Guyana Chronicle E-paper 09-17-2018

MONDAY 17th September, 2018

No.105400

Energy, agriculture, – high on agenda of Guyana, security T&T high-level meeting PAGE

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Guyanese wins New York State Primary Elections

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Bamia celebrates 05 indigenous heritage PAGE

Lalita Etwaroo

Bamia’s indigenous dance troupe following a performance at the annual community celebration on Sunday (Samuel Maughn photo)

Guyana above average in human development 04 PAGE

–– United Nations Development Programme

West Dem church urged 02 to help arrest social decay PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 17, 2018

West Dem church urged to help arrest social decay

PRESIDENT David Granger on Sunday urged the Ebenezer Congregational Church, one of Guyana’s oldest churches and a member of the Congregational Union here to cooperate and collaborate to arrest social decay.

The head of state, who was at the time speaking at the 175th anniversary service of the Den Amstel, West Coast Demerara church, said through cooperation and collaboration, the church can become a beacon of hope. “The church should cooperate and collaborate with the Neighbourhood Democratic Council, other churches and other religious and civil society {organisations} to arrest social decay.

The church should return to its role as a social leader. It is a credible organisation in this community. It should utilise this public trust to solve social problems – such as domestic violence, drug abuse, poverty, teenage pregnancy and school absenteeism – which may exist on the West Coast,” President Granger stated.

He noted too that congregationalism and service to communities are inseparable and the bonds between church and communities should therefore be reinforced. “The church calls on us to do good through service to others, including those within our communities. The Ebenezer Congregational Church is married to the proud tradition of community service. The

President David Granger, Member of Parliament, Mr John Adams, Regional Executive Officer; Mr Denis Jaikaran and Deputy Regional Executive Officer, Ms. Jennifer Ferreira-McDougal on Sunday attended the 175th Anniversary service of the Ebenezer Congregational Church at Den Amstel, West Coast Demerara.

Ebenezer Congregational he told the congregation. integration in the commuChurch should uphold this President Granger said nity. It should work in, for proud legacy. The church, too that Congregationalism and with the community to through its service to this and developed deep roots in Af- provide opportunities, espeneighbouring communities, rican villages and it is no cially for the young people, should seek to become a cat- accident of history that most he declared. alyst for good, as [it] was 175 Congregational churches – Meanwhile, leader of years ago. This would be a the ‘A to Z’ – are still located Ebenezer Congregational fitting and forward-looking in African villages and are Church, Reverend Valesway in which to celebrate more than 150 years old. ka Austin, said the church the 175th anniversary of its “Albion Chapel, in Fyrish, must take time to reflect on establishment,” the head of is 180 years old; Arun- its stewardship as it works state said. del Congregational Church towards “Restoring its ConCongregationalism, he will celebrate its 174th an- gregational Heritage.” “The stated, came to this country niversary this year; Freedom fact that we are striving to 210 years ago as part of the Congregational Church in this tells us that something work of the London Mission- Stewartville, is 176 years old; is not right. Something has ary Society, to minister al- Ebenezer Congregational been fractured and we are most exclusively to Africans. Church, here in Den Ams- setting out to restore it to It became a beacon of hope tel, is 175 years old; Smith what it once was. It is a good in desperate and despondent Memorial Congregational time for refocus, to introtimes as Congregationalists Church will celebrate its spect. We must know what is supported Africans in their 175th anniversary this year; our heritage. We must know struggles, both during and Ebenezer Congregational what the church did back after enslavement.

Church in Ann’s Grove, is then, what it did to impact the “Freed Africans, after 156 years old; Mission Chap- communities and the lives Emancipation, initiated the el Congregational Church, of its members. In 1843, the Great Village Movement. almost 200 years old, is the church had a mission. There Cotton, coffee and sugar oldest Church in Guyana; were houses and schools plantations were purchased and Zoar Congregational where people were taught to and free human settlements Church celebrated its 165th read and write, where they were erected in their place. anniversary this year. Con- were taught morals and valCongregationalism became gregational churches distin- ues and how to build strong a bedrock upon which this guished themselves by their families and communities movement was erected. It service to their communi- and as we reflect, we must inspired the freed Africans ties,” the President stated. ask ourselves what we have to establish churches in many Churches, he stated, became today,” she said. of these free villages. The community centres and classReverend Austin commitdescendants of the founders rooms. They were part of the ted to taking up the mandate of these villages, in turn, social architecture of their as set out by the President to looked to the church to con- communities, supporting the ensure that communities are tinue God’s work – churches four pillars – faith, family, rebuilt and a strong legacy to worship God, homes to farm and the school. Congre- forged. keep their families together, gationalism mentored local The special celebration schools to provide education leaders, demonstrating the was also attended by Memto their children and farms ability of locals to manage ber of Parliament, Mr John to develop strong econo- their own affairs, he added.

Adams, Regional Execumies. Communities should be Guyana, the President tive Officer of Essequibo maintained as vital centres of said, owes a debt of gratitude Islands- West Demerara spiritual life, blessed with the to the Congregational Church (Region Three), Mr Denis moral legitimacy and the ma- as it pioneered education Jaikaran, Deputy Regionterial resources necessary for before and after Emancipa- al Executive Officer, Ms. promoting the common good. tion, supported community Jennifer Ferreira-McDouEbenezer Congregational development and provided gal, members of the GuyChurch, in the Congregation- assistance to those in need. ana Congregational Union al tradition of service, should As such, President Granger (GCU) and Justice Oslyn become a beacon of hope for said that the church should Small, among others. (Minits communities once again,” deepen its involvement and istry of the Presidency)

Energy, agriculture, security

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 17, 2018

––high on agenda of Guyana, T&T high-level meeting

TRINIDAD and Tobago Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley will be accompanied by five of his ministers when he arrives in Guyana this week for bilateral talks with President David Granger.

The high-level team from the twin-island republic is scheduled to arrive in Guyana on Wednesday for a two-day working visit.

According to a statement issued by the Foreign Affairs Ministry on Saturday, President Granger and Prime Minister Rowley will discuss a wide range of matters of interest to both states, including energy-sector cooperation, agriculture and security. Their meeting will be followed by the signing of a

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on energy-sector cooperation between Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. “The non-binding MoU will outline a number of sector-specific areas of possible cooperation between the two countries and will be publicised when it has been signed,” the ministry explained.

It was noted that the working visit is part of ongoing efforts to foster greater dialogue aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two CARICOM member states.

In response to a public request by the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GGCI), President Granger said his government has no problem making public,

the MoU that will be signed with Trinidad and Tobago.

“It is not a secret document, it is just an agreement to cooperate,” the President told reporters at State House last week, while noting the document has been vetted by the Department of Energy headed by Dr Mark Bynoe and the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Days after issuing a call for the government not to sign the MoU with Trinidad until it vets the content, the GCCI, in a press statement, said it remains supportive of foreign investors in Guyana.

“The GCCI believes that foreign investors have played, and continue to play, an integral

Dogs come out to play!

PATRONS were treated to a one-of-a-kind dog show on Saturday at the YMCA ground, Thomas Lands, as 40 ‘big’ dogs came out to play.

The ground was filled with mostly well-trained pitbulls accompanied by their owners, who brought them out to win in the competition, though the smaller, cuter dogs-- the Maltese, Shih Tzu and Tibetan Span-

iel-- were seen in the mix.

According to the organiser and promoter of the dog show, Marlon Chung, “Our dogs in Guyana have been hidden for quite a long time and we just want to expose these beautiful dogs.”

In so doing, the show was conceptualised. Chung also posited: “This is the first show, but it is not going to be the last.” He noted that there will be other shows,

which he promises to be “bigger and better”, come April and August next year.

At Saturday’s competition, he shared that dogs were judged on the basis of their “stock”, that is their muscle tone. And in the end, the pitbulls strutted off with their prizes, with their owners tagging behind.

Chung also stressed, “We’re definitely going to move this country forward

where this dog game is concerned,” as he explained that plans are in place to establish a training school for dogs to teach them obedience and command, and possibly train them for protection.

While he is now working on establishing this through the relevant avenues, Chung was certain that this venture would come to fruition.

This little girl shows her love to this pitbull during the dog show held at the YMCA ground

These cute little puppies also came out to the show

Organiser Marlon Chung and his dog

role in driving economic growth and national development. In an era of global business, the benefits of international cooperation in key areas of private sector development are undeniable. Technology transfer, skills development, international markets for goods and services are a few areas where readily, the engagement of foreign investors and companies can bode well for private-sector development,” the GCCI said.

Noting that it is supportive of partnerships with Guyana’s Caribbean counterparts in the spirit of regionalism, the GCCI said it endorses collaboration with Trinidad and Tobago in the oil and gas sector.

Guyanese wins New York State primary elections

By Indrawattie Natram

GUYANESE-BORN Lalita Etwaroo, also known as “Lessia,” has won the New York State (NYS) primary elections in the United States of America.

The recent college graduate is a Republican candidate for the New York State Assembly in the 33rd District which covers the neighbourhood of Cambria Heights, St Albans, Hollis, Queens’ village, Bellerose and parts of Floral Park in Queens.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, Lalita Etwaroo explained that voters went out in their numbers on September 13 to cast their votes at the primary elections.

She said that she is now running on three lines -- the Republican, the Conservative and the Reform for the upcoming Lalita Etwaroo elections in November.

Etwaroo said because she won the New York State (NYS) primary, her name will now appear three times on the ballot.

In the September 13 elections, there were more than one candidate in competition for one line.

“For instance, let’s say that two separate parties came up and said they want to run for one particular party, but there can only be one person in the general election; so before the elections a mini-election is hosted, giving persons the privilege to select who they want to run in the general elections and there is where I won,” Etwaroo said.

She will be the only Republican candidate on the Republican, Conservatives and Reform lines. Etwaroo said that it was the voters’ decision and she was happy she was favoured at the primary elections.

Her campaign for the general elections in November has intensified and thus far she is receiving overwhelming support.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 17, 2018

Guyana above average in human development – United Nations Development Programme

By Svetlana Marshall GUYANA remains in the ‘medium human development category’ with an increase in its Human Development Index (HDI), according to the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Human Development Indices and Indicators: 2018 statistical update.

The HDI is a summary measure for assessing longterm progress in three basic dimensions of human, development: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge and a decent standard of living, the UNDP explained.

According to the recently published 2018 Statistical Update Report, Guyana’s HDI value for 2017 is 0.654— which puts the country in the medium human development category.

It now ranks 125 out of 189 countries and territories – a position shared with Cabo Verde.

Saturday 15, September, 2018

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Between 1990 and 2017, Guyana’s HDI value increased from 0.538 to 0.654, an increase of 21.5 per cent.

“Between 1990 and 2017, Guyana’s life expectancy at birth increased by 3.5 years, mean years of schooling increased by 1.6 years and expected years of schooling increased by 1.3 years. Guyana’s GNI per capita increased by about 252.4 per cent between 1990 and 2017,” UNDP explained.

According to the report, Guyana’s 2017 HDI of 0.654 is above the average of 0.645 for countries in the medium human development group.

However, it is below the average of 0.758 for countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

From Latin America and the Caribbean, countries which are close to Guyana in 2017 HDI rank and to some extent in population size are Belize and Suriname, which have HDIs ranked 106 and 100 respectively.

“The HDI is an average measure of basic human development achievements in a country. Like all averages, the HDI masks inequality in the distribution of human development across the population at the country level.

The 2010 HDR introduced the IHDI, which takes into account inequality in all three dimensions of the HDI by ‘discounting’ each dimension’s average value according to its level of inequality.

