Guyana Chronicle E-paper 12-04-2018

TUESDAY 4th DECEMBER, 2018

No.105478

Lawrence issues apology for remarks

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Gov’t to help train 660 to start, run their own business –– among them former GuySuCo workers

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Irfaan Ali nailed

Exxon in 10th strike

…makes huge discovery at Pluma-1 well …recoverable resource at Stabroek Block now over 5 billion oil-equivalent barrels SEE STORY ON PAGE 03

Make hay while sun shines PAGE

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–– DoE official urges participants at Exxon-funded local-content forum

…Harmon sets record on President’s team travel expenses

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Participants at ExxonMobil’s inaugural Supplier Development Forum Monday at the Marriott Hotel (Delano Williams photos)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday December 4, 2018

Lawrence issues apology for remarks

PUBLIC Health Minister and Chairperson of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Volda Lawrence has apologised for insensitive comments made at her party’s regional conference two weeks ago.

Lawrence has been severely criticised for her remarks. She said in a terse statement “My name is Volda Lawrence. Over the last 30 plus years, I have given service to my people and country. I have fought for my fellow countrymen and women known and unknown, irrespective of their class, creed or political affiliation. I have fought for freedom, equal rights and justice. The rhetoric attributed to me over the last few days, is not reflective of who I am as a person or leader. I have learned that as a leader I must be cognisant of what I say and do, and must not allow emotions or political fervour to get in the way. So to all those whom I

have offended in one way or another, I humbly apologise.”

On Sunday Leader of the Alliance For Change, Raphael Trotman says its position on equality is well known, noting that it believes in and espouses equal opportunities for all Guyanese, regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, political persuasion or sexual orientation.

“The AFC believes that all Guyanese are entitled to share equally in the benefits of the state.” Lawrence, during a PNCR regional conference last week reportedly told members of the PNCR that “the only friends I got is PNC, so the only people I could give work to is PNC.” “The AFC believes that all Guyanese are entitled to share equally in the benefits of the state. We believe that the PNC Chair’s widely reported statements were made in the aftermath of the hotly contested Local Government Elections and have created an unnecessary distraction at

this time.”

“The chair [Lawrence], I as leader have known and worked closely with for 25 years has never shown racial or political partisanship, but in fact has worked tirelessly, as politician and as a minister of government for the betterment of people of all walks of life and all backgrounds.”

Lawrence, in a statement following the release of the recording at the conference said she stands by her views on the issue of jobs and unemployment, that measures are being put in place for the young and industrious to be afforded the opportunity of becoming self-employed or gaining meaningful employment. Lawrence also said she stands by her views that comrades (PNCR members) must educate and position themselves to be in the 20 per cent bracket that will be afforded government contracts.”

“Cde Lawrence also stands by her views that we must become bi-lingual as

the world is now smaller and Guyana [is] fast becoming a haven to people from countries near and far. Cde. Lawrence emphasised that if the coalition wants to remain in power after 2020, we must take better care of all Guyanese. Cde. Lawrence has called for absolute unity, stating categorically that there is no more Joe’s camp or Basil’s camp, but one camp, led by His Excellency David Arthur Granger.”

Lawrence also, according to her statement, called for an end to the complaining, saying “if we project negativity then we would not be able to influence others.”

She noted that government has made it possible for everyone to get a chance at succeeding in their endeavours by giving small contractors 20 per cent of government contracts, noting that the playing field is now level for all Guyanese.

Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence

Show more consideration to persons with disabilities …Min. Hughes urges at NFMU computer donation PUBLIC Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes has called on persons in the public transportation sector, such as minibus and hire-car drivers, to show some more consid-

eration to persons with disabilities on the roadways.

“I am very aware of the horror stories,” Hughes, with a rather lively and empathetic tone, told a small gathering on Monday at the National

Frequency Management Unit (NFMU) on Charlotte Street, Georgetown.

The NFMU, as part of its digital inclusion agenda and on the occasion of International Day of Persons with

Public Telecommunications Minister, Cathy Hughes presenting one of the laptops to GCOPD representative Ganesh Singh

Disabilities, donated two laptops to the Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD); and four tablets to the David Rose Special School.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities is being held under the theme, “Empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring inclusiveness and equality.”

Valmiki Singh, NFMU

Managing Director, informed that the unit will also be assisting the organisations further, such as by helping to develop websites for them.

Human Resources Manager of Global Technology Jacqueline Weekes, also donated an IPad to the GCOPD on behalf of the company.

Minister Hughes noted that bringing technology to persons with disabilities

has been a strong agenda for the Ministry of Public Telecommunications. She said she was excited that government has arranged for some equipment costs to be VAT free for persons with disabilities; and to further reduce certain taxes associated with a vehicle.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday December 4, 2018

ExxonMobil strikes more oil

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…makes 10th oil discovery at Pluma-1 well

…pushes Guyana figure to 750,000 barrels of oil daily by 2025 UNITED States oil giant ExxonMobil announced on Monday that it has made its 10th discovery offshore Guyana and increased its estimate of the discovered recoverable resource for the Stabroek Block to more than five billion oil-equivalent barrels.

The resource estimate, up from the previous estimate of more than 4 billion oil-equivalent barrels, is a result of further evaluation of previous discoveries and includes a new discovery at the Pluma-1 well, the company said in a statement.

“The discovery of a resource base of more than 5 billion oil-equivalent barrels in less than four years is a testament of our technical expertise and rigorous evaluation and pursuit of high-potential, high-risk opportunities in this frontier area,” said Neil Chapman, ExxonMobil senior vice president. “We will continue to apply what we’ve learned to identify additional exploration prospects and potential future discoveries that will deliver significant value to Guyanese people, our partners and shareholders.”

The Pluma-1 well encountered approximately 121 feet (37 metres) of high-quality hydrocarbon-bearing sandstone reservoir. Pluma-1 reached a depth of 16,447 feet (5,013 metres) in 3,340 feet (1,018 metres) of water.

The Noble Tom Madden drillship began drilling on Nov. 1. The well is located approximately 17 miles (27 kilometres) south of the Turbot-1 well. The Noble Tom

Madden will next drill the Tilapia-1 prospect located 3.4 miles (5.5 kilometres) west of the Longtail-1 well. “Together with the Government and people of Guyana, we are continuing to grow the value of the Stabroek Block for Guyana, our partners and ExxonMobil with successful exploration investments,” said Steve Greenlee, president of ExxonMobil Exploration Company. “Our ongoing work will evaluate development options in the southeastern portion of the block, potentially combining Pluma with prior Turbot and Longtail discoveries into a major new development area.”

The Liza Phase 1 development is expected to begin producing up to 120,000 barrels oil per day by early 2020, utilising the Liza Destiny floating storage, production and offloading vessel (FPSO). As previously announced, Liza Phase 2 is expected to start up by mid2022. Pending government and regulatory approvals, Liza Phase 2 project sanction is expected in early 2019 and will use a second FPSO designed to produce up to 220,000 barrels per day.

Sanctioning of a third development, Payara, is also expected in 2019 with start up as early as 2023.

The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres). ExxonMobil’s affiliate Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited is the operator and holds 45 per cent interest in the Stabroek Block. Hess Guyana

Director, Department of Energy, Dr. Mark Bynoe

Exploration Ltd. holds 30 per cent interest and CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana Limited holds 25 per cent interest.

Meanwhile, Director of the Department of Energy, Dr. Mark Bynoe in an invited comment said: “This is great news for Guyana… the country is on the cusp of transformational development for current and future generations, and the news of ExxonMobil’s 10th discovery offshore Guyana is expected to facilitate the country’s realisation of substantial social and economic improvements.

“Guyana is well poised to truly forge ahead in the 21st century. As a petro-development state we will, however, need to strategically invest in a people-centered and balanced manner, where we utilise our non-renewable resources for structural transformation and improving people’s lives in the short-

term, while concomitantly providing the foundation to allow us to transition in the medium and long term to a post carbon economy.

The previous recoverable resource estimate on the Stabroek Block was more than 4 billion barrels. This discovery reinforces the potential of the country being able to produce more than 750,000 barrels of oil daily by 2025, and the potential for development in the southeast section of the Stabroek Block. The Stabroek Block is 26, 800 square kilometres,” Dr. Bynoe added.

The Noble Tom Madden is expected to begin drilling the Tilapia-1 prospect located some 3.4 miles (5.5 kilometres) west of the Longtail-1 well. The Stena Carron drillship has recently completed operations at Hammerhead-1 and will soon drill its next well following scheduled maintenance.

In his recent budget pre-

sentation, Finance Minister Winston Jordan had said that the discovery of very significant oil reserves has put Guyana at a critical point in its history, “providing us with the opportunity to shift our development path, modernise our economy and transform the lives of our citizens. We are poised for rapid economic expansion, and our Government is committed to pursuing economic and social policies conducive to equitable, sustainable and environmentally-friendly growth. “ Jordan noted that the government has embarked on a number of initiatives to ensure that “we do not squander these resources.” He told the House that the administration has already completed a Green Paper on the management of the revenues from petroleum, and that a Natural Resource Fund Bill was introduced in the National Assembly to assure equitable distribution of national wealth across generations, among other objectives. “Mr. Speaker, these new resources provide a momentous occasion for us to turn potential to prosperity. We intend to take advantage of this and will ramp up spending on infrastructure such as roads, bridges, airstrips, energy and telecommunications, in order to improve and induce domestic and foreign investment, which is critical to our growth and development prospects. Increased expenditure on education and healthcare is also projected,

Show more consideration to persons ...

The minister said the disability community ought to be paid some more attention, as it is felt that enough has not been done for such persons.

She informed that during the first quarter of 2019, government will conduct a ‘Train the Trainers’ workshop.

Making an appeal to

persons who provide public transportation services, Hughes said: “For those in the public transportation sector who would not bother to slow down their vehicles or give an extra moment for persons with disabilities, I am very much aware of the horror stories.”

The minister pointed out

that police stations should also be equipped with contact persons so as to be able to interact or interpret persons with disabilities when the need arises.

Head Teacher at David Rose Special School Dionne McKenzie, observed that many of the children at the school have motor skills

issues, and hence the tablets will help them to perform better.

The school has 127 children with special needs and hence, is in need of many more tablets, McKenzie said.

NFMU Engineer Melissa Layne, offered that the NFMU supports digital in-

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so as to ensure qualitative and quantitative enhancement of our human capital – our country‘s most valuable asset. Further, through appropriate policy measures, we will ensure that the appreciable economic growth that is expected is felt at all levels, especially among disadvantaged, vulnerable and underprivileged groups and communities,” Jordan said.

He said thaty in order to capture the full benefit of our new-found wealth, “we must chart a course of development that is diversified, inclusive and sustainable. This is why we have embarked on the development of the Green State Development Strategy (GSDS), a comprehensive document of strategic actions, policies, projects and programmes to guide our development trajectory over the next 20 years. The objective is broader than Guyana‘s past development strategies and captures a more holistic view of social, economic and environmental well-being, which is in line with the United Nation‘s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In particular, the Strategy aims to foster sustained economic growth that is low-carbon and climate-resilient, as well as promote social cohesion, good governance and careful management of our finite natural resources.”

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clusion and over the years, has worked with GCOPD and Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Center to encourage the use of technology in activities.

“Technology is a powerful tool and most certainly can be used to empower persons with disabilities and ensure inclusiveness and equality. After engag-

ing with the David Rose School and the Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities, we were able to learn of technologies that they employ to help them in their daily activities,” Layne noted.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Woman set on fire in India after complaining of attempted assault NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Two men accused of trying to molest a 20-year-old woman in northern India set her on fire two days later after she lodged a complaint with police, authorities and her family said.

Women in India have struggled to secure prosecution for sexual attacks in the face of widespread police indifference, rights activists

Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Monday 1, December, 2018

04 09 12 16 26 27 13

M

say.

The woman was in a field near her home in the Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh state when the men, both neighbours and known to her family, accosted her and tried to drag her away, her brother Vinod Kumar told Reuters.

She bit their hands and managed to break free and escaped, and her father filed a complaint with police the

same day, he said. When no action resulted, the family lodged a second complaint. “We waited for the police to come for inquiries the entire day but no one came,�

Vinod said.

The next day, the two men returned to the field where she was working, doused her with kerosene and set her on fire, regional police superintendent, Prabhakar Chaudhary told Reuters. She suffered burns to 40 percent of her body and was hospitalised. Chaudhary said her suspected attackers were arrested and three policemen suspended for dereliction of duties.

After a gruesome gang rape of a young woman in 2012, India launched fast-

track courts and a tougher rape law that included the death penalty. But crime statistics indicate sexual assault

on women have risen, not fallen, since then.

Even if cases are registered, crime statistics show that police files remain open for about a third of all rapes that were investigated for each year between 2012 and 2016.

Rights groups have accused Indian police of bowing to pressure from local politicians to bury investigations.

In some cases, investigations of sexual assault have evaporated out of sheer police apathy, activists say.

02:30hrs. - 04:00hrs.

14:30hrs. - 16:00hrs.

23, 03, 01, 13, 22

4, 1, 5

5, 9, 8

01, 02, 04, 14, 17 30, November, 2018

03 04 05 11 14

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday December 4, 2018

Brazil's incoming economy minister cancels Europe trip because of illness BRASILIA (Reuters) Brazil’s incoming Economy Minister Paulo Guedes has cancelled a European tour to present his plans for turning around Latin America’s biggest economy, so he can follow a

doctor’s orders to rest for a week because of a viral infection, a spokesman said.

Guedes was to speak with investors in London.

He also had planned to be in Madrid this week with

incoming Justice Minister Sergio Moro for a panel hosted by writer Mario Vargas Llosa, on the challenges facing governments in Latin America.

Guedes, a long-time investment banker, is the

Mexico's Lopez Obrador hails end to aloof politics, launches daily address MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - In just 48 hours in office, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has stamped a marked change of style on Mexican politics, with hands-on policies and symbolic moves aimed at narrowing the gap between the government and the people.

On Monday, he held his first news conference, promising to repeat the exercise every weekday at 7 a.m.

- a contrast to predecessor Enrique Pena Nieto, who rarely took journalists’ questions, preferring to deliver stage-managed speeches.

The 65-year-old veteran leftist spoke on a range of subjects but, flanked by his security cabinet, spent most of the time talking about plans to personally take charge of stemming a cycle of cartel-led violence that has claimed more than 200,000 lives.

“It is so important to guarantee peace and tranquility in the country that I am not going to delegate this responsibility, I am going to attend to it directly.”

Lopez Obrador promised a daily update on the violence, including how many people are murdered, adding that 50 people were killed on each of his first two days in government, a number he claimed was already lower than the average.

He flagged he was seeking commitments from Canada and the United States to invest in Mexico and Central America to slow illegal immigration, and said he had yet to discuss strategies to tackle cartels with U.S. President Donald Trump.

While refreshing for Mexicans tired of remote leaders, the shift from a measured to a more freewheeling manner has rattled some most notably markets that responded badly to abrupt policy shifts announced while his was still president-elect.

France ponders state of

President Lopez Obrador (Reuters photo )

emergency after riots In the conference the former Mexico City mayor tried to address concerns around his plan to cancel a $13 billion partially built airport in the capital, saying investors in the project would be protected. At the same time, aides offered to pay upfront a portion of debt issued to fund the airport.

A few hours later, he dispatched Pena Nieto’s luxurious and nearly new Dreamliner presidential jet to California to be sold. He is putting most of the rest of the

federal government’s fleet of planes and helicopters up for sale.

Lopez Obrador, who prefers to travel coach, was photographed on local airline Aeromar on his first trip as president on Sunday.

In a similar vein, the new government opened to the public the opulent Los Pinos residence used by every president since the 1930s and plans to turn it into a cultural centre. Instead, Lopez Obrador says he will live in more modest quarters.

economic guru for far-right President-elect Jair Bolsonaro, who he helped win credibility with Brazil’s business class on his way to being elected in October.

