Guyana chronicle e paper 05 02 2018

WEDNESDAY 2nd May, 2018

No.105262

Two die in Loo Creek smash-up PAGE

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Dead: Teon Hope

Dead: Quason Anthony

AFC 13 responds today to APNU on LGE PAGE

Gov’t 15 urged to intervene PAGE

–– as Suriname reportedly calls off search for missing fishermen

Teachers were out in their numbers on Tuesday during the Labour Day march (Delano Williams photo)

Cyber Bill for Cabinet advice

PAGE

03

… AG says PPP leading lights raised no objections at Select Committee

No new ministry 2

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 2, 2018

… President rebuffs calls for re-establishment of Labour Ministry

By Svetlana Marshall PRESIDENT David Granger on Tuesday rejected calls for the re-establishment of a Labour Ministry, saying that his government has in place all the ministries it intended to operate.

Trade union leaders have been at the forefront of the calls for the reestablishment of a Ministry of Labour.

Government has merged labour into the Social Protection Ministry with a dedicated minister in charge of labour and occupational health and safety issues.

However at the Labour Day rally held at the National Park, Guyana Trade Union Congress (GTUC) General Secretary Lincoln Lewis, renewed calls for the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government to re-establish a Ministry of Labour. The Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security was renamed the Ministry of Social Protection when the APNU+AFC Government took office in 2015. The Department of Labour, which is now headed

by Minister Keith Scott, now falls under that ministry.

When approached on the issue, during a visit to the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) at Woolford Avenue on Tuesday, President Granger made it clear that no new ministry will be established. “We have established, after three years,

every ministry that we intend to establish,” President Granger said in response to a Guyana Chronicle question.

The President noted that even with the Oil and Gas Industry on the horizon, a decision has been taken to have no new ministry.

“We are not going to establish any new ministry even with the economic importance of the Petroleum Industry, I resisted [a] call to make a new ministry, it is going to be a department until we find our feet,” the President said while emphasising that “the number of ministries is unlikely to increase.”

However, Lewis in his address, hailed Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams as a friend of Labour. “As Opposition Member of Parliament and shadow minister of Labour he served us well for more than decade. Labour can recount stories where he advanced our cause in the National Assembly, provided free representation in Court, and made financial contributions if called upon,” Lewis thundered.

He turned to PPP/C elected Member of Parliament Gillian Burton-Persaud, a trade unionist in her right, and the Opposition spokesperson on Labour in the National Assembly. He said it is fitting that “today we implore on you to bring a Motion to the House seeking the re-establishment of the

Ministry of Labour. Labour is prepared to work with you to bring this to fruition and hopes you take this commitment in the spirit of solidarity.”

Lewis continued: “Labour holds out optimism that Minister Williams would be able to use this experience in impressing on his administration the wisdom of having a Ministry of Labour and the benefit of treating Labour as a Social Partner consistent with Article 38 and 149C of the Guyana Constitution.”

Lewis claimed that the absence of a Ministry of Labour not only signals the value government places on a country’s most valued resource but also communicates to allies and foes of Guyana that Guyanese are not considered pivotal to the country’s development, and such perception is reinforced with the country’s non-attendance to International Labour Organisation Conferences for the past three years.

“Where we know better and different we must continue to act accordingly for development of society requires of us staying the course,” Lewis stated.

COLLABORATION Meanwhile, at the GTU, in addition to addressing the issue of an additional ministry, President Granger said this is now the time for cooperation and collaboration.

“We have passed through

President David Granger responding to calls for the re-establishment of a Labour Ministry while visiting the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) headquarters (Samuel Maughn photo) the age of confrontation we are now in the age of cooperation and collaboration. I have worked with the GTU, I have worked with the GPSU, and I will work with any union,” President Granger said. He said this year, was the first time he sat face to face with the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) which are representing the interest of thousands of sugar workers in the country.

“The important thing is that the future of Guyana is in the hands of the workers and also of the government and civil society, and we have to work together,” he told reporters, while describing his Government as one that listens and cares for its people, and learns.

The door of the Ministry of the Presidency is open to all union leaders, President Granger added. To mark the Labour Day, President Granger visited five unions: GTU, Guyana Local Government Officers Union (GL-

GOU), the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), the Guyana Postal and Telecommunication Workers’ Union (GPTWU) and the Clerical and Commercial Workers’ Union (CCWU).

During the visits, President Granger and a team of ministers including Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams, and Minister of Social Protection Amna Ally, met with the workers, and the executive members at their various locations.

Gov’t to return amnesty guns to Amerindians THE much-anticipated return of those firearms which were collected during the government’s firearm amnesty of 2015 in Amerindian communities, is soon to be realised.

A planned trip to Region Seven to commence the distribution process was last

week called off due to inclement weather conditions.

A team headed by Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan that also included Minster of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Sydney Allicock and Minister of Public Affairs Dawn Hasting-Williams, was on site to depart

the Eugene. F. Correia International Airport to facilitate the distribution, but the trip was cancelled. The team was supposed to have met with residents of 11 indigenous communities at Chinoweng, Phillipai and Kamarang. In addition to the firearms, they were also taking along 121 permits to distribute to the residents. However, weather reports coming out of the region advised against the trip.

Minister Ramjattan said the government is very disappointed by the delay. “It is important that we get there

because a lot of the indigenous persons are desirous of having their firearm licences and their firearms returned; we had a long period to ensure that their licences are obtained,” he told the Department of Public Information.

The minister explained that the process of returning the relinquished firearms took a while because all relevant information had to be collected in accordance with the firearm board. “I want the people there to know from those 11 villages that we are going to make every effort as

early as possible to make the deliveries,” he said.

Minister Allicock said persons had trekked from very long distances to meet up at the respective locations either to receive their firearms, or their permits to purchase firearms. However, safety remains important.

“For safety we have just decided not to make the trip because we have received reports that there are thunderstorms and rain in all three locations,” Minister Allicock told DPI. Members of Indigenous

communities back in 2015 had participated in the Ministry of Public Security’s gun amnesty programme, relinquishing their unlicensed firearms. The ministry’s plan was to regularise the system, to allow for every firearm holder to be licensed. Of the 140 firearms received from Region Seven indigenous villages, during the amnesty of 2015, only nine were serviceable and were being returned to the respective owners.

The ministry will be working towards a new date for the distribution.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Cyber Bill to go back to Cabinet … AG says PPP leading lights raised no objections at Select Committee

By Navendra Seoraj ATTORNEY General (AG) Basil Williams has said he will seek Cabinet’s advice on the sedition clause of the Cybercrime Bill before making any further decisions, but he roasted the People’s Progressive Party for what he called its hypocrisy on the contentious issue.

There has been widespread opposition to Section 18 (1) of the Bill which states that a person commits an offence of sedition if the person, whether in or out of Guyana, intentionally publishes, transmits or circulates by use of a computer system a statement or words, whether spoken or written, a text, video, image, sign, visible representation, or other thing, that “brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the government established by law in Guyana.”

Although the AG said he will seek advice on the clause, he pointed out that careful thought was put into crafting the bill. “You have a bill that was drafted after a team from my chambers went to America on a cybercrime conference…they drafted it and drew on other jurisdictions…the bill was also published on our website and comments were invited and people submitted comments,” said Williams in an invited comment on Tuesday.

The comments were considered and the bill was adjusted, then reposted on their website, he said, adding that there was also a general consultation on the bill at the Pegasus Hotel before it was taken to the National Assembly.

According to the AG, the bill was open to further scrutiny at the level of the Parliamentary Select Committee after it was first tabled in the National Assembly. “When

it goes there [select committee] is to ensure that any slippage would be addressed; now it [select committee] had leading lights from the PPP, including Teixeira and Nandlall and even Rohee… they never raised any objection,” the AG asserted.

He went on to point out that the PPP/C members had in fact stopped turning up for the final meetings before the bill was completed by the committee and laid in Parliament.

Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, at a news conference on Monday said his parliamentarians lapsed in not challenging the clause at the level of the select committee. “After it was laid then these noises were made,” said the AG, adding that he believes the PPP/C would like to delay the bill because persons have been doing “nonsense” on the internet, like threatening the lives of the President and even the leader of the

opposition.

Williams said perhaps they would look at the clause, but they cannot continue to allow cybercrimes to occur. The AG explained that cybercrimes mirror what exists in criminal law, but since they occurred in cyberspace a regime was needed to deal with them.

“Those crimes are criminal in the land and when it is done in cyber it is not criminal? That cannot happen, otherwise it would be a recipe for disaster, abuse would be the order of the day,” he lamented. Minister of State Joseph Harmon had recently called on critics of the Cybercrime Bill to not isolate specific sections of the legislation which are aimed at strengthening the state against cyber-attacks.

Harmon had pointed out that the bill is government’s way of seeking to guard against espionage, sabotage and subversion. He said government is concerned about the

state’s security systems and will do everything to protect same.

On Tuesday the New York-based Caribbean democracy group, the Caribbean-Guyana Institute for Democracy (C-GID) said the clause in the bill should be excised. In an interview Tuesday with the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), the Institute’s President, Rickford Burke, a Guyanese, said he is astonished by the proposed legislation, which he described as “unconstitutional and an offensive infringement on free speech.” Burke asserted that he would expect such repressive legislation from the opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP). He said that the PPP, while in government from 1992 to 2015, ran a brutally oppressive and ethnocratic regime that suppressed free speech and the rights of minorities, while using the allegation of sedition to imprison several critics.

Burke said that al-

AG, Basil Williams though the PPP is now feigning innocence, its Members of Parliament made significant contributions to the construction of the abhorrent legislation during the Select Committee process in Parliament.

He labelled the PPP’s subscription to the Bill as “disgraceful and unpatriotic.”

Two die in Loo Creek smash-up

By Vanessa Braithwaite TWO persons are now dead and another is in stable condition at the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) after the Toyota Spacio motorcar PNN 1278 in which they were travelling, collided with motor lorry GWW 8443, in an attempt to overtake it.

Dead is Police Corporal Teon Hope, 24, of Lamaha Springs, and Quason An-

thony, 25, of East Half 124 Regent Road, Bourda.

While they both died on the spot, the driver of the car, Rishawn Pierre, 23, was uninjured and is in police custody at the Mackenzie Police Station. The other occupant, Jermaine Samuels, 20, was admitted to the LHC but is in a stable condition.

He is being treated for head injuries.

According to the police report, the accident occurred

The car that collided with the truck on Tuesday

Dead: Teon Hope

Dead: Quason Anthony

around 07:30hrs in the vicinity of Loo Creek. Pierre attempted to overtake the lorry which at the time was driven

by Mohammed Nazir, 23.

The car was reportedly proceeding north along the western side of the road at a fast rate of speed, when its left side collided with the right side of the lorry which at the time was laden with lumber. One of the logs went through the windscreen totally wrecking the car in the process.

The driver of the car was given a breathalyser test, but no alcohol was found in his breath. The occupants were on their way back to Georgetown after attending the In-

ternational Night concert in Linden, wrapping up the 10 days of Linden Town Week activities. This is the second accident that occurred during the 10 days.

Meanwhile, around 10:30hrs at Hope’s Lamaha Springs residence relatives were crying bitterly. Outside his home, a relative was heard expressing her disbelief, saying that she must visit the scene of the accident. His mother was inconsolable at the time.

However, his brother, Randy Hope, agreed to speak to this newspaper at a later time. When he did, Randy explained that his brother left their Lamaha Springs home

Rishawn Pierre, the young driver of the car involved in the accident.

He escaped unhurt for Linden on Monday to attend a Linden Town Week event.

The 24-year-old, he said, had no children and had been in the Guyana Police Force for more than six years. At the time of the accident, he was stationed at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary.

“He was a very outgoing person, committed to his job,” Randy said, as he reflected on the life of his younger brother. Hope was also a vibrant member of the Scout Association of Guyana.

He was the assistant coordinator for the Guyana Police Force Scout group and also a

Survivor: Jermaine Samuels Cub leader. Hope had joined the Scout Movement from the age of seven. At the age of 12 he became a member of the Guyana Police Force Scout Group.

Over at Anthony’s grandmother residence at NorthEast La Penitence, relatives were tight-lipped on the accident. His grandmother would only disclose that he was a father of three and spent time between her house and his mother’s Regent Road residence.

According to information reaching Guyana Chronicle, Anthony’s father died less than two weeks ago.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Teachers’ pay hike proposal with Ministry of Finance

THE recommendations submitted by a high-level task force on salary increases and other financial benefits for teachers in the public education system are now with the Ministry of Finance, President David Granger

said on Tuesday.

President Granger made the disclosure during a meeting with President of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) Mark Lyte and General-Secretary Coretta McDonald.

However, the issue was put to

him by a reporter during the meeting which was partially open to the media.

In the first week of April, the report with recommendations was handed over to Education Minister Nicolette Henry with a commitment that it will be submitted to Cabinet for consideration.

Based on the instructions of President Granger, the task force was put together last November to address salary negotiations and other issues affecting teachers. The matters addressed included non-salary issues, allowances, de-bunching and matters highlighted during the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the education sector, in addition to the GTU’s Multi-Year Agreement.

