Guyana Chronicle E-paper 12-24-2018

MONDAY 24th December, 2018

Respect Guyana’s 03 sovereignty PAGE

––US urges Venezuela

Full garbage debt bailout for City Hall 07 Two brothers stabbed by 11 troublemaker

‘We’ve not fallen’ No.105498

. . AG assures ECD supporters

. . says after Judas betrayed Jesus disciples 05 intensified their work PAGE

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A section of the gathering at the APNU meeting at the Paradise Primary School on Sunday (Samuel Maughn photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 24, 2018

Hughes floats new interpretation L of no-confidence vote OCAL attorneys-at-law Nigel Hughes and Ralph Ramkarran have put forward theories to suggest that the recently passed no-confidence motion against the coalition government is invalid.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, Hughes rationalised that: “for a no-confidence motion to pass and be valid, the motion has to enjoy more votes than one half of the full House.”

At the time of the no-confidence motion, there were 65 members of Guyana’s National Assembly with 33 sitting

represented by the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) + Alliance For Change (AFC) and 32 by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).

Hughes stated that, mathematically, one half of the house when divided stands at 32.5 members but there can be no such thing as half a member.

“There is no such thing as a half member so half of the house is 33 members,” he stated, adding: “This is because you have

to round up to identify half of the House.”

On Friday, at the conclusion of the debate of the no-confidence motion put forward by Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo, when called upon to vote individually, AFC member [now former] Charrandas Persaud, opted to vote in favour of the motion.

It was recorded that the House, possessing a mere one-seat majority, voted 33:32.

According to the Constitution, in such a case general elections must be held within 90 days of a successful no-confidence motion.

However, guided by his position on the matter, Hughes lamented that such bypassed the many lawyers of the National Assembly, as he posited: “The motion consequently was not carried.”

Meanwhile, Ramkarran in a Stabroek News article one month ago titled ‘Tied vote on budget bill would see gov’t fall’, had put forward similar reasoning.

“The PPP needs two

votes. One would only neutralise the advantage but the other will see them winning the motion, unlike in the passage of the Appropriation Bill. If there is a tie when the no-confidence motion goes to the floor then the Standing Orders state that the motion doesn’t pass. And by the same logic, if the Appropriation [Bill] is put to the House and there is a tie then that doesn’t pass or it is defeated. That is very serious because what that means is that the government will fall,” he had said.

Explaining further in the news article on the Bill, Ramkarran stated:

“The Appropriation Bill provides the authority for the government to spend.

If they don’t have authority to spend state funds, not a cent, then that is end of the government. So forget the no-confidence motion down the road that needs two, just one person not there or vote against the Appropriation Bill, the government is finished”.

However, concerns regarding this were made void when the National Assembly on December 14, 2018 passed the country’s biggest budget to date at $300.7B, despite vigorous opposition.

Now, the only lingering contention is whether the division of votes taken on Friday last, when mathematically assessed, meets the mandate of the Constitution.

Fly Jamaica gets multimillion-dollar award KINGSTON – A High Court judge has awarded Fly Jamaica Limited, US$4.2 million in damages for breach of contract against ADS Global Limited, the company that operated the airline’s call centre from 2012 to 2014.

Justice Carol Edwards gave the ruling Friday in the Commercial Division of the Supreme Court, after the airline, which began operations in 2012, claimed that ADS Global acted unlawfully by closing its call centre on May 18, 2014, without proper notice.

The airline argued that less than five days’ notice was given and that ADS said that the closure was because of the airline’s failure to pay for services rendered.

But Fly Jamaica said it had disputed certain invoices for payment.

In the ruling, the High Court found that at the time the call centre was shut down, Fly Jamaica had not been given the required 14 days’ notice as stipulated in the contract.

The shutting down of the call centre sent the airline scurrying as passengers and potential customers were unable to reach the company to make reservations or to receive any information on flights that had already been booked.

Attorney Stacey Knight said that to add insult to injury, at the same time when the call centre was shut down, ADS also directed Columbus Communications Limited, which was then trading as LIME, to disconnect the airline’s telephone lines and Internet services.

(Jamaica Observer)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 24, 2018

Respect Guyana’s sovereignty partners and shareholders,” he said.

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 November 1. The well is located approximately 17 miles (27 kilometres) south of the Turbot-1 well.

–U.S. urges Venezuela –– Greenidge meets with diplomats in light of Venezuela’s incursion in EEZ THE U.S. Government has called on Venezuela to respect international law and the sovereignty of its neighbours in the wake of the interception of research vessel the Ramform Tethys by the Venezuelan navy in Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

In a tweet on Sunday, Deputy Spokesperson at the U.S. Department of State Robert Palladino said the U.S Government is closely monitoring the situation.

“We are monitoring reports that the Venezuelan Navy may have interfered with vessels operating on behalf of ExxonMobil. We underscore that Guyana has the sovereign right to explore and exploit resources in its territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone,” Palladino said.

According to official reports, at around 10:30hrs on Saturday, the vessel, flagged by the Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, was conducting seismic surveys on behalf of ExxonMobil in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, when it was intercepted by Venezuela’s Navy. At the time, a total of 70 crew members were on board, including the captain.

Guyana’s foreign affairs minister has dubbed the move illegal, aggressive and hostile, explaining that Venezuela’s action violates Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial

Deputy Spokesperson at the U.S. Department of State, Robert Palladino integrity and demonstrates a real threat to the country’s economic development.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be bringing this latest act of illegality and blatant disrespect for Guyana’s sovereignty by Venezuela to the attention of the United Nations. It is also in the process of informing the several governments of the 70 crew members of the threat to their safety. The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela will also receive formal communication from the Government of Guyana on this matter,” Minister Greenidge said in a televised statement.

The Guyana Chronicle understands that the letter to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has already been dispatched, and the Guyana Government is awaiting a

response.

This newspaper was also reliably informed that ExxonMobil is awaiting a response from the Venezuelan Government before it allows the seismic survey to continue. The survey was halted Saturday following the incident and the vessel left the area, Norwegian company, Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS) told the Chronicle. The Venezuelan naval ship has reportedly vacated the area as well.

The Chronicle understands that the foreign affairs minister met with several members of the diplomatic community here, including the U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Terry Steers-Gonzalez; Deputy British High Commissioner to Guyana, Ray Davidson; and diplomats from the Russian Embassy to brief them on the situation.

FULL SUPPORT Greenidge has also been in communication with Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo who has offered his full support to the Government of Guyana in treating with this matter.

The crew members hail from 18 countries with the majority from the Philippines. The Guyana Government is in the process of writing the respective Governments of the foreign nationals as well as the United Nations.

In a statement on Saturday, the American oil giant said 3-D seismic data acqui-

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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.

Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge sition of the western portion of the Stabroek Block began earlier this month.

PGS provides images and 3D data about the subsurface beneath the ocean floor. This assists oil companies in undertaking oil finds.

Earlier this month, the American oil giant announced that it had made a 10th oil discovery offshore Guyana. Exxon said the resource estimate, up from the previous estimate of more than four billion oil-equivalent barrels, is a result of further evaluation of previous discoveries and includes a new discovery at the Pluma-1 well.

“The discovery of a resource base of more than five 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 the Guyanese people, our

Photo of the tweet made by Deputy Spokesperson at the U.S. Department of State, Robert Palladino

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 24, 2018

Fears of new Indonesia tsunami as Anak Krakatau volcano seethes

Patrick Shanahan: Trump names acting defence secretary

BBC News - Coastal residents near Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano have been warned to keep away from beaches amid fears it could trigger a new tsunami.

On Saturday, giant waves crashed into coastal towns on the islands of Sumatra and Java, killing at least 222 people and injuring 843.

It is thought that volcanic activity set off undersea landslides which in turn generated the killer waves.

Anak Krakatau was erupting again on Sunday, spewing ash and smoke.

Video shot from a charter plane captured the magnitude of the event in the Sunda Strait, between Sumatra and Java.

President Joko Widodo has expressed his sorrow for the victims and urged people

U S P re s i d e n t D o n a l d Trump has forced Defence Secretary James Mattis to leave his post early, appointing an acting successor to take over in the new year.

Gen Mattis, 68, strongly hinted at policy differences with Mr Trump when he resigned on Friday.

He offered to stay in the job until February but will now leave on 1 January after Mr Trump reportedly balked at media coverage of his exit.

Deputy Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan, 56, will take over the role.

Mr Trump has lauded his achievements and described him as “very talented”.

Mr Shanahan, a former executive at the aerospace giant Boeing, joined the Pentagon in July 2017 after Mr Trump nominated him.

He was reportedly a vocal supporter of the president’s plan to establish a sixth branch of the armed forces, known as the “space force”.

Originally from Washington State, Mr Shanahan studied mechanical engineering and business at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and joined Boeing as an engineer in 1986.

… Indonesian rock band members swept away by giant waves to be patient.

Rescue efforts are being hampered by blocked roads but heavy lifting equipment is being transported to badly hit areas to help search for victims.

tsunami.”

Anak Krakatau, which was formed in 1927 after the Krakatoa volcano eruption, has seen increased activity in recent months with people asked to avoid the area around its crater.

On Friday it erupted for two minutes and 12 seconds,

WHAT WARNING WAS GIVEN? The head of the National Disaster Management Agency, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, held a news conference on Java.

“Recommendations from [the] Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency are that people should not carry out activities on the beach and stay away from the coast for a while,” he said.

“The potential for a fresh tsunami is still possible because the volcanic eruption of Anak Krakatau continues to occur, potentially triggering

creating an ash cloud that rose 400 metres above the mountain.

WHY WAS SATURDAY’S TSUNAMI SO DEADLY? It struck at 21:30 local time (14:30 GMT) during a local holiday, with few of the warning signals that might

Partygoers screamed as tsunami waves smashed into a beachside concert in Indonesia, sending members of popular rock band Seventeen tumbling off a collapsing stage and being swept away, dramatic video footage showed on Sunday. (BBC photo)

have come had it been generated by an earthquake.

Seawater did not recede as in an earthquake tsunami and experts say that even if there had been warning buoys near the volcano, there would have been minimal alert time.

However, officials say a warning siren did go off in some areas, Reuters news agency reports.

The waves destroyed hundreds of buildings, sweeping away cars and uprooting trees in several popular tourist destinations including the Tanjung Lesung beach resort, west Java.

Footage shared on social media showed a large wave crashing into a tent in the resort, in which popular Indonesian rock band Seventeen was performing.

Members of the band were seen being swept away as the wave destroyed the stage.

Officials say more than 160 people were killed in Java’s Pandeglang tourist district.

On Sumatra, 48 were reported dead in South Lampung, and deaths were also reported in Serang district and Tanggamus.

So far, no foreign nationals have been reported dead, officials say.

