Guyana Chronicle E-paper 11-13-2018

TUESDAY

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday November 13, 2018

13th NOVEMBER, 2018

No.105457

PPP accused of intimidating, harassing voters 10 PAGE

New consciousness rising …PM says Guyanese more conscious of needs of communities

Big parties hold on to bases …preliminary results show towns split between APNU, PPP

By Svetlana Marshall and Lisa Hamilton The two major political parties have maintained their hold on their traditional support bases with the government A Partnership for National Unity projected to win five of the 10 municipali-

ties, while the opposition collected the other five with slim wins in Mabaruma and Lethem.

Based on preliminary results seen by this newspaper APNU is projected to win big in Georgetown, Linden and Bartica. They will also win Mahdia and New Amsterdam.

The opposition People’s Progres-

sive Party will hold on to those it has held over the years- Corriverton, Rose Hall and Anna Regina, while picking up Mabaruma and Lethem. For Lethem the PPP reportedly won five of the 10 seats with four going to APNU and one to the AFC. Political observers say this is a virtual tie as the AFC’s

candidate will likely support APNU at the council.

Meanwhile, preliminary results for the majority of Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) were not released by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

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03 Unions accuse UG administration of refusing to engage 22 PAGE

An elderly voter defied all odds to cast her ballot at a polling station on the East Coast Demerara during Monday’s Local Government Elections (Samuel Maughn photo)

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Big parties hold on to bases ...

REGION ONE – MABARUMA Based on preliminary results coming out of Municipality of Mabaruma, Region One in the Proportional Representation component of the Local Government Elections, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) took the lead with 584 votes followed

by APNU with 408 votes and the AFC with 51 votes.

However, Guyana Chronicle was unable at the time to determine the winning candidates for the First-PastThe-Post Component of the Elections.

REGION TWO (POMEROONSUPENAAM) In the Proportional Representation Component for the Evergreen-Paradise Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) won five seats on the council of 16 after securing 909 votes. The A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) secured three (3) seats on the council after raking in 540 votes. The United Republic Party only pulled 20 votes, and as such, did not secure any seats under this component for Evergreen-Paradise.

In the First-Past-The-Post Component for Constituency No. 4 in the Evergreen-Paradise Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) in Region 2 (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Audrey Garraway secured her spot on the Council of 16 after defeating Marlyn Featherson. Garraway se-

cured 93 votes while Featherson only managed to pull 71 votes.

In Constituency No. 5, Keith Maurice Belfield secured a seat on the council of 16 after raking in 136 votes from a total of 138.

Over in Constituency No. 6 – Darmouth (North West), Akeel Shepherd secured 155 votes from a total 162, thereby winning a seat on the council.

For Constituency No. 7 – Dartmouth (South West), Aldrin Shepherd secured 128 votes winning himself a seat on the NDC. He came up against Inez Grant who only managed to pull 14 votes. Results for the other Constituencies for the Evergreen-Paradise Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) in the First-PastThe-Post component of the elections were still being tabulated up to press time.

REGION 4 – GEORGETOWN In the City of Georgetown, APNU is expected to maintain a strong presence on the council. Preliminary Results for the 15 constituencies in the country’s capital were not released by GECOM; however, based on statements of polls posted at polling places, Deputy Mayor Akeem Peter was leading the way in Constituency Five. Voters’ confidence in Mayor Patricia Chase-Green was expressly known in Constituency 12, where she is leading in the First-Past-the Post Component of the Local

Government Elections.

REGION FIVE – MAHAICA- BERBICE With 8 out of 10 Local Authority Area (LAAs) areas in Region Five (Mahaica – Berbice) tallied, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is thus far in the lead by a less than 100-vote gap.

Statistics reaching the Guyana Chronicle on Monday evening from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) show that in the Proportional Representation (PR) component in the area APNU secured some 5900 votes.

Coming close behind was the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) with some 5826 votes.

The scores according to the LAAs are as follows: Woodlands/Bel Air - PPP 401, APNU 283; Hamlet/ Chance - APNU 465, PPP 7; Profit/Rising Sun - APNU 987, PPP 215; Blairmont/ Gelderland - PPP 1349, APNU 285, AFC 93; Mahaicony/Abary – PPP1279, APNU 662; Seafield/Tempie – APNU 881, PPP 409; Union/Naarstigheid – APNU 1509, PPP 1390, AFC 267; Woodlands/Farm – APNU 828, PPP 776; Meanwhile, in the Hamelt/Chance LAA the only score coming in for firstpast-the-post (FPTP) candidates is APNU Gloria Vaux, a house keeper from Strath Campbell, who snatched 120 votes. At LAA Profit / Rising Sun, FPTP Candidate representing the United For Community Development (UFCD) Eon Warde stole the show for Constituency 4 with 183 votes.

Coming behind was Progress For All FPTP Candidate Kelvin Mingo of Constituency 2 who copped 162 votes.

At Woodlands/Bel Air

APNU’s Simonica London-Browne representing Constituency 2 led with 125 votes while the party’s Wilbert Innis led in Mahaicony/ Abary with 263 votes.

In Blairmont/Gelderland Oomarlall Nowrang, a PPP Candidate led with 490 votes; in Seafield/Tempie APNU’s Delon Crawford led with 155 votes; in Union/Naarstigheid APNU’s Orin Jacobs took the lead with 304 while Woodlands/Farm was secured by PPP’s Nowrang Panchu.

Region Six – Rose Hall In the Municipality of Rose Hall on East Berbice, Corentyne, the PPP/C according to preliminary results has won six (6) of the eight (8) constituencies.

The numbers show a 46 per cent voters’ turnout in the Township or 1951 of the approximately 4,200 voters registered. The PPP/C based on statements of poll copped 1203 of the votes while APNU only raked in 721 and the URP 23 votes.

Region Seven – Bartica Based on reliable information reaching the Guyana Chronicle, in the Municipality of Bartica APNU copped 12 of the 18 seats while the PPP secured five (5) and the AFC one (1). In the Proportional Representation Component of the Elections, the APNU in Bartica secured five (5) seats while for the FirstPast-The-Post Component, it raked it seven (7) additional votes.

In the case of the PPP, it secured three (3) seats in the Proportional Representation Component and another two seats in the First-Past-ThePost Component. The AFC secured its single seat in the Proportional Representation aspect of the elections.

REGION EIGHT – MAHDIA

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday November 13, 2018

From page 1 Over in the recently declared Town of Mahdia, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) won 2 seats on the Council of 8 under the Proportional Representation Component of the elections after securing 253 votes. The Alliance for Change (AFC) and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) both won one seat each after securing 86 and 91 votes respectively.

In the First-Past-The-Post Component of the elections in Mahdia, in Constituency No. 1 – Uewang/Mahdia Plateau West – Dennis Boalt won with 69 votes while in Constituency No. 2 – Mahdia Plateau East – Davis Adams won with 78 votes. Meanwhile, in Constituency No. 3 – Potaro Road/Eagle Mountain, Juewayne Burrowes won with 83 seats, and Constituency No. 5 – Konawak Essequibo, Amanda Solomon won by way of a no contest.

Region Nine – Lethem In the Municipality of Lethem, in Constituency One, APNU’s Youlanda Richmond- Moffett got 117; People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C)’s John Fredericks secured 83 votes and the Alliance for Change (AFC)’s candidate, Ryan Alcides got 40 votes. Richmond-Moffett won in that Constituency.

Results for Constituency Two are still pending, however, in Constituency Three, PPP/C’s John Macedo secured 193 votes while APNU’s Wendella Franklin got 129 votes; AFC’s Lilian Joseph-Cumberbatch got 38.

Macedo won his constituency and will now form part of the new council.

Over in Constituency Four, APNU’s Olive Atkinson D’Aguiar won with 114 votes; PPP/C’s Megan Thomas got 83 and AFC’s Ahrens Landry secured 45

votes.

Meanwhile in Constituency Five, incumbent Mayor, Kerry Jarvis got 57 votes while PPP/C’s Jason Wilson secured 79 votes. The Guyana Chronicle was unable to receive information from Constituency Two. In the Proportional Representation Category, the PPP/C got two seats with 676 votes and APNU won two seats with 528 votes.

In 2016, the APNU+AFC coalition which contested the LGEs together got, 662 votes while the PPP/C secured 457 votes, giving the parties three and two seats respectively.

REGION 10 (UPPER DEMERARA-UPPER BERBICE) – LINDEN In the First-Past-The-Post Component for the Municipality of Linden , A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Stephen Massiah won a seat on the council of 16 after raking in 289 votes in Constituency No. 2 (Retrieve/Kara Kara).

In Constituency No. 3 – Central Mackenzie, APNU Leroy Anthony James secured 185 votes, thereby winning a seat on the council.

Constituency No. 4 – Washer Pond to Siberien – was won by APNU Wainewright Bethune who copped 209 votes.

Preliminary results for the other constituencies under the First-Past-ThePost Component for Linden were still being tabulated

by GECOM up to press time. The situation was the same for the Proportional Representation Component for that Local Authority Area (LAA) – a known stronghold for the APNU.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday November 13, 2018

New consciousness rising

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…PM says Guyanese more conscious of needs of communities

By Svetlana Marshall AMID concerns about voter turnout at Monday’s Local Government Elections, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo who is performing duties as President said Guyanese are more conscious of their civic duty and the needs of their communities.

He made the remarks shortly after casting his vote at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal where he told reporters that the Coalition Government has introduced two local government elections in just three years compared to two in the previous fifty years. “I feel there is a new consciousness arising in Guyana, a consciousness that is coming from bottom up, which is good for Guyana, which is good for the health of

that most people are now, more than ever, conscious about the needs of their own communities and they are looking towards leaders who will sit in their councils,” he said.

The prime minister said based on his interaction on the ground, residents are calling for better infrastructure such as roads and drains, street lights, market facilities, playground and community centres. “They want cleaner burial grounds. Most of the burial grounds are not being kept by the local authorities and they become dumping grounds for garbage, and this has been the pattern through the country and so people are now more conscious about the sanitation issues and they are asking that the councils that they will put in office now, that they will pay attention,”

telling persons that they can’t enter and all of that,” Leonard explained. He said the returning officer was quick to intervene and the issues were resolved.

Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Opposition Leader nominated Commissioner, Sase Gunraj, told the Guyana Chronicle that there were some teething problems reported, however, they were resolved within hours.

“For example, some of the electors were complaining about the ink on their figures.

Some people were complaining that the ink on their figures was not dark enough, they were not seeing it, there were concerns of it being wiped out,” he said, while standing outside of the Rama Krishna Primary School. A similar concern was raised by anoth-

the test for yourself. When you put your finger in that ink it comes out very light as a light purple and within minutes it gets very dark. It will get dark,” the GECOM PRO explained.

She expressed confidence that GECOM Secretariat procured the highest quality of ink for the Local Government Elections.

COLLINS PLEASED At the Redeemer Primary School, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Constituency Three Candidate, Astell Collins, said he pleased with the level of work done in the lead up to the elections, and now leaves it up to the voters.

“What I believe has happened in Campbellville, there is a resurrection of a commu-

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and his wife Mrs. Sita Nagamootoo displaying their index fingers shortly after voting at the National Aquatic Center (Delano Williams photos)

back to the notes you have been receiving during your walkabouts and prioritise them, so you know what the highest priority is for the

POLLING AGENTS Alliance for Change (AFC) Executive Member, Michael Leonard, told the Guyana Chronicle that though

Deputy City Mayor Akeem Peters

democracy that more people at the grassroots are conscious of their responsibilities as citizens,” he noted.

He said while there were no hiccups reported to him on the part of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), reports received, however, have indicated that “voting was slow but steady.”

“I receive the report also that it is not a heavy stream of voters turning up as you would have had in a National Elections. The turnout is steady, people are leaving their work to come to vote and then go back to their work places,” he said.

Looking for strong leaders He had anticipated, however, that the pace would pick up before the close of polls at 18:00hrs. Nagamootoo said people are conscious of their civic duty to vote, and are more aware of the needs of their communities. “I believe

Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson

he added.

IMPRESSIVE SYSTEM Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson, who voted at the Bel Air Lion’s Club, told the Guyana Chronicle that he was impressed with the system. According to him, the GECOM staffers were much organised.

“Countrywide we are not having any particular issues at all. This morning, there were the usual issues with polling agents going in, some of them would not have had their letters or cards, or either one or two, but thankfully, GECOM was able to sort that out,” he said.

Patterson, like Nagamootoo, expressed concern over the rate at which persons were turning up to vote. He said once the elections are over, the elected leaders must hit the ground running.

“From tomorrow you go

er GECOM Commissioner, Robeson Benn.

GECOM PPP/C Commissioner Sase Gunraj

community and then go about trying to achieve it. I know most persons may think that they don’t have money, and they start off making excuses initially but that’s not it, you go and you make representation for your NDC or municipality, don’t sit back and wait on anyone, don’t sit back and wait on Central Government to come and do it for you, you have to be the advocate for your community,” he said.

the process of voting in this year’s Local Government Elections was generally smooth, there were some reported hiccups shortly before and after the opening of polls.

“In some isolated areas you have issues where presiding officers were not completely sure of what to do.

Some of them requesting letters from polling agents, where as you don’t need the letters you just need the badge, and some of them are

INDELIBLE INK GECOM Public Relations Officer (PRO), Yolanda Ward, while at the Aquatic Centre, told reporters that she had not received reports of voters’ intimidation in Whim/ Bloomfield. However, she subsequently told this newspaper that based on initial investigation; PPP/C supporters in the area were telling other voters how to vote. The matter is being investigated.

In the case of the concern raised by the GECOM commissioner, Ward expressed disappointment, noting that the officials who have raised these concerns, have voted previously on several occasions and understand that the ink brightens with time.

“We are talking about indelible ink, and you can do

nity spirit. We have done so much with no resource but we have become resourceful as a people and as a community and we have really made a statement to the rest of the country that yes, together we can do anything, so we have cleared one of the main canals, put on light, and that was with no resources, there was a community spirit that came together and made the resources,” he explained. He is optimistic that this revolution of transformation will continue.

Deputy Mayor of the City of Georgetown Akeem Peters said the APNU has done its work. “We have placed a lot of work into constituency Five over the past couple of months and we are hopeful that the amount of works that we placed, that it pays off.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Amnesty International strips Suu Kyi of its top prize Amnesty International is stripping Myanmar’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi of its highest honour, the Ambassador of Conscience Award.

The politician and Nobel peace prize winner received the honour in 2009, when she was living under house arrest. The rights group said it was profoundly dismayed at her failure to speak out for the Rohingya minority, some 700,000 of whom have fled a military crackdown.

This is the latest honour in a string of awards Suu Kyi, 73, has lost.

“We are profoundly dismayed that you no longer represent a symbol of hope, courage, and the undying defence of human rights,” Amnesty’s Secretary General Kumi Naidoo wrote in a

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Saturday 10, November, 2018

letter to the Myanmar leader. “[Her] denial of the gravity and scale of the atrocities [against the Rohingya] means there is little prospect of the situation improving,” Naidoo said.

The organisation, which once feted her as a beacon for democracy, announced its decision on the eighth anniversary of Suu Kyi’s release from house arrest.

Aung San Suu Kyi’s unswerving pursuit of democracy for Myanmar in the face of a brutal military dictatorship brought her nearly 15 years of house arrest. It also spurred a succession of governments, cities and human rights groups around the world to bestow their honours upon her.

As far back as 1989, Amnesty International de-

Aung San Suu Kyi, seen here at a business summit in Singapore on Monday

clared Suu Kyi a “prisoner of conscience” and 20 years later awarded her its most prestigious award. Nelson Mandela had been a previous recipient.

Now, Amnesty International has written to Suu Kyi

saying it’s withdrawing its prize because - as they put it - “we can no longer justify her status as an Ambassador of Conscience”.

United Nations investigators concluded that, while she was not complicit in the

alleged genocide last year, she had failed to use her moral authority to help prevent the murder and rape of thousands of Rohingyas by the still-dominant army.

One by one, the freedoms, fellowships and even an honorary citizenship have been revoked for a civilian leader who stubbornly denies crimes against humanity have taken place on her watch.

Suu Kyi came to power as the de facto head of Bud-

09:00hrs. - 10:30hrs.

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3, 6, 6

6, 7, 6

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dhist-majority Myanmar’s civilian administration in 2016.

She has since faced international pressure, including from Amnesty International, to condemn the army’s alleged brutality against the Rohingya. However she has refused to do so.

She has also defended the jailing of two Reuters journalists investigating the killing of Rohingya Muslims.

The last time Suu Kyi spoke to the BBC in April 2017, she said: “I think ethnic cleansing is too strong an expression to use for what is happening.” Her government claims it will begin to welcome back the first groups of refugees later this week as part of a deal with Bangladesh, which has alarmed the UN and aid agencies.

The UN refugee agency wants Rohingya families to be able to return to their former villages and decide for themselves if they feel they are able to live there safely and with dignity.

(BBC)

9, November, 2018

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04 07 08 19 20 02, 03, 04, 08, 10

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Mexico: Five held for murder of politician’s child Police in the eastern Mexican state of Veracruz have arrested five people suspected of involvement in the murder of the daughter of a Congresswoman.

Valeria Cruz Medel, a medical student, was shot dead while working out in a gym in Ciudad Mendoza on Thursday.

Carmen Medel broke down when she found out about her daughter’s murder during a session of Congress.

Investigators said they believed Ms Cruz was killed by a gang in a case of mistaken identity.