The GTU had initially proposed a 40 per cent acrossthe-board increase for teachers for 2016; 45 per cent increase for last year and 50 per cent for 2018 through 2020 for all categories of teachers.

It is unclear, however, what were the percentages put forward in the recommendations.

On Tuesday, the President stated that the recommendations are now with the Finance Ministry. “Right now they are at the Ministry of Finance

President David Granger being greeted by GTU President Mark Lyte upon his arrival at the union’s headquarters, Woolford Avenue, on Tuesday. and I think that might be Finance will have to determine nent secretary had expressed good place to leave this dis- the outcome,” he said. optimism that Cabinet would cussion,” he told the reporter.

When the recommenda- have looked favourably at the Asked whether there was a tions were submitted by the recommendations put forward. time frame within which the task force, the Education MinLyte said after three Finance Ministry is expected istry’s Permanent Secretary months of deliberations, to respond, President Granger, Vibert Welch had said that members of the GTU are in response said he was unable after three months of intense satisfied with the proposto say. “No I can’t give you a deliberations, a number of als and recommendations timeline now. The Ministry of favourable recommendations made. According to the GTU have been tabled. He opined President, it is important that the recommendations that the work of teachers in made in the final report will the classroom is recognised. likely attract more persons to Like the PS in the Education the teaching profession and Ministry, Lyte said the GTU encourage those who are al- is anticipating a favourable ready in to remain. The perma- response

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 2, 2018

‘Don’t give up the fight’ … Region 10 workers urged to stay in the struggle for betterment

By Naomi Marshall WORKERS of Region 10 were on Tuesday charged to remain in the struggle for betterment as members of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), Region 10 branch marched through the streets of Linden to observe Labour Day. The parade saw the participation of public servants dressed in red who marched under the theme, “Advancing Solidarity- Promoting employment and decent work.”

The march commenced at the Wismar Municipal Market and ended at LICHAS Hall where a ceremony was held. Giving brief remarks was Chairman of Region 10 Rennis Morian, who stated that it is necessary for workers to know

The Guyana Public Service Union workers marching on Tuesday that persons would have lost their lives in the fight for betterment.

“Workers were killed, they were shot and strange enough the whole labour movement never started

from the democratic position, it was the socialist and the communist that really started working for the betterment of labour.”

Morian noted that it is time for unions to become

more creative. He recalled that when he was an employee in the Bauxite Industry in the 1980’s, the unions not only sought to fight for wages but they wanted to get better working condi-

‘Get out and vote at LGE’ … Min Ferguson urges ECD villages to take back communities MINISTER within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson, has urged residents of Plaisance, Goedverwagting and Sparendaam on the East Coast of Demerara to actively participate in the upcoming local government elections (LGE).

At a community meeting held at the Plaisance Primary School on Sunday, the minister reminded residents that the elections represent an opportunity for them to elect

councils and councillors who will ensure the development of their respective communities. She emphasised that choosing the best officials to serve the communities will ensure that programmes such as garbage collection, maintenance of drains, community roads and street lights are executed by the NDCs and that the residents are not left dependent on the ministry for these services.

“Areas such as these are managed by NDCs, which

get a government subvention and collect taxes to execute such programmes, so, that everything does not have to be done at central government level,” Ferguson explained.

Minister Ferguson reiterated that failure to grasp the opportunity to participate in the elections could result in a reversion to the decay that had beset many for several years. “If you examine infrastructure in certain communities, you would find that

for 20-plus years there were blocked drains, no street lights, deplorable bridges and rates and taxes were not collected in a timely manner. You have to go out in your numbers and cast your votes solidly to change the current dynamics,” Minister Ferguson stressed. Echoing those sentiments, Technical

tions.

“One of the things they got from the government was a book voucher that each worker would take to any book store and cash it, so that our children could have books to go to school with,” Morian highlighted.

Morian is challenging the trade unions to “get some of the critical things that your agency could do for workers and make that your fight.”

Maurice Butters, Guyana Public Service Union Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) representative, stated that Region 10 has had “an ongoing struggle for not only wages and salaries but working conditions.”

According to Butters, a former school janitor of Linden died after developing a lung infection. He added

that there is another school janitor who has fallen ill and “spends days in the hospital in intensive care because she too is suffering from the same pollution effect.”

Mortimer Livan, Coordinating Secretary of the Guyana Public Service Union charged the participants, “as we move forward, let us not forget where we came from. Let us remember our solidarity forever.”

In addition, awards were presented to five former public service workers who have contributed greatly to the environmental development. The awardees were Evan Drakes, Winston Luke and Dennis Parkinson.

The Regional Democratic Council, Region 10 also received an award for having the largest turn out.

Advisor to Minister of Communities Shawn Austin noted that LGE was resuscitated by the government to empower persons to participate and to lead in the renewal of their communities.

Austin told residents that this local democracy is important, because “it lets you understand that we serve you the people and we listen to you in the decisions you make in your constituencies and the representatives.

Hence, the reason the government brought back the local government elections,” Austin underlined.

Local government elections were successfully completed in Guyana, after a 22-year delay, on Friday, March 18, 2016. The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has been allocated some $2.9B for holding of the elections, which will be constitutionally due between the beginning of November and early December this year. The 2016 LGE saw a 43 percent participation.

However, this government has set a higher percentage target for 2018.

(DPI)

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Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday, May 2, 2018

The seriousness of driving DRIVING through Georgetown’s many avenues, small lanes and cross streets, it is abundantly clear that the “fender bender” is a consistent concern. These streets make driving manual in a way the larger arteries do not, because not only are there no traffic lights, drivers don’t always follow right-of-way rules, forcing those with the right of way to either blow their horns at each corner or drive very cautiously. Needless to say, on occasions there is a miscommunication and vehicles bump, costing drivers tens of thousands in repairs.

On the other hand, one seldom hears of accidents which take lives in these cross-streets, largely due

perhaps to the fact that it is difficult to reach a high enough speed to truly fuel a deadly crash. Instead, car accidents tend to be reported on the East Bank and East Coast roads, because these relatively straight roads carry long stretches without traffic lights and crossstreets, where it is clear the main road has the right of way. As a result, drivers can certainly bring their vehicles up to higher speeds, and deadly crashes ensue.

Guyana is likely to embark on many road development projects aiming to improve access to our interior regions over next decade and this raises an important safety question. After all, the “fender bender” may be the scourge of Georgetown, but it pales in comparison

to the thought of a steady increase in road deaths due to the development of these highways. And it is highways, where drivers can be allowed to drive at speeds of 80 miles an hour or even without limits as they do in Germany, that we should expect, as the push to connect all corners of Guyana builds out over time.

Rather than it taking a full day to travel from Lethem to Georgetown, our eventual hope must certainly be to bring that drive down to merely several hours of relative comfort. Aspiration toward four, six and eightlane highways at the very least should be our standard.

But, if we already so often have accidents on our relatively small two or four-lane highways, then one can only

imagine the wreckage an eight-lane would unleash.

This brings us to another question of allegations of rife corruption in the issuing of drivers’ licences. It is good to see a thorough investigation taking place and multiple officers being disciplined as a result. If the numbers in these allegations are in any way representative of the true distribution of illegal versus legal drivers’ licences, then it is no small wonder that there are an infinite number of “fender benders” in Georgetown and so many deaths outside the city.

The only reason people can safely drive at the higher speeds that eight-lane highways allow, is because everyone has a thorough understanding of the rules

involved and is fully compliant. The undertaking that is regularly practised by minibuses on Homestretch Avenue could lead to a very serious accident in the wrong circumstances and we can afford very few wrong circumstances when speeds are doubled on large highways.

The current effort to clean up the drivers’ licensing process needs to carry on as a general culture against corruption when lives are at stake.

It is perhaps perceived

as less serious a matter when someone carrying an illegal driver’s licence merely drives around Georgetown, with little risk of a deadly accident. But if Guyana is to build the roads to truly open up our country, this perception will prove quite outdated.

Faster speeds mean better adherence to the rules-- after all, lives are not fenders and cross-streets will never get us to Lethem in a hurry.

AG chambers questions motive of Oscar Ramjeet

…says was unfortunate he was unable to obtain employment with Ministry of Legal Affairs WITH much consternation, we read a letter riddled with falsehoods and misrepresentations by the author of same Mr. Oscar Ramjeet. It is pertinent to note that before commenting in the public arena, a professional like Mr. Ramjeet should have checked the facts and records in relation to these matters.

Had he done so, he would have discovered that the facts and circumstances vastly differ from his unfounded assertions in the press. In relation to the just concluded Toolsie Persaud case, it should be noted that this was a matter which commenced in 2008 under the former administration and Mr. Ashton Chase S.C. had conduct of the said matter.

He has since after the decision written to the attorney general indicating this fact.

How then is the chambers as presently constituted responsible in any way for the outcome of this matter?

Further, Mr. Ashton Chase is a senior counsel and well respected at the bar; what therefore is Mr. Ramjeet inferring about the representation he provided? Moreover, the author, an attorney-at-law, himself should have appreciated that in an adversarial arena there must be a loser and a winner. And in any event this is a first-instance decision which the attorney general has indicated that he will appeal. In relation to the Dipcon Engineering Inc case, a proper perusal of the record would show that the matter was conducted by Mr. Roysdale Forde on behalf of then Attorney General Mr. Anil Nandlall at the time.

At the conclusion of same, Attorney General Mr. Basil Williams S.C M.P., was not informed but Mr. Forde contends that he informed Ms. Sita Ramlal, the then solicitor-general. Ms. Ramlal has vehemently refuted this allegation and claims

she knew nothing of the said matter and that Mr. Forde did not inform her of same.

In fact, she claimed that the matter was given to him directly by Mr. Nandlall, a practice which prevailed prior to May 2015 that serious matters were outsourced to private attorneys straight from Mr. Nandall’s office without any documentation in the Attorney General’s Filing Registry. In all of that confusion, allegations and cross-allegations, the record would show that time began to run and the attorney general was not apprised as to the matter nor its status until some six months after. How then is the chambers as presently constituted responsible in any way for the delay in filing this appeal?

Once more, in relation to the Arnold Sankar matter, a proper perusal of the record would show that after reading the affidavits and submissions by both the plaintiff and the defendant, on Friday

21st July, 2017, the High Court ruled in favour of the state in deeming the Affidavit of Defence filed on 10th day of April, 2017 as properly filed and served and recalled the Unless Order. The court ruled that despite the defence filed by the state was outside of the time as specified by the Unless Order, the court was satisfied as to the reasons for the delay in filing the defence and took into account the sums claimed by the plaintiff, which is in excess of ninety-nine million dollars ($99,000,000.00).

It was against this decision that Arnold Sankar appealed to the full court, won at that level and the state will now move to the Court of Appeal, since it is contended by the state that the first-instant judge properly exercised her discretion.

It is again glaring from his statements that the author of this letter ought to have informed himself and should have exercised due diligence

of the court procedure and proceedings before recklessly commenting on same.

In relation to his allegation of ‘Unilaterally Dismissing the Solicitor General and the Deputy Solicitor General,’ the author is clearly misinformed, since neither of them was dismissed by the attorney general. Ms. Sita Ramlal, former solicitor-general, retired; the Public Service Commission dismissed Ms. Kissoon, former deputy solicitor-general and Ms. Baksh, Registrar of Deeds is currently on leave pending the determination of her criminal matter engaging the Magistrates’ Court.

It is apposite at this juncture to note that only few matters have been outsourced by the chambers post- May 2015, as compared to the volume of matters which were outsourced under the previous administration. The outsourced matters under the current administration are now docu-

mented and accounted for in the Registry of the Attorney General and updates are provided by the said attorneys who have conduct of same.

Mr. Ramjeet further misses the fact that post-May 2015, the chambers has maintained a respectful success rate in the local courts and even at the Caribbean Court of Justice, even while conducting very serious litigation which was not the practice hitherto.

The record can be checked for verification of same. It leaves one to question Mr. Ramjeet’s motive and it is unfortunate that since he was unable to obtain employment with the Ministry of Legal affairs and the Attorney General’s Chambers, he would perpetrate such an unwarranted attack on us.

Regards Attorney General’s Chambers

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday, May 2, 2018

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I need some clarifications on the Cyber Bill Dear Editor: “A PERSON commits an offence of sedition if the person, whether in or out of Guyana, intentionally publishes, transmits or circulates by use of a computer system, a statement or words, either spoken or written, a text, video, image, sign, visible representation that brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the government.”

The above is the section of the proposed Cyberspace Bill on sedition, which has been attracting much attention in the media and elsewhere over the past few

days. I write to seek explanations and clarifications about this section of the proposed bill before I offer any opinion on it.

Now, unless I am ill informed, Guyana remains committed to free speech and freedom of the press, as guaranteed if not under the constitution, in several international conventions which the country has signed and ratified. So this means that the press remains free to criticise the government, Guyanese maintain the right to protest against government policies and persons like me continue to enjoy the right to express my views via letters to the editor.

Nowhere have I seen or heard of any attempt by the government to reject these commitments.

