Issuu

No shortage of drugs at Public Hospitals Page 25

No. 104831 WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2017

Price: $80

Rift over PSC statements (VAT Inclusive)

–– executive member says body is not here to ‘rate’ Gov’t’s performance

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Minister within the Ministry of Education, Nicolette Henry poses with staff of her ministry during Tuesday’s launch of their 300-strong full costume revelers Mash band, themed “Guyana an emerging green state.” The costumes and float were designed by the E.R Burrowes School of Art (see story on page 13)

Taxi driver in court Carl Parker Managing for attempted interdicted oil wealth …UK urges clear plan murder, robbery from duty to spend oil money Page 26

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 22, 2017

AG says Court has no jurisdiction in Red House case ATTORNEY General, Basil Williams has argued that the court has no jurisdiction to proceed with the Red House court challenge, brought on by the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre Inc., arguing among other things that it was the President who revoked the lease of the facility and according to Article 182 of the Constitution, no civil action can be instituted against him for any decision made in the performance of the functions of his office. President David Granger late last year ordered that the controversial lease for Red House, which housed the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre Incorporated (CJRCI) be revoked and that the occupants vacate the property. The decision had come one day after Williams had issued a statement detailing the history of the CJRCI’s occupancy of the building and outlining that there was no valid lease agreement as former President Bharrat Jagdeo had refused to approve at least two applications for the lease. Chairman of the Management Committee of the Centre subsequently moved to the High Court requesting Conservatory Orders to restrain or prevent the government from taking possession of the building; declared that the lease was valid and that President Granger’s revocation order was illegal. When the matter came up before Chief Justice, Yo-

Attorney General, Basil Williams nette Cummings-Edwards on Monday Williams S.C., made submissions in LIMINE, submitting that the court’s first duty is to determine whether it had jurisdiction to proceed to hear the matter before it. The Attorney General contended that the learned Chief Justice had no Jurisdiction to proceed with the matter, citing that an applicant, who goes ex parte to the Court has a duty to be candid with the Court and make full and frank disclosures of material facts within his knowledge. He said failure to do so gives the court the right to discharge any order made and refuse to deal with the merits of the matter. According to the Attorney General, CJRCI failed to make full and frank disclosures of material facts in its application by way of Affidavit for Conservatory See page 3

Rift over PSC statements

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 22, 2017

–– executive member says body is not here to ‘rate’ Gov’t’s performance

MEMBERS of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) are seemingly at odds over two statements issued recently, which are believed to have been ‘politically motivated.’ An email trail seen by this publication on Tuesday revealed dissatisfaction by one of the PSC’s Executive Member, Komal Singh, who requested of the body to consult with other members before issuing statements. “I humbly suggest that we consult with the executive members before we

make public statements,” Singh said in his first email to other executive members. The recipients were; Chairman Edward Boyer, Ramesh Dookhoo, Ramesh Persaud, Gerry Gouveia, Elizabeth Alleyne, Bert Sukhai, Annette Arjun and Eric Phillips. Singh, who is new to the PSC questioned in his email who has the authority to make public statements which he believes should represent the collective views of all members. “I am new to PSC. Who

has the authority to make Public Statements? I was of the view that when public statements need to be made it should represent the views of the entire PSC. I am not sure how true this is when the Executive Management committee is not part of public statement,” Singh wrote. The executive member went on to state that he is of the view that public statements which were made by the body, were done through a few members. “Correct me if I am

AG says Court has no jurisdiction ... From page 2 Orders when it concealed from the Court that President Donald Ramotar had approved the lease in 2012; that the lease being 99 years was not executed in the manner of a transport before the Court, e.g, was not published in the official Gazette; that the lease was not filed as record in the Registry and annotated and that Red House is a National Monument under the National Trust Act Chapter 20:03. Additionally, the Attorney General submitted that the omission to execute the contract in the manner of a transport before the Court and file it as of record in the Registry was also fatal, since under the Deeds Registry Act Chapter 5:01 such a lease was invalid, ineffectual and could not be pleaded in a Court of Law. “The Learned Chief Justice, as a result, had no Jurisdiction to proceed to hear the application that is foundationed on such a lease. Likewise the Learned Chief Justice could not proceed to hear the application of a lease rendered invalid by not having the sanction of the President and being an attempt to unlawfully lease National Trust Property,” the Attorney General argues. Attorney, Anil Nandlall, who is representing CJRIC, told reporters following Monday’s hearing that it is the AG who has failed to filed an affidavit in answer. “That Affidavit had not yet been filed. On

the last occasion that we came to court, the Attorney General, for the first time then indicated that he wished to make some preliminary submissions, in relation to the jurisdiction of the court and today (Monday) was fixed for him to do so, and he made no submissions,” Nandlall pointed out. According to Nandlall, the submissions made by Williams on Monday were very difficult to comprehend, and to his knowledge deeply flawed. He said that Minister Williams’ recent arguments were not based on the issue of jurisdiction of the court, but whether the case has merit or not.“ Nandlall is expected to reply to the submissions when the matter comes up again on February 28. In addition to the orders the Centre is seeking damages in excess of $1M for breach of lease of government land for educational or research purposes; damages in excess of $1M for breach of the applicant’s fundamental rights and freedoms as guaranteed by the Constitution of Guyana. Conservatory Orders were also sought preventing and or restraining the government or state from ejecting or evicting the Cheddi Jagan Research Inc. until the hearing and determination of this action and preventing or restraining the Government from removing any documents, photographs, artifacts, souvenirs, furniture, fixtures, appliances and/or any other property from the property were also requested.

wrong, but I am of the view that Public Statements are made with a few members,” he said. In response, former Chairman of the Commission, Ramesh Dookhoo, asked Singh to share with the group if he disagreed with any of the points made in the press statements. “Komal instead of focusing on the method of doing releases tell us if you disagree with any point in the release,” Dookhoo wrote. Singh then replied to the former Chairman, stating that while he does not disagree with some of the releases, he disagrees with the manner in which the releases were presented. “I do not disagree with some of the releases, what it is I disagree with is the manner in which some of the releases are presented,” he said, adding that what he would have done is present some the information in a more ‘statistical manner.’ The executive member explained to the Commission that using words alone to explain certain matters is not sufficient, especially in relation to the economy. And with the Commission attempting to rate the performance of the 21-month old government recently, Singh said that it is not the PSC’s task to ‘rate’ the executive’s performance. “PSC is not here to rate Government’s performance. PSC is here to work with the government of the day to make sure they implement systems and legislation that will create positive impact on sustainable growth and development,” the executive member said.

He explained that in that context, the body must continue to engage stakeholders, and if it needs to engage the public to send pressure, then it must have that (statistical) information properly documented so the public can clearly understand what the body is saying. “You are the expert on data gathering and you know where to find reliable data,” he told the PSC members. Realistic in reasoning, Singh offered that he wouldn’t pretend “everything is going well and the government is doing everything right,” but the body should be mindful of its concerns appearing as though it is not speaking from a business perspective. “We are the professionals and we understand the economy and the business environment more than anyone else. So let us present our case either publicly or directly to the government in a professional manner” he said. Further, the executive member charged the other members to “test the water” for once, and see how accurate the information coming from the PSC is. He recommended that the body start by asking all of its members if financial statements are up to date. If they are, he continued, then the PSC is “solid” with its arguments and can request of others to show their last financial audited statements. Singh explained that the PSC is a Corporate Body and by all right, if it is going to represent any situation, it needs to have some “firm backing” to support its argument.

“I suggest we gather the following information after which it will allow us to clearly see exactly where there are shortfalls and a reason can be assigned or a possible solution, to keep that sector growing,” he concluded. Just recently the PSC released a statement which expressed its “lack of confidence” in the way the government was managing the economy. “The members of the business community present expressed a lack of confidence in the manner the Government is managing the economy. This is reflected in the flight of capital from Guyana and the lack of significant new investments in the last 2 years,” the Commission said in its statement. In response, Government said it believes the statement was “politically motivated” and intended to shame the executive since it was released while the country was hosting the 28 Inter-sessional Meeting of the Heads of Government of CARICOM. Additionally, the government said it finds it “shameful that the PSC has allowed itself to be used as a political stool pigeon to repeat the propagandistic chatter of the opposition and to seek to undermine confidence in our economy and good governance.” The executive said that instead of sharing pride that Guyana is a stable democracy that enjoys full respect for business and security for investment, the PSC yields to its political handlers in attempting to be a spoiler.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Man on $50,000 bail for beating woman

ON the day set aside for love,February 14th, a woman Chitralekha Roopan 32, of Number 72 Village , Corentyne Berbice nearly lost her life at the hands of her reputed husband after being brutally beaten with an iron bar and other implements. Her reputed husband,Mahendra Heralall called ‘Shakal’, 35 who inflicted the injuries to Roopan in the presence of his alleged lover,then went into hiding. He was later found and arrested on Monday and placed before the courts on Tuesday when he was granted $50,000 bail and ordered that he maintains a distance of 100ft away from her at all times,until the next court appearance on March 4th before magistrate Rabindranauth Singh at the Springlands Magistrate’s court. His release on bail has angered many who described it as him “getting off easily,” one relative commented. According to Roopan,she believes her husband who is a welder/fabricator was having an affair for over two years now with another woman. She related that the woman,whose husband is overseas,would usually sleep over by their house from time

to time. She noted that the two are extremely close and would usually be touching each other inappropriately. She said many times she would fall asleep on the couch with her husband whose hands are usually on the woman’s private parts. Roopan explained that whenever she says anything or bring it up she is abused by Heralall. “If I see anything and talk me get lash fuh dat,” she explained. Roopan recalled that on Valentine’s evening they had a minor argument and Heralall left to go out on the road. “It was Valentines and he left to go to work in Skeldon,so when he was leaving he told the girl (the alleged lover) that if she gets him a Valentine gift he would take her and me out to dinner. He told me not to cook so I did not. As It got late I told him to buy food and bring it but he came home from work after 06:30 and did not bring food,so I told him he should have told me and I would cook,but he was angry and I left to go start cooking. Then he got dressed and walk out so told him he better eat because if is me alone.I won’t cook since he would usually come home like 3:30 the next morning”

According to Roopan at around 21:30 hrs on valentine’s night her husband who is a welder/fabricator returned home and picked up a piece of heavy duty electrical wire and started to hit her about the body. “After he left she (the alleged lover) came over with gifts and was waiting on him to return.After she realised he was not coming,she called him and they spoke on the phone and she did waiting in the hammock. He then come home and when she see he she jump over the fence and gone home. When he walk in I see he tumbling the crate,so I walk inside and he pick up a heavy duty wire and run in and start beating me.So I run upstairs and ask he “why are you hitting me,what did I do make you beat me so?” but he nah answer and he still a lash me with the wire. Me run and fall down by the bathroom door and he pick up an iron bar and lash me in the head and I feel the blood coming down and he lash me again” Roopan recalled,amidst sobs that the alleged lover apparently heard her screaming and came over to enquire what was going on.She used

the opportunity to run away from Heralall but he followed her and continued to hit her and “like she hear me mouth and come over and she see he hitting me by the bathroom door with the iron bar and she ask him “why you a hit she,wah she do you?” and as he turned to see is who I run out and gone over by she house,but he and she run after me. When he reach he corner me and pick up a wooden chair and break it up and said” You want see how me mad” and he start hitting himself in the head with the middle of the chair two times,and then he hit me with the other piece a couple a times. He then put me and she fuh sit on the chair and he then lift up her foot and ask me “you want see how me a F **she” and he lift up she foot high in the air and a show me “this a how me does F ***she” According to Roopan,the abuse continued until approximately 01:00hrs the next day when Heralall left to go sleep. Heralall’s brother and subsequently his mother was called to let them know what happened.she,however,said that she did not receive any medical attention until 06:00hrs the

next day,During that period she slipped in and out of consciousness and had the wound washed by Heralall’s relatives until they finally took her to a private doctor at 06:00hrs the next day. “After he left to go sleep like 1:30 time she call he brother, he come and see me and he get scared and he left,so me ask she fuh call he mother and me sister-in law from the back street, me pass out couple a times and when them come them tek warm water and wash out the blood from me skin,but it still been a bleed plenty so them call wan doctor but;he said he not open till six in the morning so them wait till then and carry me” At the doctor,Roopan received 28 sutures to the head and had several other lacerations about the body from the beating she received. She was treated and sent away, she subsequently made a report to the police who started to look for Heralall.However,he went into hiding and was found 7 days later and placed before the courts. During an interview with this publication today, freshlacerations were visible across the woman’s body. According the Roopan,the abuse by Heralall has been ongoing for several years now and whenever she objects to anything that he does wrong he takes it out on her. On one occasion he allegedly broke her arm after she objected to him spending time with his ex-wife from whom he separated over 10 years. “He does always beat me whenever me object to anything he do.One

time he bruk my hand because he wanted to spend time with his ex-wife and because I said ‘you separate with her for over 10 years why you want to now mix and mingle with her and her family’.Me never expect this to get this worse” Roopan also related to this publication that Heralall had issued a threat over the phone to her via the neighbour but she never got the message or she would have slept elsewhere,since she knew that whenever he imbibes he would make good on his threats. “When me come out from the doctor he brother tell me that he did tell she (the alleged lover) that me gun get wha me looking for when he come home.If me did know me won’t a sleep home but she nah tell me nothing…even when he was beating me she didn’t do or say anything;she was the one who took the picture of me that is on facebook while I was bleeding and in pain she take the pic”. Roopan,who was previously married,started a common law relationship with Heralall five years ago after her husband passed away. Heralall was also married but separated from his wife a few years before meeting Roopan and they moved in together at Number 72 Village. They don’t have any children together .Roopan is unclear what is her next move as she explained she lost both her parents at a young age and later grew up with her grandmother. “ I have no one I don’t know what I will do”

