Guyana chronicle e paper 02 19 2017

SEE INSIDE

Fung-A-Fat exercises at Fitness 53 gym (Sameul Maughn photos)

The ‘diverse’ Senior Counsel ► Page

XXVI

See inside:

Jimmy Hamilton: The man who II helped coin the word "Mashramani" ► Page

Fifteen-year-old Lethem ► Page XVIII fisherman dreams big of owning his own fishing business

Senior Counsel Charles Fung-A-Fat

Karaoke, outdoors, reading, body-building

City in contempt Baby Ovir diagnosed with cancer at two years old ► Page

XXVII

No. 104828

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2017

Price: $140

(VAT Inclusive)

– MAPM threatens court action if parking system continues Monday

Page 5

AFC slams Jagdeo

Chapman is champ

Page 2

…says he has a legacy of failure

Centre Page

Guyana on right track financially – CDB Economic Director

Page 9

GPL $4.6B project to go on ...court throws out Fix-it Hardware challenge

Linden’s Diana Chapman during her winning Calypso performance (Photo by Tamica Garnett)

Page 12

Small miners state their grievances

Page 9

AFC slams Jagdeo 2

…says he has a legacy of failure THE Alliance For Change calls on former failed President and now floundering Opposition Leader, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo, who along with his successor presided over what had effectively become a narco-economy, to conduct himself with some semblance of decency and honesty.

The AFC finds recent comments by Mr. Jagdeo that he would give an F grade to the APNU+AFC Government as lacking any sense of objectivity or fairness. This approach however fits with the far-right extremist approach and utter desperation that Mr. Jagdeo has adopted in treating with matters as Opposition Leader.

The AFC wishes to re-

mind Mr. Jagdeo that his regime left Guyana in a literal and figurative mess and tatters when it was rejected by the electorate and forced to exit government in May 2015. The APNU+AFC Coalition Government has been diligently working to restore law and order to Guyana, to provide better education, health and social services to the people, to modernize public infrastructure and to clean up and beautify our beloved Guyana which was left in a state of putridity and filth by Jagdeo’s PPP. The achievements in the mere 20 months of the APNU+AFC Coalition Government can compare favourably with the PPP’s minimal achievements for 23 years.

It was the APNU+AFC Coalition government, Mr. Jagdeo must be reminded, which held Local Government Elections in Guyana after an absence of 22 years, during which time it was his party which failed to deliver LGE to the Guyanese people.

The party wishes to remind Mr. Jagdeo whose memory appears to be fading that since coming into office the APNU+AFC Government has: (i) increased public servants salaries by 37% (ii) reduced the PPP imposed VAT from 16% to 14% (iii) passed the Telecommunications Bill (iv) restored decency and cleanliness to Georgetown (v) held Local Government

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

Elections (vi) restored law and order (vii) established the Public Procurement Commission (viii) increased Old Age Pension by over 45% from $13,125 to $19,000 (ix) increased minimum wage from $39,540 to $55,000 (x) increased the tax threshold from $50,000 to $60,000 (xi) built and resurfaced roads and bridges all across Guyana? (xii) restored A credible international image to Guyana (xiii) robustly defended Guyana’s territorial integrity (xiv) passed the Anti Money Laundering/Counter Terrorism Act (xv) established three new towns (xvi) opened hinterland community radio stations (xvii) reduced the Berbice Bridge toll?

There is much more that

can be listed as achievements of the APNU+AFC Coalition Government but the above list should suffice. And yet the Coalition Government continues to work to achieve even more to realise the good life for all Guyanese.

With regard to the protection of Guyana’s borders the AFC wishes to remind Mr. Jagdeo that it was he who revealed that his government was considering an outrageous option to “give Venezuela a channel” effectively ceding maritime space to our western neighbour.

Mr. Jagdeo has no moral authority whatsoever to speak on the performance of government when as president his performance was mired in failure. Mr. Jagdeo’s presidency is synonymous with obscene corruption, hundreds of extra-judicial killings, drug lords overrunning the

nation and a narco-state, fear embedded in the hearts and minds of citizens and failed foreign relations. It was in reference to Mr. Jagdeo’s presidency that a then sitting CARICOM Prime Minister said that he (Jagdeo) had reduced Guyana to the state of an “international panhandler”.

Given these indisputable facts, it is Mr. Jagdeo who is out of touch with reality and seems to be living in a state of extreme denial in his controversially acquired extravagant mansion in Pradoville. It is the view of the AFC that Mr. Jagdeo needs to reflect on his resounding failure as a president in flattening growth and development in Guyana before he begins to contemplate casting judgment on this or any other government.

Petition against 14% VAT on education engaging Cabinet’s attention CABINET Secretary and Minister of State Joseph Harmon on Friday said the petition against the imple-

mentation of Value Added Tax (VAT) on education is engaging the attention of Cabinet.

As of February 1, 2017, Private education institutions are required to pay a 14 per cent VAT as a result of the removal of zero-rated items in the 2017 budget.

Responding to questions posed by the media during a post-cabinet press briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency, Harmon said he is in receipt of several letters from

private institutions all of which he has acknowledged.

“The matter is engaging our attention,” he said noting that Finance Minister Winston Jordan made note of the fact that some private schools are “Charter Schools” and as a result do not pay taxes. The Cabinet Secretary said Minister Jordan will issue a statement on

the matter.

“He basically will lay the case on the table,” noting that many institutions may cite withdrawal of students from their institutions because of the implementation of the measures. He said he does not have any figures to show that there has been a decline in numbers at private institutions as a result of the 14 per cent tax implementation.

“I do not have the figures, I cannot comment beyond that, but what I can say in fact, it did attract the attention of Cabinet and Minister (Winston) Jordan will come out with a statement on the matter soon.”

There has been a public outcry on the implementation of VAT on education but the Finance Minister appears unmoved by the public disagreement noting that if parents can afford to enroll their children at private institutions then they can well afford to pay a 14 per cent tax on the tuition.

In an interview in another section of the media recently, the Finance Minister was quoted as saying, “While the earnings from VAT can be used to address social ills; it is a fiscal tool. Our Education Act says that we want to make sure people are not denied education and educational opportunities in Guyana. There is a wide

range of education opportunities provided at both the state level and at the private level, the choice is always at the user to determine whether to use public or private.”

Jordan said too that “VAT is not a cure for social ills; it is first and foremost a fiscal tool.

I said we are aiming to reduce VAT but in doing so we will seek to broaden the base as wide as possible. There is no VAT on public education; it remains a choice of the parent.

Government is not making that choice for them.”

Recently, Director of School of the Nation, one of many private education institutions, Dr Brian O’Toole, began a petition against the implementation of the tax.

O’Toole in a letter to the editor warned that the move by the APNU+AFC administration can cause hardship to those who are already disadvantaged and are attending his institution.

“For those who come to Nations daily in luxury cars this new additional tax is an annoyance but to the 16-year-old school leavers who are part of the 800+ ABE cohort, some of whom pay the fees in $100 bills, this new imposition may simply mean they stop the course, stay home and lose hope, and add to the growing numbers of the unemployed and unemployable,” O’Toole said in his missive.

3

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

Gov’t to sign US$8.46M loan with IFAD

By Ariana Gordon GUYANA will on March 21, sign an agreement with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for a loan of US$8.46M while the country will inject US$2.43M into the Hinterland Environmental Sustainable

Development Project, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, announced on Friday.

The loan will be signed in Rome, Italy, by Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan and President of IFAD, Kanayo Nwanze.

Harmon said the project “will provide for the

development of investment plans for the establishment of local value chains, the establishment of an investment fund for farmers, the execution of a food and agricultural study in Region One, Barima-Waini and institutional strengthening.”

Additionally, the project will be executed in all

sub-regions in Region Nine, along with Sub-Regions Mabaruma and Moruca, Region One and is expected to benefit over 80 Indigenous communities.

The project will comprise two main components which include strengthening of communities and producer groups’ investment

planning and implementation of investment plans.

A third component will be dedicated to project management, monitoring and evaluation, and knowledge management.

The project is aimed at contributing to the government’s objective of reducing poverty, and ex-

clusion and isolation of hinterland communities.

It will also be aligned with the government’s National Strategy for Agriculture in Guyana 2013-2020, the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and the Food and Nutrition Security 2011-2020 Strategy (FNSS).

Relatives claim premature baby died after receiving blood transfusion without parental consent at GPHC

By Vanessa Braithwaite The relatives of a premature born baby who died on Tuesday at the Georgetown Public Hospital Complex, are claiming that the baby’s death is as a result of a blood transfusion that was given to him even as the parents did not give permission for same. According to the baby’s grandmother Lucette Timmerman, the baby was born at the Linden Hospital Complex at 28 weeks on the 16th January and was transferred the GPHC in a stable condition and breathing independently on the 17th January. She said that the hospital made a decision to transfer the baby since LHC does not have the equipment and resources to provide pre term care.

Since his mother was not discharged from LHC she initially took care of her grandson and noted that day by day

he was progressing and was increasing in weight. “He was breathing on his own and everything. Every morning the baby would go and see doctor and the doctor would say just keep increasing the breast milk to feed baby,” she related. She alleged that the baby was in the care of Doctor Singh and Hinds (only names given) but one afternoon he was seen by some new doctors, who told his mother Latoya Winfield that the baby needs a blood transfusion. “My daughter came and told me that some new doctors look baby and that baby look pale and baby want blood and so they will give baby blood but the afternoon when she went back baby wasn’t given blood, but the next day when she went back she said they gave baby blood and by afternoon when she went back baby was critical, baby bleeding from his brain, baby belly swollen, blood

start running out through baby mouth,” she related to this publication.

She said she immediately visited the Intensive Care Unit at the hospital and the baby; at the time he was in a terrible state. “When I go to the ICU I see they had a tube in baby mouth and the blood just gushing out from the tube.” She said that the entire procedure seems amidst since the transfusion was not given in the presence of the parents or family member and immediately after, the baby’s condition went from stable and improving to critical which resulted in his death. When she asked how much blood the baby received she said the doctors related ‘only two lil syringe.’ When the baby died around 4 PM, the relatives were then told that the baby’s blood count was low but this seemed strange since all along they were reporting to them that “the baby is doing

fine.” Lucette claims that the family is not getting enough answers from the hospital and needs closure on this issue.

“Yes that is what we trying to find out but they covering up.

Dr. Singh and Dr. Hinds was baby regular doctor and we are trying to find out who is this new doctor that ordered the blood but they trying to cover up. Dr. Singh just saying that the baby need blood so I said why is it that you never said baby want blood and since this woman come on this shift she said baby want blood. Them aint ask the mother consent nothing but they just choose to give baby blood,” Lucette argued.

When the Guyana Chronicle contacted GPHC for a comment, Public Relations Officer Ms Miczi Campbelle said that the hospital at the time cannot comment on the matter since the consultant was not in possession of the baby’s chart. She said that

information will be made available at a later date.

According to the Canadian Pediatric Society, premature babies are often born with anaemia (a low blood count) and 90% of these are transfused. “More than 90% of extremely low birth weight infants are transfused, and they receive an estimated average of five transfusions each. “Premature babies are often anaemic. This means that they do not have enough red blood cells. Normally, the foetus stores iron during the latter months of pregnancy and use it after birth to make red blood cells. Infants born too soon may not have had enough time to store iron,” the society stated in an article featuring blood transfusion in preterm babies. It also posited that transfusion is done only after reasonable efforts have been made to provide a larger initial blood volume.

These include treatment

with dietary iron supplements, drugs that increase red blood cell production and increased feeding on breast milk since it provides all the nutrients needed. If all of this is done and the baby continues to suffer from anaemia then a blood transfusion may be done.

If this is the case however, there are specific considerations for blood-banking procedures. “New-borns, particularly extremely low birth weight infants who are most exposed to transfusion, are already immunologically compromised and neurodevelopmentally vulnerable, all transfusion-transmitted infections put the new-born at risk.”

4

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

Comply or face consequences – CARICOM warns states that fail to comply with policies agreed upon

By Ravin Singh The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has issued a strong warning to member states that fail to comply with decisions agreed upon by the regional bloc.

This was according to Caricom Chairman, President David Granger, speaking at a press conference on Friday following the conclusion of Caricom’s 28th Inter-sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government.

President Granger said after deliberating for two days, the regional bloc was concerned that decisions which have been agreed upon in the past were not being complied with.

He added that it was agreed that actions would be taken for non-compliance.

“We continue to be concerned that some of our previous decisions have not been fully complied with and

(L-R) Caricom Secretary General, Irwin LaRocque; Caricom Chairman, President David Granger; and incoming Caricom Chairman, Grenada ‘s Prime Minister Keith Mitchell, at Friday’s press conference following the conclusion of the 28 Inter-sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM

agreed that the necessary action will be taken to effect compliance.”

The chair said too that the meeting also addressed the need for the relevant ministerial councils and committees to meet to follow up on decisions which would have been made and agreed upon.

Revealing some of the non-compliant areas, Car-

came out in a review of the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME), where the bloc was able to identify instances where member states did not fully comply with particular decisions made.

“The review has revealed some of those and we have until March before an indication is made as to what steps will be taken to bring them [countries] up to speed…” he said, adding that he remains hopeful that the Community will be able prepare both treaties before the Caricom Summit in July of this year.

icom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque explained that there are two types of decisions at the level of Caricom.

