Guyana Chronicle PepperPot 09-26-2018 .pdf

WEDNESDAY 26th September, 2018

Plugging value leakage No.105409

–– from Exxon contract, a top gov’t priority, says Dr. Bynoe 03 PAGE

UG professor to 08 head arbitration PAGE

Man in viral sex video 02 kills self PAGE

… accomplice arrested, Lindeners condemn sex act

‘You don’t

have to suffer in 09 silence’ … children told at child PAGE

protection rally in Berbice

Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Keith Scott (left) and University of Guyana Professor Dr. Leyland Lucas, who has been chosen to chair the arbitration panel to decide on teachers’ salary increases and other benefits (Adrian Narine photo)

2

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Man in viral sex video kills self … accomplice arrested, Lindeners condemn sex act

A MAN, who was being sought by police in relation to a sex video that went viral, was found dead at the Kitty, Georgetown seawall on Tuesday.

Dead is 41-year-old Sherwin Apple also called “Yellow,” formerly of William Street Kitty and Silvertown, Wismar, Linden. He allegedly committed suicide.

His accomplice was late last evening arrested and is presently in custody at the Mackenzie Police Station, E Division Commander Anthony Vanderhyden has confirmed.

The body of Apple was found with no marks of violence and face down in the mud while blood was seen running from his nostrils. The body was taken to the Lyken’s Funeral Home and is awaiting a post-mortem. The now dead

man had returned to Guyana from Antigua a few years ago.

In the video, two men are seen engaging in sexual acts with a female teenager who later pleaded with the men to stop, but they continued.

It is unclear at this time how the video was leaked, but the Childcare and Protection Agency has launched an investigation.

The incident allegedly took place in Linden, but it is unclear when it happened.

It is alleged that the woman in the video is a relative of the man’s ex-girlfriend. Based on preliminary investigations, Apple reportedly went missing at around 19:00hrs on Monday.

CONDEMNATION Meanwhile, Lindeners have condemned the sex

video.

The Guyana Chronicle was told that on Tuesday, the teen and her mother visited a police station in Linden. Vanderhyden told the media that he cannot comment further on the matter since it is still under investigation.

Following the circulation of the video on social media, Vanderhyden launched an investigation into the matter after describing the content as very disturbing. The Guyana Chronicle heard voice notes sent Monday evening by Apple where he expressed his frustrations over the release of the videos. He said that the video happened a while back and it was completely consensual since the girl was role playing. In what sounded like he was holding back tears, Apple told the family member, “I going through my consequence, I going through my consequence, ya hear.”

He said that he has no idea how the video was leaked but according to one of his sisters, he told her that it was being sold by the other guy involved.

While it was reported in some sections of the media that the video was leaked by

a relative who happens to be a cousin of the teen in the video, the woman said that she had no idea of the video before Monday, since she has long been separated from Apple for over four years.

“I have no reason to be vengeful, why would I do that, this is very painstaking for me because people pointing fingers at me for nothing I know about, I did not leak any video,” the relative said.

DO SOMETHING FOR YOUNG GIRLS Women’s activists in Linden have publicly condemned the recent upsurge of sex videos coming out of the mining town over the last two months, all involving teens. It was described as a social phenomenon that needs to be addressed earliest.

Chairman of the Regional Women’s and Welfare Committee, Denise Belgrave, condemned not only the actions in the latest video but in all that have been circulating thus far. She said that all agencies need to come on board “to ensure that our young women realise that

they are valued and such actions are not reflective of their true value.” She made a call to all youth groups, women’s groups and NGOs to play their roles in stamping out this social ill. “We need to find effective ways, where we can be supportive of them, through counselling, visiting them, having discussions, we need to bring back guidance and counselling in schools because that helped me through MHS and in building my self-esteem… society needs to respond in a positive way,” she noted, adding, that “it is everyone’s business since not doing anything about it but gossiping and sharing, may very well come back to haunt us.”

Belgrave noted that she believes what went public over the past few weeks is just the tip of the iceberg and stakeholders need to see how best they can get back to the drawing board to save our teens from disaster.

Women On the Move International (WOMI) member, Judy Gravesande Noel said that as a women activist, she is calling for more programmes to be initiated at the community level to

Dead: Sherwin Apple also called “Yellow” keep the youths meaningfully occupied so that they won’t find time for unscrupulous activities resulting in damaged characters. She said that there are many adults willing to volunteer their services in assisting youths to find their true value and potential within the communities. “In my area, there can be developed a community centre where I am willing to lend my expertise in sewing and cooking because I believe that is what is lacking, our young women need to get involved in meaningful things because they are not seeing themselves as valuable,” she said.

Noel urged the older folk to keep looking out for the youths, keep talking to them as it is not a personal effort, but a community effort.

Statia addresses European business community

AMBASSADOR of the European Union to Guyana, Jernej Videti?, last week hosted the second meeting of European businesses operating in Guyana with tax chief Godfrey Statia delivering the feature address.

Also present at the meeting were the honorary consuls of EU member states in Guyana, including for Finland, Germany, Ireland and Sweden.

Some of the European businesses represented ranged from those operating in telecommunications; oil and gas; fuel distribution; consultancies; agriculture and pesticides; tourism and horticulture, the EU office here said in a release.

The highlight of the meeting came in the presence of Statia, commissioner-general of the Guyana Revenue Authority, who took time to listen to and candidly address a number of concerns. While he impressed upon the gathering that there have been substantive improvements in the functioning and effectiveness of the GRA under his tenure, he nevertheless recognised that there still remain challenges which are currently being addressed.

Statia’s participation also helped to shed light on the efforts of the Guyana Government and the GRA to simplify rules and procedures for

foreign businesses in relation to the country’s tax system. His participation also served as a stepping-stone towards establishing helpful dialogue between European businesses and the GRA in particular, on investments.

The meetings hosted by Ambassador Videti? are part of the EU Delegation’s push towards increased economic diplomacy. The primary aim is to assist in improving the business climate for EU businesses operating in Guyana and to aid in attracting further investment from European companies to set up shop in Guyana.

The third meeting will be held in the second quarter of 2019.

3

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Plugging value leakage –– from Exxon contract, a top gov’t priority, says Dr. Bynoe

By Svetlana Marshall

THE Government of Guyana, though not committing to revising the Petroleum Sharing Agreement (PSA) it signed with Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited – a subsidiary of U.S. oil giant ExxonMobil, said it will take necessary steps to reduce value leakage.

Since the release of the ExxonMobil contract late December last year, government has received fierce criticisms from both civil society and the political opposition over several aspects of the agreement – from the percentage of royalty to the signature bonus and on issues such as local-content provisions. It has since made it clear, that it will not renege on the revised contract.

Director of the Department of Energy (DoE), Dr. Mark Bynoe, in a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle, said government will continue to engage the

oil giant to minimise value leakage.

“In terms of revisiting, revising, renegotiating, again it is way too early for the department to be speaking on that, but we will continue to engage deeply to ensure that we reduce value leakage where that is possible,” Dr. Bynoe said.

He explained that with the help of international experts, the Department of Energy will be working with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Audit Office of Guyana to conduct cost-recovery audits of ExxonMobil.

“We have to ensure that we reduce any leakages that may occur based on the existing PSA,” Dr. Bynoe emphasised.

The GRA has initiated an audit of the costs Exxon has claimed under the cost-recovery provisions of the PSA, but its capacity is limited, hence, the need for assistance from international experts.

GRA has asked ExxonMobil to provide “specific

breakdowns” of some cost-recovery numbers preceding the Liza discovery. ExxonMobil’s “pre-contract” costs are reported to be around US$460 million—that includes the expense of extensive seismic and geologic surveys and early-stage exploration beginning in the 1990s.

Estimated costs for developing Liza Phase 1 will run into the region of US$4.4 billion, which includes the cost of drilling wells; building floating production storage and offloading vessels; crewing ships and setting up onshore facilities and everything else that goes into developing a massive new oil prospect.

The cost-recovery audits aside, Dr. Bynoe said the Department of Energy is in the process of revising the Model PSA to ensure that Guyana gets a larger share.

He noted that emphasis will be placed on areas which would increase the country’s revenue flow.

PSA MODEL GOING

FORWARD “We are hiring technical expertise to provide us with a model PSA which can then be used to engage with other companies going forward,” he told this newspaper.

Under the present contract with ExxonMobil, Guyana will receive 50 per cent of the profits as an equal partner, in addition to a two per cent royalty.

Additionally, Guyanese are expected to benefit from “preferential treatment” in the provision of goods, materials and sub-contractual arrangements with ExxonMobil’s petroleum operations here, in keeping with Article 18 of the agreement.

According to a section of the agreement, within a 60-day period prior to the commencement of a calendar year, Esso and its partners CNOOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana and Hess Exploration Guyana Limited which hold interests in the Stabroek Block, and the subject minis-

ter shall provide a yearly plan for the utilisation of qualified Guyanese personnel for the upcoming year. Both parties shall then meet to discuss the plan’s effectiveness.

Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Keith Rowley, during his recent visit to Guyana said the sanctity of contracts must be respected – a view which was expressed

by President David Granger and his government.

“We respect the sanctity of contracts, while not accepting that contracts are written in stone. Contracts are engagements really between at least two parties or more and when we make contracts and if there is goodwill between the participants; and if the intention is for both participants to benefit from the nature of the contract, we see the opportunity and the possibility of contracts being revisited, so as to maintain that balance of the elements of the contract and that is the basis on which we have approached the multinationals and we do

Director, Department of Energy, Dr. Mark Bynoe so out of respect; and we do so out of competence,” Prime Minister Rowley had said while fielding questions from reporters.

While not criticising Guyana’s PSA with ExxonMobil, Prime Minister Rowley encouraged the country to carefully assess the current circumstances when engaging companies.

Cops destroy big ganja farm at Ituni … motor cycles, dried cannabis found

POLICE on Tuesday acting on intelligence destroyed a large cultivation of marijuana at Eight Miles Ituni Road, Upper Demerara River.

During the raid, the law men found a five-acre plot of marijuana cultivation with about 5,000 cannabis plants measuring from three inches to five feet in height with an estimated weight about 400kgs. A quantity of dried cannabis estimated about 50 kilograms was also

found. There were two male shift camps with four hammocks, kitchen utensils, clothing, groceries and farming tools, the police said in a release.

The plants, dried cannabis and camps were photographed and destroyed by fire and the grid location was marked for further investigation.

Two motor cycles were discovered on the trail leading to the farm. No one was arrested at the farm.

The two motorcycles that were found at the farm

The large cultivation of marijuana at Ituni

Dried cannabis seized during the police operation

4

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Bill Cosby, in cuffs, imprisoned for up to 10 years for sexual assault

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (Reuters) - Bill Cosby was marched out of court in shackles on Tuesday after a judge branded him a “predator” and sentenced him to between three and 10 years in prison for sexual assault, capping the downfall of the once-beloved comedian known as “America’s Dad.” Cosby, 81, was found guilty in April of three counts of aggravated indecent assault for the drugging and sexual assault of his one-time friend

Andrea Constand, a former Temple University administrator, at his Philadelphia home in 2004. He is the first celebrity to be convicted of sexual abuse since the start of the #MeToo movement, the national reckoning with misconduct that has brought down dozens of powerful men in entertainment, politics and other fields.

Cosby must spend at least three years in a Pennsylvania prison before he becomes eligible for supervised release,

though he could end up behind bars for up to a decade.

Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas Judge Steven O’Neill ordered Cosby to be jailed immediately, denying Cosby’s request for bail while lawyers appeal the conviction.

He was escorted out a back door of the courthouse with his hands and feet shackled and driven away in a black sport utility vehicle. Minutes earlier, Constand left court with her arms folded, a smile spreading across her face as other women who have accused Cosby came to hug her.

Several of those women spoke to reporters in the rain outside the courtroom. “I wanted 30

years, but I’m very happy to know Mr. Cosby will do time in prison,” said Chelan Lasha, who gave tearful testimony in court about the time she says Cosby drugged and groped her in the 1980s. O’Neill also fined Cosby $25,000 and ordered him to pay the costs of the prosecution. There was no visible reaction from the disgraced entertainer as he learned his fate. “Equal justice under the law does not allow different treatment because of who he is or who he was,” O’Neill said. Cosby cemented his family-friendly reputation playing the affable Dr. Cliff Huxtable in the 1980s television comedy “The

Wednesday, September 26, 2018 05:00hrs. - 06:30hrs

Saturday 22, September, 2018

10 12 14 17 21 26 02

B

07, 08, 05, 04, 15

9, 7, 2

5, 5, 6

20, 18, 08, 21, 05

5, 2, 7

0, 6, 2

05, 08, 21, 22, 23

8, 8, 4

9, 9, 7

11, 15, 16, 18, 20

1, 4, 5

9, 6, 2

10, 13, 17, 22, 26

2, 7, 0

1, 1, 6

Cosby Show.”

“He hid behind Dr. Cliff Huxtable,” Kevin Steele, the county district attorney who led the prosecution, told reporters afterwards. “Before he was taken away in handcuffs, a lot of people believed this was who he was. We know otherwise.” After the sentencing, Andrew Wyatt, Cosby’s spokesman, read a lengthy statement in which he decried what he called “the most racist and sexist trial in the history of the United States.”

SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATORY O’Neill also decided to designate Cosby a “sexually violent predator” under Pennsylvania law. Under that designation, Cosby will have to undergo monthly counseling and register as a sex offender with police for the rest of his life. Neighbors and schools will be notified of his address, certain movements and crimes, as will Constand.

When prosecutors told Cosby in court he would not have to inform Constand of his movements himself but that a proxy would do so, he replied: “Good!”