Wednesday , February 22 nd , 2017 - 02:00 - 14:30 hrs Thursday , February 23rd , 2017 - 03:00 - 13:00 hrs Friday , February 24 th , 2017 - 03:30 - 14:30 hrs

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Regional tourism bodies welcome Caribbean leaders support REGIONAL tourism officials Tuesday applauded Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders for taking the lead in recognising the critical contribution of the sector to regional economies and a commitment to advancing a regional tourism agenda. The Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) the region’s tourism development agency, and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), the umbrella private sector organization, said they firmly believe “that tourism is a key driver of socio-economic progress,

helping destinations and countries to quickly create jobs and businesses, generate tax revenues and support infrastructure improvements to the benefit of residents and visitor. “It is a proven tool to lower unemployment, stimulate indigenous entrepreneurial activity, increase foreign exchange earnings, and grow tax revenues for our treasuries. “However, it is a fiercely competitive business, and we are facing the stark reality that we must find ways of maximizing the collective strength of the Caribbean, if any and all of us are to truly

succeed,” the two organisations noted. CTO Secretary General Hugh Riley last week made a presentation to the regional leaders last week that was also prepared in collaboration with the CHTA. The communique issued following the summit noted that that the leaders welcomed proposals from the two organisations for advancing a regional tourism agenda, particularly through public/private Sector Partnerships. “Heads of Government acknowledged the importance of transportation and facilitation of travel, human resource development, the creative industries and

marketing as well as competitiveness and financing for the sustainability of Tourism. “Heads of Government agreed that public-private sector partnerships, guiding the development and marketing of tourism for the Caribbean, needed to be more effective and requested that the marketing of tourism encompass, in particular, the eco-tourism product of mainland Member States – Belize, Guyana and Suriname.” Regarding travel, the regional leaders called for an urgent meeting of the Council for Trade and Development (COTED)-Transportation to address air transport

issues in particular, including those related to the tourism sector. The leaders said they also supported the establishment of an Interim Tourism Working Group comprising representation from the CARICOM Secretariat, CTO and the CHTA with the mandate to coordinate with regional public and private sector stakeholder groups, the development of specific solutions to be presented to the next summit in Grenada. The CTO and CHTA said the support of the leaders “is a progressive and positive move and a welcomed commitment towards furthering the development

of our people, so that they can take full advantage of the employment, career and entrepreneurial opportunities available through the region’s largest industry. “We wish to thank the leaders for placing tourism on their agenda. We are particularly appreciative to Prime Minister Perry Christie of the Bahamas, who has responsibility for tourism in the CARICOM quasi-Cabinet, Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe and Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell for advancing the proposed initiative at the meeting,” the regional tourism bodies said. (CMC)

Homeland Security staff locked out of network SOME U.S. Department of Homeland Security employees in the Washington area and Philadelphia were unable to access some agency computer networks on Tuesday, according to three sources familiar with the matter. It was not immediately clear how widespread the issue was or how significantly it affected daily functions at DHS, a large government agency whose responsibilities include immigration services, border security and cyber defense. Employees began experiencing problems logging into networks at 5 a.m. ET on Tuesday due to a

problem related to domain controllers, or servers that process authentication requests, which could not validate personal identity verification (PIV) cards used by federal workers and contractors to access certain information systems, one source said. At least four U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services facilities in the Washington area and one in Philadelphia were affected, the source said, but some employees were able to access systems through a virtual private network. It was not clear if other branches of DHS were affected. The source characterized the

issue as one stemming from relatively benign information technology missteps and a failure to ensure network redundancy. There was no evidence of foul play, the source said, adding that it appeared the domain controller credentials had expired on Monday when offices were closed for the federal Presidents Day holiday. DHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment. President Donald Trump vowed to make cyber security a priority during his administration, following an election marred by hacks of Dem-

ocratic Party emails that U.S. intelligence agencies concluded were carried out by Russia in order to help Trump, a Republican, win. At a White

House event last month he said he would “hold my Cabinet secretaries and agency heads accountable, totally accountable, for the cyber security of their

organizations.” Trump had planned to sign a cyber security executive order last month but it was put on hold to allow more time for review. (Reuters)

Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams Editor

MASHRAMANI is a sort of Christmas for Guyanese. Marching around the corner just after the December festivities, Mash brings with it a certain excitement that gets the Guyanese in high spirits. Indeed, Mashramani serves as Guyana’s very own Carnival, and is mixed with Guyanese elements that make it unique to our home. The steel pan, mixed with masquerade, mixed with vibrant colours and Guyanese music all culminate to create an event that Guyanese can certainly call “we own”. Part of the flair of the Mash season comes from the Calypso Competition, and though Calypso has its origins in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana has adopted this art form and made it her own as local calypsonians fuse social commentary and satire,unique to our homeland with the Guyanese accent to create a one-of-a-kind finished product. The annual Adult Calypso Competition has also seen its share of legends over the years. This lists include the late Malcolm ‘Lord Canary’ Corrica, Geoffery ‘Mighty Rebel’ Phillips and Camille ‘Lady Tempest’ Goliah. It is this competition that has given life to many memorable tunes by these and other local legends, which still enjoy airplay to date. And while Calypso is seen as a dying art, the annual hosting of this event sees its continued share of ardent supporters. Moreover, with the renewed sense of nationalism witnessed by Guyanese in the last two years, there has also been a revamped appreciation for its local artistes’ music and this dying art. Next on the list is the Steel Pan Competition, which continues to be kept alive through the annual hosting of Republic

Bank’s Panorama during the Mashramani season. In recent years, Panorama has grown in popularity and the level of competition has been increasingly sharp with emerging talents such as the GBTI Buxton Pride Steel Orchestra, Jovanka Williams and the Pan Wave Academy. Most impressively, this is a competition dominated by the youth whose skill and talent speak volumes and continue to wow its increasing number of spectators every year. Our children have been the stars of Mashramani for years and the Children’s Mash Competition has made sure of that. Ranging from dramatic poetry, to masquerade, to a costume competition, school children are encouraged to take part in this annual extravaganza. It is here we also see the talent of our children as they are thrown into the creative world and made to bring out their best performances. Needless to say, it is the continued engagement of our children at a young age which persons believe helps to preserve our culture, increase their interest in the arts and keep the spirit of Mashramani alive altogether. Yet, it would be remiss to speak of this season without mention of the local artistes. In a music industry where artistes believe that not enough attention is given to their music, it is this time more than any other when local music is given much airplay. This year, Guyanese music was given prominence on local radio stations, with many of the songs reaching international standard. Most recently, Mashramani has also attracted some interesting features. For the party goers, the Trinidadian custom of J’ouvert has gained popularity on local shores and now adds to the Guyana Mash Fever.

Godfrey Wray

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

Editorial

These events all lead up to the big day, which begins with the annual Flag Raising Ceremony at midnight of February 22, followed by the float parade where designers shine in their creativity and people come out in their numbers to either join the revelling or watch on. There have been criticisms over the years about the size and lack of creativity of the floats and costumes, but Guyanese designers continue to bring out their best, while showcasing key themes and symbols of Guyana’s patrimony through art. But regardless of criticisms, regardless of route, or need for improvement, these are the vital elements of our Mashramani, and it is the continued promotion of our culture at this time of the year that helps us to reflect and celebrate all at the same time. More importantly, it is embracing these elements and helping to keep them alive that will see continued innovation that will induce new springs of creativity. We may not have Trinidad’s Carnival status or flair, but what we have is Mashramani, and regardless of comparison or critique, Mash remains ours.

SARA giving some people jitters Dear Editor,

NOW that the State Assets Recovery Bill is about to be passed in the parliament, there is a concerted effort by the opposition PPP, the Private Sector Commission and some individuals to scuttle it. The PPP and the individuals and organisations concerned are hell bent on either delaying its passage in parliament or, attempting to apply enough pressure on the government to abandon the proposed bill. It is important to note that most of those persons in the forefront of resistance to the Bill are in a lot of ways beneficiaries of the looting of state assets which took place during the tenure of the PPPC regime. This political/business/criminal alliance is desperate and fearful. They dread the exposure of their criminal activities which were conducted even as they pretended to be decent, law-abiding citizens. They are aware that

the government is serious in its resolve to get back stolen assets. It is this realisation that is giving them jitters. They know that the SARA Bill will make it easier for the state to recover stolen state assets, both at home and from those countries abroad where they have stashed some of the loot. Since the bill in its present form is based on civil recovery and not criminal prosecution, where the state has the burden to prove that the assets were acquired from criminal activities, the Bill shifts the burden on the defendant to show how the assets were acquired. The SARA bill signals that no longer in Guyana will public officials and their cohorts be allowed to plunder the resources of the state with the impunity they did under the PPP/C regime. It is zero tolerance from hereon. It will also allow SARA to access information necessary to pursue its cases and to seek court orders

to freeze assets in Guyana and overseas. The critics of the bill, in attempting to justify what they refer to as draconian measures, are raising red herrings. They are arguing that the bill is unconstitutional, that it puts too much power in the hands of the person who will function as SARA’s director, that it is a violation of citizens’ rights and it is a political instrument to be used by the government against its opponents. They are trying to scare the public into supporting their criminal deception to save their skins. Contrary to their propaganda that SARA will function as both judge and jury, the truth is that SARA will have to prove its case in a court of law. Are they saying that the courts would not protect citizens’ rights? Their concern is not about citizens’ rights, they want to kill the bill in order to prevent public disclosure of the extent of their collaborative efforts to rape

the country’s resources and enrich themselves by illegal means in the process. These crooks are underestimating the intelligence of the masses. People are not fooled by their antics. The popular view is that government should have tabled and passed the bill in parliament shortly after it assumed office. If there is one thing that can be said against the coalition, it is that it has taken too long to act in relation to placing the bill in parliament. When the government appeared to be dragging its feet on the bill, the opposition became emboldened to the point that it mocked the regime by saying that it spent millions of taxpayers money on numerous audits and on SARU and there is nothing to show for it. They implied that in spite of the claims the members of the coalition had made while they were in opposition, now that they are in government, they are embarrassed by the fact that

the audits have proven that the allegations against the PPP government were misplaced. If the PPP leadership believes its own propaganda that they ran a lean and clean government and their newly gotten wealth could stand up to scrutiny, then they have nothing to worry about. But they know that SARA in pursuing recovery of assets will expose them and they have much to lose financially and politically. This explains their hostility against SARA and the person who is very likely to be its first director, Professor Clive Thomas. Old people say “Monkey knows which limb to jump on.” They -- all of them -politicians, businessmen, criminals and professionals who facilitated and benefitted from the operations of the criminal cabal are having sleepless nights and nightmares that SARA is knocking at their doors. They see a SARA operative in every worm hole of their surroundings. Not excluded

from these traumatic nightly experiences is former president Bharat Jagdeo. He is fully aware of the dominant role he played in the usurping of the country’s resources and he is as jittery as the others. He knows that in this new dispensation he is not above the law. In an effort to extricate himself he talks about his commitment to place ministers of the coalition government on trial for corruption. He said that he will pay money to persons who come forward with information. The man is prepared to do more than the government, since he is willing to pay for information. This is no joke, we are in a period of political desperation. In closing, the Guyanese people deserve justice. This is long overdue. The nation wants its stolen assets back! Let the chips fall where they may. Regards Tacuma Ogunseye

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Inquiries needed into bungled infrastructural projects Dear Editor

I would like to fully endorse the contents of Mr. Charles Sohan letter of February 21, 2017, in the Stabroek News “Patterson should have reviewed his staff performance for failing to monitor contractors”. Mr. Sohan has identified a problem which is endemic to the Ministries of Public Infrastructure (MoPI) and Agriculture. The fact that exactly the same patterns and absence of review were evident in the failures of the Charity Wharf and the Mon Repos Sea defences, way back in 19971998, confirms that Minister Patterson is no better at resolving these issues than the equivalent minister(s) under several PPP regimes. The irony of the entire situation is that the MoPI was taken to task by the current chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Irfaan Alli. Mr. Alli’s performance itself as the Minister of Housing and Water was no less stellar than that of either Minister Patterson of the MoPI or Minister Holder of the Ministry of Agriculture. Mr. Alli’s sincerity in calling for the MoPI to blacklist the companies involved in the East Bank and East Coast fiascos is questionable given his failure to take similar action when he was the Minister of Housing and Water. His performance as Minister of Housing and Water has created need for corrective action on several of the projects executed under his tenure. Terms of References for projects currently being undertaken by the APNU/ AFC government, mandate successful completion of projects with a minimum value and of a certain type. The government continues to qualify both contractors and consultants, including those involved in the East Bank and East Coast road projects, who have failed to successfully undertake several projects. A typical example is the recent request for qualifiers

as consultants for the construction of the bridge across the proposed Cunha Canal. The Terms of Reference for that project mandated supervision of construction of a similar bridge structure within the previous 10 years. The only local companies with claims to such experience are those involved in the construction of the bridge over the Hope Canal, a failed project. Further, one of the companies involved in the Hope Bridge fiasco was recently ranked first for provision of consulting services for the bridge over the Demerara River at Mackenzie-Wismar. This further validates the issues raised by Mr. Sohan. The failure of that specific company to successfully supervise the Hope Canal Bridge was totally discounted from consideration by the engineers in the MoPI under the watch of Minister Patterson. Minister Patterson is advised to follow the example of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago (GoTT) specifically as related to the failure of the Las Alturas Towers. The GoTT initiated an inquiry after two of the housing towers in the scheme, valued at $26 million, were demolished following a number of structural issues as a result of the relevant technical work having not been done prior to construction. Guyana faces a similar scenario with the approaches to the Hope Canal Bridge and several other projects in Guyana. In spite of this, neither the MoPI nor the Ministry of Agriculture has initiated anything even close to an inquiry. The Ministry of Agriculture in a manner similar to the MoPI refuses to acknowledge its culpability in endorsing the work of the consultants on the Hope Bridge. It is now the responsibility of the chairman of the PAC to call upon both the MoPI and the Ministry of Agriculture to suspend both consultants and contractors who have failed to provide the appropriate standard of care. Further the MoPI and Ministry of Agricul-

ture must immediately remove the veil around development of qualifications criteria for projects being undertaken under their watch. To do any less will simply confirm

that the APNU + AFC and PPP/C are the equivalent of a half a dozen of one, six of the other. Regards Charles P Ceres

