Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 02 06 2016

Provocative and dangerous No. 104570

THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016

Price: $80

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‒ Guyana protests shooting at mines officers by Venezuelan army ‒ Venezuelan general claims shooting was an ‘error’ 3 P.

Granger restates commitment to prison reform ‒ Receives report on March riots ‒ Inquiry Commission chairman says recommendations should be implemented ʻlike yesterdayʼ P.9

President David Granger receives the report of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the Georgetown Prison riots from Chairman of the Commission Justice James Patterson

Speaker disallows Police arrest suspect Guyanese teen PPP questions on 9 shot dead in who robbed former presidential pardons Brooklyn 8 British soldier 7 P.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 2, 2016

SASOD film festival opens today THE SOCIETY Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination’s (SASOD’s) 12th annual lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) film festival 2016, opens today for ‘edutaining’ evenings of thought-provoking films and post-screening discussions.

The film festival, which will run for the next nine days at the Dutch Bottle Café located at 10, North Road, Bourda, is being held

under the theme – Painting the Spectrum 12.

The film festival’s goal, the LGBT body said, is edutainment: educating while entertaining viewing audiences and the wider public, by stimulating discussion and debate about LGBT issues in Guyana.

According to SASOD, the festival will take viewers on an exciting journey into the lives of sexual and gender minorities around the world by illustrating

stories of love, acceptance, struggles, human rights and the impact of socio-cultural influences.

This year’s selections of films are drawn from the United Kingdom, France, Cameroon, Sweden, Guyana, Canada, Chile and the United States of America.

This year’s festival is set to be opened with a “Chilean Night” hosted by Ambassador H.E. Claudio Rojas Rachel, Chile’s Ambassador to Guyana. The evening’s treat will feature tasty empanadas and wine from Chile.

The featured film for that evening is a Chilean movie donated by the Embassy titled “My Last Round.”

The movie chronicles the intense romantic rela-

tionship between Hugo and middle-aged local boxing champion, Octavio. Unfazed by the attention he receives from women, Hugo searches for something meaningful to break up the monotony of his life. He becomes captivated with Octavio, who must maintain a hard and gruff image for his fans and fellow fighters. They enter into an intense romance that would never be accepted in their small town in southern Chile.

This feature tells a heartfelt story with an assured hand, eliciting complex and naturalistic performances that capture the passionate rise and tragic fall of a couple’s relationship.

Given the support by the

Ambassador H.E. Claudio Rojas Rachel, Chile’s Ambassador to Guyana

Embassy of Chile and the High Commission of Canada to Guyana in the staging of this festival, SASOD sought to extend its appreciation to both diplomatic headquarters.

Billed for the penultimate night on Tuesday, June 28, is “Spectrum Night” which will feature perfor-

mances through poetry, dance, song, music and other forms of performing arts.

“The customary ‘painting the spectrum’ – which encourages participants to leave their marks of support, messages of hope and inspiration for a society which is more accepting and respectful of sexual and gender diversity - will celebrate the closing of the festival on Thursday, June 30” SASOD said.

Drinks and snacks will be on sale throughout the film festival. All proceeds will go to SASOD’s LGBT Community Centre and Shelter Fund.

SASOD sought to highlight too that there is no charge for admission at the film festival. However, they noted that all films are intended for mature audiences and persons must be 18 years and over to attend the festival.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 2, 2016

‒ Guyana protests shooting at mines officers by Venezuelan army ‒ Venezuelan general claims shooting was an ‘error’

By Shauna Jemmott GUYANA has warned Venezuela about “provocative and dangerous actions” after it said officers of the country’s mining agency came under gunfire from the Venezuela army on Monday, but President Granger does not see the issue leading to any confrontation.

“We’re trying to find out exactly what occurred.

I wish to assure you that the situation is not deteriorating and it’s not going to be degenerating into any confrontation,” President Granger told reporters at his Georgetown office Wednesday.

“There seems to be an error on the part of the Venezuelan National Armed

Forces and we’re trying to get more information.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that on Monday evening, three officers of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) were travelling on the Cuyuni River, along the border region, when they came under gunfire.

The officials were returning from a monitoring and inspection exercise at Arau when the chartered boat they were in came under attack approximately one mile from the Eteringbang Police Station.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a letter to the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry, said that such actions can only lead to a destabilisation of relations.

The ministry has dis-

patched a Note Verbale to the Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs “conveying the Government of Guyana’s grave concern over this incident and calling on the Venezuelan Government to desist from such provocative and dangerous actions on Guyana’s borders.”

Though the attacks came at a time when the country is celebrating its 50th Independence anniversary, President Granger said “it is too soon to tell” if it was just a coincidence.

On Independence Day (May 26) last year, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro promulgated a decree which not only reaffirmed the country’s claim over the Essequibo region, but also sought to annex

Guyana’s maritime space, including the area where American firm ExxonMobil discovered a “significant” oil field.

“It is too soon to tell.

What occurred on the 26th of May 2015 was deliberate; the promulgation of that decree. And as you know, after the CARICOM Heads of Government[meeting], the decree was withdrawn under pressure from the Caribbean Community, and another decree was issued.

“I do not see it as a continuation. I don’t think the two incidents are linked.

Right now it’s too soon to tell. I would like to await information from the Chiefof-Staff who is in touch with the Venezuelans,” President Granger said.

He recalled that “there have been several incidents between the Venezuelan armed forces and the Guyana armed forces over the last 50 yrs. This is certainly not the worst and as I said, it’s too soon to tell, I’m trying to get information on the cause of the shooting and both the Ministry of the Presidency which is responsible for the Guyana Defence Force and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, are working towards a resolution of this matter.”

Maduro’s decree and his unfriendly stance represented a departure from the conciliatory stance of his predecessor, Hugo Chavez, who was friendly with the previous government and sold Guyana fuel on advantageous terms under the Petrocaribe initiative.

Exxon, which is drilling in the so-called Stabroek

Block, about 190 kilometers (120 miles) off Guyana’s coast, said its policy is to follow the host countries’ and international law, and that border disputes are a matter for governments.

In 2013, Venezuela’s navy evicted a ship used

by Texas-based Anadarko Petroleum to explore for oil in the offshore Roraima block.

Last September, Guyana expressed concern about a build-up of Venezuelan military personnel on the border.

Guyana is seeking a lasting and juridical settlement to Venezuela’s claim that the 1899 arbitral award which settled the countries’ borders is null and void.

The United Nations Secretary-General is tasked with determining the way forward.

Dharamlall to face PPP executive Friday LEADER of the Opposition PPP, Bharrat Jagdeo, has come out in defence of the party’s Parliamentarian Nigel Dharamlall, who was recently named in an alleged assault against an official of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

At a press conference Wednesday at his party’s headquarters in Robb Street,

Jagdeo said with Dharamlall’s case currently with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), his party’s executive will consider the issue at their upcoming meeting on Friday.

Jagdeo said he would not speak extensively on the issue owing to its “delicate stage.”

“But clearly he has to

give solid explanations… believable explanations to the (party’s) executive… because it is a serious matter; the allegations are serious”, he continued.

But Jagdeo countered the statement saying: “Bheri Ramsarran’s file was with the DPP, and he’s charged for something like abusive language.” The former President

sought to reduce the “slap and strip” threat made by Ramsarran, his party’s Parliamentarian, then Minister of Health, against public health advocate Sherlina Nageer.

“People have different perspectives on these things,” Jagdeo said.

“They said it was a threat made against the young lady in Berbice, but she was not in

earshot, like, close-by to hear the threat,” Jagdeo added.

Asked whether Dharamlall’s seat in the National Assembly could be jeopardised by the issue, former President Jagdeo said he will consider the matter “carefully” as it is brought to him at Friday’s meeting of PPP executives.

In recent times, PPP Parliamentarian and former Pub-

lic Service Minister under the Donald Ramotar Administration, Dr Jennifer Westford, was made to answer to a barrage of charges in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, which centred on the disappearance of some $639M placed in the keep of her ministry during her tenure.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday June 2, 2016

Glowing tributes for young steelpan player

KIVON Emanuel Scipio, the 14-year-old teen who died the evening before he was slated to perform at Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary flagraising ceremony was on Wednesday honoured at a funeral service.

Family, friends and classmates of the late Scipio congregated at the Jesus Deliverance Mission, Thomas and Alexander Streets, Kitty, to acknowledge the achievements of the young man, who was described as one leading a “meaningful life.”

Dead: Kivon Scipio

Students of Richard Ishmael Secondary School paying tribute to Kivon Scipio in song on Wednesday at his funeral

Multi-talented, the 14 -year-old was actively involved in sports, music and drama at various levels. Many had described him as a lover of football, swimming, cricket and the steelpan. He had represented his Alma Mata,the Richard Ishmael Secondary School, in football and he was also a part of the school’s drama club. Scipio was also a member of the Pan Wave Steel Orchestra and the Santos Football Club.

According to the Ministry of Education in a statement, all reports indicated that the young man

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would have been a good person, student, pannist and son who led a very disciplined, mannerly and meaningful life.

“He was considered to be a leader in his own right who ,at such an early age, despite his early departure would have given national service before and up to the time of his death” the statement said.

The ministry also extended its appreciation to Scipio’s parents, who allowed him the opportunity to play steelpan which was not only a pasttime activity, but complemented his education and thought him important lifeskills.

“We would want to commend his life for which he utilised his leisure time in meaningful pursuits. In this regard, the ministry would pledge to recognise him even as we move to

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expand the steelpan programme in schools and throughout the country,” the statement said.

And as his life was celebrated, the ministry’s department of culture, youth and sport and the Music School revealed that they will use his life and character to dedicate one of the prizes in the Pan-ORama in memory of him.

Additionally, the ministry will be naming one of the camps in the Pan Minors Programme in his honour and a concert will also be held.

The funeral service was attended by Minister within the Ministry of Education, Department of Culture, Youth and Sport, Nicolette Henry; Permanent Secretary, Alfred King and the Director of Sports, Christopher Jones.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 2, 2016

Devise new system for student loan repayment – auditors advise THE Finance Ministry has been advised to implement a system that will allow students to repay their loans through commercial banks or their employers.

This proposal was made

by HLB, R. Seebarran and Company, and forms part of a list of 24 recommendations made following the conduct of a forensic audit into the operations of the University of Guyana Student Loan Agency.

