Guyana chronicle e paper22 01 2018

Transport sector energy audit for Bartica Page 9

No. 105162

MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 2018

Price: $80

(VAT Inclusive)

Wide support for ERC

…parties, civil society welcome move to reconstitute constitutional body

Page 3

T&T foot care service opens branch in Guyana ‘PPP now sees the light’ Page 8

Page 9

…PM says, as party now backs privatisation of sugar industry

Guyanese gunned down in T&T Page 10

Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes consults with Yvonne Brathwaite, owner of Trinidad-based Rovon Home Health Care Incorporated, which on Sunday launched its podology service in Guyana (Samuel Maughn photo)

Mayors want bigger stipends ■ Page 2

Guyana seeks joint effort with Brazil for 100% yellow fever coverage Page 7

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 22, 2018

Holland wants bigger stipends …T&T forum puts spotlight for mayors on funding for municipalities

By Svetlana Marshall MAYOR of Linden and President of the Guyana Association of Municipalities (GAM) Carwyn Holland says it is about time the mayors’ stipend be increased from the meagre $15,000 where it currently stands.

Holland is currently attending a three-day conference of the Caribbean Association of Local

Government Authorities (CALGA) in Trinidad and Tobago. The forum discussed among other things adequate funding for local government systems.

Holland told the Guyana Chronicle that with respect to funding and capacity-building, Guyana has made progress in recent years. “We have seen a greater increase in subventions for municipalities from 2016 and there has From L-R: Guyana Communities Ministry Special Projects Officer, Roger Rogers; Mayor Yoland Jno Jules (Dominica); Mayor Carwyn Holland (Guyana); Mayor Gifford Marshall (Guyana), Mayor Donovan Mitchell (Jamaica); and Mayor Darren Bradley (Belize)

also been capacity-building and support with equipment from the Ministry of Communities,” Mayor Holland explained. He said too that GAM also welcomes the budgetary allocation by government for the facilitation of a countrywide valuation of properties to bring property values up to date, primarily those in municipalities. Unlike Trinidad’s current system where no property taxes are collected, the municipalities here depend heavily on the collection of rates and taxes to execute their mandates. These revenues complement the annual subventions given by the government.

Mayor Holland, however, believes that more can be done for the mayors, many of whom give yeoman service to their municipalities. He said stipends given to mayors who work on a 24-hour basis leaves much to be desired. “Mayors have families and a monthly stipend of $15,000

or whatever small token is given cannot suffice for mayors with families to care for. The thrust of the old system for mayors offering full service being persons of good financial standing can no longer stand in today’s local government systems, where youths or young people are being asked to take part,” he explained.

According to him, in other Caribbean territories, the mayors are well taken care of for the service they provide through the provision of concessions and other benefits. “This is still a dark spot in Guyana’s system,” he posited.

That aside, the GAM President said Guyana can learn from other successful local government models for development being spearheaded by sister states in the region such as the “Municipal Bond” successfully implemented

by Mayor of Belize City, Darren Bradley.

A municipal bond is

a debt security issued by a state, municipality or county to finance its capital expenditures such as the construction of highways, bridges or schools. These bonds are usually exempt from most state and local taxes, making them attractive.

Mayor Holland also used the opportunity to express his appreciation to Government for the revival of local democracy in the country, and the opportunity it provides.

“I agree that for years the local governance system was dysfunctional in Guyana, but there have been great efforts by the new administration to address it over the past two years and that started with the holding of LGE in 2016.

GAM’s inactivity over the years has also pushed us to aggressively re-engage the Caribbean body to renew our membership and that is a great step in keeping with our local mandate to Turn to page 10 ►

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 22, 2018

Wide support for ERC

…parties, civil society welcome move to reconstitute constitutional body

By Svetlana Marshall KEY stakeholders from across Guyana are in high praise of the National Assembly over its decision to approve the members of the Ethnic Relations Commission – a move that will result in the revitalisation of a constitutional organ that has been defunct since 2011.

The names of the 10 persons to sit on the commission were approved last Friday in the National Assembly after more than four years of consultations and reviews. In a late-night interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Social Protection Minister Amna Ally, who is also the General-Secretary of the People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R), said it is now for President David Granger to swear in the members and to have the commission reconstituted.

Though the process was delayed, Ally said the resuscitation of the commission is a timely one. “I trust it can benefit Guyanese—that is one of the reasons why the President placed emphasis on social cohesion…we have got to work in tandem

with each other (Ministry of Social Cohesion and ERC),” Minister Ally said, while adding that the “country is plagued with racial peculiarities and we have to overcome that.” “It is my hope that with [the] ERC being re-established and working with the Ministry of Social Cohesion, we can certainly take Guyana a step further,” she further added.

Executive member of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), Dr. David Hinds, told the Guyana Chronicle that the “development” is a welcomed one. “As a party that has never been shy about confronting our race problem, we feel that there should always be such a commission in place. The WPA played some role in the early days of the life of the commission and has continued to take a deep interest in its work,” Dr. Hinds said. He, however, expressed disappointment that for a period the ERC had become a “victim of the PPP agenda of dominance,” and the fact that it has been dysfunctional for such a long time. For him, “it is a crying shame.”

Dr. Hinds said the WPA remains hopeful that the

President David Granger

newspaper. “It is an oversight constitutional body that is in part in place to ensure that those who feel discriminated against because of their ethnicity have an institution through which to channel their grievance. The ERC, therefore, has a serious mandate in an environment that is often rife with charges of ethnic discrimination,” Dr. Hinds added. He emphasised that the ERC has to strive for impartiality by avoiding partisan entrapment, warning that the WPA will be keeping an eye on the commission’s work to ensure that it does its work in keeping with the constitution.

commission will be able to truly fulfil its mandate. “We hope that now it has been reconstituted, it would undertake the kind of serious work that it was initially mandated to do. WPA still believes that good and constructive ethnic relations are pivotal to our collective sense of nationhood. It is for that reason that we feel the ERC should be a non-partisan institution not subject to political pressures from the political parties.

This is our hope for the new commission,” he told this

LONG OVERDUE In a press statement on Sunday, the Indian Action Committee (IAC) also welcomed the move by the National Assembly, saying that it was long overdue. “This long overdue decision, for which the IAC has repeatedly called, clears the way for the members to be officially appointed and sworn in by H.E. President David Granger.

The IAC is therefore hoping that this process can be expedited, so that the commission can commence its work

soonest,” the IAC stated. The IAC is of the strong belief that the ERC is critical in the process of fostering social cohesion among Guyanese.

For this reason, the committee is urging that all Guyanese support the work of the commission and for it to be provided with the necessary resources to execute its functions. African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA) Representative Barrington Braithwaite, who is among the 10 persons appointed to sit on the commission, said though delayed, he is pleased that the ERC is finally coming on stream. “It is four years late,” Braithwaite told this newspaper, noting that he was selected to sit on the Commission since 2014. Nonetheless, he said he is pleased that the members of the ERC have been approved. “It is a commission that will tend to monitor the outrageous expressions and propaganda with a racial overtone,” he posited, while adding that it will also provide clarity on myths that may have been inherited from the days of colonisation.

Private Sector Representative Ramesh Dookhoo said

the private sector is “happy,” to have one of its stalwarts, Norman McLean, sit on the commission. McLean had previously served on the ERC in its earlier life. He noted that though the process of approving the members of the commission took some years, the PSC believes that the process was a democratic one. “We are actually very happy and we hope that the ERC can be effective as it should be, given what seems to be the growing ethnic tension in the country,” Dookhoo said.

The 10 approved members hail from different sectors of society. They are: Christian bodies, Dr. John O. Smith; Hindu bodies, Sister Rajkumarie Singh; Muslim bodies, Mr. Roshan Khan; Labour movement, Norris Emanuel Witter; Private Sector Organisations, Major-General (Retd.) Norman Mclean; Youth Organisations, Mr. Deodat Persaud; Women’s Organisations, Ms. Ruth Howard; Cultural/Ethnic bodies, Afro-Guyanese, Mr. Barrington Braithwaite; Indo-Guyanese, Mr. Neaz Subhan and Indigenous bodies, Mr. Ashton Simon.

Sisters Village gets ICT hub THE Ministry of Public Telecommunication (MoPT) in partnership with the National Data Management Authority (NDMA), and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) recently launched an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) hub at Sisters Village on the East Bank of Berbice (EBB).

Addressing residents, Director of Community Development and Social Management of the NDMA, Phillip Walcott said the government is working to introduce more governmental services online. Soon, residents of Sisters Village will be able to apply for birth certificates, passports, make Land Registry queries and access other services online. Walcott urged the villagers to share their

Commander of ‘B’ Division, Lyndon Alves and Director of Community Development and Social Management, NDMA, Phillip Walcott

knowledge with others who are willing to learn, “so no one gets left behind as the country moves into the digital age”.

Also expressing satisfaction with the establishment of the ICT hub was Commander of ‘B’ Division, Linden Alves.

The Commander noted that the community will now be able to benefit from the internet service. He also expressed appreciation to the MoPT, on behalf of the GPF, and made a commitment that the GPF is prepared to collaborate to establish hubs in other communities.

In August 2016, a survey was conducted

in the village by regional staff of the NDMA to determine the youth population, the number of micro, small, and medium enterprises; safe spaces within the community and the cost of assessing internet service, among other factors.

Following a thorough assessment, it was discovered that the Sisters Community Centre was inhabitable as a result of vandalism. However, through community networking, the decision was made to

approach the GPF to assist with providing a safe space within the Sisters Police Station to facilitate the ICT hub. Commander Alves readily agreed to the idea.

The Sisters Police Station has a youth group of over 70 between the ages of seven and 18. These youths are involved in skills-building activities such as arts and craft which they proudly displayed at the launching ceremony. The newly established hub takes the

total to 17 established in Region Six, with another 18 slated to be operational by December 2018. Hubs have so far been established in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Nine, and 10. ICT Hubs are being placed strategically across the country to allow persons to access the internet and government services online. The NDMA, which falls under MoPT, is tasked with rolling out the public internet service. (DPI)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 22, 2018

Trump urges change to Senate rule as shutdown enters second day

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday if the government shutdown stalemate continued, Republicans should fund the government by changing Senate rules, which currently require a super-majority for legislation to advance, but top Republicans immediately dismissed the idea.

Funding for federal agencies ran out Saturday with Trump and Republican lawmakers locked in a standoff with Democrats. As the shutdown entered its second day, there appeared to be no clear path for a quick end to the crisis.

“The Dems (Democrats) just want illegal immigrants

to pour into our nation unchecked. If stalemate continues, Republicans should go to 51 percent (Nuclear Option) and vote on real, long term budget,” Trump said on Twitter. Trump’s proposal was almost immediately rejected

by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell. Senate Republicans oppose changing the chamber’s rules so that legislation to fund the government and end the current shutdown could pass with a simple majority, the spokesman said.

“The Republican Conference opposes changing the rules on legislation,” the spokesman said in an email.

Current Senate rules require a super-majority of three-fifths

of the chamber, usually 60 out of 100, for legislation to

U.S. President Donald Trump

clear procedural hurdles and pass. The Senate will vote at 1 a.m. EST (0600 GMT) on Monday on a bill to fund the

government through Feb. 8, unless Democrats agreed to hold it sooner, McConnell said on Saturday.

Democrats say short-term spending legislation must include protections for illegal immigrants brought to the United States as children, known as “Dreamers.” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer accused Trump of being an unreliable negotiating partner, saying the two sides came close to an agreement several times only to have Trump back out at the urging of anti-immigration conservatives.

Schumer “put a lot on the table” in negotiations on Friday, which Trump accepted then “walked it back,” Dem-

ocratic Senator Chris Coons said on the “Fox News Sunday” program. Republicans, who have a slim 51-49 Senate majority, said they would not negotiate on immigration until the government was reopened.

With elections set in November for a third of U.S. Senate seats and the entire House of Representatives, both sides are maneuvering to blame the other for the shutdown.

After money for federal agencies ran out at midnight on Friday, many U.S. government employees were told to stay home or, in some cases, work without pay until new funding is approved. The shutdown is the first since a 16-day closure in October 2013. Speaking to

U.S. troops at a military facility in the Middle East, Vice President Mike Pence said the administration will not reopen talks with Democratic lawmakers on “illegal immigration” until the shutdown ended.