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 22, 2017

Managing oil wealth … UK urges clear plan to spend oil money

By Svetlana Marshall EVEN though Guyana is making steady progress in laying the foundation for the Oil and Gas Industry, British High Commissioner Greg Quinn said there needs to be a clear strategic plan in place detailing how the country intends to spend the billions of dollars that will be garnered from the industry. He said based on consultation, there should be a roadmap pinpointing the areas to be developed from the stream of revenues whether in the field of Education, Infrastructure or Health. But all the revenues must not and should not be exhausted, the British High Commissioner warned, as he alluded to the setting up of a Sovereign Wealth Fund for tough times or ‘rainy days.’ “The sort of conversation, which I know is happening, is already happening around those two areas, but what I would like to see a bit more detail about is exactly what the strategy is for spending the money,” Commissioner Quinn told reporters at his Bel Air Gardens residence on Tuesday. However, he said there is sufficient time to get the requisite systems and plans in place ahead of the 2020 when the country is expected to start producing approximately 100,

Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG) was launched with the primary function to effectively oversee the implementation of the Guyana-EITI. During the launch of the tripartite group, involving government, private sector (industry) and civil society, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman explained that EITI has the potential to deliver significant benefits to Guyana’s economy through increase accountability and transparency while simultaneously enhancing the country’s reputation as a sound investment destination. Additionally, government is expected to lay

before the National Assembly Sovereign Fund Legislation–a move which will guarantee citizens the right to enjoy equitable shares in the national patrimony. Legislation for the establishment of a Petroleum Commission, regulations for local content and for health and safety for the environment are also expected to be presented this year. As preparations move a pace, Cabinet also granted approval to the Natural Resources Ministry to retain a consultant – Pedro Haas, Director of Advisory Services at Hartree Partners – to provide a high-level feasi-

bility assessment to the Government of Guyana on whether investing in an oil refinery is a viable economic option. Haas is examining the demand, availability, the economic landscape and forecast. His findings will influence Government’s decision. In January, ExxonMobil discovered more than 95 feet of high-quality, oil-bearing sandstone reservoirs in its Payara-1 well offshore Guyana. Payara is ExxonMobil’s second oil discovery on the Stabroek Block, and is located approximately 10 miles (16 km) northwest of the 2015 Liza discovery.

British High Commissioner, Greg Quinn, engaging reporters at his Bel Air Gardens residence on Tuesday 000 barrels of oil per day. Zooming in on the Sovereign Wealth Fund, the British High Commissioner noted that an earlier determination should also be made on the percentage of revenues to be stored in the fund. Besides those recommendations, Commissioner Quinn said while there is a lot more work to be done, the Government is making steady progress as it heads in the right direction. “Things are moving fairly well,” he posited while alluding to preparatory works being done such as moves by Guyana to be a part of

the Extractive Industries Initiative (EITI). EITI is a global organisation of 51 member countries, which have subscribed to establishing, upholding and promoting the standards and tenets of good governance, transparency and accountability in the management of extractive industries. At its core the EITI promotes the belief that natural resources belong to the people and are to be extracted and managed on behalf of the people; both for current and future generations. Just last week, a

Deep Water Champion Oil Exploration Rig

Carl Parker interdicted from duty MINISTER of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, is disputing reports in some sections of the media that the Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Nine, Carl Parker is still on the job. Minister Bulkan told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that

Parker has been off the job for over one week, and that a replacement REO has since been installed. Kerwin Ward, formerly of the Region Three Administration, has assumed the responsibility of acting REO of the Upper Takatu/Upper Essequibo region, Minister Bulkan said.

Ward has been with the Region Three Administration for over 20 years, and his last substantial position within the Region Three office was field auditor. Parker was on Thursday, February 9, appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ court, charged with sexual assault against one

Carl Parker

of the region’s elected officials. Later that evening, Minister Bulkan had informed the media that following the institution of the charge against Parker, he would be interdicted from duty with immediate effect. Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, later con-

firmed the removal of Parker during the legal process by the Communities Ministry, during a press conference. However, reports from members of the community, the Regional Chairman Brian Allicock, and sections of the media, stated that Parker was still on the job.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 22, 2017

12 months jail for prison escapee A PRISON inmate who had escaped from the Camp Street Prison, but was later recaptured was sentenced to 12 months for attempting to escape the Georgetown Penitentiary. Ruco McIntyre, 27 admitted to the allegation which stated that on February 12 while at Georgetown Prison, Camp Street, while he was awaiting trial on a simple larceny charge which was dismissed on Monday , he escaped lawful custody. McIntyre, the father of one, told Magistrate McLennan that he had tried to escape the Camp Street prison because he wanted to go home to see his child. Reports indicated that McIntyre, an inmate of the prison, was returning from church when he noticed the door of the prison’s watch tower opened. Prison officials said a probe was launched into the escape. “There was an apparent breakdown in supervision after he church service ended. He slipped through to the other half of the prison yard and made his way up the tower, over the fence and then to John and Bent Streets,” Prison Director Gladwin Samuels had told Demerara Waves Online News. After McIntyre escaped members of the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) and police patrols gave chase and apprehended him at Hadfield and Lime Streets. Samuels said McIntyre showed signs of mental instability and he would have been sent to Psychiatrist, Dr. Bhiro Harry, during his scheduled monthly visit. McIntyre was not an aggressive inmate, according to Samuels. At the time of Mc Intryre’s escape the security tower was not manned due to a staff shortage. He said off-duty staff members have since been called in to increase the number of personnel at the prison.

WCB man on attempted murder charge

A WEST Coast Berbice man was on Tuesday placed on $100,000 bail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, when he appeared before her charged with attempted murder. The particulars of the charge stated that 39 -yearold Donald Newton aka Shabba, of Number 5 Village West Coast Berbice on September 1, 2016 at Mini Hall, Potaro River with intent to commit murder injured Wayne Fredericks. Attorney- at–Law Mark Conway who represented Fredericks told the court that the virtual compliant had indicated that he does not want to proceed with the matter. Magistrate McLennan then asked Fredericks why he does not want to continue the matter at which point he stated that he does not want any trouble. Magistrate McLennan instructed Fredericks to seek advice on the matter, since it is a matter of serious nature. Fredericks had sustained laceration to left side neck when the incident occurred. The matter has been transferred to Mahdia Magistrate’s Court for April 17.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 22, 2017

Parenthood and abortion By Akola Thompson

DURING the past few days, three things have settled heavily on my mind. One, the death of Norma Leah McCorvey, better known by the legal pseudonym Jane Roe in the hallmark Roe Vs. Wade case which made abortion legal in the US. Two, the Mexico City policy, which is otherwise known as the Global Gag Rule due to the fact that countries with US funding to healthcare providers could lose this if they either include abortion counselling or advocate for abortion in their countries. Three, the votes in the US Congress a few days ago which saw Republicans taking the first step to overturning President Barack Obama’s last ditch effort to protect planned parenthood’s state funding. When one thinks of Roe vs. Wade, depending on which side of the debate regarding pro-choice or pro-life they are on, it could either trigger immense satisfaction or extreme disgust. This divide is nothing new; it has always been a polarising issue even before the landmark case made abortion legal with a 7-2 vote in 1973. Before this, women could only receive abortions if they were raped and even then of course, they had to prove they had been raped. One would have thought that the court’s ruling would have been a great stepping stone for women to finally be able to claim sovereignty over their bodies, but close to fifty years after, women are still strenuously fighting to have complete say over whether they want to have a baby or not. Even the woman, McCorvey who was instrumental in legal abortions would later become a staunch pro-life advocate and I’ve always found that to be particularly interesting.

As it relates to the Global Gag Rule signed over a month ago, the rule can further negatively influence opinions concerning reproductive and sexual health services and can see much needed funding for NGOs being lost. This in turn will see these NGO’s diminishing the services being offered to the public. It is being touted by supporters of it that the rule was to ensure taxpayer dollars would not fund abortions but this is disingenuous as a federal provision called the “Hyde rule” for decades prohibited the usage of taxpayer money to fund abortions. So, basically, they are defunding other services provided by Planned Parenthood such as contraception and HIV testing. Given that the US is the largest bilateral donor of reproductive health services, this will see women, even here in Guyana, being hindered from accessing these services. Then, there comes the votes. Close to a week ago, the House voted 230-188 on legislation meant to overturn the rule, which sent the bill to the Senate. If the bill is passed and signed by President Donald Trump, states are free to only give federal funding to health care clinics that do not provide abortion services even if these clinics provide things such as fertility services and cancer screenings. States will have freedom to cut funding from health clinics with no fear of the Government as the rule imposed by the Obama administration had stated that “states cannot deny funding to clinics for reasons unrelated to their ability to provide basic family planning services. Federal dollars cannot be used to pay for abortions, except in restricted circumstances.” The Trump administration is apparently on a

mission to further diminish womens rights and their freedom of choice in the abortion debate in an effort to decrease the occurrence. The problem with this as countless studies over the decades have shown is that anti-abortion laws and policies does not decrease abortions, it just makes it extremely harder and unsafe for women to get rid of pregnancies they do not want to carry full term. Even here in Guyana where our abortion laws are progressive, scores of women still die and are left sterile each year after trying to unsafely get rid of a pregnancy. Just recall the case of Liloutie Raggernauth who ingested a poisonous substance so as to abort an unwanted foetus just last year. I am unapologetically pro-choice. I used to be prolife a very long time ago but that was not because I had any real or informed views on the matter. I was just pro-life because the people who surrounded me were. I know everyone moves along at their own pace but at what point do we tell them that they either catch up or get left behind? I have been thinking about these three interconnected things because it further makes clear the fact that women may never, at least not in the immediate future, have complete autonomy over their bodies. I try to be open-minded and surround myself with people with different viewpoints but on some issues such as abortion, I refuse to encourage a conversation where women are being forced to have a child they do not want. One silly argument that usually comes up is, ‘what if the aborted child had a cure for cancer?’ My question to that is, ‘what if a woman who has the cure for cancer cannot accomplish this because you forced her to have a baby?’

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 22, 2017

Ministry of Public health launches Mash Band

SOCA Monarch Jumo “Rubberwaist” Primo, even had Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, jiving to his “Stir the Pot” song, when he performed live at the Ministry’s Mash Band launch last Monday at the compound on Brickdam. With the Mashramani Costume and Float Parade

set to go down tomorrow, Primo really got patrons at the launch in the Mashramani mood as the MoPH put on a mini concert, inclusive of a performance by dancers decked out in a few of the costumes that revellers will be flaunting in tomorrow’s parade. The MoPH will be coming out in the medium full

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 22, 2017

Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, (centre) with some of the models who displayed the Ministry’s costumes costume category of the com- I am sure you are eagerly petition, with 100 revellers awaiting the moment, as I parading under the theme am, when we can lift our ban“Healthy In Green Guyana.” ners high and portray with “This theme endorses pride, the various health asPresident Granger’s overar- pects mirrored in our theme,” ching commitment to pro- Lawrence said. moting a green economy,” The band’s costume deLawrence said. “It affirms signer Paul Burnette also his drive to implement pol- took to the podium to speak icies and initiatives that will a little about the costume change behaviours and lead design. “We have divided the to healthier lifestyles and the group into three sections- the wellbeing of all our citizens.” first section, which is the red Lawrence is looking for- and pink places emphasis ward to being part of tomor- on the healthy heart, healthy row’s event and being able blood, healthy blood vessels. to use the event as a means The second section deals of promoting the message with positive life attitudes, of healthy lifestyles. “This where you eat right, exercise celebration of Mashramani, and all of that. which captures the spirit of That is the red and gold our nationhood, a celebration section. In the last section after hard work, is an event we pay a little attention to in which we all must revel what may cause us to die and feel exceptionally proud. early,” Burnette stated.