The IHDI is basically the HDI discounted for inequalities,” the UNDP explained.

In the case of Guyana, while the country’s HDI for 2017 is 0.654 when the value is discounted for inequality, the HDI falls to 0.532, a loss of 18.6 per cent due to inequality in the distribution

of the HDI dimension indices. It was pointed out that Belize and Suriname show losses due to inequality of 22.3 per cent and 22.6 per cent respectively. The average loss due to inequality for medium HDI countries is 25.1 per cent and for Latin America and the Caribbean it is 21.8 per cent. The human inequality coefficient for Guyana is equal to 18.4 per cent.

Latin America and the Caribbean enjoy high levels of human development, second only to Europe and Central Asia, UNDP noted in giving an overview of the Region.

UNEQUAL DISTRIBUTION However, it said when adjusted for inequality, the

07, 08, 05, 04, 15

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Region’s HDI drops by 21.8 per cent due to the unequal distribution of human development, particularly in income. “The Region has the narrowest gap between men and women in HDI at two per cent, below the global average of six per cent.

However, it has the second highest adolescent birth rate and the labour force participation rate for women is significantly lower than for men (51.6 vs 77.5 per cent),” it further explained.

Overall, it said “wide inequalities in people’s well-being cast a shadow on sustained human development progress,” pointing out that according to the HDI, people living in the very high human development countries can expect to live 19 years longer, and spend seven more years in school, than those living in the group of low human development countries.

Norway, Switzerland, Australia, Ireland and Germany lead the ranking of 189 countries and territories in the latest HDI, while Niger, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Chad and Burundi have the lowest scores in the HDI measurement of national achievements in health, education and income, UNDP disclosed.

“The overall trend globally is toward continued human development improvements, with many countries moving up through the human development categories: out of the 189 countries for which the HDI is calculated, 59 countries are today in the very high human

development group and only 38 countries fall in the low HDI group. Just eight years ago in 2010, the figures were 46 and 49 countries respectively,” it explained.

Movements in the HDI are driven by changes in health, education and income. Health has improved considerably as shown by life expectancy at birth which has increased by almost seven years globally, with Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia showing the greatest progress, each experiencing increases of about 11 years since 1990.

However, it noted that disparities between and within countries continue to stifle progress.

“On average, a child born today in a country with low human development can expect to live just over 60 years, while a child born in a country with very high human development can expect to live to almost 80. Similarly, children in low human development countries can expect to be in school seven years less than children in very high human development countries,” said Achim Steiner, UNDP administrator. “While these statistics present a stark picture in themselves, they also speak to the tragedy of millions of individuals whose lives are affected by inequity and lost opportunities, neither of which are inevitable.”

UNDP said a closer look at the HDI components sheds light on the unequal distribution of outcomes in education, life expectancy and income within countries.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 17, 2018

Bamia, other villages celebrate indigenous heritage

By Alva Solomon WITH an aim of maintaining their indigenous roots, residents of Bamia, a small village of mainly Wapishiana descendants along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, came out in their numbers on Sunday to observe their annual Heritage Month celebration.

Each weekend this September, several indigenous villages along the highway observe Heritage Month activities, which have been attracting larger audiences each passing year. Bamia, although small in size, is one such village.

Bamia is home to some 68 households, Orleita John, the chair of the Community Development Council (CDC) of the village told the Guy-

cluding smoked fish, pepper-pot, cassava bread and wild meat.

During the visit by the Guyana Chronicle, a group of dancers took to the stage of the community centre and grooved to a series of indigenous hits which blared from a sound system nearby.

Later, when the rains had eased, residents gathered at several food stalls as preparations were ongoing for several cultural competitions to commence.

Meanwhile, farther down along the highway at CircuitVille, visitors were flockA resident of CircuitVille on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway prepares a head-dress for a customer on Sunday (Samuel Maughn photo)

She noted too that there are different ethnic groups within the village population.

These two young women who hail from the villages of Karasabai and Toka in the North Rupununi were part of the gathering of visitors at CircuitVille on Sunday (Samuel Maughn photo)

ana Chronicle on Sunday.

She said Sunday was the third occasion since 2016 that the village decided to participate in the annual celebration. “I am happy that we can maintain our cultural traditions as we go along, so that the youths can see what is going on,” she said.

John, who moved to Bamia eight years ago from Kabakaburi, said in 2016, she conceptualised an idea to have the indigenous month celebration in the village.

She said in the first year of the event, a group was formed and planned the activities for the day-long celebration.

“We introduced dancing, more craft, more food and all sorts of indigenous dishes,” she said, as she noted that Bamia is a small community of mainly farmers.

The village comprises many descendants of indigenous tribes, mainly Wapishianas who moved to the area from the Rupununi.

She expressed hope that the government can assist the village in addressing its social needs, including the provision of programmes to assist single-parent families.

During the visit, residents expressed appreciation to the authorities for assistance provided to Bamia.

Bamia residents are happy that a new primary school will be built in their village.

“I already proposed for the provision of water to the area and the council is supportive of the idea,” she said, as she expressed hope that the essential service will come to fruition soon.

John noted that three months after the new govern-

ment assumed office in May 2015, Bamia received electricity “and we are happy for that, because years and years we kept asking for that and they kept turning us down.”

She said the celebration on Sunday was also a form of appreciation for development taking place at Bamia, which had brought benefits to the village in recent years. ”So we can enjoy the celebration late tonight (Sunday) and we are thankful for that,” John noted.

As the rains threatened the celebrations, visitors began arriving at the village and many could be seen sampling the various foods which were on display, in-

Melissa Mundo, the village leader of CircuitVille on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway (Samuel Maughn photo)

Orleita John, the village leader at Bamia on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway as she spoke to this publication on Sunday (Samuel Maughn photo)

ing that community in large numbers as the afternoon progressed to take part in the indigenous heritage celebration there. Village leader Melissa Mundo was busy organising the events, while visitors sampled foods and drinks on sale.

The village, whose descendants are of the Makushi tribe, is of several which has been seeing a growing number of visitors in recent years.

Next Sunday, all roads will lead to the village of Swan where a large number of visitors are expected to converge for its annual indigenous heritage celebration.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 17, 2018

Empowerment: government’s role in national development AS opposed to giving handouts, any government’s proper role in pursuit of development should be one of empowering the people to be self-sufficient members of families, residents of neighbourhoods and communities, and part of the national society.

A responsible government will provide the means for citizens to prosper and to be proud of their own achievements. A good government will recognise the need for the promotion of a culture of self-reliance and pride in accomplishment, and will foster a culture of resourcefulness.

As such, President Granger has stated that government has recognised that the process of empowering citizens – particularly young Guyanese – has two components: encouragement of entrepreneurship and provision of educational opportunities. By

these means, government will inculcate a culture of industry and innovation, as opposed to one of dependency and economic enslavement.

It was against this backdrop and within this framework that His Excellency, during his Emancipation-day remarks at Beterverwagting, encouraged and inspired all citizens to work, invest, and save money, instead of spending valuable resources and time on fruitless activities.

Contrary to what some critics have said, President Granger was not admonishing Guyanese to lift themselves up by their bootstraps; instead, the President encouraged all peoples to take advantage of available opportunities, and make use of new initiatives which government will continually develop, to improve the quality of their lives.

One of the major skills

which Guyanese possess is that of enterprise; we are, by culture, a creative people.

One only has to pass near any market to see proof of that fact. In fact too, government has numerous programmes and initiatives to give citizens a head start in the quest for a better tomorrow. The administration believes that enterprise rests on four pillars: investment, information, infrastructure, and innovation. And government will continue to nurture enterprise by providing the means for all prospective and current entrepreneurs to have access to those pillars.

The administration’s programmes to encourage investment are numerous. The Linden Enterprise Network (LEN) allows access to business loans to persons in the Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice region. The SLED initiative serves budding business operators in at least five de-

velopmental regions. It provides mentorship, training, grants, and support, among other services. The Small Business Bureau (SBB) continues to serve entrepreneurs in communities, including hinterland areas, in all aspects of business establishment and consolidation. The SBB will even assist in obtaining loans from commercial banks.

And there is no shortage of access to information; a single internet search will direct a seeker to most available services, and a visit to the Ministry of Business may be even more fruitful.

The third pillar, infrastructure, continues to engage the attention of government.

During his address to the National Assembly on November 2, 2017, President Granger said, “Economic growth would not have been possible without the achievement of macroeconomic stability, the [government] has created

a favourable environment for business development, to protect investments, to moderate inflation, and to maintain a stable exchange rate.” The President, in stating those facts, articulated his vision that the concept of infrastructure is a wide-ranging one. It includes not only the rehabilitation of the farmto-market roads in Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, and those in Demerara-Mahaica, and in Mahaica-Berbice, but also the financial structures that result in lower prices of commodities.

In alluding to the fourth pillar, the President has said that, “Guyana needs an education of innovation.” He was at that time addressing the closing ceremony at the National Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fair in April 2016.

His Excellency spoke of innovation in areas ranging from water, to transportation,

to education, to energy-generation. The wide vision of the administration could not be made clearer, and its dedication to the realisation of that vision is equally evident.

Government’s goal of providing a good life for all is not predicated on encouraging a culture of dependency. Instead, it is founded on a philosophy of empowerment. It is established on a principle of self-reliance. And it is based on a well-thought-out system of establishing and strengthening the four pillars which our leaders have identified. Government, in identifying and working to solidify those pillars, has clearly shown that it sees its role as an active one in providing a good life for all. The administration has declared in no uncertain terms that it is not a spectator, but, in fact, it is the primary leader and enabler.

The attorney’s conduct was disgraceful Dear Editor,

THE despicable behaviour of the attorney at law who described himself to the traffic police as “Ryan f#@king Crawford” is a great disgrace to the legal profession; he used his power to abuse this police officer who was just doing his duty. When I looked at the video I was moved by this attorney’s behaviour because this man represents law and order and he refused to submit himself to a police officer who represents the traffic laws.

This lawyer refused to surrender his driver’s licence and used a ton of expletives (cuss words) on the police officer and drove away like any common criminal. A learned lawyer of his esteem should have conducted himself better, but he used his office to abuse his power by “cussing out” and insulting this police officer. We have a law here about tinted windscreens; also in my opinion it’s a traffic officer’s duty to stop any suspect vehicle and

ask for documents.

In my opinion, that lawyer had no legal right to cuss the police officer even if the officer had failed to answer his questions properly. The lawyer should have pulled down his window, produce his documents and speak in a more professional manner. It tells me clearly this man who represents law and order violated the laws of the land and he should be disciplined for his actions or get is legal licence suspended or revoked. He owes this police officer an apology. The new police commissioner ought to do something about this; also, the ombudsman and minister of public security.

What I have seen in this country is the abuse of power all over, those who make and represent the laws break the law. And if this lawyer can tell the police officer on duty to go and tell whoever he wants, it tells me clearly that something ought to be done about this man who is abusing his power to overrule the law.

A security officer working at the GPOC told me a similar story. He said to me once that a

government official went to post a parcel at the GPOC. When he requested to check the contents of the parcel, the government official started to abuse him and cuss him up and threatened his job. The men in high office are no different from the low-minded ‘cuss birds’ in the street.

The American President Abraham Lincoln and some scholars made these profound statements: ‘’Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.’’ Abraham Lincoln ‘’Knowledge will give you power, but character respect.’’ Bruce Lee ‘’Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.’’ Abraham Lincoln ‘’Character is higher than intellect. A great soul will be strong to live as well as think.’’

