in a release said initial investigations have revealed that minibus BWW

4542, driven by a 24-year-old unlicensed driver of Sophia, was proceeding south on the East Bank Public Road reportedly at a fast rate, lost

control while negotiating a turn, turned turtle and collided with an electrical pole.

The driver and passengers were taken to the Diamond

Diagnostic Centre, where Yvonne Mohan was pronounced dead on arrival. Two passengers were transferred to the Georgetown Public Hos-

pital and were admitted for injuries they sustained.

The driver is in custody assisting with the investigation.

Guyanese child allowed to sit SEA exam

THE 11-year-old Guyanese-born child who was being denied permission to sit the May 3 Secondary Entrance Examination (SEA) will be allowed to take it after all.

He was originally told he would not be able to take the exam because he was a non-national.

The acting permanent secretary of the Ministry of Education on Friday wrote to the lawyers representing the child’s guardians who, earlier in the week, threatened legal action against the ministry.

Education Minister Anthony Garcia was sent a pre-action protocol letter, warning that if the boy was not put back into his Stan-

dard 5 class and allowed to sit the exam, a court injunction would be sought.

The boy and his two siblings were born in Guyana, but had been under the care of their Trinidadian parents in this country for the past 10 years.

The letter, issued by attorneys Jagdeo Singh, Keil Tacklalsingh and Denish Rambally, said the child had been a fifth-standard pupil until just “a couple weeks ago” at a school in Carapichaima when the school’s staff, purportedly acting on the direction of some type of “newly implemented policy” from the ministry, removed him and put him in Standard Four. It said school staff told

his guardians that because the boy was not a TT national, he would not be allowed to do the exam. The child and his guardians had already selected four schools, had he been successful at the SEA exams.

In its response, the ministry’s acting permanent secretary said all students whose registration for the 2018 examination remained pending because they do not have a student permit will be allowed to sit the exam.

The ministry, however, said a student’s admission

to secondary school was contingent on the production of a student permit, in accordance with Immigration regulations.

A source at the ministry said it has always been the policy for a non-national student to obtain a permit to register at a school in TT, and the ministry was simply enforcing the regulations under the Immigration Act. In their letter to the ministry, the lawyers said the child’s siblings had been allowed to sit the exam in 2010

and 2017 at the same primary school, and to continue to the secondary level.

It went on to say that the ministry owed a duty of care in relation to meeting the child’s educational needs.

“Recently when the Honourable Prime Minister advised the nation to open doors for Dominicans to have a home and education, we dare to say that he did so paying particular heed to your duties and the ministry’s.

“If there is in fact a purported policy now being

implemented by the Ministry of Education, that a non-national student (such) as the child in question cannot continue with his education, such a policy clearly does not serve any valid educational purpose and is in breach of the statutory authority/mandate provided for under the Education Act. Simply put, such a policy is without educational purpose and serve, not to promote, but to prevent education,” the letter said.

(TrinidadNewsday)

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Editorial

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, April 15, 2018

Working together to tackle money laundering MEMORIES are not too distant or blurred as to forget the former People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) response to any kind of criticism levelled against its government.

Even those viewpoints that were meant to be constructive, with a view to giving good guidance to governance were met with what can be described as personal attacks, tinged with the usual brand of the well-known PPP/C vitriol.

Its response to the many United States State Department annual country reports, particularly those on narcotics, money laundering, and trafficking in persons, particularly, were constantly met with a contradictory defiance and denial that read ‘’Not in Guyana. It is not happening here!’’

We all knew the local situation pertaining to those stated areas which attracted the State Department’s annual scrutiny: Guyana became a known, thriving trans-shipment conduit for drugs, that despite the brazen denials, couriers were continuously being intercepted at the country’s main airport, and at United States’ ports of entry, with large amounts of cocaine.

Trafficking in persons (TIP) had been alive and well, a fact that was cruelly exposed through the indefatigable work by the then head of the Guyana Women Miners Organisation(GWMO), and now Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources. We even recall this minister’s heroic efforts, that attracted some hostility from the then government, because of her findings that had continued to contradict what were clearly attempts by the latter to either cover up or sweep under the

carpet, a growing serious criminal menace.

As to money laundering, it was thriving, and the evidence was all around to observe.

No doubt, that the United States had not been sharing any information with the then PPP/C government. Every sensible Guyanese understood the reason that predicated such a position. The PPP/C government’s position was one of outright arrogance, and dangerous denial. There was even dogged resistance to the establishment of a local DEA office, in Guyana.

The State Department has just released another report on Guyana, that although noting the Granger-led administration’s will and cooperative efforts in combating the money- laundering scourge, has pointed out serious deficiencies, illustrating also what are definitely new methodologies in executing this serious international crime.

Unlike the then PPP/C government that sought to rubbish every US report, the Guyana government, through the Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan, has accepted the criticisms, saying that he welcomed the scrutiny on what efforts have been taking place in Guyana, “…and generally I like that scrutinising eye to come from international agencies …I do support, because the recommendations they make we can use to better equip ourselves for the next year”.

Indeed, these are words of wisdom, for they are a clear recognition and acceptance that more needs to be done towards the dismantling of a criminal enterprise that continues to

threaten our economy, national security, and societal morals.

Undoubtedly, the coalition government since its ascension to office, has been working assiduously to counter this menace. Its final passage of the pivotal Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill, is a tribute to its relentless efforts, after more than a decade of dangerous and deliberate stalling by the former administration.

But such a legislative landmark is being complemented by sensitisation encounters such as seminars/training for public servants, and even the judiciary for a better understanding and response to a crime that had become a part of the criminal landscape, compliments of the 23 years of PPP/C government, and inaction.

Its pervasiveness could only be matched by an equally sustained, aggressive and relentless response with back-up support from international agencies, given its global dimensions. Such a willingness from the coalition government to cooperate further with friendly countries and their agencies, bodes well for building domestic skills capacity and expertise to confront this many-headed monster. It is the only way that guarantees success.

Who pays for Carl Singh, Jurist-in-Residence, and what does he do?

Dear Editor: I READ with concern, bewilderment and amusement, that former acting Chancellor Justice Carl Singh, is currently a “Jurist-in-Residence at the University of Guyana.” In accordance with the dictates of public interest, government transparency and citizens’ and taxpayers’ rights to know, I respectfully ask the following questions, with all due respect to Judge Singh and all those concerned: (1) How, when and why was this position created, or was patronage a consideration?

(2) Who pays for the salary and/ or expenses for this office, is it of a permanent nature, or was it created as a pension and retirement fund exclusively for Mr. Carl Singh, more popularly referred to as a

“sweetheart deal?”

(3) Was this position ever afforded to more accomplished predecessors, like confirmed past Chancellors Massiah, JOF Haynes, Crane, Luckhoo and others of more worthy ilk?

(4) Was there an open system where other more qualified jurists, like former acting CJ Ian Chang, AGs Charles Ramson, Bernard De Santos and others, including expatriates, were allowed to submit applications for consideration, or was this a secret, partisan and privileged position given only to the present holder, despite the public nature of this portfolio?

(5) What guarantees have been implemented so that any undue influence, caprice, whim or bias does not prejudice or permeate to the present judges and magistrates,

who were until very recently under the jurisdiction and supervision of Chancellor (Ag.) Singh?

(6) Has Mr. Singh’s track record been evaluated, scrutinised and considered that he actually heard, researched, completed and decided cases, and authored due and guiding precedents and decisions, befitting the duties of the office he held for years, or is he haplessly undeserving of such accolades?

(7) Can a less grandiose position be found where his experience can be utilised, such as helping to clear up the backlogs he bears the blame for as the head functionary of the judicial system in the first place, albeit in positions like the magistracy, Legal Aid, Traffic Court, Family or Night Court? Judge Singh knows that jurists like Keith Massiah, JOF Haynes, Stanley Hardyal,

Ian Chang, George Jackman and others proudly and fearlessly continued their careers as regular members of the Bar after their lofty judicial and governmental positions had ended, with dignity and pride, content to be part of the legal system and worth their salt to earn a worthy living.

Indeed, when deserving jurists like Lord Denning, Learned Hand, Blackstone, Mansfield, Burger, Marshall, Bhagwati, Cardozo, Holmes and others retired, there were no golden parachutes or severance packages given to them.

Their legacy was their decisions.

To his credit, Judge Singh is an experienced rice farmer. He should not be allowed to shun noble labour or other endeavours in deference to hollow, ceremonial or high-sounding positions. He is owed nothing by the legal profession, indeed,

no one, in Guyana. All labour is dignified.

Moreover, in other universities and colleges, post-graduate degrees are a prerequisite before even being considered for any academic appointments.

Mr. Singh does not possess such qualifications. The equivalent of a “Jurist-in-Residence” does not even exist, for no one can reasonably claim any monopoly over knowledge. I recall Dr. Jagan warned us about the folly and foolhardiness of languishing in Mercedes Benzes and Cadillacs, when a country’s economy can only accommodate a donkey cart instead. With due respect to all, I submit this “Jurist-in-Residence” is such a contemptible example.

Regards Ramesh Maraj

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, April 15, 2018

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Jagdeo the illusionist

Dear Editor

THE main functions of an audit are to determine whether money allotted for a particular expenditure has been properly utilised for such a purpose, and how such was indeed done, in terms of following procedures etcetera.

It is arising out of such that irregularities are looked for, whenever audits of financial transactions are done.

Therefore, the bottom line of any auditing exercise, is that it discloses what had not been

done correctly, deliberately or otherwise, as against what ought to have been done. In other words, audit reports are seen not to lie, because they lay bare the truth or not of financial spending.

Thus, for Jagdeo to have reported that despite some 50 completed audits, no fraud has been found is another hopeless gambit, again designed to prove the coalition government wrong in their accusations against the former PPP/C government of wholesale theft and assuage the fears

of his constituents.

Of course, those audits have been done by the most reputable of this country’s auditing firms; and their reports have indeed unearthed very serious financial crimes of various types, indictable enough to warrant prosecutorial action cum judicial sanctions. It is as factual as that, period!

As an aside, the former, now deceased chief executive officer of the National Communications Network, had been recommended by auditors for police action,

in a report to then President Donald Ramotar.

Not only did the latter not take any action against the CEO, who was a staunch PPP/C supporter; but that he constantly made excuses about the report, when asked by the media.

Was such an audit finding untruthful about what it found? Maybe, Jagdeo should explain to the nation why no further action had been advanced, in the above instance.

What Jagdeo is seeking to exploit, is the delay in

bringing the many suspects to trial. And this is because, the state is ensuring that its laws are being properly updated; the judiciary is fully equipped, and prosecutorial team fully prepared to undertake legal action against those accused.

Editor, the truth is that these are legal actions against criminal-state activities, which in many cases do take a while to investigate, because of the paper trail that is involved. And as first-timers, in terms of preparing briefs for court

action, the local authorities have not done badly.

There is no conscientious Guyanese who was following the related events closely, that would support Jagdeo’s illusionary view of there being no wrongdoing – unless it is another galaxy that is mentioned.

Cases are being readied, and this includes those against Ashni Singh and Winston Brassington, recently charged.

Regards Dillon Goring

The dark pits of unconscionableness Dear Editor BY now, Guyanese would have become familiar with the dirty, lying, and unconscionable propaganda of Bharrat Jagdeo and his similarly branded acolytes.

If lying were to have been a passport to heaven, then Jagdeo especially would be in the top five as automatic entrants. The latest accusations of corruption emanating from him and one of his minions, are not surprising. Such is born out of desperation, employing the old strategy of repeating a lie very often, for it to assume a truthful life of its own.

In fact,from the onset of

the coalition’s assumption of office, accusations of corruption have been leveled against the government. It is also similar to the pernicious lie, since day one, that the coalition government is responsible for the collapse of GuySuCo. The PPP/C strategy, filthy and dishonest in every way, is to attempt to transfer their criminal-state attributes to the government of the day.

It is their known tactic of continuously hoodwinking their supporters, who sadly continue to allow themselves to be abused.

Sometimes I often wonder whether this man really believes his own lies,

unashamedly repeated, as often as he and cohorts had committed wholesale criminal acts against the people of this country, inclusive of his supporters.

Well, he has to, since he is in a state of paranoid delusion. Only such kind of human can sink to such dark pits of unconscionableness.

This government has committed itself to battling corruption that became institutionalised under the watch of successive PPP/C governments. What the PPP/C has left is a state that is so entangled in the tentacles of every conceivable act of state criminality, that it will take some good period of aggres-

sive efforts by the current government to surgically cut out and destroy the poisonous limbs.

Editor, as an example, we have already been informed of the removal of in excess of 100 personnel from the GRA. And there are scores of other persons, dating back to the PPP/C rule that are a threat and hindrance to the efforts being made by the coalition government. But, they too will be dealt with appropriately.

Finally, Editor, it was instructive to note that the PPP/C chairman of the Public Accounts committee(PAC), has recommended the dismissal of some accounting

personnel for questionable actions, during the latter years of his party’s last administration. Does this pronouncement by one of his opposition front benchers, not inform him as to the pervasiveness of the plunder that had taken place?

By the way, the fact that

Guyana has recently been elevated by a reported 19 points as a jurisdiction for efforts to combat corruption is testimony to the many efforts by the David Granger administration.

Regards Earl Hamilton

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, April 15, 2018

PROGRESS - FROM A DISTANCE W

HAT stood out as most interesting over the past weeks while I was abroad, was the beehive of development and social activities in Guyana’s rural and hinterland areas. Ordinarily, those would miss the mainstream media, so I started to put together the many pieces of events that would be celebrated by folks who had longed for a better life.

Looking at those changes, I noted that in spite of concerted efforts by some to create distractions by brewing a political tempest over every issue, Guyana continues to navigate unalterably the path of progress. This is evident is its most depressed and vulnerable areas – rural and hinterland communities.

ECONOMIC GROWTH But first, I want to briefly refer to one of the distractions in which a feeble attempt is being made to beat up on Guyana for an average 2.7% economic growth for 2016-2017. Though disappointing, as Finance Minister Jordan himself admitted, our performance is not worse than the average rate of growth for the entire Caribbean and Latin America for the same period. Several regional states are unfortunately still trying to get back on their feet and with early hurricane alerts already being issued, fresh fears have arisen over prospects for full economic recovery of countries that had fallen victim to the last bouts of disaster.

