Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 01 12 2016

UNAIDS hails Caribbean’s fight against HIV/AIDS Page 11

War on drugs No. 104752

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2016

Price: $80

(VAT Inclusive)

…project launched to tackle high-seas drug trafficking

Woman dies

Page 15

Page 2

Dead: Esme Rockcliffe

…several injured in Mahaicony smash-up A three-vehicle smash-up at Fellowship, Mahaicony Wednesday afternoon left one woman dead and several persons injured. This minibus was one of the three vehicles involved in the crash

Employee freed Tackling Jagdeo opens of $2M Gold youth crime consultations for new GECOM chair Board heist Page 3

…US$14M project unveiled to address youth violence

Page 9

Page 14

Woman dies 2

A THREE-VEHICLE collision at Fellowship, Mahaicony, on Wednesday morning claimed the life of former Deputy Regional Executive Officer of Regions Five and Nine, Esme Rockcliffe, and left several others, including four foreigners, injured.

According to the police, Rockcliffe, 61, of Le Enterprise, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, was pronounced dead at 15:00hrs at

the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), after sustaining injuries in the accident that occurred around 10:30 hrs.

She was a passenger of minibus BJJ 3844 when she met her demise.

Kamar Rahim, 29, of Novar, Mahaicony, who was the driver of the minibus, has been taken into police custody. Rockcliffe was initially taken to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital before being

transferred to the GPHC. Gavin Roberts, 42, of Recess, Mahaicony, another passenger of BJJ 3844 was also transferred to the GPHC and so too was foreigner Makini Barrow, 28, of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The other foreigners Yenver Caesar, 23, of St Lucia, and Makeshi Peters and Michael Rajnauth, 21, of Trinidad and Tobago were all admitted to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital.

The foreigners were all passengers of minibus BPP2127, driven by Walter Heywood, 69, of Waterloo Street, Georgetown.

Heywood was also admitted to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital as well as Trecia Williams, 27, of Blankenburg, West Coast Demerara and Christine Basil, 24, of Anira Street, Queenstown, Georgetown.

According to reports, minibus BJJ3834 was head-

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

… several injured in Mahaicony smash-up

The minibus in which Esme Rockcliffe was travelling on Wednesday

ing to Georgetown, proceeding west on the southern carriageway, while BPP 2127 was travelling in the opposite direction.

Motorcar HC 7188, being driven by Parmarshur Raikha, 29, of Glasgow, East Bank Berbice, was behind minibus BPP 2127.

Reports indicate that minibus BJJ3834 allegedly attempted to make a U-Turn and ended up in the path of Minibus BPP2127. The two collided and motorcar HC 7188 which was behind minibus BPP2127 ended up in the accident.

However, none of the passengers of motorcar HC7188 were injured and they gave statements to the police before leaving the scene of the accident. Rahim, the driver of minibus BJJ3844 and Raikha of motorcar HC7188 both tested negative for alcohol.

Rockcliffe’s tearful

daughter, Nyasha Rockcliffe, told the Guyana Chronicle that she last spoke to her mother on Tuesday night at 21:00 hrs at her home.

Rockcliffe made a trip to Berbice earlier Wednesday morning, and was returning home when disaster struck.

Nyasha recounted that it was around 12: 00 hrs that hospital officials called the family’s home and relayed the heart-breaking news.

Esme’s husband, Ovid, was inconsolable on receiving it.

The accident comes at the end of Road Safety Month, which was observed under the theme “Life does not have a reset button, drive carefully.”

Only on Wednesday, Traffic Chief Dion Moore boasted that there has been a reduction in vehicular accidents and fatalities in November, compared to last year.

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Tackling youth crime GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

…US$14M project unveiled to address youth violence

By Svetlana Marshall MINISTER of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan,has said that the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) must create a culture that will see young people becoming an asset rather than a liability.

At the time, he was delivering the feature address during the first session of the CARISECURE Inception Workshop at Regency Suites on Wednesday. CARISECURE, which stands f o r S t r e n g t h e n i n g E v idence-Based Decision Making for Citizen Security, is a US$14M project funded by USAID and the first component of the Youth Empowerment Services (YES) project.

This component aims to reduce the prevalence of crime and violence among youths through the implementation of policies and programmes based on evidence.

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan

Addressing key stakeholders in the area of security, including those from other CARICOM nations such as Barbados, Ramjattan said evidence-based decision- making will help the region to craft the culture needed to transform youths,

who are involved in crime and violence and are at-risk, into meaningful members of society.

Alluding to the UN Report on Violence against Children in the Caribbean (2006), Crime, Violence, and Development: Trends,

Costs, and Policy Options in the Caribbean, the Caribbean Commission on Youth Development and the 2010 Declaration of Paramaribo on the Future of Youth in the Caribbean, Minister Ramjattan said these reports inform the region about the reasons for youth crime and violence, their direct and indirect causes such as aggression, physical abuse, illiteracy and dysfunctional families, but said there is a lot more to be learnt, noting that greater steps are needed to address this issue.

He said long-term investments in national research and development in youth crime and violence in each CARICOM territory are needed. “Continue the effort of having a coherent and coordinated CARICOM Regional Strategy for identifying the intervention needed, and thirdly, institute a programme of vigorously

UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Shabnam Mallick

evaluating these interventions to see what works and what does not.”

Thereafter, a political commitment must be made to procure the required sources needed to make the interventions. As such, he said the CARISECURE component of the YES Project is a step in the

right direction. UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Shabnam Mallick, in giving an overview of the CARISECURE, said within the next five years, UNDP will work with seven countries in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean with the focus on Guyana, St. Lucia and St. Turn to page 8 ►

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

HIV vaccine trial begins in South Africa [BBC] - A new vaccine against HIV, the virus that causes Aids, is being tested in South Africa in what scientists say is the first large study of an HIV vaccine’s effectiveness since 2009.

in the coffin” for HIV. The vaccine regime being tested is based on one used in a trial in Thailand in 2009, which had a protection rate of about 30%. Results from South Africa are expected in four years. Since the

South Africa is battling to curb the spread of HIV/Aids

The study aims to enrol 5,400 sexually active young men and women.

About seven million people in South Africa are living with the virus, which is one reason why the trial is taking place there.

Experts hope the vaccine will be “the final nail

HIV virus was identified in 1983, efforts to develop an effective vaccine have proved unsuccessful. Researchers hope that this might come to an end with the current study, which is code-named HVTN 702.

It is being led by South Africa’s Glenda Gray, a

university research professor and head of South Africa’s Medical Research Council.

“It will tell us whether the initial success observed [at a smaller scale] will bear fruit in the form of a safe and effective HIV vaccine designed for the people of southern Africa,” Dr Gray said. According to the United Nations, more than 30 million people have died from Aids since the 1980s.

Recent breakthroughs in anti-retroviral treatments have improved the lifespan of Aids patients. However, the only effective prevention remains abstinence or the use of barrier methods such as condoms during sexual intercourse.

As part of the present trial, study participants will receive a total of five injections over one year, says the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is

sponsoring the trial.

Awethu Benenengu, a 20-year-old construction worker, who is one of the participants in the trial, told the BBC’s Nomsa Maseko in Johannesburg that he volunteered because he wanted to help defeat Aids.

“I decided to get involved because I don’t like the way my HIV-positive cousin is treated,” Mr Benenengu said.

“There is so much stigma. I want to be part of a generation that changes this and I want my children to be proud one day of their father for getting involved in making history.”

Participants who become infected with HIV during the trial will be referred to local medical providers for care and treatment, NIH adds.

They will be advised on how to reduce their risk of transmitting the virus.

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Trump says he will ‘leave business’ to focus on presidency [BBC] - President-elect Donald Trump has announced he is leaving “business in total” to focus on presidency and avoid perceived conflicts of interest. Mr Trump said he would be expanding on his plans at a press conference with his children next month. He previously dismissed concerns over potential conflicts between his businesses and the presidency. Meanwhile, former Goldman Sachs executive Steven Mnuchin confirmed he had been picked as treasury secretary.

Mr Mnuchin, who was Trump’s former campaign finance director, also said billionaire investor Wilbur Ross had been chosen for commerce secretary. Mr Trump and his transition team have yet to confirm the appointments, which were widely rumoured. Instead, Mr Trump chose to focus on his plans to distance himself from his business in a series of four tweets released over 20 minutes.

The tweets read: “I will be holding a major news conference in New York City

with my children on December 15 to discuss the fact that I will be leaving my great business in total in order to fully focus on running the country in order to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! “While I am not mandated to do this under the law, I feel it is visually important, as President, to in no way have a conflict of interest with my various businesses.

“Hence, legal documents are being crafted which take me completely out of business operations. The Presidency is a far more important task!”

There is no legal requirement to liquidate assets but past US presidents have set aside their business dealings. Mr Trump’s rivals have raised repeated concerns this may cause problems in the coming months. Mr Trump, who takes office on 20 January, had previously indicated to the New York Times that he was considering separating his two areas of responsibility but was confident he could run both “perfectly”.

His three eldest children already hold roles within the Trump empire.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

Colombia crash plane ‘ran out of fuel’ [BBC] - The plane carrying Brazilian footballers which crashed in Colombia had run out of fuel, according to a leaked audio recording. In the air traffic tower tape, a pilot can be heard repeatedly requesting permission to land due to a “total electric failure” and lack of fuel.

Just before the tape ends, the pilot says he is flying at an altitude of 9,000ft (2,743m).

Just six of the 77 people on board the plane survived. The plane was carrying most of Brazil’s Chapecoense football team and 20 journalists were also among those killed.

The recording, which has been published by several Colombian media outlets, confirmed earlier reports that a lack of fuel might have contributed to the crash. Colombian military sources had told the AFP agency: “It is very suspicious that despite the

The flight came down in mountains near Medellin, Colombia impact there was no explosion.

That reinforces the theory of the lack of fuel.”

Investigators have yet to announce any single cause for the crash and a full analysis is expected to take months.

Chapecoense were flying to the

Colombian city of Medellin on Monday for what would have been the biggest match in their history.

There has been an outpouring of grief and support from the football world. Another four people had been due to

Antigua gives US new deadline to end gaming dispute ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) — The Antigua and Barbuda government has given the United States until the end of the year to settle the long running dispute over internet gaming amid claims in excess of US$200 million.

The Gaston Browne administration, which earlier this year dismissed a proposals by the United States to end the dispute, has given Washington until the end of next month to agree to a settlement or face sanctions.

A statement posted on the World Trade Organization (WTO) website noted that St John’s has warned that “if a settlement was not reached before the end of 2016, Antigua would have to resort to the suspension of copyright on the sale of US intellectual property…”

Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders in an interview with Observer Media, said “if they put something on the table that is reasonable [then] that would remove the end-ofyear deadline, because then

we would have something we could actually look at favourably. So far that has not happened”. “We will only implement that award if absolutely nothing comes forward from the United States, that is something that we can live with,” he told the Observer Media, adding “we would hardly have made the statement [to the WTO Dispute Settlement Body] if we weren’t solid on it”.

In 2005, the WTO ruled that Washington had violated international trade agreements by prohibiting operation of offshore Internet gambling sites. Antigua claimed that it lost US$3.4 billion a year due to the US action, but the WTO awarded the island US$21 million.

But in its final ruling, the Geneva-based WTO allowed Antigua and Barbuda to suspend certain concessions and obligations it has under international law to the United States in respect of intellectual property rights.

In September 2014, the Browne administration said that it was seeking US$100 million to settle the dispute,

admitting that while the figure represents a reduction on what St John’s had originally been demanding, it is negotiable and could be a mixture of cash and kind.

In July, this year, Prime Minister Browne in a radio and television broadcast said then that his administration had dismissed a proposal by the United States to end their long-running dispute over internet gaming. Prime Minister Gaston Browne said that the twin island cannot be deprived of the money owed to it and was adopting a new strategy in a bid to recover the funds.

Antigua and Barbuda has criticised the United States since 1998 of breaching its commitments to members of the WTO under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) by enacting laws that prevented foreign-based operators from offering gambling and betting services to its citizens.

travel but did not make the flight. The football club said on Wednesday that two players remained in a critical but stable condition, while the club’s goalkeeper had had one leg amputated and might still lose his other foot. An injured jour-

nalist also remained in critical condition, the club said.

One of the survivors, flight technician Erwin Tumiri, said he was still alive because he followed safety instructions.

“Many stood up and started shouting,” he said. “I put the suitcases between my legs and assumed the brace position.”

Both of the doomed flight’s black box recorders have been recovered and are already being examined by experts.

British investigators are to help authorities in Latin America because the plane, a British Aerospace 146, was manufactured in the UK. Brazil has begun three days of official mourning while thousands in Chapecoense’s home city of Chapeco have held a vigil.

The team had been enjoying the most successful period in their history, reaching Brazil’s top division for the first time in 2014. They were

due to play in the final of the Copa Sudamericana tournament against Colombian team Atletico Nacional later on Wednesday. Their opponents have since offered to concede the game and invited fans to come to the stadium for a vigil instead.

Moments before the flight took off, Mauro Stumpf from the team’s coaching staff said he hoped the airline brought them “good luck” - as when the team flew with the same company for the quarter-finals.

Earlier this month, the same plane flew Argentina’s national football team to a World Cup qualifier.

In other tributes, Brazilian first division football teams have offered to lend players to Chapecoense free of charge for the 2017 season, and asked the league to protect the club from relegation for the next three years.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

Reparations Committee responds to Roshan Khan Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams Editor

Godfrey Wray

Editorial: 227-5216; 227-5204 guyanachronicle.com wnigel10@hotmail.com gnnleditorial@gmail.com

Editorial

TODAY, the Regional Security System (RSS) Asset Recovery Unit (ARU) goes into operation. This unit, located in Barbados, has taken over from and will continue the work of the Caribbean Criminal Assets Recovery Programme (CCARP) in the partnership between the RSS and the United Kingdom to tackle organised crime and corruption.

