Guyana chronicle e paper 07 02 2018

MONDAY 2nd JULY, 2018

No.105323

Happy

Day CARICOM

Two better than one

–– Harmon joins chorus to keep old harbour bridge

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The Demerara Harbour Bridge was commissioned on July 2, 1978, an undertaking Minister of State Joseph Harmon described as an infrastructural masterpiece

Motivated by their struggles

Dimitry Waldron

–– poor, physically challenged students excel at NGSA

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Zaria Jacobis

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, July 2, 2018

Two better than one

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, July 2, 2018

–– Harmon joins chorus to keep old harbour bridge

By Lisa Hamilton

MINISTER of State Joseph Harmon has numbered himself among those in favour of utilising the services of the Demerara Harbour Bridge, even after the government will have completed construction of a modern bridge linking the east and west regions.

Speaking at the 40th anniversary celebration of the Demerara Harbour Bridge on Sunday, Harmon said: “Two bridges are better than one. I see no sensible reason to decommission one when we have another one. So from over there, where I’m responsible for politically, I would want to say that I would lend my voice to that chorus which says that we should keep both bridges.”

Harmon, in his address at the Umana Yana, said that the new bridge is necessary to meet the needs of Guyana’s rapid developments and to manage the traffic increase across the river.

At the anniversary ceremony of the bridge which was commissioned on July 2, 1978, Harmon described the undertaking as an “indigenous piece of Guyanese infrastructure.”

He reminded his audience that it was under the leadership of former President Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham that the bridge was built and that it was just one

on a list of developmental initiatives intended to transform the country at the time.

“President Burnham spearheaded the construction of the bridge which ushered in instantaneous, positive economic and social changes in Regions Two, Three, Four and Seven,” he said.

The minister of state added: “There were some people who felt that this bridge was not going to work and it was not going to float… and so there was a particular party at that time that discouraged people from using the bridge, because of that idea. But [it is good that] that instruction was not recognised by persons who felt that it was important enough for them to use that bridge to engage in their activities.”

BUILD NATIONAL UNITY Despite these attempts to stir up fear and division, Harmon said that another one of Burnham’s motives, with the construction of the bridge, was to build national unity with the linking of the two river banks.

“I don’t’ believe any person, particularly from Regions Three and Four, would forget the sight of thousands of Guyanese from the eastern end of the bridge following President Burnham, while persons from the western end of the bridge followed

Dr. Ptolemy Reid and the euphoria which took place when the two sides met in the middle of the bridge,” Harmon reminisced.

Over time, due to inefficient maintenance, the bridge experienced disruptions such as the sinking of two piers in 1998 and other accidents which the minister said although noteworthy, does not overshadow the numerous benefits the structure has provided.

“Over the past 40 years, the Demerara Harbour Bridge has had its fair shares of challenges, but it has stood the test of time. The greatest positive impact on the economic and social development of Guyana from the time of its construction to date cannot be denied and by far outweighs the periodic technical problems and cost of maintenance of that bridge,” he said.

INFRASTRUCTURAL MARVEL Harmon added that the bridge, which was criticised as having the ability to last only 10 years, has surpassed predicted limits by 30 years and is testimony to the quality of infrastructural works done since in the 1970s.

He commended the works of the bridge’s Project Manager Joseph Holder, stating that as the govern-

Minister of State Joseph Harmon at the Umana Yana for the 40th Anniversary of the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DPI photo) ment repositions technical education on the forefront of the education system, the structure’s existence can serve as a positive example to Guyanese youths.

Meanwhile, remarks came too from Junior Minister of Public Infrastructure Annette Ferguson, who congratulated the harbour bridge staff and encouraged them to uphold values of integrity and efficiency in their daily work.

“I want to challenge the management and staff of the Demerara Harbour Bridge to

‘Rediscover your values’

THE Guyana Police Force on Sunday morning held a Drumhead Service to kick off its 179th anniversary celebration, at the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) Drill Square, Police Headquarters, Eve Leary.

continue working diligently and with excellence as we continue to serve the Guyanese public. Let us also uphold those values that are consistent with the expectation of the travelling public,” she urged.

Demerara Harbour Bridge General Manager Rawlston Adams called for comprehensive work to be done to fully document the history of the floating platform.

Approximately 22,000 vehicles traverse the 1.15 miles harbour bridge daily, which also retracts horizon-

tally, allowing for the passage of large vessels.

Prior to its construction, persons navigating from places west of the Demerara River relied on the Transport and Harbours Department ferry which did not provide a 24-hour service.

However, when commissioned, the structure gained international prominence as the world’s longest floating bridge and attracts visitors each year to witness the engineering phenomenon.

–– Rev. Massiah tells police officers Amidst rain showers, the Drumhead Service featured songs, scriptures reading, prayers and thanksgiving,

along with the piling of drums and laying of flags as the first event among many others throughout the month

A section of the attendees at the Drumhead service

of July.

Attending the service was Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan; Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force Brigadier Patrick West; Commissioner of Police (ag) David Ramnarine; Chief Fire Officer Marlon Gentle; Director of Prisons (ag) Gladwin Samuels; several officers and ranks of the Joint Services; and members of the diplomatic corps and other invitees.

GPF Chaplain, Reverend Patrick Doolichand opened the service with a prayer and was followed by the piling of the drums and the laying of the flags which was done by an all-female unit.

Reverend Murtland Massiah delivers the charge at the Drumhead Service Delivering the feature cherish those values and you address, Reverend Murt- must protect those values land Raphael Massiah and make those values clear commended the force for and don’t shift from it, by the good work they have embracing those values, you done for the citizens of will survive [another] 179 Guyana in the past 179 years.” years. He encouraged the The Drumhead Service officers to rediscover and concluded with a benedicuphold the values they tion by Reverend Massiah, were raised on singing of the national an“You must re-discover them and the unpiling of your set of values, you must the drums. (DPI)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, July 2, 2018

Russians protest over Eleven family members found dead in house in India retirement age hike

MOSCOW (Reuters) Thousands of Russians protested on Sunday over a government decision to increase the retirement age, but there were no demonstrations in the cities hosting the World Cup because of security restrictions in force during the tournament.

Sunday’s protests were led by supporters of Alexei Navalny, the most prominent Kremlin critic. Navalny said his supporters staged protests in 39 cities across the country, from Russia’s Pacific Coast to Murmansk, near the border with Norway.

Most of the rallies had been approved by local authorities, and there were no reports of arrests.

Navalny published photos of the protests with people carrying placards with slogans including “Raise the pension, not the pension age!” and “Hands off our

Thousands of Russians protested on Sunday over a government decision to increase the retirement age (Reuters photo),

pensions!”

There were also some street protests organised by other political forces, including communists.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, said last month that the government wanted to raise the retirement age for men by five years, to 65 from 60, and for women by eight years, to 63 from 55.

The reason given for

the proposed reform was to ease intense pressure on state coffers. Critics say the retirement age in many regions is higher than life expectancy.

According to some opinion polls, Putin’s approval rating fell to 69 percent from 75 per cent after the plans for the retirement age were announced.

Under a presidential decree issued to pave the way for the World Cup, Putin introduced heightened security measures in the 11 cities hosting matches. That gave additional powers to local authorities to ban demonstrations.

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Eleven members of a family were found dead in India’s capital on Sunday, most of them hanging from the ceiling of their home, blindfolded, gagged and with hands tied behind the back, with police unable to offer any concrete explanation about what happened.

A police statement said some handwritten notes were found in the house “which point towards observance of some definite spiritual/ mystical practices by the whole family”.

“These notes have strong similarity with the manner

in which the mouths, eyes etc. of the deceased were tied and taped.” This angle was being investigated and a case of murder registered, the statement said.

The home of those who died is above a grocery store the family owned in the Burari district in a northern part of Delhi. It is near to where three people were killed and several injured in a shootout between two gangs just two weeks ago, but police said there was no apparent link.

Sunday’s dead were four men and seven women, including teenagers and a 75-year-old woman who was found on the floor. The

others were hanging from a railing attached to the ceiling, media reports said.

Police said the family included the woman, her two sons and their wives, a daughter and grandchildren.

A neighbor found the victims early on Sunday, police said.

All the family members had died and there were no witnesses. Neighbors had not heard anything untoward, police said.

According to media reports, the family migrated to the capital from the northwestern state of Rajasthan about two decades ago and police were trying to get in touch with relatives there.

French gangster flees prison in spectacular helicopter escape PARIS (Reuters) - A French gangster is on the run after being sprung from jail by heavily armed gunmen and escaping in a helicopter that landed in the prison grounds, the justice minister said on Sunday.

Redoine Faid was serving a 25-year sentence at a prison

south of Paris for an armed robbery that went wrong and led to the death of a policewoman in 2010.

He is one of the country’s most infamous gangsters with a long criminal career, which he has said was inspired

by Hollywood blockbuster movies such as “Scarface” and “Heat”.

Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet said a helicopter landed in a courtyard, which was not covered by any nets.

“This was a spectacular escape. It was an extremely

well-prepared commando unit that may have used drones to survey the area beforehand,” she told reporters.

Two gunmen jumped from the helicopter to free Faid from the visitors’ room where he was meeting one of his brothers before escaping in the helicopter, she said. A third gunman had stayed in the helicopter with the pilot, who had been taken hostage.

Nobody was injured and the brother was arrested by police.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, July 2, 2018

Tourism association warns C’bean gov’ts about high air travel taxes BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) has warned governments in the region about the adverse effects of high air travelrelated taxes and fees on travel as they wrestle with balancing budgets.

“We recognise the challenges facing countries, but it is our duty to point out that taxing for additional revenue may have a reverse effect as tourists may choose not to travel to or within the Caribbean and instead select other destinations because of the high cost of our destinations,” said CHTA’s Director General and Chief Executive Officer Frank Comito.

In such a case, Comito said not only would the governments see fewer tax revenues, but local businesses would likely suffer.