The truth of the matter is that Guyana remains a stable society in spite of its many challenges, the worst being the inherited situation in the sugar industry. The crippled entity had nothing to show for the almost $50 billion bailout by both the previous and the coalition governments.

SIGNS OF PULL-BACK But here too, some initial signs of pull-back are emerging, though the industry as a whole is still in deep trouble. The good news is that the Enmore factory has been re-activated, and Skeldon could come on stream in another two weeks’ time. Some 1,200 persons have been employed as independent contractors in the sugar belt from amongst those who have been severed.

The pro-active nature of our government is evident in other vulnerable communities. I have been looking at events from afar, and I could note the many projects either being undertaken or completed, almost simultaneously in several hinterland and rural towns and villages. I could feel the changes.

That was also how some of my friends in Toronto felt when I had lunch with them recently as I was passing through on my return journey home – home, sweet home. “Mo, many good things are happening back home,” my lawyer-friend Narvin said with excitement and satisfaction.

Unlike me, he lives permanently abroad, but as the American author-poet Robert Morgan observed, “Distance not only gives nostalgia, but perspective, and maybe objectivity”.

Others in Canada mentioned the commissioning of Radio Orealla in East Berbice (Region Six) as well as the new Radio Aishalton in South Rupununi, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo (Region Nine). I would interject that four other regional outreach radio stations have been launched previously in Lethem, Mabaruma, Mahdia and Bartica, which are new towns in our hinterland. How and why these communities were not connected before with Georgetown and the rest of Guyana via public information

networking, even after Guyana completed 50 years of independence status, would remain an indictment on regimes before the advent of our coalition government.

These outreach radio stations have expanded the social space and have initiated perhaps the most profound integration of our Guyanese people in our contemporary history. I give the APNU+AFC coalition government full credit for this development.

Similar notice has been taken of the expansion of potable water facilities in communities, stretching between Port Mourant to the South Rupununi. For example, residents in the East Bank of Berbice are getting, for the first time ever, potable water on a 24-hour basis from a new water-distribution system. For these folks, neglected for decades, water is immediately more precious than oil. It is good to note also the provision of free, safe drinking water to some schools in nearby areas through initiatives taken by the Rotary Club.

STORY OF PROGRESS The story of progress about which I had written before, is on the lips of every resident of Nappi and surrounding communities in Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo, which had been affected periodically by prolonged droughts. Farmers have been devastated, and it had appeared that there was no solution for that dilemma. But not for long: Minister Trotman handed over to the communities a huge reservoir, which is situated at Nappi, with a capacity to hold 4.5 million cubic metres of water. The reservoir will provide water to Amerindian farmers, as well as animals that roam the natural vegetation of the vast Rupununi.

Recently, the township of Bartica has been very much in the news mainly on account of its signature Easter Regatta and its Miss Bartica Pageant. The new riverside boardwalk is the latest attraction in this mining town that is famous for its “nite-life”. The island-town will soon light up for bigger social and economic ventures when a new power station is completed.

Simultaneously, I have noted on-going projects in far-off Mabaruma to complete its roads, and to renovate

Correction

THE Guyana Chronicle in the opening paragraph of the story “US$18M signing bonus in foreign account” published in its Saturday, April 14, 2018 edition, quoted Finance Minister Winston Jordan as saying that the US$18M signing bonus received from US oil giant, ExxonMobil, has been placed in an overseas account which is accumulating interest.

This information, along with the attribution to the minister is inaccurate. What Minister Jordan said was that the US$18M signing bonus received from ExxonMobil in 2016 remains in the Bank of Guyana but has been invested in the US treasury bills and Canadian bonds where it is accumulating interest.

The Guyana Chronicle apologises to Minister Jordan and readers for any inconvenience caused as a result of this error.

the riverside Kumaka market area, the latter being once a bustling site for fresh provisions and fish. Whilst a stand-by generator has been installed, Mabaruma will benefit in time from a mega solar farm.

I tried not to be lost in the cross-talks over the legacy of corruption of the former governments and the in-fighting within certain political entities. I just wanted, for now, to bask in elation over the improvements being made at the grassroots of our society, which add meaning to the quality of life of our people. I could only imagine the impact on the safety of commuters of the newly installed road-lamps along the No 19 stretch of road. For too long, we have lost precious lives in wanton accidents, with darkness being one of the main contributory causes.

PROPAGANDA SMOKESCREENS I conclude with this vignette. While in Iowa, the temperature had dropped below zero, as we were hit by a mild winter storm. In the morning while we were looking at the heavy sheet of snow around us, I mentioned to my seven-year-old grandson that the sudden change looked “magical”. He retorted, in what has become an occasional word-game between us, in unintended alliteration:” It’s a mythical, misty morning, grandpa”.

I have tried to follow the concurrent polemics over some issues, foremost being the impending oil and gas industry. Though these testify to our robust, open democracy, even involving a leading Western diplomat (against whom no “feral blast” has been unleashed), they are essentially propaganda smokescreens. They tended momentarily to cloud the daily positive changes that are taking place, and could be likened to the “mythical, misty” cold spells that hide every other pretty thing around.

It is good to know that, that notwithstanding, our people in all corners of Guyana are benefitting from new projects and initiatives that affect and change the quality of their lives, which in turn promote our country’s human development index.

April 14, 2018

Guyanese woman stabbed to death in Barbados

Onica King

SHOPPING in Bridgetown came to a screeching halt following the fatal stabbing of a woman on Saturday afternoon.

Reports from the island suggest that the victim is 36-year-old Guyanese nail technician, Onica King. The woman originally lived

at Belladrum, West Coast Berbice, before moving to Barbados.

The Barbados Nation reported that King was on the job at the time of the incident and reports are the woman died in the presence of her three children. The suspect, who is said to be her husband, reportedly fled

the area.

Hundreds of onlookers gathered at the scene on Swan Street, attempting to get a glimpse of King’s body.

Members of the Royal Barbados Police Force were on the scene carrying out their investigations.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, April 15, 2018

Jordan likens US$900M to ‘credit limit’ THE US$900M resource envelope made available to Guyana by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to facilitate a three-year programme targeting key development areas in the country, including economic infrastructure, rural development, human development and trade and competitiveness, must not be mistaken as a loan taken

by Guyana.

“The government has not borrowed US$900M from the Islamic [Development] Bank,” Jordan told reporters, noting that there has been a clear misunderstanding of the difference between a loan and a resource envelope.

“As I said, it is a resource envelope- we will have to go through all of the due diligence before we can access even a small part of it. We now have to do the hard work by coming up with projects within the sectors,” Jordan said.”

The minister made it clear that whenever money is borrowed by the government, immediately thereaf-

ter, the contracts are taken to Parliament. “We have no outstanding contract of any borrowed money. It is a requirement under the law that whatever we borrow we must bring soon thereafter to the Parliament. It becomes a debt on the government’s books,” he emphasised.

In his address to the 43rd Annual Meeting of the Islamic Development Bank Group in Tunisia, Jordan explained that the IsDB fielded a programming mission in December 2017, when a work programme was formalised. He said approximately US $900M has been set aside to provide financing and technical assistance in key development areas such as economic infrastructure, rural development, human development and trade and competitiveness.

Government is yet to decide on how much of the US$900M will be borrowed.

“It is like a credit limit. What I am saying is if I can find bankable projects for the whole thing, I will take the whole thing. I have sugar

that needs financing, I have renewable energy that needs financing, I got roads…so if I have bankable projects…the bank will do its due diligence on Guyana too to see whether we have capacity to repay,” he said.

The Finance Minister said the identified sum has been made available to Guyana over a five-year period, 2017 to 2022 as a result of the programme mission.

During that visit in December, an examination of Guyana’s future and developmental objectives was done to ascertain whether they were in sync with the bank.

LARGEST SUM Meanwhile, the minister noted that the resource envelope is the largest made available to Guyana by any multilateral bank. He disclosed that the Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB) new resource envelope for Guyana is US$38M, while the World Bank is US$90M, the Caribbean Development Bank’s (CDB) stands at US$110M, most of

Inquest into Aiden Anderson’s death begins Tuesday A CORONERS’s Inquest into the death of 10-monthold Aiden Anderson, who was killed in a motor vehicular accident in 2015 along the Linden/Soesdyke Highway, is expected to commence on April 17 at the Providence Magistrate’death s Court.

An inquest is a judicial inquiry in common law jurisdictions, held to determine the cause of a person’s death. In Guyana, a sitting magistrate acts as a coroner who then empanels a jury, after which he conducts the inquiry.

Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus will preside over the case with a five-member jury to determine whether the driver, Mohamed Ali, is criminally responsible for Anderson’s death. Some nine witnesses

are expected to be called.

A horrific accident on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway on the afternoon of September 20, 2015 had left 10-month old Anderson dead and a relative in a critical condition.

According to reports, the vehicle they were in, a Toyota Tundra, suffered a blow out, resulting in the vehicle toppling several times. The baby was rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where he died.

The driver of the vehicle, 29-year-old Mohamed Ali, of Bush Lot, WCB, also sustained injuries and was admitted at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

The baby’s mother, Alana Hackett, of Diamond, East Bank Demerara and her nephew, Ameer Mohamed were

Aiden Anderson

also inside the vehicle at the time of the accident; however, they suffered minor injuries.

According to reports, the family was at the time heading to visit a relative at Long Creek when tragedy struck around 15:00hrs in the vicinity of Kuru Kururu. The baby was seated in the front passenger seat with Ameer Mohamed.

which he said will be used to blend with the UK Caribbean Infrastructure Partnership Fund (UKCIF) resources to complete the first phase of the Linden to Lethem road.

Those funds the finance minister said would complete the Linden to Mabura road and the bridge to cross the Kurupukari River.

“Still, we will have a phase between Mabura and Kurupukari that we would have to go looking for financing,” said Jordan, who noted that with the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID), Guyana’s resource envelope is US$20M. “When you put all of that together, it can’t even build the bridge across the Demerara River,” he said, noting that Guyana’s needs are great but expressed much gratitude to the international financial agencies for the assistance granted.

He noted that his administration is looking at a number of ways to finance the country’s development

and one such way is through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework. The Public-Private Partnership framework document will be made available on April 26, 2018, when Parliament resumes.

While there were PPPs in the past, the minister said they were not as successful as they ought to have been.

“When you look at the Marriott and the Berbice Bridge, you would appreciate that we couldn’t go down the road with that kind of model, where the government is left holding whatever you want to call it. We have put out a model there, it might not be perfect but we have had considerable help from the Caribbean Development Bank and other donors in fashioning it.”

That model he said has been approved by Cabinet and is being printed for distribution in Parliament on April 26.

WINDFALL He noted that another way to source funds for development is through “a windfall”.

That windfall Jordan said is in the form of what Guyana will receive from the petroleum sector. “Whatever you argue, great deal or bad, there

Unbeatable government took office in 2015, it renegotiated the interest rate at 6.28 per cent.

“In the context of what he (Heath-London) is telling you there, he has gotten an even better rate,” said the finance minister.

“It is because when the hotel was about to be lost and the government was forced to come in to save the day that we renegotiated the loan and its terms, but by giving a government guarantee, we were able to bring it in at 6.28 per cent,” the minister continued.

That aside, he explained that when money is being borrowed for commercial or business purposes, it is different from borrowing money to build a school.

“The banks, even the multi-lateral banks will look kindly to you when the borrowing is in the context of what you call poverty reduction and poverty alleviation.

It would be rare for multi-lat-

is going to come to Guyana a significant sum of money unheard of in our history.”

The Finance Minister said his government’s blueprint is in the form of the Green State Development Strategy, while noting that it is not possible for there to be a discussion on what the “oil money” would be used for outside of a framework.

In reference to opposition critics, Jordan said his administration since taking office has borrowed only US$210, 068, 576. Of that sum, he explained that there were loans which were inherited from the previous administration.

Some of the inherited loans are the US$45.2M East Coast Demerara (ECD) road being built by the Chinese, the Ogle by-pass road and the North West ferry.

“When you strip away the new borrowing by this government, it is under US$100M,” he stated, while providing statistics on the amount of money borrowed by previous administrations dating back to 1964.

Between 1964 and 1992, US$2, 047,854, 139 was borrowed. However in the 23 years of PPP rule some US$2, 611, 371, 581 was borrowed, the minister said.

From page 3

eral banks to lend you money for operations that are business or commercial oriented.

Those loans tend to be lent at market rates,” Jordan added while noting that nothing unusual has occurred.

The finance minister stressed that “GuySuCo is not a poverty place” and “will be deemed to be a business transaction”. “I do not know where, if the need of GuySuCo is for $30B, that you could go and borrow the loan at one per cent or two per cent interest rate.”

Both Jordan and Heath-London noted that opportunities have been given to the local banking system, private sector and National Insurance Scheme to participate in the deal, given the government’s guarantee.

Meanwhile, it is the plan of the company to start co-generation that would allow GuySuCo to earn revenues to produce electricity for the national grid, to

get involved in sugar juices such as molasses and cane juice, additional packaging for concentrated markets and start “plantation white sugar”.

These projects, Heath-London said, will be different and viable income streams for the company.

The $30B is being sought over a four-year period to provide much-needed capital injection into the Albion, Blairmont and Uitvlugt estates. The sum is aimed at covering infrastructure maintenance, upgrades and development of new co-generation capacity to support operations of the estates and sell power to the national grid.

The SPU took control of the Skeldon, Rose Hall, Enmore and Wales estates, when government decided to close operations early this year in order to maintain the viability of the sugar industry.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, April 15, 2018

I Hear You

By Elson Low

AS a continuation of the discussion on race-based politics I want to pivot internationally. I think one of the narratives being missed is that the Trump administration, while certainly facing many allegations of racism, depends most critically on an issue-based politics to succeed. Strangely, that administration represents one that doesn’t shy away from racist allegations, but I think does so as a way to deflect attention from its true policy intentions.

