Guyana chronicle e paper 05 01 2018

TUESDAY 1st May, 2018

No.105261

16 Guyanese

fishermen missing …after attack in Suriname by pirates

One of the fishermen with chop wounds from the pirates attack in Suriname

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14 Launderers building houses to wash dirty money PAGE

…AG tells anti-corruption seminar

Man killed in Pearl crash 03 PAGE

…school children escape unhurt at Parfaite Harmonie

Forest export 16 earnings at US$7.4M PAGE

One of the four vessels attacked by pirates

I’m ready to be top cop

…Paul Williams says prepared for challenge of commissioner 02 PAGE

Happy Labour Day

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I’m ready to be top cop

By Rabindra Rooplall ASSISTANT Commissioner of Police (ACP), Crime Chief Paul Williams says he is ready to serve as Commissioner of Police as he is fully qualified and has over 31 years of service which he earned starting from the position of constable.

Williams who was at the time speaking at a press conference on Monday at the Officers’ Training Centre, Camp Road and Young Street, Eve-Leary, Georgetown also said of the eight Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs) everyone would like to be promoted to the top seat of the Police Force.

Noting that the post of the Commissioner of Police lies at the President’s discre-

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

…Paul Williams says prepared for challenge of commissioner …gets ringing endorsement from NGO tion, Williams said “whatever it is, wherever I am being placed and whatever challenge comes before me in this Guyana Police Force to serve this nation, I am prepared for it and if it is the seat of the Commissioner of Police, let it be.”

Throughout his life, Williams has travelled across the world to participate in various forums, conferences and training courses, on matters of explosives and conflict resolution to interviewing and investigation skills.

For 24 years, Williams has been married and is the father of four. He considers himself to be an optimistic individual who wants to Assistant Commissioner of Police, Crime Chief Paul Williams (Samuel Maughn photo)

leave behind a favourable legacy. At the press conference, Dianne Madray, a

member of the Caribbean American Domestic Violence Awareness (CADVA)

endorsed the crime chief for the position of Top Cop, noting that based on her experience and working along with Mr. Williams in solving the murder of Shawnette Savory, she is confident that he will bring a breath of fresh air to the position of police chief.

“The person holding the position of police commissioner, has to be a person for the people, and prior individuals may not have set that precedence and I believe, based on my experience and what I have seen at CID, the air was so much lighter and there is a great team,” she explained. “In my opinion Mr. Williams would be an excellent candidate for the post of commissioner of police.”

She said that if Mr. Williams holds the position of top cop there will be far less corruption in the Guyana Police Force (GPF). “The nation needs to trust the po-

lice, the justice system and once we begin to do that you will begin to see a transition of a country that is going to be so different, and it will make people like me and in the diaspora want to return to Guyana,” Madray said.

Madray pledged her support and incentives to the GPF noting that, “I will knock on whatever door and whoever I need to talk to ensure that the right things happen.”

Two weeks ago, Williams was among eight ACPs who were interviewed and wrote an assessment test, as President David Granger commenced the search for a substantive commissioner of police, as well as four deputy commissioners.

Assistant Commissioners David Ramnarine, Clifton Hicken, Leslie James, Lyndon Alves, Marlon Chapman, Paul Williams, Nigel Hoppie and the lone female, Maxine Graham were those who were interviewed.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

16 Guyanese fishermen missing … after piracy attack in Surinamese waters

By Leroy Smith and Alva Soloman SURINAMESE authorities are reportedly investigating a piracy attack committed on four fishing boats in Surinamese waters, all of which vessels were operated by Guyanese nationals living and working in that country.

The Guyana Chronicle was told that of the total of 22 fishermen on board the four vessels, only six have been accounted for. The names of four of the six men are: Vishal Bicram, Glenroy Jones, Craig, and Sherwin, while the name of one of the pirates has been given as ‘Ballo’.

Reports are that the four men had swum to other boats which were in the water.

Two other fishermen were reportedly found afloat and taken to a hospital in Suriname are said to be in critical condition.

The men reportedly left for sea on Friday, but by Saturday word was received that they had been attacked, and that their assailants were Guyanese. This was confirmed by the survivors, who said they know the culprits by name and face, and they are all Guyanese.

The men claimed they were beaten and chopped about their bodies, and even had several bullets fired in their direction after they hesitated to jump from their boats into the water as ordered by the pirates.

Some of ther colleagues, the survivors say, were tied to batteries which provided electricity for their boats.

According to reports coming out of Suriname, after beating and torturing the men, the pirates tied them up and tossed them into the water, using the batteries to anchor them.

This newspaper was told that because the unmasked pirates were identified and

called by name, that might have been one of the reasons they were so savage on their victims. Commissioner of Police Acting, David Ramnarine late last night confirmed that he had not yet been contacted by his Surinamese counterparts about the incident, and that neither was he aware of it.

NO WORD YET Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister, Noel Holder said he’d heard of the incident, but was awaiting word from his officers on the matter.

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan could not be reached for a comment.

According to the Surinamese daily, De Ware Tijd, the pirates boarded and sacked four fishing boats on Friday evening, and that of the total 20 fishermen who came under attack, only four were found. Two were reportedly taken off their boats with head injuries, while two

others were fished out of the water by other fishermen.

Nothing is known about the fate of the 16 other fishermen, who, according to the report, are all feared dead.

De Ware Tijd stated that the four vessels which were attacked by the pirates may be Guyanese in origin.

The report said that most of the vessels crew members were thrown overboard, and quotes eyewitnesses as saying that at least three of them had batteries tied to their legs.

“I was in shock when I heard my son was missing,”

Pedestrian killed in Pearl crash A 45-year-old Yaracabra man was killed in a vehicular accident at Pearl, on the East Bank of Demerara Monday afternoon.

Dead is Ameer Hussein, of Yaracabra, on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

According to the police, the accident occurred at around 15:10h.

“Initial investigations revealed that the minibus, registration number BNN 9334, was proceeding south along Pearl Public Road, and while negotiating a turn, collided with Hussein, who allegedly ran from the eastern side of the road,” the Police said in a statement.

Hussein was reportedly rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, but was pronounced dead on arrival.

The driver of the minibus, a 33-year-old Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara man, is in custody assisting the police with this investigation.

SCHOOLCHILDREN HURT Meanwhile, on the West Bank of Demerara at La Parfaite Harmonie, in the vicinity of Westminster, five primary school children and a female driver escaped unhurt after the car they were in was hit by another vehicle on Monday.

The children were taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where they were examined for any injuries.

When the Guyana Chronicle

The car in which the schoolchildren were travelling when the accident occurred

arrived on the scene, at the “Four-Corner Junction” in the vicinity of the “White Shop” in La Parfaite Harmonie, traffic ranks were conducting their investigations.

The vehicle, which was transporting the schoolchildren, was off the road and inches away from being submerged in a nearby trench.

From all indications, after being hit, it ran into a roadside stall before running off the road. The other vehicle was parked a short distance away.

At the hospital, Shamisa Narine told this newspaper that she was transporting five children, ages four to eight, from school in her car, PTT 4944, when the accident occurred at around 13:00h.

According to Narine, she had almost cleared the intersection while proceeding west onto Westminster’s second bridge when her car was hit at

“He believed that he could have passed without hitting me, but he couldn’t. He hit me, and all I could have done was swerve.”

Narine’s car veered off the road into a street-side stall before coming to a halt in a clump of grass inches away from a nearby drain.

The woman said the other driver was speeding. “If he slow down, how I end up there? You pick sense out of nonsense!”

The other driver, Richard Kingston of Bagotville, who

The car that reportedly rear-ended the one with the schoolchildren

the rear.

The 42-year-old woman, who has been driving for a number of years, said she was not at fault. “I was already in the middle of the road when he jammed my back,” she said, adding:

was driving HB7730 at the time of the accident, alleged that Narine never stopped at the intersection.

“I coming on the Westminster Main Road and she come straight across without

said Joan Parris, mother of 21-year-old Glenroy Jones.

“I cried all night and keep crying; I want to see my son... And the family in Guyana, among whom are his father and brothers, are all crying.”

According to De Ware Tijd, the four survivors of Friday night’s attack were put ashore at Nieuw Amsterdam in Suriname.

It also quotes Mark Lall, Secretary of the Surinamese fishermen’s society as saying that ever since it became known that so many boats were raided, almost no one

has gone to sea.

“People are afraid,” he said. “It is not the first time that so many boats have been attacked in one go, but I have the impression that most of the deaths will now be regretted at once.”

The Coast Guard, the Maritime Police, the Navy and fishermen all set out together to the area in an attempt to see how many bodies they could salvage, and assess the situation.

Coast Guard Director, Jerry Slijngard said that after the police received the report, action was taken.

He argued for the introduction of the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), which may be operational in one month. This system not only indicates where the boats are, but also has a “panic button” also called an emergency button, so that an emergency signal can be sent out in the event of a calamity.

“Then we know that there is a need, but also exactly where the boat is,” he said.

– schoolchildren escape unhurt at La Parfaite Harmonie stopping or anything; straight into my car,” Kingston said.

“The woman didn’t stop; she drive straight over.

There is a stop sign; she never stopped. And she came straight over in my path.”

However, he admitted that his car rear-ended Narine’s.

The 47-year-old said he has been driving for approximately 20 years, and maintains that he was not speeding.

“If she had stopped where the stop sign is, the accident would not have happened. And I wasn’t going fast,” Kingston maintained. Investigation into

the accident by Traffic Ranks is presently ongoing.

The Soesdyke-Linden Highway in the vicinity of Moblissa was the scene of another accident. A logging truck, which was laden with logs, turned turtle while proceeding to Georgetown from Linden.

The accident occurred shortly after 07:00h, at which time it was raining heavily on the highway. The driver and other occupants of the truck were not hurt.

They declined to speak to this newspaper.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Deadliest day for Afghan journalists; 10 killed in two attacks

KABUL (Reuters) - Ten journalists were killed in Afghanistan on Monday, including nine reporters and photographers who died in a suicide bomb attack in the capital Kabul, and a journalist working for the Afghan language service of the BBC who was shot dead in the eastern city of Khost.

It was the deadliest day for the country’s media since a US-led campaign ousted the hardline Islamic Taliban regime in 2001.

In Kabul, journalists covering a bomb blast during

the morning rush hour were standing in a loose group near the site of the explosion when the suicide bomber struck, killing seven people outright and wounding several, two of whom later died.

The bomber appeared to have deliberately targeted journalists, presenting a press card to police before joining the group standing near the first blast site, interior ministry spokesman Najib Danesh said.

In all, 26 people died in the two Kabul blasts, which were claimed by Islamic State.

Among the dead were Shah Marai, veteran chief photographer for Agence France-Presse in Afghanistan, who had worked for the agency for 22 years. Also killed was Maharam Durani, a young female producer who had joined Radio Azadi, a local station, only a week earlier.

Reuters photographer

Omar Sobhani, an old friend and colleague of Shah Marai, was standing next to him when the bomb exploded.

“We were standing on a slight rise to get a better shot when I heard a bang and saw him on the ground. I was stunned, I couldn’t believe it,” said Sobhani, who suffered minor wounds.

“He was a very good photographer - the best - but he was also a very good man.”

In Khost, Ahmad Shah, who worked for the BBC’s Pashto language service as well as for Reuters, was killed on the outskirts of the city, according to Talib Mangal, spokesman for Khost’s provincial governor. The BBC confirmed the death in a statement on Twitter.

There was no indication of any direct link between the attacks in Kabul and Khost.

Among a litany of setbacks since the Taliban were ousted in 2001 and tens of thousands of deaths, Afghan-

istan’s lively and independent media sector has stood out as a success but it has suffered heavy losses.

According to the Afghanistan Journalists Safety Committee, at least 80 journalists and media workers have been killed working in the country since 2001.

But there had never been a day when so many were killed in the same attack. As well as AFP and Radio Azadi, which lost two employees in the Kabul attack, local stations Tolo News, 1TV and Mashal TV also lost staff.

Shah Marai’s career stretched back to the days of the Taliban when he joined AFP as a driver before becoming a full time photographer in 2002, chronicling Afghanistan’s long and uncertain struggle to find peace.

By contrast, Maharam Durani’s career was just beginning. A final year student who had joined Radio Azadi as a producer on a women’s

programme just a week earlier, she had stopped off at the site on her way to work in case she could help, said Hameed Momand, head of Radio Azadi in Kabul.

It was the worst attack on journalists since 2016, when seven Tolo TV employees were killed by a Taliban sui-

cide attacker who rammed a car bomb into a bus driving them home from the station.

The Taliban had warned earlier that they considered journalists legitimate targets.

Globally, it was the worst attack on journalists in a single incident since 31 reporters and photographers were killed in a massacre in the southern Philippines in 2009.

Australian court orders Vatican treasurer to stand trial over historical sexual offences MELBOURNE (Reuters) Vatican Treasurer George Pell must face trial on charges of historical sexual offences, an Australian court ruled today ( Tuesday).

Magistrate Belinda Wallington handed down her decision that Pell’s case will proceed to trial in a Melbourne court, following a month-long pre-trial hearing.

In delivering her ruling, Wallington dismissed some of the charges levelled against Pell in the pre-trial hearing and has not specified which ones will proceed, nor has she provided detail on the date of the trial.

Pell, 76, is on a leave of absence from his role as economy minister to Pope Francis.

He has not entered a plea, though his lawyers have pre-

viously said he would plead not guilty to all charges if the court proceeds to a full trial.

Pell has been directing media inquiries to the Sydney Archdiocese, his last employer before he took the Vatican posting. The Sydney Archdiocese had no immediate comment.

The pontiff has said he would not comment on the case until it was over.

The prosecution alleged during the pre-trial hearing that Pell’s offences took place at a swimming pool and a movie theater in Victoria State, a church and other locations.

But Pell’s lawyer, Robert Richter, wrapped up four weeks of questioning accusers and witnesses by arguing there was no evidence to support the charges against his client.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Several Caribbean countries named in Interpol report on human trafficking BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Several Caribbean countries have been named in a new report

by Interpol released on Monday showing that hundreds of suspected victims of modern slavery were rescued in a major crackdown on human traffickers in 13 countries.

According to the global

police organisation, the 350 possible victims of sexual exploitation and forced labour were discovered and 22 people arrested this month in an Interpol-led swoop in countries such as Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Jamaica, and Venezuela.

Interpol said men, women, and children were discovered working in nightclubs,

farms, mines, factories and open-air markets, having been lured across borders by traffickers targeting desperate and vulnerable people with promises of a better life.

“What traffickers don’t advertise are the working conditions their victims will be subject to once their final destination is reached,” Cem Kolcu of Interpol said

in a statement, adding that “during this operation, we identified women being forced to work out of spaces no bigger than coffins, for example”.

According to Interpol, in Guyana, young women were found selling sex next to remote gold mines from which they could not escape.

“Isolated locations allows

offenders to avoid detection,” said Diana O’Brien, Guyana’s Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, explaining that often, by the time they can act on intelligence, traffickers have moved their victims.

Interpol’s Executive Director of Police Services, Tim Morris, said in the case of St. Vincent and the Grenadines,

where Asians at a factory had been stripped of their passports and freedom, “to all intents and purposes, you enslave the person”.

The Interpol operation, the culmination of 30 months of preparation, allowed for social services and charities to conduct interviews and provided support to victims.

Chief justice moves to get judges to deliver decisions before retiring JAMAICA GLEANER Chief Justice Bryan Sykes says he will be putting systems in place to ensure that no judge proceeds on retirement with outstanding court decisions.

He made the disclosure in response to last Thursday’s ruling by the Court of Appeal in the case of Paul Chen-Young and others v Eagle Merchant Bank Jamaica Limited and others.

The court ruled that judgements in cases heard before the retirement of judges where there is no decision before retirement, and who have not been granted permission by the Governor General to continue to

perform as judges, are null and void.

In a statement, Sykes said he has taken serious and careful note of the landmark ruling and that he has moved to avoid any recurrence of what he described as an unfortunate situation.

On Thursday April 26, 2018, the Court of Appeal in Paul Chen-Young and others v Eagle Merchant Bank Jamaica Limited and others [2018] JMCA App 7, ruled that judgements in cases heard before the retirement of judges but in which no decision had been handed down before retirement, and who have not been granted permission by the Governor

General to continue to perform as Judges, are nullities.

This means that those judgements have no legal standing.

It does not appear that the Court of Appeal addressed the question of whether decisions given before retirement but reasons are given after retirement, are affected by the ruling.

We have taken serious and careful note of this landmark ruling. It squarely addressed the implications of the delay in delivery of judgements beyond retirement, while recognising the negative impact of a chronic shortfall of human resources in the Court of Appeal. The ruling will require major

US praise JDF for role in drug interception operations FLORIDA, CMC – The United States Coast Guard has praised the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) for its role in drug interdiction in the Caribbean Sea. It said that the crew of the Cutter Resolute returned home Saturday to St. Petersburg, Florida following a 71-day deployment in the Caribbean Sea in which the JDF and Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard assisted in counter-drug operations.

“When considering the vastness of the ocean, the governing legal regimes, and associated jurisdictional complexities, a whole-of-government approach is essential to the effective take-down of would-be smugglers,” the US Coast Guard said in a statement.

It said that the US Embassy Kingston Defense Attaché Office hosted a reception on board the Resolute in Kingston “to celebrate and reinforce military and diplomatic ties between Jamaica and the US.” At the event, Major

General Rocky Meade, the JDF Chief of Defence Staff, and the Chargé d’ Affaires, Eric Khant, signed a “notable agreement to assign a JDF liaison officer to Joint Interagency Task ForceSouth in Key West, Florida.”