Last week, Brazil’s federal police, who will be un-

der the command of Moro’s justice ministry, began an investigation into Guedes for alleged fraud tied to pension funds at state-firms.

Police will look into whether Guedes mismanaged hundreds of millions

of reais that public pension funds put in his investment vehicles starting in 2009.

Guedes lawyers say he did nothing wrong and the investigation will clear his name.

Woman set on fire in India after complaining of attempted assault NEW DELHI (Reuters) Two men accused of trying to molest a 20-year-old woman in northern India set her on fire two days later after she lodged a complaint with police, authorities and her family said.

Women in India have struggled to secure prosecution for sexual attacks in the face of widespread police indifference, rights activists say.

The woman was in a field near her home in the Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh state when the men, both neighbours and known to her family, accosted her and tried to drag her away, her brother Vinod Kumar told Reuters.

She bit their hands and man-

aged to break free and escaped, and her father filed a complaint with police the same day, he said. When no action resulted, the family lodged a second complaint.

“We waited for the police to come for inquiries the entire day but no one came,” Vinod said.

The next day, the two men returned to the field where she was working, doused her with kerosene and set her on fire, regional police superintendent, Prabhakar Chaudhary told Reuters. She suffered burns to 40 percent of her body and was hospitalised.

Chaudhary said her suspected attackers were arrested and three policemen suspended for dereliction of duties.

After a gruesome gang rape of a young woman in 2012, India launched fast-track courts and a tougher rape law that included the death penalty. But crime statistics indicate sexual assault on women have risen, not fallen, since then.

Even if cases are registered, crime statistics show that police files remain open for about a third of all rapes that were investigated for each year between 2012 and 2016.

Rights groups have accused Indian police of bowing to pressure from local politicians to bury investigations.

In some cases, investigations of sexual assault have evaporated out of sheer police apathy, activists say.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Minister Lawrence’s charge

THE season of national elections is fast approaching and the political parties have started moving into action in preparation for the 2020 Elections.

Though the National Elections are an important concern of the population, the political parties know all too well that during the Christmas season holiday celebrants would never be distracted. They have, therefore, all decided to have their first salvos now in time for 2019. The most successful of these salvos was given by the chairperson of the PNCR, the major party in the ruling coalition.

It was notable, since it was the first time that Chairperson Lawrence was addressing her party’s General Council since she was elected to that important post.

Ms. Lawrence was able to speak to the Council as a

Cabinet Minister as well as Chairperson. She, in effect, laid out an important part of the blueprint of action for the coming year which the General Council as well as the members of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) must execute with an eye on the National Elections of 2020. Ms. Lawrence first referred to the Local Government affairs as they were very topical since the Local Government Elections (LGEs) were run off recently.

She pointed out with much pride that the party was deeply committed to cultivating and extending local democracy, and ensuring that ordinary folk in the countryside and the interior were managing their own affairs and building a better life from the grassroots. The government, since its accession to office three years ago, was able to hold two successful

Local Government Elections (LGEs) and establish four new towns and eight new Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs). The population in these areas is now beginning to experience and appreciate the advantages of these innovations.

The core of her feature address called upon council members, ministers and various office-holders to meet members and supporters of the party, and indeed the public at large and strengthen their personal contacts. . . . “If this means,” she said, “that ministers and party leaders must get out of their offices and work regularly within these communities, we must put programmes in place to make this happen.

Service must be peopled-centred… “ The chairperson called upon the party to embark upon a massive membership

drive so that the party’s base could further be extended and strengthened. She advocated: “We must be ready to fortify grassroots democracy by playing a greater role in local government countrywide and by providing solutions to rural and agrarian problems.

With this, the party must be totally committed to ensuring equality for all and to protecting our citizens’ fundamental rights”.

Ms. Lawrence then went on to emphatically reiterate that the PNCR had always been committed to working for and achieving national unity, and to cultivating closer relations with all groups and communities. She called on all ministers and party leaders to recommit themselves to service of the people. She enjoined them . . .

“No one must be left behind.

Now is not the time for armchair service. Now is the

time to work tirelessly and dutifully”.

Ms. Lawrence’s inspiring address was well received by the plenary and she participated in the ministerial panel chaired by Minister of Finance Winston Jordan, which discussed the 2019 Budget that had just been presented to Parliament. All participants were able to grasp the nuances and intricacies of the Budget which will be useful to them when they interface with the public.

The imperative of Ms. Lawrence speaking now with an eye on the 2020 National Elections is appropriate, as for the last three years since the new government had assumed office, life in Guyana has become more relaxed and the population is less enveloped in the tensions of politics. This relaxed attitude seems to

have reached a point where many people are not paying much attention to elections.

In the recent Local Government Elections (LGEs), less than 40 per cent of the electors decided to vote which contrasts with the last 50 years where the usual voter turnout was over 80 per cent. On the other hand, however, the comparatively low voter turnout at the Local Government Elections (LGEs) could be attributed to the belief by many electors, that Local Government was of little importance to their lives and that it were only National Elections which mattered. Be that as it may, PNCR Chairperson Volda Lawrence’s address at the General Council was important, timely and appropriate and PNCR members and supporters should embrace it.

Dr. Jeffrey is now vocal but was silent when in government Dear Editor, I want to use this opportunity in my response to Dr. Henry Jeffrey’s Future Notes column in Stabroek News (SN) of November 14th, 2018 and his subsequent letter in SN of November 25th, 2018 captioned “Coalition gov’t broke contract with the people on governance reform, Ogunseye looking for every opportunity to excuse it” to express my disappointment with the tactics he adopted in our polemics to his recent Share Government (SG) proposals.

The following are the stated reasons for my disappointment:- Firstly, the learned doctor had unashamedly repeated his misrepresentation of my position

in his quest to arrive at a conclusion in support of his deceptive tactics. Let me for the record state that nowhere in my letter on Jeffery’s SG proposal can be found anything which can be attributed to me that can reasonably be construed to mean, as he attempts to say that I am defending or making excuses for the government breaking its contact with the people on constitutional reform and national government. In fact, my explanation in the letter Jeffrey referred to and my reference to one of my earlier letters have set out in detail the reasons for my calculated shift on public advocacy on the matter of Shared Governance at this juncture. Seemingly, that position Jeffrey finds offensive and he seeks to interpret it as

me, Ogunseye, ‘throwing in the towel’.

Jeffrey is very upset that my position is influenced by both the APNU+AFC coalition and the PPP’s noninterest in shared governance. He finds that position unacceptable and unpardonable and not in keeping with his image of a fighter. In his view, unless I fight the way he wants me to I am not fighting. He conveniently overlooks my reference to advocacy on the issue in my interaction with activists and non-activists. This to him is of no significance. Apparently, the only politics he is capable of recognising is what appears in the newspapers.

Another of my disappointments with Dr. Jeffrey is his resort to the PPP’s tactic of invoking Walter

Rodney when engaged in a polemic with WPA people to score cheap political points.

He wrote, ‘… Walter Rodney must be spinning in his grave!’. Jeffrey has learned well from his association with the PPPC to the extent it has contaminated his political culture.

I sense he is seriously disappointed that I did not support his initiative to advance the struggle for power sharing. This point is underscored by his contention that ‘ … a fighter like Tacuma did not use the occasion of my intervention to carry the fight to those who oppose us …’. On this score, Jeffrey is behaving like another popular columnist whose self-centeredness makes it extremely difficult for him to accept differences in opin-

ions, tactics and/or strategy as the struggle is engaged in the pursuit of goals.

In one of his Future Note columns, Dr. Jeffery in analysing the dynamics in the APNU and the coalition government explicitly stated that the WPA has no power in the coalition and government.

Like his fellow columnist, he went on the say that the party is non-existent and politically dead. However, as the necessity arises he sees it fit to call on the dead to rise up from its grave. How ironic?

More disappointing is Jeffery’s double standards when he proclaims one for me and another for himself and his failure to indulge in self-criticism. In short, his position in the polemic is given my history of advocating for SG my failure to do

so at this point in time when the WPA is part of the government amounts to throwing in the towel. The inference of his logic is that political praxis is devoid of any consideration of the objective situation. And being in government is no excuse for not behaving in an identical way as when in the opposition.

A self- critical Jeffrey would have been reflective and guided in this polemic by his own praxis and experience in his sojourn in the PPPC’s government. In doing so he would be forced to examine his public politics while he was a minister in the government and to allow that to inform his response to my position. However, he has failed to do so.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, December 4, 2018

‘Region three has done exceptionally well’ …MP Adams tells House some $6.3B budgeted to continue development agenda

ASIDE from the commencement of preparatory works for the new four-lane Demerara River Bridge, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara (Region Three) residents can look forward massive infrastructural works to continue throughout the region in 2019, particularly in the education and health sectors.

Some $6.3 billion has been allocated to the region for next year. That represents a $943.5 million increase from the 2018 budget allocation.

“Region three has done exceptionally well over the last reporting period. We will see major development in every sector and every part of Region Three,” promised Regional Member of Parliament (MP), for the APNU/AFC John Adams, as he delivered his presentation during the opening day of the budget debates on Monday.

“This APNU/AFC government will deliver on our promises and they can rest assured that no one will be left out. We will transform the economy, empower the people, build sustainable communities and deliver a good life to all,” Adams declared.

In his allotted 20 minutes, Adams outlined several of the projects that were executed in the Region over 2018, and how 2019 budget caters to sustain the region even further. Some of the new initiatives directly complement those that were done this year. Following the construction of a special needs school at Schoonord from funds allocated in the 2018 budget, the 2019 budget has allocated some $14 million to be used for the procurement of a bus, specially designed for the transportation of children with special needs and those who are differently abled.

Regional MP, John Adams

Overall, some $135 million will be spent on education buildings in Region Three. This year saw works being done to extend, upgrade or build several new schools in the region, which has experienced massive population growth over the past few years with the coming on board of several housing schemes, including Belle

West and La Parfaite Harmonie.

T h e Wa l e s P r i m a r y School received a spanking upgrade this year after years of neglect, while the Vergenoegen Secondary School was extended and the Uitvlugt Secondary School saw the installation of gas lines at its laboratory. There was also the rebuilding of the Department of Education building, which was destroyed by fire in 2009.

The coming year is expected to see even more upgrades and new initiatives coming on stream. The region will not be left out of the recent announcement by the Minister of Finance Winston Jordan that several smart classrooms will be coming on stream. A school in the region is expected to be earmarked for the setting up of a smart classroom. There’s to be a reconstruction of the Bagotsville Primary School,

and two blocks at the Leonora Primary.

This is in addition to the secondary school set to be constructed in West Minister, West Bank Demerara that the Ministry of Education has already signed a contract for.

Complaints by the region’s residents about the state of their roads have not gone on deaf ears either.

Some $780 million has been budgeted under the Ministry of Communities for the construction and upgrading of roads in several communities across the country, including Belle West, where residents have been complaining continuously about the state of their roads for some time now.

Residents traversing the Nismes Old Road can also breathe a sigh of relief and expect works on a long overdue asphalted road to begin next year. Other areas that can expect road upgrades

include Schoonord, Westminister, La Parfaite Harmonie, Zeelugt and Uitvlugt. Added to the roads are a number of bridges. Reinforced concrete bridges are to be constructed in Edingburg, Parika, and Hague Backdam.

In terms of infrastructure in the health sector, the West demerara Regional Hospital will be getting a concrete bridge, along with an extension of the out-patient clinic. The Leonora Hospital road will be done fully asphalted, and there will be an extension of the kitchen and laundry departments at the Leonora Diagnostic Centre. Construction of staff quarters at the Leguan Cottage Hospital is also expected to be done. “This will [provide] for our nurses and doctors who are sent to deliver healthcare and have to be away from the confines of their home,” Adams said.

Youngest Bartican councillor’s main focus is on youth BARTICA’S youngest constituency councillor, Estiva Lake, has responsibility over the largest constituency in the town and has great plans for the development of the youths.

The 25 year old who serves as a teacher at St. Anthony’s Primary School in Bartica, told this newspaper that growing up in her area she realised that everyone has needs, and persons were paying little attention to the needs of the young people.

This caused her to develop a passion for youth empowerment and community

development.

“Not a lot of focus is paid to the development of young people in my constituency, and growing up I was fortunate to have persons supporting me and guiding me in the right direction, but there are so many others who were/are not as fortunate to have that support system and guide,” Lake said. That in essence, was her reason for taking up the opportunity to run for representative of constituency three. “I found pleasure in being an advocate for the young generation, and I will use this opportunity to

support those young ones who are not privileged with the support system they so deserve. Because of my profession, I love to influence others to be the best, to make Guyana the best. I was never a person to waste an opportunity and I intend to use every opportunity possible to make constituency three a model one,” she said.

The young leader shared that she plans to approach the Guyana Board of Industrial Training to have more youths enrolled in their technical courses offered in Bartica.

The technical courses, she

Dr. Jeffrey is now vocal...

FROM PAGE 6

I am reliably informed that in the cabinet Jeffrey stood up to Jagdeo on matters of policies and in the struggle of ideas. I have no reasons to question this information. However, I wish to point out that the doctor politician was more than careful to ensure that while in government his critical views remained in the corridors of the cabinet, well secured from public knowledge and scrutiny. But once he left the government he became a vocal critic of government

and opposition.

Bearing in mind the above and using his own logic – can it not be assumed that while Dr. Jeffrey had been vocal in government and notably silent in the public space, he was, in fact, a defender of the government and the very issues he was critical of in the cabinet.

Isn’t their justification in the assumption that the lack of public exposure on positions he took on issues while he was part of the government contradicts his criticism of

my approach at present to advocacy on SG? I end by requesting that Dr. Henry Jeffrey honestly answer these questions.

In doing so he would be enlighting the Guyanese nation and putting to rest concerns about him that are held by many Guyanese. I take the opportunity to remind him of the saying, “confession is good for the soul”.

Regards Tacuma Ogunseye

said,- will equip them with the skill set to made valuable contributions to the betterment of their community.

Additionally, she has intentions of creating a safe home for children that are being abused or are emotionally lopsided and just need someone to talk to. Also on her agenda, Lake said she will be working towards creating a programme to raise funds for young people to write the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations.

“I find that a lot of school dropouts occur in Bartica.

A lot of our young people have no qualifications and it is mostly because they could not have afforded to write any subject at CXC. Creating the fund will be for the young people who cannot afford to write subjects, I want to give them the opportunity to have a chance at life, and to not have a torn future because they ‘weren’t fortunate’,” the young woman said.

She further pointed out that even though her main focus is on the youths, it is not her sole focus. She also has plans to create ways in

which she can be of assistance to the elderly as well.

And apart from developing the human resources of her constituency, she said that she will also be lobbying with the Town Council and the Regional Democratic Council to target issues such as road development, drainage maintenance and animal control.

The councillors were sworn in last week but will become operational after the Mayor and Deputy Mayor are sworn in by His Excellency, President David Granger.

CN Sharma remains leader of JFAP

Dear Editor

This is to correct an erroneous report in the press about the leadership of the Justice for All Party.

The JFAP is a one of the six parties of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).

I wish to emphasize that Mr. Chandranarine Sharma is the leader of the Justice For All Party. Having been through a long illness, Mr. CN Sharma is now in better health and is able to carry out his duties as the Leader of the JFAP. The General Secretary of the party is Mrs. Savitree Singh Sharma. Mr. CN

Sharma has his own views of the Politics in Guyana, which would normally be heard on his Programme – “The Voice of the People.” Mr. CN Sharma, as the owner of CNS TV 6 and the Leader of the JFAP, reiterates that he has always stood for unity of the Nation and for the rights of the people. Mr. Jefforey Sankies remains the Prime Ministerial Candidate and Junior Minister of Finance, Hon. Jaipaul Sharma, is an Executive Member of the JFAP. Regards Chandranarine Sharma Leader of the Justice for All Party

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Understanding Energy

What the trade mission to Aberdeen means to Guyana GUYANA has sent out trade missions for decades, often to Commonwealth nations, home to members of the diaspora and with historic ties to Guyana.