Cosby has denied any wrongdoing. Asked if he wanted to address the court with a statement before sentencing, Cosby declined through his lawyers. His lawyers had asked that Cosby be placed under house arrest, citing his age and frailty. More than 50 women have accused Cosby of sexual abuse going back decades, with most complaints too old to prosecute.

The Constand case was the only allegation that led to criminal charges.

Constand said in a writ-

Bill Cosby departs the Montgomery County Courthouse in handcuffs after being sentenced in his sexual assault trial on September 25, 2018 in Norristown, Pennsylvania, U.S. September 25, 2018. Mark Makela/Pool via REUTERS

ten statement submitted to the court on Monday that the attack had turned her into a woman who was “stuck in a holding pattern for most of her adult life, unable to heal fully or to move forward.” “Bill Cosby took my beautiful, healthy young spirit and crushed it,” she wrote. Cosby’s first trial in 2017 ended in a mistrial when jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict.

Prison officials will process Cosby at the nearby state prison in Schwenksville before determining in which of Pennsylvania’s 22 male prisons he will serve his sentence, prison spokeswoman Amy Worden wrote in an email. He will be one of 86 inmates over age 80 held by Pennsylvania’s Department of Corrections, where the two oldest inmates are both 91, Worden said.

04, 06, 09, 10, 15 04, 08, 10, 11, 17 06, 07, 12, 16, 17 01, 06, 13, 14, 17 01, 05, 10, 11, 13

21, September, 2018

03 05 09 10 20

5

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Caribbean countries in the forefront to eliminate TB Caribbean countries have the lowest incidence of tuberculosis (TB) and are on the road to elimination, the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) said Tuesday.

They said the region of the Americas is the area with the lowest percentage of new TB cases in the world, estimated at three per cent, and is the first region with a real opportunity to eliminate the disease as a public health problem.

According to the “Tuberculosis in the Americas 2018 “report, 15 countries,12 of them from the Caribbean, have low TB incidence, with less than 10 cases per 100,000 people and are on the road to elimination. “Countries are adopting measures to tackle TB, but they cannot lower their guard and must redouble efforts, along with the collaboration of society at large, including the affected communities” said Marcos Espinal, Director of PAHO’s Department of Communicable Diseases and Environmental Determinants of Health.

The report’s other recommendations for accelerating progress toward eliminating TB, especially in the countries with the greatest disease burden, include: promoting the study of contacts with people who have TB, especially children under 15; stepping

up implementation of simpler treatment regimens and introducing drugs for children.

Other recommendations include reaching the most vulnerable populations and addressing social determinants as well as ensuring that plans are financed with a country’s own resources rather than depending on external funds.

According to the new report, issued on the eve of the first United Nations High-level Meeting on Ending TB, between 2000 and 2015, deaths from tuberculosis fell by 37.5 per cent in the Americas and new cases dropped by 24 per cent.

PAHO, Director, Dr. Carissa Etienne

However, the report, which provides a complete and updated assessment of the TB epidemic and progress made in treating and preventing the disease in the region, noted that the rate of decline must be accelerated for the region

to be able to end the disease.

In 2017, the WHO estimated 282,000 new cases of TB in the Americas, 11 per cent of which were in people living with HIV. An estimated 24,000 people died last year from tuberculosis in the region, and 6,000 of them were co-infected with HIV. “Ending TB will only be possible if we step up the reduction in new cases and deaths,” said PAHO Director, Dr. Carissa F. Etienne. “We need to expand access to diagnosis and quality treatment for everyone who needs it and to address social determinants that affect health and favour transmission of the disease,” she noted.

The report notes that although preventable and curable, tuberculosis is currently the region’s most lethal infectious disease and its persistence is largely due to the serious social and economic inequities in the Americas.

Since 2015, deaths fell on average by 2.5 per cent per year and new cases dropped by 1.6 per cent, but they need to fall at a rate of 12 per cent and eight per cent per year, respectively, to achieve the intermediate targets for 2020 and continue to decline until 2030.

Ending the worldwide tuberculosis epidemic is one of the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

WHO’s End TB Strategy, adopted by the World Health Assembly in 2014, aims to reduce deaths from TB by 90 per cent and the incidence of the disease by 80 per cent by 2030, compared to 2015 levels. The report notes that more than 50,000 people in the region, almost half of them under 15 years of age, or not know they have the disease and have not been treated.

“This diagnostic gap increased by 3,000 people, compared to 2016. Rapid diagnostic testing, a new tool that could help to close the gap, was used in just 13 per cent of diagnosed cases, up slightly from nine per cent in 2016.

The two United Nations health organisations said that treatment for TB has saved thousands of lives.

However, in the last five years 75 per cent of patients were cured, which is below the target set for 2030. To step up progress, the report recommends that countries improve patient monitoring to ensure follow-through on treatment and address access barriers to health care, among other issues. It said that multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is also a serious threat, with an estimated 11,000 people in the region currently infected by this form of the disease. Among those who develop it, the cure rate is just 56 per cent.

Over 170 arrested during police raid in Jamaica

ONE hundred and seventy-six people have been taken into police custody since Sunday’s declaration of the latest state of emergency (SOE) in sections of the Corporate Area.

Head of the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Corporate Communications Unit, Assistant Superintendent of Police Dahlia Garrick, told the Jamaica Observer on Monday that 15 of the 176 individuals have been detained for further processing. Garrick, who was unable to say whether the detainees will be charged, said during initial processing, some of them were identified as ‘persons of interest’.

“Most persons have been processed and released. …we arrested one man for breaches of the Dangerous Drugs Act; this emanated from a search of a public passenger vehicle at one of the checkpoints. A search of that vehicle led to the seizure of just under five pounds of ganja and the subsequent arrest of a man of a Kingston 8 address. He will be interviewed in the presence of his attorney, following which formal charges will be laid,” the assistant superintendent of police explained.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness, during an emergency media briefing at Jamaica House on Sunday, announced that the state of emergency would take effect immediately and would encompass parts of the Kingston Central, Kingston Western and St Andrew South police divisions.

It is to last for 14 days. According to Holness, the state of public emergency is aimed at eroding the capacity of criminal organisations that operate and control those areas; break and challenge the culture of lawlessness within those areas; and ultimately provide a space in which law-abiding citizens and the police can work together to maintain peace and harmony.

On Monday the traffic nightmare that was anticipated by commuters following the announcement of the state of emergency did not materialise. The concern was raised since thoroughfares such as Maxfield Avenue, Spanish Town Road and Marcus Garvey Drive were among the alternative routes named following the closure of Portia Simpson Miller Square, formerly Three Miles, to facilitate road expansion work. However, when the Jamaica Observer visited checkpoints at Oakland Road, Spanish Town Road, Waltham Park Road, Delamere Avenue, Rousseau Road, Lyndhurst Road, Studio One Boulevard, Slipe Road, Harbour Street, Pechon Street, Maxfield Avenue, Orange Street, and Ocean Boulevard on Monday, traffic flowed freely under the watchful eyes of the joint forces. (Jamaica Observer)

6

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

WIRSP initiative to curb alcohol abuse THE West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers Association (WIRSPA) is one of the oldest trade and producer organisations in the Caribbean. In colonial times when sugar was king, rum, its main by-product, was regarded as next in importance. WIRSPA was accordingly as prestigious both in the West Indies and in the colonial mother-countries and exercised much influence.

Today, WIRSPA has a membership that includes all the rum-producing countries of the Caribbean except Cuba. Its membership consists of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Haiti, Dominica, The Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago, Guadaloupe and Martinique are Departments of France and Puerto Rico is an American territory.

Just as whiskey is the wine of Scotland and Champagne is the wine of France, rum is the wine of the Caribbean. Countries outside of the Caribbean have tried

to produce various brews and pass them off as rum, but their poor quality soon betrays their origins.

In the past, WIRSPA concerned itself solely with the problems of the industry, in particular in matters of marketing, but had never focused on consumer interests. Last year when Mr Komal Samaroo, Chief Executive Officer of Demerara Distillers Ltd, was elected chairman of the association, he adumbrated a revolutionary policy which was in the consumer and social interest of the nation.

He emphatically called for limited and moderate use of alcohol. At that time, many quipped that ‘Komal had stolen the thunder of the religionists who had always preached against rum and had outdone them at it.’ But Mr Samaroo’s call did not fall on stony ground, but was well received by government, social workers, the religious bodies and consumer organisations.

This year, in his second term as Chairman of WIRSPA, Mr Samaroo again called for responsible drinking and limiting use of alcoholic bev-

erages. This year, however, he has fine-tuned the proposal and given it a practical shape and direction. In his words; “While we as individual producers are active at the national level in supporting efforts to reduce harmful drinking, as a group, we intend to intensify those efforts starting in 2018. In this regard, we have established a task force to look at a range of issues including labelling, advertising and promotion, and online marketing, incorporating international best practices.” These words refer to the whole Caribbean, but he was equally practical and realistic in referring to his own country and company: “We will seek to broaden the involvement of all producers, distributors and retailers of alcoholic beverages, so as to achieve the fullest impact from these commitments and we will engage stakeholders on these issues to ensure that our engagements are meaningful and credible. . . Demerara Distillers plans to engage government and non-stakeholders to determine how the industry could best contribute in practical

ways to the implementation of policies and actions to mitigate the impact of harmful consumption.”

Harmful consumption of alcoholic beverages and in particular rum, has been a historical affliction of Caribbean societies. In the 18th century, rum was mistakenly regarded as a cure-all and was liberally drunk by the planter community, many of whom became near-alcoholics. And during the high days of Indentured Immigration, workers were often paid in rum, which entrenched excessive rum-drinking among them. And excessive rum-drinking soon spread to the villages and towns. All villages now had several rum shops and in Georgetown, there was literally a rum shop at every street intersection.

These rum shops in the 19th and early 20th centuries were owned by Portuguese who were experienced in the art of wine-making from their native Madeira; and every rum shop accordingly had its own blend.

The excessive rum-drinking resulted in widespread liver and other bodily ail-

ments, as well as numerous alcoholics and there was little or no medical treatment. In addition to destroying health, excessive rum-drinking resulted in families not having money for basic necessities including food. Domestic violence and neglect became characteristics of many working-class families.

The efforts of religious bodies and social workers could not stem the tide of excessive drinking. Despite the fact that from the 1950s beer and other lighter imported alcoholic drinks became available and popular, hard liquor continued to be ubiquitous and desired; the same social ills which excessive drinking caused continued. Today, the courts, social departments of government and concerned NGOs attribute to excessive drinking, the present upsurge of wife-murders and killing and maiming of women; neglect of children; breakup of families; ill-health and many serious traffic accidents.

The social services departments, concerned NGOs, including the Consumers Association and the religious bodies -- Hindu, Muslim

and Christian -- have been working with some modest success in confronting alcoholism, drunkenness and violence emanating from over-indulgence in liquor.

Now, for the first time, the producers and distributors of liquor have joined the campaign and this historic event has now brought all stakeholders on board.

WIRSPA could model their task force’s efforts on what has been done in respect of Tobacco Control legislation throughout the Caribbean, which includes not only labelling and advertising, but also methods of selling, health warnings, graphically publishing examples of the negative social effects to which excessive drinking leads and to use the media, including social media, to convey messages. We are confident in our hope that with concerted efforts of all stakeholders and in particular with WIRSPA’s committed help, excessive drinking could be eliminated from Guyanese and Caribbean societies in the foreseeable future.

The Guyana Zoo needs urgent attention Dear Editor PLEASE permit me space in your newspaper to vent my feelings about the Guyana Zoo. Zoos are a living museum and what we learn about wild animals in captivity can help us manage and conserve them in the wild. From animal behaviour, to reproductive rates to dietary requirements, etc.

There are 39 animal species currently listed by the IUCN as Extinct in the Wild.

These are species that would have vanished totally were it not for captive populations around the world, many of which reside in zoos. For me, this is the single most important role zoos can play. In (June 25, 2016)

President David Granger pledged to allocate two million more hectares of land and waterways for conservation. Speaking at the event, which was hosted at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, President Granger reiterated his administration’s fundamental commitment to the tourism sector and sustainable economic growth, even as Guyana transitions to a ‘green’ economy. He added that the benefits of equitable and sustainable development are too numerous and transformative to be ignored.

The President was quoted as saying “What a country! What wildlife! What a waste to ignore the great gifts of nature.

Guyana’s abundant flora and fauna constitute a priceless national and natural trea-

sure.” But it seems as though the President’s message hasn’t filtered down to the management of the Guyana Zoo. The Guyana Zoo is in a state of disrepair and urgently needs attention. With the abundance of animals that Guyana has it’s a shame to see only a few in our Zoo. Most of the animals at this facility look lethargic and sick. The pens and cages are too small and are not properly maintained and cleaned regularly, especially for the more active and dangerous animals.

Lack of maintenance can lead to all sorts of repercussions that I don’t want to think about.

When visitors go to our Zoo, what impressions do they get about us by the way we are caring, housing, feeding and maintaining

these animals? Workers at the Zoo are not properly attired and are not properly identified to visitors. By the look of it there are no isolation of sick animals, no quarantine area and no foot bath at the entrance of the cages and pens. This will lend itself to charges of cross-contamination of diseases and disease organisms. When it rains the area around the pen/cages are flooded and makes visits to the cages almost impossible.

I hereby call on the President to launch an investigation into the Guyana Zoo so as to resolve this national embarrassment to our great nation.

Regards Shawn Sam

7

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Another Jagdeo attempt at cheap politics Dear Editor I REFER to Kaieteur News headline of September 24, 2018, “City Hall Inquiry: Bulkan protected transgressions at City Hall – Opposition” This is another in the numerous bids to falsify socio-issues for political mileage by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, in which he frantically plugs his party to be credited for the current Commission of Inquiry into operations at City Hall.

