Guyana Chronicle E-paper 09-29-2018

SATURDAY 29th September, 2018

No.105412

‘Not too late for ICJ’ PAGE

03

…Guyana tells world leaders Venezuela has time to defend claims at World Court

Stemming the flow of illicit arms 02

GPHC pulls off

‘dicey’ 09 … Guyana tells UN greater kidney PAGE

assistance needed for int’l transplant all four patients community –– reports recovering nicely

PAGE

AG to grill Ramotar on

Red 08 House lease PAGE

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge meets with UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, at the (UNGA 73) (UN Photo Rick Bajornas)

Stemming the flow of illicit arms

2

Cuban handed one-year jail sentence for escaping lawful custody SENIOR Magistrate, Leron Daly on Friday sentenced a Cuban man to one year imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to escaping from police custody.

Jose Mona confessed that on September 25, 2018, at New Market Street, Georgetown, while in police custody at the Georgetown Public

Jose Mona Hospital Corporation, he escaped.

Police Prosecutor, Sanj Singh, told the court that Mona was in custody for breaking and entering along with larceny. He was allegedly beaten by civilians and was taken to the GPHC to receive treatment for his injuries.

Singh told the court that Mona requested to use the washroom and was escorted by a police officer. The foreign national, while in the washroom, made good his escape through the window.

An alarm was raised and Mona was rearrested in the hospital compound.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 29, 2018

… Guyana tells UN greater assistance needed for int’l community

GREATER assistance from the international community can put a dent in the illicit trade of guns and ammunition plaguing small countries such as Guyana, Vice-President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge told the United Nations General Assembly on Friday.

Greenidge addressed the 73rd Session of the UNGA being held currently at the UN Headquarters, New York. In making his case before the world leaders during the general debate at the UN Headquarters, the Guyanese Vice-President said the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons and their associated ammunition poses one of the most serious threats to human security and sustainable development for Guyana and the wider Caribbean. Guyana has battled over the years with trafficking in small arms coming from across the borders. “International drug trafficking, transnational organised crime, unregulated cyber space, and the illicit trade in small arms

and light weapons divert resources that could otherwise be invested in other critical areas. “We believe that with effective international cooperation and assistance, small countries like Guyana can tackle this illicit trade and ultimately create safer communities, safer countries and regions, and a safer world,” he told the heads and ministers of governments from across the world.

Global governance and peace, he argued, are inextricably linked. Guyana, he said, is pleased with the efforts of UN Secretary-General António Guterres to collaborate closely with member states, in his quest to streamline the machinery of the UN, making it more fit for purpose.

“We fully support the reform of the peace and security pillar with its emphasis on preventive diplomacy. Peace is also inextricably linked to sustainable development.

In this regard, the United Nations disarmament agenda is a central tenet in our efforts to achieve a stable, secure and peaceful world order,” he stated. Guyana in demonstration of its commitment to this agenda signed and ratified the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Vice-President Greenidge also told the world leaders that Guyana is in full support of the steps being taken to reposition the United Nations development system in order to better align its functions with the goals outlined in the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

“We accept that repositioning is a shared responsibility and Guyana is committed to doing its part,” he assured the leaders, while pointing out that his homeland has fully embraced the holistic and people-centred approach to development,

as stated in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He further pointed out that the country is in the process of integrating the SDGs into its national development strategy, dubbed the Green State Development Strategy (GSDS).

“The GSDS seeks to ensure that development is not achieved at the expense of the environment and to wean Guyana away from its current near total dependence on non-renewable sources of energy. We are turning to renewable sources, such as hydroelectricity, wind, solar and biomass,” he explained.

Vice-President Greenidge said Guyana is unalterably committed to the principles of sustainable development and will continue to partner with the international community, to combat the impacts of climate change, including rising sea levels.

“For this reason, Guy-

Bus driver remanded for raping woman with disability CHIEF Magistrate, Ann McLennan, on Friday remanded a route 42 minibus driver to prison after he appeared before the court, charged for raping a 21-year-old woman whose hearing is impaired.

Sherwin Reynolds, 44 of Plaisance, East Coast Demerara, was not required to plead to the indictable charge which was read in camera.

The charge states that Reynolds, on April 19, 2018 at Timehri, East Bank Demerara, engaged in sexual penetration

Sherwin Reynolds

with the 21-year-old woman without her consent. He was remanded to prison until October 10.

According to reports, on the day in question, the woman was a passenger in the minibus which was driven

by Reynolds. After travelling from Georgetown to Timehri the woman did not exit the vehicle.

It is alleged that Reynolds drove his minibus to a location in Timehri where he raped the woman, who is unable to speak and took advantage of her.

After raping the woman, it is alleged that Reynold drove the woman to a nearby bus stop and left her.

The woman managed to tell her relatives who reported the matter to the police.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge ana’s strategy is to place emphasis on inclusive transformation, sustainable natural resources, energy transition, resilient infrastructure, human development and well-being, government and institutional foundations and international cooperation, trade and investment,” he explained.

In his deliberation, the vice-president recognised the contributions of women and girls to the country’s sustainable development.

He also expressed Guyana’s satisfaction at the successful conclusion this year of the intergovernmental negotiations of a Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. He noted that the provisions of the Compact are consistent with the 2030 Agenda and the commitments made in the New York Declaration for Refugees.

“It is our hope that this global framework will help to manage international migration flows in all their dimensions for the benefit of all states, sending and receiving, and of migrants themselves. Guyana looks forward to the successful adoption of the Global Compact in the intergovernmental conference to be held in December 2018 in Marrakesh, Morocco,” he said.

Foreign Minister Greenidge is attending the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, representing Guyana in the absence of President David Granger.

He is being accompanied by several Guyanese diplomats.

It’s not too late for ICJ

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 29, 2018

…Guyana tells world leaders Venezuela has time to defend claims at World Court

VICE President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge told world leaders on Friday that there is still time for Venezuela to participate at the level of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to resolve the age old Guyana/Venezuela Border Controversy.

“In March of this year, Guyana filed its application in the Court seeking an affirmation of the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award and the international boundary that it established. Unfortunately, notwithstanding its obligation to do so, Venezuela has thus far refused to participate in the proceedings. Guyana

sincerely hopes that it will change its mind. There is still time for it to do so,” Vice President Greenidge told the world leaders assembled at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York for the 73rd Regular Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 73).

As he addressed the General Debate, in the absence of the President David Granger, the vice president explained that the move by Guyana to file the application at the ICJ is in keeping with a decision of the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres to refer the border controversy to the ICJ. The decision of the Secretary-General, which is binding

on both parties, was handed down on January 30, 2018.

He used the platform to express Guyana’s gratitude to the Secretary-General for his contribution to the resolution of the longstanding matter, noting that the country looks forward to a final judgment by the ICJ. “The rule of law must prevail,” he said.

By an order dated June 19, 2018, the ICJ fixed November 19, 2018 and April 18, 2019 as the respective time-limits for the filing of a Memorial by the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and a Counter-Memorial by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela but the Spanish speaking country has indicat-

ed that it will not participate in the court’s proceedings.

Preparations for the submission of the Memorial by Guyana are moving apace.

The written pleadings, in the form of Memorials will address the question of the jurisdiction of the Court in hearing the case brought by the State of Guyana.

Under Article 53 of the Statute of the Court, “whenever one of the parties does not appear before the Court, or fails to defend its case, the other party may call upon the Court to decide in favour of its claim.” The vice president said Guyana firmly believes that adherence to the cardinal principles of the sovereign

equality of States, respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, and the peaceful resolution of disputes are the most effective guarantees of peace.

“As a responsible member of the global community, Guyana seeks peace not only in our region, but throughout the world where the scourge of war and conflict are an obstacle to development. They divert attention away from the pressing problems of development and the enhancement of human well-being,” Vice President Greenidge said.

Pointing to the Middle East, he renewed calls for a two-state solution to the generational conflict between

the peoples of Palestine and Israel. “These two peoples have much to gain by living side by side in peace. The people of Palestine, including the inhabitants of Gaza, like people everywhere have a right to life, to a dignified existence and to their own homeland,” he posited.

Zooming closer to home – the Caribbean Region, he said Guyana joins the overwhelming majority of the international community in calling for the removal of the trade and economic embargo against Cuba – an impediment which frustrates the right of the Cuban people to development and material well-being.

MARAD awards compliant speedboat operators

–– to mark World Maritime Day

By Michel Outridge THE Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) on Thursday celebrated World Maritime Day by recognising speedboat operators who comply with maritime safety standards.

The administration also used the occasion to launch the MARAD logo, which is to be placed on speedboats licensed to ply Guyana’s waterways.

The event was held at MARAD’s Ports and Harbours Division at the old Transport and Harbours De-

partment (T&HD) Boathouse on Thursday morning.

Among those recognised for their long and dedicated service to the industry and adhering to safety regulations, were those operators who ply the Parika to Supenaam, Bartica, and Leguan routes.

Also being recognised were the relatives of those who died during speedboat mishaps over the last three years.

According to MARAD Director-General Ms Claudette Rogers, World Maritime Day theme this year, ‘Our Heritage: Better Shipping for a Better Future’,

Minister Ferguson (left) and MARAD Director-General Rogers with two versions of the logo

is in keeping with the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) focus on addressing current and future challenges in maritime transport, and maintaining sustainable growth.

She also spoke about the growing demand in international trade for bigger ships and the need for port infrastructure to be expanded.

According to the IMO, which turned 70 on March 17, this year’s celebration of World Maritime Day is a time for deep introspection.

“This provides the opportunity to not only take stock and look back, but also to look forward, in order to address the current and future challenges maritime transport may face, as well as to maintain a continued and strengthened contribution towards sustainable growth for all,” the organisation said.

Here in Guyana, MatPal Marine Institute, reputedly the only maritime training institution here, joined sister maritime organisations the world over in commemorating the day.World Maritime Day, though it varies from year to year and from country to country, is observed annually during the last week of September, in celebration of the international maritime

Thursday’s awardees with their tokens and plaques. Savouring the moment with them are Minister Ferguson and DG Rogers and other MARAD officials (Photos by Delano Williams) industry’s contribution to the world’s economy, especially in shipping.

MatPal, on the other hand, has been facilitating the training and certification of Guyanese and international seafarers since 1999, and continues to pattern itself in accordance with the laws and regulations of the IMO in keeping with its motto, ‘Promoting Excellence through Maritime Training.’

According to Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Ms Annette Ferguson, MARAD has since its establishment in 2003 made significant progress in a number of areas within the local maritime environment.This includes training the first batch of maritime

cadets; the establishment of safety centres at Charity, Bartica and Mabaruma; and the continuous training of technical personnel and ISPS-compliant terminals.

Minister Ferguson said in closing that MARAD

will continue to work with all stakeholders in the maritime sector, such as shipping associations, terminal operators and the owners and operators of vessels, should it be called upon to do so.

One of several speedboats or river taxis as they are called these days, that have been licensed to carry the MARAD logo

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday September 29, 2018

Staten Island man wins $245M Powerball jackpot (New York Post) It’s goodbye, Staten Island, aloha, Hawaii, for this $245.6 million Powerball winner.

“I’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii,” newly minted multimillionaire Nandlall Mangal said on Thursday.

But other than that, he has no plans.

“I’m sure my life is gonna change a lot,” he told reporters.

“It’s a lot of money,” Mangal said. “I have no idea what’s going to happen,” aside from that trip to the tropics.

And this: When he actually sees the money, “I’ll probably pass out.”

Mangal, 42 bought a $6 Quick Pick ticket on Aug. 11 while picking up groceries at the Stop & Shop supermarket on Hylan Boulevard.

The Guyanese immigrant, a carpenter who lives with his wife in a humble ranch home in New Dorp, remembers putting away his groceries and tossing aside the ticket.

He didn’t learn he was filthy rich for days, after he heard no one had claimed the winnings and he figured he should look at his ticket before throwing it out.

“The ticket sat on my kitchen table for a week because I was out of town,” on

forward in his speech,” said the neighbor, remembering one instance when Mangal came to him with a complaint about loud music.

“Even when he’s angry, he’s still trying to be nice.”

Mangal hasn’t quit his job — “I like working,” he says — and hadn’t even told his co-workers of his good fortune.

“They’re finding out right Nandlall Mangal holds up his winning cheque.

vacation in Ocean City, Md., he said.

“I really don’t check the ticket that often,” Mangal said of the few times he has bought one, generally when the jackpot goes north of $100 million.

“Who’s going to think they won the lotto?”

The lump-sum payout, which Mangal is assigning to a trust he named “Sea &

Saturday, September 29, 2018 - 5:00hr to 6:30hrs

Sand,” totals $99,321,975 after withholdings.

“I like sea and sand,” he explained.

Next-door neighbor Alex Zub, 20, told the post that Mangal and his wife live alone in their three-bedroom home.

They don’t have kids, and occasionally invite family over for backyard parties.

“He’s quiet, he’s straight-

now,” he told the press.

“Sorry, guys, I apologize.”

His wider family, too, learned about it only on Thursday — and he has a warning for any long-lost relatives who might come out of the woodwork.

“If I didn’t know them two weeks ago,” he quipped, “I don’t know them today.”

Tsunami hits Indonesia’s Palu after strong earthquake (BBC) A strong tsunami triggered by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake has hit a coastal Indonesian city, officials say.

Waves of up to 2m (6.6ft) high swept through Palu on Sulawesi island, not long after authorities had lifted a tsunami warning.

Video on social media shows people screaming and fleeing in panic and a mosque amongst the buildings damaged.

Officials have reported five deaths - but it is not clear if those were as a result of the tsunami.