The ARU aims to continue promoting and strengthening legislation throughout the region to tackle the proceeds of crime. It proposes to lobby for the establishment of a dedicated forfeiture fund to provide additional resources for law-enforcement agencies, for the criminal justice system, for victim compensation, and for community projects keeping youngsters off the streets.

Drug-trafficking and corruption continue to threaten nations’ sovereignty, the security of its people, its quality of governance, and the moral fabric of their societies. Guyanese can identify. We have seen loss and destruction of lives and families through drug use and trafficking, the burden on our prison system, reprisal killings (death and phantom squads), and the taint on government through access to and influence in the corridors of power.

Drugs are negatively impacting and altering the lives of people, more so the younger generation, not only in use, but plying the trade- as mules or suppliers- on the glamourisation of the get-rich-quick syndrome. There is diminished attraction to live within one’s means, work hard, and through dint of sacrifice, acquire. At the same time it cannot be ignored, as a matter of practical recognition, that where there are limited avenues for legitimate employment and economic opportunities,the temptation to pursue illegitimate avenues is real.

Corruption continues to wreak havoc on the economic performance of countries. Outside of it being a human rights violation, it brings in its wake compromised public officials, elected and appointed. This society is not oblivious to stories of officials hiving off state properties for personal use, while in some cases granting favours to persons in conflict with the law. Corruption impacts various strata of government.

For instance, members of the Police Force, whose institution is responsible for serving and protecting, not acting in accordance with. This can see efforts to shield those engaged in illicit activities by not investigating and charging those accused, and during court hearings either compromising the required quality of investigation and prosecution of cases.

Grantley Watson, Executive Director of the RSS, has noted the region being negatively impacted by violence from drug-trafficking and the ARU will help countries confiscate criminals’ assets, reducing their influence and power. It is no

Dear Editor,

are too stupid to be in business, or it is not in our genes.

The building of great civilizations or the Pyramids or the greatest entrepreneurial event in Guyana’s history, doesn’t matter.

I hope Roshan Khan writes a similar letter against the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs or the Chinese Business Association in Guyana.

They too should feel his

wrath. In closing, I hope Roshan Khan attends the next Business Conference of the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO). Kindly see below who sponsored the last GOPIO Indian Business Conference.

A satisfied GTT customer

resented her P.R.O, and by extension, the company, GTT, exceptionally. Hats off to her. Miss Stacey asked me how much credit needed to be refunded and I told her. She also updated me, accurately, how to deactivate the “After 2 Service” and said that they will have the correct option sent to the rest of their “Valued Customers”, including me, as a second reminder.

I thanked her and she said “I thank you for choosing GTT as your service provider and you will continue to be our valued customer” and that she will refund me my credit shortly after she

ROSHAN Khan wrote from the heart when he spoke about the African Business Bureau.

It re-enforces every African’s understanding of how many individuals of your ethnic group think of African-Guyanese. We should just buy from you and other ethnic groups and not own anything because Africans

Dear Editor,

OUT of fairness Mr. Editor, I think I have an obligation to update you on what GTT has done after an article I had written was carried in the Stabroek News. The caption of the article was: “GTT refuses to refund credit,” published on the 29th November, 2016.

Editor, in that article, I outlined the issue I had faced at the hands of GTT with their “After 2 Service” and why I should be refunded my credit.

Mr. Editor, in the first sentence of the last paragraph of my article, I had mentioned “I think by right I should be refunded my credit immediately after GTT reads this letter” and GTT contacted me after, if not immediately, an act I absolutely appreciate and is very much pleased with. A representative by the name of “Stacey” contacted me, stated the reason for the call and told me that the Public Relations Officer (P.R.O) had decided to have my credit refunded.

Mr. Editor, Stacey rep-

►Association of Indians in America (AIA) ►Indian American Forum for Political

Education (IAFPE) ►National Federation of Indian American Associations (NFIA) ►Network of Indian Professionals (NETIP) ►Professional Indian Networking Association (PRINA) Best Regards The Guyana Reparations Committee comes off the phone. Editor, shortly after, my account was credited not just $60 dollars but $200 dollars. A total of $140 dollars more than I was actually asking for, to be refunded.

Mr. Editor, I have also received this message “Hey Jamaal....really sorry for all inconvenience. I credited your account with 200” from GTT via sms.

Mr. Editor, I was moved immensely by GTT’s act of kindness which compelled me to write this letter as a sign of how satisfied I am.

Regards Jamaal K. Thornhill

People with their borrowed robes are hurting us in Wakenaam Dear Editor, I AM a resident of Zeelandia Estate, Wakenaam Island, a father of five who climbs coconut trees for estate owners, gets paid seven hundred Guyana dollars for every one hundred coconuts I pick and peel to send my kids to school and put food on the table.

I am not as educated as I had wanted to be, however, I am trying my utmost to ensure I meet my children’s expenditures in the field of education to secure them a bright future. I consider that my obligation. My wife would also clean the branches of the coconut trees and make brooms which she sells at Parika for a cost of three hundred Guyana dollars for one. I am poor and fight for the survival of my

family daily.

On November 20, 2016, one of my children fell ill and was rushed to the Wakenaam Cottage Hospital from where he was referred to the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH). My wife and I along with our child left Wakenaam for WDRH immediately. We spent a total of $6000 to get to the WDRH. The cost from Zeelandia to Wakenaam Cottage Hospital was two thousand Guyana Dollars and three thousand Guyana dollars was the cost for the speedboat. From Parika to WDRH we paid one thousand Guyana dollars – giving a total of six thousand Guyana dollars. The doctors and other staff at WDRH were kind and courteous and provided very good service. My child had to stay in for observation. The next morning my

secret that Guyana can do well with such support, given the sprawling assets of the nefarious. A case that readily comes to mind is convicted druglord Roger Khan, where decisions by the state regarding his assets are yet to definitively be made.

On the other hand, some countries may have laws to confiscate properties illegally acquired, but the paucity of skills to investigate and identify sources of funding hinder justifying a case in the courts for confiscation. Similarly, where politicians and public officers enter office dirt poor and within short periods of time amass wealth beyond their earnings, in the absence of requisite skills and funding to follow the lead and identify the source, culprits walk free and flaunt their ill-gotten gains.

Where laws such as the Integrity Act are not being enforced and the Integrity Commission absent, with Guyana being a member of the RSS-as it was with the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF)-it is only a matter of

child was released into our care around 08:40 hrs with medication and health advice from the doctor. We left for home. We reached Parika around 10:00 hrs.

Editor, frustration began at this juncture. Can you believe we sat in a boat from 10:00 hrs to 14:30 hrs? It was a dull Monday and people were just not travelling.

This turn system is really a grave annoyance to us poor people from the island. If I had money I would have just hired the entire boat and pay the fifteen thousand Guyana dollars but unfortunately, I am not and many more like me are not rich. I therefore request that this system be immediately revoked and replaced with the system we had before which was a time-scheduled system.

It hurts me to have found out that people are sitting

in Georgetown in their borrowed robes and making decisions that worsen instead of better us poor people.

What hurts me even more is when my own village people tell me that it is my government that has done this to us and all I can do is watch them in total dismay.

Editor, I campaigned heavily for this government and the coordinator of the island can attest to this. I campaigned against the PPP because I was frankly upset that even though we as a family worked so hard, progress was a no under the PPP, but it looks worse under my government. I don’t think I want to see this government for another term.

Regards Narindra Sahadeo

time before pressure will be brought to bear to observe and strengthen our laws. With ill-gotten gains persons of like minds and behaviours are establishing regional and international networks to undermine governments through various forms. Some use religion, poverty, business, politics, and other avenues that have mass appeal to create influence and ensure protection. As these networks take root, governments have a responsibility to society to put systems in place to stem and arrest the problem and make criminal activities a dis-incentive.

The global partnership in the fight against organised crime and corruption can be understood through the desire of right-thing members of society and responsible governments to rid the environment of these scourges that threaten man’s security and societal development.

The RSS would be counting on Guyana and Guyanese in making the ARU efficient and effective.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

Are the scales of the courts balanced against heterosexual males?

Dear Editor, I AM the father of three children -- two females and a male -- and the grandfather of a beautiful grand-daughter, no one else but I have stood at the helm of my children’s upbringing.

Their collective interests and the society they must live in are important to me.

The contents of this letter is directed to the lawmakers of my country and composed against a recent experience I witnessed when a close male relative was placed before the magistrates in Courts 8 &9. My concern is whether the laws concerning the following content of this letter can be measured against the blindfolded Maat of the unbiased scales of Justice or whether human preferences

tipped the scale towards some ‘Feelings’ driven, popular cause of the day, directed at a deliberate male imbalance.

Two young people who have known each other for over a decade and were a few years prior to 2016, in a short relationship came together on the 29, November 2016. The female arrived in the country reportedly from London, where she is based, to the place of stay of the young man who had had some bad experiences from which he had recovered, and was still recovering from. She is to return soon, so the young man requests that she stays the two weeks. This is allowed, the unexpected follows next.

The two weeks have been extended, despite protests from his parents. Without the engagement of his parents they are married the follow-

ing January 27. The new wife claims that she is pregnant in mid-December. The new husband accepts. Then by mid-April he discovers that she did not come to Guyana from London as she had said, but that she had left three months before and had gone to Suriname where she had lived with a man there, before coming to his place of abode.

Fate would have it that the man is the father of the new husband’s God son; still rooted in his parents’ home, their presence becomes unbearable, his parents demand that she leaves.

By May they were separated completely as other issues on the new wife’s character began to emerge.

He proceeded to legal aid to proceed with a divorce.

His family had cautioned him about the innocent in-

volved and since infidelity is a rebuttal of marriage, the question of a paternity test must be an option, this was well agreed. The wife subsequently took him to court for support of the child which the law of marriage dictates is his, whether he acknowledges it by signature or not, what a Law!. The case proceeds in the context of ‘Child Support’. The wife has a lawyer, he doesn’t.

This is important as it seems to determine how the scales may be tipped.

The evidence is given all of the above in specifics are articulated. The magistrate states that the contention presented by the estranged husband is not for her court. Her Worship refuses evidence to the contention from the husband,

then rules that regardless of his contention which is ignored by the court, that he must pay both wife and child a weekly sum.

The problem here is that if infidelity proven is a repudiation of marriage, then how come its argument and evidence are not entertained or directed to some existing legal forum of mediation? If the court is limited as implied by the magistrate to deal with such matters as stated by the husband, would it not be unjust to pronounce against him, having denied him his right to defence?.

It is the Law or the Magistrate? If it is the Law, then is this law contrived to push men to the dark side; are the courts not subject to a semblance of fairness.

During the three engage-

ments that I endured, there is no doubt that this area of the Law is tedious, but I saw no evidence of a middle ground where contentious testimony is weighted. I would have thought that equal grounds of contention must be entertained. To heap contempt on a situation, is when the court acknowledges that the husband is not working, declares his evidence and contention as untenable, yet proceeds, telling him that he worked in the past so he is threatened to find money by any means to fulfil the conclusion of a good court day. How is this to be construed? There has to be another word, other than justice.

inate mining of river banks and also the dumping of tailings in the channels were not confined to the Potaro and Essequibo Rivers, but were taking place in the middle Cuyuni ( just below the confluence of the Ekereku River with the Cuyuni River), in the Wenamu River (on both the Guyana and Venezuela banks), in the Ekereku River (opposite the Ekereku Airstrip) , and in the middle Mazaruni River (below Tamakay Landing).

The situation in the Potaro and Essequibo Rivers has also worsened as seen in the accompanying photographs of mining activities on the right and left banks of the Potaro River and on the left bank of the Essequibo River

by Omai Landing.

Another photograph also shows the heavy sediment loading of the Cuyuni River (from the cumulative impact of mining activities in the upper Cuyuni located in Venezuela, and in the middle and lower Cuyuni River in Guyana) at its confluence with the Mazaruni River by Kartabo Point.

Surely, the regulatory and law-enforcement agencies, some of which actually have personnel deployed within striking distance of the impacted areas, cannot be unaware of these breaches. Added to the mining illegalities are the build-up of detritus (human waste and abandoned mining camps and equipment), indiscrim-

inate dumping of tailings proving to be hazards to navigation in the rivers , deterioration of the quality of fresh water for downstream communities, and the degradation of aquatic life.

The impacts of the mining activities on river banks such as on the left bank of the Cuyuni River below Ankoko Island, and on the river channel of the Wenamu River also have strategic implications as these apply to the alignment of the Thalweg (or middle of the river channel) and the delineation of the international border.

The contribution of the gold-mining community to the development of Guyana and Guyanese is undeniable. The pioneering

efforts, courage, risk-taking and technological advances initiated by miners and services providers in the mining sector, are to be applauded. However, mining operations in our rivers or contiguous land areas have to be compliant with the regulations, including those relating to the health and safety of mining crews and downstream communities and for the sustainability of ecosystems and services. I had reported to the authorities on aberrations in the gold-mining operations in our rivers and contiguous land areas six weeks ago. I have not seen any evidence of any reduction of these breaches but more alarm-

ingly, I have witnessed the escalation of breaches and on a much wider scale.

Through this medium, I am appealing to the mining community, the regulatory and enforcement agencies and the affected communities to work collaboratively to put a stop to this madness which, if unchecked, will contradict our efforts at sustainable development through a green economic pathway, compromise our stewardship of Guyana’s natural capital, and undermine the integrity of our legacy to future generations.

