Guyana Chronicle E-paper 10-31-2018

WEDNESDAY 31st October, 2018

No.105444

Gov’t rolls out US$27M housing project

…targeting 250 core houses … $500,000 subsidy for each of 2,000 households

… major road works on the cards

Cuba visit for medical 02 investigation, President says PAGE

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GNBA still owed over 14 $50M by broadcasters PAGE

Ex cops jailed for 19 $6M cocaine bribe PAGE

… lawyers file appeal

US judge denies Marcus Bisram’s 10 Habeas Corpus petition PAGE

President David Granger and the First Lady Mrs. Sandra Granger

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Cuba visit for medical investigation, President says

PRESIDENT David Granger will undergo medical examination in Cuba to investigate symptoms that surfaced recently. He departed Guyana on Tuesday along with First Lady Mrs. Sandra Granger.

In a televised interview conducted by the Ministry of the Presidency at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri, President Granger disclosed that although he was given a clean bill of health last May when he visited Trinidad and Tobago for his annual medical examination, there were recent developments. “So at that time I was given literally a clean bill of health and I came back and continued my work.

The public knows about it, it was reported.”

The Head of State, however, said within a few weeks he started noticing some symptoms which were cause for concern. “After the symptoms didn’t go away I decided to journey to Trinidad and Tobago,

President David Granger and the First Lady Mrs. Sandra Granger which I did last Monday, to revisit the tests which were done in May, and at the time they discovered some symptoms which needed further investigation,” he explained.

On that basis, President Granger made arrangements to travel to Cuba to further investigate his health. “At this time, there is no clear indication of (a) disorder or what the nature of the disorder is, it is a question

of investigation and I think I can get best advice in Cuba,” he said.

At this stage, the doctors have not specified an ailment; however, upon the completion of the medical investigation, the President has assured that the Guyanese public will be informed.

“The Guyanese public should be assured that once those investigations are complete they will be kept abreast with the

health of the President of the Republic.”

The President’s annual medical examination was scheduled for August 2018, however, he conducted it in May to facilitate the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Biennial Congress, and the impending Local Government Elections.

The President is expected to return to Guyana on November 11.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Gov’t rolls out US$27M …targeting housing project 250 core houses … $500,000 subsidy for each of 2,000 households … major road works on the cards

By Svetlana Marshall PERSONS living on or below the poverty line within sections of Regions Four and Three will have the opportunity to apply for core homes or housing subsidies from Thursday as the Ministry of Communities rolls out its US$27M Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme.

The programme, which spans from La Bonne Intention (LBI) on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) to Georgetown to Great Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) and La Parfaite Harmonie on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD), is being implemented by Ministry of Communities through the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) with funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

In making the announcement on Tuesday at CH&PA’s Brickdam Headquarters, Minister within the Ministry of Communities with responsibility for housing, Valerie Adams-Yearwood, said the Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme birthed out of a reformulation of a loan originally intended for the Road Network Upgrade and Expansion Programme.

It was explained that the Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme has three components – Affordable and Sustainable Housing; Consolidation of existing Housing Schemes; and Support and Institutional Strengthening.

It is under the Affordable and Sustainable Housing component that US$5M has been earmarked for a Home Improvement Subsidy Programme which will see 2,000 persons accessing as much as $500,000 to

rehabilitate their homes.

Under that component as well, another US$5M has been budgeted for the construction of 250 core homes within the outlined areas. Applications will be opened on November 1, 2018 up until February 1, 2019.

Minister Yearwood told reporters that while CH&PA built core houses before, this batch would be of a higher quality and will be built using concrete.

250 CORE HOMES

and the applicant must be at least 18-years of age,” Bascom explained.

She added that the programme targets households that are occupying their low-income lots but are living in buildings that do not meet habitable requirements such as shacks. Preference will also be given to persons with disabilities who meet the requirements.

The core houses will be constructed at the size of no less 330 square feet, and the design will be expandable and will include a sanitary block.

250 core homes is expected to cost $4M. Beneficiaries will be required to occupy their core homes within one month of receipt of the keys, and would be required to dismantle the building they were occupying.

Processing of the applications and procurement of materials will take approximately eight months.

2,000 HOME IMPROVEMENT SUBSIDIES The Home Improve-

other requirements are similar to those established for the Core Homes Support Programme. “The Home Improvement Subsidy basically provides a subsidy of up to $500,000 in building materials to effect repairs, improvement extensions to an existing building. The programme will provide the materials and the beneficiary household will be required to provide 100 per cent of the labour to effect the improvement works,” she further explained.

The types of improvements eligible include: re-

Minister within the Ministry of Communities with responsibility for Housing Valerie Adams-Yearwood (centre) addressing the media in the presence of CH&PA CEO Lelon Saul (extreme left), Director of Projects Omar Narine (second left) and Deputy Director of Community Development Donnel Bess-Bascom on the right. (Photo by Delano Williams) Deputy Director of Community Development, Donnel Bess-Bascom, explained that under the core homes support programme, low income households that were allocated house lots by CH&PA will be targeted.

“In order to qualify for such a programme, the person or household must be occupying their allocated low income lot. They must be the legitimate owner of that lot, and this must be verified by the necessary documentation…The household must have completed payment for that lot,

The deputy director of community development stated once a person has been selected to benefit from the core homes support programme, that household will be required to make an equity share contribution of Guy$100,000. According to her, the rest of the cost of the home will be covered under the programme.

Bascom noted that 50 per cent of the equity would be required within the first month of approval while the second half will be required within the first three months. Each of the

ment Subsidy Programme, similarly, targets low income households including single parent households.

“This is intended for home owners in the project area. Unlike the Core Homes Support Programme, the home improvement subsidy is not limited to housing areas that have been developed by the Central Housing and Planning Authority. It is opened to all low income housing areas that fall within the project scope,” she explained.

Bascom noted that the

pairs to roofs, walls, floors including the completion of wet areas, improvements of earthen or wooden floors, and replacement of walls with more durable materials and expansion of homes in cases of overcrowding.

Households that would have benefited from two or more subsidies under IDB financed programmes with the CH&PA will not be eligible for either of the two programmes.

Infrastructural Development Director of Projects Omar Narine, disclosed that under the Consolidation of

existing Housing Schemes Component, US$16M has been budged to develop low income communities regulated by CH&PA. “We are planning to upgrade 34km of asphaltic roads, 20km of drainage improvements including the construction of concrete drains where necessary, and 8km of sidewalks,” Narine said as he outlined the scope of works. This component will also see the installation of 10km of solar integrated street lights and the construction of eight recreational facilities.

This component will first be rolled out in the Sophia Housing Scheme and then spread to other low income communities within the programme boundary.

The director of projects explained that CH&PA had been working earnestly to have the criteria approved by the IDB and the Ministry of Finance. The IDB has recently granted it’s no objection for the procurement process to be launched.

“Within a week that process will be launched inviting contractors through an international bidding process where contactors from the country, region and international community will take part in a competitive bidding process,” he posited.

The advertisement, inviting contractors to bid for the project, will be launched on the United Nations (UN) Business Development website, and in the local newspapers. Works under the Consolidation of existing Housing Schemes Component are expected to start within the first quarter of 2019, Narine said.

US$1M will be used for institutional strengthening. CH&PA Chief Executive Officer Lelon Saul was among officials present.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Quake-hit Mexican town defies Trump –quietly welcomes US-bound migrants

NILTEPEC, Mexico (Reuters) - An impoverished Mexican town nearly flattened by a 2017 earthquake welcomed thousands of tired and hungry Central Americans in a U.S.-bound caravan this week in quiet defiance of U.S. President Donald Trump’s condemnation of the group.

On Monday, the same day that Trump ordered 5,200 troops to the US-Mexico border to block the migrants, residents of the southern town of Niltepec, who still live among piles of rubble that once were their homes, prepared for the caravan with homemade soup, medical tents, and diapers

for children.

“We wish we had a space dignified enough to offer our visitors,” said Zelfareli Cruz Medina, Niltepec’s mayor.

As she spoke, caravan members were stringing up garbage bags to use as tents in Niltepec’s main square.

Surrounding buildings were scarred with cracks and gaping holes caused by the 8.2 magnitude earthquake that struck the region on September 7, 2017.

Of 1,720 homes in Niltepec, 1,602 were damaged in the quake, according to town officials, while 530 collapsed entirely. At least 100 families are still without homes, they said.

A tower atop Niltepec’s main church was stripped down to its fragile wood skeleton by the quake, and Cruz said the town needed help to rebuild its library and the mayor’s offices, which were serving as a shelter for the caravan’s women and children.

But a willingness to help the needy comes as almost second-nature to residents of the hardscrabble town in Oaxaca, one of Mexico’s poorest states, Cruz said. “We know now what it means to suffer,” she said.

Near the church, three local families gathered at lunchtime in the shared backyard of rebuilt homes U.S. - bound migrants

to cook an offering of chicken soup for the migrants, many of whom have said they are fleeing violence and grinding poverty in their homeland.

Later Monday evening, Mariela Escobar, 52, a parttime cleaner, pored over a vat of fuming tamales, “hundreds of them,” she said, to hand out free for dinner.

“People helped us greatly,” said her neighbour, Angela Moreno Galves, 81. “So now, of course, we want to help too.”

Setting out from Hon-

duras on October 13, the caravan quickly swelled to number several thousand people. The latest estimates put its size at 3,500 to more than double that, matching or exceeding Niltepec’s population of 3,800.

The warmth of the welcome in Niltepec stood in deliberate, stark contrast to Trump’s hostility, said Jorge Luis Fuentes, a senior town official.

“It’s a form of struggle,” he said. “It’s a way to demonstrate that rights are universal.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

B’dos education minister wants more –feels regional education institutions can help solve regional problems B R I D G E T O W N , B a rbados, CMC – A senior Barbados government minister has told regional institutions must that they not only be concerned with producing graduates for the workforce, but those who are driven to seek practical solutions to the Caribbean’s problems.

Energy and Water Resources, Wilfred Abrahams told delegates to the sixth International Conference on Higher Education that education was a viable solution to the many problems currently confronting his own

country.

The four-day international conference is aimed at showcasing the emerging local, regional and international research that can enhance policy and practice at all levels in education.

Abrahams, who met with the delegates Monday, said that while Barbados was the leader in the use of solar energy years ago, it was time that students honed their studies in areas such as making efficient use of our solar, wind and oceanic resources.

He said that such research efforts could assist in

Senior US official...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Venezuela poses a clear threat to regional stability, and its economic collapse could drag down key U.S. allies in Latin America such as Brazil, Argentina and Colombia, a senior Treasury Department official warned on Tuesday.

Marshall Billingslea, assistant secretary for terrorist financing at the Treasury Department, also accused the government of President Nicolas Maduro of contaminating Venezuelan water supplies at gold mining sites.

“Venezuela poses a clear threat to regional stability

helping Barbados reach its goal of 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030.

“It makes no sense for the UWI (University of the West Indies) and institutions of higher learning to churn out graduates when these graduates can’t contribute to help us advance our social programmes and our developmental gains,” he told the conference that is being held under the theme, “Modern Education and Economic Stimulation: Innovation, Praxis and Sustainability”.

Abrahams told the delegates that they should seek

Abrahams said it was imperative that as a tropical developing state Barbados must now more than ever before, look at implementing innovative and sustainable measures in renewable energy, especially since Barbados had “the raw ingredients” to build out the sector.

The conference here is being coordinated by the Higher Education Development Unit under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training.

The organisers said that agenda will consist

of practical interaction that will provide research-based and practical strategies that address emerging best practices across the education landscape; varying viewpoints by multiple presenters on specific issues; panel discussions, interaction and dialogue among delegates which demonstrate practical applications from solutions-based research; and the opportunity for graduate students and student teachers to share in a dynamic learning environment.

‘Venezuela a threat to regional stability, security’

and security, on top of the horrific humanitarian crisis that is unfolding before our very eyes,” Billingslea told the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute in Washington.

“This is a hemispheric issue, and the implosion of the regime there is a direct challenge for us,” he added.

Oil-rich Venezuela’s economy has sunk into crisis under Maduro, forcing tens of thousands of Venezuelans into neighbouring countries amid hyperinflation, food and medicine shortages, and power cuts.

Billingslea said Maduro’s

government was “one of the largest criminal enterprises in the Western Hemisphere” involved in money laundering, graft, fraud and illegal mining schemes, including mining gold and sending it to Turkey for processing.

“It is being done not just illegally, but it is being done at enormous environmental expense,” he said, adding: “The regime has basically awarded itself control over a huge percentage of the country and is now stripping this gold out and dumping massive amounts of chemical and mercury contaminants into water supplies.

CAL evacuates passengers –on scheduled flight to Tobago PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – A Caribbean Airlines (CAL) aircraft with 63 passengers and four crew members was withdrawn from service on Tuesday after apparently developing trouble while on a scheduled flight to the sister isle of Tobago.

CAL Communication Manager Dionne Ligoure confirmed that one of the airline’s ATR-72 aircraft had been evacuated and that the reasons for the incident were still being investigated.

“There was an emergency evacuation of Flight 1526 this afternoon at the Piarco International Airport as the aircraft started and proceeded along the tarmac, the crew had caused to activate the emergency activation drill.

to utilise the educational institutions to move quickly to develop a culture of practical research that would lead to the creation of persons who would, among other things, investigate green energy alternatives and alternative medicines from local plants.

“We are all stronger as collective collaborators and furthermore, I am of the view that educational practitioners must see themselves as pivotal to fostering national development in these tough economic times,” he said.

“The root cause is still being ascertained, but I can confirm, however, that all passengers and crew were safely evacuated and made their way to the domestic waiting area,” she said.

The Communications Manager said the aircraft has since been withdrawn from service, and an investigation has started.

“The aircraft has since been cleared, and the emergency services attended to and cleared the aircraft, which has been withdrawn from service and the relevant inspections are currently taking place,” she added.

CAL also uses the ATR-aircraft to service some of its Caribbean destinations.

“We have highlighted the fact that a lot of this non-monetary gold appears to be destined for Turkey.”

Venezuela’s Information Ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment about Billingslea’s remarks.

The Trump administration has sought to pressure Maduro, his relatives, and senior members of the Socialist Party through sanctions but the government has shown no willingness to hand over power or negotiate a transition.

Billingslea said the United States was collaborat-

ing with countries such as Mexico, Colombia, Panama, Argentina and Spain to block assets stolen from Venezuela.

“We are on the hunt for Maduro and (his wife)

Cilia Flores’ money and we are not going to stop until we find it,” Billingslea said, adding: “It’s not their money, it’s money they stole.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Fighting breast cancer

TODAY, October 31, marks the end of Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) 2018. BCAM, from October 1 to October 31 each year, was founded and first observed in 1985. BCAM, an international observance, was intended primarily to increase awareness of that non-communicable disease, thereby promoting vigilance, as early detection, diagnosis, and treatment significantly increases the chances of curing the illness. As the month comes to a close, Guyanese should bear in mind that although the many activities held during the month – including walk-a-thons, workshops, seminars, vigils, and lectures will come to an

end – watchfulness against breast cancer should be a year-round activity, as the common, frequently-fatal disease can strike at any time of the year.

Breast cancer is cancer that develops from breast tissue. Symptoms of the disease include a lump in the breast, dimpling of the skin, or other changes to the appearance of the breast area. Breast cancer, left untreated, usually spreads to other areas of the body and it is typically fatal.

Fortunately though, if it is found early and treated, it can be completely cured.

Breast cancer can affect both men and women because everyone has breast tissue. However, because of physiological factors, it is

Disrespectful behaviour by CoI chairman to the mayor Dear Editor WE, the executives and members of the National Congress of Women, (NCW), would like to make it very clear that we are not at this time commenting on any of the issues that prompted this Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the City Council.

However, we do want to comment on the totally unacceptable remarks to the mayor, and to ask if the chairman would have been ungracious and disrespectful to a male witness.

As we said at the beginning, the merits, or otherwise, of the issues to be examined are not our point of focus at this time. We protest most strongly the display of arrogance and hostility of the chairman.

Surely, he could have been less crude in addressing the mayor and this apparent hostility, we feel, may cause his final decisions to be suspect and partial.

Regards Ms. Janice Gonsalves National Secretary, NCW

more prevalent in women; in fact, it is the most common cancer in women.

According to statistics, some persons are at higher risk to get breast cancer than others. High-risk factors include obesity, family history of breast cancer, early onset of puberty, and in females, not having children.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), some 1.38 million persons are diagnosed worldwide each year with new cases of the disease. In Guyana, the Ministry of Public Health reports that about 150 persons are victims of fatal breast cancer annually. The ministry reports too, that 17 per cent of all cancers in Guyana are breast cancers, and 27 per

cent of all cancers in Guyanese women begin in the breast. Evidently, this disease is a significant local health problem. Unfortunately, the majority of persons who get breast cancer in Guyana die because they do not detect the disease early enough and seek medical attention.

Many times too, according to Dr. Latoya Gooding of the Oncology Department of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), many women notice symptoms; but being fearful of a cancer diagnosis, they delay seeking medical attention. The obvious solution is vigilance and, if a problem is observed, the immediate pursuit of medical attention.

Chief oncologist at the

Cancer Institute of Guyana Dr Sayan Chakraborty says that all types of cancer-related detection and treatment including diagnosis, chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy, can be done in Guyana. And he emphasises, “know cancer, no cancer.”

According to the WHO, every person should be aware of changes in their bodies; any change in the feel or appearance of breast tissue should be considered suspect, unless cancer is ruled out by a competent doctor.

In Guyana, treatment of cancer, including breast cancer, is available free of cost.

However, before any medical intervention may begin, there must be a diagnosis; and the onus is on all indi-

viduals to be self-aware and watchful, and seek medical attention at the first sign of any symptoms of disease, as early detection, rapid action, and immediate medical intervention frequently results in complete cure.

As Guyana and the rest of the world turns the page on Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2018, we are reminded that breast cancer is the most common cancer in Guyanese women.

And, as we remember and pay respects to the many Guyanese who have succumbed to the disease, and acknowledge too, many who have survived, let us remain alert, observant, and proactive in the interest of our own health.