He said the first is the institutional level, which has bearing on various forms of treaties where some of the organs of the community are not meeting on a timely basis or are taking too long to address issues; some of which include the arrest warrant treaty and the sharing of assets treaty.

“When heads met here last July it was agreed that Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves engaging Guyanese journalists on Friday at the Marriott Hotel

the appropriate officials would meet to finalise that treaty and the sharing of assets treaty,” LaRoque said.

However, with this not being achieved, the secretary general said that the heads once again determined at the Inter-Sessional Meeting that they will do what is necessary to ensure officials meet to address these particular issues.

He added that those matters (the treaties) are still under some legal consultation and consultation must be done at the national and regional levels to speed up implementation of some of the decisions made.

The other category of decisions LaRoque said,

Sunday, February 19, 2017 - 11:30 hrs Monday, February 20, 2017 - 13:00 hrs Tuesday, February 21, 2017 - 14:00 hrs

Meanwhile, President David Granger related that during discussions at the Inter-Sessional Meeting, the matter of free movement of skilled persons was ventilated.

He said CARICOM “agreed on priority areas to be addressed, including the completion of the protocol on procedures relating to facilitation of travel”.

Additionally, the regional body commended the significant progress in implementation of the CSME, but agreed that the challenges of payments for goods and services traded within the region have to be addressed.

DATE: 18/02/2017 18/02/2017

N 07 13 14 17 22 25 15

13

14

20

23

26

18/02/2017

07

08

09

18/02/2017

0

05

01

18/02/2017 05

11

12

13 15 18

20

5

City in contempt SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

– MAPM threatens court action of parking system continues Monday

By Ravin Singh SHOULD the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) forge ahead with plans to continue implementation of the metered parking system in Georgetown, it could be slapped with a court order for contempt.

Two court actions have since been brought against the M&CC in the High Court.

The first was brought by New Building Society (NBS), which said the meters were an inconvenience to their staff and customers.

Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan and Town Clerk Royston King have been asked by Justice Brassington Reynolds to justify why the parking meter project should not be scrapped.

This matter will be heard before Justice Reynolds on Monday.

On the other hand, Mahendra Arjune has brought a separate action against M&CC in the High court.

Acting Chief Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards has since made another order requesting M&CC and the Town Clerk to also provide just cause why the parking meter contract should not be quashed.

This matter will also come before Justice Reynolds on February 27.

However, despite these two pending orders, Mayor Patricia Chase-Green has indicated that the local government body will continue implementation of the project from Monday.

“As of Monday next, we will resume implementation of the parking meter project,” the mayor said on Thursday at a press conference. She justified this position, reasoning that, “There is not an injunction that stops us from operating.”

It has not been made clear if a resumption of implementation means that persons who are non-compliant with the by-laws will be penalised as is stipulated.

Mayor Chase-Green did say however that, “Nobody said we’re starting back clamping on Monday,” while Town Clerk Royston King suggested that the M&CC will be renewing its operations, which include tools available to them for non-compliance of the by-laws.

In a more recent development, the Movement Against Parking Meter (MAPM) has since indicated that a court order will be filed against

Attorney Pauline Chase explaining the legal steps which could be taken, should the M&CC decide to continue implementation of the parking meter project on Monday (Photo by Delano Williams)

M&CC should the local government body decide to continue implementation of the project.

Speaking on behalf of the movement at a town hall meeting on Saturday at St Stanislaus College, Attorney Pauline Chase said that “… should Smart City Solutions [and the M&CC] take that step on Monday; we will see an application being moved to the court for contempt.”

Smart City Solutions

(SCS) is the company contracted by the M&CC to manage and operate the metered parking system in and around Georgetown.

Explaining the court orders, Chase said that what has been ordered is an “Order

Nisi”. She said this means that the appellant have enough grounds upon which to call the persons to show cause why a specific order should not be made.

“That Order Nisi act as a stay. At the very least, [if there is] any matter before the court, a party should not take any step which would in any way render the proceedings void for any reason,” the attorney told a gathering of more than one hundred persons.

She said the court order acts as a stay “and any act contrary to that would be in contempt or at the very least contentious”.

Contempt of court refers to behaviour that opposes or defies the authority, justice, and dignity of the court.

Additionally, Chase pointed out that for action to be taken against the M&CC should they move ahead with implementation of the project, an application for contempt must be made through the High Court.

And according to the

attorney, this is likely to happen, should the local government body act on its word. “…you would need the court, being moved by an application for contempt, to so order. And I rather suspect that should SCS take that step on Monday, we will see an application being moved to the court for contempt.”

The movement has since been calling for a revocation of the contract which was signed without the knowledge of most of the members of the City Council.

At the meeting on Saturday, four councillors were present and two indicated that they were unable to see what the contract looks like.

Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan has also been against the project which he says has not been a transparent one. Duncan has pointed out that the project did not go to tender and was signed behind the backs of the elected councillors, some of whom have not even seen it to this day.

6

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

Editorial

Investment Opportunities W

ITH THE need for more foreign direct investments to drive economic development here, Guyanese are not without the capabilities to rise to the occasion.

For starters Guyana has a ready and willing diaspora desirous of investing in the economy. Additional to the exposure to other cultures, and in some instances better technologies, their acquired skills, talents, and other resources are worthwhile of being explored and harnessed. For years this resource pool has been seeking to make a contribution and thus far still await a one-stop facility to facilitate this need.

The view that investment for the establishment of new development should be predicated on foreign initiatives could be re-visited. There is little denying where this pre-occupation exists it could serve as de-motivator, create complacency, stifle the creative capabilities of the people, create avenues for perpetual exploitation, and undermine sovereignty.

The government’s developmental focus on the Green Economy model creates the possibility for new forms of investments which could be encouraged and realised by the local sectors - private, state and cooperative- and diaspora.

There is a view that foreigners and non-Guyanese desirous of investing here get preferential treatment by state agencies and the banking community. That this perception exists, whether true or not, it would be to government advantage to revisit and seek to correct same. For Guyanese, domestic and in the diaspora, being able to invest in Guyana is being able to own a piece of Guyana, which breathes greater loyalty to country and fellow citizens.

There exists much opportunities in a Green Economy.

Organic farming is one of them and it includes the production of fertiliser, new ways of disposing and reconstituting waste, liquid and solid.In 2014,the global organic food industry was pegged at US$80B and growing.

Guyana has much pristine forest and virgin land and opportunities are limitless for citizens to penetrate this market. Where organic alternatives to sweeteners and food seasonings are being pursued, in the presence of sugar and rice experiencing challenges, redirecting of focus in creating opportunities for bee rearing to produce honey and the production of herbal spices/condiments are viable economic alternatives.

The Israelis have a community called the Kibbutz which engages in agriculture along the cooperative principles. It is understood that this group is already in our savannahs producing foods for export. Our local cooperative sector can be looked at through providing strong intervention and technical support from the government to capitalise on the opportunities the green economy offers.

The idea was mooted in Region 10 by the previous Regional Democratic Council to create economic and employment opportunities for the residents by engaging in hydroponic farming. If this idea is not yet built on,it is deserving of further exploration for implementation. Guyana has numerous springs that afford the opportunity for exporting water. Transparency Market Research predicts that the global bottled water market is expected to reach US$279.65B in 2020.

A visit to the supermarkets and stalls will show heavy

Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams Editor

Godfrey Wray

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

Editorial

reliance on the importation of foreign foods and toiletries such as tamarind balls, plantain chips, loafer brush, herbal teas, etc, that can be produced here for local and international markets. In addition to expanding the eco-tourism industry, there can be the examination of creating local investment in state companies ownership, by going public and selling shares on the stock market. Banks DIH and DDL have successfully utilised this model.

Looking inward to attract investment requires State involvement and direction. China’s economic prowess and global influence have been achieved through the establishing of State companies that are involved in day-to-day business. This interest spawns the mining, construction, and trade sectors, among other areas. Rather than await foreigners coming into our extractive sectors, government could look at examining state companies with the prime intention to benefit significantly from our precious minerals.

Where foreign investment does not focus on developing our local economy and the people, its importance to development should be lower down the totem pole.

One of the contentions with the parking meter is that the contract awards 80 percent of the revenue to a foreign investor who most likely would repatriate it. There have been negative reviews of the benefits and treatment the economy and Guyanese have experienced, as in the instances of Bai Shan Lin and the Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated.

There are lessons to be learnt and benefits to be derived investing in Guyana. It’s better served when the primacy of investment is looked at through lens and programmes of empowering the people to utilise their resources for their development.

Given the right environment Guyanese can do it and compete in the international market.

The Parking Meter, One of the best deals in Guyana’s history DEAR EDITOR, GIVEN the history of Guyana and foreign investors in the past, I would like to voice my concern and say that Smart City Solutions is one of the best deals that Guyana has accumulated in the past years. Unlike the notorious investors such as Omai Gold Mining Inc. and the infamous Bai Shan Lin international forest Development Inc., not forgetting to mention the insidious Marriot Hotel Project.

It was shown in the contract that was made between

Guyana and Omai Gold Mining Inc. that Guyana was given a meagre 5% of total earning that Omai made while operating in Guyana, whereas Smart City Solutions is given Guyana an abundant sum of 20% of its gross income to the Mayor and City Council and an additional 14% of its income to the government through VAT; which collectively can be used for the growth and betterment of the city and its citizens.

Furthermore, in another contract signed between Guyana and the well-known

Bai Shan Lin, it was clearly depicted that the company never complied with laws of Guyana and were ‘ripping off’ the nation in several ways! In addition, the company was resorting to malicious means to harm the environment, not thinking about the impact it would have on the world, country, citizens and the wildlife.

Moreover, the company resorted to not paying dues and royalties to Guyana, whereas Smart City Solutions is trying its best to meet the needs of the people in this city and country.

Smart City Solutions is also making amendments to the contract it has with the M&CC to provide for and meet the needs of this city.

Even in the sight of knowing they will incur a huge loss, SCS is for the people and with the people of Guyana; why I say so, it’s that SCS promotes a green economy, enables the development of Georgetown into a smart city and it’s a company that doesn’t discriminate anyone.

If you explore the employees of SCS, you will be able to discover that the company hires local persons of all

race, creed, sex and culture unlike the insidious Marriot hotel where they only employed persons that weren’t even from Guyana, but from China! - to construct the building and work at the Marriott when it became operational.

In my opinion, I think SCS is one of the best deals in Guyana’s history, hands down, due to the immense percentage that the city is receiving from SCS, because the company follows the laws of Guyana, they don’t evade taxes and most of all they value the needs and

wants of the citizens of this country and try their utmost best to accommodate their requests.

I strongly look forward to see Smart City Solutions continue its operations in Guyana for the unforeseeable future because I know that the citizens and city alike will benefit tremendously from this lawful project. Let us all build a better city, a smart city, a green city! Say YES to one of the best deals of all time!

Best Regards, ROHAN PERSAUD

7

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

Importance of innovation for progress

Dear Editor

IN recent years, China has been dominant in every sector on the international stage, contesting the US economy as the second largest. But this did not happen because China has no challenges or problems.

Although China has traditionally been somewhat of a closed society, it has been challenged like Guyana by territorial controversies, social, economic and migration issues. Experts will posit that the political and cultural dynamics vary tremendously and are pivotal factors in the revolution of China’s development.

While this is so, there is an overarching element that can be attributed to the rapid change in China’s trajectory. That element is innovation. Innovation is the creation of new methods, ideas, products, etc to counter challenges. One of the innovative initiatives currently being pursued

by China is that of the “Belt and Road”. One can study that innovation and the unfolding to date, particularly as it relates to commerce.

Like China, Guyana can be positively transformed through innova-

tions. This was sounded by the President last year when he addressed youths and small business entrepreneurs. Unfortunately, our society seems unwelcoming to innovation. Innovation is not exempt from vices. In Guyana, some of those vices are mental constraints, prohibition by anachronistic laws, practices and socio-cultural nuances, which often fixates this country into quiescence or remonstration.

The Parking Meter issue is a good example. For years parking has been a headache in the City of Georgetown. Its twin has been horrendous congestion. Those of us who drive and are honest will attest to that fact. The authorities, mainly past, seemed incapable of solving that problem. While that was taking place, the City Fathers and their surrogates struggled to raise revenue to keep the City clean and enhance its infrastructure, given the gross negligence by some property owners, businesses and entities to pay up their rates and taxes. Even after repeated amnesties by the Mayor and City Council, some of these people continued to dodge their obligations. It is ironic that many of the

same errant tax-payers led the howl against the “revenue collecting” parking project. I do not like the way the Parking Meter project was introduced nor contracted, so that must be made clear. I do not believe SCS should have been in Guyana in the first place, so that must be made even clearer. But, when you aren’t innovative you often end up taking what other people dispense to you. That is a very unfortunate reality. There are some exceptions of course, and kudos should be given to those few businesses in the City that provided micro-parking facilities to their customer or paying public – I trust that those businesses paid their relevant taxes to the Council.

The next example has to do with crime solving.

The police in their efforts to solve some larcenies often hit a huge stumbling block when finger prints are obtained from some crime scenes but no matches are found in their database. The police database is limited. I was reliably informed that prints on that database are captured from only profiled persons or those with prior criminal records. So how do we capture new criminals? Do we continue mass profiling? What

Disappointed with Mash route Dear Editor, PERMIT me space in your newspaper to express disappointment with the continued buffoonery occurring with the 2017 Mashramani route.

