Guyana Chronicle E-paper 10-07-2018_.pdf

7th October, 2018

Women top national awardees No.105420

Centre pages

Veteran broadcaster Julie Lewis, Pandita Dhanrajie Haimraj and retired nurse/midwife and community activist Brenda Hastings being conferred with their Medals of Service by President David Granger at the 2018 Investiture Ceremony at the National Cultural Centre on Saturday (Delano Williams photos)

Tourists flock Guyana –– tourism sector records highest growth in Caribbean for first half of 2018

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Relatives call for action –– following submission of Lindo Creek CoI report

By Svetlana Marshall MORE than two months after the report pertaining to the Lindo Creek Commission of Inquiry (CoI) was handed over to President David Granger, relatives of the murdered miners are calling for the report to be made public and for the recommendations therein to be implemented without delay.

Justice (ret’d) Donald Trotman, who spearheaded the CoI, in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle disclosed the contents of the report; however, the affected relatives said months after the inquiry ended they remain in the dark.

“We are thankful that the case was reopened by

Colette Wong President David Granger, but it has been two months since the report was submitted to him and we have not heard

from him since. It is very frustrating and heart-rendering [sic], because it is like we are still in the dark and we need answers,” Onika Butts, the reputed wife of Dax Arokium, told the Guyana Chronicle on Saturday.

Dax Arokium was among the eight miners whose charred remains were discovered at a mining camp at Lindo Creek in the Upper Berbice River, Region 10, on June 21, 2008.

According to Justice (ret’d) Trotman, the report submitted by him has cleared the notorious criminal gang, which was headed by Rondell “Fineman” Rawlins, of committing the heinous crime. He said evidence suggests that the Joint Services – the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force -- may have committed the massacre. As such, he reportedly recommended that a criminal case be reopened into the Lindo Creek Massacre.

“What we need is justice. After 10 years, all we

Onika Butts ask is for those persons who killed our loved ones to be brought to justice; and I think the time is now and there should no delay,” Butts said.

BECOMING ANXIOUS AND CONCERNED Jackie Arokium, of Dax Arokium (senior), said she too needs answers. “As the

SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 7, 2018 months go by, family members of the victims and myself are becoming anxious and concerned about the President’s intervention.

So I would be grateful for information about the current status of decisions and outcomes from the President, the Honourable David Granger,” she told this newspaper.

Colette Wong, the wife of the late Clifton Wong, while endorsing calls by Arokium and Butts for the recommendations in the report to be acted upon, told this newspaper that the CoI has opened up old wounds.

“The way my husband met his demise, I don’t think there will ever be a closure for me,” she told this newspaper on Saturday.

Lancelot Lee, Cecil Arokium, Horace Drakes, Bonny Harry, Compton Speirs and Nigel Torres were among the miners killed at Lindo Creek in June, 2008.

Justice (ret’d) Trotman told this newspaper that the investigations conducted into the 2008 Lindo Creek Massacre were poorly done.

“There was an investigation, but that investigation in the estimation of the commission, was not adequate, was not competent and could not have brought about accu-

rate results,” he said.

The investigation at reference was conducted by the Military Criminal Investigation Department (MCID), and when completed, it had cleared the Joint Services of having anything to do with the massacre. This, despite the fact that fingers were pointed in their direction, seeing that at the time of the massacre they were hot on the heels of the notorious Rondell “Fine-Man” Rawlins’ gang which was on the run and reportedly hiding out in the Lindo Creek area.

A two-week probe by the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) of the Guyana Police Force into allegations of police involvement in the massacre had produced no written report of its findings; and a criminal investigation by the Guyana Police Force was ordered closed on the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Justice Trotman said he made strong recommendations in the report for the criminal investigation into the massacre to be reopened, due to the sloppy work done by the previous investigators.

After a six-month investigation of its own, the chairman handed over the CoI report to the President on August 2, 2018.

Tourists flock Guyana 3

SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 7, 2018

–– tourism sector records highest growth in Caribbean for first half of 2018

GUYANA has recorded the highest growth in the tourism sector in the Caribbean region during the first half of 2018.

This development came to the fore during the wrapup session of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) held in The Bahamas on October 1-5.

CTO Secretary-General Hugh Riley in a live broadcast on Friday said that of the 22 reporting destinations around the Caribbean region, 13 registered increases in growth during the first half of 2018, ranging from 1.7 per

cent to 18.35 per cent.

Seven countries, he said, recorded decreases, largely tied to the hurricane season.

Riley then said that the top performing destination during the first half of 2018 was Guyana, noting that the South American, English-speaking state recorded 18.3 per cent growth, followed by Belize with 17.1 per cent and The Cayman islands with 15.9 per cent.

Arrivals from Europe also increased this year, although marginally, with three million visitors coming to the Caribbean within the first half of 2018.

Riley said Guyana, which

recorded a 9.3 per cent growth, came in second in arrivals behind Belize which saw a 24.3 per cent growth in European tourist arrivals.

He said the results substantiate the regional messaging of the openness of the destinations for business and the confidence in destinations to deliver quality experiences.

The performance of key source markets varies considerably, with some destinations recording “strong growth” while others registered declines.

Riley said tourism over the past year has been a tale of two situations. “On one

hand, we had robust growth in countries that were affected by last year’s hurricanes and, on the other, we have seen dramatic decreases in arrivals in those hit by the hurricanes although performances of those countries are steadily improving,” he said.

Former US President Bill Clinton, in a recorded message to the conference, noted the critical role travel and tourism play in the region.

He said the sector accounts for more than 15 per cent of GDP in the region and in many countries the number is much higher.

He said the CTO is working with the Bill Clinton

Foundation and other partners to showcase the region’s extraordinary culture and diversity, as well as arts and food.

The CTO’s leadership was on full display in The Bahamas. Riley said the body brought together experts to craft insights to determine how a lasting, sustainable tourism sector “can be built that will benefit every individual, every community, every country in this region”.

Guyana’s tourism sector has been evolving over the years, with visitors to the region exploring the country’s eco-tourism initiatives.

At a recent media

CTO Secretary-General, Hugh Riley breakfast organised by the Guyana Tourism Authority, there were calls for more coordination and higher emphasis to be placed on the sector, as many noted the impact the sector has made on the economy over the years.

Guyana explores partnerships with IsDB branches

–– high-level mission from bank expected this month

By Svetlana Marshall

TWO years after joining the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), a multilateral development financing institution, the Government of Guyana is moving to partner with other branches of the bank to foster greater development here.

In an interview on Friday, Finance Minister Winston Jordan told reporters that the Guyana Government has initiated intense discussions with other arms of the IsDB. With a membership of 57 countries since its establishment in 1975, the IsDB has evolved into a group of five entities – the Islamic

Development Bank (IsDB); the Islamic Research and Training Institute (IRTI); the Islamic Corporation for Development of the Private Sector (ICD); the Islamic Corporation for Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC); and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC).

Discussions with Guyana thus far has included collaboration with the ICD but Minister Jordan noted that it is a process.

“Now we are only members of the bank itself. Each one of the other arms requires membership similar to the membership you would try to get into the World Bank.

The World Bank has an arm called IFC and you have to join that and subscribe to it; similarly, the Islamic Development Bank has a same arrangement, we have to subscribe,” the finance minister explained.

During his recent visit See page 13

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, October 7, 2018

Brett Kavanaugh nomination: Victory for Trump in Supreme Court vote (BBC) The US Senate has voted to confirm President Donald Trump’s nominee for the Supreme Court, after weeks of rancorous debate.

The Senate backed Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination by 50 votes to 48.

Mr Kavanaugh had been embroiled in a bitter battle to stave off allegations of sexual assault.

But after an 11th-hour investigation by the FBI into the allegations, enough wavering senators decided to back the nomination.

Ahead of the vote, hundreds of people protested against Mr Kavanaugh’s nomination at the US Capitol in Washington.

During the vote, other protesters shouted “shame” from the public gallery and

Vice-President Mike Pence had to call for order to be restored.

Mr Kavanaugh’s appointment is for life and he will strengthen conservative control of the nine-judge court, which has the final say on US law.

The 53 year old will be sworn in later on Saturday at the Supreme Court. Protesters have gathered there too to

Brett Kavanaugh (left) had been embroiled in a bitter battle to stave off allegations of sexual assault from Christine Blasey Ford (right).

continue the demonstrations.

So what were the numbers in the Senate?

The upper house is split 51-49 in favour of the Republicans and the vote was largely along party lines. In the end, there was indeed a two-vote margin, the closest nomination vote since 1881.

The only party dissenters were Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, who had intended to vote no, and Democrat Joe Manchin, who voted yes.

That should have meant a 51-49 tally, but the absence of Republican Steve Daines, a yes voter who was at his daughter’s wedding, altered the final figures.

Ms Murkowski opted instead to simply mark herself as “present”, leaving the final vote 50-48.

What was said in the Senate?

In their final summations, the two Senate party leaders reflected how bitter the divide had become.

Minority Democrat leader Chuck Schumer said Mr Kavanaugh did not belong on the bench as he had “obscured his views to the American people”, “repeatedly misled the Senate”

and delivered one of the “bitterest and most partisan testimonies ever presented by a nominee”.

He also said Mr Trump had “stooped to new depths” in mocking the testimony of Christine Blasey Ford.

Mr Schumer said that for all those who opposed the nomination, “there is one answer - vote” in the November mid-term elections.

Majority Republican leader Mitch McConnell said Mr Kavanaugh was a “serious scholar, a brilliant student of the law and a meticulous and dedicated public servant”.

He said events had “strained our basic principles of fairness and justice” and that the vote showed the Senate was “an institution where evidence and facts matter”.

He spoke of “intimidation by the mob” and said the Senate vote should be one “to turn away from darkness”.

Ms Murkowski had earlier said that although Mr Kavanaugh was a “good man”, he was “not the right person for the court at this time” and his “appearance of impropriety has become unavoidable”.

Joe Manchin is facing a difficult re-election campaign in West Virginia, a traditionally Republican state that Mr Trump won by a landslide. He said he “found Judge Kavanaugh to be a qualified jurist”.

There were shouts of “shame” from the public gallery as he voted yes.

Two Republican waverers, Susan Collins and Jeff Flake, finally decided to back the judge.

Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court has been decided. The political war, however, is just beginning.

Donald Trump’s court pick generated a controversy that captured the nation’s attention in a way that few political issues do. It generated daily headlines rivalled only by the US quadrennial presidential elections.

Now that the bombs have been thrown, it’s time to assess the fallout.

Why is the court so important?

Basically, it’s the final arbiter of US law.

It has the ultimate say on such contentious issues as abortion and gun control.

The Democrats are still smarting from the previous Supreme Court appointment.

Republicans last year successfully stalled the process, meaning it fell to Mr Trump, not Barack Obama, to nominate the new justice.

Mr Trump’s choice of Neil Gorsuch strengthened the conservative leaning.

All eyes will now be on November’s mid-term elections. Mr Trump will be able to campaign on the back of an important victory, but commentators will be watching closely how the Kavanaugh affair affects women voters.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, October 7, 2018

Brazil election: Voters debate the merits of democracy as far-right candidate leads polls (BBC) Should Brazil stick to democracy, or not? Unlikely as it might seem to outsiders, this has been a key debating point as Latin America’s largest country edges towards its election.

With just two days to go, a new survey by Datafolha suggests 69% of Brazilians believe democracy is the best way forward.

However, some are concerned that leading candidate Jair Bolsonaro - a far-right former army captain - will threaten this path.

He has talked positively of the military junta which ruled the country from 1964 to 1985, and promised to fill his cabinet with generals.

“I’m in favour of a dictatorship!” he said boldly in a 1993 speech, Reuters news agency reports. “We will never resolve grave national problems with this irresponsible democracy!”

Current polling has him on a comfortable 35%, which is set to take him into the second round where he is likely to meet left-wing Fernando Haddad, standing for the Workers’ Party (PT).

How did the last TV debate play out?

In the candidates’ final meeting on Thursday night, the future of the democracy was addressed.

Mr Bolsonaro did not take part, under doctors’

orders. He was stabbed at a campaign rally in September and was only released from hospital last weekend.

However, he did manage to give a television interview to a channel that has given him favourable coverage.

It was aired simultaneously and his critics said it was a move to avoid being challenged.

‘Transgender candidate busts stereotypes in Brazil Guilherme Boulos, a candidate for the Socialism and Liberty party, used the debate to send a warning to viewers. “[The dictatorship] was 30 years ago now, but I think we have never been so close to what happened back then...” he said. “This is always how it starts out: guns, sorting things out with violence, human lives worth nothing.”

WHAT ARE BOLSONARO’S CHANCES? He has vowed to get tough on crime after a spike in the homicide rate. He has said he will loosen gun laws so citizens can protect themselves.

His approval rating has climbed and he picked up even more supporters after he was attacked. Datafolha’s polling suggests he is also the current leading choice for

A Bolsonaro supporter in Brasilia

young people and Brazilian women, even though he is known for having made misogynist, racist and homophobic comments.

Polling companies give him roughly a 30% chance of winning the race outright, according to Reuters news agency.

His supporters hope more voters might be silently in his camp but are not making their intentions known to pollsters.

However, most analysts believe he will end up in the 28 October run-off, and cur-

‘No benefit from Kamla’s $15m India trip’ (Trinidad Newsday) Public Administration Minister Marlene Mc Donald has slammed Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar for saying the People’s National Movement (PNM) Government, in its three years in office, has not brought any direct foreign investment to TT. In a fiery contribution to the budget debate on Friday in the House of Representatives, Mc Donald reminded members of Persad-Bissessar’s trip to India as prime minister shortly after the People’s Partnership assumed office in 2010.

She claimed the PP Government had spent over $15 million during the trip which did not redound to “one cent of direct foreign investment” for TT.

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar during her contribution to the 2019 budget debate on Friday. PHOTO BY ROGER JACOB

rent projections suggest his likely run-off with Mr Haddad is too close to call.

Mr Haddad has 22% support for the first round.

Despite being former mayor of São Paulo, he is largely unknown in many parts of the vast country. He was only named as the candidate for just over three weeks before election day. The party

was pinning its hopes on ex-President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva but he was banned from standing as he is serving prison time for corruption convictions.

A criminal investigation has seen a number of Brazilian politicians jailed for corruption, including Lula and various other PT leaders, losing the party many voters.

FSC worried about effect of debt strategy (Nationnews) As Government rolls out its debt restructuring programme, the Financial Service Commission (FSC) says it has some concerns about the possible impact on the insurance and pensions sectors.

Chief Executive Officer Kester Guy told The Nation on Thursday that “these two sectors would probably be the areas that the restructuring will have the impact on immediately”.

He said, as a result, the commission was working directly with some stakeholders to determine possible areas of impact.

Guy was speaking on the sidelines of a seminar titled Investment Policy Review For Pension Plans at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, where he also revealed that the FSC had recognised that the debt restructuring exercise would reduce statutory benchmarks across the sector and that it was an external shock to the industry. (ROG)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, October 7, 2018

Leadership and decision-making EACH person is different: some are loud and energetic; others are quiet and thoughtful, the combinations of qualities are practically infinite.

And, it is impossible to know who is dishonest and bad, or, who is truthful and good, based on those qualities. This is true too, of leaders: some are charismatic and enjoy riding horses; others are quiet and prefer to read books and play chess. It is, therefore, unfair and misleading to judge how good a leader is, based on superficial traits. Since we live in a democratic country, we have a responsibility to choose our political leaders; we should therefore know how to make such assessments and comparisons. It makes sense then, to rely on the opinions of experts to learn how to do that.

The subjects of leadership and the qualities that make a good leader have been exhaus-

tively studied and are well understood. The American author John Maxwell defined a good leader as, “One who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” In other words, he knows where he wants to go, he leads by example, and he is able to communicate that path to followers. Historians and other specialists who study leaders say that all good leaders have certain specific qualities. For example, all good leaders are honest and have integrity.