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‘We’ve not fallen’

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 24, 2018

... AG assures ECD supporters

... says after Judas betrayed Jesus disciples intensified their work

By Lisa Hamilton SCORES of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) group representatives from the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) on Sunday matched the energies of their leaders by demonstrating an eagerness to defeat the opposition for the second time in the coming elections.

Yesterday afternoon at the Paradise Primary School, stalwarts both young and old met with Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams; Minister within the Ministry of Public Health Dr. Karen Cummings and Chairman of Region Four Genevieve Allen.

This represents the very first party meeting of the coalition since the outcome of the no-confidence motion on Friday.

Although saddened by the decision of one former member of the coalition in his vote for the no-confidence motion, the men and women were buoyant that the fall out of one member does not represent the views of the majority.

Addressing them with opening remarks, Minister Williams likened the recent unfolding in the country to similar occurrences in the Bible, as he encouraged supporters to remain confident.

“Our government did not fall or collapse, our government was betrayed! But Judas’ betrayal of Christ did not destroy Christ’s work; rather, it enforced his disciples and followers to con-

tinue his teaching, making Christianity one, if not the world’s biggest religion,” the minister said.

“The betrayal of our government cannot destroy the way we have transformed Guyana in these three short years, restoring the hope of the Guyanese people; the rule of law; cleaning our economy of bad money, corruption and uncontrollable crime. We the PNCR, APNU+AFC disciples and followers must also continue the good works to win the next election for all Guyanese!”

His words of fortitude were met with a consensus of applause from many who later stood up individually to encourage the same to supporters in their communities and elsewhere.

Attorney General Basil Williams addressing the gathering at Paradise Primary School unwavering support may was dumped into prison and very well result in a larger out of that prison he became victory than before. a prince. When his brothers “Though we cannot un- came to him and they begged PRESIDENT HAS BIG derstand because our minds forgiveness, he said: ‘man PLANS are finite, we give way to meant it for evil but God The legal affairs min- infinite wisdom above. So, meant it for good’.” ister also assured party it might be a blessing in disShe further urged the members that their leader, guise. For some who were gathering to put all their President David Granger, complacent, maybe it’s a efforts into supporting though seeking treatment wake-up call. But aluta con- their coalition so that unifor his illness is still at the tinua, the struggle continues! ty is no longer rhetoric, but helm of the country.

Forward ever, backward a reality.

“The President has big never… Jagdeo needs to be plans and projections for beaten [and not] not by a one ELECTIONS MODE this future with him being seat this time,” she said.

The leaders reminded President of Guyana,” he Meanwhile, Allen in re- their supporters that with assured. counting her experience, only some 12 weeks ahead, similarly reasoned: “When it is time for them to get UNITY IS KEY it happened, I’ll tell you into “election mode” by For her part, Minister what comforted me. I went campaigning for a governCummings took the angle to the Bible with Joseph’s ment which has and will that although the opposi- story after he was stoned by continue to represent them, tion’s current efforts are his brothers where he was devoid of bias. aimed at destabilising the dumped into a pit; where he The groups needed little government, the coalition’s persuasion to agree to the same as some stood up to recall what they referred to as “23 years of hardship” under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic administration.

Williams also shone light on the history of the campaigns of the opposition which he noted were made about race rather than about the democratic process of citizens’ right to decide for themselves.

“We have more to gain by winning,” he insisted.

“We will continue working with all the Guyanese people, including our Indo-GuyAn A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) supporter makes a point at a party anese brothers and sisters and we will defeat Jagdeo meeting at the Paradise Primary School addressed by several leading party and his cronies if they come functionaries on Sunday (Samuel Maughn photo) to us as a nation with that

type of politics.”

Williams reminded too that the years of the PPP “Phantom” death squad which targeted many in the ECD region were barbaric and will never be repeated under the coalition.

Other matters the members discussed were their strategies to win the upcoming elections, while some in the audience raised suggestions regarding the involvement of youths and others ready to play a greater role in the party.

Both of the ministers, along with Allen took note of the suggestions with their

indications that those pertinent would be acted upon swiftly.

“We are upbeat, we are confident, we have a good track record in only three years and we are going to win the next elections!”

Williams affirmed, while reminding: “The most important thing for us at this time is unity.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 24, 2018

Collaborating To Address Teenage Pregnancy

T

HE Guyana government’s approach to solving many national, regional, and local issues is clearly based on cooperation and collaboration with agencies and other entities that have experience pertaining to those particular issues.

In other words, there is no need for government to re-invent the wheel; there are numerous international and local bodies which have done work in many areas; and the government’s determination to take advantage of that knowledge by working closely with those bodies is producing tangible results. Based on those results, one may conclude that government’s approach is appropriate to Guyana’s needs and is technically sound.

One of Guyana’s most recent collaborative efforts involved the battle against teenage pregnancy, which is recognised as a major national problem, particularly in hinterland communities.

The government worked with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to obtain and compile information and analyses that will be used by government to formulate strategies to address the problem. That work culminated in a comprehensive report from UNICEF which was handed over last Wednesday to Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence and First Lady Sandra Granger.

The report named “The Situation Analysis (SitAn) of Adolescent Pregnancy in Guyana,” gives government a valuable tool in the fight against the problem in the form of information on the causes of teenage pregnancy specifically in the local context, as well as recommendations for solutions.

Charrandas’ vote is disdainful of the conscience of other Guyanese Dear Editor,

B

Y now, we are all aware of Mr Charrandas Persaud’s reasons for his “vote of conscience” on the no-confidence motion. It is puzzling therefore why he did not exercise the options of resigning from his party beforehand or even abstaining from voting. He instead chose to pull off the most repugnant and undemocratic political act in decades in Guyana.

Ours is a representative democracy. Despite its several defects, the people have certain expectations of their MPs. One expectation surrounds the conscience vote. In any circumstance, we expect an MP to be open upfront should he or she plan to vote conscience. This openness becomes an absolute necessity for a vote on a no-confidence motion.

For the no-confidence motion is like no bill or other parliamentary motion. It carries the highest possible political stakes. A government survives or falls by it. An MP, therefore, cannot view it in the same light as a parliamentary bill or even as the national budget. A vote on a no-confidence motion is the highest possible act of representation. In other words, it most demands the need for representativeness, for the input of the represented. It implicates, more than anything the interest and destiny of every single Guyanese. It is the one vote where the personal conscience of the MP is irrelevant or least relevant. It is only the conscience of those whom he represents that matters.

Charrandas Persaud woke up one morning and decided that my vote and conscience and those of hundreds of thousands of other Guyanese did not matter. He chose not to discuss his concerns with us beforehand. He chose not to resign beforehand or abstain. Instead, he chose to disdainfully treat us like nothing.

Regards, Sherwood Lowe

Chief Consultant Dr. Morris Edwards put it this way, “The objectives of the analysis were to obtain information about the status of adolescent pregnancies in Guyana by establishing the determining factors, needs and services, while also prioritising interventions.”

One of the main findings of the research is that while teenage pregnancy is not unique to Guyana, local causes of the high rates include inequalities such as poverty; lack of knowledge of comprehensive sex education; lack of access to contraceptives; early initiation to sexual behaviour patterns; sexual violence and abuse.

Recommendations for interventions and solutions are based on those findings.

The report found too, that adolescent pregnancy remains at between 19 and 22 per cent of all pregnancies in Guyana.

At the handing-over ceremony last Wednesday, First Lady Sandra Granger noted that considering the findings of the report, a wide cross-section of society must be involved. She mentioned government agencies, particularly the Ministry of Social Protection, Ministry of Public Security and other agencies involved with mitigating violence and abuse.

In her remarks, Minister Volda Lawrence said, “The launching of this survey is timely, particularly since this is a growing global concern, not only for us here, but for world leaders, because this matter is discussed at the very highest level. The focus and theme for this year are precisely a call on health personnel around the world to marshall their energies on this vulnerable group.”

Government’s focus on working with all stakeholders to find solutions is well justified. According to studies, a baby born to a teenage mother is more likely to be born prematurely, have low birth weight, and have congenital defects. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), a child born to a girl between the ages of 15 and 19 years old is two times more likely to die, as a child born to a woman between 20 and 24 years. Even more alarming is the fact that a child born to a girl younger than 14 years is five times more likely to die. Additionally, according to the WHO, teenage mothers are seven times more likely to be suicide victims compared with other teens.

The WHO also reports that if the child survives, he or she is more likely to have life-long medical and socio-economic problems. Chances are he/she will have a lower level of education; intellectual delays; developmental and behavioural disorders; lower academic achievement; a higher chance of poverty; and generally have a lower quality of life. Daughters born to teenage mothers are more likely to become teenage mothers themselves, while sons are more likely to go to prison in their teenage years.

The coalition’s attention to the problem is evidence of the level of priority that government believes it deserves, and rightly so. And, as was noted, collaboration with agencies such as UNICEF that have the capacity and expertise to assist in improving standards of living, is the most efficient and effective way to solve problems, including that of adolescent pregnancy.

There is nothing heroic about Charrandas Persaud Dear Editor

S

O I have finally got to sit down; let’s talk. Before we take a closer look at some of the factors we should have regard to following the outcome of the motion of no-confidence against the coalition government, I should hasten to urge those who are doing it to desist from hurling racial insults at Charrandas Persaud, and to desist from suggesting his life should be taken. His stance, principled or not, should never provoke this kind of reaction. I hasten also to urge our wider society to shy away from our usual practice of bashing our Afro and Indo-Guyanese counterparts. We will continue to perish as a nation and grow in brotherhood at the slowest pace for as long as we use the racist thermometer to test the temperature of every political disquiet in our country.

Let’s start with the coalition government before we invite Mr. Persaud under our microscope. I have said a few years ago that we harbour misguided optimism by supposing that the coalition government would be suddenly competent when the same composition of core leaders made for an incompetent opposition. Any such logic is offensive to common sense. I have said further that the core players comprising the coalition government showed no evidence, while in opposition, that their socialisation is one of governance. Opposition is just a tidy expression for a ‘government in waiting’. As a government in waiting, the psychological, sociological, ideological and practical preparedness must always be for governance. This makes for a competent opposition; and for a ready government when the opportunity is arrested. The conduct of the coalition government since the assumption of office has not inspired in me any modification of this view. And the fact that it professes ignorance that one of its ranks would have defected, even in the face of presumably being warned days ahead of this likelihood, adds to this view.

The brief tenure of the coalition government has been characterised by successive dilemmas; dilemmas that have been handled badly by the public relations machinery of the coalition government. Dilemmas which have been consistently exploited by the opposition, and which ultimately culminated in a vote of no-confidence in the government. This is not to say that the coalition government has not made significant inroads into cleaning up the mess left in the wake of 23 years of PPP rule; but even the progress the coalition government has not been marketed with the requisite persistence and intensity for sustained public awareness. The coalition’s anorexic one-seat majority imposed upon it the obligation to never lose its campaign momentum. It was that momentum which rendered Jagdeo irrelevant in 2015 and consequently excited a change of the guard to the coalition.