“The position is designed to provide improved collaboration and information sharing,” the US Coast Guard said, adding that “Ja-

maica is a critical partner in our efforts to combat the efforts of transnational criminal networks seeking to exploit the maritime domain”.

“The officers and crew of Resolute were humbled to be part of this unique event, and we were honoured to host senior officials from the US Embassy, Jamaican National Security Staff and Jamaican Defence Force,” it noted.

Chief Justice Bryan Sykes

changes in how we operate in managing the disposal of cases.

Ahead of this ruling, retired judges with outstanding judgements were being actively engaged, by successive Chief Justices to have them handed down in short order. This judgement however means that the longstanding practice of judges handing down judgements after retirement, previously thought permitted by the Constitution, can no longer continue. It reinforces the acknowledged need for more judicial accountability through enhanced efficien-

cy in the management of time and the other resources of the courts — a process already in progress.

The decision also demonstrates the strength, independence, and integrity of the Jamaican judiciary and shows that judges will not shirk from making difficult decisions even if it involves critical and negative self- examination.

Given the ruling of the Court of Appeal, it is my intention to engage in timely discussions with the retired judges, whose decisions will be affected by the ruling, to determine the most appropriate and effective way forward.

To avoid any recurrence of this unfortunate situation, I am putting systems in place to ensure that hereafter no judge proceeds on retirement with an outstanding decision.

The proposed system is that two years from retirement administrative management of judges’ assignments will facilitate completion of all outstanding (reserved) decisions and trials, by at least one year before retirement.

During the pre-retirement year, the nature of a judge’s

assignments will be such that there will minimal risk of the judge not delivering the decision before retirement. In exceptional circumstances, I will seek from His Excellency, the Governor General, the necessary permission for an extension, to enable a judge to deliver any outstanding judgements. This plan will apply to the Parish Court, the Supreme Court, and the Court of Appeal.

To complement our enhanced management and accountability systems, ongoing budgetary support for the required human, technical and financial resources is also critical, to enable the courts to keep pace with the ever-increasing numbers and types of cases.

As a judiciary, we continue to stand by our commitment to the people of Jamaica to deploy our energy and competencies towards the consistent provision of a timely delivery of a high standard of justice for all so that Jamaica becomes the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business by the year 2030.

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Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Labour Day

WORKERS will today march and hold rallies as part of the annual May Day event. This day--a national holiday in many countries--has its genesis in workers losing their lives and suffering injuries during strike action to protest for just working conditions, notably an 8-hour work day, on 4th May, 1886 in Chicago, USA. As workers participate in activities today, it would be remiss not to acknowledge that they do so in a markedly changed environment. The labour movement is going through a metamorphosis, but it is yet to be seen if this will see resurgence befitting its behemoth legacy, or resignation in accepting the status quo. The latter notwithstanding, it is the former that helps to better understand the movement and what it has come to exemplify in the society, which undeniably are under threat for the welfare of workers, unionised or not.

Labour’s history in shaping universal rights, freedoms and conditions of work that are taken for granted ought not to be ignored. Where workers of this country first distinguished themselves as an organised force, in 1905, to stand up to the employer and demand a say at the table to influence their conditions of work, such has set in train a series of actions.

This act by the workers--consistent with the universal right to self-determination, freedom of association, collective bargaining, and involvement in management and decision-making processes that affect one’s wellbeing--has shaped universal declarations, charters, conventions and local laws.

While the right to freedom of association respects the right not to associate, those who choose to associate and work as a collective should be allowed to do so.

And where there continues to be expressed concerns by the

trade unions that such is under threat, these expressions of concern have to be heeded. Workers, as members of trade unions by constitution, not only have this right enshrined but labour laws that require employers treating with their representatives in good faith, but Governments are expected to set the tone and standard for how citizens will be treated.

Workers who gravitate to Government jobs, outside of doing so based on limited opportunities or preferred career choice, would admit to good benefits and tenure, including a pension which are attractive incentives to remain on the job or to enter the employ. None, paying attention to the trade union movement within recent years, would miss that fingers are being pointed at state institutions, owned in whole or part by the Government, for engaging in unsavoury conduct. Ignoring these anomalies will not

only create a disgruntled workforce, but professionalism and performance risk being compromised. It is a mistake to treat workers as mechanical tools to be dictated to, and to deem their input unimportant to workplace safety and development, yet expect good performance from them.

Outside of employers, there have been expressed concerns that some trade union leaders are not representing and protecting the interests of workers.

This should not happen, and workers should increase their vigilance and participation in the activities of the trade union.

Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram recently made some similar observations when he said “A labour movement is a critical part of a society but, it must bring new blood, new ideas and help to build courage.” Ram was at the time speaking

at the launch of the sixth delegates’ conference of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG). He lambasted the veteran leaders of the unions for extending their tenures for far too long, noting that leaders have bent the rules in their favour that challenges at election time are invariably doom to failure. Although Ram did not identify a particular trade unionist, he did advise them to retire and act in an advisory position and let new people have an opportunity to lead the union. “Leadership makes the movement

strong; the structure of the movement needs to change and age limits need to be introduced and new blood nurtured,” the attorney said. The trade union is an important institution in Guyana, and where there existed any doubt about this, the Guyana Constitution confirms it. The trade union movement has a record of achievement, spanning more than a century, with its impact felt in the Caribbean and farther afield. At the same time it is up to the trade union to seek to make its presence felt and secure its role in the 21st century society.

Jagan’s deal with US State Department caused him to renounce Marxism-Leninism Dear Editor, I REFER to Peeping Tom’s column on Friday, April 27, 2018, which was published in Kaieteur News under the caption, “Cheddi did not capitulate”. Readers were told that this is the first in a planned series of articles written to mark the centenary of the birth of the late President Cheddi Jagan.

While I believe that the “Peeper” should be congratulated on his initiative to propagate a “glorious” position for Dr. Jagan who is one of the founding fathers of the nation, I am disappointed that in his attempt to rewrite history and pay homage to the memory of the late President, he has deliberately misrepresented facts on an important political development in Guyana at that time and in the process, sought to denigrate the WPA.

It is not my intention here to offer a detailed criticism of Peeping Tom’s contention that Cheddi Jagan did not capitulate and remained committed to his philosophy of Marxism-Leninism until his death. Unlike Tom, I am conscious that in politics, belief and practice do not always coincide, therefore, it makes more sense not to spend time on whether Jagan died without capitulating on his philosophy. It is a well-known fact that some renowned non-believers, in their final moments before departing the world, have declared their acceptance of God. The ‘peeper’, at the time of Jagan’s passing, wasn’t there and is not now in any position to know the philosophical choice Jagan had made at that critical moment. The more important point for the “peeper” to dwell on is that of Jagan’s

political practice, which could be judged with more objectivity.

While correctly alluding to the new situation in the world which was ushered in by the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, and its effects on Guyana’s political situation, which Jagan and all the political forces in the country at the time were cognizant of, we are reminded that Jagan, when pressed by President Hoyte in the election debate about his ideology, ‘dodged the question’. A more objective political analyst would have examined this issue to determine the reason for this act of political opportunism by Dr. Jagan.

The “peeper” seemed to have forgotten, conveniently, that months prior to the debate, Dr. Jagan had a meeting with the US State Department and struck a deal with his

historic American foe, which may have required him to renounce Marxism-Leninism, thereby paving the way for their support of him in the 1992 elections. This, I am contending here, was the real reason behind Jagan’s dodging of Hoyte’s question about his ideology.

The details of the State Department meeting and what was agreed was never made public by either Jagan or the Americans. However, I can state, as I had done on many previous occasions in public polemics on the PCD, that Jagan in his briefing at the PCD’s steering committee meeting subsequent to his visit to the US State Department, reported that he was well received and that the Americans informed him that they had no problems with he (Jagan) and his party. Jagan’s mannerism while making the report, with his

many uncontrollable smiles – said it all – he had made his peace with the Americans.

Peeping Tom wants us to believe that Jagan had arrived at his new accommodation with his traditional foe without the State Department extracting a price from him.

As I said earlier in this letter, practice is more important than rhetoric.

I wonder how the ‘peeper’ would interpret Jagan’s behaviour post his US State Department sojourn when it is known that prior to his meeting with the State Department, he had placed great importance on the steering meetings of the PCD and attended most, if not all, in that period.

However, after reporting on his successful meeting with the US officials, he “never” attended another meeting of the steering committee. It is in the secret meeting with

the State Department that Jagan capitulated politically and probably ideologically.

I said before and I maintain that it is Jagan’s capitulation to his traditional enemy which explains his dodging of Hoyte’s pointed question on his ideological position during the debate.

I note with interest that in the eyes of the ‘peeper’, Jagan’s and the PPP’s adjustment of their politics and rhetoric, must, in light of the end of the cold war, be seen as real politic – not capitulation. But the WPA’s position after the US invasion of Grenada, in the view of Tom, represented an act of capitulation and betrayal.

I end by asking Peeping Tom for the evidence to support his erroneous contention that the WPA abandoned left politics.

Regards Tacuma Ogunseye

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GUYANA CHRONICLE TUESDAY, May 1, 2018

Skeldon Cogen Plant

– Is it 20,000t/month or 100,000t/year?

Dear Editor, REFERENCE is made to a news item of April 21st, 2018 in the Guyana Chronicle-“Skeldon Energy seeking local suppliers of biomass” in relation to a multi-stakeholder meeting held to source 100,000t of biofuel per year for boilers at Skeldon Sugar Factory.

Editor, before I address the subject of fuel type in relation to boiler design, it is quite glaring that GuySuCo and SEI are either confused or deliberately sending mixed messages to this nation. We recall in November, 2016, GuySuCo’s Chairman likened Skeldon to a “ticking time bomb”. In June, 2017, SEI’s Chairman labeled Skeldon Cogen Plant as a “ticking time bomb” stating that US$2.5M is required for emergency works and US$17M required for long-term corrective works.

Recently, in January, 2018 the Prime Minister’s region six representative spoke highly of Cogen’s potential, while citing the need

for US$17M investment and biofuel requirement of 20,000t/month which calculates to 240,000t/year. Now, in April, 2018 we learn from this official, a new figure of 100,000t/year. From these utterances, the PM’s rep. seems confused on what quantity of biofuel is required. Maybe, he should clarify how his numbers are derived. Is it 20,000/month or 100,000/year? Also, I urge this official to tell us whether the US$17M was spent or whether the time-bomb at Skeldon continues to tick.

On the subject of fuel type and boiler design, it is clear that the SEI is seeking suppliers of “paddy shell, rice straws, saw dust, coconut shells and lumber”.

Editor, I support fully, a comprehensive biofuel programme for a green economy initiative. However, common-sense tells us that each fuel type has its own unique characteristic and therefore, the equipment used to combust that fuel must be designed for that fuel type.

Fuel characteristics include, but [is] not limited to energy value, material state, con-

sistency, resultant residue, etc. The boilers at Skeldon Cogen Plant were designed to operate with heavy fuel oil and bagasse. Due to the application of diffusion technology in the juice extraction side at Skeldon factory, the furnaces were equipped with “pin-hole” type grates at its base. This furnace type is highly efficient as the design requires fuel to be suspended in air during burning.

In simple terms, the fuel has to burn completely as it falls into furnace, leaving only residue (ash) to drop to the bottom where the grate is located. The furnace becomes highly inefficient whenever fuel drops directly onto grate, simply because it blocks or restricts air-flow into the furnace required for combustion and keeping bagasse particles in suspension. The need for finely prepared (shredded) fuel is therefore a necessity for effective and efficient operation of this design. It is part of the reason why the cane preparation system at Skeldon was equipped with two cane knives and a shredder; bagasse fuel particle size is

important.

Over the past years, efficient boiler operation at Skeldon has been plagued with poor quality bagasse, largely because of excessive soil in cane, poor cane preparation and high moisture content. With the idea of using paddy shell, rice straws, saw dust, coconut shells and lumber at Skeldon, could the SEI team tell us how they intend to prepare these fuel types to the required consistency for suspension burning furnace? Is there any plan to modify the furnace to accommodate this fuel?

What about the handling equipment for the various types of fuel? Have we studied the transport cost in relation to fuel bulk densities versus the buying price? How frequently will fuel supplied be tested for its energy value? Editor, this is an industrial scale undertaking to use varying types of biofuel in a high-pressure boiler and must be treated as such. It is not operation of a woodstove or a fire pot for a few hours.

Regards Sookram Persaud

It would indeed “be bad for business” to arbitrarily remove Romanex Licence 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 government 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’ Association failed to mention that they entered into a mediated agreement that they have now refused to honour. This is unacceptable.

Regards Johann Earle Public Affairs and Communications Officer Ministry of Natural Resources

Why Nandlall didn’t raise objection to Cybercrime Bill at Select Committee?

Dear Editor LET me start by commending Ruel Johnson and others for bringing to the attention of the public via the media--social and mainstream-the offending clause ensconced in the Cybercrime Bill (2016). This level of militancy reinforces the importance of ensuring politicians, on both sides, govern in the interest of the people.

Such governance also includes the safeguarding of our civil liberties.

Today, Anil Nandlall, PPP/C shadow minister of legal affairs, rather than accept he dropped the ball as a member of the Select Committee in the National Assembly tasked with the responsibility to examine the Bill, he wants to lay blame only at the door of the government. Refer to Stabroek News’ article “Nandlall slams sedition clause in Cybercrime Bill –says it has to go” (30th April 2018). Had he, in the first instance, done the job we are paying him for, he would have recognised the concerns he now expresses. Society must also wonder how many more of these instances exist and will likely prop up.

After-the-fact condem nation continues to mark the tendency for inept and narrow-minded political mileage being pursued in the management of the people’s business.

Society must not accept Nandlall’s claim “that the sittings of that Committee conflicted with [his] rigorous Court schedule.”

Society must accept nothing less than optimum vigilance in the discharge of the people’s business from the elected leaders.

A matter as serious as our security he should have availed himself in the Committee to meaningfully participate and bring the concerns to society or express regrets for such failing, not jump up now and claim offence when he abrogated his responsibility in the first instance.

Excuses of being too busy to do the people’s work in the Assembly on claim of court schedule is a non-excuse.

Minster of State Joseph Harmon’s response to the clause is equally troubling. National security has to respect civil liberties and be built on such. You cannot, in any way, compromise people’s fundamental rights and freedoms in the making of any law on the pretext that that law is to ensure security, for it foremost has to respect and ensure the people’s involvement in making it possible. When you seek to stifle and circumscribe the role of the people on the pretext of ensuring security, in fact what is being pursued is the undermining of the said security.

The offending clause must be looked at through the lens of liberties. While Harmon is evidently looking at the serious concerns through military lens, he must be reminded [that] national security is all encompassing and governance is built and sustained on civil principles.

This is even more underscored if it could be appreciated why the position of Commander-in-Chief in western societies is civilian, not military. This is not by accident. It is deliberate to ensure the civil values, ideals, freedoms and rights of the people and their society prevail in any decision impacting on governance and their well-being.

Government and Opposition must return to the drawing board and address the concerns and fears of the people by ensuring that their constitutionally guaranteed and protected rights and freedoms are secured.

There are many persons in this society, equipped with the requisite skills, that can aid the development of a Cybercrime Bill that would meet such standard. Among these persons are Keith Massiah SC and Bryn Pollard SC, et al. In closing, society needs more Johnsons and vigilant media, for it is the people who will ensure government functions in the interest of the people.

Regards Lincoln Lewis

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

National Syndicate objects to the sole purchase of smelted gold - says small miners would be affected

By Svetlana Marshall THE National Mining Syndicate is objecting to any proposal that would see the Guyana Gold Board (GGB) only purchasing smelted gold in light of recent concerns that the burning of ‘sponge’ gold for the extraction of mercury at the GGB’s laboratory is a serious health hazard.

The GGB’s lab is housed in the compound of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, and recent tests done on a total of 130 GGMC staff showed that 60 persons had higher than the normal level of mercury present in their system.

Subsequent to consultation with the Chairman and General Manager of the Guyana Gold Board, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman issued a cease order, directing that the burning of raw gold at the GGB’s laboratory at Upper Brickdam stop with effect from April 24, 2018.

During a recent meeting with Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, and representatives from syndicates across the country at the Life Centre on Brickdam, President of the National Mining Syndicate, Cherryl Williams, said any decision to deny the purchase of sponge

gold could negatively impact small miners.

Smelting is a chemical process in which the raw gold is separated from the mercury when heat is applied. Smelted gold, as such, is purified and free from mercury as against sponge gold, which contains mercury. According to Williams, many small miners engage in the sale of sponge gold because they are incapable of smelting gold, which is usually a high tech, high cost technique.

“We were never educated on what is sponge gold, what is smelted gold; we were never educated on wet or dry gold,” the President of the National Mining Syndicate told Guyana Chronicle subsequent to the meeting.

“Smelted gold is not in the interest of small miners,” she added.

The proposal to stop the purchase of sponge gold by the Guyana Gold Board was reportedly floated by a representative of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) during a GGMC Board of Directors meeting.

GGDMA President Terrence Adams, though no longer sitting on GGMC’s Board, admitted that the recommendation was made.

However, he said there is a bigger issue as he alluded to a statement issued by the

association late last week.

In that statement, GGDMA said it has no issue with the use of mercury, however,

techniques which can lead to achievement of the objectives of the Minamata Convention on Mercury,” GGDMA said

Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes (second left) speaking during the meeting with the National Mining Syndicate. In photo, from left to right: the National Mining Syndicate’s Assistant Secretary, Dana Jones; Minister Simona Broomes; President of the National Mining Syndicate, Cherryl Williams; Vice President, Dr. Troy Duncan; executive member, Michael Bacchus; and Secretary, Carol Nurse.

its misuse or mismanagement can become hazardous.

