Guyana chronicle e paper 04 21 2018

SATURDAY 21st April, 2018

No witch-hunt No.105251

… Min Harmon says charges against Singh, Brassington stem from thorough probes

… restates govt’s commitment to transparency, ending corruption

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Major works 09 for Shelter-belt …as GWI, Mexican plant firm sign US$3.5M pact Beepats sales rep faked 21 $2.5M robbery PAGE

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Gold board lab to be 8&10 closed soon PAGES

President David Granger and First Lady Mrs. Sandra Granger arrive at Buckingham Palace for a dinner hosted by Her Majesty The Queen for Commonwealth Heads of Government in London

…as GGMC staff down tools over mercury fallout

SARA gears up for court action

… fine-tuning 10 cases; probing another 50

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No witch-hunt

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 21, 2018

… Min Harmon says charges against Singh, Brassington stem from probes … restates govt’s commitment to transparency, ending corruption

GOVERNMENT on Friday again reiterated its commitment to transparency and the stamping out of corruption here and asserted that the recent charges of public misconduct against two former PPP officials were not politically motivated or directed, but rather stemmed from the results of very elaborate investigating procedures.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon, in an interview with the Public Information and Press Services Department of the Ministry of the Presidency on Friday addressed the charges of malfeasance in public office, which have been brought against former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh and Chairman of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Mr. Winston Brassington, noting that they are a result of months of thorough investigations and evidence-gathering by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), an arm of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

He however said in contrast the charges that have been brought against Minister of Public Health, Ms. Volda Lawrence and Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton are a frivolous and

clear attempt to taint the reputation of members of the government. He said that it is his belief that when the cases are brought before the court those ministers will be vindicated.

“The charges of corruption, it’s a very loose statement that is made by the Opposition that tries to characterise the way in which Government conducts its business. These talks of corruption are without any proof and the opposition is now seeking to grab at straws…

The security agencies, the Police Force and so on have their work to do and when they find as they have been doing, evidence of corruption, evidence of malfeasance and they will take the necessary steps. We don’t have to tell them as a government do this or do that.

They are professional people, we invest in their professional training and therefore they know exactly what they have to do,” Minister Harmon said.

Emphasising the value of the forensic audits, the State Minister said that while these were aimed at ensuring that corrective action is taken in state agencies to correct corrupt or potentially corrupt practices, where recommendations for police actions were made, that information was passed on to the GPF. According to SOCU, a number

of cases are pending and it was on that information that Minister Harmon had said in an statement issued yesterday, that there are more charges to come.

“The forensic audits that were ordered, the results of those audits came to the Cabinet, the Cabinet looked at it and there were recommendations for police action to be taken and where there were those recommendations, they were sent to the police for them to take action. Beyond that, as a Government we do not interfere. It is important for people to understand that we do not direct the Police Force as to who should be charged. We do not direct the Director of Public Prosecutions as to who is to be charged, we do not direct the Police Legal Advisor as to who is to be charged. These are people who act within the ambit of their professional training and judgment on the matters that are before them. So what SOCU has said is that these are just

two charges and there are more to come and that is the basis of my statement,” he noted.

On February 28, 2017, the Stabroek News reported that Head of the agency, Mr. Sydney James had said that it was looking at 18 forensic audit reports, which have resulted over 100 smaller investigations.

The Stabroek News further reported that “James informed that none of the investigations stemming from the 18 audit reports referred to the Unit have yet been completed.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon

Former Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh He explained that although charges have been filed and legal advice sought in some of the cases, investigations into other aspects are still being conducted... In attempting to further explain the complexity of the audit investigations, James said that there are about 86 separate investigations arising out of the NICIL audit and 45 out of the GRDB audit.”

Former Head of NICIL, Winston Brassington

ENDING CORRUPTION Minister Harmon made

it clear that the government is committed to transparency and to ending corruption at all levels and will not stand in the way of ensuring that those who hold public posts and engage in malfeasance while in office are brought to justice.

“We expect that the security forces will do their work, but we will not at the same time allow Mr. Jagdeo and his cohorts, to deny us the right to perform our functions as ministers of the government that the people of Guyana elected us to do,” he said. Referring to the trumped-up private charges brought against Ministers Lawrence and Norton, Minister Harmon said, “This is all a strategy to tie us up in court action day after day so that we can take our eyes off the important thing, which is develop this country for the good of all of our people.”

The minister said that the David Granger administration,

since its assumption of office in 2015, has had the ‘Herculean’ task of fixing the systemic corruption, which existed under the former administration.

He noted that it is under this administration that significant steps were taken to improve accountability and transparency in the public sector and the world’s perception of Guyana.

“I am convinced that we are on the right path. I am convinced that we are doing the right things, maybe not as fast as we need to do it, but sometimes when you have a heavy load, you have to fetch it and then at the same time, move forward, it slows you up a little bit and that heavy load and heavy burden is the years of corrupt practices, which we have to clean up that we inherited from the previous administration. The quality of our government is seen by the huge amount of funds made available by the Islamic Development Bank for projects in Guyana, which I think is $900million. Never before such a large sum of money was made available to us, one being the fact that American Airlines, a major airline in the United States of America has, in spite all that is being said, decided that they are going to commence operations from December,” Minister Harmon said.

Further, he noted that Citizens Bank Guyana through its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Clifford Reis has informed government that it has been able to partner with the Mellon National Bank in the United States

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 21, 2018

No serious human rights breaches … US report notes Guyana’s progress in upholding human rights … PM says report balanced, acknowledges credible 2015 polls

THE United States Government has hailed Guyana’s progress in upholding human rights, but urged that attention be paid to what it described as harsh and potentially life-threatening prison conditions and laws that criminalise same-sex sexual activity, although acknowledging that the latter were not enforced.

According to its 2017 Human Rights Report, Washington recognised that Guyana is a multi-party democracy, observing that national and regional elections were held in 2015, and a coalition of parties APNU+AFC won. The report also acknowledged that despite the PPP’s claims of voter-fraud, “International and local observers considered the elections free, fair, and credible.”

In an immediate reaction to the report, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo who has responsibility for Governance and Public Information, told the Guyana Chronicle that except for the inherited problem of over-crowding of prisons, the US Country Report did not indicate any serious human rights violations in Guyana for 2016. “For me, it is a balanced report that recognises Guyana as an open and free country that has distanced itself, since

2015, from blatant human rights violations, including extra-judicial killings and wanton official corruption,” Nagamootoo expressed.

He said importantly, the report characterises Guyana as a “multi-party democracy” and declares that the APNU+AFC government came to office after “free, fair and credible” elections. This, he said, would rubbish the claims by the opposition PPP that those elections had been rigged. “The report stated that the Guyana Government generally respected judicial independence and impartiality, though there continued to be delays, but trials are fair.

Mr Nagamootoo said the report failed to take note of consultations that were held between the executive and the judiciary to deal with the backlog of cases, and the subsequent appointment of temporary magistrates and puisne judges to address the issue. Nagamootoo himself had spearheaded those consultations.

Meanwhile, the report indicated that there have been no reports of political detainees or prisoners, and government does not interfere in the privacy or correspondence of citizens, or with families and their homes. Additionally, Nagamootoo said in what appeared to be a departure from

post-2015 practices, the coalition government has a clean record of respect for the press and the right to freedom of expression. “The independent media were active and at times expressed a wide variety of views without restriction,” the report acknowledged. In addition, the report noted that the coalition respected academic freedom and freedom of citizens to assemble and protest.

The US Country Report also recognised the holding of local government elections in 2016, and mentioned that those elections were last held in 1994, which would be a serious indictment of the former PPP administration. That administration had been cited in previous reports for “pervasive corruption” and under it Guyana had slumped to the lowest level of the world corruption perception index.

“No wonder then that the current report alluded that there remained that widespread public perception, though recognising that the new government has effectively implemented criminal laws against corrupt practices.

Our government would take a deep look at the report though as a first reaction, it does appear that Guyana has stepped forward into the sunlight of better human

No witch...

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of America, one of the largest banks in that country. He said, “Now, this to some people might appear to be small items, but when you put it all together what you get is a certain level of confidence in

the way in which Guyana is being governed.”

The Minister of State said that the government remains committed to the tenets of accountability and transparency and stands by its record of

management in public office.

On behalf of the Government of Guyana, he pledged that it will continue to govern the country with integrity and respect for the rule of law and public officials will continue

rights practices, since elections were last held in 2015,” the prime minister asserted.

ELECTIONS AND POLITICAL PARTICIPATION Under the subhead, elections and political participation, the report stated that general elections resulted in the first change of the ruling party in 23 years.

It also mentioned that local government elections were held in March, 2016 in all eligible communities throughout the country and were considered free, fair, and credible by international observers.

Although the law provides for local government elections every three years, there had been no local government elections since 1994, the report cited.

On the issue of participation of women and minorities, the report emphasises that Guyana has no laws limiting participation of women and/or members of minorities in the political process, and they did participate.

On the sore issue of corruption and lack of transparency in government, the report stated that the law provides for criminal penalties for corruption by officials, and the government generally implemented the law effectively.

“There were isolated re-

ports of government corruption during the year, and administration officials responded to the reports.

There remained a widespread public perception of corruption involving officials at all levels, including the police and the judiciary.

ACTION ON CORRUPTION The report cited that in March 2016, police officer Louie Dublin was prosecuted for trafficking in narcotics and then in July the government urged the public to desist from “enabling” corrupt law enforcement officers.

On financial disclosures, the report noted that although the law requires public officials to declare their assets to an integrity commission, the commission had not been constituted by year’s end. The law sets out both criminal and administrative sanctions for nondisclosure. If a person fails to file a declaration, that fact can be published in the daily newspapers and the Official Gazette. Failure to comply with the law can lead to a summary conviction, fines, and imprisonment for six to 12 months. If property is not disclosed as required, the magistrate convicting the defendant must order the defendant to

make a full disclosure within a set time. No such publication or convictions occurred during the first nine months of the year. Back in February this year, government swore in three of the four persons nominated to be members of the Integrity Commission.

Former Land Court judge, Kumar Doraisami, who has been named Chairman, along with attorney Rosemary Benjamin-Noble and Pandit Rabindranath Persaud received their instruments of appointment from Minister of State Joseph Harmon. The fourth person, attorney Thandi McAllister, was unavoidably absent from the ceremony.

to be held to high standards to ensure that the Guyanese society does not return to the state of lawlessness it once was over two decades ago.

“I believe in action and not just talk and the action is that our approach to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the commitments under the FATF is basically putting your money where your mouth is.

Minister [Basil] Williams, our

attorney general is currently in the USA attending a CFATF conference. Minister Williams is the Chairman of the CFATF and all of these steps have been taken since we came into office to ensure that we can move this country out of all these different lists as we call them, the black list, grey list, white list and all of these things.

So that we are placed in a situation where we can

now be an example to the rest of the Region, we can be an example to the world, and what financial probity is all about, so when people speak about corruption and so on you have to balance it with what with the rest of the world is seeing of Guyana, what the CFATF is seeing, what the FATF is seeing and what they are saying about processes,” the minister said.

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, April 21, 2018

UK group donates £2000 to help empower Guyanese women

THE Guyana United Kingdom Social Development Association (GUSDA) this week donated a sum

of £2000 to First Lady Mrs Sandra Granger which will be utilised to support her programme of activities

aimed at empowering women and girls in Guyana.

According to the Ministry of the Presidency (MoTP), the presentation ceremony was hosted at the Guyana High Commission in London, where the First Lady is accompanying President David Granger as part of Guyana’s delegation to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

Guyana’s High Commis-

generous donation , the First Lady noted that her office is involved in a number of projects, including STEM Guyana, which introduces Robotics to students and young people countrywide, partnering with Women Across Differences to provide teenage mothers with opportunities to continue and further their education; hosting child and elderly care workshops and the Self Reliance and Suc-

GUSDA chair, Orin Alexander presents the donation to First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger as Guyana’s High Commissioner to the UK,Hamley Case, looks on.

First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger (centre, seated) is flanked by members of the association. Seated next to her , from left, GUSDA Vice- Chairperson, Mala Bheem, Chairperson, Orin Alexander, Patron, Ram John Holder and GUSDA Secretary, Coreen Carberry

sioner to London, Hamley Case, also attended the presentation ceremony. While expressing appreciation and gratitude to donors for their

cess in Business Workshop which aims to help participants acquire the tools to become entrepreneurs.

She said that these have

all been made possible through collaboration with the Ministries of Education, Social Protection and other agencies , in the delivery of their projects, as well as through the generosity and support of individuals and organisations in Guyana and in the diaspora.