I have always contended that there are challenges which currently confront the city authorities, that it must seek to remedy to the satisfaction of all stakeholders.

However, whatever these perceived shortcomings are cannot be laid fully at the door of the municipality.

Also, there is no magic formula that would have made right its faults in just three years of a new political administration, given the inherited mess coupled with three years of political assault by the former PPP/C administration on the Mayor & City Council(M&CC).

We are all aware of the manner in which the PPP/C treated the former Mayor Hamilton Green’s City Council, having been unable to gain political control of the city’s municipality. It was nothing short of shocking that the former administration when they could not succeed at the political level, decided to play two particular past town clerks against the then mayor and his council. It was quite clear that the then government wanted to impose an Interim Management Committee (IMC) with its party members, except that the politically sturdy mayor confronted this attempt.

Contrary to Jagdeo’s statements about financial transparency at City Hall, as if he and his councillor Bisham Kuppen are the first to advocate for investigations, it can be recalled that it was Hamilton Green who had been consistent in his call for an audit of the city’s finances. This resulted in the subsequent Burrowes one-

man commission that not only unearthed irregularities of an administrative and financial type that resulted in the then Town Clerk Beulah Williams being asked to resign in the public interest.

Even the City Treasurer Roderick Edinboro was axed as a result of serious questions that surrounded his tenure in office.

Add the Pluck-Cort tenure, where the latter was also removed as a result of the Gaskin probe into the non-implementation of measures that were mandated by the Burrowes CoI for transparency and administrative accountability and other serious irregularities.

C a r o l S o o b a ’s p r e s ence did not make any difference, for she was foisted upon the City Council--tainted body guard and all--by the PPP/C administration and was in daily conflict with the mayor and his council. I have given this brief to outline the fact that City Hall’s problems are not an overnight occurrence, or started from May 2015 onwards, as Jagdeo, Kuppen, and the host of those letter writers took pleasure in savaging City Hall for all sorts of shortcomings that were in existence ever since at City Hall, and very well known by all of the PPP/C administrations.

But they never took any action to effect change, since it had been their planned intention that the city administration of Hamilton Green must fail at all costs. I do believe that in this plot, was the PPP/C’s contrived belief that the former chief citizen must be thwarted in his bid to return Georgetown to the state of the former Garden City. Every effort by the mayor to initiate projects to raise much-needed revenue for the city was vehemently shut down by the PPP/C regime; two examples which readily come to mind are: the Guyana Lottery and the ever-festering Mandela dump site for gas and electricity generation.

Of course, the issue of the parking meter offered the PPP/C supporters an opportunity to protest against

a government that they refused to accept, under the safe cover of protesting against the parking meters.

Yet it is instructive to note, that numerous of their numbers who sought to bring down City Hall never lifted a voice in protest when this city was under the oppressively putrid smell of garbage piles, clogged trenches and canals and would easily flood in the slightest passing downpour of rain. They never sought accountability for the scandalous use of one billion dollars of taxpayers’ money, which were used in the 2014 “Clean Up My Guyana exercise”, where the citizens were still left looking for “clean up” during the last PPP/C administration.

Many of their numbers are also part and parcel of the huge debt owed to City Hall.

I cannot ever recall, Jagdeo or Ramotar, either as presidents, or out of office, ever asking these recalcitrant taxpayers, many of whom are known party supporters, to honour their civic duty.

As earlier stated, the specific tone of Jagdeo’s lamentations is to claim credit for the City Hall CoI, and he has sought to give

credence to this claim, by unfairly accusing Minister Bulkan of ‘’shielding the Mayor and City Council despite numerous concerns about operations at City Hall”.

In saying this, Jagdeo should be reminded that ever since, Minister Bulkan had signalled his disquiet about some actions carried out by City Hall officials, inclusive of the mayor. Thus, one ought not to be surprised by such an enquiry occurring.

It was only fair to citizens and the welfare of their city that whatever problems do exist at City Hall, and which may serve to impede/hamper their proper operational functions be laid bare, and solutions found. This is clearly an attempt by Jagdeo to politicise a situation which this current City Hall had inherited, after in excess of 20 years of the PPP/C administration.

However, Jagdeo and cohorts especially must clearly understand that this is a new era of democratic local governance, and that City Hall must continue to function without political interference, as is the current position of

the coalition government; as well as, partisan politics must not be a part of its daily functions, since local government is about every

citizen’s participation, for everyone’s benefit.

Regards Earl Hamilton

8

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Gov’t taps UG professor to head arbitration … GTU asks for time to study candidate

By Lisa Hamilton

THE Ministry of Social Protection has appointed University of Guyana (UG) Professor Dr. Leyland Lucas as the Chairman of the arbitration panel, to decide on

some background check on that,” he commented to the media.

Meanwhile, McDonald is of the opinion that the Ministry’s Department of Labour through Minister Keith Scott, is seeking to manipu-

University of Guyana (UG) Professor Dr. Leyland Lucas (Adrian Narine photo) salary increases for teachers which could not have been solved during negotiations between the Education Ministry and the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU).

However, on Tuesday during a meeting between the two sides, the GTU President Mark Lyte and General Secretary Coretta McDonald stated that their union needs to carefully assess the qualifications of Lucas before they are willing to move forward.

Stepping out of the meeting room at the Department of Labour yesterday, Lyte indicated to the media that another meeting will be held at 13:00hrs today to facilitate the process. “We’ll be meeting again tomorrow to finalise the process. There is a proposed person as Professor Lucas and we need to do

late the GTU into making a decision.“What we recognise is that the minister with responsibility for labour, he is trying to bully this process into saying to the GTU ‘this is our prerogative to appoint and we have done so, and this is your chairperson’,” she said, adding: “All the GTU is saying to the minister [is that] we need some time to look at Professor Lucas to see what he’s bringing to the table, before the GTU can agree on who will be our chairperson, but the Department of Labour is bent on attempting to bully the GTU and we will not take that.”

Minister Scott, however, defended the department’s position on appointing a chairman to lead the arbitration panel. “The law allows us to appoint the chairman

because…when they had the discussion between the Ministry of Education and the teachers’ union they could not agree on a chairman, so the law says that the chairman must come from the Ministry of Social Protection and we have done so as is required by the law. Out of that we will be able to choose somebody we know and feel is acceptable, not only to the two bodies but also to all Guyana,” Scott responded.

At the same time, he vouched for the competence of Lucas stating: “He’s highly qualified. He has experience in the field of industrial relations. [He is] an academic of the highest regard, he works overseas in the US, and he’s here on sabbatical to offer his assistance and his help to the people of Guyana and to the University of Guyana. He is also known for being objective and fair.”

Lucas is also the university’s current Dean of the School of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation (SEBI) and was present at the meeting for familiarisation purposes.

Speaking to the stance of the GTU to make its own assessment of the Professor, Scott said that while the ministry brings no objection to this, the GTU’s review will not change the outcome of process.

“I said to the union [we need to] bring this process to an end…they asked for the CV of the gentleman.

It’s okay if you want the CV, you might want to know who you’re dealing with, and we presented the CV of the chairman to them. So now they have the CV, but let us bear in mind that while they have the CV they can now have

Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) President Mark Lyte and General Secretary Coretta McDonald, speak with the media in the courtyard of the Ministry of Social Protection on Tuesday (Adrian Narine photo) confidence in the academic and the intellectual ability of the chairman that has been selected, but they do not have the process legally to say ‘we reject the chairman’ because this is strictly in the province on the Ministry of Social Protection,” he stated.

When questioned further on the claims made by the union regarding “bullying” the minister responded: “In engagements you will always find people who can use words that make them feel comfortable…if they want to interpret our obeying the law as bullying, how can I tell them how they must react? So, it’s not for me to comment on the reaction of the union, it’s for me to ensure that we can present something that…you the people of Guyana will feel comfortable with that we are doing the right thing,” Scott said, also adding: “We are going to have that process to come to an end because at the end of the day we need not to have any industrial unrest

Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection with responsibility for Labour, Keith Scott (Adrian Narine photo) in Guyana, but to have children given the best that they can get.”

Today, both parties are

expected to meet to finalise and sign the Terms of Reference (ToR) for arbitration.

North Ruimveldt resident repairs, installs street signs

TIRED of the faded street sign at Kaikan Street, North Ruimveldt, resident Lennox Barclay has reached into his pocket to make the sign readable again.

Barclay told the Guyana Chronicle that he felt com-

pelled to fix the sign because when his mother passed away recently, many persons could not locate his house as the street sign was not readable.

Barclay, who is a rural corporal attached to the East La Penitence Police Station, said the sign at Kaikan Street

The refurbished Kaikan Street sign

was unreadable for many years. He bought some paint and other materials and refurbished the street sign and reinstalled it.

The constable also installed a new street sign at Spring View Avenue, North Ruimveldt which never had one before. The Spring View Avenue sign will help taxi drivers and others who have difficulty finding the area in North Ruimveldt.

Speaking of the good gesture, Barclay told the Guyana Chronicle that he grew up in Kaikan Street and though it was the least he could do for his community.

The newly-installed street sign at Spring View Avenue (Delano Williams photos)

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Don’t use children as ‘weapons’ –CPA legal adviser urges parents, says it is child abuse

By Rabindra Rooplall WHEN relationships between parents go sour, sometimes children are used as weapons, an act, ChildCare and Protection Agency (CPA) Legal Officer Telisha Williams said, must be strongly condemned since it is child abuse.

According to Williams, who was at the time speaking at a two-day Sexual Abuse Workshop at the Guyana Police Force Training Centre, Eve Leary Georgetown, on Tuesday, the using of children in such circumstances puts them at risk and denies them their basis rights.

The workshop focuses on harnessing a multi-disciplinary approach, involving

police, doctors, child protection officers, police prosecutors, DPP prosecutors and child advocacy centre social workers, in addressing sexual abuse.

Under the theme “Turning courageous conversations into critical action to intervene and reduce the impact of sexual abuse,” the legal officer said children have the right to grow to adulthood in health, peace, and dignity.

Williams said children’s right can be infringed upon if their health, nutrition, education, social and emotional development are willfully disrupted.

“Government has a role to play to ensure that the rights of the child are met. We have school feeding programmes. We have

CPA Legal Officer Telisha Williams bus services so that parents have no excuse for not send-

‘You don’t have to suffer in silence’

… children told at child protection rally in Berbice “YOU don’t have to suffer in silence, there is a place to go, a person to see, a number to call,” these were the encouraging words of Ms Shurla Scott, administrator of the Skeldon Hospital as she delivered the feature address at the Ministry of Social Protection, Childcare and Protection Agency’s Region Six, rally and awareness march on Tuesday in observance of Child Protection Week, 2018.

Scott in a fired-up speech underscored the importance of awareness at all levels and called for community involvement to help recognise and flush out the abusers. “Our children must be able to recognise that the community they live in has a voice against child abuse and that no one is above the law.

Our children are not only our future as we would commonly hear, but they are our present. They are here with us, they are the ones that are traumatised, that suffer in silence.

The ones with the nightmares, fear, setbacks …and we are encouraged today to link arms and break the silence against child abuse.”

Scott continued that everyone has a responsibility to protect, prevent and respond to all forms of abuse. To this end, she encouraged everyone to make use of the services of the Child Protection Agency as there are systems in place to professionally handle such delicate matters.

In a bid to raise awareness and educate society on child abuse and the rights of children, a number of persons, including schoolchildren, gathered at the NDC building in Corriverton around 10:00hrs. They marched through the streets bearing placards and chanting positive messages, calling for an end to child abuse before ending at the Scotsburg Community Centre ground where a grand rally was held. Child Protection week is being observed under the theme, “Supporting families to prevent child abuse through education and community involve-

ment.”

Earlier, President of St Francis Community Developers, Alex Foster, during his remarks called for children to be educated on the various forms of abuse and their effects on their lives. He quoted the famous Chinese philosopher Confucius: “A happy child makes a happy family; happy families make happy homes; happy homes make happy villages; happy villages make happy communities; happy communities make happy regions; happy regions make happy countries; happy countries make happy continents; happy continents make a happy world… so it is an injustice for them to be unhappy for just one day.”

Mayor of Corriverton, Krishnand Jaichand, stated that the government has done its part by upholding the sanctity of the rights of children as enshrined in the UN Declaration on Rights of a Child Convention. Government has put in place agencies such as the Child Protection Agency to overlook the policies aimed at enforcing child-protection strategies; he however called on everyone to play their roles in the fight for their rights.

“The children are ours, therefore, they are our responsibility. We have to ensure they are loved, cherished, cared, protected, respected and given an environment conducive to optimal growth and development as they mature into adulthood; the seed we plant today will produce the kind of fruit we deserve.”

He congratulated the CPA for the initiative, noting that the campaign is being held at a time when there are increasing forms of abuse all around and pledged the town’s support.

“We are the adult supervisors of our society and the path we take to lead our young ones will reflect our level of commitment we make towards a better and more progressive country.”

ing them to school because Government provides free transport for children, along with school vouchers,” she explained.

She explained that children also have a right to freedom of expression commensurate with their age and stage of development.

The CPA legal officer also highlighted that parents need to be more open with their children and their needs, while an environment needs to be created where they are educated on their roles, what is expected of them and how they can protect themselves.

Williams said children should feel comfortable discussing things with their parents while society should promote children’s welfare, which would deter child abuse.

She explained that on many occasions, the sexual abuse of a child causes a rift in the family and the child ends up feeling guilty and blaming themselves for the abuse.

“That child may even feel pressured and say they don’t want to even move forward with the report. After saying that my father molested me or my uncle interfered with me or my half-brother or sister, the child may feel pressured to say that they no longer want to move forward with the report or they may later say that they lied just to ease tension on the family,” the legal officer explained.

She said in such a setting, it is ideal for the agency to remove the child so that he/ she does not feel pressured to withdraw their statement to the police which will stop persecution of the sex offender.