Putin, Carmona hail Guyana on 47th Republic Anniversary PRESIDENT of the Russian Federation, His Excellency Vladimir Putin and President of Trinidad and Tobago, His Excellency Anthony Carmona have both written to President David Granger to extend felicitations on the occasion of Guyana’s 47th Republic Anniversary. President Putin, in his message, said that he is pleased to note the friendly and cordial relations, which have existed between the two countries. “I am confident that further strengthening of constructive bilateral cooperation in different fields suits to the basic interests of our nations. I wish to you, good health and success and to the Guyanese people, well-being and prosperity,” Mr. Putin wrote. Meanwhile, President Carmona, in his message, said that the Government and People of Trinidad and Tobago are “pleased to extend to you and to the Government and people of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, greetings and congratulations on the occasion of your country’s Republic Day”. Guyana will observe its 47th Republic Anniversary on Thursday, February 23, 2017. The occasion will be marked by the traditional flag raising ceremony on Wednesday, February 22, 2017 at the Durban Park, followed by the Mashramani Parade on the 23rd. (Ministry of the Presidency)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 22, 2017

Min. of Education launches vibrant Mash Band THINGS are looking good over at the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) Mash Camp, which utilised the skills of the instructor and students of the E. R. Burrowes School of Arts, to put together one of the more vibrant Mash Bands expected to come out at tomorrow’s Mashramani Costume and Float Parade. The Ministry’s Department of Culture, Youth and Sport, officially launched their Mash band yesterday afternoon at the E. R. Burrowes School of Art on Carifesta Avenue, where Junior Minister, Nicolette Henry, smilingly gave her endorsement of the spectacular costumes. “I think it’s awesome! The pieces that we see here today are really fantastic and definitely I look forward to a good showing from the Ministry of Education. I’m really impressed and happy with what I see here today,” Henry said. With the organisation of Mashramani falling under Henry’s department, the Ministry was hard pressed to lead by example and put on one of the best of the day’s floats. “We’ve done our part. It’s now for the revellers and the bands to go out and have a great time. We’ve prepared the venue, we’ve done the route and we’ve put the necessary arrangements in place. It’s up to them now to go out there and have a good time. It promises to be a really exciting, and great event. It’s been a really awesome and phenomenal effort from a lot of people.” Henry relayed. The MOE’s band is conceptualized under the theme

“Guyana an Emerging Green State,” and will be coming 300 strong tomorrow in the large band full costume category. Most of the costumes were designed by the school’s instructor Sean Thomas. Coordinator at the School, Volda Ramsammy, gave some insight into what was going on with some of the costumes, as she gave media personnel a little tour of the Mash Camp. “Because we are envisioning a green Guyana, we are trying to portray the sense that we are tapping into, things like hydropower. There’s our costume for solar power. We have our forest. The Queen’s costume represents the eco system. Because our ecosystem is very rich in flora and fauna, what we are trying to depict here is the richness of our environment. We’re looking at things like butterflies, flowers, birds, and even a monkey. The main part of this costume is a rare butterfly that can be found in the rainforest. The King’s costume basically represents our solar power, which Guyana will soon be tapping into,” Ramsammy explained. On the road the revellers will be divided into sections, partitioned by the Queen and King. “Its 300 strong: we have 3 sections. We have a set of revellers that will be going behind the Queen which represents eco systems, then we have 100 coming behind the King which will be representing solar energy, and behind the float we have a mixture of all the other costumes.” Ramsammy revealed.

Junior Minister responsible for Culture, Youth and Sports, Nicolette Henry, (fourth from right) in the midst of the models displaying the costumes

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 22, 2017

Parking meters by-laws are oppressive measures made legal

–PM

PRIME Minister (PM) Moses Nagamootoo is of the belief that the bylaws governing the operations of the metered

parking system are oppressive measures made legal. The PM expressed this view in his latest ‘My Turn’ column which was published in the Guyana Chronicle on Sunday.

According to him, “The Georgetown Metered Parking By-laws, which came into effect on January 17, 2017, rendered otherwise oppressive measures legal”. He said that these mea-

sures include excessive immobilization or clamping fees, towing fees, impoundment fees and storage fees. It would cost $34,000 plus Value Added Tax (VAT) to recover one vehicle, if subjected to all

four stages of the enforcement process. Additionally, the PM pointed out that 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, he said, 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. Other measures listed in the by-laws include, a fine of $100,000 or three months imprisonment if an individual attempts to remove or interfere with the immobilisation device; a $50,000 fee for persons who provide inaccurate names to City Constables; and an impoundment fee of $7,000, and an additional $7,000 each day the vehicle remains impounded, among others. With these measures and the parking fees having been described by the government as “burdensome,” the PM contended that the by-laws should be explained fully. He noted too, that 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. The PM explained that the emphasis in making the metered parking system work, should be on commercial parking zones, and for this reason, “it may be worth the symbolic gesture if the parking meters were to rest on Sunday.” This, he said, would prevent persons from literally having to pay to pray when they visit city Churches on Sunday. He reasoned that if properly planned, des-

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo ignated 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.” Contending that the parking meter system was supposed to achieve exactly this, but on the basis of affordability, PM Nagamootoo said that it was not expected that it would have been “dragged into our city like a Trojan Horse.” Having observed recent developments, which include three mass protests against the metered parking system, the PM said that what has been seen so far is a protest, and not an “opposition.” However, he believes that this movement could become an opposition one, if the “reasonable request” to review the controversial contract and attempts at reconciliation are refused. “This will up the demand to revoke the Agreement” he said.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Contracts signed for model houses project

…houses to be on display at Housing Solution 2017 and Beyond Expo The Ministry of Communities has announced that preparations are underway for the construction of a 1000 homes “Housing Solutions 2017 and Beyond” model village project at Perseverance, East Bank Demerara. At a press conference Monday, Minister within the Ministry of Communities,Valeria Patterson,made the announcement and said a massive housing exhibition will be held May 1 to 5, to display low-income, moderate-income and middle-income homes which will be constructed and sold by choiced local construction companies at the site. “We are setting up what we call a model village,” Minister Patterson told the press. Several exhibitors signed an agreement yesterday with the Ministry of Communities committing their companies to the project;that houses built must be sold within six months. The agreement also states that prospective homeowners will not be allowed to do any form of modification to the houses until after five years, since it will be a model village. “Model village meaning that the public can go to that location, see different

Project Director “Housing Solutions 2017 and beyond” Omar Narine points to images of some of the homes to be constructed at the Perseverance model village (photo by Delano Williams)w

models of low-income, moderate-income, middle-income homes and different types of building materials being used,and even though for our part, government, CH&PA, we’re going to focus to a large extent on local building materials; the exhibitors are not confined to just local materials,” the minister said. She explained that at the end of the exhibition, the exhibitors are responsible for the sale of the homes. Pro-

spective homeowners must have an application with Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA),but if the individuals have none in the system, they can apply during or after the exhibition, as all applications must pass through CH&PA. “Our objective … is to reduce the number of applicants that we have in the system and so we cannot afford to have persons who would have had a previous

allocation now coming again and be able to purchase that house,” Patterson explained. She said a survey will also be conducted by her ministry during the exhibition so that they will be informed about the popular choice of homes of the general population. “That survey will inform us first of all of the people’s choice;so if and when CH&PA decides that we’re going to continue to build low income, moderate,

middle, whatever, we now understand rather than us giving what model we think… we’ll now understand what people need.” The exhibitors will also have opportunities to engage patrons at the exhibition who already have lands at other locations but are interested in construction of one of the model homes on display. On exhibit by the contracted exhibitors, there will be 10 low income homes, 5

moderate income homes and 8 middle-income houses, but the CH&PA will also have 6 duplexes and 2 single unit homes on exhibition. Technical institutes in Guyana will compete in building duplicates for a grand prize and a 3D model of the village, designed by the University of Guyana,which will be featured at the launch of Housing Solutions 2017 exhibition at The Pegasus Hotel a month before the May 1 event. Meanwhile, Minister Valerie Patterson and a team will visit Poland soon to finalize talks with Canadian international housing company “Greenheart Timber Products” which has expressed interest in partnering with the Ministry of Communities in housing development here. She said executives of the company had visited her office in December with their expression of interest. She,along with Project Director Omar Narine and the Ministry’s Administrative Officer,were invited by the company’s executives to visit Poland where they will be able to observe housing projects done there by that company.

Ministry of Communities empowers municipalities through CARILED training The Ministry of Communities continues to initiate programmes aimed at building the technical and institutional capacity of the local democratic organs to deliver effective and efficient services to their constituents. The Ministry, in collaboration with the Caribbean Local Economic Development Project (CARILED) today, brought mayors and councillors of the nine municipalities for a one-day workshop at the Cara Lodge Hotel, aimed at promoting sustainable communities through strong local governance.

Present were Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan, Director General, Municipality Regional County (MRC) d’Argenteuil and Federal Canada Municipal (FCM) representative Marc Carriere, CARILED Regional Programme Director Marion Villanueva and CARILED National Coordinator, Roger Rogers. CARILED has been working with the Ministry since August, 2012, piloting local economic development through the financial support of the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada. Minister Bulkan expressed his grat-

itude for the development achieved under the CARILED projects which have assisted in the execution of good governance. The Communities Minister noted that the project also provides vital training and facilitation of activities that lead to institutional strengthening and capacity building within the local government structure. Minister Bulkan said that the local government input into the project is deemed significant within the country’s governance architecture and national administration because the, “local officials are closer to people, thus more in tune

with the needs of people, whether they live in towns or villages.” He added that the local government officials’ willingness to contribute to the project for the betterment of the residents is considered as a vital element for the nation since it would be difficult for Central Government to address these issues alone. The workshop was in keeping with the Government’s quest to build and develop strong, safe and more secure communities. Minister Bulkan highlighted a number of developments achieved through the implementation of the

CARILED project which include: five municipal development plans being improved for the municipalities of New Amsterdam, Rose Hall, Linden, Anna Regina and Corriverton. The Communities Minister said that significant work was carried out in the development of local areas economic profiles along with the economic development and strategic planning in the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) including those in Regions Two, Three, Four and Six. There was an ease in doing business due to the various workshops held

which led to the establishment of a number of business facilitation and help desks in various areas. Additionally, there were the identification options to increase the revenue base of councils and their access to funding to allow proper execution of their work programmes by local officials. Meanwhile, FCM’s representative Carriere, noted that the local government bodies will need to multi-task in solving numerous issues affecting their communities since they play a significant role. (GINA)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 22, 2017

Gunmen rob Clonbrook supermarket

GUNMEN stormed the Chinese operated ‘You Gou Supermarket’ at Clonbrook, East Coast Demerara, and carted off hundreds of thousands of dollars Monday night. The proprietors of the business, Chinese nationals, had opened the countryside supermarket months ago, but this is the first time it had been attacked by robbers. An employee of ‘You

Gou Supermarket’ Angela said she was attending to a customer around 20:40 hours when three masked men carrying guns showed up. Two friends – Rajesh and Sherman were sitting at a table on the lawns of the supermarket and Sherman walked into the store and ordered another round of Guinness. “I was in the cooler (freezer) at the said time

because a boy come and he buy some Guinness…when I pack this thing back, the man (Rajesh) outside who went outside sitting down, all me see a man coming in with he, put the gun on the man and bringing he in the supermarket. And say ‘everybody on the floor don’t move’,” Angela recalled. She said a quick thought of securing her wedding band came and she hid the

You Gou Supermarket which was robbed Monday night was still doing business yesterday (photo by Samuel Maughn) ring. “When I see that, by time I see he I had on these things right and I slipped off these things and pelt it in the cooler… and then I lie down on the ground,” she said showing the Guyana Chronicle reporter three rings on her finger. Angela’s husband, who was also in the supermarket at the time, was already lying face down on the floor after the gunmen ordered everybody down. There were at least two other employees at the supermarket and some customers. The men began tumbling for money but when they found only about over a hundred thousand dollars, they began to shout and display threatening behavior. “When they came in and they start to tumble up and they find some money, they ask whey the rest of money deh, and they seh ‘you come here cause you working here’. Whey the money is? I say wha yuh see there that is all the money because we buy a lot of stocks today and that is all the money.” It was then that they robbed her husband of a gold ring he was wearing and a mobile phone. However, both their wedding bands were on her hands and she was able to save them. They also robbed Sherman of his mobile phone and car keys. But the bandits refused to leave with the money and items they had and demanded more, placing a gun to her chest. “When they start to pull out the money, they say this can never be all the money. They ask for the chest in which the money is hid. So when the Chinee girl see that they put the gun on my stomach and say ‘you need to tell we whey the money deh’, she raise up the black thing so that they

could tek out the rest.” Though the exact sum of money is undisclosed, she said it would amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Angela said she had since been traumatized and is afraid to work again after realizing how easily both she and husband could have lost their lives. “This morning they call me back because the CID went here and when they start run back the footage and so on, like me whole body just get cold,” she said, confirming reports that she also fainted. Meanwhile, the woman’s husband told the Guyana Chronicle he was sitting closer to the cashier when he saw his wife’s facial expression changed. He knew then that something was amiss. “Me see she turn and watch and she skin up she eye…. That is when the gunman bring Rajesh inside wid the gun… the man seh ‘nobody move, everybody lie down flat’ and me throw down meself. And then them carry she to the cashier and seh ‘you, you know whey the chess deh’. Me lie down deh and me nah know wha go on after that,” he explained. They said the men carried both big and small guns. “Them man had big gun. It look like them AK. One of them had a big gun and the rest had small gun.” After collecting the booty, the men ran into a parked white car in which one other man, the driver, was waiting, and they sped north out of the Ann’s Grove/Cloonbrook road. A customer and one of the proprietors of the supermarket ran and cried for help and the police were called. Police have collected video footage of the robbery and are investigating the matter.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 22, 2017

Taskforce set up to address issues affecting Baramita

THE Government has established an inter-Ministerial taskforce to address social issues of alcoholism, sexual and domestic abuse and suicide that are plaguing Baramita, in the Matarkai sub-District, Region One. Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Ministerial Advisor, Mervyn Williams, said that Baramita is a troubled village, given the social ills and the realities which existed during the last decade. During an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), Williams explained that when the

Government took Office in 2015, it immediately established a task force that comprised the Ministers of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Communities, Social Protection, Public Security and Health. This taskforce has set about finding solutions to the problems facing the indigenous community. Williams was responding to calls by the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) for the Government to pull back the slide in human and social standards in Baramita after the organisation researched and compiled a report entitled ‘Impact of Mining:

Survival Strategies for Interior Communities in Guyana’. Williams said that the issues affecting the community cannot be addressed overnight; however with continued collective efforts, with all state agencies, and other organisations, government will eventually bring solid lasting solutions to the crisis in Baramita. In the interim, with assistance from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), shops operating illegally have been shut down in the mining areas. There were also visits by

the Guyana Police Force (GPF) attending to unlawful vending of alcohol, in addition to other criminal activities. The Ministry of Health also conducted outreaches in the area; the Ministries of Indigenous Peoples’ and Education also collaborated and have established the hot meal kitchen at the Baramita Primary School. “There have been countless interventions since the Government has come to office. Baramita, prior to May 2015, was nowhere in the news as it related to suicide, and all of a sudden the world

recognises that Baramita has a suicide problem. In tackling that issue, there has got to be some focus on the culture of our people, and an examination of what are the issues that give rise to that behaviour…no one, as far as I’m aware, has licence to sell liquor in Baramita, but it is being sold,” Williams said. He added that, “there are allegations that the police are not doing enough, but there is also a responsibility on the part of the people who operate their businesses to act responsibly,” Williams noted. The process had started from

the level of government, however it is up to the people of Baramita to recognise their social, moral and ethical obligation, and it is up to the leaders of Baramita to step up and help to tackle the issues affecting the people, because “we have to save our children, we have to save our culture,” Williams urged. Baramita is the largest Amerindian settlement in Guyana, and the biggest Carib village in the Caribbean. It has a population of about 3,000. This community’s main economic activity is mining. (GINA)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 22, 2017

‘We will not scrap it’ … defiant King says M&CC “properly” signed contract with SCS

By Telesha Ramnarine TOWN Clerk Royston King has rubbished claims by

some sections of society that the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is holding on to the parking meter contract with

Smart City Solutions (SCS) because it is fearful of the implications of terminating the contract.