Last month, a series of earthquakes struck the Indonesian island of Lombok, killing hundreds of people - the biggest on 5 August killed more than 460.

The earthquake hit just off central Sulawesi at a

depth of 10km (6.2 miles) just before 18:00 (11:00 GMT), the US Geological Survey said.

A tsunami warning was issued, but lifted within the hour.

The dramatic video footage of the tsunami hitting Palu shows the high waves sweeping away several buildings and then the large tilted mosque in the town, about 80km from the quake's epicentre.

Dwikorita Karnawati, head of Indonesia's meteorology and geophysics agency, BMKG, said the tsunami had receded.

"The situation is chaotic, people are running on the streets and buildings collapsed. There is a ship washed ashore," she added.

The 2004 tsunami triggered by an earthquake off the Indonesian island of Sumatra killed 226,000 across the Indian Ocean, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia.

Indonesia is prone to earthquakes because it lies on the Ring of Fire - the line of frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions that circles virtually the entire Pacific rim.

More than half of the world's active volcanoes above sea level are part of the ring.

22-09-2018 10 12 14 17 26 21 2

B

4, 10, 12, 15, 16 21, 26, 3, 2, 25

7, 9, 6

3, 2, 9

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday September 29, 2018

COI hears...

M&CC tried to pull fast one on GPSCCU – but still owes over $46M

By Tamica Garnett AFTER issuing the Guyana Public Service Cooperative Credit Union (GPSCCU) a bounced check earlier this year, the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) still owes the Union over $46M in unremitted dues.

And, in what sounds like a case of bold-faced robbery, several vendors have claimed that their goods and other properties were seized and not returned.

These and other claims such as non-payment of pension benefits, and victimisation by Town Clerk Royston King came to the fore on Friday when the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the operations of City Hall continued at the Critchlow Labour College on Woolford Avenue.

A number of vendors and staff presented before COI Chairman and sole commissioner, Retired Justice Cecil Kennard.

According to GPSCCU accountant, Abeola Griffith, the M&CC has not paid the Union any of the monies it deducted from the pay of some 300 employees for the period of January to September 2018.

She said that in June, the M&CC did attempt to pay, by cheque to the value of $5M, monies owing for January 2018, but the cheque never cleared.

Griffith explained that the unremitted dues would make it difficult for Council employees to borrow money from the Union, since, according to the rules, any member three months or more in arrears is probited from doing so.

Earlier this year, one employee reportedly applied for, and was granted, permission to cancel his Union deductions from his salary, and instead opted to pay his dues independently.

Griffith said that while this option is available, it is not the favoured one.

GOODS CONFISCATED Carol Carter and Carol Stephens, both vendors, detailed how their goods were confiscated by Council workers without justifiable reasons, while re-migrant Patrick John detailed how his food caravan was illegally seized by the town clerk and left to rot.

One of the first persons on the day’s list to give

evidence was Desree Dey, a vendor, who were among those that had their stalls demolished on King’s instruction back in 2015. Dey labelled King’s actions tyrannical, and likened him unto Ugandan dictator, Idi Amin.

Carter, who trades mainly in clothing and footwear, told how, without just reason, over $400,000 worth of her goods were seized over two years ago by a Market Clerk and never returned.

She said she received a letter from the town clerk promsing to look into the matter, but that to date she is still trying to figure out what happened to her goods.

Carter believes what is happening to her may be in retaliation for being the Vice- President of the Market Vendors Union, which she and other vendors formed after a prior situation.

According to Carter, her issue with the Council first started back in 2015, when she was allotted a space to sell at the Stabroek Market, and was eventually asked to voluntarily move to another spot, but refused. Since then, she says, she has been constantly targetted.

“When the Deputy Clerk of Markets take over,” she said, “he gave me permission to build a stall. Lo and behold, when I build the stall, the next day they came and remove the stall; Clerk of Market staff came and took it back by their office.

“I went over to the City Constabulary to see Royston King; I told him what happen. He said to come back the next day.

“I went back, and I just keep going back. I wrote to all the Councillors; I wrote to the Mayor, and up to now, the stall is not replaced.

“After I wasn’t getting nowhere with this, we decided to form this Union.”

NEVER RETURNED Carter was never given back her stand, and was no longer allowed to vend at the location. She then began vending at another location; one at the Stabroek Market belonging to her parents.

It was here that she again ended up in a situation with the Council.

Carter said that in September 2016, she left a friend to watch over the stand while she went off to conduct some business, and that while she was gone, Council members came in and detained her goods.

One of the vendors who testified

Said she: “Up to a day like today; up to now they can’t get back to me about my goods! Not one piece up to now! Over two years!

“I went again to Mr. King. Mr King have me like a yo-yo: Go come, go come!

I wrote him, and he wrote me back a letter that he will look into it. It was very hard, because it was a financial strain on me. I had to work back my way and buy back some goods to get it sell, because I have a family to support.”

Not yet done, Carter said: “The revenue staff come... the stall was covered... raised up the tarpauling and take away most of my goods that I paid my rent for; take it away to the back.

“So I went and asked what is the reason they removed my goods. The Clerk of Market let me know that he don’t have time; very arrogant.”

SIMILAR STORY Stephens had a similar tale of unreturned goods, but her confrontations started

when she got into a disagreement with popular Regent Street businessman, Hugh October.

According to Stephens, she used to vend on Regent Street, between Camp and Alexander Streets, and at some point her husband got into a confrontation with October, after which she was summoned to City Hall

by King.

While there, she said, she saw October exiting King’s office, and moments later she received a call saying that City Council workers swooped in and took her goods and dismantled her stand.

“We came out and two constables from the Bourda outpost came to me and said Mr. King wants to see me,” Stephens said. “I went down to see Mr. King, and I see Mr. October there. Mr King secretary asked us to sit outside and wait. I observed Mr. October go in to see Mr. King; ten minutes after the secretary come out and said Mr. King can no longer see us; if we can come back

1pm.”

According to her, she then went to see Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan immediately after, and that it was while there that she received a call.

“The girl I leave at the stall call me and say that October bring back some men at the stall, and they break

up everything,” Stephens recalled.

“I told her to take videos of the scene. I went back and see Mr. King for 1pm, and the secretary come back and say no vending can’t pass; nothing can’t happen there anymore.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday September 29, 2018

Looking South FOR too long, we have been looking north to New York, the Bronx and Toronto for our hopes and very survival. We now have the chance to start looking south and beyond towards a rich Continental Destiny full of great opportunities.

If the North is looking South at our vast oil reserves, then we should be taking seriously the diversification of our economy and investing in tourism, trade and agriculture and freeing ourselves from traditional ways of managing our economy. The time has come now for us, we Guyanese, to insist that we all look South and beyond our border to Brazil. The time has come for us to reach out to the fulfilment of our dreams towards productive and less dependent ways.

By our being the bridge that links and effectively brings together the hemispheres of North and South America, we will discover great new opportunities for our hard-working and patriotic people who live in the hinterland. Our Latin brothers and sisters to the South, who have understood the true mean-

ing and the benefits of cultural and ethnic integration, will help us to think positively about each other for being a nation of diverse cultural heritage and one people.

The Rupununi is rising again. This time not through neighbouring encouragement to rise up against central government, but instead to partner now with fresh new ideas and to support the policy-makers through common sense and geo-politics to harness the potential of Brazil and the trading nations of Mercosur. The vision for Guyana should now be to integrate our infrastructure and provide hope for our suffering but proud people to become true Guyanese and place their energies into ensuring that Guyana is once and for all placed firmly on the map of South America. The time has come to stem the brain drain and to fill our lands with hope and opportunity for generations to come.

For this to happen, we will need to learn to speak Portuguese, as we already do with Spanish when we go to study in Cuba. We also have to learn to understand the benefits

of using the metric system, instead of the old, archaic imperial system of past times.

By so doing and using creativity and enterprise, we will discover new ways of becoming our own masters through developing small and large businesses, as the goals to economic emancipation of our lives. Let us put aside petty partisan politics and discuss "Think Guyana First," by partnering together to make it a reality and achieve our rightful place through the destiny that some are already beginning to see.

Imagine if Henry Ford had been allowed to build the road to Brazil nearly 100 years ago at his own expense, where we would be now; all he wanted was to access rubber for his motorcar industry. He failed to do so, most probably due to petty colonial considerations that are no longer valid to us in the 21st Century and have nothing to do with Guyana's present-day goals. Imagine if we enable tourism to become the major sustainable and environmentally friendly economic activity in Guyana. The Caribbean

has been embracing tourism for decades now and they need to move away from a product based on sun, sand and sea. We have it all here: rainforest, wildlife, indigenous lifestyles, etc. Imagine if we had put our energies into agriculture in a way that was less dependent on sugar and rice. We need to open our eyes to the potential of agriculture by visiting the street markets of Boa Vista and learning from them how they manage to achieve results across the border with similar conditions to our own.

By looking South to Brazil and farther afield to Manaus and the benefits of a duty-free zone that has seen it grow in only 50 years from a Georgetown population, to that of one of two to three million with oil refinery, cement production, cheap electricity for manufacturing and creating development requires fresh new ideas and enterprise. We all need to work together and free ourselves from the shackles of dependency of past times. We do not have any time to lose.

The sugar industry can be rescued

Dear Editor

THE editorial of the September 21 edition of Kaieteur News, titled “Sugar’s glorious days over,” contended that the glory days of sugar can never be rekindled and pointed to the ending of preferential arrangements as the industry’s seeming death knell. According to the Kaieteur News, the European Union (EU) arrangements were unsustainable and pointed out that Tate and Lyle subsequently withdrew itself as it was operating at a loss.

It seems that the Kaieteur News was misinformed since, as far as we are aware, Tate and Lyle had never withdrawn from the EU arrangements and on to this day, is still purchasing Guyana’s sugar.

In fact, Tate and Lyle is willing to purchase any quantity of Guyana’s sugar; however, the end of the EU Sugar Regime has now made it a market of last resort for GuySuCo. The editorial also claims that

successive governments financially supported the industry, because of political considerations and, from all appearances, has congratulated this government for being brave and shutting down estates which has put 7,000 people on the breadline and have impacted the lives of tens of thousands more Guyanese.

Today, against the congratulatory expressions of Kaieteur News, the September 20, Stabroek News reported that Ramnarace Chandradatt said he cannot afford to buy medicine for his wife who is blind and is suffering from a heart ailment; and he is unsure whether he can afford to send his children to attend school until the term ends. Patrick Mahendrasingh said “[t]his government want me to commit suicide or murder just to send me children to school…”. While, Nakisha Best said she had to send two of her three children to live with her mother in Georgetown, as she is unable to support them. Is this what the Kaieteur News is applauding?

The paper then says the gov-

ernment “...is currently looking at more viable ways in which it can preserve a better livelihood for those directly affected…”.We cannot help but wonder if this is not putting the cart before the horse.

Certainly, if the government were indeed sincere about putting the workers first, wouldn’t it have already devised and implemented workable alternatives to ensure that the workers do not experience the pain and difficulties they now face? Let’s recall that when the government decided it would close Wales Estate, it had said it would pursue non-sugar crops on the now former cane lands, which would have been a source of employment for those who would be displaced. Today, Wales has been closed for over 600 days and the promised non-sugar ventures have hardly, if ever, gotten off the ground. We contend they that shouldn’t now be “looking at more viable ways”, the administration should have finished looking and put in place the

so-called “…viable ways…for those directly affected…”. The pretext of administration’s sincerity stands nakedly exposed.

We contend that what is good for the goose, is certainly good for the gander. On this score, referring to the possible jeopardy should RUSAL be unable to continue its operations in Guyana, Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman said in the September 24, Stabroek News that “[w]e continue to monitor a very delicate situation…”. The minister went on “[a]s these events are unfolding between Washington and Moscow, we are unable to be intimately involved. Our Minister of Foreign Affairs is also monitoring the situation. Whatever the outcome, the welfare of the workers will be the responsibility of the Ministry of Social Protection and they are aware of the issues.”

The editorial also contends that the sugar workers have existed “… under horrible living conditions and poor compensation…”. The

Kaieteur News contention is vastly different from what the government told the nation. We recall Minister Noel Holder, apart from other government officials, telling the nation repeatedly that sugar workers are earning millions annually and benefit from enhanced conditions of work. We do not recall the Kaieteur News, at any time, sharing the view it is now expressing. The GAWU accepts that workers’ conditions require improvement as time goes on, but are far superior from since the union became the bargaining agent on behalf of the field and factory workers. Nevertheless, in view of the Kaieteur News’ seemingly new-found view, we have high expectations that it will lend its voice to call on the government and GuySuCo to approve pay rises and other improvements of work to the sugar workers this year. Just for the newspaper’s information, sugar workers have not had any improvement Turn to page 7

7

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday September 29, 2018

Gov’t was careful in its planned restructuring of the sugar industry

Dear Editor

DR Leslie Ramsammy, in his missive directed against President Granger in the Kaieteur News, September 14, “Granger’s shameless claims about sugar workers haemorrhaging treasury,” spoke of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo’s) contribution to the various sectors of Guyana’s economy during the period of the 1980s.

One suspects that he has deliberately referred to that specific period, since it is inclusive of the phase of Guyana’s economic challenges during the 1980s. Ramsammy must be reminded that the sugar corporation’s contribution to Guyana throughout its decades of existence is nationally known and acknowledged.

Thus, it explained why the President Granger administration was careful in its planned restructuring of the industry in salvaging those sections that were economically viable for a re-positioning of this once seminal contributor to the nation’s coffers.

