Guyana chronicle e paper 10 17 2017

Rodney lives on

– as Jamaica observes National Hero’s Day

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No. 105068

TUESDAY OCTOBER 17, 2017

Price: $80

(VAT Inclusive)

Food is it, not bauxite or gold – President tells Lindeners as Guyana celebrates World Food Day

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Bartica girls the first to be Parking meter renegotiation immunised ready to roll – as gov’t launches groundbreaking national HPV vaccination programme ■ Centre Pages

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Former death row inmate succumbs at hospital Page 9

Former prison warden now a prisoner Page 8

Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings immunising the first child, a student from the Agatash Primary School, with the HPV vaccine at the Bartica Health Centre. At left is PAHO/WHO Country Office Advisor for Maternal and Child Health, Dr. Janice Woolford

IMF forecasts 3.6% economic growth for Guyana

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Food is it, not bauxite or gold – President tells Lindeners as Guyana celebrates World Food Day

By Vanessa Braithwaite PRESIDENT Granger told Lindeners on Monday it’s about time they get with the programme and get involved in agricultural production in a big way.

“We have to invest in agricultural production. Every day you have to eat food; you can’t eat bauxite, timber or gold, you have to invest in food,” President Granger said.

“We have to move agriculture to industrial scales; we have to start producing for the market; we have to move our agriculture production,” he told patrons gathered at the Bayroc Community Centre Ground in Wismar to participate in the event being held there to mark World Food Day (WFD).

The event, which was hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, saw a grand assemblage of scores of booths

Linden Gold Medalist Deshana Skeete assists President Granger in cutting the ribbon to officially declare open the World Food Day fair at the Bayroc Ground in Linden

exhibiting agricultural produce, livestock, local craft items, medicinal plants, pesticides and educational material on agricultural production.

Among government and other officials at the opening ceremony besides President

David Granger, were Minister of Agriculture, Mr Noel Holder; Junior Finance Minister, Mr Jaipaul Sharma; Junior Minister of Communities, Ms Valarie Patterson; Mr. Robert Natiello of the International Organisation on Migration (IOM); Mr.

Ruben Robertson of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO); and Ms

‘

We have to invest in agricultural production. Every day you have to eat food; you can’t eat bauxite, timber or gold, you have to invest in food’ – President Granger to Lindeners

Mikiko Tanaka of the United Nations.

President Granger, in his feature address, urged Lindeners to invest in agricultural production since the region in which they live is blessed with the resources for agricultural development.

He also commended Minister Holder for having the vision to hold such an important event in Linden, given the need for the region to rise to the occasion and realise its true potential.

“Region 10 is essential to the agricultural development of this country; not

only agricultural development but diversification and agro-industrialisation,” the President said, adding: “Linden, and Region 10 as a whole, can help to provide food for all.”

FOOD SECURITY Citing the difficulty the government is having with achieving the goal of food security, not only in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) but the entire country, the president said that one sure way of getting around it is to establish a major agro-industrial complex in every

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A local coconut farmer and producer shows off his giant dry coconut to President Granger

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 17, 2017

IMF forecasts 3.6% economic growth for Guyana – based on projected performance of gold, budding oil sector GUYANA has been on the positive side of economic growth over the past three years, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected a further 3.6 per cent growth of the economy in 2018.

The country was among the few which stood out for positive growth in the IMF’s Regional Economic Outlook update, themed “Latin America and the Caribbean: Stuck in Low Gear.”

Although there was a decline in the growth rate from 3.8 per cent in 2014 to

3.1 per cent in 2015, there seems to have been a rebound of sorts, with the rate moving from 3.3 per cent last year to a projected 3.5 per cent this year.

According to the IMF in its report, “The downturn in most economies is estimated to have extended into 2017, and positive growth is projected for 2018.

“Growth has been stronger in Guyana, supported by two new large gold mines and positive sentiment ahead of the beginning of oil production in 2020.”

On a more negative note, the local inflation rate is expected to move from 2.6 per cent this year to 2.7 per cent in 2018. Inflation is the rate at which the general

Still under investigation

– Legal Affairs Committee not yet done with sex scandal probe, mayor says GEORGETOWN Mayor Patricia ChaseGreen on Monday refused to entertain a discussion on the matter involving a city constable who allegedly had sex with a juvenile who was being kept at the City Constabulary after being found loitering.

The 15-year-old boy was reportedly approached by the Lance Corporal in the wee hours of the morning and made to engage in the act. The incident occurred sometime between August 22 and 23 last.

“There have been lots of lapses in the entire matter,” the mayor said, adding that more statements need to be taken to facilitate a thorough investigation.

She said she prefers to wait until the Legal Affairs Committee completes its investigation and comes forward with a decision before the council is allowed to deliberate on the matter.

The mayor called for the said committee to make such a decision before this month ends.

Councillor Heston Bostwick offered that the Council should direct the Human Resources Manager to send the officer in

question on administrative leave until the investigations are over.

“Nothing has been proven; absolutely nothing!” Town Clerk Royston King responded, adding that persons should not be carried away by news reports. He said the council must do its work to find the truth, and that it is a mere allegation at the moment.

Chief Constable Andrew Foo told the Guyana Chronicle that although he is aware that the Lance Corporal at reference faced a similar matter in 2016, everyone is deemed innocent until they are proven guilty.

He said he doesn’t foresee any challenges with the officer being allowed to remain on the job, since it is unlikely that he can interfere with the investigation that is being done by the committee.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Chronicle understands that the incident was witnessed by another city constable, who has since provided a written statement to this effect.

The Guyana Chronicle has learnt that the reason the 2016 matter against the said officer was dropped, was because the victim did not pursue it.

level of prices for goods and services is rising, and as a consequence the purchasing power of currency is falling.

The IMF has, however, revealed that the economic prospect for the Caribbean is generally improving. The baseline projections reflect data available before the impact of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, which hit the Caribbean recently, and do not, therefore, reflect the devastating impact of these hurricanes on a number of countries in the region, and the risk they pose to their growth outlook, at least in the short-term.

ON TRACK In its introductory statement, the organisation mentions that after disappointing growth over the past few years, economic activity in Latin America remains on track to recover gradually in 2017–18 as the global economy gathers steam, and recessions in a few countries in the region come to an end.

Long-term growth, however, remains weak, hampering income convergence towards advanced economy levels.

Fiscal space to support demand is reportedly limited, particularly for commodity exporters. But monetary policy can play a supportive role, because inflation has been moderating rapidly.

“More importantly, this is the time to urgently press ahead with much-needed structural reforms to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth. Priorities include closing infrastructure gaps, investing in human capital,

encouraging female labor force participation, reducing labor market informality, enhancing governance and curbing corruption, and furthering trade and financial integration,” the report indicated.

With private investments being another driver of economic growth, the Government of Guyana’s intent is on promoting investment, innovation and crafting an institutional framework for economic development.

ENABLING ENVIRONMENT President David Granger, during the opening ceremony of the recently concluded Business Summit, said that over the years, the government has been working to create a more enabling environment for business development by encouraging investments and ensuring a stable macroeconomic environment.

“Americans, Brazilians, British, Chinese, Indians, Russians are all investing here. Why can’t you? Why should Guyanese have to be reminded to invest in their own country?” President Granger said, adding that local investors have no earthly reason for not increasing investments which would fuel the expansion of the economy and provide employment.

One of the steps the government has taken to improve investments is to encourage the banking sector to expand its financial services to the agricultural, rural, hinterland, gold mining areas and other remote zones.

According to President Granger, that step is part of the government’s plan to

allow investors to access affordable capital.

Investments alone will not yield the results they are looking for, he said, in that it has to be complemented by innovation to create a competitive economy.

The “Green State” Policy was seen as one of the things that created many opportunities for innovation because it emphasises the preservation of Guyana’s biodiversity; protection of the environment; the provision of eco-tourism and the promotion of renewable energy generation and practical measures to ensure climate adaption.

President Granger is of the belief that those factors opened business opportunities in the area of agriculture; banking; biodegradable packaging; construction; distribution services; eco-tourism; green transportation; Information and Communication Technology (ICT); the manufacturing of energy saving equipment and energy generation from sustainable sources.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Long-awaited CPC Congress opens tomorrow

--President Xi to unveil country’s vision for next five years

BEIJING - The 19th Na-

tional Congress of the

Communist Party of China (CPC) is billed open here on Wednesday with Party General Secretary, who is also President of China Xi Jinping, expected to lay out his country’s vision for the next five years.

“The Congress will review the Party’s work over the past five years and summarise precious experiences that the Party has gained from the historical process of uniting and leading people of all ethnic groups to carry on and advance socialism with Chinese characteristics under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi at the core since the 18th CPC National Congress,” a statement from the CPC said.

Additionally, the Congress will thoroughly examine

the current international and domestic situation, and take into account the new requirements for the development of the Party and the country as well as new expectations from the people.

The congress will draw out guidelines and policies that respond to the call of the times, according to a statement after the meeting.

The congress is billed as a very important meeting as China strives for its final victory for achieving a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way, and at a critical time for the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the statement said.

As a lead up to the Congress, several important meetings have been held and a twomonth exhibition showcasing

the achievements of President Xi has been mounted at the Beijing Expo Centre under the theme, “Forging ahead China’s great achievement in the past five years.”

WORLD COVERAGE For the Congress, China has invited nearly 2000 journalists around the world to cover the event and also visit key provinces that are at the heart of its development.

Some 38 delegations representing the Chinese mainland’s 31 provincial regions, departments of the CPC Central Committee, central government organs, enterprises controlled by the central government, central financial system, the People’s Liberation Army, the Armed Police, and CPC members of Taiwanese origin have arrived in Beijing for the event.

More than 2,200 delegates, chosen from more than 89 million CPC members across the nation, will attend the twice-a-decade congress.

The delegates will deliberate an 18th CPC Central Committee report, a CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection work report, and an amendment to the CPC Constitution at the congress.

On Sunday, President Xi called for increased cooperation between the CPC and the country’s non-Communist political parties to jointly strive for achieving the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

At a meeting held by the CPC Central Committee to solicit opinions from members of non-Communist political parties on a draft report for the Congress,

Monday, October 16th , 2017 14:30 hrs Tuesday , October 17th , 2017 14:30 hrs Wednesday, October 18th, 2017 14:30 hrs

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Food is it; not bauxite... region, and suggested that Minister Holder do just that.

Contending that every Guyanese has the right to food and knowing that it is readily available, President Granger said: “When we talk about food security, we mean that food must be available in sufficient quantities, and people must have access to that food. And when you get the food, it must be available and satisfying.”

He, however, made it a point that it’s not that Guyana is threatened by hunger, but rather that undernourishment is the real issue, as access to food is uneven because of a number of problems.

“We have to deal with those problems: Problems of investment, problems of infrastructure, and problems of agro-processing,” the president said.

In closing, he had a particular message he wanted to leave Lindeners and residents of the wider Region 10.

“The message of this Food Day is that you can do it; right here in Region 10. I want you to aim at that goal; at that objective. We can produce food for all in this region, Region 10,” President Granger said.