Royston King On the sidelines of a meeting with mechanical workshop operators at City Hall, King told this newspaper that the M&CC does not envision scrapping the contract. “We have a contract that is in force. We couldn’t just abandon or stop the contract; there are legal implications. But the M&CC is not scared to terminate the contract. We have deliberately and properly signed a contract with our partner, SCS, and that contract is in force. We couldn’t scrap the contract like that,” he expressed. The Town Clerk said the M&CC had wide consultations with various stakeholders and have adjusted the price structure as a result.

“We understand they had a concern with the price structure, we adjusted it and we are waiting on a revision of the by-laws. We’ve paid attention to the concerns of our stakeholders and of our citizens,” he said. Meanwhile, the M&CC recently announced slight adjustments to the rates and implementation structure of the metered parking project. Both Mayor Patricia Chase-Green and King had earlier indicated in the news that the cost for parking will be cut in half, evidently meaning that the cost to park per hour would have been dropped from $200 an hour plus VAT, to $100 an hour plus VAT. But it was announced af-

terwards that the slashing in half is meant to benefit only those who are parking for eight hours or more. Thus, the cost per hour remains at $200 plus VAT. And any motorist paying for four hours of metered parking will automatically be credited with eight hours of metered parking. Furthermore, rather than paying for a particular space for a particular amount of time, motorists will instead be paying for parking time for their particular cars. This essentially means that motorists may purchase any amount of parking time and then move from any metered parking space to any other metered parking space anywhere in the city for the amount of time purchased on a single parking ticket until its expiry. Among other changes are that an enforcement grace period of 15 minutes will be introduced, meaning that no clamping will be conducted until at least 15 minutes after expiry of a parking ticket receipt. (For example, a vehicle parked at 1:00 pm, and the driver has purchased one hour of parking, will not be immobilised until 2:15 pm.) There will be no immobilisation fee penalty for a one-month adjustment period. During this one-month period, vehicles that are immobilised for non-payment of metered parking fees, will be required to pay only the metered parking fee for the time that they were immobilised and nothing else. (For example, during this one-month period, if a vehicle is immobilised at 10:00 am for not paying fees, and the owner claims the vehicle at 11:00 am, he will be required to pay only $200 plus VAT.) For six months (after expiry of the one-month adjustment period), the immobilisation fee will be reduced by 50 percent or $4000 plus VAT. The fee will be restored to $8000 after the six months. Among other “special considerations,” are that businesses may apply for monthly parking permits which may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Businesses may apply for loading/offloading parking regulations, and official taxis and minibuses may purchase metered parking monthly passes for $12,000 per month, plus VAT. Residents may also apply for residential parking permits.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 22, 2017

Road closure notice for Flag Raising, Mash parade THE Ministry of Education – Department of Culture, Youth and Sport is notifying the public, especially motorists, of the following road closures for the 47th Republic Flag Raising Ceremony and the Costume and Float Parade. On February 22, 2017 the following roads will be closed between 18:00hrs to 02:00hrs. 1. Old College and Brickdam Roads (No Entry East) 2. Haley and Hadfield Streets (No Entry East) 3. Hadfield and Chapel Place (No Entry West) 4. Vlissengen and Durban Street (No Entry North) 5. South Road and Shiv Chanderpaul Drive ( No Entry East) 6. Regent Street and Vlissengen Road (No Entry South) 7. Homestretch and Mandela Avenue (No Entry West) 8. Hadfield Street and Mandela Avenue (No Entry West) On February 23, 2017 the following roads will be closed between 06:00hrs to 00:00hrs. 1. Main Street East Carriageway and Quamina Street (No Entry South) 2. Church and Water Streets (No Entry East) 3. Church and Carmichael Streets (No Entry West) 4. North Road and Wellington Street (No Entry West) 5. Robb and King Streets (No Entry West) 6. Regent and King Streets (No Entry West) 7. Charlotte and King Streets (No Entry West) 8. Croal and King Streets (No Entry West) 9. Brickdam and Cornhill Street (No Entry East) 10. Brickdam and Hadfield Street (No entry North) 11. Magnet and Hadfield Street (No Entry North) 12. Smyth and Hadfield Street (No entry North) 13. Sandel Place and Croal Street (No entry South) 14. Pollard Place and Hadfield Street (No Entry North) 15. Pollard Place and Croal Street (No Entry South) 16. Camp Street and Hadfield Street (No Entry North) 17. Camp Street and Croal Street (No Entry South) 18. United Place and Hadfield Street (No entry North) 19. United Place and Croal Street (No Entry South) 20. Austin Place and Hadfield Street (No Entry North) 21. Austin Place and Croal Street (No Entry South) 22. Lime and Hadfield Street (No Entry North) 23. Chalmers Place and Croal Street (No Entry South) 24. Brummell Place and Hadfield Street (No Entry North) 25. Brummell Place and Croal Street (No Entry South) 26. Winter Place and Hadfield Street (No Entry North) 27. Winter Place and Croal Street ( No Entry South) 28. Sandyman Place and Croal Street (No entry South) 29. Old College Road and Hadfield Street (No Entry North) 30. Haley and Handfield Street (No Entry East) 31. Hadfield and Chapel Streets (No Entry West) 32. Vlissengen and Durban Street (No Entry North) 33. South Road and Shiv Chanderpaul Drive (No Entry East) 34. Regent Street and Vlissengen Road (No Entry South) 35. Homestretch and Mandela Avenues (No Entry West) This information was provided by the Guyana Police Force‘s Traffic Headquarters, Eve Leary.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 22, 2017

Race to the altar

Roraima gifts lucky couple $3M wedding By Shauna Jemmott AKEEM Peter is one who understands that a man’s bride is worth waiting for, and after his 49th proposal to the “apple” of his eye failed, persistence brought what he could safely call an accomplishment. He went down on his knees once again and Kerron Boston finally said “yes!”

Peter met the woman of his dreams -- a charismatic beauty with a charming smile -- and offered her more than just the ‘fish and chips’ meal she felt like having that day some years ago. The two built on a relationship with him building her trust in him on his show of determination, gentle care and loyalty towards her. On Friday night, Ror-

aima Airways announced that Akeem Peter and his 29- year- old fiancée Kerron Boston have emerged the winners of a $3M wedding in the Guyana Wedding Expo 2017 ‘Race to the Altar’ challenge, and the opportunity to become ambassadors of the national exposition which has now gone international. With class and genuine love evident, the two ex-

pressed joy in being chosen over the five other couples of lovers who vied for the winning package for the March 25, 2017 wedding, and according to one of the judges, Sacha Persaud, “Akeem Peter and Kerron Boston demonstrated an outstanding commitment to each other, potential of good ambassadorship for Wedding Expo and the public’s support to

Wedding Expo 2017 ‘Race to the Altar’ winners Akeem Peter and Kerron Boston will tie the knot on March 25 at Duke Lodge, Kingston their relationship made them this year’s winner.” “Thank you so much and I must say that I have proven God, I’ve proven God… I’m so excited right now, I’m overjoyed,” the bride to be told the Guyana Chronicle. Her eyes lit up as she began to express gratitude to those who supported them. “I will just like to say thank you to everyone that supported us throughout this entire journey. Thank you to the persons that were behind us on the road and Bourda Market trying to get those votes in, thank you for sharing our posts, thank you for sharing our video, for liking our pictures. If it was [sic] not for you guys, we would not have made it thus far and we would not have been the ‘Race to the Altar 2017’ winning couple,” she said. The groom Peter explained that he had his eyes set on Boston and tried hard to get her in his own arms. He said the woman finally became interested in him when he quoted a scripture verse from Romans 8:28, that all things worketh together for good to them that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. The winner was announced during a cocktail reception at Roraima Duke Lodge Friday night, where the final six participating couples competed in a final leg – each couple together displaying their talent through music, dance and dramatic poetry, and enlightening the audience and judges tucked in the midst of the audience about their meeting and participation in ‘Race to the Altar.’ The winning couple performed a dramatic piece offering highlights of their relationship from its beginning to the ‘Race to

the Altar.’ It was pointed out in the drama that Peter only received the “yes” answer on his 50th proposal to Boston. Akeem Peter was thankful to those persons who have never met them but voted for the couple “because of what they saw. “And we would like to maintain the love that we have and let it grow stronger. This opportunity has made us fall in love all over again. The wedding is on the 25th of next month, so it’s wedding mode instantly.” Meanwhile Roraima said, “The life stories of the six couples along with their unique talents among other criteria represented indisputable testimony to their high moral standards, commitment to and caring for each other and respect for each other, despite differing ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds.” Roraima’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Captain Gerry Gouveia, who cochaired the programme, said, “Roraima Airways is pleased to see Wedding Expo living up to its brand of marrying not just the couple that won the competition, but those who are exceptional to be good ambassadors for young people.” The other five couples in the final were: Roderick Grant and Kacy Datson, Colwyn Boyle and Kittindie Pearson, Rajesh Chandrapaul and Romana Puran, Dale Thomas and Lauriel Inniss and Gregory Loo and Keisha Fraser. President of the Guyanese-American Chamber of Commerce in the United States, Wesley Kirton; Allison Parker, Public Relations Officer and Nadia De Abreu, Marketing See page 22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 22, 2017

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, February 22, 2017

'Town girl' Aquaila Rupan is Miss Mash Queen By Tamica Garnette

AFTER years of absence Guyana finally has a new Mash Queen. 20-year-old aspiring nurse Aquaila Rupan prevailed over five other delegates to claim the coveted crown at the Miss Mash Queen Pageant on Sunday evening at the National Cultural Centre (NCC). Aside from winning the title, Rupan also picked up the “Best Talent,” and “Best Personality” awards. First runner-up went to the seasoned pageant delegate Gabriella Chapman, who also won a prize for having the most ticket sales. Second runner-up was 17-year-old Younette Stepheny, who won “Best Gown” for her Nielson Nurse designed blue and white,

frilled, fishtail evening gown. However, other gowns like Chapman’s Randy Madray peach lacework dress, and Romichelle Brummel’s black and gold dress by Mark Junor also turned heads. In other awards, Ashanti Jasper secured the “Best Swim Wear” award for a lovely mint blue, strapless two-piece that Randy Madray designed just for her. The night saw all six of the young ladies going through all of the competition’s five rounds, from the “National Costume Presentation” to the “Evening Gown” to the nervous “Question and Answer” segment. There were also the electrifying swim wear segment, and the talent division - where at least one delegate who sang struggled with her notes.

Miss Mash Queen 2017 Aquaila Rupan (centre) with 2nd runner up Younette Stepheny (left) and 1st runner up Gabriella Chapman

Miss Mash Queen 2017, Aquaila Rupan (third from right), with the other Miss Mash Queen delegates, (from left are: Romichelle Brummel, Ashanti Jasper, 2nd runner up Younette Stepheny, 1st runner up Gabriella Chapman, and Jennile Cumberbatch

The night’s event was also punctuated with vocal performances by Charmaine Blackman, Samantha Grant, as well as cultural dances. Rupan wowed in her costume, excited in her swim suit, dazzled in her evening gown and stood out during her talent segment, and in the end the North East La Penitence “Town girl” walked away with the win, the trophy and an undisclosed sum of cash, among other prizes including jewellery and gift vouchers. Excelling in the other categories helped Rupan recover from her flutter in the Q&A segment where she needed to take several pauses and at times found it difficult to articulate what she wanted

to say. Nonetheless, the voluptuous Rupan, exuded the fiery nature of her “Ms. Buxton Spice” stage name. It was evident from the onset of the introduction of the young ladies, that Rupan came with her crew, with some of the loudest cheering ensuing during her segments. And when her win was announced the NCC auditorium burst into loud applause and scream, and the emotional Rupan could not hold back her tears. “I can’t explain it, but it is an amazing feeling!” Rupan told reporters, even as many rushed to congratulate her. Rupan was just so happy to see all her hard work pay off. “The experience taught me, definitely, to go after

whatever your dream is. Once you have a dream, or you want something, you go after it don’t matter how much work it would take, you keep the determination,” Rupan advised. With no preceding queen Rupan was crowned by the 2015 Indigenous Heritage Queen Sherica Ambrose. Rupan had an easy time scoring big in the talent segment, where her performance was underlined by the fact that she was the only delegate who did not sing as her talent piece. The Christ Church Secondary alumna instead did an endearing spoken word piece fittingly titled “I Live Within The Queen.” Rupan

performed the piece bare footed, in an all-black dress complemented with a multicolored head wrapping, and black cape that was lined with the Guyana flag on the inside. Rupan’s wardrobe for the night was designed by her sister Natalie Thomas. She went on to make all the right moves in the swim wear division, but in the final Q&A things got a little nervy. Each delegate was asked two questions, and put before Rupan were the questions: “Give us a small quote that keeps you going and what it means” and “Describe Mashramani comparing it to a Buxton Spice Mango,” read by the night’s host Oral Welshman. Rupan’s quote of choice was “Eventually we’ll all end up where we’re supposed to” and she followed that up by saying: “That means to me that, at the end, at the end we will fulfill our purpose, we just have to work towards what we are, whatever we think is our purpose, and follow God, and believe in God that he will lead us to whatever our purpose is.” Comparing Mashramani and the Buxton Spice mango, she fluttered but still managed a reply that seemed fitting. “Buxton Spice Mango is very sweet, and very spicy and it’s (sic) originated in Guyana. Mashramani is Guyanese thing, it’s spicy, it’s sweet, with all the different colours, the calypso music that we produce. It’s entertaining and very sweet to everyone.” Rupan said.