Ralph Waldo Emerson ‘’The greatest legacy one can pass on to one’s children and grandchildren is not money

or other material things accumulated in one’s life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.’’

Billy Graham Profound words of wisdom from these inspired scholars. What is lacking in our society is the love and respect for each other and this comes from the home and family. If we take a good look around us daily as we travel to work and in our communities, ‘’cuss words’’ quarrelling and abuses on each other have invaded our society like a perpetual plague. I know in our police ordinances ‘’cuss words” or indecent language is a charge by law and the learned lawyer who “cussed down” the police officer and drove away is aware of the law.

Our society has fallen morally, spiritually, academically and lacks the love and respect for each other. We must conduct ourselves with discipline, dignity and morality -- the key to our success.

Regards Rev Cecil Gideon

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 17, 2018

DPI explains spending, operations Dear Editor A LETTER in today’s edition of Kaieteur News headlined, ‘A vigorous investigation is also needed into mismanagement, overspending at DPI,’ written by ‘Loyal but frustrated DPI staffers’ has been brought to my attention.

The letter raises three specific issues: 1. The role of the Editor-in-Chief 2. The hosting of staff training and morale-building events 3. DPI publications Editor-in-Chief The editorial team in the Department of Public Information substantively comprises the editor-in-chief (EiC), an assignment and special projects editor, a news editor and a sub-editor.

The role of the EiC is not to micro-manage and assume sub-editing functions and laboriously and painstakingly go through each of the dozens of the daily articles and scripts for grammatical and spelling mistakes, correct these and then approve for dissemination.

This is impractical, inefficient and unheard of in this modern, real-time communication environment. Such a system would result in the DPI literally distributing days-old content.

This ‘system’ however, is what obtained under a previous dispensation. From the evidence in the letter, it appears as though some staff members prefer the old, outdated system of no substantive editorial team and a singular, almighty EiC. To operate optimally, fluidly and effectively, the DPI requires a competent and dynamic cadre of communication officers, supported by an editorial team (not a singular almighty EiC).

Under my leadership, the DPI has striven to achieve this and we have made some not insignificant gains. Change is not always a process eagerly embraced and there has been

both latent and outright resistance in this regard. I acknowledge that there is considerable work to be done to further improve quality and an enhanced work ethic.

Staff training and retreat Prior to the merger of DPI and GINA, as incoming director, I held one-on-one discussions with almost every staff member. Among other things, the issues of staff development, training and staff morale were lamented as sore points by the vast majority of staff members. It is true that DPI has held training and staff development retreats at various venues.

We have received feedback from several staff members, who related positive experiences and are thankful for the opportunities to grow and develop.

What appears to be the vexing issue raised in the letter relating to a particular staff event, is that certain members of staff were desirous of the event being hosted at a popular and exclusive resort. It came to my attention that certain staff members who were advised of DPI’s budget cap for such events, sought to negotiate (without DPI’s knowledge or permission) a ‘side arrangement.’

The ‘side arrangement’ was that should the resort management provide DPI with severely discounted rates, they (the staff members) would, in an ‘under-the-tablequid-pro-quo’ personally ensure the use of DPI equipment, resources and platforms to provide promotion and publicity to the resort.

When information on this ‘side arrangement’ came to my attention, I was uncomfortable with it and caused it to be discontinued. The event was held elsewhere, at a less glamorous facility, much to the chagrin and resistance of certain staff members who were intent on their choice of venue.

Publications DPI produces seven newspapers - Hinterland Highlights, Rupununi Roundup,

Berbice Bulletin, Linden Ledger, Essequibo Express, West Side Diary and Bartica Buzz.

President David Granger and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo are on public record as having spoken to and written on the issue of the public’s right to information. In February, this year, at the launch of Radio Aishalton, His Excellency said, “[y]our government is concerned that as far as the delivery of public information services is concerned, just like public health and public education, you should not be wanting for public information… you have a right to public information.”

DPI is tasked with fulfilling this mandate.

In addition to the newspapers, six radio stations have been established by this government at Aishalton, Mabaruma, Bartica, Lethem, Orealla and Mahdia. These serve as a critical link in ensuring that citizens who were previously locked out from accessing information are no longer denied their right to be informed. On a monthly basis, television programmes are also packaged on DVDs and distributed (along with the newspapers) throughout our hinterland regions. This is done at some cost as it involves transportation over land for long distances to remote villages, by water and in some instances by air.

This is the Guyanese reality. DPI is constantly seeking cost-effective means of distributing content across Guyana and is grateful to private individuals, toshaos, airlines, boat operators and members of parliament who have provided distribution support.

We had received consistent complaints, particularly from Berbice, the Essequibo Coast, Linden and Bartica that while the daily newspapers were reaching them, that news and developments in those areas were not being featured. There was a gap which DPI is aiming to fill with monthly publications (which augment the dailies and are not in

The good old days in the School Boys Stand Dear Editor, WHILE at secondary school, when it was cricket season, we would get halfdays so we could go and enjoy watching the great West Indian team play at the famous Bourda ground in Georgetown. This was the time of Viv Richards, Clive Lloyd and Malcolm Marshall. The only disappointment back then was the condition of the School Boys Stand. However, the opportunity to see a great match would eclipse the problems of the time. They might have been a shortage of certain food items, running water and electricity, but there was never a shortage of a good time. We would all relish the opportunity to be outside enjoying the cricket

with our school friends and it was great motivation for upcoming inter-class and inter-house school cricket competitions.

What was amazing is that while under the PNC the boys would comment that the government doesn’t even fix the stand. Then came the PPP and they went so far as to move the main cricket ground out of town away from most of the children. Making it difficult for many to have time to catch the match and creating the need to pay bus fares to go far to watch cricket with their school friends. Remember back when Bourda was the place for the matches, the bicycle was still king. They forgot about us and themselves again. Now the new App is in place with APNU and the pleasure of going to

Bourda to see a great match has still not returned and was overlooked to create D’urban Park instead. Much less having a great School Boys Stand or pavilion to enjoy.

Yet again, they forgot about us and themselves. Unfortunately for some, our childhood joys seem to escape us.

Fond memories of those days are a great guide on the road of life.

It’s quite eye-opening how the little things that were important to all of us before seem to fall to the wayside when some of us grow older and focus on the good life in terms of financial reward. If given a bit of thought and reflection, many would realise how simple it could be to have the city vibrant and full of life again with the

great game of cricket in a well maintained historic venue. It was supposed to be an important part of our culture, a great part of our history and a significant historical site for outsiders to behold. After all, this was the ground where the West Indies made history repeatedly and dominated for over a decade. Maybe these little, but important things get too easily lost with the “in with the new and out with the old” way of doing things. Those who have had the pleasure of enjoying the intimate setting of the Bourda cricket ground and have seen some of the greats play there would always look forward to its return.

Regards, Jamil Changlee

competition with them, as we do not seek advertising nor sell the newspaper) so that residents in these areas can have a sense of what is happening in their neighbourhoods and surrounding areas.

It is a fallacy that each of these newspapers is a ‘new production’ which requires completely new content. These newspapers are mainly a collection of DPI material which relate to those specific areas. There is limited bespoke content produced for these newspapers.

Further, still DPI engages the services of various freelancers in the regions, who provide articles for these publications. Any notion that the need to provide content for these publications is burdensome to the communication officers is disingenuous and false.

Finally, the Department of Public Information is a budget agency under the Office of the Prime Minister. DPI is subject to an annual audit by the Auditor General’s Office.

We have and will continue to fully comply in this regard. DPI budget is subject to scrutiny and approval in the National Assembly. I can reveal that DPI has not sought any supplementary sums to execute its operations and is being managed within budget and with strict adherence to all procurement regulations and guidelines.

It is not my intention or inclination to engage in speculation as to the motive and intended purpose of the ‘copycat complaint letter,’ or to pursue any pointless and petty witch-hunt. I am both confident in and comfortable with leaving those who wish to read the letter to form their own conclusions.

Regards Imran Khan Director, Department of Public Information

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 17, 2018

Block 22 residents vent their frustration –– want regional officials to reopen community centre

By Vanessa Braithwaite

RESIDENTS of Block 22, Wismar, Linden are calling on the regional officials to stop meddling in the affairs of their community and making unilateral decisions on the running of the community centre, since such actions are negatively affecting the youths there.

Currently, the Block 22 Multi-Purpose Centre is locked and no resident is allowed to enter the premises, following an order from Regional Chairman Renis Morian. At the last RDC statutory meeting, Morian confirmed that he did give the instruction to lock the

office.

The centre, a building that was donated to the community, houses the Totally Moulding Training Centre and the Information Technology Communication Hub, where youths assemble daily to take part in various empowerment courses.

Over 140 youths recently concluded a seven-week life skills training programme.

It has been over one week now that the building is locked and the residents have no access. On Friday, several residents contacted this publication to voice their concern over the issue which angers them, since an eight-week leather training course that is being spon-

that Kendell’s behaviour is far from professional and does not reflect that of his high office as a public officer.

They have expressed their frustration, in that for years their community has been affected by politics and it is stymieing development, especially for the youths.

Some of the Block 22 residents who, on Friday, tried to gain access to the building but were locked out sored by the Department of Culture Youth and Sport and is being facilitated by the Totally Moulding Training Centre, is being held up.

The materials for the training are locked in the building, and foodstuff that was bought to commence a feeding programme for the less fortunate is spoilt as the days go by.

The residents related, that the entire episode sprung from an altercation a few days prior, when Community Development Council (CDC) officer Bryon Kendell, turned up at a meeting the residents were holding to elect a management committee for the ICT hub. Kendell reportedly became very abusive, as he related to the residents that he was sent by the regional chairman to lock the building and order the residents out. Prior to that incident, Kendell along with the constituency representative for the community, Neola Rogers, had visited the community and elected residents to be the new CDC body for the community.

The residents, however, claim that this was done without consultation with a wide-cross section of the community.

VERBALLY ABUSIVE In a video seen by this publication, Kendell can be observed being verbally abusive and locking the doors of the building even as the residents remained inside.

The residents said that Kendell also confessed to breaking off the locks from the doors of the building and also ripping down the sign boards, the day before.

When the residents reported the damage to the property to the police, they were told that he (Kendell) cannot be arrested since the matter of a political nature. When contacted on Sunday by this newspaper, Kendell said the situation is “with the chairman” and he could not comment on the issue.

Facilitator of the Totally Moulding Training Centre, Marva Semple, said the situation is unbecoming, adding that what saddens her is that it is the youths are affected, especially those who are anxious to start the seven-week leather programme. Since the entire fiasco, several items and materials to start the programme have gone missing, as well as records, stamp and minutes relating to the pass CDC meetings.

The residents believe

WILL NOT ENCOURAGE “We will not be encouraging persons to come and try to bar us from entering the building that is under our direct control, there is a formed chain of interference of the functioning of our community and it has been going on for the past couple of years,” resident Compton Bourne said.

He added: “We don’t appreciate people from outside of the community, not allowing it to function, I am annoyed, we are all annoyed and we are not in agreement with this thing.”

The residents said they are planning to boycott the upcoming LGE, since their elected representatives are failing them. Another resident is calling for the community’s properties to be returned earliest, since it is a great blow to the training centre. “We would like the building to be opened as fast as possible, so we can gain access to the building because we have a lot of stuff spoiling in the building, so we can continue the good work in the area,” one resident, Carl Bovell said.