It is that loss of momentum and, what appears to be an obscurity of its mandate, that has landed the coalition where it now sits.

Jagdeo and the PPP have never stopped campaigning. They have never stopped seeing themselves as the government.

Let us now look at Charrandas Persaud. Persons are hailing him as a hero. He is not. Persons are praising him for, according to him, letting his conscience prevail. They should not. Mr. Per-

saud has done nothing heroic or nothing that should be celebrated.

What he has told the nation is that he sat in parliament for three years absent his conscience; that for three years he has acted inconsistently with the interest of the Guyanese people by voting in favour of policies that affect their lives, and which policies he was, in principle, against. Mr. Persaud, as a parliamentarian, took an oath that he ‘will bear true and faithful allegiance to the People of Guyana that [he] will faithfully execute the office of [parliamentarian] without fear or favour, affection or ill will….’ What Mr. Persaud told the nation is that he has for the past three years blatantly disregarded his oath to serve the People of Guyana. Mr. Persaud cites the fact that he is a lawyer; a lawyer’s oath is not radically different from the one quoted here.

If Mr. Persaud had been voting contrary to his conscience for the three plus years he served as a parliamentarian then his disquiet with the coalition government, and more particularly the AFC, has been from the inception of the coalition government.

One would imagine that Mr. Persaud should have taken sustained objections with his party counterparts. And if this produces no change of their conduct for the better, then resign from the party and declare publicly what has occasioned his resignation. What Mr. Persaud has done instead is to wait for the most decisive voting occasion to register in a grand way, without giving his party notice, his discontent with the party and with the government.

This is not heroic, this is deceptive and calculated only to tilt the balance of power in favour of the PPP, the same PPP which excesses, according to him, catapulted him into politics. What has changed about the PPP, in his estimation, that justifies the risk of putting the PPP back into office when the economic stakes are higher and the public purse to be exploited will be prospectively larger? Why haven’t the contents of the letter he has written or the details revealed in his interview been discussed with the AFC or the coalition government ahead of voting on the motion? Why did he sit there silently when enquiries were made about who felt the motion carried merit? Why ready himself to resign only upon his decision to shift the balance of power? And this is what we call heroic? We need to do better than this.

Just in case you have missed it, Mr. Persaud condemns the utterances of Volda Lawrence, and rightly so, but goes on to chastise even her apology. And still has the temerity to stand there after three plus years of acting inconsistently with the collective interests of the Guyanese people he took an oath to serve, relying on his reunion with his conscience. Mr. Persaud uses as one of the bases of his decision, the displacement of sugar workers, workers whom he represented as being settled with their compensation, while not accounting for what has caused the demise of the sugar estates. I am suspicious of any man who says he cannot be bought, while simultaneously professing that he has sold his conscience consistently for three plus years.

I will offer my views as to where do we go from here in a subsequent post.

Regards, Ronald J. Daniels

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 24, 2018

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Full garbage debt bailout for City Hall -- Minister of Communities confirms

By Telesha Ramnarine

M

INISTER of Communities Ronald Bulkan on Saturday confirmed that the government has changed its mind and will provide a 100 per cent bailout to the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) for its debts to the two main garbage contractors.

Bulkan had told the Guyana Chronicle recently that the government had decided to payoff 75 per cent of what was owed by City Hall to the garbage contractors.

He also confirmed that in addition to the bailout, the government has entered into an arrangement with the contractors for them to provide services to the city for the rest of the year.

“The Central Government remains very concerned over the many issues raised in the recently concluded Commission of Inquiry (CoI) and will continue to monitor the workings of this council to raise its performance level,” Bulkan had said, adding, that the government is also mindful of not saddling the new council with onerous liabilities.

Four weeks have elapsed since the contractors – Puran Brothers Disposal Services and Cevons Waste Management Inc. – decided to pull their services from the city, with both of them saying that they simply did not have the resources to continue working without pay.

At the time of the pull out, only one garbage truck belonging to the City Council

was in good working order.

While acting Town Clerk Sharon Harry gave all assurances that other trucks belonging to the municipality would be repaired and placed on the streets, the municipality opted to hire smaller contractors to do the work.

Harry had said that the new contractors hired are Granderson, C&S, Trash Tech, Tri Star and Garbage Eaters.

Solid Waste Director Walter Narine on Sunday told the Guyana Chronicle, that initially five contractors were to come onboard. However, this did not work out. “Initially, we had five contractors, but we ended up doing the majority of the work with only two of them, along with the Solid Waste Department.

They gave us assurances that they will come but never turned up.”

According to him, some of the contractors also wanted to choose which groups in Georgetown they should be assigned to work in.

NOT TRUE Outgoing Mayor of Georgetown Patricia ChaseGreen has denied allegations that her son is one of the private garbage collectors contracted by the M&CC, urging those who have been spreading such a rumour to desist from so doing and even threatened legal action.

The Guyana Chronicle was told that Chase-Green’s son is allegedly the owner of one of the garbage companies registered in Georgetown, but under the name of a close

friend of her son.

However, when asked about the issue, Chase-Green responded that her son at reference does not have a business and that she does not know the smaller contractors who were hired, other than when she saw them around the horse-shoe table. In the same interview however, Chase-Green confessed that she was “friends” with those smaller contractors.

“I am friends with everybody. I have friends all over the place. Cevons is my friend; Puran’s is my friend; all the other small contractors are my friends. So what happen if I talk to someone? And whosoever is giving you the information should read 28:01 (The Municipal Councils and District Act). And, they gotta stop it, or I will carry Chronicle to court, y’all trust me.”

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle and the Stabroek News reporters following last Monday’s statutory meeting, Chase-Green said about the allegation: “Let them bring the evidence, I’m fed up of them. I don’t know about that; I’m not aware of that. And if Chronicle got that information, let them deal with it. I am not aware; it is not true.

My son’s business? My son doesn’t have any business.

And even if he had a business, the law provided for that. He doesn’t have a business. And whoever is spreading that should say what business they have and what interest they have in it. I don’t know the small contractors, other than when they sat around this horse-shoe table. If anyone of

them is a friend of my son, am I to [be] blame for that? What nonsense!”

CHALLENGING Staff in the Solid Waste Department has had to work beyond normal working hours to get the work done, in view of the fact that not all of the smaller contractors turned out to work. “Worked started at 4 am and ended till 1 am the next morning in the Solid Waste Department; with the one truck. The Solid Waste staff would’ve really, really worked hard during the season. It was challenging,” Narine said.

Following the latest arrangement by the government and the two contractors, Cevons will provide services for the rest of the year to Georgetown’s Groups Five and Six. Groups Seven and Nine will be covered by Puran Brothers, which has already put back its compactor at the Albouystown Market. Cevons has also put back its compactor at the Bourda Market.

“That help is welcome because the last week of Christmas and the one after Christmas would see a lot more garbage than normal. So that help is most welcome,” Narine expressed.

Both contractors wrote to the M&CC recently, stating that it was not that they wanted to stop working, but that their current financial positions could not permit them to continue working without pay.

The contractors have not been paid since last June, and even though the M&CC

Solid Waste Director Walter Narine

announced that it was going to make a part payment some time ago, none has since been forthcoming.

Representatives of both companies said that they were frustrated by the M&CC’s inability to make timely payments to them.

The contractors had opted to pull their services in August 2017 when the City Council had racked up more than $400M in debts to the two companies. Although the companies had agreed to wait for payments for the years

Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan

2015 and 2016, the municipality was not even keeping up with its current balances for 2017.

The government stepped in and paid the contractors all of the outstanding balances, and even went further to create a special arrangement to cover services up to the end of that year.

During that time, the contractors had anticipated that the City Council would have made some effort to contact them on a new system beginning in 2018.

Indigenous party for January 12 launch

IN light of the passage of the no-confidence motion against the government last Friday, the Liberal and Justice Party (LJP) said it has decided to have a formal launch on January 12, 2019.

However, the party said it is yet to finalise the venue and time of the launch.

“We invite all to join us at our launch on January 12, 2019, and join us in this new political movement as we engage more responsibly and representatively in ‘Shaping Guyana’s Future.’

Have a safe, happy, peaceful, and reflective Christmas season,” the party said in a statement. The party will be headed by Indigenous Peoples’ advocate Lenox Shuman.

Not a legitimate no-confidence motion The real traitors Dear Editor

C

ONSCIENCE and principles are precious elements of the human psyche, while bribery is the ordinary common factor that ushers in most of the conditions of human misery in its consequences. The just achieved PPP No-Confidence Motion is a classic case study through what is emerging circumstantially about the now infamous former AFC Parliamentarian Charandass Persaud. I would be surprised if there are no legal consequences in respect to Parliamentary practice to the bribing of a person to exhibit a last-minute stab in the back to the highest law-making institution of the nation. A parliamentarian should be able to voice his position to his peers outside of Parliament; there have been several precedents for such declarations of change of philosophy from political personalities over the years; those persons did not run away driven by guilt, plan an escape beforehand nor in most cases wait for a Parliament sitting to act out an obvious agenda, and then ‘run like ah rat’. The former aspect of this sentence should be the criteria. There is enough evidence that a political section of our body politics has always resorted to bribery or bullying towards power, even for votes on GE day, when broke youth are given an advance and told to make a cell phone shoot of where they had placed their ‘X’ to receive the balance, which is negligible, but relevant if that’s all you have. The PPP is a desperate party that will stop at nothing to ascend to office rather than disappear. The gloom of their presence is once more haunting our peace of mind; we must rectify it at the [polls], and not be subject to the psychological warfare. We must then understand what happened with the Persaud as what it is, nothing to do with conscience, but with greed, and never forget those who paid him created the conspiracy, and are the foremost accused, and they are all based locally in our politics.

I learnt a lot about politics from Tacuma Ogunseye among others; my professional training required practices that are not subject to my likes or dislikes or imaginations. One night at an ACDA meeting, Ogunseye and I discussed my methods on understanding politics.