Chairman of GUSDA, Orin Alexander, said that the association admires the First Lady’s “leadership, passion, sense of purpose and professionalism” in delivering projects aimed at educating and empowering the vulnerable citizens of Guyana. He said that

GUSDA has been inspired by the positive feedback received from participants across Guyana of the First Lady’s programmes. Alexander said that although the association is small, “our members have big hearts and are unwavering in their commitment to Guyana”. Alexander emphasised that the empowerment of women plays a critical role in tackling domestic abuse, suicide, sexual exploitation and unemployment, and pledged further support to other projects.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, April 21, 2018

Gov’t commissions $365M pump station at Lusignan

…over 50,000 ECD residents to benefit OVER 50,000 residents of low-lying areas on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) can expect less flooding during the rainy season because of the new $365 million pump station that was commissioned at Lusignan, ECD on Friday.

With a pumping capacity of more than 95, 000 gallons per minute, the pump station is set to provide relief to residents who have been faced with severe flooding in the

will have direct and indirect impacts on the economy.

“A recent study highlighted that the impact of climate change in the future could result in maximum probable losses of US$300 million… therefore, we need to adapt to climate change by improving disaster risk management,” Holder said, pointing out that the ministry had already implemented its Flood Risk Management Project to handle the adverse

Bank to implement priority risk reduction measures on the ECD. Areas that will benefit from pumps and other risk reduction initiatives include Hope/Enmore, Vigilance/ Lusignan and Friendship.

Project Manager of the Agricultural Sector Development Unit (ASDU), Dhaneshwar James, had said that three critical pumps along the ECD at Lusignan, Buxton/Vigilance and Hope/Enmore Agriculture Minister Noel Holder inspects the engines that power the pumps

The newly commissioned pump station at Lusignan

past. “One hopes that with the effective management of its operation, residents are likely to be protected from adverse weather conditions,” said Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Delma Nedd, during her remarks at the commissioning of the pump station.

Chairman of the La Reconnaissance/Mon Repos Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), Ayube Mohamed, said the pump station is a “welcome relief” to the community.

Considering that the heavily populated low coastal plain is six feet below sea level, pumps and other flood risk management initiatives are needed to manage floods along the coastline.

Speaking directly to that topic was Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder. He said the ministry has been exploring many ways to improve the drainage capacity, since that is one of the important ways of dealing with floods, especially in the coastal areas.

“As such, most of our activities in low-lying areas are focused on risk reduction and disaster management, as well as adaptation and mitigation initiatives to manage floods and droughts,” said Holder.

Since there has been a direct link between flooding and climate change, it is important to assess the negative impacts that follow, the minister said, noting that extreme weather events are expected to increase and it

effects.

The construction of the pump was part of the project which is particularly aimed at the reduction of flooding in the low-lying areas on the ECD. The pump station is expected to reduce the community’s exposure to flooding, since Lusignan and surrounding communities experience flooding caused mostly by overtopping of the conservancy and heavy rainfall.

In addition to the pump station at Lusignan, the minister pointed out that US$11,890,000 line of credit was attained from the World

were scheduled to be constructed. “Additionally, we commenced rehabilitation works to the dam in February 2017 and have completed 31 per cent of that aspect of the flood-risk management project,” said James.

Once completed, the remaining two of three pump stations are expected to bring much needed flood relief and improved drainage to farmers and residents along the ECD. James said approximately 114,000 households along the East Coast of Demerara are expected to benefit from better drainage and irrigation.

Onlookers get a glimpse of how the pump works (Adrian Narine photos)

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Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, April 21, 2018

A language policy WHEN the Ambassador for France was recently presenting his credentials, he indicated that the French Government could arrange teacher exchanges in English and French and also the granting of scholarships to French language teachers in the secondary schools, so that they could perfect their teaching skills and knowledge of the language.

This generous offer was appreciated by educationists.

This offer by the ambassador has resuscitated the question of an educational language policy for Guyana. Until much after Independence, the foreign languages usually taught in the secondary schools were Latin and French. Latin was regarded as an “intellectual” language, since a great number of Latin usages came to be integrated in English Law and also because of the influence of Latin on the English Language. Actually, almost all words expressing abstract concepts in English are derived from Latin directly, or from Latin through French. And French, from the 16th century was the language of culture and the lingua franca of Europe.

After World War II, western education systems dropped Latin from their curriculula and French became less important since English replaced it as the world’s lingua franca.

Both Latin and French fell out of the secondary school curriculum and from the late 1970s was haltingly replaced

by Spanish as the second language in the schools. This trend was partly caused by many more Guyanese visiting Venezuela and Cuba and residing in those countries, and the fact that Guyana had begun to think of itself as part of the South American world. Since the Lethem region is now

developing and there is a growing Brazilian linguistic influence among the local population, many of the secondary schools countrywide have begun to introduce Portuguese in their curricula. At present, therefore, what obtains as foreign language teaching is confined to Spanish and to a growing degree, Portuguese. But the integration of these languages into the secondary schools curriculum is adventitious and not the result of conscious planning. Guyana therefore needs to have a conscious foreign language policy in its education system as most countries have.

Although Guyana is fortunate to have English as its national language as well as the world lingua franca and as such makes communication with the rest of the world easier, it is a small country with neighbours who speak Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch and French. For commercial and political reasons, it would enhance friendly relations with the neighbours if Guyanese spoke their languages.

Foreign languages to be studied in a country’s educational system are chosen not merely because of their economic or political value. There are cultural reasons as well. French, for example, is a great language of culture and its literature is one of the richest in the world. Several countries of Africa have French as their national language and they, like French Guiana, Haiti and Quebec in the Americas have fertile French-oriented cultures. If Guyana is able to reach out to these francophone countries in their own language, relations are bound to be closer and warmer.

The Amerindian languages are an important part of Guyana’s cultural heritage and every effort should be made to keep these languages alive. The neighbouring countries

have large contiguous indigenous populations and our indigenous population could be the basis of closer “familial” relations with these countries. There has been some demand by African groups for the teaching of Swahili and this could strengthen our relations with Africa, especially the eastern countries of that continent. Hindi-Urdu is the language of religion of a very sizable percentage of Guyanese and has a wide cultural influence through Bollywood films and Indian soaps and by live performances. Hindi-Urdu should be taught in those regions, which wish it and should be brought into the national system, absorbing the Hindi schools.

Suriname, which has a similar linguistic milieu to Guyana has long had a national language policy where Dutch is the national language and Hindi and Creolese are officially recognised as Sranami Hindi and Sranam Tongo. Guyana’s language policy should be plural in its approach. The various regional educational authorities should ascertain the non-English language the population wish to be taught and some or all the schools in that Region would teach that language. In all of this, it should be emphasised that English will continue to be the National Language.

Not just Singh and Brassington, but several others should be charged Dear Editor THE Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is the sole constitutional authority whose duties perform a vital role in the administration of justice in criminal matters, uniquely vested with the power and responsibility to exercise control over the prosecution of all criminal matters, except the institution of a court martial.

Moreover, the DPP must not be lazy, biased or disinterested in discharging the constitutionally mandated functions of her taxpayer-funded, public portfolio and office. Otherwise, that person must resign. Guyana’s crime rate is already unacceptably high.

The DPP’s functions are pellucidly set out under Article 187 of the Constitution of Guyana.

They are to institute and undertake criminal proceedings against any

person in respect of any offence that contravenes the laws of Guyana, to take over and continue any such criminal proceedings that may have been instituted by any other person or authority, to discontinue at any stage before any judgement is delivered any such criminal proceedings instituted or undertaken by her or any other person or authority.

These constitutional powers are vested in her to the exclusion of any other person or authority.

The DPP shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other person or authority. In carrying out these functions, the major activities of the DPP are to give legal advice and to appear in court “to discharge in accordance with the Constitution of Guyana, the obligation to ensure that all criminal matters are dealt with in a fair, impartial and efficient manner.”

Simply put, the DPP has to be worth her salt and upkeep, and pro-

vide justice to all, which includes everyone in Guyana, or step aside.

He/she must ensure that persons who break the law are charged and prosecuted according to the laws of Guyana, without fear or favour.

President Theodore Roosevelt encapsulated it best when he said, “No man is above the law and no man is below it; nor do we ask any man’s permission when we ask him to obey it.”

It is respectfully submitted that, based on the laws of conspiracy, aiding and abetting, attempt, misappropriation, misrepresentation, conversion, larceny and fraud, criminal charges are justified. Not only should Ashni Singh and Winston Brassington be charged for indictable offences, but others who were allegedly involved in their elaborate scheme and other schemes also. It may be the tip of the iceberg, and the law and justice must fearlessly follow the facts and the law wher-

ever they may lead to in other cases.

The DPP must do her job, or appoint a special prosecutor. Someone like Justice Ian Chang should be appointed to fairly and competently prosecute this and other cases. In 1983, Chancellor Keith Massiah convened a Special Fraud Court to try such cases which similarly depleted the national coffers, under then Magistrate Ramraj Jagnandan, who did a remarkable job. Senior State Counsel Albert Baldeo, one of the finest prosecutors, prosecuted all of those cases vigorously and fearlessly. The acting chancellor should do likewise, if the DPP refuses to carry out her constitutional mandate.

After all, these are egregious cases involving three plots of state land, to the extent that Singh, “being the Chairman of NICIL and Brassington, being the CEO in December of 2008, by way of Agreement of Sale and Purchase,

sold to Scady Business Corporation a track of state land (4.7 acres) being a portion of Plantation Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, for the sum of $150,000,000, knowing that the said property was valued at $340,000,000 by Rodrigues Architects Associate, a competent valuation officer.”

The other charges allege that “Singh and Brassington sold to Multicinemas Guyana Inc a plot of state land (10 acres) at Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, for the sum of $185,037, 000, without first having procured a valuation of the said property from a competent valuation office, and also that Singh and Brassington in 2009, by way of an Agreement of Sale and Purchase, sold to the National Hardware Guyana Limited a track of state land (103 acres), being a portion of Plantation Liliendaal and Turkeyen for the sum of $598,659,398 (VAT exclusive), Turn to page 7

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, April 21, 2018

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Tackling pesticide suicide

Dear Editor

IN January this year, an article in the local media stated, “The Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board (PTCCB) continues to execute its mandate through the holistic and comprehensive management of pesticides and toxic chemicals in Guyana with key support at the national level.”

Strangely, that mandate makes no mention of addressing pesticide suicide.

Strangely, because in Guyana suicide deaths by poisoning was said to be 36% of all reported suicide deaths from 2009 to 2015.

Poisoning was the ‘preferred’ method due to the easy availability of agro-chemicals. One researcher (Henry, 2015) noted that the increase of pesticides availability in the 10 administrative regions in Guyana, with “very limited controls for procurement,” could be one of the contributory factors to such a preferred method. This is compounded by storage that leads to easy accessibility in homes where such pesticides are used, as well as easy accessibility at places of sales as there are no stringently enforced conditions of purchase.

Regarding the PTCCB mandate, while some controls are in place with respect to sales/usage of agro-chemicals, there seems to be no monitoring to ensure that

these controls are consistently and fully applied across the board, nationally. As well, one wonders whether enough emphasis is placed on information dissemination, so that the public is made aware of the developments and its own roles in pesticide safety. For example, have the poison control centres been established? If so, how many?

Where are they located? Exactly what services do they offer and to what extent are these services being utilised? Is their efficiency being evaluated, so that they can be data-driven and continually evolving to meet current and emerging needs? Also, a few years ago, the Guyana government was represented at a forum on pesticide suicide in The Cayman Islands, organised by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP). To date there has been no mention of any action outcomes resulting from our representation at that forum.

In any case, as The Caribbean Voice (TCV) has continually pointed out, information provision by itself would create very little requisite action. This is why we have been lobbying for implementation of an adaptation of Sri Lanka’s Hazard Reduction Model relating to agro-chemicals, which saw the total number of suicides being reduced by about 50% from 19962005, compared to 1986-1995 – a reduction of approximately 19,800

suicides, after this model was introduced. There is no such proven track record for poison control centres.

In early 2015, TCV and a number of other stakeholders had met with PTTCB and an agreement arrived at that the PTCCB would unveil an adaptation of the Sri Lankan model later in that year.

Nothing has since been heard about that unveiling.

The Sri Lankan model encompasses: 1. Introducing a minimum agro-chemicals list restricting the use of pesticides to a smaller number of pesticides least dangerous to humans.

2. Placing import restrictions to ensure that more dangerous chemicals do not enter the country.

3. Restricting the availability of agro-chemicals by ensuring they are stored safely in locked boxes in rural households, along with all equipment with which these pesticides are used.

4. Ensuring that empty containers are safely and effectively disposed of.

5. R e s t r i c t i n g s a l e o f agro-chemicals only to licensed premises and to licensed farmers.

6. Implementing administrative controls to ensure that sales outlets safely store all agro-chemicals.

7. Implementing an ongoing safe-use policy to educate people

about safe handling, use, storage and disposal. Concurrently, for small-scale farming, non-chemical methods, including organic farming, should be encouraged.

