Guyana Chronicle E-paper 10-20-2018

SATURDAY 20th October, 2018

Outrage over tolls PAGE

09

… Berbice business community condemns proposed toll rates

Guyana, Brazil celebrate golden 10 anniversary

Hope for SMEs

No.105433

… gov't to roll out procurement programme PAGE in January 02

… to help small businesses tap 20 % of state contracts

PAGE

–– with launch of commemorative stamp

Murder

accused

escapee 13 recaptured PAGE

President David Granger assesses the quality of a bottle of honey produced by the Rupununi Friendly Beekeepers

Time to get with the programme

–– and become more business-oriented, 03 President urges Region 9 PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 20, 2018

Hope for small businesses … gov’t to roll out procurement programme in January

By Svetlana Marshall CABINET has approved the implementation of a Small Business Procurement Programme by the Ministry of Business in keeping with the Small Business Act of 2004, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon announced on Friday.

Addressing reporters during his post-cabinet media briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency, the state minister said the decision to implement the programme

by January 1, 2019, in keeping with Section 11 (1) of the Small Business Act of 2004, was made when cabinet met last Tuesday.

Section 11 (1) of the Small Business Act mandates the government to ensure that at least 20 percent of the procurement of goods and services it requires is obtained from small businesses. Also under the Act, the Small Business Council is required to prepare a Small Business Procurement Programme annually.

With the programme taking effect by January, 2019, Minister Harmon believes that small businesses will be better positioned to benefit from the public procurement system.

“This programme will ensure that small businesses have their fair access to

government procurement opportunities through a transparent and efficient process and will also enhance the economic impact of public spending,” the state minister said.

He noted that forming part of the approved programme are three measures. “A basic set aside measure for all government procurement – that is, goods, services and works up to $30M; a set aside for some contracting measures for all government procurement between $30M and $200M; and all ministries, agencies and regional authorities will participate in the implementation of the programme,” he outlined.

Specifically, the ministries, agencies and regional authorities will be required to provide annually projects of the value of small business procurement by sectors based on the annual procurement plans to the

Small Business Bureau.

It was noted that in order to benefit from the Small Business Procurement Programme, small businesses would be required to register with the Small Business Bureau.

Last month, Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin said that the Small Business Procurement Programme has several components, those include, capacity building and technical training; data gathering; and procurement accessibility.

“One has to do with capacity building which is training small businesses for accessing procurement and understanding the procurement system and what the requirements are and what they would have to do to submit tenders or quotations etcetera.”

“The other also is technical training that will actually make them a little more proficient in what

they do, whatever goods or services they provide,” he explained.

Meanwhile, the next component deals with the measurement of the level of public procurement going to small businesses which the government is carefully working to develop.

“That is quite complex and that is probably the biggest sticking point right now. We have to have a system that will allow regular reporting so that every quarter we can say to the public this is the level of procurement in small businesses for that quarter.”

“So, that involves being able to identify small businesses whenever they procure whether it’s at the ministry level, whether it’s at the level of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board or whether it’s at the regional procurement level. We have to be able to pull that data together occupying the

Minister of State Joseph Harmon system to get that data collected in the first place,” Gaskin stated.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Small Business Bureau (SBB), Dr. Lowell Porter, like Minister Harmon, has underscored the importance of small businesses registering with the Small Business Bureau to tap into the programme.

Time to get with the programme GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 20, 2018

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–– and become more business-oriented, President urges Region 9

By Lisa Hamilton

AS Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) celebrated the second annual Regional Agricultural and Commercial Expo (RACE), President David Granger has challenged residents to be more business-minded.

“This is not a dream. Development is not only for foreigners; development is for you. You can be rich, because you come from a rich region,” he told patrons gathered at the Lethem Municipal Market for the opening ceremony, which saw in attendance Ministers of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Mr Sydney Allicock, Ms Valerie Garrido-Lowe, and Minister of Social Protection, Ms Amna Ally.

He said that while for years Guyana has been exporting raw rice, sugar, timber and gold, it now needs to up its game and expand its efforts into manufacturing.

“The rich countries are the ones who manufacture and process; and the poor countries are the ones which produce the raw materials,” he said, adding: “And as long as you continue to simply produce raw materials for export, you will

remain poor.

“After decades, we must be able to move production forward by adding value, so that rather than just producing raw logs, decide to produce furniture for your schools and your homes.”

He, however, reminded his audience that in order for these efforts to be sustainable and successful, there must be cooperation at all levels of government and society, and that, that cooperation must be guided by quality leadership.

Addressing the region’s residents in particular, the president noted their genuine efforts, especially on the part of youths and women, to produce commodities for their markets.

And with this in mind, he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that all citizens, despite their location, are provided equal access to development.

“We will do everything possible to help the regional chambers to remove obstacles and to facilitate business,” he promised.

At the opening of the second annual Regional Agricultural and Commercial Expo (RACE)at Lethem, Region Nine cation by stating that when adding: RACE can locally serve as a encourage citizens, including people know their products, “They want to make sure positive promotion for food those in the hinterland, to betthey are better able to pre- that the product you’re selling security. ter advertise their products. pare them and see them them is sanitary; it is sealed, He expressed his gratiThe exposition is part of being sold. and it can last a long time tude for being a part of a gov- Agriculture Month activities “When you bottle your without deteriorating. ernment that understands the and coincides with the onhoney; when you bottle your And you can only do that challenges of the region and going Lethem Town Week, casareep; when you pack- if you have some form of which is continuously work- which began last Sunday. age your cassava bread or education.” ing towards improvement.

Several farmers and groups THE ‘RACE’ your cashew nutbutter or any RACE, the President said, In this regard, he en- turned out to showcase some of INITIATIVE He further highlight- other product, people will is now spreading its wings couraged the residents of the Rupununi’s finest products ed the importance of the ask you about phytosanitary to other regions, as farmers Region Nine and those who such as honey, peanuts, pepRACE initiative and edu- standards,”the president said, countrywide have begun to came from farther afield, to pers, wine, and casareep. recognise the usefulness and continue putting forward There were also arts and benefits of the initiative. their recommendations and craft and livestock animals Addressing other areas, engaging the different gov- on display, along with inforhe urged the Rupununi locals ernment ministries in the in- mation booths from various to be more business-minded; terest of their development. government, agriculture, to utilise more eco-friendly business and education ways to generate energy; and NEED FOR UNITY agencies. to pursue self employment Touching on the need and ensure that children re- for unity if one is to achieve ceive education. the good life they long for, Speaking to the latter is- Minister Allicock said: sue, President Granger said: “We cannot do this alone; AN article under the “Education is the most im- we have to work in partcaption “Bandits caught portant thing that a child can nership; and that is why the after robbing Parika experience. I don’t want to coalition is so important; to bar” published in the hear about children dropping allow each and every GuyaOctober 18, 2018 pubout; we are working hard to nese to benefit from what all lication of the Guyana improve the quality of edu- Guyanese need: a good life.

Chronicle on page 12 cation.

“And a good life would erroneously identified “I don’t want to hear about only come by supporting the Jeremy Adridge 45, a children going to Bonfim or vision of the great leader of minibus driver of Lot going to Boa Vista and working this country and endorsing 21 Water Pump Street, as stewardesses in restaurants; I what he has started.

Den Amstel, West Coast want to see people staying here “He started this RACE for Demerara as one of the and opening enterprises that are all of us; not for only for one persons listed as a banprofitable to themselves and group of people or one party, dit held in the operatheir communities. But to do but for all Guyanese.” tion. Guyana Chronicle that, they must go to school.”

RACE was first introregrets this mistake and Minister Allicock, who duced in 2017 by President sincerely apologies to Yimochi Melville of the Rupununi Friendly Beekeepers showing schoolchildren spoke on the negative effects Granger to promote agriculMr. Adridge for the of climate change, said that tural development, and to how honey is made error.

Correction

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 20, 2018

Task force formed to address breaches in penal system --in wake of recent developments at Lusignan Prison

By Svetlana Marshall

ward in light of recent developments at the Lusignan Prison.

The developments at reference are the recent eccape of three prisoners, followed the same day by anunrest at the same facility which resulted in a fire, and several prisoners being injured.

The Guyana Chronicle was able to confirm that the task force, comprising officers from the security sectors and technical personnel with background in penal systems, met on Friday afternoon.

The formation of the task force was announced by Minister of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon, during a press conference on Friday morning at the Ministry of the Presidency.

Minister Harmon told reporters that Minister Ramjattan had briefed cabinet on Tuesday on the escape and subsequent unrest at the Lusignan Prison, which had occurred the day before. One of the prisoners has since been recaptured.

Reporters were told that based on Minister Ramjattan’s report, cabinet concluded that there were two sets of issues affecting the prison system at Lusignan.

PUBLIC Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan has formed a task force, at the behest of Cabinet, to chart the way for-

The first set of issues, he said, are operational in nature, in that many of the prisoners have expressed their frustration over the poor quality of food and water they have been given, and the poor condition of the sanitary facilities at the prison.

“These are operational issues which are well within the parameters of the director of prisons. And the Director of Prisons was given some clear directions to ensure those matters were addressed,” Minister Harmon told reporters.

He said that after the unrest had ended and the prisoners were engaged, Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels was captured on camera sampling the food given to prisoners at the holding bay, and that he and his officers have since been advised to interact with prisoners on a regular basis to find out if there are issues brewing.

The second set of issues, Minister Harmon said, have to be dealt with on a strategic level because they require a higher level of intervention.

He recalled that following the fire at the Georgetown Prison followed by the riot back in July 2017, the Luisgnan Prison had been strengthened to facilitate the large number of prisoners who had been displaced by the incident.

HEIGHTENED SUPERVISION “In addition to the physical strengthening of the prison,” he said, “what we did was to increase the level of supervision by the security personnel, including the Guyana Police Force ranks, and also monitoring, electronically, the facilities in there.”

As such, he said, the recent escape did not occur because there was no proper system in place, but rather because of the tardiness of the prison wardens and police ranks on duty that night, and the fact that they had reportedly fallen asleep.

Emphasising that the government, through the Public Security Ministry, has increased the levels of security not just at the Luisgnan Prison but at all other major holding facilities in the country, Minister Harmon said that to further boost the system, the government is rushing to have the expansion of the Mazaruni Prison completed at the earliest opportunity.

“We are actually fast-tracking the development and the building of the Mazaruni Prison and the holding facility which is being built in Georgetown,” he posited.

He also said that citizens need to know that the government is doing all in its powers, with support from the security forces, to prevent jailbreaks and unrests.

“We want to give the assurance to the Guyanese public that the security forces have taken the necessary measures to guarantee that these breakouts, or the efforts to break out, are minimised, and that any attempt to break out would be dealt with right there on the premises before it becomes a threat to the security of citizens of this country,” Minister Harmon said.

While the Guyana Chronicle was unable to make contact with the Public Security Minister on Friday, he had said during a press conference earlier in the week that despite limited resources, works are being done to improve prison conditions.

Friday, October 20, 2018 02:00 hrs - 14:30 hrs

SOUGHT INT’L HELP To improve the infrastructure of Guyana’s prisons, Minister Ramjattan said he has made contact with several international money-lending agencies, but that, thus far, he has received no satisfactory responses.

Said he: “I did tell them of our circumstances. We have now gotten the monies to do the Mazaruni Prison, which will accommodate in the vicinity of about 300 prisoners. We have paid off Steel Cells to rehabilitate, by the end of another four months, the Camp Street Prison which will accommodate another 140 prisoners.

“I went internationally, too, to ask for a loan, and the IMF said they don’t give loans for prisons; the World Bank said they don’t give loans for prisons; IDB said ‘No way!’ they don’t give loans for prisons.

“So I had to tell them, ‘You’re making my police force better to increase people that we arrest and put in the prisons, and you’re not helping out by giving me a loan for prisons?’”

He said that money for development now needs to be taken from the treasury, and this presents a great predicament, as there is much difficulty in prioritising limited resources.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 20, 2018

ECLAC predicts expansion of economic activity in Caribbean by 1.3% in 2018 and 1.8% in 2019 The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) reviewed economic growth projections for the region for 2018 and expects an average expansion of 1.3% in Latin America and the Caribbean this year, slightly lower than that forecast this past August (1.5%).

It foresees a growth rate of 1.8% for 2019, according to a press release issued today by the United Nations’ organization.

As usual, the growth dynamic across countries and subregions will vary, says ECLAC. The economies of South America, which specialize in the production of primary goods, particularly oil, minerals and foods, are expected to grow at a positive rate (0.7%) this year, slightly lower than last year.

A better performance is expected for this subregion in 2019, with estimated growth of 1.6% on average.

As for the economies of Central America, growth of 3.2% is estimated for this year and 3.3% for 2019. If Central Amer-

ica and Mexico are both taken into account, the projection for 2018 is 2.4% and 2.5% for 2019. Average expected growth for the English- or Dutch-speaking Caribbean is 1.9% for 2018, a higher revised figure compared to the August projection, mainly due to a more vigorous oil sector in Trinidad and Tobago, the largest economy in the subregion, and influenced in some cases by spending efforts on post-natural disaster reconstruction. The growth rate expected for the Caribbean region is 2.1%.

Projections for 2019 are in a context of increasing uncertainty and medium-term risks, ECLAC points out. An ongoing risk for emerging economies in general, and for Latin America and the Caribbean in particular, is further deterioration of the international financial environment. The high levels of corporate and sovereign debt accumulated over years of lax global financial conditions constitute a risk for some economies that are more exposed to changes in the financial scenario (greater

needs for external financing, greater proportion of foreign currency debt and short-term debt, among others).

