Guyana chronicle e paper 02 23 2017 a

Nine female convicts granted presidential pardons

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No. 104833

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2017

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Happy 47 Republic Anniversary th

Term limit case for CCJ ...Justices Singh, BS Roy uphold Chang’s High Court ruling

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Members of the National School of Dance perform at the flag raising ceremony, held at Durban Park last evening as Guyana celebrates 47 years as a republic. [Samuel Maughn photo]

Unity achieved through diversity – President says The Republic started shaping a culturally diverse society

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Father of six burnt to death in Timehri wildlife building Page 8

Guyana, IDB ink US$40M loan agreements Page 9

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PSC playing politics

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

– Min Gaskin says organisation finally found voice MINISTER of Business, Dominic Gaskin, has said that the Private Sector Commission (PSC) is playing politics and that its recent statements on government’s management of the economy is a carefully thought out political move

by a business support organisation.

Responding to a statement made by the PSC in which the body articulated a ‘lack of confidence in the manner the Government is managing the economy,’ Gaskin told the Government

Information Agency (GINA) that he is shocked that the group would make such a pronouncement about the less than two-year-old, coalition government.

The minister said that the statement is coming after a prolonged period during

which the PSC was extremely reluctant to even offer the mildest of criticisms against the PPP/C administration.

Minister Gaskin said that he welcomes the transformation in the PSC, noting that, “It tells me that they have finally found their voice, and I think

Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin

that is to the credit of our government, that we have created the political and business environment in which they, the private sector, no longer operate with its tail between its legs.”

The Business Minister believes that Guyana needs a strong and independent private sector, and pointed out that such a sector will be able to speak out against issues in the interest of its members. Minister Gaskin said he disagrees with part of the PSC’s statement, which states that the present trajectory in which the country is headed at the moment, does not inspire investors. He pointed out that Guyana has an indication that investors are confident in the path in which Guyana is heading.

Minister Gaskin explained that he has sent a formal proposal for the establishment of a public/private dialogue body that would represent a forum for structured dialogue between the public and private sectors on matters of economic importance. However, the minister pointed out that he has not received any response to date. He said that he has been in opposition politics long enough to recognise the strategic value of a strong statement or announcement of,

“No Confidence in the Government” by the private sector. This particular statement is coming at a time when the spotlight is on Guyana, and it resembles more of a carefully thought out political move than simply advocacy by a business support organisation, Gaskin said.

“There is an old saying that says if it walks like a duck, looks like a duck and smells like a duck, well then it is a duck,” the Business Minister said. Minister Gaskin said that he looks forward to and welcomes further and future engagements with the PSC and all other business support groups, especially the Chambers of Commerce around the country. The minister said that there is a lot of work to be done, and he is prepared to sit and work with groups and organisations to ensure the success of Guyanese enterprises.

Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) Director of Economics, Dr Justin Ram, recently said that Guyana’s future is bright, and it is on the right economic path.

Dr Ram referenced the recent oil and natural gas discoveries offshore Guyana, and noted that with the expectation that commercial production of the commodities is due to begin in a few years, and combined with government’s fiscal responsibility, there is great potential there. Sharing his views on the policies being put in place by the Guyana Government, Dr Ram opined that, “The Government is correct in being fiscally prudent, and very careful in how it manages its debt to GDP (Gross Domestic Product) ratio.”

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

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

Term limit case for CCJ

…Justices Singh, BS Roy uphold Chang’s High Court ruling

By Ariana Gordon THE Court of Appeal by a two-one majority on Wednesday upheld the High Court ruling that the presidential term limit is unconstitutional and void.

Now retired Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag) Carl Singh, and Justice BS Roy upheld Chang’s ruling , while Chief Justice (ag) Yonette Cummings-Edwards disagreed. Singh, who is the presiding judge of the Court of Appeal, heads into retirement from today. Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams, the first-named appellant and former Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman, the second-named appellant, have both indicated that they will file an appeal to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) within 30 days. They are confident that their arguments will stand strong at the CCJ.

Similarly, attorney for the Respondent, Shawn Allicock, believes that the issue is one of national importance and must be resolved for the benefit of all. He said he is satisfied with the judgment of the Court of Appeal. “We are confident… we won’t be here if we didn’t think it was something that was winnable.

The people of Guyana are deserving of the court hearing the matter,” said Allicock.

Both the attorney general and Trotman had appealed against the decision by former Chief Justice Ian Chang in 2015 to remove the presidential term limit here. In the case brought by Cedric Richardson, a resident of Georgetown, just before the May 2015 General and Regional Elections, to challenge the Amendments made to Article 90 of the Constitution that were enacted in 2000 following a bipartisan Constitutional Reform Process, Justice Chang ruled,

among other things, that the presidential term limit was unconstitutional without the approval of the people through a referendum.

He also ruled that persons who have become Guyanese citizens by virtue of registration, can run for President.

Article 90 of the Constitution states: “A person elected as President after the year 2000 is eligible for re-election only once,” and clause (3), which states, “A person who acceded to the presidency after the year 2000 and served therein on a single occasion for not less than such period as may be determined by the National Assembly, is eligible for election as President only once.”

Both the Attorney General and Attorney Roysdale Forde, who represented the former Speaker of the National Assembly, in their submissions maintained that Justice Chang’s ruling was flawed and should be struck

Attorney for the Respondent, Shawn Allicock, speaks with the media following the decision of the Court of Appeal on the presidential third term on Wednesday

out but on Wednesday, it was only Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards who submitted that the appeal by the Attorney General and former speaker should stand.

VALIDLY DONE In her dissenting submission, Justice Cummings-Edwards said that Act #17 of 2000 did not require approval by referendum and noted that there is no dispute that it was validly passed and thus “I uphold the constitutional validity of Act No.17 of 2000.”

Secondly, insofar as Act No 17 of 2000 purported to amend article 90 of the Constitution as the Honourable Chief Justice as he then was, said that amendment was not unconstitutional; the amendment was validly done. “Article 90 (2) and (3) prescribes that a person elected as president after the year 2000 is entitled to serve as president for only two terms. Article 90 insofar as it was amended by Act no 17 of 2000, did not either directly or indirectly alter or dilute or effect [sic], or amend Articles 1, and 9 of the Constitution.”

Justice Cummings-Edwards cited Article 1 of the Constitution which states that Guyana is an indivisible, secular, sovereign state in the course of transition from capitalism to socialism and shall be known as the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. She therefore questioned which aspects of the amendments have affected the country’s indivisible, secular and democratic nature, as well as sovereignty by the imposition of a term limit of two terms to the presidency.

The Justice of Appeal also questioned what aspect of Guyana’s transition from

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams (R) speaks with Attorney Roysdale Forde (L), following the handing down of the decision of the Court of Appeal on the presidential term limit case on Wednesday

capitalism to socialism and to be known as Cooperative Republic of Guyana, has been affected by imposing a term limit of two terms.

“The answer is obvious from the ruling; Article 9 provides that sovereignty belongs to the people who exercise it through their representatives and democratic organs established by or under this Constitution. Clearly, the people of Guyana in whom sovereignty lies, no doubt exercised their sovereignty through their representatives, Parliament and local democratic organs.

“Act No.17 of 2000 was validly passed by way of two-thirds majority, it did not affect, either directly or indirectly Articles 1 and 9 of the Constitution and do not require a referendum.

It is not unconstitutional; it did not diminish the democratic right of the electorate in electing a person of their choice as President. “I hold

that Parliament acting intra vires the Constitution by limiting the presidential term to two terms, I will therefore allow the appeal,” said Justice Cummings-Edwards in her ruling.

ERRONEOUS She stressed that the amendments did not amend the people’s right to vote or choose a president, and noted that the ruling by Justice Chang which stated that the amendment to the Constitution interferes with the democracy of the people was erroneous.

“Because of the very principles of democracy and sovereignty, the people themselves gave Parliament that power, under Article 165 to make the necessary amendments in keeping with the various levels of entrenchment.” “…the right to vote, the right to choose a president Turn to page 18 ►

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

Mexico rejects Trump deportation policy

[BBC] - Mexico has condemned new guidelines issued by the United States on deporting undocumented immigrants. Under plans unveiled by the Trump administration on Tuesday, almost all people staying in the US illegally can be subject to deportation.

Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray said his country could not “accept unilateral decisions imposed by one government on another.” The row comes as two top US officials are preparing to visit Mexico.

The White House said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and the head of Homeland Security, John Kelly, would

talk to Mexican officials and “walk through” the implementation of the new immigration guidelines. They include plans to enforce an existing provision of the US Immigration and Nationality Act that allows authorities to send undocumented migrants back to Mexico, regardless of where they are from.

It is unclear whether the US has authority to force Mexico to accept foreigners.

But Mr Videgaray said on Wednesday: “We are not going to accept that because we don’t have to and it is not in the interest of Mexico.” Mr Videgaray also warned the US about treatment of Mexican

Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray citizens. defend human rights, liberties “The Mexican government and due process for Mexicans will not hesitate in going to in- abroad according to internaternational organisations, start- tional law.” Mr Tillerson and ing with the United Nations, to Mr Kelly were scheduled to

discuss a range of issues with President Enrique Pena Nieto on Thursday, but Mr Videgaray said the new changes to policy would now dominate the discussion.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said on Wednesday that he expected a “great discussion”. An estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants live in the US, many of them from Mexico.

President Donald Trump made immigration and border control a key part of his campaign.

The new priorities are broad enough to apply to almost any illegal immigrant, including anyone who has been charged with a crime,

misrepresented themselves, poses a risk to public safety, or “have abused any program related to receipt of public benefits”. The new guidelines also allow Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement to deport people immediately.

Expedited deportations can now be used against undocumented immigrants who are unable to prove they have been in the country for more than two years, anywhere in the US. Previously, expedited removals were applied to people who had been in the country for less than two weeks and were within 100 miles of the border.

Opposition in Barbados gears up for national march of disgust

[BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Caribbean360] -At wits end with the Freundel Stuart administration, the Opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP) is gearing up to hit the streets for a National March of Disgust and Rally in another two weeks, party leader Mia Mottley announced.

She said the March 11 event would be “the first salvo

by the Barbados Labour Party to let it be known that enough is enough”. Delivering a scathing assessment of the Prime Minister’s handling of the country’s worsening economic state and the bitter falling out between Finance Minister Chris Sinckler and Central Bank Governor Dr Delisle Worrell, Mottley this morning accused Stuart of “being en-

tirely disconnected from and unconcerned with the affairs of State and presiding over a dysfunctional government”.