Regards Barrington Braithwaite

Cease indiscriminate gold mining in our rivers and on river banks Dear Editor,

O N M o n d a y, O c t o b e r 17, 2016, I informed the relevant regulatory and enforcement agencies of the serious degradation being done to the river banks of the Potaro and Essequibo Rivers between Tumatumari and Omai, as a result of irresponsible gold-dredging activities.

I submitted the photographic evidence and was informed that action would be taken to deal with obvious breaches of the Regulations.

On Sunday, November 27, 2016, while on an aerial reconnaissance over Regions Seven and Eight, I observed that the indiscrim-

Regards Joseph G Singh Major General (retd)

8

QC boy does Guyana proud ‒ cops top regional CXC award KAYSHAV Tewari of Queen’s College, who scored 19 Grade Ones at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination, has won himself the region’s Most Outstanding Candidate Overall Award.

He also won the award for the Most Outstanding Candidate in the Sciences, having achieved Grade Ones in Additional Mathematics, Agricultural Science (Double Award), Biology, Human and Social Biology, Integrated Science, Physics and Chemistry.

The other subjects in which he did equally well were: Economics, English A and B, EDPM, Geography, Information Technology, Mathematics, Principles of Accounts, Principles of Busi-

Kayshav Tewari

ness, Religious Education, Social Studies and Spanish.

During QC’s annual Speech Day and Prizing Giving Ceremony for the Class of 2016, Tewari received a number of awards from the school, among them the Queen’s College Geography

Prize, the Parent Teachers’ Association Prize, and the Wilfred Success Trophy for being the Most Outstanding and Best Graduating Student for 2016.

He also won himself the Ministry of Education’s Prize for being the year’s best CSEC student.

According to his cousin, Aditya Persaud: “This young man, who hails from Lusignan, has surely made Guyana proud; he also dominated the stage yesterday at Queen’s College with the number of awards at the ceremony.

“Today, he has left for Barbados to receive his Caribbean Awards from CXC. Surely, he has made his village of Lusignan, and more so, his parents and family, proud.”

GTT takes customers ‒ in ‘Win More by surprise Promotion’ first draw SEVEN Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Company (GTT) customers were pleasantly surprised yesterday when they won themselves the items they went to purchase.

According to a release from GTT, it was the first draw in their ‘Win More Christmas’ promotion, and the items ranged in price from $5,000 to $22,000 for purchases made at the various GTT stores across the country.

Among the seven lucky souls are: Alana Nicholas of Amelia’s Ward, Linden, who won herself a DSL modem; Rajendra Ramkumar of Windsor Castle, Essequibo Coast, a Blu Studio G Plus, valued $21,999; Colleen Farrell of Christian-

burg, Linden, a Unnectto Neo; and Shemar Davis of Tucville, Georgetown, his first month’s DSL Bronze service.

Meanwhile, Latchman Narain of Tain, Corentyne got his money back after purchasing a Plum Might Plus 2; Diana Damdar of Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara received her DSL Bronze service free; and Neil Rudder of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam got his money back after purchasing a Unnecto Quattro X. Needless to say, they were all elated at their good fortune, especially since most of them were first-time winners.

According to GTT, every customer who makes a purchase of $5000 or more has a

chance to win that purchase in the Christmas promotion.

The winners are selected every Wednesday at a GTT Store. This week’s draw was held at the GTT depot at Fogarty’s, on Water Street.

GTT also has smartphone deals for everyone this Christmas.

Customers get their money back in Top-Up when they buy the DroneXT, Unnecto Quattro X or the Blu Studio G Plus, plus 1GB of free data.

And with the purchase of the Alcatel Go Play, customers get a FREE VR Gear and a free wireless speaker with the purchase of the Idol 3, along with 1 GB of data, which is equivalent to a one-month 4G data plan.

Some of the lucky shoppers and GTT officials

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

Police commission Seelall Persaud fitness centre

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan (left) and Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud (right) assist the daughter of one of the Force’s members to cut the symbolic ribbon declaring the fitness centre open

THE Seelall Persaud Fitness Centre, located in the compound of the Felix Austin Police College at Eve Leary, was officially declared open yesterday.

Doing the honours of cutting the ceremonial ribbon to mark the occasion was a pupil of Green Acres Primary School with the help of Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan and Commisioner of Police, Seelall Persaud, after whom the facility was named.

The spanking new facility, built to the tune of $21.2M, comes fully equipped with $6M worth of equipment and male and female saunas, and will be open, free of charge, to all members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), as well as all retired police officers.

Minister Ramjattan described the naming of the facility after the Commissioner of Police as a fitting gesture, as many of the GPF’s very own personnel were in favour of it, having continuously lauded the way Persaud has been carrying

out his duties.

He said the facility will play a great role in ensuring that the lawmen and women upkeep the level of fitness crucial to their carrying out their duties.

“It is important for us to understand that law enforcement, being an indispensable institution, to ensure law and order, requires certain facilities of the personnel that populate it,” the minister said.

“And the administration of the day does make that special effort to ensure that these facilities are provided,” he added.

Commissioner Persaud explained that the erection of the gym was part of several initiatives that the Police Force has embarked upon aimed at building morale among GPF personnel.

“The Force management team having considered that morale in the Force was extremely low, decided on a range of initiatives to rebuild morale in the Force,” he said, adding: “Some of the welfare initiatives would have included

Tackling youth...

Kitts and Nevis.

Mallick said approximately two years ago, UNDP had initiated a regional discussion with representatives from the Ministries of National Security, Youth and Social Transformation, along with youth organisations in an effort to address the recommendations of the 2012 Caribbean Human Development Report and Citizen Security. That discussion, she said, continued in 2015 through a series of national dialogues and preliminary assessment missions.

“It [data] was the cen-

initiatives targeting both members of the Force and their families.

“The objective of the fitness centre is to improve the health and well-being of the persons that use it.”

Persaud went on to applaud the efforts of Assistant Commissioner, Nigel Hoppie, whom he described as the driving force behind the project.

Giving an overview of the project, Hoppie said the facility was constructed by Navin and Sons Constructions and was completed in under a year, with construction beginning and ending in 2015.

The facility will be administrated by Assistant Commissioner, Paul Williams, while the management staff includes acclaimed Guyanese athlete, Winston George and another powerlifter.

Taking to the podium, Williams said he hopes that in the future, each division of the Police Force would become equipped with a similar facility.

From page 3

tral ingredient for developing evidence-based policies and community-based programmes that focus on prevention,” Mallick noted.

These dialogues, she further noted, had given rise to the CARISECURE and by extension the YES initiative.

Based on data collected thus far, the exposure to violence at an early age can result in long-term physical, mental and emotional harm. “It puts young people at greater risk at failing in school or subsequently struggling to find or keep a steady job. It also means

that they are likely to come in contact with the juvenile justice system,” the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative explained.

Component Two of the YES Project focuses on community, family and youth resilience, with the aim of building youth resilience in response to growing levels of crime and violence, while the third component – the Juvenile Justice Reform Project – promotes the rehabilitation and re-integration of youth in conflict with the law, back into society.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

Jagdeo opens consultations for new GECOM chair LEADER of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, and a team of People’s Progressive Party/ Civic Members of Parliament on Wednesday commenced public consultations to find nominees for the post of Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission.

Jagdeo in his constitutional capacity is required to submit six names to the President from which one

will be selected for the critical post. The current chairman of GECOM, Dr Steve Surujbally, has indicated to President David Granger that he intends to resign, but the administration is insisting on a seamless transition.

In a statement from his office, Jagdeo said in pursuit of the practice of inclusionary democracy he has provided an opportunity for citizens’ participation

through their respective organisations in the process of the nomination of individuals to be submitted to the President for selection of the new Chairman of GECOM, in keeping with Article 161 (1) (2) of the Constitution of Guyana.

Jagdeo said on Wednesday that he led a delegation of PPP/C parliamentarians who consulted with representatives of the Christian, Hindu, Muslim and labour

communities at the Parliament Building. These consultations, he said, will continue today with the private sector, youth, women, indigenous leaders, professional bodies and other prominent Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).

“These engagements saw wide-ranging discussions on the importance of a strong and effective GECOM and the submis-

sion of names to be considered for the appointment of a new Chairman,” Jagdeo’s office said in a statement. These organisations also seized the opportunity to discuss other issues directly and indirectly affecting their constituencies, requesting the opposition to make appropriate interventions at various levels, inclusive of representation in the National Assembly.

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, along with top leaders of the PPP meeting with representatives of Hindu and Muslim organisations at Parliament Building

9

Cops say man had cocaine at Bourda Market

THREE grams of cocaine was the cause of a 32-year-old man being remanded to prison by City Magistrate Judy Latchman when he appeared before her on Wednesday charged with drug possession.

Michael Deonarine, who has no fixed place of abode was charged for having the cocaine in his possession on November 26 at Bourda Market.

The unrepresented man pleaded not guilty to the charge while explaining to the court that he works as a labourer in the street where he lives.

Police Prosecutor, Corporal Shawn Gonzales strongly opposed the man being released on bail since he poses a flight risk.

The Magistrate remanded Deonarine until December 13 and transferred his matter to the Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

According to reports, Deonarine was arrested by the police on a report of break and enter allegation against him.

The ranks decided to carry out a search and the narcotic was found in his pants pocket.

‘Guyana Reparations Story’ launched

By Shauna Jemmott THE Guyana Reparations Committee has launched “The Guyana Reparations Story”, a compilation of four books in a single collection called “undisputable.”

The volume puts together the missing pieces of slavery in Guyana and makes a case for reparative justice. It will be available at Austin’s Book Store from Monday.

Guyana Reparations Committee Chairman Eric Philips, who is a member of the CARICOM Reparations Commission, said the book has been in the making for the last three years when members met for conversations and oral presentations on slavery and reparations, in keeping with the mandate of CARICOM Reparations Committee.

President Granger earlier this year spoke about reparations and his speech was published in a booklet titled “Crime without punishment – The Caribbean

case for reparative justice.”

It noted that the crime of slavery needs to be addressed through reparations.

Committee Vice-Chairman Jonathan Adams, said oral traditions and an extensive range of books available were compiled to produce “Undisputable.”

The question of when did Africans arrive here as enslaved people, was raised and Adams said, “We found that date to be 1621.”

The first part of the book titled “In the beginning,” speaks about Africa being the birthplace of all human beings, ‘the cradle of humanity’ and about the discovery of the skeleton of a woman named ‘Lucia.’

Book two, presented by Philips, deals with “Africa before Chattel Slavery” and presents examples of African life, significance and accomplishments. African civilisation with examples of trade and how Africans contributed to the beginning of Mathematics and online technology are covered.

the consequences of crimes committed, and the attempt to reasonably remove debilitating effects of such crimes upon victims and their descendants.

“If there was no Indentureship, Africans and Amerindians would have owned 100 per cent of Guy-

Chairman of the Guyana Reparations Committee and CARICOM Reparations Commission member, Eric Philips, enlightens a young woman about African- Guyanese history

Book Three “The African Guyanese Holocaust,” notes that Guyana was built on the blood of over 450,000 Guyanese African slaves in the genocide during the slave trade, slavery and slave rebellions.

“At Emancipation in 1838, there were only 800,000 freed Africans compared to the 5.5 million that were shipped to the British col-

onies… Enslaved Africans in Guyana worked in brutal and inhumane conditions and were forced to toil without pay, often times working while being starved,” the book stated.

Book Four of the collection titled, “The African Guyanese Reparations Claim,” lists several claims for reparation, and states it is “the process of repairing

The newly launched book, The Guyana Reparations Story

ana at Independence. This would have been natural justice. Amerindians, because they were here when Europeans arrived in the

1600s. Africans, because of the 200-plus years of blood, sweat, tears and free labour to build Guyana and to enrich Europeans,” Phillips said.

This chapter speaks about reparation payments made to others who suffered in the world and lists unpaid contributions of enslaved Africans towards building Guyana.

Africans in Guyana cleared, drained and reclaimed 15,000 square miles of forest and swamps by unpaid labour, equivalent to 18 per cent of Guyana’s 83,000 square miles.

As a result, the committee said just as the Amerindians in Guyana were given 13 per cent of Guyana, African’s must at least be given the 18 per cent which they were forced to clear using bucket and shovel.

Several other claims are also highlighted in the book.

The Indisputable will also be distributed free of cost to youths throughout Guyana.

at

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

Saying YES to the YES project

USAID Youth Empowerment Services launched MINISTER of Social Protection, The Hon Volda Lawrence, amidst fanfare on Monday launched the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Eastern and Southern Caribbean Youth Empowerment Services (YES) in Guyana.

The venue was Cara Lodge, Quamina Street, with a keenly enthusiastic and delighted gathering of stakeholders present, including: Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan; Members of the diplomatic community, including U.S. Ambassador, Perry Holloway; Deputy UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Shabnam Mallick; USAID Mission Director, Christopher Cushing; members of the NGO Community; members of the private sector; Youth Representatives and other invitees.

THE PROGRAMME The YES Programme lays the foundation for USAID/ UNDP partnership for the next four years in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean on youth and citizen security and was rolled out at a cost of US$64 M. As part of a larger goal of creating a safer, more prosperous Caribbean Community, the USAID Eastern and Southern Caribbean, designed the YES Project to reduce Youth involvement in crime and violence in target communities in the Eastern and Southern Communities.

In July 2016, UNDP signed a cooperative agreement with USAID to imple-

ment the “Strengthening Evidence-Based Decision Making for Citizen Security in the Caribbean - ‘CARISECURE’ Project, one of three projects under its YES Programme.

Mallik said through implementation of the CARISECURE project, UNDP will work with the Government of Guyana to improve the quality, comparability, reliability and use of data and national information management systems to inform citizen security programming. November 30th is set for commencement of CARISECURE. The project seeks to increase the capacity of regional bodies, national governments and community stakeholders to reduce the risk factors that drive youth crimes, violence and victimisation and to strengthen protective factors that build resiliency, said Youth Programme Management Specialist, Ryssa Brathwaite. She said the countries benefitting initially are: Guyana, St. Lucia and St. Kitts and Nevis.

