Guyana Chronicle E-paper 10-11-2018

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 11, 2018

THURSDAY

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11th October, 2018

Agreement closer

No.105424

…GTU says teachers can sleep easier

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…’something good is expected’ following talks with MoE

DEA called in

––as crackdown on ecstasy in schools intensifies 11 PAGE

Mother dies after hit by bike 08 PAGE

Digicel goes to court over data link 03 PAGE

Colonel Nilton de Figueiredo Lampert, Commanding Officer of the Brazilian Jungle Warfare Training Centre, presents the Jungle Warrior Machete No. 353 to President David Granger as Brazil's Ambassador to Guyana, Mr. Lineu Pupo de Paula looks on (Ministry of the Presidency photo) See page 2

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 11, 2018

President Granger receives distinguished Jungle Warrior Machete from Brazilian army President David Granger on Wednesday received the distinguished Jungle Warrior Machete from the Brazilian Army's Jungle Warfare Training Center (CIGS) at State House from Colonel Nilton de Figueiredo Lampert, Commanding Officer of the Training Centre.

In presenting the Machete to the Head of State, Colonel Emerson Deni da Silva, Brazilian Military Attaché to Guyana, said that it is comprised of a black, frosted metal blade of high resistance and double cut of a lower and larger man cut and an upper and small cut, in a half moon shape. He further noted that a head of a jaguar in metal is at the extremity of the handle towards the main cut, representing the animal symbol of jungle war. The handle is made of wood and it is inlayed in both sides of its bolster, with the badge of the Specialist of Jungle Operations.

“The most famous Elite Troops of the world use knives and machetes to identify them. It is usual at a meeting between friendly Armies, the reciprocal exhibition of this emblematic artefact, which to a certain point reveals the historic significance of the integrated corporations. The Jungle Warriors formed

by CIGS, since its inception in 1966, represent a specialised group in Jungle Operations. Until 2003, the materialisation of its symbol of one of its main work instruments was missing, a personalised machete. In the celebration of the 40th years of creation of the CIGS, in 2004, it has been developed as the project “Jungle Warrior Machete,” he explained.

President Granger was trained at the CIGS in 1969, some 49 years ago. By virtue of the training received from the institution, he has received the Machete, bear-

From left to right: Colonel Emerson Deni da Silva, Brazilian Military Attaché to Guyana; Colonel Nilton de Figueiredo Lampert, Commanding Officer of the Brazilian's Jungle Warfare Training Centre; President David Granger, Brazil's Ambassador to Guyana, Mr. Lineu Pupo de Paula; Mr. Paulo Eduardo Borda de Carvalho Silos, Minister’s Counselor of the Brazilian Embassy and Colonel Claudio Carneiro Mardine from the Landing Operations Command.

ing the number 353, Colonel Deni da Silva said. In accepting the Machete, the

Head of State said that the presentation is more than a mark of friendship between Guyana and Brazil. “I want to thank the Brazilian Army for its support to the Guyana Defence Force. Today is more than a mark of friendship between Guyana and Brazil. It is more of a

demonstration of the type of cooperation that should exist on the continent. This is the way it should be. So this is an important visit and a reaffirmation of the ties not just between Guyana and Brazil but also the two Militaries and the two Jungle Warfare Schools, the CIGS and

the Jungle and Amphibious Training School in Guyana,” the Head of State said.

Accompanying Colonel Lampert and Colonel Deni da Silva were Colonel Claudio Carneiro Mardine from the Landing Operations Command, Brazilian Ambassador to Guyana, Mr. Lineu Pupo de Paula and Mr. Paulo Eduardo Borda de Carvalho Silos, Minister’s Counselor of the Brazilian Embassy. (Ministry of the Presidency)

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 11, 2018

Agreement closer

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…GTU says teachers can sleep easier

… ‘something good is expected’ following talks with MoE

By Navendra Seoraj THE Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) and the government appear to be one step closer to ending the impasse related to a salary increase and non-salary benefits for teachers, as executives of the union and the Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry, concluded “fruitful” discussions on Wednesday.

“Teachers can sleep easier, knowing that something good is expected to come on Friday,” said General Secretary of the GTU, Coretta McDonald, in an invited comment following another round of talks. It was all smiles and laughter after the meeting, something that was absent for weeks during dispute between the two parties.

The meeting was described by both the GTU and the ministry as a “working meeting” where new information was provided; information which was not discussed or considered prior to the offers made before. In a joint press statement from the GTU and the ministry, it was said that parties are committed to reviewing the new information with a view of ensuring that the interest of all teachers will be considered.

The Ministry of Education has undertaken to

provide a matrix of figures which will be presented for discussion on October 12, 2018. An almost two-week strike by teachers came to an end just last month, when the GTU and the ministry agreed to take their salary dispute to arbitration.

The GTU had called for arbitration after the negotiation talks ended in impasse when the union rejected the

Lyte, had announced that GTU was willing to accept as little as 20 per cent.

On Monday, at a meeting between President David Granger and the GTU, a new salary offer was extended to the union which would see teachers being paid retroactive salary increases beginning with 10 per cent for 2016, and incremental increases of 8 per cent for All smiles! Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry (second left) flanked by executive members of the GTU after “fruitful” discussions between the parties on Wednesday (Adrian Narine photos)

Members of the GTU discussing topics to be discussed prior to meeting with the Minister of Education on Wednesday

ministry’s offer of a onetime pay out of $700 million towards salary increases, and $200 million for debunching.

GTU instead called for an increase of 40 per cent for 2016 and respective incremental increases of five per cent for 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. After the two sides agreed to move to arbitration, President of the GTU, Mark

2017 and 2018, respectively.

A sum of $350M was being offered for debunching for the period 2011 – 2018.

Although the union has not confirmed if they accepted that offer, Minister Henry said the increase is a workin-progress and would be addressed during interactions with both parties.

McDonald also agreed

that the issue of salary increases is being addressed and hopefully, they could reach a resolution on Friday.

“We would have all teachers benefitting from whatever the increase is going to be… we would have had promotions and it comes with new salaries,” said the GTU general secretary, adding that the increases will fall into category/scale of the teachers.

Teachers are placed in scales which run from TS1-19.

The union encouraged teachers to have faith in the GTU, since there were widespread discussions and every teacher had their say. Prior to Wednesday’s meeting, it was reported that the union had rejected President Granger’s offer. McDonald was reported as stating that, consequently, the government

would now either need to rethink its position or the parties would have to head to arbitration.

Responding to these reports, President Granger said that the list of matters proposed by the GTU in at least one newspaper and which was attributed to one person, were not matters that were raised on Monday. “Some of the matters which seem to be reported in the media were not raised on Monday, were not even raised on Friday, otherwise we would have resolved them. So, it was quite astonishing that these matters, going back to the appointment of an arbitrator, these matters didn’t come up at all. So, I was quite surprised that matters that we assumed had been settled as of Monday found their

way into the columns of the newspaper in Wednesday,” he stated.

The President elaborated further: “We also had an understanding —I won’t call it an agreement — that the government’s side was obliged to go back to the Ministry of Finance in order to verify the figures and that the union’s side would go back to the executives in order to ratify the figures.

“So when we parted on Monday morning, there was no talk about going to the media, ‘trial by the media’, there was talk about verification of the figures from the Ministry of Finance and maybe seeking the assent by the executives of the GTU.”

Digicel goes to court over ‘microwave link’ …files lawsuit against Telco regulator in Suriname DIGICEL has taken legal action against the Telecommunications Authority Suriname (TSA) for shutting down an alleged illegal “microwave link” which Digicel used to feed data capacity to its unit in Guyana.

According to a report from the Irish Times, the Surinamese authorities made their move “under pressure” from authorities in Guyana where Digicel’s rival is Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT).

The report further stated that GTT has long com-

plained that Digicel should be forced to buy its data capacity from its rival instead of feeding it over the border, presumably for less cost.

GTT recently said that it had recorded tens of millions of United States (US) dollars in losses because of their main competitor Digicel’s alleged bypass of GTT’s subsea fibre optic network.

It claims the link is illegal.

But according to the Irish Times, Digicel has denied those claims.

GTT, despite the odds, said that they are working

through the loss with the hope of finding solutions and moving forward. “We believe that it is in the tens of millions of US dollars, but we are trying to work through it,” said Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GTT, Justin Nedd, during a press briefing at Herdmanston Lodge on Monday.

Contacted by The Irish Times, Digicel said it is taking court action: “Digicel disputes any allegations of illegality and as the matter is currently before the court, we are unable to comment any

further at this time.”

It is understood that Digicel is seeking an injunction to force TAS to reverse its actions. A ruling is expected soon, possibly next week.

GTT, which is the only authorised provider of subsea fibre optic telecommunication services, has, on several occasions, called for an investigation into Digicel’s alleged illegal, unlicensed trans-border link between Guyana and Suriname.

In light of the allegations against Digicel and with a possibility that the “micro-

wave link” could be broken, Nedd believes that GTT has the capacity to supply Digicel with data because in March this year, GTT’s fibre optic network was tested when the company had to carry the “traffic” for Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.

Suriname and Guyana are two of Digicel’s only three markets in South America; the other being French Guiana.

According to the Irish Times, Digicel also has significant operations in Central America, the Caribbean and Pacific region, with about 14 million subscribers. It is cur-

rently seeking to raise $500 million in asset sales and also conclude a bond swap deal to help it ease the burden of its $6.7 billion debt pile.

From its launch in Jamaica in 2001, Digicel has expanded rapidly and spans across 31 markets in the Caribbean, Central America and Asia Pacific.

According to Digicel’s website, the company has invested over US $5 billion in the Digicel business worldwide and continues to invest to bring leading edge technologies to the markets in which they operate.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

City Hall CoI

No proper systems at city Treasury Department--accountant

THE acting City Treasurer, John Douglas and Accountant Edwana Miller, of the Mayor and City Council on Wednesday appeared before the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into City Hall, which heard that proper accounting procedures are usually bypassed at that body.

The CoI, headed by Justice (ret’d) Cecil Kennard, also heard that

Thursday, October 11, 2018:

City Hall is in the habit of budgeting with its expenses always being more than its income. Miller appeared during the morning session of the inquiry and outlined for the commission the proper accounting procedures that an invoice is expected to go through before a contractor can be paid.

The procedures involve the transaction going from the department that contracted the work, before being forwarded to the city treasurer, which prepares the voucher and purchase order. These documents are then supposed to be sent to the finance subcommittee which certifies them with the signatures of two of its members. The transaction documents are then returned to the city treasurer for preparation of the cheque.

However, it is only the city treasurer and town clerk who are signatories to the cheque. “[The finance sub-committee] has to certify the vouchers. The voucher has to go to them before it’s paid. Verify or certify the payment, it’s an approval system. Two of the members are selected to sign on it and then it comes back before I can pay. Then it goes back to the treasurer’s department for the cheque. [The town clerk] is one of the signatories on the cheque. It has two [signatories] the city treasurer and the town clerk,” Miller explained.

When questioned if certain stages in the procedures are skipped at times, Miller confirmed that this has been done in the past. “Yes it can in the sense, it can skip stages. If any payment doesn’t follow the procedure it is an irregularity,” Miller stated. Miller, who has worked with the Council since 1990, shared that she has had cases in the past where she refused to affix her signature to irregular documents.

“If the document in front of me does not state what it is supposed to state, I would say that it is not right and I’m not going to be signing it,” Miller affirmed. She was at one point offered the position as acting city

MCC Accountant, Edwana Miller

treasurer; she declined because she did not feel “comfortable” in the position. “I was asked and I refused. I didn’t feel comfortable because of the communication of the work between the department. I felt I would’ve been exposed and I would not have felt comfortable dealing with certain things,” Miller said.

Miller, who started out as an accounts clerk, eventually rose to the position of accountant and for one period had acted as the accounting manager. However, in January of this year she was transferred from the city’s Treasury Department and put to work in the revenue office of the City Market’s Department.

Asked if this transfer could have anything to do with her refusal to sign irregular documents, she responded “possibly”. The reason given to her, by the Human Resources Department to justify the move, was that there was a project at the City Markets department that they wanted her to overlook. However, eight months later she is still to be told what the project is.

According to Miller, she has never had any disciplinary issues, and shared that she considered the move somewhat of a demotion, though her salary has not changed, but has been given less responsibilities.

Miller said that she does not believe that the City Treasury department follows proper accounting practices. “The system in the treasury department, it needs proper control. If you don’t plan and control your income your expenses will always be more hence you cannot meet certain requirements, unless you put things in place to control certain things,” Miller conveyed.

Similar views were shared by Douglas when he appeared before the CoI during the afternoon session. Douglas shared that while the city does have a deficit in terms of its income and expenditure, the City should not be preparing budgets in a deficit. He stated that while the city owes billions of dollars, it is also owed billions by the ratepayers, some of whom are in default for as many as 22 years.

Matter of fact, Douglas said the amount of money owed to City Hall is actually in surplus of the money that City Hall owes.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

Record-breaking ‘hell’ storm mauls US

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he most powerful hurricane ever to hit north-west Florida has flooded beach towns, submerging homes and snapping trees like twigs.

Hurricane Michael - a category three storm with 125mph (200km/h) winds made landfall on Wednesday afternoon in the state’s Panhandle region. One person was killed by a falling tree, Florida officials say. Michael is so powerful that it remained a hurricane as it moved overland to bear down on Alabama and Georgia. Its rapid intensification caught many by surprise.

Unusually warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico turbo-charged the storm from a tropical depression on Sunday. It was a category two hurricane by Tuesday, and a borderline category five on Wednesday morning, packing 155mph winds.

Florida Governor Rick Scott warned of “unimaginable devastation”, saying it would be the worst storm in 100 years. Michael reportedly killed at least 13 people in Central America: six in Honduras, four in Nicaragua and three in El Salvador. More than 370,000 people in Flori-

da were ordered to evacuate, but officials reckon many ignored the warning.

going back to 1851, finds no Category 4 hurricane ever hitting the Florida panhandle.”

One of the many homes destroyed by the storm

The coastal city of Apalachicola reported a storm surge of nearly 8ft (2.5m). “We are catching some hell,” Timothy Thomas, who rode out the storm with his wife in their home in Panama City Beach, Florida, told the Associated Press news agency. Michael has already knocked out power to a quarter of a million homes and businesses, as power lines were smashed by falling trees. “We are in new territory,” Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) meteorologist Dennis Feltgen wrote on Facebook.

“The historical record,

Reuters news agency reports that Michael is the thirdmost powerful storm ever to make landfall in the mainland US, after Hurricane Camille in Mississippi in 1969 and the Labor Day hurricane of 1935 in Florida. Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Brock Long said at the White House that he was especially concerned about buildings constructed before 2001, and not able to withstand such high winds. “We just hope those structures can hold up,” President Donald Trump responded. “And if not, that they’re not in those

structures.”

States of emergency have been declared in all or parts of Florida, Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina. The hurricane made landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida, at around 14:00 (18:00 GMT) on Wednesday, according to the NHC. Forecasters warned parts of Florida could experience storm surges of up to 14ft (4m) and flash floods from up to 12in (30cm) of rain.

Schools and state offices in the area are to remain shut this week. Florida has activated 3,500 National Guard troops. At 01:00 GMT, maximum sustained winds decreased to 90mph with higher gusts, the NHC said in a bulletin. “Michael will steadily weaken as it crosses the south-eastern United States through Thursday night, becoming a tropical storm by Thursday morning. “Michael is forecast to re-strengthen some Thursday night and Friday when it moves off the east coast of the United States and becomes a post-tropical cyclone on Friday,” the NHC added. More than 300 miles of coastline were under threat, the National Weather Service said. (BBC)

Barbados Gov’t signs agreement with Green Climate Fund

Director of Country Programming, Green Climate Fund, Pa Ousman Jarju, with Minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment Marsha Caddle. (BGIS Photo)

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inister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment Marsha Caddle completed the signing of Barbados’ first Readiness Grant Agreement with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) on Monday The signing ceremony was held on the margins of the GCF’s Global National Designated Authority and Private Investment for Climate Conferences, being held from October 8 to 12, in Incheon, South Korea.

Through this readiness programme, Government will receive an initial US$300,000 in grant financing from the GCF that will enable access to US$1M annually for improving Barbados’ engagement with the Fund, and therefore its access to climate finance, and a further US$3M for the development of National Adaptation Plans.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment, which is the GCF National Designated Authority (NDA) in Barbados, has already commenced the development of further readiness proposals in that regard, and the country will be drawing down additional resources in 2019.

GCF readiness programmes help countries organize to better access climate finance. Barbados has set the target of being fossil fuel-free by 2030. The development of a roadmap to meet this target will be a key output of this GCF support. The programme will also seek to strengthen private sector involvement in clean energy and climate resilience projects.

Barbados has endorsed the Caribbean Development Bank and the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre as the regional institutions through which GCF-funded projects may be implemented. However, these resources will also support Barbados in establishing a national entity for direct access to GCF resources. On the signing of the readiness grant agreement, Minister Caddle stated:

“The Government of Barbados is committed to improving our access to climate finance and ensuring that our own investments are climate resilient. We are doing our part.

“We now need the global community to follow through on the Paris Agreement because following this last Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report, we realize that small islands were right to insist in that Agreement on limiting warming to 1.5 degrees. At 1.5 degrees, for example, coral reefs decline another 70 to 90 per cent, At two degrees, that goes to 99 per cent. Barbados’ survival depends on local and global climate action. We are pleased to have the GCF as partners in this fight.”

(MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS AND INVESTMENT)

Peru opposition leader Keiko Fujimori arrested

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eiko Fujimori, the daughter of the former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, has been arrested as part of an investigation into money laundering.

Mrs Fujimori, who is leader of the opposition in the Peruvian congress, was detained along with her husband. The judge said they would be held initially for 1days along with 19 other suspects. Prosecutors allege she was involved in accepting illegal contributions to her party by the Brazilian firm, Odebrecht.

Mrs Fujimori denies any wrong-doing. She was shown on television on Wednesday in a car in handcuffs after being detained. Prosecutors have accused her of leading a criminal group inside her party that took $1.2m (£920,000) in illegal funds from Odebrecht for use during her 2011 presidential election campaign.

Earlier this year, former Pres-

Keiko Fujimori’s arrest comes a week after a judge revoked a pardon for her father who will return to prison to serve his sentence for human rights abuses

ident Pedro Pablo Kuczynski resigned in a scandal linked to the Odebrecht case. In a letter published on social media after her arrest Mrs Fujimori said she was being politically persecuted. “This is called political persecution.” she said, “I’ve been detained without legal grounds.”

The arrest came a week after her father had a presidential pardon revoked by a judge. Alberto Fujimori is expected to return to jail to continue serving a 25-year sentence for human rights abuses. Keiko Fujimori said her father’s arrest was “abusive”. Her Fuerza Popular party has been a powerful opposition force and it currently controls Congress.

But in the last year there have been huge street protests against the political establishment. At last weekends’s local elections, the party suffered its worse loses in decades. (BBC)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

Tackling suicide

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HE welcome news could not have come on a more appropriate day. On October 10, World Mental Health Day, this newspaper reported that the suicide rate in Guyana had plummeted from 42.2 per cent per 100,000 in 2012, to a low of 24.6 per cent. It was reported too, that government is making the progressive move to decriminalise attempted suicide.

Suicide – the act of intentionally causing one’s own death – has long been a huge problem in Guyana. According to World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics, between 2010 and 2012, there were 667 reported suicide attempts, resulting in an average of 200 deaths per year. The WHO had reported too that in 2012, political neglect of the problem was a major contributing factor.

In 2001, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had already come to the same conclusion. The IMF had also reported that poor governance [under the PPP regime] had resulted in widespread, extreme poverty, a major cause of the high rate of suicides.

A 2003 report by the World Bank supported that finding, stating that the political process in Guyana is often fought with so much time and energy that “little [is] left to undertake the many policies necessary to facilitate growth and development.”

Under those adverse political conditions, Guyana had

become known internationally as the suicide capital of the world, with 3.2 male suicides for each female death.

Fortunately, in 2015, the people elected a new government.

The APNU+AFC coalition, recognising mental health as an intrinsic aspect of general well-being, immediately began the implementation of the National Mental Health Action Plan for 2015–2020 and a national suicide-prevention plan.

That plan, which is obviously bearing fruit, simultaneously launched awareness campaigns; implemented education programmes aimed at reducing the stigma associated with mental illness; initiated massive training programmes for health professionals; introduced substance abuse counselling services; and set up access-points to care for at-risk patients, among other initiatives. To date, the programme continues to be actualised.

Presently, hotlines are available; there are walk-in centres for mental health care at all public hospitals, counsellors are available, and there is now a dedicated Mental Health Unit at the Ministry of Public Health. The positive results of those actions by the administration have been nothing short of dramatic. “We see that two things are happening: persons are more aware and they also are more aware that help is available,” said Dr. Balogun Osunbiyi, senior psychologist at the Mental Health Unit within the Ministry of Public Health. Dr. Osunbiyi said too, “[that] that while there has been an increase in per-

sons calling [the hotlines], fewer persons are calling with the intention of committing suicide.” This fact may indicate that persons are seeking help which is now known to be available.

While the dramatic decrease in the rate of suicide is impressive, government is aware that much work must still be done. With this in mind, the initiatives already implemented are being continuously evaluated and adjusted or updated as needed. And new, improved, wider-reaching programmes are constantly being introduced. For example, in collaboration with a team from the United Kingdom (UK), almost 40 local health practitioners will be trained in management of mental illnesses; and before the end of November, some 50 health care workers in Regions Two and Six will be trained in the mental health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP). This is part of a goal of having 300 trained personnel before the end of 2018. Other programmes are also underway.

As government continues to work, partnerships with local non-governmental organisations, faith-based organisations, and international bodies such as the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), and academic entities, will continue and be expanded. While Guyanese should be encouraged by the tangible progress being made on all fronts – medical, social, and legal – we must remain ever vigilant that we keep the gains that we have made, even as we work towards the goal of zero deaths due to suicide.

Gradually, veil of secrecy that enveloped City Hall being lifted Dear Editor,

W

ELL finally and gradually the veil of secrecy that has covered the corruption, nepotism, mismanagement and other wrongdoings at City Hall is being lifted.

And it seems that persons are now running helter skelter dashing for cover, whilst pointing fingers at each other.

This is popularly known as ‘passing the buck.’

But this is just the beginning, the very surface of the cesspool that the Georgetown City Council is. As the Commission of Inquiry delves a little deeper, it will confound the citizenry what will be revealed from the fiscal malfeasance, to the nepotism in the human resources, to the wastage of the property rates, to the featherbedding among its ranks.

But listening to the King and Queen, one gets the impression that they have long lost touch with reality, that they have retreated into La La Land, where they seem to have convinced themselves and a few of their cohorts that they have done nothing wrong, and that they have in fact at great personal sacrifice, rescued our capital city from the dominion of darkness and brought us a capital city that is modern, safe, clean, vibrant and a wonderful place to live.

This brings us back to the ancient proverb ‘Those whom the

gods wish to destroy they first make mad.’

Here is a newsflash for these two dreamers: City Hall is at its lowest ebb in its history, the coffers are empty, the debts to the contractors, utility companies, the GRA, the NIS and insurance are piling up, the City Hall building is on the verge of falling to the ground, the markets are filled with giant rats in addition to the collapse of one of its wharves , the city is filled with mosquitoes, the drains are all clogged, the roads are bad and the street lighting poor, multiple robberies are occurring unchallenged in the city every day, whilst they have just concluded massive anniversary celebrations.

Their old mantra, which is a complete falsehood, is that the revenue base of the council is too small; that the council does not have money, which means therefore that they could not mismanage what they don’t have and like Scrooge, they are very thrifty, stretching Council’s dollars to the limit to meet all of the municipality’s financial commitments. Nothing could be further from the truth.

If the King and Queen really held the earnest view that the capital city was so penurious, why did they travel around the world so many times first class in the last three years on joy rides? Why did they hire so many relatives including sons, daughters-in-law, daughters, nieces and nephews at

super salaries? And why then did they give out so many enormous contracts to their relatives and friends? Why did they bump the monthly payroll up to well over a hundred million dollars with the ‘Big Ones’ earning hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of dollars each, per month?

No sane administrator would maintain a workforce of close to a 1,000 persons, whilst at the same time farming out to private contractors, most of the municipal services it provides, unless he or she had a pecuniary interest in the contracts that were being given out in violation of tender board procedures, whilst at the same time, having a consanguinity with the many staffers that are padding the payroll.

Suddenly the almighty and powerful King is whining that it is the city treasurer who is responsible for managing the city’s finances and not him. Oh really? What an epiphany? Could someone remind the King and the Queen that the buck stops at them as Harry S. Truman would say? Maybe the CoI will be able to find out why the city’s qualified and competent accountant was unceremoniously removed from the Treasurer’s Department and tucked away in one of the city markets?

Regards.

Kwasi Sanderson

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

PPP has always sadly relied on race to secure an advantage in electoral matters Dear Editor,

I

HAVE noticed that my friends -- and I mean my friends in the PPP -- are once again playing the race card.

This is not new; it has been the bane of our people, if not the curse of Guyana.

At this time, after all the stress this country has been through, one would have thought that a responsible party leadership would allow us to exhale and breathe a breath of clean, fresh, race-free air, supporting a clean, green Guyana.

Back in the mid-50s, I recall the August 1957 elections, the PPP relied entirely on appealing to race with the popular ‘anthem’ or slogan, ‘Apan Jaat.’

I remember the Central Demerara Constituency contest, Elections of August 12, 1957: Sydney King (6,285 votes) was by far the most popular figure in all the villages, but lost to a newcomer, the PPP-sponsored, Balram Singh Rai (7,125 votes), purely on the basis of racial voting.

The PPP has always sadly relied on race to secure an advantage in electoral matters.

We have had several commissions mounted in response to the demand for ethnic balance in areas where the PPP felt they needed to have the upper hand, ignoring our known history.

One time it was the composition of the Public Service, another time it was the police force, the military and now, GECOM. Guyana’s history-- if understood-- is simple and instructive.

Very briefly, after the end of slavery, the British in an effort to reduce the bargaining power of the manumitted Africans on the plantations, imported labour from Madeira, England, China and India. They also flooded many of the African communities to frustrate their pursuit of farming and business. In the meantime, efforts were made to persuade the indentured labourers to pursue education and christianity.

The freed Africans who were cruelly and completely severed from their ancestral roots in West Africa, took to education and christianity.

This simple analysis explains Guyana in the early part and much of the 20th century.

The freed Africans became teachers, nurses, public servants and joined the security services; others moved to the dangerous interior to mind gold and diamonds.

The majority of Indo-Guyanese wisely concentrated on cultivation of economic crops and business entrepreneurship.

When the PPP therefore appealed to the international community, complaining about imbalances in the public sector, police force, etc., some of us had to remind those beating the race drum, that they could not be selective in their demand for ethnic balance.

We contended that if the advocates for ethnic balance in an enlightened society were serious, then let us have the mathematical balance in employment; in public and private enterprises; the allocation of industrial and agricultural lands; and indeed, all spheres of national life.

Today as I write, NCN, the state-controlled radio station, broadcasts about ninety (90%) per cent Indian music and programmes and less than ten (10%) per cent of African music and programmes.

But my friends in the PPP are blind to these things. I write as a Guyanese, who has lived through and shared the trauma of racial strife in this country; and I hope and pray every day that we will march gallantly and gracefully to make a reality of our Motto of ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny,’; and that when we speak to Sue Ping, Samuels, and Singh, that we treat with those persons, not on the basis of their colour, but on the content of their character.

Dear Editor, forgive me, but my life experience, disallows me racism.

I am proud to be a descendant of an African who was forced to adopt English names and mannerisms, but cannot ignore the fact that my mother hails from the Wismar/Christianburg community, with Amerindian blood surging through her veins.

Some of my best and most trusted friends from school

No option for PPP at LGEs in Linden Dear Editor,

P

LEASE allow me some space in your daily news to ask some questions that may help would-be voters in Linden, since it feels as if we are between a rock and a hard place.

I will start with the Linden Mayor Waneka Arrindell and then the AFC and the PPP. To Mrs. Mayor, when are you going to implement the sustainability idea you got from Africa? How is twinning with the city of Newark in new Jersey going to help Linden, when that city is in great need itself? You took your deputy on a tour which included a fundraiser, did you even make back the money you spent on the trip? In a few months Linden is going to be 50 years as a town, what are your plans?

Please note that I don’t have anything personal against you, I respect your ambition to fight for the top position, but now you are there my sister, do what the top people do. Lead your people! I’d reached out to the last mayor and many groups in Linden and together we achieved much. I wish to extend same hand of support to you, but wish to know in which direction you are taking the town. The days of the bottom men fighting down the top man for a position are long gone my sister, as you can’t fake experience, according to President Granger. It’s time for you to do your job. You are the leader of 40k people and the fact that you couldn’t win your constituency of 200 people clearly shows that you are among the most unpopular mayors and you are not doing your job.

To the AFC in Linden, aren’t you part of the same Linden Town Council I see you bashing daily? Isn’t the Minister of Public Infrastructure an AFC member ? And yet he can’t get

Linden roads and the highway upgraded for it’s taking too many lives? Or is this a way of punishing Linden to make APNU look bad and then you try to wrest control of the voters? What about the Linden Town Week the AFC Councillor Devin Sears was in charge of? Was there a profit? Or, what about that same town week sex scandal which allegedly caused the poor Lady Mayor to be blamed and the real pimps pulled themselves out. What about the seemingly lead mouthpiece in your campaign? Isn’t he the same person who verbally abused and chased many women out of his minibus?

Finally, please explain why so many PPP-affiliated persons appear on your list? Is this a trick or a treat?

Last, but not least, PPP, wasn’t it you who starved, abused, punished and destroyed Linden? Are you the same party that promised a “Special Gift for Linden” and delivered years of ostracism? Are you the same people who presided over the death of our people at the bridge and on the Chapman boat? Are you the people who brought the army and police with a water cannon to crush Linden? Where is our diesel power generation plant which belongs to Linden? Are you hoping to entrap our people once again to get your 2015 revenge?

I have more questions for you PPP, but I realize that raising them only brings back memories of the hurt and destruction at your dirty hands. This leaves Linden with little option of APNU in most constituencies, AFC in a few areas where the returning failed APNU councillors reside, but no option for the monstrous PPP. Regards Garth Nelson Concerned Lindener

days are the Chinese, Portuguese, East Indian and not to forget what I suspect is now in truth a majority, those who are mixed.