MESSAGE OF HOPE Giving Linden farmers

From page 2

some kind of hope that they agricultural production and IOM has always prioritised can pull it off was Minister food security in Region 10 as food security by striving of Agriculture Noel Hold- was done before in the 70s. to eradicate poverty. “The er who, in his address, reHe alluded to the massive IOM will continue to work vealed that the government agricultural projects being with its partners such as the will soon construct in the spearheaded in the Upper Food and Agricultural Orgacommunity of West Wa- Berbice River, and encour- nization (FAO) and the Govtooka, hydraulic structures aged residents to work with ernment of Guyana to make to complement the already our national leaders to pro- sure that people migrate as a existing drainage works to duce food in the region. matter of choice rather than aid farmers.

“I am very happy that we by necessity,” he said.

Minister Similar Holder highsentiments We have to move agriculture to industrial were echoed lighted that scales; we have to start producing for the by Ms Tanathe intermediate savannahs market; we have to move our agriculture ka, in that the of Region 10 UN is about h a v e b e e n production’ the good life earmarked as – President Granger on World Food Day for all; is cogGuyana’s new nisant that agricultural sustainable frontier as the MoA con- have a president and we have agriculture is essential; and tinues to narrow the gap a minister who is concerned therefore stands with Guyana between the coastal and hin- about food security in our to achieve this goal. terland regions. town, in our country,” Mr He spoke of the massive Adolph said.

ALWAYS A PLEASURE agricultural project that is “I am very happy that Mr. Robertson said the being undertaken at Ebini, once again our region is on FAO is very pleased to be a community located in the the front burner of pushing partnering with the MoA to Upper Berbice River of Re- food security,” he added. pull off this WFD celebragion 10.

In his short address, the tion. In his speech, he said “Region 10 is vital in the IOM’s Mr. Robert Natiello the celebration addresses the development of Guyana; it is said that one of the reasons structural move of people in certainly located in the heart for celebrating World Food order to migrate safely and of the country, bordering six Day is to remind persons that orderly. The FAO, he said, other regions, and spanning access to food for many the has made significant strides the three major rivers,” Min- world over is still a constant in eradicating poverty, but ister Holder said, adding: battle, since there are some recognises that there is an “This region is unique; 815 million people, which increase of 38M people who there is no other region that equates to one in every nine, are hungrier than in 2016. is so well connected, well that go to bed hungry. Not- Like the IOM ‘rep’, he, too, wired to the country. ing that this is one of the stressed that one in every Regional Vice-Chairman, main reasons that people nine persons are not just Mr. Elroy Adolph, lauded are forced to migrate, and going to bed hungry, but are the government for pushing in droves, Natiello said the forced to migrate because of

‘

a lack of food security.

“The FAO will advocate for solutions that will make migration an act of choice and not a desperate last result,” he said, adding: “Agriculture and rural development have critical roles to play to reduce rural migration.”

WFD 2017 is celebrated under the theme, ‘Change the future of migration. Invest in food security and rural development’.

The programme was chaired by Mayor of Linden, Mr Carwyn Holland, and saw a wealth of cultural activities as well as the

honouring of Linden’s gold medallist, young Deshana Skeete.

Some of the organisations that exhibited agricultural products and livestock were the Guyana Livestock Development Association (GLDA), the Ministry of Agriculture, the Guyana School of Agriculture, Farfan and Mendes, and the Upper Demerara United Farmers Society.

Also on board were several community development councils and agricultural groups in Linden, as well as small-scale agro-processors.

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Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Cease subverting the minds of cane cutters IT IS a GIVEN rule of business and commerce that any entity that is in perpetual debt to the point where it is not breaking even, much less to make a minimum profit; where it cannot pay even its minimum overheads, and continues to receive sums for its daily survival – is in a state of terminal decline. There is no astute business person who will continue to invest financial resources in an entity that continues to be unprofitable. It will soon be sold or closed.

The sad case of a once mighty industry – sugar--as symbolized by the Corporate Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), needs no further explanation; except to say that it is debt-riddled, has become grossly unprofitable in terms of production, continues to be an unbearable burden on the national treasury, compliments of 23 years of criminal mismanagement by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic((PPP/C), aided by its industrial arm, the Guyana Agriculture Workers Union(GAWU).

It was a period where political considerations took precedence over the professional operations of an industry that had always been a significant contributor to the national coffers, and on which 16,000 workers and their families depended for their daily living.

The numerous attempts at deceiving the affected workers, and the nation as to where the responsibility for this national industrial tragedy should be placed, have been exposed for its dangerous intentions – to foment industrial unrest, with the sinister input of ethnicity. This has been the evil subterfuge of the PPP/C opposition party, all in the name of re-claiming government which they lost at the May, 2015 polls.

We note that the coalition, A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (AFC) government has decided on a menu of measures to keep the debt-saddled entity in operation.

Of course, in any other jurisdiction – such a failed industry would have been closed, given the continuous injection

of taxpayers money since 2015, almost $40B, that could have otherwise been spent on critical sectors such as increased salaries for teachers, the police, housing , health , and water , just to name some of the urgent social needs.

But this is about the socio-economic existence of so many persons, and the livelihoods of their dependents. This has been the primary consideration of the government in finding a solution to the problem of the sugar industry, despite the almost insurmountable problems. And that is – the livelihoods of sugar workers should be primary thought.

In an announcement last Friday, GuySuCo had indicated plans for the commencement of downsizing its current work force for better cost effectiveness and efficiency, with only three estates remaining operational. This will cause redundancy and although the affected workers will receive severance, they will have to think about employment choices in a post-redundancy environment.

To its credit, the corporation has evolved what can be described as an after- redundancy plan, the Alternative Livelihoods Programme, that will engage those workers in an innovative re-skilling training programme. Surely, this may be a first anywhere in CARICOM, for usually, after severance, workers are left to fend for themselves. This has had its own social fall-out wherever such a situation exists.

There is a plan to offer workers contractual opportunities, delivering services to GuySuCo. But the Programme is much more in depth than this, since it is geared towards offering post-sugar opportunities to especially the mass of sugar harvesters.

It includes, what can be described as a mix of traditional training and modern categories, from catering, masonry, carpentry, plumbing, mechanical and electrical works on to small business, project management, business proposals, computer repairs, refrigeration, and ICT. Immediately, these skills do offer redundant workers opportunities to be competitive and employable in locales that

are expanding in growth and development, and where those named skills will be needed as part of economic expansion.

Call it a seminal preparation, designed to afford workers a respectful place in their communities and regions, after only knowing a work life of sugar.

Being very thoughtful, this socio-economic initiative also includes a plan to lease plots to those who are interested in farming; and will also see sustainable community strategies, developing in sugar communities such as Enmore and Wales.

Workers have already began to signal their interest in the various disciplines, and as the weeks go by, more, we hope, will take up the re-training opportunities.

To the opposition PPP/C, we say: cease subverting the minds of sugar workers for narrow, selfish, political ends, since this is about the future of these workers, particularly those with very young families. You have already destroyed their source of daily living. Allow them to make their own decisions, and not be led further down into the dark future without hope and bread.

To GAWU: Use your daily contacts with the workers for constructive ends such as encouraging them to take up these vital skills. Advising them to strike and stage protests can bring no good to their lives and communities. You, along with your political master are solely responsible for what is befalling sugar workers at the moment. We believe that the morally decent thing for you to do is to help GuySuCo make the Alternative Livelihoods Programme a success.

Why the Police get a bad name Dear Editor SOMETIMES when I overhear persons bad-mouthing policemen, in particular traffic ranks, about the manner in which they execute their jobs, most times I tend not to agree with the statements they make.

However, an incident which occurred around 14:00hrs yesterday (Monday), outside the Ruimveldt Police Station has me now feeling that sometimes the utterances against these policemen may be true.

Five female passengers and I were in a Route 42 minibus bearing number plate BRR 5933, with the driv-

er and the conductor being males.

As the bus approached the Ruimveldt Police Station, I observed two male traffic ranks--one wearing a helmet standing on the roadway-and as the bus was about to pass him, he signaled to the driver that he should pull in the corner.

The driver and the conductor were not aware that they had done any wrong, so they waited in the bus for the rank to approach them.

The helmeted rank, a constable (whose name can be provided) then walked up to the left front door and ordered the driver to “turn the bus around and take it in

the station yard.” When the driver asked: “Is wha we do boss?” the policeman repeated his orders.

I overheard one of the women asking: “Is wha is this now, I done late already?”

I too was also on my way to work. I suggested to the officer that he was being unreasonable, but he gave me a withering look and said: “I will lock you up for obstruction.”

As the driver was about to turn the bus around, the taller of the two policemen came alongside the driver’s side and said: “We have reasons to believe the bus has drugs.”

When the bus reached the station compound, the

rank with the helmet called upstairs, saying he needed a female rank. He then turned to us in the bus and said no one must disembark until he says so.

A female in plainclothes came downstairs and ordered that we be escorted upstairs to be body-searched. Once upstairs, we were all made to sit on the prisoner’s bench as we awaited our turn to go upstairs into a room where we were made to empty out belongings, and in my case unbutton my pants and lift up my blouse.

When I returned downstairs, I was made to give my

name, address and contact number and when I asked the reason, I was told the others had to do likewise.

I am aware that the police have their jobs to do, but the difficulty I have is that the policeman, when he approached the bus, never told the driver nor the conductor of an infraction, but instead in a pompous manner ordered that the bus be taken to the station compound.

There was never any utterance of the suspicion of drugs being in the bus until the taller of the two policemen came alongside the bus.

A search of the passengers, the driver, the conductor and the bus unearthed no such

drugs.

However,it was obvious from the mannerism of the policeman who ordered the bus in the station yard that he was on a roll, to show me who was more powerful because he asked: “You got me name?” Another who was dressed in civilian wear joked that “the bus should not leave the compound until he (as a detective) conducted a thorough search.

God help us all in this country if this is what the ordinary man has to face on a daily basis and they are afraid to speak up for their rights.

Wendella Davidson

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 17, 2017

IAC calls for all facts of Deputy Solicitor General’s termination Dear Editor, THE INDIAN Action Committee (IAC) is very concerned about two publicized high profile incidents that occurred recently, relating to two persons, one who remains in the employ of the government, and the other who was dismissed arbitrarily by the Public Service Commission, hours before its term of office expired.

The IAC is referring to the clearance of any wrongdoing by Ms. Lloyda Nicholas- Garrett, the President’s Press Officer, by President Granger; and the termination of the services of Ms. Prithima Kissoon, Deputy Solicitor General.

The IAC strongly be-

lieves, based on what has been published by the media, that the perception of uneven treatment of these two officers, given their distinct ethnic backgrounds, can cause much unease and lack of confidence and faith in the established systems.

The IAC wishes to remind the public that the organization had called on the Ministry of the Presidency to make public its findings into the allegation of racial slurs made

by Ms. Lloyda Nicholas-Garrett against staff members of Indo-Guyanese origin.

The IAC is now calling upon the government to make public all the relevant facts concerning Ms. Prithima Kissoon’s termination of services, so that an independent

determination can be made, thus enabling a fair examination of all the circumstances in an impartial manner.

The IAC expects due process to be followed in this matter so that the final outcome can be confidently expressed to the satisfaction of the entire nation.

The IAC urges civil society, trade unions, the religious bodies, human rights organizations, the diplomatic community, and members of the national assembly to give serious examination to these two instances in the interest of fairness and the concomitant removal of any suspicions of bias or discrimination.