Moreover, trade tensions have been escalating in recent months. Although these have still only been reflected in moderate revisions to the low volume projected for world trade and global economic activity for 2019, they constitute a risk to regional economic activity. Trade tensions pose a risk not only to global trade and world economic growth in the medium term, but also to raw materials prices and global financial conditions as a whole, generally linked to greater or lesser risk perception.

In light of this international scenario, internal demand will play an important role in the region’s growth over the coming year, added ECLAC. Albeit with differences between countries, investment is expected to play a greater role, with private consumption continuing to be a major engine for internal demand in 2019.

‘Demons in my head’ - Mom, daughter drink poison Days after she told a story of demons in her head, a 40-year-old woman died from ingesting a poisonous substance on the streets of Penal on Thursday.

Her 14-year-old daughter is being treated at the San Fernando General Hospital for poisoning. Hema Hosein, a housewife, was found unconscious on the pavement along Clarke Road, Penal, at around 3pm.

Her daughter, Ria, was lying at her side. Police said the mother and daughter were taken to hospital where Hosein died while being treated. The secondary school pupil was listed in a stable condition. The mother and daughter lived at Manohar Trace, Barrackpore.

Hosein’s husband and the child’s father, Nazir Hosein, was with them when

the incident happened. A relative, Shazard Khan, said the Hosein and her daughter were returning home in a taxi when they asked to stop at Clarke Road. “She came

out of the car and drank the poison. She drank about three quarter of the bottle and then she fell down.

Her daughter saw what happened and then took the

bottle and drank the remainder. They were taken to the hospital and Hema died,” he said.

The teenage girl was her only child. Khan said days

The home of Hema Hosein

T&T man sentenced for faking his own kidnapping PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — A 24-year-old man was sentenced to 30 days hard labour after he falsely reported that he had been kidnapped by armed men earlier this month.

Jonathan Ramcharran was charged with wasteful employment of police time by making a false police report. He pleaded guilty when he appeared before Magistrate Cherril-Ann Antoine in the San Fernando Magistrate Court, south of here on Thursday.

The charge was laid against Ramcharran follow-

ing a report made to the San Fernando Criminal Investigations Department on Wednesday by a female relative, who had indicated that the accused had been kidnapped on the same day by armed men demanding a TT$100,000 (US16,000) ransom.

But the police said that on investigating the matter, officers discovered several irregularities and Ramcharran was discovered by officers attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, walking along Frederick Street, in the capital, Port of Spain.

before her death the mother had complained of “seeing evil spirits” and was afraid to stay at her home. He said the family participated in Hindu kali puja worship.

Khan said the family would leave their home at 3pm and return the next morning. “She was afraid to sleep in the house. Last Sunday, she strip herself and was running around like a mad woman. Her husband was running behind her with a towel,” he said.

Khan said the teenager had also suffered a mysterious ailment. He said the girl woke one morning with a swollen foot and was unable to walk. “And because of this she would stay home from school,” he said.

Nazir Hosein was not at the family’s home when the Express visited. Neighbours said the family kept to themselves. “Hema was

quiet and you would hardly ever see her. She would stay inside all the time. I was very surprised when I heard she drank poison,” a neighbour said. Khan said he had warned the family about the consequences of participating in kali puja. “I told them about it. I was a part of it too and I stopped. I told them to stop. And then the child got sick and (Hema) was acting like a mad woman,” he said. (Trinidad Express)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 20, 2018

Water for the Rupununi F

OR far too long the most basic needs of hinterland residents had been ignored by the previous regime. There is nothing more essential for life than water. Yet, for decades, the people of the Rupununi were forced to endure the lack of water during annual periods of drought.

Elderly folk had to walk for miles to access water from rapidly disappearing streams; dwindling waterways had to be diverted by residents; and such suffering had become a way of life.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), “Access to water is essential to health, a basic human right and a component of effective policy for health protection.” It is therefore unbelievably unacceptable that the previous regime had ignored the plight of the people of the Upper Takutu–Upper Essequibo region for so many years. Fortunately, that situation will now be remedied with the ongoing initiative being undertaken by the APNU+AFC administration to ensure that the right of every human being to have access to water is recognised and realised.

In December 2017, President David Granger and other officials travelled to Brazil to concretise bilateral cooperation agreements between our neighbouring countries. One of those agreements was the “Technologies to Reduce the

Effects of the Drought in Region Nine of Guyana.”

The agreement facilitated technical cooperation and collaboration to permit the construction of wells in the Rupununi. Additionally, it allowed the transfer of technical knowledge, administrative capacity and other information from Brazilian experts to Guyanese. That important aspect of the arrangements would allow Guyanese to maintain the wells and even build additional wells in the future.

That essential agreement which had first been announced in May 2017 has now come to fruition. At that time, Guyana’s Ambassador to Brazil, George Talbot, had told the media that the Brazilian authorities were in the process of preparing the framework under which Brazil would build a number of wells in the Rupununi. Alluding to capacity-building, the ambassador had said, “The element of capacity-training is very important on this project, which makes more than just a single intervention of drilling and leaving and building of capacity, so that in the future Guyanese will be able to perform the works.”

To the overwhelming approval and relief of the residents of the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo region, the drilling of the fourth well in Awaruwaunau Village, South Rupununi, began on October 16; other wells are also being successfully drilled by the Brazilian army’s Sixth

Battalion Engineering Corps (BEC) in the communities of Aishalton, Chukrikednau and Karaudanawa. At the end of this phase of the activities, there will be eight wells supplying water throughout the year to about 50 villages. The Toshao of Aishalton village, Mr. Michael Thomas, said that residents in the areas slated to benefit have welcomed the initiative, even as he noted that it will bring significant relief. The toshao said too, “I would like to thank the government for the initiative placed in our region and our sub-district and in our villages. We are glad for the eight wells that will be drilled in our villages. We are going to benefit tremendously and the residents are already excited to have access to water. We have been suffering for a very long time in the Rupununi, where we have to divert creeks in the dry season but after a time, that runs out of water too; so this initiative is going to benefit us.”

While government may understandably experience a sense of accomplishment at raising the standard of living of citizens, it must be noted that improving the lives of its people is the duty of government; this administration has stated that it intends to give everyone the opportunity to have better lives. As such, the essential needs of citizens – in this case, the need for water – should not have been neglected and ignored for so many years by the PPP administration.

JAGDEO trying to rewrite Afro-Guyanese history I

Dear Editor,

T is easy to bluff any topic with a perception, especially, the recent history of Guyana and the PPP has created a stock history based on victimhood, for its constituency. So based on this simple reality, Mr. Jagdeo has proceeded to propose that the Afro-Guyanese benefited under the PPP more than they had benefited under the PNC. As erroneous as his assertion is, silence now and the absence of easily available literature can serve him a valuable purpose. I intend to obstruct that purpose with this letter and encourage others to contribute, through exploration of dates and literature quoted.

The story of modern Afro-Guyanese history emerged in the context of the timeline from the post-Emancipation years, 1834 to 1900, to 1966 and it is, in its earlier period, one of a brutal duel between the local colonial administration that consisted of former plantation owners and the Afro-emancipated community, who were an emerging business community. It must be remembered that the Euro-colonials, the Amerindians and the Afro-colonials were the only legitimate colony core group in what legally constituted the colony population from 1623 to the 1860s , especially on the coastal belt, while the Amerindian remained in the hinterland. The indentured immigrants at that time were not considered for the moment subjects of the colony. The Portuguese were the first to be fitted into the colonial scheme as adopted honorary whites, with the intention of using them as auxiliaries to smother the existing Afro-Guyanese businesses. I dealt with that period in my July 27, 2018 column

in the Chronicle.

Colony The first and only group to surprisingly advocate a definition of the colony along a specific ethnic dominance position was the push towards India and the Crown by Joseph A. Luckoo and Dr. Wharton to make British Guiana an Indian colony, on the grounds that “Here we enjoy equal rights and privileges in the truest sense of the words –on the principles of ‘Man and Brother” signed by both men. True to the fact that J. Luckoo, the only Indian, was elected to a seat of the Court of Policy through an Afro-colonial vote to the shock of the colonial secretary Cecil Clement. The push that followed was a contradiction to the acknowledged goodwill exhibited, as expostulated in their attempt towards the ethnic redefining of the colony quest.

To accurately deal with Afro-Guyanese history to the present we must reflect from the 1890s onwards. Georgetown was always overcrowded, and existed on a functional social caste system, whereby the underpaid and the underemployed were coupled in a vicious cycle. Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow led the first mass-organised political movement in our history that enveloped the stevedores and the supporting populations of their dependent wards; the BG Labour Union was established in 1919. The ‘Political Affairs Committee’ formed by the forerunners of the PPP deploying Marxist-Leninist doctrine emerged and existed from 1946 to 1949. There were also the BG East Indian Association and the League of Coloured Peoples; the latter two were mainly concerned with middle -class priorities with no holistic

agenda. The PPP came into existence with the support of academic, cultural and intellectual Afro-Guyanese in 1951, but by 1954, Jai Narine Singh narrated that Jagan would agree on policy then go home to Janet and return and disagree. Dissention followed, and with the help of Dr Lachman Singh, Forbes Burnham left the PPP In 1955. The record of Michael Swan in his book ‘Marches to Eldorado’, helps to understand the mindset of the leader of the PPP: “During the whole evening, Mrs Jagan lay in a hammock and contributed hardly a word to the discussion. Occasionally, when her husband’s eloquence was in spate, as in his remarks on the rise in the power of the East Indians, she would make a quick potent remark which stopped him short on the brink of indiscretion.” Jagan was a creature of the culture he abhorred in the West On Trial; this fact is evident in the state of British Guiana’s pre-Independence.

Militant support Nineteen sixty three (1963), Jai Narine further illustrates; “Jagan by now had lost his militant supporters and had himself become a kind of dictator governing the affairs of Guyana as lord and master of it all. He organised protest demonstrations in several parts of the country in the course of which Afro-Guyanese were killed and murdered. This resulted in a chain reaction organised by the PNC and their supporters.” A timeline beyond a letter to the editor is necessary for this period as the disturbances were narrowed Turn to page 7

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 20, 2018

JAGDEO trying to rewrite ...

by PPP propagandists in 2017/18 to the Linden Massacre, a severe and intended demonising propaganda incident without any references to what had gone before, including the Sun Chapman bombing. Reference to why in July 1963 Colonial Secretary Duncan Sandys would visit villages and implore peace between rival racial groups [I confronted this phenomenon of selective history outburst on a visit to the PSC, from a known friend of the opposition leader]. I cannot narrate that period in the narrow context of a letter, except to highlight that from interviews I have done at Mahaicony, many Afro-Guyanese were saved by the warnings of Indo-Guyanese, before the launch arrived with its machine gun PPP political activists, vice versa happened elsewhere.

I will omit other macabre references of that era. This nation in 1966, including most of the Afro- Guyanese that supported Jagan had deserted him, with accusations of betrayal of principles. British Guiana entered Independence with the memory of the PPP as treacherous and as the national bogeyman. It would be unfair not to mention that the first people to feel the malice of the PPP’s ascension to power were not Afro-Guyanese, but the Indo-Guyanese field leaders of the MPCA, with Richard Ishmael as its head. That union had to be destroyed, so that their own union could come to life and enslave the sugar workers as an eternal, captured political audience.

The ruins of slavery From independence onward, the fact must be inserted that before independence, this was not a prosperous colony; and to quote Professor Hillary Beckles’ speech to the British House of Commons in 2014, “That Caribbean Governments were left to clean up the ruins of slavery,”. Burnham’s challenge was rooted in nationally burying the nightmares of the PPP’s racial civil war, and of creating the ‘Guyana Man and Woman,’ a philosophical, cultural and economic task to confirm to the nation’s motto of one nation, people, and destiny. His task was to promote ideals with a team of diverse party souls, many of them self-hating colonials and not grounded in any particular ideal, with an opposition that was capable of convincing itself that it was entitled, despite the active memory for the damage it had done to the then colony between 1961 to 1964 along racist lines. With respect to the state of Afro-Guyanese in 1966, this was a period that witnessed by 1972 the formation of CARICOM and CARIFESTA in Guyana; the construction of our major highways; and the building of housing schemes. Mandela Avenue and all the wards east of it were built by the PNC; those efforts would free the third of mainly Afro- Guyanese city dwellers who resided in reservation-type ‘nigger yards’ from the 1920s to the 1970s. Through programmes like the GYC, GNC and the pioneer projects such as the coop societies, a new perspective emerged through training and independent orientation. It must be remembered that we were colonials singing at Christmas, “Moma, moma come and join yuh son here, happy in the Mother Country,” as a former secretary of KAYS Co-op society. At Kuru Kuru, it was Burnham who enabled us despite the colonial bureaucrats whose indifference left us on our own many times.

KAYS Co-op Society I was at GRB when arson reduced it to ashes in 1977, causing the loss of thousands of jobs and dependants’ incomes. I will not say that political errors were not made, but a local infrastructure was created. Burrowes Art School, Walter Roth Museum, the NIS, the Iwokrama Rain Forest project, the National Cultural Centre, National Film Centre, the MMA/ADA project, crucial sea defence works, the current NCN, overseas training from which many never returned. The fact is that after the 1970s petroleum crisis, combined with PPP sabotage and the Venezuelan border dispute terminating investment possibilities, we suffered but never starved; and when the economic upsurge occurred under Hoyte, an election was stolen in 1992.

