Guyana chronicle e paper 04 30 2018

MONDAY 30th April, 2018

Don’t suffer in silence No.105260

10 Tender Boards award 57 multi-million dollar contracts Farmer reaps 450 pounds of onions 02 PAGE

– women urged to speak up against domestic violence – better parenting, schooling and leadership keys to tackling scourge, says Ramjattan 03&11 PAGES

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Women turned out in full numbers in a march against domestic violence in the Capital City, Georgetown on Sunday (Samuel Maughn photo)

One dead, four injured in Corentyne accident 08 PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, April 30, 2018

Supenaam Waterfront Project pegged at $123M THE Supenaam Waterfront Project, Region Two, is being executed at a cost of $123M, Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan disclosed.

He applauded the vision of the Regional Executive Officer (REO) Rupert Hopkinson and the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), for initiating the project that is expected to improve the quality of life and economic well-being of residents.

The project is being funded

by Central Government through the Public Infrastructure Ministry and the RDC. It was noted that approximately $123.070M is expected to be invested in the project, of which approximately $89M will be provided by the Public Infrastructure Ministry and the remaining $34.070M will be sourced from the Region Two RDC. “The first phase of the project which includes the construction of approximately 75 metres of new steel sheet revetment at the waterfront and the upgrading of approximately

80 metres of road to asphaltic concrete, has been awarded to Samaroo Investments Incorporated. Works are expected to commence by the end of May 2018 and to be completed by November, 2018,” Minister Bulkan said in a press statement on Saturday.

Minister Bulkan further pointed out that on April 10, 2018, consultations were held by the Public Infrastructure Ministry and the Ministry of Communities and involved the RDC Council, the Good Hope-Pomona Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), residents, taxi operators and speed boat operators, among others.

“These consultations will inform the second aspect of the project which is expected to include a paved waterfront with walkway and rail, lighting, covered public seating, new passenger waiting facilities, a boat landing structure to accommodate mooring of multiple boats, organised vending facilities, upgraded sanitary facilities, parking for vehicles

and landscaping,” he further explained.

A second round of consultations is planned for May 2018 after which designs will be finalised and procurement for the remaining works will be done.

On completion, the project will be managed jointly by the RDC and Good Hope-Pomona NDC. Facilities operations at the site will provide revenue for the NDC, which would be used to provide improved services to residents in the NDC. The ‘Supenaam Waterfront Project’, which will boast the features of a “green space”, is supported and endorsed by the Ministry of Communities, Minister Bulkan stated, while reiterating government’s commitment to local government development, strengthening and promoting financial sustainability of councils.

“The Ministry of Communities is committed to building cohesive, empowered, sustainable communities and to support the strengthening of local organs and the capital towns agenda through initiatives such

The Golden Beach Boulevard, Bartica (Omar Bispat photo) as this project,” the Minister emphasised.

In 2017 , projects were executed amounting to approximately $185.3M under the Community Infrastructure Improvement Project (CIIP), on construction and other developmental works at No. 76 Village Park in Corriverton; Lethem Declaration Park; Hosororo Green Space in Mabaruma; Esplanade Park in New Amsterdam; Sparta Recreation Park in Anna Regina; Golden Beach Boulevard in Bartica;

Linden Centennial Park ( Phase 1), Rose Hall Green Park at Williamsburg and the Rehabilitation of Kitty Market (Phase 1).

An additional $193M has been earmarked under the CIIP, in 2018, for continued developmental works in townships and other local authorities.

Projects to be done include the construction of the Lethem Town Hall, Development of Linden Centennial Park (Phase 2), construction of a smart stop in each municipality, construc-

tion of a sanitary block at Mon Repos Market, development of the Annandale Market Tarmac and green space, development of Aranaputa Sports Complex and the upgrading of community centre grounds at Skeldon, Rose Hall, Albion, Blairmont, Enmore, Wales and Uitvlugt.

Beneficiary councils have expressed appreciation for central government’s gesture and goodwill and residents in the respective areas are excited with the developments.

Farmer reaps 450 pounds of onions

A CORENTYNE farmer has harvested some 450 pounds of organic onions from his Phillipe Farm, East Berbice, Corentyne, last Thursday.

It is the largest harvest for a single farmer since implementation of the trial project

by Promotion of Regional Opportunities for Produce and Enterprises and Linkages (PROPEL), in partnership with the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI).

Rawle Medford, 41, said he started planting in early December and had 12 beds, but due to the rains during that period, he suffered a 30 per cent loss.

That did not deter the enterprising farmer as he continued the second time with 100 per cent success.

“I feel proud of this production and did not think I would have gotten so much due the challenges, which included the cleaning of the beds on time. There were six beds, 60 feet in length, three feet in width,” he said.

Medford said when he was first approached to be part of the trial group, he was ecstatic to embark on the new variety of the high-value crop.

The farmer still has three more beds to reap, which should take the amount of onions reaped to a whopping

800 pounds.

Medford posited that he will continue planting onions on a larger scale after the May/ June rainy season.

He is hoping to continue supplying local demand and hopefully to stop the importation of onions to Guyana.

“We have the necessary

Onions harvested from Rawle Medford’s farm

means to plant, we have good lands and the trial has been a success, so after May, I am planning to employ two more persons and we are ready to make this bigger. This is organic onion. I am hoping people can see it and come on board to purchase,” the farmer said.

And on that note, he called on the business community and Guyanese to support local.

“This makes me happy; this makes me optimistic. I am calling on Guyanese to support local organic products that can now be grown right here.”

There has been a conscious effort to reduce the importation of products that can be produced locally; and with the successful trials by PROPEL in collaboration with NAREI, supermarkets can soon expect an influx of non-traditional crops that are locally produced.

In addition to being produced locally, the crops are being planted and harvest-

Rawle Medford with NAREI officials at his Phillipe farm ed through organic meth- farmers. ods,thereby reducing the need He said the Mercedes for harmful chemicals. variety of onions has been Kewal Mangar, the NA- more successful thus far REI extension officer attached and that NAREI is working to the project, said in addition closely with farmers of the to Medford, there are at least non-traditional both in and three other farmers who were out of the field and providing part of the PROPEL project, technical advice in addition who have gone on to be- to identifying potential marcoming independent onion kets for their produce.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, April 30, 2018

– women urged to speak up against domestic violence

By Navendra Seoraj FAR too many times women have remained silent about ill-treatment from their intimate partner until it becomes unbearable but, the call is out for those women to “break the silence” and speak up about domestic violence.

Domestic violence is defined as a violent or aggressive behaviour within the home, typically involving the violent abuse of a spouse or partner.

tricia Chase-Green; and members of RISE, the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) which organised the activity.

They proceeded along the parade route, holding hands as a depiction of the message that there must be a unified effort to combat domestic violence and violence against women.

“We must unite to end violence against women; it would not happen alone, it will happen together,”

suppressing pain.

STILL NEEDS HELP As much as the input of persons would help women to get out of a compromising situation, she said a mental pain still exists, so they would also need help in the area of psychological healing.

The guest speaker at the rally, Dr. Darlene Day, also stressed the importance of psychological healing but, she was certain that women are stronger than their

Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence (third from right) and Mayor Patricia Chase-Green (third from left) and members of RISE, leading the march against domestic violence on Sunday (Samuel Maughn photo)

Hundreds turned out to urge women to speak up against domestic violence (Samuel Maughn photo) In what was perhaps one of the largest local movements against domestic violence, women and men turned out in their numbers to get the message out to those who are affected by the social ill, during a march around the streets of Georgetown and a rally at the Square of the Revolution on Sunday.

Persons were seen on their verandahs or in front of their yards listening keenly to the chants “Break the silence”, “Speak up”.

Leading from the front was Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence; Mayor of Georgetown, Pa-

said activist and member of RISE, Sharmin Prince.

The activist believes that in order to combat the ill, there needs to be a holistic effort which includes all stakeholders.

Prince, who was also a victim of domestic violence, said she knows how important support is in the process of helping a woman to overcome the effects of abuse or even getting out of it.

“We often keep it to ourselves and the silence is what destroys women, so as was said all day, we need to break the silence,” she posited, adding that women are often guilty of

struggles.

Dr. Day believes women would be able to better overcome those struggles once they receive the necessary support.

“You can stop the violence; once you put your mind to something you could make it happen,” she said, as words of encouragement for women who are victims of domestic violence.

A moment of silence and tributes were paid to women who did not receive the necessary encouragement and were not able to win their fight against domestic violence.

Even children supported the call to end domestic violence and violence against women (Samuel Maughn photo) Death because of domestic violence continues to be an issue that needs to be addressed and RISE believes that it is time for

something to be done about the wanton loss of life due to intimate partner violence.

“Unless we confront these issues, we will continue to have this conversation every time we experience a spike of killings due to domestic disputes,” the NGO says.

They feel that men need to have real and honest conversations about their responses to emotional challenges, and that this must be facilitated by the community, churches, workplaces, sports organisations and the government.

“As a country, we must do all that is necessary to ensure that the wanton killing of our women ends. To this end, RISE would like to call on the relevant ministries and the police to bring their considerable resources to bear in addressing the root causes of this issue,” RISE said.

RISE believes that the root cause of domestic violence has strong cultural links, and the inability of some to cope with emotional challenges, economic disenfranchisement and perceived peer pressure.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, April 30, 2018

UK home secretary resigns UK home secretary Amber Rudd has resigned, saying she “inadvertently misled” MPs over targets for removing illegal immigrants.

Rudd, who was due to make a Commons statement on Monday, was under pressure to quit over the Windrush scandal.

She faced criticism over the existence of Home Office removals targets and her knowledge of them.

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, who had repeatedly urged Ms Rudd to go, said she had “done the right thing”.

Abbott added that the “architect of this crisis” - Theresa May - must come before the Commons to explain “whether she knew that Amber Rudd was misleading Parliament and the public last week”.

On Sunday, the Guardian published the full letter it had reported on a week earlier, in which Rudd set out her “ambitious but deliverable” aim to deport 10 per cent more illegal

immigrants over the “next few years” to Theresa May. Rudd telephoned the prime minister on Sunday evening to tell her of the decision amid intensifying opposition demands for her to quit.

In her resignation letter, Rudd said she takes “full responsibility” for the fact she was not aware of “information provided to (her) office which makes mention of targets”.

May said she was “very sorry” to see Rudd leave the Home Office and she should “take great pride” in what she has achieved.

Rudd’s successor is expected to be announced early on Monday morning.

The Windrush row began when it emerged that some migrants from Commonwealth countries, who settled in the UK from the late 1940s to the 1970s, and their relatives, had been declared illegal immigrants.

Reacting to the resignation, Labour MP David

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Lammy said: “Amber Rudd resigned because she didn’t know what was going on in her own department and she had clearly lost the confidence of her own civil servants.

“That policy must now be reviewed, and the Home Office must move quickly to compensate and grant citizenship to the Windush generation.”

Conservative MPs have

Home Secretary Amber Rudd

“The real issue is the hostile environment policy that caused this crisis in the first place.

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been paying tribute to their colleague. Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom called her “honest and principled” while

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Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said she was a “huge talent” who would “no doubt be back in Cabinet soon”.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said she had done “a great job during last year’s terrorist attacks and cares deeply about the people she serves”.

Former chancellor George Osborne sad it was “so sad”, adding “the government just got a bit less human”.

Meanwhile, Lib Dem leader Vince Cable told the BBC: “She’s clearly jumped before she was pushed.”

Co-leader of the Green Party Caroline Lucas said May had “lost her human shield and now looks very exposed”.

And UKIP’s former leader Nigel Farage tweeted: “Now that Amber Rudd has resigned we need a Home Secretary that supports Brexit.”

Giving evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee last week, Rudd said there were no removals targets for illegal immigrants.

She later admitted “local” targets for voluntary removals had been set, but told the Commons on Thursday she had not been aware of them.

