Guyana Chronicle E-paper 10-16-2018

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday October 16, 2018

TUESDAY

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16th October, 2018

No.105429

Cops ready for LGEs

…Commissioner says

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PSC wants evidence of ‘PPP’s drugs-money economy’ 12

Three prisoners

ESCAPE

…guards sleep while inmates bolt from Lusignan Prison

...warders arrested as police launch probe ...unrest brews over living conditions

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Oil-and-gas collaboration

…Guyana, Canadian Province sign oil-and-gas cooperation pact

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Scenes from last night following the unrest at the Lusignan Prison. Top left shows a prisoner being wheeled into the Georgetown Public Hospital, while at top right is a mobile patrol on the ground. Above shows firemen battling to bring the fire under control at the prison (Leroy Smith photos)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday October 16, 2018

Oil-and-gas collaboration …Guyana, Canadian Province sign oil and gas cooperation pact

…knowledge transfer, joint ventures among areas

By Svetlana Marshall THE Government of Guyana and the Government of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) paving the way for increased collaboration in the Oil and Gas Industry.

The new agreement sets the platform for Guyana’s Department of Energy and the Department of Natural Resources in Newfoundland and Labrador to collaborate in the areas of supply chain development, joint ventures and exchanges, knowledge transfer, technology development, training and health, safety and the environment.

The MoU was signed at the Ministry of the Presidency on Monday by Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin and Newfoundland Minister of Natural Resources, Siobhan Coady in the presence of the Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Lilian Chatterjee.

Director of the Department of Energy (DoE), Dr. Mark Bynoe; Newfoundland and Labrador Deputy Minister of Natural Resources, Gordon McIntosh; and Provincial Trade Commissioner to the Latin America and the Caribbean, Bob Norman were among the officials that witnessed the signing of the MoU. With Newfoundland and Labrador’s Offshore Oil and Gas Industry in its 20th year of production, the Canadian Minister said there is much to offer Guyana as it prepares for the production of oil in 2020. Minister Coady noted that during its early years of exploration and production, Newfoundland and Labrador depended heavily on joint ventures to develop, and now it is open to partnering with Guyana.

“We are here today to work with you, to give you the experiences that we have so that you can build and grow…We look forward to seeing the growth and

Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin and Newfoundland Minister of Natural Resources Siobhan Coady shaking hands after signing the MoU on Monday at the Ministry of the Presidency. (Photo by Adrian Narine)

development of the Oil and Gas Industry here in Guyana and the benefits coming to this great country,” Minister

Coady told reporters shortly after signing the agreement.

Minister Gaskin told reporters that it is important for Guyana to develop long term relations and partnerships with other governments and organisations as it develops

its Oil and Gas Industry.

“It is important for Guyana that we do develop long term relations and partnerships with partner governments. As we explore the oil and gas sector, with which we are not too famil-

iar, I think it becomes all the more important that we benefit from the experiences of those who have done this before,” the business minister said.

According to Clause One of the MoU, which has a lifespan of three years, states, the parties will facilitate economic cooperation and business opportunities in Guyana and in Newfoundland and Labrador by organising reciprocal visits to the other jurisdiction that include representatives of industry and government.

Minister Gaskin said to ensure the implementation and success of the agreement; a Joint Working Committee would be established with the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources, Newfoundland and Labrador serving as the co-chair. Dr. Bynoe as the Director of the Department of Energy here will serve as the co-chair.

The Joint Working Committee will be responsible for the development of an annual work plan, and would also be required to report to the two governments on progress made.

The agreement with Newfoundland and Labrador comes approximately one month after Guyana signed a MoU with Trinidad and Tobago for cooperation in the energy sector.

Guyana and Trinidad have agreed to provide technical assistance in the areas of exploration and production of hydrocarbon resources; exchange information on public policies in the areas of regulation, administration and sovereign management of hydrocarbon resources and technology transfer; promote training and capacity building of technical personnel; development procedures to prevent and respond to operational accidents which may result in damage, environmental impacts and personal injury among other areas.

The agreement with Newfoundland and Labrador also comes at a time when a large trade mission from that province is here in Guyana to foster partnerships with businesses here.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday October 16, 2018

Three escape from Lusignan prison …sleeping warders blamed; put under close arrest as police launch probe

By Rabindra Rooplall IN the aftermath of three prisoners bolting from the Lusignan Prison in the wee hours of Monday morning, Director of Prisons (ag), Gladwin Samuels said the warders were either sleeping in their watch towers or were derelict in their duties that resulted in the escape.

On the run are murder accused Travis Evans, age 23 of ‘C’ Field Sophia, Georgetown; Sudesh Dyal, 23, remanded for Break and Enter, Larceny and escape from custody; Dexroy Pollard, 29, of Wales Village for Break and Enter and Larceny.

The Guyana Police Force is currently putting all measures in place to locate and apprehend the escaped prisoners. The prison director said while the prison remains overcrowded, adjustments were made to ensure that the prison officers are not overburdened and stretched beyond the normal working hours.

“The escape actually occurred at 4:29am and the last inmate escaped at 4:32am while there were several ranks deployed in towers and in keeping with reviews that we would have done since the last escape, ranks are no longer detailed to work twelve hours. They work for six hours which means that they should be focused and vigilant during their period of duty,” Samuels noted.

Samuels noted that the prisoners were very careful to part the razor wire atop the fence so they could have

scaled it safely. He said the entire area is brightly lit in the nights “you could even see insects jumping in the grass” and guard towers are positioned close to the fence.

Samuels said while many ranks were on duty, five ranks were in close proximity.

Noting that efforts are underway to recapture the three escapees, the prisoners were not discovered missing until close to 06:00am when a tally was being done.

The prison director said warders who were on duty have been placed under close arrest and it is likely that the police have taken the same action for its officers who were on duty. However,

Director of Prisons (ag) Gladwin Samuels during a press conference at his office.

Escapee: Travis Evans

Samuels urged the public that although many persons may observe strange or suspicious sighting in some communities that may indicate where

Escapee: Sudesh Dyal

an escapee could be found, he cautioned against persons willfully misleading law enforcement officers, since all the necessary human resource

Pedal cyclist dies in apparent hit-and-run –– police seeking help with identity THE police are currently investigating a suspected hit-and-run accident in the vicinity of Yarrowkabra on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway on Friday which left a pedal cyclist dead.

According to a release from the police, the accident occurred at around 21:00hrs, and that a blue pedal cycle was found at the scene with one of its wheels detached.

The body of the deceased has not yet been identified, and is presently at the Lyken’s Funeral Home on Norton Street.

The man was reportedly clad in a pair of gray long pants, a blue-and-white long-sleeved jersey and a pair of longboots.

The police are asking that anyone with information in relation to the accident or the identification of the body make contact with the nearest

The unidentified pedal cyclist

police station, or call telephone numbers: 261-5457, 227-2219, 227-2272, 2271152, 227-1611, 227-1149 or 227-1270.

will be needed on such a manhunt.

Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan said that the warders and policemen

assigned to various tasks need to be awake in the wee hours of the morning when on duty. “It’s embarrassing.

As to what can be done to ensure professionalism and standards are maintained, that is very important,” Ramjattan said Meanwhile, the Private Sector Commission on Monday expressed concern of a number of issues affecting the prisons in Guyana and public safety in the country. In a letter to Minister Ramjattan, the body noted that a recent meeting of the Management Board of the Prisons, a number of serious matters were highlighted which “we feel should be addressed with utmost ur-

Escapee: Dexroy Pollard

gency.” “Issues brought to the fore include a general lack of adequate security at all of the prisons, a lack of fire prevention systems, the

lack of transportation facilities to enable movement of prisoners and food, where necessary, and the inadequacy of the current complement of prisons to safely house the prison population,” the PSC noted.

“These issues can be seen as requiring short term and longer term solutions. The matter of security, for instance, presents a clear and present danger to the prison warders and the public at large. Another burning issue is the lack of fire prevention systems in the prisons, most of which are constructed of wood. The Private Sector Commission is concerned that, after two devastating prison fires, resulting in loss of lives and the escape of dangerous criminals, enough is not being done to prevent further fires,” the body stated.

The PSC noted that it is concerned about the safety and security of the public and is also disturbed by the less than humane conditions under which the prison population at the Lusignan Prison is housed. “These prisoners are made to sleep under sheds in the open, posing health risks to the prisoners and a danger to the wardens. We are of the opinion that these conditions could also have an impact upon the country’s human rights ranking,” the PSC noted.

The Private Sector Commission believes that internal security is one of the things hampering investor confidence and one that must be prioritised by government.

Teen lawyers up ––to fight break-and-enter, larceny charges A TEEN was on Monday slapped with break-andenter and larceny charges after he appeared before a city Magistrate.

The court heard that on September 9, 2018 at Campbellville, Fiaz Mohammed broke and entered the dwelling house of Toolise Persaud and stole $370,000 cash.

It was further alleged that on the same day, he also stole two Samsung cellular phones valued $135,000,

property of Tisa Persaud.

Mohammed, who is 18 and resides at North Vigilance, denied the charges, and is represented by Attorney Paul Fung-A-Fat, who made application for bail.

According to the police, the defendant and the virtual complainants are known to each other, and that on the day in question at around 10:00hrs, the latter secured the place and went to church.

But on returning home

after service, they discovered the items at reference missing, and immediately reported the matter, whereupon an investigation was carried out and the accused arrested.

On his arrest, the police said, Mohammed immediately owned up to the theft by way of an oral statement.

Bail was granted in the sum of $500,000, and the matter was adjourned to October 29.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 16, 2018

‘Inhumane’ treatment sparks fires, unrest at Lusignan Prison –inmates say development unrelated to earlier breakout

By Leroy Smith UP TO press time Monday night, Prison Officers were still trying to maintain some semblance of calm at the Lusignan Prison following the setting of several pockets of fire, and the unmistaken

sound of sustained gunfire as inmates rose up over the alleged inhumane treatment to which they are subjected daily.

The Guyana Chronicle, which was on the ground until after 22:00hrs last evening, was reliably informed that the prison’s

inmates began protesting after they claimed that their concerns were not being addressed by either the prison authorities or those who have the power to do so.

They spoke of languishing in jail without their matters being called for trail; the lack of potable water; prison officers depriving them of meals and chasing them out of lines at mealtime; being forced to dwell among full and in some instances overflowing portable toilets among another issues.

Persons from inside the facility confirmed that the unrest had nothing to do with the escape of the three prisoners earlier in the day, and that some inmates even told this to some prison authorities. At the Lusignan Prison on Monday night as media operatives stood awaiting comments from officials who were on the ground, shots could be heard ringing out.

And while sources indicated that the shots we were hearing were not coming from live rounds, there are claims to the contrary from

Tuesday, October 16, 2018 - 10:00hrs. - 11:30hrs.

Saturday 13, October, 2018

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a group of inmates who say they have evidence to prove otherwise.

From where media operatives stood, smoke could also be seen billowing from the walls of the holding bay, followed shortly thereafter by fire.

This caused the Guyana Fire Service to respond with two fire tenders, and to use water from a nearby canal to put out the fire, even as shots continued to ring out from the security towers overlooking the holding bay.

During the course of the night, a number of items were seen being brought to the area, items such as floodlights and what appeared to be meals for ranks who were immediately deployed to the location because of the development.

There was also reinforcement by way of members of the Guyana Police Force’s Tactical Service Unit who showed up to lend support to the beleaguered prison officers and the members of the Force who were already on the

ground trying to keep the situation under control.

At the scene last night at around 22:00hrs were Commissioner of Police Leslie James and his four deputies, namely Maxine Graham, Lyndon Alves, Nigel Hoppie and Paul Williams.

The senior police officers opted not to speak with the media, as they indicated that they would prefer that the Director of Prisons be the one to do so first.

By the time the Commissioner and his team were ready to leave, the director had not yet spoken to the media.

When contacted later, he said that he was now receiving the necessary information, and records were being prepared for him so that he can provide an accurate update to the media, which was expected to be issued via a press statement.

The Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan was also present at the location, but he, too, refrained from speaking with the media.

01, 03, 05, 07, 16 12, October, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Guyana remains committed to ‘green’ development –despite coming of oil, State Minister tells EU delegation NOTWITHSTANDING the development of the Oil and Gas sector here, Guyana remains steadfast to its pursuit of environmental sustainability and a ‘green’ development trajectory, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon told a European Delegation.