“We’re not going to reopen negotiations on illegal immigration until they reopen the government and give you, our soldiers and your families, the benefits and wages you’ve earned,” Pence said. Reporting by Susan Cornwell and Howard Schneider; Addition reporting by Jeff Mason traveling with Pence; Writing by Warren Strobel; Editing by John Stonestreet and Jeffrey Benkoe. (Reuters)

Heavy casualties after overnight battle at Kabul hotel Gunmen in army uniforms who stormed Kabul’s Intercontinental Hotel late on Saturday and battled Afghan Special Forces through the night killed more than 30 people and wounded many more, although the final toll of dead and wounded may still be higher.

Wahid Majroh, a spokesman

for the ministry of public health, said that 19 bodies had been brought into city hospitals, with six identified as foreigners.

However a senior Afghan security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media, said the death toll was over 30 and might climb higher.

The dead included hotel staff and

guests as well as members of the security forces who fought the attackers.

All five attackers were also killed, interior ministry spokesman Najib Danesh said. The raid was the latest in a series of attacks that have underlined the city’s vulnerability and the ability of militants to mount high-profile operations aimed at undermining confidence in the Western-backed government.

More than 150 guests were able to flee as parts of the building caught fire, with some shimmying down sheets tied together and dropped from upper-floor windows and others rescued by Afghan forces.

Local airline Kam Air said around 40 of its pilots and air crew, many of whom are foreigners, were staying in the hotel and as many as 10 had been killed. Local media reports said the dead included Venezuelans and Ukrainians. Zamari

Kamgar, the airline’s deputy director, said it was still trying to locate staff. The Taliban, which attacked the same hotel in 2011, claimed responsibility for the attack, its spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement.

A statement from the interior ministry put the blame on the Haqqani network, a group affiliated with the Taliban that is notorious for its attacks on urban targets. Abdul Rahman Naseri, a guest who was at the hotel for a conference, was in the hall of the hotel when he saw four gunmen dressed in army uniforms.

“They were shouting in Pashto (language), ‘Don’t leave any of them alive, good or bad’. ‘Shoot and kill them all,’ one of them shouted,” Naseri said.

“I ran to my room on the second floor. I opened the window and tried to get out using a tree but the branch broke and I fell to the ground. I hurt my back and broke a leg.” Even

buildings in Kabul. The Intercontinental is one of two main luxury hotels in the city and had been due to host an information technology conference on Sunday. More than 100 IT managers and engineers were on site when the attack took place, said Ahmad Waheed, an official at the telecommunications ministry. (Reuters)

after officials said the attack was over, sporadic gunshots and explosions could be heard from the site.

THICK SMOKE As day broke on Sunday, thick clouds of black smoke poured from the building, an imposing 1960s structure set on a hilltop and heavily protected like most public

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 22, 2018

Unrest over disputed Honduras election result

PM: Politics and church linked

Barbados Prime Minister, Freundel Stuart

The protest was organised by supporters of the defeated opposition candidate

One protester has been killed in clashes in Honduras between riot police and demonstrators who dispute the result of November’s presidential poll.

Police fired tear gas and cleared roadblocks made of burning tyres across the country. The death occurred in the northern town of Saba. The protest was organised by supporters of the defeated opposition candidate. Last month,

incumbent President Juan Orlando Hernandez was declared the winner despite days of street protests.

On Saturday a local NGO in Saba, 210km (130 miles) north-east of the capital Tegucigalpa, said a 60-year-old man was killed and another person wounded when police opened fire on a roadblock, Reuters news agency reported. The 25 November election has been widely criticised.

Supporters of opposition

leader Salvador Nasralla are deeply suspicious of the electoral tribunal that counted the ballots.

This is because it is appointed by Congress, which is controlled by Mr Hernández’s National Party. Mr Nasralla initially established a lead as the votes were being counted, but this quickly diminished and he accused the authorities of manipulating the results. Thousands of

people took to the streets in rival demonstrations following the election.

Human rights group Amnesty International says 14 people died in the clashes, but police say only three have died.

President Hernández, 49, has been in power since 2013, and is the first president to run for a second term after the country’s supreme court lifted a ban on re-election. (BBC)

Politics and the church are on the same path.

That assertion came from Prime Minister Freundel Stuart as he delivered remarks at the New Testament Church Of God 100th Anniversary Awards Ceremony at Hilton Barbados Resort on Friday.

“I’ve always contended that there is an inseparable link and should be an inseparable link between politics and church,” Stuart said as he addressed the scores of people gathered. “As long as we have people who are captives, as long as we have people who are blind . . . as long as we have people who are bruised, the mission of the church and the mission of the politics coincide,” he added.

Just one week ago, clergymen and politicians Bishop Joseph Atherley and Senator Dr David Durant said they had no problem with the link between the church and politics. As he praised the New Testament Church Of God for the work done over its 100 years of existence, Stuart spoke of the efforts to help those in need which coincided with what successive Governments of Barbados tried to do.

As he spoke briefly of the church’s difficult beginnings, the Prime Minister said he believed the New Testament Church Of God stood ready to tackle any modern challenges due to their experiences. “ . . . I want to assure you that any respect which the State can be of any assistance to the church in its efforts to meet the challenges of 21st century Barbados, the Government stands ready, directly to the extent of its capacities,” he added. (National News)

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Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 22, 2018

Renaissance of the Guyanese musical tradition IN pre-independence times, the term “Culture” was used mainly to describe good manners and good breeding. After independence, the term “Culture” came to connote Guyanese culture which included Literature, the Performing Arts and Painting and Sculpture.

Culture became an important facet of National Policy and Ministries of Culture were established throughout the newly independent Caribbean countries. This new consciousness of national cultures culminated in Guyana pioneering a biennial Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) to be held on a rotational basis in various Caribbean countries.

Music has always been an important part of culture and was so recognised in all the ancient civilisations.

In Indian civilisation, there was a special manifestation of God as Music and Culture, the Deota Saraswati. And in Greeko-Roman civilization, one of the Muses represented music. In the first wave of nationalism after independence, there was a great stress on Folk Music as

being the authentic form of Guyanese music. The main casualty of this nationalistic wave was our western, and particularly British musical tradition.

In the education system, teaching of music, and particularly formal western music came to be neglected.

The Royal College of Music examinations almost fell into desuetude and since the demand for musical instruments fell away, the commercial houses ceased to import violins, pianos and other instruments. Even the militia and police bands which once gave regular and well-attended public concerts ceased to offer public performances.

The repertoire of these bands consisted mainly of marches, waltzes, polkas and popular opera and ballet music, together with some local and Caribbean music. And the same trend occurred in serious Indian music, the other written musical tradition in Guyana. African drums however remained irrepressible and there was even some fusion between the Indian tassa drum and other drums with African .

The popular musical cul-

ture of Guyana is now rather chaotic and mainly consists of Jamaican and Trinidadian reggae, mentos, calypsos and soca with little of the Guyanese equivalent. There is also the Indian equivalent variety coming out of Trinidad with singers like Sundar Popo. Chutney, like reggae, has earned some international recognition. Overarching it all, however, is American popular music.

There is accordingly great need for leaders of culture and educationists to give their urgent attention to the musical culture of Guyana and to try and resuscitate the creativity which Guyanese culture enjoyed.

At the moment, there is no composer of the calibre of the Pilgrim brothers or song writers like Valerie Rodway or performers like Lynette Dolphin, Rosemary Ramdeholl, Lynette Katchay and others. And in the mandirs, there are no singers and musicians of the calibre of Pandit Gangaram and Mohan Nandu. Equally, there are few outstanding choirs in the Christian churches and church music of the quality of Bach and Mozart is rarely

ever heard.

This situation could be bettered and a richer musical culture could be resuscitated and further evolved. In the first place, at both the educational and Ministry of Culture levels, it should be grasped that on coastal Guyana where most of the population live, there are three musical traditions -the African, the Indian and the western tradition. Within the colonial practice, and as a continuum of it after independence, no attempt was made to permit these traditions to enrich each other or to give validity to any other than the Western tradition. This attitude springs from the colonial assumption that the Culture of Guyana was a monolithic western one. Today, there is the intellectual, though not fully the emotional acceptance that Guyanese culture is plural. Accordingly, National Cultural Policy should give equal recognition to all three musical traditions and allocate funds and efforts for their development.

With this intellectual framework of cultural pluralism, music education at

the Primary and Secondary school levels should involve all three traditions.

In evolving their syllabuses and practice, Guyanese musical educationists will have to be particularly creative.

Children and young persons are aware of percussion instruments through the steel bands. But they need to be introduced to other instruments such as the violin, piano, flute and the large variety of wind and string instruments and should be taught the western musical notation. The Royal College of Music Examinations should again be introduced on a wider scale.

The classical aspects of these musical traditions should be introduced, since it is only popular music with which young persons are acquainted. Indian

Ragas, sonatas,concertos, symphonies and opera and ballet could now more easily be introduced and taught with the help of the computer and other electronic possibilities.

Concerts of more serious music should be organised by the Ministry of Culture.

Such concerts would be by local artistes and visiting international performers and may have to be subsidised. For several decades, no international artistes have included Guyana in their tour itineraries of South America. The High Commissions and embassies may be able to help in having Guyana again be placed in the itinerary of the great international artistes. The Guyana musical tradition could have its Renaissance.

Guyanese must find another way Dear Editor,

SOMEONE recently posted on social media that, now that we have an idea of what oil revenues will be like come 2020, Guyanese can advocate for whatever subsidies they want. He mentioned water and electricity rates as examples, but this argument could easily be extended to various common food items or even internet service.

Reactions to his suggestions were not positive, as the majority of comments pointed out that these were consumption items, and that he hadn’t suggested any real way to invest the coming bounty. What would hap-

pen after the oil industry?

What would even happen if oil prices fell? It is good to see Guyanese thinking strategically about the way we will use oil revenues, but we need to see more of these discussions, so that the broad strokes of a national consensus can be reached.

On the other hand, we also need to identify the types of policies which really do need to be discouraged. We need only look at our once wealthy neighbours to note how things can go off track.

Few people seem to know that Hugo Chavez was not a staunch socialist at the beginning of his term, but rather had relatively moderate policies, even travelling to the

New York Stock Exchange to encourage foreign investors to go to Venezuela. His subsequent pivot was decidedly populist, and it is argued in the political economy book The Dragon in the Tropics, that his willingness to undermine checks and balances to promote this agenda led to the depth of Venezuela’s current crisis. Through subsidising food and many other services, Chavez distributed oil profits to the population, reducing poverty, but also creating a powerful dependency on oil and oil prices.

The sharp fall and prolonged drop in prices that have characterised the last several years left the Chavez and then Maduro adminis-

trations in the increasingly precarious position of having promised far more than they could deliver. Even further, as they had not substantially invested in other industries during times of plenty, there were few other industries from which to draw taxes or in which to stimulate employment . A policy of dependency on oil can thus escalate, resulting in deep economic crises out of which it would be difficult to climb without drastic cuts.

It is with this context in mind that the recent national debate over the sugar industry and estate closures should be considered. Former President Bharrat Jagdeo went as far as promising a monthly

salary to sugar workers laid off, until other employment opportunities are available, if the PPP/C is elected in 2020.

This idea is so similar in structure to those of the Chavez and Maduro administrations that it must be cautioned against. Admittedly, any administration can succumb to populist appeals, but paying sugar workers monthly sums indefinitely will create a dependency that might be difficult to unwind.

If there is a significant oil price drop, those receiving salaries are actually the least likely to be cut off, as they are the most likely to be strong PPP/C supporters. In effect, this means that the broader economy is likely to

suffer because the PPP/C will be unable to shake off their commitments.

We do need to do whatever we can to support our brothers and sisters in Berbice, who are faced with a difficult and uncertain road ahead. That is our collective national responsibility. But we must also make every effort to avoid the types of overwhelming dependencies on oil that can do the broader nation harm. We cannot allow the only difference between Venezuela and Guyana to end up being our language. Guyanese must find another way.

Regards ELSON LOW

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 22, 2018

CFATF opens assessors training

The Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) will open this morning a two-day assessors training session at the Pegasus Hotel.

According to a release by the Ministry of Legal Affairs the participants for the training were invited from several CFATF member states, and consist of Financial, Law En-

forcement and Legal experts.

A total of 53 participants will be trained as Assessors during this period, including participants from Canada, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos, Belize and Guyana.

The aim of the workshop is to equip participants with the tools and competencies needed to undertake an assessment of

the technical compliance with the revised FATF Recommendations, and for reviewing the level of effectiveness of a country’s Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regime.