From 1992 to 2015, the first era of the PPP, is that they entered government as if it were 1968; ethnic loyalty was flaunted, political impatience terminated the ERP [Economic Recovery Programme] former President Hoyte had launched that was working. As a result, by 2001, we were in a state of decline: in “18 months, 600 firms were taken to court by the Banks.” With respect to the Afro-Guyanese population, by 1996, we were marching in protest against extra-judicial killings; striking nurses were shot with pellets and tear gas; and a social reversal had begun. Members of the ‘Black Clothes’ were above the law; murder was committed against Afro-Guyanese with no possibility of justice; and all efforts were made to terminate Afro- Guyanese contracting skills and reduce them to sub-contractors, by creating through unnatural terms top machinery- equipped PPP entities and raising the bar on qualifying for contracts. Expertise was never questioned. This tender process became and still is the most dismal and questionable area of government process.

Cluelessness and marginalisation The PPP through intent and cluelessness, marginalised and reduced this country to a criminalised state. By 2003, the World Bank had declared that Guyana was suffering a “Crisis of Governance.” Health services, education, cultural development and law enforcement were reduced to levels of complete ineffectiveness. It was the first time in the history of this country that the 2008 UN McDougall report declared the Government [PPP] a racist-administrated state. Today, many families are tortured by relatives who are drug addicts; it was under the PPP that the “Black Clothes” and the drug cartels became above the law; that Roger Khan became a hero of that constituency. Under Jagdeo, the gunmen who now torment our communities were indoctrinated. That Bumbala Bacchus came on television and said that “the president seh, I ent know which President that we mustn’t throw de bodies all over the place,” he was part of the Gajraj death squad. In 2015, it was then that the PPP promised that if we get elected ‘Jobs are a priority’; the failed economic legacy exposed a callousness to be feared. Vat, no doubt, was created to boost support for the declining sugar Industry. The herald of the decline of sugar was evident; with the EU sub-venture from 2006, that money was never used to retrain, divert the PPP’s ‘sacred’ cane-cutters into other economic areas.

From page 6

Instead, it was used to build the Marriott Hotel and affect infrastructure towards that, to change the GBC short wave installation at Plaisance into Pradoville 2, to build a road to the Amaila Falls, and a Tele-cable from Brazil; the latter two total failures. Not a cent went to GuySuCo. With the sum extracted in union dues by GAWU -- some $30 million per month -- this union should have been in the forefront of diversify training, knowing that the downsizing of sugar was inevitable.

I want to interject a necessary condition that this new world requires, that for workers paying over a set years of union dues, that upon retiring a percentage of union dues be repaid. The current finance minister explained that the NIS will have to recover $5.6B which it had lost in 2009, through reckless investments

by Clico and taxpayers will have to pay the bill. That was the same period when an assassination was made on Dr. Cheddi Jagan’s niece, Maria Van Beek, Judicial Manager of CLICO for disagreeing with Jagdeo’s assault on Clico. Apart from the Jagdeo era being described as the 14 years of assassinations, and accused of Ideological Racism, the Jagdeo-era left this country with an accusing document by the ABC countries of over 400 Guyanese businesses of interest in relation to money laundering. This was sustained by a statement by the GRA that many business people cannot explain where they got their starting monies from. The APNU administration is now tasked to fix both the human and structural failures of the PPP. The controversial Berbice bridge -- intended to cripple the non-PPP New Amsterdam -- seems to be the latest addition of failures now directed at the coalition to fix; the ferry service should be restarted immediately. Important is the Ministry of Education programme of no child left behind, that resulted in a generation and more of functional and non- functional illiterates. I was encouraged from a talented youth, with no honed skills, to become a fledgling illustrator/writer under Burnham’s PNC, years later, in control of my craft. It was under the PPP that ‘The Shadow of the Jaguar’ was thrown out of the Chronicle national newspapers because it was perceived to be an Afro-Guyanese superhero. A friend up the coast remarked to me that “every time the PPP run this country, a way is created for the deaths of dozens of Afro-Guyanese.” That cannot be disputed: from 1961 to 2010, explore the timeline. In what capacity can Mr. Jagdeo imagine, from this brief synopsis, on what grounds, that the PPP served the interest of the Afro Guyanese population throughout the PPP’s history? It took the APNU coalition government less than a year to return Georgetown from a capital saturated with the stench of human faeces, which the PPP had refused to do over 20 years. Justice has returned, the GPF is again 70% effective. In 2018, we feel much more secure and much more humanly Guyanese.

Regards Barrington Braithwaite

Coretta McDonald says KN cartoon an attempt to assassinate her character Dear Editor,

I

T is important that a response be made to Sunday’s Kaieteur News’ cartoon and “The Baccoo Speaks” (KN:14th October, 2018).

The two have sought, to directly and indirectly, attempt to assassinate my character by presenting the impression (pictorial and words), that decisions being made by me, as general-secretary of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), on the current negotiations with the Ministry of Education, are informed by directives of the PPP, namely, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo.

Kaieteur News is being asked to provide the evidence that my actions and decisions on the current negotiations are in any way, shape or form, informed by the opposition. At this period, when the union has before it a menu of measures that are being considered with a view to determine what happens tomorrow and onward, the attempt to sow seeds of discord among our membership has not escaped me.

The media play a very important role in our society, as a watch dog and seeker of truth. In our fractured society, both are equally important. The Kaieteur News’ editor and publisher must also ask how they want the newspapers to be presented and represented in the eyes

of the public, and more particularly by the young generation.

Dare I ask: when are we going to stop the manufactured political divisiveness and misrepresentation?

The GTU represents teachers with a wide array of political interest and lack of interest, which is respected in keeping with citizens’ right to freedom of association.

Matters relating to representation by the GTU are guided by trade union and moral principles; our history proves this. Irrespective of the party or group that holds government office, the GTU has a proud record of continuously agitating for its members. Where necessary, the GTU did engage or had engaged in industrial action to bring about results. Our membership has engaged in industrial action under the colonial authority; the People’s Progressive Party; the People’s National Congress; and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administrations. Our industrial action during the APNU+AFC administration should therefore not be seen as strange.

I entered the trade union leadership during the PPP/C administration. During that time, the GTU negotiated with the Ministry of Education led by a PPP/C Minister and engaged in industrial action. None at that time-- at least not the Kaieteur News-- considered industrial action informed by the then opposition or I, their agent

or lackey.

In 2017, I received a national award, The Golden Arrow of Achievement, from the APNU+AFC administration, in recognition of my work in trade unionism.

This was a nomination that came directly from the APNU+AFC administration; the medal, directly from the APNU+AFC administration. The medal was pinned on my chest by President David Granger on the 6th October, 2017, at the Investiture Ceremony, held at the National Cultural Centre. It’s ridiculous that having been recognised for my work in trade unionism by the present administration, in continuing same, I am now being accused by Kaieteur News, in two separate areas on the same day, of being a PPP/C agent or lackey. This smacks of partisan political mischief and gives the impression it’s a deliberate attempt to sow seeds of discord among the GTU membership at a time when the leadership has to return to teachers to discuss the package.

To the working class, aluta continua-- the struggle continues!

Regards Ms. Coretta McDonald, A.A General-Secretary, Guyana Teachers’ Union President, Guyana Trades Union Congress.

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Put more resources into tackling land degradation

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 20, 2018

– Harmon tells regional officials

MINISTER of State, Joseph Harmon urged Caribbean countries to pour more resources into tackling land degradation when he addressed the opening of the third session of the

Harmon chaired on Thursday, is being held at the Marriot Hotel in Kingston.

Ministers and representatives from several regional states including St Lucia, Jamaica, Belize and Suriname are

activate all regional mechanisms to ensure that the issue of land is addressed,” he said.

He said that rising sea levels can see 25% per cent of Guyana’s lands going under water, noting that the oth-

Mexico and he pointed out at a conference there that President David Granger mentioned last year during a meeting with Defence officials, that monies spent on defence-related matters, including arms and ammuMinister of State, Joseph Harmon as he addressed delegates at the meeting.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon (seated at centre), alongside delegates following the opening session of the conference.

Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management (PISLM) high level meeting of Caribbean Ministers from small island development states being held here.

The two-day meeting, the opening day which Minister

participating in the meeting.

During his presentation at the early session of the meeting, Harmon noted that land degradation management is achievable through problem solving, strong community engagement and cooperation at all levels. “We have to

er nations within the region which are affected by natural disasters such as hurricanes annually, loose a parcel of their lands. “And so we have to put as much resources onto this problem as we see it,” he said. Harmon noted that recently, he travelled to

nition for many years, could have been best spent on addressing the issue of natural disasters which usually result in the loss lives.

He said that there exists a huge disparity if one were to compare lives lost at war as against those who pass

during natural disasters.

Commissioner of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC), Trevor Benn told the gathering that it was recognised over the years, that the Caribbean is not united as it should be in a number of areas. He said that PISLM took it head on as a challenge and in October 2016, the regional leaders took the responsibility to address the issue at international forums and take common positions whenever the issue of land appears on the agenda.

He said that because of “our smallness” most of the time, the region is under-represented at international forums and consequently, unable to give effect to the citizens wishes. He stressed that the nations have been working together to address land issues. Benn was frank

when he noted that land management is not a favorite topic of discussion of “political types”, noting that it is not clearly evident to the electorate the benefits of sustainable land management. “And so we are required to do a lot more work to sensitise the people of the Caribbean about the importance of land and the effects of not properly sustaining the land that we have,” he added.

Benn said that regarding land management, “Guyana has taken the position that we must and we will be very active and pro-active.”

Dr. Richard Byron-Cox of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) also spoke at the opening session of the meeting. He addressed the issue of climate change, which he noted is the “nexus” of everything.

Civilian shot by city constable –– for stabbing colleague during bicycle row

EVERETT Rodney, a civilian, was on Friday shot in his leg by a member of the City Constabulary shortly after stabbing a constable in the face.

Rodney had been ordered by the court to do community service, which he did on Thursday. But on returning Friday morning for his bicycle, he was told he couldn’t have it, and this got him so upset, he began to behave in a very disorderly manner.

It is still not clear if the constabulary officers denied him the cycle for some reason, or if they told him that it was not there, but Rodney became violent and even

damaged a door in the process, a part of which had to be taken off.

As the officers were attempting to arrest him, he used an improvised weapon to stab one, Rawle Bobb, in the mouth, before attempting to flee the scene, at which point he was shot.

He was thereafter taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital for treatment under the watch of constabulary officers.

Meanwhile,the incident caused quite a stir, with staff of the municipality and other onlookers converging on the scene.

Commissioner of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC), Trevor Benn addresses the gathering. (Delano Williams photo)

Pricey cellphone costs fisherman his freedom A FISHERMAN was on Friday remanded to prison until next Friday by senior Magistrate Leron Daly for stealing a cellphone.

The charge alleges that on October 16, 2018, at

Georgetown, Kevin Cumberbatch stole one cellphone valued at $53,000, property of Wallet Ruby.

Twenty-seven yearold Cumberbatch, who resides at Good Hope, East

Coast Demerara, denied the charge, while Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones objected to bail because the defendant may be a flight risk;he has no fixed place of abode.

The City Constabulary of the Mayor and City Council

Outrage over tolls

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 20, 2018

… Berbice business community condemns proposed toll rates

By Nafeeza Yahya MEMBERS of the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce at a recent emergency meeting expressed their shock, astonishment and anger at the recent amended fare structure put out by the Berbice Bridge Company Inc. and openly wondered if the company wants to strangle the citizens of East Berbice.

The BBCI on Tuesday at a press conference, announced plans to increase the bridge tolls over threefold, with a view to meeting operational costs and making up for the company’s accumulated loss of over G$2.8B. The rates announced by the company are as follows: Cars: G$8,040; Pickups: G$14,600; 4WD: G$14,600; Minibuses: G$8,040; Small trucks: G$14,600; Medium trucks: G$27,720; Large trucks: G$49,600; Articulated trucks: G$116,680; Freight: G$1,680 and Boats: G$401,040. These, the company said, would be implemented on November 12, 2018.

Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson said that the government would do all in its power to ensure that the increases are not implemented while, Attorney General, Basil Williams has stated that the BBCI would be in breach of both the Berbice River Bridge Act and the agreement that the company has signed with the Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana if it proceeded to increase tolls.

The Corentyne chambers said with the present economy of East Berbice not quite booming following the closure some sugar estates, it is extremely insulting to the citizens to now be faced

with this horrendous increase in fares, the body said in a statement. As a matter of fact, members of the chamber are asking for the present fare of $2200 for motor cars and buses to be reduced to $1500.

“The biggest issue for

of this fare increase, should it be effective, would cripple Berbice and place the citizens in endless misery. “We are calling on the Bridge Company, the government, and the opposition to urgently have discussions to find a solution that would entail no

be added on all the goods and services coming from outside of the region and even those leaving the region to go to Georgetown it will be high cost. So our people will not be able to compete in terms of our agricultural produce that we normally send to

prevail and it is implemented it will be disastrous for Berbice.

“If it is to be implemented, I think that will be the final nail in the coffin for Berbice, it might be the first time on the planet that a county in a country

increase to Berbicians but a possible decrease in fares.”

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, Regional Chairman David Armogan said while he is not privileged to the information on how the company arrived at the new rates they are “extremely ridiculous” and unreasonable. “The people of Berbice will not be able to bear that heavy cost to traverse the bridge. Already we are in some difficult economic situation in the Region and the application of a 450 per cent increase on the bridge rates is going to kill us.”