GGDMA used the opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to the Minamata Convention on Mercury while reiterating calls for the government to step forward with strong technical assistance to small and medium scale miners, to ensure sustainable development principles are applied to the gold and diamond mining sector.

“The Association once again highlights the need for the government to identify improved mercury free gold recovery technologies and

in a statement.

It said as a responsible entity in the mining sector, it fully endorses the objective and purposes of the Convention and fully supports the measures in Article 7 and in Annex “C” of the said Convention. The GGDMA recognizes, however, that the Convention specifically requires that “each party that has artisanal and small-scale gold mining and processing, subject to this article within its territory shall take steps to reduce, and where feasible, eliminate the use of mercury and mercury compounds

in, and the emissions and releases to the environment of mercury from such mining and processing.”

GGDMA said strong political will is needed to determine the economic and technical feasibility of eliminating mercury use in gold mining in Guyana, while adding that best practices have to be sought based on what is efficient, appropriate, adoptable, and most cost effective for the geographical and geological environments in which small and medium scale miners operate.

“The GGDMA respectfully suggest that the government should approve of the GGMC being allocated G$2.0 billion in 2018 for the acquisition of quality equipment and the conducting of test work for the determination of the feasibility of eliminating the use of mercury in mining and processing in Guyana,” the association said.

Meanwhile, Minister Broomes, during the meeting with the National Mining Syndicate, told those present that the issues affecting workers within the GGMC compound with respect to mercury is being directly handled by Minister Trotman.

Minister Broomes, like Williams, stated that many

small miners lack the knowledge and skills, even resources needed to smelt gold. Given the seriousness of the concerns raised by the national syndicate, Minister Broomes committed to raising them with Minister Trotman.

Additionally, the minister expressed satisfaction that the National Syndicate, which is made up of a significant number of small miners, now sits on the GGMC Board of Directors.

“I am happy also that the Syndicate has received officially a position from Government to sit on the board of the GGMC. So now at the board level there is a true representation of the sector. You don’t only have the GGDMA or the Guyana Women Miners Organisation, but you have the voice of the small miners.”

While 60 GGMC workers have more than the normal level of mercury in their bodies, an air quality monitoring study conducted by Kaizen Environmental Services (Guyana) Limited has found that the mercury (Hg) levels within the compound of the GGMC is in keeping with the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (US OHSA) standards.

Gangs trade bullets in turf war POLICE were called into Leopold Street on Monday morning after individuals from two gangs traded bullets in what detectives are describing as a turf war. The police recovered evidence which suggested that a sawn off shot-gun and a 9mm pistol were used during the trading of bullets between the two sides.

The Guyana Chronicle was informed that while no injuries or deaths were recorded following yesterday’s incident, several young men from the community have since gone into hiding.

The community is located a stone’s throw away from the Brickdam Police Station which houses the headquarters of ‘A’ Division. Yesterday’s shooting, according to persons close to the investigation, dates back to a shooting incident which took place on January 17th where a woman was shot to

working for the outside gang to get out of the community or cease working for that outside faction. Those calls and demands were ignored by the villager and that is where the friction reportedly stemmed

following the shooting earlier this year, the leader of the outside gang and the leader of the Leopold Street-based gang came together and a settlement was arrived at for the gunshot injury the mother

Residents and policemen on the scene

her back. That woman is said to be the mother of a man who heads a gang in Leopold Street.

This publication was told that during the shooting in January, the woman was injured by bullets which came from the barrel of a gun belonging to another gang which was having a friction with the injured woman’s son gang. Now, a resident of the community is said to be working for the leader of that same gang and that is

not sitting well with persons in the community of Leopold Street. They are contending that the man cannot be living in the community and working for another gang. Added to that, he is being regarded as a sellout and a threat, as he is now working for the head of the same gang whose operatives attacked the village gang back in January.

The head of the Leopold gang, based on what the Guyana Chronicle was told, instructed the resident who is

Police detectives at the scene of the incident

from on Monday.

Operatives of the village gang reportedly pounced on a location where the operative for the outside gang was with his cohorts, and the exchange of gunfire erupted.

This publication learnt that

of the Leopold Street gang leader sustained. Because of that settlement, the police were unable to prosecute the matter as the witnesses to the shooting, as well as the woman who was shot, refused to provide statements in the

matter which would have led to the arrest and charging of a number of persons.

The names of the persons involved in the previous shooting are again arising in this latest shooting incident.

Reliable sources close to the investigation, also indicated to this publication that the brother of the Leopold Street gang member who is in prison in a neighbouring country, vowed, since the last shooting incident that when he is released from jail and returns home, that he will avenge his mother’s shooting.

The community of Leopold Street is considered one of the trouble areas in Georgetown. It is also a community where several illegal activities are said to be taking place daily and is used as a safe haven for persons who commit offences in and around the city and then retreat to the community.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

GAWU salutes the workers of Guyana on Labour Day AS we celebrate Labour Day 2018, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) is pleased to extend militant greetings to all our workers, indeed, to all Guyanese.

In its message, GAWU says that Labour Day is one of the few holidays observed internationally, and is always a reminder of those of the working-class who have made invaluable contributions to better workers lives.

It is also the occasion for the working-class to acknowledge its common objectives and recognise the need for solidarity in their ever-sharpening struggles for a peaceful

world and a better life.

Our union is pleased to take part in this year’s activities which are being held unitedly by the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) and the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC). The main rally in the city is one of the several activities which have resulted from the improved collaboration and co-operation between the two workers’ bodies. We are optimistic that this positive development in the relations between FITUG and the GTUC will be strengthened in the period ahead.

Labour Day offers another appropriate occasion

PNCR urges unity within trade union movement THE People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) joins all Guyanese workers in celebrating Labour Day 2018.

This is usually the occasion when the workers of the world and the organisations which represent them, take stock of their situations and conditions and resolve to take strong and determined actions to ensure that their gains are preserved, and that the fight continues for a better future, the party said in a message.

“On this occasion, the PNCR recognises the critical role that trade unions have played in the political, economic and social development of the country, and asserts that such a role can only continue if the Trade Union Movement as a whole, remains united and protect the interests of the workers of this country.” The Party also admonishes the trade union movement to recognise that the current era demands that trade unions must

make necessary adjustments to cope with the existing and emerging challenges, so that they can survive and remain relevant.

The PNCR salutes the workers of this nation, as we work together to create a more cohesive and prosperous Guyana where all can achieve the promised “good life.” The PNCR asserts that such a society can only come about if the Trade Union Movement as a whole is united and protect the interests of the workers of this country. The PNC started as a working-class Party and will never give up fighting for the workers. The PNCR most of all, remains committed to achieving national unity and to building bridges to all communities, organisations and groups which are interested in the well-being of our citizens and the progress of our country.

PPP promises to stand with workers THE People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has extended warm greetings to all categories of workers and labour leaders throughout the nation on this the occasion of International Workers’ Day or Labour Day, as it is commonly known here.

“This significant day, which celebrates the important resource of human labour, allows for workers to rally in solidarity with each other and to further highlight their invaluable contributions to development to Guyana, as well as highlight their gains and challenges in their quest for advancement,” the PPP said in a message.

The party said the contributions of workers, which have been the bedrock towards the many struggles for the betterment of lives of our countrymen and women, sometimes go unheralded. Had it not been for their selfless efforts it would have become difficult for our achievements over time.

“The PPP therefore salutes

their resoluteness, dedication, innovativeness and forthrightness for the hard work and sacrifices they continue to perform and make every day for their families and all the people of our country. Our party is not oblivious of the numerous burdens they are now made to carry… With the implementation of a plethora of new taxes, a contracting economy and rising costs of living, our nation’s workers are now made to experience tremendous difficulties to provide for their families.”

The party said the situation is even more heart-wrenching for the thousands of sugar workers who lost their jobs following the closure of some estates. As workers march in solidarity on this Labour Day, their plight and that of their compatriots will no doubt be foremost through their voices.

The PPP will continue to stand in solidarity with workers in every stratum in our society and to robustly and fearlessly represent their cause.

to express our concerns over some policies being pursued of recent and their effects on the working people of the country. Here, we refer to the uncalled cessation of the education grant to school children; the removal of subsidies from Old Age Pensioners; the significant increases in licences and other fees; the increase in certain taxes as well as the introduction of new taxes. These and other things should be reviewed with a view to restore those benefits and rescind those measures which will certainly further raise the cost-of-living.

As we celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of workers, we cannot fail to take note of the state our workers find themselves in today. From the recently released Guyana Labour Force Survey we see a very discouraging picture. Apart from telling us that less than half of the working-age population is actually employed, it provided some very worrying statistics concerning youth and female unemployment and the disparity in earnings between men and women. For us it is very vexing that notwithstanding a national 40-hour work week

workers are working beyond the stipulated time, which serves to indicate that low rates-of-pay are being offered and the workers must work the extra hours in order to make ends meet.

The report also pointed out that about 50 per cent of those employed work in the informal sector. The ILO has generally warned that such situations should not be encouraged, as workers tend to be exploited and such precarious forms of employment tend to lend to increased impoverishment.

On this score, we were very surprised, and at the same time upset, to learn that 8.8 per cent of the public sector employees appear to have an informal job. If this is indeed the reality, it is sad that our

Government is encouraging such employment relations and should take every step to formalise the situation.

The Trade Union Movement, indeed, the working-class and other working people have a number of matters to reflect on, discuss and to seek to resolve. With the unity being forged, we are optimistic that we can give, in a principled way, the necessary leadership to meet the challenges before us.

The GAWU is sure, that together, in our unity, we can overcome obstacles in our way and the trade unions can make a major contribution towards a new day and a better society for our people.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, MAY 1, 2018

Ministerial team visits drillship Noble Bob Douglas

A HIGH-level ministerial team yesterday visited the Noble Bob Douglas drillship to have a firsthand look at the deep-sea operations and to officially welcome the captain and crew to Guyana, according to a news bulletin from the Department of Public Information (DPI).

Speaking on behalf of the team, Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman thanked the crew for their work in fast-tracking Guyana to first oil in 2020 and said the team was impressed with the emphasis on safety.

“One cannot miss the absolute emphasis on safety in all aspects of the operations

onboard Noble Bob Douglas. We are impressed with the unrelenting focus on ensuring the highest levels of safety as we move ever closer to first oil in a few short years,” DPI reports Minister Trotman as saying.

The drillship has begun work on the production phase and is on a three-

year contract which will run through to 2021.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, who was part of the ministerial team, said at his recent post-Cabinet press conference that the arrival of the Noble Bob Douglas signals the escalation of developments in the industry.

It was noted that this ship is significantly larger

and more versatile than the Stenna Caron that is used primarily to drill exploratory wells.

The Noble Bob Douglas will be involved in the drilling of injection and extractive wells, DPI reported.

Minister of Finance Winston Jordan, Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson and Minister of

Business Dominic Gaskin were also part of the ministerial team The team was joined

by Director of Public Information, Imran Khan; ExxonMobil Country Manager, Rod Henson; ExxonMobil Upstream Manager, Doug McGhee and Noble’s Drilling Superintendent, Curtis Chandler. (DPI)

(l-r) Director of Public Information, Imran Khan; Minister of Business, Hon. Gaskin; ExxonMobil Country Manager, Rod Henson; Minister of Finance, Hon. Winston Jordan; Minister of Natural Resources, Hon. Raphael Trotman; Minister of State, Hon. Joseph Harmon; ExxonMobil Upstream Manager, Doug McGhee and Minister of Public Infrastructure, Hon. David Patterson

ExxonMobil Country Manager, Rod Henson; Minister of State, Hon. Joseph Harmon; Minister of Business, Hon. Gaskin; ExxonMobil Upstream Manager, Doug McGhee; Minister of Finance, Hon. Winston Jordan; Minister of Natural Resources, Hon. Raphael Trotman and Minister of Public Infrastructure, Hon. David Patterson

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

PPP wants international firm Linden man on attempted to trace stolen state assets OPPOSITION Leader Bharrat Jagdeo is calling on President David Granger and the government to hire a reputable international firm to trace stolen state assets.

At his weekly press conference on Monday at his Church Street, Georgetown office, Jagdeo said, “I am calling on President Granger once again to hire an international firm of his choice that has reputation to trace the assets of all former MPs, former members of the cabinet, former Presidents and current ones…Then a report of that nature can be presented to the country.”

He said government has been very liberal with its accusations of corruption

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

against PPP officials and all information on corruption should be released to the

public.

Noting that the Director of the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA), Professor Clive Thomas said the agency will be moving to the court later this year to recover assets stolen from the state, Jagdeo questioned why wait so long when the process can begin immediately.

“People have been telling them that they are in office for three years and no charges have been made yet… that’s why the spurious and minor charges were made against Ashni Singh and Brassington, so they can say that they fulfilled their commitment and charge them” Jagdeo said He said if SARA has any integrity as a body it would look at the rampant fuel

Police shoot self with unlicensed firearm A Police subordinate officer is a patient at Mabaruma Hospital after accidentally shooting himself when he attempted to put an unlicensed firearm in his pants waist on Monday

morning at Whitewater, Region One. The Police said that the firearm which was retrieved by an Army Lieutenant at the location, had no serial number, five live rounds and a spent shell was also found.

The subordinate officer and a constable are part of a joint

Police Army patrol presence in the area.

Arrangements are being made for a senior detective from Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters, to proceed to the area and commence an investigation.

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

They may not all be held in the courts of Guyana…so the court cases will start in the fourth quarter of this year,” he said, noting that some cases involve multiple individuals.

Thomas made it clear that in going abroad to retrieve state assets; SARA is looking at bank accounts, money and financial instruments. However, locally, some cases involve the retrieval of lands. “Some cases are already in the criminal court but they have a civil dimension to them. Pradoville is a criminal case but it has a civil dimension.”

11

murder charge A Linden man was on Monday charged and remanded to prison by Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Linden Magistrate’s Court for attempted murder and damage to property.

He was not required to plead to the indictable offence of attempted murder and was unrepresented. The particulars of the charge state that 41-year-old Leslie Woolford who is a cook, had on the 26th April 2018 around 11:30hrs, in an attempt to murder his partner, 38-yearold Onika Kingston, allegedly doused her with a pot of boiling rice, causing her first and second degree burns to her upper body, including her arms, back and chest.

Woolford was at the time visiting Kingston at her Silver Town, Wismar, home where an argument ensued after which he took the aforementioned action, also damaging Kingston’s property.

The court was told that Kingston’s 19-year-old son was home at the time of the incident. Following the incident, Woolford reportedly ran to the Wismar Police Station and was taken into custody. Kingston, meanwhile, was admitted at the Linden Hospital Complex where she is said to be recovering.

Woolford will return to court on May 25, 2018.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

‘Uncapped’ lifts lid on agro-processing – Business minister hails sector’s export potential

By Navendra Seoraj IT has been well established that the agriculture sector has the potential to feed Guyanese, but Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin feels much more can be achieved, especially in the area of agro-processing.

That agro-processing sector has the potential to become a viable export industry was never more evident than at the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA)’s trade fair, “Un-

processed foods, so the growing industry needs encouragement,” Minister Gaskin said during a live interview with the National Communications Network (NCN).

Although many businesses have been pushing the development of the agro-processing industry, the minister said the government will continue to support them by raising awareness about food standards, and making the regulations a little less complicated.

He said the government will also conduct awareness

He believes that local businesses need to improve the quality of packaging in order to be competitive and attractive.

Vice President of the GMSA, Ramsay Ali echoed similar sentiments, saying that businesses need help to improve the quality of their products.

Given that “Uncapped” is an event for mostly small and medium-size producers, he said the GMSA would use the event to offer technical support for them to sell their products.

Sherls Cosmetics, one of the main attractions at “Uncapped” on Sunday

capped Marketplace 2018”, at the National Stadium on Sunday.

“We already export rice and sugar, but we want to expand the range to more

It was brisk business on Sunday as “Uncapped Marketplace 2018” took to the National Stadium (Photos by Samuel Maughn)

campaigns, so that everyone would know who is producing what, and the standards and certifications required for that type of production.

“Agriculture is big business here and around the world,” the minister said, adding: “Young people tend to be more in-tuned with what is happening,and they understand the importance of packaging and branding in the sector.”

Noting that branding and packaging is an important aspect of any business, the minister said, if it is not done properly customers will not be attracted to the products.

In addition, the venue itself was also a marketplace for businesses to market their products by getting Guyanese to see, sample and buy what they have.

“Most of the small businesses are not selling their products across the country,” Ali said, “and we feel if we can help to create more value for their products, we can get more products into the Guyanese stores and then start talking about export.”

With the GMSA’s help, some of the businesses have already started discussions about exporting, and are eager to start the process.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Guard said he feared for himself when fisherman advanced AFTER the state closed its case in the “Fisherman” murder trial, the accused Marlon Callendar led his defence during which he opted to give an unsworn statement from the box.

He recalled that on the day in question (January 29, 2015) at Pritipaul Singh Investment Inc. wharf at Mc Doom, East Bank Demerara at about 09:00hrs, he received two radio messages from his colleague, Terrence Philips.

The radio messages, he said, was about a fisherman being under the wharf who was the now deceased “Rastaman” who did not want to remove even after being warned several times by another security officer.

The accused told the court that he went to the wharf area and he had a verbal confrontation with the now deceased, which resulted in him firing a warning shot.

Callendar added that even though he discharged the shot, the deceased still refused to remove from the

The deceased: Envil Pollard (Kaieteur News photo)

The accused: Marlon Callendar (Stabroek News photo)

prohibited area. Several minutes later the man came onto the wharf and started to behave disorderly.

The accused said the deceased started to curse him and threatened to kill him, so he became very afraid for his life. He stated that he asked the man to remove from the area but he refused.