Participants will be introduced to the use of the FATF Methodology which is used

to assess a country’s technical compliance with the FATF Recommendations, and for reviewing the level of effectiveness of a country’s AML/CFT system under the Fourth Round Mutual Evaluations process.

During this fourth round of mutual evaluations, the FATF has adopted complementary approaches for as-

sessing technical compliance with the FATF Recommendations, and for assessing the level of effectiveness of a country’s AML/CFT regime.

The training will include exercises on (i) the use of the FATF Methodology for assessing technical compliance with the FATF Recommendations and the effective of

AML/CFT systems, and (ii) how to conduct the assessment. It will conclude with a mock evaluation to test participants’ knowledge and understanding of the process of assessing a country level of compliance with of the FATF Recommendations, and the level of effectiveness of their AMLCFT programmes.

Guyana seeks joint effort Possible changes to admission requirements for CHW programme with Brazil for 100% yellow fever coverage

Guyana has proposed a joint effort with Brazil to ensure 100 percent coverage of yellow fever vaccination for this year.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Shamdeo Persuad made the proposal on Friday when he held talks with Brazil’s Health Minister Dr. Ricardo Jose Managaines Barros and his team. Persaud said the joint venture could be similar to the initiative between Guyana and Suriname. Guyana was able to achieve 98 percent vaccination coverage for 2017, one of the highest reports for yellow fever.

Persaud emphasised the need to strengthen the relationship between the countries in order to ensure that the quality and standards are maintained. “…an important issue for us is the movement of people regardless if it is Venezuela, Guyana or some other (part) of our border sharing countries. I think these concerns are great for

health because people do not only move with their money, they move with their illnesses, their infection, animals and even their food so we have to look at that”, the CMO explained.

According to the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) website, the yellow fever vaccine, once administered, is valid for life. However, these vaccines will be mandatory only for travelers moving between Guyana and neighbouring Brazil, and for children that are less than one year old. However, it was advised the general public should also be immunised.

It was highlighted that both countries have directed their efforts in strengthening and promoting immunization. The PAHO/ WHO had published a list of countries, including Guyana, which require visitors to show proof of immunisation before entry is granted.

DEPUTY Chief Medical Officer (DCMO) of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Karen Gordon-Boyle said there could be some changes to the admission requirements for persons desirous of participating in training for Community Health Workers (CHW), particularly those from hinterland communities.

However, she noted that the practice of “Affirmative Action”–a policy of favouring members of a disadvantaged group who suffer or have suffered from discrimination within a culture – could be extended to the indigenous communities. “We know that access to quality education in a place like Paramakatoi or Kato, may not be the same as

Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Karen Gordon- Boyle

Dr. Gordon-Boyle was part of the medical and technical team which accompanied Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence recently to the communities of Paramakatoi and Kato in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni). She made the remarks while addressing residents of Kato. According to the DCMO, the Ministry’s Department of Health Science has a requirement of Mathematics, English and one other subject for admission into the CHW programme.

in Region Four. Your chances of getting good grades may not be the same. We may want to factor things like that in when we are considering admission.

Whether

it means changing the admission criteria or working with you with some remedial programmes to bring you up to the level where you can be admitted.”

She added, if the government is serious about improving access to training in the region, this is an approach that can be taken. In the same vein, Dr. Gordon-Boyle reiterated government’s commitment to the equal distribution of health services to persons in all regions. “We recognise that the cost of health delivery, when it comes to Region Eight, is not the same as Region Four, it costs a lot more. But we are prepared to mobilise those resources so that the people could get the service they need, where they need it.”

She said it is obvious that that is not the case, as residents of far-flung areas are not receiving the best medical care. However, it remains a work in progress. She said the initiatives being undertaken by the government include training in the community. That, she said, will allow residents to be the caretakers of their own people. “There

is no one that will be more passionate about the health of your people, than your people, so that is one of the initiatives we have…One of the things you can start thinking about is the young people and careers in health.

Instead of us bringing persons from Region Four to work in your community, it is better if your own people are trained as Community Health Workers (CHW), Pharmacy Assistants, nurseaids. They can even go on to careers in nursing or as pharmacists,” she said. Dr. Gordon-Boyle also called on residents to be more involved in their community. (DPI)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 22, 2018

‘PPP now sees the light’ …PM says, as party now backs privatisation of sugar industry PRIME Minister Moses Nagamotoo has said that the People’s Progressive Party has now seen the light with its belated support for privatisation of the sugar industry,something which it had opposed prior to Friday’s ground-breaking meeting between the unions and top officials of the government, including President David Granger.

“Now that the termination has been done -- we were opposed to it -- closure of these estates but we will push… we hope that we can get decent private investment into these estates. This is a position that we have changed because we were saying ‘no closure,’ but now that there is closure, there is no job that we can… we can get decent investments into this,” PPP Leader Bharrat Jagdeo was quoted as saying

by Demerarawaves. He said the PPP would support any initiative with “decent investors” to get jobs for sugar workers, adequate land, more cash for small loans and immediate payment of accurately calculated severance.

However, Nagamootoo, writing in his Sunday column in the Guyana Chronicle, said the announcement of the severance package and the good news from the talks had “taken from the PPP’s sails the political wind that could help make the sugar belt a battleground against GuySuCo and the government.” He added” not surprising therefore, the opposition leader made a sudden somersault.

He jumped on the bandwagon of change, and declared on what must appear to be another Holy Friday, that the PPP supports privatisation of sugar estates. This could be a new beginning for broad cooperation that could push transformation in the sugar

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo gesticulates before Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and other PPP MPs, Clement Rohee and Gail Teixeira in the Parliament Chamber on Friday last (Adrian Narine photo)

industry. “ Prime Minister Nagamootoo wrote that having seen the downward slide in the sugar industry, caused by a combination of external market situations and internal political authoritarianism, he had pleaded for the lighting of a candle for sugar workers. “Today, rather late in the day when darkness has stepped in, the PPP has seen the light, finally. Having suffered the loss of his grip on sugar workers at the polls, the opposition leader on October 30, 2015, declared that the PPP would fight privatisation of the sugar industry. That posture had not changed until Friday last when he learned that the sugar unions were prepared to work with government to find solutions for problems in the sugar belt. “ Nagamootoo also hailed bipartisan support for the $1,930,000,000 to meet part payments to redundant sugar workers, as promised, by month-end. He noted that while some 4,763 sugar workers formerly employed at the Skeldon, Rose Hall,

Enmore/LBI and Wales estates would benefit, all workers who would receive below $500,000 would be fully paid off.

Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder has placed this number at 1,600, or about one-third of those who have been severed and have become available for alternative engagements. Prime Minister Nagamootoo wrote that the possibility that a 100% payout could be made to some of the affected workers was raised by him and President Granger during the meeting on Friday with representatives of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE).

“In apparent, total ignorance of the outcome from that union-government encounter, the opposition leader hastily offered workers free legal service to fight in the courts for their severance pay. In making that offer, the opposition leader who just

recently returned to Guyana, was in vain contemplation of being a knight in shining armour on a rescue mission in the sugar belt. But his disappointment that severance would be paid without his perceived legal battle was obvious by the time he stepped into the National Assembly.”

Nagamootoo wrote that Jagdeo then tried to brew a storm in a tea cup, by mumbling incoherently that the President had over-stated subsidies to the sugar industry. “One would have thought that the guy who has been at the helm when the sugar industry was handed a begging bowl for its survival, would have chosen to stay quiet on the issue of the painful cash bailouts. Those bailouts had become his shame, as the industry not only ate up all its own revenues, but has gobbled up since 2011, subsidies of $48 billion, of which $32 billion was doled out over the 30-month [life] of the coalition government – about $1 billion a month.

What he did was to add the two sums and concluded that

the President had said that the total subsidy was $80 billion!

There could be no doubt that he knew exactly what the President had meant, as he himself had argued not long ago that “$32 billion over a three-year period is affordable” and that “sugar needed transitional help.”

DELAY TACTICS Prime Minister Nagamootoo also said that the PPP was doing everything to sidetrack attention from the government’s request for just under $2 billion as an advance on severance payment, which opposition elements had implied would not be done. “It was clear that the PPP was further resorting to filibuster, having failed earlier to stall measures to reform the sugar industry. It wanted all efforts to restructure, divest or diversify to be put on hold pending a review of the report of the Commission of Inquiry into the sugar industry by the parliamentary Economic Services Committee, which the PPP had chaired. Had that been allowed, the entire

sugar industry could have collapsed, and all 16,000 workers would have been placed on the breadline. Then, it tried a new trick when the Finance Minister sought to amend the Supplementary Bill to increase the severance-pay amount to give all ex-workers who are entitled to less than $500,000, their full benefits.

The opposition raised “procedural objections” which led onlookers to doubt the sincerity of the PPP on whether it wanted the workers to get their package.”

PPP PLOYS Nagamootoo said he had noted that the PPP’s ploys were to frustrate severance payment and to cash in politically on the grievance and misery of workers who have lost their regular jobs. He said the PPP has clung to a posture that is opposed to privatisation of the sugar industry, in whole or partially.

“For many years I myself had embraced this ideology with a passion. The PPP argued that nationalisation had bred parasitic state capitalism, but whilst the analysis appears to have some merit, the case for continued state ownership of failed industries-- as distinct from social services-- was flawed. No ideological dogma could justify the growing pauperisation of workers. This is for me an irresistible appeal for new thinking. “ Nagamootoo added that in the case of the sugar industry, the entire Guyanese working people became worse off when $48 billion had to be withdrawn from them over seven years to subsidise the sugar industry. “That amount could have made a difference in the lives of nurses and teachers, and others on public salaries, as well as pensioners. Besides, the state of bankruptcy of the sugar industry resulted in non-disbursement to the National Insurance Scheme of the contributions extracted from sugar workers.

CDC boosts disaster risk-management capacity in Region Eight STAKEHOLDERS of Potaro-Siparuni, Region Eight, are now better equipped to prepare for and respond to emergencies within the region as the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), last week, concluded the Orientation Session and Tabletop Exercise in partnership with the Regional Democratic Council (RDC).

The Orientation Session and Tabletop Exercise, which was conducted at Mahdia, was aimed at familiarising regional

stakeholders with the draft Regional Risk Assessment Report and draft Regional Multi-Hazard Preparedness and Response Plan for Region Eight. The report and plan were developed over a fourmonth period, and saw several rounds of consultations with regional stakeholders, as well as focus group meetings with communities, all conducted by the CDC. In reviewing the draft report, the participants were able to examine preliminary infor-

mation regarding risks and hazard exposure within the region.

The draft report demonstrated that the North Pakaraima communities were most exposed to various hazard impacts.

Further, key drivers of risks within the region were found to be water pollution, dust pollution, floods, drought and crop pests and diseases, among others. The activity saw the successful completion of a Tabletop Exercise, which tested the operability of the Regional Multi-Hazard Preparedness

and Response Plan. During the exercise, participants examined various hazard-impact scenarios and simulated emergency response actions, which would be carried out by responsible agencies.

Acting CDC Director-General Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig said that the commission remains committed to building Guyana’s disaster risk-management capabilities through stakeholder engagements. This is in an effort to build resilience at the regional level, so as to

reduce disaster risk through enhanced preparedness and response capabilities. He also said that completion of the plan will give the region the independence to manage its own disaster planning and resilience.

To date, Barima-Waini (Region One), Pomeroon-Supenaam (Region Two), Essequibo Islands-West Demerara (Region Three), Mahaica-Berbice (Region Five), East Berbice-Corentyne (Region Six) and Cuyuni-

Mazaruni (Region Seven), have completed their plans.

The commission is hoping to complete the Plans for Demerara-Mahaica (Region Four), Potaro-Siparuni (Region Eight), Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo (Region Nine) and Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice (Region 10) by the end of the year.

The CDC remains committed to building Guyana’s disaster risk management capabilities through stakeholder engagement.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 22, 2018

T&T foot care company opens branch in Guyana …offering new specialised podology services

By Lisa Hamilton GUYANESE suffering with diabetes and complications in the lower extremities are now being offered comprehensive leg and foot care following the launching of the Trinidad-based Rovon Home Health Care Incorporated.

The company’s expansion was introduced at the Herdmanston Lodge on Sunday and will begin offering its services from next month at the Mercy Hospital. There, Guyanese will be offered services ranging from ingrown nails/brace, corns, heel fissure, thick nail, onychomycosis, tinea pedis/ athlete’s foot, callus and fish eye/verruca and diabetic foot care. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and owner of Rovon Home Health Care Inc., is Yvonne Brathwaite, a Guyanese living in Trinidad, a nurse and a certified master Pedicurist who holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Podology.