Given its all-pervasiveness to this country’s historical evolution, and its undeniable underpinnings to its cultural identity and socio-economic growth and development, sugar is too big to fail. But there are other sinister, subtle intents that lay behind this resort by Ramsammy.

If Ramsammy wants to posit

a case of an industry that has always been totally Indo-Guyanese labour-driven, contributing to a Guyana at the time under an Afro-Guyanese-dominated government in the 1980s, then he is exhibiting a rather narrow and dangerous political mindset, even ignorance, about the history of the sugar industry in his dishonest attempt to re-write the history of an industry which owes its existence to the tens of thousands of African slaves who were dehumanised and murdered for the enrichment of its owners.

He ought to know that the history of GuySuCo, as with the entire Caribbean plantation system, began with the unpaid, unrewarded, and brutal, forced labour of thousands of black slaves, with most dying in the process of building and fortifying an industry that enriched its earlier owners and their overseas empires.

Such, in a nutshell, can be said to be the sugar industry that transitioned after emancipation to what it is now.

Of particular note is that Afro-Guyanese have always been a part of the local sugar industry’s workforce; a fact that continues to be deliberately ignored and conveniently forgotten by PPP/C spokespersons whenever they speak about GuySuCo. As far as their numerous statements are concerned, the industry has always been Indo-Guyanese

oriented. But lest it be forgotten, all those, inclusive of Indo-Guyanese, who succeeded the free and forced labour, brutalised from the mass of slave workforce, have done so by standing on the shoulders of the latter.

Therefore, the collective contribution from GuySuCo to Guyana’s economy through the decades, have been representative of both ethnic groups who continue to be part of the industry’s workforce. It is irrefutable, and plain as day. In fact, I stand to be corrected by referring to an observation from the Special Purpose Unit (SPU) that alluded to the fact of Afro-Guyanese constituting the largest employment segment of the industry’s workforce.

But then, what about the contribution to Guyana’s socio-economy by the bauxite industry, with its predominant Afro-Guyanese workforce? Has it ever been given the same recognition and prominence as sugar, for its financial input through the decades, particularly after independence?

Every pivotal sector to Guyana’s socio-economic development has the right to contribute to this nation’s growth and development, irrespective of which government is in office; the contribution of every vital sector must be seen as being in the national interest for the benefit of all Guyanese, irrespective of race/ethnicity, by those who are part of the productive pro-

From page 6 The sugar industry .... in pay since the coalition came into office.

The newspaper also says “…that the days of sugar as a viable enterprise with high economic returns and foreign currency returns are over.” If that is indeed the case, then the 70 interested parties who have expressed their interest in acquiring the closed estates need to have their collective heads examined. We reiterate again that the future of the industry lies not as a raw, bulk-sugar producer, but as a producer of diversified, income-inelastic products such as electricity, alcohol, refined sugar, packaged sugar, among other

things. Those initiatives are incidentally some of the ventures that GuySuCo said it will pursue.

It seems the Kaieteur news, though it has not said it, is of the view that the monies directed to the sugar industry should not go there, for whatever reason. Let us recollect, that the allocations to GuySuCo under the APNU+AFC, represent 3.98 per cent of the $968B that has been approved for spending across the four (4) budgets of the government. Moreover, state support to critical industries is not the exception, but the norm. The US Government, for instance,

provides billions of dollars in subsidies to its farmers to ensure that they are able to stay in business, recognising the importance of the agricultural industry to the economy and rural employment and development. Certainly, with the significant sums Kaieteur News reports that would accrue to Guyana from oil and gas, our country could have more than afforded to support the industry and assist to put it on a strong footing.

Sugar more than deserves such support, recognising its contribution to the nation and its people. For instance, the 1992 budget records that the sugar levy in that year was

cess. It is therefore seen as a national effort, carried out by the productive efforts of Guyanese; it was mandatory, once they agreed to be part of the labour effort. Also, Ramsammy must be reminded that no national industry is owned by any specific race or section of this nation; it is owned by all the people -- by Guyanese.

Thus, for Ramsammy to argue for severance for the discharged GuySuCo workers, on the subtle basis of the industry being Indo Guyanese oriented, as well as because of its contribution to Guyana, is not only fraudulent, but an attempt to present a skewed case despite the government’s repeated commitment to pay the sugar workers severance. Minister of State Joseph Harmon even explained from where the funds to meet this payment will come: “Amounts accumulated from budgetary cuts to several ministries and departments of state in keeping with a previous directive by Cabinet…Half of it has already been paid and the second tranche will come directly from government sources and will be paid in the second half of the year.”

And as an aside, although in relation to the same Ramsammy deception in the Kaieteur News, there is a statement, “the president leads in this awful charade, characterising sugar workers as parasites.” This plain political discrimination is the

equivalent to approximately 21 per cent of government revenues.

Today, while the Kaieteur News says sugar should be given a decent burial, our countrymen, women and children are suffering from the consequences of the closure. Today, things which seem so mundane such as sending

kind of behaviour that forces the UN to include Guyana in a “SHAME” list that now includes 38 countries.”

Here again is another wicked attempt, disrespectful in every respect, to allude to the person of the President descriptive language such as “characterising sugar workers as parasites.”

Given the known trade mark of moral decency of President Granger and his respect for all his fellow countrymen of whatever social standing, such language has never been part of his description, whether in thought, or spoken words, of Guyanese workers.

In other words, this is not a “cuss out” or “cuss bird’ who bullies and intimidates people, as Ramsammy infers in his libellous article.

One should also take note of his disingenuous tactic of aligning the issue of the sugar workers’ severance pay with a UN report on Guyana, relative to a report by inmates at the Lusignan Prison. How could this be relevant is known only to the distorted mind of this PPP/C member. Thank God that he is not a member of the National Assembly. There should be penalties for such politicians who continue to disrespect the citizens of this nation.

Regards Earl Hamilton

their children to school; to provide adequate meals; to pay their bills and other things which were previously seen as run-of-the-mill have become a challenge in themselves. Indeed, the GAWU holds that the government should not abandon these people at what probably is the most difficult time in their lives. This

is a time they need the support of Guyanese from all walks of life and they and their unions will uphold and continue the struggle for their just cause.

Regards Seepaul Narine General-Secretary GAWU

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 29, 2018

AG to grill Ramotar on Red House lease FORMER President of Guyana, Donald Ramotar is expected to be cross-examined in the case brought against the present government, which seeks to block its decision to revoke the 99-year lease from the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre Incorporated (CJRCI).

In December, 2016, President David Granger had ordered that the controversial lease for Red House, which housed the CJRCI be revoked and that the occupants vacate the property on the basis that there was no valid lease agreement.

With the Acting Chief Justice, Roxane George declaring more than a year ago that the matter could not be determined by way of interlocutory hearings, the case came up in open court on Friday. Former Attorney General and Attorney-at-Law, Anil Nandlall and Attorney Ronald BurchSmith appeared on behalf of the applicant – CJRCI, while the State was represented by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, Solicitor General, Kim Kyte and State Counsel,

Former President of Guyana, Donald Ramotar Utieka John.

When the matter was called before the chief justice, the attorney general made a request for the former president to be cross-examined on the basis of his affidavit, which was taken as the evidence in chief.

Ramotar, in a sworn affidavit, said he had approved the 99-year lease of the Red House to the CJRCI. “At all times, I was aware, authorised and sanctioned the issuance of the a lease of government land for educational/research purposes, number 3068, dated 30th March, 2012, in respect of Area ‘A’ now called Red

House, comprising lots 65, 66 and 67 High Street Kingston, situated in the City of Georgetown, County of Demerara, by the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys acting on behalf of the Government of Guyana and the Cheddi Jagan Research Inc.,” the former president swore. The government, however, is maintaining that there is no evidence that the former president approved the Red House lease. In an effort to prove his case, Nandlall welcomed the request of the attorney general to have the former president appear before the court for cross examination. Ramotar is scheduled to appear in the High Court on November 1, 2018.

When the government took the decision to revoke the lease back in 2016, it did so on the basis that there was no valid lease agreement as former President Bharrat Jagdeo had refused to approve at least two applications for the lease. Back then, the attorney general said investigations revealed that the lease held by the CJRCI was invalid on several grounds, including that there is no evidence that the President of the day had sanctioned it.

On March 30, 2012, The Red House lease agreement was initiated without the approval of the President of the Day or The National Trust of Guyana, which is in contravention of Section 10 of the Lands Department Act Chapter 59:01, rendering it void.

On March 21, 2000, the CJRCI was incorporated as “a not-for-profit company” by the late former President, Janet Jagan, her daughter Nadira Jagan-Brancier and former President Donald Ramotar, who was then the general-secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), with the aim of establishing a library and research facility to contain the works and documents owned by the late President, Cheddi Jagan.

The Red House In that same year, the lease agreement among the parties; the Government of Guyana, The National Trust of Guyana and the CJRCI was drawn up but not executed.

According to the Attorney General, on May 3, 2006, Ramotar applied to the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys (CL&S) for a lease of the property on behalf of the CJRCI but although a file had been opened in the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC), approval had not been granted.

The application was then resubmitted on August 30, 2010, on a revised schedule, to the then Office of the President. On January 11, 2011, the resubmitted application was also not approved as there is no evidence of any

signature of the President of the Day on the purported schedule, only those of Doerga Persaud, the then CL&S, and the Manager of Land Administration, Mr. Enrique Monize.

However, on March 30, 2012, a lease entered by the CL&S on behalf of the Government of Guyana, and by Ralph Ramkarran, S.C., on behalf of the CJRCI, was issued under Section 10 of the Lands Department Act, Chapter 59:01 for property with a duration of 99 years, commencing on January 1, 2012 at an annual rental of $12,000 for the first three years, and with the proviso that the government could revise the annual rent payable at the end of every three years.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 29, 2018

GPHC pulls off ‘dicey’ kidney –– reports all four patients recovering nicely transplant

TWO men now have a new lease on life after undergoing successful kidney transplant surgery here at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

The surgeries were done on Monday, July 9, by Dr. Kishore Persaud, after being granted approval for he and a team of specialists from the GPHC to perform what in medical parlance is called a paired-exchange kidney transplant procedure.

According to Dr Persaud, the process involves one patient having a willing but incompatible benefactor prepared to donate his/her kidney to another person who has need for it.

The catch, however, is that, that needy beneficiary must have a compatible family member willing enough to donate his/her organ to the initial patient.

Dr.Persaud said that this paired-exchange procedure, while new to Guyana, occurs quite regularly in First World countries.

The two patients at reference, 30-year-old Ravi Naraine, and Freddie Budhoo, 58, have been both having kidney problems for years

Freddie Budhoo, whose donor is Ganshame, brother of Ravi Naraine and were in desperate need of a transplant.

He said that while members of Naraine’s family were tested for compatibility, none were a match.

However, Naraine’s brother, Ganshame, was a positive match for Budhoo, who was diagnosed with double kidney failure in November 2017.

That’s when he came up with the idea of doing a paired exchange, Dr. Persaud said, since Freddie’s wife, Kumarie, is a perfect match

Dr. Kishore Persaud, the transplant surgeon who performed the miracle procedure for Ravi.

He said that after having several discussions with both families,it was decided that they had nothing to lose, as if successful, it would be a win-win situation for all parties concerned. Thus was the go-ahead given to have all four surgeries done to save the lives of the two ailing men.

“One of the biggest fears of this transplant,” Dr Persaud explained, “is how do you prevent one person from pulling out.

Ravi Naraine (left), whose benefactor is Kumarie Budhoo, and his brother, Ganshame “You will have to do the surgery together; so the issue is how do you prevent one person agreeing to give the kidney today and changing their mind tomorrow; that would be a big setback.

“So, we admitted all four patients, and we tried to do their surgeries consecutively.” Word is that both donors and recipients have expressed their undying gratitude for the generosity shown each

other.

Kumarie Budhoo, one of the donors, said that she felt encouraged after she realised what an impact her selflessness could have on an entire family.

“Actually, I could’ve given to both,” she said. “I am a match for both my husband and Ravi. The first time I saw Ravi and I heard his story from Dr. Kishore, I realised that he needed my

help, and we could’ve done something.”

Had the two families not agreed on the procedure, both patients would have remained on dialysis, if a match within each of their families had not been found.

According to Dr. Persaud, dialysis costs about $15,000 per patient per session.

The government assists by providing the first 40 sessions free of cost. (DPI)

Mother of teen in sex video calls for justice –– says her daughter was drugged and raped

CONTRARY to reports, the mother of the teen in a sex video that went viral, said that she never denied her daughter is the person in the tape as she had a very good look at it; and what she saw is her daughter under the influence of “date rape” drugs, being raped by the two men, one of whom was murdered and the other who is in custody.

She said that her daughter only denied her identity out of fear and traumatisation and is willing to tell her ordeal to the welfare officer on Friday. Her daughter also related that she has no recollection of what had occurred and the next morning, she woke up with pains all over her body.

These are the after-effects of “date rape” drugs.

“I did not deny my daughter, my daughter said

is not she because she was scared, she was traumatised, but I know is me child…but she said she doesn’t remember anything, because she was drugged and you can see that,” the mother told this newspaper. She further related that according to the other suspect who is in custody, the video was done sometime last year.

This was also related by Sherwin Apple to his relatives before he died. The mother said that she feels for her daughter and wants to see justice take its toll.

“Every turkey feels for her chicken; it is very very traumatic for her…they don’t know what they do to my child, me in get no remorse for them,” she said in response to Apple’s suspected murder. Her mother revealed that since the video was leaked and

social media frenzy about it, she has been mentally and emotionally distraught, but she is staying strong for her daughter.