All the negative reports out of City Hall

Dear Editor

FROM all the constant, negative reports that have been emanating over the years from the Georgetown municipality and more so now, such as the late payment of salaries to employees each and every month; the withholding of their NIS contributions, income tax deductions and credit union dues; the non-payment of pensions and gratuities when they retire; the non-issuance of uniforms and protective gear; the firing of whistle blowers; discrimination with remuneration and promotions, etc., etc. it is logical to assume that hardly anyone would want to set foot in City Hall, let alone be employed or be associated with that entity.

But I wish to say that it is not only doom and gloom there, as in fact there are a lot of rags-to-riches stories. A few persons there are now enjoying lifestyles of the rich and the famous, or should I say the rich and the notorious where they go way beyond champagne

wishes and caviar dreams and are living in the lap of luxury. It is indeed a pity that Robin Leach has passed, or he might have wanted to do a story on City Hall.

Where else could a political leader who just a mere three years ago used taxis and other forms of public transportation to get where they wanted to go, move to overnight acquiring a Mercedes Benz luxury sedan and an expensive Pontiac roadster to cruise around town in?

Where else could a senior administrator, who was squatting in a shack on the municipal reserve and from being unable to meet his mortgage payments, move to purchasing several luxury homes in and out of the city at the drop of a hat?

Where else could a few persons who not so long ago were considered the ‘Lumpen proletariat,’ suddenly be surrounded by bodyguards, chauffeurs, personal assistants, and other underlings, and now being seen regularly dining at ritzy restaurants and sipping

the most expensive wines?

Where else could you find persons who might have encountered difficulty in the past finding the airport, suddenly becoming jet setters; winging around the world first class; shopping at high-end malls; investing overseas and picking up expensive toys and trophies from the most exotic destinations in the world. Where else could a small money lender and dhal puri vendor in the municipal markets become one of the biggest and wealthiest contractors overnight, just by merely being a friend of the folk at City Hall and getting all of the municipal contracts without bidding for them? Thanks to the Commission of Inquiry, TV, social media, paparazzi with telephoto lenses, the newspapers and Instagram, we realise that the council is not as needy and deprived as we were being led to believe.

Regards Kwasi Sanderson

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Clearing up the confusion Professional fee over Guyana’s oil contract is separate from Income Tax Dear Editor,

THIS is in reference to Darshanand Khusial’s October 29 letter in the press titled “Global contracts are being renegotiated on fairness, why can’t Guyana do the same.” In it he attempts to refute my points in his earlier letter regarding Guyana’s oil contract.

Mr Khusial questions my access to Rystad Energy’s work on Guyana. I understand he is new to the oil discussion, so to be clear: the Rystad Energy information is public and was presented publicly in Georgetown earlier this year. It was also shared in a recent presentation at an American think tank called the American Security Project that can be found online. Since Mr Khusial has clearly not looked at this information, I understand his confusion on the difference between projections from Rystad and ExxonMobil. They are not the same–Rystad’s report is an expert analysis based on certain estimates and assumptions: chief among these is the projection that all our known reserves will be produced and sold. On the other hand, production estimates released by ExxonMobil are only for the oil to be developed in Liza Phase 1. Due to the rules of the U.S. stock market, Exxon must be more restrained in its projections about future oil production. Obviously, the information coming from the two will be different.

Being able to interpret the differences in the existing data is key, because there are so few studies out there. While Rystad’s data is useful, it is one of only a few studies on Guyana’s energy by

independent analysts. I ask Mr Khusial, what other information should I use? Does he trust data from the industry more? Perhaps I should make numbers up out of thin air?

Mr Khusial also seems to think that the IMF report is a better alternative. Unfortunately, the IMF report did not provide the projections relevant to our discussion. However, I must point out that he is intentionally misreading that report as well. The IMF report, paid for by the Government of Guyana, explicitly said that we should not attempt to renegotiate the current contract. In the Introduction, it clearly states that “the immediate priority should be to strengthen the capacity to effectively implement the contractually agreed fiscal regimes. For new investments, focus should be on improving the general fiscal regime and any future contracts reflecting the now lower exploration risk.”

Trying to change a contract that we have already signed could prevent continued investment in Guyana. It would delay the revenues our government and people will receive. It could have disastrous consequences for local companies that are currently trying to become involved in the oil industry.

Instead, the IMF recommends that we adapt our future contracts with oil companies. I wholeheartedly agree with this recommendation.

Now that we know more about the extent of our reserves, we have leverage to get more from production of our national resources.

Regards Clement Smith

Dear Editor, The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) wishes to respond to the headline of the Sunday October 28, 2018 edition of the Kaieteur Newspaper titled “Lawyers, doctors and other professionals collectively pay less than $6m to GRA in 2017”, and the first paragraph of the said page three article, which stated that “the hundreds of lawyers, doctors, and other professionals with private practices across Guyana have collectively contributed only $5.6M to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) in 2017.

Again, in its sensational manner, and without seeking any explanations from the revenue authority, Kaieteur News have attempted to mislead the general public and its readers, by implying that these professionals have only contributed $5.6M in taxes. The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) would like it to be public record that these groups of professionals, despite the fact that many of them may not have complied with their tax obligations, have paid hundreds of millions

in taxes, with a few of them making tax payments in excess of the $5.6M so stated. The $5.6M represents professional fees for Tax Practice certificates that are applicable under Section 39 of the Tax Act, Chapter 80:01, and does not in any way reflect the total revenue paid by the compliant professionals as taxes on their income.

There is no doubt that the amount of fees collected would have been higher had the conservatory order not been in place. However, it should be noted that there is a steady increase in the number of compliant professionals and collections from this sector have steadily increased.

Nonetheless, it is clear that the person tasked with covering the auditor general’s report is either not familiar with taxation principles, may be too focused on sensationalising its content which have so far only resulted in erroneous publications, or may be deliberately disreputing the auditor general’s report.

Regards, Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA)

Half of those treaties don’t protect us small countries Dear Editor THE Stabroek News’ editorial on Monday, October 29, 2018, provided interesting reading, more so given that some arguments proffered were not contextually based -- not fully at least.

The editorial, in stressing the need for copyright legislation, took issue with comments made by former President Bharrat Jagdeo and raised several points. The former President is quoted to have said: “We are a poor developing country. Wait until such time in the future when people can afford to pay for the copyrighted stuff. That is how I see it. It may not sound like the most enlightened position, given that you have international treaties and stuff, but half of those treaties don’t protect us small countries. They don’t protect our interests.”

One, the editorial talks about photocopied text books

and the need for copyright legislation to stop this practice. I have a simple question for the author of that editorial: when one text book costs thousands of dollars and many low-income families survive on a minimum of $15,000 a week, how are people sending their children to school? I would vote for a government that reduces burdens on families trying to make a better life for their children, over one that would do the opposite, any day. Already, the $10,000 cash grant to help with transportation for children has been taken away and in total that was about $1.6 billion a year. So how can the former president be wrong when he advocates for a delay in passing copyright legislation until people can afford to pay for the copyrighted stuff?

Two, Stabroek News states that the former president “Guyana’s development languished and the country” and the People’s Progressive

Party (PPP) is to be blamed for economy’s performance.

Editor, most all of Guyana is aware of the fact that Guyana’s economy under the Jagdeo presidency saw consistent economic growth and saw Guyana being one of the fastest-growing economies in the Caribbean. Also, it was under a PPP government that Guyana was reclassified as a Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) country.

Three, Stabroek News argues that the absence of copyright legislation will undermine international commitments; for example, under the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). However, as I said earlier, the arguments raised are not completely grounded in the context of real-time occurrences. Legislation does not guarantee compliance by countries that sign onto treaties. As recent as June 2018, Antigua and Barbuda was still battling with

the United States of America (USA) to have it comply with a World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruling. Antigua and Barbuda went to the WTO in 2003 and eventually won the right to compensation of $21 million annually, after the WTO judges upheld its complaint that the USA’s laws were discriminatory.

The USA has not paid and Antigua and Barbuda has lost $315 million so far, equivalent to more than a quarter of its annual GDP and less than 0.1 per cent of the U.S. economy, according to a Reuters report on June 22, 2018.

Four, the editorial said that the former president is “rushing to the aid of the same oligarchs” who would be in immediate jeopardy once legislation is updated. Who are the oligarchs?

Are the schoolchildren, the hundreds of thousands of Guyanese who will be affected and the small vendors the oligarchs that Stabroek News is referring to?

The only oligarch here seems to be Stabroek TV Inc., which has a monopoly with the distribution of DirecTV. It is companies such as Stabroek TV Inc. that would benefit once the copyright legislation is in place. The cost charged to set this up is a whopping 45,000, plus a monthly fee.

How much more will this cost increase once legislation is in place? How much more revenues will the company rake in? So is this argument about some companies being made to pay more? Or about Stabroek TV Inc. being able to make more?

Fifthly, editor, copyright legislation is not just about the DVDs and music, as the Stabroek News tries to focus on. It is also about software. Has Stabroek News paid monies to Microsoft for using its ‘Word’ and other software, such as the very expensive Adobe Creative Suites? Has Stabroek News paid for its Servers’ operat-

ing system, as well as operating systems for users? Has Stabroek News paid for the software which is used in the press department and needed to allow for the printing of its daily newspaper? Has Stabroek News paid for its anti-virus software? I have to point out that these are not one-off payments that have to be made. Payments for these software are either monthly or yearly subscriptions.

There must be an acknowledgement that there are wider impacts to the proposal to implement copyright legislation. Finally, the Stabroek News editorial created the impression that nothing was said by the former president about protecting local content.

The former president said clearly: “We should protect the copyrighted material for our local artists.”

Regards Kumar Kowlessar

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

‘Don’t be afraid to dream big’ –Dr. Cummings tells North West Secondary graduating Class of 2018

By Margaret Burke IT was the kind of rousing address that no doubt, took many of the older heads in the audience back down memory lane to a time when they, too, stood in the very shoes of the 84 youngsters in whose honour the event was being held.

The occasion was the grand Graduation and Prize-Giving Ceremony at the North West Secondary School, and delivering the keynote address was none other than Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings.

Congratulating all 84 students on their scholastic achievements at the June sitting of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examinations, Dr Cummings said: “Today marks the end of a fiveyear journey that was filled with countless hours spent in preparation for the examination, which culminated in the successful arrival at the point of graduation.

“During your preparation period, you have had many challenges: Lots of late nights, myriad assignments that had to be submitted like yesterday, SBAs to be completed last week, and I can go on. However, your motivation to succeed has contributed to your being able to conquer the challenges and arrive at

this point. I can imagine how awesome you feel to be a part of this ceremony.” The ceremony was held in the school’s auditorium, which was packed to capacity, and overflowing unto the corridors and into other parts of the school.

Hinting at what lies on the road ahead, now that they have crossed the first hurdle, Dr. Cummings said: “Whilst in the classroom, you have mastered many new skills, both practically and theoretically; these skills are the foundation on which you launch yourselves into the future.”

A MOMENTOUS DAY “On this momentous day, your life takes an exhilarating turn. There are several paths ahead of you; you must consider whether you want to enter the world of work or further your studies by entering university life and build on your solid foundation that you have received from North West Secondary School.”

She also urged that as they move toward the future, they should never be afraid to dream big, but be cognisant of the fact that dreams without goals will never become a reality.

“Without the adherence to the principles necessary to fulfil those goals, your dreams will remain just dreams, and never be fulfilled. As you move forward, aspire to be

Dear Editor In 1990, GTC, the state-owned telephone company, was being privatized. Given the statistics of 2012 census, GTT was born before more than 50% of the Guyanese population. At the time, there was one bidder for the state owned enterprise.

The only bid was the reason that GTT was born. Twenty-seven years and several hundreds of millions of US dollars in capital investment later, GTT continues to evolve and reinvent itself as it refocuses its operations around the customer.

I note that Stabroek News (October 23, 2018) carried an article “Digicel has slashed capital expenditure here by 80 [per cent]”. This is in stark contrast to GTT’s investment in Guyana as we continue to focus on expanding broadband reach and speed by deploying the country’s fastest fibre optic network – Blaze, 4G LTE on the Essequibo Coast. In fact, over 2017 and 2018, more than 12,000 homes and business that never had service are now able to access Blaze. We are changing lives.

Our push continues through 2019 as we move our development drive to Bartica and Berbice.

Our investment in Guyana is a stark contrast to Digicel’s investment over the past 3 years. GTT has invested more than 160% more than Digicel in Guyana’s future. The contrast is much more glaring in the past fiscal year (2017) which shows GTT as investing almost 5 times or 500% more than Digicel in order to build the nation. Why would GTT invest more in

agents of social change; aim to make a difference in your communities and society through innovative thinking, creativity, and research.”

Quoting Nelson Mandela, Dr. Cummings said: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. Use the knowledge and skills gained to change your community, your region, your country, and ultimately the world.”

She also urged that they never forget from whence they came. “As you go out into the world, remember your alma mater; it is the teachings and the lessons gained in this institution that has prepared you for the future.”

“Be kind to your teachers; they have contributed in no small measure to your success. And as you approach adulthood, continue to be grateful for the sacrifices that your parents and guardians have made to see you arrive at this point in your lives.

Let gratitude be one of your watchwords as you venture into the good life.”

HM’S REPORT Headeacher, Ms. Keshia Cameron reported that while the past academic year had promised to be a year of challenges and new commitments from the inception, “We rose above the challenges and consequently, today we are

Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings.

celebrating our accomplishments,” she said.

She noted that seventy-two ‘eager’ students joined the school at the start of the school year, bringing the school’s population to 666 students, 286 males and 381 females for the 2017-2018 school year.

Ms. Cameron stated that the school got the children involved in a number of extra-curricular activities, which included athletic championships, debating competitions, food nutrition and health quizzes, as well as the national science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) fair.

“We recognise that our school encompasses a diversity of culture,” she said.

“Therefore students and teachers participated in Amerindian Heritage celebra-

tions and Culture Day, where classrooms were decorated, and clothing, dishes and other contributions to Guyanese culture were on exhibition.

We also observed other national holidays, and did what was customary at the school.”

Ms. Cameron said that she was very pleased to report to the country that the NorthWest Secondary School performed exceptionally well at the 2018 examination, jumping some percentages above that of 2017.

The school’s overall passes by grade in 2017 was: Grades One to Three, 53.4 per cent; Grades One to Four 78 per cent. The overall passes by grade for 2018 were: One to Two, 61 per cent; and Grades One to Four, 93 per cent.

REDO REPORTS The Regional Education District Officer also expressed much satisfaction with the improved performance at this year’s CSEC examinations, especially in English Language, where the region secured 65 per cent Grades One to Three, as compared to last year’s 36.3 per cent.

Further, he stated that this year’s overall pass rate was 58.2 per cent, as compared to last year’s 46.5 per cent.

“This increase in performance can be attributed to several initiatives that were started by the team of officers

of the Department of Education Barima-Waini in Region One. We also continue to send our teachers for training at GSA, CPCE and the University of Guyana,” he noted.

He went on to state that specialists from NCERD and other departments of the Ministry of Education are also invited into the region from time to time to aid the teachers. Further, he said that the officers have adopted a strategy of talking to the fifth formers and doing whatever is possible to help them achieve their goals.

“And in the top 233 students of this beautiful country of ours, we have Mr. Mark Wilburg from the North West Secondary school making the list.

YES! He is among the cream of the crop! And yes!

He is from the North West Secondary School, and we are all proud of him and all the other students who made us proud this year,” the REDO stated.

Minister of Public Affairs in the Office of the President, Ms. Dawn Hasting-Williams, who also played a key role in the proceedings, charged the students to do of their best, encouraging them to aim for the sky and to let their graduation from the North West Secondary School be a stepping stone for greater things in life.

GTT continues to evolve and reinvent itself

Guyana while the competitor invests less?

As a company, we invest heavily in our staff as we transition to an era of “always on” where our customers expect everything to work all the time. That is a very fair expectation. This starts with leadership and we are about to embark on the fourth cohort of leadership development. In addition our ISO 9000 and continuous improvement goal of being compliant by 2020 will put us in good stead to deliver higher quality of service to our customers. We are a team of 700 strong and we are improving.

GTT plays a significant role in the lives of all Guyanese; we do not take our responsibility to the nation lightly. We are focused on improving the lives and we believe we are most impactful by doing two things (outside of our day job of ensuring that you are connected to your loved ones) – be a catalyst for STEM (acronym for science, engineering, technology and math) education and to create a pathway for families to be healthy and stay together through mitigating against the worst effects of cancer.

For STEM, we aim to raise G$40 million annually to help Guyana not only dream but to realize dreams. Because of this initiative, most recently, Runique Belle of Bartica now has a full scholarship to University of Guyana to pursue a degree in Chemistry. STEMGuyana has been enabled to provide training on robotics to more than 800 Guyanese youth through commitment of more than 8 million dollars and significant intangible support from GTT. GTT Innov8, the main showcase of STEM development in Guyana, was an amazing event that saw more

than 7000 people experience and learn about technology and applications of technology. The 2nd running of Innov8 in March 2019 will prove to be even more inspiring.

GTT’s vision for cancer is significant as we set out to create a healthy society. One of three people is likely to have some form of cancer at during their lifetime. One of five people who develop cancer is likely to die of the disease. We aim to beat the odds. Through strong partnerships, we are embarking on a mission to find partnerships to ensure that Guyana has strong awareness, screening and a viable oncology department by 2023. GTT Pinktober is the vehicle that is being used to attain this dream. The GTT Pinktober walk/run is certainly a show of solidarity as we estimate more than 8000 people (up from 5000 in 2017) came out a tour de force against this global epidemic.

It has been 27 years – a time before most Guyanese were born - since GTT replaced GTC as the telecommunications provider. We have come a long way from only 13,000 telephone lines and waiting hours if not days to book a long distance call. We are not perfect. I assure you though, we are solely focused on our vision of improving life experiences by unlocking innovation through applications and infrastructure to every home and business.

Regards Justin Nedd Chief Executive Officer of GTT

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

GTT honours cancer warriors outcomes. For this reason, GTT has decided – hand in hand with corporate Guyana – to unite to make Guyana a stronger society in mind and body”.

In a release, the company stated that it believes that with better education, awareness and treatment, Guyana will have a healthier society; more mothers will be able to go home to their children and fathers will be strong enough to prepare meals for the children and watch them grow.