“We need our building to open, because the youths keep coming and they can’t go in, we need our building, because it is a community building,” said another resident. If the situation is not solved within the next few days, the residents said that they will turn to the streets

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 17, 2018

Nandlall contempt motion was malicious ATTORNEY General Basil Williams said he was not surprised at the withdrawal of the contempt proceedings against him by Anil Nandlall, saying that the charge in the first place was malicious and was a flagrant abuse of the court process.

Nandlall on Friday withdrew the proceedings, saying that he had achieved his objective in getting the AG to activate the Judicial Review Act. Nandlall withdrew the proceedings when he appeared in the High Court before Justice Navendra Singh on the grounds that the Judicial Review Act is now in effect in keeping with instructions of the Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire. On May 28, 2018, the chief justice (ag) had ordered that the order to enforce the Judicial Review Act be signed no later than July 31, 2018. “Nandlall finally surrenders after his malicious attempt to mislead the citizenry was exposed by my application to strike out his contempt motion libelling me …” Williams said.

When the chief justice (ag) ordered that the Order to enforce the Judicial Review Act, be signed no later than July 31, 2018, the attorney general had filed a Notice of Appeal on June 13, 2018, to appeal her decision. That was followed by an interim Stay of Execution of the Judgment and Orders of the chief justice (ag), as well as a Stay of Execution of the Judgment and Orders at the Court of Appeal.

“The order to operationalise the Judicial Review Act

by July 31, 2018, was only brought to the attention of the Respondent by the law officers of the state just before the decision of the Honourable Justice Rafiq Kkan, S.C, which was rendered on the 9th day of August, 2018,” the attorney general had explained in his application to strike out the contempt proceedings. He had explained that upon learning of the pending decision of Justice Khan, he immediately directed that an application for an urgent hearing of the appeal be filed. That application was filed on August 8, 2018.

The Ministerial Order for the operationalisation of the Judicial Review Act was signed on August 15, 2018 and published in the Official Gazette (Extraordinary) on August 16, 2018, the Legal Affairs Minister pointed out, noting that he was at the time seeking to comply with the Order made by the chief justice (ag). “The existence of the Interim Stay was never brought to the attention of the respondent or the chief parliamentary counsel, which resulted in Ministerial Order No. 28 of 2018 dated the 15th day of August, 2018 and published in the Official Gazette (Extraordinary) on the 16th day of August, 2018, being

… AG says not surprised it was withdrawn

Attorney General, Basil Williams brought into effect after July 31, 2018,” Minister Williams further explained. That Order, which sought to have the Judicial Review Act take effect from January, 2019, was revoked.

A new Ministerial Order signed by the attorney general was published in the Official Gazette (Extraordinary) on August 27, 2018, in an effort to “diligently” comply with Chief Justice (ag) George-Wiltshire’s order, this time, in keeping with the appointed date – July 31, 2018. “During July and August 2018 the Respondent (AG) was facilitating nationwide anti-corruption sensitisation campaigns throughout Guyana; conducting anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AMLCFT) sensitisation seminars, and campaigned countrywide in view of the PNCR Congress to be held from the 17th to the 19th day of August in Georgetown and as such there is no proof that the Honourable Minister was evading personal service, as falsely claimed by the applicant [Nandlal],” Minister Williams stated.

He added too that Nandlall’s claim of service of the Order on the staff of the Ministry of Legal Affairs and the Attorney General’s Chambers does not in law or fact amount to personal service of the Order on him. The attorney general argued that without effecting a personal service of the Order made by the chief justice (ag) on him, Nandlall on August 20, 2018, instituted contempt proceedings by way of a Fixed Date Application with supporting Affidavit despite having full knowledge of the action taken by him (as the AG) to issue the commencement order.

“It is trite law that the court lacks jurisdiction to proceed to hear an application for contempt for breach of a court order, where ex facie there is no evidence of personal service of the Order on the Respondent,” Minister Williams argued, contending that Nandlall’s application amounts to a flagrant abuse and misuse of the processes of the court.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 17, 2018

Focus on pre-schoolers care

THERE was a time when taking children to day care and pre-school was all about dropping them off and picking them up and once the child seemed alright and fees were paid on time, this routine continued until the child started primary school.

But now we have new regulations that stipulate the conditions under which day care centres and play groups throughout the country must operate. The new regulations ensure that children are given the best start in life by emphasising on their play, care and learning and other key components, such as their health and safety.

CHILDREN’S PLAY: Children learn through many methods and play is essential for their development. When they are taken to day care or pre-school, they need to be

stimulated and not just left in a cot or put to sit in a corner for long periods of time.

While they are playing, staff at these facilities should be supervising, encouraging and interacting with the children: even challenging them to try new things (but not directing them).

Play is very important to early development too: at six months, when children learn to push buttons and turn knobs on toys, this helps with their brain development, as they find the ‘effect’ to the actions they make. This is known as ‘cause and effect’; in addition, during this stage of development, children have a habit of putting things in their mouths: tasting is just another way of them testing things out. They use their mouths like a sensor, just like they do when they touch and feel the world around them

e.g. soft, smooth and hard materials and surfaces, water and sand, etc.

Indoor and outdoor play is equally important for a child’s development. As they get older, children tend to engage in ‘role play’, ‘you are the mother and I am the father’, or ‘I am a nurse and you are my patient.’ Role play helps to develop their imagination, their thought progress and social skills, as they interact with their peers. Childcare facilities should have resources in place that meet the criteria for each of the areas of child development. These are the kind of things that the new regulations ensure.

CHILD HEALTH AND SAFETY: The set-ups at most childcare facilities have been revised because of the new regulations. Most aspects of revision involve

the health and safety of the children who are cared for on a daily basis. Every facility must have a fire escape and children who cannot walk must not be cared for on the top floor. People used to think it was cosy to have carpeted areas for children to play on, but this is no longer allowed. Too many germs are transmitted and stored in the carpet which can lead to children developing allergies.

Mats or rugs are advisable, as they can be moved around to facilitate the children’s various activities and they can be easily cleaned daily.

Strict regulations as to where detergents, and other potentially dangerous substances to children must be stored and how food must be handled and prepared are also part of the new regulations: a food handler’s certificate is essential. The monitoring

of staff members is also high on the agenda when it comes to health and safety, as staff must be trained in childcare (first aid etc.) and obtain a police clearance as well as be medically checked, before they can care for children.

The Early Childhood Development Unit (ECDU) at the Childcare and Protection Agency is tasked with the inspection and registration of every childcare facility across the country. The facility must firstly be registered and reach the minimum standards required and secondly, the owners must obtain a licence. The licensing of childcare facilities is an intricate process which requires a series of relevant assessments to be carried out by the fire service, building inspectors and other local authority departments.

If you know of any childcare facility that has not been registered, or you would like to register your childcare facility, please contact the ECDU at the Childcare and Protection Agency on 227 7542.

One last tip for parents: parents, please encourage your children to construct their own play with safe, discarded materials such as margarine containers, boxes, empty plastic bottles etc. This helps to build their imagination, their creativity, and assists with their development.

If you are concerned about the welfare of a child call the CPA hotline on 227 0979 or email childcaregy@ gmail.com A Message from the Childcare and Protection Agency, Ministry of Social Protection

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 17, 2018

CFATF agrees on range of matters

THE Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) 10th Meeting of the Council of Ministers concluded on a successful note with several agreements being reached under the chairmanship of Guyana’s Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Basil Williams.

At the recently concluded meeting in Miami, the ministers agreed, amongst other decisions, on the election of Antigua and Barbuda as the Deputy Chair of CFATF for the period 2018-2019, the 2019 Bud-

deputy chairman, the audited financial statements and the 2019 Budget.

The meeting was also attended by Dale Marshall, Q.C, M.P, Deputy Chairman and Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs of Barbados, as well as attorneys general from Belize-- Michael Peyrefitte; Grenada – Dr Lawrence Joseph; Montserrat – Sheree Jemmotte-Rodney; St. Kitts and Nevis – Vincent Byron; Suriname – Roy Baidjnath-Panday and The Bahamas – Carl Bethel; Xiomara Ruiz-Maduro;

items that were presented.

The Steering Group meets monthly.

The CFATF remains a strong and vibrant FATF -styled Regional Body (FSRB) with an effective level of governance through the meetings of its Council of Ministers, Steering Group and Plenary.

The CFATF through its secretariat and guidance from the Chairman, the Honourable Basil Williams, continues to assist countries in addressing and enhancing their AML/CFT structures.

The 10th Meeting of the Council of Ministers in session get, the incoming chairman’s work programme for 2019, an amendment of the CFATF’s secretariat organisational structure to allow for enhanced governance and efficient and effective operations, a review of the CFATF’s strategic plan and the addition of two observers to the CFATF. The CFATF Council of Ministers is the supreme authority within the CFATF and consists of ministerial representatives. It meets annually to decide on issues concerning financial, strategic and institutional matters of the CFATF. This includes the CFATF’s strategic plan, the chairman’s work programme, the election of a

Aruba and the Hon Fayval Williams, M.P, Jamaica also attended. Antigua and Barbuda, Bermuda, Curacao, St. Maarten, Venezuela and the Virgin Islands were also represented at the meeting(s).

Also in Miami, there was a meeting of the Steering Group, which was also chaired by Minister Williams.

The Steering Group is the advisory committee to the chairman, the Plenary and the Council of Ministers. The Steering Group meeting included discussions on the issues and recommendations for the consideration of the Council of Ministers on the agenda

CFATF Chairman, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Basil Williams at the Meeting of the Council of Ministers

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 17, 2018

Youths join hands to clean up coast

HUNDREDS of young people joined hands early Saturday morning to clean parts of Guyana’s coast as part of the International Coastal Clean-up, which took aim at eliminating trash-littered coastlines.

The massive clean-up began just after 06:00hrs on Saturday, as the sun was creeping in and lasted until about 09:00hrs. Persons came out in their numbers at the

Kingston and Kitty seawalls to support the effort.

For National Coordinator for Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN), Guyana Kiefer Jackson, “It’s not just picking up garbage for us, it’s also about recording what we pick up and at the end of the day, we submit a report to Ocean Conservancy so that they know what’s out here.”

Ocean Conservancy is

a non-profit environmental advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., United States and is one of the few organisations that help to protect wildlife in the ocean.

Through this report submitted to the group, Jackson related that CYEN and other organisations targeting better environmental practices in Guyana are able to formulate better strategies to combat that environmental problem.

A group of volunteers spread out as they cleaned ‘Beachfront’ And this clean-up has been ongoing-- through the Caribbean network-- for 25 years in the Region and for the past five years in Guyana. During the cleanup, groups not only filled garbage bags with waste, but also simultaneously documented the type and amount of trash collected. The bags were also weighed.

With this strategy, the coordinator said: “At the end of the day, we can say to Guyanese that this is the waste being thrown away on your beach and [by using] the information presented, we try to devise strategies to alleviate the problems out here.”

A key component of this exercise is to share information with others, particularly the younger generation, according to Jackson. She also posited that good environmental practices, such as not littering and keeping the oceans free of waste, should be inculcated from the youngest age possible.

Adding to the clean-up exercise, Jackson also highlighted the harm being caused by the use and improper disposal of plastics. This is a worldwide problem, since

up the popular Marriott plastic is a widely used product, but it is also non-biodegradable and stays in the biosphere for a long, long time.

As such, World Environment Day 2018, celebrated on June 5, was structured around ‘beating’ plastic pollution.

And in fighting the war against plastic pollution, Jackson shared that the government’s decision to ban single-use plastics by 2021 is a good initiative.

“I think it’s a great start to get to where we need to be,” the young woman shared. She also explained that during Saturday’s cleanup, one garbage bag could be filled with close to 200 plastic bottles weighing about nine pounds.