BROAD BASED INVESTIGATION Further, she said, “if there are other children in

the family, an investigation must be done to inquire whether they were also molested or sexually abused since such offenders have a pattern in which they operate.”

In addition, she noted children should not be witnessing abuse in the household since parents and other family members abusing each other physically or verbally, has a negative effect on the child.

Meanwhile, pediatric surgeon at the Georgetown Public Hospital, Marisa Seepersaud said child abuse has become so prevalent globally Georgetown Public Hosthat children are being de- pital, Paediatric Surgeon, stroyed by adults at various Dr. Marisa Seepersaud stages of their lives.

She explained that only of life and professions to the extreme cases hit the spread the awareness needed news but beyond the public’s to address issues of sexual view, there are many children abuse. being abused physically, Guyana has been observemotionally and sexually ing Child Protection Week indoors. which commenced Sunday “We have got to do what last. we can to stop this, as such, The CPA has expressed these seminars are wonderful alarm over the staggering 481 because we probably won’t cases of child sexual abuse recognise all of them, a lot of that have been reported to time we only see the phys- the agency within the first six ically things but there are months of 2018. so many other abuse taking Statistics revealed that place before,” she explained. 393 were girls while the other Adding that such sem- 88 victims were boys. inars provide participants In May, the agency rewith the education need- corded 238 cases of sexual ed to recognise the various abuse against children under factors, she explained that the age of 18. there are many practical ways CPA Director, Ann in which to deal with each Greene said the alarming abuse which can save many number of reports is linked children from developing to the fact that citizens are negative complexities. more vigilant in communities She noted that profes- where child abuse occurs. sionals participating in the She also noted that the CPA workshop can assist parents has been educating comin dealing with the challenges munity members about this that they face. scourge.

Underscoring that chilAccording to Greene, dren are the future and their there have been numerous development should be pro- sensitisation sessions with tected, the pediatric surgeon members of the communisaid there needs to be a con- ty, including the Guyana sorted effort from all walks Police Force.

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

M&CC to sign pact with Min. Lawrence to serve on WHO Executive Board Stabroek wharf vendors … new rent fixed at $6,800

THE Mayor and City Council (M&CC) will soon be signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with vendors who are to be relocated from the Stabroek Market wharf area.

Deputy Town Clerk Sharon Harry told city councillors on Monday, that her intention is to have the signing done by Wednesday, or by Friday the latest.

Chairman of the Markets and Public Health Committee, Councillor Trichria Richards told the Chronicle on Tuesday, that the vendors will be expected to construct the stalls at their own expense and that they will be paying a rent of $6,800 monthly.

Richards said the rent is the same as that being paid

by Bourda Market vendors. While this is a “good deal” for the vendors, she said it will not work out very well for the M&CC because the amounts will not compensate for what the council has to spend to prepare the relocation area.

“If you check $6,800 by the 82 vendors; we’re still going to be at a loss because the City Council is spending $23M to prepare the infrastructure for that place,” Richards said.

It is estimated that one stall will cost some $400,000 to construct. “Rightly $6,800 is a low figure but I don’t agree in raising either; not with what is happening, we have the vendors agree to build their own stalls and we give them a grace period, because it’s not easy to find $400,000 – $500,000 to build and then to pay [rent] so we’re still willing to do it,” Mayor Patricia Chase-Green had said.

Additionally, she said the M&CC will also have to look at drainage works, sanitary facilities and security lighting, among other things.

The vendors will have to adhere to building the stalls to the standard dimension of 8 feet x 10 feet and a maximum height of 13 feet. At this dimension, a total of 82 stalls are expected to fit in the designated relocation site, the area west of Public Buildings, which formerly housed the number 42 bus park.

Chief Engineer Colvern Venture recently provided a graphic demonstration of the dire state of the Stabroek Market Wharf and had called for the immediate removal of the vendors there, but the M&CC continues to face the challenge of getting everyone to remove.

Richards said that while many of the vendors have complied and removed, there are other persons living on the wharf that are sleeping, cooking and doing all manner of things there.

The M&CC has since cordoned off sections of the area so that anyone going there is doing so at their own risk.

Venture had, by means of a PowerPoint presentation, showed councillors pictures of the wharf in an effort to emphasise the gravity of the situation there, following the recent collapse of another section of the wharf.

The photos, some obtained with the aid of a drone, showed rotting beams and flimsy structures that could come down at any time.

The photos also attest to the practice of speedboat operators to tie their boats to the said dilapidated wharf while loading them with passengers.

MINISTER of Public Health, Volda Lawrence has been nominated to be a member of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Executive Board at next year’s World Health Assembly in 2019. The life of this new Executive Board will commence in April 2019.

This was announced at a Regional Committee meeting for the Americas being hosted by WHO in Washington DC. Minister Lawrence is attending this meeting in her capacity as Guyana’s Public Health Minister. The engagement runs from September 23 to 27, 2018.

Minister Lawrence will serve a term of three years from 2020 to 2022. The board on which the minister has been nominated to

Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence serve plays a significant role in meetings at the World Health Assembly (WHA).

The board usually gives effect to the decisions and policies of the Health Assembly, advises it and gener-

ally facilitates its work The Executive Board is composed of 34 technically qualified elected members.

The annual board meeting is held in January when the members agree upon the agenda for the World Health Assembly and the resolutions to be considered by the Health Assembly. A follow-up meeting to the Health Assembly takes place in May. The main meeting of the board, at which the agenda for the forthcoming Health Assembly is agreed upon and resolutions for forwarding to the Health Assembly are adopted, is held in January, with a second meeting in May, immediately after the Health Assembly, for more administrative matters.

The World Health Assem-

bly considers reports of the Executive Board, which it instructs in regard to matters on which further action, study, investigation or report may be required. Since WHA is the supreme decision-making body for the WHO, this gathering oversees the appointment of the Director-General, supervises the financial policies of the Organisation, and reviews and approves the proposed programme budget.

Minister Lawrence has also been nominated to serve on the Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences, also known by its original name Regional Library of Medicine (BIREME, acronym in Portuguese), in Brazil. This appointment is for a period of two years. (DPI)

Cop charged for stealing phone –– case dismissed after victim refuses to testify

THE Guyana Police Force, in its effort to weed out dishonest and corrupt members, on Monday, charged a police constable stationed on the Essequibo Coast with simple larceny of a Samsung cellular phone valued $119,000.

The offence occurred on September 18, 2018 at Double ‘D’ Mall, situated at Charity Public Road, where the victim operates a food business. The cell phone belonged to Angelena Byrne of

lot 106 Phantom Street, Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast.

Reports indicate that the accused policeman along with a colleague, both fully dressed in uniform, entered the business and picked up the phone, which was left on a table, and they promptly exited. The matter was reported and a review of the Close Circuit Television (CCTV) footage in the building caught the dishonest cop in the act.

Based on legal advice obtained, the police constable,

John Small, 23, of Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara, alone was charged. He appeared before Magistrate Esther Sam at the Charity Magistrate’s Court on Monday and the case was dismissed after the victim offered no evidence against the constable who is still a probationer.

Both constables have since been transferred pending a decision by the Commissioner of Police in respect of their retention in the Force.

Police Constable John Small

Alleged mastermind in execution of Tain woman freed INDIRA Outar 43, of Lot 8 Block 4, Tain, who is the alleged mastermind behind the murder of Leilawattie Mohamed called “Aunt Leila,” was set free by Magistrate Charlyn Artiga at the Whim Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

Outar had allegedly hired five persons to murder Mohamed, who was reportedly having an affair with her husband. The businesswoman, who operates a sawmill on the East Bank of Berbice, had allegedly promised $4M for the hit, however, only $400,000 was handed over.

The magistrate ruled that there was no evidence to indicate that the accused made any payment to the five or any evidence which proved that she was at the crime scene. Additionally, the magistrate, in her ruling, stated the prosecution failed to prove Outar had any meet-

Deceased: Leilawattie Mohamed

Shabiki Thompson was freed

Freed:Indira Outar

ing with the five suspects.

Meanwhile, on Monday when the preliminary inquiry into the murder of Mohamed continued before Magistrate Artiga, the court heard a prima facie has been made out against Oliver Permaul 36, his wife Nazima Permaul 42, Andre James 26, and Rohan Johnson 39, the accused in the murder. Shabiki Alert

Thompson - the fifth accused, was discharged. The four accused, when asked if they had anything to say, proclaimed their innocence and one of them indicated that he will call one witness. This was noted by the magistrate, who adjourned the case until October 15th for continuation and for the police to inform the witness.

On February 15th, five persons were jointly charged with the murder of Mohamed who was gunned down at her home on February 7th, 2017.

On the day of the murder, two men stormed into the home of Mohamed 45, and executed her in the presence of her son and daughter.

They shot her in the throat at point blank range.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

11

12

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Serena Williams was wrong ON SATURDAY, September 8, I was glued to the television and transformed with passionate interest to see the US Open Women’s Finals.

It was the big showdown between the young dashing Japanese/Haitian, 20-yearold protégé Noami Osaka and the established tennis champion, Serena Williams, 37.

The modern aristocratic lawn tennis ambience of the Arthur Ashe stadium devolved into controversy in the second set, when Serena was handed a code violation

for coaching, had a penalty point for smashing her racquet and docked a game for verbal abuse. All under the condign watch of the Portuguese Umpire Carlos Ramos.

This development sparked immediate global reactions and controversy when Serena alleged that the game official was conducting an assault on motherhood and women by his actions. Beyond the lawn tennis court, this turned into a full blown row and debate over sexism.

Was Ms. Williams a victim of sexism? This is hard to

prove, especially in light of the fact that the statistics show that lawn tennis US Open Code Violations received by men are at 86 and women at 22. Those who shout sexism in this case, would find it difficult to get pass the argument that it was Ms. Williams’ coach who initiated a reaction by the Chair Umpire by showing signs to his player. Section P (9) of the Grand Slam Rule Book mandates the Chair Umpire to ‘Ensure that the rules are observed by all players and all on-court offi-

cials’. Further, it was Serena who smashed her racquet and called the umpire a thief.

Individual actions that warranted adjudication.

It has to be accepted that laws and rules are enforced in different contexts.

One has to acknowledge that black Americans have endured centuries of persecution so when you exercise tutelage over them, you have to consider their insecurities. Marginalised groups are suspicious of authority, rightly so. A man who referees a game being played by women has to have it in the back of his mind that they are part of a group that only got the right to vote in 1920. It behooved Umpire Carlos to consider that it was until 1950, that Althea Gibson became the first black American to par-

ticipate in the US Nationals and in 1956, becoming the first African-American to win a Grand Slam final.

Discrimination exists, this is an indisputable fact.

However, at the same time, we must be on guard for those who seek refuge under the argument of discrimination to cover their personal indiscretions. It discredits a movement when people opportunistically scream prejudice to cover

their failures. Serena’s body language suggested a frustrated individual who was flabbergasted by the idea of being beaten, 6-2, 6-4, by a 20-year-old opponent who was just a kid when she won her first Grand Slam title. The umpire could have applied discretion but he did not, this is risk you take when you flout the rules.

We must be prepared to tell our heroes and heroines when they are wrong.

Bandit shoots, robs dog food vendors THE police are hunting a bandit who twice shot a dog food vendor and robbed two females of their cellular phones.

One of the two female victims was also a dog food vendor.

The incident occurred around 20:40hrs on Mon-

day at the corner of Aubrey Barker Street and the Stevedore Scheme access road, North Ruimveldt; the suspect fled the scene in a waiting motor car.

The injured victim, Shane Cooper, 26, of Jackson Ville, North Ruimveldt, is currently a patient at

the Georgetown Public Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery for gunshot wounds to the abdomen and left leg.

Police said the injured man is in stable but serious condition; an investigation is in progress.

13

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

The inclusion of youths in politics THE interests of our Guyanese youth may never be understood by the older generations.

Yes, our parents and grandparents were once young, but in a different era.

A time when the landline telephone was the latest technology; a time when pictures were printed only in black and white; and a time when Guyana’s infrastructures looked completely different. Some of the older folk grew parallel with the changing times; others took a divergent path. As young people, we all have interests at heart concerning our schools, working institutions and even the nation.

Our concerns, however, may be different from those of the older generation.

Hence, it is very important that we see to it that our concerns and interests are taken care of.

Some will oppose and say that the youth are a bunch of undeveloped minds with little to no experience in politics and policies. They are not capable of conducting ‘proper politics.’ I would say, there is no such thing as ‘proper politics’ and if we include the youth in politics, it will be by way of democracy. At the age of 18, one becomes eligible to vote. It is necessary that we, as young individuals, vote for the party that secures our best interests. It is the first step and most important decision/ right you have as a Guyanese citizen.

Advocacy is also a way in which young people can take to leap and step closer towards inclusion. Advocacy is the ‘public support for/or recommendation of a particular cause or policy.’

Gather a group of friends who holds the common beliefs that you do and start a campaign, ask our pol-

icy-makers to lend an ear through the many media outlets we have. Whatever it is, let it be passive but effective.

Never in Guyanese history, have I seen a young person being celebrated in politics. You can be an inspiration for other young, upcoming leaders. Kacya Gomes, a Guyanese youth, stressed her thoughts by saying, “They always say, ‘young people are the future’ but how can we be, when we aren’t given the chances or opportunities’?”

Starting off on a small scale is the best idea. Running for your school’s students’ council is an example of doing such. Also, being involved in your community’s village/town council is another great way to start. It’s the little things that matter; this will allow you to gain insight into the grassroot-level issues.

The National Youth Parliament is another great way that helps to mold young leaders. It teaches youth that policies can be changed and that they can be agents of change for their country.

Louisiana Deoroop, a future Guyanese politician, explained that, “Youths are the future of Guyana.