8. Improving medical management of pesticide poisoning: an important facet of control, because better management will reduce the number of deaths. Requirements are the better availability of antidotes (both in central referral hospitals and ideally in peripheral health units) and ventilation facilities, better training, and better evidence for interventions.

9. Constantly monitoring all measures to ensure ongoing conformity, including random home visits to check for locked-box storage and field visits to ensure that only licensed premises and licensed farmers have access to chemicals and that safe handling, use, storage and disposal are in effect.

In this context, the policy of sharing out cabinets to farmers makes sense. However, given that there are tens of thousands of farmers in Guyana, the few hundred cabinets doled out so far is simply a band-aid approach. It is thus time for government to reach out to the World Health Organization and other potential international and local partners to come up with an effective, long-term plan to tackle pesticide suicide.

This plan must, of necessity,

include a widely publicised list of all banned agro chemicals.

Additionally, potent agri-poisons such as gramozone, the choice of poisons in Guyana, must be added to that list. Gramozone contains the lethal ingredient paraquat, a substance banned in many nations across the globe. There is no known antidote and it has one of the highest death rates for poisons once ingested. While there has been no study on its usage in Guyana, a 1997 study by Dr Daisley and Dr Simmons on forensic analysis of acute poisonings in south Trinidad, showed that of 105 deaths analysed, almost 95 per cent were cases of suicide, and almost 80 per cent of deaths were due to paraquat. An analysis of international literature, especially a study in South Korea, shows that the introduction of national policies regulating and banning paraquat led to a significant decrease in pesticide-associated mortality. Yet, access to this poison in Guyana is as easy as access to candy. And, considering that those who attempt suicide generally do not want to die, ingestion of gramozone effectively takes away from them that option to survive.

Regards The Caribbean Voice

City councillors must work to fix the problems in Georgetown Dear Editor, SOMETHING has to be considerably wrong at the Georgetown City Council that needs to be urgently fixed. Just about two years ago, the town clerk and a team of his “heavies” descended upon and demolished premises owned by an elderly gentleman known as ‘Rasta Man’ and which was popularly known as the

“Dread Shop,” situated at ‘A’ Water Street, Russell Square, Stabroek Market.

This act of destroying the structure was brutally done, even though the property was the subject of a matter engaging the attention of the court and consequently this action was considered by many legal luminaries to be unlawful and a show of complete disrespect and disregard for the Court of

Appeal of Guyana. What was most egregious was the fact that the council had granted permission and leased the said property to ‘Rasta Man’ for more than three decades and had continuously levied rates and taxes and charged cleansing fees for the occupation of this location, even though the Ministry of Public Infrastructure had claimed jurisdiction over the area upon which the Dread shop

sat, yet still without warning they demolished the property.

Having committed this act of unnecessary savagery, one expected that the area would have been kept clear and clean or the ‘Dread Shop’s’ replacement would have been some aesthetically pleasing edifice, but alas! No such thing.

Instead, what we have now in its place is an ugly, unhealthy, unsafe, unkempt

tent city. Sprung up there over the last two years has been a squalid shanty facility that is teeming with illegal activities and a complete eyesore to foreign and local visitors to the downtown area. When will the Georgetown municipality understand what it takes to develop the tourism industry in Guyana?

Is this how they are preparing for Guyana’s Carnival? This is what they mean by serving

the city and advancing the nation?

Why doesn’t this present group of councillors who will be demitting office in another few months not understand that all good men and women must take responsibility to create legacies that will take the next generation to a level we could only imagine?

Regards Laquisha Kaftans

Not just Singh and Brassington ... without first having procured a valuation of the said property from a competent valuation officer.”

Similarly, former Ministers of Health Volda Lawrence’s and George Norton’s dealings with ANSA McAl Trading Limited concerning $605,962,200 and the tenancy at George 29 Sussex Street Albouystown concerning the sum of $12,500,000 respectively, must be investigated by the DPP and prosecuted to the full extent of the criminal law if prosecutorial standards are met. The beneficiaries of

these actions are subject to prosecution also.

Firing a suspected white collar miscreant, without indicting and enjoining him/ her from leaving Guyana, can afford and facilitate that person a new and luxurious life away from those he/she destroyed with the stolen assets, and from the reaches of the law and justice. For example, amid the crisis in the sugar industry, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Sugar Corporation, Dr. Rajendra Singh and his Board of Directors were

merely asked to resign, after they had “mishandled” a $6B bailout, and then requested another outrageous $16B “to avert an industry-wide shut down.” Proper investigations, forensic audits and injunctions are mandatory in glaring cases of malfeasance such as these and the several others that have crippled and pillaged Guyana’s economy, and overburdened Guyanese tax- payers.

This opinion is not based on whim or caprice, mere speculation or prejudice, but based on evidence which

could reasonably meet the standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt in criminal cases, the benchmark for instituting criminal charges.

They also reflect serious breaches of the public trust and coffers, and are major financial crimes. They make the U.S. mob and racketeering (RICO) laws pale in significance, and constitute an attack on the collective assets of the Guyanese nation, and are much more than mere “misconduct in public office contrary to common law.”

Anyone charged with plun-

dering national assets will hardly be extradited to stand trial back in Guyana, but like the others, will retire very comfortably in luxury and pomp beyond the jurisdiction of the laws of Guyana and justice, enjoying their filthy lucre invisibly and extravagantly, unnoticed, unabated and undisturbed.

Moreover, it mandates more forensic and in-depth investigations that may lead to bigger criminals, crime syndicates, bosses, cohorts and culprits who sophisticatedly, barefacedly and perversely

From page 6

stole and converted Guyana’s resources and assets to the detriment of the Guyanese people, while considering themselves above the law. I have seen cases with less evidence result in charges, and unanimous guilty verdicts from the defendants’ peers on a jury. The DPP needs to do her job fearlessly and fairly.

The media should not be hesitant to publish this opinion for it is based on a matter of public interest and national importance.

Regards Laurie Ganpat

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, April 21, 2018

GGMC staff down tools over mercury fallout …wear face masks in silent protest

By Zena Henry STAFFERS of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) have promised to stay away from work as long as mercury-laced gold continues to be burnt in the compound.

The GGMC staffers who wore face masks “in silent protest,” downed tools and walked off the job on Friday

as they expressed dissatisfaction over the handling of the mercury issue facing the commission. Groups of staff members who assembled in the yard to leave the GGMC compound told the Guyana Chronicle that they were no longer performing their duties after senior managers refused to continue working in the compound. They said this, as well as the recent death

of another colleague and the continued burning of gold in the GGMC compound has forced workers to react.

“After we heard of the death of the guy yesterday [Thursday], we decided not to protest because even if you are given sick leave, the point is you remain sick.

But the managers, they had a meeting this morning [Friday] and they unequivocally some GGMC staffers who gathered in the compound with the masks before heading home

decided that they were not going to take this anymore and we decided to take the same position. We decided to wear the masks as a silent protest,” a senior staff told this newspaper.

The GGMC staff said that among the issues affecting them is that more persons are proving to be seriously affected by the mercury contamination, and are being sent on sick leave, but the Guyana Gold Board continues to burn gold in the compound. They said another GGMC staff member has passed away and although it is unknown whether his death was directly related to mercury, very little is being done to allay workers’ fears.

They continued to complain about being unable to access their building which formerly housed the Ministry of Natural Resources(MoNR).

They said that the MoNR staffers started to remove from the building, but continue to store paperwork in locked rooms which they believe GGMC staffers could be using. They said the ministry is telling the GGMC that the paper cannot be removed because they have to be seen by the Finance Ministry.

The GGMC staff said that apart from staffers who are already at home, 70 more persons are expected to be sent on sick leave. This they say, will add to the already low staff count at the Brickdam office, given the number of workers on sick leave and out in the field.

Staffers warned that the ministry and other relevant authorities should ensure the mercury issue does not escalate, pointing to a day care and residential homes on Hadfield Street that are in the wind path of emissions.

The GGMC staffer said they have also formed an internal union to represent themselves after they would have severed ties with the Guyana Public Service Union, who they maintain are unable to truly represent the concerns of the staff.

When the Guyana Chronicle visited the GGMC, large groups of masked workers

were leaving the compound.

By mid-morning security

Board’s laboratory and its environs at the GGMC compound, Brickdam, on March 28, 2018. According to the report which was compiled

by Kaizen and released by the Natural Resources Ministry last Friday, 10 locations within the compound were monitored and were found to be within the norm. “The Mercury (Hg) levels monitored at all ten (10) locations were within the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (US OSHA) eight-hour Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL),” the Kaizen report concluded.

Notably, the waiting area, laboratory, smelting room, burning room, mercury abatement site, GGMC parking lot,

Some GGMC staffers testing mercury levels in the compound on Friday

personnel at the commission’s entrance were turning away the public and informing them that the agency was closed and no business was being conducted for the day. GGMC’s Commissioner Newell Dennison said he was not in a position to offer a comment on the workers’ walk-out when one was sought.

Last week it was disclosed that an Air Quality Monitoring study conducted by Kaizen Environmental Services (Guyana) Limited has found that the Mercury (Hg) levels within the compound of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), which also houses the Guyana Gold Board and its lab, is in keeping with the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (US OHSA) standards. Despite the results however, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman has recommended that an “expert review” of the Gold Board’s laboratory be conducted, in the light of additional findings that from a total of 130 GGMC staff tested, 60 persons had higher than the normal level of mercury. The board has been set up.

Kaizen Environmental Services (Guyana) – a subsidiary of Kaizen Environmental Services Trinidad Limited — conducted the Air Quality Monitoring tests at the Gold

GGMC HR Department, the main security hut, GGMC Hadfield Street Security Hut and Conway’s Enterprise, Hadfield Street, were the areas covered during the monitoring exercise conducted by Kaizen.

The report was released hours after the Guyana Gold Board held a joint press conference with the Ministry of Natural Resources at Duke Lodge in Kingston to discuss the concern that GGMC and Gold Board staff may be exposed to high levels of mercury. From the outset of the press conference, Minister Trotman; the Guyana Gold Board Chairman Gabriel Lall; and the General Manager of the Guyana Gold Board, Eondrene Thompson, stated that the health and safety of persons utilising the compound, primarily the workers, are of paramount importance. “It is a priority and our actions have been geared towards addressing the situation toward resolving the situation satisfactorily,” Lall told a corps of reporters.

He said it was on that basis that the Gold Board contracted the services of the Trinidad company to carry out an independent exercise to determine the air quality within the compound of GGMC, where the lab is being housed.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 21, 2018

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Major works for Shelter-belt plant … as GWI, Mexican firm sign US$3.5M pact

By Lisa Hamilton

THE rehabilitation and expansion of the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) water treatment facility at the Shelter-belt has been kick-started with the signing of a US$3.5M contract on Friday between GWI and a Mexican company.

The contract was signed by GWI Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Richard VanWest Charles; Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors, David Dewar and the contracted Mexican company, Hi-Pro Ecologicos.

The project is being funded through a grant from the European Union (EU) and a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and is set to be completed by October 2019.

It will be used to overhaul the chemical mixing and dosing system for alum, lime and chlorine; the rehabilitation of the filtration system; the installation of water quality monitoring systems and more.

Van-West Charles says the undertaking marks an important milestone in the improvement of water supply to the city which is continuously expanding. He stated that the quality of water at the Shelter-belt has been gradually slipping and, as such, rehabilitation is necessary and will continue until the GWI can facilitate a complete overhaul.

“This project is certainly will support and bolster the strategies which we have embarked upon, which are outlined clearly in our strategic plan and therefore we can definitely witness the completion of the project with significant impact on the water here in the capital city of Georgetown,” he said.

Present at the ceremony was Chairman of the Board, Patricia Chase-Green, who stated that it is time to “take the bull by the horns” for the improvement of water supply, not only in Georgetown, but countrywide. “This is just a part of the improvements that we have in store for all of our water areas and all our regions. It’s not only going to be done in Georgetown, but all of our regions…we’re trying to ensure that there is the same water for every single citizen in Guyana,” she said.

Chase-Green then requested the cooperation of citizens to ensure smooth completion of the projects.

Making remarks too was Vice-Chair of the Board, David Dewar, who congratulated the management of GWI for considering Shelter-belt as a priority to move forward in the advancement of water quality and supply.

Speaking briefly, Representative of HiPro Ecologicos, Luis Fabela thanked the GWI for the opportunity to meet the challenge of bringing better water quality to Guyanese.

The company has racked up over 20 years of experience in water treatment and has designed and built over 70 plants to treat wastewater around the world.

Addressing the media, Fabela said: “We will put all our expertise and our knowledge in meeting this task and can rely on us to [do] the work on time and with quality.”

The procurement process for the project will be based on both the national procurement system and the international procurement system of the IDB. However, this project does not include the renovation of the city’s water distribution networks, which the GWI has described as “aging” and for which they will need to source other finances to address.

