Issuu

Young father refuses to allow disability to restrict Page his ability 8

MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2017

Price: $80

Outing turns deadly No. 105081

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––girl, uncle drown at Rockstone Fish Festival

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Lindeners contend with lesser evil

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Region Five orders contractors to employ community members Page 7

WPA backs President’s appointment of Patterson

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Hundreds of Guyanese from all walks of life turned out at the Rockstone Fish Festival in Region 10 on Sunday and for Ravi Persuad of Amelia’s Ward, Linden, it was a day of celebration after making the largest single catch. Also in the photo is boat Captain Ray Peters from Rockstone who took Persaud to the Essequibo River for the catch (Naomi Marshall photo)

Costly losses –– but no reliable sum has been placed on deaths due to suicide

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, October 30, 2017

Lindeners contend with lesser evil –– even as respiratory diseases increase since installation of dust-collectors By Vanessa Braithwaite

STATISTICS from the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) are showing the daunting fact that despite the installation of two dust-collectors at the bauxite company Bosai’s Minerals Group Guyana ( BMGG), residents of the mining town of Linden continue to suffer from respiratory diseases. While other factors should not be disregarded, the daily inhalation of the thick chemical-filled dust particles being emitted from the processing chimneys called kilns at the bauxite plant located in Mackenzie, has been proven to be one of the main reasons for this medical phenomenon that has been plaguing Lindeners for many decades. Prior to the installation of two dust-collectors in 2012 on kilns 13 and 14, which cost the Chinese expatriate company $8M U.S., residents of Linden were exposed to the emission of bauxite dust into the atmosphere from three kilns: 10, 13 and 14. This environmental hazard resulted in an overwhelming number of Lindeners suffering from respiratory diseases ranging from respiratory tract infection, bronchial asthma and bronchopneumonia. OPPOSITE RESULTS It had been expected that after 2012, the situation would have improved, but hospital statistics are showing the opposite. According to the LHC, there is an increase of both in and out-patients being treated for respiratory tract infections, bronchial asthma

and bronchopneumonia after 2012. According to medical research, bauxite dust inhalation often causes the aforementioned diseases as a result of the chemicals found in the minerals. In the year 2010, 2011,

the disease after 2012. From 2010- 2012, 47 patients were admitted for asthma, while 57 patients were admitted between 20132015. For respiratory tract infections, a total of 584 patients were admitted from 2010 to 2017; 373 of these

suffering from asthma since she migrated to Linden at the age of six. Cynthia’s father moved to Linden to seek employment at the bauxite company in 2000. She did not suffer from the disease while living on the West Coast of Berbice,

Bauxite being loaded into a ship uncovered and 2012, the LHC treated eight, 20 and five in-patients respectively for bronchopneumonia. In 2012, 2013 and 2014; 50, 74 and 14 in-patients were treated respectively for the same disease, despite installation of the dust-collectors . Between 2016- 2017, 60 patients were admitted for the disease. Figures also show that for bronchial asthma, which is very common in Linden, there was an increase in patients being treated with

being after the dust- collectors were installed. For those who were not admitted, the LHC has a record of 10, 574 patients being treated between 2013- 2017. The information also shows that many of those patients live in communities in proximity to the bauxite plant such as West Watooka, Silver Town and Central Mackenzie. One of those patients is Cynthia George, a resident of West Watooka who has been

but after the move, she began to have shortness of breath and was later diagnosed with asthma. “We came up here in 2000 and I was just six, it started with me getting a steady cold and then it moved to shortness of breath and it kept getting worse. My parents run from this doctor to that doctor and nothing didn’t help. They finally said that is the bauxite dust causing it and I should return

to Berbice, but that was hard for me because I had already built life here,” George related. PNEUMONIA TWICE Another resident of West Watooka, Norman Paul, said he had pneumonia twice because of inhaling the bauxite dust which is evident on his windows, stairway rails and furniture. “Especially in the night, the dust does come in here thick, thick; it don’t be easy and they have schools around here, even the children does be affected… but it is something we were living in and we get accustom to it,” Paul revealed. Currently, there is no dust-collector installed on kiln 10, which is the lowest of the three kilns and which also serves as the dryer for the bauxite when it is being processed. Veteran bauxite worker and regional councillor Charles Sampson had voiced his opinion on the matter and the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) had even moved a no-confidence motion against the company in an effort to allow its management to prioritise installation of the dust-collector for kiln 10. Sampson explained that the current dust-collectors are not able to trap the micronised dust being released into the atmosphere during bauxite production. Sampson, who worked in the company’s laboratory for decades, said the dryer emits the most dust into the atmosphere and communities such as West Watooka, Retrieve and Silver Town will continue to be affected.

Linden pharmacy owner Dennis Muhammad In addition to the dust-collectors, the RDC has also bemoaned the process that is used to load the bauxite into the ships. NO COVER There is no cover to keep the dust particles that are permeated from the bauxite and so residents residing in the surrounding communities are exposed to this massive pollution which takes place at least once per week. In 2016, the LHC installed a spirometer unit with a brand new spirometer machine which is used to accurately test and diagnose patients with respiratory diseases. According to the Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Dr. Steve Mark, the installation of this unit was very timely given the overwhelming amount of patients visiting the hospital with respiratory problems. The machine accurately Turn to page 9 ►

Costly losses

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, October 30, 2017

–– but no reliable sum has been placed on deaths due to suicide By Tajeram Mohabir

RAMESH (not his real name), a father of four of Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, Berbice, relaxes in his hammock tied under his house, taking in the cool afternoon breeze after a hard day’s work in the farm. He appeared refreshed, in good spirit and full of life, but three Septembers ago, it was a different story, one which he would live to tell and discourage others from doing. Ramesh declined to mention his real name, fearing prosecution, since attempting suicide in Guyana is an illegal act, a clause in the law the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and several other organisations are working to reverse. The young father related that some three years ago,

pull through, but his recovery was slow and during the time, he related that he “prayed and prayed” and asked the Almighty and his family to forgive him for his rash act committed under frustration. “Me beg God to spare me life when me see me children,” he cried as he sat up in his hammock, and continued: “When me ben sick and cannot wuk, me wife really struggle and them children suffer. It really hurt me when me see dem situation,” he said, fighting back tears streaming down his cheeks. Wiping away his tears, the young father told this publication that today he is a changed man and through counselling, he is now able to control his temper and drinking problem. And with some remorse, he said, “Me sarry for wha me do and me thank God fuh

(Geckoandfly photo) he was faced with severe depression due to personal issues at home and after a bitter quarrel with his wife one afternoon, he went downstairs and attempted to take his own life. But his children who were playing nearby saw him in an ‘epileptic’ state and raised an alarm, alerting family and neighbours who rushed him to the Skeldon Hospital. “Me rememba when me catch meself, I was in hospital, me hand bore up and thing and tubes attach to me body. De nurse ask me wah happen and me tell she me want live and beg them to save me.” Ramesh did manage to

sparing me life. Me nah know wah woulda happen to me family if me ben dead.” While Ramesh has survived the terrible ordeal and returns to being a provider for his family, others have not been so lucky and their loss have put an economic and emotional strain on their families. Annan Boodram, a social activist, educator and President of The Caribbean Voice, a New York-based, Caribbean diaspora non-profit organisation, said there appeared to be an absence of research estimating the costs of suicide deaths in Guyana. “Such costs are usually referred to as direct costs – costs associated with suicide

suicides per capita worldwide. This translates to about 333 suicides in a population of less than 750,000. The WHO as of March 2017 puts the national suicide rate at 30.6 per 100,000, a marked decline from the 44.2 per 100,000 in 2012, but The Caribbean Voice has contended that given that globally, an estimated 25 per cent of suicides go unreported, the actual figures would be about 320 suicides in Guyana or more if the unreported cases are higher than the global estimate. Junior Public Health Minister, Dr Karen Cummings and its aftermath. There are also the indirect costs – costs associated with productivity or earnings lost or projected loss of earnings and intangible human costs – pain, grief, suffering, lost quality of life, lost opportunities and values associated with what life would have offered. Usually also there is a total financial cost computed by adding direct and indirect costs,” he told the Guyana Chronicle while pointing out that in the U.S., these costs have been estimated to be $1,061,170 per suicide. Former Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, had estimated that suicide had cost the then Ministry of Health -- conservatively speaking -- around $600 million to $900 million annually in 2002 in hospital, medical, autopsies and other costs. MILLIONS OF DOLLARS Notwithstanding the apparent absence of research in this area, if these factors are taken into consideration, and given that the Guyana dollar is traded at $209 per US$1, it will literally amount to millions of Guyana dollars, even though Guyana has managed to reduce suicide significantly in the past few years. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) 2014 report, with 44.2 suicides per 100, 000 persons, Guyana was ranked first in

Doctors are also being trained to handle mental health issues, the Inter-agency Suicide Hotline is in operation and strong focus has been placed in problematic areas, notably Regions Two, Three and Six. Boodram said The Caribbean Voice has also been at the forefront of the fight against suicide here and over the past three years has invested some $5.5 million in prevention and anti-abuse. During this time, it has engaged in over 300 successful counselling cases, held over 200 workshops that

“At a globally estimated 25 attempts per suicide, Guyana would have almost 8,000 attempted suicides a year, even though it is estimated that suicide attempts in Guyana are higher as these too are significantly under-reported,” The Caribbean Voice noted. “Also, at a globally estimated 25 attempts per suicide, Guyana would have almost 8,000 attempted suicides a year, even though it is estimated that suicide attempts in Guyana are higher as these too are significantly under-reported,” The Caribbean Voice noted. Suicide is the leading cause of deaths among young people ages 15-24 and the third leading cause of death among persons ages 25-44, while in the 15-19 age group, it is the leading cause of death among females and the second leading cause of death among males. Junior Health Minister, Dr Karen Cummings, has credited the reduction in the national suicide rate to the work of government and non-governmental organisations. INTERVENTIONS The government on its part has established a multi-disciplinary taskforce to tackle the problem by focusing on four strategic areas, namely risk reduction, health promotion and prevention; Reduction of access to means of suicide; health systems response to suicidal behaviour; and surveillance and research.

trained over 2,000 people, attended over 25 different fora and widely disseminated information on its work in Guyana reaching an audience of millions, both in the diaspora and farther afield. Indrawattie Rooplall, 36, also of Black Bush Polder, who attempted suicide twice in mid-2005, is a proud beneficiary of the work of The Caribbean Voice, which has imbued in her strength of character after she had lost her husband, son and brother last year. Her husband Pawan Chandradeo, 37, called “Suresh” and “Jug Up”; her son Jaikarran Chandradeo, 16, called “Kevin”, and her brother Naresh Rooplall, 35, called “Teeka Bai” and “Mice” in July 2016 were shot at point blank range by

The Caribbean Voice President Annan Boodram bandits at kokerite Creek Savannah, about three miles from Mibicuri in Black Bush Polder during a fishing trip. “In my life I have seen many ups and downs including domestic problems. When I attempted suicide, my father was an alcoholic and I had no sister to talk to. On both occasions I survived and after a period of counselling from professionals and members of the church, I turned my life to Christ. The loss of my husband, son and brother caused great depression to me, but by the grace of God I am still alive. I have my children to live and provide for,” said Rooplall, who works as a security guard to make ends meet for her family. The young mother is urging all persons experiencing depression to speak out, pointing out only by doing so they can get help, even as she grapples with her own struggles -- the emotional and economic losses due to the death of her husband -- to provide for her remaining three children.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, October 30, 2017