An enthused Deputy UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Shabnam Mallick, speaking on behalf of Resident Representative, Mikiko Tanaka said: “We at UNDP are particularly delighted to partner with USAID as they roll out their four-year development assistance package, totalling US $64 Million to the Eastern and Southern Caribbean.”

Ms. Mallick said that the package focuses on a number of areas important to UNDP, including working with countries to combat the challeng-

Minister of Social Protection,The Hon. Volda Lawrence, addresses the gathering at the Launch of the USAID/Eastern and Southern Caribbean Youth Empowerment Services (YES)

es faced by climate change, HIV/.AIDS and reducing crime and violence, with a focus on improving the lives of the most vulnerable and marginalised populations, and notably youth at risk. She said the U.S. Government’s generous support will play a critical role in helping CARICOM states make progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets by 2030, and in responding to the needs of adolescents and youths across the region.

She concluded on a note that, “The YES programme being launched is a continued demonstration of USAID’s efforts to work with countries in the region to live prosperous lives, but also to contribute to more stable, peaceful and just societies.

SOLID U.S. SUPPORT

United States Ambassador to Guyana, Perry Holloway, on his own behalf and on behalf of his government, expressed pleasure at being able to participate in the launch of the project here in Guyana.

He said “The U.S. Government is pleased to continue its many years of work in the area of citizen security here in Guyana, in support of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative’s (CBSI) goal to create a safer, more prosperous Caribbean Community.”

Ambassador Holloway said that Guyana is a significant beneficiary under the $64 Million four-year

U.S. Ambassador to Guyana, Perry Holloway, addresses the gathering at the launch of the “YES” Project

Caribbean Regional YES initiative, which builds on previous gains made in promoting youth development under the very well known Skills

and Knowledge for Youth Employment (SKYE) project, adding that the YES Project also represents a continuation of [our] partnership over the years in youth development, improving the business environment, climate change adaptation, and HIV/AIDS prevention.

“The success of YES Project will depend on the involvement of a broad cross-section of partners with a commitment to building a safer society. This includes the government, police, justice sector, civil society, community members and donors,” the Ambassador emphasised, affirming that each group will have a significant role to play over the next four years of this project.

The net result will be that YES’s legacy will be strengthened agencies, non-governmental entities and community-based organisations that support youth and create more resilient families with young people, who are successfully re-integrated into society, according to the Ambassador.

Other outcomes of the project will be: to build relationships with community members centred on mutual trust; develop partnerships that create opportunities to empower and engage youth, such as expanded education and links to employment and support for the Granger administration. That thrust is, to move away from a more punitive approach in the juvenile justice system toward a focus on rehabilitation and re-integration into society, Ambassador Holloway said.

“Each role is important, and collectively supports and strengthens existing efforts to create safer communities, a safer Guyana and a safer Caribbean Region,” the ambassador emphasised.

Noting that the presence of those assembled signals their interest in working together to achieve the aforementioned goals, the U.S. Ambassador declared: “The U.S. Government, through USAID, welcomes your willingness to partner with us in this important work,” adding, “your involvement is central to ensuring that we build upon and sustain success under the YES Project.”

Ambassador Holloway thanked the stakeholders for their efforts and support, and on a positive note concluded: “I look forward to celebrating our joint successes, meeting with those impacted by the project, and hearing about how their lives have changed for the better – toward the good life.”

SAYING “YES!” TO YES Meanwhile, Minister of

Social Protection, The Hon Volda Lawrence, sounded a resounding “Yes!” pledging her support for the YES Project. Her remarks came just minutes ahead of Ambassador Holloway’s comments in which he enthusiastically volunteered that the Project be named: “Say Yes! To YES. This gesture suggested that the minister and the ambassador were in accord.

Said Minister Lawrence, “I want to reinforce the analogy that I began with… We say with one accord a loud “Yes!” to the YES Project, designed by the USAID/ ESC,” to loud applause.

Minister Lawrence said that the Ministry of Social Protection is particularly happy for this intervention in Guyana, because not only does it lend support to its mandate which includes the protection, well-being and empowerment of our youths, but especially since there is a high incidence of youth involvement in crime and violence at this juncture in many of our communities.

She expressed the hope that as the agency focuses on capacity-building of the Family, the Community and the Resilience of Youth, in an effort to reduce crime and violence, that as many agencies and organisations will take the opportunity not to show solidarity, as well as participate actively in this campaign, to dissuade our youths from the path of criminal activity, and lure them onto the road of entrepreneurial success and empowerment.

Assuring the USAID/ ESC Agency of her ministry’s commitment to the project, she expressed appreciation to that body for the foresight and timeliness of sister states in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean, where youth involvement in crime and violence are so rife.”

Minister Lawrence said too, that the initiative was extremely important for the Caribbean, as it supports the efforts of the community to respond positively to the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and Pillar Three of the CBSI. She affirmed that empowerment of youths should be prioritised on all our national agendas, submitting that it is critical that the barriers be examined and strategies be developed, so that national governments can achieve the targets of the SDGs, in promoting social justice and in supporting youth crime and violence-prevention efforts.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

Greater scrutiny of police stations in ‘red’ ‒ will be barred from receiving donation from public IN LIGHT of alleged threats made to the family of Berbice carpenter Faiyaz Narinedatt by relatives of the accused, the protocol of direct donations, notably to ranks at police stations facing the red flag, is expected to be discontinued.

Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan said the operational protocol which exists within the Guyana Police Force is that donations are accepted via the Office of the Police

Commissioner.

He was at the time speaking directly about the conflict of interest which existed in the Berbice area where Narinedatt was killed and wanted man Marcus Bisram, through his foundation had been a regular funder of the police there.

“I am absolutely certain that we will have to enforce the operational protocol right now and not give it (donations) directly to policemen,” Ramjattan said.

He said that indeed there

are times when the police or the Community Policing Groups (CPGs) require the assistance of businessmen, noting that there are genuine members of the business community who assist the police and do so without compromise.

He gave the example of the donation of fuel in some police divisions.

However, he added, “we do not want to see businessmen giving and expecting that they, having committed a crime, will now see that

CPG group or the police officer compromising the investigation thereafter”.

He said that the matter will have to be studied to determine if indeed there is compromise as to professionalism of police ranks in certain areas.

Ramjattan was “totally unaware” that Bisram had assisted the police over the years. In light of the threats, he said that he has reassured the family of Narinedatt to not be afraid.

Meanwhile, Ramjat-

tan noted that the Skeldon Police Station will be revamped following the allegations of bribery.

He said the Police Commissioner has informed that the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) of the Police Force is conducting “major investigations” into the institutional functions of that police station.

“There is something about that area,” Ramjattan said, noting that the process of removing rogue ranks there has already commenced.

Bisram, the owner of a US-based charity is wanted

by the police for allegedly ordering the murder of Narinedatt. Several persons have since been placed before the courts in relation to the murder of the young carpenter, who was allegedly killed after he refused sexual advances from Bisram.

Bisram, 27, of Number 70 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, is wanted by police for questioning in relation to the murder of Narinedatt which occurred on November 1, 2016, at that village.

Interpol has since issued a wanted bulletin for him.

UNAIDS hails Caribbean’s fight against HIV/AIDS …says nearly 8000 Guyanese living with the disease AS THE world observes World AIDS Day today, UNAIDS has revealed that as of 2015 some 7800 Guyanese are living with the disease.

Cuba leads the way with 22,000, Haiti, 130,000, Jamaica 29,000 and Trinidad and Tobago 11,000. Bahamas is at 8,100.

Director of UNAIDS Latin America and Caribbean, Dr. César Núñez said World AIDS Day 2016 being observed today comes a year after the community of nations committed to ending the pandemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals and six months following a landmark Political Declaration to end AIDS. In a statement to mark the occasion Nunnez said HIV prevention is central to achieving this goal, noting that at this exciting moment in history “we have at our disposal a combination of new science, evidence-based prevention strategies refined over more than 30 years, and the understanding that in order to succeed we must ensure that no one is left behind.”

The UNAIDS official said some of the weapons available are familiar, noting that condoms still matter.” Our governments have committed to ensuring that we have strengthened national condom programmes with sufficient attention to procurement and distribution. We’ve learned over the last two decades how

Director of UNAIDS Latin America and Caribbean, Dr. César Núñez

to use social marketing to target specific audiences and to drive demand for condom use,” Nunez said.

He added:”our region also knows how to prevent babies from being born with HIV. Through the widespread expansion of antiretroviral treatment for mothers living with HIV, there have been dramatic declines in HIV transmission to children. In 2015 nine of every ten pregnant women living with HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean received antiretroviral medicines (88%).”

Cuba led the world by becoming the first country to be validated last year by the World Health Organization as having eliminated this form of HIV transmission. The validation process is underway now in 12 Caribbean countries and territories including

Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The UNAID official said the success of these countries reminds us that the elimination of new HIV infections among children is a realistic and urgent goal.

According to him, in 2008 Health and Education Ministers in Latin America and the Caribbean committed to providing young people with comprehensive sexuality education through the “Educating to Prevent” Declaration.

“We’ve long acknowledged our responsibility to give young people the information they need to keep them safe throughout life. We must now ramp up our efforts to ensure that adolescents have that education along with access to economic empowerment and sexual and reproductive health services,” he said.

“Today, happily, we have new tools to bolster HIV prevention. Pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP—HIV drugs taken by an HIV negative person on a daily basis—dramatically reduces the chance of contracting the virus. The world has agreed to reach at least three million people at higher risk of HIV infection with these preventative drugs.

Many Governments in our region have come onboard.”

He said early HIV testing and treatment can be game-changers as well. “We now know that the sooner a person liv-

ing with HIV finds out their status and starts treatment, the sooner the levels of the virus in their blood can be reduced, nearly eliminating the risk of infecting someone else. It is on this basis that

governments have committed to achieving the 90-90-90 targets--90% of people living with HIV aware of their status, 90% of those people on treatment and 90% of treated people virally suppressed.”

Overall an estimated 55% of people living with HIV in Latin America and

the Caribbean were on treatment in 2015. Achieving this target will require significant investments and commitment.” As governments and health ministries strategize about how to achieve scale-up, it is important to remember that these goals are feasible.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

3.3 % of population affected

by Sickle Cell, Thalassemia ‒ haematologists to be trained, Sickle Cell lab to be developed

By Navendra Seoraj MUCH emphasis is expected to be placed on the fight against Sickle Cell and Thalassemia, as the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) partners with the Ministry of Public Health and other stakeholders to battle the burden of these diseases,

which affect 3.3 per cent of the country’s population.

This is according to Coordinator of the Chronic Diseases Department, Dr Kavita Singh, who addressed a gathering at a Sickle Cell and Thalassemia stakeholders meeting on Wednesday.

According to Google, Sickle Cell disease and thalassemia are genetic disorders

caused by errors in the genes for haemoglobin, a substance composed of a protein (“globin”) plus an iron molecule (“heme”) that is responsible for carrying oxygen within the red blood cells.

Though its presence in persons can be detected, Dr Singh said that there are still many instances where these diseases have gone

unnoticed.

“Strides are being made to address the issue, given that in the past there was a lack of information. However, to date, the risk-factor surveillance exercise has made detection of these diseases easy and more possible to be addressed,” iterated the Coordinator of the Chronic Diseases Department.

Recent statistics show that 976 blood samples from the 10 administrative regions were sent abroad for testing and results showed that three samples were tested positive for Sickle Cell.

Eighteen showed traits of Sickle Cell, while four samples came back positive with Thalassemia.

However, Dr Singh lamented that Guyana is be-

PAHO/WHO Representative, Dr. William Adu-Krow

hind when it comes to the management of these diseases, and recommended that mass screening is needed as well as capacity-building in order to ensure that testing could be done in Guyana.

It was pointed out that the Ministry of Public Health has

acquired an analyser to check babies for these diseases, but they have no trained person capable of using it, “so this is an issue that needs to be immediately handled,” said the coordinator.

Meanwhile, PAHO/WHO Resident Representative, Dr William Adu-Krow, also supported the fact that Guyana does not have the laboratory technology to identify certain levels of Sickle Cell and Thalassemia.

Added to that, it was identified that Guyana has no haematologist and needs one in order to increase their management of these diseases.

As such, Dr. Adu-Krow pledged the support of PAHO to the Ministry and civil society stakeholders, in the Turn to page 13 ►

13

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

Gov’t to roll out special parenting programme next year THE Child Care and Protection Agency will be rolling out a special parenting skills, capacity-building programme in 2017, Finance Minister Winston Jordan has disclosed.

He said the programme will be designed to build the capacity of parents or guardians, whose children have been temporarily removed from their care. Currently, there are more than 600 abused and abandoned children living in approximately 23 orphanages across Guyana – a situation that is not ideal in the eyes of the Social Protection Ministry.

“The upbringing of children is the responsibility of adults and, as such, we must ensure that we work with parents and guardians who are most in need, to ensure that all children have a happy and productive childhood,” Minister Jordan told the National Assembly while delivering the Budget 2017 speech.

According to him, approximately 280 parents will benefit from the training.

“To address the backlog

of children in institutional care, whose placement is not temporary, and alleviate the financial responsibility that comes with adopting a child, a new mentorship to encourage persons to foster a child will be implemented during the first quarter of 2017,” he further disclosed.

Additionally, the foster care stipend will be increased to $20, 000 a month.

In the absence of their biological parents, Foster Care offers continued family-based care, support, guidance and love to children who were separated from their biological family. Foster, unlike adoption, is a temporary arrangement until the child can safely be returned home.