US$60M is the total estimate given by the CEO for such a plan, which he says the fixed charges within the proposed raise of rates and tariffs being reviewed by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) will address.

“It’s going to be directed significantly, not only at the maintenance and upgrading of the distribution networks of Georgetown but the fixed charge, in essence, will seek to address the distribution network across the country,” he explained. Through other collaborations with the EU and IDB, three water treatment plants will be constructed in Uitvlugt (Region Three); Diamond (Region Four) and Sheet Anchor (Region Six).

Works for the rehabilitation and expansion of the Shelter-belt facility have already begun as contractors and consultants visited the site on Thursday, when the measurement process commenced.

GWI CEO Dr. Richard Van-West Charles (third left) presents the contract to Representative of Hi-Pro Ecologicos, Luis Fabela (second right).Present in the photo are: Board Member, Savitri Singh Sharma (first left); Chairman of the Board, Patricia Chase- Green and Vice-Chairman of the Board, David Dewar (Photo by Adrian Narine)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 21, 2018

Gold Board lab to be moved soon THE Ministry of Natural Resources on Friday convened a special meeting with officials of the Guyana

Gold Board and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission to discuss and resolve ongoing issues of

the threat of mercury emissions and the closure of the laboratory attached to the Guyana Gold Board.

In a release, the ministry said at Friday’s meeting that the critical decision was taken that the laboratory would be moved within the shortest possible time so as to safeguard the health of workers of the GGMC and Gold Board. The intention of the Ministry of Natural Resources is to have the laboratory moved in the first

instance and then the administrative offices of the board thereafter.

In attendance at the meeting was Dr. David Singh, head of the recently appointed Review Committee, who shared his expert knowledge and advice on the best steps to be taken to ensure success and a smooth transition of operations. In the coming

days, suitable sites will be sourced for both short and long-term solutions.

All parties in attendance recognised the critical contribution of gold to the Guyana economy, and by extension, the Guyana Gold Board, and in that regard resolved to cooperate to ensure the minimal disruption of operations.

Police say man admits keeping weed for Lindener A 54-year -old man was remanded Friday for trafficking in narcotics.

It was alleged that on April 18, 2018, at Durban Street, Lodge, Colin Wallace was found with 1kg 734 grams of cannabis in his possession.

According to the information given in court by police prosecutor Richard Harris, Wallace’s home was searched

and in his bedroom the substance was found in a bag with four clear plastic packets.

Wallace told the police: “I just keeping this weed for a man in Linden for the Town Week.”

He was refused bail by Senior Magistrate Leron Daly and will return to court on May 18, 2018.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 21, 2018

SARA gears up for court action … fine-tuning 10 cases, probing another 50

By Ariana Gordon DETERMINED to stamp out corruption here, the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) said it will be moving to the court later this year recover assets stolen from the state.

Director of SARA Professor Clive Thomas, broke the news to reporters Friday just before the commencement of his agency’s “corruption is everybody’s business” walk along Camp Street, Georgetown. Professor Thomas explained that SARA is concerned mainly with civil recovery and not with the sentences persons receive for their criminal acts.

He stressed that it is SARA’s role to retrieve stolen state assets. In this regard, he said, “SARA is intending to take court action at the beginning of the fourth quarter of this year.

That is a definite commitment that we have made.”

Professor Thomas explained that cases are being prepared and he expects that by the third quarter his entity will be placing specific focus on approximately 10 of approximately 60 cases being investigated. “The cases are in the process of preparation.

They may not all be held in the courts of Guyana… so the court cases will start in the fourth quarter of this year,” he said, noting that some cases involve multiple individuals. “We have well over 50-60 cases that we are looking at now.

Beginning at the start of the third quarter we are hoping to focus on about 10, because part of the international commitment we have depends on the value of the cases and we have to make a certain target value.”

He continued: “They have to be above a certain figure for the cases to proceed overseas; to make it worthwhile for the agencies to proceed with the cases.” The Director of SARA reminded that the local legislation dictates that Guyana can only proceed to recover assets in cases that involve more than G$10M, but was quick to note, that sum cannot suffice abroad. “… but that is chicken feed overseas but we have to get cases at least asking the courts overseas to deal with at least US$10M.” He made it clear that in going abroad to retrieve state assets; SARA is look-

ing at bank accounts, money and financial instruments. However, locally, some cases involve the retrieval of lands. “Some cases are already in the criminal court but they have a civil dimension to them. Pradoville is a criminal case but it has a civil dimension,” Professor

Director of SARA, Professor Clive Thomas Thomas told reporters.

Meanwhile, Professor Thomas expressed disappointment with the opposition People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) decision to shun the its anti-corruption awareness campaign and walk. Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo was invited

by SARA to be part of the anti-corruption walk Friday, but he declined.

Jagdeo through Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira described the walk as a “mere smokescreen” to detract from what he believes to be grave violations of constitutional and statutory provisions. However, in a response issued earlier Friday, SARA’s head noted the complaints made by Opposition Leader Jagdeo through Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira.

He made it clear that his agency does not and cannot initiate investigations without first receiving a complaint.

Professor Thomas said too that in keeping with international best practices, processes designed to ensure transparency, fairness and legal appropriateness, his entity can only work with complaints lodged. “SARA does not and cannot pursue criminal cases or put individuals in jail. This is the purview of SOCU, the DPP, and the Guyana Police Force. SARA’s mandate is to recover state assets through civil recovery and

not through criminal recovery,” Professor Thomas noted in response to Jagdeo.

He noted too that he has seen many accusations in the media about a permanent secretary who had over $20B passing through his bank accounts, but has not investigated same because it is a criminal matter.

When speaking with reporters, the SARA head made it clear that there has never been a case pursued that was not referred to the agency either by another criminal agency, the Special Organised Crime Unity (SOCU), the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the police or a government department.

He explained that individuals too can make complaints, but caution must be taken in such cases as there is the potential that false accusations could be made against others, in an attempt to deliberately malign or create mischief.

“We can’t take an allegation of theft as anything more than an allegation.

We have to have some preliminary discussions and evaluation of that.

That is the best practice internationally, and that is what we do.” Professor Thomas disclosed too that the functions performed

by SARA can be done by private firms. He explained that in London, a Bill was passed where any legal firm or accounting firm can seek to recover state assets.

He reminded media operatives that corruption is the fastest growing crime globally and is the least crime for which people are convicted. The SARA head stressed that the agency is an independent, autonomous agency and operates according to international principles and conventions.

The SARA Bill he said, was passed in Parliament and was developed with the help of experienced international experts, including the UNStAR Initiative which comprises both the United Nations Office of Crime and Drugs (UNODC) and the World Bank.

He said too that the constitutionality of the powers vested in the Head of SARA was widely reviewed by the United Nations, international and domestic legal scholars, retired judges, international organisations and anti-corruption agencies around the world.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 21, 2018

Skeldon Energy seeking local suppliers of biomass –– to meet demand for biofuel to run co-generation plant

By Nafeeza Yahya SKELDON Energy Inc. (SEI) on Thursday told attendees at a multi-stakeholder meeting that it is in search of local suppliers of some 100,000 tons annually of biomass to generate enough biofuel to power its co-generation plant.

SEI said it’s targetting ‘the small man’ in its quest to make use of waste from rice, coconut and lumber to be used to make biomass fuel, also known as biofuel, to power the plant year-round.

According to SEI, the plan is to get laid-off sugar estate workers and the average man to make use of products that would have otherwise been discarded and sell it to them, and in so doing earn some income from waste.

The company said it’s willing to pay a little above what it would have paid the Skeldon Estate for its bagasse, due to the economic value it knows generating biofuel from waste could bring to the community.

“We are willing to pay an average of four to five thousand dollars perton for paddy shell, rice straws, saw dust, coconut shells and lumber,” SEI’s Carvil Duncan said, adding: “In the case of lumber, it translates to around $12,000 per cord, which is not bad at all. And even though we may pay a bit higher than normal,we are willing to do

so because of the economic opportunities it presents to the community.”

Duncan assured those present at the meeting that while prices are negotiable, based on the heat value of the raw material, contracts will be provided suppliers, thereby safeguarding their being able to recuperate whatever investment they would have

that were raised came from President of the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce, Mohamed Raffik, who said that with lumber being amongst the list of products being considered for making biofuel, it may vary well lead to deforestation in direct contradiction to what SEI is hoping to achieve.

non-commercial species of lumber. Again, lumber is just a short-term plan, SEI said.

Explaining how the process works in the case of lumber, Duncan said that after the tree is stripped, only a fraction of it is used for logging. The remainder of it, he said, is what they are seeking persons to collect and sell to them for fuel purposes. He

portunity for the entire community to be involved and earn much-needed revenue.

He also noted that presently, residents of the riverine community of Bara Cara has an arrangement with SEI, whereby they are supplying the company with lumber.

SEVERAL OPTIONS

Attendees at SEI’s multi-stakeholder meeting at Skeldon on Thursday made. On top of that, Duncan said the company is also willing to help negotiate tax and or duty-free concessions for whatever equipment they may need to do the business.

The meeting, which was held at the GuySuco Training Centre at the Skeldon Eastate, saw representatives of almost every sector of the agricultural community being afforded the opportunity to air their views.

MAJOR CONCERNS Among major concerns

Raffik said that with 100,000 tons annually being equivalent to an average of 333 tons of lumber daily, that in his opinion, would lead to massive deforestation by unscrupulous persons simply trying to earn a quick dollar.

However, the management of SEI assured him and those present that they have already spoken to the Guyana Forestry Commission about the likelihood of overharvesting, and that in any case, they are only going to be accepting the residue of

also noted that with a combination of the various types of biomass, the daily target can be easily achieved.

He said the company’s long-term plan is to source 2000 hectares of land to plant fuel grass to supply its boilers.

Gobin Harbajan, who chaired the proceedings and was instrumental in proposing the idea, reassured stakeholders that rather than give the contracts to a single person or company, what SEI is proposing presents an op-

Said he: “There are several options to consider, and the idea is to let the average person get a piece of the action, which is why I got involved.

We spoke to residents of Orealla, and the owners of barges to look at how we can work out something, where they bring out the waste from the logging operations and get paid for it.

“Other options include getting trucks and going around to various communities and collect the shells and

other items etc. There is a lot of potential for people to get employment and earn money from materials that they would normally have discarded. And that is the main idea behind this venture.”

SEI is presently selling power to Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) from its co-generation plant, and previously depended on bagasse from the Skeldon Estate to power its boilers.

But even with the estates in operation, they would have only been able to get bagasse for three months, and with the closure of the estates, they have decided to look at alternative sources of yearround supply.

In so doing, they’ve decided that bio-mass fuel would be their best immediate option, given that Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) is an agricultural Region, until it gets into grass fuel.

They are willing to negotiate and meet the suppliers halfway, given the socio-economic benefits the venture would provide citizens, and are inviting interested parties, preferably individuals, to make contact with them.

The company has the capacity to store 3000 tons of biomass, and is confident the venture can be profitable for all, even though some form of pelletising, compression and rikiting may be required for paddy shells, rice straws and sawdust.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 21, 2018

‘We have a right to look after them’

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–– Allicock on Venezuelans seeking help here

By Alva Solomon

MINISTER of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, has noted that while the economic crisis in neighbouring Venezuela continues to affect that country’s population, Guyana should look into the interest of the foreigners on humanitarian grounds.

He made the statement in response to a question posed by the Guyana Chronicle during a press briefing on Wednesday at the Guyana Forestry Commission multiplex in Kingston, Georgetown.

According to Allicock, the matter of Venezuelans fleeing that country’s crisis across Guyana’s borders “is a matter of great concern” and is being addressed by several government agencies.

In recent months, there have been reports from villages on the fringes of the borders mainly in Regions One and Region Seven, of Venezuelans,as well as Guyanese returning from the neighbouring country, seeking resi-

dence in the communities here.

Allicock said persons may have been born here and have their documents intact and according to him, once those are in order, it is easier for them to be accepted on these shores.

For those claiming to be Guyanese through parentage, he said “as long as there is evidence, all efforts will be made to regularise them through registration”.

He said too that there might be cases where persons are “strangers” to Guyana.

“We have a right to look after them,” he said. He cautioned that the ministry would not wish to ignite a situation which would create tension.

“We have to be very sensitive with it,” he said. He said the foreigners should be also looked at on humanitarian grounds.

Allicock said that he is aware of the rebel groups in the neighbouring country about which Guyanese have expressed concern.

Such groups, including the “Sindicatos”, have been making the rounds in the news as persons noted the brutal manner in which the

group operates.

The minister said he went to investigate a matter in one of the villages close to where the groups are stationed across the border, but noted that the ministry is working with the military and police to maintain security.

