Guyana chronicle e paper 09 16 2017

AG takes AML outreach to Berbice Page 11

Duo charged for illegal airstrip No. 105037

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2017

Price: $80 (VAT Inclusive)

Page 3 Nathan Hamilton

Every child must be educated

–– President tells education march and rally

Page 9

Wazim King

Roraima denies 19 shuttles claims Page 8

STEAM groups get $40M cash grants Page 2

New goldprocessing fees finalised Page 12

President David Granger, Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, Junior Minister of Public Health, Dr Karen Cummings and Minister of Public Affairs, Dawn Hasting-Williams inspecting some of the tablets on display at one of the booths at Durban Park during the Education Day rally on Friday. Also in photo is Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry (Delano Williams photo)

All Guyanese scholars in Cuba safe …as assessment team wings out to Antigua

Page 19

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 16, 2017

Youth org, STEAM groups get $40M –– compliments of President’s Innovation Grant

SOME 25 youth organisations and Science Technology Engineering Architecture and Mathematics (STEAM) groups from across Guyana were on Friday presented with awards and grants totalling some $40 million, a gift from President David Granger.

The grants were handed over to representatives of youth organisations during the staging of Education Month activities at Durban Park, Georgetown.

Back in May, the Education Ministry had called for ideas and proposals through the Government of Guyana Innovation Programme, for innovative solutions to common problems or challenges within communities.

According to Education Minister Nicolette Henry, the responses were so overwhelming,that government had to reorganise the Youth Innovation Programme into the Innovation Programme of Guyana.

She said through the programmes, the ministry was flooded with solutions to the challenges faced in various communities, ranging from flooding, school dropouts and illiteracy to issues of mental health, gender discrimination and reproductive health.

“These solutions undoubtedly formed the frame

of reference for non-formal education in Guyana. She said education sector reform will be enhanced when every Guyanese is engaged in capacity-building and is contributing to resolution

the Arawak Language, a building of a museum and a skills-training facility. Over in Region Three (Essequibo Islands/ West Demerara) the Building Bridges Foundation suggested innovative

a greenhouse for food security.

The organisation has also proposed a youth aviation camp, teaching the youth to fly in a vast safe and competitive airline en-

space for guests.

The Youth Ministry of the Guyana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists made a proposal for a Youth Empowerment Project to be situated in Bartica, Region

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo with recipients of the STEAM and Innovation Programme of Guyana awards/ grants of issues and is engaged at unprecedented levels of priorities.”

The proposals include a project from Hosororo Village, Region one (Barima-Waini), submitting alternative livelihoods for the youth, Innovative Method in Science, Architecture, Agriculture and Mathematics. The Kabakaburi Village Council in Region Two (Pomeroon/ Supenaam), joined with youth of the village to suggest a friendly space for the learning of

ways in sewing and janitorial services for women and youth empowerment, to procure a training centre for sewing and janitorial activities. The region also produced in La Parfaite Harmonie, a neighbourhood beautification project.

The Ministry of Education received some 16 proposals from youth groups in Region Four (Demerara/ Mahaica) including from the African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA), which suggested

vironment.

Green Guyhoc has collaborated with its community to achieve cohesiveness and sustainable growth through agriculture, engineering and architecture.

The Non Pariel Airstrip Greenhouse club proposed the use of non-biodegradable materials for construction. From St Cuthbert’s Village, was a proposal for the Benab project; a central meeting place for the community, a learning space for the youth and a hammock

Seven (Cuyuni/ Mazaruni).

That project will provide vocational skills, social enrichment, mentoring and education.

The SWAP Mobile App, a project which touts “learn, earn, connect and save” encourages the bartering of goods and services.

Another project called “Technology for Special needs” also found favour with the Ministry of Education. That project will see children who are physically challenged using technolo-

gy to increase their capabilities, including powering hydroponic systems, a vertical aeroponics food production system, designed to grow plants with only water and nutrients rather than soil, upcycling from “trash to treasure” using discarded materials to create products of higher quality and value, participating in the green economy.

Fourteen secondary schools were collectively awarded the STEAM grant.

However, Queen’s College teamed with the University of Guyana to propose a project called “the true potential of coconut”, for the saponification of coconut oil and wood ash to provide Guyanese with affordable cleansing products.

Skeldon Line path Secondary School proposed to reduce the mosquito population and frequency of bites using Tulsi and Marigold plants. The Youth Agriculture Initiative from Bartica proposed Gainfully Active While Learning About Agriculture (GALA).

Also, a small-business proposal from Paramakatoi is seeking to expand services in the remote region where the topography is a challenge. They plan to expand their services to neighbouring communities.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 16, 2017

Duo charged for illegal airstrip

… remanded to prison for conspiracy

By Clestine Juan TWO residents of Lethem were on Friday charged in connection with the recent discovery of an abandoned aircraft on an illegal airstrip in the vicinity of Santa Fe, Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

Wazim King, 37, and Nathan Hamilton, 21, appeared before City Magistrate, Judy Latchman, jointly charged with conspiracy to commit a felony. The charge read that the two men, between August 10 and August 13 at Santa Fe, Rupununi, conspired with, Hutshan Ramsingh called Ceon Singh, to facilitate the illegal landing of an aircraft suspected to be involved in the trafficking of narcotics and firearm at an illegal port of entry.

The men were not required to plead to the charge since the matter remains indictable.

King, was represented

by Attorney-at-law Michael Somersaul while Attorney, Jerome Khan appeared for Hamilton. The attorneys contended that their clients have no knowledge that the airstrip or airplane was illegal, since the men were only hired by Ramsingh for the building of a road.

According to the lawyers, King is a driver and was hired to take a Bobcat into the Santa Fe, Rupununi, while Hamilton is Bobcat operator and was employed to help build a road.

Police Prosecutor, Vishnu Hunt opposed the duo being released on bail based on the seriousness and nature of the charge. He disclosed

that both accused had given a statement to the police implicating their involvement in the illegal airstrip. The men had prior knowledge that the construction of the airstrip was illegal and both played their part in the building for the said landing area, the prosecutor argued.

According to Hunt, an investigation into the matter is still ongoing and more persons are expected to be arrested and charged. Additionally, Lethem business-

Nathan Hamilton man Ramsingh is yet to be arrested by the police.

Magistrate Latchman ruled in the prosecution’s favour and remanded the two men to prison until September 18, next, where the matter will be heard before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan.

Acting Commissioner, David Ramnarine, had disclosed that five males and one female were arrested initially and legal advice was given to charge two of them.

The others were released on bail. He said the investigation has not been completed and further action will be taken.

Wazim King On August 13, Police ranks were in the Santa Fe, Rupununi conducting a search when they stumbled upon over a dozen 10-gallon jars hidden in the bushes.

The party of policeman observed that a long strip of land had been cleared to make what looked like an airstrip. As the ranks were leaving, they saw an aircraft circling the cleared area.

When they returned, they observed three men running from the plane after it had landed. The men managed to escape but the aircraft was secured.

The lawmen upon searching the aircraft found a quantity of dry ration, medical supplies, gents clothing and footwear, two hand-held radios, flashlights, cellular phones and an identification card, amongst other items.

The discovery was made a mere week after soldiers had found another illegal airstrip, a chain saw, aviation fuel, 12 abandoned camps and several dug out trenches in the same area.

Shortly after the incident, President David Granger travelled to the Rupununi,

The illegal aircraft during which he underscored the importance of strong security presence along Guyana’s borders as well as the various ports of entry. He made the comments when he addressed stakeholders and security personnel and stressed that porous borders create avenues for pirates, people traffickers and smugglers to perpetrate crimes that thwart efforts at public safety and societal stability.

“Drug gangs will come into our country; illegal migrants will come into our country. These elements are not friendly to us. They will jeopardise the safety of your own women and children and of your own communities. They will bring guns, violence and drugs into our society, they will change our way of life and that is why border security is so important to protect our way of life,” the Head-of-State said in his remarks to the security forces and other stakeholders of the Takutu-Upper Essequibo Region (Region Nine).

“I take security very seriously because without security, this country cannot develop. There are few indi-

viduals who are holding this country back. The bulk of the people want this country to move forward. We are not a criminal nation but there are a few criminal people who are holding us back and I am going to find them and put them away because they are holding back the development of a great people, a great region and a great nation,” he asserted.

Outlining his policy for Total National Defence (TND), the President implored of ranks of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) at Base Camp Kanuku, in Lethem, to remain vigilant at all times so that they can prevent intrusion into the country’s air and land space by foreign elements. He also made it clear that every section of society has a role to play in matters of safety and security, adding that the re-establishment of the Guyana People’s Militia (GPM) is in keeping with that vision. Moreover, he informed that every region will have a component of the GPM, which will be capable of rendering both

military and civil services.

Additionally, each region will have its own police division, which will be better able to secure the capital towns that have been created.

“There must be some means of collecting and passing information from the district, to the municipality, to the region and from the region, to the Central Government level…So when we speak of Total National Defence (TND), we don’t only speak of a horizontal distribution between the Defence Force, the Militia and the police, we also speak about vertical integration between the central, regional, municipal and the local levels. Every citizen has to play a part in this architecture of national defense.

I am calling on all of these organs, the private sector, the non-governmental organisations, the ministries, the security forces, the Government departments, the municipality and the region, to look at the security of this region as one of its top priorities,” he said.

NAREI signs $13.8M contract for installation of geotextile tubes in Essequibo THE National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) on Wednesday signed a $13.8M contract with Samaroo Investment for the installation of geotextile tubes with the aim of strengthening the sea defence in Reliance, Essequibo, Region Two. NAREI’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Oudho Homenauth and Doodnauth

Samaroo, managing- director of the contracting company signed the contract at NAREI, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

The contract specifies that 100m of geotextile tubes are to be installed to form groynes along the foreshore at Reliance, Essequibo. The general scope of works includes the alignment of 100m geotextile tubes with a circumference

of 30 feet and geotextile layers (scour aprons with four feet circumference anchor tubes and Geo-grids) perpendicular to the existing sea defences and sandfill tubes using slurry. Groynes shall be placed 10m from the sea defences.

Geotextile tubes are used as a cost-effective material alternative for coastal and marine projects. They are manufactured from geosyn-

thetic-based materials which are factory-sewn to achieve the desired formation. Installation of the tubes is carried out by filling with sand or suitable dredged material, the entity said in a statement.

To strengthen coastal sea defence, NAREI has over the years implemented a number of interventions throughout the country. In Essequibo, interventions were made for the resto-

ration of mangroves and creation of suitable environments to promote restoration in areas where the supporting criteria do not exist.

The entity has completed seedling planting at Lima, Essequibo, which has resulted in successful restoration and natural regeneration extending the forest length and width.

Geotextile tube groyne and

spartina planting at Devonshire castle were done and this resulted in increased elevation and natural regeneration.

Currently, bamboo brushwood dam that was done in Walton Hall is being monitored and is expected to support increased elevation. NAREI will follow up with Spartina grass-planting, the statement added.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 16, 2017

29 hurt in bomb attack in London A home-made bomb on a packed rush-hour commuter train in London engulfed a carriage in flames and injured 29 people on Friday, but apparently failed to fully explode, in Britain’s fifth major terrorism incident this year.

Passengers heading into the British capital fled in panic after the blast as the train was about to depart Parsons Green station in West London at 8:20 a.m. (0720 GMT).

Some suffered burns and others were injured in a stampede to escape the station, one of the above-ground stops on the underground “Tube” network, but health officials said none were thought to be in a serious condition. “We now assess that this was a detonation of an improvised explosive device,” Britain’s

top counter-terrorism officer, Mark Rowley, told reporters.

Police said a hunt involving hundreds of detectives backed by the intelligence services was under way to find out who was responsible.

Rowley declined to say if the suspected bomber had been on the train, saying it was a live investigation. Prime Minister Theresa May called the incident a “cowardly attack” and said the national threat level had been raised a notch to its highest level, “critical”.

The Islamic State militant group, which has said it was behind several attacks on Western cities in recent years, including two attacks in London and one in Manchester this year, claimed responsibility through its news agency, Amaq. It was impossible to verify the claim, for which

Amaq offered no evidence.

Western intelligence officials have questioned similar claims in the past, saying that while Islamic State’s jihadist ideology may have inspired some attackers, there is scant evidence that it has orchestrated attacks. Pictures taken at the scene showed a slightly charred white bucket with a supermarket freezer bag on the floor of one train carriage.

The bucket, still intact, was in flames and there appeared to be wires coming out of the top.

“I was on second carriage from the back. I just heard a kind of ‘whoosh’. I looked up and saw the whole carriage engulfed in flames making its way towards me,” Ola Fayankinnu, who was on the train, told Reuters.

“There were phones, hats,

bags all over the place and when I looked back I saw a bag with flames.”

Charlie Craven said he had just got on the train when the device exploded. “Literally within three seconds of putting your bag down, the doors just closing, we hear a loud explosion,” he told Reuters. “I looked around and saw this massive fireball ... coming down the carriage.”

He said terrified passengers fled, fearing a second explosion or a gunman, with people being knocked to the ground and crushed in the stampede to escape. Outside the station, a woman was carried off on a stretcher with her legs covered in a foil blanket while others were led away swathed in bandages. The health service said 29 people had been treated in hospital, many suffering from flash burns.

“SPECULATION UNHELPFUL” In 2005, 52 people were

killed when four British Islamists carried out suicide bomb attacks on three London underground trains and a bus, and this year Britain has suffered four attacks that killed a total of 36 people.

“Another attack in London by a loser terrorist,” U.S. President Donald Trump said on Twitter. “These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard.

Must be proactive!”