“People are just talking and going on and I am trying to cope, I am putting on a face, I am lifting my head and walking and I telling my daughter lift your head and walk….its just that you were drugged and it happened to come out, but I told her, life [sic] your head and walk.” Her daughter related that she no longer wants to live in Linden, but she is encouraging her to be strong about the entire situation.

She expressed anger that Apple, who was 23 years her daughter’s senior, used to live at her mother’s residence when he was in a relationship with her niece. During that time, her daughter was just a

child and he told her that he would always look out for her daughter. It is sad, she said, he turned around and raped her. “Just imagine he told me once, he said, (her name), aint no body can do (name given) nothing, I would look out for (name given) I got her back. Now imagine he told me that and turn around and rape my child.”

Meanwhile, the investigation continues as the other suspect is still in custody. Relatives of Sherwin Apple are calling for justice for his death, stating that two wrongs don’t make a right. The autopsy showed that Apple died of asphyxiation due to strangulation and compression injury to the neck. The police are now treating the case as murder. His body, identified by his brother, was found face down in the

mud, while blood was seen oozing from his nostrils.

Based on preliminary investigations, Apple reportedly went missing around 19:00hrs on Monday.

The Guyana Chronicle heard voice notes sent Monday evening by Apple, in which 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.

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

by Apple’s ex-girlfriend,

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 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 ex-girlfriend said.

While some residents of Linden believe that he was murdered by someone who was angered by the video, others are of the theory that he might have been killed due to a separate grievance with persons who may have used the sex-tape scenario as the perfect timing to hit on him as a distraction.

No one has thus far been arrested for his murder.

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Baker remanded on drug trafficking charge

FOUR months after Collin Denny was freed from a $28M drug trafficking charge, he found himself before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan on a fresh charge.

Denny, a 38-year-old Baker of Howes Street, Charlestown, is accused of trafficking 2.366 kilograms of cannabis on September 26, 2018 at Church Street, Georgetown.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge while his lawyer, George Thomas, made application for bail.

Thomas told the court that the alleged narcotics was not found in his client’s possession but rather on the driver of a minibus but

Collin Denny the Custom Anti-Narcotics ranks connected the drugs to Denny.

CANU prosecutor, Kunyo Sandiford told the court that the lawyer claims differ since Denny was arrested

before the driver. She further pointed out that there is surveillance footage showing Denny handing the drugs over to the driver.

Sandiford objected to Denny being released on bail citing the seriousness of the charge and also Denny was under surveillance by CANU. The Chief Magistrate, after considering the prosecutions objections, remanded Denny to prison until October 15.

In May, Denny and his reputed wife, Malika Softleigh, were freed by Magistrate Judy Latchman from a drug trafficking charge due to insufficient evidence.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 29, 2018

CANU awaiting vital information before making arrests in RCMP cocaine bust THE Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) is awaiting information from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) before any arrests are made locally in connection with the recent interception of 81 kilos of cocaine on a vessel that arrived from Guyana into Port of Valleyfield Montreal Canada, law enforcement confirmed.

Four persons were arrested in Canada, with two of them—36-year-old Roldan

De Gorio Tito and 48-yearold Nazir Ahmad Hussain— charged with conspiracy to import drugs for the purpose of trafficking.

The investigation is ongoing and investigators believe the drugs were planned to be routed to Toronto and Vancouver.

A statement from the RCMP on September 17 noted that the security body and the Canada Border Services Agency “joined forces last weekend to carry out a

major drug seizure (suspected cocaine): 81 kilos were seized by CBSA at the Port of Valleyfield. The drugs were concealed in the hold of a vessel coming from Guyana.”

The vessel underwent a customs search resulting in a number of bags being removed and the crew members being detained on the shipping vessel.

The drugs were reportedly concealed in the hold of a vessel that left Guyana from Linden.

Linden man handed 3 years jail for causing death of cyclist A 28-year-old Wisroc, Linden, taxi driver was on Friday sentenced to three years jail by Senior Magistrate, Fabayo Azore for causing the death of a 64-year-old pedal cyclist during an accident along the Grove Public Road, East Bank Demerara last year.

Keon Haynes, after trial, was found guilty of the charge which alleged that on August 23, 2017 at Grove Public Road, he drove HC3809 in a manner dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of George Klass.

According to the facts

presented during sentencing, Haynes, on the day in question, saw the elderly man attempting to cross the road with his bike and still proceeded at a fast rate which resulted in Klass sustaining severe head injuries to which he later succumbed.

The drugs that were seized (QUÉBEC RCMP Photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 29, 2018

GuySuCo, SPU at odds over LBI sports bar

THE decision of the National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited’s Special Purpose Unit to renovate a building which previously housed the sports club at GuySuCo’s head office at LBI is causing contention between the unit and sugar corporation.

This is after the completed facility, which now sports a multi-million dollar pool and other facilities, have been converted into a sports bar. Recently, the SPU held a ceremony to commission the bar and on Friday they had planned the opening of the sports bar, something which the management of GuySuCo, according to its Public Relations Officer, Audreyanna Thomas, is not pleased about.

She said that the idea of a “Sports Bar’ promotes the use of alcohol on the premises and encourages its workers to drink while on the job, something that is outside of the company’s principles and values.

Despite the earlier notice by the SPU about the opening of the bar yesterday evening, the sugar company placed a public notice in the press advising the public that the planned opening was no longer taking place. Signs to that effect were also placed at the entrance to the LBI Estate, in which houses the GuySuCo head office and the new facility in question.

One senior official from the Special Purpose Unit told the Guyana Chronicle that while the planning and renovations of the facility were ongoing, there was no level of push back from the corporation. This was confirmed by the Public Rela-

tions Office of GuySuCo. In fact, there was a committee establishment and on that eleven-member committee, five of the members represented GuySuCo. Asked about this, the Thomas explained that the works and the plans for the facility when it was under renovation were all going on during a window period when the company was not sure who was really responsible for the corporation, be it the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Agriculture or the Special Purpose Unit. The PRO said that the corporation believed at the time that the SPU was superior to them and as such did not push back and or question anything that was being done during that period.

However after it became clear that the SPU was not in charge of the operations at the head office, the management then began to raise concerns about the facility and the spending of monies to bring on stream a facility that, in essence, promotes alcohol consumption on the premises. However, this newspaper was told by persons within the SPU that the sugar corporation only began pushing back at the works and the plans for the facility after the SPU withheld monies which the company had asked for. It was noted that previously, the company had asked for monies to pay staff and carry out works on several facilities to enhance them for the comfort of the staff but instead the money was used to clear a number of debts. With that development when the request was reportedly made for additional funds, the SPU said it

was advised by the bank not to release any funds to the corporation.

The Guyana Chronicle reported on Friday that Agriculture Minister, Noel Holder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Sugar Corporation, Dr. Harold Davis Jnr. have expressed deep concern over the handling of the $30B syndicated bond secured by the SPU to revive the industry, with the latter describing the deal as a bad one and the minister saying he has been left completely in the dark about the transaction. Reports surfaced in another publication earlier this week indicating that Republic Bank would have halted GuySuCo’s bond financing over claims that the money was not used for its intended purpose. GuySuCo had received two disbursements– one for $880M and another for just over $1.1B. Dr. Davis on Wednesday confirmed that the corporation did receive approximately $2B but made it clear that the money was not misused. He told the Guyana Chronicle that the close to $2B handed over to GuySuCo was addressed to “employment costs,” noting that the corporation has a large workforce, and needs to cover basic operating expenses, and capital projects.

“The money was not used for the repaying of a debt; the money was used for the payment of interest, which is part of our operating expenses.

When you incur credit from creditors, elements of interest have to be paid. If you take a mortgage you pay interest; these are operating expenses, they are legitimate operating expenses,” he explained.

Dr. Davis said a percent-

age of the money was used to facilitate capital works as well. “So the rest of the money that was requested was addressed to essential capital that also passed through a tender process and approved by the ministry,” he said. He maintained that the sugar corporation has always been

transparent about the use and intended use of the funds.

Last month, the SPU disclosed via a press statement that almost $2B was disbursed to GuySuCo for operational expenses of the Albion, Blairmont and Uitvlugt estates. In that statement, it was explained that

through local financing, arranged by Republic Bank Limited, the SPU managed to successfully negotiate a Bond Facility for $30B, with significant input from the Ministry of Finance, and of the full sum secured; $17B was requested in the first tranche.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday September 29, 2018

Investigation ordered into Supply health centre construction

…sanctions recommended against contractor A HEATED debate involving councillors of the Regional Democratic Council, Region Four, has resulted in the Regional Chairman Ms Genevieve Allen ordering a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding works at the Supply Health Centre.

The investigation was sparked by several councillors representing both sides of the council stressing the need for the contractor, Navin and Sons, failing to adhere to a cease-work order issued to him for by the clerk of works.

The Region Four Public Relations Department in a release said it was disclosed at the last meeting by the Regional Executive Officer (REO) Ms Pauline Lucas,

that despite being informed about several concerns and a number of reportedly poor quality-of -work concerns, the contractor went ahead and cast the flooring of the building. This, the REO had told councillors, was even though a tree stump which was supposed to have been removed still being there, thus resulting in the flooring being cast over the tree stump. REO Lucas had immediately ordered a cessation of work pending a testing of the structure and an investigation into the matter.

However, according to Senior Engineer of the RDC, Elon Austin, a test conducted by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure disclosed that a stress test was done and the results had concluded that the

flooring was of acceptable quality for the continuation of works. “A test was done to see if the floor had the required strength and it was found to be there and based on the results given to us by the Ministry of Infrastructure, it was found to be there,” Engineer Austin said.

However, when quizzed by the regional chairman as to when and if the works would be restarted, he informed the meeting that the test was carried out only last week and as such, a decision has not been made by the REO as yet. The regional chairman raised concerns about the project, noting that it is a 2018 project and with now being almost the end of September, it may spill over to 2019.

However, a number of

councillors noting that the issue is not so much about the testing, but rather the contractor acting in defiance of an instruction given to him by the clerk of works. They further alluded to the point that the engineer who was assigned to the project at the time had given instructions to the contractor while he was on vacation, which was evidently unacceptable. The issue of the said contractor having some five contracts within the region and with his refusal to adhere to given instructions would ultimately result in similar behaviours with the other contracts that he has.

As such, several councillors unanimously requested for action to be taken against the contractor, noting that

Councillor Suresh Singh of the PPP/C reinforcing his call for appropriate action to be taken against contractors who deliver poor-quality work

to allow such a misstep to slide, would be sending the wrong message and setting the wrong precedent as well.

This was supported by several councillors with Councillor Suresh Singh reiterating that he had brought this very issue about contractors doing as they liked with little and/ or no proper supervision.

Therefore, several councillors said that they firmly believe that action should be taken against the errant contractor.

Regional Chairman Allen then asked councillors to vote on whether action should be taken against the contractor; and/or if a separate investigation should be conducted independently of the REO’s. It was unanimously agreed that an independent CoI should be conducted by the members of the Works Committee.

Adding his voice to the debate was the Regional Vice-Chairman (VC) Earl Lambert, who stressed that the tree stump at Supply has to be removed, irrespective of the fact that a stress test was done. “We know what the stress test is saying, but the reality is that the very root has to be removed as in years to come that tree root if not removed can certainly affect the structure of that building; and we may see the root breaking up the flooring.

So certainly there is need for action against this contractor and any other who may have erred,” VC Lambert said.

He added, “We are spending monies to put up a structure and later on it would start cracking. The contractor at Eccles, he was told to remove the zinc sheets because the zinc sheets were not the correct one that was part of the contract and up to now he can’t remove it.

Regional Vice-Chairman Earl Lambert addressing the RDC meeting, where he made his views known in support of action being taken against the contractor

I am not accusing anybody, but it seems as though there were some arrangements with the persons supervising the contract. The thing is that yes, we want to give people work, but if you are serious you have to start operating like you’re serious.”

The vice-chairman noted that several contractors are more interested in winning contracts than delivering quality work for taxpayers’ dollars. He stressed that the region needs to take the required action against such contractors who are bent on delivering poor quality work, so as to ensure that there isn’t recurrence of such situations. “You can’t give one man five contracts and all he is trying to do is to push the work and giving us substandard work; and tomorrow he walks away and we are forced to spend monies to correct something that should have been new. I believe that there should be action taken against this contractor and I support the call for action,” VC Lambert declared. Endorsing the call for a full investigation, Councillor Desmond Morian said that he supports the call, noting that it is time that something serious is done rather than mere lip service. He told councillors that he is fully endorsing the action of the regional chairman, declaring that the findings of the investigation should be made public with appropriate action being taken against those found guilty of any activity that is deemed unacceptable and/or inappropriate.

RC Allen promised to commission a special meeting shortly to commence the investigation.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 29, 2018

Full reform of GPF expected by March 2019 –– inappropriate behaviour of ranks among matters being dealt with

MORE public trust in the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is expected in the New Year, as Commissioner of Police, Leslie James has said that by the end of March 2019 persons would see a much reformed police force.

In the past, there have been complaints about the inappropriate behaviour of officers, complaints which have caught the attention of the GPF’s administrators.

“Ranks have not been trained to do some of the things they have done or allegedly have done ... somehow they are still bent on doing those things but we are dealing with it…soon citizens can feel free that the engagement with ranks will not result in profiling and so on,” said the top cop during his response to questions from young people on the second day of the inaugural Guyana National Youth Conference on Thursday.

His response was directed to a particular question relating to if ranks were

on everything which encompasses dealing with cultural issues… but there has never been a specific instruction for profiling,” said the Police Commissioner.