Hundreds of thousands march for unified Spain Hundreds of thousands of supporters of a unified Spain filled Barcelona’s streets on Sunday in one of the biggest shows of force yet by the socalled silent majority that has watched as regional political leaders push for Catalan independence. Political parties opposing a split by Catalonia from Spain had a small lead in an opinion poll published on Sunday, the first since Madrid called a regional election to try to resolve the country’s worst political crisis in four decades. Polls and recent elections have shown that about half the electorate in the wealthy northeastern region, which is already autonomous, oppose secession from Spain, but a vocal independence movement has brought the current crisis to a head. Spain’s central government called an election for Dec. 21 on Friday after sacking Catalonia’s president Carles Puigdemont, dissolving its parliament and dismissing its government. That followed the assembly’s unilateral declaration of independence in a vote boycotted by three national parties. The regional government

claimed it had a mandate to push ahead with independence following an unofficial referendum on Oct. 1 which was ruled illegal under Spanish law and mostly boycotted by unionists. Waving thousands of Spanish flags and singing “Viva España”, protesters on Sunday turned out in the largest display of support for a united Spain since the beginning of the crisis -- underlining the depth of division in Catalonia itself. “I‘m here to defend Spanish unity and the law,” said Alfonso Machado, 55, a salesman standing with a little girl with Spanish flags in her hair. “Knowing that in the end there won’t be independence, I feel sorry for all the people tricked into thinking there could be and the divisions they’ve driven through Catalan society.” SLIGHT UNIONIST LEAD The poll of 1,000 people by Sigma Dos for newspaper El Mundo showed unionist parties winning 43.4 per cent support and pro-independence parties 42.5 per cent. The survey was taken from Monday to Thursday,

Pro-Spain protesters gathered at the Gaudi-designed Casa Batllo in Barcelona(Photo taken from the BBC)

just as the central government prepared to take control of Catalonia. Madrid said on Saturday that secessionist politicians, including Puigdemont, were free to take part in the election. The hardline CUP has been unclear if it would. The deposed Catalan government will soon have to make difficult decisions, Puigdemont’s former deputy Oriol Junqueras said on Sunday in an editorial in online newspaper El Punt Avui. He stopped short of saying his ERC party would take part in the election. “We need a shared strate-

gy ... it’s important to weave solid alliances with those who are willing to build a state that serves its citizens,” he said, possibly alluding to a rumored alliance between the ERC and the Catalan arm of the anti-austerity Podemos party. Such an alliance could put the independence movement in difficult position as it would mean a main secession supporter joining forces with parties that reject Madrid’s hard line but do not support separatism. With weeks to go before the election, the poll showed the CUP, kingmaker for the pro-secessionists in the dis-

missed 135-seat parliament, would win seven seats, down from a current 10. The pro-independence coalition Junts pel Si, which held 62 seats previously, was split into parties PDeCat and ERC for the poll as they are unlikely to run on a single platform. The two would win between 54 and 58 seats in total, the poll showed. At Sunday’s rally, former European Parliament president Josep Borrell called for unionist voters to turn out in December to ensure independence supporters lose their stranglehold on the regional parliament. “Maybe we’re here because many of us during

elections didn’t go and vote. Now we have a golden opportunity. This time, nobody should stay at home,” Borrell said to cheering crowds. Puigdemont called on Saturday for peaceful opposition to Madrid’s takeover. But he was vague on precisely what steps the secessionists would take as Spanish authorities move into Barcelona to enforce control. European countries, the United States and Mexico have also rejected the Catalan declaration of independence and expressed support for Spain’s unity. But emotions are running high and the next few days will be tricky for Madrid as it embarks on enforcing direct rule and putting officials in administrative roles. National police were accused of heavy-handedness during the Oct. 1 referendum. Officers of the regional police force, called the Mossos d‘Esquadra in Catalan, were stationed in main public and government buildings on Sunday. But the force is believed to have divided loyalties. The central government has removed the Mossos’ chief, Josep Lluis Trapero, and said units could be replaced if warranted. (Reuters)

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WPA backs President’s appointment of Patterson -- but says it will withdraw from coalition if elections are not free and fair The Working People’s Alliance (WPA) has supported President David Granger’s appointment of retired Justice James Patterson to the post of GECOM chair, but warned that if elections are not free and fair, it will publicly withdraw from the coalition. The party, however, made it clear that if it were to go down that road, it would not support the PPP in any guise whatsoever. The WPA in a statement said its conviction is that on strict construction, the selec-

tion procedure used so far has followed the letter of the law and the Constitution, if not the spirit. “To be very clear, neither side is committed to a solution that is satisfactory to both. The political environment does not favour this. Further, their constituents who make up the bulk of the masses of Guyanese people, do not expect such an outcome,” the WPA said. It also noted that it is important for the country that democratic forces do not allow the appointment of

Justice Patterson to be read as a de facto depiction of the coalition’s collective intent to rig elections. “This, from the WPA’s standpoint, is certainly not the case. Those who wish the coalition ill, would hope this becomes the normative public position, especially for activist civil society. While not everyone, there are clearly several rogues and charlatans who are deceptively promoting this false equivalence,” the party said. The WPA also called out the PPP for fallacious ped-

dling that Justice Patterson received $800,000 per month as advisor to the Minister of Legal Affairs when he was only being paid $20,000 and that he misrepresented that he was once Chief Justice of Grenada. “The tactic of the PPP is to mislead the public. It does so by framing a false narrative as the truth with the hope that the public would respond negatively to everything that the government is doing. The ad hominem attacks and character assassination of Justice Patterson know no

Outing turns deadly --girl, uncle drown at Rockstone Fish Festival

AN afternoon of laughter and celebration at the Rockstone Fish Festival ended on a tragic note when a teenager and her uncle drowned in the vicinity of Golden Beach, Region 10. Confirmed dead is 13-year-old Yasha Prince of Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara. Her 50-yearold uncle Gavin Moses has reportedly drowned as well but his body, up to press time, had not been retrieved. Moses lived on the West Coast of Demerara, Region Three

The extended family had journeyed to Rockstone for the 12th Annual Fish Festival – a two-day festival in Region 10 which attracted hundreds of persons from across Guyana. For Prince, it was the celebration of her 13th birthday. Moses was also in celebratory mood, since he too had celebrated his 50th birthday recently. According to reports reaching the Guyana Chronicle, during the peak of the festival, the

festivity. It was while swimming that Prince and Moses drowned, creating great panic in the area. Prince’s body was discovered and taken to the Linden Hospital Complex where she was pronounced dead on arrival. Her uncle’s remains are yet to be located.

Yasha Prince

extended family chartered a private boat for a trip to the much talked about Golden Beach – located one mile away from the

bounds. His Christian belief and practice, age, paying last rites to a colleague and friend all are fair game, despite comparators on the lists submitted by the Leader of the Opposition. At least, no viral complaints have yet been made against him as a thief, abuser and scoundrel, for comparators to be drawn,” the WPA pointed out. It contended that the matter of the appointment of the chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is a very important one that should not be used for partisan political grandstanding and settling scores. “It goes to the heart of our democratic process and should be treated as such by all responsible political and social forces. As a party, which participated in the process while in the opposition benches, WPA is fully aware of the patriotic responsibility that the success of the undertaking demands. Those who are charged with

initiating the process have a duty to preserve its integrity,” the WPA said. The party stressed that it believes that the PPP intentionally set out to compromise the spirit of the process with the hope of using the outcome to embarrass the government and further its own partisan agenda. “WPA respects the right and civic responsibility of citizens and their organizations to interpret and challenge the president’s action from both a constitutional and a political standpoint—that is part of the democratic environment which our party has always struggled to uphold. But we warn against falling into the trap that is being set by the PPP and its allies,” the WPA warns.

Editorial

Race relations and the GECOM chair decision OVER the past week, sections of this society have been become increasingly roiled in the wake of President David Granger’s unilateral selection of retired judge Justice James Patterson for the post of Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) chairman, after reaching gridlock with the opposition leader in selecting what the head of state referred to as a constitutionally ‘fit and proper’ person. President Granger has stated his criteria for consideration of a not unacceptable Chairman, his reason for selecting Justice Patterson, and his reasons for not elaborating on reasons for rejecting the individual names on the lists offered by Mr. Jagdeo. In neither the criteria nor reasons is race a factor in selection. It was therefore surprising when several organisations representing Afro-Guyanese interests sent out releases hailing the President’s decision as a victory for Africans in Guyana, citing the fact the three past chairs of GECOM, all selected under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) in government, were of Indian descent. Reference was also made to the PPP’s practice of racial discrimination. It is not that African organisations do not have an exceedingly strong case to make with regard to the former administration’s machinations when it came to race. As recently as 2014, this very paper – the state publication – repeated the indecency of publishing a racist editorial, an only tangential escalation of the racism that cluttered the letter pages and columns. Then President Donald Ramotar, who had ministerial portfolio for the state media did not deign to offer a condemnation despite

calls to do so and protests in front of the paper. The revelations on the composition of state boards and ambassadorial appointments coming out of the libel case brought against columnist Freddie Kissoon by Jagdeo; the racially divisive PPP campaign of 2015; and yes, the murderous violence meted out to primarily, but not exclusively, Afro-Guyanese men in the Roger Khan Phantom Gang era: there is no case that has to be made for the linking of the PPP to systemic racism during the latter part of its two-decade tenure in executive government. When Guyanese voted for the APNU+AFC administration in 2015, however, it was not a mandate for ethnic brinksmanship or competition, but one of healing and the fostering of equity. As has been the case of deconstructing the established state-sponsored ethnic hegemonies – from the United States to South Africa – the rhetoric of reconciliation has proven far easier than the corrective justice that should rightly precede or at least parallel actual reconciliation. Against that reality, it is easy for the formerly systematically oppressed individual or representative agency to either become increasingly frustrated at the pace of actual change, or to grasp at imaginary victories in the most innocuous of actions. Seeing an ethnic victory in the selection of the Chairman of the Elections Commission falls under the latter category and it is a variously dangerous delusion. Firstly, it serves to further diminish confidence in a public officer who has chosen to serve in the midst of a political firestorm, and to reduce his actual qualifications to less

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, October 30, 2017

than the incidental characteristic of his ethnic identity. Secondly, it ascribes to the President motivations that he has neither expressed or incidentally indicated, but which serve to fall directly into the narrative of ethnic rivalry that continues to be crafted by the PPP under Jagdeo. The position that the President’s decision was ethnically based ignores two things. The first is that while they were in the significant minority, the opposition leader’s list did in fact contain a handful of Afro-Guyanese. Even if one were to speculate, and reasonably so, about the presumed bias of some of those offered (Dr. James Rose, former Director of Culture under the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport was a PPP general elections candidate), certainly prominent attorney Teni Housty cannot be accused of any significant ties to Freedom House. Therefore, claiming an ethnic victory in light of President Granger’s rejecting the lists and choosing a constitutionally qualified candidate is heralding the outcome of a battle in which the former Brigadier-General was not engaged. There are many issues that need to be frontally addressed when it comes to bridging the racial divide in this country; and certainly the Ministry of Social Cohesion has got to get into high gear considering the racial divisions that have arisen in light of the GECOM Chair controversy. For their part, however, Afro-Guyanese organisations – and indeed any organisation that purports to represent specific racial interests – need to work harder to ensure that some sense of equity is brought to this society and no political machinery is used to establish an ethnic hegemony ever again.