He shook his head at me and warned me that I was not ready for politics, but I also learnt that what holds the waywardness of politics in place are enforced laws and substantiated clarifications, so, my

methods were also relevant. Politics is not about friendships; in most cases, it’s about the purpose served. There are several examples of political unions – The Union head whose audit would have revealed his misfeasance, changed sides to escape. Among others not relevant at this point, David Hinds accused the government, “Govt. has itself to blame, it was too drunk on power”. David has given misconceived perspectives before; I had responded to one such in early 2003. David has to be more grounded. Freddie Kissoon had accused him as one guilty of self-betrayal and self-destruction of the Afro-Guyanese in Guyana, implying David was in agreement with carrying Jagdeo into Buxton for a macabre visit. I have had several encounters with government ministers. I have advocated recognition for the Arts through Cultural Industries,[which David, Jagdeo is against] in 2012. I prepared a document and hand delivered it to both Ashni Singh and Frank Anthony; I never even got any acknowledgement of receipt, though I checked and affirmed that it was delivered; not so after 2015, with concerns that took me to the Finance Minister, the Education Minister and the Minister of communities and I had no such rejection. Where I received the power drunk indifference is with the subordinates, whose jobs it were to address the issue at hand, and many of those people were there for ten to fifteen years before 2015.

Today, this government is inspiring a generation to job creation and independence, they have zero tolerance on much of the lawlessness of the past administration, making it obvious that all citizens are subject to the law; if you are unaware of these achievements then I must ponder, why so?. How could the government be in control of someone’s mind; as a parent, it’s impossible to predict every action my children will perform. In closing, there’s an anthropological reference that is obviously not taught in political science. A businessman I knew well before he served at GUYSUCO under the PPP, in a conversation of diverse cultural ethics, had told me the following: “What some see as infra dig and spiritually offensive, other men adhering to their own cultural experience see as an opportunity”. Of course, those opposing cultural lines are fading, manifesting now, here, there and everywhere.

Regards, Barrington Braithwaite

Dear Editor,

I

N years to come, many who now condemn MP Persaud as a traitor may look back at his fateful action of December 21st and recognise him as the man who took the brave first step of forcing politicians to take responsibility for their actions.

The PPP as a party should not celebrate but use this as time to reflect on the ills they have done.

It is sad that Dr. Luncheon, Sam Hinds, Lumumba, Edghill et al did not protest for the rights of blacks under [the] PPP’s elective dictatorship.

In my humble opinion, rather than calling my new hero, MP Persaud a traitor, they should recognise where the real traitors live-Pradoville. Dr. Luncheon, who defended 23 years with a no black ambassador, foolishly saying from his toothless mouth that no black was qualified to fill that role. An insult to black professionals from their own. Bishop Edghill, as head of the ERC, saw widespread discrimination of blacks and turned a blind eye while serving his PPP aligned god. Lumumba enjoying his party privileges and women; too preoccupied to focus on issues affecting his people.

Sam Hinds-- a product of Linden but yet a great destructor of Linden. Kwame McCoy-- a political minion who was happy to attack his own; Mark Benchop comes to mind. Brindley Benn-- happy to harass the poor vendors. Clement Rohee-- bitten by a goat and loss his senses; not that he had much. And the list goes on. The real traitors. Check their pockets and you will find thirty pieces of silver.

To me, this vote highlighted the difference between the two groups. One who feels for their brotherly own and [the] other who feel for their material own. Listen to MP Persaud. He was defending his own—the sugar workers. You may not like it, but I admire him as a principled man who stood up for his own.

One friend gleefully said to me-- long live the PPP. I politely said, mate, don’t get beside yourself. Turn the political refrigerator on. They may be dead sooner than you think. There is only so much a people can take.

Regards, Dr. Mark Devonish MBBS MSc MRCP(UK) FRCP(Edin) Consultant Acute Medicine Nottingham University Hospital UK

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 24, 2018

PNCR confident of resounding victory in Linden

By Vanessa Braithwaite THE vote by Alliance For Change (AFC) Member of Parliament (MP) Charandass Persaud to topple the government last Friday has caused unease among government supporters, especially those in Linden.

Linden is the heartland of People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) support as residents there have stuck solidly behind the party, both while in opposition and now in government.

At the last Local Government Elections (LGEs), the governing coalition of which the PNCR is part, gained a landslide victory, winning 13 of the 16 seats in the municipality.

While the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season will last until Sunday, it is evident that the mood of the town has changed. Every house and corner shop have discussions of how odd they feel about Charandass’ ‘yes’ vote. Youths have also stormed social media offering their various opinions on the matter.

Relative to this, the PNCR Region 10 Chapter is confident that Lindeners will again go out in their numbers and vote in favour of the coalition. PNCR Region 10 Chapter Chairman Jermaine Figueira has described Charandass’ actions as disloyal not only to the AFC, but to the coalition.

“It is incredulous that Mr. Persaud would attempt to have us believe that his vote of betrayal resulting in the fall of the coalition government during last Friday’s sitting, was as a result of a sudden awakening of his conscience.

“We believe that his actions were pre-meditated and fully orchestrated as part of the ruthless machinations of

effort to guarantee maximum support.

While the PNCR may be extremely confident, this publication thought it wise to gather the views of members of the electorate and mixed responses were obtained.

PNCR Region 10 Chairman Jermaine Figueira the PPP/C, in their desperation to regain political power at all cost ahead of first oil for Guyana, and their insatiable appetite to steal and squander our country’s resources, while denying hard working Guyanese the good life we all deserve.”

With this said, Figueira is calling on the electorate of Region 10 to rally around the party that truly has their interest at heart.

“We wish therefore to call on our supporters across Region 10 and all of Guyana to refuse to be hoodwinked by the cowardly betrayal of Mr. Persaud and his evil sponsors, but remain focused on the transformational agenda we have stated together, to ensure a ‘Good Life For All’.”

It further elaborated that the coalition government has delivered in several significant ways to the residents, all in the effort of improving their standard of living, citing the recent allocation of $155 M to the Linden Enterprise Network (LEN). The missive stated that there will be an aggressive mobilising of youths and stakeholders across the spectrum, in an

DISAPPOINTED Young Jason Tappin, who voted for the first time in 2015, believes that many youths were indeed disappointed and frustrated that many things they hoped for were not fulfilled. He specifically noted the long wait for land allocation and job creation. As a result, many youths publicly said that they will not vote again.

“I believe that it is just talks though, because since this thing happen, the very people who say they not voting again, get frighten right away because they don’t want to go back to former years. I think the youths were only using the rhetoric of not voting to frighten the politicians, but more so what happened, they will vote,” he said. Another youth with differing views was Leon Thompson, who said, “I’m very confident with the no-confidence motion that was passed last night, I think we do need a change in government, whatever government is going in, I don’t care who it be; I think their whole perspective should be about the citizens, we should have more after-school programmes for kids, have more programmes for senior citizens and just be about the people, don’t be for the politics, be for the people, I think we need to focus more on the minority,” he said.

Taxi Driver Robert Greene said that he is saddened by the action of the opposition with the well-orchestrated plot, more so,

when President Granger is ill. “I wish that this government can continue with all the plans that they have for this country and let this country go forward; I wish this administration would be here to continue to help this nation, this nation needs to rise and anybody else right now want to stifle this nation.”

Greene said he does not believe there is need for another election, since there are already plans in place to take the country forward and he will continue to support the coalition government.

SOLID SUPPORT Speaking on behalf of the business community was President of the Linden Chamber of Commerce Victor Fernandes, who pointed out that Linden always, will give its unwavering support to the coalition.

While he praised some of the strides made by the coalition to create economic empowerment in the lives of Lindeners, he believes more emphasis, especially in the 2019 budget should have been placed on job creation in Linden.

“We are talking about direct investment, we are talking about investors that will bring jobs to Linden, we have a service-oriented economy, there is no industry that will generate real income, there is a need for that kind of thing,” he said.

He also believes that the budget should have been a little more people-friendly.

Fernandes is also cognisant of the many youths who have expressed their frustration about not going back to the polls, but are urging all and sundry to exercise their franchise and vote.

Meanwhile, residents of the community of Andyville

Linden Chamber of Commerce President Victor Fernandes made a unanimous decision that the entire community would not be voting ever again for the coalition after three years of promises of regularisation and electricity, but to date, their homes are still in darkness. Chairman of Andyville CDC Michael Greene told this publication, that the residents are tired of running from government official to minister and the situation remains the same. He said that in 2015, the entire community voted for change but that change is yet to be realised in their community.

“Within the three years, we have been going to various persons and after three years we still living in the same situation; it is kind of baffling, people will tend to think twice before voting,” he posited.

He said the only real development that occurred in Andyville since 2015, was the installation of stand pipes that should be credited to CEO of GWI, Dr. Van-West Charles.

PROGRESSIVE Pensioner Martha James said that she is pleased with the workings

of the coalition government, because her only means of income is her Old Age Pension and her husband’s NIS pension and she is extremely pleased with the progressive increase since 2015.

She said that her road was also done, something she suffered with for years because short-drop cars refused to enter her neighbourhood.

She also applauded the works of the regional party for initiating ‘The adopt a grand friend’ initiative from which she has also benefited.

Several Lindeners also believe that the local officials representing the coalition at the local and regional levels should be more proactive in meeting the needs of residents. Residents have time and time again aired their views that the local leaders are responsible for the lack in confidence they have in the government. The latest forum this was brought up was on President Granger’s last visit to Linden during LGE campaigning. Many of the residents who voiced their concerns to the President said their problems are not being addressed by local leaders.

President Granger; however, reminded the residents that local decision-making is an inclusive process and the residents too have a role to play in manning their communities.

Following last Friday’s passing of the no-confidence motion against the government, the constitution stipulates that elections must be held within three months or at a time decided upon by 2/3 of the National Assembly. Both President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo have agreed that they need to meet earliest to discuss this very pressing situation.

Min. Cummings donates wheelchair to shut-in

JENIFER Hutson, a 59-year-old single mother was on Friday gifted a wheelchair to assist her mobility.

The former estate worker has been unable to walk for eight years now after she encountered a spinal problem.

The woman said that ever since then she has been home and unable to work. She was gifted a wheelchair some time ago, but that was destroyed and she has been without one for the past four years.

Following the intervention of persons in Hutson’s community, Minister within the Ministry of Public Health Dr. Karen Cummings was engaged and she made a wheelchair available to the woman.

At Huston’s Haslington home on Friday, Minister Cummings noted that the donation

was timely and in keeping with the Christmas spirit. She further stated that persons who know of shut-ins who may need similar help should seek to inform the relevant authorities, so that government through its agencies and partners could explore the possibility of bringing relief to these persons.

Ms. Hutson said that the donation would help her tremendously in her mobility around the home and even in the yard. She said that because of the absence of the wheelchair she has not been going many places and explained that the only time she leaves the house is for church and for appointments with her doctor.

She expressed appreciation to the minister, the government and members of the community who have all played a part in making the donation possible.

Jenifer Hutson received the wheelchair from Minister within the Public Health Ministry, Dr. Karen Cummings, as others look on.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 24, 2018

Relocated vendors happy to catch Christmas sales

A FEW of the former Stabroek Wharf vendors, who have completed relocating to the Stabroek Market Square, west of Parliament Building, are happy to have been able to open their businesses in time for the Christmas season.