Dwight Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States, said, “The supreme quality of leadership is unquestionable integrity.” Based on that, any person whose honesty is questionable may be disqualified from a position of leadership.

That is, if we even have cause to question from where a person obtained unexplained wealth, for example, we may wish to reconsider giving that person a

leadership position.

All good leaders have confidence. They need not speak loudly, but they are assertive and sure of themselves. They are calm, collected, and thoughtful; they are able to quietly inspire others to overcome challenges.

John Quincy Adams, America’s 6th President, said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a good leader.”

Good leaders are passionate and committed; they believe in their cause. In fact, one good measure of commitment is whether the leader is willing to get out of his office, go into the field and get his hands dirty.

A man who sits in an executive chair all the time and makes speeches from the comfort of an air-conditioned office is not a good candidate for leadership.

A good leader has a clear vision of goals, and a definite

strategy to achieve those goals.

Further, he is able to communicate his goals and strategies to his followers.

Followers will notice too, that a good leader is decisive when making decisions. He will consult, he will listen to advice, but, when he makes a decision he will stand by it; he will know the reason for making the particular decision and will be accountable to the people for the consequences of his decisions.

Additionally, those decisions are often creative and innovative; good leaders often think outside the box, while maintaining an empathetic connection with followers. Steve Jobs, American businessman, said, “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” Good leaders, then, are not afraid to propose new ideas and follow through on them.

Guyanese are just now beginning to understand that de-

cisions made by citizens have consequences. Examples on the international political scene make clear that poorly made decisions – even in advanced democracies – will result in bad outcomes. It is therefore important – particularly in our young democracy – that we take our responsibilities seriously; that we desist from choosing our leaders based on who may have the loudest voice, or some other unimportant factor. Rather, we should carefully assess potential representatives, on the basis of abilities and merit that matter, and make decisions based on those objective assessments, because the future of our country, and the quality of the lives of our children depend on our decisions.

Suicide prevention is so much more

--than just sharing a helpline number Dear Editor SINCE its launch in 2015, mention has often been made about the Suicide Helpline, although stats are hard to come by even though releasing them could be an incentive for others to use the helpline. In any case, saving a life can’t solely rely on the person who is at risk, who will most probably never call the helpline; the person who would do so is the someone else, who is able to recognise that the person is actually at risk, someone such as a gatekeeper or lay counsellor who are trained to identify suicide warning signs. And this is so necessary in the context of Guyana, where there seems

to be pattern of ignoring even the most obvious signs on the part of family and friends of those at risk; and/or dismissing suicide ideation as jokes and/or not being serious.

Gatekeepers would also help others to be able to identify the warning signs and thus enable circles of understanding that all such signs must always be taken seriously, even if it means erring on the side of caution.

The issue of gatekeepers brings to the fore the concept of collaboration. This has been touted over and over and over by all and sundry, including the government, as the way to go in small economies such as Guyana’s; such economies

cannot afford to roll out the comprehensive mental health and suicide-prevention infrastructure and supports.

Collaboration is best exemplified by the Gatekeeper’s Programme, which arms communities with lay counsellors who can take proactive action to not only prevent the act of suicide, but to also address various forms of abuse.

The Caribbean Voice is getting ready to launch a national lay counsellor train the trainers programme next year. Since the government is best positioned to ensure the logistics necessary for such a programme, we will be reaching out to requisite government ministries, agen-

cies and departments to seek partnerships. This will include help to bring on board NGOs, FBOs, CBOs, local government agencies and mass-based organisations; this is to ensure not only that the trainers are provided with the skill sets and knowledge base, but to also support them as they then seek to train gatekeepers in every community, once they receive their training. In effect, this can and should be a total collaborative effort.

Once signs are identified, scope must also be provided to such individuals to talk more and to give them a response that’s non-judgmental and really supportive. But this too calls for some basic training in emphatic communication and here again, gatekeepers come into play.

In effect, we need to deepen the mental health literacy of our nation, to the point that people become self-aware of the triggers and improvers of their own mental health, as they are with their physical health. And this process starts with gatekeepers who can train others in their communities.

At a recent forum on suicide in Guyana, mention was made of the need for community-based services to tackle suicide. Well this process can start with gatekeepers who are the most critical cog in the wheel of suicide prevention at the community level.

This is why too TCV is also extremely happy that the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), on September 17, launched a virtual course on suicide prevention for

primary healthcare workers in the Americas, including the Caribbean. The course, which is free, self-directed and available in English on PAHO’s Virtual Campus for Public Health (https://www. campusvirtualsp.org/en/), is divided into seven modules; it is also based on the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s Intervention Guide for Mental, Neurological and Substance Use Disorders (mhGAP-IG) that includes evidence-based interventions to identify and manage priority mental health disorders, including self-inflicted injuries and suicide at the first level of health care.

Turn to page 7

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, October 7, 2018

Enough with the ‘glory to gloom’ rhetoric

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– time to adopt ‘a thinking-different’ attitude, says popular Rose Hall businessman

By Nafeeza Yahya PRESIDENT of the Central Corentyne Chambers of Commerce (CCCC), Poonai Bhigroog, did not pull his punches on Friday evening when he called time-out on all this talk about things in the country going from ‘glory to gloom’.

He told fellow Berbicians at the opening of the annual Berbice Expo and Trade Fair at the Albion Sports Complex, that granted that the country’s economic landscape is undergoing significant change, more so in Berbice with the closure of not one, but two sugar estates there, it’s about time people start looking on the bright side, with the prospect of Guyana being a major player on the world oil market just around the corner.

Noting that what people ought to be doing is preparing to capitalise on an industry that can reverse the economy’s current trajectory.

Bhigroog said: “Berbicians, our region does not suffer from a lack of resources; we have vast farmlands,

and an abundance of fruits and vegetables. We have human resources. Many estate workers are actively seeking jobs; many university graduates require jobs; these are all catalysts for economic growth. …..These are conditions, but are they sufficient conditions? We at this point of our nation’s history need to seek new ways to engage with our resources, and ways by which we can improve on them.”

And while on the subject of seeking new ways to engage with our resources, the popular, Rose Hall pharmacist said: “I say let us open up new agricultural schemes and give significant acreage to our young people to produce and create employment for themselves, so that they have reason to stay in Berbice and not think about migrating at the first available opportunity.”

Besides calling for greater recognition of farmers and the role they play in the economy, Bhigroog also stressed upon the need to improve on standards, whether personally or

Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin and Regional officials pay keen attention to what a National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) staff has to say

professionally, as that is one of the surefire ways of ensuring economic growth.

“We need to rethink how we can serve our clients in ways that are appropriate to the highest standards of integrity and excellence,” the young businessman said. “We should not condone mediocrity in the services that we provide; our goal should be to set high professional standards for ourselves, and demand

high professional standards, if we are to advance economic growth collectively in this region and our country as a whole.”

JOB WELL DONE! Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin, who delivered the feature address, commended the CCCC for successfully hosting the event for 14 consecutive years, and stressed the importance of

events such as this in bringing to the fore the best within the Region.

“Regional ‘expos’ such as this one can help to prepare businesses for international trade show participation,” Minister Gaskin said, adding: “And we would like to increase participation with the organisers of regional ‘expos’ with the view of bringing out what each region has to offer and presenting it to international buyers.”

He said that while the government may not be able to sell the products and services, it can provide the platform by way of events such as GUYTIE and trade fairs to engage multiple partners and promote their businesses, products and services to international buyers.

Regional Chairman, David Armogan also spoke to the need to think outside the box and diversify from traditional crops and methods of production, noting that difficult circumstances require and demand new approaches to doing things.

“I know things are a bit

difficult,” he said, “but we cannot lie down and die. We must be able to become resilient; we must find new opportunities; we must look at new avenues for development, because the traditional way of doing things has to change.”

He further added: “We are accustomed to doing things the way our grandparents have left them, but the situation is not the same as when our grandparents were here, and so we have to think outside of the box.

We have to be able to come up with new ideas; we have to bring non-traditional business into our Region.”

The fair, the 14th to date, is being hosted by the CCCC in collaboration with the Ministry of Business, and was officially declared open on Friday evening at the Albion Sports Complex in East Berbice, Corentyne.

It is being held under the theme, “Advancing economic progress through professional standards and entrepreneurship,” and will run until tomorrow.

OVP will encourage, support community groups Dear Editor, AS Dr. David Hinds rightly pointed out, in the current environment, “local government elections are less about communities and more about national parties” (KN, 30/9/18).

D r. H i n d s ’ p o s i t i o n c o n v e rg e s w i t h t h a t o f

Organisation for the Victory of the People (OVP).

When the political parties were lining up to contest the local government elections in 2016, OVP stayed out of the race, because we believe that political parties should not participate in local government elections, es-

pecially APNU+AFC and the PPP, since they already dominate the national parliament and the regional councils.

OVP is committed to radical democracy. This means the empowerment of the masses of our people-politically and economically-- from the bottom up.

From page 6

Suicide prevention is ...

The Caribbean Voice urges government to take the lead in providing scope to ensure that in addition to all primary health care workers, all social workers, welfare officers, teachers and outreach personnel, such as those engaged in youth or women empowerment, take this training. We encourage activists, NGOs, Faith-Based Organisations and Community-Based Organisations to also use this opportunity to gain the critical skills and

knowledge to enhance their suicide-prevention activism.

And we also urge all media to publicise the link and a message, urging the general public to take advantage of this training.

Speaking of the media, we note that Trinidad & Tobago recently launched its National Media Guidelines for Responsible Reporting on Suicide. While we are aware that significant changes in such reportage has been effected by the

local media, reportage is still not where it should be. So we urge the crafting and launching of similar guidelines for the Guyanese media. PAHO has been instrumental in providing relevant training to the local media and its assistance can be harnessed in putting these guidelines together.

Regards The Caribbean Voice

We believe that all citizens have a right to participate in the decisions that affect them, their families and their communities.

We see local government as an arena to prepare and challenge the people to administer and be the decision-makers in their own communities. Repre-

sentatives of the political parties are more concerned about imposing the agenda of their respective parties on the communities, than putting the interests of the communities first. OVP will encourage and support community groups who organise themselves into effective organisations,

capable of reclaiming their communities. True democracy is direct and participatory, and that means there can be no more decisions about us, without us!

Regards Gerald A. Perreira Organisation for the Victory of the People (OVP)

Very happy to welcome Sister Volda

Dear Editor,

I READ with great interest the letter headlined “Geriatrics in the PNCR”, which was penned by Alex Duncan.

As an old worker of the party, I must share the sentiments and grave concerns expressed in his letter.

There is one error in his letter: it is that which stated that Volda Lawrence was the first female chairman of the party. When I was a youngster in the 60s, the PNC’s leader was Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham; the trea-

surer was Ms. Hyacinth Goddette; the general-secretary was Hamilton Green; and the chairperson was Mrs. Winifred Gaskin. She was, therefore, the first female chairman of the party.

May I say we are very happy to welcome Sister Volda. In her there is hope.

Next, I have a big worry which my party should explain. On the new executive is a gentleman (Van-West Charles) who, not too long ago, had many unkind things to say about the PNC, and publicly stated that he had left the PNC and joined the AFC.

Wi t h i n a f e w s h o r t months, how can a person who is still on the AFC list of candidates and can therefore become an AFC Member of Parliament, be an executive member of the PNCR? He has not, with similar public noise, denounced the AFC. The question is: Why are we shooting ourselves in the foot, and who are the persons within the PNC top brass responsible for this stupidity and gross crassness?

Regards Eric Moseley

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MASS MURDER IN MID-AIR

YESTERDAY, October 6, marked the 42nd anniversary of the Cubana Air disaster. Many would not remember that mid-air mass murder, and the revulsion then against the perpetrators, who were identified as “anti-Castro Cuban exiles”.

Though it was widely believed at the time that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was involved, there was no direct evidence of any links. However, documents released in 2005, and available on the Internet, stated that the CIA had advance information on a terrorist plan to bomb a Cubana airliner.

Four men were arrested for the bombing. After a trial in Venezuela, two were sentenced to 20 years in prison.

The alleged mastermind, Orlando Bosch, was acquitted and later died in Miami.

The fourth, Luis Posada Carriles, fled to the United States, where he wrote a book, Caminos del Guerrero (Ways of the Warrior) in which he denied any involvement, but gave details of the bombing.

FATAL LAST WORDS “We have an explosion on board… We have fire aboard.”

Those were among the fatal last words from Captain Wilfredo Perez as he radioed to the control tower at the then Seawell Airport in Barbados.

Those last words were conclusive testimony that Cubana Air Flight CU455 did not go down as a result of an accident. They were an indictment of the terrorists who had planted bombs on board the Cubana passenger aircraft on that fateful and tragic day of October 6, 1976.

The aircraft had left Guyana, and was en route to Cuba with stops in Trinidad, Barbados and Jamaica. But minutes after take-off from Barbados, it went down in the Caribbean Sea. All 73 persons on board were killed.

There were 57 Cubans, five Koreans and 11 Guyanese on board.

The Guyanese were :Eric Norton, 18 years old; Ann Nelson, 18; Seshnarine Kumar, 18; Jacqueline Williams, 19; and Rawle Thomas, 18, all students on their way to study in Cuba, with relatives Violet Thomas and Rita Thomas.

There were also nine-year-old Sabrina Harripaul, Margaret Bradshaw, and Gordon Sobha, an economist.

Our entire nation would remember the shock and horror of that day. We would continue to collectively share in the grief and loss over the calculated mass murder, the massacre of our Guyanese compatriots, and citizens of the Republic of Cuba and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

As we collectively mourned our dead, I vividly recalled Fidel Castro, then President of Cuba, saying, “When our grief is multiplied, injustice trembles.”

Some of us, 42 years ago, received the news with emotional rage and anger.

Like Pablo Neruda after the 1973 bloody coup in Chile, we demanded punishment for the murderers, one of whom remains in a safe haven, up to this day, somewhere in the United States of America.

RADICAL EMOTIONS Back then in October 1976, I let my own radical emotions fly in a poem dedicated to the memory of the Caribbean Martyrs, which I previously read at solemn events such as this, and am pleased to again share with you: I wish I were a painter I’d paint an ocean of blood Pure, innocent, Caribbean blood.

In the centre I’d paint Seventy-three beacons, Aglow with eternal flames For the whole, wide world to see How outrageous it is to shed blood in vain I wish I were a sculptor I’d carve from rockstones The beastly heart of a fascist On a platter of granite that I’d name CIA. I’d post it to Washington, Addressed to the White House, As a gift for the President I wish I were a poet I’d write a poem With the barrel of my gun, Dipped in tears and anger of my people.

I’d send it to every assassin And would-be assassin As a warrant And final warning.

And if I were a revolutionary, I’d soak my banner in the blood of our luminous dead in the Caribbean Sea. I’d pursue the murderers and those who pay them to murder, No matter where they might be; And I’d, I’d, I’d…

INDEPENDENT PATH We felt that way at the time, and would still feel this way, until justice is done, since the Cubana disaster was not an isolated act. It was a studied policy that punished small states for pursuing an indepen-

SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 7, 2018

dent path of development.

We felt that way because, 10 years after being freed from the shackles of three centuries of colonial bondage, we feared that new chains were being forged for small states. We felt that our independence was under attack.

That was why then President, Forbes Burnham, pointed to the intellectual authors of that dastardly act of terrorism as those who do not accept the right of a people “to fashion their own destinies, and to dictate their own goals”.

The terrorist attack not only targeted Cuba, but Barbados, Trinidad, Jamaica and Guyana, which had defied the US-imposed isolation policy by establishing diplomatic relations with the revolutionary island-state in 1972.

Guyana has paid a heavy price in the loss of precious lives for dictating its own policies and goals, together with other small Caribbean states, towards a sister Caribbean nation.

SHARED GRIEF The Cubana terrorist bombing brought us shared grief. It also strengthened our resolve not to sever our close bonds with our Cuban brothers and sisters.

Today, we remember our glorious martyrs with fresh anguish in our hearts. We must always remember them, and why they became victims, so as not to surrender to bullyism over our sovereignty, and unimpeded access to our natural resources.