Just off the chain and have no shame Dear Editor, IT has been quite a long time since I have heard something half as ridiculous as the suggestion made by the Mayor of Georgetown, who has publicly reported her intention to set up a Restoration Fund to begin the process of restoring City Hall, a fund she claims that will be managed by a special civic committee which will include corporate leaders, investors and other stakeholders from civic society. The folks at the City Council are just off the chain

and have no shame. Could the Mayor of Georgetown who was a councillor, deputy mayor and mayor for the last 23 years, a historical feat and record-breaker in any supposed democratic society, say to the citizens, what maintenance works, remedial initiatives and rehabilitation was done to that edifice by the council in the last quarter century? The most baffling thing about the City Council is that when it comes to maintaining its own buildings including municipal markets, keeping the doors of its day

care centres open, running a modern hygienic abattoir, fixing roads and maintaining bridges, replacing defective street lights, upkeeping the cemetery, etc, a spirit of poverty overcomes them. They become mendicants with a begging bowl in their hands, looking for handouts from the government, the private sector, international funding agencies, etc. But when it comes to paying themselves super salaries of over $125M per month, for flying to every corner of the globe first class multiple times a year, to giving out huge contracts

without adherence to national tendering procedures, to building presidential parks and petting zoos, to creating new and fancy positions which are filled by friends, relatives and church pals, the municipality seems to be very affluent and resourceful. Why are property rates not being used to maintain City Hall as it is supposed to? Can anyone imagine the City Halls of Belfast, Northern Ireland, Brussels, Belgium or Hamburg, Germany awaiting donations from civil society to be maintained? Do the folks at City Hall have no pride, or dignity? Do they get

no feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction from their own achievements? But where exactly does the mayor expect to find these Extreme Altruists in a city where the citizens have been taxed to the max both by the local and central governments? Has she forgotten that the council has increased property taxes by 10 percent across the board, increased compliance fees substantially, is charging a container tax, increased fees for barber shops and salons, instituted a steep rise in market stall rents

and is trying to bring back the draconian parking meter system? If the council is serious about restoring City Hall, why don’t they cut their mammoth payroll by $25 million a month, and use that money to restore the most handsome building in Georgetown? Get real Madam Mayor, your term is swiftly coming to an end! Best regards Deodarie Putulall 606 ‘B’ Field Sophia

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, October 30, 2017

20 per cent locals must be employed

--for contractors to win contracts in Region Five By Clifford Stanley

PERSONS seeking contracts for public works projects in Region Five in 2018 have been advised that at least 20 per cent of their work force must comprise people living within the community in which the project is being executed. Regional Executive Officer, Ovid Morrison has said that adherence to the minimum 20 per cent of employment of locals in a contractor’s workforce will be a major qualification criteria for those who want to win contracts for public works within the region in 2018. The Region Five administration held pre-qualification meetings with prospective contractors for 2018 projects late last week. Morrison said too another major qualification criteria for contracts in the region in 2018 will be the willingness of the prospective contractor to pay the minimum wage for both skilled and unskilled workers on their workforce. He noted that employment of locals was something that contractors should be following but many of them have ignored this requirement.

Regional Executive Officer, Ovid Morrison

“People living on the East Coast of Demerara win contracts for works in West Berbice communities and some of them bring their entire work force from their home community. No employment for the locals in West Berbice where the work is being executed. Well this will stop. If you want to win public works contracts in this region in 2018, the minimum 20 per cent locals on your workforce is something you have to agree to or else forget it,” he lamented. The Region Five REO said further that the region will insist that this principle is adhered to for contracts awarded not only at the regional level but for those awarded at the national level for public works within the

region as well. He added: “This 20 per cent is a minimum.” In cases where there is a large requirement for unskilled labour on a project, the region may insist on at least 50 per cent of the workforce being locals. The 20 per cent workforce requirement is now being enshrined by way of a clause in the pre-qualification process for persons who win public works contracts within the region for 2018. Morrison noted that if locals should refuse the jobs being offered, then he will support the contractors in going ahead without this requirement. In the meantime, he said, the region has brought forward the pre-qualification process early this year because the administration wants to start its works programme for 2018 as soon as the budget is cleared. He told prospective contractors: “To speed things up we may even go to the extent of inviting bids and awarding contracts for 2018 in 2017 after budget is cleared, even though we will not be able to enter into any signings until the second of January 2018.”

Heaven help the citizens of Georgetown

Dear Editor,

Here we go again! City Hall in the news. Do you think it is for something positive like fixing the roads, or improving street lighting, or commissioning a new state- of-the-art abattoir and meat-processing facility? Of course not. It is about them facilitating, condoning and attempting a cover up of a dreadful crime against a juvenile. The town clerk would like the citizens to believe that one day, whilst conducting an unrelated meeting in his office, someone sent the juvenile victim in the Sex and the City case without prior notification to see him, who was allowed in without any let or hindrance, and all he the town clerk did was ask the youngster his name and age and then sent the boy on his way. Oh boy, Oh boy! Has any member of the public ever tried to meet with the town clerk? And was that person successfully able to meet

with him just like that? Or did they have to try and try and try again? Is having the victim visit him in his office and interrogating him, even if it were just two questions, not a meeting and an interview? But the question is why did it take approximately three weeks to bring the matter before the Legal Affairs Committee and two months before bringing the matter to the attention of the police? And he has the audacity to say that he finally contacted the police in order to “preserve the good name and image” of the City Council. Yes you read correctly, to “preserve the good name and image” of the Georgetown City Council. Now this is no time for the town clerk to be making sick jokes like that. The Georgetown municipality must have the worst reputation in the world. This is the same man, the town clerk, who objected to a City Councillor approaching and asking one of his children a question about him, but he is

free to question other people’s children who are victims of a sex crime. How funny? The depravity of the Council came out in the suggestion by the mayor that the whole of the downstairs needs reorganising. One has to assume that she is referring to the lower level of staff occupying the ground floor. But what about the upstairs? Does the town clerk not need to go on his accrued leave? Those preventing an effective audit being carried out at the Council don’t need to be gotten rid of? The Human Resource Department officials that failed to interdict the offending Lance Corporal, but who kept him on the job not need to have disciplinary measures taken against them? Heaven help the citizens of Georgetown as they are sat upon by the ‘Fantastic Four.’ Sincerely Jermain Johnson 1067 Critchlow Street Tucville Georgetown

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, October 30, 2017

Young father refuses to allow disability to restrict his ability By Tajeram Mohabir

JUST over eight years after a horrible minibus accident left Uttamkumar Isurdeen with a damaged spinal cord, the young father of one has refused to allow the unfortunate incident to confine him to a vegetative state. At the time a construction worker and resident of Pomona, a small farming

village on the picturesque Essequibo Coast, Isurdeen was returning home after a hard day’s work when tragedy struck on the Success, East Coast Demerara Public Road. The impact was so strong that it knocked Isurdeen out cold. When he regained conciousness, he found himself in the Georgetown Public Hospital, the country’s

Uttamkumar and his wife Sharon with their little Uttam on a stroll in the National Park, Guyana

main referral hospital, located in the heart of the bustling City, in pain and in a confused state. “I could hardly remember what happen. It was a horrible accident and though no one died, several suffered severe injuries. I learnt of what happened to me when I woke up in the Georgetown Public Hospital,” the young father related. He was only 25 at the time and unable to walk and do most of his chores, Isurdeen’s life was flung into a state of disarray, but he never allowed despair to triumph over hope. On being discharged from hospital, the young father sought therapy for his spinal injury and after a few months, he regained some motor sensation in the lower body but not enough to get him out of his wheelchair. “Importantly, it helped me to move about. According to the doctors I have been to, upon examination, they told me that the vertebrae were crushed, disabling motor sensation to the brain and I have a 50/50 chance of walking again if I were to undergo corrective surgery. Unfortunately, in Guyana, we do not have the equipment to do these kinds of operations and to do it abroad is very expensive.”

Unable to seek treatment overseas, since his wife Sharon has become the family’s sole breadwinner, Isurdeen, who is one of some 50,000 differently-abled people in Guyana, has taken on new pursuits in life. Today, he is an advocate for disabled people and is an inspiration to many of them. “When life gives you lemon, you have to make lemonade [from it]. You must never give up and you must always have hope and trust in the Almighty. You can still be an inspiration to others through persistent effort,” he said in a soft tone and beamed as he held the hand of his wife, who was at his side. Isurdeen is actively engaged in sports such as cricket, tennis, racing and basketball and is calling on the authorities in Guyana to have national competitions for differently-abled citizens to keep them mentally and physically occupied. This, he said, will go a far way in helping this segment of the population fight off depression, diabetes, hypertension and other non-communicable diseases. Even though Isurdeen does most of his chores without assistance, he said his wife, a teacher, has been his tower of strength. She takes him practically everywhere she goes and does all she can to make him feel comfortable

Uttamkumar Isurdeen helping out his wife at home (Uttamkumar Isurdeen photos) just like any abled person. The pair met 10 years ago when Isurdeen was a supervisor at a rice mill at Vilvorden, Essequibo Coast. He met her one day while cycling through her village Hibernia, which is four villages from where he lives, to get to work. From then, their relationship blossomed and a year after, they got married according to Hindu rites. But two years into their marriage, he got into the tragic accident two months after his son was born. “It was a sad moment,” Sharon told Guyana Chronicle but noted that it did not put a damper on their

happy relationship. Happy couples are often healthy people and Sharon said if anything, the tragedy has brought them even closer together. “We have ups and downs like any other relationships. I love my husband. Now he depend on me to be around him. I cannot stay away from him. When we were married, we swore to live with each other through the thick and thin periods of life and will live together until death,” she said with a humble smile. Her kind words brought her husband to tears.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, October 30, 2017

Post offices to be upgraded

THE government is redesigning the services being offered by post offices to increase its revenue stream. Minister of Public Telecommunications Catherine Hughes shared how this will be done at the Guyana Postal and Telecommunication Workers’ Union 21 Delegates (second Triennial) Conference, East Street headquarters on Sunday. The minister has committed to ensuring there is an increase in agency fees. “These services have been totally not looked at, not supported… and it’s about time we changed it,” Minister Hughes

said to applause from the union members. The government is also examining other payment methods for the distribution of pension. The cost has become astronomical for the Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC), the minister acknowledged. There are also plans to upgrade the infrastructure of a number of post offices, beginning in Regions Two, Four and Six. Minister Hughes noted that the objective is to meet the modern day services demanded by customers. “Our vision is that we will utilise more ICT to transform Guyana and particularly the post

office,” she said. Guyana has 67 post offices across the country and Minister Hughes envisions these being centres for accessing other government services as well as serving as an Internet hub and providing other postal delivery services. Already, the recently-upgraded Kitty Post Office is providing Internet services to the community. The government is advancing ICT use in a number of its agencies. Under the Ministry of Public Telecommunications, some 94 educational institutions now provide free WiFi. Minister Hughes also

revealed the administration is also working to liberalise the telecommunications sector, in order to break the monolopy by the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT). Meanwhile, the minister charged the union to do more to educate their members on their rights and recourse available to them as workers. The GPTWU Conference is being held under the theme “The Preservation of Rights and the Rule of Law from Exploitation”. She also publicly committed to lobbying for duty free concessions and subventions for the sector. President of the union, Harold Shepherd, noted that the last three years

Lindeners contend ... From page 2

tests asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), bronchitis and much more. The LHC was the first regional hospital to be equipped with this unit which is the second in the country. A medical doctor attached to the LHC who was trained to operate the spirometer machine told the Guyana Chronicle that operation of the machine is currently being stymied by shortage of staff. In addition to this, the machine cannot be used on children below the age of six, adults above the age of 60 and pregnant women in their last trimester. “It is not effectively functioning because of the workload, but we are trying our best to make it work for Linden,” the doctor said. When the tests are done, he said the patients are either referred or managed, based on the diagnosis. SALES HIGH In addition to the figures received from the LHC, the Guyana Chronicle also interviewed pharmacy owners in Linden and it was revealed that on a daily basis, sales for medication relating the respiratory illnesses, especially asthma are relatively high. One pharmacist shared that

these medications are high on his restock list, ranging from cold medicines to prescription drugs. Dennis Muhammad, owner of Right Care Pharmacy located on the Mackenzie

said that he too has contracted the respiratory disease. “The first surgery I did, the Dr. explained to me that if I had left it to another year or two it could have gone to the bone, and in that way, noth-

with a specialist to deal with these respiratory problems and Lindeners just have to continue living in the dust without a choice. It has been 101 years since bauxite is being mined

Bauxite dust emitting into the atmosphere from Kiln 10 shore related that his worry is that many persons coming for medication do not realise how serious their illness may be, rather than taking it for a common cold. He said that many Lindeners are also suffering from sinusitis as a result of the daily inhalation of the bauxite dust. Muhammad

ing could have been done…. I did three surgeries and am I still suffering? Yes, because I have to inhale that dust on a daily basis and I still have to be using vitamins,” Muhammad affirmed. The pharmacy owner protested that the sad thing is that Linden is not equipped

in Linden. With over six companies manning the industry since 1916, the current BMGG is the only company that installed dust-collectors to the kilns. Calls are however being made for the company to install a dust-collector on kiln 10 and to put systems in place to cover the bauxite

has been challenging for the union, particularly in defending the issue of workers’ rights. The union is addressing a number of industrial relation issues with GTT before the Labour Department. Shepherd noted however, through the government subvention the union receives, it is working to build the capacity of its members through training. He acknowledged that the labour movement and unions “must adapt or become obsolete” as it works to defend workers’ rights in a world being changed by technological advances.