May, who returned to London to chair a meeting of Britain’s emergency response committee, said police and security services were working to track down those responsible. Asked about Trump’s tweet, she replied: “I never think it’s helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation.” Others were more directly critical of Trump. “True or not - and I‘m sure he doesn’t know - this is so unhelpful from leader of our ally and intelligence partner,” May’s former chief of staff Nick Timothy said on

Twitter.

A U.S. law enforcement official and a U.S. intelligence source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the attack might well have been carried out in response to recent Islamic State video messages urging would-be militants to attack trains and other public transport. One of the officials said the device “doesn’t look very professionally built” and said its rudimentary design suggested the attack had been carried out by someone inspired by Islamic State propaganda rather than by a well-trained cell.

Professor Hans Michels, an explosives expert from Imperial College London, said the device appeared to have largely failed. “The flash flame reported suggests that the ‘explosion’ was only partly successful,” he said. “I must speculate that either the mixture was not of the right composition or that the ignition system was inadequate or not properly placed.”

UK security services believe those behind some of the militant incidents in Britain this year were probably acting alone and radicalised by online material. In March, a man drove a car into pedestrians on London’s Westminster Bridge killing four, before he stabbed a policeman to death outside parliament. A further 22 people were killed in a suicide bombing at a pop concert in Manchester in May and the following month three Islamist militants drove into pedestrians on London Bridge before stabbing people at nearby restaurants and bars, killing eight.

In June, a van was driven into worshippers near a mosque in north London which left one man dead.

Figures released on Thursday showed there had been a record number of terrorism-related arrests in Britain in the past year. In the three years until March this year, police foiled 13 potential attacks, Rowley said this week. But the next 17 weeks saw the four attacks in London and Manchester, while the authorities thwarted six others.

(Reuters)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE,SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 16, 2017

Cayman Islands Premier delivers relief aid for Anguilla hurricane recovery Alden McLaughlin, Premier of the Cayman Islands, on Friday delivered 15,000 lbs of relief aid to assist Anguilla in its post hurricane recovery.

Anguilla, an Associate Member of CARICOM was pummeled by one of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record, hurricane Irma, on Tuesday 5 September. It damaged the main hospital, schools and 90 percent of the homes. The Premier of the Cayman Islands, also a CARICOM Associate Member, conducted a tour of the hurricane ravaged Island and offered Anguil-

la’s Chief Minister, Victor Banks, assurances of his country’s solidarity and support. CARICOM Chairman, Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell of Grenada and Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque toured Anguilla on Wednesday.

During their interaction with Chief Minister Banks, he had highlighted the pressing need for food, water, building supplies in this critical stage of the Islands recovery.

The cargo laden plane arrived in Anguilla with 5,000lbs of drinking water, canned and other non-perishable food items and

Aerial view of hurricane-ravaged Anguilla

non-medical items including 100 tarpaulins from Hazard Management Cayman

Islands and 250 relief kits from the Cayman Islands Red Cross.

Medical supplies were provided by Anguilla’s Government through the Cayman Island Health Services Authority, Health City Cayman Islands, Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital and other local pharmacies. The Cayman government also dispatched a team of medical practitioners comprising two doctors and nurses, led

by Dr. Glaister Bell from its Health Services Authority to remain in Anguilla for two weeks. A second team will replace them at the end of that period.

Mr. McCleary Fredrick, Director of Hazard

Management Cayman Islands has also been sent to Anguilla for two weeks to provide expertise along with the Anguillan disaster management team. Cayman Islands’ government has made provisions for a number of Anguillan citizens, some requiring medical treatment, to travel to the Cayman Islands on the return flight later today.

They have also extended support to evacuate other individuals who are legally in Anguilla and wish to travel to Cayman to connect to other destinations.

(Caricom Secretariat)

‘Kamla defamed us’ - oil company, owner threaten lawsuit

A & V Oil and Gas Limited has started legal action against Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar over the claims made at a political meeting in Couva last Sunday, where she quoted from a Petrotrin Internal Audit Report and alleged that the company was involved in wrong doing.

The company and its owner Hanif Nazim Baksh, through attorneys Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, Ronnie Bissessar and Varin Gopaul-Gosine, are claiming defamation.

In a pre-action protocol letter dated September 15, Persad-Bissessar was advised

that to avoid legal proceedings commencing, she was expected to give the company and its owner, in writing, a full and unequivocal retraction and apology, and have it published. Persad-Bissessar was also told she should remove the video recording of her speech, and her speaking notes from the United National Congress’ Facebook page, make an offer to pay compensation, and pay the company’s legal costs.

On Thursday, the company’s wrote a legal letter to Petrotrin, its chairman Wilfred Espinet. and president Fitzroy Harewood, stating that A&V Oil and

Gas Ltd was not consulted

by Petrotrin’s auditors, nor was it invited to make any representations in its favour prior to, or upon the publication of, the internal audit report. “Petrotrin, notwithstanding that the report was preliminary and that its findings were going to be independently confirmed, has apparently acted upon the report because it has now withheld the sum of US$6,310,438.66 to A&V referable to crude oil production for June and July 2017,” the letter stated. The legal letter, dated September 14, also calls on Espinet and Harewood to

CARICOM gripped with compassion at widethe disrupspread loss of life–LaRocque tion,Excellency, destruction and scenes Caribbean Community Secretary-General, Amb. Irwin LaRocque, has expressed “profound condolences” to the President of the French Republic, His Excellency Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron.

Referring to the recent passage of Hurricane Irma over the Overseas French Caribbean Territories of St. Barthelemy and in particular Saint Martin, the Secretary-General in a Message of Condolence said “…the disruption, destruction and scenes of damage across the two territories left the Community gripped with compassion at the widespread loss of life and property”.

“The Community’s heartfelt sympathies and expressions of solidarity are extended to the people of St. Barthelemy and Saint Martin, particu-

larly the bereaved families and wish a full and speedy recovery to the injured”, he also said.

Amb. La Rocque noted the high human, social, economic and environmental cost caused by the damage of such “super-storms”, and expressed the hope “that a full recovery can be made in the shortest possible time.”

The following is the text of the message:

Excellency The Caribbean Community expresses profound condolences to the Government and People of the French Republic, in particular the people the Overseas French Caribbean Territories of St. Barthelemy and Saint Martin, who lost loved ones due to the passage of Hurricane Irma.

of damage across the two territories left the Community gripped with compassion at the widespread loss of life and property. The Community knows all too well the terrible effects of such super-storms and the damage that they cause, which carry a high human, social, economic and environmental cost. We sincerely hope that a full recovery can be made in the shortest possible time.

The Community’s heartfelt sympathies and expressions of solidarity are extended to the people of St. Barthelemy and Saint Martin, particularly the bereaved families and wish a full and speedy recovery to the injured. Excellency, please accept my best wishes for your territories as you navigate this difficult time.

issue a written statement clearly affirming that while A&V has been a subject of an internal audit report,

such or any findings are preliminary and inconclusive. Petrotrin was given until 4 p.m. today to issue

the statement. There has been no indication as to how Petrotrin intends to respond. (Trinidad Express)

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Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE, SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 16, 2017

Race and sensitivity ACCORDING to the Ministry of the Presidency (MoTP), President David Granger’s Public Information and Press Services Officer is the subject of a probe into an alleged racially derogatory term used on her facebook page in describing fellow ministry workers. This matter brings to the fore several issues and more so, points attention to the importance of the country proceeding in handling it an atmosphere of frank and honest conversations.

Where this society was founded, built, and nurtured on racial segregation, false notions of inferiority and superiority, facilitated by a politics of divide and rule, the pains and scars inflicted from these experiences go back centuries. At the same time the society for its development cannot be stuck in the past, nor can laws to bring racial respect and harmony be made meaningful in the absence of systems to enforce, which also include education.

Unlearning offensive racial behaviours will not necessarily be achieved solely by laws that prohibit and punish such conduct. Learnt behaviours are hard to unlearn and where some may engage in such acts, because it has become ‘acceptable’ or ignored, does not make it universally acceptable. Another factor too, where leaders in society escape accountability for engaging in debased conduct, be it language, policies and programmes, they give voice to the masses thinking such behaviours are acceptable.

It is noted that the issue understandably attracted the ire of a PPP/C Member of Parliament (MP) who is calling for the staff member’s dismissal and the undergoing of a period of racial rehabilitation. Such call from the MP may be surprising, given that he is publicly known for making offensive racial and racist remarks. It is therefore hoped that the justi-

fied outrage is not selective, because of who allegedly said it and to whom it was allegedly directed. This brings to the fore, concern that there are different standards for different people. Should such be accepted as the norm it will never see the nation rising to the level where certain conversations are taboo and all who engage in such equally attract our ire.

Society would recall during the 2015 General and Regional Elections, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo’s campaign rhetoric was not only clothed in the proverbial racial dog whistle, but so comfortable was he and accepting of it by the PPP/C’s leadership that it became a mobilising call. There is no excuse for the alleged expression of the staff member, and it is comforting that the MoTP has distanced itself from such conduct, though it is fair to say accountability must be across the board, more so by leaders and those in the corridors of power. The Ministry of Social Cohesion may find this issue worthwhile to spark national conversations of perception and reception, linguistic dehumanisation, and how each can be addressed to move the process beyond such malpractices being on statute books to that of living the reality.

Ours is a society where persons are quick to accuse others of engaging in racism when they address issues pertaining to their race, particularly instances where they perceive discrimination against the group exists, be it real or contrived. This brings attention to the national importance of understanding the universal definition and practices of racism. We have been conditioned to refer to groups by derogatory names and aspects of their culture treated with similar disregard.

In many instances, while Guyana has achieved independence and republican status and the equality of all a

Show a track record of success before lobbying for new models Dear Editor I REFER to Gobin Harbhajan’s letter, “Skeldon the cause of problems in sugar industry” (GC edition of Sept. 10th, 2017) which is a response to my letter. Editor, Berbicians who know Mr. Harbhajan would not be surprised that he now assumes a new role, that is, of a GuySuCo mouth-organ. In any event, I am pleased that he has joined the sugar debate. In this contribution, I will address the concerns raised: (1) In my letter, I demonstrated that Harbhajan’s inferences and comments (such as bad management, nothing ever worked at Skeldon, voodoo crop husbandry, etc.) are not true or accurate by providing verifiable evidence.

I maintain that every single detail provided by me is verifiable. Mr. Harbhajan did not

dispute those details. What other tangible evidence does he need?

(2) It is Mr. Harbhajan who said that “nothing ever worked “at Skeldon. I debunked that statement by showing proof that Mr. Harbhajan himself confirmed that the co-generation plant was 100% operational which explains that the phrase “nothing ever worked” is a lie. In his characteristic deceitful style, Mr. Harbhajan then twists the 100% operationalisation of the co-generation plant to create an impression that his Gov’t made significant achievements after one year by returning to service two Wartsilla engines after mandatory maintenance.

Editor, diesel/HFO engines typically undergo mandatory maintenance based on predetermined running hours. The “limping” engine and the “completely down” engine

were due for and undergoing maintenance.

To associate completion of mandatory maintenance of equipment as remarkable achievements is mediocrity at best. Mr. Harbhajan then continues to support his position of “nothing ever worked” by introducing new subjects such dryer in the processing area, automation in the factory, dumper section, etc. Editor, this RDC councillor wants to appear knowledgeable to citizens, but has effectively drifted out to sea here, oozing ignorance and lies. If Mr. Harbhajan understands the concept of sugar-drying and operating conditions required for this process, he would appreciate the challenges to effectively dry low-polarisation raw cane-sugar and why it is less challenging to dry higher-polarisation sugar, using rotatory granulators instead

of spewing nonsense that the equipment never worked. On the point of automation, all major processes at Skeldon have complete instrumentation and are connected to a Distributed Control System (DCS) allowing start-up, operations and shut-down of plant equipment to be done from a main control centre.

Mr. Harbhajan visited Skeldon, but now barefacedly spews nonsense that the factory is fully manual. Maybe, Skeldon became fully manual since May 2015, or when he assumed the office of board member for SEI. I would urge Mr. Harbhajan to ask Mr. Hanoman, the present CEO and Ex-BookerTate Director, why Skeldon was designed & constructed with automation. On the subject of the punt-dumper, the design and equipment were sourced from a United States company, approved by

matter of law, the imprisonment of the mind in eras before these significant dates still inform interpretation of issues, acceptance and rejection of others and their unique customs and inherent characteristics. The sensitivity needed to tackle issues of race and racism cannot be ignored, given that the last thing Guyanese should want is to make bad situations or experiences worse.

To the extent that race continues to be ignored and argued, by the rank and file and in the hierarchy, that it doesn’t matter it makes worse any effort to look at the issues and discriminatory treatments that flow therefrom in a progressive manner.

Denial of the existence of race contributes to denial of all its antecedents -- positive and negatives -- opportunities to promote racial equality and confront racism.

If there is to be a positive from the alleged Facebook incident, it is recognition that in a multiracial society ostrich-like approaches to dealing with race, racism and its sensitivity will not address the issues of concern and another century will pass us stuck in or not far removed from the 15th century when the slave society was created.

In short, there exists the option to be progressive and come into the 21st century or remain behind.

Booker-Tate. Modification of one of the dumpers from hydraulic ram to cable & winch-lifting commenced long before May 2015 and was completed in time for second crop 2015 (after May 2015). That modification resulted in Skeldon reaching a weekly average cane-processing rate of 260t/hr., the highest since commissioning. This better rate caused sugar recovery to increase by 15%. Mr. Harbhajan now barefacedly lies to this nation by saying that his Gov’t fixed the punt-dumper. The fact is, every employee at Skeldon and in GuySuCo’s management knows that the punt-dumper modification was approved and work commenced before May 2015. How more dishonest and deceitful can one be by claiming credit for something done by another grouping? On the subject of the diffuser not working, again, Mr. Harbhajan displays his sublime ignorance of the concept of diffusion and operating parameters for optimum diffusion efficiency, hence his comment.