Murder rates in Mexico reached a record high in 2017 with official figures suggesting that more than 25,000 people were killed that year.

Non-governmental groups say that 2018 could

top even that figure.

Footage of Carmen Medel sobbing and shouting in the Chamber of Deputies after she received a phone call informing her, her daughter had been killed made news in Mexico.

Fellow lawmakers rushed over to console Ms Medel and the session was later suspended.

Veracruz Governor Miguel Ángel Yunes said in a news conference that Ms Cruz had been the victim of “a confusion, the young woman had no links whatsoever with criminals”.

Governor Yunes said that a man known as “El Richy”, who is suspected of having shot her dead in the gym, had hours later been found murdered himself.

He said that the suspect

The wake of Valeria Cruz was held on Friday

appeared to have been killed by members of his own gang

for murdering the wrong person and thereby triggering

a police hunt for the gang members.

He said that there was little doubt the dead man was the shooter as his shoes matched the prints found at the gym and the gun he was carrying was that used to shoot Ms Cruz.

Among the five people arrested are the man suspected of having ordered the murder and four of his alleged accomplices.

It is not clear who their intended target was.

Mexico has been wracked by gang violence for years and the government has deployed federal police and the army in various hotspots in an attempt to crack down on the gangs.

But following the arrest of a number of key leaders, the murder rate has risen as rival cartels fight to fill the vacuum left behind. (BBC)

History of mystery monkey revealed

A mysterious extinct monkey from Jamaica that is unlike any other in the fossil record has South American roots, according to new evidence.

DNA extracted from fossilised bones suggests the monkey first colonised the island 11 million years ago.

It had no predators there and it evolved strange features not seen in living monkeys today.

But the animal went extinct a few hundred years ago, likely due to hunting and habitat loss. Scientists say the discovery highlights how vulnerable unique island animals are to extinction.

“It was a really weird animal indeed,” Prof Samuel Turvey from international conservation charity, Zoological Society of London (ZSL), told BBC News.

“Possibly with legs like a rodent; body maybe like a slow loris. Because it’s so weird no-one’s been able to agree what it was related to.”

The researchers extracted ancient DNA from the fossilised cave bones of the Jamaican monkey, Xenothrix mcgregori.

DNA evidence shows it was a type of titi monkey with some unusual morphological features, not a wholly distinct branch of evolution. “Evolution can act in unexpected ways in island environments, producing miniature elephants, gigantic birds, and sloth-like primates,” said Dr Ross

MacPhee of the American Museum of Natural History.

Titi monkeys are small tree-dwelling animals found across tropical South America, with long soft red, brown, grey or black fur.

They are active during the day, and very vocal, with an elaborate system of communication. Xenothrix’s ancestors likely reached Jamaica from South America after being stranded on natural rafts of vegetation that were washed out of the mouths

of rivers.

Other animals, such as large rodents called hutias, that still survive on some Caribbean islands, probably arrived in the same way.

The islands of the Caribbean have been home to

some of the most unusual species to have ever walked the Earth.

The region has also experienced a very high rate of mammal extinction, likely caused by hunting and habitat loss by humans, and

hunting by animals brought in by early settlers.

The research, published in the PNAS journal, also reveals that monkeys must have colonised the Caribbean islands more than once. (BBC)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Visionary governance O B S E RV E R S w h e t h e r they are supporters of the current government, or not, will acknowledge that the current administration has a vision.

That vision has been repeatedly expressed by the President and other officials.

Vision refers to what could or should be pursued in the future. This fact is in sharp contrast to the lack of a general overarching idea of where our country will go, by the Peoples’s Progressive Party (PPP) regime under which Guyana became a drug-fuelled, autocratic State.

The APNU+AFC coalition on the other hand, having an all-encompassing vision, is important to

Guyana because such vision shapes and determines the philosophical foundation and policy direction of the government. Vision ensures that the country is moving in a certain direction, instead of just aimlessly surviving. And vision defines the nature of the programmes which are contemplated, planned, and initiated.

According to experts in management, visionary governance is an aspect of visionary leadership. One expert wrote, “Visionary leadership can only be the product of a visionary leader. And a visionary leader is an individual who sees the potential for how the world should exist and then takes steps to get there.” The ex-

pert adds, “These two abilities combined – the ability to see the potential for change, combined with the ability to lead others creates a visionary leader.”

Guyana is fortunately blessed with visionary leadership and governance. Visionary leadership is characterised by three primary features: innovation, feedback, and taking responsibility. Innovation includes the introduction of completely new ideas. The ideas of the creation of capital towns, and the full implementation of an autonomous local government system, are examples.

When the government notices and responds to the needs of the people, that

is feedback in action. An example of this is the 5Bs programme which provides boats, buses, bicycles, breakfast and books to children in hinterland areas. That programme alone has revived the interest of children in getting an education, and provided the means for them to do so.

Taking responsibility includes owning the positive and the negative outcomes of decisions. President Granger has outlined and offered details of numerous innovative ideas. A green Guyana, powered by renewable energy sources is one such idea.

More importantly, that idea is being implemented; so far, almost all government buildings, including the Presi-

dent’s home, are powered by solar panels.

Guyana is poised on the cusp of an influx of revenue from the extraction of oil.

As such, visionary leadership, management, and governance are essential.

Guyanese cannot afford to squander opportunities.

Visionary leadership is essential in Guyana because our foreparents came from four continents; our cultures are diverse. In order to realise the ideal of one people, of one nation with one destiny as stated in our National Motto, such governance is necessary.

Visionary leadership is innovative. The idea of a capital town in every region is a progressive idea, which is being implemented with unparrelled success. The autonomy of local government bodies, coalition government, the inclusionary democracy, the elimination

of poverty, closing the gap between the standard of living on the coast and in the hinterland, affordable housing, and sustainable energy are parts of that vision.

As Guyanese, we all have visions for our own lives; we even have visions for our children; we want them to be teachers, doctors, lawyers, accountants, carpenters, or writers. We want the next generation to succeed. Vision defines who we are, and it determines who we choose as leaders.

Vision decides if we are successful, or not.

A government with vision has a clear idea of where we are and where we want to go. A leadership with vision can express their ideas clearly. And, as we make the best decisions in our homes, we must choose our leaders wisely.

We must choose leaders with vision.

Going out to vote in the local Minister Henry has done well elections today is enough for me Dear Editor,

Dear Editor, I AM 95 years old and I always read the letters in the newspapers to get the point of view of my countrymen and women. At this late stage in my life I have put pen to paper to see if my voice will be heard too.

I have returned from casting my vote in the local elections today (Monday). It took a long time as I had to walk to the school and back, but I did it, and I must say that I am elated by the experience and so proud.

Proud of the fact that this government with this one action has given us the people our democratic right back on a local level. I have to confess that I did not vote for this government in the general election, as I am old enough to remember the great Cheddi Jagan and Forbes Burnham who together created the PPP party. To this day, I do not understand why this historic partnership dissolved, and if we are honest with ourselves and our countries history, we would realise that the fallout of that break up still haunts our country to this day. It would be good for a Guyanese historian to look back at those great men and reveal the real truth. To free our country from the colonial “Divide & Rule” strategy that impedes Guyana’s development.

My apologies, I digress, getting back to my original train of thought.

The local elections, yes, the restoration of local democracy! I want to thank President David Granger

and the coalition government for gifting us the people of Guyana our rights back. As time goes on, this government through their action (not just words), have proven that they are on the path of fixing our country.

It is evident that they realise the importance of true democracy because true democracy can only be exercised by all the citizens of our beautiful country, Guyana. This government has given us, the people, back our constitutional right and entitlement to participate on a local level on how our communities are run. Only a strong and confident government would do this.

In my old age, it seems like everything that I do would be for the last time. I thank God for giving me this day to cast my vote. I won’t be around for much longer, but today, I am full of hope and pride for my beloved Guyana. Hope that under this government, Guyana will emerge as a united force that will take its place in the 21st-century global story and pride for the country I know that Guyana is destined to be. People around the world will look at Guyana for guidance and how to do things right.

Guyana’s story is just beginning, I won’t be here to see all of the benefits but my grandchildren will. Going out to vote in the local elections today is enough for me. Thank-you President Granger.

I AM a pessimist.

I have kept abreast of the new government over the past two years because I voted for change. Even though in my opinion, there has not been enough progress with the retrieval of Guyana’s stolen money and the appropriate corrupt individuals being revealed and prosecuted.

I wonder why is that?

What I am very impressed with is the changes and progress at the Ministry of Education. Recently, a mobile clinic was launched to deal with a spectrum of problems our children have that prevent them from taking full advantage of their schooling. From struggling in school, either because of problems at home, learning difficulties e.g., undiagnosed dyslexia, a general lack of support from family and their community.

I have not failed to notice that this one step is significant and demonstrates the Minister of Education’s modern and grassroots strategy. We have to start identifying our educational problems and this initiative goes a long way in solving one of them on an individual level with counsellors. I wasn’t a fan of this minister, but through her continued actions that I have seen on the news that include programmes that get teenage mothers back into educational institutes such as Carnegie School of Home Economics, and the fact that children all over Guyana have benefited directly from her policies and interventions, I have to retract my negative rhetoric.

She even leads by example when it comes to life-long learning, as I heard that she has just attained a doctorate (PhD). Where does she find the time?

I have to concede, I am now an optimist and a fan of Dr. the Hon. Nicolette Henry. Keep up the good work.

Best regards, Mark Thomas

Regards, Elizabeth Williams

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Linden youths vote solidly

By Vanessa Braithwaite IT was slow going in the mining town of Linden on Monday, but among those who did turn out in the first half of the day were a noticeable amount of first-time voters.

And they could scarce contain their excitement at being able to exercise their franchise at electing a representative for their various constituencies.

While polling staff and observers noted that voter turnout seemed even lower than that of the 2016 LGE, they all agreed that more youths seemed to have shown a genuine interest in voting this time around.

They also concluded that this enthuiasm among the youngsters may very well have been because some of the four political parties contesting the elections included youths in their campaign, and have also formed political youth groups.

At the Linden Foundation Secondary School in Constituency One was 18-year-old Reniah DaSilva of Amelia’s Ward, who said that she felt it was imperative that she vote, since youths need to let their voices be heard by way of the ballot.

“When we vote,” Reniah said, “people representing our community will see to the needs of youths, and see

he added.

Another first-time voter was Anthony Beckles.

“This is my first time voting; I find the experience very good, and I just want to support the people that did something for their community, and want to be elected to do more,” he said.

Young Reniah DaSilva

that we need job opportunities, recreational facilities and other opportunities to develop ourselves. So I feel really good coming out and vote this morning,” she said.

Similar sentiments were expressed by first- time voter Gregory LaRose, who cast his ballot at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground in Constituency Three.

“I decided to come out as a youth, because I think Linden and my community need development and it gives me an opportunity to give the candidates a second chance,” he said. “The process was also smooth; no hiccups,”

EARLY VOTERS Among the first to vote in Linden were mostly constituency candidates and political personalities.

Those persons also served as observers for the better part of the day, moving from polling station to polling station, trying to ascertain how the process was coming along.

Many of them described the day’s activity as smooth with no hiccups. APNU Constituency One Candidate, Lawrence Simon commended Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) staff for their professionalism. “Everything, in terms of the polling stations that I visited thus far, is in order, so I must commend GECOM,” Simon said. The same was said

by AFC candidate, Devin Sears. “I believe GECOM is doing a pretty good job so far. There are no hiccups; it is a smooth process,” Sears said, adding: “Even persons who thought that they had to

get their Identification Card to go and vote, they found out that they can actually go without their ID.” And though he conceded that the process was somewhat slow, he was confident that as the day progresses, the pace will pick up. “I am confident that persons will come out because of our plan,” he said. “We have some logical and workable plans and solutions to develop our constituencies, so I am hoping that persons are on the same level for development, and they will come out in their numbers.”

Some of the other political figures that voted in Linden, in a bid to set the example were Minister within the Ministry of Communities Valarie Yearwood; Members of Parliament Jermaine Figueira and Audwin Rutherford; Regional Chairman Renis Morian; Mayor Waneka Arindell; Former Member of Parliament Vanessa Kissoon; and Former Regional Chairman, Sharma Solomon.

AT ALL COSTS While many youths did “represent”, the older folks also came out and exercised their franchise. Some came alone, some as a couple, and others as a group, even if it meant walking for some dis-

–as did older constituents, political figures

APNU candidate, Lawrence Simon

tance as they braved the heat of the morning sun.

Leroy Barry of Amelia’s Ward and his wife voted early, as they believe the continued process of democracy at the municipal level must go on. “I am here this morning to exercise my franchise, and to select representatives who I think would represent me in my area effectively,” he said, adding: “The reason I came out and put my ‘X’ is because I want to see infrastructural development; the roads especially. That is why I decided

to come out and ensure that I see development in my area.”

Many other voters stressed the need for the those elected to focus on infrastructural and youth development. The mood in Linden seemed rather quiet throughout the day, with many businesses keeping their doors closed while many persons said they are using the day as a rest day.

Many were heard saying how disappointed they were in the outgoing Council; that because they failed to fulfill their campaign promises, they did not feel like voting this time around. Said one market vendor: “You can fool me once, but not twice! At the end of the day, I still have to work.

My road do half-way and left off; nothing ain’t do in my community, so why should I go and vote?”

As this publication made the rounds of several polling stations, there was not a single queue in sight.

In Linden, there are 26,184 eligible voters. Contesting the LGEs within the eight constituencies are four political parties: A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Alliance for Change (AFC), People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and the United Republican Party (URP).

Not about political glory hunting Dear Editor, FINALLY, Opposition Leader Bharat Jagdeo has attacked the government’s decision to take control of the operations of the Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated (BBCI), albeit temporarily, in light of the latter’s publicly announced decision to raise its tolls by an astronomical and unconscionable level in excess of 300 per cent.

Editor, at last he has played his hand; but I wonder what took him so long? Let me first examine Jagdeo’s belated, but expected view.

This is his usual playing to the gallery, this time to the business and commercial or big money class, better described as the private sector; as well as for political mileage. Except, that he has attempted to justify his position, by concluding that the

government’s position was a political gimmick given the imminent Local Government Elections (LGEs). This is to deliberately overlook the fact, that the government not only exercised its right in accordance with the Berbice River Bridge Act, but also in light of a matter that had portents for a national crisis.

This is jumbie economics and contradictory politics by an opposition leader, who has developed the template for always attempting to be a knight in shining armour in indefensible circumstances, in which he would have laid the troubled foundations during his presidency. And the examples have been numerous, well documented, and in the public domain, with no need to recite here.

It is evident that his sole pre-occupation was with his buddy pal who it turns out is the major shareholder. Thus, for all of his

publicly stated incantations of “objections” to the BBCI increases, and “let them produce the evidence to justify such”, he never came across as genuine in his objections, which were really expressions of great pretence.

Especially for a government which has its administrative agenda filled with the challenge of repairing a broken state, in addition to the gargantuan task of preparing the national framework and otherwise for the coming of oil, such a situation as toll increases, would have been the last thing that it would have wanted on its daily agenda, much less engineered, for political purposes as Jagdeo is positing. And I say this, given what could have been the socio-political implications of the unconscionable increases on citizens of both sides of the Berbice River divide, had such a decision of temporary acquisition not been taken.

Editor, it is instructive to note the proposed date of the commencement of these BBCI toll increases, clearly intended to incite civil protests with the view of embarrassing the government. But here is the great contradiction in Jagdeo’s two basic positions and line of reasoning: How does he balance the view of vehement objections to the toll increases, as against government’s most appropriate counter and decision to protect the travelling public et al, from what was clearly an intended unconscionable burden that would have been imposed by the BBCI? Jagdeo must be reminded that the government’s decision is not about political glory hunting. It is about protecting the welfare of the people, and in the process the national interest.

Regards, Dillon Goring

8

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday November 13, 2018

Local government sparked growth in Lethem

–– says first NDC chairman

By Navendra Seoraj in Lethem THE now renowned border town of Guyana, Lethem, was not always a hub for commerce and trade but, was only transformed after the establishment of a Neighborhood Democratic Council (NDC) in the community.

At least, this was the belief of the man who headed the first NDC of Lethem in 1994, 66-year-old Terrence Boston.

Boston, who now enjoys his days as a farmer, said Lethem is one of the fastest growing areas in Guyana and the catalyst of that growth was the NDC. “After I became chairman in 1994, my council and I started to do things and things started happening…

Lethem moved from what was called Lethem compound which had the houses of district commissioners and other officers, to a community that was ready to be a town,” he said, during an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, adding that during his 16 years of service as chairman, he was able to spearhead a number of the projects that led to the growth.

One of the first steps towards development was the establishment of a garbage disposal system, after the council had bought its first tractor and trailer to conduct the disposal exercise. The then council, Boston said, kept up the pace and started to consult with the community to find out the needs and issues so that they could be addressed efficiently.

Among the needs that were satisfied, was the establishment of a library which still exists and serves as a research centre for students and even adults in Lethem. “We started doing a lot. The roads were upgraded and we even opened a few leisure parks,” said the former chairman.

The leaders at the local government level eventually started to earn the trust of the residents so more work was completed at a faster rate.

Public trust grew even more when the NDC was able to assist in the establishment of two housing schemes in Lethem, Culvertcity and Beverly Hills.

Lethem has since been on the right track, a developmental track which does not show any signs of slowing

Former Chairman of the first NDC of Lethem, Terrence Boston still knows his way around administration although his new found love is farming

down soon, said Boston.