“High upfront taxes also typically adversely affect on-island spending by visitors who do come,” he said on Friday following CHTA’s participation in the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Aviation Day conference in Barbados, sponsored

by IATA, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association.

“They will either opt for shorter stays or spend

less on activities, restaurants and attractions to offset the additional cost,” Comito added, noting that the region saw this happen in 2010 and the immediate years following, “as the United Kingdom imposed large duties on travelers to, from and through their country.

Comito said while Caribbean tourist arrivals have grown in recent years, the region continues to lose global market share and growth within the region.

He said travel is currently heavily skewed to less expensive destinations.

CHTA cited data from the World Travel and Tourism Council and the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) showing an erosion of market share and disproportionate visitor arrivals growth.

Likewise, CHTA said intra-Caribbean travel has declined significantly as

the cost of travel within the region has skyrocketed.

Representing the region’s largest private sector tourism organisation, Comito, therefore, urged that greater awareness of the impact of travel and tourism on local economies is needed at a critical time for the Caribbean.

“We need to incentivise travel on the front end,” he said. “Taxing outputs has proved to be a more successful strategy than taxing inputs.”

At the conference, reports shared by IATA and the CDB reinforced the importance of policies that can stimulate travel into and within the region, CHTA said.

It said the CDB and IATA cited high aviation taxes and fees, regulatory barriers and operational deficiencies as obstacles to stimulating more travel, and, by extension, economic growth.

Tired of graft and violence, Mexican voters lean toward outsider NEZAHUALCOYOTL, Mexico (Reuters) Mexicans lined up to vote for a new president on Sunday, with many hoping for a shake-up of the status quo by choosing an anti-establishment leftist whose pledge to clean up politics has resonated widely after years of violence and corruption.

Opinion polls before the election showed a double-digit lead for Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, a former Mexico City mayor who is expected to inject a dose of nationalism into government and sharpen divisions with U.S. President Donald Trump if he wins.

Lopez Obrador, 64, would be the first leftist president in decades in Mexico, Latin America’s No. 2 economy, if he ousts the ruling centrist Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). His administration would also offer a political realignment after years of rule by centrist technocrats.

Runner-up in the 2006 and 2012 elections, he pitched himself as the only man capable of restoring faith in democracy after disenchantment grew after years of patchy economic growth and soaring levels of drug-related violence.

Long lines formed outside schools and community centres, where voters complained that previous governments have failed, particularly the administration of outgoing President Enrique Pena Nieto of PRI, who has struggled to contain crime and corruption.

Even if they were not sure about Lopez Obrador, many said he was better than his rivals, and offered a fresh start.

Mexico suffered its most violent year in recent history in 2017, and murders are still rising.

A fragmented criminal landscape has prompted drug cartels to expand into fuel theft and extortion.

Since the campaign began heating up last year, at least 145 politicians and activists have been murdered. Most of them have been blamed on

gangs trying to influence elections.

Just before casting his vote, Lopez Obrador, or AMLO as he is known, called for a national reconciliation after the election to end the bloodshed.

“With all my heart, I want today’s election to take place without violence,” Lopez Obrador said, smiling and flashing a victory sign at the polling station south of Mexico City, where he arrived 40 minutes before it opened.

Seeking support from economic nationalists, leftist liberals and social conservatives, Lopez Obrador has been vague on policy details. But he vows to reduce inequality, improve pay and welfare spending as well as run a tight budget. The law bars Pena Nieto from seeking re-election.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, July 2, 2018

CARICOM and Regional Integration TODAY, Guyana joins the wider Caribbean family in celebration of CARICOM Day. It was indeed a most significant development, coming as it did just over a decade after the demise of the West Indies Federation. The failure of the federation was a major disappointment at the time, but it did not daunt the spirits of the political actors. They quickly regrouped and founded the Caribbean Free Trade Area (CARIFTA) which would evolve into CARICOM. Guyana played a leading role in both CARIFTA and the founding of CARICOM. That the secretariat of the latter organisation has been housed in Guyana since its formation is tribute to the persistent commitment of

successive governments to the idea and practice of integration. This is a small but important fact that should not be overlooked. Guyana was also an early member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) and an enthusiastic proponent of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy.

CARICOM has a lot to be proud of over the last 44 years. Despite the inherent challenges of integration movements, our union has survived. That is in itself a towering achievement, given both the internal and external hurdles we have had to confront these past four and a half decades. Having evolved as separate nation-states that are often forced to compete against each other for markets for the same products, we have in the final analysis done

a very good job at balancing our domestic interests with the regional requirements.

Today we know each other better as a Caribbean people. There is much more movement of peoples, goods and services within the Region. Indeed, CARICOM has widened to include nonEnglish speaking countries such as Haiti and Suriname, thus broadening the base of the emerging single market.

This can only serve the larger socio-economic interests of the peoples of the Region.

Over the years, CARICOM, through the Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM), has been able to negotiate with our larger partners on matters of common interest to the Region. Together our voice has been stronger and our

leverage has been larger. In many respects, we have been a model for others to follow on this score.

While the CCJ has not yet gained favour in all our member-states, the signs in that direction have been very encouraging. We hope that in the interest of the survival of the court as a living and relevant institution that more countries quickly come on board. Already the CCJ has made some landmark rulings, which have had significant bearing on civil rights and liberties and which have consequences even for those countries that are not yet members of the court.

Despite our successes, many have called for a further deepening of the movement to include closer political union. That remains

a desirable dream that would require more political maturity on the part of the leaders. As we have seen in Europe, there seems to be a global nationalist wave that is threatening the spirit of integration. We in the Caribbean need to guard against that, for as small underdeveloped economies we stand to lose more from a fracturing of the integration movement.

Over the last four decades, we have overcome moments of insularity which are inevitable in spaces of integration. The most vexing area of contention in this regard has to do with migration. Inevitably, countries that have done better economically have tended to frown on migration into their jurisdiction,

particularly those who are migrating from the most economically challenged member-states. This of course flies in the face of CARICOM charters, bringing to the fore the tension between the national and the regional. It is an area that requires more intense work.

In the final analysis, we are stronger together. In the face of a global order that is hostile to smallness, CARICOM is a beacon of hope for our Caribbean family. We have come a long way, but we have much more to do. As a Region, we survived the inhumanity of slavery and the harshness of indentureship, so surely, we can overcome the challenges of globalisation and structural adjustment.

Happy CARICOM Day.

Charles Ramson is a spoilt child Dear Editor,

WHEN I first saw the video of my friend and colleague, Charles Ramson Jr declaring his intention to contest for the PPP’s presidential candidacy, I was very disappointed in the choice of words used to justify his candidacy. But it was his response to the leader of the opposition that certainly gave credence to the idiom that too much education is just as dangerous as too little.

Undoubtedly, Charles is young, ambitious, welleducated and has great potential. It is these very qualities that Bharrat Jagdeo recognised in him that made him one of the youngest members of the National Assembly. Without the support of Bharrat Jagdeo, he could not have made it on his own.

So what has changed?

Ramson has a bone to pick with Jagdeo, Anil Nandall and Irfaan Ali. He wanted time-off from Parliament for one year to pursue studies in the United Kingdom in Oil and Gas, while retaining his MP status.

This request was denied, because the PPP could not afford to reduce its voting powers in the National Assembly at a time when the national budget and vital pieces of legislation were upcoming.

He was subsequently replaced by the young, dynamic Vickram Bharrat.

In an email sent to me on May 21, 2018, Ramson wrote: “I know the feeling of giving your all in a team and others not pulling their weight and it’s being allowed to happen. Imagine how i felt when as an MP i gave

my all to this and when I got a prestigious scholarship to study an area which we need for the country and will be beneficial to the team and asked for leave and so many “leaders” did not support the application. I had support from Luncheon and a couple others, but Anil and BJ and Irfaan did not support. It’s disheartening and discouraging.”

Every politically astute person in Guyana knows that former PPP Ministers Anil Nandlall and Irfaan Ali are the ones most likely to contest for the party’s presidential candidacy for the 2020 elections, and so this presents Ramson an opportunity to deny them this nomination in much the same way they denied him. Isn’t this vindictiveness, tit for tat?

In his recent response to Jagdeo, he mentioned having knowledge of

persons making public announcements before going through a nomination process for the 2015 elections, and disclosed, “But I would like to point out that far worse has happened, like persons being involved in corruption and no press conference has ever been held about it or disrespectful and childish comparisons being made.”

As a lawyer and upstanding citizen who wants to be president, did Ramson not feel it was his patriotic duty to report this “corruption” that he saw to the police or better yet, to SOCU? Now that Charles Ramson is writing for the Kaieteur News, it seems he has discovered the Freddie Kissoon syndrome: criticise Jagdeo and get your face on the front page.

In his declaration speech, Ramson said Guyana needs

young, fresh leadership. “We need credible leadership-leadership with integrity, passion and vision; leadership that puts the people first.” While both Anil Nandall and Irfaan Ali fit the aforementioned description, they both have tremendous success and a well-documented track record in the sectors for which they were responsible as ministers in the previous government.

Where is Ramson’s?

In the past three years, it was Anil Nandlall, aided sometimes by Priya Manickchand and Adrian Anamayah who defended cash-crop farmers and sugar workers and everyone whose constitutional rights were being violated by this APNU+AFC administration.

With his 10 years experience as a lawyer and party member, Ramson has never volunteered his expertise to assist Nandlall

with one of these cases. Is this the kind of leadership that puts people first?

Editor, behind that babyfaced smile is a man whose ego dangerously rivals that of our prime minister. In his letter in the Kaieteur News on June 29, captioned “Charles Ramson through the eyes of someone else”, Dr. Mark Devonish sums it up beautifully when he describes Ramson as “too arrogant, obnoxious and petty” to be president. He forgot to mention his bad attitude.

Charles, I’m sure, was spoilt rotten as a child. And although he has grown now, he still wants to get his own way. I’m sure with time, Charles Ramson Jr will make a great president of Guyana, but not now, he has some maturing to do.