Today, terrorism is no longer a deadly export cargo; it has become home-grown. No one, no state, could be insulated as we have seen 25 years after Cubana, in the horrendous 9/11 tragedy.

And already, elsewhere, too many innocent people, including babies, children and students, are being slaughtered almost daily in mindless acts of terrorism.

So, as we remember the Cubana Martyrs today, we repeat our pledge not to encourage or condone terrorism, or the use of force, to settle differences or controversies, in the Caribbean and elsewhere.

We re-affirm our commitment to the rule of law and international norms for the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

ZONE OF PEACE This was clearly stated last year, at this very sacred place, by our President, David Granger, when he said: “Guyana abhors the crime of international terrorism, whenever and wherever it occurs. Guyana reassures the world of its commitment to making the Caribbean a zone of peace.”

The Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana pays homage to our martyrs and, in their name, continues to carry the banner of peace and friendship amongst all nations, and to open new avenues to strengthen solidarity and cooperation among small Caribbean states such as Cuba.

Eternal glory to our martyrs! [Taken from my address at the Cubana Air Disaster Commemorative Ceremony]

9

SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 7, 2018

Understanding Energy ...

Local companies seizing the opportunity WHILE government revenue will significantly increase, due to ExxonMobil’s oil discoveries in the Stabroek block, a key secondary impact will be the jobs and opportunities that come from introducing and growing a new industry in our country.

Oil production itself is a capital-intensive, rather than a labour-intensive industry. This means substantial investment is critical to get projects off the ground, but relatively few people are employed in the actual production.

However, even though the oil companies won’t directly employ vast numbers of individuals, more and more Guyanese companies are creating their own lasting opportunities as contractors, engineering consultants and more, in this emerging sector of the economy.

Young companies like Guysons Oil and Gas Logistics & Services, a member of the Guysons Group that was founded just this year, are taking advantage of opportunities that the industry represents for entrepreneurs and the business-minded service industry.

Critically, Guysons is developing advanced technical capacity here in Guyana by

using local talent.

Guysons announced last week that, after training at Exxon’s Centre for Local Business Development (CLBD), it has received the stringent and coveted ISO9001:2015 Certification, an international recognition for quality management awarded by the International Organisation for Standardisation in sectors, including the petroleum industry.

Guysons Oil and Gas Services and its sister company, Guysons Engineering, are the first firms in Guyana to achieve this certification after training at CLBD, and are now eligible to work on a wide variety of demanding and specific tasks within the energy industry.

This means that locally-owned and staffed firms have an opportunity to gain solid footing, and compete with international oil field service firms for contracts, now that an international body has certified that they meet the most stringent industry standards for safety and quality.

The company expects to sign a joint-venture deal with “a major international oilfield company to support Tier 1 operators” soon,

Don’t quit

according to recent news reports.

Meanwhile, Hughes, Fields and Stoby has become the first Guyanese law firm to set up an office in Houston, Texas, to take advantage of international companies’ new interest in Guyana. As reported by Stabroek News, the Guyanese-owned and operated law firm wants to be a resource for American companies looking to do business in Guyana as a result of our oil discoveries.

This is a case of a local firm not only growing locally, but actually expanding internationally, a major achievement for the Guyana business community.

Developing associated and adjacent industries is a critical step in ensuring that the investment in the oil-and-gas industry translates to lasting economic stability. These developments illustrate a positive trend, and it’s worth noting that these business opportunities are appearing without a government policy on local content. Market forces and the necessities of the industry are developing local content on their own. Companies are taking the initiative and growing their own capacity to meet the needs of Guyana’s new

–– Ramjattan urges Ramnarine to return to police force

By Leroy Smith PUBLIC Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan is hoping that Assistant Commissioner of Police, David Ramnarine, who is presently on annualised vacation leave, will return to the Guyana Police Force rejuvenated.

Ramnarine, who acted as top cop for a number of months, was overlooked for the post as well as that of deputy commissioner of police, last August.

Ramjattan told the Guyana Chronicle that Ramnarine has a wealth

of experience and is hoping he returns to the force and support Commissioner Leslie James and his deputies Paul Williams, Maxine Graham, Lyndon Alves and Nigel Hoppie.

The minister reiterated that the process of selecting the commissioner of police was done through consultations with the opposition leader and the Public Service Commission. He also added that President David Granger did ask him for a recommendation for the post of top cop and he had provided him a name.

“Everyone knows that

when they reached the rank of assistant commissioner of police it is not an entitlement for them to become the commissioner of police; it’s the function of the President, opposition leader and Public Service Commission. That is how it is; not because you are the most senior assistant commissioner of police you have to be the top cop,” Ramjattan explained.

The President, had on record, said he wants a commissioner who is ‘un-bribable’ and commands the respect of citizens,as well as junior

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and senior officers of the force.

Following the selection process, Leslie James emerged as top cop. Ramjattan said he has high confidence in James leading the force, pointing out that the new commissioner has a wealth of experience and is qualified for the job.

The minister also expressed full confidence in all four deputy com-

energy industry.

Guysons, for instance, invested nearly $10M and several months to get the ISO9001 certification, and now four other local companies have signed up for certification, according to the CLBD. That kind of organic local growth is a positive sign that international investments in Guyana are creating a virtuous cycle of job growth and wealth creation.

The government’s efforts to expand their own capacity are also creating jobs and new opportunities, as demonstrated by the 139 customs house brokers in training at the Guyana Revenue Authority. Though customs workers are hardly new to Guyana, the influx of materials, companies, and tools to facilitate oil production brings more need for government inspectors to manage the process.

Overall, the growth seen in the past few weeks demonstrates the reach and impact of oil development throughout the Guyanese economy. Even before production has begun or government revenues have been collected, direct and indirect impacts are already obvious in the form of new jobs and new opportunities for Guyanese.

missioners of police and noted that while they may make mistakes here and there, these must be immediately corrected to avoid repetition.

“It is very important for us to support them, all five of them at the top there. Now with the resources and the confidence level, I would like to see the old bad way gotten rid of; the good old way remain,” Ramjattan said.

While the force is enjoying a reconfiguration at the top, he said there will be some challenges.

“What the force now requires is a new culture of being far more courteous with the members of the public; what they need is lots more assets.

Underlying the two also has to do with resources and the quality of personnel; the quality of personnel depends on your recruits and the training they get,” the minister said.

Big on his agenda, he said, is the training of ranks to improve their interaction with members of the public.

“We have to recapture the confidence and bring convictions at the trial, among other things, while we do have the reconfiguration at the top.

These are the areas where I want to see results and improvements,” said Ramjattan.

Former top cop David Ramnarine

10

SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 7, 2018

Cabinet 'greenlights' overseas training

GUYANA will be participating in the 30th Meeting of the Parties (MoP) to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that deplete the ozone layer from November 5 to 9, 2018 in Quito, Ecuador.

A Ministry of the Presidency release said the meeting, which will be attended

by Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder, will focus on the continued efforts under the Montreal Protocol to phase out the use of ozone-depleting substances worldwide.

Guyana is a party to the protocol and has successfully phased out the use of chlorofluorocarbons. Participation in this meeting will assist Guyana to transition smoothly from ozone-depleting technology to newer alternatives in keeping with its obligations under the protocol and the country’s thrust for sustainable development.

Additionally, Cabinet had granted approval for Guyana to participate at the launch of the Cooperation Project- RENFORESAP- Strengthening the Network of Protected Areas in the Guiana Shield from October 1 to 3, 2018 in Paramaribo, Suriname. The project was designed to strengthen the resilience of the forest and the livelihoods of the local populations in the Guiana Shield. It has been organised to strengthen capacities in ‘protected or conservation area management’.

Guyana’s team was led by Vice-President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock and included three representatives of the Protected Areas Commission. These persons are Denise Fraser, Commissioner; Odacy Davis, Deputy Commissioner; and Sara Henry, Planning Officer.

The Department of Environment was represented by Aretha Forde, stakeholder management coordinator, while the Environmental Protection Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were represented

by Stacy Lord, Senior Environmental Officer and Savita Kum, Foreign Service Officer.

Cabinet also approved Guyana’s participation in a Latin American and Caribbean workshop on the environmentally sound management of E-Wastages and Forum on their Trans-boundary movements from November 6 to 9, 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The forum has been organised

to address the mounting international concern over the large quantities of used and end-of-life electrical equipment (E-Waste) that are accumulating in countries around the globe.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the focal point for the Basel Convention on the control of Trans-Boundary Movements of Hazardous wastes and their disposal. The agency’s attendance at the forum is expected to enable Guyana to enhance its capacity and to honour its obligations under the convention.

Guyana will be represented by Odessa Duncan, Senior Environmental Officer, EPA. RADIATION PROJECT DESIGN Similarly, Cabinet has approved the attendance of Tashana George, Senior Environmental Officer, of the EPA to represent Guyana at the Regional Workshop on Project Design for the Establishment and Operation of Regulatory Programmes for the Safety and Security of Radiation from November 12 to 16, 2018 in Jamaica.

This workshop has been organised to facilitate discussions on the best practices for the management of radiation sources and it will provide Guyana with critical knowledge in this area.

Meanwhile, Guyana participated in the 19th American Regional Meeting of the International Labour Organisation, which was held from October 1 to 5, 2018 in Panama City, Panama. That meeting was focused mainly on the progress made by countries during the past four years in the area of Decent Work. Guyana’s delegation at that meeting comprised Charles Ogle, Chief Labour Officer; Coretta McDonald of the Guyana Trades Union Congress; and Samuel Goolsarran, consultant, Consultative Association of Guyanese Industry.

The forum discussed workers’ right and decent work principles as a guide to policy-making.

Additionally, Cabinet approved Guyana’s participation in the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Center (CARTAC) sponsored Regional workshop on Real Sector Statistics which was held from October 1 to 4, 2018 in Castries, St. Lucia. The workshop focused on as-

sessing progress by member states in the development and improvement of National Accounts and Price Statistics.

As a result of Guyana’s participation, the country’s capacity for gathering statistical information and analysis has been enhanced. Guyana was represented by Maxine Bentt, Deputy Chief Statistician, Bureau of Statistics.

Further, Chief Statistician, Bureau of Statistics, Lennox Benjamin, Bentt and Vanessa Profitt, head of Division, Demography, Vital and Social Statistics of the Bureau of Statistics will attend the 23rd Meeting of the Advisory Group on Statistics (AGS), the 43rd Meeting of the Standing Committee of Caribbean Statisticians (SCCS) and the 29th Meeting of the Regional Census Coordinating Committee (RCCC) from October 18 to 26, 2018 in Brades, Montserrat.

GUIDE The meetings have been formulated to provide policy initiatives, directions and innovations to work programmes and the promotion of South-South cooperation among members of these groups; forge advances in the Region’s statistical work programme and facilitate coordinated censuses in member countries.

Guyana is being represented at the 48th Session of the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the First Joint Session of the Working Groups I, II and III of the IPCC which started on October 1 and will conclude today in Incheon, Korea. The Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is tasked with assessing global climate change and the panel discussions were designed to facilitate the sharing of ideas and information on climate change. Guyana is being rep-

resented at the two events by Dr. Paulette Bynoe, the country’s lead negotiator on climate change.

Additionally, Guyana participated in the Amazon Sustainable Landscapes Program (GEFASL Phase II) design workshop from September 24 to 29, 2018 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The forum was designed to provide countries with the opportunity for technical assistance and exposure to experts in multiple disciplines such as Protected Areas, Sustainable Land Use and the Restoration of Native Vegetation cover in Amazonia. It also served as a platform for the exchange of lessons learned, best practices and increased possibilities to design and implement regional activities with regard to sustainable landscape programmes.

Guyana was represented by Diana Fernandes, multilateral environmental agreement coordinator, Department of Environment; Odacy Davis, Deputy Commissioner, Protected Areas Commission (PAC); Mr. Jeremy Singh, Project Officer, Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC); and Elon McCurdy, Liaison Officer, Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC).

APPOINTMENT Meanwhile, Cabinet has granted approval for the appointment of Stefan Mera as Non-Resident Ambassador of Romania to Guyana.

In a release, the Ministry of the Presidency said Ambassador Mera’s appointment is expected to foster and strengthen relations and provide the opportunity to intensify collaboration in the political, economic and social fields between Romania and Guyana. It will also provide a framework for advancing discussions on a possible economic agreement between our two countries.

Teen busted with illegal gun, ammo POLICE on Friday detained a 17-year-old male at Emerald Tower Road, Soesdyke/Linden Highway after he was found in possession of three live rounds of.32 ammunition and.32 revolver.

Police, in a release, said an investigation has been launched into the incident. On the same day, officers acting on information received, went to the home of a 52-year-old female resident of First Avenue, Bartica and conducted a search, where

The confiscated gun they found 25.1 grams of cocaine and 16.1 grams of cannabis.

According to the

police, the woman was arrested and is being processed for court on Monday.

11

SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 7, 2018

Health Ministry targets successful coverage –– as round two of MDA against filaria commences

By Vishani Ragobeer

THE second of five annual rounds of the Mass Drug Administration (MDA) to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) commonly known as ‘filaria’ was launched on Friday at the Square of the Revolution.

Head of Neglected Infectious Diseases, Vector Control Services (VCS) and National Coordinator for the Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis Campaign, Dr. Fabu Moses, shared that the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) is striving to achieve successful coverage once again.

In 2017, the MDA was restarted after failing to achieve at least 65 per cent coverage a few times before. At the end of the first annual round of the MDA, a whopping 86 per cent coverage was recorded for Guyana.

Citing sources that indicate success of the MDA across the world, Dr. Moses affirmed: “It is important and it is possible to eliminate this disease, so that [it] is no longer a public health problem.”

Furthermore, she posited, “As a country we must feel encouraged to ensure that these studies are replicated in our own country.”

Guyana, unfortunately, is the only country in the Americas yet to scale up the MDA to 100 per cent geographical coverage. The campaign was restarted last year, but in Regions Three, Four, Five and 10; these were regions considered endemic in the 2001 survey done to assess the prevalence of Lymphatic Filariasis.

The MDA had previously failed to meet its mark, because of lapses in the youth demographic, among other factors. The Ministry of Education (MoE) was however recruited last year, so that pills could be distributed in schools.

While this has contributed to the overall success of the campaign, Health Promotion Coordinator of the MoE, Dionne Browne, told the gathering of medical personnel and pill distributors that the ministry is “fully on board” the programme.

Dr. Moses said that as the second round unfolds, the MoPH has “upped its game” even more in the fight against filaria. Moving towards eliminating the disease as a public health problem, three new interventions will be tapped, according to Moses.

The first will be to conduct a remapping survey in the six regions where the MDA is not being conducted, as a follow-up to the 2001 survey.

Dr. Moses had previously explained to the Guyana Chronicle that through this remapping exercise, trained and qualified health personnel would go into areas within the regions and collect random blood samples from children aged 6-14-- once permission has been granted -- to determine the prevalence of LF. Should there be more than a two per cent prevalence in the areas within the regions, the MDA will be conducted there.

The second intervention is to explore the introduction another pill, Ivermectin, to the MDA regimen. She explained that nu-

Members of Merundoi put on a skit to show how Lymphatic Filariasis is transmitted to persons

Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) Country Representative, Dr. William Adu-Krow (Adrian Narine photo) merous studies show that using Ivermectin alongside the Diethylcarbamazine Citrate (DEC) and Albendazole (ALB) currently being disseminated, could reduce the number of years needed for the MDA. And finally, lymphatic drainage to reduce edema-- the abnormal accumulation of fluid in certain tissues within the body-- is another intervention which seeks to make the external manifestations of filaria less noticeable and more manageable.

Adding to Dr. Moses’ sentiments was Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) Country Representative, Dr. William Adu-Krow, who said, “The disease can go hidden for many years and that is the important thing.”

IRREVERSIBLE In fact, once infected, it could take up to 20 years for the external manifestations of LF to appear- i.e., the chronic and irreversible conditions of lymphoedema (tissue swelling), elephantiasis (skin/tissue thickening) of the limbs and hydrocele (scrotal swelling).