Vice-Chair of the National Toshaos Council (NTC), Lenox Shuman, who was present at Wednesday’s press briefing, urged Guyanese to remember that at one point in this country’s history, locals went to Venezuela in masses seeking a better life.

“Now the tables are turned,” he said, noting that Guyana has a moral obligation to address the plight of its neighbour in the interest of humanity.

Several nations bordering, or in proximity to the Bolivarian state, have reported thousands of Venezuelans crossing into their countries seeking refuge.

Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix, said recently that Guyana is no exception, as Venezuelans continue to come here almost on a daily basis, some legally and others

Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Sydney Allicock, addressing reporters on Wednesday illegally.

Felix indicated that Guyana is seeking to take a more accommodating approach to the situation.

“Usually when you enter a country illegally, you are prosecuted,” he said, “but we are trying to turn away from prosecution, given the special circumstances.

We are trying to chart a course away from prosecution, and one that is not too costly.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 21, 2018

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 21, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 21, 2018

Missing teenager back home; Sophia man on the run

A WOMAN has since been arrested following the disappearance of a 15-year-old girl last Sunday. The young lady has since been dropped off at a location in the city in good health and a man is being sought by the police for questioning.

Quick response by the police in ‘A’ Division saw the arrest of a female who is assisting with the probe, which was launched following a report made by relatives of the teen.

Police reported that the woman arrested claimed that a man in his 30s brought the teen to her Enmore, East Coast Demerara home on Sunday.

She did not suspect that anything was amiss and accommodated the couple.

The teen reportedly went with the man whom she claimed was her boyfriend and who is said to be in his late 30s, but he lied to the girl that he was only 25 years old.

He is said to be from

Sophia and his whereabouts are unknown at this time, since he is believed to be in neighbouring Suriname.

Since the girl has been returned to her family they have expressed gratitude to the cops, especially Commander Leslie James, who had worked tirelessly to find the teen.

The 15-year-old Diamond, East Bank Demerara resident, who had gone with her family on an outing at Princess Fun

Park on Sunday last, disappeared shortly after she requested to be excused to go to the washroom facilities at about 16:45hrs.

After sometime had elapsed, checks were made for the teen who could not be contacted, since she was not in pos-

session of a cellphone at the time.

The teen was picked up along Camp Street, Georgetown, by her parents on Tuesday midday after they had received a text message from someone via an unknown number.

After the teen could not be located, the relatives reported that a specific telephone number kept calling their phone, but no one was answering and they related same to the police, who acted on the information.

Goodluck’s luck runs out … gets two years jail

AKEEM Goodluck, a 27year- old man was Thursday sentenced to two years in prison on a robbery charge.

It was alleged that on April 17, 2018 on Regent Street, P?rbati Bartram was solely entrusted to conduct business on behalf of Fazil Amid, who had entrusted

$200, 000 for her to bank.

According to information given in court by the police prosecutor, when the virtual complainant was about to enter a bus on Regent Street, Goodluck pounced on her, pushed her and grabbed the hand bag with the money.

He was subsequently captured by public-spirited

persons and handed over to the city police.

Goodluck pleaded guilty to the charge, but he told the court that Bartram was the accomplice and she had given him her number to set up the robbery.

He was sentenced to two years in prison by magistrate Annette Singh.

It was left up to the store owner whether or not he wanted to press charges against Bartram.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 21, 2018

GGMC finds ‘glaring evidence of corruption’ –– in issuance of licences at Puruni Landing

AN investigation conducted by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has found glaring evidence of corruption in the issue of business and residential licences at Puruni Landing in the Middle Mazaruni Mining District 3.

The GGMC’s Mines Division has been taking corrective steps as it puts systems in place to roll back the effects of such corruption, according to Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes.

Mid last month, GGMC’s Mines Division had cause to board up nine business and residential buildings on the Puruni Landing after it was found that the owners had violated the Mining Act by subletting their premises.

The lessees were given one week to respond to a letter issued by the Commission, which concluded that they breached Regulation 70 (1) of the Mining Act, and the accompanying conditions.

A report of an in-depth investigation by the Mines

Division found that the lessees were indeed in breach of the Act, and a number of the defaulters have since responded and are in the process of correcting the situation.

But according to Minister Broomes, there were even more shocking revelations, as according to a report submitted by the Mines Division, an individual in 2014 applied for a business licence to operate on the Puruni Landing and got it in a day, which is unprecedented. “This is just one of the corrupt transactions,”

Minister Broomes told the Guyana Chronicle.

And although the GGMC had ordered that an individual who was involved in an “incident” with a Mines Officer at the Puruni Landing should not be issued a business licence in 2016 until the completion of an investigation, he was still able to acquire licences in 2017 and 2018, the minister reported.

The issued licences, according to Minister Broomes, even had the name of the holder on them, and were acquired in Bartica

at GGMC’s branch office.

Minister Broomes said that while the government is not against persons doing business within the mining districts, such business must be conducted in keeping with the laws of the country.

“We don’t want to stop people from doing business,” she said, “but we want them to do so correctly.”

It was noted, too, that in addition to subletting, some persons who were granted permission to operate on the Landing have since expanded their boundaries.

“They will now have to adjust their boundaries,” Minister Broomes said, explaining that those areas illegally occupied were earmarked for essential facilities such as police outposts and health posts.

With the population of the Puruni Landing increasingly growing, Minister Broomes said it is important for facilities such as a police outpost to be set up there.

She said the GGMC will ensure that sufficient lots are made available to do so when persons readjust their boundaries.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 21, 2018

Prisoner on the run sentenced One year to three years in absentia for having ‘drug’ utensil

RENE Marks was yesterday sentenced to one year in prison by Senior Magistrate Leron Daly for possession of a utensil used for illegal drug purposes.

It was alleged that on April 17, 2018 at Kitty, Georgetown, Marks was found with an improvised instrument used to smoke cannabis.

The 65-year-old man who has no fixed place of abode, pleaded guilty to the charge.

He was sentenced to one year in prison.

A 26-year-old man from Onderneeming village on the Essequibo Coast who was wanted for several offences was on Thursday sentenced to three years imprisonment in his absence.

Magistrate Esther Sam, after conducting a trial into a matter where he had injured over 300 trees, found Leon Price guilty of the offence.

In 2017, Price had al-

legedly poisoned a farmer’s plants. He was taken before the court after he was charged with the offence of Injuries to Trees.

Price had escaped police custody on March 7.

According to information reaching the Guyana Chronicle, when ranks made checks for him at the Anna Regina Police Station lockups, they observed that the

western side of the lock-ups area had a space -- one of the ventilation blocks was missing.

When checks were made, Price, who had been in the room was missing.

He was at the time attending trial in Essequibo.

Price was remanded to prison for several offences and was even a wanted man for three years.

Leon Price

Bandit robs taxi driver on Princes Street A 30-year- old taxi driver of Timehri, East Bank Demerara, was on Thursday robbed of his silver-grey Toyota Premio HC 7628 and other valuables after a passenger who turned out to be a bandit robbed him while en route to Princes Street, Georgetown.

Reports indicate that the bandit visited the Crown Taxi service at Middle and East Streets, Georgetown, and requested that the taxi driver take him to Princes Street in the vicinity of

South Alley.

The robber who sat in the front passenger’s seat, upon reaching the destination, pulled out a handgun and pointed it at the driver threatening to kill him if he did not hand over his key and other valuables.

The driver then jumped out of the car after handing over his cellphone, cash and jewellery.

The hijacker then drove away with the vehicle.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 21, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, April 21, 2018

Bartica to regulate vehicular use of roads … by implementing stringent ‘road access plan’

BARTICA’S municipal authorities will submit early next month a road plan that will regulate the movement of large mining vehicles within the town.

Mayor Gifford Marshall told the Guyana Chronicle that the municipality wants to submit, no later than May 14, “a road access plan” that will prevent the unauthorised movement of heavy mining vehicles and other machines from entering residential and more community-oriented spaces within the town.

The mayor explained that the subject of the road and its rapid deterioration soon after construction came up recently, when Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson paid the region a visit, and that the minister was none too happy about it.

And what the authorities have come to realise, he said, is that it is the heavy-laden heavy-duty trucks that are responsible for the early deterioration of the roads.

“These large trucks that we are talking about,” he said, “are carrying 80 to 100 drums of fuel, and they have a negative impact on the road infrastructure.”

He said that having identified the problem, the gameplan then is to restrict those heavy-duty vehicles from using central roads within the town.

“So, if you are living in the West Indian Housing

area, there is no need for those large trucks to be driving through there,” Mayor Marshall said.

He said, too, that areas such as First Avenue and First Street will also be out of bounds for large trucks, because it is where the tourism zone, which includes beautiful beach-front development and businesses, is located.

Should these trucks need to access any of the inner streets, he said, special permission would have to be sought and granted.

Noting that the move-

within their communities.

The large trucks go to and fro and not only do they pose a danger going through the communities with gallons of gasolene and diesel, but also there’s the fear of contaminating the environment should there be a spillage of fuel.

That said, Marshall said the municipality’s plan is to identify the roads that the trucks could access, so they can be rehabilitated in such a way as to accommodate the mostly large ‘bush trucks’ moving in and out of the Some of the concreted roads that now beautify the once mud-covered mining town of Mahdia

ment of the large trucks through residential areas is hazardous, the mayor explained that the fuel often falls on the roadway, “and that does not agree with the asphalt”.

Another concern of his is the safety of young children, particularly those playing

interior.

The main purpose of Minister Patterson’s visit to Bartica, the mayor said, was to get a first-hand look at the two main crossings linking Mahdia and Bartica.

Word is that the Ministry of Public Infrastructure has ongoing works on the roads

from Mahdia to the Denham Bridge, and Mile 78 on the Bartica-Potaro Trail to Mile 96 (Cassandra Crossing).

Reports are that roads in Region Seven would be tolled. Marshall clarified that it would only apply to the main access roads linking the two regions - Regions

Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).

“Minister Patterson proposed that when the road is complete, a toll may be introduced,” the mayor said, adding that the toll at reference speaks specifically to access to Regions Seven and Eight, which he said would aid with the maintenance of the road so that Central Government would not have to finance its repairs.

The mayor further explained that the road plan to be designed for Bartica does not include this major road, as it falls within the jurisdiction of the Infrastructure ministry, rather than the township.

The Regional Democratic Council (RDC), however, will be responsible for the

collection of the toll, which will go directly towards maintenance of the road.

Marshall noted, however, that the focus for the town is not on the tolls but rather the economic opportunities that will soon be open to both Bartica and Mahdia, and the easy access between the Cuyuni-Mazaruni and Potaro-Siparuni Regions.

Significant strides are also being made regarding Mahdia’s roads, as, according to the Ministry, approximately 3,800 feet of concrete roads and drains are being constructed within that township.

The ministry disclosed, “To date, the project is more than 75 per cent complete, and is expected to wrap up shortly.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, April 21, 2018

Double tragedy for Crabwood Creek family

…as second accident victim dies

Deceased: Khemnie Chanchal

Deceased: Soorojnie Suraj

THE Surjraj family was plunged into further mourning on Thursday evening as the grandmother who was involved in the accident which claimed the life of a woman Monday morning on the Number 58 Village Public Road succumbed to her injuries at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH).

According to relatives, 70-year-old Khemnie Chanchal who is diabetic and suffers from hypertension, died while being treated for a shattered leg and injuries about her body as a result of the accident, which occurred sometime around 07:00hrs on Monday.

Chanchal along with her daughter, 52-year-old Soorojnie Suraj called ‘Pammie’ and her granddaughter Neha Sukhra, 15, were on their way to their Crabwood Creek homes after dropping off another of her daughters at the airport when the vehicle they were in slammed into a parked truck after navigating a turn on the #58 Village Public Road.

The driver, Nilendra Premnauth called “Avinash,” 25, allegedly fell asleep at the wheel and lost control of the Toyota Spacio, HC 2217 that ran into the back of a parked Leyland DAF truck GMM 9207. The impact of the crash resulted in the top of the car caving in, which caused Surjaj to die on the spot as she was seated in the middle of the back seat, while her mother Chanchal suffered a shattered leg and other injuries about her body. Surjaj’s daughter Sukra and the driver suffered minor injuries.

The Injured were rushed to Skeldon hospital from where Chanchal was transferred to New Amsterdam and subsequently to the Georgetown Public Hospital before succumbing on Thursday evening. Relatives

were reluctant to convey to her, news of the death of her daughter, since they felt she would not have had the willpower to recover from the ordeal if she had known.

Neha was treated and sent away the said day, while the driver was also treated and kept under police guard. He was eventually discharged from the hospital on Tuesday and was arrested before being taken before the court on Wednesday.

Premnauth, an auto electrician/mechanic appeared before Magistrate Charlyn Artiga at the Number 51 Magistrates’ Court and was remanded to prison until 27th April for causing death by dangerous driving. He was not required to plead to the indictable charge.