For her, “That’s the problem that we have, at this point as we are moving to a greener Guyana, we shouldn’t be faced with such large amounts of debris of plastic.”

The event was hosted in collaboration with the Department of Environment, Ministry of the Presidency and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Another clean-up will be held next week at the No.63 Beach, Berbice.

Two young volunteers taking away their garbage bag filled with trash

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 17, 2018

Steps being taken to improve prison systems

THOUGH the Guyana prison system still battles chronic problems, several strides have been made to implement recommendations coming out of the Commission of Inquiry report that was done some two years ago.

That report was ordered following the March 3, 2016 fire at the Camp Street prison that claimed the lives of some 17 inmates. Chief among the focus of the report, was the need for a reduction in overcrowding of the prison systems, which undermines all other components of the system.

Another focal point of note was the need for quality, incorruptible personnel.

Following the 2016 and subsequent 2017 fires, that had flattened the Georgetown Prison, and saw several pris-

oners escaping, the government budgeted some $30.7 billion this year, to support capital and recurrent projects and programmes. Of that, $1.5 billion was expected to be expended on improving the service’s infrastructure.

President David Granger, in a recent interview, noted that measures are being taken to alleviate the situation.

“The prison service has chronic problems. There were days where prisoners would get on the roofs, and items would be thrown over the walls, at one stage part of Mazaruni was burnt down, and more recently, July 9, Camp Street Prison was burnt down,” Granger said.

“These are deep-seated problems that require longterm solutions… at the heart of the problem are of course the quality of manpower; and

I believe the Minister of Public Security is working on… and recruiting superior type of persons that would not be so susceptible to bribery and corruption.”

Director of Prisons Gladwin Samuels said that indeed steps are being taken to vet more rigorously, persons coming into the system, including having the recruits being subjected to marijuana testing, and public announcements.

“The reality of the situation is that there is clearly a breakdown in terms of morale and ethical standards in general society and we are recruiting persons from there, so we are actually recruiting the product of our society.

It is not the general product of what Guyanese are, but it is what we have to work with and that is a challenge,”

Samuels said. Nonetheless, measures are being taken to avoid the recruitment of corrupt individuals.

“There’s compulsory marijuana testing, medical, even publication of potential recruits in the newspaper to allow persons out there to report on any negative information they may have on that person. Those are new methods to help,” Samuels explained.

Several other recommendations from the CoI report have also been implemented or are being pursued. .

“Those within our control and budgetary reach are being addressed,” Samuels noted.

On the question of dealing with the overcrowding situation, several infrastructural projects have already begun, with the Mazaruni

expansion still underway and the rebuilding of the Georgetown Camp Street prison set to go to tender shortly.

The installation of certain other technology is also being examined; the request for a full- body scanner recently went to tender, while steps are currently being made to have modern cellphone jammers installed.

Measures to reduce the number of prisoners, however, have had less positive results, as there continues to be a healthy supply of prisoners coming into the system. Alternatives such as smaller bail for certain matters have proven difficult, as many persons charged are without the resources to post bail.

“Prisoners are coming to prison every day. The overcrowding situation has

13

Gladwyn Samuels, Director of Prisons not changed, the police is [sic] more effective in apprehending criminals and we still have the issue being placed on small bail and persons being unable to pay that amount; so the [prison] population before the fire and now is relatively the same,” Samuels said.

Samuels suggested that other measures such as electronic monitoring and community service could still be put in place, but those would require legislative input.

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Shun corruption

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 17, 2018

...new crime chief urges greater dedication, timely completion of probes by detectives

NEW Deputy Commissioner “Law Enforcement “(DCLE), Lyndon Alves, on Sunday warned detectives against acts of corruption and also laid emphasis on timely completion of investigations.

Alves was at the time meeting with all the CID ranks from Divisions A,C,&D and Headquarters, as well as all the Divisional Detective Officers (DDOs ). In a terse statement, the police said during his engagement with the detectives, Alves outlined his vision in moving the Criminal Investigations De-

partment forward.

Among the issues he said must be tackled are: the stamping out of corruption, commitment and dedication to the job and timely completion of crime files/ investigations.

The meeting was held at the Police Officers Training Centre,Camp Road and Young Street, Eve Leary.

President David Granger had said recently that the Police Act section 3 (2) tasks the police force with the prevention and detection of crime, the preservation of law and order,

Police detectives pay rapt attention to an address by their head of department

Crime Chief Lyndon Alves addressing detectives preservation of the peace, the repression of internal disturbance, due enforcement of all laws and regulations and the apprehension of offenders. President Granger said that the GPF can fulfil these tasks effectively, only if it is commanded by officers who are competent, committed and incorruptible. “The force’s most senior officers must be men and women of proven independence, integrity and intelligence. The force must be able to enjoy the trust of the public,” he said.

The Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces also said that the public’s trust in the police force and the need for Security Sector Reform have become more urgent, following presentation of the report into the circumstances surrounding the killing of eight miners at Lindo Creek, on or about the 21st day of June 2008, commonly referred to as the Report of the Lindo Creek Commission of Inquiry. “That Report raised troubling questions about the role of the defence and police

forces during the ‘troubles’ and the reticence of the political administration of the day to provide useful evidence to the Commission of Inquiry into the massacre. The ‘troubles’ was a dark period in our country’s history.

The inability of the police to arrest the outbreak of criminal violence quickly led to the emergence of so-called ‘phantom’ death squads. The ‘troubles’ revealed, also, how drug lords had infiltrated the force. “ The ‘troubles’ exposed the influence of a small but influential group of rogue officers. It revealed the need for more careful selection of officers and improved intelligence-gathering. The recommendations in the report will be acted upon in due course.

The days of concealing security sector mistakes and misdeeds are over.

The force’s officers will be held accountable for the consequences of their actions and for the instructions they issue to their subordinates,” he said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 17, 2018

MoPH advocates for safe spaces at work for mothers to breastfeed

THOUGH it is continually advocated for mothers to breastfeed exclusively for the first six months after a baby is born, in Guyana maternity leave lasts only three months, leaving

the MoPH on Sunday morning launched National Breastfeeding Week 2018 under the theme, “Breastfeeding, Foundation for Life.” The launch was held at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation

their babies.

She was supported by Minister within the Ministry of Health, Dr Karen Cummings, who went a step further and noted her hope that in the future there could even

MoPH has been promoting the virtues of breastfeeding to mothers in Guyana, in an effort to have them breastfeed their babies exclusively for the first six months.”

GPHC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), George Lewis, addressed the issue of the stigma surrounding breastfeeding in public, which would discourage mothers from breastfeeding.

“People should not be critical of seeing women

breastfeeding whether it is in a minibus, in the office or wherever, we should acknowledge and understand that it is important and promote such activities,” Lewis conveyed.

“Whenever a woman would attempt to breastfeed in public you would find that some people, especially men, would look in awe as if it’s something that they are not accustomed to. In addition to that, you find that some women would

feel that the [breastfeeding] woman is exposing herself unnecessarily, so we need to eliminate that thinking and understand that the woman is providing an important function and that the end result of that function would make us all some healthy babies.”

As the activities continue this week, there will also be a breastfeeding workshop for Nursing and Non-Nursing Personnel on Wednesday.

The head table at the Launch of National Breastfeeding Week, from left are, MoPH Director of Food Policy Division, Dinte Conway; GPHC Breastfeeding Coordinator, Jennifer Peterkin; Minister Dr Karen Cummings; and GPHC CEO, George Lewis (Samuel Maughn photo) a three-month gap when mothers face numerous challenges in maintaining an exclusive breastfeeding regimen.

The Ministry of Public Health acknowledged this gap, noting that a six-month maternity leave plan will come with its own challenges. The ministry therefore, in the meantime, is advocating for work places to become more breastfeeding-friendly, and is working to erase any stigma still lingering against mothers breastfeeding.

This was observed when

(GPHC) maternity ward.

The activities kicked off with a health walk, where several individuals in support walked from the corner of Main and Church Streets to the Maternity Ward’s parking lot.

Director of the MoPH Food Policy Division, Dinte Conway, noted the need for creation of spaces within both private and public organisations that would facilitate mothers who return to work being able to extract their milk, which they can later leave for caregivers to feed

be day care centres attached to the work places, giving mothers the opportunity to take time and breastfeed their infants.

“We’re hoping that one of these days there could be a facility next door that they can leave sometimes to go and nurse their babies,” Minister Cummings said.

“Research clearly indicates the many benefits of breastfeeding. Mothers give their babies something that no one else can. Breastmilk is more than just food for your baby. Over the years the

AMIDST vibrant social media debate on his conduct, Attorney-at-law Ryan Crawford took to the platform on Sunday to apologise for his use of “colourful expletives” against a traffic rank on Thursday.

On September 13, 2018, Crawford was travelling along the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) Public Road, when he was stopped for a routine check of his driver’s documents by a rank on duty.

This did not sit well with the lawman as a video recorded by the traffic rank, soon surfaced on social media showing Crawford verbally abusing the officer while seated in his car.

In the some four minutes of his profanity-laced rant, Crawford repeatedly asked the policeman why he was stopped and made it clear that he was not going to comply when asked to produce his driver’s licence.

He was also asked to wind up his windows for a test of the tint level on his vehicle, but refused to do so unless he

was given a legitimate reason by the rank as to why he was pulled over.

In his defiance, the lawyer stated: “you can go and tell each and every one of the commanders, the President and the Vice-President, you go and tell whoever you want…”

In a terse statement on Thursday evening, the police indicated that Commander of “C” Division, Senior Superintendent Calvin Brutus has caused an investigation to commence in respect to the incident.

Then on Saturday, the Bar Council of the Bar Association of Guyana, though imploring its members to uphold the noble profession, fell short of publicly reprimanding its member.

“We trust that the said investigation will include the circumstances surrounding the recording, publication and sharing of the video,” the Bar Council stated, even as it outlined the legal grounds upon which a motorist can be stopped by a uniformed police

officer.

However, on Sunday on the Guyana Chronicle Facebook page beneath a related news article, Crawford apologised for his choice of words, now a viral video on the platform.

“On September 13th, 2018, I was singled out from a line of vehicles travelling about 25km by a police officer who was standing on the opposite carriage way, along the vicinity of Mahaicony public road with two others. After complying with the officer to stop, I was ordered to the side of the road where I waited. At all times my two front glasses were down. After waiting for a while and not given any explanation or reason for the stop, I became angry for the detention.

“My frustration lead me to use many colourful expletives to get my point across to the officer for the illegal stop.

There were things said prior to the filming,” Crawford explained, later adding: “I am not trying to justify my behaviour. My lan-

Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Karen Cummings leads the way during the health walk in support of Breastfeeding Week (Samuel Maughn photo)

Attorney Crawford apologises for ‘colourful scolding’ of cop guage was not proper as an officer of the courts, nor as a member of the Bar of Guyana. I apologise for my language, but I’m not sorry for questioning any arbitrary authority.”

REASON FOR THE EXPLOSION He went on to state that in his years as a practising attorney in both the civil and criminal courts, having heard of the “plight of citizens” at the hands of some in the police force, his frustrations had been brewing for some time.

The attorney-at-law added that such ills in the police force were even taken up by his father, Senior Counsel Marcel Crawford, in the court and many more issues unaddressed by the government, are still plaguing the country.

However, since Crawford’s behaviour became public knowledge, the uploaded video has been viewed thousands of times with hundreds of shares, including the surfacing of social media memes

and spoof videos.