The vendors were initially expected to all open their stalls on December 15; however for various reasons many of the stalls remain closed. Vanessa Christopher, who is operating a salon, was the first to open her doors for business. She did so as scheduled on December 15.

She suggested that perhaps many of the vendors were unable to open because they still had work to be done on their stalls, since a few of them started building later than expected.

“Opening in town for the Christmas I feel real good about it. Everybody was supposed to open on the 15th, but a lot of them ain’t finish painting, and so on. We finish building early so that we could’ve open [sic] on the 15th, maybe because of the late start the others ain’t come out,” Christopher noted.

Since opening she has been enjoying how the business is going.

“From the 15 to now wasn’t bad,” Christopher said, when she spoke to the Chronicle last Friday.

“Out here is a different experience and it’s nice, I feel good. It’s good because we’re getting a lot of new customers, we’re offering everything, not that we have a Christmas discount but naturally we have a low price,” she noted.

Following the continued deterioration of the Stabroek Market Wharf, the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) made the decision to allow the vendors to temporarily relocate to an area of the Stabroek Market Square.

Though the M&CC was originally expected to build the stalls and rent

them to the vendors, after spending $23 million to upgrade the area the MCC claimed they did not have enough money to build stalls, and it was agreed by the councillors that the vendors would be given permission to build their own stalls.

Fruit vendor Rahim Husain was one of the first vendors to begin building when the vendors first began construction on November 18. He says he was not aware of the December 15 opening date, however, he chose to come out and start selling last Friday because he has to make his living.

However, he believes there are a few things that still need to be looked at.

“I just come out hey

9

Fruit vendor, Rahim Husain, opened his new stall last Friday (Delano Williams photo)

Consumers have already begun making a norm of visiting the new stalls (Delano Williams photo) today because business got to do. It wasn’t bad we have one and two obstacles, there’s some fence, so they [M&CC] have some opening [of the fence] to do, and on the southern part of the market the taxi they just driving into the entrance and affecting the people from traverse this way.

So it got one and two things need to be done.

I think [the] council they dragging they feet somewhere along the line,” Husain noted.

Aside from constructing their own stalls, the Vanessa Christopher opened her stall in time for the Christmas season (Delano vendors were individWilliams photo)

ually responsible for setting up electricity at their respective stalls.

The council, however, was expected to take on the responsibility of providing security lights, taking care of the garbage collection and providing toilet facilities at the site.

However, in this area Rahim said there is much to be done.

“They promise us security, light, water, even to the toilet facility which is not there as yet. You have to go across to Cevon’s which is costly and you still have to pay a rent. But I hope they can get it done for the new year at least. I think most of the stallholders are willing to come out but just because [of the lack of] the security, facilities, and basic things,” Husain said.

Meanwhile, Christopher said the process of getting electricity for her stall was easy, notwithstanding the fact that the Guyana Power Light (GPL) came a few days after the date they originally promised to come.

“We had current on the wharf so it wasn’t really difficult. [GPL]

transferred the same meter, was a easy transfer process just that it took a little long, but it wasn’t a hard process,” she shared.

Von Ambrose was at one of the stalls packing up produce on Friday.

Ambose, who works along with one of the stall owners who vends fruits and other perishables, said they are waiting until next year to open their stall, as the owner currently has a stand on the street and will vend there until the new year. In the meantime, they have already began storing their produce at the stall which is already completed.

“This mo’ better than big market, back deh they break it down, they bun’ it down, out hey suh mo’ comfortable. The space alright. We [are] selling out at the back suh. We just storing it here,” he noted.

The dilapidated state of the wharf was further exacerbated when a fire, suspected to be arson, razed several other stalls leaving millions in losses last month.

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Don’t be divided by bitter politics

H

EAL Guyana, a local non-profit organisation has increased its focus on the body’s ongoing anti-racism campaign efforts in a bid to promote peace and ‘responsible conduct’ at this point in Guyana’s history.

Founder of Heal Guyana, Sharon Lalljee-Richard told the Guyana Chronicle on Sunday that her organisation has already seen and heard countless racist outbursts on social media as a result of the passing of a no-confidence motion by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) recently.

“These are not only from known political party activists, but also from normal everyday people who are angry at the recent development,” Lalljee-Richard pointed out.

According to her, Heal Guyana is currently working on a way forward which will place a heavy focus on its ongoing anti-racism campaign efforts, along with other courses of action which will be necessary for advocating peace and unity within the nation “at this very critical time.”

She said Heal Guy-

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 24, 2018

–– Heal Guyana encourages Guyanese

The Heal Guyana team: Founder Sharon Lalljee-Richard is seated third from left ana members and volunteers will be called upon to actively join in these non-partisan efforts. “But we also encourage members of the public who are not officially within our circle to join hands with us in this pledge of peace, love and responsible conduct toward each other, regardless of political beliefs or affiliation.”

Lalljee-Richard added: “Christmas is in the air and we urge everyone to use the spirit of the season as a tangible reminder of who we are as Guyanese -- living, sharing and working along with each other beyond the social constructs of race, creed or party politics. These are the qualities that will pave our

Miner Paul Chow

he could through the festive period.

Being accustomed to this, Chow has spent several years in and out during many Christmas Days away from his family.

The father of three reflected that the tranquility offered in the interior cannot be compared to any other part of Guyana, which makes the holidays even lonelier.

“Even men who have no family connections and are hardened to the interior miss being with their relatives and friends at Christmas time, very few can appreciate Christmas in the interior,” Chow said.

Noting that camp mates would sometimes get togeth-

way toward a prosperous Guyana, regardless of who governs.

“Please, let us rise above destructive emotions to harness our inner voice of reason; if not for the sake of our country’s future then for the sake of Guyana’s children who look to us for safety, stability and good example.”

Lalljee-Richard, a busi-

nesswoman and social activist, had thought of forming the organisation along with co-founder Arun Sudesh Richard, due to what she described as deep concern over the state of Guyana’s “ethno-political vulnerabilities” and the apparent loss of will to have certain social problems addressed.

Heal Guyana is hoping

to extend its membership systematically and to reach out to the private sector and to the citizenry for further voluntary assistance, inclusive of donations in order to continue and expand community efforts.

“A hundred percent of all donations go to the projects themselves. Our directors and members are all volunteers, so no money goes toward paying salaries of officials or personal profits of any kind. As a registered, non-profit organisation, we are governed by strict levels of accountability which includes financial audits,” Lalljee-Richard had explained.

She explained that Heal Guyana makes it a point to use the donations where they count the most. “So far, thousands of Guyanese both locally and within the diaspora have been receptive and we are determined to drive The Heal Guyana initiative forward, regardless of challenges,” Lalljee-Richard said.

The organisation can be contacted at www. healguyana.org or on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram).

A gold miner’s Christmas

A GOLD miners’ Christmas is usually an unassuming, often spontaneous affair that consists primarily of eating, drinking, pleasant companionship and entertainment.

In the dense jungles, vast savannahs and other remote interior locations, the customary hustle and bustle of the Christmas season take another shape and experience.

For gold miner Paul Chow, who is today in Kaikan, Region Seven, away from the clustered urban life, seeking the hidden treasures of the earth, Christmas is made up of sweat, hard work and fond memories.

This motivates him to make it as comfortably as

Miners working down into the Christmas season hours before Christmas Day er and have their own version of a Christmas party, Chow underscored that such actions are a needed distraction, rather than having lonely days

and nights in a hammock.

“This is not the best of times for us where the holiday is concerned, but we try to have a big

pot of cook-up with rum and other drinks to have our own little Christmas See page 11

11

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 24, 2018

Two brothers stabbed by troublemaker

THE wanton throwing of firecrackers has resulted in two brothers nursing stab wounds at the Mackenzie Public Hospital after they were attacked and stabbed by a man following an argument on Saturday night.

The injured men are Quammie Clarke, 33, and Matthew Clarke, 25, of Lot 153, Block 22, Wismar, Linden.

The matter was reported to the police, but the suspect has since gone into hiding.

According to reports, the duo and another friend were said to be “hanging out” at a bar in Wismar, Linden, around 22:30hrs when the suspect known as “Kartel” or “Eggie” lighted a firecracker and threw it in their direction.

This caused the brothers and their friend, identified as taxi driver, to become upset and

approached the suspect to warn him of his behaviour and to desist from hurling explosives.

However, an argument erupted followed by a scuffle between the suspect and the taxi driver. The fight was parted and the suspect left the scene but later returned.

Upon his return, he saw the two brothers and reportedly whipped out a knife from his pants waist and dealt them several stab wounds to their hands, hips and backs.

The men reportedly collapsed to the ground as the suspect quickly escaped from the scene.

The two injured brothers were picked up by persons who were at the bar and rushed to the Linden Hospital Complex where they were admitted patients.

Their condition has been listed as stable.

A gold miner’s ...

From page 10

lime,” he said.

However, only if the camp has been doing well with gathering gold and other gems, would the miners be in high spirits to have their own version of that Christmas lime, otherwise it is just another day of work.

“Many persons would stay in the

backdam to look over their gold operations, especially if they are on a hot string of gold,” he said, adding: “Most persons would want to leave the bush and return home; however, sacrifices must be made in order to provide for themselves and family.”

The miner at camp raising his hands during a productive day below a rainbow in the sky

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 24, 2018

Police force receives radio sets

Commissioner of Police Leslie James formally receives the radio sets from Regional Security Officer Josiah Keener REGIONAL Security Officer Josiah Keener, who is attached to the U.S. Embassy, recently donated 40 radio sets along with 20 chargers to the Guyana Police Force.

The equipment was received by Commissioner of Police Leslie James in the presence of his deputies, at the Commissioner’s Conference Room, Police

Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown.

Keener, who is an unequivocal supporter of law enforcement, made the donation in a very assertive spirit on behalf of the embassy of the United States of America.

The commissioner lauded and thanked Keener and his organisation for their timely donation.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 24, 2018

Venezuelans embrace culture at Christmas

THE International Organisation for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with the Migrant Support Network of Guyana (MSN- GY) hosted a ‘Day of the Lord’ as part of ongoing efforts to facilitate the integration of Venezuelans and Guyanese.

“Many Venezuelans live in Georgetown and seeing as it is Christmas and they are away from their homes, we thought we could just help out with a Christmas mass,” Project Manager at IOM Dinesh Persaud said. “It is a small service where they had communion and a Christmas mass, and afterwards

Previously, the organisation has been distributing food supplies to the migrants in Regions One and Seven and working along with the government to provide access to social services, and to build government’s capacity to better manage the situation.

“As many are aware, receiving migrants is new to Guyana, since traditionally Guyanese have been leaving. So what we are trying to [do is] provide any form of assistance to the Venezuelans that are here,” he said.