Armogan continued that the new rates will force the cost of living higher and see a decline in the number of persons traveling. “I think it’s going to have a very serious impact on people travelling, the cost of living because transportation will have to

Georgetown on a weekly basis…It’s a great difficulty, it is a great setback for our people.”

Armogan said he does not think the government will allow the fares to increase and has confidence in the administration to come up with a reasonable compromise. “I think the government will intervene, I have the confidence the government will intervene and bring the stalemate to some kind of conclusion so I don’t think that those rates that are fixed will be implemented on the 12th November,” the regional chairman said.

Meanwhile President of the Central Corentyne Chambers of Commerce, Poonai Bhigroog said when he first saw the news on social media he thought it was someone playing a late April fool’s joke in October. He said that should good sense not

becomes obsolete cause it is almost ridiculous.”

SIGNIFICANT PRICE INCREASE Bhigroog, a businessman as well, noted that the proposed increases will have trickledown effects on everyone as well as loss of jobs since business in Berbice will no longer be able to compete with those of other regions.

“There will be significant price increase across the board and every single person in Berbice will be affected because at the end of the day we are all consumers, even businesses…it is unrealistic and good sense has to prevail. The company needs to involve all the stakeholders and we can sit and work out an amicable solution but right now the proposed rates are ridiculous” Bhigroog said.

Ryan Alexander, the President of the Berbice Chambers of Commerce, echoed similar sentiments and believes that if implemented, the new rates will create “havoc” and called on all relevant stakeholders to unite so a solution can be worked out for the benefit of all. “It is time we stop playing with the economy, it is time for us to be more serious and put our energy and our efforts together for the betterment of the economy more so, the people of Berbice and Guyana because not only Berbicians use the Bridge and it will cost them to dig deep into their pockets. It will definitely affect trade and will affect people’s livelihood.”

Mohindra Persaud, the President of the Upper Corentyne Chambers of Commerce said he does not think the rates will be implemented since he believes the government will step in.

Persaud said from experience he knows the cost for maintenance for anything increases as it gets older but feels the BBCI needs to look at other avenues to increase their revenue to help cushion this cost. “No responsible government will want to allow the Berbice Bridge to carry that rate to some 300 and something percent maybe a small increase but they won’t allow it to happen.

I understand the cost of maintenance and interest may be a big cost for the bridge but then there are many ways you can restructure your business model. For instance like shares and other options to reduce your cost and that can be worked out, I am almost certain that can be agreed by a responsible government and a responsible owner of the bridge,” Persaud reasoned.

uplifted on 13 different occasions from the GuyOil Regent Street station.

According to the Auditor General’s Report for 2017, “Six vehicles not registered as property of the ministry were used to uplift 4,351 litres of diesel

valued $788,773.

“On average, in excess of one 45-gallon drum was uplifted on each occasion. We could not determine the basis on which such quantities of fuel were uplifted, and whether it was in the public’s

interest.”

In their response, the ministry has noted that the matter was reported to the police in Janaury 2017 so that an investigation could be mounted.

The ministry also sent a follow-up letter to the

police in February of this year, seeking a status of the investigation.

The Auditor General’s Office has advised that the ministry follow up the matter with the police so that the investigation can be expedited.

Citizens are outraged over the proposed increase of tolls to cross the Berbice River bridge (Adrian Narine photo) Berbicians that the government and the bridge owners have to address is that we cannot afford to pay the present fare, so how can any sane and responsible person want the travelling public to pay an increase in fare of almost 400 per cent?”

“The Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce, being cognisant of the fact that the Berbice River Bridge is the only vehicular link to the rest of Guyana, is asking the government to buy out existing shareholders, since the Company is unable to show a profit in operations to guarantee returns to their shareholders. Whilst we are sympathetic to the shareholders of the bridge being a private company and they should have a reasonable rate of return in investment, the bottom line is the people cannot afford it.” The chamber said the appalling effects

Police investigating $700,000 fuel scam –– at Ministry of Education

THE police are said to be investigating a case whereby over 4300 litres of diesel totalling $788,773 was obtained under the Ministry of

Education (MoE) by vehicles not registered to it.

The incident reportedly occurred in December 2017, with the fuel being

Nothing in writing as yet

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 20, 2018

–– MoE, GTU still to sign salary increase agreement

By Tamica Garnett

THE government and the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) have not yet signed a written agreement, as they are still “ironing out” a few non-salary issues.

“No, it has not been signed. There’s some issues still to be ironed out, as a result of that, the agreement was not signed,” GTU General-Secretary Coretta McDonald told the Guyana Chronicle on Thursday.

After coming to an agreement on salary increases last Friday, the GTU and the Ministry of Education (MoE) were scheduled to meet last Wednesday to sign the official document, recording what they had agreed.

Though the two sides did meet, the agreement was not signed as the union came to realise that there were still a few issues to be dealt with; so they’re now expected to meet again in the coming week.

Said McDonald: “When we recognised that these issues that were supposed to be clarified were not

clarified, we couldn’t have the meeting.

“In another week’s time, we’re expected to meet and we’re hoping that by that time, we’re able to iron out all of these little hitches, so that the agreement can go through.”

Following the resumption of negotiations between the GTU and the MoE last week, with the involvement of President David Granger, the GTU was offered a retroactive salary increase of 16 per cent for 2016, and eight per cent respectively for 2017 and 2018, which brought an end to over two months of deliberations between the two sides.

However, while the GTU and the MoE have finally come to an aggreement on salary increases, the non-salary issues still to be worked out include those pertaining to duty-free concessions, the size of classes and qualification allowances.

DUTY-FREE ALLOWANCES “For the duty-free allowance,” McDonald said,

“the GTU needs to be clear on the ‘cc’ that is going to be approved; whether it’s going to be 1800cc or 2000cc.”

And in the case of the qualification allowance, she said, there’s a technicality on the number of teachers that are expected to get an allowance for a particular qualification.

“The allowance for additional qualifications has to do with those persons who are doing Special Ed, and those persons who have completed the Management Certificate,” McDonald said, adding: “We no longer have the Certificate in Education being offered by the University of Guyana, because of the time-frame that you now have to do the degree programme.

“You are no longer having the Certificate in Education; you’re having the management programme being offered right now. So what we need to do is withdraw the title, Certificate in Education, and insert Management Certificate.

“It’s just a mere case

of switching names and ascertaining the amount of teachers that would have completed that programme. All it would change is the amount of persons that would receive this allowance.”

CLASS SIZES On the issue of class sizes, McDonald related that what the GTU is asking is that already existing laws be enforced.

“We’re asking that what is in the law be maintained and enforced, so that you wouldn’t have primary schools with 69 and 75 children in the class and nursery schools, where you have 60 children to one teacher,” she said, adding: “Regardless of if it’s one or two nursery schools that it’s happening in, it should not happen at all.

“We would have had a stipulation there that would’ve talked about class sizes from nursery to secondary and the practical instruction centres. This isn’t anything new; this is in accordance with what the law provides for. So we’re

GTU General-Secretary Coretta McDonald asking that those numbers be kept and observed at all times.”

McDonald does not see these issues becoming big enough to hinder the agreement going forward, as the GTU is eager to see everything finalised.

“We’re hoping that it wouldn’t become a problem. The thing is, the faster we get these out of the way and have the agreement signed, it’s better for us, because that means it’s going to pave the way for early

talks for the 2019 process,” she said, adding: “Because, this package is just a three-year package, so we’re still looking. And 2019 is just around the corner, and we need to decide whether it will be a package that will take us to 2021 or 2023.

“Whatever we do after now, it’s going to continue to be multi-year, but we’re not sure if the government is going to go for the five or they’re up for three.”

Guyana, Brazil celebrate golden anniversary – with launch of commemorative stamp

AS Guyana and Brazil continue to celebrate their 50th anniversary of bilateral relations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday launched a commemorative stamp in honour of the milestone.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge called Brazil a “valued partner”, noting that Guyana has an unwavering commitment to working with Brazil.

“This launch is not merely to commemorate a stamp,” he said, “but to allow us to take a moment and reflect on the 50 years of very positive and productive relations between the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and the Federative Republic of Brazil.”

The launch was chaired by Ambassador Ronald Austin, Director of the Foreign Service Institute, and was also attended by Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Brazil, Mr Paul Silos; Guyana’s Minister of Public Telecommunication, Ms Cathy Hughes; and US Ambassador to Guyana, Mr. Perry Holloway.

As Ambassador Silos observed during his address, the stamp, though small, carries with it a big significance.

“A stamp has its own powerful impact,

as it is not restricted,” he said. “This stamp is an individual monument; an enduring testament to the constant evolution of Brazil and Guyana relationship to each other.”

A Brazilian version of the stamp is scheduled to be launched next Friday.

Minister Hughes, who said that stamps are “paper ambassadors and a fragment of history”, reminded her audience that this stamp was actually the third that honours relations between the two countries.

Back in 2003, she recalled, one was printed to commemorate 35 years of bilateral relations between the two countries, while another was printed in 2009 to celebrate the official commissioning of the Takutu Bridge which joins Guyana and Brazil.

Guyana and Brazil first began official ties on August 26 1968, when then Prime Minister, Ptolemy Reid visited Brazil.

“In the subsequent 50 years,” Minister Greenidge said, “the two countries have solidified relations through close collaboration over a vast number of areas.

“Our bilateral relations have intensified through a series of high-level encounters followed by implementation.”

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Carl Greenidge (right) and Embassy of Brazil Deputy Head of Mission, Mr. Paul Silos with replicas of the stamp. To their left is Minister of Public Telecommunication, Ms. Cathy Hughes (Photo by Adrian Narine)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 20, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 20, 2018

Nine new housing areas to be developed in 2019

IN 2019, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) will embark on the development of nine new areas inclusive of the Cumming Lodge housing development, the latter which will be a model in the delivery of a “community experience” for future housing developments.

According to a release from the Ministry of Communities, the CH&PA work programme for next year will see the upgrading of three recreational areas, consolidation of eighteen existing areas, installation of electricity in eight areas and the completion of four hundred and fifty housing units. It will also

BA man shot during ‘drive-by’ A 31-year-old shopkeeper of Bachelor’s Adventure, East Coast Demerara (ECD), has been hospitalised after he was shot in Paradise Housing Scheme.

Reports are that around 20:00hrs on Thursday, Taffy Adams sustained a gunshot wound to his left arm after several men in a silver-grey Toyota 212 motorcar opened fire in his direction. The man had left his home earlier on a pedal cycle and went to a shop at Paradise, when the men drove up.

Adams was taken to the Enmore Police Outpost, then to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) for treatment. The police are searching for the suspects.

undertake full house subsidies in the Rupununi and preparation of spatial plans for several municipalities.

The ministry was at the time responding to an article titled “Jagdeo dismisses President’s parliamentary ploy” published in the Guyana Times October 19, 2018.

It said over the past three years, the government spent approximately $1.6 billion on consolidating the schemes ‘developed’ by the former administration at several areas across the country.

The schemes which benefited from the works are Zeelugt Phase Two & Three, East Bank Essequibo, West Minister on the West Bank of Demerara, Perseverance on the East Bank of Demerara, Hope/Experiment, West Coast Berbice as well as Kilcoy/Chesney, Berbice and Amelia’s Ward, Linden.

The Ministry of Communities noted that in the old housing model inherited by the government primarily focused on the divestment

of land and the development of site and services schemes resulted in an alarmingly low occupancy rate.

“Mr. Jagdeo, dismissive of this administration’s efforts at salvaging the approach to housing, boasted of the distribution of over 100,000 house lots under the PPP as compared to the number of housing solutions built by this administration, in addition to the distribution of serviced lots, over the past three (3) years. This model has proven over the years to be a flawed and failed approach to satisfying the housing needs,” the ministry said.

It noted that during the period 2011-2015, thirty-eight (38) housing schemes were developed at the cost of approximately $13 billion and yielded approximately 20,000 house lots.

It noted that with an additional $16 billion required to complete the infrastructural work, less than 4000 units were built-an

occupancy rate of 20 per cent. “This meant that 80 per cent of the house lots were undeveloped which poses significant challenges, security and otherwise to the homeowners,” the ministry said.

According to the ministry, being cognisant of the failure of the approach taken by the previous government, the APNU+AFC administration has tailored its housing policy to the provision of affordable housing solutions, in addition to the option of serviced lots, for low-income earners, state employees, and youths.

It said this model will see an occupancy rate of 100 per cent as opposed to the 20 per cent rate achieved under the old model. “Moreover, while the number of housing solutions built thus far might be modest, the benefits to potential homeowners cannot be dismissed, taking into consideration the stress and challenges associated with construction for which no

profit accrues to the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA),” the ministry noted.

It noted that while the PPP administration embarked on a ‘turn-key’ initiative under its “1000 Homes Programme,” it was overshadowed by the construction of a number of defective houses that even rendered some uninhabitable and had to be rectified by this administration.

“The CH&PA mindful of the huge backlog and demand for housing will not be distracted in its quest of satisfying the housing needs of the working class but will redouble its efforts in this regard,” the ministry said.

Additionally, in keeping with the local government agenda which emphasises the primacy of local government, a number of housing schemes will be transferred in 2019 to the respective local organs for its effective management and development.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 20, 2018

Roxanne Myers sworn in as Murder accused deputy chief election officer escapee recaptured

ROXANNE Prince-Myers was Friday swornin by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan as deputy chief election officer (DCEO) of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

The swearing-in ceremony was held in Court One of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. She said her current focus is on the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGEs), which will commence with members of the Disciplined Services casting their ballots 10 days before the general population cast theirs.