But the Guardian reported a June 2017 memo from an official, copied to Rudd, that refers to targets.

The newspaper also published a letter, from January 2017, where Rudd tells Theresa May about plans to restructure her department and increase removals “over the next few years”.

Rudd’s aim of increasing “enforced deportations” would not have affected Windrush migrants, as they were threatened with “voluntary departure”.

The term “voluntary” describes the method of departure rather than the choice of whether or not to depart - those leaving in this way are able to approach the Home Office for financial assistance with travel costs.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, April 30, 2018

Migrant caravan gathers on U.S.-Mexico border before asylum bids TIJUANA, Mexico (Reuters) - Hundreds of people from a Central American migrant caravan rallied on Sunday at the U.S.-Mexico border, many preparing to report to U.S. authorities later in the day to make asylum claims that may land them in detention centres.

The month-long caravan that at one point gathered 1,500 immigrants from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador drew the wrath of President Donald Trump during its journey through Mexico.

Trump pressured Mexico to stop the migrants before they reached the border, linking Mexican efforts to stem the flow of Central Americans to the future of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) currently being renegotiated in Washington.

The remaining 400 or so members of the caravan now face hard choices, whether to cross illegally into the United States, ask for asylum at the border or try to remain in Mexico.

“I feel a little cold. I feel anxious,” said Jaime Alexander from El Salvador in the morning, shaking slightly on his way to the Tijuana, Mexico side of the border fence on a Pacific Ocean beach.

Some young men clambered up and straddled the fence, legs dangling into California. The migrants were cheered on the San Diego side by U.S. immigration activists.

The rally was a final public act after a roller-coaster few weeks for the caravan and was intended to raise awareness about the fate of migrants in Latin America, organisers said. On the U.S. side, the March Without Borders group trekked from Los Angeles to greet the caravan.

DETENTION, DEPORTATION POSSIBLE Later, Alexander and some other migrants boarded buses to take them to the nearby San Ysidro border crossing. U.S.

authorities have advised that there may be delays in their ability to process such a large group of migrants and that some “may need to wait in Mexico as (border officials) work to process those already within our facilities.”

People in Mexico climb the border wall fence as a caravan of migrants and supporters reached the United States-Mexico border near San Diego, California, U.S., April 29, 2018. (REUTERS photo)

The group from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador arrived in Tijuana on buses over the past couple of days, and most of them said Saturday they intended to seek legal asylum in San Diego.

Death threats from local gangs, the murder of family mem-

bers, retaliatory rape, and political persecution back home prompted them to flee, members of the group have told Reuters.

But by Sunday morning, doubts were setting in after briefings

by U.S. immigration lawyers told the group of the hardships they could suffer if their asylum cases were not strong enough, including detention, deportation and long periods of forced separation from their families.

A security guard back home, Alexander, 36, said he fled after death threats from two gangs. His feet were still swollen from days of walking as the group made its way to the border.

Asylum seekers must demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution at home, and the overwhelming majority of those from Central America are denied refuge in the United States. After making a claim, asylum seekers are usually kept in detention centres. Women with young children generally spend less time locked up and are released to await their hearings. Those denied asylum are generally deported to their home countries.

U.S. border authorities said Saturday that some people associated with the caravan had already been caught trying to slip through the fence and encouraged the rest to report to authorities.

“We are a very welcoming country but just like your own house, we expect everyone to enter through our front door and answer questions honestly,” San Diego Chief Patrol Agent Rodney S. Scott said in a statement about the caravan The lawyers advising the migrants said those without strong asylum cases should remain in Mexico. The Mexican government has offered year-long visas to some of the migrants, but some caravan members who sought them said they had not yet come through.

Mexico deports tens of thousands of Central Americans every year back across its southern border with Guatemala.

Antigua PM says ‘no justice’ in de-banking C’bean countries ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) — Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne says there is no justice in the de-banking and barring of small Caribbean states from the international payment system.

“De-banking and de-risking undermines the ability of small countries to meet their development agenda and injures them without any mechanism for remedy”, Browne told an audience of fellow Caribbean prime ministers, central bank and financial officials, and private sector representatives in addressing a recent forum in St Lucia organised by the

Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

Browne’s remarks were part of a wide-ranging discourse on the severe challenges that Caribbean countries face in the financial services sector as a consequence of actions of the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the European Union Commission and the United States government.

Browne, who has lead responsibility for financial matters in the quasi-Cabinet of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Gov-

ernment, said that de-risking, which involves the loss of banking relations between Caribbean banks and international banks, “remains a looming threat that could create financial instability, plunging our countries into poverty, chaos and confusion.

“The consequences of de-risking — intended or unintended — could be more devastating than any natural disaster,” said Browne, a former banker and financial manager.

Recalling that “de-risking is utilised as a policy tool of financial warfare, to sanction rogue or uncooperative states”, the Antigua and

Barbuda leader argued that it “should never be utilised as a tool to punish innocent people in cooperative and compliant countries in the Caribbean.

“The provision of correspondent banking service is a fundamental human right,” he said. “It is just as important as the provision of other basic services, including include water, electricity and broadband services.”

According to a government statement, Browne set out measures to address the problem of de-risking which, he said, could shut down established and regulated financial systems, and so encourage unregulated

methods that would fuel money laundering and other financial crimes.

Among the proposals that the prime minister made are encouraging all banks to focus on managing financial crime risks, instead of risk avoidance, and the utilisation of new technology, including block chain, to identify suspicious transactions and to ensure full traceability, according to the statement.

Browne has been the lead advocate of the rights of Caribbean countries in this matter since July 2014, taking his mission to international financial institutions, multilateral bodies and the private sector.

B’dos General Elections on May 24

BARBADOS NATION - General elections will be held in Barbados on Thursday, May 24, and Nomination Day is set for Monday, May 7.

The dates were announced last week by Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, who said he had officially notified Governor General, Dame Sandra Mason.

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Editorial Domestic violence is a national issue; all must be involved DOMESTIC violence continues to be a tragic scourge in the social life of Guyana, as once again exemplified by three very brutal murders occurring within the space of one month. In two of the recorded instances, the level of violence was of such frightening intensity that it served as a grim reminder of its pervasiveness.

As a media house, we will continue to highlight to the nation this brutal act, as have been the case in so many past opinion pieces.

There can be no denial that domestic violence constitutes a clear threat to the institution of the family, with the inevitable consequences which will culminate with the woman suffering either the ultimate tragedy, or life-crippling injuries, or continues to be battered in the presence of her family, particularly young children.

For whatever reasons as perceived by such category of domestic violence abusers – physical degrading of their women folk, spousal battering to be specific, is not, and cannot be the solution to whatever problem that may have been the issue, or will arise during the course of or out of a relationship. It is totally unacceptable in today’s modern world, as it should have always been. The great contradiction is that it is a universal problem that cuts across social and ethnic lines.

It is not only a grave act

of inhuman behaviour and extreme cruelty, but first of all a criminal blot on what constitutes manhood, in his role as protector of the female, in which he has especially a moral obligation to be protector, to make her emotionally comfortable, and give love.

Secondly, with every act of abuse, he reduces her dignity, and the very important role of motherhood. Thirdly, his cruel extremes, gradually undermines the foundation of the family, including severe traumatisation of the family.

This especially, with its dangerous psychological effects, will have numbing consequences for not only these trapped children’s scholastic performance, emotional growth and development, but will in time distort the role of manhood/fatherhood in their young minds, particularly the male children. It will be the same for the young female, in respect of what is womanhood/motherhood.

By far, the often physical and disabling injuries suffered by these victims are what are destructive to the family’s socio-economic foundation, since most of these women are important contributors to their families’ well-being.

It is excruciatingly emotional, for children to have to observe their mothers reduced to levels of irreparable disability. This can only have a crushing effect on their daily lives.

Let it be re-emphasised,

that domestic violence is a social beast that has so far, defied all the seminars, media discussions, printed adverts, public walks, and more, sponsored by both government and non-governmental organisations. Even religious organisations have spoken out against this monster which continues to inflict grave harm to our womenfolk.

Of note, too, is the fact that quite contrary to a mischievous missive penned by a former PPP/C minister, in one of the private journals, which sought to convey that domestic violence has been out of control since the new coalition took office – this is totally untrue. In fact, any honest Guyanese will recall the daily reports of murderous violence that took the lives of dozens of our women through the years of the PPP/C administration. In fact, domestic violence and suicide became a national fact during the last administration’s tenure.

Though necessary, and must continue as a public means of condemnation of an animalistic behaviour, we have to ask what significant impact these known and lauded initiatives have made in terms of impacting on the incidence and prevalence of domestic violence.

First of all, no government can provide all the answers to, or can prevent the instances of domestic violence, as the former minister would want us to believe. This is a social

scourge that must have inputs from all the social organisations and groups in Guyana, beginning from the church, that should devote some portion of their worship sessions to this social ill; the education and school system which must begin to consider placing aspects of this national threat on its curricula; cultural organisations which must begin to examine whether traditions as are known and practised, may not be a contributor to a problem that threatens the existence of our women; the home and family, where parents and elders, must begin to re-examine the socialisation of their young girls and boys; the judiciary, that will explain the harsh penalty that those found guilty of spousal violence will have to face; and law enforcement, whose role is critical in responding to reports of domestic violence, and apprehending its perpetrators. Even the workplace must begin to make discussions on domestic violence a priority, as it relates to family men and their understanding of their wives/companions as partners.

In other words, since it is a national problem, then it has to be the business of ALL. It has to be confronted in a collective manner, in terms of understanding its particular ethos, and not be made the subject of a blame game or become a political football as was attempted in the letter, published in Kai-

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, April 30, 2018

eteur News.

As an aside, that former administration official is best advised to convert his party’s well-known bottom house meetings for talks to its supporters about the evil that is domestic violence, and all of the reasons that are associated with it, instead of the mischievous and misleading content that is a constant diet at its gatherings.

Secondly, there is a cultural tradition that needs to be examined, in terms of too many teens being forced into traditional marriages, or because of pregnancy and other sosio-economic reasons. In this modern age, with so many learning opportunities, is it the right choice for school-aged teen girls, many of whom are not mature psychologically, who do not understand the ways of the world to become involved in relationships, often with adult male partners?

In one of the media prints many years ago, was an article that detailed the accounts of battered women who disclosed their decades of abuse because of premature unions. That many of them remained so long, enduring great physical and mental pain, is because they

accepted marriage to mean, whether bad or good, that they must remain with their partners, and never to return home.

Many of those women would have met tragic ends, publicly known; while others are still suffering daily turmoil. But many have been finding the courage to exit the hell that has been their union, bearing the scars of their ordeal.

It is not our right/intention to change tradition, or to advocate that such be done, but given the practical score card as it relates to the experience of domestic violence and its numerous victims over the past two decades especially, would it not be in the best interest of our young teens that they be encouraged and supported to remain in school, thereby exploring their true potential?

Is it right that young girls be forced into marriage because of circumstances, most of which that often descend into the brutal nightmare of domestic violence abuse, and early death?

These are some of the fault lines that need to be examined and be discussed, with a view to protecting our women.

Natural Resources Ministry responds to ‘Concerned Citizen’ Dear Editor, ON April 22, 2018, the Kaieteur News carried a letter written by “concerned citizen” under the heading, “This Government is ignoring the plight of the Marudi small miners”. Please allow a response to matters carried within that letter.

The writer stated that

they were seeking to “reclaim what is rightfully ours”. According to the Mining Act of 1989; Section 6: “All minerals within the lands of Guyana shall vest in the state.” The state has delegated that authority to the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission through the GGMC Act of 1979.

Section 7:3 of the said Mining Act states:

“A licence or permit under this Act to enter on state lands and there search or mine for, take and appropriate, minerals may be granted by the commission.”

In keeping with Section 7:3, the GGMC granted a Mining Licence to the company Romanex since 2009.