Facilitating this service and social was part of the assistance being provided.

“It’s an integration pro-

A happy person at the social held after the church service they partake [sic] in some Venezuelan foods.”

The mass was held at Our Lady of Fatima Church, located on Shiv Chanderpaul Drive and North Road on Sunday.

Interestingly, it was the church that approached the IOM to collaborate.

Persaud related that this church would usually conduct services that incorporated Spanish or Portuguese in the proceedings to facilitate migrants.

As such, what the support group and migration organisation did was to organise a social gathering after Sunday’s service to provide a friendly space for cultural exchange after.

According to the project manager, part of the work IOM is doing through ‘Venezuelan response’ is providing assistance to Venezuelan migrants coming to Guyana and to Georgetown.

cess, where Venezuelans can interact with Guyanese and we can share in each other’s culture,” Persaud said and added: “It’s also Christmas and we’re trying to make persons feel welcomed.”

About 40 Venezuelans attended the gathering and according to him, they were encouraged to come to the service by word of mouth.

Member of MSN-GY, Derwayne Wills, stressed: “It’s important for you [to] engage in these cultural spaces where you can navigate the language… and it is important for Guyana as well, as we build partnerships in South America.”

For him, it is only through efforts such as these that government and civil society organisations can work to build partnerships and foster cohesion.

And he stressed that this cultural exchange is necessary in order for peo-

ple to live peacefully and to address the micro-aggressions that might stem from xenophobia.

“In the spirit of Christmas, we should just take a minute to consider those persons who might be leaving their homes behind and travelling along with their families,” Wills said.

A gathering of migrants and locals at the social on Sunday

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Dillon Craig wins Gold Board art competition

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 24, 2018

… his design will be face of GGB gold medallion

THREE young people won for themselves a combined cash prize of $600,000 for emerging winners of the Guyana Gold Board’s Me-

dallion Art Competition which was launched in September 2018 and which attracted entries from 30 young people between the

ages of 16 and 35.

The prize-giving took place on Saturday evening during the Guyana Gold Board’s Christmas staff soWinners of the Guyana Gold Board’s Gold Medallion Art Competition, pose after receiving their prizes.

From left are Elodie Cage-Smith (second place), Dillon Craig (first place) and Tkeisha Waaldijk (third place). cial and dinner held at the Georgetown Club on Camp Street, Georgetown.

First place went to 21 year-old Dillon Craig, who received a trophy and a cheque for $300,000. Second place went to Ms Elodie Cage-Smith, 34, who received a trophy and a cheque for $200,000. Twenty- yearold Tkeisha Waaldijk, the third-place winner, received a trophy in addition to a cheque for $100,000.

The 30 entries were judged by a panel of judges which comprised Ms Dawn Isaacs-McKenzie, lecturer at the ER Burrowes School of Art; Mr Ohene Koama, Acting Curator of the National Art Gallery; and Mr Dwayne Hackett, final year communications student at the University of Guyana and professional photographer.

Artists were asked to interpret the theme ‘Contin-

uous development –Committing to a Green Guyana through Sustainable Mining’, with a view to depicting it on a gold medallion which the Guyana Gold Board will be producing for 2020. The gold medallion will be one ounce of solid gold, with a 99.9 percent purity. It is envisaged that this medallion will be a keepsake to be purchased as gifts or for persons wanting to own a piece of pure Guyanese gold. Each judge assessed every entry on four criteria: Clarity of Theme; Creativity & Originality; Quality of Composition & Design; and Overall Impression.

The three judges’ scoresheets were then aggregated on a final score sheet and the best of the entries based on the judges’ combined scores was determined.

Top is the first-place entry; bottom left is second place and bottom right is third place.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 24, 2018

‘Nations’ director to receive prestigious award

ONE of the Directors of School of the Nations and Nations University, Dr. Brian O’Toole, has been awarded the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) by the British Government for his outstanding contribution in the field of education.

According to a press statement from “Nations,” he will receive the award from a member of the Royal family at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

Dr O’Toole and his wife Pamela O’Toole left the United Kingdom (UK) over 40 years ago to be of service to the Baha’i community of Guyana.

According to the press statement, before founding “Nations,” the O’Tooles were involved in a number of developmental projects through the Varqa Foundation, a Bahai-inspired development agency that they founded.

One of the first projects that they worked on was in partnership with the Guyana Office of Social and Economic Development that developed the ‘Bahai Community Health Partnership’ (BCHP) in the Rupununi.

This was spearheaded

by Dr Jamshid Aidun, who spent several years serving the health needs of the area at a time when there was no doctor in the entire Rupununi region.

Dr O’Toole recalled the vivid image of Dr Aidun walking part of the distance to Karasabai, after having swum across a creek, in his bare underwear, coffee mug in one hand and a stick in the other looking like a latter-day Ghandi.

The Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) programme was pioneered along with Geraldine Maison-Halls.

The CBR programme worked with thousands of persons with disabilities in almost all the regions of Guyana. It attracted visitors from many countries and resulted in more than 30 articles in leading international journals, two books and a series of video programmes that were translated into Spanish,

Director of “Nations” Dr. Brian O’Toole Italian, French, Arabic, Farsi and Amharic.

Out of the work in the Rupununi, the literacy programme, ‘On the Wings of Words’, was developed to train literacy facilitators in seven of the regions of Guyana and received support from CIDA, the British Embassy, the Luxembourg government, the Guyana Book Foundation and UNICEF. “Laureen Pierre and Juliet Solomon worked with both the BCHP and the CBR programme for years in the interior of Guyana, earning the deep respect of so many persons for their dedication, detachment and ability to connect with persons from all backgrounds,” said Dr. O’Toole in the press statement.

As the BCHP and the CBR programmes grew, they attracted visitors from many parts of the world, including Sweden, Italy, Mauritania, North America and India.

The funders, AIFO from Italy, allowed great flexibility in the work in the Rupununi.

The other major funder, Unity Foundation from Luxembourg, also proved to be invaluable partners as they struggled to learn what development might mean in practice.

These development efforts were mirrored by so many persons in Guyana as School of the Nations began to emerge 20 years ago.

HUMBLE START Nations began with five children 40 years ago and has now grown to 3,600 students from

more than 34 countries and partnerships with the universities of Cambridge, London and Bedfordshire in the UK. After many years renting property in Kingston, the O’Tooles purchased the old Woodbine Hotel property on the fringes of Tiger Bay. “At the time a number of parents were concerned by the perception of the area; however, over the years, more than 100 children from Tiger Bay came to “Nations” two or three afternoons per week for free classes in literacy, numeracy, art and music.

Eight children from Tiger Bay were given scholarships to attend ‘Nations’,” Dr O’Toole related.

“Nations” won a contract recently to undertake a USAID project in Sophia and East La Penitence.

This formed part of the very vibrant service project at “Nations,” whereby 20 Sixth Formers at “Nations” were the mentors for the programme.

A Baha’i couple from Canada, Gordon and Ellen Naylor, came to Guyana in 1978 at the same time as the O’Tooles. They served in Guyana for seven years and then went back to Canada to develop the Nancy Campbell Academy (NCA) which has developed into one of the most visionary schools in Ontario.

“Nations” and Nancy Campbell are now sister schools, with each enriching the other. Last month, 18 students of “Nations” spent one week at Nancy Campbell to learn about World Citizenship, the Performing Arts and learning about the Ruhi Institute.

Another partnership that “Nations” has developed is with London International Academy (LIA) in Ontario, Canada.

A group from Nations recently went to LIA to learn about robotics; another group will be going in February and will then develop a robotics programme for primary and secondary children at “Nations.”

Other exchange visits are now planned for Gam-

bia, West Africa, where “Nations” has a partnership with the visionary NGO, Starfish, and another partnership with schools in Ningbo and Lanzhou in China.

The Sixth Form Student Council is in the process of raising funds to bring two students each from Afghanistan and The Gambia to study at “Nations.”

STRONG SUPPORT “The growth of “Nations” over the years was only possible because of the support, guidance, hard work and skills of a special group of administrators at “Nations,” including Orin Ross, Mischka White, Pam Daniels, Wazir Khan, Mark Boodie, Cheryl Semple, Taslikiyha Stewart, Ms Bacchus, Kalesh Ramsaroop, Ranie Kel-

lawan, Akasha Persaud, Malessia Daniels, Felicia Mohamed, and Marcia Trotman,” said Dr. O’Toole.

The school has also gathered a very gifted cadre of teachers from Trinidad and Guyana, who manage the myriad courses on offer at “Nations.” The teachers include Kamla da Silva, Corrie Shepherd, Ravi Boodoo from Trinidad and Terrence Jaskarran, Ashme Singh, Hodiyah Stewart and Archie Chinatambi from Guyana.

“Nations” recently recruited Dr Dexter Phillips and his wife Simone, after 15 years of working in international schools in China and Philippines, to take on the role of chief executive officer at “Nations.” They have already made their mark.

Twenty years ago,

“Nations” was just an idea and it was the support of the Oditts, McDonalds, Fernandes and others, who saw ‘the end in the beginning’ and entrusted them with their children and now grandchildren.

“None of the above, of course, would have been possible without the support, creativity, perseverance and sheer force of personality of Mrs Pamela O’Toole. She would be the last to acknowledge such attributes, but whatever “Nations” has achieved is very much hers,” said Dr. O’Toole.

The fellow Directors at “Nations,” their sons, Liam and Cairan, have provided invaluable support and guidance in so many areas. Under their stewardship, Brian and Pamela know that “Nations” will be in very good hands.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 24, 2018

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 24, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 24, 2018

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 24, 2018

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Real Madrid win Club World Cup (BBC) - SPAIN’S Real Madrid won the Club World Cup for a third consecutive year, and record fourth in total, by beating Abu Dhabi side Al Ain in the final.

Luka Modric curled home the opening goal from the edge of the area after Karim Benzema’s lay-off.

Marcos Llorente hit a stunning 25-yard half-volley - his first professional goal - and Sergio Ramos headed in the third from Modric’s corner.

Tsukasa Shiotani nodded in for Al Ain before Yahya Nader’s own goal.

Real could have won by more. Lucas Vazquez hit the post early on and Gareth Bale - who scored a semi-final hat-trick against Kashima Antlers - went close with a spectacular bicycle kick which went just over the

Real Madrid have won four of the past five Club World Cups

bar.

Al Ain had shocked River Plate on penalties in the semi-final but never looked like following that up with a famous win at the Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Midfielder Toni Kroos has won five of the past six Club World Cups - in 2013 with Bayern Munich and 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018 with the Spanish side.

Real now hold the re-

cord for most victories in the competition, which was first held in 2000, moving one clear of Spanish rivals Barcelona.