The IAC urges strongly that these controversial episodes, based on public

revelations by the various parties involved, if not dealt with judiciously, can convey a perception of unequal or

unfair treatment and, therefore, should be taken very seriously in the interest of social cohesion and national

unity.

Yours sincerely, Indian Action Committee

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Republic Bank robbery accused released on bail THE remaining four men who were allegedly implicated in the failed armed robbery committed on Republic Bank’s Water Street Branch in July this year, were on Monday released on $500,000 bail each.

Police Constable, Anfernee Blackman, 21, of Laing Avenue, West Ruimveldt, Georgetown; former Republic Bank employee, Shawn Grimmond of Pike Street, Kitty; Rural Constable Gladston George, 24, of Princes Street, Lodge, Georgetown; and Keron Saunders, 24, of Burnham Boulevard, Mocha, East Bank Demerara (EBD), who are jointly charged for the offence, have denied the allegation.

City Magistrate, Leron Daly, before whom the mat-

ter was called up for a continuation of trial, released the men on bail and set November 6, as the next call-up date..

Another former Republic Bank employee, Jamal Haynes, 24, of 4 Norton Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown, who was also implicated with the four men, had on July 14 last when the matter was first called up before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, pleaded guilty to the charge and was jailed for six years.

Both Grimmond and Haynes were employees of Republic Bank at the time of the attempted robbery while George and Blackman were constables attached to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) who reportedly aided in the

robbery attempt by providing the firearms that were used.

In his bid to escape, Haynes was shot to his legs.

It was reported that on the morning of July 4, three armed men entered Republic Bank’s Water Street Branch before it was opened to the public.

Haynes and his gang members, including deceased Elton Wray, had reportedly planned on getting their hands on the night’s deposits, since it was a three-day weekend and companies would have deposited millions of dollars in cash into the bank.

Wray, a 25-year-old, China-trained agronomist, who was at the time employed at the National Agriculture Research

Extension Institute (NAREI), was shot in the chest

during the robbery. He succumbed to his injuries

the same day while receiving medical attention.

Former prison warden is now a prisoner THE roles of a 40-year old prison warden changed on Monday when City Magistrate, Leron Daly, remanded him to prison for allegedly assaulting a police officer.

George Solomon of Den Amstel, West Coast Demerara (WCD), appeared before her and denied the charge which states that on October 7, 2017, at the Camp Street Prison, he unlawfully assaulted a police constable who was

acting in accordance with his duties.

Police Prosecutor, Richard Harris, objected to the prison warden being granted bail on the grounds that the accused was previously charged and convicted for a similar offence.

“The accused showed total disregard for the law, his own service, and has records of indiscipline” Harris put forward during his objection to the court.

Solomon’s attorney,

George Solomon

Stanley Moore, however, told the court that “tempers flared” between the two parties on the day in question as a result of a prison ruckus and that his client also received injuries.

But the prosecutor wasted no time in making more objections as to why the court should not grant the accused his pre-trial liberty.

According to Harris, Solomon was previously convicted for assaulting an orderly at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court and recently, for assaulting two underage females.

As a result of the multiple reasons raised by the prosecutor in his objection against bail, the magistrate remanded the prison warden to jail and adjourned the matter to November 6.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Babita Sarjou’s murder PI...

Prosecutor closes case, defendants to lead defence POLICE Prosecutor, Inspector Neville Jeffers, on Monday closed his case in the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the murder of Babita Sarjou.

Sarjou’s ex-husband, Sharnandand Narine, called ‘Anand’ of Lot 51 Seaforth Street, Campbellville, Georgetown, and Darel Pronton called ‘Yankee’ of Lot 54 Broad Street, Charlestown, also in the city, are on remand for the woman’s murder.

Jeffers closed his case after the final witness, Renato Teodoro Ferreira de Paranaíba, a Brazilian Forensic Genetics Expert, testified before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, via Skype, with

the aid of a Portuguese interpreter.

The expert’s testimony is based upon the DNA samples (previously sent over to Brazil) and which were

taken from Sarjou’s remains.

Attorneys-at-law Ronald Trotman and Hubert Rodney are representing the two defendants.

The PI will continue to-

Another man remanded on firearm-related charges A 24-year-old Hunter Street, Albouystown resident was on Monday remanded to prison by Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court for two-firearm related charges.

Travis Moore during his court appearance, denied that on October 12, he had a .32 revolver along with five matching rounds of ammunition in his possession, when he was not a licensed firearm holder.

Moore’s attorney,

Tiffany Jeffery, told the court that her client and another person were nabbed by police in a taxi at Albouystown.

However, Police Prosecutor, Richard Harris, told the court that the firearm was found in Moore’s possession, and that the defendant admitted ownership in a caution statement taken by the police.

The Magistrate ruled in the prosecution’s favour and remanded Moore until October 30.

Police say two males; a 24-year-old and 30-yearold, were taken into custody following the discover of a .38 Revolver with four (4) live rounds by a Police Anti-Crime Unit patrol last evening in Albouystown, Georgetown.

According to a police source, the two suspects were in a motorcar when they were intercepted.

Investigations are continuing into the matter and the suspects are likely to be charged soon.

Former death row inmate succumbs at hospital FORMER death row inmate, Bharatraj Mulai, who in 2013 had his sentence commuted to life imprisonment, died at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) on Saturday last.

The deceased prisoner, who had spent more than two decades behind bars, had fallen ill.

Mulai began his prison sentence on Death Row in July 1994, when he and his brother, Lallman Mulai, were sentenced to death for the 1992 murder of Doodnauth Seeram at Mahaica Creek.

Dead: Bharatraj Mulai in his younger days

However, in 1995 the Court of Appeal had set aside the death sentence and ordered a retrial, but one year later the Mulais’ were again convicted and sentenced to death.

The Court of Appeal affirmed the sentence on appeal but in 2013 it was commuted to life imprisonment by then acting Chief Justice, Ian Chang.

The Guyana Chronicle has learnt that the dead prisoner’s relatives have asked the prison authorities for permission to bury him, and the Guyana Prison Service has approved.

day, October 17, with the two defendants leading their

defence.

It is alleged that on November 4, 2010, Sarjou left her Timehri, East Bank Demerara home, informing her mother that she was going to meet her husband, Narine, and son at the Kitty Seawall to view the annual Diwali motorcade. When she did not return home that night, her mother became worried and filed a missing person’s report.

After many months of searching and treating the case as a missing person, the case was eventually closed.

However, in 2016, with the

receipt of new information, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum re-opened the case, treating it in this instance as a homicide.

And, following new investigations into the matter, Sarjou’s estranged husband was further questioned and he subsequently led the investigating team to a shallow grave which had been dug in his own backyard.

Further probing also revealed that Narine had paid Pronton GY$50,000 and had promised him a trip to Trinidad if he killed Sarjou.

Stage all set 10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 17, 2017

– Parking meter renegotiating committee now ready to roll

By Telesha Ramnarine TWO members of the public were chosen by the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) on Monday to sit on the new team that will commence re-negotiation with Smart City Solutions (SCS), the company that was granted concession to install parking meters in the city.

At a meeting at City Hall, councillors decided on placing Mr Owen Godfrey Edwards, a civil engineer, and accountant and Mr Robin Hunte, an accountant and lawyer, on the committee.

The majority of the councillors voted for Edwards and Hunte over the two other names that were presented to them, these being MBA doctoral student, Mr Joseph Eastman and retired schoolteacher, Ms Pamela Arthur.

Early in September, 13 of 25 city councillors voted in favour of setting up a new committee, consisting of members of the public this time around, to start a fresh process of negotiation with SCS. Just last week, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Councillor Akeem Peter was select-

Mr Clinton Walkes giving a ‘demo’ back in January of how the parking meter card should be used

ed to be chairman of the new committee, with other APNU Councillor Noelle Chow-Chee being named Vice-Chairman.

Apart from Peter and Chow-Chee, the other members of the new committee are Councillors Oscar Clarke, Jameel Rasul, James Samuels, Heston Bostwick, and Ivor Henry. Town Clerk,

Mr Royston King and City Treasurer Mr Ron McCalman will complete the nineman team, but they will sit in an advisory capacity.

People’s Progressive Party (PPP)’s Bishram Kuppen, who is opposed to King sitting on the committee for fear he would influence the direction that it takes, was chosen to sit on the new team by Councillor Bost-

wick, but he declined the nomination.

Asked his thoughts on the matter, Peter told the Guyana Chronicle that the new committee will be working to achieve “the most possible and suitable deal” for the citizens of Georgetown.

“One of the first things I would be doing is asking for much more external helpers as it relates to the accounting

systems. “Numbers would play a great role,” he said, adding that the working income of most of the workers in Georgetown and the affordability of parking meters on the ‘normal’ person will have to be taken into account.

“We will bring the human face back to the issue, because we understood that it wasn’t really about parking meters, but it was about the contract. We want to help people understand the process,” Peter explained.

He said, too, that along with a reduction in the cost to park, the team will also be looking at the spaces that were offered to SCS, such as those in front schools.

“Even though we began on a wrong foot, I view this as an opportunity now for us to realign ourselves along the right path, and get a human face to parking meters.

The submission of documents is not an option; it’s a necessity, a must-do. Once those are submitted, I see us moving forward,” he said.

Meanwhile, the contract that the M&CC entered into with SCS came under heavy criticism from some City Councillors, who called for a complete revocation of it, while some others suggested waiting on the outcome of a

court case that has a bearing on the matter.

Deputy Mayor Lionel Jaikarran had said that the project lacked transparency from the beginning, was not open to public scrutiny, and should be shelved immediately.

Said he: “In May 2016, the Council was informed that the contract was signed for the implementation of parking meters. To my knowledge, at no time do I recall ever discussing, much less voting, on a proposal to implement this. I didn’t even see a contract until much later on.”

Alliance for Change (AFC) Councillor Sherod Duncan, along with PPP Councillors Bishram Kuppen and Khame Sharma, also called for the complete revocation of the contract with SCS. Duncan had repeatedly called SCS “a sham of a company”, and referred to how it disrespected the committee that the M&CC tasked with renegotiating the contract, by not providing requested documents.

“SCS is a bad deal for the City. How can we continue to work with them?

We cannot do business with them,” Duncan had said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Commuters decry rising death toll on Soesdyke-Linden Highway – say ‘deplorable’ state of roadway partly to blame

By Vanessa Braithwaite SINCE its construction in 1969, the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, a 45-mile uninterrupted stretch of bituminous road that connects Region Four to Region 10, has been a blessing to many, especially residents of Linden.

The highway brought an end to the day-long,tiring journey on the Demerara River in a steamer. The journey to Linden by road became a mere one and a half hour trip, even less, depending on the traffic and the speed of the respective drivers.

Linden as a town benefitted economically and socially and by extension the entire country, as the highway allowed better access to interior locations through the mining town.In addition, several villages were developed along the highway and while the inhabitants were predominantly Amerindians, these villages expanded and now there are several schools, churches, businesses and even a vocational college at Kuru Kuru.

The multitude of benefits that derived from the construction of the highway, some 47 years ago, was seen as nothing short of a blessing and the Government of Guyana came in for high praise for such a progressive undertaking.