Minister Jordan had said that the Government’s commitment to strengthening family structures will see an expansion of support systems and programmes designed to result in improved quality of life for children, women, and men.

“This and preceding budgets of this Administration have sought to provide safe

3.3 % of population affected by...

From page 12

battle against Sickle Cell and Thalassemia.

“We have asked the ministry to select two physicians who are interested in haematology, so that we can send them to train and become haematologists, as part of capacity-building,” said Dr Adu-Krow as he highlighted that the Sickle Cell clinics need to be revived.

He stressed that the Ministry must seriously pursue the organisation of Sickle Cell clinics at the GPHC, given that the children’s ward is nicely separated, however, the adult patients are placed together as part of the Chronic Diseases Unit.

Added to that, it was stressed that serious work needs to be done in the area of health promotion and counselling, so as to “prevent the crisis before it happens,” said Dr. Adu-Krow, as he pointed out that a French specialist, who aided in the

development of the Zika lab in Guyana, will be returning to assist in the making the Sickle Cell Lab a reality.

These prospective initiatives are all part of PAHO’s effort to help Guyana in their battle against these diseases, thus, they intend to also send a team to Jamaica to see how they assist civil society partners in the management of these two maladies.

In accepting the support from PAHO, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Karen Boyle, expressed gratitude to stakeholders such as PAHO, the Guyana Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Association, and Fight against Sickle Cell Stigma (FACES).

Dr Boyle also supported the call for more sensitisation programmes, improved diagnosis and early screening, noting that the ministry is ready to undertake the challenges in the fight against these diseases.

and serviced communities across our country to enable the family unit to flourish.

However, we must accept the reality that some family structures become less than ideal,” he told the House.

Turning his attention to the elderly and persons living with disabilities, the finance minister disclosed that the Senior Citizens’ residential facility will benefit from substantial repairs to the tune of $89.5M come 2017.

He pointed out that care for the elderly has suffered

from a number of setbacks, including the inability to attract and retain committed resources, limited ownership from families to assist in the general care and welfare of the elderly and poor management.

Under this new dispensation, he said elderly citizens can expect to benefit from improved care through the implementation of minimum standards, which seek to provide modern institutions for them.

“It is envisaged that these

standards will be elevated to ensure that elderly persons are respected, treated fairly, and with dignity, live productive lives and are in constant contact with loved ones.”

In the last two budgets, Old Age Pension (OAP) was increased by 39 per cent, and removal of the requirements for them to pay for drivers’ licences and the travel tax, among others. In 2017, he said the elderly can expect greater benefits. “In addition to receiving financial support through the public assistance programme, we believe that persons with disabilities should receive the same opportunities for improvements

to be made to their quality of life as the next person,” Minister Jordan said, while pointing out that the Board of Industrial Training has expanded vocational training of differently-abled persons.

Additionally, the Deaf Association of Guyana has established a new relationship with the Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities and strengthened the partnership with the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre. To date in 2016, the Board has provided training to 131 disabled persons and is targeting 200 in 2017.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

Employee freed of $2M Gold Board heist A FORMER employee of the Guyana Gold Board (GGB) was on Wednesday freed of an alleged $2M gold heist due to insufficient evidence from the prosecution.

Ronald Singh, 30, of Lot 161 Hibiscus Avenue ‘AA’ Eccles, East Bank Demerara, had the simple larceny charge dismissed against him by city Magistrate Judy Latchman after almost eight months before the court.

Singh was accused

of stealing eight ounces, nine grams of gold worth $2,153,034 from the GGB on February 19, last, at Brickdam, Georgetown.

The defendant’s lawyer George Thomas during his submission stated that the prosecution’s case had no merit and failed to present any evidence against his client.

According to Thomas, the prosecution failed to lead any evidence purporting to show who was the owner of the

gold or any other evidence that the gold found was indeed the stolen item.

However, prosecutor Shawn Gonzales protested strongly for the magistrate to believe his case.

Gonzales explained that on the day of the crime the accused was a lab technician at the GGB laboratory in charge of handing the gold and transferring it over to another co-worker. However, at the end of his shift upon

checking the log there were discrepancies The manager of the GGB noticed that a bar of gold was missing from the laboratory and summoned police and based upon an investigation, Singh was arrested after he told the ranks that the gold was in his bag.

The magistrate grilled the prosecutor on the grounds that the gold could have been the property of anyone, since it had no special markings

Ronald Singh

to identity it, neither was the gold found in the defendant’s actual possession.

“The prosecution argued that his case was as good as gold, but was proven by the defence counsel that the case was as fragile as glass,” Magistrate Latchman said during her ruling.

The magistrate indicated to Singh that he would not be required to lead a defence, since his case was dismissed.

War on drugs

15

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

dom Border Agency.

The officers will be trained in delivering advanced search techniques for a range of vessels. A second installation of the SEACOP project will be conducted jointly with anti-narcotics ranks from Jamaica. The training will be conducted on the Caribbean Island in late March 2017.

The MIU will be launched following the creation of the

Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan shares a word with Caribbean Regional Coordinator of SEAPORT, Karen Clarke and British High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn

By Alva Solomon THE Joint Maritime Control Unit (JMCU) and the Maritime Intelligence Unit (MIU) will be made operational next year with a mandate to combat the transnational drug trade and to search vessels suspected of being involved in the trade of illicit substances.

The move was announced on Wednesday following the launch of the Seaport Cor-

ment, the programme will see the training and equipping of inter-agency units to identify, search and interdict all forms of maritime trafficking. It will also provide for the access to databases and regional and inter-regional network of partners, and this approach is designed to move law enforcement towards an intelligence-led approach, with the overall aim of combating the trafficking of cocaine.

According to the EU of-

Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan and Head of the European Delegation to Guyana, Jernej Videtic shake hands after inking the MoU

poration (SEACOP) Project.

The project seeks to improve the capacity of law enforcement agencies in monitoring maritime trafficking, as well as detecting illicit cargo on board vessels. SEAPORT is operational in 125 countries.

It was initiated on paper following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Ministry of Public Security, Brickdam, Georgetown on Wednesday afternoon. The agreement was signed by Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan and Head of the European Delegation to Guyana, Jernej Videtic.

According to the agree-

fice, the programme will run until December 2018.It will involve coordination among countries in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.

It has reached Guyana, a move which is an indication of the continuous changes in trafficking routes by drug traffickers, the EU said.

The project will become operational here in two parts: the first phase will be launched on March 6 when nine law enforcement officials from the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force, Coast Guard who will be trained by experts from the United King-

…project launched to tackle high seas drug trafficking

MoU. Minister Ramjattan noted that the launch comes at a time when there should be more collaboration on stamping-out the trafficking of illicit drugs.

“So we very much welcome the support of SEACOP,” he said. Ramjattan also noted that the move will enhance the capacity in the drugs fight.

“Of course, we have had our national drugs strategy ready for launch, I think the 16th of December,” he said.

He noted that Guyana’s borders are wide and long, adding that the project is especially important in that regard.

EU Ambassador, Jernej Videtic said the project will bring more training and skills to law enforcement here.

Turn to page 18 ►

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

Mayoral elections begin

SEVERAL cities across the country are gearing up to elect their new mayors and deputy mayors or reelect the current ones, the Ministry of Communities has said.

Eight of the nine municipalities have already submitted their dates for internal elections with the Corriverton Mayor and Town Council leading to way. The elections at Corriverton were held on November 24 and resulted in a tie between current Mayor, Ganesh Gangadin and Deputy Mayor, Krishnand Jaichand.

That tie is expected to be challenged at new elections scheduled for Friday, December 2, 2016.

Internal elections at the Municipality of Anna Regina were held on November 29

with Mayor, Rabindranauth Mohan and Deputy Mayor Darshan Persaud being reelected to their substantive positions. Mohan reported that the elections came off as planned without any major hiccups.

The Lethem Municipality is scheduled to hold its elections on December 1, followed by Rose Hall on December 7 and Linden on December 8. According to Lethem’s Town Clerk, Keisha Vincent, all plans are in train and moving apace for tomorrow’s elections.

The Municipalities of New Amsterdam and Mabaruma have scheduled elections on December 14 with Bartica Mayor and Town Council announcing its elections for December 15. All elections are expected to be

Krishnand Jaichand

Ganesh Gangadin

completed by December 16, 2016 as stipulated by law.

The annual internal elections are for the purposes of electing the mayor and deputy mayor of the various municipalities and are in keeping with Chapter 28:01 of the Municipal and District Council Act. So far, eight of the nine municipalities have also submitted their approved bugets to the Ministry of Communities.

Work programmes which are applicable for the year 2017 were expected to be submitted to the ministry by November 15 for purposes of notification.

The work programmes are also to be prominently displayed by the councils for members of the public to peruse.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

Man loses tip of nose in shop brawl TWO MEN are hospitalised following a brawl at a shop at Airy Hall, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara on Tuesday.

Police reported that during the melee one of the

two men discharged a round from an unlicensed handgun after he was stabbed and he had bitten off the tip of the other man’s nose.

Gavin Jackson, 30, of Cottage, Mahaicony, ECD

and Matthew Pestano, 32, of 111 Miles, Mahdia and Princes Street, Georgetown, were imbibing at the shop when an argument erupted.

Pestano left and returned shortly with a handgun and

the duo ventured unto the public road and began to fight, during which altercation, Pestano discharged a round in the air, Jackson stabbed him in the abdomen with an object, and then Pes-

tano bit off the tip of Jackson’s nose.

During the scuffle the firearm fell on the roadway and was retrieved by a public-spirited citizen who subsequently handed it over to the police.

Pestano was taken to

the Mahaicony Police Station and was searched by the police who found five additional live rounds on his person. He was escorted to the GPHC along with Jackson, where they were both treated and admitted, under police guard.

Jobless contractor bought ‘weed to sell’ A 40-YEAR-OLD building contractor was on Wednesday remanded to prison

by City Magistrate Judy Latchman on a drug trafficking charge.

Luis Buyas of East Ruimveldt Housing Scheme pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him. It alleged that on November 26, at his home he had 105 grams of cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Buyas’ lawyer Clyde Forde explained to the court that the alleged narcotics were found in the bottom apartment of his client’s home which was abandoned.

However, according to the police statement which was read out in court by prosecutor Shawn Gonzales, on the day in question officers busted him while he was in his lower flat cutting up plastic to make into zip lock bags.

Gonzales said the cannabis was found in a plate on a table next to the defendant.

The man reportedly told the cops: “Officers I does smoke weed that is meh hobby... I ain’t getting no job so I buy the weed to sell”.

Magistrate Latchman ruled in the prosecution’s favor and remanded Buyas until December 13.

Man still critical, farmer further remanded

A 51-ONE-YEAR-OLD Port Kaituma farmer was on Wednesday remanded to prison by City Magistrate Judy Latchman after his appearance before her charged with intent to commit murder.

Royston Jones was not required to plea to the charge which alleged that on November 28 at Main Road, Port Kaituma he caused grievous bodily harm to Andel Edwards, with intent to commit murder.

Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonzales did not state all the facts, but told the court that Edward was still hospitalized with the doctor listing his condition as critical.

Magistrate Latchman refused the farmer bail and remanded him until December 13, when he will make an appearance before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

War on...

From page 15

Karen Clarke, the Caribbean Regional coordinator for SEACOP in the region expressed delight that Guyana has agreed to participate in the project. She said the maritime intelligence officers will be meeting bi-annually, adding that the training will enhance and strengthen the local law enforcement capabilities.

Meanwhile, British High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn noted that the British advisor for the Security Sector Reform Project will take up position in January having passed through “the long-winded” security process.

In addition, he said that Irish Financial Investigation expert, Dr Sam Sittlington, who worked with the Special Organised Crimes Unit (SOCU), will return for a threemonth period to continue working along with the body.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

Teen beaten outside Women’s Christmas Market at Giftland Chinese restaurant Eighteen – year – old Osaran Stewart of Fort Ordinance Housing Scheme (East Canje, Berbice), was rushed to the New Amsterdam hospital after he was repeatedly hit in the head, allegedly by a Chinese restaurateur.

The incident occurred in the vicinity of Lim Kang restaurant at the Main and Chapel Streets junction in New Amsterdam just after 19:35h on Tuesday. His mother Ottaney Stewart told this newspaper that her son was selling dog food when the restaurant owner approached

him and pushed away his stall.

She said her son picked up a piece of wood after he was threatened but dropped it soon after. According to the mother, the restaurant owner, who had his infant daughter in his hand, then picked up the wood and dealt her son several lashes to the head, rendering him unconscious.

The injured man was taken to New Amsterdam hospital where he remains at patient in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

IN an effort to boost their income for Christmas, the Association of Women Entrepreneurs will be hosting the first ever ‘Women Christmas Market’ at Giftland Mall on December 3 and 4, 2016.

The Christmas Market will assist small businesses owned by women and also create public awareness.

The Association of

Women Entrepreneurs was co-founded by a group of women with a vision to share their expertise with others. This is with the aim of strengthening and building upon the already existing realm of women entrepreneurs in Guyana and also to create opportunities and edify the group through the accessibility of resources and

training.

The group will be launched in early 2017, as such they want to raise awareness where 30 women will showcase their small businesses which range from services to products in collaboration with Java Café, Simple Solutions, le Cosmetics and Glitzy Cakes.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

GHPC conducting eye care training THE GEORGETOWN Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) on Monday said it would be hosting a team from Orbis International – an International NGO involved in Eye Care.

The team will conduct training in the Ophthalmology Department to deal with Diabetic Retinopathy.

This training is part of a three-year Guyana Diabetes Care Project (GDCP) and is made possible through the collaboration of the World Diabetes Foundation, Orbis International, University of Toronto; Orbis International, Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and the Ministry of Public Health.