Regards, Harry Gill PPP Member of Parliament

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, July 2, 2018

Teenage pregnancy being arrested in Kwakwani THE Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) will soon roll out a Teen Prevention Pregnancy and Empowerment Programme in Kwakwani, a community in Region 10 battling with worrying cases of teenage pregnancy and statutory rape.

In the logging community, early sexual encounters among children and teenagers, though illegal, are considered a norm, but teachers attached to the Kwakwani Secondary School are imploring the authorities to do more to safeguard the nation’s children.

A teacher who spoke to the Guyana Chronicle under the condition of anonymity, said the stories told by

some of the girls attending the secondary school are heartbreaking.

Her first encounter with a victim of rape at the school was approximately four years ago. Today, she said the situation has moved from bad to worse, with more and more girls coming forward with reports of being sexually abused, many of them by their relatives.

“It’s disturbing to say the least. Just recently, a student told me a horrifying story of being molested at the age of 12 by her stepfather. Twelve -- I have had restless nights since,” the teacher said.

The child reportedly gathered enough courage to tell her mother, only to be told that she caused it upon

herself.

Teenage pregnancy is another sore area. “Teenage pregnancy is very high in the community and many persons seem to be comfortable with it. I have seen situations where children got pregnant in First and Second Forms and nothing, although reports were made to the authorities,” the teacher said.

According to her, when such cases are brought to the attention of teachers, parents are usually called in, but oftentimes do little to assist the police in bringing the perpetrators to justice.

“It is really disturbing and sad to know that many students can perform better academically, but are not because their minds are not

settled. Many of them are hurting and that hurt causes them to react, retaliate in some cases these victims become promiscuous,” she explained.

A senior mistress at the school, who also requested anonymity, confirmed that there have been a number of cases of sexual abuse many times perpetrated against girls, and teenage pregnancy.

“Some of the cases have been reported to the relevant authorities, but they have been covered up.”

Exposed to sex at an early age, the senior mistress said some of the girls have become pregnant. “We have a large number of dropouts, because of teenage pregnancy. Some come back

to school, many don’t,” she posited.

CPA Director Ann Green told the Guyana Chronicle that the CPA is aware of the issues of statutory rape and teenage pregnancy in the community, and is taking action to address it.

Green explained that several months ago, the CPA dispatched one of its officers to the community, and is currently doing groundwork.

That officer with assistance from non-governmental organisations such as the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA) will roll out a Teen Prevention Pregnancy and Empowerment Programme.

Additionally, a social worker who is stationed at

the Linden Hospital Complex visits Kwakwani twice monthly. But the teachers are of the opinion that more needs to be done.

“Professional counselling should be provided not for one day, but constantly, since many of these children need help.”

However, the Social Worker Laurette Gray, in a recent interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), expressed optimism that issues of statutory rape, teenage pregnancy and other social ills will be addressed in a timely manner, with the CPA officer present in Kwakwani 24/7 to monitor the situation.

How long more teachers with degrees in public management have to wait to be upgraded in the teaching system?

Dear Editor,

TEACHERS with degrees in public management should be recognised in the teaching system.

Many teachers in the Business department who gained a degree in Public Management have to utilise their degrees to help students with the business SBAs and these teachers are currently not getting paid for their degrees. The business SBA has changed

to more like a research and this is where teachers with public management degrees will have to utilise the knowledge gained from the degree. The Ministry of Education needs to look at the courses offered in this four-year programme.

Most of the courses are Business and Accounts.

How can teachers in the business department in Berbice promote themselves? The teachers’ training in Berbice

do not offer training in Business and the business programme (Degree in Public Management) offered at the University of Guyana, Berbice Campus, is not recognised in the teaching system. These teachers are very unhappy, because they have to utilise their knowledge gained from the degree programme to help students and are not getting paid for it. Teachers who have gained degrees in Public

Management were allowed to do Diploma in Education (Business studies) and when completed, got an AM status instead of a TGM status. The Ministry

of Education should consider upgrading those teachers in the business department with Degrees in Public Management because these teachers are

efficiently utilising their knowledge and deserves to be upgraded.

Yours Sincerely, Nicolette Simpson

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, July 2, 2018

Taxation absent from tobacco control ‒ PAHO/WHO expert urges action to address this void

By Vishani Ragobeer THOUGH the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has been awarded for its strides in tobaccocontrol measures, PAHO/ WHO Director of NonCommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, Dr. Anselm Hennis, has advanced that tobacco taxation is crucial.

On Friday night, the MoPH received the World No Tobacco Day Award conferred on it by the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) for leading the way in tobacco control in the Region.

Guyana has passed the Tobacco Control Bill in keeping with the convention.

Speaking at the award

ceremony Friday night, Dr. Hennis explained that while Guyana is showing prudence in its tobaccocontrol measures geared at promoting good public health, taxation remains a key measure for tobacco control.

“Cigarettes are addictive; if you never buy them, you never become addicted,” Dr Hennis said, noting that the price of tobacco products will increase due to taxation and adolescents with limited money would not buy cigarettes. “[This] significantly reduces the number of adolescent smokers, protecting future generations,” he said.

Article Six of the WHO FCTC deals with price and tax measures to reduce the demand for tobacco, but

Guyana’s legislation does not address this particular issue. As reported by the Guyana Chronicle in June 2017, it will be addressed soon, however.

Tobacco is the most significant preventable public health threat ever faced by mankind, killing half of its users, the doctor related. He shared too that more than seven million people die each year because of tobacco, where more than six million deaths result directly from tobacco use and around 900,000 due to second-hand smoking.

In the local context, nearly seven in every 10 deaths are caused by Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which have tobacco use as a major underlying cause. Also, according to the Global Youth Tobacco

PAHO/WHO Director of Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health, Dr. Anselm Hennis

Survey (GYTS) 2015, about 15 per cent of young people in Guyana, aged between 13 and 15 years old, also use tobacco, added to 15 per cent of the adult population

that also use the substance.

“This is of particular concern, since as you would have heard, tobacco is highly addictive and once adolescents begin to smoke, they become the next generation of smokers,” Dr. Hennis said, adding: “Sustaining the tobacco industry will ensure that health costs will continue to rise and that lives will be lost prematurely.”

Hennis cautioned stakeholders to be wary of the tobacco industry’s attempts to block implementation of the bill.

“Do not heed the industry’s guile that illicit trade in tobacco will increase [because of the bill],” he warned and stressed, “Guyana is well ahead of the curve and has already been establishing measures

to counter the illicit trade through interventions currently being implemented by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).”

Instead, he urged that the stakeholders oppose all direct industry attempts to hinder progress of the legislation which is designed to protect the public’s health.

“We know -- as we have seen -- that the process of passing this bill was not without complications and challenges,” the director reflected.

He added: “We’re also aware that the implementation of the Tobacco Control Act will indeed face several obstacles.” Nevertheless, he commended the astute political engagement and leadership that fostered the bill’s historical passage.

Henry rewards top Region Five NGSA performers EDUCATION Minister Nicolette Henry has congratulated and presented tokens to Region Five’s top 10 performers at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA).

The outstanding students

were honoured at the Latchmansingh Primary School, Bush Lot Village, West Coast Berbice on Saturday in the presence of parents, teachers and regional officials, including Regional Executive Officer

Ovid Morrison and Regional Education Officer (REDO) Deon Lyn Lewis.

Minister Henry in congratulating the parents, teachers and officials of the Region Five Education Department said given

Natalee Singh

Top performer in Region Five Anne Khemraj of the Sapodilla School of Excellence, Hopetown Village, West Coast Berbice, receives a token from Education Minister Nicolette Henry on Saturday

the critical importance of education for national development, all stakeholders in the education system must work harder to get even better NGSA results in 2019.

The top students in the region this year is Anne Khemraj of Sapodilla School of Excellence with 519 marks; Natalee Singh of Blairmont Primary who scored 516 marks; Nicklous Samsundar of Sapodilla School of Excellence and Aruna Racktoo of Zealand Primary who both scored 511 marks; Bibi Abdool of Cotton Tree Primary and Nicholas Mohabir of Mortice Primary who both scored 510 marks; Rebecca Ganesh of Rosignol Primary who scored 509 marks; Mahendra Persaud of Novar Primary with 508 marks; Endira Reeknauth

of Cotton Tree Primary with 506 marks; and Sanjeev Ramlakhan of Latchmansingh Primary School and Shamar Peters of Belladrum Primary who both obtained 502.

The top achievers were all elated with their results and said they eagerly look forward to attending secondary school and ultimately university.

Nicholas Mohabir

Nicklous Samsundar

Aruna Racktoo

9

Hinterland development gathers steam GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, July 2, 2018

–– PM says Opposition propaganda failing

PRIME Minister Moses Nagamootoo is convinced that changes are taking place in hinterland communities and the indigenous peoples are no longer being “fooled by politicians who peddle propaganda”.

Nagamootoo was prompted to make these comments following claims from Opposition party representatives that the Government was involved in the “rigging” of the recently held national village council elections.

The elections took place in May-June in 115 Amerindian villages which saw quite a number of toshaos being elected, including 14 women.

To this point, 57 toshaos as well as councillors have openly stated that the elections were conducted “free and fair”.

Writing on the matter, in his weekly column, “My Turn”, Nagamootoo told of his visit last Friday to Lethem (Region Nine) to at-

tend the Regional Toshao’s Conference upon the invitation of Region Nine Chairman Brian Allicock.

There, the prime minister said, he was challenged

by Opposition representatives to respond to accusations of “progressive levels of neglect” in the region.

Coupled with this, the individuals sought to “work up steam” by hurling multiple allegations of elections rigging, gerrymandering of village borders, inadequate funds for Amerindian development, lack of consent and failure of the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS).

“I had not planned to speak at any length at the toshaos conference, but, as a politician who had seen many battles, I was forced into a comprehensive rebuttal of the allegations made by the Opposition, which was represented by three sitting Members of Parliament,” Nagamootoo said.

The prime minister said while by the time he was finished with his address, the “elite corps of Oppositionists unceremoniously walked away”, the village leaders had remained unmoved.