Meanwhile, in the aftermath of the accident, citizens have renewed calls for the removal of commercial vehicles parked on the roadways. Office of the Prime Minister Region Six Representative Gobin Harbajan, has been leading the fight and feels that despite being parked on the parapet the truck still played a role in the death of the two persons. “If the trucks were not parked there the car could have run into the drains or the driver may have awoken when he hit the shoulders and probably regained control of the vehicle, but they did not have any chance.” He continued that with the vehicles being parked on the shoulders of the road, it is an impediment that poses a threat to the safety of road users and should not continue. He is calling on the relevant authorities to implement and impose sanctions for those guilty of same or at the very least ensure proper reflectors/ lights are in place to warn unsuspecting drivers of same.

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Beepats sales rep faked $2.5M robbery

A 27-year-old sales representative attached to Beepats and Sons in Georgetown is presently in police custody assisting with investigation concerning a robbery she allegedly faked. She admitted to police Friday morning after intense grilling.

Nisa Azeez admitted that she made a false report to the police. The woman who resides at Queenstown Village on the Essequibo Coast and a sales representative employed with Beepat and sons of Georgetown, had alleged a simple larceny of $2.5

Million Guyana Currency property of Beepat and sons which occurred on April 19.

Information disclosed that Azeez usually collects money from customers in Essequibo and deposits same at Demerara Bank. According to Azeez on Thursday about 09:00hrs she started to collect money from customers in Essequibo using her Motor Car PSS 7590.

She collected money amounting to 2.5 Million and claimed that around 13:45hrs after collecting money from the last custom-

er at Old Market Road, Anna Regina, as she was walking going to her car which was parked some 150 feet away, she was robbed.

She claimed that two unidentified males rode up on a motor cycle (number and colour unknown) and the pillion rider snatched the black plastic bag containing the money and rode away at a fast rate of speed. She said she raised an alarm, but the men escaped. She subsequently made a report to police who visited the scene, but found no useful

information. Investigators later decided to arrest Azeez and under intense grilling, she admitted that she was not robbed and that the actual amount of money she collected was $ 57 7, 340. She also claimed she deposited it in the bank and have the receipts. She then admitted that she made a false report and that she used up some money for the company before unknowing to them, and cannot get same back. She is presently in custody and awaiting possible charges.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 21, 2018

GCF to host Female Championships this weekend THE Guyana Chess Federation will be hosting two tournaments this weekend, including the first-ever Women’s National Chess Championship.

The event is slated to kick off today at the Guyana National Resource Centre (opposite the Immigration Office and Guyana Technical Institute offices).

This contest will be played as a six-round tournament with a time control of one hour sudden death, with the top five finishers being eligible for the Guyana Female National Team to the World Chess Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia, from September 22 to October 1, 2018.

It is the federation’s first step towards the development of Women in Chess in Guyana, with the aim of increasing the

total number of females who play chess in the country, and provide them with the countless opportunities associated with the game.

Tournament favourite will be Guyana’s first FIDE Master and highest-rated female, WFM Maria Thomas, who is vastly experienced and has been ramping with the top five players of Guyana for the last five years. Also, participating is this country’s only female Candidate Master, CM Sheriffa Ali, who was part of the female national team at the last World Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan. Ali will be battling FIDE Developmental Coach and local lawyer, Yolander Persaud, who was also part of the last female team in Baku. There will also be the more experienced Shazeeda Rahim, who will be fighting for her place in the National Female Team.

However, there will be the presence of young rising stars such as 12-year-old Chelsea Juma, of St. Stanislaus College and 14-year-old Sasha Shariff.

Sasha had been playing chess competitively and so far for this year has played in the National Juniors Qualifiers and qualified for the Guyana National Junior Chess Championships.

Both, Juma and Shariff, have just returned for the 7th Carifta Chess Championships where Guyana was represented for the first time in its Chess history.

They are determined to make their mark among the big girls.

Also, a keen eye must be kept for the Johnson sisters, Nellisha and Waveney. Nellisha also participated in the National Juniors Qualifiers and qualified for the Guyana National Junior Chess Championships and 7th Carifta Chess Championships.

She plays promising chess.

Other players to watch are Cassandra Khan, Sharara Gill and hopefully, the return of the Clementson sisters, Jessica & Julia.

While the women will be clashing, the GCF will also host the Georgetown Chess Classics concurrently. This event will be organised for various regions across Guyana but begins in Georgetown. Top male players Anthony Dratyon, Taffin Khan, Loris Nathoo, Ronuel Greenidge are expected to participate as they prepare for the World Chess Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia. The Georgetown Chess Classics is set to bring some live actions on the chessboards since other players such as Davion Mars, Glenford Corlette, Chino Chung, Roberto Neto, Saeed Ali and veteran Errol Tiwari will be looking to defeat the players of the elected national team.

Visitors and viewers are welcome. Registration fee is GYD $1000 and interested persons can contact Tournament Director, Mr. Irshad Mohammed at 664-1650 or Tournament Assistant, Anthony Drayton at 613 - 2083.

Rounds will begin at 10am on both days and all games will be played in accordance to FIDE (World Chess Federation) rules and regulations.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 21, 2018

54

days

to

go

1982

…

Remembering the Iconic Showdown Between Italy & Brazil (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED) – THIRTY-six years on, Italy and Brazil from 1982 remains one of the most talked about games in World Cup history. It pitted an underwhelming underdog against the tournament favourite and one of the greatest teams ever, and, in true football style, it was the underdog that prevailed.

Having re-emerged as a potential power in the late 1970s, even beating hosts and winners Argentina during the 1978 World Cup, Italy had entered the 1982 tournament off the back of huge domestic shame. The Totonero match fixing scandal resulted in sanctions for as many seven clubs, five in Serie A, with AC Milan and Lazio both relegated for their part.

Officials and players were also swept up in the punishments, including national team striker Paolo Rossi. He was slapped with a three-year ban, and it was only his suspension being cut by 12 months that allowed him to play in the 1982 World Cup in Spain.

In what should have been a fairly straightforward group stage against Poland, a debuting Cameroon and an ageing Peru, Italy drew all three of their first round games. It was enough to progress to the second round, but only by virtue of having scored two goals to Cameroon’s one.

Brazil, on the other hand, were revered. Zico and Socrates were among the best players in the world and the Selecao squad was filled with supreme talent - Eder, Junior, Falcao, Toninho Cerezo, Serginho... “The Brazilian side of 1982 played the game beautifully, but there was something ethereal about them,” Andreas Campomar notes in Golazo! A History of South American Football.

Hoping to replicate the generations of Pele, Garrincha and Jairzinho, Brazil had cruised through their group, narrowly beating the Soviet Union before thrashing Scotland and New Zealand. Only Hungary scored more than Brazil’s 10 goals in the opening round, but their inflated tally of 12 had been the result of a 10-1 victory over El Salvador, still the World Cup’s biggest ever win.

Socrates, who was a qualified physician and later practised medicine after his retirement, was the captain and brightest star. “He could do

what he wanted with the ball thanks to his enormous skill and vision,” Johan Cruyff remarked about the great man in a foreword for Andrew Downie’s book, ‘Doctor Socrates’. “It’s funny that he called me the orchestra

o f Barcelona,” writes author John Foot in ‘Calcio: A History of Italian Football’.

This was a huge mismatch.

Italy had scraped through the first round and employed dirty tactics to get the better of Argentina, while Brazil were simply magical and

5 t h July 1982. #WorldCup Early in the second half, Cerezo and Serginho were both denied by smart saves from Italy goalkeeper and captain Dino Zoff, a veteran of the the Azzurri’s 1970 World Cup squad. Within seconds of the Zoff’s save to stop Serginho from equalising, Rossi could and probably should have had his hat-trick,

1982 World Cup- Paolo Rossi

A touch of Socrates v Argentina, 1982 World Cup.

Italy 3 v Brazil 2.

Italy’s Paolo Rossi battles for the ball with Brazil’s Junior. 5th July 1982. #WorldCup

conductor because that is exactly how I saw him.”

Italy and Brazil wound up in Group C of the second round, alongside holders Argentina. Gli Azzurri won their first game of the tournament when they faced the champions in Barcelona, thanks in no small part of Claudio Gentile’s infamous treatment of Diego Maradona. They prevailed 2-1, while Brazil beat Argentina 3-1 a few days later, meaning that the subsequent game between Italy and Brazil would decide which of the two made it through to the semi finals. But because of the latter’s superior goal difference, a draw would be enough for them, whereas Italy needed to win.

Just as the group’s other game had been, the fixture was played at the Sarria Stadium in Barcelona, home to Espanyol until it was bulldozed in 1997.

“Nobody gave Italy much of a chance in the World Cup group match against Brazil played in the sweltering heat

surely destined for glory.

A n d yet, it took just five minutes for Italy to take the lead on that famous day. Rossi headed in a back-post cross from Antonio Cabrini to score not only his first goal of the tournament, but his first international goal since 1979.

He had been decidedly poor in the first round games, but both he and Italy were building momentum as the World Cup progressed.

Gentile, just as he been with Maradona in the previous game, was tasked with silencing the brilliant Zico in the hope of stifling Brazil’s creativity. But when Zico beat his marker with a quick turn and played in Socrates just seven minutes after Rossi’s opener, the Selecao were level.

Barely any later, Rossi restored Italy’s lead. This time, he capitalised on a sloppy pass across the field by Cerezo, racing through on goal before taking an early shot from the edge of the penalty area.

Italy 3 v Brazil 2.

Italy’s Paolo Rossi battles for the ball with Brazil’s Junior.

but fired wide after Francesco Grazziani found him in acres of space in front of goal. That was Italy’s chance to give themselves a two-goal cushion and perhaps sew up the shock result. They were ruing the missed opportunity when Falcao, who played his club football for Roma in Serie A, then scored a marvellous left footed drive to make it 2-2 with just over 20 minutes to play.

Cerezo had been at fault for Italy’s second goal and the Atletico Mineiro midfielder shared some of the blame for

the third after a poorly directed header back towards goalkeeper Waldir Peres handed Italy a corner in the 74th minute, their first of the match. As the ball was swung across, it dropped to Marco Tardelli, whose shot from the was turned in by Rossi in the sixyard box. 3-2.

In the closing stages, Italy thought they had gone 4-2 up, only to see the offside flag raised when Giancarlo Antognoni put the ball in the net after a counter attack. Brazil then had one more big chance when a header from defender Oscar was gratefully grasped

by Zoff on the goal line.

Israeli referee Abraham Klein soon blew the final whistle. Against the odds, Italy had won and, more importantly, were through to the last four of the World Cup. “Paolo Rossi’s hat-trick knocked Brazil out and made a nation despair. No wonder Rossi’s autobiography is called ‘I Made Brazil Cry’,” Foot, who also described Brazil as being ‘arrogant’ and ‘careless’ in their approach to the game, noted. “Italy didn’t make a single mistake.”

“Brazil’s generation were crushed by the loss. Zico, Cerezo, Leandro, Junior, Serginho, they were more than just team mates, they were the best of friends,” said Socrates biographer Downie. The Brazilian team had even agreed to give up drinking and smoking in the lead up to the tournament to give themselves the best chance and were reduced to making up for lost time as they drowned their sorrows on an ‘all-nighter’ led by Socrates mere hours after the defeat,

continuing the next day.

With Brazil on their way home, Italy went on to beat Poland 2-0 in the semi-final, still in Barcelona but now at Camp Nou. Rossi, now on fire after a slow start to the tournament, scored both goals. They then met West Germany in the final in Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu, emerging victorious after goals from Rossi, Tardelli, whose emotional wide-eyed celebration is the lasting image of that World Cup, and Alessandro Altobelli rendered Paul Breitner’s late goal for the Germans consolatory.

It was one of the single best games the World Cup has ever seen, but Italy’s win over Brazil had a much deeper impact as well because it changed something in world football.

The free flowing attacking style played and perfected by the likes of Hungary’s Magical Magyars in the 1950s, Pele’s Brazil in the 1960s and Johan Cruyff’s Netherlands in the 1970s was over, replaced by a more cautious style, an Italian style, that would come to define the next 20 years.

As Cruyff went on to say in his eulogy-like foreword for ‘Doctor Socrates’, “It was a huge disappointment for the whole of football because after that World Cup teams started to play like Italy did. No one knows what would have happened had Brazil triumphed.”

But try telling Italy it was a tragedy...

Italy’s beloved 1982 World Cup winning team.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 21, 2018

Wenger announces Arsenal departure

(REUTERS) - ARSENAL manager, Arsene Wenger is to stand down at the end of the season after a reign of almost 22 years during which he redefined the Premier League club and became their most successful boss.

The longest-serving current manager in English soccer, with 1228 games of which he was in charge, had, however, faced increasing criticism from fans for the Gunners’ failure to sustain a serious title challenge in recent seasons.