If the diffuser never worked, how can diffusion extraction reach 95% at Skeldon? Can you explain this Mr. Harbhajan given your knowledge on sugar?

(3) I urge the RDC Councillor and mouthpiece of the prime minister to reread my letter on the issue of diversification model. My point is, Mr. Harbhajan’s Gov’t. should not propose a second model (privatisation) when there is no evidence that their first model (diversification) is working. In short, show a track record of success before lobbying for new models.

(4) Mr. Harbhajan identifies Skeldon as the cause for voodoo crop husbandry. I encourage him to enquire from Mr. Hanoman an Ex-Director of Booker-Tate, why GuySuCo took legal action on Booker-Tate for Skeldon. Assuming that Mr. Hanoman and Mr. Bhim carried out ‘political dictates’ prior to May 2015 when they were CEOs, the performance record shows that sugar production ranged Turn to page 7 from

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GUYANA CHRONICLE,SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 16, 2017

Not doom and gloom for sugar workers Dear Editor, THE Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) believes that by continuously repeating its empty rhetoric that it will be able to convince the public, especially its members, that it is truly concerned about their welfare. But the old adage, ‘Action speaks louder than words’ keeps on being manifested all the time as it continues its crusade of insensitivity to the realities of the sugar industry.

On September 12th, 2017, the crop began at Skel-

don after a hiatus of more than nine months, yet as soon as it was about to begin, GAWU called a strike to protest the privatisation of the entity. The union waited until the cane was burnt and harvesting was about to begin then it called a strike. But this is nothing new to GAWU. This modus operandi is as old as GWAU itself. It is always about crippling the industry and never about finding sensible and workable solutions.

It knows that the canes will lose its sucrose content before it is even harvested and the TC/TS will be very high and that Guysuco will lose

millions. But what about the workers whom they claim to represent? These poor guys have already spent months trying to eke out a living -doing odd jobs and borrowing from sympathetic friends and relatives.

Statistics have shown that over the years even during the PPP/C’s tenure, GAWU was one of the main culprits in running down the sugar industry. During this time there was an average of 200 strikes per year at various estates, which resulted in the loss of an average of 42,500 man days per annum. This will translate into more than $21

From page 6

Show a track record ...

186,754t to 233,736t for the period 2009-2015 in Hanoman/Bhim era. Under Raj Singh, sugar production increased from 186,754t in 2013 to 216,359t in 2014 then to 231,071t in 2015.

In 2016, sugar production

slumped to 183,652t. It is now Sept. 2017 and sugar production is stuttering at 74,198t as at September 9, 2017. This performance record shows that ‘political dictates’ under the previous Gov’t. yielded higher

production levels. Since the industry is now well-managed without ‘political dictates,’ can Mr. Harbhajan explain why sugar production for 2017 is hopelessly at 74,198t? Why Skeldon repairs were not completed

million dollars per annum in wages. During the PPP/C’s period in office, workers lost in excess $483 million. What financial loss did the GAWU leaders bear? Not a single black cent. It is always the workers who lose big time.

These strikes were called for the ficklest of reasons.

I wish to remind GAWU that the annual output of sugar declined by 14% between 2006 and 2016. The subsidies to the Industry increased from $700 million in 2011 to $11.8 billion in 2015, whilst the losses increased from $2.3 billion in 2009 to $17.4 billion in 2014-- an increase

of 43%. On the other hand, unrelenting demands from GAWU increased the wages bill from $14.5 billion in 2010 to $20.8 billion in 2014.

Can we attribute this massive increase to the salaries of the CEO and the Chairman of Guysuco? Let me summarise this for the General-Secretary of GAWU Mr. Seepaul Narine: output falls drastically; subsidies increased dramatically, losses increased by leaps and bounds, whilst wages increase astronomically. Mr. Narine needs to be real in his assessment.

I wish that Mr. Narine or his apologists should

for it to commence second crop 2017 as per schedule? Why a generator for Enmore Estate was stuck overseas, causing the factory not to start second crop, 2017 in keeping with the set timeframe? With sugar production at 74,198t for 2017, we may be witnessing

the further miniaturisation of the dependable sugar industry. I have said it before and will repeat: my intent is to dispel lies peddled and debunk nonsense spewed about the sugar industry. I am no self-appointed expert in sugar. Accepting an invitation to meet an aging,

stick to the content of my letter and I wish to advise them to stop confusing privatisation and diversification with closure. Workers will not lose jobs in the privatisation process, since the labour turnout is just above 50%. It is not doom and gloom for sugar workers as being peddled by GAWU and some so-called politicians.

Yours sincerely, Mr Gobin Harbhajan.

Former Director- Skeldon Electricity Inc (SEI) Regional Democratic Councillor, APNU+AFC clueless, hopeless bunch at GuySuCo, including Mr. Harbhajan, is a waste of precious time. It is because we differ in philosophies on sugar. Let’s continue the conversation Mr. Harbhajan.

Regards Sookram Persaud

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 16, 2017

Roraima denies 19 shuttles claims … insists airline did not violate any law

MANAGING-DIRECTOR of Roraima Airways Captain Gerry Gouveia on Friday refuted statements made by Director-General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Egbert Field that suggested Captain Colin Martin did 19 air shuttles on the same day the aircraft he flew crashed.

Captain Martin was killed after the Britten -Norman island aircraft he was operating crashed on landing at Eteringbang, in Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni) in July.

In a statement to the media, Gouveia said his airline has not violated any laws and or regulations pertaining to the provision of shuttle services and noted that “suggestions and insinuations that the late Capt. Martin would have flown for extraordinarily long hours is downright untrue.”

He said Captain Martin enjoyed a day off the day

before his death and had departed the Eugene F. Correia International Airport at Ogle at 10:30hrs for Eteringbang, an 85-minute flight. According to Gouveia, Captain Martin flew nine shuttles or 18 flights between Eteringbang and Ekereku on July 24, each flight lasting approximately 12 minutes and representing a total of 216 minutes or three hours and 36 minutes.

“This includes the flight back to Eteringbang which regrettably claimed his life.

Capt. Martin’s total flying time for that day did not exceed any local or international provisions regarding his number of flying hours that day.

It is indeed regrettable that there would be suggestions that Roraima Airways, let alone Capt. Martin himself, would put his life at risk by flying for exceedingly long hours in contravention of established provisions and regulations,” the statement

issued by Gouveia said.

He posited too the suggestion that the aircraft flown

by Martin may have been overloaded. “Capt. Martin’s accident happened as he was flying back to Eteringbang from Ekereku, a flight which is empty as supplies are shuttled in the opposite direction.”

Field however told reporters on Thursday that Martin’s aircraft was found nose down at the crash site and noted that between Eteringbang and Ekereku, the captain had conducted a total of 19 shuttles.

“We did see that the pilot flew from Ogle International Airport the morning (July 24) and he executed a number of shuttles…a total of 19 shuttles,” said Field, who cautioned that the information provided ought not to be treated as findings, but as facts.

There have been three accidents in the past two

months, two of which were fatal. Captain Martin’s aircraft was the first of the trio to crash and according to the GCAA; interviews have since been conducted by officials.

“We have retrieved the engines and the propellers, they were extracted from the aircraft and they were brought to the Eugene F Correia International Airport for safe-keeping.

It is now awaiting exportation to the National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB),” said Field, who noted that it is the responsibility of the operator to ship the engines. He said that as the parts await exportation to Washington, they are kept safe by the authority.

Meanwhile, Gouveia in his missive sought to advise the public that Roraima Airways’ fleet of aircraft undergoes routine maintenance every 50 flying hours and that maintenance and repairs are conducted as soon as any issue arises.

“Additionally, our pilots do a routine check of the aircraft prior to every flight.

We also maintain a state-ofthe art tracking system at our Ogle base which allows our staff to keep track of the movements of our aircraft at all times.”

In response to statements made by the GCAA Director on being lectured by persons within the local aviation sector, Gouveia said his utterances on the state of the aviation sector were not

Captain Gerry Gouveia intended to lecture anyone.

“It was and remains a menu of recommendations which he [Gouveia] feels should be addressed in the interest of promoting and ensuring genuine safety measures for the local aviation industry,” the statement said.

Field had said that while he is open to discussions, ideas and suggestions from stakeholders, he will not be lectured to by anyone within the local aviation sector.

“He, like others, has the requisite training and experience in the aviation industry that provides for him to offer recommendations for improving standards in the industry, especially regarding safety. His suggestions we hope will be seen as a genuine contribution to the effort to upgrade the industry rather than as a lecture to anyone,” it continued.

NO RACKET Additionally, Gouveia in his statement rejected insinuations that there

may be a racket involving pilots and/or operators as it relates to shuttle operations. “Roraima Airways in unaware of any such statement or suggestion being made publicly or privately by the director-general,” he said in reference to an article published in one of the daily newspapers on Friday.

“Far from there being any racket, the provision of air shuttle service by domestic air carriers, and more specifically the service provided by Roraima Airways, represents a lawful and legitimate activity which remains critical to the social and economic well-being of the communities in our hinterland.”

He stressed that the air shuttle service especially between Eteringbang and Ekereku was introduced following the collapse of Guyana Airways Corporation (GAC) which previously offered subsidized cargo service to the hinterland from Timehri International Airport.

“Because of the prohibitive costs of flying fuel and other supplies from Georgetown to remote locations such as Eteringbang, miners and other businesspersons utilise the country’s network of roads and trails to truck supplies into such locations.

From there these supplies are shuttled via aircraft to locations which are not accessible by road.

The average flying time between, in this case, Eteringbang and Ekereku is 12 to 15 minutes,” Gouveia explained, as he emphasised that the air shuttle service is indispensable.

CARPHA deploys staff to Irma-hit BVI THE Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), as part of the Regional Response Mechanism (RRM) which is spearheaded by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency Coordinating Unit (CDEMA-CU) has deployed a member of staff to assist the British Virgin Islands (BVI) in the post-Hurricane Irma response.

Irma, a Category Five hurricane with winds of up to 185 mph affected Anguilla, Barbuda, the BVI, Haiti, Turks and Caicos and other islands earlier this month.

Residents were forced to flee their homes, lives were lost, and infrastructure damaged.

Communication and transportation systems went down in many instances, due to the damage to roads, power sources, air and sea ports, and communication structures.

CARPHA, as part of the Rapid Needs Assessment Team (RNAT), is providing support to the Ministry of Health officials in conducting assessments of the health facilities, public health systems, shelters

and vector control situation, the agency said in a release. CARPHA is also supporting the response by remotely assisting other affected member states through provision of technical advice on the conduct of vector control assessments; and is working closely with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to coordinate the vector-control response in all affected member states.

CARPHA provided technical assistance in 2016 and 2015 to The Bahamas following Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Joaquin respectively. The agency also provided support to Dominica in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Erika in 2015. In accordance with the Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA), CARPHA, as the sole public health agency for the Caribbean Region and is mandated to respond to emergencies including pandemics, hurricanes, earthquakes and flooding.

CARPHA is on stand-by to assist and support other affected member states in the post-hurricane response.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 16, 2017

Every child must be educated –– President tells education march and rally

By Alexis Rodney

PRESIDENT David Granger on Friday made another commitment of his government’s support to education in Guyana and to ensuring that every child, whether they live in the hinterland or on the coast, receives primary and secondary education.

The Head of State made the promise to close to 1,500 students who had gathered at Durban Park, Georgetown, for the celebration of Education Day 2017.

The event which saw the attendance of students and educators from Georgetown and outlying communities was held under the theme, “Promoting wellness in our communities through quality Education.”

Following a grand march along Brickdam from the Stabroek Market Square, the students converged at the facility to participate in a grand cultural extravaganza.

President Granger was adamant that the slogan “Every child needs to be in school” is not only a motto, but a declaration of intent, a statement of mission and determination.

He said he hopes that regional administrations would also embrace that

concept.

“We are committed to Universal Primary and Secondary Education. Every single Guyanese child must be educated,” President Granger said, noting that he will give all the support needed to the Education Ministry to ensure that every child goes to school.

According to the Head of State over the last two years, government was able to refine its attitude towards education reform, emphasising that the major concern is that of providing easy access to education.

“If the children can-

schools, more staff and even within those schools , there must be more libraries, more laboratories.

Schools, as expensive as they are, are not liabilities, they are assets. We will continue to spend because spending money on education is money well spent,” the Head of State declared.

He said the Department of Education System Innovation and Reform is a reality within the Ministry of Education. He told the massive turnout of primary and secondary school students that education is something to be enjoyed rather than endured.

“This is an exciting pe-

great future and I look to you the children to lead Guyana forward for the next 50 years,” the Guyanese leader said to loud applause.

Education Minister Nicolette Henry in her address called on schools to “step up to the challenge.”.

Parents, she said must also continue to support teachers. She said the overarching priorities of the Ministry of Education include reducing the disparity in education, by ensuring that all schools are working to the same high standards.

IMPROVE DELIVERY

President David Granger addressing students and teachers on Education Day at Durban Park on Friday of the 10 regions and improve the delivery of education and other public services.”

Officials of the Education Ministry march along Brickdam, Georgetown, before gathering at Durban Park not get to the school, the school must get to the children,” President Granger said.

“There must be more

riod of your life… it is for you now to take advantage of these facilities... Exciting things are happening in education. You have a

Students at the march and rally on Friday

“The Government of Guyana (GoG) has [as] a principal objective of its public policy to strengthen the administration

As part of that policy, she said there will be the establishment of regional technical institutes to provide access to technical education for a greater number of the country’s children. It will be seeking to continue improving the quality of education with revised teaching methods.

She listed some of the big-ticket items that were completed over the last academic year by the Ministry of Education. These include the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) which she said provided government with the opportunity to listen and receive feedback on important issues.