These are some of the reasons that GTT is passionate about raising funds for organisations, such as Beacon Foundation, Cancer Institute of Guyana, Periwinkle, the Guyana Cancer Foundation and the Giving Hope Foun-

dation.

“We believe that as we come together to make a difference, these organisations can pool their efforts and change lives, one individual at a time… ultimately, the hope of GTT is to ensure that every person in Guyana is routinely screened – PSAs for men, and pap smears and mammograms for women.

This must become routine, as frequent as yearly, as we strive to remove the stigma associated with cancer,” the release stated.

GTT expressed thanks to its team for the support received, and has made known its intention to push for a stronger cancer programme in Guyana by 2022.

Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence and British High Commissioner Gregory Quinn

Cancer Warrior, Bonita Insanally (at right) won herself a trip for two to Arrowpoint compliments of Duke Lodge

TO mark the end of their month of Pinktober activities, the Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Company (GTT) honoured six cancer warriors with a Dinner/ Gala at the Marriott Hotel on Sunday.

The women recognised in an evening of elegance included: Nicola Shultz, Francine Leitch, Pamela Hinds, Rosaline Clarke, Bonita Insanally and Marilyn Dewar.

Invited to speak was Min-

ister of Public Health Volda Lawrence, herself a cancer warrior, who recognised GTT for all the work it continues to do in raising awareness for all types of cancers in Guyana.

In his remarks, GTT Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Justin Nedd said: “In Guyana, cancer creates an outsized disruption in our lives and as individuals; we silently fight the battles and hope for the best possible

Creative Arts performing – Guyana Child at GTT Pinktober Gala

27 vehicles impounded for Duo gets bail for number plate irregularities 239 grams of ganja THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) is calling on motorists to ensure that their number plates are clearly displayed and are created in keeping with required regulations, following the impounding of some 27 vehicles that were in breach of the “Obscured Identification Mark”, on Tuesday.

According to a police press release, drivers of the impounded vehicles were briefed and following rectification and examination by Licence and Certifying Officers, they were warned and the vehicles were released.

“All motor vehicles driven on the roads must have a distinctive identification mark consisting of a figure or figures and a letter or letters,” the statement said.

“The letters and figures on the identification mark must be indelibly inscribed in white upon a black sur-

face and no letter or figure shall be capable of being detached from such surface. All letters and figures must be three and a half inches high; every part of each letter and figure must be five-eighth of an inch broad and the total width of the space taken by every letter or figure must be two and a half inches.”

Traffic Chief, Superintendent Linden Isles said owners and drivers of motor vehicles will have to comply with the law as it relates to identification marks (number plates) or face the consequence of being prosecuted.

Earlier this year, the Guyana Revenue Authority was aggressively working along with stakeholders to ensure that security features are placed on licence plates in a bid to deter the increasing number of false number plates being used.

A MOTHER of two and a miner, were on Tuesday released on $150,000 bail each, after they were jointly charged for having marijuana in their possession.

Vidya Vishnu, 26, and 25-yearold Ryan Blackman of Linden, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and denied the charge which alleged that on October 27, 2018 at the Bartica Police Station, they had 239.7 grams of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.

Vishnu’s attorney told the court that Blackman disclosed that the marijuana belonged to him, and not his client, as such he made an application for bail. Police Prosecutor Simone Payne objected to bail being granted to both defendants due to the seriousness of the offence.

According to the prosecutor, police ranks at a check point by the Bartica Stelling, carried out a search on Vishnu’s bag and the marijuana which was concealed in a black plastic bag, was reportedly found in a compartment in the bag.

This led to her being arrested and taken to the Bartica Police Station.

The court was told that Blackman, however, went to the station and behaved in a disorderly manner and admitted to the police that the cannabis was his own.

The chief magistrate granted the defendants bail, on the condition that they report to Bartica Police Station every Monday. The matter was adjourned to November 14, 2018 and transferred to the Bartica Magistrate’s Court.

Ryan Blackman

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Man gets 18 months for fraud A 44-YEAR-OLD man was on Tuesday sentenced to 18 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to a fraudulent conversion charge.

Alex Persaud appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan to answer to the charge, which states that on October 26, 2018 at Puruni Landing in the Cuyuni River, while being a servant of David Young and entrusted with cash amounting to one million dollars, he fraudulently converted the money into his own use and benefit.

The man pleaded Alex Persaud guilty to the charge. Police Prosecutor Simone Payne in presenting the facts, told the court that the defendant and victim are known to each other. On October 14, 2018, Young who operates a business at Bartica, sent one million dollars in fuel for the defendant to sell.

However, the defendant told the victim that fuel was not selling, On October 20, 2018 the victim contacted Persaud via cellphone and enquired whether the fuel was being sold to which the defendant replied with a yes.

Young requested that Persaud send him the money and the defendant promised to do so using `Excel’, a company which is used to transfer money, but he never did.

Young made subsequent efforts to reach Persaud through his cellphone were unsuccessful, as he reportedly refused to answer the calls.

A report was made to the Bartica Police Station and he was arrested.

Skeletal remains of man found in Diamond backlands THE skeletal remains of a man were on Tuesday found aback of Diamond, East Bank Demerara, police have confirmed.

The remains were found around 13:00hrs. Police average the unidentified male age as 50. The body was clad in a blue jersey, a pair of blue jeans, a pair of blue and white socks, a pair of brown sneakers and had what appeared to be a bandage wrapped around the left hand.

The remains are presently lying at Lyken’s Funeral Parlour awaiting identification and an autopsy.

No bail for burglar A 22-YEAR-OLD man was on Tuesday remanded to prison on a break and entry larceny charge.

Michael Smith appeared before the Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and denied the charge, which states that on October 15, 2018 at 3275 Aubrey Barker Road, North Ruimveldt while being in the company of others, he broke and entered the dwelling house of John Primo and stole a quantity of items valued $426,000.

Police Prosecutor Simone Payne objected to bail due the seriousness of the offence. According to the police, on the day in question at about 22:00hrs Primo secured his premises with the articles and went to a bar which is located next door to his residence.

However, upon his return the following day he saw the defendant and two others escaping with the articles.

He raised an alarm and the defendant was arrested.

The matter was adjourned to October 31, 2018.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Coconut industry could get $500M boost –– as overseas-based Guyanese plans massive investment on Essequibo Coast

By Indrawattie Natram OVERSEAS-BASED Guyanese Dudley Stephens, 38, formerly of Maria's Lodge, Region Two and currently resident of Long Island, USA, plans to invest some $500,000 million towards developing the coconut industry on the Essequibo Coast.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, Stephens said he currently works for a Wealth Management firm in Manhattan and most of his clients are looking for investment opportunities and he has encouraged them to do so in Guyana.

Stephens said he has visited Guyana with the hope of creating a business network where he can positively contribute to Region Two’s economy. His business, “Legacy Agro”, is looking to start investment at Capoey.

Asked why Capoey, Stephens said his mother grew up in that community.

His aim is to establish a huge coconut estate in Capoey, thereby providing job opportunities for persons in the

Businessman Dudley Stephens community as well as on the coastland.

He said his coconut estates will be intercropped with pepper and citrus and later an agro- processing facility will be built as the business expands.

“I believe in diversifying, if you can diversify then the agriculture industry will attract investment and job opportunities will be created; we all know the issue of rice farming as such lands should be converted to coconut plantations,” Stephens said.

For the few weeks Stephens has been in Guyana, he has met with regional officials and shared his ideas.

Among them was Region Two Chairman Devanand Ramdatt. Ramdatt was happy that Stephens wanted to invest in the Region Two economy. During the regional agriculture fair, the businessman also used the opportunity to create contacts and build a network for his business.

On Monday, he also met with Agriculture Minister Noel Holder where he shared some of his ideas. He will be meeting with the minister formally to discuss how he can positively contribute to the agriculture sector. Stephens also has intentions of opening a mall at Suddie as well as a high-end resort at Capoey.

He is trying to get several businesspersons to come and invest in Guyana, especially in the oil and gas sector, since he sees great opportunities for Guyana once the resources are properly managed.

US judge denies Marcus Bisram’s Habeas Corpus petition A New York judge has denied a habeas corpus petition by Guyanese Marcus Bisram who has been valiantly fighting off being extradited here to face a murder charge.

The decision was handed down by Judge Kiyo Matsumoto in the United States District Court, Eastern District of New York on Tuesday, October 30, 2018.

Bisram is the alleged mastermind behind the murder of Number 70 Village, Corentyne carpenter, Faiyaz Narinedatt. He is jointly accused with five other men of murdering Narinedatt.

The five men are: Orlando Dickie, Radesh Motie, Diodath Datt, Harri Paul Parsram, and Niran Yacoob.

They were all recently committed to stand trial at the High Court in Berbice after a lengthy preliminary inquiry (PI).

On Tuesday Judge Matsumoto concluded “for the foregoing reasons, the petition for a writ of habeas corpus is denied as is petitioner’s motion for an evidentiary hearing. The Clerk of Court is respectfully requested to enter judgment denying and dismissing the petition and to close the case,” court papers read.

According to documents

Marcus Bisram seen by the Guyana Chronicle, On November 17, 2017, Bisram filed the petition for a writ of habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241, challenging Magistrate Judge Kuo’s Certificate of Extraditability and Order of Commitment. It was noted by the judge that throughout the proceedings, petitioner has maintained consistently that he is not challenging the court’s jurisdiction to preside over the matter of extradition but that he is challenging whether there was probable cause to warrant extradition.

“His position with respect to the existence of a valid extradition treaty between the United States and Guyana,

however, has been inconsistent,” the Judge ruled.

According to the document, in papers submitted to Magistrate Judge Kuo, Bisram initially argued that there is not a valid extradition treaty between the United States and Guyana.

However, at two subsequent hearings, petitioner’s counsel implicitly conceded that a valid extradition treaty exists between the United States and Guyana by confirming that the only issue for Magistrate Judge Kuo to decide was that of probable cause.

The court noted that the United States signed an extradition treaty with the United Kingdom on December 22, 1931, while Guyana was under the United Kingdom’s control and the Treaty remained in effect after Guyana obtained its independence from the United Kingdom. It was noted too that the United States Executive Branch has unambiguously stated that it considers the Treaty to be in effect.

“Petitioner’s unsupported and intermittent arguments that the Treaty has been “’called into doubt” are unconvincing and not proper for the judiciary to address, especially given

the clear position of the Executive Branch. For these reasons, the court finds that a valid extradition treaty exists between the United States and Guyana,” the Judge ruled.

The judge stated that the Government of Guyana submitted three exhibits.

The first exhibit included, information regarding the extradition treaty between the United States and Guyana, the Guyanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Extradition Request for petitioner with respect to “the offense of Murder, accessory before the fact”, and a statement by a Guyanese police officer describing the eyewitness statement of (name withheld).

The additional exhibits included statements from witnesses as well as from police officers in Guyana investigating the case. Bisram’s lawyers here and abroad have been fighting his appearance before the courts on these shores to answer to the case.

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) recently dismissed an application made on behalf of the murder accused for an urgent hearing of a challenge to a local judge’s refusal to discontinue the charge against him.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Plot thickens over ownership of Sussex Street Wharf

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…King turns up with transport days after NICIL did same

THE tale over the ownership of Lot 1 Mudflat Lombard Street, popularly known as the Sussex Street Wharf, has taken another turn, as Georgetown Town Clerk, Royston King has submitted a transport and asserts that the land belongs to the Mayor and City Council (M&CC).

Strangely, this follows a submission, earlier this month, of a copy of a different transport submitted by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) showing that they had sole legal

Proprietor of Quick Shipping Inc. Paul Sandy rights to the land. It had appeared that NICIL’s submission of a transport and other supporting documents had put the issue to rest.

However this new revelation opens new questions and puts the ownership of the property back in dispute.

King submitted a copy of a transport and a sworn affidavit to the City Hall Commission of Inquiry (CoI) at Critchlow Labour College, asserting that the M&CC is the rightful owner of the property, and has rights to lease it.

Ownership of the land has been in question for some years now, ever since it was leased by the M&CC to Quick Shipping Inc., in 2016. After leasing the land, Quick Shipping was approached by both NICIL and the Guyana National Industrial Company (GNIC), who claimed rights to the land.

On October 17, attorney for NICIL, Arianne McLean, submitted a copy of a transport showing that the land is transported to Guyana National Engineering Corporation Limited (GNEC) via Land Transport #525 of 1985; and that via

vesting order #13 of 2002 when GNEC dissolved all of its property, including Lot 1 Mudflat Lombard Street and were legally handed over to NICIL. According to the transport, GNEC acquired the property in 1985, after purchasing it from the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC). According to the NICIL documents GNIC had leased the land at one point in time but that leased expired and as such GNIC has no rights to the land.

Following NICILs submission, King was summoned to the inquiry to answer to the case of leasing the property, among other allegations made against him before the commission. King’s transport and other documents, however, predate those submitted by NICIL. Further, King has now submitted a transport dated 1966 for a plot of land which he says encompasses the disputed land.

“By Transport #2803 of 1966 full and absolute title to the riparian lands abutting and contiguous to the aforesaid foreshore passed to the Mayor and Town Council of Georgetown,” King informed in his sworn affidavit, “I deny and dispute that the city council trespassed or illegally occupied property of NICIL.” King also says that in 1958 back when the land was known as the “Sussex Street Stelling”, it was leased by the M&CC to the government as a fish marketing center. There is also an uncertainty as to which entity was leasing the land in 1995. In his affidavit, King claims that M&CC leased out the land again in 1995, this time to Fishing Investment Company Limited, and which was “filed as of record in the deeds registry as 132/99.” However

of 1963. The reasonable and irresistible inference is that no notice was published pursuant to paragraph 11(3) of the said order 97/63 and accordingly that property was never vested or passed to GMC which therefore was incapable of passing transport to anyone,” King said.

Town Clerk, Royston King 1995 is the same year that NICIL leased out the land to GNIC. King questions the possibility of the GMC ever owning the property, and which calls into question that entities ability to sell it to GNEC, and GNEC’s ability to vest it to NICIL. “The aforesaid wharf and facilities… is and always was in existence prior to an entity known as the Guyana Marketing Corporation coming into existence in 1963 as per Order 93 of 1963,” King stated.

King said this claim is supported by checks he made of the gazette, which turned up no evidence to support that the property was ever vested to GMC. “On Tuesday October 23, 2018, I have personally searched and caused the staff of parliament office to search their gazette records and despite diligent searches for the periods December 12 to 31, 1963, years 1964 and 1965, we have found no notice bringing into force the vesting order in respect to the piece of land at Lombard and Sussex Streets in terms of paragraph 11(1) and (3) of the said order 97

On top of all of that, King also argued that the M&CC has been in possession of the land for the past 30 years.

“I am further advised by my attorney-at-law and verily believe and contend that in the alternative, the city council has always been in adverse

possession … of the said property for the statutory period of thirty years (prior to 2011) extinguishing the title of the government and accordingly has acquired prescriptive title under the provisions of the title of land (Prescription and Limitation) Act, Cap 60:02.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

CARICOM SG meets PM Rowley ahead of CSME Special Meeting

THE upcoming Special Meeting of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) will be the focus of a meeting on Thursday between CARICOM Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque and the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr Keith Rowley.

The discussions will take place in Port of

Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, the venue for the special meeting, which will be held on 2-3 December 2018, the CARICOM Secretariat said in a release. At their meeting in Montego Bay, Jamaica, last July, CARICOM Heads of Government recognised the need to keep focus on the CSME and agreed to have this special meeting on that issue.

The meeting with Secretary-General LaRocque is the latest to be held by Prime

CARICOM Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque (2nd left) and Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados (3rd left) at a meeting on the CSME in Haiti on Tuesday Minister Rowley in preparation for the De- Tuesday in Port-au-Prince with the President cember session. In the past week, he has met of Haiti, His Excellency Jovenel Moise on with the President of Guyana, His Excellency that country’s requirements to be fully comDavid Granger; Prime Minister of Grenada, pliant with the measures of the CSME. Dr the Rt Honourable Keith Mitchell; and Over the last week, Ambassador LaPrime Minister of Barbados, the Honourable Rocque has met with a number of Heads Mia Mottley, who is Lead Head of Govern- of Government as he attended a meeting ment with responsibility for the CSME in the of LIAT shareholders and of the Leaders CARICOM Quasi-Cabinet. of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean Prime Minister Mottley and Secre- States (OECS), both of which were held in tary-General LaRocque held discussions on St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Stricter penalties for damage to public property THE Ministry of Public Infrastructure is working towards collaborating with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana National Road Safety Council (GNRSC) to institute stricter penalties for vandalism to public property.

According to the Manager of Traffic/ Safety/Maintenance at the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Kester Hinds, the government is forced to expend large sums which could have been otherwise utilised, to service and repair traffic and street lights.

The Traffic/Safety/Maintenance Manager told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that vandals are removing the cables and lights from conductive pipes.

Hence, the department cannot fully put in additional traffic signs, guardrails or street lights.

“Despite the measures we are taking on the road, the challenge is that we still find recklessness on the road and with the road accidents, many of our traffic lights are destroyed and vandalised. We need to address behavioural changes more aggressively and we are working to increase the fines so that when persons are caught, the fine would be so hefty that it will affect their future behaviour,” Hinds explained.

For 2018 the Traffic/Safety/Maintenance department work programme oversaw the geometric improvement in the vicinity of Giftland Mall on the railway

embankment, the installation of signs and guardrails and crash cushions to reduce the damage to vehicles from collisions and the painting of road markings. Hinds pointed out that the department is currently using thermoplastic materials for the road markings in areas such as New Amsterdam to Number 35 Village, Abary to Mahaica Bridge, Timehri on the East Bank of Demerara, West Bank Demerara and the Essequibo Coast. The thermoplastic is durable and lasts longer than the paint used in that past.

“As you drive around our roads you will see that most are painted; it’s an ongoing exercise and we will continue in other areas. So, we are asking persons to look out for acts of vandalism of public properties.

If the cables are removed it means no light.

And that would make communities unsafe.

We will all benefit from the lights so let us protect them,” Hinds emphasised.

Just recently, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure had condemned the case of vandalism on the Schoonord road leading to La Parfaite Harmonie on the West Bank of Demerara, where seven out of 10 bump traffic signs and metal posts that were installed a few weeks ago went missing.