Roraima gifts lucky couple ... From page 20 Executive of Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited (GTT); Savita Singh, Marketing Executive of Hand in Hand Insurance and Kester Harding, Technical Officer of The Ministry of Social Protection, all extended well wishes to the couple. Akeem Peter and Kerron Boston will be married on Saturday, March 25 in the midst of Wedding Expo. The ceremony will be broadcasted live on the National Communications Network (NCN) and social media. Roraima said the general public is invited to witness the ceremony at the Roraima Duke Lodge, Kingston, at 5pm.

Roraima Airways CEO Gerry Gouveia and wife Debbie Gouveia pose with the winning couple Akeem Peter and Kerron Boston

A surprised Aquaila Rupan is overwhelmed at the announcement of her win

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 22, 2017

GWI distributes 18 jerrycans in hinterland THE Guyana Water Inc on January 26, 2017, dispatched a team to the Aishalton sub-district area, Region Nine, where a total of 18 Life Saver Jerrycans were distributed to communities that had recently been affected by an outbreak of Gastro. These villages included: Shea, Maruranau, Awarewanau and Aishalton Shea Village. At the first village, Shea, the team was greeted by the Deputy Tashao Mr. Frances Rafino, Village Councilor Mr. Guy Rodrigues, Primary School Principal, Miss

GWI Rep. Mr. Mark Jeffrey, demonstrating how to use the Life Saver Jerrycans at Shea Village Vilma Caitan; Nursery School Principal, Miss Dolores Rodrigues and workers from the â€˜hot mealâ€™ department. A demonstration on how to use the Life Saver Jerrycans was executed by Mr Mark Jeffrey along with an explanation of its usefulness. After a brief consultation with the village leaders, a decision was made to distribute Life Saver Jerrycans to selective facilities in the villages such as; the Schools (both Nursery and Primary) and the hot meal centre, where water is being consumed on a regular basis. The Life Saver Jerrycans were distributed as follows; one for the Nursery School, two for the Primary School and one for the Hot meal centre. At the other villages, Maruranau, Awarewauna and Aishalton, similar demonstrative activities were carried out before the filters were distributed. Upon receipt of the filters, the Villagers expressed gratitude for the assistance provided by GWI.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 22, 2017

GCCI backs call for revocation of parking meter contract THE Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry has joined calls for the revocation of the Parking Meter contract and believes that the business community and other stakeholders should maintain their protest efforts until this outcome is achieved.

In a statement the Chamber said it believes that it is irresponsible for the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) to continue with the metered system due to a lack of transparency during the implementation process, a lack of adherence to public procurement procedures, and the absence of feasi-

bility studies and citizen consultations. “The M&CC should remember that one of the most important qualities that citizens seek in elected officials is transparency and any attempts to bulldoze the populace with opaque contracts will not garner support, especially not from the Georgetown Chamber of

No shortage of drugs at Public Hospitals MINISTER of Public Health, Volda Lawrence,has made it clear that there is no shortage of drugs for the nation’s hospitals. The Minister was at the time responding to a number of queries from Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) residents about an apparent shortage of critical drugs to treat patients at the New Amsterdam Hospital. According to a press release from the ministry, last Friday a pharmacist from the hospital visited the Materials Management Unit (MMU) to collect supplies to restock the Berbice facility. “The pharmacist chose what she thought

was critical for the hospital,” a senior MMU official said Tuesday. The official said MMU employees worked very late to ensure [that] the NA Hospital received the much-needed supply. However, the vehicle that the hospital sent “was too small” to handle the quantum of drugs, the release further noted. Consequently, “drugs are banked up” at the MMU awaiting transportation to the hospital, the official said. The rest of the drugs to satisfy the needs of Region Six patients will be uplifted from the MMU on Wednesday, the Ministry of Public Health stated.

Commerce,” the GCCI said. The Chamber said it has received numerous complaints from its membership regarding the metered system and its negative effect on customer traffic and sales, “and we are concerned that conditions will

worsen if the metered system remains in operation. “ The Chamber also said it supports the M&CC’s efforts to engage in public-private partnerships for the purpose of raising revenue for the city, “but we do not sup-

port the flawed and in some cases, potentially illegal methods that the M&CC has employed in doing so. We urge the Mayor and Smart City Solutions to do right by the populace and revoke the contract.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 22, 2017

Taxi driver in court for attempted murder, robbery

FORMER murder accused, Kevin France, was remanded to prison on Tuesday by City Magistrate Leron Daly after he was charged with attempted murder and two counts of robbery under-arms. France, 29, a taxi driver of East Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, Georgetown, was not required to plead to the indict-

able charges. It is alleged that on October 28, 2016, at Water Street, Georgetown, France unlawfully and maliciously wounded Quacy Joseph, with intent to murder him. Joseph,who is a security guard attached to the Electronics City branch on Water Street,was shot during a robbery which took place within the store located in the Foga-

rty’s building. It is further alleged that France, on October 12, 2016, at Church Street, Georgetown, while in the company of others and armed with a gun, robbed Bibi Jahbar of $6,000 cash. He is also accused of robbing Roopnarine Budhoo of $800,000,while being armed with a gun and in the company Kevin France of others. During a bail application, France’s attorney,Patrice Henry,explained that his client was kept in police custody since February 14, 2017, pending police investigation. The attorney further told the court that the police had arrested France and told him of an allegation of robbery

committed on the East Coast of Demerara. According to Henry, after the police realized that they did not have sufficient evidence to charge France, they kept him in custody for an additional 72 hours. Police Prosecutor, Inspector Bharat Mangru,strongly opposed the defendant being released on bail since there is a likelihood he might not return to court if granted his pre-trial liberty. The Prosecutor argued that another person, who was charged and is currently on remand for the same three charges, has implicated France in the crimes. Mangru further disclosed that France is currently being investigated for a series of other robberies. As such, bail was refused

and France was remanded until March 13, when he will return to court for the commencement of his trial for the charge of attempted murder. He is slated to return to court again on March 20, to deal with the armed robbery charges. In August 2015, France had a murder charge dismissed against him in the Magistrates’ Court, while his co-accused Randolph Marques, was committed to stand trial at the High Court. The men were jointly accused of killing 57-yearold Bharrat Ramcharran, a Patsan Trading Services salesman who was gunned down during a robbery in front of his work place on the afternoon of April 24, 2014.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 22, 2017

Tucville man granted bail for illegal rifle, ammo … was on remand for over a month

AFTER being on remand for over a month, Caesar Gonsalves, 28, was released on $350,000 bail by Magistrate Leron Daly on Tuesday at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court. In January, police had raided the man’s Thorn Drive, Tucville, East La Penitence apartment and found a .45 rifle and .9mm ammunition. He was charged, placed before the court and remanded to prison for the illegal possession of the items by Chief Magistrate Ann Mc Lennan. However, when the case was called on Tuesday, Defence Lawyer, Patrice Henry applied for bail on the grounds that the pros-

ecution was not in possession of the file, since it is yet to be completed. The Prosecution, led by Kevin London, did not oppose the bail application; as such bail was granted and the matter will be called again on March 13, 2017. According to reports on January 12, at approximately 14:00hrs, police acting on information, went to Gonsalves’ home and conducted a search where the gun and ammunition were found in addition to several ecstasy tablets. Caesar had told the court that he is the manager of Cuyuni Mining Company.

Caesar Gonsalves

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 22, 2017

High Court trial for trio charged with murder of Rubis Accountant THREE men were on Tuesday committed to stand trial in the High Court for the murder of Jason Cort, the Rubis Accountant who was shot and killed by bandits at his Meadowbrook Gardens home in 2015. City Magistrate,Judy Latchman, committed Stancy Rodney, 27, a mason of Guyhoc Park; Linton Eastman, 30, a miner; and Clifton Gibson, 30, of Perry Street, Tucville, Georgetown, when the preliminary inquiry (PI) into the murder concluded. Cort was killed during the course of a robbery on June 17, 2015, at Meadowbrook Gardens, Georgetown.

Stancy Rodney Magistrate Latchman,during her ruling,said that after reviewing the evidence in its entirety, the court found that there is enough evidence against the three accused for the case to be tried before a judge and jury. Rodney and Gibson remained silent when asked by Magistrate Latchman if they had anything to say in answer to the charge. However, Eastman claimed that he was beaten by police to give a caution statement. Gibson was represented by Attorney Melvin Duke;

Clifton Gibson

Dead: Jason Cort Rodney by Attorney George Thomas while Eastman was represented by Attorney Paul Fung-a-Fat. Assistant Superintendent of Police, Vishnu Hunt represented the prosecution and had called several witnesses during the PI. On the day in question at around 22:30hrs, Cort was shot to the chest when gunmen invaded his home before making off with his licensed firearm, mobile phone and Nintendo game. He had just returned home from an outing with his girlfriend. She was also at home at the time of the incident but was unhurt. It

Linton Eastman was reported that the bandits took Cortâ€™s licensed firearm, cell phone, gold band, chain, ring and an X-Box console. One person from the community had indicated that after hearing the loud explosion and looking outside, they observed persons scaling the fence at Cortâ€™s home and making good their escape. Cort was rushed to the Dr Balwant Singh Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Following the shooting, the three men were arrested and charged with the offence.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 22, 2017

ARIES You’re poised to conquer the world no matter what comes your way. You’re emboldened to seize what you desire without stopping to ask while warrior Mars calls your 1st House of Self his stronghold. Your unshakable confidence is sure to raise eyebrows, so don’t expect to take the field without encountering a contender or two. Although you can expect to face challenges from authority figures or power players today, it’s actually good practice for fortifying your intentions. Harnessing your argumentative urges for more productive uses will propel you further than fighting over minor differences in opinion. TAURUS Although you Bulls are known for your stoic nature, everyone’s fuse runs out at some point. Your patience is quite short today as little irritations pile up until you’re sure the next one will be the final straw. The sooner you become aware of your growing anger, the better you can manage it. It’s amazing how much you can accomplish when you channel your energy toward breaking down old belief systems that no longer serve you. Consciously directing your powerful inner forces prevents a meltdown before it occurs. GEMINI The pressure builds deep within you and it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what is causing your sense of apprehension. You might even bow out of work early to contemplate your feelings now that the cautious Capricorn Moon meets domineering Pluto in your 8th House of Transformation. Feeling lost in your direction is disorienting, but you can look beneath your fear to see an opportunity for a greater shift. Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations. CANCER It’s hard to find your place before someone else makes their move, like an endless game of duck-duck-goose. Between your past experiences and your future aspirations, a compression takes place that seems to be funnelled into your relationships. You may be projecting your stress onto the ones closest to you today, causing needless tension and unwelcome drama. Fortunately, if you’re brave enough to reveal the source of your frustration, the climax of a situation could result in a breakthrough rather than a breakdown. LEO Your long-term goals seem far off in the distance today, but that only makes you want to run faster to reach them. You’re ready to do whatever it takes to bridge the gap between you and your future, but the mightiest tools for success may be right under your nose. The persistent Capricorn Moon channels potent energies from four planets straight into your 6th House of Work, indicating that your triumph comes from consistent efforts. Seek out sustainable daily actions that move you toward your dreams one step at a time. VIRGO Your natural propensity for serving others has made you very familiar with the feeling of being spread too thin. But things are different now, because it seems like you’re nearly at an emotional tipping point. You’re bound to become aware of how little energy is leftover after you spend the day giving to others when ardent Mars in your 8th House of Deep Sharing confronts passionate Pluto. It’s imperative to sort through your emotions until you find your way back to what you’ve known in your heart all along. Sometimes loving yourself can be the most challenging task of all. LIBRA Although you normally walk the path of compromise, you feel you must boldly assert yourself to be taken seriously today. A tense interaction with someone close to you may call your fundamental beliefs into question, initiating a major evaluation of the whys behind your behaviours. A weighty Moon-Pluto conjunction in your 4th House of Foundations is like an anchor sinking into the depths of your mind. The key to unlocking your own psychological mysteries lies in your readiness to confront the secrets you uncover. There’s no reason to be afraid; the truth will set you free. SCORPIO It’s not that any one event tipped the scales, but rather an accumulation of small occurrences that prompts you to feel like something has to give. You’re ready to kick a habit that is holding you back, but that’s quite a task when your immediate environment has shaped itself around it. Before you start hastily cutting things out of your life to make the alterations that seem so urgent, turn inward and question your beliefs around the situation. Shifts in your mental habits may produce more powerful results than rearranging external circumstances. SAGITTARIUS A little risk never hurt anyone, or so you say when others question your latest strategy for an exorbitant escapade. On a normal day you would stand by your plan, but today’s events may lead you to a very different place. Your hunt for gratifying ways to express your creativity has profound implications when seen in the context of buried self-worth issues. And no matter how hard you try to deny them now, your insecurities are likely to haunt you. Carl Jung wrote, “What you resist, persists.” CAPRICORN The ground beneath your feet seems more like a volcanic zone, and you feel the heat rising up through your shoes. Handling professional concerns is easy enough on its own but when domestic issues start getting in the way, you want to put out the fire before it spreads. Snapping at anyone who dares to oppose you only makes matters worse. Examine your attitude and follow it back to the source. Perhaps you’re just seeking an excuse to shed your skin and start fresh. You don’t need to torch the building to get light. AQUARIUS You’re so passionate about a topic that you can’t gobble up information fast enough. However, the verve with which you grasp for more knowledge may be an overcompensation. The somber Capricorn Moon joins mysterious Pluto in your 12th House of Dreams, unearthing aspects of yourself you intentionally buried. Once you remember your secrets, there’s no erasing them; nevertheless, there is a bright side. Painful situations often signal the beginning of an accelerated period of spiritual growth, as long as you’re willing to face your darkest shadows. James Russell Lowell wrote, “A weed is no more than a flower in disguise.” PISCES You can sense that the emotional atmosphere is turbulent from the start, and you may feel the need to barricade your defences. Although you believe in authenticity, you might have to remake yourself to fit into the societal slot you’ve found yourself in as possessive Pluto squares off with pushy Mars. Your group of friends seemed like a perfect choice at first; but if you feel intimidated or forced to be something you’re not, it’s probably time for some pruning of your social network. Oprah Winfrey said, “Only surround yourself with people who will lift you higher.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday February 22, 2017