Politics influences youths positively -- nationwide.

It helps them to develop skills that will enable them to survive as an individual in today’s society; politics influences youths to think critically, voice their opinions and develop leadership skills. When one is said to have a critical, thinking mind it refers to that individual being able to judge and make comments on a certain topic. Politicians question opinions and ideas that are given by someone. Therefore, political skills help youths to look at issues differently and think about

it in a way that will benefit the need of others.

They tend to be biased towards certain issues.

Boyd (2011) points out that there is research that prove that youths tend to think critically after being involved in politics. The results of these research shows that youths who are aware of issues around them think critically and participate in activities that can better their country.

“These skills help the younger generation to judge issues around them, share their perspective and use leadership skills to resolve such issues.”

Give young people the resources they need. The youth of Guyana hold the answers to our problems;

they will be the ones managing our upcoming oil industry in the years to come; they will be the ones to be carrying Guyana’s name on the list of developed countries around the world.

Youths are vibrant, full of energy and zest. Their minds are fresh and it is my

personal belief that policies and laws should change to keep up with the times. The perspective youths have will always be different.

While it is okay for us to be guided, it is important that the older generation realise that our wings work as well!

14

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Guyana’s public debt well managed – Harmon AMID concerns that Guyana’s public debt is likely to surge with increased borrowing from its bilateral and international partners, Minister of State Joseph Harmon is assuring Guyanese that the country’s public debt is being well managed by Finance Minister Winston Jordan.

Guyana, just days ago, signed a US$20M loan agreement with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) for the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), and another loan agreement with China to the tune of US$36.7M for the broadband expansion project.

“I believe that our public debt is really well managed by our Minister of Finance,”

Minister Harmon posited, while noting that Minister Jordan is very prudent in the management of the country’s financial resources. “Usually he will not step out and sign agreements and sign documents that add to our public debt, without some form of action plan in how we are going to deal with it,” he posited.

The minister of state emphasised that before a loan is taken deliberations occur at several tiers before the green light is given.

“The minister himself does not go out on his own and sign these documents, they are the subject of deliberation before the Cabinet, and the minister is given the mandate to proceed to sign any commitment which was made between the Government of Guyana and either a bilateral party or international agency,” Minister Harmon explained.

Last month, the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) reported that Guyana has the lowest level of public debt in the Caribbean.

According to ECLAC’s economic survey of Latin America and the Caribbean 2018, Guyana’s public debt is 46.9 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

In the Caribbean, central government public debt

remained stable at 68.6 per cent of GDP. Despite having the highest level of liabilities in the Region, Jamaica continues to reduce its public debt. The country had a debt of 103.0 per cent in the first quarter of 2018, followed by Barbados with 89.3 per cent.

Despite the challenges over the years, the mid-year report of 2018 had positive statistics. Among the statistics was a 4.5 per cent growth of the economy at mid-year.

ECLAC has projected that the country’s economy will further grow by 3.0 per cent this year. The mid-year report, however, projected a 3.7 per cent growth for this year.

According to the midyear report, non-sugar growth rate is estimated to have climbed to 5.1 per cent from a revised 2.8 per cent, while preliminary data indicates that this growth, for the first half of 2018, was more broad-based than the previous year with robust performances in agriculture, fishing and forestry.

The significant increase in the construction sector was evidenced by higher building imports by 24.7 per cent, supported by the increased pace of execution of the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) which rose by 3.9 per cent above the previous half year.

Plainclothes cop nabs trio with illegal gun

THE Guyana Police Force has offered commendation to one of its ranks for what it describes as his bravery, when he arrested three of four suspects Monday night.

The police said in a release that the plainclothes policeman at 23:00hrs on Monday night single-handedly managed to arrest three of four males after an illegal pistol was found on one of the men.

According to the police, the rank observed the men in Queenstown, Georgetown, on bicycles, acting suspiciously. The men all reside in Sophia, Greater Georgetown. One of the suspects was found in possession of an unlicensed Magnum pistol with seven live rounds.

They are currently being questioned in relation to several armed robberies.

The Magnum pistol that was seized

15

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Cabinet expects clear recommendation – Harmon on way forward with RUSAL MINISTER of State, Joseph Harmon said the Task Force set up to address industrial relations issues, in the light of U.S.- imposed sanctions on the Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI) – a subsidiary of Russian Aluminum Inc. (RUSAL), is continuing its work.

At the Ministry of the Presidency on Monday, Harmon told the Guyana Chronicle that Cabinet expects clear recommendations that would guide how the company should treat with the more than 500 workers at its Aroaima, Region 10 worksite, in the event that it has to shut down its operations here.

“We expect that before that deadline expires, we will have a memorandum coming to Cabinet with

clear recommendations as to what needs to be done,” he posited.

The minister added: “you see, a document does not just arrive at the Cabinet, it has to be studied by a member of the Cabinet, a minister, and a memorandum, impact, and all of these issues that Cabinet should consider; all of these have to be part of a memorandum which accompanies the report of any committee that has been established.”

The Guyana Chronicle understands that an interim report completed by the Task Force was handed over to the Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman. In the interim report, the Task Force recommended that the workers be given a similar payment package

that was applied by LINMINE, BERMINE and OMAI in the past. “Based on the decision of the companies to terminate their operations in Guyana, and since they have benefited from concessions given to the mining sector, they pay a similar package that was applied in the case of LINMINE in 1993 and onward, BERMINE in 2002 and onward, and OMAI Gold Mines in 2004, which means that the minimum pay for each year of service shall be equivalent to six weeks for each year of service to the maximum of two years’ pay in benefits,” the task force recommended in its interim report.

According to the report, workers’ representation by the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) and People’s

GPL in countrywide audit

THE Guyana Power and Light Inc. says its countrywide audit exercise is continuing within the zones of Stabroek Market to Louisa Road; Croal Street to Sussex Street; East of Louisa Road to Vlissingen Road and Croal Street to Sussex Street.

In a release, the GPL said that the audit exercise is geared towards ensuring the accuracy of its computerised database. “This exercise requires our surveyors to be granted access to the customer’s premises to verify meter information, and also to verify the customer’s account information to update our information system.”

The audit exercise will be per-

formed from Sunday to Sunday between 07:30 hrs and 17:00 hrs, and all authorised GPL personnel associated with the audit will wear identification cards at all times. Additionally, if customers require verification of activities in their community, they can contact GPL on 226-2600 Ext 1520, the release added.

The surveyors associated with the project were identified as: Wilfred Hope, Errol Higgins, Tiffany Mc Donald, Kendacy Fortune, Paul Alleyne, Khamesh Ramlakhan, Leon Adams, Christopher Anthony, Oneil Dalhouse, Lynnesha Rigby, Devona Mc Pherson and Tandica Mc Garrell.

United and General Workers Union (PU&GWU) at BCGI and Oldendorff Carriers, respectively, has been fraught with challenges. As such, a recommendation has been made for Compulsory Arbitration in

keeping with the Labour Act. Minister Trotman, while not acknowledging that he is in receipt of the interim report, told this newspaper last week, that a report would be submitted

to Cabinet soon.

RUSAL BCGI has indicated to its managers that mining and shipping of bauxite at its Region 10 location would come to a halt from October 1, 2018.

16

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Kwakwanians have their say fall was bad management by those in authority. You have to plan for the community with the community; you have to consult with the residents and work as though you have the best interest of the community at heart, and prioritise on things that will bring development.

“You have to look at the roads; the hospital needs ma-

–about community affairs since last LGEs and expertise amongst the Councillors to make a complete turnaround for Kwakwani.

“Right now we can say our roads are in excellent shape compared to times past, and they are able to do some amount of work with the barge that is bringing in money. But to say there was a complete turnaround: No, I don’t think so!”

THREE years ago, residents of the community of Kwakwani elected a new Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) to manage their affairs.

Now as the lifespan of that Council is about to come to an end, residents shared their views on whether they believe Local Government Elections (LGEs) and the new Council would have done then any good and impacted the community positively.

The following is what some had to say on the subject: CHARLES DEQUOY: “I believe that the NDC was not able to do much because of the lack of finance

DWAYNE MARSHALL: “I have been living in Kwakwani for about 15 years, and I have not seen no real improvement since the last LGEs. The Council came up

Dwayne Marshall

with ventures and ideas, but they were not able to execute them because there is a whole breakdown of unity and politics that is playing a major role in stymieing progress; these on this side might not be getting support from those on the opposite side because of their political affiliation.

“I try to advocate for the residents to engage in selfhelp work in cleaning up the community, cleaning the drains and so forth, and this can bring us together and help put aside our political differences. “Sporting can bring any family together as well, so I would also encourage the youths to get involved in sports.”

ORVIL AUGUST: “Since the last LGEs, I think we would have benefitted greatly, and the Council would have done a lot.

“We were able to acquire a subvention to get money for development; we were also given the barge where we were able to acquire a percentage of the revenue to assist financially as well.

“The Council would have cleared overhanging trees, cleaned drains, repaired the roads and installed street

Orvil August

lights.

“Since the LGEs, we would have also had several ministerial visits which enabled us to network and build capacity as a community; we would have gotten a tractor for garbage collection from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, and that is helping to keep a clean and healthy community. Residents were also able to acquire land titles from the Ministry of Community.”

VIVETTE BLAIR: “For the past three years, I have not seen any major thing happening in the community in terms of youth development and infrastructural development; I see they are now fighting up to fix the road.

“I believe that the down-

Kwakwani then and now ENCLOSED by the deep rugged vegetation, savannahs and the tranquil Upper Berbice River is the community of Kwakwani.

It’s a name birthed out of bauxite mining and its economy built from the bauxite company, Berbice Mining Company (BERMINE) in the early 1900s.

It is a small, quiet and peaceful community, where residents remain united, being a brother’s and sister’s keeper, especially during hard economic times.

Kwakwani is home to over 4750 residents who became offspring of bauxite workers, after the closure of the company in the early 2000s.

During the days of the bauxite company, life in Kwakwani was sweet. Money was circulating, and family heads lived without the anxiety of wondering how to provide for their wives and children. Cost-of-living was also low, and groceries and other necessities were affordable. The company also subsidised certain services in the town, and through the

construction of the Kwakwani Hospital, healthcare was also of a high standard.

The company also took in groceries to the community, and they were made available at what was called the Commissary, thereby enabling residents to purchase them at very affordable prices.

In the early 2000s when the company closed its doors, Kwakwani began to expand more as it was no longer managed by the company. There are now five constituencies, namely: Lamp Island, Kwakwani Water-front, Kwakwani Park, Jonestown and Rosemary Avenue.

CLEAN FUN CLOSURE Sports was also very After the closure of the popular back in the days, bauxite company, a handful and residents used this as a of residents began working means of coming together, with LINMINE, which was enjoying each other’s combased in Linden. Others pany through clean fun. The Long-time Kwakwani resident, Mr turned to logging, fishing only challenge back then Godfrey Hartman and hunting to supplement easy and there were so many was transportation, as it was their income, while yet not as readily available as it reasons to smile. “Things others journeyed to the gold were so better back then,” bushes in search of work and is today.

To get to Linden and the Mr Hartman recalled. “Mon- some became entrepreneurs. capital, residents used to have ey used to circulate because Today, employment is to jump on the community’s the company was here. We still an issue in Kwakwani, lone Land Rover. This was used to live better; look out but some opportunities have before the first minibus began for each other. If you are not opened up through the Reservicing the community back home, persons used to pick up gional Democratic Council your clothes. Everybody used (RDC) and Neighbourhood in 1982.

Godfrey Hartman, a veter- to live as brother and sister.” Democratic Council (NDC) Those were the days of offices, whereby 27 teachers an bauxite worker who served BERMINE for close to three the famous ‘National Co-op and 40 nurses work at the decades, described those days Bank’, which was later closed schools and hospital, and a as the best days of Kwak- down, following the closure small percentage of residents wani; a time when life was of BERMINE. are employed at RUSAL at

Saskia Conway

Vivette Blair

jor upgrading; we need a mortuary with freezer. The high school needs upgrading; recreational facilities for the youths. All these things need upgrading.”

SASKIA CONWAY: “It is not about speaking, but about action. Kwakwani is a

beautiful place that can be developed, but we need people who truly care about us and about development.

“The community is treated like it is not on the map.

It is not treated right; we are treated like we are on the back burners. “We have a very lucrative natural resource here, and it is being shipped out.

Kwakwani residents are suffering; the entrepreneurs are suffering.

“We need a bank up here so we can be able to save. Without money, there can be no development. For the Council to move forward, they have to first get a vision; everything has to do with a vision and wisdom, and Kwakwani will develop one day.”

–talking about the good ol’ days with Godfrey Hartman Aroaima and 62 are employed at Kwakwani Utilities Inc., (KUI).

Kwakwani has since seen some measure of development with the establishment of the Kwakwani Market, a gas station, three hotels, and a few restaurants, cook shops and bars. While there are limited recreational facilities, youths remain engaged in sports.

The Kwakwani basketball and football teams continue to make headlines for their many successes, but development however remains stagnated with limited circulation of funds.

There are no paved roads in Kwakwani, the hospital is in dire need of an upgrade, and the supply of water and electricity is not dependable.

FORGOTTEN COMMUNITY Residents believe that the community has been forgotten by relevant authorities, as the same issues that have been plaguing them years back continue to affect them presently. Saskia Conway said that of all the places she’s

lived in Guyana, Kwakwani is by far the most beautiful, and it’s for that reason that she returned.

She believes that development is possible, but it calls for the community leaders to have a vision and to work along with the community to have that vision materialise.

She says that in this modern day and age, Kwakwani is still without a commercial bank, a modern mortuary, paved roads and other modern facilities.