Earlier, Copa Libertadores winners River Plate won the third-place

play-off by beating Asian champions Kashima Antlers 4-0. Gonzalo Martinez scored twice on what is expected to be his final appearance before joining MLS champions Atlanta United.

KFC GOODWILL CUP

Shiva Boys’ survive CWSS Scare to lift title

The second placed Annai team.

History was created on Saturday evening when Trinidad and Tobago’s Shiva’s boys’ Hindu College won the inaugural KFC Goodwill Cup. The Trinidad side edged Christianburg/Wismar Secondary School (CWSS) 2-1 to clinch the tournament with a perfect record after three rounds of play at the Ministry of Education (MoE) on Carifesta Avenue.

This tournament, the first of its kind in Guyana during recent years, was the brainchild of the Petra Organistion (football Promotions Company) and it saw Guyoil/Tradewind Tankers league champions; Annandale Secondary along with CWSS and region nine’s Annai Secondary locked in a fourway round-robin battle with T&T’s 2016 league champions, Shiva’s boys for the KFC Cup. Heading into Saturday night’s play, Annai

Shiva Boys (Yellow) found life difficult to break through the Christiansburg Wismar Secondary School defence.

had a chance at the title but they needed to beat Annandale by at least two goals and hope CWSS could have found their swagger to defeat the T&T school team in the night’s feature game.

The first part of the mission was completed when Annai thrashed Annandale 6-0 in the opening contest with the first two strikes being own goals while Niazz Mohammed (the tournament leading goal scorer) added a brace in the 28th and 55th minute before Junior Rodriques (68th) and Naidison Daniels (80th) padded the final score.

In the final game of the event, Stevon Thomas found the back of the net in 31st minute to ensure that CWSS would’ve had to score at least two goals to see them lose their grip of the title and 15 minutes into the second half, Tyrese Lewis equaliser for the lads from the ‘mining town’. Nine

minutes from stoppage time, the game could’ve gone in any direct after being deadlocked for 21 minutes but Shiva’s boys’ Gesiah Bishop put all doubts to rest and banged in the winning goal for the visitors.

The event which kicked off on the 15th of this month saw Shiva’s boys’ college beating Annai 3-0 on the opening round before squeezing past both East Coast’s Annandale and Linden’s CWSS 2-1.

Reigning school league champions, Annandale finished the tournament in a disappointing last place after failing to win each of their three matches while South Rupununi will be proud of Annai that finished second while CWSS were third after picking up two points from an extra-time win against Annandale.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 24, 2018

Tottenham spur Everton 6-2 Steyn looking to break age-old record

Tottenham’s final Premier League away game of 2018 ended in a 14th top-flight win on the road

(BBC) - TOTTENHAM produced an outstanding performance to brush aside Everton and move two points behind second-placed Manchester City in the Premier League.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side had to come from behind at Goodison Park after Theo Walcott swept home Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s low cross from Gylfi Sig-

urdsson’s defence-splitting pass.

Everton’s lead was short-lived as Son Heung-min produced a sublime equaliser from a tight angle following a mix-up between Kurt Zouma and Jordan Pickford.

Dele Alli put Spurs ahead for the first time after reacting first to Pickford’s save from Son, then Harry Kane made it 3-1 when Kieran Trippier’s curling free-kick hit a post and rebounded into the England captain’s path.

In an entertaining game, Christian Eriksen’s sublime first-time shot extended Tottenham’s lead before Sigurdsson scored a consolation against his former club.

Son added the fifth and produced the cross for Kane to make it six, yet victory came at a cost for the free-scoring visitors.

Alli was forced off after a challenge with England team-mate Pickford, which former Three Lions captain Alan Shearer described as “disgusting”.

Spurs are five points ahead of Chelsea and Arsenal, who are fourth and fifth respectively.

Tottenham head into the Christmas programme with speculation continuing about the future of manager Mauricio Pochettino, who has been linked with the permanent Manchester United job following Jose Mourinho’s dismissal.

Yet for all the talk about Pochettino, Spurs remain in rude health on the pitch after following up a Carabao Cup victory over north London rivals Arsenal with a stunning fourth straight league win.

Not only are they in the last 16 of the Champions League, Tottenham have a Carabao Cup semi-final with Chelsea on the horizon and are third in the Premier League - six points behind leaders Liverpool.

They were just too good in front of goal at Goodison, and once they had recovered from falling behind there was no looking back.

(REUTERS) - FIREBRAND fast bowler Dale Steyn will seek to become South Africa’s greatest wicket-taker in tests when they take on Pakistan in the first match of a three-game series at Centurion Park in Pretoria on Wednesday.

Dale Steyn

Steyn is level with former all-rounder Shaun Pollock on 421 test wickets and, having played only six tests in the last three years due to injury, has been left tantalisingly close to capturing the outright top spot on the list for some time.

With injuries to seamers Vernon Philander and Lungi Ngidi, Steyn is likely to be given the new ball against Pakistan along with Kagiso

Rabada on what is expected to be a lively wicket in Pretoria.

He will test the visiting batsman having returned to his express pace of old in recent limited-overs contests, where he impressed against Australia last month.

Captain Faf du Plessis told reporters this week that Steyn was the country’s greatest fast bowler and suggested that while the 2019 Cricket World Cup might be his limited-overs swansong, he still had a good few years of test cricket in him.

“Test matches are what really drive me to perform,” Steyn recently told South African online publication Sport24. “If I can carry on playing test cricket for as long as possible that will be great.

“There is a plenty of T20 cricket going on at the moment because that is where the money is at but I think that people will always know that test cricket is the real deal. I love the red-ball game.”

The loss of Philander in particular will add extra workload for Steyn, who is by far the most experienced seamer in the team, though the world’s leading test bowler, Rabada, could be the main threat.

Jadeja fit for Boxing Day test (REUTERS) - INDIAN all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja will be available for the Boxing Day test match against Australia after recovering from a shoulder problem, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said on Sunday.

Jadeja missed the second test in Perth after symptoms of an injury sustained during this year’s one-day international series against the West Indies returned during India’s tour match in Sydney last month and he was given an injection for the pain.

Ravindra Jadeja exults after bringing up his maiden Test ton

“In the lead-up to the Perth test, the management and Jadeja were of the opinion that the intensity of his bowling in the nets could have been higher. For this reason, he was not considered for selection,” the BCCI said.

“Jadeja’s left shoulder has continued to improve and he is now available for the third test of the series in Melbourne,” BCCI said in a statement.

However, doubts remain over fellow spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who is still recovering from an abdominal strain that caused him to miss the second test.

The off-spinner would be evaluated over the next 48 hours, India coach Ravi Shastri said on Sunday.

The visitors opted for a four-prong pace attack in Perth and suffered a 146-run loss that levelled the four-match series 1-1.

Virat Kohli-led India had won the opening test in Adelaide by 31 runs.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 24, 2018

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Lewis moves to 4th in world T20 rankings CMC – WEST Indies opener Evin Lewis has vaulted 11 places into the top five of the ICC Twenty20 International batting rankings, following his half-century in the decisive third match in Dhaka on Saturday.

The left-hander now lies fourth and is now only behind top-ranked Pakistani Babar Azam, New Zealander Colin

Munro and Australian Aaron Finch, who lies third.

Lewis smashed 89 as West Indies beat Bangladesh by 50 runs to claim the three-match series, 2-1.

The knock was his first of note in a bilateral series since he hammered a half-century against England last year September. He managed just two and one against Bangladesh in

the Caribbean earlier this year and had scores of 18 and one in the two opening matches of the just concluded series.

He missed the tour of India last month for personal reasons.

The Trinidadian was one of several West Indies players making strides in the rankings.

In-form opener Shai Hope, who lashed the third-fastest

Ahmed- I made a mistake (ESPNCricinfo) - UMPIRE Tanvir Ahmed, whose erroneous noball calls during the third T20I between Bangladesh and West Indies had caused an eight-minute halt in play, has admitted that he had made a mistake.

Off what was supposed to be the final ball of the fourth over of Bangladesh’s chase of 191, Tanvir wrongly pulled up the West Indies fast bowler Oshane Thomas for overstepping. Replays confirmed that Thomas had had some part of his foot behind the line. The incident came minutes after Tanvir had called another erroneous noball off Thomas, off the fifth ball of the same over. The free-hits that followed both no-balls were hit for sixes.

The second no-ball call led West Indies captain Carlos Brathwaite to protest against the decision, which held up play for about eight minutes. He spoke to the fourth umpire Sharfuddoula and match referee Jeff Crowe near the boundary line, where he was told that the no-ball couldn’t be reviewed.

Tanvir, who officiated in all three matches of the T20I series his maiden international assignment - said he had a good track-record as umpire, and that he wasn’t focusing on the backlash he has been facing.

“In terms of a no-ball, there is always the issue of the foot and the line being close to each other,” Tanvir told Prothom Alo. “And if the bowler jumps quickly, there are occasions when it is difficult to spot it. I am new to international cricket, I made a mistake.

on-field calls.

Brathwaite also said he had already had a word with Crowe about other contentious umpiring decisions after the second T20I on Thursday. During that game, umpires Tanvir and Gazi Sohel had given one lbw decision each

Carlos Brathwaite protests with Masudur Rahman about a controversial no-ball call by umpire Tanvir Ahmed (right) AFP “If you look at my past, I against West Indies’ batsmen don’t have a bad history. It was when they had inside-edged the one mistake. Inshallah, I will come ball onto their pads. West Indies back well. Every person has good managed to overturn both calls days and bad days. Yesterday I had successfully after opting for rea bad day. The match just ended views. yesterday. I am not focusing on Tanvir is no stranger to anything else. I am thinking about on-field controversy. During a my mistake.”

Dhaka Premier League List A West Indies went on to match in 2016, he had staged win the match, but during the a walkout after an argument post-match press conference, with Abahani Limited captain Brathwaite reacted strongly, Tamim Iqbal over a stumping saying that he was ready to risk decision, which resulted in the sanctions for protesting such match getting postponed.

Brathwaite praises Reifers coaching stiny CMC – TWENTY20 skipper Carlos Brathwaite has praised the influence of interim West Indies head coach Floyd Reifer, in the Caribbean’s capture of T20 series against Bangladesh.

The Windies produced a strong all-round performance in Saturday’s final match at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, to come away with an emphatic 50-run victory and clinch the series 2-1.

Brathwaite revealed that Reifer had taken up the position ahead of the series and his encouragement to the squad had had a galvanising effect.

“Floyd has been tremendous for us since he came on. [He’s brought] a lot of positivity,” Brathwaite said following the win.

“Obviously I’ve worked with him back home and he’s shared that positivity with the guys, and he’s always been [saying] ‘we need to win games, we need to win series. We’re a champion team’. And for a coach who’s taking his first taste at the international level to come and bring that positivity and that passion, it seeped right through the group.”