Commissioner of Police, Leslie James trained to deal with young people.

One of the youth participants even went on to say that some of his engagements with officers left him feeling like a victim in his own country.

In an effort to allay any fear, James said the situation is not one of “gloom

and doom” because officers of the GPF have received the requisite training on engagement with any person.

He however reiterated that some of the officers do not abide by the training and it results in persons having bad experiences with those officers.

“We are training ranks

Lethem pushing for language institute –– to aid teaching of Portuguese to children, young adults

CHILDREN and young adults living in Lethem, Region Nine, Upper Takutu/ Upper Essequibo, will soon master the art of speaking Portuguese when the Town Council establishes a Language Institute specifically to teach the subject.

Deputy Mayor, Maxine Hendrix said the Council’s Social Committee is seeking to push for the Language Institute in the township as there is a need for knowledge of the language. “We see that it is a necessity for persons living close to the border of Brazil,” she told the Department of Public Information recently. Lethem lies at the border of the Takutu River, which forms the border with the Portuguese speaking nation of Brazil, directly opposite the town of Bonfim.

The language institute is among the many projects being undertaken by the Social Committee of the Lethem

Deputy Mayor of Lethem, Maxine Hendricks Town Council aimed at empowering the youth in the township. Earlier this year, President David Granger had said the Portuguese immigrants have made an inestimable contribution and an indelible imprint on Guyana’s growth. Portuguese inden-

tured immigration was started in anticipation of an expected labour shortage on the sugar plantations consequent to the emancipation of enslaved Africans. Thirty thousand six hundred forty-five (30,645) Portuguese from the Azores, Brazil, Cape Verde and Madeira came to British Guiana during the period of state-assisted immigration between 1841 and 1882.

Persons of Portuguese origin have lived in Guyana for 182 years. A large number of the descendants of the immigrants, after the expiration of the indentureship, left plantation work and pursued occupational opportunities, initially in the huckster and retail trade, in which they quickly attained a dominant share.

Portuguese enterprise extended, also, to agriculture, manufacturing, merchandise imports and shipping. (DPI)

He informed persons that the police administration, with the new team, has started to examine the training environment and curriculum for officers.

According to the Commissioner, everything is being dealt with to ensure that there is a semblance of change when compared to what happened in the past.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday September 29, 2018

Minister Bulkan tours new GWI well at Port Mourant MINISTER of Communities Ronald Bulkan, along with Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) Managing-Director, Dr. Richard Van-West Charles and a team on Friday visited the construction site of a new well at the Port Mourant Water Treatment Plant, Portuguese Quarter.

The new well being constructed to the tune of the $60M is expected to be completed by the end of October and will bring 24 hours supply of treated water for residents from Albion to Tain, in East Ber-

operatives after the tour, Mr Bulkan said construction of the well represents an ongoing investment by the government to increase and improve pure water supply to more people across the country.

“Water is one of the most basic necessities for living and the government is committed to ensuring that citizens and consumers receive water on a continuous basis.”

The minister was on a tour with GWI across the region and visited the facility at Sheet Anchor.

noted that the well is just one of several projects being undertaken by GWI to improve potable water supply to residents all across Guyana.

“We are getting one for Farm; we have identified Fyrish for replacement wells. In addition to that, we have numerous other projects in the hinterland areas right now. In Region One, Port Kaituma, where there was the issue with mercury, they are currently drilling another well and in the next three weeks that area will have about three

Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan (second left) and Managing-Director, GWI, Dr.Richard Van-West Charles with a GWI official

The site for the new well at Port Mourant

bice-Corentyne.

Speaking with media

The managing -director in an invited comment

wells where they are moving from two hours to six

hours and we are preparing to drill a well in Mabaruma,” he outlined.

Meanwhile, Richard Hoyte, Programme Coordinator, GWI, said drilling started on the well on April 24, 2018 and reached the total depth in June, which was 401 feet; but due to the rainy season at that time, the soil was very saturated and the well suffered a collapse.

A decision was then taken move from the location to 50 feet away.

“We are now moving towards reaming this hole, opening it more to set our

well creases in another week or so. The setting of the well screens and casings should be completed in two days, after which we will move towards the development of the drilling fluid, making sure we get a good productivity of the well. That entire process should take another three weeks; we are looking at the end of October,” Hoyte said.

Currently, residents receive 12 hours of water from 05:00hrs to 12:00hrs and 16:00hrs to 21:00hrs, since the current well cannot function to full capac-

ity. However, according to Randolph Leitch, Regional Manager GWI (Ag),the well when completed will enhance the services of the water treatment plant and provide 24 hours service for the approximately 9000 customers from Albion to Tain.

The new well is being dug by Water and Oil from Trinidad with eight Guyanese working along with the team daily. Upon completion, the team is expected to move to Westminster and Pouderoyen,West Bank Demerara.

2017 audit report submitted to Speaker -AG says report focuses on areas related to a greener environment, oil and gas

THE Auditor General (AG), Deodat Sharma, has submitted the 2017 Auditor General’s report to Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland, making it eight consecutive years that the report was submitted in time for the end of the fiscal year.

Although the contents of the report will be made public after being presented to the National Assembly on October 10, 2018 by the Speaker, the auditor general said it encompasses areas related to a greener environment.

“We will also be looking at various areas in the oil and gas sector that will be relevant to our engagement when it is time to examine the revenue of the sector,”

Sharma said.

The report also contains information on an audit which was conducted into the construction of the D’Urban Park.

President David Granger had addressed several concerns raised by the Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) about the construction of the D’Urban Park Development project, which was established to host activities for Guyana’s 50th jubilee celebrations.

It was revealed in the National Assembly that a private company – Homestretch Development Incorporated (HDI) – was established to collect donations for construction of the project and included several directors.

Auditor General Deodat Sharma (DPI photo)

President Granger in his weekly televised programme - ‘The Public Interest’ - had made it clear that this company was created solely to facilitate completion of the project in time for the 50th

Independence Anniversary celebration in the absence of budgetary allocations, following the May 2015 elections.

The Head of State admitted that while this might have

been an unusual course of action, it was expedient at the time and Guyanese now have a valuable asset, which is a source of national pride and added that the company is not a secret one and has been notified to the National Assembly, a release from the Ministry of the Presidency noted.

Sharma nevertheless said every entity has been audited in the past but there are still some backlogs of entities to be audited.

“The GPO is in backlog and the teachers’ union…we are working to get them up to date but I cannot do that unless they have submitted their financial statements,” he said.

Despite the encounters, Sharma said all accounting officers have been coop-

erating fully so there is no problem with accessing information.

Sharma said the achievement of the report reflects the realisation of the office’s objective of reporting the results to the legislature and public.

“The report of the auditor general is of signal importance in relation to Parliament’s treatment of the budget and the scrutiny of Parliament of the resources generally…we must appreciate that as set out in the constitution,” said the Dr. Scotland.

He said the work of the AG remains an integral part of the management and scrutiny of resources which are made available to the government.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 29, 2018

Roraima Airways commissions third Trislander

DOMESTIC airline Roraima Airways unveiled its third Britten Norman Trislander aircraft on Friday to boost its aviation capacity.

This aircraft will seat 18 persons, including its crew.

Roraima’s principal, Captain Gerald “Gerry” Gouveia, told a gathering, which in included Junior Minister of Public Infrastructure Annette Ferguson, at the company’s hangar at Ogle that safety has been and will always be a number one priority for the company.

He said the aircraft along with others are equipped with systems that can monitor its location in real time.

“From the time these aircraft start the engines, take off and land, the director-general and his team at air traffic control services and our own team know exactly where they are,” Gouveia said.

He said the Trislander

The third Trislander that was commissioned during a simple ceremony at Roraima Airways hangar. aircraft is one of several which brought down the price of air transportation in Guyana. He said with the insertion of another Trislander into the local tourism industry, the cost to travel to the famous

Kaieteur Falls has dropped.

He said customers have expressed a great degree of satisfaction in the level of safety they feel when they travel in the Trislander, simply because they are powered by three engines.

“These airplanes will have sustained flight. If you ever unfortunately have any kind of engine trouble, these airplanes have been very safe and because of increased speed and capacity, more people and even

mining equipment can be fetched, medevacs done and cross-border flights accomplished with ease,” he explained.

Director-General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Colonel (Ret’d) Egbert Field in his remarks said the aircraft was put together in Guyana after being sourced by local engineers which is testimony to the development in the aviation sector.

He said that the GCAA is taking steps to amend its regulation to ensure airlines and operators can apply for a local operating certificate, which gives local pilots and engineers more opportunities to function.

The proposed legislation contains a revision of aviation regulations, which will include: safety management systems; regulations pertaining to drone operations; and revised operating regulations for the industry.

In addition to revis-

ing its regulations, the GCAA also conducted a compliance and enforcement training programme in February, which is expected to play an integral role in aiding the Authority to respond positively to those items requested by the ICAO and bring GCAA closer towards compliance.

Field said that the aviation sector is expanding and Guyana must rise to all challenges, where only high standards will be accepted.

In her brief remarks, Minister Ferguson told the gathering that the investment in another Trislander will only boost the aviation sector, since the administration is working to improve the industry.

The minister noted that Guyana is currently around 70 percent in compliance and has been taking corrective action to move towards 80 percent before the end of the year.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday September 29, 2018

St. Andrew’s Kirk is a ‘social microscope’ – President Granger THE 200th anniversary of St. Andrew’s Kirk is an occasion for national, not parochial celebration, President David Granger said on Thursday evening, as he celebrated the milestone with members of the Church.

The Head of State said the Church is a social microscope from which the nation has much to learn about its history. He was at the time speaking at a special reception held at the Baridi Benab, State House in honour of the bicentenary observance of the Church.

“The ‘Kirk’ is more than a place of worship. It is a social institution. It mirrors the development of Georgetown through more than two centuries, replete with the controversies and contradictions of colonial society. The ‘Kirk’ is a monument to the city’s colonial Dutch and British heritage. It was approved for

construction in 1784 during the Dutch regime but was built and opened for worship after the British seized Demerara in 1803. It was proposed, originally as a place of worship for Dutch settlers but, eventually, was bought and built, through public subscription, for adherents of the Established Church of Scotland, St. Andrew’s is one of Georgetown’s distinctive landmarks. It is located on Brickdam, the city’s oldest street and in Stabroek, the city’s oldest ward,” stated President Granger.

President Granger noted too that the Church’s early development reflected, not just the changes in political authority but also colonial society’s conflicting social relations. The ‘Kirk’ he said, “was established to provide a place of worship primarily for Europeans, but became the first church to open its

President David Granger shares a light moment with Reverend Maureen Massiah (left), of the St. Andrew’ Kirk and other invitees

doors to enslaved Africans and was also used as barracks for the Provisional Battalion deployed to suppress the Demerara Revolt of 1823 on the East Coast.”

“Fifteen years after, the ‘Kirk’ hosted a historic service, attended by then Governor, Sir Henry Light and scores of Africans, on August 1, 1838, to mark Emanci-

pation. The ‘Kirk’, located opposite the Legislative Assembly, was a ‘witness’ to the execution of Damon after the Essequibo revolt was suppressed in 1834. The ‘Kirk’

played an important role in the city’s social development.

It was a font for education, having established a school in 1841. The ‘Kirk’ became a centre of culture by hosting public concerts and recitals.

St. Andrew’s place in our history is assured. St. Andrew’s Kirk is the cradle of Presbyterianism in our country. The Presbyterian order has provided unbroken ministry to our people for two centuries,” the President shared. The event was attended by Head of the St. Andrew’s Kirk, Reverend Maureen Massiah, Bishop Francis Alleyne of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Georgetown, Elders and Deacons of the Kirk and other sister churches and members of the diplomatic corps. (Ministry of the Presidency)

GTT launches second annual breast cancer awareness initiative LINDEN and Lethem will join Georgetown in observing Pinktober, a monthlong breast cancer awareness campaign by Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT).

On Thursday, the telecommunications company launched its second Pinktober with fanfare at the Marriott Hotel, Kingston, Georgetown. Chief Executive Officer of GTT, Justin Nedd, said Pinktober is intended to be a “seismic shift” in how Guyanese address

social causes, particularly breast cancer and cancer in the whole. “Ultimately, our dream is to ensure that every single person in Guyana … is screened routinely … and as we make this a routine occurrence we will remove the stigma associated with cancer,” Nedd said.

Pinktober begins on October 1, the month in which breast cancer awareness is observed worldwide. GTT has a calendar of activities, including its featured Pinktober walk/run. The activities

Chief Executive Officer of Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT), Justin Nedd

will see funds being raised for several cancer-related

organisations including the Guyana Cancer Foundation.

Linden has joined the company in observing Pinktober with a week-long calendar of activities culminating with Pink Day on October 12. Meanwhile, Lethem joins in the Pinktober observation by having Pink Day on October 20. Corporate sponsors for Pinktober 2018 include Republic Bank, Yellow Pages, 93.1FM, the Suraez Circus and ExxonMobil. Government and Public Affairs Director of

ExxonMobil, Deedra Moe, said the oil company will be doing their own campaign with its employees.

“It’s important for entities like ExxonMobil Guyana to give back, be a part of the community especially to such a worth-

while cause,” Moe said. She added that participating in the event has a special place in her heart since her mother is a breast cancer survivor. Pinktober seeks to raise awareness and early detection mechanisms for cancer. (DPI)

Man killed in crash on birthday THREE young people had a tragedy befall them moments after ending a night of celebration in observance of the birth anniversary of one of them.