He also shared that the disease causes a disability, which in turn causes a loss of productivity. This, coupled with the stigma attached to the external manifestations, can make someone’s life very difficult, according to him. “[Can] You imagine someone who has to drag his or her foot to go to the clinic?

They don’t wanna go,” he said and stressed that this is just one reason the pills must be taken to prevent development of the disease.

He noted also that Guyana is one of the four countries in the Americas (in addition to Haiti, The Dominican Republic and Brazil) left to eliminate the disease and questioned, “Other countries have done it.

What makes us different?”

Adu-Krow also highlighted that about US$1M is expended each year on the MDA and that money is only spent because “We have to chase [filaria] away.”

Regional Health Officer (RHO) for Region Four, Dr. Quincy Jones, shared similar

sentiments of the country representative.

“WHO and Guyana’s undertaking to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis is a costly one requiring intensive fiscal and technical resources, but the social and economic benefits to be had in the elimination of LF would far outweigh the costs,” he stated.

Dr. Jones also affirmed that the fight against the disease, which causes disability and loss of economic activity, is also a fight against poverty.

Head of Neglected Infectious Diseases, Vector Control Services (VCS) and National Coordinator for the Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis campaign, Dr. Fabu Moses (Adrian Narine photo)

NOT AN ELUSIVE DREAM “The evidence is there that the elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis in Guyana is not an elusive dream, but a real possibility,” Jones highlighted and posited, “Someday, an event like this [launch] will be held to declare that LF is no longer a public health problem but has been arrested, convicted and sentenced to banishment.”

For the MDA to be successful, generally, 65 per cent of the total at-risk population must be administered the pills. The DEC and ALB must be taken once every year for five consecutive years for them to be effective in eliminating the disease. Three DEC pills are given, along with one ALB pill; these are responsible for eradicating the bacteria.

Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) or ‘filaria’, as it is more commonly called, affects the body’s lymphatic system, which functions to remove unwanted fluids from the body and transports ‘lymph.’ The latter is a fluid which contains white blood cells that help to fight infections.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that this disease is caused by infection with parasitic worms called nematodes, classified as ‘filarial worms.’

In Guyana, filariasis is caused by the wuchereria bancrofti worm and is transmitted from human to human by the culex mosquito.

PAHO Country Representative Dr. William Adu-Krow, leads the way by taking his pills to safeguard against Lymphatic Filariasis during the launch of the programme at the Square of the Revolution (Vishani Ragobeer photo)

12

SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 7, 2018

AFC rolls out ‘Fit and Proppa’ candidates

By M Margaret Burke

RESOUNDING was the applause that greeted Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo as he rose to the podium to deliver his remarks at the launch of the Alliance For Change (AFC) local government elections campaign.

The campaign was launched at the party’s head office in Kitty, Georgetown, on Saturday and saw attendance from members across the country.

Nagamootoo urged the full house of hundreds of

members to ensure that their campaign is guided by dignity and respect for all people and not to be pulled into unwanted situations.

He noted that it was President David Granger, who with his team on the campaign trail for the 2015 National Elections, had promised to hold Local Government Elections once elected to government and as such, must receive acknowledgement in this regard.

“This is a fight; there is a contest to show that we can make a difference in our communities and to improve

conditions in the villages.

When we begin to reap the resources from the oil-andgas industry, more and more money will go back into the villages and to the NDCs; and it is there that we need responsible leadership, honest leadership to be able to handle the resources and to use it to build new markets, new cemeteries, new streets, to clean the drains, to get rid of the garbage, to look after the playgrounds, to fix the nursery schools, to fix the community centres.

“We will be able to transform Guyana from bottom up

A section of the gathering at the launch of the AFC local government elections campaign (Delano Williams photo)

and the Alliance For Change must lead this revolution to make Guyana truly democratic. But we are in a contest, not a war; we are not here to shoot down our partner in the coalition government… because we are the AFC+APNU government,” Nagamootoo said.

He went on to say that the AFC+APNU is united at the level of central government and noted the saying, ‘unity without struggle is useless.’

According to the prime minister, the AFC is telling its partners in the coalition that it wants a place on every council in Guyana. The party has a place in the National Assembly and the Cabinet.

“We must be respectful and do not indulge in personality attacks however

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo addressing party members at the launch of the AFC local government elections campaign (Delano Williams photo) Our philosophy has always been that the people of Guyana, citizens in communities are the ones that must take control.

Also, our partner in the APNU was instrumental in ensuring that we have local government back on board,” she said.

YOUNG PEOPLE She noted that a lot of people did not understand the process the first time around. However, this time, the majority of the AFC candidates are young people, many below the age of 35.

Hughes said the AFC AFC executive Cathy Hughes rallies members at wants to ensure that it gives the launch of the party’s local government elections youths the opportunity to campaign (Delano Williams photo) start to get the necessary who are capable of providing experience to be the future leaders of tomorrow; and it provoked; you must be… effective leadership. is no better place for them to He also said that the eftherefore, we want you start but at the local governforts of the party to mobilise to conduct this fight with ment level. discipline; to conduct this throughout Guyana have She is hoping that young borne fruit. fight smartly; to go after people will go into their “We are going to win the hearts of people; this regions, into their NDCs, is a battle for the mind to and we are going to win into the local organs and handsomely in most of the go out there as soldiers; represent and serve their constituencies that we are to speak to ordinary folks communities. contesting; have confidence in the villages to win their “Change is a process… votes. Overall, it is also to in yourself; have confidence each of us today commits in the Alliance For Change; get people to come out to have confidence in your lead- to being an important link vote,” he offered. ership; most of all have con- in that chain. A chain that fidence in your own ability to can grow in length with hard DISENCHANTED be an agent for change,” the work, tirelessly pounding the COMMUNITIES streets of our communities, Nagamootoo said that prime minister said. knocking on doors and taking Minister of Public Telethere is a lot of disenchantthe time to educate… taking communications, Cathy ment and resignation at time to instill hope in our Hughes, also congratulated the level of communities. citizens,” she said.

On that note, he urged each and every member of Minister of Public Inthe party for taking the bold members to tell the people frastructure, David Patstep to stand up and be countthat if they are not involved terson, also echoed simiin local politics, they are ed, to commit to serving their lar sentiments and urged communities and committing giving up their own terriparty members to be good and recommitting to the valtory, the territory that they citizens throughout the ues of the AFC. know best. campaign by conducting “We have selected strateHe noted that the AFC themselves with integrity gic areas and we are fielding has put up candidates who and respect for every other more than 600 candidates have integrity, honesty, comperson they meet along the petence and energy. Most across the country and for us way. it is important. of whom are young people

SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 7, 2018

Guyana explores partnerships ...

From page 3

to the Middle East with Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson and a technical team, it was indicated that Guyana is not in a position to subscribe to the shares of the other institutions; however, it is hoped that in the future, the country would be in a better position to join the other sections of the financial institution.

The IsDB, however, according to Minister Jordan has expressed a willingness to assist Guyana in joining other institutions. A programming mission is expected from the Islamic Bank at the end of October.

“They are going to come to look at other areas that they can invest in Guyana. Previously, we spoke heavily about agriculture and agricultural diversification; we talked about public utilities, particularly electricity and renewable energy; we talked about roads and we also looked at rural development in the context of putting infrastructure, especially in the five new towns that we would have created. So they are going to come with a programming mission at the end of this month,” the finance minister explained.

In December, a fact-finding mission is also expected to be conducted.

AGREEMENT SIGNED During that visit to the Middle East last September, Minister Jordan signed a loan agreement with the IsDB for US$20M for major upgrades to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), as part of its Development and Expansion Programme for 2014 to 2021, as well as a US$900,000.00 grant agreement for the Reverse Linkage Project, which aims to enhance the stability and sustainability of Guyana’s rice sector.

The project seeks to diversify the rice sector with the production of new varieties of rice with an increase in rice exports.

The delegation also visited Kuwait with the intention of formally requesting a write-off of a decades-old loan. Minister Jordan explained that Guyana had borrowed approximately US$10 million from Kuwait in the 1970s; however, the amount has grown to more US$70 million because of interest.

The trip was part of a broader recognition that aims to develop and diversify Guyana’s economy, partnerships with overseas investors and lending agencies.

During the visit to Kuwait, former Prime Minister, His Highness Sheikh, Dr. Nasser Mohammed Al Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, who had visited Guyana on July 19, 2010, hosted a grand luncheon/ banquet for 40 persons which included Ministers Jordan and Patterson; Donna Yearwood, Head, Debt Management, Ministry of Finance; Guyana’s Ambassador to Kuwait, Professor Dr. Shamir Ally; wife Dr. Maryann Beebe Ally; and 35 high-ranking Kuwait officials, including His Excellency Khaled Suliman AL-Jarallah, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, who was on the team to Guyana on July 19, 2010.

During the luncheon, Minister Jordan as head of the delegation, raised Guyana’s US$10 million debt incurred in 1973 to the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA). A special request was also made for a waiver of the accumulated US$64 million interest and a repayment schedule for the US$10 million loan.

Both His Highness and the deputy foreign minister promised to pursue the relief for Guyana.

Minister Jordan also mentioned the opportunities for Kuwait investments and for public/private partnerships in agriculture, business and education.

13

Agri stations earmarked for major eco-zones in six regions – Min Holder Story and photos by Rabindra Rooplall AGRICULTURAL stations are earmarked for all the major eco-zones in Guyana and the stations are intended to demonstrate the agricultural potential within six identified regions.

This is according to Agriculture Minister Noel Holder, who was at the time addressing a gathering at the Ebini Agricultural Station, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice), during National Tree Planting Day held on Friday under the theme: “Trees, Good for Community, Great for Country.”

These stations, he said, will be developmental grounds for orchards, nurseries and seed production, as well as for breeding herds of cattle and small ruminants to provide stock for farmers and seed stock for entrepreneurs.

He explained that these initiatives will create new employment opportunities--both directly and indirectly -- as the country’s economic base is moved inland and will complement other activities such as mining, forestry and support-service activities.

Adding that this fits in perfectly as government aims to ‘Shape Agriculture for a Green Economy’, Minister Holder said low-lying coastal savannahs in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six will be targeted.

“The history of agricultural activity in these savannahs dates back to the 1930s, when the Kibilibiri and Ituni savannahs were used as ‘resting grounds’ for cattle brought by overland trail from the Rupununi Savannahs en route to Georgetown,” he reflected.

Minister Holder explained that the Ebini Agricultural Station was allocated a total area of land of approx-

Agriculture Minister Noel Holder flanked by officials during the planting exercise done at Ebini during National Tree Planting Day held on Friday. imately 54,000 acres.

The primary agricultural entities on the location include the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA); the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI); and the Ministry’s Hydrometeorological Service.

“A considerable portion of the land is under improved pastures and part is occupied by orchard crops and other areas of agricultural research.

The GLDA continues to work to identify breed types and pasture species suitable for these savannahs,” Holder said.

Currently, he said there are approximately 700 head of cattle and 300 sheep.

Over the last 15-20 years, Minister Holder said, a number of different breeds of animals have been developed and identified for the Ebini location, to get the best combination of livestock and pasture species.

Brahman Zebu, Beef master and Brangus is currently the breed types of cattle being investigated, along with a number of pasture

species.

Further, he noted that Ebini is also the national repository for the Barbados Black Belly breed of sheep.

Additionally, he said more reliable river transport is under consideration.

“The GLDA has procured a $50M cattle barge to transport animals for the farmers in the Berbice River and the Intermediate Savannahs.

NATIONAL TREE DAY The minister said that National Tree day is one of the ministry’s major activities in Agriculture Month, 2018.

“We should endeavour to maintain and add to our green landscape. Many times we ignore the little interventions which can have meaningful impact, such as enhancing our neighbourhoods by cleaning drains, planting trees, etc.,” he said.

The Agriculture Minister said another important aspect of the research programme as envisioned for Ebini, is the provision of formal training at the tertiary level.

CEO of NAREI, Dr. Oudho Homenauth (second from left) explaining to Region 10 Chairman Renis Morian and Minister Holder, the benefits of the orange orchard at Ebini.

“There will be a training centre for students from the University of Guyana (UG) and the Guyana School of Agriculture. These facilities will include accommodation and modern teaching aids.

Through government-to-government collaboration, we will rely on the invaluable and vast experience available in Brazil for the management of our savannah ecosystem,” Holder disclosed.

Meanwhile, Minister Holder noted that under the Sustainable Agriculture Development Project (SADP), more emphasis will be placed on soybean cultivation under an IDB- funded project, which will commence in early 2019.

He explained that the IDB component focuses on strengthening the agricultural innovation and extension system, and will finance the buildings and equipment required at the Ebini Agricultural Station.

He stressed that Guyana is particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of climate change, particularly the low-lying coastal regions, where well over 80 percent of the nation’s population reside.

“Due to the effects of rising sea levels, we must concentrate on adapting to, and/or mitigating the impacts of climate change by, inter alia, extending our agricultural base inland and these Intermediate Savannahs of Region 10 (approximately 292,000 hectares ) have been earmarked as Guyana’s new agricultural frontier,” Minister Holder stated.

In attendance at the event were parliamentarians, members of the diplomatic corps, toshaos, regional officials, farmers and other residents of Region 10.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 7, 2018

Cubana Air Disaster…

PM makes pledge against terrorism in settling differences PRIME Minister, Moses Nagamootoo reiterated his pledge against encouraging or condoning terrorism in settling differences or con-

troversies.

During his remarks at the wreath laying ceremony in observance of the 42nd Anniversary of the Cubana Air

Disaster, held on Saturday at the University of Guyana’s Turkeyen campus, the prime minister also shared a poem he had written in 1976 to

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo laying a wreath in observance of the 42nd Anniversary of the Cubana Air Disaster (Delano Williams Photos) express outrage against the terrorist act.

Addressing relatives and friends of the victims, the prime minister said the bombing claimed the lives of Guyanese, Cubans and Koreans.

The Guyanese who perished included Margaret Bradshaw, Sabrina Harrypaul 9, Seshnarine Kumar 18, Ann Nelson 18, Eric Norton 18, Raymond Persaud, Gordon M. Sobha, Rawle Thomas 18, Rita Thomas, Violet Thomas and Jacqueline Williams 19.

Minister Nagamootoo said Guyanese will continue to collectively share the grief and loss over the calculated mass murder, while reaffirming our commitment to the rule of law and international norms for the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

Quoting former President of Cuba, Fidel Castro, Nagamootoo said “when our grief is multiplied injustice trembles.”

He explained that the terrorist attack not only targeted Cuba, but Barbados, Trinidad and Guyana, which had together defied the US-imposed isolation policy by establishing diplomatic relations with revolutionary island state in 1972.

“Guyana has paid a heavy price in the loss of precious lives for dictating its own policies and goals together with all the other small Caribbean states towards a sister Caribbean nation. The Cubana terrorist bombing brought us shared grief and it also strengthened our resolve not to sever close bonds with our Cuban brothers and sisters,” the Prime Minister said.

He said it is a reminder not to surrender to bullyism over sovereignty and unimpeded access to Guyana’s natural resources.

“Today terrorism is no longer a deadly export cargo, it has become home grown, no state could be insulated as we have seen 25 years after Cubana with the horrendous 911 tragedy, and elsewhere too many innocent people in-

cluding babies, children and students are being slaughtered daily in mindless acts of terrorism,” the Prime Minister noted.

Ambassador of Cuba, Narciso Reinaldo Amador Socorro, in his address, said October 6th has been adopted in Cuba as the day of ‘Victims of State Terrorism’ in perpetual remembrance of those killed as a result of terrorist acts against Cuba.

“The sabotage of Cubana de Aviacion aircraft on October 6, 1976, best known as: ‘The Crime of Barbados’ has left an unforgettable sorrow in the hearts of Guyanese and Cuban people. For that reason we are gathered together in the rejection of terrorism, the highest expression of irrational hatred,” the Cuban envoy said.