“After careful consideration and following discussions with the club, I feel it is the right time for me to step down at the end of the season,” the 68-year-old Frenchman said in a statement issued by the club on Friday.

“I am grateful for having had the privilege to serve the club for so many memorable years. I managed the club with full commitment and integrity,” added Wenger, who urged the fans to stand behind the team and end the season on a high.

Wenger signed a twoyear contract extension in 2017 and had said he planned to see it out despite calls for him to be replaced.

“My personal situation is not so much my worry at the moment,” he had told reporters on Thursday, when asked about his future.

“My worry is to transform a season with many disappointments away from home into a success, and that’s what matters to me.”

The Gunners are a distant sixth in the league, 14 points adrift of fourth-placed North

London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, with five games remaining.

They are also in the semi-finals of the Europa League, a tournament which represents their only realistic route to the lucrative Champions League next season.

The club said a successor would be appointed as soon as possible with German Thomas Tuchel, out of work since leaving Borussia Dortmund almost a year ago, installed as one of the early bookmakers’ favourites.

FF/Pele Alumini Frank Watson U15 League – East Bank FA…

Champions Timehri Panthers and Mocha Champs to bring curtain down today TIMEHRI Panthers having returned with a bang to youth football on the East Bank, after more than three years, will be crowned the inaugural East Bank Football Association champions of the GFF/Pele Alumini Frank Watson U15 Intra Association League, today at the Timehri Red Ground.

The Timehri lads have lost just a single game in their 10 matches so far, and would love to end on a high, while their opponents, Mocha Champs have three wins and as many draws along with 4 losses. They, too, will also be aiming to end on a high by taking down the champs.

Ishmael Pulsarran with 16 goals to his name so far, three behind the leading goal scorer, Herstelling Raiders’ Shoran James, will hope to play an integral part in his team’s closing out on a high. He will have the likes of his captain, Prince Forde (6), Neron Barrow (10) and Tywell Lovell (6), all in support of pushing for a another win.

Their goal average is a whopping +40 having been scored upon only 8 times, with their only loss in the league coming at the hands of the 2nd place

From right: Prince Forde, Yohance Reynolds, Ishmael Pulsarran and Tyrell Lovell

Kuru Kururu Warriors via a 0-1 margin on February 3rd, last.

Mocha too, boasts a positive goal average (+10) having scored 21 times and conceding 10 times. They are currently lying in the 8th place on 12 points from their 10 matches and a win would see them up their standing to sixth place in the 12-team table.

Mocha would depend on the likes of Jermaine Harry (5 goals), Shemel Alleyne (4), Adoni Rutherford (3), Genesis Lewis

(3) and Yohance Porter (2), to deliver their fourth win, but it would be an uphill task against a confident Timehri unit.

The league kicked off on January 20th at the Grove playfield where a total of 16 matches were played before the EBFA switched matches to the Timehri Red Ground, where the remaining matches were played on Saturday’s and Sunday’s in the one-round league.

Swan FC ended third in their debut competition followed by Agricola

Red Triangle and Grove Hi Tech in the top five.

Diamond Upsetters, Herstelling Raiders, Mocha Champs, Friendship All Stars, Samatta Point/Kanville, Soesdyke Falcons and Diamond United follow in that order.

The league is sponsored by the Pele Alumuni Corporation based in the USA which, last year, signed a five-year deal with the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) for similar leagues in the nine-member associations of the federation.

All-round Bravo helps Chennai

Chennai Super Kings all-rounder, Dwayne Bravo

CMC – WEST Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo had only a minor role but it was strong enough to help drive Chennai Super Kings to an emphatic 64-run win over Rajasthan Royals, here on Friday.

Playing at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Chennai piled up 204 for five off their 20 overs, with Australian opener Shane Watson smashing 106 from 57 balls, with nine fours and half-dozen sixes.

He put on 50 for the first wicket with Ambati Rayudu (12) and a further 81 for the second wicket with Suresh Raina, who chipped in

with 46.

When three wickets fell for 30 runs to leave Chennai on 161 for four in the 16th over, Bravo joined Watson to add 41 from 28 balls for the fifth wicket.

The right-handed Bravo finished unbeaten on 24 from 16 balls with four boundaries.

When Royals batted, Bravo claimed two for 16 from two overs of right-arm medium pace, to limit the hosts to 140 all out in the penultimate over.

All-rounder Ben Stokes hit 45 from 37 balls and his England counterpart Jos Buttler, 22 from 17, but they were the only two to pass 20.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Saturday April 21, 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) Mumbai Indians (2) Sunrisers Hyderbaad Today’s Quiz: (1) How many runs Chris Gayle scored in his

first IPL game in 2018?

(2) Which team was the first to hit the 200-run

mark in this year’s IPL? ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 21, 2018

GSCL Inc./Ink Plus, Crown Mining Enterprise, Elegance Jewellery Softball Competitions….

18-team contest begins on Sunday

Fishermen Masters have been in good form and will be looking to go deep in this tournament

THE exciting sport of softball cricket is further boosted with the inaugural Ink Plus, Crown Mining Enterprise and Elegance Jewellerysponsored softball competitions which begin on Sunday.

Ten teams have registered for the competition in the Masters Over-40 years old category while eight All Star teams will do battle on a Round-Robin basis.

The tournament which is

organised by the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc. (GSCL Inc.) will open with Savage Masters taking-on HS Masters and Albion Masters battling Ariel Masters at 09:30h at the Everest Cricket Club ground, while Fishermen XI and Success Masters take to the field at 13:00h, to round off the Masters’ action on the opening day. The lone All-Star game is at 13:00h and the teams will be decided

at the venue.

The organisers are reminding teams that despite there are no entrance fees for the tournament; they are responsible for paying the umpires for every match. For the Masters’ matches which will be 20-overs per side using the big white ball, the fee is $2,500 per match while the fee for the All-Star games is $2,000 per match. The latter matches will be 15-overs per side using the

small balls.

Additionally, players in the Masters category are reminded that the use of white clothing is not permitted.

The winning All-Star team will walk away with $50,000 while $25,000 will go to the runner-up team.

Matches will be played weekly at various venues across Georgetown.

MC & RS Samaroo supports RHTY&SC Cricket Balls Project “WE are the only Cricket Club in the West Indies that on a daily basis work hard to assist our cricketing rivals to improve them.

We are without doubt the leading Youth and Sport organisation in Guyana and while we are very proud of this fact, we want others to reach our level as we all try to make our country a better place for our youths to live in”.

Those were the words of Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club Secretary/ CEO Hilbert Foster as the MC & RS Samaroo business enterprise handed over $100 000.00 towards the Club’s 2018 Cricket Balls Project.

Foster explained that the club’s Cricket Development Committee under the leadership of Vice President Mark Papannah, is working overtime to raise $1M worth of cricket balls, to assist cricket clubs in the

Mr. Daniel Samaroo, son of the donor MC Samaroo, hands over the donation to RHTY&SC Vice President, Mark Papannah.”

Ancient County for 2018.

Foster who is also President of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) stated that close to 20 Cricket Tournaments are scheduled to be played in Berbice this year at the Under-15, Under-17, Under-19, Under-21, Female, Intermediate, Secondary School, Double Wicket,

Second Division and First Division levels. He noted that most of the clubs are struggling to find finance for balls, equipment, meals and transportation, among other cost of playing the game.

Foster argued that youths should not be denied the opportunity to play the game of cricket due to lack of fi-

nance, and as such the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club was delighted to assist.

The National Sports Commission (NSC) under the leadership of the dynamic Christopher Jones, last week contributed $200 000.00 of balls and with $100 000.00 worth of balls from Samaroo’s Wholesale Grocery, it would enable the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club (RHTY&SC) to assist over 20 clubs.

MC & RS Samaroo Wholesale Grocery is the sole distributor of Dan’s Milk Powder which is available across the entire country. Samaroo, a Berbician by birth, stated that he was delighted to assist the RHTY& SC, as he was aware of the outstanding work the club has been doing in the Ancient County.

The donation was made under the Dan’s Powder Milk Brand.

Boyce/Jefford Relay Festival and Family Fun Day…

Registration closes today for all events REGISTRATION for the plethora of sports events in tomorrow’s Boyce/Jefford Relay Festival and Family Fun Day will close today, ahead of what is expected to be a riveting day of fun and competition at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary.

Eight athletics clubs have already committed to registration in the athletics relay competition, including Police Progressive Youth Club, Guyana Defence Force, Mercury Fast Laners, Upper Demerara (Linden), Super Upcoming Runners, Flames Athletics Club (Hopetown, Berbice), Region Five Education Department (Berbice) and The University of Guyana.

The Relay Events are: 4x100 Females; 4x100 Males; 4x400 Females; 4x400 Males; 4x200 Mixed Relay; 4x400 Mixed Relay; Sprint Medley Females (100m,100m, 200m, 400m); Sprint Medley Males (100m, 200m, 400m, 800m); Distance Medley Females ( 2400metres ) (400m, 600m, 600m, 800m); Distance Medley Males (2800metres) (400m, 600m, 600m, 1200m); Distance 4X800 Male and Female Relay.

Cash Prizes of $25,000; $20,000 and $15,000 will be awarded to teams finishing first to third. Total prize money of $720,000 will be handed out in the Relay e vents.

In addition, a minimum of eight top local football teams will compete in a small goal football competition expected to kick things off tomorrow from 10:30am. Among these teams are Future Stars, West Front Road ‘Goal is Money’, Alexander Village, YMCA, Albouystown ‘A’, California Square, Bent Street, Power Producers Distributors, Police, Agricola Champion Boys, among others.

Teams are expected to complete registration today.

Cash Prizes: $50,000 (winner) and $25,000 (second place) + Champion and Runner-Up Trophy will be awarded in the football.

In the cycling contest, the sponsor of those events, former national cyclist Jude Bentley, has indicated that all cyclists desirous of competing are encouraged to participate once they are in possession of the required gear, bicycle and helmet.

Cash Prizes of $25,000; $15,000 and $10,000 will be awarded to cyclists finishing first to third. A total of $200,000 and trophies will accompany incentives.

Meanwhile in the cricket contest: Trophy Stall Masters will play United States Embassy Foreign Service Association in a male showdown, while Trophy Stall Angels takes on Mike’s Wellwoman in the female contest.

Cash Prizes for the Females are $50,000 (winner) and $25,000 (second place) + Champion and Runner-Up Trophy.

Domino Competition: In excess of 20 teams will compete for $200,000; $100,000 and $50,000 for the first to third places. The MVP will collect $10,000.

Prize money totalling $360,000 will be handed out in the competition.

Today’s activity will also feature Novelty events for participating patrons and will include a Kids Zone with bouncy castles, trampolines, face painting and many more attractions.

Four lucky patrons will go home with impressive prizes including a microwave, $20,000 cash and the largest family will win a ‘Household Hamper’ consisting of Ariel Soap Powder, Swinger Matches, Rage Insecticide, Hefty Garbage Bags, Trin Chloro Bleach and Squeezy, compliments of Ansa McAl. Ganesh Parts, National Sports Commission, K&B Mining, R&D Engineering, C&L Construction, Trail Boss Interior Trucking and Security Service, Antarctic Maintenance and Repairs, Romano Builders, Starr Party Rentals, Jude Cycle Shop, Stag Beer, Heineken and I Cool Water are the sponsors of the event.

38

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 21, 2018

BCB launches SKYY 20/20 First Division Tournament THE Berbice Cricket Board on Monday last joined hands with Corporate giants Ansa Mcal (Guy) Ltd to officially launch the SKYY Vodka 20/20 Cricket Tournament for First Division Teams.

Newly elected President of the BCB, Hilbert Foster, said that the success could only been achieved by sheer hard work, honesty, dedication and a passion for the work you do.

The BCB president stated that by the end of 2018, Berbice Cricket would be the pride of the entire West Indies.

Ansa Mcal is investing $450 000.00 into the Knock-out 20/20 Tournament which would be contested by 12 teams namely West Berbice, Blairmont, Police, Tucber Park, Young Warriors, Rose Hall Canje, Albion, Port Mourant, Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets, Upper Corentyne and Skeldon.

Foster disclosed that the BCB in 2018 would be hosting a Double Wicket, 40-Overs and 50-Overs Tournaments at the First Division, while

BCB President Hilbert Foster, and Ansa McAl’s Kevin Singh, cement the SKYY 20/20 sponsorship deal.

great efforts would be made to obtain sponsorship for a TwoDays Inter-Zone Tournament.

The BCB president predicted that the tournament would be a great success and would bring out the fans once again.

Senior Players of the cali-

bre of Veerasammy Permaul, Devendra Bishoo, Shimron Hetmyer, Gudakesh Motie, Anthony Bramble, Clinton Pestano, Eon Hooper, Assad Fudadin, Romario Shepherd, Gajanand Singh and Keon Joseph would be participating in the tournament.