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Continued fr. pg. 39

Teams express readiness ...

crowd supporters will have a chance to win six packs through skill contests. “Over the first half, it (the STAG Elite League) was a success for us and we are actually looking forward to better and more support in the second half, ” he stated when questioned about the company’s views. The other two teams, Victoria Kings FC and Buxton United, were unable to make the press conference. The League Leaders tournament will begin with its first double-header, featuring Victoria Kings FC against Buxton United FC and GDF FC vs Fruta Conquerors FC (Playoff #1 and #2). This will be followed by Playoff #3 and the final which will feature Winner of #1 Playoff vs Loser of #2 Playoff on March 1 and Winner of #2 Playoff vs Winner of #3 Playoff on March 5 respectively.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Teams express readiness for STAG Elite League Leaders tourney By Stephan Sookram TWO of the four teams for the upcoming STAG Elite League (SEL) League Leaders tournament have expressed a state of readiness ahead of the kickoff this weekend in Georgetown. Present during a press conference yesterday morning, both the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and Fruta

Conquerors FC expressed a state of readiness for the competition. Bilaal Nantambo, coach of the GDF team contended that his team know what they have to do come match day. “We have identified a formation we want to work with and we will continue to work with that because there is always room for improvement. We weren’t really interrupted by the transfer

so we didn’t have a major set of reshuffling to do, just the lengthy break that took its toll,” he said. “We are just preparing ourselves. Keeping our focus so when the league starts, we will come out victorious and play the same brand of football we played last year and continue on our winning ways,” GDF captain Delwin Fraser contended. Derrick Carter, captain

of Fruta Conquerors FC, stated that his team are expecting nothing short of the top prize considering the various changes that have been made. “Our preparation going into this half of the league is much better than how we prepared in the first half. In terms of experience, our team is much more boosted whilst in the first half, we were more youthful and our

training session is much more intense,” Carter added. “We are gelling because most of the players returned home. Their prodigal sons are coming back home. Most of the players with the exception of Konata Mannings would have played in the first season with Fruta or played some part with the team over the years,” contended head coach David Headley.

He added that there is a hunger in the camp for the trophy considering these changes, adding that fans can expect higher quality football from the Tucville side. Also present was STAG representative Colin Stuart. He noted that the company will be giving out a Gillette hamper worth $5 000 as a gate prize as well as Turn to page 38

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, February 22, 2017

India keen to take down Aussies for perfect end to cricketing season By Amlan Chakraborty NEW DELHI, India (Reuters) - The Indian Test juggernaut, with Virat Kohli at the wheel, has crushed almost everything in its path over the last 18 months and Australia will have to conjure up something special if they are to upset the hosts in their

four-match series. With the opening Test between the world’s top two Test teams beginning in Pune tomorrow, the odds are stacked heavily in favour of hosts India, who have gone 19 Tests without defeat. In the final phase of their bumper home season, India are sitting pretty at the top

of the Test rankings after six consecutive series victories. Significantly, their last three home series victories, over New Zealand, England and Bangladesh, were underpinned by all-round excellence and came on fair surfaces, not the dustbowls on which India typically thrive. The series against Aus-

secutive Tests, another first. That middle order bat Karun Nair had to be dropped in the one-off Test against Bangladesh despite scoring a triple-century in the previous match against England is another indication of the team’s batting might.

Australia captain Steve Smith

tralia marks the end of India’s 13-Test home season and Kohli wants his team to maintain the level they have been playing at. “It’s a big series for us,” Kohli told reporters earlier this month. “I thought England was the biggest for us in the season but having won that 4-0 there is lot of expectation on us. “The way we have played our cricket as well I think we want to continue that,” added India’s batting mainstay. Earlier this month, the 28-year-old became the first cricketer to hit a double-century in four consecutive Test series and his team posted 600-plus totals in three con-

BAG OF TRICKS When India bowl, Ravichandran Ashwin has done with the ball what Kohli has done with the bat. The off-spinner, currently the top-ranked Test bowler, has been in the form of his life, becoming the quickest to the 250-wicket club after achieving the feat in just 45 Tests. The off-spinner with his bag of tricks will torment Steve Smith and his men, often bowling relentlessly in tandem with spin partner Ravindra Jadeja, with a shoal of fielders hanging around the blade. Smith is aware of the challenge that awaits Australia, who have lost nine consecutive Test matches in Asia. “We know it’s going to be difficult,” he said. “India are a very good team, particularly in their home conditions here. We have prepared very

well.” Cricket Australia recruited ex-England spinner Monty Panesar and former India left-arm spinning all-rounder Sridharan Sriram to work with their slow bowlers. Smith will rely more on the pace duo of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, who would have to generate enough reverse swing to be effective on relatively docile Indian tracks. The visitors can also take heart from the fact that three of the four matches will be played on new venues -- Pune, Ranchi and Dharamsala -- which will negate some of India’s home advantage.

India captain Virat Kohli

Zimbabwe somehow keep series alive with dramatic victory

ZIMBABWE somehow snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in a sensational one-day international against Afghanistan in Harare yesterday. The hosts looked out of it after only managing a meagre 129, but amazingly the 130run target proved too much for Afghanistan as they suffered a crazy collapse to lose by three runs. Afghanistan looked on course for a third successive win to wrap up the series with two games to spare,

but they lost five wickets for five runs to slump from 121-5 to 126 all out in a dramatic anticlimax. Tarisai Musakanda’s maiden ODI half-century looked like being in vain as only two other Zimbabwe teammates made double figures, Malcolm Waller his main ally with an unbeaten 36. Gulbadin Naib (4-27) and Rashid Khan (3-29) starred with the ball for Afghanistan, but amazingly their batsmen faltered

in pursuit of their lowly target. It all seemed to be going to plan as captain Asghar Stanikzai (31), Samiullah Shenwari (29) and Naib (16) put the tourists within nine runs of victory, but suddenly panic set in and Zimbabwe took full advantage. Sean Williams (3-15) and Chris Mpofu (3-24) caused that chaos with a fine spell of bowling for the hosts, the pair sharing the final six wickets to wrap up an unimaginable victory that keeps the fivematch series alive.

LABA Inter-Secondary School 5-a-side basketball postponed PRESIDENT of the Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA) Lawrence Simon says that the association is unable to bring off its Inter-Secondary School 5-a-side basketball championship, which was planned for today, due to circumstances beyond the control of the organisers. Simon in a release said

the event is now tentatively set for next Friday at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court. . He said that trophies have been acquired and other prizes are being sought for the one-day event, which will begin after 12:00hrs and involves the Linden Foundation Secondary, Linden Technical Institute, New Sil-

vercity Secondary, Harmony Secondary, Wisburg Secondary, Christianburg Wismar Secondary and Mackenzie High. Simon apologised to the Region Ten (Upper Demerara/Berbice) Department of Education and hopes that the event will still come off with much success next Friday.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Government awaiting Linden’s choice for 400m ... Residents to synthetic track, says Director of Sport decide between By Joe Chapman

INTEREST is gaining momentum in Linden with regard to acquiring a 400m synthetic athletics track, as residents debate the best venue for this much-needed facility. Director of Sport Christopher Jones has been visiting Linden frequently to hear the views of residents and stakeholders of the venue to have the facility laid down for the sport-mad town and this has been a hot topic. Initially the focus was to find a place that could accommodate the 400m track and off the bat the Mackenzie Sports Club was suggested.

tive was represented, led by president Avery Trim, general secretary Victor Wright and other members drawn from the community gave their take on where the 400m track could be placed. But the twists continued, as the Bayroc Community Centre field, in the early 1970s, was earmarked to have a stadium built on its vast land space, and another in Amelia’s Ward. In recent times, however, the MSC ground has been placed back on the front burner for consideration, along with the Bayroc Centre field. To start this project in Amelia’s Ward from scratch, certainly was not what gov-

erations would have to be undertaken simultaneously to put down such a track as regards security in general. This certainly has not been budgeted for with government, as Jones made it clear at this time that the laying down of the 400m track was sole priority. The danger of vandalising the costly facility therefore factored in with placing such a structure in a virtual open space,. It really does not bode well for the track being placed at Bayroc, unless some other arrangements through financing can be guaranteed because this is a cause for worry. This is where the MSC ground comes back into seri-

From left: Director of Sport Christopher Jones, MP Jermain Figueira and Mayor Carwyn Holland. However, this was reviewed and the Director of Sport did say that a venue other than the Mackenzie Sports Club was being pursued since that facility, if considered, would necessitate encompassing private lands which could pose some problems, since the existing venue cannot accommodate a track of the international size required. Subsequently, on request, Jones and Mayor of Linden Carwyn Holland discussed the kinks with the MSC Executive and its readiness to have such a track being considered coming to the club. Several considerations, including the operations of the club, were looked into and other general concerns emanating from the public about how it was managed were looked into at those meetings. Mayor Holland and Member of Parliament Jermain Figueira have also been involved and a stakeholders’ meeting was held last Saturday at the Linden Enterprise Network (LEN) building where the Mackenzie Sports Club Execu-

ernment had envisioned. So the debate has started and residents are expressing their views on this much-needed facility coming to Linden where apart from Georgetown, no other town has produced more promising athletes. The recent testimony is the National Schools track and field, swimming and cycling championships where Linden District 10 (Upper Demerara/Kwakwani) dominated with most titles, fifteen, in the history of those games. Two athletes from Linden were given recognition by the Athletics Association of Guyana when they performed well and represented Guyana last year. It was felt by many that the Bayroc Community Centre was the better venue and had much room for expansion with its sprawlning land space. The concern of congestion and parking area also seemed out of the question because of the land available there also. The main concern, however, at Bayroc is the open sesame of that facility which means that several consid-

ous contention without such cause for worry. The MSC officials explained at length that adequate parking space can be made available to the west of the ground and to the north which would have to be adjusted beyond the existing fence to accommodate a plan done by the Linden bauxite operations Chinese firm BOSAI’s Minerals Group (Guyana) Inc. Engineering Department. The survey was done and the necessary drawings were handed over to the Director of Sport for his consideration, showing where such a track can fit at the MSC ground with some modifications to the plan, and this has made the chances of it being placed there encouraging. The attendant security concerns would be greatly reduced and the money to be spent in general would be cut in a huge way if the MSC is chosen and which could make room for other modernisation to the facility which was first donated to the community by the bauxite industry in 1956. But the perceived cramped and apparent closeness to the track which is a

concern to some, club officials countered saying it is no different from what obtains at some international venues. Director of Sport Christopher Jones has therefore thrown out the challenge to the stakeholders in Linden where the Mayor of Linden,

Regional officials and identified stakeholders must come up with a decision, sooner rather than later, as to where they, not government, would like to have this international- size track laid down. Another stakeholders’ meeting is being planned by

MSC and Bayroc

the Mayor and MP Figueira to make a final decision for this track to become a reality in Linden this year.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Manchester City’s Leroy Sane celebrates scoring their fifth goal. (Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith Livepic)

Five-star Manchester City edge thriller with Monaco (REUTERS) - Manchester City came out on top in an epic Champions League battle against Monaco as late goals by John Stones and Leroy Sane secured a 5-3 victory in a last-16 first-leg thriller yesterday that had goals galore and a missed penalty. City took the lead through Raheem Sterling but were then playing catch-up as Monaco drew level, thanks to Radamel Falcao’s header and then went ahead with a powerful finish from 18-year-old Kylian Mbappe five minutes before halftime.