The ambassador said that history has shown that unity, solidarity and cooperation amongst peoples are the best ways to overcome aggression and adversaries.

“Nothing will stop our two countries to continue working together for peace, happiness and sustainable prosperity of our two nations,” the Cuban envoy said.

President of the Guyana Cuba Solidarity Movement (GCSM), Halim Khan said forty two years ago a Douglas DC-8 aircraft trundled down the runway at Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados and took off, climbing into a blue Caribbean sky.

“As Flight 455 reached 18,000 feet, a bomb went off under an empty seat, the plane’s ascent slowed and it began to bank dangerously.

Eight minutes later a second bomb went off in the toilet at the back of the plane and the plane plunged into the ocean. Everyone on board perished,” Khan said.

Further, he noted that the 73 persons on board perished including a girl, aged nine.

The GCSM President said Luis Posada Carriles, who was identified as a See page 15

15

SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 7, 2018

National awardee Michael Abraham battles rare disease

By Alva Solomon

IN 2009, Michael Anthony Abraham, A.A, a renowned son of the Rupununi, was strumming his guitar at an event marking the centennial anniversary of the Roman Catholic Church in the region when his guitar pick fell out of his hand.

He stopped, bent down to retrieve the pick with his right hand when he realised his fingers were not closing around the item. He had to seek help.

It was the early signs of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord and today remains without a cure since its cause(s) remain(s) unknown. It is also referred to as ‘Lou Gehrig’s Disease’, after an American baseball player who played for the New York Yankees. Gehrig’s career came to an end after he was diagnosed with the ailment. The disease forced him to retire at 36, and was the cause of his death in 1938.

More recently, awareness of the disease was made famous globally between 2014 and 2015 by the ‘Ice-Bucket Challenge,’ an exercise in which participants would pour ice-cold buckets of water over their heads.

Abraham and his family are familiar with the Ice – Bucket Challenge. More so, they have become familiar with the challenges they face daily as a result of the ailment.

These days, the 70-yearold sits and watches television. The former parliamentarian who represented the then opposition, The United Force (TUF) from 19781992, follows current affairs via the newspaper but someone always has to be by his side to assist him in opening the pages. “I consider him relatively lucky, because he does not suffer any pain,” his wife Eleanor said.

She told the Guyana Chronicle that in 2009, after her husband developed a lack of movement in his right hand, his shoulders also started to weaken. Several tests and a surgery for carpel tunnel syndrome were performed on his hands after they both showed signs of weakness.

Later, during the last quarter of 2014, following an operation on his hands at the Georgetown Medical Centre, the doctors assumed that his condition would improve at least by February the following year. This was not the case.

Everyone was puzzled.

Maybe because ALS is such a rare disease that detection was difficult.

WHAT EXACTLY IS ALS? According to the ALS Association, the disease affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.

“Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive

years for the patient, he /she can live as much as five years and beyond.

Based on research conducted on population studies, a little over 5,000 people in the US are diagnosed with ALS each year. At 15 new cases daily, it is estimated there are more than 20,000 Americans with the disease at any given time.

Database records in the US indicate that 60 per cent of the people with ALS in the system are men and 93 per cent of patients in the database are Caucasian. Of note, the ALS Association said that most people who develop ALS are between ages 40 and 70, with an average age of 55 at the time of diagnosis.

Through thick and thin: Michael Abraham and wife, Eleanor degeneration of the motor she loses the ability to walk, neurons in ALS eventually dress, write, speak, swallow leads to death,” the organ- and breathe, shortening the isation said on its website. life span. It was noted that Once the disease takes ef- although the life expectancy fect on a human being, he or after diagnosis is three to five

PM makes pledge...

From page 14

CIA-backed anti-Castro movement terrorist, was never convicted or faced any sanctions living out his old age somewhere in the US. “This was confirmed by the CIA in 2005. The agency had concrete advance intelligence as early as June 1976 of plans by Cuban exile terrorist groups in Miami to bomb the airline,” Khan said.

Ambassador of Cuba, Narciso Reinaldo Amador Socorro and GCSM President, Halim Khan exchange greetings at the Cubana Air Disaster monument at UG.

FINALLY DIAGNOSED After travelling to Brazil in 2014 for more tests which led to no answer on Abraham’s condition, the family was searching desperately for any hint of a diagnosis. As such they contacted a Dr. Crandon, a neurologist at the Balwant Singh Hospital.

He was the first person who suggested that Abraham may have the “motor neuron disease,” another term which is used to describe ALS. Abraham travelled to the US in March 2015 and that month confirmation came after a visit to a clinic in Miami. “They tested everything and that’s when we knew for sure it is ALS,” his wife said.

Progressively, between 2009 to 2015 Abraham lost movement in a few of his limbs and was confined to a wheelchair during the latter years when he was diagnosed with ALS. “Around 2016 to 2017 he lost movement in all his limbs,” his wife said.

Today, he is rapidly losing his voice.

“He got very thin and it’s quite a lot, but I’m here,” his wife said. On a 24-hour basis someone monitors her husband’s condition.

While he does not experience any pain, the family would take him to local doctors for colds or breathing ailments.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS Recently, a team of doctors wanted to discuss Abraham’s case since they could not determine what

was wrong prior to his diagnosis.

Doctors in the medical field here in Guyana, told this publication that the patient can only be treated for ailments associated with the disease since there is no cure.

But there are some recent developments.

On September 26, this year, the day Abraham celebrated his 70th birthday, the official blog of the ALS Association reported that testing of a pill, called ibudilast or MN-166, which can impact inflammation in the brain and spinal cord has seen positive feedback from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

This was based on tests performed by California-based biopharmaceutical company MedicNova on several persons suffering from ALS. “There is evidence that neuroinflammation accompanies motor neuron death in ALS. Over 20 years ago, ibudilast was approved in Japan to treat post-stroke complications and asthma,” the report said. MedicNova plans to move ahead with another phase of testing based on the FDA feedback.

COMFORT IN THE INTERNET This information may definitely bring comfort to the Abraham family.

His wife participates in regular conversations on a group-chat called ‘ALS’ on social media platform, Facebook. She said that she recognises that there are others around the world who are in pain, while the families of other patients provide regular updates and information on the disease such as findings and research for a cure.

“Most people confuse his condition with a stroke,” Eleanor said. “That is totally not the case, he has nothing that involves pain,” she said.

She said the family is trying their best to ensure her husband gets all the care he needs. “The neurologist said all we can do for him is to try to keep him comfortable,” Eleanor said as her husband sat nearby.

“He still listens to his country and western music, Marty Robbins and others so we always have hope,” she added with hints of positivism in her voice.

Women top nat

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 7, 2018

By Alva Solomon

PRESIDENT David Granger said the nation has an obligation to pay homage to its distinguished sons and daughters who have provided outstanding service to their communities.

He shared these sentiments during his address to the 97 recipients, their relatives, friends and well-wishers during the 2018 Investiture ceremony at the National Cultural Centre.

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and several other ministers of government also attended the event.

“Our nation honours them out of respect for the values which they exemplified and contributions which they have made

and continue to make,” the President said.

He said the national order system seeks to recognise and rewards service men and women from all corners of the republic.

The President told the audience that the nation was built by the collective contributions of ordinary citizens from the academics, social organisations, political parties, religious groups and trade unions, among others.

The country, he said, relies on the patriotic work of its men and women who have rendered selfless service. The Head of State reminded the audience that the national order system is ordained by the Constitution of Guyana.

The President said the national order system, under which national awards are conferred, is not a “ceremonial or cosmetic

Baidwantie Balgobin being conferred with the Medal of Service by President Granger (Delano Williams photo)

Professor Alvin Oliver Thompson being conferred with the Cacique Crown of Honour by President David Granger (Delano Williams photo)

Executive Chairman of DDL, Komal Samaroo being conferred with the Cacique Crown of Honour by President David Granger (Delano Williams photograph)

Vice –President of Conservation International, Dr David Singh being conferred with the Golden Arrow of Achievement by President Granger (Delano Williams photo)

Child rights activist Aleema Nasir receives the Golden A President David Granger (Delano Williams photograph)

Broadcaster, Dr. Rovin Deodat being conferred with the Golden Arrow of Achievement by President David Granger (Delano Williams photo)

President David Granger confers the Medal of Service on Morgan Allicock for his contributions to the nation (Delano Williams photograph)

A section of th

tional awardees 17

SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 7, 2018

ritual as some seem to think”. He said it is an essential cultural convention used to express appreciation to those who served selflessly.

The President said Saturday’s investiture ceremony was a public manifestation of appreciation to those who have rendered exemplary service to the nation.

Forty-nine women from various fields were among those who were conferred with national awards by President David Granger.

On Saturday, Executive Chairman of the Demerara Distillers Limited, Komal Samaroo, Professor Alvin Oliver Thompson and retired Justice Oslen Small were conferred with the Cacique Crown of Honour.

A total of 41 persons were conferred with the Golden Arrow of Achievement, including Nations University’s Dr. Brian O’Toole, former volleyball player, Lenox Shuffler, educator Donna Chapman, trade unionist Norris Witter and broadcaster, Dr. Rovin Deodat.

Distance athlete, Cleveland Forde, animal rights activist, Syeada Manbodh, Desiree Edghill and broadcaster, Julie Lewis were among those persons who were conferred with the Medal of Service. Commissioner of Police Leslie James was conferred with the Disciplined Services Star while the Disciplined Services Medal was conferred on Deputy Commissioner of Police, Paul Williams as well as retired Divisional Fire Officer, Patrick Carmichael.

Retired Justice Oslen Small being conferred with the Cacique Crown of Honour by President David Granger (Delano Williams photograph)

Police Commissioner Leslie James shortly after he was conferred with the Disciplined Services Star by President David Granger (Delano Williams photograph)

Arrow of Achievement from )

National athlete Cleveland Forde is all smiles as he is being conferred with the Medal of Service by President David Granger (Delano Williams photograph)

Photographer Sandra Prince after she was conferred with the Medal of Service by President David Granger. Prince, who is attached to the Ministry of the Presidency, has served in her current capacity for some two decades (Delano Williams photograph)

Deputy Commissioner of Police Paul Williams being conferred with the Disciplined Services Medal by the President (Delano Williams photograph)

he gathering at the Investiture Ceremony (Delano Williams photograph)

Casey Hastings of the Cuyuni/Mazaruni being conferred with the Medal of Service by President Granger for his contribution to his community (Delano Williams photograph)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 7, 2018

Picking up pieces after the Ann’s Grove fire NADIA Fraser, a resident of Ann’s Grove who was tremendously affected by a fire on Wednesday which completely destroyed her neighbour’s house, is now looking to put the pieces back together in her home following some amount of water and fire damage.

During this newspaper’s visit to her home on Thursday, Fraser recounted that on Wednesday she was just getting out of bed to cook at 05:00hrs, when she heard someone calling out to her brother to alert him about the fire.

She said that she quickly ran back upstairs to call the Guyana Fire Service and then alerted the rest of the

community, who came out in numbers, some crying; others armed themselves with buckets to douse her building as the fire was blowing towards it.

By the end of it all, she had suffered damage to a number of household items, including her furniture. She also spoke of extensive damage which was done to the wall and window which she has already begun repairing with the help of her sister, who had previously lived at the house.

According to Fraser, she cannot immediately put a price tag to the amount of money she is expected to spend to get her place back in order; but she did indicate

that some items which had to be thrown away would also have to be replaced.

She also confirmed that the damage will surely cause her several setbacks.

Meanwhile, over at the house where the fire took place, friends and relatives of the pensioner who is still overseas were looking to see what they could salvage from among the rubble.

We were told that the woman is finding it hard to cope with the complete destruction of her home, but according to local relatives, she has seven of her eight children beside her and they have been offering the support she needs.

One of her sons is also The level of destruction left at the pensioner’s home after Wednesday’s blaze

Some of the items which were burnt in the kitchen area

A number of items were partly burnt, but were also salvaged expected to travel to Guyana soon to take control of the situation here, as the family ponders the next move.

The Guyana Fire Service is of the view that

the fire started as a result of an overheated wire, which was triggered by a number of power outages which the community had experienced before the fire was discovered.

The man who was charged with taking care of the building

SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 7, 2018

Cellphones, wine, pepper sauce –– among other items found during search of prisons

A SEARCH conducted by the Joint Services on prisons countrywide on Saturday revealed that the proliferation of cellphones among prisoners has not ceased.

Police, in a release, said the search has unearthed 28 cellular phones; four SIM cards; a memory card and four earplugs; in excess of 30 cell phone chargers/batteries; 20 smoking utensils; 65 improvised weapons; 24 metal spoons; 84 cigarette lighters; five pairs of scissors; a staple machine; 6 USB cables; a tattoo machine; two mirrors; playing cards; ashtrays and a quantity of razor blades, nails, wires, cigarettes, cannabis, sand paper and stones.

Police said bottles of homemade wine and pepper sauce were also found.

Prison officials confirmed that at Lusignan Holding Bays, inmates hurled stones and other objects at the ranks. There were no incidents at the other locations.

Acting Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels has called on all prison warders and officers to desist from trafficking contraband in the prisons, while asking those who are guilty to understand the consequences as the law will take its course.

He said the prison’s motto: “Together We Serve” is one which officers swore to uphold and which is widely repeated during the annual anniversary when the celebrations of the high-risk job is observed.

“It is said that once you have compromised yourself by becoming a trafficker, you are not allowed to stop even if you want to stop.

I say to you, you have the power to do anything. Therefore, do something good. Do what is right,” Samuels said.

Some of the items found at the prisons countrywide

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 7, 2018

Rich harvest –– New Frontiers Agriculture prepares to reap 100 acres of corn from Ebini farm

ACCORDING to New Frontier Agriculture, approximately 100 acres of corn are set to be harvested from their Ebini farm, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice).

The crop, which was planted in July of 2018 as a test run, has the potential of paving the way for the cultivation of two other crops in 2019. Projections show the first crop being 600 acres with the possibility of a larger second crop.

NF Agriculture spokesperson Fabiana Buckley stated that the company is gratified with the results of the test crop, since it confirms the potential of the agricultural lands in the intermediate savannahs.

Buckley added, “We are going to continue to invest in this area as Guyana makes advances in agriculture and other areas.”

With the aim of NF Agriculture being to provide all of Guyana’s local stock market needs by 2020, the company has

already sold the first 100 acres of corn to local stockfeed producers.

In a press release, NF stated that they expect to be able to supply the CARICOM market with corn for their stockfeed industry in the near future and as a long-term plan to export beyond the Caribbean.

Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder, on a visit to the farm in September expressed satisfaction with the progress being made at Ebini by NF Agriculture.

Holder further said, “I am impressed with the organisation of this farm and this product of high quality.”

According to Buckley, NF Agriculture is committed to providing employment for residents of the Ebini community, adding, “As we grow we are committed to supporting the local community and making direct contributions to substance farmers operating in the area.”

While focusing on high yields, NF Agriculture is also focusing sharply on

A view of the New Frontier Agriculture’s corn field sustainability, techniques and products institute; bioethanol stations; large-scale that are environmentally friendly. The agricultural production of corn and soyseeds being used at the Ebini farm are bean; and a banking institution, amongst produced using a seed technology that other profitable opportunities for Guyana. allows the crop to be pest-resistant. This in In addition, students from across the turn reduces the need for use of harmful different regions of Guyana will gain many pesticides. opportunities in becoming knowledgeable The press release also noted that earlier about the agricultural industry, enabling this year, a Memorandum of Understand- Guyana to better compete in the agriculing (MoU) was signed between NF Agri- ture sector on the world stage. culture Inc and investors of Lucas do Rio The company, which began work Verde, which will see the commencement here in Guyana in 2016, has had a posof an Agricultural Village in Guyana’s itive impact thus far on the surroundIntermediate Savannahs. ing communities and intends to have This advancement will see the con- an even greater impact in the coming struction of a state-of-the-art research months and years.

Digicel data disruption caused by Suriname gov’t shutdown

City Hall CoI ...