Local Government Elections (LGEs) will be held on Monday, November 12. Myers is currently completing studies for a Doctorate in Philosophy in Government at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago. She also holds a Master’s degree from the UN-mandated University for Peace in Costa Rica.

In her business profile on

Roxanne Prince-Myers taking the oath at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court (Delano Williams photo) the website Linkedin, Myers described herself as a public and social policy analyst with 15 years professional experience covering positions in academia, international organisations, the private sector, think-tanks, not-forprofit organisations and the faith-based community in Guyana, CARICOM and the United States of America.

These experiences, she said, have redounded to managerial, analytical, ad-

vocacy and events-management skills for high-value programmes and projects in the field of governance, human rights, community development and social empowerment.

She said she has also engaged in strategic country programme development for regional and international organisations, including USAID, MSI, UNDP, UNICEF and PAHO/WHO.

THE Joint Services on Friday morning recaptured murder accused Travis Evans, one of three prisoners who escaped from the Lusignan Prison on Monday, Commander ‘A’ Division, Assistant Commissioner Marlon Chapman, has confirmed.

The commander said that the escapee was apprehended at the Soesdyke-Linden highway junction. He noted that the recaptured prisoner will now face an additional charge of escaping lawful custody.

Director of Prisons (ag) Gladwin Samuels, said that the “security of a nation is enhanced when law-enforcement agencies and the wider community work together.”

He said it was such a situation that resulted in Evans’ recapture.

He explained that infor-

mation was received about the sighting of Evans that led to members of various search teams responding. “At about 07:45hrs on Friday, October 19, 2018, he was recaptured

by Joint Services ranks at the Soesdyke-Linden Highway junction. He is in police custody for processing. I wish to commend all those persons who assisted and I now encourage others to be equally helpful.”

Evans , called “Short Boss” of ‘C’ Field, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, was arraigned before presiding Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court in August this year for the murder of Ronsley Clarke, 21, of Fire Station Road, Timehri.

Clarke was shot twice about his body in full view of his friends on August 2nd.

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Murder accused Travis Evans Two other men, Sudesh Dyal, 23 of Wales , West Bank Demerara, who was on remand for break and enter and larceny, as well as for escaping lawful custody and Dexroy Pollard, 29 of Wales, West Bank Demerara , who was also on remand for break and enter charges, remain on the run following Monday morning’s dash from the prison.

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Halt your plans

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 20, 2018

… Gov’t wants BBCI to back down on toll hike proposals … hopeful good sense will prevail

MINISTER of State Joseph Harmon said government is hopeful that the Berbice Bridge Company Inc. (BBCI) will allow good

sense to prevail and halt its proposed plan to significantly increase the bridge tolls.

With the aim of meet-

ing operational costs, the BBCI on Tuesday announced that from November 12, the new rates would be: Cars: G$8,040; Pickups:

G$14,600; 4WD: G$14,600; Minibuses: G$8,040; Small trucks: G$14,600; Medium trucks: G$27,720; Large trucks: G$49,600; Articulated trucks: G$116,680; Freight: G$1,680 and Boats: G$401,040.

“We believe that better sense will prevail, since there is a legal requirement for there to be any fee increase by use of the bridge,” the minister of state told reporters during his weekly post-cabinet briefing on Friday at the Ministry of the Presidency.

Before announcing any increase, the BBCI is mandated by the Berbice River Bridge Act and the agreement it signed with the Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana to consult the minister with responsibility for the transport sector.

The company, however, breached both the Act and the concession agreement, by announcing increases without consultation with Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson.

Minister Harmon said

Cabinet, while describing the increases as “unreasonable,” has given the minister of public infrastructure some “very clear guidance,” and has made it clear that it is not prepared to accept the increases.

Minister Patterson was advised to seek legal advice; that advice is being sought from Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Basil Williams.

Williams, in a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle, had explained that the unilateral announcement by BBCI is in breach of the concession agreement, which requires any announcement to be consensual; secondly, in breach of Section 4.1 subsection 2 of the Berbice River Bridge Act, which gives the company the authority to specify the toll increases after consultation with the minister,” he said.

According to the attorney general, the company must know that the power it has under Section 4.1 subsection 2 of the Act must be read, subject to Section 4.1 (d) (III), which empowers the minister to determine the maximum amount of tolls.

“Only the minister could publish in the gazette, the tolls. That announcement that

(BBCI) made is of no legal effect,” said Williams.

He stressed that other than the amount that has been approved and gazetted, no other increases can be accepted without the minister’s approval.

If the bridge company fails to cancel the increase, the government is prepared to take necessary action, the minister of state said.

“The cabinet also gave the minister some certain other options, which we are prepared to exercise in the event that the Berbice Bridge Company were to unilaterally and arbitrarily impose those increases,” Minister Harmon told reporters.

He noted that the increases will not only affect persons living in Berbice, but the entire country as well. “It is to note that it is not only the Berbice people are affected, because people from all parts of Guyana travel to Berbice, travel to Suriname and therefore, all of us are affected by these increases.”

The main opposition political party in the country – the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)-- has also rejected the increases, dubbing the move as unconscionable.

PM Modi’s visit postponed INDIA’S Prime Minister, Narendra Modi will no longer be visiting Guyana in December, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon has confirmed.

During a press conference at the Ministry of the Presidency on Friday, Minister Harmon said based on information received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Prime Minister Modi will no longer be visiting in December. According to information supplied to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, domestic issues have constrained him from visiting Guyana as was planned.

The visit by Prime Minister Modi was planned during a bilateral meeting with President David Granger in New Delhi, India last March. During that meeting, President Granger and Prime Minister Modi had pledged to strengthen the historical ties between Guyana and India through increased cooperation.

Noting then that India is

willing to assist Guyana in its development, the Indian prime minister had pointed out there are many areas for cooperation, particularly in the sugar and oil sectors.

Notwithstanding the postponement of the visit by Prime Minister Modi, works continues on the construction of the Indian Immigration Monument, Palmyra Region Six. Last month, a $38M contract was awarded for the construction of the visitor’s gallery and security hut at the monument. In honour of the continued relationship between the two nations, the monument was gifted to the Government of Guyana by the Government of the Republic of India as a symbol of cultural and historical celebration.

The 12×12 monument is sculpted in bronze, weighing some 17 tonnes, and is a visual representation of ordinary Indian people in routine everyday life, with each bearing a significant artifact as an ode to the con-

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi tinued traditions brought by our forefathers from India, translated to current livelihood and practices by Guyanese today. According to reports, $97 million had been allocated for the building of the structure upon which the monument would be placed.

The actual donated monument is said to have cost some US$150,000.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 20, 2018

EU, AG Chambers discuss project Sophia handyman died of to boost criminal justice system stab wound to the heart Autopsy finds...

AMBASSADOR Jernej Videtic, the Head of the European Union Delegation to Guyana, and Mr. Philippe Coessens, Minister Counsellor and Head of Political, earlier this week paid a courtesy call on Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mr. Basil Williams, SC at his office.

The visit concerned the “Support to the Effectiveness of Criminal Justice Systems in the Caribbean” project, the AG chambers said in a release. The project’s aim is to modernise and strengthen CARIFORUM participating

and regional coordination, witness protection, victim support, rehabilitation services aimed at offenders and public outreach. Williams during the meeting gave his full support for the project and the activities to be undertaken. He was further pleased that activities such as witness protection programme, procuring of equipment for the court including audio and video digital recording and digital voice transcription technology, video-conferencing equipment, internet court portals and rehabilitation initiatives/ workshops in prisons were part of the activities of the project.

AN autopsy done on Friday has confirmed that 26-year-old Seon Harry, who was killed on Thursday morning during an altercation in the South Sophia Squatting Area, died of a stab wound to the heart.

Dead: Seon Harry From (L-R) Mr. Philippe Coessens, Minister Counsellor and Head of Political Press & Information, Ambassador Jernej Videtic, Head of the European Union Delegation to Guyana, Attorney General and Minister of legal Affairs Mr. Basil Williams, SC, MP; Deputy Chief Parliamentary Counsel Ms. Joann Bond and Chief Parliamentary Counsel Mr. Charles Fung-a-Fat

countries’ court systems, processes, and services; and to train and equip judicial officers and court staff with the skills and competencies necessary to deliver justice in a fair, transparent, efficient and timely manner.

According to the release, the project which will be finalised by the European Development Fund and target the CARIFORUM Region will commence in early 2019.

Some of the main activities of the project will be technical assistance, procurement of equipment, training, national

The attorney general also highlighted the need for training of prosecutors, law enforcement and the judiciary in the areas of cybercrime and financial crimes.

Additionally, discussed at the meeting was the abolition of the death penalty and an upcoming seminar on the subject facilitated by the EU and the UK. Also in attendance at the meeting were Chief Parliamentary Counsel, Mr. Charles Fung-a-Fatt, and his deputy, Ms. Joann Bond.

Massy takes advantage of ‘Green Expo’

By Tamica Garnett

IN the coming months, Massy Gas Products, a subsidiary of the Massy family, will be putting systems in place to encourage the use of natural gas as an alternative fuel for vehicles.

The company is currently using its booth at the ‘Green Guyana Expo and International Small Business Summit’ that opened at the National Stadium on Thursday to promote its Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) initiative.

It has on display at the exposition an LPG vehicle it imported a few months ago in the hope of getting the ball rolling with the initiative.

At the end of the exhibition, Massy plans on setting up two “autogas” fuel stations, one at their Mandela Avenue Rubis service station, and the other at their station at Provi-

dence, on the East Bank.

“Autogas” comprises a mixture of propane and butane, and is the name of the product that the vehicles will be using.

Persons interested in exploiting this technology can either import an LPG-compatible vehicle, or have the system installed on their regular gaso-

Massy Gas Products Sales Coordinator, Reinaldo Persaud

line-run vehicle.

Massy proposes offering to do the installation for somewhere between $100,000 $200,000.

“We will be bringing kits that you could convert your car to use this type of gas which is a cheaper gas, less emissions,” explained Massy Gas Products Sales Coordinator, Reinaldo Persaud.

“In terms of safety, you are 100 per cent safe with these types of vehicles. You are not any less safe as compared to a gasoline vehicle; it’s basically the same,” he said.

Persaud says persons should not let the cost of the installation be a dissuading factor if they are considering making the switch, as the money they will save in the long run will be way more than that.

A ONE-OFF EXPENSE “It might look as a lot,”

And now that the report is in, the police have handed over Harry’s body to his relatives for burial.

The stabbing reportedly took place at Farmers’ Field in Block ‘E’, South Sophia, the said community in which the deceased lived and did odd jobs as a handyman. According to reports the stabbing occurred as a result of Harry picking up a man’s pedal cycle and riding off with-

out asking his permission.

The suspect, who was handed over to the police by his father, is said to be someone who openly retails small amounts of marijuana within the Greater Georgetown and Sophia areas.

Reports are that Harry, on Wednesday evening, picked up the cycle and went to purchase food and upon his return, the assailant confronted him about taking his cycle without permission.

This led to a heated exchange, and the suspect kicking the box of food out of Harry’s hand. Residents say when the two pugilists ran out of steam; they both went their separate ways.

But on Thursday morning, Harry reportedly showed up with a cutlass at a location where the suspect normally limes, and confronting him about his behaviour the night before, he started to chop him about the body.

Though taken by surprise, the suspect managed to whip out a knife and dealt Harry a stab, which caused him to fall to the ground and die instantly in full view of several persons who had gathered at the scene.

The dead man leaves to mourn his pregnant girlfriend and several other close friends and relatives.

--to fuel its switch to natural gas drive he said, “but it’s a one-off expense, and in the long-term, you will be saving.

“Gasoline is $230 to $240 per litre; we have cooking gas which is about $180 per litre.

When you full your tank up, you will save $3000 to $4000 immediately.

“And some persons might fuel up three to four times a month; that’s $16,000. Within a year, you would already get back that expense, and then you keep saving going forward.”

Moreover, those vehicles that have had the system installed, he said, will have the option of switching between gasoline and natural gas anytime they wish, since the installation kits for the LPG addition will come with its own separate tank.

“One of the great things about this,” Persaud said, “is when we convert your vehi-

cle in Guyana, there will be the option of switching your vehicle from LPG to gasoline.

“You could do it yourself; there would be a switch in the vehicle when we convert yours. You just flip a switch, and automatically you switch to gasoline.”

Persaud used the Dominican Republic as an example of how the technology could work.

“Right now in the Dominican Republic,” he said, “out of about 900,000 vehicles, they have 350,000 vehicles which are using this type of feature.”

Additionally, Massy hopes that the tax exemption on LPG-run vehicles will help to break-in the initiative in the Guyana market. Currently, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) exempts vehicles designed to accommodate LPG from excise.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 20, 2018

CARICOM FIRST LADIES ADVANCE WORK PROGRAMME

THE Spouses of CARICOM Leaders Action Network (SCLAN) participated in a number of events held in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York last month, the CARICOM Secretariat has reported.

Apart from hosting a side event in collaboration with the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) at the UN Headquarters on 24 September, 2018, the organisation took the opportunity to establish contact with, and strengthen links with other organisations.

SCLAN was represented by the Her Excellency, Ms. Kim Simplis Barrow, spouse of the Prime Minister of Belize,Dean Barrow and Special Envoy on Women and Children of Belize and Chair of SCLAN; Her Excellency, Mrs. Sandra Granger, spouse of the President of Guyana and Vice-Chair; Executive Committee Members Hon. Dr. Patricia Minnis, spouse of the Prime Minister of The Bahamas; Her Excellency Martine Moise, spouse of the President of Haiti; and Hon. Eloise Gonsalves, spouse of the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Mrs. Barrow and Mrs. Granger were also invited to speak during the Strategic Dialogue on Promoting the Health of Women and Girls through Collective Efforts at the 2018 Concordia Annual Summit, in partnership with the Bush Institute and at the PEPFAR 15th Anniversary Reception. They also made presentations to the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU),urging support for a MTV “Shuga” series for the Caribbean.