Since it was only five years before the highway was completed, when over 40 Lindeners lost their lives in the Son Chapman river tragedy while travelling from Georgetown to Linden on the vessel, the memory of that fateful day was still fresh in the minds of Lindeners and fear still lingered in their hearts every time they had to sail to Georgetown. However, with the construction of the highway, boat captains and owners had to look for a new way to earn a livelihood while private buses began plying the route.

While the new highway was seen as a great convenience, the road fatalities quickly threw a blanket of fear over commuters as vehicular accidents begun to spiral. Since then, several Lindeners and other individuals have lost their lives in vehicular accidents on the Linden Highway.

Some of these accidents saw death tolls as high as six persons on the spot. While most accidents were caused by speeding, resulting in head-on collisions, other accidents came about through blow outs, hit and run incidents and in one case a bus caught afire, killing four young school children.

The highway is now being seen not as a blessing, but as a deadly roadway as every year many lives continue to be lost through accidents.

Residents of Linden are quite familiar with well-meaning warnings, often accompanied by prayers from loved ones and friends: “Be careful on that highway”;“Don’t travel late on the highway”; “This hour you travelling on the highway?”; “Don’t let dark catch you on the highway”.

These concerns have grown lately as the accident toll on the highway continues to spiral, with six persons losing their lives in 2016. This figure does not take into account the scores of accidents that were not fatal.

DEPLORABLE The roadway was rehabilitated during 1997-1999 but no other major repairs were done since then. Drivers and regional authorities have described the current state of the highway as “deplorable and in dire need of repairs.” Several structural faults, indentations and eroded sections can be seen on the highway and drivers who are not au fait with these pitfalls,and drive at over 100 km per hour,can find themselves

in dire straits.

Commuters at the Linden Bus Park in Georgetown often prefer to wait until a known and experienced driver turns up, rather than take the gamble and travel with someone who is not from Linden and is not a regular driver on the highway.

“Me, I does travel everyday to go UG and sometimes it could be after nine in the night and some Timehri bus or car would pull up and I prefer to stand up till 11, rather than to go with a strange driver because if they don’t know the highway, especially at nights, it can be very detrimental,” one regular traveller said.

CHANGING LANES Similar sentiments were echoed by a mini bus driver who posited that the shift in the foundation of the highway has resulted in several bumps and holes and only someone familiar with these can drive smoothly on the highway. “If you en know them bad spots, you would bump up all the time, and it is impossible to drive straight through on your lane because of the state of the road, and that does cause accidents because sometimes you trying to avoid a bad spot and crash into something, especially in the nights,” the driver said.

“The highway weary man, it tired, it need a complete do over or we will continue to get accidents all the time,” said conductor, Mark. One of these indentations that was recently recapped, caused three accidents on the same spot in the vicinity of Bamia last year.

NO LIGHTING Another major concern, for road users and drivers, is the absence of lights and reflectors on the road. With a driver having to exclusively depend on his/her vehicle’s headlamps as a guide, the reality is very frightening.

Linden Day Care centres observe Fire Prevention Week IN observance of the current Fire Prevention Week, the Region 10 Childcare and Protection Agency and the Ministry of Social Protection, collaborated with the Linden Fire Service to visit Child Care centres in an effort to educate care-

givers on the necessary procedures in the event of a fire.

According to the Registration and License Officer of Region 10, Daunne McFarlene, visits were made to several Child Care centres which were recently licensed

to ensure that the regulations are being met with regard to the buildings, and that monthly fire drills are being held. McFarlene said that the Child Care and Development Services Act of 2009 makes it clear what stipulations

Turn to page 12 ►

Several calls have been made for the placement of lights along the highway since it is almost impossible to see one’s way through, especially during a heavy fog. For an experienced driver, the ordeal might be less frightening but for someone unaware of the curves and bends of the highway, driving off the road is almost a sure calamity.

DEATH TRAP Councillor Charles Sampson described the thoroughfare as a veritable death trap. “If it’s raining and you coming through that highway in the night, it’s just God’s mercy that does bring you through that highway… apparently, dem ‘big boys’ gotta come and drive

lil bit more in the night; it’s a nightmare if you coming through! When you hit Moblissa Road, you don’t know whether you in the corner or you in the middle!

And if a light coming against you, you in trouble! It’s just by the grace of God you hold yuh wheel straight, and you sail past the vehicle.”

Peter Alleyne of Mahdia in Region Eight was driving his minibus on the evening of October 29 when he crashed into a parked truck, killing his wife, Bridget Alleyne, and Royston Holder, another passenger on the bus. Peter believes that if there were lights aiding his visibility, the fatal accident could have been avoided.

“I was driving at a pace of 60 kilometres per hour

when I collided with the truck, there were no reflector lights or anything to enhance by visuals and the truck was not visible to my naked, naked eyes….It was not until I had almost collided with the truck that I realised that a lumber truck was parked in front of me,” he said.

Moreover, road markings and signage which can aid drivers are also notably absent on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway.

Four lives have already been lost since the break of 2017 on the highway and if these issues are not corrected by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, many commuters are saying that the highway will continue to be a death trap.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Rodney’s indomitable spirit lives on – as Jamaica observes National Hero’s Day HAVING imprinted the values of equality and justice in Caribbean societies, today, more than 35 years after his death, Dr. Walter Rodney is being celebrated

by Jamaicans as a national hero.

This recognition of one of Guyana’s more influential politicians of the post-independence period, emerged at the annual Walter Rodney lecture organised by the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Institute of Caribbean Studies.

The event, which was held last weekend, focused on the life and work of Dr. Rodney and Black rights activist, Marcus Garvey, within the context of social and economic emancipation.

It was human rights activist, Latoya Nugent, who was the first to embrace the ideals of Dr. Rodney during her presentation, which focused on marginalised women. She said that she particularly admired the ‘hero’, because he was a revolutionary.

“I particularly admire him because he was a revolutionary. He recognised what many activists failed to recognise, which was that for the working class to be liberated, justice must have prevailed. Because for him, liberation was grounded in justice,” she told the audience.

Specifically referencing his book, ‘The Groundings with my brothers’, Nugent, who is also the Director of We-Change, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), said that the ideology represents her ideal for transformative engagement in the 21st Century.

She quoted an excerpt from the book which read: “I was prepared to go anywhere that any group of Black people were prepared to sit down to talk and listen.

Because, that is Black Power; that is one of the elements; a sitting down together to reason, to ‘ground’ as the brothers say.”

She would, however, note that while Rodney’s work primarily focused on the working class, the extent to which working-class women were marginalised was excluded from it.

This notwithstanding, she reiterated that his life and work are testimony of his commitment to the working class, and his attempt at liberating them from the oppression that exists even to this day.

Dr. K’adawame K’nife, lecturer at the Mona School of Business, also examined the contributions of Dr. Rodney to Guyana and, by extension, the Caribbean within the economic context.

He pointed out that one of the reoccurring themes of Dr. Rodney’s teachings was reexamining how society was planned.

This had featured prominently in Dr. Rodney’s work, because of his focus on the marginalisation of the working class.

Dr. K’nife also referenced the fact that Dr. Rodney placed great importance on the need to examine how development is approached by Caribbean societies. And according to him, more than 30 years after the death of the regional hero, it remains one of the most important issues in the Caribbean.

On Sunday, Jamaica observed National Heroes’ Day, which recognises seven national heroes from Jamaican’s history. But although Dr. Rodney is not one of them, his work and contribution to the Jamaican society does not go unnoticed, as he is annually recognised around this time of year for his role in Jamaica’s history. Symposiums and lectures are usually held in honour of him.

Dr. Rodney had attended the University College of the West Indies (UCWI) in Jamaica on a scholarship, graduating in 1963 with a first-class degree in History, thereby winning the Faculty of Arts prize.

On October 15, 1968 the Government of Jamaica, led by then Prime Minister Hugh Shearer, declared Rodney persona non grata.

The decision to ban him from ever returning to Jamaica was because his advocacy for the working poor in that country caused riots to break out, eventually claiming the lives of several people and causing millions of dollars in damages.

These riots, which started on October 16, 1968, are now known as the Rodney Riots, and they triggered an increase in political awareness across the Caribbean, especially among the Afro-centric Rastafarian sector of Jamaica, documented in his book, ‘The Groundings with my Brothers’.

Linden Day Care centres... should be followed.

“Every registered caregiver and sponsor shall provide for the safety, security, health and beneficial nutrition by providing appropriate plans to be discussed with parents, children and staff for disaster preparedness and response, including evacuation or appropriate response procedures; one separate entrance and one separate exit - clear of obstacles, easily accessible and clearly marked.”

Meanwhile, Registration and License

From page 11

Officer, Melissa Chapman explained that the fire drill exercise for Day Care Centres is more rigid than the regular drill done in other schools, since the caregivers are basically dealing with babies and toddlers who are very dependant and need extra attention. Therefore, it is imperative that the caregivers perform regular exercises to get the toddlers thoroughly acquainted with the necessary procedures of the emergency action plan.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 17, 2017

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Bartica girls the first to be im GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 17, 2017

--as gov’t launches groundbreaking national HPV vacci

By Svetlana Marshall THE National HPV Vaccination Programme was launched in Bartica, with Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings immunizing the first child as the Ministry joins its global partners in safeguarding this generation of girls from developing cervical cancer in the future.

The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is the most common sexually-transmitted infection (STI), and has the potential to develop into genital warts and cancer, in particular cervical cancer, among women. But the risk of developing cervical cancer can be eliminated using the HPV vaccine, which is most effective when used on adolescents.

From now to the month of December, the Public Health Ministry, through the Maternal and Child Health Department (MCH) is aiming to immunize approximately 36, 000 girls between the ages of nine and 13, once permission is granted by their parents.

The second dose of the vaccine will be administered six months after.

On Monday, the first batch of girls was vaccinated at the Bartica Health Centre, shortly after the national programme was launched at the Bartica Community Centre Ground under the theme, “It’s a Big Deal: Be HPV Free”, with major backing from the Pan-American Health Organisation and World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Referencing the WHO, Minister Cummings, while

pointed out.

It was based on these alarming statistics, that WHO Technical Advisory Group on Immunization in 2016 recommended that all countries in the Americas introduce the HPV vaccines.

Minister Cummings said in keeping with the WHO’s recommendations, the Public Health Ministry has opted to launched a National HPV Vaccination Programme for a second time. The first programme was carried out from 2012-2014.

This time around, the

Ministry is aiming to achieve a minimum of 95 percent coverage of the targeted population – girls 9-13.

“The Ministry of Public Health is committed to this preventative initiative against the development of cervical cancer as is evidenced by the provision of the funds required for the purchase of the vaccines and the other preparations needed for a successful HPV Vaccination campaign,” Minister Cummings told the gathering of school girls, parents, medical personnel and local and regional officials

Itaballi Primary School children doing a cultural presentation during the launch at the Bartica Community Centre Ground delivering the feature address at the launching, pointed out that cervical cancer is the second most common cause of cancer among women living in developing countries.

“In 2012, there were approximately 445, 000 new cases of cervical cancers in these developing countries,” she said.

“According to the World Health Organisation, in 2012, an estimated 270, 000 women died from cervical cancer.

More than 85 per cent of these deaths occurred among women living in low and middle-income countries,” Minister Cummings added as she painted a clear picture of the global situation.