The GDCP came about after the successful completion of the first project involving Diabetes Foot Care.

The GDCP will concentrate on care for diabetics in two new areas – Diabetic Retinopathy (Eye Complications of the Diabetics); Diabetes in Pregnancy and Strengthening Health Information Systems in collection of Data on Diabetes in Guyana.

THE DIABETIC RETINOPATHY PROGRAMME The establishment of the Guyana Diabetic Retinopathy Programme (a subsidiary of the Guyana Diabetes Care Project) will introduce for the first time in Guyana easy access to all diabetics to have their eyes screened/checked for Diabetic Eye Complications. Usually, diabetics begin to have changes in their eyes and are not aware of these changes.

The only method of detecting these changes in the past was an annual eye examination by an Ophthalmologist. The project will now enable GPHC to introduce a modern method of detecting eye complications - that is, to have digital retinal photos taken of the inside of the eye.

These photos will then be interpreted by highly trained eye care professionals, who will then grade the stage of retinopathy. Patients can book their appointments for testing through the facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ eyeguyana or by email: eyeguyana@yahoo.com. They can also walk in to book appointments or for opportunistic screening on the same day.

This programme is also being developed to offer laser treatment to patients. Over the past two years this project was developed and put into place at the GPHC Eye Clinic and is being led by the Head of Ophthalmology Department, Dr. Shailendra Sugrim.

The main donor is the

World Diabetes Foundation which helped to procure expensive retinal cameras, ophthalmological examination instruments and also for the first time in the public system, a retinal laser to treat patients who have severe diabetic eye complications. The programme will also be embarking on spreading awareness to physicians and the public about diabetic eye complications; training of medical professionals on the various diabetic eye complications and how and when to refer patients for testing and also, in managing essential data on diabetic eye complications.

THE ORBIS TRAINING This year Orbis International will be lending support by training ophthalmologists and nurses via a Hospital Based training programme lasting one-week. Two ophthalmologists will be trained to perform laser treatment on patients with diabetic retinopathy that require treatment.

This will be done by Dr. Hardeep Dhindsa, a retinal surgeon from Nevada, USA who is a part of the distinguished faculty of Orbis Volunteers. The two ophthalmologists will be guided on how to examine and recognize complications of diabetes in the eye and how to treat these patients with laser. This training will be done at the Eye Clinic where a newly acquired laser is present.

The Orbis team comprises a highly qualified nurse, RN Elisa Urruchi from Peru.

She will be conducting a workshop on Tuesday and Wednesday for nurses. This workshop will focus on “Key Nursing Skills to deal with Diabetes and the Eye”. A total of 30 nurses will be trained in two batches over the two days. Nurse Urruchi will also be training eight nurses during a two-day course on “Basic Ophthalmic Theatre Nursing” on Thursday and Friday in the Eye Theatre at the GPHC. The third member of the team is Ms Amelia Geary, who is the Orbis Director of Programme Development.

For the GDCP, Orbis also supported training of the Clinical Director to attend a management course in India; training of one Biomedical Technician on how to deal with eye equipment and facilitating attendance of four Ophthalmologists to the annual American Academy of Ophthalmology Conference in the USA. Over the next three years, Orbis will continue to support training of various eye care professionals involved in the project.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

India gain upper hand from prolific lower order (REUTERS) - A functional lower order had previously been resigned to the realm of wishful thinking for India but recent results, especially in the series against England, suggest skipper Virat Kohli has finally acquired one.

Having reduced India to 204-6 in the third Test at Mohali over the weekend, England's hopes of forging a crucial first-innings lead were hardly unrealistic.

What followed was a resolute rearguard action by the Indian tail with Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Jayant Yadav supplying more than half of the 417 runs India finally amassed at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium.

Ashwin enhanced his batting reputation with a defiant 72, Jadeja threatened a maiden Test ton before falling 10 runs short and Jayant hit a first Test fifty to give India a 134-run first-innings lead which effectively took the match away from England.

It was the first time that India's number seven, eight and nine batsmen had posted 50-plus scores in a match as the hosts moved 2-0 ahead in the five-Test series.

Kohli knows how frustrating it is to be thwarted by tail-enders and is obviously happy that the tables have been turned.

"As a side, when you get five-six wickets, you think the game is going to get over soon. Your batsmen go into that zone and then suddenly you have to field for 60-70 more overs," Kohli said after

Ravindra Jadeja brings out the swordsman celebration on reaching fifty.

India sealed an eight-wicket victory on Tuesday.

Such a situation could confound any team, Kohli said, whether to focus on the field or think about their own batting.

CONFIDENCE BOOST "We experienced that in the past when other teams have done it against us. So it's great to see our guys step up and actually make it count.

In every game, on an average, they are scoring 80-85 runs," Kohli added.

Primarily selected for their prowess with the ball on turning pitches, Ashwin, who has scored four Test centuries, has hit a fifty in each of the three Tests against England while Jadeja and Jayant have also proved they are no dud with the bat.

Such obstinate resistance not only deflates the opposition but also boosts the confidence of the spin trio when they resume their main role.

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"It helps them, they've admitted. You see Ashwin, he is the number one all-rounder.

He scores runs and when he comes out with the ball, he is more confident."

Batting coach Sanjay Bangar had played an important function in the turnaround, making small technical adjustments, Jayant said.

"Batting comes naturally to me and I have been working on it in the nets this series," the off-spinner, playing his first Test series, told the Indian cricket board website.

"Me and Sanjay have been working on two things: one is getting my stance a bit wider so that I get more balance in the crease, and secondly, keeping my hands closer to my body so that I have better control over my hand.

"These are small technical things that we are working on. Hopefully, I continue to build from here on," the 26-year-old added.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

Thousands of fans hold vigil for Chapecoense team THOUSANDS of people in Chapeco in Brazil have held a vigil for the victims of a plane crash, who included most of the city's football team.

Fans of the Chapecoense team walked from the city centre to the stadium where they prayed and sang. A service was also held in the city's cathedral.

The team were flying to Colombia for the biggest match in their history when their plane went down shortly before landing in Medellin, late on Monday.

Six of the 77 people on board survived.

It is not clear what brought down the chartered aircraft, but some unconfirmed reports have suggested there was an electrical fault, while others say the plane was low on fuel. Both flight recorders have been recovered.

Crew member Ximena Suarez, who survived the flight, said "the lights went out and I don't remember anything after that".

'It's really tough'

Some 10 000 people including family members of the players - gathered in Chapeco's Arena Conda stadium on Tuesday evening, still stunned by the extent of their loss.

Fans wearing the club's green and white colours sang the names of the players and shouted "champions". Families of the players hugged each other on the pitch.

"It is really hard to speak.

We always come to the games. We'd come to the stadium and sit right in the same spot," said fan Daniel Marline.

"And we came here today, we sat here, but we know that this weekend, next week, our fighting team won't be here anymore in this stadium. It's tough. It's really tough."

Media mourn Colombia plane crash victims Brazil has begun three days of official mourning, while minute-silences have been held at football grounds around the world.

Brazilian doctors have already flown to Colombia in

order to identify the bodies, and arrange for them to be brought home. This could happen in the coming days, as the lack of a fire at the crash site has made retrieving and identifying the bodies of the 71 victims relatively easy, emergency workers say.

The team were due to play in the final of the Copa Sudamericana against the Colombian team Atletico Nacional later yesterday.

Atletico Nacional has asked fans instead to come to the stadium dressed in white for a candlelight vigil.

They have also offered to concede the game to ensure Chapecoense are declared the champions.

In other tributes, Brazilian first division football teams have offered to lend players to Chapecoense free of charge for the 2017 season, and asked the league to protect the club from relegation for the next three years.

Leading footballers, from Barcelona stars Lionel Messi and Neymar, to Manchester United's Wayne Rooney, have also paid tribute to the

Last photo: Players Marcos Danilo Padilha and Alan Ruschel posted a picture to social media of themselves shortly before the plane went down.

players.

Alongside the football team, there were also 21 journalists on board the doomed flight - including well-known Brazilian commentator and ex-footballer Mario Sergio Pontes de Paiva.

Three of the six survivors are footballers: Defender Alan Ruschel, who suffered spinal injuries.

Defender Helio Zampier Neto, who has injuries to his skull and chest.

Reserve goalkeeper Jakson Follman, who has had his right leg amputated and

is said to be in a stable condition.

As well as Ms Suarez, flight technician Erwin Tumiri and journalist Rafael Henzel also survived.

Mr Tumiri said he had "followed the safety guidelines".

"Many stood up and started shouting. I put the suitcases between my legs and assumed the brace position."

Chapeco's mayor and the manager's son were among four people who had been on the passenger manifest but did not make the flight. "Only

God knows why I ended up staying behind," Mayor Luciano Buligon told Brazil's TV Globo.

Hailing from a small city of less than 200 000 inhabitants, Chapecoense football club had become an unlikely success story in recent years, reaching Brazil's Serie A in 2014 and beating more established teams.

Last week, it became the first Brazilian team in three years to make it to the final of the Copa Sudamericana, South America's second most important club competition, after beating Argentine side San Lorenzo.

Shortly before boarding the flight in Sao Paulo, Chapecoense manager Cadu Gaucho, 36, appeared in a video posted on the team's Facebook site (in Portuguese) describing the trip to Medellin as "the club's most important to date".

One of the founders of the club, Alvadir Pelisser, told BBC Brasil the tragedy had put an "end to everyone's dream". "We were a family, I'm shocked," he added. (BBC Sport)

F1 bosses vote Hamilton best driver, Rosberg third (REUTERS) - Formula One team bosses have voted Lewis Hamilton the sport's best driver, despite the Briton losing his title to Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, in an annual Autosport magazine poll.

Germany's Rosberg, who won his first world championship in a tense Abu Dhabi season-ender last Sunday, was third in the secret vote behind Red Bull's 19-yearold Dutch sensation Max Verstappen. Red Bull's Australian Daniel Ricciardo was fourth.

Hamilton won 10 out of 21 races this season - the first time a driver has won more than seven and not ended up as champion - to Rosberg's nine.

The triple world cham-

Lewis Hamilton of Britain (L) and teammate and second-placed finisher Nico Rosberg of Germany spray champagne during the victory ceremony after the race.

(REUTERS)

pion also ended up with 12 pole positions but lost out by five points to Rosberg, who enjoyed greater car reliability and was consistently on the podium.

Hamilton got more points in the 2016 Auto-

sport poll, which asks bosses to name their top 10 and awards points to each driver according to Formula One's scoring system, than he did last year when he won the title with three rounds to spare.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

GCB/NSSCL

Ramdahin’s brilliant ton leads Anna Regina Secondary into National playoffs

By Elroy Stephney

ESSEQUIBO Under-17 batsman Boomesh Ramdahin stroked the lone century during the first of the preliminary matches as Anna Regina Secondary won the Essequibo Zone of the National Secondary Schools Cricket League.

The top school recorded victories against Cotton Field, 8th of May and Aurora Secondary in the finals and historically maintained their dominance among the schools within the district. All the matches were played at the picturesque Imam Bacchus Cricket ground at Affiance.

Anna Regina Secondary were off to a commanding start when they humiliated Cotton Field Secondary by 167 runs. Winning the toss and batting, Anna Regina Secondary, led by their openers, dominated throughout the innings, registering an imposing 235-run partnership without loss in their allotted 30 overs.

Ramdahin’s brilliant unbeaten 102 included 10 fours while Sheldon Charles narrowly missed a ton too, being not out on 97 after striking 8 fours and 3 sixes.

Ramdahin’s century was his first and joined the likes of former senior inter-county

Boomesh Ramdahin’s brilliant unbeaten 102 included 10x4s.

players Dinesh Joseph, Elroy Stephney and Clain Williams to score centuries while representing the school.

Demoralised by the authoritative batting display, Cotton Field Secondary easily succumbed, to be dismissed for 68 in 17 overs. Charles capped a fine all-round game by claiming 3-18 in 4 overs of off-spin, It was Boomesh Ramdahin once again among the runs as Anna Regina Secondary secured their second win against 8th of May Secondary by 54 runs.

Ramdahin hammered 72, laced with 9 fours and along with Sheldon Charles’ 48, including 5 fours, piloted Anna Regina Secondary to 193-7 off their 30 overs.

In reply, despite a fluent 54 (8x4) from Antoine Rodrigues, Cotton Field Secondary were dismissed for 139 in 24 overs. Leg-spinner Bhadesh Parsotam claimed 5-17 in 6 overs to record the best bowling figures in the zone.

The final was keenly contested with Anna Regina Secondary securing a tense 18-run win over Aurora Secondary. It was national Under-15 player Lance Roberts who took centre stage for Anna Regina, as he composed a classy unbeaten 84 studded with 13 fours and, along with the consistent Sheldon Charles’ 38 (6x4), piloted Anna Regina Secondary to 221-6 in 30 overs.

Two outstanding innings from Divendra Mohan and Orlando Jailall respectively brought Aurora Secondary within striking distance of an upset win.

First it was Jailall’s composed 72 (12x4) at the top of the order that laid the foundation. When he departed, Divendra Mohan with a destructive 78 (5x4, 4x6) kept the game in the balance.

Swiss authorities carry out fresh house searches in FIFA case (REUTERS) - Swiss authorities have searched more houses as part of their criminal investigation into suspected corruption in world soccer and have added former FIFA general secretary Urs Linsi to their list of suspects, they said yesterday.

"The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) of Switzerland confirms that on November 23 2016 it conducted house searches with the support of the Federal Office of Police (fedpol) at various locations in the German-speaking part of Switzerland," the OAG said in an emailed statement.

"The measures were carried out as part of the investigations relating to a payment of 6.7 million euros (5.68 million pound) made in April 2005 by the German Football

Association (Deutscher Fussball-Bund, DFB) to Robert Louis-Dreyfus."