The delegation comprising Ambassadors and High Commissioners of European countries to Guyana, who are currently conducting the Sixth Round of the European Union (EU)-Guyana Political Dialogue under the framework of the African Caribbean Pacific States (ACP)-EU Cotonou Agreement, paid a courtesy call to Minister Harmon at the Ministry of the Presidency on Monday.

The delegation was headed

by EU Ambassador, Jernej Videtic.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon and the visiting European Union (EU) Delegation at the Ministry of the Presidency on Monday

Minister Harmon also informed them of the Green

State Development Strategy (GSDS), which will be laid

before Cabinet next week.

After it is deliberated on

at the level of Cabinet, the GSDS will see widespread public consultations with various stakeholder groupings and will be tabled in the National Assembly.

“The GSDS is basically Guyana’s model going into 2030…its principal focus will be to develop the sustainable elements of our society. The areas that will be priority are infrastructure, education, health and our environment…We know that oil is a finite resource and therefore, it is the revenue of the oil that we will have to use to develop our agricultural base and other important sectors,” the minister said.

He also informed the team that Guyana is open for business and encouraged them to take advantage of the opportunities for investment.

Commenting on the po-

litical climate in Guyana, Minister Harmon said that despite the differences of opinions among the major political parties, there is a general consensus that Guyana must be developed. He also spoke of the government’s policy to engage all stakeholders, especially the political opposition, in the decision-making process.

The visiting delegation included: Belgian Ambassador, Guy Sevrin; Finland’s Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Ari Maki; French Ambassador, Antoine Joly; German Ambassador, Holger Michael; Italy’s Deputy Head of Mission with responsibility for Guyana, Pietro De Martin; Ambassador of the Netherlands, Jaap Frederiks and British High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn.

Man sets house on fire after attempt to harm family failed

The woman who fought off her abusive son-in-law to save her daughter and grandchildren

A MAN set fire to the home he shared with his reputed wife and three children at Brighton, Corentyne, Berbice after his attempt to burn his wife, three children and mother-in-law failed.

According to Candacie Khedaroo 28, her reputed husband, Michael Lewis, 34, earlier in the afternoon had attempted to beat her with a hammer. She explained she left the home for a few days with her children since Lewis was always in a habit of physically abusing her. She told the Guyana Chronicle, she returned on Monday

to pick up her clothing to go by her mother when the accused began hurling remarks

at her and began beating her.

She said she fought him off but he managed to drag her out on the street. She said whilst in the Street she grabbed her kids and ran. “I hurry and pick up the kids and go away to my mother and tell she to follow me to go back so we collect the children clothes and some other stuff so they could go school in the morning,” She said she subsequently returned with her mother but did not see Lewis. Khedaroo asked around but no

Candacie Khedaroo and her daughter

The house ablaze

one saw him so she and her mother, Bibi Khedaroo and the children ventured into the home and that’s when Lewis pounced on them. “He said he going to kill and my mother and me trying fighting he off then he grab two bottle gas and throw it on we... mommy

fight when he was about to light the lighter and we run out ... everybody, all them kids soak soak with gas.”

While the mother and her kids ran for their safety, the suspect stayed behind and set the house on fire.

The fire tender and police

subsequently arrived at the scene and managed to contain the blaze. The suspect subsequently fled the scene.

Up to press time the police in ‘B’ Division were still in search of the suspect. The suspect was also recently placed on a one year bond.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Another dismal tour THE West Indies Cricket team has just wrapped another test series and predictably was badly beaten

by India.

The first test ended with the West Indies suffering their heaviest Test defeat against India, by an innings and 272 runs. It took India under 100 overs to bowl them out twice in their third straight three-day defeat in India. Fourteen of the 20 wickets fell in two sessions and a bit on the third day. In the second test India beat the West Indies by 10 wickets to clinch a 2-0 clean sweep of the series. Umesh Yadav added four more wickets to the six he had in the first innings, thus finishing his first 10-wicket haul in Test cricket. His performance earned him a Man of the Match award. West Indies

folded for a measly 127 after making 311 in their first innings, leaving India with 72 runs to chase.

Some will ask, what’s new? Since our surrender of the unofficial world title to Australia in 1995, the West Indies have struggled to put together a winning formula.

It’s been a long dismal period for our cricket inside and beyond the boundary.

We seemed to have tried everything to stem the tide, but the problems have only multiplied. There have been moments when our boys seemed to have turned the corner only to swiftly return to the old losing ways.

We have not been short of analysis and recommendations. Blame has been cast around in reckless abundance and in the process many careers have been de-

stroyed. Many have blamed the administrators, but while there is much to be said of their arrogance and incompetence, their conduct can hardly be the sum-total of our continued decline.

Others have blamed the cricketers. Again, while our so-called stars have often showed that they lack the necessary commitment to the larger society, a prerequisite for success in the past, it would be inaccurate to lay the responsibility for our inability to win squarely at their feet.

The truth is, our performance on the cricket field is directly and indirectly a reflection of the condition in the larger society. The more the Caribbean region has veered away from its nationalist aspirations, the more difficult it has be-

come to convince the populations that the region means anything beyond narrow individualism. As our governments have been forced or surrendered to the inevitability of the new neo-liberal global order, the notion of nation-building beyond the macro-political economy has been abandoned.

The welfare of families and communities are no longer seen as the responsibility of the state and families, and communities no longer see their survival as linked to the collective.

It is from these disconnected, alienated communities that we recruit our cricketers. Is it any wonder, then, that in a team sport which requires a sense of the role of the individual in the outcome of the collective and vice versa, that we have

been found wanting? We continue to produce players of distinction, but their exploits have not been translated into the success of the team. The great Brian Lara comes to mind in this regard—neither, his batsmanship` or leadership, mounted to West Indies glory. Chris Gayle has just declared himself “the greatest,” no doubt referencing his unparalleled exploits in the shortest version of the game. But, it may not even matter to Gayle that he is the greatest, in an era when West Indies cricket is at its weakest.

Our selectors have shown poor judgement of talent; hence we field wrong combinations of players. There is no doubt that there are some practical things that can be done, to at least bring our cricket

up to competitive standards. But at the end of the day, we have no power to stop our better players from preferring to play lucrative club cricket, rather than for the West Indies.

We also seem to have little power to determine who coach our cricketers and oversee a possible rebirth of our glory. We now have foreigners coaching our cricketers and managing our cricket—there is nothing more ironical than that. And, it is not as if we don’t have suitable West Indians to perform those functions. And what to do about players who evidently cannot read the game, who play as if their heads are somewhere other than on the field of play? The future continues to look bleak.

Stabroek News has attacked me Dear Editor, I HAVE noted the expressed and implied attack on me by the Stabroek News in their edition of Monday, 15th October 2018 in a front page article headed “Transparency body sees “Major” conflict of interest for Hugheses over oil.”

I wish not to dwell upon the motives for the publication, but merely to provide information to the general public which is, and was at all times, available to the general public on the most cursory of inquiries. On the day of July 4, 2018

I submitted my declaration of assets and interest to the Integrity Commission.

I am aware that the contents of my declaration are confidential, but I will disclose that included in my declaration was a clear statement of my marriage to the Managing Partner of Hughes, Fields and Stoby and his interest in the firm.

Following my submission to the Integrity Commission on the 9th day of October 2018, I repeated my disclosure to the Cabinet about my husband’s position as Managing Partner of Hughes Fields and Stoby, as well as the firm’s intention to establish an office in Hous-

ton. I, also, prior to the publication of the article, sought legal advice on the disclosure and compliance requirements set out in the Laws of Guyana.

I am aware that despite their previous experience to the contrary, it must have been very difficult for the Stabroek News to contact me over the week. My phone records have not disclosed any attempts to solicit any comments from me. This is interesting, since for many years now the publication has been in possession of my contact numbers, and in the past has contacted me on several occasions, including after hours and on

weekends.

It continues to be my fervent hope that in their efforts to express their views on activities of Ministers of the Government, that Stabroek News would at least conduct the most rudimentary of inquiries prior to publication to ensure balance, objectivity, and fairness which still is the foundation of good journalism.

Regards, Catherine Hughes. M.P. Minister of Public Telecommunications

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Receipt missing for lease payment of Sussex Street wharf Although Quick Shipping Inc. has receipts showing that it paid the Mayor and City Council (MCC) $625,000 per year for 2016, 2017 and 2018, for its lease of the Sussex Street wharf, Tax Collecting Officer, Kim Forbes says her records only reflect payments received at the MCC for 2017 and 2018.

She says she has no idea why the receipt for 2016 would not be in her records.

In an earlier deposition, proprietor of Quick Shipping Inc., Paul Sandy, submitted three receipts into evidence showing that he paid for all three years. Sandy signed a lease with the MCC for the location at Lot 1 Mudflat, Lombard Street in April of 2016.

The issue of the Sussex Street wharf, for which the ownership is being disputed by three entities, came up again, when Forbes appeared before the Commission of Inquiry into City Hall on Monday and was questioned on the correct procedure for the issuing of leases at City Hall.

According to Forbes, though the Sussex Street wharf lease was signed since

2016, it was only when the news broke in the media over the controversy of the property that she was even made aware that MCC had a lease with the business.

“Sir, when it appear in the media, that is the first I gained knowledge of it.

I went into my records to see if there was a document pertaining to that and I found the document pertaining to the Sussex Street wharf. On checking the records, yes, we had received payments, two, in the year 2017 and the year 2018. No payment was made in 2016 to the best of my knowledge,” she affirmed.

Forbes works in the Tax Collecting section under the City Treasury Department, which is responsible for the collection of rates and taxes and other revenues, including compliance fees, day care fees, container fees, payments for leases, fees for the name change on property, vending fee, and car park fee.

However, Forbes stressed that her department has nothing to do with the issuing of leases, or the granting of tax amnesty or waivers, which she was also questioned about.

Forbes clarified that it is

Tax Collecting Officer, Kim Forbes

the Town Clerk’s office that prepares both leases and tax waivers, once directed to do so by the full council, or a sub-committee of the finance committee, respectively.

In the case of a lease, the process begins when an entity makes an application to lease from the MCC. “What I know is that an application will come in to the council, it would go to the Finance Committee, then it goes to Full Council for approval, then it goes to the Town Clerk’s office to prepare the lease, once it’s

Tyrone Rowe retrial gets underway

THE re-trial of Tyrone Rowe called “Cobra” started in the Demerara High Court before Justice Sandil Kissoon and a 12-member jury, where the State is expected to call about nine witnesses to take the stand.

The State is being represented by Lisa Cave and Orinthia Schmidt, while the defence attorney is George Thomas.

Rowe, who was sentenced to 78 years in jail for the 2010 murder of Troy Collymore, is being re-tried after the Appeal Court on July 20, 2018 upheld a challenge to his conviction.

In 2013, a unanimous verdict of guilty was returned by a 12-member jury and Justice Navindra Singh had imposed the sentence on Rowe at the Demerara Criminal Assizes.

Rowe was tried for murdering Collymore, who was shot in August, 2010 after

a robbery at a pharmacy in Plaisance, on the East Coast of Demerara. He was declared clinically dead two days after, at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

During the first trial, 13 witnesses were called by the State, including two eyewitnesses, one of whom had testified that Rowe was one of three men who had robbed him and others.

During the conclusion of the appeal hearing, which was presided over by acting Chancellor Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Justices Rishi Persaud and Arif Bulkan, it was announced that the sentence that was handed down to Rowe would be set aside.

In his appeal on behalf of Rowe, attorney Thomas noted the various ways the trial judge had erred or misdirected the jury towards the end of the trial in the High Court. The defence

attorney had also highlighted the conflicting evidence of the eyewitnesses, and taken issue too, with the lengthy sentence imposed by the trial judge.

In presenting the court’s decision, Justice Bulkan noted that there was material misdirection by the trial judge in relation to the identification parade.

It was also noted that the trial judge ought to have highlighted the various discrepancies, as it related to how one of the witnesses was able to see the accused during the crime.

The judges surmised that some of the inadequacies noted by Thomas could be addressed by proper directions from the trial judge. They ultimately concluded that the interest of justice demanded that Rowe be retried at the next sitting of the Demerara Criminal Assizes, which started in October.

approved,” Forbes explained.

Leases issued by the Town Clerk, Royston King, have been called into question, as some appeared to be unilateral decisions made by the town clerk. Aside from the ongoing saga with the Sussex Street wharf, there was also the case of the Bel Air Park playfield, with reports of the Council allegedly attempting to lease the land to a private developer.