Dead is 25-year-old Isaiah Corlette, whose birthday was on Friday and who had decided to hang with some friends at the Plaisance Guinness Bar. After they were finished partying, the trio left and were heading to the city when the driver of the car, 25-year-old Mikhail Punch, lost control of the vehicle PWW 676 and slammed into a utility pole. Consequently, Corlette and Akeisha Jones, 24, were flung from the vehicle upon impact.

The impact also brought down electrical wires; smashed a concrete median; brought down a steel gate and a zinc and wooden shed at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.

The police identified Corlette as a resident of Castello Housing Scheme, Punch of Middle Street, Sparendaam and Jones of Leopold Street.

It is suspected that Punch was racing to take the two others home to the city before returning to the East

Coast of Demerara.

When the Guyana Chronicle visited the Sparendaam Police Station where the mangled vehicle was taken after the crash, it was evident that the vehicle was totalled.

The air bag on the steering wheel was activated and the seats were uprooted, while the shock absorber from one of the wheels came off completely and other components of the car were smashed.

The police said the accident took place sometime around 02:00hrs. When traffic ranks arrived at the scene, the injured were lying on the road while bleeding from injuries about their bodies.

They were placed in the police vehicle and taken for the medical attention they needed, but Corlette died on arrival at the facility.

Up to press time, the young lady was slipping in and out of consciousness, as was the driver. Their condition was listed as critical.

The car was not owned by any the three. The police are continuing their investigations into the very unfortunate crash.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday September 29, 2018

10 prison inmates graduate from anger management class The Guyana Prison Service held its Anger Management Graduation Ceremony, on Wednesday last at the conference room of the Georgetown Prison.

Ten inmates from the Georgetown Prison ‘A’ completed twelve weeks of training in anger management and were awarded certificates, the Ministry of Public Security said in a release.

The officer-in-charge of Georgetown Prison ‘A’, Mr. Nicklon Elliot, told the gathering that the anger management programme was implemented at the Camp Street Prison in response to an increase in the occurrence of prisoner to prisoner violence.

He is also hopeful, that the programme will reduce the occurrences of prisoner to prisoner and prisoner to officer conflict. In his closing remarks, he encouraged the graduates to be mentors to other inmates on the subject of conflict resolution.

Ms. Marielle Bristol, Prisoners Correction and Welfare Officer, also ex-

tended congratulations to the inmates and encouraged them to use the information they have received from the course wisely. She explained that though the course taught inmates anger management skills, they also learnt alternative solutions, de-escalation tactics and other skills that will be useful as they reintegrate into society. She further emphasised to the inmates that “you can never control how someone will react to you, but what you can control, is how you will react to situations.”

Mr. Will Campbell, Programme Manager, remarked that the programme focused on emotional awareness and not on anger. He added that participants learnt how to be assertive and not aggressive.

They learnt how to find and use their voices in constructive rather than destructive ways. The programme, he said, also reminded participants of their inherent power that is best exercised when they learn to control themselves, rather than con-

Thirteen escape from NOC THIRTEEN inmates of the New Opportunity Corps could not be accounted for by the staff of the facility up to Friday morning.

The Guyana Chronicle was informed that the first of the 13 inmates escaped on Thursday; all were said to be between the ages of 15 and 17.

By early Friday morning, another set of inmates were recorded as missing from the facility and they range between the ages of 15 and 17 also.

Repeated efforts on Friday to contact officials at the Ministry of Social Protection, which has supervisory responsibility for the facility, proved futile.

This publication was told that the minister and the permanent secretary of the ministry were both out of town.

The Chronicle could not confirm up to late yesterday, whether any of the children were accounted for.

The children were said to be from communities all across the country. In normal circumstances, when the inmates escape from custody, the police usually check with their parents as in many instances the children would escape and return home.

We were told that in the case of the Thursday morning

escape, the teenagers were in the yard carrying out chores, when they made a dash for cover towards a bushy section of the facility which is not enclosed by a fence.

It should be noted that this is the same route which is usually used by the inmates to escape from the facility, as recorded in the past.

In the case of the Friday morning escape, the inmates reportedly escaped while the staff were sleeping.

There is no word as to whether the ministry has since launched an investigation, or if that would be done.

A 17-yr-old of Pamela Backdam, Mahdia; a 16-yrold of 35 Avenue, Bartica; a 15-yr-old of Vigilance, East Coast Demerara; a 16-yr-old of Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara; a 16-yr-old of 10 Village, West Coast Berbice; a 15- yr-old of 59 Westbury Village, Essequibo Coast; a 17-yr-old of 59 Windmill Road Lethem, a 16-yr-old of 19 Tucville Squatting Area; a 16-yearold, of 82 Savannah Park, New Amsterdam, Berbice and a 16-yr-old of Buxton are among the escapees who left the facility on Thursday.

A 17-yr-old, 15-yr-old and another whose age was not stated, escaped on Friday morning.

trolling others.

At the graduation ceremony, the participants demonstrated what they learnt by performing poetry and skits, and offering words of encouragement.

The anger management course is one aspect of the Rehabilitation and Reintegration Programmes offered by the Guyana Prison Service. It provides an alternative way for inmates to manage and control their anger. This programme is offered at

At the head table: Mr. Nicklon Elliot Officer-in-Charge, Georgetown Prison ‘A’(left), Ms. Marielle Bristol Officer-in-Charge of Prisoners Welfare (right) and Mr. Will Campbell Programme Manager ( centre)

all prison locations except Lusignan, which will be added to the list shortly.

As a result of the Anger Management Programme, several locations have al-

ready reported a decrease in altercations among prisoners.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 29, 2018

Commander urges ranks to be professional

COMMANDER of ‘D’ Division (West Bank Demerara-East Bank Essequibo), Senior Superintendent Edmond Cooper, has urged police personnel in the region to continually exhibit professionalism in discharging their duties in the region.

The commander, on Friday during a divisional muster with 159 ranks, awarded some for their nifty turn out.

Commander Cooper addressed the ranks after he would have inspected them.

He encouraged the ranks to be disciplined at all times and told them that they should have integrity while embracing current reforms, noting that all ranks of the division must work together as a team to move forward.

In an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, the commander said the Guyana Police Force is more closely scrutinised and subject

to more uninformed and biased criticism than any other occupational group.

“Just putting on the uniform does not make you a police officer, but rather what comes out from you makes your profession worthy, try as much as possible to be highly professional and exhibit the professionalism you were thought at the training school to bring character to our work in service to the nation,” the commander related to ranks.

He said over the years police have established and maintained effective partnerships with numerous groups in the communities to address various issues of crime while working to have it under control.

Underscoring that the existing synergy that results from community policing can be powerful, the senior superintended said law enforcement officers must put

(Standing in the middle in front) Commander Edmond Cooper and his Deputy Dion Moore flanked by some of the awardees within the division. their ears to the ground and focus on information that will assist the police force in its cause to serve and protect.

He explained that there “truly is nothing like the feeling that you’ve done something to make someone else’s life just a little better.”

“If you encounter a police officer on the job, you’re probably not having

a very good day. But most cops know that they can affect the outcome simply based on what they do or how they treat you.

Whether it’s by helping you change a tyre on the side of the road, showing a little compassion

and empathy on a traffic stop or at a crash scene, or helping you see that justice is done if you’re a victim of a crime, police and officers rarely forget that most of us took the job because we wanted to help others,” he explained.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 29, 2018

COURTS Pee Wee to begin today

GRASSROOTS football at COURTS U-11 schools football competition will begin today at the Ministry of Education ground on Carifesta Avenue.

The event, which also saw sponsorship from Banks DIH through its Malta Supreme and Rainforest Waters brands as well as the Ministry of Education, is expected to begin with a march past at 09:30hrs.

BELOW ARE THE FIXTURES: 10:00hrs - Smith Memorial vs Clonbrook 10:00hrs - St Stephen’s vs BV 10:45hrs - Victoria vs Redeemer 10:45hrs - Mocha Arcadia vs Den Amstel 11:30hrs - Timehri vs Mae’s 11:30hrs St Agnes vs Parfaite Harmonie 12:15hrs North Georgetown vs Goed Fortuin 12:15hrs Soesdyke vs St

Margaret’s 13:00hrs Marian Academy vs Plaisance 13:00hrs St Ambrose vs Craig 13:45hrs Grove vs F.E.Pollard 13:45hrs South vs Colaaco 14:30hrs Sophia vs Ann’s Grove 14:30hrs Tucville vs J.E.Burnham 15:15hrs St Pius vs Enterprise 15:15hrs West Ruimveldt vs Winfer Gardens

WI can surprise them – Law CMC – WEST Indies have not won a series in India in nearly four decades but head coach Stuart Law believes the Caribbean side can still spring a surprise in the two-Test series starting next week.

The Jason Holder-led squad arrived here Wednesday following a 10-day camp in Dubai, and will open their tour when they take on an Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) President’s XI in a two-day match starting Saturday at the Gujarat State Fertilizer Corporation Ground.

“India aren’t going to be easy. They are the number one Test team in the world for a particular reason. We have to play really well to not only get into the contest but also we can pressure them into mistakes,” Law said.

“We are going there to compete, we are going to keep fighting till the very end. Just never know what can happen.”

The last time West Indies on the subcontinent was when the legendary Clive Lloyd oversaw his star-studded side’s 3-0 win

over Kapil Dev’s side, in a six-Test series back in 1983.

Further, West Indies have not beaten India in a Test series in 16 years, following their come-from-behind 2-1 victory in a five-Test rubber in 2002 on Caribbean soil.

Significantly, the Windies also have not won a single Test against India since then, losing 10 of the last 19 outings.

Law pointed out that if West Indies were to taste success on the tour, much would rest with the top order, whose inconsistency has been a major problem.

“Our top six are going to stick their hand up and score the big runs, they are capable of doing so,” the Australian said.

“If we can put runs on

the board we can create pressure by giving the bowlers something to work.”

West Indies have not had the smoothest build-up to the series. They lost fast bowler Alzarri Joseph to fitness concerns before the side left the Caribbean and earlier this week, and new-ball seamer Kemar Roach was forced to return home due to a family bereavement, and will now be in a race against time to be available for the opening Test starting next Thursday.

The Windies were also forced to train in Dubai because of the unavailability of venues in India and just days ago, Law announced he would be quitting the side at year end following the tour of India and Bangladesh immediately following.

Canadian Racing Tips Woodbine Race 1 Lauderdale Race 2 Pictures Of You Race 3 Court Adjoured Race 4 Holidejavu Race 5 Conqueror Galactus Race 6 Alacritous Race 7 Zestina Race 8 Magical Man Race 9 Golden Spear

09:45 hrs Polly Douglas 10:20 hrs Nikeandnemesis 10:55 hrs Madame Delavanti 11:30 hrs Pedisnap 12:05 hrs Wavepoint 12:35 hrs Lady Boomerang

American Racing Tips Belmont Race 1 Woodbury Race 2 Almithmaar Race 3 Shiraz Race 4 U S Navy Cross Race 5 Alasaayil Race 6 Dolce Lili Race 7 Imperial Hint Race 8 Robert Bruce Race 9 Opry Race10 Diversify South Africa Racing Tips Durbanville 08:10 hrs Secret Path 08:45 hrs Doubled Over 09:15 hrs Nao Faz Mal 09:50 hrs Earl Of Warwick 10:30 hrs Master’s Eye 11:05 hrs Captain Courteous 11:40 hrs Mixed Signals Irish Racing Tips Navan 08:35 hrs Western Frontier 09:10 hrs Freiheit

English Racing Tips Haydock 08:30 hrs Guropor 09:05 hrs Mitchum Swagger 09:40 hrs Drogon 10:15 hrs Dakota Gold 10:50 hrs Tresorier 11:25 hrs Surya 12:00 hrs Finniston Farm Newmarket 08:50 hrs Kadar 09:25 hrs Pretty Pollyanna 10:00 hrs Jash 10:40 hrs Alfarris 11:15 hrs Maqsad 11:50 hrs Dubrava 12:25 hrs Chaleur 12:55 hrs Ripp Orf Chester 09:00 hrs Gabrial The One 09:35 hrs Intransigent 10:10 hrs Kinks 10:45 hrs Simoon 11:20 hrs Alkhawaneej Boy 11:55 hrs Bell Heather 12:30 hrs Our Power

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 29, 2018

Mercedes heads Sochi practice Ronaldo to sue Der Spiegel

Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes WO9 on track during practice for the Formula One Grand Prix of Russia at Sochi Autodrom on September 28, 2018 in Sochi, Russia.

(Photo by Charles Coates/Getty Images)

(BBC) - LEWIS Hamilton headed Valtteri Bottas in a Mercedes one-two in second practice at the Russian Grand Prix, as title rival Sebastian Vettel struggled.

Hamilton pipped Bottas by 0.199 seconds while Vettel was fifth fastest in the Ferrari, 0.543secs off the pace.

Vettel, who had a spin late in the session, starts the weekend 40 points behind Hamilton, with a maximum of 150 available over the remaining six races.

The Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo were third and fourth.

They will start from the back of the grid because Red Bull have fitted new Renault engines to both cars and, as they have exceeded the maximum number of engine parts, that means they will receive grid penalties.

Mercedes’ pace on a single lap suggested they have an advantage over Ferrari at the start of the weekend, which is bad news for Vettel, who really needs to beat Hamilton this weekend to revive his title hopes.

Vettel set the pace in the first practice session, but he was only 0.33secs quicker than Hamilton despite using the softest hyper-soft tyre while the Mercedes was on the ultra-soft.

The time difference between those two tyres is in the region of a second - so both sessions told a similar story, of a Mercedes that has a chunk of time over Ferrari.