But last week’s trade mission to Aberdeen, Scotland was something different.

Aberdeen is Europe’s undisputed capital of the oil and gas industry.

This three-day trade mission was also unique in that it was led in part by the British High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn, who stated that the trade mission was spending more time in Scotland than any other trade mission in recent Guyanese history.

Aberdeen is taking a similar interest in Guyana and their trade mission should arrive in Georgetown

in January. The city is also set to become “twinned” with Georgetown sometime next year, according to reporting from Energy Voice.

That means that the two cities will work to promote cultural and commercial ties and form strategic links to facilitate future business partnerships.

The current mission to Aberdeen is aimed at forging business connections and learning about the energy industry, which currently employs more than half a million people in and around the northern Scottish city.

As discussed previously in this column, Aberdeen was a small town traditionally focused on fishing and ship building before it became the de facto capital

of the North Sea oil boom almost during the 1970s and 80s. Now it is home to hundreds of oil and gas service companies, including the headquarters of Stena Drilling, which owns the Stena Carron drillship that is exploring Guyanese waters under contract with Exxon.

While other nations, like Norway, now produce more oil in Europe, Aberdeen built up so much expertise in the specialised fields of building, installing, and servicing offshore oil and gas operations that it is now a global industry hub.

Most of the world’s largest oil and gas service companies—from deepwater divers to subsea engineers and helicopter companies— are either headquartered in Aberdeen or house their

European operations there.

It is also a centre of oil and gas education, hosting undergraduate and masters programs on petroleum engineering, petroleum economics and more at the University of Aberdeen.

Firms in Aberdeen are also working to leverage their experience in offshore activities into new industries, like servicing offshore wind farms and laying deepsea fiber optic cables.

Fredrick Hamley Case, the Guyanese Ambassador to the UK, who also helped to lead the delegation, cited this experience as an opportunity for Guyanese officials and business executives to learn about developing local content. Scotland is a particularly interesting example of local content development,

since the United Kingdom has no specific laws on local content, but basic economic demand proved to be a powerful enough incentive to develop sector expertise.

This offers an interesting look at the impact of letting firms operate and invest freely. It is important to remember that Guyana finds itself at a very different stage of economic development on the cusp of oil production than Aberdeen did. Though Aberdeen itself was a medium-sized fishing town, Scotland was a very industrialised region with a large number of established research universities and a history of shipbuilding and heavy manufacturing.

Guyana doesn’t have the same kind of pre-existing industrial capacity. None-

theless, Aberdeen can offer many lessons for Guyana in the realms of fiscal management, jobs training, and quickly reorienting existing capabilities towards meeting the needs of a new industry.

Perhaps the most important thing Aberdeen can offer is the possibility of joint ventures between Scottish and Guyanese firms, an effort that appears to be well underway and a clear goal of both trade missions. Similar joint ventures are already established or planned between firms and American and Canadian partners.

Hopefully more trade missions will continue this encouraging trend and bring further opportunities for these kinds of partnerships.

Poor, vulnerable will be taken care of in indigenous communities -Garrido-Lowe says projects geared at generating income, creating the good life

THE Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs has made provisions in the 2019 National Budget to create a better environment and life for the poor and vulnerable, said Junior Subject Minister, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, while defending her ministry during the first round of the 2019 budget debates on Monday.

Garrido-Lowe’s ministry was questioned intensely

by Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Yvonne Pearson, who accused the minister and her senior minister of not doing enough for the indigenous and hinterland people.

“Since this government took office, the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs has been focusing on building the capacity of our Indigenous and hinterland people…

We do not believe in handouts, we believe in empowering people and giving them the economic support required so that they can create successful and meaningful

lives for themselves,” argued Minister Garrido-Lowe in her defence of the ministry.

She said her ministry has been doing a lot to improve the lives of the indigenous people of the country, adding that testimony to their forward movement is the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS) programme which has provided training to 3,795 young people in over 222 villages within two years.

HEYS was however criticised by Pearson who said that from 2016-2018 some $2.3 billion was spent but she has not seen any transformation.

The minster however had a different view, noting that approximately 2,054 small businesses were established by the same young people from villages such as Tipiru and Achiwib in Region Nine, and Monkey Mountain and Red Creek in Region Eight.

“Name the villages and the people who established businesses because 2054 is

Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe

not accurate,” said Pearson in her fierce debate.

Pearson continuously called on the minister to “bring the evidence,” and with no hesitation, the minister sought to present that evidence in her presentation, noting that $2.3Billion was budgeted for the development of hinterland youths.

“A further $176.1Million has been allocated for monitoring and mentoring, along with additional monetary support for the hinterland youths,” said the minister.

In keeping with the government’s ‘green’ state initiative, the ministry will be investing some $60 million into innovative and sustainable

income generating projects in the hinterland.

She said the projects are expected to create jobs and create income for residents in several villages such as Tobago Hill, Maruwanau, Bina Hill and Santa Cruz.

Other innovative and income generating projects, she said, were the Cassava Flour Processing Factory in Kwebana which received a further $16 million investment and a $6 million solar power system at the Smith’s Creek Crab Processing facility. There will also be a $5 million drier for the sun-dried tomato facility in Paramakatoi.

There will also be the construction of a $15Million Ground Coffee Processing Facility which is expected to create employment and benefit hundreds in Santa Rosa.

“These projects will directly impact the poor and the vulnerable by creating employment and generating income in these communities, thus raising the standard of

living and providing the opportunity for our Indigenous brothers and sisters to live a good life,” said Minister Garrido-Lowe.

She said part of the relief will be for children in Chenapau and Karisparu, who travel two and a half days to reach their secondary school. In an effort to assist, two shelters will be constructed to the tune of $4 million, for the students to rest.

Communities within the Hinterland regions will also get $36 Million to promote their nine Indigenous Languages. The sum of $3Million has also been allocated to support the Lapidary project in Region Eight for the purchase of the jewel boxes and bags crafted by the Indigenous people themselves.

In order to let indigenous people transact business with ease in Georgetown, $28Million will be dedicated for an extension of the Indigenous Residence Princes Street, Georgetown.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, December 4, 2018

350-400 housing units to be established in several areas

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-infrastructural upgrades for every housing scheme -efforts to curb, regularise squatting will continue in 2019 SOME 350 to 400 new housing units will be constructed across the country next year, said Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Valerie Patterson-Yearwood in defending the progress and developing of the housing sector which is under her watch.

Persons in the lower income bracket represent the largest group of persons who face the most challenges of acquiring decent, affordable housing, so the ministry intends on address the issue “frontally” by designing several low income housing units which will be sold from $4 million.

Amidst heckling from the opposition side of the National Assembly on the first day of the budget debates, Minister Patterson-Yearwood sought to defend her ministry’s position on the provision of affordable and quality housing.

Her presentation of the ministry’s intentions followed a comment from Opposition Member of Parliament, Neil Kumar, who argued that it is difficult for persons to acquire their own houses.

“In addition to building those housing units in 2019, we will work with the private sector to deliver additional units across the country,” said the minister, adding that house lots will remain available to persons who are desirous of constructing their own homes.

Government, she argued, continues to move forward with a plan to provide adequate housing by building complete housing units.

According to the minister, so far for this year, 202 complete housing units were built while the construction of an additional 52 will be done by the end of December.

She said 149 of those units were constructed in Perseverance, East Bank Demerara (EBD), 76 of which were two bedroom duplexes and 42 two bedroom elevated units.

In addition, 17 units were built at Experiment, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), 10 two bedrooms in Onderneeming Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara). Those, she said, were just the testing ground in because those communities never received housing units.

Her remarks drew loud heckling from the opposition side but the minister continued to defend her ministry, noting that some 20 of 60 housing units are under construction in Amelia’s Ward, Linden.

“The implementation of all those projects will bring relief and improvement to the lives of approximately 3,050 beneficiaries,” she said.

The minister remained confident that the government is on the right track, noting that the Providence Gardens, formerly known as the Re-migrant Scheme was

repurposed to include locally based Guyanese with high affordability, particularly young professionals.

Since the reestablishment of the housing scheme, some 331 house lots were allocated and persons have been paying. The re-migrant scheme was also rezoned to accommodate light commercial activities to support residents.

Areas outside of Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) also benefited in similar ways, said Minister Patterson-Yearwood, stating that many persons benefited from the sustainability housing for the hinterland which was funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

She said among the beneficiaries were six families from Barima-Waini, 62 from Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo and another 40 units are under construction in Region Nine. Through hinterland programme, 19 families also benefited from roof replacement subsidy.

“Over the years hinterland housing was focused on Regions One and Nine but we are a caring government so we extended the project to Region Seven and further in 2019 to other hinterland regions to include villages like Kamarang and Jawalla,” said the minister.

Some $204 million will be spent to provide full or partial subsidy for the construction of houses for 51 families in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

Assault of head teacher being investigated – Education Ministry THE Ministry of Education has launched an investigation into the malicious assault committed on an acting head teacher of the Number Five Primary School, West Coast of Berbice, by a student.

The student was identified as a 16-year-old fifth former of No. 8 Secondary School, Berbice.

On Monday, the Ministry of Education in a statement condemning the assault on the acting head teacher, as-

sured that the findings of the investigation will be made available upon its conclusion.

The injured woman, Gangadin Sebarat-Issacs, was reportedly heading home on Saturday when the incident occurred.

Reports indicate that the teacher left her mother’s home along with her three children; ages 11, five and three, when the 16-year-old suspect saw her walking in the company of her children and approached her.

He then stepped in their path and pushed her child away and when the teacher objected she was also pushed and ended up falling. While there, it is alleged that the fifth form student bent over and kissed her on her lips.

The teacher then spat on him and she received a cuff to her face. It was reported that the young man was previously charged and was implicated in a series of offences that are being investigated.

Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Valerie Patterson-Yearwood smiles after defending her point (Adrian Narine photo)

Members of the house were overwhelmed at one point, especially after the minister said out of the projected 1,000 allocations for 2018, some 742 were done in Regions Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven and 10.

“When we did housing solutions 2017 and beyond, among the houses featured were the housing units… many said no one wanted to live in tenement arrangement but as the late Nelson Mandela once said it always seemed impossible until it is done…It is done and some people must see it to believe it but transformational leaders give people a vision to believe in,” she said, the minister added that 47 flat duplexes and 2 elevated units were constructed and fully allocated.

Also, 1,110 persons had

their transports and certificates of title processed and 2009 applicants actually received their transport and titles.

Patterson-Yearwood posited that low income housing scheme throughout the country will also benefit from infrastructural upgrades. Some of those communities include Sophia, La Parfaite Harmony, Uitvlugt and Kwakwani.

According to the minister, new infrastructural development work was completed in Lust-En-Rust, Zeeburg, Zeelugt Phase Three, Sections B and D Non Pariel, La Penitence, Perseverance, Covent Garden, Farm Phase Two and Amelia’s Ward, while work is ongoing in Providence, Peters Hall and Little and Great Diamond.

“There is a lot going on, a lot has been done and a lot is yet to be done… a lot of things that will certainly seal a victory in 2020… there are funds to upgrade infrastructure in all schemes; construction in all regions,” said Minister Patterson-Yearwood.

For instance, she said Mabaruma has been earmarked for significant upgrade and Mahdia will also benefit from several upgrades such as a transportation terminal, concrete sidewalks and so forth.

In pursuit of the ‘green’ state agenda, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) has reviewed design layout of schemes to include elements

such as commercial spaces, green spaces, access to services, improved mobility such as bicycle and walkways.

The government also intends on retrofitting Sophia to accommodate those new features and elements.

“We will also partner with the private sector in the construction of ‘green’ low cost houses that will have features such as LED lights, plumbing features that will include less usage of water, renewable energy and so forth,” said Minister, Patterson-Yearwood.

NEW HOUSING SCHEMES As part of the continued innovation, there will be four housing areas in Bartica, five in Lethem and more in greater Georgetown.

Meanwhile, efforts to curb the scourge of squatting continues apace and she said to this end 211 regularised squatter lots were allocated and 209 titles were issued but there has been slow responses by persons approved for allocation in making their payments.

“CH&PA will work with these persons; [we are] commissioning a study on squatting in collaboration with other relevant agencies…74 informal settlers from Lamaha reserves will be relocated to Cummings Lodge in the new year… an inventory will be completed by the end of the year,” said the minister.

Brother beats sibling into unconsciousness at sister’s birthday party A 26-year-old labourer of Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD) is currently at the Georgetown Public Hospital in a critical condition after he was reportedly beaten on Monday, with a piece of wood by his brother at a birthday party.

The injured young man was identified as Parmanand Persaud and is listed as critical at the Georgetown Public Hospital. Police were unable

to find the piece of wood and the brother is currently in police custody as investigations continue.

Reports indicate that the suspect, identified as Yasaue Persaud, 27, a labourer of Little Diamond, EBD, was reportedly invited to the home of his brother, Parmanand to celebrate their sister’s birthday on Monday.

They were consuming alcohol in the yard and at noon an argument ensued between

the two brothers, which led to a fight.

The suspect allegedly picked up a piece of wood and dealt his brother a lash to the back of his head, which caused him to lose consciousness.

The victim was reportedly picked up by the police and rushed to the Diamond Hospital, where he was treated and transferred to Georgetown Public Hospital in a critical condition.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday December 4, 2018

Regional leaders meet to discuss CSME CARIBBEAN Community (CARICOM) leaders began a two-day special summit here on Monday, discussing ways of improving the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) that was intended to deepen the regional integration movement.

The Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat said that the leaders at their last summit in July “recognised the need to keep focus on the CSME and agreed to have this special meeting on that issue”. The architects of the initiative were of the view that while a primary focus of the common market was on liberalising trade in goods among the member countries, the single market and economy (SME) was intended to expand the process to include services, free movement of capital, skilled labour and the freedom to establish business enterprises anywhere within the 15-member grouping.

“The meeting is wide open to review all aspects of the CSME,” CARICOM Secretary General Irwin La Rocque told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), adding “I think we have to

wait for the outcome tomorrow”.

The CSME, conceptualised in 1989, while it has recorded progress there are general concerns about the rate of implementation of some of the decisions taken to push the initiative forward.

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who has lead responsibility for the CSME within the quasi-CARICOM Cabinet, said prior to the start of the meeting, she is hoping that the outcome would prove beneficial to the Region. “To make the Caribbean a more better, a more effective place for our people,” she said.

St. Lucia’s Prime Minister Allen Chastanet said he was hoping for “frank discussions” on the CSME given the events unfolding within the global community that could have a bearing on the Region. “It really requires us to make sure that our space is as efficiently run as possible and that we are taking advantage of wherever we have comparative advantage in the world,” he added.

The special-two day summit here follows the summit held in Jamaica in

Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge shares a light moment with Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Keith Rowley on the sidelines of the 18th Special Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community on the Single Market and Economy

July where Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who is chairing the deliberations here, had indicated that his leadership of the 15-member grouping would call for member states to take decisive actions to transform the CSME into a facility that will truly serve the interest of Caribbean people. “We will call upon all member states

to summon the necessary political will and determination to ensure that programmes and initiatives are strategically focused and geared towards meeting an ambitious process of reform,” the prime minister said.

Prior to the Jamaica summit, the Jamaican Parliament had adopted a resolution that called for a re-evaluation

of the integration process, and for member states to commit to implementing a fully functional single market within a five-year period. The parliamentary resolution covered, among other things, the need for CARICOM member states to make a clear commitment to establishing the single market with a “specific time-bound, measurable and verifiable programme of actions to fulfil all outstanding obligations within a period of five years.” At the Jamaica summit, Mottley had pointed to “psychological impediments and the closed mind-sets in some quarters of officialdom” as some reasons for the under-achievement of the CSME. She explained that because the practical implications, decisions sometimes are not worked out beforehand, and the recording of the decisions often are not clear and precise, “these (decisions) fall victim to bureaucratic inertia or resistance from those who did not participate meaningfully in their design or have not been fully enlightened as to their positive purpose.”