I know that claiming the Trump administration focuses most heavily on issues, rather than race is contro-

versial, but I think just as we must look into our colonial history to resolve racial divisions, we cannot ignore the subtleties of our northern neighbours’ politics.

To that end, understanding how an emphasis on race deflects attention from the true nature of politics is key, if Guyanese politics is to be accurately appreciated.

Those who claim the Trump administration swept to victory on a race-based platform forget that what swept Trump to victory was not allegedly race-based politics in southern states such as Florida, but vast support among Democrats in the

North of the country. Race helped, for sure, but the election was not a close one in terms of the number of electoral college votes, so there must have been other factors.

Trump consistently defeated Hilary Clinton in Democratic strongholds across the states whose citizens were historically manufacturing-based, and who had voted for former President Obama.

At its core, his victory was built on straightforward economic issues such as jobs, wages and international trade that were what those people cared dearly about. True to this message, earlier this year wages meaningfully

rose in the United States for the first time in decades and aggressive trade negotiations with China have begun.

Meanwhile, his opponents continue to talk about race, amongst other barely relevant issues. In the south, one could certainly argue that race is the dominant factor, but using race as a blanket explanation is insufficient in the US and insufficient in Guyana.

Jobs, wages, economic growth -- these things enduringly influence elections.

I’ll make an even more controversial claim: part of Trump’s strategy is to steer the conversation toward race

so that race-based groups in the Democratic coalition become polarised and therefore isolate themselves. He wanted his opponents to talk about how racist he is, rather than how they’re going to improve the standard of living of those often at risk in their communities. This is a classic example of focusing on race and therefore completely missing the point of an election.

What is going on with US politics is not as cut and dry as race versus issues, with either side alleging the other is racist. Rather, race forms an integral part of a section of each coalition, Trump’s base of more rural voters being arguably more race-focused.

As an angry reaction to this, which is quite justified, opposing coalitions of Latino and black voters turned up at the polls, Latino voters in particular were instrumental to Democratic strength in the west. But these race-based coalitions were never really going to be enough to win an election on their own, were they?

I think somehow the Democrats fell into a pattern of countering perceived Trump-based racism not with a relentless focus on economic issues, but rather their own form of counter-racism. And while standing up against racism is important, I can’t forget Trump’s chief strategist saying he was perfectly happy with Democrats focusing on race, because it freed Trump up to focus himself on economic issues.

As a result, potential for sig-

nificant losses in Democratic strongholds slid by unnoticed and Hilary Clinton didn’t even visit two of the key states she lost, Wisconsin and Michigan.

I say all this to say that race is often a tool used to mobilise populations but that it also is seldom able to win over a majority with any kind of consistency. Being on the right side of issues is more important over the long run and these are the types of debates we want to continuously hear our politicians trumpet. In a way, I think what happened in the US and can happen locally is that politicians don’t take a step back and really listen. The issues they debate shouldn’t just be what they think is important, but what their people think important. Something as simple as saying: “I hear you” can go a long way.

I know many of us are mortified of race-based politics, and this fear will only grow with coming oil revenues and the resulting hotly contested elections.

But we didn’t start out a deeply racist people -- politics made it so. As a result, I can’t help but believe politics can undo these fractures. To that end, I wonder if local politicians have made an effort to reach out and really listen to the opposing groups.

Putting race-based notions aside, ask your constituents why they feel the way they do. That will yield where the cracks really are, and help the healing process to begin.

Scores sharpen skills to handle sexual offences cases THE psychological skills of officers involved in sexual offence cases from start to finish were sharpened during a two-day training programme organised by the Judiciary in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The programme, which was facilitated by psychologists, Dr. Dianne Douglas and Dr. Natalie O’Brady of Trinidad and Tobago, concluded on Saturday at the Georgetown Club with over 55 participants in attendance.

They included judges and magistrates, police officers from the Special Victims’ Unit, representatives from the Child Care Protection Agency and the Sexual and Domestic Violence Policy Unit, along with representatives from non-government agencies such as Red Thread Guyana, Help and Shelter, Blossom and Child Link.

In an interview with Guyana Chronicle on Saturday, Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire said the handling of sexual offence cases is a multi-disciplinary process, and the programme brought together the key players.

“We would recognise that the process of addressing a sexual offence case is a continuum, starting from the police and sometimes the NGOs as the first responders all the way to the court with the magistrates and judges,

our past and where we are, because we have to understand that at the end of the day all of us are human beings. We go through life experiences which influence how we deal with people… we have to manage how our life experiences may shape how we treat and deal with persons,” she further explained.

At the opening ceremony of the training programme on Friday, Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag) Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards had underscored the need for employment of psychological skills for the improvement of services provided by the Sexual Offences Court, as well as the improvement of the skills of court personnel.

“Our Sexual Offences Act, which was

passed in 2010, itself provides for training in this regard. It is a comprehensive, forward thinking, integrated piece of legislation passed by our parliament,” the Chancellor (ag) had said.

Presently, support services are being provided to witnesses to help reduce secondary victimisation and trauma associated with the sexual offence cases. Such assistance is provided by the Ministry of Social Protection as well as non-governmental organisations.

Notably, five months after the establishment of the Sexual Offences Court, a total of 14 cases have been heard to date with some nine persons being found guilty.

Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire

and we have to understand the psychological effects that those cases have on the victims,” the Chief Justice explained.

Chief Justice George-Wiltshire said in addition to focusing on the psychological issues faced by victims and or survivors, the programme addressed the issue of secondary trauma.

“Very importantly, we dealt with how we deal with our own trauma, secondary trauma, understanding ourselves, understanding

Participants attending the training programme on Friday (Delano Williams photos)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, April 15, 2018

McAllister celebrates 104th birthday

By Shirley Thomas

HELENA Maude McAllister, Guyana’s oldest female centenarian, is today celebrating her 104th birth anniversary.

And incredibly, two years ago, she successfully chronicled and published the Helena Maude McAllister Auto Biography -- “A Century with Jesus”, which was released on her 102nd birthday.

Asked by the Guyana Chronicle how she feels to be 104, McAllister modestly replied, “I want to thank God for His love and His mercies upon me, and for bringing me this far,” she said. She demonstrated a zeal for taking and sharing the Word of God with others, so that they might know.

McAllister, fondly referred to as “Aunt Maude”, is the wife of the late Hilton McAllister, founder of the former Mac’s Secretarial School, located at Lot 208 Duncan Street, Newtown, Georgetown.

She has a proud record of being the matriarch of a family-owned business that has actively contributed to the academic moulding of the nation of Guyana for more than 50 years. Over this period, it has churned out hundreds of students who were all well rounded academically.

Both Hilton and his wife,

Maude, worked at separate medical institutions prior to entering into the teaching profession. Hilton started out by teaching stenography and Home Economics and soon established a formal secretarial school; a kindergarten and a day high school.

That venture bloomed and blossomed and soon a high school was set up, housed at the Frolic Hall at Robb and Light Streets, Bourda, coaching students to the level of junior and senior Cambridge Examinations.

Aunt Maude recalled that her husband, who ran the school for about 25 years, was headmaster for several years, with the late Hugh Desmond Hoyte being Assistant Principal.

Hoyte was at the same time studying to become a lawyer. He later went on to become President of Guyana. Mr. McAllister brought on board the teaching staff his two sons, Godfrey and Hilton (Jr), then his daughter, Ruth, who was deputy principal. However, over time, challenges, including poor payment of fees and the attitude of some teachers led to the eventual closure of the institution in 2001.

Known for his visionary qualities, Hilton ironically and regrettably lost his vision to glaucoma, and transitioned in 2008. To his credit, he succeeded in making consider-

Mrs. Maud Helena Mc Allister and her daughter, Mrs. Ruth Cumberbatch at their Duncan Street home

able impact in the education sector in a private capacity.

Following her husband’s demise, Mrs. Maude McAllister diversified and ventured, quite successfully so, into the apartment rental business, overseeing the rental of a three-storey apartment building in Newtown.

That facility is the expanded and refurbished venue, jotting out majestically from that which once housed the popular Mac’s Secretarial School.

The business is doing well under the management of our centenarian with a competent secretary alongside her.

BLESSED But Aunt Maude, blessed with the ability to make sound financial management decisions in the best interest of the business, would prefer to personally run the business, allowing her adult offspring the right to make suggestions.

Meanwhile, Aunt Maude is ably overseen by her daughter, Ruth and her husband, Clifton who occupy one of the apartments on the premises so as to be “always there for her”, providing absolute care and affection.

In summing up, Aunt Maude recalled their venture

into the delivery of higher education was a huge success, and grew from strength to strength through the years.

Many benefitted from the school’s well-delivered and innovative academic programmes. One such person is Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, who was at the school and later joined the teaching staff. And so too was Ann Greene who is now Director of Children’s Services, Child Protection Agency.

Ruth recalled that one of the school’s greatest breakthroughs was when it took the lead in introducing computer technology on the curriculum locally. She also recalled, with some degree of sadness, the devastating blow they were dealt when the Guyana Power and Light’s (GPL) unstable power supply destroyed four computers at one blow through high voltage.

One of her saddest moments in life, Aunt Maude recalls, was the death of her husband, Hilton in 2008, an experience she has not quite gotten over as yet. On the other hand, a moment of great joy indelibly etched on her mind was the recovery and continued success of her eldest son, Godfrey, who as a young child, became very ill and was literally given up by doctors.

“Our son had become

so ill he could no longer keep down his food, and he literally looked like skeleton with just skin and bones,” Maude writes in her Biography (pg.33) “Godfrey and the Tomatoes”. “They all said they could do nothing for him and he was given up to die,” she recalled.

Then in a bold act of faith, her husband grabbed their child off the bed, raced out of the hospital, praying in earnest and trusting God absolutely. Their prayers were answered and young Godfrey recovered.

“Thereafter, he went to a private school … where he took his Common Entrance Exam and got a scholarship to go to Queen’s College.”

God has continued to bless him and today, Dr. Godfrey McAllister has returned home to celebrate his mother’s 104th birth anniversary.

The Guyanese-born Distinguished Toastmaster, is a three-time District Impromptu Speaking Champion and 2017 World Champion of Public Speaking finalist.

Dr. McAllister was ranked among the top-10 best speakers in the world at the Toastmasters International World Convention in Vancouver, Canada in August last year. More than 30,000 speakers from 140 countries entered the grueling eight-month long competition.

Guyana: Where opportunity knocks for some

By Zena Henry GUYANA may not be as worried as some other countries in the Region about the influx of Venezuelans escaping economic hardship in their country, but there is no denying that it is fast becoming the land of opportunity for more than our neighbours to the west.

Evidence of this is clear, as a visit to some Chinese-owned stores around the city will attest, what with the proliferation of Spanish-speaking nationals providing translation services between store owners and the hundreds of Cubans who come to shop in Guyana on a weekly basis.

Other foreign help can be seen at city eateries and small shops, and even engaged in odd jobs in areas such as construction.

One shop owner, who acknowledged that he has a few illegals in his employ,

said that down-on-their-luck foreigners come to his establishment frequently looking for work. He said that given the economic and political situations from which some of these people are running, he is in sympathy with them, knowing that he, too, once sought greener pastures in other countries and needed work to survive.

The man, who owns a small eatery in one of the city’s more affluent neighbourhoods, explained that many Guyanese have lived abroad, and they, too, were once employees in a foreign country.

He said that it is for this reason that he feels “some kind of sympathy” for non-nationals, and what drives him to hire them.

But even more than an escape from negative situations back home, the businessman believes that global migration is slowly becoming the greater phenomenon that is bringing droves of people to

these shores.

And with the discovery of oil, the businessman believes Guyana will soon be “swamped” with foreigners.

“Global migration is a phenomenon; we are going to be swamped with foreigners,” he said. “People leaving all over the world and passing through here, coming here looking for work.” The man believes that apart from those wanting to escape natural disasters and political and economic turmoil, there will be those foreigners coming with expertise seeking work or looking for something in which to invest their money.

Another business owner, whose establishment is located in Queenstown, said his employees are primarily Venezuelan nationals with Guyanese family, who came when the going got tough in the Bolivarian Republic.

Then there’s the owner of this fruit stall who told this newspaper that the foreigner he employs is always at work

Venezuelans doing construction work in the city

and always on time, which is so unlike the Guyanese staff.

Some business people said they are constantly getting job requests from foreigners from as far off as The Dominican Republic, Cuba, and even Haiti, and that some of them can speak English well enough to get them through a basic conversation.

The businessman with the eatery believes that regardless of whether Guyanese

appreciate the peace they enjoy here or the job that less fortunate persons would gladly accept, the population is too small to withstand the influx of persons expected.

He said money is the driving force, and the currency in some of those countries is very low, hence people seeking job opportunities outside of their homelands.

“We are going to have mixtures here; it only has to

take a foreigner to marry a Guyanese and make a child,” he said.

The man believes that not only will the size of the population increase, but so too will the country’s ethnic and racial makeup.

This being the case, he is urging Guyanese to prepare the best way they can and to ensure they don’t become second-class citizens in their own country who did not get ready for the rapid change the country will undergo.

Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix, recently recognised the influx of Venezuelans in particular who come to Guyana both legally and illegally. He said preparations are being made to help those displaced by the hardship in their country.

He said while persons entering a country illegally should face prosecution, Guyana wants to move away from that, and chart a course that will help the situation.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, April 15, 2018

Eighth Summit of the Americas ends with commitment to tackle corruption

By Rabindra Rooplall in Lima, Peru PRESIDENTS and heads of government at the VIII Summit of the Americas have committed to tackle corruption through stronger regional cooperation and strengthening of their institutions.

During his participation at the plenary session, Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra requested attendees to express their firm will to fight corruption by adopting the Lima Commitment.

In this regard, President Vizcarra called on the leaders to approve the document by acclamation, to which dignitaries responded positively.

Under the theme, “Democratic Governance Against Corruption,” the commitment underscored the prevention of and fight against corruption being fundamental to strengthening democracy and the rule of law in the various states.

Furthermore, the Peruvian leader acknowledged the delegations’ participation in the drawing up of the aforementioned document.