There was also the Grade Six Intervention which the ministry hopes to replicate and mainstream into this year’s programme.

Chief Education Officer (CEO) Marcel Hutson

said it is important that the nation be provided with every opportunity for the expansion and growth of the fundamental resource called education, that will promote the development of communities and the country at large.

He said the ministry has been working assiduously to ensure that children from every part of Guyana, including the hinterland, enjoy the best possible education, continuing that the ministry remains focused on improving the quality of teacher education.

“We will focus [on] improving the physical facilities in our education system, fostering community alliance to ensure we move forward collectively.

We will continue to strengthen the management of our school system. Continue to promote family life education in schools, so that children would make wise decisions relating to their health.”

According to him, the ministry will also seek to close the gap in the performances of hinterland schools as against schools on the coast.

“We believe that we are at a magnificent turnaround of our education sector, however, a union of the school, home and community is critical to the development and sustainability of this process,” Hutson said.

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Clean water for all schools

THE Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) has identified another two schools in the city in need of urgent cleaning, as it continues to test and monitor the quality of the water available in schools countrywide.

The schools to be tackled next are, Alexander Village Nursery and Precious Jewel Nursery, a release stated.

While these locations require urgent attention, it is important to reiterate that routine cleaning of the water tanks at all school locations is recommended to prevent any growth of pathogenic organisms. During a recent meeting with Ministry of Education officials, it was decided that all tanks must be cleaned twice a year.

As a result, the Ministry of Education has since commenced the cleaning of water tanks at some schools. The work is being supervised by

engineers from the Ministry and GWI’s Head of Water Quality, Deon Anderson.

Subsequent to the cleaning of the tanks, they were sanitised with calcium hypochlorite to eradicate any residual microbial growth and water samples were taken from the tanks and tested to determine the effectiveness of the cleaning.

Meanwhile, the ‘C’ Field Sophia Nursery was cleaned unsupervised prior to the re-opening of the school, but water samples were subsequently taken to compare the effectiveness of the supervised versus the unsupervised cleaning.

It was found that at the two schools where the cleaning was supervised, the water quality results were free of E. coli., while in the case of ‘C’Field Sophia Nursery, where unsupervised cleaning was conducted with no subsequent

disinfection, the results yielded a high number of E.Coli (10 coliforms per 100ml).

As a consequence it was determined that the tanks at ‘C’- Field Sophia Nursery need further cleaning and or disinfection. GWI has therefore recommended that all cleaning exercises of water tanks at schools to be done under supervision.

Based on the list provided by the Ministry of Education, there are 29 Primary and 32 Nursery schools in the City.

To date, the water quality has been monitored at all nursery and primary schools in Georgetown.

In addition, testing of the water quality has also been extensively carried out in Linden, Region 10, where 16 Nursery schools and eight Primary schools have been monitored.

It was noted that the schools where significant contamination has been detected in

the tanks, and urgent cleaning is required, are Christianburg Nursery, Children’s Garden Nursery, Republic Avenue Nursery, Burnham Drive Nursery, Watooka Day Nursery, Watooka Day Primary and Linden Centre for Disabled Children.

GWI’s Water Quality Department will continue to monitor the various locations on a monthly basis, covering all the schools countrywide, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Education will ensure that excellent water quality is maintained even after storage in school tanks.

“The water quality results will continue to be shared with the relevant authorities within the Ministry of Education, so that interventions can be done in a timely manner, thus ensuring adequate and safe potable water supply to our nation’s children,” the release added.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 16, 2017

Delvor Bunbury wanted by police THE police have issued a wanted bulletin for Delvor Bunbury in connection with trafficking in narcotics on September 11.

The 28-year-old’s last known address is Lot 37 Victoria Road, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara.

Last March, Bunbury was among a trio who was remanded to prison for trafficking 588 grams of cocaine. He and Gavin Harris were accused of giving a bag containing narcotics to former police rank Louie Dublin.

The charge read that Bunbury and Gavin Harris on March 17 at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport both had in their possession 588 grams of Wanted: Delvor Bunbury cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

Bunbury and Harris, 25, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The former police rank, Dublin, 21, also pleaded not guilty to cocaine possession.

Facts presented by Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh stated that on the day in question, members of the police force carried out a sting operation at the Lotus Restaurant and Bar which is located at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

Dublin was searched and the cocaine was found in his possession.

Singh further stated that when Dublin was arrested, he gave the police a caution statement, saying he was given the bag by two individuals whom he named as Devon Bunbury and Gavin Harris and apologised for having the substance in his possession.

Dublin was later arrested and charged for the offence.

Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Bunbury is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 226-2870, 229-2655, 229-2289, 227-1149, 226-7065, 911 or the nearest police station.

Teen in 2016 Baramita murder to remain in custody THE court has granted the police an extension to further detain a 17-year-old who was implicated in the murder of a Baramita farmer last October.

The teen was apprehended on Monday by Toshao Trevor Mathis and has been in custody ever since. Given that the 72-hour limit for detention had expired, an application was made for permission to have the teen remain in custody pending legal advice.

It is alleged that the teen fatally stabbed his friend, Abraham Wilson, 30, of Cassique Creek, Baramita, NWD, Region On,e sometime in October 2016. According to reports, the duo were imbibing “rice wine” at the deceased’s 20x20 camp, located at Baramita, NWD, when an argument ensued and the teen reportedly armed himself with a knife from the camp and stabbed Wilson to the left side of his neck.

Wilson managed to make his way to another camp, where he related what had transpired before collapsing.

By this time, the teen had gone into hiding.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 16, 2017

AG takes anti-money laundering outreach to Berbice

ATTORNEY General and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams S.C. and members of the Ministry of Legal Affairs Compliance team held a one-day Anti-Money Laundering Outreach and Sensitisation Seminar on Tuesday at the Little Rock Suites, New Amsterdam, Berbice.

Accompanying Minister Williams was Special Advisor to the Attorney General on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT), Tessa Oudkerk; Chief Parliamentary Counsel, Charles Fung-A-Fatt S.C.; Princi-

pal Parliamentary Counsel, Joann Bond; Director of the Bank Supervision Department of the Bank of Guyana, Ramnarine Lal; Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), Matthew Langevine; Head of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) , Sydney James; Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Teshanna Lake and Chief Co-operatives Development Officer, Perlina Gifth.

In a release, the AG chambers said the aim of the seminar was to inform the reporting entities of their obligations and responsibili-

ties. The seminar highlighted the importance of the fourth round of AML/CFT mutual evaluations and its requirements in order to ensure Guyana’s preparedness for the fourth round by 2022.

The attorney general in his opening remarks emphasised that the main work of the CFATF is mutual evaluations. He expressed the need for Guyana to work towards successfully exiting the fourth round of mutual evaluations and not fall back into the abyss of being a blacklisted country. The attorney general solicited the cooperation of the reporting

A section of the gathering at the Anti-Money Laundering Outreach and Sensitisation Seminar in Berbice on Tuesday

entities present at the meeting to realise this goal.

Langevine for his part described the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as an inter-governmental body established by the ministers of its member jurisdictions, with associate members such as the CFATF. He explained the process of the fourth-round mutual evaluations which assess a country’s Technical Compliance and Effectiveness. During the seminar, Lal provided in detail, the obliga-

tions and responsibilities of all reporting entities, while James and Ms. Lake provided insight into their respective roles and functions of SOCU and the office of the DPP. It was repeatedly emphasised by the panellists, that the results-based nature of the fourth round, is the yardstick by which effectiveness is measured and country ratings are applied, the release started. According to the AG’s chambers, the outreach saw a large

turnout from various reporting entities within the Port Mourant to New Amsterdam area of East Berbice, Region Six. The participants were appreciative of the exercise and suggested that similar exercises be conducted in the future, the release noted, adding that the question-and-answer session was vibrant with reporting entities candidly stating their concerns and the panellists responding in kind.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 16, 2017

New gold-processing fees –– Gold Board strikes deal with mining associations THE Guyana Gold Board (GGB) and stakeholders within the mining fraternity on Thursday agreed that there will be strategic changes to the various processing fees when gold is sold to that entity.

In a statement to the media, the Ministry of Natural Resources announced that a processing fee of $1300 per ounce from one ounce and up to and including 100 ounces will be charged, while a processing fee of $1400 per ounce for every ounce starting from 101 ounces and for every additional

ounce up to 200 ounces.

Thereafter, a down-

ward sliding scale of $1300 per ounce from 201

ounces to 300 ounces; and then $1200 per ounce for

GGB’s chairman Glen Lall sits with stakeholders on Thursday at the Cara Lodge, Quamina Street, to discuss the new processing fees for gold. (Ministry of Natural Resources photo)

all additional ounces between 301 ounces to 500 ounces, will be charged.

There will also be a ceiling or maximum of $400,000 for all sales up to 1,000 ounces and for sales greater than 1000 ounces, the processing fee will be $400 per ounce, for every ounce above 1,000 ounces, the ministry stated.

This new, fee arrangement immediately replaces the current $2,500 per ounce fee. A week ago, Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association, Avalon Jagnandan, said his entity had gotten government to commit to review the old fee.

The Guyana Gold Board had recently increased the fee from $1,000 to $2,500 per ounce, which had caused an outcry by small and medium-scale miners.

According to Jagnandan, the Gold Board had proposed an increase of $4,000, but that was withdrawn after the association objected. “Over the past few weeks, we received numerous complaints from miners about the $2,500 processing fee,” he said.

The association had reportedly asked the Gold Board to give an increase of $2,000 or less, but they went ahead with $2,500.

However, Thursday’s meeting with stakeholders was facilitated by the GGB chairman GHK Lall and was in keeping with a commitment made by Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, on September 7, 2017 at Cara Lodge on the subject.

Lall met with executives of the various mining associations operating under the umbrella body, Miners United Movement, to re-examine the existing processing fee of $2,500 per ounce for gold sold to the GGB. The GGB chairman pointed out that the new payment represents considerable compromise on the part of the minister and the GGB, especially in the face of increasingly expensive regulatory and operational requirements.

He also noted that the new fee structure is a clear acknowledgement of the contributions of the mining sector to Guyana’s economy.

Meanwhile, Vice-President of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) Andron Alphonso expressed gratitude for the changes made to the processing fees.

“We are thankful for the fruitful engagement with the Chairman of the Guyana Gold Board and the resulting compromise; this new fee structure, while much less burdensome to miners, will also go a long way in assisting the GGB to offset costs associated with its operations and the very vital regulatory role that it plays in the industry today,” said the miner.

Similarly, Renwick Solomon, Chairman of the National Mining Syndicate (NMS) indicated that his body has no objection to the agreed changes as the discourse was fruitful, frank and open.

“NMS welcomed the engagement, and is looking forward to continuing collaboration in matters of mutual concern,” Solomon stated.

Executives of the varying mining associations were thanked for working with the GGB to put together a reciprocally acceptable package that provides some immediate relief to both sides, even as ongoing efforts at fiscal prudence at the GGB are being considered.

The fee will only be charged at the GGB to assist in reducing its operational costs, he added. The associations were urged to update their members on the new fee structure, as well as the importance and benefits of executing transactions with the GGB. Also present at Thursday’s meeting held at Cara Lodge were President of the GGDMA Terrene Adams, Urica Primus, and President of the Guyana Women Miners Organisation.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 16, 2017

Arif Bulkan nominated to UN Human Rights Committee

DR. Christopher Arif Bulkan was recently nominated by Cabinet for candidature to represent Guyana on the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Thursday.

The next election for membership is scheduled for June 2018. The UNHRC is the body of independent experts that monitors the

implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by its State parties.

Dr. Bulkan is an Attorney-at-Law and Senior Law Lecturer at the University of the West Indies with specialisations in Public Law, Constitutional Law, Caribbean Human Rights Law, and International Human Rights Law. He also co-founded the Faculty of Law UWI Rights

Advocacy Project (U-RAP) at the Cave Hill campus, which is a group of law professors who engage in both litigation and advocacy aimed at promoting human rights.

He has been involved in human rights advocacy for many years and has worked to establish and defend the rights of vulnerable and marginalised communities, including indigenous peoples,

LGBT persons and persons living with HIV/AIDS. He has also been involved in public advocacy against the death penalty, both regionally and at events sponsored by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Membership in the UNHRC is expected to reaffirm Guyana’s commitment to the ideals of the International Covenant on

Civil and Political Rights and raise Guyana’s profile in the international Human Rights arena.

The Human Rights Committee is composed of 18 independent experts with the capability in the field of human rights. The members are usually elected for a four-year term by State parties.

Currently, membership includes representatives

from Paraguay, Tunisia, Latvia, the USA, Egypt, France, South Africa, Japan, Montenegro, Mauritania, Canada, Uganda, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Germany, Israel, and Suriname. Suriname’s membership will expire at the end of 2018, and a representative is expected to be chosen from the Latin American/Caribbean Region.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 16, 2017

Saturday September, 01:00 - 14:30 hrs Sunday September, 02:00 - 14:30 hrs Monday September, 03:00 - 10:30 hrs

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 16, 2017

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 16, 2017

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GUYANA CHRONICLE,SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 16, 2017

Rose Hall’s 175th anniversary celebrations PRESIDENT David Granger on Thursday visited the community of Rose Hall, East Berbice-Corentyne and called on residents to celebrate the rich legacy of their foreparents who transformed bushes into villages and villages into towns.

The president was at the time speaking at the opening ceremony of the 175th anniversary celebrations of Rose Hall, held at the Rose Hall Sports Club Ground.