City Hall not paying employees’ pension deductions ASIDE from not remitting employees’ union dues and National Insurance Scheme (NIS) deductions, the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (MCC) has also not been handing over its employees’ pension deductions and is in arrears on its fire and motor insurance policies, amounting to some $24 million.

As the Commission of Inquiry into City Hall continued on Friday, Ewart Adams, Deputy Managing-Director of Insurance Brokers Guyana Limited (IBGL), MCC’s Insurance brokers, testified that the municipality has stopped remitting its employees’ pension deductions since March 2017. “We haven’t received pension monies [since] the month of February, 2017. The last payment received was February 2017 for $776,523, from March 2018 up to September 2018; it’s approximately $14.5 million owed,” Ad-

ams informed.

“We [IBGL] would handle the administrative pension plan, which is with GTM; the motor insurance is with GCIS and the fire insurance is between Hand-in-Hand and GTM. Payments are made by MCC to IBGL for onward transmission to the respective insurance companies. The fire and motor policies are every six months duration, and the pension plan is paid on a monthly basis.”

Of course, this non-payment will affect the innocent employees of the MCC. “It is worrying to me, as well as the employees of MCC, because what it basically means is if someone retires from MCC, they will not receive their full pensions as would be refunded by GTM, due to the short payment by MCC, and the fact of the matter is; it is monies deducted from employees’ salaries on a monthly basis and not remitted. You have to

ensure monies deducted from your employees’ salaries are utilised for what it was deducted for and not for any other purpose,” Adams asserted.

As it pertains to the fire and motor, MCC owes another $9.5 million.

“The council is in arrears for motor and fire to the sum of $9,566,304.

This represents the period February 2017 for motor vehicle and December 2017 for fire,” Adams said.

Adams explained to the commission being chaired by Justice (ret’d) Cecil Kennard, that as recent as a few days ago, he was running to the MCC to have the situation rectified; however, he has not been successful.

“It has not been rectified as recent as yesterday [Thursday]. I was at City Council [on Thursday]. I have been making a concerted effort to have the monies paid by MCC. Ms. [Sharon] Harry, the town clerk who was act-

Ewart Adams, Deputy Managing Director of Insurance Brokers Guyana Limited ing, had promised to have these payments.

She asked me to deal with Mr. Douglas, who is the acting city treasurer. I went to see Mr. Douglas three weeks ago without any success; he advised his secretary for me to check with him the following week. On my return to the City Council to see Mr. Douglas, I was asked to see Ms. Harry again,” Adams relayed, further conveying that: “I have not been impressed, not by Mr. Douglas; Ms Harry did try to accommodate me and have the matter attended to, but she is unable to.”

THE disruption in data services for Digicel subscribers over the past few days has been caused by a reported shutdown of what the Surinamese government has deemed an illegal microwave link that supplied data from Digicel (Suriname) to Digicel (Guyana).

This was reported in a Demerara Waves article published early in the day on Friday. Previously, the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) had called for an investigation into Digicel’s alleged “illegal, unlicensed trans-border link between Guyana and Suriname.”

The company alleged that an illegal bypass operation has been active for more than five years, which has led to the loss of approximately US$30M in revenues to Guyana. The telephone giant had also demanded that Digicel make public its records, detailing tax payments on the revenue generated by this perceived illegal bypass operation in the interest of transparency.

In light of the current situation, GTT’s claims has been brought to the fore once more. Nevertheless, GTT said in a release: “We stand ready to work with Digicel to restore their connectivity as soon as possible.”

The release further related, “We have made commercial offers to Digicel over an extended period to provide capacity that would resolve, or have avoided, their current network failure,” but also highlighted, “We have not taken any legal action against any Digicel Suriname or the Surinamese Government.”

When contacted on Friday by this newspaper for a comment on the issue, Public Relations Officer of Digicel Guyana, Vidya Sanichara related that the company was working on an official statement which will be disseminated later in the day.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 7, 2018

Kwakwani encouraged to ‘break the silence’ on child abuse

IN an attempt to bring about awareness on the ongoing issue of child abuse, the Childcare and Protection Agency, Kwakwani branch, held a grand “Break the Silence Rally” in observance of Child Protection Week 2018.

The rally was held in Kwakwani on Thursday under the theme, “Supporting families to prevent child abuse through education and community involvement.”

The event which commenced at the Kwakwani Arch and ended at the Worrels ground, saw the participation of students from the community’s daycare centre, Kwakwani Primary and Secondary Schools, the Kwakwani Neighbourhood Democratic Council Probation Department, Kwakwani Hospital, Kwakwani Utility

Inc., amongst others.

The Senior Childcare and Protection Officer attached to Kwakwani, Cameal Jeffery, said the Child care and Protection Agency is taking a stand towards ending child abuse.

She added that it is time the residents of Kwakwani “speak up and speak out,” against child abuse.

Community members were encouraged to work together to make Kwakwani a “safe zone” for children.

An outstanding parade was also held in Linden last week, as they joined the rest of Guyana in the observation of Child Protection Week 2018.

Regional Chairman of Region 10, Rennis Morian, in his remarks, urged fathers to get involved in their children’s lives. “I want to

Hassle-free acquisition of ammunition for indigenous peoples GIVEN the lack of proper infrastructure to store ammunition in bulk in the various indigenous communities, the government through the Ministry of Public Security has initiated discussions with the villages and the police force to put systems in place to have this issue addressed.

The move is in an effort to make the lives of indigenous peoples easier as the firearm is one of their main means of survival as it is used for the protection of their crops and for hunting.

The announcement was made on Friday at Kamarang in Region Seven by Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan, while addressing close to 300 indigenous persons drawn from twelve different communities.

The Ministry issued firearm approval letters and firearm licences in keeping with an earlier promise made to the communities following the 2015 gun amnesty period which saw the villages in the Upper Mazaruni handing in the most weapons for which they had no legal documents to carry.

Minister Ramjattan told the residents the lobby has started for there to be safe houses in the Mazaruni areas where ammunition would be stored for those who are licenced to carry arms and ammunition.

This, he said, is necessary to remove the bugbear of having the villagers travel to the city each time they need to purchase ammunition.

According to what some of the residents indicated to this publication, they are often forced to expend large sums in transportation by air, land or water to travel out of the Mazaruni just to purchase ammunition. In many instances, the transportation fares cost more than the actual cost for the ammunition.

Ramjattan said he has already sought the advice of Commissioner of Police, Leslie James and Deputy Commissioner of Police Paul Williams to see how best the initiative can be rolled out and the logistics sorted out.

“These are sensitive matters and we are dealing with arms and ammunition here, so we also have to be mindful of theft but at the same time, we at the state level have to ensure that we are careful as to where and how we keep these things,” the security minister told the residents.

The residents were told that for such a process to be realised it has to be gazette as there are provisions in the law as to where and how ammunition are to be stored and what systems need to be put in place to facilitate the process.

One of the immediate arrangements being looked at by government is to have the Kamarang police station be used as one of the holding areas for the ammunition.

appeal to brothers in this community, our children need us, they need their fathers, I am sending out a call to our fathers, let us again, stand with our children,” he posited.

In March 2018, Director of the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA), Ann Greene, disclosed that Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice) has recorded the highest cases of child abuse, with some 22.1 per cent in 2017.

It is followed by Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) with 20.6 per cent and Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) with 17.6 per cent.

Students of Kwakwani Primary and Secondary Schools as they participate in the ‘Break the Silence’ Rally held in Kwakwani on Thursday

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, October 7, 2018

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, October 7, 2018

COURTS Pee Wee Football tournament 2018

Fifty-two goals scored on day two AN amazing fifty-two goals were scored on match-day two of the COURTS Pee Wee football tournament yesterday, at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta Avenue.

In the first game of the day, Mae’s overcame Sophia 1-0 thanks to Mikail Mason (29th) while Golden Grove inflicted a 6-0 drubbing on St Stephen’s thanks to Bryan Wharton (2nd, 3rd 15th), Travis Williams (5th), Ezekiel De Santos (24th) and Ketwain Clarke (27th).

F.E Pollard drew with

South Ruimveldt 2-2 after the former’s Colin Saul scored an own goal and later scored two for his team.

F.E. Pollard had Duquan Thom (5th) on target.

St Pius were big winners over Redeemer thanks to Kaden Wellington (1st, 3rd, 6th, 8th) who enabled their 4-0 win.

Marian Academy were spearheaded by Mailk Barker (13th, 26th, 27th, 30th), Asher Adams (4th, 24th) and Rom LaRose (10th) in their 7-0 drubbing over Clonbrook.

West Ruimveldt won 3-1 against BV thanks to Syon Sampson (5th), Jonathan Andries (7th) and Cleon LaRose (15th). BV had Omari Dennis (12th) on target.

Khy Atkins (8th, 26th) along with Christopher Whitter (7th) helped Enterprise get past Victoria 3-0.

Arvin Henry’s 19th minute strike could not save Den Amstel from their 4-1 defeat at the hands of Tucville through Carl Negus (1th, 6th), Emanuel Tinch (9th)

and John Harry (12th) Mocha Arcadia were 5-0 winners over J.E. Burnham with Mathew Murray (5th, 15th, 19th, 24th) and Jiheam Lewis (24th) on target while Timehri needled Ann’s Grove, thanks to Jaden Ceres (7th).

Colaaco won via walkover from Grove Colaaco while St Ambrose 5 beat Genesis (Parfaite Harmonie) 5-1. Joseph Henry (2nd, 7th, 14th), along with Kendre Carr (22nd) and Jacob Rodney (27th) were on target for Tucville while Michael Grant (28th) was on target for Genesis.

Match #29 Soesdyke won via walkover from Goed Fortuin, with Plaisance Bosco Orphanage beating Smith Memorial 1-0 thanks to Ezra Clarke (1st) and St Agnes won via walkover from Craig.

North Georgetown thumped St Margaret’s 5-0 thanks to Gray Primo (2nd, 9th) as well as Ronaldo Vera (8th), Martha Chance (15th) and Christian Rodius (29th).

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Sunday October 07, 2018) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 2259230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD83 Garnett Street, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Mahendra Singh Dhoni-144 (Kolkata, 2011) (2) Clyde Walcott-152 (Delhi, 1948-49) Today’s Quiz: (1) What is the highest total made in a Test innings by the WI (in India) against India?

(2) What is the highest total made in a Test innings by the WI (in the WI) against India?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, October 7, 2018

Hamilton picks up Pole in Japan (BBC) - LEWIS Hamilton took pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix with title rival Sebastian Vettel ninth after yet another Ferrari mix-up.

Hamilton set his pole lap in the first part of the final qualifying session while Ferrari missed an opportunity to run in the dry as a result of team and driver errors.

They erroneously sent the drivers out on treaded tyres in the dry at the start, and Vettel failed to get in a time after switching to dry-weather ‘slick’ tyres.

By the time of the second runs, it was already raining hard so no-one improved.

Vettel needed desperately to have a good weekend here in Japan after falling 50

points behind Hamilton in the title race after the Mercedes driver’s win in Russia last weekend. But instead it could not have been a lot worse.

With five races remaining, there is only a maximum of 125 points up for grabs.

Hamilton was 0.299 seconds quicker than team-mate Valtteri Bottas on their first runs in final qualifying, as behind them Ferrari’s session began to unravel.

The second session had been curtailed by a rain shower but the track was dry at the start of the final session and Ferrari chose to send both Vettel and teammate Kimi Raikkonen out on intermediate tyres.

Vettel realised it was an

Vettel, and Ferrari, will be sick of the sight of tyres after a woeful qualifying

error before he had even left the pits, but it meant he had to do a lap to bring the car back and fit slicks.

By the time they went out, Hamilton and Bottas had already set their times, and by the time the Ferrari drivers start-

ed their qualifying runs, the rain had just begun to fall.

Both ran wide at the Spoon curve, but Raikkonen only just; he did a time fast enough for fourth behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Vettel went off much

Noble House Seafoods 2nd division, two-day cricket competition

Browne, Barker star for Malteenoes runs, after Malteenoes won the toss and batted first.

Sophia had no answer for the openers as they rushed

to 165 before Barker was bowled and caught by his opposing number Annand Persaud for 86. The open-

Nichosie Barker

A CENTURY from Stephon Browne and an allround performance from his skipper Nichosie Barker pushed Malteenoes ahead of the Sophia Cricket Club after day one of their Noble House Seafoods second division, two-day cricket match yesterday at the GCC ground, Bourda.

Browne smacked 123 runs (14x4) while his opening partner Barker added 86

Stephon Browne scored 123 runs against Sophia.

er spanked five fours and four sixes in his time at the crease.

By lunch, Malteenoes were comfortably placed at 241-1 with Browne already on 101 and Clarence Baird on 35.

Baird did not add to his score after the break, since the ball was plucked out of the air at cover when he attempted a hard drive off the spin bowling of Persaud.

Malteenoes declared at 276-3 after Browne lost his wicket and with Barker firing with his off-spins, they were able to hold Sophia to 104-6 in 29 overs before play ended.

The captain led the charge with three wickets for 24 runs from nine overs.

Persaud scored 34 runs (4x4, 2x6), while Malcolm Morris supported with 27 runs (3x4, 2x6) and Mark Nedd with 19 (2x4, 1x6) for Sophia.

further and his time was good enough only for ninth, 4.432secs off pole.

Everyone went out again for a second attempt, but by now the rain was too hard and Ferrari’s woe was complete.

Ronaldo keeps Juve perfect record intact (BBC) - CRISTIANO Ronaldo scored a brilliant goal as Juventus maintained their 100% winning start by beating Udinese.

It comes during a week in which the Portugal forward “firmly” denied rape allegations.

Rodrigo Bentancur had headed in the opener for Serie A champions Juve, while Antonin Barak struck the foot of the post for the home side.

Udinese goalkeeper Simone Scuffet made a series of saves, the best of which was to keep out Joao Cancelo’s effort.

The victory means Massimiliano Allegri’s Juve side have eight wins out of eight in the league this season.

Ronaldo returned to

the starting line-up after missing the 3-0 Champions League win over Young Boys in midweek through suspension.

He was heavily involved in his side’s attacking play, and had headed one chance over the bar before netting Juventus’ second goal with a crisp finish into the far corner from Mario Mandzukic’s layoff.

In the second half, he had two low strikes kept out by the excellent Scuffet, who also dived sharply low to his right to deny Federico Bernardeschi after the substitute was set up

by Ronaldo.

Juve are back in action after the international break at home to Genoa.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, October 7, 2018

Smith helps Volcanoes flog Canada (CMC) – VETERAN opener Devon Smith struck the second century of the Regional Super50 and the eighth of his 50-overs career as title-holders Windward Islands Volcanoes opened their account with a convincing 73-run victory over minnows Canada here Friday night.

Opting to bat first at the Brian Lara Stadium in the Group A clash, Volcanoes piled up 337 for nine off their 50 overs, with Smith top-scoring with 132 off 110 balls – the knock coming just 15 days shy of the left-hander’s 37th birthday.

Kavem Hodge thrilled with a sensational unbeaten 84 from 46 deliveries while former West Indies Test batsman Kirk Edwards stroked 61 and Tyrone Theophile, 31, as Volcanoes flexed their muscles to outclass the North Americans.

In reply, Canada put Volcanoes under pressure early and were well poised at 174 for one in the 30th over before the innings collapsed with the last eight wickets tumbling for 65 runs.

Navneet Dhaliwal struck a near run-a-ball 80 while opening partner Rodrigo Thomas chipped in with 55 and Nitish Kumar, 38.

The innings was undermined by off-spin-

ner Alick Athanaze who grabbed five for 45, sending Canada to their second straight defeat.

Smith provided the early momentum for Volcanoes, posting a steady 59 off 67 balls for the first wicket with Theophile, who faced 41 deliveries and struck four fours and a six.

When Theophile was bowled by left-arm spinner, Salman Nazar in the 12th over, Smith combined with Edwards in a rousing 135-run, second-wicket stand which provided the ideal platform for the innings.