Presidents and heads of government at the VIII Summit of the Americas have agreed to strengthen cooperation to tackle corruption

According to the Lima Commitment, corruption weakens democratic governance and citizens’ trust in institutions, in addition to having a negative impact on the effective enjoyment of human rights and the sustainable development of the peoples of the hemisphere, as well as other regions of the world.

The group also reaffirmed the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and firm support for its implementation.

The Commitment also stated that countries must strengthen their judicial autonomy and independence and promote respect for the rule of law and access to justice, as well as to promote and encourage policies of integrity and transparency in the judicial system.

Further, the Commitment noted that it is important to develop a culture of citizen participation and prevention of corruption with a view to strengthening democratic and civic values from early childhood and throughout life, by implementing, teaching and learning programmes at all lev-

els of education, as well as ongoing education programmes.

The document called for ensuring transparency and equal opportunities in the selection processes of public officials, based on objective criteria such as merit, fairness, and aptitude.

In addition, officials should promote the adoption of measures to prevent conflicts of interest, as well as the public filing of financial disclosure statements by public officials, as appropriate.

Further, the document noted that codes of conduct for public and private officials are paramount, as such persons should have high standards of ethics, honesty, integrity, and transparency.

The Commitment further encouraged the effective participation of the private sector in public policies to prevent and combat corruption, while urging public and private enterprises to develop or implement integrity-promotion programmes and training programmes at all levels.

Governments were advised

to consolidate the autonomy and independence of high-level oversight bodies, while implementing and strengthening bodies responsible for transparency and access to public information, based on applicable international best practices.

The document stated that it is also important to promote the use of new technologies that facilitate digital government in order to promote transparency, interaction with citizens and accountability, through development of tools for the identification, detection, systematisation, and monitoring of government procedures.

The Lima Commitment also stated that adopting a legal framework for holding legal entities accountable for acts of corruption, including domestic and international bribery, must be consistent with the United Nations Convention against Corruption and the Inter-American Convention against Corruption, when such a framework does not already exist under domestic law.

It was also recommended that financial institutions and financial oversight bodies cooperate to assist agencies responsible for the investigation and prosecution of acts of corruption, to provide a prompt, effective response in international investigations and asset recovery.

The Commitment also underscored the need for effective measures against tax evasion to prevent money laundering, and the illicit financial flows derived from corruption; as well as measures to identify beneficial ownership.

The summit called upon the Joint Summit Working Group (JSWG) to support the implementation and strengthening of national human rightsbased programmes to develop the capacity of the police, public prosecutors’ offices, the judiciary, and domestic oversight agencies to combat acts of corruption, including those related to drug trafficking, trafficking in persons, trafficking in firearms and other weapons and the smuggling of goods and wildlife.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, April 15, 2018

Expectant mothers find comfort at Port Mourant Hospital RESIDENTS of Central Corentyne and its environs can now expect improved service delivery at the Port Mourant Hospital.

The hospital which was previously associated with poor service delivery has for the past two years been constantly improving its service and is now one of the better hospitals in Region Six. Focal Point Coordinator, Ministry of Health, Region Six, Alex Foster, on Wednesday took Guyana Chronicle on a tour to highlight the recent improvements made.

According to Foster, the hospital underwent a recent transformation of several departments, including the Maternity ward, Accident and Emergency Unit, Pharmacy, Ophthalmology and Rehabilitation department for Occupational, Speech and Physical Therapy among others, all thanks to collaboration with private citizens, Food for the Poor and the Department of Public Health.

Foster explained that in the past very few patients utilised the services of the maternity department and opted to go to either New Amsterdam or

ward include installation of incubators, fetal heart monitors, recliners and bedside cots for each bed. These, according to Foster, were made possible through Food for the Poor within a two-week period.

“A gynaecologist is now stationed at the hospital with doctors and midwives on standby 24/7 and while we don’t offer surgeries as yet due to the absence of a theatre, we have an ambulance round the clock if the need arises to transport

Some expectant mothers and health workers chat in the waiting area of the maternity ward of the Port Mourant Hospital

Doctor in charge of the Port Mourant Hospital (ag) Denisha Alstine-Slingov explains the function of the A & E Unit

Equipment in the nursery at the Port Mourant Hospital

Skeldon instead. However, he is willing to stake his reputation that the maternity ward at the Port Mourant Hospital is unmatched by any across the country in that it overlooks the beautiful landscape of the hospital’s complex with a constant north Atlantic breeze blowing, giving much-needed serenity to expectant mothers and visitors in a clean, spacious and comfortable setting.

The delivery ward has the capacity to conduct four deliveries simultaneously while the wards have the capacity to house 20 patients comfortably.

Recent upgrades to the

patients to New Amsterdam,” Foster explained.

He continued that nurses and midwives from the various health centres are encouraged to make use of the facility by accompanying their patients to have their deliveries done.

Doctor in Charge

of the Hospital (ag) Denisha Alstine-Slingov, who was previously stationed at the New Amsterdam Hospital, echoed similar sentiments as she urged patients to make use of the facility to ease the overcrowding of the New Amsterdam Hospital.

An open-day was also held on Wednesday with expectant mothers and other patients

given a tour of the upgraded facilities and all were impressed with the cleanliness and serenity of the ward.

Leah Leitch, 28, who is expecting in May, told Guyana Chronicle she is certain she will return to the Port Mourant Hospital to deliver her second child. “This place really nice, it peaceful, clean and get nuff space. I was planning to go New Amsterdam as I did for me first born but I know fuh sure I am coming here cause it much better and I will tell the other patients at my clinic too, because I know for sure

nobody expect Port Mourant to be like this.”

KITCHEN To further add to the already upgraded maternity ward and to complement the other services at the hospital, Foster said they are re-opening the kitchen to cater for patients.

“The kitchen has not been operating for several years now and we have already cleared the space and placed an order at the stores for equipment and utensils. We will have everything that New Amsterdam Hospital [has] because many times pa-

tients come in and they don’t have anything to eat or drink and that is not healthy for them, especially pregnant mothers.

While the kitchen is being furnished, competent staff will be brought in to oversee the operations as well,” Foster said.

He explained that due to the level of leadership and changes made, staff members also got on board to help improve the overall experience for patients.

“It is heartening to see the staff come on board and pitch in out of their own pockets.

The doctor in charge went home and got her husband to purchase a refrigerator for the therapy department that was much needed. Sister Jacqueline Spencer who was brought here to oversee the operations has been leading by example instead of directing; and the same applies for other staff members.

For me, this is testament of the level of confidence the staff has in the work done so far and I am sure while we have room for improvement we are on the right track”.

Foster was also high in praise for the private sector, especially the owner of Poonai’s Pharmacy who he said is always someone that the Department of Public Health can count on for assistance. The pharmacy recently helped with the installation of slotted shelves and other infrastructural works in the pharmacy which ran out of space due to increased supplies. In addition, the Accident and Emergency Unit was redone to allow for more privacy as well.

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President congratulates Doris on outstanding achievement PRESIDENT David Granger has extended congratulations to Troy Doris on what he described as a golden achievement on receiving the news of the national athlete’s outstanding performance at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, which concludes tomorrow in Australia.

Doris won gold in the Triple Jump with his 16.88m second-round leap, finishing ahead of Dominica’s Yordanys Durañona and Cameroon’s Marcel Mayack II, who won silver and bronze respectively.

The head of state in a release said the win has made every Guyanese exceedingly proud and demonstrates that with hard work and sacrifice great feats can be accomplished.

He expressed his personal pride in Doris’ victory, noting that his win gives the nation something to celebrate and endows every Guyanese with the pride of knowing that the Golden Arrowhead was flown high on the international stage.

Government will continue

Troy Doris

to invest in sport development locally, so that talented athletes like Doris can receive the support they need and more young people can reach their full potential as sportsmen and women, the release said, noting that Guyana is proud of all the athletes and officials, who represented Guyana at the 21st staging of the Games.

The team was made up of 20 athletes competing in badminton, boxing, rifle-shooting, squash, swimming, table tennis and track and field.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, April 15, 2018

LGE brought a democratic renewal to Guyana – President says as he commissions play park at Linden PRESIDENT David Granger said that the improvements being observed in communities across Guyana are direct dividends of Local Government Elections (LGE), which were held for the first time in two decades in March 2016.

This important process, he said, has led to a democratic renewal that has sparked hope and enlivened communities that were slowly becoming mere dormitories.

“Local Government Elections have moved us from despair to a democratic regime. We can sit, discuss and determine how our communities can be governed. We now have the option of attracting friends to add private contribution to the community,” the Head of State said, as he commissioned a play park at Victory Valley Community Centre ground located at

Wismar, Linden, on Friday.

The play park was developed and outfitted by private citizens.

The President recalled his struggles for LGE when he was opposition leader and noted that these elections have paved the way for creation of new towns with vibrant municipalities, whose mayors and councillors are responding to the needs of the people. He reminded too, that when he first got into office in 2015, one of the first things he did was to change the name of the Ministry of Local Government to the Ministry of Communities, because citizens must understand that they have to live together in communities, which cannot be governed from the top.

Most of the towns in Guyana are located at waterfronts and the President urged that these areas be developed

and enhanced as green spaces with the planting of trees, solar lights and other amenities, so that citizens can enjoy a better quality of life. “This little park here today symbolises empowerment... I see this play park as the first step in opening new parks in more communities… Every constituency in Guyana should have a park like this, because what better thing can we do than watch our children have clean fun,” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Social Protection, Ms. Amna Ally in her remarks, informed the audience that in 2017 during a ministerial outreach in Wismar, residents of Victory Valley requested a recreational park for their children. “We are here to deliver on that promise. This is how this coalition works... We interface with our people; we hear their needs and deliver once it is practicable. The

A section of the play park that was commissioned on Friday

President David Granger speaks at the commissioning of the play park at the Victory Valley Community Centre Ground, Wismar, Linden

Ministry of Social Protection is mandated to oversee the welfare of children and so we will always respond to those needs. We will work to ensure that the needs of our children, regardless of where they come from, are met,” she said.

Minister Ally noted that for far too long, communities in Linden were neglected by the former administration. “This government has done more for the people of Linden in three years than what the PPP [People’s Progressive Party] did in 23 years,” she said.

Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ms. Simona Broomes, Regional Chairman, Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice (Region 10), Mr. Rennis Morian and Member of Parliament, Mr. Jermaine Figueira were also present at the event. (Ministry of the Presidency)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, April 15, 2018

Guyanese Girls Code launched

– to help bridge gender disparity in IT sector

Participants of the Guyanese Girls Code course standing to be recognized during the launch (Delano Williams photos)

GUYANESE Girls Code was launched on Saturday as the Public Telecommunications Ministry collaborates with the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD) and the University of Guyana (UG) to address the gender disparity in Guyana’s Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector.

The 12-week course, designed to teach beginners coding and programming, commenced at UG’s Education Lecture Theatre with over 40 high school girls between the ages of 11 and 14 in attendance along with their parents or guardians.

It is believed that if more women and girls enter the ICT sector, which is traditionally dominated by men, the country will have an extended pool of talented and innovative young people who are capable of transforming Guyana into a digital savvy society.

Public Telecommunications Minister, Catherine Hughes; Head of the University of Guyana Computer Science Department and Lead Instructor for Guyanese Girls Code, Penelope Defreitas; CARICOM ICT4D Deputy Programme Manager, Jennifer Britton; and NCERD IT Coordinator, Dr. Marcia Thomas were among key female leaders in Guyana’s ICT sector present during the launch.

Overflowing with excitement, Minister Hughes said the response to the 12-week course was overwhelming, explaining that initially, the Ministry and its partners were targeting 20 girls but over 40 girls from various secondary schools in the country responded to the call.

Minister Hughes said her Ministry is working closely with the University of Guyana and the Education Ministry to break down the societal barriers that discourage girls and women from venturing into the field of ICT, and the Guyanese Girl Code course is just one of several initiatives.

When the Public Telecommunications Ministry hosted its first Hackathon in 2016, only males participated, and again they dominated in 2017, with only two females participating in the Hackathon, Minister Hughes pointed out. It is hoped that with the launching of programmes such as Guyanese Girls Code, more women and girls can become active players in the world of ICT. “You are the chosen generation. You are the chosen generation. You guys are going to transform Guyana with how you use and promote ICT,” the Public Telecommunications Minister told the girls present.

In developed countries like the United States of America (USA) and Canada, many women are sitting at the helm of ICT-driven

companies and cooperation, she noted. “They are engineers, they are the computer specialists, and they are the chief executive officers,” she further posited.

At Google, an American multinational technology company that specialises in Internet-related services and products, and Facebook, an American online social media and social networking service company, women serve in critical areas, Minister Hughes added while pointing out too that Pepsi and Occidental Petroleum Corporation are both headed by women.

However, she said the Caribbean is lagging behind, noting that she is the lone female minister in the region that is responsible for ICT related sectors.

Cognisant of the current challenges, the Public Telecommunications Ministry will be training more women and girls in the field of ICT. As the course kicks start, she is urging all the participants to make full use of the opportunity.

“Don’t sit quietly and you’re not too sure, and you don’t know, ask questions…I urge you to take every advantage of this awesome opportunity,” she urged.

Like Minister Hughes, CARICOM ICT4D Deputy Programme Manager believes that as the world advances in the area of digital economy, CARICOM

countries appear to be falling behind. More Guyanese and other CARICOM nationals need to acquire the skillset needed to effectively participate in the ICT world.

Many women, she said, have had their progress in the field stymied because of myths that tell them they are not smart enough and lack the capacity to be an effective player. But this, she told the girls, are far from the truth.

Defreitas told the participating ICT specialists from the University and the Ministry, along with some of the best and brightest students from the Department of Computer Science, that UG will aid in the facilitation of the course.

Approximately 40 per cent of the course will be theoretical, the lead in-

Public Telecommunications Minister, Catherine Hughes

structor said while adding that the majority of the course will be practical-based. It was explained that for the theoretical aspect of the course, focus will be placed on the pioneers within the sector, software and hardware, while prac-

tical activities will be based on BBC Micro Bit – ARMbased embedded system designed by the BBC for use in computer education.