The success of the series in Africa is borne out by its wide audience; an increase in the number of persons who have been tested and treated for AIDS; a reduction in sexually transmitted diseases; and more careful choosing of partners by women and the public discussion of taboo subjects.

They were invited to, and participated in events hosted by the Organisation of African First Ladies against AIDS (OAFLA): a high-level breakfast on the Free to Shine Campaign – Global Partnership towards Eliminating Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Africa; and a

EXPANDING LINKS: From left, Mr. Charles Lyons, Chief Executive Officer and President of the Elizabeth Glasier Paediatric AIDS Foundation, H.E. Sandra Granger, SCLAN Vice Chair, H.E. Kim Simplis Barrow, SCLAN Chair, Dr. Marijke Wijnroks, Chief of Staff, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), and Mr. Gary Cohen, Board Chairman and Founder of Together for Girls, Executive Vice President, Global Health BD and President BD Foundation

high-level panel discussion on breast and cervical cancer in Africa. The CARICOM First Ladies also participated in the Launch of the Youth 2030 Strategy and Generation Unlimited Partnership; the UNICEF Women Leaders for Girls Reception; and the World Council of Churches / PEPFAR/UNAIDS breakfast on fostering partnerships to end AIDS and TB in children and adolescents.

Informal discussions were held with representatives

of the Bush Institute, Elizabeth Glasier Paediatric AIDS Foundation and Girls Not Brides. Mrs. Barrow stated that her organisation’s participation in the UN side events had been productive, with renewed acquaintances and established contacts with a number of persons who shared their goals and objectives and were interested in collaborating with the Caribbean Spouses Network.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 20, 2018

GMC unveils

billboard as part of drive to promote local non-traditional agro sector IN an effort to continue the promotion of locally manufactured products, the minister of agriculture, GMC’s Board of Directors and management unveiled the Guyana Marketing Corporation’s first promotional billboard at the Eugene F. Correira International Airport, Ogle, East Coast Demerara.

The billboard is a public-private partnership which features items from UMAMI Inc., Suncrest Farms, Indigenous Coconut Oil, Tandy’s Manufacturing, and Old Max among many other Agro-processed products. “The Guyana Marketing Corporation continues to take steps to extensively promote the utilisation and exportation of both fresh and agro-processed commodities in all regions of Guyana,” said Ms. Sealey-Adams, at the small ceremony which was held in the arrival terminal of the Airport.

She added: “We recognise that the main ports of entry are integral for the exportation of local agro-processed products and the promotion of our services since hundreds of persons would traverse each month.”

Apart from the Eugene F. Correira International Airport, the corporation will continue to engage the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and the Canawaima Ferry Crossing at Molsen Creek to have promotional billboards mounted.

Mr. Richard Hanif, Marketing Manager noted the corporation’s commitment to supporting the local sector. “This simple ceremony is a testimony of our commitment to utilise all avenues to support our local sector,” he stated.

He pointed out that GMC has Region Nine on its agenda. “We foresee doing more work in that Region [9] in the coming year,” Hanif said. In expressing

his appreciation for the work GMC has been doing for the agro-processors and farmers over the years, Chris Persaud, Managing Director of UMAMI Incorporated said UMAMI is proud to be one of the companies to partner with GMC to have the billboard done.

“UMAMI is definitely proud to be a part of this partnership. We feel that even though it is small in its physical footprint it is tremendous in its national impact,” Persaud said.

Persaud added that with the changes expected in the country in the near future, promotions of this nature will play a huge part in the development of the industry. “With the forthcoming changes that are expected on the horizon, it will certainly play its part in not only promoting the interest of the Agro-processing sector but also add value to a new dimension in agro-tourism.”

Though it is currently targeting the main ports of entry, the corporation will also have billboards strategically placed at critical junctures throughout the country in the near future.

Its objective, Ms. Sealey Adams said, is embedded in the mandate of the corporation which is to promote the development and utilisation of both fresh and agro-processed non-traditional commodities.

Mr. Omadatt Chandan, GMC board member, who was also part of the ceremony, stated that the board is satisfied with the work management and staff of the Guyana Marketing Corporation have been doing.

The general manager expressed her heartfelt thanks to those companies that would have partnered with the corporation to make the billboard possible. She is also encouraging other agro-processors to come on board “as we expand this initiative.”

Ms. Ida Sealey-Adams discussing the billboard concept to the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Noel Holder

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, October 20, 2018

GRDB 15 rice variety yield CARIFESTA for impressive - Minister Holder TT in August

MINISTER of Agriculture, Noel Holder has said that the rice yield for the 2018 crop is impressive and statistics provided to him by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) has shown improvements in the yield per acreage, especially with the GRDB 15 variety.

Minister Holder was at the time speaking to a large gathering at Mainstay/Whyaka, Region Two on World Food Day, October 16. He told the audience that with the introduction of the new GRDB 15, rice farmers were able to harvest better yields with less damage to their crop.

“Regarding the performance of the GRDB 15 for this second crop 2018 nationally, it has been reported that there is less damage at the mills as compared with other varieties. Zero incidence of black tip; zero to only one per cent lodging; moderate incidence of brown spots; excellent germination; it also accommodates delayed harvesting” Minister Holder said.

Overall, he said that farmers are satisfied since they were able to reap more as compared to previous years.

The national yield he noted is about 39 bags per acre with Region Two sowing 1190 acres of GRDB 15 with an expected average yield of 41.5 bags per acre.

and fungicides for pest and weed control; introduction of new management techniques for the management of red rice and the composition of rice/wheat blended flour for

we must work as a nation to reclaim the name of the Bread Basket of the Caribbean, we have started and will persist in increasing our agricultural production

Flashback to when the GRDB 15 variety was first introduced to Guyana, Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder along with General Manager of the GRDB, Nizam Hassan and another staff member examining the rice crop

He mentioned that GRDB is focusing on the acquisition of new genotypes; promotion of laser land levelling technology to improve productivity; new herbicides; insecticides

value-added production.

“Agriculture will always play a major role in our economy, it is what makes us unique within CARICOM, nevertheless,

and exports, starting with rice,” Minister Holder said.

He noted that Region Two produces 17 per cent of the nation’s rice and has about 2131 rice farmers.

Mocha man charged for trafficking ecstasy KENTON Haynes of Mocha, East Bank Demerara, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courton Friday morning, charged for allegedly being in possession of 559 Ecstasy pills, weighing 219.7 grams, for the purpose of trafficking.

The Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) said that Haynes and other males were arrested and taken into custody after CANU ranks intervened in an ecstasy transaction conducted at Orange Walk, where the suspected narcotics were found in Haynes’ possession.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge, which alleged that he had the ille-

CARIFESTA XIV will be launched at the Hilton Conference Centre in Trinidad and Tobago on Tuesday, the CARICOM Secretariat has announced.

Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Honourable Dr. Keith Rowley, Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Nyan Gadsby Dolly and Programme Manager for Culture and Community Development at the CARICOM Secretariat, Dr. Hilary Brown, are expected to speak at the launch.

The roving Caribbean Festival of Arts will be held in Trinidad and Tobago from 16-25 August, 2019, under the theme ‘The Tangible and Intangible Connect, Share, Invest’.

Planning for the Festival started in late 2017 and a Meeting of the Interim Festival Directorate (IFD) was convened by videoconference in April 2018, followed by a meeting of the Regional Cultural Committee (RCC) in Guyana in June 2018. Directors of culture as well as representatives from various Regional cultural stakeholders converged at the CARICOM Secretariat to discuss cultural matters, chief of which was CARIFESTA XIV. Issues such as leveraging CARICOM’s cultural assets, reparations for native genocide and slavery,

animation and financing culture were also on the agenda.

The Sixteenth Meeting of the Interim Festival Directorate (IFD) and a meeting of the Regional Cultural Committee (RCC) working group will also be convened in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on 22-24 October, 2018. The IFD will review and discuss CARIFESTA XIII which was held in Barbados in August 2017; preparations for CARIFESTA XIV and the future of CARIFESTA. CARIFESTA, first held in 1972, is the Caribbean Community’s premier art and culture festival. Its main purpose, which was a mandate of the CARICOM Heads of Government, is to celebrate the arts, foster a vision of Caribbean unity while advancing Caribbean culture regionally and internationally.

This event attracts artists and culture professionals from more than 30 countries in the Region and has been held 13 times across eight countries.

Among the CARICOM member states that have hosted this culturally iconic event are: Guyana (1972, 2008), Jamaica (1976), Barbados (1981, 2017), Trinidad and Tobago (1992, 1995, 2006), St. Kitts and Nevis (2000), Suriname (2003, 2013) and Haiti (2015).

The festival was held in Cuba in 1979.

Soldiers charged with rape …granted $300,000 bail each THE two soldiers, who allegedly raped a 26-year-old female, were on Friday granted bail when they made their first appearance on the matter at the Suddie Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Esther Sam. Rawlston Reid, 22 of Dochfour Housing Scheme and Isaiah Rawlins, 21 of Wisroc Linden, were both slapped with a rape charge. The court heard that on October 13 they allegedly had forceful sex with a 26-year-old woman. The woman was at the time with her boyfriend at a community centre ground eating chips when they were approached by the soldiers who are known to them.

Kenton Haynes

gal drugs in his possession on October 17 between Charlotte Street and Orange Walk, Georgetown.

The ecstasy pills that were seized

Haynes was released on $200,000 bail and was ordered to lodge his passport and to report to the

Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) weekly. The case will be called again on November 1.

90 more government buildings to be equipped with solar panels THE Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) will install an additional 1.94 MW rooftop Solar Photovoltaic (PV) panels at 90 government buildings by the end of 2018. Last year the agency installed 0.96 MW PV systems on the rooftops of 70 government buildings, Public Communications Officer, Taiwo Wilson-Williams said.

She explained that in keeping with the government’s Green State Development Strategy, the GEA continues

to monitor, design and advance initiatives focused on transitioning towards renewable energy and greater energy independence.

From the experience gained thus far, she said that the GEA wishes to advise permanent secretaries and heads of agencies of government entities of the following requirements in preparation for solar installation: (1)Repairs to existing roofs to ensure structural integrity and leaking

is addressed; (2) Appropriate roof design for new buildings and shaded car parks to accommodate solar PV array: roof slopes should be a gentle slope and should not exceed approximately 15 degrees and as far as practical, should be south facing.

And finally, Ms. Wilson-Williams said energy storage equipment requires adequate space that is well ventilated. Therefore, a section of the building should be

identified, reserved and designated as an “Energy Storage Zone” for the energy storage equipment of future solar PV systems.

“As part of the realisation of the vision to provide reliable energy in an environmentally, socially and sustainable framework, GEA will continue to provide technical support, monitoring and training in the use and operation of the systems,” she said.

Rawlston Reid

Isaiah Rawlins

The couple was ordered to have sex for the soldiers to see and when they refused they were beaten and robbed.

The woman’s boyfriend was forced to watch the entire ordeal before they stripped him of his gold chains worth $180,000.

Magistrate Sam granted $300,000 bail for each of the men, who have since been dismissed from the military. They are expected to return to court on December 3. As a condition for their release they are expected to report to the Anna Regina Police Station every Monday.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday October 20, 2018

Bolt future not an immediate concern for Mariners CENTRAL Coast Mariners coach Mike Mulvey is keen to put the future of Usain Bolt to one side as his side prepare to face Melbourne City in the opening round of A-League fixtures.

Bolt has been training with the Mariners since August and scored twice in a trial match last week.

His performance in that victory over Macarthur South West United – his first start for the Mariners – brought global attention and saw Maltese champions Valletta offer him a two-year contract.

The eight-time Olympic champion rejected that deal, but whether the Mariners will offer the Jamaican a full-time role remains unclear.

Mulvey’s pre-match media conference saw the Mariners boss questioned on the future of Bolt, but he was not keen to discuss his future.

09:05 hrs Mr Secretary

Belmont

09:35 hrs Harvest Bow

Race 1 Bobby Man

10:05 hrs Could Be King

Race 2 I Still Miss You

10:40 hrs Flavius

Race 3 Offering Plan

11:15 hrs Bucky Larson

Race 4 Eye Luv Lulu

11:50 hrs Cockalorum

Race 5 La Moneda

12:25 hrs Nibiru

Race 6 Exchange Fever Usain Bolt

“I’m really not interested in that to tell you the truth,” he said when asked about Bolt’s decision to turn down Valletta.

“I’m interested in the players that I’ve got in my squad who I’m very happy with.

“We’ve covered that (the Bolt issue) ad nauseam in the lead-up from when he was here to the game last weekend and I’ve said all along the focus is on the team.

“I’ve got 23 full-time professional footballers who have (shed) blood, sweat and tears throughout the whole of pre-season.”

He added: “It’s well documented that he (Bolt) is great among the guys. Very happy for him last week with the two goals he scored but we move on.” (Sportsmax)

Gayle 54 propels Balkh Legends to huge win in Afghan league semis

CHRIS Gayle blasted 54 runs from just 30 balls to help the Balkh Legends to a 171-run victory over the Nangarhar Leopards in the semi-finals of the Afghanistan Premier League yesterday.