Scores of public citizens and the well-known in society have also taken to the platform and continue to share differing views on the matter, sparking some level of debate.

Guyanese politician and lawyer, Ralph Ramkarran, posted on his Facebook page: “On several occasions in the past, the police authorities have announced that policemen have no right to request a vehicle owner to go to the police station for a minor offence. This, of course, has never been observed by traffic policemen who continue to hold on to drivers’ licences and demand that drivers go to police stations. I have been the victim of most of these forms of harassment and so have family members and friends who have called me for assistance and advice. So have most of the thousands of drivers on the road. A traffic policeman’s position is seen as a lucrative one.

“Mr Crawford probably has a legal practice in traffic cases and would have had

Attorney-at-Law Ryan Crawford many complaints about the activities and behaviour of traffic police, and [have] been the victim of many on his frequent trips to Georgetown.

He exploded this time. Like in the Serena Williams case, Mr. Crawford’s reaction was understandable but not excusable.”

Meanwhile, Crime Chief Lyndon Alves told the newspaper on Sunday that the matter is still under police investigation, but it is hoped that by today this will be completed so that legal advice can be sought on moving forward.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 17, 2018

DoE taps youth to push environmental agenda

THE Ministry of the Presidency, Department of Environment (DoE) has awarded 23 youths for their participation in the secondary school and post-secondary school youth competitions designed to push its environmental agenda.

The competitions were held between May and July of this year and focused on essay writing, model making, poetry, painting and debates.

According to director of the department, Ndibi Schwiers, the competitions were organised to get young

The team that entered the sole model for the competition receiving their award from Department of Environment Director Ndibi Schwiers

A young participant from the Lusignan/ Good Hope Learning Centre receiving her prize

The QC team showing off their model clock made from recycled materials to Schwiers (Adrian Narine photos)

people involved in critical national issues.

“You are not the future, you are the now,” she affirmed, adding: “Your ideas are what we need to ensure that we put them into practise to solving some of the more pressing issues of the country.”

Project manager of Rio Conventions Mainstreaming project, Michelle Klass said the objective of the competition was to create opportunities for children and youth to explore innovative ways to mitigate environmental problems in Guyana.

There were 18 submissions for the essay competition; 13 painting submissions; 20 poems and one model. That gave a total of 52 entries, which came from 49 students, from four schools in Region Four. The schools that participated were Queen’s College, Diamond Secondary School, Tutorial High School and the Lusignan/ Good Hope Learning Centre.

There were also teams debating in three individual rounds. Diamond Secondary lost to Mackenzie High School; Annandale Secondary won against West Demerara Secondary and President’s College got the better of Zeeburg Second-

ary.

In addition to providing young people with opportunities to come up with innovative solutions to environmental issues, the competition was used as a tool for public awareness, particularly on the Rio Convention.

The DoE is currently implementing a project titled “Strengthening Technical Capacities to Mainstream and Monitor Rio Convention Implementation through Policy Coordination” aimed at promoting Guyana’s support for the Rio Convention. The Rio Convention encompasses the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Though the competitions have concluded, Schwiers said her department will continue to work along with schools to promote environmental awareness.

She also encouraged the students to develop environmental clubs.

“We believe that solutions to our most pressing problems will come from you,” she said.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 17, 2018

Efforts being made to reduce teenage pregnancies in Region Nine THE adolescent birth rate in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) is at 6.5 per cent, almost twice the national average,according to the findings of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS),conducted in 2014.

It is against this backdrop and in accordance with the 2017-2021 Country Programme Document (CPD), that UNICEF has prioritised cross-sectoral initiatives to strengthen capacity at the regional and community levels to address challenges including adolescent pregnancy and to ensure the realisation of the rights of children.

Women Across Differences (WAD) will work with UNICEF in all the sub-regions of Region Nine to implement the Comprehensive Empowerment Programme for the Prevention and Reduction of Adolescent Pregnancies in order to prevent and reduce pregnancies (including

UNICEF Guyana and Suriname Representative Sylvie Fouet and Women Across Differences’ Clonel Boston second pregnancies) among adolescents in that region. It is envisaged that this project will complement the impact that already exists from previous projects implemented

by UNICEF and other stakeholders.

In a release, UNICEF noted that WAD is a non-governmental organisation which enables women and girls to empower themselves through access to social and economic resources. WAD, the agency said, has vast experience working with adolescent mothers over the past 10 years. The organisation also provides a forum for women and girls which encourages them to improve their communities and make their collective voice heard in the area of public policy.

WAD with support from UNICEF will, over the next 18 months, seek to further the realisation of a region with a significantly reduced incidence of adolescent pregnancies. This will be achieved through addressing adolescent pregnancy and providing life-skills support, livelihood skills guidance, referrals and provide access to quality of services.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs and the Ministry of Social Protection, WAD will utilise a three-pronged approach - i.e. - prevention of adolescent pregnancy; prevention of second pregnancies and life and livelihood skills for the adolescent, pregnant mother.

WAD will ensure that persons are trained at the sub-regional level to prevent and address adolescent pregnancy.

WAD and UNICEF signed an agreement on the 24th August, 2018 for an amount of $GYD 6,805,000.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 17, 2018

Knight Riders

win!

Amazon Warriors

- Amazon Warriors lose to Trinbago Knight Riders TRINBAGO Knight Riders sealed a third Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) title with a commanding eight-wicket victory over Guyana Amazon Warriors at the Brian Lara Academy.

The best two teams in this season’s competition have now met four times in the last 11 days and won two games apiece, but this was the one that really mattered and it went decisively the Knight Riders’ way.

Fittingly, it was Colin Munro who hit the winning runs having become the first batsman both to pass 500 runs and then to score six half-centuries in a single Hero CPL season. His brutal 68* from 39 balls eased his team past a target of 148, after fellow New Zealander Brendon McCullum had got the run-chase off to a flying start with 39 off 24.

Munro brought up his latest 50 from just 33 balls with successive sixes off Rayad Emrit, adding a third Hero Maximum in a 27-run 17th over that effectively ended the contest.

That onslaught left just four runs needed from the last 18 balls, and after collecting two runs from the

first ball of the 18th over, Munro then slashed the third to the boundary to spark wild celebrations from his team-mates and in the stands.

It was the bowlers, though, who had done most of the heavy lifting to secure back-to-back titles for the Knight Riders, with the Warriors – who have now lost four Hero CPL finals – left to rue a dramatic batting collapse in the second half of their innings.

All the Knight Riders bowlers played their part in restricting the Warriors to 147/9. Dwayne Bravo was able to use just his five main bowlers, including himself, with all five getting something in the wickets column and none going for more than eight in an over.

Ali Khan made the perfect start, ripping out Cameron Delport’s off stump with the very first ball of the night.

He finished with 1/20 from four exemplary overs to end a fine Hero CPL campaign with 16 wickets to his name.

One man who had an even better season, though, is Fawad Ahmed, who grabbed his 22nd, and perhaps most significant wicket, when he removed Shimron Hetmyer. After hitting a googly straight back over the bowler’s head for six, Hetmyer was suckered by a similar but slightly slower delivery.

He reached for it, and this

time could only edge it to slip where Dwayne Bravo was waiting and claimed huge reward for holding his nerve and maintaining an attacking field.

Luke Ronchi was holding the innings together but his departure for a wellmade 44 from 35, chipping Khary Pierre to deep cover, triggered a collapse from 79/2 to 109/8. Pierre himself snagged two more wickets, including an outrageous caught and bowled to see off Sherfane Rutherford. The ball was drilled back at the bowler, who jerked his head out of the way and stuck up his hands. Remarkably, the ball stuck in his right hand and a disbelieving Rutherford had to drag himself from the field.

Dwayne Bravo’s aggressive field setting struck again when Chadwick Walton edged Pierre to slip, while the captain landed two significant blows of his own with both Jason Mo-

hammed and Chris Green top-edging surprise bouncers to be caught.

Sunil Narine, bowling through the pain of a shoulder injury, had Sohail Tanvir caught at short third-man attempting a slog-sweep.

At 109/8 the Warriors were sinking without a trace, but Shepherd, Emrit and Imran Tahir scrambled 39 from the last four overs to give themselves something to bowl at.

It never really looked like being enough, though, with the Warriors only managing to dismiss McCullum, caught at cover off Green, and then Ramdin for 24, when he clattered his own stumps having gone too deep in his crease against Shepherd.

Darren Bravo was forced to retire hurt after seeming to injure a hamstring completing a single, but that was the only real negative on another glorious night for the Knight Riders.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Monday September 17, 2018)

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday July 12, 2018) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Tallawahs & Patriots (2) Tallawahs won by 2 wickets Today’s Quiz: (1) Which two teams contested Qualifier 2 in Hero

CPL 2018?

(2) Where was the game played?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

American Racing Tips Delware Park Race 1 Hirschbein Race 2 Li’lMiss Trouble Race 3 Miss Gray Race 4 Seve Race 5 Thank You So Much Race 6 Whimsical Delight Race 7 Shoe Loves Shoe Race 8 Clare’s Dowery Race 9 Captain Bush

10:20 hrs Top Salute 10:50 hrs Winter Trade

South Africa Racing Tips Flamingo Park 08:20 hrs Royal Kaitrina 08:50 hrs Brookie 09:20 hrs Yelloclover 09:50 hrs Red Special

Worcester 09:20 hrs Bermeo 09:50 hrs Leoncavallo 10:50 hrs Represented 11:20 hrs Outrageous Romana 11:50 hrs Sofia’s Rock

English Racing Tips Brighton 09:10 hrs Let Me In 09:40 hrs Red Armour 10:10 hrs Imbucato 10:40 hrs Freebe Rocks 11:10 hrs Arcanista 11:40 hrS Duggary

Hexam 09:00 hrs Shadow Sadness 09:30 hrs Skint 10:00 hrs Vivant 10:30 hrs King Muro 11:00 hrs Jesse Jude 11:30 hrs Rising Marienbard 12:00 hrs Mission Trio Irish Racing Tips Galway 11:15 hrs Thornes Game 11:45 hrs Braid Blue 12:15 hrs Calie Du Mensil 12:45 hrs Kansas Kid 13:15 hrs Winter Escape 13:45 hrs Bellgrove 14:15 hrs Best Of Dubai

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 17, 2018

Hamilton dominates in Singapore

That’s 69 career victories for Hamilton - only Michael Schumacher has more

(BBC) - MERCEDES driver Lewis Hamilton cruised to victory in the Singapore Grand Prix to strengthen his hold on this year’s World Championship.

Hamilton’s controlled drive from a pole position won brilliantly on Saturday, was helped by the latest in a series of questionable strategy calls from Ferrari.

It dropped Hamilton’s title rival Sebastian Vettel from second to third behind Max Verstappen, throwing away a position the German had earned by overtaking the Red Bull driver on the first lap.

While Vettel was left to question his team once again this season - and for the second time this weekend after a lessthan-perfect qualifying session - Hamilton’s only worrying moment was caused by back markers at about two-thirds distance.

Haas driver Romain Grosjean and Williams’

Sergey Sirotkin ignored the closing Hamilton in the heat of their battle for position, and that cost him his five-second advantage over Verstappen.

Hamilton had to fend off an attack from Verstappen into Turn Seven as a result, which he just managed to do, and Grosjean was later given a five-second penalty for his misdemeanour.

Hamilton’s victory, with Vettel third behind Verstappen, extended the Briton’s advantage over the German in the championship to 40 points with six races and a maximum of 150 points remaining.