According to the audit report, close to 70% of the students who would have benefited from loans are still to repay the government.

DELINQUENT BENEFICIARIES From 1994 to May 2015, the government had approved $9.4B through the National Budget or US$45.5M using the current rate of exchange of G$210 to US$1. Up to the end of December 2014, 25,335 students had obtained loans with a total value of $9.1B. Of the total number

of students who have received loans 4,713 or 18.6% are recent graduates or are still students, 1,776 or 7% have repaid their loans totalling $679,918,794 including principal and interest. It therefore means that 17,56l or 69.4% of the beneficiaries are delinquent due to their failure to repay their loans.

DEDUCTIONS In order to remedy the situation, auditors have recommended that the sums owed be deducted out of the accounts and salaries of students. “Students should be made to have their loans repaid through the banks or employers…This will ensure that repayments are made on time,” the auditors explained.

The Finance Ministry has also been advised to have formal letters sent to students reminding them of their obligations to repay their loans.

Failing this,legal proceedings should be instituted, the auditors recommended.

“Where students cannot

be located or have failed to respond to written and oral communication, the guarantors should be pursued.

[Additionally], the Ministry of Finance should include on its website a page referred to as the ‘Student Loan Agency’ and include the names of the defaulters.” These were among other recommendations made to the Ministry of Finance to be implemented by the Loan Agency.

OVERSIGHT BOARD Another key recommendation, put to Ministry by the auditors, is the appointment of an oversight Board of Trustees to overlook the operations of the Student Loan Agency. This board should include a secretary and approximately six trustees with representatives from the minister’s office, the Bursary and the Student Society, in addition to an attorney-at-Law and a qualified accountant.

“The trustees should

approve governance practices and…meet monthly to ensure that the agency is managed effectively and efficiently. Further, they

should ensure that student loans are disbursed consistently with improved policies and procedures and recovered on a timely

basis,” the auditors added.

The Student Loan Agency was established in 1995 to manage the Student Loan Account.

Dharamlall to face...

Dr Westford, though still a member of Parliament for her party, is currently slated to stand trial in July of this year for another matter regarding the transfer of state assets to personal use.

Asked whether the cases of Drs Westford and Ramsarran speaks to a failure of his party to effectively deal with sitting public officials currently before the Courts, Opposition Leader Jagdeo responded: “I am not going to move people just like that because of what I see as allegations… there are many allegations on a daily basis; now it’s time to prove these

allegations.”

“It’s put up or shut up,” Mr Jagdeo asserted. Turning his attention to the financial audits, which he believes forms the myriad of allegations against his party members, Mr Jagdeo called the audits of the David Granger Administration “partisan.”

He urged the Government to charge those persons from his party once they have been found to be infringing on the law. He said his party’s members will then have to use the mechanism of the court to determine their innocence.

(Derwayne Wills)

From page 3

Nigel Dharamlall

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Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams Editor

Godfrey Wray

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

Editorial

Governance, transparency and accountability ANAND GOOLSARRAN has compiled his writings in the newspapers into one book, which he has titled “Governance, Transparency and Accountability.”

Goolsarran held several public offices, local and international and reached the pinnacle of his career as the nation’s Auditor General.

In the area of government accounting, where he not only served, but continues to share his knowledge and interest in the welfare of State, it is to Guyana’s advantage to not only recognise his contributions, but more importantly, act on his and others in pursuit of bringing about good governance.

His focus on the proper functioning of government should go beyond being just for reading, to that of becoming a teaching tool and guidepost, which would address matters such as transparency and accountability, which are pivotal to improving governance. The truth of the matter is that no country has unlimited resources and it requires prudent management to ensure the resources work in the interest of the people and their environment.

Over time, Goolsarran, through his writings, has been providing advice and criticisms, sometimes scathing, but none can question his well-meaning nature, as to how government can improve and optimise performance in the public sector by following certain guidelines, including accounting practices and the rule of law.

No right-thinking person should want to see government fail, regardless of which party or group holds the seat. Inept, corrupt or vindictive governments hurt the society, given that its policies and programmes are not conceptualised and implemented with all the people at the centre – just a few.

Generally, in pursuing such divisive policies, government would seek to cover its tracks of short-changing the people, and disregarding established procedures, rules and laws.

A government that governs in the interest of all will govern from the standpoint that the State’s business is the people’s business, and by extension the people are entitled to know and government is entitled to provide answers and adhere to established guidelines. The non-adherence to these guidelines makes ripe the opportunity for corrupt practices by state and government officials.

The acknowledgement by President David Granger in his address at a recent book launch that some “crimes can escape detection because of the lack of transparency and that is why some people like opaque transactions because they conceal corruption, they can go unpunished because of a lack of accountability and they can flourish because of weak governance,” is noted.

The president’s statement is also signalling the desire to remove transactional practices that stifle accountability and transparency and hinder the realisation of strong government. Subject ministers may need to pay heed to these pronouncements and act accordingly to bring about the needed change. For instance, to the recognition that persons are dodging their legal obligations to remit to the National Insurance Scheme and the Inland Revenue Department, there may be need to revisit penalties for non-compliance, including the expediting of cases in the court. The responsible ministers and boards can establish synergies with the judiciary with the aim of stamping out such malpractices.

The recommendations in forensic audits can also be

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 2, 2016

Kirton disagrees with Freddie on jubilee celebrations Dear Editor:

ALLOW me a few lines to comment on Freddie Kissoon’s column in Wednesday’s edition of Kaieteur News captioned: “We never should have celebrated the 50th in such a big way.”

At the outset, let me make it clear that I respect the right of individuals to have and express views on issues, especially on matters pertaining to the governance of their country of birth and/or residence. So Freddie has every right, as a widely read columnist, to express his views and to help shape public opinion on issues of national import.

That having been said, I must point out that others have the right to disagree and to offer counter opinions and I disagree with Freddie’s position that “we never should have celebrated the 50th in such a big way.”

I am not aware of anyone’s challenge of Freddie’s commitment to Guyana, notwithstanding some of his views that suggest that Guyana is a failed state and that we have nothing to celebrate, which views I do not share. I totally agree with Freddie and countless others that the flag-raising ceremony and the golden jubilee gala left much

to be desired. I hope there is a cabinet review of these events and that there be lessons learnt from this experience that would prevent re-occurrences of such embarrassment.

These unfortunate disappointments notwithstanding, the 50th anniversary celebrations in my view reflected the pride, loyalty and commitment of the majority of Guyanese, at home and abroad, to their homeland. In my view, these celebrations, big as they were, were necessary and thankfully successful.

I spent from May 10 to 17 and then from May 20 to 31 in Guyana during which time I interacted with people at all levels….from Bam Bam Alley to Berbice…..with comrades and concubines…..and what I discovered from these interactions was a “forgiving disappointment” with the performance of the coalition government during its first year in office, yet great hope and enthusiasm for a better Guyana in the near future.

Freddie questions whether the state of the economy and infrastructure could bear the burden of these big celebrations, but never asked the question whether the economic impact of the spending by visitors and others would

Poor Internet service I WISH to bring to the attention of GTT the very poor and unreliable internet service that they are providing to the thousands of persons who are subscribing to the DSL service e (Bronze plan - $5,000).

Over the past five months, we have been robbed, cheated and made victims of a very weak and slow internet service which GTT claims to be “high speed.”

We are paying for a service every month which we cannot enjoy and be satisfied with. Social chats such as BBM, Skype, Whatsapp and even browsing the internet are such a pain and disaster to endure. We cannot send/

receive messages, pictures/ images, videos or simply have a video chat. Can GTT explain why this is so?

Whenever you call customer service which takes like an half hour to speak with a customer service representative, all they are saying after requesting your landline number, is that they are seeing from their end that the internet is working fine. Please GTT, at least provide an explanation and satisfactory solution to the thousands of unsatisfied DSL internet users.

Regards Rohan Singh

used to tighten up systems and bring about the needed transparency and accountability. When staff in the public sector and persons in the non-government organisations, recognise structures are being put in place to make systems foolproof and violators will be held to account, such have the benefit of reducing unethical and illegal practices. Persons who are cheating the system, while some may do so out of ignorance – though ignorance is no excuse for breaking the law, others are fully aware that they can get away with it, because, in addition to the system being porous, the penalty is negligible or they can ‘grease a palm’. Those who do not know can benefit from education in the form of public notification. Also, other solution-driven approaches can be examined and implemented.

Good governance is everybody’s business, but more importantly it can be realised when government - executive, judicature and legislature work to effect the necessary changes, which can bring about the desired results. President Granger has recorded, once again, his interest in having strong institutions like the Public Procurement Commission,

offset government spending and therefore reflect a positive contribution to the economy. He also makes reference to an incident at one of several shows held during the past month and compares it to an incident-free Rhianna world tour. I am sure that Freddie is aware of several concerts in various parts of the world where there was violence and loss of innocent lives. In Miami just last year there was a concert at which there was violence and loss of life. In my view, one of the most significant positives of the celebrations is that there were few incidents and just one tragic loss of life of a young man crushed by a truck.

There were expectations among some of rapes and robberies, but these were not to be. Even with the aggressive driving

by Guyanese motorists I have heard of no major accidents notwithstanding the many “comebackees” who took to the road in rental cars and family vehicles.

So my friend Freddie, whom I saw on at least two occasions at the fish shop on Durey Lane, hopefully enjoying the celebrations, like I did, might want to rethink his position on whether or not the celebrations should have been so big.

Yours truly Wesley Kirton

US-based Guyanese hails clean GT Dear Editor, I AM writing to congratulate the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown for the wonderful job they have done by getting the city streets cleared. I am home on vacation and I am amazed to see how tidy Georgetown has become.

They should continue until all the streets are cleared.

Previously, when I came home to Guyana, I was scared to take my family for shopping especially around Water and Regent Streets and the Stabroek Market. Longden Street is another sore. Streets are made to be passages to walk.

One place I would like to

see cleared is the vendors’ arcade which is a street. Why would one sacrifice a street and put people to sell at the expense of citizens. People who are the majority are denied their right to use the street by few greedy people.

Nobody wants to go to the land and produce; some of them I know personally too are my relatives.

They and their wives have five stalls all over employing people to sell in them. Mr. Royston King be strong, do what you have to do. I will report back to my friends in New York so they will be here to be part of the jubilee celebrations.