I write on behalf of myself and all honest, hardworking vendors who depend on large events like Mashramani to increase the income earned.

I think it is absolutely ridiculous that the Mash route would return the same as it were last year from Brickdam to Durban Park. For one thing, this route is not only short but it provides limited areas for any vending to occur. I see this change as being bad for business and bad for the visitors, Guyanese or oth-

erwise, who come to Guyana for this event.

I would have thought that with all the talk about tourism and the promotion of self -employed persons, opportunities would have been provided to allow for this.

However, it feels as if a concerted effort is being made to shrink the enthusiasm of the event. In my view it is either that, or someone very incompetent is responsible for this activity. It would require ones imagination to figure out why Minister Nicolette Henry is again responsible for a national event. I would have thought that after plastic cutlery at a significant event such as the country’s 50th Independence Anniversary dinner and the lamest program to celebrate our Golden Jubilee,

the government would have learned their lesson.

There is already very little to do in Guyana; little entertainment. If Guyana is touting economic development, quality living and an open door policy to the world, then events like Mashramani which is significant to our history should be promoted not downplayed.

For the sake of hard working Guyanese who choose to make their daily living vending and others who own businesses, I kindly ask that the government review the Mashramani route and place resources where necessary for better promotion of this event.

Regards PETER JOSEPH

collaboration is there between the GECOM, with its vast national database and finger print records, with the Guyana Police Force?

I know some “Rights Groups” will create a riot over what I’m insinuating here, but they also need to consider the magnitude of larcenies and violations of the rights of hard-working, honest citizens who fall victim to crimes left unsolved because of the CID’s limitations. Perhaps, the Honorable Minister of

Public Security and Crime Chief may wish to explore the option of synergies or limited access by the CID to the GECOM finger print database in their efforts to accelerate crime solving.

Launching a completion for innovators to come up with brilliant initiatives is another option. Guyanese need to get their minds working properly and progressively again. Anyone can grumble; anyone can complain, make excuses or criticize, but few are actual-

ly constructive. In January, 2016, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged his senior officials “to make innovation the priority of development”. It was recognized that the lack of innovation ability is the Achilles’ heel to national development.

Guyana can learn many lessons there.

Let’s try some innovation!

Regards ORETTE CUTTING

8

CRIES OF THE CITY

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

By Moses Nagamootoo

FOR weeks now we have heard the cries of this city against the implementation of metered parking in Georgetown.

Admittedly, the fees for parking were unconscionably too high. Citizens boycotted the parking zones. For days there were only somber streets to show for what used to be a lively and even boisterous town.

The machines that were meant to symbolize the restoration of order, cleanliness and pride to our Garden City have instead been cynically dubbed “green monsters”.

The Georgetown Metered Parking By-laws, which came into effect on January 17, 2017 rendered otherwise oppressive measures legal. These include excessive immobilization or clamping fees, towing fees, impoundment fees and storage fees. It would cost $34,000 plus VAT to recover one vehicle, if subjected to all four stages of the enforcement process.

A further imposition of up to $100,000 would attend legal proceedings in a case where the vehicle owner is fined for a parking violation. The final touch of salt in the wound is in a case where, after six months, the impounded vehicle is sold at auction where the owner fails to re-possess same after notice of the intended auction is published.

TORRENT OF PROTEST I am disappointed that in spite of the torrent of protests, the Georgetown Mayor has announced resumption of the project, from tomorrow.

What had started as a protest against the high fees and the clumsy clamping of vehicles at a time when citizens little understood how the metered parking system was working, developed into a full-blown objection to the agreement between City Hall and the meter company. The subsequent reduction of fees, when announced, became a palliative not a remedy for the distress the project had caused citizens who, less than one year ago, voted the City Elders into office.

I have read and reviewed all that has been said about the metered parking project and I am of the opinion that what was styled the Movement Against Parking Meter (MAPM) would have for all intent and purpose been a protest against the measures proposed and, more especially, the methods used to ram this project down the unwilling throat of citizens. City Hall might have lost an opportunity to redress what were legitimate concerns over those measures and methods, which could not have meant a rejection of meters per se.

OLD IDEA Metered parking has been an old idea. In the 1990s, when I was Minister of Local Government, those ideas were canvassed by Mayor Jordan and, later, by Mayor Green. There were also talks then of introducing a container tax and a toll for vehicles entering the city. Those measures could not help the political fortune of the then PPP Government, and I gave

a stiff back to the ideas.

Over the years the revenue base of the City became too narrow, totally inadequate, to meet the growing needs of Georgetown. Since then, the city has expanded, but the sources of its revenue remained general property rates and municipal market fees. The result was a breakdown of municipal services, resulting in periodic flooding, waste pile-ups that gave Georgetown the dubious title as a “Garbage City” and general malaise that elicited an equally putrid comment from a PPP Minister that he wished the city were afflicted with an epidemic.

The politics in that death-wish was unmistakable: only the opposition PNC would be blamed as they ran the city then.

And they were allowed to do so for some 20 years because the PPP administration could not hold fresh municipal elections over that period.

Whilst the city was starved of adequate subvention especially during the Jagdeo years, billions were mis-directed to Government ministries, especially the Ministry of Housing, to undertake clean up operations that could have been done by City Council. The Jagdeoites did not want the burden of running the city. They were only interested in taking the benefits from hefty state allocations and dirty procurement services.

REVIEW AND RECONCILE Metered parking has to be seen within that historic context of the neglect of the City of Georgetown and the callousness of our politicians. And whilst I do not justify the manner in which it was introduced and the unpopular measures taken, I still believe that there is a wide body of opinion that favours a well-structured, fee-paying, parking system.

I believe that the Agreement between City Hall and Smart City Solutions was intended to be a private-public partnership.

Besides the M&CC and SCS, the MAPM, by whatever other name, should be brought into the contract process as an equity partner representing civil society. In doing so, consideration ought to be given to transparent negotiations for better terms, which could be achieved if the Agreement, last amended on 18th September, 2016, is reviewed A review ought to look at:● the 20-year contract term, subject to renewal for another

20 years; ● the 20% of gross metered parking fees for the City initially for 2,500 parking spaces in the first 9 years and 25% for the remaining contract period and arrangements for parking garages; ● the 20% from clamping, towing and impounding and other revenues from enforcement services and even partial elimination of the stiff penalty measures; BY-LAWS The by-laws should be explained fully. Also, with urgency, the city must clearly mark out and publish all unmetered parking zones, lanes and parking spaces for mini-buses, taxis, motorcycles, schools, hospitals, private residences, bus stops, etc. It should also issue parking permits for regular users of such public places as the courts and police stations and exemption from paying in a metered parking space of ambulances and vehicles used by the fire brigade, police force, army, state and government services. Exemptions should include Judges, Magistrates and Members of Parliament.

The emphasis in making the metered parking system works should be on commercial parking zones. For this reason, it may be worth the symbolic gesture if the parking meters were to rest on Sunday, so that persons going to city Churches should not literally pay to pray.

If properly planned, designated parking spaces would have the effect of bringing order to the chaotic free-style parking, anywhere and anyhow. It cannot go unnoticed that after the meters were erected, many citizens voluntarily started to use parking spaces in business compound and in driveways. And even when fees were suspended, parking was being done in single files, in an orderly manner.

The parking meter system was supposed to achieve exactly this but on the basis of affordability. It was not expected that it would have been dragged into our city like a Trojan Horse with a horde of what President Granger described as “burdensome” measures concealed in it.

What we have seen so far is a protest, not an opposition.

It could be if the reasonable request to review and reconcile is refused. This will up the demand to revoke the Agreement.

[The writer, a journalist and author, is Prime Minister of Guyana]

Cuba, Caricom to agree on tariff concessions THE importance of an agreement for products and tariff preferences between Cuba and Caricom was discussed during the recent Inter-sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM at Marriott Hotel, Georgetown.

Cuban Ambassador to Guyana Julio Cesar Gonzalez Marchante said the Second Additional Protocol of the Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement, already started by both sides, is a tribute to the economic debate of a CARICOM summit.

The agreement includes

349 Caribbean products with free access to the Cuban market, while CARICOM will grant preferences to 86 Cuban products.

The Cuban ambassador pointed out that the Cuba-Caricom agreement will be officialised in March in Havana during a meeting of Caribbean foreign ministers.

At that meeting, Caricom leaders will analyse regional security and international relations issues.

Also in attendance will be representatives of various institutions and international agencies including the Caribbean Development Bank

(CDB), the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, the University of the West Indies, and the Caribbean Development Fund.

Caricom is one of the longest surviving integration movements among developing countries. The original Treaty of Chaguaramas was signed on July 4, 1973, in honour of the birthday of Norman Washington Manley, a leading advocate of the West Indies Federation and one of Jamaica’s national heroes.

The treaty and its annex (setting out the details of the

Common Market Arrangements) came into effect on August 1, 1973. Since 2001, the Community has been functioning within the framework of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas including the establishment of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

CARICOM has made strides, particularly through functional cooperation in education, health, culture and security. Despite some challenges, the single market still functions and remains a respected voice in international affairs.

Cuban Ambassador to Guyana Julio Cesar Gonzalez Marchante

9

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

Small miners state their grievances

By Svetlana Marshall SMALL miners from Parika, Bartica and Karrau are calling for the removal of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Land Management Division Manager, Donald Singh, in addition to the halting of plans to allocate 15 mining blocks in Karrau to the President of the Guyana Gold and Diamonds Miners Association (GGDMA) Terrence Adams.

The calls were made during a meeting with Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, and representatives from the Parika/Mora, Bartica and Karrau Syndicates, at the Grove Community Centre in Parika on Saturday.

In making the call for the sacking of the Land Management Division Manager, Secretary of the Parika/Mora Small Miners Association (Syndicate,) Leon Moses, contended that the Division has been engaging in corrupted practices under the leadership of Singh.

According to him, under Singh’s management, the Land Management Division has been colluding with “rich” or well established miners leaving small miners out in the cold with respect to the allocation of mining land.

The call, which was made in the form of a motion, was supported by min-

should be halted immediately. “Karrau belongs to the people of Karrau, and the 15 blocks should be given to the Syndicate,” David Blair contended.

During the meeting the miners had also complained bitterly about the allocation of alternative lands to well-established miners, saying that there was much

Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, meeting with miners from Parika/Mora, Bartica and Karrau at the Grove Community Centre at Parika

President of the Karrau Mining Syndicate, Judith David-Blair, making a point during the meeting

ers present with loud rounds of applause, and persons shouting, “I second it! I second it! He got to be removed!”

President of the Karrau Mining Syndicate Judith David-Blair, in offering her support, told Minister Broomes that it was time the Government through the Ministry of Natural Resources, launch an investigation into the operations of the Land Management

Division.

“It is time they investigate GGMC starting from the Land Management Division,” David-Blair implored, contending that information was often leaked to GGDMA when there was land available with high mineral content, thereby creating an uneven playing field.

Another member of the Karrau Mining Syndicate, Holbert Knights, said that there were numerous re-

ports of small miners being treated unfairly by the Land Management Division.

“There are some indicators suggesting that all is not well…and I am thinking maybe, maybe we ought to go a little bit deeper into the operations…because we have heard a lot of stories, second come, first serve type of stories and not the first come, first serve type of stories,” Knights said.

Another call was made by the Secretary of the

Parika/Mora Small Miners Association (Syndicate) to have the mining blocks allocated to GGDMA repossessed on the ground that GGDMA does not represent the interest of small miners.

“Those blocks were given under the understanding that they were to be of use for small miners, they are not of use and benefit to small miners not now, and they were never intended to be because they are for the use of the landlords in the GGDMA, and I am moving a motion that they be taken away from them,” Moses said.

The President of the Karrau Mining Syndicate, who again offered her support, said that it is a “fact” that the GGDMA does not represent the interest of small miners. According to her, the processing of an application for 15 mining blocks in Karrau for the President of GGMDA

Secretary of the Parika/ Mora Small Miners Association (Syndicate) Leon Moses

need for clarification.

Minister Broomes, upon hearing the concerns of the small miners, said she would discuss the issues with the Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman, at the soonest possible time. “Throughout the country persons are now coming forward with information and so definitely I am going to bring to Minister Trotman’s attention the concerns of miners,” she said.

Guyana on right track financially – CDB Economic Director GINA, Guyana: Guyana’s future is bright, and it is on the right economic path, according to the Caribbean Development Bank’s (CDB) Director of Economics, Dr. Justin Ram. Speaking at the bank’s annual news conference in Barbados on Friday, Dr. Ram stated that “the future for Guyana is quite bright.”

He referenced the recent oil and natural gas

discoveries offshore Guyana, and noted that with the expectation that commercial production of the commodities is due to begin in a few years, there is great potential there.

Sharing his views on the policies being put in place by the Guyana Government, Dr. Ram opined that “the Government is correct in being fiscally prudent, and very careful in how it manages its debt to GDP (Gross

Domestic Product) ratio.”

He added that this ratio, which declined in 2016, was quite good and government continued to consolidate fiscally.