Gayle, who scored 73 in the Legends’ six-wicket win over the Kandahar Knights on Thursday, smashed nine fours and two sixes yesterday as the Legends went on a rampage scoring 235 for 5 against a toothless Leopards attack.

Darwish Rasooli topscored with a 45-ball 78, that included seven fours and four sixes.

Man-of-the-match Mohammad Nabi also filled his boots with a 16-ball 47 in which he hit two fours and five sixes. Colin Munro also scored 33, as the Legends raced to their match-winning total.

Chasing an improbable 236 to win, the Leopards wilted from the outset collapsing to 64 all out, as Nabi snatched 4 for 12 off 3.1 overs. Qais Ahmad 3 for 18 runs and Miwais

American Racing Tips

Race 7 Cartwheelin Lulu

English Racing Tips

Race 8 Dugout

Ascot

Race 9 Frostie Anne

08:25 hrs Staradivarius

Race10 Can You Digit

09:00 hrs The Tin Man 09:40 hrs Lah Ti Dar

Canadian Racing Tips

10:15 hrs Roaring Lion

Woodbine

10:50 hrs Cracksman

Race 1 Dixie’s Gamble

11:30 hrs Raising Sand

Race 2 Matthews’ Orb Race 3 Truly Honoured

Market Rasen

Race 4 Gator Spy

08:40 hrs Papagana

Race 5 Shelbourne

09:15 hrs William Hunter

Race 6 Marner Race 7 Amberwood Race 8 Soexotic Race 9 Bear Paw South Africa Racing Tips Chris Gayle

Ashraf 2 for 14 also contributed to the rout.

Andre Fletcher only managed 13 and Johnson Charles 4 for the losers, who were overwhelmed by their in-form Legends.

On Thursday, Gayle, who has been enjoying his time in Afghanistan joked after his match-winning knock of 73 that won him the Player-of-the-Match award, that he would love to chill with newly elected Pakistan president Imran Khan.

Khan is a former captain for the Pakistan cricket team who was considered

the best ever cricketer from Pakistan. During his career, he took 362 Test wickets and scored 3 807 runs.

“I have never visited Pakistan, but would love to go there and meet the Prime Minister Imran Khan who captained the national cricket team as well.

And maybe I get a chance to chill with the world cup winner,” Gayle joked during an interview with Sports Mirchi.

“On only one condition I can visit Pakistan is that country must send a private jet for me to be there.”

09:50 hrs Solo Saxophone 11:00 hrs Ballybolley 11:35 hrs Sheriff Garrett 12:05 hrs Felicidad

Durbanville 08:35 hrs Redial

Catterick

09:50 hrs Powerr Grid

08:50 hrs Sylvia’s Mother

10:25 hrs Benjan 11:00 hrs Depeche 11:35 hrs Pearl Jam

09:25 hrs Ice Gala 09:55 hrs Royal Connoisseur 10:30 hrs Dakota Gold

Irish Racing Tips Leopardstown 08:35 hrs Lightning Amber

11:05 hrs C’est No Mour 11:40 hrs Start Time 12:10 hrs Betancourt

28

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday October 20, 2018

Abbas takes ten-for as Pakistan seal 1-0 series win

ABU Dhabi really was nothing like Dubai. Over in the nation’s most global city, Australia batted out 140 overs in blazing sunshine to thwart Pakistan’s hopes of a win.

Here in the capital under clouds and a slight drizzle, it took Mohammad Abbas and his teammates barely 50

overs to scythe through an Australian side that looked as feeble as the worst pessimists had feared a fortnight ago.

Abbas completed a five-wicket haul, his second in this match and his fourth in a career that spans a mere 10 matches. It was his scintillating spell yesterday morning that ripped through Austra-

Scoreboard

lia’s middle order, condemning them to a 373-run defeat, their fourth-worst in history.

Abbas was strewn across every record book in Abu Dhabi. He is the first fast bowler to take a ten-wicket haul in UAE, he’s the joint fastest to 50 wickets, and he has the lowest average of any bowler with that tally in the Mohammed Abbas became the first fast bowler to take a 10-wicket haul in the United Arab Emirates.

last 122 years.

For a bowler who only made his debut 18 months ago, he is fast rising to the status of unofficial world No.1, a ranking none other than Dale Steyn tipped him to reach. If you watched him bowl in this Test, and indeed these two weeks, you’d be hard-pressed to disagree.

These are especially worrying times for Justin Langer, the new Australia coach. In the three Tests since the ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town Australia have suffered two defeats that rank as their second and fourth-heaviest of all-time.

On Friday, the middle order collapsed yet again in an intense morning session where Abbas ripped through them with virtually unplayable accuracy. Marnus Labuschagne and Mitchell Starc showed fight when it looked like the game might not extend to the second session, but that partnership was broken half-an-hour before lunch as Yasir Shah finally got his teeth into the game.

Travis Head and Aaron Finch began the day solidly enough, but the sheer insurmountability of the task that lay ahead brought its own constricting pressures.

Asad Shafiq, captaining in place of Sarfraz Ahmed, the

regular captain who is being examined for possible concussion, kept Abbas on for an extended spell this morning, and for good reason.

Mohammad Rizwan was keeping up to the wicket, and Abbas, with his deadly accurate off-stump line, began to wear the Australian pair down.

Head was the first to go, nicking through to the keeper, and that started a masterclass in stump-to-stump bowling. Abbas struck Mitchell Marsh’s bent back knee in his next over, and a review revealed it would have hit the stumps. His next over produced two further wickets, Finch the first victim, before perhaps the best one of the lot.

Three balls into his innings, Tim Paine felt he could safely leave one from Abbas that began outside the stumps. The ball seamed in, and the Australia captain could only watch as it clattered into off stump. Australia had lost four wickets for seven runs, and Abbas was suddenly on the cusp of another five-for.

Usman Khawaja wasn’t able to come out to bat because he’d been off the field for a long time nursing an internal injury, so Starc came out instead. It was the best passage of play for Australia. Abbas was finally given a rest and the

AUSTRALIA 2nd innings A. Finch lbw b Mohammad Abbas 31 S. Marsh b Mir Hamza 4 T. Head c (sub. Rizwan) b Mohammad Abbas 36 M. Marsh lbw b Mohammad Abbas 5 M. Labuschagne c (sub Rizwan) b Mohammad Abbas 43 T. Paine b Mohammad Abbas 0 M. Starc lbw b Yasir Shah 28 P. Siddle lbw b Yasir Shah 3 N. Lyon not out 6 J. Holland c Haris Sohail b Yasir Shah 3 U. Khawaja absent hurt Extras: (lb-5) 5 Total: (all out 49.4 overs) 164 Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-71, 3-77, 4-78, 5-78, 6-145, 7-151, 8-155, 9-164.

Bowling: Mohammad Abbas 17-2-62-5, Mir Hamza 6-0-40-1, Yasir Shah 21.4-5-45-3, Bilal Asif 5-2-12-0.

pair, particularly Labuschagne, looked reasonably comfortable against Yasir.

They batted together for over an hour and brought up the 50-partnership, and for Australia to take any sort of momentum into the next session, it was obvious the two would need to see this one out.

Yasir ensured that wouldn’t happen. As Starc stepped back to deal with what he saw as a short delivery, it turned sharply and struck him on the pad. That was followed by perhaps the worst DRS review all series; it wouldn’t have been more obviously out had it smashed into his middle peg.

Yasir took another wicket next over, with Peter Siddle trapped in front. Replays showed a review - which Australia did not call for this time - would have saved him, with the ball pitching slightly outside legstump.

The only uncertainty, following the lunch interval, was whether Abbas would be able to complete his 10-wicket haul.

Though, come to think of it, there never was going to be any doubt. (Cricinfo)

Match abandoned – Group A PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, (CMC) – The Group A match of the Regional Super50 between the Guyana Jaguars and the Windward Islands Volcanoes ended in a no-result after persistent rain forced the abandonment of the fixture at the Queen’s Park Oval here yesterday.

Score: JAGUARS 1-0 in 0.2 overs vs the VOLCANOES.

29

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday October 20, 2018

Marooners dent Pride’s chances of making semis

Marooners captain Carlos Brathwaite grabs the last three wickets.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – COMBINED Campuses and Colleges Marooners took a giant step towards qualifying for the semifinals of the Regional Super50 when they defeated Barbados Pride by 125 runs in their crucial Group B clash at Kensington Oval on Thursday.

Both sides entered the contest tied for second on 15 points behind runaway leaders Jamaica Scorpions, with Pride having played one more game than Marooners.

The result means victory in any of the Marooners two remaining matches will secure them a place in the semis.

The Marooners used a strong top-order performance, where three of the first four batsmen scored half-centuries, to post a challenging 259 for seven off their 50 overs.

Captain Carlos Brathwaite and Khesan Ottley then grabbed three wickets apiece to

help rout Pride for 134 in 35.1 overs and set up a comfortable win.

Marooners openers Kyle Corbin and Kjorn Ottley gave their side a promising start in a partnership which yielded 74 runs from 11 overs.

Corbin was eventually bowled by left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn for 18, bringing Amir Jangoo to the crease.

Soon after reaching his half-century, Ottley was clean-bowled by medium pacer Kevin Stoute for 57 to leave the score 94 for two. He struck five boundaries and three fours during his 67-ball knock.

His dismissal brought no relief to Pride’s bowlers, as Jangoo teamed up with Jonathan Drakes in a third-wicket partnership of 104 from 21 overs.

Shamar Springer’s introduction resulted in the prized wicket of Jangoo for 62, his in-

Hemraj signs with Cricket Zone USA Chandrapaul Hemraj, West Indies latest ODI, sealed a one-year sponsorship deal with global sports

brand Adidas India.

The Guyanese left-hander who is with the West Indies ODI team in India, will

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Saturday October 20, 2018) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 2259230) &CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Nilesh Kulkarni (vs SL, Colombo, 1997) (2) Tyrell Johnson (vs ENG, the Oval, 1939) Today’s Quiz: (1) What was the result of the second Test of the recent WI/IND series?

(2) Who was voted Man of the Match in the second Test of the recent WI/India series?

proudly display the company’s logo on his gear for the next 12 months.

The deal was made possible by Cricket Zone USA, a major dealer for Adidas Cricket in North America.

Hemraj announced the partnership on social media on Thursday, stating, “Happy to sign with Adidas for the next year! Good stuff! @Ravi Etwaroo @cricketzoneusa” Hemraj, opening the batting for Guyana Jaguars, scored his maiden List A hundred in the Super50, a day after learning of his call-up to the West Indies ODI squad to India.

nings lasting 76 balls with three fours and two sixes and Marooners 199 for three.

Even during a brief middle-order slump which saw Marooners lose four wickets for 27 runs, Drakes’ responsible knock of 70 from 98 balls got them up to their eventual total, before he was dismissed in the final over.

Springer was Pride’s best bowler snaring three wickets for 48 runs while Stoute took two wickets for 40 runs.

Pride’s run chase never materialised, as the struggles at the top of the order continued.

Neither of the two openers Shane Moseley or Kevin Stoute made it into double figures and only one batsman made more than 25 - Jonathan Carter’s 26 being the top score.

The fact that Pride’s highest partnership was 30 between captain Shamarh Brooks (20) and Carter highlighted those struggles.

And Ottley made sure to capitalise, claiming the wickets of Brooks, Tevyn Walcott and Carter in succession to leave them 68 for five.

Brathwaite then introduced himself into the attack at the death to bring an end to the contest by dismissing Dominic Drakes, Sulieman Benn and Miguel Cummins, with Pride still well short of their target.

SCOREBOARD MAROONERS innings K. Corbin b Benn 18 KJ Ottley b Stoute 57 A. Jangoo c Boucher b Springer 62 J. Drakes c Drakes b Carter 70 C. Brathwaite c Boucher b Springer 4 N. Kirton c Brooks b Stoute 1 K. Ottley lbw b Springer 8 K. Cottoy not out 19 A. Jordan not out 2 Extras: (b-2, lb-4, w-12) 18 Total: (7 wkts, 50 overs) 259 Fall of wickets: 1-74, 2-95, 3-199, 4-207, 5-213, 6-226, 7-244.

Bowling: Drakes 8-1-41-0, Cummins 9-0-56-0, Greaves 2-0-26-0, Benn 10-2-20-1, Stoute 10-040-2, Springer 8-0-48-3, Carter 3-0-22-1.

PRIDE innings S. Moseley c Jangoo b Jordan 8 K. Stoute b Jagessar 2 S. Brooks c KJ Ottley b Ottley 20 J. Carter c Jagessar b Ottley 26 T. Walcott c Jagessar b Ottley 3 J. Greaves c Jangoo b Shields 9 L. Boucher c Jangoo b Cottoy 19 S. Springer not out 21 D. Drakes b Brathwaite 8 S. Benn lbw b Brathwaite 6 M. Cummins b Brathwaite 3 Extras: (w-9) 9 Total: (all out, 35.1 overs) 134 Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-17, 3-47, 4-59, 5-68, 6-90, 7-107, 8-118, 9-126.

Bowling: Jordan 5-0-30-1, Jagessar 8-0-34-1, Ottley 10-1-24-3, Shields 4-0-26-1, Cottoy 5-08-1, Brathwaite 3.1-0-12-3.

Result: Marooners won by 125 runs.

30

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday October 20, 2018

SUZUKI Factory rider confirmed for Team Mohamed’s Enterprise

By Stephan Sookram SUZUKI Factory rider Richard Cooper will join team Mohamed’s Enterprise ahead of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sport’s Club’s (GMR&SC) Ignite race meet.