Regards G. Wilson

Integrity Commission and the Public Service Commission be active so as to prevent Guyana from being relegated to a rogue state. Similar calls have been coming from non-state actors, leaving no doubt that the President and society are on one accord, but these commissions and similar regulatory/oversight institutions are yet to be established.

There is growing disquiet that the President is saying one thing and responsible sections or branches of government are seemingly not acting in accordance with what are clearly his policy statements. It is hoped that responsible persons treat these issues as priority matters, deserving of immediate attention. Guyana has to emerge from its paralysis, or as the President said, the country avoids being relegated to a rogue state. Acts and perceptions of corruption are seen as being high and any unfavourable rating the country attracts from the reputable Transparency International and other external monitoring institutions will serve as reference point and guide for how other countries see and treat with this nation. These negatives must be worked on and avoided.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 2, 2016

Police arrest suspect who robbed former British soldier FORMER British soldier, Edward John Constant, Wednesday identified the man who robbed him, and the suspect is expected to face the court today.

Constant, 70, was on Friday robbed while sightseeing around the Stabroek Market. He was in Guyana at the time of independence in May 1966 and had vowed

to return for the 50th anniversary celebrations, which is why he is currently in Guyana.

He was called in for an identification parade at the Brickdam Police station, where he identified the man whom he said attacked him.

The thief carted off

Constant’s gold chain to which was attached a diamond-crested ring which belonged to his late wife, which he deemed priceless.

Meanwhile, Constant is continuing his tour of Guyana, and Wednesday spent time with children at the David Rose School.

Edward Constant shares a light moment with children of the David Rose Special School

KN attacks on our company ruthless Dear Editor,

IT was with utmost shock and astonishment for us to read the two headline news carried by Kaieteur News on May 27 & 29 respectively, attacking our companyChina National Machinery Import & Export Corporation (CMC) for poor performance with respect to GPL’s Infrastructure Development Project, or GPL’s US$42M transmission line contract as referred to by Kaieteur News.

It is obvious that Kaieteur News has now initiated a campaign to smear and tarnish our company’s reputation through sensational reporting and gutter journalism. Though the titles do not match with the content, it has already created a bad name for our company in Guyana, as what were left in the readers’ minds are the sensational titles, not the actual details which would be complicated and boring to most readers.

The message that Kaieteur News was trying to portray to the general public is that CMC is a totally incompetent and unqualified contractor and therefore unfit to undertake the job, hence it would be dead wrong to award CMC with another major power project in Guyana (see Dem boys Seh of May 29 ‘Chinese Spare parts dealer get big contract’).

These vicious attacks on our company are brutal and ruthless with the sole purpose of defamation and character assassination. As a consequence, we now seek your kind assistance to be given an opportunity to respond to some of the irresponsible and blatant lies contained in the Kaieteur News column.

1. ‘Delays cost Guyana US$9M more - engineers question equipment’ (News of May 27 ) ‘Delays cost Guyana US$9M more’, logically the report should have explained the nature of this US$9M additional costs, the correlation

between the additional costs and delay, and why the contractor should be responsible for the delay. However, this was not the case.

For the additional US$9M costs it simply implied that ‘it went over budget by more than US$9M (1.8B)’ without providing the reasons for the time and cost overruns. As for the length of delay, the report states as ‘almost two years’ (‘It was commissioned in December 2014, almost two years over the deadline’), which implies that the contractor should be blamed for this lengthy delay to bring the project to fruition. This is totally untrue. The contract came into force on May 1, 2010 with 912 days for time of completion. Due to the substantial time spent to finalise the changes to the original scope of contract in 2011, both parties (CMC & GPL) agreed to extend the time for completion for another 180 days, which brought the date of completion to September 6, 2013. Due to the extreme difficulties encountered in the procurement of suitable wallaba poles specified by GPL in Guyana and other challenges faced by the contractor, CMC was granted three (3) extensions until August 31, 2014, by which time all the substations and transmission lines had been commissioned and put into operation. The decision to source poles from the USA was approved by GPL. As for the quality of equipment, the consultants merely expressed their concerns in their letters dispatched in 2011 & 2012.

Concerns do not translate into facts. We wish to categorically state that we procured equipment from reputable suppliers who have a proven track record in supplying their products both in China and in the international market in order to ensure maximum quality assurance and reliability standards.

2. ‘Chinese spare parts trader awarded US$42M

transmission line contract’ (News of May 29) This title reflects both ignorance and/or deceitfulness of the tabloid reporter who penned the reports. Given that Kaieteur News boasts of its investigative reporting capability, it could have easily obtained information about our company’s operation by surfing the internet. Regrettably, it chose speculative and selective reporting, rather than checking on the facts.

As recently as Feb. 6, 2016, the Euro 1.9 billion 926 km Tehran – Mashhad Railway Electrification Project was formally launched

by H.E. President Hassan Rouhani. This project is being undertaken by a consortium of three companies, of which CMC is the leading company.

And back in October 2015, the Power Magazine of the United States presented the 2015 TOP PLANT AWARD to the US$1.6 Billion Manjung 1X1000MW Coal-fired Power Plant Project, which was jointly undertaken by CMC and Alstom (Energy Business now sold to GE).

This is also the first 1000MW power plant project implemented by a Chinese company in a foreign country.

Since 2004, CMC has continuously ranked among the world’s largest 225 international contractors by the renowned Engineering News-Record (ENR) of the United States until 2010, after which ENR only listed CMC’s parent company “Genertec Group”. As for Genertec Group, it was ranked at 469 by Fortune 500 in 2014 for its business turnover of US$25.7 Billion; and it was elevated to 426 by Fortune 500 in 2015 for its business turnover of US$27.6 Billion. CMC is one of the core companies of Genertec Group, with average annual business turnover at US$2.5 Billion.

CMC is a major stateowned company in China with undertaking international EPC contracts as one of its

major business components.

Our company has maintained this name since it was founded in 1951, even though the business scope has greatly expanded over the years, and machinery import and export trade business only counts for a small portion of our business turnover. It is simply unimaginable and ridiculous to paint CMC as a small company trading on spare parts as its main business portfolio.

3. Facts about the project The first three substations (Kingston Expansion, Vreed-en-Hoop, Edinburgh at WCD) and transmission lines linking these substations (including the submarine cable between Kingston and Vreed-en-Hoop) were commissioned in December 2012.

These substations have been in smooth operation for almost four (4) years now, and no major incident(s) has ever been communicated to us by the employer.

Subsequently, seven (7) more substations (Sophia Expansion, New Sophia, Good Hope, Columbia, Onverwagt Expansion, New Georgetown, Golden Grove) and corresponding transmission lines were put into operation. Except for incidents reported for the 13.8kV ABB Switchgear at Onverwagt Substations, no major issue(s) has ever been raised by the employer for the above-stated seven (7) substations. We consider that all the objectives set for the project have been achieved.

And this achievement came through the joint efforts made by all three parties, the employer, the contractor and the consultant.

4. Kaieteur News’ Obvious Agenda During the construction period of the power transmission project, we could not recall any negative publication about our company by this tabloid. On May 26, 2016, Kaieteur News carried a report about the bid evaluation of the power distribution project, and listed our company as one of the five (5) bidders.

The very next day, May 27, Kaieteur News launched a vicious and ferocious attack on our company. And in the ‘Dem boys seh’ column of May 29, it says ‘And dem boys hear that another big contract is in de making fur him.’ So it is clear our company may have been chosen as the preferred bidder for the power distribution project after bid evaluation and approval including that of the funding agency IDB, and Kaieteur News is now trying to change the course of contract award by staging character assassination on our company. If our guess is correct, then it is a total disrespect from Kaieteur News, not only towards our company, but also towards our partners (including meter and transformer suppliers from the United States; local construction company in Guyana, etc.) who have put so much effort into preparing bid documents for this project.

And if indeed there is a change of outcome for the tendering process of the power distribution project due to the distorted reports carried

by Kaieteur News, then it

would be a sad outcome for Guyana, as contract award for the country’s major development project is no longer made through a fair bid evaluation process, rather be directed by a vindictive media house who has no hesitations in resorting to mischiefs and deceits in order to achieve its agenda.

In conclusion, we wish to take this opportunity to request Kaieteur News to respect the basic ethics of news reporting and observe all applicable codes of conduct. Defamation should not be an acceptable practice to a media house. We may have used some harsh words in this letter which should forbid. In all fairness we would expect Kaieteur News to be righteous in its reporting, considering it is the most widely circulated newspaper in Guyana, and it has an obligation of truthfulness to its faithful readers, even though this may be wishful thinking on our side.

Yours sincerely, Andrew Jin Project Director, CMC

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 2, 2016

Guyanese culture and its shortcomings

By Akola Thompson WHENEVER people speak about Guyana in a good light, they often mention our diverse and rich culture, and how it remains unmatched by many countries.

While this is true, not many of us realise the greatness that lies in our diversity and culture and as such, shun it. It was only last year in Haiti that I had a small glimpse of how various cultures can merge to create something truly wonderful when I bought plantain chips from a vendor who had no sour for me to pour on it.

Haiti did not benefit from the same influx of Indians

as Guyana did; as such there was never the chance for cultures to merge and people to figure out that plantain chips tasted better with sour.

Our cultural makeup goes far and beyond ethnicity and food though, and while we are a country of varying ethnicities, religions and customs, we are all unified in our shared history.

This is not realised however, as we have sunk deeper into a culture of mimickery, superficiality, suppression and self-loathing as we cannot make links with our history and learn from it.

Knowing the history of one’s country and ancestors has its benefits, as it will show how the self-loath-

ing of our culture is not something we are wholly responsible for as it was conditioned into our ancestors by plantation masters and then into us. Being aware of history will make one realise that every time they put on American accents and upend their positive traditions for more Western ones, the plantocracy wins.

The plantocracy, suspicious of anything it did not understand chose to ban and denounce cultural practices and traditions different from their own, labeling them as being paganistic. As a result, we began to feel contempt for our culture as we were conditioned to think the “white man’s” own was bet-

ter. So we adapted his God, his mannerisms and even his biases in an attempt to become more like him and have an advantage in the world.

The dying of languages, cultural erosion, diffusion and infusion all seek to upend the fragile cultural atmosphere of Guyana. We have reached a point in which we seem to be struggling for an identity and grasping at any, which is dangled before us.