She told journalists at a news conference that the BLP was determined that “no one, not even the titular leader of this country, must be allowed to stand in the way of the urgent need to stop the hemorrhaging, stabilize the country and put us back on the proper path to

recovery”.

“We will be marching on the afternoon of Saturday, 11th March, 2017. We call upon all civic minded Barbadians to join with us in sending a message to Freundel Stuart and his Cabinet that their style of governance is not cute. “…Barbados cannot bear the weight of the indifference and the incompetence of Freundel Stuart and his Cabinet

for another 12 months,” she declared, referring to the fact that elections are constitutionally due next year.

The BLP leader first launched into the Prime Minister for being out of the country at what she called a time of great uncertainty, citing concern that the Government would not be able to meet its commitments this month, particularly the payment of wages

Thursday, February 23, 2017 - 03:00 hrs - 14:30 hrs Friday, February 24, 2017 - 03:30 hrs - 14:30 hrs Saturday, February 25, 2017 - 04:00 hrs - 14:30 hrs Sunday, February 26, 2017 - 05:00 hrs Monday, February 27, 2017 - 05:00 hrs

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and salaries.

The Opposition Leader then blasted Stuart’s handling of the breakdown in relations between the country’s two leading financial officials, saying it was “callous and indifferent.” Mottley poked holes in public comments made by Stuart in New York that he was not “privy” to the issues between Dr Worrell and Minister Sinckler.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

Trump rescinds transgender bathroom rules [BBC] - The Trump administration has rescinded guidance enacted by his predecessor in favour of transgender students, the White House has said. The Obama-era rule directed public schools to allow transgender pupils to use toilets of their gender identity.

But critics said that guidance was government overreach which threatened other students’ privacy and safety.

A letter sent to US schools on Wednesday outlined the change, saying the Obama directive caused confusion.

It had also sparked lawsuits and debate over how it should work in practice, the letter

from the Justice and Education departments said. Anti-bullying safeguards will not be affected, it pledged.

Earlier, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Mr Trump firmly believes

“this is a states’ rights issue”.

Last May, Mr Obama’s justice and education departments instructed public schools to allow transgender students to use whichever bathroom corresponded to their gender

identity.

Though not legally binding, Mr Obama’s order warned schools they could lose funding if they did not follow the new guidance. The directive sparked a backlash across the country, prompting legal challenges from 13 states and a Texas federal judge’s preliminary injunction blocking the department’s position in August.

The Obama administration’s guidance was based on its interpretation of Title IX, the federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in education. Mr Obama argued that protection extended to gender identity.

But Mr Spicer said the pre-

vious administration’s guidelines were confusing and too difficult to implement. During his presidential campaign, Mr Trump said transgender students should be allowed to use whichever bathroom “they feel is appropriate”.

But he reversed his stance after facing Republican criticism. Conservative activists had praised Mr Trump’s order, saying it protected student rights to privacy.

“Our daughters should never be forced to share private, intimate spaces with male classmates, even if those young men are struggling with these issues,” said Vicki Wilson, a member of Students and Par-

ents for Privacy.

“It violates their right to privacy and harms their dignity.” Meanwhile, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten called the move a major setback for trans rights.

“By rescinding these protections, the Trump administration is compromising the safety and security of some of our most vulnerable children,” she said.

“Reversing this guidance tells trans kids that it’s OK with the Trump administration and the Department of Education for them to be abused and harassed at school for being trans.”

Ex-spy chief arrested in Gambia N Korea diplomat wanted over Kim death [BBC] - Gambia’s former spymaster and head of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Yankuba Badjie, has been arrested. Rights groups say the NIA was involved in the disappearance and torture of critics of ex-President Yahya Jammeh.

Mr Badjie is the first of Mr Jammeh’s security officials to be taken into custody by the new government.

Mr Jammeh was forced to resign after 22 years in power by The Gambia’s neighbours last month after refusing to accept defeat in December’s elections.

He has now gone into exile in Equatorial Guinea.

Mr Badjie was arrested on Monday along with another former NIA employee. The agency is cited by Human Rights Watch (HRW) as being an instrument of serious abuses under Mr Jammeh.

In a 2015 report, HRW painted a bleak picture of human rights in The Gambia: “The government of President Yahya Jammeh frequently committed serious human rights violations

Gambia’s former spymaster and head of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Yankuba Badjie including arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, and torture against those who voiced opposition to the government,” HRW said.

“State security forces most frequently implicated in violations were members of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).”

According to HRW, those targeted by the intelligence agency included journalists, political opponents, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, many of

whom fled The Gambia out of fear.

No official reasons were given for Mr Badjie’s arrest. But he was taken into custody after new President Adama Barrow promised to reform the NIA, which he has renamed the State Intelligence Service.

Mr Badjie is alleged to have personally presided over torture sessions of government critics at NIA chambers. He has not commented on the various allegations rights groups have made against him.

Human rights activist Lamin K Saidy who is based in Banjul hailed Mr Badjie’s arrest.

“We are hoping that lots of revelations [will be made],” Mr Saidy told the BBC. “A lot of families have not seen their loved ones who were picked up by the notorious NIA.” “We are hoping that having [Badjie] in custody will allow those families to have answers as to where their loved ones are - whether they are dead or alive.”

[BBC] - Malaysian police have named a senior North Korean embassy official they want to question in connection with the killing of Kim Jong-nam.

Hyon Kwang Song is one of three more North Koreans being sought. One of the others is a state airline employee.

Police also confirmed Mr Kim, half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, died after two women wiped a toxin on him at Kuala Lumpur airport.

North Korea’s embassy in Malaysia angrily denied the claims.

In a statement, it said the fact that the substance was on the hands of the women proved it could not have been a poison and called for the immediate release of the “innocent females” and a North Korean man.

Speaking at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur earlier on Wednesday, Malaysian Police Chief Khalid Abu Bakar said they were looking for three North Koreans in addition to the previously announced suspects.

One of them is Hyon Kwang Song, 44, the second secretary of the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

The others are Kim Uk II, 37, who works for Air Koryo, and another North Korean Ri Ju U. Mr Abu Bakar said they had written to the North Korean ambassador to Malaysia

Two of the wanted men are Kim Uk II (left) and Hyon Kwang Song (right) asking him to allow police to interview Mr Hyon and the other two men, who are believed still to be in the country.

If the ambassador does not co-operate, “we will compel them to come to us”, he said, without giving details.

Four other North Koreans named earlier in the case are thought to have left Malaysia already. The police chief also said security had been stepped up at the morgue where Mr Kim’s body is being kept after an attempted break-in earlier in the week.

“We knew there were attempts by someone to break into the hospital mortuary. We had to take precautions,” he was quoted by the Malay Mail as saying.

Mr Abu Bakar also confirmed widely reported details of the 13 February killing. A leaked video of the incident shows a man resembling Mr Kim being approached by one woman at Kuala Lumpur airport, before another woman lunges from behind and grabs his face.

gnnleditorial@gmail.com

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

Editorial

Editor-In-Chief

TODAY we celebrate 47 years as a Republic. This ultimate attainment of the right to self-determination did not come without struggles that resulted in the loss of lives and the shedding of blood and tears.

This year’s celebration also coincides with the 100th Anniversary of the abolition of Indian Indentureship. It was on March 10, 1917, that the end came to a system under which Indians were shipped here to the colonial sugar plantations, and cruelly exploited as bonded labourers. Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo in a message said: ”our Indian ancestors lived and worked under oppressive conditions, yet they helped to lay the foundations for economic growth and imbued their off-springs with passion and purpose to fight for the independence of our country.”

The journey for freedom began on these shores centuries ago by our First Peoples who resisted subjugation by those who came from afar, to conquer in the name of foreign kings and queens.

That initial extending of the hands of friendship resulted in efforts to deceive with trinkets, and to enslave. Though invasion resulted in decimation of some through diseases brought by others, the indigenous peoples resisted the Europeans’ effort to deny them the right to determine their destiny. After deeming Amerindians unfit to their designs, in the obsession to conquer and prove expansionist might, sights were turned to Africa.

In justifying the enslavement of Africans, this group was considered sub-human, without civilisation, and deserving to be treated as chattel property. Africans were brought against their will across the Atlantic in the Slave Trade to give of their labour under force. They were enchained, abused from dust to dawn, and used as mules to secure the wealth of another.

An entire race was denied their right to identity, inclusive of language, family structure and other aspects of their culture. The men were used as breeding studs, the

women to satisfy the enslavers’ lust, as children were wrenched from their mothers’ bosoms, their fathers’ embrace, and traded to the highest bidder. Where tens of millions have died during the horrors of the Atlantic Trade, and others opted to take their lives as a mark of dignity rather than be enslaved, others fought on.

The numerous rebellions and revolutions which positively stood out in the long, dark years of their history is testimony to a people, who though physically enchained, were not mentally enslaved.

The 1763 Berbice Slave Rebellion, the day that marks the achievement of Republican status from Great Britain, lest we forget, predates the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act by 44 years, encouraged others to fight on, and played a major role in toppling the system of slavery. This date set in train a series of events.

Seventeen-sixty-three (1763) proved that oppression and deprivation will never suppress the innate desire of man to be free. And where the abominable system of

slavery was toppled in 1838, another system of oppression called indentureship was birthed. Indentureship speaks to a system whereby persons were enticed to come to Guyana and give of their labour for a bonded period and at a cost. The indentureship community spanned Africa, to China, to Portugal and India, from where the vast majority came.

Those who were part of the indentured system were subjected to poor living and working conditions and though their cultures were allowed to be practised, in the main, theirs were considered inferior to the Europeans.’

When some are seen as lesser than others, the system of inequality and injustice would continue to reign as it justifies acceptance to deny people their fundamental rights and freedoms. And a system like this, practised in slavery, indentureship and colonisation, rightfully drew the ire of the oppressed and fuelled their passion to topple it.

For whereas slavery treated labour as chattel, indentured as bonded, and

Nigel Williams Editor

Godfrey Wray

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

Editorial

colonised as subjects, all had one common theme pulling them together-- i.e. inequality. Another thing we all have in common, which is oft overlooked, is that members of the European community played significant roles alongside the oppressed to overthrow the system of tyranny. The colonised, whose existence is hinged to the struggles and achievements of their forebears, having taken up the baton to achieve independence (26th May 1966), strengthened the foundation and pillars for self-determination, where full political attainment came on 23rd February, 1970. And where those who have fought for the freedom we enjoy today,

it need not be forgotten that it includes the freedom of our political, social, cultural and economic rights to self-determination.