The sum of $113M has been allocated in the 2018 National Budget for continued infrastructural development works.

(DPI)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

THE Jamal Khashoggi case is a stark reminder of the dangers of unchecked government ON October 2, 2018, Saudi-born Washington Post Journalist Jamal Khashoggi walked into the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, and was never seen again.

This 59-year-old U.S. resident was on a self-imposed exile from his home country since 2017 and proceeded to Turkey to complete the paperwork for his planned marriage to his fiancée, Halice Cengiz. She waited outside too and was instructed to raise an alarm if he did not emerge from this seemingly normal visit to complete personal business, in more than four hours.

Regrettably, the alarm was raised and it wailed in the ears of humanity with resounding fear. Mr. Khashoggi has not been seen ever since and preliminary investigations thus far have re-

vealed a gruesome, macabre and medieval execution of this fierce critic of the Saudi government.

Sadly, the disposing of enemies of the state and the fatal silencing of dissenting voices have always been a feature of human existence.

This development harks back to the trepidation of the isms; Stalinism, Maoism, and McCarthyism.

This morbid feature of bad leadership is egregious wherever it appears, but the execution of Jamal Khashoggi smacks of an extra cavalier and blatant disregard for global norms and consequences. It illustrates eerie parallels to the age of totalitarianism where there was the embrace of the philosophy, no man, no problem.

What also gives this case a poignant edge of concern is the fact that this assassi-

nation occurred in a consulate. The intellectual authors could not have anticipated that such a high-profile journalist, who is aware that he is being targeted, would not have put some mechanism in place to protect himself once he entered a consulate.

This mere consideration behooved the perpetrators to desist from such gross misadventure. The fact that they were not deterred smacks of a worrisome swagger of terror that proceeds from a place of little or no consideration for ramifications.

In the face of such developments, we are starkly reminded that unchecked government teems with the potential to be a complete assault on humanity. It is for this reason, a free press, free and fair elections, an independent judiciary and freedom from fear of respon-

Youth activist admitted to bar

By Gabriella Chapman

SAMUEL Glasgow was on Monday afternoon admitted to the bar of Guyana by acting Chief Justice, Roxane George.

Petitioning on his behalf, Attorney Ronald BurchSmith shared with a packed courtroom, a myriad of reasons why Glasgow is deemed competent to practise law in Guyana.

He stated that Glasgow is a youth activist and a youth ambassador who partners with not-for-profit organisations such as the Come Alive Network Inc. (CANI) and US Embassy Youth Action Network (YAN) that are committed to the advancement of youth development through applied global perspectives in Guyana.

The soon to be 24-yearold, is a product of St. Roses High School. During his tertiary level of education, he was awarded by the President Youth Award Republic of Guyana (PYARG) for completing the Bronze Award Training expedition.

As vice-president of the U.S Embassy Youth Action Network (YAN) during the period of 2013-2014, he also received an award and certificate of appreciation for his exceptional service and outstanding leadership.

Samuel represented Guy-

ana at lawn tennis, participated in local swimming competitions and played for the Demerara Cricket Club.

Upon hearing his petition, chief justice said Glasgow seems a well-rounded individual as he would have served in various capacities.

She urged him to maintain high standards, integrity and respect for the profession, and on that note, she granted the petition.

The new attorney expressed gratitude to all those who would have inspired, motivated and supported him throughout his journey in becoming who he is today.

Glasgow specifically acknowledged his parents. “… my parents, Beverly Glasgow and Nigel Glasgow, who in this faithful journey, has worked tirelessly to teach myself and my siblings, good morals and values, the importance of having a sound education and reliance on God for the desires of your heart. These two individuals have put aside their dreams to ensure that their riches are poured out from their children and for that we can never spend a second being ungrateful because our success has been made possible by you every day. They have entrusted me with the responsibility to make the right decisions and I know I have made them very proud

Attorney Samuel Glasgow today. I will always love you and will always cherish you for your sacrifices and your investments. I am forever in your debt and will continue to make you proud!” he said proudly.

The young attorney ended his speech with a quote from American poet Henry Longfellow.

“With God, all things are possible and I wish to end with a quote by Henry Longfellow that might continue to inspire each of us.

It states, ‘The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night’.”

sible dissenting voices are eternally necessary.

George Orwell remarked that ‘we have now sunk to a depth at which the restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men.’

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Compassion

LAST Tuesday, my Social Psychology class completed a ‘Day of Compassion’ assignment.

For my column-writing this week, I decided to share the experience with you as well.

To be compassionate simply means to feel pity for someone and their circumstances and then act upon that feeling by trying to help them in any way possible. Our assignment did not restrict the number of persons, gender, race, the relationship we have with the recipients- nothing whatsoever.

I believe we should also use that same principle in our everyday lifestyles. To help selflessly without expecting for anything in return, to me, it’s more of a skill that not many people can master. Most of us always want something, but we refuse to give at the same time. I am a ‘picky’ compassionate person. I help people majority of the times only when they ask me to and I would only help people I know or that I’m close to. On my ‘Day of Compassion,’ I still chose my close friends and family. I guess it’s because I am most comfortable around them. I invited some of my high school friends over and pampered them by doing their make-up. I cooked lunch for my dad, my grandmother and my uncle and I actually came out of my comfort zone and gave money to the destitute. My efforts were all small but significant in their own ways. Significance is very important and your efforts will be determined by the significance of the act.

Me cooking for my dad and it was mandatory because my mother was away on vacation.

My grandmother also is not well, so why not help her feel better with my exquisite cooking? My friends had a long week at school and work, so why not help them be relaxed instead of being another stress factor? The beggar on the road is half-clothed and also looks like he is homeless, why not help him get a warm comfy sweater or something to eat, in my case; money? I asked myself all of these questions to help me shed light on the significance of my actions.

Being compassionate all the time takes a toll on you. Sometimes you might feel lost and wandering about for your sense of self.

Constantly helping others can leave you at a disadvantage because some people will abuse your efforts and will to help them.

However, it is up to you to decide who to help, how to help them and what your limits are. If you are currently or planning to be a ‘professional helper’ AKA. a doctor, nurse, teacher, social worker or worker in any other ‘helping field,’ it is important that you learn how to be compassionate.

One part of the assignment asked us, ‘what restricts you from being compassionate?’ Personally, the fear of not pleasing people or doing enough for them holds me back. Or what if I make a bigger mess of the situation? What if it makes me look weak?

I refuse to be compassionate if I truly know I cannot fully or efficiently help you. After that assignment, I cringe every time I read the line, ‘I refuse to be compassionate...’

Unless someone blatantly declines my help then why should I, should we, refuse to be compassionate towards each other?

If our compassion does not include ourselves, it is incomplete, one writer said. ‘If it’s one person who deserves your help the most, it’s yourself. You cannot give what you do not have. As such, if there is not a sense of compassion within yourself; helping yourself get back up when times are tough, giving yourself the love and kindness you deserve, then there is no way you can comprehend through compassion and ultimately show it to others. I have mentioned this in a previous writing but volunteerism is a great way to help selflessly. I have always admired the work that NGOs, youth organisations, social-problem groups, etc. undertake. Their objectives are built on the definition of compassion. Volunteering with any group for a good cause is a great way to show compassion to your society, community and even

country at large.

Do you remember the assignment I mentioned earlier? I’d like for you all to do the same. Take a day to be compassionate and eventually let that day reflect your lifestyle. Evaluate which version of yourself you prefer; the ‘Day of Compassion you’ or ‘normal you’, who you’d like to be compassionate to, what restricts you from being compassionate on a daily basis. Also, surround yourself with kind and compassionate souls. Their behaviour would eventually rub off on you. Perhaps I have said this before but I wouldn’t say the same thing twice if it didn’t have any significance or importance, ‘Your service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.’

How do you plan on paying yours?

GNBA still owed over $50M by broadcasters … chairman to extend grace to defaulters THE sum owed by broadcasters to the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) still exceeds $50M but those showing genuine effort to make payments will be given extra time to do so.

Earlier in the year, the GNBA had announced that the outstanding sum owed by some 12 broadcasters stood at over $100M with one broadcaster, alone, owing $20M for broadcast rights.

Unable to give a definite figure at the time, GNBA Chairman Leslie Sobers noted that the remaining amount is still high but most broadcasters have decided to take the just path of paying up in regular installments.

“There are many of those who are working.

Some of them are making their payments regularly; some are consistent and we’re seeing progress among those who are consistent. What we’re doing for those with backlogs is that as they clear the backlog, for example, for 2015 we issue the license and if they then clear up 2016, we send that license too and we’re going in stages like that, bit by bit and we’re seeing some progress,” Sobers told the Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday.

Asked whether there

are any broadcasters showing total disregard for their debts, Sobers said: “Not really. Even the one who owes the $20M is making promises to come and do the right thing and come and pay but the promises are not backed by action.” “[This broadcaster] probably believes that it shouldn’t be paid but that’s another story and we will deal with that in the right way in the right time.”

However, giving a general overview, the chairman said that the majority of the broadcasters with outstanding figures are making amends.

“Bar that one [which owes 20M], all the others are making genuine efforts,” he confirmed. Previously, the GNBA had decided that all broadcasters would individually pay half of their debt within the first quarter of the year and the rest in monthly installments by the end of 2018.

The board then moved to publish a list of defaulting broadcasters in April after the first quarter had elapsed without broadcasters following through with the agreement. Taking into consideration that many have now begun to pay up, the GNBA may be giving those fairly compliant some time beyond the end of 2018 to get themselves in order.

Chairman Leslie Sobers “Yes, I think we’ll have to do that [give an extension in time] because a person might not be able to clear it up at the end of this year but you know that that broadcaster has been making a genuine effort,” Sobers explained, adding: “Remember our job is to encourage the development of the broadcasting sector, not to kill it.

So, in as much as we would still want to go behind our monies, if a little more time would aid that broadcaster into full compliance then we will grant that little more time.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Shaquille Grant’s mother sues State for losses

By Gabriella Chapman

SHONETTE Adams, the mother of Shaquille Grant, who was shot to death by police officers, is suing the State for the loss and damages caused.

The 17-year-old boy was, on September 11, 2012, one among a group of young men who were allegedly “planning a robbery” and was pounced upon by a team of policemen, who fired shots at them. Grant was hit and subsequently died.

The distraught mother, represented

by Attorney Nigel Hughes, filed a claim dated November 19th 2014, contending that on the said day, the deceased was negligently shot and killed by members of the Guyana Police Force, namely: Warren Blue, Jamal Lewis and Terrence Wallace, who were acting in their official capacities.

According to court documents seen by this newspaper, the plaintiff states that the said police officers were not in any imminent danger at the time of the assault and killing of her son, and they wrongfully denied him of his constitutional right to life.

The matter was brought before Justice Persaud and was heard on several occasions, where witnesses testified to substantiate the case.

On Monday, the matter was called again, but the State had no representation.

However, since this was not the first occasion of their absence, Justice Persaud proceeded with the hearing of the testimonies, as the witnesses would have been coming to court to no avail.

On proceeding with Monday’s hearing, Amanda Williams Paddy was called to the witness box to give her testimony.

The young woman recalled that on the day of the incident, she was a resident of a house alongside the shed where the shooting had occurred.

Amanda said that she was in the kitchen preparing breakfast when she heard a gunshot. When she looked through the window, she saw a group of armed policemen clad in dark blue clothing. Upon seeing them, she ran to the bedroom to her daughter who was three years old and that time. While running to the bedroom, she heard another gunshot.

From the bedroom, Amanda said, she could have seen the officers under the shed beside the house, through a crease in the wall.

She saw them, along with five men lying face down under the shed and a police was standing over Grant.

HORROR “I heard the police saying, “you ain’t dead yet?” “You ain’t dead yet?”

And Shaquille was crying out for his

belly. I saw the police standing over Shaquille,” the young mother recalled.

Adding that she later saw the police dragging Grant to the police vehicle that was at the front of the yard.

Prior to Monday’s hearing, Nicholas Eastman took the court back to the day his friend died in his presence.

He stated that they were hanging out in a yard at Third Street, Agricola, when they saw police officers wearing bulletproof jackets coming from the back of the yard, pointing their guns at them.

One of the officers told them to lie on the ground while two other officers proceeded to search them. Eastman said after the search was conducted, they tried to pick his friend up, Romel Bollers, who resisted and a scuffle ensued.

“Thereafter, I heard a gunshot and I froze… I heard another explosion. I closed my eyes and I felt a warm feeling in my stomach. I opened my eyes and I saw blood between myself and Shaquille.

Shaquille shouted ‘I get knock! I get Knock!’” Eastman said.

He added that Shaquille tried to get up and a police officer went behind him and kicked him down, and said “you ain’t dead yet?” And shot him again.

Grant and Bollers were taken to the hospital where the former was pronounced dead and the latter injured. The remaining men were taken into custody and Eastman said they were released a few days after.

He told the court that they were never charged, hadn’t any weapons or objects and never attacked any of the officers.

“In fact, the officers never announced why they were there,” Eastman said.

Eastman returned to court on Monday, as his testimony was scheduled to be cross-examined by the State; however, due to their no-show, this could not be done.

Hughes explained to Justice Persaud that Eastman was at the peak of losing his job in St. Cuthbert’s Mission because of his continuous absence to attend the court hearings. The application was therefore granted for both witnesses be excused and not have to return.

The judge then adjourned the court until November 22.

BACKGROUND Three years ago, Officer Wallace went scotch free, following a unanimous not-guilty verdict by a 12-member jury, after the trial for the murder of the teen.

Blue and Lewis were also charged but they were never arrested. Lewis is still at large but Blue died during a robbery.

During Wallace’s trial, he made an unsworn testimony admitting to firing

one shot, but that was at Bollers, he said.

During that same time, two other shots came from behind him but he could not say which officer(s) they came from.

However, despite convincing depositions by star witness Troy Greenidge,

who said, “I saw TSU Cop Terrence Wallace shoot 17-year-old Shaquille Grant at Agricola on September 11, 2012,” the murder accused, Terrence Wallace, was found not guilty by a mixed jury.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Mabaruma lad distinguishes himself at CSEC –earns special gift from President Granger

Valedictorian Mark Wilburg and his mother, Ms. Christine Valenzuela, with some of the trophies and other gifts he received

Graduands (in red) and other achievers (in blue), listen attentively as Minister within the Ministry of Public Health Dr. Karen Cummings, delivers the feature address

By Margaret Burke NOONE could be prouder than Christine Valenzuela when she learnt that her baby was included on the list of the top 233 local candidates who secured eight or more Grade Ones at the June 2018 sitting of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination.

The youngster, at reference, is 17-year-old Mark Ryan Wilburg of North West Secondary, whose eight Grade Ones and three Grade Twos not only earned him the coveted title of valedictorian at his school’s graduation ceremony, but also a slew of prizes, among them several trophies, gifts and gift vouchers, a personal plaque from President David Granger,as well as a plaque for the school on which his name and that of successive students will be engraved.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle last Thursday after the graduation ceremony, Ms. Valenzuela said she was not at all surprised at her son’s performance.

“Mark has always been a self-motivator,” she said.

“He was always gifted, and I have had no difficulties with him. He would sit and do his work, and I was always very thankful for that.”

A primary school teacher herself, Ms. Valenzuela said that as a single parent, she has worked hard to see her children accomplish their dreams.

“I have four boys and

With Minister Dr. Karen Cummings and Mark's mother, Ms. Christine Valenzuela, are the top 10 CSEC performers who received President David Granger's Certificate of Excellence

they all did well; all four of them excelled, and I am very grateful,” she said, unable to hold back the tears of joy.

Mark is the youngest, the eldest is a teacher at St. Roses High in Georgetown.

ITS OWN DISTRACTIONS It is not as if Mabaruma is any better than the other communities in Region One. “Mabaruma, like many other communities in Guyana, has its own distractions, especially for young people,” Ms Valenzuela said. But what she is most grateful for is that like his older siblings, Mark did not allow any of that to stand in the way of his studies.

He’s the first to admit that he couldn’t have done it by himself. “My gratitude belongs to the Man above, and to all the incredibly helpful and kind people who have been placed in my life,” Mark said.

“I wish to share this time with you, to laugh, to smile and to cry, because before I realise it, so many precious years have gone by.

“For this academic year and our entire school life, the five years of having the privilege to get to know each other have been the happiest and more memorable times of my life,” he told fellow graduates as he congratulated them for also doing well, and

reminisced on the happy days they shared together.

Looking back on the last five years he spent at North West Secondary, Mark readily admitted that it was no ‘bed of roses’, in that while he rarely had issues academically, he had his fair share of hardships in other ways, which he eventually managed to conquer and learn from.

“I can proudly and honestly say that they have helped to shape the individual that I am today in a unique way, and I am glad for all the experiences North West Secondary School would have given me, and thankful for all the relationships and friendships I have experienced.”

SPECIAL THANKS But there were a few people he particularly wanted to thank. “Sometimes it is good to let people know of your gratitude to others, and so I wish to let Guyana know and to offer special thanks to all of my teachers, who in various ways assisted me tremendously in my fundamental growth towards education,” Mark said.

He noted that many of his teachers played vital roles in his social, spiritual and emotional life, which he said included his primary and nursery school teachers.

He also holds dear the Broomes family, especially

Mr. Uri Broomes and Ms. Ave Broomes.“Your contributions are greatly appreciated and well noted from not just me, but all the others who would have enjoyed your services.I cannot express how much of an impact you have had on my success, as words would not permit.”

Mark said that he is filled with only fond memories of his journey through North West Secondary.

“I feel empowered in saying that as students, we can all step into society undaunted to make a significant impact; leaving the world we inherit today, better and more prosperous in the world of tomorrow.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Brutus laments non-cooperation by some crime victims

COMMANDER of ‘C’ Division, Calvin Brutus has lamented the lack of cooperation by some serious crime victims, which he said has impacted greatly in them being able to complete some criminal investigations.

Brutus made the comments when he presented a report to Commissioner of Police Leslie James who visited the division recently. “Our challenges include a lack of cooperation with some victims and witness in relation to murders in particular, and this is further exacerbated by some victims of alleged robberies who do not give a true account of what transpired,” Brutus indicated.

The police have also been able to remove some 11 firearms and ammunition from off the street up to mid-October, from within the division.