There is also the case of the Farnum Community Ground, where Mae’s private school proprietor, Mayfield

Rodrigues, maintained that she had a lease to section of a portion of the ground; in this case, King had claimed that the document was an agreement, not a lease.

Her outlining of the process by which tax waivers are granted also called into question a recent revelation that the town clerk had individually met with and promised MCG Investments Inc., the company that owns Giftland Mall, tax waivers.

If someone is interested in a tax waiver, they are to write the town clerk.

However, it is the finance sub-committee that makes the final decision, according to Forbes.

The finance sub-committee that deals with tax waivers comprises Chairman of the Finance Committee, Oscar Clarke; the Mayor, Patricia Chase-Green; the Deputy Town Clerk, Sharon Harry-Munroe; and the Internal Auditor, Omadeli Newton.

“They are to write the town clerk, the town clerk forwards the document to the committee, they call in the customer and they have dialogue with the customer. If the customers fit the

requirements, they give the customer a full waiver or a percentage, it depends on the criteria that has been met. When that is done, all [sub-committee members’] signature will be fixed to a document that is sent to the Treasurer’s Department for us to process it. All of them have to sign before we can process it,” Forbes explained.

According to Forbes, it is not common practice for any one member of City Council to meet separately outside of Chambers with individuals requesting tax waivers.

However, according to a complaint made by Giftland representative, Paul Hugh, King met with MCG Chairman, Roy Beepat, last year November, and verbally agreed to waiver the company’s rates and taxes for the years 2015 and 2016, including interest and penalties, as well as the interest and penalties for 2017.

Hugh had complained that at that meeting, Beepat was informed that the taxes for 2017 would have been $11,467,500. However, Beepat was later told that following a meeting with the sub-committee, the tax was $25, 263,750 instead.

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Op-ed

By Imran Khan WORDS matter. Words wound. Words reveal. One remark on Saturday night gave a profound insight into the mind of the Minority Leader Bharrat Jagdeo.

Speaking at a PPP streetside meeting in Kitty before a mere handful of supporters (there are no more GuySuCo trucks to swell the crowds these days), Jagdeo, in his customary frothing-at-the mouth style, said: “Though these are Local Government Elections…this is about more than City Hall…this is the beginning of the fight to take back our country…”

Now, one’s first thought might be to take Guyana back to where? To that time when his government was in bed with drug trafficker Roger Khan, whose phantom squad executed scores of Guyanese young men? To the time when government critics, Ronald Waddell and Courtney Crum-Ewing were murdered in cold blood? To 2006 when the country’s murder rate reached 162?

(NB: this year it will likely

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Jagdeo and his ‘Take Back Guyana’ call

be a 15- year low of under 100). To a time when public servants and teachers were paid a pittance and then Minister Rohee said they should be glad for a “lil freck”, even as his colleagues were building mansions by the sea? To that time when Ramotar told a young Amerindian man, “Jagdeo mighta slap yuh, because yuh stupid”?

We could go on but we are more interested in the deeper meaning of Jagdeo’s remark. It fits into a sentiment that is held by many among the country’s elite.

Minister Winston Jordan in his long overdue response to a Sunday Stabroek editorial had noted, “It appears that [Stabroek News] didn’t actually want a change of government; rather, it wanted the PPP/C government to change its ways”.

That’s it! They and the elite did not actually want the Coalition, but rather for the PPP to take a time out, to go stand in the corner for five years. Ruel Johnson, my astute and far more erudite comrade, had analysed this argument in an article

he called the “Interregnum Sentiment” and it is worth quoting here. “Different perspectives exist on it depending on whether you belong to a certain section of the mainstream middle class, the barely-legal business class, the PPP-embedded public service class or the enabling fifth column in the media.

The main thrust of it, is that the PPP is the only possible government for Guyana but its excesses were too public, so its temporary replacement via elections wasn’t unexpected. All the former hierarchs needed to do was roll with the punches for five years, regroup and re-strategise, sideline the dinosaurs like Rohee and Ramotar, and sally forth under Jagdeo 2.0...”

The sentiment that there is only one rightful party or people to run a country is extremely dangerous in any democracy, let alone a multi-ethnic one, but it is of course not unique to Guyana.

Many right wing populist politicians in Europe are using the same tactic to gain support among white citi-

zens, who have been scared into thinking immigrants are taking their jobs or presenting terrorist threats. But that’s their country. This is Guyana, and Guyana belongs to all of us regardless of race, religion or social status. Now, it could be argued that Jagdeo was talking about taking the country back from the Coalition.

Indeed on Saturday night, he quickly corrected himself to add that, because he must have sensed he had crossed a line. The trouble with excusing him, this time, is that he has used the exact same kind of dog-whistling rhetoric. In a rally on April 26, 2015 he warned supporters, “We must make sure we don’t hand our country over to them.”

He did not say who “them” were then, but his supporters understood as they did on Saturday night. In fact, he has a long and well documented history of encouraging race-based voting by stoking ethnic insecurities, most infamously in his speech at Babu Jaan, Corentyne when he said, “The opposition consistently shouts about the racism of the PPP, but they practise

racism. The opposition beat drums at six in the morning and say let us throw out those coolie people.”

That quote is well known but there are many others. At a rally in Albion, on April 19, 2015 he predicted, “When they link up with the military and come into your homes and start kicking the doors down and when they come after you, who is going to be there…?”

At the Indian Arrival Committee mela, in Providence on May 2, 2015 he said, “If we allow ourselves to have this freedom snatched away from us then it would be long, dark days for our country again and our ancestors would never be proud of us.”

And most egregiously in recalling the disturbances in Agricola, he claimed, “They sent their thugs… and they feel the women up.” This is as classical as dog whistling gets.

In fact, some may argue that it crosses the line into outright racial incitement.

Such divisive and destabilising trash talk has zero

Imran Khan

place in Guyanese politics.

It must be condemned and censored. But let’s finish with the ultimate irony: Jagdeo is campaigning in the second local government elections in the three years since 2015; he presided over exactly zero during his 12 years in office. That’s the kind of taking back Jagdeo is calling for: a despotic government that is unaccountable to the people while gorging on state resources. Those days are history as thankfully is the tyrannical Jagdeo regime.

Man dupes woman Two remanded for having Rural Constable to into buying car face charges unlicensed firearm –for Soesdyke wedding-house murder

–he was not finished paying for

A P U R P O RT E D c a r dealer was on Monday charged with fraud after he appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman.

An unrepresented Sarfraz Bacchus, 38, denied the charge, which stated that on May 17, 2018 at King and Charlotte Streets with intent to defraud, he allegedly obtained $550,000 from Yolanda Persaud by falsely pretending he was in a position to sell her a motorcar, PKK 8727.

Police Prosecutor Quinn Harris had no objection to bail, but according to the facts presented in court, the accused advertised the motorcar for sale on social media, and as such the virtual complainant called and expressed an interest in it.

Bacchus told Persaud that he was selling the vehicle for $800,000, and af-

ter test-driving it, Persaud told Bacchus that they had a deal, and they proceeded to make arrangements.

When the two met on May 17, Persaud gave Bacchus $550,000 and he in turn gave her the keys to the car.

But later in the month while a friend of hers was driving the car, one Vishnu Bodram stopped it and told the driver that the car is his, and that he should drive it to the police station.

When they arrived at the station, Persaud met them there and Bodram told her that Bacchus, the man she’d bought the vehicle from, had purchased it from him and was not done paying him for it.

Bail was granted Bacchus in the sum of $300,000, and the matter adjourned to November 12, 2018.

Jason Augustine, left, and Kevin Bobb-Semple

TWO men were remanded to prison on Monday after appearing before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman for being in possession of an unlicensed firearm.

Jason Augustine, 28, and 24-year-old Kevin Bobb-Semple denied the charge which alleged that last Friday at Croal Street, they had in their possession a black-and-silver 9mm pistol they were not licensed to carry.

Augustine’s attorney sought bail, on the grounds that the firearm was found in a car that was occupied by other persons, and not on her client’s person.

Bobb-Semple’s attorney, Glen Hanoman put up a similar defence, saying that the gun was found in a bag in the back seat of a car.

The police prosecutor objected to bail, given the seriousness of the offence, whereby on the day in question, Bobb-Semple was at the wheel of the vehicle, PNN5156, and Augustine riding ‘shotgun’ when Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) ranks intercepted it and found the weapon on the back seat.

The prosecution said, too, that Bobb-Semple initially gave a caution statement, while Augustine admitted orally to owning the gun.

Hanoman, however, countered that the caution statement may very well favour his client, and that as such he should be granted bail.

In the end, both men were refused bail and remanded to prison until November 12, 2018.

THE man implicated in the early July murder at a Soesdyke wedding house was on Monday charged and remanded to prison after he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Rural Constable, Toney George, 28, was not required to plead to the indictable charge which stated that on July 9, 2018 at the Soesdyke Public Road, he allegedly murdered 15-year-old Ricardo Singh.

George is represented by Attorney-at-Law Dexter Todd who requested an early closure in the matter.

According to the facts presented by the police prosecutor, on the date in question, Singh, a Diamond Secondary School student, attended a wedding reception at

a house at the Soesdyke Public Road and while in the company of his friends, an altercation occurred.

George allegedly arrested the young man and placed him at the back of a pick-up and told the driver to take them to the police station, but half-way there, he told the driver to stop and he and the teen exited the vehicle.

He then told the driver to go for the police and when the man returned, he found the teen nursing a stab wound to his abdomen.

Singh was rushed to the Diamond Hospital but succumbed while being treated.

G e o r g e w a s re manded to prison by the Chief Magistrate, and the matter adjourned to October 23.

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday October 16, 2018

Cops ready for LGEs

By Leroy Smith

COMMISSIONER of Police Leslie James, on Monday assured that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is ready to deal with any eventualities leading up to, and after Local Government Elections, slated for November 12, 2018 across the country.

He was at the time speaking during a visit to the police ‘A’ Division headquarters, Brickdam where, accompanied by his four deputy commissioners, he addressed the ranks.

“I know we are prepared to deal with any eventuality which flows on the days leading up to, on the day and days subsequent,” the Top Cop confidently proclaimed.

The commissioner urged the ranks, especially those in ‘A’ Division, to remain vigilant as they go about their duties and just as they have always been doing.

Like every senior officer within the GPF, James called on the ranks to ensure that professionalism is at the centre of what they do as a member of the organisation. “All of us, by way of our conduct, must demonstrate professionalism when we engage with persons who come here as visitors, and even our own citizens who have returned to this country, it’s not difficult”

James told his charges.

It was also during the visit that he called on the members of the force, especially that division, to do some introspection to determine if they are of credit to the GPF. “Ask yourself whether you are a credit to the force; ask yourself whether you are doing what you are required to do in the correct manner, whether you are doing it right.”

Usually the police would tell civilians to comply then complain, but on Monday the Top Cop had this to say to the members of the force. “Do not act then ask questions, it is always advisable that you make enquiries before acting.” Junior ranks and even officers were encouraged to ask questions when they have doubts about anything, questions should be asked at the various levels, the commissioner cautioned. “As a division, which sits [at] the seat of government you must be alert at all times, the prisons, parliament and other important institutions are here, and I am making that special call today,” was the Top Cop’s exhortation, even as the ranks paid keen attention to his address which lasted for just about 25 minutes.

The issue of the resources which are given to the force and the need for them to be properly managed was also

…Commissioner says

Commissioner of Police Leslie James fixes the headdress of a female police rank, as he inspects a parade at ‘A’ Division headquarters on Monday morning.

raised by the force superintendent. James told his officers and ranks that they ought to take special care of those resources, including equipment, as he made mention of some 17 new police buildings which are soon to be re-commissioned and or handed over after being rebuilt.

According to him, these reflect the seriousness of the administration of the GPF in ensuring that interaction with the members of the public continues, and at a very high standard, as he called on his ranks to approach their work differently.

“We would like to see each day that you come to work with that sense of pur-

pose, you report for duty and make a change, and make sure we have safer communities and carry ourselves with pride, and when you interact with civilians they must also feel a sense of pride when they look at you,” James pleaded.

The GPF is expecting to have an increase in its resources and assets come 2020, when it is believed that Guyana will begin to see revenues from its oil and gas industry, and it is also something that the management of the force is very upbeat about. At the end of his presentation, the commissioner opened the floor for ranks to share their concerns and there

were a few bold ones.