As Guyanese celebrate our achievement of centuries of hard work, on this Mashramani Day, let us as citizens not forget we have more in common that unite rather than divide us. This sense of unity and purpose we must zealously guard and fortify. For the celebration of freedom never comes or is sustained freely, it requires eternal vigilance and sacrifice, and we must continue the hard work to protect and ensure everyone enjoys it.

Happy 47th, Guyana.

OP-ED

The tapestry of our history

By Lincoln Lewis

TODAY, Guyanese celebrate our Republic Anniversary. Some will be part of the Mashramani parades as participants, observers, or engage in the commerce of the day, while others will stay at home or use the day to pursue other interests. The history of Guyana, irrespective from whence our ancestors came, is rich with so many experiences.

There is so much to learn about this nation, its evolution, and the contributions of its diverse peoples. But what Guyanese have not been very good at over the years is documenting our history, where present and future generations can benefit. The proliferation of ignorance -- promoted or cultivated-about our history can never be to our collective best, ignored.

Lincoln Lewis

For where some fail to know or deliberately peddle misinformation, for one reason or the other, it can never serve to the good of the nation. In Guyana’s case, where mythology, mistrust of the other, and the divideand-rule debased thinking still intertwine in the daily mosaic, getting our history right is so important. Knowledge is power and that power enables and presents the possibility to look at issues through an objective lens.

There is much each can learn from the other and cultivate respect for the other, when the truth is told. The good/bad binary, based on a group or individual, that has held sway has not served us well, and to some extent has retarded our intellectual development and outreach to each other in the spirit of brother and sisterhood necessary to welding and building a nation. There are some who have called for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to deal with our political past, most notably the 1970s-1980s. Whereas such a call could play an important role in helping to bring understanding to a period in this nation’s political life, if such never materialises, it is hoped the players of that period, at least find the time to recount what they know, and the roles they played.

It is not uncharacteristic to have persons tell their

stories (oral or written) and request that such be made public after their death.

Though this has not been a feature of our society, it may help if those who have lived through certain periods -- though disinclined to speak now -- at least leave a recount to be told after their passing.

Our history is much longer and more complex than the politics that has shaped it and all needs to be told.

There are walking historians and historical movers within our midst who in sharing their stories as participants -- active or as observers -- can help the nation’s archival repertoire.

It may help if the Ministry of Education, which also has responsibility for culture, examines the feasibility of directing or supporting such a project whereby persons record events from our oral historians.

This newspaper carried a story on the origin of Mashramani,titled, “Jimmy Hamilton: The man who helped coin the word ‘Mashramani’” (February 19, 2016). Our reporter, Rabindra Rooplall, was accorded a rare moment in our society to interview this legend who played a major role in the event becoming mainstream, likewise, how the name was arrived at and the role the government of the day played. Eighty-sixyear-old Hamilton is a treasure, and undoubtedly there are others around like him.

We need to search out these persons, talk with them, and record their stories. It helps to have engagement when they are among us.

There are many gaps in our history and these can be credibly filled, getting to the right persons and documents, source and secondary. When this is not

done, it creates a vacuum and allows others to peddle misinformation, innocently or deliberately. At this stage of the nation’s development, it helps for our past to be honestly told. The majority of the nation’s population are 40 years and younger and given this, have the benefit of examining history less emotionally.

Fifty years after independence and 47 years of republican status, it is time our history be chronicled honestly, with all its blemishes and beauty. It is our history and when told it not only presents opportunities to learn from it, but also creates better understanding of the nation’s evolution/growth and what is needed to avoid pitfalls.

History is prologue and serves as the premise from which we can move forward. It helps when our steps are sure-footed.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

The rise and fall of Kamau Cush

Dear Editor,

ALLOW me to share with your readers my reflections on what I wish to describe as the “rise and fall” of Mr Ifa Kamau Cush. I think that this is a fair conclusion to arrive at, given his role in the parking meter project, which he was instrumental in bringing to Guyana and his eventual booting out from Smart City Solutions INC (SCS).

I have known Cush for many years, beginning from when he first surfaced in Guyanese public consciousness in the mid-90s, after he returned home and led a grassroot movement in the African community that was responsible for restoring the 1763 Monument. I cannot recall all the circumstances that led to his exit from Guyana shortly after that successful endeavour. If my memory is anything to go by, his hasty departure in part had to do with the hostility directed against him by the then PPP/C government.

In his recent return to Guyana, he emerged not as an African activist, but instead as a businessman promoting “White Capital,” which took the form of convincing leading officials from the Georgetown City Council to sign on to a parking meter project with Smart City Solutions INC (SCS). In spite of the fact that Cush tried to give the impression that he was the instigator and leading financier of the project, it became increasingly clear as time went by that he was in fact, the frontman for the company. Cush’s success with the 1763 Monument might have played a role in him winning over key Council officials to sign the contract with his business interests, thereby sidelining Mr Saratu Phillips and his Astroloble Technology Inc., that had a contract with the Council since 2007 for the establishment of parking meters in Georgetown.

While this observation I am now about to make is not directly related to the parking meter project, I think

it is worth making since it will help in developing an understanding of the rise and fall of Cush. In my view, he made some impact on public consciousness when he appeared on Mr Christopher Ram’s show, “Plain Talk.” In that interview, he shocked the moderator and many viewers by his passionate support for Mr Donald Trump and more so, his eventual prediction – to the dismay of Ram -- that Trump would win the U.S. Presidential elections. As matters turned out, he was proven correct. Knowing Cush as I do and taking into consideration his personality, I am convinced that he consciously sought to exploit the renewed attention he got in local political circles, after his Plain Talk engagement and successful prediction of a Trump victory in the U.S. Presidential elections.

In some quarters, he was now seen not only as Kamau Cush, an African nationalist, but also as Kamau Cush a U.S./Guyanese businessman and member of the powerful Republican political party with possibly strong connections in Washington. Given the above, I was not surprised that he continued to find favour with the powers that be, both in City Hall and presumably, by some in central government and this in spite of the controversy which had already emerged over the parking meters contract.

The parking meters fiasco has been mired in controversy from the inception. Its existence is characterised by secrecy and lack of transparency. The details of the contract were never made known to the full council or to the public, whose interest the Council was charged with protecting. Only Mayor Patricia Chase-Green, Town Clerk, Royston King, Oscar Clarke, Chairman of the Finance Committee, and Councillor, Junior Garrett, knew the full extent of the commitments made in the contract. It is clear that these four officials of the city’s administration, in keeping the details of the contract to themselves in the early stage

of the project, have done a serious disservice to the citizens of Georgetown whom they have sworn to serve faithfully. This approach to the Council’s and city’s business resulted in opposition in the Georgetown City Council to the behaviour of the four.

Led by Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan, demands were made on the town clerk and mayor to make the contract available to councillors. It is widely known that this met with resistance from the mayor and her town clerk.

When information on the fees for parking was made public, it led to a public outcry that the cost of the parking meter project to Georgetowners and to Guyana on the whole was prohibitive; it forced the intervention of the Ministry of Finance and the Attorney General. The Ministry of Finance condemned the contract and said that it should be renegotiated. This was not done, instead, there were several amendments to the original contract and a reduction in the price for parking. Even these changes failed to get the support of the public. A citizens group, MAPM, was formed and the organisers mobilised a successful boycott of the parking meters and also staged protest demonstrations outside City Hall, which were attended by hundreds of citizens across political persuasions.

A photograph in one of the daily newspapers showed Mr Cush and the manager of SCS mingling with the protestors in front of City Hall, apparently, trying to

convince them to support the project. However, it was on his Facebook page that Cush vented vicious abuse on those protesting, accusing them of having a slave/indenture mentality and much more. In spite of the public backlash he received and a statement from the company condemning and distancing SCS management from his reprehensible and toxic remarks, he subsequently posted on his facebook page another statement in which he stated that he stood by his previous remarks, showing neither remorse nor commonsense and certainly, no political or business savvy. While I was not surprised by his stubbornness in not retreating from what he had said, I must admit that I was flabbergasted on two scores:- (1) That Mr Cush, who prides himself as a Pan- Africanist, would have chosen to invoke the question of slave mentality, which he is aware has its roots in White racism; and (2) in spite of living and doing business in the USA, he displayed that level of contempt and disrespect for Guyanese in a politically sensitive, business controversy without any consideration for the consequences on the company and himself.

A second presidential intervention led to an announced 50% reduction in fees, a temporary relaxation of punitive measures for violations of the parking system, a 50% drop in fines and consultations with stakeholders by the mayor and town clerk.

These initiatives have failed to defuse the public outcry

against the parking meters.

Evidence of this fact was demonstrated by yet another successful demonstration outside City Hall last Friday.

It is now anyone’s guess when and how the protest will end and whether the parking meters project would ever have public acceptance.

Politically, as Mr Desmond Trotman pointed out on Walter Rodney’s Groundings, a WPA TV show, that Mayor Chase-Green and Town Clerk Royston King in imposing the draconian parking meter project have succeeding in doing what the opposition PPP failed to do i.e. mobilise citizens of Georgetown in protest in the heart of the APNU+AFC support base.

Kamau Cush, the pliant lackey of SCS, must be seen as one of those responsible for these series of protest actions in Georgetown.

The announcement that the Smart City Solutions board has demanded and got the resignation of Mr Cush from his position in the company is not surprising. This act against Cush by SCS must be seen for what it was -- a jettisoning of a “disposable.”

It was in keeping with the practice of companies embroiled in controversy over their business dealings. In those instances, they move very quickly to rid themselves of officials whom they believe have the potential of worsening their situation. The Board of Directors of SCS, faced with Cush’s defiant

cussing out of the citizens protesting the parking meters project, acted in what they concluded was in the best interest of the company. It is hard not to conclude that they were saying to him -- you have received your 30 pieces of silver and we no longer have any uses for you.

In closing, Mr Cush’s sudden rise and his subsequent fall from grace is a result of his own doing. However, from the perspective of business and politics, the developments surrounding SCS has interesting lessons for those overseas Guyanese who, because they enjoy some leverage with local officials, are anxious to align with foreign investors and introduce them to Guyana’s landscape in conditions not conducive to advancing Guyanese political, economic and social interests. It also challenges local officials who are zealous to ink deals with these foreign-based companies that they have the duty and moral obligation to ensure that from the outset, everything that will ensure transparency and legitimacy of a “deal” is done. Only time will tell whether Guyanese at home and abroad have learned any lesson from the missteps of Mr Ifa Kamau Cush.