Not all the regional leaders are attending the summit

here. Guyana’s President David Granger is due to travel to Cuba today for medical treatment, but he is being represented by Vice-President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge. Also absent from the meeting is Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne who is being represented by a delegation headed by his Foreign Affairs Minister, Everly Paul ‘Chet’ Green. St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minster, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves was not present when the meeting began but officials have said like the Haitian President, Jovenel Moise, he is expected here for the two-day summit.

Host Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley had made the revitalisation of the CSME one of his regional priorities and had expressed his frustration with the lack of action on the matter saying, “I get the impression that all we are willing to do is talk this issue to death.”

“We cannot expect to get the benefits of medication if we refuse to swallow the medication,” he said last year. (CMC)

Woodwork training for Hinterland youths …young people from Kumaka, Wallaba, Haimaracabra Creek, St. Monica benefit OVER 20 residents from three Hinterland communities in the Moruca sub-district, Region One and another from the Pomeroon River, Region Two have benefitted from a woodworking training exercise.

The training is one of the five components in the Community Development Plan (CDP) under the Amerindian Development Fund (ADF) of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).

It is supported by the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP). The five-day workshop held in Kumaka from November 26-30, was facilitated by Government Technical Institute lecturers, Rohan Mangal and Mark Thomas.

Mangal explained to the Department of Public Information (DPI) that over the past five days the participants were instructed in basic wood joining techniques and standard measurements.

“They are quick learners, they learnt to build a chair, chest of drawers, they also

Participants with the trainers, Mark Thomas (second row, extreme left - green shirt), Rohan Mangal (front row, extreme right - green shirt) and Community Development Officer, Moruca Sub-Region, Mary Zola Da Silva (front row, second from right - blue jersey)

learnt standard measurements for furniture and designing picture frames and they learnt to do safety on the machine,” Mangal explained.

The participants, between the ages of 18 and 53, came

from the communities of Kumaka, Wallaba, Haimaracabra Creek and St. Monica along the Pomeroon River.

Community Development Officer, Moruca Sub Region, Mary Zola Da Silva told the

DPI that the expectation is that after the workshop the participants will return to their communities and gain meaningful employment, thereby bringing income into the community.

“We know we have a lot of people in the community who would need furniture, especially since it’s the Christmas season.

We have all the materials here and the boys would

start working and get some business from this training.

I learnt from the trainers that we don’t have all the equipment here but I asked them to make a list so we can get them,” Da Silva said.

Derrick Henry from Haimaracabra Creek said he was excited when he heard about the training. He intends to use the knowledge gained and to be better furniture making and increase his supply base. “I’m happy to build my capacity in building furniture with the joinery and cutting as well. In our workshop, we explored and learnt a lot. Lots of people need furniture but because we don’t have money circulating in our community it is costly. However, with this project, we will work to supply people with reasonably-priced products and eventually supply the international market,” he said.

Sheldon Peters, another young participant from Waramuri, told the DPI that TURN TO PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday December 4, 2018

Potable water for Washington Estate

Residents of Washington Estate, Region Three will soon get potable water

CLOSE to 328 persons representing some 82 households of Washington Estate in the Essequibo Island West Demerara Region are expected to gain access to potable water for the first time, before the end of this year.

This will be made possible through the reactivation of the Hubu well, as was FROM PAGE

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communicated by Managing Director of GWI, Dr. Richard Van-West Charles when he and a team of engineers met residents during a specially organised meeting at a church in Washington Estate on Sunday last.

Van-West Charles explained to residents that this arrangement will see GWI subsidising part of the cost

while residents will pay a percentage. Dr. Van-West Charles explained that, “Where communities want it (water access) right away, we do a cost sharing. If not, you would have to wait until 2019 for the new budget,” GWI quoted the managing director as saying.

In order to get the project started, a minimum 60 per

(left to right) Mr. Richard Noble - Engineer, Mr. Dwayne Shako - Operations Director, Mr. Godfrey Washington-Abraham- Administrator, Washington Scheme, Dr. Richard Van-West Charles - Managing Director & Ms. Denise Woolford - Region Three

cent of households need to commit to playing their part.

He pointed out that while those who do not commit would not enjoy the luxury of running water at their premises; they still have the option of making down payments and registering as a customer to secure GWI’s service.

GWI’s Executive Di-

rector of Operations, Mr. Dwayne Shako warned against water wastage, explaining that every customer will be metered, thus their consumption will be monitored. They were also cautioned about tampering with the utility company’s infrastructure, since it is a criminal offence. Once

residents are forthcoming, GWI will work assiduously to provide water service before Christmas. It is estimated that GWI will need to install 800 meters of PVC pipe. The utility company will also look at ways of improving the sanitation services in the community in the new year.

Whose property is it really

Woodwork training for ... –– Matarkai residents furious over misuse of excavator “the training has boosted my furniture making skills.

When I return to my community, I will use this knowledge in the furniture factory there and demonstrate the skills I have gained.”

Theresa Abrams is one of two girls who participated in the workshop. She also plans to become involved in the furniture-making business. Meanwhile, training in fish rearing, which was recently concluded in Mabaruma, cattle rearing, transportation and the fuel depot are the other four typologies/components under the CDPs. Logistics Officer, ADF, Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Ovid Williams said that training in these areas is ongoing countrywide, in some cases simultaneously. Approximately $1Million was spent on the training in Kumaka.

CDP is an important project document that encapsulates economic growth, development, and visioning.

It follows the same procedure and approval process as that of the village plans prepared by the Village Council, which is governed by the Amerindian Act, and approved by village general meetings. (DPI)

WHERE is the mini-excavator that was repaired to the tune of $5M? This is the question on the minds of residents of the Matarkai sub-region of the North West District who were told recently that the excavator is being utlised by the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) for private purposes.

What they were told specifically is that the Opposition-controlled NDC had granted permission several months ago to a miner who has close ties to the incumbent NDC Chair, Margaret Lambert to take the excavator into the Port Kaituma backdam.

Repeated efforts to give Lambert the opportunity to respond to the allegation, however, have proven futile as her phone is always off.

In January this year, Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson had handed over the refurbished excavator, which had been out of commission for approximately three years, to the NDC. The Department of Public Information (DPI) had

The missing mini-excavator (DPI photo)

reported at the time that more than $5M was spent to change the excavator’s tracks, repair its hydraulic system and install new air conditioning.

Minister Ferguson had urged the NDC to care the equipment, which was expected to be used for drainage and minor rehabilitative

works, and to maintain it regularly.

“I’m delighted to hear that it would not only be used for road works but drainage works also, which is another concern of the residents in Port Kaituma,” she said, adding: “Certain areas are experiencing flooding due to

the lack of proper drainage maintenance. The person who will be monitoring this excavator, you have to hold that person responsible for its durability.”

Weighing in on the matter at the time, too, was Regional Chairman, Brentnol Ashley, who said: “This excavator will as-

sist the NDC in conducting minor works that could not have been done due to lack of this equipment. I trust that they will maintain it so that it can last.”

Lambert, too, had had a say at the time, to the effect that the machinery will alleviate the road issues, thereby benefitting residents and numerous children in the affected areas.

Yet reports abound that under her chairmanship, the machine has been misused time and again, with some even alleging that one miner is in the habit of paying huge sums of money to have the use of it whenever it takes his fancy.

As one Matarkai resident noted, the issue has cast a bad light on the NDC where its ability to manage is concerned, and is perhaps one of the reasons why the Opposition People’s Progressive Party got the upper hand at the recent Local Government Elections (LGEs).

“That’s not the purpose of it!” another said. “It is supposed to be used for works within the NDC; not in a backdam!”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday December 4, 2018

Banking heavily on tourism –– Gov’t plugs more $$$ into sector for 2019

By Alva Solomon FROM G$123M in 2014 to over G$300M in 2019 speaks volumes of the government’s faith in the tourism sector, a trend which, all things being equal, is likely to continue well into the future.

The figure at reference is monies that have been allocated to the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) in the last four years, and according to Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin, who holds responsibility for tourism, the sector has long been providing a healthy means of income for Guyanese of every walk of life, including its youths.

He told the National Assembly when the 2019 Budget debates kicked off on Monday that in addition to the over G$300M budgeted for the GTA, the Ministry of Business’ Department of Tourism will also benefit from a budgetary allocation of G$93M, which figure was arrived at from visitor arrivals data.

Last year, Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan had noted during the 2018 Budget presentation that visitor arrivals for 2017 had peaked at 170,322 between January and September, and that that was a 5.7 per cent increase on figures for the same period in 2016.

And as Minister Gaskin told the National Assembly on Monday, from all indications, the figures will continue to rise, with visitor arrivals as of September this year indicating a 17% increase when compared to the same period in 2017.

Just October this year, the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) reported during the State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) held in The Bahamas that Guyana has recorded the highest growth in the tourism sector in the Caribbean region during the first half of 2018.

Guyana, which has the distinction of being the only English-speaking country in all of South America, was reported to have recorded

Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin as he made his presentation Monday during the 2019 Budget debates (Adrian Narine photo)

an 18.3 per cent growth, followed by Belize with 17.1 per cent, and The Cayman islands with 15.9 per cent.

Pointing to the wealth of opportunities the sector affords Guyanese, Minister Gaskin said:

“Our government realises the importance of this sector and its capacity to create and sustain employment.”

GOOD NEWS FOR GUYANA He said the rising figures

“is good news for Guyana”, since visitors bring money into the country’s economy.

“Visitors have to eat, sleep and travel around the town or the country,” he said, “and each of these activities costs money and employs Guyanese people. Tourists also shop and enjoy local entertainment.”

Noting that an ad ditional 30,000 visitors to these shores roughly translates to US$15M circulating in Guyana this year alone, Minister Gaskin said that this figure eclipses last year’s sum, if one were to assume that the average visitor spent around US$500. “And if we look at the figures in their totality, tourism will bring in around US$150M this year to be spent in our economy,” he told both sides of the House.

What is even more favourable to the economy, he said, is that the figure does not include airfares or the taxes applied to airfares.

“These taxes alone will bring in around US$15M this year,” he noted.

Gaskin told parliamentarians that the APNU+AFC administration recognises

the need for the country’s tourism product to match the visitor arrivals, and that even more important is the opportunities that tourism “can create in traditionally disadvantaged areas such as the hinterland where our indigenous population lives.”

Gaskin told the National Assembly that the main thrust of the government’s tourism drive is to develop sustainable tourism in each of our ten administrative regions, a process that involves stakeholder engagement to point out their tourism hotspots. “What we are seeking to achieve is to make tourism a means of improving lives in communities where tourism takes place by making the communities the main beneficiaries of the visitor flows that they attract,” the minister said.

He said that almost each administrative region has identified flagship tourism projects, and formed tourism committees. And according to him, the GTA will be working with the committees to support them in developing their projects.

Gov’t plugs $1.5B into scholarships, training ...mostly Guyanese youths to benefit

SOME $1.5 billion of the $1.9 billion 2019 budget allocation to the Department of Public Service is expected to go towards training and academic scholarships.

Minister of Public Service, Rupert Roopnaraine, noted that this is imperative as the country prepares to have the necessary skills to handle the impending economic boom with the coming on stream of the oil and gas sector.

“It is not enough to have a grand vision, we must ensure we have the muscular capacity to carry out that vision or it will collapse. That muscular capacity rests in the public service,” Dr. Roopnaraine told the House on the opening day of the budget debates.

“It is the primary purpose of my portfolio to ensure that this country is prepared via the enhancement of skills available to the public service to ably meet and manage the

transformative future that awaits us. It is towards this goal that the lion share of this year’s allocations to my ministry goes toward training and academic scholarships.”

The allocation represents an almost 50 per cent increase of the $1.08 billion allocated to the area last year.

As of July of this year, there were 253 students engaged in continuing studies in two dozen countries across the Caribbean and farther afield Roopnaraine informed. Included in that number, 58 are fully funded overseas scholarships being undertaken in 10 countries, while there are 167 partially funded overseas scholarships in 20 countries.

Several are expected to return home soon to serve the country.

“Slightly less than one third, 71, are completing their studies and will return to Guyana to contribute to the public service,” Roopnaraine

said.

Another 978 students are continuing studies locally at 14 varying institutions across Guyana. These students on scholarships are pursuing a wide range of academic areas with particular focus on the oil and gas sector, as well as the health and agriculture sectors. Aside from those students on scholarships, Roopnaraine proudly boasted that training at the Bertram Collins College of Public Service (BCCPS) has also been making strides, since first opening its doors in November 2016.

The college graduated its first batch of students in December 2017, while the second batch of students began training in November 2017. The minister noted that the college has provided an avenue for the training of persons from various regions across the country. “It’s not only ensuring that adequate

capacity is developed in the public service from an entry level but to also ensure that capacity is equitably distributed around the country, according to regional needs.

Cadets are recruited from around the country and on completion are placed in the regions of their origins,” Roopnaraine explained.

The training college, with its headquarters in Ogle, is scheduled for a number of upgrades in the 2019 budget, including enhancement of the building and procurement of additional living facilities for students. Roopnaraine also lauded the work of the Planning and Analysis Unit.

“One of the primary innovations that this administration has brought is significantly enhancing public service management with the introduction of planning and analysis unit.

The purpose of the unit is to provide evidence-based

Minister of Public Service, Rupert Roopnaraine (Adrian Narine photo)

oversight of training opportunities offered to Guyanese with special focus on accessibility and ensuring

there is value for money in the distribution of scholarships,” Roopnarine noted.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday December 4, 2018

Mottley wants private sector, trade unions at CSME table

BARBADOS on Monday pushed for the Region’s private sector and labour movement to be afforded an opportunity to address Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders on issues relating to the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), the initiative that allows for the free movement of goods, skills, labour and services across the 15-member regional grouping..

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who has lead responsibility for the CSME within the CARICOM quasi-Cabinet, said she wholeheartedly supports the recommendations made in the CARICOM Review Commission chaired by former Jamaican Prime Minister, Bruce Golding.

The commission had been commissioned by Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness in July 2016 to review Jamaica’s relations within CARICOM and

Barbados Prime Minister, Mia Mottley

CARIFORUM and submitted its report in April 2017.

The commission had recommended that the treaty governing CARICOM should be appropriately

amended to institutionalise the involvement of the private sector and labour movement. Mottley said that while CARICOM is not yet at the point of institutional-

Casey Chapman remanded on armed robbery charges DAYS after 27-year-old Casey Chapman was arraigned before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court for a series of criminal charges, he was on Monday hauled before the court again; this time for armed robbery.

Casey Chapman of South Sophia was last Thursday charged along with two others, with a series of firearm-related charges after being busted by the police in a stolen motor car.

When the expecting father appeared before Magistrate Marissa Mittelholzer on Monday, he pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that on May 22, 2018 at Georgetown, while being armed with a gun and in the company of others, he robbed Rishi Prashad of a Premio motor car valued $1.7M, a $40,000 cell phone, a $200,000 gold chain and $20,000 in cash.

His attorney, Siand Dhurjon, made an application for bail for his client’s pre-trial liberty.

However, Police Prose-

ising the involvement of the private sector and labour movement “but we are at that point needed to identify with the common vision and to recognise fundamentally that it is governments who facilitate growth and …to a large extent the private sector has a place at this table”.

“Similarly, it is the workers who help make the private sector capable of growing and therefore they too must have a place at this table,” she told her regional colleagues. “I believe there can be no determination as to where we go with CSME without understanding what is the position of those who need to represent and...without further ado, I think they should be invited into the room...,” she said, adding that from her interaction with them before, that they do have some strategic positions.

Meanwhile, General Secretary of the National Trade Union Centre of Trin-

idad and Tobago (NATUC), Michael Annisette, who led a two-member Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL) delegation to the summit, said he welcomed the decision to allow both labour and businesses to address the regional leaders. “This was a first where we were invited to the heads meeting.

We welcomed the opportunity and we assured them that labour is committed to working towards the best interest of the CARICOM Region and as we articulated without labour, we really cannot have any solutions.