Brathwaite says diabetes remains a major problem in both countries and, in expanding her services to Guyana, she aims primarily to provide amputation-preventative services, regardless of the disease. “Podology will be the first service offered to the people of Guyana, because my goal as a podologist is to prevent amputation of the lower limb in diabetic patients. There are too many amputations!” she said firmly.

She then proceeded to give statistics on how pressing the situation is: “Guyana is ranking number one in the Caribbean with Trinidad under it. In Trinidad and Tobago, we have 200,000 people affected with diabetes and there are 500 amputations per year.”

Her remarks coincide with the Chronic Disease

Research Centre and Port of Spain non-communicable diseases (NDCs) 2017 Evaluation report, which states that of 54 countries, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago have the highest mortality for diabetes in the Americas.

Present at the company’s launching was Minister of Public Telecommunications, Cathy Hughes and her husband, Attorney-at-Law, Nigel Hughes, who made comments on the severity of the disease and the need for better foot care in Guyana.

The minister told the Guyana Chronicle of close friends of hers suffering terribly with the disease to the point of having vision complications; this she says, among other reasons, contributes to her ability to relate to the gravity of the situation. “I can understand, and I know the importance of any limb and therefore if there are other remedies that one should be considering as opposed to losing a limb or going the way of amputation, I certainly would encourage that,” she commented.

She then went on to add: “Quite often we don’t really understand how important our health is…we take our feet for granted. We get up, we put on extremely high shoes and we walk around thinking we’re looking ‘hot,’ but all of these things can have negative impacts on us.”

These negative consequences are preventable, says Brathwaite, who listed exercise, taking care of the feet and healthy eating as well as avoiding fast foods, sweet and aerated drinks, as ways to prevent diabetes. When it comes to care of the feet, she recommends that young women especially, desist from wearing tight-fitting shoes which do not take on the shape of the feet and can cause callouses.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and owner of Rovon Home Health Care Inc., Yvonne Brathwaite, cautions the audience about the harmful effects of unhealthy eating and foot care practices

The sole of the feet has 7,000 nerve endings called reflexes, which correspond to every organ and system in the body. The CEO lamented that is also one of the most neglected parts of the body, when it is responsible for taking us all over the world.

While welcoming the commitment of Brathwaite and her team to Guyana, Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes agreed that there are many practices which must be discontinued in order for the country to reduce its fatalities from the disease.

“The area of service that you’re getting into is one that is very overlooked and taken for granted,” Hughes said, adding: “In Guyana you will find that there are so many cultural practices that we have that we need to change which result in diabetes. “I’m happy that you’re a leader in this industry and that you’re coming here hopefully to expand the knowledge base, so that we can avoid unnecessary amputations and look after ourselves a lot better.”

Police continue hunt for Baramita murder suspect CRIME Chief Paul Williams has said that police are still searching for a Baramita resident known as ‘Abdool’, who is wanted for questioning into the death of his 18-year-old reputed wife.

According to reports, Lorinda Thomas, a housewife and mother of one, of

Barama Line, Baramita, North-West District, died after being beaten by “Abdool” on Wednesday night.

Reports indicate that the woman left her home on Wednesday to visit with relatives to take a few drinks.

While on her way home four hours later, she was accosted by the man while walking in

Barama Line, and an argument ensued.

It is alleged that in the heat of the moment, the man pushed Thomas to the ground and began kicking and stomping her in the abdomen, causing her to lose consciousness. He then left her lying there.

Turn to page 12 ►

Minister of Public Telecommunications, Cathy Hughes, ( bottom right), enjoys a foot massage from Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and owner of Rovon Home Health Care Inc., Yvonne Brathwaite (bottom left) as her husband, Attorney-At-Law, Nigel Hughes (far right), looks on. Brathwaite’s Trinidadian team (centre) and invited guests are far left at the Herdmanston Lodge

After the formal segment of the ceremony, guests were invited to receive foot massages from the team of five Trinidadians who came along with Brathwaite, and, the Telecommunications Minister was one of the first

to be pampered. Rovon Home Health Care Inc. was founded 15 years ago in the twin-island republic and there they provide nursing services, therapeutic massages, ambulance services and medical equipment rentals. The CEO has ex-

pressed plans to expand the company’s services to countries such as St. Kitts, St. Vincent and Jamaica with the overall goal to exceed international standards becoming the leading primary health care provider in the Caribbean.

First local transport sector energy audit for Bartica

– electric vehicles expected to be part of discussions BARTICA, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) is closer to realising the dream of its leaders to become the first “green” town in Guyana, especially now that the Guyana Office of Climate Change is expected to conduct the first local transport energy audit this year in that part of the country.

In June 2017, the Government of Guyana received a US$650,000 grant from the Government of Italy in support of its model ‘Green’ Town, Bartica Project. The primary objective of the grant is to establish a reliable point of reference for the existing state of energy use in Bartica.

Project Manager of the Bartica transition to national energy security project, Gavin Bovell told this publication that the energy audit will focus on the use of energy in the transport sector, since that sector accounts for high energy consumption.

“When analysing the sector, our main focus will be on opportunities to reduce the carbon footprint,” he said.

The audit will take into ac-

Project Manager of the Bartica transition to national energy security project, Gavin Bovell

count motor vehicles, including boats because according to him, they do not want to limit the types of vehicles they analyse since residents in that area use boats to ply their trade.

Bovell believes that they will be able to identify the level of consumption and by extension provide opportunities for cutting costs. One of the likely outcomes of the audit is expected to be the recommendation of electric

vehicles as opposed to fossil fuel vehicles, he said.

The project manager told the Guyana Chronicle that they hope to conclude the audit by June this year. He said they have started discussions with the various stakeholders, after which they intend to hire the consultants to conduct the audit.

“Once we have concluded the evaluation project, we’ll start the hiring and go into the fields and get the job done,” he said.

The information and data gathered will not only guide Bartica, said Bovell, noting that it will also guide any agency in its move to implement strong renewable energy activities. In addition to the audit, the project also includes the sensitisation and awareness of Bartica’s populace; conducting of a Household Baseline Survey Study; energy audits of public institutions, facilities; and street lighting in Bartica.

At the end of the entire project, a database will be established in Bartica where all the information will be stored.

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CARICOM facing financial …but Guyana up to date with challenges its payments - Min. Greenidge AS the Regional bloc continues to face some financial challenges Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge has said that Guyana has been honouring its obligations.

On Wednesday, Minister Greenidge in responding to reporters’ queries about the financial challenges faced by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said, “The financial challenges faced by CARICOM are not the result of failure by Guyana to make its contributions”.

The minister did, howev-

er, explain that CARICOM has been facing these financial challenges since the 2008 economic recession which shattered the economies of several of its member states.

While some have managed to rebound from the impact of the crisis, others have generally been unable to meet their financial obligations.

The pipeline of funds for various projects, according to the minister, has become more restricted and that poses a difficulty for CARICOM, especially as the international community embraces a va-

riety of new challenges (e.g. environment, global warming). Moreover, new institutions are established which sometimes require additional technicians and more funding, making it increasingly burdensome for most countries.

When questioned as to whether Guyana may be asked to pay a larger financial contribution to CARICOM, due to the recent large oil find, Minister Greenidge stated, “No, but I wouldn’t expect responsible CARICOM governments to be demanding that you pay now

in anticipation of revenues to appear in 2020 or beyond.

We have always contributed to CARICOM’s development in accordance with our own capacity.”

CARICOM is one of the oldest integration schemes in the Western Hemisphere, the largest in terms of membership with 15 nations. The main objective is to promote economic integration and cooperation among its members; the bloc of nations is financed through annual contributions by member states.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 22, 2018

Guyanese gunned down in T&T A Guyanese man was shot dead in Port-of-Spain on Saturday, the Trinidad Guardian has reported.

Dead is 30-year-old Troy Henry of San Juan. Homicide detectives in the country are working on the theory that Henry’s murder was linked to the killing of Luke Adams, 19, on Thursday.

Adams was killed when a gunman opened fire on the occupants of a car stuck in traffic along Duke Street

during the lunch-time rush hour. Adams was seated in the front passenger seat of the car.

According to reports, Henry was shot around 6 am.

His body was found along Nelson Street, Port-of-Spain, by officers of the Duncan Street police outpost.

Henry was rushed to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital but succumbed to his injuries. Investigations are continuing.

Holland wants... be fully reintegrated with the institutions that drive LGOs across the Caribbean,” he explained.

It was noted too that GAM successfully got Guyana onto the executive body of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum with Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan being nominated for one of two ministerial spots on the board. GAM is now working to have two representatives sit on the regional body in accordance with its constitution for greater representation.

Like Mayor Holland, GAM Vice-President and Mayor of Bartica Gifford Marshall said the conference provided a platform for the sharing of best practices. These best practices, he emphasised, can help to strengthen local government organs. “This forum is an ideal opportunity for us to learn from each other and adapt best practices and of course go back to our municipalities and empower the people, because we believe in strengthening the communities,” Mayor Marshall posited.

He said once local leaders are empowered, they in turn will empower their constituencies and the domino effect will result in improved communities. “Once constituencies have effective representation through their reps, no constituency will be left behind,” he told this newspaper.

Marshall and Holland were accompanied by the Ministry of Communities Special Projects Officer (Planning) Roger Rogers. They are expected to return to Guyana today following the end of the two-day conference which started on Saturday. Apart from Guyana, the CALGA

From page 2

conference was attended by local government officials from Trinidad, Belize, The Bahamas, Jamaica and Dominica.

Meanwhile, established since 1992, CALGA is a not-for-profit organisation that facilitates the further development of local government within the Caribbean Region with support from the European Union.

Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle from Port of Spain, CALGA’s second Vice President Anthony Roberts said among critical issues discussed was that of funding. “Different local government bodies within the Region are taking different approaches to this issue and it is important for us to meet and share our experiences from the different approaches. In Trinidad, we are looking to provide a secure source of funding for local government bodies through the collection of property taxes,” Roberts said.

He explained that under the former Trinidad government, the collection of property taxes was halted. The current administration, according to Roberts, is now taking the necessary legislative steps needed to have the collection of property taxes reinstituted, and for it to be collected by local government bodies there.

Currently, the municipalities in Trinidad depend solely on government subventions for the execution of their functions. Roberts, who is among three Vice- Presidents sitting on CALGA, said aside from discussing issues, the conference provided an opportunity for the sharing of best practices and solutions to the challenges faced by member states.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 22, 2018

GWI working to fix water woes on the Corentyne for the residents of Nigg we are giving water from Albion, but for Rose Hall and surrounding communities the well is the main supply. We are working actively to activate another well to able to interconnect into the system so we can give to Rose Hall and surrounding areas.

With this well in place they would not be able to receive water at first floor level, just the standpipe level but they will be having constant supply of water.”

When the Guyana Chronicle visited the area on Saturday, workers were seen offloading pipes at the pump station and residents were lining up behind

Residents of Williamsburg awaiting their turn to fill their buckets from a standpipe at a businessman’s premises

RESIDENTS of several communities along the Corentyne Coast are pleading with the Guyana Water Inc. to fix the Williamsburg Pump Station that has caused them great difficulty in accessing potable water over the past few days.

The residents have contended that they have not been receiving an adequate supply of potable water for over a week. In recognising the severity of the situation, GWI Operations Manager, Dwayne Shako is asking customers to have patience as they are working around the clock to fix the pump station, but it may take up to two weeks to get the situation back to normalcy.

“We are trying to get this issue resolved. We will be checking with residents to ensure everyone is receiving a supply, even

though we are working to rehabilitate the Williamsburg well we are also working to ensure there is a constant supply.”

Shako explained that he believes the casing from the well is damaged, as such it cannot supply the water treatment plant thus resulting in reduced water supply and lower pressure. “This pump station supplies the Port Mourant Water Treatment Plant, which supplies between Albion and Tain.

Over the past few days we have had a major setback with one of our wells, one of the main wells that supplies the treatment plant .We are not having any water from the well, it’s mainly mud. We suspect that the entire casing of that well [has] collapsed. Preliminary investigation reveals that the casing of that well has ruptured

so we are in a situation where we are not able to sustain the plant using only one well. The plant is supplied by two wells and with this one well having been out of operation we are not able to sustain the plant,” Shako said.