The Rupununi Miners’ Association in their proposal is advocating that the gov-

ernment give them Mazoa Mountain and in addition, the government should excise the said lands from the Romanex Licence.

It would indeed “be bad for business” should the state arbitrarily revoke a licence issued to one person or company -- a legitimate holder of a Mining Licence from the state -- and give it to another. This would lead

to a lengthy court battle where no one benefits.

Let us put the shoe on the other foot: if the Rupununi Miners’ Association were in possession of a Mining Licence for the area, would they accept the government revoking their licence to give the area to someone else?

In their letter, the Rupununi Miners’ Associa-

tion failed to mention that they had entered into a mediated agreement that they have now refused to honour. This is unacceptable.

Yours faithfully, Johann Earle Public Affairs and Communications Officer Ministry of Natural Resources

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, April 30, 2018

Certainly not of God Dear Editor, I COULD not agree more with Earl Hamilton in his letter published in your April 28 edition captioned, “On the wrong side of truth and righteousness.” He has nailed Juan Edghill, supposedly bishop and Christian adherent.

I have followed this now fullfledged politician’s descent into politics as part of a political party that has been guilty of the most serious crimes committed against the people of this nation. But I do not wish to dwell on such, except to say that I hope God is answering his intercession for those who are sure to be prosecuted for making the treasury their personal financial accounts.

Further, I do agree with Hamilton, that Jesus Christ did not cast his vote for the PPP/C at the last poll. It explains why their many senior members, inclusive of former state officials, have had to face criminal inquiries, culminating in charges. Of course, Jesus Christ does not look kindly on “national thieves”, and pillagers of the treasury”, as Hamilton stated.

As one who has taken the vows of the priesthood -- in this case a bishop -- there is the moral expectation of an example that reflects such spiritual ascendancy. One is expected to exhibit a higher standard of conduct than others. It becomes a case of living and leading by example, and

defending righteousness.

Against this expectation, one must ask, how can this spiritual leader -- if he still is -- become a member, and now high potentate, of a party that apart from its well documented criminal acts against the state, is unashamedly racist, prosecuting its well- known programme of marginalisation against the Africans of this country?

What was very interesting was that while Edghill, as Chairman of the Ethnic Relations Commission had been prancing up and down the coastland preaching tolerance among the races, the former PPP/C government continued its racist programme. Surely, he would have been aware of the numerous acts of naked discrimination against African Guyanese -- inclusive of their communities -- that were denied basic amenities such as proper roads and water, coupled with extra judicial executions of hundreds of Afro-Guyanese young men and its policy of economic genocide, which was aptly put in the public sphere by one of Guyana’s leading trade unionists.

His inaction in the face of Rusal terminating the employment of so many Afro Guyanese, despite the latter workers’ reports of discrimination in such an action, illustrated a disturbingly lack of concern for their human rights, more so as a representative of God. I am not regular church-goer,

but it is my understanding that any person who chose to become a representative of God, is expected, apart from giving spiritual guidance to his congregation, to speak out against all forms of injustice and wrongdoing – probably waiting for a sign.

I hope that he remembered to reprimand his colleague MPs for their lying shouts of rape, during their disrespectful conduct in the National Assembly; and the scurrilous falsehood of receiving a deliberate physical blow to the body, as alleged by an MP, with a piece of wood, administered by a member of the security force -- the latter which had been immediately disproven.

But this might have been too much to expect from Edghill, given the fact that he flagrantly disobeyed the Speaker’s instruction, which became a signal for the most shocking display of opposition conduct in the history of national parliamentary proceedings.

Such scandalous behaviour could not have been one necessitated by seeking one’s rights.

It was a clear case of Edghill infringing the House’s procedures. One wonders how he could have sworn to uphold the very laws which he decidedly broke. His conduct as a politician has been a vile desecration of his spiritual vocation.

Regards, Troy Garraway

More PPP/C deception and selfishness Dear Editor,

HERE is another big PPP/C lie about the sugar industry aired via TVG 28 on April 28, one of the party’s support stations; a further attempt at evading and whitewashing the injurious mess that their self -serving politics caused on a once mighty industry that has led to the David Granger administration having to make very radical changes in attempts at re-positioning the entity.

You have guessed right: the threesome, comprising Anil Nandlall, Juan Edghill, and Gail Teixeira, up to their usual lies and mischief during a recent visit to the West Coast of Demerara, to distribute what appears to be hampers to some laid-off sugar workers.

It is a basic rule of business that once an entity begins to lose its profitability over a period of time, and shows no immediate sign of returning to such viability, serious decisions as to its future existence have to be taken. No astute businessperson will continue to pour hard-earned dollars into an entity that would have accumulated such a massive debt, as the reported $82M that hangs around the neck of GuySuCo. Such had been the declining state of GuySuCo’s production affairs for many years, known by the former PPP/C administration, but not much by the people of Guyana.

We all can recall the cry of “GuySuCo is broke’’, uttered by its then chairperson, in May, 2015.

The new government immediately responded with a multi-billion-dollar injection, to keep the entity going, no doubt with the thousands of sugar workers and

their immediate families’ welfare in mind. To date, this injection of funds has totalled some $32M. In a section of Nandlall’s discourse to the gathering, he said that government reported that they had given the latter sum to the industry, “so deh seh”, to quote his creolese, for keeping the industry afloat. This “so deh seh’’ is a subtlety meant to create the perception of misinformation, or deception on the part of the government.

He further opined that such a sum could have kept all of the terminated sugar workers on the job.

This means profitability or not, the sugar workers should have been employed continuously, because they are a critical block of PPP/C political support.

Immediately editor, this is the jumbie economics mindset of a party whose only interest in the workers was that they be continuously employed for political purposes of support for the PPP/C. This would have been in defiance of the reality of the grave financial crises that the entire sugar industry continues to encounter.

In plain PPP/C, cold, and dangerously selfish terms, it meant the continuous allocation of scarce taxpayers’ money into an industry that had passed economic life-support stage, but had to be kept breathing because of the risk of losing political support for such a party.

This is the ugly dishonesty that continues to permeate PPP/C statements to its constituents in the sugar industry, primarily designed to whip up racist fears and economic insecurities – all in the name of seeking a return to political power.

What contribution have they offered to the attempts at restruc-

turing an industry which still means a lot to those hardworking sugar workers, who have been made to suffer great emotional discomfort because of the political gangsterism of that infernal cabal in Robb Street?

In this vein, they would seem to have silenced the efforts of Komal Chand who, although complicit in the collapse of the industry, decided that he will shoulder the responsibilities as leader of his Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union, in working with the government for a solution that will be of benefit not only to what will remain of the industry, but also to those workers whose services will be retained.

Shamelessly, Bharrat Jagdeo attacked Chand for his efforts, describing such as offering PR opportunities to the government.

How can such a blinkered, asinine view be taken, when such a vital industry is at stake, demanding all the inputs from all stakeholders for a solution? But that is the level of political leadership and calibre of an opposition leader whose only desperate refrain is to maintain political control of an industry that he and party colleagues have brought to its knees.

I will always maintain that GuySuCo and its circumstances are the premier examples of PPP/C deception, deviousness, misinformation, high-tech crookishness and incompetence, coupled with political debauchery. These attributes were once again demonstrated by the unholy trio of Nandlall, Edghill, and Teixeira during their visit to Wales in Region Three.

Regards, Earl Hamilton

8

Inquest recommended

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, April 30, 2018

–– as OPR completes investigation into seawall shooting

By Leroy Smith THE Guyana Police Force has received legal advice that an inquest be held into the shooting death of three men on the Georgetown seawall last month.

The men killed in the shooting were Dextroy Cordis, 46, called “Dutty” of Grove, East Bank Demerara; Kwame Assanah of Buxton, East Coast Demerara; and Errol Adams, 57, also known as “Dynamite”, of Buxton, ECD. The advice was received following the Guyana Police Force Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) completion of its probe into the matter.

Commissioner of Police (ag) David Ramnarine, said the police force has no control over when the inquest will be held; as such is done by a coroner.

Kwame Assanah However, he said what the police do have control over and an obligation to do, is to provide the coroner who is a sitting magistrate with the necessary files and statements into the matter, so that a proper inquest can be conducted.

He further stated that while much publicity followed the incident and the police were accused of ex-

ecuting the man, even as a ‘so-called’ witness surfaced days after the incident, no statements were provided by that supposed witness or anyone else to discredit the police operation on March 14, the day the shooting occurred.

“People who said that they knew a lot and have been on a roof and so on, they did not come to the police neither were they brought here by anyone,” Ramnarine had said.

Since the accusations were against the police force, the matter was investigated by the Police Office of Professional Responsibility, an organ in the force that investigates allegations made against officers.

Hours after the shooting, relatives of the men who were killed claimed that the circumstances surrounding the shooting death had left

Dextroy Cordis many questions unanswered.

This was after the police had issued a statement in relation to the shooting, pointing out that the men were cornered and began exchanging fire with the police after trailing a man from a city bank to the seawall, where he went after withdrawing a large amount of cash.

In that development, the police divulged little of the person who the men were trailing and justified the

withholding of that piece of information, contending that the identity of that person must be protected.

This too was called into question, as the police had in the past released the names of other persons who were robbed after leaving the banks and other establishments.

The police also could not provide a proper explanation as to how in the exchange of gunfire with its ranks, none of the service vehicles bore bullet holes or if any of its ranks were injured.

There was the contention that the ranks who were on the operation adopted a tactical approach which prevented them from being injured.

The police had called on persons who might have had information on the incident to come forward and provide them with statements,

so that the matter could be properly investigated. The president also had made comments with respect to the shooting.

Shortly after the president made his comments and called for the police to probe the shooting as is normal in such instances, the acting commissioner of police called a press conference, where he discredited the alleged witness to the shooting, the only person who came forward through his lawyer to say that he saw what had transpired.

The police also shied away from the request that the would-be witness was concerned about police protection.

During that operation, the police reportedly retrieved an unlicensed handgun, 10 passports, five drivers’ licences, two national identification cards, a police clearance and several other items.

One dead, four injured in Corentyne accident A 48-year-old man is dead and four other persons are seriously injured after the car in which they were travelling slammed into a heap of sand on the Cromarty Public Road, East Berbice-Corentyne, on Sunday.

Dead is Adrian Downer, of Lot 79, Fyrish Village, Corentyne. The driver and occupants were reportedly under the influence at the time of the accident.

According to reports, just after midnight on Saturday, the car bearing registration number PRR 8753 was proceeding west along the roadway at a fast rate of speed, when the driver lost control of the vehicle and slammed into the sand.

Downer, who was in the back seat of the vehicle, was pronounced dead on arrival at the Port Mourant Hospital. The injured who were taken there were subsequently transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital.

An eyewitness and res-

ident of Cromarty told the Guyana Chronicle that after the car slammed into the sand, it crashed into a utility pole and spun around a

Dead: Adrian Downer few times before ending up in a trench.

“This car was coming from Skeldon side with good speed, it pitch that sand till into neighbours’ verandah; it coil up on the light post then in the trench.

When me run to them man

all of them bleeding and one of them was blacking out steady, so we hurry and get them help to the hospital,” the eyewitness said.

“At first, I thought was like gunshot or suh then meh seh no man this different, so I come out and see a set of them still in the vehicle, so we assisted in taking them out. One of them body was already lifeless,” another eyewitness recounted.

The eyewitness said that Downer, who was in the back seat of the car, sustained the brunt of the impact when the side of the car crashed into the post.

The wife of the deceased told this publication that her husband, a father of one and a cane harvester attached to the Albion Estate, had indicated on Saturday afternoon that he was going to a birthday party.

She later received a call about 01:30hrs informing her of the accident and for her to visit the hospital.

The car in which Downer died in the accident on Sunday “When I arrived I saw my husband body in the back of the police van while the others were being looked after. I was just shocked and speechless,” the grieving wife said.