He believes that if a NDC was established sooner, Lethem would have received township status earlier than 2015. Although

Helena McAllister, 104, exercises her franchise

By Vishani Ragobeer HELENA McAllister, 104, showed up at the St. Winefride’s Secondary School in Garnett Street, Kitty, around 11:00 hours on Monday to cast her vote at this year’s Local Government Elections (LGEs).

After completing the process, the centenarian told the Guyana Chronicle: “I came to vote and because I want to vote. I asked the Lord to help me and I am here and I am satisfied with it.”

The resident of Duncan Street, Newtown, Kitty explained that she believes that the Local Government Elections are important because it helps to foster community development.

“The truth is, the persons I voted for are like my own, in the flesh and in the Lord,” she said.

Seventy-three-year-old Ruth Audrey Cumberbatch

Helena McAllister, 104, taking a rest after voting

She recalled fondly that at the General Elections held in 2015, she had to be lifted up the stairs of the school so she could have voted.

But this time around, the polling staff brought all she needed downstairs to her.

“I would say [the voting

process] was good because I was allowed to sit in the cool and wait until someone bring [sic] down the thing for me to vote,” she said, adding: “They accommodated me well.”

Helena’s 73-year-old daughter, Ruth Audrey Cumberbatch, accompanied her

mother to cast her vote.

According to Cumberbatch, “The process was extremely smooth; everything seemed to be in place, so I just went in and everything went very, very well.”

She lives with her mother in Duncan Street, and explained that it is always necessary to vote. “Voting, in this Local Government Elections is important because I live in a community, and I need to have somebody who takes an interest in the community because we have many, many needs,” she said.

Among the needs she highlighted, is poor drainage which has been an issue for many years.

“So, we would glad if we can get someone to represent us and bring some improvement to the community,” she said.

Woman loses husband, home in two weeks WITHIN two weeks, a Berbice woman lost her husband and her home.

Her Lot 133 Cumberland, East Canje, Berbice home was mysteriously destroyed by fire on Sunday.

Bibi Shamroon Khan, 51, a mother of two, recounted that as she sat in her hammock on the lower-flat of her two-storey house, she was alerted by shouts of fire and there-

after she saw black smoke billowing from the upper flat of the building.

Moments earlier, the woman said that she was on her mobile phone with her adult children who live nearby, when her daughter-in-law left to go to the upper-flat to rest in the verandah.

“I lost my valuables and my home to fire. I don’t know what is happening,” she lamented.

However, the victim praised the Guyana Fire Service which responded about 10 minutes after the initial call. Due to their timely response, the fire was contained to the upper-flat. However, her losses include US currency, along with furnishings and personal items, amounting to millions of dollars.

Bibi Shamroon Khan

there is no longer a NDC, the responsibilities bestowed on the mayor and councillors are the same as then so it is important for persons to support the lead-

ers at the local government level.

Persons would be able to do so by exercising their democratic right during the Local Government Elections (LGE). “Those who are elected need to know that providing services to the residents is the number one priority,” said the former NDC chairman.

He advised the council to look at ways to improve the generation of revenue so that more services could be provided. “There are still things that need to be implemented, like for instance the collection of rates and taxes…this is something we need to do and I advise them to advocate for that,” said Boston, adding that population in Lethem is growing and those in authority would have to find ways of satisfying the growing demands as well.

Slow but smooth polling in Region Five

Last minute voters at the Onverwagt-Golden Grove Constituency in the Union Naarstigheid NDC.

VOTING in the 67 constituencies in the 10 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) in Region Five started slowly in the morning hours but picked up during the last two hours before the close of polls.

All polling stations in Region Five opened on time (06:00hrs) and voting began almost immediately.

“People were however just trickling in... trickling in during the morning hours but there was a sizeable buildup during the afternoon hours,” a source monitoring the process said.

Up to the last few minutes before the close of polls, candidates were seen urging qualified voters to cast their ballots.

There was one report where a female voter within the Woodlands /Bel Air NDC created some disturbance after insisting that even though her name was not on the list, she should be allowed to vote.

Her demands were turned down and she was reportedly escorted out of the polling

APNU Member of Parliament Jennifer Wade of the Ross/Yeoville Constituency in the Tempie /Seafield NDC

station.

Generally, the voting was orderly and peaceful.

Voters on both sides of the Abary River told the Guyana Chronicle that they were happy with the way the elections process was rolled out in Region Five. They noted that they found the process user-friendly in terms of making their choices about whom to vote for.

At the end of the day, sources close to the voting process however said that the turn out in Region Five had been relatively low overall.

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday November 13, 2018

The battle’s on for Mabaruma …as residents seek betterment; voter turnout solid

By Alva Solomon in Mabaruma As the sun rose across the hills outside Mabaruma on Monday morning, Princess Lynk, an 83-year-old vendor, was preparing to make her way to the polling station at Kumaka, the town’s business hub.

Lynk said she was the third person in line to vote at the constituency, which is one of six within the township where the two major political parties had picked up an equal number of seats in the 2016 Local Government Elections (LGE) polls.

The polling station was one of the busiest of the lot within the town, although a large number of voters were trickling in at the Mabaruma Nursery School in the center of the town. There, the government enjoys more support and reports are that the numbers this year are similar to those in terms of voter turnout at that polling station.

Over at Hosororo Hill, residents were seen milling around the polling station at the primary school as early as 05:50hrs. One resident, who voted along with his wife and daughter, told the Guyana Chronicle that he had to go to work and as such he woke his family early on Monday morning. “It’s better to just

come and get it out the way,” he said.

Within the first hour of voting, close to 50 persons voted based on a tally recorded by this newspaper and the numbers increased within the next hour.

As the morning progressed however, the groups of voters, mainly families, decreased.

A few members of the public expressed dissatisfaction that a group of persons associated with the opposition had erected a small booth within 200 yards of the polling station. There, the group was gathering supporters and recording names as early as 06:00hrs.

Over at the Koberimo Hill, residents of the small community voted early and reports are that like the other polling stations, there were no hiccups. Koberimo resident, Nadira Lackna, told the Guyana Chronicle that this was the first time she voted at the LGEs. She said that she waited until the line grew short before she decided to visit the polling station.

“I went around 8 o’clock. It hadn’t a line when I went out ,” she said.

Lackna said that everyone in the area was encouraged to go out and vote and she was not making herself an

Olga Thompson

Margaret Daniels

Princess Lynk

Joy Dodson

exception since, ”we have a lot of things to get done at Koberimo and I hope things happen for the betterment of the community.”

Businesswoman Joy Dodson told the Guyana Chron-

icle, at Kumaka, that she decided to participate as a candidate for the APNU at this year’s elections. Dodson said she made the decision in the interest of the people of

Kumaka where she resides and operates a business. “I need to work for my people and we have to get closer to the people and listen to them.

So I am working for them,”

she said. This year, a number of persons told the Guyana Chronicle that there appears to be more encouragement from the main political parties for persons to vote at Mabaruma. “I think the competition is there . You seeing it even though 2020 is awhile from now,” Lorna Shepherd told the Guyana Chronicle.

She said she has been ignoring the politicking which has been ongoing in recent weeks prior to the polls. She said that she will only raise her awareness to the what’s going on, on Tuesday, the day after the elections.

Another senior citizen, Olga Thompson, related that this was the first time she voted at LGEs. The elections were only held in 2016 after a 21 year hiatus under the previous administration. Thompson, who lives at Hubu Hill on the periphery of Mabaruma, said that since the last elections, several projects were undertaken in the town by the town’s council. She noted that there are still a few more which are left to be undertaken and like most residents, she was optimistic that regardless of who is elected to serve on the town council, he/she must serve in the interest of the development of Mabaruma.

Republic Bank Financial Holdings records US$198M in profits THE Chairman of Republic Financial Holdings Limited (RFHL), Ronald F. deC. Harford, has announced that the group recorded profit attributable to equity holders of US$198 million for the year ended September 30, 2018.

This represents an increase of US$10.6 million or 5.6 per cent over the profit reported in the previous financial year, the bank said in a release. The group’s operations in the Cayman Islands and the Eastern Caribbean were the major contributors to the increase in profitability, generating US$8.2 million, followed by stronger performances in Suriname

and Ghana. Total assets stood at US$10.6 billion at September 30, 2018, an increase of 2.5 per cent over 2017.

According to Harford, in announcing the results he said, “Following the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standard No. Nine (Financial Instruments), the group charged through opening equity US$129.5 million in expected credit losses (ECL) for loans and investments, of which US$98.6 million was accounted for in Republic Bank (Barbados) Limited. The increase in ECL in RBBL was mainly as a result of the government of Barbados restruc-

turing its local currency obligations.”

The Board of Directors has declared a final dividend of US$0.47 (2017: US$0.47), which brings the total dividend to US$107 million or US$0.66 (2017: US$0.66), per share, for the fiscal year.

This final dividend will be paid on December 3, 2018, to all shareholders of record on November 19, 2018.

“The group continued its expansion activities during the year and in September, 2018, made an offer to acquire a minimum of 51 per cent and up to 74.99 per cent of the ordinary shares of Cayman National Corporation Limited, the parent company

Chairman of Republic Financial Holdings Limited (RFHL), Ronald Harford

of Cayman National Bank Limited, at a cost not to exceed US$198 million. As at November 7, 2018, 81.37 per cent of shareholders accepted the offer. The acquisition is now subject to all necessary government and regulatory approvals.” Harford said, adding that the shareholding in Republic Bank (Ghana) Limited was increased to 66.54 per cent, with an additional investment of US$47.3 million, which will satisfy the new minimum local regulatory capital requirement and significantly strengthen the bank’s capital base.

The group’s focus remains on building resiliency into its operations

and earnings capacity.

To this end, the group is implementing a common IT platform across all of its Caribbean subsidiaries which will be the platform for the introduction of a shared support services infrastructure for improved efficiency. These initiatives, combined with its expansion into new markets through acquisitions, will position the Group for continued improvement in performance. Mr. Harford expressed his appreciation for the continued support of management, staff and customers of the Republic Group.

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday November 13, 2018

PPP accused of intimidating, …party denies allegations, harassing voters GECOM to probe

By Nafeeza Yahya THE People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) on Monday set up tents in near polling stations around East Berbice Corentyne, ostensibly to help their voters, but the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Alliance For Change (AFC) and United Republican Party (URP) are alleging that voters were intimidated and harassed by agents of that party.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, Gladwin Allicock, an outgoing Councillor of Rose Hall Town, said he received several reports from people within the town that there were PPP members inside the polling station compound coercing members of the constituency to vote for them. He continued that initially he felt it was just someone trying to create strife, but upon investigation he saw firsthand the “unscrupulous behaviour of a PPP candidate.” “When I went into my constituency to vote at the Lower Corentyne School,

Constituency Six, I saw the candidate for the PPP inside the compound and I heard him campaigning, his exact words were “I am asking for your support, vote for me”.

One of the voters became annoyed and raised his voice and he then walked out the compound,” Allicock related.

He has since spoken to the party officials at the school and lodged an official complaint to the returning officer stationed at the Rose Hall Town Primary School.

He further noted that at another polling station in Williamsburg, he noticed another PPP candidate sitting inside the polling station on the desk with the party agents for over 10 minutes and after he raised concerns with the police, the candidate left the area. A United Republican Party counting agent has also told the Guyana Chronicle that the PPP/C supporters and representatives were harassing residents of Rose Hall Town and its environs on the streets leading up to the polling stations. “The PPP people them keep telling

everybody to vote for them as they pass by and some even making smart comments to intimidate people especially the young voters,” he said.

WHIM Meanwhile, over in Whim, one of the candidates for the AFC said they too experienced similar behavior from the supporters of the PPP in the Whim/ Bloomfield district. According to Rashree Permaul, the PPP representatives were approaching residents as they were about the meet the polling stations and were taking their identification cards to verify their names are on the list and leading them to the polling station thereafter.

She explained that while that process seems helpful, the problem is where the supporters make comments like “put it next to the cup” and “PPP all the way”, that cause the issue since there should be no campaigning on elections day. She further noted that some voters told them the entire process made them felt uneasy and pressured.

MISCHIEF AFOOT Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, who is performing duties as President and also a native of Whim, on Monday called out supporters of the PPP/C over the reported acts of intimidation at Whim/Bloomfield in East Berbice-Corentyne. Moments after casting his ballot at the National Aquatic Centre at Liliendaal, Georgetown, Mr. Nagamootoo told reporters that mischief was afoot in the Whim/Bloomfield Local Authority Area (LAA).

According to reports reaching the Guyana Chronicle, PPP/C supporters, having voted, stood outside of several polling stations and were instructing persons to vote for the PPP/C.“I have received also a complaint that not only is there a steady turn out of voters in one area, (but) in one area you have a turnout of PPP picketers who obviously didn’t have their picket today but they are in several parts in close proximity to polling stations,” the Prime Minister told reporters.

He pointed out that on

Sunday night, in an effort to “drive fear in and intimidate residents, the PPP/C supporters in another desperate and ridiculous move, erected a huge banner with the words “Moses Nagamootoo is no longer welcome in Whim – his birth place.” Mr. Nagamootoo said it is time the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) intervenes as he pointed to an earlier incident of an arson attempt on the house of an Alliance for Change (AFC) candidate in the Whim/Bloomfield Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC). The candidate, Rashree Permaul, had accused PPP/C supporter Safraz Beekham of launching the vicious attack, after he had threatened her on numerous occasions in recent times.

“So you have that report of some levels of intimidation and we are hoping that the elections commission looks into this, because this is an area where not only candidates complain about being terrorised and threatened – a home of a candidate was almost torched,” Mr. Naga-

mootoo said.

PPP DENIES In an invited comment PPP’s Regional Representative Zamal Hussain, refuted the allegations and said it is “misinformation” being peddled. “Indeed we have a tent in the area but we use it to help our voters to make the process easy and smooth and we know our voters so it is misinformation that is being peddled. The police were called in to remove the tent but we are within our rights to help our people,” Hussain said. He noted also, his party representatives were only responsible for getting voters out and to the polling stations. The alleged incidents were reported to have happened during the morning hours and were quickly resolved. Barring these few incidents voting across Region Six was relatively smooth and peaceful.

Mahdia wants modernisation …residents banking on LGEs to help realise dream

Errol Alphonso

Nancy Lorettia Roland

Dominic Garrette

By Rabindra Rooplall in Mahdia

these Local Government Elections are necessary.

In Mahdia, the voting process was a snail-paced activity with no lines in sight just persons trickling in polling stations to vote. Gloria Marks, 61, who moved to Mahdia since 1983 from Kato, said she looks forward for facilities such as a bank, GRA, NIS and other necessities which can stimulate employment and development in

communities.

“I voted for a party with whoever they choose basically, because I feel if the party actually cares they will force and ensure their representatives look after people’s interest rather than their own,” the mother of three told the Guyana Chronicle.

Ariel Xavier, 19, said he expects his vote to be counted because as a youth there is need for more facilities and

THE needs of Mahdia include a bank, a Guyana Revenue Authority office, a National Insurance Scheme (NIS) office, recreational facilities for youths, a library and better public transportation amongst others.

And to move the process forward, the residents of the community believe that

Ariel Xavier

things to stimulate the interests of his generation since in Mahdia not many exist. “I know that Mahdia needs to be clean, with better roads, public transportation, a library for youths, and more job opportunities for the many who are looking to develop their lives, I feel these councillors and other officials can let the government know exactly what people need and work to give them it because only

Gloria Marks

then will good things happen for us here,” the teenager said.

Twenty-eight-year-old Dominic Garrette said residents expect betterment now that Mahdia is a township, and many of the residents want to do something positive with their lives and they depend on the leaders who are paid by taxpayers to make that a reality. He noted that there is also need for sport

facilities such as tennis and basketball courts to keep youths occupied if they are not employed.

“I just want a better future for youths, and these representatives, when elected, if they can’t make it happen then let them let the government know, and let them find a way,” Garette said.

Seventy-year-old Errol Alphonso said he is voting for the first time in LGEs and is expecting persons running for council and office keep to their promises since the electorate is watching and judging.

Being a resident of Mahdia for the past four decades, he said the communities need proper medical facilities, well trained teachers and a healthy and proper supply of water for starters.

“Hopefully based on the results of the elections, those persons will be able to fulfill these [promises] to make people’s lives better,” Alphonso said.

Nancy Lorettia Roland, who has Turn to page 11

11

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday November 13, 2018

265% hike in bridge tolls inconceivable …private sector, Berbice association urge swift end to impasse

THE Private Sector Commission (PSC) and the Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association (BCCDA) are urging a swift end to the impasse over the hiking of tolls to cross the Berbice River Bridge.

Monday was intended by the Berbice Bridge Company

Inc. (BBCI) to raise tolls threefold, but the government stepped in to prevent the move.

By taking up temporary supervision and maintenance of the bridge, the move prevents the increase in tolls even as Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson stated the legal grounds on

which the decision was made.

This, he noted, was in keeping with the Berbice River Bridge Act. The PSC in a release dated November 10, have agreed that the proposed increase in tolls are “steep” stating that “a 265 per cent increase in tolls is…inconceivable.”

“From its inception, the

bridge has served an important role in ensuring efficient movement between Demerara and Berbice, both for businesses and commuters.

It also functions as a gateway to traffic going to and from neighbouring Suriname. The bridge has, in fact, become an important and necessary contributor to Guyana's eco-

nomic growth,” the PSC release stated.