They also seized and confiscated a quantity of narcotics and illegal substances. ‘C’ Division has also enjoyed a number of successes in the area of prosecutions and committals, according to Senior Superintendent Brutus, that have contributed to a decline in crime in the division.

He made reference to separate instances, whereby two persons reported to the police that they were

robbed and that the persons who robbed them had used firearms in the process.

However, when the police checked the CCTV footage from a nearby building which recorded the robbery, it showed that the victims were being dishonest and uttered false information to the police.

There was also another incident involving a businessman who was robbed. He told the police that the perpetrator was of a particular ethnicity, however, when the police checked the CCTV footage from his business place, they found that the ethnicity of the persons who carry out the robbery were not as the victim had claimed. Between January to mid-October this year, Brutus said the division recorded some instances of robberies and murders, especially with the use of firearms, as well as rape and break and enter and larceny. The latter, according to the commander, is most prevalent.

As it relates to the timings of the incidents, the police found that most instances of break and enter and larceny, took place between 18:00hrs and midnight.

Armed with that information, efforts were made to address the issue.

Man charged for allegedly killing friend A LABOURER was on Tuesday remanded to prison for allegedly killing his friend, Vernon Cummings, when the appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Phillip Solomon 41, of Ice House Road, Timehri appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and was not required to plead to the charge.

The particulars of the charge state that on October 24, 2018 at Timehri, EBD Solomon murdered Cummings.

Police Prosecutor Simone Payne stated that the post-mortem report is still outstanding.

According to reports, the deceased and the defendant are known to each other, having worked as labourers on the Timehri wharf where they would usually consume alcohol and get into arguments. On the day in question, the men were drinking and had a misunderstanding which led to an argument and subsequently a scuffle. It is alleged that Cummings armed himself with a piece of iron and the defendant with a wooden paddle, and they began hitting each other. The defendant’s brother on being informed about the fight, rushed to the scene to make peace. It was after he (the brother) took away the iron from Cummings that the accused dealt Cummings a lash to his head, causing him to fall. He was rushed to the Diamond Public Hospital where he died while he was receiving treatment.

This led to the defendant being arrested and charged.

Brutus also appraised the attentive gathering that a number of strategies have been implemented to address the areas of concerns, especially on the instances of crime and accidents, following discussions he had with the division’s management team. The commander spoke of heightened patrols, increasing road blocks, cordon and searches and networking with the other police divisions, as well as, improving the rapport with the members of the public. The latter is being done through youth initiatives and collaboration with the scouts

and station management, as well as, the Community Policing Group (CPG).

In addition to the normal gazetted ranks of the force who are stationed in the division, Brutus indicated that the police are ably assisted by more than 1,000 members of the CPG Group and ancillary staff. These moves, are said to be sitting well the residents in the division and other stakeholders, and according to Brutus, they are all in an effort to provide a better platform for the effective delivery of service and protection for members of the public.

Increasing the number of ranks who are functioning in the traffic department is also an initiative that was taken to address the issue of accidents, according to Brutus, along with interaction with members of the public, the monitoring of speed limit violations and driving under the influence of alcohol. The increase in the number of ranks serving the traffic department is also aimed at proper traffic management and control around the locations where the road expansion works are being carried out, said

the commander. The commissioner of police and his team were also told of the division’s readiness for Local Government Elections (LGEs).

Meanwhile, Brutus said that inadequate housing for ranks living out-of-town but are asked to serve in the division, is also another challenge for the police in ‘C’ Division.

The force administration is actively addressing this issue through its ‘Infrastructure’ platform, which is one of the key areas on Commissioner James’ agenda.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Regional standard chiefs in Guyana for IT workshop

REPRESENTATIVES of national standard bodies from several Caribbean countries are in Guyana this week, participating in a three-day regional workshop on Information Technology (IT) for User Administrators.

The event which began began on Tuesday at the Marriott Hotel, is being funded by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), through the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS).

An application, called the Global Directory, has been developed for the

national standard bodies and is used to manage data relating to experts, committees, expert roles and permissions for ISO and national committees.

Member Body User Administrators (MBUAs) are needed to input and manage the application’s data and therefore, the participants are receiving hands-on practical training on its use.

The visiting countries include Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Haiti, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

Seated from left are: GNBS Executive Director Candelle Walcott-Bostwick ; Vice Chairperson of the National Standards Council Rowen Willabus and ISO Training Facilitator François Miéville (Samuel Maughn) In welcoming the trainees, GNBS Executive Director Candelle Walcott-Bostwick said that information technology is important for the development of standards amongst standards bodies and ISO members.

As such, she urged the participants to use the opportunity to learn how they can best improve their national systems of standardisation.

“The use of IT tools, as we all know, is one of the main objectives of our economies. So, I would encourage all participants to implement what will be taught during this programme, so that your countries can benefit from the international standards development process,” she said.

The participants will be trained

by ISO Training Facilitator François

Miéville, who underscored the importance of the role of a User Administrator, as he assured the participants that they would be learning new and relevant information.

Vice Chairperson of the National Standards Council Rowen Willabus, in delivering brief remarks, expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to further develop standardisation in various sectors.

He also encouraged the visitors to utilise some of their time in the country to travel around, to get to know Guyana’s culture and attractions.

The ISO is a non-government organisation with a membership of 162 national standard bodies. It brings together experts to share knowledge and develop solutions to global challenges.

Visiting members of national standard bodies in the Caribbean at the Marriott Hotel on Tuesday (Samuel Maughn)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Committee of Privileges to decide Edghill’s fate

THE fate of Opposition Member of Parliament, Bishop Juan Edghill, will be known when the Parliamentary Sessional Committee of Privileges meets on Thursday after a hiatus.

The meeting is set for 10:00hrs on Thursday November 1, 2018 at the Public Buildings. During that meeting, the Committee of Privileges, headed by Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland, will conclude consideration of whether Edghill - a Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament – violated any of the Standing Orders, Customs, Practices and or Conventions of the National Assembly.

The committee, which also comprises representatives from both sides of the House, will determine what sanctions are available to the National

Assembly of Guyana.

In May 2016, Edghill was sent to the Committee of Privileges by the speaker of the House following a motion by A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Member of Parliament, Charrandas Persaud, on the basis that the opposition MP had made statements in the National Assembly in December 2015 that were inaccurate.

Edghill in December, 2015 told the National Assembly that the increases given to government ministers totaled over $200M annually.

Persaud, who in his motion rejected Edghill’s claim, said that the statement misrepresented the salary increases allotted to the governing side. He also took note of the opposition MP’s refusal to withdraw the “inaccurate” statement thereby reportedly

… lawyers file appeal

Opposition Member of Parliament Bishop Juan Edghill violating his privileges and standing orders.

Edghill had moved a motion requesting that the salary increases paid to government ministers be annulled. However, the motion was voted down by the government side.

Man jailed for causing death of wife

A 25-year-old man was on Tuesday sentenced to two years imprisonment

by Magistrate Fabayo Azore for causing the death of his common-law wife in a motorcycle accident back in July last year.

After one year of trial, Laurent McGarrell of Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara, was on Tuesday found guilty of causing the death of Gaitri Sahadeo.

Magistrate Azore, in her ruling, stated that the elements she ruled on were the fact that McGarrell was speeding and he was not wearing a helmet at the time and also was an unlicensed driver.

When McGarrell made his first appearance before Chief Magistrate; Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, he had denied that on July 23, 2017 at Providence, he drove motorcycle, CJ 1957, in a manner dangerous to the public, causing the death of Sahadeo.

McGarrell, a Forklift Operator at Caribbean Containers Inc., was re-

leased on $100,000 bail by the chief magistrate. He was then immediately taken before City Magistrate, Sunil Scarce, to answer to six other traffic related offences as a result of the accident. He was charged with driving without a driver’s licence; driving without third party insurance; driving without a safety helmet and driving the motorcycle without the owner’s consent.

He was also charged with driving the motorcycle while being under the influence of alcohol.

A breathalyser test was done on McGarrell which showed that he had a blood-alcohol level of 40 micrograms.

He had pleaded guilty to all of the charges except taking the motorcycle without the consent of the owner. He explained to the court, then, that “his brain is not working since he is studying his dead wife” and he is not in the right frame of mind. Magistrate Scarce then ordered that McGarrell be examined by a psychiatrist. McGarrell was ordered to post bail

Ex cops jailed for $6M cocaine bribe

Laurent McGarrell in the sum of $20,000 on each charge. As a condition of bail, McGarrell was ordered to report to the Providence Police Station every Saturday until the determination of the matter.

According to reports, the accident occurred at around 00:30hrs on the eastern carriageway of the Providence, EBD Public Road, when the motorcycle suffered a blowout. Sahadeo, who was the pillion rider and who was not wearing a helmet, reportedly sustained injuries to the head.

She was picked up in an unconscious condition and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she succumbed.

EX-police Corporal Shawn McPhoy, of 174 Laing Avenue, West Ruimveldt; Constable Ray Drepaul , of Eversham, Corentyne, and Constable Trevon McKenzie, of Princeton, Corentyne were on Monday found guilty by Magistrate Charlyn Artiga of accepting a $6 million bribe in 2015.

AT the conclusion of the three-year trial on Monday at the Whim Magistrate’s Court, the men were each sentenced to one year imprisonment and were fined $25,000 each for the offence, committed between September 10th and 11th 2015. According to the testimony of Woman Constable Stacy Welch, the men who were on patrol duty during the period received information that a Route 63 minibus was transporting cocaine, guns and cash and while in the vicinity of Springlands, inter-

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cepted the bus and discovered the items.

The trio negotiated a deal with the occupants of the vehicle for $6 Million in cash, which they reportedly spilt amongst themselves, including Welch, and some was also placed in a black plastic bag for their “Boss.” The “Boss” was allegedly Assistant Superintendent Terrence Browne, 48, who was the officer-in-charge of the Whim Police Station at the time. He was charged for the offence, but separately; however, he was exonerated after Magistrate Artiga found that the prosecution did not provide sufficient evidence to show that Browne was indeed the person to whom the money in the black plastic bag was given. The trio were represented by attorneys Chandra Sohan, Marceline Bacchus and Hornito Edmonson, who have since filed appeals at the High Court immediately after sentencing.

Upon receipt of the notice of appeal, Magistrate Artiga placed the former lawmen on $50,000 bail each.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Broadcast body looks to citizens to help police airwaves

THE Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) is closer to rolling out a robust citizen-monitoring programme which will see members of society effectively monitoring radio and television for offensive output.

This is according to the agency’s Chairman Leslie Sobers, who told the Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday that the initiative is aimed at allowing citizens to exercise their rights by law.

“We’re in the process

right now of formulating how that will be done. That’s one of the items the board is discussing and we’re planning around that,” Sobers said, adding: “We’re closer today. In the past it was a mere thought, but now we are trying to operationalise the idea. It’s more than a thought now, it’s a plan and we’re putting that plan together.”

The plan he speaks of is one which, when rolled out in its public awareness campaign, will give individuals

or groups the opportunity to volunteer to monitor broadcast transmissions, for transmissions in breach of the country’s Broadcasting Act. “We want to train a cadre of men and women who would voluntarily give us their time listening to the radio, but they would be more in the far-flung areas; and we would ask them to give us the necessary feedback.

So, we’re looking at that and thinking about a number of things [such as] how do we compensate them for

their time; or whether there should be any compensation at all. We’re working out the modalities,” he said.

Legislation authorises citizens to write the GNBA pointing out any offensive information transmitted on air. Persons making complaints would then be asked to provide the name of the programme, the time it was aired and what offensive matter was broadcast.

The GNBA would then take the necessary steps to cross-examine the claim

GNBA Chairman Leslie Sobers

with the records of the broadcaster and their own records for verification, which would be followed by a hearing if the broadcaster is in err.

Sobers further explained that the monitoring process is not one which only rests on the backs of citizens, as the GNBA does its part too; and any assistance from citizens will simply boost its mandate.

“There’s active monitoring and passive monitoring.

The active monitoring is what we do on a daily basis with our own staff watching television screens or listening to radios.

“The passive monitoring is the one where the citizens would call in or write in and that passive monitoring would have itself two

aspects which would be the cadre of citizens monitoring and the general public being able to write in. All of that would be regarded as citizen monitoring,” the chairman said.

Altogether, Sobers stated that the initiative will be conducted with the best interest of citizens in mind.

He stated: “We want broadcasters to know that the citizens themselves are aware of an arrangement of facilities for them to take objection to what goes on air.

Because a lot of times the people who receive the information are just passive recipients of information; and we’re creating now an avenue where they can give this essential feedback.”

EPIC Guyana awards second UG scholarship

EPIC (Enhancing Potential to Inspire Change) Guyana, a local non-profit organisation (NGO), has recently awarded its second University of Guyana scholarship to Shineika Cort.

Cort, the first recipient of the Ronald Patrick Kum Scholarship, is pursuing a degree in Pharmacy. She is a former student of Central High School and completed CAPE at Queen’s College.

The Scholarship was set up by Dr. Dawn Kum, who is the Director of Integrated Urban Solutions in Washington DC. Kum is an overseas-based Guyanese, who chose to name the scholarship in honor of her father.

EPIC Executive Director Brian Backer has disclosed that the organisation wants the scholarship to become an annual award and will be publishing the qualifying criteria so that from 2019, interested students can apply.

As for Cort, Backer said her parents were unable to financially assist her in continuing her education and hence EPIC stepped in to help.

Backer said EPIC only asks that the scholarship recipients give back some of their time and services to help with the organisation’s programmes.

The NGO works primarily to help children who have had contact with law enforcement and are detained in the Juvenile Holding Centre at Sophia, Georgetown.

In late 2016, after realising that his reach was limited due to costs, Backer decided it was time to formalise his efforts to help the community and register a NGO that would increase capacity and give his many supporters a more visible platform.

“Initially, I stood all of the expenses; the support was just for family and friends. But it continued to grow and as we helped one family, they would introduced others to us and it started snowballing, so I found it necessary to seek external support so that we can continue to give this level of service,” Backer said.

As the impact of the community activities continued to grow, EPIC Guyana was registered and its scope of work began to expand.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

From Expo 2010 to CIIE: Shanghai’s confidence and China’s promise TWO years after Beijing successfully hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics, Shanghai, the other Chinese international metropolis, held the Expo 2010 with great success. It fulfilled the century-cherished dream of the Chinese people to enjoy the “World Expo” at their doorsteps.

Five days from now, another world Expo, China’s first import Expo, will open. The past eight years have not only witnessed Shanghai’s development as the bridgehead of China’s opening-up process, but also China’s promise to be more open to the world.

Standing opposite to the Expo Park and across the Huangpu River is the Bund International Architecture Exhibition, which witnessed the changes of Shanghai. In 1843, Shanghai officially opened its ports to international trade. Ever since, this city, coincidentally located in the middle of China’s

coastline, has embarked on a path of rapid growth boosted by opening up and trade.

In a mere 30 years, “Lujiazui”, a deserted land formed by a bend in the river, has grown into a globally renowned financial hub full of towering skyscrapers ablaze with lights.

Shanghai’s Pudong District, where the World Expo Park and Lujiazui reside, was once a deprived region. But since then Pudong has developed into a vigorous frontier of reform and opening up, with convenient transportation and GDP of nearly one trillion yuan in 2017.

Five years ago, the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) was established in Pudong.

According to statistics released by the Ministry of Commerce, as of the end of June 2018, 56,000 new enterprises were established in the Pilot FTZ, 1.5 times the

The CIIE will be held at National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai, China

The China Pavilion at World Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China number of newly established enterprises in the same region during the past 20 years.

More than 10,000 foreign-funded enterprises were newly established, accounting for 20 percent of the total number of enterprises, up from 5 percent at the inception of the FTZ. The accumulative total foreign investment reached 23 billion US dollars.

Now, the first China International Import Expo (CIIE) is to be held in Shanghai, representing an important step for Shanghai to enhance the city’s position, an international trade center.

The choice of the CIIE location can be described as “a matter of course”, since Shanghai is equipped with the economic strength, organizational capabilities, humanistic heritage, and infrastructure conditions to accomplish such an important task.

But Shanghai’s ambition goes beyond Pudong. The CIIE will be hosted at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) in the Hongqiao Business District, a newly completed and the largest conference complex in the world.

Coincidentally, Hongqiao was also an ordinary town at the junction of the four districts with vast farmlands of green seedlings of cereal crops. It is expected that the CIIE would surely promote the infrastructure of this area and perhaps create another development “miracle” just like Pudong.

Deng Xiaoping (1904-1997), chief architect of China’s reform and opening-up policy, exclaimed at the rapid changes in Shanghai, saying that the city took on a new look each year and underwent a dramatic

change every three years. Those foreigners who are not familiar with China may wonder how it is possible for the Chinese people to perform such an amazing “transformation”.

An open secret is China’s expertise in formulating far-sighted strategic plans and more importantly, its firm determination to implement these plans.

While devoting to the preparation for the World Expo in 2009, Shanghai took into consideration its development in the “postWorld Expo era” and intensively planned another regional layout that might have a farther-reaching impact.

In July of that year, Shanghai announced the establishment of the Hongqiao Business District Administration Committee. A region integrating four districts of Minhang, Changning, Jiading and Qingpu and covering 86 square kilometers was identified as a new business district facing the Yangtze River Delta and serving the whole country.

This year, Shanghai introduced “100 new measures for a more open Shanghai” to promote further opening up to the outside world and demonstrate Shanghai’s willingness to open its doors to the world.

It is precisely with such confidence that Shanghai made the solemn commitment that the CIIE would “never close” (instead, it would be built into a CIIE “6 days + 365 days” one-stop trading service platform).

Shanghai’s ultimate goal is to become a global city of excellence and a socialist modern metropolis with international influence by 2035. (CGTN)

WHO adds TCM to leading medical book FOR the first time, the World Health Organization has included traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in its globally influential medical compendium, according to an international science journal.

An article published by Nature on Wednesday said that TCM will be incorporated into the latest version of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) set to be released next year.

Starting from the 1800s, the ICD has been revised and published in a series of editions, reflecting the advances in health and medical science over time.

It serves as the foundation for the identification of global health trends, and the international standard for diseases and health conditions.

The latest ICD is based largely on the work of the International Classification of Traditional Medicine (ICTM) project’s experts from around the world, who had been working on tradi-

tional medicine research and practices for years.