Nathelyn Dequoy noted that because of the challenges residents are facing, there are a plethora of social ills facing the youths, among them teenage pregnancy and delinquency.

Despite this, however, the crime rate in Kwakwani is relatively low. Petty larceny and violence rarely occur. The challenges have not forced the residents to forget their history of unity, and while politics has destroyed some of the love among them, according to one resident, “Kwakwani will always be the place of my heart.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Stabroek wharf vendors bemoan sloth in relocation

THE STABROEK Market wharf vendors are frustrated over the sloth in them being relocated to the Route 42 bus park as promised by the Mayor and City Council (MCC).

On Tuesday they told the Guyana Chronicle, that ever since they were told to move business has been slow. In August, the decision was made by the MCC to relocate vendors from the Stabroek Market Wharf to the Route 42 bus park. The vendors were given up to September 12, 2018 to leave the wharf area so as to facilitate the reconstruction of the wharf.

However, up to this date, most vendors still continue to occupy their stalls there.

At recent a meeting, the M&CC decided that vendors would construct their own stalls, an arrangement they agreed to on the basis that they would be given the permission to start construction of their own stalls. However, this week, the vendors complained that they have not heard from the Town Clerk, Royston King concerning their relocation to the designated area. The vendors explained that the relocation of the stalls has been an inconvenience for them, as they have been losing customers ever since the proposal of relocation.

Some said that they felt like “caged animals” as most of the Stabroek Market wharf’s entrances are blocked, as currently there is only one entrance to the

wharf.

One vendor complained that constables from the M&CC are blocking their customers from entering onto the wharf area, making it impossible for them to conduct business. “Dem ah cage up people like dem ah animal,” the male vendor complained.

He suggested that in the process of the reconstruction, that the wharf should be constructed in sections, considering that the relocation site cannot accommodate all of the stalls at once.

He added that some of the vendors should be removed from their stalls while they repair certain sections of the wharf.

However, there are other vendors who said that while they are in agreement with the relocation of the stalls to the Route 42 bus park, they feel that the other entrances leading to the wharf should be reopened to give them the opportunity to conduct their business, until they are ready to be relocated.

Adding to the frustrations over the sloth in their relocation, two vendors have concerns regarding the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with City Hall, which states that they understand the relocation is temporary and that they will eventually be required to dismantle stalls and return to the wharf once it has been repaired and is able to conduct business.

These vendors view the

The present state of the crumbling wharf.

MoU as unnecessary since they were told that the reconstruction of the wharf will take two years.

The vendors who are currently at the Stabroek Market wharf stressed the need for their businesses to continue, and as such is urging the MCC to respond to their concerns about the relocation of the stalls.

17

The relocation site for Stabroek Market wharf vendors (Delano Williams photos)

18

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Social activist Faith Nolan engages audience at UG

IN HONOUR of Indigenous Heritage Month the Institute of Gender Studies the University of Guyana (UG) on Monday afternoon hosted a programme to welcome social activist/singer/songwriter, Faith Nolan, of Mi’k Maq, Black and Irish Heritage at the Education Lecture Theatre.

Faith Nolan is a musician who empowers others to sing for justice, healing and fun. She is in Guyana for the first time, and her presence was well received on Monday night at the UG Campus after singing several songs.

The self-taught musician interfaced

with students and other invitees in a rather deep discussion, following a video clip of how indigenous people were ill-treated by the authority after their loved ones, young girls go missing and their search for them in Canada.

Some invitees, most of whom are indigenous, spoke of their experiences right here in Guyana and how they are looked down on because of their ethnicity. Faith Nolan is known worldwide for her musical workshops with women in prison, in schools with both teachers and students and in indige-

nous communities.

Through her music and work, Nolan the blues activist, challenges us to reflect on and critically analyse these issues in relation to Guyana’s diverse realities. Nolan will be in Guyana for two weeks and will visit the prisons as well as the juvenile centre to interact with inmates.

Other speakers included Director, Institute of Gender Studies, Dr. Pauline Bullen and Commissioner WGEC Vanda Radzik, who all had some insightful remarks on the work of Faith Nolan.

Faith Nolan performing for the audience on Monday night

In deep discussion: Activist Jean La Rose at the ELT (Delano Williams photos)

Local craft on display at the ELT to welcome Faith Nolan

Youth conference opens

YOUNG people from across the country will have an opportunity to raise their concerns and make recommendations for youth development, as the inaugural youth conference commences at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre today.

The main focus of the two-day conference will be to promote youth participation and inclusion in national issues, said Director of Youth Melissa Carmi-

Director of Youth Melissa Carmichael (Delano Williams photo)

chael in an invited comment during a youth reception, which gave the participants a chance to network.

“The issue we are addressing now is participation and inclusion…we have been on the ground and the complaint is that young people feel left out,” said Carmichael. She add-

ed that the Department of Youth conceptualised the youth conference with the idea of ensuring that young people share their thoughts and concerns.

Young people will be able to compare and contrast issues on the coastland and those in the hinterland regions. “They will be able

to talk about their culture and even discuss ways to resolve those matters in their regions,” said Carmichael.

After the discussions, the recommendations and suggestions for youth development will be drafted in a document and submitted to the Minister of Social

Cohesion, Dr. George Norton.

Some of the young people said they will use the opportunity to ensure that issues such as youth unemployment and equality are highlighted and addressed.

“We were looking for 300 young people and we got 500 applicants…we had

Minister of Social Cohesion Dr. George Norton (Delano Williams photo)

Some of the participants who were present at the reception on Tuesday evening (Delano Williams photo)

to cut the number down because we wanted a balance from each region,” said the director of youth.

Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton, welcomed the participation of young people from across the country, noting that the conference presents an opportunity for youths to represent their needs. He believes that the sharing of information will help the participants to appreciate the lives of each other.

19

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Action will be taken on Lindo Creek CoI recommendations THE report from the Lindo Creek Commission of Inquiry (CoI) has not yet come up for discussion at the level of Cabinet, according to Minister of State Joseph Harmon.

“Cabinet has not reviewed it as yet,” the minister of state said, while fielding questions from reporters during a press conference at the Ministry of the Presidency on Monday.

Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry, Justice (Ret’d) Justice Trotman, handed over the report to President David Granger last August following a six-month investigation into the killing of eight miners at Lindo Creek in the Upper Berbice River, Region 10, back in June 2008.

Though the report has not been made public, Justice Trotman in a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle, disclosed contents of the report, its findings and recommendations.

“Cabinet has not deliberated on it, but from what I read in the newspapers, there are some very clear recommendations which the Commission of Inquiry has made, and I think for the particular entities for which these recommendations are addressed it is anticipated that some action would be taken,” Minister Harmon said.

Justice (Ret’d) Trotman, in his report,

recommended that 11 public officials be sanctioned at the level of the National Assembly over their failure to perform their duties “before and after” the killing of eight miners in 2008.

According to the findings contained in the report pertaining to the Lindo Creek Commission of Inquiry (CoI) – A nation’s search for truth and justice, the state officials at the time, while functioning in their official capacities, neglected to perform their duties “before and after” the murder of the miners. Those persons include: former president and opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo; then Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee; former Guyana Defence Force Chief of Staff, Gary Best; former Commissioner of Police, the late Henry Greene; and the then Police Crime Chief, Seelall Persaud, who is now the former commissioner of police (ag).

The then director of public prosecutions; the deputy crime chief; head of the office of professional responsibility; head of the Police Major Crimes Unit; police commander, E & F Division; and Divisional Detective Inspector, E & F Division, were also listed among the 11.

The commission has also recommended that the criminal investigation of the mass murder be reopened. Based on geographical and technical evidence provided by

surveyors, evidence offered by civilians -including Leonard Arokium -- and the visit to the crime scene by the commission, Justice (Ret’d) Trotman concluded that it was not reasonably possible for the the Rondell ‘Fineman’ Rawlins’ criminal gang to have moved from Christmas Falls, where they had engaged in a shootout with the police on June 6, 2008, to Lindo Creek in a matter of hours or days while being hunted by the Joint Services. The evidence suggests that the miners were killed between June 7, 2008

and June 21, 2008.

He said evidence, however, suggests that the Joint Services may have done the killings. “We wouldn’t say that there is validity to the claim, but we would say that there are strong reasons to support the view held by many that they [the miners] were killed by ranks of the Joint Services,” Justice (Ret’d) Trotman told this newspaper. Recommendations were also made for the families of the deceased to be counselled and compensated financially.

20

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

21

22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

23

24

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

25

26

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

CAL, Petra partner for KFC goodwill games CARIBBEAN Airlines (CAL) yesterday joined forces with the Petra Organisation for its KFC goodwill four-team football tournament later this year.

During a ceremony yesterday, at the Brandsville Hotel in Georgetown, the company handed over its contribution to the Petra Organisation co-director Troy Mendonca.

“We at Petra are pleased to have Caribbean Airlines on board to assist in transporting the Shiva Boys’ Hindu College,” Mendonca told the media.

Shiva Boys’ Hindu College, out of Trinidad and Tobago will take on Annai and two Guyanese teams in December here in three match days as part of an exchange programme organised by the Petra Organisation.

Meanwhile, Caribbean Airlines executive Dion Innis contended that they are happy to be on board with an event of that nature.

“I think when we were approached initially the decision was an easy one,” Innis said, adding that they offered concessionary rates for the footballers coming here.

He threw out a challenge to the organisers, saying that the follow-up tournament should include schools from other Caribbean territories including Jamaica and Barbados.

Teams arrive on the 13th of December with the first match billed for the 15th. The second is set for the 18th and the final match on the 22nd.

Apart from the Trinidad-based unit, Annai is the other Guyanese team selected thus far, with the remaining two sides to be selected from the upcoming GUYOIL schools football league.

Rutherford among Windies players for Sharjah tournament DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (CMC) – Exciting batting prospect Sherfane Rutherford is one of several West Indies players snapped up in the players draft for the second edition of the innovative T10 League here Monday night.

The 20-year-old attracted global attention during the Global T20 Canada last July when he blasted an unbeaten 134 off just 66 balls to put West Indies B into the final of the tournament in Toronto.

Rutherford also impressed more recently with a series of cameo outings for his native Guyana Amazon Warriors which also helped propel them into the final of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

The left-hander will turn out for Bengal Tigers and will play alongside Trinidadians Kevon Cooper and Rayad Emrit.

Meanwhile, superstar Chris Gayle will headline the Caribbean contingent in the November 23 to December 2 tournament at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

The 39-year-old lefthander, who has the record for the most runs in the Twenty20 format, has been drafted by defending champions Kerala Kings.

Northern Warriors, which will be led by twotime T20 World Cup-winning captain Darren Sammy, will feature a host of Windies stars including Rovman Powell, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith and Nicholas Pooran along

with the lesser well known pair of Khary Pierre and Kennar Lewis.

Pierre, a 27-year-old left-arm spinner, also shone in the Global T20 Canada for West Indies B and also starred for CPL champions Trinbago Knight Riders, taking 11 wickets in seven matches.

Sammy said he was pleased with the look of his side, especially with the inclusion of key players from the Caribbean.

“I’m quite happy with the selection we’ve got,” the veteran all-rounder said, following the draft.

“People might say there’s a bias to the West Indian guys but when you look at the positions and the composition of the team there’s always a West Indian player that comes up too match the situation – so pretty happy.”

Rajputs will feature West Indies T20 skipper Carlos Brathwaite, Pakhtoons have signed Andre Fletcher while Karachians picked up Barbados fast bowler Jofra Archer, who campaigns in England for English county Sussex.

Last year’s losing finalists, Punjabi Legends, will have Barbados-born England star Chris Jordan in their ranks.

The preliminary phase will be contested in two groups with Group A comprising Kerala Kings, Karachians, Pakhtoons and Rajputs and Group B featuring Punjabi Legends, Bengal Tigers, Maratha Arabians, Northern Warriors.

27

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

NOC secure South Essequibo Invitational T20 title NEW Opportunity Corps (NOC) secured an emphatic 91-run win against Reliance Hustlers to claim the South Essequibo Invitational T20 title.

with 37 (4x4) while David Williams gathered 30 (3x4) and 22 each from Romario Mahabir and former national Under-19 player, Tevin Imlach.

leg-spinner Akenie Adams bowled superbly and was awarded with excellent figures of 4-19 from his 4 overs to demolish the opposition.

During the presentation

Victorious NOC team celebrate with their supporters.

Playing in front of a fairsize crowd last Sunday at the Imam Bacchus ground in Affiance, NOC won the toss and batted.

Solid partnerships by several of the batsmen who got starts contributed to the innings’ total of 159-7 from the allotted 20 overs - Orlando Jailall eventually top-scored

Off-Spinner Ramesh Narine claimed 2-24 from 4 overs to be his side’s best bowler. In reply, Reliance Hustlers never showed any resistance and eventually perished for 68 in the 17th over for a heavy defeat.

Only Ramesh Narine with 24 and Trevis Simon’s 15 delayed the inevitable. Left-arm

ceremony, the NOC received the winners’ trophy and $70 000 while Reliance had to settle for $30 000 and a trophy as well. Akenie Adams claimed both the man-of-thematch and the bowler taking the most wickets in the finals prizes.

The best batsman prize went to Orlando Jailall as

Starc ready to carry burden of lone paceman against Pakistan DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (Reuters) - Mitchell Starc is ready to step up and do the heavy lifting as Australia’s sole specialist pace bowler should the tourists opt for a three-pronged spin attack in next month’s twoTest series against Pakistan.

tralia selected three specialist spinners for the first time in 40 years and the 28-year-old Starc is poised to emulate his fellow quick against Pakistan.

“I haven’t had to do that before,” Starc told cricket. com.au yesterday.