At this point, the accused added that the deceased made a few steps towards him and he fired a shot which resulted

in the man being hit.

Callender added that he never shot anyone before and he was very afraid for his life when the deceased attacked him.

He said, “All I was trying to do is protect myself and I am sorry for the loss of the life of the deceased.”

At this stage the accused could not contain his tears as he wiped a few drops from his face while he sat in the prisoner’s box at the conclu-

sion of his statement.

Defence attorney Everton Singh-Lammy then made his closing address after which state prosecutor, Lisa Cave, delivered hers.

Trial judge Sandil Kissoon will sum up the evidence on Wednesday morning at 09:00hrs after which the 12-member jury will deliberate for a verdict.

In her opening statement, state prosecutor Lisa Cave told the court that on the day in question, an unarmed security guard asked the deceased to remove from the area. He did not.

Thereafter, another security guard who was armed with a gun, discharged the loaded firearm at Pollard, thereby resulting in his death.

The state’s case is that the accused, Marlon Callender, shot and killed the deceased, Envil Pollard called “Rastaman” at Pritipaul Singh Investment Wharf at Mc Doom, East Bank Demerara on the morning of January 29, 2015.

Mocha-Arcadia men’s ministries give back STREET dwellers were the beneficiaries of footwear and clothing from the Men’s Ministries of the Mocha/Arcadia Seventh Day Adventist Church on Saturday.

The men and women who dwell on the streets near the Stabroek Market areas were filled with joy as they collected footwear or new pieces of clothing.

Leader of the men’s ministries, Carl DeMattos said the distribution was part of the church’s way of giving back to society.

“We believe that we should be attentive to humanitarian needs,” he said.

“Some of the folks out here are without footwear, so we decided to give them

Leader of the men’s ministries, Carl DeMattos and his colleagues distributing items to the homeless (Samuel Maughn photos)

some, as well as clothes.”

Although many persons received the distributions, there were some who were not as fortunate, so

DeMattos said they intend to revisit the area later this year.

This is not the first time that the group has

done humanitarian work.

Every year they give back to theirs and other communities in different ways.

Members of the men’s ministries speaking with the street people before the distribution

Taxi driver disappeared with food items Michael Boodhoo appeared on Monday before Magistrate Judy Latchman on a simple larceny charge.

It was alleged that on December 23, 2016 at Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown, Boodhoo stole two boxes containing a quantity of food items and beverages valued at $500,000, the property of Lisa McDonald.

The 58-year-old man who resides at Covent Garden pleaded not guilty to the charge.

According to facts that were given in court by the police prosecutor, on Decem-

ber 23, 2016 the defendant who was operating a taxi was hired by the virtual complainant (VC). The woman had bought food items and beverages. One of her friends she was with wanted to use the washroom so she went along, but when she returned the defendant had left and never returned.

However, recently the virtual complainant spotted the man. She made a report and the police arrested him.

The magistrate granted Boodhoo bail in the sum of $106,000 and adjourned the matter to May 14, 2018.

GRA to relocate some services to GPOC THE Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) will be returning some of its services to the Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) building which it rented for decades in order to ease space congestion at the nation’s main tax collection agency.

Commissioner General Godfrey Statia told the Guyana Chronicle that GRA has already rented two floors of the post office building and is contemplating the rehabilitation of its Smyth and Princess Street location where the Excise Licencing and Motor Vehicle Registration Office was once located.

Statia told this newspaper that services such as TIN applications and other basic services that involve “easy administration” will be relocated to that facility.

He said that those services should be available to the public by June. “We should be up and running and services should be available to the public by June 1, latest.”

The GRA head said that apart from the services that will be offered, the post office location will be used for training and storage purposes. He said that the facility is already being used for training and storage, but work is ongoing to bring the building up to standard to provide the identified services.

The GRA is still looking at the benefits that will accompany the reactivation of the Princess Street Licence Revenue Office, Statia said.

He suggested that the facility reopening its services is very likely, given the current limitations at the main office.

The Commissioner General said that as the Authority improves its IT capabilities, there is no reason why all of GRA’s services should be congested under one roof. He said it would be much more convenient for the public when they do business and ease parking congestion. As the period for filing tax returns closed on Monday, it was even more evident that parking has become a near impossible task during this time and even causes the backing up of traffic. Branching GRA’s services will help to address some of these difficulties at the busy Camp Street location.

Since moving to the sprawling Camp Street office, the GRA had shifted most of its services there.

Some of its earlier locations included the GRA Tax Operations and Services offices located at the Guyana Post Office (GPO) and the Value Added Tax (VAT) building at Charlotte and Albert streets, along with its Princess Street office.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Launderers building houses to wash dirty money …AG tells anti-corruption seminar

By Clifford Stanley MONEY launderers have been resorting to building houses to hide their ill-gotten money since the traditional system of laundering such as remittances can no longer be used, Attorney General Basil Williams told an anti-corruption seminar in Fort Wellington on Monday.

The Attorney General’s Chambers took their Anti-Corruption Sensitisation Seminar to Region 5 (Mahaica/Berbice) Monday. The team from Georgetown included Attorney General Basil Williams; Deputy Director of the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU) Mr. Aubrey Heath-Retemyer; Chief Parliamentary Counsel, Charles Fung-a-Fatt; Principal Parliamentary Counsel, Ms. Joann Bond; Parliamentary Counsels Ms. Cheyenne Lall, Dianne Woolford and Ariel Haynes; Legislative Drafting Consultant, Mrs. Ananda Dhurjon

and Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Mrs Teshana James-Lake.

The venue was the boardroom of the Regional Democratic Council at Fort Wellington, West Coast Berbice (WCB).The participants included staff of the regional administration, teachers, health workers, overseers and other staff of the ten Neighborhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and other public servants of Region 5, as well as members of the disciplined services.

In his address, Williams told the participants that the seminar was intended to sensitise them of the pitfalls of corruption and of the economic importance to the country of an unbribable public service. He stressed: “This is a struggle we have as a country; a struggle against embedded corruption, since the more rampant the corruption, the greater the poverty of the country.” He noted that Guyana’s standing in this regard

in the past was very bad but strides have been made.

According to him, the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) has been working on anti-money laundering and countering of terrorist financing and then the financial crimes came about after audits. He said that he had been told that as a result of anti-corruption strides made, some people had been resorting to building houses to store their ill-gotten money, since the traditional system of money laundering such as remittances can no longer be used. He stated that the developed world is taking even greater interest in fighting the scourge of corruption, since it is their money that is being taken in the form of grants and loans.

“They are interested in transparency and accountability for the monies that come from their own workers in their country. They are not prepared to take the earnings of their workers, bring it to our country and then we

Attorney General, Basil Williams addresses participants at the anti-corruption sensitisation seminar for Region 5

have people here pilfering it and using it for purposes other than its aim of improving the lives of people in the villages and in the communities and the country as a whole,” Williams told the seminar. He urged the participants to join in this battle against corruption and to disseminate the message of anti-corruption in their agencies and in the commu-

Region Five, REO Ovid Morrison welcomes the legal team and participants at the anti-corruption sensitisation seminar for Region 5

nities in which they live and everywhere they go.

He also addressed the recent charges of misconduct in public office of officials of the previous administration which stemmed from three years of investigations by the police and on the advice of Police Legal Advisor Claudette Singh SC. Former Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh and former head of NICIL, Winston Brassington have been charged by SOCU. On the contrary, he said the charges laid by the People’s Progressive Party against Ministers Volda Lawrence and Dr George Norton had not had the benefit of such rigorous investigations and as such, were considered to be more of a nuisance value and more of an attempt to denigrate the character of these officials than anything else. The Director of Public Prosecutions has since dismissed the charges against the ministers. The participants and the members of the legal team were welcomed to the

Audit Office readying itself for oil & gas THE Audit Office of Guyana has started to prepare for the budding oil and gas industry, especially since the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) announced that they will be auditing the operations of US oil giant, ExxonMobil.

With government agencies and constitutional bodies having already started building capacity in the area of oil and gas, Auditor-General (AG) Deodat Sharma said his office will not be left behind.

“A consultant will be coming through the CESO programme which is organised by the Canadian High

Commission,” Sharma said during an interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Monday.

CESO has completed more than 1,000 assignments in Guyana since 1976, and has worked in close collaboration with the Canadian High Commission in Guyana to develop procedures to operationalise the newly-formed Guyana Oil and Gas Association (GOGA).

According to CESO’s website, the association promotes the responsible and sustainable development of the oil and gas sector in the country through advocacy,

Auditor-General, Deodat Sharma

collaboration and education.

The auditor-general said the consultant will sensitise staff about the process of auditing the new industry,

and talk to them about some of the preparatory work that is needed to ensure that they are ready for oil and gas.

“This is brand new, so we will be doing training in environmental auditing as well,” Sharma explained, adding that his office already has a plan of how they will approach the new industry.

As mentioned earlier, their first approach is to be trained and equipped with the knowledge about the new industry before they move on to developing new auditing systems.

When the new industry

Region by the Regional Executive Officer, Mr. Ovid Morrison and Member of Parliament, Ms. Jennifer Wade. During the seminar, Mrs. Ananda Dhurjon gave an overview of the State Assets Recovery Act and Mr. Aubrey Retemyer, Chief Executive Officer of the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU) gave an overview of the unit.

Participants heard a presentation on the Protected Disclosures Act by Parliamentary Counsel, Cheyenne Lall; a presentation on the Witness Protection Act by Principal Parliamentary Counsel, Ms. Joann Bond and a presentation on the criminalization of corrupt practices

by Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Mrs. Teshana James -Lake. As the event drew to a close, the presenters and the Attorney General were inundated with questions from the participants as they sought to gain more clarity on their presentations.

–with help of the Canadians

gets on stream, the audit office will have to be prepared support Government agencies, especially the GRA. Just recently, GRA Commissioner-General, Godfrey Statia announced that the authority is preparing staff for its soon-to-be-created Oil and Gas Unit.

The creation of the unit is also coming just about a month after renowned economist, Professor Sir Paul Collier urged the government to build capacity to scrutinise the taxes Exxon pays.

Like the auditor-general, Statia said training will be provided for staff of the

GRA, and that by 2021, he expects the Oil and Gas Unit to be staffed with approximately 100 persons.

“We have already notified Exxon of our intention to commence certain audits, and that is exactly where we are,” Statia said, adding that staff will have to be prepared to conduct audits that would not only focus on revenues but also on assets, expenses, and likely per-wells.

He said, too, that his entity has to take steps to maximise its taxes, as audits would be done not only on ExxonMobil but also on their contractors.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Guyanese-born NYPD officer to be inducted on May 4

Self-employed mother of five making BBQ sauces from local fruits

The varying flavours of locally produced BBQ sauces made by Sandra Craig

NYPD Commanding Officer, Rhonda O’Reilly-Bovell(third from left) stands next to Consul General of Guyana to New York, Barbara Atherly, and other members of GALEA, at a recent Police Headquarters event

By Tangerine Clarke CARIBBEAN LIFE Rhonda O’Reilly-Bovell, who after migrating to the U.S. just 28 years ago at age 16, is the commanding officer of the 7th Precinct on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, and president of the Guyanese American Law Enforcement Association (GALEA).

O’Reilly will once again make history, when she is inducted into the Hunter College Alumni Hall of Fame during a ceremony on May 4.

These stirring achievements can no doubt be credited to the sound up-bringing and solid educational foundation that she received in her homeland. These accomplishments also prepared her for the arduous career she chose in law enforcement, after joining the New York Police Department six years after arriving in America.

The petite young woman, who served as a P.O. in the 100 Precinct, before quickly being promoted to sergeant in 2002, and then lieutenant in 2010, where she served in the 63rd Precinct, is a hard working immigrant who climbed the ladder four years ago, to become captain in the 30th Precinct.

O’Reilly’s work ethic propelled her to the rank of deputy inspector last year, a few months after becoming one of the top-ranking offi-

cers in the NYPD. She said she wants youths to know about the programmes the NYPD offers to obtain an education.

She is a fitting example of these grants she received when she joined the Cadet Corps while attending Hunter College.

“I chose a career in law enforcement because I wanted to help others. My inspiration comes from my entire family who supports me 100 percent. My nephew is also a member of the NYPD,” said O’Reilly-Bovell.

Married to a police officer, the mother of two daughters who worked her way to the top, while staying committed to her parents (father deceased) and siblings who she brought to the U.S. — holds an Undergraduate Degree in Sociology from Hunter College, and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Marist College. She attended East Ruimveldt Secondary School before graduating from the prestigious St. Rose’s High School in Guyana.

She noted that after transferring from York College to Hunter College in 1994, she found the instruction and curriculum at Hunter to be just as challenging as York College.

“However, I believe that the atmosphere at Hunter College, challenged me to give 100 per cent at my endeavours. My fellow class-

mates were very competitive and their work ethic pushed me to work harder than I ever did.”

“While at Hunter College, I developed friendships with individuals who have been a part of my network.

Throughout the years, they served as a support system for me as I navigated the challenges I encountered in my professional life,” said O’Reilly, who is using these qualities to lead (GALEA).

The Guyanese American Law Enforcement Association (GALEA), which she heads, was formed after young Police Detective Randolph Holder Jr., the first Guyanese-born uniformed member of the service who died in the line of duty.

In 2015, officers of Guyanese descent with the support of the Guyana Police Force — organised and travelled home to bury Det. Holder. Upon their return, two members met with former Police Commissioner Bratton, who inspired the immigrants to form the Guyanese fraternity.

The mission of the organisation is to enhance community relations between law enforcement and the many communities, home to people of Guyanese descent. Additionally, they provide assistance to law enforcement agencies in addressing the needs of people residing in various Guyanese communities.

Civilian Guyanese also

proudly serve the non-forprofit throughout the U.S. alongside police officers, court officers, correction officers, and immigration officers.

To date, their charitable work has touched the lives of youth in Guyana, where they have volunteered at orphanages, and developed a network of Guyanese American law enforcement personnel and utilise their expertise to respond to the needs of the community when necessary.

GALEA, which will hold its first big fundraising boat cruise on June 29, is increasing the number of law enforcement officers of Guyanese descent within the NYPD and other agencies, by conducting recruitment drives in order to promote law enforcement that is more representative of the communities that it serves.

With its slogan “Honor, Integrity, Pride,” the group also provides aid to disadvantaged youths in the USA and Guyana.

Other executive members are: INS. Clinton McPherson (Intel. bureau.) 1st vice president; P.O. Khyume Khan (94 Pct.); Secretary, Det. Mark Holder (84 Det. Sqd.); treasurer, Sgt. Khamraj Singh (PBBS), Sergeant of Arms; P.O Mark Ellis (PADT), corresponding secretary; and Sgt.Wendel Seymour, (PBQN) financial secretary.

SANDRA Craig has a lot in store for Guyana. With her innovative ideas and creative talent she has embarked on producing barbeque sauce made from local fruits. Her product is in demand both locally and overseas.

It all started in 2014 in her kitchen at her snackette at Orange Walk, Bourda, Georgetown. While she was in the process of grilling/ barbequing some chicken for customers, she began making her own BBQ sauce with pineapple, abandoning the foreign-purchased one.

She related that the pineapple flavoured BBQ sauce was an instant hit among her customers who requested more and the idea of experimenting with local fruits was conceptualised.

During her experimenting stage, Craig, a devoted Muslim, tried other local fruits and it was very pleasing to customers who demanded more of the exciting and flavourful BBQ sauce; there was no turning back.

Today, she has seven flavours of BBQ sauce, including golden apple, soursop, tamarind, ginger and garlic, mango, passion and pineapple.

The BBQ sauce is retailed at $1000 per bottle while it is wholesaled for $800 per bottle and she is trying to make it even more affordable for locals, aiming for a price of $600 per bottle.

So far, Craig said a lot of people have been ordering the product for both local and overseas markets and she is optimistic her BBQ sauce will be available world-wide in the near future.

Craig, a mother of five, told the Pepperpot Magazine that she is very enthusiastic about propelling her small business to its full potential in exporting her product.

This effervescent woman has been operating a food snackette, selling mostly

grilled and BBQ foods such as fish, Buffalo wings, chicken and beef using her own BBQ sauce at Orange Walk, Bourda.

But in her BBQ sauce business, all her five children are involved, making it a family business in which everyone plays a part and assists in their own way so she does not have to employ other people.

She began her food business in 2011 and also caters for events and parties. She is part of the local group-Women in Business—in which she is actively involved in expos to showcase her products.

Craig said she plans on going large scale soon and is hoping to market her products in Trinidad and Tobago and other places in the Caribbean, Canada, U.K, and the U.S. She said, “I am always trying newer ingredients for BBQ sauce and have created two newer ones which are spicy fusion which has a subtle but nice tang and a sweet and sour BBQ sauce which is very tasty.”

Craig added that all her BBQ sauces are made from local ingredients, some of which will remain secrets.

She is yet to produce her farine pie BBQ sauce which is similar to macaroni and cheese.

Her products are all healthy and of good nutritional value since they are made from local fruits.

Craig said, “No matter how small you start your business, it will grow and become profitable… despite the challenges it is better to be self-employed than work with people.”

She told the Pepperpot Magazine that she has no limitations and that she may try other fruits to produce more of her heart healthy and nutritional BBQ sauces.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Understanding autism ‘Step by Step’ …Registered charity helping to raise awareness about misunderstood condition BACK in 2011, what started out as a simple homeschool in a garage for three children with autism transformed itself into a school that now caters for 18 children who are living with moderate to severe autism.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), commonly called autism, refers to a wide range of conditions characterised by some degree of impaired social behaviour; communication and language; and a narrow range of interests and activities that are both unique to the individual and carried out repetitively.