However, this proposed new legislation seems to suggest, in my view, that the right to criticise is rejected only if this is done by “use of computer system”. It also leads one to conclude that one can produce anti-government materials such as videos, signs (pickets), texts etc. without being guilty of sedition, but the circulation of such materials via computer constitutes a crime.

So here are the explanations and clarifications I am seeking: (A) As a frequent letter-writer who transmits my letters via computer, am

I committing sedition by sending a letter via e-mail criticising the government to the media for publication (circulation)?

(B) If I post my hand-written letter (snail mail) would I be guilty of sedition?

(C) Does this new proposed legislation mean that newspapers can publish anti-government material in the printed editions, but not on the electronic versions of the publication?

(D) If I post to social media e.g. my Face Book Page, an article critical of the government which appears in the printed media, but not on its electronic version (I scan it and post it) , am I guilty of

sedition?

(E) Are newspapers in Guyana indirectly being prohibited from having electronic versions of their publications since these publications, including the stateowned Guyana Chronicle, from time to time publish letters, news articles and columns that can be constituted to bring or attempt to bring “into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the government.”?

(F) Is this legislation, if it becomes law, consistent with laws in other countries, since it includes persons who may commit sedition (in Guyana) even while outside of Guyana? If I am charged

and refuse to return to face the courts, could I be extradited or can Interpol list me as WANTED? (G) Is this proposed legislation in violation of any United Nations Conventions or even its Charter?

These are some of the clarifications I need before commenting beyond the fact that “ in this age of Trump “ and the APNU+AFC and PPP with this proposed legislation, “any call for civility is a call for servility”. I got the last quote from a piece in the Economist, lest I be convicted of plagiarism.

Regards Wesley Kirton

AG Chambers demands apology from Stabroek News Dear Editor

THE Attorney General’s Chambers hereby wishes to respond to a scandalous and reckless report in the Stabroek News dated Thursday, April 26th 2018.

The chambers refutes the allegations levelled therein which infer that State Counsel Ms. Tracy Marks has any form or knowledge of or participated in any way in the aforementioned matter. The allegation levelled in the Stabroek News was made without any valid documentary evidence.

State Counsel Tracy

Marks was briefly present in Court 7 of the Supreme Court of the High Court on the 20th April, 2018, when Justice Brassington Reynolds presided. Her presence at court was to meet with the Honourable Justice Reynolds and/or his registrar to address some concerns on a matter which was recently reassigned to her, namely, ABDUL KHAN v REGISTRAR OF DEEDS, REGISTRAR SUPREME COURT Action # 108-W-2016 which was scheduled for the said date.

Paragraph 4 of the said Article states, “Though this newspaper is unable to

say why, Justice Brassington Reynolds momentarily paused the proceedings to enquire from counsel after she had gotten up, whether she was leaving”.

We refute these allegations and do indicate that the Honourable Justice Reynolds inquired whether she had spoken to his registrar and was able to address her concerns, to which she responded in the negative.

As such, she returned to the courtroom soon thereafter to await conclusion of the matter being heard and engaged the court on the concerns in her matter – Ab-

dul Khan.

The chambers contends that if due diligence had been done by the reporter of the Stabroek News, it would have been revealed that Ms. Marks was there merely inquiring about the said matter, Abdul Khan.

In fact, no appearance was entered on the record

by Ms. Marks, neither was she robed nor seated at the bar table. Suffice it to say, if proper and efficient investigations had been conducted by the said newspaper, it would have been revealed that the attorney appearing on record in these proceed-

ings on behalf of the Attorney General’s Chambers was Mr. Ashton Chase, S.C. It is therefore fallacious, malicious and mischievous to conclude that Ms. Marks’ presence in the courtroom amounted to any knowledge, representation or credence to this vicious and wholly false allegation which is unfounded, capricious and has no merit.

The record will reveal that at no time was Ms. Marks on record or made any representations on behalf of the Attorney General’s Chambers in the said matter.

The chambers vehemently states that the unfounded allegations mentioned in this article are false and malicious and undoubtedly do not testify to the truth of the events occurring in the courtroom on the said day. In the circumstances, an apology is hereby demanded by the chambers from the newspaper and a retraction of the said portion of this story, failing which legal proceedings may be instituted.

Regards Attorney General’s Chambers

Guyana requests INTERPOL’s help for DNA testing CRIME Chief, Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Williams said Guyana could soon gain DNA testing support from INTERPOL. He said last month during his attendance at an INTERPOL Conference in Argentina, he decided to express Guyana’s interest to gain the

much-needed support.

“We still need to embark upon overseas assistance out of Brazil, the U.S. and so on,” the crime chief said.

He added: “We will embark on that avenue now through INTERPOL to see what assistance we can have as it relates to DNA and how fast that can be done to help

us solve some matters. Indeed when I went to the CID, I learnt that there are still some matters that are pending, waiting DNA results.”

In February, Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory (GFSL) Director Delon France had said the agency will be fully capable of conducting DNA testing by

year-end, thereby reducing the expensive costs to send samples overseas for analysis.

He had noted that a modern piece of DNA testing equipment is being procured and members of staff have already begun training to use it.

The equipment will have

the capacity to conduct test on eight samples at a time.

It costs Guyana an estimated $1.75M to have just one DNA sample transported and tested overseas.

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan had said that the lab benefited from almost US$1M in upgrades, which will enable it to conduct DNA testing.

Crime Chief, Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Williams

8

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 2, 2018

OP-ED

Sustainability, People, and Oil

By Marlon Bristol

THE country seems to be thinking in a dichotomous order. For instance, when talking about oil, the discussion seems to be a doomor-gloom extreme.

The other dichotomy includes Green Economy or oil and gas, which one will en-

gulf the country’s focus! And on the development side, we quibble about ‘a country for old men’, the old or young dichotomy, disregarding the correlation between age and experience. Simply put, this dichotomous thinking has led to speculation about whether experienced older persons are capable of taking Guyana

into the future, and whether a Green State can be achieved, given much attention to oil and gas.

The dichotomous disaggregation debate to orient policy and interventions to treat particular needs are welcome. But, the doom-orgloom scenarios, in particular ‘OR’, is not a coordinating

Marlon Bristol conjunction in our development language and psyche – it should not be! There is an inextricable nexus and mutual need for experience and youth, while oil and gas is but a sector, a component of the wider national economy where the agenda is to develop Guyana as a Green State, based on a Sustainable Development platform.

Hence, our attention is, and should be focused on sustainability and people.

Currently, oil seems to be high on the agenda of Guyanese. Permeating the airwaves and completely attracting the attention of most public discourses. So much so that every analysis for debate has to consider oil-and-gas developments, otherwise be deemed irrelevant. From the contract, to the capacity of domiciled Guyanese, local content and investments, politics, economics, labour, and social development. All collide in public spaces, with managers and the managed fighting to transcend the resource curse.

Even the elements of ‘race’, and the ‘race’ for command over the resources are raising its head, and unapologetically so.

Young and old are angst by varying views and approaches about the future development of Guyana.

This has aggravated the debate about the selection of experience to dispassionately guide the enabling environment that gives chances/offer opportunities to the poor and powerless when benefits accrue from the oil and gas sector. As such, a common assertion in public opinion is the rise of Ageism – prejudice or discrimination on the grounds of age. But really, it is more an issue of intergenerational mobility, and thus all hands are needed on deck.

In 2014, Chetty and others indicated that ‘intergenerational mobility seeks to measure the degree to which a child’s social and economic opportunities depend upon his or her parents’ income or social status’. This is the debate about family-based intergenerational wealth for the rich and intergenerational poverty that beset the poor.

However, because opportunities are difficult to measure, as Chetty et al 2014 noted, intergenerational mobility is usually measured in empirical studies by a child’s, grown-up income (or occupation) depending upon that of his or her parents. On the ground, we can all identify with this. In the case of Guyana, and by virtue of public sentiments, the society is clamouring to see and measure their chances of getting ahead in the future by observation of people-centred development, benchmarked by demonstration. It is by this very token, a balanced and keen focus should remain on people (young and old) and sustainability – Sustainable Green development and how all its facets materialize. It is for this very reason too that the focus on the Green State should be the overarching platform within which oil and gas is debated. In essence, the focus again is sustainability and people.

Sustainable development, as enshrined in the SDGs, are not merely about renewable energy as the skewedness of the oil-and-gas debate seems to be suggesting, but more broadly about the nexus of economics, environment, social and other responsibilities to current and future generations. Therefore, maintaining the focus on the Green Economy Development is exactly where the oil-and-gas debate should be affixed and summarised with context, and not the other way around. In this setting of sustainable development, the idea is to appreciate that the chances of a youth, are not simply dependent on the outcomes of the past, but that of a functioning system and institutional arrangements that improve their prospects for the future.

And, those with the experience are expected to deliver this type of framework in the present. His Excellency has assured that sustainability and people are enshrined in the pillars of Green State Development, the establishment of a Sovereign Wealth Fund, and the likes of being a signatory to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). Of course, this is further augured by the intention of directing more resources for infrastructural development, education, health, and social welfare issues.

We must accept-- and have probably done so by now-- at minimum, that they are quite a number of issues to be considered as welfare-enhancing as we go forward with proceeds from oil and gas. For those contemplating ‘money in their hands’, proposals and experiences from around the world exist. For

example, Finland explored an unconditional basic income for the unemployed (25 to 58 years of age). The idea was to reduce poverty levels, so the unemployed received such benefits, even if they had part-time work. Closer to home in countries without oil, for example Antigua and Barbuda, a welfare- enhancing measure was the abolition of Personal Income Tax. There are many more experiences to go around on this matter.

Notwithstanding, discussions on welfare improvements coming from resources gained from oil seem absent for the most part on what potentially we see as necessary for our 60 and over population. I was reminded of this not so long ago,our 60+ population are wondering what’s in it for them, another angle of ageism.

Recently, I had the opportunity to listen on separate occasions to a male and female senior. On the one hand, the female complained that the dependant’s relative fund gives her G$570.00 monthly; what can that do, she asked?

On the other hand, the male who is employed as a security guard proceeded to ask me what is the ‘government’ doing for wages in the ‘private sector.’ He expected me to respond on how government can help seniors working in the private sector. While we are all debating contract, local content etc., their concerns are more about welfare enhancement. To the 60+ generation not seeing such an issue feature as part of the debate in public, suggests another form of Ageism. But here again, the very fabric as to why Sustainable Development as reflected through Green Economy measures becomes essential for all, and is imminent. Anyway, the conversations dovetailed right back to oil and gas and what was in it for senior citizens.

In the end, as it should be now in the beginning, the conversation should remain grounded in our sustainable approach to development and utility of the oil-and-gas sector taking us there. The development agenda remains to be that of a Green State premised on sustainable development practices. It was and is never a Green State and/or oil and gas, nor an issue of old and young, but of people. To continue on the former is to have oil and gas crowd out discussions on the attainment of a Green State, and by extension, a sidelining of our sustainable development agenda.

Through the very concept of sustainability intergenerational mobility is guaranteed in a way that the future looks bright for everyone, all our people young and old.

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Benschop exposes PPP duplicity ... reminds he, Waddell, Hinckson were charged with sedition under Jagdeo

EVEN as Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and his party have been railing against a clause in the proposed cybercrime bill that deals with sedition, social activist Mark Benschop said that party has no moral authority to condemn the bill, as he and several others were charged under it when Jagdeo ruled Guyana.

On Monday, Jagdeo told a news conference that his parliamentarians may have “dropped the ball” at the level of the Select Committee for failing to identify the controversial clause 18 in the impending Cybercrime Bill. Clause 18 outlines that persons commit an offence of sedition when they “attempt to bring into hatred or excite disaffection towards the government.”

At his weekly press conference at his Church Street, Georgetown office, Jagdeo denied that the parliamentary opposition supported the insertion of clause 18 in the bill, while noting that the government is only preoccupied with self-interest rather than the benefit of society.

The Cybercrime Bill was intended to come up for debate in the National Assembly on Thursday last, but Attorney General Basil Williams asked for the matter to be deferred to another sitting.

Adding that the purpose of the Bill is essentially to protect children from pornography and Guyanese from the dangers of cyberspace, Jagdeo said the Bill has since been converted to one that protects government’s own interests. “This is why the entire Guyana must fight to ensure that this retrograde step to charge people for sedition, an archaic offence, because of what they say, which can cause disaffection with the government,” Jagdeo said “I keep wondering what kind of state secrets we have, how many nuclear bunkers we have in the Pomeroon and chemical gas factories we are building that we have to be so worried about state espionage and sabotage and

subversion.”

Jagdeo said that the clause was added when the opposition parliamentarians were not at one of the meetings. “This provision has no place in a democratic, in a free Guyana, in a Guyana where free speech is an important part of our democracy, where freedom of expression is defined and protected by our constitution,” Jagdeo said.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon had called on critics of the Cybercrime Bill to not isolate specific sections of it which are aimed at strengthening the state against cyber attacks. Harmon made it clear that cyber defence is a major concern not only for Guyana, but globally. However, Harmon was quick to point out that government is seeking to guard against espionage, sabotage and subversion. He said government is concerned about the state’s security systems and will do everything to protect same. He explained that any security threat which serves as an attack on the state and its institutions via the Internet (for the purpose of this legislation) and can be traced to a person or persons constitutes an offence. “I believe the conversation is taking the section out of the Bill and trying to discuss it on its own.