“It just wasn’t true that the new Government didn’t allocate funds for Upper Takatu/Upper Essequibo.

I quoted figures to show that over these years, Government has spent over $780 million in presidential grants and on capital works. And as an additional show of goodwill, I handed out another tranche of $20 million in presidential grants to several villages.

“As a striking example of how the region was being transformed, I mentioned the introduction of hinterland radio stations – Lethem and Aishalton and Radio Piwomak – and as I did, toshaos responded with prolonged applause,” Nagamootoo recounted.

PROGRESSIVE NEGLECT Other rebuttals to the claim of “progressive levels of neglect” Nagamootoo put forward included the transformation of Lethem into a town; a new Magisterial District Court and fire station and the provision of free Internet access at several Information and Communications Technology (ICT) hubs at schools and public offices.

Added to these were the construction of a water reservoir on Nappi lands; the Lethem Industrial site development; the US$3.1M sustainable hinterland housing project and buses provided for schoolchildren in communities such as Annai and Aishalton.

While in the region, the prime minister visited the village of St. Ignatius to meet with participants a part of the HEYS training programme where five young entrepreneurs were each awarded $100,000

to help sustain their businesses.

“We met an otherwise able young man with one leg, who explained how HEYS helped him to start a butchery and cattle farm from which he makes a weekly profit of $30,000; and how he hoped to be the single largest supplier of fresh beef in Rupununi.

“There were women who exhibited their bottled honey and canned peanut butter as a result of support from the programme,” Nagamootoo stated.

After the encounter, he is now convinced that the ship has sailed for the Opposition’s involvement in propaganda peddling.

“It is clear that the message of development is reaching receptive ears in Upper Takatu/Upper Essequibo, and the tune of ‘rigging’ is no longer pleasing to the ears. The Opposition cannot go against the tide of cooperation across party lines for community development.”

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo With this, he highlighted a number of future projects the Government has in store for the region such as the drilling of eight wells to store water for drought seasons; the Linden-Lethem road; online passports and birth certificates applications; a research station at Pirara; and the expansion of the Lethem Hospital’s maternity waiting room.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, July 2, 2018

This concerns YOU

WHILE a level of complacency does, and probably always will exist when it comes to the public’s awareness of child abuse, the Childcare and Protection Agency,( CPA), Ministry of Social Protection, has various services and policies in place to help children and families in need of support.

For example, there is a Family Services Unit, an Early Childhood Development Unit and Counselling services available for families and children. The Multi-media Awareness Campaign is another on-going initiative of the CPA that aims to help adults to understand the roles and responsibilities they have in helping to prevent child abuse. Only by informing the public about the facts as they exist can the agency hope to achieve a change in the negative attitudes that some people have toward children.

But how much do YOU know? Try our quiz below and then check your answers.

1) The Childcare and Protection Agency has offices in how many regions of Guyana? a) 4 regions b) 8 regions c) 10 regions 2) If you or a child needed help from the CPA after office hours, where would you call? a) The Ministry of Social Protection b) The nearest outpost or police station c) The CPA hotline 3) Which one of the following do you think is more widespread in Guyana? a) Child neglect b) Child physical abuse c) Child sexual abuse 4) Statistics prove that child abuse is preventable, but by what percentage? a) 90% is preventable b) 30% is preventable

c) 50% is preventable

5) Which one of the following can be classified as severe childhood trauma? a) To have spent time in foster care as a baby b) To be separated and then reunited with your family in infancy c) To be sexually abused by a member of your family as a pre-adolescent 6) Children who have endured severe childhood trauma, will need: a) To be a good student in school b) Counselling from a professionally trained social worker or psychologist c) To find someone to blame in order for them to cope 7) Child abuse can be found: a) Only among low-income families b) In families where there is more than one child c) In every race, in every region and within all religions 8) The best way to prevent child abuse is to: 9) Learn all you can about it and make it your duty to play a positive role in its prevention a) Read articles about it, cut them out and store them for future reference b) Learn just enough information about it, to impress others with your knowledge ANSWERS 1) (B) 8 Regions Reg. 1 ( Tel: 777 4125) Reg. 2 (Tel: 771 4269) Reg. 3 (Tel: 264 2293) Reg. 4 (Tel: 227 4082) Reg. 5 (Tel: 232 0952) Reg. 6 (Tel: 337 2667)Reg.7 (Tel: 255 2964 and Reg. 10 (Tel:444 6330) 2) (C) The Childcare and Protection Agency hotline number: 227 0979 3) (A) ‘Child neglect’ is more widespread in Guyana 4) (A) 90% of child abuse is preventable 5) (C) The sexual abuse of a child causes severe trauma in most cases 6) (B) Children who suffer severe trauma need professional counselling, they are survivors not victims.

7) (C) Child abuse can be found even in places where it should not exist 8) (A) Do all YOU can to prevent child abuse: do not leave it all up to the CPA or the NGOs. Thank you for taking part in the quiz. If you answered less than four questions correctly, you seriously need to brush up on your knowledge about child abuse and the services available for children and their families. It is important for everyone to have this information, because you never know when you, a neighbour, or a close friend may need to access these services.

If you are concerned about the welfare of a child call the Childcare and Protection Agency Hotline on 227 0979 or write to us at childcaregy@gmail.com.

A Message from the Childcare and Protection Agency, Ministry of Social Protection

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Motivated by their struggles

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, July 2, 2018

–– poor, physically challenged students excel at NGSA

By Vanessa Braithwaite IT has been said that one of the main factors resulting in a child’s academic success is a stable and well-positioned home, where all of their needs are met.

When a child has no anxiety on their backs, their nutritious meals are up to date, their ride to school may be parked in their house’s garage, their lessons and other fees are paid, it may only be laziness or rare circumstances that result in failure.

For those however, who do not know what will be in the lunch packs; who have been embarrassed by their teachers for non-payment of lessons fees; who have to study with lamps or candles because their electricity was cut off; who have to walk miles to school because there is no money for transportation; who have to skip classes to help with the younger siblings or any other unfortunate ordeal and still succeeds, deserve not a round of applause but a standing ovation.

Last week, upon the release of the 2018 National Grade Six Assessment results, many of those students made their parents proud, brought tears to their eyes, made them lift their heads in hope that despite they were not able to provide that stable home setting for their children, they beat all the odds and achieved greatness.

One of those children is Zaria Jacobis from the One Mile Primary School in Linden.

Zaria attained 514 marks out of 529 and was awarded a place at Queen’s College.

Dimitry Waldron She copped the sixth position in Region 10. Zaria is the fifth of seven children and her success story is written in physical pain, tears, sweat and hard work.

Zaria’s mother Rayann Jacobis, is a sales woman at a grocery store in Linden and said that upon hearing her daughter’s results, there was no room left in her stomach to take in the lunch she was eating at the time.

PROUD “I felt so proud, I couldn’t eat any more, my belly get full right away,” she said. Jacobis related the struggles and challenges she endured during her daughter’s stint in Grade Six. She related that Zaria was born with her foot backwards and while it was surgically corrected, the foot pains her a lot, especially at nights and when it is raining.

“I use to have to go and collect her, I wasn’t working all the time, so I use to have to take her to school

and collect her because the book bag was too heavy for her foot because one is still a little bend and it couldn’t take the pressure. When I started working, I had to ask the other children to collect her from school and so,” Rayann related.

Financially, it was very challenging for Rayann and most times was not able to meet the needs of Zaria.

While her husband works in the interior, it is a great deal of time before he is adequately able to earn, sometimes, he is not able to do so.

“It was very challenging, right now I still owe for her lessons, it was very challenging to make ends meet,” the proud mom said and it is for these very reasons that Rayann is celebrating her daughter’s success in a humble way.

For the shy Zaria, she too expressed how happy she is, knowing she had to work extra hard for the overwhelming performance.

“I am feeling very, very happy right now, I had to stay up late at nights, had a lot of home work to do, plus had to study.

My teacher always commended me for finishing all my work on time, but it was very challenging,” she said. Zaria expressed gratitude to Jehovah God, her hard-working parents and all her teachers who have played a role in her success.

WHAT’S NEXT Despite copping a place at the country’s top secondary institution, Zaria’s hope of attending Queen’s College is very dim.

The monthly transportation from Linden to George-

town is $20, 000. Rayann is almost certain that is out of her reach, given the fact that her older son had to be transferred from St Stanislaus College to Mackenzie High School because she could not afford the transportation cost.

“We still looking to see if we can afford it, but she is very understanding and wants to attend MHS,” the proud mother said.

Zaria said she knows it will be tough on her parents to send her to the elite school and is quite comfortable attending MHS. In fact, her brother topped MHS at the 2017 CSEC examinations with six grade ones, though he was transferred from St Stanislaus College.

“I understand my mother’s situation so I really don’t want to go,” she said.

Like Zaria, Dimitry Waldron of the Wismar Hill Primary School in Linden also faced a series of challenges preparing for the NGSA, but still kept his head above the water and secured a place at President’s College. Dimitry is the third of seven siblings and his parents Ronella and Ryan Waldron support the family through a small bakery business in the yard during the afternoons.

His two older brothers are visually impaired as a result of a genetic disorder called congenital toxmoplasmosis.

VISUAL I MPAIRMENT In fact, Dimitry, though not blind, has some form of impaired vision which was picked up through tests. He is currently relying on spectacles for improved vision.

Zaria Jacobis and her mother Rayann Jacobis His mother Ronella however, fears that his sight may get worse as he grows, since it was the very same thing that happened to his older brothers. His little sister has also showed signs of impaired vision.

Fighting back the tears, Ronella said though she expected Dimitry to do better, she is proud of his accomplishment as he also put some hateful speech to rest.

“People use to say that my two older sons get MHS because people had to read for them and so during the exams and people cheat for them, but I told Dimitry that he showed people that they have the natural ability to do well, no body don’t have to cheat for y’all, what you have is a gift” the proud mother said.

Ronella also testified of finding it hard to make ends meet.