However, the commission is not in favour of the government assuming the temporary supervisory position as it believes that this poses a threat to democratic freedom. “The forced takeover of the bridge by government, however, runs counter to freedom with-

in a democratic society and could do untold damage to investor confidence at a time when we are actively seeking to encourage investment,” the release added.

Contrary, to the PSC release, on November 5, 2018, Minister Patterson had dispelled Turn to page 12

Remembrance Day service held in Lethem

Attorney General, Basil Williams SC addresses the gathering

Attorney General, Basil Williams SC lays a wreath in memory of those who died during World Wars I and II

Members of the Joint Services during the parade

A REMEMBRANCE Day Parade and Service was observed in Lethem on Sunday with Attorney General, Basil Williams hailing the sacrifice of those who

fought in the two wars.

Held at the Cenotaph of Lethem Region Nine, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo, regional leaders and local organisations’ representatives

paid tribute to those who died in both World Wars I and II. The traditional one minute of silence was observed at 07:30hrs wreaths were

laid at the foot of the monument to commemorate the occasion by Williams, Regional Chairman Mr. Bryan Allicock, Regional Executive Officer Mr. Kerwin

Mahdia wants ...

Ward, Officer in Command Mr. Phillip Azor and Captain Charles Bradford. Also present at the ceremony was Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix.

Other wreaths were laid by the four other government programme heads: health, education, works and agriculture including private sector organisations of the region.

At the ceremony, remarks were made by Williams, Mayor Kerry Jarvis and Regional Chairman Bryan Allicock, while the vote of thanks was done by the Town Clerk Ms. Keisha

Vincent Williams.

Williams, in his remarks, spoke about the bravery shown by servicemen and women who sacrificed themselves in the line of duty to ensure peace and freedom globally. The audience was reminded of the consequences and treachery experienced during that period that endured for half a decade.

A reminder was given that we should never forget but to make every effort to embrace peace, love and harmony as nations.

representatives must work together for the good of their town, thereby allowing for better services and greater representation.

He also made it clear that under the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC)

Government; there will be no scrapping of NDCs for the installation of Interim Management Committees (IMCs), or delays in the holding of Local Government Elections.

From page 10

been a resident of Mahdia for the past 25 years, said this was her first time voting in the LGE process and she noted based on her assessment few people turned out.

“I came out about 7:00hrs to vote, and based on the result we have to watch and see

what will happen and then we can judge,” she said.

In October last President David Granger, amid much pomp and ceremony, challenged the people of Mahdia to transform their economic landscape by diversifying their economy, as he de-

clared Mahdia a town.

Established in 1884, Mahdia, located in the Potaro-Siparuni Region, is renowned for its massive gold reserves, though in recent years there has been a drop in production among small scale miners. The President

had noted that the town’s infrastructure, education, health, and tourism sectors would also improve with greater input from residents and strong backing from the government.

President Granger had explained that the elected

12

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday November 13, 2018

Most Essequibians vote early

–– but party agents say turnout poor

By Indrawattie Natram WITH Essequibo having approximately 30,100 registered voters, persons turned up early at the nine Local Authority Areas (LAA) in the 120 constituencies and confidently cast their votes at this year’s Local Government Elections (LGEs).

Polling in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), like everywhere else, opened at the mandatory 06:00hrs, and young voters in particular showed a keen interest in casting their ballot.

Ballot boxes were seen being transported from as early as 03:00 and distributed to various polling stations, where police officers were already stationed to overlook the process.

Agents belonging to the various political parties were also seen closely checking for persons names on the various lists.

A drive from Supenaam to Charity revealed that while the process was slow, persons were constantly on the move, coming out to either cast their vote or going about their business otherwise.

In the Annandale-Riverstown LAA area, voters were very seemingly optimistic of a positive outcome, and at various public schools, the lines, though short, were steady.

Many persons opted to cast their votes early in the morning, then report to work since it was not a national holiday.

In the Aberdeen-Zorgen-Vlygt LAA, persons were seen walking and riding towards the various polling stations there. That’s where the Guyana Chronicle caught up with 59-year-old Surjunandanie Singh of Perseverance, who said it was her fourth time voting at LGEs, and that she was eager to cast her vote to see some changes in her community.

Baby Loaknauth, of Golden Fleece said that though she was not feeling so well, she couldn’t let this chance slip away.

“I want to see a change in my community,” the 84-yearold pensioner said. “I want to exercise my constitutional right, so even though I was not feeling well, I made it my duty to vote. It was an easy process.”

At Anna Regina, persons were seen going to vote at their own convenience, while at Good Hope-Pomona, it was evident that persons had come out very early, and gotten over with it.

Many of the older folks reportedly went down to the polling stations as early as 06:00hrs, but as the day progressed, the process started to noticeably slow down.

At Charity-Urasara and Evergreen-Paradise, the atmosphere was no different, whereby it was calm and orderly, with many taking to their bicycles to enjoy a leisurely ride to the polling areas.

Reports coming in from the Pomeroon areas of Moruka-Phoenix Park and Nile-Cozier indicate that turnout was understandably poor, as most persons were in the interior and could not come out in time to vote.

FIRST-TIME VOTERS First-time voters were in the main very optimistic, saying that although they were new to it, they voted for positive change.

According to Ashti Kandie from the Evergreen-Paradise LAA, she was very eager to cast her vote, and found it to be surprisingly smooth and straightforward. Joining her was another first-time voter, Nirvanie Persaud from Cotton Field, who said that though she was somewhat nervous, with correct guidance of a Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) staff, she was able to ovecome the jitters.

Another young voter from Supenaam said she was at her polling station from as early as 06:00hrs, as she didn’t want to miss the boat. Annie Ragunauth said that she joined the lines after making sure her name was on the list and then cast her vote.

Further down the district, some voters at Adventure-Airy Hall were disappointed to learn that their names weren’t on the list.

cratic right.

Another pensioner, Jagmohan from Suddie wheeled his way to the station. He was assisted by his son. He said

An elderly woman on her way to cast her vote

At the Golden Fleece polling station

59-year-old Surjunandanie Singh of Perseverance

Casting their votes

But with the help of Party officials, they were encouraged to try elsewhere to see if their names were there.

Parbattie Jaggernauth, who’s 89, said she couldn’t wait to go out and vote, and with the help of her daughter, Rita, and her walking stick, she ensured she made it to the polling station. She said she was happy to be able to exercise her demo-

he’d voted at the last LGEs and was eager to do so again this time around.

Asked about some of the changes he would like to see happen in the Suddie area, he listed improved drainage and irrigation, less garbage, and the installation of street lights in the housing area.

Up to Midday on Monday, the process was very smooth and calm, with

Persons checking for their names on the list

no hiccups. The turnout, however was described

by various political party agents as poor.

265% hike in bridge tolls ...

claims that the government had intentions to nationalise the Berbice Bridge or micromanage the private sector. “The Coalition Government would also like to assure the business sector that there is no policy or interest to interfere in or take over private businesses or enterprises,” Patterson had

stated, adding: “The social good provided by this bridge ranks similar to other important social services such as healthcare and education. Its value to the economic fortunes of many of our people is also well recognised.

No responsible government could sit and wait for the stalemate, arising from the unrea-

sonable unilateral action of one party, to continue, which could lead to massive disruption and dislocations in people’s lives.”

Even so, the PSC urged: “In the interest of maintaining viable private-public partnerships we urge both parties to go to the negotiating table and work towards an amicable

solution. The business community is looking forward to a speedy resolution to this crucial national issue.”

Similar hopes were expressed by the BCCDA which made known “deep regret” regarding the current situation between the BBCI and the government, even as it stated

its non-support of the “astronomical increase” in tolls.

Yet, the association added: “In the interest of promoting public-private partnership as a model for much needed future infrastructural works across the length and breadth of Guyana, the Berbice Chamber of Commerce

From page 11

and Development Association would like to call on both parties to have open negotiation immediately so as to bring this current development to a swift end and to have all parties working in the best interest of the growth and development of Berbice and by extension, Guyana.”

13

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday November 13, 2018

GT voters want change …demand better management, accountability

By Svetlana Marshall THE process of voting in Monday’s Local Government Elections (LGEs) was dubbed “smooth and simple” by voters in the Municipality of Georgetown, but

and First-Past-The-Post, said the process was simple.

“It was simple. I got through alright,” he told the Guyana Chronicle. As a resident of Pike Street, Kitty, Brown, however, expressed disappointment that many

town Mayor and City Council to complete the rehabilitation of the Kitty Market. “Kitty Market, it was a big thing when it started, and up to now it ain’t finish,” he said.

At the Rama Krisha Primary School, Somwaru Rampersaud told the Guyana Chronicle that he went out to vote with the expectation that “things will get better.”

Lynette Rampershad,

opportunity for many of the issues affecting residents of the city to be addressed, and he was more than happy to participate in process of electing new leaders.

Guyana Power and Light (GPL) employee Andrew Nurse, said work kept him from voting early. He had voted minutes before the close of poll at St. Pius Primary School in West La Penitence.

A seamless process of voting occurring at the FE Pollard Primary School

Fifty-eight-year-old Sahodra Geer and her 79-year-old mother, Hubarjre Geer, said they voted with ease.

(From right) Frederick Sparrock, his son, Michael and his wife, Debra, were more than happy to exercise their democratic right to vote

Fifty-eight-year-old Derrick Bailey said it was smooth running but more should be done to educate voters’ population on LGE

the turnout was less than desirable.

Across the 15 constituencies, polling stations opened at precisely at 06:00hrs but many were empty, and in some cases only a handful of persons turned up to exercise their democratic right to elect their local leaders.

At the JE Burnham Primary School at William Street, Kitty, 81-year-old U.S.- based Guyanese Viola Skraker, said she had “no problem.” She explained that though she spends most of her days in the U.S., it was important to exercise her democratic right to elect the local leaders.

Fifty-eight-year-old Derrick Bailey said that voting at the JE Burnham Primary School was hassle-free. He, however, contended that the low turnout of voters at the time was due to lack of awareness.

Over at the FE Pollard Primary School only a few voters were spotted. For them, it was important to exercise their franchise to vote. Kenneth Brown, who voted for the first time in the mixed system of Proportional Representation

issues were not addressed at the local level following the 2016 LGEs. It was therefore important for him to go out and vote.

Brown is optimistic that his vote would be counted, and that leaders’ with the people’s interest at heart would be voted into council.

Frederick Sparrock, his wife, Debra, and son, Michael, were also among the first set of voters to cast their ballots at the FE Pollard Primary School at David Street, Kitty.

Mr. Sparrock said “the process went very smoothly,” noting that there were no complaints.

He said it is important for Guyanese to elect their local leaders to manage the affairs of the towns and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs). His son, Michael, echoed similar sentiments.

“Everyone has a say in how their communities are going to be,” Michael posited, noting, that this time around he expects the local leaders to be more accountable.

Michael, like other voters, complained about the failure of the outing-going George-

Former City Mayor Hamilton Green says it’s time big parties give independent candidates and civil groups a chance

who also cast her ballot at the Rama Krishna Primary School, dubbed the process as “smooth.” Like Rampersaud, she is hoping that things will get better.

For 58-year-old Sahodra Geer, and her 79-year-old mother, Hubarjre Geer, voting was done with ease. Sahodra said changes must come, as she too complained bitterly about the incomplete Kitty Municipal Market.

“Look how long Kitty Market stalled up there. Up to now they can’t open the market, and people who deh deh for years ain’t get back they stand in the market. You understand, people selling on the road for years, and can’t get a space in the market,” she complained.

At the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal, 68-yearold Ramdial Persaud told reporters that he voted with ease. Ramdial said that the Local Government Elections (LGEs) present an excellent

At the St. Pius Primary School in West La Penitence, APNU Proportional Representation Candidate, John Vanveen, said “everything went smoothly.” Vanveen said if duly elected, he has a lot to offer.

“I have a lot to offer in terms of infrastructure, in terms of drainage and irrigation for my constituency, lighting facility, security and education and so much more,” Vanveen said.

Waveney Campbell, 69, was the very last person to vote at the South Ruimveldt Secondary School. Campbell said she was babysitting during the day but she had vowed to vote. Campbell said she was disappointed for two reasons, firstly, that the candidate she had voted for that won the constituency in 2016 never returned following the elections, and secondly, the person who she had intended to vote for this time around was not on the list. According

Though in aches and pain, voting for 81-year-old Viola Skraker was a must

to her, she did not recognise any other person and opted to only vote in the Proportional Representation aspect of the elections.

She is, however, hopeful that councillors would do more for the people of the city.

“Well, the councillors, I would like them to pay attention to the drainage, because you find when it rains all the water comes into the yard, and the flooding occurs due to clogged drains, and this needs to be addressed,” Campbell said.

Meanwhile at the Selman Fraser Nursery in Albouystown, President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Deodat Indar, was seen observing the operations at that polling station just before the close of polls. He was one of the Private Section Commission (PSC) observers that were spread out across the country.

Like many of the voters that spoke to the Guyana Chronicle in the city, Indar said the process went well.

He visited approximately 23 polling stations in Regions Three and Four.

“So far we have not seen anything that was glaring or anything that we believe that is not within the guidance of voting. Most of the stations were relatively quiet,” the GCCI president explained. He noted that voters’ turnout was lower than expected.

Sixty-nine-year-old Waveney Campbell was the last to vote at the South Ruimveldt Secondary School

The Guyana Chronicle also caught up with former Mayor of Georgetown Hamilton Green, in the vicinity of the St. Pius Primary School at West La Penitence. Green said that Monday’s elections did not have the kind of voters’ turn out that was anticipated, but he is optimistic that the next round of Local Government Elections (LGEs) would be better, and with an increase level of awareness among all sections of society.

“There is a lot of enthusiasm still left and what we need to do in the next round is to develop that enthusiasm, get our young people on board so that we can develop the city and the country as a whole,” he said.

He also made a case for the major political parties, like the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), the Alliance For Change (AFC) and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), to give individual candidates and civil groups a chance to work for the good of their communities.

“It is something that I expect the main parties will re-examine, so Local Government becomes what it was years ago with people in the respective communities identify workers, people who are genuine, who they see every day, and prepare to make efforts to get them better organize the drainage, the streets, social services,” Green explained.

14

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday November 13, 2018

East Coast takes it easy for LGEs –– some blame poor turnout on lack of proper voter education

By Michel Outridge MANY persons on the East Coast of Demerara are blaming the low voter turnout there, on Monday, for Local Government Elections (LGEs) on the lack of proper voter education.

The Guyana Chronicle took to the East Coast from as early as 06:00hrs on Monday and headed for Devindra Persaud Arjune’s residence, one of the polling stations at Non Pareil.

There, this newspaper observed the voting process from a vantage point, and from all appearances it was a smooth exercise, whereby voters turned up at intervals to cast their votes and after completing the process they left.

One of the candidates, Carol Roberts, was present to observe the process after voting early. She expressed confidence that she ‘stands a good chance of winning because she did the leg-work’.

She opined that GECOM ought to be commended for a job well done, adding, that up to the time of speaking the process could be deemed hassle-free.

Sixty-five-year-old Monis

Allen, who lost a leg to diabetes and is now confined to a wheelchair, said she came out early to vote because she wants to see change in the village; changes such as better roads and better drainage.

She was accompanied by some of her grandchildren,and said she had no complaints as she was able to cast her vote with relative ease.

It was around 06:45hrs when the Guyana Chronicle caught up with Elvis Hernandez at the polling station at Lilawattee Jaipersaud’s residence at Park Street, Enterprise. He’d already voted, and said he was pleased with how the process went, since he’d managed to get it over with before going to work.

One party official who asked not to be named, told the Guyana Chronicle that the only issue he’d had so far, was that he had been told that only one of the two polling stations at Enterprise was visible,only to learn that that was not so.

NORTHBROOK NURSERY At the Northbrook Nursery School at Victoria, Pamela Andrews, 65, had

Haslington candidate, Leon Joe

(Photos by Michel Outridge)

voted before 07:00hrs and was on her way home. She was hoping that she could get her elderly husband, who is bedridden, to come out and vote too, but was not quite sure if that was possible.

Andrews said that although she suffers from severe pain in her legs, she could not afford to miss the chance to exercise her right to vote for the betterment of her community.

Independent candidate, Rawle Nelson, had already cast his vote and there as an observer for the Advocate for Real Transformation.

He voiced his concern

Latchmin Kumardat, 56

that many persons were not sure about the voting process,since some were voting for the very first time and did not know that they had to “vote top as well as bottom”.

However, the photos of the various candidates were of great help, he added.

Nelson said there is need for more voter education, as most people have obviously lost interest in LGEs. But, like Carol Roberts at Non Pariel, he, too, is optimistic that he stands a good chance of winning.

Further up at Gibson Primary School at Lancaster-Unity, it was already 08:24hrs but just a few voters were trickling in, while

at Hardeo’s Mall on Market Road, in Belmonte-Mahaica, the only poeple to be seen for the better part of the morning were GECOM staffers.

Store owner Latchmin Kumardat, 56, said she voted early because she wanted to get that out of the way, so she could start her business. She voted at De Hoop Primary at Branch Road, Mahaica.

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, who is A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) campaign manager for the East Coast corridor, visited many of the polling station along the way to get a first-hand look at the process.

A NEGATIVE IMPACT He told the G uyana Chronicle while at Tipperary Hall, Buxton where he had a talk with GECOM staffers, that from what he’s learnt, not very many voters turned out to vote, which shows the negative impact going 21 years without LGEs has had on the country.