She noted that the driver, who hails from Fyrish, is a friend of her husband as they work together as cane harvesters. When this newspaper visited the scene, clothing

and other articles belonging to the occupants were on the parapet and the car was still submerged in the trench.

The police are investigating the accident.

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, April 30, 2018

Minister Scott encourages unions to be ‘game changers’

AHEAD of Labour Day, the Guyana Trades Union Congress and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana hosted a wreath-laying ceremony to reflect on the father of the trade union movement in Guyana, Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow.

The event was hosted on Sunday at the forecourt of Parliament Building in line with this year’s theme: ‘Advancing Solidarity-Promoting Employment and Decent Work’.

In his remarks, Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection with responsibility for Labour, Keith Scott, spoke to the duties of trade unions to operate in unity and the need for stakeholders to embrace the concept of strategic leadership to survive in changing times.

The government, he said, will continue seeking to respond with speed and accuracy to address the challenges to human development, as in the case of the recent sanctioning of Russian bauxite company, Rusal.

“The rapidity in which the world is changing due to technology renders concepts,

principles and ideas obsolete at an elaborate rate. Therefore, we have to be constantly innovative and adaptable to many of the changes which confront us without warning,” he said.

Since last week, meetings have commenced on the Rusal matter between the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) and the government, while visits were made to the company’s Aroaima location in Region 10.

When it comes to other ongoing issues, Scott encouraged unions to abstain from the ‘blame game’ and to put all hands on deck to play active roles in improving the livelihoods of workers nationwide.

“It is not the time to be casting blame to the delight and excitement to our enemies or naysayers. It is time for trade unions to reposition themselves as game changers in the development process, as we march onwards towards the realm of a good life,” he said.

Meanwhile, Executive Member of the Guyana Public Service Union, Duwane Boston, after giving a history of the social advocacy works of

Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams, pays respect to the works of Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow (photo

by Samuel Maughn)

Members of several of the country’s trade unions turned out to the wreath- laying ceremony on the Parliament grounds. (photo by Samuel Maughn)

Better Hope man succumbs to gunshot wound POLICE are investigating an alleged murder committed on Daniel Nandall, 29, a carpenter of Lalchand Street, Better Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD), which occurred about 23:15 hrs on Saturday at Better Hope, ECD. Initial investigations revealed that Nandlall was imbibing with family members

when he was approached and questioned by the suspect who subsequently discharged a round at him and fled.

Nandall was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and died while receiving medical attention.

His body is at the hospital’s mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.

Daniel Nandall

Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow, spoke on the Trade Union Recognition Act. He pointed out that portions of the document are still being ignored by some, such as the call for employers to recognise the union and for the two to bargain in good faith and enter into negotiation with each other.

“Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow fought for these improvements but, over the years we saw deterioration in the conditions of employment. This is largely attributed to the lack of unity in the trade union movement,” he said, adding: “Let us embrace each other and work together as Hubert Nathaniel Critch-

low would have done to move workers’ social and economic values to higher levels. Let us remember the struggle of all those who worked hard and tirelessly towards making this country a great nation,” he said.

Also present at the function was Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams; Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) General-Secretary, Coretta McDonald; President of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), Lincoln Lewis; students of several secondary schools in Georgetown and the Guyana Police Force Band.

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, April 30, 2018

Bus drivers, it’s your responsibility

I GOT on a bus around 3.45pm one afternoon last week on my way to visit a friend in his village.

Looking around, I realised the passengers were mostly schoolchildren, with only about three adults, myself included.

Once full, the bus began to move towards the Linden car park and that’s when the ‘music’ began. Yes, it had a beat and instruments were being played, but the vocal content was, for me, very annoying.

The lyrics were lewd and distasteful; they kept referring to a woman’s private parts in the most derogatory way. As the bus sped along, the lyrics washed over us like a tidal wave, whether we liked it or not we were engulfed in our imaginations, conjuring up images of the picture the ‘singer’ was painting in our minds. I glanced around the bus and everyone was quiet, almost enthralled by the ‘music’. I wondered how many mothers and fathers were aware of this afternoon ‘entertainment’ to which their children were being subjected.

Bus drivers have a responsibility to carry children home safely, but during the journey it seems some of them are callously indoctrinating young minds by exposing them to sexually explicit lyrics: this is messing with their natural childhood development. These children were innocently coming home from school, why would they need such vulgar images in their heads? Drivers may argue that the children ‘like’ the music. If so, that would probably be because it is what they have been exposed to and as children, can we really expect them to know any better?

Obviously, they will gravitate to anything that seems illicit and exciting: Especially as it’s unbeknown to their parents. (This is not true of all children, though most would go along with what the majority do).

Adults (including bus drivers) are meant to safeguard children and keep a look out for their best interests, not exploit their young minds by making them listen to sexually explicit lyrics.

As adults we should be aware that some

types of ‘music’ can be damaging rather than uplifting to the innocent minds of our children; and a lot of it is played on the buses that carry them around.

I got off the bus making a note of the driver’s face and registration number. At the time I was thinking that I would have a word with him the next time I saw him at the park.

As some children disembarked alongside me, they were greeted by a woman with a smiling face and warm words. ‘Godchildren’, she said, ‘What did you learn in school today?’

This question so belied the bus experience we had just shared that I found myself telling her, ‘You need to ask them what they learnt on that bus ride’. I went on to explain about the ‘music’. As I walked off I heard her asking the children, ‘…And you didn’t tell the driver to change the music?’

Very few adults confront drivers or conductors about their ‘worthless’ music, so it is far-fetched to expect children to do so. No one wants to make a fuss, so it is more or less accepted as part of the culture that when you ride on a bus you take

what you get. But adults (bus drivers and conductors) are responsible for the type of music children listen to while travelling.

They should have a ‘care of duty’ towards their young passengers, because children rely on adults to guide them in the right way. If you’re a bus driver who picks up child passengers on a regular basis, please show some consideration. If you enjoy listening to vulgar music at home, please leave it there, (at home) don’t visit your preferences on people’s children.

Why not make an effort to play music that relaxes the minds of young passengers after a long day at school, rather than disrupt their young, fertile minds with lewd nonsense?

If you are concerned about the welfare of a child, ring the CPA hotline on 227 0979 or write to childcaregy@ gmail.com A MESSAGE FROM THE CHILDCARE AND PROTECTION AGENCY, MINISTRY OF SOCIAL PROTECTION

Tender Boards award 57 multi-million dollar contracts CONTRACTS for the construction of a new fire station at Onverwagt on the West Coast of Berbice, and the continuation of the East Bank Demerara Road Project are among 57 multimillion-dollar contracts awarded by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) and other procurement entities.

On Friday, Minister of State Joseph Harmon said Cabinet at its Sub-Committee level noted the award of the multimillion-dollar contracts. Cabinet met on Tuesday, April 16.

It was noted that in the area of public security, more than $26.3M was awarded to Doodnauth Construction and Supplies for construction of a new fire station at Onverwagt in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).

Under the Education Ministry, an additional sum of $352.7M was awarded to Courtney Benn Contracting Services Limited for construction of the St Rose’ s High School. In February, approximately $16.9M was awarded to PD Contracting for the demolition of the high school. Chairman of the Board of Governors of St. Rose’s High School, Kenrick Thomas, had said that all options were explored before the decision was taken to demolish the school’s

wooden building which faces Church Street. The demolition will pave the way for a modern building to be erected.

“This decision was taken only after extensive consultations over many years to determine the viability of retaining this edifice because of its historical importance and architectural integrity.

After much deliberation and with the primary goal being to provide a safe, up-to-date and innovative building for the development of our students, and only after exploring every option to preserve the building, was the decision unhappily taken to demolish the structure,” Thomas had said.

Also under the Education Ministry, a $17.4M contract was given to M.S Trading for the rehabilitation of the Dora Secondary School science laboratory.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs will oversee the expansion of its head office. That contract was awarded to Ivor Allen Contracting Services to the tune of $27.2M. In Region Four, more than $30.4M will be expended under the Ministry of Communities for construction of revetment and tarmac at Annandale on the East Coast of Demerara. That contract was awarded to S. Jagmohan Hardware

Supplies and Construction Services.

Also under the Ministry of Communities, Ivor Allen Contracting Services will be upgrading and extending the Yank Dam, West D’Edward, West Bank Demerara at the cost of $19.4M. That company was also awarded a $15.7M contract for the upgrade and extension of King Street in Number 22 Village, West Bank Berbice.

Infrastructural works at Peter’s Hall on the East Bank of Demerara will continue in four lots for Phase II. Lot #1 was awarded to Chung’s Global Enterprise at a cost of $77.7M, Lot #2 was awarded to Erron Lall Civil Engineering Works to the tune of $128.8M, Lot #3 will be carried by Guy-American Construction, using some $79.5M, and Lot #4 will be executed by Colin Talbot Contracting Services at the cost of $71.1M. Meanwhile, infrastructural works at Providence, Phase IV, East Bank Demerara, will be executed in three Lots. The contract for the first lot was awarded to K.B. and B Contractors to the tune of $48.5M, while Lot #2 will be executed by H. Nauth and Sons Civil Engineering Contractors at a cost of $64.7M. The final lot went to Romell Jagroop’s General Construction Service

at a cost of $75.2M. Under the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, a number of roads will also be rehabilitated. In Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), the Lima Sands Access Roads will be rehabilitated by K. P. Thomas and Sons at the cost of $51M, while over in Region Three (Essequibo Islands- West Demerara), R and B Investment Incorporated will renovate the Belle West Main Access Road at the cost of $15.9M. Also in Region Three, La Grange Old Road will be rehabilitated at a cost of $25.5M by S. Jagmohan Hardware Supplies and Construction Services.

In Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), the main access road in Goedverwagting will also be repaired. The contract for that road project was given to Colin Talbot Contracting Services at a sum of $32.2M. The final lot will be rehabilitated by Handel Garnett Construction Firm at a cost of $12.7M for rehabilitation of the Clay Brick Road at Goedverwagting.

Under the Public Infrastructure Ministry, five contracts were awarded for the supply of road-building materials. A number of other contracts were awarded in the areas of Agriculture and Energy.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, April 30, 2018

Better parenting, schooling and leadership

11

– keys to tackling domestic violence, says Ramjattan

PUBLIC Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan has suggested that better parenting, schooling, and religious and community involvement are important to tackle domestic violence as he notes government’s concern of every case of domestic violence.

According to Ramjattan, some of the challenges confronting society today have a lot to do with how young people were raised.

Their erratic behaviour, he said, often lends to domestic violence, requiring intervention by the police.

The police and the minister have been unfairly criticised when domestic violence occurs. The police cannot be at their respective stations and on patrol and know when a man will shoot his spouse or severe the limb of a partner, the minister said.

He, however, agreed that the police do have a duty to ensure prevention and that is done by investigating reports and taking the matters to court.

“It is hard to prevent a case where someone is feeling angry and for whatever reason go and chop out his wife’s hands or take a gun and empty the barrel into a woman who is driving with him,” Ramjattan posited.

He called on community leaders, schools and organisations to act swiftly on abusers by reporting them to the police.

Ramjattan did not shy away from exploring leg-

islative frameworks to address the issue of domestic violence, but according to him, that will have to be thoroughly considered as one has to ensure that whatever is proposed and put forward helps to fix the situation.

“I don’t know what we can do and legislate against that, it is an extraordinary difficult thing to do and as such we must develop and ensure better communities and start there,” the security minister contended.

He explained that while he is not sure what are some of the real root causes of the recent spate in domestic violence, he suspects that depression, bad marriages and relationships are contributors to the scourge.

“I am also of the view that education, socialisation, discipline and all of these things which might have been lacking at an early age might also be responsible,” he said.

RECENT CASES Within the last month, there have been numerous cases of domestic violence, most committed against women.

These cases received widespread publicity while others would have been dealt with quietly, either out of fear of embarrassment or due to the remote locations where they occurred.