The CDB Director noted that Guyana is facing several challenges in the social and infrastructural areas, thus the “Government will now have to consider how it will go about those financing gaps that the economy now faces.” He said that

there are possibly a number of ways to do that without increasing the debt burden significantly. He explained that public/private partnerships are an option in this regard.

Dr. Ram explained that whenever a Government borrows funds to execute projects, the returns on these projects must exceed the interest rates on the loans acquired, “So overall,the Government must

spend money wisely and get great value for that money, so that the rate of return on those projects actually provides economic benefits to all of its citizens.”

The CDB official declared that Guyana is “very well poised to take advantage of the recent resources it has discovered, and overall it is important that our Governments spend money wisely, and I think that if these are managed proper-

ly, then Guyana could be one of the most diversified economies of our board member countries, so I think it is actually on the right track.”

The CDB Director gave an overview of the Caribbean’s economic performance,including an action plan for stability and growth, and policy prescriptions, during the news conference on Friday.

10

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

The PPP sense of its inherent virtue must be challenged THIS PAST week PPP party leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, announced that his party would bring private corruption charges against government ministers. At one level, one is tempted to dismiss such threats as nonsensical. After all, it is the PPP which is most vulnerable to charges of corruption—there is much evidence both in the public domain and behind the scenes which warrants action against PPP officials.

That a couple of these officials are before the courts may well be the tip of the iceberg.

So why is a party that is universally suspected of corruption moving so aggressively to bring similar charges against its opponents

who have not to date been fingered in any large-scale corrupt actions? The answer lies in a convergence of the PPP’s historical political barefacedness and the current government’s inadequate political tactics.

The PPP has always seen itself as the natural governors of Guyana—almost a god-given right That sense of itself is deeply rooted in an instinctive view of its opponents as being culturally unfit to govern. For the PPP, the PNC’s 28-years is proof of that belief. Critique of the PNC is not a critique of Caribbean post-colonial governance; it’s a justification of the belief that one group of people are incapable of existing in a state of free-

dom. That is why they have planted the 28 years of PNC rule as a kind of political theology which they never cease to invoke in diabolical terms.

If you construct half of the population as unfit to govern, it is only logical that you see them as sitting ducks for domination. So from the final split in 1956 to the present there has been a very strong domination tendency in the PPP. Majoritarian democracy became a means to that end. This domination praxis breeds a blind sense of “rightness” on the part of the party that prevents it from recognizing its ills.

There is absolutely no way in which the PPP’s leadership would see and

accept that it has engaged in elections rigging in internal elections and in its strongholds at general elections.

They would never accept that their rule was tainted with appropriation of state assets for personal gain and with rampant use of the state to quell dissent, including assassinations. They would never accept that racial domination and insensitivity were hallmarks of their governance mode. After all, unlike their opponents, they are the embodiment of virtue.

It is why in the midst of raping the nation, they called on the PNC to apologise and in the face of mounting evidence of corruption under their watch, they could announce that they would bring corruption charges against the Coalition Ministers. They are signalling that they are the guardians of anti-corruption and the governing parties are the embodiment of corruption. Their fear of SARU is grounded in a realization that their narrative of righteousness may be finally exposed for what it is—that they do not have the monopoly on virtue. To the contrary, they may well turn out to be more tainted than the PNC. The PPP has gotten away with a lot in Guyana, because of our collective instincts to think in binary terms-us versus them. There is an unwillingness to engage complexity. The PPP cannot be riggers because the PNC are the riggers. The PPP cannot be corrupt because the PNC is corrupt. The PPP is democratic because the PNC is authoritarian.

This is part of the problem I have with Nigel Hinds’ recent critique of SARU’s announcement that Guyana lost over 300 billion dollars annually through corruption under the PPP. Hinds, who is very astute, unfortunately reduced the issue to numbers and to the political record of Clive Thomas and the WPA. It is that kind of obliviousness to the political

sociology of the country that has allowed the PPP to get away with the narrative of self-virtue. Nigel Hinds does not set out to give the PPP a pass, but his twisting of the discourse away from its central objective of confronting the PPP’s corruption will end up achieving that objective.

Yes, we don’t want an unaccountable SARA that is above the law and we certainly don’t want any individual to have extreme power. Yes, you can challenge the methodology used by Clive Thomas in arriving at his estimation of how much we have lost. Yes, you can castigate the WPA for abandoning the working class and Walter Rodney. But at the end of the day the central issue is confronting corruption under the PPP which I think Hinds would agree reached unprecedented heights under the PPP. It is not about making Jagdeo or any PPP leader homeless; it’s about dismantling the out of control mansion of corruption which afflicts Guyana. There must be a way to critique the WPA and Thomas and to argue over the accuracy of numbers without discrediting the genuine effort to combat the cancer of corruption.

The second source of the PPP’s recent action is the government’s faulty political tactics. After almost two years in office, it has not worked out a viable political praxis. Government does good things, but it has not been able to place it within a larger political frame or vision. The absence of that vision has meant that there is no clear approach to neutralizing the PPP’s definite agenda of undermining the government. The latter has sent mixed messages about confronting the PPP’s transgressions while in office. It commissioned audits but is slow to act on their findings.

It set up SARU, but had to be pushed to move the legislation to the National Assembly.

Frankly, I think the am-

bivalence has to do with the “government as usual” mentality of powerful government leaders who are not interested in transforming the country’s governance and politics. For these leaders, political power should not be used to revolutionize the society. They fail to grasp the dynamics of recent post-colonial societies like Guyana; that our salvation lies in constantly trying to break out of the plantation mode through our own creative intellectual initiatives Slavery and colonialism were defeated not by accommodation and assimilation, but by bold alternative movement.

The PPP is taking advantage of this paucity of political conviction on the part of the government. It is trying to pin its sins on them in the crudest manner. I will defend the PPP’s right to express itself and challenge the government. But the government should meet such challenge with a clear democratic alternative vision and praxis.

Minister Harmon took me to task for suggesting that the government sometimes behave like a modified PPP. His observations about the difference in the character of the two outfits are well taken. But I am sure he would agree that the behaviour of the Georgetown Mayor and her party colleagues on the parking meter issue and the vendors’ problems resembles the bullying made normative by the PPP. He may not agree, but there has not been any definitive economic alternative to the one pursued by the PPP. The success of this government lies in its ability to distinguish itself in word and deed from the PPP. More of Dr. Hinds ‘writings and commentaries can be found on his YouTube Channel Hinds’ Sight: Dr. David Hinds’ Guyana-Caribbean Politics and on his website www. guyanacaribbeanpolitics. com. Send comments to dhinds6106@aol.com

11

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

When in a hole stop digging and seek to get out THERE’S no denying this government inherited a country where the citizens were being deprived, their rights transgressed, laws violated, and the nation’s resources plundered by a clique who used the levers of government for self-serving ends.

Every right-thinking citizen would want government to succeed because when government succeeds the people succeed. At the same time government has to recognise its success is hinged on the success of the people, where the parameters for making such possible is clearly outlined in universal declarations, international conventions, charters, constitution, laws, and time honoured principles.

The past week was very eventful for citizens/workers. Where politics continue to impact our lives from the womb to the tomb, and properly practiced would be about the people and their development, it is of grave concern that the administration is doubling down on tactics that made the PPP/C government unpopular, so despised by the people, and the party earning its place in the opposition.

This parking meter issue should have never been allowed to escalate, where it now has a life of its own and none will give in, lest it be seen as caving in or weakness. As City Council holds to its position that it will continue, full speed ahead, to implement the discredited project, even as there are two cases before the court for adjudication, and the protest continues to gain momentum, we are looking at a situation that is becoming intractable.

When the project was

brought to the public’s attention,persons have been calling for transparency and accountability surrounding the contract, both from within and outside the Council. Rather than seeking to meet this realistic demand,the Council chose to turn a blind eye, ignoring individuals and institutions, hiding behind false notion of confidentiality, not understanding or showing any regard that its decisions and actions are impacting the well-being of citizens.

No amount of public relations spin by the Council or the contractor can calm the public distrust it(M&CC) brought upon itself, save for the intervention of a third party, acting as mediator, to bring both sides to the table. Where forces are finding the situation presents opportunity to gain political capital is not the fault of those who are exercising their right to be treated with respect in regard to this matter.

Foresight should have caused this government to see the manner within which it deals with the citizens would have led to such situation. And while some have sought to say the Guyana Constitution does not permit the responsible minister’s involvement in the local government authorities, the protest has national connotation and central government has responsibility for national security.

This attitude of non-engagement continues to be displayed in other sectors and sections of society.

The Guyana Trades Union Congress, on behalf of the trade union community, many months ago wrote President David Granger requesting meeting with him.

To date the trade unions still await a response as to when the meeting will be held or(when) a representative (would be)appointed to address the issues we sought engagement for.

These issues are important to governance and as the government shows reluctance in engaging the Labour community, the alternative at our disposal is to speak to the issues through the media. Though the government gets annoyed with Labour for doing so, it must be recognised that its failure to honour its obligation to the people as prescribed by the Constitution, leaves Labour and other institutions no choice.

I take note the government and Private Sector Commission (PSC) are trading words over the latter’s allegation that the economy is not performing and there is no confidence that measures are being put in place by the former to correct the situation. The government responded that the PSC set out to embarrass it when the Caribbean Heads of Government were in the country. While I hold no brief for the PSC and had cause in the pass to address their ambivalence on issues, this body is a stakeholder in society that government has to treat with.

According to the International Labour Organisation, Social Dialogue, which is a prerequisite for development, involves the government, employer and trade union. The PSC speaks on behalf of employers. This was among the first group David Granger met, when in opposition and as president. As president he has tasked the PSC the responsibility to lead the way in preparing a develop-

mental plan for the country.

I can attest to two recent efforts by the trade union community and the private sector to seek engagement with the government to deal with issues of governance that have relationship to development, social and economic. In both instances the trade union and private sector are yet to be accorded the courtesy of acknowledgement of our request much less engagement.

As you walk the street the expression of dissatisfaction in the manner in which the government

treats with the people is mounting. The parking meter protest is a signal that if the government does take stock of its style of governance things will become untenable.

Government is making a tactical error, instead of consulting and negotiating and governing with inclusivity,it wants to respond to every criticism and observation with brute force and ignorance. Where government sets the tone others will feel they can do likewise and this is what is being seen from the Council.

Let me reiterate, 2020 is not about cricket. It is about the electorate expressing their approval or disapproval for the government. They will decide whether this group has served their best interest and deserving of another term or has disappointed and deserves to be fired.

In this examination President Granger will not be the examiner, but the electorate, who will grade his administration by marking X within the given ballot by going to the polls or staying away.

12

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

GPL $4.6B project to go on ...court throws out Fix-it Hardware challenge

CHIEF JUSTICE (Ag) Yonette Cummings-Edwards last evening ruled in favour of the Government on the matter of a contract to run new power transmission lines and install over 25,000 smart meters on the coastland which was awarded to China National Machinery Import (CMC) a Chinese company, above contractor Paul James under Fix-It Hardware Depot.

Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General, Basil Williams SC, who represented the State before the Chief Justice said that he was pleased with the Chief Justice’s decision. He explained that,

“the matter had to be dealt with because the company to which the tender was awarded had already got the contract and the IDB was about to pay the money and this is a contract where both the EU and IDB would be paying, so that would have halted the project.”

The contract was funded by the European Union (EU) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to the tune of over $4B. The contract was approved and was awarded to the Chinese contractor over Fix-It Depot, which then challenged the decision in court.

Named as respondents in the

case brought by Fix-It Depot were the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL); Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson; the Ministry and its Permanent Secretary, Balraj Balram, and the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).

The matter was brought to the court on Thursday; however based on the seriousness and urgency of the case, an emergency session was held this afternoon where the Chief justice made her ruling.

The Attorney General (AG) explained that the matter was one of urgency since the Government

was eager to move forward with the project, especially with the recent blackouts the city has been experiencing. “So it’s very important that we got the loan to enable GPL to go about doing its work,” he said.

The AG further explained that the basis, upon which the order was made, was that the procurement clause be applied, but in fact, in these international agreements the law of the international donor takes precedence, and this is recognised also by the local Act that speaks to conflict with the local law procurement and the international law.

“So the Chief Justice decided that she deals with the matter urgently and she did and she asked

us to come… she has given that decision and the Order Nisi is absolute taken into consideration that the contract had already been awarded, the monies are to be paid, and of course recognising the nature of the agreement, that is the need to upgrade the electricity sector and something that would affect the Guyanese people, lack of electricity,” the AG reiterated.

He said that if the decision had gone any other way, and the orders were made absolute, the applicant had nothing to gain because it meant that it would have required the contract to be retendered and that process would have taken six months to a year and Guyana could have certainly lost the loan.

13

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

Berbice fisherfolk peeved – protest smuggling of shrimp, tilapia from Suriname

Fisherfolk on the protest line on Friday

THE East Berbice/Corentyne Aquaculture Association on Friday protested in front of the Office of the Prime Minister’s regional representative in Port Mourant, Region Six over what they deem illegal entry of shrimp and tilapia from Suriname.

The fisherfolk say the flooding of local markets with shrimp and tilapia from the neighbouring country is causing unfair competition and health concerns for Guyanese.

Secretary of the Association Suedat Persaud said the smuggling has been going on since the former administration was in power, and from then to now, the number of smugglers has increased.