Regards Tacuma Ogunseye

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

Father of six burnt to death in Timehri wildlife building

By Rabindra Rooplall

A FATHER of six was burnt to death in a makeshift home inside a wildlife building on Wednesday morning at Timehri, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

Dead is 54-year-old Imran Adams Shaw called ‘Adam’, who tried desperately to escape the fire; however, he was trapped inside after he failed to open the grilled door. This newspaper understands that Adam lived inside the

Dead: Imran Adams Shaw

The wildlife building which was destroyed by the fire

Mohammed Annief Shaw points to the grilled doorway where his son’s charred remains were found in the aftermath of the fire

building, which housed the Guyana Wildlife, Trappers and Exporters business and mosque.

The fire razed the entire concrete and wooden area for animals and birds. Fortunately, many of the cages were not occupied and those in cages escaped; the mosque was not destroyed.

The dead man’s father, Mohammed Annief Shaw, who is also the owner of the business, said the fire erupted around 02:45hrs.

He said his wife woke up and noticed the flames from an adjoining building.

“She saw the fire and started to shout and by the time we rushed outside we could not go closer to the building because the fire already take up a big portion of the building,” he said.

The businessman explained that his son was bracing the grill door and tried to open it with the keys, but the door would not open.

“We got two big rocks and we tried smashing the door to open the grill, but it was sturdy, it would not budge, so he roast in there,” the elder Shaw said.

He said his grandson managed to save two minibuses which were parked in the yard. It was noted that relatives had to visit a nearby fire station to summon the fire engine; upon arrival at the scene, firefighters used water from a large container inside the yard.

According to the businessman, Adam was the youngest of his six children and he lived alone in the building. He said his son was an alcoholic who suffered from seizures.

Shaw could not say how the fire started and this is the first incident to have occurred there. He told the Guyana Chronicle that a recent investment was made to refurbish the business and the bird aviaries pending government’s approval of licence to export.

“The holding facility for mammals, reptiles and aviary was burnt, is only last year I paint all the cages and renovate the entire place …. I grew up in this business. My father started it in 1947 and since then, we kept doing it,” the businessman said.

He hopes to get back on

his feet soon.

THREATS TO BURN THE BUILDING Meanwhile, Fire Chief Marlon Gentle told this newspaper that the Timehri fire station received a call about the fire after 03:00hrs and a fire engine was dispatched. According to Gentle, firefighters managed to save the mosque and another building in the yard.

He explained that based on investigations, Adam was an alcoholic who had problems with his family, which resulted in him living in a makeshift area inside the business place.

The Fire Chief noted that from reports received, the man had recently threatened to burn the building . Gentle pointed out that in May 31, 2009, a nearby building, which was owned by Adam, was also burnt under mysterious circumstances.

The fire chief is encouraging persons who are experiencing family issues to seek counselling, since they have to be more responsible for their actions.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

Guyana, IDB ink US$40M loan agreements – to boost work of Gov’t ministries FOUR loan agreements to secure developmental resources valued at US$40M, were signed on Tuesday between Guyana and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

This is according to the Ministry of Finance in a statement which indicated that the resources will be used to finance key initiatives within the Legal Affairs, Business, Agriculture and Public Health Ministries. The agreements were signed by Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan and President of the IDB, Luis Alberto Moreno, at the Headquarters of the IDB in Washington, D.C. According to the ministry, the loan resources are intended to support Government’s developmental agenda of promoting investment; improving connectivity throughout Guyana; diversifying the economy; and providing citizens with quality healthcare and social services.

The ministry said that the inking of these agreements is yet another demonstration of the robust relationship shared between the Government of Guyana and the IDB. “The IDB, Guyana’s main development and multilateral partner, plays a critical role in helping Guyana to access a wide range of concessional resources from other donor countries and

public institutions responsible for the administration of justice are effective, transparent and accountable.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan and IDB President, Luis Alberto Moreno, signing the loan agreements at the headquarters of the IDB in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday

agencies,” the statement read.

AGRICULTURE The Agriculture Ministry will benefit from a US$15M Sustainable Agricultural Development Programme, which the ministry said, will aid in the country’s focus on diversifying the agricultural sector and improving its competitiveness and viability.

The ministry noted that the loan seeks to increase productivity of the agricultural sector, while maintaining sustainable and climate-resilient use of natural resources in Guyana.

“Specifically, this programme is aimed at producing high-quality data for the agricultural sector; increasing

productivity, especially for medium and small farmers; and increasing sanitary and phyto-sanitary (SPS) standards and access to meat-processing facilities,” the statement read.

Further, it is anticipated that higher productivity will also contribute to reduced pressure on forests and fragile ecosystems, and at the same time, increase incomes for small and medium-sized farmers.

BUSINESS For business, a US$9M loan is programmed to support economic diversification and exports through enhancement of the National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) and

through a National Export and Investment Promotion Strategy.

The project, according to the Finance Ministry, will seek to enhance the capacity of the NQI, improve facilities for the NQI and enhance the capability of GOINVEST for export and investment promotion.

Additionally, the financial agency noted that the project will seek to enhance the ability of Guyana to connect with regional and global value chains through the promotion of exports and foreign direct investment, particularly agri-business.

LEGAL AFFAIRS In this area, the Ministry

of Legal Affairs is expected to benefit from a US$8M loan, which will provide support for the Criminal Justice System. The statement pointed out that it is anticipated that through this project, there will be a significant reduction of high concentrations of prison populations in Guyana.

The intent, according to the ministry, is to reduce the use of pre-trial detention of persons accused of minor, non-violent offences by aggressively promoting the use of alternative sentencing options such as probation, community service, restitution and fines.

Additionally, this intervention seeks to ensure that

PUBLIC HEALTH To provide support to improve maternal and child health, the Ministry of Public Health will benefit from the US$8m loan. This project, the ministry said, will contribute to the reduction of maternal, perinatal and neonatal deaths in Guyana.

Additionally, it will seek to increase access to and use of reproductive, maternal and neonatal health services, and improve the quality of those services.

According to the ministry, in addition to its own lending window, the IDB is currently involved in an innovative blending of grants and loans with the European Union in two projects, valued over US$96 million.

Additionally, the bank is working with Guyana as the Implementing Partner in some of Guyana’s programmes under the GuyanaNorway GRIF Scheme.

The ministry noted that the IDB Country Strategy with Guyana for the period 2017 – 2021 is currently under preparation and will see further collaboration between this country and the bank, as the former seeks to advance itself along a “green trajectory.”

PM swears in new GNBA board members NEW CHAIRMAN of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) Lt. Col. Leslie Anthony Sobers and the five board members were on Tuesday evening, sworn in by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo at the Official Residence of the Prime Minister on Main Street.

The Board members are Dr Rovin Deodat, Scheherazade Ishoof -Khan, Jocelyn Josiah, Aretha Nichola Campbell and Joel Persid Edmond. One other member is to be named by the Opposition Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) and will be sworn in at a later date.

During brief remarks, Prime Minister Nagamootoo congratulated and thanked the members for accepting to serve on such an important state board. He explained that the previous board developed some difficulties along the way and as such this matter was discussed extensively at Cabinet. Prime Minister Nagamootoo charged the members of the board to ensure all standards are met and not to only issue licences but also to review both future and current licence holders to ensure they are compliant with all regulations.

From L-R GNBA’s CEO Dr Prudence Lewis-Bhola, Joel Edmond, Aretha Nicola Campbell, Minister of State Joseph Harmon, Chairman of GNBA Lt. Col Leslie Anthony Sobers, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Jocelyn Josiah, Dr Rovin Deodat and Scheherazade Ishoof - Khan

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

REPUBLIC DAY MESSAGES

U.S. President Donald Trump The following letter was sent to President David Granger on behalf of the people of the United States.

Dear Mr. President: On behalf of the people of the United States, I congratulate you and the citizens of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on the occasion of your Republic Day. As you mark 47 years as a republic, know that the United States remains as committed as ever to our close friendship and partnership on common interests

such as economic development, good governance, and environmental protection.

I would also like to acknowledge Guyana’s role as a regional leader, which has been clearly on display since you assumed the rotating chair of the Caribbean Community on January 1. I offer my sincere wishes to you, your family, and the Guyanese people for a beautiful Mashramani and Republic Day.

Sincerely, Donald J. Trump

People’s National Congress Reform The People’s National Congress Reform is pleased to extend greetings and good wishes to all Guyanese as we celebrate the 47th Anniversary of our Republican status.

The national celebration of Mashramani is an occasion for reflection and assessment of the state of our nation, 47 years after Guyana was declared a Repub-

lic. This year Mashramani is being held under the theme, “Celebration with dignity, liberty and greater unity”.

In this regard, it must be evident to all that we, as Guyanese, need to redouble our efforts to banish crime, disease, ignorance and poverty. We must strengthen national unity, expand national infrastructure, fortify national institutions, ensure

national security and extend public services.

Accordingly, the PNCR wishes all of the Guyanese people a Happy Republic holiday, and a joyous celebration of Mashramani, as we pray that the spirit of peace, love and unity will dwell among us on the 47th anniversary of our Republic.

Happy Mashramani!

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo February 23 marks 47 years since Guyana attained Republican status.

It was on that day that we severed all vestiges of foreign rule.

This year’s celebration coincides with the 100th Anniversary of the abolition of Indian Indentureship. It was on March 10, 1917, that the end came to a system under which Indians were shipped here to the colonial sugar plantations, and cruelly exploited as bonded labourers.

Our Indian ancestors lived and worked under oppressive conditions, yet they helped to lay the foundations for economic growth and imbued their off-springs with passion and purpose to fight for the independence of our country. Today, I pay tribute to the memory of our Indian ancestors, and celebrate the end to indentureship as a victory of their early struggles for freedom.

Today, we reflect also on

another February 23, more than 250 years ago, in 1763, when African slaves revolted in Berbice. Their dreams like those of former indentured servants, were to be free from bondage. Their aspirations were for them to be treated with dignity and respect.

When Guyana became a Republic in 1970, we realized these dreams. We celebrate this year with “dignity, liberty and greater unity” – the theme of Mashramani 2017.

Our Republican status has given us an identity, a national personality. As Guyanese republicans we became equal with all other nationalities in the world.

Today, we are proud Guyanese of different ethnicities, living side by side, in a stable democracy. We enjoy, more than any time before, freedom of speech and the right to open dissent.

We are not aliens, refugees or illegal migrants. We are free, independent and proud

Guyanese citizens! We no longer owe allegiance to any Monarchs or foreign Flags.