He further stated that previously residents in the area were receiving approximately 16 hours of water supply, however due to the well having been unserviceable they are now only receiving about three hours daily to the stand pipe level. “What we have done is to mobilise a rig to fix the well and we are looking at an estimated two weeks, at least, to get the casing replaced. We are trying to give water from other sources for areas such as Tain, we are giving the residents water from Letter Kenny, and

a businessman’s home awaiting their turn to get their buckets filled. The businessman, Mohamed Raffik, who is also the President of the Central Corentyne Chambers of Commerce has expressed regret that the residents have to be going through this inconvenience and he hopes GWI gets the problem resolved as quickly as possible.

Hema Devi Ramjas, a resident of Williamsburg said she is having a very tough time due to the limited supply of water.

“We are finding it very hard because we can’t get the water in our yards and we have to use buckets and pails to fill our containers to last the entire

day. Our children have to be monitored in its use when they shower and toilets have to be flushed using buckets, it is very difficult”.

Bilal McClennan, a resident of Rose Hall Town lamented that he is also affected since he cannot afford to buy bottled water to drink or cook. “The water we are getting right now is coming rusty, rusty, I barely catching some to bathe and wash, cause you can’t drink it”.

As a backup plan, GWI is working to drill another well in the Port Mourant area to increase the redundancy and avoid a similar problem in the future.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 22, 2018

SASOD pursues HIV prevention pills for male homosexuals THE Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) is pursuing the option of an antiretroviral medication to prevent the contracting of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) among vulnerable male homosexuals.

Speaking at a recent press conference, Managing-Director of SASOD, Joel Simpson, related that the organisation is seeking to introduce the Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) pill among the local male homosexual population to safeguard against HIV. The WHO recommended as of September 2015, “... people at substantial risk of HIV infection should be offered PrEP as an additional prevention choice, as part of comprehensive prevention.”

Truvada is the brand name of the medicine used for PReP;

SASOD: Managing-Director of SASOD, Joel Simpson

it is a combination pill of two HIV medications (tenofovir and emtricitabine) commonly used daily--alongside other measures, such as condoms-for HIV prevention.

To initiate the regular dissemination of this drug, a feasibility study must first be conducted and thereafter a demonstration exercise, both of which are of course prefaced by approval from the relevant government ministry. According to Simpson, the local human rights organisation has “been in conversation” with the Ministry of Public Health, through the Health Sector Development Unit (HSDU) and the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS) about introducing the drug, which may be able to reduce the chances of contracting the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) that causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) by more than 90 percent.

“People are asking for the research, people are asking

The Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) pill, TRUVADA

for the information to be able to say that this is a viable option that should be pursued, so we don’t see any impediments about pursuing work in this area,” Simpson highlighted. SASOD is seeking to first conduct a survey to ascertain whether the males

Brazil’s Health Minister calls on President BRAZIL’S Minister of Health Dr. Ricardo Jose Magalhes Barros and a delegation from that country who are currently in Guyana on an official visit to discuss areas in which the two states can strengthen cooperation, particularly in the health sector, paid a courtesy call on President

David Granger last week Friday.

The meeting was held at the Ministry of the Presidency, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown. The visiting minister’s delegation included the Vice-Governor of Paran?, Ms. Maria Aparecida Borghetti and the Federal Deputy of São Paulo, Ms.

Bruna Dias Furlan. President Granger said that, the fact that the minister’s visit came so soon after his own state visit to Brazil, shows a commitment and willingness on both sides to strengthen the cordial 50-year-old diplomatic relationship. The President also noted that while Guyana welcomes cooperation in the

health sector, it looks forward to deepening cooperation in other areas such as oil and gas, infrastructure and environmental security.

The delegation also met with Minister of Health Ms. Volda Lawrence and officials from the health ministry. (Ministry of the Presidency)

would opt to use PReP. “Not everybody will want to take a pill everyday.

Many people will still prefer the traditional methods of HIV prevention, but we think a menu of options should be available to people, especially people who are most vulnerable to the disease,” he posited.

The first population targeted will be male homosexuals and if the study shows that this is a demanded measure of prevention, they would be administered the drug for nine months and tracked to determine whether it has been successful. The SASOD director mentioned that studies have not been conducted in Guyana vis-avis PReP, and noted that a demonstration project must first be conducted before implementing the medication to see how the drug works in the country context.

To enable this entire process, Simpson revealed that the organisation is in the process of “preparing all the documents” to submit an ethics review application to the health ministry, which

according to him is expecting to see this application.

A research ethics review is geared at protecting participants by minimising the harms or risk to which they are exposed during research activities.

The director also related that the organisation will be working alongside the Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health agency and the Regional Office of the Pan American Health Organisation/ World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO), to introduce the medication.

Estimating off-hand, he suggested that it would amount to US $75,000 to supply Truvada to 100 persons, but he questioned, “Is it expensive?

Maybe... perhaps, but what’s the cost? Is the cost people getting HIV?” SASOD is nevertheless optimistic that it may be able to acquire a quantity of the drug free of cost, since a concept note was sent to Truvada’s manufacturing company, GILEAD Inc.

Police continue...

From left: Brazil’s Ambassador to Guyana, Mr. Lineu Pupo de Paula; Federal Deputy of São Paulo, Ms. Bruna Dias Furlan; President David Granger, Vice-Governor of Paran; Ms. Maria Aparecida Borghetti and Brazil’s Health Minister, Dr. Ricardo Jose Magalh?es Barros at the Ministry of the Presidency

When the young woman regained consciousness, she made her way home, in spite of feeling a severe pain in the region of her abdomen. It was reported that by the following day, the pain had increased to the point where the woman could barely stand. She decided to go to the health centre

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where she was admitted for observation, but succumbed as she was about to be air-dashed to the city for further treatment.

Williams told the Guyana Chronicle on Sunday that the police have been fervently searching the North-West District for the male suspect as investigations continue.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 22, 2018

‘Emerging through generations’ – Women’s empowerment forum held

By Gibron Rahim THE National Cultural Centre, on Friday last, was the venue for “Emerging Through Generations”.

The women’s empowerment forum was held as the first in a series of empowerment events under the banner “Brand Youth” and a part of “Conversations with Selwyn”. The event’s keynote speaker was Sherry Ann Dixon, a Guyanese-born author, speaker and transformational life coach.

Conversation With Selwyn (CWS) is a New York-based weekly webTV broadcast. It was founded

by Mr. Selwyn Collins. The Guyanese-born Collins is an author, entrepreneur and, of course, the host of CWS. The broadcast celebrated its fifth year last July. This anniversary was celebrated right here in Guyana with events from July 4-8. With “Emerging Through Generations”, CWS is continuing its mission to empower and uplift people so they walk away from each conversation with an expanded sense of self.

The forum was facilitated by Ms. Anije Lambert, co-producer of CWS’ “Guyanese Youth in Review” series. Lambert led the assembled audience through the series of empowering talks for and by women.

The speakers, who included entrepreneurs and activists, shared their experiences and thoughts under various themes with the receptive crowd over the course of the two and a half hour event.

Addressing the audience, Collins explained that he had most recently evolved CWS to also mean “Connecting

With Stories” as, he said, he believes we are never more connected than when we share our stories. All the violence and atrocities against women in Guyanese society have to stop, Collins said.

He acknowledged that, while Guyana is on the brink of profiting from oil revenues, “We will not be wealthy, we will not know wealth unless the women of this nation are healed,” he said. Just as it is said that educating a woman educates a nation, so too he said that hurting a woman hurts a nation. He emphasised the importance of older, more prominent women and emerging younger women having dialogue. Providing that opportunity was one of the forum’s aims.

First up to the podium was Samantha Shewnauth who spoke about knowing one’s worth. Her talk was a rousing empowerment cry to action for her fellow women. Following Shewnauth was Christine Gooding who addressed partnerships in business and in one’s personal life. She advised those assembled who are considering starting a business to pay attention to the technical and legal aspects.

Speaking on the topic “Good deeds do not require greed”, Onika Abel addressed altruism. Addressing the assembled women, Abel noted that it is sometimes difficult to separate self-interest from positive acts towards others. However, it is necessary to look out for and share experiences with each other. Evie Kanhai-Gurchuran, owner of Java Coffee Bar, spoke about “being the best you [can]with the people that matter most”. She recounted realising that her

negative emotions toward a recent fire nearby to her business were affecting those she cared about and making appropriate adjustments. “One thing is certain,” she said, “If we are our best selves, then we have done our due diligence in setting an example of virtue.”

After a poem was recited, it was time for the keynote speaker, Ms. Sherry Ann Dixon. She forwent the podium in favour of moving around while addressing the audience. In her address, Dixon took the audience on her journey through her life, so far, and the lessons she has learned along the way. “I celebrate being a Guyanese first,” she said. “Then I celebrate being a woman. Then a celebrate being a black woman.” She explained that she came to realise the meaning of her grandmother calling her special when she grew older. “If I want to do something there’s no such word as ‘can’t’,” Dixon told the attentive audience. “I can do anything I want to do, with God’s help and the rest is up to me.”

Dixon, with humour and personality, related to the audience her life from her early childhood in Guyana to leaving these shores and moving to the United Kingdom. She had her whole life mapped out for her – she was to be a nurse. The time came though when Dixon realised that she wanted to be a secretary instead. She eschewed university and went straight on to become the secretary to the manager of one of the biggest banks in the United Kingdom. That came to an end when she was asked to change her hair from the afro she had begun to wear

it in. She explained, “I had found myself and I said no.”

Standing up for herself was one of the best decisions she ever made.

Dixon went on to marketing and public relations and then, eventually, followed her passion into becoming a professional makeup artist.

She narrated how she eventually went from a beginner who carried her makeup around in a toolbox to a celebrity makeup artist to beauty editor for PRIDE Magazine. She emphasised the importance of hard work.

“You work it until you can make it,” she said emphatically. At the end of her address, she said, “The journey doesn’t stop. Keep on evolving. Keep on being powerful.

Keep on being awesome. But most of all, keep on giving back to the youth and helping them on their way up as you go up.”

Among the final speakers following Ms. Dixon was Christine DeCambra, owner of Everything Makes Craft.

She spoke about the balancing act from the view of, in her own words, “a budding entrepreneur, a mom, a wife and a superhero”. She related her experiences with the difficulties of balancing all of the roles she plays and offered practical measures other women can use.

Closing off the evening’s talks was activist Akola Thompson. Thompson noted that “empowerment” has become a word that has become ubiquitous in all areas of our lives. She questioned though whether this seeming visibility and the political movements that have resulted have truly led to actual empowerment. “There is vested interest in ensuring women’s movements never move past catchy soundbites

Selwyn Collins, founder of CWS (centre) with keynote speaker Sherry Ann Dixon (right) and Chief Justice (ag.)

Roxane George-Wiltshire (Photo from Sherry Ann Dixon's Facebook page)

and hashtags,” she said. She explained that women are still systematically discriminated against, sidelined and hushed up while those with the power dismiss the continued need for feminism.

“Empowerment, we should remember, is about sustained resistance and progress at every level,” she concluded.

“It is not tokenism and buzzwords.”

Following the final

speech, a raffle was drawn.

Attendees had been given numbers upon entering and those numbers were used to select the prizewinners, all leading up to the grand prize – a US $500 scholarship award. Jubilanté Cutting, recent winner of the Nelson Mandela – Graça Machel Award in the Youth Activist category gave the closing remarks and concluded the event.

Education Ministry takes town hall meeting to Lethem AS part of its continuing efforts to improve the standard of education across Guyana, the Ministry of Education (MOE), took its town hall meeting to the hinterland community of Lethem in Region 9 (Upper Takatu/Upper Essequibo) on Wednesday last.

According to the ministry, the ongoing town hall meetings are aimed at exploring fresh approaches in the quest to create a modern, participatory education system. The initiative is the brainchild of the Minister of Education Nicolette Henry. Its aim is to foster a

closer relationship between parents, the school, and the ministry.

Addressing a packed auditorium of parents, guardians, teachers, and students at the St. Ignatius Secondary School, Chief Education Officer (CEO) Marcel Hutson told the gathering that Region Nine has potential.

It is against this backdrop that parents and teachers must collaborate to harness the potential of students in the region, the CEO charged.

Further, Hutson told those in attendance that the ministry is serious about closing the gap between the

Chief Education Officer (CEO), Marcel Hutson with other education officials on Wednesday in Lethem

schools on the coast and those in the hinterland. “We must create a level playing field for all our children to have a good education and that is why we are here today.”