Public Telecommunications Minister Catherine Hughes

when it is being loaded into the ship. Technical Services Coordinator of BMGG, Wainewright Betune, had told the Guyana Chronicle however that it would not be feasible to install a dust-collector on dryer 10 as the minimum moisture retained during production is five per cent. He explained that the drying is producing almost the same results as the dust- collectors and is used for 20 minutes to half an hour the most. Betune posited that the process is entirely different prior to when there was no dust-collector and it would take close to US$8M to install a dust-collector on dryer 10. “Why are you going to install something that is not working regular, the dryer just works as required, it’s not like kiln 13 and 14 that works all the time,” he argued. BMGG Public Relations Officer Vanessa Davis also posited when questioned on the matter that the emissions have been significantly reduced since the degree of the emission is distinct, since there is no dust from the two kilns as previously and there is no knowing from outside of the bauxite plant whether the plant is in operation or not. Bauxite dust, she said, was never considered a threat to the Linden community but as a pillar, since the economy of Linden was built on bauxite mining. “In terms of the environmental practices compared to that of the previous mining

practices exercised in the olden days, it is realised that mining is done in a safer manner making the environs more environmentally-friendly. Persons can reside close to the mining proximity and hardly be affected,” Davis opined. Residents, however, remain adamant that the Government and the relevant authorities such as the Environmental Protection Agency should view the situation more seriously since the health of Lindeners continues to be at stake. Lindeners have to make the choice between being unemployed or being affected by the dust, since the bauxite company is the major employer in the mining town. Currently, there are approximately 600 employed at BMGG and if the company should shut shop, many mouths in Linden will be hungry. It is a case of choosing between the lesser evils and in this case Lindeners prefer to be fed. The government has been subsidising electricity for the mining town for decades as a result of the environmental issues resulting from bauxite mining. In 2012, the former administration made a decision to cut the subsidy and this resulted in a deadly protest which cost the lives of three Lindeners. Residents continue to hold the unanimous position that they should be compensated in some way for inhaling bauxite dust daily, thus being exposed to respiratory diseases.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, October 30, 2017

A little more guidance, a little more care IT is pretty rough growing up without adequate guidance from parents: parents are an essential part of every child’s development. Although children may not realise it, they are subconsciously depending on their parents to teach them important things about life and to show them the right way. Some parents only provide basic needs for their children, they fail to consistently ‘parent’ their children in an effective way But even teenagers who think they ‘know it all’ need parental guidance, attention and support. Do you give your child enough? See how you rate in our quiz. 1. Your eight-year-old son is learning the guitar, but every evening while you are trying to relax, he’s making noise, do you: a) Tell him to stop or you’ll break his guitar into pieces? b) Work out a schedule together where he can practise for one hour every other evening and then its ‘quiet time’?

c) Hide the guitar to cut down on how often he practises? 2. Your three-year-old daughter used a permanent marker to scribble on her grandmothers newly painted wall, do you: a) Explain to her that certain areas are out of bounds and buy her a drawing book and crayons for her future ‘works of art’? b) Slap her hand, tell her she is naughty and has put you in a lot of expense? c) Tell her that she should know better at her age and she has let you down? 3. You overhear your 11- year- old telling her friend that she misses her estranged father and would like her parents to reunite, do you: a) Burst into her conversation and tell her there’s no chance of that and she must not talk out family business with her friends? b) Phone her father and tell him it’s his fault why his daughter is so unhappy?

c) Wait for the right time to tell your daughter you heard what she said and discuss her feelings with her? 4. Your 15-year-old son has a close female friend who he refers to as his ‘girlfriend’ and you are wondering just how ‘friendly’ they really are, do you: a) Wait for the right time and confront him on the issue, while setting clear boundaries and guidelines for what his main focus should be? b) Accept the ‘girlfriend’ title as teenage banter and don’t take it too seriously? c) Tell him to study his books and when he passes his Masters’ then he can have a girlfriend? 5. Your teenage daughter is always looking in the mirror. She is obsessed with how she looks and yet, still never satisfied with it, do you: a) Leave her alone because most teenagers have similar issues and hope that she grows out of it? b) Ask your beauty therapist neighbour to help her? c) Talk to her when she seems relaxed: aim to put ‘beauty’ in the right context and try to build her confidence in other areas other than just her looks? 6. Your older son aged 12 is not half as bright as his younger brother aged 10 and it is quite apparent, do you: a) Assure them through your actions that they are loved equally and help both of them with their work when required? b) Tell them what you expect them

to achieve and push them both to attain equally high marks? c) Accept that the older boy is a failure and just concentrate on the younger one? . ANSWERS: 1 b) Encourage children in their creativity and leisure activities, support them and give them incentives. 2 a) Young children like to be expressive; give them materials and resources to encourage their creativity 3 c) Children who are hurt emotionally, sometimes find it easier to speak to friends rather than family about their pain; they need patient and understanding adults to confide in. 4 a) Grown-ups should always set the record straight, so children know where they stand and what is expected; children need guidance and boundaries. 5 c) Teenagers need to be guided and sometimes even brought back down to earth, parents must monitor their activities and uphold a sense of ’reality.’ 6) a) Children are individuals, therefore siblings should not be compared or made to feel the need to compete. Help children to learn in their own way at their own pace. If you are concerned about the welfare of a child you can ring the CPA hotline 227 0979 or email chilcaregy@ gmail.com A Message from the Childcare and Protection Agency, Ministry of Social Protection

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, October 30, 2017

Thousands rally against breast cancer

IN an inspiring demonstration of solidarity with persons living with breast cancer, thousands on Sunday came together for a Breast Cancer Awareness Walk through the streets of Georgetown. The activity, dubbed a “Cancer Awareness Walk”, was the initiative of the Ministry of Public Health in collaboration with

the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and the Cancer Institute of Guyana. Setting aside other engagements for the morning, thousands of young men and women, and in some cases accompanied by their very young children, converged at Independence Park (also known as Parade Ground), Middle Street, taking off at 06:00hrs for a spirited walk through the

First Lady, Mrs Sandra Granger (at centre) at Sunday’s Cancer Awareness Walk in Georgetown (Samuel Maughn photos)

Following the walk, a section of the advocates in the Breast Cancer Awareness Walk engage in warm-up exercises at Independence Park (Parade Ground)

Surviving cancer and giving thanks to God

streets of Georgetown. First Lady of Guyana, Sandra Granger, was among the persons leading the walk. The parade wended its way east into Middle Street, south along Waterloo Street, east into Church Street and north into Irving Street, west into Lamaha Street, south into Camp Street and then west into Middle Street, returning to Independence Park. The parade route which was measured at approximately 8,000 steps per person, covered by some 3,000 plus persons, amassed more than 25M steps during the event in support of victims of breast cancer and to raise awareness of the disease.

Back at Independence Park, the enthusiastic advocates were challenged to demonstrate how energised they were, firstly by engaging in 20 rigid squats. This was followed by a spontaneous up-tempo rhythm that prompted many to showcase their dexterity for several minutes on end. In conclusion, the longest cancer survivors were acknowledged and presented with certificates and hampers. Also receiving certificates were medical practitioners, NGOs and others who have been making positive contributions to the fight against breast cancer in Guyana.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, October 30, 2017

Take no chances w –– take the tablets and keep the scourge at

By Svetlana Marshall IF you are living in Guyana and you have been bitten by a culex mosquito, it is possible that you have microfilariae in your blood stream – the parasites that cause Lymphatic Filariasis, commonly known as ‘Filaria’, ‘Elephantiasis’ or ‘Big Foot.’ As such, health authorities here are urging all persons with the exception of pregnant women, children under the age of two, and seriously ill persons, to take the preventative pills – Diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) and albendazole, stating that the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended tablets eliminate microfilariae from the blood of infected individuals and interrupt transmission of infection by mosquitoes. In 2001, a mapping exercise conducted by the then Ministry of Health found that close to 10 per cent of children (ages 6-13) tested in the 10 administrative regions had microfilariae in their systems. Coordinator for the Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis Campaign, Dr. Fabu Moses, said the results showed that with the exception of Region One, Filaria was endemic to all other regions, either partially or totally. “Of the children that were seen in all 10 regions of Guyana, 9.33 per cent of them had microfilariae in their blood, and this 9.33 per cent of children who had it, translates into more than 90 per cent of the population at risk for contracting microfilariae and then of course, progressing to Lymphedema,” Dr. Moses further explained. This year, the Vector

Control Services Unit, with strong backing from the Public Health Ministry and the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO), has intensified its Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaign aimed at eliminating Filaria – a disease that damages the lymphatic system, causing abnormal enlargement of body parts during its latter stages. According to WHO, the swelling is oftentimes accompanied by pain, severe disability and social stigma. Since the launch of the unit’s annual Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis Campaign on October 2, 2017, over 1000 pill distributors and health personnel have been conducting house-tohouse distribution of the pills in Regions Three, Four, Five and 10, where the at-risk populations are high. Additionally, the pills are being administered in work places, public spaces and even in schools with permission from parents. Sunita Szala, one of the pill distributors operating out of the Lodge Health Centre, said while many persons, in the areas covered by the centre, are responding positively, they are some who refused the pills although being informed of their importance in guarding against filaria. MIXED REACTIONS “This is my fourth year working on the elimination campaign, and I can tell you we have always had mixed reactions,” she told this newspaper. When the Guyana Chronicle accompanied Szala and her team mate Melinda Burke to D’Urban Backlands, during

Using a special technique, nurses at the Filaria Clinic wrapped Margaret’s feet to reduce the swelling and to keep them dry and clean

one of their recent exercises, a resident, upon seeing them, said: “I am not interested,” before rushing into her house. Dr. Moses said some people are refusing to take the pills because of several misconceptions. “People are under the impression that the tablets we are administering are for sick people, actually, that is not so. A lot of us have microfilariae in our blood and we don’t know it because it can stay there up to 20 years before you can actually have any kind of symptoms shown. Before any swelling of any area or before you actually start seeing you are urinating a milky substance, you can still have it and you can be transmitting it to the rest of your family,” the campaign coordinator explained. In other cases, Dr. Moses

Pill Distributor Sunita Szala explaining the purpose of the tablets being administered to D’urban Backlands resident Samuel Hytmiah in your system, and then it goes nearby to your family members, its re-transmitting, re-infecting them,” Dr. Moses explained. She further explained that