Mitchell Starc

Using a trio of slow bowlers in the United Arab Emirates remains a strong possibility for the Australians as they explore means to capture 20 wickets in the absence of injured pace duo Josh Hazelwood and Pat Cummins.

Cummins played the lone paceman role in Bangladesh last year when Aus-

“If I need to bowl long spells and be the only out-andout quick, then I can definitely fill that role. We’ve got guys like (all-rounder) Mitch Marsh who’s back bowling now. I’m sure he’ll be a big part of the team with bat and ball. “ We ’ v e g o t o t h e r part-timers to call on if needs be. If conditions suit

spin and they go down the road of the extra spinners, I can change my role slightly again.”

Starc, who tested a new run-up to prevent further injuries but retained his old one as he was losing pace, went wicket-less in his first Test in the region but has been Australia’s most successful bowler in South Asia since that 2013 match in India.

The left-arm paceman took 24 wickets on the 2016 tour of Sri Lanka, the biggest haul by an Australian in a three-Test series, and will look to replicate that form in Dublin, which hosts the first Test from October 7, and Abu Dhabi 11 days later.

“It’s something I’ll probably look at and try to take little things out of to take into this series on the subcontinent with where and how I bowled - the lengths and some reverse swing,” Starc added.

“In the UAE we’ll use the Kookaburra ball like we did in Sri Lanka - hopefully we can get it moving around and I can get a few wickets and help the team out.”

both players received trophies for their accomplishments. The monetary prizes were donated by the South Essequibo Cricket Committee while Imam Bacchus and Sons Limited donated trophies to the outstanding performers.

Officials, including organiser Ramnarine Ragoobar, were on hand to deliver brief remarks and make presentations to the teams.

The tournament will now become an annual feature according to the official as he expressed thanks to the 32 teams who played in the competition spanning teams from the Essequibo Coast.

Meanwhile, the Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB) has released the

fixtures for the commencement of the Inter-Committee Under-19 T20 knockout tournament which will begin this Saturday, at the various venues and continue the next day Sunday.

Leguan will play East Bank at the Number 1 ground from 09:30hrs in match 1 while Wakenaam will come up against South Essequibo in match 2 at the Reliance ground from 09:30hrs as well. In match 3 a President’s X1, featuring players from Bartica and Pomeroon Cricket Committee will battle against Central Essequibo at the Imam Bacchus ground from 09:30hrs.

North Essequibo drew the bye to the next round.

During the same day from 13.00hrs in match 4, North Essequibo will play the winner of match 1 at the Number 1 ground while in match 5, the winner of match 2 will play the winner of match 3 at the Imam Bacchus ground.

The final will then be contested on Sunday, between the winner of match 4 and 5 at the Imam Bacchus ground from 10:00hrs The ECB in a release is appealing to the public to witness the future stars of the game to provide their unequivocal support.

Entrance to the matches is free. The winners will be provided with trophies, compliments of the ECB. (Elroy Stephney)

28

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

BCB/Sueria Manufactuirng Magic Moments 20/20 Tournament

Rose Hall Town Bakewell crush Fyrish Cricket Club to win historic final … BCB completes seven tournaments for 2018

RESIDENTS of Fyrish and surrounding villages came out in their numbers last Sunday as the quiet village hosted its first-ever Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) final.

The entire ground was packed to capacity despite the fact that the visiting Rose Hall Town Bakewell team easily defeated the home team Fyrish Cricket Club by 95 runs.

That final was the third zone final to be organised by the BCB, following Upper Corentyne and New Amsterdam/Canje. The tournament was sponsored by Sueria Manufacturing Inc under its popular Magic Moments brand.

Fyrish Cricket Club won the toss and to the surprise of Rose Hall Town Bakewell team, elected to field first.

Rose Hall Town Bakewell’s opening pair of Kevin and Junior Sinclair, started like a house on fire as they tore into the Fyrish bowling attack.

The pair added 50 runs in just 4.3 overs while the 100 came up in the 9th over.

National Under-19 player Kevin Sinclair was first to be dismissed, bowled by Yogindra Chinapen for 60 off 27 balls, with the scores at 104 in the tenth over.

Fellow National player Junior Sinclair was then runout for 40 after he and Surendra Kissoonlall found themselves in the same crease.

struck five sweetly-timed boundaries and two huge sixes to support Anderson, after he struggled to get the ball off the square early in his innings.

Needing to score 219 from 20 overs to clinch the Lower Corentyne leg in front of their adoring home fans, Fyrish raced to 34 without loss in 3 overs before medium pacer Kevlon Anderson bowled Yogindra Chinapen (14) then had fellow opener Younghan Gurdayal (8) caught by Mahendra Gopilall to leave Fyrish at 40 for 2.

Former National youth player Javed Mohamed then tore into off-spinner Kevin Sinclair, as he took 21 runs from the 8th over and together with Aushramanie Shrikissoon added 40 for the 3rd wicket in just 3.2 overs before they both fell to leave Fyrish in trouble.

experience of being in a final as an inspiration to greater heights.

The Lower Corentyne Magic Moments Final was the seventh hosted by the BCB in one month as it strives to successfully complete 22 tournaments at all levels by the December 31, 2018.

Foster also hailed the support of Mr Frank Sanichara, CEO of Sueria Manufacturing Inc. The Magic Moments 20/20 tournament includes zone finals in Upper Corentyne, West Berbice, New Amsterdam/ Canje and Lower Corentyne.

To date, No. 48 Challengers have won the Upper

Corentyne title, Young Warriors Cricket Club defeated Rose Hall Canje to clinch the New Amsterdam/Canje league, while the final of the West Berbice Zone would be played shortly. The winning team, runners-up and manof-the-final Kevlon Anderson received cash prizes and trophies from the BCB. The vibrant Berbice Board will next host the final of the 2018 Elizabeth Styles Under-21 tournament this Saturday September 29 2018 at the historic Port Mourant Cricket ground.

Arch rivals Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets will play Blairmont Community Centre in the Under-21 final.

Captain of RHT Bakewell collects trophy and cash from Ganga Persaud.

Promising National junior player Kevlon Anderson and Kissoonlall then batted well to add 100 in 8 overs. Anderson struck a polished 57 with eight boundaries and three huge sixes.

The elegant Kissoonlall

Keith Simpson 5 not out and Jonathan Rampersaud 2 not out were at the crease when the overs expired as Rose Hall Town Bakewell ended on 218 for four. Avenash Rengasmi 3 for 41 and Yogindra Chinapen were the successful bowlers for Fyrish.

Rose Hall Town Bakewell team pose with officials of the BCB and Sueria Manufacturing.

Mohamed was caught at deep cover by Mahendra Gopilall, trying to hit Sinclair for another six while Shrikissoon was caught off Junior Sinclair for 28.

No other Fyrish batsman reached double figures as Kevlon Anderson 2 for 30, Sylus Tyndall 2 for 31, Junior Sinclair 3 for 10 and Keith Simpson 2 for 8 bowled well on the small ground. Fyrish Cricket Club were dismissed for 123 in the 17th over.

An emotional BCB president Hilbert Foster hailed Fyrish Village and the Cricket Club for being wonderful hosts and committed the BCB to organising finals at non-traditional venues across Berbice in an effort to promote cricket.

He urged the defeated finalists to be proud of themselves and to use the

American racing Tips Belmont Race 1 Might Be Race 2 Hit A Provisional Race 3 Awsum Roar Race 4 Golden Vale Race 5 Mohican Race 6 Imperatore Race 7 Coltandmississippi Race 8 Southern Gal Race 9 Gravitating South Africa Racing Tips Greyville 08:35 hrs Silver Prancer 09:10 hrs Q The Music 09:50 hrs Roy’s Pony 10:25 hrs Captain’s Girl 11:00 hrs Marshall That English Racing Tips Goodwood 09:00 hrs Pablo O Escobarr 09:30 hrs London Protocol 10:05 hrs Iconic Knight

10:35 hrs Gabr 11:10 hrs What A Home 11:40 hrs Master Carpenter 12:10 hrs Captain Lars Perth 09:10 hrs Ghost Serge 09:40 hrs Make My Heart Fly 10:15 hrs Ontopoftheworld 10:45 hrs Jaunty Thor 11:20 hrs Double Ross 11:50 hrs Rolling Maul 12:20 hrs Miro Redcar 09:20 hrs On Route 09:50 hrs Glorious Dane 10:25 hrs Tilmeeth 10:55 hrs Chatham House 11:30 hrs Withernsea 12:00 hrs Hop Maddocks 12:30 hrs Victory Chime 13:00 hrs Someone Exciting

29

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Man United crash out of League District 10 Schools Inter-House track events continue this week Cup to Derby on penalties

By Simon Evans MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - Manchester United slumped out of the League Cup with a defeat on penalties to Championship side Derby County at Old Trafford, after the third-round tie ended 2-2 in normal time yesterday.

With no extra time in this season’s competition, the contest went straight to spot kicks and Frank Lampard’s Derby won 8-7 with Phil Jones’s effort saved by visiting keeper Scott Carson.

Derby had been moments away from winning 2-1 in normal time after United keeper Sergio Romero was sent off in the 67th minute but Marouane Fellaini got a stoppage-time equaliser.

United’s rivals and League Cup holders Manchester City had no such trouble as they won 3-0 at Oxford United but top flight Burnley went down 2-1 at third-tier Burton Albion.

Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United side had taken the lead against Derby in the third minute with a wellplaced shot from Juan Mata after Anthony Martial had burst down the left flank.

Derby drew level though in spectacular fashion after 59 minutes with a brilliant bending free-kick from Harry Wilson, the young Welsh winger on loan from Liverpool.

Eight minutes later, Romero was dismissed for handling outside the box and Derby grabbed what they thought was the winner when United’s substitute keeper Lee Grant parried a shot from Mason Mount and

Jack Marriott nodded in the loose ball.

But in the fifth minute of added time, substitute Fellaini headed in a Diogo Dalot cross to force the shootout.

side’s Liam Boyce and Jamie Allen cancelled out a firsthalf strike from Burnley’s Kevin Long, and made sure Burton reached the fourth round for the first time.

Bromwich Albion.

Bournemouth let a twogoal lead slip at home to Blackburn Rovers before Callum Wilson rescued a 3-2 win in stoppage time.

THE District 10 (Upper Demerara/Kwakwani) school sports will go into full swing this week with the various track events being staged in earnest, following the start which began last Thursday at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground.

Today from 09.00hrs the Mackenzie High School (MHS) inter-house championship will take place at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground, while tomorrow the Bayrock ground will be the venue with St Aidan’s Primary School staging their inter-house competition.

On Friday the Linden Foundation Secondary School will stage their inter-house sports at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground.

Last Thursday the New Silvercity Secondary jump-started the sports for this season with their track events. A number of outstanding performances were recorded by individual athletes at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground.

Those who performed outstandingly were in the Under-12 category - Timothy McPherson for the Boys and Rayana Stellingburg among the Girls as they won the 100, 200, 400 and 800 metres races. Also winning their 100, 200, 400 and 800 metres events to be most outstanding in the Under-14 category were for Boys Shemroy Bagot and for Girls, Tanacia Richards.

In the Under-16 category the top performers were for Boys, Tevin Davis, who won the 200, 400 and 800 metres races as did Oshana Peters for the Girls.

The Champion athlete in the Under-18 category was Adel Wallace who captured wins in the 100, 200, 400 and 800 metres races. (Joe Chapman)

Cricket chiefs vigilant over Twenty20 corruption risks Manchester United’s Phil Jones has a penalty saved by Derby County’s Scott Carson during the shootout. (Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers)

BURNLEY STUNNED Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus was one of several big names in their lineup and scored after 36 minutes with a header before Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden wrapped up proceedings late on.

Burnley picked up their first league win of the season at the weekend but came crashing to earth at League One Burton.

Goals from the home

They were joined by fellow third-tier side Blackpool who piled misery on second-tier Queens Park Rangers with a 2-0 win.

Fulham’s Cyrus C h r i s t i e s c o re d w i t h a stunning long-range strike as they ran out 3-1 winners at Millwall, while Andros Townsend grabbed two goals for Crystal Palace as they triumphed 3-0 at former Premier League side West

Gareth Ainsworth’s Wycombe Wanderers almost fought back from 4-1 down following a Jordan Rhodes hat-trick for visitors Norwich City but despite their valiant efforts they lost 4-3.

Middlesbrough won a shootout 4-3 at Preston North End after the game finished 2-2, while Leicester City beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1 on penalties after a 0-0 Midlands derby draw.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) - Cricket’s governing body admitted the popularity of Twenty20 cricket has increased the risks of corruption in the game, but insisted extra vigilance was in place to monitor them.

Ever since the Twenty20 was introduced in February 2005 the shortest version of the game has overtaken traditional five-day Tests and limited overs one-day internationals in popularity.

Cummins named in Pride Super50 squad BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Test pacer Miguel Cummins has been named in a Barbados Pride squad for next month’s Regional Super50.

The 28-year-old has represented West Indies over the last year but was recently dropped for the Test tour of India which bowls off next week in Rajkot.

Cummins has played 13 Tests and 11 One-Day Internationals since making his Windies debut four years ago.

He is one of four players with West Indies experience in the 14-man squad, along with left-hander Jonathan Carter, off-spinner Ashley

Nurse and left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn also included.

The squad will be led

by West Indies A skipper Shamarh Brooks and includes uncapped 21-year-old batsman Leniko Boucher.

Pride are missing the core of their first choice squad

with the likes of Jason Holder, Kraigg Brathwaite, Roston Chase, Shai Hope, Shane Dowrich and Kemar Roach all on tour with West Indies.

Pride, last season’s losing finalists, will contest Group B of the preliminary phase and open their cam-

Test pacer Miguel Cummins

paign against Leeward Islands Hurricanes next week Thursday at Kensington Oval.