Among the issues raised by the ranks were, the condition under which they work at the Georgetown Prisonssomething James, himself, was concerned about while he served as the Commander of ‘A’ Division; a newly constructed section at the Alberttown Police Station which was intended for use by traffic ranks but has remained unoccupied for several months; the urgent need for repairs to one of the lockups in the division that is used to house high-profile prisoners, but which in its present state could spell disaster if the situation is not fixed immediately.

Additionally, the lawmen urged the police chief to look into providing adequate protective gear for ranks who operate out of the Impact Base, especially while on patrols; the need for a few motorcycles to be assigned to that unit, given the impending Christmas season; the condition of the barracks at the Brickdam Police Station; the immediate intervention of a situation at the Kitty Police Station, where there is no accommodation for the female officers manning the station; a flooding situation at the station whenever it rains; and on the prosecution aspect of things, the need for the police management to work with the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) to bring awareness to ranks, and more so prosecutors, about the cybercrime legislation.

With the exception of the latter, the CoP tasked the commander, who boasted that his division has been performing well, to have the matters addressed, some of which the commander said were already engaging the relevant departments of the force. After the event, the deputy commissioners were observed interacting in groups and holding oneone with ranks.

Min. Hughes labels SN report slanderous ––says ties with firm at centre of controversy no secret CITING an attack on her character by the Stabroek News, Minister of Public Telecommunications, Cathy Hughes has noted that the Integrity Commission as well as Cabinet has been made aware of her relationship to the law firm, Hughes, Fields and Stoby through her husband, attorney Nigel Hughes.

The minister was at the time responding to an article which appeared in the Monday, October 15, 2018 edition of the Stabroek News under the headline, “Transparency body sees ‘major’ conflict of interest for Hugheses over oil”.

The report centred on a release from the Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc (TIGI) which the newspaper has been privy to.

According to Minister

Hughes, on July 4, 2018 she submitted her declaration of assets and interest to the Integrity Commission. “I am aware that the contents of my declaration are confidential, but I will disclose that included in my declaration was a clear statement of my marriage to the Managing Partner of Hughes, Fields and Stoby and his interest in the firm,” she said.

The minister went on to say that on October 9, 2018, she repeated her disclosure to the Cabinet about her husband’s position as Managing Partner of Hughes, Fields and Stoby, as well as the firm’s intention to establish an office in Houston, Texas.

“I also, prior to the publication of the article, sought legal advice on the disclosure and compliance requirements

set out in the Laws of Guyana,” she noted.

She said that the newspaper appears to have had difficulty in contacting her prior to the printing of the news item, although, for years, the publication has been in possession of her contact numbers, and in the past has contacted her multiple times, including after hours and on weekends.

“It continues to be my fervent hope that in their efforts to express their views on activities of Ministers of the Government, that Stabroek News would at least conduct the most rudimentary of inquiries prior to publication to ensure balance, objectivity and fairness, which still is the foundation of good journalism,” Minister Hughes said.

Earlier on Monday, the law firm said in a statement

that the article at reference clearly insinuated that “somehow, Minister Hughes would provide the firm with advance information on what laws, regulations and policies were in the pipeline.”

It stated that despite its best efforts, it has been unable to secure the full text of TIGI’s statement in order to discern the full context of the release.

The firm’s response to the article included similar sentiments as the minister’s regarding submissions to the Integrity Commission as well as to Cabinet.

It also noted that the newspaper made no contact with it regarding the claims put forward by TIGI. “Our own offices appear not to have any record or any inquiry from any member of the press, who, otherwise,

frequently, at unorthodox hours, seek opinions and comments from its managing partner,” the firm said.

Hughes, Fields and Stoby said that like every other private organisation, it will have access to the processes regarding the establishment of legislation regarding the oil & gas sector, and that such access will be without any special privileges, ministerial or otherwise.

“We are unaware of any recent instance where a Cabinet decision went straight from Cabinet into law without any prior announcement or consultation,” the firm said.

“The oil-and-gas industry is in its nascent stages, and evidently many laws, regulations and policies will ensue over the coming years.

There is path previously trod

by many countries and easily discoverable, even if just by google,” it added.

It was noted, too, that the law firm’s representation of major players in the industry preceded the minister’s appointment to Cabinet as Minister of Tourism and now Minister of Public Telecommunication.

“We do not place, and have not placed our integrity as the basis for any special consideration for favourable or other consideration in the event of a conflict, whether

by TIGI, Stabroek or any other body,” the law firm noted.

It stated, too, that it seeks “no privileges, special or otherwise; just an accurate reflection of both sides of the coin.”

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday October 16, 2018

Computers for police patrols, encrypted radios …Top Cop outlines needs of Police Force THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) will be looking to acquire computers for patrol vehicles along with high frequency encrypted radios and vehicles, suitable for patrolling and the transportation of suspects and prisoners, according to Commissioner of Police Leslie James.

The Top Cop was at the time speaking during a multi-donor workshop for coordinated support for the GPF, held on Monday at the Marriott Hotel.

With the recent appointment of James, the objectives of the workshop were to align future activities to support the GPF by international developments partners, as well as, assessing the high-level needs of the security force and creating synergies.

In attendance was United States (US) Ambassador to Guyana, Perry Holloway; Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan; Government agencies representatives and representatives of international donors.

Commissioner James said that the expansion of the CCTV cameras to all stations, with remote monitoring are also needed, while the GPF aims to enhance human resource management, training and the development of infrastructure in order to maximise its operations.

In addition, he said that a curriculum specialist will be contacted for a review of training modules, in order to have them updated to international standards. James said that overall the training of ranks and exchange of visits will be conducted in order to enhance all functions of the GPF. The GPF will also construct gender inclusive accommodations at training facilities in Essequibo and Berbice while Police stations will be remodeled, he said.

Meanwhile, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan said that priority for the GPF will be in training and a review of the Standing Orders and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), as it relates

to the treatment of persons in custody.

The minister noted that fre-

relations, since getting the assistance of the public to solve crimes is very important.

Commissioner of Police Leslie James

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan

quent allegations of corruption by members of the Force will be dealt with more promptly now that the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) has a chairman.

He mentioned that what is also needed is the strengthening of community and police

Adding, that a review of the police training curriculum for junior, middle and senior managers in the police force will be done, Ramjattan said that data driven, evidence-based police strategies are needed.

Underscoring that a Caribbean Development Bank

(CDB) study states that youth unemployment in Guyana is hovering around 40 per cent, Ramjattan said that something must be done for young men, in order for them to stay away from criminal activities.

He noted that many of the commanders have been assisting with the development of opportunities that offer life skills training to youths.

“These things are very important to me, and with a new leadership in the Police Force attention will be redirected to develop these things,” he said.

Further, he said that the

‘Smart City Project’ is among initiatives which have been identified to reduce crime, since the project is part of the Citizen Security Strengthening Programme (CSSP).

Noting that the majority of prisoners are uneducated and unemployed youths, Ramjattan said that component one of the CSSP aims to make youths between the ages of 16 and 25 resilient to crime and violence, through the provision of technical and vocational training and psycho social support.

COI hears...

M&CC still owes engineering firm $141M –– for restoration work done since 2015

By Tamica Garnett DESPITE receiving $500M from the Ministry of Communities to execute cleanup works around Georgetown, the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) still owes at least one contractor some $141M. That sum, the Commission of Inquiry into the affairs of City Hall heard on Monday, was for work the company would have done as part of the massive city restoration drive back in 2015, such as the cleaning of the Le Repentir Cemetery.

Finance Manager of XL Engineering, Aysha Harrop, told the Commission that it was around December 2015 that they were first approached by Town Clerk, Royston King to begin carrying out clean-up works

around the city.

According to Harrop, the company was never issued with contracts for these initial works, and the Town Clerk would bypass the tender process by saying that they were emergency work.

“No, we did not sign a contract with City Council,” Harrop said. “Mr. King would always take us to the site and stipulate that it was an emergency, so we did not have to go through a tender process.

“We don’t have a contract, but he has given us a letter stipulating the amount of money he owes us.

“We asked on several occasions for a contract document, which was never done.

However, we were assured it was in the process of being compiled. We were brought on board at the ending of

2015, and it continued until one week after the 50th anniversary in 2016; that would be about June 2016.

SITE CLEANINGS “We conducted various site cleanings, and carting away of debris for City Council; we also did a thorough cleaning of the cemetery.”

Though the company did not sign contracts with City Hall for these works, Harrop said that they did sign a $15M contract with the Ministry of Communities, via the M&CC under the Georgetown Restoration Programme, whereby the M&CC was given subventions of $300M in 2015 and a further $200M in 2016 by the Ministry.

From that contract, Harrop says the company was paid $9M before King advised them that there was no

more money in the kitty.

“The contract was signed at M&CC, but it was a Ministry of Communities contract,” Harrop said. “The monies were sent over to M&CC for them to do the distribution, however, Mr. King indicated that he no longer had all of the money available, so we were never given the remainder of the contract.

“Personnel within the Ministry of Communities have indicated that they would not settle payment, since this money was already distributed to M&CC.” It was under the said restoration programme that the Auditor General Office had indicated, in an earlier deposition, that its forensic audit had revealed that some $70M of the money was unaccounted for.

Aside from the $15M job, XL reportedly did some other work for the Council totaling some $150M, Harrop said, of which $135M is still outstanding.

“I think it was around $107M for the cemetery, or somewhere thereabouts,” she said, adding: “That and some other areas was the $150M. And as the money began to accumulate, we indicated to Mr. King that we would no longer be working for the Council. He then assured us that we would be given some monetary payments, and we were then given some small payments.”

HOLD STRAIN King also told the company to hold strain as the M&CC was expecting a government subvention, and that once that went through, the company would get its money. The company’s last

payment from the M&CC was in 2017.

“We, on several occasions, went in to M&CC, to the Accounts Department.

On several occasions, we also tried to see Mr. King,” Harrop said, “and every time we would approach either Mr. King or the accountant, we would be told that there is no money right now to pay.

“Since 2016 we’ve been told that the government was going to give them some money to bail out their expenses, and we should hold.

“We received one payment in 2017. After I sat there for days, he gave us $5M in 2017. This was from the [Ministry of] Communities money; not the money that City Council had for us.”

The revelation comes just days after it was reported that the City owes contracted garbage disposal companies some $148M.

11

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday October 16, 2018

Bartica girl gets full scholarship from GTT to study at UG “DREAMS really come true when we believe in them,” said 16-year-old Runique Belle, as she greeted the team from GTT who visited Bartica to hand over her cheque for a full scholarship to the University of Guyana (UG).

“I am standing here today to tell you how grateful and blessed I am to be attending UG. I was born in Bartica and growing up here as child, I always had a passion for education. I always wanted to be in school, and thanks to GTT, this dream has become possible,” the young lady was quoted in a release issued by GTT. “Runique made us really proud and I still remember her screaming with joy as she announced her CSEC achievements” said the smiling mother of the scholarship awardee - Chrystal Belle, as she held the hands of GTT’s PR & Corporate Communications Manager, Jasmin Harris. The teen was able to secure a placement in the 2018 academic year at the University of Guyana, majoring in Chemistry in the faculty of Natural Sciences.

She was awarded fourteen

CSEC subjects; nine ones and five twos. Her father, Rundy Belle, was proud to showcase Runique’s many achievements through trophies and awards.

GTT will pay Runique’s tuition fees for the next four years with the criteria that she maintains a GPA of 3.0.

As Jasmin Harris from GTT presented Runique with a laptop and printer, she assured her that she will continue to do well in school.

In addition, Runique will be given a monthly allowance for GTT’s internet and mobile services.

Bartica Town Council was very helpful in recommending Runique as an awardee for this GTT scholarship. Speaking on behalf of Mayor Gifford Marshall, councilor Kenneth Williams expressed his gratitude to GTT for making this commitment; he “the council, like all of Bartica, is very proud of Runique’s achievement and is grateful to GTT for providing her with this scholarship.”

According to Justin Nedd, CEO of GTT, education is a very important area of focus for GTT as this is an

‘Tipsy Todd’ for court today ––to answer Boerasirie causing-death charges DEPUTY Superintendent of Police, Patrick Todd has been charged for causing the death of a 64-year-old pedal cyclist, following an accident on the Boerasirie Bridge on West Demerara last month.

Todd is expected to face Magistrate Rushell Liverpool at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court today to answer to the charges of causing death by dangerous driving, and driving under the influence of alcohol following legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

According to reports, Todd was on September 12, 2018 reportedly driving his Toyota Rav4 when he struck down 64-yearold pedal cyclist, Conrad Alleyne of Hague, WCD on the Boerasirie Bridge.