Among the recent incidents are, the shooting death of a travel agent in

the street earlier this month by a man she had been living with for a number of years. That matter is presently engaging the court, as the suspect, a Guyana Defence Force officer, who has since been interdicted,turned himself over to the police after committing the act. That incident took place in Alexander Village, Georgetown.

Soon after that incident, another occurred. A woman who had removed from an abusive relationship had returned to remove her children from the house that she had shared with her reputed husband.

As she exited a car, the man began inflicting stab wounds about her body.

She collapsed and died on the roadway in front of her children. That incident took place at Mahaica, East Coast Demerara. The suspect then retreated to the house where he consumed a poisonous substance and later succumbed while receiving medical attention.

Last week, there was another case of domestic violence which was widely reported. A woman, who a man had asked to move on with her life after they were having issues, found herself back in the house with the man and during an argument, she was reportedly strangled to death while the man consumed a poisonous substance and he succumbed. He also killed his three pet dogs in his fit of rage and anger.

Also last week, a man

during an argument with his wife, tossed a pot of hot water in her direction, causing her to suffer

first and second degree burns about her body.

Her condition was listed as critical.

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, April 30, 2018

Workers’ safety high on agenda –– says Minister Scott as Occupational Health and Safety Month concludes

By Navendra Seoraj DESPITE the reported considerable decrease in workplace accidents last year, Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Keith Scott said employers and employees will continue to be sensitised about good health and safety practices.

Hundreds of workers braved the inclement weather to spread the word about good Occupation and Health and Safety (OHS) practices during a march from Church Street and Avenue of

the Republic to D’Urban Park, to culminate OHS month on Saturday morning.

Scott, who was leading the march, said his ministry spent the entire OHS month sensitising employers and employees about the importance of safety in the workplace.

“We visited lots of employers and had one and one talks with them and even had occasions where we encouraged them to have their own programmes,” said the minister, adding that some places indeed conducted their own pro-

grammes.

Although OHS month has concluded, he said the ministry and its partners intend to continue the education and sensitisation programmes, so that young people in particular would be more conscious about the need to obey OHS laws.

Social Protection and OHS specialist of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Ariel Pino, who was also a part of the march, said the ILO decided to devote OHS month to youths because they are more vulnerable.

From left: Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Keith Scott; Chief Labour Officer Charles Ogle; ILO representative Ariel Pino and another participant, leading the march on Saturday

Some of the persons who turned up for the OHS march on Saturday morning (Adrian Narine photos)

“We have to place maximum attention on OHS because it implies a huge human and economic cost; that is why we are helping Guyanese people to improve the working conditions and make the workplace safe,” he said.

The ILO had started working with the government to help Guyana adopt a strategic framework which is promoted through ILO international standards.

He said some of the sectors that they have paid keen attention to are construction, agriculture and some services.

Last year, Scott had

announced that the Occupational Safety and Health Unit within the Department of Labour has seen a 100 per cent decrease in workplace deaths.

He had noted that the improvement would have not been possible without the support of the employers.

“We must thank the employers who have become conscious that it is in their interest not to have down time in terms of machinery breaking down, in terms of workers having accidents and so,” explained Minister Scott.

CH&PA moving to address hiccups in electrification programme THE termination of a contract related to an electrification project has prevented four communities from being powered with electricity. However, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) is working to address the issue, its Project Engineer Omar Narine has assured.

In its quest to fulfil its promise to the people of Guyana, CH&PA commenced a $745M Electrification Project in 2017 targeting 16 government-led communities across the country.

However, the project encountered some hiccups when one of the contractors was unable to deliver.

In an interview, Narine said that the CH&PA was scheduled to complete the project in December 2017.

However, it has been delayed because of termination of one of the contracts.

“That terminated contract was for the supply of conductors [and] cables for four of the areas. Unfortunately, those areas are Onderneeming on the Essequibo Coast, Five Miles Bartica, Lust-en-

Rust and the Commercial and Industrial Zone at Little Great Diamond,” he said.

The Project Engineer further explained that as a result of the terminated contract, there is no cable to supply those four areas with electricity. However, he gave the assurance that an alternative plan is being considered.

“I have already discussed this with the CH&PA board.

I have already discussed this with the minister. All the green lights have been given, so we will try to bring in back those areas for August

of this year,” Narine said.

The electrification programme in the other 11 communities such as Farm on the East Bank of Demerara, has been successful and was handed over to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL).

The schemes targeted under the CH&PA’s electrification programme are Onderneeming, Region Two; Zeelugt and Lust-en-Rust in Region Three; Hope/Experiment and Baltyrock in Region Five; Kilcoy Chesney, Region Six; Bartica, Region Seven; and Peters Hall, Farm,

Covent Garden, Diamond, Eccles, Barnwell, Paradise and Enmore in Region Four.

Back in September of 2016, Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Valerie Adams Patterson-Yearwood allocated some $900 million for the electrification project in housing communities for 2017. Altogether, some 38,000 homes are expected to benefit from the service of the government’s housing unit.

The project is in response to complaints of the unavail-

ability of electricity and other infrastructure in some of these areas.

The CH&PA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Leon Saul had explained that the aim of the CH&PA is to create communities, moreover, communities that are equipped with the basic living requirements such as electricity. In establishing communities, the authority is mandated to ensure that the requirements such as electricity, roadways and the supply of water are provided.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, April 30, 2018

Expo showcases Linden’s tremendous –– Linden Chamber of potential for investment Commerce vice-president

By Vanessa Braithwaite THIS year’s Linden Exhibition and Trade Fair has been deemed the biggest thus far since the commencement of the initiative, with over 84 booths filling the Linden Technical Institute (LTI) compound during the weekend.

The more significant hallmark of this year’s fair, however, is that compared to previous years, there were more participation from Linden businesses, inclusive of entrepreneurs, agro-processors, manufacturers and small-scale entrepreneurs.

Highlighting this significant achievement was vice president of the Linden Chamber of Industry Commerce and Development (LCICD), Lyndon Younge, who said, “Holistically there were more booths than last year but there were more Linden booths than last year… we had about 25 to 30 booths that are Linden… we had the craft, people who

do pepper, soap and other detergents, so I think what we need to start doing is to utilise our own before we step outside and that is going to give our money more weight than value,” Younge said.

Some of the local entrepreneurs were Pleasurable Flavours, DeSouza’s Manufacturing, Linden Bricks, Monica’s Fabric Designs, and Pam’s Coconut Oil Production, amongst others.

Dianna Braford from Pam’s Coconut Oil Production located in Wisroc, said she has been manufacturing virgin coconut oil by-products for four years, but this is the first time she showcased at the expo.

“I do the fragrance oil, the cherry, the vanilla and I also do the hair oil, I produce them all my by self for four years, I went to GUYEXPO, Business Expo, I would normally go out when there is something” Pam related. She decided to participate in the Linden Expo to gain clientele.

Trying to gain clientele as well was fabric designer, Wilma Hutson who uses various products and raw materials such as pearls, beads and flowers to design clothing with her hands.

“I am happy to be here because, I have learnt a lot,” she said.

SHOWCASING LINDEN President of the LCICD Victor Fernandes said, the expo’s aim is to rebrand Linden as the ideal destination for business and investment, while simultaneously giving local manufacturers and entrepreneurs a chance to advertise their products and services.

With several national and international agencies and businesses also being at the fair, such as ExxonMobil, Fernandes said the aim was not to merely showcase locally produced items as well as local services available, but to push the idea to established inves-

President David Granger examines a locally made cup, as LCICD’s Victor Fernandes and Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira (third and second right respectively) look on appreciatively during the opening of the expo on Friday.

Popular Linden businessman, two others hospitalised in accident POPULAR Linden businessman Beresford Harry, 49, also known as “Bella”, owner of BeHarry Lumber Yard and General Store, is in a critical condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital Cooperation (GPHC) following an accident which occurred around 10:15 hrs on Sunday.

According to a police report, Harry was driving motor vehicle PVV 5602 owned by his wife, Simone Harry, and as he was proceeding east alongside the northern side of the Amelia’s Ward Public Road at a fast rate of speed, he lost control of the vehicle.

The vehicle collided with the Digicel “Welcome to Linden” sign board, then a wooden barrier on the eastern side of

Millie’s Junction of the Linden Soesdyke Highway and landed into a clump of bushes.

Public-spirited persons rescued Harry and the other occupants, including 21-yearold Shakel McAlmont of 19 Amelia’s Ward, Linden, and 28-year-old Trecia Aulder of Mocha, East Bank Demerara, and rushed them to the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) in an unconscious state.

Harry and McAlmont were later transferred to the GPHC for further medical treatment. Harry suffered trauma to the head. He is known as a ‘good Samaritan’ who takes his corporate social responsibility seriously by giving back to the community.

The traffic department of E’ Division is investigating the accident.

tors, both in an out of Guyana, that Linden has tremendous potential for investments.

“The aim of the fair is showcase Linden and its potential, we cannot limit it to Linden only, of course, Linden is a part of Guyana and our intention is to attract investors primarily, to get on board and to have some confidence in Linden as a community,” Fernandes said.

With Linden being strategically located in a region which spans the three main rivers and can be accessed by several other regions, including all interior locations, Fernandes is pushing for Linden to become the business hub for these other administration regions.

“We want Linden to be so positioned that people can come to Linden to do their business and return.

This is only possible if we transform our own approach in this community, we have to change the way we do business, it has to be a radical change, one which includes our whole perception

of business.”

SHORT COMINGS Younge revealed that one of the major challenges the LCIC encountered was the lack of sponsorship, and he is hoping that next year businesses will understand their cooperate responsibility and give back.

The 2018 venue was a change from the signature venue, the Egbert Benjamin Conference Centre, and because most of the booths were outdoors, the inclement weather throughout the three days, may have hindered the huge support the participants were looking forward to from the Linden community.

In solving these issues, Younge said that early coordination will ensure that the venue next year will “weather all weathers”. Next year, the chamber will also be including entrepreneurs from the outlying communities in Region 10.

“We want persons to come out, see more innovations,

more creativity, again, we want to see that those skills be turned into actual marketing products and not just send out the whole product,” he said.

He added: “I believe that persons should not come and ask what the chamber can do, but what they can do for the chamber because the chamber is the quality and the quantity of our membership, so if we don’t have persons coming on board, sharing ideas and supporting with their corporate responsibilities and so on, we would not move.”

This year’s exhibition was held under the theme “Exploring Opportunities, Empowering Businesses in a green 2018.”

Some of the government and non-governmental agencies that were also advertising their products and services were Sol Guyana, the National Insurance Scheme, the Department of Public Information, the United States of America Embassy, and the Guyana Forestry Commission, among others.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, April 30, 2018

New anti-littering by-laws awaiting City Council’s approval A NEW set of littering by-laws, which are to feature huge fines for persons found engaging in the practice, is awaiting approval of the City Council and subsequently, Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan.

Public Relations Officer at City Hall, Debra Lewis, said so recently during an interview at which she was joined by Acting Solid Waste Director Floyd Rawlins.

“We’re looking at the littering by-laws which will allow us to arrest and prosecute. The council has to adopt, and then they will have to be sent to the ministry,” Lewis explained.

She said the fines in these by-laws are “very high” and will therefore serve as a deterrent to persons.

The current fine is $10,000 for someone caught littering, but only a handful are being charged because Lewis said the Constabulary Department is short of staff. “Why more persons are not being charged goes back to manpower.”

Hence, Lewis said the City Council will be looking to reinstitute the anti-littering campaign which it conducted some M&CC Public Relations time ago.

Rawlins offered that Officer Debra Lewis solid waste management begins at home and observed that dumping on the roadsides and ‘anywhere possible’ can cause public health threats.

Furthermore, he said dumping in the drains, canals, and alleyways can result in water contamination and cause blockage.

“We’re asking for the kind cooperation of citizens, because it doesn’t only affect the City Council, but all of Acting Solid Waste us,” he said.