Chronicle Sport confirmed yesterday the Briton, who lives in Nottingham will pilot Team Mohamed’s Supersport 1000 Yamaha R1.

According to a statement from the team, “We are pleased to have acquired the services of the seventh and final race winner of the Bennetts British Superbike

Racing series (BSB) Mr Richard Cooper.”

“Coops, as he is nicknamed, will ride alongside the Truelove brothers Matt and Harry for the final leg of the GMR&SC Ignite race meet, set for November 10 and 11.”

“Our aim is to have the rider try and better the circuit record set in 2016 by Matt which still stands at a 33.3,” the statement continued.

The 35-year-old, who just completed the season with the Buildbase Suzuki team, is the runner-up in the British National Superstock 1000 Championship 2017.

Meanwhile the GMR&SC’s Ignite will form the basis for the final leg of the Seaboard Marine Caribbean Motor Racing Championships (CMRC) 2018.

The sponsors for that event are ExxonMobil, GBTI, B.M. Soat, Noble House Seafoods, STAG Beer, Air Services Limited, GUYOIL, Palm Court, Hand-in-Hand, Ramada Hotel, Survival Supermarket, Club 704, Sheriff Security, EC Investments, Prem’s Electrical, Nexus Machinery, Mohamed’s Enterprise, Choke Gas Station, Japarts, R. Kissoon

New track layout unlikely for Ignite

By Stephan Sookram THE motor racing circle has been abuzz with rumour that a track layout is in store for the sport, but racers will have to wait a while longer.

A source close to the GMR&SC confirmed that the new layout, while undergoing construction daily, will not be ready for the November race meet, dubbed Ignite.

Many drivers and riders both abroad and local have been querying the new layout which the source said will not be usable for the November 10 and 11 race meet.

GMR&SC president Rameez Mohamed confirmed

this news, adding that while the actual track might be finished there are still other things that need to be completed.

“Yes, we (GMR&SC) have been getting calls regarding the layout of the new track but it will not be in use for the November Ignite race meet,” Mohamed confirmed.

He continued, “At the moment, the guys are working on it daily and it is estimated that we will make significant progress towards it by the November meet but there are still curbs and other things that need to be installed.”

“I can say that we will have it ready for the start of

FLASHBACK! Kristian Jeffrey leads Roger Mayers of Barbados into the first corner during last year’s CMRC event in Guyana. (GTRIdez photo)

the 2018 circuit racing season so the guys here can get a feel of it. That’s something we are realistically aiming for and I think we will get it.”

Ignite, which is expected to feature competition from Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados as well as Europe, Canada and the United States, will see the culmination of the Seaboard Marine Caribbean Motor Racing Championships (CMRC).

It will feature Groups 1-5 cars as well as Superstock bikes and the SR3 Radicals along with the local Street and Sport Tuner classes, the Choke Starlet Cup and the Road Bike class.

Richard Cooper leads the pack.

(MotorcycleNews photo)

Contracting, E Networks, Miracle Optical,

vations America and SuperBet, Agriparts,

Bikers’ Bar, Samaroo Investments, Inno-

Mobil1 and KGM Security Service

Persaud warms up with win at Demerara Mutual Annual Golf Classic Winners: L-R: Hilbert Shields, Mahendra Bhagwandin, Munaf Arjune, ‘Pur’ Persaud, Bholawram Deo, Mike Mangal and Dr Joaan Deo.

RECOVERING from a broken shoulder suffered five months ago, Patanjalee ‘Pur’ Persaud won gloriously at the Demerara Mutual Golf Classic, last Saturday, from a field of very competitive golfers, all determined to put out their best form in preparation for the international Guyana Open of November 3 and 4 this year.

Teeing-off at 12:45hrs, the competitors played the 3 Flight system and, for the first time in Guyana, played in groups of 3 rather than 4. Another first was the ready-golf system, in which a player in a group would play as soon as he or she was ready, irrespective of whether the player farthest from the green was not yet ready to play.

This is a change in the play of international golf, to be introduced by the United States Golf Association (USGA) from 2019.

Prizes in this tournament were awarded to the 1st- and 2nd-place winner in each Flight, to the golfer with the Best Gross score, and to the golfer with the Best Net score. The golfer with the Best Net score was considered the best golfer for the day and was awarded the overall winner’s prize.

In the ‘A’ Flight – Handicaps 0-9 – winners were: 1st - Mike Mangal 72/9 and 2nd - Munaf Arjune 78/9. Other golfers in this category considered their scores not good enough to be mentioned.

In the ‘B’ Flight Handicaps 10-18 winners were: 1st - Patanjalee ‘Pur’ Persaud with a phenomenal 63/18 and 2nd Hilbert Shields

68/16. The significant thing about these two winners is that during the last 12 months, both were out of the game for an extended period of a minimum 3 months due to hand and shoulder injuries respectively! Their determined performances are a hallmark of the mental discipline that successful golfers embrace.

Veteran Patrick Prashad offered a great 68/10 for a tie for 2nd place, but came 3rd on the ‘Back 9’ recount. Other good scores were offered by Satrohan ‘Robin’ Tiwari 69/17; Joaan Deo 74/16; Kalyan Tiwari 75/14; Shanella Webster 76/16 and Parmanand ‘Max’ Persaud 77/15.

In the ‘C’ Flight, winners were: 1st Bholawram Deo 66/19 and 2nd - Mahendra ‘Rommel’ Bhagwandin 69/19. Other reasonable scores were offered by Paton George 73/19; rookie Videsh Persaud 76/28; Haresh Tewari 77/19; and Troy Cadogan 78/26.

Best Gross (78) was won by Patrick Prashad, while the day’s winner with the Best Net score of 63 was Patanjalee ‘Pur’ Persaud!

Pur explained, “My game was very good in the Suriname Open of October 6 and 7 (2018) but I didn’t win, and I came here determined to win in this tournament, to make up for my close loss in Suriname!”

He was inspired by the memory of his late father who, as a champion bodybuilder, had encouraged him to always strive for excellence. Pur had used the expression: “I love that winning feeling”, when he won his first golf tournament nearly 2 years ago.

31

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday October 20, 2018

Defending champs in quest of semi-final spots in PM T/20 Cup … Centuries for Hussain, Williams and Malone

By Frederick Halley DEFENDING champions Ariel Speedboat and Regal Masters were in sight of semi-final berths at the end of the first day of the Prime Minister’s T20 Cup which got underway yesterday with matches at several venues across Georgetown.

The Georgetown Softball Cricket League (GSCL)-organised tournament, which attracted teams from New York, Canada and Florida, saw both Ariel Speedboat and Regal Masters play unbeaten in the Open and Maters category respectively.

Boots All Stars and Bartica All Stars were also making their presence felt. Boots registered convincing wins over the much-touted SVC All Stars, who captured the New York Softball Cricket League (NYSCL) crown in July and made light work of Success All Stars, whipping the East Coast-based side by the wide margin of 130 runs at the Police Sports Club ground.

Led by a swashbuckling unbeaten 159 from Wazir

Wazid Hussain

David Williams

Hussain, Ariel Speedboat piled up a huge 280 for three in their opening encounter versus Farm.

The left-handed opener’s knock was spiced with 17 sixes and seven fours as he thrashed the hapless Farm bowlers to all parts of the Everest ground. L. Marks supported with 51 not out which included seven sixes and two fours.

Farm were limited to 175 for nine in their allotted 20 overs with Shawn Thomas (41) and Sheldon Adams (40) being the principal scorers.

Facing DS 18 in their second game, Ariel Speedboat rattled up 238 for eight

with L. Marks (61), A. Bharat (41) and G. Singh (37) being among the runs.

DS 18 were shut out for 103 in 15.2 overs with K. Singh claiming four for 15.

DS 18 had earlier defeated Hill Foot Vipers by nine wickets in a one-sided affair, rushing to 145 for one in 8.4 overs, after Hill Foot had reached 144 for nine in 20 overs. DS 18’s S. Alexander blasted nine sixes and two fours in an unbeaten 75.

Taking first strike against SVC, Boots reached 200 for nine in their allotted 20 overs with Vishal Phillips (43) and Balram Samaroo (33) being the main scorers. SVC were routed for 125 in 16.3 overs

$20B golf facility confirmed for Guyana

Courts Pee Wee Football tournament…

A $20B golf facility has been confirmed for Guyana, after the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) and the Jack Nicklaus Golf Design group inked an agreement for the construction of a state-of-the-art golf facility.

The construction is expected to commence early next year. The announcement was made yesterday by LGC president Aleem Hussain.

Hussain, speaking at a Sports Tourism conference hosted by the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) yesterday, noted, “Today we have come to the fruition of those discussions.

“When Jack Nicklaus decides to do a project in any part of the world, it draws tremendous worldwide attention. For the first time in the Caribbean, the group will sign an agreement with our group in Guyana with the intention of building a brand new golf facility which is not just a golf course but a whole lifestyle community”.

Steve Rowan, Managing

Director of Earth & Marine Environmental Consultants, explained the parameters at arriving at the cost and the rationale for the proposed location on the East Coast of Demerara.

“As any large project such as this, there will be phase developments and we are looking well in excess of US$100 million as a total development cost but part of the cost depends on the mix of assets we develop as part of the wider development.”

He further noted, “We are targeting 500 acres around the Ogle, La Bonne Intention district because as this transformation in Guyana takes place with the oil, Georgetown is going to grow substantially.”

Nicklaus is an American retired professional golfer. Many observers regard him as the greatest golfer of all-time. During a span of more than 25 years, he won a record 18 major championships while producing 19 second-place and nine thirdplace finishes.

Round-ofsixteen action on today The Courts Pee-Wee Football action continues today with round of sixteen action at the ministry of Education Ground on Carifesta Avenue.

In the first of the matches, St Agnes will play Colaaco from 12:30 on pitch one with Tucville playing Maes on pitch two.

Marian Academy gets going from 13:30 against Golden Grove on pitch one with West Ruimveldt playing Plaisance Orphanage on pitch two.

Following that, St Pius goes up against Soesdyke on from 14:30 on pitch one with pitch two action featuring Timehri and Mocha.

The final two matches of the day will feature St Ambrose and South from 15:30 and North Georgetown and Enterprise.

Other sponsors include, the Ministry of Education, Banks Malta Supreme and Rainforest Waters.

with Khemraj Dindial grabbing three for 19.

In the second game, it was the David Williams show, with the youthful batsman blasting 17 sixes and two fours in a blistering 120 as Boots made 253 for six in 20 overs. Success managed 113 all out in 15.2 overs with Johnattan Fernandez grabbing four for 25.

Bartica All Stars, on the other hand, created quite a stir by whipping Enterprise Rebels by 63 runs and Hill Foot Vipers by four wickets. Batting first, Bartica All Stars made 152 all out in 19 overs and followed it up by bowling out Enterprise - including Guyana and West Indies Under-19 player Bashkar Yadram for a paltry 89.

Set a challenging 179 for

victory, after Hill Foot Vipers were dismissed for 178, Bartica All Stars reached 179 for six in 19.4 overs with Andrew Simon and Frankie Sookraj hitting 65 and 44 respectively. A. Mohabir had earlier slammed seven sixes and nine fours in a losing cause in his top-score of 94 for Hill Foot.

After losing their first game to Corriverton, Regal All Stars remained in contention for a semi-final spot with a decisive victory over SVC All Stars, SVC All Stars batted first and made 168 all out in 19.5 overs V, Surujpaul hitting 89. Ron Ramnauth took three for 11 and Delroy Perreira three for 49.

Patrick Rooplall smote seven sixes and a four in his 75 and Marvin Babb 44, as Regal All Stars got to the required total in 17.2 overs.

Regal Masters started their defence with a victory over Fisherman’s All Stars.

After limiting Fisherman to 132 for eight, Regal Masters reached the target in 18.2 overs with Eon Abel hitting 56 (2x6, 5x4) and Mahendra Hardyal 24.

In their second encoun-

ter, Regal Masters trounced Enterprise by nine wickets, racing to 152 for one in a mere 8.1 overs, replying to Enterprise’s 151 all out. Eric Thomas scored 56 not out while Abel hit 46.

Fisherman’s Ramo Malone was the other century-maker at the MYO ground, his unbeaten 127 carrying his team to 282 for five. His innings included 13 sixes and eight fours. Sunrise Masters replied with 184 all out.

In other Masters games, Ontario Masters Softball International (OMSI) Jai Singh hit a boundary-studded 90 at DCC in a losing cause as his team went down to Parika Defenders. His innings contained 10 sixes and three fours but he received little support as OMSI were dismissed for 152 in pursuit of 189 for victory. OMSI had earlier lost to Albion Masters at the same venue.

Lloyd Rooplall (90) and Ramesh (80) were also among the runs for Mike’s Wellman who won from Parika Defenders.

$20

BILLION golf facility 31 confirmed for Guyana PAGE

From left, LGC president Aleem Hussain, Roddy Carr, Steve Rowan and former LGC president Hemraj Kissoon

Courts Pee Wee Football tournament…

Part of last weekend’s action in the Courts Pee Wee Football tournament.

Round-of-sixteen action on today

PAGE

31

ENTERPRISE Busta Sports Club received the East Coast Cricket Committee/Bargain Supermarket Carib Beer T20 winners’ cheque from Brand Coordinator Seam Abel.

The East Coast Demerara team produced an all-round effort to whip Strathavon by 72 runs to clinch the win last Sunday at Enmore.

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

Enterprise Busta SC receive ECCC/ Bargain Supermarket T20 cheque SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2018