GUYANA SITUATION

In Guyana, she said, the situation is no different. In 2014, when an assessment was done over a 10-year-period, it was found that cervical cancer was the second most common cause of cancer among women. According to that study, the average incidence rate of cervical cancer in Guyana was 46.9 per 100, 000.

“The data demonstrated that a mere 4 per cent of the cervical cancers that occurred among the Guyanese women over the 10-year-period were diagnosed at stage one whereas the majority of the patients were diagnosed at stage 4 which contributed to an average annual mortality of 267 per 100, 000,” the Public Health Minister further

Minister within the Ministry o WHO Advisor Dr. Janice Woo Ertenisia Hamilton (seated rig the line up to be immunised on that had converged at the ground for the launching.

Even as she applauded the “hard-working” MCH staff and their Director, Dr. Ertenisia Hamilton for carrying out an aggressive sensitization campaign, the Public Health Minister underscored the importance of continued education.

UNICEF Representative, Ms Sylvie Fouet and Deputy Mayor of Bartica, Ms Kamal Persaud seated with some of the students who attended the launch on Monday

INTERVENTIONS “The Ministry of Public Health has recognized that public education interventions can greatly increase HPV and HPV vaccine knowledge among groups influential to the HPV vaccination behaviors of adolescent females.

Therefore, as a Ministry we

mmunised GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 17, 2017

ination programme will continue to drive the message of the numerous benefits the HPV vaccine provides, in a coordinated effort to erase the profound ignorance that currently prevails about this life saving vaccine,” Minister Cummings stated.

While the Public Health Ministry and global partners such as PAHO/WHO and UNICEF are important stakeholders in this national effort, she said it must be noted too that parents, healthcare providers and teachers must also key stakeholders.

“Parents are typically

awareness among the populace. Fouet said in addition to the medical aspect of the programme, it has a community aspect that deals with acceptance.

Given the situation in Guyana, she said HPV vaccination programme is strategy being employed to prevent the spread of cervical cancer.

PAHO/WHO Country Office Advisor for Maternal and Child Health, Dr. Janice Woolford told those present that the expanded programme of immunization is a priority initiative for PAHO/WHO

of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings (centre), PAHO/ olford (seated left), and MCH Programme Director, Dr. ght) flanked by the first students of Bartica who were in n Monday the main decision makers in choosing whether their adolescent daughters receive the HPV vaccine. Therefore it is imperative that we carefully map our target audiences and ensure they receive clear unambiguous communication about the numerous benefits of the HPV vaccine,” she added.

UNICEF Representative, Ms Sylvie Fouet, in delivering brief remarks said UNICEF is pleased to be joining forces with the Public Health Ministry and PAHO/ WHO to carry this national programme.

UNICEF, she said, has been working with civil society with the aim of building

since it has a significant impact on disease prevention.

“PAHO/WHO will continue to support the vaccination programme through building capacity, social media campaign activities and providing access to remote services,” Dr. Woolford assured. The Mayor of Bartica Gifford Marshall and Deputy Mayor Kamal Persaud were among the officials at the launch.

When the HPV Vaccination was first launched in Guyana between 2012-2014, some 21,600 doses were administered. Vaccines were administered to girls 11-13 in Regions Three, Four, Five and Six.

Sophia squatters say they are ready to pay

15

--meet with CH&PA boss, after picketing Brickdam office SQUATTERS of ‘A’ Field Sophia, whose houses were destroyed or who were served notices to remove on Monday protested outside the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) on Monday, saying they are ready to pay for their land, if provided with one.

Morvina Stewart, a mother of twins who was on the protest line, said she tried applying for a land or turn-key house, but was told that none is available at the moment.

“I got my children; we need land to live and a place to rest, but I don’t know how we gone do that if government don’t help we,” said the distraught mother.

Stewart, who moved there just over a year ago, said all they need is the land, even if they have to pay because they are ready to relocate and rebuild.

According to a press statement from the CH&PA, they have given their word that they will address the concerns of squatters residing in the South Liliendaal to Cummings Park area, popularly called Sophia.

CH&PA’s Chief Executive Officer, Lelon Saul met with Clayton Jarvis, the leader of the group of squatters who protested.

Jarvis, himself a squatter, acknowledged the illegality of their actions, but pressed for the agency to address applications for squatters who have been in the system for a lengthy period.

The statement pointed out that Jarvis will work together with the

CH&PA and the Anti-Squatting Task Force of Constituencies 5 and 6 to remove those persons who are owners of house lots, but continue to squat nevertheless.

He also agreed to police the reserves to ensure that no new structures are erected on there; to provide status updates on applications submitted by the squatters; and to facilitate the registration of new applicants who are squatting on the reserves in the two constituencies.

Several illegal buildings sitting on government reserves were demolished last Thursday as the CH&PA, with support from the Public Infrastructure Ministry, moved in on squatters residing in South Liliendaal in the vicinity of ‘A’ Field Sophia.

According to a CH&PA official, who was on the ground that day, the exercise targeted buildings which were abandoned or recently erected, and those owned by squatters who have been allocated house lots but have not made any attempt to relocate.

A total of 21 structures were demolished, the housing authority reported on Thursday afternoon. The exercise was planned after extensive consultation with sister agencies and community representatives.

Equipped with sledgehammers, CH&PA workers, from as early as 08:00hrs on Thursday began to tear down the illegal structures in full view of residents who had swarmed the street, not only to get a glimpse of the undertaking but to voice their objection.

Two mothers on the frontline of the protest on Monday

The scene on Monday out of the CH&PA head office on Brickdam

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Guyana builds ‘cleaner’ agri-project capacity

By Clifford Stanley

PROFESSIONALS and technicians of the Pesticides and Toxic Chemical Control Board (PTCCB) and the National Agriculture Re-

search and Extension Institute (NAREI) recently benefitted from a training programme to build their capacity to implement national standards for the use of commercial bio-inputs

in lieu of chemicals in agriculture here.

Bio-inputs are biological inoculants and bio-pesticides which ensure safe food production, nutrition security and the environmental

Trainers and trainees at the bio-inputs programme are, from left: Mr. Wilmot Garnett, IICA local representative; IICA specialists Mr. Pedro Cussianovich and Mr. Mario Van Stahlen, and PTCCB and NAREI agricultural technicians

sustainability of farming activities in agricultural communities.

Guyana was the only Caribbean country to benefit from the Inter-American Agency for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) project titled: “Development of the Institutional Frameworks of the Subsector of Commercial Bio-pesticides for Agricultural use to promote cleaner agriculture.”

The training was the culminating event in a

one-year project for Guyana, the Dominican Republic and Paraguay by the IICA on bio-inputs as an important component of sustainable agriculture.

The project was funded and implemented by the IICA under its Competitive Fund for Technical Cooperation.

The two main outputs of the project were: (1) a proposal of a ational standard for the evaluation, registration and post-registration control of commercial bio-inputs for agricultural use; and (2) a proposal of a technical manual of procedures for the evaluation, registration and control of commercial bio-inputs for agricultural use of biological pesticides in Guyana.

The standard and the technical manual were introduced to staffers of the PTCCB and NAREI during the training programme held in the boardroom of the local IICA office.

The presenters were IICA specialists Mr. Pedro Cussianovich and Mr. Mario Van Stahlen who had collaborated closely with NAREI and the PTCCB in drafting the standard and manual for their use as templates

for evaluation, registration and post-registration of the use of bio-pesticides in Guyana.

Mr. Cussianovich said that the two documents contain proposals that the two organisations can use as templates or they could modify them in developing their own standards for management of bio-inputs which are to be increasingly used in Guyana in lieu of chemicals.

The provisions established in the standard referred specifically to the regulation and strengthening of activities carried out during registration of commercially-produced bio-inputs and after the registration had been granted.

The standard also establishes the requirements and procedures for management of activities associated with all stages of the product life cycle. This is aimed at properly regulating the use, management and sale of products, by managing their potential risks for human and animal health, and for the environment and agro-ecosystems to bring about cleaner and more sustainable agriculture in the country.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday October 17, 2017

Time to bridge the equity gap

--UNICEF says, as it raps stigma attached to hinterland children

By Alexis Rodney THE United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) says it will not support the notion that children in the hinterland regions are less privileged than those on the coastland.

It also favours the idea that should they be given equal opportunities, they all would be at the same level.

The international child rights organisation said that should these “equity gaps” be bridged, much of the social and economic strains experienced by children in hinterland communities would be lifted.

UNICEF Country representative, Sylvie Fouet told the Guyana Chronicle recently that there are too many negative notions attached to the hinterland regions, and the social and economic footing of the people are among the discriminatory concepts being embraced.

While there remains a fountain of other issues, access to quality education is also seen as a major problem.

“They are not poor; they just don’t have the same equal access to education as children on the coast,” Fouet said, adding: “So, if it takes me three miles to go to school in the interior, whereas for a child in Georgetown it is around the corner, then we have to make the school available closer to the child.

So it is really looking at actions that will reduce that inequity so that you have equal opportunities and no one is left behind.”

INEQUITY HURTS She said inequity hurts equal development, and was adamant that every child, “whether he lives in Linden, Georgetown or Aishalton,” should have the same rights with access to school.

She said, however, that geography says something else. According to her, Guyana’s unique geography makes it somewhat difficult.

UNICEF, she explained, has been seeking to address the issue, however challeng-

ing it may seem. She said the organisation has been working with schools through the youth-friendly service.

“It is basically trying to reduce the vulnerability of those who are most at risk, and trying to ensure that they are supported, as well as ensuring that no child is left behind,” she explained about its achievements thus far.

She pointed to a recent study done by UNICEF, which shows that while in Georgetown there may be 100 children entering primary school, chances are that 75 or more of that amount will enter into secondary school.

However, in the hinterland, where about 100 children would enter the primary school, only 53 get to make it into the secondary system.

“That shows that a lot of teenagers are not given an opportunity to have a secondary education,” she said.

Fouet said that here in Guyana, there is a high number of pregnancies and violence among teenagers.

She said these are mostly due to the lack of quality education, and the impact of the informal economy. She underscored that UNICEF is in support of the government and other non-State entities to address the problem.

UNICEF is also pushing the innovation of sport and development in education.

According to Fouet, there are not much extracurricular activities in schools; an opportunity where students could learn leadership and life skills from being involved.

CHILD MARRIAGE Meanwhile, Fouet also sought to put the rest the notion that underage sexual activity and child marriages are practices that only pervade the interior regions. Details from the Child Care and Protection Agency shows that they are done across the ethnic spectrum, especially where customs are deeply embraced.

To make it a larger debate, Fouet said ending child marriage has to be critical, not only in the law, but in the behaviour-change approach,

which includes beliefs and customs. She said that is what the youth friendly service is also hoping to achieve.

“A lot of teenagers do not know about protection.

It is not completely denying that sexual intercourse is happening; it is getting young people access to healthy lifestyle choices.

It is a lot about behaviour changes,” she told the Guyana Chronicle. She said that while a child should not be married before the age of 18, it is a known fact that there are certain behaviours and traditions that spread across every ethnic group in Guyana.

“And I know there are a lot of reasons why you would let your girl or boy be married,” she said. “And these include poverty, lack of education, lack of opportunities etc.