The chief educator announced that plans are in-

train to address issues at the critical early childhood stage in Region Nine. Towards this end, the CEO announced that the establishment of a school for autistic children is on the cards, to complement the diagnostic centre that has been built in the Cyril

Potter College of Education (CPCE) compound. Hutson said that he is confident that similar services will be extended to Region Nine.

The region was commended for their much-improved performance at the 2017 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA). According to CEO Hutson, this improvement is due in a large part to the approach that was taken by the MOE. He noted the acquisition of mathematics kits and the hiring of a number of mathematics inspectors who are tasked with ensuring that the content and methodol-

ogy being taught at schools are in keeping with what is expected.

National Coordinator of the Parent Teachers Association (PTA), Nadia Hollingsworth, in her presentation told parents that it is imperative that they are integrally involved in their children’s education.

The coordinator said many times schools are only visited by some parents when there is an issue. “You cannot only visit the school when there is an issue but you have to visit to be apprised of how your child is performing.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 22, 2018

Do you really want to make a difference in your child’s life?

READING books to a new born baby may sound like

an odd thing to do but there are many long-term

benefits to a child that are associated with this level of

communication.

To begin with reading

is a good way to bond with a baby. It is also a one-toone activity that the baby will get used to. Although the baby cannot understand what is being said he can still pick up on the enunciations, tone and rhythm of his parent’s voice: As the baby grows he will come to enjoy this activity and be soothed by the sound of his parent’s voice.

Studies show that children who are read to when young are better prepared when it comes to them reading on their own. They also have a wider vocabulary and better mathematical skills: All this just through parental input at that early stage of development. Whatever path you may wish your child to take in life, being able to read would always be an essential component, therefore parents should cultivate an environment where reading books is not uncommon but natural.

Introducing books when the child is very young is the best way to ensure that reading is seen as a delightful pastime and not a laborious chore. It makes no difference what type of background you come from, rich or poor; once you introduce reading to children when they are young you are setting a foundation for them to succeed.

Parents who have trouble reading or who do not know how to read, may be too embarrassed to pick up a book and share the contents with their child. But while the child is young the parent doesn’t have to read the words. In such situations it is possible to choose a picture book and make up a story about the pictures. The child will still appreciate and benefit from the oneto-one attention, the quiet time spent together and the mental stimulation that comes from sharing books.

Therefore not being able to read is not a valid excuse.

There are some parents who do not encourage their

children to read or enjoy the wonderment of books because ‘they’ do not like reading: they may see reading as boring and time consuming. However there is no need to deprive children of a wonderful asset like reading which will one day, without a doubt, help them to attain their achievements. Whoever you are and wherever you live in Guyana here are some points that will help you to help your child climb the literacy ladder.

1) Start reading to your child as early as possible (three months is a reasonable age to begin or before if you choose) using age-appropriate books.

2) Always choose a quiet place to read. If your child is a baby, place your child on your lap, point to pictures and speak softly and clearly.

3) Don’t rush your child’s interest in books, let it grow gradually and naturally at the child’s pace but be consistent. You can make sharing a book a night- time ritual.

4) Buy books for your children, give books as gifts. As children get older and you find out what their interests are, feed their interests with suitable books.

5) Find out where your local (or mobile) library is and borrow books free of cost.

In this digital age where information is available at the click of a button, it is time to rediscover the value of books and what they have to offer our children. You can help build your child’s imagination, literacy and mathematical skills just by taking the time out to share a book at bedtime. Your child will reap the benefits so, what are you waiting for? If you are concerned about the welfare of a child ring the CPA hotline on 227 0979 or write to childcaregy@ gmail.com A MESSAGE FROM THE CHILDCARE AND PROTECTION AGENCY, MINISTRY OF SOCIAL PROTECTION

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 22, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 22, 2018

Marques takes unanimous Wozniacki and Svitolina points decision over Venezuelan Australian Open Tennis

reach last eight

WORLD number two Caroline Wozniacki cruised into the quarter-finals of the Australian Open with victory over 20th seed Magdalena Rybarikova.

The Dane, 27, took 11 of the last 12 games to win 6-3 6-0 in 63 minutes against her Slovakian opponent on Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.

Fourth seed Elina Svitolina saw off Czech Denisa Allertova even more quickly, winning 6-3 6-0 in 57 minutes.

“I am very pleased with the performance,” said Svitolina.

“It is not the first time I am

going into the tournament as one of the favourites. It adds more pressure, but also gives you extra confidence.”

The Ukrainian, 23, will face Elise Mertens in the quarter-finals.

Mertens became the first Belgian to reach the last eight in Australia since Kim Clijsters in 2012, as the unseeded world number 37 beat Croatia’s Petra Martic 7-6 (7-4) 7-5.

Wozniacki, who hit 25 winners and dropped only six points in the second set, will play Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro in her third Australian Open quarter-final.

The unseeded Suarez Navarro progressed with a 4-6 6-4 8-6 victory over Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit in two hours 17 minutes.

Such was Wozniacki’s confidence she even produced a between-the-legs shot during the first set and although it did not win her the point it summed up her mood.

“I think you can tell my confidence is pretty good, I was pretty proud of that,” said the former world number one.

“I’ve tried a few in practice but usually make a fool out of myself.”(BBC Sport)

Nadal sets up quarter-final with Clic NUMBER one seed Rafael Nadal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open by seeing off Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman in four sets.

Nadal, 31, won 6-3 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena to set up a

last-eight meeting with Croatia’s Marin Cilic.

Schwartzman, the 24th seed, proved Nadal’s trickiest opponent so far, taking a first set of the tournament off the 16-time Grand Slam champion.

But Nadal powered

through the final two sets to win in three hours, 51 minutes.

“It was a great battle.

He is a good friend of mine,” said Nadal “He is a great player, in all aspects, and I feel that for a lot of moments he was serving well.

“I was able to keep fighting until the end and it is the first big match I have played in 2018. It probably helps my confidence, knowing I can resist almost four hours on court.”

Sixth seed Cilic earned his place in the quarter-finals with a 6-7 (7-2) 6-3 7-6 (7-0) 7-6 (73) victory over Spain’s 10th seed Pablo Carreno Busta. (BBC Sport)

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- Corbin floored by solid uppercut----rushed to hospital

By Michael DaSilva THE Guyana Boxing Board of Control’s/NexGem six-fight boxing card `Bad Blood’ lived up to expectations as was promised by promoter, Aleem Hussain, that the card will be an `explosive’one featuring some of Guyana’s best professional fighters.

The almost capacity crowd that descended on the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Saturday night were treated to some really brutal encounters that saw two technical knock-out victories along with one brutal knock-out win that caused Guyana’s Shawn Corbin to be rushed to the hospital for treatment.

The supporters that turned out in their numbers to witness one of the better boxing cards in over three years saw local boxers and their foreign counterparts trade punches non-stop, resulting in the spoils for bragging rights being shared.

Guyana’s Dexter `De Kid’ Marques won his 10-round flyweight against Venezuela’s Dionis Martinz Arias via a unanimous points decision victory, while Dexter `Cobra’ Gonsalves seemed to have lost his venom as he suffered a unanimous points decision loss to Felipe Barcelo of Venezuela in their 10-round lightweight contest. In the 12-round light heavyweight fight, Guyana’s Shawn Corbin had to be rushed to the hospital after being struck to the chin with a powerful right uppercut that sent him sprawling on his back for the full count by referee Eion Jardine at two minutes 52 seconds of the 11th round after leading on the judges scorecard going into the 11th round.

The feature bout involving Marques and Arias was expected to provide fans with enthralling entertainment and it did live up to expectations as both boxers went at each other from round one which saw Marques coming out very aggressive and taking the fight to Arias who was content on countering Marques’ tactical approach.

Marques continued his aggressive approach while Arias kept countering during the next four rounds. Marques by then had created a huge lead on the judges scorecard.

According to the official announcement after four rounds, judge Francis Abraham scored the fight 40-39, judge Andrew Thorne had the score 40-37, and judge Trevor Arno had the score at 40-38, all in favour of Marques.

The next four rounds saw

Marques advancing to his opponent and stamping his authority, but not without resistance from the Venezuelan who got in quite a few clean shots. After eight rounds of entertainment, the scores read 77-76, 77-75 78-74, all in favour of Marques.

Realising that the fight was close, Marques upped his game and took the attack to Arias who responded in like manner, but his effort was not good enough and Marques was declared winner of the 10-round contest.

In the main supporting bout, Corbin fought gamely during the first nine rounds against Trinidadian Sheldon Lawrence, but seemed complacent after that. After eight rounds, judge Arno had the score 77-76, judge Thorne also saw it 77-76 and judge Abrahim scored it 78-74, all in favour of Corbin.

Two rounds later, the Trinidadian stepped up the tempo, taking the attack to Corbin who tried his best to defend himself.

At two minutes 52 seconds of the 11 th round, Corbin, with his back to the ropes and Lawrence on the attack, attempted to come off the ropes, using a lunging overhand right-cross while Lawrence was stepping forward.

Lawrence saw the rightcross coming his way and used a right uppercut that landed flush on the `button (chin) of Corbin who slumped to the canvas. He was given the full 10-count and remained there for several minutes; being attended to by ringside doctors and nurses.

Eventually, after not responding to treatment, he was taken out of the ring on a stretcher and transported to hospital.

In other results from the night’s card, Anson Green was stopped by Barbados’ Keithland King at one minute 25 seconds of the second round in their junior middleweight contest.

The second fight saw James Moore making a successful debut to his professional career with a technical win against Sherwin Clarke in a four-round cruiserweight fight, after referee Frank Brisport stopped the contest at two minutes 45 seconds of the third round.

Then came Elton `The Bully’ Dharry who stamped his authority from the onset of his eight-round bantamweight contest against Venezuela’s Jesus Garcia.

From start to end, Dharry was all over the Venezuelan and in the end, all three judges--Eion Jardine, R. Aaron and Arno--scored the fight 80-71 in favour of Dharry.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 22, 2018

England seal ODI series after Buttler blitz SYDNEY (Reuters) - England’s Jos Buttler struck a belligerent unbeaten 100 to set up a 16-run win over Australia in the third one-day international on Sunday, as the touring side took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

The right-handed batsman produced late fireworks to complete his fifth ODI hundred on the last ball of England’s innings, helping them reach an unlikely 302-6 in their 50 overs after Australia won the toss and put them in.

The hosts, who won the Ashes series 4-0, lost wickets at crucial junctures in reply and fell short in their chase, reaching 286 for six in their 50 overs. ”So proud of the guys today,“ England captain Eoin Morgan said at the presentation. ”I thought Jos was probably the difference in the sides, certainly with the bat.

“He paced his innings to perfection. He took the

responsibility on his shoulders and ... played anchor in one way, until the last five or six overs.”

Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis scored 56 in 43 balls and added 74 in a sixth-wicket stand with wicketkeeper Tim Paine, who made 31 in 35 balls, to give the hosts hope of victory, but the target proved beyond their reach.

Aaron Finch continued his strong run with the bat with a 62 in 53 balls after back-to-back centuries in the first two ODIs but the opener’s dismissal in the 21st over to leg-spinner Adil Rashid severely hampered the hosts’ progress.

Finch reviewed the umpire’s lbw decision but replays showed the ball was clipping the leg stump and the on-field decision was upheld.

Australia captain Steve Smith and Mitchell Marsh were going along nicely in a fourth-wicket stand of 68 before the former was given out caught behind off fast

bowler Mark Wood with wicketkeeper Buttler clinging on to a low, one-handed grab.

The umpires went to the television room to check the catch but there was no conclusive evidence to rule it out, much to the disappointment of Smith and the Sydney crowd.

Wood was England’s best bowler with 2-46 in his 10 overs while Rashid also dismissed Marsh for 55 for his second wicket for the touring side, who lost Liam Plunkett to a left hamstring injury when the paceman was in his second over.

Earlier, Buttler and Chris Woakes propped up England’s innings after they had been reduced to 189 for six. The duo added 113 in their unbroken partnership, with 102 of those runs coming in the last 10 overs.

Buttler smashed six fours and four sixes in his knock and was ably supported by Woakes, who scored 53 in 36 balls.

Australia’s first-choice

Jos Buttler leaps in celebration of his outstanding century reached off the final ball. ©Getty Images

quicks Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood returned to side in four changes and the bowling kept England in check for a considerable period before Buttler and Woakes began their assault.

“I thought the way we bowled the first 45 overs was pretty good and obviously Jos played exceptionally well and Woakes played well at the end,” Smith said.

“I don’t think we bowled as well as we could have. We bowled in areas they could hit and you don’t do that to a quality player like Jos. I thought we were probably chasing 30 too many.”