Reports are that the accident occurred at around 19:20hrs on the bridge, and that Todd’s vehicle, PTT992, was proceeding

Deputy Superintendent of Police, Patrick Todd

east along the northern side of the bridge.

Todd had told the police that he had suddenly felt an impact, and upon investigating, saw Alleyne lying injured on the bridge.

The man was taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital in a semi-conscious state, treated and referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, but died on his way there.

A breathalyzer test was done on Todd, and found him to be above the legal limit.

16-year-old Runique Belle, along with her relatives in smiles as she collects the scholarship cheque from GTT’s PR & Corporate Communications Manager, Jasmin Harris.

avenue to assist in improving and developing Guyana’s future. "GTT remains true to what our brand stands for, we are about giving more. We want to be the game changer for Guyana, and we are starting this program in Bartica!

We will play our role in

creating future entrepreneurs, doctors, lawyers, engineers, accountants and the many other professions, developing a strong workforce for Guyana’s future," he added.

Nedd continued by revealing the company’s plan to roll out their network

coverage in Bartica by September 2019, which is less than 12 months away.

He declared that this is a promise the telecoms giant will deliver on. “We will provide the citizens of Bartica premium services at affordable prices, keeping

them connected to their friends and families”. He closed by saying “GTT is devoted to its vision of improving life experiences by unlocking innovation through applications and infrastructure to every home and business.”

12

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday October 16, 2018

Go-Invest chasing opportunities at the borders Operators and residents of Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and persons entering Guyana from neighbouring Brazil are being targeted by the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest) for local investment.

On Monday, the agency

erected its first billboard, promoting investment in Lethem, strategically positioned close to the Brazilian border.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GO-Invest, Owen Verwey along with Guyana's Ambassador to Brazil, George Talbot; Mayor of Lethem, Kerry Jarvis and

other officials of the Region cut the ribbon to symbolically launch the billboard yesterday.

According to GO Invest Deputy Chief Executive Officer/Corporate Secretary, Natalia Seepersaud, the agency is currently working on designs for billboards to be

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GO-Invest, Owen Verwey (first left); Guyana’s Ambassador to Brazil, George Talbot (centre); Mayor of Lethem, Kerry Jarvis (second right) and other officials symbolically launch the billboard.

placed at other locations.

These include the entrance into Guyana from Suriname and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA); both of which they intend to facilitate this year.

The main objective of the activity is to bring public awareness to GO-Invest and

The billboard situated in Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) near the Brazilian border.

the services it provides and to promote all sectors of investment in Guyana.

Special priority is being placed in areas such as agriculture and agro-processing; manufacturing; forestry; tourism; information and communication technology; mining; services and energy.

However, the agency reminds that it also actively promotes non-traditional exports and emergent export sectors such as garments and textiles; seafood and beef; eco-tourism; horticultural products; wood, ceramic and woven handicrafts and processed foods.

PSC wants evidence of ‘PPP’s drugs-money economy’ THE Private Sector Commission (PSC) is requesting that Finance Minister Winston Jordan provide “empirical evidence” regarding his statements made on the impact of the proceeds of drugs on the economy.

In a letter addressed to the minister on October 12, 2018 and shared with the media, acting chairman of the PSC, Deodat Indar stated that the commission has taken note of his recent statements and now seeks further clarity on the matter.

“The Private Sector Commission has noted several public pronouncements by you regarding the impact of proceeds of drug trafficking on the economy pre and post May 2015.”

“We shall be grateful to be briefed by you on the assertions made that the economy pre May 2015 was heavily based on proceeds of the drug trade and that the current economy post May 2015 is no longer affected by such proceeds,” the letter stated.

Indar’s correspondence went on to add: “As businesses it is important for us to understand the underlying structure of the economy and the various elements that contribute or inhibit its growth.”

The comments referenced

by Indar were made recently through a letter to the editor by Jordan in response a Stabroek News editorial piece criticising the current government’s administrative capacity.

In this regard, the article had referred to the present administration as the “least competent one this country has yet experienced” while deeming that Jordan’s success rate would not improve under current circumstances.

In response, Minister Jordan said among other things that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) left behind a “deformed and broken economy,” one which the present administration must now work to fix.

“Lest we forget, too, that economy thrived on rampant drug trafficking, money laundering, and a banking sector in which a few institutions recklessly lent funds for private white elephant projects,” Jordan said.

He stated further that the PPP’s “lending binge” and “reckless investments” resulted in an average non-performing loan ratio contributing, significantly, to the immediate slowing of the economy post-2015.

He later reminded that the country’s economy grew by 4.5 per cent in the first half of 2018 and is projected to grow by 3.7 per cent for all of 2018.

Jordan placed further comparisons stating that in 2013 only 992 out of 2,618 registered and active firms filed tax returns and out of 75,992 active self-employed persons only 33,740 filed their taxes.

Meanwhile, the World Bank in June 2018 had stated that “Guyana is making

Acting chairman of the PSC, Deodat Indar

important strides to promote financial resilience and improve fiscal management” which Jordan says are signs of the country increasingly being viewed as stable.

Apart from this, he outlined that the present government has kept inflation well in check; reduced Value Added Tax (VAT) and increased the minimum basic salary of each public servant along with other measures to ensure a healthy economy. Even so, the PCS has requested a response on the matter from the Finance Minister, as its letter stated: “We look forward to such a brief so that we could better understand the empirical evidence supporting your assertions.”

13

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday October 16, 2018

Sustainable land management the focus of two-day workshop Guyana and several other Caribbean countries are building capacity in the area of Sustainable Land Management (SLM) to guard against the mismanagement and degradation of land and ecosystems in the region.

A two-day workshop towards this cause began on Monday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. The event saw the attendance of Minister of State, Joseph Harmon.

The event is being hosted in collaboration with the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management (PISLM), a sub-regional body established by CARICOM and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

A release from the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) stated that those represented were focal points from Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Dominica, Haiti, Suriname and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The workshop is geared towards strengthening the region’s negotiating skills within the organs of the UNCCD and positioning the Caribbean to meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15.

At the opening ceremony, Harmon reminded the gathering that the loss of land and resources remains a continuous impediment to a global resolution regarding humankind’s main threat.

He stated: “Land and its resources maintain the climate, provide food, medicine, freshwater, sustains livelihood, maintain ecosystems and support other benefits derived from the environment. It is paramount that we pay attention to these issues and use the skills garnered through this workshop to improve your negotiation at the global, regional and national levels.”

Harmon added that the workshop is well-timed and therefore encouraged the delegates to make best use of the opportunity.

“It is expected that an agenda be set for sustainable land management at the end of this two-day workshop to better position the Caribbean Small Island States as a global leader in meeting its obligation in SDG15. Therefore, our work over the next two days is critical and I encourage you participants to work diligently and in good faith,” he said.

He stated further that it would help to influence

final decisions related to the strengthening of the positions of the sub-regional land management agenda; the tabling the Caribbean vision for SLM and setting PISLM’s agenda for the next two years.

On Thursday and Friday, Minister Harmon and his counterparts within Caribbean SIDS will meet once again to further deliberate on deliverables coming out of the two-day workshop.

Meanwhile, Commissioner of the GLSC and Chairman of the PISLM task force, Trevor L. Benn urged those attending to collaborate towards the provision operational policy guidance to the Caribbean sub-regional grouping of the UNCCD. He reminded the gathering that they should also take into consideration the policy directives which are provided by the various ministerial bodies.

“This workshop will provide an opportunity for UNCCD focal points from the Caribbean to increase their knowledge as it relates to negotiating in the various bodies of UNCCD,” Benn said.

The PISLM, he relayed, has been providing a framework for assisting country parties with the implementation of the UNCCD and country action plans to combat land degradation.

The body also aids with addressing the land management component of the Barbados Program of Action (BPOA) and the Mauritius strategy (MSI) in Caribbean SIDS. Meanwhile, both Harmon and Benn believe that the workshop will also aid in the setting of a common position regarding Committee on Science and Technology (CST17), set to be hosted in Guyana in January, 2019.

“Guyana’s hosting of the 17th session of the committee for the review of the implementation of the convention creates an opportunity for Caribbean SIDS to collaborate and showcase our best practices under a common accord,” Harmon said.

Benn took the opportunity to provide the gathering with an update on Guyana’s preparation for the hosting of the conference next year.

“The hosting of CRIC17 in Guyana will also be the first of its kind of the UNCCD process to be held in the English-speaking Caribbean and we have already advanced the

planning and preparation of hosting the event with major support from the PISLM support office.

“We are expecting 500600 persons from 197 countries from all regions of the world to attend this event.

The hosting of CRIC17 also creates an opportunity for Caribbean countries to effectively collaborate and highlight our best practices as it relates to the implementation of the convention,” he noted.

The UNCCD provides the global framework for addressing land degradation and SLM issues in Small Island developing States (SIDS).

Given the scope of this mechanism, if used effectively, it could significantly contribute to poverty eradication and food security in keeping with the convention’s mandate.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon addresses focal points from the Caribbean on Sustainable Land Management

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday October 16, 2018

Guyana, EU hold political dialogue

THE Sixth Round of European Union-Guyana Political Dialogue in the framework of Article 8 of the ACP-EU Cotonou Agreement was held on Monday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The previous round of the Political Dialogue took place in October, 2017. The Guyanese delegation was headed by Carl Greenidge, Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Audrey Jardine-Waddell, Director General; Mr. Troy Torrington, Director, Multilateral & Global Affairs

Department and other Heads of Departments within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as representatives of key government ministries.

The EU’s side was headed by the Ambassador of the European Union H.E. Jernej Videti? and Ambassadors of the UK, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the objectives of the dialogue were to exchange information to foster mutual understanding and to facilitate the establishment of

agreed priorities and shared agendas, in particular, by recognising the existing links between the different aspects of the relations between the parties and the various areas of cooperation as laid down in the Cotonou Agreement.

The two sides engaged in constructive, wide-ranging and frank discussions on bilateral, regional and international issues such as political developments and economic affairs; EU-Guyana and regional development cooperation; consular matters, governance and human rights issues including

The two sides in deep discussion

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge and his team pose with the EU ambassadors following their high-level meeting

High Court says has jurisdiction to hear PPP LGE application …AG signals intention to appeal JUSTICE Gino Persaud on Monday handed down his ruling in the matter between People’s Progressive Party Member and Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) commissioner, Bibi Shadick and the State.

The ongoing matter brought before the court

by Shadick and her counsel, Attorney Anil Nandlall, contends 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, as well as against the chief elections officer for demarcating and re-demarcating constituencies’ boundaries without consultations with electors, stakeholders and political parties.

However, State representative, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, argued that the court has no jurisdiction to entertain the application

by Shadick, on grounds 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.

Nandlall, in the interim, filed an application in attempt to bar the minister from challenging the court’s jurisdiction. This motion however, was deemed “fallacious and without merit,” and was therefore ruled out by the judge.

Justice Persaud, in explaining what led to his decision on the jurisdiction matter, stated that AG’s sole reason as to why the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the matter, is based on Section 146 of the Local Authorities Elections Act. This section he says, states that (1) any question whether any person has been validly elected as a councillor shall be referred to and determined by the Court, and (2) Every such reference shall be by a petition (hereinafter referred to as an election petition) presented to the Court.

The operative terms in this section Justice Persaud said, is “whether any person

has been validly elected as a councillor”, adding that it is completely irrelevant to the issues raised by the applicant.

Coming to that conclusion, the judge dismissed the application and summoned that indeed the Court has jurisdiction to hear the substance of the case.

Both parties were given two weeks to make the necessary submissions, after which the judge will fix a date for decision. This he says will definitely be before the Local Government Elections which is scheduled for November 12th.

Upon exiting the courtroom after the decision was passed, AG told the media that he is not sure what transpired in the court and made mention of appealing Justice Persaud’s decision. Mr. Williams stated that the judge referred to matters applicable to National elections, noting that he had submitted cases on LGE, which he did hear the judge mention. He stated also, that he is unaware if the judge has the authority to show that the same principle applies for LGE. He also added “If you’re saying that the elections were not prop-

erly declared, boundaries were not properly set, and demarcations were unlawful…

You are saying on November 12th, the elections held under these circumstances, will not produce validly elected councilors.” “A lot of money has been spent on the elections and we have to continue doing what we have to do.” AG concluded.