It is not to be judging, but those teens are the leaders of tomorrow.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday October 17, 2017

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday October 17, 2017

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday October 17, 2017

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday October 17, 2017

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday October 17, 2017

Mixed fortunes for Guyana on opening night of Pan Am Indoor Hockey C/ships

By Rawle Toney WHILE Guyana’s male team got off to the start they wanted, the women were not so fortunate, as the Pan American Indoor Hockey Championships got underway at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall last evening.

A hat-trick of goals from Robert France propelled the male team to a 5-4 win over Barbados in their first taste of the competition, while the women stumbled 3-4 and 0-3 against Uruguay and Argentina respectively.

Cheered on by a vociferous home crowd, the Guyanese women entered the tournament with an ‘underdog’ status quo but against Uruguay, they produced an exceptional showing, despite being overwhelmed by the visitors in the final stages of the game.

Agustina Nieto, four minutes into the contest, put Uruguay ahead but almost ten minutes later Trisha Woodroffe pulled one back for Guyana. However, Guyana’s celebration was short-lived, since Maria Teresa Viana Ache put the Uruguayans in the lead (2-1).

Guyana, down a goal going into the second half, were forced to defend against the visiting team’s powerful Mi-

lagros Algorta.

But, being urged on by coach Dwayne Scott on the sidelines, Aliyah Gordon immediately pulled one back for the home side, and it was Nicole Eastman who found

Canada in 2014, prior to their victory over Guyana, defeated Barbados 14-1 to cement themselves as ‘the team to beat’ in the women’s championship.

The USA, who have never

Part of the action from the opening night of Pan Am Indoor Hockey C/ship

the equaliser 38th minute.

With time ticking away and both teams hunting for the final goal to give them a good start in the championships, Constanza Arrandeguy scored what turned out to be the winning goal in the 39th minute for Uruguay.

In their second match of the evening, the Guyanese women were ‘overawed’ by Argentina (3-0) who saw Julieta Luna (12th minute), Maria Narvaez (13th) and Josefina Castaneda (34th) register goals.

Argentina, winners of the 2008 and 2010 championships, and runners-up to

won the championship and finished only third in 2014, won 7-2 in a come-from-behind result over Trinidad and Tobago.

Meanwhile, Guyana’s male team, having their eyes fixed on being one the teams from the Pan American region in Berlin next year, displayed the type of hockey that placed them as favourites to win the tournament.

Robert France scored back-to-back goals (6th and 13th minutes) to give Guyana a 2-0 advantage; a lead they carried into the second half.

Hilton Chester extended Guyana’s lead (3-0) with his

goal in the 24th minute but Barbados scored three goals in seven minutes through Che Warner (25th and 28th) and Akeem Rudder (32nd) to bring the men from the ‘Land of the Flying Fish’ even with the Guyanese.

However, Jamarj Assanah scored in the 33rd minute and France wrapped up his hat-trick three minutes later, to put Guyana up 5-3. Neil Franklin scored in the 38th minute for Barbados, but time, coupled with Guyana’s stubborn defence, ensured that his play was the ‘last straw’.

In other results, defending men’s champions Canada signalled their intention to repeat their 2014 title win, when they thrashed Mexico 10-0.

Johnathan Roberts led the Canadian onslaught with a hat-trick (3rd, 5th, 37th), while Tyler Branco (6th), Joshua Kuempel (12th), Devohn Teixeira (13th), Ken Pereira (27th), Adrien D’Andrade (32nd), Gurtej Dhaliwal (33rd) and Micah Teixeira (38th) scored a goal each for the team from further up North.

Today, Guyana’s female side will open day two of the tournament against Canada at 13:00hrs, while the men’s team will play their counterparts from the Twin Island Republic at 16:45hrs.

From back page

GuyanaNRA hailed ...

Long Range trophy before returning to take the WIFBSC Short Range title.

In addition, Guyana’s Fullbore captain Mahendra Persaud was in fine form as he won the Individual championship for the X Class shooter while Trinidad and Tobago’s Varma Rambarran won the O class just ahead of Guyana’s Roberto Tiwari.

Meanwhile, in the 150th Anniversary shoot, Guyana won the Long Range title but finished third in the Short Range division behind Ireland and England respectively.

In addressing those gathered, Fullbore captain Persaud recounted the hardships

of running the weeklong event.

“We were in the shortfall by a considerable

amount and we still are. I don’t want to bore you with that but we are happy that the championships went the

way it went. We have set the bar at a new standard and I hope the bar continually rises.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday October 17, 2017

Taylor powers Windies Women to ODI series sweep over Sri Lanka TAROUBA, Trinidad (CMC) – Irrepressible skipper Stafanie Taylor produced another telling all-round performance as West Indies pulled off a comfortable 40-run win in the final One-Day International to sweep their three-match series against Sri Lanka Women here Sunday.

Sent in at the Brian Lara Stadium, the Caribbean side rallied to 182 for eight off their 45 overs, with Taylor stroking a top score of 55, opener Hayley Matthews getting 41 and former captain Merissa Aguilleira gathering an unbeaten 37.

Off-spinner Shashikala Siriwardene was the best bowler with three for 26 while left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera supported with two for 24.

Taylor then proved her

Stafanie Taylor

worth in gold with the ball, snatching three for 29 with her off-spin to send the visitors crashing to 142 all out in the 41st over.

Fast bowler Shakera Selman also struck form, grabbing three for 30.

Dilani Manodara topscored with 42 with Rebeca Vandort scoring 34.

In a contest reduced to 45

overs per side, the Windies suffered an early setback when Kycia Knight was dismissed cheaply (5) with the score on eight in the fourth over.

However, Taylor and Matthews then came together in an 83-run, second-wicket stand to prevent the possibility of collapse.

The right-handed Taylor faced 82 balls and counted seven boundaries while Matthews, also a right-hander, struck four fours in a 75-ball knock.

Matthews’ dismissal triggered a slide that saw four wickets fall for 30 runs and it took a 29-run sixth-wicket partnership between Aguilleira and Kyshona Knight (14) to rally the innings.

Aguilleira’s knock was a crucial one as she hit three fours in a busy 42-ball innings.

RHTYSC launches U-12 cricket team THE Cricket Development Committee of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, MS, continues to unveil new initiatives as the club strives to remain the leading cricket club in Guyana.

The club last Wednesday entered a one-year sponsorship deal worth $150 000, with King Solomon Logistics of Princess Elizabeth Road, New Amsterdam to form an Under-12 cricket team.

Dubbed the Rose Hall Town King Solomon Logistics Under-12 team, Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster stated that the initiative will enable the club to reinforce its junior section as it seeks to introduce youths to the game at a younger age.

Organising Secretary Keith Hicks and his assistant Ravin Kissoonlall will be in charge of the team.

The team is expected to play matches against schools and clubs in Berbice. Further the team will have two practice days per week, while special classes will be organised once a week to educate them about the game, among different topics.

It is expected that most of the players will be drawn from the Rose Hall Town Primary School. However, students from the Port Mou-

King Solomon Logistics Manager, Tiffany Asregado, hands over the sponsorship to RHTYSC Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster. Looking on is Human Resources Manager Howard Butts.

rant, Tain and Belvedere primary schools can also be part of the team.

Young females will also be targeted for the Under-12 team as a feeder for the Rose Hall Town Metro female team.

Membership to the club is free, and all members are to make sure that they fulfil their potentials not only on the cricket field but also in the classroom.

The team, under the one-year deal will also be required to organise and host a total of twenty personal development programmes, such as meals for the elderly, hampers for less fortunate families, educational events, fitness

walks, toys for children at Christmas and assistance to their peers to stay in school by providing educational materials. Foster is expected to work along with the team to make sure that all the programmes are successfully completed.

Foster expressed gratitude to Tiffany Asregado, Manager of King Solomon Logistics, Asregado, speaking on behalf of King Solomon Logistics, stated that her company was delighted to be associated with the club and expressed confidence that the Under-12 team will be an outstanding representative of her company’s brand.

West Indies then got a great start when Selman removed Nipuni Hansika (0) and Chamari Atapattu (11) to reduce the Sri Lankans to 18 for two in the seventh over.

Manodara, however, came to her side’s rescue, anchoring three small partnerships to keep the innings

afloat.

She put on 33 for the third wicket with Yasoda Mendis (18), 20 for the fourth with Hasini Perera (8) before adding a further 30 for the fifth with Vandort, to push her side up to 101 for four.

Manodara had faced 85 deliveries and struck two

fours when she was caught and bowled by Matthews in the 32nd over, leading to a slide which saw the last six wickets perish for 41 runs.

Both teams will now turn their attention to the three-match Twenty20 series which starts in Antigua on Thursday.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday October 17, 2017

Windies bowlers dismiss Zimbabwe-A for 143

BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe (CMC) - West Indies bowlers, led by leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, got a flattering boost of confidence in their three-day, tour match against Zimbabwe-A yesterday.

Bishoo was the most successful bowler with 3-28 from 8.1 overs, but Shannon Gabriel, Miguel Cummins and Raymon Reifer all collected cheap wickets, as the Windies dismissed the home team for 143 to gain a first-innings lead of 193 on the second day of the threeday match at the Bulawayo Athletic Club.

The visitors reached 74 for one in their second innings at the close for an overall lead of 217 in their only practice match before the first Test of two against

Zimbabwe.

Opener Kraigg Brathwaite was bowled in the second over for two, but Kieran Powell, not out on 34, and Kyle Hope not out on 35 tried to ease concerns about their form and place in the side, as they batted through another 18 overs before stumps were drawn.

Bishoo claimed the last three wickets in the Zimbabwe-A first innings, as he tried to restore his captain’s confidence in his bowling ahead of the brief Test series.

He had Tinotenda Mutombodzi caught close to the wicket for 12, bowled Tendai Chisoro for 13 and brought the innings to a close when he had Donald Tiripano stumped for 14.

Earlier, Gabriel and newball partner Kemar Roach had failed to make the break-

through in their opening spells, but Cummins and Reifer soon put things right and undermined the Zimbabwe-A top-order.

Cummins removed opener Brian Shari and Tarisai Musakanda for five and nought respectively, in the space of three balls in his first over to leave the Zimbabweans rocking on 23 for two.

Left-arm fast-medium bowler Reifer ended a brief period of resistance to leave the A-Team wobbling on 55 for four, when he trapped Justice Chibhabha lbw for 25 in his first over and condemned Ryan Burl to the same fate for 16.

West Indies captain Jason Holder brought another period of defiance to a close, when he held a return catch to dismiss Richmond Mutumba-

Devendra Bishoo led the West Indies demolition of Zimbabwe “A” with 3 for 28

mi for nine.

Gabriel replaced Holder and triggered a further slide, when he removed A-Team captain Peter Moor for the top score of 32 and bowled Nyasha Mayavo for a fourthball duck in the space of five deliveries in his fifth over to leave the hosts reeling on 99 for seven before Bishoo completed the demolition job.

SCOREBOARD WEST INDIES 1st innings (o/n 301 for six) K. Brathwaite lbw b Mashinge 53 K. Powell c Musakanda b Chinouya 1 K. Hope c wkp. Mutumbami b Mavuta 42 S. Hope ret. out 85 R. Chase ret. out 79 J. Blackwood lbw b Chinouya 15 S. Dowrich c Mutombodzi b Mashinge 27 J. Holder not out 19 Extras: (b-5, lb-3, w-4, nb-3) 15 Total: (7 wkts decl., 97.1 overs) 336 Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-94, 3-94, 4-267, 5-267, 6-286, 7-336.