Cheryl Hopkinson, a nurse attached to the Filaria Clinic cleaning the foot of one of her filaria patients. said, persons have agreed to take the tablets but refused to give them to their children, and vice versa, not knowing that treated persons can be re-infected by those left untreated. “A lot of people say that I am going to take the tablet but I am not going to give it to my children or let my children take it because in 20 years I don’t think that I am going to be here; that is also erroneous because even though you do not take the tablet and the rest of the family takes it, when you are sitting around the television in the evening or you are out on the bridge having a laugh with your family, and the mosquito bites you, you still have the worms

the tablets are being administered in “campaign mode” because it is important for eligible populations to take them at the same time for five consecutive years. It was emphasised that the move would remove microfilariae from the blood of infected individuals and simultaneously disrupt transmission. Thirty-nine-year-old Diane Boyer, who drank the DEC and albendazole tablets on the spot, and collected for her children as well, said she was happy to be afforded the opportunity to eliminate the risk of her immediate family developing Filaria. D’Urban Backlands resident, 71-year-old Samuel

Hytmiah also applauded the initiative. “I think it is very good, because we are along the coast, we are on flat lands, and drainage is handicap in the city of the dense population, so you would find that there is a lot of accumulation of garbage, stagnant water, and these conditions encourage mosquitoes that would affect citizens. I notice lots of people with filaria, they just take it like that and when it develops, then they see the seriousness of it,” Hytmiah noted. Over at the Health Ministry’s Vector Control Services Unit Filaria Clinic, 72- yearold Margret (not her real name) said four years ago when she first experienced the swelling of her left foot she had taken it for granted. “But when I tell my daughter, she said you best go to the hospital because it could be filaria,” Margret recalled. The elderly woman said she visited the clinic, was tested and the result came back positive. Though walking has become difficult, the elderly woman said the treatment regimen has made the disease less painful. LESS PAIN “I ain’t regret joining the clinic, because the tablets helping me. It helping a great lot because I ain’t in so much pain,” she explained. Margaret is now urging persons who have been bitten by mosquitoes to get tested, and or take the filaria pills before it is too late. Once the disease develops into full-blown Lymphatic Filariasis it cannot be cured, only treated to reduce the pain and swelling. While the Mass Drug

Administration will wrap up in the last targeted districts – Region Three – on November 5, Dr. Moses said persons who declined to take the tablets during the outreach and have had a change of mind, and those who were not approached but interested can visit the nearest health centre to have the DEC and albendazole tablets administered to them. Additionally, the tablets are also available at the Vector Control Services Unit’s Filaria Clinic at New Market Street, Georgetown. Upon the completion of this year’s campaign, the results will be compiled and reviewed during a meeting, to determine how effective the strategy was while taking into account the challenges faced by the players involved. Dr. Moses noted that the unit utilises a formula to calculate the geographical coverage. “As it is right now, Guyana is at a 44 per cent geographical coverage. The first thing that you need to do to be successful at eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis is to have 100 per cent geographical coverage we have not reached there as yet,” she noted. Dr. Moses said while Guyana’s geographical landscape has not made the execution of the programme easy, the unit has opted to execute the campaign in regions that have the largest burdens with the intention of increasing the geographical coverage, and will later move to the other regions that are endemic. GOOD BUT NOT ENOUGH “So once we have at least 80 per cent of the population free of microfilariae worms then we have a

with filaria

Public Health Ministry indicate that there are approximately 200 persons known to have Lymphatic Filariasis in Guyana. According to Dr. Moses, who is also head of the Neglected Infectious Diseases Programme, in 2016, 20 new patients were admitted to the Filaria Clinic, while

Pill Distributor Melinda Burke administering the DEC and albendazole tablets to Diane Boyer in D’Urban Blacklands as her colleague Sunita Szala takes down the relevant information

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, October 30, 2017

bay, Dr Moses urges

Though walking has become a difficult and painful exercise, Margaret makes it her duty to attend Filaria Clinic when necessary to have her foot treated and to receive her medication better chance of the entire country being covered. This is when we are at a 100 per cent geographical coverage,” Dr. Moses explained, noting that the 80 per cent does not include the populations that are not targeted. The Mass Drug Administration using DEC and albendazole form part of a series of campaigns launched in Guyana since the country signed unto the WHO Resolution to eliminate the disease. In 1997, the WHO classified Lymphatic Filariasis, along with five other infectious diseases, as eradicable or potentially eradicable. It was also in 1997 that the World Health Assembly adopted Resolution WHA 50.29, which called on member states to initiate steps to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis as a public health problem by 2020. DEC SALT CAMPAIGN In response, the WHO launched the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) in 2000. By 2001, Guyana

had conducted its mapping exercise and two years later initiated the diethylcarbamazine (DEC) salt campaign through Mass Drug Administration in keeping with GPELF. But the DEC Salt Campaign had proven to be a difficult one, Dr. Moses said, explaining that the Public Health Ministry was unable to determine the number of persons was using DEC Salt as against the regular salt. As a result, in 2008 the Mass Drug Administration was altered to include the distribution of the two filaria pills – DEC and albendazole. The campaign has evolved over the years from simply having house-to-house visits, to the administering of the tablets at public places. Guyana is among four countries in the Americas that are yet to eliminate filaria. The three other countries are Haiti, Brazil and The Dominican Republic. Countries like Suriname and Trinidad have already eliminated the decease. Statistics coming out of the

during the campaign period for 2017, two new admissions were recorded at the time of the interview. According to the WHO, more than 556 million peo-

ple received treatment for Lymphatic Filariasis in 2015. Since 2000, a cumulative total of 6.2 billion treatments have been delivered to affected populations.

Notably, WHO said since the establishment of the global programme, 97 million cases of Lymphatic Filariasis have been prevented or cured.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, October 30, 2017

Gov’t gears up for budget 2018

THIS year’s budget will be the fourth to be presented by Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan and the APNU+AFC government since assuming office. Billboard signage has been erected around the capital city depicting the Minister and government’s readiness to present the 2018 budget. Earlier this month, Minister Jordan noted that there will be no new taxes in Budget 2018. Instead, he said the new budget seeks to provide an incentive to some sectors

and promote small-business growth. “Anything in this budget is about cleaning up or providing an incentive or two as promised. We promised some sectors we will see how we can support them in this renewal,” Minister Jordan added. The 2018 budget will also cater to the long overdue construction of the East Bank Berbice (EBB) road, which is expected to cost approximately $1.5B. “We said those people

were promised that road endlessly; we have to build the road. The road is going to cost between $1.3B and $1.5B,” Minister Jordan told reporters earlier this month. The 2017 national budget of $250B was presented under the theme, “Building a diversified, green economy: delivering the good life to all Guyanese.” The budget, which was the largest presented to the National Assembly by the APNU+AFC Government, saw a number of measures

announced to stimulate the country’s economy and to create employment opportunities. In keeping with an election promise, the government

reduced the Value Added Tax (VAT) to 14 per cent from 16 per cent; however, there were several new features including VAT on electricity and water as well

as on education. Government later pledged to review the latter, a process which is still under review.

By Alva Solomon

ed and the firm is moving apace to complete the second project before yearend. Another firm is expected to construct a pavement which will complement the stretch. Rainy weather conditions had hampered the commencement of concrete road works to the roadway in the area earlier in the year. In April this year, Minister of State Joseph Harmon announced at a post-Cabinet press briefing that Cabinet

has granted approval for the award of contracts for the rehabilitation of six lots of all-weather roads in Mabaruma and Port Kaituma. He said Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, has undertaken to visit and witness the works to be undertaken. Mabaruma is undergoing several changes in its infrastructure as the government, as well as the town council, is working to improve the general aesthetics of the town.

Kumaka all-weather road takes shape

CONSTRUCTION works on an all-weather road are progressing along the problematic Kumaka Stretch in the Mabaruma sub-region, Region One. For years this section of road has been in a deplorable state and many motorists have been complaining about the many potholes which lined the road. However, construction firm Mohammed Ramzan Ally Khan recently commenced works on a major project , which will see the stretch of roadway being capped with concrete to ensure its durability. To date, the southern carriageway of the roadway has been capped. It is the first time the road will be made an all-weather thoroughfare. Contracts were awarded earlier in the year to the firm to undertake concrete works in two lots in the area. The contracts, which were awarded by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, entail concrete works to the road close to the town’s airstrip ($82.1M), as well as the Kumaka Stretch ($66.2M). Works on the former project have been complet-

Works ongoing along the Kumaka Stretch at Mabaruma (Photo courtesy of Julia Johnson)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, October 30, 2017

Jaguars crush Scorpions to... From Backpage

raced to his fourth firstclass half-century from just 74 balls with eight fours and two sixes, and by tea the tourists had rallied to 194-6. The pair had so far put together a fruitful stand of 79 runs with Allen on 62 and Dennis Bulli on 20. With 28 overs remaining in the final session, the pair could only manage another five runs together before Shepherd bowled Allen, to end the 85-run stand, at 200-7. His innings lasted for 107 balls

with nine fours and two sixes. As the evening session progressed, Gudakesh Motie claimed the wicket of Bulli before Permaul claimed the last two wickets of Damani Sewell (9) and Derval Green without scoring to send the visitors crashing to a huge defeat. The Jaguars will take on Windward Islands Volcanoes in round two from November 2 at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia.

SCOREBOARD JAGUARS 1st Innings 266 SCORPIONS 1st Innings 99 Jaguars 2nd Innings 315-8 decl. Scorpions 2nd Innings (target: 483) (overnight 61 for two) T Griffith c Yadram b Rutherford 12 G Garvey c Johnson b Permaul 13 A Fudadin c Motie b Paul 40 B King c Paul b Permaul 35 *P Palmer run out 1 +R Morrison b Shepherd 68 F Allen c Chandrika b Paul 2 D Bulli c & b Motie 32

D Sewell c Chandrika b Permaul 9 D Green c Rutherford b Permaul 0 J Dawes not out 0 Extras (b3, lb3, w1) 7 TOTAL (all out, 98.4 overs) 219 Fall of wickets: 1-25, 2-25, 3-98, 4-99, 5-113, 6-115, 7-200, 8-218, 9-218, 10-219. Bowling: Shepherd 16-2-571, Paul 16-5-25-2, Motie 249-49-1, Permaul 35.4-14-55-4, Rutherford 6-3-25-1, Johnson 1-0-2-0. POINTS : Guyana Jaguars 18.4, Jamaica Scorpions 4.2

Hamilton crowned world champion ... From Backpage

Pole-sitter Vettel, Verstappen and Hamilton charged three abreast at 220mph into the left-handed opening turn. Verstappen then made his move around the outside of Vettel at the right-handed second corner before the pair banged wheels. Vettel then clumsily tapped the back of Verstappen’s Red Bull before Hamilton sensed his opportunity. He roared around the outside of Vettel at the ensuing turn, and the Ferrari driver – now down to third – made contact with Hamilton’s right-rear rubber.

The German – whose hero Michael Schumacher famously took Jacques Villeneuve out of the concluding race in Jerez 20 years ago in a do-ordie attempt to win the championship – appeared at fault. Hamilton led the inquisition as he asked over the team radio whether it was indeed an act of desperation from his title rival. “Did he hit me deliberately?” Hamilton asked. “Not sure, Lewis,” came the reply from the Briton’s race engineer Pete Bonnington.