The Step by Step Foundation started as a small homeschool and eventually became larger and encompassed a school for children aged three to 12 and is seeking to expand further.

As a registered charity in Guyana, the Step by Step Foundation is mandated to cater for the needs of children

with autism. Chairperson of the foundation, Dr. Suraiya Ismail stated, “There is no medical cure for autism, there is management rather for us to improve the condition but we can never cure it.” And this is where the foundation steps in.

Ismail highlighted that the school has 18 children with two senior tutors, five tutors and three assistant tutors. Since its initiation also, it has had the services of U.S. Clinical Psychologist and expert in autism and the Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) approach to autism treatment, Dr. Jim Ellis who is able to diagnose ASD and monitor the children, trains the tutors and hosts weekly Skype meetings to track the progress of the children. The children also benefit from a speech therapist and occupational therapist.

The management for children who have autism lies in the education field but a great majority lies in behaviour

modification and the system used in school is called the Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) which focuses on an individualised-based approach to caring for each child.

“Each child has a behaviour plan,” the woman related. “It details how to reward good behaviour or control bad or disruptive behaviour.”

And using this specific methodology, there has been much to celebrate. According to Suraiya, children came to the foundation unable to speak, communicate, read, do mathematics and were disruptive. “Now we have more than seven children writing; seven reading up to Grade Four; three who are doing [Mathematics] up to Grade Four and disruptive behaviour gone down substantially,” Suraiya noted proudly. She further added that another eight children are speaking fully and a few more are speaking some

Chairperson of the Step by Step, Dr. Suraiya Ismail

words.

“This is what keeps us going,” she affirmed.

She shared one special instance when she visited the school and this one child, who had never spoken a word in his life, started to speak.

“And it was like a dam had broken,” she related, “The words just came tumbling out.”

But in Guyana there is no real picture of just how many children are affected since according to Ismail, “There is no real diagnosis of the condition here.” She shared however that the foundation would like to work in the health sector to diagnose autism.

She explained, “The full diagnosis is quite elaborate, but you can do a rough and ready screening to identify

those children who are likely to be autistic.” She said that there are certain signs that persons at the health centres can be trained to look out for; the child not smiling or laughing, not making eye contact or not responding as expected to his/her parents.

This however would also require the services of referral doctors or psychologists “Hopefully once we get that screening system done, we’d have a better idea of how many persons are affected by autism in Guyana,” she said.

In terms of the management of autism, the woman related that Guyana is actually the most advanced in the English-speaking Caribbean and she related that the Step

by Step organization is in the process of assisting Jamaica to set up its first school.

CHALLENGES Despite the successes of the foundation and school, there is only so much that it can do and only so many children it can render its services to.

To this end, she shared that there is a long waiting list for admission into the school because the foundation creates awareness and with awareness comes the need for someone or somewhere to care for the needs of children with autism. Seeking to extend its services, Dr. Ismail related this is what drives the new goal of building a bigger school with more facilities for the children to teach them life skills that

could help them after they leave the school.

Another issue is staffing and having the staff adequately trained to deal with the children. The Ministry of Education (MoE) has however provided some redress in this regard by providing and paying for three tutors. As the foundation grows, Ismail hopes that this relationship would grow further.

The school has also been able to secure a bus and a driver, free of cost, to transport the children to and from their homes- which may be as far as Buxton on the East Coast of Demerara, to Diamond on the East Bank, to Parika- and that has caused attendance to increase dramatically.

“Parents found it hard to use public transport because people on a whole don’t understand when a child with autism is misbehaving,” she related.

Finally, as perhaps expected is the biggest challenge of raising funds needed for the operation of the foundation. The chairperson highlighted that the economic cost of one child is about USD $5,000 coupled with the expenses of bringing Dr. Ellis in about four times a year and the general cost of running the school.

As a registered charity, parents do not pay for their children’s attendance but can make donation in cash or kind. The support of benevolent organisations and individuals go a far way.

Forest export earnings at US$7.4M so far this year THE natural resources sector has earned US$7.4M from exported forest products in the first quarter of 2018 while 145,133 ounces of gold has been declared during that same period.

Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, on Saturday shared the performance of the sector with residents of Matthew’s Ridge during a public meeting.

Minster Trotman noted that production in the forestry sector is on the increase, an improvement from 2017.

As for gold, an ambitious

800,000 ounces target has been set for 2018. Minister Trotman is confident that declarations will meet and surpass the target. During the period January to March 2018, 13,000 metric carats of diamonds were also declared.

The Minister pointed out that there are efforts by the Ministry to update the mining regulations and policy. “We are focusing on how we can make mining better.”

Bauxite first quarter productions were 229,441 tonnes despite Rusal Guyana’s work being stalled following sanc-

tions on its parent company by the US. Meanwhile, sand’s first quarter production was 224,948 tonnes, while stone was 52,016 tonnes. Minister Trotman noted that government intervention last year allowed for local producers to supply the airport expansion project.

The government remains committed to promoting the extraction of the country’s natural resources in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner, Minister Trotman noted.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Weather hampers search for missing woman’s body in Soesdyke – Crime Chief – women’s rights activist pledges organisation’s support for police daughter who had two children.

Adding that the issue of domestic violence leads to murders and it must be seriously addressed in Guyana, Madray recommended that police ranks receive sensitivity training since there is

Dhanrajie Murray being comforted by a member of Let the Woman Speak organisation while addressing members of the media. (Samuel Maughn photo)

ALTHOUGH police recently charged a man who allegedly confessed to the murder of his former lover, Shawnette Savory, her remains are yet to be found as investigators narrow in on the spot she may have been buried in Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

This was disclosed by Crime Chief Paul Williams who hosted a joint-press conference Monday with women’s rights activist and founder of Let The Woman Speak (LTWS), Dianne Madray at the Officers’ Training Centre, Camp Road and Young Street, Eve-Leary, Georgetown.

Devindra Ramdiah, called “Duck man,” 34, of Prospect, EBD was Thursday last charged for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, 37-year-old Shawnette Savory on August 30, 2016, at Soesdyke, EBD. The Crime Chief noted that the weather has dampened investigations as detectives seek to recover the body and apprehend other suspects who might be able to assist with the investigations.

The Guyana Police Force in 2017 had issued a wanted bulletin for Patrick Banister, called “Fato” and his wife, Ritesha Rahaman called “Tesha.” Savory and Rahaman were friends and she was seen with the couple just before she went missing on August 30, last.

The Crime Chief said these suspects are still wanted for questioning by investigators.

Williams said a number of other cold cases are being examined and will be examined under the new Cold Case Unit.

It was revealed that after the cold case was brought up recently, the Major Crimes Unit within two weeks arrested the suspect who confessed to the dastardly act.

In that confession, the suspect listed a number of places where he said the body was buried. As such, investigators are continuing their search even after the man was charged for the murder and remanded to prison.

Crime Chief Paul Williams described the case as being solved but shun away from questions about having enough evidence to charge the accused, since the body was not found. He noted that legal advice was sought before any charge was laid.

The mother of the deceased, Dhanrajie Murray who lives overseas, in tears said “I want them to find her body,” as she disclosed that the man accused of killing her daughter had begged her for forgiveness before he was remanded to prison.

Murray said that she is seeking closure and is unaware what may have triggered the murder of her

a lack of understanding of the grave consequences that domestic violence has in society.

She offered the help of her organisation and resources in aiding in such a task.

“Women need to feel safe and not intimidated by offi-

cers when taking a statement or reporting a domestic violence matter. As an advocate I have personally experience the attitudes that many women complain about, but I press on and refuse to accept that change cannot occur,” she said.

The advocate said that police ranks must remember that domestic violence is a crime punishable by law and there are no exceptions if a perpetrator happens to be your friend, brother, associate or the family member of some politician.

In order to improve the state of affairs of the police Turn to page 22 ►

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Minister Lawrence urges residents of Lethem to protect against trans-border sicknesses

…as she pushes vaccination programme MARKING the end of Vaccination Week in the Americas, Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence visited the town of Lethem to encourage residents to rally together and ensure that all community members are vaccinated.

The Minister along with

her team and representatives from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) visited the Moco-Moco community in Lethem on Friday for the hosting of the closing ceremony.

This year’s Vaccination

Week in the Americas began on Monday, 23rd April under the theme, ‘Strengthen your Defence #GetVax #VaccineWorks’ and is aimed at promoting equity and access to immunization in the region.

Delivering the main address, Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence told

community members that as migration levels increase worldwide, citizens must be immunized to fight against vaccine-preventable diseases.

Utilizing the Guyana-Brazil border as an example, Lawrence said that to achieve this, countries cannot stand alone but must work The minister’s visit to the Lethem Regional Hospital sees the women receive needed items for their children

Community health worker for 28 years, Rita Torquarto receives an award and hamper.

together to see long-lasting results.

“If something happens in any one of those countries which we share friendly borders with, then we can’t sit here and declare that ‘oh it’s not us, it’s not our people’.

“But rather, we have to work with and give protection and service wherever necessary…” she remarked.

The Minister added that history shows that regions near unmanned borders are usually the highest points for infection transfer due to the ease of travel.

As such, she stated that each Vaccination Week must be entirely utilized for educational campaigns and for the immunization of all citizens, Turn to page 19 ►

19

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

International groups salute workers

The Caribbean Employers’ Confederation (CEC) and the Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL), along with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the European Union (EU) are pleased to join the global community in celebrating International Labour Day on 1 May, 2018.

In a joint message the groups said their partnership within the EU-funded project known as “Support to Facilitate Participation of CARIFORUM Civil Society in the Regional Development and

Integration Process: Challenges to CARIFORUM Labour, Private Sector and Employers to fulfil their EPA Obligations” has been a fruitful one.

The journey has been one of growth, insight, negotiation, stock-taking, reassessing and renewed commitment to the stated objective.

Social dialogue is critical to achieving decent work.

Decent work is the driver of economic development and social justice. We believe that strong national and regional Workers’ and Employers’ organizations around the negoti-

From page 18 ►

Minister Lawrence urges ...

Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence distributes baby hampers to the mothers of Lethem, Region Nine.

both young and old, despite their location.

Speaking on the deadly disease of cancer, Lawrence implored parents to put aside myths and ensure that their daughters get vaccinated to guard against cancer-causing diseases such as Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

“We have the responsibility to protect our children, especially our 9-years to 13-year-olds. We have that right and that responsibility to ensure that they are vaccinated and in so doing, we can ensure that they can live a healthy life without cancer,” she said.

Meanwhile, UNICEF Representative, Paolo Marchi told the community that although there are misconceptions about vaccines, there is proof that they continue to save the lives of millions of children.

He said that the works being done in Moco-Moco by the health ministry is testimony to the Government’s determination to ensure Guyanese have equal access to health care.

“I’ve seen the incredible work that the Ministry of Health has put in to ensuring that there is a system and that it’s a very tailored system to make sure that all children of Guyana, and especially the children who might be hardest to reach, are going to be vaccinated,” he said.

Addressing the gathering, representative from PAHO,

Dr. Jean Alexandre, said that through vaccination the Americas has eliminated small pox, polio, neonatal tetanus, rubella and congenital rubella syndrome over time.

Although measles was eliminated two years ago in the region following massive vaccination efforts, the Americas is now facing imported cases of measles due to the circulation of the disease worldwide.

Dr. Alexandre said that this is one of the reasons the region must respond quickly, especially during observances such as Vaccination Week, to prevent the re-establishment endemic transmissions.

In agreement was Vice Consul of Brazil to Guyana, Lisa Marie Dos Reis, who encouraged greater efforts to protect against measles as the neighbouring districts continue to strengthen ties.

During the event, presentations of song, poetry, drama and other demonstrations came from students of Moco-Moco Nursery and Primary Schools, Arapaima Primary and Quarrie Primary Schools.

At the end of the ceremony, Lawrence distributed baby hampers to several mothers within the region while long-standing community health worker for 28 years, Rita Torquarto, was honoured for her dedicated service.

ating table make for a stronger CARIFORUM. Social partners have a key role to play, along with Governments, in creating wealth and ensuring its equitable distribution across all sectors of society. This is the best way to achieve stability and lasting peace.

Every opportunity must be seized to ensure that all members of society benefit from complex agreements such as the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between CARIFORUM and the European Union (EU) that sound abstract yet have a lot to

offer for everyone in concrete terms. The decent work agenda is firmly rooted in all of the EU’s economic partnership agreements so that free trade also means fair trade. The role of trade unions and employers’ organizations is critical in the implementation and monitoring of the decent work aspects to ensure positive effects of the EPA on jobs and enterprises, achieve a level playing field on today’s global marketplace, and prevent a global social race to the bottom.

The CEC and CCL have issued joint position papers

on issues of common interest which both regional organisations and their affiliates will use to inform their participation in regional and national social dialogue platforms.

These policy positions are in the respect of Occupational Safety and Health; minimum wage policy; and social protection. This solid bi-partite stance is a milestone since generally, employers and workers tend to be on opposite ends of the spectrum.

Another milestone is the invitation issued by CARICOM to the CEC and CCL to participate in the upcoming 37th meeting of the Council on Human and Social Development (COHSOD) in Guyana from 2-5 May, 2018. The CEC

and CCL will have a chance to be part of these high level discussions which will provide input into policy decisions to be adopted regionally.

The ILO and EU are pleased to have played a supporting role in building capacity in the region, bolstering efforts already being made to achieve a just deal for everyone. Now that the project is ending on 01 May, 2018 it is time to celebrate together our achievements in furthering tripartism, which combines the dynamism of the market economy with a strong emphasis on human security, on education and on social well-being, as we commemorate International Labour Day.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

First Lady joins WAD for fundraising brunch FIRST Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger, on Saturday, attended the Women Across Differences’ (WAD), fund-

raising Brunch, Fashion Show and Exhibition, which was held in the garden of the Critchlow Labour College,

Woolford Avenue, Georgetown.

The event was organised to raise funding for the WAD’s Comprehensive Empowerment Programme for Adolescent Mothers, which aims to equip them with the knowledge that will help them to realise their full potential. The First Lady serves as a patron of the non-governmental organisation.

Co-ordinator of WAD, Ms. Clonel Samuels-Boston said that the organisation is always grateful to the First Lady for her support.

Patrons were entertained by

a display of locally made attire, handbags and jewellery modelled by several of the teenage mothers who benefit from the programme. Reigning Calypso Monarch, Ms. Onika Joseph added further l to the occasion with her rendition of “Woman is Boss”, which was greeted with loud cheers.

Musical accompaniment was also provided by the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI)-Buxton Steel Pan Orchestra, which played local folk songs such as “Bamboo fire” among others.

First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger is flanked by, from left, Calypso Monarch, Ms. Onika Joseph and Mr. Burchmore Simon at the Women Across Differences Brunch, Fashion Show and Exhibition

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Bill to establish deposit insurance scheme tabled THE Bill seeking to establish a Deposit Insurance Scheme to lay out a regime governing its core elements--the Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Deposit Insurance Fund-was last Thursday laid in the National Assembly by Finance Minister, Winston Jordan.

The legislation which is yet to be debated in the National Assembly is aimed at establishing a scheme to protect insured depositors comprising a Deposit Insurance Fund and a Deposit Insurance Corporation responsible for managing the Fund and for connected purposes.

The Bill which will be read for the second time and debated in the future, notes that deposit insurance is one of the components of the financial sector safety net, alongside supervision, resolution, and emergency liquidity assistance.

According to the explanatory memorandum, the Bill seeks to address the inherent instability of maturity transformation in the banking sector, that is, the financing of long-term assets through the issuance of demand or short-dated deposits, which makes banks vulnerable to depositor runs and to contagion from less sound institutions.

The advent of deposit insurance has proven to prevent major banking crises the world over and plays a central role in maintaining financial stability.

DEPOSIT INSURANCE SCHEME Clause 3 of the Bill seeks to establish the Deposit Insurance Scheme which is aimed at fostering financial stability by protecting depositors and by contributing funds to the resolution of member institutions. “These objectives inform the design of all elements of the Scheme and provide a yardstick for holding the Corporation accountable in the performance of its functions,� the explanatory memorandum says.

DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION Meanwhile, Clause 8 seeks to establish the Deposit Insurance Corporation as the deposit insurer and seeks to give it a pay-box plus

mandate, with functions and powers instrumental to the objective of fostering financial stability through depositor protector and resolution financing.

It sets out the core functions of the Corporation which are to reimburse the funds held by insured depositors at a failed member institution and to finance the resolution of a member institution. Incidental to these functions, it is also tasked to collect premiums, manage the assets of the Fund, and promote public awareness.

To effectively do the aforementioned, Clause 9 seeks to give the Corporation an open-ended assignment of powers, enabling it to take any action deemed necessary.

Clauses 9 and 10 outline the governance framework of the Corporation which is designed to ensure its ability to exercise its functions without undue pressure from the Government or the industry.

Notwithstanding being independent, the Corporation relies on the Bank for material support to carry out its operations.

Clauses 12 to 21 set out the decision-making structure of the Corporation which is made up of the Board of Directors and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The rules governing the composition of the Board, the division of responsibilities between the Board and the CEO and appointments aim to put in place a system of checks and balances that support the independence of the Corporation and prevent its powers from being abused.

The Board is responsible for the approval of policies and regulations and for the supervision of management, while the CEO is symmetrically tasked with proposing the formulation of policies and regulations and with the performance of daily management.

These clauses also set out the requirements on integrity, qualification, and conflicts of interest which apply to the CEO and to the independent directors, further supporting the independence of the Corporation. To avoid undue influence from political or private interests, certain individuals are also ineligible to serve as CEO or independent director, namely members of

funds must be invested in safe assets, following a strategy that prioritizes liquidity over return, and subject to adequate risk management and internal control mechanisms.