He said his members sought an audience then with the relevant authorities but were unsuccessful; however, they did manage to meet with President Granger in 2015 and he mandated the Ministry of Agriculture to look into the matter.

According to Persaud, the police and the association was working together to help stop the smuggling, but they lacked the resources to suc-

cessfully stop the increasing number of smugglers.

The smugglers reportedly bring in approximately 2400 pounds of shrimp and tilapia daily as opposed to approximately 500 pounds a few years ago.

Persaud explained that the smugglers come in daily at various point across the coast and distribute the shrimp and tilapia to the homes of the vendors who either stores it until the next day or begin selling ‘straight away’.

One protester said because of the large volume of shrimp daily, the vendors are unable to successfully sell off the shrimp on the same day, causing them to spoil.

However, instead of discarding the shrimp, the vendors continue to sell the shrimp on the local market, posing a health risk to the consumers.

The protester also explained that the vendors when approached by consumers about the spoilt product, say the local dealers are to be blamed.

“When the shrimp spoil them a tell them people that them get am from somebody

fish farm in Guyana and that cause everybody fuh believe that the shrimp that come out of Guyana is no good.”

NO OVERHEAD COSTS The protestors also lamented that the smugglers do not have any overhead costs associated with the rearing of fish or shrimp and sell at a price below the cost of production in Guyana.

“In Suriname they have a big swamp where anyone can go and catch the shrimp, so they are selling it at $4000 per bucket since them don’t have to pay anything. Here we have to pay $1.4M a year for our license, pay to excavate and empoulder our ponds, pay people to harvest them as well as sell and make a profit.

We have families and loans to pay and maintain. The Government gets revenue from us and it is unfair for them to come in and sell for less than what it cost to produce and then the Government loses revenue and Suriname gains.

It is unfair,” said Ronald Arjune, a fish farmer from Whim.

The protestors are calling on the authorities to look into

the matter and impose strict penalties to deter others from joining the already growing population of smugglers.

The fisherfolk are suggesting that the vendors be held responsible since they are the distributors of the illegal produce.

“I believe they should

charge the vendors because if they don’t have enough resources to capture the boats when they come in then stop the people from selling and they would be forced to stop because they won’t have a market.”

Meanwhile, Gobin Harbajan, the Prime Minister’s representative, in addressing the protesters, stated that he will brief the Prime Minister

on the issues affecting the local producers.

He pledged to arrange meetings with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) since the illegal importation is causing unfair competition to local businesses and is a loss of revenue to Government.

The association plans to continue their protest until their complaints are addressed.

14

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

Farmers fret hemp is illicit substance

By Vanessa Braithwaite

Over 300 Region 10 farmers are calling on President David Granger’s Administration to legalise hemp, contending that industrial production of the herb will create jobs for the hundreds of unemployed youths across the region.

And importantly too, being a green initiative, it will complement the Government’s push for a green environment and a green economy, they contend.

The farmers, who formed themselves into a group called the Region 10 Industrial Hemp and Agricultural Farmers Corporation, are peeved that the “beneficial herb” is illegal even though communities, the economy and environment can benefit tremendously from it.

Group Chair, Aaron Gardner, claims that hundreds of farmers in Region 10 want to cultivate the herb but are holding back since it is illegal.

Executives of the group are of the opinion that there was a misunderstanding in the existing legislation which deemed industrial hemp- which is a genus of cannabis- illegal.

In 1961, the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs made a very specific distinction in the Control of Cannabis Act where there was an exclusion of industrial hemp (cannabis sativa) from all cannabis legislation within member states, as its demonisation since the late 1930s was deemed a grave injustice done to mankind.

“This convention shall

not apply to the cultivation of the cannabis plant exclusively for industrial purposes (fibre and seed) or horticultural purposes,” Section 2, Article 28 of the Act stated.

In 1988, the Guyana Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Control (NDPSC) Act was drafted and though it gives recognition to the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drug, it did not specifically exempt industrial hemp.

In fact, there was a contradictory definition on page 8 which states, “Cannabis means any plant of the Genus Cannabis, by whatever named called, and includes any part of that plant; and cannabis resin means separated resin, whether crude or purified, obtained from cannabis.”

Noting this contradic-

Executive members of the Region 10 Industrial Hemp and Agricultural Farmers Corporation

tion, the farmers are further convinced that the law was mistakenly drafted since there were Government sanctioned pilot projects of hemp at Timehri, Kimbia and the Ministry of Agricultural Research Station at Mon Repos.

POSSIBLE CHIEF CROP The group strongly believes that industrial hemp can become the chief cash crop of Region 10, ushering a period of great economic and environmental benefits to the region.

With no large-scale job creation in Linden and consistent with the President’s continuous call for persons to go into agro-processing and other value added, the farmers are confidents that industrial hemp production is the way to go.

And on this note, they are calling on the President to grant them 10, 000 hectares of farmlands at Ebini, Kimbia and Kibilibiri located in the Upper Berbice region of Region 10 for cultivation.

Processed industrial hemp can be used for largescale production of bio-fuel, the farmers claimed, pointing out that if legalised, the herb will not only power but empower the region.

In addition to fuel, hemp, when value is added, can produce, vehicles, textiles, food products, building materials,

medicine and solar panels, among other things.

“Right about now the hemp market in the USA is close to US$500M a year and this is just in the USA alone, they have all these other different places. The scope and demand are more than the supply because it diverse itself into so many industries, automotive, food, plastics,” Gardner said.

Hemp cultivation is also used in the detoxification of the air and soil.

“Hemp makes biodegradable materials whereby within 80 days it can disseminate itself and go back into the atmosphere without emitting any carbon dioxide or things like that; it is environmentally friendly, and the Government is going in this direction. When you produce an acre of hemp, it replenishes the earth, the benefits outweigh the harm,” Public Relations Officer Cleon Sears said.

“This project will bring the good life to us, you can’t talk about good life and not talk about hemp,” Co Chairman Seaton Gilbert affirmed.

The members have already sent a petition to President Granger and are hoping that he sees the benefits that will be derived, most importantly the largescale job creation for scores of unemployed youths in Linden.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

15

16

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

Linden’s Chapman is Se

Story and photos by Tamica Garnett BEFORE A packed crowd at the Banks DIH Demerara Park, Lindener, and former Junior Calypso Monarch, Diana Chapman dethroned Lester “De Professor” Charles for the Mashramani Adult Calypso title with her message of “Put Your House In Order”, which was unapologetically directed at the governing administration.

Decked out in her green and yellow tailcoat outfit, no doubt looking to mimic the APNU/AFC

WINNER: Diana Chapman in a commanding stance during her “Put Your House In Order” performance, while in the background a’ President David Granger’ actor (Tamica Garnett photo)

party colours, Chapman put on one of the more animated performances of the night and found enough favour with the seven judges to rake in 400 points and top the list of 11 competitors.

The 25 year old mother of one finished ahead of Pearl “Precious Pearl” Lewis, reigning Junior Calypso winner T’Shanna Cort, and Kenroy “The Mighty Believer” Fraser, respectively.

The winner walked away with $800,000 cash, while the second place prize was $600, 000 and the 3rd place finisher got $400,000.

The 4th place finisher took home

$200,000.

Chapman’s two back-up dancers were also uniformed in yellow and green, and their well-coordinated dance performances worked to her advantage. Her song was composed and arranged by veteran musician Bonny Alves.

However, while many, including a frenzied Charmaine Blackman, rushed to the stage to congratulate Chapman, the announcement of Chapman’s win was not well received by all in the crowd. And as per normal, the Guyanese patrons were very vocal in their displeasure. Many said that Chapman’s

performance was indeed a good one but they felt there were others who were more deserving.

Crowd response was not among the chief criteria that the judges were looking at. The criteria, as announced by the evening’s emcee Basil Bradshaw, included lyrics, melody, diction and intonation.

It was evident early on that the competition was going to be tough.

Backed by the Mingles Band,many of the competitors really gave of their best.

The unseated ‘De Professor’, did not place, even though his performance of “Wicked Phil-

Second place finisher Pearl “Precious Pearl” Lewis during her performance of “Ole Age Like a Criminal”

bert” perceivably garnered the best crowd support of the night, with many rushing to the stage to catch as close a view as possible of his performance. The last performer of the night, De Professor gave fitting closure to the night’s event, which had opened on a high with Lassel “The Mighty Duke” performing “Deh Give Him A Bruk Up Country”, which also evoked quite a few laughs.

Former Adult Calypso champion Manoel “King Perai” Ferriera was also well received when he performed “Perai Justice”, in the second performance of the night.

Junior Calypso winner, T’Shanna Cort placed third in the Adult Calypso Competition with her performance of “Where the Innocence Gone”

Just a section of the thronging audience as they flocked to the stage during the performance of Lester “De Professor” Charles

Third place finisher Kenroy “The Mighty Believer” Fraser during his performance last Saturday night

17

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

enior Calypso Monarch Chapman’s win announcement was met with lukewarm applause and the grumblings poured forth as the patrons made their way out of the open air venue. Nonetheless, Chapman was too busy enjoying her victory to take notice.

‘Precious Pearl’ ended with 387 points, to take second place for the performance of her piece ”Ole Age Like A Criminal”. The title spoke for itself, and Pearl entertained as her song spoke of how “ole age” hijacked your life. Pearl’s background extra of an aged individual suffering from all the ills of old age, had many in the audience

laughing uncontrollably.

Cort, whose performance of “Where the Innocence Gone” shined at the junior competition, found stiff competition in the senior league. However,she was still able to hold her own enough and ended in a strong third, after she finished just one point away from Lewis.

Fraser came ready to entertain in a sharp all-over-blue suit that was charmingly offset with matching blue shoes, and blue rimmed sun shades. He achieved his aim when he had the crowd in fits of laughter as he dropped punchline

The dethroned Lester “De Professor” Charles whose performance of “Wicked Philbert” was not enough to place this year

after punchline in his verses. Like Chapman, Fraser’s song of “Give David Some Time”, was another one with a political theme.

The competition saw another year where politics was heavily themed, with at least five of the night’s performances waxing political.

Chapman’s song, which has since been making waves via all the leading radio stations, was more of a serious nature than a comedy, and may have perhaps been the reason why the crowd gravitated to the more comedic performances.

Her song was a strong plea and

Manoel “King Perai” Ferriera during his performance of Perai Justice

warning to the current administration, asking that they listen to their supporters, telling them to put their ears to the ground, and they would hear a grumbling sound”.

Mighty Believer’s song however seemed to strike the patrons’ funny bones. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and the David Granger-led administration would need some time before they could do all that need to be done to fix what needed to be fixed.

Dawn “Lady D” Edwards also exuded a politically themed message in her performance. Dressed as a clown, Lady D’s “King Liar”

was about awarding “Berat Jagdelow” as a king liar for continuing his political pursuits after saying he had no more political ambitions, among other lies.

Competitors also played themes on last year’s sex scandal involving a certain self-proclaimed pope.

Aside from Professor’s “Wicked Philbert” there was John “Ras” Marcus with “Ow Mr. Pope”.

Other performers of the night were Roger “Young Bill Rogers” Hinds with “Ah Campaigning for President”; and Wendell “Mighty Hunter” Walcott with “Them Boy Say”.

Wendell “Mighty Hunter” Walcott during his performance of “Them Boy Say”

Linden students ‘Mash up’ the streets

By Vanessa Braithwaite The streets of Mackenzie came alive on Friday as scores of residents came out of every nook and cranny to get a glimpse of the children’s road march which saw the participation of almost every nursery and primary school in Linden. Students along with their teachers decked out in their carnival like costumes depicting the colourful and upbeat theme of Mashramani, ‘Celebrate with Dignity, Liberty and Greater Unity’.

They revelled through the streets of Linden following the banners and flamboyant floats and the sound of the boom boxes blasting local soca music.

The parade commenced at the Five Corner of Dakama Circle and proceeded to Republic Avenue then to Green Heart Street, where it culminated at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground where the judges awaited the floats and its contingent.

Some of the participants were Children’s Garden Nursery with ‘Arrow Head Revellers’, Retrieve Nursery

with ‘Angels in Unity’, South Amelia’s Ward Nursery under the theme ‘For a Greener Guyana,’ Republic Avenue Nursery with ‘Tropical Fusion’, Watooka Day Primary with ‘A Green Initiative’, One Mile Primary with ‘Rivoe Colistica’, and the Amelia’s Ward Primary with ‘Unity’.

The costumes and floats were indeed eye catching and displayed the hard work and commitment the teachers and students would have given to its design and construction. The children ‘palanced’ to the upbeat and provocative soca music

which had even the spectators shaking their feet and waist. Though the weather seemed threatening during the early morning hours, it gave the procession a few hours of dryness before showering down in the afternoon hours. The children flounced through the route and while it seems as though they were doing it for the fun instead of the trophies, the judges still performed their duties in carefully adjudging each school.

Being awarded first place in the Nursery category was the Amelia’s Ward with its ‘For a

Greener Guyana, Save our Trees,’ costume and float. Coming in second was Retrieve Nursery ‘Angels in White.’ The best banner went to Wisroc Nursery titled, ‘Working Together For Progress, Together We Strive For Excellence’. Taking home the winning Trophy for the primary participants was Watooka Day Primary followed by Regma Primary and Coomacka Primary in third. One Mile Primary copped the prize for Best Banner.