The section must be seen as part of the entire suite of measures that are being put in place under this bill that would eventually become an act,” the Minister of State, an attorney by profession, stated.

HYPOCRISY However, in a letter to the editor which appeared in the Stabroek News, Benschop -- a former treason accused -- said he is not sure whether to laugh at the shameless utterances of the PPP ‘Wild Horse’ Anil Nandlall, whom he said was unfortunately once the Attorney General of Guyana.

“Imagine, the ‘Wild Horse’ boldly proclaimed in the Kaieteur News, April 30, 2018 edition (`Sedition

clause was inserted by Gov’t.

– Former AG Anil Nandlall’) that; “Sedition is one of those offences that are archaic, anachronistic and is really a relic of the past. An offence like sedition has no place in modern society and certainly in a society where there is a constitution that is the supreme law which guarantees free speech, freedom of expression and freedom of the press as a fundamental right.” And according to the Kaieteur News, ‘The former attorney general noted that sedition has been abolished in England and no one has been charged for sedition for nearly 130 years prior to its abolition…’

Benschop said he couldn’t believe what he read, and not sure if the reporter of this piece of fake news rushed to make news and in the process refused to do some basic Research 101 before publication. “Editor, I now wish to remind ‘Wild Horse Anil’ that his party the PPP, during its horrific years in control of the government,used the very ‘archaic’ and ‘anachronistic’ sedition law against the late Ronald Waddell, former GDF officer Oliver Hinckson, and myself.

Waddell and I were charged in March of 2001, the then government ensured that I was taken to court late in the afternoon, when it would have been virtually impossible for me to post the hefty sum of $500,000 bail. So, I was forced to spend a long night in the infamous Camp Street Prisons,” Benschop wrote in his letter.

He said with regard to Hinckson, in 2008, he was charged with sedition and was remanded to prison for almost a year. “Interestingly, the ‘Wild Horse Anil’ should have remembered this particular sedition charge, since it allegedly stemmed directly from a conversation between himself, Hinckson and others. Editor, I am against this particular clause of the Cybercrime Bill, which was shamelessly introduced by the current government.

However, Anil Nandlall and

Guyanese Bahá’ís attend International Convention FIVE members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Guyana are currently in Haifa, Israel attending the 12th International Baha’i Convention.

These members are: Ms Kala Seegopaul, Mr Fidal Bassier, Ms Hala Bassier, Ms Dawn Collins and Ms Alexi LaRose, a release from the religious body said. A total of 1,300 delegates representing more than 160 countries have gathered for this important event.

Baha’i International Conventions take place every five years. Delegates consult on the progress of the Baha’i Faith, activities across Baha’i communities and the role of the Faith in the broader context of the life of humanity. Delegates attending the Convention also perform the sacred duty of electing the international governing body for the Baha’i Faith, the Universal House of Justice.

This election took place on 29 April. The Convention ends on 2 May.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

the PPP have absolutely no moral authority to pronounce on the undemocratic aspect of it. After all, he and his then government used it several times within the past 130 years, in an attempt to silence their political opponents.”

Benschop said it is hoped that President David Granger will swiftly exercise political wisdom, and have his attorney general remove the dreaded clause before it comes back to haunt his administration and supporters in the future.

Social Activist, Mark Benschop

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Domestic Violence: Why the killer could not walk away

ON a casual afternoon, during a stroll with his father, Johnny enquired, ‘Dad, what can I do to ensure that my wife stays with me forever? Johnny’s father scoffed at this unwarranted inquisition from this ‘lil bai’ who, in his estimation, is miles away from such volcanic undertakings, but he quickly sobered up and decided to offer some masculine wisdom.

He advised Johnny, ‘Son, there is nothing you can do, a relationship is a chance, it might work out, it might not, and you must plan for both scenarios.

At this very impressionable age, Johnny was receptive to this word of advice from the only hero he knows. However, already in his teenage years, this boy had already been socialised with a mindset that would place him on a path to become another villain who

could not walk away.

In his early childhood, Johnny was constantly reminded by all the males in the family: ‘Man is boss’, ‘Man run things’. This occurred in his home, as he proceeded outside, male chauvinism followed him.

Playing with his friends in the ball park, he faced the worst humiliation when he was beaten by a female in a one-on-one basketball game. The ridicule he received from this emasculated occurrence was unparalleled and resulted in him not being able to eat anything of significance for two days.

During this dark period, Johnny sobbed but could not reveal this to his friends-that would have been tantamount to social suicide.

His early socialisation also included the usage of macho language that bordered on misogyny in reference to females: ‘Thing’ , ‘Meat’, ‘Beef’, ‘Bird’, ‘Dangles’,

‘Runnings’, ‘Shorty’. The aforementioned encapsulates the early-childhood experiences of Johnny that were unforeseen steps to his eventual descent into hell.

As he proceeded to secondary school, patriarchal regimentation continued as his teachers and the education system reminded him daily to “man up”: never cry, do not show emotions, don’t be too ‘girly’. The most conspicuous of this indoctrination came when Johnny got into a fight and decided to walk away and be the real hero. Having received so much condemnation for not walking away, he became for the second time in life, a subject of scorn and castigation for manifesting behaviour that society deems as ‘soft’. This heavy dose of patriarchism or man must always rule was dangerously mixed with a desire to always win and never lose, on a personal

level. As a member of many sports teams in his secondary school, this disciplined and enterprising young man was taught to always emerge victorious, he was never trained to take defeat.

This serves to capture Johnny’s social involvement at the second education level which, maybe unintentionally, prepared this young man to be another ignoble statistic.

In comes the tertiary years, university life. Between classes at the University of Guyana, Johnny ran into the most beautiful female he has ever laid eyes on in real life, not the social media types he has seen while scrolling on his phone, this was real. He declined to make any attempt to approach Mary, he was not sure that he could win.

Winning for him meant receiving this girl’s hand in marriage and boldly claiming to the world; ‘This is me wife’. Mary was way too sophisticated for him to even contemplate ‘making a move’. This encounter passed and Johnny completed his university life without ‘hooking up’ with any female. He graduated and proceeded to a career he always wished to pursue. University life ended without there being any academic encounter that could have reversed a psychological outlook that regrettably placed unsuspecting Johnny on course to be another sad tale of the Guyanese society.

On a work tour, two years after graduating, Johnny ran into Mary for a second time. This time around, he matched her profession-

ally, they were both in executive positions and Mary was a bit more receptive, so he made the step and invited her to dinner. They met in the wee hours of the night at an upscale restaurant. They discussed a myriad of issues over expensive wine and steak. Mary liked what she heard and saw. He claimed respect for God, his mom and his elders. He professed to be a man who protects and provides for his partner and demonstrated excellent dating mannerisms. He pulled her chair for her, he listened more than he talked, he told her she looked beautiful when she first arrived and at the end of the date, he showed no sign of aggressive sexual animus.

All of these good things bode well for Johnny and he finally won the biggest contest of his life; Mary and Johnny were joined in union in grand fanfare. This union produced three children.

In complete disregard for his father’s sage advice, Johnny conceived his existence with Mary to be the beginning and the end.

He had no life besides his kids and Mary. He had few friends whose interactions with him ended when he left work. Both Mary and Johnny became so consumed with work and the kids, they lost all communication and their relationship became routine, they only spoke when there was an issue such as bills or the kids.

Mary constantly complained to her husband about the lack of connectivity to no avail. Johnny was resigned to his fate. For him, this was life and there was no need

to rectify anything. Mary’s pleadings failed and she resorted to novels, lifetime movies and conversations with friends.

On another routine night, when Johnny brushed his teeth and retired to bed next to his wife and fell asleep within five minutes, he was rudely interrupted with fury from Mary. The rebellion had started, she attacked him verbally and woke the entire neighbourhood with noise.

Johnny saw this as another run-of-the-mill marital disagreement. Little did he know, this was the beginning of the end. This rebellion included staying out late at nights, leaving kids unattended and disappearing for days with no communication.

Mary had completely transformed, she wanted freedom.

Johnny agonised over this unprecedented development and went into mild depression. He had nothing to do, all he did in life was to be married to Mary. In his mind, this was the ultimate loss, this was another shameful defeat coming at the hands of a female. All of his patriarchal teachings converged around this monumental life challenge. He could not reveal this defeat to society-not under any circumstance -- nor could he walk away from another fight to face humiliation.

Johnny decided to take on this battle to save his ego and when the commissioner of police announced the quarterly statistics for fatal victims of domestic violence, Mary, Johnny and the kids were included. Another sad case of the killer failing to walk away.

Man found guilty of sexual activity with minor

MORRIS Fernandes was found guilty of sexual activity with a child under the age of 16 years on Monday afternoon, in the Sexual Offences Court of the Georgetown High Court before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow.

The 12-member jury after deliberating for more than two hours arrived at a guilty verdict in the proportion of 10 to two, in the matter between the State verses Morris Fer-

nandes for sexual activity with a child under 16 years old.

According to the indictment, between October 1 and 31, 2016 in the County of Demerara, the defendant engaged in sexual activity with a girl child under the age of 16.

However, sentencing was deferred to May 15, 2018 at 09:30hrs before the same judge after a request by defence attorney Everton Lammy-Singh.

Morris Fernandes at the High Court on Monday The judge granted the request for a probation report in favour of the convict to be prepared.

The State was represented by Abigail Gibbs and Narissa Leander.

11

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Youth killed during fight over bird

By Leroy Smith

SHELTON Jordon a 21-year-old cigarette vendor was on Tuesday morning stabbed to death after he allegedly attempted to rob another man of his bird.

Reports are that at around 05:30hrs on Tuesday, a man with his bird cage in hand went running to the GPL Power Station in Sophia while begging the security to open the gate. The security refused to open the gate, in accordance with their policy of not allowing strangers into the compound. Shortly after, a man rode up on a motorcycle and demanded the bird from the other man who refused. The man on the motorcycle was later iden-

tified as Jordon. His victim refused to hand over the bird and Jordon whipped out a scissors and advanced to the owner of the bird who took evasive postures and picked up a piece of wood which had nail on it. Jordon began attempting to stab his victim with the scissors and the man lashed him with the wood. At that point Jordon retreated and picked up a brick and tossed it at his victim and a fight ensued.

At that point, Jordon’s victim whipped out a knife and attempted to defend himself as he found that his attacker was not giving up. He reportedly dealt Jordon a stab to his side but refusing to give up after falling to the ground, Jordon crawled and attempted

to pick up a piece of wood to continue the attack on his victim. The man reached to prevent him from getting the wood and they began fighting, rolling over each other on the ground. They both suffered injures with the victim managing to gain the upper hand and dealt Jordon a fatal bore.

It was reported that after that, the man went to the Prashad Nagar Police Outpost and reported the incident and the police arrived and took control of the scene. When the Guyana Chronicle arrived at the location onlookers were out in their numbers, even as the police cordoned off the area and commenced their investigations under the watchful eyes of onlookers

including relatives of the dead man.

They told reporters that they cannot understand why Jordon would want to rob someone of their bird. One relative said that it was just “wickedness” on his part as he did not need to get involved in such.

Jordan’s family was composed to some extent even as his body was being carried away by undertakers.

However his girlfriend of seven years, Kimberly Beckles, said that she last saw her partner when he left their home at around midnight on Monday. She said that she was at home when she received a call from Trinidad informing her that the young man was lying on the

road dead. After news about the incident began circulating, a woman contacted this newspaper to inform that in February of this year, Jordon also stole a bird from her partner as the bird was in its cage on a lantern pole through the street.

She alleged that on the morning in question, they observed the man riding up and down the street and they became suspicious of him, but as soon as they took their eyes off of him he took the bird and rode off.

Asked by this newspaper how are they certain it was Jordan who stole the bird, the woman said that they recognised him by his face. In March, Jordon’s apartment located in Cas-

Shelton Jordon tello Housing Scheme was completely gutted. Back then, persons who lived in the area said that the young man is hardly every home and would leave his appliances and other items plugged in for days and have his air conditioning unit running unattended.

12

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Seven prison wardens arrested ... for allegedly smuggling ganja into Lusignan Prison

SEVEN prison wardens were handed over to police custody on Labour Day, May 1, after they were identified as allegedly facilitating the smuggling of cannabis into the Lusignan Prison.

Contacted by this newspaper on the matter on Tuesday, Acting Director of Prisons Gladwin Samuels confirmed that the wardens have been arrested. He said that the wardens are in police custody and noted that an internal investigation commenced and based

on the findings, the necessary letter(s) of interdiction will be issued.

Samuel said that a bag was thrown over the fence of the prison and landed in the holding bay at Lusignan Prison, and the wardens on duty in that section are in police custody since based on video footage they facilitated the smuggling process.

“I am informed the bag thrown over the fence had a high scent of marijuana,” the director noted.

Last month, the prison

director had issued a call to all prison warders and officers to desist from trafficking contraband in the prisons, while asking those who are guilty to understand the consequences as the law will take its course.