Meanwhile, Nandlall expressed: “I have been saying from the inception, that the question of the court’s lack of jurisdiction does not arise. This is not a case where one is challenging the election on a councillor, the law is very clear… We are challenging certain actions that are antecedent to the election of councilors,” he said. Adding that his only regret is that they would have wasted two weeks of valuable time when the elections are so close, and he is of the belief that there is an “agenda to stall and dilate the matter.” Both parties were ordered to return on October 29th with their submissions and the presiding judge will fix a date for decision.

the death penalty, children’s right, women’s right, LGBTI issues, domestic abuse, prison conditions; trafficking in persons; security, climate change, and regional integration.

The two sides also expressed their continued commitment to an international order based on multilateralism and undertook to continue cooperation in this regard and welcomed the forthcoming initialling of the Voluntary Partnership on FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Gover-

nance and Trade) which will represent a milestone in cooperation on sustainable management of the forests. They also discussed the possible accession of Guyana to the International Energy Charter. They concluded by expressing their satisfaction on the usefulness of the dialogue in the context of EU-Guyanese relations, and have agreed to hold the next round of Political Dialogue in one year's time.

Ministry of Natural Resources clarifies EOI ad position

THE Ministry of Natural Resources said while it remains the accounting agency for the Department of Environment up until budget 2019, all petroleum related matters are addressed by that department which falls under the Ministry of the Presidency.

In a release on Monday, the ministry justified its placement of advertisements requesting expressions of interest for Consulting Firm Services for ‘Consultancy Services for Oil and Gas Project Evaluation (Phase 1)' and 'Consultancy for A Cost Recovery Audit in Guyana,' which have since attracted the attention of sections of the media.

In a recent edition, Kaieteur News carried a story headlined, "Gov't acts contrary to its own decision to move oil from Natural Resource Ministry."

But this did not sit well with the ministry.

“The article seeks to give the idea that the ministry is confused, and questions the role that it currently plays in the oil and gas affairs, given that the portfolio has been shifted to the Department of Energy, Ministry of the Presidency,” the Natural Resources Ministry said.

It however clarified that the Natural Resources Min-

istry held oil and gas portfolio at the time of World Bank loan.

“It must first be noted that after negotiations by the Ministry of Finance, a World Bank loan for Guyana's Oil and Gas Capacity Building Project was finalised. This loan came into being earlier this year, before the establishment of the Department of Energy.”

“Additionally, since the Ministry of Natural Resources held the oil and gas portfolio at the time, it was designated as the focal point for the loan and for the Project Implementation Unit (PIU). It was after the formation of the DoE and discussions with the quintet ministers and Dr. Mark Bynoe, that it was decided that until budget 2019, MNR would remain as the accounting agency only for the procurement aspects and disbursement of funds,” the ministry explained.

It maintains all decisions are made by the Department of Energy and the Ministry of Natural Resources implements them as instructed.

“This system functions as a bridging mechanism until the DoE becomes formally established as a budget agency in the 2019 budget which will come in a few months’ time,” the ministry said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday October 16, 2018

5Bs programme not funded by state …MoTP condemns Stabroek News editorial

THE Ministry of the Presidency has condemned what it described as an inaccurate and misleading editorial in the Stabroek News on Monday.

The ministry says the editorial contains several erroneous statements, which must be corrected. In a release, the ministry explained that in 2015, President David Granger launched the Public Education and Transportation Service (PETS), which was popularly known as the Three Bs’ Initiative, to provide equal access to education to all children. This initiative was born out of the recognition that many parents found it costly to send their children to school.

According to the minis-

try, to date, over 1,161 bicycles have been distributed to school children and 27 school buses and nine boats have been given to communities across the country to enable children to attend school.

The PETS programme has, in some cases, allowed parents to save as much as $48,000 per student, per month, money which can now be funnelled into improving the household.

The ministry said despite the fact that the Head of State and the Ministry of the Presidency have made it clear, from the inception of the programme, that no State funds are used to purchase the bicycles, the boats or the buses, the Stabroek News editorial asserts otherwise. “The Min-

istry of the Presidency is now making it pellucid that all of the bicycles, boats and buses presented to students and communities from the start of the programme on July 15, 2015 and over the last three years were donated by private citizens, civic organisations and members of the business community, both locally and in the Diaspora.”

Additionally, the claim that the Department of Public Information (DPI) should not have attended or provided coverage of a public event is ludicrous. The DPI is responsible for disseminating accurate information on government policies, programmes, services and activities, through the print and electronic media in a

Court orders gov’t to pay former diplomat $24.2M for wrongful dismissal JUSTICE Diana Insanally on Monday, handed down her ruling in the case filed by former Guyana High Commissioner to Canada, Harry Narine Nawbatt, against the government ordering that he paid over $24.M for wrongful dismissal.

In 2016, Nawbatt sued the government through his Attorneys-at-Law, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, Manoj Narayan and Rajendra Jaigobin, claiming that the terms of his contractual agreement with the PPP/C administration were breached, and as such, is seeking his salaries, emoluments and other benefits owing under the said contract, Nandlall said in a release.

After a full-fledged trial, and hearing submissions from lawyers for both sides, Justice Insanally ruled, granting judgment to Nawbatt in the sum of: (i) twenty-four million, two hundred and ninety-five thousand, one hundred and four dollars ($24,295,104); (ii) five

hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for breach of contract; (iii) interest on the said sums at the rate of six per cent per annum from the date of filing to the date of judgment and thereafter at the rate of four per cent per annum until fully paid; (iv) costs in the sum of $50,000.

These sums of monies would have been outlined in the contract of employment made and entered into on the 9th day of February, 2015, between the Government of Guyana and Nawbatt, Nandlall said. He said Nawbatt was engaged to perform the duties and functions of High Commissioner of the Republic of Guyana to Canada effective from the 10th day of February, 2015, to the 9th day of February, 2016, inclusive at a monthly salary of seven hundred and seventy-three thousand, eight hundred and one dollars ($773,801) subject to certain terms and conditions set out in a schedule attached to the said agreement and which formed part of the said agreement.

“We filed similar cases in 2015/2016 for former Advisor to the Minister of Local Government, Clinton Collymore, Zulfikar Mustapha, former Liaison Officer to the Office of the President for Region Six and Ms. Anna Correia, who was employed by the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs,” Nandlall stated.

He said in all these cases, the plaintiffs sued for damages for wrongful dismissal/ unlawful termination of their contracts of employment.

“Again, after a trial of each of these cases, judgments were awarded to each of them in various sums as compensation along with interest and costs.”

Adding that the attorney general was the defendant in all of these cases, Nandlall said no appeal was filed against any of these decisions. “Yet, the attorney general has consistently refused to honour these judgments although we have made repeated written requests for him to do so.”

‘Donkey City’ man found dead in yard POLICE are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a 42-year-old Upper Corentyne man, whose lifeless body was discovered in a yard on Sunday afternoon.

The man has been identified as Kalamudeen Karim popularly called “Picky”. He is said to have no fixed place of abode but is originally from an area called “Donkey City” in Line Path, Corriverton, East Berbice Corentyne.

Karim’s body was discovered in a yard in Section A Line Path belonging to Elizabeth Ramai a little after 16:00hrs. According Ramai, Karim would frequently visit their home to have a chat or rest in the hammock downstairs even when no one was there as he is considered a friend of the family. She related that on Sunday afternoon she awoke from an afternoon nap at around 16:00hrs

and ventured downstairs when she saw Karim lying in the hammock. She called out to him but there was no response. She called out to him again and got no response so she went closer and saw he appeared “stiff”. She then raised an alarm. “After he nah answer me go close and try fuh wake he up but he look stiff stiff so me start call out and people start fuh come fuh see wah happen, when meh son come from Donkey City abee call the police cause everybody she he dead and them come and carry he way to the hospital,” Ramai related.

The man’s body is at the Skeldon Mortuary awaiting a post mortem. He was described as a friendly and very helpful person who was very popular around the community especially with the children. Police investigations are ongoing.

timely manner, with the view of generating public support for the said policies, programmes, services and activities, thereby creating the environment for them to succeed. The meeting held at the Rose Hall Primary School was a community

meeting, which the Head of State attended, and to which the entire media corps was invited.

“It must be noted that President Granger has always championed local democracy both in and out of office. As opposition leader, he demanded Local Government Elections (LGEs) be held and in March 2016, less than one year after

he was elected to office, the LGEs were held. The President’s message across all Local Authority Areas has remained consistent.

The Ministry is therefore calling on the Stabroek News to issue a retraction of this editorial,” the release ended.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 16, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 16, 2018

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 16, 2018

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Advertise in Guyana Chronicle Classified Ads. For All Your Classified and Space Ads. Call 225-4475.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 16, 2018

FROM BACK PAGE

Carter’s defiant knock carries Pride past Hurricanes

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) – Jonathan Carter hit an unbeaten half-century as Barbados Pride edged the Leeward Islands Hurricanes by three wickets with just two balls remaining in their Group B clash in the Regional Super50 here at Kensington Oval Sunday.

Carter scored 79 not out to lead the Pride to their second win in three days and put them in third position in the group behind the Jamaica Scorpions and the Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners.

Batting first, the Hurricanes managed to get up to 226 for nine in their 50 overs thanks mainly to Akeem Saunders’ unbeaten knock of 63.

But through the efforts of Carter, the Pride were able to scramble home, posting 227 for nine off 49.4 overs.

Requiring 11 runs to

Kevin Stoute took five wickets to help the Pride overcome the Hurricanes

win off the final two overs, Carter and Dominic Drakes scraped three runs off the first three deliveries of the penultimate over bowled

by Sheldon Cottrell, before Cottrell removed Drakes with his fourth delivery.

However, Hayden Walsh

Jr was able to scramble four runs off the final two deliveries, leaving the Pride needing to get four runs off the final six balls.

Jeremiah Louis’ first ball to Carter was a dot ball, but Carter scrambled a bye off the next delivery and Walsh Jr put the icing on the cake by getting two runs off the third delivery to lock the scores, before picking up the winning runs off the very next ball.

Carter’s unbeaten knock took him 118 balls and he struck five boundaries, while Walsh Jr finished unbeaten on seven.

Pride captain Shamarh Brooks (39) and wicketkeeper Tevyn Walcott (38), also made useful contributions.

Despite medium pacer Kevin Stoute’s five-wicket haul, the Volcanoes were still able to post a competitive total due to its middle and lower order batsmen.

Stoute wrecked havoc on the top order, claiming the wickets of openers Montcin Hodge for eight and Keacy Carty for 18, as well as Chesney Hughes (12), to leave the Volcanoes in a spot of bother at 57 for three.

After Hayden Walsh Jr dismissed Devon Thomas to leave the score 70 for four, Saunders and Rahkeem Cornwall came together and added 56 runs, with Cornwall scoring 43 of those runs.

Once Cornwall lost his wicket, Saunders teamed up with Orlando Peters, who scored 40 in a 77-run partnership that took the score up to 203 for six.

Saunders batted through the innings, with his 63 coming from 62 balls.

He struck five boundaries and two sixes.

Stoute finished with figures of 5-38 while Shamar Springer took 2-47.

Former U.S. Open champ Stephens qualifies for first WTA finals

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens has qualified for her first season-ending WTA Finals in

Irish Racing Tips Punchestown 09:05 hrs Elysian Plains 10:10 hrs My Sister Sarah 10:40 hrs Authorative 11:10 hrs Duca De Thaix 11:45 hrs Don’t Kick Or Bite 12:15 hrs Royal Illusion English Racing Tips Leicester 09:00 hrs Global Heat 09:30 hrs Confrerie 10:05 hrs Shady Mc Coy 10:35 hrs Monsieur Noir 11:05 hrs Come On Leicester 11:40 hrs Sesame 12:10 hrs My Boy Sepoy 12:40 hrs Lady Momoka

Singapore, the WTA Tour said on Monday.

Stephens joins fellow Grand Slam champions Simona Halep, Angelique

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Boxing coach...

Boxer Derick Richmond was fined $30,000 for breaching the agreement to deliver the contracted services at the specified weight and his actions which culminated in his inability to compete beyond the second round.

On the day of the weighin, Richmond tipped the scale at 174 pounds, some 15 pounds over the weight limit, while King weighed in at 159; thus the fight became a catchweight affair.

King disposed of Richmond after just six minutes of action in the GBBC’s Young Guns `The Proving Ground’ five-fight boxing card which was promoted by professional boxer, Dexter Marques and former world-rater, Clive Atwell.

The Barbadian improved his professional record to three wins in as many fights after forcing Richmond to call it a `day’ at the conclusion of the second round of their six-round middleweight contest, which

was the feature bout on the GBBC’s fight card.