At the end of the 12-week course, participants will be issued with certificates of participation.

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Arya Samaj movement celebrates 143rd anniversary THE Guyana Central Arya Samaj and the Berbice Central Arya Samaj, along with all the affiliates and associates across Guyana on Tuesday joined hands in celebrating the 143rd anniversary since the founding of the Arya Samaj Movement.

The Arya Samaj was established on April 10, 1875 in Bombay, India by its iconic spiritual founder, Maharishi Swami Dayanand Saraswati.

Since then, Arya Samaj ideals and practices have spread all over the world and today, there are many temples and persons in numerous coun-

tries that preach and teach the Word of God because of the Arya Samaj and its zeal for truth and logic.

A primary objective of the Arya Samaj is to do good to and for the world in such a way as to promote physical, spiritual and social upliftment for everyone. To achieve this,

the conduct of followers is always to be guided by unselfishness, love, righteousness and justice.

These, among other core values, remain the focus of the Arya Samaj in a world that continues to be pulled into every conceivable realm of negative thoughts and

Maharishi Swami Dayanand Saraswati

emotions.

“We continue to look for the ultimate good of our children and parents; the advancement of our country and its economic and social values and the overall cohesion of our peoples,” President of Guyana Central Arya Samaj, Dr Yog Mahadeo said.

Over the short but impactful history of the Arya Samaj since its formation in 1875, there has been undeniable contributions to nationhood in many countries. Humanity as a whole has benefited from the modernistic, logic-driven approach to Hinduism as practiced by the Arya Samaj.

Dr Mahadeo noted that among its many appeal, the Arya Samaj is people-focused.

“Our life-long mission is to make the world a noble place. All of our actions and intent is supposed to be focused on helping others,” he said.

He continued: “The bedrock to our growth and development as a nation is in education and healthy lifestyle.

One of our goals therefore is to learn, practice, teach and preach the word of God and to inculcate healthy living habits that focuses on building and maintaining strong families. To preach and practice unity and love is ultimate.”

All the temples across the country celebrated this anniversary.

“In Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo, across the mandirs, there are a number of activities at various mandirs during the month of April. In Berbice, there is a multi-kunda havan at the 64-66 Vedic Mandir and a day of devotion and singing.

In West Demerara, there will be a multi-kunda havan at

the Windsor Forest Mandir, youth camp and a week of devotion and songs at all the mandirs. At East Coast Demerara and Georgetown, there will also be special services and a youth-activity on April 29 at the Georgetown Mandir.

General Secretary of the organization, Bahen Renuka Lall, said that the Arya Samaj movement teaches everyone to be kind, courteous and loving toward everyone.

“Our belief is that everyone is equal and that all are entitled to happiness and prosperity,” Lall said as she advised everyone to go to temple and to do good.

“We are joining hands with many countries in a Universal movement that believes in helping everyone and letting everyone grow and develop. We believe that our personal happiness lies in the happiness of everyone and our personal contentment is experienced when others are contented,” President of the Berbice Central Arya Samaj, Dr Vishwa Mahadeo said.

The West Demerara Arya Samaj, under the leadership of Pandita Dolly of Windsor Forest, also launched a weeklong celebration at mandirs across the West Demerara, culminating with a grand celebration at the Windsor Forest and Central Mandir (Georgetown). East Coast Demerara’s head, Pandit Seu of Enmore, also announced their week-long activity and the participation in the grand celebrations on April 29 at the Central Mandir.

Member of the Essequibo group, Rakesh Ramballi is calling on all members to be reminded of special celebrations in Essequibo in June this year.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, April 15, 2018

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Youths prepare for Global Robotics Championship MORE than 36 youths from across Guyana attended the STEMGuyana information session and player assessment for the August 2018, First Global Robotics Championship to be held in Mexico City, Mexico.

Five students between ages 15 to 18 will represent Guyana in Mexico City.

One coach and one assistant coach, two mentors and a public relations officer will also travel with the team.

Local director Colin Sawh said “the selection committee is looking for young people who are curious, hard-working, disciplined, unafraid of facing challenges, determined and creative. There was no grade requirement in 2017 and there will be no grade requirement in 2018. We believe that ‘attitude determines altitude’ and we are looking for young people with great attitudes who will be good team members.”

After a beginning information session, the candidates were placed into three groups along with candidates for coaches and mentors and were given an information technology challenge to solve.

The teams will work on their challenges until First Global releases the official competition challenge and until the selection committee has enough information to make the final selections.

The challenge identified during the selection process will be for each team to research, design, build,

programme and test any component of an automated garbage-collection system.

Teams will build their solutions using the popular Lego Mindstorm EV3 kit.

STEMGuyana Administrator Aiesha Peters, noted that “the young people who attended our information session were enthusiastic and excited and they worked together as though they had known each other for years.

After today’s [Saturday] session was over, nearly three hours later, many of the students wanted to remain at the club-house to work on the challenge. We had to insist that they leave. We at STEMGuyana really love that kind of enthusiasm.”

S T E M G u y a n a Co-Founder, Karen Abrams reported that all the young people who are going through the evaluation process will be lifelong members of STEMGuyana.

“Although many of them won’t travel to Mexico, they will be a part of our very important ‘home team’. Last year’s home team members were critical to our success in Washington DC. All of our young people will be learning collaboration skills, cooperation skills, strategies for dealing with conflict, and they will also learn resilience and determination as many of their designs won’t work the first time, resulting in them having to go back to the drawing board to perfect their models. The youth will also learn to design, build and programme robots, so everyone will gain unbeliev-

Elderly woman raped in home A 58-year-old woman of New Amsterdam, East Berbice, Corentyne, is living in fear after she was allegedly raped by an intruder two Fridays ago in her home.

The woman related that she was stalked by the suspect who had visited her home and requested that she open the door, a command which she refused.

A few nights after, the accused returned and forcefully gained entry into her home by breaking down the door.

The woman, who lives alone, told reporters on Saturday that the suspect was armed with a bottle and threatened to kill her while committing the gruesome act and on completion, told her that he would return to “do it again”.

The elderly woman

also related that she was humiliated by officers at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at the Central Police Station, New Amsterdam, when she visited to make an official report.

The woman alleged that she was told by ranks on duty that she could not be raped, since she is a “junkie and a beggar”.

Her report was eventually taken by a rank at the Sexual Offence Unit of the said station and she was told to wait for a vehicle to take her for a medical examination.

After waiting for some time, she left the station, telling the officers “Goodbye and good luck”.

According to reports, the suspect has not been arrested and is roaming the streets freely.

able exposure, experience and knowledge through this process. There will be no losers,” Abrams said.

STEMGuyana’s evaluation sessions for 2018 candidates will continue each Saturday from 10:00hrs at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. The 2018 preparation and travel will be sponsored by the Ministry of Education and GTT. Companies interested in sponsoring the 2018 robotics team are encouraged to contact STEMGuyana at stemguyana@gmail.com.

Some of the participants going through their paces on Saturday

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, April 15, 2018

CDC trains 45 in Initial Damage Assessment EVEN as Chairman of Region Two, Devanand Ramdatt, informed the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) of the destruction of three homes in Lima, Essequibo, due to heavy winds, the Commission on Friday concluded Initial Damage Assessment training for 45

persons from that region, as well as Regions Three, Four, Five, Six and the CDC’s Volunteer Corps.

Those trained from Region Two will have their knowledge tested immediately as they have returned to their region to participate in the damage assessment exercise there.

During the simple closing ceremony held at the CDC’s Headquarters, Acting Director General, Colonel Lieutenant Kester Craig said that the training, which is a collaborative effort with the United States Agency for International Development’s Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance

(USAID/OFDA), could not come at a more opportune time, particularly for the participants from the Pomeroon.

Colonel Craig noted that regional officials and volunteers who have been trained, will now form the Regional Rapid Assessment Teams, and will be required to conduct assessments immediately after a hazard impact to inform the process of determining the appropriate response. In keeping with the Regional Disaster Risk Management Mechanism, the CDC should only take the lead in the response operations, if the situation overwhelms the Region’s capacity. As Guyana and the Caribbean grapples with the impact of climate change, the Director General said that the country must work to enhance its collective capacity to be able to provide an effective response system to emergencies and disasters at all levels.

“As you all know, Guyana is susceptible to both natural and man-made hazards that can impact the society, our vulnerable Regions, their communities and the residents.

Flooding, as a result of heavy rainfall, or breaches in the sea defence or from other sources, droughts, fires, spillage of petroleum caused by an overturned transport vehicle on a roadway, and now, the probability of an offshore oil spill, all have the potential to disrupt our lives and our communities.

As such, disaster risk management becomes everybody’s business,” he noted.

The Director General said that the Government, through the CDC, has embarked on the path to ensuring that across Guyana’s ten Regions, citizens as well as private sector and public sector stakeholders, gain the relevant knowledge and skills necessary to positively impact decision-making, operational readiness, effectiveness and efficiency, in the event that our people are impacted by hazards and/ or disasters. In this regard, the Regional Disaster Risk Management System is being implemented in all the Regions and Community-Based Disaster Risk Management at the community level in an effort to decentralise Disaster Risk Management and enhance disaster response at all levels.

“Damage Assessment is a critical component of disaster risk management. It provides critical information that aids in guiding decision-making relative to operational responses. It also defines, for response personnel, various parameters for logistics requirements, while providing the road map to aid in sourcing the resources needed to bring relief to the affected persons and communities. The persons who have been part of this course now have the knowledge to understand and conduct damage assessments,” he said.

RAPID ASSESSMENT TEAMS The next phase is to complete the training and set up Rapid Assessment

Teams in the remaining five regions. The best among the 45 will be selected to be trained as instructors and aid in conducting similar training as it becomes necessary. Clive Lore, Disaster Management Specialist from USAID/OFDA, in providing a brief history of the training, said that it was recognised during the 1980s that there was a need for a structured system of reporting information to responding entities during disasters. This tool, he said, has been used throughout the region.

“USAID is happy to provide the necessary assistance in enhancing the capacity of both the regional mechanism and the national system to respond to the challenges you may face from one hazard to another. The course provided information on timeframes, what information is needed to be collected at various times and how to initially use the information, provided definitions of levels of damage… The course focused primarily on wind and earthquake damage. Coming into this course, however, we took a decision that we needed to develop definitions for flood impacts, so Guyana became somewhat of a guinea pig to test this and we will modify it as the need arises in the coming months,” he said. (Ministry of the Presidency)

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Spencer ends St Lucia’s 56-year wait with gold in women’s high jump … Jamaica stunned in sprint relays GOLD COAST, Australia (CMC) – Veteran St Lucian jumper Levern Spencer ended her nation’s frustrating 56-year wait for a Commonwealth Games gold medal when she produced a season-best performance to win the women’s high jump here yesterday.

Spencer, who managed only bronze in the event at the last two Games in India and Glasgow, cleared 1.95 metres on her third-last effort, to also ensure St Lucia their first medal of the meet which wraps up today.

Guyana also picked up their first medal through United States-based Troy Doris who captured the men’s triple jump with a leap of 16.88m.

However, there was no anticipated gold for Jamaica in the sprint relays as the women’s team ended with silver and the men’s, bronze, as England swept the headline events on the final day of the track and field component at Carrara Stadium.

Spencer, the Pan American Games champion in Toronto three years ago, found early challenges

from England’s Morgan Lake (1.93) and Australian Nicola McDermott (1.91) who eventually finished in the runners-up spots on the podium.

All three jumpers easily cleared 1.91m but Spencer and Lake were left to battle it out after McDermott thrice failed at 1.93m.

They both needed a second jump to clear 1.93 but it was Spencer who distinguished herself once the bar was raised again, as Lake fell out of contention for gold.

“It’s a really good feeling and I am happy I’m the one making history for my country,” said Spencer.

“In the last two editions of the Commonwealth Games I got bronze so I was determined to work hard this time to win gold and my results today were good enough.”

US-based Antiguan, Priscilla Frederick, a Pan American Games silver medallist, finished fifth in a season-best 1.87 while Spencer’s countrywoman, Janelle Scheper, was ninth in 1.80.

Doris, meanwhile, was forced to

pull out all the stops especially after Cuba-born Dominican Yordanys Duranona Garcia laid down the gauntlet from early with a mark of 16.86 on his first jump.

Doris responded with the winning mark on his second leap, forcing Garcia to settle for silver, while Cameroon’s Marcel Mayak II took bronze in a personal best 16.80.

The relays proved a disappointment for traditional powerhouse Jamaica. Four years ago in Glasgow, they swept three of the four including both sprints.

Yesterday, however, they managed to win just one of four but more significantly ensuring the much-vaunted Caribbean nation left the Games without gold in the individual or relay sprints.

Perhaps their biggest disappointment was in the men’s sprint relay which featured two-time Olympic sprint silver medallist, Yohan Blake.

The Jamaicans could muster only bronze as England won in 38.13 and South Africa claimed silver in a new

national record 38.24.

“We’re going through a transition period,” Blake said of the post-Usain Bolt era.

“We were dominating worldwide and coach is working to get me back to that level so I can dominate again.”

Olympic star Elaine Thompson nearly gave Jamaica gold in the women’s sprint relay but she was forced to settle for silver in the end as Lorraine Ugen got to the line first in a national record 42.46.

The Jamaicans tasted gold, however, in the women’s distance relay when the quartet of Christine Day, Anastasia Le-Roy, Janieve Russell and Stephenie McPherson brought the stick around in three minutes 24 seconds to win handsomely.

There was no such luck for the men who finished with bronze as Botswana took gold and the Bahamas silver.

Grenada captured their second medal when Anderson Peters finished third in the men’s javelin with a throw of 82.20.

From back page

Doris lands historic ...

His third jump of 16.26 was inconsequential, as Dominica’s Yordanys Duranona Garcia’s first jump of 16.86, was to be the farthest he extended in the pit to claim a silver medal.

Cameroon’s Marcel May-

ack II earned the bronze medal with his personal best leap of 16.46 metres.

The Chicago native and former standout at the University of Iowa only started to represent Guyana in 2015 and since then, has left an imprint on track and field, carrying the Golden Arrowhead around the world, from the IAAF Diamond League to now, the Commonwealth Games.