The Adelaide Oval will host the fourth ODI on Friday.

SCORECARD

ENGLAND innings Jason Roy c Aaron Finch b Pat Cummins

19 Jonny Bairstow b Adam Zampa

39 Alex Hales c Adam Zampa b Marcus Stoinis

1 Joe Root b Josh Hazlewood 27 Eoin Morgan c Tim Paine b Josh Hazlewood

41 Jos Buttler Not Out

100 Moeen Ali b Mitchell Marsh

6 Chris Woakes Not Out

53 Extras: 0b 2lb 1nb 0pen 13w

16 TOTAL: (50.0 overs)

302-6 Fall of Wickets : 1-38 Roy, 2-45 Hales, 3-90 Bairstow, 4-107 Root, 5-172 Morgan, 6-189 Ali Did Not Bat : Rashid, Plunkett, Wood Bowling:Starc 10-0-63-0,(3w),Hazlewood 10-0-58-2,Cummins 101-67-1, (6w (1nb,B, Stoinis 8-0-43-1 (1w),Zampa 9-0-55-1,Marsh 3-0-14-1,(2w) ..................................................

AUSTRALIA innings Aaron Finch lbw Adil Rashid

62 David Warner c Alex Hales b Chris Woakes

8 Cameron White c Jos Buttler b Mark Wood

17 Steven Smith c Jos Buttler b Mark Wood

45 Mitchell Marsh c Alex Hales b Adil Rashid

55 Marcus Stoinis c (Sub) b Chris Woakes

56 Tim Paine Not Out

31 Pat Cummins Not Out

1 Extras: 4b 5lb 0nb 0pen 2w

11 TOTAL: (50.0 overs)

286-6 Fall of Wickets : 1-24 Warner, 2-44 White, 3-113 Finch, 4-181 Smith, 5-210 Marsh, 6-284 Stoinis Did Not Bat : Starc, Hazlewood, Zampa Bowling: Wood 10-1-46-2, (2w), Woakes 10-0-57-2, Plunkett 1.2-0- 60, Moeen Ali 10- 0-57-0, Root 8.4- 0-60-0, Rashid 10-0-51-2.

Thisara stars as Sri Lanka stay alive in tri-nation series Ethiopia’s Bekele to race London Marathon THISARA Perera excelled with both bat and ball as Sri Lanka defeated Zimbabwe by five wickets to remain alive in the tri-nation series.

After losing their opening two matches to Zimbabwe and hosts Bangladesh earlier this week, Sri Lanka knew another defeat on Sunday would leave them out of contention for next weekend’s final.

And without talismanic leader Angelo Mathews due to a hamstring injury, it was another all-rounder in Thisara who led the way, claiming 4-33 from eight overs as Zimbabwe were skittled out for just 198, before anchoring a successful chase with an unbeaten 39 from 26 balls.

Zimbabwe’s only score of note came from Brendan Taylor (58), while Graeme

Thisara Perera

Cremer added a late 34 before Nuwan Pradeep (3-28) cleaned up the tail.

Kusal Perera struck four fours and a six in his 49 at the top of the order, before edging Blessing Muzarabani (3-52) behind to substitute keeper Ryan Murray, who took his place on the field

after Taylor complained of a stiff back.

Kusal Mendis made 36 but it was left to stand-in captain Dinesh Chandimal (38no) and Thisara to see Sri Lanka home, the latter clearing the ropes three times as victory was secured with 31 balls to spare.

(REUTERS) - Ethiopia’s triple Olympic track champion Kenenisa Bekele will race the London Marathon in April and line up alongside Briton Mo Farah and Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge for what promises to be a mouth-watering contest.

Bekele, 35, regarded by many as the greatest distance runner of all time and holder of the 5,000m and 10,000m world records, finished second in London last year and was third in 2016.

A pre-race favourite last year, Bekele had hoped to break Dennis Kimetto’s men’s world record of 2:02.57 but had trouble with blisters on his feet and crossed the finish line behind Kenya’s Daniel Wanjiru.

“I am thrilled to be re-

turning to London for the third year in a row and would love to go one better than last year and win the race,” Bekele said in a statement.

Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele

“Once again London has brought the best distance runners in the world together so I know it will not be easy... I have been training very hard with the aim of arriving in London in April in the best possible condition.”

The trio of Bekele, Farah and Kipchoge have a combined total of eight Olympic gold medals and 12 world championship gold medals between them.

“This is a mouth-watering prospect,” said event director Hugh Brasher. “Sir Mo, Eliud and Kenenisa could all put forward a persuasive case for being the greatest of all time and now they meet for the first time over the marathon distance.”

The London Marathon will be held on April 22.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 22, 2018

Samuels, Cooper and Hosein Harding’s five for 66 sends Scorpions crashing to heavy defeat named in Hurricanes BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) – Fast bowler Keon Harding’s maiden five-wicket haul ripped apart Jamaica Scorpions as they crashed to a crushing 216-run defeat to Barbados Pride here Sunday.

Resuming the last day of the final round contest needing a Herculean effort to avoid defeat, Scorpions found no such resolve after being set 350 for victory, and tumbled to 128 all out – about three-quarters of an hour into the final session at Kensington Oval.

Left-handed opener John Campbell top-scored with 28, Test batsman Jermaine Blackwood got 21 and West Indies limited overs all-rounder, Rovman Powell, 20, as the Scorpions batting struggled for the second time in the match.

Harding, in his fifth first class match, took five for 66 while left-arm seamer Dominic Drakes (2-11) and pacer Justin Greaves (2-11) ended with two wickets apiece.

The defeat for Scorpions was their fourth of the season while the victory for the hosts was only their third but ensured they ended the campaign in second spot.

Earlier, left-handed opener Shayne Moseley completed his second career hundred as Pride declared at 169 without loss, after resuming the day on 147.

Moseley, starting on 87, made exactly 100 not out, an innings that spanned a shade over three hours, required 173 deliveries and included 11

fours and a six.

His senior partner, Test star Kraigg Brathwaite, added eight to his overnight 50, hitting six fours off 105 balls overall.

After rain prevented play in the first session, Pride declared 31 balls into the second session, leaving the visitors with just under two sessions to survive.

And they showed no indications of doing so especially after Chadwick Walton fell to a catch at the wicket off Harding in the seventh over for seven with 29 on the board, and Andre McCarthy followed soon after for one, caught at second slip by Shamarh Brooks off pacer Chemar Holder.

Two balls later with a single run added, Campbell, who faced 40 balls and struck five fours, was also caught at the wicket off Harding, to leave the Scorpions on 42 for three.

Blackwood and Paul Palmer (4) put on 20 for the fourth wicket before both perished in the space of 11 balls with seven runs added, as Scorpions slumped to 69 for five.

Powell and Fabian Allen (17) looked to be taking the visitors safely to tea in a 28run sixth wicket stand when Allen fell on the stroke of the interval, cutting Greaves to substitute Haydn Walsh Jr at point.

Tottering on 97 for six at this stage, there was to be no recovery as Scorpions lost their last four wickets 36 runs after the break.

Super 50 squad

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, (CMC) – West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels, along with the Trinidadian duo of Kevon Cooper and Akeal Hosein, have been again named in a 14-man Leeward Islands Hurricanes squad for the Regional Super50 starting month end.

Fast bowler Keon Harding … claimed his maiden five-wicket haul.

SCORECARD

PRIDE 1st Innings 427 Scorpions 1st Innings 247 Pride 2nd innings (overnight 147 without loss) K Brathwaite not out 58 S Moseley not out 100 Extras: (b5, nb1, pen5) 11 TOTAL: (without loss, 46.1 overs) 169 Bowling: Mindley 5.1-1-15-0, Green 2-0-9-0, Powell 1-0-5-0, McCarthy 7-2-17-0, Lamont 7-0-24-0, Miller 11-1-43-0, Campbell 11-3-37-0, Blackwood 2-0-9-0.

SCORPIONS 2nd Innings (target: 350 runs) J Campbell c wkp Carter b Harding 28 +C Walton c wkp Carter b Harding 7 A McCarthy c Brooks b Holder 1 J Blackwood c wkp Carter b Harding 21 P Palmer c sub (Walsh) b Harding 4 F Allen c sub (Walsh) b Greaves 17 R Powell b Drakes 20 D Green c Chase b Greaves 4 *N Miller c wkp Carter b Drakes 6 M Mindley c wkp Carter b Harding 9 C Lamont not out 0 Extras: (b4, lb2, w1, nb9) 16 TOTAL: (all out, 25.5 overs) 133 Fall of wickets: 1-29, 2-41, 3-42, 4-62, 5-69, 6-97, 7-103, 8-118, 9-131, 10-133.

Bowling: Harding 10.5-0-66-5, Holder 7-1-39-1, Greaves 4-1-11-2, Drakes 4-1-11-2.

Messi, Suarez lead Barca romp, Real crush Deportivo MADRID (Reuters) - Barcelona rode further away from their crumbling title rivals on Sunday as Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez scored twice each in a 5-0 thrashing of Real Betis which opened up an 11-point gap at the top of the La Liga standings.

A strike from Ivan Rakitic broke the home side’s resistance in the 58th minute and top scorer Messi and the in-form Suarez took turns in adding to the scoring to cap a sixth successive league win for Ernesto Valverde’s imperious team.

Barca, the only unbeaten side in Europe’s top five leagues, lead the way in La Liga with 54 points after capitalising on second-placed Atletico Madrid’s 1-1 draw with Girona on Saturday and third-placed Valencia’s 2-1 defeat at Las Palmas.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice before leaving the pitch with his face covered in blood as Real Madrid eased their domestic crisis by hammering struggling Deportivo La Coruna 7-1 on Sunday to reclaim fourth spot.

Betis went into the game having scored eight goals in their last two league matches but had few opportunities against Barca, who turned on the style in the second

half as they have done so often in this dominant campaign.

It took a clever rolled pass from Suarez to release Rakitic for the opening goal, which the Croatian dispatched confidently while Messi took full advantage of a slack Betis offside trap to slot the second.

titions in losing to Espanyol in the King’s Cup on Wednesday.

“My team are completely committed to everything we do and we stick together in the good times and the bad,” Barca coach Valverde told reporters.

“We take our steps forward and our steps back together and

Lionel Messi and Louis Suarez

The Argentine’s second strike moved him on to 19 league goals while Suarez’s brace took him to 15, 10 coming in his last seven La Liga games.

The convincing display was also the perfect response after Barca had surrendered their 29game unbeaten run in all compe-

ilton and vice-captain Rahkeem Cornwall will leave the tournament early for West Indies duty, a release from the Leeward Islands Cricket Association said, and will be replaced by Shane Burton, Kofi James, Akeem Charles and Jaeel Clarke.

Hurricanes were good enough to reach the semi-fi-

that’s a great virtue.”

Real had lost two of their last three league matches and got off on the wrong foot against relegation-threatened Deportivo when former Atletico Madrid forward Adrian Lopez put the visiting side ahead against the run of play in the 23rd minute.

The stumbling La Liga champions responded in emphatic fashion, however, and went on to record their biggest win of the season in all competitions with two goals apiece from Gareth Bale, Nacho Fernandez and Ronaldo as well as a long-range strike from Luka Modric.

Ronaldo was unable to continue playing after he was left with a bloodied face by the boot of Deportivo defender Fabian Schar as he struck his second goal, which took him level with Bale as Real’s top scorer in the league with six strikes.

Real climbed above Villarreal into fourth place on 35 points but are still 19 behind Barcelona.

“The players needed a game like this,” Real coach Zinedine Zidane said.

“I don’t know if much changed apart from the scoreline and that’s the biggest difference. We played well against Villarreal (in our last match despite losing 1-0) and we were doing well when we were losing 1-0 today but we got the equaliser and I‘m delighted with what we did in the rest of the game.”

West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels

The trio, who were members of the Hurricanes campaign last year, will be part of a squad led again by Test batsman Kieran Powell, and which includes regulars like West Indies A one-day captain Jahmar Hamilton and former Windies wicketkeeper Devon Thomas.

Last season, Samuels played twice for Hurricanes, scoring 36 runs before taking up other playing commitments internationally, whle Cooper gathered 42 runs and grabbed three wicekts in three outings before bowing out injured.

Hosein, a useful all-rounder, took 12 wickets in eight matches with his left-arm spin and also scrored 76 runs.

Samuels, Powell, Ham-

nals of the last Regional Super50 before losing to eventual champions Barbados Pride.