A number of rising Berbice stars in the likes of Kevlon Anderson, Junior Sinclair, Alex Algoo, Kassim Khan, Raun Johnson, Kevin Jawahir, Sasenarine Sukhdeo and Sudesh Dhanai, would also be playing in the tournament which would be played at venues such as the Area ‘H’ Ground, Skeldon, Cumberland, Blairmont and Albion.

According to the rules of the tournament, only one non-Berbician would be allowed to play per match for a team, while the maximum of two would be allowed for the duration of the tournament.

Foster hailed the contribution of Ansa McAl and expressed the hope that the relationship would be expanded in the future.

Ansa McAl Managing Director, Troy Cadogan, expressed delight at the sponsoring of the 20/20 Cup and stated that his company was fully aware of its corporate responsibilities.

BCB will invest heavily in female cricket - Foster assures female players

The Berbice Female Squad in a photoshoot after the meeting

FEMALE cricketers will be treated with the same passion as their male counterparts and the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) would be investing heavily into their future. Those were the assurances President of BCB Hilbert Foster gave the female cricketers, as he spoke to them at the Rose Hall Canje ground last Sunday. Foster was speaking to the female cricketers as he continued his countywide consultations with cricket stakeholders.

The newly elected president acknowledged that female cricket was neglected in Guyana for too long, and the Berbice Board will correct the situation over the remaining months of 2018. The BCB, Foster stated, would host tournaments on a regular basis but urged clubs like Blairmont, West Berbice; Port Mourant, Upper Corentyne;

and Young Warriors to form female teams.

Addressing the 30 female cricketers, Foster urged them to become students of the game by researching its history, rules and tradition. He told the attentive audience that included West Indies female players Erva Giddings, Shemaine Campbelle and Tremayne Smartt, that special emphasis would be placed on coaching so that they can correct basis technical problems before representing Berbice and Guyana.

Female cricketers between the ages of 12 to 18 years would be involved in the Dr. Tulsi Dyal Singh Berbice Coaching Programme and the 2018 BCB Cricket Academy, scheduled for May and July respectively.

Foster, who is also the Secretary/CEO of the Rose Hall

Town Youth & Sports Club, also stated that the BCB would be investing in hosting Social Skills seminars, Educational Posters and one on one coaching, in a comprehensive effort to make sure that every female cricketer in the county fulfills her full potential.

The tournaments would be played for Females - 40-Overs, 20/20 and Double Wicket Competitions and, Foster urged the players to play their part by getting fit for selection to the Berbice Senior Team to play in the Guyana Cricket Board Inter-County Championship.

The first match of the BCB/RHTYSC 40-Overs Female Cricket Tournament was washed out after heavy rainfall just before the start of play.

The two teams - Rose Hall Town Metro and New Amster-

dam/Canje played each other in a 15-overs softball match, in the presence of Albert Smith, Chairman of the BCB selection Committee.

New Amsterdam/Canje reached 96 for 8 with Odessa Cadogan top scoring with 43, Niveena Ramnauth,15, and Divona Frank,13. Bowling for Rose Hall Town, Plaffiana Millington collected 3 for 8, Shakeba Gajnabi, 2 for 20 and Mariam Samaroo, 2 for 5.

In response, the powerful Rose Hall Town Metro team reached 94 for 2 from 11-overs with Kassie Munroe, 40 not out, Kimmone Thomas, 12, and Uma Matadin, 13, not out being the principal scorers. The winning team would receive a cash prize, trophy and medals, compliments of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club.

GCB/DMLAS/NSC/NSSCL recommences with several matches

(L) Raymond Bandhu 46 not out (R) Ravi Hanuman 5 for 7

THE 2017/2018 Guyana Cricket Board/ Demerara Mutual Life Assurance Society Limited/ National Sport Commission/ National Secondary School Cricket League (GCB/DMLAS/ NSC/NSSCL) recommenced with matches being played in a number of zones.

Over at GNIC, Charlestown Secondary competed against North Ruimveldt for the place in the South Georgetown Zone Finals. North Ruimveldt won the toss and elected to bat first, posting 64 all out in 12.4 overs from 25 overs. Sunil Ramlall top scored with 24 while Ravi Hanuman was the most instrumental bowler grabbing 5 for 7 from 3 overs, inclusive of a hat trick. Hanuman was supported by Dante Sookram who picked up 2 for 24 off 3 overs. Colin Smart and Raymond Bandhu took one wicket a piece.

Charlestown in reply raced to 68 from 9.2 overs. Raymond Bandhu top scored with 46 not out while Brandon Volney scored 5 not out. Charlestown won by 8 wickets.

At the Bayroc ground, in Upper Demerara, New Silvercity Secondary won the toss and chose to field first, struggling to contain Wisburg Secondary who blazed to 207 all out in 17 overs. Delroy Peters top scored with 45 not out while Shamar Edwards scored 30 and Elmont Edward 28.Holland Cambridge grabbed 2 for 18 off 2 overs.

In reply New Silvercity Secondary fell for a meagre 108 all out in 18.3 overs, with Havey Fraser (22) top scoring. Eyan Parnamee grabbed 3 for 18 off 3 overs, while Elmont Edward and Ronaldo Fortune took 2 wickets each, leaving Wisburg Secondary to win by 99 runs.

Over at Jain Hind ground, Port Mourant Secondary defeated Black Bush Secondary by 145 runs. Port Mourant Secondary when sent into bat by Black Bush Secondary scored an imposing 202 for 6. Raj Persaud top scored with 63, which included 7 fours and 2 sixes, while Roopnarine Ramnauth and Jai Tikia chipped in with 26, and 48, respectively. Bowling for Black Bush Secondary, Jason Lachmandaya took 2 for 39, with one wicket each going to Tarendra Roopnarine and Terry Ramiah.

In reply, Black Bush could only muster 57 with Chovesh Atmaran top scoring with 30, which included 2 fours and 2 sixes. Bowling for Port Mourant Secondary, Pawan Ramkehlawan grabbed 3 for 8, while Matthew Pottiah and Angelino Ramdial took 2 for 18 and 2 for 20 respectively. Port Mourant won by 145 runs.

At Albion, JC Chandisingh Secondary defeated Corentyne Comprehensive High School by 47 runs. Winning the toss and batting first JC Chandisingh made 144, with Lucas Arthur top scoring with 35, which included 5 fours and 1 six. Jonathon Rampersaud supported with 20.

In reply, Corentyne Comprehensive could only manage 98 for 7 off their allotted 30 overs. Horace Gordial top scored with 26, inclusive of 5 fours. Richard Rahaman supported with 16.

Bowling for JC Chandisingh Lucas Arthurand Troy Sealey took one wicket each. JC Chandisingh won by 46 runs.

On Monday, April 23, Charlestown Secondary will oppose Tucville Secondary in the South Georgetown Zone Finals.

Mae’s Secondary will do battle with North Georgetown Secondary on Tuesday, April 24, for the East Georgetown Zone Title, while the following day, Wednesday April 25, Chase Academy will compete with Christ Church to determine the North Georgetown Zone champions.

39

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, April 21, 2018

GCB/Hand-in-Hand Inter-County U-19 Tournament...

Azad lead West-Side All Stars to crushing win

We are the Champions!

... Rampant Berbice dethrone Demerara

Azad Azeez in action on Thursday night at Thirst Park

A muscular 40-ball 119 from Azad Azeez propelled WestSide All Stars to a 59-run win over Legends XI in the Royston Ramsarran welcome home feature softball match, at Thirst Park on Thursday night.

Azeez hit 13 sixes and nine fours, in an entertaining knock that saw the West-Side AllStars putting up a respectable 219 all out from 17.3 overs, under lights, before returning to restrict the star- studded Legends side to 160 for 5 from their 20 overs.

The left-handed Azeez opened the batting alongside captain Ryan Boodhoo who

opted to bat in cool conditions. Despite, the more experienced Legends side picked up wickets at regular intervals,they were unable to slow down Azeez and paid the price for bowling too short and down the leg side.

In support to Azeez, Jermaine Maxwell hit two sixes in a brisk 19 runs from 13 balls to take the score past the 200-run mark, after the top and middle orders were kept quiet, except for Azeez.

Seasoned campaigner, Laurie Singh led the Legends’ bowling with superb figures of 4-0-39-4, while Samuel Kingston snapped

up 2 for 30 from three overs.

In the run chase, the Legends lost Mohamed Rafeek early but opener, Unis Yusuf and Patrick Khan consolidated and took the score to 73 in the eighth over. Khan went for 14 while Yusuf went on to hit the top score of 48 retired. In all, the right-handed batsman Yusuf faced 37 balls and accounted for four fours and two sixes.

However, the Legends were stifled in the middle overs due to good bowling and fielding from their youthful opponents, which saw the required run-rate climbing steadily. Kingston then came and gave the innings a late

push with a cameo of 17 runs from five balls (1x4; 2x6), but it turned out to be not enough to get his team over the ropes.

They were also 27 extras including 18 wides.

Ayume Mohamed was the pick of the West-Side All -Stars bowlers with 2 for 19 from four overs,he was supported by Maxwell with 1 for 18 from three overs.

The game was played in good spirit and a moment of silence was observed from the late, Amreith “Rocky” Rai who was an excellent softball player and ambassador of the game. Rai died in 2017.

WITH Essequibo defeating Demerara on Thursday at the Tuschen ground in the third round of 3-Day format of the 2018 GCB/Hand in Hand Under-19 Inter-County tournament, Select Under-17 and Berbice completed their third round match with a draw.

The Select Under-17 in their second innings was 123 for 3 off 54 overs, when play ended on the third and final day.

The Select U17 being given the task of saving the match by batting for the remainder of the day, after Berbice declared their second innings on 295 for 8, went about their assignment watchfully, and defied the odds by denying Berbice an outright victory.

Sachin Singh made a cautious unbeaten 68, national Under 15 batsman Mavendra Dindyal gave valuable support with 32, Seon Glasgow chipped in with 17, while Andre Seepersaud was the other not out batsman on two. Kevlon Anderson, who made a brilliant unbeaten 120 in the Berbice second innings, was adjudged Man of The Match.

The draw gave Berbice the 2018 GCB/Hand In Hand Under-19 Three Day Inter County Tournament Championship.

The GCB/Hand In Hand Under-19 One Day 50 overs Inter County Tournament will commence on Sunday (22 April) with Essequibo opposing Demerara at the GCC ground, Bourda and the Select U17 competing with Berbice at the Tuschen ground, on the East Bank of Essequibo. Both matches commence at 09:30 hours.

Team Mohamed’s ready for KOTS competition WITH all of the hype heading into this weekend’s King of the Strip 2, the Team Mohamed’s Enterprise unit is unfazed about defending its classes.

The team’s principal Azrudin Mohamed, was clear in saying that they are looking to take each race as it comes and each competitor on their own merit.

“Yes, the GTR Goliath is fast but come for the King of the Strip 2, we are going to take every race on its merit and focus on re-securing our crown. We are not going to underestimate anyone,” he said.

“We did some testing today (Friday) and we are satisfied at the moment, so we are awaiting come Sunday (tomorrow) to see [which] are the faster cars.

“We want to encourage

Part of the competitors brief last evening at the GMR&SC

fans to come out to the event on Sunday at the South Dakota Circuit and see good drag racing,” he added.

Meanwhile, both the Trinidadian and Surinamese competitors arrived here yesterday (Thursday) and attended the briefing session for competitors at the club’s Thomaslands office last evening.

They were made aware of the rules and protocols governing drag racing here, as well as the procedures for Sunday’s event.

The King of the Strip 2 is sponsored by the Trans Pacific Motor Spares, BM Soat, Prem’s Electrical, Mohamed’s Enterprise, JAPARTS, E-Networks, STAG and Tropical Shipping.

Admission is $500 for children and $1 000 for adults.

Right: Hand in Hand Representative Mathew Kissoon and Man of the Match, Kevlon Anderson

Team Mohamed’s ready for KOTS competition See page 39

The Mohamed’s Enterprise Nissan GTRs

Boyce/Jefford Relay Festival and Family Fun Day…

Registration closes today for all events

GCB/Hand-in-Hand Inter-County U-19 Tournament...

We are the Champions!

See page 37

See page 39

... Rampant Berbice dethrone Demerara The victorious Berbice U19 team are champions of the 2018 GCB/Hand in Hand Under-19 Inter-County tournament. (Adrian Narine Photos) Sales Manager of Hallmark Guyana, Stephan Ramroop (right), a subsidiary of C&L Construction Inc., hands over their support to Colin Boyce, yesterday.

Gaitree Harricharan (right), Company Secretary of Trailboss Interior Trucking and Security Service, hands over sponsorship to Boyce/Jefford Chairman, Colin Boyce.

GCF to host Female Championships this weekend

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See 4 a p ge 3

SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 2018