While I do believe the state has a role to play in the preservation and promotion of varying cultures, the people have depended too much on the state to make changes regarding the values and attitudes of their cultures.

Instead, we have traded in our own creole for that of Jamaica and other Caribbean islands and we twist our tongues to match that of the hackneyed Americans. We celebrate people “outside” making small ripples, but do not celebrate our own who we make large waves. We forget our mythology such as the Churlie and Water Mumma, while celebrating the ghouls and ghosts of Halloween. We even thwart our Mashramani celebration to align with that of Trinidad’s carnival.

Then of course, Guyanese wonder why our country has such a low tourism rate. That is because tourists recognize that we have no

real culture as we rush to mimic rather than create and embrace our own.

I know, nothing is fixed, changes are necessary and no one culture can claim to be pure as they have all undergone mutations when exposed to others, but these cultures have seemed to develop their own cultural uniqueness, a task which Guyana is yet to complete.

Guyanese need to embrace their color, their creole, what’s left of our culture and release themselves from the shackles of colonial mentality, as only then can we hope for a semblance of national identity, free from biases and mimickery.

Guyanese teen shot dead in Brooklyn [NY Daily News] - A 16-year-old girl was shot dead while babysitting her little cousin inside their Brooklyn apartment Tuesday — and now cops are looking for her boyfriend, police sources said.

Shemel Mercurius moved four years ago from her native Guyana to the East Flatbush apartment she shared with her aunt and cousin, relatives said.

The teen was with her boyfriend, watching over 3-year-old Josia, when gunfire rang out and she was hit several times just before 6 p.m. in the sixth-floor pad in the Flatbush Gardens on Brooklyn Ave. near Foster Ave., according to police sources.

Rescuers found Shemel semi-conscious and rushed her to Kings County Hospital, but she couldn’t be saved. Josia was unharmed

Dead: Shemel Mercurius

in the bloodshed, cops said.

Shemel’s parents still live in Guyana, said her devastated grandmother, Joan Mercurius, 70.

“I haven’t been able to reach her parents,” she said.

“We brought her here for a better life. We hoped she could go to college.”

Mercurius said Shemel was looking forward to finishing up the school year at Edward R. Murrow High

School and taking a summer job.

“She was so cute, and she grew up so fast,” she said. “This is so terrible.” About two weeks ago, Shemel’s grandfather took away her phone “because of some boy,” her grandmother said, but she wouldn’t elaborate.

“Oh my God! She was a wonderful child,” the distraught relative said. “She was never in any trouble.”

Bobby Blake, 39, who lives in the building, said he was getting his hair done when he heard the gun blasts and then someone running down the stairs.

“It was like crashes, but muffled,” Blake said. “After the loud bangs he was jetting down the steps, and my dog ran to the door.”

When he opened the door minutes later, the building was swarming with cops

and security guards, he said.

Blake said he was stunned that the gunplay led to Shemel’s death.

“She was a sweet, loving little kid,” he said.

“She’s not the type to be in any problems. She wasn’t raised in the street. She was a very decent person.”

Cops were hunting for the teen’s boyfriend and had not yet found or identified him early Wednesday, sources said. The shooting came on the eve of Gun Violence Awareness Month, as politicians and advocates called for stronger gun control measures and more funding for neighborhood anti-violence groups.

“God willing, at some point, we can stop all this,” said City Councilman Jumaane Williams (D-Brooklyn), referring to Shemel’s untimely final age. “It

should be viewed as obscene each and every time that it happens.”

At 9 p.m. Tuesday, just hours after Shemel’s death, a 19-year-old man was shot in the back and leg on

Rockaway Ave. near Livonia Ave. in Brownsville, cops said.

He was taken to Brookdale Hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

Suspected Essequibo rapist caught THE police have arrested an alleged rapist on the Essequibo Coast, Divisional Commander Kevin Adonis has confirmed.

Supenaam residents expressed their fears after the suspect brutally raped a young Supenaam mother of two recently. Reports revealed that the woman was physically attacked and raped last Friday night.

She was admitted to the Suddie Public Hospital, where she was treated for a cut sustained, while attempting to ward off a knife which was placed to her throat by the rapist.

Residents have concluded that the individual in question is a dangerous character to the community.

According to the woman, she had ventured into her yard to use the bathroom when she was attacked and raped by a man who had frequented her shop on several occasions.

The woman said she was being trailed and even threatened by the rapist. She said that she recognised the man since he called out her name and warned her not to scream.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 2, 2016

Granger restates commitment to prison reform ‒ Receives report on March riots

‒ Inquiry Commission chairman says recommendations should be implemented like ʻyesterdayʼ

By Shauna Jemmott PRESIDENT David Granger Wednesday received the report of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the March 3 Camp street riot which left 17 persons dead, calling it a “landmark report” in what was the country’s worst prison upheaval.

The report was handed over by Chairman of the Commission Justice James Patterson at the Ministry of the Presidency in Georgetown and has already found favour with the President ,who said its recommendations are vital to the country’s criminal justice system.

“This is a landmark report. It will affect a very important element in our criminal justice system and I would like to assure you all that the efforts of the Government of Guyana will be directed towards ensuring that this country becomes a safer place and that the core of our children and our men and women going into the prisons…when they come out they would not want to go in again,” the President said.

The handing-over cer-

ʻOur concern is that our concerns are urgent, immediate and we want it done like yesterdayʼ Justice James Patterson emony was also attended

by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Minister of State Joseph Harmon, Director of Prisons Carl Graham, Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Chief-of-Staff Brigadier Mark Phillips, Assistant Commissioner of Police David Ramnarine, Permanent Secretaries of the Departments of the Public Service and Ministry of Public Security, Commissioners and supporting staff of the CoI. President Granger said his government was happy to receive the report, for which the CoI had stuck to its final deadline.

He pointed out that even though the Commission came under serious criticism even before it started and persons were asking “Why a commission?” he wanted to find out what happened, why it happened, how it happened.

“We are aware that something has to be done and before we took action we had

to find out exactly what the conditions were, particularly at the Georgetown Prisons”.

While government does not want “anybody to die in the prisons under these circumstances or any circumstance”, it has also taken into consideration that the prison is in the heart of the highly populated capital city, in the vicinity of a residential area, schools and business places, “and we want to make sure that there is no threat to human safety ever again.

“We want to make Guyana safe and at the same time, we want to ensure that persons who are (resident at the) correctional facility do not feel that this is a lifetime occupation.”

Independent Guyana inherited a prison system which, with its three main prisons located in Georgetown, Mazaruni and New Amsterdam, was built in colonial times.

“They’re all over a cen-

tury and a quarter old,” he pointed out, and later Lusignan and Timehri prisons were built to supplement those three.

Over the years the prison population has outgrown the infrastructure, and the government is addressing the issue.

“We are dealing with the prison system and we have a good idea what needs to be done. We’re going to be strengthening Mazaruni and

ernment is also considering policies for alternatives to incarceration, and improving the production of food in the Guyana Prison Service. Prison staff will also be trained.

“Starting this year, prison officers will be trained in the police academy, so we expect that that will raise their level of competence. The number of prison officers will be augmented so that Mazaruni will have a larger core of prison officers and

ʻWe want to make Guyana safe and at the same time, we want to ensure that persons who are [resident at the] correctional facility do not feel that this is a lifetime occupation’ – President Granger we’re going to be continuing the process of redeploying prisoners from Georgetown to Mazaruni ,but the infrastructure of Mazaruni has to be improved,” the President told the media in an invited comment.

Along with providing facilities to encourage inmates to alter their behaviour, gov-

we’re going to build into the prison officers - among the prison officers - a team of officers who will be able to respond to incidents like the one that occurred on the 3rd of March, so we shouldn’t need to call out the defence force and the police force to support the prison service.

They will have their own

capability.”

Granger said the March 2 to 4 riots have been the worst in the history of Guyana, and has triggered the National Security Committee to make prison reform a vital point on its agenda at every meeting over the past three months.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the CoI, Justice Patterson, described the journey as one with “lots of trials” but thanked his commissioners and supporting staff for making it one that “ended well” delivering the Coi report just one day short of the May 31 deadline.

He pointed to the urgency of implementing the recommendations saying, “It is hoped that they will be executed in a timely manner, because they so deserve to be.”

He listed some of their other concerns such as improvement of physical and social services and overcrowding.

“Our concern is that our concerns are urgent, immediate and we want it done like yesterday,” Justice Patterson said.

He said given the limited time the commission had to fully execute its duties, “We were able to make it adequate.”

Speaker disallows PPP questions on ‒ party concerned about presidential pardons state of Parliament

By Ravin Singh QUESTIONS by the opposition PPP in the National Assembly regarding President David Granger’s pardoning of non-violent offenders have been disallowed by Speaker Dr. Barton Scotland.

Using his Facebook page, Anil Nandlall, who represents the PPP on legal affairs in the House, posted the Speaker’s reply to him.

Dr Scotland reasoned that the questions were “an abuse of the right of questioning” and the denial was in keeping with Standing Order 20 (2).

That Standing Order states that if the Speaker is of the opinion that any question of which a Member has given notice to the Clerk or which a Member has sought permission to ask without notice, is an abuse of the right of

questioning or infringes any of the provisions of this or any other Standing Order, he or she may direct; (a) that it be printed or asked with such alterations as he or she may direct; or (b) that the Member concerned be informed that the Question is inadmissible.

The questions sought to source information regarding the name and last known address of each of the pardoned criminals; their date of birth; the offence (s) to which the pardon relates; the criminal antecedents or record; and the length of the sentence being served at the time when the pardoned was granted.

Further, Nandlall questioned what process, if any, was embarked upon and what criteria, if any, were employed, either by the President, or someone acting on his behalf, to determine eligibility for the pardons. He

questioned too, how many of the persons, if any, to whom the President has granted pardons, have been subsequently charged with criminal offences and the names and offences of those persons.

Nandlall was taken aback by the Speaker’s decision not to allow the questions, saying that “something must be fundamentally wrong in a democracy when a nonelected member of the House seeks to prohibit an elected member of the House from asking questions that are indisputably of public importance and for which the public crave answers.”

He went on to further state that the transgression is compounded by the fact that the questions have been deemed “an abuse” without any reason provided for such a conclusion.