“It was challenging, sometimes he couldn’t go to lesson because you can’t

afford; right now I still owe for lessons but I am happy he had a really nice and understanding teacher that even when he did not go, would call and ask for him to come,” she related.

The soft-spoken Dimitry said that he is very proud with his performance and all the sleepless nights and hard work paid off. He spoke of attending a lot of lessons and studying hard to be successful. His brothers, though they cannot see, still paid an integral role in helping him and he expressed gratitude to them.

Dimitry looks forward to starting his new school as he continues to beat the odds of his home situation.

It is said that education can close the door of poverty and open the door of success. For Zaria and Dimitry, they believe that if they continue to work hard during high school, they can make this proverb, a reality.

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Fire flattens Overwinning Village home

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, July 2, 2018

Entrepreneurs recognised for hard work THIRTY-THREEYEAR-OLD Rockcliffe Rodrigues is involved in livestock-rearing despite living with a disability.

Rodrigues, who resides in Aranaputa Valley, plans to establish

ing ceremony at the St. Ignatius Village Benab, Lethem, Prime Minister Nagamootoo commended the youths for fully utilising the opportunities offered to them through the HEYS programme.

The prime minister

Rockcliffe Rodrigues, young entrepreneur of Region Nine

Rawattie Goberdhan looks over at the burnt building where her deceased mother once lived A FIRE of unknown origin completely destroyed a two-flat wooden building, several hours after its caretaker left the Lot 7 First Street, Overwinning Village, East Bank Berbice, home around 00:30hrs on Sunday morning.

Rawattie Goberdhan last visited the furnished home of her deceased mother, Mavis Sankar, on Friday when she cleaned the building before leaving for her residence at Number Two Village, Corentyne.

Sankar, a pensioner, had died on April 29 last, leaving the recently renovated property for her three adult daughters, one of whom resides overseas.

The family is awaiting a report from the Guyana Fire Service which should give an insight into the cause of the fire which resulted in millions of dollars in losses.

According to neighbours, they were awakened by the sound of breaking glass and, on peering through their windows, they saw the blaze in the upper flat of the building.

a butchery and provide beef, pork and mutton to hot-meal kitchens, restaurants and residents in the North Rupununi.

His mission is to one day become a top livestock farmer in the region Using the skills acquired and $120,000 through the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS) programme, along with an additional $50,000 grant, Rodrigues purchased 41 head of sheep, four cows and 12 horses.

He is one of five young entrepreneurs of the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo region who received $100,000 each from Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo to expand their businesses. The prime minister, who is acting in the capacity of President, was attending the Regional Toshaos’ Conference in Lethem, on June 28.

At the HEYS Business Pitch and prize-giv-

reminded attendees that the programme is a fulfilment of a promised made by the government when they terminated the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship

Programme (YEAP) programme in 2015, replacing it with a programme that allows youth to be trained and certified and become their own bosses.

Today, the HEYS programme is a huge success and has created about 800 entrepreneurs across the country.

“We didn’t give handouts and give them a red shirt and give them money every month and tell them to go and picket and make up crowds and to do political work.

We wanted young people to have a livelihood and in order to have a livelihood, you must be trained and be taught a skill and that is why we employed instructors. So, the HEYS programme has now flooded the hinterland and we have trained about 4000 young peoples and they are now self-employed,” Prime Minister Nagamootoo said.

The youths, who come from Hiawa, Aranaputa Valley, Toka and Quarrie all received training through the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS) programme. They utilised the funding provided to them from that project to establish businesses.

Unis and Joy Davis, two sisters of Toka Village, are the proud own-

ers of Davis ‘Beekeeping Enterprise.” The sisters pooled their funds and purchased bee-keeping equipment to begin their honey venture.

With plans to expand their business on both the local and international markets, the Davis sisters are upgrading their packaging. They plan to purchase labelling machines that will allow them to design and print unique, custom-made labels for their product.

Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, explained that the support is a form of encouragement to the youths. He commended them for their hard work and dedication and encouraged them to put their funds to good use.

“We are investing in you, we are helping you to be rounded for the eventual take off of what is coming. More opportunities are coming and we need you to be fully prepared. For those of you who didn’t take it to the top five, continue to work hard and you will be recognised.”

Launched in October 2015, the HEYS programme aims to prepare hinterland youths for leadership roles in their communities.

One of the Davis sisters presented a bottle of their honey to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, July 2, 2018

Minister Lawrence urges Linden youth to focus on their health … donates $50,000 to Linden Youth Leaders group

MINISTER of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, on Saturday commissioned the office of the Linden Youth Leaders (LYL) group.

The office, located on Republic Avenue, Mackenzie, Linden, will further position the group to fulfil its mandate to empower youth and contribute to community development and nation-building.

The office will serve as a space from which members of the group can collaborate and network in the execution of various initiatives that cater to youth and the wider population.

Minister Lawrence in her remarks, said she was happy to commission the office and is thrilled at what the group has accomplished.

“I’m very elated at what you have come together and began to do for your community. This is exactly what Guyana needs. You are taking ownership of your culture. One day I’ll be in my rocking chair seeing your faces on television talking to me and I am very happy about that,” Lawrence noted.

She added, “You have taken the right step in the right direction” and promised to do whatever she can to assist the group in accomplishing its goals.

The group will be collaborating with the Ministry of Public Health in the near future to carry out health projects in high-risk communities.

“We have so many young people who are on drugs, who are smoking marijuana…. Then we have adolescent sexual reproductive rights. I am talking to you about that because health is a big thing in our country; and many of our young people are doing things that they don’t want to do, or they did it one time and they don’t know how to come out of it and they are looking for counselling,” Lawrence said.

As a token of her appreciation, the minister also presented the group with $50,000 for their “embryo.” stage. The group thanked Lawrence for her presence and contribution made at the ceremony.

The Linden Youth Leaders is a non-governmental

organisation which seeks to empower young people for their future endeavours, fostering a sense of discipline and leadership. It also promotes mental and spiritual growth, creates opportunities for young people to serve their communities and the wider world and harnesses a sense of national pride.

Initiatives include educational programmes that venture into schools to engage children and youth positively; projects of a developmental purpose that add value to society such as work with the elderly and clean-up campaigns (as was recently undertaken). LYL also provides mentoring by connecting youth to positive role models for guidance-a function that a physical office helps to facilitate; the office is also functional as a safe space for members to meet with their peers, socialise and discuss plans for their organisation.

In addition, the office will be used as a reading space for youths and also one where persons can be assisted with SBAs, assignments, and the filling up of

Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, in the ribbon-cutting exercise to symbolise opening of the office. forms in the near future.

In February of 2018, the LYL pulled off a dynamic $5 million Linden Games 2018, which was said to be the start of something

new for the mining town of Linden. The goal of the games was to resuscitate sports tourism in Linden and promote the development of Region 10 through sports.

It is also a way of encouraging fitness and healthy living and engaging the constituencies in celebrating Linden as a sports-loving destination

St John’s Association of Guyana wraps up week of activities … in commemoration of birth of patron saint “LEARN the values of giving, without expecting.” This was the admonition of Mr. Vibert Parvatan, Chairman of St. John’s Association of Guyana.

The St John’s Association of Guyana is a vibrant humanitarian, voluntary organisation providing quality first aid training, first aid services and healthcare to communities, seeking at all times to promote health awareness and safety practices.

Every year, the birth anniversary of John the Baptist is commemorated on June 24. This year, the non-profit organisation hosted a week of activities to celebrate the birth anniversary of their patron saint. The week started off on Sunday, June 24 with a church service at the Baridi Benab, State House. The commemoration continued throughout the week with outreach programmes,

whereby brigade members visited homes of the elderly and did basic checks such as blood pressure, blood sugar and gave words of comfort and encouragement to those who have peculiar circumstances.

Yesterday the week of activities concluded with a fund-raising luncheon at the Baridi Benab. At the luncheon, guests were entertained with cultural presentations, but it was the speech of the United Nations Development Programme [UNDP] Representative, Ms. Mikiko Tanaka, that really hit home. She spoke about the power of volunteerism in development, to end poverty, protect the planet and to transform the world.

“Volunteerism is a powerful means of including people. Volunteerism allows people in communities to participate in their own development and the development of their communities. Through

volunteering, citizens enhance their knowledge base and gain a sense of responsibility for their own community… volunteerism leaves no one behind and therefore aids in social cohesion,” Ms. Tanaka said. She also added that volunteerism is necessary to carry out the Green Development Strategy in the country.

This newspaper spoke with chairman of the association, Mr. Vibert Parvatan, who reiterated the points outlined by the UNDP representative. He stated that volunteerism changes lives and contributes to the development of a country and the world at large. He also paid tribute to patron of the association, the President of Guyana, The Hon. Brigadier David Granger, for his expressed commitment to supporting the development and expansion of the St John’s Association of Guyana.

It fact, the fund-raiser held, was advocated by the President who believes that more activities should be held to raise

funds to aid in the development and expansion process. Mr. Parvatan went on to appeal to homes who have the capacity to help others, to make it obligatory. “There is need for persons to develop a spirit of generosity and display compassion, respect and love for others. I’m appealing to the homes who are in fortunate positions to lend a helping hand to those in need.

With such actions, we will be headed in the direction of making the world a better place for everyone,” Parvatan said.

The fund-raiser held yesterday was done in the form of a Dutch auction, where all proceeds will go towards the work of the organisation.

The St John’s Association has trained thousands of persons, including joint services ranks in the areas of first-aid, home-nursing, patient care, ambulance training and disaster preparedness.

They have been serving the people of Guyana selflessly for 85 years, committed to their motto “For the faith and in service of humanity.”

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‘Choose to change’

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, July 2, 2018

–– Sophia Training Centre graduates advised

FIFTY-NINE graduates of the Sophia Training Centre were on Friday last challenged to choose change in order to grow.

“You have to choose to change; if you don’t change you won’t grow. Change is the one thing that is constant. Things will change and as you start to move, the path will appear as to where you want to go,” Ministry of the Presidency staffer, Shondell France told the graduates.