Clauses 37 to 43 seek to provide that insurance coverage needs to be set at a level that is low enough to be credible and mitigate moral hazard, but high enough to afford protection to small depositors. Based on these considerations, the Act sets

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

Parliament, Government or the Supreme Court, public officers, political party officers, and directors, officers or qualified owners of a financial institution.

Clauses 22 to 25 speak to the accountability and transparency of the Corporation while Clauses 48 and 49 seek to provide that, in support of the independence of the Corporation, its current and former CEOs, Directors, and employees, as well as other individuals in its service enjoy legal immunity.

DEPOSIT INSURANCE FUND Meanwhile, Clauses 26 to 36 states that funding for the Scheme is provided on an ex-ante basis (which is based on the forecasted need for funding as opposed to the actual need for funding) thus giving the Corporation immediate access to the necessary resources to reimburse depositors promptly.

The minimum target size of the Fund and the timeframe to achieve it will be determined following a quantitative assessment of the risks to which the member financial institutions are exposed.

Start-up funds are provided by the Bank, with a government guarantee, and by the member financial institutions through initial contributions.

In addition, regular premiums are assessed bi-annually on the member financial institutions at a rate of 0.2 - 1.5 per cent of covered deposits, as determined by the Board.

Further, the Bill states that the fund must be managed so as to ensure immediate availability should an insured event come about.

It means therefore that the

the coverage limit at $2M. Certain classes of deposits are excluded from coverage.

Those include deposits of financial institutions, deposits of government authorities, deposits held at overseas branches of financial institutions, deposits of persons affiliated with a failed financial institution, and deposits of individuals engaged in money laundering or financing of terrorism.

Additionally, the clauses

also aims at avoiding bank runs and panics, thereby ensuring that the Corporation must be able to complete the payout process shortly after a financial institution is placed in liquidation.

The Corporation is empowered to extend funds for resolution, provided the amounts involved are less than what would be necessary should the financial institution be liquidated. Financing Turn to page 22 â–ş

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Bill to establish deposit... can be provided to fill a balance-sheet gap in the event of a transfer of assets and liabilities to a willing purchaser or to a bridge bank, up to 50 per cent of the minimum target size of the Fund. Here, too, the Corporation is entitled to recover from the liquidation, estate with the same rights and rank as insured depositors.

Because advance planning is essential for the Corporation to be able to react promptly to an insured event, clause 38 states that the Corporation is entitled to receive supervisory data from the Bank with a view to monitoring the likelihood and magnitude of an insured event.

Clause 45 also empowers the Corporation to obtain, by

regulations, other relevant information directly from the member financial institutions, in particular, their depositor records, through on-site or off-site examinations and the liquidator.

Clause 44 seeks to provide that the Corporation has the authority to share information and cooperate with other domestic and foreign

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

in the discharge of its duties must be kept confidential.

However, there are excepFrom page 21 tions where information is released to law enforcement safety-net participants apart authorities, to a court of law, from the Bank. Such partici- to the external auditors, to pants may include authorities domestic or foreign safewith responsibilities over ty-net participants, or is used the financial sector in and in the interest of the Corpooutside Guyana, such as the ration in legal proceedings.

Ministry of Finance, deposit Meanwhile, Clause insurance agencies, financial 54 speaks to transitionsupervisors, and resolution al provisions to establish authorities. a timetable for the imAll private information plementation of the Act. obtained by the Corporation Actions that are expected

Weather hampers search for... force and to raise the level of expertise and efficiency, Madray recommended that a policy to be implemented for mandatory ongoing training as indicated above.

Secondly, she said a full computerised system is needed to allow ranks to write their investigative reports within a centralised database.

Thirdly, a tracking system of

victims’ information and data on cases is also needed.

Fourthly, Madray noted that systems should be put in place in order to avoid losing vital information on

cases, hand written files disappearing and prevent data tampering with important evidence, while there should also be easy access to past records for analyses.

to be implemented in one to 12 months include the appointment of the independent Directors, the appointment of the CEO, the approval of the employment and the salary schedule, the appointment of the external auditor, the approval of policies and regulations on a number of matters, the approval of the initial disbursement plan and the disbursement procedures, and the determination of the regular insurance premiums.

From page 17

“This support and partnership with agencies such as CID and DPP is important with networking groups like LTWS. The members of our group have skills that we can

Crime Chief, Paul Williams (centre) and women’s rights activist, Dianne Madray, flanked by members of the Major Crime Unit during the press conference

lend to CID and I appreciate the respect I was provided by Mr. Williams and his team during the Savory’s investigation. This partnership and collaboration [have] shown me that these are men who will not succumb to the inflated egos as some others I have encountered,” Madray said.

Savory is just one of several people who police believe were murdered and their corpses buried. With the establishment of a Cold Case Unit, which is likely to renew interest in such cases, there is need for the Force to be equipped with the tools and a computerised database for ranks to speed up their investigations.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Aries Ideas that didn’t catch your attention yesterday receive your enthusiastic approval today when they pass your way again. The Moons move into inspirational Sagittarius and your 9th House of Big Ideas makes it possible for you to accomplish nearly anything you believe you can. Although unforeseen complications may trigger uncertainty, you’re not ready to give up yet. Whatever you learn now might be annoying at first but isn’t significant enough to stop your plans. Retreat, regroup, and retry.

Taurus You wish you could concentrate on finishing one task before moving on to another, but you’re processing time strangely now. You understand that many things can occur simultaneously; however, you mistakenly assume that you’re capable of juggling multiple streams of reality all at once. Reconsider the best use of your time today and apply yourself accordingly. It’s better to have fewer victories than none at all. Buddhist teacher Sogyal Rinpoche said, “The key to finding a happy balance in modern life is simplicity.”

Gemini You are torn between your attraction to variety and your need to follow through on one particular job today. At first, you might think you can have it both ways, but soon realize there aren’t enough hours in the day to pursue your passions while still meeting all your obligations. Keep in mind your actions will have lasting impact on how you establish priorities. Demonstrate your maturity by setting aside your personal interests until you have more time on your hands. Focus; otherwise life will become a blur.

Cancer Your approach to work is changing as you strive to improve your efficiency. Instead of operating quietly on your own, you’re intrigued by participating in more collaborative efforts now. You might be surprised at how much you enjoy the ongoing exchange of information and the sense of camaraderie. Nevertheless, this process may be more emotionally demanding than you realize at first. Make certain that you leave enough time at the end of the day to relax and recharge before doing it again tomorrow. Life is a marathon, not a sprint.

Leo Although you may have a long list of objectives to complete today, you’re also thinking about your future in less definitive terms. Thankfully, your clarity of purpose enables you to concentrate on a very narrow range of accomplishments now, ensuring that your current efforts will pay off right away. Meanwhile, don’t bury your dreams, for they show you the road you can take toward a more rounded sense of satisfaction that goes beyond mere financial success. Mahatma Gandhi said, “There is more to life than increasing its speed.”

Virgo You’re quite confident in your ability to carry out your job today, but others might not perceive any difference in your attitude. You’re not particularly interested in putting on a show for anyone; you simply want to get the job done so you can move on to other projects. Your self-assuredness won’t likely be noticeable because you’re channelling your passion into your work. Although you may feel as if you’re misunderstood now, people will come around as soon as they see your productivity in action. Benjamin Franklin wrote, “Well done is better than well said.”

Libra Your work agenda isn’t very different today from any other day; it’s just that you are raising the bar of excellence and you are intent on keeping up with your own expectations. Although you may be more determined than ever to distinguish yourself by striving for perfection, there’s always a trade-off between quality and quantity.

Unfortunately, there’s no quick solution to your dilemma and the more you try to find one now, the more frustrated you will be. Thankfully, redemption comes in the form of self-acceptance.

Scorpio You are blessed with the time to wander around in your imagination today, without anyone demanding that you must produce tangible results. Your new frame of reference is already improving your self-esteem and will continue to do so into the future. Find an ally who you can trust throughout this time. But rather than asking for help with a specific task or seeking good advice, you simply need a reliable person to serve as a reality check, should it be necessary. Psychologist Bren Brown wrote, “Let go of who you think you are supposed to be and be who you are.”

Sagittarius Your words and actions are an inspiration to others today, even if your current behaviour is nothing unusual to you. In fact, being aware of the impact you have on those around you may motivate you to throw even more of yourself into an ambitious project. Keep in mind, there is a cosmic magic in the air which could turn the tables in your favour. Paradoxically, pushing forward in the face of resistance can be exhausting while simply holding your position propels you toward achieving your goals. Wherever you go, light follows.

Capricorn You’re riding a wave of optimism today, but might keep the positive vibes all to yourself. However, it’s not like you’re trying to prevent anyone else from experiencing the same excitement; you simply need to contain the energy for it to have the greatest influence on your life. You’re not messing around now; you want results and will do nearly anything within reason to achieve them. You could even deprive yourself of minor indulgences because you hope to set an example for others to follow. Author Harold S. Geneen wrote, “Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions.”

Aquarius It’s as if you’ve raised the stakes of the game today by stepping out of your individual position and becoming part of a group mind. Rather than trying to better your position at work, you’re equally interested in the welfare of everyone involved. If you assume a leadership role now, it’s because others perceive you as someone without special interests who can make decisions for the good of the entire company. Don’t let your coworkers down; show them what real team spirit looks like.

Poet Ryunosuke Satoro wrote, “, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.”

Pisces Your current idealism is not about vague generalities and future possibilities. Instead, you’re driven to work overtime, transforming every idea that pops into your mind today into a plan that can bring positive results. Although you’re comfortable waxing philosophic, you’re simultaneously leaning pragmatic. Nevertheless, there are moments when you wish you could meander around in your fantasies without worrying about being productive. Singer Liam Payne said, “Dreams are like stars; you may never touch them but if you follow them, they will lead you to your destiny.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

RHTYSC, MS, holds impressive...

Fair was organised with over 50 booths which attracted thousands of students. In addition to this, four medical outreaches were organised and catered to the needs of a number of residents in the area.

The work of the club continued with a successful hosting of the Annual Berbice Christmas Village. Also during that period the club donated over $3M in toys and food hampers to less fortunate families. The club held an Evening of Music with the Guyana Defence Force and many other activities such as Mother and Father of the Year, Dare to Dream, Make a Wish, Role Model-of-the-Year and Say Yes to Religion.

Weighing in on the club’s major 2018 plans, Foster shared their desire to obtain funds for an all-weather outdoor practice facility. He then made mention of completing

the restoration of the Area ‘H’ Ground. Finally the RHTYSC will seek help in assisting their promising cricketers with much-needed cricket gear.

Highlighting the major part of the Awards Presentation was Berbice Under-19 captain Kevin Sinclair. He was awarded the Pepsi Under-19 Batsman-of-the-Year and Cricketer-of-the-Year.

Similarly young Sinclair received the Bakewell second division batsman and Cricketer-of-the-Year prize.

Kevin Sinclair’s’ smiles got even wider when he was named the 2018 RHTYSC Cricketer-of-the-Year, while Berbice Under-19 middle-order batsman Kevlon Anderson was adjudged runner-up Cricketer-of-the-Year.

The work of RHTYSC, MS would not have been possible without the support from its numerous donors.

Mr Hilbert Foster specially thanked the Patron of the Club, His Excellency President David Granger for his support over the last year, also to the Regional Chairman David Armogan, Vice- Chairman Dennis Deroop, Regional Executive Officer (REO) Kim Williams Stephen and Mayor Vijai Ramoo.

The other club awardees are as follows: Kevin Basdeo, who received the King Solomon Logistics Under-12 Male Cricketer-of-the-Year; King Solomon Logistics Under-12 female Cricketer Daniela Hicks.

Poonai Pharmacy Under-13 Batsman-of-the-Year Angelino Ramdihal; Poonai Pharmacy Under-13 Bowler-of-the-Year Christopher Deeroop; Poonai Pharmacy Under-13 Cricketer-of-theYear Matthew Pattaya Farfan and Mendes Ltd Under-15 Bowler-of-the-Year Jeremy Sandia; Farfan and Mendes Ltd Under-15 Batsman-of-the-Year Mohendra Gopilaaa; Farfan and Mendes Ltd Under-15 Cricketer-of-

from page 33 ► the-Year Jonathan Rampersaud Bakewell Uunder-17 Bowler-of-the-Year Junior Sinclair; Bakewell Under-17 Batsman-of-the-Year Kevlon Anderson; Bakewell Under-17 Cricketer-of-the-Year Kevlon Anderson Pepsi Under-19 Bowlerof-the-Year Keith Simpson; Pepsi Under-19 Batsman-ofthe-Year Kevin Sinclair; Pepsi Under-19 Cricketer-of-theYear Kevin Sinclair Metro Female Bowlerof-the-Year Erva Giddings; Metro Female Batter-of-theYear Shabika Gajnabi; Metro Female Cricketer-of-the-Year Shemaine Campbelle Bakewell Second Division Bowler-of-the-Year Sylus Tyndall; Bakewell Second Division Batsman-of-the-Year Kevin Sinclair; Bakewell Second Division Batsman-ofthe-Year Kevin Sinclair Gizmos and Gadgets First Division Bowler-of-theYear Eon Hooper; Gizmos and Gadgets First Division Batsman-of-the-Year Clinton Pestano; Gizmos and Gadgets First Division Cricketer-ofthe-Year Clinton Pestano Most Disciplined Male cricketers: Chanderpaul Govindan and Shivnarine Ramnarine; Most Disciplined Female cricketer: Mariam Somaroo; Most Promising Male cricketer: Jonathan De Viera; Most Promising Female Kassie Munroe Most Improved Male cricketer Nicholas Lawson; Most improved Female cricketer Kimmone Thomas Most Committed Male cricketer Vikash Subramanie; Most Committed Female cricketer Uma Mattadin Fielder-of-the-Year Keith Simpson Benefit Cricketer-of-theYear Shawn Pereira Cooperation with Management award Navin Raghoo and Sunil Madrimootoo Cooperation Joel Pike and Simon Naidu

South Africa Racing Tips

English Racing Tips

Turffontein

Nottingham

08:20 hrs Diva Faustina

09:00 hrs Spell

08:55 hrs Mogok’s Time

09:30 hrs Mushtaq

09:30 hrs Querari Viking

10:00 hrs Chantresse

10:05 hrs Patric

10:35 hrs Mama Africa

10:35 hrs Snow Boarding

11:05 hrs Double Reflection

11:10 hrs Detonation

11:35 hrs Slunovrat

American Racing Tips

12:05 hrs Dahik

Finger Lakes

Yarmouth

Race 1 Venezuelan Beauty

09:10 hrs Usain Boat

Race 2 Guardian

09:40 hrs Corelli

Race 3 Elostorm

10:15 hrs Raven Banner

Race 4 Dialmynumber

10:45 hrs Mountain Rescue

Race 5 Cataclysmic

11:15 hrs Seyasah

Race 6 Head Shrinker

11:45 hrs Gainsay

Race 7 Small Town Shuffle

12:15 hrs Choral Music

Race 8 Jeb

12:50 hrs Screaming Gemini

Irish Racing Tips

Brighton

Ballinrobe

09:20 hrs James Watt

12:35 hrs Avellino

09:50 hrs Diocletian

13:05 hrs Miss Eehrad

10:25 hrs Mr Pocket

13:35 hrs Touch Base

10:55 hrs Precious Ramotswe

14:05 hrs Cappuccino

11:25 hrs Bloodsweatandtears

14:35 hrs Flemenstorm

11:55 hrs Balgair

15:05 hrs Robin Des Foret

12:25 hrs Sussex Girl

15:35 hrs Vent D’Automne

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

44 Days to go …

Pelé and pals retire the cup B

RAZIL, the team who play with the fluid rhythm of conga dancers and the daring of bullfighters, brought wild ecstasy to most of the 112 504 howling Latin Americans in Aztec Stadium in Mexico City last Sunday, when they destroyed a confused Italian team, 4-1, to win the world championship of soccer.

The rout was chiefly the handiwork - or footwork, rather - of a pair of splendid veterans, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pelé, and Gerson Oliveira Nunes, known simply as Gerson.

Each scored a goal in the victory, but it was the cool craft of Gerson in directing the subtle, intricate Brazilian attack and the deft, almost psychic passes of Pelé that most often initiated the swarming raids that riddled the Italian defence time and time again.

Gerson is a small man, going a bit bald on top, and his uniform hangs loosely on him, but on this overcast day he was a commanding figure on the wide green field of Aztec Stadium. With the ball at his feet, quietly surveying the moving pattern of play in front of him, he found the flaws in what had been considered one of the stronger defences in soccer with almost uncanny precision.

As often as not, he started the Brazilian attack with a pass to Pelé, who had three more quick, adept and intelligent forwards to help him move the ball in Tostao, Jairzinho and Rivelino.

Even so, only the first Brazilian goal was a simple one. It

came well into the first half after the two teams had tested each other gingerly on a field made slippery by a drenching rain that ended just before the start of play. As the game progressed the clouds lifted, the field dried and the Brazilians began to move with the effortless speed and coordination that marked all their games in this World Cup competition.

That first goal started with a throw-in

by Tostao. He dumped the ball at the feet of

trickled off the field. At last, though, it was the unheroic, almost shambling figure of Gerson that created the precise combination of passes leading to the goal that put Brazil ahead for good.

Gerson started at midfield, moving slowly, keying the pattern developing before him. He tipped a rolling pass to Everaldo, moving to his left. Everaldo put the ball ahead to Jairzinho, playing on the fringe of the penalty area, while Gerson

Rivelino, who lifted a delicate, high cross to the far edge of the Italian goal mouth.