“We welcomed the opportunity to meet and treat with business. We believe we bring some institutionalised knowledge to the table. We believe we speak for a voice that have not been listened to and if they do, not seriously and therefore we assured them that the goodwill they repose in labour, in terms of inviting us to this Heads of Gov-

ernment Meeting will not be misplaced,” Annisette told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC). Annisette said he also took the opportunity to inform the regional leaders that labour is not “anti-business” and “ant-government” and that labour would continue to adopt strategic positions regarding the welfare of the Region’s working population.

He said he welcomed the announcement by some leaders that labour and business, going forward, should be regarded as an integral part of the discussions on the development of the Region, adding “ we welcome the whole idea, shared that view”. He said labour and the regional private sector have been working for the last five years “to push forward the agenda of social dialogue and tri-partism”.

$3.9B budgeted to fix GPL distribution issues Essequibo, Bartica generator sets to be installed shortly

Casey Chapman

cutor Arvin Moore, during his objection for bail, told the court that Chapman was positively pointed out during an identification parade by Parshad as the person who robbed him.

Additionally Moore noted that Chapman along with Sheldon Andrews, 24 and Adam McDonald, 30, were nabbed by the police last week in the stolen motor car at Princes and High Streets with an illegal firearm. The motor car, which Chapman used as a hire-car, had fake registration plates but the police were able to trace the

car to its correct owner due to its chassis number.

Magistrate Mittelholzer remanded Chapman to prison until January 25, 2019.

Chapman is currently on remand for the armed robbery committed on Brazilian businesswoman Marcia Maria Martin on July 5, 2017 at Rome, East Bank Demerara, where she was robbed of a cellphone, four ounces of raw gold, cash and other items valued $1.4M. Chapman denied the charge when it was read to him.

MINISTER of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson has assured the nation that there would be full generation capacity during the Christmas season and that only transmission issues would affect service.

He was at the time, speaking on the Budget in Focus programme on the National Telecommunications Network (NCN) and stated that the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) has a full supply of 134 megawatts of power. “Any problem we have will be with our distribution and not generation. We have $3.9Billion in our 2019 budget to address our distribution network. The weak link in our system is our transmission and distribution line. We have repaired it and put it together over the years without thinking

about redundancy. So, we will be working on that in 2019,” Minister Patterson explained.

Work has already begun on fixing deficiencies before the peak period.

Meanwhile, construction of Anna Regina’s new power station in Region Two, which will be equipped with three containerised units, designed for baseload, is almost complete.

Minister Patterson indicated that the sets would be on line next week and commissioned by December 14. He added that the Bartica sets will also be up and running shortly, while Wakenaam and Leguan have adequate supply for the season.

He also repeated a call for motorists to avoid drinking and driving which usually results in costly damages and blackouts.

“When they [motorists]

crash into poles it takes off the system and destroys the transformers and getting a new one is time consuming and tedious.

So please don’t drink and drive or drive carefully at all times,” Minister Patterson related.

As it relates to a gas generated project, Minister Patterson said, it was on stream and would be a public/private partnership between the government and an operator. “The funding the government has is for land preparation; right now we’re doing survey and land acquisition.

When Exxon’s Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel gets here we will come back to the supplementary committee for the balance of money to put the pipelines on.” (DPI)

14

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday December 4, 2018

Make hay while sun shines

–– DoE official urges participants at Exxon-funded local-content forum

DoE’s Joanna Simmons-Homer

By Lisa Hamilton LOCAL-content opportunities for over 300 Guyanese businesses were maximised on Monday with the hosting of the inaugural Liza Phase 1 Supplier Development Forum.

The event, which was aimed at building relationships between Guyanese suppliers and prime oil-and-gas contractors, was hosted by ExxonMobil Guyana in collaboration with the Centre for Local Business Development (CLBD) at the Marriott Hotel.

It gave local businesses, many of whom submitted Expressions of Interest (EOIs) or Requests For Information (RFIs) to the oil company, the opportunity of learning how they could best become qualified to serve the sector.

In her opening remarks, Legal Adviser and Project Coordinator at the Department of Energy, Joanna Simmons-Homer established that Guyana’s DNA has now been altered to accomodate a future which must include transformation to a petroleum producer and a ‘green’ economy simultaneously.

PSC Chairman, Desmond Sears

Speaking specifically to the scores of attendees whom she saw as the forerunners of this exciting transformation process, Simmons-Homer said: “These forums aim at improving transparency, communication and solidifying relationships. For international companies such as ExxonMobil, strong relationships with Guyanese businesses serve to bolster and underpin its global status. “[We] ?must therefore make every effort, and seize every opportunity to successfully engage for today,

tomorrow and many tomorrows to come.”

SET FOR LIFE She also applauded and encouraged the work of the CLBD, noting that with the country’s ?local-content policy in its final stage of drafting, those who position themselves for early opportunities are set for good fortune.

Meanwhile, an assessment of the journey towards transformation came from Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Desmond Sears, who stressed the need for investors to

ExxonMobil’s Rod Henson

adhere to the country’s laws as they enter into business with locals.

“The Private Sector Commission welcomes all investors to our shores who are desirous of establishing businesses adhering to the rules and laws of Guyana.

We are firm believers in the sanctity of contracts, and we advocate for good corporate governance and ethical business practices,” Sears said.

He said that the commission believes that the local-content policy should be implemented as soon as possible, with due consid-

Irfaan Ali nailed …Harmon sets record on President’s team travel expenses

MINISTER of State, Joseph Harmon has stated categorically that the President’s team has not at any point, spent $1Billion on travels, as alleged

by Opposition Member of Parliament, Irfaan Ali, who only last week was charged on multiple counts of fraud. .

Ali, who was speaking during the Budget debates in the National Assembly on Monday, claimed that the President’s team has expended some $1Billion in travel.

Minister Harmon, speaking to the Department of Public Information (DPI) said “contrary to the Ali’s outrageous claim, over the period 2015-2018, a total amount of $212, 345,072 was spent on travels by the President’s team.”

“By no stretch of the imagination can you convert two hundred and twelve million to one billion so I want to nail that lie that was told in the National Assembly today,” the minister said.

Meantime, Minister Harmon dubbed the 2019 National Budget, which was presented on Monday, November, 26

by Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, as a “people’s budget.”

According to the State Minister, this budget, which is the Coalition Government’s fifth to date, has invested heavily in the education, health and overall development of the lives of all Guyanese.

Ali a former Housing Minister, was last Wednesday slapped with 19 charges for alleged conspiracy to defraud the state of some $174M for his role in the notorious Pradoville land-sale scandal. He appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and was released on selfbail, claiming that the charges “…have made me stronger.”

Ali, 38, of Sea-spray, Leonora, West Coast Demerara, was not required to plead to the indictable charges.

Ali is accused of defrauding the state of over $174M after selling the land at an undervalued price. The former minister of housing is accused of selling the lands to former President Bharrat Jagdeo; former Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon; and former ministers Priya Manickchand, Dr. Jenni-

Irfaan Ali

fer Westford, Robert Persaud and Clement Rohee; Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack, and former army head Gary Best and Fortune Developers Inc., Guyana.

He also sold lands at the locations to former General Manager of the Guyana Gold Board and daughter of former President Donald Ramotar, Lisa Ramotar; former President of the Private Sector Commission, Ramesh Dookhoo; the son of former Labour

Minister Dr. Nanda Gopaul, Dr. Ghansham Singh; former Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Chief Executive Officer Rajendra Singh; former president of the Caribbean Development Bank, Compton Bourne; Andrew Bishop, former Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission; former Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) Shaik Baksh, Safraaz Khan and George Hallaq.

eration for revision by local businesses.

Said he: “Given the race against time before oil production, for sure it is an ?uphill task for the local private sector to service activities in and around the oil and gas sphere. However, this is also a developmental journey for Guyanese businesses and citizens to benefit from knowledge transfers and technological spill- overs to earn a better living, and to improve the way we do business.”

He also called TURN TO PAGE

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Senior official at Linden MTC accused of fondling woman A SENIOR official attached to the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LMTC) is under investigation for allegedly sexually assaulting a female constable.

The official has been sent on administrative leave pending the completion of the investigation. He was detained for three days by ranks at the Mackenzie Police Station and was released on self-bail. Commander of ‘E’ Division, Senior Superintendent Linden Lord, said that the file is currently being prepared to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for advice.

It is alleged that the official had removed the female rank from her location under the guise he was taking her for patrol but then took her to an isolated location and began fondling her. She then pleaded with him to return to her initial location.

Mayor of Linden, Waneka Arrindell, said that immediately after the rank made the report to LMTC management, she decided she wanted to report same to the police. A decision was made by the Local Government Commission (LGC) as well to have the ASP proceed on administrative leave. The LMTC is also conducting its own investigation into the matter and is keeping in contact with the police.

15

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday December 4, 2018

Jiangsu Province commits to help modernise Guyana’s healthcare system

Guyana’s Health Ministers Volda Lawrence (in blue) and Dr. Karen Cummings (in green) greeting the members of the delegation

A DELEGATION from the Province of Jiangsu, China on Monday met with a high-level team from the Ministry of Public Health led by Volda Lawrence, Minister of Public Health, to commit to efforts of improving and modernising healthcare in Guyana.

Vice-Chairman (VC) of the Standing Committee of the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Congress, Chen Zhenning is heading the delegation comprised of representatives from various sectors within Jiangsu Province. Jiangsu is the state from which the Chinese Medical Brigades to Guyana is deployed biennially.

VC Zhenning initially indicated that the team’s visit

to Guyana is to meet with the medical brigade in the country and to conduct a needs assessment on Guyana so as to have a better understanding since their knowledge is lacking in some areas. This is the team’s first visit to Guyana.

VC Zhenning told the Public Health Ministry’s team that based on his understanding of the country’s resources; he envisions great cooperation potential in the near future.

He noted that for a number of years China and Guyana have enjoyed the fruits of bilateral relations and it must continue. “I think we should explore more areas for further cooperation especially in the field of public health. There is a lot that we can do and

we also hope Minister Lawrence could also transfer our suggestions to your country’s officials so that we can also conduct cooperation in other fields including the social and the economic fields.”

The VC said that since the medical brigade’s first visit to Guyana in 1993 to date, they have been relying on these medical professionals to share ways in which they can help Guyana’s public health sector to improve.

Chief Executive Officer of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, Retired Brigadier George Lewis, noted that the evidence of China’s contribution to Guyana is clearly demonstrated, particularly at Guyana’s ter-

The meeting between the two sides: A high level management team from the Ministry of Public Health (left) and sector representatives from the Jiangsu Province, China (right)

tiary health institutions.

“Since the arrival of medical brigades, overall performances have been exceptional including complex surgeries and the sharing of knowledge and experience with local medical professionals… Knowledge gained thus far has been exceptional and has gone towards implementing new strategies towards the improvement of healthcare.” Lewis said.

Further, the CEO added that for future missions the Jiangsu Province should expand the contribution of medical specialists to be onboard with incoming medical brigades. This, he said, will play a major role in the development of medical

Make hay while ... for the modernising of Port Georgetown, which he said is timely as its returns would be beneficial to the economy.

He was also keen to urge the investors present to “look beyond oil and gas opportunities” in Guyana to the many other rich resources of the country and the untapped avenues for development.

“Most companies investing in Guyana currently [are approaching] with an eye of oil and gas, but living in this fast-paced world with new technological developments and giving the volatile state of the oil market, there are lots of other meaningful economic activities to which Guyana has comparative advantage due to our boundless resources,” Sears said.

He thanked ExxonMobil and the CLBD for hosting of the forum, as he encouraged foreign suppliers to assist local companies in becoming compliant with the standards

FROM PAGE

professional’s exposure to specialised skills existing in the field of public health.

To this end, Zhenning suggested that the top-level management from the ministry along with those of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation pay a visit to Jiangsu province to examine its healthcare system and adopt its best practices.

Junior Minister of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings, who had previously visited the province, highlighted the public health system in the province and its modernised manner of operation. “No doubt, we recognise that there are some areas of health where your province has emerged

14

of the sector.

LONG-TERM COMMITMENT Greeting the gathering, too, was ExxonMobil-Guyana’s Country, Manager Rod Henson who said that ExxonMobil has made a long-term commitment to Guyana, with local suppliers being crucial to the overall success.

“We’ll help companies take the next step by sharing best practices, and working to improve the competitiveness for local suppliers,” Henson said. “This will help them to capitalise on growing opportunities not only in the oil-and-gas sector, but future opportunities in the broader industries.”

He also affirmed that the oil company is also duty-bound to be safe and responsible in developing the nation’s resource.

“This is high-tech, critically- important work, and we’re all under a micro-

Participants at ExxonMobil’s inaugural Supplier Development Forum Monday at the Marriott Hotel (Delano Williams photos)

scope. We are not, and we will not be, an industry that hurts people or damages the environment. We can’t have substandard or low quality

work,” he said, adding: “We will continue to work closely with our sub-contractors and suppliers, investing time, people

and resources to qualify and develop local capabilities…

“I encourage businesses here to take advantage and to utilize the services available

in a very significant way and Guyana would certainly like to learn and we would certainly like to be able to have that expertise here on our soil so that we can be able to provide a better quality of care to our people.” The Ministry of Public Health usually facilitates a team of doctors from the Peoples’ Republic of China who spends two years in Guyana conducting surgeries mainly at the GPHC, while outreaches are done countrywide. The 14th Brigade was welcomed in June as Guyana bid farewell to the 13th contingent which boasted of completing 3000+ surgeries among other medical activities.

(DPI) at the Centre for Local Business Development.”

Local suppliers were also provided with the 2019 procurement forecast of prime contractors like Noble Drilling, TechnipFMC, Saipem, SMB Offshore and Guyana Shore Base Inc (GYSBI) In the afternoon, there were interactive panel discussions on pressing procurement questions and how businesses can better move into the oil-and-gas spin-off supply chain.

Today, over 1,000 local companies registered on CLBD’s Supplier’s Registration Portal have been invited to take part in an exhibition put on by ExxonMobil, where suppliers will speak directly with prime contractors.

Although the oil company hosts supplier forums globally, the two-day event was tailored for more faceto-face engagements to meet the needs of local content in Guyana.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday December 4, 2018

Guyana, Brazil MoU to address cross-border TIP COLLABORATION between Guyana and its Brazilian counterparts will result in the development of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two countries in responding to cross-border Trafficking in Persons (TIP), according to Ministry of Public Security, Public Relations Officer Mary Adams.

Twenty-two interpreters are now recipients of TIP training, as the Ministerial Task Force on TIP intensifies its work in equipping various stakeholders with the necessary skills of combating TIP. The training course which was held recently at the Guyana Police Force Training Centre, also included Brazil’s participation as was agreed at the Guyana Frontier Committee and Consular Cooperation Meeting in October 2018.

According to Adams, Portuguese language training will be provided for Guyanese TIP officials and for the Ministry of Social Protection.

TIP awareness materials are expected to be translated from English to Portuguese “[This is for] the Brazilian Embassy to participate in the TIP training course to be provided for interpreters.

And for the continuation of

Gov’t to help train 660 to start, run their own business –– among them former GuySuCo workers

Breakout group discussions, including discussions on human trafficking, during the Guyana Brazil Frontier Committee Meeting in Bonfim, State of Roraima, Brazil.

collaboration between authorities from Guyana and Brazil in conducting TIP awareness in border areas,” Adams said.

Also participating in the training course were representatives of the Immigration and Criminal Investigations Departments of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the National Commission on Disability, University of Guyana, Childlink, L&L Translation Services, Language Services Centre and Foreign Missions from Chile, China, Suriname and Argentina.

Trainers/presenters were enlisted from the Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Guyana Police Force Trafficking in Persons Unit and the Immigration Department,

Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, the Childcare and Protection Agency – Ministry of Social Protection, Guyana Women Miners Organisation, Help and Shelter, Childlink, the International Organisation for Migration and the Brazilian Embassy.