President David Granger receives a gift on behalf of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club

Students of the Rose Hall Nursery School make their way into the Rose Hall Area ‘H’ Ground for the commemoration

President David Granger assists in handing over a wheelchair to a beneficiary also in the presence of Alex Foster and Director, Regional Health Services, Javaughn Stephens

Regions Six, Seven benefit from new Public Security to work with stakeholders to curb alcoholism water service connections MINISTER of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, on Friday said that his ministry is willing to work with stakeholders from the Ministries of Education, Culture and Health to find workable solutions to address alcoholism.

“Alcoholism is a big problem in Guyana and it has led to consequential challenges such as bad driving, which has resulted in deaths, loss of limbs and damage to property and tremendous domestic violence,” Ramjattan said at the Police Officers’ Training Centre, Georgetown.

The minister said too that there are direct and indirect consequences that

can be enforced by current laws, and noted that studies show that drug consumption is linked to drug abuse, delinquency, and anti-social behaviour in adulthood, as well as poor academic performance.

He referenced the 2016 Household Drug Survey which had revealed that alcohol binge-drinking in males is recorded at 64.2 % and in females 46. 3%.

Additionally, Ramjattan noted that the 2am curfew was enforced to assist with keeping intoxicated people off the roadways, among other reasons.

Since its enforcement in 2015, night clubs, bars and restaurants across the

Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan

country have been forced to comply, failing which the entity’s business licence could be suspended or ultimately revoked.

AS part of continued works to improve and extend services countrywide, the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) is in the process of undertaking a number of projects that will see citizens in different parts of the country benefiting from access to potable water for the first time.

In Region Six, a project totalling over $37 million for the extension of distribution mains and installation of service connections at Angoy’s Avenue, is in its completion phase.

The purpose of the project is to extend the distribution system by installing approximately 4.5 kilometres of 100mm distribution mains and 1.2 kilometres of 150mm transmission mains, as well as to install and upgrade service

connections to customers.

The project, which was executed by Macsood Ahamad Construction and members of the community, will serve the Mount Sinai Nursery School, the New Amsterdam School of Nursing and the Health Centre at Angoys Avenue, all of which fall among the estimated 1200 beneficiaries.

However, while some are gaining access for the first time, others are benefiting from upgrades to their service. It was funded by the Government of Guyana Meanwhile in Region Seven, R. Kissoon Contracting Services is currently mobilising workers after being awarded the contract for extension of the distribution network from Byderabo to Agotash, Bartica.

This project will provide first-time water access to some 400 persons.

The project entails the installation of two kilometres of 100mm distribution mains and the installation of service connections to each resident.

With a total project cost of $8.8 million, this Government of Guyana-funded project will serve the Agotash Primary School, Health Centre and villagers.

The contractor, through request by GWI, is expected to employ residents from the community for the execution of the project. And, with works in the commencement phase, the project is expected to be completed by the end of October this year. These water-improvement projects form part of GWI’s mandate to fulfil its mission statement which is to provide safe, adequate and affordable water for citizens.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 16, 2017

Bishop Edghill needs prayers –– Min. Hughes says he is out of touch with development in Guyana

PUBLIC Telecommunications Minister Catherine Hughes has dismissed claims from Opposition Member of Parliament Juan Edghill that “Ministries [are] wallowing in massive underperformance” contending that Edghill is out of touch with development in Guyana.

“It is very easy to throw around unfounded remarks,” she said, adding that the “learned gentleman” and his cohorts have been busy spreading misinformation while her ministry has been busy putting Guyana firmly on the path to Information Communication Technology (ICT) relevance in the world.

The minister said in 2015 when the coalition government assumed power, President Granger had said, as he has reiterated time and again, that the strongest emphasis must be placed on modernised education.

The first-ever Ministry of Public Telecommunications was then established and gazetted in January 2016.

It was given the mandate to digitise Guyana’s schools and ensure that students have access to the worldwide web and the global library of information.

By the end of September 2016, over 120 secondary schools, technical/vocational institutes and other educational institutions, including the David Rose School for the Blind and the Carnegie School of Home Economics, were connected to the national Information Technology (IT) network.

This was followed in October by countrywide distribution of 8,600 laptop computers to train and in-training teachers, computers fully loaded with lesson and mark-

ing templates and research tools. Since then, laptop computers were presented to outstanding students and citizens and non-governmental organisations (NGO).

Public Telecommunications Minister Catherine Hughes Prior to all this, Minister Hughes pointed out, in early 2016 the physical LTE and fibre-optic networks spanning Guyana’s coastland were activated after sitting dormant for two years.

This activation was the precursor to the nationwide Community ICT hub project designed to provide free wifi connections to all citizens at community centres.

“During this same week [in September], three more ICT hubs are being commissioned at Agricola and Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD), and at Better Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD) bringing the current number of functioning hubs to 37.”

The hub programme is intensifying as the ministry’s relations with the Georgetown and Neigh-

bourhood Democratic Councils, urban and rural citizens, are strengthened.

MOVE TO LIBERALISATION Minister Hughes said within eight months of its formation, the Ministry of Public Telecommunications had succeeded in passing the Telecommunications Act into law, which is intended to liberalise the IT sector.

The PPP, she said, had sat on these pieces of legislation for 14 years doing nothing to, or with it. The July 2016 passage of the bill was the culmination of many years of lobbying by both APNU and the AFC while in Opposition for advanced telecommunications services to be made available to citizens.

“It is to our credit that we have come this far in less than two years,” Minister Hughes stated.

In a previous interview, she had stated that Vice-President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, had led the opening of serious discussions with GTT and its parent company, ATNI, in December 2016 to end that company’s claimed exclusivity to international communications and landline services.

It has to be noted that when the original agreement was about to expire in 2010, the telephone company did notify the then government of its intention to exercise their contractual right to renew for a further 20 years.

The PPP’s response was to sell the people of Guyana’s 20 per cent share in GT&T for US$30M. The buyer was Datang Telecom Technology and Industry Group based in Hong

Kong. This Government is still utilising available options to have Datang pay up the US$5M balance from the 2012 sale.

Both the GoG and ATNI anticipate that the discussions would come to an amicable conclusion before this year’s end.

In the meantime, the Ministry of Public Telecommunications has been conducting numerous and simultaneous events while participating in others, which were organised by the rejuvenated IT private sector.

Minister Hughes made specific reference to

Opposition Parliamentarian Juan Edghill the just-concluded CodeSprint2017 that saw a previously unknown incorporated group, Innovation Systems, winning the first prize for the design of an Agricultural Commodities Trading Exchange.

With some refinement in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Telecommunications, this new agricultural products online market app will be handed over to the Agriculture Ministry for im-

plementation.

It is expected to solve the farm-to-market problems that local farmers have been grappling with for decades.

At the same time, IT Engineers and teams of technicians are now mobilising for the countrywide POOR, REMOTE and HINTERLAND Communities connectivity programme which is being funded through the GRIF fund.

EXPANSION The LTE network is being expanded to reach Bartica, Kwakwani, Mabaruma, Mahdia, Lethem, Annai and other towns and communities in the Rupununi, Berbice, and other interior regions.

And earlier in the year, the ministry and UG began a useful collaboration to mainly expand the Campus Area Network (CAN) of the university. This project includes a new fibre-optic network to convert the entire campus and its Residential Hall at Plaisance into Wifi hot spots.

The Cyril Potter College that lies contiguous to the university is also benefiting from this initiative.

In addition, a new Teleconferencing Platform was commissioned last June in UG’s Computer Science Department to connect classrooms at Tain in Berbice with the Turkeyen campus. This teleconferencing suite was a gift from Huawei Technologies.

The agreement for technical co-operation with UG also involves knowledge sharing. In Q1 2018 the Ministry’s Centre of Excellence in Information Technology (CEIT) located on the Turkeyen campus will be commissioned and classes

will be conducted initially by highly accomplished professors from India.

UG will share educational resources with the CEIT, especially in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering.

Those resources include research; new ideas to keep the ICT Legal and Regulatory Framework up to date; ICT Project Management; and communication networks and enterprise solutions to support courses in the university’s curricula.

A slew of developmental activities and events are scheduled for this last quarter of 2017, including the second Ministry of Public Telecommunications Hackathon in November.

The first Hackathon in 2016 has achieved its main purposes which were to encourage young people with ICT skills to set up new businesses and create new apps that will resolve social and economic issues in every sector of the economy, even government services and investment potential.

MP Edghill had asked, “What has been done to improve telecommunications and related services in Guyana in the past two years?”

Then he challenged Minister Hughes to “state publicly one thing she has done in terms of improving this.”

Minister Cathy Hughes has expressed confidence that her ministry continues to meet its mandates and benchmarks which are mainly to empower citizens to improve their livelihoods through easy access to the Internet, and to develop the mechanisms to provide and maintain a cyber-safe and cyber-secure environment for citizens and their businesses.

Hospitalised miner tells of Venezuelan attackers

By Shirley Thomas AS gunmen, alleged to be Venezuelans, continue their wanton pillage of mining camps in the North West region, another three camps have been raided over the last week, leaving an 18-yearold miner shot and hospitalised.

The victim, Troy Joseph of Port Kaituma, North West region, who claims he was also relieved of his eight-pennyweight gold chain, was air-dashed to the City last week after

being shot in the rear of his left leg.

Joseph, who is now a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital and still somewhat disoriented, said he cannot now recall the date, but one week ago he and four other young men were ‘liming’ outside Rodriguez’s shop when around 14:00 hrs a group of about nine men (all Venezuelans) pounced on them.

Realising that they were surrounded by the men, he said he attempted to escape, but one of the

men shot him from behind, causing the bullet to lodge in his leg.

Joseph said he fell to the ground where he lay bleeding.

A second youth also fled and managed to escape into the nearby bushes, but the other three were held up at gunpoint and taken to a nearby shop owned by a shop-keeper named “Lloydie.”

The assailants invaded Lloydie’s shop, held him hostage and robbed him at gun- point, allegedly taking away cash and jewellery.

Meanwhile, others still continued to hold the three

Guyanese young men hostage, so as to prevent them from going in search of help.

On leaving Lloydie’s shop, they headed over to “Fat Man’s” shop where they continued the same reckless plunder, taking away cash and jewellery.

When the invading party had finished their pillage, they released the young Guyanese and headed away on foot, taking their booty.

The young man, who had managed to escape into the bushes, ran for several

miles in search of help.

Eventually, he found help and they were all taken to the Matthew’s Ridge Hospital where Joseph was admitted and air-dashed to hospital the following day.

At the Georgetown Public Hospital, he was taken to theatre where doctors removed the lodged bullet and put him on a treatment regimen. His condition is now reported as being stable. However, he is unable to use the affected leg.

And just about two months ago, (on July 19), three Guyanese miners

were killed at a Brazilian-owned mining camp at an area known as “Imatake Backdam” across the Venezuela border.

The area is located some five hours from the Five Star Backdam outside Port Kaituma, which is the area where these last three raids and shooting were carried out.

There are reports that the Guyanese miners had been robbed on several occasions by Spanish-speaking men prior to the murder of the three men.

GUYANA CHRONICLE,SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 16, 2017

All Guyanese scholars in Cuba safe

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…as assessment team wings out to Antigua

By Alexis Rodney ALL GUYANESE students studying in Cuba have been accounted for, Prime Minister and Chairman of the Ministerial Task Force on the Caribbean Disaster, Moses Nagamootoo has confirmed, even as the Needs Assessment team which will leave Guyana today for Antigua has some 48 hours to gather the necessary information before work can commence from this end.

A six member team will depart Guyana today, making its first stop in Antigua to carry out a needs assessment for the many Guyanese who suffered at the hands of Hurricane Irma which ravaged several Caribbean Countries.

The team, headed by Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix, will include representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Civil Defence Commission (CDC).

On Friday, Prime Minister Nagamootoo who is also Chairman of the Task Force; Head of the CDC (ret’d) Col. Chabilall Ramsarup and (ret’d) Maj. General Joseph Singh of the National Task Force Commission, met with other interested parties at the CDC headquarters, Thomas Lands, for a final meeting before takeoff.

According to Maj. Gen. (Ret’d) Singh, the Guyanese delegation upon arriving in Antgua, will meet with officials there before heading

to the British Virgin Island (BVI) and St Maarten to have discussions with officials and Guyanese on the ground. He said what is of utmost im-

there is also an urgent need for food and medical supplies and these will follow the team on Sunday. Meanwhile, businessman, Komal Singh,

sonnel who will also travel to the BVI to render assistance.

Regarding Guyanese who may want to return home, the CMO said health officials

In a statement issued by the Director of Public Information (DPI), Imran Khan, it was also disclosed that Minister of Citizenship, Winston

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo in a meeting with the CDC and National Task Force Commission members.

portance at this time, is for officials here to understand the true nature of the situation of Guyanese in the affected countries, particularly those who have indicated their desire to return home.

Also, that the information is critical since the officials in Guyana would need to identify the relatives of those individuals here, so as to create any problems when those who have been repatriared get to Guyana. The Ministry of Social Protection will also be working along to provide shelters, if the need arises, he added.

According to Singh,

has committed to allow a flight of 29,000 kilo to be transported to Antigua on Sunday morning. Once there, systems will be put in place to get the goods to the other locations.

According to Colonel Ramsarup, officials in the BVI have requested medical assistance there as well. Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Shamdeo Persaud has said that while the Ministry of Health is still sorting out that request, it will seek to have as much supplies as possible to be taken on the first trip on Sunday. The Ministry also has on hand 12 medical per-

will be set up at the two airports to conduct medicals on those arriving. According to the CDC, there are some 16 families residing in the BVI who have sought assistance from the government here.

These include six that have indicated that they want to return home according to Maj. Gen. Singh the government will have to devise a plan to assist those families.

On Thursday the government said it had doubled its contribution towards relief for the Caribbean territories affected by Hurricane Irma from US$50,000 to US$100,000.