Doris now joins Aliann Pompey (400m, 2002), Winfield Braithwaite (Boxing, 1978) and Philip Aaron Edwards (Athletics, 1930) as the athletes to win gold for Guyana at the Commonwealth Games.

Meanwhile, Director of Sport Christopher Jones, in congratulating Doris on his achievement, said, “His medal was expected. I’ve been following him closely, and for the last eight months, you can see his rigorous training regime in preparation for the Commonwealth Games.

So this is the manifestation of hard work, discipline and dedication.”

Jones further added that “it speaks to what could be

achieved if long-term athlete development and support is there and the NSC stands ready and willing to do what we could to ensure many more Troy Doris could be seen on the world stage. The necessary support is most important and critical and I hope that his medal will be a stimulus for younger athletes in Guyana.”

Meanwhile, with the National Sports Awards set for May 23, Jones told Chronicle Sport that the National Sports Commission (NSC) will be celebrating Doris, noting, “I will communicate with him and ensure that he’s here for the Sports Awards and will offer all travel and accommodation to allow him to be properly honoured, meet with the press and other local officials.”

In a report on the popular online news outlet, Demerara Waves, Minister of Social Cohesion Dr George Norton, who also holds the responsibility for Sport, was quoted as stating that he’s “delighted because I think that while our neighbouring Caribbean countries are doing well, it was time for us to strike gold”.

South Africa Racing Tips

09:15 hrs Six Gun Serenade

Scottsville

09:50 hrs Bennachie

08:45 hrs Captain’s Charm

10:20 hrs NO Hiding Place

09:20 hrs Filippo

10:55 hrs Leo Luna

09:55 hrs Neptune’s Rain

11:30 hrs Indian Reel

10:30 hrs Pure Logic

12:00 hrs Show’s Over

11:00 hrs Hit And Run

12:30 hrs Irish Odyssey

English Racing Tips

Irish Racing Tips

Ffos Las

Cork

09:05 hrs Luckofthedraw

09:00 hrs Escapability

09:40 hrs Lickpenny Larry

09:30 hrs Bloomfield

10:45 hrs Behind Time 11:20 hrs Tambura 11:50 hrs The Lion Dancer 12:20 hrs Smiths Cross Newcastle

10:05 hrs Faughill 10:35 hrs Aussie Valentine 11:45 hrs Our Anniversary 12:15 hrs Admirality

09:25 hrs Roo Roo

Tramore

10:00 hrs Sharney Sike

08:50 hrs Kiera Royale

10:30 hrs Main Fact

09:20 hrs Aherlow

11:05 hrs Swing Hard

09:55 hrs Wee Small Hours

11:40 hrs Piri Massini

10:25 hrs Pylonthepressure

12:10 hrs Nelly La Rue

11;00 hrs Luckyinmilan

12:40 hrs Eastview Boy

11;35 hrs Bellgrove

Plumpton

12:05 hrs Kiss Me Kayf

26

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, April 15, 2018

Tiger Roll wins dramatic Grand National by a head

By Elizabeth Hudson IRISH challenger Tiger Roll won the Aintree Grand National in a photo finish after holding off a late surge by Pleasant Company.

The 10-1 chance Tiger Roll, ridden by the experienced Davy Russell, who had never won the race before, surged clear of the rest of the field late on.

Tiger Roll tired on the run-in as Pleasant Company (25-1) and David Mullins moved to challenge.

But he managed to hold on to win by a head for trainer Gordon Elliott.

It is a second win in the race for Elliott, who guided Silver Birch to victory in 2007, while he also trained the third-place finisher Bless The Wings (40-1).

The Irish completed a clean sweep of the top four with Anibale Fly (10-1), while Bryony Frost, one of three female jockeys in the race, had an excellent run on Milansbar in fifth.

The eight-year-old winner, who has won three times at the Cheltenham Festival in recent years, including in

the cross-country race at last month’s event, had come into the race well-fancied.

He is owned by airline tycoon Michael O’Leary, who also triumphed with Rule The World two years ago.

RUSSELL’S EXPERIENCE PAYS DIVIDENDS Irishman Russell, the oldest jockey in the race at

March and the news of fellow weighing-room veteran Pat Smullen’s diagnosis with a tumour.

Tiger Roll was his 14th Grand National ride, with his third place on Saint Are 12 months ago his previous best finish, and he paid tribute to Smullen afterwards.

“This one is for Pat Smullen. I was speaking to him the

family at home.

“I was also thinking of all the times my dad cut the grass when I was young and it was the only time of the year I enjoyed picking it up because we would make our own Aintree fences around the garden.

“I’ve won this race thousands of times (in my imagination) and I’ve never won it like I’ve won it today. You Irishman Davy Russell is now the winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National.

Tiger Roll (right) just edges out Pleasant Company to win the Grand National at Aintree. (Sky Sports)

38, has had some difficult times over the past couple of months, after the death of his mother Phyllis at the start of

other morning and he’s as tough as nails,” he said.

“I was thinking about Pat and my mother and my

watch it on television then you get a chance to ride in it.

“He really did tire under me but he was so brave. I

thought I might have been done on the line, and it would have been heartbreaking but this is right up there.”

Joy for Frost after memorable first National ride Frost was delighted to finish fifth in her debut Grand National on the Neil King-trained Milansbar.

“He is incredible, he made a few mistakes early on and then gave me a wonderful ride,” she said.

However, neither she nor fellow female jockeys Katie Walsh and Rachael Blackmore ever looked like becoming the first woman to win the historic race.

Walsh was the last of the

12 finishers on the grey Baie Des Iles while Blackmore, like Frost having her first run in the race, fell on Alpha Des Obeaux.

Of the 26 who failed to complete the course, Saint Are, ridden by Ciaran Gethings, a late replacement for Adrian Heskin, who took a tumble in an earlier race, was treated on the course and then moved to the Aintree stables for further assessment.

The field bypassed Becher’s Brook second time round as jockey Charlie Deutsch was being attended to, but he was not seriously injured. (BBC Sport)

Cricket Australia bags billion-dollar rights deal

By Jonathan Barrett

SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) - Cricket Australia (CA) has signed a new sixyear broadcast agreement worth A$1.2B (£655.7M), the board said on Friday, allaying fears of a financial blow in the wake of last month’s ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.

Broadcaster Seven West Media and pay television company Foxtel, which is jointly owned by News Corp and Telstra Corp, secured the media rights, taking over from long-term cricket broadcaster Nine Entertainment.

The deal was negotiated amid the fallout from the Test match in South Africa during which Australia’s players hatched a plan to

tamper with the ball, only to be caught by cameras.

Three players, including then captain Steve Smith, have been suspended.

Cricket Australia (CA) Chief Executive James Sutherland said the issue of restoring the team’s reputation had been discussed.

“We’ve obviously got some rebuilding to do, but it is something that we’ve spoken to both Fox and Seven about,” Sutherland told reporters in Sydney on Friday.

“We are delighted to have them as partners; they are committed to us rebuilding that trust and confidence, not just for Cricket Australia as an organisation and cricket as a sport but also through our players.”

CA said in a statement on Friday that the broadcast

From left: Seven West Media CEO Tim Worner, Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland and Fox Sports CEO Patrick Delany speak to the media at the InterContinental Hotel in Sydney, Australia on Friday. (AAP/Joel)

and digital deal was worth A$1.18B over six years. It was not immediately clear how the figure was calculated.

Seven said in a statement to shareholders that its share of the annual cash rights cost was A$75M. Shares in broadcaster Seven were up more than 12 percent on

Friday, while Nine’s share price was flat.

GAME CHANGERS The new deal, which includes significant coverage of the Big Bash Twenty20 league, women’s cricket and digital streaming rights to Foxtel, replaces a five-year, A$590M contract struck in

2013 that gave broadcast rights to free-to-air stations Nine and Ten Network.

Sporting events remain a strong lure of television audiences for under-pressure Australian broadcasters which are being squeezed by a shift to digital advertising.

However, with less money to spend, broadcasters have also been put under pressure by shareholders to justify the financial benefit of obtaining television rights.

Until Friday, Nine was the assumed cricket broadcaster, with the network holding the media rights for more than 40 years due to a relationship with the sport brokered by the late media mogul Kerry Packer.

Packer founded World Series Cricket in the 1970s, a popular rebel competition to

cricket’s then establishment.

Cricket Australia acknowledged Nine’s contribution to the sport on Friday.

“Our thanks go to Channel Nine, who for more than 40 years has broadcast international cricket at a world-renowned standard – and in so doing has done more to promote our sport than any organisation in Australian cricket history,” Sutherland said in a statement.

While Nine will no longer be Australia’s cricket broadcaster, it will, from 2020, televise the Australian Open tennis event under a deal announced last month.

In doing so, it replaces Seven which has been Australia’s premier tennis broadcaster for more than four decades.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, April 15, 2018

27

60 Days to go…

Brazil, Germany and every World Cup winner from 1930 to 2014 #20 Uruguay - 1930 Played in front of almost 70 000 spectators, the 1930 World Cup final was contested by the two 1928 Olympic finalists, Uruguay and Argentina, in Montevideo. Despite trailing 2-1 at halftime, it was Uruguay who lifted the Jules Rimet following a 4-2 victory in what remains as one of the most pulsating finals on the world stage. #19 Italy - 1934 Like Uruguay four years earlier, Italy went into the final of the World Cup on home soil and were forced to turn the game around after falling behind. In 1934, Czechoslovakia returned to Rome to lock horns with the hosts having beaten Germany 3-1 in the semi-final in the same ground, the Stadio Nazionale, and taking a second-half lead through Antonin Puc. #18 Italy - 1938 Reigning champions Italy entered the 1938 France World Cup amongst the favourites to claim the trophy and picked up an opening victory against Norway on their road to the final. They then dumped hosts France out of the competition before beating Brazil in the semi-finals, ahead of their showdown against Hungary in Paris. Gino Colaussi and Silvio Piola scored twice each to deliver a second World Cup trophy for Italy under manager Vittorio Pozzo with a 4-2 result. #17 Uruguay - 1950 Unlike previous World Cups, the 1950 winners were determined by a final group stage, with the usual knockout stage replaced by a round-robin format between the four remaining teams. Brazil were one point ahead of Uruguay going into the match in Rio and needed only to avoid defeat to claim the title of world champions, but went on to lose 2-1.

World Cup champion as a player (1958, 1962) and a coach, while Pele ended his World Cup playing career as the first three-time winner, having won it in 1958 and 1962. #11 West Germany | 1974 The likes of Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller and current Bayern Munich manager Jupp Heynckes were in the West Germany squad which beat the Netherlands in 1974, claiming a 2-1 victory in Munich. #10 Argentina - 1978 Argentina and the Netherlands fought out a hostile battle in Buenos Aires in the 1978 World Cup final, with the hosts coming out on top after extra-time. Mario Kempes and Daniel Bertoni were the scorers for the Albiceleste, with Dick Nanninga’s late goal for Ernst Happel’s side forcing the game past the 90 minutes. #9 Italy - 1982 Italy and West Germany were 1982’s finalists and they went to war at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu in front of 90 000 people. #8 Argentina - 1986 Having knocked England out of the 1986 World Cup with his hand, Diego Maradona led his Argentina teammates to a 3-2 final victory over West Germany, whose manager, Franz Beckenbauer, became the first to lose a World Cup final as both a manager and a player.

France’s Zinedine Zidane head-butt on Italy’s Marco Materazzi was the highlight of the 2006 World Cup.

#16 West Germany - 1954 Between 1950 and 1956, the Hungary national team picked up 42 wins, 7 draws and just one defeat - a shock 3-2 loss to West Germany in the 1954 World Cup final in Bern, Switzerland. ‘The Miracle of Bern’, as it’s now known, began with the Golden Team of Hungary beating West Germany 8-3 in the group stages of the competition, three days after thumping South Korea 8-0. Ferenc Puskas and company went on to beat Brazil and two-time winners Uruguay before meeting the Germans in the final. #15 Brazil - 1958 The 1958 World Cup saw another host reach the final of the competition, with Sweden facing Brazil in a Stockholm showdown. Unlike Uruguay and Italy previously, who had lifted the trophy of home soil, Sweden were beaten 5-2 at Rasunda Stadium, with Pele scoring twice. #14 Brazil -1962 Brazil followed Italy’s 1930s blueprint to back-to-back World Cup titles by claiming the trophy in 1962 with a win over Czechoslovakia in Chile. Goals from Amarildo, Zito and Vava sealed a 3-1 victory Brazil, despite Pele missing out through injury. #13 England - 1966 They think it’s all over. It is now. The famous statement, uttered by Kenneth Wolstenholme as Geoff Hurst secured the trophy for England at Wembley, is a phrase still cited today, as the Three Lions have never been close to repeating the feat since.

After 90 minutes the game was level at 2-2 and went into extra time, which enabled Hurst to complete his hat-trick and hand his country the World Cup trophy. #12 Brazil -1970 The 1970 World Cup final saw the return of Pele, who scored one of Brazil’s four goals against Italy in Mexico City. Brazil boss Mario Zagallo became the first footballer to become

#7 West Germany - 1990 In a repeat of the 1986 World Cup final, Argentina and West Germany again went head-to-head for the biggest trophy in football.

#6 Brazil - 1994 Another repeat final, this time between Brazil and Italy from 1970; it famously took a penalty shootout to separate the two sides here in the Rose Bowl, California Roberto Baggio missed the decisive penalty for Italy to hand Brazil their fourth World Cup trophy. #5 France - 1998 Brazil again reached the final in 1998, this time against hosts France. The fitness of Ronaldo overshadowed the build-up of the game, but Zinedine Zidane snatched the headlines with two goals before Emmanuel Petit secured a 3-0 victory in stoppage time. #4 Brazil -2002 The 2002 South Korea and Japan World Cup saw both Germany and Brazil top their group stages before easing into the final, with Brazil beating England 2-1 along the way. #3 Italy - 2006 The 2006 World Cup in Germany was contested by Italy and France and is remembered for Zinedine Zidane’s head-butt on Marco Materazzi. France’s David Trezeguet was the only player not to score his penalty, leading to Italy securing their fourth World Cup.