Linden’s adult float parade will be held on the 5th March.

18

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

Hundreds empowered, inspired – as third student conference concludes at QC

Queen’s College.

It featured a plethora of workshops on Thursday and team projects and a career fair on Friday.

The workshops were divided into two sections: one in the morning and another in the afternoon and each student benefited from two workshops which covered topics ranging from Science, Technology, Engineering and mathematics (STEM), the social sciences and business.

Some of the workshops

QC Spectrum, the fourth form winners of the team competition. Also in photo is a representative from Travel Span and QCAANY President Karen Wharton

By Vishani Ragobeer STUDENTS of Queen’s College and several other secondary schools have benefited from a two-day

student conference geared at empowering them for the future.

Organised by the Queen’s College of Guyana Alumni Association, New York

Chapter (QCAANY), the conference themed “Empowering and Inspiring Youth for the Future” was held last Thursday and Friday at

Students in the Career Options in Health Sciences at the University of Guyana workshop on Thursday

also offered character-building and self-empowerment sessions.

All the speakers at workshops were former QC students who have distinguished themselves both locally and abroad.

On the second day, students formed teams and pitched ideas aimed at developing innovative solutions to improve their school lives and that of the wider community.

Here, the North GeorgeTurn to page 19 ►

19

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

Commander Budhram launches literacy programme library to help develop the reading skills of children and young people.

The senior superintendent reminded residents that police in “F” Division remain resolute in strengthening police-community relations.

Divisional Commander, Ravindranauth Budhram, with parents and children at the Byderabo Multi-Purpose Complex

COMMANDER of “F” Division (Lethem, Bartica and other interior locations), Ravindranauth Budhram, has launched a literacy programme geared at improving reading and comprehension skills of children of Byderabo, Bartica, Region Seven.

The initiative came as a result of a request made by residents for books and a computer printer to enhance the library and computer centre at the Byderabo Multi-Purpose Complex.

These were delivered.

Residents said the printer will aid in helping students

with their assignments and School Bases Assessments.

At the handing over ceremony, there were 30 adults and 40 children.

A new youth group was also formed which will be monitored by a female sergeant. The group and community members will meet on a weekly basis at the Multi-Purpose Complex to be involved in meaningful youth-friendly activities.

Commander Budhram said 400 books and a computer printer were donated to the complex and knowledgeable residents committed to give one hour of their time at the

Hundreds... town Secondary School won for their idea to stamp out cyber-bullying in their school,while West Demerara Secondary copped the prize for impeccable delivery of their pitch.

The overall first and second place prizes went to two teams comprising of third and fourth formers of Queen’s College. The first place team, with their project ‘QC Spectrum’, won a Pizza Party at the Mario’s Pizzeria.

Also, a small career fair was held and various local organisations and prominent figures such as Sonia Noel were at hand to provide career guidance to the students. This fair was the newest addition to the activities of the conference.

QCAANY President,Karen Wharton,said the confer-

From page 18

ence has become an annual event with this being the third installment.

All the conferences in the past were a success, and this year, the managing committee organised a bigger and better conference crafted to tap into the imaginative potential of every student and to guide them onto their path of life as they strive to develop Guyana.

At the opening plenary,Wharton shared a quote from Irish playwright, critic, and polemicist,George Bernard Shaw,which says: “You see things; and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream of things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not?’”.

She charged the students to challenge the things around them with the hope of making them better.

Commander Budhram said education and a rounded personality are key to eradicating poverty and hunger.

“Education is central to development and to the improvement of the lives of young people, and as such,

has been identified as a priority area. Knowledge is a key factor to the full and effective participation of youths in the processes of social, economic and political development,” he said.

He said research sug-

gests that education reduces the probability of criminal behaviour in adolescence and young adulthood, whereas early criminal involvement is likely to have a negative impact on educational attainment.

20

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

CCJ Judge Rolston Nelson to retire JUSTICE Rolston Nelson, who was appointed a judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice in 2005, is set to retire in May of this year.

Justice Nelson is currently the longest-serving judge at the court and has acted as the court president at various

He was called to the Bar at Lincoln’s Inn in 1970, admitted to practice at the Jamaican Bar in 1973 and at the Trinidad & Tobago Bar in 1975 and admitted to the Inner Bar as Senior Counsel in 1993.

He was sworn in directly

CCJ Judge Rolston Nelson

times in his tenure.

President of the Caribbean Court of Justice, Sir Dennis Byron, remarked that Justice Nelson has left an indelible mark during his time at the CCJ. The court president stated, “it is difficult to put into words the outstanding contribution made by Justice Nelson during his tenure. Suffice it to say that he leaves an outstanding legacy and we will miss his generous spirit, his erudition and wise counsel.”

The president noted that Justice Nelson is beloved by the employees of the court and was highly respected by his peers throughout the region and beyond.

Justice Nelson, a native of Trinidad and Tobago, holds degrees in Modern Languages and Jurisprudence (honours) and the Master of Laws from the Universities of Oxford and London respectively.

from the bar as Justice of Appeal of the Supreme Court of Judicature of Trinidad & Tobago in 1999. He has been an Associate Tutor at the Hugh Wooding Law School since 1978 and is an Honorary Distinguished Fellow of the University of the West Indies.

Justice Nelson was selected as the Inns of Court Fellow at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies for 2010-2011. He obtained his secondary education at Queen’s Royal College, where he was a House Scholar and National Scholar.

Justice Nelson retires from the CCJ in May 2017.

Ten members of the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission (RJLSC) have selected Denys Barrow SC of Belize to replace him on the CCJ Bench. Barrow SC will be the first Belizean to serve as a judge of the CCJ.

21

22

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

23

24

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

25

26

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

‘Nuff Cuff’ expected tonight ...

Form back page

GBA and the Suriname Boxing Association has been very good friends over the years and both countries are eager to develop the sport in the region.

According to Ninvalle, invitations were also extended to St. Marteen, St. Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago Boxing Associations, but for reasons unknown, these three islands will not be a part of the one night championship.

Ninvalle stated that four boxers from the Dutch Speaking Republic will be coming up against four of

Guyana’s top amateur fighters and it will be interesting to see what will be the outcome.

The GBA president said when Guyana visited Suriname last year, the Guyanese won most of the fights and it will be interesting to see how the Surinamese will respond here tonight.

All in all, there will be 15 fights on tonight’s card,which according to Ninvalle,will commence at 19:00hrs sharp and though there will be 11 all-Guyanese bouts, Ninvalle assured that these bouts promise to be very entertaining.

Speaking on behalf of the Suriname Boxing Association (SBA), its president Remie Burke thanked the GBA for inviting the SBA to participate in the tournament which, according him (Burke) will only serve to help the SBA to develop their boxers’ potential. Burke also stressed the need for other CARICOM countries to join forces in making the CARICOM region more powerful in the sport of boxing.

Burke said this tournament will definitely assist his association in returning the sport to its former glory and make it a force to be reckoned with.

Burke acknowledged that Guyana is far more advanced than Suriname in the discipline of boxing and alluded to the fact that it will be a learning experience for his association and boxers.

ENGLISH RACING TIPS Ffos Las 10:20 hrs Aintree My Dream 10:50 hrs Rock On Rocky 11:20 hrs Grace Tara 11:50 hrs Little Jon 12:20 hrs Dolatulo 12:50 hrs Asockastar MARKET RASEN 10:00 hrs Queen Odessa 10:30 hrs Lady Markby 11:00 hrs Master Of Finance 11:30 hrs Holly Bush Henry 12:00 hrs Fields Of Glory 12:30 hrs The Mythologist SOUTH AFRICA

The SBA president said this is a learning experience and his boxers will return to Guyana in the future to learn more.

The SBA’s secretary, Ricardo Morris, in very brief remarks thanked the GBA for inviting the SBA to field a team of boxers for tonight’s competition and like Burke, said the exposure will be a learning experience for both the SBA as well as its boxers.

Meanwhile, co-sponsor of the event,Alfred McDonald Morrison,stated that this is the first event that himself and the other co-sponsor, Seon Bristol, is staging here in Guyana, but there are more such events planned for the future and it is his hope that these planned events will bring out the best in Guyana and the rest of the CARICOM Region.

Bristol for his part thanked the local business community for supporting boxing and stated that their main objective is to enhance the sport locally and regionally.

Bristol thanked the Surinamese contingent for coming to Guyana and also thanked the local business community for supporting the event.

Special mention was made of Ansa McAl, Windjammer Hotel, White Castle Fish Shop, Nigel Pile,and Ramesh Sunich of Trophy Stall in Bourda Market.

RACING TIPS Greyville 08:25 hrs Master Sam 09:00 hrs Al Ciberano 09:35 hrs Arabian Party 10:10 hrs Trini’s Colateral 10:40 hrs Serissa 11:15 hrs Wine Dark Sea IRISH RACING TIPS Navan 10:10 hrs Broken Soul 10:40 hrs Ballyoisin 11:10 hrs Sutton Place 11:40 hrs Rightdownthemiddle 12:10 hrs Anibale Fly 12:40 hrs Holeinthewall Bar 13:10 hrs Poli Roi

27

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

FA Cup shocks as Lincoln stun Burnley and Leicester fall to Millwall

By Martyn Herman LONDON,(Reuters)-Lincoln City produced a huge FA Cup shock to beat top-flight Burnley 1-0 away and become the first minor league club to reach the quarter-finals for 103 years yesterday.

On a day of fifth-round toil for the top-flight sides, English champions Leicester City’s problems continued to mount as they went down 1-0 at third-tier Millwall, who played most of the second half with 10 men.

Chelsea, chasing a league and FA Cup double, restored some order with goals from Pedro and Diego earning them a 2-0 win at Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers, but Manchester City were held to a 0-0 draw at Huddersfield Town.

Middlesbrough quelled a stirring comeback by third-tier Oxford United to win 3-2 at the Riverside Stadium.

The magic of the Cup will continue tomorrow when Lincoln’s National League (fifth-tier) rivals Sutton United host Arsenal.

Holders Manchester United face Blackburn Rovers today after Tottenham Hotspur go to London rivals Fulham.

Millwall’s third win over Premier League opposition this season, secured by Shaun Cummings’s 90th-minute goal at the New Den, would

ordinarily have topped the shocks.

But they were outdone by Lincoln.

Sean Raggett’s headed goal in the 90th minute continued the dream run of the National League leaders who easily matched a side 81

Lincoln City manager Danny Cowley as Burnley manager Sean Dyche looks on Reuters / Phil Noble Livepic places higher up the English football ladder and who held Premier League leaders Chelsea to a draw a week ago.

FOOTBALL MIRACLE “It’s a football miracle for a non-league team to be in the last eight,” Lincoln’s young manager Danny Cowley said.

“We are realists. I will never ask the players to do something they’re not capable of. But we thought if we could get the game plan right we could compete.”

Barbados Pride win ...

From back page (7) popped one that bounced from off-spinner Damani Sewell to short mid-wicket in the 30th before Shane Dowrich (6) hit a tame return catch back to Campbell in the 35th.

With Pride going nowhere quickly, Holder arrived to partner with Hope and transform the innings in a sparkling 127-run sixth wicket stand which stunned the Scorpions.

Hope, who hit 125 in Thursday’s semi-final against Leeward Islands Hurricanes, faced 98 deliveries and struck five fours and five sixes while Holder belted five fours and four sixes, as Pride gathered 110 runs off the last 10 overs of the innings.

Hope reached his half-century off 69 balls and required only 27 more deliveries to complete three figures.

The partnership ended when Holder, whose half-century came off 39 balls, holed out in the deep off Powell in the 48th over.

Hope was eventually ninth out – run out off the second

Burnley had lost only three of their previous 29 home matches in all competitions but failed to make their perceived superiority show in a scrappy game.

Just when it seemed Burnley had gained the upper hand Lincoln were awarded

ball of the final over.

Scorpions then had a poor start when left-hander Steven Taylor loosely drove Roach to Carlos Brathwaite at mid-off, to depart for nine in the third over with the score on 13.

Roach struck again in the fifth over when Jermaine Blackwood unleashed a reckless swing and dragged on for seven with the score on 26.

Walton, who faced 44 balls and counted three fours, propped up the innings by adding 43 for the third wicket with McCarthy who also struck three boundaries in a 49-ball knock.

But with pressure building, Walton holed out in the deep off Benn in 16th over, and with only five runs added, Campbell edged an attempted cut at off-spinner Ashley Nurse and was caught at the wicket by Hope in the 17th over.

McCarthy missed a sweep at Benn and was lbw in the 20th over and Sewell (6) and Jacobs followed quickly to leave Scorpions in strife.

a corner and Raggett rose above a crowd of players to head the ball over the line despite keeper Tom Heaton’s attempt to claw it out.

Lincoln, only the third minor league side to beat topflight opposition in nearly 30 years, are now just one win away from a semi-final at Wembley Stadium.

Burnley, meanwhile, were the fall guys again, having been beaten by minor league Wimbledon in 1975 when they were also a top-flight side. “My team were nowhere near the level they can show,” manager

Sean Dyche said.

Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri made 10 changes for his side’s trip to south London Millwall -- his eyes fixed on the his side’s relegation battle and a looming Champions League last-16 tie against Spanish club Sevilla.