My first wife was mixed: Caucasian, Amerindian and African; my present wife, is a delicious mixture: her maternal grandfather was a Caucasian who came here from Barbados.

Her father is heavily Indian with a sprinkling of Scottish and African blood. I have grandsons who are pure blue-blooded Caucasian British.

I grew up in a yard shared by a delightful Portuguese family and two of my most trusted compatriots, were Indian and Portuguese; their children fondly call me “Uncle Hammy or Uncle Dennis.”

Today, many of my acquaintances are Indo-Guyanese and other non-African persons.

This brief letter is to appeal to my friends in the PPP to stop this musical symphony based on race.

It is so nonsensical. Former President Ramotar once told me he was not pure Indian.

What of my friend Clement Rohee?

On the government’s side, find me anyone who has pure Indian, African, Chinese, Portuguese or Amerindian blood?

Today, let us celebrate our rich heritage and end this sherad [sic].

God bless the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and let us celebrate by singing and doing what is contained in one of our national songs, ‘Let us Co-operate for Guyana ’ words and music written by a mixed Guyanese, William .R. A (Billy) Pilgrim.

May I make this caveat: I bet you some of those at GECOM described as Afro-Guyanese, are parents and grandparents of other ethnic groups.

But thanks to the cosmetic business, how can you know who is really Indo, Chino, Porto, Afro or Amerindian?

The truth is, all awe are one family.

Regards Hamilton Green

What is the particular point, Jagdeo?

Dear Editor,

R

ECENTLY, we had another of Bharrat Jagdeo’s well-known gambits of seeking to ascend the moral high ground, pretending to defend the national interest, this time with a call for a “value-for-money audit” on the soon-to-be-completed extension of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) extension project.

Of course, as leader of the parliamentary opposition, it is his constitutional right to make such statements, or any such requests. Except that one can clearly discern the impute of impropriety in such a call; Jagdeo should be reminded that, “This time na lang time”, as this coalition government is insisting on proper standards that meet international best practices, thus signalling that its dollar must be properly spent.

But this particular opposition leader lacks any moral right on this particular subject, given the fact that this project had initially been announced to the Guyanese public, by way of the Jamaica Gleaner, rather than by the then PPP/C government. Where 70 per cent of the funds were expended with just over 30 percent of the work done.

This was just one of the many examples of the high disregard in which the Jagdeo political clique held the citizens of this country. One can also add the secrecy that shrouded aspects of the Marriott Hotel, which subsequently became an assumed debt on the shoulders of the current government.

It is evident that all such projects, inclusive of such a major as the CJIA expansion, has to be subjected to state audit. It is paramount, as it is also mandatory.

This is about Jagdeo seeking to create a mountain out of a molehill for political mileage, attempting to raise a hue and cry, when there is no reason to do so.

In effect, Jagdeo has again been taken by surprise by the government’s ability not only to make much-needed re-modifications to a seminal infrastructural development project, that has seen its finished sections becoming already operationalised, much to the satisfaction and praise of both outgoing and incoming passengers. One must ask, what is the particular point, Jagdeo?

Regards Earl Hamilton

8

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 11, 2018

Mother of two killed in early morning accident A MOTHER of two died after she was struck by a motorcycle on the Nigg Public Road, Corentyne, early Wednesday morning.

The accident occurred around 07:30hrs. Dead is Guytree Deslyn Armogan, 49, of Lot 180 Second Street, Nigg New Housing Scheme.

According to the woman’s husband Gopaul Singh, he had just disembarked a GuySuco truck at the Nigg Post Office Street when he noticed a familiar bicycle on the road. He related that he saw several persons on the road but no one told him anything.

It was when he arrived home he was told “Deslyn”

had not returned home. At that moment, he related, he took his bicycle and rode to the scene where his worse fears were confirmed. “When I reach out on the road, a lady ask me if is our bicycle.

I said yes; then she tell me the person didn’t make it, let me check it at Port Mourant Hospital. At Port Mourant, I identified my wife’s dead body,” he said in tears.

According to the police, the motorcycle-- owned and driven by 20-year-old Ramnarace of Chesney --collided with Armogan who was on her bicycle. Investigations revealed that the motorcyclist was proceeding east along the northern side of the road

when Armogan, who was proceeding west along the northern side of the said road, turned into his path, resulting in a collision.

They were both rushed to the Port Mourant Hospital where Armogan was pronounced dead on arrival, while Ramnarace, who sus-

The motorcycle that struck down Guytree Singh

Dead: Guytree Armogan

Gopaul Singh

tained head injuries, was transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital. The dead woman’s husband related that before he left for work, he and his wife had a conversation about their youngest son and how well he is doing in school. He recalled during the said conversation, he cautioned her about using the roadways and to be careful.

Armogan was described as a humble person who was admired in the community.

At the time of her demise, she was on her way to purchase pastry to take on a trip to the airport later in the day. She leaves to mourn two sons and her husband and other family members.

In 2001, Armogan lost her six-year-old daughter to an accident of a similar nature.

The girl was struck down in front of the Albion Police Station and was taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital where succumbed days after.

Accident victim gets ‘gun salute’ …police to investigate CRIME Chief Lyndon Alves has ordered an investigation into reports that mourners at the funeral of an accident victim on Sunday fired several gunshots in the air as part of paying their respects.

On Sunday, October 7, mourners gathered at the Stabroek Market area and then later moved to the cemetery

at Le Repentir as they bade farewell to an accident victim identified as “Froggie”.

The young man was among two persons who were killed in an accident on the East Coast Demerara when the car in which they were travelling careened off the road and collided with a lamp pole and brought down a steel gate.

At the funeral on Sunday, a number of gunshots rang out in open air even as mourners were still gathered at the cemetery. It was reported that as many as 50 shots were fired into the air as a sign of salute to the deceased. Guyana Chronicle was informed that at some point during the lawlessness, there was a police presence

Ruling in PPP LGE challenge for next Monday

JUSTICE Gino Persaud will on Monday rule whether the court has jurisdiction to hear a matter concerning claims that Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan had failed to issue an order for the holding of Local Government Elections (LGE) under the Local Democratic Organs Act Cap. 28.09.

Justice Persaud will also rule in a motion against the chief elections officer for demarcating and re-demarcating constituency boundaries without consultations with electors, stakeholders and political parties.

The challenge was made by the People’s Progressive Party member and commissioner of the Guyana Elections Commission, Bibi Shadick. Justice Persaud had set the date for the ruling on Wednesday when the case was called before him.

Shadick is being represented by Attorney Anil Nandlall. Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, SC, who is representing Bulkan, had argued that the court has no jurisdiction to entertain the application by Shadick. Williams posited that once allegations of irregularities

and illegalities are raised after the elections process has begun, the law requires that any such challenge must come after the elections are held and by way of an elections petition.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday after exiting the chambers of Justice Persaud, Nandlall shared that they were scheduled to present their respective submissions, both written and orally, but the attorney general and solicitor general’s absence caused that not to be done. Williams, who is currently performing the functions of Minister of Foreign Affairs, had to preside over the accreditation of five new ambassadors to Guyana on Wednesday.

Nandlall said despite this, he was able to impress upon the court the importance of the matter being concluded before LGEs on November 12. “The urgency of this matter is paramount, so I would have impressed upon the court that this matter must be concluded long before the LGE, because if it succeeds, it will require certain things to be done before the elections can take place,” Nandlall said.

but no arrest was made.

When this newspaper contacted Divisional Commander Marlon Chapman, he said he was unaware of the incident. When the particulars were put to him as communicated to this publication, the commander responded: “I don’t know anything about gunshots being fired and nothing was reported…”

When contacted for a comment on the matter, Superintendent of Police Jairam Ramlakhan said he too was not aware of the incident.

“Well, if the crime chief tells you he heard something about that, let him investigate it,” Ramlakhan stated when he was told that Alves confirmed that he did receive information about the shooting and had asked a detective in ‘A’ Division to look into the matter.

As a result of the lawlessness at the funeral on Sunday, two persons died.

The first was a pensioner, Orin Roberts, who was struck down by a motorcyclist, who along with dozens

of others, were using the road recklessly as they made their way behind the funeral procession, revving motorcycles and performing stunts.

The motorcyclist who struck down Roberts also died late on Tuesday night.

The pensioner was struck down at the corner of princes and John streets.

His relatives indicated that he was standing on the roadway when the motorcyclist lost control and slammed into him.

Jury split on verdict of rape accused

JOEL Patterson exited the sexual offences court on Wednesday and plunged into the arms of his relatives who were in tears of joy, as the jury failed to come to a unanimous decision at the end his trial.

The young man was facing charges for rape of a child under the age of 16, and the matter was brought by the state to be heard before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow.

State Prosecutors Seeta Bishundial and Tiffini

Lyken, read the indictment before the court which states that between September 1, 2016 and November 14, 2016, in the county of Demerara, the accused engaged in sexual penetration on two separate occasions, with an 11-year-old girl. The two occasions were being charged as separate counts.

His trial however, brought much difficulty in the decision making of the jury, as they were in deliberation for nearly four

hours. Upon returning to the courtroom, the foreman announced that the verdict of the Jury was in a 6 to 6 proportion on both counts in the indictment.

Justice Barlow then told Patterson that he was free to exit the courtroom, as the jury had failed to come to a decision. As such, the chambers of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), will determine whether or when he will be tried again for the offence.

Two nabbed for alleged rape of Corentyne teen

POLICE in Berbice have arrested two persons in connection with the robbery and rape of a young mother which occurred Sunday night.

According to information, the young woman, along with her mother and two children, were in the

bottom flat of the house when two masked men, armed with guns, pounced on them demanding cash and valuables. They relieved the woman of one LG cellphone, four silver bangles and three silver rings.

Before making their

escape, one of the men reportedly held the young mother at gunpoint and took her to a secluded spot where he sexually assaulted her.

The Police were informed and arrived promptly at the scene, but the men had already made good their escape.

It’s not a ‘backdam’

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 11, 2018

–– it’s home to some people, Min. Allicock says of the hinterland

Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock

MINISTER of Indigenous Peoples Affairs Sydney Allicock on Friday said that many hinterland communities are in the state they are in, because of a misconception that they are of no account.

He made this telling observation during an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, where he was asked what was being done about the many challenges facing the nation’s First Peoples.

And his response was: “One of the biggest issues we have is people coming to the hinterland to explore and exploit the land; people who just go about treating the areas like the ‘backdam’ as against the home to a group of people.

“You would often hear them saying they are going into the ‘backdam’. So, once they arrive here, they treat it just like that!

A ‘backdam’!”

But worrisome though this trend is, he feels there is still hope, with proper education

on how one should treat with Mother Nature and ecosystems, particularly those in the hinterland.

“We have to remember that the Indigenous Peoples have been here all the while and they never created the issues we are now having,” Minister Allicock said, adding: “It is the people who come to exploit who are the ones that bring about the issues being faced in the hinterland communities, which includes but are not limited to murders, destruction and pollution.”

Expanding a bit on the subject, Minister Allicock said that not only has exploitation bred greed amongst his people, but substance abuse as well and even social ills like suicide, something that was previously unheard of in the hinterland.

His contention is that those persons involved in mining do not take it upon themselves to do it on their own; that they

have to seek and be given permission and license to do so.

And therein lies the problem, he said, as one of the biggest bones of contention is the failure of the relevant authorities when surveying lands earmarked for mining and exploitation to give due consideration to the Indigenous Peoples domiciled there.

But thankfully, efforts are underway to resolve the problem, which he believes will see the decrease in the escalation of uncontrolled mining.

A number of agencies and ministries, the minister said, have already been engaged in this regard, and at the moment, the government is looking into some concerns which were raised by residents in the Upper Mazaruni community of Phillipai.

Those issues, he said, have to do with, among other things, new lands in the area which are being explored for exploitation,

and were raised with the President by way of a letter.

Those and other concerns have prompted a series of discussions among officials of the the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), and the Ministries of Indigenous Peoples Affairs and Natural Resources, Minister Allicock said.

He said, too, that a meeting is being scheduled with the community with the potential exploiters, whereby the community and the representatives from various agencies would be meeting to determine the way forward with respect to how the operations might be able to be carried out with little or no discomfort to the nation’s First Peoples.

Minister Allicock said that these moves are all geared to ensure that there is common ground in moving forward on both sides.

Batavia residents hoping for amicable solution to mining dispute RESIDENTS of Batavia in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni district, are hoping that an amicable solution would come to the fore as regards a mining dispute, which saw tempers flare last month between employees of a Bartica-based miner and villagers.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples; Affairs this week , Vice-President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, on Monday met with the Batavia Village Council, the miner ,Rickey Ramnarine, and representatives of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to address the mining situation.

“Parties involved, agreed to firstly address the demarcation of both mining blocks, so that villagers are aware of the area in question. The miner has agreed to conduct a private survey of the two blocks with representatives from both GGMC and the villagers’ full involvement,” the ministry stated. It was noted too that the process should take approximately two weeks and this will be followed by further negotiations, so that an amicable solution can be reached.

Toshao of Batavia, Oren Williams, told the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday that the villagers are sat-

“They also noted that mining must be done in accordance with the agreement between miner and village, royalties must be paid, the village will determine the number of excavators allowed, in cases of emergencies Mr. Ramnarine must be able to provide assistance to village,” the statement said.

It was noted too that when clearing land , all marketable logs must be put on a ramp identified by the

village council.

Residents also called for the general manager, who they first encountered on the lands when the issue came to light last month , to be immediately replaced ,”because of disrespectful behaviour towards residents.”

According to the document penalties will be instituted should Ramnarine fail to meet the conditions set out.

A mining pit which workmen of the Bartica-based mining company had dug prior to the stand-off with villagers.

isfied that the authorities have intervened. Residents travelled into the area on September 22, 2018 and surrounded the workmen attached to the mining company as they noted that the miner has encroached on their titled lands. Prior to the stand-off, the workmen destroyed mining equipment which the villagers had taken to the area weeks earlier.

Wi l l i a m s n o t e d o n We d n e s d a y t h a t i t w a s agreed that if the demarcation process indicates that the miner has blocks within Batavia’s titled lands, negotiations will continue regard-

ing royalties to be paid to the village council.

Mining has never occurred within the village lands until three months ago when villagers encountered gold-bearing rocks on the village lands.

According to the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, prior to this week’s meeting, last Wednesday Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe , met with representatives of the Batavia Village Council and GGMC to address the issue.

The ministry said villag-

ers have collectively decided that mechanisms must be put in place to ensure operations are carried out in accordance with the villages’ stipulations and the Amerindian Act of 2006.

The ministry said that at a village meeting held on September 21, villagers agreed that for the mining operations to continue, Ramnarine must comply with several conditions set out.

Among them, giving priority to villagers of demarcated mining blocks, since it is important for them to know the mining borders of his two claims.

Villagers surrounded the miner’s equipment during a stand-off on September 22, 2018.

10

Play by the rules

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

…Broomes warns syndicates against illegal activities

T

HOUGH pleased with the general performance of the National Mining Syndicate (NMS), Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, on Wednesday expressed disappointment that at least one of the 14 syndicates has fallen prey to alleged corrupt and illegal activities.

In an emergency meeting at her Kingston office, she told the heads of six mining syndicates to steer clear of any corrupt and illegal activities, noting that such would not be tolerated by her ministry. On the sidelines of the meeting, Minister Broomes explained to the Guyana Chronicle that during a recent visit by Guyana Geology and Mines Commission’s (GGMC’s) Mines Officers to Puruni, several illegal dredges and shops were found to be in an area allotted to the Jaguar Mining Syndicate (Berbice). This, she said, is a contravention of the constitution guiding the operations of syndicates in Guyana, and would not be tolerated.

“I want to put them on notice that while people think the interior is far, for me it is near.

They have pledged, they have a responsibility, they have a commitment, they know that no illegal activity is supposed to happen there, I want to tell them don’t try it. It will not be allowed,” Minister Broomes said.

ing the mining syndicates in Guyana, a syndicate lands are not for sale; the sale of alcohol, drugs and guns is strictly prohibited; money laundering is strictly prohibited and should be reported if identified; child labour and

his watch, the syndicate has erred, noting that it was a result of ignorance. “The rangers were not fully aware of their responsibilities and as a result, we have to take some of the blame for it.”

Moore said his syndicate

Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources Simona Broomes addressing representatives from several mining syndicates at her Kingston Office.

(Photos by Adrian Narine)

The issue of illegal activities at Puruni was reported to the Natural Resources Ministry and the National Mining Syndicate, and GGMC has pledged to take action against the defaulters. According to the established rules govern-

human trafficking are strictly prohibited; decent labour relations must prevail and all mine safety measures are required to be observed.

President of the Jaguar Mining Syndicate, Lloyd Moore, admitted that under

is ready to pick up the pieces and put corrective measures in place to prevent a reccurrence.

“We intend to move forward and abide by the mining laws and the rules that govern the syndicates. Our whole

Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources Simona Broomes

intention is, is to uplift our people because they are looking to us to take them out of the poverty-stricken situation that has indeed prolonged upon them for a long period of time,” he told this newspaper.

The Jaguar Mining Syndicate has more than 100 members, but due to lack of finance, some of its members are unable to venture into Puruni to mine for gold.

Jaguar Mining Syndicate aside, Minister Broomes said she is pleased that six of the syndicates have commenced working within areas allotted to them. To date, Fourteen Miles, Puruni, Konawaruk, Gold Search and Jaguar are the Mining Syndicates that are mining.

Since the establishment of mining syndicates close to two years ago, scores of jobs have been created, according to Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources.

“The cycle and the spin off to it is bigger than you can expect,” she posited noting that families are benefiting.

President of the National Mining Syndicate, Cheryl Williams, said the national body remains thankful to the government for giving small miners a better opportunity to mine and develop themselves.

Williams said syndicates are faced with several challenges, but continue to pool their resources to remedy some of the issues. “Access to mining lands is one of the challenges and so we are lobbying government to assist us in getting into the mining lands to work,” she pointed out. The National Mining Syndicate, despite challenges, has made several accomplishments.

The national body is expected to meet with the Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman.

Mahdia miners protest following enforcement operation …claim GGMC officials destroy, seize equipment

R

ESIDENTS of Mahdia on Wednesday continued a second day of protest action outside the office of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) as they called for the return of equipment which was seized by the authorities in recent days.

Shouts of “Ah want meh engine”, “2020 I ain’t voting” and “We need we engine to feed we children” were among the many shouts which residents shouted as they gathered outside the offices of the GGMC on Wednesday.

Reports are that the situation escalated on Tuesday of this week after GGMC officials shut down the mining operations of several miners in the area. Residents claimed that several pieces of equipment, including sluice boxes, were either destroyed or seized by the authorities and they noted too that the officers who were accompanied by armed police ranks, moved in without notice.

The Ministry of Natural Resources stated that over the

weekend, in continued efforts to address the issue of fatal mining incidents, Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, on Saturday visited Mahdia and received updates on the town’s ongoing enforcement operation.

According to the ministry, the operation which was

ordered by the subject minister last Tuesday, serves to address mines safety, improve mining practices and curb the practice of illegal mining overall.” It comes as illegal and unsafe mining practices continue to result in fatal accidents in the mining areas of Guyana,” the entity said.

GGMC acting mines manager, Krishna Ramdass, said that the operation began on Friday last and has seen the deployment of a team comprising five (5) Ministry Compliance Division’s Corp of wardens along with twelve (12) GGMC officers.

Ramdass went on to high-

light that the enforcement operation has to date identified mining operations that do not conform to safety, issued cease work orders, and has even completely removed some operations from the environment.

Minister Trotman, while addressing the miners, en-

A large gathering of residents outside the office of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) at Mahdia, as they protest the recent mining enforcement operation

couraged them to allow the smooth flow of the operation, ensuring that their documents are in order so as to avoid issues with the process. He briefed them on the process and further encouraged them to practise legal and safe mining practices.

The enforcement operation in Mahdia is expected to last eight (8) days, the ministry said, as it noted that enforcement operations are being launched in other mining districts. On Wednesday, Marbel Thomas, Toshao of the nearby village of Campbelltown and who was on the protest line, told journalist Travis Chase that the issue is one of “survival” as she noted that Mahdia and communities nearby depend on mining for development as well as for the well-being of residents. She said the group is willing to listen to the GGMC as regards the move by the mining body.

At next month’s Local Government Elections (LGEs), residents of Mahdia will head to the polls at elections which will see the town’s first mayor and town council being formed.

11

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 11, 2018

DEA called in

By Rabindra Rooplall

THE Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) has requested the intervention of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to tackle the use of synthetic drugs in schools in light of an alarming, high use of ecstasy pills among youths.

This disclosure was made

by Deputy Head of CANU Lesley Ramlall, during his address at a two-day workshop on drug-prevention consultation and training being hosted by the Ministry of Education at Cara Lodge, Georgetown.

Ramlall noted that the DEA operations in Colombia and Puerto Rico are commendable and the workshop is a timely intervention by the Education Ministry.

The deputy head of CANU said studies from 2007 to 2013 show that there was a reduction in cigarettes, cannabis, cocaine and alcohol consumption by school- children; however, there was no mention of synthetic drugs, since Guyana was not known to use those.

However, he explained that from 2017-2018, CANU has seen the use and the flow of synthetic drugs in Guyana, which is a worry to all stakeholders.

CANU to date, he said,

has seized 250 grams of ecstasy; 100 grams of crystal methamphetamine; and 405 grams of heroin, all of which are synthetic drugs.

“Unfortunately, the use of ecstasy seems to be very prevalent, not only among adults, but [among] schoolchildren too,” he stated.

In partnership with the Education Ministry, Ramlall said CANU has launched investigations in five schools, and as such, the training session is very important to educate all stakeholders.

“We are aware teachers are not equipped with the skills and the tools as to how to deal with students who are involved in the use of ecstasy and other synthetic drugs. These students are very cunning and smart in their denial and involvement in drug use; and that is why at the law-enforcement level, we are willing to support educational programmes with schoolchildren,” the deputy CANU head said.

Underscoring that Guyana has been labelled over the years as a trans-shipment destination, Ramlall said synthetic drugs are being produced in labs that are not recognised.

As a result, the potency would be different for each pill that is made in the various labs.

“You may use an ecstasy

pill now and the effects may be totally different from a pill you use tomorrow, because the mixture is different and our students are not aware of that,” he said.

He said CANU’s aim is not to penalise children or students, but instead to apprehend the traffickers and dealers.

“To do that, we need the cooperation of parents, students and teachers…. We have seen students go at length to protect the supplier.

This is there in the school system and we cannot deny it, as to how many schools and the extent of it, well it’s alarming,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Owen Pollard, Assistant Chief Education Officer (Primary) said globally, 13.8 million adolescents between ages 15-16 used cannabis within the past year.

ALARMING He said Guyana’s 2016 household drug report highlighted that illegal substances such as marijuana represented 46.6 per cent of the indicator respondents, who purchased drugs in public or open spaces.

“Sadly, many of our youths are also able to access these drugs and often misuse or abuse them. Over the

Guyanese makes history as the MU’s first non-British Worldwide President GUYANESE Sheran Harper, wife of former national and West Indies cricketer Roger Harper, has been elected as the new Worldwide President of the global Anglican mission agency Mothers’ Union, making her the first person from outside the British Isles to hold the position.

She will represent and lead the 142 years old movement’s four million members in 84 countries from January 2019, when she takes over from Lynne Tembey, who will step down in December.

“I am delighted to accept the role of Worldwide President for the new triennium,” Harper said in a report in the Anglican Cummunion News Service. “I feel very excited and privileged and I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our members who voted to make this dream a reality.

Born in the United Kingdom, Harper grew up in Guyana where she studied at the University of the West Indies School of Physical Therapy. She undertook her Clinical Practice at Guy’s Hospital in London and then worked with the Ministry of Health in Guyana where she

Mrs Sheran Harper

opened and managed new physiotherapy departments in hospitals throughout the country and lectured on the rehabilitation therapists’ programme.

She stopped working in this area 17 years ago to focus on her calling of serving Mothers’ Union. She has served as a volunteer at all levels from parish, diocese and province and is currently a Worldwide Trustee.

Mothers’ Union is an international Christian, British registered charity that seeks to support families worldwide. Its members are not all mothers or even all women, as there are many parents, men, widows, singles and grandparents involved in its

work. Its main aim is to support monogamous marriage and family life, especially through times of adversity It was established through a Royal Charter – an ancient legal structure overseen by the Privy Council. The Privy Council, the highest level of the British Government responsible for matters reserved to the Monarch, approved the new constitution when it met in April this year, chaired by Queen Elizabeth.

Until recently, Harper was the worldwide parenting trainer where she rolled out Mothers’ Union parenting programmes in 23 countries across the globe. Her election was announced by Mothers’ Union Chief Executive, Bev Jullien during a Facebook Live session. “We are extremely excited with the results”, Jullien said. “Not only will Sheran bring her global expertise, but we have a Board that is rich in diversity with eight different nationalities and also, for the first time, includes a man.”

last few years, the education ministry has strengthened its partnership through the drug information network of the Nation Anti-Narcotics Agency to combat the issue of drug use among minors,” he said.

He noted that since 2014, training programmes have been developed through school’s health and welfare units that see teachers and welfare officers being trained in drug-prevention strategies to deal with children affected by drug use.

He noted that the training themes focused on drug types and classification, mental health, curriculum, addiction, integration, identification, treatment programmes, random inspections at schools, homes and physical body are done by welfare officers.

SURVEILLANCE “There has been an increase in the number of drug case reports across the schools in Guyana, as such, the Ministry of Education has stepped up its surveillance and education efforts through the establishment of a task force that includes enforcement agencies as the CANU and GPF narcotics division,” he said.

In 2017, he noted that the partnership was further strengthened with support

-- as crackdown on ecstasy in schools intensifies from the UN fund and a draft interagency protocol was developed for drug use among minors that will guide the handling and treatment of cases in which students who are caught with illicit substances.

He explained that a series of consultations have been ongoing with stakeholders since June 2018, to ensure that all relevant policies and legislation are aligned.

Noting that the two-day workshop will also work as a final component of consultation, the assistant chief education officer said the education ministry is pleased to share its ongoing programmes and preventative initiatives on drug use among youths.

Sharing his perspective, Superintendent of Police Narcotics Unit, Kurleigh Simon said cops have seized in excess of a 1000 ecstasy pills for 2018 thus far and what is disappointing is that one of the persons arrested was a certified nurse.

“We have been conducting our drug- reduction education exercise within schools; my plan for next year is that we will increase the programme to ensure all schools are targeted, giving each station the responsibility of targeting schools within their district,” Superintendent Simon said.

He called on students to think before they act, since their bodies are not laboratories. “You should not use it or allow anyone to use it for any experiment or wanting to experience the high of drugs, because there will only be damages [sic] done.”

UNICEF Education Specialist Audrey Rodrigues said the agency’s role in assisting the education ministry is a process that started last year.

She said the critical activity for 2017 was the mapping of drug offences for juveniles in Guyana.

Having done that mapping, Rodrigues noted that it was realised that what needed to be done could not be executed in isolation by any one agency.

“We recognised that to move forward there was a need for an inter-agency approach,” explained Rodrigues.

She said work has been done on the protocol, but it was necessary for the consultations to be held in order to hear the thoughts of stakeholders.

She noted that the mapping and the protocol are critical for UNICEF and the other agencies meeting and making decisions to take matters to the children’s court.

Military Cemetery spruced up THE Military Cemetery located at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, Kingston, Georgetown, was spruced up on Sunday under the watchful eyes of Senior Superintendent Errol Watts, as the Guyana Police Force tries to improve all aspects of its image, according to Press Officer Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan.

Ramlakhan explained

that in accordance with the overlapping responsibilities which emanate from a policeman’s requirement to maintain the discipline and keep his surroundings clean, a campaign was organised to also focus on the cleaning and beautifying of the environment.

“The Spruce Up of other locations at Police Headquarters, also spearheaded

by the aesthetics officer, who is Second-in-command ‘Operations’ has caught the eyes of many including Police Commissioner Leslie James and other senior officers…. The force wishes for others to emulate Snr. Supt Watts’s efforts in creating safer and healthier working environments,” the PRO said.

The Military Cemetery being spruced up on Sunday

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 11, 2018

End the multiple choice test –– Road Safety Council says this examination allows for fraud

–– wants prospective drivers to write their responses to questions asked

By Lisa Hamilton THE effectiveness of the learner-driver package; the medical health of drivers and third-party insurance are among key concerns the Guyana Road Safety Council (GRSC) hopes to address through its 2019 programme.

Just in September, the Road Safety Council, at its third General Council Meeting, elected new officers to serve for the next two years with Frank D. Pompey being elected as chairman.

Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday, Pompey provided an update on the ongoing and planned works of the body.

He relayed that a number of sub-committees have been set up within the council which include the financial sub-committee; law enforcement sub-committee; and the education sub-committee.

Together, they are working to develop a 2019 programme of which one of the main issues it seeks to address is the learner-driver package which Pompey believes for some time, has not been serving its purpose.

“I think it has outlived its usefulness… because there were so many issues with that package so we need to look at that and come up with a better package for the learner-driver programme.

We want to get rid of these multiple choice questions.

Our recommendation is that we do training and we put questions that persons will

have to write, not only pick something out on a box [stating] right or wrong, they will have to give proper answers to the question,” he stated.

The chairman said the multiple choice test also allows for fraud as was found in a 2018 investigation where policemen were fingered in forged questionnaires made out for the Theoretical Learner Driver’s examination.

POLICE CULPRITS There changes, he said, are needed as in numerous recent cases, when it comes to road safety; the police themselves have been the erring party.

“There were a lot of fatal accidents which were committed by policemen who were driving police vehicles and in some cases their own vehicles, so, we think there’s a need to look at that driving programme and make some changes,” Pompey re-emphasised.

Apart from addressing the common offences of speeding, drinking and texting while driving, the GRSC also hopes to eventually see citizens being required to undergo medical checkups prior to receiving a drivers’ license.

“We think we should include in our examinations, before persons are given their licenses, they should go through an examination by a doctor to test their sight, also to look at their health in general before their license is being granted,” he said, adding: “The law enforcement subcommittee is putting up

some proposals that we want to put forward.”

The council also wants to examine the insurance available to learner-drivers and

license, his premium will go down. So, I think that will act as a deterrent and persons will be more careful in driving,” Pompey said.

schools with its next target group being the public transportation sector.