China has been promoting the modernization of TCM and pushing for TCM to gain acceptance and popularity

worldwide. Chinese pharmacologist Tu Youyou was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2015 for her research in TCM. While the use of herbal medicines, acupuncture and other traditional medical practices has been on the rise, there’s still a shortage of global classification and terminology tools for traditional medicine, according to officials with the WHO. “The decision is to promote the safe and effective use of traditional medicine by regulating, researching and integrating traditional medicine products, practitioners and practice into health systems, where appropriate,” the WHO was quoted as saying

by Nature. (China Daily)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Belt and Road MoU to facilitate expansion of trade flows, investment

THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday released the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Government of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on Cooperation within the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative.

The release of the document comes approximately three months after it was signed here in Guyana at the Chinese Embassy, and amid public calls for the contents to be made known.

According to Article One of the MoU – Objectives and Guiding Principles of Cooperation, under the agreement Guyana and China will work within the Belt and Road Initiative to promote and realise mutual economic development and sustainable growth, thereby allowing for enhanced political relations, economic ties, security cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

Article Two – Areas of Cooperation, sets the foundation for the two countries to regularly communicate and promote the synergy and integration of their major development strategies, planning and policies, as well as strengthen communication and coordination.

“The Parties will cooperate and exchange ideas regarding infrastructure connectivity and development in areas of mutual interest, including but not limited to road and railway networks, bridges, civil aviation, maritime transport, harbours and ports, energy and telecommunications,” Section II of Article Two states.

Already, the Guyana Government has said that

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, stands alongside State Councillor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Wang Yi, shortly after signing an agreement last month at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre at Liliendaal (Delano Williams photo) construction of the Linden to Lethem Highway is among infrastructural projects it hopes China will finance under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Late December, Guyana and Brazil indicated that they will be working closely with China to access a US$50B China Select Fund to help construct the road.

Section III of Article Two sets the foundation for “unimpeded trade.”

According to that clause, Guyana and China will enhance international trade and investment ini-

tiatives and simultaneously expand two-way investment and trade flows. Under this clause, businesses are encouraged to build, operate and or participate in industrial parks and economic and trade cooperation zones.

Under Section IV (Financial Integration), Guyana and China have agreed to encourage respective financial institutions to provide financing support and financial services for production capacity enhancement, investment and trade promotion.

“The parties will expand the use of their respective local currency in investment and trade based on the investment and trade demands, strengthen the exchanges and cooperation between their currency and financial regulators and promote the mutual establishment of the financial institutions between the two countries,” a sub-section states.

A cooperation mechanism will be formulated by the two countries to manage financial risks and crises, as well as

increase cooperation between the banking sector and institutional investors.

Meanwhile Article Three addresses the ‘Modes of Cooperation.’

Section One states that the Modes of Cooperation may include but not limited to “the exchange of high-level visits through existing governmental and non-governmental exchange mechanisms, whereby the parties will build a multi-tiered information sharing platform in diverse fields and

with multiple channels to share information resources, increase transparency and encourage participation of people in all sectors of society.”

It also lays a better foundation for the application of free market principles and promotion of public-private partnerships as well as the “provision of investment and financing support through diversified channels and strengthening of exchanges and cooperation to ensure the sustainability of the projects that may be initiated.”

The MoU which contains a total of six articles – Objectives and Guiding Principles of Cooperation; Areas of Cooperation; Modes of Cooperation; Cooperation of Mechanism; Settlement of Differences; Coming into Force, Amendment and Termination – is enforced for a period of three years and possibility of an automatic extension for another three years.

Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge and China’s Ambassador to Guyana Cui Jianchun, signed the MoU on cooperation within the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative last July.

Weighing in on the signing, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo had said that there are several opportunities for Guyana to benefit from bilateral relations shared with China now that the country is approaching the status of “a highly developed, prosperous state.”

Guyana is the 74th country to sign onto the “Belt and Road Initiative,” which aims to connect countries through a network of trade routes in Central Asia, Europe and Indo-Pacific littoral countries.

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Jury empanelled for Paul’s murder trial THE 12-member jury in the 2012 murder trial of Phillip “Shoelace” Paul, who is accused of the murder of shopkeeper Kamal Ramsahoye, was empaneled in the Demerara High Court before Justice Sandil Kissoon on Tuesday morning.

However, following the empanelment, there was a voir dire to determine the admissibility of the caution statement.

The State is represented by Prosecutors Lisa Cave and Abigail Gibbs while the defence attorney is Brandon De Santos.

The State will present eight witnesses in the trial while defence has one witness.

According to the Murdered: Kamal State, Phillip Paul alRamsahoye legedly murdered Kamal (Kaieteur News photo) Ramsahoye called “Vickie” in the course or furtherance of a robbery in the county of Demerara between December 8 and 9, 2012.

The North Annandale, East Coast Demerara man was found dead in his fortress-like residence.

A post-mortem revealed that he had been stabbed 10 times and that he died from shock and haemorrhaging.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

CARICOM Energy Month kicks off on Friday CARICOM Energy Month (CEM) will be launched on Friday in Brades, Montserrat, with a focus on empowering youths for a sustainable energy future.

The launch includes a symposium, featuring a

release. The occasion which is observed in November each year, serves to increase awareness of energy matters in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and celebrate the strides the Community has made to transition to a clean en-

inauguration in 2016, CEM has become the seminal event on the calendar of energy stakeholders including academia, policy-makers, the private sector, youth, and development partners.

The ultimate goal is to achieve long-term, lasting

understand the impact of, and take action to respond to critical energy issues.

The regional theme is “Clean Energy, Good Governance & Regulations: Generating Growth and Resilience”. A major focus of CEM 2018 is building

FLASHBACK: The nominees for the first CARICOM Energy Personality Award. Second from left is winner, Ms. Hannah Olmberg-Soesman. The award, in the foreground, was presented to Ms. Olmberg-Soesman earlier this year. panel discussion on geothermal energy, energy conservation measures and electric vehicles, the CARICOM Secretariat said in a

ergy pathway. The month of activities evolved from CARICOM Energy Week (CEW) which was established in 2011. Since its

behavioural changes. A wide cross-section of society and stakeholders will be engaged to ensure that individuals and organisations

awareness on the climate and disaster resilience within the energy sector.

Against the backdrop of the hurricanes that hit the Caribbean last year, causing extensive damage to electric grids and disrupting networks and other critical infrastructure, the observances seek to increase the understanding of energy issues of the region, and the many solutions to achieve a transformation in the sustainable energy sector.

This year, the activities include art and essay competitions for youths, the hunt for the second CARICOM Energy Personality and a Regional Energy Kilo Walk. The sixth edition of the Caribbean Sustainable Energy Forum (CSEF) will also be held in Belize during the month-long observance.

In addition to the regional programme, national activities will be held in member states.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Bids out for five high-capacity D&I pumps

EFFORTS to increase the drainage and irrigation capacity to support agriculture and eliminate flooding in residential areas are closer to realisation, as bids are being invited for contractors to establish multi-million dollar pump stations at fixed stations in five locations along the coast.

Invitations for bids for the five projects have been advertised in the print media over the past week and the Ministry of Agriculture have advised that the tenders would be opened on Saturday November 17th in the boardroom of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).

The locations of the five pumps have been identified as Hope, East Coast Demerara and Nooten Zuil, East Coast Demerara, both

in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), one at Devonshire Castle in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), one at Den Amstel in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and one at Mora Point in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).

The five pumps are to be constructed at an average cost of $250M each and following the awards of contracts, construction is expected to begin and be completed during the course of 2019. The pumps will allow the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) to manage water in the low lying coastal areas, reduce the risks of flooding in these areas and bring relief to residents and farmers whose economic activities are usually disrupted by flooding caused by excessive rainfall

CWI duties will not affect PSC functions-Slowe CHAIRMAN of the Police Service Commission (PSC) Paul Slowe has assured that his engagement with Cricket West Indies (CWI) will not affect his functions.

Further, Slowe indicated that the work of the PSC will continue and has been continuing, even when he is out of the country on assignment with the CWI for which he is the Security Manager. He has held the portfolio since 2011. Slowe gave the assurance during an exclusive with the Guyana Chronicle. According to him, since being appointed chairman of the commission he has been travelling frequently, as he had done prior to the appointment, and in accordance with the mandate of his security manager job for CWI. The former senior police officer indicated that he and the other members of the commission are usually in frequent contact, and he is kept up-to-date with what has been happening, and of matters which continue to flow into the commission. Slowe, further stated that once he is aware that there are pressing matters at the PSC that would need his attention, he travels back into the country to deal with them.

“Yes, I travel very frequently, but that has not in any way impacted my work or the work of the commission, because I am here now, and when there is work to be done whatever time I have to be here to do it, it is done,” Slowe indicated.

The Police Service Commission meets on the first Monday of each month, and according to Slowe, it is with this in mind that he told the police administration to get their act together, as the expectation is that once they do what they have to, and matters are sent to the commission, he is going to find the time to get back to office and address those matters.

President David Granger appointed the members of the PSC in August, and after consultations with Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo. The commission comprises former ex-police officers with Slowe as chairman, Vesta Adams, Clinton Conway and Claire Jarvis, who were all former assistant commissioners. The advisory body will have a life of three years as stipulated by the constitution and will consist of a chairman, five members and a secretary.

Slowe, a career policeman, served the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in many capacities before heading into retirement.

and the overtopping of river and sea defences.

They will also provide irrigation to nearby farming areas during drought-like conditions which have historically resulted in significant loss of crops, cattle and property. At Hope (Region Four), the fixed pumps will replace existing mobile pumps allowing for increases in efficiency and reduction of flooding by 50 per cent. At Nooten Zuil

(Region Four), a 75 per cent reduction of flooding events is expected to be realised by the installation of this fixed pump.

At Mora Point in Region Five, the new fixed pump will be used for irrigation, benefiting at least 502 rice farmers in that catchment area. More so, it is projected that here, irrigation-wise, there will be a 35 per cent reduction in losses during periods of

drought.

The new Pump Station at Mora Point will replace the old pump station and the two old pumps previously installed by a colonial government over 100 years ago. The century-old pumps, one of which was said to be still working, will be “spruced up” and kept at their current location as historical artifacts and their accommodation will be made into a drainage and

irrigation (D&I) heritage site, a reliable source at the NDIA said.

Funding for the pumps was acquired through a loan under the India Line of Credit. In August last, the NDIA signed a US$3,602,014 contract to have these and seven other pumps installed in coastal areas including Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) within the next twelve months.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

‘Fight the Fight. Find the Cure’ –patrons urged at JCI breast cancer awareness dinner

THE Junior Chamber International (JCI) Guyana held their annual breast cancer awareness dinner on Saturday evening at the Grand Coastal Hotel, which saw the support of many organisations and individuals.

The Cancer Awareness Dinner has been around for the past six years and is aimed at raising awareness of cancer: supporting those

A section of the partakers of JCI breast cancer awareness dinner

Junior Chambers International Guyana President Kevin Cornette giving his remarks at the organisation’s breast cancer awareness dinner.

who are fighting, respecting those who have conquered and saluting those who would have lost.

This year, the dinner was said to be in keeping with Sustainable Development Goal number three: “Good Health and Well Being,” and was executed under the theme “Fight the Fight, Find the Cure.”

At the event, JCI Guyana President, Kevin Cornette shared that JCI is a membership-based non-profit organisation of over 200,000 young people ages 18 to 40 in 5,000 communities and more than 100 countries around the world. Each JCI Member, he said, shares the belief that in order to create lasting positive change, they must improve themselves and the world around them. They seek targeted solutions to the unique problems in their communities in order to build a better world while creating a global impact.

“Because there is a limit to what governments are able to achieve in society, as responsible citizens in a globalised world, JCI members take on the challenges around them through local development initiatives,” Mr Cornette said.

He further noted that these tailored projects require members to use strategic planning and critical planning

to craft creative solutions to the problems of their communities and as such, JCI Members seek ways to live out their slogan, “Be Better”.

“We think critically about society’s greatest challenges and act on behalf of our communities to be part of the solution. We seek better solutions to build better communities, thus creating a better future,” he said.

“Our Mission is to provide development opportunities that empower young people to create positive change. Our Vision is to be the leading global network of young active citizens,” Cornette emphasised.

Adding that, JCI Guyana annually seeks the support of both the private sector and governmental organisations, which makes it a success.

The dinner saw representation from several entities - Banks DIH Limited, Go Invest, BK International, Demerara Bank, Republic Bank, Demerara Tobacco Company Ltd., Ministry of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Communities, Ministry of Business, Food For The Poor Inc., Bank of Guyana and the Cancer Institute, just to name a few.

Part of the proceeds from the dinner goes to the Cancer Institute to assist them in supporting the cause.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Young artists showcase work OVER the weekend, the 2018 intermediate painting class of the Burrowes School of Art held an event themed “Expression”, to, as the name suggests, express themselves through their art form.

The event was coordinated by Kezyah Bhola, who is one of the students of the said class. Speaking to this newspaper, Kezyah explained that the class was tasked with an assignment, to individually write a poem and paint a picture that illustrates their poem. Upon completing their assignment, she believed that more could be done to showcase the exceptional outcome of what was just a task to gain marks.

Kezyah said she asked herself: “Why should we continue to hide our talents with in-class assignments?” That was when she decided to host an event where their talents can be showcased, along with giving others the opportunity to express themselves through the open mic segment of the event.

“The aim of this event was to give young creative artists a chance to “EXPRESS” themselves. The turnout wasn’t grand and the bar wasn’t sold out, but looking at the bigger picture, I feel accomplished. I’ve opened a door and pushed my fellow creatives through. No one at the Burrowes School of Arts has ever attempted such a thing,” she said.

The students’ pieces portrayed social issues, personal emotions/experiences, their view of society, nature, slavery, among other things. It was supported by parents, teachers, students and friends.

This newspaper also spoke with the teacher who assigned the assignment, Dawne Isaacs, who expressed nothing but pride of what her students would have accomplished.

Ms. Isaacs said when she was thinking of the assignment, she wanted to challenge her students and take their expression beyond visual arts. She then came up with the idea of allowing them to attempt the art of poetry, which she deemed a success.

The event was so inspiring she said, that the School has plans of adopting the idea to make it an annual event where students’ skills can be showcased along with the combination of all the other art forms.

Some of the other students expressed how elated they were to have been afforded the opportunity to perform at the event. A few of the students said that they never saw themselves at a forum like this but it has encouraged them to go beyond the level at which they are.

Most of the attendees said that there is great need for events like these in the country.

“As you would have seen here, these children are from all across Guyana, some from Region Nine, Region Seven and so on, and all of them are extremely talented. As a parent, to have been present here and to witness this tonight, is very refreshing. We need more things like these so that these young talents can be showcased,” one parent said.

Another expressed how stunned she was to have witnessed what the students showcased in their own artistic way. “I was in awe throughout most of these performances. The inspiration and their expressions were so deep it’s unbelievable that they are as young as they are. Guyana has exceptional talent and more has to be done for these young people.”

Kezyah Bhola (centre) and other students of the 2018 intermediate painting class of Burrowes School of Arts.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Kennard shrugs off claims of bias …says intends to act according to the evidence

CHAIRMAN of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into City Hall, Justice (ret’d) Cecil Kennard has shrugged off claims that

he would not be impartial in his recommendations, following his verbal battle with Georgetown Mayor Patricia Chase-Green last

Friday.

He also said that he has no apology to make for the way he handled ChaseGreen. The CoI had a highly

charged afternoon session at the Critchlow Labour College (CLC) last Friday when Chase-Green crossed swords with Kennard, when

Chairman of the City Hall CoI, Justice (ret’d) Cecil Kennard

he found need to interject while she was being questioned by the COI lawyer, Everton Singh-Lammy. As the session boiled over, the chairman asked “Can you shut up and listen to the questions” after accusing the mayor of being rude.

“I have no apology for making that statement,” Kennard announced during an address before the commencement of the inquiry on Monday morning. He further explained: “In relation to the issue with the mayor, Friday last, when she was being cross examined by Mr Lammy… instead of [answering] questions she was asking questions of the lawyer, and she continued to prattle and not listen to what the lawyer was saying, and it was at that stage [that I said] madam shut up and listen.”

At the time, the mayor was being questioned about her handling of the ‘No-confidence Motion’ that was tabled against Town Clerk Royston King earlier this year.

Kennard reproached the mayor for not seeking independent legal advice when the motion was moved by Councillor Sherod Duncan at a statutory meeting in March, since she instead chose to accept legal advice procured by the said town clerk against whom the motion was moved.

When the ‘no-confidence motion’ was brought before the council, the town clerk reportedly pre-empted the arguing of the matter by tendering a letter from his personal lawyer, former magistrate Maxwell Edwards, stating that the

council did not have the authority to tender a motion of no-confidence against him.

Some persons have since labeled Kennard’s behaviour as misogynistic, and questioned whether he was being biased. Kennard took the opportunity on Monday morning, to defend his ability to preside with impartiality over the Commission. “I am appalled at what is being said that I am not likely to be fair in my recommendations to the Local Government Commission (LGC), which sought my help to sit at this inquiry. I assure all that I intend to act according to the evidence… and I will make my recommendation on that basis. I don’t know how it is being misrepresented as to what took place here [on Friday].”

“I have presided in hundreds of cases and no one has ever accused me of being biased and I don’t intent to be biased of any issue.”

Giving a short history of his qualifications and experience, Kennard reminded that it is his job to ensure that the inquiry is properly conducted.

“I intended to perform my duties according to the oath I have taken. And the oath is to ensure a proper investigation is conducted and recommendations made. As former Chancellor Luckhoo said: I know cases, I don’t know faces,” Kennard said.

“Regardless of political affiliation or otherwise I will assure everyone that I conduct my duty in accordance to the guidance of the law.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Beware of the water you buy …F&DD releases list of licensed water processors

THE Government Analyst – Food & Drug Department has released the official list of water processing factories countrywide and has warned citizens against unauthorised dealers.

In a release on Monday, the department also called on all water-processing factories to confirm to all of the department's requirements, as it relates to the sale and distribution of treated water in five-gallon bottles. “Manufacturers and Distributors must have a valid licence, which is an indication of compliance to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). In addition,

Water processing factories that were licensed during the current year includes:

bottles used must be properly cleaned, sanitised, labelled and sealed, prior to sale and or distribution,” the release stated.