The taskforce, on October 18-21 and 30-31 respectively, collaborated with their Brazilian counterparts for anti-TIP activities and discussions in Lethem and Bonfim.

The activities took the form of awareness sessions and the sharing of information at St. Ignatius Secondary, Lethem Public Hospital, Moco Moco Village, Parishara Village, Quarry Village and via Lethem Radio during Lethem Town Week. The Task Force also collaborat-

ed with the TIP Committee of the State of Roraima to conduct awareness sessions in hotels in Lethem, and through information booths at the Town Week exhibition.

Additionally, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) made it possible for the winners of the Task Force TIP Poetry Competition – Lorraine Baptiste (1st), Thamesha Watson (3rd) and Ruth Manbodh (4th) – and the winner of the Ministry of Social Protection TIP Jingle Competition - Mr. Rashleigh Joseph, to join the Task Force team and make performances of their winning pieces on Radio Lethem and at the Ms. Lethem Pageant.

Drunken husband hammers wife to head A drunken man beat his reputed wife in the head with a hammer after an argument ensued at her Houston, East Bank Demerara residence on Sunday night.

The injured woman who was identified as Kilowtie Persaud, 44, a food vendor of Houston, was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) by public-spirited citizens after crying out for help.

Residents in the area said that the couple has been living together for over two decades, and that domestic abuse would be the usual scenario when the husband returns home in a drunken state.

Reports indicate that Persaud was at home asleep when her husband returned home being under the influence of alcohol. An argument ensued, and it is alleged that the man picked up a hammer and dealt the woman several lashes to her head before walking out the house.

She is currently a patient at the GPHC and her condition is listed as critical.

CITING training as a major bugbear facing prospective business operators in Guyana, the Small Business Bureau (SBB) has set a target of 660 persons to receive basic guidance for managing and operating a business.

In 2019, a sum of $40M will be injected into the Bureau for the setting up and operation of two business incubators. In addition, in order to fulfil its mandate of capacity building for small businesses interested in government procurement, a sum of $18M has been set aside for training by the SBB, which falls under the portfolio of the Ministry of Business.

Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin told the National Assembly on Monday that prospective business owners will benefit from specific training in the areas of ‘green’ agro-processing and agricultural practices, and the use of ‘green’ technologies.

“Staying on business support and development, the Small Business Bureau is committed to small-business development through training, access to finance and improved opportunities for small businesses,” Minister Gaskin said.

He reported to the National Assembly that as of November 2018, a total of 948 businesses benefitted from training in various areas such as soap manufacturing, sustainable mining, forestry and cosmetology.

GUYSUCO WORKERS Gaskin also highlighted that the Bureau has also provided support to 387 former Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) workers with training in the areas of plumbing, transitioning to farming, preparing loan and grant applications, catering and sewing.

He noted, too, that at the end of October this year, the SBB would have supported over 200 businesses with access to finance by providing guarantees for 45 loans totalling US$618,000, and disbursing 158 grants amounting to US$237,000.

“This support is estimated to have created 535 jobs,” he said.

At the end of October this year also, the disbursal of loans and grants under the SBB’s Micro and Small Enterprise Development Programme came to an end.

However, Gaskin stated that

the allocation of $100M to the small business development fund in the 2019 Budget makes provisions for the continued guarantee of loans and disbursal of grants to small businesses.

He said that in 2019, the injection of $100M into the fund will ensure that loan guarantees and grants “can continue uninterrupted until a second phase of the Micro and Small Enterprise Development Programme comes on stream.”

SECONDARY SCHOOLS MANDATE Gaskin pointed out that the SBB has also fulfilled its mandate of assisting secondary schools.

He said that via the InSchool Entrepreneurship Programme, a total of 104 secondary school students who are pursuing studies in the business stream received grants of up to $30,000 each to pursue real projects related to their academic studies. He reported that a sum of $5M was spent on the programme this year, and that next year, an additional $5M will be expended on a similar number of students.

During the morning session of the debates on Monday, Minister Gaskin reported that a sum of $10M has been set aside in the 2019 Budget for the continuation of the SBB’s Green Innovation Fund to assist small businesses with “innovative ‘green business’ projects.”

He said that in 2018, six individual businesses received a $1M each, and that another six are awaiting disbursement.

Gaskin also updated the National Assembly on the Small Business Procurement Programme, which is aimed at creating more procurement opportunities for small businesses. He said the programme has been completed, and will be implemented in January 2019.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday December 4, 2018

Truck driver freed of ‘causing death’ charge …due to insufficient evidence TWO years after Jonnel and Phillip Armstrong were both killed in a fatal accident on the Friendship Public Road on the East Bank of Demerara, a 28-year-old truck driver was freed from the ‘cause of death by dangerous driving’ charge.

Ganshan Ram Das of Tuschen Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo, was freed from the two charges after Magistrate Fabayo Azore found that the prosecution failed to prove their case due to insufficient evidence.

Particulars of both charges alleged that Ramdass on October 1, 2016, at Friendship Public Road, drove motor lorry GNN 5335 in a dangerous manner which resulted in the death of the siblings, Jonnel and Phillip Armstrong. Das was out on $400,000 bail.

According to reports, on the day in question, the two brothers and a friend were heading to Linden in a Toyota Rav4 when they collided with a truck that was heading in the opposite direction.

Reports are that the driver, who was one of the

Ganshan Ram Das

brothers and was reportedly speeding at the time, lost control as he was negotiating a turn and ended up in the path of the truck.

The driver of the truck managed to swerve but the Rav4 slammed into the side of the truck. The brothers were pronounced dead at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre.

Traffic ranks who responded to the scene are of the view that the wet road might have played a part in the accident.

The mother of the deceased siblings is the Region 10 Health Officer, Dr. Pansy Armstrong, and reports are that the sons were on their way home to assist her in redecorating.

Andrew DeFreitas slapped with $100k bail for boat engine theft CITY Magistrate Faith McGusty on Monday released a 60-year-old Essequibo farmer on $100,000 bail after he appeared before her for stealing a $4M engine from a wreaked vessel along a sand bank at Tiger Beach, North West District.

Andrew DeFreitas of Covent Garden Grove, Essequibo denied the charge which alleged that between September 14, 2018 and November 29, 2018 at Tiger Beach, he stole a $4M engine along with two air boxes valued $1M from the wrecked vessel

of Simeon Tudor.

The defendant’s attorney Everton Singh-Lammy made an application for his client’s pre-trial liberty and begged the court for his client to be granted self-bail.

However, Police Prosecutor Shellon Daniels explained that when the police arrested DeFreitas, he took them to an area and handed over the stolen items.

DeFreitas was released on $100,000 bail and had his matter transferred to the Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan for December 7.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday December 4, 2018

Felix urges greater vigilance in fight against TIP GUYANA has earned its place as a Tier 1 country in its struggle to eradicate trafficking in persons, but the battle continues.

Recently, the Counter-Trafficking in persons unit of the Ministry of Social Protection held a training course for more than 20 immigration officers and staff of the Department of Citizenship and Immigration at the Regency Hotel in Brickdam, Georgetown. Speaking at the event, Commissioner of Police Leslie James told the immigration officers and staff that trafficking in persons (TIP) must be deemed a scourge of any developing society and therefore, the efforts being made to have such a training exercise must be seen as an effort to mitigate such scourge.

He stressed the need to highlight the fact that TIP is

also referred to as modern day slavery as it engages domestic-type servitude; forced labour; sexual slavery and on a more serious note – the removal of organs and other body parts, to name a few. He, therefore, urged the participants to do extensive reading with regards to TIP so that they can be made more fully aware of the issues relating to this issue in the society.

James stated that TIP is a criminal activity, which is also contemplated by the combatting TIP Act – No. 2:2005. As a result, he expressed gratitude to the two ministers associated with the programme – Minister of Social Protection, Ms. Amna Ally and also the Minister of Citizenship Mr. Winston Felix.

James noted that there are in place ministerial ap-

Minister of Citizenship Winston Felix addressing officials, immigration officers and staff at the TIP training programme

Commissioner of Police Leslie James receiving a token of appreciation from the Ministry of Social Protection

proaches to deal with policies against TIP; the technical aspect, where there are re-

ports, raids, investigations and others operations; also that sub-committees have

international crime of trafficking in persons (TIP). He said that TIP was in Guyana long before people became aware that there was such a crime because the nature of this crime is so clandestine.

“It can be occurring in front of you and you wouldn’t recognise it, and that it is why it is so important for us to work together; to collaborate in order to strike a blow against any act of TIP; one organisation cannot do it!

“There is a thin line be-

you cannot label as ‘traffic’, and therefore it is important that your record-keeping as immigration officers be topnotch because you will become a source of the investigation whenever it may start.

“My advice to you therefore, is that this training would not give you all the information and that you need to build on the little that is taught here. Training

Commissioner of Police Leslie James; Minister of Citizenship Winston Felix and Ms. Tanisha Williams-Corbin, Coordinator of the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Unit, along with Immigration Officers and staff

been put together to deal with the issues.

Further, he stated that there is also training, what is referred to as ‘awareness’ – the re-integration of persons who have been affected by TIP, towards a smooth flow back into society. There is also research at the ministerial level; the victims of TIP are allowed certain social and economic concessions, for example food, shelter, medical supplies and even treatment. A database has also been established, where all aspects of TIP is recorded. James said that the Government of Guyana efforts in combatting TIP is in keeping with the United Nations (UN) protocol, and as a result there is an annual action plan formulated for each fiscal year; noting that the GoG has serious and sustained efforts in this regard.

CLANDESTINE IN NATURE For his part, Felix stated that he considers the training an important event for the young officers and staff, to become more aware of the

tween people who desire to be prostitutes and people who are forced to do prostitution – people who are trafficked,” Mr. Felix stated.

HE NOTED THAT YEARS AGO THE GUYANA POLICE FORCE (GPF) would literally go and try to break up situations where it was realised that prostitution and similar behaviour were taking place, but the situation is now quite different. He highlighted the international scenario of people coming from other countries; people who need jobs and might be forced into a labour market that they were not aware of until they get there. This, he noted, is simply because Guyana has been described as a ‘source’ country - a country for which persons can be easily obtained and trafficked. Guyana can also be termed a destination country, where people can be brought here and be trafficked.

“As immigration officers very many circumstances may appear before you which

can only wet your appetite, but you must proceed to develop your minds since you are operatives on the ground – immigration and social protection workers,” he stated.

Felix said that the participants must continue in their quest to learn, so that when they are confronted by circumstances they will be able to act wisely; being able to differentiate the various crimes and where necessary take the appropriate initial actions. He emphasised the need for every participant to continue their quest to learn more about what TIP entails – learning more about trafficking and exploitation.

He urged them to not just enjoy the programme, but be able to develop themselves as they proceed in their careers, even as they assist the country to fight this unpleasant crime of TIP, which the government would wish to get rid of with the “speed of light”.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday December 4, 2018

Traffic Dept. hosts driving seminar

Man fined $57k, handed suspended sentence … after admitting to ganja possession

(Centre seated) Traffic Chief, Superintendent Linden Isles, flanked by Deputy Superintendent Dennis Stephens, Traffic Education Officer, Inspector Raun Clarke and participants of the driving seminar

UNDER the theme “Stop the accidents before [they] stop you, be alert accidents hurt,” the Guyana Police Force Traffic Department in collaboration with the National Road Safety Council, hosted a driving seminar on Saturday for drivers at the Police Officers’ Training Centre Eve Leary.

The Seminar was very informative and was attended by drivers from the public and the joint services.

There were presentations throughout the seminar, with the first one being done by the

Traffic Chief, Superintendent Linden Isles, who discussed defensive driving and its benefits to drivers.

The traffic chief, in his presentation, sought to explain the Five C’s of defensive driving and urged the drivers to apply same on a daily basis. He encouraged the drivers to always maintain full concentration.

“Never give your concentration to anything else while driving,” Mr. Isles told the drivers.

Another presentation was done by Deputy Superintendent Dennis Stephens who discussed ‘Minor Traffic Of-

fences,’ a topic that was very intriguing since most of the drivers took the opportunity to enquire about minor offences that are being committed by road users daily.

Traffic Education Officer, Inspector Raun Clarke delivered the final presentation. His focus was on Signs, Signals and Road Markings. Mr. Clarke, during his presentation, gave a detailed explanation on the various signs and road markings and how they are to be used.

The seminar concluded with a vote of thanks from Constable 22932 Ameer Ali,

who thanked the officers for the knowledge they have imparted in him and fellow drivers present. Constable Ali, who spoke on behalf of all drivers at the seminar, acknowledged that the seminar was very interactive and pledged to share the information received with other road users.

SENIOR Magistrate Faith McGusty on Monday imposed a two-year suspended sentence on a 24-year-old Crabwood Creek labourer for trafficking over 30 grams of cannabis.

Devanand Singh admitted that on November 30, 2018 at his Lot 1806 Grant, Crabwood Creek, Corentyne Berbice home, he had 38 grams of cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Police Prosecutor, Inspector Gordon Mansfield told the court that acting on information received, ranks went to Singh’s home and conducted a search during which the cannabis was found in his pants pocket.

Singh explained that he did not want to waste the

Devanand Singh

court’s time and admitted ownership of the drugs.

Magistrate McGusty after considering Singh’s early guilty plea, ordered him to pay a $57,000 fine along with two years suspended sentence.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, December 4, 2018

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, December 4, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, December 4, 2018

FROM BACK PAGE

GAPLF National Seniors..

Records tumble as White, Rahim cop...

By Michelangelo Jacobus RECORDS tumbled once again in 2018 as the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPLF) National Seniors Championships were held at the auditorium of Saint Stanislaus College on Sunday; at the end of the day, Junior athlete Runita White and Vijai Rahim copped the Best Overall female and male titles.

Dubbed as the ‘Clash of the Female Titans’, White’s showdown with Natoya Robinson in the Open 84+kg category was highlyanticipated and the duo did not disappoint, however, in the end there could only

be one winner and that was White.

Enroute to winning that category, along with the Junior category in the same weight class, White reset the records for the Junior Classic 84+kg Class in the squat (182.5kg), deadlift (196Kg) and bench press (75kg) as well as the total weight (453.5kg) lifted. In the Open category, she reset the record for the Squat with her 182.5kg lift.

While White won with a total weight lifted of 453.5kg, Robinson settled for Silver with a squat of 147.5kg, Bench Press of 93kg and Deadlift of 200kg (a record in the Open 84+kg category); her total weight lifted was 440.5kg.

Meanwhile, Vijay Rahim, competing in the Open Equipped 74kg category, notched up a total of 737.5kg while squatting

267.5kg, benching 172.5kg and deadlifting 297.5kg.

He beat Fawaz Rampertaub who settled for Silver in the same category; however, with a total of 552.5kg (Squat 215kg, Bench press 110kg, deadlift 110kg), Rampertaub copped Gold in the Junior 74kg event. Bjorn Williams copped first place in the Open Classic 105kg category with a total weight of 635kg (Squat 210kg, Bench press 150kg, deadlift 275kg) and Wilks points of 393.764 while Joseph Stoll settled for silver in the same class but won the Masters 2 Classic with a total weight lifted of 460kg (Squat 170kg, Bench press 90kg, deadlift 200kg).

The National Seniors was the last meet for GAPLF in 2018 and was sponsored by Buddy’s Gym, Fitness Express, Trophy Stall and Dyna’s Embroidery.

National Records Junica Pluck-- Open Equipped 63kg Class Squat (135.5Kg), Bench (68kg), Deadlift (133kg) and total (336.5kg) Runita White-- Junior Classic 84+kg Class Squat (182.5kg), Bench (75kg), deadlift (196kg) and total (453.5kg) Lisa Oudit-- Open Classic 84kg Class Deadlift (151kg) and Total (336kg) Natoya Robinson-- Open Classic 84+kg Class Bench (93kg) and Deadlift (200kg) Runita White-- Open Classic 84kg Class Squat (182.5kg) - First woman to squat 402lbs without the aid of equipment.