And although this attempt

was barred, the Shadow Legal Affairs Minister noted that this is not the end of the matter as he will “continue the battle against a creeping dictatorship.”

Concerned too with the state of Parliamentary affairs, is Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, who at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon said that the Government has suspended the standing orders and violated every parliamentary norm to get their way in parliament.

Jagdeo, speaking on behalf of his party said that they are concerned that their voices will be “muzzled in Parliament too”.

Weighing in on the pardoned criminals, Jagdeo acknowledged that the president has the power to issue pardons. However, according to him, the country has a right to know who those pardoned

persons are.

“Not that we’re questioning his authority to pardon, but the country has a right to know; and this matter has been treated as a state secret” Jagdeo said.

He said too that the Speaker has demonstrated a pattern of behavior where he appears to take his lead from the President. He pointed to three instances where he believed Dr. Scotland did not use his own judgement in the National Assembly to pronounce on issue, but was guided by the posture of the Government on those issues.

Last year, the Head of State pardoned more than 70 convicts after assuming office in May. Most of those persons were said to be mothers who had committed “non-lethal” offences.

Though he did not say what the criteria for pardon-

ing those criminals were, the President said that the process is governed by certain criteria.

“I have behaved always in accordance with the constitution and on the advice by the Minister of Legal Affairs and as far as I am concerned, as long as I continue to behave in a legal manner, in a constitutional manner, the people of this country have nothing to fear,” the President said.

Pardoned offenders are expected to participate in rehabilitative programmes that would help them to effectively reintegrate into society. It is the hope of the President and his Administration that those who have been, and will be given a second chance, make a meaningful contribution to the development of Guyana.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 2, 2016

Wheelchair-bound Fazil Azeez seeks justice ‒ wants Police to find man who attempted to ‘execute’ him FORMER Magistrate and broadcaster Fazil Azeez, who was shot and injured on April 25, 2015 at Eccles, East Bank Demerara in what he judged to be an execution attempt, has not regained the full use of his legs and is wheelchair-bound.

He told the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday that he is hoping the police can review the case since it has become cold over the years.

No one was arrested for the crime, although he gave a detailed description of the shooter and months after the incident a neighbor, who lives next to his place in Eccles, observed a man lurking in the yard and approached him.

When he could not give a

reason for being there he was taken to Providence Police Station, where he was released, even though he could not say which security service he was attached to. Instead, the neighbour was placed on the bench.

The man told the police he was working as a security guard and that is why he was at Azeez’s property in Eccles.

After an interview with the police at his home in the city after he was discharged from hospital, Azeez said the Police have not made contact with him since 2015.

He explained that even after he told detectives that the shooting was a clear “hit” because the gunman made no attempt to take the bag with

money, they keep saying it was a robbery.

Recalling that day, Azeez told the Guyana Chronicle that it was just before midday, while he was at Eccles with some money to pay the construction workers when a man came up to him saying, “Boss man I need a job.”

He told the man that he did not employ workers and turned away from him to refer him to the foreman when the man pulled out a gun and shot him in the abdomen and fled.

Azeez said he was picked up by a neighbour and taken to the Woodlands Hospital where he spent three days in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and expended $3M. Azeez, a single parent of

two sons, said he is unable to earn since the shooting incident and is living off his savings, which is almost now empty, to pay a housekeeper and provide for his children.

He had three surgical operations following the shooting.

Azeez said he is recuperating slowly and has gained the use of his right leg, while he is undergoing physiotherapy for the left leg, which remains inactive. He said the bullet hit his spinal cord, as such he lost the use of his limbs.

Azeez served for seven years as a Magistrate before going back to private practice at the end of December, 2011.

Azeez worked for several years at the then Guyana

Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), eventually serving as

the radio station’s General Manager.

Ex-National Service members honour Burnham

EX-MEMBERS of the Guyana National Service on Tuesday honoured the late President Forbes Burnham at his burial place, the Place of 1969 and The Seven Ponds.

This was in observance of the 50th Independence - the year of Jubilee.

A contingent of more than 40 persons, led by Mayor of Georgetown Patricia Chase-Green, laid a huge wreath after the singing of hymns and brief remarks.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 2, 2016

Body of Linden bridge jumper yet to be recovered

LINDEN Police continue to search for the body of the woman who jumped from the Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge.

The woman has been identified as 24-year-old Tabhita Small, known as Tambi, of south Amelia’s Ward, Mackenzie Linden.

According to Divisional Commander, Calvin Brutus, the woman was diagnosed with tuberculosis and was suffering with the disease for two years. She was admitted to the Mackenzie Hospital after fainting continuously, but was discharged on Tuesday morning and walked to the bridge, which is approximately two minutes away, before she jumped to her death.

Commander Brutus said that a search team was Wednesday sent to areas – up to Dalawala, which is approximately 6 miles up the Demerara River, in an effort to ascertain whether the body may have drifted there.

The Guyana Chronicle understands that the young

woman belonged to a very humble Rastafarian family, who depended mainly on nature for survival, with her father said to be an herbalist.

One neighbor, who preferred for her name not to be mentioned, told the Guyana Chronicle that Tabhita was a very quiet and friendly girl whom she spoke to only Sunday.

“She always smiling and she always call you by name and stuff, very quiet girl, but she is friendly; she would come and play with my niece whenever she visits the shop.

“It really breaks my heart to know it was her, she was the friendly one among the bunch,” said the neighbor.

The patrol officer of the bridge that witnessed the incident told the media that the girl was wearing a pink top, a dark blue skirt and she was bare-footed.

A fight ensued between her and a vendor before she jumped. Taxi drivers also rushed to prevent her from jumping but they were too late.

Thursday, June 2, 2016 - 14:30 hrs Friday, June 3, 2016 - 14:30 hrs Saturday, June 4, 2016 - 14:30 hrs

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Social Protection Ministry supports work of NGOs IN support of the work of humanitarian organisations, Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence, has donated computers and cash to three organisations to help in the battle against social ills.

The minister presented a desktop computer to the Prevention Of Teenage Suicide (POTS) Guyana organisation to assist in their research efforts and the operations of their Crisis Centre. The computer was presented to Dwayne Brhamdeow, a member of POTS, which takes anti-suicide messages to teenagers throughout Guyana.

A laptop computer and printer were also presented to the Agricola Outreach Group to support their community work, which includes skills training for residents. The group which

Superintendent of Police Mahendra Singh; Minister of Social Protection Volda Lawrence; Assistant Chief Probation and Social Security Officer, Mahendra Thakurdat; Aileen Chalmens and Elizabeth Williams of the Agricola Group; and Dwayne Brhamdeow of POTS Guyana at the presentation ceremony. (Aubrey Odle photo)

was launched in December 2015 with youths in the community, also works in collaboration with the Board of Industrial Training of the Ministry of Social

Protection and offers training programmes for youths.

Minister Lawrence also presented a cheque for $500,000 to Police Superintendent and Personal

Assistant to the Commissioner of Police Mahendra Singh, towards the work of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Fallen Heroes Foundation.

12

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 2, 2016

13

Facebook, WhatsApp, news sites now free for GTT users GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 2, 2016

GTT CUSTOMERS across Guyana now have free 4G access to over 20 local and international sites and unlimited access to Facebook and Whatsup.

GTT’s Chief Commercial Officer, Gert Post made the announcement on Wednesday, with the Ministry of Public Telecommunication welcoming the move.

Under the “Free 4G Basic Access to Sites Initiative” GTT customers can now browse Wikipedia, Goggle, Yahoo or any local news site without even having a data plan.

“It works with every phone and a data plan is not necessary,” Post emphasised.

According to him, GTT embarked on this initiative, in collaboration with the Government, after realizing that there are many people in Guyana who still cannot afford 4G Services, but are in need of valuable information.

Additionally, the company is offering free access to Facebook and Whatsup, which will now be included in every data plan.

Post explained that the use of these two popular

Powerpoint slides showing the free 4G Basic Access Sites GTT’s Chief Commercial Officer, Gert Post addressing the press in the presence of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Telecommunications, Derrick Cummings at the company’s flagship store at the Fogarty’s Building in Georgetown

social media platforms will be unlimited, even if the data balance is depleted.

“The use of the most popular social media in Guyana is unmetered and doesn’t deplete the data quota, so people can do much more with their data plan…Even if the data balance is depleted people can still use social media until the plan is expired,” the Chief Commercial Officer further explained.

Additionally, GTT cus-

tomers will now have free access to Facebook with every Top Up of $500 or more, however, this will only last for 48 hours.

Post said it is important for Guyanese to get “use to the digitalised lifestyle” and GTT is ready to meet their need.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Telecommunications, Derrick Cummings commended GTT for the steps taken to bridge

Fire Chief warns about leaving kerosene stoves unattended FIRE Chief Marlon Gentle has warned about using kerosene stoves and leaving them unattended.

This follows a fire at Lot 136, Silverbali Street, Meadowbrook, Georgetown, which destroyed a house and left three persons displaced on Sunday night.

He said that the fire which destroyed the house started when a kerosene stove, which was placed on an unstable surface, fell to the ground and ignited.

The Chief Fire Officer stated that the kerosene stove was placed close to the back door of the house, coupled with the strong wind it started a fire to the walls, which spread very

Chief Fire Officer, Marlon Gentle

quickly - which is an ignition of vapour (flashover) fire.

Gentle warned that at no

time should any kerosene stove be left unattended and when cooking, it should be placed on a flat stable surface, away from the wind, doorway and walls.

On Sunday night at about 23:40 hrs one of three men, including two brothers, left a kerosene stove unattended while cooking, which caused a fire that destroyed a house they shared, leaving them displaced.

Kerosene stoves left unattended have caused many fires that could have been avoided if people were more attentive, therefore avoiding situations that left many homeless.

the digital divide.

According to him, the initiative will provide Guyanese with immeasurable benefits.

He told reporters that “the easy and affordable access to information and education

augurs well for the knowledge, growth and development of a country,” adding that Guyana is no exception.

In May, GTT launched its 4G network at its flagship store at Fogarty’s Building on Water Street, Georgetown with a promise to provide faster service, with more data to fit into the new generation.

The telephone giant had expended more than US$5M to get the service up and running in time for the much-anticipated 50th Anniversary Jubilee celebrations. GTT had also spent between G$30M and G$40M to lay fibre optic cable to provide a quality service unlike any other.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 2, 2016

Winners of the Independence parade announced

THE WINNERS of the Independence Day Float and Costume Band Parade have been announced, with Digicel collecting some of the main prizes.