The Graduates are all beneficiaries of the Citizens

Security Strengthening Programme (CSSP) skills training programme, 2017-2018.

The training was facilitated under component one of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) funded programme aimed at reducing recidivism and strengthening community resilience to crime and violence. The students were tutored in catering, information technology and office administration, masonry and plumbing, sheet metal and welding, refrigeration and air conditioning, and

fabrication.

Speaking of the challenges she overcame – growing up in poverty with a drug-addicted foster father, from whom her mother eventually fled in the middle of the night taking her children with her – France assured the graduates that the cycle of poverty can be broken.

“Commit to constantly improving yourself, invest in yourself make the small changes. Surround yourself with people who are going where you want to go, choose to change.”

In addition, France, the Ministry of the Presidency staffer encouraged the graduates to, take responsibility

for events occurring in their lives and to be willing to sacrifice to achieve their goals. She also charged them to assist others as they break the cycle of poverty.

The feature address and charge to the newly certified artisans were delivered by Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan who noted that programmes similar to CSSP have helped to reduce crime and violence amongst youths in other countries.

The Public Security Minister noted that the responsibility of reducing crime and violence especially at the youth level should not be shouldered by the police alone. He added

Best graduating student Avinash Seepaul addressing his fellow graduates and other invited guests that there must be a social component, a programme

cannot have monies coming in and an unskilled and un-

Best graduating student Avinash Seepaul addressing his fellow graduates and other invited guests

Second runner-up Ezekiel Roache receiving his trophy from Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan

that ensures young men and women from vulnerable communities come forward and get vocational training,” the Public Security Minister under whose purview the CSSP is situated said.

In addition, Minister Ramjattan charged the graduates to continue to improve and develop their skills which he said will be in high demand as Guyana becomes an oil-producing nation.

“You must now realise, that it is at the individual level, that you must endeavour to read more, to continue asking questions of the professionals so that you can learn more. Do not feel that the training is the end, there is so much more to learn. We

prepared workforce. More people will certainly buy refrigerators, more people will have air-conditioned homes and all of that … so we have to ensure now there is a workforce that will allow for qualified persons to compete for those jobs that will come on stream,” the Minister said.

Meanwhile, Mariko Russel on behalf of Sophie Makonnen, IDB representative, said, “Our hope is that students graduating today will be able to use the newly acquired skills in their future endeavours in life. We are aware that merely receiving vocational training does not guarantee See page 18

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, July 2, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, July 2, 2018

Crime, CSME, climate change and cannabis to e … at CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in

AS Guyana and the rest of the Region celebrate CARICOM Day, over 200 foreign officials are gearing up to attend the 39th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) set for Jamaica.

Implementation of the CARICOM Single Mar-

ket and Economy (CSME), Crime and Security in the Region, Disaster Management and Climate Change and the Report of the Regional Commission on Marijuana (RCM) are among key areas to be deliberated on during the high-level conference set for July 4-6, 2018, at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, Jamaica.

CARICOM Secretary-General Irwin LaRocque had said that while there was significant progress in advancing the CSME, there is still a number of long-standing issues to be addressed, warning that the success of the CSME will largely be judged on the basis of full implementation of measures that allow mem-

ber states to reap benefits.

Aside from discussing the measures impacting implementation of the CSME, the heads of government will consider the report of the Regional Commission on Marijuana (RCM) and possibly decide on a way forward.

The RCM conducted an investigation into the social, economic, health and legal

issues surrounding the use of marijuana in the Caribbean.

The Conference of the Heads of Government will be hosted by Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who assumed Chairmanship of the Conference on Sunday, July 1.

Heads of government of the community and their respective delegations, in-

cluding President David Granger, officials from other regional and international bodies and institutions are expected to attend the conference. Notably, President of the Republic of Chile, Sebastián Piñera and President of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, will make guest appearances at the conference, in addition to United States

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, July 2, 2018

engage CARICOM heads Montego Bay, Jamaica Deputy Secretary of State, John Sullivan.

At the opening ceremony on Wednesday, the conference will welcome its newest member, the Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley, who was elected to office following the country’s May 24 general elections, in addition to Prime Ministers Dr. Keith

Mitchell of Grenada and Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda, who were re-elected to office following general elections held earlier in the year.

“These heads will address the opening ceremony along with the outgoing chairman of the community, President Jovenel Moise of Haiti; the incoming Chair-

man, Prime Minister Holness; and the CARICOM Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque,” the CARICOM Secretariat noted in a release.

Heads of government will meet in Plenary and Caucus on July 5 and 6 to deliberate on matters of importance to the Caribbean Community, includ-

ing measures impacting the implementation of the CSME, Crime and Security in the Region and emerging geo-political developments which can have an impact on the Region’s growth prospects.

In Guyana, CARICOM Day is observed on the first Monday in July each year to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas on July 4, 1973.

At the Eighth Heads of Government Conference of the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) held in April 1973 in Guy-

ana, the decision to establish the Caribbean Community was brought to fruition.

By July 4, 1973, the Treaty of Chaguaramas, which was developed out of the Georgetown Accord, was signed.

The original signatories were Prime Ministers Errol Barrow for Barbados; Forbes Burnham for Guyana; Michael Manley for Jamaica; and Eric Williams for Trinidad and Tobago.

By May 1, 1974, all other members of CARIFTA had signed the agreement to become full members of CARICOM, except Anti-

gua and Barbuda and St. Kitts and Nevis. They both signed the Agreement in July 1974.

Today, CARICOM has 15 member states – Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Guyana, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago, and five Associate Members – Anguilla, Bermuda, The British Virgin Islands, The Cayman Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

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‘Choose to ...

From page 14

obtaining employment.

Having said that, the fact that the students who are graduating today, re-

mained in the programme until graduation is an achievement in itself and is a start in the right di-

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, July 2, 2018 rection.” She further recognised the graduating class as the “memorable first batch” of the CSSP which the Ministry of Public Security implemented with funding from the IDB. Special awards were given to best graduating student Avinash Seepaul, second runner-up Ezekiel Roache and more than a dozen other trainees for

their outstanding performances in the various areas of training.

There were cultural presentations from a graduate of the institution Ruth Belle, tutor Mark Luke Edwards and the graduating class of 2017-2018.

The training programme commenced September 2, 2017 with 87 youths from Regions One, Three and Four.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, July 2, 2018

Gold board gets new office in Queenstown

THE Guyana Gold Board has been moved from the compound of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Upper Brickdam, to lot 133 Crown and Albert Streets, Queenstown.

Gold miners, licensed dealers and the public were urged to take note of the relocation which is expected to take effect from July 3, 2018.

“The board and management of the Guyana Gold Board wish to express our gratitude for your patience during our period of transition and look forward to offering you a more efficient service from our new location,” said the board in a notice on Sunday.

Prior to the announcement, the Ministry of Natural Resources had met with the

board and the GGMC to discuss and resolve claims of mercury emissions and the closure of the laboratory attached to the board.

The ministry had decided that the laboratory would be moved within the shortest possible time, so as to safeguard the health of workers of the GGMC and gold board.

The intention of the Ministry of Natural Resources was to

have the laboratory moved in the first instance and then the administrative offices of the board thereafter.

In order to ascertain whether that was indeed the case, an international team from the Pan American Health Organisation and World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) had conducted a survey of the compound, but did not find threatening

levels of mercury at the complex.

The team had orally briefed the Ministers of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, and Public Health, Volda Lawrence, on their findings.

“The team did say though that they are not here to certify that necessarily, but they did say that they found that the levels at the GGMC compound and its environs were below any threatening level.

That I believe is a testament that the job was very well done,” Minister Trotman had said.

The Guyana Gold Board was established on May 15, 1982, to manage the business

of trading gold in Guyana.

The board purchases and sells gold within Guyana and abroad, at a standard price which is fixed twice daily. It also secures adequate supplies of gold, ensures equitable distribution at fair prices and engages in other commercial and industrial activities.

It has issued dealers’ licences to eight entities and individuals who help to facilitate the purchase of gold from sellers across Guyana. In addition to its office in Georgetown, the GGB has offices in Bartica.

Telephone numbers are 225-3148, 225-3173 and 225-3139.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, July 2, 2018

Guyana captures first CBC title in 37 years! ... Stanton Rose named MVP

By Rawle Toney

THE John Yates Trophy has returned to Guyana!

Yates, in 1981, pioneered the Caribbean Basketball Championship, with the inaugural tournament hosted at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Guyana had never won the title for the tournament which is now known as the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Championship, until a team, led by an 18-year-old point guard from Kwakwani, Stanton Rose, invaded Suriname where the 2018 tournament was held, and won the trophy named after the man who fashioned the regional showpiece.

Playing undefeated through the group stage, Guyana demolished Barbados 81 – 75 in the semi-finals, before going on to beat Antigua and Barbuda 83 – 70 in a closely contested finals on Saturday night to lift the trophy for the first time in 37 years.

While the women would’ve hoisted the title in 1996 when the tournament was hosted in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana’s best placing came in 1994 when the event was hosted in Georgetown and saw the team losing to Jamaica in the finals.

The closest Guyana came to their 1994 feat was in 2000 when they finished third in Barbados. Spearheaded then

by Lugard Mohan, they brushed aside Belize 87 – 67.

Rose was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament for his sensational performances, which also include a tournament-high 41 points which came in Guyana’s 104 – 102 double overtime win against St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Rose, who totalled

106 points (third overall), led the tournament in steals, totalling 15 at an average of 2.5 per game, was third in points per game (17.7), third in assist per game, eighth in Rebounds per game and was the fourth best efficient player.

He will go down in history as the youngest (18-years old) to ever captain Guyana at the CBC Champion, and the first captain to bring Guyana their ‘elusive’ title.

British Virgin Island-based (BVI) shooting guard, Ray Victor, also had a good showing in Paramaribo, finishing as the team’s highest aggregate scorer (108 points) and averaged 18 points per game.