He said that getting rid of contraband in prison could not be a fight by a few and there was need for collective efforts. “The well-established syndicates may think that they are safe and secure but they cannot be allowed to continue. We will continue our search-

es and those found to be colluding in trafficking contraband will have to answer to the law. We cannot compromise. While efforts are being made to improve our physical structures and improve the use of technology, for now, our reliance is on the human factor,” Samuels said.

Noting that over the past few weeks, despite regular searches, prison wardens kept unearthing various forms of contraband including cellular phones, marijuana and local wine along with other illegalities, the prison director said, this should be cause for concern for each and every one since the security of the prison, and by extension the security of the nation is at risk.

“Make no mistake about it our security is at risk when we allow these items in. Taking into account the quantity of these

prohibited items and the locations where some of the items are discovered, it stretches the imagination that these items got into the prison only [by] being trafficked by prisoners using their bodies to conceal same,” Samuels said.

He continued: “As prison officers working in a service dedicated to correction and rehabilitation, we are tasked with the responsibility to make offenders better citizens.”

The Director noted that the GPS was tasked with creating an environment where the focus on rehabilitation is done with passion. “We are tasked with creating an environment where the people under our charge can respect us, respect our office, and see us as role models for whom they can become. If we support them and their families in contravening the laws of the prison, we

Acting Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels are not helping them; we are in fact condoning the very activities that caused them to be in prison in the first place; we are telling them it is ok to be lawless,” he said.

He explained that such actions on behalf of the warders only mold inmates to continue a life of crime and failure. Worse yet, he said, it was that the prison service was showing inmates that they were no better.

The trade of contraband, while it may seem profitable initially, is bad for the prison environment.

13

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 2, 2018

INTERPOL in Caribbean-wide TIP sweep … hundreds rescued

NEARLY 350 potential victims of sexual exploitation and forced labour have been rescued in an INTERPOL-coordinated operation targeting human trafficking in the Caribbean, Central and South America.

In a release, INERPOL said in Guyana young women were found working as prostitutes next to extremely remote gold mines, from which they could not escape.

This, the agency said, is a common modus operandi, as the geographical location of the mines also complicates investigations.

“Isolated locations make it difficult for officers to avoid detection when travelling to these camps. By the time intelligence is acted upon, perpetrators have had the opportunity to act and move the victims,” explained Diana O’Brien, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Ministry of Public Security, Guyana.

According to INTERPOL, more than 500 police officers in 13 countries also arrested 22 individuals during Operation Libertad April 3-9, held under the INTERPOL Project to Combat Human Trafficking in the Caribbean.

The Joint Regional Communications Centre (JRCC) in Barbados hosted the operational coordination centre, with specialist officers from INTERPOL’s Trafficking in Human Beings unit deployed to the region.

Support was provided by the INTERPOL Command and Coordination Centre at the General Secretariat in Lyon, France and at the INTERPOL Regional Bureau in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In addition to coordinated police raids, searches were carried out against INTERPOL’s criminal databases, generating 30 hits, including 25 for stolen and lost travel documents. Computer equipment, mobiles phones and cash were also seized.

INTERPOL Executive Director of Police Services Tim Morris said: “Operations like this show the power of INTERPOL provid-

ing a platform for the 13 participating countries, but what sits behind these numbers is the human story.”

“Whether it is someone’s mother, father, brother, sister, son or daughter, there is an intensely personal story that is usually – unfortunately – accompanied by a lot of suffering,” he concluded.

TARGETING THE MOST VULNERABLE Both men and women, including minors, were discovered working in night clubs, farms, mines, factories and openair markets.

With thousands looking to cross borders in search of work, traffickers are targeting the most desperate and vulnerable members of society with promises of a better life.

Cem Kolcu, Coordinator of INTERPOL’s Trafficking in Human Beings unit, said: “What traffickers don’t advertise are the working conditions their victims will be subjected to once their final destination is reached. During this operation, we identified women being forced to work out of spaces no bigger than coffins, for example.”

A VICTIM-CENTRIC APPROACH To ensure victims received the necessary care following their rescue, social services and NGOs were involved in conducting post-operation interviews and providing support services to victims.

Because they can earn more than they would in their home countries, some victims don’t identify as such, making it difficult to gather evidence and prosecute cases of suspected trafficking. Other victims are manipulated and intimidated into providing false information.

In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Asian ‘employees’ at a factory had been stripped of their passports and made to be completely dependent. Having never received wages, they relied on their handlers

AFC responds today to APNU on LGE THE Alliance For Change (AFC) today will respond to A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) Leader, President David Granger on the matter of contesting the Local Government Elections (LGE) which is due in the latter half of this year.

The party in a statement also said it will issue a detailed statement on the decision of its National Executive Committee (NEC) which deliberated on the matter at the Georgetown Club on Tuesday.

The meeting was attended by members of the NEC, representatives from all the administrative regions and the diaspora, including from Grenada who represented the AFC Caribbean Chapter.

Leader Raphael Trotman reported to

the meeting that on April 30 he received a response to the AFC letter dated February 26, 2018 which was sent to the APNU leader regarding the upcoming Local Government Elections.

The AFC’s letter outlined a number of matters, including the issue of the approach to Local Government Elections and the response from the APNU leader’s proposed course of action.

APNU and the AFC have decided that they are going into the local government elections as a coalition, AFC Chairman Khemraj Ramjattan had said last month.

However, the two will have to thrash out a number of issues in relation to candidacies and other issues, he said.

for housing, transport, food and the most basic necessities.

Similar examples across the region, highlight the need to raise awareness amongst vulnerable communities in both source and destination countries and to ensure appropriate support mechanisms are in place.

INTERPOL GLOBAL TASK FORCE ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING The operation was the culmination of the two-and-a-half-year project funded by the Government of Canada, which provid-

ed specialised training to investigators and immigration officers in order to enhance operational expertise and regional coordination to combat human trafficking.

The programme is one of several projects under the INTERPOL Global Task Force on Human Trafficking, which received the backing of G7 Security Ministers last week.

Participating countries are Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Curacao, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands and Venezuela.

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Conditions at White Water Primary School improving

WHITE WATER Primary School, Region One, is now equipped

with a steady supply of electricity and the school’s library now

has more than 150 new, relevant textbooks and workbooks following a

visit by a senior education team.

These are but some of the many matters that are being addressed, to ensure that the over 180 students are being educated under the right conditions with the required resources.

As a result of the steady electricity supply, the students now have opportunities to access their computers and to listen to the various education-related radio and television programmes in real time with the students, along the coast.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Some of the textbooks and computers available for use by the children of the White Water Primary School

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Gov’t urged to intervene –– as Suriname reportedly calls off search for missing fishermen

By Nafeeza Yahya AS SURINAMESE news agency Actionnieuws reports that the search for the missing fishermen in Friday’s pirate attack has been called off, relatives of the men are calling on the Guyana Government to step in and continue the search in a bid to find them.

According to the news report, the search for the mostly Guyanese fishers was called off late Monday night after only one of the four boats was recovered.

The others were allegedly destroyed or were sunk.

Speaking with Guyana Chronicle, Bhagyashree Singh, the daughter-in-law of Ramesh Sanchara, 51, one of the missing fishermen, said

Survivor Darmandew Persaud her family has not received any updated information about the incident.

She travelled to the neighbouring country early Tuesday morning with other family members from the East Coast of Demerara in search of answers.

“We are not giving up.

He is a hard worker and we know he would fight for his life.”

She continued that fishermen are tough and endure untold hardship at sea and called on the Guyanese authorities to step in and continue the search.

Sanchara has been living between Guyana and Suriname for the past five years as he finds it more profitable to fish in Suriname. The pirate attack on Friday on four boats has left 16 fishermen feared dead, when their boats numbering four in total, were attacked off De Wiawia Bank, a fishing area in Suriname.

The men were reportedly chopped about their bodies, struck with bamboos and other objects to get them to comply with the demands of the pirates as their boats were looted.

Still after complying, the men were tied to anchors, batteries and other heavy objects and thrown overboard as their boats were destroyed.

SURVIVOR One of the four survivors, Darmandew Persaud, said he was tied with an anchor to his neck, beaten and chopped multiple times on parts of his body and thrown overboard.

Persaud stated that the boats carry a five-member crew and while he does not want to pronounce, he is doubtful his other crew members could have survived the onslaught at the hand of the pirates.

“They come to the boat and start chopping everyone.

Them man say they come to kill, tie anchor to we neck and throw we in the water, them men beat them up really bad.”

Recounting how he was able to survive, Persaud who has been working the high seas for over 40 years, said he managed to stay afloat in the water for many hours until daylight when he spotted a passing vessel and called out for help.

Persaud sustained chops about his body, including his right hand which is now paralysed. He is worried about the future of his children as it seems he will not be unable to provide for them.

Persaud, like many others, are disappointed with the decision by the Surinamese security forces for calling off the search.

KEY PLAYERS The Guyanese, he said, are the heart of the fishing industry in Suriname.

“We build this fishing industry here, without Guyanese fishing is nothing here, them nah get no care for us but we have private boats going out and continue the search because we know if was one of us we would expect them to come look for we. We need help though cause we can’t do it alone,”

he said.

Meanwhile, Joan Murray-Parris, the mother of one the youngest victim Glendon Jones, 21, was unable to control her tears as pleaded for the search to continue.

“My son is young, he has his whole life ahead of him, the whole dock [is] filled up here with people and them call off the search saying they can’t survive, we just want know for sure.”

Jones, two Thursdays ago, left for the fishing journey where he joined the rest of his crew in Paramaribo.

He was described as someone who loves the sea.

His sister, Jennel Jones, is also calling on the Guyanese authorities to intervene.

“I’m fearful for my brother, I’m still hoping he’s out there somewhere waiting on help and we need to get the Guyana Government more involved because I believe is people that they (fishermen) know, that is why they kill them, it’s people they bring home to us, as friends. It’s people they drink with that’s why they’re killing them because they know them and if they’re left alive they will talk,” she said.

Another missing Guyanese only identified as Ravi, also called “Brickmouth”, is feared dead. He was in the same boat as Persaud.

He was reportedly chopped several times, bounded by

Missing: Glendon Jones before he departed for sea

A damaged engine recovered from one of the boats

the hands and feet, a battery was tied to his neck and was thrown overboard.

It is unclear how many of the 16 missing fishermen are Guyanese but from what the Guyana Chronicle understands, the majority are either Guyanese living in Suriname or Guyanese who ply their trade there.

This publication under-

stands that the Guyanese ambassador to Surname was contacted on Monday and was instrumental in getting two boats to assist in the search on Monday evening; however, the relatives are calling for more boats and efforts, given the amount of time that has already elapsed since the attack.

The last major piracy attack in Guyana was in May 2017. Authorities have been calling for the installation of radio sets on all fishing vessels, as well as location beacons that can help solve this problem but many boat owners and operators are reluctant to purchase the costly equipment.

One of the boats that was recovered

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Teachers rally round GTU –– as Guyana celebrates yet another Labour Day

By Lisa Hamilton

a few teachers from the GTU Buxton and Upper West Bank Demerara branches, they told of the issues which affect the level of service they are able to provide.

One teacher of La Parfaite Harmonie Primary, Shavone Washington, said that access to school supplies for teachers is a common concern, and made recommendations for the resolution of this issue.

“Rather than teachers having to take the money out of their pockets to buy teaching aids,” she said, “we could address the issue whereby the government can set up a store or an area where teachers can get materials at a cheaper cost so that we can be more effective in the classroom.”

Another teacher from Nismes Primary by the name of Delana Jones said that the day-to-day curriculum delivery and teaching timetable in each region needs to be standardised to avoid confusion.

“We have one region

doing something different and another doing something different and then we meet together... “There’s a conflict of interest affecting the proper the delivery of education countrywide,” she said.

Members of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) Buxton Branch at the Labour Day parade (Photos by Delano Williams)

MARKED IMPROVEMENT However, reflecting on the past, she said that over the years, the general working conditions for teachers have been improving.

“There’s no doubt about it, things are getting better for the teaching profession but there is room for improvement,” she said. “We accept that everything cannot happen right away; that things take time; change takes time.”

Meanwhile, representing tertiary education workers

SOME 300 teachers and other workers in the education system on Tuesday joined in the annual Labour Day parade hosted in Georgetown, calling for improved working conditions and salaries.

The teachers rallied under the banner of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), and hailed from the Buxton and Upper West Bank Demerara branch, while other workers represented the University of Guyana (UG).

GTU President Mark Lyte, told the Guyana Chronicle that many in the union are eager to witness the progression of the multi-year remuneration package between the Ministry of Education and the GTU, which is currently awaiting Cabinet’s approval.

Once approved, the agreement will see teachers receiving several benefits such as salary increases, and

is expected to be signed into effect before the end of the current school year.

“We know that our teachers work very hard, so our presence here today is saying that in spite of all the challenges, we are quite committed to the task at hand of molding the nation’s children,” Lyte said.

A GROWING CONSCIOUSNESS Comparing past parades with the present one, Lyte said that there has been an increase in the number of teachers participating in the rally, which is indicative of a growing consciousness of the benefits of togetherness.

“This is a step in the right direction,” he said. “People are now understanding the value and importance of unionism, and the role of the union for workers for this country.”