Head of Marketing, Jacqueline James told the Guyana Chronicle that Digicel was thrilled to have won in three categories.

The company’s float, titled “Phantom of the Arts

from whence we came”, was created by Olympia Small Sonaram, who won the prize of Designer of the Year.

“While we are celebrating our winnings, we cannot do so without being thankful to our revellers and supports who have made it possible. Without them, we would not have won. So a big ‘thank you’ to our band, and to All Guyanese for stay-

ing true to Digicel, Guyana’s Bigger 4G Network. “ Below are the results of the Costume Band and Float Parade: FULL COSTUME Large 3rd Honest Illusion & Preston Paul 2nd Region #3 1st Umobile (Digicel)

FLOAT – COMMERCIAL 2nd Jumbo Jet 1st Umobile (Digicel)

Medium 4th Ministry of Public Infrastructure 4th Ministry of Social Protection 3rd Ministry of Natural Resources 2nd Ministry of Public Health 1st Ministry of Communities

ana Natural Service 1st Amazon Warriors

Small 1st Jumbo Jet

FLOAT – NON COMMERCIAL 3rd Ministry of Agriculture 2nd Ministry of Communities 1st Ministry of Public Health

Small 3rd Guyana Ex-Police Association 2nd Ministry of Finance 1st Region #6

INDIVIDUAL Male - Ministry of Public Infrastructure Female – Umobile (Digicel)

FLOATS WITH REVELERS 2nd Ministry of Education 1st Ministry of Natural Resources

Queen – Ministry of Education King – Ministry of Public Infrastructure

BEST DESIGNER– Olympia Small Sonaram

SEMI COSTUME Large 2nd Association of Ex-Guy-

Medium 1st Demerara Village Guyana Inc.

RUNNER UP - Neilson Nurse

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 2, 2016

Rupununi villages in Arapaima business, conservation project cannot be developed without the requisite financing.

The Canadian High Commissioner described the event as an important one. He said that the project, of which Canada contributed CDN$20 million did not end Monday, as he urged that the project “step into a continuous progression”.

Executive Director of

Prominent attorney, Nigel Hughes receives documents relative to the project from a resident of one of the cluster communities in the Rupununi as Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Sydney Allicock, and Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder look on. The documents were later presented to both Ministers

SEVERAL indigenous communities in the Rupununi are expected to benefit from a catch and release Arapaima sport fishing project.

On Monday, Attorney-at-Law, Nigel Hughes presented the protocols and draft legislation, which govern the project to Minister of Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Syndey Allicock.

The project was initiated in 2012 by eco-lodges based in the villages of Surama, Rewa and Karanambu. The lodges developed a joint business initiative called The North Rupununi Cluster and secured funding from a Barbados-based private sector investment support programme, Compete Caribbean.

The North Rupununi Cluster developed a detailed plan to upgrade these lodges to international standards of excellence for sustainable tourism, with catch-andrelease sport fishing as a lucrative tourism product.

Other key objectives of the project are the protection and preservation of Arapaima stocks, and the development of small to medium scale businesses that will boost the quality of life in the surrounding communities.

The Arapaima is native to Guyana and parts of the Amazon Basin. This South American giant breathes air, and is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. Some grow to more than 10 feet (3 meters) and weigh upwards of 400 pounds (180 kilogrammes).

The presentation of the protocols and draft legislation governing the project, done at Cara Lodge in Georgetown, marked the end of the first phase of the

project. At the ceremony were Public Communications and Tourism Minister, Cathy Hughes, Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin and Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder, who later received the documents from Allicock.

Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Pierre Giroux and British High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn were also on hand at the event.

Minister Allicock, speaking on the impact of the project on the Rupununi, said the fish was being sold in Brazil or exchanged for various condiments, but the communities in the Rupununi agreed to cease any trapping of the fish so that the population could be replenished.

According to the Minister, trainers were identified and their duties included compiling reports of the number of Arapaimas in the area at the time.

“Here is where we were able to engage the various players and today I can tell you that within the three communities, we have seen the confidence of our people , partnerships, that trust; we have seen accountability,” he said of the project.

He said that along the way, there were technical issues which the young residents of the area were able to overcome in order for the project to materialize.

Minister Hughes expressed appreciation to Caribbean Compete on what she termed a “very dynamic project.” She expressed appreciation to the donors, including the Canadian High Commission, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and UK AID. She said that eco-sites

Caribbean Compete, Sylvia Dohnert noted that its mandate encompasses 15 countries in the Eastern Caribbean. She said the entity’s work is based on working with the private sector, with the governments to enhance the private sector and to produce data and knowledge relative to its projects.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday June 2, 2016

Rain washes out SA, WI training sessions

HEAVY rain for most part of yesterday completely washed out both South Africa and West Indies training sessions which were scheduled for the Guyana National Stadium, Providence..

Both teams along with Australi are currently preparing for the first leg of the 2016 Tri-Nation One-Day International (ODI) series

which is set to commence tomorrow with West Indies playing number three-ranked South Africa at the Guyana National Stadium.

On Sunday June 5, West Indies will face five-time World Cup champions and number one-ranked Australia before Australia battle South Africa on Tuesday, June 7.

All the games are day/

night encounters and commence at 13:00hrs. Gates open at 11:00hrs.

After the first round of matches in Guyana, the tournament will head to Warner Park in St Kitts & Nevis for three more games and will conclude in Barbados with the final round of three matches and the grand final at the Kensington Oval on June 26.

WICB meets Minister of State over cricketing matters PRESIDENT of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Mr Dave Cameron yesterday paid a courtesy call to Minister of State, Mr Joseph Harmon, at the Ministry of the Presidency.

Mr Cameron was accompanied by Secretary of the Guyana Cricket Board and Director of the WICB, Mr

Professional boxing hits out at move to ...

From backpage “ridiculous”.

“It’s ridiculous, it’s foolish, and some of the pro fighters are going to get beat by the amateurs. It’s just going to happen, I really believe that,” the 49-year-old told Reuters.

American Oscar de la Hoya, who won boxing gold at the 1992 Olympics as a lightweight, and went on to become a professional world champion, has also spoken out against opening up the Olympic tournament.

“Nearly a quarter-century ago, when I was just an amateur boxer, I stood atop a podium in Barcelona and was presented with what I still consider the greatest prize of my career — the Olympic gold medal,” he wrote in the Los Angeles Times in April.

“Had professionals been allowed to participate in the ring that year, I would not have made it so far.”

Anand Sanasie, with the trio discussing matters related to the functioning of the WICB. Minister Harmon also enquired about preparations for the Tri-Nation Series that will be held in Guyana on June 3, 5 and 7 at the Guyana National Stadium to which Mr Sanasie disclosed that approval has been granted

South Africa Racing Tips Vaal 08:30 hrs Hidden Agenda 09:05 hrs Miracle Bureau 09:45 hrs Runalong 10:20 hrs Bubly Reply 10:55 hrs Matsuri English Racing Tips Hamilton 09:00 hrs Harome 09:30 hrs See Vermont 10:00 hrs Birkdale 10:30 hrs Red Charmer 11:00 hrs Muhaafiz 11:30 hrs Inexes 12:00 hrs San Quentin Lingfield 09:10 hrs Ingebly Mackenzie 09:40 hrs Broughtons Fancy 10:10 hrs Rococoa 10:40 hrs Tudor Icon 11:10 hrs Talent To Amuse 11:40 hrs Bridge Of Sighs 12:10 hrs Buzz Lightyere 12:45 hrs Hint Of Grey Ripon

for Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary Logo to be placed on the field of play.

The Logo will be visible during the broadcast of the three ODI Tri-nation matches, commencing tomorrow.

The West Indies, South Africa and Australia cricket teams have already arrived in Guyana.

09:20 hrs Dalton 09:50 hrs Wotabreeze 10:20 hrs Rotherwick 10:50 hrs Lat Hawill 11:20 hrs Lady Joanna Vassa 11:50 hrs House Of Commons 12:20 hrs Bright Applause Irish Racing Tips Fairyhouse 12:50 hrs Palavicini Run 13:20 hrs Elusive Beauty 14:20 hrs Pacodali 14:50 hrs Three Majors 15:20 hrs Whippers Dream 15:50 hrs Adool American Racing Tips Belmont Race 1 U S Citizen Race 2 Rare Eagle Race 3 Sly Tom Race 4 She Doesn’t Mind Race 5 Hundred Percent Race 6 Girl Talk Race 7 Summer Breezing Race 8 Beyond the Green

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday June 2, 2016

Cavs, LeBron find same title hope obstacle in Golden State

By Larry Fine (REUTERS) - LeBron James and the Cavaliers rested up and waited through a tumultuous Western Conference finals before finding themselves right back where they were last year, going against the Warriors for the NBA title.

James, on a stated mission to bring to Cleveland the city’s first major professional sports team title in 52 years, and the Cavs hit the road to open the best-ofseven against sharpshooter Stephen Curry and Golden State at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, today.

LeBron James Cleveland fell in six games in last year’s NBA Finals, but that was an undermanned Cavaliers crew.

They were without injured power forward Kevin Love and lost point guard

Kyrie Irving after one game of the Finals.

This year they are at full strength and looking a different team under new coach Tyronn Lue, who has them running and gunning three-pointers as an Eastern Conference version of the Warriors.

James is now surrounded by potent shooters including Irving, Love, J.R. Smith and Channing Frye, who helped Cleveland set three-point records during their 12-2 charge through the playoffs that began with a pair of four-game sweeps.

Despite all this, the Warriors are heavy favourites, according to the early betting

Stephen Curry markets.

A high octane Finals could be in the offing as they match their shooting prowess against Curry and AllStar backcourt mate Klay Thompson, Golden State’s ‘Splash Brothers’.

Cleveland should be the fresher of the clubs.

“Feeling good right

now,” coach Lue said. “Focusing on trying to get better, using each practice, all the time we have to get better.”

It has been a much tougher return trip for the Warriors, who, despite their NBA record 73-9 regular season mark, had to endure Curry’s knee injury earlier in the playoffs before a huge challenge from the Thunder.

Oklahoma City not only had a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven, but also double-digit cushions in both Games Six and Seven.