Victor’s best performance came against Suriname when he netted a game-high 28 points, and against Barbados, dropping another gamehigh scoring night with 24 points.

The former Warner University guard then teamed up with Rose to become a lethal backcourt combination for coach Junior Hercules, as they progressed in the FIBA AmeriCup tournament.

Anthony Moe, the 6’9” forward came up big for Guyana in several games, having been forced to play the centre position because of Guyana’s lack of ‘big men’. Nonetheless, Moe finished with a 13-point average, and the team’s leading rebounder.

Meanwhile, Guyana, ranked 112 in the World by the game’s governing body FIBA, will move on along with Antigua and Barbuda, to the FIBA AmeriCup Qualifiers tournament which starts in September.

29

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, July 2, 2018

Russia stun Spain 4-3 on penalties to reach World Cup quarters

Russia’s Igor Akinfeev saves the penalty of Spain’s Iago Aspas to give Russia victory REUTERS/ Maxim Shemetov

By Karolos Grohmann MOSCOW (Reuters) - Hosts Russia beat Spain 4-3 on penalties thanks to two saves by their goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev on Sunday to advance to the World Cup quarter-finals and send thousands of ecstatic Russians to the streets to celebrate.

The 32-year-old keeper saved Koke’s and Iago Aspas’ spot kicks after both teams had

scored two apiece in Russia’s first ever World Cup penalty shootout, to set up a last eight clash with either Denmark or Croatia, after a lacklustre 1-1 draw over 120 minutes.

With Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev watching from the stands, Russia’s qualification triggered a wave of enthusiasm for the host nation as thousands celebrated in the capital’s iconic Red Square

and beyond.

“Players will not do things just because the coach says so.

They have to feel it and tonight they did it,” said Russia coach Stanislav Cherchesov.

“To be a strong team is one thing, but you have to be the best on the pitch. Tonight, we were that team at the right place at the right time,” added the coach, who had received a phone call from President Vladimir Putin a

few hours before the game.

It may have been a dry 120 minutes but there was high drama in the shootout for the 78,000 spectators at Luzhniki Stadium, with all four Russian penalty-takers keeping their cool and Muscovite Akinfeev doing well to deny Koke’s effort.

Akinfeev, who started his professional career by saving a spot kick in his first ever match, then kicked Aspas’ pen-

alty high and wide to trigger wild celebrations.

“In the second half, we were trying to defend. We were hoping for penalties and that’s what happened, thank God,” the keeper said.

It was a painful World Cup exit for Spain and coach Fernando Hierro, who replaced Julen Lopetegui, fired on the eve of the tournament after accepting Real Madrid’s offer to be their manager.

GREAT HOPES “There is a lot of pain in the delegation, the players, the coaching staff,”, Hierro told reporters. “We had great hopes for this World Cup and it was not to be.

“There are 15 players who have given everything, I have absolutely no complaint. This is football. We had more possession, got to their area much more. We understand that in these moments you have to be effective.”

Spain, who have never beaten a host at World Cups or Euros, went ahead after 12 minutes when Sergei Ignashevich bundled into Ramos at the far post, knocking a free kick in with his heel for the 10th own goal of the tournament.

The 2010 world champions controlled the game with their slick passing but failed to add to their lead as the

Pakistan ease past depleted Pooran and King star for Windies B Zimbabwe in T20 opener in win, Fletcher fires Royals to victory

Fakhar Zaman

PAKISTAN breezed past a depleted Zimbabwe by 74 runs on Sunday in the first match of a tri-series also featuring Australia.

Zimbabwe’s hopes of pulling off a shock in Harare appeared slim with key men Brendan Taylor, Sikandar Raza, Graeme Cremer, Sean Williams and Craig Ervine all absent.

And so it proved as Fakhar Zaman’s 40-ball 61 helped Pakistan to a healthy total of 182-4, before the hosts were skittled for just 108 in response.

“The only bright point was winning the toss,” said Zimbabwe skipper Hamilton Masakadza.

Fakhar struck three fours and as many sixes before departing in the 15th over. At that point, Pakistan had only 120 on the board, but Shoaib Malik (37 not out) and Asif Ali (41no) raised the tempo in the closing overs, the latter hitting four maximums.

Solomon Mire (27) and debutant Tarisai Musakanda (43) were the only batsmen to offer any resistance in reply as Pakistan’s bowlers shared the wickets around.

To add injury to insult for Zimbabwe, seamer Kyle Jarvis suffered a suspected broken thumb as he attempted a diving catch at long-on when Fakhar was on 58.

TORONTO, Canada, (CMC) – Aggressive half-centuries by Nicholas Pooran and Brandon King helped the West Indies B to a thrilling two-wicket victory over the Montreal Tigers when the Global T20 Canada competition continued.

West Indies’ Andre Fletcher was also in good form, smashing an unbeaten 68 to lead the Edmonton Royals to an easy eight-wicket win over the Toronto Nationals.

Pooran who has played just three T20Is for the West Indies, the last being in 2016, hit a whirlwind 58 from 35 balls, while King blazed 56 from 32 balls to help the Windies B to 187-8 in reply to the Tigers’ 183-9 in their 20 overs.

The pair added 76 runs in eight overs for the third wick-

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et after the Windies had found themselves in early trouble on 39-2.

Earlier, Jeremiah Louis and Obed McCoy bagged three wickets apiece to help

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restrict a Tigers team which boasts Sunil Narine, Dwayne Smith and Denesh Ramdin.

After Smith and Narine had shared in an opening stand of 51 to give the Tigers a good start, quick wickets by Louis and McCoy helped to restrict their efforts.

In the earlier contest, Fletcher’s 68 from just 39 balls was the mainstay of the Royals’ innings, as they romped home with five overs to spare.

He smashed the bowling attack to all parts of the ground during his knock which contained seven boundaries and four huge sixes.

The result gave the Darren Sammy led Nationals their first defeat of the tournament.

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Russians defended with discipline.

Russia also were toothless up front until Gerard Pique’s handball gave them a chance to level with a penalty in the 41st minute.

Forward Artem Dzyuba buried it for his third goal of the tournament to awaken the subdued crowd.

Despite 75 percent possession and more than 1,000 passes, Spain’s famed tiki-taka got them nowhere and they had to wait until the 85th minute to test Akinfeev with a low drive from substitute Andres Iniesta.

Having long run out of steam and with several players cramping, Russia were reduced to desperately defending in extra time.

Akinfeev came to the rescue once again to deny Rodrigo after his fine sprint before becoming a national hero by saving the two spot kicks to send the hosts into the last eight and his fellow Russians to the streets to celebrate.

Sky Plus releases provisional programme ORGANISERS of the Sky Plus Inc. horse race meet have released a provisional seven-race programme.

The one-day race meet, is billed for August 12 at the Sky Plus Inc. Race Track at No. 36 Village, Corentyne, Berbice.

According to the provisional programme, all races will be classic.

The feature event is for horses classified D and Lower.

The race is over a distance of 804m for a winning take of $400 000 and a trophy.

The two-year-old and J and Lower animals will be galloping over 804m for a reward of $200 000 each.

There is also an event for horses classified H and Lower over 603m for a first prize of $260 000 and a trophy.

The K and Lower horses will be competing over 603m for $140 000 and a trophy.

The L Class, both male and female will have a first prize of $100 000 each. The races cover a distance of 804m and 603m respectively.

According to the provisional programme, all entry fees must be paid in full before race day with the maximum weight allowance is 119lbs.

For further information, interested horse owners can make contact with Nick or Amanda on telephone numbers 600-4726 or 618-5966 respectively.

30

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, July 2, 2018

Croatia advance to Jackson, Levy and Dacres cop quarter-finals after gold, Blake’s struggles continue penalty shootout

Ronald Levy won the 110m hurdles at the Paris Diamond League for the second year running

Croatia players celebrate after their win against Denmark on penalties.

By Mark Gleeson NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia (Reuters) - Croatia came back after conceding in the opening minute to earn a World Cup quarter-final berth after edging Denmark 3-2 in a penalty shootout after the two sides drew 1-1 in the round of 16 match on Sunday.

They could have wrapped up the result five minutes from the end of extra time but Luka Modric had his penalty saved

by Kasper Schmeichel as a largely pedestrian match produced a pulsating finish.

However, the Croatia captain returned to bravely take one of the post-match kicks as goalkeeper Danijel Subasic saved three of Denmark’s efforts to set up a quarter-final meeting with hosts Russia, who also won in a penalty shootout earlier on Sunday against Spain after a 1-1 draw.

It was Modric’s sublime pass that put Ante Rebic

through on goal, before being brought down by Mathias Jorgensen, and offered Croatia a chance to win just before the shootout.

But with only five minutes left, Schmeichel made a smart save to keep the 1-1 stalemate intact.

“It was a very difficult game. We conceded in the first minute, then we equalised. We missed a sitter. We miss penalties. We had chances but we stayed strong, mentally composed, and we won eventually,” said Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic.

Two chaotic goals in the opening four minutes made for a rollicking start at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium. However, it proved a false dawn as the spectacle faded with both sides choosing caution as their priority given the rare chance to reach the last eight.

Jorgensen took all of 57 seconds to breach the Croatia defence at the end of a long throw-in by Jonas Knudsen,

stabbing at the ball with his left foot as he took it off team mate Thomas Delaney.

Subasic got a hand to Jorgensen’s toe-poke but effectively deflected the ball across his own line.

There was an element of comedy to the fourth-minute equaliser for Mario Mandzukic as Denmark’s early advantage quickly disappeared.

PINBALL A kick across the Danish defence was firmly hit away

by Henrik Dalsgaard but straight into the face of team mate Andreas Christensen, creating a pinball effect that saw the ball fall for Mandzukic, who then expertly turned it into the net from close range.

The anticipated influence of Christian Eriksen for the Danes and Croatia’s Modric held out hopes of more mouth-watering action but their craft was only evident in patches.