Meanwhile, the smaller D i r e c t o r F l o y d contractors hired by City Rawlins Hall during the time their two main ones were not working, are still to receive their payments. The City Council has however been keeping up with monthly payments to Puran Brothers and Cevons Waste Management. “We are still in the process of honouring our payments to them (three small contractors). But we’re up to scratch with our payments to the two main contractors.”

Concerning the new set of littering by-laws, the M&CC had said that it wanted the new system in place before the end of October 2017. It is to impose fines ranging from $25,000 to $100,000, with imprisonment as the consequence of a failure to pay.

The decision to implement this system came as a result of the high level of indiscipline, especially in the business community, regarding littering in Georgetown, Town Clerk Royston King had said when he announced it last September.

“Areas freshly cleaned, if you go back right now, you will see those areas littered all over again. People See page 15

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, April 30, 2018

Drainage works impeded by garbage-dumping

CITIZENS are continuing to dump garbage in the waterways in Georgetown and as a result, they contribute to flooding and damage to the pumps.

This is according to Deputy City Engineer (Ag) Kenson Boston, who made the remarks a few days ago

while speaking with reporters at City Hall.

Drainage works, he noted, are always ongoing but most of the problems encountered spring from littering and from the way residents dispose of their bulk waste.

At the moment, two

pumps are down and should be back in operation within a week’s time. “They are working up to the maximum hours; six to eight hours before they get a half hour rest,” Boston informed.

He called on residents to report to the City Council any challenges they are en-

New anti-littering by-laws awaiting City Council’s ...

From page 14

are littering with gay abandon except if you put in place stiffer fines, sanctions, and the ticketing system,” King had said.

He added: “This would allow people caught littering to pay a fine to the Council directly, and almost immediately, so that you don’t have to go through the court system.”

According to King, the City Constabulary’s anti-littering squad is working in all local neighbourhoods, particularly in the central business district, and officers will be armed with cameras so that the litter bugs can be found.

The City Council also wants to put in place a programme called “Name and Shame” in the media.

Every person who contravenes these new by-laws would be subjected to the aforementioned fines, which are to be paid within 72 hours from the time notice is given of imposition of the fine.

Failure to pay attracts an additional fine of $10,000 for every 24 hours payment remains outstanding. Furthermore, according to the proposed by-law, every person who remains in default of payment for more than 72 hours commits an offence, and upon summary conviction is liable to imprisonment for a period of no less than 24 hours, but not exceeding 120 hours.

According to the proposed by-laws, litter means any solid or liquid material or product such as rubbish, refuse, garbage, paper package, container, bottle, cans, manure, human or animal excrement, the whole or part of an animal’s carcass, coal, wood, gravel, earth, sawdust, glass, plastic, nails, staples, tacks, scraps or metal, and expended tobacco products.

It also refers to the whole or part of any article, raw or processed material, vehicle or machinery of any type.

countering and requested that they be patient with the officers, who he promised will eventually fix the problems.

Boston also noted that the inappropriate disposal of garbage negatively affects the pumps. “Be careful where you throw your garbage; please don’t throw it

in the alleyways. This causes a lot of stress on my department.”

“When the pumps are on, they pull a lot of water and pull the garbage same time, which also damages the pumps and causes them to shut down,” he continued.

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Deputy City Engineer (Ag) Kenson Boston

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, April 30, 2018

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, April 30, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, April 30, 2018

Colts trample Ravens 86-66 to ‘3-peat’ as National Champions S TA N T O N R o s e , t h e 19-year-old point guard from Colts, saved his best performance for last in this year’s National Club Championship, as he led his side’s destruction of Ravens 86-66 to help the Bountysponsored team to repeat as Champions for the third consecutive year.

Rose knocked down seven of his ten attempts from the three-point land in his team-

high 25 points, much to the delight of the large and vociferous crowd at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Saturday evening.

The night started with an entertaining performance by Guyana’s International recording artiste, Timeka Marshall, who energised the crowd with her several hits, including her infectious music out for the ‘Guyana Carnival’.

With the crowd already energised, the two sides took to the floor and produced a show that was in keeping with all the pre-game hype.

It was Rose who started the ball rolling for the Colts, with the back court player leading a 7 – 0 run for the eventual winners.

The Ravens never really found their rhythm since the opening period and even though Dominic Vincente (17 points) had a good shooting night, the team struggled as they went down big by the third.

Shelroy Thomas who had 20 points at the end of the night, teamed up with Rose to become a thorn in the Ravens’ players’ flesh.

Shane Webster, who was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the tournament while finishing with the most points and rebounds, ended the night with 15 points and 15 rebounds for a double-double performance.

Ravens’ Anthony Moe showed off his all-round

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game, scoring a game-high 27 points to go along with his 16 rebounds, eight blocks shots and five steals, but his sensational stat-line was overshadowed by the Colts’ unselfish basketball.

For the win, the Colts collected $600,000, while Ravens had to settle for the second-place prize of $400,000.

Meanwhile, in the third place play-off, Linden’s Victory Valley Royals, last year’s finalist, made light work of the Kobras, winning 83-57.

The Kobras did not have the fire-power to hang with the Linden-based side that shredded the defence of the Kobras in the paint.

Trevor Profit had 19 points in the win, while last year’s leading scorer, Harold Adams, ended the night with 17 points.

Orlando Glasgow also chipped in with 14 points in the win for the Royals who travelled back to their Region 10 community with $200,000. .

Carlos Edwards scored 13 points and Travis Burnett had 11 points for the poorshooting Kobras team.

At the presentation ceremony held immediately after the tournament, all teams were presented with their prize money and trophies, with President of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF), Nigel Hinds calling the event a success.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, April 30, 2018

45 Days to go …

I

N 1986, Mexico became the first nation to be given the honour of hosting two World Cups. 16 years prior, Mexico had hosted an incredibly successful and fondly remembered World Cup tournament where the world witnessed what is often regarded as one of the best championship winning teams of all time--the 1970 Brazil national team.

The 1986 edition of the tournament was another rousing success, as the world watched in awe at the individual brilliance of Diego Maradona.

However, the event could have been completely different had the initial plans for the 1986 World Cup gone ahead.

For it was actually Colombia who were initially given the rights to host the World Cup, but withdrew in 1982, primarily due to financial issues.

The story of Colombia’s failure to host the World Cup is a tragic one which involves political corruption, guerrilla warfare, drug cartels and a former US Secretary of State.

To understand how Colombia’s bid to host the World Cup ended so disastrously, we must go all the way back to the year 1970, when Mexico first hosted the tournament and Colombia’s general election of that year.

Misael Pastrana Borrero was elected president on a campaign which promised to improve Colombia’s economy by investing heavily in grand-scale projects such as sports arenas. Part of this plan was to lobby for Colombia to host the World Cup, as the tournament had proved successful for other South American nations.

Borrero’s bid was successful and in 1974, FIFA president Sir Stanley Rous

granted Colombia the right to host the 1986 World Cup. Plans were underway to prepare the country for the tournament. Stadiums began to be constructed, including the Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez--the current home of the Colombian national team.

But almost immediately, there began to be concerns about Colombia’s ability to host the tournament. Supporters of Gustavo Rojas Pinilla, Borrero’s opponent in the 1970 general election, claimed that the election w a s rigged.

Milita-

r i s e d guerrilla movements such as M-19 and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) grew throughout the decade amid continued political unrest.

Organised crime groups such as the notorious Medellín Cartel, headed by Pablo Escobar, grew in the 1970s and ‘80s with the rise of drug trafficking to the United States. As all these groups vied for more political control, bloody violence ensued with many of the victims being civilians. Colombia’s economy was sent into turmoil.

By 1982, stadiums were incomplete, Colombia had no money to invest in its World Cup plans, and there were growing concerns about how safe it was for nations to travel to the country amid the ongoing violence.

Incumbent president, Belisario Betancur, made the executive decision: Colombia could not host the World Cup. In a televised speech in October 1982, the president explained that the nation lacked the necessary funds to fulfil World Cup hosting duties.

This left FIFA in uncharted waters. They needed to find a new host quickly and soon found four contenders in Brazil, Canada, USA, and Mexico. Brazil dropped out, leaving three bids for the hosting rights for FIFA to consider.

T h e Americans put in a strong case to host the tournament, with their bid being headed by US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. A huge soccer fan, Kissinger also happened to be the chair of the North American Soccer League’s (NASL) board of governors. The NASL was on the decline by 1983 and the chance to host the World Cup was seen as the prefect opportunity to revive soccer in the United States.

The NASL’s biggest stars like Franz Beckerbauer and Pelé, who were both playing for the New York Cosmos at the time, were carted out to give their public support for an American World Cup. The United States looked like the obvious choice to takeover hosting duties from Colombia, but some dodgy backroom dealings at FIFA would ensure that this was not the case.

FIFA’s vice president was Guillermo Cañedo--former president of Club América in Mexico City.

Cañedo also happened to be the head of Televisa--a giant Mexican media conglomerate which would control the television rights for soccer and the World Cup in the region. Cañedo could inflate the price of selling the TV rights to other confederations, meaning FIFA had the opportunity to pocket a hefty sum of money.

When it came time to vote for a new host in May 1983, Mexico was unanimousl y elected as the new hosts of the 1986 World Cup--a first for the history of World Cup bidding. Mexico became the first nation to host two World Cups and Cañedo’s backroom dealings surely played a huge part.

The United States would have to wait until 1994 to host the tournament, but by that time the NASL had folded.

Colombia are still yet to host the World Cup, but are considering a bid for the 2026 tournament. That would mark 40 years since the nation lost the chance to host the World Cup. However, with the centenary World Cup likely to take place in Uruguay and Brazil four years later, it is unclear whether FIFA would allow South American nations to host the World Cup twice in a row.

Unfortunately, Colombia may have to keep waiting to finally get their moment at the centre of world football.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, April 30, 2018

Late Fellaini header condemns Wenger to Old Trafford defeat

By Simon Evans Manchester, England, (Reuters) Arsene Wenger’s final match at Old Trafford as Arsenal manager ended in defeat as a stoppage-time header from substitute Marouane Fellaini earned Manchester United a 2-1 Premier League win on Sunday.

Paul Pogba had given United a 16th-minute lead before Henrikh Mkhitaryan, signed from United in January, brought Arsenal level, six minutes after the interval. b It looked like a youthful, mostly second-string Arsenal side had earned a respectable draw before Belgian Fellaini nodded in a cross from Ashley Young to seal victory for Jose Mourinho’s side and secure their Champions League place for next season.

“OK, progress at many levels but not enough to be first instead of second and not enough to win the Champions League instead of the Europa League,” Mourinho told reporters.

“But enough to finish second, to be stable to win some trophies to reach some finals but we need to do more,” he

added.

Wenger, who will leave Arsenal at the end of this season, has not tasted victory at United for 10 years and has never won away against a Mourinho team in the Premier League.

The Frenchman, who clinched the league and Cup double at Old Trafford in 2002, was centre stage before the game as he was presented with a gift by former United manager Alex Ferguson and Mourinho, and he was warmly applauded by the crowd.

But while the past was being generously acknowledged, Wenger also had an eye on the near future.

With a trip to Madrid to face Atletico on Thursday in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final, poised at 1-1, Wenger rang the changes, bringing in several fringe players and handing a debut to 21-year-old Greek defender Konstantinos Mavropanos.

YOUNGEST SIDE It was the youngest side put out for a Premier League game by Wenger in nearly seven years but with the Europa League offering the only

chance of Champions League football for his sixth-placed team, it was an understandable choice.

burst through the midfield and fed Romelu Lukaku whose cross was headed against the post by ex-Arsenal forward

struck the post with an attempted cross.