Consumers are being asked that when purchasing treated water from the various sources, to ensure that they are properly labelled and sealed, and to report any company that fails to comply with the requirement of

the department. “Consumers making purchases should demand to see a valid licence issued by the Food & Drug Department. All premises that are involved in the processing, distribution, and sale of drinking water, particularly in five (5) gallon bottles, must be in possession of a valid licence.”

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10:30hrs. - 12:00hrs.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

The Irish are here!

First team to arrive for ICC Women’s T20 World Cup

… Warm-up match set for this weekend IRELAND were the first team to arrive in Guyana on Monday night for the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Women’s T20 World Cup which is being hosted by three Caribbean countries inclusive of Guyana from November 9 to 24.

They were welcomed

by Minister of Social Cohesion with responsibility for Sport, Youth and Culture, Dr. George Nortonm along with WWT20 Match Day manager KJ Singh and Venue manager Sabrina Panday at the Marriott Hotel.

This will be the sixth edition of the ICC Women’s World Twenty20, and the second hosted by the West Indies (after the 2010 edition). However, in 2010 the men’s and women’s tournament were held simultaneously. This time the female tournament stands alone.

The tournament was awarded to Cricket West Indies at the 2013 annual conference of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The ten teams who will be competing are Australia,

England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Ireland and Bangladesh.

Eight of the ten teams qualified automatically with Bangladesh and Ireland finishing first and second respectively at the Qualifier tournament in July of this year in the Netherlands. They won their respective semi-final matches in the qualifier, to advance to the Women’s World Twenty20 tournament.

The most successful team at the Women’s T20

GBTI banks on GCC ladies hockey team GUYANA’S largest indigenous bank, which is synonymous with high quality customer service, has delivered yet again in support of the GCC ladies hockey team.

The GCC ladies, much like the bank, have developed a stellar reputation for success in dominating the local league for over ten years and enjoying great success regionally in neighbouring Trinidad and Barbados.

The reigning GTT National Indoor champions and Diamond Mineral Wa-

ter Indoor Festival champions are looking to make a clean sweep again this year of the two major indoor events on the Guyana Hockey Board’s annual calendar.

Captain of the new GBTI GCC ladies hockey team, Tiffany Solomon, expressed great joy with the new partnership, noting that “GBTI is a sound local entity and those are the kinds of companies with which we like to be associated and to represent. We look forward to performing at our best and satisfying GBTI

that they made the right decision in partnering with us.”

The club’s team have not only been leaders at the top level but they also manage a vibrant junior academy, which has produced some of the best junior players and have dominated the recent junior competitions. This places the team in a good position for success in the coming years.

The GBTI GCC ladies are first representing the bank in this year’s GTT National Indoor which began on Sunday October 28.

National Schools Championships set for November 25-30

THE National Schools Swimming, Cycling, Track

& F i e l d a n d Te a c h e r s Championships is scheduled to start on November 25 and culminate on November 30.

According to reliable sources close to the Ministry of Education and the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), the swimming championship will be held at the National Aquatic Centre, while the Track & Field Championships will return to the National Track & Field Centre at Leonora.

The Education Ministry and the GTU will make an official announcement shortly, when all information relating to the event will be given.

Last year, behind the exploits of Daniel Williams,

Chantoba Bright and Deshana Skeete, Upper Demerara/ Kwakwani, District 10, won their consecutive and 16th overall title, which saw them continue their reign as the most successful District in the history of the Championships.

The ever-improving South Georgetown (District 13) finished second, while North Georgetown (District 11) were third.

Rounding off the top five finishes last year were West Demerara (District 3) who finished fourth and East Georgetown (District 12) and Cuyuni Mazaruni (District 7) tied for the fifth position.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Wednesday October 31, 2018) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)

(1) (2)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz: WI won by 43 runs Ashley Nurse (WI)

(1) (2)

Today’s Quiz: Who is the first India to crack an ODI hundred?

Who is the first WI to score an ODI century?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

World Cup are Australia having won the tournament thrice (in 2010, 2012 and 2014) while England won in 2009 with the Windies who are the defending champions winning in 2016.

The three host countries in the West Indies are St Lucia, Guyana and Antigua.

The group matches will be played in Guyana and St Lucia with the semi-finals and final to be hosted by Antigua at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

The first practice session for Ireland will be today while other teams are

expected to arrive throughout the week. The first official warm-up match will be Bangladesh vs Ireland on Sunday (November 4) at 16:00hrs while next Tuesday (November 6) South Africa will face Australia (16:00hrs) and Bangladesh vs Pakistan at 20:00hrs.

On Wednesday (November 7) England will play India at 16:00hrs while hosts Windies take on New Zealand at 20:00hrs.

The competition officially begins on November 9 with a triple-header at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

West Indies in Bangladesh 2018

NOVEMBER » 18-19 v Bangladesh Cricket Board XI, Chittagong (MA Aziz Stadium) (09:30 BST) » 22-26 1st Test, Chittagong (Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium) (09:30 BST) » 30-4 Dec 2nd Test, Mirpur (09:30 BST) DECEMBER » 6 Tour match (opponents TBC), Fatulah (09:30 BST) » 9 1st ODI, Mirpur (d/n) » 11 2nd ODI, Mirpur (d/n) » 14 3rd ODI, Sylhet (d/n) » 17 1st Twenty20 international, Sylhet (d/n) » 20 2nd Twenty20 international, Mirpur (d/n) » 22 3rd Twenty20 international, Mirpur (d/n)

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40

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Ngidi expects stiff task against Finch-led Australia batting

By Joel Dubber

PERTH, Australia (Reuters) - Young South Africa speedster Lungi Ngidi has singled out Australia’s newly-appointed 50-over captain Aaron Finch as a major threat to his side’s chances in the three-match one-day international series, which begins in Perth on Sunday.

The 22-year-old has quickly adapted to the rigours of bowling on the international stage since making his South Africa debut in a Twenty20 match against Sri Lanka in January, 2017.

With 22 wickets from his first 10 ODIs at an average of 20.45, and a similarly impressive haul in Tests, the Durban-born quick has emerged as one of the team’s strike bowlers.

Ngidi believes Australia’s batting unit is replete with big hitters, while Finch is particularly ‘dangerous’ and will provide the tourists with stiff competition upfront.

“They come hard at the bowlers, they’re very confident players and that’s really exciting to see as a bowler,” Ngidi told Reuters in an interview.

“You’ve always got to be up for the challenge, you know they’re not going to back down, they’re not going to give you their wickets.”

Explosive opening batsman Finch, 31, leads Australia in the shortest Twenty20 format and last week replaced Tim Paine as the leader in the 50-over format.

He has scored 11 centuries in 93 ODIs with a strike-rate of over 90.

Speaking after a training session at Optus Stadium – Perth’s iconic new 60 000-seat venue where he is likely to play his first international match in Australia - Ngidi said keeping his nerves in check would be a challenge.

nerve-wracking thing for me.”

Also exciting for the youngster is the prospect of bowling on Australia’s renowned fast and bouncy pitches.

“On quick wickets, you’ve got to be able to have variation as well,” Ngidi said while standing on the $1.3 billion stadium’s vast outfield.

South Africa pacer Lungi Ngidi

“As a youngster coming into the team (a big crowd) can be a little bit intimidating but I’m going to try and keep a level head, try to keep it as cool as possible,” he said.

“I’m always excited to play international cricket, I’m always excited to get out on to the pitch ... the stadiums, it’s a new environment for me, I’ve never been here. So that would probably be the most

“So you’ve got to be able to nail your yorkers, slower balls as well – you’ve got to be able to use the field as best as possible.

“I can see pretty big boundaries here. (You) have to use that as best as you can.”

FLYING THE FLAG Earlier this year, when South Africa hosted Australia for a Test series - infamously remembered for the ball-tam-

pering scandal which saw Steven Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft suspended by Cricket Australia Ngidi was competing with the now-retired Morne Morkel for a place in the side.

Ngidi picked up five wickets in the second Test against Australia at Port Elizabeth, including the key wicket of Warner. He is aware that shortpitched bowling is going to be a potent weapon on the pitches in Australia.

With the 50-over World Cup scheduled next year, Ngidi recognises that one-dayers have added context now as teams begin to settle their squads and finalise their best combinations.

“There’s always been a good competition between South Africa and Australia in terms of cricket, but there is that hint of World Cup preparation,” he said.

“As well as two great teams competing against each other I think this is going to be one of the best chances (for the teams) to look at their World Cup preparation.”

For Ngidi, playing for South Africa on the world stage instils in him a great sense of pride.

“There are a few million there that would love to be in the position that I’m in,” the fast bowler said. “I’m out here in Australia with the opportunity to represent them.

“So I’m flying the South African flag high and that makes me very proud as a cricketer and as a person.”

GBTI banks on GCC ladies hockey team

The GBTI GCC Ladies hockey team

See story on page 39

Grosvenor leads Rome Athletics Club to 84-run victory

Jermaine Grosvenor (left) and Tuen Hicks were the key performers for the victors.

A GOOD all-round performance from Jermaine Grosvenor propelled Rome Athletics Club to an 84-run victory over Uprising last Sunday in the East Bank of Demerara Cricket Association (EBDCA)/Neville Sarjoo Memorial 40-over cricket tournament at the YMCA ground.

Grosvenor scored 57 runs before returning to grab four wickets for 25 runs with his medium pace bowling.

Rome won the toss and batted. They reached 250, before they were bowled out in 28.3 overs. For the third wicket Grosvenor, who batted at number four, and wicketkeeper opener Tuen Hicks added 95 runs.

Hicks smacked seven fours and two sixes in his score of 55, while Grosvenor was initially watchful before hitting six fours and three sixes. Damion Whitney also blasted a quick-fire 47 (4x4, 6x4) towards the end.

Bowling for Uprising, off-spinner Keshan Persaud grabbed three wickets, including that of Hicks, for 46 runs from six overs, while Dion Thomas and Ganesh Baulkaran picked up two wickets each.

In reply, Steve Jowahir played a few shots in his score of 60 (4x4, 5x6), but he had little support, as Grosvenor bowled on target. Mohamed Baksh added 26 (1x4, 2x6) not out.

England use three wicketkeepers in warm-up match

ENGLAND used three wicketkeepers on the opening day of their two-day tour match against a Sri Lanka Board President’s XI, who declared at 329-9.

With Jonny Bairstow recovering from an ankle injury, England gave Jos Buttler, Ben Foakes and Ollie Pope time behind the stumps in Colombo.

The hosts had 90 overs, regardless of wickets, and three batsmen retired after making half-centuries.

England will bat under the same playing conditions today.

Both teams could field 14 men. The touring side used eight bowlers - seven before lunch - though Ben Stokes instead spent long periods in the nets.

As well as rotating his wicketkeepers, England captain Joe Root gave the second new ball to leg-spin bowlers Adil Rashid and Joe Denly.

Root had said on Monday that Buttler was likely to stand in should Bairstow not be fit for the first Test, which starts on Tuesday, November 6.

England did not make a breakthrough until the 39th over, when James Anderson found the edge of Lahiru Thirimanne.

And Stuart Broad, whose place in the Test team is reported to be in doubt, failed to strike in his 11 overs.

The spinners made an impact as the day wore on, Moeen Ali taking a wicket either side of tea, Rashid striking later in the session and Denly claiming a wicket with the last ball of the day. (BBC Sport)

41

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Bacchus Sports Club Let Smith, Warner, to tour Suriname for Bancroft play, says ACA series of T20 matches THE Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) has reiterated its call for the bans of Steven Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft to be lifted in the light of the findings of the cultural reviews into Australian cricket.

The Longstaff review said the events of Newlands were not a one-off and were caused by the pervading culture of Cricket Australia which the players association called “hugely significant”.

Smith and Warner are currently serving a oneyear ban while Bancroft was sanctioned for nine months for the ball-tampering scandal in March.

“What the Longstaff Review reveals is that Cricket Australia itself must also take a share of responsibility for what happened in South Africa,” Greg Dyer, the ACA president, said. “Yes, this moment of madness was ‘individual’ but now there is evidence and independent verification of system failure as well. This is hugely significant.

“With this new information, common sense, common decency, basic fairness, proportionality and natural justice demand that the pun-

ishment be reduced. The players have already lost time in the game, chances to play for Australia, endured public humiliation and faced massive financial penalties.

In short, Australia’s cricket players ‘get it’. We assure you. The players ‘get it’. The players understand.”

A Cricket Australia spokesperson said: “We

Steve Smith (left) and David Warner

“My message to Cricket Australia is a simple one: these contrite men have been punished enough. Let these contrite men play.

“I add that the ACA will be relentless in pursuing this end.

“Finally, I also offer a message to the Australian public on behalf of the ACA.

have seen the Australian Cricketers’ Association press conference and note they will be making a submission to the CA Board in the next 48 hours. We look forward to engaging directly with the ACA in a positive and constructive manner in the best interests of the game.”

Speaking in the wake of the publication of the reviews, CA chairman David Peever said there was no chance of the punishments being rescinded.

“Sanctions were carried out and imposed by the board after a very full and thoughtful process. So the sanctions stand,” Peever said.

Yesterday, the new CA CEO, Kevin Roberts, also indicated there would be no early route back for the trio, citing the appeals path that was open to the players when the sanctions were handed down.

“There’s no provision to review the sanctions,” Roberts told 116SEN. “There’s an appeals mechanism which was available to the players before the sanctions were finalised.

I really empathise with each of the three players and have chatted with them in recent weeks. They are experiencing a challenging time. They made a serious mistake.

“I’m getting as many people saying to me the sanctions are too harsh as those who say they aren’t harsh enough. We want to keep supporting the players.”

(ESPN Cricinfo).

Bacchus XI, Reliance Hustlers through to semi-finals in Central Essequibo T20 Festival THE final preliminary round of the Central Essequibo-sponsored T20 Festival was played last Sunday with Bacchus XI and Reliance Hustlers topping their respective groups to book semi-final places.

Playing at Affiance No.1 ground, Reliance Hustlers humbled hosts Affiance Sports Club by 6 wickets. Batting first after winning the toss, Affiance struggled to 89-7 in their allotted 20 overs.

Badesh Parsotam’s battling 24 (2x4) and Zaman Ally’s 15 were the only double-digit scores. Extras contributed a healthy 25. Penetrative seam bowling by Jamal Fraser accounted for figures of 3-18 from 4 overs while Trevis Simon’s wily off-spin also gave him excellent returns of 3-20 from his 4 overs.

The Hustlers were then in a hurry as they wasted little time in racing to victory. Opener Mark Austin was in vintage mood slamming an unbeaten 44, laced with 6x4 and 2x6 to lead the charge.

With a cameo from Brumesh Narine whose brisk 22 counted 2x4 and 1x6, the Hustlers reached 90-4 in 10.4 overs to clinch a convincing six-wicket win and top group A. Over at the Imam Bacchus ground also in Affiance, hosts Bacchus XI claimed a slim 18run victory over Queenstown Sports Club. In a game reduced

to 15 overs due to a late start, Bacchus XI opted to bat first and posted 143-7 in 15 overs.

Former national Youth batsman Nathan Persaud made an impressive 49 (4x4, 2x6) to spearhead his side’s total. He received useful support from Yogeshwar Lall 28 (2x4, 1x6) and an unbeaten 26 from Latchman Rohit (5x4).

Former national Youth

Nathan Persaud

off-spinner Akil Wallace claimed 3-24 from his 3 overs.

In reply, Queenstown were kept in the hunt with Herry Green stroking 29 (4x4, 1x6) and Mervin Seymour 25 (3x4, 1x6).

However, their departure in quick succession erased their hopes as only extras with 22 bolstered the score sheet.

At the expiration of their 15 overs, Queenstown were stable at 125-5 for a narrow defeat.

Rohit returned with the ball to produce figures of 3-10 from his 3 overs. Meanwhile the semi-final playoffs will see Reliance Hustlers take on Queenstown Sports Club on Sunday, November 4 at the Reliance ground while Bacchus XI will do battle with Reliance Masters the following week at the Imam Bacchus ground in Affiance.

Umpires Deva Dass and Wazeer Dhanraj will officiate.

Cash incentives and trophies are at stake, including prizes for outstanding individual performances, compliments of the Central Essequibo Cricket Committee. (Elroy Stephney)

BACCHUS Sports Club of Affiance on the Essequibo Coast will embark on a historic one-week tour of Suriname for a series of T20 matches.

They will be hosted by the Amarshakti Sports Club of Paramaribo for matches starting tomorrow. The team will be led by former national Youth opening batsman Yogeshwar Lall with another former national player Latchman Rohit also included in the squad.

The duo will lead a strong batting line-up that will also include former national batsmen Nathan Persaud and Parmesh Parsotam, along with Neiland Cadogan and Parmeshwer Persaud, all of whom have been in fine form in the current domestic competition.

The bowling department will be bolstered by the pace of the hostile Neiland Cadogan and Lallbachan Narine with all-rounders Ganesh Mangal, Rodwin Gordon and Navendra Persaud expected to provide key support.

The team, however, will be without the key services of Wayne Osborne, Kulraj Persaud and Punraj Singh due to work commitments.

However, according to tour manager Rohan Budhram, the players are confident and are expected to excel on the tour.

The full squad reads: Yogeshwar Lall (captain), Latchman Rohit, Parmesh Parsotam, Nathan Persaud, Parmeshwar Persuader, Ganesh Mangal, Neiland Cadogan, Navendra Persaud, Mohendra Balbadar, Lallbachan Narine, Rodwin Gordon, Mohindar Persaud and Zaman Ally. Manager is Sam Bacchus, tour manager is Rohan Budhram and coach is Boyzie Balbadar.

The Amarshakti Sports Club will pay a reciprocal visit to Guyana to compete with their hosts at a later date.

LABA plans three tournaments to end 2018 season

FOLLOWING a meeting of the Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA) last Thursday night it was decided that three competitions will be run off for the by yearend and the venue targeted is the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court.

An Under-21 inter-club basketball championship is planned to start on November 2 and continue on November 4, 9 and 11 and the competing clubs are Victory Valley Royals, Half Mile Bulls, Amelia’s Ward Jets, Block 22 Flames and Bankers Trust Falcons.