Bowling: Chinouya 19-6-55-2, Tiripano 14-6-23-0, Mashinge 19.1-3-71-2, Chisoro 25-3-85-0, Mavuta 20-1-94-1.

ZIMBABWE A 1st innings B. Chari c S. Hope b Cummins 5 C. Chibhabha lbw b Reifer 27 T. Musakanda c S. Hope b Cummins 0 R. Burl lbw b Reifer 16 P. Moor c Hetmyer b Gabriel 32 R. Mutumbami c and b Holder 16 C. Mutombodzi c Powell b Bishoo 12 N. Mayavo b Gabriel 0 T. Chisoro b Bishoo 13 D. Tiripano stp. Dowrich b Bishoo 14 W. Mashinge not out 4 Extras: (lb-6, nb-5) 11 Total: (all out, 44.1 overs) 143 Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-23, 3-48, 4-55, 5-94, 6-99, 7-99, 8-117, 9-138.

Bowling: Gabriel 6-4-5-2, Roach 7-3-17-0, Cummins 5-28-0, Joseph 6-2-28-0, Brathwaite 1-1-0-0, Reifer 5-0-29-2, Holder 3-1-4-1, Bishoo 8.1-2-28-3, Chase 3-0-18-0.

WEST INDIES 2nd innings K. Brathwaite b Masuku 2 K. Powell not out 34 K. Hope not out 35 Extras: (lb-1, nb-2) 3 Total: (1 wkt, 20 overs) 74 Fall of wicket: 1-3.

Bowling: Mashinge 5-2-15-0, Masuku 4-1-23-1, Chibhabha 4-1-10-0, Mavuta 5-3-16-0, Nyumbu 2-0-9-0.

Position: West Indies lead by 267 runs

Gabriel ended with 2-5 from six overs, Cummins finished with 2-8 from five overs and Reifer 2-29 from five overs.

Starting the day on 301

History for Babar as Pakistan see off Sri Lanka BABAR Azam claimed a share of one-day international history as Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 32 runs in Abu Dhabi yesterday.

In knocking 101 off 133 deliveries, Babar became the first player in ODI cricket to score five consecutive centuries in the same country.

Babar’s efforts glossed over the shortcomings of his team-mates, with Shadab Khan (52 not out) the only other man to make it beyond 11 as Pakistan finished on 219-9.

But Sri Lanka were similarly found wanting with the bat and, despite Upul Tharanga replicating Babar’s heroics by racking up an unbeaten 112, it was not enough to rescue a result for his side.

The victory gives Pakistan a 2-0 lead after three instalments of the five-match series.

Pakistan chose to bat but saw their innings get off to an alarming start, as Fakhar Zaman (11), Ahmed Shehzad (8) and Mohammad Hafeez (8) fell quickly to leave their side 40-3.

Shoaib Malik (11), Sarfraz Ahmed (5) and Imad Wasim (10) soon followed, but Babar

formed a fruitful partnership with Shadab for a seventhwicket stand of 109 - the fourth highest for Pakistan in ODIs. The pair provided an expert lesson in steadying the ship, steering their side over the 200-run mark when their prospects had looked decidedly bleak.

And, while Sri Lanka found their own standout performer in captain Tharanga, it was not enough to drag the tourists over the line, as they finished 32 runs short on 187 all out.

Tharanga did manage to put together a partnership of 76 with Jeffrey Vandersay (22), before a mix-up with Suranga Lakmal (1) put Sri Lanka on the ropes and a Lahiru Gamage (3) run-out finished the job.

It was also confirmed yesterday that the third and final Twenty20 clash between the sides will be played in Lahore on October 29, following a thorough evaluation of security.

The only Test side to visit Pakistan, since the Sri Lanka team bus was attacked by terrorists in the country in 2009, are Zimbabwe, who toured in May 2015. (Omnisport)

for six, the Windies declared their first inside the first half-hour, following the dismissal of Shane Dowrich for 27, leaving Holder not out on 19.

BCB confirms executives and committee members THE Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) announced the list of appointed executives and committee members who will serve in the 2017/2018 administration under President Dhieranidnaurh Sonwaru.

Other positions that are vacant will be filled in a timely manner.

The appointed executives are Arnold Deosarran, Raymond Mohammad, Godfrey Persaud, Desmond Fraser, Vemen Walter and Derick McAlmont.

The Junior selection committee comprises Leslie Solomon (chairman), Narine Deonarine, Patrick Lewis, D. Dharry, Shabeer Baksh, Orvin Mangru and Peter Tulsieram.

The Competitions Committee reads Julian Moore, Vemen Walter, Natasha Gangoo, Moses Rampaul and Christopher Bissoon.

Finance Committee: Godwin Allicock, Imran Sacoor and Randolph Latcha.

Disciplinary Committee: Dr Rishi Thakur, Attorney -at-Law. Taijnarine Ramroop and Imtiaz Bacchus.

The Marketing Manager is Devindra Persaud while Anthony Khemraj is the Public Relations Officer.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday October 17, 2017

NBA season starts today

All eyes on hardwood for possible anthem protests

Draymond Green

(REUTERS) - The start of a new NBA season always commands attention, given a thirst for gravity-defying dunks and sweet shooters, but this year many may tune in simply to see if players will defy rules and kneel during the national anthem.

The gesture has become common across the National Football League and is intended to call attention to what protesting players

see as a pattern of racism in the treatment of AfricanAmericans by U.S. police.

But it has been exacerbated after U.S. President Donald Trump said last month that players who did not stand during the anthem should be fired, prompting many NFL players to kneel and lock arms in solidarity.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has said he expects players to stand

during the U.S. national anthem, which has long been a league rule. The NBA also sent out a memo warning players of potential punishment if they didn’t stand for the anthem.

No NBA players have tested the mandate but several teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks, have stood together and locked arms during the national anthem ahead of their preseason

games.

The reigning champion Golden State Warriors have been the most vocal team in the NBA in advocating for racial equality and condemning the rhetoric of Trump and are viewed by many as a favourite to show some form of protest.

But the Warriors decided against any kind of display during the preseason and do not sound like they will change their position when

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka will play a Twenty20 international in Lahore on Oct. 29, returning to the city for the first time since they suffered a gun and grenade attack in 2009, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) confirmed on Monday.

The attack, in which six police officers and two civil-

ians were killed and six Sri Lanka players injured, meant Pakistan became a virtual no-go area for touring teams.

Apart from a brief visit by Zimbabwe in 2015, Pakistan has since been playing its home matches in the United Arab Emirates.

But last month Pakistan hosted three Twenty20 in-

ternationals against a World XI in the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

The SLC said over the past two months it had conducted a thorough evaluation with the assistance of the governments of Sri Lanka and Pakistan, the Pakistan Cricket Board and independent Security experts.

“Having been fully satisfied with the stringent security measures in place, the SLC ExCo unanimously decided to play the 3rd T20 in Lahore on the 29th October,” the SLC said in the statement.

The first two matches in the Twenty20 series will played in the United Arab Emirates.

Sri Lanka to play in Pakistan eight years after gun attack

they open the 2017-18 season today.

“We said what we had to say,” said Warriors forward Draymond Green.

“Everyone knows where we stand. We don’t need to do anything else to show where we stand.”

The NBA has long been considered the most progressive of the four main North American professional sports leagues and players have already been outspoken about the gesture, which has become increasingly common since Colin Kaepernick started it last year as a quarterback for

the San Francisco 49ers.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James, a four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, said he commends fellow athletes who are trying to make a difference by getting down on one knee but that he does not plan on doing the same.

“For me personally, my voice is more important than my knee,” said James.

“I talk (to media) every single day, what I say I think it should hit home for a lot of people. I don’t believe I have to get on my knee to even further what I‘m talking about.”

Inter-Ministry cricket competition for NCC tarmac tomorrow OVER $50 000 in cash and trophies will be up for grabs at a Hindu Festival Inter-Ministry, Government agencies knockout cricket competition scheduled for the National Cultural Centre Tarmac tomorrow from 09:00hrs Organised by sports organiser James ‘Uprising’ Lewis, the super six overs bat you own ball event will see the winning team take

away the grand trophies as well as medals, and the $50 000 grand prize. The second-place team will be $20 000 richer.

Registration for the event closed yesterday.

This competition is one in a series of events aimed at fostering social cohesion within the workplaces and to get workers, especially males, to be more responsible in their homes.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday October 17, 2017

Essequibo players defy the odds, says Bacchus

By Rajiv Bisnauth

PRESIDENT of the Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB), Fizul Bacchus, has hailed the performance of the Essequibo team in their just-concluded Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Franchise League three-day campaign.

Bacchus, who is also the acting president of the GCB, said in an exclusive interview yesterday that the team has definitely defied the odds and at the same time proved many people wrong.

“The entire Essequibo is proud of their performance.

You guys have played excellent cricket … you have defied the odds, and at the same time proved many people wrong,” Bacchus said.

The Essequibo Franchise played some phenomenal cricket throughout the seven-week tournament, and truly deserved the results.

The achievement landed Essequibo their maiden title.

Captain Anthony Adams led from the front, and was voted the best all-rounder and Most Valuable Player-in-the-tournament.

However, Bacchus disclosed that the performance has definitely witnessed the growth and promise of a number of young, talented players.

“During the tournament, they gave proof of their ability to function and perform,” he noted.

Further the ECB president acknowledged the

Shivnarine Chanderpaul presents Akshaya Persaud with the Best Batsman award.

work of head coach Michael Franco Hyles and assistant coach Ryan Hercules.

“It is never easy coaching a team with players from different areas, different backgrounds, different cultures and different playing styles.

That didn’t stop you guys

from getting the best out of the players. Your job did not go unnoticed at any time, and indeed you guys have done a miraculous job for the team,” Bacchus was quoted on the Essequibo Cricket Board Facebook page.

On the other hand, Bac-

Fizul Bacchus

chus pointed out that the competition has definitely boosted the development of the game and players in the Cinderella County.

“The Franchise cricket has definitely changed the image of the game in Esse-

quibo. As I said before, this Franchise League is the way forward, not only for Essequibo cricket, but cricket in general,” Bacchus said.

Bacchus further indicated that the quality of the game will continue to improve under this professional franchise set-up.

The league replaced the traditional Inter-county competition, and comprises eight Franchise teams countrywide.

Meanwhile, the League will be streamlined to feed into the Cricket Guyana Inc. (CGI) contract and academy offers, as well as Cricket West Indies Professional Cricket League Four-day competition and the Regional Super50.

Upper Demerara, West Demerara to clash in Super Sunday Night Cup final

By Joe Chapman UPPER Demerara recorded a sensational come-frombehind 3-1 win, while West Demerara blanked Essequibo/Pomeroon 4-0 to set the tone for a grand final tomorrow, when the inaugural Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) InterAssociation Super Sunday Night Cup championship concludes, with a $1M for the champions, at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground.

Playing in the night cap, the home team looked like going down after Georgetown took the initiative through a strike off the boot of Benjamin Opara in the 32nd of play as they went into the lemon-time break ahead 1-0. This was against a few opportunities which went their way but never troubled the scores as the City side seemed like coasting for a close win.