That payment which went via soccer's world governing body FIFA, according to German authorities, to the late Adidas boss Dreyfus, was a return of a loan made years earlier when Germany was bidding to host the 2006 World Cup. It has since been linked with payments to FIFA officials via the account of then World Cup chief and Germany's former soccer great Franz Beckenbauer.

Beckenbauer is under investigation by Swiss authorities, who have opened criminal proceedings against him and two former presidents of the DFB in connection with Germany's successful bid for the 2006 World Cup.

Beckenbauer has previously admitted to making mistakes but has denied wrongdoing.

The affair has shocked soccer-mad Germany and forced the resignation of former DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach last year. He has since been banned by FIFA for a year.

The DFB's own report into alleged irregularities over the awarding of the 2006 World Cup was published in March.

It said that while there was no evidence of Germany paying FIFA members in return for votes, payments were made to at least one former FIFA official through a web of accounts involving several other firms or individuals, including Beckenbauer.

However, controlled bowling at the closing stages ensured that Aurora Secondary were kept restrained to be 203-8 when their overs expired. The wickets were shared by Bish Persaud 3-27,

Lance Roberts 2-21 and Bhadesh Parsotam 2-19, ensuring that Anna Regina Secondary were crowned zone champions.

Meanwhile, the School will now await the winners of

the other regions to begin the national playoffs.

The inaugural tournament is a joint collaboration between the Guyana Cricket Board and the Ministry of Education.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

Gayle rules himself out

of Big Bash League

WEST Indies star batsman Chris Gayle has ended speculation regarding possible participation in next season’s Big Bash League by confirming that he would not be available for the tour-

nament.

Controversy had enveloped the star during a previous edition of the tournament, after an interview with television reporter Melissa McLaughlin had prompted

accusations of sexism.

Some had called for the big left-hander to be banned from the tournament, but Melbourne Renegade coach David Saker believed the reactions to have gone overboard and has

insisted that the player would not be disqualified this season.

Despite that, Gayle was not among the list of invitees to the season with the Melbourne Renegades opting for Sunil Narine in his place.

Jawahir all-round effort leads Blairmont to massive win

A magnificent all-round performance from Kevon Jawahir inspired his team Blairmont Cricket Club to a massive victory over Bush Lot (Hemraj) when the Berbice Cricket Board two-day first division tournament played last weekend.

Played at the Blairmont Estate Ground, the hosts scored a massive 307 in their first innings, with Jawahir leading the way, with a magnificent unbeaten 156. His innings inclusive of 26 fours and two sixes.

He received support from Zameer Inshan, with 37 and Javid Karim, 23.

In reply, the visitors were

Kevon Jawahir

bundled out for a disappointing 115 in their first innings,

with only A. Mathabeek offering any resistance, with 25. Jawahir came back with the ball and claimed 5-26.

He got support from Shabeer Baksh with 2-18 and Derrick McAlmon 2-21.

Batting a second time, the home team raced to 188-9 declared with Inshan 50, Baksh 31 and Glasgow 26, being the principle scorers.

Bowling for Bush Lot, B. Jaikarran took 4-35 and C. Harry 3-66. In their second turn at the crease the visitors again failed to put up a fight, and were eventually bowled out for 145.

Mathabeek was againg among the runs, contributed 69 to the total. Jawahir claimed

another five- wicket haul, to finish with match figures of 10-62. Baksh took 3-35.

Meanwhile, in the only game played in the Tenelec Inc. 50 over first division cricket, Blairmont whipped the other Bush Lot team by 53 runs.

Fixtures for this weekend two day competition as follows: Zone A, Bush Lot (Hemraj) vs Bush Lot (Saywack) at Bush Lot. Zone B, Young Warriors vs Police at Cumberland.

Zone C, Albion vs Port Mourant at Albion and Rose Hall Town Gizmos and Gadgets vs UCCA at Area H ground.

Australia’s Cummins to make latest comeback in one-dayers (REUTERS) Pat Cummins’ international career has had more than its fair share of false starts due to injuries but captain Steve Smith hopes the upcoming one-day series against New Zealand will prove a launch pad for the Australia fast bowler to kick on.

The right-armer, who made a dream Test debut against South Africa as a raw 18-year-old in 2011 with match figures of seven for 117, was recalled to the Australian side for the first time in more than a year for the three-match ChappellHadlee series.

The 23-year-old missed all of last season after yet another stress fracture in his lower back but returned with a vengeance in Australia’s domestic

Pat Cummins one-day competition last month, taking 15 wickets at 18.60.

Chairman of Selectors Trevor Hohns said when the one-day squad was named last week that he was particularly pleased to see him back bowling with real pace.

With Australia choosing not to rest Test spearheads

Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, Smith had three genuinely quick bowlers at his disposal for the series against New Zealand that starts in Sydney on Sunday.

“It looked like he bowled with some good pace so it’s nice to have the option of Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins at our disposal,” Smith told Australian Associated Press in Sydney yesterday.

“It’s very exciting.”

“So far he’s going pretty well.”

Cummins, man-of-thematch in his Test debut, has been blighted by injury since, suffering heel problems, a torn side muscle and stress fractures in his back.

Such have been the extent of his injuries, he has played just eight first-class

games since he made his debut for New South Wales against Tasmania in Hobart as a 17-year-old. His last first-class game was on last year’s Ashes tour of England.

Smith, however, said that if he could prove his fitness through limited overs cricket then he could be in the frame for Australia’s tour of India next February.

“Obviously he’s going to play these one-dayers. I dare say he’ll play the onedayers at the back end of the summer as well and I think after Christmas he might be playing some Shield cricket,” Smith added.

“India’s possible. He’s obviously got to play some Shield cricket first and see how he goes ... how his body holds up.

Chris Gayle

The big-hitting left-hander has since revealed, that he will not take part in the tournament.

“Out of the Big Bash League this year, (I) will spend time with family,” Gayle told reporters during the Bangladesh Premier League clash between the Rangpur Riders and Chittagong Vikings.

During that game, Gayle slammed 40 from 28 deliv-

eries to help the Vikings to a nine-wicket win with the Rangpur Riders setting a paltry 125.

The batsman welcomed his first child in April of this year. Gayle interestingly nicknamed the infant, a daughter, ‘Blush’, a comical reference to the controversial statement ‘Don’t blush baby, made to McLaughlin during the now infamous interview. (Sportsmax.com)

DCC through to GCA/NBS final DEMERARA Cricket Club (DCC) whipped Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) by 10 wickets in the semi-final game of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/New Building Society Second Division 40 overs competition.

Singh and Sherfane Rutherford were their main driving forces.

Batting first, GCC were bowled out for just 69 in 22 overs, with Martin Pestano Bell the primary scorer with 23, and Devon Lord 19.

Rutherford was the pick of the bowlers for DCC, claiming three wickets

Sachin Singh

Sherfane Rutherford

By virtue of the victory, DCC have qualified for the final. They will face the winners in the other semi-final game between Transport Sports Club (TSC) and Everest Cricket Club, which is set for this weekend.

For DCC, Sachin

during his spell, while Antonnel Atwell grabbed two wickets.

In reply, DCC reached 70 without loss, with Singh scoring an unbeaten 43, with three fours and three sixes, while his partner Raymond Perez aided with 23.

29

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

SCA president lauds unity among executives, members

By Frederick Halley TORONTO, Canada -President of the Scarborough Cricket Association (SCA) Shiv Persaud has described his first year at the helm as one which was faced with challenges and adversities. However, according to him, “we were able to improvise and find viable solutions for each situation”.

The Guyanese-born Persaud made this disclosure at last Saturday night’s 36th annual presentation, dinner and dance held at the Scarborough Convention Centre here and attended by, among others, Federal Member of Parliament Salma Zahid and Member of Provisional Parliament Raymond Cho. Persaud referred to one such instance when women cricketers attached to the SCA were shunned by Cricket Canada in their scheduled game against the touring MCC women’s team. According to the unassuming president, “even though we were all disappointed and heartbroken, we became more united.”

Persaud pointed out that the unity was further evident in the first-ever women’s All Star game in the SCA. “Another instance was being able to manage the effects of losing two of our playing fields at Ellesemere.

This affected the T20 competition and regular sea-

Superstars women’s runner-up skipper Abigal Rajkumar collects the Deo Samaroo-sponsored trophy from the donor while other teammates look on approvingly.

SCA secretary Eon Gunraj receives the Norman Sue Spirit Award from Kim Sue, daughter of the late businessman. son playoffs, as games had require to succeed and have to be played in October, long confidence in the board of after the cricket season was executives. “Secondly, it was scheduled to end.” the time for us to embrace Persaud disclosed that the popularised version of prior to the beginning of the cricket in the T20 format and 2016 season, the goals of lastly we wanted to ensure the SCA were to ensure that that every effort was made the members were given the to advance the sport among recognition and support they juniors and women.”

Persaud also pointed out that the women’s division “gave us another chapter of the thrilling rivalry between 2016 champions Kaisoca and Superstars. The growth and success showcased by our women’s cricketers in Scarborough is the highest across the province of Ontario and Canada that it has been for many years ….”

Reflecting more on the 2016 season, Persaud disclosed that there are many areas that “we have started planning and exploring to build on our successes in 2017. For example, structuring our junior division for Under-13, U-16 and U-19, contesting regular season finals at different times during the season and allowing our women cricketers to play at

different venues and possibly play games under light.”

In applauding his executives, Persaud boasted: “I want to commend you for all your hard work and dedicated service. I am proud to have you as part of my executive body and am anxiously looking forward to your future contributions.”

Persaud also reserved a special thank you for the several sponsors for their generous support in 2016. Coaches Danny Singh, Yunus Motara and assistant coach Matthew Francis were also lauded for their efforts in the OCA junior championship and the women’s all-star game.

In her brief remarks, MP Salma Zahid said the SCA is doing a great job to develop

cricket in Toronto. Zahid, who originated from Pakistan, showered praises on the SCA for targeting youths and women. She also presented trophies and medals to participants of the women’s all-star game.

Ontario Cricket Association (OCA) vice-president Melvin John, who was also in attendance, also praised the SCA for doing a wonderful job, alluding to the fact that 2016 has been a great year for the association.

This year’s Norman Sue Spirit Award went to SCA’s long-standing secretary Eon Gunraj and was presented by the late businessman’s daughter Kim. “Your selflessness and charity is an inspiration to all,” the plaque fittingly read.

Entire staff of T&T national football team resigns Barcelona held by Hercules, Real Madrid romp into last 16 PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) - The entire staff of the Trinidad and Tobago senior national team has resigned, including assistant coach Hutson Charles and manager William Wallace, according to media reports here.

The resignations come in the wake of the sacking of Stephen Hart as head coach of the Soca Warriors by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) on Thursday.

Hart was fired as a result of T&T’s dismal start to the final round of CONCACAF 2018 World Cup. The Guardian newspaper has reported that the other assistant coach Derek

King was also expected to tender his resignation in the coming days.

Charles, the former Strike Squad midfielder, said he was forced to resign amid rumours that he and

Hutson Charles King were to be fired on December 1 by the TTFA. “The president kept on questioning Hart on whether we were good enough, and

although Hart responded in the affirmative every time, he still kept on enquiring about our ability,” Charles explained.

“There were senior officials who kept calling players after every training session and questioning them about the sessions, looking for ways to dismiss the coach. The TTFA placed too much pressure on the coach, who I still think is the man to carry the country to the World Cup.” Earlier this month, T&T were beaten 2-0 by Costa Rica at the Hasely Crawford Stadium before suffering a 3-1 defeat to Honduras at the Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano in San Pedro Sula on November 15.

(REUTERS)-Barcelona were held 1-1 by lowly Hercules in their King’s Cup last 32 firstleg match yesterday while Mariano scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid romped to a 6-1 second-leg victory over third-tier Cultural Leonesa and a 13-2 aggregate triumph.

Barca’s Carles Alena struck a sublime effort in the 58th minute to cancel out David Mainz’s close-range opener six minutes earlier as the cup holders came from behind but had to accept a draw in a match they dominated.

The Spanish champions’ struggles in La Liga followed them to Segunda B side Hercules as a much-changed side made it three domestic games without a win after a disjointed performance.

Real Madrid, playing a

leg earlier than everyone else ahead of their Club World Cup campaign, held a 7-1 lead after the first game and made short shrift of their opponents at the Bernabeu, opening the scoring after 23 seconds through Dominican forward Mariano.

James Rodriguez, one of few familiar names in the starting line-up as Zinedine Zidane made eight changes with an eye on Saturday’s Clasico against Barca, added a second with a header in the 23rd minute before Mariano, on his debut, doubled his tally.

The visitors pulled one back through Yerey Gonzalez’s magnificent long-range effort just before the break, but Real dominated the second half, Zidane’s son Enzo marking his debut with a goal and Mariano

rounding off his hat-trick with a header.

Leonesa’s Cesar Morgado scored an own goal in the last minute to round off a miserable afternoon as Real, who were disqualified from last year’s tournament after fielding an ineligible player, extended their unbeaten run to 32 matches.

Real, whose last loss came against Wolfsburg in the Champions League in April, are closing in on the club record of 34 games without defeat, set by Leo Beenhakker’s side in the 1988-89 season.

Elsewhere, Joaquin Correa scored a hat-trick as Sevilla thumped fourth-tier SD Formentera 5-1 while Atletico Madrid stormed to a 6-0 victory over Segunda B outfit Guijuelo.

30

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

Southgate handed task of reviving England’s fortunes

By Martyn Herman | LONDON, England (Reuters) - Gareth Southgate was handed the onerous task of ending England’s d e c a d e s o f s o c c e r u nder-achievement at major tournaments when he agreed a four-year deal to become national team’s football manager yesterday.