Ramzam Mohamed-- Junior Equipped 120kg Class Squat (285kg), Deadlift (245kg), total (672.5kg) Bjorn Williams-- Open Classic 105kg Class Bench (150kg) and Total (635kg) Frank Tucker Master-- 3, 2 and 1 Equipped 105kg Class Deadlift (205kg) Joseph Stoll Master-- 2 Classic 105kg Class Deadlift (200kg) Carlos Petterson-Griffith -- Open Equipped 93kg Class Squat (320kg) and Total (810kg) Vijai Rahim-- Open Equipped 74kg Class Bench (172.5kg) and Deadlift (297.5kg) Noel Cummings-- Master 4 and 3 Classic 66kg class Squat (130.5kg) Franklyn Brisport-Luke-- Master 2 and 1 Classic 66kg Class Squat (132.5kg) Noel Cummings-- Master 4, 3, 2 and 1 Classic 66kg class Deadlift (170kg)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Fury says Wilder will try to avoid rematch ‘at all costs’

LONDON (AFP) - Tyson Fury said on Monday WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder will try to avoid a rematch with him “at all costs” after their epic draw in Los Angeles.

Wilder retained his belt on Saturday after a thrilling 12-round battle ended in a split decision draw at the Staples Center.

The result means the American is still in a position to achieve his dream of unifying the heavyweight division against Fury’s fellow Briton Anthony Joshua, who holds the WBA, IBF and WBO versions of the title. After the bout, Wilder said he would prefer to target Joshua’s titles in a bid to unify the division but would be satisfied with either a rematch against Fury or a chance to take on Joshua.

But Fury said that Wilder could try to avoid him. “I’ve got a funny feeling he’s going to get his running shoes out and stay Deontay Wilder (right) retained his WBC heavyweight title belt after a thrilling 12-round battle away from me at all costs,” he told Britain’s against Tyson Fury ended in a split decision draw (AFP Photo/Harry How)

ITV network.

“I’m only getting better, and better and better. I can beat them all but they need to fight me. We need to give Britain the biggest fight in British boxing history and that’s me and Joshua. “Let’s make it happen.

The country wants it, I want it, everybody wants it. The only people who don’t seem to want it is their team,” he added. Wilder’s trainer Jay Deas told BBC radio he would want Wilder to take on Fury again before a potential fight with Joshua.

“If it’s something that people would like to see again we would absolutely love to do it. Both guys put on a tremendous fight,” Deas said. “If it was up to me -- and only me -- I would like to do the Fury fight first because I think there is unfinished business.

“If the money makes sense in the UK I would love to do it there. Deontay has never had a problem with travelling.

That’s not the issue at all.”

‘King Kohli’ spearheads India’s IAAF to vote on Tuesday on whether charge to end drought Down Under to reinstate Russia

By Sudipto Ganguly

By Gene Cherry MONACO (Reuters) - Russia’s athletics federation will learn today whether its ban for widespread doping, in place for the last three years, will be lifted by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

The IAAF’s Council will vote on Russia’s status after hearing a report and recommendation by its task force on the sporting power’s progress in meeting conditions laid down for reinstatement. A 1300GMT press conference has been scheduled in Monaco to announce the decision, with the feeling around the Principality seeming to be that the suspension may remain in place.

The Russian federation (RUSAF) was banned by the IAAF in November 2015 after a World Anti-Doping Agency- (WADA) commissioned report revealed widespread doping in the country.

Since then some individual Russian athletes, however, have been allowed to compete internationally as neutrals provided they met certain criteria that showed they had operated in a dope-free environment.

The IAAF’s Russia task force head Rune Andersen said in July that RUSAF had made significant but not complete progress in meeting

the reinstatement requirements and the ban would remain in place until at least December.

To be reinstated, the IAAF has said Russia must acknowledge findings of the WADAcommissioned McLaren report that doping in the country was statesponsored and also provide access to the data from testing of samples at the Russia Anti-Doping Agency’s (RUSADA) Moscow laboratory from 2011-2015.

Russia has accepted there was extensive doping in the country, but its authorities have continued to deny any of it was state sponsored.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and WADA have both reinstated Russia.

WADA’s controversial reinstatement in September this year was on the condition Russia recognise the findings of its report and allow access to RUSADA’s stored urine samples. Failure to provide access to the full data from the Moscow lab by Dec. 31 could lead to another suspension, WADA warned. There are indications the IAAF council could continue its ban while it awaits WADA’s access to the relevant data.

Also hovering in the background is RUSAF’s appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to have the ban lifted.

MUMBAI (Reuters) - Having proved his credentials as a batsman in Australia four years ago, Virat Kohli returns for a series Down Under that could well define his legacy as India captain.

Pundits once bracketed Kohli alongside Australia’s Steve Smith, Joe Root from England and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson as the batsmen who would go on to dominate world cricket but the India skipper’s prolific run-scoring form and consistency has set him apart from the rest.

Kohli, who turned 30 last month, is the world’s top-ranked batsman in both tests and one-day internationals, with over 1,000 runs in both formats in the calendar year. Despite his achievements with the bat, Kohli has failed to achieve the success he craves as captain.

India’s home form remains strong, they last lost a test series at home in 2012, but Kohli’s hopes of winning more series on foreign soil have been dashed with defeats in South Africa and England this year due to a lack of batting support.

He was the top scorer between both sides in South Africa with a hundred and a half century in a 2-1 series defeat, while in England he fared even better with two centuries and three fifties but still the tourists were beaten, 4-1. The last time India toured Australia in 2014-15 Kohli scored four centuries in as many Tests and notched 692 runs at a jaw-dropping average of 86.25. India ended up losing 2-0.

Kohli took over India’s Test captaincy during that series after Mahendra Singh Dhoni retired from the longest format and this time around he will be looking to achieve something no India captain has managed before - a series win in Australia.

With their opponents struggling to recover from a ball-tampering scandal that led to long bans for former captain Steve Smith, opener David Warner and batsman Cameron Bancroft, India may never have had a better chance to claim victory.

CURRENT FORM Not since Sachin Tendulkar retired in 2013 has

India captain Virat Kohli

an Indian cricketer commanded the adulation Kohli enjoys. He became the fastest to reach 10,000 ODI runs in his 205th innings in October, eclipsing Tendulkar’s record by an astounding 54 innings, and his performances have earned him rock star status in the cricket-mad country of 1.3 billion.

Kohli’s single-minded drive for excellence mirrors that of Tendulkar, who accumulated over 34,000 runs and 100 centuries in a 24-year career. Like Tendulkar, Kohli has a near-flawless technique which helps him tackle pace and spin with equal ease, and India look to him every time they hit choppy waters, as they did for two decades with the retired batting great.

In the run-up to the four-test series, which starts in Adelaide on Thursday, Australian pundits have been asking how the hosts can go about stopping Kohli but few have been able to provide a satisfactory answer.

Before arriving on Australian shores, Kohli hit a test hundred and three consecutive ODI centuries against the West Indies at home. He hit a sparkling 61 late last month to help his side to a series-levelling win in the three-match Twenty20 series against Australia.

It will be no cakewalk for Kohli though.

Australia’s bowling attack, comprising pace trio Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins and spinner Nathan Lyon, is still something to be feared and the hosts believe they are good enough to beat any side in their home conditions.

Keeping Kohli under lock and key will be crucial if the hosts are to extend India’s drought Down Under.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Williamson holds up Yasir as New Zealand limp to 229-7

(REUTERS) - A halfcentury from captain Kane Williamson and a patient knock from BJ Watling helped New Zealand prevent Pakistan’s Yasir Shah from slicing through their batting order on day one of the third and final Test in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

New Zealand started the day shakily but recovered to post 229-7 at the close thanks to Williamson’s 89 off 176 deliveries on a spinning track at the Sheikh

Zayed Stadium.

Wicketkeeper Watling was unbeaten on 42 at stumps, hitting only one boundary in 180 balls, with debutant William Somerville keeping him company on 12.

Leg-spinner Yasir, who took 14 wickets as Pakistan won the second test in Dubai last week, claimed three wickets in the morning after Williamson won the toss and elected to bat.

After fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed Tom Latham lbw for four, Shah

removed Jeet Raval (45) with a flat delivery that caught the opener plumb in front of the wicket.

The 32-year-old Shah, who began the match needing five wickets to replace Clarrie Grimmett as the fastest man to claim 200 Test victims, bowled Ross Taylor with the next ball to inch closer to the landmark in his 33rd match.

Australian leg-spinner Grimmett reached 200 wickets in his 36th Test in 1936. Although Shah

missed out on a hat-trick, he struck again to bowl Henry Nicholls around his legs and leave the visitors in trouble at 72-4.

Williamson and Watling then dropped anchor, sharing a 104-run fifth-wicket stand from 249 balls.

The Kiwi skipper, who hit seven boundaries and looked set to reach his 19th test century, perished when he was caught at short midwicket off paceman Hasan Ali. Off-spinner Bilal

Kane Williamson was unmoved by the mayhem around him ©AFP

Asif dismissed Colin de Grandhomme for 20 and Tim Southee for two late in the day to give Pakistan the advantage.

New Zealand won

the opening Test in Abu Dhabi by four runs before Pakistan levelled the threematch series with victory in the second test in Dubai by an innings and 16 runs.

Anna Regina `A’ and Johanna Cecilia record wins in Ramballi/Mahdeo U-17 cricket AN impressive half-century by national Under- 15 batsman Sheldon Charles and a destructive spell of off-spin bowling from Azizi Christiani highlighted the latest round of the Ramballi and Mahadeo inter-secondary school Under-17 cricket competition played on the Essequibo Coast last Saturday.

At the Imam Bacchus ground in Affiance, Anna Regina Secondary ‘A’ remained unbeaten in the competition with a comfortable 48-run victory against Charity Secondary who suffered their second straight loss. After being inserted to bat on a pitch

that had some amount of moisture, Anna Regina Secondary started off slowly with the batsmen trying copiously to negotiate the uneven bounce of the pitch.

However, the run-rate gradually accelerated as Charles, who opened the batting, began to get into his strides. A sixty-five run partnership between him and Eshwar Nauth propelled the score to 1223 from 20 overs, after a late start. Charles eventually top-scored with 59 (7x4s) while Nauth supported with 29 (2x4s). Shivanand Kissoon with 1-18 from 4 overs and Terrence Lall with1-24 from his 4 overs

were the wicket-takers. In reply, Charity Secondary also found runs difficult to come by as the spin of Azizi Christiani stifled their chances. Christiani grabbed 4-4 from 2 overs to spin Charity Secondary out for 74 in 14 overs with Gomesh Paul taking 2-12 from 3 overs. In the second game at the same venue, Johanna Cecilia scored an upset win against Abram Zuil Secondary, winning by 6 wickets. After being asked to bat first, Abram Zuil could only muster 99-6 from their allotted 20 overs.

Opener Jared Allicock with39 (2x4s) batted convincingly, but only Saeed Hack

(12) and Davendra Narine (10) supported his effort. Accurate seam bowling by Ryan Singh accounted for 3-16 from his 4 overs.

In reply, an aggressive 28 (3x4s and 1x6) from Hemraj Dindyall and a composed 22 (2x4s) from Captain Chetram Suerattan ensured that they reached the target, ending on 101-4 from 16 overs.

Off-spinner Saeed Hack claimed 3-17 from 4 overs, but it was in vain. The next round of matches will be played on Saturday, December 8th at the Number 1 and Imam Bacchus grounds. (Elroy Stephney).

Gayle awarded A$ 300,000 in Hunte domino competition set for the damages in defamation case West Side this weekend South Africa Racing Tips Vaal 08:45 hrs Tammany Hall 09:25 hrs Live In Love 10:05 hrs Winter Watch 10:40 hrs Mademoiselle 11:15 hrs Seventh Rule English Racing Tips Lingfield 08:20 hrs Mossy’s Lodge 08:50 hrs Wotadoll 09:20 hrs La Fortuna 09:50 hrs Glassy Waters 10:20 hrs Gracious John 10:50 hrs Sandridge Lad 11:20 hrs Entertaining Ben

American Racing Tips Mahoning Valley Race 1 Iamthebest Race 2 Golden Jasmine Race 3 Shack’s Sweetie Race 4 All Hands Ondeck Race 5 Direct Deceit Race 6 Brass Buckle Race 7 Invocation Race 8 Rebel’s Revenge Southwell 08:30 hrs Hoo Bally Diva 09:00 hrs Destrier 09:30 hrs Commodore Barry 10:00 hrs Wemyss Point 10:30 hrs Go As You Please 11:00 hrs Nicely Indeed 11:30 hrs I’m Wiser Now

Fakenham 08:40 hrs Yeats Baby 09:10 hrs Zen Master 09:40 hrs Skandiburg 10:10 hrs Song For Someone 10:40 hrs Show’s Over 11:10 hrs Midnight Queen

DAVID Hunte has teamed up with the Senior Organising Secretary of the Georgetown Dominoes Association, Mark Wiltshire, to host a domino tournament on Sunday at Middle Street, Pouderoyen, on the West Bank of Demerara.

The entrance fee is $12,000 and the winning team will take home a trophy and $150,000. Runners-up will claim a trophy and $75,000 while third place prize is $35,000. The MVP will be given $5,000; double-six time is 13:30hrs.

All Season’s Racing Service of Robb Street is the latest entity to support the tournament.

The company’s representative, Tiffany Johnson, who recently presented a cheque to Hunte, said they are pleased to be part of the tournament and are looking forward to a successful competition. Hunte expressed gratitude to the sponsors which also include Ravi’s Variety Store, Ansa McAl and Spartans.

Teams can contact Wiltshire on 6655855 for more information.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - West Indies batsman Chris Gayle was awarded A$300,000 (£172,919) in damages by an Australian court on Monday, more than a year after he won a defamation case against Fairfax Media over an alleged incident during the 2015 World Cup. New South Wales Supreme Court Justice Lucy McCallum made the award for articles published in January 2016 that alleged the 103-test cricketer had exposed himself to a masseuse during the tournament.

In October 2017, a jury found Fairfax had failed to establish the truth of the reports. It also found Fairfax had failed to establish that the allegation Gayle had propositioned the masseuse was “substantially true”.

Justice McCallam said in her decision that the defamation “went to the heart of Mr Gayle’s professional life as a respected batsman” and “had particular resonance in cricketing circles”.

The jury also found that Fairfax was motivated by malice in publishing the stories, which could have left the

Chris Gayle

company open to punitive damages.

Justice McCallam said she decided against aggravated damages because Gayle had not given evidence about whether the harm he suffered was increased by the malice.

Fairfax Media said the publisher intended to appeal because of concerns over the way the trial was conducted. “The jury was misled in a way that prejudiced Fairfax, and Fairfax did not get a fair trial,” a spokesman said in a statement.

“The damages award merely confirms the appalling burden of defamation laws in this country.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Region 4 Education Department honours National 2018 gold medallist

REDO Tiffany Favourite Harvey presenting a gift basket to Akella Dover in the presence of Nursery School officer, Ms Shemline Baston and the parents of Akella

COMPANY Road Primary School student athlete, nine-year-old Akella Dover was given a hero’s welcome on Monday by her teachers and the Regional Education Department of Region Four after her Gold medal exploits at the recently concluded National Schools Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships.

The occasion, which was a red carpet affair for Akella and her parents, were as a result of her exceptional performance at the Meet which was held at the National Track & Field Centre at Leonora, West Coast Demerara. Akella, running in the U-10 category, convincingly won her four races, which were the 100M, 200M, 400M and 1000M events which earned her the Champion Girl title in the U-10 category.

The young lady who was greeted with screams, shouts

and applause from teachers and students, was evidently surprised by the event which included champagne and a number of gifts.

Her father, Michael Dover, said that his daughter’s discipline and determination are the primary reasons for her success. He pointed out that himself and her mother, Carol Adams, support the young athlete in many ways and remains committed to her talent, which he revealed was discovered since she was in nursery school.