Felix, will head a team of officials to the islands of St Maarten and the British Virgin Island (BVI), tentatively on Saturday. “The Government of Guyana is intensifying efforts to coordinate relief for Guyanese nationals affected by Hurricane Irma in a number of Caribbean islands, particularly St Maarten and British Virgin Islands which both suffered serious devastation following the passing of the Category five hurricane,” the statement said.

Felix will be joined by representatives of his Ministry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Civil De-

fence Commission (CDC).

The team will conduct a needs assessment and will return after conducting assessments in Tortola and St Maarten.

DEEP CONCERN Meanwhile, Nagamootoo, along with Felix who is also a member of the task force, held consultations with the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Major General (ret’d) Joe Singh (who is acting on behalf of Minister of State Joseph Harmon who is currently out of the jurisdiction) and other officials, on Thursday. Prime Minister Nagamootoo expressed deep concern for the welfare of Guyanese, particularly in Tortola and surrounding islands, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke, and uttered words of relief at reports that Guyanese who were evacuated from Barbuda to Antigua are being accommodated by relatives and friends on the main island there. The Ministerial Task Force also includes Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge; Minister Harmon; Minister of Finance Winston Jordan; Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson; Minister of Public Affairs, Dawn Hastings-Williams; and Minister of Public Service Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine.

‘Do not set indiscriminate fires’- Fire Chief CAL operates relief flights to Tortola,

THE Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has issued a call to citizens to desist from setting fires in a bid to clear their lands. Fire Chief, Marlon Gentle in an interview with the Department of Public Information, Government Information Agency (DPI/ GINA) said the dry season is fast approaching and such practices can prove dangerous.

“We have these fires spreading from these areas and damaging utility poles, damaging culverts, damaging bridges, damaging fences, even damaging buildings. Just last week we had an incident where someone after weeding and cleaning a compound, set fire to the grass …and the fire spread back to the building and the building was destroyed,” he said.

The Fire Chief noted that such fires are being set on the East Coast and East Bank of Demerara and emphasised that persons must understand that when such fires are set

Chief Fire Officer, Marlon Gentle.

indiscriminately and without concern for others, there are long-lasting effects.

Gentle said too, that while some of the fires may not lead to the destruction of buildings, there are environmental effects and pointed to smoke entering homes and posing threat to life, especially for those who have breathing conditions.

“The actions you take sometimes put a whole community at risk, whether health wise or whether direct damages from fires, so we are

appealing and we are asking persons, if you have to dispose of garbage, do it in the acceptable way. If you have to clear your lands, do your land clearing and desist from using fires especially in those builtup areas,” he added.

Remarking that so far, there has been a decrease in the number of calls received by the Fire Service to respond to fires, the Fire Chief pointed out that January 1 to September 12, 2017, the Service has received 1,011 reports when compared to 1499 for the same period in 2016.

Notwithstanding, there has been a six per cent increase in the number of buildings destroyed by fires, as according to the records, from January 1 to September 12, 2017, a total of 65 buildings were destroyed by fires as compared to 59 for the same period in 2016. But despite the challenges, Gentle said the GFS has been able to reduce their response time to 12 minutes within a five-mile radius. (DPI/GINA)

Antigua, St. Maarten and Kingston

CARIBBEAN Airlines (CAL) on Friday announced that it will continue to support the hurricane relief efforts by operating flights to Tortola and separate flights to Antigua to evacuate persons from the hurricane-ravaged islands.

In a statement issued on its Facebook page, CAL said as of today it will be operating another relief flight from Port-of- Spain, Trinidad, to St. Maarten. That flight is scheduled to depart at 07:00hrs and will leave St. Maarten for Kingston, Jamaica at o9:35hrs with nationals of Jamaica and other CARICOM countries affected by the hurricane.

The aircraft will leave Jamaica at 11.15j (Jamaica time) to St. Maarten with supplies from Jamaica. It will then collect nationals of Trinidad and Tobago and other CARICOM countries

from St. Maarten and depart at 15:30hrs for Piarco International Airport, Trinidad, where it should land around 17:05hrs.

Commercial passengers would not be able to travel on the flight.

“With significant support from corporate Trinidad and Tobago, Caribbean Airlines is moving relief supplies and essential goods such as water, canned foods, tarpaulins and other products. As a responsible corporate body, Caribbean Airlines will continue to assist government agencies and other stakeholders to coordinate emergency relief and get help to people as quickly as possible,” the statement said.

The airline said its assistance to the affected territories and people is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) and embodies the theme “We Care, We Connect, We Create and

We are the Caribbean,” while supporting its mission of connecting people.

Passengers in the affected destinations may contact Caribbean Airlines Reservations Department for more information on the schedule for relief flights to the USA, Canada & St. Maarten + 1 800 920 4225, Caribbean & Guyana + 1 800 744 2225, Trinidad & Tobago and Suriname + 1 868 625 7200, Caracas + 58 212 335 7405, Jamaica (International calls) + 1 800 523 5585, Jamaica (Local calls) + 1 888 359 2475 and All other locations + 1 800 523 55.

“The employees of Caribbean Airlines continue to work to support the people of St Maarten and the British Virgin Islands, at this challenging time,” CAL stated as it expressed empathy to those affected across the Region.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 16, 2017

Physical abuse, abandonment and emotional neglect –– most common abuses of children in Guyana, report finds

Soldiers charged for stealing $17,000 Blu cellphone TWO serving members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) were Friday charged and remanded to prison for stealing a $17,000 Blu cellphone.

The 20-year-old private officers, Tumulus Richards of Plum Park, Sophia and Clive Seymour of Enmore, East Coast Demerara, appeared before City Magistrate Judy Latchman jointly charged for robbery with violence.

It is alleged that on September 12, 2017, at Timehri, East Bank Demerara, they robbed Keron Wills of a Blu Clive Seymour and cellphone valued $17,000 Tumulus Richards with the use of personal violence.

According to reports, on the day in question, Wills was walking through a shortcut in Timehri, when the two accused confronted him. One of the accused reportedly choked him while the other took away the cellphone.

Wills managed to raise an alarm and public-spirited persons managed nab Seymour before he escaped. Magistrate Latchman refused the duo bail and remanded them until September 18.

Diamond man charged for wedding house murder A DIAMOND, East Bank Demerara resident was on Friday remanded to prison for the alleged murder of 36-year-old Aliston Henry who was beaten to death at a wedding house at Grove.

Rajen Dindial appeared before City Magistrate Judy Latchman and was not required to plead to the indictable charge. It is alleged that Dindial on September 3, 2017 at Sarran Street Grove, East Bank Demerara, murdered Aliston Henry.

The unrepresented man was remanded to court until September 18 and will reappear before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan. According to reports, on the day in question, while at the wedding house celebration, Henry had a misunderstanding with Dindial and pushed down a portable toilet which was

A STUDY on Child Neglect in Guyana has found that physical abuse is the most common form of abuse meted out to children followed by abandonment and medical, educational and emotional neglect.

The findings of the study done by ChildLink Inc., in collaboration with the Rights of the Child (ROC) and the European Union (EU) were presented at Moray House Trust, Camp and Quamina Streets, on Friday.

According to researcher Paulette Henry, most causes of child neglect stem from lack of finances, mental health, death, separation of parents and single parents working shifts, among other things.

The report which also found that most parents in Guyana earn less than $30,000 per month was compiled from interviews from parents, caregivers and children in all the regions except Regions One, Two, Eight and Nine.

The research team came up with a local definition of child neglect, which says the parents or caregivers are unable to meet the basic needs of children such as food, shelter, ensure that the child goes to school, have access to medical attention, leaving children unattended and beating a child.

Henry said in Region One, it was found that there are only three welfare officers managing 77 schools and there is slow police response to neglect cases.

Highlighting key findings, she said in 2012-2016, Region Four saw a spike in child neglect cases which totalled 1200 and more boys dropped out of the school system than

Researcher Paulette Henry sharing the findings of the Child Neglect Report on Friday morning at Moray House Trust (Michel Outridge photo) girls.

But in the case of boys, they are more likely to be affected by youth crime.

Between 2012-2016, 34 per cent of neglect cases for children between the ages of 8-13 was recorded, mostly from single-parent homes where women were the only parents of their children.

Ambassador to the Delegation of the European Union Jernej Videtic, said every child should be respected and protected, and as such, efforts are being made to ensure children are safe and educated.

COLLABORATIVE APPROACH He related that human rights are among the core values of the European Union and said greater emphasis must be placed on prevention of child abuse, a move which will entail working with all relevant stakeholders.

Meanwhile, Director of the Childcare and Protection

Agency, Ann Green, said the Child Neglect Report is beneficial in the sense that it includes recommendations which will enhance the work of stakeholders.

She pointed out that more resources are needed for the agency to do more as it relates to prevention of child neglect in Guyana at a community-based level, where it is often effective in the growth and development of children.

Green stated that more needs to be done in the education of children in terms of approach and services, where a wide network base is developed since they need partnership to keep children safe.

She told the gathering that for the opening of schools, civil society played a major role in donating to vulnerable children which was commendable; and it is such a collective effort they need because keeping children safe is everybody’s business.

With that said, Green urged all to get on board since

the report will enhance efforts of partnerships to keep children safe and urged communities and religious bodies to get involved to provide services.

She lamented the need for neighbourhood participation, pointing out that Region Seven has the highest rate of child abuse followed by Region One. Commissioner of Rights of the Child, Colleen Anthony, said the Child Neglect Report was conducted by Child Rights Alliance Initiative which revealed that child abuse is a worrying problem in society.

Patron of ChildLink Inc Ameena Gafoor said the report focused on four types of child neglect and targeted Regions Four and Five before expanding to Regions Six, Seven and 10.

Gafoor said the report is geared towards providing pertinent information to prevent abuse and neglect of children, since the home is supposed to be the safest place for children.

CARICOM expresses condolence to the U.S. in the wake of Hurricane Irma Rajen Dindial nearby.

The accused became annoyed and armed himself with a wooden food paddle and dealt Henry several lashes about his body. The injured man was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

SECRETARY-GENERAL of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, on Friday expressed the Community’s condolence to the Government and People of the United States of America for the recent devastation wrought by Hurricane Irma to some states in that country.

In a message to President Donald Trump, the CAR-

ICOM Secretary-General said, “On behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), I express deepest condolences to the Government and People of the United States, and in particular to the families and loved ones of those killed, injured and displaced, in the face of the devastation wrought by the recent storm system which has severely affected the southern United States.”

Ambassador La Rocque noted that the Caribbean Community too is suffering from the effects of the hurricane and is regrettably too familiar with having to deal with the impact of devastation caused by natural disasters.

“Tragedies of this magnitude continue to underscore the importance of addressing the issues which have led to the intensification of these

climatic events,” he said, while empathising with the residents of the southern States of the U.S. as they set about the path of recovery and reconstruction.

“The Caribbean Community is confident that the courage and resilience of the people of the United States will enable your country to overcome these trying times,” the Ambassador added.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 16, 2017

World Cup 2018

Sixth Annual Courts Pee Wee Football launched

By Stephan Sookram

THE calls for the expansion of the Petra organised COURTS Pee-Wee/ Banks Malta Supreme Under-11 football tournament were heard and employed when the sixth edition was launched yesterday.

The tournament, set to begin on September 30, will see 32 teams compete in groups of six for the coveted trophy.

The top two teams from each group after the round-robin stage will advance to the round of 16.

According to co-Director of the Petra organisation, Troy Mendonca, the body is happy to be associated with the tournament throughout every tier of schools football.

“We are trying to spread our wings with our sponsors to try to include as many places as possible, and try to do the tournament countrywide,” he stated.

This hearted the corporate sponsor, Courts Guyana Inc., which plugged $4.1M into the sixth edition, according to Chief Financial Officer, Neil Boucher.

Marketing Director Pernell Cummings stated that the tournament has brought to the fore several players who are now regular features of various national teams.

“This tournament over the years has produced many footballers, and recently we saw Messi (Martin King), who about two years ago was exciting on the field, go to Barcelona for a camp there.”

Banks DIH Malta Supreme brand manager Clayton McKenzie stated that the company is always pleased to support grassroots football as it is essential in promoting sport development.

GFF president Wayne Forde also lauded the expansion initiative saying that “the GFF cannot singe-hand-

edly develop football. We call on our stakeholders and members to do this. The expansion of the tournament speaks to Petra and others pushing boundaries.

Making brief remarks was Nicholas Fraser, Head of Department of Physical Education.

Defending champions St Agnes Primary join Marian Academy, New Comenius, West Ruimveldt, St Margaret’s, Tucville, South Ruimveldt, North Georgetown, Ketley, St Gabriel’s, F.E. Pollard, Enterprise, St Pius, Sophia, Winfer Gardens, Smith Memorial, East La Penitence, St Angela’s, St Ambrose, St Stephen’s, Stella Maris, J.E. Burnham, School of the Nations and Rama Krishna.

The remaining eight schools will be named shortly before the seven-week tournament begins.

Pakistan mark cricket’s return with series win PAKISTAN came out on top in their three-match series against the World XI thanks in part to Ahmed Shehzad’s 55-ball 89.

Ahmed Shehzad was in prolific form as Pakistan secured a historic 2-1 series triumph over the World XI with a 33-run victory in the final Twenty20 in Lahore.

After falling short of fifties in the opening two T20s, Shehzad recorded a 55-ball 89 as Pakistan set an imposing target of 184 in the deciding match of their first series on home soil since 2009.

The right-hander was runout before he could get to triple figures, with Sri Lankan Thisara Perera once again impressing by returning figures of 2-37 and scoring 32 runs off just 13 balls in a brilliant cameo.

However, his efforts

were insufficient as the tourists came up short, Rumman Raees (1-20) and Hasan Ali (2-28), who replaced Sohail Khan in the line-up, restricting them to 150-8.