Our country, the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is our common home, our Motherland.

Today, I say confidently: a bright new, horizon lies ahead. So, as we celebrate, we must not lose sight of our golden future as a united, Guyanese people.

Happy Republic Day, Guyana! Happy Mashramani!

People’s Progressive Party Guyana Agricultural and General The Peoples’ Progressive Party (PPP) extends greetings and best wishes to all Guyanese on our 47th Republic anniversary.

It is common knowledge that the People’s Progressive Party was the main architect of the struggle to free our nation and its people from colonial rule and servitude.

The dream then was to build a free, united and democratic society governed by the rule of law under a system which guarantees equal opportunity, so that all of our people can realise their full potential and aspirations. That dream was short lived. We moved to independence as a fractured society. By the time we attained republican status, we were already drifting into political dictatorship. The 1968 elections were already rigged.

The 1970 Constitution was born in suspicion. The Privy Council was abolished as our final court and the process had begun to emasculate the judiciary. Discrimination had become rampant and we were quickly moving into the direction of party paramountcy.

Forty-seven years later, there is an abundance of evidence which would establish that we are in a strikingly similar position, poised once again to travel the road to political dictatorship.

The political, economic and social gains made during the period that the PPP was in government (1992-2015) are rapidly being reversed.

The sugar, rice, forestry, mining, construction and other productive sectors are either under-preforming or in chaos.

After more than three hundred (300) years Sugar is on the brink of closure. Thousands of workers have lost their jobs.

No new investments are on the horizon. The economy is shrinking. The US dollar is at its highest. While at the same time, our people are being taxed to the hilt.

Politically, authoritarianism is on the rise. Independent Constitutional institutions and office holders are undermined. The judiciary is being attacked and badly needed appointments of judges are not being made. There is political censorship and a lack

of freedom of speech in our Parliament. Constitutional violations are committed with impunity. The appointment of the Chairman of Gecom has been reduced to a game of political football. Discrimination by and corruption in Government have become institutionalized.

Therefore, as we celebrate this significant national event, it is important that we take stock of, from where we have come and where we are, so that we can be focused on the direction in which we would like to move forward. The choice is becoming clearer: we either sit idly as passengers along the highway to political dictatorship or, we can stand firm in resistance against those who are threatening our democracy, our freedoms and our social and economic well-being.

As we have always done, the PPP will continue that relentless struggle to improve the lives of our people and to create a better and unified Guyana for all.

Happy 47th Republic Anniversary.

Workers Union As we continue to build and consolidate as a nation, historical landmarks and signposts acquire great significance. Apart from inspiring patriotism, they also serve as reminders of the path we have travelled to arrive at this point in our development.

Guyana’s Republic Anniversary in February with the high point on Republic Day, 23rd February is one such institutionalized and national event. That we have survived 50 years as an independent nation and 47 as a republic this month is something to celebrate. In our rich political history, our Republican Status represents an important milestone.

With such sentiments in mind, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) joins all Guyana in the observance of the country’s forty-seventh year as a Co-operative Republic. In passing, it

should be noted that we have remained within the Commonwealth of Nations and, naturally, the United Nations Organisation. Since Republican Status we have joined or maintained membership in other vital regional and international organisations, important indicators that we are proud to be associated with organisations that uphold humanitarian values even as we celebrate our national achievements.

GAWU at this time of celebration and reflection is mindful of various negative realities in our midst.

The economy is currently floundering despite hopeful predictions from some quarters. Social ills like domestic violence, suicide, lack of good parenting, road traffic mayhem and criminal violence of all types are mounting and holding our citizens in a state of anxiety, if not despair. Workers in the sugar industry today feel

especially oppressed as they face one kind of pressure or another.

In these trying times and deteriorating conditions, GAWU sees the need for our citizens to be involved in the decision-making and the governmental processes. The government, one political group or one local democratic organ cannot confront and solve the current numerous quality oflife challenges facing all of us.

Whether it is GuySuCo, GPL, parking meters or the generation of employment, the Opposition, Civil Society including trade unions must be consulted and be involved meaningfully.

The working people are restive and in need of relief. The Government must listen and must respond positively. Challenging are the times though, GAWU wishes the nation an enjoyable celebration of our 47th Republic Anniversary.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

Nine female convicts granted presidential pardons

Barbara Hunte

Charissazan Charles

PRESIDENT David Granger has granted presidential pardons to nine female prisoners whom he considers fit and proper to receive such pardons, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

These presidential pardons will take effect from February 23, 2017, in observance of the 47th Anniversary of the Republic, the ministry stated. The nine prisoners from the New Amsterdam Prison were identified as 30-year-old Kamla Bisram; 31-year-old Malinda Beaton; Charissazan Charles, 18; Sasha Christopher, 18; Jenny Davis, 26; Vanessa Frank, 26; 51-year-old Barbara Hunte; Kamwattie Persaud, 23; and 47-year-old Dhanmattie Seenarine.

According to the min-

istry, these prisoners have served most of their respective sentences for offences ranging from larceny, assault and unlawful possession of ammunition.

“It is expected that this expression of compassion and humanity by His Excellency will result in families being re-united, and the pardoned offenders leading good and useful lives [from] here on,” the ministry noted.

In May, 2015, President Granger pardoned 60 convicts, between the ages of 18 to 25. In December, 2015, he pardoned 11 females who spent Christmas with their families. Those pardoned were women incarcerated for non-violent offences; offences which do not involve trafficking in persons and trafficking in narcotics.

Dhanmattie Seenarine

Jenny Davis

Kamla Bisram

Malinda Beaton

Sasha Christopher

Vanessa Frank

However, in 2016, President Granger had said that no one was pardoned to coincide with Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary, because they did not meet the benchmark and he will not free convicted drug-traffick-

ers and murderers.

“I didn’t pardon anyone at Independence because many of the persons who would normally be eligible for pardon were in fact convicted for trafficking in cocaine, not possession of a few

grammes of marijuana and I am not going to tolerate trafficking, I am not going to tolerate murder. I am not going to pardon anybody who has got blood on their hands,” he had stated on his weekly interview programme, ‘The

Kamwattie Persaud

Public Interest.’

With almost 100 persons having received presidential pardons since President Granger came to office in May, 2015, the Guyanese leader had come in for sharp criticism in the past because he had pardoned persons who eventually returned before the courts on similar charges.

The President said he would continue to pardon convicts who meet the criteria. “I don’t pardon people for the sake of pardoning people. I pardon people to give them a second chance in life.”

The birth of the Republic is celebrated with Mashramani, which is being observed this year under the theme: “Celebration with Liberty, Dignity and Greater Unity.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

Dr Norton: Mash in unity – now and forever throughout the country IN wishing the populace a Happy Mashramani, Social Cohesion Minister, Dr. George Norton said the celebration will remain focused on preserving the Guyanese culture rather than adopting those of other countries.

Today, Guyana celebrates 47 since becoming a republic, and the Minister has contended that since the country is uniquely diverse, Guyanese must learn to embrace this diversity, and use it to their advantage.

“We cannot have greater unity if we do not respect each other regardless of our differences. This includes age, gender, religious beliefs, geographic location, cultural beliefs, ableness and socio-economic backgrounds,” Dr Norton said in a statement

to mark the occasion.

“This celebration must be used to reaffirm our commitment towards working together, in order to make Guyana the greatest country that it can be; division will only prevent us from reaching to even greater heights. So, Guyanese must take this time to also reflect on the fact that they are dealing with a multicultural society, which is a key aspect of social cohesion,” the minister said.

This year marks the centennial anniversary of the abolition of Indian Indentureship in Guyana, and all members of society must take time to honour the struggles and accomplishments of the East Indians to Guyana, he said.

On this note, he said Mashramani, which is being

celebrated under the theme “Celebration with Liberty, Dignity and Greater Unity” should be a tool to unify Guyana.

In this unity, diversities are embraced, conflicts are resolved, networks and collaboration with stakeholders are strengthened, equity is promoted and decision-making processes result in equal opportunities and benefits to all.

The Ministry of Social Cohesion is mandated to nurture individual and community relationships in building a unified country.

Mashramani is an Amerindian word which translates to “Celebration after hard work,” but Dr Norton noted that is a time when Guyanese from all walks of life unite to

Social Cohesion Minister, Dr. George Norton

showcase their rich culture, traditions, history and art forms.

This is done by engaging in festivities such as dancing in the streets to steel band and calypso music, as well as costume competitions, float parades and masquerades bands.

Dr. Norton said undoubtedly, it is also a period when national pride is heightened, as houses, business places and Government buildings are decorated with the colours of the Golden Arrowhead and national songs are played.

He also said that Guyanese must not wait for a national event to exhibit national pride, pointing out that this should be exhibited all year round to the highest degree.

“We have come so far as a country and of this we must be proud,” he said.

Clamping continues despite court orders DESPITE a High Court order, employees of Smart City Solutions (SCS) proceeded to clamp the wheels of vehicles on Wednesday which were in breach of the parking by-laws.

Despite being served two court orders requesting them to show why the project should not be scrapped, the Council and SCS still went ahead to penalise persons.

The SCS officials were seen

clamping vehicles parked on Regent and Robb streets.

One of the SCS employees, when asked if the system is back in operation, said yes and added that they were given an order by management

A vehicle was clamped yesterday on Robb Street

to proceed with applying the penalties.

Efforts to contact a senior official of SCS to confirm this proved futile. Meanwhile, at a recent news conference Friday inside the studios of the National Communications Network (NCN), Homestretch Avenue, hosted

by M&CC and Smart City Solutions (SCS), it was announced that the slash in the price for parking is meant to benefit only those who are

parking for eight hours or more. Thus, the cost per hour remains at $200 plus VAT. The penalties for breaching the parking by-laws remain the same, meaning persons whose vehicles are clamped will be required to pay a fine of $7,500.

Two court actions were brought against the parking meters: the first was brought by the New Building Society against Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan and

the Georgetown Town Clerk, Royston King.

The minister must defend his approval of the parking meter by-laws, and show why those bylaws should not be quashed by the court. The second court action was brought by private citizen, Mahendra Arjune, against the Georgetown Town Clerk and Georgetown Mayor.

That matter is set to come up next Monday.

Teenager accused of sexually molesting primary school student POLICE in Berbice have arrested a 16-year-old boy, following allegations that he sexually molested an 8-year-old girl in West Canje.

Police Commander, Ian Amsterdam confirmed that the teenager was arrested on Wednesday morning. This

newspaper understands that the alleged victim would normally visit the teen’s grandfather, where they would watch TV together and during several visits, the young man would take her to the back of the yard, where he would touch her inappropriately on her private parts.