“We weren’t just down 3-1, but we’d been blown out two straight games,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr

said after Game Seven.”It’s a pretty remarkable comeback.

It shows a lot about our guys and their will and their grit.”

James, a four-time league MVP, has of course shown his grit over the years as best all-around player, with defensive skills to match his offensive prowess.

This is his sixth NBA Finals in a row and seventh overall. Curry, a unanimous choice in repeating as NBA MVP, is gunning to join Boston Celtics great Bill Russell, Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan and James as the NBA’s only back-to-back MVP, NBA title winners.

Djokovic enters $100M club, Serena plays catch-up

By Pritha Sarkar

PARIS, France (REUTERS) - Novak Djokovic had 100 million reasons to celebrate reaching the French Open quarter-finals yesterday - albeit two days later than expected as players finally cleared the fourth-round backlog created by the fickle Parisian weather.

After relentless rain washed out all but two hours of play over the previous two days, under-fire Roland Garros organisers said such conditions had not been seen since 1873 as they frantically tried to play catch-up by staging 12 singles matches -- instead of just four quarter-finals as is the norm -- on day 11 of the sodden championships.

That allowed world number one Djokovic to become the first tennis player to bank $100 million (£69.3 million) in prize money after his 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-5 win over Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut tipped him over the magic number.

Having won a match that was originally scheduled for Monday, begun on Tuesday and completed on Wednesday, the 29-year-old Serb will have to play four days in succession if he is to reach Sunday’s title showdown.

“I have the feeling

Novak Djokovic

I played three matches against him,” a grinning Djokovic told the crowd after donning a yellow rain hat during his victory speech.

“Yesterday the match w as in ter r u p ted th r ee times and it wasn’t easy coming here at 09:00hrs and leaving at 19.30hrs or 20:00hrs.

“So that’s the reason why we should have the roof here,” added the Serb, who joined the likes of golfer Tiger Woods and boxer Lennox Lewis in the $100 million club.

However, rather than getting worked up about the French Open not having any court cover like the other three majors, it was the organisers’ decision to make the players compete in misty rain on Tuesday that overshadowed yesterday’s on-court action.

Serena Williams, who

like Djokovic was bogged down in the fourth round for more than 48 hours, booked her place in the quarter-finals by walloping Ukrainian 18th seed Elina Svitolina 6-1, 6-1.

She will next face Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva.

In the bottom half of the men’s draw, Andy Murray doused some early fireworks from Frenchman Richard Gasquet to win 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-0, 6-2 to set up a blockbuster semi-final against holder Stan Wawrinka. The Swiss beat Albert Ramos (Spain) 6-2, 6-1, 7-6(7).

RAIN PLAY STILL A HOT TOPIC But the hot topic of the day remained what the organisers did, or did not do, on Tuesday.

Djokovic’s victim Bautista Agut said officials had “pushed us to play two hours yesterday” - the threshold needed to avoid reimbursing money to ticket-holders - while Venus Williams labelled the conditions “really bad” after being ambushed 6-2, 6-4

by Switzerland’s Timea Bacsinszky.

“The conditions were not playable yesterday. It’s hard to see. The balls are wet, the courts are wet,” said the American, whose defeat ended hopes of an all-Williams semi-final.

French Open director Guy Forget defended the tournament’s actions.

“I understand that not refunding spectators ... has caused frustration and anger,” he said.

“If what we are being accused of were true, it would have been in our best interests to stop play before the one-hour, 59-minute mark as our insurer would have been responsible for ticket reimbursement.

“However ... our aim was to play for as long as possible, even if that meant being criticised for playing in difficult conditions.”

Djokovic will be hoping he does not face another soggy day today when he is scheduled to contest his 28th successive major quarter-final against Czech seventh seed Tomas Berdych, a 6-3, 7-5, 6-3 winner over 2013 runner-up David Ferrer.

Austrian tyro Dominic Thiem was enjoying his most successful run at a grand slam after beating Spaniard Marcel Granollers 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-1, 6-4 to set up a last-eight clash with Belgian David Goffin.

Ve n u s W i l l i a m s ’ eighth-seeded conqueror Bacsinszky, describing herself as “a chameleon” who can adapt to “every type of court”, will next face Dutch outsider Kiki Bertens

who downed American 15th seed Madison Keys 7-6(4), 6-3.

Already in the semi-finals though are Spanish fourth-seed Garbine Muguruza and 2011 U.S. Open champion Sam Stosur.

Fourth-seed Muguruza ended the run of 108thranked American Shelby Rogers with a 7-5 6-3 win, while 2010 Paris finalist Stosur beat Bulgaria’s Tsvetana Pironkova 6-4, 7-6(6).

Kulasekara quits Tests to focus on ODIs, T20s (REUTERS) - Sri Lankan pace bowler Nuwan Kulasekara quit Test cricket yesterday in order to focus his attention on the sport’s shorter formats, in which he is considered a greater threat with the ball.

“I would like to retire from playing Test cricket with immediate effect,” the 33-year-old said in a letter to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).

“After much thought, I believe it is the right time to retire and I hope it will allow me to better prepare for ODI and T20 cricket, which I would like to continue playing for Sri Lanka subject to good performance and selection.”

Despite lacking express pace, Kulasekara made the most of his ability to swing the new ball to claim 48 Test wickets since his 2005 debut against New Zealand in Napier.

Kulasekara played the last of his 21 Tests against England at Lord’s two years ago but has been

Nuwan Kulasekara a standout performer in one-dayers, with 186 wickets from 173 matches, and was ranked the top ODI bowler in March 2009.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday June 2, 2016

India to start Champions Trophy defence against Pakistan

David Richardson, Steve Elworthy and Eoin Morgan address the media during the Champions Trophy 2017 launch, The Oval, yesterday (REUTERS) - INDIA will begin their ICC Champions Trophy title defence with a mouthwatering Group B clash against arch-rivals Pakistan in next year’s tournament in England, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced yesterday.

Second in importance only to the World Cup and featuring the top eight teams in the world, the 2013 edition was supposed to be the last but the ICC decided it should continue.

The eighth tournament will feature 15 matches across three venues in England and Wales with The Oval hosting the June 18 final.

Hosts England were due to take on fast-improving Bangladesh in the June 1 opener, also at The Oval, according to the fixture schedule announced yesterday.

Group A also contains twice winners Australia, who begin their campaign against trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in a repeat of last year’s World Cup final in Melbourne in which the hosts prevailed.

Apart from India and Pakistan, Group B also includes former champions Sri Lanka and South Africa. The top two from each group progress to the semi-finals at Cardiff and Edgbaston on June 14 and June 15 respectively.

“Having won the event in 2013, we know how intense this event can be and we are under no illusion that it will be any different next year,” India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said in an ICC statement.

“In the ICC Champions Trophy, it doesn’t matter which other sides are in your group or who your semi-final or final opponents are.

“You have limited time and the key to success is consistency, and being on top of your game each time you step out on to the field. There is very little room for error.”

England are hosting the tournament for the third time, having reached the finals in 2004 and 2013.

“The ICC Champions Trophy is an elite ODI competition, contested by the sport’s top eight-ranked sides featuring the finest 50-over cricketers,” England captain Eoin Morgan said.

“As professionals, we want to be involved in such intense competitions where our individual and team skills are tested almost each day.”

Group A: Australia, New Zealand, England, Bangladesh Group B: India, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Pakistan ICC Champions Trophy schedule Group B: India (Seed 2), South Africa (3), Sri Lanka (5), Pakistan (8) *seeds based on rankings at 30 September, 2015 Schedule: 1 June – England v Bangladesh, The Oval (Day) 2 June – Australia v New Zealand, Edgbaston (D) 3 June – Sri Lanka v South Africa, The Oval (D) 4 June – India v Pakistan, Edgbaston (D) 5 June – Australia v Bangladesh, The Oval (D/N) 6 June – England v New Zealand, Cardiff (D) 7 June – Pakistan v South Africa, Edgbaston (D/N) 8 June – India v Sri Lanka, The Oval (D) 9 June – New Zealand v Bangladesh, Cardiff (D) 10 June – England v Australia, Edgbaston (D) 11 June – India v South Africa, The Oval (D) 12 June – Sri Lanka v Pakistan, Cardiff (D) 14 June – First semi-final (A1 v B2), Cardiff (D) 15 June – Second semi-final (A2 v B1), Edgbaston (D) 18 June – Final, The Oval (D) 19 June – Reserve day (D)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday June 2, 2016

‘Reds’ Perreira gives inspirational talk to Buxton United U-17 players

By Daniel Haynes

day to ensure the club members meet and spend time together to enhance cohesion.

He paused a while to enquire if there was any such system in place in Buxton, and when the reply was negative, the disappointment was clear on his face and he recommended there should be a change.

His major focus, however, was that the youths know that education is the first thing they must look after before all else.

“Education is important, it is something you should take seriously; it is vital that you finish school and have something to your name,” said Reds, who could not overstate the point. “It is always better to be prepared than to be lucky, and education prepares you for life.”

He then talked about

helping in the home and not shirking the responsibilities of doing chores. He stressed the importance of respecting authority as well as their parents.

He then let the youngsters go with two lines: “Be respectful and hold on to education, without those two things you cannot go wrong.” `Reds’ closed off the meeting by telling the officials that they should reach out to Buxtonians abroad and remember them in the community. “It is these Buxtonians who hold the power to fast-track the development of youngsters in the community.”

He added that if it was not for the Guyana Football Federation he would not be in Buxton giving the talk and expressed his gratitude to them.

Members of the victorious Regal Masters team with officials of the sponsors and organisers. of-the-Match Kippins was Mike’s Wellman were the pick of the bowlers with remaining batsmen failed to restricted for 126-9. Man- 3-14 off four overs, while offer any resistance.

Mohamed claimed 2-14.

Regal collected a trophy and $100 000 while Wellman received a trophy and $50 000.

President of the GSCL Inc., Ian John, congratulated Regal, and thanked the other participating teams. He expressed gratitude to the president of the Everest Cricket Club, Rajesh Singh, and his executives for making their venue available as well as the sponsors.

The competition was sponsored by Trophy Stall, Ink Plus, WJ Enterprise, Regal Stationery and Computer Centre and Regal Sports.

JOSEPH ‘Reds’ Perreira, the Pomeroon boy considered one of the best cricket commentators in the Caribbean, gave an inspirational and informative talk to a group of youngsters from the Buxton-Friendship community on the impact of sport on Tuesday evening.