Meanwhile, speaking to

UGSSA President, Jewel Thomas, and UGWU President, Bruce Haynes were members of the University of Guyana Workers Union (UGWU) and Senior Staff Association (UGSSA) along with presidents Bruce Haynes and Jewel Thomas.

Haynes told the newspaper that there are not enough mechanisms to support the “voice” of workers at the university, an issue which must be tackled from the root.

“There is a great imbalance,” he said, “in that the plans that are projected are not necessarily the plans that all of us want.”

He recommended careful planning, with the inclusion of all workers, despite their positions, to be part of the decision-making process which will help university heads to experience less resistance.

Adding to this, Thomas said that another urgent situation is the working conditions

of those at the institution.

“A big issue for us is working conditions, especially for some members of staff who are working in very sub-par conditions, and we’re not seeing any indications that the senior administration of the university are going to do anything about it this year,” she said.

Despite these challenges, Haynes is encouraging workers of the various unions to remain steadfast in their efforts to push for improved standards in the future.

“We have to stay together, we cannot fight one another. We have to stay together, it is the only way that we’re going to succeed.

The challenges are great, but once we work together we will overcome them,” he remarked.

‘Stand up! Speak out!’

– union leader urges, in bid to end workplace harassment

By Lisa Hamilton SHE sure didn’t pull her punches Tuesday morning when she criticised fellow trade unionists for holding on to power longer than they should and hogging the spoils that come with positions.

“We’ve had enough of those trade union leaders who want to hold on to those unions as though the unions belong to them; the unions belong to the membership,” she said, adding: “There are trade union leaders in this national park denying legitimate, bona fide public servants freedom of association; denying us the right to be part of the union

that we want to be of.”

She is Chair of the Guyana Trades Union Congress’s (GTUC) Women’s Advisory Committee (WAC), Karen Vansluytman-Corbin, and she was at the time speaking at the annual Labour Day rally at the National Park here in Georgetown.

But Vansluytman-Corbin was not yet done, as she had a few other choice things to say to her colleagues,such as that they owe it to workers to ensure that there is decent work for them, and that union funds are used for the development of the union and its membership.

“Funds should not be used for trade union tourism; not for your self-aggrandise-

ment; not to fill your pockets,” Vansluytman-Corbin said.

“Some of you are there, not for the outcome, but rather you are there for the income… Stop it! Be like Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow!” she added in obvious reference to the late founder of the trade union movement here in Guyana.

And, touching on the issues of victimisation, sexual harassment and unequal treatment in the workplace, Vansluytman-Corbin was characteristically frank, saying: “I want to tell you one thing: talk out! Stand up!

Speak out! It must stop!

“Some of us might be

causalties; we might lose our jobs, but you will get back another job! Stand up and in doing that, do not compromise yourself!”

Shifting her focus a tad, Vansluytman-Corbin called on national leaders both present and absent, to support women by developing policies which promote gender equality in the workplace.

Noting that many female workers have committed themselves as public servants to the country, but are downtrodden and “denied upward mobility” by some men in authority, she said: “We’ve had enough of it! Women have the competence, we have the capacity,

GTUC’s Karen Vansluytman-Corbin in full flow on Tuesday at the National Park (Photo by Samuel Maughn) we have the skills, we have ment of the Public Service, the knowledge, we have the which she said does not intellectual capabilities just function to the benefit of all like the men! So, remember public servants. us; treat us well. Do not Needless to say, sideline us.”

Vansluytman-Corbin’s And while on the subject message was well received of work and fair play, she by scores of persons in the seized the opportunity to audience who came out call for an investigation to in support of Labour Day be launched into the Depart- celebrations this year.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Labour Day Scenes

President David Granger is flanked by representatives of the Guyana Local Government Officers Union (GLGOU) at the union’s head office on Woolford Avenue.

Members of the government and trade union heads of the Labour Day parade (Photo by Delano Williams)

Members of the public on Durban Street watch as the parade moves along (Photo by Delano Williams)

Spectators at the National Park (Photo by Samuel Maughn)

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President David Granger being greeted at GTU head office Photo by Samuel Maughn

Junior Minister of Public Health, Karen Cummings and the ministry’s team (Photo by Delano Williams)

Cheerleaders from the Guyana Teachers Union perform a series of choreographed dance moves.

(Photo by Delano Williams)

Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes marches along with the Guyana Civil Servants and General Workers Union (GCS & GWU)

Members of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) came out in their number

The sound of steel pans marinated the parade (Photo by Delano Williams)

Some 3000 persons represented the various unions (Photo by Samuel Maughn)

(Photo by Delano Williams)

(Photo by Samuel Maughn)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Decent work high on govt’s agenda

… AG assures union leaders

By Navendra Seoraj IN keeping with the theme for Labour Day 2018, “Advancing solidarity; promoting employment and decent work,” Attorney General (AG), Basil Williams said decent work is what his government is aiming to provide.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) defined decent work as the aspirations of people in their working lives. It involves opportunities for work that is productive and delivers a fair income, security in the workplace and social protection for families, better prospects for personal development and social integration, freedom for people to express their concerns, organise and participate in the decisions that affect their lives and equality of opportunity and treatment for all women and men.

Goal eight of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is to promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. With that in mind, government had embarked on a mission to provide decent work, said the AG during his address to a sizeable crowd at the Labour Day rally in the National Park on Tuesday.

As part of their effort, they have been formulating policies for job-creation which must take “centre stage” for any developmental plan. And he believes that a major aspect of job-creation is decent work which must be seen as a principle in the drive to sustainable development.

Although their plans are straightforward, he said they cannot do it without the input of the trade unions. “We recognise the importance of consultation; government is a firm believer of inclusionary democracy,” said the Legal Affairs Minister.

Williams said the input of unions is important, because workers, most times, relay their concerns to the unions before it reaches the government. “Labour relations should be

conducted in the spirit of cooperation, so I am glad that the GTUC and FITUG joined together as one for the rally to advance workers’ rights and concerns,” he posited. The two groupings have restarted holding joint rallies since the change of government.

In the past, the workers’ concerns were not raised clearly because of the division in the trade union movement, but the unions have showed solidarity for two years and continue to grow. “We need to bridge the divide by working together to provide a vibrant and professional labour force to make us competitive in the global economy, and to harness and utilise the potential of our people,” the AG said, adding that the government has drafted an Industrial Relations Bill which will provide an “industrial code” to settle disputes.

The bill was sent to the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) for them to peruse before it is tabled in the National Assembly.

President of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU), Komal Chand, in his address said as bodies representing the country’s workers, “We cannot disregard the persistent difficulties which, for very many of us, have affected the quality of our life. Indeed, several challenges have surfaced over the recent years. We have observed that the prices of several staples have risen; there are increased rates and taxes; there is a threat of higher electricity costs on account of higher oil prices, and now there are increased water rates hanging over our heads.

We can neither disregard the all-pervasive VAT, as it now affects a wider range of products and even essential medical services. In the face of these burdens, it is painful to know that our pensioners are given for 2018 only got an increase of just over one dollar per day.”

SUGAR INDUSTRY He said Tuesday’s rally can also not dis-

Opposition MP Gillian Burton-Persaud sharing her thoughts with workers on Tuesday

AG Basil Williams addressing workers at the Labour Day rally on Tuesday (Samuel Maughn photos) regard the plight that has befallen thousands of our fellow workers in the sugar industry.

“Theirs would be yet another sad chapter in our country’s history. Over recent months, some 7,000 sugar workers have been sent home without any plan to address their welfare. Then to add pepper to the deep wound and contrary to our laws, some workers received only half of their severance payments and some others at Wales, none. For us this is one of the most callous of decisions ever made in living memory. Today, many of the workers who have been placed on the breadline remain right there, unable to find steady jobs and in some cases any job at all. The promises of saving sugar heard boisterously by persons now in government have proven to be hollow and empty.”

General-Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), Lincoln Lewis, spoke to the issue of social cohesion, noting that according to the United Nations, this concept is built on the principles of Social Inclusion, Social Capital and Social Mobility. “These can only be attained when serious programmes are put in place to realise this.” Lewis said the cultural events, though important, are not the totality of Social Cohesion. “Neither is the planting of trees and painting buildings green the totality of a Green Economy. Social Cohesion and a Green Economy are built on principles that promote and safeguard fundamental rights and freedoms/Rule of Law and the environment, where the welfare of the people is placed at the centre.”

He said too that talks about a Green Economy will be only talk in the absence of respecting and advancing the principles upon which such an economy is built. According to Lewis, human development cannot take place in a vacuum and without regard to the structures and measurement to bring about this. “This notion that the discovery of oil and gas will be the panacea of the nation’s development must be revisited, for development cannot take place

on a single resource; it requires the sustainable utilisation of all and government must put systems [in place] to make it possible.”

Lewis said too that development is also hinged on looking out for the vulnerable and indigent in our society. “We are seeing too many homeless and mentally challenged persons in the streets and something must be done to arrest the situation. Where such category of people find daily activities of living daunting, government has to lead the way in ensuring their dignity and respect.”

Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Gillian Burton-Persaud, said there have been many shortfalls, especially in the area of employment and economic development. Burton-Persaud claimed that thousands of workers were on the breadline because of the closure of businesses and the closure of sugar estates across the country. She called on workers and those who are unemployed to bond in unity in order to confront the challenges they face.

“We need an efficient and productive labour force; workers must be stress-free and have the ability to provide for their families,” said the MP. The AG however refuted her claims of increased unemployment, noting that the recent labour force survey found that unemployment dropped from 12.5 per cent to 12 per cent in the third quarter of 2017.

In addition, he said they have been working to right-size the sugar industry because it has been operating at a loss for many years. “We are trying to bring light and at this time we are right- sizing the sugar industry by diversifying and even cutting workers, because we have spent nearly one billion dollars a day on the industry since we came into office in 2015…despite all the challenges 11,000 workers are still employed with the industry,” he contended.

In addition, he said that government has been working to improve the livelihoods of all Guyanese and their recent decisions to increase the income tax threshold and wages/salaries are evidence of that.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 2, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 2, 2018

FIFA, CARICOM to sign Memorandum of Understanding – Youth football in focus – Primary Schools Football competition included REPRESENTATIVES of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Véron Mosengo-Omba, Director of Member Associations and Marlon Glean, Caribbean Regional Director, will visit Guyana from May 1 to 4 to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

The MoU will be signed at the 31st Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD), scheduled for Guyana and is aimed at fostering football development in the Region.

This initiative is a direct result from the inaugural visit to Guyana by FIFA president Gianni Infantino in 2017. He, along with president Wayne Forde, discussed a Regional Schools football programme with CARICOM Secretary-General, Irwin LaRocque.

The Secretary-General gave a commitment to pursue this initiative, which was further advanced by Honour-

able Minister of Education Nicolette Henry, who has successfully coordinated its inclusion on the meeting’s agenda.

A key element of the MoU is an emphasis on youth football development, particularly providing support to CARICOM Member States to strengthen their primary schools football competitions and, where it is non-existent, to assist with the development and execution of such competitions.

This will include the provision of necessary equipment to facilitate these competitions, including balls, bibs and cones.

FIFA is also keen to build capacity among the technical staff of the Region, including coaches, match

officials and administrators and seeks to assist with the development and training of all Physical Education teachers within the CARICOM region in football coaching and football management.

To foster the development of the sport, FIFA will engage CARICOM in assisting with hassle-free movement of all FIFA officials and FIFA Member Associations’ (MA) representatives, national teams and other MA officials as well as the reduction of travel and other related costs across the Region.

COHSOD promotes human and social development among Member Countries of CARICOM and was established under Article 17 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

GDF bent on retaining National Novices title

THE Guyana Defence Force (GDF) boxers are determined to keep their National Novices title when the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) stages the tournament this weekend at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue.

The Army will come up against perennial nemeses Republican Gym, Pocket Rocket, Guyana Police Force, Forgotten Youth Foundation, Rose Hall Jammers and Vergenoegen among others.

Tiger Woods will use new irons at Wells Fargo this week (REUTERS) - Tiger Woods will use a new set of irons at this week’s Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina, the 14-times major winner announced on Tuesday.

Woods has been trying out the TaylorMade clubs for a while, and has decided the time is right to put them to the test in the heat of competition.

“Phase 1 of irons development ... is complete.

Looking forward to teeing it up this week,” he said on Twitter ahead of Thursday’s first round in Charlotte.

The news comes more than a year after Woods signed with TaylorMade, and after a disappointing performance last month at the U.S. Masters.

Woods struggled with his irons on the way to finishing tied for 32nd.

“I felt I hit it well enough off the tee to do some things, but I hit my irons awful for the week,” he said after his final round at Augusta National.

Woods, in his seventh start of the year after a successful spinal fusion, will be joined at Quail Hollow by a strong field that also features Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Masters champion Patrick Reed.

McIlroy and Thomas have fond memories of

Quail Hollow. McIlroy recorded his first PGA Tour win there in 2010, while Thomas more recently made his major breakthrough at the PGA Championship.

The course set-up this week will be more forgiving than it was when Thomas won last August, with more grass around the greens expected to offer better lies for chip shots.