On Tuesday, the child confided in her class teacher of the suspect’s action, and as a result the matter was reported to the Central Police Station. Police had searched for the suspect following the report, but did not find him until Wednesday morning.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

Hundreds continue protest against parking meters

Representatives of a City business in black, to ‘mourn the decrease in businesses’

HUNDREDS braved the inclement weather to again register their objection to the ‘burdensome’ metered parking in Georgetown, in front City Hall on Wednesday.

The protests led by the Movement Against Parking Meters (MAPM) has for weeks now been calling for

a review of the project by the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) and Central Government.

Central Government had requested that the Council reduce the parking rate from some $200 per hour by 50 per cent.

During that period of consultations for new fees, the

project was put on hold, allowing vehicles to be parked without having to pay.

Meanwhile, two court orders were filed against City Mayor, Patricia Chase-Green, Town Clerk, Royston King and Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan, requesting them to show reasons why the project should not be

Protestors on Regent Street in front of City Hall on Wednesday (Photo by Adrian Narine)

scrapped.

The court has not yet ruled on the matter but Georgetown Mayor, Patricia Chase-Green declared last Thursday that “as of Monday next (this Monday), we will resume implementation of the parking meter project”, contending that “There is not an injunction that stops us

from operating.”

Prominent businessman, Roshan Khan on Wednesday, who was on the protest line, described the Council’s move as “disrespectful”, alleging that it has no regard for the law.

Others who were there also vented their dissatisfaction with metered parking.

“This is not good for the country and the parking meter is crippling the economy… it is crippling businesses and it is not good and we all should stand up and say we are not ready for it because the country is not developed,” one Regent Street businessman, who asked not to be named, said.

Female doctors First Lady explores accuse Lethem cop partnerships with UN of sexual harassment A POLICE Corporal with over a decade of service, is under close arrest after being accused of sexual harassment by two physicians at the Lethem Hospital.

Hospital sources indicated that the female doctors made separate reports last week to the police about the harassment. When contacted, ‘F’ Division Commander, Senior Superintendent Ravindradat Budhram, confirmed that an allegation was made against a police rank, who is under close arrest, pending the outcome of the investigation. He said legal advice will be sought after the investigations are completed.

This month, the Ministry of Social Protection, through a collaborative effort with UNICEF, commenced training police ranks on how to handle cases of sexual and domestic violence.

At the opening of the training workshop, Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally, said violence against women is a violation of their freedom, dignity, safety, human rights and must be condemned in all its forms. The minister is confident that the training will result in better practices and application of effective measures to protect victims and witnesses. She said that for a long while the

police has been criticised for not doing enough to protect women from violence. She urged more inter-agency collaboration and coordination of services to improve the safety of women.

Last year, the protocols to equip Police Officers and other professionals with the necessary guidelines and procedures required to improve overall response to victims of sexual violence were developed by the Ministry of Social Protection with support from UNICEF. The Police training sessions will be undertaken during the period February to March 2017.

FIRST Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger on Wednesday received a courtesy call from United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, Ms. Mikiko Tanaka at her office at State House. During that meeting, possible areas of collaboration aimed at addressing issues affecting the welfare of women and girls were discussed, a release from the Ministry of the Presidency noted.

“We spoke about several issues, gender-based violence, health, women’s empowerment, education, issues that affect women and girls, both in the rural and urban areas and how we can work together to alleviate these problems, if not solve them,” the First Lady was quoted as saying in the release.

Meanwhile, Ms. Tanaka

First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger is flanked by, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Mikiko Tanaka (left) and UNFPA Resident Representative, Ms. Patrice LaFleur

said that she was keen to discuss some of the social issues, which pose a challenge to society and the strides that are being made to remedy them.

“Really I was hearing the different perspectives of the social issues affecting women and children in Guyana and what efforts are being

made by the First Lady, institutions, people in Guyana, and how the UN system could work together and support the efforts,” she said.

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Resident Representative, Ms. Patrice LaFleur accompanied Ms. Tanaka to the meeting.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

Albouystown residents receive medical check-ups IN view of the Albouystown clinic being out of operation for many months now, Chief Health Visitor for the Georgetown municipality Welfare Centres, Berris Springer, and team paid a visit to the community last weekend.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, Springer said the medical outreach was part of the M&CC’s plan for 2017 to take health services to various communities in need.

Apart from this, she said this community was especially chosen because the health centre is still under repairs.

Although the residents can access the services at the Dorothy Bailey Health Centre in the meantime, Springer noted that transportation poses a problem to many of

Chief Health Visitor Berris Springer

them.

During the outreach at the masjid on La Penitence Street, the team offered such

services as medical screening, dental health, screening for pre-cancerous cells, HIV testing and dissemination of information for other health conditions, including diabetes and hypertension.

Springer’s team saw over 100 persons, and the entire staff did not remain at this location, but some members went into the community to look for those who needed certain vaccines.

She said the M&CC will be looking to visit other locations and that once the clinic is back in operation, more services will be added there.

Public Relations Officer, Debra Lewis, offered that the clinic should be repaired in April, noting that the money is coming solely from taxes.

Court of Appeal lifts... remains unaffected by the inclusion of the term limit.”

Meanwhile, Justice Singh in delivering his decision said laws which in effect will prevent citizens from their Constitutional right to freely elect someone of their choice is unconstitutional. “In my view, the critical question which must be determined in this appeal is whether by

altering Article 90 of the Constitution, Act No17 of 2000 also alters Articles 1 and 9 of the Constitution. It would be important to closely examine whether any of the core features of Articles 1 and 9 would be affected by Act No.17 of 2000.” Justice Singh submitted that the concepts of sovereignty and democracy are critical to the

From page 3

answering of that question and noted that the Constitution must be interpreted in a broad, liberal, purposive and holistic way, so that the role of Guyanese citizens to exercise their democratic entitlement is properly interpreted.

DEEPLY ENTRENCHED He noted that the provisions of Articles 1 and 9 of

The medical outreach in Albouystown during which over 100 persons received medical attention

the Constitution ought not to be “lightly regarded” as they are deeply entrenched and provide substantive protection to the people of this country. “The effect of the amendment to Article 90 of the Constitution by Act No. 17 of 2000 is to create further restrictions to the persons whom the people of Guyana could choose to elect as president, even though the people may consider any such restricted person suitable to be elected the president of

Guyana. Therefore, by excluding those persons from consideration by the people for election to the office of president,that exercise of sovereignty by the people to freely choose who they wish to govern them is suppressed,” said the Chancellor (ag).

He said before Act No.17 of 2000 was passed, those restrictions did not exist.

He said by virtue of the restrictions imposed by the amendments, he concurs with

former Chief Justice Chang that the Act is unconstitutional and of no legal effect, as it dilutes and diminishes the rights of citizens.

“The observations of the learned Chief Justice coincide with my own views on the effect of Act No 17. of 2000, the freedom of the people of Guyana to choose their representatives, captured in the context of sovereignty and democracy in Articles 1 and 9 cannot be limited

Turn to page 19 ►

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

No limit to business hours – Mayor Chase-Green clarifies THE statements attributed to Mayor Patricia ChaseGreen that City Hall will be moving to close all businesses at 16:30hrs each day, and on Sundays and holidays, are false and erroneous.

Mayor Green in a statement on Wednesday said, “This is erroneous and is a calculated attempt to disrupt the flow business in the

city.”

She said it was brought to her attention that a certain section of the media (Guyana Times and Inewsguyana. com) has been falsely reporting the above-mentioned statements, attributing them to her.

She clarified that at a meeting with vendors and stallholders on February 17, a vendor raised a concern

Court of Appeal lifts... by the addition of further disqualification, unless approved by the electorate. In sum therefore, the further restrictions on the people’s choice for president… created a different democratic state referenced Articles 1 and 9.”

Justice Singh made it clear that the people of this country are the most important part of the State, and as such, should have the opportunity to elect representatives of their choice to govern them by periodic elections. “It is quite evident therefore that any law that would have or effect to suppress that right …would be inconsistent with the Constitution as null in force and void.” He contended that the Constitution could only be changed by referendum, that is, by the people themselves.

“The effect of the amendments occasioned by Act No. 17 of 2000 was that the freedom of the people of Guyana to choose whom they wish to represent them became controlled by the

From page 18

National Assembly. While it is true that the Guyanese elector votes for a party list, the political party is the instrumentality of the people and it is through the political party that the people exercise their sovereignty,” Singh added, while quickly pointing out that he must not be understood to be saying that the National Assembly does not have the power to effect an amendment to the Constitution.

Meanwhile, the Chancellor considered the submission by Attorney General Williams as “incredible,” when he stated that the proceedings should be deemed void ab initio of a blunder made by the respondent in the originating summons. Reference was made to Act No. 17 of 2001 instead of Act No.17 of 2000. Singh determined that it was an error and noted that none of the parties to the matter had been affected negatively by it. Justice BS Roy simply concurred with the Chancellor’s decision.

Mayor of Georgetown, Patricia Chase-Green

about long opening hours of some businesses and further observed that businesses should be closed per the time stipulated by the laws, so that vendors can have the opportunity to ply their trade and make a living.

According to the mayor, in response she stated that the Council is responsible for regulating the opening and closing hours of the five municipal markets, which are stipulated in the Munici-

pal and District Councils Act Chapter 28:01.

She further noted that the opening and closing hours of other businesses fall under the portfolio of a ministry and offered to forward the concern highlighted by the vendor.

“During that meeting, no promise was made by Her Worship or any other officer of the Council to regulate opening and closing hours of businesses in the city of

Georgetown. The Council views this misinformation as a part of a propaganda started some time ago by persons who have a hidden agenda to hinder the growth and development of the city.

“The Mayor and City Council wishes to assure all citizens that it is committed to developing an enabling environment for business development and the prosperity of the city,” the statement concluded.

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Mash in Guyana!

Students of the South Road Nursery School ‘mashed down’ the streets of Georgetown yesterday in celebration of Guyana’s 47th Republic Anniversary today. [Samuel Maughn photos]

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

GPHC patients gifted TV, Android Tablets FIRST Lady, Mrs Sandra Granger, extended gratitude to the Lusignan-Good Hope Learning Centre and other anonymous donors of 28 tablets for patients in the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation’s (GPHC) Paediatric Ward and two television sets for those in the Pre Natal and Post Natal wards.