The stewards looked at the dramatic incident, but took just seven minutes to make up their mind by taking the course of pursuing no further action. Vettel, who had led this year’s championship battle by 25 points in May but had been cast 66 points adrift of Hamilton prior to Sunday’s dramatic race in Mexico City, emerged from the pits 35 seconds adrift of leader Verstappen with Hamilton one minute behind the Red Bull man. Vettel was soon on a charge

CWI affirms commitment to High... sity believe in the effectiveness of our research, we believe in the effectiveness of our model. It has been proven that the youngsters who are now fight-

ing for West Indies’ future are products of that mental construct.” In response, however, the CWI has insisted it was not at fault for the break-up and claimed that it remained committed to the model. “To clarify, CWI, in partnership with UWI, ran a High-Performance Center (HPC) at the Cave Hill Campus in Barbados between 2010 and 2016.

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The HPC was sponsored by Sagicor for a 4-year period, but their contract was unfortunately not renewed. CWI is very grateful to Sagicor for their support over the years and confirms that it would encourage a tripartite relationship and is open to dialogue on the same,” CWI said in a release. “CWI is currently working on a new strategic plan for

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and almost came unstuck for a third time when he was forced off the road by Felipe Massa, but the four-time champion emerged unscathed, and by half-distance he was into the points, albeit the best part of 60 seconds adrift of second-placed Bottas. Hamilton’s progress through the pack was not as swift, and he was soon a lap down. He fought past Fernando Alonso in the closing stages, but it was inconsequential. (Yahoo Sport)

From Backpage 2018-2023, and has already held formal discussions with UWI on developing a comprehensive partnership across many different areas of the University,” it continued. “CWI continues to fund the development of the Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners cricket team and is looking forward to their participation in the Super50 tournament this season.” Wexford 09:00 hrs Early Doors 09:35 hrs Russellstown 10:10 hrs Antimatter 10:45 hrs Ceatharlach 11:20 hrs A Genie In Abottle 11:55 hrs Dinaria Des Obeaux 12:25 hrs Mad Carew Galway 09:10 hrs Ainsi Va La Vie 09:45 hrs Presenting Percy 10:20 hrs Call It Magic 10:55 hrs Old Time Melody 11:30 hrs The Rory Story 12:05 hrs Persistent 12:35 hrs Presenting Lilly South Africa Racing Tips Flamingo Park 08:20 hrs Bold Man 08:55 hrs Harrison 09:30 hrs Well Dressed 10:05 hrs Caribbean Bay 10:40 hrs Seven tales

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, October 30, 2017

Black Caps fall agonisingly short as Rohit and Kohli inspire series win

(REUTERS) - India registered a 2-1 series victory against New Zealand after Jasprit Bumrah’s tidy final over secured the hosts’ sixrun win in the third and final one-day international on Sunday. New Zealand needed 15 runs off the final over to chase down a 338-run victory

target but a nerveless Bumrah conceded only seven while picking up his third wicket of the match to help India prevail in the runfest. Earlier, centurions Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma featured in a mammoth 230-run stand to help the hosts post 337-6 after New Zealand, wary of the dew

factor later in the evening, elected to field at Kanpur’s Green Park Stadium. New Zealand lost opener Martin Guptill early in their reply but Colin Munro smashed three sixes in his blistering 75 and Kane Williamson made a fluent 64 to help them overcome the early loss.

Wristspinner Yuzvendra Chahal ended the 109-run partnership, dismissing both the batsmen but Tom Latham refused to throw in the towel. Latham and Ross Taylor had engineered New Zealand’s successful chase in the series opener in Mumbai and they looked determined to reprised the role. Bumrah (3-47) poured cold water on their plans, however, by first dismissing Taylor for 39 and then running out Latham, who made

65, in the 48th over of the New Zealand innings. Put into bat, India lost Shikhar Dhawan (14) early but New Zealand had to toil in the subsequent 35 overs as Kohli and Sharma became the first ODI pair to star in four double-century partnerships. Sharma batted with characteristic elegance to score 147 off 138 balls. His 15th one-day century was studded with 18 boundaries and a couple of sixes before

he fell in the 42nd over. Kohli was silky smooth at the other end as the India captain became the fastest batsman to complete 9,000 ODI runs, achieving the feat in 194 innings. The right-hander made 113 off 106 balls, with nine boundaries and a six in his 32nd one-day century. The teams will next square off in a three-match Twenty20 series beginning in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Pakistan complete T20 whitewash on Sri Lanka’s return to Lahore THERE were joyous scenes in Lahore as Pakistan completed a Twenty20 series whitewash of Sri Lanka with an emphatic 36-run win on the latter’s return to the country. After losing successive T20s in Abu Dhabi, Sri Lanka played in Pakistan on Sunday for the first time since their team bus was targeted in a terror attack, in Lahore, in 2009. Amid a huge security presence, the tourists were unable to avoid another defeat - their eighth in as many limited-overs matches against Pakistan

- as Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Amir starred, but their decision to play will have been warmly welcomed in Pakistan. In the absence of several players who opted out of travelling, the Sri Lankan team that did line up experienced a raucous and jubilant atmosphere, reflecting the fact only Zimbabwe and a World XI have played senior international cricket in Pakistan in the last eight years. As a result, this was Amir’s first international appearance in his home country, despite the fact he made his debut in 2009.

The left-arm seamer starred with career-best figures of 4-13 from four overs as Pakistan, who posted an imposing total of 180-3, limited their opponents to 144-9 in reply. Dasun Shanaka made 54 from 36 deliveries for Sri Lanka, but lacked support and a home win was inevitable long before the match concluded. While Sri Lanka struggled with the bat, all of Pakistan’s top four passed 30 and Shoaib was the star of the show, racing to 51 from just 24 balls. (Omnisport)

Miller smashes record for fastest ton in Twenty20 Internationals POTCHEFSTROOM, South Africa (Reuters) - South Africa middle-order batsman David Miller smashed the record for the fastest century in Twenty20 International cricket as South Africa thumped Bangladesh by 83 runs on Sunday for a clean sweep of the twomatch series. Miller, who was dropped on zero, reached his ton off 35 balls, beating the previous best mark of 45 deliveries set by compatriot Richard Levi

against New Zealand in 2012. South Africa managed 224 for four off their 20 overs, with Miller not out 101 from 36 balls as he crashed seven fours and nine sixes. Bangladesh were in trouble early in their reply and never recovered as they were bowled out for 141 in 18.3 overs. Five of Miller’s sixes came in one over off Bangladesh seamer Mohammad Saifuddin as he showed remarkable timing

in smashing the ball to all parts of the ground. “It’s a really special feeling,” Miller told SuperSport. “I tried to watch the ball and back myself. I was scratchy to be honest in the beginning and towards the back end it turned out to be sweet.” South Africa won all seven tour matches against Bangladesh across the three formats, which included two tests, three One-Day Internationals and two Twenty20 Internationals

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, October 30, 2017

Persaud triumphs in Ravens and Jets to clash Banks DIH/Citizens in Brushce’s Basketball Bank golf tourney Classic final By Joe Chapman

Officials of the Lusignan Golf Club, Banks DIH and Citizens Bank pose with the top players.

RAVI Persaud recorded a solid 41 points to triumph in the Banks DIH/Citizens Bank Inc. Stableford Golf tournament played Saturday at the Lusignan Golf Course on the East Coast of Demerara. The pre-Guyana Open tournament attracted over 40 golfers, including overseas players who are already here for Guyana’s prestigious event this weekend. Three players were tied on 40 points and the other

four places were determined on a countback. Aleem Hussain copped second position with female golfer, Anasha Ally, securing third while Peyton George ended in fourth place. Nearest to the Pin was Max Persaud. Hilbert Shields, president of the Lusignan Golf Club, lauded the two companies for jointly sponsoring the tournament. “Banks DIH and Citi-

zens Bank have been major sponsors of golf over the years and I appreciate their sponsorship leading up to the Guyana Open”, Shields added. Banks DIH Communications Manager, Troy Peters and Citizens Bank Credit Manager, Neville Skeete both indicated their companies continued support for the sport locally. The tee off was done by Citizens Bank Managing Director, Eton Chester.

DEFENDING champions Amelia’s Ward Jets and Ravens will contest the final of the 6th Brusche’s Basketball Classic championship after securing impressive wins Friday night at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court. Ravens prevailed in an exciting 61-58 victory over Colts, while the Jets upset Victory Valley Royals 72-60 to set up a showdown on Saturday November 4. After coming from 12 – 15 down in the first period, Ravens rebounded to end the first half leading by three points (33 – 30). However, the balance tilted for the Colts, who were without notable players: Stanton Rose and Shelroy Thomas. After trailing 49 – 46 heading into the final period, Ravens recovered well and outscored their opponents 15-9 to clinch the 6158 win. Travis Burnett was again in good form with 15 points

Ryan Stephney

with Jermain Slater getting a good game, netting 14 and their captain, Ryan Stephney adding 13 in the win. Dave Causway and Shane Webster played well to score 14 points apiece as Dellon Larose finished the night with 12 for the Colts. Game two was also gripping as the Victory Valley Royals came into this game with the edge, having

been unbeaten with wins over Jets in the recent MSC Open tournament. The Royals edged past Jets when the first quarter ended, but when the first half ended the Jets were up by two (32-30). Sensing that they were in a battle, the Royals could not resist the efforts of their bigger inside opposing players who went to work and nudged ahead to lead when the third quarter ended 51-45. With the Jets having several options to go with, they would eventually romp home winners 72-60 and will make their defence against Ravens next Saturday. Nathan Saul had a superb game for the Jets, hitting in 17 game high points as Donnel Benjamin netted 14 and Akeem Kanhai and Adrian Webster each netted 10 points. In their losing cause, the Royals best scorers were captain Chris Williams and Trevor Profitt each with 13 points, while Harold Adams got 12 and Yannick Tappin seven.

Sri Lanka ‘A’ spank Windies ‘A’ Wozniacki stands firm to by 10 wickets inside 3 days claim WTA Finals title

By John O’Brien SINGAPORE (Reuters) Caroline Wozniacki’s cruise to the biggest win of her career turned into a desperate struggle before the Dane finally subdued Venus Williams 6-4 6-4 in the WTA Finals title showdown at an enthralled Singapore Indoor Stadium on Sunday. The 27-year-old former world number one entered the contest having lost to the evergreen Williams seven times in as many matches but the resilient Dane served and retrieved brilliantly to emerge with a deserved victory after 88 minutes. Wozniacki was flawless for an hour as she raced to a set and 5-0 lead but Williams is renowned for an insatiable desire to win and the 37-yearold reeled off four games in a row before her increasingly anxious opponent finally closed out the match. “I felt like it was a little bit of an uphill battle, to be honest. I knew she was stepping it up, she had nothing to lose at that

point, and she really went for it. Things were going in for her,” Wozniacki told reporters. “I just had to keep reminding myself that I‘m still up and I‘m the one who is leading here, and I‘m the one who can close out this match right now.” The first three games were dominated by the server until the Dane began to find the corners of the court with her powerful backhand, fashioning the first break of the match with back-to-back winners off both flanks. Williams was trying to get to the net at every opportunity and came forward to good effect in the next game, with a vicious cross-court backhand enabling her to break back immediately on her way to levelling the score at 3-3. The American continued to be the aggressor but the Dane held on in the face of some brutal hitting and somehow forged her second break of the set with some exquisite deep groundstrokes to move within a game of taking the opener.

The American came roaring back once more, however, leaving the Dane looking on as a helpless spectator at a barrage of winners that put the highclass contest back on serve. After working so hard to stay in touch, Williams would have been deeply frustrated to gift her opponent the set when the Dane was handed the third break in a row as the wayward American sent a string of forehands wide, long and into the net. Wozniacki had seized the momentum and with her variation, depth of shot and complete lack of errors preventing Williams from grabbing any sort of foothold in the contest, the flying Dane raced into a 5-0 lead in 11 second-set minutes. Wozniacki’s triumph was her second of the season in eight finals after she successfully defended her Pan Pacific Open title in Tokyo last month. The Dane will rise three places to world number three in Monday’s rankings.