Millwall had Jake Cooper sent off in the 52nd minute for a second booking but even a numerical advantage failed to stir a Leicester side who suffered a sucker punch when Cummings was played in by Lee Gregory and fired past Ron-Robert Zieler.

“When it was 10 versus 11 they played better than us with more desire and heart and deserved to win,” said Ranieri, whose side have lost five consecutive league games.

Chris Maguire and Toni Martinez scored within a minute of each other to haul Oxford level at Middlesbrough but their hopes of emulating Lincoln and Millwall were ended four minutes from time when Cristhian Stuani tapped in Boro’s winner.

Promotion-chasing Huddersfield enjoyed a record crowd of 24,000 at their John Smith’s Stadium as they matched Guardiola’s City.

“A clean sheet against Manchester City makes our chest bigger,” Huddersfield boss David Wagner said.

SCOREBOARD PRIDE K Brathwaite b Jacobs 22 K Stoute c Jacobs b Miller 41 S Hope run out 101 J Carter c Powell b Campbell 8 R Chase c Jacobs b Sewell 7 S Dowrich c & b Campbell 6 J Holder c Blackwood b Powell 69 C Brathwaite b Leveridge 0 A Nurse not out 2 S Benn b Powell 1 K Roach not out 0 Extras (b1, lb2, w10, nb1) 14 TOTAL (9 wkts, 50 overs) 271 Fall of wickets: 1-59 (K Brathwaite), 2-85 (Stoute), 3-102 (Carter), 4-120 (Chase), 5-138 (Dowrich), 6-265 (Holder), 7-267 (C Brathwaite), 8-269 (Hope), 9-271 (Benn) Bowling: Taylor 6-1-50-0- (w1, nb1), Leveridge 6-0-37-1 (w3), Campbell 10-0-35-2 (w3), Miller 9-0-48-1 (w1), Jacobs 6-0-311, Sewell 10-0-40-1 (w2), Powell 3-0-27-2.

SCORPIONS C Walton c K Brathwaite b Benn 26 S Taylor c C Brathwaite b Roach 9 J Blackwood b Roach 7 A McCarthy lbw b Benn 30 J Campbell c wkp Hope b Nurse 2 D Sewell c Carter b Benn 6 D Jacobs b C Brathwaite 28 R Powell c Holder b C Brathwaite 65 J Taylor c Carter b Holder 23 N Miller lbw b Holder 6 R Leveridge not out 0 Extras (lb1, w8, nb1) 10 TOTAL (all out; 44.3 overs) 212 Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Taylor), 2-26 (Blackwood), 3-69 (Walton), 4-74 (Campbell), 5-78 (McCarthy), 6-107 (Sewell), 7-122 (Jacobs), 8-181 (Taylor), 9-212 (Miller), 10-212 (Powell) Bowling: Roach 8-0-54-2 (w1, nb1), Holder 9-0-28-2 (w1), Benn 10-2-33-3, C Brathwaite 6.3-0-43-2, Nurse 10-1-42-1 (w4), K Brathwaite 1-0-11-0.

Man-of-the-Match: Shai Hope.

Eight races carded for Kennard’s Turf Club Phagwah Day horse race meet THE Kennard Turk Club located at Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne, Berbice, will stage an eight-race meet on March 19 in observance of the Hindu festival of Phagwah. The meet runs off from 13:00hrs.

The feature event which will cover a distance of one mile, is opened to horses classified `D’ and Lower and will carry a first prize of $700,000 and a trophy.

The second, third and fourth place finishers will earn $350,000, $175,000 and $88,000 respectively.

There are three five-furlong races as well as three six-furlong races.

The first five-furlong race is for horses classified `L’ and which are non winners.The winner will receive $100,000, while the second, third and fourth place finishers will earn $80,000, $25,000 and $13,000 respectively.

There will also be a five-furlong race for animals classified `L’ Open with the winner taking home $110,000, while the other top three finishers will earn $55,000, $27,000 and $14,000 respectively.

The final five-furlong race which will also be the final race of the day is for horses classified `K’ and Lower.The winner of this event will pocket $120,000, while the other top three performers will take home $60,000, $30,000 and $15,000 respectively.

Horses classified `I’ and Lower will battle over six furlongs for a first prize money of $150,000. The second, third and fourth place finishers will receive $75,000, $38,000 and $19,000 respectively.

The second six-furlong race is opened to horses classified `E1 Maiden and `F’ and Lower for a first prize of $400,000. The second, third and fourth place finishers will earn $200,000, $100,000 and $50,000 respectively.

Then there is the six-furlong race for three-year-old Guyana bred maiden horses with the first prize being $200,000. The second, third and fourth place prizes are $100,000, $50,000 and $25,000 respectively.

The other race on the day’s card is opened to horses classified `H’ and Lower and will cover a distance of seven furlongs.The winner will earn $220,000 while the other top three finishers will receive $110,000, $55,000 and $28,000 respectively.

Trainers and owners are asked to note that these races are being run under the rules of the Kennard Memorial Turf Club and owners of horses who would be registered will be required to pay at least $5000 for each horse at the time of entry.Should the fee not be paid, the horses’ name would not appear on the official programme and the horse will not be permitted to run.

Horse owners and trainers who wish to register their animals for any of the above mentioned events can make contact with Ivan Dipnarine (331-0316), Justice Kennard (225-4818) or Fazal Habibulla (657-7010).

MoFA Super Six Tape Ball cricket semi-final and final today THE semi-final and final of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and government Ministries Super Six Tape Ball competition will be played today at the National Cultural Centre Tarmac,beginning from 09:00hrs.

According to a release from the coordinator,James Lewis, the semi-final will see the Ministry of Sport taking on the Enviromental Protection Agency and the winner of that match will face the Ministry of Agriculture’s National Drainage and irrigation Department in the final for the James `Sports Ambassador’ trophy.

Meanwhile, according to the release, immediately after the final, teams will start battling for the Innovative Engineering Consultancy Services’ trophy and so far, teams that have entered for the latter competition are; Ministry of Education, Transport and Harbours Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Demerara Harbour Bridge, GUYSUCO, Region 4 RDC, Public Service Ministry, Enmore RDC, Supreme Court Marshals and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Teams are reminded that they must pay $6000 as entrance fee before the start of the competition.

28

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

Wills elected Circuitville Jaguars FC president

OWAN Wills has been elected president of the Circuitville Jaguars Football Club,based at Yarrowkabra, Linden Soesdyke Highway.

The club’s first general meeting was held on Friday afternoon last at their ground where Wills and eight other executives were installed

by President of the East Bank Football Association (EBFA), Franklin Wilson.

Also in attendance at the

meeting was technical adviser to the EBFA, Winston Benons. The other persons elected to serve are : Samuel Simpson (vice- president), Donetta Phillips (secretary), Jessica Hamilton (treasurer), Obene Nelson (assistant secretary/treasurer), Matthew Sue-Kam-Ling (Admin Officer), Melissa Joe, Ernest Adams and Deceius Mundo (Committee Members).

Wilson commended Wills and his young execu-

The new Circuitville Jaguars FC members pose with some of the club members following the installation of the executive last Friday afternoon at Yarrowkabra. tives for taking up the challenge to organise the game in the area and noted that they have been showing admirable commitment ever since writing to the EBFA to be affiliated.

The club has been doing well in the GFF/NAMILCO Flour Power National Intra Association Under-17 championship and are in third place (16 points)among the 9 teams following the conclu-

sion of the first round.

They are currently preparing their senior team to compete in the EBFA Senior League,which will kick-off next month,as well as the association’s annual under-11 competition which will also commence next month.

Benons,in remarks also complimented Wills and the executive while encouraging them to inculcate the correct

attitude and to work as a collective. He encouraged them to be respectful,display good desire and be disciplined.

The new body was also encouraged to treat the players well and be positive examples. Wills thanked his fellow executives for taking up the challenge;they all committed to doing their best to make Circuitville Jaguars FC one of the best clubs in the EBFA.

RHTY&SC Busta Champion of Champions resumes today THE 2016 Busta Champion of Champions T/20 cricket tournament organised by the Cricket Development Committee of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, is set to resume today at the Albion Community Centre Cricket ground.

The tournament, which commenced late November of last year, with one round of matches,was put on hold due to the continual rainy season.

However, with an improvement in the weather, efforts will be made to ensure that the tournament is concluded by the middle of March.

Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster, who also heads

Hilbert Foster the Cricket Development Committee, indicated that the Club is eager to complete all its 2016 tournaments, so that it can fully concentrate on the twenty tournaments

earmarked for this year, at the Under-13, Under-15, Under-17, Under-19, female, second division, schools and first division levels.

Tucber Park is slated to clash with Police at 09:00hrs, while Blairmont and Albion will meet at 13:00hrs.

In the first round Young Warriors defeated West Berbice by 16 runs, while Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets defeated Upper Corentyne by 78 runs.

Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets will face Young Warriors in one of the semifinals, while the winners of the two matches this weekend will play in the other semifinal.

GCB Female Inter-County cricket

Clueless - Essequibo crash to another 10-wicket defeat ––Bowled out for 20 against Demerara

ERRATIC Essequibo female senior cricket team suffered another embarrassing defeat in round two of the GCB Female Inter-County one-day cricket tournament against their Demerara counterparts yesterday at the Everest Cricket Club ground.

Another dismal batting performance saw them being bundled out for 20 in 8.1 overs.

If the Cinderella County

side were lacklustre in Thursday’s opening loss to Berbice,they slipped to the level of the indifferent yesterday, allowing Demerara a comfortable 10-wicket victory.

On a pitch which held no terrors, Keesha Tucker made an unbeaten 14, while Estel Lewis and Devina Buer, both made one, but the other eight batters failed to score on a good pitch.

Player-of-the-match Aka-

zy Thompson took 6-8 from 4.1 overs, while Heme Singh claimed 2-12 off four overs.

Demerara needed just 3.4 overs to complete the win, with June Ogle and Mandy Mangru remaining unbeaten on 11 and seven respectively.

The final round is billed for today between Demerara and Berbiec at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground. (Rajiv Bisnauth)

29

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

Infantino plays down violence fears at 2018 World Cup in Russia

(REUTERS) - FIFA president Gianni Infantino yesterday played down concerns about possible violence at the 2018 World Cup in Russia despite several flashpoints involving their supporters at the 2016 European Championship in France.

“I’m not concerned about trouble and violence in 2018.

I have full confidence in Russian authorities; they are taking this matter very, very seriously,” he said in Doha.

More than 100 England fans were injured following clashes with Russian supporters in Marseille before their group game at Euro 2016, causing UEFA to threaten the team with expulsion from the tournament.

There have been fears of more trouble at next year’s tournament. But Infantino said the organisers were already putting plans in place to curb any hooliganism.

“They have been in contact with UEFA and French

FIFA president Gianni Infantino

organisers to learn the lessons from France and this matter is being taken in the utmost seriousness by all,” he said.

“As part of this, the Russian government has put in place an ID system which will help us when it comes to any potential trouble. We need to be wary about spreading rumours about hooligans.”

He was speaking ahead of a BBC documentary due to air last evening, which claimed to have spoken to

some of the Russian hooligans involved in the 2016 trouble.

Infantino also reaffirmed that he hoped to use video referees at the tournament.

“The proposal on the table is about using video technology to help referees.

I’m really hopeful that for the World Cup in 2018 we can have a video system to help the referee take the right decisions,” he said.

The new assistant referee technology was tried out at

the 2016 Club World Cup in Japan.

But Infantino played down suggestions that FIFA was about to scrap the offside rule, following controversial remarks by its technical director Marco van Basten.

“We discuss and debate everything, the offside rule, sin bins as punishments, additional substitutions, but these are discussions that are still far, far, far away from any concrete proposals,” he said.

Marsh bolster chances of a Test recall

MITCHELL Marsh followed in his brother Shaun’s footsteps, with a fifty-plus score in the tour game against India A to perhaps bolster his chances of a Test recall He spent over three hours at the crease in Mumbai, making 75 off 159 balls with 11 fours and a six to help the Australians declare on 469 for 7 on the second day.

(Scores: India A 176 for 4 (Iyer 85*) trail Austra-

MITCHELL MARSH

lians 469 for 7 dec (Smith 107, Shaun Marsh 104, Mitchell Marsh 75, Wade 64) by 293 runs).

Australia have been struggling for an allrounder to make the No. 6 spot their own and Marsh had himself enjoyed a considerably long run before he was dropped after the home series loss to South Africa late last year.

He averages only 23.18 from 19 Tests so far and bowls seam up, which may go against him con-

Upstarts Kwakwani face Falcons, Flames meet Raiders

THE Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA) / Hamid Foundation under- 23 basketball championship is set to continue tonight, weather permitting, with two matches at the Mackenzie Sports Club(MSC) hard court with unseeded Kwakwani taking on Bankers Trust Falcons at 18.30 hrs,while the other game brings together Retrieve Raiders and Block 22 Flames.

These matches come on the heels of those that were postponed on Friday night and which have now been rescheduled to Tuesday at the same venue.

The rain forced that postponement when top seeded Half Mile Bulls and Christianburg Pistons were to play in the first game while the other should have seen Amelia’s Ward Jets playing

Victory Valley Royals.

Kwakwani has been the surprise package in this championship and with that impressive opening game they are among the teams favoured to reach the semifinals. Tonight they face a team they should be able to get past and with two wins could push for a final four berth when they meet the second seeded Jets later in their Group B round robin play.