The presentations were done by Ms Sophia Dolphin of Eco Atlantic Investment Seventh Generation Product line and Mrs Sandra Shivdat, Director of the Lusignan-Good Hope Learning Centre. The First Lady said that she is indeed grateful for their generous contributions and further encouraged others to make similar con-

tributions to the institution.

“I am always happy to work with Minister Lawrence, because I know this is a person who is very concerned about our vulnerable population, especially our women and children…

Through kind donations from people like Mrs Shivdat and Sophie [their generosity] must be commended and I hope they are many other people,” Mrs Granger was quoted as saying in a release from the Ministry of the Presidency.

The First Lady also praised the nurses for their hard work and dedication in caring for patients in both the Paediatric and Maternity Wards. According to the release, Minister of Public

Health, Volda Lawrence, expressed similar sentiments praising the donors.

“Today I believe that we are richer in the Public Health Sector by receiving [this donation]…I believe that [the children’s] minds are open and pure, and we can… help to mold those minds and this is one such device that can assist us in [exposing]them to positive things, learning, fun and brain teasers…We want our children to grow up in a loving and caring environment and I believe that is what you have done today, you have shown love for these children and I want to thank you,” Minister Lawrence said.

Meanwhile, Mrs Shivdat,

First Lady, Mrs Sandra Granger, shares a warm moment with this lad as she presents him with a tablet. The boy’s mother is pictured in the background

First Lady, Mrs Sandra Granger; Minister of Public Health, Ms Volda Lawrence; Mrs Sandra Shivdat, Director of the Lusignan-Good Hope Learning Centre and Ms Sophia Dolphin of Eco Atlantic Investment and the staff of the Maternity Ward of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and some of the products from the Seventh Generation product line that were donated

who spoke on behalf of the donors, said that they were pleased to be able to give back to their society and that they sent their best wishes.

“I am here to represent some truly generous persons who care about Guyana and its people… They will continue to work with our First Lady in doing more in the education, social and health sectors among others, so on their behalf I want to say thank you for allowing us this opportunity to donate all this stuff and being part of your lives,” Mrs Shivdat

said.

The patients in the Paediatric Ward were also presented with organic diaper wipes, disposable diapers and moisturizers, while the mothers benefited from feminine care products from the Eco Atlantic Investment Seventh Generation Product line.

Representatives from the GPHC, including Chief Executive Officer, Mr Alan Johnson and representatives from the Ministry of Public Health also attended the ceremony.

Dismissal recommended for 5 prison wardens THE five prison wardens under surveillance were charged departmentally and their dismissal has been recommended following an investigation, acting Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels said.

The wardens were caught smuggling contraband into the prison and their cases were dealt with from December 2016 to January 2017.

As recent as Tuesday, the Camp Street Prison was searched and prison officers seized cellphones and chargers, cigarette lighters, scissors and improvised weapons.

The Guyana Prison Service has increased monitor-

ing and security at the prison in the wake of several contraband items being discovered in prisons countrywide.

Investigations revealed that some prison officers have been colluding with inmates to get illegal items into the prison confines.

Marijuana was also found.

A search at the Lusignan Prison Wednesday also found cellphones, improvised weapons and lighters.

Several prison wardens were previously charged and placed before the courts for smuggling contraband items into the prisons.

In October 2016, a female prison wardress at the New Amsterdam Prison was

taken into custody after she was allegedly found with a quantity of cannabis at the New Amsterdam Prison.

She had 14 years of service to that penal institution. Investigators said the 35-year- old woman was arrested by her colleagues for allegedly smuggling in 298 grammes of marijuana into the prison.

After the prison officer allegedly collected a package from someone in a car, she took it into the penitentiary and placed it in the area where inmates would usually collect items.

Her efforts were shortlived because another prison officer saw when a prisoner

Director of Prisons (ag), Gladwin Samuels

uplifted the package and intervened.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Prison Service is expected to procure a device later this year that will detect items hidden in body crevices as it seeks to stem smuggling of weapons and other prohibited items into the country’s penitentiaries.

The National Security Committee had noted that inmates are becoming bolder and more aggressive towards prison officers since the March 3, 2016 prison riot in which 17 inmates died.

Since the fire, several raids have been conducted to rid the prison of prohibited items.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

Saudia Arabia, Sweden, India, Indonesia congratulate Guyana on Republic Anniversary

KING Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, along with the First and Second Deputy Prime Ministers of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; King Carl Gustaf of the Royal Palace of Sweden; His Excellency, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, President of the Republic of India

and His Excellency, Mr. Joko Widodo, President of the Republic of Indonesia, have all written to President David Granger to extend felicitations on the occasion of Guyana’s 47th Republic Anniversary.

King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, in his message, extended sincere congratulations from the

Government and the people of the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia to Guyana. “We wish your country and its people continued success, prosperity and peace,” he wrote.

Mr. Mohammad bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of Saudi

Arabia, in his message, extended warmest congratulations and wishes for the nation and its people’s “continued well-being and success”.

In addition, Mr. Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Saudia Arabia, also extended “warmest wishes” to the President and nation.

“May continued success, strong health and prosperity always go your way,” he wrote.

King Carl Gustaf of Sweden, in his message, extended best wishes for President Granger’s “health and happiness and for the

prosperity of the Guyanese people”.

President Mukherjee of India, in his message, said the good relations shared

by Guyana and India “are based on the solid foundations of shared values and convergence of views”.

He also lauded the recent visits of Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, to India and the meeting between Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Carl Greenidge and the Minister of State for External Affairs of India on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Mr. M.J. Akbar in New York in September 2016.

“I am confident that our cooperation will be further

enhanced in the years to come,” he wrote.

Additionally, President Widodo, in his message, which was conveyed via the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Paramaribo, Suriname, said he was honoured to be able extend hearty congratulations to President Granger and Guyana on the occasion. “I seize this opportunity to express my fervent hope that the ties of friendship that have been existing between Indonesia and Guyana should continue to be strengthened in the years to come,” he wrote.

(Ministry of the Presidency)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

Digicel 2030 global transformation programme begins opening on 1st March 2017.

DIGICEL yesterday announced its Digicel 2030 global transformation programme, promising customers a completely new communications and entertainment experience, made possible by a more agile, customer-centric application of resources and investment.

Digicel also announced that it has signed a global partnership agreement with ZTE - a leading global provider of integrated telecommunication solutions - for an ongoing multi-year network upgrade programme. According to a release, these initiatives occur as telecoms providers across the globe move to benefit from significant technology

advances and manage changing customer needs in terms of data usage and competitive threats from unregulated OTT operators.

Digicel becomes one of the first communications and entertainment providers in the world to initiate a wide scale transformation agenda. The core elements of the Digicel 2030 transformation see it undertaking a complete re-design of its organisational structure; putting customers in control and making a commitment to deliver a superior superfast network experience.

Organisational design Digicel is designing and integrating its organisation to be fit for purpose for 2030 and

beyond. The future organisational structure will comprise a small number of regional hubs (two for the Caribbean and Central America regions and two for the Pacific region) housing back office centralised functions and delivering shared services, allowing staff in Digicel’s 31 markets to focus on sales and enhanced service delivery - and ensuring that resources and investment are prioritised to drive competition and innovation.

This will result in an approximate 25% reduction of the global workforce over the next 18 months with the first step in the process being the offer of an Enhanced Voluntary Separation Programme

ENHANCED CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE Over the last three years, Digicel has invested over US$1.65 billion in upgrading its networks and platforms and in rolling out fibre to the home and mobile broadband connectivity. Of particular note is the success of its fibre to the home offering with Digicel racking up 120,000 customers to date – well ahead of its business plan.

Coupled with a “digital first” approach, this means customers can enjoy an enhanced entertainment, content and business solutions experience with an array of advanced new products and services and a refreshed retail experience, putting customers in the driving seat, with

Digicel delivering their total communications needs.

NETWORK EXPERIENCE With a hallmark of providing customers with the best network, Digicel is now taking things to the next level and initiating an ongoing data network upgrade programme.

To this end, a global partnership agreement was signed on 9th February in Shenzhen, China, by Digicel Chairman, Denis O’Brien and Dr Zhao, Chairman and CEO of ZTE. With rollout commencing in the coming months, this is the largest network transformation ever undertaken by Digicel and customers will very soon start to see the benefits.

Commenting on the programme, Digicel Group CEO, Colm Delves, explains; “We

are building Digicel for 2030 and beyond. Our transformation programme sees us taking the bull by the horns and daring to be different by challenging the status quo and by innovation-led growth. That’s what we are known for and that’s what we will continue to be known for into the future.”

He continues; “Over the years, we have built a great company with a proud legacy of democratising communications and making an impactful contribution to countries and people across the globe. That’s something we all take great pride in.

Now we’re on a mission to build Digicel for the future with our sights set on delivering a superior superfast network experience and putting our customers in control.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

Unity achieved through diversity -President says The Republic started shaping a culturally diverse society

GUYANA today boasts greater cultural freedom and national unity – the shaping of which began 47 years ago when the nation achieved Republican status.

The significance of the observance of the country’s 47th Republic Anniversary is indeed too monumental an occasion for President David Granger not to em-

phasise that it is a happy occasion to celebrate the uniqueness of the country’s nationhood.

More than four decades later, the eighth executive President was proud to share his sentiments with thousands of nationalists at the recently-erected D’Urban Park where they gathered on the eve of Republic Day to witness yet

another historic hoisting of the Golden Arrowhead.

The President highlighted that the establishment of the Cooperative Republic on February 23, 1970, intensified Guyana’s efforts to unite its peoples into a plural nation under the inspirational motto – One people, One nation, One destiny.

As descendants of in-

digenous Amerindians and of those who were brought here from Africa, Asia and Europe, he said that Guyanese have welded the country, irreversibly, into a plural society.

He reminded Guyanese that the Republic guarantees greater cultural freedom, encourages diverse beliefs, respects differences of creed, cul-

ture, race and religion, and entrenched constitutional protection to proscribe discrimination.

A historian, the Headof-State reflected on the fact that the Republic started the task of “shaping a society that was culturally plural,” by promoting the unhindered celebration of the Christian, Islamic and Hindu festivals.

“The Republic aspired to ensure that we would live together in harmony, free from racial and religious conflict,” he said.

Fast forward 47 years later, the President believes that the Republic is becoming a more “socially cohesive” country; one that works towards the well-being of all its members, fights exclusion and marginalisation, creates a sense of belonging and promotes trust.

Possessing a culturally diverse nature, he said that Guyana’s various cultural threads have been interwoven into the tapestry of nationhood.