OFF-spinners Shehan Jayasuriya and Malinda Pushpakumara mesmerised West Indies ‘A’ as they combined to propel Sri Lanka ‘A’ to a 2-1 series triumph, after handing the hosts a 10-wicket defeat on day three of the their third unofficial fourday ‘Test’ match here at Sabina Park Saturday. With skilful bowling on a pitch that still showed signs of life, Jayasuriya grabbed 6-60, while

the impressive left-arm spinner Pushpakumara snared 4-19 as West Indies ‘A’ struggled to find their way and crumbled to 118 in their second innings. Captain Shamarh Brooks with 52 was the only batsman to offer resistance, as they set the visitors a target of 26 runs, which was easily surpassed by the opening pair of Ron Chandraguptha, three, and Nipun Karunanayake, 17. Jayasuriya ended with a

match haul of 8-101, while Pushpakumara ended with figures of 8-80. Scores: West Indies ‘A’ 181 all out (60.3 overs) & 118 all out (37.3 overs); Sri Lanka A 273-9 declared (76.2 overs) & 27-0. With the pitch still useful for batting, the Sri Lankans exploited the conditions well and went on to post 273-9 shortly after lunch, posting a lead of 92 runs after resuming the day on 132-3.

SCOREBOARD

WESTINDIES “A” 1st Innings 181 Sri Lanka “A” 1st Innings (overnight 132 for three) R Chandraguptha c Ambris b Joseph 16 N Karunanayake c wkpr Hamilton b Joseph 26 *D De Silva lbw b Thomas 64 C Asalanka c Hodge b Jacobs 4 R Silva retired hurt 52 +S Weerakkody lbw b Cornwall 21 SJayasuriyacCornwallbThomas36 WHasarangacSinghbLeveridge17 M Pushpakumara b Jacobs 5 K Rajitha b Leveridge 1 L Kumara not out 2 Extras (b10, lb7, w1, nb11) 29 TOTAL (all out, 76.2 overs) 273

Fall of wickets: 1-32, 2-80, 3-108, 4-157, 5-181, 6-234, 7-262, 8-270, 9-273. NB: Silva retired hurt at 6-253. Bowling: Joseph 12-2-43-2 (nb7, w1); Thomas 16-1-54-2 (nb4); Leveridge 13.2-2-25-2; Cornwall 21-6-70-1; Jacobs 14-1-58-2 WEST INDIES “A” 2nd Innings J Campbell b Jayasuriya 13 M Hodge lbw b Jayasuriya 0 *S Brooks b Jayasuriya 52 V Singh st Weerakkody b Jayasuriya 32 S Ambris lbw b Jayasuriya 1 +J Hamilton b Jayasuriya R Cornwall c Hasaranga b Pushpakumara 15 D Jacobs lbw b Pushpakumara 5

K Joseph lbw b Pushpakumara 1 O Thomas not out 7 R Leveridge b Pushpakumara 0 Extras (b1, lb5, nb3) 9 TOTAL (all out, 37.3 overs) 118 Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-22, 3-63, 4-67, 5-67, 6-90, 7-102, 8-110, 9-118 Bowling: Rajitha 4-0-17-0; Kumara 5-0-16-0 (nb2); Jayasuriya 17-0-60-6 (nb1); Pushpakumara 11.3-3-19-4 SRI LANKA 2nd Innings (target: 27) R Chandraguptha not out 3 N Karunanayake not out 17 Extras (b4, lb1, w1, nb1) 7 TOTAL (without loss, 5.5 overs) 27 Bowling: Leveridge 3-1-5-0; Thomas 2.5-0-17-0 (nb1)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, October 30, 2017

Smith hits 185 but Volacanoes settle for a draw

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, (CMC) – Devon Smith cracked his 30th first-class career hundred, but the Windward Islands Volcanoes’ bid for an unexpected victory over Leeward Islands Hurricanes failed and they had to settle for a draw in the Regional 4-Day Championship on Sunday. The 36-year-old Smith, the most prolific batsman in the history of the regional competition, was undefeated on a masterful 185 that helped him to earn the Player-of-the-Match award and carry the Volcanoes to 331 for three declared in their second innings – for a lead of 221 – on the final day of their first-round match at the National Cricket Stadium. Chasing 222 for victory, the Hurricanes stumbled against the spin bowling triumvirate of Shane Shillingford, Liam Sebastien and Audy Alexander and were fortunate to escape with the result, finishing on 112 for six. Left-handed opener Smith collected 14 fours and three sixes from 235 balls in close to six hours to post his 24th regional first-

Devon Smith cracked his 3oth first-class ton

class hundred. He shared century stands with Kirk Edwards for the second wicket and Kavem Hodge for the fourth wicket before the declaration came. Edwards, the Barbados-born, discarded West Indies batsman, made 64 that included five fours from 143 balls in 3 ½ hours of batting and Hodge, a former West Indies Under-19 batsman, was unbeaten on a run-a-ball 56 in close to 1 ½ hours of occupation to hasten the declaration. The three Volcanoes spinners then collected two

wickets apiece, but the Hurricanes on the back of Keacy Carty, their youngest batsman, with the top score of 48, managed to defy them long enough to come away with the majority of the points. Volcanoes face reigning three-time champions Guyana Jaguars in the next round, starting at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Ground on Thursday in St. Lucia. Hurricanes have just two days to prepare for their next match against Barbados Pride, starting on Wednesday at Kensington Oval in Barbados.

SCOREBOARD VOLCANOES 1st Innings 233 Hurricanes 1st Innings 343 Volcanoes 2nd Innings (overnight 93 for one) D Smith not out 185 *TTheophilecWardebLouis 0 K Edwards c Taylor b Campbell 64 R Cato b Taylor 18 K Hodge not out 56 Extras (b4, lb1, w1, nb2) 8 TOTAL(3wkts decl’ 331 Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-173, 3-202 Bowling: Matthew 10-2-32-0; Louis 16-4-64-1 (nb1, w1); Warde 12-1-61-0; Tonge 172-78-0; Campbell 18-2-77-1; Taylor 5-0-14-1 (nb1) HURRICANES 2nd Innings

(target: 222) K Carty c Cato b Alexander 48 C Hughes b Shillingford 0 A Saunders b Alexander 20 *+D Thomas lbw b Sebastien 8 N Bonner not out 19 J Taylor c Smith b Sebastien 5 T Warde c Cato b Shillingford 0 J Louis not out 0 Extras (lb1, nb6, pen5) 12 TOTAL (6 wkts, 43 overs) 112 Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-55, 3-82, 4-88, 5-99, 6-112 Bowling: Lewis 5-1-11-0; Shillingford 15-4-41-2; Alexander 12-1-39-2 (nb6); Sebastien 9-3-12-2; Hodge 2-0-3-0 Points: Hurricanes 10.8, Volcanoes 5.8

Root says England do not have drinking culture CAPTAIN Joe Root says England players have to “make sure” off-field incidents “don’t happen again”, but denies there is a drinking culture in the team. All-rounder Ben Stokes, 26,

was arrested on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm after an incident outside a Bristol nightclub in September. He will not fly out with the squad on Saturday for the Ashes

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

COMPLIMENTS OF: THE TROPHY STALL Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & AUDREY’S TASTY SNACKETTE 176 Charlotte Street, Georgetown (Tel: 226-4512) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1)14 & 25 (2)10 Today’s Quiz: (1)Who won the first Test of the current WI/ZIM

series? What was the margin of victory?

(2)Who was declared Man of the Match at the

end of the first Test of the current WI/ZIM series? Answers in tomorrow’s issue

series in Australia which begins on 23 November. “We know it wasn’t good enough,” said Root. “We are grown men and we know how to behave and we’ll make sure that we conduct ourselves well on this tour.” Stokes was named in England’s 16-man touring squad, but he was replaced by Steven Finn after the Sun newspaper published footage allegedly showing Stokes in a street brawl. Root, 26, said preparations for the Ashes tour have been without his vice-captain in mind. Alex Hales was with Stokes when the incident took place and was later interviewed under police caution, but his lawyer said he would be “surprised” if he faced further action. Wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow and bowlers Liam Plunkett and Jake Ball, who were part of the

night out but not involved in the incident, were warned by the ECB. Root is relishing the opportunity to prove himself in Australia, after a difficult series in 2013/14 when he struggled for form and was dropped before the Sydney finale which resulted in a whitewash. “It’s the pinnacle of Test cricket for an Englishman, isn’t it?” he said. “There is so much on the table, so many opportunities and so much that excites me and I can’t wait to get out there. “The point I want to prove, this is just another opportunity to do that over there. I’m a different player to what I was the last time we were there and that excites me. “I want to go there and score as many runs as I can and contribute. It’s an incentive to get off to a good start with my batting and lead from the front.” (BBC Sport)

GFA/Stag Premium Beer League

`Giant killers’ Flamingo Stun Santos, Camptown edge GFC 1-0

`GIANT killers’ Flamingo stunned Santos 1-0, while Camptown kept to their winning ways when action in the Georgetown Football Association (GFA)/Stag Premier League continued on Friday last at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC), ground. The win for Flamingo is their first from three matches and gave them three points for the win. On the same day and at the same venue, Camptown continued their winning ways with a 1-0 win against home side, GFC, to advance to the top of the points standing with nine points from three consecutive victories. Flamingo’s Kelon Jones stunned Santos’ supporters in the 42nd minute after racing away from the backline and lobbing his effort over the head of the advancing goalkeeper into the back of the nets. In the Camptown versus GFC contest, the latter’s custodian, Sesi Norville executed a poorly-punched clearance inside the penalty box and the ball fell into the path of an unchallenged Ozeal Small who directed a header into an empty

goal. As of Saturday, Camptown leads the points table with nine points and a plus three goal difference,. Police is second in the standing and was down to face Black Pearl last night in a third round fixture. Santos with six points and a plus four goal difference is third. Last night also, Beacons who has three points after a 4-1 win against Black Pearl and a 0-1 loss to Riddim Squad, was down to play bottom of the ladder Northern Rangers, while Riddim Squad who, as of Friday, had three points from their 1-0 win against Beacons in a second round, was slated to oppose the pointless Pele in the feature game last night. To date, after 12 matches of the League, 29 goals have been recorded with Santos’ William Europe leading with three goals to his name. Beacons’ Deron Bowen and Quacy MCAulay as well as Camptown’s Richie Richards and Oriel Small and Police’s Shemar Fraser and Rawle Haynes all have two goals to their names.