South American poachers Sergio Aguero for City and Falcao, who also missed a penalty, then traded blows with Aguero equalising for 2-2 and then 3-3 after Falcao’s exquisite chip gave Monaco the lead for the second time at The Etihad. City, however, then pulled clear as Stones tapped in at the far post and Sane rolled the ball into an empty net to give City a two-goal advantage ahead of the return on March 15. City manager Pep Guardiola had called Monaco “killers” in the box before the game and while they showed just why

they are European football’s most deadly assassins, they were embarrassingly fragile at times at the back. They were behind after 26 minutes when Sterling tapped home after Sane dazzled down the left and teed up the England winger.

NAGPUR, India (CMC) – Bermudan Delray Rawlins enhanced his growing reputation when he rescued England Under-19s from a calamitous start to the second and final Youth Test with a magnificent unbeaten century against India at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium here yesterday. England lost three wickets inside the first three overs with only one run on the board but Rawlins, batting at number four, dug them out of a big hole, firstly with Ollie Pope and then Will Jacks, to finish on 124 not out as the tourists closed the day on a respectable 243 for five. Rawlins has so far struck 16 fours and two sixes and faced 254 balls. Rawlins added 98 for the fourth wicket with Pope, who made 42, and although England lost a fifth wicket at 112 when Euan Woods was out for six, the Bermudian forged an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 131 with Jacks, who finished unbeaten on 66 with 10 fours from 153 balls.

Last week’s first Youth Test at the same venue ended in a draw with England pressing for victory. England, who won the toss yesterday, lost Harry Brook for one to the seventh ball of the innings, George Bartlett went to medium pacer Rishab Bhagat’s next delivery while captain Max Holden also fell for a duck in the third over bowled by leftarm medium pacer Kanishk Seth. In the first Test, Bartlett

made 179 and Holden 170 as England piled up 501 for five declared in their first innings, boosted by an unbeaten 70 on debut from Rawlins. Rawlins, who is on the books of English county side Sussex, is hoping his form in India will help him break into the first team this summer. He helped his cause with an unbeaten century and a knock of 96 in a five-match one-day international series preceding the two Tests which India won 3-1.

ROUTE BACK Monaco were handed a route back into the match after 32 minutes following an error by City’s Willy Caballero, the first of the night’s goalkeeping blunders. He gave the ball away with a poor clearance and the

visitors worked it to Fabinho whose devilish cross was headed home by former Manchester United and Chelsea striker Falcao, who has found his best form again since returning to France. City were denied a penalty by Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz when Aguero appeared to be upended by keeper Danijel Subasic before Monaco grabbed the lead through Mbappe. The 18-year-old was released through the middle and lashed his finish into the top corner past Caballero.

The visitors should have extended their advantage soon after the restart but Falcao’s tame penalty was saved after Nicolas Otamendi had been penalised for catching the Colombian as he tried to convert Benjamin Mendy’s cross. City swiftly made Monaco pay as Aguero ended a sixgame goal-drought thanks to a Subasic howler. Sterling slid the ball through and the Argentine fired straight at the keeper but it squirmed out of his hands into the net after 58 minutes. Parity was short-lived, however, as Falcao turned

City defender Stones before lifting an exquisite chip over the stranded Caballero to make it 3-2 to the principality club. Aguero levelled once more when he volleyed home from 12 metres after a corner and City took the lead when Kevin De Bruyne’s set-piece was turned in by Stones at the far post. The final twist in one of the most entertaining encounters in the competition’s recent history came when Aguero rolled the ball into the path of Sane who tapped into an empty net.

Rawlins rescues England with brilliant century Samuels heads missing West Indies quartet

Bermudan Delray Rawlins strikes a face-saving, unbeaten hundred for England.

WEST Indies have left out quartet Marlon Samuels, Sulieman Benn, Johnson Charles and Sunil Narine for the upcoming England ODI series. Marlon Samuels, Sulieman Benn, Johnson Charles and Sunil Narine have been left out of West Indies’ 15man training squad ahead of their one-day international series with England. Samuels was cleared to return to bowl in international cricket by the ICC last week but it was not enough to earn him an ODI recall – his last appearances coming in October before being dropped for their tri-series in Zimbabwe. His absence means there will be no meeting with Ben Stokes following clashes between the pair since the World T20 final in 2016. Experienced trio Benn, Charles and Narine are also missing from the squad for the three-match series next month despite featuring in Zimbabwe – West Indies failing to make the final

after taking one win from their four matches. There is a recall for opener Kieran Powell after nearly three years away, and he is joined by 20-year-old all-rounder Alzarri Joseph in Stuart Law’s first squad. Antigua’s Sir Vivian Richards Stadium hosts the opening two matches with England, before a final match in Barbados on March 9. West Indies training squad in full: Jason Holder (captain), Devendra Bishoo, Carlos Brathwaite, Kraigg Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Shannon

Marlon Samuels Gabriel, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Ashley Nurse, Kieran Powell, Rovman Powell.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Wednesday February 22, 2017) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPAMY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) T&T Red Force & Leeward Hurricanes (2) Barbados Pride Today’s Quiz: (1) Who was voted Man of the Match in semi-final 1 of CWI/ Nagicor Super 50, 2017? (2) Who was Man of the Match in semi-final 2? ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Florida Cup Softball tournament 2017

Spirited Regal Softball teams aiming for double titles

By Rajiv Bisnauth, in Florida

WITH the 2017 edition of the Florida Cup Softball tournament set to commence on Friday at the Brian Piccolo Park, Cooper City, Florida, the two Regal softball teams have their eyes set on winning both categories of the tournament. The three-day tournament will be played in the All Stars and Masters categories. Both teams touched down at the Miami International Airport yesterday and are promising an exciting brand of cricket during the tournament, especially since the players are in good shape and in great frame of mind. The Regal teams have been a strong force locally

The Regal All-Stars and Masters teams pose for a photo after they arrived yesterday for the Florida Cup softball tournament.

and that trend continued last July when they won the annual New York Softball Cricket League Independence and Legends Cup. However, their Masters team will hope for a turnaround of fortune, especially during this upcoming tourna-

ment. In their two previous outings the Regal Masters failed during the play-off stages, reaching the quarter-finals in 2015 and the semi-finals last year. This is the All-Stars’ first participation at the Florida Cup softball tournament.

Speaking after their arrival yesterday, captain of the Masters team, Troy Kippins, outlined the side’s aim to win the upcoming contest. “Our players are in good form and we are really looking forward to the upcoming

tournament. I believe you will see an exciting brand of cricket from our players,” Kippins told the Chronicle Sport at Miami International Airport. “We expect a very competitive tournament. We don’t expect it to be easy, but we know we have the players with the skills to come here and be successful, with the ultimate aim to win the tournament.” On the other hand, captain of the All-Stars team, Fazal Rafiek, said his side will be looking to build on the momentum they gained from success on home soil. “This is our first time participating here in the Florida Cup, but hopefully, we can produce some very good cricket. At present we have a good team … a team capable of winning,” Rafiek said.

The preliminary round of the tournament will be played on Friday and Saturday at the beautiful Brian Piccolo Park, Cooper City, Florida before the final moves to the Central Broward Regional Park and Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida on Sunday. In addition to the various teams and individual prizes, there is a cash prize of US$3 000 for the winners of the All Stars competition and US$2 000 for the Masters Champions. The Regal participation was made possible from part sponsor Tropics Restaurant and Lounge of 7100 Pines Blv Hollywood Florida and Elegance Jewellery and Pawn Shop, 1 D’Urban Street, Werk-enRust.

Retiring Chattergoon gets plaudits for contributions to HACC By Frederick Halley

TORONTO, Canada -Former Guyana and West Indies Under-19 batsman Hemnarine Chattergoon, who led Hawaiian Arctic Cricket Club (HACC) to four of their six consecutive championship victories in the Premiere League of the Scarborough Cricket Association (SCA) tournaments, was fittingly honoured when the club held its annual presentation, dinner and dance last Saturday night. Chattergoon, who announced his retirement at the end of last season, was the toast of the auspicious celebration, held at the Palace Multi-cultural Centre, Milvan Drive, North York, Toronto. Long-standing presi-

Hemnarine Chattergoon (left) and brother Sewnarine display the plaque in recognition of the former’s contribution to HACC. At centre is Vishal Mohan, one of HACC’s main sponsors. dent of HACC Narchand ‘Archie’ Mohan paid glowing tributes to Chattergoon for his outstanding contributions over the years as a batsman and an astute leader and while acknowledging his decision to call it quits, reminded him that “the door is always open to him once he has a change of heart”. The stocky righthander, who is fondly remembered for his marvellous century versus Pakistan in 1997 at the Kensington Oval, Barbados in the Under-19 series and was immediately touted as a future Test player, was rewarded with a plaque, compliments of Trophy Stall Guyana. It read: “For HACC Chief Executive Officer Eon Gunraj hands over your outstanding dedication, commitment and the best bowler trophy to Fee Khan who collected on contribution as a player behalf of Imran Khan. (Pictures by Frederick Halley)

and leader of Hawaiian Arctic Cricket Club”. Mohan also announced that Chattergoon and family will be granted an opportunity, at his opportune time, to visit Lethem and be accommodated at the 747 Bar & Lounge, through the generosity of his nephew Vishal Mohan, one of the club’s main sponsors. In an invited comment, Chattergoon described his joining of HACC in 2010 as a “political move” after he was specially invited to the club’s presentation. He was subsequently named captain two years later and has the unique distinction of leading the team to four Premiere League championships. Reflecting on his decision to join HACC, Chattergoon disclosed that he had no regrets but insisted that he had played his last game when the 2016 inaugural Elite season ended, citing work commitments as his main reason. In the 2014 Premiere League semi-final, Chattergoon was at his imperious best, slamming a scintillating unbeaten 217 versus Bawa XI, leading from the front as HACC clobbered their opponents by 136 to reach the final, which they duly won. While Chattergoon went on to play for Canada, he still fancies the century at what is regarded as the mecca of cricket in the Caribbean as his most memorable moment in the sunshine game. “I thoroughly enjoyed playing cricket but scoring a hundred for the West Indies Under-19 team,

Azib Alli Haniff poses with son Fayyaz after collecting the best batsman trophy. especially when we were varying contributions esasked to follow-on, is still pecially over the unprecfresh in my memory,” he edented winning streak which ended in 2016. Each asserted. Another former national was presented with a complayer, Azib Alli Haniff memoration ‘punch’. Apart from the sevwho rolled back the years with some brilliant innings eral sponsors who were last season, was also in in attendance, the occathe limelight, copping the sion was also graced by trophy for the best batsman the presence of former in 2016 while first-tim- Guyana and West Iner Imran Khan who hails dies player Sewnarine from Wakenaam and was Chattergoon who was unavoidably absent, took holidaying in Canada. Sewnarine, the brother of the best bowler prize. The club also took the Hemnarine, represented opportunity to recognise the West Indies in four all of its players, support- Test matches and 18 Oneers and sponsors for their day Internationals.

Spirited Regal Softball teams aiming for double titles See page 43

Teams express readiness for STAG Elite League Leaders tourney

See story on page 39 L-R, Fruta Conquerors assistant coach David Headley, player Delon Williams, team manager Nzinga Maxwell, STAG representative Colin Stuart and Fruta Conquerors captain Derrick Carter, GDF captain Delwin Fraser and coach Bilaal Nantambo. (Stephan Sookram photo)

GT Motorsports launches Georgetown Grand Prix - SIC Endurance Rental Cup also on tonight

GT Motorsports yesterday officially launched its Georgetown Championships, a twoday event billed for today and Friday at the GT Motorsports Facility on Albert Street and Thomas Lands. Tonight’s event is the second of a year-long once monthly instalment of the Endurance Rental Cup dubbed the Secure Innovations and Concepts (SIC)

Endurance Cup Speaking during a brief ceremony yesterday, president and owner of GT Motorsports Vishok Persaud contended that the event, which will be done once monthly, is gaining traction. He added, “You will see normal guys just show up to rent a cart and they are going to be competing with the top dogs

of the sport including a lot of recognised drivers.” “48 drivers total is significant. Within two hours, we will have 48 drivers so it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Persaud stated. Meanwhile title sponsors SIC, through managing director Harold Hopkinson, indicated that he is pleased to be a part of the once-monthly event. In the last instalment, Team From L-R (female driver Emma Vieira sits with SIC owner Harold Hopkinson, shifter kart competitors Stephan and Kristian Jeffrey, GMR&SC president Rameez Mohammed, GT Motorsports owner Vishok Persaud, veteran racer Kevin Jeffrey as well as sponsors (Delano Williams photo) Heineken ‘karted’ off the 600lb class while earlier in the evening, the Gizmos and Gadgets and Guinness-sponsored unit ran untouched in the 500lb division. Karcher and Auto Fashion as well as Monster energy drink are some of the other sponsors.

Some of the youngsters who will be on show at the GT Motorsports Georgetown Grand Prix on Friday evening. (Delano Williams photo)

GEORGETOWN GRAND PRIX Meanwhile the opportunity was also taken to launch the Georgetown Grand Prix, which will feature various classes of

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karts including the 60cc juniors, 125cc juniors and seniors as well as the shifters. That event will take place on Friday at the same venue and will feature three-time Canadian champion, now driving coach, Daryl Timmers, as well as the father/daughter combination of Trinidadian karting champions Ravi and Bridget Singh. Ravi is a regional competitor who has rallied in Guyana for a number of years while his daughter Bridget has won

multiple titles at various karting levels. Organisers were also able to confirm late last evening, Orry Hunte who is also a former karting champion and currently the driving coach of the Suzuki Challenge series in Barbados. That event begins at 18:00hrs and is also under the sponsorship of Monster energy along with Ray’s Motorsports, STAG beer, E-Networks, Sunburst Juice, Ocean Spray Hotel and GMR&SC. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017