There Pelé, guarded closely by Italy’s Tarcisio Burgnich, climbed high into the air, seemed to hang for a moment then nodded briskly and headed the ball into the back of the net past the groping fingers of Enrico Albertosi, Italy’s goalkeeper. taly equalised late in the half. Roberto Boninsegna pounced on a careless pass deep in Brazilian territory and joined with Luigi Riva to overpower the one man left to help Felix, the Brazilian goalie. Boninsegna scored easily.

The goal seemed more a freak of fate than a planned sortie and it typified the Italian offense, which appeared to be based on two premises: one, that the Brazilian defence would make enough mistakes to allow the Italians to collect sufficient garbage goals for victory, and two, that their best answer to Brazil’s sinuous offensive was a long pass to Riva somewhere near the Brazilian goal. That and a fervent prayer.

With the field becoming fast and the sun trying to break through in the second half, the Brazilians opened another notch in what must be soccer’s finest attack, completely befuddling their rivals. Italy’s answer was a series of fouls, most of them perilously close to the penalty area.

None of the resulting free kicks scored for Brazil, although once, from about 25 yards out, Rivelino drilled a high shot that slammed into the crossbar at the top of the cage, bounced into the air and finally

broke on an angle, running hard towards the goal. Jairzinho, besieged by the frantic Italian defence, hit a quick short pass back to Gerson, who intercepted the ball perfectly and then sent a booming left-foot shot that flashed by Albertosi into the back of the net before the Italian goalkeeper had time to react.

Practically, the game ended with that score. Italy’s attack grew no more imaginative. For some devious reason, Ferruccio Valcareggi, the Italian coach, benched Gianni Rivera, his only player with the tactical sense to match that of Brazil’s Gerson. Rivera had had personal differences with Valcareggi early on, but it was Rivera who had animated Italy in its enormously exciting 4-3 overtime victory over West Germany in the semi-final.

He sat on the side-lines against Brazil until the game was well lost, with only six minutes to play. Rivera was the only man on his team without a Riva complex.

For most of the second half the Brazilians seemed to toy with the Italians. Their attack never faltered, but now and then one of their talented forwards would add a grace note to a linked series of passes, almost as if he was trying to add an extra fillip of entertainment to please the vociferously pro-Brazil crowd.

Again it was Gerson who provided the deep penetration into the Italian defence that opened a gap for the third goal. This time, instead of starting the attack with a

I

series of short passes, he spotted Pelé relatively unattended near the goal mouth and lofted a long, high pass to him.

By the time the ball arrived Pelé had slipped his cover, Burgnich, and had lifted himself high in the oddly balletic leap that makes him so dangerous anywhere in the vicinity of the goal. Albertosi dived toward him to block the apparent shot, and Pelé butted the ball to the feet of Jairzinho on the other side of the goal. Jairzinho rolled it in easily.

The last Brazilian goal was a salute to Carlos Alberto Torres, the captain of the team, who is primarily a defender and seldom scores.

Against the now-demoralised Italian defence Brazil moved the ball almost at will, and Pelé, after another clever, exact series of passes, wound up with it in front of the Italian goal.

It appeared that he could have scored himself, but somehow he sensed Alberto coming up from behind him, to his right. He flicked the ball out to Alberto, who hit the perfect pass in full flight and cannonaded the ball by Albertosi for the fourth score.

Predictable bedlam broke out when the game ended, with the crowd flooding the field, carrying Pelé, Gerson, Jairzinho, Alberto and most of the rest of the Brazilian team around on its shoulders. The Mexican police, as usual, did little to restrain the mob, but it is probably true that few police in the world could have done more.

For some reason, the Italians elected to leave Gerson almost unguarded, especially in midfield where he is so effective at coordinating the Brazilian game of movement and interlocking passes. Possibly they were led astray by Brazil’s victory over Uruguay in the semi-final, when Uruguay’s Julio Cesar Cortes was a hair shirt to Gerson. lodoaldo scored the goal that pulled Brazil into a 1-1 tie with Uruguay and he sparked a second-half offence leading to Brazil’s 3-1 victory.

In the Brazilian embassy in Mexico City there was a glass case that was usually occupied by the statue of a religious figure. At a party before the World Cup the ambassador put a card in with the statue.

Eventually the Cup went to Brazil to stay, because that was the third time Brazil had won the championship. The team itself flew home to have lunch with the president of the country the day after the final triumph. The president should feel honoured.

C

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Real Madrid will attack Bayern, vows Zidane

By Joseph Cassinelli

MADRID, Spain (Reuters) - Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has said his side will look to attack Bayern Munich quickly in today’s Champions League semi-final second leg as they seek to remain on course for an unprecedented third consecutive European Cup. Real hold a 2-1 lead after the first leg in Germany last week. However the Frenchman insists the job is nowhere near completed.

“The key for us is to think about winning the game and go onto the pitch wanting to do that. We need to go out to score quickly and that’s what

we’ll try to do,” Zidane told a news conference.

“It’s a semi-final, we know how important it is and what we have to do. We don’t have to change what we’re doing.

“Our focus and determination will be there - we don’t need to change much - what we did in the first leg was good, but we now need to show in the return that what we want is to go through.”

With regular right-back Dani Carvajal missing with a hamstring problem, Zidane faces a selection headache given replacement Nacho has sat out the past month with a thigh injury.

Local media reports

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos

indicate winger Lucas Vazquez could be asked to deputise. However no decision will be made until

today. Midfielder Isco is also a doubt following a shoulder problem.

“Nacho has been out, but

Too much ‘Soca’ for Lady Jags … Trinidad and Tobago edge Guyana 3-1 in final CFU Champions Series match

By Rawle Toney TRINIDAD and Tobago defeated Guyana 3-1 in the final match of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Women’s Challenge Series on Sunday at the Ato Boldon Stadium.

The result meant that the ‘Soca Princesses’ finished their campaign undefeated, while Guyana picked up their only defeat after drawing their previous matches nil against Grenada and 2-2 with Suriname.

The game against the Trinidadians was also coach Dr Ivan Joseph’s final match before the Lady Jags return to Guyana where they will host Group E of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Caribbean Qualifying tournament, later this month.

Mariam El-Masri, the Singapore-based attacker, scored for Guyana from the penalty spot in the 63rd minute, after Trinidad’s Shenieka Paul had given the women from the twin island republic the lead in the first half.

According to reports, published by www.wired868.com, Guyana caused a few jitters before a goalkeeping error

by Aneesa O’Brien allowed Karyn Forbes to reclaim the lead for the hosts in the 75th minute.

O’Brien dropped a cross by Cato

- who was at right-back at the time and Forbes was on spot to tap into an unprotected net.

The Guyana team, who spent long periods penned into their own half, went down to 10 players in the 83rd minute, after El-Masri lost her cool with Cuban referee Annia Navarette and picked up a second yellow card.

And Cato applied the final nail to the Guyanese coffin with a long-range effort in the 88th minute that went straight in after another moment to forget by custodian O’Brien.

After the game, Dr Joseph, the recently named Lady Jags head coach, lauded the efforts of the Guyanese women, and said the focus is now shifted to the Women’s World Cup CONCACAF Caribbean Qualifying tournament.

Lady Jags will play Bermuda, Suriname and Barbados in the fourteam group, where the winner will advance to the round-robin stage with all group winners to be one of three teams from the Caribbean region to play alongside Mexico, Canada and hosts USA at the CONCACAF showpiece, set for October 4-17.

Guyana’s female national team happens to be the GFF’s most successful senior programme, having qualified for two major CONCACAF events while the men’s team are yet to achieve even

a Gold Cup berth.

In 2010, the Lady Jags competed at the CONCACAF Gold Cup and World Cup qualifier where they went down 7-2 to eventual runners-up and hosts Mexico 8-0 to tournament winners Canada and 4-1 to Trinidad and Tobago.

It was their first taste of competition from some of CONCACAF’s biggest names. Kayla De Souza and Mariam El-Masri (two goals) were the only two players to find the back of the net at the tournament.

The women’s programme became inactive after their showing in Cancun, Mexico, but were given a revival under the GFF’s Normalisation Committee in 2015 where they qualified for the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifier tournament.

At the tournament, hosted in Texas, USA at the BBVA Compass Stadium, Guyana won their first and only game at the CONCACAF level, a 2-1 victory over Guatemala, thanks to a beautiful strike from Alison Heydorn in the 76th minute. El-Masri had scored the equaliser in the 71st minute.

However, Guyana did not advance since they went down 5-0 to tournament runners-up Canada in their first game, and 5-1 to Trinidad and Tobago in their final showing.

Ganesh Parts Invitational golf tournament on today GANESH Parts and General Store inaugural golf tournament is set for today at the Lusignan Golf Club.

Recently billed for April 22, the one-day tournament was called off due to the

current inclement weather.

Golfers will tee-off at 09:00hrs today. The tournament will be played in the medal play format, and prizes will be awarded for 1st to 3rd Best Net scores, the Best Gross

score, and the Nearest to a specified Pin. The public is invited to freely witness this tournament and to enjoy the ambience of the Lusignan Golf Course and Club where there is a well-stocked bar.

The Ganesh Parts company is located at 36 Robb and King Streets, Lacytown, Georgetown, and is a dealer of used and new auto parts as well as the sole distributor of Bridgestone tyres in Guyana.

trained a lot recently, and today he was with us and he’s ready to go in that respect,” Zidane said. “We have time ahead of the game and we’ll think about what we’re going to do.”

Real captain Sergio Ramos echoed the coach’s thoughts: “We got a good result over there, but we need to think that it’s still 0-0. We want to defend our title, and beat the Germans, too,” he said.

“We’re making the impossible look easy. In the last four years we’ve won three Champions League titles. In such a small space of time it’s a challenge for the squad to carry on breaking

records.”

Ramos, meanwhile, also said that his side would not give Barcelona a guard of honour in their league meeting next weekend despite the Catalan outfit securing the La Liga title on Sunday, as per the coach’s instructions.

“What Zidane says is gospel. We’re making too much fuss out of all this.

Barca have the title, which is what they wanted, but there will be no guard of honour – full stop,” he said.

“They want to enjoy their title and the same for us and ours. We need to eliminate the Germans and to reach another final.”

From page 34

Alli, Kane on target as ...

Richarlison and came rushing out of goal to make a well-timed tackle on Abdoulaye Doucoure.

“We conceded a few chances but Hugo Lloris showed fantastic skill and that’s why he’s one of the best keepers in the world,” added Pochettino whose side kept a clean sheet for the first time in six league games thanks mainly to the France international.

Tottenham, whose play had been untidy at times in the opening period, tightened

up after the break and it was their talisman Kane who eased any remaining jitters with his 27th league goal of the season behind Liverpool’s Mo Salah on 31.

Spurs almost had a third in the 68th minute when Belgium defender Jan Vertonghen met a Trippier free kick but his header came back off the post, while Kane had an effort ruled offside and substitute Moussa Sissoko fired over from close range.

From page 34

Canada Athletics calls for ... to below five (5) nmol/L for a continuous period of at least six months (e.g., by use of hormonal contraceptives) * Thereafter she must maintain her blood testosterone level below five (5) nmol/L continuously.

The rule applies to events from 400m to the mile, including 400m, hurdles races, 800m, 1500m, one mile races and combined events over the same distances It effectively gives Semenya a choice of taking medication to restrict her testosterone or move to longer distance events.

The IAAF’s previous attempts to regulate the issue fell foul of a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling in 2015, following an appeal on behalf of Indian athlete

Dutee Chand, who had been banned from competing because of her testosterone levels.

IAAF president Sebastian Coe has previously said nobody was suggesting Semenya had done anything wrong.

Athletics South Africa said last week it would study the new regulations and compare them with the CAS recommendations to see if they are compatible and in line.

“We will further seek support from the Minister of Sport and Recreation, SASCOC, other expert institutions and relevant organisations or individuals, so that we have a full grasp of this matter and how it should be properly handled,” it said.

33

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Watson, Dhoni smash brutal half-centuries as Super Kings go top SHANE Watson and MS Dhoni smashed brutal half-centuries as Chennai Super Kings went top of the Indian Premier League (IPL)with a 13-run victory over struggling Delhi Daredevils.

Delhi thrashed Kolkata Knight Riders in their first game since Shreyas Iyer replaced Gautam Gambhir, but they were unable to back it up in Pune yesterday and remain bottom.

Watson made a brilliant 78 from only 40 balls and captain Dhoni bludgeoned an unbeaten 51 off 22 deliveries to take the Super Kings up to an imposing 211-4.

The Daredevils never looked like chasing down their target despite the best efforts of Rishabh Pant (79 from 45) and Vijay Shankar (54 n.o. off 31) as they fell short on 198-5.

Trent Boult thought he had dismissed Watson leg-before from the first ball of the match when he struck him on the pad, but the third umpire detected an inside

Shane Watson then went into see-ball, hit-ball mode with 78 from 40 balls. (BCCI)

edge after Iyer signalled for a review.

Watson found the boundary with a wristy stroke from the next delivery and continued to motor, Liam Plunkett coming in for some punishing treatment in three wicket-less overs which cost 52 runs.

The England paceman’s first over went for 20, Watson striking back-to-back sixes and Faf du Plessis (33) scooped another maximum in an opening stand of 102 in

only 10.5 overs.

Watson nonchalantly hit Plunkett for two more sixes in his next over before doing the same to Rahul Tewatia, reaching 50 in only 25 balls before Amit Mishra ended his swashbuckling knock.

Dhoni has had his doubters but the former India captain proved he is still up there with the best finishers.

The wicketkeeper-batsman raised the roof with five sixes in a breathtaking visit to the crease, putting on 79

with Ambati Rayudu (41 off 24) in just six overs.

Dhoni was dropped by Colin Munro on 31 as he cut loose, taking a particular liking to New Zealand seamer Boult.

Iyer was the star of the show in his first game as skipper with a magnificent 93 against KKR, but he was run-out for only 13 and Delhi were 74-4 when Glenn Maxwell fell cheaply.

Pant and Shankar made a game of it, combining for a partnership of 88 with some high-quality strokes, Dwayne Bravo conceding 43 from only three overs.

An enterprising innings from Pant included four sixes before the impressive Lungi Ngidi removed him in the 18th over.

Shankar took 21 off the penultimate over from Bravo and Ngidi for six to increase the tension in the final over, but the South African kept it tight after that to deny the Daredevils an unlikely win. (Yahoo Sport)

RHTYSC, MS, holds impressive 28th Awards Ceremony … Kevin Sinclair cops Cricketer-of-the-Year Award

By: Colin Bynoe

THE Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, (RHTYSC) MS can be considered a household name in Berbice and by extension Guyana.

This time around the club “pulled out all the stops” on Sunday when they hosted their 28th Annual Awards Ceremony at the St Francis Community Training Centre.

With a packed audience, including CEO of Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) Dr Richard Van-West Charles; Executive Officer at President Youth Award Republic of Guyana, Medal Of Service (PYARG, MS) Allister Collins; Regional Chairman David Armagon; Commander of ‘B’ Division Linden Alves; Director of Sport Christopher Jones; Chief Executive Officer of Nand Persaud Incorporated, Mohindra Persaud; donors, club members and other special invited guests.

Making the first remark was Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster who made mention of the Club’s unmatched list of achievements and activities. Since its formation in September, 1990, by the St Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Youth Club, the RHTYSC MS has exceeded

expectations.

Foster expressed, “Last year 2017 was another successful year for us. We successfully completed a record of 712 activities under a range of sub-headings which included Education, Charity, Sports, Community Development, Youth Development, Religion, Anti-Suicide, Jobs for Youths, Health and Anti-Crime among others”.

Executive Officer of PYARG, Allister Collins, gave the feature presentation and drew attention to the expression of love, and honour that the RHTYSC MS displayed at its 28th Awards Ceremony.

The PYARG executive officer expressed his astonishment when he arrived with his staff to behold the many gifts. Allister Collins said, “It takes a special heart, a special mind to have that spirit of honour, the spirit of giving.”

At that time the guest speaker was referring to the CEO/ Secretary of RHTYSC, MS Hilbert Foster.

Mr Collins articulated many biblical references.

He mentioned the first line of Matthew 7:16 “Ye shall know them by their fruits.”

Collins continued to shower praises on RHTYSC MS for a job well done when he said,

“The act of honouring someone for his or her outstanding work or contribution is an act of love,” specifically laying his focus on the club’s initiative in honouring teachers and policemen.

Collins then added, “There is something that is magical when you can show honour, because many times a father, the unsound hero in a home is never honoured,” Mr Collins concluded his speech with the use of a Zulu word ‘Obuntu’ which simply means humanity, “I am because you are; what empowers me empowers you; what diminishes me diminishes you.”

The work of RHTYSC MS, for the period January 2017 to April, 2018 reads: Producing 23 players for Guyana at the junior and senior levels, three Under-15s, two Under-17s, two Under-19, also eight Under-19 female, five National Senior Females while the club had three National Senior cricketers for the period.

Secondly, the club hosted a number of cricket tournaments during the year including the GBTI Inter-secondary, Busta Champion of Champions, Patron Green Economy Cup and Nasir Memorial Cup.

Additionally, two new cricket teams were established, King Solomon Logistics Under-12 and Poonai Pharmacy Under-13.

In July of 2017 the club held a highly successful cricket academy. With sponsorship from Demerara Mutual the RHTYSC organised a six-month practice programme for its members.

Moreover, 20 of the club members received assistance with gear. Besides all of this, the club co-sponsored 37 sports tournaments in Berbice in relation to football, basketball and cycling.

School bags, school uniforms and footwear worth $1.5M were distributed during the period, in addition to another sum of $1M worth of exercise books. The club also presented 25 bicycles to less fortunate students.

Furthermore the club hosted a monthly programme to provide snacks for pensioners. 17 Guyanese were honoured with the club’s highest award, ‘The Dolphin Award of Excellence’, and over 50 cricket clubs and 23 NGOs received millions of dollars in sports gear.