Group B also features Jamaica Scorpions, Combined Campuses and Colleges and United States.

The tournament runs from October 3 to 28 and will see Group A being hosted in Trinidad and Tobago.

SQUAD – Shamarh Brooks (captain), Sulieman Benn, Leniko Boucher, Jonathan Carter, Miguel Cummins, Dominic Drakes, Justin Greaves, Keon Harding, Marquino Mindley, Shayne Moseley, Ashley Nurse, Shamar Springer, Kevin Stoute, Tevyn Walcott.

ICC chief executive Dave Richardson

Besides the six editions of the World Twenty20, most of the member countries have their own Twenty20 leagues with the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL), which began in 2008, the most high-profile version.

The IPL was hit by a spot-fixing scandal in 2013 which resulted in two-year bans on two of its franchise teams.

The Pakistan Super League and Bangladesh League were also rocked by fixing scandals which ended in bans on several players.

The bottom line is that the The International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive David Richardson said his body was ready to do extra work.

“I am sure that a lot of bookmakers like Twenty20

cricket but I don’t think it’s correct to say that increasing the number of Twenty20 matches will increase the risk,” said Richardson at a media briefing.

Twenty20 matches have increased the number of fans, have attracted new fans and with more people following the game there is a bigger risk that there could be efforts to corrupt those matches.

“So there is an indirect relationship between the Twenty20 matches and the increased risk. Our priority is to increase the fans so if we have to work harder, we are ready for that.”

Alex Marshall, the general manager of ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU), admitted bookmakers target the Twenty20 and other leagues like the T10, a league with ten-overa-side matches which started last year.

“My point was not that the Tweny20 attracts corrupters but the explosion of the Twenty20 events, including some private events and some are designed for the whole purpose of corruption, presented a new opportunity to the corrupts,” said Marshall, a former London police officer. “They (bookmakers) do think it’s a new format and they might be able to affect a small part of it for a yield from corrupt illegal bookmaking.”

Marshall said the ACU’s objective is to make Twenty20 leagues transparent.

“The expansion is bringing more countries, more players, more fans and it’s a brilliant development so we have to make them resistant to corrupt people and that responsibility also sits with the people who organise such events to make sure that all the right anti-corruption measures are in place.”

30

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

GCB/GCI Jaguars 50-over League continues today

Reigning champions Windward Islands Volcanoes

… Georgetown, Essequibo Franchise have played unbeaten so far

Windward Islands Volcanoes to open Super50 title defence against Red Force BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Reigning champions Windward Islands Volcanoes will contest Group A of the Regional Super50 which bowls off next week Thursday in Trinidad and Tobago.

The tournament itinerary, released yesterday by the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA), will see Group A played in T&T while Group B will be staged in Barbados.

Group A will also feature Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, Canada, West Indies B and Guyana Jaguars while Group B comprises Barbados Pride, Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Jamaica Scorpions, Combined Campuses and Colleges and United States.

The tournament runs from October 3 to 28.

Volcanoes, who stunned Barbados Pride in last season’s final, will open the defence of their title with a difficult fixture against multiple-time champions Red Force at Queen’s Park

Oval.

Canada and Windies B will form the undercard in another day/night contest at the Brian Lara Stadium on the opening day.

The following day in Barbados, Group B will get underway with a clash between Scorpions and CCC in a 09:00hrs start at 3Ws Oval.

Pride, last season’s losing finalists, will then take on Hurricanes in the feature match at 14:00hrs at the historic Kensington Oval.

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals which will be played at Kensington Oval on October 25 and 26, with the final carded for October 28.

Last February, Volcanoes captured their fourth domestic 50-overs title when they defeated a full-strength Pride in the final of the tournament at Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.

Chadee to call President’s Cup horse race meet on Sunday NiICHOLAS Chadee, one of the Caribbean’s leading commentators in the sport of horse racing, will be heading to Guyana to ‘call’ the seven-race President’s Cup card, which will be run off at the Rising Sun Turf Club, Berbice, on Sunday (September 30) compliments of the Caribbean Nations Group.

It will be the second time the Trinidadian will be in Guyana to give commentary to horse racing, with his first being at the Guyana Cup in August.

Sponsored by Top Brandz under its Bud Light, Corona and Budweiser brands, the meet will see over $10M in cash prizes up for grabs in seven races and it is being hosted under the theme: ‘Green State Challenge’.

The feature race will be open to all Guyana-bred horses over the distance of five and half furlongs for the top prize of $1M, while second place will receive $500 000, third place $250 000 and fourth $125 000.

Steven Cheefoon; vice-president of the Carib-

bean Nations Group, said the event is “to have Guyana-bred horses run for big money too,” while positing that the meet is expected to be well received since, “horse racing is the backbone of sport in West Coast Berbice”.

out for will be Storm Born; a seasoned sprinter who will be making her debut over the longer, eight-furlong race.

The E Class and Lower event will attract a top purse of $500 000, while the J3 and Lower will see the winner sprinting away

with $350 000, the L Class Open $300 000, L Class Maiden $250 000, two-year Guyana-bred Maiden $200 000 and the L Non-Earners in 2018, $50 000.

All races will be run under the Rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA).

Ricardo Adams has been a key weapon in his team’s armory this tournament.

THE 2018 GCB/CGI Jaguars 50-over League continues today with sixth-round matches to be played at Port Mourant ground, East Berbice, Corentyne, Bush Lot on the West Coast of Berbice, Everest and at Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) in the city.

The games are scheduled to commence at 09:30hrs.

Last year winners Georgetown, have so far been dominant with three wins in as many games played. They sit firmly on top of the table with last year tournament runners-up Essequibo who also have three wins.

On Monday, Georgetown defeated West Demerara by 34 runs with Christopher Barnwell (84) and captain Leon Johnson (76) scoring half-centu-

ries. Johnson with two not-outs has piled up scores of 70*, 83* and 76 totalling 229 runs at this stage of the competition.

Essequibo got past Upper Corentyne by 123 runs, Lower Corentyne edged East Coast by 2 runs while West Berbice held their nerve to defeat East Bank by 2 runs.

Kemol Savory (101) and Trevon Griffith (111) have been the centurions to date.

In today’s action East Coast play West Berbice at Bush Lot ground, tournament leaders Georgetown and Essequibo will do battle at the GCC ground, Bourda. Lower Corentyne will take on East Bank at Everest ground while West Demerara come up against Upper Corentyne at the Port Mourant ground.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Wednesday September 26, 2018)

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

Nicholas Chadee

Gates will be open from 10:00hrs. The first race will start at 13:00hrs. There will be attractions to keep the entire family entertained, with the inclusion of a Kids’ Corner along with live music.

Cheefoon stated that a key thoroughbred to look

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) Malcolm Marshall-76 wickets (17 Tests) (2) Kapil Dev-89 wickets (25 Tests) (1) (2) ‘Isn’t She Charming’ gets ready for Sunday’s President’s Cup horse race event at the Rising Sun Turf Club.

Today’s Quiz: What is the highest individual score by a WI player against India in Tests?

What is the highest individual score by anIndian player against the WI in Tests?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

31

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 26, 2018

CWI seeking ‘seamless transition’ from Law tenure: Cameron KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) – Cricket West Indies president Dave Cameron says he is hoping for a “seamless transition” following the shock resignation of head coach Stuart Law. The Australian said Monday he would leave the post at year end, following tours of India and Bangladesh in the coming months, to take up the head coach position with English County Middlesex starting next January.

He said the decision to quit was based on his desire to be closer to his family in England.

With only eight months left before the ICC World Cup in England, Cameron said it was important to minimise the disruption.

“We are disappointed to see him go but we understand the situation with his family, as where he is at, and at least he had the decency to give us enough notice and so hopefully we will be able to get a comparable coach to step in,” the Jamaican said.

“We have a couple of more months with him, so hopefully, we will get somebody in the interim to understudy him and try and have a seamless transition.”

Law joined CWI in February last year, replacing former West Indies batsman Phil Simmons who had been sacked in September 2016, just five months after guiding the regional side to the capture of the Twenty20 World Cup in India.

Stuart Law

Guyana’s male, female teams cop silver at senior table tennis championships GUYANA’S senior national male and female table tennis teams had to settle for silver at the 60th Caribbean championships in Jamaica after going all the way to the finals.

with a win against the reigning Caribbean champion Samuel Galvez. Britton won the five-set thriller 6-11, 11-7, 9-11, 12-10, 11-5.

In the semi-final against Barbados, they

Shemar Britton

The men’s team topped their group and faced powerhouse Dominican Republic, who took the title.

Shemar Britton got some respite for the team

had to claw their way from behind after going 0-2 down. Both Christopher Franklin and Britton lost in identical fashion (1-3) to Tyrese Knight and

However, the 49-year-old has had only modest success so far. He has won just two of six Test series – against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh – and has failed to oversee a single series win in eight One-Day International tours while winning just four of 26 matches.

One of his major achievements was guiding West Indies safely through the ICC Qualifiers in Zimbabwe last March to see them clinch their spot in the World Cup. Cameron praised Law’s impact on the development of the game in the region and underscored the need to ensure this continued with the next head coach.

“He has brought a lot to Windies cricket but we have

Mark Dowell respectively.

Joel Alleyne sparked the come-from-behind, defeating Marcus Smith in straight sets (11-5, 11-6, 11-5) after which Britton followed up with a victory over Knight while Franklin disposed of Dowell in straight sets.

The ladies had finished second in their group to earn a spot in the final four. Playing Trinidad and Tobago in the semi-final, the trio of Trenace Lowe, Chelsea Edghill and Natalie Cummings were on song. They easily dispatched the Trinis 3-0.

However, they faced the toughest test in the Dominican Republic and they eventually conceded a 0-3 defeat.

Cummings produced the most fight by going five sets with Esmerlyn Castro, losing 11-6, 6-11, 11-8, 6-11, 8-11.

Immediate attention will now turn to the male and female doubles along with Mixed doubles. Britton and Priscilla Greaves will also be gunning for glory in the Under-21 singles.

now implemented a very intricate fitness culture, and that is also playing on our performances in the new PCL (Professional Cricket League), which was introduced four years ago,” Cameron said.

“We are now seeing more players coming and more opportunities so we do need guidance from a head coach prospective, but we are also producing more players and getting the talent pool competitive.”

West Indies face India in a full series of Test, ODIs and T20 Internationals starting next week before heading to Bangladesh in November for two Tests, three one-dayers and three T20s.

BK awarded contract for Phase 3 of Berbice synthetic track project A section of the already completed Leonora synthetic track

CONSTRUCTION company BK International Inc. has been awarded the $141.86M contract for works on Phase 3 of the synthetic track being erected at the Burnham Park in New Amsterdam, Berbice.

This third phase is expected to involve demarcation, land clearing, laying of drainage pipes, inner and outer track works and asphalting, and is scheduled to take some four months to complete.

When Phase 3 has

been completed only Phase 4 will remain, which entails the laying of the synthetic track and is estimated to take approximately 21 days.

Phases 1 and 2 for the project have already been completed, after being awarded to German company BSW Regupol since earlier this year.

Once completed this will be the first synthetic track in Berbice, and one of only three such facilities across Guyana. The country already has an estab-

lished synthetic track facility at the National Track and Field Centre in Leonora on the West Coast of Demerara, which was commissioned in April 2015.

Another synthetic track is also currently under construction at the Bayroc Community Centre ground in Wismar, Linden.

Construction on both the Berbice and Linden tracks began earlier this year. Both facilities will be outfitted with eight-lane, 400-metre tracks.

CAL, Petra partner for KFC goodwill games See Page 26

From left, Petra executive Mark Alleyne watches as Jacquiline Boodie collects the sponsorship from Caribbean Airlines’ Dion Innis. At the extreme right is Petra co-director Troy Mendonca. (Adrian Narine photo)

Rutherford among Windies players for Sharjah tournament

Indigenous Heritage Games 2018

Guyana Rush Saints dethrone Port Kaituma in close final, Paruima females retain title

See Page 26

A Port Kaituma player (grey) and a Guyana Rush Saints defender (blue) tussle for the ball in the final of the Indigenous Heritage Games football competition, which was eventually won by the Guyana Rush Saints of Region 9.

(Samuel Maughn photo)

Guyanese batsman Sherfane Rutherford is set to play in the T10 League in Sharjah.

FANS turned out in their thousands to witness the culmination of the Indigenous Heritage Games 2018 and were not disappointed, as the finals of the men’s and women’s football competitions came to a thrilling finish.

First the women’s final served up a six-goal thriller in normal and extra time which went down to a penalty shootout and heartbreak for first-time finalists Gladiators FC (Region 9).

However, the defending champions, Paruima, held

their nerve to prevail as all their penalty kicks found the back of the net while Gladiators missed thrice to spark jubilant celebrations among the defending champions.

For their successful defence of their title, Paruima took home $300 000.

Strikes from Merlyn Percy (44th), Stesha Robertson (71st) and Betsy Gonsalves in extra time accounted for Paruima’s goals while Sonia Griffith (21st) and a double from Vandette Henry in the 43rd minute and extra time ensured the Gladiators kept

Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

level with the eventual winners.

M eanw hile, G uyana Rush Saints needled last year’s winners of the male competition, Port Kaituma, to lift the winners’ trophy and claim a purse of $300 000.

Franklin Parks, who was part of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) historic Train and Play Camp in Brazil, netted the lone goal in the 29th minute for Region #9’s Guyana Rush Saints.

The two runners-up (male and female) each col-

lected $200 000 and a trophy.

Also successfully defending their respective titles were the Moruca Volley Ball Club, the Region One swimming team and St Cuthbert’s female cricket team.

The three days of activities which began at the Everest Cricket Club (ECC) ground saw the indigenous people of Guyana come together in their thousands from various Amerindian villages across the length and breadth of Guyana.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2018