This year, they have been installed in Group B alongside Jamaica Scorpions, Guyana Jaguars, United States and English County Kent, The Regional Super50 will run from January 30 to February 24 in Antigua and Barbados.

SQUAD – Keiran Powell (captain), Rahkeem Cornwall (vice captain), Keacy Carty, Montcin Hodge, Terance Warde, Jeremiah Louis, Mervin Matthew, Sheno Berridge, Akeal Hosein, Marlon Samuels, Justin Athanaze, Kevon Cooper, Devon Thomas, Jahmar Hamilton.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Monday January 22, 2018) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) 16 teams (2) 48 matches Today’s Quiz: (1) Where was the last ICC Under 19 World Cup held?

(2) Where is the current ICC Under 19 World Cup

being played?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

23

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 22, 2018

Ramdhani cops gold, bronze in Canada tournament GUYANA’s National Badminton Champion and Olympic prospect, Narayan Ramdhani won gold at the Jack VCR Jack Underhill Open Singles Tournament played at the Vancouver Rackets Club in Vancouver BC, Canada over the

weekend.

Narayan won the Gold Medal in the Open Men’s Singles Competition and Bronze in the Open Men’s Doubles.

According to a release from the Guyana Badminton Association (GBA) “This is a

great achievement, considering last year he [Narayan] got the Bronze Medal in Singles at this tournament and this year he won the Gold. “[It] shows that his training is progressing at the Shuttlesport Badminton Academy in Vancouver where he is

based for over a year and a half. There is no doubt that he has a consistent record over the last 8 years.”

This is also Ramdhani’s second Gold in a stretch as he won the Under-23 men’s singles at the 2017 VRC Remembrance Day Open

Badminton Tournament in Vancouver, BC, Canada last year (2017).

Narayan will be taking part in a number of tour-

naments leading up to the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast Australia in April 2018, when he will be representing Guyana.

Kumble doubts RCB franchise will go back for Gayle FORMER Indian captain Anil Kumble has joined the voices of those expressing doubt that Royal Challengers Bangalore will attempt to retain Windies batting star Chris Gayle for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The 38-year-old Gayle, who was signed by the franchise in 2011, was sent to the auction block after RCB opted to retain Indian captain Virat Kohli (17 crores), South African star AB de Villiers (11 crores) and Sarfaraz Khan (3 crores).

The franchise could still opt to retain the West Indian, who has set a base price of 2 crores ahead of the auction, with its Right

to Match (RTM) clause, but based on the remaining budgetary allocation Kumble has pointed out that it is unlikely.

Windies batting star Chris Gayle

Consistency, leadership ...

Jaguars feat has not gone unnoticed.

Secretary of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), Anand Sanasie congratulated the players for their hard work which has been reflected in their recent win and outstanding individual sperformances.

Sanasie declared that the result was due to the close-knitted relationship between the players and their coaches.

Meanwhile, the Jaguars completed an innings and 81 runs win over Trinidad and Tobago’s Red Force yesterday in the final round at the National Stadium, Providence.

Resuming on 282-8, Jason Mohammed completed his eight first-class hundred before left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul and Keemo Paul took the final two wickets.

Permaul bowled Bryan Charles (15) while Paul bowled Anderson Phillip (11). Mohammed was left unbeaten on 103. Raymond Reifer was named Man-ofthe-Match.

Meanwhile, the defeat was the fourth on the trot for Red Force while Jaguars racked up their seventh win in 10 matches, to end the season unbeaten.

The former RCB captain also believes the player’s form in recent seasons held a clue as to the decision that was on

Continued from back page

the horizon.

“Possibly they [RCB] will be cautious. They have to build the entire team as well. If you looked at last year, Gayle did not play in a couple of matches for RCB. It was not because he was injured or something, he was not picked. That’s a giveaway on whether they will go after him at the auction,” Kumble said.

Following the retention of Kohli, De Villiers and Khan the team must form a complete side with the remaining 49 crores. “ H o w e v e r, h e h a s shown he can win games single-handedly. I think there will be other franchises who will be looking for him.

But all of them will be a bit cautious. However, he is currently in good form. But I am not too sure if RCB will use the RTM for Gayle.”

Narayan Ramdhani

Linden takes lion’s ...

Continued from back page

... ‘Hooper’ sisters, Winston George also winners

CWI director of cricket Jimmy Adams hands over the Man-of-the-Match award to Raymond Reifer.

SCORECARD

RED FORCE 1st innings 135 Jaguars 1st innings 540 for nine declared Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 2nd innings (overmight 282 for 8) A Jangoo c Johnson b Motie 16 J Solozano b Permaul 16 T Webster c Rutherford b Paul 77 J Mohammed not out 103 D Ramdin c&b Rutherford 47 Y Cariah lbw b Motie 0 S Katwaroo lbw b Rutherford 0 I Khan b Paul 17 D St. Clair lbw b Permaul 2 B Charles b Permaul 15 A Phillip b Paul 11 Extras: (b-5, lb-2, w-3, nb-10) 20 TOTAL: (all out; 88.5 overs) 324 Fall of wickets: 1-33, 2-43, 3-127, 4-244, 5-245, 6-246, 7-282, 8-282 Bowling: Paul 19.5-4-118-3, Reifer 7-1-32-0, Motie 24-5-73-2, Permaul 29-9-73-3, Rutherford 9-2-21-2

dies (Mona Campus) student, Natrena Hooper was named the senior Female Athlete-ofthe-Year for her several good showing competing in the High Jump, while Tenesha Cort, the national Javelin record holder, finished second.

Meanwhile, it came as no surprise that Linden would dominate the youth and junior categories, taking into consideration that the fastest athletes in the 100, 200 and 400 metres, as well as in the high jump, long jump and triple jump, all came from Linden.

Compton Caesar, who won Guyana’s first ever 100M Gold at CARIFTA Games, won the Junior Male Athleteof-the-Year award. Anfernee Headecker, Silver Medallist in the 1500M at last year’s CARIFTA Games, finished behind Caesar.

CARIFTA Games Triple-Jump Gold Medallist Natricia Hooper (Natrena’s younger sister), edged Linden’s Onassha Roger for the Junior Female Athleteof-the-Year title.

Daniel Williams, the IAAF World U-18 400M silver medallist and South American Youth record holder (400M: 46.72 seconds) was a no-brainer for the Male Youth

Athlete-of-the-Year award, while Monroe College’s middle-distance athlete, Claudrice McKoy tied with Kenisha Phillips for second place, behind the Lindener.

Long-standing athletics coach, Leslie Blacks handing over the Coach-of-the-Year award to Linden’s Johnny Greavesande.

Athlete-of-the-Year award, while emerging sprinter Jermaine King (South American Youth Games silver medallist) was runner-up.

Chantoba Bright who had a sensational year in the pits, competing in the long and triple jumps, won the Female

Linden’s Johnny Greavesande, the coach of Bright and Williams, maintained his Coach-of-theYear title, while the President’s Award went to another Lindener, Moses Pantlitz, coach of Rogers, Caesar and Deshanna Skeete.

7

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 22, 2018

CFATF opens assessors training

The Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) will open this morning a two-day assessors training session at the Pegasus Hotel.

According to a release by the Ministry of Legal Affairs the participants for the training were invited from several CFATF member states, and consist of Financial, Law En-

forcement and Legal experts.

A total of 53 participants will be trained as Assessors during this period, including participants from Canada, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos, Belize and Guyana.

The aim of the workshop is to equip participants with the tools and competencies needed to undertake an assessment of

the technical compliance with the revised FATF Recommendations, and for reviewing the level of effectiveness of a country’s Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regime.

Participants will be introduced to the use of the FATF Methodology which is used

to assess a country’s technical compliance with the FATF Recommendations, and for reviewing the level of effectiveness of a country’s AML/CFT system under the Fourth Round Mutual Evaluations process.

During this fourth round of mutual evaluations, the FATF has adopted complementary approaches for as-

sessing technical compliance with the FATF Recommendations, and for assessing the level of effectiveness of a country’s AML/CFT regime.

The training will include exercises on (i) the use of the FATF Methodology for assessing technical compliance with the FATF Recommendations and the effective of

AML/CFT systems, and (ii) how to conduct the assessment. It will conclude with a mock evaluation to test participants’ knowledge and understanding of the process of assessing a country level of compliance with of the FATF Recommendations, and the level of effectiveness of their AMLCFT programmes.

Money from extractive industries should bereinvested to ensure economy remains stable Dear Editor

DURING the days leading up to the end of 2017, the APNU-AFC coalition government revealed the long-asked-for Petroleum Agreement between oil giant, ExxonMobil and Guyana.

While it is undoubtedly a great win for transparency, we should be careful not to hail them as heroes for something that should have been revealed to the Guyanese public a long time ago. It was journalists, civil societies and individuals - all demanding the release of the contract that saw it being made public. This should serve as a good lesson in the civic responsibility of the people in demanding better from their leaders.

When it comes to powerful oil companies and their interest in countries with poor governance and high poverty rates, blind idealism with regards to their interests will do us no good. We only have to take a look at the examples of how other countries such as Chad, Nigeria and Papa New Guinea, have fared with regards to economic instability, social conflict and human rights violations following the discovery of oil. One of the many things these countries have in

common is their predator-prey relationship with ExxonMobil.

Kaieteur News had in June 2017, begun a series of articles titled, “What Guyana needs to know about ExxonMobil.” The series explored ExxonMobil’s blatant disregard for the countries in which they have oil interests. With a long thread of litigation suits aimed towards Exxon for their disregard of environmental protection, deceiving of shareholders and the underpayment of royalties, one can see a clear pattern of abuse by the oil giant.

ExxonMobil is currently being probed by the US Securities and Exchange Commission regarding the way in which they valued oil and gas, “in the backdrop of low oil prices and possible curbs on carbon emissions.” Over the years, they have engaged in the active funding of climate change denials, despite being aware of the connection between “the burning of fossil fuels and climate change”. Aside from funding climate change denials, Exxon, also had a lawsuit brought against them of committing human rights violations in Indonesia where they have oil operations.

They have had several major oil spills, caused by ruptured pipelines, and those have caused lasting effects

on the ecosystems. Exxon was also responsible for one of the largest oil spills in the United States of America.

After a ship’s hull was torn, 11 million gallons of oil was released into the environment.

Up to this day, oil still remains in the areas where it was spilt; and plant, land and marine life are still being affected. That reality, matched with the fact that Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency currently does not have the capacity to enforce environmental regulations in the oil and gas sector nor monitor compliance with environmental regulations of the state, spells disaster for the future of our “green state.”

Oil and bad politics too often tend to go hand in hand.

Given that taxation meant to create fiscal revenues is not necessarily needed in oil rich countries, leaders can choose whether or not the concepts of transparency and accountability are ones they abide by.

In the interest of ensuring oil wealth is managed properly, many oil rich countries have created Sovereign Wealth Funds. Too often however, these crumble due to human failings in the form of corruption, malfeasance and bad investments. Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan was reported in the media as stating

that Cabinet approval has been given for the fund to be used “for three specific purposes.”

These are: intergenerational savings, stabilisation of the fund and infrastructural development. We’ll see how that goes.

While extractive industries such as oil, gas and mining help in the economic growth of a country, significant thought must always be given to the vast number of negatives associated with them. It is interesting to note that the Norwegians had late last year disclosed that they were considering divestment from holdings in fossil fuel companies. With $5 trillion in assets, the Norway Sovereign Fund is one of the largest holdings so far to consider divestment. Despite the remarkable economic success gained from the oil industry, this poised considering suggests that they do not have a lot of faith in oil’s future and are seeking alternatives. Nor-

way’s own oil giant, Statoil has through the building of large offshore wind-energy projects, begun to diversify its holdings.

Guyana’s leaders should take a page out of Norway’s book and begin securing our future in things other than extractive industries. Dr. Justin Ram of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) had in 2011 advised that Guyana should not rely on its natural resources based products. “…Concentration of the extractive industries such as agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining and quarrying focus on low value-added, natural resource-based products for export and leave the country vulnerable to “Dutch disease,” he had said. The Dutch Disease refers to the negative effects of anything that provides a sharp rise in foreign currency.

Guyana, like many resource rich countries do not put as much effort into the area of sustainable growth

strategies. Money earned from extractive industries should be reinvested so as to ensure the economy remains stable and not wholly reliant upon them. Extractive resources are limited and prone to frequent fluctuation. As such, we need to be sure that we have other options when they eventually fail us.

Regards AKOLA THOMPSON