Regarding the latter, Pompey said: “[We’re going

how it affects the carefulness of the new drivers on the roadways.

“They need to make a change with this process, that as soon as a person gets his license he can drive any vehicle that has a third party insurance and I don’t think that is something good for drivers who have just started driving.”

“We need [to ensure], and we will have to consult with the insurance companies, that the driver should have his own insurance to drive the vehicle so in case of any accident, his premium will go up and he would lose points on his license. [But] if he is a careful driver, as the year goes by and he renews his

Other aspects the GRSC will zero in on farmers who are bent on allowing their animals to graze along busy roadways and the court system which ought to ensure persons who commit driving offences have their license suspended.

Statistics provided for 2017 show that there were 71 accidents resulting in 78 deaths along with the death of a child, while in 2018 there were76 accidents resulting in 88 deaths and the death of four children.

to] bring them in with the assistance of the police and get them to understand the ‘dos and don’ts’ so that they can be better drivers on our roads.”

When it comes to pedestrians, the chairman regretfully noted that even with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s implementation of traffic lights and overpasses at strategic locations, some pedestrians are still ignoring the facilities implemented for their safety.

This type of behaviour, he said, further contributes to the non-adherence of drivers to the stoplight due to the reduction of their time. This, he said, also needs to be addressed.

Carpenter arrested with illegal pistol

AN intelligence-led operation by ranks of the Guyana Police Force has resulted in the arrest of a carpenter with an unlicensed .22 Smith and Wesson pistol without ammunition around 19:30hrs in East La penitence, Georgetown, on Tuesday.

The police said the suspect was arrested in Freeman Street. He was identified as a 32-year- old who resides in Laing Avenue, West Ruimveldt, Georgetown. Police said investigations are in progress.

The seized firearm

TRAINING For the year, the GRSC has been providing training programmes for drivers and road safety education within

To bring greater awareness, during the GRSC’s Road Safety Month of activities which begins in November, a secondary school debate competition will be hosted through collaboration with the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

Schools from Regions Three, Four, Five, Six and 10 will be participating.

Altogether, to conduct these works and more, the council receives a subvention from the Ministry of Public security along with some amounts of sponsorship.

It also gets funds through fund-raising activities.

For this year, GRSC’s budget stood at $3M but an increase to this figure is much welcomed by the council.

“The amount that we have is not a big amount but we have to taper some of our programmes sometimes to make it work… because when you look at activities and you put a cost to it, sometimes it’s three times the amount of money that we get on our subvention,” Pompey said.

He added that the council is signatory to the Decade of Action for Road Safety to reduce deaths by 50 per cent by 2020 but with Guyana far from this achievement, additional finances can help to make a big difference.

Timehri man beaten and robbed at Charity

A 46-year-old salesman of Timehri, East Bank Demerara, was on Monday beaten and robbed at Charity by two known men.

The incident occurred around 21:30hrs. According to information reaching the Guyana Chronicle, the salesman Troy Crawford was walking heading to Lovern’s Shop in the Charity area when he was attacked and

robbed.

He told the police that whilst walking, he saw a man called “Rabbi” walking on the pave and he called out to him. He said after that the man came up to him and started to chuck him to his stomach; the man then picked up a piece of wood and dealt him one lash to his forehead, causing him to fall to the ground. As he was on

the ground, a second man ran through his pockets and stole $24,000; both men then fled the scene.

Crawford then made his way to the Charity Police Station and made a report.

He was then escorted to the Oscar Joseph Hospital at Charity, where he was seen by doctors. One of the suspects was later arrested by police and is now in custody.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

Data shows consumption upgrade during National Day holiday

It is estimated that more than 700 million Chinese people, or about half of China’s population, were traveling during the National Day holiday (Oct. 1 to Oct. 7), and nearly 7 million went abroad.

Consumer activities during the Golden Week upgraded among Chinese tourists, with more spending on culture-related activities, according to the Beijing-based Chinese Tourism Academy.

Among the changes, more Chinese visited cinemas, theaters, museums and libraries during the holiday. Over 40 percent of tourists visited museums, art galleries, libraries and science and technology halls. Cultural scenic spots such as the Old Summer Palace, Palace Museum and Terracotta Warriors Museum attracted a flood of visitors, according to data from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Besides, over 90 percent of tourists took part in cultural activities during the holidays, among which 40 percent took part in such activities twice. The overall consumer market continued to expand. Data from the Ministry of Commerce showed retail and restaurant sales totaled 1.4 trillion yuan in the seven-day period, with average daily spending in the sectors up 9.5 percent year-on-year.

Sales of organic foods, fashion apparel, gold and silver jewelry, ultra high-definition televisions, smart phones, smart home products and automobiles also boomed.

Shared homestays, online shopping, online food-ordering, customized tour products, and mobile payments were hot trends during the holiday. Tourist attractions received 726 million visitors during the seven-day holiday, an increase of 9.43 percent year-on-year, while tourism revenue increased 9.04 percent to 599.08 billion yuan ($86.8 billion).

Shanghai gears up for China’s first import expo As China International Import Expo (CIIE) is only a month away, Shanghai, host of the event, has reached the final stage of its preparations, while products from all over the world have been arriving in the city.

scenarios. Shanghai municipal government has been renovating the roads around the convention center, and developed cellphone applications to better guide traffic around the area.

The city has also added eight bus routes and prepared 100

shipped.

Chinese companies are eyeing great potential in boosting imports through the event.

“During the CIIE, we expect to import at least 1,000 kinds of products and services that have not been sold in the domestic

The CIIE is China’s first expo event that is expected to give firm support to trade liberalization and economic globalization, and actively open the Chinese market to the world, according to its official website. A total of 2,800 companies from all the G20 member states, as well as 50 countries and regions along the Belt and Road will participate in the expo. Of the world’s 44 least developed countries, more than 30 will be present at the event.

Shanghai has been holding rehearsals, improving city infrastructure and training volunteers to meet needs of the approaching event. At the National Exhibition and Convention Center, where CIIE will be held, the event organizer held a comprehensive rehearsal last Thursday covering various

spare buses.

Light decorations have been added to the 20km-long banks of the city’s signature Huangpu River, as well as four bridges that span across it.

Hundreds of thousands of pots of flowers are dotted across Shanghai. The city has trained 5,000 volunteers who will offer various services including language translations.

As the event is drawing near, goods from foreign exhibitors have arrived at local customs. Shanghai has opened green channels for the products, significantly cutting the time needed for them to be unloaded and stored in local warehouses. So far, it is estimated that products from more than 1,500 exhibitors have arrived in the Chinese mainland, while that from another 1,000 have been or are being

market,” said Wang Zhe, Party head of China’s commercial giant Suning Holdings Group, “In the next three years, we plan to import goods worth 10 billion Euros (around 11.5 billion U.S. dollars). Liang Feng, president of state-owned China National Machine Tool Sales and Technical Service Corporation, said CIIE will witness eight leading companies in the machine tool industry launch a dozen of new products in China for the first time.

More than 100 new products and technologies are expected to make debut at the expo, according to statistics from the organizers.

Forty-three African countries have confirmed to participate in the expo. About 190 enterprises from Africa will promote local products such as Egyptian data palm,

ethiopian coffee, and Amarula from South Africa, at the event, according to the organizers.

“The CIIE shows China’s

changing trade strategy and its resolve to fulfill its responsibility as a major country and achieve mutual benefits and win-win cooperation

with all nations,” said Zhao Beiwen, deputy head of the World Economy Institute under the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. (Xinhua)

Test run of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao bridge a success

Three days of test runs on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao bridge have achieved expected results, said Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, chief secretary for administration at the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government on Sunday.

On his personal blog, Cheung said the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao are now summing up experiences and working toward the bridge’s official

opening.

More than 300 government personnel from Hong Kong participated in the trial operation and business people engaged in cross-border transportation were also invited to the event, he said.

The bridge is the first cross-border link connecting the land of the three cities, and the opening means that the western part of the Pearl River Delta will be accessible from Hong Kong within a three-hour drive, Cheung

said.

The new bridge will significantly reduce the cost and time of passenger and freight transportation by land and accelerate the economic development and linkage of the cities in the Greater Bay Area, he said.

Spanning 55 kilometers, the bridge is the world’s longest bridgeand-tunnel sea crossing and will cut travel time between Hong Kong and Macao from three hours to just 30 minutes.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 11, 2018

Five new diplomats accredited ...cooperation in oil and gas, mining promised

Ambassador of the Kingdom of The Netherlands Jacob Rijkert Frederiks delivers his brief speech to the President (Delano Williams photos)

PRESIDENT David Granger on Wednesday accredited five ambassadors and high commissioners from Tanzania, Nigeria, Norway, Chile and the Netherlands, who have all pledged their countries’ commitment to forge deeper cooperation in the areas of oil and gas, climate change, security and defence, mining and agriculture.

At State House, the President accepted the envoys’ Letters of Credence as he welcomed the diplomats to Guyana and relayed best wishes to their heads of state.

Represented were: High Commissioner of the United Republic of Tanzania, Emmanuel John Nchimbi; High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Hassan Jika Ardo;

Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands, Jacob Rijkert Frederiks; Ambassador of the Republic of Chile, Patricio Arturo Becker Marshall; and Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway, Nils Martin Gunneng.

Presenting his documents to the president, High Commissioner Nchimbi stated that Tanzania, through its relations with Guyana, hopes to strengthen ties in the areas of oil and gas, sugar, gold and diamond mining, agriculture and the exchange of technical know-how.

Guyana and Tanzania have shared diplomatic relations since 1970, with high-level visits of former Prime Minister Forbes Burnham in 1970 and former President Desmond Hoyte in 1986. As such, President

High Commissioner of the United Republic of Tanzania, Emmanuel John Nchimbi, presents his Letters of Commission to President David Granger

President David Granger shares light conversation with the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway, Nils Martin Gunneng, at State House on Wednesday

Granger told the high commissioner that his appoint-

President David Granger and Ambassador of the Republic of Chile, Patricio Arturo Becker Marshall (centre), take a photograph along with Attorney General Basil Williams (second left) and other officials

ment can help to advance a long-term strategic partner-

ship between the two states.

“Guyana can learn from Tanzania’s experience in ecotourism, in managing its conservation parks and in protecting its biodiversity.

Green development cooperation can form a basis for strengthening bilateral relations,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Frederiks signalled the Netherlands’ interest to share its expertise in the areas of coastal defence; water management and resilient crops in the face of global warming. “The challenges faced by your country and mine are not identical; and yet there are many areas where we could work together and share experiences,” he said.

Speaking to the ‘Dutch disease’ which has become synonymous with the mis-

management of natural resources, the ambassador said that Guyana will soon face its own challenge to avoid such negative consequences.

He added that while the Netherlands’ example is not a solution, he will gladly make his network of contacts available to the government should they appreciate cooperation in that regard.

President Granger said that Guyana and The Netherlands share bonds of history through which even the names of some of its streets, villages and townships are testaments to its Dutch heritage. He expressed his appreciation for the technical assistance provided by the Netherlands Government to Guyana thus far in the fields of Turn to page 17 ►

High Commissioner of the United Republic of Tanzania, Emmanuel John Nchimbi, shares a photo with the President

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 11, 2018

AFC to contest in 38 LAAs for 2018 LGEs

…proposes LGE debate among candidates THE Alliance For Change (AFC) will be contesting only 38 of the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs) for the 2018 Local Government Elections–approximately 15 LAAs less than it had originally bargained for, according to executive member Michael Leonard.

Leonard, at a news conference at the Centre for Change on Wednesday, told reporters that the AFC, despite a few challenges, remains confident of its chances at the Local Government Elections billed for Monday November 12.

“We are fielding more than 600 candidates with the majority being under the age of 40 in 38 of the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs) in Guyana,” he informed reporters.

Leonard said the AFC had intended to contest more LAAs, but was faced with a number of issues. One such

issue was that of bullyism experienced by candidates and nominators in some Local Authority Areas.

Weighing in on the issue, AFC Campaign Manager, Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson, said the alliance which forms a major part of the coalition government, had intended to contest in about 10 to 15 more LAAs. “It is not only that issue [bullyism]…but whatever it is, we are satisfied with where we are at,” Patterson told reporters.

The AFC kick-started its “Fit and Proppa!” Local Government Elections’ campaign last Saturday at the Centre for Change with over 300 candidates from Regions Three, Four, Five, Seven and 10 in attendance at the Centre for Change. Within the coming days, the AFC, Patterson said, will be intensifying its campaign, reaching out to residents in Regions One,

Eight and Nine, among other regions.

ELECTIONS DEBATE Meanwhile, the AFC campaign manager said as the country prepares for another historic Local Government Elections, the alliance is in support of election debates within the LAAs, particularly the larger ones such as the municipalities – Linden, New Amsterdam, Bartica, Rose Hall, Corriverton, Lethem, Mahdia, Anna Regina, and Georgetown.

“The Alliance For Change would most willingly coordinate a candidates’ debate, but we don’t want it to be seen as though we are trying to influence or stage against anyone, so if any civil society organisation is willing to host a debate among candidates on policies and positions in communities on behalf of the Alliance For Change I will accept that of-

fer,” Patterson told reporters.

Two of the party’s young candidates told reporters that if elected, they would push for many of the shortcomings in their LAAs to be addressed.

CHANGE MUST COME! Vickram Vieira, who hails from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), said it is time for change as he expressed disappointment with the way the nation’s youths are being treated.

Vieira contended that the young people are falling prey to alcohol and drug abuse, because of the lack of recreational activities in Region Three. “My community centre is in Goed Fortuin on the West Bank.

We have produced the best volleyball team in the Caribbean; those guys don’t have a ground to go and practise today, because the previous

Spanish incorporated into police training programme

administration abandoned…I am going to take the stand, and stand in the gap to fight for our young people so they could have a future; because when you allow young people to have their way and they don’t have nothing to get them involved, they become very idle-minded, but I want to create back this atmosphere of sports,” Vieira said.

In addition to rehabilitating the community centre, Vieira said if elected he would push for more street lights in Goed Fortuin and neighbouring communities and a high quality of tap water.

Byron Nobrega, in making his bid, questioned what the sitting Mayor Patricia Chase-Green, has done for Georgetown, but more so for Constituency 12 (TucvilleNorth Ruimveldt communities).

The lack of a proper drainage and irrigation system in the constituency continues to be a major problem particularly during

the rainy season, Nobrega said. With the understanding that the Georgetown Mayor and Town Council is continuously strapped for cash, the candidate said he will be pushing for public/private partnerships to finance many of the community projects in the constituencies.

“I will be pursuing public/private partnerships with businesses, because there are a lot of businesses in the area; they are earning revenues from citizens within that area, so I will be advocating for more public/private partnerships with them to get the community back where it needs to be,” he explained.

Nobrega said installation of street lights would also be one of the projects he hopes to execute, as well as the rehabilitation of the three community grounds in the area.

The AFC will be holding weekly press conferences, during which, many of its young candidates would be given the opportunity to share their plans for the various LAAs.

Loo Creek man died of broken neck –– autopsy finds

One of the classes being held at the Felix Austin Police College

THE administration of the Guyana Police Force has implemented Spanish into the curriculum of police training to prepare young policemen/women to communicate with the Spanish speaking immigrants in Guyana.

The immigrants are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.

Acting Force Training Officer, Senior Superintendent Fizal Karimbaksh, and Com-

mandant of the Felix Austin Police College (G/Town), Superintendent Shivpersaud Bacchus say the administration of the Force sees the programme as useful as the increasing influx of Spanish speaking nationals entering Guyana places members of the Force at a disadvantage at various border locations.

It was noted that with the implementation of this programme, ranks will be in a better position to be able to

communicate and deal with matters of various nature as they arise. This will also assist members of the Force to more efficiently and effectively discharge their duties, while delivering quality service to all.

The initiative, which started in July of this year, is being taught by lecturers from Guyana and overseas at all three of the police training colleges, namely: the Felix Austin Police College (Georgetown); the Richard Faikall Police

College (Suddie, Essequibo Coast) and the Felix Austin Police College (Adventure, Berbice).

The syllabus, which focusses on the fundamental aspects of the Spanish language, is being taught throughout the duration of the recruit training and it is envisaged that the valedictorian of the next recruit graduation will deliver his/ her speech in the foreign language.

AN autopsy done on Wednesday on the partially nude and battered body of a man found dead at Loo Creek, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, revealed that he died as a result of a broken neck and multiple injuries caused by a vehicular accident.

It was also noted that there was no sign of any sexual activity on the deceased, who was found without pants.

On Monday, Osafu Glasgow, 41, called “Safo” of Bagotville, West Bank Demerara, was identified by his mother after being involved in a fatal accident on Sunday.

His body bore injuries to the head, left arm and leg. Next to the body were pieces of plastic fragments, suspected to be that of a broken vehicle light.

The closest community from where the body was discovered is three miles away. The body was taken to the Linden Hospital Complex and was later transferred to the Wismar Hospital Mortuary.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

Time media, police work ‘hand in glove’

D

EPUTY Commissioner Law Enforcement, Lyndon Alves feels it’s time to dispense with the hauteur, so the police and media can have a better working relationship.

“It is important for us to work together, hand in glove,” he told the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday when asked about the current relationship between the Guyana Police Force and the media, and possible areas of cooperation in the interest of both parties.

The question was raised primarily because a common practice among some very senior members of the Force is that they engage the media to provide coverage of soft events such as handing-over ceremonies and commissionings, but when reporters seek to engage them on other matters of importance, they either clam up or try to pass the buck. And on those occasions, no one, not even those who are authorised to speak to the press, are willing to divulge

any information.

Commander Alves, who’s also Crime Chief, also spoke to the issue of the press running with stories prior to making contact with senior officers, particularly divisional commanders.

Noting that this type of approach usually places the Force at a disadvantage, Commander Alves said: “I think the journalists who are closer to the ground tend to attract persons who are aggrieved, and want to have their stories published. However, these people should understand that matters cannot be solved by just going to the media.”

Having gotten his point across, he is urging members of the media to be responsible in the treatment of certain matters, and to ensure that they engage the divisional commanders when preparing to write anything that seeks to affect a person or persons in a respective Division.

“Smart journalism would dictate that you communicate

--Crime Chief says

with the officer and let them know what the issue is, and give them an opportunity to comment on it or have it fixed rather than going to press,” he said, adding: “You are the ones out there, and you are the ones who often have the information before us. So it makes no sense keeping it from the police, who have the resources to go after those who are of interest to the police.”

Asked what he thought of social media, Commander Alves said: “Social media is there for all to use, but, unfortunately, we don’t have any control over what they post.

“However, it works as a very useful tool for suspects, as it makes them aware of the law enforcement’s interest in them and that pushes them into hiding.”

According to Alves, he is aware that persons are in love with their smart phones and social media, but at the same time, they, too, should be a bit more responsible.

Vagrant charged for stealing mangoes from nursery school

A

VAGRANT on Wednesday appeared before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore for stealing mangoes from the Starters Nursery School compound.

Ricky Mohammed, 34, admitted that on October 7, 2018, at Starters Nursery School, he stole a quantity of mangoes valued $5,000.

Mohammed told the magistrate that on the day in question, it was his birthday and he was hungry.

Ricky Mohammed

Teens to face trial for raping girl

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RINCIPAL Magistrate Judy Latchman on Wednesday committed three teens via paper committal to the high court for allegedly raping an 11-yearold girl.

Eighteen-year-old Caozuyag Menuy, his 15-yearold relative and a 13-yearold friend are jointly charged for rape. It is alleged that between October 1 and October 31, 2017, at Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, they engaged in sexual activity

Caozuyag Menuy

with a child under the age of 16.

The matter was held in-camera. They were represented by attorney-at-law Paul Fung-a-Fatt.

The two older teens are out on $70,000 bail while $40,000 bail was granted to the 13-year-old during their first appearance.

According to reports, the girl was held against her will by the three boys at a location on the East Bank Demerara during the month of October, 2017.

“You shouldn’t have stolen the mangoes, but instead you should have asked the person” the mag-

istrate replied. The magistrate reprimanded and discharged the matter against Mohammed.

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Mason gets bail on burglary charge SENIOR Magistrate Fabayo Azore on Wednesday released a 25-year-old mason on $75,000 bail for allegedly breaking into a house and stealing a quantity of items.

Ceon Isaacs of West Ruimveldt squatting area appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Particulars of the charge alleged that Isaacs, between October 5 and October 6, 2018, at Lot 15, West Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, broke and entered the home of Shireen Allen and stole a quantity of items valued $305,000, property of Isaiah Booker.

The unrepresented man pleaded not guilty to the charge and Police Prosecutor Warren Thornhill made no objection to bail being granted.

Isaacs was released on $75,000 bail and the matter was adjourned until November 14.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

Pomeroon captain charged for ammo, arm bust in Pomeroon River THE boat captain, who was busted at the mouth of the Pomeroon River with a shotgun and a quantity of ammunition in his boat, has been charged.

Rollin Fernandes, 28, of Jacklow, Pomeroon River,

made his first appearance before Essequibo Magistrate Esther Sam at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday to answer to the charges.

It is alleged that on October 5, during a joint operation

conducted in the Pomeroon River between the Guyana Police Force, the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard, Fernandes’ boat was stopped and during a search of it, a

shotgun, along with a quantity of ammunition, was found.

He denied the accusations and was granted bail. For the possession of firearm, he was granted $250,000 bail. For the possession of ammunition charge, he was granted

$200,000 bail. He was represented by Attorney-at-law Latchmin Dindyal.

The bowman, who was with Fernandes at the time, was not charged. He claimed that he was working with the captain.

Four held after Corentyne robbery A 21-year-old man is nursing a gunshot wound to his face while his father is also hospitalised at the Anamayah Memorial Hospital with severe injuries after armed bandits stormed their home and assaulted them in the process.

One of the perpetrators was masked while the two others were unmasked. Police have since arrested four persons for the crime. At approximately 18:00hrs on Tuesday, three men, armed with two guns and cutlasses, stormed the business place of D Kumar and Son Grocery, located at Cromarty Village, East Berbice, Corentyne.

From his hospital bed, Kumar, 51, related the traumatic ordeal of how he was beaten as the men demanded cash and jewellery from him. He related

passed out. He also sustained a chop wound to his right leg and had hot milk thrown on him. “One of them tell the next one ‘gimme the cutlass lemme chop he and kill he’,” Kumar recalled. While two of the bandits remained with the father in the shop as they ransacked and continued to search for more cash, the third one turned his attention to the son who was in the kitchen.

Balram Kumar remains hospitalized

that he was in the bottom flat of the house when he was attacked and dragged into the kitchen as the men beat and assaulted him. “They come and drag me into the kitchen, asking for the money and gold.

Deoraj Kumar

I tell them okay, I gon give you all me have,” Kumar said. He went on to say despite handing over $280,000 in cash from the shop, the men were not satisfied, as they continuously beat and stomped him until he

GRABBED HIS PLATE Balram Kumar called “Boi”, was having dinner when one of the bandits grabbed his plate of food and tossed it away as he demanded more cash. In the process, the young man was severely beaten and stomped to his back. He was also shot to his face; luckily,

The house which the bandits invaded

the bullet did not penetrate the face, only grazing it. “They beat my son bad; the boots print is still visible on his back,” his mother, Asha Kumar, related.

She explained that when she noticed what was happening, she ran and hid in the backyard, fearing the worse.

The son, badly beaten, bruised and covered in blood, ventured to the backyard to look for his mother. “He come looking for me after everything done and them gone, thinking something had happened to me. He could have barely walked and was bleeding from his face, but he come search for me”.

The ordeal lasted for about 35 minutes. The family’s gas stove was also stripped as the trio searched for more cash. On Wednesd a y, w h e n t h e G u y a n a Chronicle visited the family’s home, blood stains were visible in the kitchen where the young man was shot and there was also a trail of blood which led to the backyard.

The home and shop were in disarray. Meanwhile, Acting Commander of ‘B’ Division Paul Langevine confirmed persons have been arrested in connection with the robbery as investigations continue.

19

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 11, 2018

UG set to confer honorary doctorates on four Guyanese

Yesu Persaud

FOR the first time in its history, the University of Guyana is set to confer honorary doctorates on four Guyanese.

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Ivelaw Griffith, noted on his social media Facebook account on Tuesday night that the four persons approved by the academic board of the university are indigenous activist Laura George, musical icon Eddy Grant, business magnate Yesu Persaud, and Guyana-born United States-based philanthropist, Jay Sobhraj.

“Yesterday occurred another milestone in the journey along renaissance road, when the academic board approved my petition to confer Honorary Doctorates on four outstanding Guyanese—the first time UG will be bestowing this honour,” Professor Griffith said.

Grant, whose music is

Laura George

knowned globally, pioneered the ringbang genre over the course of his career which started in 1965 with the group-- The Equals.

Persaud has been lauded at home and abroad for his contribution to the growth of the private sector. In June 2009, Persaud was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of the West Indies in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the development of business in Guyana and for his micro-credit initiatives, mainly through the Institute of Private Enterprise Development (IPED).

In December 2013, he retired from his position as Chairman of the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) after serving the company for 48 years.

Last October, the University of Warwick of England honoured Persaud for his stellar contribution to the

development of global education and unveiled a brand new state-of-the-art lecture theatre bearing his name.

Sobhraj has contributed to many causes, including humanitarian acts in Guyana over the years. Earlier this year, through the Jay and Sylvia Sobhraj Foundation, he pumped a significant grant of GY$$80 million to establish the state-of-the-art behavioural study, research and multi-purpose centre in place of the old canteen building.

George, the governance and rights coordinator at the Amerindian Peoples’ Association, has been at the forefront of many undertakings locally and overseas, as she furthers the cause of indigenous peoples.

Professor Griffith stated that the University of Guyana will provide additional information on the milestone move.

Jay Sobhraj

Eddy Grant

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

GMR&SC’s Ignite Hamilton is stepping into secures ExxonMobil Schumacher territory sponsorship

By Alan Baldwin

EXXONMobil is the latest entity to come on board with the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) for the Ignite race meet set for November 10 and 11.

The company handed over sponsorship with exactly one month remaining.

Ignite, which is set to form the basis for the final leg of the Seaboard Marine Caribbean Motor Racing Championships (CMRC) 2018, is expected to feature competition from Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad, USA, Canada and Europe.

The event will be hosted in collaboration with the Department of Tourism within the Ministry of Business.

ExxonMobil’s Nicholas Yearwood made the presentation to GMR&SC’s Sherry Gonsalves at the sponsor’s office on New Market Street The much-anticipated event is expected to see the culmination of the 2018 season of the CMRC championship for Groups 1-5 as well as the Superstocks and SR3 radicals along with the local classes including the Superstock motorcycles.

Tickets are on sale at the GMR&SC office on Thomas Lands at a cost of $2 500, children $1 000.

Other sponsors for the event include GBTI, B.M. Soat, Noble House Seafoods, STAG Beer, Air Services Limited, GUYOIL, Palm Court, Hand-in-Hand, Ramada Hotel, Survival Supermarket, Club 704, Sheriff Security, EC Investments, Prem’s Electrical, Nexus Machinery, Mohamed’s Enterprise, Choke Gas Station, Japarts, R. Kissoon Contracting, E Networks, Miracle Opticle, Bikers’ Bar, Samaroo Investments, Innovations America and SuperBet, Agriparts and KGM Security Service.

Brathwaite all-round ...

From page 26

man Benn claimed Corbin lbw in the 15th over, it triggered a slide that saw three wickets fall for 18 runs as Amir Jangoo (3) and Ottley followed in the space of 32 deliveries at the hands of West Indies off-spinner Ashley Nurse.

But any hopes Pride had of turning the tables on Marooners were quickly dashed as Brathwaite took control of the encounter with a dashing innings, in tandem with Drakes who faced 46 deliveries and struck four fours.

Brathwaite ended the game in style with two consecutive sixes off Windies teammate Ashley Nurse who finished with two for 43.

SCOREBOARD PRIDE S Moseley b Brathwaite 49 +L Boucher run out 2 *S Brooks lbw b Brathwaite 0 J Carter c wkp Jangoo b Jordan 11 J Greaves lbw b Y Ottley 7 K Stoute c Y Ottley b Buchanan 37 A Nurse c and b Brathwaite 2 S Springer c Kirton b Jordan 22 S Benn b Jordan 15 M Cummins c and b Cottoy 20 M Mindley not out 0 Extras: (b1, lb2, w5, nb1) 9 TOTAL: (all out, 49.2 overs) 174 Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-13, 3-40, 4-55, 5-95, 6-101, 7-125, 8-151, 9-172, 10-174.

Bowling: Y Ottley 8-1-21-1, Jordan 9.2-0-36-3, Brathwaite 10-221-3, Jagessar 6-2-19-0, Cottoy 6-1-38-1, Buchanan 10-0-36-1. ============================= MAROONERS K Corbin lbw b Benn 40 K Ottley lbw b Nurse 42 +A Jangoo c wkp Boucher b Nurse 3 J Drakes not out 41 *C Brathwaite not out 50 Extras: (lb2) 2 TOTAL: (3 wkts, 31.3 overs) 178 Did not bat: L Buchanan, K Cottoy, J Jagessar, A Jordan, Y Ottley, N Kirton.

Fall of wickets: 1-70, 2-85, 3-88.

Bowling: Cummins 5-1-29-0, Mindley 3-1-17-0, Benn 10-1-381, Nurse 7.3-1-43-2, Carter 2-0-18-0, Springer 2-0-9-0, Stoute 2-0-22-0.

LONDON, England (Reuters) - When Michael Schumacher won his seventh Formula One world championship with Ferrari in 2004 it looked like a record for the ages, but Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes are forcing a rethink already.

Lewis Hamilton has won 50 with Mercedes in less than six seasons.

The Briton stands on the brink of becoming only the third man to win at least five titles, with his team’s stranglehold on both championships tighter than ever after he won Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix.

The 33-year-old has a contract until the end of 2020 and a team mate in Valtteri Bottas, who has proved more beatable and acquiescent than predecessor and 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg.

A change of engine rules that might shake things up is not due until 2021, at the earliest.

“Let’s say you win this championship ... Lewis wins another title, can he go to seven?” 1996 world champion Damon Hill asked Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff on Sky Sports television on Sunday, voicing the thoughts of many.

The Austrian’s reply, while emphasising that nothing was being taken for granted, was revealing.