While Smith faced 110 balls and struck 11 fours and four sixes, Edwards counted four fours and one six off 77 deliveries.

Left-arm seamer Romesh Eranga, who was the best bowler with three for 59, returned to get the breakthrough when he claimed Edwards but the exciting Hodge arrived to produce a whirlwind knock, and get Volcanoes up to their eventual total.

The right-handed Hodge was superb, smashing five fours and five sixes as Volcanoes gathered 74 runs from the last 10 overs.

Dhaliwal then underpinned Canada’s run chase, adding 105 for the first wicket with Thomas and a further 69 for the second with Kumar.

The 29-year-old India-born right-hander

Once India had piled up 649 for nine declared in their first innings on Friday, the game became one of survival for the Windies but they lacked the resolve to push the contest into a fourth day, as the gulf between the two sides was cruelly exposed.

The tourists were handed some hope at the start of the day, however, when Chase and Paul extended their seventh wicket stand to 73.

Paul, in only his second Test, proved the aggressor, smashing seven fours and two sixes off just 47 deliveries, after resuming the day on 13.

Chase, too, remained positive, moving into the 40s with two leg-side boundaries off Kuldeep before raising his sixth Test half-century with another two boundaries off the same bowler a few overs later.

Paul had looked a good bet for his maiden half-century when he failed to keep down a pull at pacer Umesh Yadam and topedged a catch to mid-wicket.

Chase followed with 12 runs added, bowled off the inside edge, attempting to drive Ashwin and in the same over, debutant Sherman Lewis played back and was also bowled by one he mis-read.

The right-handed Chase

faced 79 deliveries and counted eight fours.

When Shannon Gabriel was stumped off Ashwin, the Windies were facing a massive deficit of 468 runs and requiring nothing short of a miracle to save the game.

There was no such divine intervention, however, and when Kraigg Brathwaite turned Ashwin into man-ofthe-match Prithvi Shaw’s waiting hands at short leg with one over to go before lunch, the Windies were sliding again at 32 for one.

Powell resorted to aggression in an excellent counter-attacking knock, facing 93 balls and hammering eight fours and four sixes.

He put on 47 for the second wicket with Shai Hope who made 17 and a further 41 for the fifth wicket with Chase.

Hope again flattered to deceive, notching a four and a six – the latter a straight hit off Ashwin – before misjudging the length of one from Kuldeep and falling lbw on the back foot.

A slide then followed with three wickets falling for 18 runs in the space of 23 balls to leave the Windies tottering on 97 for four.

Shimron Hetmyer’s (11) ill-judged heave at Kuldeep resulted in a catch at short

Longchamp 08:20 hrs Rocques 08:55 hrs Anodor 09:25 hrs Gazwan 10:05 hrs Enable 10:50 hrs Urban Fox 11:25 hrs Battaash 12:00 hrs Polydream 12:30 hrs Bayoun South Africa Racing Tips Greyville

Veteran opener Devon Smith strikes his eighth List A hundred.

stroked 10 fours and a six off just 81 balls while Thomas struck six fours and two sixes in a 64-ball knock.

Even though Thomas and Kumar perished, Canada were in with a

sniff at 199 for two in the 33rd over with Dhaliwal still at the crease but his dismissal, caught and bowled by Athanaze, signalled the decline of the innings.

West Indies capitulate inside three days (CMC) – A familiar capitulation saw West Indies lose 14 wickets in just over two sessions, as India romped to an emphatic innings and 272-run victory inside three days of the opening Test here yesterday to record their largest-ever win in Tests.

Resuming their first innings on 94 for six at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, West Indies were dismissed for 181, nearly three-quarters of an hour before lunch, with Roston Chase converting his overnight 27 into a top score of 53 and tail-ender Keemo Paul hitting an aggressive 47.

Forced to follow-on, West Indies stumbled to lunch on 33 for one and then suffered another collapse thereafter, to be bowled out for 196 – about 20 minutes after tea.

Left-handed opener Kieran Powell hit an attacking 83 while Chase chipped in with 20 but the Indian spinners weaved a web around the tourists, further extending their 24-year wait for a victory on Indian soil.

Kuldeep Yadav snatched five for 57 while fellow left-arm spinner Ravi Jadeja picked up three for 35, with off-spinner Ravi Ashwin, who bowled the new ball, finishing with two for 71.

French Racing Tips

third man and without a run added, three balls later in the same over, Sunil Ambris was completely up-ended by one that bounced for Rishabh Pant to complete a smart stumping.

Powell, unbeaten on 21 at lunch, carried the fight to India. He cleared the ropes at long on with Ashwin immediately after the interval and stroked Umesh Yadav to the long off boundary to move into the 40s.

He reached his third Test half-century by steering Kuldeep to the third man boundary and continued to dominate by hitting the same bowler for a straight six a few overs later.

Chase, who faced 24 balls and struck three fours, also tried to be positive but fell to a soft dismissal when he drove Kuldeep to Ashwin at cover, in the third over following the drinks break.

Powell, meanwhile, had just slapped Kuldeep to the cover boundary when he failed to keep down a prod at the next ball and was caught by Shaw close in, triggering the final collapse which saw the last five wickets go down for 55 runs

Scoreboard

INDIA 1st innings 649-9 decl.

WEST INDIES 1st innings (o/n 94 for six) K. Brathwaite b Mohammed Shami 2 K. Powell lbw Mohammed Shami 1 S. Hope b Ashwin 10 S. Hetmyer run-out 10 S. Ambris c Rahane b Jadeja 12 R. Chase b Ashwin 53 S. Dowrich b Kuldeep Yadav 10 K. Paul c Pujara b Umesh Yadav 47 D. Bishoo not out 17 S. Lewis b Ashwin 0 S. Gabriel stp. Pant b Ashwin 1 Extras: (b-16, lb-2) 18 Total: (all out, 48.0 overs) 181 Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-7, 3-21, 4-32, 5-49, 6-74, 7-147, 8-159, 9-159.

Bowling: Mohammed Shami 9-2-22-2, Umesh Yadav 11-3-20-1 Ashwin 11-2-37-4 Ravindra Jadeja 7-1-22-1, Kuldeep Yadav 10-1-62-1.

WEST INDIES 2nd innings (following on) K. Brathwaite c Shaw b Ashwin 10 K. Powell c Shaw b Kuldeep Yadav 83 S. Hope lbw b Kuldeep Yadav 17 S. Hetmyer c Rahul b Kuldeep Yadav 11 S. Ambris stp. Pant b Kuldeep Yadav 0 R. Chase c Ashwin b Kuldeep Yadav 20 S. Dowrich not out 16 K. Paul c Umesh Yadav b Jadeja 15 D. Bishoo c wkp. Pant b Ashwin 9 S. Lewis lbw b Ravindra Jadeja 4 S. Gabriel c Kuldeep Yadav b Jadeja 4 Extras: (b-5, lb-1, nb-1) 7 Total: (all out, 50.5 overs) 196 Fall of wickets: 1-32, 2-79, 3-97, 4-97, 5-138, 6-151, 7-172, 8-185, 9-192.

Bowling: Mohammed Shami 3-0-11-0 (nb-1), Ashwin 18-2-71-2, Umesh Yadav 3-0-6-0, Kuldeep Yadav 14-2-57-5, Jadeja 12.5-1-35-3.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, October 7, 2018

Nedd fires DCC to NBS 40-over title

The winning DCC team pose with officials of NBS and members of the GCA.

By Rajiv Bisnauth HOSTS Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) produced a disciplined bowling and fielding effort to comfortably whip the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) by 49 runs.

By virtue of the win, they clinched the title of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)-sponsored New Building Society (NBS) second division 40-over tournament.

Chasing 184 for victory, GCC were bowled out for 134 in 36.3 overs, with all the hosts’ bowlers having excellent returns. However, it was West Indies left-arm

spinner Ashmead Nedd who did the most damage with figures of 4-22.

Deonarine Seegobin produced an unbeaten 53 but it was not enough to guide GCC across the final line.

Earlier, DCC, after winning the toss, decided to bat first, but medium pacer Ronaldo Alimohamed (2-34) gave the visitors the perfect start by removing both Steven Sankar and Alphius Bookie without scoring, at the end of the second over.

However, with proceedings looking grim, Sachin Singh and Raymond Perez joined forces and enjoyed the batting-friendly conditions for a brief period of 12 overs.

During those overs they were able to generate some momentum, and showed good composure to pull their team out of trouble. They put together 74-run for the third wicket, the only partnership of substance.

Singh, the former West Indies Under-15 captain, hit three fours and two sixes in his top score of 39 while Perez made 34, with two fours and similar number of sixes.

The rest of the batting failed to contribute, with the next highest score being Ashmead Nedd (29) and Garrick Persaud’s unbeaten 25.

After Alimohamed’s early setbacks to the innings, left-arm spinners Chetram

Persaud (3-34), and Gavin Singh (3-42) were the two main bowlers responsible after the third-wicket stand was broken.

Persaud removed both Singh and Perez in the space of 13 balls, while Singh applied pressure from his end.

He was rewarded for his hard work with the wicket of Nkosi Beaton for 17, the other batsman to reach double figures. Bernard Bailey (119) was the other successful bowler.

The run chase started in similar fashion to the first innings, with GCC losing Joshua Wade, bowled by Dennis Squires without scoring and number three batsmen Mar-

lon Persaud run-out for five, at 6-2.

Nedd then got into the act. He first bowled Kennard Moonsammy (2), trapped Timothy McAlmont lbw for ten and removed the prized wicket of danger-man Alimohamed for three, at 40-5.

Seegobin and Singh tried to rebuild the innings, but that attempt was short-lived.

The pair added just 47 runs before Singh was removed by Bookie for 15.

Chetram Persaud and Seegogain then took the score to 108 when Nedd bowled Persaud for 15. Xaviee Smith then claimed two wickets before Dexter George had the final wicket to seal a compre-

hensive win for the hosts.

At the presentation ceremony immediately afterwards, Nedd was voted manof-the-match. He also received the trophy for the best bowling figure in the game.

Best fielder award went to Bernard Bailey while Seegobin won the trophy for the most runs in the game.

Also at the presentation ceremony, Omesh Danram (UG) won the MVP in Zone A, with 285 runs and nine wickets. The MVP in Zone B went to Bookie with 208 runs and two wickets. A number of top officials from the banking institution were present during the day’s proceedings.

Noble House Seafoods 2nd division, two-day cricket competition

Police in control against GDF after day one

Off-spinner Jason Heyliger finished with a five-wicket haul for Police.

SOME hard hitting by the Police Sports Club openers and a five-wicket haul from off-spinner Jason Heyliger propelled the lawmen to a first-innings lead after day one of their two-day Noble House Seafoods second division clash against the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).

Despite winning the toss and opting to take first strike, GDF were on the back foot

early, as medium pacer Keston Harcourt and Heyliger combined for eight wickets at the Eve Leary ground.

Harcourt did the damage early. With his disciplined line and length, he captured three of the first four wickets, while the former Essequibo Inter-county cricketer Heyliger cleaned up the middle order and tail.

Middle-order batsman, Terry Fraser, who hit three fours and

two sixes, led the army with 36, while opener Dameon Ross added 32. The pair combined for almost half of their team’s 138 (40 overs).

When Police batted, Reginald Rodrigues and Paul Tyndell were brutal in the middle. The openers stroked the ball with fury to all parts of the ground. The left-handed 46-year-old Rodrigues was the early aggressor, but his right-handed partner at the crease was the hard hitter.

When Rodrigues (55) fell, after hitting 10 fours and a six, Police had already reached 120 runs.

Tyndell continued to hit the ball, and along with Kemol Savory (10), he had pushed the score to 171-1 off of 24 overs before the umpires called time.

Tyndell, who has struck nine fours and three sixes, will look to build on his score of 81 when play continues this morning.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, October 7, 2018

GUYOIL/Tradewind Tankers Football league on today LEAGUE football action at the school football level begins today at the Ministry of Education ground on Carifesta Avenue.

The tournament’s opening game at 11:30hrs will see Annandale and Vergenoegen clash with Uitvlugt and Wismar Christianburg set for the second game at 13:15hrs.

At 15:00hrs Friendship will take on Marian Academy. In the fourth game of the

day from 16:45hrs Queen’s College and Queenstown will clash.

Matches continue tomorrow when Bishops’ take on St Rose’s from 15:00hrs and Dolphin face Lodge from 17:15hrs.

The winners, second-, third- and fourth-placed teams will all receive funding towards a project of their choice. The top two teams will also gain automatic

qualification to the Petra/ KFC four-team Invitational Goodwill football tournament which takes place in December.

The other two teams in that tournament will be Shiva Boys Hindu College from Trinidad and Annai of Region 7.

The tournament concludes on December 9.

32 teams to clash in Hamilton Green Inter-ward Cup THE community of Den Amstel, situated on the West Coast of Demerara, is shaping up to host one of the biggest sporting events on the West Side later this month.

The event, set to kick off on October 21, is the 9-a-side Hamilton Green Inter-ward/ Village Cup which will be held to commemorate the 84th Birth Anniversary of the former Mayor of Georgetown.

According to coordinator Lennox Arthur over $700 000 in cash prizes, trophies and gifts will be awarded to the respective winners and outstanding performances in what is anticipated to provide riveting action for fans.

Arthur, who has been the centre-piece of the Mayor’s Cup for a number of years, said that 32 teams have been invited to participate in the tournament, which will be run on a knockout basis with the final set for November 11, at the Den Amstel Community Centre ground.

The winning team will walk away with $400 000 and a trophy, compliments of the Ministry of Citizenship, while the runners-up will be awarded $200 000 and a trophy through the goodwill of John Fernandes Ltd. The third-place finishers will receive $50 000 and the Techno Mills trophy.

All three top-placed fin-

Hamilton Green

ishers will be given hampers.

Arthur further disclosed that special prizes will be given to Highest Goalscorer, who will walk away with a Lazy Boy chair courtesy of A.H&L Kissoon and a dinette set, compliments of China Trading.

The Most Valuable Player will be awarded a special prize from Techno Mills.

Meanwhile, on the first three days of action eight matches will be played with the winners advancing to the next round.

On opening night, Kitty face Plaisance from 17:00hrs and this will be followed by the clash between Newtown and Grove at 17:30hrs, while West Side Masters tackle Mahaica at 18:00hrs.

The next game is between Central Mackenzie

and Mahaicony at 18:30hrs, before Alexander Village and Buxton collide at 19:00hrs.

Zeelugt then go up a g a i n s t Tu c v i l l e f r o m 19:30hrs, preceding the encounter between Uitvlugt and Liliendaal at 20:00hrs with hosts Den Amstel and Herstelling bringing the curtain down with their encounter at 20:30hrs.

On October 28, eight more matches are scheduled with Goed Fortuin versus Agricola from 17:00hrs; Sara Lodge vs Sophia; Broad Street vs Mocha; Timehri vs Wales; Kuru Kururu vs Jetty; Soesdyke vs Crane; Lima Dam vs Pouderoyen and Bagotville vs Sparta Family.

All teams are requested to be at the venue one hour before their scheduled playing time.

FLASHBACK! Petra co-director Troy Mendonca (right) collects the sponsorship cheque for the GUYOIL Tradewind Tankers Secondary School Football Tournament from GUYOIL’s Marketing Manager and Tradewind Tankers representative Jacqueline James during the launch last month.

GBA’s Lennox Blackmoore National Intermediate boxing

GDF dominate opening night with six victories THE Guyana Defence Force (GDF) dominated Friday’s opening night of the Guyana Boxing Association’s (GBA) Lennox Blackmoore Championships which concludes tonight at the National Gymnasium.

Of the seven bouts on Friday night’s card, GDF won six, putting them on stream to make a successful defence of their championship title.

The most interesting bout of the opening night was probably the lightweight contest between Gordon Green (GDF) and Harpy Eagles’ (HE) Roy Samuels.

The bout started off with Green stalking his opponent and landing some telling punches.