However, Friday practice times can be misleading, as it is not clear what specification the cars are running in, so it would be premature to draw any conclusions.

With the race expected to feature just a single pit stop, and overtaking difficult, grid positions are important - although the long run from the start to the first corner gives drivers on the second row a chance to get a tow and pass into the first corner, as Bottas did on his way to victory last year.

Hamilton said: “Sochi has been one of the weaker circuits for me in the past, particularly last year. So I’ve done a lot of work to understand the balance and see where I can improve to try and rectify this - today has been good in that sense.”

Limping Jadhav wins Asia cup for India (REUTERS) - INDIA made heavy weather of a modest target before prevailing in a nerve-shredding final against Bangladesh by three wickets as they defended their Asia Cup title yesterday.

Chasing 223 for a win, India’s fancied top order let the team down but a hamstrung Kedar Jadhav’s all-round brilliance helped them win their seventh continental title off the final delivery of the contest.

under the lights and elected to field but an early breakthrough eluded his team.

Liton scored freely and Mehidy Hasan Miraz celebrated his surprise promotion in a 120-run opening-wicket stand that laid the foundation for a big total at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

A desperate Sharma pressed Jadhav into service and the part-timer’s low-slung

with characteristic ease, hitting three sixes in his fluent 48, but his Bangladesh counterpart, Mashrafe Mortaza, cleverly marshalled his bowlers and maintained attacking fields to keep them under pressure.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (36) and Dinesh Karthik (37) revived the chase by safely accumulating runs in the middle overs, but their departure in quick succession injected fresh excitement in

the see-saw contest.

Jadhav, who was forced out of the ground with the hamstring injury, limped back amid mounting tension, with India needing six runs off the final over from Mahmudullah.

The Bangladesh spinner did not concede a boundary but scores were level when a limping Jadhav took guard to face the final delivery, which resulted in a leg bye that sealed India’s victory.

SCOREBOARD

An injured Kedar Jadhav limps between wickets. (Associated Press)

Earlier Liton Das registered his maiden one-day century but Bangladesh squandered a flying start to be bowled out for 222 in the 49th over.

“We played some good cricket throughout the tournament and this is the reward for the hard work,” India captain Rohit Sharma said.

“Credit to the guys, who handled the pressure well and it took a great effort to get over the line. Credit to Bangladesh also, they batted brilliantly.”

Sharma was confident of his team’s ability to chase

spinners once again came in handy.

Jadhav dismissed Miraz for 32 and sowed a seed of panic in the batting order as Bangladesh slumped to 1515 in the 33rd over.

Liton needed 87 balls to bring up his century but was dismissed for 121, stumped off Kuldeep Yadav.

Most Bangladesh batsmen were guilty of poor shot selection and chaotic running which resulted in three run-outs as they could not last their full quota of 50 overs.

Sharma led India’s reply

BANGLADESH 1st innings Liton Das stp. MS Dhoni b Kuldeep Yadav 121 Mehedi Hasan c Ambati Rayudu b Kedar Jadhav 32 Imrul Kayes lbw Yuzvendra Chahal

2 Mushfiqur Rahim c Jasprit Bumrah b Kedar Jadhav 5 Mohammad Mithun run-out Ravindra Jadeja

2 Mahmudullah c Jasprit Bumrah b Kuldeep Yadav 4 Soumya Sarkar run-out Ambati Rayudu 33 Mashrafe Mortaza stp. MS Dhoni b Kuldeep Yadav 7 Nazmul Islam run-out (sub.)

7 Mustafizur Rahman not out

2 Rubel Hossain b Jasprit Bumrah

0 Extras: (lb-2, w-5)

7 Total: (all out, 48.3 overs)

222 Fall of wickets: 1-120, 2-128, 3-137, 4-139, 5-151, 6-188, 7-196, 8-213, 9-222.

Bowling: Bhuvneshwar Kumar 7-0-33-0, Jasprit Bumrah 8.30-39-1, Yuzvendra Chahal 8-1-31-1, Kuldeep Yadav 10-0-45 -3, Ravindra Jadeja 6-0-31-0, Kedar Jadhav 9-0-41-2.

India 1st innings Rohit Sharma c Nazmul Islam b Rubel Hossain

48 Shikhar Dhawan c Soumya Sarkar b Nazmul Islam

15 Ambati Rayudu c Mushfiqur Rahim b Mashrafe Mortaza 2 Dinesh Karthik lbw Mahmudullah 37 MS Dhoni c Mushfiqur Rahim b Mustafizur Rahman 36 Kedar Jadhav not out

23 Ravindra Jadeja c Mushfiqur Rahim b Rubel Hossain 23 Bhuvneshwar Kumar c Mushfiqur Rahim b Mustafizur Rahman 21 Kuldeep Yadav not out

5 Extras: (b-1, lb-7, w-5) 13 Total: (seven wkts, 50.0 overs)

223 Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-46, 3-83, 4-137, 5-160, 6-212, 7-214.

Bowling: Mehedi Hasan 4-0-27-0, Mustafizur Rahman 10-0-382, Nazmul Islam 10-0-56-1, Mashrafe Mortaza 10-0-35-1, Rubel Hossain 10-2-26-2, Mahmudullah 6-0-33-1.

(REUTERS) - LAWYERS for Cristiano Ronaldo said on Friday they would sue German magazine Der Spiegel after it published “blatantly illegal” accusations by an American woman who alleges she was raped by the Portuguese soccer star in 2009.

Ronaldo’s lawyer Christian Schertz said in a statement the report was “an inadmissible reporting of suspicions in the area of privacy”, and that he would seek legal redress for his client from the magazine.

The statement was sent to Reuters by Ronaldo’s agent Gestifute in response to a request for comment on the Der Spiegel story. Gestifute did not answer any specific questions about the content of the Der Spiegel report, which Reuters was unable to independently verify.

Ronaldo is one of the biggest names in world sport.

He has been named player of the year five times and transferred to Juventus from Real Madrid this summer for 100 million euros. The Italian club declined to comment on the Der Spiegel report.

The magazine said the rape allegedly took place in June 2009 in a hotel room in Las Vegas, according to Leslie Mark Stovall, lawyer for the alleged victim, Kathryn Mayorga.

Ronaldo and Mayorga then reached an out-of-court agreement, according to Stovall as reported in the magazine.

It said, according to Stovall, that she had pledged never to speak of the accusation again and Ronaldo paid her $375,000.

“Kathryn was sexually assaulted in June 2009 by an individual named Cristiano Ronaldo,” Mayorga’s lawyer, Leslie Mark Stovall, said in a video published online by Der Spiegel.

Reuters was not able to independently verify Mayorga’s allegations.

Stovall did not immediately respond to email requests from Reuters for comment on the report and Mayorga was not available for comment in telephone calls to her home.

Her lawyer told Der Spiegel, however, that he had filed a civil complaint seeking to declare the non-disclosure agreement void.

“The purpose of this lawsuit is to hold Cristiano Ronaldo responsible within a civil court of law for the injuries he has caused Kathryn Mayorga and the consequences of those injuries,” Stovall told Der Spiegel.

Schertz said he would seek compensation from Der Spiegel for “moral damages in an amount corresponding to the gravity of the infringement, which is probably one of the most serious violations of personal rights in recent years.”

The magazine’s Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Alfred Weinzierl, told Reuters that Der Spiegel had repeatedly written to Ronaldo’s management and lawyers about the allegations before publishing its report.

“We sent written questions, to which there were no answers. Nobody sued us in connection with earlier Ronaldo reports,” he said in an email.

Mayorga told Der Spiegel she no longer felt bound by the non-disclosure agreement as she suffers from the consequences of the night nine years ago.

“I’ve had like these serious breakdowns,” she told the magazine. “And again, blaming of the rape. And I blame him, and I blame myself for signing that thing.”

28

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 29, 2018

Women’s T20 to boost ABCA

Senior players’ return boosts red force- Ramdin

The semi-finals and final will be staged at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.

(CMC) – NOVEMBER’S Women’s Twenty20 World Cup is expected to provide a much-needed financial windfall for the Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association (ABCA).

ABCA president Leon Rodney said the historic standalone November 9-24 ICC tournament would see his organisation benefit from ticket sales, concessionaire fees and suite rentals for the semi-finals and final carded for Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.

“I am sure that I am at liberty to say that, because it is already written and signed off on,” Rodney told the Observer newspaper here.

“We will be sharing from the gate receipts and obviously we will also be benefiting from the vendors as we usually do.

We will also benefit from the renting of suites and things like that.”

The preliminaries of the T20 World Cup will be staged in Guyana and St Lucia, with the semi-finals

set for November 22 and the final two days later.

Defending champions West Indies headline Group A which also includes England, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh while Group B will comprise 2016 losing finalists Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan and Ireland.

ICC official warm-up matches will also be hosted at Coolidge Cricket Ground here, prior to the tournament. Rodney said those

matches would also be an exciting time in the country.

“We have matches here at the Coolidge Cricket Ground on November 3, 4 and 7 in terms of warm-up matches,” he explained.

“At some point we will have at least eight international women’s teams here in Antigua and then they will depart for Guyana and St Lucia. They will return here to play the semi-finals and final on November 22 and 24.”

Strong Indian squad named for Women’s T20 World Cup

(CMC) – EXPERIENCED stroke-maker Harmanpreet Kaur will, in November, lead India to the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup in the Caribbean, in a strong 15-member side named for the ICC stand-alone tournament.

The 29-year-old, who has played 88 Twenty20 Internationals, took over the captaincy from current oneday skipper Mithali Raj following the 2016 T20 World Cup which West Indies won to clinch their maiden title.

Kaur has emerged as one of India’s leading batters, with 11 half-centuries in ODIs and six in T20 Internationals.

She will have as her deputy Smriti Mandhana, the exciting 22-year-old opener, who has already struck three hundreds in 44 ODIs and five half-centuries in T20 Internationals.

Raj, the veteran 35-year-old right-hander, will continue in the squad, bringing her experience of

197 ODIs and 82 T20Is. Eighteen-year-old Jemimah Rodrigues, who made her T20 debut earlier this month, and 20-year-old Tanya Bhatia, who debuted earlier this year, have both made the cut.

India will do battle in Group B of the November 9-24 tournament, alongside the likes of Australia,

New Zealand, Pakistan and Ireland.

Group A will comprise defending champions West Indies, England, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

The preliminaries will be staged in Guyana and St Lucia, with the semi-finals and final set for Antigua.

SQUAD – Harman-

preet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Mithali Raj, Jemimah Rodrigues, Veda Krishnamurthy, Deepti Sharma, Tanya Bhatia (wicketkeeper), Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav, Anuja Patil, Ekta Bisht, D Hemalatha, Mansi Joshi, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy.

Harmanpreet Kaur bats against West Indies during a warm-up match for the 50-overs World Cup in England last year.

Denesh Ramdin believes the return of Pollard, Narine, Simmons and Bravo puts the Red Force in the title hunt.

(SPORTSMAX) - TRINIDAD and Tobago Red Force captain Denesh Ramdin believes the return of the former Windies senior players to the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force bolsters his side’s chances of winning the Regional Super50 competition that bowls off next week.

The Red Force finished third in their group last term and failed to advance to the semi-finals of the competition. However, with the return of Kieron Pollard, Lendl Simmons, Ravi Rampaul and Sunil Narine to a team that already has Dwayne Bravo, Darren Bravo and Nicholas Pooran, the captain is feeling good about this team.

“It’s good to have those guys back in the fray. Their experience, the amount of games they have played all over the world and playing at home in our conditions it’s going to be very helpful,” Ramdin SportsMax.TV. “They have made themselves available so I have no doubt they’re going to give 100 per cent and they are going to represent the team with all their heart and soul.”

Given their presence in the team that will also boast a bowling attack that includes Rayad Emrit and Khary Pierre, Ramdin said the Red Force are in good position to win the title this year.

“It’s very important that we try to win the tournament this year. We didn’t do too well last year coming out of the group stages so hopefully, we can go a few steps further.”

The full squad is Denesh Ramdin (Captain), DJ Bravo (Vice-Captain), Jason Mohammed, Imran Khan, Khary Pierre, Lendl Simmons, Kieron Pollard, Darren Bravo, Sunil Narine, Ravi Rampaul, Rayad Emrit, Kyle Hope and Nicholas Pooran.

This year’s Super50 Cup will be staged in Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados that will also host the semi-finals and final stages. T&T open their campaign against the Windward Islands at the Queens Park Oval on Wednesday, October 3.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 29, 2018

Six-race card for Seeta’s Bar pool competition KMTC’s Pre-Diwali set for Sunday afternoon race meet

The top players from last Sunday night’s competition. (L-R) Andre Boyce Jr., Johnathon Parbu, Sean DeSouza and Shawn Cameron.

Over $100,000, trophies and bragging rights will be up for grabs when Seeta’s Bar holds a pool competition tomorrow afternoon at its Station Street, Kitty, location.

Banks DIH are sponsoring the event under its Banks and GT Beer brands.

The first game will rack up at 14:00h, with participants competing for a top prize of $50,000. The second place finisher will receive $30,000, while third will collect $20,000 and fourth place $10,000. The top four finishers will also receive trophies.

Registration fee is $2000 per player.

If he competes, Andre Boyce Jr., will be one of the players

to beat, given that he won last Sunday’s competition, which was held at the Caribbean Beat Restaurant and Bar in Campbellville.

Boyce Jr., who earned $50,000 for the win, had gotten past a number of big names, including Sean DeSouza. Johnathon Parbu copped the second place prize of $30,000, while DeSouza finished with $20,000 and Shawn Cameron $10,000.