“I think it’s important to

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reinvent yourself and set new objectives,” he said.

“And there is always the risk of complacency that you are running out of targets ... so we are setting ourselves ambitious targets.”

Hamilton’s record already bears comparison to Schumacher’s, and in some areas exceeds the great German’s achievements.

percentage rate remains in the German’s favour since there are now more races on the calendar.

On podiums, Hamilton is ahead 77-66.

Hamilton has also matched or beaten Schumacher at key stages of his career; the German taking his first title with Benetton aged 25 whereas the Briton opened his account at Mc-

Michael Schumacher won 72 races with Ferrari between 1996 and 2006.

Saturday brought the Briton a record-extending 80th pole from 225 starts, compared to Schumacher’s 68 in 307 races.

Sunday was Hamilton’s 71st win, 20 short of the former Ferrari great’s 91.

Hamilton has won nine races so far this season and looks likely to end the year in double figures. His 2014-17 average was 10 wins a year - 11 in 2014, 10 in 2015 and 2016 and then nine last year.

Britain’s most successful driver has 131 podium places since his debut in 2007, compared to Schumacher’s 155.

Schumacher won 72 races with Ferrari between 1996 and 2006. Hamilton has won 50 with Mercedes in less than six seasons.

A more meaningful point of comparison, however, would be the years of dominance - 2000-04 for Ferrari and 2014-18 for Mercedes.

There, the win figures are 49 for Hamilton (so far) and 48 for Schumacher but the

Laren as a 23-year-old.

Schumacher, whose January 3 birthday falls four days before Hamilton’s, was also 33 when he celebrated his fifth championship in 2002 - but he did it in France in July with six races to spare.

Hamilton, 67 points clear of Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel with four races to go, has his first chance to clinch title number five in Texas at the end of next week.

Nothing lasts forever but Mercedes will start 2019 more settled than those immediately below them in the pecking order, the only top team to field an unchanged lineup.

Error-prone Ferrari will be exchanging 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen for Monegasque youngster Charles Leclerc while Red Bull start a new partnership with Honda, whose engines have yet to match those of

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Chelmsford City 12:10 hrs So Ji Class 12:45 hrs Aldana 13:15 hrs Daafr 13:45 hrs Big Country 14:15 hrs Oscar’s Bridge 14:45 hrs Blyton Lass 15:15 hrs Boscastle 15:45 hrs Final Choice

Mercedes or Ferrari.

Hamilton is in the form of his life, hungry for more and as motivated as ever. If Mercedes can keep providing him with a winning car, then comparisons with Schumacher will only become louder.

24

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

Aussies hobble to 136-3, chasing a mammoth target of 462 (REUTERS) - Pakistan seamer Mohammad Abbas claimed three quick wickets as Australia hobbled their way to 136-3 yesterday, chasing a mammoth target of 462 in the first Test in Dubai.

Australian openers Usman Khawaja and Aaron Finch picked up where they left off after their 142-run stand in the first innings, adding 72 runs by tea on day four.

The pair added 15 more runs in the final session before Abbas trapped Finch leg-before for 49.

The visitors squandered another good start when the Marsh brothers were dismissed for ducks by Abbas.

Shaun was caught behind off a well-directed delivery, while a darting inswinger downed Mitchell plumb in front of the stumps.

Khawaja (50) and Travis Head (34) added 49 runs and will look to continue on the same note as they hope to

grind out an unlikely draw on the final day.

If the tourists are to pull off a victory they will have to surpass the highest chase in Test cricket by West Indies, who managed 418-7 against Australia in Antigua in 2003.

Pakistan resumed at 45-3 in the morning session and batted sensibly on a deteriorating pitch before declaring their second innings at 181-6.

Imam-ul-Haq (48) and Haris Sohail (39) missed out on half-centuries but their 65run partnership took the lead close to 400 runs.

Imam was the first to fall on the day, offering left-arm spinner Jon Holland an easy return catch.

He was soon joined in the dressing room by Sohail, who was adjudged leg-before off the bowling of debutant Marnus Labuschagne after Australia sought a review of the umpire’s original decision.

Asad Shafiq and Babar

Azam then combined to add 71 to peg Australia back further under the sweltering Dubai heat.

falling on 41.

Lyon’s 310th Test wicket saw him join Brett Lee as the fifth leading wick-

The left-handed duo of Khawaja and Travis Head took Australia’s fight to the final day. (Getty Images)

Off-spinner Nathan Lyon tempted Shafiq into playing a lofty shot which was held

by Mitchell Marsh at deep mid-wicket with the batsman

et-taker for Australia in the longest format of the game.

Abu Dhabi will host the second and final Test from October 16.

SCOREBOARD PAKISTAN 1st innings 482 AUSTRALIA 1st innings 202 PAKISTAN 2nd innings o/n 45-3 Imam ul-Haq c & b Jon Holland

48 Mohammad Hafeez c Marnus Labuschagne b Jon Holland 17 Bilal Asif c Travis Head b Nathan Lyon

0 Azhar Ali lbw Jon Holland

4 Haris Sohail lbw Marnus Labuschagne

39 Asad Shafiq c Mitchell Marsh b Nathan Lyon 41 Babar Azam not out

28 Extras: (b-2, lb-2)

4 Total: (57.5 overs) 181 decl Fall of wickets: 1-37, 2-38, 3-45, 4-110, 5-110, 6-181.

Bowling: Mitchell Starc 6-1-18-0, Nathan Lyon 25.5-6-58-2, Peter Siddle 2-1-3-0, Jon Holland 20-3-83-3, Travis Head 1-0-6-0, Marnus Labuschagne 3-0-9-1. ============================= AUSTRALIA 2nd innings Aaron Finch lbw Mohammad Abbas

49 Usman Khawaja not out

50 Shaun Marsh c Sarfraz Ahmed b Mohammad Abbas 0 Mitchell Marsh lbw Mohammad Abbas

0 Travis Head not out

34 Extras: (lb-3)

3 Total: (three wkts, 50.0 overs)

136 Fall of wickets: 1-87, 2-87, 3-8.

Bowling: Mohammad Abbas 11-2-26-3, Mohammad Hafeez 2-0-10-0, Yasir Shah 15-1-42-0, Wahab Riaz 7-2-13-0, Bilal Asif 13-3-40-0, Haris Sohail 2-1-2-0.

RHT Bakewell cop BCB’s Nasir Memorial One-Day 5/5 Tournament

PLAYING in front of a large and boisterous crowd at the Area ‘H’ Ground last Sunday, Rose Hall Town (RHT) Bakewell cricket team defeated Courtland Cricket Club by 10 wickets to lift the Berbice Cricket Board’s (BCB) Naeem Nasir Memorial OneDay 5/5 Cricket Tournament.

The tournament was sponsored by Bakewell in memory of its founder and late CEO Naeem Nasir, who died on the October 9, 2012. Bakewell has supported Guyana’s leading youth and sports organisation, the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club (RHTY&SC) MS, since 2000 and has been a big supporter of Berbice Cricket.

RHT won the toss and elected to field; Courtland began slowly with medium pacer Kevlon Anderson giving away only six runs in the first over.

Openers Troy Mathieson and Seon Crandon failed to dominate the RHT bowling attack as Simon Lawson, Keith Simpson, Junior Sinclair and Kevin Sinclair bowled well.

Courtland were restricted to 39 for 5 off their allotted five overs with Troy Mathieson 17

and Keon Sinclair 12 being the main scorers. Medium pacer Keon Sinclair then conceded only four runs from the first over, as Courtland Cricket Club tried to defend the small total.

der-19 player Kevin Sinclair was undefeated on 16 not out.

Earlier in the day, Jai Hind Cricket Club gave a walkover to Courtland, while Fyrish Cricket Club defeated Whim

105 without being separated against Belvedere United.

Needing to score 88 from five overs to upset RHT Bakewell, Fyrish were restricted to 35 for 6 as Kevin Sinclair and West Indies Female player Shabika Gajnabi took two wickets apiece.

Albion defeated Fyrish by nine wickets in the thirdplace playoff.

RHT Bakewell carried home $100 000 and a trophy

Courtland collected $50 000 and a trophy, Albion $30 000 and Fyrish $20 000. Junior Sinclair was named manof-the-final and collected a trophy and cash prize.

BCB president Hilbert Foster hailed the success of the tournament, which he stated was a perfect tribute to the memory of the Bakewell Founder. On behalf of the BCB and the RHTY&SC, Foster expressed gratitude

to Bakewell for its sponsorship.

General Manager (GM) of Bakewell, Rajin Ganga, praised the organising skills of the BCB and the RHTY&SC, stating that it was fitting that the RHT Bakewell team won the tournament. Bakewell, he stated was committed to supporting sports as part of its corporate responsibilities.

Man-of-the-final Junior Sinclair

National Under-19 all-rounder Junior Sinclair smashed the first two balls in the second over for huge sixes off left-arm spinner to ease the run rate.

RHT then raced to 43 without loss off just 3.1 overs.

Sinclair ended on 28 not out while fellow National Un-

Rain washes out first ODI between England and Sri Lanka DAMBULLA, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - England’s first one-day international against Sri Lanka was abandoned following heavy rains in Dambulla yesterday.

England managed to score of 92-2 in 15 overs, with Akila Dananjaya and Nuwan Pradeep claiming the wickets of Jason Roy (24) and Jonny Bairstow (25) respectively.

Joe Root (25) and Eoin Morgan (14) were scheduled to return for England once the rain cleared but the match was called off as the bad weather continued even after four hours.

The teams will stay in Dambulla for the second of the five-game series on Saturday.

England and Sri Lanka will also play a Twenty20 on October 27 in Colombo before the three-Test series begins on November 6.

National Cricket Club by eight wickets.

RHT Bakewell Cricket Club cruised past Belvedere United Cricket Club by 70 runs while Albion Community Centre Cricket Club defeated Tamarind Root Cricket Club by 20 runs.

In the semifinals, Courtland Cricket Club defeated Albion by seven wickets. Albion struggled to 25 for 5 off their 5 overs as Eon Gibson took 2 wickets for four runs.

In response, Courtland struggled as well to achieve victory and reached 26 for 3 from 4.1 overs. Troy Mathieson 13 not out and Keon Sinclair 08 not out added 20 crucial runs after Courtland had slumped to 6 for 3 in the second over.

In the second semifinals, RHT Bakewell Cricket Club blasted their way to 87 without loss as Kevin Sinclair 44 not out and Junior Sinclair 31 took the attack to the hapless Fyrish bowling.

In the opening round, the National Under-19 pair scored

The victorious RHT Bakewell team pose with Bakewell’s GM Rajin Ganga.

Runners-up Courtland Cricket Club

25

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

Simone Biles: Speaking about Larry Nassar abuse empowered me SIMONE Biles says it was a “relief” and “empowering” to speak out about being the victim of sexual abuse by jailed US Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar.

In January 2018 Nassar was sentenced to up to 175 years after nearly 160 women accused him of sexual abuse.

Biles, 21, then told her own story of how she was one of those victims.

“It was very hard but I figured out that if I can tell my story then it might encourage other people to tell theirs,” she said.

Biles, who won four gold medals and a bronze at the Rio Olympics in 2016, said she wanted to speak out about the reaction to her revelation and her responsibility as a role model.

She came back from a two-year career break to win her fifth US national title in August while wearing a teal leotard - the designated colour to represent survivors of sexual abuse.

And she returns to international competition at the World Championships in Qatar this

month.

“I think it was very important to support the fellow gymnasts it had happened to and to speak up for what you believe in and say ‘I don’t think this is right’ and I hope I gave them courage to come out and tell their stories one day if they want to,” she said.

“It kind of felt empowering even though I know that is an overused word right now.”

Ohio-born Biles says she was “relieved” after speaking out, after feeling “a lot of pressure” to keep the truth to herself for so long.

Biles praised Judge Rosemarie Aquilina who sentenced

Simone Biles

“People do look up to me so if they can see Simone can be strong enough then hopefully I can too - and that’s the message I wanted to give.

Nasser, and she says he “got what he deserved”.

“The judge was absolutely amazing on her part, so we were very proud of

Hamilton Green 9-a-side Inter-ward/Village Cup IN just ten days’ time, the 32 invited teams will have the opportunity to battle for the coveted first prize of $400 000 and the championship trophy, compliments of the Ministry of Citizenship.

This is according to coordinator of the Hamilton Green 9-a-side Inter-ward/Village Cup which is being held to commemorate the 84th birth anniversary of the former Mayor of Georgetown.

The community of Den Amstel on the West Coast of Demerara is the venue for what is already being touted as one of the most eagerly-anticipated sporting events on the West Side. It is set to kick off on October

21.

Arthur said over $700 000 in cash prizes, trophies and gifts will be awarded to the respective winners and

Hamilton Green

outstanding performers at the end of the tournament, which will be run on a knockout basis with the final set to be played on November 11, at the Den Amstel Community Centre ground.

The runners-up will collect $200 000 and trophy through the goodwill of John Fernandes Ltd, while third- and fourth-place finishers will receive $60 000 and $40 000 respectively along with the Techno Mills and Courtney Benn Construction Services trophies in that order.

All four top finishers will receive hampers compliments of Ricks & Sari Industries, while the Highest Goalscorer,

her, and it is kind of a relief because (Nassar) got what he deserved and he almost got as many years (in prison) as (he abused) girls.

“It’s kind of crazy because I can’t be the one to save everything, but as long as I do my job and everyone is pleased maybe I’ll save something.”

Looking beyond the World Championships in Doha, which run from October 24 to November 3, Biles is focused on preparing for the Tokyo Olympics in 2022 and says that not being a “rookie” anymore means she is a mentor to the younger members of the squad - and has learnt to manage expectations.

“I pushed a lot of things away because expectations are scary and I don’t want to be the one to hold all of them, but as I get older I just become used to it,” she said.

“For my first Olympics Games to walk away with five medals is unbeatable, even for myself; so we’ll just go in there (Tokyo) with an open mind and see what happens.” (BBC Sport)

…Ten days to go 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.

Among the other sponsors on board are: IPA, Alfro Alphonso, Sattaur Gafoor, Ansa McAl, Top Brandz Distributors, MACORP, Cummings Electrical, Ready Mix, BK International and New Thriving Restaurant.

Meanwhile, the organisers have released the fixtures for the first three days of action. The winners will advance to the next round.

GT Beer/Ballerz Entertainment Soft Shoe Football

Agard continues blistering form TEAM Family’s Kevin Agard lit up the second night of action in the Ballerz Entertainment GT Beer-sponsored 5-a-side Soft Shoe football competition, which continued on Sunday, at the Mocha Community Centre ground, East Bank De-

merara.

Agard netted in the 9th, 18th and 23rd minutes in Team Family’s 7-1 win over Top Strikers. Rondel Smith (14th), Shamar Jones (15th, 21st) and Teon Jones (29th) were the other goalscorers for Team Family, while Darius Trumble

(29th) was the lone goalscorer for Top Strikers.

The tournament which is being run on a round-robin/knockout basis saw Agard fire in his second hat-trick to lead the competition so far and place himself in a wonderful position to win the top

Rain robs Volcanoes of valuable points Opener Keagan Simmons top-scored for Windies B with 57.

(File photo)

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Rain robbed Windward Islands Volcanoes of valuable points, as their Group B match against Windies B finished in a disappointing no-result at Queen’s Park Oval here Tuesday night.

Chasing a modest 221, Volcanoes had raced to 49 without loss after just seven overs when the adverse weather arrived to end the contest prematurely.

Each team gained a point, leaving the defending champions still in third spot in the group on seven points, three adrift of Guyana Jaguars who also won on the night.

Favourites Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, unbeaten in three matches, lead the group with 13 points.

Opting for first knock, Windies B got 57 from opener Keagan Simmons as they were dismissed for 220 in the 49th over.

Wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach struck 43, opener Kimani Melius chipped in with 33, while Kirstan Kallicharan stroked 29 and captain Marlon Samuels, 24.

Windies B started well and were cruising on 142 for two in the 19th over at one point before declining at the back end of the innings.

Simmons faced 83 balls and struck five fours as they posted a run-a-ball 42 for the first wicket with Melius who slammed two fours and three sixes in a 22-ball cameo.

When Melius perished in the seventh over, bowled by left-arm seamer Delorn Johnson, Simmons anchored two key stands to keep Windies B ticking along.

He first put on 66 with Kallicharan whose run-a-ball knock included four fours, before adding a further 34 with Samuels for the third wicket.

However, once the left-handed Simmons was bowled by off-spinner Alick Athanaze (3-49) in the 28th over, the innings collapsed suddenly with eight wickets tumbling for 78 runs.

In reply, Devon Smith was looking ominous, smashing three fours and a six in a 23-ball unbeaten 27, as Volcanoes attacked from the outset.

His opening partner Tyrone Theophile was forced to retire hurt in the fourth over on nine with the score on 35, but Kirk Edwards arrived to lash two fours in nine off 13 balls, to sustain the tempo.

However, the heavens opened, leaving the venue unfit for a re-start.

… Action resumes this Saturday

goalscorer award.

In other results, Church Boys edged Ninja Clad 5-3 in the opening game of the evening, while Dream Team made light-work of Cricketers 5-0, while Front Side Warriors were no match for Team Hardball, losing 1-3.

In the tournament, which has over $200 000 in cash prizes to be won, the winning team will receive $100 000, while second- and third-placed finishers will take home $50 000 and $25 000 respectively along with trophies.

Kevin Agard

26

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

Holder defends embattled Windies as they prepare to face India in second Test HYDERABAD, India (CMC) – West Indies captain Jason Holder yesterday launched a passionate defence of his side in the wake of heavy criticism following the Rajkot defeat last week, as the embattled Caribbean side prepared to face India in the second Test here starting tomorrow.

Both former India and West Indies players have been critical of the visitors’ first Test performance which saw them crash to an innings and 272-run defeat inside three days – India’s largest margin of victory in Tests.

The defeat extended the Windies’ dismal run of having not won on Indian soil for 24 years. They also have not beaten India overall in 16 years.

“A lot has been said about this Test team in particular – things that I am not in agreement with, because we have beaten top sides in the last two-three series we’ve played,” Holder told reporters here.

“We probably haven’t won as many series as we’d like.

Within the last year, I think we’ve won two out of four or five series we’ve played. So I don’t understand why people would be this harsh towards us.”

He continued: “We are

playing the number one team, India, in their backyard. And history would show we haven’t won a Test match here since 1994 and if you look at the players who came through West Indies cricket I think Brian Lara and these greats have been playing all that time.”

ond innings, managed to get half-centuries as the remainder of the batting crumbled without resistance.

Understandably, it was the Windies batsman who copped most of the flak from pundits but Holder urged his side to ignore the criticism and allow their performances to speak

will always have (something) to say,” Holder asserted.

“The only way we can silence the critics or try to silence them – because I don’t think they’ll ever shut up – is by playing cricket.”

He added: “It goes back to my point about being patient and being able to

Looking to the future: West Indies hoping for improved fortunes in the upcoming second Test.

In neither innings in Rajkot did West Indies pass 200 after India had piled up a massive 649 for nine declared in their first innings.

Only Roston Chase, in the first innings, and opener Kieran Powell, in the sec-

for them.

“Again, everyone is entitled to an opinion. I just focus primarily on what I have to do and what the team has to do. There’s no point worrying about what people have to say because people

build partnerships – that’s what Test cricket is all about and in tight moments in any game especially when you first come in to bat, you have to absorb some pressure to get a partnership going.”

West Indies welcome back

experienced new-ball bowler Kemar Roach who missed the first Test after returning home to Barbados due to the death of his grandmother.

Holder also missed the affair with an ankle injury but there was indication of his availability for the coming Test.

The absence of both key bowlers meant pacers Keemo Paul, with one previous Test and the uncapped Sherman Lewis, both featured in the Windies attack which presented no horrors for the Indian batsmen.

Holder said the inexperience had been evident throughout the match, adding he had spoken to the young bowlers to address some of the shortcomings.

“Inexperience showed in their performances but they had bright sparks in different spells that they bowled,” Holder pointed out.

“It’s a matter for them to understand more about Test cricket. In terms of seamers, it’s not only about if there is anything that is helping the bowlers. If there is nothing happening for the bowlers – like if there is no carry – then you need to be patient.

“It is going to be difficult, this is something I spoken to them (about). You need your pacers to hold the runs

mostly and put the pressure so that the spinners can come and take the wickets.”

He continued: “I had a little session with them at the nets, particularly with Sherman. While I was batting I just challenged him to bowl around the off stump. He is skilful, he has got the movement but it’s just about knowing when to bowl each kind of delivery.

“Sometimes, having the luxury of swinging the ball both ways, you get greedy or impatient.”

The second Test bowls off at midnight Caribbean time Thursday.

SQUADS: INDIA – Virat Kohli (captain), KL Rahul, Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wkp.), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur.

WEST INDIES – Jason Holder (captain), Sunil Ambris, Devendra Bishoo, Kraigg Brathwaite, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Jahmar Hamilton, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Sherman Lewis, Keemo Paul, Kieran Powell, Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican.

Brathwaite all-round fireworks too much for Barbados Pride BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) – West Indies Twenty20 captain Carlos Brathwaite warmed up for next month’s tour

of India with a scintillating Man-of-the-Match all-round performance as Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners stunned Barbados Pride by seven wickets here Wednesday.

The 30-year-old seamer claimed three for 21 from 10 superb overs as Pride, sent in at 3W’s Oval, were bundled out cheaply for 174 in the final over of their 50

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Thursday October 11, 2018)

COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) (1) (2)

ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY’S QUIZ: 75 (Delhi, 1987-88) 81 (Kensington Oval)

TODAY’S QUIZ: (1) How many runs Sunil Gavaskar scored in his very first Test innings?

(2) How many runs Sunil Gavaskar recorded in his maiden

Test series?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

allotted.

Opener Shayne Moseley struck a patient 49 and all-rounder Kevin Stoute, 37, but Pride’s top order once again struggled to string partnerships together.

Brathwaite, the Marooners captain, then shone with the bat, blasting an unbeaten 50 from 31 balls – his third List A half-century – as the hosts overcame a minor hiccup to reach their target in the 32nd over.

The barrel-chested righthander smashed three fours and three sixes and was the catalyst for a match-winning unbroken 90-run, fourth wicket partnership with Jonathan Drakes who ended on 41 not out.

Kjorn Ottley chipped in with 42 while fellow opener Kyle Corbin scored 40, as Marooners put together their most clinical performance of the Regional Super50 to upset their neighbours.

The defeat left Pride still in fourth spot without a win in three matches and with all

to do if they are to climb into the top two in Group B and qualify for the semi-finals.

Marooners, meanwhile, collected their second win and will now climb into sec-

ished cheaply to leave the score on 13 for two in the seventh over.

Moseley and Jonathan Carter (11) added 27 for the third wicket but once Carter

CCC Marooners skipper Carlos Brathwaite (right) celebrates another wicket with Akeem Jordan and wicketkeeper Amir Jangoo. (Photo courtesy CWI Media)

ond above Leeward Islands Hurricanes who failed to beat USA in the day/night contest also on Wednesday.

Pride endured a nightmare start when Leniko Boucher (2) and captain Shamarh Brooks (0) per-

and Justin Greaves (7) fell in quick succession, Pride were tottering on 55 for four in the 21st over.

However, the left-handed Moseley combined with Stoute in the best stand of the innings – 40 for the fifth

wicket – in a repair job for Pride.

While Moseley faced 87 deliveries and counted three fours, Stoute struck a four and a six in a 71-ball knock.

Brathwaite broke the stand when he bowled Moseley with a full length delivery in the 34th over and with six runs added two overs later, had Ashley Nurse caught and bowled for two.

Springer, who made 22, then anchored three small stands, enabling Pride to get up to their eventual total.

In reply, Kjorn Ottley and Corbin gave Marooners a solid start of 70, to further damage Pride’s hopes of an immediate comeback.

Ottley struck two fours and three sixes in an attractive 57-ball innings while Corbin was also free-scoring, counting six fours and a six off just 46 balls.

When former West Indies left-arm spinner Sulie-

Turn to page 23

27

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

Thirty-strong team for this weekend’s fourth annual Guyana Fitness Games and Expo THIRTY athletes, inclusive of an unheralded 15 females from some of the top gyms in Guyana, will test their strength and fitness this weekend when the Guyana Fitness Games hosts its fourth annual Fitness Expo at Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The event will commence at 17:30hrs on Saturday with a Cancer Awareness Glow Walk from Genesis Fitness Gym to Cliff Anderson Sport Hall on Homestretch Avenue, followed by a Zumba dance party.

On Sunday athletes will be engaged in the Scaled CrossFit competition from 15:00hrs, RX CrossFit contest at 16:00hrs and the Strong Man competition from 18:00hrs.

At the launch of the event at Genesis Fitness Gym on Monday night, Director of Sport Christopher Jones said the National Sports Commission is pleased to be associated with the event which will help to promote healthy lifestyles among Guyanese. “Guyanese are being encouraged to be part of a gym and to exercise consistently and I must say that Guyana has recently been

commended for its work in the health field.”

Meanwhile, Ansa McAl’s Non-alcoholic brand manager Errol Nelson said they are happy to be given the opportunity to be on board and congratulated Guyana Fitness Games for hosting the event yet again.

Jordana Ramsey of Guyana Fitness Games noted that the event has grown tremendously since it started, stating that 2017 Strong Man winner, Donovan Dongo of Suriname, will be back to compete with local athletes. One activity entails pulling one of MACORP’s trucks.

Ramsey pointed out that the proceeds from the Cancer Awareness Walk will go towards the Cancer Institute of Guyana and he thanked the sponsors.

Tickets cost $500 and are available at Fitness Express on Sheriff Street and Genesis Fitness Gym on D’Urban Street.

The event is being sponsored by Ansa McAl under their Icool Water, Lucozade and Mackeson brands, Pollo Tropical,

Sponsors and officials from the Guyana Fitness Games and Expo pose for a photo opportunity.

Republic Bank Ltd, MACORP, St Joseph Mercy Hospital, Genesis Fitness Gym and Fitness Express.

Uncapped Guyanese Sheneta Grimmond in Windies Women’s World T20 squad

Sheneta Grimmond drives down the ground in the Women’s Super50 Cup 2018.

IOC elects nine new members but snubs FIFA, IAAF again

By Karolos Grohmann BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (Reuters) - The International Olympic Committee (IOC) admitted nine new members Tuesday but snubbed both soccer’s FIFA and athletics’ IAAF again as both have struggled with widespread corruption and doping scandals.

Greece, host of the first modern games, was also left out in the cold for the third year running, in the wake of bitter disputes there over control of the national Olympic committee.

Morinari Watanabe and Andrew Parsons, the heads of the international gymnastics federation FIG and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) respectively, were among those to join the committee.

They were joined by Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malago, whose country is bidding for the 2026 winter Games.

The other IOC inductees were senior national Olympic committee members Samira Ashgari from Afghanistan, Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck from Bhutan, Daina Gudzineviciute from Lithuania, Camilo Perez Lopez Moreira from Paraguay, Felicite Rwemarika from Rwanda and William Blick from Uganda.

While membership of the IOC for the heads of soccer and athletics, two of the world’s largest federations, was seen as almost automatic for years, the committee did not propose FIFA president Gianni Infantino or IAAF president Sebastian Coe this time.

Despite presiding over two of the most popular sports in the world, FIFA and the IAAF have been embroiled in a range of scandals in recent years.

The IOC also snubbed Greece - host of the first modern Games - for the third year running, leaving it without a representative since 2015.

Greece, which provided the first President of the IOC in 1894 and stages the Games’ torch-lighting ceremony on the ancient site of Olympia, had at least one IOC member continuously from 1894 to 2015.

But infighting in recent years over who runs the national Olympic committee as well as a complete lack of international lobbying by the country are seen as the main reasons for it not being on the IOC since 2015.

See Page 26

Holder defends embattled Windies as they prepare to face India in second Test

WEST INDIES women have called up the uncapped 20-year-old Sheneta Grimmond from Guyana for their title defence at the Women’s World T20 that begins in the Caribbean in November.

However, they retained the majority of the squad that lifted the trophy in 2016, naming 11 of them in a 15-member squad announced yesterday. Jamaica batter Chinelle Henry, wicketkeeper Natasha McLean and all-rounder Chedean Nation were the other additions.

Henry is unseasoned at the international level, having turned out in just two ODIs and seven T20Is so far. She last played for West Indies over three years ago, in a T20I against Sri Lanka in Colombo.

McLean and Nation have more experience on their side and were both part of the recently concluded T20I series against South Africa. Nation, at the time of the last World T20, was in the middle of a seven-year absence from international cricket that ended when she was recalled to the limited-overs squad later that year.

West Indies recently drew a three-match ODI series and five-match T20I series against South Africa. They will next head into their fourth and final training camp of the year, starting October 15 in Antigua.

“The women have one final training camp before the warm-up matches and we are focusing our plans on ensuring that they are ready to peak when the tournament starts in November,” head coach Henderson Springer said, adding, “We want to create an environment that enables the players to continue their hard work on improving their skills and fitness, while providing real focus on the key roles of each player for us to be successful. We are aiming for consistency, and we think with the work we have put in, the ladies will peak at the right time.”

The team will once again be led by Stafanie Taylor, whose half-century in the 2016 final set up the victory.

“Captaining the West Indies in the ICC Women’s World T20 2018 is both a huge honour and a massive challenge. It will obviously be a great feeling to lead the team at home, but one has to also live up to expectations of being defending champions,” Taylor said.

According to the Windies captain, “We have a great squad with several potential match-winners, but we will have to be at our best in each and every match if we want to lift the trophy again. The announcement of the squad makes me realise that the tournament is almost upon us.

“The opposition squads are really impressive, and this promises to be a highly competitive tournament. I really hope that Windies fans can come out and support us as we strive to defend our title on home soil.”

West Indies squad: Stafanie Taylor (capt.), Afy Fletcher, Anisa Mohammed, Britney Cooper, Chedean Nation, Chinelle Henry, Deandra Dottin, Hayley Matthews, Kycia Knight, Merissa Aguilleira, Natasha McLean, Shakera Selman, Shamilia Connell, Shemaine Campbelle and Sheneta Grimmond.

See Page 23 GMR&SC’s Sherry Gonsalves poses for a photo with ExxonMobil’s Nicholas Yearwood.