“We have to now rebuild,” he said, adding: “In accordance with President David Granger’s will, LGE was brought back to empower the people.”

He said that even though it was virtually impossible for him to visit all the polling stations along the Coast, he can only hope that the return of LGEs can help empower communities.

Noting that local government is what is called a third tier of government, the attorney-general said this type of governance helps give folks an idea of what improvements they need in their villages.

“In 2016,” he said, “they came on the heels of general elections. This year, the LGE doesn’t have the same type of energy for votes; this is 80 separate Local Authority Areas (LAA) and people have been starved of LGEs for 21 years...”

The Guyana Chronicle also caught up with Leon Joe, who is a candidate at Haslington and he said he is contesting for his village, and that his chances at winning are very good.

Said he: “If I win, I want to develop my village.

And since I am a proactive person, that will not be a difficult task for me.”

Corentyne residents optimistic of development – as they elect candidates to govern community IN Region Six, East Berbice-Corentyne, a total of 92,806 eligible voters were expected to cast their ballots in three municipalities and 18 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC) in Local Government Elections (LGE).

The polling stations were opened promptly at 06:00hrs and unlike general elections, there were no long queues of people waiting to get in to cast their ballots.

For most polling stations it was observed that the older folks, especially the senior citizens, came out early to exercise their franchise.

Among the early voters were 91-year-old Sanjerie Sankar originally of Fyrish village but re-located to Port Mourant. Sankar told the Guyana Chronicle she is a seasoned voter and had awoken since 04:00hrs in preparation for the day.

Despite her age and moving around with a walking cane, she was among the first to cast her ballot at the Berbice Islamic School in Trainline, Port Mourant, East Berbice-Corentyne. She described the process as smooth and simple.

“I vote in all them elections so this don’t bother me, it more easy now than long ago, I am an old voter you know,” she chuckled.

Another person who got up early was 66-yearold Itwarie Permaul of Port Mourant but could not vote because the polling station she was registered to did not have a ramp for her wheel chair and she could not get in. She did not register for a proxy since she wanted to be present and exercise her franchise personally.

She eventually left feeling disappointed at not being able to vote despite being up from 05:00hrs. However this publication was informed the elderly woman received help after a party representative ensured she was looked after.

As the day went by, people trickled in throughout the day, the morning sessions started slow but picked up pace around 8 o’clock and went into an almost stand still around noon for most polling stations, Black Bush being the exception.

The women braved the mid-day sun to come out and cast their ballots. This was

observed in all four polders: Lesbeholden, Mibicuri, Johanna and Yakasari. Their reason was that they are usually up early preparing meals for their husbands and other family members who leave early to go into the fields and toil.

Towards the mid to late afternoon period, there was an increase in the number of persons at the polling stations as party representatives combed the villages and Towns appealing to those who did not yet vote to get it done before close of poll at 18:00hrs.

Mostly working adults, returning from work, were seen in the late afternoon sessions at the various polling stations. Others said they preferred the afternoon because the temperature was cooler and figured by then the rush would have been over.

Overall the entire process was described as smooth and incident free for most of the NDCs and municipalities. In the Municipality of Corriverton, the Mayor Hemchand Jaichand described the process as a smooth and simple one without any hiccups.

Audrey Singh

A Whim resident

Samuel Matheson of Fyrish

A Rose Hall resident looking for his name

Neighbors of Mibicuri

One of the largest NDC in the country, 52/74 saw a number of persons trickling in throughout the day as candidates contesting for the various constituencies expressed optimism and promised continued development in their respective area.

In the Fyrish/Courtland area, families and neighbours assisted and waited on each other to go to the polls.

Many were out as the various polling stations opened their doors. Like many other residents, Samuel Matheson said he is hoping to see “betterment, proper drains and good roads” in the future.

Meanwhile, the URP presence comprising of mainly youths was highly noted in the Rose Hall and Crabwood Creek.

Kalamazad Ibrahim, URP’s Region Six representative, told the Guyana Chronicle his party has recognised the importance of youth involvement for community development as such the candidates contesting comprise of educated youths who are willing to take part in the developmental process.

Over all for the day, he described the process as “peaceful”.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday November 13, 2018

APNU ‘West-Siders’ rise to the occasion keeps –– determined to do better by their communities Constituencies One and Two in Linden

By Tamica Garnett and Clestine Juan

APNU candidate Lawrence Simon

APNU candidate Stephen Messiah

Evident from the statements of poll posted by GECOM at the four polling stations in Amelia’s Ward Constituency One in Linden, APNU candidate Lawrence Simon can be declared the preliminary winner with majority of the votes being cast in his favour.

This newspaper visited all the polling stations in the constituency which showed that the APNU have also won the Proportional Representation votes for the constituency.

Also, it was not a close fight between the APNU and AFC as the AFC managed to cop about one-third of the votes cast in the constituency while only a few votes went to the PPP and URP respectively. Earlier in the day, Simon noted that that his team has logical and workable solutions to develop his constituency and he would have been highlighting same throughout his door to door campaign. Statements of poll from Constituency Two in Linden also showed that APNU candidate Stephen Messiah won. APNU also won the PR seat.

WITH determination on their faces and hope for a better community in their hearts, persons turned out in their numbers on Monday to exercise their right to vote for candidates of their choice at the local-government level.

Over on the West Demerara, the LGE saw a serene day of voting where there were hardly any lines to speak of at any of the polling stations, and while most of the early voters were senior citizens there were a few youngsters as well.

Some rose at the crack of dawn and were out by the 06:00hrs opening of the poll, while others preferred the midday hour, braving the scorch of the noontime sun.

Granted that excitement was low, but it was still there for some.

“I feel quite excited, just as I did last time. I’m excited, I’m happy. I’m always ready,” said 28-yearold Renee Rodrigues, who was among the early voters that turned out in the Toevlugt-Patentia Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).

Rodrigues made a simple task of the activity. With her polling station just a walk away from her home, she took her young son along for the experience.

“As a young person, I think it’s important that we exercise this franchise. I want to be part of this process; I want to ensure that things are done in my community,” she said.

She is more than just a voter. Rodrigues has ensured that she has positioned herself to make a direct impact on her community. She’s a candidate, and one of the Proportional Representation (PR) candidates for the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) in her NDC, something she speaks of with much passion. In the La Grange-Nismes NDC, 34-year-old legal clerk, Derwyn Moffett is another young person hoping to make a difference in his community.

He’s another PR candidate for the APNU party.

“Even before this LGE, I would meet with persons within my community and I would discuss things with them as to what is actually lacking in our community,” Moffet said.

“In my area, the road down at the back is very bad, and with that I started to meet with people, trying to ask them what they think as to the way forward, and persons started to encourage me and say, ‘You are young; you should run and be a part of it.’ “And with that, I took

their little words and advice decided to be part of it,” he

APNU’s Delwyn Moffett

added.

In the Canal Polder NDC, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) candidate, Mohan

authority to address the issue as best he can.

PPP candidate, Mohan Girwar

pin point it to you,” he said, adding:

“Listen to the people that live in the community! Hear what they have to say!" He

Rajendra Paul

Girwar was busy mobilising

Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes

hopes, too, that whoever wins

Wayne Francois

Stieve Fareek

Tasleem Drupaul

voters at the New Annlegt Nursery School polling station.

He is looking forward to doing better by his community and hopes he does not disappoint his supporters.

lot of the voters were senior citizens, determined to let their vote be counted.

Despite being wheelchair-bound, 80-year-old Edward Jardine refused to let his disability stop him from getting his finger stained.

And his wife and other residents were only too happy to oblige.

When the dust settles after Elections Day and the candidates are appointed, Mr Jardine wants his constituency representative to do a lot of on-the-ground evaluation and not just assess his community's issues from afar.

"They have to come and see, and the people have to

sees their promises through all the way. He’s also hoping that the issue of littering and garbage collection in his area can be addressed.

At the Meten-Meer-Zorg Primary School, there was also a somewhat upbeat turnout, with voters being largely mobilized by PPP candidate Dinesh Prashad.

A candidate for Constituency 8 in the Tuschen-Uitvlugt NDC, Prashad hopes to see street lights and better roads in his community, once he wins.

‘PEOPLE WANT ME’ "The people dem want me do it,” Giwar said. “I will try to do my best for the people; that's why they put me," he declared.

A reccurring complaint among voters at his polling station is the need for job creation. If he wins, Girwar says, he will try to work along with those in higher

East Bank Demerara, the Guyana Chronicle journeyed from Houston to as far as Yarrowkabra on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway,

Eighty-year-old Edward Jardine and his wife, and other residents

Girwar’s polling station saw one of the more vibrant turnouts of the day, though a

Joy Douglas

15

KEEP THEIR PROMISES Meanwhile, over on the

and on the way there, we stopped at the St. Ann’s Primary School in Agricola where we met 64-year-old Joy Douglas, who explained that she hopes that the winning parties live up to their promises. She also called for them to put systems in place for a better community, and to provide jobs and facilities for the youth.

We also had a word with Minister of Public Telecommunications, Ms Catherine Hughes after she was done casting her ballot at the Providence Primary School, and she said that GECOM’s needs to do more to sensitise persons on voter education.

At Diamond Secondary, we engaged PPP/C PR candidate, Rajendra Paul, 38, who said that all he wants is to see his community prosper.

Paul, who once served on the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) in his community said: “I would like to be involved in the development of my community; I just don’t want to live here, just for the sake of living here. I would like to see my community strive.”

At Diamond Primary, the Guyana Chronicle spoke briefly with PPP/C Constituency One candidate, Stieve Fareek, and he said he has plans of reopening the Diamond Recreational Centre, and to do something that will positively impact the elderly.

APNU’s Constituency 9 candidate, Wayne François was at the Old Grove Primary School overseeing the election process, and he reported that to the best of his knowledge, it had been smooth sailing all day, though turnout was not as grand as during General Elections.

At Kuru-Kuru Primary, 71-year-old Tasleem Drupaul, a PPP/C candidate said he plans doing something about teenage school dropouts in his community, like providing jobs and skills training for them.

16

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Bartica stays with APNU

By Gabriella Chapman in Bartica

Preliminary results from Monday’s Local Government Elections have shown the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) winning the municipality, clinching seven of the nine constituencies, with the PPP claiming the other two. From a total of 18 seats, the APNU secured 12 seats while the PPP copped five, and the Alliance for Change (AFC) one seat. Five of the 12 seats copped by the APNU were secured in the Proportional Representation (PR) component of the elections. In the case of the PPP, it secured three seats in the PR component and AFC one. The other seats secured by the APNU and PPP were acquired under the First-Past-The-Post component of the elections.

The breakdown of the results shows in Constituency 1 APNU collected 146 votes with 46 going to the AFC and 140 for PPP/C. Constituency 2, APNU received

125; AFC 24, PPP/C 165. Constituency 3, APNU 265, AFC 34, PPP/C 174. Constituency 4, APNU 168, AFC 23, PPP/C 58. Constituency 5, APNU 190, AFC 73, PPP/C 44. Constituency 6, APNU 152, AFC 71, PPP/C 83. Constituency 7, APNU 159, AFC 72, PPP/C 116. Constituency 8, APNU 239, AFC 33, PPP/C 188. Constituency 9, APNU 66, AFC – O, PPP/C 117.

The Mayor of the town, Gifford Marshall, was amongst those who were anxiously awaiting the results. After the announcement, Marshall left the area with a smile. Earlier in the day he had expressed confidence that the people of Bartica are satisfied with their current leadership, and will without doubt vote for continued development.

Meanwhile, the day started out quite slowly in Bartica at the various polling stations in each constituency. However, the turn out picked up later in the day in several constituencies. This newspaper spoke with quite a few of the people of

the town who came out to exercise their democratic right. They all had interesting takes in their reasons for voting and their expectancy of the new leaders that are going to be in power.

One resident of the Potaro Road area said that she wants to see continued development in the town. She hopes that with the APNU controlling both the region and government it will still leave room for smaller parties and organisations to have a stake.

A few other residents of the said area said that the Potaro Road is in a deplorable state and their reason for coming out to vote is so that they can have a voice in making the change they want to see in their community. “There were some changes in my area with our last leader, however, what I am discontented about is that the changes happened too late. So my expectations now from the ruling party, is to try to do things a bit earlier. From the moment they get into power, they should start doing things, so

that people can see their authenticity and feel more comfortable in their community and don’t go elsewhere to live,” another one expressed One teacher of the town said that the thing about getting involved in local politics, you could never be satisfied with whatever is done because the dynamics is constantly changing. “We always have to look at what is, and what areas we have to improve. Over the last couple of years we have seen improvements in the town.

This new green initiative and the President making our town the example to set, is something we should acknowledge and be proud of. Rome was not built in a day, so we don’t expect the whole town to be transformed overnight. But gradually we have seen improvements and I’m proud of what I’m seeing thus far,” he said.

One public servant said she ensured she used her lunch break to go cast her vote and she is expecting that the leaders be honest with what they do.

Former chancellor launches ‘Reflections and Opinions’ Former Chancellor of the Judiciary of Guyana, Justice Desiree Bernard, speaks at the launch of her book titled “Reflections and Opinions” on Monday.

A section of the gathering the launch

A COLLECTION of speeches and presentations

by Justice of Appeal (ret’d) of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) and former Chancellor of the Judiciary of Guyana, Justice Desiree Bernard, compiled into a book titled “Reflections and Opinions” was launched on Monday.

The book gives persons the opportunity to learn more about the judiciary and its history as related by the renowned justice, who made history both locally and internationally through her years of practice.

A ceremony to facilitate the launch was held at the Herdmanston Lodge and saw in attendance several past and present leading figures in the legal fraternity.

Among them were Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan; former Chancellors of the Judiciary, Justice Carl Singh and Justice Cecil Kennard; Chief Justice (ag) Madam Roxane George-Wiltshire; Attorney Nigel Hughes; executive members of the Guyana Association of Women Judges (GAWJ); the Guyana Bar Association (GBA) and the Guyana Association of Women Lawyers (GAWL).

Also in attendance were Minister of Public Telecommunications Cathy Hughes; Speaker of the National Assembly Dr. Barton Scotland; Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Ivelaw Griffith, among others.

They all came in support of Justice Bernard, a

woman of many first --the first female Chief Justice of Guyana; the first female Chancellor of Guyana and the first female judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

She is also the founder/member of GAWL; former Justice of Appeal in Bermuda; former president and member of the United Nations Committee of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; former member of the Administrative Tribunal of the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and patron of the Caribbean Association of Women Judges.

Justice Bernard in her address to the august gathering recounted the journey

towards publication.

“After I retired from the CCJ, I said let me go through these addresses and see what I can do with them. I was able to find a remarkable number of them which I decided I’d put together in a book and this is the result of it,” she said. The book covers four main areas: the judiciary, the legal profession, women and children issues and general and social issues and topics covered include the Judiciary and the Citizen; the Life of Judges and the Judicial System; the Role of the Appellate Court; Dispute Resolution; and the CCJ and its Underpinnings.

The book which took four years to complete comprises the forward which was written by retired President of the

CCJ, Sir Dennis Byron, who reflected on Justice Bernard’s entire life.

“It is extremely useful for all categories of persons, and I would commend it to those who would like to read the history of not only the legal profession but of the country as a whole, our women and what they did,” Justice Bernard said.

She added that it is regrettable that many persons do not know the history of the judiciary or even their country, and expressed the hope that the book will be put to good use.

“I hope that it will be utilised by young and old alike in giving further knowledge about the judiciary…. I hope that it can be utilised by those who see it fit to read it, in whatever field that you think you need help and assistance in the judicial system,” she said.

Acting Chief Justice George- Wiltshire, who also spoke at the launch, related that she had the privilege of being mentored by Justice Bernard and witnessed her rich legacy as a jurist and women’s and human rights

activist.

Justice Bernard has also been a strong advocate for the establishment of a family court in Guyana. That court came into being in June 2018, under the stewardship of then Chancellor Carl Singh.

“To say that Justice Bernard lived by example is an understatement. Her commitment to excellence has been exemplified by her distinguished career as a Guyanese and Caribbean jurist. Justice Bernard has never been selfish with her knowledge and experiences, sharing them with legal and non-legal persons alike. This book is a clear demonstration of her commitment to sharing such knowledge and experience,” Chief Justice George- Wiltshire said.

The first copy of the book in Guyana was signed and donated to the University of Guyana Law Faculty. Members of the judiciary were also able to receive signed copies.

Limited copies of Justice Bernard’s book are available at $4,000 per copy, a reduced price for the Guyanese populace.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 13, 2018

APNU keeps Constituencies One and Two in Linden Evident from the statements of poll posted by GECOM at the four polling stations in Amelia’s Ward Constituency One in Linden, APNU candidate Lawrence Simon can be declared the preliminary winner with majority of the votes being cast in his favour.

This newspaper visited all the polling stations

in the constituency which showed that the APNU have also won the Proportional Representation votes for the constituency. Also, it was not a close fight between the APNU and AFC as the AFC managed to cop about one-third of the votes cast in the constituency while only a few votes went to the PPP and URP respectively. Earlier in the

day, Simon noted that that his team has logical and workable solutions to develop his constituency and he would have been highlighting same throughout his door to door campaign.

Statements of poll from Constituency Two in Linden also showed that APNU candidate Stephen Messiah won. APNU also won the PR seat.

APNU candidate Stephen Messiah

Rohingya flee refugee camps in Bangladesh Dozens of Rohingya Muslim families on a list of refugees set to be repatriated to Myanmar later this week have fled from camps in Bangladesh where they were living, a Rohingya leader said on Monday, even as Myanmar prepares to begin receiving them.