The final was a two best in three series, but the previous rounds were one-game knockouts.

Along with hosting, Caribbean Beat also organised that competition.

Third Limacol Football tournament

Pouderoyen, Santos cop final semi-final spots INTENSE football, Pouderoyen and Santos Football clubs have copped the final semi-final spots of the Limacol Football tournament organised by the Petra Organisation.

Played at the Ministry of Education ground on Carifesta Avenue, the first game got off to a cracking start with Pouderoyen scoring first through Kcay John in the 17th and Dwayne

St Kitts doubling up in the 38th.

H o w e v e r, M a h a i c a seemed determined to put up a fight and opened their account in the 59th with Delon Charles. On the path to a comeback, the Mahaica side tried but failed to convert their chances, as the score line read 2-1 in favour of Pouderoyen at the final whistle.

In the second match of the night, Santos FC railroaded Buxton Stars 3-0.

Dellon David (4th), Jermain Fraser (75th) and Sunil Logan (79th) were the chief pall-bearers in the demise of Buxton.

Meanwhile, the first semi-final billed for tomorrow will see Pouderoyen play Santos FC and Riddim Squad face Police in the second semifinal.

SIX races are carded for the Kennard’s Memorial Turf Club’s (KMTC) Pre-Diwali race meet set for October 21 at the club’s Bush Lot, Corentyne, Berbice facility.

The feature event is a six-furlong race for horses classified ‘H1 and Lower’ and the winning stable will be rewarded with $250 000, while the second-, third- and fourth- place finishers will earn $125 000, $62 000 and $31 000 respectively.

Entrance fee is $30 000.

The co-feature event is a five-furlong race for two-year-old Maiden animals and the winner will earn $200 000, while the other top three performers will receive $100 000, $50 000 and $25 000 respectively.

Registration fee is $24 000.

The other five races will all cover a distance of five furlongs - one for horses classified `L’ Non-earners that carries a first prize of $100 000, the second-place finisher will earn $50 000, while the third- and fourth-

place finishers will receive $25 000 and $13 000 respectively. Registration fee is $12 000.

Another of the five-furlong races is open to horses classified `L’ Open and this race carries a first prize $140 000. The second- to fourth- place finishers will receive $70 000, $35 000 and $18 000 respectively. Registration fee is $17 000. ‘l’ Non-winners will also contest a five-furlong event for a first prize of $120 000. The second- to fourth-place finishers will be earn $60 000, $30 000 and $15 000 respectively. Registration fee for this race is $14 000.

The other race on the day’s programme is for animals classified `J3’ and `K’ and the winner will earn $160 000 while the second-place finisher will receive $80 000. The thirdand fourth-place horses will collect $40 000 and $20 000 in that order and the registration fee is $19 000.

Entries close on October 14 and no late entries will be accepted.

Clarke ready to represent Guyana at Barbados bodybuilding competition REIGNING Mr Guyana Kerwin Clarke is one of three Guyanese set to represent this country at tonight’s Darcy Beckles Bodybuilding Invitational Classic and Bikini and Body Fitness Championships in Barbados.

Runner-up in this year’s Mr Physique category in the National Senior Championships, Yannick Grimes, and current Ms Bikini champion Chandini Khan are also expected to compete.

Clarke and Grimes are from Space Gym, while Khan trains at Fitness Paradise.

For Clarke, the competition has some emotional value since it was his “first-experience show” after winning the Novices Division in Guyana seven years ago. Since then, the 31-year-old has won numerous title, including a CAC gold medal (2016) and five senior national titles (Mr Guyana).

Guyana’s top bodybuilder was hoping to compete in this July’s CAC Games which took place in Mexico, but unforeseen activities prevented him from competing and he was in vacation mode for a while before he started

training for this event.

“I’m here to represent, here to do well.”

Clarke will be up against some of the best bodybuilders in the region, who have travelled for the competition.

Fitness Express, BK Quarry Inc. Space Gym, L. Mahabeer and Son Cambio, Akbar Auto Sale, Attorney-at-Law Sohan Poonai, ACS Auto Parts and Mining Supplies, Star Party Rentals, Dexter ‘Bushman’ Garnett and B. Constantine and Sons made the trip possible for the national champion.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 29, 2018

South American U- 23 Games

Caesar, Phillips and Sanmogan set for action today

By Joe Chapman

SPRINTER Compton Caesar is in contention for more gold medals when he spikes up for the sprint double today at the South American Under-23 Games in Tuenca, Ecuador.

After showing that he was next-level by first winning Guyana’s first CARIFTA Games 100m gold medal in April 2017, Caesar then doubled his money two months later with gold at the Junior South American Games at the Leonora Track and Field Centre here.

Caesar, along with female athletes Kenisha Phillips and Ruth Sanmogan as well as manager Moses Pantlitz, make up Guyana’s athletics contingent.

President of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) Aubrey Hutson, in an invited comment yesterday said the decision to send the three athletes was an investment in the future.

The athletes are likely to be around for another South American Under-23 championships in two years’ time he posited, noting, “It’s an investment we are making for Compton. He was away a little while from the sport, but we hope to see them again in two years.”

He said that Deshana Skeete was also considered for the games but has another assignment in the immediate future and the AAG felt the strain of attending both may

Pantlitz noted that Caesar was focusing on regaining his 2017 form after some recent challenges.

However, this meet, Pantlitz says, will be the

perfect gauge of his top sprinter ahead of the 2019 season, this being the last real championship of the year.

Phillips will be contesting

last year Sanmogan grabbed a bronze in the long jump leap while in the Women’s 100m, Guyana picked up a bronze medal through Kenisha Phillips.

BCB/Skyy Vodka T/20 semifinals action on tomorrow THE Berbice Cricket Board (BCB)-sponsored Skyy Vodka T20 semifinals will be played tomorrow at the No.69 ground.

Upper Corentyne will do battle with Albion Community Centre Cricket Club from 09.30hrs, while Skeldon Cricket Club will clash with Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets from 13.30hrs.

Over the last decade, Albion and Rose Hall Town have dominated Berbice cricket. However, they would have to be at their best tomorrow to get past the two home teams.

Albion will be led by West Indies ‘A’ player Gudakesh Motie and would be supported by Jonathan Foo, Kandasammy Surujnarine, Ritesh Umroa, Kevin Umrao, Gourav Ramesh and Antonio February.

The Upper Corentyne team does not possess any

cricketing stars, but the players are known to play as a collective unit under the inspirational leadership of the level-headed Lakeram Latchman. He is expected to receive good support from Rishi Persaud, Munesh Lallu, Devin Baldeo, Naeem

Gudakesh Motie

Yacoob and Devendra Budhoo.

Skeldon are well known in Berbice for their reputation of surprising major teams but they will have to be at their best if they will have any chance against a rampant Rose Hall Town

Kevin Sinclair

--Team to depart tomorrow

the 100m and 200m sprints also while Sanmogan will be competing in the long jump and 100m.

At the Junior South American championships

Photo from Joe Chapman shows coach/manager Moses Pantlitz, Ruth Sanmogan, Kenisha Phillips and Compton Caesar in Ecuador after arrival.

put pressure on the promising Skeete.

The team left Guyana and coach Pantlitz told Chronicle Sport that they are going all out to make Guyana proud.

Johnson retains captaincy of Guyana Jaguars

Gizmos & Gadgets, which recently defeated Albion Community Centre to win the BCB Patron’s Fund 10/10 title.

A youthful Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets would be led by Shawn Pereira and he will be supported by Eon Hooper, Kevin Sinclair, Junior Sinclair, Kevlon Anderson, Jason Sinclair, Keon Sinclair, Sylus Tyndall, Jonathan Rampersaud, Andy Naidu and Vidal Crandon.

Meanwhile, the board’s president, Hilbert Foster, is urging cricket fans in the Upper Corentyne area to come out and support the games, since it is the first time in Berbice cricket, that two teams from the Sub-association were able to reach the BCB semifinals stage.

The tournament is being sponsored by Ansa McAl (Guy) Ltd under the Skyy Vodka Brand.

AFTER an exciting 2018 GCB/CGI Jaguars 50-Over League, the selectors have made their golden picks to represent the Guyana Jaguars based on performances from all eight franchises. The team will embark on their journey to represent Guyana in the Regional Super50 tournament which runs throughout the month of October in Trinidad & Tobago.

The 14-man squad will be led by Leon Johnson and includes Anthony Bramble-Vice Captain, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Raymon Reifer, Sherfane Rutherford, Christopher Barnwell, Romario Shepherd, Veerasammy Permaul, Gudakesh Motie, Ramaal Lewis, Ricardo Adams, Trevon Griffith and Clinton Pestano.

The team is led by Coach, Esuan Crandon and Manager/Assistant Coach, Rayon Griffith. They will also be accompanied by Physiotherapist, Neil Barry.

Ronaldo Alimohamed and Kemol Savory are on standby and will join the team as selected players will depart to fulfill their duties on the Windies tour to India.

The Guyana Jaguars are scheduled to depart tomorrow.

Continental CC to host 40-lap race this weekend

Cycling is set for the National Park tomorrow.

ON Sunday, cyclists will turn out in their numbers for Continental Cycle Club’s (CCC) 40-lap race which promises lots of cash with $2 000 per ‘prime’.

The race will be contested across the Veterans, Juniors and Senior categories respectively at the inner circuit of the National Park.

The race is being organised by the Continental CC and is open to all riders.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 29, 2018

Registration for PM T20 Cup closes tomorrow … Tournament receives international support

Encore Consulting Corporation and Green Power Solution Managing Director, Richard Singh, (right) confirms sponsorship with GSCL secretary Telesha Ousman.

R E G I S T R AT I O N f o r the second edition of the Prime Minister’s T20 Softball Cup closes tomorrow, according to information from the organising committee.

The tournament will run from October 19 to 21, with games to be played across Georgetown.

The inaugural tournament in 2017 attracted a staggering 20 teams, with 12 in the Masters Over-45 category and the remaining eight in the All-Stars category. The overall number of teams in 2018 is expected to increase significantly, with interest being shown by teams from as far away as Canada, New York and Florida, besides the interest being generated by the best local talents from across the country.

The GSCL is also reminding teams that no registration fee is required; but lots are up for grabs, with more than $2M at stake.

The prize money in each

COURTS 10K race takes place tomorrow

category has increased from 2017, with the All Stars champions set to take home $700 000 while the Masters champions will pocket $600 000. What’s more, the Most Valuable Player in each category will win a Hero motorcycle and a 55-inch Smart television set respectively.

Speed Boat All-Stars are the defending Open champions, and Regal Masters are the holders of the Masters title.

Meanwhile, the tournament has attracted a number of local and international sponsors, with Managing Director of Encore Consulting Corporation of South Florida, Richard Singh, and Rajkumar Outar of Atlantic Southern Trade and Rica Juice, of Annandale, East Coast Demerara, inking their support recently.

Teams are urged to call the GSCL on 225-4802 or 610-7902 for more information and registration details.

Encore Consulting Corporation and Green Power Solution Managing Director, Richard Singh, (right) confirms sponsorship with GSCL secretary Telesha Ousman.

Guyana to host CRTTF senior table tennis championships in 2019

GUYANA has won the right to host the senior Caribbean table tennis championships in 2019. This was revealed at the annual conference of the Caribbean Regional Table Tennis Federation (CRTTF), last Wednesday.

The Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) has been chosen as the designated venue for the games.

Guyana, along with several other countries, had campaigned in a process recently implemented by the CRTTF for host countries who wish to hold regional events.

The championships will

be held before April 2019, so as to facilitate registration of athletes for the Pan American Games. The Pan American table tennis championships will, in turn, act as the qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Junior vice-president of the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA), Gary Pratt, presented the winning Powerpoint presentation which was unanimously approved by the affiliates and executive committee of the CRTTF. The GTTA has already engaged and secured the commitment of key stake-

holders and corporate support for the hosting of the championship.

The association is confident that hosting the games here will create a home advantage and a great opportunity for the local teams in their quest for qualification at the Pan American Games and Olympic Games.

The GTTA is certain that the championships will allow fans to witness high-level table tennis which will serve as a catalyst to inspire the new generation of fans and players in the region.

Last year’s winners of the COURTS 10K

COURTS Guyana Inc. in collaboration with the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) will be hosting its much anticipated sixth annual COURTS 10K Road Race on the heels of the record-breaking event held last year.

The event, which is now a fixture on the AAG calendar, sees some clubs, athletes and

gyms participate every year with last year having the largest registration in history for any 10K event in Guyana.

The event is open to runners in the juniors, seniors and masters categories for both males and females.

COURTS will be investing over $2M in the organisation of this year’s event.

The 10K race will com-

mence at the COURTS Main Street store at 06:00hrs and run a one-mile race along with a 3K staff event held simultaneously, as COURTS continues to promote healthy lifestyles even among its staff.

The first- to third-place winners for both male and female staff members will be awarded with cash prizes and trophies.

Guyana will be hosting the CRTTF senior table tennis championships in 2019 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).

COURTS Pee Wee to begin today See Page 26

ACTION in the COURTS Guyana Inc. sponsored Pee Wee football tournament commences tomorrow.

WI can surprise them – Law

Clarke ready to represent Guyana at Barbados bodybuilding competition

See Page 26

See Page 29

Part of the Limacol Football action

Third Limacol Football tournament

Pouderoyen, Santos cop final semi-final spots See Page 29

West Indies head coach Stuart Law.

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

Kerwin Clarke will participate in his first competition since winning the Mr Guyana title in July.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2018