GMR&SC’s Ignite secures ExxonMobil sponsorship

Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2018

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 11, 2018

THURSDAY

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11th October, 2018

Agreement closer

No.105424

…GTU says teachers can sleep easier

PAGE

03

…’something good is expected’ following talks with MoE

DEA called in

––as crackdown on ecstasy in schools intensifies 11 PAGE

Mother dies after hit by bike 08 PAGE

Digicel goes to court over data link 03 PAGE

Colonel Nilton de Figueiredo Lampert, Commanding Officer of the Brazilian Jungle Warfare Training Centre, presents the Jungle Warrior Machete No. 353 to President David Granger as Brazil's Ambassador to Guyana, Mr. Lineu Pupo de Paula looks on (Ministry of the Presidency photo) See page 2

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 11, 2018

President Granger receives distinguished Jungle Warrior Machete from Brazilian army President David Granger on Wednesday received the distinguished Jungle Warrior Machete from the Brazilian Army's Jungle Warfare Training Center (CIGS) at State House from Colonel Nilton de Figueiredo Lampert, Commanding Officer of the Training Centre.

In presenting the Machete to the Head of State, Colonel Emerson Deni da Silva, Brazilian Military Attaché to Guyana, said that it is comprised of a black, frosted metal blade of high resistance and double cut of a lower and larger man cut and an upper and small cut, in a half moon shape. He further noted that a head of a jaguar in metal is at the extremity of the handle towards the main cut, representing the animal symbol of jungle war. The handle is made of wood and it is inlayed in both sides of its bolster, with the badge of the Specialist of Jungle Operations.

“The most famous Elite Troops of the world use knives and machetes to identify them. It is usual at a meeting between friendly Armies, the reciprocal exhibition of this emblematic artefact, which to a certain point reveals the historic significance of the integrated corporations. The Jungle Warriors formed

by CIGS, since its inception in 1966, represent a specialised group in Jungle Operations. Until 2003, the materialisation of its symbol of one of its main work instruments was missing, a personalised machete. In the celebration of the 40th years of creation of the CIGS, in 2004, it has been developed as the project “Jungle Warrior Machete,” he explained.

President Granger was trained at the CIGS in 1969, some 49 years ago. By virtue of the training received from the institution, he has received the Machete, bear-

From left to right: Colonel Emerson Deni da Silva, Brazilian Military Attaché to Guyana; Colonel Nilton de Figueiredo Lampert, Commanding Officer of the Brazilian's Jungle Warfare Training Centre; President David Granger, Brazil's Ambassador to Guyana, Mr. Lineu Pupo de Paula; Mr. Paulo Eduardo Borda de Carvalho Silos, Minister’s Counselor of the Brazilian Embassy and Colonel Claudio Carneiro Mardine from the Landing Operations Command.

ing the number 353, Colonel Deni da Silva said. In accepting the Machete, the

Head of State said that the presentation is more than a mark of friendship between Guyana and Brazil. “I want to thank the Brazilian Army for its support to the Guyana Defence Force. Today is more than a mark of friendship between Guyana and Brazil. It is more of a

demonstration of the type of cooperation that should exist on the continent. This is the way it should be. So this is an important visit and a reaffirmation of the ties not just between Guyana and Brazil but also the two Militaries and the two Jungle Warfare Schools, the CIGS and

the Jungle and Amphibious Training School in Guyana,” the Head of State said.

Accompanying Colonel Lampert and Colonel Deni da Silva were Colonel Claudio Carneiro Mardine from the Landing Operations Command, Brazilian Ambassador to Guyana, Mr. Lineu Pupo de Paula and Mr. Paulo Eduardo Borda de Carvalho Silos, Minister’s Counselor of the Brazilian Embassy. (Ministry of the Presidency)

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 11, 2018

Agreement closer

3

…GTU says teachers can sleep easier

… ‘something good is expected’ following talks with MoE

By Navendra Seoraj THE Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) and the government appear to be one step closer to ending the impasse related to a salary increase and non-salary benefits for teachers, as executives of the union and the Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry, concluded “fruitful” discussions on Wednesday.

“Teachers can sleep easier, knowing that something good is expected to come on Friday,” said General Secretary of the GTU, Coretta McDonald, in an invited comment following another round of talks. It was all smiles and laughter after the meeting, something that was absent for weeks during dispute between the two parties.

The meeting was described by both the GTU and the ministry as a “working meeting” where new information was provided; information which was not discussed or considered prior to the offers made before. In a joint press statement from the GTU and the ministry, it was said that parties are committed to reviewing the new information with a view of ensuring that the interest of all teachers will be considered.

The Ministry of Education has undertaken to

provide a matrix of figures which will be presented for discussion on October 12, 2018. An almost two-week strike by teachers came to an end just last month, when the GTU and the ministry agreed to take their salary dispute to arbitration.

The GTU had called for arbitration after the negotiation talks ended in impasse when the union rejected the

Lyte, had announced that GTU was willing to accept as little as 20 per cent.

On Monday, at a meeting between President David Granger and the GTU, a new salary offer was extended to the union which would see teachers being paid retroactive salary increases beginning with 10 per cent for 2016, and incremental increases of 8 per cent for All smiles! Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry (second left) flanked by executive members of the GTU after “fruitful” discussions between the parties on Wednesday (Adrian Narine photos)

Members of the GTU discussing topics to be discussed prior to meeting with the Minister of Education on Wednesday

ministry’s offer of a onetime pay out of $700 million towards salary increases, and $200 million for debunching.

GTU instead called for an increase of 40 per cent for 2016 and respective incremental increases of five per cent for 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. After the two sides agreed to move to arbitration, President of the GTU, Mark

2017 and 2018, respectively.

A sum of $350M was being offered for debunching for the period 2011 – 2018.

Although the union has not confirmed if they accepted that offer, Minister Henry said the increase is a workin-progress and would be addressed during interactions with both parties.

McDonald also agreed

that the issue of salary increases is being addressed and hopefully, they could reach a resolution on Friday.

“We would have all teachers benefitting from whatever the increase is going to be… we would have had promotions and it comes with new salaries,” said the GTU general secretary, adding that the increases will fall into category/scale of the teachers.

Teachers are placed in scales which run from TS1-19.

The union encouraged teachers to have faith in the GTU, since there were widespread discussions and every teacher had their say. Prior to Wednesday’s meeting, it was reported that the union had rejected President Granger’s offer. McDonald was reported as stating that, consequently, the government

would now either need to rethink its position or the parties would have to head to arbitration.

Responding to these reports, President Granger said that the list of matters proposed by the GTU in at least one newspaper and which was attributed to one person, were not matters that were raised on Monday. “Some of the matters which seem to be reported in the media were not raised on Monday, were not even raised on Friday, otherwise we would have resolved them. So, it was quite astonishing that these matters, going back to the appointment of an arbitrator, these matters didn’t come up at all. So, I was quite surprised that matters that we assumed had been settled as of Monday found their

way into the columns of the newspaper in Wednesday,” he stated.

The President elaborated further: “We also had an understanding —I won’t call it an agreement — that the government’s side was obliged to go back to the Ministry of Finance in order to verify the figures and that the union’s side would go back to the executives in order to ratify the figures.

“So when we parted on Monday morning, there was no talk about going to the media, ‘trial by the media’, there was talk about verification of the figures from the Ministry of Finance and maybe seeking the assent by the executives of the GTU.”

Digicel goes to court over ‘microwave link’ …files lawsuit against Telco regulator in Suriname DIGICEL has taken legal action against the Telecommunications Authority Suriname (TSA) for shutting down an alleged illegal “microwave link” which Digicel used to feed data capacity to its unit in Guyana.

According to a report from the Irish Times, the Surinamese authorities made their move “under pressure” from authorities in Guyana where Digicel’s rival is Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT).

The report further stated that GTT has long com-

plained that Digicel should be forced to buy its data capacity from its rival instead of feeding it over the border, presumably for less cost.

GTT recently said that it had recorded tens of millions of United States (US) dollars in losses because of their main competitor Digicel’s alleged bypass of GTT’s subsea fibre optic network.

It claims the link is illegal.

But according to the Irish Times, Digicel has denied those claims.

GTT, despite the odds, said that they are working

through the loss with the hope of finding solutions and moving forward. “We believe that it is in the tens of millions of US dollars, but we are trying to work through it,” said Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GTT, Justin Nedd, during a press briefing at Herdmanston Lodge on Monday.

Contacted by The Irish Times, Digicel said it is taking court action: “Digicel disputes any allegations of illegality and as the matter is currently before the court, we are unable to comment any

further at this time.”

It is understood that Digicel is seeking an injunction to force TAS to reverse its actions. A ruling is expected soon, possibly next week.

GTT, which is the only authorised provider of subsea fibre optic telecommunication services, has, on several occasions, called for an investigation into Digicel’s alleged illegal, unlicensed trans-border link between Guyana and Suriname.

In light of the allegations against Digicel and with a possibility that the “micro-

wave link” could be broken, Nedd believes that GTT has the capacity to supply Digicel with data because in March this year, GTT’s fibre optic network was tested when the company had to carry the “traffic” for Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.

Suriname and Guyana are two of Digicel’s only three markets in South America; the other being French Guiana.

According to the Irish Times, Digicel also has significant operations in Central America, the Caribbean and Pacific region, with about 14 million subscribers. It is cur-

rently seeking to raise $500 million in asset sales and also conclude a bond swap deal to help it ease the burden of its $6.7 billion debt pile.

From its launch in Jamaica in 2001, Digicel has expanded rapidly and spans across 31 markets in the Caribbean, Central America and Asia Pacific.

According to Digicel’s website, the company has invested over US $5 billion in the Digicel business worldwide and continues to invest to bring leading edge technologies to the markets in which they operate.

4

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

City Hall CoI

No proper systems at city Treasury Department--accountant

THE acting City Treasurer, John Douglas and Accountant Edwana Miller, of the Mayor and City Council on Wednesday appeared before the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into City Hall, which heard that proper accounting procedures are usually bypassed at that body.

The CoI, headed by Justice (ret’d) Cecil Kennard, also heard that

Thursday, October 11, 2018:

City Hall is in the habit of budgeting with its expenses always being more than its income. Miller appeared during the morning session of the inquiry and outlined for the commission the proper accounting procedures that an invoice is expected to go through before a contractor can be paid.

The procedures involve the transaction going from the department that contracted the work, before being forwarded to the city treasurer, which prepares the voucher and purchase order. These documents are then supposed to be sent to the finance subcommittee which certifies them with the signatures of two of its members. The transaction documents are then returned to the city treasurer for preparation of the cheque.

However, it is only the city treasurer and town clerk who are signatories to the cheque. “[The finance sub-committee] has to certify the vouchers. The voucher has to go to them before it’s paid. Verify or certify the payment, it’s an approval system. Two of the members are selected to sign on it and then it comes back before I can pay. Then it goes back to the treasurer’s department for the cheque. [The town clerk] is one of the signatories on the cheque. It has two [signatories] the city treasurer and the town clerk,” Miller explained.

When questioned if certain stages in the procedures are skipped at times, Miller confirmed that this has been done in the past. “Yes it can in the sense, it can skip stages. If any payment doesn’t follow the procedure it is an irregularity,” Miller stated. Miller, who has worked with the Council since 1990, shared that she has had cases in the past where she refused to affix her signature to irregular documents.

“If the document in front of me does not state what it is supposed to state, I would say that it is not right and I’m not going to be signing it,” Miller affirmed. She was at one point offered the position as acting city

MCC Accountant, Edwana Miller

treasurer; she declined because she did not feel “comfortable” in the position. “I was asked and I refused. I didn’t feel comfortable because of the communication of the work between the department. I felt I would’ve been exposed and I would not have felt comfortable dealing with certain things,” Miller said.

Miller, who started out as an accounts clerk, eventually rose to the position of accountant and for one period had acted as the accounting manager. However, in January of this year she was transferred from the city’s Treasury Department and put to work in the revenue office of the City Market’s Department.

Asked if this transfer could have anything to do with her refusal to sign irregular documents, she responded “possibly”. The reason given to her, by the Human Resources Department to justify the move, was that there was a project at the City Markets department that they wanted her to overlook. However, eight months later she is still to be told what the project is.

According to Miller, she has never had any disciplinary issues, and shared that she considered the move somewhat of a demotion, though her salary has not changed, but has been given less responsibilities.

Miller said that she does not believe that the City Treasury department follows proper accounting practices. “The system in the treasury department, it needs proper control. If you don’t plan and control your income your expenses will always be more hence you cannot meet certain requirements, unless you put things in place to control certain things,” Miller conveyed.

Similar views were shared by Douglas when he appeared before the CoI during the afternoon session. Douglas shared that while the city does have a deficit in terms of its income and expenditure, the City should not be preparing budgets in a deficit. He stated that while the city owes billions of dollars, it is also owed billions by the ratepayers, some of whom are in default for as many as 22 years.

Matter of fact, Douglas said the amount of money owed to City Hall is actually in surplus of the money that City Hall owes.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

Record-breaking ‘hell’ storm mauls US

T

he most powerful hurricane ever to hit north-west Florida has flooded beach towns, submerging homes and snapping trees like twigs.

Hurricane Michael - a category three storm with 125mph (200km/h) winds made landfall on Wednesday afternoon in the state’s Panhandle region. One person was killed by a falling tree, Florida officials say. Michael is so powerful that it remained a hurricane as it moved overland to bear down on Alabama and Georgia. Its rapid intensification caught many by surprise.

Unusually warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico turbo-charged the storm from a tropical depression on Sunday. It was a category two hurricane by Tuesday, and a borderline category five on Wednesday morning, packing 155mph winds.

Florida Governor Rick Scott warned of “unimaginable devastation”, saying it would be the worst storm in 100 years. Michael reportedly killed at least 13 people in Central America: six in Honduras, four in Nicaragua and three in El Salvador. More than 370,000 people in Flori-

da were ordered to evacuate, but officials reckon many ignored the warning.

going back to 1851, finds no Category 4 hurricane ever hitting the Florida panhandle.”

One of the many homes destroyed by the storm

The coastal city of Apalachicola reported a storm surge of nearly 8ft (2.5m). “We are catching some hell,” Timothy Thomas, who rode out the storm with his wife in their home in Panama City Beach, Florida, told the Associated Press news agency. Michael has already knocked out power to a quarter of a million homes and businesses, as power lines were smashed by falling trees. “We are in new territory,” Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) meteorologist Dennis Feltgen wrote on Facebook.

“The historical record,

Reuters news agency reports that Michael is the thirdmost powerful storm ever to make landfall in the mainland US, after Hurricane Camille in Mississippi in 1969 and the Labor Day hurricane of 1935 in Florida. Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Brock Long said at the White House that he was especially concerned about buildings constructed before 2001, and not able to withstand such high winds. “We just hope those structures can hold up,” President Donald Trump responded. “And if not, that they’re not in those

structures.”

States of emergency have been declared in all or parts of Florida, Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina. The hurricane made landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida, at around 14:00 (18:00 GMT) on Wednesday, according to the NHC. Forecasters warned parts of Florida could experience storm surges of up to 14ft (4m) and flash floods from up to 12in (30cm) of rain.

Schools and state offices in the area are to remain shut this week. Florida has activated 3,500 National Guard troops. At 01:00 GMT, maximum sustained winds decreased to 90mph with higher gusts, the NHC said in a bulletin. “Michael will steadily weaken as it crosses the south-eastern United States through Thursday night, becoming a tropical storm by Thursday morning. “Michael is forecast to re-strengthen some Thursday night and Friday when it moves off the east coast of the United States and becomes a post-tropical cyclone on Friday,” the NHC added. More than 300 miles of coastline were under threat, the National Weather Service said. (BBC)

Barbados Gov’t signs agreement with Green Climate Fund

Director of Country Programming, Green Climate Fund, Pa Ousman Jarju, with Minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment Marsha Caddle. (BGIS Photo)

M

inister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment Marsha Caddle completed the signing of Barbados’ first Readiness Grant Agreement with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) on Monday The signing ceremony was held on the margins of the GCF’s Global National Designated Authority and Private Investment for Climate Conferences, being held from October 8 to 12, in Incheon, South Korea.

Through this readiness programme, Government will receive an initial US$300,000 in grant financing from the GCF that will enable access to US$1M annually for improving Barbados’ engagement with the Fund, and therefore its access to climate finance, and a further US$3M for the development of National Adaptation Plans.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment, which is the GCF National Designated Authority (NDA) in Barbados, has already commenced the development of further readiness proposals in that regard, and the country will be drawing down additional resources in 2019.

GCF readiness programmes help countries organize to better access climate finance. Barbados has set the target of being fossil fuel-free by 2030. The development of a roadmap to meet this target will be a key output of this GCF support. The programme will also seek to strengthen private sector involvement in clean energy and climate resilience projects.

Barbados has endorsed the Caribbean Development Bank and the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre as the regional institutions through which GCF-funded projects may be implemented. However, these resources will also support Barbados in establishing a national entity for direct access to GCF resources. On the signing of the readiness grant agreement, Minister Caddle stated:

“The Government of Barbados is committed to improving our access to climate finance and ensuring that our own investments are climate resilient. We are doing our part.

“We now need the global community to follow through on the Paris Agreement because following this last Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report, we realize that small islands were right to insist in that Agreement on limiting warming to 1.5 degrees. At 1.5 degrees, for example, coral reefs decline another 70 to 90 per cent, At two degrees, that goes to 99 per cent. Barbados’ survival depends on local and global climate action. We are pleased to have the GCF as partners in this fight.”

(MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS AND INVESTMENT)

Peru opposition leader Keiko Fujimori arrested

K

eiko Fujimori, the daughter of the former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, has been arrested as part of an investigation into money laundering.

Mrs Fujimori, who is leader of the opposition in the Peruvian congress, was detained along with her husband. The judge said they would be held initially for 1days along with 19 other suspects. Prosecutors allege she was involved in accepting illegal contributions to her party by the Brazilian firm, Odebrecht.

Mrs Fujimori denies any wrong-doing. She was shown on television on Wednesday in a car in handcuffs after being detained. Prosecutors have accused her of leading a criminal group inside her party that took $1.2m (£920,000) in illegal funds from Odebrecht for use during her 2011 presidential election campaign.

Earlier this year, former Pres-

Keiko Fujimori’s arrest comes a week after a judge revoked a pardon for her father who will return to prison to serve his sentence for human rights abuses

ident Pedro Pablo Kuczynski resigned in a scandal linked to the Odebrecht case. In a letter published on social media after her arrest Mrs Fujimori said she was being politically persecuted. “This is called political persecution.” she said, “I’ve been detained without legal grounds.”

The arrest came a week after her father had a presidential pardon revoked by a judge. Alberto Fujimori is expected to return to jail to continue serving a 25-year sentence for human rights abuses. Keiko Fujimori said her father’s arrest was “abusive”. Her Fuerza Popular party has been a powerful opposition force and it currently controls Congress.

But in the last year there have been huge street protests against the political establishment. At last weekends’s local elections, the party suffered its worse loses in decades. (BBC)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

Tackling suicide

T

HE welcome news could not have come on a more appropriate day. On October 10, World Mental Health Day, this newspaper reported that the suicide rate in Guyana had plummeted from 42.2 per cent per 100,000 in 2012, to a low of 24.6 per cent. It was reported too, that government is making the progressive move to decriminalise attempted suicide.

Suicide – the act of intentionally causing one’s own death – has long been a huge problem in Guyana. According to World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics, between 2010 and 2012, there were 667 reported suicide attempts, resulting in an average of 200 deaths per year. The WHO had reported too that in 2012, political neglect of the problem was a major contributing factor.

In 2001, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had already come to the same conclusion. The IMF had also reported that poor governance [under the PPP regime] had resulted in widespread, extreme poverty, a major cause of the high rate of suicides.

A 2003 report by the World Bank supported that finding, stating that the political process in Guyana is often fought with so much time and energy that “little [is] left to undertake the many policies necessary to facilitate growth and development.”

Under those adverse political conditions, Guyana had

become known internationally as the suicide capital of the world, with 3.2 male suicides for each female death.

Fortunately, in 2015, the people elected a new government.

The APNU+AFC coalition, recognising mental health as an intrinsic aspect of general well-being, immediately began the implementation of the National Mental Health Action Plan for 2015–2020 and a national suicide-prevention plan.

That plan, which is obviously bearing fruit, simultaneously launched awareness campaigns; implemented education programmes aimed at reducing the stigma associated with mental illness; initiated massive training programmes for health professionals; introduced substance abuse counselling services; and set up access-points to care for at-risk patients, among other initiatives. To date, the programme continues to be actualised.

Presently, hotlines are available; there are walk-in centres for mental health care at all public hospitals, counsellors are available, and there is now a dedicated Mental Health Unit at the Ministry of Public Health. The positive results of those actions by the administration have been nothing short of dramatic. “We see that two things are happening: persons are more aware and they also are more aware that help is available,” said Dr. Balogun Osunbiyi, senior psychologist at the Mental Health Unit within the Ministry of Public Health. Dr. Osunbiyi said too, “[that] that while there has been an increase in per-

sons calling [the hotlines], fewer persons are calling with the intention of committing suicide.” This fact may indicate that persons are seeking help which is now known to be available.

While the dramatic decrease in the rate of suicide is impressive, government is aware that much work must still be done. With this in mind, the initiatives already implemented are being continuously evaluated and adjusted or updated as needed. And new, improved, wider-reaching programmes are constantly being introduced. For example, in collaboration with a team from the United Kingdom (UK), almost 40 local health practitioners will be trained in management of mental illnesses; and before the end of November, some 50 health care workers in Regions Two and Six will be trained in the mental health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP). This is part of a goal of having 300 trained personnel before the end of 2018. Other programmes are also underway.

As government continues to work, partnerships with local non-governmental organisations, faith-based organisations, and international bodies such as the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), and academic entities, will continue and be expanded. While Guyanese should be encouraged by the tangible progress being made on all fronts – medical, social, and legal – we must remain ever vigilant that we keep the gains that we have made, even as we work towards the goal of zero deaths due to suicide.

Gradually, veil of secrecy that enveloped City Hall being lifted Dear Editor,

W

ELL finally and gradually the veil of secrecy that has covered the corruption, nepotism, mismanagement and other wrongdoings at City Hall is being lifted.

And it seems that persons are now running helter skelter dashing for cover, whilst pointing fingers at each other.

This is popularly known as ‘passing the buck.’

But this is just the beginning, the very surface of the cesspool that the Georgetown City Council is. As the Commission of Inquiry delves a little deeper, it will confound the citizenry what will be revealed from the fiscal malfeasance, to the nepotism in the human resources, to the wastage of the property rates, to the featherbedding among its ranks.

But listening to the King and Queen, one gets the impression that they have long lost touch with reality, that they have retreated into La La Land, where they seem to have convinced themselves and a few of their cohorts that they have done nothing wrong, and that they have in fact at great personal sacrifice, rescued our capital city from the dominion of darkness and brought us a capital city that is modern, safe, clean, vibrant and a wonderful place to live.

This brings us back to the ancient proverb ‘Those whom the

gods wish to destroy they first make mad.’

Here is a newsflash for these two dreamers: City Hall is at its lowest ebb in its history, the coffers are empty, the debts to the contractors, utility companies, the GRA, the NIS and insurance are piling up, the City Hall building is on the verge of falling to the ground, the markets are filled with giant rats in addition to the collapse of one of its wharves , the city is filled with mosquitoes, the drains are all clogged, the roads are bad and the street lighting poor, multiple robberies are occurring unchallenged in the city every day, whilst they have just concluded massive anniversary celebrations.

Their old mantra, which is a complete falsehood, is that the revenue base of the council is too small; that the council does not have money, which means therefore that they could not mismanage what they don’t have and like Scrooge, they are very thrifty, stretching Council’s dollars to the limit to meet all of the municipality’s financial commitments. Nothing could be further from the truth.

If the King and Queen really held the earnest view that the capital city was so penurious, why did they travel around the world so many times first class in the last three years on joy rides? Why did they hire so many relatives including sons, daughters-in-law, daughters, nieces and nephews at

super salaries? And why then did they give out so many enormous contracts to their relatives and friends? Why did they bump the monthly payroll up to well over a hundred million dollars with the ‘Big Ones’ earning hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of dollars each, per month?

No sane administrator would maintain a workforce of close to a 1,000 persons, whilst at the same time farming out to private contractors, most of the municipal services it provides, unless he or she had a pecuniary interest in the contracts that were being given out in violation of tender board procedures, whilst at the same time, having a consanguinity with the many staffers that are padding the payroll.

Suddenly the almighty and powerful King is whining that it is the city treasurer who is responsible for managing the city’s finances and not him. Oh really? What an epiphany? Could someone remind the King and the Queen that the buck stops at them as Harry S. Truman would say? Maybe the CoI will be able to find out why the city’s qualified and competent accountant was unceremoniously removed from the Treasurer’s Department and tucked away in one of the city markets?

Regards.

Kwasi Sanderson

7

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

PPP has always sadly relied on race to secure an advantage in electoral matters Dear Editor,

I

HAVE noticed that my friends -- and I mean my friends in the PPP -- are once again playing the race card.

This is not new; it has been the bane of our people, if not the curse of Guyana.

At this time, after all the stress this country has been through, one would have thought that a responsible party leadership would allow us to exhale and breathe a breath of clean, fresh, race-free air, supporting a clean, green Guyana.

Back in the mid-50s, I recall the August 1957 elections, the PPP relied entirely on appealing to race with the popular ‘anthem’ or slogan, ‘Apan Jaat.’

I remember the Central Demerara Constituency contest, Elections of August 12, 1957: Sydney King (6,285 votes) was by far the most popular figure in all the villages, but lost to a newcomer, the PPP-sponsored, Balram Singh Rai (7,125 votes), purely on the basis of racial voting.

The PPP has always sadly relied on race to secure an advantage in electoral matters.

We have had several commissions mounted in response to the demand for ethnic balance in areas where the PPP felt they needed to have the upper hand, ignoring our known history.

One time it was the composition of the Public Service, another time it was the police force, the military and now, GECOM. Guyana’s history-- if understood-- is simple and instructive.

Very briefly, after the end of slavery, the British in an effort to reduce the bargaining power of the manumitted Africans on the plantations, imported labour from Madeira, England, China and India. They also flooded many of the African communities to frustrate their pursuit of farming and business. In the meantime, efforts were made to persuade the indentured labourers to pursue education and christianity.

The freed Africans who were cruelly and completely severed from their ancestral roots in West Africa, took to education and christianity.

This simple analysis explains Guyana in the early part and much of the 20th century.

The freed Africans became teachers, nurses, public servants and joined the security services; others moved to the dangerous interior to mind gold and diamonds.

The majority of Indo-Guyanese wisely concentrated on cultivation of economic crops and business entrepreneurship.

When the PPP therefore appealed to the international community, complaining about imbalances in the public sector, police force, etc., some of us had to remind those beating the race drum, that they could not be selective in their demand for ethnic balance.

We contended that if the advocates for ethnic balance in an enlightened society were serious, then let us have the mathematical balance in employment; in public and private enterprises; the allocation of industrial and agricultural lands; and indeed, all spheres of national life.

Today as I write, NCN, the state-controlled radio station, broadcasts about ninety (90%) per cent Indian music and programmes and less than ten (10%) per cent of African music and programmes.

But my friends in the PPP are blind to these things. I write as a Guyanese, who has lived through and shared the trauma of racial strife in this country; and I hope and pray every day that we will march gallantly and gracefully to make a reality of our Motto of ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny,’; and that when we speak to Sue Ping, Samuels, and Singh, that we treat with those persons, not on the basis of their colour, but on the content of their character.

Dear Editor, forgive me, but my life experience, disallows me racism.

I am proud to be a descendant of an African who was forced to adopt English names and mannerisms, but cannot ignore the fact that my mother hails from the Wismar/Christianburg community, with Amerindian blood surging through her veins.

Some of my best and most trusted friends from school

No option for PPP at LGEs in Linden Dear Editor,

P

LEASE allow me some space in your daily news to ask some questions that may help would-be voters in Linden, since it feels as if we are between a rock and a hard place.

I will start with the Linden Mayor Waneka Arrindell and then the AFC and the PPP. To Mrs. Mayor, when are you going to implement the sustainability idea you got from Africa? How is twinning with the city of Newark in new Jersey going to help Linden, when that city is in great need itself? You took your deputy on a tour which included a fundraiser, did you even make back the money you spent on the trip? In a few months Linden is going to be 50 years as a town, what are your plans?

Please note that I don’t have anything personal against you, I respect your ambition to fight for the top position, but now you are there my sister, do what the top people do. Lead your people! I’d reached out to the last mayor and many groups in Linden and together we achieved much. I wish to extend same hand of support to you, but wish to know in which direction you are taking the town. The days of the bottom men fighting down the top man for a position are long gone my sister, as you can’t fake experience, according to President Granger. It’s time for you to do your job. You are the leader of 40k people and the fact that you couldn’t win your constituency of 200 people clearly shows that you are among the most unpopular mayors and you are not doing your job.

To the AFC in Linden, aren’t you part of the same Linden Town Council I see you bashing daily? Isn’t the Minister of Public Infrastructure an AFC member ? And yet he can’t get

Linden roads and the highway upgraded for it’s taking too many lives? Or is this a way of punishing Linden to make APNU look bad and then you try to wrest control of the voters? What about the Linden Town Week the AFC Councillor Devin Sears was in charge of? Was there a profit? Or, what about that same town week sex scandal which allegedly caused the poor Lady Mayor to be blamed and the real pimps pulled themselves out. What about the seemingly lead mouthpiece in your campaign? Isn’t he the same person who verbally abused and chased many women out of his minibus?

Finally, please explain why so many PPP-affiliated persons appear on your list? Is this a trick or a treat?

Last, but not least, PPP, wasn’t it you who starved, abused, punished and destroyed Linden? Are you the same party that promised a “Special Gift for Linden” and delivered years of ostracism? Are you the same people who presided over the death of our people at the bridge and on the Chapman boat? Are you the people who brought the army and police with a water cannon to crush Linden? Where is our diesel power generation plant which belongs to Linden? Are you hoping to entrap our people once again to get your 2015 revenge?

I have more questions for you PPP, but I realize that raising them only brings back memories of the hurt and destruction at your dirty hands. This leaves Linden with little option of APNU in most constituencies, AFC in a few areas where the returning failed APNU councillors reside, but no option for the monstrous PPP. Regards Garth Nelson Concerned Lindener

days are the Chinese, Portuguese, East Indian and not to forget what I suspect is now in truth a majority, those who are mixed.