Hamilton and Mercedes’ main concern in this race was to ensure they retained the lead at the first corner, with a feisty Verstappen with nothing to lose behind them, and then to avoid being passed by Verstappen or Vettel during the pit-stop period.

Vettel’s pass on Verstap-

pen into Turn Seven on the first lap came just before a safety car was called, and after Force India’s Sergio Perez pushed his team-mate Esteban Ocon into the wall on the exit of the first chicane.

The move put Vettel in the position he wanted from which to attack Hamilton after a disappointing qualifying session for Ferrari, but the team blew it.

They brought Vettel in on lap 14 and switched him on to the ultra-soft tyres, hoping to benefit from the rubber’s extra pace on its initial laps.

But Hamilton followed him in next time around, fitting the more durable soft tyre, and rejoined ahead of Vettel, who had soon found himself held up behind Perez when he came out of the pits.

Vettel immediately questioned the decision, saying: “There is no chance. We are again too late. The tyres will not make it to the end.”

Ronaldo opens Juventus account with brace (BBC) - CRISTIANO Ronaldo scored his first two goals for Juventus as the Italian champions maintained their perfect start to the season.

Ronaldo, goalless in his first three games since his move from Real Madrid, tapped in shortly after halftime.

The 33-year-old then finished off a rapid counter-attack by shooting into the bottom corner after 65 minutes.

Sassuolo pulled one back in added time via Khouma Babacar and Douglas Costa was sent off but the hosts held on.

Juve’s Brazilian wing-

er was dismissed after a video assistant referee intervention for spitting at Federico di Francesco, having aimed a headbutt at the same player and appeared to try to elbow him.

Ronaldo could have completed a hat-trick late on but missed two easy chances from inside the penalty area.

The win is Juventus’ fourth from four games this season.

Ronaldo has now scored league goals in Italy, England, Spain and Portugal

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 17, 2018

Poor batting costs Windies 1st ODI against South Africa

(CMC) - A half-century from South Africa’s Sune Luus coupled with a poor batting display from the West Indies women, ensured the visitors took a 1-0 lead in their three-match One Day International series.

Playing in the first match of the Sandals International Home Series at Kensington Oval, the Proteas registered an easy 40-run victory over the hosts.

After being sent in to bat, South Africa was led

by Luus’ patient 58 from 86 balls and an unbeaten knock of 46 from captain Dane Van Niekerk, as they reached 201 for nine from their 50 overs.

They then produced a disciplined bowling effort to dismiss the Windies for just 161, with opening bowler Marizanne Kapp leading the way with claiming 3-14.

She was ably assisted by Tumi Sekhukhune and Zintle Mali, who both took two wickets.

Sune Luus scored a half-century to lead South

Africa women to victory in the first ODI against the West Indies Kapp snared the key wicket of Hayley Matthews with the second ball of the innings to put the Windies in a hole they would never recover.

Captain Stafanie Taylor and Chedean Nation followed soon after to leave them on 45 for three in the 15th over, before Kycia Knight, who struggled in scoring 23 from 57 balls was dismissed nine runs later.

Only Shemaine Campbelle presented any resistance, before eventually being the last wicket to fall for a well played 46 off 71 balls.

Earlier, South Africa’s top order of Luus, Van Niekerk and Laura Volvaardt who made 45, gave the visitors a strong start.

Volvaardt and Luus added 99 runs for the second wicket, as South Africa were cruising at 104 for one at one point.

However, once Taylor introduced herself into the

attack, she orchestrated a middle order collapse as the Proteas slumped to 169 for seven.

A last wicket unbeaten partnership of 15 between Raisibe Ntozakhe and Sekhukhune, made sure that

Sune Luus scored a half-century to lead South Africa women to victory in the first ODI against the West Indies

Canelo hands GGG first loss

(BBC) - SAUL ‘Canelo’ Alvarez claimed the WBC and WBA world middleweight titles by inflicting a first career defeat on Gennady Golovkin with a gripping points win, in their Las Vegas rematch.

The Mexican claimed a frenetic final round on two of the three scorecards which was critical in preventing a repeat of the draw both men shared 364 days earlier at the same T-Mobile Arena venue.

It gave him a narrow a 114-114 115-113 115-113 majority decision to edge a contest in which both men were cut and where each showed why they are among the finest practitioners in the sport.

Golovkin, whose first defeat comes in his 40th bout, left the ring immediately without conducting an interview as his rival - fighting for the first time since serving a six-month drugs ban - celebrated.

“My corner told me I needed to win the final round and that’s what I did. I’m very emotional,” said Alvarez, who has previously held world titles at middleweight and light-middleweight.

Golovkin told reporters afterwards: “I’m not going to say who won tonight, because the victory belongs to Canelo according to the judges. I thought I fought better than he did. We would like to have

Alvarez is once again a middleweight world champion and has also held world titles at light-middleweight

a third fight, we will negotiate that, that’s what we want.”

‘WE WILL DO IT AGAIN’ Alvarez looked close to tears after a decision which will again prompt controversy as, for spells in the fight, Golovkin seemed to be edging the physical side of a tactical battle, with his jab proving key early on.

But with scoring already criticised in their first bout before Alvarez’s two failed doping tests in February, it is perhaps not surprising that once again controversy will remain attached to this rivalry, with demand for a third meeting almost guaranteed.

Few could argue the hype surrounding their second meeting was not justified as

South Africa crossed the 200 run mark.

Taylor was the pick of the Windies bowlers, taking 3-37 from her 10 overs, while Deandra Dottin snared 2-36 from her eight overs.

the bout ebbed and flowed.

Celebrities including actors Will Smith and Denzel Washington, and sports stars such as Mike Tyson and LeBron James, sat ringside as more than 21,000 inside the arena were taken in by a bout in which neither man looked like capitulating, even when under solid attack.

After Golovkin’s poised jab clearly won the opening three minutes, Alvarez’s response in the second - including a solid right uppercut - pointed to the back-and-forth contest that was to come.

All four judges gave ‘Canelo’ four of the opening six rounds despite some of the more eye-catching work coming from Kazakhstan’s Golovkin, who landed a notable left hook in the fourth.

SCOREBOARD SOUTH AFRICA +L Lee c Dottin b Connell 0 L Volvaardt c Dottin b Taylor 45 S Luus lbw b Taylor 58 *D Van Neikerk not out 46 M Du Preez run out 5 C Tryon c Fletcher b Dottin 23 M Kapp lbw b Taylor 2 M Klaas run out 0 Z Mali run out 2 R Ntozakhe b Dottin 1 T Sekhukhune not out 4 Extras: (b2, w13) 15 TOTAL: (9 wickets, 50 overs) 201 Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-104, 3-118, 4-134, 5-166, 6-169, 7-169, 8-178, 9-186.

Bowling: Connell 10-2-27-1, Selman 9-0-44-0, Dottin 8-0-36-2, Mohammed 6-0-20-0, Fletcher 4-0-16-0, Matthews 3-0-19-0, Taylor 10-1-37-3. ============================= WEST INDIES H Matthews c Lee b M Kapp 0 K Knight c&b van Neikerk 23 *S Taylor c Mali b Sekhukhune 6 C Nation b Sekhukhune 10 S Campbelle c Tryon b Mali 46 D Dottin c Klaas b Luus 19 +Merissa Aguilleira lbw b Kapp 1 A Fletcher lbw b Kapp 0 A Mohammed c Tryon b Mali 23 S Selman c Lee b Klaas 5 S Connell not out 12 Extras: (lb7, w9) 16 TOTAL: (all out, 46 overs) 161 Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-24, 3-45, 4-54, 5-84, 6-85, 7-85, 8-124, 9-142, 10-161.

Bowling: Kapp 9-2-14-3, Klaas 9-0-25-1, Sekhukhune 6-0-28-2, Van Neikerk 10-2-31-1, Ntozakhe 5-1-26-0, Luus 4-0-19-1, Mali 3-0-11-2.

Result: South Africa won by 40 runs.

Player-of-the-Match: Sune Luus.

Toss: West Indies.

Third Ralph Green/EBFA U11 League unveiled ...

Continued from page 27

In delivering the feature remarks to the players, coaches and other officials present, Forde complimented Green for the vision he has shown and investment he has been making towards the real development of the game on the East Bank.

The president said that the sport will never be short of challenges but it is important for all to understand who it is they are working for.

“Who keep us employed, who keeps us coming out every single day volunteering our time and our resources, and that is the young boys and girls that are before us.”

The gathering was challenged to look beyond small differences and challenges and focus on the bigger picture of working as a collective for the growth of the youths.

Green expressed his pleasure in being able to contribute towards the development of the young players, pointing out that he has been doing so for quite a number of years, here in Guyana, and in the USA where he resides.

He stated that he really does not want to focus on the equipment donated but rather, it’s about life, be disciplined.

“It’s about character,

that character can be built by us the adults; we have to ensure that these youths are able to build positive character, which can be shaped by how we as adults carry ourselves and through our behaviour. It’s not just all about football, we as adults have to set that positive trend; that is my whole emphasis on supporting this initiative.”

Going forward, Green informed that there would be a greater focus on the education of the players and that he would continue to support for a long time to come.

EBFA Secretary Wayne Francois in remarks noted, that it has been lots of hard work and perseverance that has brought the association to its current position, noting that there is still a lot of work to be done.

“Going forward we are going to continue to commit doing what we have done all along, put our shoulders to the wheel and make a way for our young generation which will take them to the next level.”

Toledo Wilson who spoke of the tournament being very important not only for football but for life, noted that it is important for all to

work towards ensuring that the youths are taken care of.

He encouraged all to work as a collective, stating that, “If you believe, you can”, and alluded to the vision of qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Inniss in his remarks said, that the EBFA, without a doubt, is head and shoulders above all the other associations. “I think if the other associations were to take a leaf out of your book, Guyana’s football would be in good stead in a few years from now.”

A Caribbean Airlines Executive, Inniss also challenged the business community on the East Bank to support the development of the youths. “I want to appeal to the business community to do their part and assist the EBFA, in whatever way they can.

Five MVPS would be selected and would receive a backpack each along with a trophy; the best coach and most disciplined team would also be rewarded. Each player from the first and second place team would be presented with replicas, whilst the third and fourth placed teams would be presented with medals.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 17, 2018

GBBC’s Young Guns `The proving ground….’

Green predicts a K.O victory over Williamson WITH a record of six victories and two losses in his professional boxing career, light welterweight boxer, Anson Green, is predicting a knockout win when he faces Joel Williamson in a four-round contest on Saturday night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. The action is in a five-fight card organised by the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC) in collaboration with Dexter Marques and Clive Atwell.

Green has promised to rule the 140-lb division locally and says

he is working very hard to achieve his prediction. But his prediction might not materialise as Williamson might not be a walk over as the debutant. Williamson has over 70 amateur victories to his name and packs a powerful right hand, which over the years as an amateur earned him Best Boxer on numerous occasions and even earned him a gold medal at the Caribbean Championships.

But Green is so confident that he said “I’m going for the knockout for sure, as I want to rule my division.”

Green is tidying up his work at the Andrew `Six Head’ Lewis gym in Albouystown, and is sparring with Delon Charles who will also appear on Saturday night’s card in a four-round featherweight bout against Terrence Adams.

Green feels he is stronger and more powerful than Williamson, and the fact that Williamson has never stepped into the ring as a professional boxer, “So I’ll use my six-year experience as a pro to get past him.”