But the shorter of the two, Samuels, retaliated with some solid punches, sending Green on the retreat for a few seconds before changing gear and launching an assault that saw punches from all angles connect with frequency.

In round two, both boxers stood toe to toe exchanging combinations with the soldier enjoying the better of the exchange due to his height and reach but Samuels kept close tabs on his opponent.

In round three, both fighters came out looking to end the contest early, slugging at each other and Samuels looked the stronger of the two and attacked relentlessly.

However, Green strung together one-two combinations and earned a split-decision verdict.

In the opening fight of the night, GDF’s Albert Thomas secured a unanimous points-decision victory over his

gym mate Kevin Isaacs in their bantamweight contest.

In other lightweight contests: Jamal Eastman of Rose Hall Town Jammers forced the referee, Romona Agard, to halt proceedings in his fight against GDF’s Mark Bradford at one minute 12 seconds of the first round.

Andrew Griffith (GDF) had his fight stopped against Rose Hall Jammers’ Kellon Williams at 58 secs of the second round. The solider was victorious.

In the welterweight division, the referee was forced to stop the contest between Jamal Crawford (GDF) and Stephon Edwards at two minutes three seconds of the second round in Crawford’s favour. In the other welterweight bout, Quincy Boyce (GDF) forced the referee to stop his contest against Republican’s Denzil Adams at one minute 58 seconds of the first round.

The final fight of the night was a middleweight contest between two soldiers and it was a brawl, but in the end, Royden Grant came out on top over his team mate, Corlette Greenidge. The referee stopped the contest at two minutes eight seconds of the second round.

The final in all the weight divisions are scheduled for tonight at the same venue beginning at 19:30hrs.

The championships is being sponsored in part by Khal San PR Inc. (Michael DaSilva)

30

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, October 7, 2018

TT Red Force overpower Guyana Jaguars in Super50

By BRIJ PARASNATH FORMER West Indies youth player Nicholas Pooran sent a powerful signal to the West Indies senior selectors when he produced another scintillating batting display.

This time, he enabled the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force to secure a 35-run victory over the Guyana Jaguars in their first round CWI Super50 day-night encounter at the Queen’s Park Oval, Friday evening.

Left-handed Pooran followed his magnificent 88 (6x6, 7x4, 62 balls) in their clash against defending champion Windwards Volcanoes last Wednesday with another superlative batting performance against the Guyana Jaguars, whose bowlers restricted the star-studded Red Force to 242 for 9 in their allotted 50 overs.

Guyana Jaguars were bowled out for 207 in 47.2 overs.

Pooran top-scored once again with an attractive 75 that was studded with two sixes and six fours off 80 deliveries Together with skipper Denesh Ramdin, who made 28 (2x4, 59 balls) Pooran featured in a 63-run fourth-wicket partnership that restored some respectability after the homesters were reduced to 67 for 3 after 14.5 overs.

Lendl Simmons was run-out for 26 (3x4, 41 balls), Evin Lewis was caught by Sherfane Rutherford off Christopher Barnwell for 22 (4x4, 27 balls).

Pooran and Kieron Pollard 20 runs (1x6, 24 balls) added a further 43 for the fifth wicket while skipper Dwayne Bravo made 23 (2x6, 27 balls).

Clinton Pestano (10-0-45-3), Barnwell (7-0-19-2) and Romario Shepherd (9-0-56-2) were the main wickNicholas Pooran top-scores with 75. et-takers.

In reply, the Red Force bowlers tightened their stranglehold around the Jaguars after both skipper Leon TT RED FORCE innings Johnson 32 (4x4, 30 balls) and L. Simmons run-out 26 left-handed opener Trevon Griffith E. Lewis c Rutherford b Barnwell 22 38 (4x4, 66 balls) posted 60 for the K. Hope b Barnwell 2 second wicket. They were separated D. Ramdin c Barnwell b Lewis 28 at 73 for 2 after 17 overs.

N. Pooran c Rutherford b Shepherd 75 There were no other significant K. Pollard c wkp. Bramble b Pestano 20 partnerships as wickets tumbled DJ Bravo b Pestano 23 at regular intervals with spinners S. Narine b Pestano 6 R. Emrit c Griffith b Shepherd 3 Sunil Narine (10-1-30-3), Khary I. Khan c (sub.) b Shepherd 10 Pierre (9.5-0-29-2) and Imran K. Pierre not out 4 Khan (9.5-0-44-2) being the chief Extras: (lb-11, w-12) 23 destroyers. Skipper Bravo finished Total: (all out, 49.2 overs) 242 with 2 for 29 from 6.2 overs.

Scoreboard

Strathavon, Enterprise through to ECCC T20 final STRATHAVON will face Enterprise in the final of the East Coast Cricket Committee (ECCC)/Bargain Supermarket T20 final after both teams recorded contrasting wins in their respective semifinal game.

In the first semifinal, Enterprise outclassed Lusignan, through a commanding allround performance from Guyana’s national player Rajendra Chandrika, to storm into the final.

Winning the toss, Enterprise elected to bat first, amassing 119-8 at the end of their allotted 20 overs, with Chandrika scoring a wellplayed 56.

The most successful bowler for Lusignan was Emran Khan, who bagged 3-18. Lusignan required a run-a-ball for victory in their innings, but crumbled to 85 all out, as Enterprise proved

Rajendra Chandrika

able and capable enough to thwart Lusignan’s ambition.

Askhaya Persaud top-scored with 39 while Vivian Albert, who took 3-11, and Chandrika who bagged 2-15 returned to do damage with the ball.

In the second semi, Strathavon were

Fall of wickets: 1-51, 2-57, 3-67, 4-130, 5-173, 6-194, 7-203, 8-217, 9-227.

Bowling: Shepherd 9.2-0-56-3, Reifer 6-030-0, Pestano 10-0-45-3, Barnwell 7-0-19-2, Permaul 10-1-42-0, Lewis 7-0-39-1.

GUYANA JAGUARS innings T. Griffith stp. Ramdin b Imran Khan 38 C. Hemraj c wkp. Ramdin b DJ Bravo 6 L. Johnson c wkp. Ramdin b Pierre 32 R. Reifer c wkp. Ramdin b Pierre 12 C. Barnwell c Pollard b Imran Khan 20 S. Rutherford c Lewis b Narine 11 A. Bramble c DJ Bravo b Narine 18 R. Shepherd lbw b Narine 2 V. Permaul c Narine b Pollard 14 C. Pestano b DJ Bravo 21 R. Lewis not out 4 Extras: (b-5, lb-7, w-16, nb-1) 29 Total: (all out, 47.2 overs) 207 Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-74, 3-92, 4-112, 5-128, 6-134, 7-149, 8-165, 9-188.

Bowling: Emrit 8-0-43-5, DJ Bravo 6.2-029-2, Narine 10-1-28-3, Pierre 10-0-30-2, Imran Khan 10-1-45-2, Pollard 3-0-20-1.

faced with the uphill task of battling Enmore in a low-scoring thriller, which saw the former coming out victorious.

Batting first, Strathavon were limited to 97-7, with Z. Salim contributing 19, while Enmore’s Rudolph Singh bagged 2-14 and Chris Surat 2-13.

In reply, Enmore were skittled out for 82, with Ameer Khan (19) being the only batsman to offer resistance, while G. Hemraj claimed 3-11. The third place showdown will see Enmore and Lusignan battle for supremacy.

Guyana up ranking after Chess Olympiad GUYANA’S men team ended the 43rd World Chess Olympiad with match defeats in round 10 & 11 to Ethiopia and Madagascar respectively, but managed to improve their overall ranking.

Guyana men, starting at position 150 of 185 countries, finished at 138, importantly ahead of neighbouring Suriname (140).

First in round 10 it was CM Taffin Khan who brought home a good win against his higher rated African opponent Ghebrehiwet, Haftom Ghebremedhn to give Guyana a 3-1 match result He did the same in the final round which showed he was ardent about finishing the competition strong, this time he rolled over Miora Andriamasoandro of Madagascar with the white pieces when Guyana went down again to another 3-1 match defeat.

CM Anthony Drayton did not end on the best note when he lost to lower-rater Teklewold Girum Altaye of Ethiopia in round 10 and higher-rated Harifidy Milanto Ralison of Madagascar in round 11.

Lessons will surely be taken away from the tournament by the two other male players Loris Nathoo and Glenford Corlette as they saw how higher-rated chess players full of mental stamina play to finish on maximum points.

In round 10 Ethiopian Mathewos Abel Tilahun outplayed Loris Nathoo while his higher rated comrade Gezachew Aydagnuhem Abera did the same to Glenford Corlette.

Round 11 saw Loris Nathoo and Glenford Corlette taste defeats again this time from the brains and hands of Madagascar chess players Faniry Rajaonarison and Toavina Razanadrakotoarisoa.

On the other hand the Guyanese women team were clean-swept by IPCA (International Physically Disabled Chess Association) 4-0 in round 10 and took a 1,5 points in round 11 against Chinese Taipei who accumulated 2.5 points to win the match.

It was team veteran WFM Maria Varona Thomas and young WCM Sheriffa Ali who played well for a win and a draw to take away some confidence from this event.

WFM Thomas made light work of the lower-rated Chinese Taipei An-Ching Shih and Jane Linda Wong respectively in round 11. However, newbies Nellisha Johnson and Sasha Shariff lost to Mi Wang and Ling - Hong Cho CM Khan accumulated 6.5 points (59%) followed

by CM Anthony Drayton with 6 points (54.5%), Glenford Corlette 3.5 points (31.8%) and Loris Nathon with 2.5 points (22.7%) from 11 games played.

CM Khan will see an improvement to his FIDE ratings later this year when FIDE publishes this information. The other players will see a small but valuable increase to their FIDE ratings as well.

Meanwhile the table above shows that female national champion WFM Maria Varona Thomas accumulated the same amount of points as CM Khan.

WFM Thomas accumulated 6.5 points (59%) followed

by UG student WCM Sheriffa Ali with 4.5 points (40.9%). Nellisha Johnson roped in 3 points (27%) and young Marian Academy student Sasha Shariff chipped in with a fighting 1.5 points from 11 games at one of the world’s toughest team chess tournament.

Unlike the men, however, the women team will have FIDE ratings deducted from their current ratings after losing some important games to lesser-rated opponents.

Aspiring CM Anthony Drayton will be stepping his game up even more after obtaining his 2nd FIDE Master (FM) Norm, prior to his participation at this year Sub-Zonals 2.3.5 which was held in Kingston, Jamaica. By accumulating 6 points from the 1st 9 games he qualified for this title.

31

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, October 7, 2018

Dharry set to fight in December … excited to have jumped two places up world ranking ELTON Dharry will return to the ring this December for his third fight in 2018 and, as his previous two bouts, he is confident of a victory.

Dharry, the WBC CABOFE and IBF Inter-Continental bantamweight champion, got past Venezuelan Jesus Vargas-Garcia in January in Georgetown and Oscar Mojica via a unanimous decision on May 18 in Queens, NY. Those two victories became his 19th and 20th consecutive

wins and carried the Leguan-born fighter’s record up to 23 wins, 14 of which are by knockouts, five losses and one draw.

The 32-year-old has shown no signs of slowing down and his latest ranking in the World Boxing Association (WBA) super flyweight division proves it. The ace boxer is currently ranked an impressive 10th, his highest placement to date.

“I should have been higher, but it is a good feeling to crack the

GCA Friends of Cricket Hundred Overs U-17 Tournament

Samaroo leads RUBiS to eight-wicket win over Everest FORMER National U-15 player Andrew Samaroo delivered a clinical batting performance to lead the Bel Air RUBiS cricket team to an eight-wicket win over Everest Cricket Club in the third clash of the GCA Friends of Cricket Hundred Overs U-17 Tournament.

Everest did almost everything correct after winning the toss yesterday morning at the Camp Street ground. They batted out 55 overs (which restricted their opponents to just 45 overs) got several starts, but were also guilty of not putting together solid partnerships, which restricted them to 167-9 when the first innings ended.

Anthony Khan 17 runs (3x4) and Matthew Nandu 19 runs (4x4) had given the home team a quick 29run start before the opening wicket fell, but except for 31 from Ushardeva Balgobin (1x4, 3x6) none of the other batsmen took the initiative.

Pacer Omari Lalbachan led

top 10. I am thankful for where I am at,” Dharry told the Guyana Chronicle.

Dharry, who has fought professionally for the last 14 years, was out of the top 15 in March, but reached 14th in April, before he dropped to 12th in May after his fought with the Mexican Mojica.

Although he is yet to finalise his next bout, he did confirm that it would be held in New York on December 7.

Guyanese Elton Dharry will pursue his 21st consecutive victory in December. (Social media photo)

Annual Limacol Football Competition

Police stun Pouderoyen in tense final

the RUBiS attack with 3-35, while off-spinners Rudranauth Kissoon and Samaroo supported with two wickets each.

THE CHASE Samaroo showed class when RUBiS batted. The right-hander, who went to the crease at 13-1, teamed up with Alex Persaud for some mature stroke-plays.

In the 24th over, when Persaud fell, attempting to belt left-arm spinner Raynaldo Mohamed over the long off boundary, the pair had already put together 130 runs and were in sight of victory.

Persaud, who had pockets of flurry, had played somewhat of a supporting role to Samaroo. The opener finished with six fours in his score of 47, while Samaroo, who saw his team home in 27 overs, finished with 90 unbeaten runs (11x4, 3x6).

Champions! Police FC are champions of the 2018 Limacol Football tournament after beating Pouderoyen 4-2.

THE curtain came down on the third edition of the Limacol football tournament on Friday evening, with Police FC securing a hard-fought win against Pouderoyen.

Police scored early through Anthio Wallace who gathered a through ball

into the box before converting past the keeper in the 12th minute.

The result doubled in the 32nd after a defensive error let him slip through.

However, a goalkeeping error gave the West Demerara side a fighting chance in the 34th when Alex Andrew’s

shot slipped through the keeper’s glove.

It was then that Pouderoyen began a fightback that pushed Police on the defensive till the halftime whistle.

On the return, Wallace restored the two-goal deficit for the lawmen in the 60th before Dexroy Adams sealed the deal in the 82nd.

Darrel Abrams (90+1) scored the second for Pouderoyen but by then, the writing was on the wall.

In the third place playoff, Riddim Squad beat Santos 2-1 in extra time.

Sherwin Hope’s own goal in the 5th gave Santos the lead before James Bowman restored order in the 44th. In the end, it was Kevin Gordon (90+22) who gave Riddim Squad the win.

Guyanese ladies on top at Suriname Invitational Joaan Deo is leading the female division at the Invitational.

FORMER Guyana Open winners Joaan Deo and Shanella Webster are first and second in the female division after the opening day of the Republic Bank Suriname Golf Invitational.

The premier golf event in the South American country which started yesterday at the Golf Club Paramaribo attracted 20 Guyanese golfers and at least four of them are in contention for a prize.

Deo has 40 points after

an 18-hole score of 81. She shot 43 in her front nine and 38 in the back with a handicap of 16. Webster is one point behind on 39.

Reigning Guyana Open champion Avinash Persaud is tied for second on 36

points in the top flight of the male division, one behind Suriname Oswald Dasburg, while in the second flight, 14-24 handicap, Patanjali Persaud is also in second.

The other Guyanese in contention is Videsh Per-

saud, who is fourth with 36 points in the C flight (25-36 handicap).

Deo is hoping that she can build on her back nine performance, to win when the competition concludes today.

COURTS Pee Wee Football tournament 2018

Fifty-two goals 25 scored on day two PAGE

GBA’s Lennox Blackmoore National Intermediate boxing

GDF dominate 29 opening night with six victories PAGE

Nedd fires DCC 28 to NBS 40-over title PAGE

Annual Limacol Football Competition

Police stun Pouderoyen in tense final 31 PAGE

Part of the action in the COURTS Pee Wee football tournament between Marian Academy and BV. (Delano Williams photo)

West Indies capitulate inside three days 27 PAGE

Kieran Powell on the attack

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2018