My first wife was mixed: Caucasian, Amerindian and African; my present wife, is a delicious mixture: her maternal grandfather was a Caucasian who came here from Barbados.

Her father is heavily Indian with a sprinkling of Scottish and African blood. I have grandsons who are pure blue-blooded Caucasian British.

I grew up in a yard shared by a delightful Portuguese family and two of my most trusted compatriots, were Indian and Portuguese; their children fondly call me “Uncle Hammy or Uncle Dennis.”

Today, many of my acquaintances are Indo-Guyanese and other non-African persons.

This brief letter is to appeal to my friends in the PPP to stop this musical symphony based on race.

It is so nonsensical. Former President Ramotar once told me he was not pure Indian.

What of my friend Clement Rohee?

On the government’s side, find me anyone who has pure Indian, African, Chinese, Portuguese or Amerindian blood?

Today, let us celebrate our rich heritage and end this sherad [sic].

God bless the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and let us celebrate by singing and doing what is contained in one of our national songs, ‘Let us Co-operate for Guyana ’ words and music written by a mixed Guyanese, William .R. A (Billy) Pilgrim.

May I make this caveat: I bet you some of those at GECOM described as Afro-Guyanese, are parents and grandparents of other ethnic groups.

But thanks to the cosmetic business, how can you know who is really Indo, Chino, Porto, Afro or Amerindian?

The truth is, all awe are one family.

Regards Hamilton Green

What is the particular point, Jagdeo?

Dear Editor,

R

ECENTLY, we had another of Bharrat Jagdeo’s well-known gambits of seeking to ascend the moral high ground, pretending to defend the national interest, this time with a call for a “value-for-money audit” on the soon-to-be-completed extension of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) extension project.

Of course, as leader of the parliamentary opposition, it is his constitutional right to make such statements, or any such requests. Except that one can clearly discern the impute of impropriety in such a call; Jagdeo should be reminded that, “This time na lang time”, as this coalition government is insisting on proper standards that meet international best practices, thus signalling that its dollar must be properly spent.

But this particular opposition leader lacks any moral right on this particular subject, given the fact that this project had initially been announced to the Guyanese public, by way of the Jamaica Gleaner, rather than by the then PPP/C government. Where 70 per cent of the funds were expended with just over 30 percent of the work done.

This was just one of the many examples of the high disregard in which the Jagdeo political clique held the citizens of this country. One can also add the secrecy that shrouded aspects of the Marriott Hotel, which subsequently became an assumed debt on the shoulders of the current government.

It is evident that all such projects, inclusive of such a major as the CJIA expansion, has to be subjected to state audit. It is paramount, as it is also mandatory.

This is about Jagdeo seeking to create a mountain out of a molehill for political mileage, attempting to raise a hue and cry, when there is no reason to do so.

In effect, Jagdeo has again been taken by surprise by the government’s ability not only to make much-needed re-modifications to a seminal infrastructural development project, that has seen its finished sections becoming already operationalised, much to the satisfaction and praise of both outgoing and incoming passengers. One must ask, what is the particular point, Jagdeo?

Regards Earl Hamilton

8

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 11, 2018

Mother of two killed in early morning accident A MOTHER of two died after she was struck by a motorcycle on the Nigg Public Road, Corentyne, early Wednesday morning.

The accident occurred around 07:30hrs. Dead is Guytree Deslyn Armogan, 49, of Lot 180 Second Street, Nigg New Housing Scheme.

According to the woman’s husband Gopaul Singh, he had just disembarked a GuySuco truck at the Nigg Post Office Street when he noticed a familiar bicycle on the road. He related that he saw several persons on the road but no one told him anything.

It was when he arrived home he was told “Deslyn”

had not returned home. At that moment, he related, he took his bicycle and rode to the scene where his worse fears were confirmed. “When I reach out on the road, a lady ask me if is our bicycle.

I said yes; then she tell me the person didn’t make it, let me check it at Port Mourant Hospital. At Port Mourant, I identified my wife’s dead body,” he said in tears.

According to the police, the motorcycle-- owned and driven by 20-year-old Ramnarace of Chesney --collided with Armogan who was on her bicycle. Investigations revealed that the motorcyclist was proceeding east along the northern side of the road

when Armogan, who was proceeding west along the northern side of the said road, turned into his path, resulting in a collision.

They were both rushed to the Port Mourant Hospital where Armogan was pronounced dead on arrival, while Ramnarace, who sus-

The motorcycle that struck down Guytree Singh

Dead: Guytree Armogan

Gopaul Singh

tained head injuries, was transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital. The dead woman’s husband related that before he left for work, he and his wife had a conversation about their youngest son and how well he is doing in school. He recalled during the said conversation, he cautioned her about using the roadways and to be careful.

Armogan was described as a humble person who was admired in the community.

At the time of her demise, she was on her way to purchase pastry to take on a trip to the airport later in the day. She leaves to mourn two sons and her husband and other family members.

In 2001, Armogan lost her six-year-old daughter to an accident of a similar nature.

The girl was struck down in front of the Albion Police Station and was taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital where succumbed days after.

Accident victim gets ‘gun salute’ …police to investigate CRIME Chief Lyndon Alves has ordered an investigation into reports that mourners at the funeral of an accident victim on Sunday fired several gunshots in the air as part of paying their respects.

On Sunday, October 7, mourners gathered at the Stabroek Market area and then later moved to the cemetery

at Le Repentir as they bade farewell to an accident victim identified as “Froggie”.

The young man was among two persons who were killed in an accident on the East Coast Demerara when the car in which they were travelling careened off the road and collided with a lamp pole and brought down a steel gate.

At the funeral on Sunday, a number of gunshots rang out in open air even as mourners were still gathered at the cemetery. It was reported that as many as 50 shots were fired into the air as a sign of salute to the deceased. Guyana Chronicle was informed that at some point during the lawlessness, there was a police presence

Ruling in PPP LGE challenge for next Monday

JUSTICE Gino Persaud will on Monday rule whether the court has jurisdiction to hear a matter concerning claims that Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan had failed to issue an order for the holding of Local Government Elections (LGE) under the Local Democratic Organs Act Cap. 28.09.

Justice Persaud will also rule in a motion against the chief elections officer for demarcating and re-demarcating constituency boundaries without consultations with electors, stakeholders and political parties.

The challenge was made by the People’s Progressive Party member and commissioner of the Guyana Elections Commission, Bibi Shadick. Justice Persaud had set the date for the ruling on Wednesday when the case was called before him.

Shadick is being represented by Attorney Anil Nandlall. Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, SC, who is representing Bulkan, had argued that the court has no jurisdiction to entertain the application by Shadick. Williams posited that once allegations of irregularities

and illegalities are raised after the elections process has begun, the law requires that any such challenge must come after the elections are held and by way of an elections petition.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday after exiting the chambers of Justice Persaud, Nandlall shared that they were scheduled to present their respective submissions, both written and orally, but the attorney general and solicitor general’s absence caused that not to be done. Williams, who is currently performing the functions of Minister of Foreign Affairs, had to preside over the accreditation of five new ambassadors to Guyana on Wednesday.

Nandlall said despite this, he was able to impress upon the court the importance of the matter being concluded before LGEs on November 12. “The urgency of this matter is paramount, so I would have impressed upon the court that this matter must be concluded long before the LGE, because if it succeeds, it will require certain things to be done before the elections can take place,” Nandlall said.

but no arrest was made.

When this newspaper contacted Divisional Commander Marlon Chapman, he said he was unaware of the incident. When the particulars were put to him as communicated to this publication, the commander responded: “I don’t know anything about gunshots being fired and nothing was reported…”

When contacted for a comment on the matter, Superintendent of Police Jairam Ramlakhan said he too was not aware of the incident.

“Well, if the crime chief tells you he heard something about that, let him investigate it,” Ramlakhan stated when he was told that Alves confirmed that he did receive information about the shooting and had asked a detective in ‘A’ Division to look into the matter.

As a result of the lawlessness at the funeral on Sunday, two persons died.

The first was a pensioner, Orin Roberts, who was struck down by a motorcyclist, who along with dozens

of others, were using the road recklessly as they made their way behind the funeral procession, revving motorcycles and performing stunts.

The motorcyclist who struck down Roberts also died late on Tuesday night.

The pensioner was struck down at the corner of princes and John streets.

His relatives indicated that he was standing on the roadway when the motorcyclist lost control and slammed into him.

Jury split on verdict of rape accused

JOEL Patterson exited the sexual offences court on Wednesday and plunged into the arms of his relatives who were in tears of joy, as the jury failed to come to a unanimous decision at the end his trial.

The young man was facing charges for rape of a child under the age of 16, and the matter was brought by the state to be heard before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow.

State Prosecutors Seeta Bishundial and Tiffini

Lyken, read the indictment before the court which states that between September 1, 2016 and November 14, 2016, in the county of Demerara, the accused engaged in sexual penetration on two separate occasions, with an 11-year-old girl. The two occasions were being charged as separate counts.

His trial however, brought much difficulty in the decision making of the jury, as they were in deliberation for nearly four

hours. Upon returning to the courtroom, the foreman announced that the verdict of the Jury was in a 6 to 6 proportion on both counts in the indictment.

Justice Barlow then told Patterson that he was free to exit the courtroom, as the jury had failed to come to a decision. As such, the chambers of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), will determine whether or when he will be tried again for the offence.

Two nabbed for alleged rape of Corentyne teen

POLICE in Berbice have arrested two persons in connection with the robbery and rape of a young mother which occurred Sunday night.

According to information, the young woman, along with her mother and two children, were in the

bottom flat of the house when two masked men, armed with guns, pounced on them demanding cash and valuables. They relieved the woman of one LG cellphone, four silver bangles and three silver rings.

Before making their

escape, one of the men reportedly held the young mother at gunpoint and took her to a secluded spot where he sexually assaulted her.

The Police were informed and arrived promptly at the scene, but the men had already made good their escape.

It’s not a ‘backdam’

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 11, 2018

–– it’s home to some people, Min. Allicock says of the hinterland

Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock

MINISTER of Indigenous Peoples Affairs Sydney Allicock on Friday said that many hinterland communities are in the state they are in, because of a misconception that they are of no account.

He made this telling observation during an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, where he was asked what was being done about the many challenges facing the nation’s First Peoples.

And his response was: “One of the biggest issues we have is people coming to the hinterland to explore and exploit the land; people who just go about treating the areas like the ‘backdam’ as against the home to a group of people.

“You would often hear them saying they are going into the ‘backdam’. So, once they arrive here, they treat it just like that!

A ‘backdam’!”

But worrisome though this trend is, he feels there is still hope, with proper education

on how one should treat with Mother Nature and ecosystems, particularly those in the hinterland.

“We have to remember that the Indigenous Peoples have been here all the while and they never created the issues we are now having,” Minister Allicock said, adding: “It is the people who come to exploit who are the ones that bring about the issues being faced in the hinterland communities, which includes but are not limited to murders, destruction and pollution.”

Expanding a bit on the subject, Minister Allicock said that not only has exploitation bred greed amongst his people, but substance abuse as well and even social ills like suicide, something that was previously unheard of in the hinterland.

His contention is that those persons involved in mining do not take it upon themselves to do it on their own; that they

have to seek and be given permission and license to do so.

And therein lies the problem, he said, as one of the biggest bones of contention is the failure of the relevant authorities when surveying lands earmarked for mining and exploitation to give due consideration to the Indigenous Peoples domiciled there.

But thankfully, efforts are underway to resolve the problem, which he believes will see the decrease in the escalation of uncontrolled mining.

A number of agencies and ministries, the minister said, have already been engaged in this regard, and at the moment, the government is looking into some concerns which were raised by residents in the Upper Mazaruni community of Phillipai.

Those issues, he said, have to do with, among other things, new lands in the area which are being explored for exploitation,

and were raised with the President by way of a letter.

Those and other concerns have prompted a series of discussions among officials of the the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), and the Ministries of Indigenous Peoples Affairs and Natural Resources, Minister Allicock said.

He said, too, that a meeting is being scheduled with the community with the potential exploiters, whereby the community and the representatives from various agencies would be meeting to determine the way forward with respect to how the operations might be able to be carried out with little or no discomfort to the nation’s First Peoples.

Minister Allicock said that these moves are all geared to ensure that there is common ground in moving forward on both sides.

Batavia residents hoping for amicable solution to mining dispute RESIDENTS of Batavia in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni district, are hoping that an amicable solution would come to the fore as regards a mining dispute, which saw tempers flare last month between employees of a Bartica-based miner and villagers.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples; Affairs this week , Vice-President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, on Monday met with the Batavia Village Council, the miner ,Rickey Ramnarine, and representatives of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to address the mining situation.

“Parties involved, agreed to firstly address the demarcation of both mining blocks, so that villagers are aware of the area in question. The miner has agreed to conduct a private survey of the two blocks with representatives from both GGMC and the villagers’ full involvement,” the ministry stated. It was noted too that the process should take approximately two weeks and this will be followed by further negotiations, so that an amicable solution can be reached.

Toshao of Batavia, Oren Williams, told the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday that the villagers are sat-

“They also noted that mining must be done in accordance with the agreement between miner and village, royalties must be paid, the village will determine the number of excavators allowed, in cases of emergencies Mr. Ramnarine must be able to provide assistance to village,” the statement said.

It was noted too that when clearing land , all marketable logs must be put on a ramp identified by the

village council.

Residents also called for the general manager, who they first encountered on the lands when the issue came to light last month , to be immediately replaced ,”because of disrespectful behaviour towards residents.”

According to the document penalties will be instituted should Ramnarine fail to meet the conditions set out.

A mining pit which workmen of the Bartica-based mining company had dug prior to the stand-off with villagers.

isfied that the authorities have intervened. Residents travelled into the area on September 22, 2018 and surrounded the workmen attached to the mining company as they noted that the miner has encroached on their titled lands. Prior to the stand-off, the workmen destroyed mining equipment which the villagers had taken to the area weeks earlier.

Wi l l i a m s n o t e d o n We d n e s d a y t h a t i t w a s agreed that if the demarcation process indicates that the miner has blocks within Batavia’s titled lands, negotiations will continue regard-

ing royalties to be paid to the village council.

Mining has never occurred within the village lands until three months ago when villagers encountered gold-bearing rocks on the village lands.

According to the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, prior to this week’s meeting, last Wednesday Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe , met with representatives of the Batavia Village Council and GGMC to address the issue.

The ministry said villag-

ers have collectively decided that mechanisms must be put in place to ensure operations are carried out in accordance with the villages’ stipulations and the Amerindian Act of 2006.

The ministry said that at a village meeting held on September 21, villagers agreed that for the mining operations to continue, Ramnarine must comply with several conditions set out.

Among them, giving priority to villagers of demarcated mining blocks, since it is important for them to know the mining borders of his two claims.

Villagers surrounded the miner’s equipment during a stand-off on September 22, 2018.

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Play by the rules

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

…Broomes warns syndicates against illegal activities

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HOUGH pleased with the general performance of the National Mining Syndicate (NMS), Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, on Wednesday expressed disappointment that at least one of the 14 syndicates has fallen prey to alleged corrupt and illegal activities.

In an emergency meeting at her Kingston office, she told the heads of six mining syndicates to steer clear of any corrupt and illegal activities, noting that such would not be tolerated by her ministry. On the sidelines of the meeting, Minister Broomes explained to the Guyana Chronicle that during a recent visit by Guyana Geology and Mines Commission’s (GGMC’s) Mines Officers to Puruni, several illegal dredges and shops were found to be in an area allotted to the Jaguar Mining Syndicate (Berbice). This, she said, is a contravention of the constitution guiding the operations of syndicates in Guyana, and would not be tolerated.

“I want to put them on notice that while people think the interior is far, for me it is near.

They have pledged, they have a responsibility, they have a commitment, they know that no illegal activity is supposed to happen there, I want to tell them don’t try it. It will not be allowed,” Minister Broomes said.

ing the mining syndicates in Guyana, a syndicate lands are not for sale; the sale of alcohol, drugs and guns is strictly prohibited; money laundering is strictly prohibited and should be reported if identified; child labour and

his watch, the syndicate has erred, noting that it was a result of ignorance. “The rangers were not fully aware of their responsibilities and as a result, we have to take some of the blame for it.”

Moore said his syndicate

Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources Simona Broomes addressing representatives from several mining syndicates at her Kingston Office.

(Photos by Adrian Narine)

The issue of illegal activities at Puruni was reported to the Natural Resources Ministry and the National Mining Syndicate, and GGMC has pledged to take action against the defaulters. According to the established rules govern-

human trafficking are strictly prohibited; decent labour relations must prevail and all mine safety measures are required to be observed.

President of the Jaguar Mining Syndicate, Lloyd Moore, admitted that under

is ready to pick up the pieces and put corrective measures in place to prevent a reccurrence.

“We intend to move forward and abide by the mining laws and the rules that govern the syndicates. Our whole

Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources Simona Broomes

intention is, is to uplift our people because they are looking to us to take them out of the poverty-stricken situation that has indeed prolonged upon them for a long period of time,” he told this newspaper.

The Jaguar Mining Syndicate has more than 100 members, but due to lack of finance, some of its members are unable to venture into Puruni to mine for gold.

Jaguar Mining Syndicate aside, Minister Broomes said she is pleased that six of the syndicates have commenced working within areas allotted to them. To date, Fourteen Miles, Puruni, Konawaruk, Gold Search and Jaguar are the Mining Syndicates that are mining.

Since the establishment of mining syndicates close to two years ago, scores of jobs have been created, according to Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources.

“The cycle and the spin off to it is bigger than you can expect,” she posited noting that families are benefiting.

President of the National Mining Syndicate, Cheryl Williams, said the national body remains thankful to the government for giving small miners a better opportunity to mine and develop themselves.

Williams said syndicates are faced with several challenges, but continue to pool their resources to remedy some of the issues. “Access to mining lands is one of the challenges and so we are lobbying government to assist us in getting into the mining lands to work,” she pointed out. The National Mining Syndicate, despite challenges, has made several accomplishments.

The national body is expected to meet with the Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman.

Mahdia miners protest following enforcement operation …claim GGMC officials destroy, seize equipment

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ESIDENTS of Mahdia on Wednesday continued a second day of protest action outside the office of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) as they called for the return of equipment which was seized by the authorities in recent days.

Shouts of “Ah want meh engine”, “2020 I ain’t voting” and “We need we engine to feed we children” were among the many shouts which residents shouted as they gathered outside the offices of the GGMC on Wednesday.

Reports are that the situation escalated on Tuesday of this week after GGMC officials shut down the mining operations of several miners in the area. Residents claimed that several pieces of equipment, including sluice boxes, were either destroyed or seized by the authorities and they noted too that the officers who were accompanied by armed police ranks, moved in without notice.

The Ministry of Natural Resources stated that over the

weekend, in continued efforts to address the issue of fatal mining incidents, Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, on Saturday visited Mahdia and received updates on the town’s ongoing enforcement operation.

According to the ministry, the operation which was

ordered by the subject minister last Tuesday, serves to address mines safety, improve mining practices and curb the practice of illegal mining overall.” It comes as illegal and unsafe mining practices continue to result in fatal accidents in the mining areas of Guyana,” the entity said.

GGMC acting mines manager, Krishna Ramdass, said that the operation began on Friday last and has seen the deployment of a team comprising five (5) Ministry Compliance Division’s Corp of wardens along with twelve (12) GGMC officers.

Ramdass went on to high-

light that the enforcement operation has to date identified mining operations that do not conform to safety, issued cease work orders, and has even completely removed some operations from the environment.

Minister Trotman, while addressing the miners, en-

A large gathering of residents outside the office of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) at Mahdia, as they protest the recent mining enforcement operation

couraged them to allow the smooth flow of the operation, ensuring that their documents are in order so as to avoid issues with the process. He briefed them on the process and further encouraged them to practise legal and safe mining practices.

The enforcement operation in Mahdia is expected to last eight (8) days, the ministry said, as it noted that enforcement operations are being launched in other mining districts. On Wednesday, Marbel Thomas, Toshao of the nearby village of Campbelltown and who was on the protest line, told journalist Travis Chase that the issue is one of “survival” as she noted that Mahdia and communities nearby depend on mining for development as well as for the well-being of residents. She said the group is willing to listen to the GGMC as regards the move by the mining body.

At next month’s Local Government Elections (LGEs), residents of Mahdia will head to the polls at elections which will see the town’s first mayor and town council being formed.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 11, 2018

DEA called in

By Rabindra Rooplall

THE Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) has requested the intervention of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to tackle the use of synthetic drugs in schools in light of an alarming, high use of ecstasy pills among youths.

This disclosure was made

by Deputy Head of CANU Lesley Ramlall, during his address at a two-day workshop on drug-prevention consultation and training being hosted by the Ministry of Education at Cara Lodge, Georgetown.

Ramlall noted that the DEA operations in Colombia and Puerto Rico are commendable and the workshop is a timely intervention by the Education Ministry.

The deputy head of CANU said studies from 2007 to 2013 show that there was a reduction in cigarettes, cannabis, cocaine and alcohol consumption by school- children; however, there was no mention of synthetic drugs, since Guyana was not known to use those.

However, he explained that from 2017-2018, CANU has seen the use and the flow of synthetic drugs in Guyana, which is a worry to all stakeholders.

CANU to date, he said,

has seized 250 grams of ecstasy; 100 grams of crystal methamphetamine; and 405 grams of heroin, all of which are synthetic drugs.

“Unfortunately, the use of ecstasy seems to be very prevalent, not only among adults, but [among] schoolchildren too,” he stated.

In partnership with the Education Ministry, Ramlall said CANU has launched investigations in five schools, and as such, the training session is very important to educate all stakeholders.

“We are aware teachers are not equipped with the skills and the tools as to how to deal with students who are involved in the use of ecstasy and other synthetic drugs. These students are very cunning and smart in their denial and involvement in drug use; and that is why at the law-enforcement level, we are willing to support educational programmes with schoolchildren,” the deputy CANU head said.

Underscoring that Guyana has been labelled over the years as a trans-shipment destination, Ramlall said synthetic drugs are being produced in labs that are not recognised.

As a result, the potency would be different for each pill that is made in the various labs.

“You may use an ecstasy

pill now and the effects may be totally different from a pill you use tomorrow, because the mixture is different and our students are not aware of that,” he said.

He said CANU’s aim is not to penalise children or students, but instead to apprehend the traffickers and dealers.

“To do that, we need the cooperation of parents, students and teachers…. We have seen students go at length to protect the supplier.

This is there in the school system and we cannot deny it, as to how many schools and the extent of it, well it’s alarming,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Owen Pollard, Assistant Chief Education Officer (Primary) said globally, 13.8 million adolescents between ages 15-16 used cannabis within the past year.

ALARMING He said Guyana’s 2016 household drug report highlighted that illegal substances such as marijuana represented 46.6 per cent of the indicator respondents, who purchased drugs in public or open spaces.

“Sadly, many of our youths are also able to access these drugs and often misuse or abuse them. Over the

Guyanese makes history as the MU’s first non-British Worldwide President GUYANESE Sheran Harper, wife of former national and West Indies cricketer Roger Harper, has been elected as the new Worldwide President of the global Anglican mission agency Mothers’ Union, making her the first person from outside the British Isles to hold the position.

She will represent and lead the 142 years old movement’s four million members in 84 countries from January 2019, when she takes over from Lynne Tembey, who will step down in December.

“I am delighted to accept the role of Worldwide President for the new triennium,” Harper said in a report in the Anglican Cummunion News Service. “I feel very excited and privileged and I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our members who voted to make this dream a reality.

Born in the United Kingdom, Harper grew up in Guyana where she studied at the University of the West Indies School of Physical Therapy. She undertook her Clinical Practice at Guy’s Hospital in London and then worked with the Ministry of Health in Guyana where she

Mrs Sheran Harper

opened and managed new physiotherapy departments in hospitals throughout the country and lectured on the rehabilitation therapists’ programme.

She stopped working in this area 17 years ago to focus on her calling of serving Mothers’ Union. She has served as a volunteer at all levels from parish, diocese and province and is currently a Worldwide Trustee.

Mothers’ Union is an international Christian, British registered charity that seeks to support families worldwide. Its members are not all mothers or even all women, as there are many parents, men, widows, singles and grandparents involved in its

work. Its main aim is to support monogamous marriage and family life, especially through times of adversity It was established through a Royal Charter – an ancient legal structure overseen by the Privy Council. The Privy Council, the highest level of the British Government responsible for matters reserved to the Monarch, approved the new constitution when it met in April this year, chaired by Queen Elizabeth.

Until recently, Harper was the worldwide parenting trainer where she rolled out Mothers’ Union parenting programmes in 23 countries across the globe. Her election was announced by Mothers’ Union Chief Executive, Bev Jullien during a Facebook Live session. “We are extremely excited with the results”, Jullien said. “Not only will Sheran bring her global expertise, but we have a Board that is rich in diversity with eight different nationalities and also, for the first time, includes a man.”

last few years, the education ministry has strengthened its partnership through the drug information network of the Nation Anti-Narcotics Agency to combat the issue of drug use among minors,” he said.

He noted that since 2014, training programmes have been developed through school’s health and welfare units that see teachers and welfare officers being trained in drug-prevention strategies to deal with children affected by drug use.

He noted that the training themes focused on drug types and classification, mental health, curriculum, addiction, integration, identification, treatment programmes, random inspections at schools, homes and physical body are done by welfare officers.

SURVEILLANCE “There has been an increase in the number of drug case reports across the schools in Guyana, as such, the Ministry of Education has stepped up its surveillance and education efforts through the establishment of a task force that includes enforcement agencies as the CANU and GPF narcotics division,” he said.

In 2017, he noted that the partnership was further strengthened with support

-- as crackdown on ecstasy in schools intensifies from the UN fund and a draft interagency protocol was developed for drug use among minors that will guide the handling and treatment of cases in which students who are caught with illicit substances.

He explained that a series of consultations have been ongoing with stakeholders since June 2018, to ensure that all relevant policies and legislation are aligned.

Noting that the two-day workshop will also work as a final component of consultation, the assistant chief education officer said the education ministry is pleased to share its ongoing programmes and preventative initiatives on drug use among youths.

Sharing his perspective, Superintendent of Police Narcotics Unit, Kurleigh Simon said cops have seized in excess of a 1000 ecstasy pills for 2018 thus far and what is disappointing is that one of the persons arrested was a certified nurse.

“We have been conducting our drug- reduction education exercise within schools; my plan for next year is that we will increase the programme to ensure all schools are targeted, giving each station the responsibility of targeting schools within their district,” Superintendent Simon said.

He called on students to think before they act, since their bodies are not laboratories. “You should not use it or allow anyone to use it for any experiment or wanting to experience the high of drugs, because there will only be damages [sic] done.”

UNICEF Education Specialist Audrey Rodrigues said the agency’s role in assisting the education ministry is a process that started last year.

She said the critical activity for 2017 was the mapping of drug offences for juveniles in Guyana.

Having done that mapping, Rodrigues noted that it was realised that what needed to be done could not be executed in isolation by any one agency.

“We recognised that to move forward there was a need for an inter-agency approach,” explained Rodrigues.

She said work has been done on the protocol, but it was necessary for the consultations to be held in order to hear the thoughts of stakeholders.

She noted that the mapping and the protocol are critical for UNICEF and the other agencies meeting and making decisions to take matters to the children’s court.

Military Cemetery spruced up THE Military Cemetery located at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, Kingston, Georgetown, was spruced up on Sunday under the watchful eyes of Senior Superintendent Errol Watts, as the Guyana Police Force tries to improve all aspects of its image, according to Press Officer Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan.

Ramlakhan explained

that in accordance with the overlapping responsibilities which emanate from a policeman’s requirement to maintain the discipline and keep his surroundings clean, a campaign was organised to also focus on the cleaning and beautifying of the environment.

“The Spruce Up of other locations at Police Headquarters, also spearheaded

by the aesthetics officer, who is Second-in-command ‘Operations’ has caught the eyes of many including Police Commissioner Leslie James and other senior officers…. The force wishes for others to emulate Snr. Supt Watts’s efforts in creating safer and healthier working environments,” the PRO said.

The Military Cemetery being spruced up on Sunday

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 11, 2018

End the multiple choice test –– Road Safety Council says this examination allows for fraud

–– wants prospective drivers to write their responses to questions asked

By Lisa Hamilton THE effectiveness of the learner-driver package; the medical health of drivers and third-party insurance are among key concerns the Guyana Road Safety Council (GRSC) hopes to address through its 2019 programme.

Just in September, the Road Safety Council, at its third General Council Meeting, elected new officers to serve for the next two years with Frank D. Pompey being elected as chairman.

Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday, Pompey provided an update on the ongoing and planned works of the body.

He relayed that a number of sub-committees have been set up within the council which include the financial sub-committee; law enforcement sub-committee; and the education sub-committee.

Together, they are working to develop a 2019 programme of which one of the main issues it seeks to address is the learner-driver package which Pompey believes for some time, has not been serving its purpose.

“I think it has outlived its usefulness… because there were so many issues with that package so we need to look at that and come up with a better package for the learner-driver programme.

We want to get rid of these multiple choice questions.

Our recommendation is that we do training and we put questions that persons will

have to write, not only pick something out on a box [stating] right or wrong, they will have to give proper answers to the question,” he stated.

The chairman said the multiple choice test also allows for fraud as was found in a 2018 investigation where policemen were fingered in forged questionnaires made out for the Theoretical Learner Driver’s examination.

POLICE CULPRITS There changes, he said, are needed as in numerous recent cases, when it comes to road safety; the police themselves have been the erring party.

“There were a lot of fatal accidents which were committed by policemen who were driving police vehicles and in some cases their own vehicles, so, we think there’s a need to look at that driving programme and make some changes,” Pompey re-emphasised.

Apart from addressing the common offences of speeding, drinking and texting while driving, the GRSC also hopes to eventually see citizens being required to undergo medical checkups prior to receiving a drivers’ license.

“We think we should include in our examinations, before persons are given their licenses, they should go through an examination by a doctor to test their sight, also to look at their health in general before their license is being granted,” he said, adding: “The law enforcement subcommittee is putting up

some proposals that we want to put forward.”

The council also wants to examine the insurance available to learner-drivers and

license, his premium will go down. So, I think that will act as a deterrent and persons will be more careful in driving,” Pompey said.

schools with its next target group being the public transportation sector.