However, fifteen minutes after the second segment began, coach Anthony ‘Toto’ Stephens, riding a wave of criticisms for sticking to a new crop of players at this level, made a bold change. He took out the hard-trying forward Marmalaque Davidson and brought in Shane Luckie, another bright prospect in the forward line.

This seemed to have ignit-

ed the Upper Demerara side and in the 78th minute they were rewarded for persevering in a positive thrust forward.

Young Jashawn Moore was

Primo who made no mistake in finishing against a dazed Georgetown defence, thus giving the home side a 2-1 lead.

Now in full flow and with

West Demerara scorers from left: Seon Babb, Jamal Harvey, Morgan Denny and Gideon Payne

fed a square ball by Luckie and in a quick acceleration slotted the ball a diving Georgetown goalkeeper for the equaliser 1-1.

This sparked celebrations and obviously deflated the Georgetown side who seemingly were caught napping from this surprised offensive-minded Linden side.

Ten minutes later after many spectators seemed to have given up hope, the stands were abuzz with expectancy as the Upper Demerara side maintained their focus .

There again Luckie came into play, this time in the 88th minute from a left side play; his cross was collected by Kellon

three minutes shown as added-on time by the fourth official Maurice Skeete, Upper Demerara pressed home their advantage and were rewarded.

This came as Denzil Fordyce dribbled his markers to plant home a crisp drive to find the back of the net in the 90 plus three minutes to signal a 3-1 victory and the end of Georgetown’s hopes of advancing, much to the delight of the home fans.

In the first game of the night West Demerara showed poise as they halted the efforts of Essequibo/Pomeroon who up to this stage had shown lots of promise of even upsetting the emerging force of football

in Guyana.

But they found the West side too confident and equipped this time around.

Never were they able to

creased that advantage when they connected to score from close up from the boot of Morgan Denny in the 59th minute making it 3-0.

Upper Demerara scorers from left: Jashawn Moore, Kellon Primo and Denzil Fordyce

convert the chances which went their way. The general movement of the ball by West Demerara gave an indication that they meant business in aiming for this top position when this tournament ends.

Seon Babb was first to find the back of the net for West Demerara as he connected on a header from a cross in the box for a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute.

Then the dependable Jamal Harvey made it 2-0 when he was able to send a shot from inside the 18-yard box, past the defence and goalkeeper of Essequibo/Pomerooon just before the first half ended.

The West side then in-

With all things going for the West Demerara side, they placed their feet on the pedal against a tiring opponent and were able to gain another goal for a 4-0 win in the 79th minute, as Gideon Payne got a through ball from inside the box and scored.

This means that tomorrow Upper Demerara will face West Demerara for the $1M championship and bragging rights while the losers collect $600 000. But before that, Georgetown and Essequibo/Pomeroon will battle for $400 000 in the third-pace playoff game beginning at 19:00hrs.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Tuesday October 17, 2017)

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

Shane Shillingford (Dominica, 2013)

(2)

Shane Shillingford (2-Test series in WI, 2013)

Today’s Quiz: (1) date?

Who is the WI leading run-scorer in Tests to

(2) Who has scored most runs for ZIM in Tests to date?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

27

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday October 17, 2017

Exciting action promised as Exxon Mobil Pan Am Indoor Hockey tournament opens

By Stephan Sookram THE cheers and chants of proud hockey supporters and fans at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall were just one feature of the one-week Exxon Mobil Pan Am Indoor Championships which officially opened yesterday.

Five days of exciting hockey is expected to take place at the Homestretch Avenue facility as promised

by Guyana Hockey Board president Philip Fernandes during the opening.

“I would like to hear good things about Guyana when you go back to your country,” the GHB boss added.

Also present at the brief ceremony was president of the Guyana Olympic Association K.A. Juman-Yassin who commended the Board for its work, calling on the government to make good on several words of promise to the board.

“I’m certain that with this new minister who is a sports-

man at heart and the minister to my left, Minister Gaskin, who is an avid sportsman, I hoping that they would be

able to team up to convince Cabinet to give a piece of land so that hockey can have its own,” he said.

Minister George Norton fires off the opening shot of the Exxon Mobil Indoor Pan American Hockey Championship.

Director of Sport Christopher Jones, Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin, officials from Exxon Mobil and the GHB were also in attendance. (Samuel Maughn photo)

Pan American Hockey Federation representative Derick Sanderson was delighted to be in Guyana for the tournament, saying, “I’d like to congratulate Guyana on their improved performances throughout the year in hockey.”

Minister of Social Cohesion with responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr George Norton, promised to have a response for the board within a week with regard to proposed lands.

“Very shortly, I will be taking up the plea of the Guyana Hockey Board to the highest authority and probably before the weekend is out, I will be in a better position, for all of us to cheer in appreciation for what can be done here in Guyana,” He said.

Dr Norton also opened the tournament by firing off the first official shot in the presence of GHB officials, Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin, and Director of Sport Christopher Jones.

South American 10K Classic officially launched

HOPING to attract as many high level athletes as possible, the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) will be looking to assist athletes with their airfare as they look to raise the standard of the Guyana leg of the annual South American 10K Classic Road Race, which was officially launched yesterday at the AAG Headquarters on Light Street.

AAG president Aubrey Hutson shared that a number of special invitations will be going out to athletes, offering to subsidise their airfares to the November 5 event. The invitations include Peruvian athletes Yerson Orellana and Luis Ostas, who won first- and second-place in the event back in 2015, but were unable to make it for last year’s edition.

Another will be sent to Brazil’s Daniel Nascimento, who won the 10k and 5000m runs at the South American Junior Championships this year, when it was held in Guyana. Another two invitations are also expected to go to Columbia.

The airfares are being made possible through a partnership between the AAG

and COPA Airlines.

“All the South American countries are invited once again. Who will come we don’t know as yet but we are pursuing a relationship with COPA to get them here at a

raise the level of competition because we want more and more athletes to come for this event so that our local athletes can have true competition, and to raise the overall standard of the meet so that

The Head table at the launch of the South American 10K Classic Road Race, from left, Tournament Coordinator, Yvonne October, AAG President Aubrey Hutson, Registration Coordinator, Carolyn Adams and LOC Secretariat Manager, James Cole

reduced cost.

“If we really and truly want to see good competition, we must expose out athletes to the international arena and hence the reason why we are bringing as many athletes as possible,” Hutson remarked “The objective here is to

it becomes more attractive to international athletes.”

However, Hutson said local athletes need not fear the rise in competition, as a special category will be put in prizes for the first Guyanese across the finish line.

“We still are going to put in place special prize money

for our local athletes, for the first three Guyanese crossing the finish line, on both the male and female sides, to encourage them to keep in the competition.

“Because if you bring true international competition, the Guyanese athletes may feel that they cannot compete with them, they may not place, they may want to shy away from coming to the event. So we’re going to put something in place for the local athletes,” Hutson noted.

Hutson also pointed out that the Association will be looking into assisting overseas-based Guyanese Euleen Josiah-Tanner to get here.

The South American 10K Classic will be the second leg of the a three-part event, with the first leg set for Suriname on October 28, while the third leg will be in Panama on November 12.

Though Guyana (AAG) usually attends the Suriname leg, over the years Guyana has stopped sending athletes to the Panama edition of the event, given that Panama never reciprocates and sends athletes to any of the other two legs of the event.

Cash-strapped GCF pulls team out of Caribbean Elite Cycle Road Racing Championships THE Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) will no longer be sending a representative of cyclists to the Caribbean Elite Cycle Road Racing Championships scheduled for October 21 and 22 in Martinique.

This is according to Assistant Racing Secretary of the GCF, Joseph Britton, who told Chronicle Sport the Federation is cashstrapped and cannot afford to finance the team’s participation at the championships.

Britton said the cyclists that had been selected were asked to pay their way to Martinique since corporate Guyana responded negatively to the Federation’s request for financial assistance. However, the selectees are unable to raise the finances needed for the trip.

Originally, the GCF had selected Geron Williams, Jermaine Burrowes, Paul DeNobrega and Jamal John as the team members with Shaquel Agard as the standby.

One week later, the GCF omitted Williams and Burrowes and included Raynauth Jeffrey, Agard and Alonzo Ambrose with a lone female in United Kingdon-iased Guyanese Clair Fraser-Green on the team.

The selectees were required to travel to Paramaribo, Suriname last week to secure their visas to travel to the French Caribbean island for the championships but were unable to do so since the cost to reach Paramarib, as well as cost for each visa and insurance, is prohibitive.

In an effort to ensure Guyana’s participation at the championships, the GCF president Horrace Burrowes contributed $50 000 for DeNobrega and Agard’s travel and visa cost, but according to Britton, the amount is insufficient.

Speaking to Chronicle Sport, DeNobrega explained that the cost of each visa is $15 000 then the cost for insurance is $6 000 “so the total cost for those things alone for him-

National cyclist Paul DeNobrega

self and Agard amounts to $42 000 … so how will the remaining $8 000 take me and Shaquel to Suriname and back plus pay for hotel and meals while our visas are being processed?” DeNobrega questioned.

Meanwhile, Williams said he only learnt of his selection via Facebook as he was never informed by the GCF. Asked if he was informed of his omission from the team, Williams said, “I was never informed of that either. No one told me anything.”

When asked about this, Britton, who was selected as manager of the team, said, “I think he (Williams) was informed of his selection, but I’m not certain if he was informed of his omission.”

Asked why Williams was omitted from the original team, Britton said, “We heard that he was injured, so we replaced him.”

However, since returning from his United States of America base approximately three weeks ago, Williams has won a 35-lap circuit in the National Park and two days ago (Sunday) placed fifth in a 80-mile cycle road race.

He is set to participate in another road race on Sunday, the DIGICEL Breast Cancer Awareness race that will be staged around the outer circuit of the National Park.

South American 10K Classic officially launched

Page 27

Mixed fortunes for Guyana on opening night of Pan Am Indoor Hockey C/ships Wins for USA, Canada and Argentina

Action in the Guyana versus Argentina encounter (Samuel Maughn photo)

Guyana’s Robert France during his hat-trick scoring performance against Barbados

Page 22

Chronicle Sport photographer Delano Williams caught the action in the Guyana and Uruguay thriller.

GuyanaNRA hailed for successful hosting of WIFBSC Championships

Fullbore captain Mahendra Persaud collects the overall aggregate plaque from GuyanaNRA president Brigadier Patrick West. The plaque is given to the person who scores the most after the entire week of shooting.

By Stephan Sookram THE Guyana National Rifle Association (GuyanaNRA) was on Sunday evening hailed for its

successful hosting of the West Indies FullBore Shooting Council (WIFBSC) championships and the 150th Anniversary shoot.

The commendations were in no

The victorious Guyana team pose with both the Milex/Crown Mining Long Range and WIFBSC Short Range titles. (Stephan Sookram photos)

mean order as the body held their presentation dinner at the Ramada Hotel.

“I think that the GuyanaNRA should be commended for hosting

such a shoot of this quality,” according to the president of the WIFBSC Retired Col, John Nelson.

He stated that the work of the body cannot be underrated as the

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transformation that took place at the Timehri Ranges was major.

After one week of shooting, Guyana carted off the Milex/ Crown Mining Turn to page 22 TUESDAY, OCTOBER, 17, 2017