“It was really tough to chip around the greens (at the PGA) because it was so tight,” said defending champion Brian Harman, who won last year’s Wells Fargo at a different venue.

While Woods will consume most attention, fans with an eye on the future could do worse than watch Joaquin Niemann.

The 19-year-old from Chile finished sixth in his professional debut at the Texas Open two weeks ago.

“It gave me a lot of confidence,” said Niemann, who reckons his ability with the driver should hold him in good stead this week.

“Hitting fairways is one of my best parts of my game. I just need to hit fairways because the course is really long. You don’t want to hit fiveirons from the rough.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 2, 2018

43 days to go …

Hai t sto i, the le G nat ion erm tha any t ’s h ear t

I

N 1974, West Germany played hosts to the memorable World Cup of Johan Cruyff and Franz Beckenbauer.

However, there were other heroes that year; men from a small Caribbean nation who briefly stole the hearts of a watching world.

Haiti, a territory that shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic to its east, became only the second country from their small corner of the globe to feature in football’s summer festival.

But those 22 men who made the almost 5,000mile trip to Europe 44 years ago left a lasting impression on German soil and went some way towards putting their small island on the map.

Although Les Grenadiers did not claim a single point in the tournament, they left West Germany with pride and adoration, partly due to the day XI amateur footballers shocked Italy’s Dino Zoff.

The Azzurri goalkeeper had not conceded a goal in 12 international games heading into the opening tie of the competition and had also been part of a Juventus defence who went 903 minutes unchallenged; but all that was quickly about to change.

H o w e v e r, n o b o d y watching on inside Munich’s Olympiastadion could have foreseen what was to come, as 20 minutes

in, Emmanuel Sanon, the only man in Haitian history to this day to score at a World Cup, rounded Zoff to give the 1973 CONCACAF Championship-winning side a shock lead.

“Italy had Zoff who had that incredible record”, Philippe Vorbe, who provided the assist for the goal, said. “Once I got the ball at my feet I

Azzurri came back to win 3-1, but the amateurs from Haiti had provided a moment they or indeed the footballing world would never forget.

“The Footballers of Haiti, who came from the Caribbean for this World Cup knowing that at best they would be patronised, at worst dismissed as imposters, gave the competition one of its genuinely electric moments here tonight when they took the lead against Italy – by beat-

Emm a onl nuel S hav y Haitia anson Cup e scor n play is the ed e d only uring t at a W r to heir orld app o e tour nam arance ne and ent a in 1 t the 974 .

looked up, and I saw Sanon, who was in space because there was only one defender. Sanon was one-on-one with Zoff, and we were all transfixed wondering what he would do. Would he shoot? Would he try to go around him?

“He dropped a shoulder, he took Zoff out of the game, and he scored. This was really the most beautiful joy of our careers, even of our lives; to score against Italy. It was so fantastic.”

Italy versus Haiti 1974 at the Olympiastadion in Munich

Haiti at the 1974 World Cup

ing Dino Zoff, a goalkeeper who had not conceded a goal in an international match since September 1972”, The Guardian read that evening.

H o w e v e r, t h e o v e rwhelming pride, spirit and sensation that had been instilled into Haiti following their performance against Italy quickly diminished when facing Poland during their second group match, with the

Eastern Europeans steamrolling the Haitians 7-0.

“It was as different as day is tonight in comparison to the performance against Italy”, Vorbe, known today as his nation’s most complete midfielder in its history, recalled. “We were literally destroyed by Poland. We lost 7-0, and I think it could have been more.

“It was a sad thing to happen. It was a sad thing for the World Cup, with so much sympathy for Haid e eat a def nich; ti.” n i t n Arge -1 in Mu n De4 a Haiti Caribbe y s p ite l e n h t ’s o t a n o losing i t na ea aranc their appe rld Cup. final Wo group game to Argentina, which brought an end to the World Cup journey, the squad, who had made the trans-Atlantic trip to West Germany to represent an unknown nation, were happier as again there was something to celebrate.

Sanon found possession 30 yards from goal before unleashing a thunderbolt through a crowd of Argentine players and finding the top right-hand corner of the net. The striker had restored levels of unrivalled joy, and had Cruyff or Beck-

enbauer not graced the tournament, it could have been held as one of the 1974 World Cup’s most spectacular moments.

“It was really a beautiful goal”, Vorbe said. “We ended up with two superb goals scored with honour.”

And despite going down 4-1 to Argentina, rounding off the tournament with three defeats from the same number of outings, it was Sanon’s duo of sensational strikes that allowed Haiti to escape heading home bottom in the tournament’s rankings.

“We managed not to finish last in that World Cup because we scored two goals,” Vorbe explained.

“Bulgaria and Zaire didn’t manage to score, so in FIFA’s classification Haiti came out as 14th out of the 16 teams. We were very happy with our World Cup.” Today, the squad of ‘74 remain men of history in Haiti as their only national side to have ever qualified for a World Cup. “We have a lot of respect for the team of 1974”, Haiti international and former Paris Saint-Germain forward Jean-Eudes Maurice said. “They put Haitian football on the world map. Now we’re desperate to carry on and go as far as possible, and hopefully, there will be another generation like that.”

Haiti will not be part of Russia 2018. However, the dream of Qatar in 2022 is still very much alive.

28

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Madrid see off Bayern to reach third straight Champions League final

By Richard Martin

MADRID, Spain (Reuters) - Holders Real Madrid reached the Champions League final for a third year in a row after taking advantage of Bayern Munich’s carelessness in attack and defence, to draw 2-2 in their semi-final second leg yesterday, winning 4-3 on aggregate.

Bayern defender Joshua Kimmich put them in front in the third minute at the Santiago Bernabeu but Karim Benzema levelled with a free header in

the 11th. A goalkeeping howler from Bayern’s Sven Ulreich then allowed Benzema to tap in Madrid’s second at the start of the second half.

James Rodriguez, on loan from Madrid, hit a deserved equaliser for Bayern in the 63rd minute to set up a gripping finale but the Spaniards clung on despite waves of pressure from the visitors, to become the first team since Juventus in 1998 to reach the final for three years in succession.

They will meet either Liverpool or AS Roma in the final

in Kiev on May 26, where they will bid to become the first side since Bayern in 1976 to win the competition three years in a row.

Madrid had ridden their luck to win the first leg in Munich 2-1 after Bayern had missed a slew of chances and Zinedine Zidane’s side made the most of their few opportunities.

Madrid fans unfurled a giant banner before kickoff stating, “We will defend the throne, we will capture glory”, but Bayern launched an early assault on their king-

dom as David Alaba came rushing forward only to pass into the hands of keeper Keylor Navas.

Bayern came back down the other flank and landed their first punch when Sergio Ramos failed to clear a cross and Kimmich gleefully knocked home from close range.

livered the perfect cross for Benzema to nod calmly in at the back post.

An end-to-end game ensued, with midfield frequently being bypassed by long balls up to the forwards.

Bayern could have re-taken the lead when striker Robert Lewandowski was foiled by

They sealed their own demise, though, when Ulreich lost his footing as he tried to control a back pass from Corentin Tolisso, allowing Madrid’s much-maligned striker Benzema to tap in what proved to be the killer blow.

Bayern still created chances before and after

Real Madrid’s two-goal hero Karim Benzema celebrates.

(Photo: Christof Stache/AFP/Getty Images)

It was the third consecutive home game in the knockout stages that Madrid had fallen behind, but they kept their composure and soon found an equaliser.

A superb cross-field ball from Luka Modric was controlled by Marcelo who de-

Madrid goalkeeper Navas and Rodriguez sent the rebound flying over the bar from close range.

Bayern finished the half strong, but were left fuming at a failed penalty appeal when a shot from Kimmich struck Marcelo’s arm.

Rodriguez’s goal.

Navas denied the Colombian and Mats Hummels headed wide from a corner in stoppage time, sealing Bayern’s fifth consecutive Champions League exit to a Spanish side, and their third to Madrid in that time.

Cummings Lodge Secondary win PKF Barcellos Narine & Co. cricket competition THE PKF Barcellos, Narine and Company’s Schoolboys cricket competition was played at the D’Urban Park tarmac last Saturday.

Twelve schools took part but Cummings Lodge Secondary emerged the victors.

In the final, Cummings Lodge defeated the Institute of

Academy of Excellence (IAE).

IAE batted first and scored 35 runs for the loss of 6 wickets, in their allotted six overs. Chasing 36 for victory Cummings Lodge knocked off the runs in just 4.5 overs with Imtiaz Dearam top-scoring with 20.

Earlier in the semi-finals, IAE had defeated Sophia who Race 8 World Elite

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made 54-6, IAE chased down that total in 5.2 overs.

Meanwhile Cummings Lodge beat RBI in the other semi-final, RBI, batting first, managed a paltry 27-4.

Cummings Lodge made light work of chasing down the total in 4.5 overs losing just two wickets.

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29

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 2, 2018

India widen gap at the top of Test rankings

Rozier stars as Celtics ease past 76ers in game one THE Boston Celtics flexed their muscles at home to earn a 117-101 win over the Philadelphia 76ers in game one of their NBA Eastern Conference semi-final.

Boston, playing without shooting guard Jaylen Brown who was ruled out minutes before the game, had three players step up in his absence on Monday.

Virat Kohli poses with the Test mace. (BCCI)

INDIA are now the No.1 Test team by a larger margin than they were last month.

This is a result of the ICC’s annual update to the rankings, which happens on May 1 every year. India have gained four points after the update, while South Africa have dropped five points, meaning the gap between the two has increased from four to 13.

Bangladesh, meanwhile, have broken into the top eight of the Test rankings for the first time ever, going past West Indies - the team from the Caribbean has dropped to a record low at No.9.

The ICC’s rankings system works as follows: matches played over the previous four years are taken into consideration, with the oldest matches in the cycle being left out in May of every year. For the current cycle, matches played from May 2015 to April 2017 carry 50% weightage, while matches played since then carry 100% weightage. As the No.1 ranked team, India will

receive a cash prize of US$1M from the ICC. Mushfiqur Rahim, who was Bangladesh’s Test captain till late last year, said the update was a fair representation of the team’s form over the past few years. “I think our graph is going upwards, which is a good feeling. We have progressed quite well in ODIs. We haven’t gone to that level in T20s but we did well in the

last T20 tournament. But in Tests, the progress has been over the last four-five years. It is showing in our ranking.

“As it isn’t possible to improve by playing one good series, our focus should be on working harder. We need to work that much more to climb up in the rankings. We have those players with the ability to take us further.”

(ESPN Cricinfo)

Prize pot of £34M on offer at ‘greener’ Wimbledon

By Ossian Shine LONDON, England (Reuters) - Wimbledon announced a hefty prize-pot hike yesterday, along with a new sustainability project aimed at ensuring it is not just the grass courts that remain green at the All England Club.

Organisers of the oldest grand slam tournament revealed a prize fund of £34M for the 2018 championships, up 7.6 percent from last year.

That figure includes awards of £2.25M each for the men’s and women’s champions – an increase on the £2.2M Roger Federer and Garbine Muguruza received in 2017.

Organisers also issued a warning that players who compete while knowingly carrying an injury, and quit mid-match, face being docked all their first-round prize money. The move is aimed at preventing a repeat of the rash of retirements in early action last year.

“In the wake of first-round

withdrawals we pledged to act on it, and we have done so,” Wimbledon chief executive Richard Lewis told reporters.

“We were very influential in the creation and adoption of the 50-50 rule and hope the introduction of it will play a significant role in mitigating the problems of first-round singles retirements.”

Under the new rule, if an injured player withdraws onsite

after midday on the Thursday before the Championships they will receive 50 percent of the first-round prize money. The replacement ‘lucky-loser’ will get the other 50 percent.

With pound signs dominating the headlines at the club in leafy south-west London, tournament organisers also underlined their commitment to combating corruption in the sport and rolling out a sustain-

ability programme.

STRAW BAN Central to the “greening” of the championships is a ban on plastic straws - some 400 000 were used at last year’s tournament - the introduction of electric vehicles in the courtesy car fleet; additional water-fill points around the grounds and the provision of paper bags at Wimbledon’s shops.

FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Wimbledon - London, Britain - July 13, 2017 General view on centre court of Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova in action during her semi final match against Spain’s Garbine Muguruza REUTERS/Tony O’Brien

Boston Celtics Terry Rozier starred with 29 points,eight rebounds and six assists

Terry Rozier starred for the young Celtics – still missing Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward – with 29 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

Al Horford posted 26 points and seven rebounds, while rookie Jayson Tatum added 28 points for the Celtics.

Injuries have plagued this elite team all season, but it has never really seemed to bother them. The Celtics have lost the likes of Hayward, Irving, Marcus Smart and most recently “Sustainability is an important and necessary area of focus, particularly for major events,” Lewis said. “We have put in place a sustainability vision which is to sustain the running of the club, and the championships in a way that minimises the impact on our environment.”

Organisers also reiterated they would be implementing rules first announced last November.

In addition to stripping players of their first-round prize money if they pull out of a match or perform to what the club deems “below professional standards”, Wimbledon will strictly enforce warm-up timing to speed up the game, but will also extend the time allowed between

Brown to injuries, forcing them to change their tactics.