GDF boxers dominate Lennox Blackmoore Intermediate Championships on night 2 THE Guyana Defence Force (GDF) boxers on Saturday evening continued their dominance of the Guyana Boxing Association’s (GDF) Lennox Blackmoore National Intermediate Championships by chalking up six victories from seven bouts at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue. The soldiers who has been having a joy ride since the three-night tournament got underway on Friday last when they won four of six fights, returned to the venue on Saturday but had to wait until the second bout before they started their rampage on their opponents.. This was after their bantamweight fighter, Delroy Leacock, lost by a round-one stoppage at the hands of Vergenoegen Boxing Gym’s Kelvin Moore, who caused the referee to stop the contest at two minutes 26 seconds of the round. In the junior welterweight contest between Kevin McKenzie (GDF) and Omali Adams of Rose Hall Jammers (RHJ), McKenzie pounded Adams almost at will and the referee had no other option but to stop the contest at 50 seconds of the

first round. The soldiers then continued to stamp their authority as Emanuel Sanco registered a unanimous points decision win against his teammate, Mark Blake, in their welterweight contest. In the middleweight class, Orlando Northon (GDF) pummeled RHJ’s Kevin Sookoo from the start of round one and Sookoo, after two minutes, decided that he had had enough of that and abandoned the contest. In the same division, Okimey Bakker registered a one minute 28 seconds win against RHJ’s Shawn LeFlur as the referee had cause to step in and stop Bakker’s onslaught. In the light heavyweight division, Darel McPherson (GDF) caused the referee to stop his contest against James Moore at one minute of the second round and in the same division, Renaldo Niles (GDF) scored a first-round two minutes 52 seconds knock out win against his gym mate, Joel Peters. The tournament was scheduled to conclude last evening with the finals in all the divisions.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, October 30, 2017

KGM, Jumbo Jet ink partnerships for International Race of Champions

KGM Security and Jumbo Jet Auto Sales are two more companies that joined the party for next month’s Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club’s International Race of Champions. KGM Security and Jumbo Jet Auto Sales are the latest companies to sign onto the event which takes place on November 11 and 12 at the South Dakota Circuit. Both companies on Friday handed over sponsorship for the event with both expressing their delight at being involved in the event. KGM through Andre Peters, the company’s representative stated that, “We are happy to be on-board again with the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club. We think they are doing a good job in promoting motorsport and we had no issue supporting them.”

Jumbo Jet’s Irshad Mohamed hands over his company’s sponsorship for the GMR&SC Race of champions

Jumbo Jet through Irshad Mohamed, echoed the same sentiments but also added that, “We at Jumbo Jet are involved

in racing and as such we had no issues about giving sponsorship. We enjoy the sport.” Meanwhile, a 27-race

KGM’s Andre Peters hands over the cheque to GMR&SC’s Tina Morris.

programme was unveiled last week, which will encompass racing on both Saturday and Sunday, according to the GM-

R&SC. The club has confirmed three professional drift cars from Trinidad & Tobago as

well as four SR-3 Radicals from Barbados, in addition to the Caribbean Motor Racing Championship competitors that are expected to grace the shores of the “land of many waters”. Saturday will be treated as just a race day, with adults being charged $1,000 per entry and children over 12 being charged $500. On Sunday, Adults will be charged $2,000 and children over 12 years, $1,000. Qualification will also be held on Saturday morning from 10:00hrs with races beginning from 14:00hrs. Scrutineering will take place on Thursday and Friday and before qualification on Saturday. The club is currently organising weekend passes for patrons who would be desirous of viewing both days of action, as well as VIP passes

Masakadza’s unbeaten 102 leads Zimbabwe recovery

HAMILTON Masakadza’s fifth Test century helped Zimbabwe recover from a horror start to the second Test against the West Indies on Sunday and end a rain-hit first day on 169 for four. Just 61 overs were possible as rain wiped out most of the final session, but that was still enough time for Masakadza to register an unbeaten 101 and drag Zimbabwe out of a hole. The home side slumped to 14 for three after winning the toss and electing to bat first, as fast bowlers Kemar

Roach and Shannon Gabriel struck with the new ball. In cloudy conditions it took Roach just two overs to make the first breakthrough as he had Solomon Mire caught behind, and Craig Ervine and Brendan Taylor soon followed when they were bowled by Gabriel and Roach respectively. Those early setbacks meant that Peter Moor, who was only picked at the last minute when allrounder Sean Williams withdrew because of illness, walked out to bat in challenging

conditions. But he duly dug in for a 142-run stand for the fourth wicket with Masakadza, putting Zimbabwe back in a match that they must win to earn a share of the series. “I actually had quite a bit of fun batting with Peter today, because he brought a lot of energy and he was very positive. I fed quite a bit off that,” said Masakadza. The opener was fortunate to survive in the 11th over of the day, when he was caught at gully off Gabriel before replays revealed a

no-ball. Masakadza was on 15 at the time. While Moor reached a patient half-century moments after tea, he was then bowled by offspinner Roston Chase to give the West Indies a welcome breakthrough. Masakadza went to three figures soon after, reaching his fifth Test century more than 16 years after recording his first one on debut against the same opponents. “He had a bit of luck with the no-ball, but he’s certainly played well. He hits the ball well and on

wickets like these he’s tough to contain as well,”

said West Indies coach Stuart Law.(AFP)

SCOREBOARD ZIMBABWE 1st innings H Masakadza not out 101 S Mire c wkp Dowrich b Roach 4 C Ervine b Gabriel 0 B Taylor b Roach P Moor b Chase 52 Sikandar Raza not out 9 Extras (nb2) 2 TOTAL (4 wkts, 61 overs) 169 To bat: M Waller, +R Chakabva, *A Cremer, C Mpofu, T Chisoro.

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-11, 3-14, 4-156. Bowling: Gabriel 13-337-1, Roach 10-4-24-2, Blackwood 4-1-8-0, Holder 11-1-28-0, Bishoo 14-246-0, Chase 9-1-26-1. WEST INDIES – *J Holder, K Brathwaite, K Powell, K Hope, S Hope, R Chase, J Blackwood, +S Dowrich, K Roach, D Bishoo, S Gabriel.

Team Coco’s Jamal John wins Powerade 40-miler TEAM Coco’s Jamal John returned one hour 35 minutes 19 seconds in winning the Banks DIH Limited- sponsored 40mile cycle road race under its PowerAde brand yesterday in the West Demerara area. The race which was originally slated for 50 miles from Wales to Parika and back to Schoonord near the Demerara harbor Bridge, saw instead the participants moving off from the designated starting point in a roll start and the participants got the green flag

from the entrance of the Harbour Bridge from where the bunch stuck together on both the upward and downward journey. It was with approximately 400 metres remaining that Walter Grant Stuart and Silvio Inniss jumped the pack and opened a small lead which was short lived as Paul DeNobraga, Geron Williams and John responded and sailed past Grant-Stuart and Inniss and headed to the line. Nearing the end, John, who won the event last

year, surged ahead of DeNobrega and Williams to win from Team Evolution’s DeNobrega and Continental Cycle Club’s Williams. Akeem Wilkinson, Grant-Stuart and Inniss placed fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively. During the course of the event, Jernel Yearwood won two of the eight prime prizes that were up for grabs, while John, Christopher Griffith, Williams, Deoraj Garbarran, Mark Harris and DeNobrega won one each. According to reports,

Team Coco’s Jamal John

there were no breaks during the course of the race as the

riders were tightly knitted throughout the entire 40 miles. John won the event last year, but that time the event was a 50-mile event and the reason for reducing the distance is unknown. In other results, Nigel Duguid won the junior category ahead of Briton John and Adelie Hodge respectively, while Warren Mckay won the veterans’ category ahead of Junior Niles and Ian `Dumb Boy’ Jackson, in that order. The mountain bike cat-

egory was won by Talim Shaw. Second was Julio Melville and finishing third was Ozia McAullay. The activity was organized by cycling coach Hassan Mohamed who thanked the participants for their involvement in the race and promised two more events before the season ends next month. The presentation of prizes to the respective winners was done by Banks DIH’s PowerAde brand manager, Errol Nelson.

Masakadza’s unbeaten 102 leads Zimbabwe recovery See Page 23

Jaguars crush Scorpions to start title defence with huge win By Rajiv Bisnauth THREE-times defending champions, Guyana Jaguars opened their Professional Cricket League (PCL) fourday title defence in ruthless fashion, crushing the Jamaica Scorpions by 264 runs yesterday at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. Needing a further 422 runs on the final day, with eight wickets standing, the task was downright improbable to achieve in one day. The hosts had perhaps expected an easier ride, but the early morning rains, and two annoying partnerships had created some discomfort. However, the Jaguars were focused on the task at hand, since batting through the rest of the fourth day just to avoid defeat was always going to be difficult. Only Fabian Allen (67), Assad Fudadin (42), Brandon King (35) and Dennis Bulli (32), were able to put up any form of resistance, as the Jamaicans were all out in their second innings for 219 in 98.4 overs. Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul was the main architect in the Jaguars’ bowling unit, claiming 4-55, to finish with a match haul of 10-84. He received support from Keemo Paul (2-25), while Romario Shepherd, Sherfane Rutherford and Gudakesh Motie, all chipped in with a wicket each.

Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul returned excellent match figures of 10 for 84.

Hamilton crowned world champion despite stunning opening-lap collision

Lewis Hamilton is now Britain’s most successful racing driver of all time (AFP Photo/YURI CORTEZ )

LEWIS Hamilton has been crowned Formula One world champion for a fourth time despite a stunning opening-lap collision with rival Sebastian Vettel at the Mexican Grand Prix.

Hamilton finished only ninth following the explosive turn-three incident, after which the British driver asked if Vettel had deliberately crashed into him. The championship rivals both

sustained damage in the collision as Hamilton’s Mercedes limped back to the pit lane with a rightrear puncture while Vettel stopped for repairs to his Ferrari’s broken front wing.

And although a determined Vettel fought back through the field to cross the line in fourth place, he fell well short of the victory he required to prevent Hamilton from winning the title with two rounds to spare. Max Verstappen, who also banged wheels with Vettel in a frenetic start to Sunday’s race, took advantage of the first-lap mayhem to win from Valtteri Bottas with Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen completing the podium places. Hamilton, 32, has now surpassed Sir Jackie Stewart by becoming the first British driver to win more than three titles. He had vowed to seal his fourth championship in style. After qualifying only third, Hamilton knew that the 800-metre charge to the first corner – the longest on the calendar – represented his best chance of writing his name into the record books with his 10th victory of the year. Turn to Page 19

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Earlier, the start of play was delayed by 45 minutes due to overnight and early morning rains. However, only 50 minutes of play was possible during the first session, and during that passage of play, overnight batsmen Fudadin and King took the score to 98, when rain forced the players off. Fudadin, the Guyanese who refused a central contract locally and opted to play for the Scorpions, moved to 34 while King stretched his overnight 22, to 35. However, when play resumed, King edged Permaul to Paul at second slip to end the 73 run third-wicket stand. The right-hander stroked three fours and one six in his 116-ball innings. That dismissal then saw a flurry of wickets, with Paul effecting a direct hit to run out Captain Paul Palmer (1) before he had Fudadin caught at cover to end his 146-minute stay at the crease. The left-hander stroked four fours and one six. Two overs later, Romaine Morrison (2), edged Paul to second slip and in less than half hour of play, the visitors had slipped to 116-6. At that point, Allen and Bulli were able to stem the flow of wickets for some time, frustrating the home side with an attacking seventh-wicket stand. The righted-handed Allen who was the aggressor, Turm to Page 19

CWI affirms commitment to High Performance model CRICKET West Indies (CWI) have responded strongly to the suggestion that the board was at fault for withdrawing from a partnership with the University of the West Indies and Sagicor as it relates to the running of the High Performance Centre. In a recent address, UWI vice chancellor Hilary Beckles defended the model and usage of the recently formed High Performance Academy and suggested that the CWI had been unwilling to do so. “The University has always maintained that the relationship had to be inclusive of University of West Indies (UWI) and Cricket West Indies (CWI) and efforts to persuade Cameron to re-enter the tripartite arrangement have proved futile,” Beckles was quoted as saying in Barbados Today. “West Indies Cricket Board chose to withdraw from the partnership. We have brokered a tripartite arrangement, UWI, Sagicor, WICB, a tripartite arrangement that gave us the

CWI president Dave Cameron

academy that has produced all of these young cricketers. All of these young men who are doing so well, fighting for West Indies, came through the academy,” he added. “I tried to persuade CWI and Mr Cameron to come back into the tripartite arrangement and they [CWI] have opted not to because they have another approach. We at the UniverTurn to Page 19 MONDAY,OCTOBER, 30 , 2017