Eriksen did shave the top of the woodwork just before halftime with a speculative effort while, at the other end, Ivan Rakitic forced a smart save from Schmeichel.

After the interval, the chances were even more sparse although Croatia did up the tempo towards the end of regulation time only to run into a resolute Denmark defence. n extra time, Knudsen’s long throws proved the most dangerous attacking weapon but eventually it was penalties that delivered a winner.

“It’s a strange feeling.

Huge disappointment. But also enormous pride about our team,” said Schmeichel.

“I think today we had the opportunity. I think we were the better team in the second half and the extra time.

“I don’t think we had any luck. I don’t think the referee liked us today. It is difficult to accept and put into words.

There are many emotions right now.”

PARIS, (CMC) – While the Jamaican trio of Shericka Jackson, Ronald Levy and Fedrick Dacres all copped gold medals at the Paris Diamond League event on Saturday, Yohan Blake finished down the pack in the men’s 100m.

Jackson raced to victory in the 200 metres in a personal best time of 22.05 seconds, ahead of Jenni Prandini of the USA in 22.30, and Marie-Josee Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast, who placed third in 22.50.

The 23-year-old who specialises in the 400 metres, has been using the shorter sprint to improve her speed.

“I fell in love with the 400m. The 200m is also pretty good, so let’s see. I have to consider which will be my main event next season,” Jackson explained after the race.

“Coming to this event, I had the feeling we can expect a lot and that anything can happen. All the girls were very strong and I am curious what comes next. I am happy for the PB and the win.”

Levy captured the 110m hurdles at the meet for the second straight year, clocking 13.18 ahead of his compatriot Hansle Parchment, who equalled his fastest time for the season with 13.22.

“It is great to come back to Paris and win again. I thought I was going to improve my personal best tonight but I had a poor start [and] did not execute well, so it was not close to my ideal race,” Levy said afterwards.

“But still it was enough to win, so I am happy. My personal best is the main target for me this season, and I think I am not far from it.”

Dacres was an easy winner in the discus throw, recording a distance of 67.01 metres.

However, the news wasn’t as good for former World Champion Blake, who finished fifth in the 100m in a time of 10.03 seconds.

The race was won by American Ronnie Baker, who registered a personal-best time of 9.88, which equals the fastest time in the world this season.

F1-Hamilton forced to retire from Austrian GP, loses world championship lead SPIELBERG, Austria, (CMC) – Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton was forced to retire from the Austrian Grand Prix on Saturday following a Mercedes strategy blunder and tyre problems, allowing Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to take an unexpected victory.

Hamilton, the reigning world champion, retired due to a loss of fuel pressure with eight laps to go as he was looking to regain his title lead.

His retirement, with title rival Sebastian Vettel finishing third in his Ferrari behind team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, puts Vettel into a one-point lead heading into next weekend’s British Grand Prix.

Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas was also forced to retire due to a loss of hydraulic pressure Their problems handed the

first win on their home track to Red Bull, for whom Verstappen drove beautifully to control the race once Mercedes hit their problems, well out of

Both Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas were forced to retire from the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday

reach of the pursuing Ferraris.

Hamilton, whose paternal grandparents are from Grenada, said the entire Mercedes team was taking the loss hard.

“We’ve got to definitely work hard to understand where we’ve gone wrong, on both ends. Everyone in the team will be feeling pain today but we’ve got to take out the positives of this weekend. Ultimately we were the quickest, we should have won, so we’ve got to keep working hard,” he said.

Mercedes’ team boss Toto Wolff described the day’s events as one of the worst in his life.

“It’s a tremendously painful day for us, for me personally the most painful in six

years,” said Wolff, after the world champions suffered their first double DNF since Spain 2016.

“We were one and two on the grid, Lewis had a fantas-

tic first lap and then DNFing twice – and obviously losing the race under the Virtual Safety Car (VSC): it doesn’t get more cruel for us.”

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday July 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) (1) (2)

TODAY’S QUIZ:

What was the result of the recent WI/SL Test series?

Who was declared Man of the Series at the end of the recent WI/SL Test engagement?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

31

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, July 2, 2018

More podiums for Kristian Jeffrey in SR3 Cup

Race Three champagne celebrations (l-r): Kristian Jeffrey, Dominik Jackson, Jerome de Sadeleer. Ollie Read Photography

By Stephan Sookram THE rich run of form continued for Kristian Jeffrey this weekend in England as he picked up another podium place in Race Three at Oulton Park.

After a heavily populated and eventually red flagged practice session, Jeffrey and the Radical Factory team were pegged ninth on the grid.

Race one saw him move to fifth but ran wide on the penul-

timate corner while challenging for the position. He ended that race in sixth.

Determined to earn a spot on the podium, the team made several changes to the car ahead of the third race in which they would be starting fifth.

Those changes were positive as they were able to move up the rankings once more, battling wheel to wheel for third before the red flag came to end the race with five minutes remaining.

In Race Three, they were finally able to get on the podium after an uneventful race, finishing behind Dominik Jackson and ahead of Jérôme De Sadeleer Jeffrey told the media, “It was a good result; it’s the first time I’ve raced here at Oulton Park. In practice, the track felt like a maze! We made changes after each of the races and I felt more comfortable with the car and P2 is a great result.”

He added, “Race Three

Williams and Federer to open campaigns on day one of Wimbledon ROGER Federer begins his quest for a record-extending ninth Wimbledon men’s singles title when the 2018 tournament begins today.

The Swiss great, 36, opens against Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic on Centre Court from 13:00 BST. Seven-time champion Serena Williams, back at SW19 for the first time since giving birth, also plays on Monday.

British number ones Kyle

Edmund and Johanna Konta both play on Tuesday, but compatriot Andy Murray has pulled out.

The Scot initially looked set to feature after saying he was “most likely” to be fit enough to continue his comeback from almost a year out with a hip injury.

The 31-year-old returned at Queen’s last month, losing to Nick Kyrgios.

Murray, who won Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016, then took a wildcard at East-

Serena Williams

bourne. There he beat fellow three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka before losing to compatriot Edmund.

However, he was concerned about his long-term fitness and felt Wimbledon simply came “too soon”.

“It is with a heavy heart that I’ll be withdrawing from Wimbledon this year,” Murray said.

(BBC Sport)

Roger Federer

was the best result of my season. Great battling from start to finish and managed to pull off P2. [I am] really happy with the progression through the season and understanding the limits of these radicals. [I must say] a big thank you to the support [team] from the radical works.”

Dujon expects West Indies to beat Bangladesh in upcoming Test series BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) – Although the West Indies are rated lower than Bangladesh in the ICC’s Test rankings, Jeffrey Dujon expects the home side to win the upcoming Test series.

Jeffrey Dujon

During a recent interview on the Line and Length show Dujon, a former West Indies wicketkeeper said he believed the Windies would emerge victorious in the two-match Test series, despite the visitors being ranked eighth – one spot ahead of the home side.

“I didn’t think that I would ever say it, but Bangladesh are above us in the Test rankings…but it is a series that we should win,” he said.

However, Dujon, who worked as a commentator during the just concluded series between the West Indies and Sri Lanka, said the result of the series would come down to the type of pitches which were prepared, He said it would be in the Windies’ best interest if livelier wickets were prepared. “ We n e e d s o m e thing that our bowlers can work with, we still don’t have that strong a bowling unit, but we need to give the bowlers a bit more help and the batsmen have got to stand up and be counted…” Dujon maintained.

The first Test match begins on Wednesday, July 4 at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium in Antigua.

G u y a n a captures first CBC title in 37 years! ... Stanton Rose named MVP See Page 28

CAPTAIN FANTASTIC! Stanton Rose was named the MVP of the CBC Tournament in Suriname.

HISTORIC! Guyana’s senior Men’s national team celebrating after winning the CBC Championship in Suriname.

Spain’s defeat clears path for fresh face in World Cup final MOSCOW (Reuters) Spain’s dramatic defeat

by Russia on penalties in the World Cup round of 16 on Sunday ensured that at least one of this year’s finalists will not have reached the title decider for half a century, if at all.

Former finalists England, who played their one final when they won the title in 1966, and Sweden, who lost to Brazil on home soil in the 1958 final, are still in the half of the draw vacated by the 2010 champions after their loss to the hosts.

The odds on England winning the World Cup for a second time were immediately cut from 6-1 to 5-1 after Russia’s victory, making them third favourites behind France and Brazil with bookmaker William Hill.

Croatia’s victory over

Denmark in another penalty shootout later on Sunday kept them alive in the same section of the draw and saw England’s odds drift slightly to 11-2.

The Croatians, whose best previous showing was a trip to the semi-finals in 1998, were also listed at 11-2 despite a much less impressive performance in

Nizhny Novgorod than in their earlier group matches.

Russia will take on Croatia in Sochi on Saturday, hoping to continue to benefit from the hosts’ dividend to better the single semi-final appearance that the Soviet Union achieved in 1966.

Switzerland, who have never done better than

the spot in the last eight they achieved as hosts in 1954, take on the Swedes on Tuesday in St Petersburg with the winners going on to face England or Colombia.

Colombia, whose best finish was their run to the quarter-finals in Brazil four years ago, take on the English in the last round-of-16 match later the same night in Moscow.

The last addition to the elite group of 12 nations who have contested World Cup finals was Spain when they won the title for the first time in 2010.

France, the 1998 winners, beat Argentina to reach the quarter-finals on Saturday and are in the other half of the draw with fellow former champions Brazil and Uruguay, the three nations having competed in 11 finals

between them.

Latest odds on winners of 2018 World Cup: 7-2 France, Brazil 11-2 England, Croatia 6-1 Belgium 14-1 Uruguay 16-1 Colombia 20-1 Russia 33-1 Switzerland 40-1 Sweden 50-1 Mexico 200-1 Japan (Source: William Hill)

Russia stun Spain 4-3 on penalties to reach World Cup quarters See Page 29

Russia’s Igor Akinfeev saves the penalty of Spain’s Iago Aspas to give Russia victory REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

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MONDAY, JULY 2, 2018