The hosts were mostly untroubled but lacked

Manchester United’s Marouane Fellaini celebrates with Marcus Rashford after scoring their second goal (Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine) With no Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and Pogba sharpness and they had a Aaron Ramsey or Alex- was on hand to convert. narrow escape just before andre Lacazette, Arsenal It was a low key half, the break when Reiss Nelwere relying on their young- though, with little of the ten- son headed just wide. er players and there were sion of some of Wenger’s The Gunners did get their glimpses of promise. other visits to Old Trafford, equaliser, though, six minBut it was United who although Mkhitaryan went utes after the restart when drew first blood when Pogba close and United’s Young Mkhitaryan was allowed to

run at the United box before beating David de Gea with a well-placed low shot.

Fellaini was brought on to add height and physical presence for United and - not for the first time - that approach worked.

He headed against the post but Marcus Rashford’s follow-in was ruled offside before United tried the same approach again, the Belgian rising to head in Young’s cross and keep Mourinho’s side firmly on course for a second-place finish.

They are five points ahead of third-placed Liverpool but 16 adrift of champions Manchester City with three games left.

For Wenger, there was satisfaction in seeing his young players compete against one of the top sides.

“It was unfortunate because we had a positive performance but we paid for the fatigue in the final 20 minutes from players who are not used to it. They did very well for the most part.

It is unfortunate that they could not get the reward for that,” he said.

Wenger surprised by Ferguson gift on Old Trafford farewell ARSENE Wenger was taken by surprise by a prematch presentation of a special gift from former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Wenger’s near 22-year stay at Arsenal will conclude at the end of the season and he watched a young XI lose 2-1 thanks to a late Marouane Fellaini header

on Sunday in the Premier League.

Legendary United boss Ferguson was on hand to greet his old rival by the dugouts before the game,

with Jose Mourinho also embracing Wenger warmly ahead of kick-off.

And Wenger said he had not expected such a positive response from the United fans ahead of the match, although some home supporters later mocked him by

singing “Arsene Wenger, we want you to stay” during the game.

“Very nice, it’s classy and I enjoyed it,” Wenger said to Sky Sports of the prematch presentation.

“I have come here for a long, long time and next

time someone else will come here and get a hostile reception.

“It’s a bit surprising because it was not always what you would imagine, but it shows life goes on and sometimes it gets better.” (Yahoo Sport)

Arsene Wenger (centre) was presented with a gift before the match

by Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho.(Daily Express)

21

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, April 30, 2018

Lucky Lewis ends win BCCDA Arrival day 60-mile drought in Azerbaijan cycle race slated for May 5

By Alan Baldwin BAKU (Reuters) - Lewis Hamilton celebrated one of the luckiest wins of his career on Sunday after a crash-strewn and chaotic Azerbaijan Grand Prix that catapulted him into the lead of the Formula One world championship.

The surprise victory, after team mate Valtteri Bottas suffered a puncture with three laps left while leading, ended a six race drought for the four times champion dating back to last October.

It was the first victory of the season for champions Mercedes.

In a race where the safety car again played a major part, with a series of crashes and smashes, Kimi Raikkonen finished second for Ferrari while Mexican Sergio Perez was third for Force India.

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, who had led the championship before Baku and looked to be on course for a 50th career win and third out of four this season, started on pole position but finished fourth.

Hamilton now has 70 points to Vettel’s 66.

Red Bull’s Australian Daniel Ricciardo, last year’s winner in Baku and also in China two weekends ago, smashed into the back of team mate Max Verstappen in a lap 40 collision that ended the race for both of them.

“It was quite an emotional race. Valtteri did an exceptional job and deserved to win, Sebastian also did a great job

so it feels a bit odd to be up here,” commented Hamilton on the podium.

“Definitely an untidy race for me.”

The Briton had started on the front row for the first time since he took pole in the Australian season-opener but never looked like winning until Lady Luck removed both Vettel and Bottas from the equation.

“It was such a crazy race, such an exciting race...to come out with a win, I feel incredibly grateful,” said Hamilton, who went to commiserate with Bottas afterwards.

Monegasque rookie Charles Leclerc sixth for Sauber, his first points in Formula One. “It felt like a win, I’m on a cloud now, it has been an amazing race,” said Leclerc.

New Zealander Brendon Hartley was also celebrating his first point after taking 10th for Toro Rosso.

McLaren, who had their worst qualifying of the season on Saturday, ended up with a double points finish — Fernando Alonso seventh and Stoffel Vandoorne ninth.

Canadian teenager Lance Stroll, third in Baku last year, finished eighth to give struggling former champions Williams their first points of the year. Only 13 cars finished the race.

While Vettel made a clean getaway, there was immediate carnage behind and the safety car was swiftly deployed.

Raikkonen and Force India’s Esteban Ocon collided, ending the Frenchman’s race and sending a shower of debris across the track.

Wi l l i a m s ’s R u s s i a n rookie Sergey Sirotkin ran into the back of Perez, who nudged Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg into Alonso — the Spaniard limping back to the pits on two tyres and rims.

Hulkenberg then hit the wall on lap 11 while in fifth place, retiring, after he and Sainz had battled the Red Bulls.

ON A CLOUD Spaniard Carlos Sainz was fifth for Renault with

RAGING BULLS Ricciardo and Verstappen could have collided several

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton celebrates with a trophy on the podium after winning the race REUTERS/ David Mdzinarishvil

Barca clinch title in style as Messi treble downs Deportivo

CORUNA, Spain (Reuters) - Lionel Messi scored a hattrick as Barcelona clinched a 25th Liga title on Sunday after winning 4-2 at Deportivo La Coruna despite throwing away a two-goal lead in a thrilling game which also confirmed Depor’s relegation.

Barca only needed a draw to seal the title and they made a perfect start when record signing Philippe Coutinho scored with a stylish chipped shot in the seventh minute while Messi doubled their lead in the 38th by volleying home an outrageous cross by Luis Suarez.

Deportivo had been unlucky to go two goals down and they deservedly pulled one back through Lucas Perez five minutes before halftime before Turkish midfielder Emre Colak equalised in the 68th.

Clarence Seedorf’s side needed victory to survive in the top flight for another week and they came close to finding a third goal and becoming the first team to beat Barca in the league this season.

But the runaway leaders kept coming back at them on the counter-attack and it was top scorer and talisman Messi who restored their lead, striking from close range in the 82nd minute after being teed up by Suarez.

Messi claimed his 32nd league goal of the season with the help of another pass from Suarez to round off the victory and give Barca

Barcelona’s Lionel Messi celebrates scoring their third goal REUTERS/Miguel Vidal

a seventh Liga title in 10 years, completing a fourth domestic double in that same period after beating Sevilla 5-0 in the King’s Cup final last week.

“When you have been chasing the title for so long you feel a lot of happiness at winning it at last but as well as that we feel satisfied,” Barca coach Ernesto Valverde told reporters.

“The season is very long, it starts in August and here we are after everything that has happened. The title is not decided by a couple of games but by many, we have been chasing it since the start and we have been top of the table since the start.

“We have won it with a very big margin and in the end we were the best in the league.”

Valverde’s unbeaten side have 86 points after 34 games, second-placed Atletico have 75 from 35 and third-placed Real Madrid 71 from 35. Deportivo are 18th on 28th, 12 points adrift of 17th-placed Levante with three games left.

times before they eventually did, Ricciardo running into Verstappen while trying to pass at the first corner.

Retired triple world champion Niki Lauda told reporters the blame lay 70 percent with Verstappen, whose season has been full of collisions, but Red Bull principal Christian Horner said they shared it equally.

“They are both in the doghouse. They will apologise to all of the staff before Barcelona,” he said. Stewards later reprimanded both drivers.

The ensuing safety car played into Bottas’s hands as the Finn had yet to pit.

While it was out, with marshals cleaning up debris, Romain Grosjean crashed his Haas while warming his tyres.

That kept the safety car out for even longer and when racing resumed Vettel passed Bottas but then ran wide as Hamilton and Raikkonen swept through.

As Bottas headed for victory, he ran over a piece of debris that had been left behind and the race took yet another unexpected twist.

“I’m absolutely heartbroken. It hurts a lot. But this is racing; some days are good, some days are bad — and some days are very bad. A small piece of debris destroyed my entire weekend,” he said.

THE Trojan Cycle Club of Berbice will stage a 60-mile cycle road race in observance of Indian Arrival Day which will be observed nationwide on Saturday.

The event which is being sponsored by the Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association (BCCDA) is open to all interested cyclists throughout Guyana and will get underway at 14:30hrs from the corners of Chapel and Main Streets, New Amsterdam.

Cash prizes and trophies will be on offer for the first six finishers in the open category, as well as the first three veterans, the first four juniors, the first three juveniles and females.

There will also be a number of prime prizes up for grabs.

The Indian High Commissioner to Guyana or a representative from the High Commission is expected to be on hand to witness the proceedings as well as the Chairman of Region 6, the Mayor of New Amsterdam and other dignitaries.

President of BCCDA, Ryan Crawford, said the activity is being held to commemorate the day and it is part of BCCDA’s effort in giving back to the community.

Cotton Tree Village to ‘light up’ on May 13 with sports day

THE West Coast Berbice village of Cotton Tree will `come alive on May 13 when friends and families residing in the Village in collaboration with the Innovation 360 Promotion group stages a Day of Sports and other activities to honour mothers.

The day’s activity will commence at 09:00hrs and will feature cricket, dominoes and football among other games. There will also be a number of novelty events and a talent show.

In addition, patrons who enter the venue will be given a coupon for a special gift-drawing which will be labelled `Village Appreciation Prize’. There will also be a money-blowing cage/ball that will be set up for persons to have an opportunity to `grab cash’.

The elderly, children and all mothers will receive a treat and hampers.

Among the cricket teams that are expected to participate are Port Mourant, Cotton Tree, D’Edward Village and Blairmont.

Interested teams/individuals can call telephone numbers 611-0050 or 687-9009 for more information.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, April 30, 2018

Sunrisers top All systems in place for Corriverton Jets Day of of IPL Sports and Fun Day tomorrow standings after holding off Royals Jofra Archer derailed Sunrisers Hyderabad’s innings with three late scalps ©BCCI SUNRISERS Hyderabad moved to the top of the Indian Premier League (IPL) standings with a tight 11-run win over Rajasthan Royals.

Alex Hales (45) and Kane Williamson (63) contributed handy totals for the Sunrisers, but the bowlers reigned supreme in both innings in Jaipur.

Jofra Archer conceded just 26 runs for three wickets with more impressive death bowling, yet that economy paled next to the Hyderabad bowling, which limited the Royals to 140-6 - short of their 152 target.

Although captain Ajinkya Rahane’s unbeaten 65 kept hosts Rajasthan in the contest, this never looked a

likely chase as the Sunrisers took full advantage of Chennai Super Kings’ defeat 24 hours earlier and moved two points clear.

Debutant Hales and Williamson enjoyed a partnership of 92 but, outside of a 21-run 12th over, it was a relatively slow 68-ball stand for the Sunrisers’ second wicket.

And Krishnappa Gowtham (2-18) - a matchwinner with the bat against Mumbai Indians a week earlier - crucially removed Hales when he sliced to Sanju Samson at point.

Williamson followed as a review showed him to have nicked the ball as Jos Buttler caught behind, the batsman having insisted there was no touch off Ish Sodhi’s delivery.

ARCHER AT IT AGAIN Archer contributed two wickets in one over, including a sublime yorker that sneaked under the bat of Shakib Al Hasan (6), as Hyderabad struggled late in the innings.

His third wicket arrived as Rashid Khan found Ben Stokes, with the Sunrisers mustering only a reachable 151-7 that meant the Royals’ slow start with the bat should have mattered little.

Rajasthan had triumphed in similar circumstances against Mumbai and Samson made 40 from 30 balls before he departed, leaving Rahane at the crease.

Next in, Stokes was soon gone, too, for a duck

and Buttler’s (10) urgency to get the Royals moving was punished by Shikhar Dhawan’s catch.

Rahane kept Rajasthan’s bid alive with a six in the 18th over, but a big Mahipal Lomror hit was superbly clawed back from the boundary by Manish Pandey, with the batsman departing for 11 from the next ball.