#2 Spain - 2010 The 2010 South Africa World Cup saw two nations looking for their first trophy in Spain and the Netherlands. Following a feisty 115 minutes, the game looked set to go to a shootout before Andres Iniesta scored a last-gasp winning goal to secure the title as world champions for Spain. #1 Germany- 2014 In similar circumstances to four years earlier, Germany and Argentina played out a 0-0 draw before Mario Gotze snatched a 113th-minute winner for Germany in Rio. Miroslav Klose, who became top scorer in World Cup history in Germany’s semi-final victory over Brazil, became one of the few players ever to have won gold, silver and bronze medals in the World Cup.

28

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, April 15, 2018

Manchester City on verge of Premier League title … Salah on target for Liverpool

By Martyn Herman (REUTERS) - Manchester City emerged from a trough of despair to beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 and move to within three points of the Premier League title at Wembley yesterday.

After they were beaten by arch-rivals Manchester United a week earlier from two goals up when victory would have crowned them kings of England, then knocked out of Europe by Liverpool, some suggested that City were beginning to flag.

But Pep Guardiola’s side made a mockery of such talk to outclass a Spurs side unbeaten in the league since December.

Victory, sealed with goals by Gabriel Jesus, Ilkay Gundogan and Raheem Sterling, lifted them to 87 points from 33 games.

An unlikely defeat for Manchester United at home to bottom club West Bromwich Albion today would secure City’s third title in seven

seasons but a win against Swansea City next week will be enough to put them out of reach.

“After 15 minutes I said we’d be champions, after what happened and we reacted,” said Guardiola, who will be on the golf course with his son when United play today.

“These guys are fantastic and awesome. What’s happened in the last week is so unfair. The important thing is that we know we depend on ourselves. We have to win it at home. I am excited to be champions with our fans.”

Third-placed Liverpool beat Bournemouth 3-0 at home with Mohamed Salah taking his goal tally for the season to 40 in all competitions - making him only the third Liverpool player to achieve that mark in a single campaign.

Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino were also on target as Liverpool moved three points above Tottenham.

Liverpool are 10 points above fifth-placed Chelsea who hit back from two goals

Sunrisers consolidate top spot with third consecutive win SUNRISERS Hyderabad panicked and flailed in a chase again, but nowhere near as much as they had done against Mumbai Indians on Thursday.

Their captain Kane Williamson’s half-century, and his 59-run stand with Shakib Al Hasan sealed yet another win that was set up by their bowlers, who had managed to keep Kolkata Knight Riders to 138 for 8 in 20 overs.

It was Sunrisers’ first away match of the season and their third victory in three games put them on top of the points table (Scores: Sunrisers Hyderabad 139 for 5 (Williamson 50, Shakib 27, Narine 2-17) beat Kolkata Knight Riders 138 for 8 (Lynn 49, Bhuvneshwar 3-26, Shakib 2-21, Stanlake 2-21) by five wickets Knight Riders had a sluggish start to the game after they were put in, and apart from Chris Lynn’s 49 that stretched across a brief rain interruption, they barely had a foot in the game.

That was until they realised their threepronged spin attack was virtually impossible to score off.

For much of Sunrisers’ chase, Knight Riders were calling the shots; but with every over of spin bowled, the Williamson-Shakib alliance grew more confident and a calculated acceleration against pace at the right time put to rest the prospect of a collapse-and-recovery style win. (ESPN Criciinfo)

down at relegation-haunted Southampton to win 3-2 and keep alive their hopes of a top-four finish.

Third-from-bottom Southampton are five points from the safety zone after relegation rivals Crystal Palace beat Brighton & Hove Albion by the same score at Selhurst Park and Huddersfield Town beat Watford 1-0.

Swansea City are directly above Southampton after drawing 1-1 at home to Everton.

DAZZLING DISPLAY City’s fans celebrated long and loud after the final whistle at Wembley after a dazzling display by their team.

They dominated the first half and went ahead in the 22nd minute when captain Vincent Kompany’s long pass released Jesus to score in clinical fashion.

Three minutes later Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris sent Raheem Sterling flying although replays suggested the contact was just outside the

area. The referee pointed to the spot, however, and Gundogan rolled home the kick.

they are very close to winning the title.”

Chelsea trailed to goals

The action was just as furious at Selhurst Park with all the goals coming in the

Chelsea’s Olivier Giroud celebrates scoring their third goal with Marcos Alonso, Cesar Azpilicueta and team mates. (REUTERS/Ian Walton)

Tottenham, whose 14-match unbeaten league run was their best spell since 1967, responded through Christian Eriksen before halftime but Sterling wrapped up the points in the 77th minute.

“We missed the first 25 minutes,” said Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, whose side face Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-finals next week.

“We have to congratulate Manchester City because

by Dusan Tadic and Jan Bednarek at St Mary’s but Olivier Giroud came on as a 61st-minute substitute for the visitors to spark a stunning turnaround.

First, Giroud expertly met a cross from Marcos Alonso, who was lucky to be on the pitch after stamping on Shane Long.

Eden Hazard equalised from close range before Giroud fired in a low shot to give Chelsea the points.

opening 34 minutes, including a first-ever league double for Palace’s Wilfried Zaha.

Huddersfield rose to 14th thanks to an injury-time goal

by Tom Ince while Jordan Ayew returned from a threematch ban to earn Swansea a draw against Everton.

Burnley earned their fifth straight league win with a 2-1 victory over Leicester City at Turf Moor to boost their chances of possible Europa League qualification.

Roy inspires Daredevils to extend Mumbai Indians misery

Jason Roy plays one off the back foot in his dashing unbeaten 91. (BCCI)

DEFENDING Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Mumbai Indians continued their dismal start to the 2018 tournament with a seven-wicket loss to Delhi Daredevils.

The Indians began the competition with a pair of desperately tight reverses at the hands of Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, before another followed here as debutant

Jason Roy inspired the visitors with an outstanding unbeaten 91 at Wankhede Stadium.

Suryakumar Yadav (53) moved up to open and made a half-century for Mumbai, while Evin Lewis (48) and Ishan Kishan (44) came close, but a middle-order collapse left their total at 194-7 and the door ajar for the Daredevils.

Roy duly stepped up, work-

ing well with a trio of partners to lead the charge and reach Delhi’s target with the final ball, earning their first win as the Indians’ misery goes on.

Having set targets that were just within reach of their opponents in the opening two matches, the Indians made sure to hit big from the start.

The Delhi bowling was as generous as the fielding in the powerplay and openers Suryakumar and Lewis made hay, with the latter - out for a duck on his debut just a week earlier - hitting four boundaries in a scintillating sixth over.

That partnership was finally ended in the ninth over as Lewis, having just taken Mumbai into three figures, slogged to Roy at long off.

Suryakumar made his 50 before being trapped lbw, with Kishan then picking up the baton and smashing seven boundaries his stint ended by Dan Christian (2-35), who swiftly removed Kieron Pollard, next in, for a golden duck.

Indians captain Rohit Shar-

ma (18) struggled to keep things moving, though, and the Daredevils belatedly had wickets falling with some regularity late on as the hosts’ run rate dipped below double-digits in the penultimate over.

Given Mumbai’s earlier dominance, a target of less than 200 kept Delhi’s hopes of a fightback very much alive.

And it quickly became clear that the Indians’ disappointing end to their innings would prove costly as Roy offered a strong response, smashing an early six out of the stadium.

Rishabh Pant (47) then arrived in the middle to build a partnership of 69 with Roy until the 20-year-old was caught by Pollard as he chased a half-century, bellowing his frustration as he departed.

A breathtaking Hardik Pandya dive halted Glenn Maxwell at 13 off six balls, but there was no let-up from Roy and two boundaries, plus a nerve-wracking single, in the final over - with 11 required got the job done. (Omnisport)

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, April 15, 2018

29

BV/Triumph 8th of May Movement Village Celebrations

Sideline edge Backdam 2-1 as U-17 football competition continues AS the BV/Triumph 8th of May Movement Village Anniversary Celebration activities continue, Sideline emerged winners over Backdam in the 2018 Inter-Block football competition.

The match which was played under floodlights at the BV/Triumph Community Centre ground was a highly competitive match between the two teams and was witnessed by a large crowd from the villages of Beterverwagting and Triumph, as well as neighbouring villages.

Sideline and Backdam have a rich history of fierce, but fair rivalry in a variety of sport disciplines, with soccer being the main feature.

The match which was very intense throughout, saw striker Tyrice Dennis ush-

Six-race card at Ryan Crawford Memorial Turf Club today THE Ryan Crawford Memorial Turf Club will stage a six-race card today beginning at 13:00hrs at its racing track, Alness Village, Corentyne, Berbice.

The feature event has a first prize of $200 000 and a trophy for animals classified J and Lower and will see the likes of Not This Time of the Shacking Stable, O. Ryan of the Crawford Stable and Wise Thom among others compete for bragging rights.

Other races on the day’s card will involve horses classified L and Lower Open, L2, L3, K Cl;ass and Lower and Cow Horse race.

According to reports, the track at Alness is in fine condition and turfites can expect an exciting day of horse racing.

This event is being staged one week prior to the Budhan Turf and Sports Club race meet which is scheduled for next Sunday at the club’s facility, Number 66 Village, Corentyne, Berbice with a six-race card also.

Over $200 000 in prize money will be up for grabs along with trophies.

er in the first goal with a right-foot whirling kick from approximately 35 yards out from the goal on the right wing. Dennis’ server- whirlkick hit the upper right corner of the net, leaving Backdam’s goalkeeper stranded in the middle of the goal with no chance of saving.

The striker’s high quality goal further excited the already upbeat Sideline supporters and sent the large Backdam followers into a momentary, stunning silence.

As if to rub into the wounds of the Backdam supporters, Dennis celebrated his fantastic goal by running and sliding chest down as his teammates compulsively swoop over him.

With Sideline completing the first half 1-0, Backdam

Tyrice Dennis (L) and Jerome Robinson

were keen to bounce back in the second half. However, in the 65th minute, Sideline’s Jerome Robinson took a

cross which came from the right wing, as he lurked just left of the centre of the goal, to produce a beauty that

pierced the net, just right of the wedged Backdam’s goalkeeper.

It was Sideline’s second goal of the evening, and the statement of 2-0, coupled with the clock rapidly approaching 22:00hrs, the course of the night’s events seemed a bit too much for the Backdam supporters, as scores of them trickled through the gate in frustration.

Nevertheless, it was young Ian Dooker’s courageous effort that put some respectability to the Backdam block, as he, having received a pass, worked his way through the Sideline’s defence to give an astonishing solid right kick to bore the Sideline’s goalkeeper to the far right of the net and

register Backdam’s first goal of the evening.

However, it was to be Backdam’s only goal, as with 11 minutes remaining and what seemed like an uphill task for an equaliser, especially in light of Sideline’s never-relenting defensive attitude, the referee closed the curtain on the 90-minute action at 22:18hrs, to record Sideline’s 2-1 victory over Backdam.

The BV/Triumph 8th of May Movement senior soccer tournament continues under floodlights today at the Beterverwagting Community Centre ground from 18:00hrs. The first game will feature Sideline opposing Ogle Street, while in the second match Central will engage Backdam.

GFF/Pele Alumni Frank Watson U-15 League - East Bank FA

From tragedy to triumph

Swan recover to beat Mocha Champs 3-2; Herstelling fight back

McMaster says BVI key to motivation

SWAN Football Club, in their first tournament as a member of the East Bank Football Association (EBFA) showed great composure in clawing their way back to beat Mocha Champs 3-2 in their final game of the GFF/Pele Alumni Frank Watson U-15 Intra Association League yesterday at the Timehri Red Ground.

In the other match played, Herstelling Raiders fought back from a two-goal deficit to earn an equal share of the points against Kuru Kururu Warriors as the former brought their campaign in this league to a close with 14 points from their quota of 11 matches.

The Warriors, with one match to play against Agricola Red Triangle today, are one point ahead of the Agricola side in their inaugural tournament which is sponsored by the Pele Alumni Corporation.

A win for either side today can see them place second to Timehri Panthers, who are

Herstelling Raiders and Kuru Kururu Warriors battling it out yesterday at the Timehri Red Ground

already assured of the title with a game to play against Mocha, on Saturday, when the League will come to an end.

The other match today brings together Mocha Champs and Diamond United from 09:30hrs, the penultimate day of the competition which kicked off on January 20th at the Grove Playfield.

In yesterday’s main attraction, Mocha Champs took the lead after eight minutes of play through a Jermaine Harry goal but Swan fired back to even things up in the 15th minute, compliments of a Christov Roberts strike.

But ten minutes later, Mocha restored their

one-goal advantage when Yohance Porter found the back of the net. That advantage lasted until the 55th minute when Swan evened the score once again through Kevin Daniels’ goal.

This was during a dominant period of play which saw the Linden/ Soesdyke Highway lads miss numerous chances.

So it was no surprise that the winning goal came in the 60th minute off the boot of Azeem Calistro to cap a dominant second half for his team. They end the league on 22 points from their 11 matches - 7 wins, 3 losses and one draw.

GOLD COAST, Australia (CMC) – Newly-crowned Commonwealth 400 metres hurdles men’s champion, Kyron McMaster, says the tragic experience of British Virgin Islands’ devastation by Hurricane Irma, had served as a huge motivation to succeed.

The 21-year-old survived the dangerous category five tropical BVI’s Kyron McMaster celebrates storm, which barrelled through the winning Commonwealth gold in northern Caribbean last September, the 400m hurdles. leaving a deadly trail of destruction.

McMaster’s coach and mentor coach Lennox Graham, after being Xavier Samuels died in the hurricane forced to relocate to the United States which also left thousands homeless. following the hurricane.

But even though being away It was an event which nearly led him from his beloved country, McMasto quit the sport.

“It was the day after the hurri- ter said BVI remained in his heart cane. My coach’s sister lived right and was his single most important down the hill from us,” McMaster motivation.