Kai McKenzie-Lyle keeps a ‘clean sheet’ on Liverpool FC debut

GUYANA’S Senior National Men’s football team custodian, Kai McKenzie-Lyle, got off to a perfect start in his English Premier League campaign with Liverpool FC, starting between the uprights for the ‘Reds’ 3 – 0 win over Swansea City U23 side.

fact that McKenzie-Lyle has only made a single senior sub appearance.

That came for National League side Barnet back in December 2015, when they were a football league outfit in a 3-1 defeat to Portsmouth, with McKenzie-Lyle making

Guyana’s Kai Mckenzie-Lyle in action for Liverpool FC’s U23 side against Swansea City

Liverpool’s goals came from former Chelsea forward Dominic Solanke-Mitchell, Belgium’s youngest World Cup goalscorer Divock Okoth Origi and defender Nathaniel Phillips.

Not many footballers can say they managed to make the jump from non-league to Premier League with one substitute appearance - but Liverpool’s newest recruit can certainly make that claim.

Jurgen Klopp’s team have added the 20-year-old to their side after he impressed on trial over the summer, despite the

his debut after Jamie Stephens was sent off.

Add in an international career with Guyana, which was started by Football Manager Researchers and where he scored on his debut before saving a penalty in his next game, and Liverpool have themselves an interesting project.

Jack Thorpe was the man who alerted the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) to his eligibility, after helping the popular game out with research before its launch for the 2017 version, and McKenzie-Lyle’s story bears similarity to the international

career of one of the Premier League’s newest goalkeeper - Neil Etheridge of Cardiff City.

“I was helping out the Football Manager people at this time,” Thorpe said, “I went on Kai’s Twitter profile, if you still have a look at it now he’s gotten written on it that he’s Jamaican and Guyanese. I just thought that at the time he wasn’t playing first team football at Barnet, he was in a never zone where he was too old for U18s but too young to risk starting him in League Two.” “Neil Etheridge was the one who came to mind, because I thought he was in a similar position at Fulham, and he started playing for the Philippines at a really young age and he got some really good experience and it’s worked out for him long term, so I thought that might have the same benefit for Kai,” Thorpe said.

It didn’t take long for McKenzie-Lyle to get the callup for the Guyana side. Thorpe spoke to Faizal Khan, alerting him to Lyle’s eligibility to play, and Khan did the rest.

“The guy who is the captain of Guyana now is a guy called Sam Cox, who played for Spurs as a first year pro but got released, and I knew him and knew he had just got called up for Guyana. I sent him a message and asked to put me in touch with the FA, and he put me in touch with the guy called Faizal. I said this guy is pretty confident, he’s massive and can stop the ball most of the time, are you interested? They (Guyana) called him up pretty much straight after that - he had to get the passport which took a few months but other than that they were down for it,” Thorpe reasoned.

Those call-ups have seen McKenzie-Lyle gain more first team exposure at an international level than he has at club level, something that has played an instrumental part in showing Liverpool he has the potential to make it at the

Premier League giants.

Not playing regularly at club level is bound to have its stresses - Barnet were relegated to the National League last season, and despite their troubles Martin Allen sent Lyle on loan to Hayes & Yeading United, who play in the Isthmian League South Central Division.

However, new manager John Still brought in keepers Richards Matrevics and Mark Cousins, meaning McKenzie-Lyle’s route to first team football was blocked once more, leading to the 20-yearold heading on trial to the Reds in July.

never play first team football, but went to Premier League clubs at U21 age.”

“We had a few kids at Barnet who got moves elsewhere and I think [that] is Liverpool thinking outside the box a bit, in that he is a relatively inexpensive gamble. Physically, he ticks every single box you want from a goalkeeper - he’s six foot five, he’s strong and commanding on crosses, and the other aspects of being a goalkeeper you could argue are more coachable. If you put him in that environment where he’s receiving a better quality of coaching, maybe he can

Thorpe explained, adding “You look at your four corners and for the physical corner he’s outstanding already. It all depends, he’s got huge potential but he also isn’t the finished product by any means, so I wouldn’t expect him to be playing any first team games straight away.

But it would be nice if he gets a platform to play regularly in the U21s, which he wasn’t even getting at Barnet, because his loan spells have been at a low level.”

“He’s had very few minutes in his career so far and that’s why the Guyana thing was nice, because although he hasn’t played many times

Kai McKenzie-Lyle before keeping a clean sheet for Liverpool FC in their 3 – 2 win over Swansea City U23 in the English Premier League U23 Division.

But how did a young player who has been deemed good-enough for Liverpool, not get a chance at Barnet?

Thorpe explains, “Kai is in this grey zone where people didn’t want to take a risk starting him because of his age, but actually he’s quite a good goalkeeper. In a way he’s in a false position, I worked for Barnet for a few years and we had a number of kids that went to

suddenly kick on,” Thorpe reasoned.

It may be some time before Liverpool fans see Lyle turn out for the first team at Anfield - he’s behind Allisson, Simon Mignolet, Kamil Grabara and Caoimhin Kelly in the pecking order at the moment.

But do fans need to know about their six-foot five-inch shot-stopper? “In some areas he’s already a top keeper,”

he’s been exposed to that senior environment, because until you’ve had those minutes outside of youth football, a lot of people and managers consider your CV blank, even though you’ve got a lot of outings. He’s got very few games, and I think if he had more he’d be the first choice keeper at Barnet right now but as it turns out, this maybe a better route for him.”

27

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, September 17, 2018

Third Limacol Football tournament …

GFC maul Buxton; Pouderoyen edge Grove THERE were wins for GFC and Pouderoyen as football action continued in the third annual Limacol-sponsored round robin knockout tournament.

In the first game of the night, it looked to be headed in favour of Grove Hi-Tech, who scored the first goal of the evening through Denzil Crawford in the 13th.

The East Coast side carried their lead well into the second half before Sebastian Edwards drew the game level for the West Demerara side.

Five minutes later, Pouderoyen had the lead through Ashley Harding.

Game two was a goal scoring fest with GFC dominating Buxton 4-1.

There were goals each for Alberto Basanta (32nd), Ronaldo Rodriques (75th), Rondel Peters (78th) and Marcus Wilson (85th).

For Buxton, Shamar Scott score the lone goal for his side..

The tournament games will continue on Tuesday with Riddim Squad playing Buxton Stars and Santos Taking on Beacon FC.

Part of the action during the Limacol Football tournament

Third Ralph Green/EBFA U11 League unveiled Coaches receive equipment to aid efficiency

GFF President Wayne Forde and other executive members of the federation, along with EBFA executive members and players, sporting the jerseys to be presented to each team. On display too are the other items which are to be gifted to the respective clubs

THE Third Annual Ralph Green sponsored East Bank Football Association Under-11 League was launched yesterday at the Timehri Red Ground.

Attending the event were President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Wayne Forde, GFF’s Executive Member with responsibility for the EBFA Dion Inniss, Executive Member and RFA Head Ryan Farias and head of Coaches and Education Wilson Toledo; and EBFA Executive Member and sponsor, Ralph Green, among others.

Turn to page 25

Dover to coach Guyana at CONCACAF U20 Championships --‘Jackie Chan’ Richards, Mills also named on coaching staff

WAYNE ‘Wiggy’ Dover, former Senior Men’s National Team Coach, has been named Head Coach of the National U20 team as preparations begin for Guyana’s participation in the 2018 Concacaf Men’s U20 Championship in Florida, USA, from November 1 – 22.

Guyana’s U23 Head Coach Wayne ‘Wiggy’ Dover

Dover will have some familiar faces on his coaching staff, with one of Guyana’s top forwards, Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson, as well as Vurlon Mills being named by the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) as the team’s Striker Coach and In-Possession Coach, respectively.

Another national player, Anthony Benfield (Out of Possession Coach) was named as one of Dover’s Assistant, along with Den Amstel FC’s O’Neal Haywood.

Phillip Carrington is the side’s Goalkeeper coach, and Wilson Toledo will serve as the side’s Coach Developer and Head of Sports Science.

Other members are Team Doctor, Physiotherapist, Head of People and Culture, Performance Analyst and Head Scout, Team Operations Coordinator and Equipment Manager.

Guyana will start the tournament against Guatemala on November 2, followed by a clash against Cayman Islands on No-

vember 6. The Wayne Dover-coached side will then face Curacao on November 8 and will close their Group F crusade against El Salvador on November 10.

“We have a talented combination of staff tasked with preparing [the] players for the upcoming U20 championships but with the ultimate goal of pushing players into the Senior Golden Jaguars squad,” said Technical Director, Ian Greenwood.

According to Greenwood, “There is clear alignment with the senior team’s campaign in the Nations League and the key messages to be delivered to the U20 players. The staffing structure allows players to receive position-specific coaching on the various moments of the game, with specialist coaches delivering the national coaching and playing philosophy. The wealth of international playing experience among the staff is vital as we prepare this current crop of exciting and talented young players.

There is a clear pathway for national team players to engage in a career in coaching which is now clearly evident.”

Meanwhile, Dover said he is happy to contribute to the development of such a crucial group in Guyana’s football, adding that while the players’ squad will be announced this week, the squad will be crucial to inform the senior team.

“The U20 group of players, we can safely say, is our golden generation of footballers; hence there will be a very careful process by the GFF to harness this group of players who definitely will form the senior national team in the not-too-distant future. This team will augur well for the projection that the GFF has for the 2026 World Cup campaign,” Dover noted.

CNG/RSTC President’s Cup horse racemeet…

Seven races, over $10M in cash up for grabs on Sept 30

THE Caribbean Nations Group in collaboration with the Rising Sun Turf Club will stage a seven-race card meet on September 30, at the club’s racing facility situated on the West Coast Berbice.

The event will begin at 13:00hrs and has at stake over $10M in prize money and incentives on offer.

The day’s activity is being sponsored by Top Brandz under its Bud Light, Corona and Budweiser brand.

The feature event is open to Guyana bred horses, including mares and fillies, over a distance of five and one half furlongs. The winner will receive $1M, while the other top three performers will earn $500,000, $250,000 and $125,000 respectively.

The other events on the day’s card are; an `E’ Class and lower eight-furlong race that carries a first prize of $500,000; a J3’ and lower race seven-furlong race that has

a first prize of $350,000, a `I and lower seven-furlong event with a winning prize worth $300,000; a five and one half furlong race for horses classified `L and lower with a first prize of $250,000, a four-furlong race Guyana bred twoyear-old horses that has on offer a first prize of $200,000; and a `L and lower five and one half furlong race for `L non winners for 2018 and this race has a first prize of $100,000.

Ali Khan of Trinbago Knight Riders celebrates with teammates as he lifts the winner’s trophy during the Hero Caribbean Premier League Final between Trinbago Knight Riders and Guyana Amazon Warriors, at the Brian Lara Stadium on September 16, 2018 in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago.

(Photo by Ashley Allen - CPL T20/ Getty Images)

Knight Riders

win!

Amazon Warriors

Rayad Emrit of Guyana Amazon Warriors reacts to dropping a catch during the Hero Caribbean Premier League Final between Trinbago Knight Riders and Guyana Amazon Warriors, at the Brian Lara Stadium on September 16, 2018 in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago. (Photo by Ashley Allen - CPL T20/Getty Images)

Denesh Ramdin of Trinbago Knight Riders (R) runs out Romario Shepherd (L) of Guyana Amazon Warriors as Ali Khan (C) of Trinbago Knight Riders looks on, during the Hero Caribbean Premier League Final between Trinbago Knight Riders and Guyana Amazon Warriors at Brian Lara Stadium on September 16, 2018 in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago. (Photo by Ashley Allen - CPL T20/Getty Images)

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2018