Regarding the latter, Pompey said: “[We’re going

how it affects the carefulness of the new drivers on the roadways.

“They need to make a change with this process, that as soon as a person gets his license he can drive any vehicle that has a third party insurance and I don’t think that is something good for drivers who have just started driving.”

“We need [to ensure], and we will have to consult with the insurance companies, that the driver should have his own insurance to drive the vehicle so in case of any accident, his premium will go up and he would lose points on his license. [But] if he is a careful driver, as the year goes by and he renews his

Other aspects the GRSC will zero in on farmers who are bent on allowing their animals to graze along busy roadways and the court system which ought to ensure persons who commit driving offences have their license suspended.

Statistics provided for 2017 show that there were 71 accidents resulting in 78 deaths along with the death of a child, while in 2018 there were76 accidents resulting in 88 deaths and the death of four children.

to] bring them in with the assistance of the police and get them to understand the ‘dos and don’ts’ so that they can be better drivers on our roads.”

When it comes to pedestrians, the chairman regretfully noted that even with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s implementation of traffic lights and overpasses at strategic locations, some pedestrians are still ignoring the facilities implemented for their safety.

This type of behaviour, he said, further contributes to the non-adherence of drivers to the stoplight due to the reduction of their time. This, he said, also needs to be addressed.

Carpenter arrested with illegal pistol

AN intelligence-led operation by ranks of the Guyana Police Force has resulted in the arrest of a carpenter with an unlicensed .22 Smith and Wesson pistol without ammunition around 19:30hrs in East La penitence, Georgetown, on Tuesday.

The police said the suspect was arrested in Freeman Street. He was identified as a 32-year- old who resides in Laing Avenue, West Ruimveldt, Georgetown. Police said investigations are in progress.

The seized firearm

TRAINING For the year, the GRSC has been providing training programmes for drivers and road safety education within

To bring greater awareness, during the GRSC’s Road Safety Month of activities which begins in November, a secondary school debate competition will be hosted through collaboration with the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

Schools from Regions Three, Four, Five, Six and 10 will be participating.

Altogether, to conduct these works and more, the council receives a subvention from the Ministry of Public security along with some amounts of sponsorship.

It also gets funds through fund-raising activities.

For this year, GRSC’s budget stood at $3M but an increase to this figure is much welcomed by the council.

“The amount that we have is not a big amount but we have to taper some of our programmes sometimes to make it work… because when you look at activities and you put a cost to it, sometimes it’s three times the amount of money that we get on our subvention,” Pompey said.

He added that the council is signatory to the Decade of Action for Road Safety to reduce deaths by 50 per cent by 2020 but with Guyana far from this achievement, additional finances can help to make a big difference.

Timehri man beaten and robbed at Charity

A 46-year-old salesman of Timehri, East Bank Demerara, was on Monday beaten and robbed at Charity by two known men.

The incident occurred around 21:30hrs. According to information reaching the Guyana Chronicle, the salesman Troy Crawford was walking heading to Lovern’s Shop in the Charity area when he was attacked and

robbed.

He told the police that whilst walking, he saw a man called “Rabbi” walking on the pave and he called out to him. He said after that the man came up to him and started to chuck him to his stomach; the man then picked up a piece of wood and dealt him one lash to his forehead, causing him to fall to the ground. As he was on

the ground, a second man ran through his pockets and stole $24,000; both men then fled the scene.

Crawford then made his way to the Charity Police Station and made a report.

He was then escorted to the Oscar Joseph Hospital at Charity, where he was seen by doctors. One of the suspects was later arrested by police and is now in custody.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

Data shows consumption upgrade during National Day holiday

It is estimated that more than 700 million Chinese people, or about half of China’s population, were traveling during the National Day holiday (Oct. 1 to Oct. 7), and nearly 7 million went abroad.

Consumer activities during the Golden Week upgraded among Chinese tourists, with more spending on culture-related activities, according to the Beijing-based Chinese Tourism Academy.

Among the changes, more Chinese visited cinemas, theaters, museums and libraries during the holiday. Over 40 percent of tourists visited museums, art galleries, libraries and science and technology halls. Cultural scenic spots such as the Old Summer Palace, Palace Museum and Terracotta Warriors Museum attracted a flood of visitors, according to data from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Besides, over 90 percent of tourists took part in cultural activities during the holidays, among which 40 percent took part in such activities twice. The overall consumer market continued to expand. Data from the Ministry of Commerce showed retail and restaurant sales totaled 1.4 trillion yuan in the seven-day period, with average daily spending in the sectors up 9.5 percent year-on-year.

Sales of organic foods, fashion apparel, gold and silver jewelry, ultra high-definition televisions, smart phones, smart home products and automobiles also boomed.

Shared homestays, online shopping, online food-ordering, customized tour products, and mobile payments were hot trends during the holiday. Tourist attractions received 726 million visitors during the seven-day holiday, an increase of 9.43 percent year-on-year, while tourism revenue increased 9.04 percent to 599.08 billion yuan ($86.8 billion).

Shanghai gears up for China’s first import expo As China International Import Expo (CIIE) is only a month away, Shanghai, host of the event, has reached the final stage of its preparations, while products from all over the world have been arriving in the city.

scenarios. Shanghai municipal government has been renovating the roads around the convention center, and developed cellphone applications to better guide traffic around the area.

The city has also added eight bus routes and prepared 100

shipped.

Chinese companies are eyeing great potential in boosting imports through the event.

“During the CIIE, we expect to import at least 1,000 kinds of products and services that have not been sold in the domestic

The CIIE is China’s first expo event that is expected to give firm support to trade liberalization and economic globalization, and actively open the Chinese market to the world, according to its official website. A total of 2,800 companies from all the G20 member states, as well as 50 countries and regions along the Belt and Road will participate in the expo. Of the world’s 44 least developed countries, more than 30 will be present at the event.

Shanghai has been holding rehearsals, improving city infrastructure and training volunteers to meet needs of the approaching event. At the National Exhibition and Convention Center, where CIIE will be held, the event organizer held a comprehensive rehearsal last Thursday covering various

spare buses.

Light decorations have been added to the 20km-long banks of the city’s signature Huangpu River, as well as four bridges that span across it.

Hundreds of thousands of pots of flowers are dotted across Shanghai. The city has trained 5,000 volunteers who will offer various services including language translations.

As the event is drawing near, goods from foreign exhibitors have arrived at local customs. Shanghai has opened green channels for the products, significantly cutting the time needed for them to be unloaded and stored in local warehouses. So far, it is estimated that products from more than 1,500 exhibitors have arrived in the Chinese mainland, while that from another 1,000 have been or are being

market,” said Wang Zhe, Party head of China’s commercial giant Suning Holdings Group, “In the next three years, we plan to import goods worth 10 billion Euros (around 11.5 billion U.S. dollars). Liang Feng, president of state-owned China National Machine Tool Sales and Technical Service Corporation, said CIIE will witness eight leading companies in the machine tool industry launch a dozen of new products in China for the first time.

More than 100 new products and technologies are expected to make debut at the expo, according to statistics from the organizers.

Forty-three African countries have confirmed to participate in the expo. About 190 enterprises from Africa will promote local products such as Egyptian data palm,

ethiopian coffee, and Amarula from South Africa, at the event, according to the organizers.

“The CIIE shows China’s

changing trade strategy and its resolve to fulfill its responsibility as a major country and achieve mutual benefits and win-win cooperation

with all nations,” said Zhao Beiwen, deputy head of the World Economy Institute under the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. (Xinhua)

Test run of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao bridge a success

Three days of test runs on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao bridge have achieved expected results, said Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, chief secretary for administration at the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government on Sunday.

On his personal blog, Cheung said the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao are now summing up experiences and working toward the bridge’s official

opening.

More than 300 government personnel from Hong Kong participated in the trial operation and business people engaged in cross-border transportation were also invited to the event, he said.

The bridge is the first cross-border link connecting the land of the three cities, and the opening means that the western part of the Pearl River Delta will be accessible from Hong Kong within a three-hour drive, Cheung

said.

The new bridge will significantly reduce the cost and time of passenger and freight transportation by land and accelerate the economic development and linkage of the cities in the Greater Bay Area, he said.

Spanning 55 kilometers, the bridge is the world’s longest bridgeand-tunnel sea crossing and will cut travel time between Hong Kong and Macao from three hours to just 30 minutes.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 11, 2018

Five new diplomats accredited ...cooperation in oil and gas, mining promised

Ambassador of the Kingdom of The Netherlands Jacob Rijkert Frederiks delivers his brief speech to the President (Delano Williams photos)

PRESIDENT David Granger on Wednesday accredited five ambassadors and high commissioners from Tanzania, Nigeria, Norway, Chile and the Netherlands, who have all pledged their countries’ commitment to forge deeper cooperation in the areas of oil and gas, climate change, security and defence, mining and agriculture.

At State House, the President accepted the envoys’ Letters of Credence as he welcomed the diplomats to Guyana and relayed best wishes to their heads of state.

Represented were: High Commissioner of the United Republic of Tanzania, Emmanuel John Nchimbi; High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Hassan Jika Ardo;

Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands, Jacob Rijkert Frederiks; Ambassador of the Republic of Chile, Patricio Arturo Becker Marshall; and Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway, Nils Martin Gunneng.

Presenting his documents to the president, High Commissioner Nchimbi stated that Tanzania, through its relations with Guyana, hopes to strengthen ties in the areas of oil and gas, sugar, gold and diamond mining, agriculture and the exchange of technical know-how.

Guyana and Tanzania have shared diplomatic relations since 1970, with high-level visits of former Prime Minister Forbes Burnham in 1970 and former President Desmond Hoyte in 1986. As such, President

High Commissioner of the United Republic of Tanzania, Emmanuel John Nchimbi, presents his Letters of Commission to President David Granger

President David Granger shares light conversation with the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway, Nils Martin Gunneng, at State House on Wednesday

Granger told the high commissioner that his appoint-

President David Granger and Ambassador of the Republic of Chile, Patricio Arturo Becker Marshall (centre), take a photograph along with Attorney General Basil Williams (second left) and other officials

ment can help to advance a long-term strategic partner-

ship between the two states.

“Guyana can learn from Tanzania’s experience in ecotourism, in managing its conservation parks and in protecting its biodiversity.

Green development cooperation can form a basis for strengthening bilateral relations,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Frederiks signalled the Netherlands’ interest to share its expertise in the areas of coastal defence; water management and resilient crops in the face of global warming. “The challenges faced by your country and mine are not identical; and yet there are many areas where we could work together and share experiences,” he said.

Speaking to the ‘Dutch disease’ which has become synonymous with the mis-

management of natural resources, the ambassador said that Guyana will soon face its own challenge to avoid such negative consequences.

He added that while the Netherlands’ example is not a solution, he will gladly make his network of contacts available to the government should they appreciate cooperation in that regard.

President Granger said that Guyana and The Netherlands share bonds of history through which even the names of some of its streets, villages and townships are testaments to its Dutch heritage. He expressed his appreciation for the technical assistance provided by the Netherlands Government to Guyana thus far in the fields of Turn to page 17 ►

High Commissioner of the United Republic of Tanzania, Emmanuel John Nchimbi, shares a photo with the President

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 11, 2018

AFC to contest in 38 LAAs for 2018 LGEs

…proposes LGE debate among candidates THE Alliance For Change (AFC) will be contesting only 38 of the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs) for the 2018 Local Government Elections–approximately 15 LAAs less than it had originally bargained for, according to executive member Michael Leonard.

Leonard, at a news conference at the Centre for Change on Wednesday, told reporters that the AFC, despite a few challenges, remains confident of its chances at the Local Government Elections billed for Monday November 12.

“We are fielding more than 600 candidates with the majority being under the age of 40 in 38 of the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs) in Guyana,” he informed reporters.

Leonard said the AFC had intended to contest more LAAs, but was faced with a number of issues. One such

issue was that of bullyism experienced by candidates and nominators in some Local Authority Areas.

Weighing in on the issue, AFC Campaign Manager, Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson, said the alliance which forms a major part of the coalition government, had intended to contest in about 10 to 15 more LAAs. “It is not only that issue [bullyism]…but whatever it is, we are satisfied with where we are at,” Patterson told reporters.

The AFC kick-started its “Fit and Proppa!” Local Government Elections’ campaign last Saturday at the Centre for Change with over 300 candidates from Regions Three, Four, Five, Seven and 10 in attendance at the Centre for Change. Within the coming days, the AFC, Patterson said, will be intensifying its campaign, reaching out to residents in Regions One,

Eight and Nine, among other regions.

ELECTIONS DEBATE Meanwhile, the AFC campaign manager said as the country prepares for another historic Local Government Elections, the alliance is in support of election debates within the LAAs, particularly the larger ones such as the municipalities – Linden, New Amsterdam, Bartica, Rose Hall, Corriverton, Lethem, Mahdia, Anna Regina, and Georgetown.

“The Alliance For Change would most willingly coordinate a candidates’ debate, but we don’t want it to be seen as though we are trying to influence or stage against anyone, so if any civil society organisation is willing to host a debate among candidates on policies and positions in communities on behalf of the Alliance For Change I will accept that of-

fer,” Patterson told reporters.

Two of the party’s young candidates told reporters that if elected, they would push for many of the shortcomings in their LAAs to be addressed.

CHANGE MUST COME! Vickram Vieira, who hails from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), said it is time for change as he expressed disappointment with the way the nation’s youths are being treated.

Vieira contended that the young people are falling prey to alcohol and drug abuse, because of the lack of recreational activities in Region Three. “My community centre is in Goed Fortuin on the West Bank.

We have produced the best volleyball team in the Caribbean; those guys don’t have a ground to go and practise today, because the previous

Spanish incorporated into police training programme

administration abandoned…I am going to take the stand, and stand in the gap to fight for our young people so they could have a future; because when you allow young people to have their way and they don’t have nothing to get them involved, they become very idle-minded, but I want to create back this atmosphere of sports,” Vieira said.

In addition to rehabilitating the community centre, Vieira said if elected he would push for more street lights in Goed Fortuin and neighbouring communities and a high quality of tap water.

Byron Nobrega, in making his bid, questioned what the sitting Mayor Patricia Chase-Green, has done for Georgetown, but more so for Constituency 12 (TucvilleNorth Ruimveldt communities).

The lack of a proper drainage and irrigation system in the constituency continues to be a major problem particularly during

the rainy season, Nobrega said. With the understanding that the Georgetown Mayor and Town Council is continuously strapped for cash, the candidate said he will be pushing for public/private partnerships to finance many of the community projects in the constituencies.

“I will be pursuing public/private partnerships with businesses, because there are a lot of businesses in the area; they are earning revenues from citizens within that area, so I will be advocating for more public/private partnerships with them to get the community back where it needs to be,” he explained.

Nobrega said installation of street lights would also be one of the projects he hopes to execute, as well as the rehabilitation of the three community grounds in the area.

The AFC will be holding weekly press conferences, during which, many of its young candidates would be given the opportunity to share their plans for the various LAAs.

Loo Creek man died of broken neck –– autopsy finds

One of the classes being held at the Felix Austin Police College

THE administration of the Guyana Police Force has implemented Spanish into the curriculum of police training to prepare young policemen/women to communicate with the Spanish speaking immigrants in Guyana.

The immigrants are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.

Acting Force Training Officer, Senior Superintendent Fizal Karimbaksh, and Com-

mandant of the Felix Austin Police College (G/Town), Superintendent Shivpersaud Bacchus say the administration of the Force sees the programme as useful as the increasing influx of Spanish speaking nationals entering Guyana places members of the Force at a disadvantage at various border locations.

It was noted that with the implementation of this programme, ranks will be in a better position to be able to

communicate and deal with matters of various nature as they arise. This will also assist members of the Force to more efficiently and effectively discharge their duties, while delivering quality service to all.

The initiative, which started in July of this year, is being taught by lecturers from Guyana and overseas at all three of the police training colleges, namely: the Felix Austin Police College (Georgetown); the Richard Faikall Police

College (Suddie, Essequibo Coast) and the Felix Austin Police College (Adventure, Berbice).

The syllabus, which focusses on the fundamental aspects of the Spanish language, is being taught throughout the duration of the recruit training and it is envisaged that the valedictorian of the next recruit graduation will deliver his/ her speech in the foreign language.

AN autopsy done on Wednesday on the partially nude and battered body of a man found dead at Loo Creek, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, revealed that he died as a result of a broken neck and multiple injuries caused by a vehicular accident.

It was also noted that there was no sign of any sexual activity on the deceased, who was found without pants.

On Monday, Osafu Glasgow, 41, called “Safo” of Bagotville, West Bank Demerara, was identified by his mother after being involved in a fatal accident on Sunday.

His body bore injuries to the head, left arm and leg. Next to the body were pieces of plastic fragments, suspected to be that of a broken vehicle light.

The closest community from where the body was discovered is three miles away. The body was taken to the Linden Hospital Complex and was later transferred to the Wismar Hospital Mortuary.

17

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

Time media, police work ‘hand in glove’

D

EPUTY Commissioner Law Enforcement, Lyndon Alves feels it’s time to dispense with the hauteur, so the police and media can have a better working relationship.

“It is important for us to work together, hand in glove,” he told the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday when asked about the current relationship between the Guyana Police Force and the media, and possible areas of cooperation in the interest of both parties.

The question was raised primarily because a common practice among some very senior members of the Force is that they engage the media to provide coverage of soft events such as handing-over ceremonies and commissionings, but when reporters seek to engage them on other matters of importance, they either clam up or try to pass the buck. And on those occasions, no one, not even those who are authorised to speak to the press, are willing to divulge

any information.

Commander Alves, who’s also Crime Chief, also spoke to the issue of the press running with stories prior to making contact with senior officers, particularly divisional commanders.

Noting that this type of approach usually places the Force at a disadvantage, Commander Alves said: “I think the journalists who are closer to the ground tend to attract persons who are aggrieved, and want to have their stories published. However, these people should understand that matters cannot be solved by just going to the media.”

Having gotten his point across, he is urging members of the media to be responsible in the treatment of certain matters, and to ensure that they engage the divisional commanders when preparing to write anything that seeks to affect a person or persons in a respective Division.

“Smart journalism would dictate that you communicate

--Crime Chief says

with the officer and let them know what the issue is, and give them an opportunity to comment on it or have it fixed rather than going to press,” he said, adding: “You are the ones out there, and you are the ones who often have the information before us. So it makes no sense keeping it from the police, who have the resources to go after those who are of interest to the police.”

Asked what he thought of social media, Commander Alves said: “Social media is there for all to use, but, unfortunately, we don’t have any control over what they post.

“However, it works as a very useful tool for suspects, as it makes them aware of the law enforcement’s interest in them and that pushes them into hiding.”

According to Alves, he is aware that persons are in love with their smart phones and social media, but at the same time, they, too, should be a bit more responsible.

Vagrant charged for stealing mangoes from nursery school

A

VAGRANT on Wednesday appeared before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore for stealing mangoes from the Starters Nursery School compound.

Ricky Mohammed, 34, admitted that on October 7, 2018, at Starters Nursery School, he stole a quantity of mangoes valued $5,000.

Mohammed told the magistrate that on the day in question, it was his birthday and he was hungry.

Ricky Mohammed

Teens to face trial for raping girl

P

RINCIPAL Magistrate Judy Latchman on Wednesday committed three teens via paper committal to the high court for allegedly raping an 11-yearold girl.

Eighteen-year-old Caozuyag Menuy, his 15-yearold relative and a 13-yearold friend are jointly charged for rape. It is alleged that between October 1 and October 31, 2017, at Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, they engaged in sexual activity

Caozuyag Menuy

with a child under the age of 16.

The matter was held in-camera. They were represented by attorney-at-law Paul Fung-a-Fatt.

The two older teens are out on $70,000 bail while $40,000 bail was granted to the 13-year-old during their first appearance.

According to reports, the girl was held against her will by the three boys at a location on the East Bank Demerara during the month of October, 2017.

“You shouldn’t have stolen the mangoes, but instead you should have asked the person” the mag-

istrate replied. The magistrate reprimanded and discharged the matter against Mohammed.

18

Mason gets bail on burglary charge SENIOR Magistrate Fabayo Azore on Wednesday released a 25-year-old mason on $75,000 bail for allegedly breaking into a house and stealing a quantity of items.

Ceon Isaacs of West Ruimveldt squatting area appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Particulars of the charge alleged that Isaacs, between October 5 and October 6, 2018, at Lot 15, West Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, broke and entered the home of Shireen Allen and stole a quantity of items valued $305,000, property of Isaiah Booker.

The unrepresented man pleaded not guilty to the charge and Police Prosecutor Warren Thornhill made no objection to bail being granted.

Isaacs was released on $75,000 bail and the matter was adjourned until November 14.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

Pomeroon captain charged for ammo, arm bust in Pomeroon River THE boat captain, who was busted at the mouth of the Pomeroon River with a shotgun and a quantity of ammunition in his boat, has been charged.

Rollin Fernandes, 28, of Jacklow, Pomeroon River,

made his first appearance before Essequibo Magistrate Esther Sam at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday to answer to the charges.

It is alleged that on October 5, during a joint operation

conducted in the Pomeroon River between the Guyana Police Force, the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard, Fernandes’ boat was stopped and during a search of it, a

shotgun, along with a quantity of ammunition, was found.

He denied the accusations and was granted bail. For the possession of firearm, he was granted $250,000 bail. For the possession of ammunition charge, he was granted

$200,000 bail. He was represented by Attorney-at-law Latchmin Dindyal.

The bowman, who was with Fernandes at the time, was not charged. He claimed that he was working with the captain.

Four held after Corentyne robbery A 21-year-old man is nursing a gunshot wound to his face while his father is also hospitalised at the Anamayah Memorial Hospital with severe injuries after armed bandits stormed their home and assaulted them in the process.

One of the perpetrators was masked while the two others were unmasked. Police have since arrested four persons for the crime. At approximately 18:00hrs on Tuesday, three men, armed with two guns and cutlasses, stormed the business place of D Kumar and Son Grocery, located at Cromarty Village, East Berbice, Corentyne.

From his hospital bed, Kumar, 51, related the traumatic ordeal of how he was beaten as the men demanded cash and jewellery from him. He related

passed out. He also sustained a chop wound to his right leg and had hot milk thrown on him. “One of them tell the next one ‘gimme the cutlass lemme chop he and kill he’,” Kumar recalled. While two of the bandits remained with the father in the shop as they ransacked and continued to search for more cash, the third one turned his attention to the son who was in the kitchen.

Balram Kumar remains hospitalized

that he was in the bottom flat of the house when he was attacked and dragged into the kitchen as the men beat and assaulted him. “They come and drag me into the kitchen, asking for the money and gold.

Deoraj Kumar

I tell them okay, I gon give you all me have,” Kumar said. He went on to say despite handing over $280,000 in cash from the shop, the men were not satisfied, as they continuously beat and stomped him until he

GRABBED HIS PLATE Balram Kumar called “Boi”, was having dinner when one of the bandits grabbed his plate of food and tossed it away as he demanded more cash. In the process, the young man was severely beaten and stomped to his back. He was also shot to his face; luckily,

The house which the bandits invaded

the bullet did not penetrate the face, only grazing it. “They beat my son bad; the boots print is still visible on his back,” his mother, Asha Kumar, related.

She explained that when she noticed what was happening, she ran and hid in the backyard, fearing the worse.

The son, badly beaten, bruised and covered in blood, ventured to the backyard to look for his mother. “He come looking for me after everything done and them gone, thinking something had happened to me. He could have barely walked and was bleeding from his face, but he come search for me”.

The ordeal lasted for about 35 minutes. The family’s gas stove was also stripped as the trio searched for more cash. On Wednesd a y, w h e n t h e G u y a n a Chronicle visited the family’s home, blood stains were visible in the kitchen where the young man was shot and there was also a trail of blood which led to the backyard.

The home and shop were in disarray. Meanwhile, Acting Commander of ‘B’ Division Paul Langevine confirmed persons have been arrested in connection with the robbery as investigations continue.

19

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 11, 2018

UG set to confer honorary doctorates on four Guyanese

Yesu Persaud

FOR the first time in its history, the University of Guyana is set to confer honorary doctorates on four Guyanese.

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Ivelaw Griffith, noted on his social media Facebook account on Tuesday night that the four persons approved by the academic board of the university are indigenous activist Laura George, musical icon Eddy Grant, business magnate Yesu Persaud, and Guyana-born United States-based philanthropist, Jay Sobhraj.

“Yesterday occurred another milestone in the journey along renaissance road, when the academic board approved my petition to confer Honorary Doctorates on four outstanding Guyanese—the first time UG will be bestowing this honour,” Professor Griffith said.

Grant, whose music is

Laura George

knowned globally, pioneered the ringbang genre over the course of his career which started in 1965 with the group-- The Equals.

Persaud has been lauded at home and abroad for his contribution to the growth of the private sector. In June 2009, Persaud was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of the West Indies in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the development of business in Guyana and for his micro-credit initiatives, mainly through the Institute of Private Enterprise Development (IPED).

In December 2013, he retired from his position as Chairman of the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) after serving the company for 48 years.

Last October, the University of Warwick of England honoured Persaud for his stellar contribution to the

development of global education and unveiled a brand new state-of-the-art lecture theatre bearing his name.

Sobhraj has contributed to many causes, including humanitarian acts in Guyana over the years. Earlier this year, through the Jay and Sylvia Sobhraj Foundation, he pumped a significant grant of GY$$80 million to establish the state-of-the-art behavioural study, research and multi-purpose centre in place of the old canteen building.

George, the governance and rights coordinator at the Amerindian Peoples’ Association, has been at the forefront of many undertakings locally and overseas, as she furthers the cause of indigenous peoples.

Professor Griffith stated that the University of Guyana will provide additional information on the milestone move.

Jay Sobhraj

Eddy Grant

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

GMR&SC’s Ignite Hamilton is stepping into secures ExxonMobil Schumacher territory sponsorship

By Alan Baldwin

EXXONMobil is the latest entity to come on board with the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) for the Ignite race meet set for November 10 and 11.

The company handed over sponsorship with exactly one month remaining.

Ignite, which is set to form the basis for the final leg of the Seaboard Marine Caribbean Motor Racing Championships (CMRC) 2018, is expected to feature competition from Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad, USA, Canada and Europe.

The event will be hosted in collaboration with the Department of Tourism within the Ministry of Business.

ExxonMobil’s Nicholas Yearwood made the presentation to GMR&SC’s Sherry Gonsalves at the sponsor’s office on New Market Street The much-anticipated event is expected to see the culmination of the 2018 season of the CMRC championship for Groups 1-5 as well as the Superstocks and SR3 radicals along with the local classes including the Superstock motorcycles.

Tickets are on sale at the GMR&SC office on Thomas Lands at a cost of $2 500, children $1 000.

Other sponsors for the event include GBTI, B.M. Soat, Noble House Seafoods, STAG Beer, Air Services Limited, GUYOIL, Palm Court, Hand-in-Hand, Ramada Hotel, Survival Supermarket, Club 704, Sheriff Security, EC Investments, Prem’s Electrical, Nexus Machinery, Mohamed’s Enterprise, Choke Gas Station, Japarts, R. Kissoon Contracting, E Networks, Miracle Opticle, Bikers’ Bar, Samaroo Investments, Innovations America and SuperBet, Agriparts and KGM Security Service.

Brathwaite all-round ...

From page 26

man Benn claimed Corbin lbw in the 15th over, it triggered a slide that saw three wickets fall for 18 runs as Amir Jangoo (3) and Ottley followed in the space of 32 deliveries at the hands of West Indies off-spinner Ashley Nurse.

But any hopes Pride had of turning the tables on Marooners were quickly dashed as Brathwaite took control of the encounter with a dashing innings, in tandem with Drakes who faced 46 deliveries and struck four fours.

Brathwaite ended the game in style with two consecutive sixes off Windies teammate Ashley Nurse who finished with two for 43.

SCOREBOARD PRIDE S Moseley b Brathwaite 49 +L Boucher run out 2 *S Brooks lbw b Brathwaite 0 J Carter c wkp Jangoo b Jordan 11 J Greaves lbw b Y Ottley 7 K Stoute c Y Ottley b Buchanan 37 A Nurse c and b Brathwaite 2 S Springer c Kirton b Jordan 22 S Benn b Jordan 15 M Cummins c and b Cottoy 20 M Mindley not out 0 Extras: (b1, lb2, w5, nb1) 9 TOTAL: (all out, 49.2 overs) 174 Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-13, 3-40, 4-55, 5-95, 6-101, 7-125, 8-151, 9-172, 10-174.

Bowling: Y Ottley 8-1-21-1, Jordan 9.2-0-36-3, Brathwaite 10-221-3, Jagessar 6-2-19-0, Cottoy 6-1-38-1, Buchanan 10-0-36-1. ============================= MAROONERS K Corbin lbw b Benn 40 K Ottley lbw b Nurse 42 +A Jangoo c wkp Boucher b Nurse 3 J Drakes not out 41 *C Brathwaite not out 50 Extras: (lb2) 2 TOTAL: (3 wkts, 31.3 overs) 178 Did not bat: L Buchanan, K Cottoy, J Jagessar, A Jordan, Y Ottley, N Kirton.

Fall of wickets: 1-70, 2-85, 3-88.

Bowling: Cummins 5-1-29-0, Mindley 3-1-17-0, Benn 10-1-381, Nurse 7.3-1-43-2, Carter 2-0-18-0, Springer 2-0-9-0, Stoute 2-0-22-0.

LONDON, England (Reuters) - When Michael Schumacher won his seventh Formula One world championship with Ferrari in 2004 it looked like a record for the ages, but Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes are forcing a rethink already.

Lewis Hamilton has won 50 with Mercedes in less than six seasons.

The Briton stands on the brink of becoming only the third man to win at least five titles, with his team’s stranglehold on both championships tighter than ever after he won Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix.

The 33-year-old has a contract until the end of 2020 and a team mate in Valtteri Bottas, who has proved more beatable and acquiescent than predecessor and 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg.

A change of engine rules that might shake things up is not due until 2021, at the earliest.

“Let’s say you win this championship ... Lewis wins another title, can he go to seven?” 1996 world champion Damon Hill asked Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff on Sky Sports television on Sunday, voicing the thoughts of many.

The Austrian’s reply, while emphasising that nothing was being taken for granted, was revealing.