The much-anticipated bout started off very casually, with both boxers feeling out each other during the first round, but after getting a feel of each other’s arsenal, King and Richmond went after each other during the second round, with Richmond connecting with some telling combinations and King responding in like manner.

The fight seemed even going into the final minute, but King unleashed a barrage of one-two combinations that apparently hurt the Guyanese (Richmond) as he went back to his corner looking fit and well, but surprisingly, when the bell sounded for the start of the third round, he refused to come out of his corner, giving King a technical knock- out victory, which is his third win within the distance in his three professional fight-career and Richmond’s fifth loss after 11 fights.

FROM BACK PAGE

South American 10K...

The launch of the 2nd leg of the 16th Edition of the South American 10K Road Race Classic will be held on Thursday at the National Racquet Centre on Woolford Avenue, commencing at 10:00hrs.

President of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) Aubrey Hutson, is expected to be present, along with Ms. Mayfield Taylor-Trim (General Secretary of the Athlet-

ics Association of Guyana); local organising committee members and the leading athletes for the Guyana 10K Road Race--Cleveland Forde (who was recently awarded a Medal of Service) and Winston Missigher (who won the Courts 10K this year)-- as well as representatives from the National Sports Commission, Banks DIH Limited and John Fernandes Limited.

FROM BACK PAGE

Guyana Jaguars beat Canada by four wickets in Super50 clash

Former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens

Kerber, Naomi Osaka, Petra Kvitova and Caroline Wozniacki in the singles field for the Oct. 21-28 event.

Tw o s p o t s r e main open for the elite eight-player field, with Elina Svitolina and Karolina Pliskova in prime position to qualify for the round-robin tournament that offers $7 million in prize money.

“I’m honored to qualify for my first WTA Finals,” said Stephens, who was runner-up to Halep at Roland Garros earlier this year. “I’m looking forward

to ... competing against the best players of the season.”

The American also won her first Premier-level event in Miami earlier this year and rose to a career-high ranking of three in July. The 25-yearold was also a runner-up in Montreal.

Stephens won her first Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows in 2017 but was knocked out in the quarter-finals by Anastasija Sevastova this year.

Osaka won the U.S. Open, while Kerber won Wimbledon and Wozniacki clinched the Australian Open title this year.

POSITIVE batting by Raymon Reifer (61 not out) and Anthony Bramble (44) allowed the Guyana Jaguars team to celebrate a four-wicket victory over the plucky Canadian side in their Cricket West Indies (CWI) Super50 second-round match contested at the famous Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain last night.

With their fifth consecutive win, the Jaguars maintained their coveted position at the top of Group A when Reifer stroked a boundary to push their total to 208 for 6 wickets in 39.1 overs.

Having won the toss, the Canadians batted first and were restricted to 205 for 7 in 50 overs. Nitish Kumar (51), Ruvindu Gunasekera (34), David Jacobs, 34 not out, and Nikhil Dutta (29) were the main run-getters while Veerasammy Permaul (10-0-26-2), Clinton Pestano (101-38-1), Ramaal Lewis (6-0-30-1), Romario Shepherd (60-24-1) and Ricardo Adams (9-0-40-1) shared the wickets.

Guyana Jaguars raced to victory through a match-winning 79-run fifth wicket partnership between Reifer and Bramble who, together, restored confidence and rallied the Jaguars after they had lost their fourth wicket at 96 after 19.6 overs.

Skipper Leon Johnson and Sherfane Rutherford also contributed to the victory with 37 and 27 runs respectively. Nikhil Dutta took three wickets for 39 runs. (Brij Parasnath)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Cadogan’s century highlights first round of Central Essequibo T20 tournament

By Elroy Stephney A blistering century

by Neiland Cadogan was the highlight when the Central Essequibo T20 competition started on Sunday at the various grounds on the Essequibo Coast.

At the Reliance ground, the first match saw Reliance Hustlers win a tense battle against Reliance Masters. After being inserted to bat, Reliance Masters raced to 62-2 in the first 6 overs of the power play on the small out-field. Former national under-15 Neiland Cadogan’s 103 contained allrounder Zavier Mc7 massive sixes and 9 delightful Donald was severe on both pace and spin fours

and counted 7x4s in a whirlwind 32.

His departure, however, stemmed the flow of runs as the Hustlers regained their composure.

Some tight bowling in the middle overs accounted for a cluster of wickets, including Teddy Manchal (16) and Cecil Shivambar (15) who were the other batsmen to reach double figures.

The Masters then rallied to 141-8 from their allotted 20 overs for a par score.

Off-Spinner Pavindra Persaud collected 3-28 from 4 overs, while Trevis Simon had 2-19 from his 4 overs.

In reply, the Hustlers had early set-backs, losing 3 wickets for only 22 runs within the power-play.

They, however, batted sensibly by rotating

the strike and keeping the run-rate within striking distance. Opener Mark Austin kept the scoreboard busy and raced to 20 with 4x4s.

He was then admirably supported in the middle overs by top-scorer Kevin Boodram’s 23 which included 2x4s and 1x6 and Pavindra Persaud’s 18, laced with 2x4s and 1x6.

While their effort kept them in the game, it was the lower order that rallied the side to safety as they reached the target, ending on 142-8 in the 19th over to win by 2 wickets.

Fast bowlers Zavier McDonald and Jamal Wilson shared 2 wickets each for 25 and 22 runs respectively.

In the second game at the same venue, powerhouse Bacchus XI powered

their way to a massive victory against Cotton Field Sports Club. Batting first, Bacchus XI plundered runs at will, thanks to a superb century by Neiland Cadogan and 47 by former national Under-19 batsman Nathan Persaud. Their century stand was built around some clean and robust hitting, as the duo entertained the vocal crowd. Cadogan’s 103 contained 7 massive sixes and 9 delightful fours as he tore into the hapless bowlers with disdain, while Persaud blazed his way to 47 with 6x6s and 1x4.

At the conclusion of their 20 overs, Bacchus XI amassed an imposing 2215. Medium pacer Bertram Benalds grabbed 3-45 from his 4 overs. In response, Cotton Field were stunned by the onslaught

and capitulated, despite cameo innings from national under 15 batsman Lance Roberts 32 (5x4) and Bertram Benalds 31 (4x4).

When bad light resulted in the game being called off by the umpires, Cotton Field reached 117-7 in 17 overs. By then the result was a foregone conclusion.

Leg-Spinner Rodwin Gordon took 2-18 from 4 overs while Neiland Cadogan returned with the ball to claim 2-14 from 3 overs to cap off a splendid all-round display.

The competition will resume this weekend with the following matches – Imam Bacchus vs Police S.C, Reliance Hustlers vs Young Achievers, Reliance Masters vs Affiance S.C. and Cotton Field vs Queenstown S.C.

Registration date extended to Twenty-four teams confirmed for PM T20 Softball Cup tomorrow for Kennard’s Memorial pre-Diwali horse race meet -Drawing of fixtures set for today

Justice Cecil Kennard

WITH a large number of horse racing stables confirming their participation for the Kennard’s Memorial Turf Club pre-Diwali horse race meet, organisers have extended the registration process until tomorrow morning.

This is according to retired Justice Cecil Kennard, who indicated that no late entries will be accepted after the extended time is expired, which is 12 noon tomorrow.

The race meet is billed for Sunday at the club’s track at Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne, Berbice.

Jockeys will be competing for the grand prize in the H & Lower race, which carries the most attractive prize – $250,000; then there is the 2-Year Guyana-Bred (Maiden), which will see the winner carting off a handsome purse of $200,000.

There is also the ‘L’ Non-Earner 2018’ race, which will see the victor receiving a first-place prize of $100,000; and there is the L Open, which has a top prize of $140,000.

T h e w i n n e r o f t h e ‘ L’ Non-Winner’ race will receive $120,000, while the winner of the J3 & K race will receive $160,000.

Entry charges on the sixrace card range from $12,000 to $30,000.

For more details, interested persons are kindly asked to contact club secretary, Niketa Ross, on 662-4668. Horses can also be entered into the competition via Ivan Dipnarine (331-0361); Justice Kennard (623-7606 or 225-4818); Fazal Habibulla (657-7010); Dennis DeRoop (640-6396) or Campton Sancho (602-1567).

Flashback! The victorious Regal Masters team after they won the inaugural Prime Minister’s T20 Softball Cup.

By Rajiv Bisnauth TWENTY-four teams have been confirmed to participate in the second edition of the Prime Minister’s T20 Softball Cup. The tournament is billed for October 19-21 at various grounds in the capital city.

According to information from the organisers--the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc,--five international teams from the USA and Canada are among the confirmed

teams.

Those are: Royal Canadian Master Cricket Club, Ontario Masters Softball International, Challengers from Canada, Florida Guyana Hope and Marine Masters from the USA. Meanwhile, softball cricket over the years has proved a hit in terms of introducing more people to cricket, and to this end, the organisers have indicated that there is a substantial increase of cash prizes for both categories.

The winning team from Open and Masters categories will pocket $100,000 more than last year’s winners.

This year, $700,000 will be up for grabs in the Open category, while the Masters will vie for the winners’ purse of $600,000. Both categories will have a runners-up prize of $100,000 as well as trophies.

The tournament is being played in collaboration with the National Sports Commission, the

Ministry of the Presidency-Department of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth and Sport.

Lighted bails will be used in the competition and added entertainment will be provided by the Caribbean Hot Shot Crossover band and cheerleaders during the finals. Regal Masters and Speedboat are the respective defending champions.

Further, the drawing of the fixtures will be held today from 16:30hrs at GNIC Sports Club.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Chanderpaul urges support for ICC Women’s T20 World Cup GEORGETOWN, Guyana, (CMC) – With the countdown on to next month’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, legendary left-hander Shiv Chanderpaul is calling on his fellow Guyanese to support the event.

The icon, who played a record 164 Test matches scoring 11 867 runs, was recently unveiled as a Cricket West Indies Ambassador for the tournament which runs from November 9-24 in Guyana, St Lucia and Antigua.

Chanderpaul urged his countrymen to attend the first round matches at the Guyana National Stadium, which start with a triple-header on November 9.

“We have a very have very good chance of winning again,” said the 44-year-old.

“We have some very good players. Plus, we are at home

and they will be very accustomed to the conditions and know what’s required on these pitches in Guyana, St Lucia and over in Antigua.

I’m backing them and I want them to know that I’m with them, the supporters are with them and the whole Caribbean is with them for this tournament. We have the quality players in our team to go out and get the job done.”

The Windies are defending champions, having won the last edition under the captaincy of Stafanie Taylor at Eden Gardens in Kolkata two years ago. On that same day, the West Indies men beat England to make it a double celebration for the Caribbean.

Taylor will again lead the team and she will be joined by 10 other members of the winning squad

Veteran former West Indies batting star, Shiv Chanderpaul poses with the ICC T20 World Cup trophy.

Upper Demerara/Kwakwani school sports this week THE Upper Demerara/ Kwakwani Schools Sports Committee-planned Inter schools annual track and field, cycling and swimming championships will start in earnest this week when the high point of its preparations towards a successful defence of its National Championship takes place in Linden.

On Sunday, the Schools Circuit Race was held around Central Macken-

zie. Starting on Republic Avenue outside Gregory’s Grocery Store into Greenheart Street and then on to Purpleheart Street before rounding back into Republic Avenue, there were wins in the primary and secondary schools battle.

In the primary schools category, Regma Primary won with 10 points while second was Watooka Day on eight points.

In the secondary

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Tuesday October 16, 2018) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & Cummings Electrical Company Ltd. 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Kapil Dev (11 Tests) (2) Clive Lloyd (20 Test) Today’s Quiz: (1) What is the highest Test score made by a WI captain ?

(2) What is the highest Test score made by an Indian captain?

Answer in tomorrow's issue

schools competition, C h r i s t i a n b u rg - Wi s m a r Secondary won with 178 points from New Silvercity Secondary on 64 points, while Linden Foundation Secondary was next with 56 points, Mackenzie High got 35 points, while Linden Technical institute followed with 28 points. Harmony Secondary was on the carpet with two points.

This morning, the athletic and cycle road races for secondary school athletes are set to be staged on the Linden Highway from 5.30hrs with the swimming championships later from 10.00hrs at the Watooka Pool.

Tomorrow, the field events for both the primary and secondary level athletes will be staged from 9.00hrs at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground.