Pakistan made an electric start as Shehzad and Fakhar Zaman (27) piled on 51 runs during the powerplay, the latter crunching the game’s first six off Thisara.

However, their partnership was broken for 61 when Darren Sammy deflected a shot from Shehzad onto the stumps to run out Fakhar at the non-striker’s end.

Shehzad stepped the attack up another notch as he made a mockery of Ben Cutting’s bowling at the death – the Australian’s overs going for 26 runs – with three successive sixes before being run-out.

Thisara removed Babar 12:55 hrs Game Starter

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Azam (48) and Imad Wasim (0) in the final over, but Shoaib Malik launched two sixes for an unbeaten 17 off seven balls.

Tamim Iqbal (14) sent Wasim for 13 runs in the opening over but was beaten by a low delivery from Usman Khan in the next set of six.

Things got worse for the tourists when Hasan tempted an inside edge from Cutting (five) and the indecision of captain Faf du Plessis (13) resulted in Hashim Amla’s promising start of 21 being cut short.

The World XI looked off the pace until Thisara matched Shehzad with three straight sixes off Shadab Khan (0-34), but the run rate dropped far below what was needed to upset the fervent home crowd.

(Sportsmax) South Africa Racing Tips Turffontein 08:35 hrs Only To Win 09:15 hrs My Friend Lee 09:50 hrs Hat Puntano 10:25 hrs Rambo 11:00 hrs Scotland American Racing Tips Belmont Race 1 Bar None Race 2 Brianbakescookies Race 3 Debating Race 4 Littlemissbusiness Race 5 Wild and Funny Race 6 Stormy Alexis Race 7 Annals of Time Race 8 Faja Race 9 Uni

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 16, 2017

GUYANA FOOTBALL FEDERATION INC. (GFF)

Extra Time

GOLDEN JAGUARS BEGIN TRAINING FOR GRENADA INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY The Senior Men’s National Team – the Golden Jaguars – began preparations for the International Friendly scheduled against Grenada on October 7, 2017 in Grenada. The 28-member locally-based provisional squad has been engaged in training for the

last two days.

According to Dover, a shortlist of the local squad will be done prior to departure and they will be joined by the selected international players: “At the end of these sessions, the technical staff will select the best players as

well as the best overseas-based players to shortlist a final 18-man squad for the upcoming game.”

The squad is scheduled to depart to Trinidad for a two-day encampment before leaving for Grenada on the 5th October.

“The emphasis for the initial days of training is on fitness and ensuring the squad is up to the task against Grenada.

I’m encouraged by the attendance at the training sessions held and I’m optimistic that we will be ready on October 7. There are tale n t e d young players included in the provisional squad; Guyana should support”

WAYNE DOVER, INTERIM

HEAD COACH PRODUCED BY THE GUYANA FOOTBALL FEDERATION INC. (GFF) AND DESIGNED BY THE GUYANA CHRONICLE

For further Information or should you have questions/comments , please contact: General Secretary Guyana Football Federation (GFF) 17 Dadanawa Street, Section “K” Campbelville, Georgetown TEL: +1 592 227 8758 ext. 102 FAX: +1 592 225 2096

e-mail: gff@networksgy.com WEBSITE: www.gffonline.com FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/GuyanaFootballFederationInc INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/guyana_football_federation_inc/ SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/guyana-football-federation-inc LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/guyana-football-federation-inc TWITTER: @GFF_Inc_

33

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 16, 2017

Edwards claims fiver for Hampshire FORMER West Indies fast bowler Fidel Edwards accomplished a five-wicket haul for the first time in two years after an outstanding spell with English County Cricket team Hampshire.

Facing the prospect of a relegation battle Middlesex resumed their first innings on the fourth day at 162 for seven before being all out for 204. Edwards, who had

Fidel Edwards

done most of the damage in a severely rain-affected match

that saw only 59 overs of play in the first three days, returned to polish off a splendid innings. The 35-year-old added to his three-wicket haul after bagging his fourth scalp, courtesy of Tom Helm (1) who was trapped lbw by an off-cutter.

In a bid to push the run total John Simpson and Steve Finn then added 35 for the tenth wicket before Simp-

Battle lines drawn for Ol Skool Ballers, Future Stars showdown tonight

BATTLE lines have been drawn for tonight’s epic final showdown between the Albouystown-based Ol Skool Ballers and the hottest property in the shorter format Future Stars.

The location for the blockbuster conclusion to the inaugural Guinness Cage/Three Peat Promotions Indoor Championship is the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue.

However, before game time, four exhibition matches will precede the third-place playoff that features Leopold Street and Back Circle. This encounter is anticipated to set the tone for the fireworks expected later.

Yesterday, the captains of Ol Skool Ballers and Future Stars gave their respective predictions with both expressing confidence of victory, before urging their supporters to come out in their numbers to witness the final.

Julian Masdammer, a former national standout in his comments urged all of Albouystown to wear something white in support of the Ballers, while Keron Solomon simply insisted that their fans outnumber the Albouystown contingent in support.

Masdammer admitted that his team is a young one just like their opponent’s, but believed that

the discipline his players have shown throughout the championship will be the decisive factor in increasing their chances of winning.

“The guys have shown character and discipline during every game and while we know it is a big challenge for us we are prepared for it and hopefully we can go all the way,” Masdammer said.

Apart from the discipline he credited the team’s success to his coaching and experience and urged the players to go out with the mindset of winning and not be intimidated by name.

He said he was satisfied with the team’s performance to date, but reminded that the goal is to win the title.

He thanked the Guinness brand and the organisers for the work they’ve done for the youths in the communities and called on them to continue to create more opportunities for them to be engaged in positive activities.

Asked to pinpoint some of the players who will be depended upon to lead them to victory, Roy Cassou, Joel McGarrell and Darrell Quallis were named Solomon when asked about their chances exuded confidence, adding that their opponents are too inexperienced at this level to beat them.

“With all the other big teams out, it is a wonderful opportunity for us to win another title,” he said.

He stated that Ol Skool Ballers are now coming out and lack the .experience to beat them.

“We have very good talented players and I am confident that we will come out on top especially with players such as Jamal Cozier, Lennox Cort, Kevin Cummings and Jermaine Junor along with me in our lineup,” Solomon expressed.

The winners will receive $400 000 and the c h a m p i o n s h i p t r o p h y, while the runners-up, thirdand fourth-place finishers will collect $200 000, $100 000 and $50 000 respectively.

The Most Valuable Player (MVP) will receive a gold chain, compliment of YK Investments and Pawn Shop and a trophy from Trophy Stall.

Among the other sponsors on board are: Star Party Rentals, Faye Joseph, Claude Geddes Recreational Sports Club, National Sports Commission, Windjammer International Hotel & Cuisine, E-Networks, Woodpecker Trophies & Sport, Y.K Investments & Pawn Shop, Henry Chase, Jai Signs, Trophy Stall, the Bike Shop and John Fernandes Ltd.

Narayan Ramdhani in Mexico GUYANA’S top Badminton player, Narayan Ramdhani was selected by the Pan American Badminton Federation to attend a High Level Player Development Camp in Aguascalientes, Mexico from September 15 to 20.

The camp will be conducted by a high level coach from Nederland twice daily.

This is a great step for Narayan as he will be training with some of Pan Am topranked players like: Kevin Cordon of Guatemala and Osleni Guerrero of Cuba.

After the camp, Narayan will then participate in the VII

International Mexicano 2017 Championships which will be held at the Gimnasio Olimpico de Cd Deportiva Aguascalientes, Mexico between Septem-

ber 21 and 25.

Narayan has started his second year in Vancouver, Canada training at Shuttlesport.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Saturday September 16, 2017) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & the City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: Chadwick Walton-458 runs Shai Hope-375 runs Today’s Quiz: Who claimed most wickets in Hero CPL 2017?

Who took most wickets in the just-concluded WI/ENG Test series?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

son lost his middle stump to another good delivery from Edwards that gave the former West Indies Test bowler figures of 5-79.

Middlesex did, however,

manage to secure crucial batting points after Hampshire, who reached 46-3 at lunch were eventually dismissed for 146.

In a match destined to

end in a draw after the loss of seven full sessions to inclement weather and unplayable conditions, Middlesex were 8-0 at last update. (Sportsmax)

34

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 16, 2017

High jumper Tortque Boyce looking to leave his mark INTER-Guiana Games gold medallist Tortque Boyce is still a small-scale athlete, but the high jumper is determined not to leave athletics without making his mark.

The West Bank of Demerara native has been putting up the action to back his talks, after clearing a 2.0m jump in the Boys’ high jump at the recent Inter-Guiana Games last month.

Guyana’s national record in the men’s high jump is 2.17m, a difference of just under seven inches.

This new personal-best for the former Stewartville Secondary School student marked an improvement of almost five inches over the bar for the past nine months, since he came under the tutelage of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) coach Rawle Griffith.

Watching Boyce perform at the National Schools Championships last year November, Griffith was impressed, even though Boyce finished third in the Boys Under-18 high jump, after clearing 1.88m.

Seeing that Boyce was able

to reach that far using the scissors technique, Griffith realised that with the right guidance, and a change of technique Boyce could go places.

“I saw that he has tremendous potential,” Griffith told Chronicle Sport.

“At the time he was doing the scissors jump, and I knew that if I teach him the Frosbury Flop he could do much better.

And so he started training with me in January and I introduced him to the Frosbury Flop, which he learnt very quickly. After that I just kept seeing improvements in his performance.”

By March of this year, Boyce was reaching 1.90m, which helped him to qualify to represent Guyana at the CARIFTA Games in Curacao, in the Boys’ Under-18 high jump.

At the Games, he finished ninth, after he could make it no further than 1.85m, the event was won by Bahamas Shaun Miller, who equalled the event’s record, with his 2.06m clearance.

The lost was just a stepping

Tortque Boyce

Persaud intensifies training to defend Guyana Open title

By Rajiv Bisnauth

DEFENDING male champion Avinash Persaud feels that a positive mental approach will be the key to doing well at the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) premier golf tournament - the Guyana Open, which is billed for November 4-5.

The 26-year-old, who enjoys the sport to its fullest, claimed his seventh Guyana Open title last year and intends to reach the same heights again, but acknowledged that the task will not be that easy.

“I’m excited. It’s a venue that obviously holds good memories for me - hopefully, I can defend my title with ease,” said the Lusignan resident.

In a thriller last year, Persaud finished with a total Gross of 149 and a Net aggregate of 145, but emphasised that this year’s tournament will be very challenging, taking into consideration the number of good players around.

Despite the challenges he anticipates, Persaud remains optimistic. He pointed out during the exclusive interview that the venue is his home turf, adding that once he does the basic, and plays within his game limits, success will come his way.

Avinash Persaud

To this end, he has intensified his training, with the view of reaching peak touch when the two-day event reaches.

As usual golfers from Guyana, North America and the Caribbean will compete

against one another, in what will be a highly competitive two-day tournament.

The LGC is using the tournament to once again aid in the sports tourism drive, as the event will draw a wide cross-section of golfers and supporters from various countries.

The LGC is anticipating a large turnout of competitors on the nine-hole course, with heated rivalry in the Championship Flight (0-9 handicap), B Flight (10-18), C Flight (19-28) and Ladies Flight.

On the distaff side, Joaan Deo, will be looking to retain the title she won in 2016.

Deo defeated Shaunella Webster after recording a total Net 138 and a Gross of 180.

Meanwhile, as preparations intensify for the Guyana Open, local golfers will meet again today in the Maersk Sealand golf tournament.

Tee-off time is 12:30hrs at the country’s lone golf course at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara.

stone for Boyce, who was back at clearing 1.90m in June, which led him to a silver medal at the South American Junior Championships. He reached as far as 1.96m, in July, to become the national senior champion, while just a youth athlete.

Griffith is predicting even greater things to come.

“He has a far way to go. I’m very much impressed that from January to now he’s jumping 2m, and he’s 17-year-old. By next year he should be jumping about 2.10m, 2.15m which would help him to earn medals at CARIFTA Games and he would only be 18 by then. He would still have some more time. I see him breaking the national record in a couple of years’ time,” Griffith asserted.

Griffith’s confidence has been rubbing off on Boyce.

“Honestly I think I could reach really far in high jump. I know that I will reach far. I have the height advantage. I know if I put my mind to it I know I could get really far,” Boyce said The gritty athlete says he has even been reading up on

what it takes to be a professional athlete, and despite Guyana’s landscape of struggles and challenges for aspiring athletes he really thinks he has what it takes to persevere and go the whole nine yards.

“I really want to make a name for myself. I ain’t just want to be doing high jump, and nobody knows who I am.

Or being an athlete and nobody knows I was an athlete. At least I would be recognised, people would say, yes, he was a good athlete,” Boyce declared.

After completing school earlier this year, he is now trying to put more focus on his training and being more consistent, but admits that like with most athletes, finance has been a challenge. Boyce travels three times a week from his Middle Street Pouderoyen home all the way to Camp Ayanganna in Georgetown to train.

It has been a strain, but Boyce is looking forward to seeing it all pay off one day, with the pride his performances could bring to his country.

Panthers, Pepsi Hornets and Yamaha Caribs on show this weekend in Bounty Farm 15s Rugby

Panthers’ Rondel ‘Bull’ McArthur bullies his way during last weekend’s clash against the Police at National Park in the Bounty Farm 15s tournament. (Adrian Narine)

By Rawle Toney THE Guyana Rugby Football Union’s (GRFU) Bounty Farm 15s tournament will resume this weekend with two interesting encounters at the National Park.

Yamaha Caribs will have their first taste of the tournament when they come up against the Guyana Police Force Falcons, while tomorrow, Panthers will look to claw their way to another win when they come upoppose Pepsi Hornets.