The Buxton United Football Club U-17 players as well as the Buxton football officials benefited from his knowledge of not just sport but the inner workings of everyday life.

The first topic for Reds was infrastructure. He said infrastructure is very important. “What happens in terms of equipment at your school level is important. You all have to protect your infrastructure, and safeguard it,

Buxton youngsters flanked by (L-R) David Hinds, ‘Reds’ Perreira, Lindon France, and Dave Martins, (Cullen Bess-Nelson photos)

REGAL whipped Mike’s Wellman by 31 runs to win the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc. (GSCL Inc.)/National Sports Commission Masters Independence T20 tournament last Sunday at Everest Cricket Club.

Batting first, Regal made 160-8 after Eric Thomas, Eon Abel and Troy Kippins contributed valuable runs.

Abel (32) and Mahase Chunilall (18) added 59 for the first wicket before both batsmen were dismissed in quick succession.

Thomas (33) then shared 32 with Rudolph Baker to frustrate their opponents.

However, following their separation, Mike’s Wellman

fought back with some steady bowling, picking up quick wickets, and in the process they reduced Regal to 122-7.

But skipper Kippins fashioned an attractive 28 down the order to rally his team to a defendable total.

Shaheed Mohamed chipped in with 13. Kemchandra Dindyal (3-17) and Hardat Heranandan (2-28) were the best bowlers.

In reply Mike’s Wellman were reduced at 59-4, but Lloyd Rooplall and Dindyal kept their team in the hunt with a fifth-wicket stand of 29 before Rooplall was runout for 22.

Regal bowlers maintained their consistency, and after Dindyal departed for 24 the

because when it is gone, your development is stalled,” he told a small gathering in the Buxton-Friendship Primary School.

He said whether it is lights for a new field or something as simple as a goalpost, the care and attention given to them will determine how long they can be used.

He then quickly switched tempo speaking about the difference between clubs and teams. “It is very simple,” he said, “captains and vice-captains run teams but it is the executive body that runs a club, and it is that executive body’s responsibility to ensure the cohesion and

successful running of the club.”

Perreira could not overemphasise the point that without a club there would not be a team. At this point ‘Reds’ recounted his tenure as Santos Football Club’s coach, reliving the memory when every Wednesday the club would have a dominoes

Regal clinch GSCL Inc/NSC Independence T20 title

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday June 02, 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) 10 matches (2) Kensington Oval, Barbados (Sunday, June 26) Today’s Quiz: (1) When and where did the WI and Australia contest an ODI against each other for the first time?

(2) How many ODIs the WI and Australia have played against each other to date?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Official launch of the Aliann Pompey Invitational track meet set for today THE inaugural edition of the Aliann Pompey Invitational Track and Field meet will be launched today at Olympic House, High Street at 14:00hrs.

According to a release, the Aliann Pompey Invitational will take place on June 18 at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora and is expected to be one of the largest athletics event ever held in Guyana.

The meet has attracted Guyana’s premier local and overseas talent, as well as prominent athletes from more than 15 countries.

Four-time Olympian and

Aliann Pompey

national award winner Aliann Pompey will be present to answer questions relating to the meet.

She will be joined by representatives of sponsors and a few athletes competing in the event.

With the 2016 Rio Olympic Games less than 50 days away, many of the competing athletes will be using the competition to “find their form and this gives local track fans and athletes alike the opportunity to be part of a high-level meet right here in Guyana.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday June 2, 2016

Why not?

... Olympian Victor Rutherford questions lack of velodrome

By Stephan Sookram WITH sport infrastructure being touted as one of the focal points of the current administration, one former national coach is questioning why there isn’t more of a push to develop a national velodrome.

“Why not?” asks former national cycling coach and two-time Olympian Victor Rutherford, who still plays an active role in the sport abroad.

“Guyana is the only major country in the Caribbean and South America that doesn’t have a track, Suriname has, Barbados has, Jamaica has, Trinidad and Tobago has at least five. We have the potential for cycling and history shows that,” Rutherford contended.

Having attended the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, Russia and the 1984 Cali-

Trinidad and Tobago’s recently-constructed National cycle velodrome in Cova part of the world. fornia edition, the former “There are two types of “West Indians are known national cyclist and former cycling - road and track. If for speed, we look at those coach knows talent when you want to meet at the world athletes Roger Gibbons, Leshe sees it but is saddened stage, you have to see which lie King (Trinidad) Jamaican by the lack of push for a is better for Guyanese and in David Weller and of course cycling home. our checks and balances track Neville Hunte and Aubrey Recalling the days of would be better if you want Bryce of Guyana and we see the great Aubrey Bryce to get to the Olympics and this,” Rutherford contended. and Neville Hunte, Ruther- World Championships.”

Speaking to Chronicle ford contended that Guyana Administrators, he noted, Sport, Rutherford recounted should get serious about must embrace the racing pedthe days when cycling used securing medals. igree that is constant to this to hold crowds at the Seawall bandstand and he believes that those days can return with the construction of a velodrome.

His organisation is the Guyana Cycling Associ-

GTT, Fly Jamaica and Ansa McAl Race of Champions Round 2

GMR&SC to experiment with day/night racing

By Stephan Sookram

A DAY/night affair will be the set-up that the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) has decided on for the GTT, Fly Jamaica and Ansa McAl-sponsored National Race of Champions round two.

GMR&SC committee member Paul Jiwanram disclosed to Chronicle Sport yesterday that round two of the local racing championship will take place on Saturday July 16 2016 at the South Dakota Circuit, in contrast to the usual Sunday races.

Additionally, instead of the usual three races, there will be two races per class.

Meanwhile the club is seeking to make it an all-inclusive event as the plan is to transform the inner circuit of the South Dakota raceway to allow patrons to bring their

GMR&SC executive committee member Paul Jiwanram camping gear to facilitate overnight arrangements.

According to Jiwanram, lights have been sourced to illuminate the entire track in an attempt to ensure good clean racing with the day/night decision taken following a meeting with racing stakeholders on Tuesday.

The change is to facil-

itate competitive practice before the second round of the Caribbean Motor Racing Championships (CMRC) 2016 in Trinidad just eight days after.

The other measure, taken into consideration, was the fact that the vehicles that competed in the CMRC round one in Jamaica will be back on July 14 with several of them expected to undergo repairs and upgrades ahead of round two.

The event will begin at 14:00hrs. However scrutineering and checks will be done from 08:00hrs with time trials expected to commence two hours later Meanwhile, the GMR&SC is also looking at a possible treat for fans who attend, though this has not been confirmed.

Several of the country’s top riders and drivers are expected to be on show at the event.

ation of North America (GCANA).

FAVOURABLE RESPONSE Meanwhile, Rutherford, Bryce and others are making their views known to the highest offices in the land in an attempt to sway the policy-makers into making their dream a reality, saying “We sent a letter to the president and we copied it to the Minister of Sport, Minister of State, GCF and GOA.” “To date we have received replies from the President and the GOA sec-

retary (Hector Edwards).

The president acknowledged receipt of the letter and passed it on to Dr Roopnaraine to look at for consideration and get back to us,” the former national coach added.

“GOA would be willing to work with the GCF and us to make it a reality but we are waiting to hear what the government (Dr Roopnaraine) has to say. It cannot be done by the Cycling Federation alone,” he said.

According to Rutherford, the facility would cost between US$500 000 - US$1 million to construct if it were asphalt or concrete, but it would make its own revenue to upkeep the facility.

“Originally at D’Urban Park there was a dirt track there. But now since they cleared the area, it has been graded down but the spot is still there closer to the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall,” he said in the hope that the current government would consider it as a venue to house the dome.

Why not?

See story on page 27

Professional boxing hits out at move to open Olympic Games to pros

By Alan Baldwin

LONDON, England (Reuters) – Amateur Boxing’s decision to allow professionals into the Olympics for the first time drew fighting talk yesterday from champions and sanctioning bodies opposed to the break with tradition.

The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC), which governs the country’s professional fight scene, said the change was dangerous, disrespectful and “against the spirit of the Olympics”.

“It is the hope of the BBBC and many within the professional sport in Great Britain and throughout the world that AIBA reconsider such a move that is not beneficial to the sport as a whole,” it added in a statement.

AIBA, the international boxing association for amateurs, earlier approved a constitutional change that would allow professionals to

Juliao de Miranda of Brazil (blue) fights with Hamza Touba of Germany during the International Boxing Tournament, which is a test event for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, December 4, 2015. (Reuters/Ricardo Moraes) compete at the Rio Games in members. will be up for grabs when that there would be a disparity It follows a decision in fighters compete at a qualify- between amateurs and profesAugust.

AIBA boss Ching-Kuo March to extend the scrap- ing tournament in Venezuela sionals, boxers with experiWu told Reuters in Lau- ping of head-guards in men’s next month. ence of both disagreed. sanne that the change to amateur boxing - introduced While an AIBA spokes“They’re two different the AIBA constitution was three years ago - to the forth- man said the governing body sports. It’s like a badminapproved with 95 per cent coming Olympics. was “acting for the Olympic ton player playing tennis,” Some 26 Olympic spots legacy” and rejected fears said Northern Ireland’s Carl in favour - 84 of 88 voting

Frampton, a former amateur who has won WBA and IBF world title belts at super-bantamweight, on Twitter.

“What about the amateurs who have been dreaming of the Olympics for years, have yet to qualify and some pros take their spot at the last minute?”

Britain’s former professional world champions Carl Froch and Ricky Hatton also criticised the change.

“Goodbye amateur boxing now as far as I’m concerned. Can’t say I’m a fan of this,” said Hatton, the former world welterweight and light-welterweight world champion, on his Twitter feed.

Former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, who as an amateur won gold at the 1981 and 1982 Junior Olympic Games, last week branded the proposal

See page 23

Rain washes out SA, WI WICB meets Minister training sessions of State over cricketing matters

President of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Mr Dave Cameron (left) on Wednesday paid a courtesy call on the Hon. Minister of State, Mr Joseph Harmon at the Ministry of the Presidency. Mr Cameron was accompanied by Secretary of the Guyana Cricket Board and Director of the WICB Mr Anand Sanasie (right). See page 23

See story on page 23 The practice pitches at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence were under cover for the entire day yesterday.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016