“Most of the people on the list have fled to avoid be-

ing repatriated,” said Abdus Salam, a Rohingya leader at the Jamtoli camp, some 40 km (25 miles) southeast of Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, adding most have fled to other neighbouring camps to avoid being detected and forced to return against their will.

Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed in late October to be-

gin repatriation of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees who fled Myanmar to escape an army crackdown, even though the United Nations’ refugee agency and aid groups say doubts persist about their safety and conditions in Myanmar should they return.

The repatriation of the first batch of 2,000 refu-

gees is set to officially begin on Nov. 15 and officials in Myanmar said on Sunday they were ready to begin receiving refugees this week.

“It depends on the other country, whether this will actually happen or not,” Win Myat Aye, Myanmar’s Minister for Social Welfare and Resettlement, told a news conference, referring to Ban-

gladesh. “But we must be ready from our side. We have done that.”

Last week, more than 20 individuals on the list of potential returnees submitted

by Bangladesh told Reuters they would refuse to return to Myanmar’s western Rakhine state, from where they fled, saying that they were terrified.

Bangladesh has said it would not force anyone to return and has asked the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to verify whether those shortlisted are willing to go back.

Firas Al-Khateeb, a UNHCR representative in Bangladesh, told Reuters on Sunday that this effort had not yet begun. (Reuters)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday November 13, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Missed opportunity! …Min Lawrence bemoans low voter turn out these elections were being held for the second time since the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Government had taken office in May 2015. Prior to that, the elections were not held for more than 20 years. “We fought tirelessly for these Local Government Elections,”

tions, which was held after 22 years.

“In 2016, a lot of people weren’t familiar because we did not have it for such a long time,” she posited.

She said it is time citizens become more involved in the management of their towns and villages or Neighbourhood Democratic Councils.

Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes (DPI Photo)

With the voters’ turn out presumably lower than expected, Public Health Minister and Executive Member of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Volda Lawrence said eligible voters who opted not to vote missed out on a perfectly good opportunity.

During Monday’s Local Government Elections, the second consecutive elections of this kind in 24 years, 573,923 persons were expected to vote across 1,676 polling stations across the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs) but many stayed away from the polls.

Minister Lawrence, who voted in the city of Georgetown, said the process was hassle free. “I found the officers to be very courteous, their explanation of the process to me was very clear

and I voted like a boss for APNU,” she told reporters.

The Public Health Minister said persons who did not vote wasted a perfectly good opportunity, noting that voting on Monday was quite easy.

According to her, the process was smooth and transparent. She said Local Government Elections set the foundation for community development at the local level. “This is about our community, come out cast your ballots, exercise that franchise which you have, and that so many people do not have, just remember we fought for this, so that all of us can have a say at the local level,” she said in a bid to encourage voters to go to the polls.

Minister of Social Protection and APNU Executive, Amna Ally reminded that

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo casting his ballot in Monday’s Local Government Elections

Former President Donald Ramotar showing off his inked index finger

she further reminded.

For her the process was just the same – smooth and hassle free. Voting was completed within minutes as there were no long lines.

Minister of Public Telecommunications Cathy Hughes and her husband Nigel Hughes also voted in Monday’s elections. The said persons were more informed when compared to the last Local Government Elec-

“Citizens have got to get to the stage where they know how much is budgeted for their area. They must know that the first Monday in every month a statutory meeting is held where citizens make queries and raise concerns,” she said.

Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo, during an interview with reporters, said “it seems as though it is going fairly smoothly across

the country.”

He, however, said there were some issues. “I don’t want those issues to dominate polling day concerns but they deal with again what we believe is either lack of training or capricious partisan action on the part of some presiding officers. So for example, we have had in some areas, the PR candidate being accredited to the poll and in other areas they are not,” he explained.

Jagdeo said the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) asked its polling agents to those persons who may attempt to vote for a second time.

“We have about 1 percent of the total ballot stations without polling agents because of one or another problem this morning. We are trying to get people in there

now but we have asked our leaders in those areas to pay particular attention to those boxes when we see the results to see if it departs from the national averages where we don’t have the one percent with problems,” he said.

Like many other persons, Jagdeo took note of the low voters’ turn out. “Voters turnout seems to be low across the board and the parties are out on the ground working to bring the people out as per norm,” he said.

Former President Donald Ramotar said voting is a civic responsibility that ought to be taken seriously. He too acknowledged that the Local Government Elections create a platform for local leaders to be elected to serve with the aim of developing the neighbourhoods and towns.

Int’l bodies up pressure on Guyana to abolish death penalty A delegation of international experts is in Guyana, organized by the European Union and the British High Commission, to examine the use of capital punishment and its possible abolition locally.

The delegation arrived on Monday November 12 and will remain until November 14 as their work is being supported by Guyanese lawyer Nigel Hughes.

Those who are part of the team include Co-Executive Director of The Death Penalty Project (UK) Saul Lehrfreund ; Deputy Director of Equal Justice Initiative

(USA) Randy Susskind and Surinamese parliamentarians the Krishnakoemarie Mathoera and the Patrick Ciciel Kensenhuis.

According to a release from the European Union, during this period, meetings will be held with policymakers and key stakeholders including senior government ministers, members of parliament, the Bar Association of Guyana, criminal law practitioners and human rights advocates.

A public lecture will also be held at 09:00hrs on November 13 at the National Library in Georgetown to

promote debate and increase understanding of key human rights issues relating to the use of the death penalty in Guyana.

“Although Guyana has not carried out any executions since 1997, death sentences continue to be imposed and there are currently 17 people on death row. “Guyana’s continued retention of capital punishment marks it as an outlier not only within the region, as it is the only South American country that still has the death penalty, but also on the global stage, where a majority of the world’s

nations have now abolished capital punishment,” the release stated.

The document also reminded that the death penalty was imposed on Guyana through British colonial rule and that since then, the UK itself has rejected capital punishment now vocal in advocating for global abolition.

“A combination of factors were behind the UK’s decision to abolish the death penalty in 1965, including a recognition that the punishment disproportionately affects the most marginalised and vulnerable members

of society and, importantly, could not be imposed without error, arbitrariness and cruelty,” the document added. It noted that this was made evident through several high-profile executions which raised concerns that the innocent, mentally disabled and vulnerable were being executed.

The EU release added: “Wrongful convictions remain a distressing reality wherever the death penalty is imposed. In 2016, at least 60 death row prisoners were exonerated around the world. The inevitability of error in capital sentencing

will be a recurring theme throughout the delegation.

In particular, attention will be drawn to the experience of the USA, where for every nine people executed one death row prisoner has been exonerated.”

The Death Penalty Project is an independent legal action charity housed and supported by London legal firm Simons Muirhead & Burton LLP. For more than 30 years, The Death Penalty Project has worked to promote and protect the human rights of those facing the death penalty.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 13, 2018

51% turnout for LGE in Lethem -Preliminary results show virtual tie

By Navendra Seoraj in Lethem A SLOW start for the Local Government Elections (LGEs) in Lethem ended fairly well as 51 per cent of the voting population turned out to cast their votes.

According to preliminary results from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), there were some 2,612 registered voters and of that number, 1,334 persons turned out to vote before the close of polls at 18:00hrs on Monday.

Throughout the day, persons were trickling in to cast their votes at the eight polling stations which were located in the five constituencies of Lethem. Persons said the voting process was transparent, simple and straightforward, although some of them were nervous because it was their first time voting.

Young Dwayne Frank said the voting process was very simple and straightforward , although he was nervous. Voting for him was important because he believes it was one of the ways he would contribute to the continued development of the municipality.

“I will continue to vote because we are always looking for betterment and we need to vote for people who will bring development,” said Frank. Catherina Joseph, another young voter, said she was eager to exercise her democratic right. It was her second time voting at the LGE which is supposed to be conducted every three years Incumbent Mayor of Lethem, Kerry Jarvis, who is a representative of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), said he was confident that he will be victorious in constituency five.

Jarvis said his party did

ency One, APNU’s Youlanda Richmond- Moffett got 117 votes; People’s Progressive

Residents turned out in their numbers to cast their votes at the Tapachinga Sports Complex, Constituency Three

a lot to educate voters, so although they did not expect a 100 per cent turnout, they hoped that most persons would make it their duty to

vote.

Based on the results from GECOM, there was a close run in most of the constituencies. In Constitu-

Party/Civic (PPP/C)’s John Fredericks secured 83 votes and the Alliance for Change (AFC) candidate, Ryan Al-

cides got 40 votes.

In Constituency Three, PPP/C’s John Macedo secured 193 votes while APNU’s Wendella Franklin got 129 votes; AFC’s Lilian Joseph-Cumberbatch got 38.

Over in Constituency Four, APNU’s Olive Atkinson D’Aguiar won with 114 votes; PPP/C’s Megan Thomas got 83 and AFC’s Ahrens Landry secured 45 votes.

Meanwhile, in Constituency Five, incumbent Mayor Kerry Jarvis got 57 votes while PPP/C’s Jason Wilson secured 79 votes. The Guyana Chronicle was unable to receive information from Constituency Two. In the Proportional Representation Category, the PPP/C got two seats with 676 votes and APNU won two seats with 528 votes. In 2016, the APNU+AFC coalition, which contested the LGEs together, got 662 votes while the PPP/C secured 457 votes, giving the parties three and two seats respectively.

Low voter turnout in Linden – APNU confident of retaining township

By Naomi Marshall LINDEN experienced a low voter turnout in the second Local Government Elections held in 24 years on Monday, but many were happy casting their ballots for the first time.

“The experience was very exciting. I am very happy to know that I cast my ballot and vote for improvement. The process was easy and nice,” says first-time voter Lorrian McDonald of Block 22, Wismar, Linden.

McDonald expressed that by voting, she wishes to see infrastructural and recreational developments in her community.

“In my community, there is nothing much there, nothing at all. When you look outside is just boys smoking and they aren’t doing nothing properly for themselves,” McDonald told the Guyana Chronicle.

McDonald added that she wanted the previous municipality to do more for the community. “They probably only do about a 10 per cent of 100 per cent that they said they would have done. So I would have wanted more.”

In the search for betterment was another first-time voter, Carlet Edmonson. She wants to see more community development and creation of jobs for the youths of Linden.

According to Edmonson, the previous council did not live up to their word.

“We still get the bad road and everything.

The place ain’t develop properly, we need proper development with the road,” she said.

Senior citizen Alice Samuels, however, had a different view.

“I know that they have been working

First-time voter, Lorrian McDonald of Wismar, Linden, shows off her inked index finger after casting her ballot

assiduously for the development of the communities in which we live but we have to work together, we have to have unity, we

Senior citizen Edric Joseph after exercising his franchise on Monday

have to have love and we have to put our acts together to change this whole community and the society in which we live. I know it could happen but we have to be united.

If we are not united well then things are going to go chaos.”

Apart from this, Samuels said the voting process went smoothly.

“The process was good, they are very efficient in their work, they know what they are about,” said Samuels.

GECOM Observer Victor Frenandes said there was no indication of any “hiccups” during the voting process.

“Even those without ID cards used the process of swearing so there has been nothing unusual.”

APNU’s Constituency Seven representative, Colwyn Allen, stated that despite the low turnout, his party is confident of success.

“I must say that so far persons have been coming out; not as much as we expected but it’s still early and it’s too close to call and I’m quite certain because of the mobilisation, the strength that we have, we are quite confident that we will be successful.”

Another APNU representative Deron Adams said he is not happy with the turnout as his party was encouraging people to get involved in the election.

“Our youths account for a great percentage of the voting population, they were not represented here today because it’s either they don’t understand the importance as yet or they are just disgruntled as to how things have been going,” Adams highlighted.

Adams also commended GECOM for its hard work in ensuring that the elections were held successfully.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday November 13, 2018

‘We will work with you’ M&CC transport does not cover disputed Sussex Street wharf

THE transport presented by Town Clerk, Royston King, to show that Mayor and City Council (M&CC) owns the disputed Lot 1 Mud Lot Lombard Street, popularly called the ‘Sussex Street Wharf’, does not cover the disputed plot of land.

Both the M&CC and the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) are claiming that the land belongs to them. Both entities presented different `Land Transport’ which each says validates their claims to the same plot of land. The disputed plot is the first plot of land north of Sussex Street and west of Lombard Street.

NICIL submitted `Land Transport #525 of 1985’, while the M&CC says their `Transport #2803 of 1966’ shows the land as theirs.

However, the land covered on the MCC transport does not correspond to the location of the disputed land.

Both transports were submitted last month during the course of public hearings at the City Hall Commission of Inquiry (CoI), after the issue came up that the M&CC has been leasing the land to a shipping company – Quick Shipping Inc. – since 2016.

The company has since paid the M&CC $625, 000 per year for three years.

NICIL wrote the Quick Shipping Inc. shortly after it began occupying the land in 2016, instructing the company that they were trespassing.

Proprietor for the company, Paul Sandy, appeared before the CoI with the hopes of getting some answer as to why the M&CC would lease him property they did not own.

King who was summoned before the Inqui-

ry in answer to Sandy’s query, said that Transport #2803/1966 puts the issue to rest, in that the land belongs to the M&CC. King also questioned the authenticity of NICIL’s transport, noting that a previous company – the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) - that was given and subsequently sold the land, did not acquire the land under valid means. According to King, the vesting order giving the company the land was not authenticated.

However, the questioned vesting order has been located in the Parliament Library.

A closer look at the document which the M&CC has leaves much to be desired. Transport #2803/1966 cedes two plots of land to the M&CC, neither of which seems to be the disputed plot of land. The lands came from the East Coast Estates Limited, and Bookers Shipping (Demerara) Limited. For both lands the transport indicates that they are outlined on corresponding plans.

The first plot is the “South half of Lot Number 18, part of that portion of the front lands of Plantation La Penitence cum annexis on the East Bank of the Demerara River”, and ceded from Transport 590 of 1939. The land is outlined on a plan drafted by Land Surveyor H.O Durham and dated 27 September, 1938.

However, a check of this plan at the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC) shows that this plot of land does not correspond to the disputed Sussex Street Wharf. On that plan the “South Half of Lot Number 18” is located a number of plots away on the

south of Sussex Street, and the east side of Lombard Street.

The second plot of land indicated on Transport #2803/1966 is “Area ‘A’ containing 0.243 of an acre, being portion of the front lands of Plantation La Penitence situated on the East Bank of the Demerara River”. This land is outlined on a plan by Land Surveyor I. S. Mohamed, dated 15 May 1965.

According to Mohamed’s plan “Area ‘A’” is also nowhere near the `Sussex Street Wharf’ land.

This plot simply surrounds three sides of “South half of Lot Number 18”. Moreover, there is no mention of Lot 1 Mud Lot, Lombard Street, Georgetown on the MCC’s transport.

The description on the NICIL transport more closely matches the disputed current location, however, the plan for this transport was not lodged at the GL&SC. Transport #525/1985 is outlined on a diagram by Land Surveyor William Hayley dated 24 February 1865. However, at that time plans were being lodged at the Deeds Registry.

The Deeds Registry staff have indicated that they no longer have the plans. The transport shows that a land was sold to the Guyana National Engineering Corporation Limited (GNEC) from the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC).

During her testimony before the CoI, attorney for NICIL, Arianne McLean, explained that NICIL owned the land via vesting order #13 of 2002 when the GNEC dissolved all of its property, including Lot 1 Mud Lot Lombard Street and they were

Proprietor of Quick Shipping Inc. Paul Sandy

legally handed over to NICIL. Prior to Transport 525/1985, the land was transported to the Colony of British Guiana, which bought it from the Demerara Leather and Boot Factory Limited. The land was then vested to the GMC, via Order 97 of 1963.

Transport 1085/1985 describes the land as “Mud Lot or Water Lot 1 situate in Charlestown District, in the City of Georgetown… bounded on the north by Mud Lot 2… on the south

Town Clerk Royston King

by part of Sussex Street, on the East by Lombard Street and on the West by the lower water mark of the Demerara River”.

King in questioning the validity of Vesting Order 97 of 1963, noted that the Vesting Order was never published in the Gazette, which it needed to be in order for it to be considered valid. According to an affidavit by King, he “personally searched and caused the staff of Parliament Office to search their Gazette

records and despite diligent searches…we have found no notice bringing (sic) into force the vesting order…of the said Order 97 of 1963” therefore “accordingly any purported passing of the transport to GNEC in 1985 is a fraud”.

However, subsequent to King’s declaration, last Friday Parliament Library staff produced proof that the vesting order was indeed published.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday November 13, 2018

Barticans, GPL disconnection crew clash during voting THE Minister of Social Cohesion was forced to intervene in a situation in Bartica earlier today when a disconnection crew of the Guyana Power and Light clashed with residents of the mining town in the middle of voting for the Local Government Elections.

The move aggravated a number Barticans including the Mayor of the town, Gifford Marshall and Chair-

man of Region Seven, Gordon Bradford. Bradford, in commenting on the issue, told the Guyana Chronicle: “this was a foolish move to carry out disconnection on elections day.” He shared that the people of Bartica are now complaining that they are not going the cast their vote because they now have to take their time off to reconnect their current.

Marshall, on the other hand, tried to intervene at

the GPL office in Bartica asking the team for leniency at this critical time.

However, in his attempt, the supervisor who was sent from Georgetown was reportedly abusive to the mayor. This prompted Minister Norton to intervene. Minister Norton also expressed his disappointment with the actions of the GPL staff and made contact with someone higher up.

Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton, Mayor of Bartica, Gifford Marshall and Region Seven Chairman, Gordon Bradford standing outside the GPL office in Bartica

Unions accuse UG administration of refusing to engage A JOINT statement from the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association (UGSSA) and the University of Guyana Workers’ Union (UGWU), said that the administration of the University of Guyana (UG) has brought the University “to the brink of another crisis as it refuses to engage the University Unions on issues of deep importance to workers.”

According to the joint statement, the University Unions have been attempting to negotiate with the administration on a range of matters since February 2018. “These negotiations have gone nowhere.

Additionally, the unions are deeply concerned about the state of the university’s finances, and about the administration’s violations of the university’s statutes and procedures.”

It said that after negotiations with the UG administration stalled because of the failure to agree on an agenda, the unions took the matter to the Department of Labour in August 2018. The administration did not agree to the conciliation meeting scheduled for October 25th 2018, but had informed the department that the negotiations were not stalled.

The unions in a letter to the Department of Labour regarding the lack of progress in the negotiations stated, “The Unions have observed that the administration is failing to provide the University’s Council with clear and straightforward information about the state of the University’s finances. This perhaps explains their reluctance to engage in negotiations with the Unions about matters which involve money, since they would have to reveal the University’s true financial situation.”

The statement pointed out that the administration has been trying

to prevent the council from hearing “about the ways in which it has been violating the University’s statutes and procedures, and in the process opening up the institution to claims of discrimination.”

Noting that the University’s Annual Business Meeting was held on Thursday November 8th and the concerns of the unions were not allowed to be part of the agenda, the statement said that previous attempt by the unions to have the council discuss them at an extraordinary meeting on October 3rd, was thwarted when the vice chancellor left to deal with an ‘emergency’ and

asked that they not be discussed in his absence.

According to unions, they have been trying to place the concerned matters before Council since July 2nd 2018, and that a request for space on the agenda of the council meeting which was held on July 27th was denied.

“It is clear that the administration has no regard, whatsoever, for the persons who keep the University running. The University Unions have been very patient about this situation, but the time for patience is at an end,” the unions’ joint statement added.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday November 13, 2018

Voting in New Amsterdam/Canje concludes without hiccups Seventy-eight-year-old Rudolph Innocent of Lot 98 Amsville Housing Scheme, is a first time voter at Local Government Elections.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge interacts with residents

By Jeune Bailey Van Keric WHILE the elderly kept their early date with the polling stations, the youths preferred the afternoon

to see persons take up leadership and provide essential services, and present ideas for opportunities.

The People’s Progressive Party [PPP] controls the Rose

AFC Candidate Devindra Sookraj and his family after casting thier ballots at Trinity Street Nursery

hours to cast their ballots in the different constituencies under the New Amsterdam Municipality and the Canje locations, where over 15,000 residents were expected to vote.

Hall and Corriverton municipalities, and 17 of the 18 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils, with the exception of the three recently formed Local Government Organs at Korthberaadt/Plegtanker, East

A family after casting their ballot at the Tutorial Academy in NewAmsterdam

Earlier in the day, there was a slow, yet steady flow of voters at the polls but this improved later, as was predicted by APNU Regional Representative Mr. Kirk Fraser, as he assisted in shuttling the elderly to the place of poll during sunrise hours.

Minister of Education Ms. Nicolette Henry, in an invited comment during a visit to her hometown, expressed optimism that there will be changes in favour of the government, especially in the areas that were held by the opposition in the East Berbice/Corentyne Region.

She confirmed to the Guyana Chronicle that there were no glitches or incident during the elections. But, as a New Amsterdamer, she would like

Bank Berbice and at Wyburg/ Caracas, along with Vryheid/ Sandvoort, West Canje, were eligible voters are casting their ballots for the first time.

The A Partnership for National Unity [APNU] governs the municipality of New Amsterdam and the Lancaster/ Hogstyle NDC. Meanwhile, there were no traditional long lines outside the places of poll, but there were reports that voters claimed their names were not listed, even though they had cast their ballots at the last Local Government Elections in 2016. Persons also complained of not knowing where to vote, and blame was cast on the various candidates for not notifying the members of their respectively constituency.

He wants to see improved drainage and garbage collection.

Meanwhile, the older voters claimed they pre-

ferred to cast their ballots along traditional lines and patterns, while the few younger voters who went to the polls through encour-

agements from the elderly in their respective homes, said they needed a change and their ballot will be reflective of their choice.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 13, 2018

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 13, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 13, 2018

FROM BACK PAGE

King, Truelove...

Race three was again Seejattan’s as he opened a lead over the pack but the drama was a first lap incident, again with Mark Thompson, this time on the incumbent champion Gill.

Race officials disqualified him from the race to leave his brother Kurt second and Proffit third.

In the Street Tuner class, Raymond Seebarran picked up two wins in three races with Narine Dasrat handling the other while in the Sports Tuners, it was Mohamed Ahmad and Adrian Fernandes who won a race each.

The CHOKE starlet cup had one win each for Motiall Deodass and Anand Ramchand.

SR3 The first competitive Radical series in Guyana did not disappoint with Guyanese

Calvin Ming showing why he is a professional driver.

He won the first race comfortably after out-foxing veteran Mark Maloney, who was on pole, by pulling a wide line and cutting in after Maloney ran wide, trying to block the first corner.

Race two, however, was no push over. Starting from the back of the pack, Ming sliced his way through but Kristian Jeffrey was the star of this one.

A last lap-third corner F1 style move from the SR3 Factory driver meant that he took the lead off Ming with the USF2000.

The move was well timed, planned and thought out leaving Ming no room to fight back and which could well be considered the move of the day.

Still, race three finished as race one, without much drama, Ming, Jeffrey and Mark Maloney who picked up the title SUPERSTOCK To say Matt Truelove is champion does not underscore the package that team Mohamed’s Enterprise has aboard the bike.

His ability to go fast was outdone by his ability to avoid a major incident, after competitor Richard Cooper fell in turn one.

Matt was reflexively quick

England dodge...

FROM BACK PAGE On resumption, captain Heather Knight (11 not out) struck a couple of boundaries off the first two balls of the tenth over from leg-spinner Rumana Ahmed before taking a single behind square to get England over the line.

Sent in earlier, Bangladesh struggled to 76 for nine off their 20 overs, with opener Ayasha Rahman top-scoring with 39 off 52 deliveries.

The right-hander struck two fours and three sixes to provide the impetus for the innings but once she holed out to mid-wicket off left-arm spinner Kirstie Gordon (3-21) in the 13th over, the runs dried up.

enough to avoid riding over his team-mate’s chest but also had the mentals to know that he still had a race and a championship to win.

Never mind he was beaten twice by brother and team mate Harry, he still managed to sang the title for the team’s second one in as many years competing.

Overall, Trinidad and Tobago (1359) retained the country title for cars, winning ahead of Barbados (723), Guyana (579), Jamaica (548), Antigua (205), CAMS (116) and Cayman Islands (32).

American Racing Tips Finger Lakes Race 1 Elbow Room Race 2 Mr. Hot Rocks Race 3 Dublininthepleasure Race 4 Miss After School Race 5 Tropical Storm Em Race 6 Soaring Jan Race 7 Conquest Prankster Race 8 My Tommy Boy South Africa Racing Tips Vaal 08:45 hrs The Bosbok 09:25 hrs Arte 10:05 hrs Colour Of Light 10:40 hrs Robberg Express 11:15 hrs Countess Var English Racing Tips Lingfield 08:50 hrs Parody 09:20 hrs Et Moi Alors 09:50 hrs Celma Des Bois 10:20 hrs Mr Jack 10:50 hrs Lillington 11:20 hrs Evron 11:50 hrs Finnegan’s Garden Hereford 09:00 hrs Ballygown Bay 09:30 hrs Panic And Run 10:00 hrs Jarveys Plate 10:30 hrs Irish Prophecy 11:00 hrs Miss Mash 11:30 hrs Hogan’s Height 12:00 hrs Court Royale Chelmsford City 12:15 hrs Fares Kodiac 12:45 hrs Mujassam 13:15 hrs Sea Fox 13:45 hrs Matterhorn 14:15 hrs Mainsail Atlantic 14:45 hrs Let’s Sway 15:15 hrs Red Stripes

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Australia captain Finch says whole team under microscope

Australia captain Aaron Finch

By Ian Ransom MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia captain Aaron Finch has said his whole team are under pressure after losing their fourth consecutive one-day international series, with the batting order under particular scrutiny after failing to trouble South Africa.

Seven months out from their World Cup defence, Australia were thrashed by 40 runs in Hobart on Sunday to lose the three-match series 2-1 to the Proteas.

The Australians have not won an ODI series since beating New Zealand 2-0 in 2016/17 and finish the calendar year with two wins from 13 matches.

“We’re all under pressure when we lose. No doubt about that,” Finch told reporters in Hobart.

“Between the batting lineup not having got it right for a little while now there’s going to be questions asked.

“It’s important that we really start to nut down the balance of the side and get that right moving forward.”

Australia shook up the batting order twice in the series, replacing number three D’Arcy Short with Shaun Marsh from the second match, and promoting heavy hitter Chris Lynn to open the batting with Finch in the third game.

After being skittled for 152 in the series-opening defeat in Perth, Australia managed only 231 in Adelaide before falling well short with 280 for nine in the Hobart game.

Travis Head, who was demoted to fourth in the order at Hobart after opening with Finch in the first two fixtures, had a miserable series, totalling 15 runs from his three innings.

Dropped from sixth to seventh in the order at Hobart, all-rounder Glenn Maxwell signed off with 35 after disappointing with scores of 11 and 15.

Lynn’s promotion in Hobart backfired when he was caught behind first ball while Finch was out soon after for 11.

Despite the rocky start, Finch said Lynn would be given more chances at the top of the order.

“In international cricket he’s probably still trying to find his feet a little,” said Finch of the 28-year-old whose career has been hampered by shoulder injuries in recent years.

“He knows what works best for him in the shortest format, T20. It’s probably just about finding that balance at international level as well.”

Finch and selectors will have time to ponder their options with a two-month break before the three-match ODI series against India starts in January.

But the structure of the side may not be settled until April or later, when former captain Steve Smith and David Warner come out of suspension for their roles in the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Mushfiqur’s unbeaten 219 is highest Test score by a Bangladesh batsman

MUSHFIQUR Rahim craftMahmudullah (36) ed the highest Test score by and Mushfiqur scored slowly a Bangladesh batsman with in a wicketless opening sesa magnificent unbeaten dousion and Jarvis got the breakble century on a punishing through when the captain was day two of the second Test caught behind just after lunch. for Zimbabwe.

Jarvis had a third Wi c k e t k e e p e r- b a t s five-wicket Test haul when he man Mushfiqur made 219 not got rid of Ariful Haque (4), out after facing 421 balls in a but he was unable to remove marathon innings before Mahthe brilliant Mushfiqur and mudullah declared on 522-7 in Mehidy.

Dhaka on Monday.

Mehidy reached his Mehidy Hasan made an half-century in style by creamunbeaten 68 as the Tigers ing Sikandar Raza down the piled on the runs, Mushground for six and Mushfiqur fiqur surpassing Shakib Al punched the air after bringing Hasan’s record score of 217 up his second Test double Mushfiqur Rahim raises his bat to acknowledge the crowd and becoming the first batscentury with a pull for a single after reaching his second double century in Tests. man to score a Test double later in the over. hundred this year.

Zimbabwe lost bowlBangladesh, needing a victory to Kyle Jarvis took 5-71 but the tourists draw the series, resumed in a strong po- er Tendai Chatara to injury and Matoiled in the field and were 25-1 at stumps sition on 303-5 after Mushfiqur and Mo- sakadza edged Taijul to Mehidy in the after Hamilton Masakadza was dismissed minul Haque (161) rescued them from slips for 14 after Mahmudullah declared

by Taijul Islam. on a painful day for Zimbabwe.

26-3 on day one.

SCOREBOARD Bangladesh 1st inningso o/n 303-5 Liton Das c Brandon Mavuta b Kyle Jarvis Imrul Kayes c Regis Chakabva b Kyle Jarvis Mominul Haque c Brian Chari b Tendai Chatara Mohammad Mithun c Brendan Taylor b Donald Tiripano Mushfiqur Rahim Not Out Taijul Islam c Regis Chakabva b Kyle Jarvis Mahmudullah c Regis Chakabva b Kyle Jarvis Ariful Haque c Brian Chari b Kyle Jarvis Mehedi Hasan Not Out Extras: 9b 8lb 3nb 0pen 1w Total: (160.0 overs) Fall of Wickets : 1-13 Kayes, 2-16 Das, 3-26 Ali, 4-292 Haque, 5-299 Islam, 6-372 Mahmudullah, 7-378 Haque Did Not Bat : Rahman, Ahmed

9 0 161 0 219 4 36 4 68 21 522 decl

Bowling : Kyle Jarvis 28 - 6 - 71 - 5 (1w 1nb), Tendai Chatara 22.2 - 12 - 34- 1, Donald Tiripano 24.4 6 65 1 2.64 2nb Sikandar Raza 22 - 1 - 111 - 0,Sean Williams 30 - 4 - 80 - 0, Brandon Mavuta 31 - 1 – 137- 0. .......................................................

ZIMBABWE 1st innings Hamilton Masakadza c Mehedi Hasan b Taijul Islam 14 Brian Chari Not Out 10 Donald Tiripano Not Out 0 Extras: 1b 0lb 0nb 0pen 0w 1 Total: (18.0 overs) 25-1 Fall of Wickets : 1-20 Masakadza To Bat : Taylor, Williams, Butt, Moor, Chakabva, Mavuta, Jarvis, Chatara Bowling: Mustafizur Rahman 6 - 4 - 11 - 0, Khaled Ahmed 5 - 3 - 6 - 0, Taijul Islam 5 - 3 - 5 - 1, Mehedi Hasan 2 - 1 - 2 - 0.

Women’s World T20.

St Lucia fixtures will not be relocated-ICC THE International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided against relocating the remaining matches in Group A of the Women’s World T20 from St Lucia to Antigua because of poor weather.

England’s first match of the tournament against Sri Lanka on Sunday in St Lucia was abandoned without a ball bowled.

Further storms and torrential rain are forecast until Thursday.

But the ICC said there was no guarantee that moving games “will put us in a better position to play cricket”.

Saturday’s fixture was the first time, in the sixth edition of the tournament, that a Women’s World T20 game has been washed out

completely.

In a statement, ICC head of events Chris Tetley said: “Our absolute priority is to do everything we can to play cricket and as such in light of the forecast in St Lucia, we explored alternative options for Group A games.

“After considering a range of factors including a detailed analysis of weather forecasts in both

The Darren Sammy Cricket Stadium under rain last weekend.

(Photo courtesy ICC Media)

St Lucia and Antigua and an inspection of the square and outfield in Antigua, we have taken the decision to

continue as scheduled.

“The weather is forecast to improve, and we will continue to support the

local ground staff in their preparation of playing surfaces at all venues.”(BBC Sport).

Buttler happy to bat at three in second Test JOS Buttler says he is happy to bat at number three for England in Sri Lanka because being flexible with the batting order is “a real strength”.

Batting at three, Moeen Ali was out for a duck and then three as the tourists won the first Test by 211 runs.

England coach Trevor Bayliss said Moeen may move down the order for the second Test this week and named Buttler and Ben Stokes as possible replacements.

“I will bat wherever is required,” Buttler, 28, told BBC Sport.

He added that an adaptable batting order has been

a strength of England’s topranked one-day side “for a while now” and could also work in Test cricket.

“There are not many egos in the side that need those defined roles as to where they bat,” he said.

“You need a good balance of being settled but it shows a good team environment and ethic that people are willing to play wherever is required.”

Moeen moved up the order to three for the second innings of the fourth Test against India this summer - with captain Joe Root switching to four - and scored nine, 50 and 20 in the rest of the series.

Jos Buttler scored 38 and 35 batting at number six in the first Test

A f t e r t h e f i r s t Te s t against Sri Lanka, Bayliss said Buttler would have batted at three in Galle had England bowled first and all-rounder Moeen bowled 40 overs in the first innings.

“That doesn’t affect me too much,” said Buttler.

“Especially in this part of the world, it doesn’t make much difference what number you bat. Whether you’re batting number three or number eight, you’re probably going to start your innings against spin.”

With Jonny Bairstow out with ankle ligament damage sustained playing football in training, Ben Foakes kept wicket instead

of one-day international keeper Buttler in the first Test and scored a fine century on debut.

Bairstow trained on Monday but there is no confirmation yet whether he will be available for the second Test in Pallekele, although Bayliss has said all three wicketkeeper-batsmen could play.

Buttler said he has no aspiration to be England’s Test wicketkeeper and instead was focused on “scoring runs to try and stay in the side”.

“If Jonny was fit, I wouldn’t be the wicketkeeper anyway, so Ben Foakes keeping didn’t really bother

me” he said.

“In your pride as a wicketkeeper, you want to be good enough to be selected - but I didn’t keep as well in the one-day series as I would’ve liked to and it’s quite healthy to see someone like Ben come in.

“He’s been much talked about as the best gloveman in England for a number of years and it was great to see him first hand and that’s the level I’ve got to try and attain.”

Buttler added that Bairstow was a “vital part” of England’s side and had done a “fantastic” job as Test wicketkeeper.(BBC Sport).