A Career Turn to page 30 ►

Sorry Bermuda slump to crushing 189-run defeat against Uganda KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (CMC) – Bermuda, still without their top all-rounder Kamau Leverock, slipped to the bottom of the standings after slumping to a crushing 189run defeat against Uganda in their second ICC World Cricket League Division Four match at the UKMYSD Oval yesterday.

Bamboozled by spin, Bermuda were shot out for a paltry 60 in reply to Uganda’s 249 for five, spearheaded by captain Roger Mukasa’s 97 at the top of the order.

Leverock’s absence for disciplinary reasons following an expletive-laden outburst at team training on Saturday has left Bermuda in disarray and their hopes of avoiding the drop to Division Five hanging by a thread.

The cause of Leverock’s discontent remains unclear.

National coach Clay Smith did not want to discuss the matter when asked by Bermuda’s Royal Gazette newspaper for a comment.

Sources at the ground said the Bermuda team management had investigated whether they would be allowed a replacement player in their 14-man squad for non-injury reasons, but their request was denied.

Mukasa led from the front after Uganda were sent in, hitting six fours in his 135-ball innings before being run-out three runs short of his century, and adding 137 for the second wicket with Hamu Kayondo, who made 55.

Cejay Outerbridge, a

Bermuda head coach Clay Smith has remained silent on the Kamau Leverock disciplinary matter.

left-arm medium-fast bowler, enjoyed the most success for Bermuda with two for 46 from 10 overs, but offbreak bowler Dion Stovell, who shared the new ball, took one wicket but conceded only 19 runs in his 10-over stint.

Uganda, using only spin, then routed Bermuda inside 22 overs.

Mohammed Irfan did the bulk of the damage, claiming career-best figures of six for 23 from 10 overs.

Only two Bermuda batsmen reached double figures – Charles Trott with 17 and vice-captain Stovell, who made 10.

In the day’s other matches, Denmark and Malaysia won for the second day running. The Danes beat Jersey by seven wickets with seven balls to spare chasing a revised Duckworth/Lewis target, while Malaysia edged Vanuatu by 23 runs.

Today is a rest day in the week-long tournament.

FIFA begin talks on ...

from back page ► World Cup but did not comment on the amount involved which has been reported as being up to $25 billion over a 12-year period.

FIFA said in a subsequent statement that the meeting took place in a “friendly and positive environment” and that a working group had been created to “analyse further the relevance and feasibility of staging both competitions.”

FIFA’s plans for the Club World Cup would involve expanding it to 24 teams — including 12 from Europe — and staging it every four years instead of annually as happens at present.

The Nations League would be a global version of the new competitions which are being introduced by UEFA in Europe and CONCACAF in North and Central American and the Caribbean.

In both cases, the competitions involve all the national teams in the respective continents who are divided into divisions based on their rankings.

There is promotion and relegation between the divisions, as in conventional domestic leagues.

Each division is sub-divided into groups with the winners qualifying for a knockout contest.

34

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Linden Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ competition

Who will play for the national play-off automatic berths? … This question will be answered tonight in Mackenzie DEFENDING champions Dave and Celena All Stars will tackle Quiet Storm in the opening fixture of quarter-final action, as play in the Linden segment of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ competition resumes tonight, at the Mackenzie Market tarmac.

The champs, who started off the defence of their title with a loss, rebounded nicely to reel off two wins in as many matches, to book their spot in the last eight.

They have shown much improvement over the past two games and will obviously start as favourites to progress.

Quiet Storm, however, have looked clinical in their three previous encounters and remained unbeaten, topping their group in the process, but could find the ‘big’ occasion too much to handle.

The game to follow between NK Ballers and Silver Bullets is too close to call, but a betting man might be tempted to place a wager on the former by virtue of their recent form - finishing undefeated in their group.

teams has always been keen so another exciting encounter is envisaged.

It’s a holiday night and fans in the Linden community will no doubt be eager to close the Town Week celebrations with their presence at the most popular venue to host the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ competition in the mining town.

Immediately following quarter-final action will be the semi-finals, to determine who will vie for the title on Sunday and the available spots in the national playoffs.

Part of the action in this year’s Linden Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ competition

Comprising most of the players from the reigning champions, the Ballers have driven fear into all opponents to date and should be favoured to advance.

Silver Bullets, who closed out the group stage with a second-place finish, are an experienced side and should not be taken lightly.

In the third game, dark horses Assassa Ballers collide with High Rollers and this encounter also promises to be a sizzling affair.

In the final quarter-final matchup, veteran ballers Amelia’s Ward Russians go up against another ‘old hand’ in Swag Entertainment and the rivalry between these two

Quarterfinals fixtures: (1) Dave and Celina’s vs Quiet Storm - 19:30hrs (2) NK Ballers vs Silver Bullets - 20:10hrs (3) Assassa Ballers vs High Rollers - 20:50hrs (4) Amelia’s Ward Russians vs Swag Entertainment - 21:30hrs Semifinals Winners (1) vs Winner (4) - 22:30hrs Winner (2) vs Winner (3) - 23:15hrs

Alli, Kane on target as Spurs cement top-four place

By Ken Ferris LONDON, England (Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur’s England duo Harry Kane and Dele Alli fired them to a comfortable 2-0 win over mid-table Watford that cemented their place in the top four at Wembley, yesterday.

The win put fourth-placed Spurs five points clear of Chelsea with three games remaining and within a point of Liverpool, who have two matches left, in the race for Champions

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Tuesday May 01, 2018)

COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Sanju Samson (RR) (2) 2 matches (RR vs DD-April 11; KKR vs King’s-April 21)

(1) (2)

Today’s Quiz: Who were the winners of IPL 2009?

Who were the losing finalist in 2009?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Tottenham’s Harry Kane celebrates scoring their second goal with Dele Alli. (Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs)

League spots.

Tottenham took the lead after 16 minutes when Watford keeper Orestis Karnezis spilled a cross from Kieran Trippier and Christian Eriksen scooped the ball to Alli, who had the simple task of stroking the ball home from near the penalty spot.

Kane put Spurs two goals ahead in the 48th when he tucked away a cross from the right by Trippier and they almost had a third when Jan Vertonghen hit the post with a late header.

“Maybe it wasn’t the greatest

performance but the aim is to win ... it will be a successful season if we finish in the top four. To be in the Champions League will be a massive thing,” Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino told a news conference.

Tottenham have 71 points ahead of London rivals Chelsea on 66, both from 35 games, while thirdplaced Liverpool have 72 from 36.

Liverpool play Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Although Spurs ran out comfortable winners against Watford in front of England manager Gareth Southgate, they had France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris to thank for some fine first-half saves.

After taking the early lead through Alli, the home side were almost made to pay for a sloppy pass

by Eric Dier after 26 minutes that was intercepted by Etienne Capoue who fed Andre Gray but his low drive was saved by the diving Lloris.

The Spurs keeper was called on again twice before halftime when he made a fine save to deny Turn to page 32 ►

GCB/Hand-in-Hand Under-19 final fixed for Friday at Providence Stadium WITH the current inclement weather affecting most outdoor sports, the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/ Hand-in-Hand Inter-county Under-19 50-over final has now been rescheduled to Friday, the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) announced yesterday.

Consistent rain this past weekend washed out the highly-anticipated final between Berbice and the Under-17 XI Select, which was scheduled for the Lusignan Community Centre ground.

As a result of Sunday’s

weather, the teams will now have some extra time for further preparation ahead of Friday’s final to be played at the Providence Stadium, starting at 9.00hrs..

Berbice, arguably the best team in both tournaments will definitely start as favourites.

They won the three-day format in convincing fashion, and are now with a prime opportunity to close in on a double.

On the other hand, the Under-17s have played some excellent cricket; so an intense battle is anticipated.

Canada Athletics calls for rigorous review of new IAAF rule

Caster Semenya of South Africa

By Gene Cherry (REUTERS) - Canada’s athletics federation called yesterday for a rigorous review of a new IAAF hyperandrogenism rule.

“Athletics Canada has serious concerns with last week’s announcement from the IAAF regarding hyperandrogenism testing,” the federation said in a statement.

The new regulations by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) laid down a series of criteria for athletes with a Difference of Sexual Development (DSD) to be eligible to compete internationally in certain events.

They could prevent South African double Olympic champion Caster Semenya from competing in 800m and 1500m races.

“In Canada, we encourage the full access for all Canadians to participate and compete in athletics, at every level of our sport free of discrimination,” the federation said.

“Athletics Canada believes in the principles of inclusion, respect and health and safety.”

The federation said it

planned to review the eligibility rule in detail and hold discussions with government officials and other national sports organisations.

“We believe this IAAF eligibility ruling requires rigorous review,” it said.

The new rule goes into effect in November unless overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Athletics authorities have struggled to find a solution to the issue that respected the rights of Semenya while also providing what they say is a “level playing field”.

Some female rivals had complained that the 27-year-old’s hyperandrogenism gave her an unfair competitive advantage. The condition is characterised by higher-than-usual levels of testosterone, a hormone that increases muscle mass, strength and haemoglobin, which affects endurance.

To compete internationally, athletes with a Difference of Sexual Development (DSD) must: * Be recognised at law either as female or as intersex (or equivalent) Must reduce her blood testosterone level Turn to page 32 ►

35

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 1, 2018

`One-arm wonder’ Grant-Stuart in line for national sports award

By Michael DaSilva GUYANA’S differently-abled cyclist, Walter Grant-Stuart, is in line to receive a national sports award for his gold medal performance at the just concluded Union de Cycling International (UCI) C1 Para Cycle road race which was held last Sunday in Villengeneue, Montreal, Canada.

In a telephone interview, Director of Sport, Christopher Jones disclosed that Grant-Stuart’s achievement was something that did not surprise him, since the onearm cyclist, over the past three years or so, has been turning in some astonishing performances while competing against other cyclists who are not physically-disabled.

“That is the reason why when we (National Sports Commission) were approached by Grant-Stuart, we did not hesitate to assist him financially or otherwise.

Jones said Grant-Stuart’s performance has put Guyana on the world map and this can lead other disabled Guyanese athletes to follow in his footsteps.

According to the Director of Sport, Grant-Stuart will be honoured for his achievement when the NSC recognises other outstanding Guyanese athletes at the upcoming National Sports Awards ceremony which will be held at the National Cultural Centre on May 22.

Grant-Stuart also recorded the second fastest time in last Saturday 17.6 km time

trial but had to settle for fourth because he was rated 100 percent stability and functions.

With all the adversity he has faced since racing competitively with one hand in the last decade, nothing fazes Grant-Stuart.

He arrived in Toronto almost three weeks before the UCI championships to a wild winter week with freezing rain, an ice storm and snow. As a result he was restricted to training indoors in the basement of his coach, Wayne Henry’s residence, as he prepared to ride in the UCI- sanctioned C1 Para-cycling event at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal on April 28 and 29.

Though not prepared for the wintry weather, Grant-Stuart did not allow it to hamper his preparation to ride in Canada for the first time.

“It’s cold and nasty, but I came here to do a job and nothing is going to stop me,” he said.

This is the first time Grant-Stuart, who was sponsored by Ansa McAl Trading (Guyana), the National Sports Commission, Andrew King, Grace Kennedy Guyana, the Guyana Cycling Association of North America, Kevin Jeffrey and Guyana Cycling Federation president Horrace Burrowes, was competing against riders with various disabilities.

Since losing his right arm in a motorcycle accident 12 years ago, he has ridden against differently-abled cyclists.

“Some are deaf and mute,

but I am the only one racing with one hand,” he said.

“She suggested I could be a para-cycling world champi-

Grant Stuart (left) and his coach Wayne Henry after Sunday’s time trial in Canada

That, of course, presents challenges.

When it’s time to get his water bottle or shift gears to pedal relatively comfortably, Grant-Stuart has to take his hand off the cycle. The bike gears are on the right handle which means he has to reach across with his left arm.

“That was a huge challenge at first,” said the firefighter, who loved watching the sport prior to the accident.

“Without my dominant arm, I had to learn to do everything with the left hand.”

While taking part last year in the 120-kilometre Tour of Tobago, Grant-Stuart caught the attention of a female Canadian commissionaire.

on based on my ability and strength,” he said. “I didn’t take her seriously at first, but she kept insisting that I try at least.”

The one-handed cyclist contacted Henry, whom he had met in Guyana a few times, to help with his training for the event.

“I have been working with a Guyanese cyclist (Paul DeNobrega) for the last eight years and had seen Walter ride in a few races,” Henry shared. “I was amazed with his strength and endurance but felt he needed some guidance. Training hard is one thing, but you have to do it right to beat the top riders who are fully dedicated to

the sport.”

The rider, whose training regime includes at least three training sessions totalling about 400-kilometres every week, reached out to Henry in early February for a structured training programme.

“Once he got it, he contacted me every night to bring me up to date with what he had done that day,” said the former Guyana cyclist who migrated in 1976.

“I could see the amount of time he was training for, the speed he was reaching and his heart rate development.

This guy was putting in the time and work and I knew this is someone I could work with because he wasn’t taking short cuts and trying to waste my time.”

Henry is amazed that Grant-Stuart, who competed in last year’s Thanksgiving Turkey Ride in Miami, has had success racing against able cyclists.

“When it comes down to strength, power and focus, there really is no difference between him and them,” he said. “They are athletes who all want to win. The main difference is when he wants to sprint to the finish line in a close race he needs both hands to provide the power.

As an endurance rider, it’s in his best interest to wear out the field and build a lead so that he wouldn’t have to be involved in having to sprint to the finish. He would likely lose most times in that case.”

Another obstacle emerged when Grant-Stuart learnt that he would not be able to ride the bike he brought to Canada

to race.

“The seat tube is damaged and while you can ride in Guyana with that, it’s not allowed here in a UCI event,” said Henry.

The gloom quickly turned to euphoria when twins Rick and Rob Din, who migrated from Guyana in 1991 and established the Bicycle Depot on Albion Road six years later, presented Stuart-Grant with a brand new bike, helmet, shoes and other accessories.

As the weather improved, the cyclist went outdoors to get a feel of the temperature.

“The cold air is heavy and it slows down your breathing,” Henry pointed out. “It puts a lot of stress on your heart and you have to adapt.

It’s like training at high altitude.”

In a warm-up event last Sunday against able cyclists at Calabogie Motorsports Park in eastern Ontario, Stuart-Grant suffered a nasty spill with about two laps to go.

“He was doing pretty well before the fall and he is banged up,” said Henry. “The reason I took him out there is because the track is similar to the one he’s going to be racing on this weekend (last weekend).”

Grant-Stuart hopes to participate in the UCI Para-cycling road world championships in Maniago, Italy from August 2 to 5.

A Go Fund Me campaign has been initiated to raise $5 000 to help him compete in the international event.

Mangra, Ramdhani complete training camp in Guatemala MANY of the best badminton players in Central America and the Caribbean enjoyed a training camp, organised by Panam Sports and the Badminton Pan-American Confederation (BPAC), in Guatemala, in preparation for continental tournaments, Pan Am Individual Championships and Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Barranquilla 2018.

More than 20 athletes from Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Cuba, Barbados, Guyana, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Venezuela and hosts Guatemala for about a month, shared an arduous training camp run by an experienced coach from March 20 to April 22.

Guyana’s top male and female badminton players, Jonathan Mangra and Priyanna Ramdhani, successfully completed the camp.

Days before the camp, the Panam Sports General Secretary, Ivar Sisniega, stressed that “we seek the benefit of athletes, especially those who come from small countries and who often have difficulties to improve.” We believe that this camp will help the athletes to improve their level to compete in the next Central American and Caribbean Games or the South American Games, and thanks to their effort they can achieve a classification and have a good performance in the Pan American Games, Lima 2019. “ The badminton camp was opened by José Del Busto, BPAC Chair of Development, German Valdez, BPAC Development Director, and Donald Paiz, representative of the Guatemala Badminton Federation, highlighting the preparation of athletes for Barranquilla 2018.

Participants at the Training camp in Guatemala

RHTYSC, MS, holds impressive 28th Awards Ceremony

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… Kevin Sinclair cops Cricketer-of-the-Year Award

Cricketer-of-the-Year Kevin Sinclair receives one of his five awards.

Seated in front row from left: Regional Chairman David Armogan, Cricketer-of-the-Year Kevin Sinclair, Shemaine Campbelle, Allister Collins, Director of Sport Christopher Jones and Simon Naidu while awardees stand for a pictorial moment. (Colin Bynoe photos)

Too much ‘Soca’ for Lady Jags … Trinidad and Tobago edge Guyana 3-1 in final CFU Champions Series match

FIFA begin talks on ambitious new competitions

By Brian Homewood

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Trinidad and Tobago forward Aaliyah Prince (right) runs at the Guyana defence during CFU Challenge Series action at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva on April 29, 2018. (Credit: Allan V Crane/CA-Images/Wired868)

ZURICH (Reuters) - FIFA began talks on Monday over two new proposed competitions which could reshape international soccer and be worth billions of dollars to the global soccer body.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has put forward ambitious plans for a revamped version of the Club World Cup and a new global Nations League competition.

The plans were discussed by representatives of the six continental confeder-

ations at a meeting at FIFA headquarters on Monday.

Officials did not comment on a timeline but Philippe Moggio, general secretary of the CONCACAF which organises football in North and Central America and the Caribbean, said that “there was a sense of urgency to move forward.”

The plans were initially presented at the last FIFA Council meeting in Bogota in March.

Earlier last month, Infantino confirmed that investors had shown interest in backing an expanded Club Turn to page 33►

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FIFA president Gianni Infantino TUESDAY, MAY 1, 2018