After that the ‘Fat’ Wayne Andries Memorial Big Four and 3-point shootout tournament will be staged in honour of the recent passing of Andries who was one of Linden’s best players.

That two-day competition is set for the MSC hard court on November 17 and 20, when the final and a shootout competition will be held. Teams expected to take part are Victory Valley Royals, Half Mile Bulls, Amelia’s Ward Falcons and Retrieve Raiders.

The year-end tournament is set for December and five clubs - Victory Valley Royals, Half Mile Bulls, Amelia’s Ward Jets, Block 22 Flames and Bankers Trust Falcons - are set to contest.

42

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Jeremy Garrett – creating history with LSU Eunice

By Rawle Toney JEREMY Garrett, Guyana’s National U-20 captain, is enjoying a fruitful start to his stint at the Louisiana University (LSU) Eunice, after playing an integral role in guiding the institution to their historic maiden National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA) 2018 Region 23 Men’s Soccer Championship.

“Jeremy is a player who joined our team late in the pre-season, but because of his personality and ability as a player, he gelled with our team very quickly,” LSU Eunice head coach Josh McReynolds told Chronicle Sport when asked about the 18-year-old Guyanese’s impact on the ‘Bengals’.

Garrett, despite his age, is considered as one of the Guyana’s top defenders and with his local club Fruta Conquerors and former high school Chase Academy, he has proved his worth.

The former National U-17 captain departed Guyana a few months ago after accepting a full scholarship offer from the University

that competes on the NJCAA circuit.

Known also for his success academically, Garrett pointed out that upon his completion of his two-year programme at LSU Eunice, his desire is to continue studying Rehabilitation Science.

ciency Examination (CAPE) during his time at the Henry Chase-owned school in Georgetown.

McReynolds describes Garrett as “reliable on the field in possession of the ball, and helped us to be confident and comfortable when building

Guyana’s National U-20 captain Jeremy Garrett in action for LSU Eunice

“Balancing playing and academics is not that hard since I’m accustomed to it by now. Many would know it’s the same thing basically at Chase Academy,” said Garrett, who excelled at both the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination and Caribbean Advanced Profi-

from the back.”

“He’s obviously young and still has some maturing to do, but as far as dedication he’s a young man who is committed to improving the areas of his game which need work, and thus far we have been very pleased with the work he’s put in,” McReynolds said.

Garrett will lead coach Wayne Dover’s 20-man squad at the November 1-22 CONCACAF U-20 Championship at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, USA, with the charismatic defender telling Chronicle Sport that “to be given the leadership role is not

Josh McReynolds – LSU Eunice football coach

something new to me. However, it helps me to enhance and sharpen my leadership abilities and guidance to the other players.”

According to Garrett, “Playing here in the US helps to sharpen my awareness, since the games are being played at a reasonably high intensity, which also

GCC, Hikers share the spoils on Day 2 of GTT National Indoor Hockey Championships GEORGETOWN Cricket Club (GCC) and Hikers shared the spoils in the men’s and women’s first division competitions while the SHC Silencers chalked up their first second division win in the annual GTT National Indoor Hockey Championships at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Bounty GCC seemed the likely favourites going into their men’s first division match against the inexperienced Supernova, but the youngsters made it hard work for the seasoned Bourda boys.

After some well-fought opening minutes, GCC began to wear on the structure of the Supernova side and found their way through for a few goal-scoring opportunities.

GCC finally got their breakthrough and first goal of the match through a converted penalty stroke by Kevin Spencer.

Supernova pressed on, however and in the final minute of the first half, Warren Williams capitalised on a GCC defensive mix-up to draw the game even.

Although GCC had the greater possession and more opportunities, Supernova fought to the end but could not avoid conceding the victory when Kareem McKenzie hammered home the game winner for GCC in the 24th minute for a 2-1 win.

The Woodpecker Hikers versus Bingo Spartans women’s first division match was almost iden-

tical to the men’s match as the experienced Hikers came through a hard-fought battle to steal a 2-1 victory in the closing minutes.

While the Hikers appeared the stronger side and created more opportunities, the youthful Spartans were more competitive than expected and came close to drawing the match when Sarah Klautky’s penalty corner strike in the second half rattled the uprights.

minutes from full time secured the 2-1 win for the Woodpecker Hikers.

Vintage GCC cruised to a 7-1 victory over Antonio’s Hickers in their first Over-35 match of the competition while GBTI GCC Spice gave the Bingo Spartans their second loss of the night, this time in the women’s second division competition by 3-1.

In the men’s second division matches, the SHC Silencers

enzie 1. Supernova – Warren Williams 1 WOMEN Division 1 Woodpecker Hikers defeated Bingo Spartans by 2–1. Woodpecker Hikers – Nicole Eastman 1, Latacia Chung 1. Bingo Spartans – Abosaide Cadogan MEN Division 2 SHC Silencers defeated Phoenix 2-1. SHC Silencers – Seon Sookhai 1, Robert Fernandes 1. Phoenix – Robert Brummel 1 Hikers Cadets drew with Old Fort Rogue 2–2. Hikers Cadets – Tremane Cole 1, Sherwyn Caesar 1. Old Fort Rogue – Chris Low 1, Kennard Jerrick 1 WOMEN Division 2 GBTI GCC Spice beat the Bingo GCC Spartans 3-1. GBTI GCC Spice – Tricia Fiedtkou 1, Vanessa Pires 1, Dominique DeGroot 1. Bingo GCC Spartans – Abosaide Cadogan 1

Kevin Spencer scores a penalty stroke against goalkeeper Paul D’Andrade of Supernova.

Hikers captain Nicole East- edged past Phoenix by 2-1 while man opened the Hikers account the Hikers Cadets and Old Fort in the 14th minute with a penalty Rogue battled to a 2-2 draw.

Results are as follows: corner flick high into the right side of the Spartans net.

MEN Division 1 Abosaide Cadogan manBounty GCC defeaed Suaged to draw level for the Spartans two minutes later but pernova by 2–1. Bounty GCC a Latacia Chung goal three – Kevin Spencer 1, Kareem McK-

Over-35 Division GCC Vintage thrashed Antonio’s Hickers by 7-1. GCC Vintage – Kevin Spencer 3, Devin Hooper 2, Dwayne Scott 1, Philip Fernandes 1. Antonio’s Hickers – Devin Munroe 1 Matches continue at 17:00hrs throughout the week with the finals on Sunday (November 4).

forces my technique to right up there, not forgetting my fitness. Overall the stint here in the US is paying off.”

The LSU Eunice coach, McReynolds, is of the opinion that Garrett’s continued involvement in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) National programmes at both the youth and senior levels will provide the young Guyanese defender the opportunity to grow as a player.

“When representing your country there will always be pressure, whether internal or external. As a player you should look forward to that pressure because you want to seek out the highest level of the game available to you. That pressure will challenge and test you. When those tests come they help show areas still needing improvement, and also can give you confidence in the areas where you perform well,” McReynolds posited.

McReynolds further reasoned, “Being able to be critical of your abilities, hungry to improve yourself and confident in the work you have already put in to prepare for

those moments of pressure are huge components of player development.”

The LSU Eunice Bengals will play their next game on November 2 against North Texas Community College, as they attempt to clinch a spot in the NJCAA National Championships. Guyana will open their CONCACAF U-20 campaign against Guatemala from 10:30hrs on the same day.

Following their opening game against Guatemala, Guyana will clash with the Cayman Islands on November 6, and will then face Curacao on November 8 before closing their group stage against El Salvador on November 10.

Guyana’s squad: Johnathan Vaughn (GK), Jamaine Cumberbatch (GK), Michael Luke, Nixon Robertson, Lionel Holder, Kwai MarshBrown, Jeremy Garrett (captain), Cecil Jackman, Ryan Hackett, Job Caesar, Jalen Case, Kelsey Benjamin, Nicholas McArthur, Hudson Hazlewood, Ryan Dowding, Raushan Ritch, Bevan Baker, Thair Britton, Leon Richardson and Chris Macey.

Hamilton Green 9-A-Side football

Plaisance, Agricola, Crane, Kuru Kururu among teams to advance

ACTION in the Hamilton Green 9-a-side Inter-Ward/Village KO Cup football, which is being held to commemorate the 84th Birth Anniversary of the former Mayor of Georgetown, is set to resume this Sunday with round-of-16 play, at the Den Amstel Community Centre ground.In the opening encounter, Plaisance will face Sophia from 17:00hrs and this clash will be followed by the game between Central Mackenzie and Mahaica at 17:30hrs.

Newtown Kitty then oppose Wolves at 18:00hrs, before Sara Lodge battle Kuru Kururu at 18:30hrs.

Up next will be the contest between Uitvlugt and Stewartville from 19:00hrs. Goed Fortuin and Sophia (B) collide at 19:30hrs.

Crane and Wales square off from 20:00hrs, before Pouderoyen and West Side Masters bring the curtain down at 20:30hrs.

Meanwhile, in last Sunday’s results: Newtown Kitty advanced via a penalty shootout win over Zeelugt; Sophia beat Soesdyke 1-0 through a goal from Peter Smith.

Wales defeated Vergenoegen 1-0, courtesy of a solitary strike from Randy McFarlane, while Leon Moore netted for Agricola in their 1-0 triumph over Bagotstown.

Kuru Kururu then eased past De Kinderen 2-0 with Joseph Walker and Michael Charles being the players on target.

Crane beat Den Amstel Back Street 1-0 with Donsford Williams netting the winning goal, while Plaisance squeezed past Jetty 1-0 with Kevin Liverpool, the goalscorer.

In excess of $700 000 and lots of prizes are up for grabs including the coveted first prize of $400 000 and the championship trophy, compliments of the Ministry of Citizenship.

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

The Most Valuable Player will be awarded a special prize from Techno Mills.

The tournament is being co-ordinated by former national player-coach Lennox Arthur.

43

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Sammy urges fans to purchase tickets for upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC) – Two-time Twenty20 World Cup-winning captain, Darren Sammy, has urged fans to buy their tickets for the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup being staged in the Caribbean, and throw their full support behind the hosts who are defending champions.

The 34-year-old, who is also a Cricket West Indies (CWI) ambassador and has been promoting the November 9-24 tournament, on Monday purchased 50 tickets for each match-day of the St Lucia leg as a personal show of commitment.

Over-the-counter tickets sales started on Monday morning in the three host territories – St Lucia, Antigua and Guyana – and Sammy was among the first patrons to secure his tickets.

While the former Test and one-day captain did not disclose who would be the recipients of the tickets, he said he would be donating to “the people of St Lucia”.

“I want to urge everyone to get those tickets. Traditionally, we St Lucians like to buy our tickets over the counter, so this will be the most important stage of the sales,” he said during a

Alita Moore (centre) was outstanding in the sprints for Police.

By Faizool Deo HEAD coach of the Guyana Police Force track and field team, Lyndon Wilson, is optimistic that his charges will continue their dominance in the Inter-Service Annual Athletics Championships (ISAAC) after they beat the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) on the final day of the event last Friday.

Speaking to Chronicle Sport on Monday, the Police coach said that he was impressed with his athletes and how they executed their game plan, which resulted in their dethroning GDF as competition winners.

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) won the competition, which also included swimming and road race, by 95 points.

The women spearheaded the GPF to 1 099 points compared

media briefing at the venue, after purchasing his tickets and making good on an earlier promise to do so.

“This is going to a huge event in the region – we have not hosted a global cricket

tournament since 2010 – so make sure you don’t miss out.

Make sure you get your tickets and come out and support the women and the game of cricket.”

Ticket for the group stage

Former West Indies Test captain Darren Sammy poses with the fans at the launch of over-the-counter ticket sales in St Lucia.

Wilson confident that Police can hold on to ISAAC title to the army’s 1 004 points.

“We stuck to our plan, executed well and strengthened our weak areas from previous years, especially the officers and senior NCO (non-commission officer) races.”

The long-time coach was also impressed by the performance of his female athletes in the longer distances. Police’s Kezra Murray won the 800m while her teammate Shaunsel Adams finished second. In the 3 000m, Murray claimed victory against another teammate (Tabitha Bowman), while Murray settled for second place in the 1500m behind another Police athlete Jevina Sampson. Bowman finished third in that event.

It was all Alita Moore in the sprints on the final day. The 24-year-old was crowned joint

champion female athlete with teammate Natasha Alder, after winning the 100m, the 200m, the 400m and playing an instrumental part in the 4x100m win.

Alder was also impressive. She won the shot put, javelin and discus, while Cindy Fraser won the high jump and finished second in the long jump.

Wilson said he was encouraged by the showing of several male athletes, including sprint double winner Davin Fraser, 1500m winner Anfernee Headecker and Winston Missigher who defeated GDF’s Cleveland Ford in the 5 000m.

Wilson added that his athletes are set to get even better by the next championships, and with the current support of the GPF administration, he feels that they will start a reign of their own.

matches at the Guyana National Stadium and the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia will go at just US$3 and US$4 respectively, in an effort to ensure more people across the Caribbean have access to the event.

The semi-finals, scheduled for the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua, will see tickets start at US$7, with the final at the same venue priced at US$11. A combination ticket package for the semis and final is priced at only US$15.

Sammy stressed that the upcoming tournament could be a “huge event” for the island and the most important event in the region for 2018.

“Women’s cricket is growing … growing really fast.

This is about me showing my support for women’s cricket.

As an ambassador, I felt it was important for me to contribute to this great event, which will be the biggest thing happening in the Caribbean this year,” he pointed out.

“When you hear of a world tournament, no matter what sport it is, it’s something prestigious. So my contribution is to make sure people come into every match and enjoy the biggest thing in St Lucia.”

He continued: “Momen-

tum is building and we have already seen teams arriving so this is a sign that ‘we are ready’. The countdown is on just 11 days to go now.

“And remember, we are the champions. West Indies won it in 2016 and we all need to support our Stafanie Taylor and her amazing team as they defend the title.

You won’t want to miss this … ‘watch this’.”

Earlier, Dave Richardson, CEO of the ICC also made a plea for fans to support the event.

“This is the first-ever standalone ICC Women’s World T20 event and there is no better place to host it than in the West Indies with the home team as defending champions,” he said.

“I’d love to see West Indian cricket fans come out in force to support the world’s best cricketers and watch the world champions defend their title on home soil. This event belongs to the Caribbean and its cricket fans.”

Fans attending matches can expect full music concerts for no extra charge.

Some of the biggest names and best voices on the music scene will be on stage with Trinidadian soca star Patrice Roberts and popular Jamai-

can dancehall performer, Shenseea set to headline the shows on match days in Guyana and St Lucia.

The duo will also perform at the final in Antigua on November 24. They are the voices behind the tournament song ‘Watch This’, which has been the rallying call for fans to support the tournament.

Trinidadian soca band, Kes The Band, will be the headliners for the showpiece concert after the final at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground while Tanya Stephens from Jamaica will perform at the semi-finals on November 22.

The first standalone ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will also see the Decision Review System (DRS) used for the first time in any ICC World Twenty20 event, ensuring consistency in the use of technology in top world-level events.

West Indies will do battle in Group A along with England, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh while Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Ireland will compete in Group B. This is the sixth edition of the tournament. Australia have won the title three times while England and the West Indies have won once each.

and SR3 radicals along with the local classes including the Superstock motorcycles.

The overseas competition will see drivers from Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), Jamaica and Canada as well as competitors out of Europe.

Tickets for the packed 27-race two-day meet are on sale at the cost of $2 500; children $1 000 at the GMR&SC’s Thomas Lands office.

On Saturday there will be the time trials beginning

at 10:00hrs in all the classes; followed by official races in the Street Cross Motorcycle, 125cc Motorcycle, Street Tuner, Choke Starlet Cup and Sports Tuner which will be 10 laps each from 13:20hrs.

The feature race on Saturday will see 20 gruelling laps in the first anticipated clash in the SR3 Radicals Cup. Meanwhile on Sunday, racing fans’ hunger for scorching action will be well satisfied with a packed 19race programme set for the November 11.

Sankar’s Auto Works joins Ignite panel GMR&SC’s Saurica Singh collects sponsorship from Sankar’s Auto Works.

SANKAR’S Auto Works is the latest company to join the sponsorship train, for the Ignite race meet of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC).

Set for November 10 and 11, the company handed over the sponsorship under their Valvoline brand last week to Saurica Singh of the GMR&SC ahead of the event.

The anticipated event is expected to be the culmination of the 2018 season of CMRC for the Groups 1-5 as well as the Superstocks

The Irish are here!

First team to arrive for ICC Women’s T20 World Cup … Warm-up match set for this weekend

Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr George Norton poses with the Ireland National Women’s T20 Team at the Marriott Hotel after their arrival Monday night in Guyana. (Delano Williams photo)

National Schools Championships Police athletes earn promotions set for November 25-30 See page 39

Some of the promoted Police athletes pose with the Commissioner of Police Leslie James.

FLASHBACK! The Upper Demerara/Kwakwani team are all smiles as they show off their hardware. (Delano Williams photo)

THE Commissioner of Police Leslie James DSS, DSM and his administrative team yesterday met with the GPF athletes who competed in the recently concluded Inter-Service Annual Athletics Championships (ISAAC).

The Commissioner congratulated the ranks for their outstanding performances and for emerging victorious at the championships.

Police ended the threeyear reign of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) after a strong final day at the Eve Leary ground on Friday. The lawmen finished

on 1 099 points, while GDF ended with 1 004 points, the Guyana Fire Service with 223 points and the Guyana Prison Service with 107.

Commissioner James urged the ranks to continue training and maintain good discipline, set goals and work towards achieving them. He also told the athletes, “Our goal now is to ensure that we retain the title at next year’s Championships and remain the champions in years to come.”

Selected ranks were rewarded for their outstanding performance as the Com-

Sammy urges fans to purchase tickets for upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

missioner made on-thespot promotions and recommendations for monetary awards.

Among those promoted were Woman Constable 21235 Cindy Fraser to Corporal, Woman Lance Corporal 23949 Alita Moore to Corporal, Rural Constable Gavin Fraser to Rural Corporal, Rural Constable Winston Missigher to Rural Corporal, and Special Corporal 13858 Carey Bookey to Special Sergeant.

Six coaches along with high jumper Rural Constable T. Boyce will all receive monetary awards.

See page 43 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2018