The 46-year-old former international defender had been in temporary charge since Sam Allardyce quit 67 days into his reign in September after becoming embroiled in a newspaper sting.

Southgate, who played for Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough, impressed the FA during four matches as interim manager and was the overwhelming favourite to se-

cure the job.

“I am extremely proud to be appointed England manager. However, I’m also conscious that getting the job is one thing, now I want to do the job successfully,” Southgate said in a statement issued by the Football Association after a lengthy board meeting at its St George’s Park headquarters.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with the players over these past four games and I think there’s huge potential.

“For me, the hard work starts now. There are ways of working that we need to establish to give ourselves a better chance of success in the future.”

The mild-mannered Southgate’s first game as permanent manager will be away to Germany in a friendly in March before a

Gareth Southgate

home 2018 World Cup qualifier a few days later against Lithuania.

It was against Germany that, as a player, Southgate achieved unwanted notoriety for his penalty shootout miss in the semi-finals of the European Championship in 1996 at Wembley.

He later starred in a piz-

Guinness Greatest in the Street Football Tournament

Matches in the Georgetown

za company TV commercial alongside Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle wearing a brown paper bag over his head as they teased him over his miss.

GOOD POSITION England last won a major trophy when they lifted the World Cup at home

brace from Deon Alfred in the 4th and 6th.

Camp Street All-Stars booted Railway Kitty from the competition, compliments of a 3-1 score line; goals coming from Wendell Austin (15th), Dwayne Christopher (17th) and Steve Bacchus (27th) while Shane Cooper scored his team’s lone consolation goal.

Bent Street were also victors on Monday night as they dispatched Holmes Street Tiger Bay 2-1 with goals from Anthony Abrams (23rd) and Stellon David (28th). Akeem Saul (4th) was on target early for the losers.

Game four saw Leopold Street also move on to the next round after goals from Sheldon Profitt (7th) and Orandel Williams (14th) downed South Ruimveldt 2-0.

Game five was laden with goals as Festival City Warriors beat Norton Street Ballers 5-2. Festival City had Eon Alleyne on target from the whistle in the16th

second and 5th minute while Cecil Williams (15th), Dwayne Lawrence (21st) and Daniel Favourite (24th) each registered wins. Norton Street scorers were Joshua Parvatan (20th) and Nigel Decamp (30th) Tucville needled Island All-Stars A 1- 0 thanks to Delon Williams (24th) while Channel 9 Warriors downed Shopping Plaza 2-1 thanks to Kevin Barrow (2nd) and Joshua Fiffee (26th) while the Plaza had Stephen Dolphin (6th) on target.

The first round of the tournament will be straight knockout while the round of 16 which begins on Saturday will take a round-robin format. The winners of the leg will cart off $500, 00, second-placers $200 000, third-placers $150 000 and fourth-placers $75 000.

There are also legs billed for the West Coast Demerara, West and East Coast Berbice, Linden and Bartica. (Stephan Sookram)

statement.

Southgate is the youngest full-time England manager since Steve McClaren was appointed, aged 54, in 2006.

This is only his third permanent role as a manager, having been at the helm of Middlesbrough from 2006-09 until he was sacked the season after they were relegated from the top flight.

He was in charge of England’s Under-21s from 2013 to 16, working with the likes of Harry Kane, John Stones and Raheem Sterling, all of whom are now part of the senior squad.

As a player Southgate earned 57 caps and he will now be expected to bring the passion he had as a player to the job of manager as England bid to return to the international elite.

Jaguars on top of 4-Day standings

leg continue tonight

MATCHES continue this evening in the Georgetown leg of the Guinness Greatest in the Street Football Tournament.

This evening’s opening fixtures, set to take place at Demerara Park will see Alexander Village against Up Like Seven while North Ruimveldt take on Jamoon Drive.

Albouystown A play Upsetters this evening as well, with Back Circle taking on Hope Street Tiger Bay, Broad Street Ballers opposing Howes Street, North East La Penitence facing Island All Star B, Albouystown B challenging West Back Road and West Front Road clashing with Stevedore Baller.

Last Monday evening, two-time defending champions Sparta Boss squeezed through the opening round with a tense 3-1 penalty win against Hardina Street.

In the opening fixture of the evening, Queen Street Tiger Bay overcame Fruit Stand 2-0 thanks to a

under Alf Ramsey in 1966 and have not reached the semi-finals of a top international tournament since Euro ‘96.

Southgate’s mission will be to continue the good work he did at the Under-21s now he is in charge of the senior team.

They are already in a good position to reach the World Cup, topping their group after four games with Southgate overseeing wins over Scotland and Malta and a draw with Slovenia.

Southgate’s appointment is no surprise and FA chief executive Martin Glenn described him as a leader and a winner.

“He performed extremely well during the four games he was in temporary charge and he impressed us during a tough interview process,” Glenn said in a

ST JOHN’S – Guyana Jaguars have taken over top spot of the Digicel Regional 4-Day Cricket Tournament.

After the third round of matches ended on Tuesday, Jaguars have 33.6 points, followed closely by Barbados Pride with 33.4.

Leeward Islands Hurricanes have emerged as a strong force and are in third place with 29.4 points after hugging the bottom of the table for many years.

Still, it is a very close race, with six points separating first to fifth.

Windward Island Volcanoes are at the bottom with 17.6 points.

There are two more rounds of matches before the Christmas break.

ROUND 4 – December 9 to 12 Vo l c a n o e s v s H u r r i c a n e s – Wi n d s o r P a r k , Dominica (10:00hrs) Jaguars vs Pride – Guyana National Stadium (15:00hrs) ROUND 5 – December 15 to 18 H u r r i c a n e s v s S c o rp i o n s – Wa r n e r P a r k (15:00hrs) ROUND 5 – December 16 to 19 Jaguars vs Red Force – Guyana National Stadium (09:30hrs) Pride vs Volcanoes – Windsor Park, Dominica (10:00hrs) Following are the Official Points Standings after the third round.

Abbreviations: Pts total points, M-matches, W - won, L - lost, T - tied, I - incomplete match, A - abandoned match, DP - Abandoned match due

to dangerous pitch, MR - match referee awarding match, Bat - batting points, Bowl - bowling points, PB - pace bowling points.

FRANCHISES Pts M W L T I A DP MR BAT BOWL PB 1. Guyana Jaguars 33.6 3 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 5 9 4.6 2. Barbados Pride 33.4 3 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 4 7 4.4 3. Leewards Hurricanes 29.4 3 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 8 1.4 4. Jamaica Scorpions 28.6 3 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 9 2.6 5. T&T Red Force 27 3 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 3 6 3 6. Windwards Volcanoes 17.6 3 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 9 4.6

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday December 01, 2016) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & AUDREY’S TASTY SNACKETTE-176 Charlotte Street, Georgetown (Tel: 226-4512) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1)

329/9 (50 overs)

(2)

330/7 (50 overs)

Today’s Quiz: (1)

Name the WI who won Man of the Match Awards in the Tri-Nations ODI series?

(2)

How many dismissal WI wicketkeeper, Shai Hope, effected in the Tri-Nations ODI series?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

31

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, December 1, 2016

‘Axeman’ Walters was affected by layoff, lost credibility - Roy Jones Jr BOXING great Roy Jones Jr is convinced that Jamaican boxer Nicholas ‘Axeman’ Walters was badly affected by a long layoff ahead of the bout against Vasyl Lomachenko in Las Vegas last Saturday night, but believes the fighter has lost credibility by claiming that he would not have been affected by ring rust.

The bout hardly failed to materialise as a contest with Walters routinely outclassed by the Ukrainian, in the end refusing to answer the bell for the eighth round.

Ahead of the bout the Jamaican had not stepped into a ring since December of last year when he battled to a draw with American Jason Sosa.

The Jamaican had, however, insisted that the layoff would have had no impact on him ahead of the fight.

“He does lose a lot of

credibility by quitting, but people are not listening to what he’s saying, and boxing is such a bad sport in this matter, because certain people can get in certain situations if they are with certain people,” Jones told BoxingScene.com.

“This boy ain’t fought in 342 days and you put him in the biggest fight of his life. And he’s crazy because at first he said it won’t bother him, but you can’t say that it won’t bother you but then use it as an excuse when it does happen. But I thought that was a problem,” he added.

“He didn’t look rusty, but he just couldn’t land his punches at all because he hasn’t been in there with a guy who’s as high tech as Lomachenko.

Not all the blame is on him, but when he said that wasn’t going to be a problem – then you took that excuse out the book. That’s the only thing I don’t like.” (Sportsmax.com)

Nicholas ‘Axeman’ Walters in action last Saturday night against newly crowned champion Vasyl Lomachenko

Former National athlete wades into state of athletics … More events, incentives among recommendations

FORMER National and Guyana Defence Force (GDF) athlete Victor Benjamin is of the view that local athletics must undergo major transformation if the sport is to return to the state that it was when he competed.

A medallist numerous times over both locally and on the regional scale, Benjamin, who now resides in the United States but returns home frequently, believes that paramount to the resurgence of the sport is the vibrancy of the local body, the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG).

Speaking with Chronicle Sport yesterday, Benjamin contended that “when we look at the Junior CARIFTA level, Guyana produces raw talent; kids with talent, raw talent.

But when they come back to this country, there is not a good programme set up”.

He advocated for more local meets and meets that feature international competition, adding that the general feel of the current state of play is that there are not events locally.

And while the AAG has been doing work locally, the current administration

needs to place more emphasis on the school system, noting that during his stint on track, persons were constantly training for events.

“I think with all of these, Guyana would be able to grow; the athletes would be able to grow, they’d get a chance to run and this they

Victor Benjamin displays his silverware from a track meet in the 1970s.

are looking forward to,” he added.

Not only a decorated former athlete at both middle distance track as well as field

events, Benjamin, who also captained the Army’s cricket team, believes too that the government should also take heed of this notice.

“When Governments don’t pay much interest in sports and culture, there will always be this low production from athletes. Their keenness, they all lose it.”

He is also of the view that the system requires more

qualified coaches, adding, “As you know, a great selection and recruitment scheme is quintessential to the growth of sport in Guyana ….”

He has offered his expertise as a qualified sport medicine resource person and as someone, who has done sport management courses in England, Mexico and the Caribbean, to the government of Guyana.

Fraser-Pryce, MVP make up

Fired coach says T&T national programme not designed for success Sacked Trinidad and Tobago head coach, Stephen Hart

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Recently sacked Trinidad and Tobago head coach Stephen Hart says the national programme is badly in need of an administrative upgrade and he believes any success the national side achieves will be as a result of “luck”.

In his parting shots after being fired last week, the 56-year-old pointed to several areas in the programme which he said needed a more professional approach.

“I think Trinidad football needs to become way more professional in everything that surrounds the team – from a scientific point of view, from a travel

point of view, from a logistics point of view, and just basic planning and funding,” Hart told C Sports Live.

There’s a lot that could be done and any sort of success you have in the present way that we work is rolling dice. It’s really luck or fluke as we would say.”

Hart led T&T for 3-1/2 years but his tenure ended after the side lost both their opening games of the final round of CONCACAF qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup earlier this month.

They opened their campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Costa Rica at the Hasely Crawford Stadium here before losing 3-1 to Honduras at the Estadio Olímpico

Metropolitano in San Pedro Sula a few days later on November 15.

The results left them one from bottom of the six-team group but Hart said he had been confident T&T could turn around their form.

“They (football association) were not happy with the two World Cup results and even though I had confidence that the players on this team, and with the injection of maybe a few new players, had the capability to turn it around, the association did not see it that way.”

Hart enjoyed several high points during his time in charge of T&T. He twice led them to the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup and also guided them into the final of the 2014 Caribbean Cup before losing to Jamaica.

Under Hart, T&T enjoyed a good run in the recent semi-finals of the World Cup qualifiers when they lost just once in finishing second in Group C to United States, in progressing to the final round.

Hart, a former coach of Canada where he currently lives, said he had nothing but good memories of his time in charge of Trinidad.

“My staff have been fantastic, the players it was a joy to work with them and really and truly I just wish everybody the best of luck in the campaign.”

TWO-TIME Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has mended fences, in a manner of speaking, with lifelong track club MVP. At the end of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where Fraser-Pryce just missed out on becoming the first woman in history to win three consecutive gold medals over the 100-metre sprint at the games, it was rumoured that the athlete was leaving the camp.

The decision, it was said, sparked from an injury the athlete felt was poorly handled by the Stephen Francis-led MVP. Francis, himself, later confirmed the rift, saying Fraser-Pryce did not feel the club had her best interest at heart and would be moving on. Despite the injury, Fraser-Pryce performed creditably, earning a painracked bronze medal.

At the start of the track season this year, it was said that Fraser-Pryce was training in St Elizabeth with former MVP coach Reynaldo Walcott. However, it seems the athlete has had a change of heart.

Fuelling the rumour was the presence of former teammates at MVP, Kaliese Spencer and Christine Day. The two are now training with Walcott after spending a year with the Bert Cameron-led Cameron Blazers. (Sportsmax.com)

Two-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

GFC blank Eastville 3-0 in U-19 League

THE Georgetown Football Club (GFC) yesterday made an impressive start to their campaign in the Fruta Conquerors U-19 League when they blanked Eastville FC 3-0 in a Group ‘A’ fixture played at the Tucville Community ground.

The young ‘Bourda Blues’ side ended the unbeaten run of Eastville thanks to a Joel Humphrey double in the 14th and 71st minutes and one from Kurtez Kellman in the 57th minute. The game, the first of a double-header, was dominated by GFC. The other match was also easy sailing for Buxton United as they led Tavelle’s Academy 3-0 late in the first half at press time.

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Part of the action in the GFC/Eastville FC clash at the Tucville ground THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2016