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Deo wins MACORP golf tournament BHOLAWRAM Deo won the 13th annual MACORP golf tournament last Saturday at the Lusignan Golf Course, East Coast Demerara.

Competing in the 19-28 Flight, Deo shot 85 gross and 66 net to win the category, while Romel Bhagwandin finished second with 88 Gross and 69 net, followed by Balgobin Ragnauth on 92 gross and 69 net.

The 10-18 Flight was taken by Robin Tewari ahead of Dr. Joaan Deo and Shanella Webster. Tewari finished with 83 gross and 67 net, while Dr. Deo continued her good run this year, finishing second on 85 gross and 70 net; Webster took third place with 86 gross and 71 net.

Aleem Hussain took the top podium spot in the 0-9 Flight, while Vijay Deo placed second and Mike Mangal third.

Hussain ended with 79 gross and 70 net while Vijay Deo chalked up 80 gross and 71 net and Mangal 83 gross and 74 net.

Speaking at the presentation which followed, CEO of MACORP, Guillermo Escarraga congratulated the president and executive of the Lusignan Golf Club on the successful staging of the tournament and pledged their continued support.

President of the club, Aleem Hussain, expressed gratitude to the sponsors and congratulated the winners.

The various winners with representatives of the sponsor.

Nedd leads DCC to victory over Bacchus XI and Reliance GNIC in low scoring encounter Hustlers to clash in Central

Ashmead Nedd finished with four wickets for 15 runs from eight overs.

WEST Indies U-19 left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd led the Demerara Cricket Club to victory over GNIC in a low scoring encounter on Sunday in the New Building Society (NBS) 40-over Second-Division Cricket competition.

Nedd flighted the ball well and was stifling in his execution; digging deep to undermine GNIC after his team was dismissed for 114 in 24 overs.

He shared the new ball with pacer Carlton Jacques and the pair had early success; they grabbed four of the first five wickets to put the visitors on the back foot at 46-5.

The teenager then combined with pacer Qumar Torrington and the pair cleaned up the lower order in quick time to register a 56-run win.

Shone DeSouza, who hit four fours during his top score of 22 runs, was the only resistance, but he lost his wicket via the run-out route.

Need finished with 4-15 from eight overs, Torrington 3-16 from four overs, while Jacques grabbed 2-32 from five overs. Despite the wickets, the talk of the day was a diving catch at first slip by Steven Sankar off the bowing of Torrington to dismiss J Groovesnor (0). Sankar went hard to his left for a ball that was flying.

Earlier, the home team had won the toss and batted, but their batsmen struggled as none reached 25.

If Larry Smith and a few lower order batsmen had not played a few shots, the side would not have reached 114 in 24 overs.

Smith scored 22 after running 10 singles and four doubles, while Nedd added 21 (2x4s, 2x6s) and Dexter George (13).

The visitors’ opening bowlers, Jeremiah Benjamin and Jason George, did the initial damage. The medium pacers toppled the top order, grabbing the first four wickets to leave the score on 4-19, and soon it was 26-6 when leg-spinner Clairmont Duesburg got into the thick of things.

Benjamin and Duesburg finished with three wickets each, while George grabbed two wickets.

Essequibo T20 finals

BACCHUS XI overpowered Reliance Sports Club while Reliance Hustlers humbled Queenstown Sports Club during their semi-final play-offs on Sunday to book their places in the final of the Central Essequibo T20 competition.

At the Imam Bacchus ground in Affiance, the host register a challenging 188-9 from their 20 overs batting first. They were indebted to a fine half century by Parmesh Persaud who batted solidly in his 52, containing 2x4s and 2x6s.

He was admirably supported by a fluent innings from former national youth player, Nathan Persaud 33 (3x4s and 1x6) while Navindra Persaud belted 30 (3x4s 2x6s) to give the innings momentum in the late overs.

Off-spinner Dhaniram had impressive figures of 4-22 in 4 overs while Cecil Shivambar claimed 2-8 from a single over. In reply, Reliance Sports Club wilted under pressure in trying to keep up with the scoring rate and eventually ended on 122-7 when the overs expired.

A fighting 41 (4x4s and 1x6) from Jamal Wilson and former Essequibo inter-county captain, Elroy Stephney with 20 (2x4s) only delayed the inevitable as the host comfortably won by 66 runs.

Over at the Reliance ground, host Reliance Hustlers recovered to defeat Queenstown Sports Club by 48 runs. Batting first after winning the toss, Reliance Hustlers were in early trouble and were at one stage precariously placed at 65-6 and struggling to even utilise their full quota of overs.

However, Captain Trevis Simon then counter-attacked by smashing 42 from 24 deliveries with 6x4s and 2x6s, and with Keron Boodram 21 (3x4s), enabled Reliance to reach 152-8 from their 20 overs.

Former national youth off-spinner Akeel Wallace grabbed 3-20 from 4 overs while Ramesh Bridgemohan had 2-26 from his 4 overs.

The visitors started positively with the openers posting 27 runs in the first 2 overs. Former national youth opening batsman, Herell Green, was in sublime touch as he elegantly caressed the ball to the boundary.

However, the introduction of spin changed the context of the match as the visitors perished quickly. Green’s 35 was laced with 5x4s and when he departed only Mitchel Etwaroo with 15 resisted as Queenstown folded for 104 all out in 16 overs.

It was the off-spin of Narendra Mandolall who mesmerised his opponents, claiming magical figures of 5-22 from 4 overs to take the honors with the ball. Bacchus X1 and Reliance Hustlers will now clash in the final on a date yet to be determined. (Elroy Stephney)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Dr. Chanderpaul visits Guyana Karate College Dojo GUYANA and West Indies cricket legend, Dr. Shivnarine Chanderpaul, CCH, met with Guyanese karate icon, Shuseki Shihan Frank Woon-a-Tai, MS, last Friday at the Guyana Karate College Dojo in Thomas Lands.

Dr. Chanderpaul, popularly known as ‘Tiger’ or ‘Shiv’ was visiting the Dojo to play the unfamiliar role of spectator, as he gave moral support and cheered his daughter, little Liara Chanderpaul, as he watched her undertake her first rank examination and promoted from a 10th kyu or white belt to 9th kyu or a white belt with a yellow stripe.

Even though the former West Indies captain had more than one other pressing appointment to

attend to, fully appreciative of the importance of strong support systems in order to improve confidence and sports success among young athletes, he remained in the Dojo until Liara completed all of her kihon, kata and kumite routines. Kihon means basics whilst kata means form and kumite means partner work or sparring.

Master Frank Woon-a-Tai, who is the Chief Instructor and Chairman of the International Karate Daigaku, headquartered in Toronto, Canada, is currently celebrating his fiftieth year of teaching karate-do in Guyana and around the world, enjoyed his brief interaction with Chanderpaul. They are both recipients of Medal of Service awards.

Ramdhani off to winning start at the King’s University nament in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, representing the Kings University.

The Open Doubles & Mixed Doubles tournament attracted players from around Alberta and was played off last weekend at the Kings University Badminton Courts.

In the Open Men’s Doubles in a draw of 64, Narayan Ramdhani and his partner, Joel Simrose, were seeded No. 2 and got a Bye in the First Round.

In the second round they defeated Jacky Chung and Stewart Tieu 21-10, 21-16 In the third round they defeated Anshuma Sharma and Rohan Sharma 21-18, 21-18 In Quarter Final action, they defeated Sony Augustine and Jiju Kiliyankand 21-19, 21-10 In the Semi-Final, they defeated Kartil Gohil and Harpeet Singh 2111, 21-16 In the Final, they lost to the No.1 seeded pair of Kevin Chow and Alex Fung 21-17, 21-18.

In the Open Mixed Doubles in a draw of 32, Narayan Ramdhani and his partner, Angelica Alberto were seeded No. 2 and got a bye in the first round.

In the second round, they defeated Se Jun Sunwoo and Nicole Ramos 21-12, 21-9 In the Quarter-Finals, they defeatNarayan Ramdhani (right) and Joel Simrose. ed Wenlong Huang and Zixin Jiao NARAYAN Ramdhani won Silver in the 21-17, 21-15 Men’s Doubles and reached the Semi-FiHowever, they were defeated in the nals (3rd Place) in the Mixed Doubles Semi-Finals by the No.3 seeded pair of category when he played in his first tour- Kevin Chow and Tina Wasilik 21-17, 21-15.

Dr. Shivnarine Chanderpaul (right) met with Guyanese karate icon, Shuseki Shihan Frank Woon-a-Tai Friday last.

Windies slip further in ICC T20 rankings after India series loss LONDON, England, (CMC) – Reigning World champions West Indies have taken a hit in the latest ICC Twenty20 rankings, following their 3-0 whitewash at the hands of powerhouses India.

While the Caribbean side remain seventh in the 17team standings, they have lost four ratings points to slip to 102 points, further narrowing the gap between themselves and eighth-place Afghanistan on 92 points.

Of the major Test-playing nations, West Indies are now only above Sri Lanka who languish in ninth on 87 points.

Pakistan top the standings

on 138 points with India second on 127 after picking up three points from their comprehensive series win.

Australia are third on 118 points while England lie fourth on the same number, with New Zealand fifth on 112 and South Africa sixth on 111.

West Indies won the T20 World Cup two years ago in India when they stunned England in a dramatic final at Eden Gardens.

Since then, however, their decline has been steady, losing six of their eight series and 16 of 26 T20 Internationals since.

Their latest series defeat to India was their fourth

straight, leaving them with much rebuilding to do especially with the 2020 T20 World Cup in Australia fast approaching.

West Indies lost the opening match in Kolkata by five wickets, went down in the second by 71 runs in Lucknow before suffering a heart-breaking six-wicket defeat off the last ball on Sunday in Chennai.

The Carlos Brathwaiteled side will have a chance to improve their standing when they tour Bangladesh next month for a threematch series.

West Indies sit eighth in the Test rankings and ninth in the one-day rankings.

Djokovic beats John Isner in ATP Finals group opener WORLD number one Novak Djokovic underlined why he is favourite to win the ATP Finals with a commanding win over John Isner in their group opener.

The Serb, 31, was in devastating form as he easily dealt with the big serves of American Isner in a 6-4 6-3 victory. World number 10 Isner, making his debut at the season-ending tour-

nament, was broken in the fifth game of the first set and seventh of the second.

Djokovic then sealed the win on Isner’s serve with a crosscourt backhand.

E a r l i e r i n t h e d a y, Alexander Zverev beat Marin Cilic in straight sets in the other match in the Gustavo Kuerten group.

Wi t h w o r l d n u m b e r three Roger Federer having slumped to a surprise

defeat by Kei Nishikori in his opening group match on Sunday, the path for Djokovic to a sixth title at the tournament seems ever clearer.

He was already helped by the withdrawal through injury of world numbers two and four Rafael Nadal and Juan Martin del Potro and after this performance he is an even hotter favourite. (BBC Sport).

31

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 13, 2018

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup…

Must-win game for New Zealand, says captain Satterthwaite Amy Satterthwaite

By Rajiv Bisnauth NEW Zealand captain Amy Satterthwaite says her team cannot afford any slip ups in this evening’s must-win game against Group B leaders, Australia.

The two teams will meet in match ten of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup fixture at the Guyana National Stadium from 20:00hrs.

Australia are the topranked team in the format and come into the tournament completing a first women’s T20 series clean sweep of New Zealand.

They are surely one of the favourites in the tournament, winning both their

games so far in convincing fashion.

The White Ferns, on the other hand, contributed to their downfall with some loose shots and were beaten

by India by 34 runs in their opening game.

During a pre-match press conference held at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground, Satterthwaite said her team is fully aware of the importance of today’s

fixture.

“Yea, it’s a big game… must-win game for the rest of our group stages; we want to make it to the semis. We have to go out there and back ourselves that we can beat the Australians,” the New Zealand skipper said.

Australia roped to their 11th consecutive win in T20Is, after disposing of Ireland by nine wickets on

Sunday, to show their dominance in the format. However, captain Meg Lanning said while it’s nice to have some momentum early, today’s match against New Zealand could be a tough assignment.

“In tournament like these it is always a big challenge…

New Zealand is really a good team, so we have to be on the ball and get better each game and hopefully we continue our winning ways,”

Meg Lanning

Lanning revealed during the pre-match press conference yesterday at the Guyana National Stadium.

Meanwhile, Ireland will play Pakistan from 16:00hrs. Pakistan lost both their matches so far, and will definitely be looking for a win.

Farfan and Mendes Junior Skill Level Squash tournament serves off today THE Farfan and Mendes-sponsored final local Junior Skill Level Squash tournament of the 2018 Calendar will serve off today at the Georgetown Club.

Forty-three participants will compete in categories A to H throughout the weeklong tournament, where top seed Shomari Wiltshire heads up a small group of 4, including Gianni Carpenter, Samuel Ince-Carvalhal and Michael Alphonso, while in category B, Abosaide Cadogan and Kirsten Gomes will vie with the Jonas brothers--Lucas and Ethan—along with Demetri-

In the lower categories, the emerging stars will no doubt be fighting for the top spot in their respective groups and gaining some valuable experience from

Squash action at the Georgetown Club

us DeAbreu, Mohryan Baksh

and Nicholas Verwey.

playing and watching a packed week of squash.

Play begins at 18:00hrs today and continues each weekday at the same t i m e , b e f o re m o r n i n g

matches commence at the weekend. The Squash Association’s signature BBQ fundraiser will be held during final matches on Sunday 18th November.

King, Truelove are CMRC Champions – Trinidad and Tobago takes third country Championship

See Page 26 Andrew King won two of the CMRC Group Four Races

By Stephan Sookram ANDREW King snapped up his second consecutive Caribbean Motor Racing Championship (CMRC) Group four title while Matt Truelove of Team Mohamed’s Enterprise picked up his first and the team’s second SuperStock title.

This, along with the fact that Trinidad and Tobago have now become three-time country champions, was announced last evening at the presentation for the Seaboard Marine- sponsored event.

In a gala celebration at the Princess Hotel in Georgetown, the announcements flowed one after the other to cheers from those present from the visiting delegations.

King picked up two outright wins Sunday by destroying the competition and was also awarded the final win after a 10-second penalty was given against race winner Mark Maloney for a jump start.

No one, save Kevin Jeffrey for three laps, had an answer for King as he stole the championship from a hopeful Mark Vieira.

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup

England dodge weather to notch first win

England celebrate another Bangladesh wicket during their victory at the Darren Sammy Cricket Stadium (ICC photo)

GROS ISLET, St Lucia, (CMC) – England finally notched their first win of the ICC Women’s Twenty20 World Cup when they condemned Bangladesh to their second defeat, in a rain-affected affair at the Darren Sammy Cricket Stadium.

In the first match at the venue following the rainedoff opener last weekend, England easily chased down a revised target of 64 to get their title bid up and run-

ning with a seven-wicket win under Duckworth-Lewis-Stern here Monday.

Amy Jones struck an unbeaten 28 off 24 deliveries while Natalie Sciver belted a 17-ball unbeaten 23 as England hardly exerted themselves in an uncomplicated outing.

They were stunned up front when Danielle Wyatt fell to the first ball of the innings and Tammy Beaumont followed in the third over for two – both to

off-spinner Salma Khatun (2-17).

Their dismissals left the innings in a spot of bother at 13 for two before Jones and Sciver put on 38 for the third wicket.

England’s original target was 77 but the rain, which has been around for the past week, arrived to interrupt the innings at 55 for three at the end of the ninth over.

SEE PAGE 26

Team Mohamed’s Matt truelove took two of the three super stock races.

Rupie Sewjattan registered two second place finishes. At the Group three level, Ronald Wortman might not have been the star of the show, thanks to his Trinidadian countryman Kristian Boodoosingh, but he did pick up the group three championship.

Boodoosingh, who picked up two wins, was virtually untouchable with main

contender Danny Persaud and him touching in turn one of the first race. The latter spun and recovered for third.

Wortman was able to register two seconds and one first place finish after Boodoosingh had mechanical failure in the final race.

Group two had its fair share of drama with the seven points needed for Trinidad’s Marc Gill to take

the championship and that proving almost impossible.

Guyana’s Shan Seejattan picked up three wins.

He first won ahead of Chet Singh, while in the second he won ahead of Mark Thompson, Kurt Thompson, Gill and Marcell Proffit.

However, a three spot penalty for Mark meant that Kurt, Gill and Proffit moved up a spot.

CONCACAF teams go in hunt of Under-20 World Cup spots today

Alexis Gamboa (#4) of Costa Rica is congratulated by his teammate Andres Gomez after scoring against St. Lucia in Group E of the CONCACAF Under 20 Championship on November 9, 2018 at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

CONCACAF Under-20 Championship’s qualification stage is set to kick off today at the at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida with Panama and El Salvador in the first game of a Group H encounter, while Honduras and Costa Rica face off later in the day in the Group G opener.

After an initial Group Stage that included a record number of 34 teams, the six group winners have been divided into two groups.

No Caribbean team

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made it past the first round, with Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti all finishing second in their respective groups behind the United States, Mexico, Honduras, and Costa Rica.

The three-team groups are as follows: Group G Winner Group A – United States Winner Group C – Honduras Winner Group E – Costa Rica

Group H Winner Group B – Mexico Winner Group D – Panama Winner Group F – El Salvador After round robin play, the two group winners plus the second-place finishers will qualify for the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Additionally, the two group winners will advance to the tournament’s final to determine the regional champion. The final is scheduled to be played Wednesday, November 21, 2018.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2018