But every time someone goes down, someone else steps up.

Despite all the losses, Boston continue to score and shoot at a proficient rate.

Injuries are never fun for coaches, but Brad Stevens has to be pleased with the way some of his younger players have stepped up this season when called upon.

Joel Embiid is a monster on both ends of the court. The agile centre scored 31 points with 13 rebounds on Monday, but the young 76ers still have something missing. Ben Simmons scored 18 points with seven rebounds and six assists, and J.J. Redick added 20 points. Still, several of Philadelphia’s impact players failed to contribute in the series opener.

Guys like Dario Saric, Robert Covington and Markelle Fultz (who did not play because of coach’s decision) will ultimately need to become more consistent for this team to reach their full potential. It could happen this series; it could never happen. That is what makes the 76ers so exciting right now.

It can be a little difficult trying to sit through some regular season NBA games.

Guys just stand around as guards drive through the lane unopposed and dunk. But the Celtics played tough defence all season, and that has continued into the playoffs.

Boston held the 76ers to just 42.2 per cent shooting, and just 19 per cent from three-point range. Tatum and Horford are great onthe-ball defenders, and Rozier has developed into a dangerous two-way player.

If the Celtics continue to lock down on defence they may be hard to beat leading up to the NBA Finals. points from 20 to 25 seconds.

Wimbledon’s 2018 prize money eclipses the Aus$55M (£30.2M) paid out at January’s first grand slam of the year in Melbourne, but at current exchange rates is just shy of the 39.2 million Euros (£34.5M) on offer at the French Open starting later this month.

The U.S. Open, the final grand slam of the tennis calendar starting in August, is yet to announce its prize money.

Wimbledon, the only grand slam event to be played on grass, will take place from July 2 to 15.

This year’s championships mark the 150th anniversary of the club - 50 years of Open tennis and 125 years of the women’s singles championships.

30

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 2, 2018

RCB beat Mumbai Indians despite Pandya heroics ROYAL Challengers Bangalore (RCB) stopped the rot with a 14-run Indian Premier League (IPL) victory over Mumbai Indians despite an excellent all-round display from Hardik Pandya.

RCB had lost two consecutive matches to give themselves plenty of work to do in their quest for a top-four finish, but they claimed only a third win of the tournament at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium yesterday.

Manan Vohra top-scored with 45 on a dry pitch, but the RCB lost their way, Brendon McCullum (37) and captain Virat Kohli (32) failing to go on after getting starts, posting 167-7.

Pandya took 3-28 and made 50 off only 42 balls, but the RCB bowlers were much improved and raised their game in the field to claim an important victory.

Defeat for defending champions Mumbai leaves them facing a major battle to reach the semi-finals.

Vohra made his presence felt in only his third appearance of the tournament, smashing four sixes at the top of the order.

JP Duminy suffered at the hands of the opener, who hit two sixes and two fours in four balls during a fourth over which went for 22.

Pandya made a nightmare start, conceding seven runs off

one ball when McCullum (37 from 25) hit a delivery above waist height over the ropes before taking full advantage of the free hit with a ramp for six to take 13 off one legal ball.

runs in the space of four overs.

Colin de Grandhomme flexed his muscles in the final over with what proved to be a key contribution, emulating McCullum by hitting a full

The RCB bowlers have come in for some flak, but delivered under pressure on this occasion.

Mumbai slumped to 84-5 when Umesh Yadav produced

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their first goal on April 24. (REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo)

By Simon Evans

For once, RCB’ death bowling was accurate enough, with Tim Southee and Mohammed Siraj providing the hosts with a 14-run victory. (BCCI)

Pandya was in no mood to feel sorry for himself, running former New Zealand captain McCullum out with a superb direct hit to leave RCB 121-3 in the 15th over.

The India star also saw the back of Mandeep Singh and Washington Sundar as the RCB lost five wickets for 22

toss from fellow Black Cap Mitchell McClenaghan for six off what would have been the last ball and doing the same again with the free hit. de Grandhomme had already smashed the fourth delivery off the final over - which cost 24 - for a maximum to finish unbeaten on 23 off 10.

a great piece of fielding to send Duminy on his way and also finished with figures of 2-29.

Tim Southee (2-25) and Mohammed Siraj (2-28) also made an impact, the former dismissing Pandya in the final over to all but end the contest. (Yahoo Sport)

Baksh returned as president of Blairmont Centre Cricket Club BLAIRMONT Centre Cricket Club (BCCC) hosted its 8th Annual General Meeting (AGM) last Thursday in the Roy Fredericks pavil-

Salah voted England’s Footballer-of-the-Year

ion of the Blairmont Estate Community Centre that saw businessman Shabeer Baksh being returned unopposed as president for period 2018-

2019.

Baksh will have as his vice-president Mohamed Razack, Vejai Frahad as treasurer and Omesh Prashad as

The executive members of BCCC for the period 2018-2019

his assistant. Retired Headmistress Zoilka Ishahack is the new secretary and Ameer Rahim will be her assistant.

Other committee members elected are; Anil Sukra Shizad Ali, Jerry Karim, Radesha Persaud, Tony Tageram, Mark Singh and Selena Sipchand.

In an invited comment with Chronicle Sport, Baksh said, “I’m enthusiastic and look forward to working with the new elected executives for a bright and better 2018-2019 period.”

Baksh welcomed the inclusion of a female in the administration and mentioned this being the first time since the club’s revival in 2010 that female members have been elected. The main goal of the newly-elected Executive is to make BCCC the best in Guyana, he concluded.

The executives will meet tomorrow at the same venue to form various committees and plan the working programme for period 20182019. (Colin Bynoe)

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - Liverpool’s Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah has been voted Footballerof-the-Year by the Football Writers’ Association (FWA) to complete the double of English soccer’s major individual awards.

Salah was chosen as Player-of-the-Year by the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) after an outstanding season in which he has scored 43 goals in all competitions.

The 25-year-old is the first African player to win the FWA award which began in 1948.

Salah narrowly beat Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne in a ballot of over 400 FWA members, with the winning margin less than 20 votes. Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane was placed third.

“What a race it has been between two players who, in a relatively short time, have reached genuine world class.

But Mo Salah is the worthiest of winners. He is also the first African to receive the award and we congratulate him on a magnificent season,” FWA Chairman Patrick Barclay said.

Salah has helped Liverpool, who are third in the Premier League, into the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in 10 years.

The Merseyside club will face AS Roma in the second leg in the Italian capital today and lead 5-2 from the opening game at Anfield in which Salah scored twice and set up two other goals.

Salah will head to the World Cup in Russia in June to play for Egypt who have been drawn with the hosts, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in Group A. Other players to receive votes from FWA members were Sergio Aguero (Manchester City), Christian Eriksen (Tottenham), Roberto Firmino (Liverpool), Nick Pope (Burnley), David Silva (Manchester City), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) and Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham).

The inaugural FWA Women’s Footballer-of-the-Year Award was won by Chelsea and England forward Fran Kirby who was also crowned PFA Women’s Player-of-theYear last month.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Wednesday May 02, 2018)

COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Deccan Chargers (2) Royal Challengers Bangalore Today’s Quiz: (1) Who won the Man of the Match Award in the

2009 IPL final?

(2) Who was Man of the Series in IPL 2009?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

31

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Harper bestowed with RHTYSC, MS Dolphin Award of Excellence … applauds club for its achievements

By Colin Bynoe Jr FORMER Guyana and West Indies cricketer, Roger Harper, showered words of praise on 2016 Medal of Service (MS) recipient, Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, at their 28th Awards Ceremony which was held last Sunday.

Harper said that he was not surprised by the work RHTYSC, MS has done and particularly praised the club for producing National cricketers.

“We must appreciate that through its work not only to help produce and build Guyana’s success on the cricket field, but I think through instilling the right values and qualities in our youths, we help to produce better citizens of this country.”

He said the programmes done by the RHTYSC help to make a difference in some of the unfortunate communities and underprivileged people in the country, hence his congratulations to the club..

Harper took the opportunity to publicly pass on good wishes to Hilbert Foster on attaining the top position in Berbice Cricket. Harper, who is president of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) and a former West Indies cricketer also emphasised, “While Guyana has been very successful in the regional competitions a lot of that success has been built on the hard work done in the areas and county such as Berbice, the East Coast, and Georgetown in particular.”

Finally in his brief presentation, Harper firmly expressed his desire for cricket in Guyana and the region to improve. Areas such as Berbice, the East Coast and Georgetown will need to continue raising their game and keep producing players of a higher standard. This will ensure that the quality of cricket in the country and the region improves. Harper closed his presentation with words of “thank you” to the club for recognising his efforts.

Harper made these comments after he was awarded with the RHTYSC, MS Dolphin Award of Excellence for being a positive Role Model to Youth and an Outstanding Friend of the Club.

Suspended Beaton to join CWI bowling camp

Roger Harper shares the moment at the RHTYSC Award Ceremony with young male and female cricketers who received cricket bats.

Wimbledon 2018

Serena Williams could be top seed on return

By Jonathan Jurejko

SEVEN-time champion Serena Williams could still be made the number one seed at Wimbledon this year, even if the American does not climb back into the world’s top 32 before the tournament.

seeding if she was ranked outside the 32 in the runup to the tournament, which starts on July 2.

However, the club later issued a statement clarifying that its committee had the discretion to seed a player for the Championships regardless of their ranking.

before losing to older sister Venus then going out to Japan’s rising star Naomi Osaka in round one at Miami.

After Indian Wells, world number one Simona Halep said she believed Serena Williams “should have been given top seed”, while

July.

Murray, 31, has not played competitively since losing in the Wimbledon quarter-finals last year because of a hip injury.

The Scot had surgery in January and has been back training on court, but is extremely unlikely to climb

Ronsford Beaton will join the CWI bowling camp to work on his flawed bowling action.

RONSFORD Beaton, who has been banned from bowling in international cricket after failing an independent assessment of his bowling action, has been included in Cricket West Indies’ fast-bowling camp now on in Antigua.

“In accordance with the regulations, Beaton’s international suspension will also be recognised and enforced by all National Cricket Federations for domestic cricket events played in their own jurisdiction, save that, with the consent of Cricket West Indies (CWI), Beaton may be able to play in domestic cricket events in the Caribbean under the auspices of the CWI,” the ICC said in a statement yesterday.

The response from CWI was almost immediate.

“Cricket West Indies wishes to acknowledge a report from the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding the suspension

of fast bowler, Ronsford Beaton. The ICC is reporting that Beaton has failed an independent assessment and will not be permitted to bowl in international cricket,” a statement from CWI said.

“Beaton will, therefore, join the fast bowling camp now on in Antigua as part of his remedial programme, following which he will undergo a reassessment process; which, if successful, will allow him to participate at the international level.”

Director of Cricket, Jimmy Adams says CWI is fully committed to working with Beaton during this period of remedial work which will hopefully accelerate his successful re-admission to the professional game.

Beaton was reported for suspect action during the second ODI against New Zealand last December. (Sportsmax)

Serena Williams won her most recent Wimbledon title against Angelique Kerber in 2016.

Wi l l i a m s , 3 6 , h a s dropped to 449th in the world since giving birth last year.

She believes players returning from pregnancy should have protected seedings as well as protected rankings.

Richard Lewis, chief executive of the All England Club, told BBC Sport that it was a “big decision”.

Lewis said initially he thought it was “unlikely” Williams would be given a

“The seeding order follows the WTA ranking list, except where in the opinion of the committee, a change is necessary to produce a balanced draw,” the club said.

The seeding meeting is due to take place on June 26.

Williams, who gave birth to daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr in September, has played four singles matches since returning to action, reaching the last 32 in Indian Wells

Andy Murray went out in the quarter-final stage at last year’s Wimbledon.

Miami tournament director James Blake said the seeding rules for players returning from pregnancy were “a kind of punishment”.

‘MURRAY CAN’T BE GIVEN SPECIAL SEEDING’ Despite the possibility for Williams, Britain’s two-time men’s champion Andy Murray will not be seeded if he is not ranked in the top 32 when the Championships begin in

back into the top 32 before Wimbledon.

“We take into account grass-court results from preceding years but the agreement we have with the ATP is based on computer formula,” Lewis said.

“Andy wouldn’t be put in the top 32 if he isn’t in that formula.”

It means Murray could be drawn against, for example, Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal in the first round. (BBC Sport)

FIFA, CARICOM to sign Memorandum of Understanding

See Page 26

– Youth football in focus – Primary Schools Football competition included

See Page 31

FIFA official Mosengo-Omba during a courtesy call on Minister Nicolette Henry in February 2017 in the presence of president Wayne Forde (right) and First vice-president Brigadier (Ret.) Bruce Lovell

GDF bent on retaining National Novices title

Roger Harper receives the RHTYSC, MS Dolphin Award of Excellence for being a positive Role Model to Youths and an Outstanding Friend of the Club from Regional Chairman David Armogan. (Colin Bynoe photos)

AIBA Three Star coach Terrence Poole poses with his confident boxers during a training session, yesterday.

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See Pag e 26

WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 2018