Having suffered a humiliating 67-7 defeat at the hands of

the Panthers, the GPF Falcons will look to bounce back against the Caribs, but with the likes of veteran Theodore Henry as well as some of the country’s top players in the line-up, the Police team will have a tough time trying to stake their claim in the tournament.

Meanwhile, for the Panthers, their style of play recently turned them into one of Guyana’s most hated rugby team at the moment.

After clinching consecutive Sevens titles, Panthers, a flashy, young and very talented group of players, turned their attention to the game’s longer format, and

they used the Guyana Police Force as a perfect example to demonstrate their will to claim the GRFU’s final 15s tournament for the year.

With the likes of Ryan Dey, Lancelot Adonis and Rondel McArthur, the Laurie Adoniscoached team will certainly have their hands full against a seasoned and well-oiled Pepsi Hornets, led by national captain Ryan Gonsalves.

The Bounty Farm 15s tournament will conclude on November 12. The tournament will see five teams play two rounds of matches.

35

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 16, 2017

GFF to commence work on ‘FIFA Forward Programme’ by the end of September … explains block of financial support

By Rawle Toney THE Guyana Football Federation (GFF) yesterday stated that the works on the long-awaited ‘FIFA Forward Programme’ (formerly known as FIFA Goal Project) at Providence, will commence by the end of September after finally getting the confirmation of the lease of the land earmarked for the facility and subsequent approval by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) in June 2017.

During the tenure of the Clinton Urling-led Normalisation Committee (NC), the GFF on May 9, 2015, signed a 30-year lease with the Eccles/ Ramsburg Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) for the 8.5-acre Providence Community Centre ground on the East Bank of Demerara, but in an exclusive comment, GFF president Wayne Forde explained that lease was deemed illegal.

In a statement, the GFF said when the Wayne Fordeled Executive Committee took stewardship of the game’s local

governing body following the NC, it was the general feeling that the groundwork to activate the construction of the centre was established, but, this was far from reality.

It was discovered that the lease for the land identified had no legal standing and, in fact, necessitated several rounds of negotiation by the GFF and the involvement of the Honorable Minister of Communities (Ronald Bulkan) on May 16, 2017 to finalise.

This, the GFF explained, resulted in crucial delays which affected the commencement of the project since the final approval from FIFA was dependent on confirmation of all related documents.

“Understand that FIFA wanted verification of the number of things as we prepared to proceed, and that’s when we found out a couple of things that we had to deal with, like the legality of the land and so on, before we move ahead. But we’re grateful that we were able to meet those demands,” Forde told Chronicle sport yesterday.

According to him, the

group under which the NC made the deal for the land was an interim committee, but the Eccles/Ramsburg NDC now were already questioning the validity of the deal and were also ready to file an injunction on the GFF if they had moved ahead with the construction of the facility under the previous lease agreement.

However, Urling, reaching out to Chronicle Sport, stated, “Both the NDC and Minister of Local Government at the time signed off on Providence Agreement … agreement vetted by both GFF Attorney Juman-Yassin and the Attorney General of Guyana at the time Anil Nandlall.”

This will be the first and major state-of-the-art football facility, which will seek to produce, among others, consistent levels of highly competitive and exciting football, that is a force to be reckoned with regionally and on the international scene.

The facility will cater for football development among both males and females and will be the focal point for football activity at all levels of

Four Guyanese in Windies U-19 training squad

ANTIGUA – The Selection Panel of Cricket West Indies has announced a 21-member Windies Under-19 squad for a two-week training camp from December 5 to 20 in Barbados and Antigua.

The four Guyanese are: Ashmead Nedd, Raymond Perez, Joshua Persaud and Bhaskar Yadram. The remainder of the squad reads: Alick Athanaze, Brad Barnes, Joshua Bishop, Cephas Cooper, Kishan Graham, Jarion Hoyte, Kirstan Kallicharran, Mikyle Louis, Aaron Maniram, Kimani Melius, Darron Nedd, Kian Pemberton, Jeavor Royal, Keegan Simmons, Javier Spencer, Emmanuel Stewart and Nyeem Young.

All but two of the players who were part of the successful trip to southern Africa in July have been included in the squad which also includes seven players, whose performances during the recent Regional Under-19 Tournament in St Kitts enhanced their claims for consideration.

The new inclusions are: Brad Barnes, Kishawn Graham, Jarion Hoyte, Aaron Maniram, Kimani Melius, Regional U19 3-Day Most Valuable Player Ashmeade Nedd and Regional U-19 Super50 MVP Raymond Perez.

On the squad, Courtney Browne, chairman of the CWI selection panel, said: “As the build-up to the 2018 ICC Youth World

Cup continues, the development of our Under-19 players is paramount.

“The upcoming strategic camp will again give the coaching staff another opportunity to enhance and fine-tune the players’ skills and focus on team work, as we set out on our quest to defend the ICC Youth World Cup title.”

Browne added: “The addition of players from the recent Regional U-19 Tournament to the camp squad will complement the team that was so successful two months ago in South Africa and Zimbabwe.

“These additional players were chosen to strengthen those positions in the squad that we felt needed attention.”

The players will assemble in Barbados, where they will undergo fitness testing, before travelling to Antigua in order to complete the training programme using the Coolidge Cricket Ground.

It will be their final preparation in the Caribbean before travelling to the ICC Youth World Cup to be staged from January 13 to February 3 next year in New Zealand.

Windies Under-19s are the defending ICC Youth World Cup champions, having lifted the title for the first time ever last year in Bangladesh, under the leadership of Shimron Hetmyer and guidance of head coach Graeme West.

GFF president Wayne Forde (second from right) receives signed MoU from Eccles-Ramsburg NDC chairman Mahamad Hafeez.

the game.

Construction of the artificial turf will be done by Greenfields, a manufacturer of artificial turfs, in phases and is scheduled to be completed January month-end in 2018. Following this, the accompanying amenities will be constructed.

Meanwhile the GFF, in a release, also took aim to the Normalisation Committee, “It is no secret that the NC under Clinton Urling, during their relatively short tenure, received FIFA funding totalling almost US$1M which enabled them to discharge their mandate.”

The GFF said that following a FIFA audit of the 2015 accounts which was conducted by Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) following the departure of the NC, countless red flags were raised, which resulted in FIFA formally informing the Wayne Forde’s Executive Committee on October 10, 2016 of the decision of the FIFA Audit and Compliance Committee to “block funding to the Football Federation of Guyana”.

The effect of the decision of the Audit and Compliance Committee, the GFF said,

meant that the Executive Committee had no access to the necessary funds to finance their operations and to support the development needs of the players, officials and members of the GFF. Additionally, this also meant that the GFF was unable to access and benefit from the increase FORWARD funding programme.

To date, this situation has had an extremely negative effect on the operations of the GFF, severely affecting the institution’s relationship with its members and suppliers.

Over the past months, the Executive Committee has undertaken a complete overall of the institution’s financial operation, resulting in major systems and personnel changes. Consequently, the GFF has been approved for “conditional funding” targeting essential operations and preapproved projects and programmes.

However, the Executive Committee is working assiduously to streamline every aspect of its Finance operation and internal procedures in order to meet and exceed the conditions laid out by FIFA’s Audit and Compliance Committee.

Franchise League 3-day cricket

East Coast on top after day one

… Kemol Savory strokes an enterprising 136 Br Rajiv Bisnauth

SOME excellent bowling and fielding have put the East Coast Franchise in a commanding position against Georgetown on the opening day of the third round Franchise League threeday cricket tournament at Lusignan.

The hosts are in total control after bowling their opponents out for 192 before reaching 102-4 at stumps.

Winning the toss and deciding to bat on a slow pitch and a slow outfield, the city side were given a decent 47-run opening stand between Robin Bacchus and Raymond Perez, but were then reduced to 117-5 at lunch.

Bacchus was aggressive from the start, contributing the bulk of the runs. He stroked four fours and two sixes before he was removed by Rajendra Singh for a run-a-ball 36.

Perez was then run-out for 22 before Singh claimed his second wicket, that of Sunil Singh for three.

Ramaal Lewis did not do much better as he mustered three runs before falling victim to off-spinner Kumar Bishundyal, leaving the City team on 96-4.

However, Christopher Barnwell stood firm and took the score to

116 before he was bowled by Bhaskar Yadram for 44.

In the afternoon session, Bishundyal picked up three more wickets to finish with figures of 4-60 while Cordel Mars contributed a wicket to skittle out the City team in 67.2 overs. Paul Wintz (34 not out) was the only one of the remaining batsmen to pass ten.

Kemol Savory

In the run chase, discarded Test batsman Rajendra Chandrika (45), Brian Sattuar (12), Yadram (0), and Chanderpaul Hemraj (35), were the batsmen dismissed.

Gajanan Suknanan, Kellon Carmichael, Devon Lord and Steven Sankar claimed a wicket each.

Joshua Persaud (1 not out) and Bishundyal who is yet to score will resume today, with the hosts 90 runs away from Georgetown’s first-innings total.

Meanwhile, scores from the other three games are as follows:

At Albion: Lower Corentyne replying to Upper Corentyne first innings 130 all out, were 166-3.

Opener Wahid Edwards was on 74 while Seon Hetmyer is on 14.

For Upper Corentyne Anthony Bramble top-scored with 34. Leftarm spinner Veerasammy Permaul claimed 6-49 while Kassim Khan had 4-37.

At Everest: Essequibo were bowled out for 280 in 97.1 overs.

Kemol Savory stroked an enterprising 136 off 195 balls while Mark Williams supported with 43.

Bowling for East Bank, Sherfane Rutherford claimed 2-43, while Darshan Persaud and Totaram Bishun had 3-47 and 3-73 respectively.

At Tuschen: West Demerara were bowled out for 110, with only Akshaya Persaud (42) and Tevin Imlach (39) offered some fight with the bat. Bowling for West Berbice, Gudakesh Motie claimed 6-17. West Berbice in reply were bundled out for 106.

Arthley Bailey (46) and Avishkar Sewkarran (32) were the principal scorers. Bowling for West Demerara, Keshram Seyhodan took 4-37 while Romario Shepherd took 3-29.

Batting a second time, West Demerara were 57 without loss.

Play resumes today at 09:30hrs at all four venues.

Four Guyanese in Windies U-19 training squad See Page 35

Sixth Annual Courts Pee Wee Football launched See

Page 31

… Tournament expanded to 32 teams

Students of the various schools stand with sponsors, organisers and officials during the launch of the sixth Courts Pee Wee Under-11 schools football competition.

Windies hoping to extend dominance over England (CMC) – Star-studded West Indies will face nemeses England for the first time in a Twenty20 International since the dramatic T20 World Cup final 17 months ago, when the two teams clashed in a highly anticipated one-off match here today.

The reigning World champions boast the likes of superstars Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Marlon Samuels and Sunil Narine in their ranks, and will be fancied to get the better of the hosts, despite playing in foreign conditions.

In two meetings during last year’s T20 World Cup in India, the Windies came out on top – the last coming when Carlos Brathwaite – now captain – blasted four consecutive sixes off the first four balls of the final over to hand the Caribbean side an unprecedented second title.

While the memories of that event have slowly faded, what remains fresh is the Windies con-

fidence level and Brathwaite said the unit was pumped up for the contest at the Riverside.

“The camaraderie off the field it shows on the field so it’s just about coming together and letting the guys have the freedom to express themselves, make decisions, make their own calls at their point in time,” Brathwaite told reporters here yesterday.

“Once guys do that we can always go back to the drawing board. I prefer that than guys thinking what would the coach or what would the captain want.

They are all seasoned T20 players and they all do well for different franchises around the world and it’s for me as a young captain just to go out there and tell them ‘look, whatever you do on the field, you have my full support.’ “(They are free to) make the right decision at the right time in (their) view and then as a team we assess whether we win, lose or draw and we’ll see how we can continue to improve going

Captain Carlos Brathwaite wraps up training yesterday ahead of today’s one-off Twenty20 International against England. (Photo courtesy CWI Media)

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forward.”

West Indies possess an excellent record against the English, losing only four of their last 14 outings. More recently, however, the Windies have struggled, swept 3-0 by Pakistan last year in the United Arab Emirates before being hammered 3-1 by the same side in a four-match series earlier this year in the Caribbean.

They picked themselves up by whitewashing minnows Afghanistan in June and then stunned powerhouse India in one-off encounter in Kingston, when opener Evin Lewis hit a dazzling hundred.

Brathwaite said the Windies would look to extend that same form while flaunting their unique brand of cricket.

“As Caribbean players and Caribbean persons we bring a lot of flair to the game,” the all-rounder explained.

“You can see it in our wicket celebrations and dance moves and what’s not. With bat or ball, that’s going to be the message: have fun, express yourself.

“Once we’re off the field and once we come on the training pitch we’re very professional in the way we go about our preparation. So once we tick those boxes off the field and in training, it’s

just a matter of coming on the field and expressing yourself and letting the natural instincts take over.”

The 13-man side is a hybrid of experience and youth, with the seasoned likes of Gayle, Pollard, Samuels and Narine combining with young players like Lewis, Brathwaite and Kesrick Williams.

Brathwaite said regardless of who the final XI were, West Indies would present a formidable and united force on the field.

“The best players are available, the best players play. On that given day, the best XI … are the ones that take the field and we have the full support and full trust of whoever is selected and the boys in the dressing room know that,” Brathwaite stressed.

“The boys that haven’t been selected are very, very good to be around. They are always adding something to the dressing room.

It’s just one big set of positive vibes in the dressing room – from the team bus, into the dressing room onto the park and then back off it.

“It’s just a fun place to be at the moment and long may the victories continue.”

The match bowls off at 18:30hrs (13:30hrs Eastern Caribbean time).

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2017