“With the hurricane, the loss of was quoted as saying. “She told my father and my father told me (of my coach, moving to a new coach, the death of Samuels). I said every changing to a new programme, adaptday immediately after that: ‘I don’t ing to a new life it’s been a hard six want to continue track because I months on me,” McMaster explained.

“My country is the motivation for really have very little motivation left because I lost someone very close me right now. I’m just searching for ways to help everyone get through to me.”

He added: “For me it was com- this with me. I know they’re back ing to an experience and actually home celebrating.”

He added: “The BVI is a small knowing not to take life for granted because at any moment stuff could place. Of course, from the day after the hurricane everyone was out there happen.

“For me to be in stuff like that, moving branches, rocks. We aren’t and then my coach, for me to come totally wiped as everyone thinks. out here and do this today it shows a We’re in the process of building lot. Every opportunity, go out there back. It’s still a great country.”

On Thursday, McMaster like it’s your last.”

McMaster now trains at Clemson clocked 48.25 secs to win gold, the University in South Carolina under BVI’s first at a global meet.

30

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, April 15, 2018

Queen’s Prize Individual Finals

Braithwaite ends 18th; Goodluck 24th … Luckman takes gold with record shoot

THE Guyanese duo of Lennox Braithwaite and Ransford Goodluck ended their quest for medals at the Commonwealth Games Queen’s Prize Individual Fullbore Shooting Finals without one but turned in sterling performances in the process.

Coming up against the best marksmen in the world, Braithwaite, going into the final two ranges (900 and 1000 yards) on the third and final in 8th place ended the championships in 18th place with a grand aggregate of 396 points and 35Vs while Goodluck accumulated 390:31 to end as the third best Caribbean shooter behind Barbadian Jason Wood who managed one point more than Goodluck but one V less.

Braithwaite’s final total,

apart from being the best achieved by a Caribbean marksman at the championships, was also his best ever at these games. Taking the gold in record breaking style was Englishman David Luckman whose 404:49 eclipsed the previous record of 401:42 which he himself had set at the Glasgow Games four years ago.

Such was the performance of the gold medallist that he dropped just a single shot in three days of competition at eight ranges. The Englishman dropped his final shot of the championships.

Taking the gold medal on Vs was Australian Jim Bailey who had held a slim lead going into the final day.

Bailey ended with 403:50 but ahead of Parag Patel of England who had to settle for

Lennox Braithwaite - a job well done

the bronze with 45Vs. Scotland’s Ian Shaw was 4th with 402:39, followed by Jersey pair of Barry Le Cheminant

Ransford Goodluck on the final day

401:50 and David Le Quesne 400:47, Canada’s Nicole Rossignol 400:38, New Zealand’s John Snowden 400:35, Aus-

GCB/Hand-in-Hand U-19 Inter-county Tournament

Essequibo batsmen frustrate U-17 bowlers to end day one on 261-7 WHEN round two action in the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/Hand-in-Hand Insurance Under-19 Inter-county three-day tournament began yesterday at the Everest Cricket Club

tralian Ben Emms 399:48 and Gareth Morris of Wales 399:45 to close out the top 10.

The other Caribbean

shooters who competed are Jamaican David Rickman 375:19 (27th), Barbadian Richard Arthur 374:18 (28th), Denis Nelson – Jamaica 371:23 (29th), Delborn Joseph – Trinidad & Tobago 362:17 (30th), Edworth Benjamin – Antigua & Barbuda 354:20 (31st), Michael Perez – Trinidad &Tobago 354:15 (32nd) and Desroy Maile – Antigua & Barbuda 338:9 (33rd).

In the Pairs competition, Guyana had finished 11th of the 16 competing teams and the top Caribbean nation. Meanwhile, the Guyanese, like their Caribbean counterparts, will now turn their attention to the West Indies Fullbore Shooting Championships set for the Land of the Flying fish, Barbados, next month.

Victory Valley Royals remain unbeaten

Wins for Raiders and Jets as Linden dominate

ground, Essequibo, playing against the GCB Under-17 Select team, reached 261 for 7 at stumps.

Essequibo won the toss and took first strike. They were indebted to vice-cap-

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

Victory Valley Royals’ Orlan Glasgow goes hard to the basket in his side’s victory of pacesetters.

(Sunday April 15, 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)

76 matches (2012 & 2013)

(2) 2014)

Wriddhiman Saha-115* (King’s XI Punjab vs KKR,

Today’s Quiz: (1) In which IPL tournament Andre Russell was voted Man of the Series?

(2) Who is the first WI to be declared Man of the Match in an IPL final?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Part of the action at the Everest ground yesterday. (Delano Williams photo)

tain Kurt Lovell, who has so far top-scored with 49 off 64 balls, while skipper Kevin Christian contributed 45 off 86.

Support also came from Orlando Jailall, Mark Ramsammy, Shane Wong and Quintin Sampson who managed scores of 21, 30, 23 and 38 runs respectively.

Meanwhile Joshua Jones was not out on 27 as well as Joel Fortune, who has mustered only 5 runs after facing

15 balls, before the close of play.

Bowling for the Select Under-17 team, Marvin Prashad picked up 3 for 74 while Sylvian Williams captured 2 wickets for 41 runs so far.

The match between Essequibo and the U-17s will continue at the same venue today while day one of the match between Demerara and Berbice will start at Lusignan Community Centre ground at 10:00hrs.

THE Victory Valley Royals stopped Pacesetters 95 – 78 to remain unbeaten at this year’s National Club Championship which is on-going at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

When the tournament continued on Friday, Amelia’s Ward Jets and Retrieve Raiders joined the Royals on a night of ‘clean sweep’ for the Linden-based clubs.

Retrieve Raiders had the better of Berbice’s Canjek Knights 58-56, while the Amelia Ward Jets soared past Eagles 83-75.

Last evening, the opening fixtures saw Canje Knights coming up against Plaisance Guardians, followed by defending champions Bounty Colts taking on Raiders.

A clash between Victory Royals and Kobras was also a part of the evening’s triple-header.

Tonight, four more games will be contested with Kobras facing Pacesetters, Nets battling the Amelia’s Ward Jets and defending Champion Bounty Colts looking to keep a keep their feet on the pedal against the Canje Knights. In the evening’s final game, Ravens will play Linden’s Half Mile Bulls. Games commence at 16:00 hours.

The National Club Championship will continues on April 18; 20 and 21 with preliminary games, while April 22 and 28 are set for Semi-finals and Finals.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, April 15, 2018

31

John victorious in 14th Universal Auto and General Supplies cycle meet

By Michelangelo Jacobus TEAM Coco’s cyclist Jamual John surged to his first victory of 2018 in the feature 35-lap Schoolboys and Invitational race of the 14th annual Universal Auto and General Supplies 11race cycle meet yesterday at the inner circuit of the National Park.

John, who has been searching for his first win of the season since the turn of the year, won comfortably, leading throughout the race and finishing by a gap of at least five cycle lengths to dethrone last year’s winner Hamzah Eastman.

He finished his race in a

time of one hour 15 minutes 12.9 seconds ahead of second-placed Deeraj Garbarran while Eastman had to settle for third.

GDF’s Alonzo Ambrose came in fourth and he was followed by David Hicks and Raymond Newton, fifth and sixth in that order.

Speaking to Chronicle Sport after his victory, John pointed out that while it “felt great to notch up my first win of the year”, he’s looking to transfer his current form to today’s Powerade 46-miler road race.

David Hicks grabbed three of the eight sprint prizes while John, Garbarran, Newton, Eastman and Ambrose

settled for one each.

Over in the Junior category, Ajay Gopilall triumphed over Adealie Hodge and Briton John in that order.

Lear Nunes was first across the finish line in the Veterans U-45 race. He was followed by Syvourn Fernandes and Paul Thomas in second and third respectively.

In the Over-50 event Ian Jackson copped top honours ahead of Kennard Lovell and Linden Blackman.

In the 12-14 Boys’ and Girls’ category David Hicks triumphed over Jonathan Ramsuchit and Jumar Heyliger while Jared Barrington took first place in the Boys and Girls 6-9 race ahead of

Jessica Mohabir.

Shameer Baksh of Universal Auto and General Supplies was on hand to present the successful cyclists with their trophies and prizes.

Action will now head over today to the West Demerara roadways for the 8th annual Powerade 46-miler road race where all eyes will be on John who won last year’s edition.

The race is scheduled to begin at 08:30hrs at the Demerara Harbour Bridge (Schoonord) and proceed to Bushy Park, East Bank Essequibo before returning to finish at the point of origin.

Team Coco’s Jamual John eases across the finish line for his first win of 2018.

Twenty shortlisted for Lady Jags ahead of CFU Challenge Series

THE Guyana Football Federation (GFF) will turn to their more experienced overseas-based players for the April 23-30 CFU Women’s Challenge, as the Lady Jags, the country’s senior women’s national team, travel to Trinidad and Tobago for the first-of-a-kind tournament.

Twelve of the 20 players shortlisted by the GFF will come from overseas, with the squad consisting of two goalkeepers, five defenders, nine midfielders and four forwards from both the Guyana and international-based pool of players.

The announcement was made yesterday at a team meeting held for the Guyana-based players at the

Boardroom of the GFF by Akilah Castello, newly-appointed assistant coach.

Also present at the meeting were Ian Greenwood, GFF’s Technical Director and Eon De Vieira, the Guyana-based goalkeeping coach respectively.

“The coaching staff is looking forward to these exhibition matches to build cohesion as well as to assess playing strengths of the team,” said head coach Dr Ivan Joseph.

“We are looking forward to the Challenge Series and have the ‘Lady Jags’ back on the pitch to compete in a high level environment. Our goal is to use this tournament as a building block to prepare our team for the first

Mariam El-Masri, one of the leading goalscorers for Guyana, was shortlisted by the GFF.

round matches of the CONCACAF Women’s Qualifiers in May.” Dr Joseph said the team will use the opportunity for structured team-building, pointing out that “this is the first step in our goal; to qualify for the CONCACAF finals in October. We have many new faces on the team as well as new staff and in order to perform at our best in the coming months, we must ensure that we are all on the same page.”

The recently-appointed Lady Jags coach said the tournament will be used as a training environment to assess the players, and “it is also an opportunity for the team to get some much-needed time together

Team Trinidad confirmed for second King of the Strip

By Stephan Sookram

A PACKED lineup of Trinidadian competitors will invade Guyana in just over a week’s time for the second edition of the King of the Strip drag race meet.

Information out of the twin island republic indicates that several cars and bikes have been shipped, compliments of the club’s main sponsors Tropical Shipping.

The team includes four cars and two bikes which were packed earlier this week

en route to Guyana for the April 22 event.

According to sources, of particular interest is the rail car owned and piloted

by Andy Bissessar. The purpose-built drag car, which can fly across the strip in sub10-second times easily, is expected to make its maiden run here.

Along with that car are the ‘Tweety Too’ Nissan Laurel of Jeremy Rooks, the R32 Nissan Skyline of Jagdeo Seecharan aka MadCow and the All-Out Performance

team’s machine.

Two purpose-built drag bikes of Ian Atherly and Shawn Briggs are expected out of Trinidad shortly.

GMR&SC president Rameez Mohamed contended that this is what the club has been working on from the beginning of this year, getting international competition.

“Earlier this year, I went to a drag meet in Trinidad to try and solicit competition for our local guys to foster a better drag meet and also put on a better show for

Guyanese.”

That has now resulted in several Trinidadian competitors. Included is a rail car which is sure to thrill the fans when it takes on the fans here,” Mohamed added.

“Obviously,” he added, “The South Dakota Strip has to undergo some work to facilitate these cars but we are confident that things are going to go well.”

Other than Tropical Shipping, JAPARTS, Mohamed’s Enterprise and Ansa McAl are on board with the event.

to build a game plan and structure that will help us succeed.”

Guyana have been placed in Group E of the five-group tournament with Suriname and Grenada and will have their first match against Grenada on April 25 at the Ato Boldon Stadium, beginning at 16:00hrs.

Guyana’s second match is scheduled for April 27, at 16:00hrs against Suriname and will face hosts Trinidad and Tobago on the April 29 at 17:30hrs.

The format includes four teams each in five groups, where the matches in each group will be played in round-robin format.

The tournament will be held from April 18 to 29 and

will be played in St Kitts and Nevis, Jamaica, Haiti, Antigua and Barbuda and Trinidad and Tobago.

SQUAD: Goalkeeper: Aneesa O’Brien (Canada), Natalie Nedd (Guyana). Defenders: Sasha James (Guyana), Rylee Traicoff, Nikkita Persaud, Jessica Meyers and Jade Vyfhuis (Canada). Midfielders: Nailah Rowe, Julia Gonsalves, Brianne DeSa, Calaigh Copland (Canada), Allison Heydorn (USA), Mariam El-Masri (Singapore). Siacy Adams, Shontel Greene, Tiandi Smith (Guyana). Forwards: Brittany Persaud, Jimmaica Hunte, Annalisa Vincent and Lakeisha Pearson (Guyana).

Doris lands historic gold medal at Commonwealth Games … Red-carpet welcome to be extended by the National Sports Commission

Gold medallist, Troy Doris of Guyana, poses during the medal ceremony for the Men’s triple jump at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, at Carrara Stadium in Australia.

(Source: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images AsiaPac)

By Rawle Toney LEADING up to the Olympic Games in Brazil in 2016, Troy Doris was considered by pundits around the world the one to challenge USA’s Christian Taylor for the gold, especially after resetting the country’s national record in the triple jump (17.18 metres). But the Guyanese, competing at the games for the first time, finished a commendable seventh-place

(16.90 metres).

Fast-forward to 2018, Doris, 29, now stands atop of the Commonwealth as champion, becoming only the fourth Guyanese to win a gold medal at the prestigious games, hosted at Gold Coast, Australia.

Doris had just three of six legal jumps, the first, 16.67 metres, which would not have given him a medal, before a leap of 16.88 brought the ultimate hardware.

Turn to page 25

The ‘Golden’ Leap! Troy Doris during his historic gold-medal jump at the Commonwealth Games.

Spencer ends St Lucia’s 56-year wait with gold in women’s high jump … Jamaica stunned in sprint relays Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

Page 25

SUNDAY APRIL 15, 2018