On Thursday, there will be inter primary schools track events while on Friday, it is for the secondary school athletes and the starting time on both days is 9.00hrs. (Joe Chapman)

from the successful 2016 campaign – among these, all-rounders Deandra Dottin and Hayley Matthews, veteran wicketkeeper and former captain Merissa Aguilleira, along with ace off-spinner Anisa Mohammed, who recently took a hat-trick against South Africa.

“We are a cricket-loving country – actually we are a cricket-crazy country … any time you mention cricket here in Guyana everyone is ready.

We are one of those nations which love sports,” Chanderpaul said.

“Women’s cricket [on the international stage] is something new for many people here and I know everyone will want to come out and see what it’s like.

“The standard is very high. It’s not one-sided where

one team will totally dominate. The teams are well balanced and I know they will come out and play very hard cricket. It will be exciting and I know we will very good support from the lovely people here in Guyana.”

This is the first time the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will be staged as a standalone event.

The preliminary rounds are scheduled for November 9-18 at the Guyana National Stadium and the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground at Beausejour, St Lucia, with the semi-finals and final set for the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua.

West Indies contest Group A along with England, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh while Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Ireland comprise Group B.

Windies still languishing in ninth spot in ICC Test rankings

LONDON, (CMC) – West Indies have lost one ratings point following their series defeat to India on Sunday, leaving them still languishing in ninth spot in the ICC Test team rankings and even closer now to minnows Bangladesh below them.

The Caribbean side suffered a 10-wicket thrashing in the second Test in Hyderabad, to follow up their heavy innings and 272-run defeat in the Rajkot opener. Both matches finished inside three days.

West Indies have 76 points, nine points ahead of 10th place Bangladesh, who they tour next month for a crucial two-Test series.

More significantly, the Windies are now 12 points adrift of eighth place Pakistan, and drifting further away from top half of the rankings.

Following the latest defeat Sunday, captain Jason Holder called for collective effort to find ways to get the Caribbean side out of the doldrums.

“Honestly, it’s hard to take it. I am trying to understand the reasons why it is happening. It’s a case where we all need to put our heads together – the management,

West Indies … have lost one point following the series defeat to India on Sunday.

the selectors and the players,” Holder said.

“The onus must be on the players and we must be responsible for our actions. We got to come together a little bit more and find ways and solutions to deal with the problems that we have at the moment.”

West Indies have not beaten India in a Test in nearly two decades and have not won on the subcontinent in 24 years. Further, they have not won a Test series in India in nearly four decades.

Once world champions, West Indies have declined badly over the last 20 years, and have not had a series win over a top-ranked side in six years,

since beating New Zealand in the Caribbean.

They lost six of 10 Tests last year, despite beating leading sides Pakistan and England, and have won just three of seven this year.

India, meanwhile, have gained one ratings point from the series win and remain number one on 116 points. They are 10 clear of second placed South Africa with Australia a fraction behind in third, also on 106.

England are fourth on 105, New Zealand fifth on 102 while Sri Lanka, who drew 1-1 in the Caribbean earlier this year, lie sixth on 97 points.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Old Fort, GCC Pitbulls capture U-21 Titles at GHB National Indoor Championships THE GCC Bingo Spartans captured the female U–16 title at the conclusion of the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) Junior National Indoor Hockey Championships on Sunday evening at the National Gymnasium, but lost the U-21 final to the Old Fort Goal Chasers, while in the male U-21 matchup, the Old Fort males lost to the GCC Pitbulls.

Spartans took the U-16 title by defeating Saints 2-0, courtesy of field goals from Sarah Klautky and Abosaide Cadogan, who scored within minutes of each other to carry their side to championship honours.

The U-21 final, however, was a different story as it went Old Fort’s way after they earned a 1-0 victory on the Bingo Spartans.

Spartans, who were dominant throughout the championships, went down to a lone strike from Old Fort’s Carolyn Deane, who seized upon a defensive error to slot home in the first half. The second half saw the Spartans trying to make a last stand, but could not penetrate the Old Fort defence.

The time-out though didn’t change their fortunes as Old Fort hung on for a one-nil win against the upand-coming exciting bunch.

In the Male U-21 final, the end of regular time saw the match in a draw at 3-3 between Old Fort and GCC Pitbulls, which meant it had to be decided by penalties.

The GCC Pitbulls held their nerves to win 2-1 to capture the title.

Meanwhile, the Joseph

Stars copped the Boys U-16 title with a close 3-2 win over Saints after Warren Williams’ 11th minute second half goal separated the two teams and gifted his side the title. Earlier, the contest was tied at 2-2 at the half after conversions by Jonathan Williams and Warren Williams for Warriors and Quinn Tobin and Shakeem Faucett for Saints.

In the Girls U-16 semi-final, Spartans downed GCC Her-ricanes 4-0 after double strikes from Cadogan and Haley Carpenter, while Saints got past Joseph Stars 2-0 on penalty shoot-out after a scoreless regular time tassel.

Stars copped third place honours after they edged past Her-ricanes 1-0.

In the lower age groups, the Saints Scalpels and GCC

In-form Holder looks to McGrath, Anderson

Jason Holder claimed another five-wicket haul against India // AAP

JASON Holder continued his unbelievable year with the red ball against India, but the Windies skipper says he can get better West Indies captain Jason Holder is taking inspiration from pace legends Glenn McGrath and James Anderson as he looks to hone his fast bowling skills. Holder claimed his fifth five-wicket haul in the second Test against India but his effort was not enough as the tourists suffered a 2-0 series whitewash.

Holder, who missed the first Test in Rajkot, returned figures of 5-56 in India’s first innings after hitting a gritty 52 in his team’s first essay in Hyderabad.

He has now taken 33 wickets from six Tests in 2018, at the incredible average of 11.87 – the best for any fast bowler with a minimum of 30 wickets

in a calendar year in the last century.

The last time a pace bowler collected more than 30 wickets at an average under 15 was Shoaib Akhtar in 2003.

But Holder, standing six feet and 7 inches tall, believes he has room to improve as a bowler, and that following Australia’s McGrath and Anderson of England is the way forward.

“Funnily enough, I have been watching lots of clips. People like Glenn McGrath and even James Anderson. And these guys have got lot of skill in terms of moving the ball both ways,” said Holder, who has captained West Indies in 27 of his 35 Tests. “The one thing that’s common with both of them is the amount of pressure that they build,” Holder said of the two cricket icons.

The 36-year-old Anderson recently became the leading fast bowler in Test history by picking up his 564th scalp during the India series.

He moved past Australia’s pace ace McGrath who retired in 2007 with 563 wickets from 124 Tests. At 26, Holder has only just begun in comparison with the game veterans. He has 86 wickets to his name since making his five-day debut in 2014.

“You just got to understand the conditions. Field placing comes in a lot, something that I have to work personally as a player and trying to know my strengths and weaknesses,” he said after his team’s 10-wicket loss to India.(AFP)

Overall winners of the GHB Indoor Hockey Championships pose with their accolades.

(Royston Alkins photo)

Thunder captured the under 13 and 10 mixed division titles, respectively.

The Scalpels captured the under -13 title by defeating Saints Scorchers 3-2 in the

final.

Converting for the champions were Collin McDonald who netted twice and Davrious Alleyne, while Scorchers’ Javid Hussain

netted both goals for his side.

The under -10 title was played on a round-robin basis with Thunders coming out on top.

Innovations America joins Ignite sponsorship team and Trinidad thus far, as well as the United States and Europe, with Jamaica set to confirm later this week.

Among the sponsors for that event are ExxonMobil, 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 Optical, Bikers’ Bar, Samaroo Investments, Innovations America and SuperBet, Agriparts and KGM Security Service.

Mellica Murse from Innovations America hands over sponsorship to Saurica Singh of the GMR&SC, ahead of the Ignite race meet.

INNOVATIONS America is the latest company to join forces with the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club’s Ignite race meet, billed for November 10 and 11.

The company, through Mellica Murse, handed over sponsorship to GMR&SC’s Surica Singh at a simple ceremony yesterday, adding that they are pleased for the support.

Meanwhile, the club also confirmed that all the necessary plans like track preparation and other things have begun for the meet.

That event will form the basis for the final leg of the Seaboard Marine Caribbean Motor Racing Championships (CMRC).

They have confirmed competition from Barbados

GUYOIL/Tradewind Tankers U-18 Football league

Big wins for Vergenoegen, Christianburg

Part of the action during the Christianburg/Wismar’s 6-0 drubbing of Dolphin Secondary (Adrian Narine photo)

MATCH day three of the GUYOIL/Tradewind Tankers U-18 Football league continued with big wins for Vergenoegen and Christianburg/Wismar Secondary Schools on Sunday.

In the first game of the day, Vergenoegen thrashed Marian Academy 6-1 with braces from Troy Skeete (13th and 56th) and Chris Smith (62nd and 63rd). Their efforts were also boosted by single strikes from Ronaldo Macey (47th) and Brentnol Babb (50th). For Marian Academy, only Mickel Plaeres (64th) found the back of the net.

Christianburg/Wismar Secondary clobbered Dolphin 6-0 with single strikes from Randy Pickering (16th), Mickel Adams (28th), Andre Meyers (33rd), George Stephen (39th), Decklon Lee (47th) and Felix Innis (60th).

Lodge were 5-1 winners against Uitvlugt, thanks chiefly to Thriston Gordon (31st and 59th) and Dorwin George (56th and 58th), with Rasheed Evans 14th minute strike bringing the score to 5. Uitvlugt had Mickel Mckend 15th minute strike as a consolation goal for the losers.

Charlestown was on the losing end with a 3-1 drubbing from Annandale, with Carlos Agard’s 50th minute goal being cancelled out by Omari Glasgow’s 49th and 54th minutes strike with Omari Glasgow setting the foundation in the 16th.

Bolt questions why he is being drug tested …not yet a professional footballer USAIN Bolt has questioned why he has received a notice for a drugs test from Australia’s anti-doping authority (ASADA), saying he is not yet a professional footballer.

The eight-time Olympic sprint champion has been on trial with Central Coast Mariners and scored twice on his first start in a friendly on Friday.

Bolt says he has been told he is being tested as he is an “elite athlete”.

The 32-year-old Jamaican retired from athletics in 2017.

“So guys I’ve retired from track and field looking

to become a footballer but look at this,” Bolt said in an Instagram post on Monday, in which he showed the drugs test notice.

The notice from ASADA requesting blood and urine appears to have been issued

by Football Federation Australia.

It is understood that even as a trialist, Bolt is officially registered with the club, and is therefore subject to drug testing.

Bolt’s trial period with the A-League club came to an end at the weekend and the Mariners now have to decide whether to offer the Jamaican a permanent deal,

a further trial period or release him.

“How am I going to get a drug test today? I’m not even a professional footballer yet.

Seriously,” the 100m and 200m world record holder added.

“So I asked the lady, ‘Why am I getting drug tested when I haven’t signed for a club yet?’ and she said they told her I’m an elite athlete so I have to get tested. Okay then.”

ASADA defines an athlete as a person who “competes in sport and who is subject to the National Anti‑Doping Scheme”.(BBC Sport).

South American 10K 2nd Leg set for November 4 THE Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) through its governing bodies--the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) and the Confederation of South American Athletics Federation (Consudatle)-- will be hosting the 2nd leg of the 16th Edition South American 10K Road Race Classic, “RUN FOR GUYANA GOLD”, on November 4.

This year, the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) will mark its 70th Anniversary (70 years of services to athletes and athletic clubs in Guyana--1948 to present), while the Consudatle will also be celebrating 100 years of services to all South American Athletics Federation (1918 to present).

SEE PAGE 20 Cleveland Forde will be one of the leading athletes to represent Guyana at this year’s South American 10K Road Race Classic.

Usain Bolt retired from athletics in 2017

Boxing coach `Pocket Rocket’ Rogers licence suspended for three months

BOXING coach Orlando `Pocket Rocket’ Rogers licence as a professional boxing coach has been suspended by the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC) for a period of three months after Derick Richmond was made to use a defective scale prior to his contest against Barbados’ Keithland King for their September 24 engagement at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).

According to a GBBC release, Rogers has been suspended for 90 days from performing the duties of a professional coach. The release stated that Rogers’ suspension is due to the fact that he (Rogers) used a defective scale that produced an erroneous weight and was publicly confirmed at the weigh-in and secondly, his negligent approach as a coach and failure to properly acquit his responsibilities as a professional boxing coach.

SEE PAGE 20 Boxing coach `Pocket Rocket’ Rogers

Guyana Jaguars beat Canada by four wickets

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See Page 20

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2018