Shakib kicked another away from the rope as the Royals’ inability to make boundaries proved their undoing, with a Gowtham four in the final over proving too little, too late before he fell at the hands of Basil Thampi at the penultimate ball to end his side’s faint hopes.

LeBron James helps Cleveland Cavaliers into second round

ALL systems are in place for the staging of the Corriverton Jets Volleyball Club Day-of-Sports and Family Fun Day scheduled for tomorrow at the Skeldon Community Centre ground beginning at 09:00hrs.

Among the activities planned for the day are volleyball, football and cricket matches, as well as novelty events for the entire family.

According to information received, invitations have been extended to all volleyball clubs in Regions Five and Six, including Siperuta and Orealla in the Corentyne River, and New Amsterdam and West Coast Berbice.

Trophies, medals and cash prizes will be up for grabs and interested teams/clubs can make contact with Berbice Volleyball Association’s executive member, Kishan Persaud on telephone numbers 614-9571 and 626-6660 for further information.

The Corriverton Jets Volleyball Club is one of the top clubs in Berbice and was formed in 2015 and since its formation, it has been very consistent in the Ancient County.

Its female team is one of the strongest in the County and probably the entire Guyana. They won the 2016 champion club title.

The club has also produced players who represented Guyana at both the junior and senior levels.

GVF selection committee trims male squad

THE selection committee of the Guyana Volleyball Federation (GVF) has trimmed the squad currently in training for possible selection for the national team that will represent the Golden Arrowhead at an international tournament in a few months’ time.

According to a release, the Federation’s selection committee has reduced the male squad from 25 to 16 players who are still in training for the upcoming international tournament and will further reduce it after continued trials which will be held at venues both in Berbice and Demerara.

After weeks of training, the selectors met on Monday last, one day after trials were held at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, and selected the following players to continue preparations before the final team is announced.

The players selected are: Ronaldo Bobb, Trevlon McRae, Samuel Fraser, Ian Bagot, Shemroy Ross, Quacy Matherson, Joshua Jagmohan, Juan Calazado, Geno Carrel, Adriel Moore, Marcellious Hector, Kapil Samaroo, Akeem Bowling, Richard Samara and Devendra Latchman.

Another shortlisting will be done in the not too distant future.

Meanwhile, the male and female squads which were called out to the National Gymnasium for training session yesterday will once again participate in another such practice session today at the same venue.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Monday April 30, 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) CSK-5 times (2010/2011/2012/2013/2015) (2) MI-4 times (2010/2013/2015/2017) LeBron James has won four NBA MVP awards

LeBron James scored 45 points to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 105-101 win over the Indiana Pacers and into the second round of the NBA play-offs.

The 33-year-old, who has

won three NBA Championships, faced elimination in the first round for the first time.

But he produced his third 40-point game of the series as Cleveland wrapped up the best-of-seven Eastern

Conference series 4-3.

It earned them a second-round meeting with East top seeds Toronto.

The Pacers had ensured a tense deciding contest with a comprehensive 121-87 victo-

ry in game six on Friday.

But James made his first seven shots of the finale from the floor, and finished the first half with 26 points, five assists and four rebounds. (BBC Sport)

Today’s Quiz: (1) Who is the first player to have won the Man of the

Match award TWICE in this season’s IPL? (2) How many games have been won through the

Duckworth/Lewis method in IPL 2018 to date?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

23

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, April 30, 2018

Walter Grant-Stuart wins UCI’s C1 Para Cycle road race gold

Jamaican women pip US to claim Penn Relays 4x100 gold

---But placed fourth in time-trial ----Director of Sport elated

By Michael DaSilva GUYANA’s para cyclist, Walter Grant-Stuart won the Union de Cycling C1 Para cycle road race yesterday in Villengeneue, Montreal, Canada. However, on the previous day he placed fourth in the time-trial.

According to reports out of Canada, Grant-Stuart rode outstandingly well to win the road race which involved cyclists from over 15 countries.

He also won the time-trial but unfortunately, after being the quickest to complete the 17.6 Km event on Saturday, he was relegated to fourth place as the organisers stated that Grant-Stuart has a 100 percent stability and functions.

His time for the time-trial was 26 minutes 29.86 seconds, while his time for the road race is still to be announced.

Asked for his thoughts on Grant-Stuart’s performance, Director of Sport, Christopher Jones said he is very elated with the cyclist’s achievements and how the disabled athlete has put Guyana on the world stage.

According to Jones, the National Sports Commission

Walter Grant-Stuart (left) and his coach Wayne Henry after Saturday’s time trial

(NSC) played a vital role in getting Grant-Stuart to be a part of the UCI championships since the international organisation did not recognise Guy-

ana as a member of the UCI family. “So after witnessing Grant-Stuart’s performance over the past three years, we at the NSC realised that the

cyclist has potential and when we were approached for assistance, we readily supported him, as I personally thought that he will do well. So I am not surprised that he won gold…. I saw it coming all the time”.

According to Jones, the NSC not only assisted Grant-Stuart financially, but the Commission had to write the UCI and other international agencies for Guyana to get recognition” Jones explained.

Jones informed that Grant-Stuart has now paved the way for other disabled sportsmen and women to get assistance. According to the Director, already, the NSC is playing a very important part in assisting athletes with disabilities.

Meanwhile, Canada’s Michael Sometz (MC3), Keely Shaw (WC 4) and Maria Claude-Molnar (WC4) occupied the top three places respectively in the 17.6Km time-trial on Saturday.

After the time-trial, Grant-Stuart said he was pleased with his performance and had pledged to do better in the road race; and he did.

Lynn cashes in on reprieve to get Knight Riders home CHRIS Lynn took advantage of an early reprieve by making an unbeaten half-century to guide Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to a six-wicket Indian Premier League win over Royal Challengers Bangalore(RCB) despite another excellent knock from Virat Kohli.

Lynn was dropped on seven

by Murugan Ashwin and that proved to be costly for RCB, the Australian batsman scoring 62 not out from 52 balls to get the Knight Riders to their target of 176 with five balls to spare.

RCB captain Kohli top scored with 68 not out from only 44 deliveries to get his side up to 175/4 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, but it was not enough to give them a third win of this year’s event.

Bangalore’s bowling attack has let them down so far in the tournament and that proved to the case again, while their fielding was also sub-standard as they slumped to another defeat without the unwell AB de Villiers.

MIXED BAG FOR BIRTHDAY BOY RUSSELL KKR all-rounder Andre

Russell has produced fireworks with the bat and he made an impact with the ball on his 30th birthday.

Russell had Brendon McCullum (38 from 22 balls) out with a short delivery when the former New Zealand batsman was starting to look ominous.

Mandeep Singh to claim a third wicket, but was dismissed first ball attempting a big hit as KKR closed in on victory.

KOHLI CUTS LOOSE Kohli took a patient approach after striding out to the

Andre Russell celebrated his 30th birthday with a three-wicket haul and some decent dance moves ©BCCI

The birthday boy also cleaned up Manan Vohra for a golden duck with a full toss from the final ball of his first over, which went for only five runs.

Russell saw the back of

middle in the ninth over when Quinton de Kock fell with 67 on the board.

The India skipper shifted through the gears in another classy innings, bringing up his half-century from 36 de-

liveries and celebrating by smashing Russell for six.

Kohli launched the final ball of the innings from Mitchell Johnson for his third maximum and Colin de Grandhomme also cleared the ropes in a final over which went for 16.

Lynn ought to have been on his way when he tried to hit Yuzvendra Chahal over the top but presented a relatively straightforward chance to Ashwin, who failed to hold on.

Kohli cut a frustrated figure following that let-off and even more so as Lynn held the innings together following a delay for rain, which came with KKR 55 without loss in the seventh over.

The dangerous Lynn hit a six and seven fours, while Robin Uthappa made a quickfire 36 as KKR kept themselves on course.

There was concern when Nitish Rana was forced to retire with a back injury and Russell went from the next delivery, but Shubman Gill cut the first ball of the final over from Umesh Yadav to the boundary to win it.

Jamaica finishing just ahead of the USA Red team in the women’s 4x100-metre relay at the 2018 Penn Relay

JAMAICA’s women have taken home the Pennsylvania Relays gold medal after clocking 43.14 seconds to pip the United States.

The team of Gayon Evans, Kerron Stewart, Schillonie Calvert-Powell, and Jura Levy, were not much quicker than a relatively weak USA Red team, which finished just behind them in 43.18.

The USA Red team featured Aaliyah Brown, Kimberlyn Duncan, Destinee Brown, and Kyra Jefferson.

While the battle for the top spot was close, there were no other clashes of note in the race as the United States second team, USA Blue, were well beaten into third, finishing in 43.71, but were also unchallenged with Guyana a distant fourth in 46.40.

A Trinidad and Tobago team with impressive youngster, Khalifa St Fort faced disappointment after failing to finish the event.

The Guyana team was made up of Shenika King, Jasmine Abrams, Chante Moore, and Jenea McCammon.

Danes hand Bermuda crushing defeat after all-rounder Leverock is omitted

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, (CMC) – Freddie Klokker’s unbeaten century propelled Denmark to an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Bermuda, who left out leading all-rounder Kamau Leverock from their opening ICC World Cricket League Division Four match at the Royal Selangor Club here on Sunday following a public outburst.

Reports said 23-year-old Leverock was omitted after an expletive-laden rant at the team’s final training session at Kinrara Oval before the start of the week-long tournament.

It was not immediately clear what sparked Leverock’s tirade or how long he will remain out of the side, who face Uganda today Bermuda officials declined comment in the wake of the defeat.

ESPNcricinfo reporter Peter Della Penna, who was close to the training session, reported: “Young Bermuda allrounder Kamau Leverock is throwing a mini-tantrum at Kinrara Oval training session.

Just stormed out of the nets, knocked over a box of bottled water, took off his boots, chucked his Bermuda hat on the ground while unleashing some F-bombs. Unclear what sparked it.”

He added: “Leverock briefly went back for a batting net after bowling, but has stormed off again after three balls, unleashing another F-bomb tirade while heaving his helmet into the pavilion chair back seats and

chucking his bat on the ground.

Hopefully, he saves some energy for tomorrow.”

Bermuda made a promising start with the bat in Leverock’s absence at the top of the order, reaching 134 for one after being sent in but then collapsed spectacularly.

Wicketkeeper Okera Bascome struck four sixes and six fours in his 63 off 41 balls in an opening stand of 81 with captain Terryn Fray (32) and although number three Tre Manders followed up with 40 from 56 balls Bermuda collapsed from 134 for one to 155 for seven as the middle order folded.

Number eight Charles Trott rallied the tail with 36 off 45 balls to help Bermuda past the 200-run mark but slow left-arm bowler Bashir Khan shackled the batting with three for 17 from 10 overs.

In the absence of Leverock’s pace bowling the Danes made light of their target as opener Klokker finished on 108 not out from 130 balls, with eight fours and a six, as he and new captain Hamid Shah (48 not out) added an unbeaten 115 for the third wicket.

In the day’s other games, hosts Malaysia clinched a nine-run win over Uganda with a controversial last-over run-out while Jersey won the battle of the Channel Islanders versus the Pacific Islanders with a seven-wicket win over Vanuatu.

Both teams earlier came up from Division Five.

Colts trample Ravens 86-66 to ‘3-peat’ as National Champions See Page 21

Bounty Colts captain Shelroy Thomas collects the silverware from GABF Vice President, Kenrick Thomas, after beating Ravens 86-66 to be crowned National Champions.

Walter Grant-Stuart cops gold See Page 23

Bounty Colts’ Stanton Rose carries the ball up the flooring while he’s guarded by Ravens’ Ralph Brown in the finals of the GABF National Club Championship. (Delano Williams photos)

Guyana’s Walter Grant-Stuart (centre) standing on the winner’s podium after being declared the winner of the road race.

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MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2018