“I think it’s important to

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reinvent yourself and set new objectives,” he said.

“And there is always the risk of complacency that you are running out of targets ... so we are setting ourselves ambitious targets.”

Hamilton’s record already bears comparison to Schumacher’s, and in some areas exceeds the great German’s achievements.

percentage rate remains in the German’s favour since there are now more races on the calendar.

On podiums, Hamilton is ahead 77-66.

Hamilton has also matched or beaten Schumacher at key stages of his career; the German taking his first title with Benetton aged 25 whereas the Briton opened his account at Mc-

Michael Schumacher won 72 races with Ferrari between 1996 and 2006.

Saturday brought the Briton a record-extending 80th pole from 225 starts, compared to Schumacher’s 68 in 307 races.

Sunday was Hamilton’s 71st win, 20 short of the former Ferrari great’s 91.

Hamilton has won nine races so far this season and looks likely to end the year in double figures. His 2014-17 average was 10 wins a year - 11 in 2014, 10 in 2015 and 2016 and then nine last year.

Britain’s most successful driver has 131 podium places since his debut in 2007, compared to Schumacher’s 155.

Schumacher won 72 races with Ferrari between 1996 and 2006. Hamilton has won 50 with Mercedes in less than six seasons.

A more meaningful point of comparison, however, would be the years of dominance - 2000-04 for Ferrari and 2014-18 for Mercedes.

There, the win figures are 49 for Hamilton (so far) and 48 for Schumacher but the

Laren as a 23-year-old.

Schumacher, whose January 3 birthday falls four days before Hamilton’s, was also 33 when he celebrated his fifth championship in 2002 - but he did it in France in July with six races to spare.

Hamilton, 67 points clear of Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel with four races to go, has his first chance to clinch title number five in Texas at the end of next week.

Nothing lasts forever but Mercedes will start 2019 more settled than those immediately below them in the pecking order, the only top team to field an unchanged lineup.

Error-prone Ferrari will be exchanging 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen for Monegasque youngster Charles Leclerc while Red Bull start a new partnership with Honda, whose engines have yet to match those of

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Chelmsford City 12:10 hrs So Ji Class 12:45 hrs Aldana 13:15 hrs Daafr 13:45 hrs Big Country 14:15 hrs Oscar’s Bridge 14:45 hrs Blyton Lass 15:15 hrs Boscastle 15:45 hrs Final Choice

Mercedes or Ferrari.

Hamilton is in the form of his life, hungry for more and as motivated as ever. If Mercedes can keep providing him with a winning car, then comparisons with Schumacher will only become louder.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

Aussies hobble to 136-3, chasing a mammoth target of 462 (REUTERS) - Pakistan seamer Mohammad Abbas claimed three quick wickets as Australia hobbled their way to 136-3 yesterday, chasing a mammoth target of 462 in the first Test in Dubai.

Australian openers Usman Khawaja and Aaron Finch picked up where they left off after their 142-run stand in the first innings, adding 72 runs by tea on day four.

The pair added 15 more runs in the final session before Abbas trapped Finch leg-before for 49.

The visitors squandered another good start when the Marsh brothers were dismissed for ducks by Abbas.

Shaun was caught behind off a well-directed delivery, while a darting inswinger downed Mitchell plumb in front of the stumps.

Khawaja (50) and Travis Head (34) added 49 runs and will look to continue on the same note as they hope to

grind out an unlikely draw on the final day.

If the tourists are to pull off a victory they will have to surpass the highest chase in Test cricket by West Indies, who managed 418-7 against Australia in Antigua in 2003.

Pakistan resumed at 45-3 in the morning session and batted sensibly on a deteriorating pitch before declaring their second innings at 181-6.

Imam-ul-Haq (48) and Haris Sohail (39) missed out on half-centuries but their 65run partnership took the lead close to 400 runs.

Imam was the first to fall on the day, offering left-arm spinner Jon Holland an easy return catch.

He was soon joined in the dressing room by Sohail, who was adjudged leg-before off the bowling of debutant Marnus Labuschagne after Australia sought a review of the umpire’s original decision.

Asad Shafiq and Babar

Azam then combined to add 71 to peg Australia back further under the sweltering Dubai heat.

falling on 41.

Lyon’s 310th Test wicket saw him join Brett Lee as the fifth leading wick-

The left-handed duo of Khawaja and Travis Head took Australia’s fight to the final day. (Getty Images)

Off-spinner Nathan Lyon tempted Shafiq into playing a lofty shot which was held

by Mitchell Marsh at deep mid-wicket with the batsman

et-taker for Australia in the longest format of the game.

Abu Dhabi will host the second and final Test from October 16.

SCOREBOARD PAKISTAN 1st innings 482 AUSTRALIA 1st innings 202 PAKISTAN 2nd innings o/n 45-3 Imam ul-Haq c & b Jon Holland

48 Mohammad Hafeez c Marnus Labuschagne b Jon Holland 17 Bilal Asif c Travis Head b Nathan Lyon

0 Azhar Ali lbw Jon Holland

4 Haris Sohail lbw Marnus Labuschagne

39 Asad Shafiq c Mitchell Marsh b Nathan Lyon 41 Babar Azam not out

28 Extras: (b-2, lb-2)

4 Total: (57.5 overs) 181 decl Fall of wickets: 1-37, 2-38, 3-45, 4-110, 5-110, 6-181.

Bowling: Mitchell Starc 6-1-18-0, Nathan Lyon 25.5-6-58-2, Peter Siddle 2-1-3-0, Jon Holland 20-3-83-3, Travis Head 1-0-6-0, Marnus Labuschagne 3-0-9-1. ============================= AUSTRALIA 2nd innings Aaron Finch lbw Mohammad Abbas

49 Usman Khawaja not out

50 Shaun Marsh c Sarfraz Ahmed b Mohammad Abbas 0 Mitchell Marsh lbw Mohammad Abbas

0 Travis Head not out

34 Extras: (lb-3)

3 Total: (three wkts, 50.0 overs)

136 Fall of wickets: 1-87, 2-87, 3-8.

Bowling: Mohammad Abbas 11-2-26-3, Mohammad Hafeez 2-0-10-0, Yasir Shah 15-1-42-0, Wahab Riaz 7-2-13-0, Bilal Asif 13-3-40-0, Haris Sohail 2-1-2-0.

RHT Bakewell cop BCB’s Nasir Memorial One-Day 5/5 Tournament

PLAYING in front of a large and boisterous crowd at the Area ‘H’ Ground last Sunday, Rose Hall Town (RHT) Bakewell cricket team defeated Courtland Cricket Club by 10 wickets to lift the Berbice Cricket Board’s (BCB) Naeem Nasir Memorial OneDay 5/5 Cricket Tournament.

The tournament was sponsored by Bakewell in memory of its founder and late CEO Naeem Nasir, who died on the October 9, 2012. Bakewell has supported Guyana’s leading youth and sports organisation, the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club (RHTY&SC) MS, since 2000 and has been a big supporter of Berbice Cricket.

RHT won the toss and elected to field; Courtland began slowly with medium pacer Kevlon Anderson giving away only six runs in the first over.

Openers Troy Mathieson and Seon Crandon failed to dominate the RHT bowling attack as Simon Lawson, Keith Simpson, Junior Sinclair and Kevin Sinclair bowled well.

Courtland were restricted to 39 for 5 off their allotted five overs with Troy Mathieson 17

and Keon Sinclair 12 being the main scorers. Medium pacer Keon Sinclair then conceded only four runs from the first over, as Courtland Cricket Club tried to defend the small total.

der-19 player Kevin Sinclair was undefeated on 16 not out.

Earlier in the day, Jai Hind Cricket Club gave a walkover to Courtland, while Fyrish Cricket Club defeated Whim

105 without being separated against Belvedere United.

Needing to score 88 from five overs to upset RHT Bakewell, Fyrish were restricted to 35 for 6 as Kevin Sinclair and West Indies Female player Shabika Gajnabi took two wickets apiece.

Albion defeated Fyrish by nine wickets in the thirdplace playoff.

RHT Bakewell carried home $100 000 and a trophy

Courtland collected $50 000 and a trophy, Albion $30 000 and Fyrish $20 000. Junior Sinclair was named manof-the-final and collected a trophy and cash prize.

BCB president Hilbert Foster hailed the success of the tournament, which he stated was a perfect tribute to the memory of the Bakewell Founder. On behalf of the BCB and the RHTY&SC, Foster expressed gratitude

to Bakewell for its sponsorship.

General Manager (GM) of Bakewell, Rajin Ganga, praised the organising skills of the BCB and the RHTY&SC, stating that it was fitting that the RHT Bakewell team won the tournament. Bakewell, he stated was committed to supporting sports as part of its corporate responsibilities.

Man-of-the-final Junior Sinclair

National Under-19 all-rounder Junior Sinclair smashed the first two balls in the second over for huge sixes off left-arm spinner to ease the run rate.

RHT then raced to 43 without loss off just 3.1 overs.

Sinclair ended on 28 not out while fellow National Un-

Rain washes out first ODI between England and Sri Lanka DAMBULLA, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - England’s first one-day international against Sri Lanka was abandoned following heavy rains in Dambulla yesterday.

England managed to score of 92-2 in 15 overs, with Akila Dananjaya and Nuwan Pradeep claiming the wickets of Jason Roy (24) and Jonny Bairstow (25) respectively.

Joe Root (25) and Eoin Morgan (14) were scheduled to return for England once the rain cleared but the match was called off as the bad weather continued even after four hours.

The teams will stay in Dambulla for the second of the five-game series on Saturday.

England and Sri Lanka will also play a Twenty20 on October 27 in Colombo before the three-Test series begins on November 6.

National Cricket Club by eight wickets.

RHT Bakewell Cricket Club cruised past Belvedere United Cricket Club by 70 runs while Albion Community Centre Cricket Club defeated Tamarind Root Cricket Club by 20 runs.

In the semifinals, Courtland Cricket Club defeated Albion by seven wickets. Albion struggled to 25 for 5 off their 5 overs as Eon Gibson took 2 wickets for four runs.

In response, Courtland struggled as well to achieve victory and reached 26 for 3 from 4.1 overs. Troy Mathieson 13 not out and Keon Sinclair 08 not out added 20 crucial runs after Courtland had slumped to 6 for 3 in the second over.

In the second semifinals, RHT Bakewell Cricket Club blasted their way to 87 without loss as Kevin Sinclair 44 not out and Junior Sinclair 31 took the attack to the hapless Fyrish bowling.

In the opening round, the National Under-19 pair scored

The victorious RHT Bakewell team pose with Bakewell’s GM Rajin Ganga.

Runners-up Courtland Cricket Club

25

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

Simone Biles: Speaking about Larry Nassar abuse empowered me SIMONE Biles says it was a “relief” and “empowering” to speak out about being the victim of sexual abuse by jailed US Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar.

In January 2018 Nassar was sentenced to up to 175 years after nearly 160 women accused him of sexual abuse.

Biles, 21, then told her own story of how she was one of those victims.

“It was very hard but I figured out that if I can tell my story then it might encourage other people to tell theirs,” she said.

Biles, who won four gold medals and a bronze at the Rio Olympics in 2016, said she wanted to speak out about the reaction to her revelation and her responsibility as a role model.

She came back from a two-year career break to win her fifth US national title in August while wearing a teal leotard - the designated colour to represent survivors of sexual abuse.

And she returns to international competition at the World Championships in Qatar this

month.

“I think it was very important to support the fellow gymnasts it had happened to and to speak up for what you believe in and say ‘I don’t think this is right’ and I hope I gave them courage to come out and tell their stories one day if they want to,” she said.

“It kind of felt empowering even though I know that is an overused word right now.”

Ohio-born Biles says she was “relieved” after speaking out, after feeling “a lot of pressure” to keep the truth to herself for so long.

Biles praised Judge Rosemarie Aquilina who sentenced

Simone Biles

“People do look up to me so if they can see Simone can be strong enough then hopefully I can too - and that’s the message I wanted to give.

Nasser, and she says he “got what he deserved”.

“The judge was absolutely amazing on her part, so we were very proud of

Hamilton Green 9-a-side Inter-ward/Village Cup IN just ten days’ time, the 32 invited teams will have the opportunity to battle for the coveted first prize of $400 000 and the championship trophy, compliments of the Ministry of Citizenship.

This is according to coordinator of the Hamilton Green 9-a-side Inter-ward/Village Cup which is being held to commemorate the 84th birth anniversary of the former Mayor of Georgetown.

The community of Den Amstel on the West Coast of Demerara is the venue for what is already being touted as one of the most eagerly-anticipated sporting events on the West Side. It is set to kick off on October

21.

Arthur said over $700 000 in cash prizes, trophies and gifts will be awarded to the respective winners and

Hamilton Green

outstanding performers at the end of the tournament, which will be run on a knockout basis with the final set to be played on November 11, at the Den Amstel Community Centre ground.

The runners-up will collect $200 000 and trophy through the goodwill of John Fernandes Ltd, while third- and fourth-place finishers will receive $60 000 and $40 000 respectively along with the Techno Mills and Courtney Benn Construction Services trophies in that order.

All four top finishers will receive hampers compliments of Ricks & Sari Industries, while the Highest Goalscorer,

her, and it is kind of a relief because (Nassar) got what he deserved and he almost got as many years (in prison) as (he abused) girls.

“It’s kind of crazy because I can’t be the one to save everything, but as long as I do my job and everyone is pleased maybe I’ll save something.”

Looking beyond the World Championships in Doha, which run from October 24 to November 3, Biles is focused on preparing for the Tokyo Olympics in 2022 and says that not being a “rookie” anymore means she is a mentor to the younger members of the squad - and has learnt to manage expectations.

“I pushed a lot of things away because expectations are scary and I don’t want to be the one to hold all of them, but as I get older I just become used to it,” she said.

“For my first Olympics Games to walk away with five medals is unbeatable, even for myself; so we’ll just go in there (Tokyo) with an open mind and see what happens.” (BBC Sport)

…Ten days to go 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.

Among the other sponsors on board are: IPA, Alfro Alphonso, Sattaur Gafoor, Ansa McAl, Top Brandz Distributors, MACORP, Cummings Electrical, Ready Mix, BK International and New Thriving Restaurant.

Meanwhile, the organisers have released the fixtures for the first three days of action. The winners will advance to the next round.

GT Beer/Ballerz Entertainment Soft Shoe Football

Agard continues blistering form TEAM Family’s Kevin Agard lit up the second night of action in the Ballerz Entertainment GT Beer-sponsored 5-a-side Soft Shoe football competition, which continued on Sunday, at the Mocha Community Centre ground, East Bank De-

merara.

Agard netted in the 9th, 18th and 23rd minutes in Team Family’s 7-1 win over Top Strikers. Rondel Smith (14th), Shamar Jones (15th, 21st) and Teon Jones (29th) were the other goalscorers for Team Family, while Darius Trumble

(29th) was the lone goalscorer for Top Strikers.

The tournament which is being run on a round-robin/knockout basis saw Agard fire in his second hat-trick to lead the competition so far and place himself in a wonderful position to win the top

Rain robs Volcanoes of valuable points Opener Keagan Simmons top-scored for Windies B with 57.

(File photo)

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Rain robbed Windward Islands Volcanoes of valuable points, as their Group B match against Windies B finished in a disappointing no-result at Queen’s Park Oval here Tuesday night.

Chasing a modest 221, Volcanoes had raced to 49 without loss after just seven overs when the adverse weather arrived to end the contest prematurely.

Each team gained a point, leaving the defending champions still in third spot in the group on seven points, three adrift of Guyana Jaguars who also won on the night.

Favourites Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, unbeaten in three matches, lead the group with 13 points.

Opting for first knock, Windies B got 57 from opener Keagan Simmons as they were dismissed for 220 in the 49th over.

Wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach struck 43, opener Kimani Melius chipped in with 33, while Kirstan Kallicharan stroked 29 and captain Marlon Samuels, 24.

Windies B started well and were cruising on 142 for two in the 19th over at one point before declining at the back end of the innings.

Simmons faced 83 balls and struck five fours as they posted a run-a-ball 42 for the first wicket with Melius who slammed two fours and three sixes in a 22-ball cameo.

When Melius perished in the seventh over, bowled by left-arm seamer Delorn Johnson, Simmons anchored two key stands to keep Windies B ticking along.

He first put on 66 with Kallicharan whose run-a-ball knock included four fours, before adding a further 34 with Samuels for the third wicket.

However, once the left-handed Simmons was bowled by off-spinner Alick Athanaze (3-49) in the 28th over, the innings collapsed suddenly with eight wickets tumbling for 78 runs.

In reply, Devon Smith was looking ominous, smashing three fours and a six in a 23-ball unbeaten 27, as Volcanoes attacked from the outset.

His opening partner Tyrone Theophile was forced to retire hurt in the fourth over on nine with the score on 35, but Kirk Edwards arrived to lash two fours in nine off 13 balls, to sustain the tempo.

However, the heavens opened, leaving the venue unfit for a re-start.

… Action resumes this Saturday

goalscorer award.

In other results, Church Boys edged Ninja Clad 5-3 in the opening game of the evening, while Dream Team made light-work of Cricketers 5-0, while Front Side Warriors were no match for Team Hardball, losing 1-3.

In the tournament, which has over $200 000 in cash prizes to be won, the winning team will receive $100 000, while second- and third-placed finishers will take home $50 000 and $25 000 respectively along with trophies.

Kevin Agard

26

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

Holder defends embattled Windies as they prepare to face India in second Test HYDERABAD, India (CMC) – West Indies captain Jason Holder yesterday launched a passionate defence of his side in the wake of heavy criticism following the Rajkot defeat last week, as the embattled Caribbean side prepared to face India in the second Test here starting tomorrow.

Both former India and West Indies players have been critical of the visitors’ first Test performance which saw them crash to an innings and 272-run defeat inside three days – India’s largest margin of victory in Tests.

The defeat extended the Windies’ dismal run of having not won on Indian soil for 24 years. They also have not beaten India overall in 16 years.

“A lot has been said about this Test team in particular – things that I am not in agreement with, because we have beaten top sides in the last two-three series we’ve played,” Holder told reporters here.

“We probably haven’t won as many series as we’d like.

Within the last year, I think we’ve won two out of four or five series we’ve played. So I don’t understand why people would be this harsh towards us.”

He continued: “We are

playing the number one team, India, in their backyard. And history would show we haven’t won a Test match here since 1994 and if you look at the players who came through West Indies cricket I think Brian Lara and these greats have been playing all that time.”

ond innings, managed to get half-centuries as the remainder of the batting crumbled without resistance.

Understandably, it was the Windies batsman who copped most of the flak from pundits but Holder urged his side to ignore the criticism and allow their performances to speak

will always have (something) to say,” Holder asserted.

“The only way we can silence the critics or try to silence them – because I don’t think they’ll ever shut up – is by playing cricket.”

He added: “It goes back to my point about being patient and being able to

Looking to the future: West Indies hoping for improved fortunes in the upcoming second Test.

In neither innings in Rajkot did West Indies pass 200 after India had piled up a massive 649 for nine declared in their first innings.

Only Roston Chase, in the first innings, and opener Kieran Powell, in the sec-

for them.

“Again, everyone is entitled to an opinion. I just focus primarily on what I have to do and what the team has to do. There’s no point worrying about what people have to say because people

build partnerships – that’s what Test cricket is all about and in tight moments in any game especially when you first come in to bat, you have to absorb some pressure to get a partnership going.”

West Indies welcome back

experienced new-ball bowler Kemar Roach who missed the first Test after returning home to Barbados due to the death of his grandmother.

Holder also missed the affair with an ankle injury but there was indication of his availability for the coming Test.

The absence of both key bowlers meant pacers Keemo Paul, with one previous Test and the uncapped Sherman Lewis, both featured in the Windies attack which presented no horrors for the Indian batsmen.

Holder said the inexperience had been evident throughout the match, adding he had spoken to the young bowlers to address some of the shortcomings.

“Inexperience showed in their performances but they had bright sparks in different spells that they bowled,” Holder pointed out.

“It’s a matter for them to understand more about Test cricket. In terms of seamers, it’s not only about if there is anything that is helping the bowlers. If there is nothing happening for the bowlers – like if there is no carry – then you need to be patient.

“It is going to be difficult, this is something I spoken to them (about). You need your pacers to hold the runs

mostly and put the pressure so that the spinners can come and take the wickets.”

He continued: “I had a little session with them at the nets, particularly with Sherman. While I was batting I just challenged him to bowl around the off stump. He is skilful, he has got the movement but it’s just about knowing when to bowl each kind of delivery.

“Sometimes, having the luxury of swinging the ball both ways, you get greedy or impatient.”

The second Test bowls off at midnight Caribbean time Thursday.

SQUADS: INDIA – Virat Kohli (captain), KL Rahul, Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wkp.), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur.

WEST INDIES – Jason Holder (captain), Sunil Ambris, Devendra Bishoo, Kraigg Brathwaite, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Jahmar Hamilton, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Sherman Lewis, Keemo Paul, Kieran Powell, Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican.

Brathwaite all-round fireworks too much for Barbados Pride BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) – West Indies Twenty20 captain Carlos Brathwaite warmed up for next month’s tour

of India with a scintillating Man-of-the-Match all-round performance as Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners stunned Barbados Pride by seven wickets here Wednesday.

The 30-year-old seamer claimed three for 21 from 10 superb overs as Pride, sent in at 3W’s Oval, were bundled out cheaply for 174 in the final over of their 50

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Thursday October 11, 2018)

COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) (1) (2)

ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY’S QUIZ: 75 (Delhi, 1987-88) 81 (Kensington Oval)

TODAY’S QUIZ: (1) How many runs Sunil Gavaskar scored in his very first Test innings?

(2) How many runs Sunil Gavaskar recorded in his maiden

Test series?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

allotted.

Opener Shayne Moseley struck a patient 49 and all-rounder Kevin Stoute, 37, but Pride’s top order once again struggled to string partnerships together.

Brathwaite, the Marooners captain, then shone with the bat, blasting an unbeaten 50 from 31 balls – his third List A half-century – as the hosts overcame a minor hiccup to reach their target in the 32nd over.

The barrel-chested righthander smashed three fours and three sixes and was the catalyst for a match-winning unbroken 90-run, fourth wicket partnership with Jonathan Drakes who ended on 41 not out.

Kjorn Ottley chipped in with 42 while fellow opener Kyle Corbin scored 40, as Marooners put together their most clinical performance of the Regional Super50 to upset their neighbours.

The defeat left Pride still in fourth spot without a win in three matches and with all

to do if they are to climb into the top two in Group B and qualify for the semi-finals.

Marooners, meanwhile, collected their second win and will now climb into sec-

ished cheaply to leave the score on 13 for two in the seventh over.

Moseley and Jonathan Carter (11) added 27 for the third wicket but once Carter

CCC Marooners skipper Carlos Brathwaite (right) celebrates another wicket with Akeem Jordan and wicketkeeper Amir Jangoo. (Photo courtesy CWI Media)

ond above Leeward Islands Hurricanes who failed to beat USA in the day/night contest also on Wednesday.

Pride endured a nightmare start when Leniko Boucher (2) and captain Shamarh Brooks (0) per-

and Justin Greaves (7) fell in quick succession, Pride were tottering on 55 for four in the 21st over.

However, the left-handed Moseley combined with Stoute in the best stand of the innings – 40 for the fifth

wicket – in a repair job for Pride.

While Moseley faced 87 deliveries and counted three fours, Stoute struck a four and a six in a 71-ball knock.

Brathwaite broke the stand when he bowled Moseley with a full length delivery in the 34th over and with six runs added two overs later, had Ashley Nurse caught and bowled for two.

Springer, who made 22, then anchored three small stands, enabling Pride to get up to their eventual total.

In reply, Kjorn Ottley and Corbin gave Marooners a solid start of 70, to further damage Pride’s hopes of an immediate comeback.

Ottley struck two fours and three sixes in an attractive 57-ball innings while Corbin was also free-scoring, counting six fours and a six off just 46 balls.

When former West Indies left-arm spinner Sulie-

Turn to page 23

27

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 11, 2018

Thirty-strong team for this weekend’s fourth annual Guyana Fitness Games and Expo THIRTY athletes, inclusive of an unheralded 15 females from some of the top gyms in Guyana, will test their strength and fitness this weekend when the Guyana Fitness Games hosts its fourth annual Fitness Expo at Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The event will commence at 17:30hrs on Saturday with a Cancer Awareness Glow Walk from Genesis Fitness Gym to Cliff Anderson Sport Hall on Homestretch Avenue, followed by a Zumba dance party.

On Sunday athletes will be engaged in the Scaled CrossFit competition from 15:00hrs, RX CrossFit contest at 16:00hrs and the Strong Man competition from 18:00hrs.

At the launch of the event at Genesis Fitness Gym on Monday night, Director of Sport Christopher Jones said the National Sports Commission is pleased to be associated with the event which will help to promote healthy lifestyles among Guyanese. “Guyanese are being encouraged to be part of a gym and to exercise consistently and I must say that Guyana has recently been

commended for its work in the health field.”

Meanwhile, Ansa McAl’s Non-alcoholic brand manager Errol Nelson said they are happy to be given the opportunity to be on board and congratulated Guyana Fitness Games for hosting the event yet again.

Jordana Ramsey of Guyana Fitness Games noted that the event has grown tremendously since it started, stating that 2017 Strong Man winner, Donovan Dongo of Suriname, will be back to compete with local athletes. One activity entails pulling one of MACORP’s trucks.

Ramsey pointed out that the proceeds from the Cancer Awareness Walk will go towards the Cancer Institute of Guyana and he thanked the sponsors.

Tickets cost $500 and are available at Fitness Express on Sheriff Street and Genesis Fitness Gym on D’Urban Street.

The event is being sponsored by Ansa McAl under their Icool Water, Lucozade and Mackeson brands, Pollo Tropical,

Sponsors and officials from the Guyana Fitness Games and Expo pose for a photo opportunity.

Republic Bank Ltd, MACORP, St Joseph Mercy Hospital, Genesis Fitness Gym and Fitness Express.

Uncapped Guyanese Sheneta Grimmond in Windies Women’s World T20 squad

Sheneta Grimmond drives down the ground in the Women’s Super50 Cup 2018.

IOC elects nine new members but snubs FIFA, IAAF again

By Karolos Grohmann BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (Reuters) - The International Olympic Committee (IOC) admitted nine new members Tuesday but snubbed both soccer’s FIFA and athletics’ IAAF again as both have struggled with widespread corruption and doping scandals.

Greece, host of the first modern games, was also left out in the cold for the third year running, in the wake of bitter disputes there over control of the national Olympic committee.

Morinari Watanabe and Andrew Parsons, the heads of the international gymnastics federation FIG and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) respectively, were among those to join the committee.

They were joined by Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malago, whose country is bidding for the 2026 winter Games.

The other IOC inductees were senior national Olympic committee members Samira Ashgari from Afghanistan, Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck from Bhutan, Daina Gudzineviciute from Lithuania, Camilo Perez Lopez Moreira from Paraguay, Felicite Rwemarika from Rwanda and William Blick from Uganda.

While membership of the IOC for the heads of soccer and athletics, two of the world’s largest federations, was seen as almost automatic for years, the committee did not propose FIFA president Gianni Infantino or IAAF president Sebastian Coe this time.

Despite presiding over two of the most popular sports in the world, FIFA and the IAAF have been embroiled in a range of scandals in recent years.

The IOC also snubbed Greece - host of the first modern Games - for the third year running, leaving it without a representative since 2015.

Greece, which provided the first President of the IOC in 1894 and stages the Games’ torch-lighting ceremony on the ancient site of Olympia, had at least one IOC member continuously from 1894 to 2015.

But infighting in recent years over who runs the national Olympic committee as well as a complete lack of international lobbying by the country are seen as the main reasons for it not being on the IOC since 2015.

See Page 26

Holder defends embattled Windies as they prepare to face India in second Test

WEST INDIES women have called up the uncapped 20-year-old Sheneta Grimmond from Guyana for their title defence at the Women’s World T20 that begins in the Caribbean in November.

However, they retained the majority of the squad that lifted the trophy in 2016, naming 11 of them in a 15-member squad announced yesterday. Jamaica batter Chinelle Henry, wicketkeeper Natasha McLean and all-rounder Chedean Nation were the other additions.

Henry is unseasoned at the international level, having turned out in just two ODIs and seven T20Is so far. She last played for West Indies over three years ago, in a T20I against Sri Lanka in Colombo.

McLean and Nation have more experience on their side and were both part of the recently concluded T20I series against South Africa. Nation, at the time of the last World T20, was in the middle of a seven-year absence from international cricket that ended when she was recalled to the limited-overs squad later that year.

West Indies recently drew a three-match ODI series and five-match T20I series against South Africa. They will next head into their fourth and final training camp of the year, starting October 15 in Antigua.

“The women have one final training camp before the warm-up matches and we are focusing our plans on ensuring that they are ready to peak when the tournament starts in November,” head coach Henderson Springer said, adding, “We want to create an environment that enables the players to continue their hard work on improving their skills and fitness, while providing real focus on the key roles of each player for us to be successful. We are aiming for consistency, and we think with the work we have put in, the ladies will peak at the right time.”

The team will once again be led by Stafanie Taylor, whose half-century in the 2016 final set up the victory.

“Captaining the West Indies in the ICC Women’s World T20 2018 is both a huge honour and a massive challenge. It will obviously be a great feeling to lead the team at home, but one has to also live up to expectations of being defending champions,” Taylor said.

According to the Windies captain, “We have a great squad with several potential match-winners, but we will have to be at our best in each and every match if we want to lift the trophy again. The announcement of the squad makes me realise that the tournament is almost upon us.

“The opposition squads are really impressive, and this promises to be a highly competitive tournament. I really hope that Windies fans can come out and support us as we strive to defend our title on home soil.”

West Indies squad: Stafanie Taylor (capt.), Afy Fletcher, Anisa Mohammed, Britney Cooper, Chedean Nation, Chinelle Henry, Deandra Dottin, Hayley Matthews, Kycia Knight, Merissa Aguilleira, Natasha McLean, Shakera Selman, Shamilia Connell, Shemaine Campbelle and Sheneta Grimmond.

See Page 23 GMR&SC’s Sherry Gonsalves poses for a photo with ExxonMobil’s Nicholas Yearwood.

GMR&SC’s Ignite secures ExxonMobil sponsorship

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2018