Reifer, a former West Indies captain, is an experienced coach who has worked extensively with the Combined Campuses and Colleges, based in Barbados. He was coached West Indies A and was drafted into the senior Windies set-up for the recent tour of India when Toby Radford fell ill.

Cricket West Indies had announced South African Nic Pothas as the interim coach ahead of the Bangladesh series, after Australian Stuart Law’s abrupt departure following the tour of India.

The T20 series win over Bangladesh was crucial for West Indies, especially after being whitewashed 2-0 in the preceding Tests and and going down 2-1 in the one-dayers.

They won the opening T20I by eight wickets but played poorly in the second match to lose by 36 runs. However, they rebounded to win the final match here, thanks to Evin Lewis’s 89 and 20-year-old seamer Keemo Paul’s career-best five for 15.

Brathwaite said the result was the team’s gift to supporters back home.

“This victory is for all the people in the Caribbean – Merry

Christmas to you all – and as a team, we’re just happy we can leave Asia with something in the bag,” he said.

Following the defeat in the second match, Brathwaite had promised the Windies would bring their A-game for the finale.

And they displayed their intent from the start, rallying to a challenging 190 after being sent in, before bowling aggressively to bundle Bangladesh out for 140.

“We’re very happy. As a batting unit and as a team, we said we wanted to be aggressive [and] we wanted to be positive and it goes to show,” Brathwaite said.

“All three games we batted superbly and obviously in the two games we blew them away we had 91 [runs] in the first six [overs] and 88 in the first six – you don’t get that every day.

“But with our power and with our skill-set, we believe if we do the right things and show the right intent, more often than not we can get off to starts such as that and we’re also wary that if it doesn’t come off, that we need to bat well and keep that intent going.”

half-century in T20 Internationals in the opening match at Sylhet last week, jumped 82 places to 80th.

Nicholas Pooran, who notched scores of 23 not out, 14 and 29 in the series, jumped 16 places to a career-best 88th.

In the bowling rankings, seamer Keemo Paul has been rewarded with a healthy leap,

following his career-best five-wicket haul on Saturday.

The 20-year-old climbed 42 places to 30th after finishing the series with seven wickets and was also rewarded for his cameo knocks of 28 and 29 in the opening two matches, by climbing 34 places in the batting rankings.

Captain Carlos

Brathwaite, meanwhile, who had a modest series with just two wickets, moved up eight spots to 22nd in the bowling rankings.

He is the highest-ranked West Indies bowler, overhauling the non-active Samuel Badree in 23rd.

Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan sits top of the bowling rankings.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 24, 2018

Pestano bowls RHT Gizmos and Gadgets to 40-over title

Contrasting wins for Victoria Kings and Ann’s Grove United VICTORIA Kings came from behind to beat Buxton Stars 2 – 1, while Ann’s Grove United were 3 – 0 winners over Soesdyke Falcons, when the Guyana Football Federation/STAG Beer ‘Super 16’ tournament continued on Saturday at the Golden Grove ground.

Victoria Kings

Rose Hall Town won their fifth first-division title on Saturday.

A SEVEN-WICKET haul from national all-rounder Clinton Pestano propelled the Rose Hall Town Gizmos and Gadgets to a 51-run victory over the Young Warriors Cricket Club in the final of the RHTYSC/Busta Champion of Champions 40-over tournament on Saturday last at the Cumberland ground.

Pestano, who was named man-of-the-match when Guyana Jaguars played the Windward Islands Volcanoes in the Regional four-day championship earlier this month, again delivered with his pace bowling—this time he helped his club team to their fifth first-division title for 2018.

The Berbice Cricket Board’s 23rd final for the year

started with Rose Hall winning the toss and batting first.

Led by Kevin Sinclair (36) and Pestano (30), Gizmos and Gadgets laboured to 132 before they were bowled out in 34 overs. Ishwar Singh nabbed 3-7 in 2.3 overs for Young Warriors, while Trevon Stanislaus grabbed 2-22.

Young Warriors in reply were given a solid start with Alex Algoo (2x4s, 4x6s) leading the attack with a game high 42, but Pestano did serious damage. He removed both openers (Singh for 23) before he and Keith Simpson bowled out the side for 81 in 14.3 overs.

Pestano finished with 7-28 from seven overs, while Simpson nabbed 2-21 from 5.1 overs.

Playing in the opening game of the night’s double-header, Phillip Williams scored in the 16th minute to give Ann’s Grove a 1 – 0 lead at the end of the first half and in the second stanza, the eventual winners pressed on the gas, resulting in Quincy Barry (53rd) and Ryan Sears (63rd) finding the back of the net.

Meanwhile, in the ‘East Coast Derby’, Victoria Kings came from a goal down after Buxton Stars had taken the lead in the 42nd minute through Eon Abel, to completely dominate.

Quinsi Holder scored his first of two goals in the 52nd minute and then completed his double two minutes later, to hand the Victoria-based team three points.

The tournament continued last evening at the Leonora Track and Field Centre with Milerock up against Eagles FC, and Den Amstel against Santos.

Decentralising sport key objective for ITTF table tennis coaching course

SPREADING the game of table tennis to all areas of this country is a key objective of the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) as it storms ahead with a new army of first-time coaches.

President of the side Godfrey Munroe told the Guyana Chronicle that the ITTF/PTT Level One coaching course which was held last week at the Malteenoes Sports Club is a step in the right direction.

“Key to the GTTA objective and aims for hosting this programme was in view of targeting schools from the outlying regions as part of our decentralisation strategy of which we were happy to achieve in getting key participants from regions 1,3,4,5 and 6.”

The event, which was organised under the auspices of the International Table Tennis Federation High Performance and Development, was hosted

by Shavin Green, a level one ITTF certified coach, who also serves as the General Secretary of the Linden Table Tennis Committee.

Of the 15 participants who participated in the event, 10 met the required level. The budding coaches must now complete 30 hours of coaching

with five hours of supervision for them to attain certification.

KEY PILLAR Munroe said that the GTTA sees coaching as the backbone of development.

“The GTTA views coaching as a key pillar on which the sport must be developed. In this regard, the hosting of these

types of programmes in view of providing the opportunities for more coaches to be developed and certified is a critical variable in the establishment of a coaching structure. This pathway is a key pillar for the development of a nucleus of well-trained coaches with the right technical knowledge to work with athletes in schools,

communities and clubs.”

Green told the ITTF website that his focus at the training seminar was to follow the ITTF’s philosophy and be as practical as possible in having participants develop skills, which would allow them to understand the concepts of coaching.

“I think we were able to

Members of the GTTA and some of the participants at last week’s course. (Photo: courtesy of Shavin Greene)

achieve this over the days of the programme since I am sure those receiving their certificates will categorically have competency in the skills necessary to be a Level One ITTF certified coach.”

HAPPY WITH COURSE The local table tennis head said that the associa-

tion was happy with Green’s delivery.

“It was significant to have an internationally certified course conductor based in Guyana in the name of Mr. Shavin Greene. Shavin has truly demonstrated that’s he is a very competent course conductor, he exhibited great understanding and knowledge of the material, provided great examples, was very clear, precise and concise in the methods used, he has been a revelation.”

MORE COACHING PROGRAMMES IN 2019 Munroe added that last week’s course would allow the GTTA to develop and accelerate their coaching structure, which will allow them to host many more certification programmes.

“The plan is to host more ITTF certification coaching programmes in 2019 for coaches’ development and to help the coaches, who have just completed certification and the ones trained before, working in view of developing and bringing more athletes to the fore.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 24, 2018

Zeeburg U-23 beat Bellevue Sports Club in 25-over clash

Andre Seepersaud struck an unbeaten 81 to lead his club to victory.

THE Zeeburg U-23 team made light work of the Bellevue Sports Club when they battled in a 25-over clash on Saturday last at the Bellevue ground.

Four batsmen reached half centuries for the visitors as they raced to 294-3 in 25 overs.

Former national U-15 all-rounder Andre Seepersaud led the attack with an unbeaten 81. The 17-year-old was ultra-aggressive as he smacked three fours and nine sixes in his knock.

Seepersaud and Richie Looknauth registered an unbeaten 130-run fourth-wicket partnership, with the latter reaching 69 unbeaten.

The former Guyana U-19 player struck seven fours and four sixes.

Another former national U-19 player, Malcom Hubbard added 62 runs (3x4s, 6x6s), while Mark Jeffers contributed 50 (3x4s, 5x6s).

Bellevue in reply, were routed for 91 in 16 overs.

Andy Kahn and Raylex Payne did the damage with their medium pace, while Hubbard was on target with his off spin bowling.

Khan finished with 4-14 from five overs, while Hubbard took 2-6 from three overs and Payne 2-29 from five overs.

A. Bowman, who hit two fours and a six, led the home team with 16 runs.

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GAPF shortlists lifters for 2019 international events

THE Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation has released a list of lifters that could represent it in international competitions next year.

The list, which was recently released, includes both male and female lifters from various categories and divisions.

cal event in 2019 prior to their scheduled international meet.

Gumendra Shewdas has qualified to represent Guyana in both the Junior Equipped 53kg and the Open Equipped 59kg divisions.

The preliminary shortlist of athletes also includes Franklyn Brisport (Luke Open M2

sic 72kg), Paul Adams (Open Classic 83kg) and Nairanjan Singh (Open M4 equipped 83kg).

The shortlisted athletes who still have to make qualifying totals are Christopher Sookdeo (Open Classic 74kg), Junica Pluck (Open Equipped 63kg), Grace Babb

Runita White will represent Guyana in the Open Classic 84+kg next year.

Nineteen lifters have been shortlisted, but several of them are not assured of travelling, since they will have to achieve minimum qualifying totals for their weight classes at local events next year.

According to information from the GAPF, the athletes who are still to make the minimum qualifying total will be allowed to guest lift at any lo-

Equipped and Classic 66kg), Noel Cummings (Open and M4 Classic 66kg), Carlos Petterson-Griffith (Equipped and Classic Open 93kg), Joseph Stoll (M2 Classic 105kg), Frank Tucker (Open and M3 Equipped 105kg), Runita White (Open Classic 84+kg), Natoya Robinson (Open Classic 84+kg), Martin Webster (M2 Classic 105kg), Nadina Taharally (Open and M1 Clas-

(Open Classic 72kg), Blossom Babb (Open Classic 84kg), Lisa Oudit (Open Classic 84kg), Feroz Hussain (Open Classic 93kg) and Bjorn Williams (Open Classic 105kg).

According to information from the association, the list may be subject to changes or updates, but no lifter would be added to the list; however lifters can be removed.

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GAPF shortlists lifters for 2019 international events Page

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2018