In Group A, Retrieve Raiders,who are seeded at four,can strengthen their chances of also moving forward with a win tonight when they play the Flames,who lost their first game against the Bulls.

The Raiders won the lone game they have played so far over Pistons and now seek win number two;they are placed with top ranked Bulls.

sidering the conditions in India and the fact Australia already have Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood in their squad to swing the new ball and reverse the old.

However, with his 17th first-class half-century, Marsh has done his bit to stay in contention. His nearest competitor appears to be Glenn Maxwell, who has his own issues with regards to playing up to

potential in Test cricket.

He is not established as a batsman, but on his day can still be explosive and can also chip in with a few overs of part-time offspin.

India A’s batsmen too profited on a Brabourne stadium pitch that was quite true. Shreyas Iyer smashed 85 off 93 balls with five sixes and seven fours at No. 3.

He was unbeaten at stumps, alongside Rish-

abh Pant, who was batting on 3. For the Australians, Jackson Bird was highly economical with a spell of 11-7-15-2 while Nathan Lyon provided the first wicket of the innings, dismissing Akhil Herwadkar and later accounted for Priyank Panchal, the top-scorer in India’s premier domestic first-class tournament, the Ranji Trophy, in 2016-17.

(ESPN Cricinfo)

30

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

League matter is closed in FIFA’s opinion-FIFA Director

FIFA’s Director of Member Associations and Development for the Caribbean and Africa,Véron Mosengo-Omba,said the Elite League dispute was over as far as the global governing body of football was concerned,while wrapping up a two-day visit to Guyana this week.

This comment was made during a press conference at the Boardroom of the Guyana Football Federation Inc. (GFF) last Friday.

Four clubs boycotted the Elite league after the GFF Executive Committee decided, within its statutory rights, to invite two extra teams into the competition.

“The problem of the league is not a FIFA problem, this problem is governed by the GFF statutes,” Mosengo-Omba said at the

GFF staff members with Mosengo-Omba and GFF president Wayne Forde end of his trip. “We exchanged correspondence with the GFF about this. For us, this case is over because the solution to this problem

is in the statutes.”

“What do the statutes of the GFF say? They give the competence to the Executive (Committee).”

FIFA, the world governing body for football, has written to the GFF to confirm the national body’s right to decide the composition of its

competitions.

FIFA also stated that the expansion of the league did not automatically require a change in the GFF Congress

membership. Citing the GFF Constitution, FIFA said only the Congress could authorize such a change in its membership.

Build Windies ODI squad around Brathwaite –Ambrose

FORMER West Indies bowling legend Sir Curtly Ambrose has called for the Barbadian opener Kraigg Brathwaite to be made a central figure in the regional team’s One Day International (ODI) squad on the heels of several impressive performances in the WICB Regional Super50 tournament.

The Barbados Pride opener has been one of the most impressive batsmen on display so far, racking up a total of 462 runs, the second most in the competition behind Leeward Islands Kieran Powell. In nine matches Brathwaite has fired two centuries and three half centuries enroute to leading the team to the final against Jamaica Scor-

pions yesterday.

The 24-year-old who made his ODI debut against Pakistan last year has made seven appearances since, the last coming against Zimbabwe in November.

Ambrose is convinced a consistent inclusion for Brathwaite could bear fruit for the Windies.

“I have to say that I am most impressed with Kraigg Brathwaite he hasn’t really been in the one day setup consistently.

Many of us don’t think he is one day player and to have come into the Barbados Pride team and scored two centuries and a couple of half centuries and scored like 400 runs, to me that was marvelous,” Ambrose said.

“I that is something that I believe we need in the West Indies senior team someone like Kraigg who can bat through the innings if possible and put the other big hitters bat around him.”

Misbah ‘most likely’ to face West Indies MISBAH-ul-Haq has revealed that he is “most likely” to prolong his Pakistan career and play in the Test series against West Indies.

The veteran Pakistan Test captain stated late in January that he plans to make a decision on his future within a month after he came in for criticism following a poor tour of Australia.

Misbah was out of sorts with the bat against Steve Smith’s side, scoring just 76 runs across the three Tests.

MISBAH-UL-HAQ

But Misbah said he would not make a call on whether to play on at international level before leading Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League [PSL].

And the 42-year-old appears to have made his mind up ahead of a three-match Test series in the Caribbean - which gets under way on April 22.

He told ESPNcricinfo: “It was tough on me recently with my form but now overall everything is going well

so far [in the PSL], “I am spending time in middle, hitting the ball pretty well.

Played practice matches before the PSL started and had sessions of range hitting so getting confidence with every passing game.

“I am also enjoying the game so it’s most likely that I am going to the West Indies. I always believed if had to go [and play cricket] then I have to go with form and confidence otherwise there was no point of going.”

KRAIGG BRATHWAITE

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Sunday February 19, 2017) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 2259230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) Sunil Ambris-423 runs (Windwards) (2) Raymond Reifer-16 wickets

Today’s Quiz:

(1) How many games did Guyana win and how many did they lose in CWI/Nagicor Super 50, 2017?

(2) How many did the Windwards win? How many did they lose?

31

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 19, 2017

Colors/Guinness Street football West Dem …

Showstoppers $450 000 richer after stealing the show 2-0 from Hustlers

By Stephan Sookram A BRILLIANT all-round performance from Showstoppers ensured that they went home $450,000 richer when the West Demerara Colors/Guinness Street Football challenge concluded Friday night.

Playing in front of a capacity crowd at the Pouderoyen Tarmac, the Showstoppers did everything right, pressing when they needed to and defending in the right situations to come out on top.

A Dexroy Adams double (7th and 35th) ensured the game finished in favour of the Showstoppers It was not all smooth sailing for the eventual winners as there were several scares on goal which were

The winning Showstoppers team poses with their cash and trophies following their 2-0 win over hustlers in the finals of the West Demerara Guinness Greatest in the Street football competition. (Stephan Sookram Photo) either cleared or strayed from the target,while numerous other plays were built up but fizzled out.

According to captain, Hubert Pedro, his team played as they should, adding “We had a great game,

Fireworks expected in Limacol football quarter finals tonight THE remaining eight teams in the 2017 Limacol round-robin knockout football competition will be trimmed this evening when quarter-final action takes place at two separate grounds.

At the first venue,in the Mining town of Linden,the home side Milerock will take on Georgetown powerhouse Western Tigers.

Already with the taste of victory and their winning streak during the group stages, the ‘backroad’ based side will surely have a spring in their

step going into tonight’s game and they are expected to utilize more build-up plays.

However,the home advantage for Milerock should not be understated as the team has been known to galvanize when playing in front of vocal supporters, something the mining town is not short of.

That and their upbeat tempo of playing should make for an interesting matchup.

Western have scored six times in their three group appearances while conceding three goals.On the other hand,Mi-

Quarterfinal action in the group stages of the 2017 Limacol round-robin knockout football competition gets going tonight.

lerock had three for and one against.

Game two will feature the physicality of Federal Winners Connection going up a more youthful and engine-like team in Eagles.

Federal WC in their last encounter left very little to be imagined with regard to how physical they can get, playing Milerock to a goal-less stalemate and it will be interesting to see how the Eagles manage to overcome this.

Over at the other playing venue, Victoria ground, the Guyana Police Force will meet West Coast side Den Amstel.

The West Bank side managed to score seven goals in their three games and only conceded one while the boys in blue scored five and conceded three, making for an expected cracker when the whistle blows off.

Game two,however,is where the real fire fight lies with the Mahaica Determinators having to do battle against Santos FC. The Mahaica side has scored twice as many goals in the group stages (eight) as their Georgetown opponents but have also conceded five goals to their quarterfinal opposition’s two.

The first match begins at 18:30hrs with the second game starting at 20:30hrs

we played to plan and the guys came out on top. We are happy that we won and we will await the national

tournament.”

Meanwhile, in the third place playoff, ESPN went down 1-0 to the Money team

with Amoniki Buntin pealing the decisive part in the 17th minute In the earlier semi-finals, ESPN went down to Hustlers 2-1 on penalties after tying up the game 2-2 during regulation time.

Hustlers’ John Waldron (7 th ) and Kwame Holder (14th) put ESPN on the back foot early before Leroy Lindie (22nd) and an own goal in the 24th took the game to penalties.

The other semi-final saw Showstoppers needle Money Team 1-0 through Adams (8th) For finishing second, the Hustlers were presented with $150,000 and a trophy while third placed Money Team got $100,000 and ESPN, $50,000

MOPH/Milo U-18 Schools football …

Richard Ishmael, Sir Leon Lessons big winners on day-three THERE were big wins for Richard Ishmael Secondary and Sir Leon Lessons on day-three of the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) /Milo U-18 schools football tournament yesterday.

Played at the Ministry of Education ground on Carifesta Avenue, Richard Ishmael in the opening game trounced Brickdam 7-2 in a goal-scoring frenzy.

Braces from Sevon Winter (14th and 42 nd ), Tamil Hutson (52nd and 53rd) and Trevon December (63rd and 65th) coupled with Azandee King (32nd) ensured that the Woolford Avenue side got the better of their Brickdam opponents.

Dequan Duke (24th) and Kevin Davis (45th) were on target for the losers.

Game two ended 2-1 in favour of Christ Church as Cummings Lodge’s Frederick Ketwaroo 38thmin strike was surpassed by Shemar Adams (17 th) and Shemar Morrison (50th)

A player shows his skill during day three of the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) /Milo U-18 schools football tournament yesterday.

Queenstown got past South Ruimveldt 2-0 thanks to Jermaine Padmore (23 rd) and Shemar Foster (65th).

Game four was a rout for Sir Leon Lessons who bombarded Carmel,with a double from Adrian Aaron (19th and 65th) while a goal each came from Meshach Barratt (6th), Omari James (9th) and Tyrese Forde (33rd)

Meanwhile, action continues today when North Georgetown Secondary takes on Central High School, Dolphin Secondary goes head-to-head with School of the Nation Secondary, Mae’s Secondary tackles St. George’s Secondary and Queen’s College opposes Tutorial High .

Barbados Pride win Super 50 title after Shai Hope superb ton

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, (CMC) – West Indies batsman Shai Hope struck his second hundred in three days as Barbados Pride crowned themselves Regional Super50 champions with a commanding 59-run win over a listless Jamaica Scorpions in the championship final here last night.

In a day/night contest at Coolidge Cricket Ground which failed to live up to the anticipated expectations of a thriller, Pride overcame a batting stutter to dominate the Scorpions with bat and ball, and pick up their second regional 50-overs title in four years.

The victory also made up for their disappointment in last year’s campaign when they lost to Trinidad and Tobago Red Force

in the final.

Choosing to bat first, Pride were propelled to a competitive 271 for nine off their 50 overs by Hope’s 101, the 23-year-old’s third List A hundred.

Captain Jason Holder lashed an aggressive 69 off 47 deliveries while opener Kevin Stoute weighed in with 41 and Kraigg Brathwaite, 22.

Medium pacer Rovman Powell, strangely handed just three overs, picked up two for 27 while part-time off-spinner John Campbell claimed two for 35.

In reply, Scorpions were a shadow of the side that crushed Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in Wednesday’s first semi-finals and stumbled and stuttered to a disappointing 212 all out in the 45th over.

They were down and out at 122 for seven in the 31st over until the impressive Powell opened his shoulders to slam 65 for 59 deliveries, to rally the innings.

Andre McCarthy weighed in with 30, Damion Jacobs got 28 and opener Chadwick Walton, 26, but Scorpions failed to string together any major partnerships in the top and middle order and lost their way.

Lanky left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn did most of the damage with three for 33 while seamers Jason Holder (2-28), Carlos Brathwaite (2-43) and Kemar Roach (2-54) all claimed two wickets each.

Starting as favourites, Pride were given a solid start by Stoute and Brathwaite who added a patient 59 for the first wicket.

Stoute faced 47 balls and struck five fours while Brathwaite counted three fours in 44-ball before perishing in the 13th over when he played around a straight one from leg-spinner Jacobs and was bowled.

His departure triggered a surprising slide for the Pride who then lost four wickets for 79 runs to decline to 138 for five in the 35th over.

Stoute put on a further 26 for the second wicket with Hope before whipping left-arm spinner Nikita Miller to Jacobs at mid-wicket in the 20th over.

Jonathan Carter (8) then holed out in in the deep off Campbell in the 25th, Roston Chase See page 27

Shai Hope raises his bat after recording a century in the final, at the Goolidge Ground in Antigua, yesterday. (©WICB Media/Randy

GBA/Bris Promotions

‘Nuff Cuff’ expected tonight in Guyana versus Suriname amateur boxing card

By Michael DaSilva

THE National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue is expected to come alive tonight from 19:00hrs when the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) in collaboration with BrisMac promotions stages an international amateur boxing card featuring boxers from the Dutch Republic of Suriname and the English speaking host, Guyana.

Addressing members of the media yesterday at the Windjammer Hotel in Kitty, Georgetown, GBA’s president, Steve Ninvalle,welcomed the Dutch visitors and noted that the See page 26

Suriname’s four boxers,who will be coming up against their Guyanese counterparts tonight at the National Gymnasium,strike a pose after yesterday’s press conference.

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

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2017