“When Akella was in nursery school, her teacher told us that this child can really run and that we should support her. We decided to do that and she has been training every day as she recognises that hard work will pay of,” he said.

Her father disclosed that her regiment included going to school and after school, attending lessons after which she would go to training,

thus returning home very late many nights.

“Sometimes she would reach home from Georgetown after training until 10:30pm and next day she returns to do the same thing, but she understands that if she will do well that she needs to train every single day, and that is what we have been instilling in her; so, as her parents, we are very proud of what she and her coach have done, because I can tell you that this is just the start, as I see my baby going very far,” he boasted.

Head teacher of the school, Ms. Arita StephenMc Kenzie, was almost emotional as she expressed congratulations and thanked the petite nine-year-old for what she said was letting people know that talent abounds at Company Road Primary.

She thanked the parents for providing the environment and support so

The parents of Akella Dover pose with their daughter.

that the young lady can excel at the championships, urging them to continue giving their support in every way possible.

“We at Company Road Primary are exceptionally happy as we are very impressed and overwhelmed by the performance of Akella.

We are confident that she will continue to excel and that is why we are proud to say ‘thank you’ to her and her parents, because they have once again highlighted that this school possesses some great talent and come next year, I am confident that this young lady would increase the gold medal tally,” she confidently said.

Meanwhile, Regional Education Officer (REDO) Ms Tiffany Favourite – Harvey said that she is still very elated over the energized and electrifying performances of the young lass who left many in awe with her performances. She said that the region is very

proud that young Dover represented them very well and the region felt obligated to make a meaningful contribution to her for her stellar performances. As such, she was presented with a significant financial contribution towards her educational pursuits while her school presented her with a similar contribution for her to spend during the Christmas holidays. The REDO also announced that Dover will also receive a major book award which will see her having money to purchase several books, while she was also presented with a trophy on behalf of the Region.

“Performances like these tell a great story, as it shows that irrespective of who you are, anyone can do great things; all you need to do is to believe in yourself and to work very hard towards achieving it, whether it’s athletics, cricket, football, academics, you name it, you can do well once you are

determined and decide that you will work diligently and sincerely towards your goals; so I want to see more Akella Dovers coming out of this school.

Next year when I return I must see more Akella Dovers being honoured, because you have decided that you will work equally hard and be dedicated to whatever you choose to do, as you all can do great things, because in each of you there is greatness,” she assured the very attentive students.

After the presentation of trophies, gift basket and monetary awards, young Akella Dover, along with her parents, REDO and teachers of the school took a toast in recognition of her performance. The REDO also made a disclosure that a large poster of the young girl’s achievement would be erected within the school compound to serve as motivation for other students.

Series defeat leaves Windies point away from ninth LONDON, (CMC) – West Indies’ historic series defeat last weekend has left them a single ratings point from joining Bangladesh in ninth spot, in the International Cricket Council Test team rankings.

In the latest numbers announced Monday, West Indies were still eighth but lost six points to slip to 70 ratings points.

Bangladesh are ninth on 69 after picking up eight points.

India remain number one ahead of their much anticipated series with Australia starting Wednesday in Adelaide.

The Caribbean side’s misfortune in

the latest rankings stems from their 2-0 whitewash at the hands of the Tigers – their first-ever on Bangladeshi soil.

They lost the first Test in Chittagong by 64 runs before suffering a humiliating innings and 184-run defeat in Dhaka inside three days last weekend. The latest rankings news comes as a huge blow to the Windies, especially on the heels of decent results in the Test format earlier this year.

West Indies drew 1-1 with Sri Lanka in a three-Test series in the Caribbean and trounced Bangladesh 2-0 in the subsequent two-match series.

And while they suffered a setback

last month with comprehensive defeats in both Tests on the tour of India, they were expected to overcome Bangladesh who had never before beaten a full-strength Windies side.

The Windies decline in Tests has been a steady one, having lost 11 of 19 matches, won six and drawn two, inside the last two years.

Significantly, their fortunes in the Test arena mirrors those in the one-day and T20 formats. Windies lie ninth in ODIs, only above minnows Afghanistan who are already hovering dangerously, only five points behind in 10th.

Their lowly ranking saw them being forced to play an ICC qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe earlier this year alongside the likes of Scotland, United Arab Emirates and Papua New Guinea in order to book their spot at the 50-overs World Cup in England next year. They have managed just five wins in 28 ODIs over the last two years and are without a series win in four years.

West Indies have also struggled in the shortest format ever since winning their second T20 World Cup two years ago in India, losing 13 of 21 matches to slump to seventh in the rankings.

26 26

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Modric wins 2018 Ballon d’Or, breaks Messi-Ronaldo dominance PARIS (Reuters) Real Madrid’s Croatia midfielder Luka Modric was named winner of the 2018 Ballon d’Or on Monday, breaking Cristiano Ronaldo’s and Lionel Messi’s decade-long hold on the prestigious award.

Juventus forward and 2017 winner Ronaldo came second, while Atletico Madrid and France striker Antoine Griezmann came third.

Paris St Germain’s France forward Kylian Mbappe, who also collected the Kopa award for the best under-21 player, was fourth, with Barca forward Messi finishing fifth.

Olympique Lyonnais’ Norway striker Ada Hegerberg won the inaugural Ballon d’Or for women’s football, having led her side to the Women’s Champions

League title, scoring in extra time in the 4-1 win over Vfl Wolfsburg in the final.

Modric, 33, helped Real Madrid win a third successive Champions League title in May and also captained Croatia to their first World Cup final, being named player of the tournament despite his side losing 4-2 to France.

“It’s a unique feeling.

I’m happy proud and honoured, I have a lot of emotions right now, it’s hard to describe in words,” said Modric, wearing a tuxedo as he collected the award from presenter and former France forward David Ginola after a glamorous ceremony at the Grand Palais in Paris.

“It’s a big pleasure to be here among all these players.

I am still trying to realise that I have become part of a group of exceptional players to win the Ballon d’Or

Real Madrid’s Luka Modric with the Ballon d’Or award REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

throughout history.”

DIFFICULT START Modric, who joined Real

Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur in 2012 for a reported 40 million euros ($45.40 million), was

criticised in his debut season at the Bernabeu and named the worst signing of the year in a poll by newspaper Marca.

But the diminutive playmaker began to demonstrate the quality he had shown at Spurs when Jose Mourinho deployed him in a deep lying role in Real’s midfield rather than the attacking role he had been given at the start of that campaign.

Modric said the positional change, which was first suggested to him

by Harry Redknapp at Tottenham, transformed his form.

“The change of position helped me a lot in my career. I used to play more offensively. When I dropped back, I was able to read the game better and show my creativity,” added Modric.

He is the first Croatian to

win the Ballon d’Or and also picked up FIFA’s ‘The Best’ award in October.

The Ballon d’or, voted for by journalists and organised by French magazine France Football, has been dominated by Barcelona’s Messi and Ronaldo, first when he was at Manchester United and subsequently with Real Madrid, since 2008.

The last player to lift the award apart from the Argentine and Portuguese, who have won it a jointrecord five times each, was Kaka in 2007 when the Brazilian played for AC Milan.

The Ballon d’Or was first presented in 1956 and partnered with soccer’s world governing body FIFA as ‘The Best’ award from 2010 to 2015, until becoming its own entity again.

Two Open Hetmyer up 28 spots tournaments to despite Windies close off 2018 horror series Test batting rankings, following his fireworks in the just concluded two-Test series against Bangladesh.

The 21-year-old, West Indies young batting star Shimron Hetmyer. the only West Indies batsman to emerge from LONDON, (CMC) – Left-hander the humiliating 2-0 series whitewash with Shimron Hetmyer has vaulted 28 places his reputation in tact, is now 52nd in the in the latest International Cricket Council charts topped by India captain Virat Kohli.

Hetmyer struck 39 CRICKET QUIZ CORNER and 93 in the second Test debacle in Dhaka, as West (Tuesday December 4, 2018) Indies slid to a heavy innings COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL and 184-run defeat inside Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & three days on Sunday – their Cummings Electrical Company Ltd. largest margin of defeat to the hosts ever.

83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown Overall, Hetmyer scored (Tel: 225-6158) 222 and at an average of 55 to Answers to Tuesday’s quiz: top the Windies aggregates.

(1) Tom Horan (AUST vs ENG, Sydney, 1882-83) He was also a stand-out in (2) Geoff Arnold (ENG vs AUST, Old Trafford, 1972) the first Test in Chitagong despite the Windies’ 64-run Today’s Quiz: loss, hitting 63 and 27.

(1) What was the result of the second Test of the A feature of the Guyanese’s batting was his recent WI/Bangladesh series? attacking stroke-play. His (2) Who was declared Man of the Match at the end of second innings 93 came the recent second Test of the WI/Bangladesh series? from 92 balls and included Answer in tomorrow's issue nine sixes – the joint most in

a Test innings by a West Indies player.

There was no such enterprise from stand-in captain Kraigg Brathwaite whose continued poor form has seen him tumble out of the top 20 to 33rd.

Brathwaite scored 22 runs from four innings in the series, including 0 and 1 in Dhaka. However, he remains the Caribbean side’s highest ranked batsman.

Shai Hope, who scored 39 runs in the series and Roston Chase, who got 34, are now 53rd and 46th in the batting rankings respectively.

Wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich, who made a half-century in the opening Test, was the only other West Indies batsman to pass 100 runs in the series with 108 runs at an average of 36.

The effort was good enough to stop him from losing ground in the rankings as he fell to 60th.

In the bowling rankings, regular West Indies skipper, Jason Holder, who missed the series through injury, dropped one place to 10th while new-ball partner Shannon Gabriel, who missed the second Test through suspension, also lost one spot to be 12th.

They are the only two West Indies bowlers in the top 20. South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada remains top of the bowling charts.

for Lusignan Golf Club

THE Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) has confirmed that two major Open tournaments will be hosted, with the one sponsored by Banks DIH being set for this Saturday as 2018 nears its end.

This weekend’s annual event will be followed by the Ansa McAl Open. With close to 40 tournaments already held in 2018-- three times the amount compared to previous years-- golfers’ games have seen a tremendous improvement.

This was further reinforced when they (Guyanese golfers) dominated the Surinamese National Open in October, before saving their best games for the 2018 LGC Open Championships, held in November.

All golf programmes, inclusive of those at the school level and at the University of Guyana, will recommence in early January of 2019, with more emphasis being placed on making the sport more integrated with students.

Also, ongoing upgrades on the greens/ course and infrastructure will continue, as the LGC plans to turn the facility into a full-fledged country and golf club.

27

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, December 4, 2018

RHTYSC cricket teams set to host annual Christmas Village -President Granger, GNNL, PPDI, NAMILCO and Bakewell already on board

THE fourth annual Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC) Christmas Village, scheduled for later this month in Berbice, has garnered support, including from the President of Guyana, His Excellency David Granger and several corporate entities.

The ten cricket teams attached to Guyana’s leading youth and sports organization, the RHTYSC, have pooled together their resources to help organise the event.

Long-standing Secretary/CEO of the club, Hilbert Foster, who is also president of the Berbice Cricket Board, said that his duties to sport in the county restricted him a bit, but that “everything is falling into place”.

CLEAN FUN Foster said that the main objective of the Christmas Village is to promote the true tradition of the festive season, to provide a safe environment for children

away from alcohol, vulgar music and violence and to promote social cohesion.

There will be several Christmas Village programmes from December 10 to Christmas Eve, but the actual event will run from December 21- 24 at the Rose Hall Town Primary School.

SUPPORT Patron of the Club, President Granger has donated $200,000.00 towards the programme while Bakewell, Guyana National Newspapers Limited and Power Producers & Distributors Inc have all made major financial contribution towards the two weeks of events.

The club teams have also received donations of an outdoor 15-foot camp house, inflatable Christmas characters and two bouncy castles from seven overseas Berbicians, including Lindon Lewis, Lucille George, Sarah Chinsammy, Ravi Singh and Donna Charran. The National Milling Co. Ltd and

Club members pose with the Bouncy Castles donated to the RHTYSC by Lindon Lewis and Ravi Singh.

its Managing Director Bert Sukhai are also on board and would be sponsoring the cost of a new nativity scene.

The teams: King Solomon Logistic Under-12, Poonai Pharmacy Under-13, Farfan & Mendes Under-15, Bakewell Under-17 and Second Division, Pepsi Under-19 and Intermediate, Metro Females, Gizmos & Gadgets Under-21 and First Division would be working under the supervision of Foster and his deputy, Simon Naidu.

GIVING The teams will be preparing hundreds of food hampers for distribution to the less fortunate families, while over 3000 toys would also be shared out to children across the county.

A children’s party is also scheduled to be held in the compound of the Rose Hall Town Primary School, while the club would be assisting families with clothing and educational materials.

According to information

from the club, special emphasis would also be placed on serving breakfast to hundreds of pensioners as they wait to collect their monthly old age pension at several post offices in the Lower Corentyne area.

FESTIVITY The teams will transform the entire compound of the RHT Primary School into a dreamland of wonders with thousands of fairy lights and dozens of inflatable Christmas characters during

the Christmas Village.

The village will also consist of a 20-foot Christmas tree, Santa and his sleigh, Christmas star, The Nativity scene, plyboard cut-out characters, Christmas home, horror house, games corner, two trampolines, two bouncy castles, swings and slides, among other attractions.

According to the release, the RHTYSC and its ten cricket teams would like to express gratitude to all of its donors and would like to invite all children and their parents to visit the Christmas Village from December 21.

Foster assured that the cricketers will make it a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Among the cricketers who would be a part of the 2018 programmes are Kevin Sinclair, Kevlon Anderson, Jonathan Rampersaud, Clinton Pestano, Shawn Pereira, Eon Hooper, Mahendra Gopilall, Shemaine Campbelle, Erva Giddings and Chanderpaul Govindan.

Carina Moller (right) of the GBTI GCC copped the Most Valuable Player award in the female division.

The Pepsi Hikers played undefeated in the 2018 Diamond Mineral Water Hockey League.

Diamond Mineral Water Hockey Open Men’s division

Hikers trio sweep individual awards …Moller wins MVP in female division THE Hikers trio of Jamarj Assanah, Aroydy Brandford and Jason Hoyte swept the individual awards in the Open Division of the 2018 Diamond Mineral Water Hockey Festival, which concluded on Sunday evening at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The Hikers, who played undefeated to the title, took

down 2017 champions, the Queen’s Park Cricket Club (QPCC), via a sudden death shoot-out in the championships clash.

Bradford and Assanah combined during many of the games to lead the now eight-time champion’s attack. Support came from Captain Robert France and Devin Munroe.

In their 7-3 semi-final win against the Bounty GCC, France scored three times.

Assanah finished as the Most Valuable Player, while Brandford was rewarded for scoring 13 goals (the most in the Open Men’s division).

Hoyte, who made two crucial saves in sudden death, was awarded the Best Goalkeeper’s trophy in the

division.

In the ExxonMobil Open Women’s Division, GBTI’s Carina Moller was named the Most Valuable Player, while her goalie, Briawna Gordon, finished as the best female goalkeeper. GBTI retained their title after defeating T&T club, the Ventures, in the Open Women’s final.

Trinidadian Arielle

Williams led the scoring attack. The Ventures’ player finished with 12 goals, the most in the division.

Former national player Jerazeno Bell was one of the standout players in the tournament. The Trinidad resident was instrumental for both the QPCC male team and their over-35 unit.

Bell, who scored in both

GAPLF National Seniors..

finals, was rewarded for his dominance in the Over-35 competition. He led QPCC to a second place finish in the division with a tournamenthigh 16 goals.

Old Fort’s Dwain Quan Chan was named the MVP, while the team’s custodian, Ron Alexander, was named the best goalkeeper in the Over-35 division.

See Page 22

Records tumble as White, Rahim cop overall titles Runita White during her record-breaking squat of 182.5kg (402 lbs).

L-R: Overall Male winner Vijai Rahim and Overall Female winner Runita White.

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2018