“We celebrate, today, our republicanism and our pluralism” he said, adding that “We have achieved unity by our diversity.”

Weighing in on the social construct of this plural society, the Head-of-State was keen to note that the Republic is committed to eliminating extreme poverty, eradicating inequalities; expanding the space for cultural diversity and enhancing the sense of national belonging.

Coinciding with this year’s Republic Anniversary too, is the 100th anniversary of the abolition of Indian indentureship. And according to the President, this provides an opportunity for the nation to celebrate the contributions of the Indian community.

Indian indentured immigration was introduced into British Guiana in 1838 and endured for nearly eight decades. During this time, President Granger

President David Granger said that almost 240,000 persons were transported to these shores as immigrants, mainly to work on the sugar plantations, during this period.

He reminded Guyanese that most of the indentured immigrants remained to make this country their home at the end of their contracts of service. He offered that this ethnic group “invigorated our cultural life” with devotional festivals, colourful dress, tasty foods, vivacious dance, vibrant music, two great world religions – Hinduism and Islam – and other cultural retentions.

Additionally, he pointed out that Indian indentured immigration reshaped Guyana’s economic landscape by making an indelible mark on the cattle, coconut, fishing, rice and sugar industries.

“The Indian impact is visible on every aspect of national life – the arts, business, diplomacy, education, engineering, industry, jewellery, law, media, medicine, politics, the public service and trade unionism,” he told the gathering.

The Head-of-State’s historical reflection was succeeded by him extending greetings to all Guyanese, at home across the 10 administrative regions and in the diaspora on this 47th anniversary of the Republic.

“Long live our plural Republic! Long live the Guyanese people!” he ended with, to thunderous applause.

Guyana, India sign US$4M agreement ‌ to acquire eight drainage pumps GUYANA and the Export-Import Bank of India have inked an agreement for the acquisition of high-capacity, fixed and mobile drainage and irrigation pumps. As such, communities in Regions Two,Three,Four,Five and Six, can expect less flooding.

This relief to the communities has been made possible through the loan agreement signed Wednesday in Washington, D.C. According to a release from the Ministry of Finance, residents in Hampton Court and Devonshire Castle in Region Two, Den Amstel in Region Three, Hope and Nooten Zuil in Region Four, Mora Point in Region Five and Rose Hall in Region Six, will soon benefit from the placement of eight fixed pumps within their communities, which will help to restrict flooding in their communities.

Meanwhile, five mobile pumps will provide drainage services to Georgetown and its environs,including La Penitence South, Cummings Canal, Church Street, Sussex Street and South Ruimveldt.

According to the release, these mobile drainage pumps will be assigned to various locations close to existing sluices in the city and its surrounding areas and will also be deployed to other areas to alleviate flooding, whenever necessary.

The Dollar Credit Line Agreement valued at US$4M will allow Guyana to benefit from the procurement and installation of eight fixed high-capacity and mobile drainage and irrigation pumps, associated spares and institutional strengthening related to the use and maintenance of the equipment.

More importantly, the acquisition of these pumps is expected to reduce the risks of flooding in low-lying areas and will bring relief to residents and farmers, whose economic activities are usually disrupted by flooding caused by intensive rainfall and overtopping of the sea.

It will provide flood relief to approximately 25,000 acres of agricultural and residential lands.

Signing on behalf of Guyana was Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan,

while Mr Sailesh Prasad, Resident Representative, signed on behalf of the Export-Import Bank of India.

The signing of this agreement is yet another gesture of the support from the Government and the people of India to assist the Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana to achieve its socio-economic development goals.

Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan (right) and Sailesh Prasad, Resident Representative on behalf of the Export-Import Bank of India, sign the agreement

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

MPI introduces modern data collection technology

THE efficiency of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure will soon be significantly improved by the acquisition of a new computerised system that can quickly and accurate-

ly collect pavement and asset data.

The Ministry recently introduced this computerised system in a bid to improve its data collection capabilities. According to

a release from the Ministry, the new system, ROMDAS (Road Measurement Data Acquisition System), is the most up-to-date technology used to collect data on roadways, and its introduction to

Guyana will see significant improvements in the micro planning of road projects.

This is according to Mr. Patrick Thompson, the Ministry’s Chief Transport Planning Officer, who

The ROMDAS data collection technology outfitted on a Ministry of Public Infrastructure vehicle

said that the system has “tremendous potential” to improve the planning and decision-making of road maintenance and rehabilitation works.

According to the release, he explained that the decision to introduce the system at the Ministry came in light of issues encountered over the years with the sustainability of data collection procedures. He said, following the identification of this problem, the decision was made to look into available technologies and decide which would be best suited for Guyana’s needs.

The ROMDAS technology is used in approximately 60 countries around the world, with four countries in Latin America currently utilising this New Zealand-developed technology.

“One of our fundamental problems in the Ministry is the absence of accessible data. The absence of reliable data often results in poor planning and decisionmaking; data is essentially the reality of the situation in numbers,” Mr. Thompson was quoted as saying in the release. He continued, “Too many times we have found ourselves estimating or guessing in the absence of reliable data; now, we can make firm, irrefutable

future decisions in the road sector if this technology is optimally utilised.”

He noted that the system utilises a number of laser sensors, a bumper integrator, GPS and a right of way camera to carry out automatic crack and defect measurements, pavement roughness measurements, mobile mapping of the road corridor and travel time and congestion surveys.

Among other things, the Ministry hopes to use the ROMDAS equipment to create a geo-referenced database of Guyana’s primary and secondary road network within the next 12 months.

The technology’s video logging feature will improve the Ministry’s asset management capabilities and allow for more effective road safety interventions in the future. In a bid to maximise the technology’s use, 12 persons from the Ministry and one final-year student from the University of Guyana undertook a 10-day training conducted by Mr. Krishna Jammalamadaka, the Director of Research and Development of ROMDAS, New Zealand. The training included both the theoretical, practical and safety instructions required to optimise the use of the technology.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

Babita Sarjou murder PI

…statements of ex-spouse admitted into evidence

Alleged mastermind, Sharadananda Narine, called ‘Anand’

Alleged murder accomplice, Darrel Ponton, called ‘Yankee’

A CAUTION statement and oral statements made by the alleged mastermind in the murder of Babita Sarjou were allowed to form part of the prosecution’s evidence during the Preliminary Inquiry (PI).

Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Wednesday ruled that based on evidence led in the Voir Dire [a trial within a trial], the court was satisfied that the statements made by the accused, Sharadananda Narine, were freely and voluntarily made to the ranks of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).

Narine, who is Sarjou’s ex-spouse, of Lot 51, Seaforth Street, Campbellville, Georgetown and Darel Ponton called ‘Yankee’ of Lot 54, Broad Street, Charlestown are jointly charged and on remand for the woman’s murder.

Narine had objected to the statements being admitted into evidence, claiming that he was denied access to his Attorney and was promised by detectives that he would be sent home if he gave the caution statement.

The murder accused further contended that at the time of the caution statement, he was suffering from a migraine.

It is alleged that on November 4, 2010, Sarjou left her Timehri, East Bank Demerara home, informing her mother that she was going to meet her husband and son at the Kitty Seawall to view the annual Diwali Motorcade.

When she did not return home that night, her mother became worried and filed a missing person’s report.

After many months of searching and treating the case as a missing person, the case was closed. However in 2016, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum reopened the case, treating it as a homicide, since new information had surfaced.

Following new investigations into the matter, Sarjou’s estranged husband was questioned, and he subsequently led the investigating team to the shallow grave of Babita Sarjou, which had been dug in his own backyard.

Investigations have also revealed that Narine had paid Ponton GY$50,000 and

Four years jail for $3M …Nigerian admits to using fraud fake credit card A NIGERIAN man was sentenced to a total of 40 years jail on Wednesday for defrauding Muneshwar Travel Service agency of almost $3M worth of plane tickets.

Bab Rasaki, 36, who resided in Brazil, pleaded guilty to all ten charges when he appeared before Magistrate Annett Singh at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

Rasaki is accused of defrauding Muneshwar Travel Service agency’s clerk, Rihanna Payne, of almost $3M when he obtained several plane tickets from various airlines between January 3 and January 25, 2017 by a forged American Express Card in favour of Anna Carla. The Magistrate imposed a four year sentence on Rasaki for each of the charges, which will run concurrently.

Convicted Nigerian, Bab Rasaki

Particulars of the charges are: (1) On January 3, with intent to defraud, he obtained from Rihanna Payne, a sales clerk Turn to page 31 ►

Dead: Babita Sarjou

had promised him a trip to Trinidad if he killed Sarjou.= The Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into this matter will continue on February 27, in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

Small loggers to benefit from gov’t housing project

MINISTER of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, will engage the Ministries of Communities and Public Infrastructure to ensure that local loggers benefit from government projects. Minister Trotman told the Government Information Agency

(GINA) that the engagements are part of promoting lesser used species of logs, while empowering small loggers.

The government’s new housing solution is one project from which small loggers can benefit, Minister Trotman pointed out.

“It is our intention to ensure [that] those small loggers and others are given the opportunity to supply the Government of Guyana with logs for homes, for rafters, for flooring and so forth,” Minister Trotman said.

The government has been moving the forestry sector

away from just exporting logs, towards value added production. “We believe that we are doing well in terms of what is our allowable cut on a national and annual basis, but at the same time more monies could be earned if we process our wood better,” Minister Trot-

The Iwokrama Sawmill is one entity that is adding value in the forestry sector

man said.

There has been some level of value added production in the sector such as sawmilling and a plywood factory. However Minister Trotman envisions additional value added production of logs such as decking, flooring and veneers in the industry’s future. Meanwhile, harmonising of the use of the forest is being streamlined with the revision of the National Log Export and Forest Policies.

Minister Trotman told GINA that “tremendous progress” has been made in the review of the National Log Export Policy.

“There is a short consultancy which we are now streamlining,” Minister Trotman noted.

The revision of the Log Export Policy seeks to strategically enhance the competitiveness of Guyana’s forestry sector.

While the current policy of 2009, aims at dissuading

the export of logs, at the same time encouraging value added manufacturing of forest products, the Minister noted this was, “honoured more in the breach than the observance.”

The revised policy will push for increased value added production and harvesting. With regard the National Forest Policy, the Ministry has advertised for another consultancy “to refine those”, Minister Trotman explained.

Updating the 2011 Policy will mark a significant shift in emphasis from the development of timber potential to management of the forests’ multiple down-stream goods and services for national benefit. The implementation of the updated Policies is expected to be executed when the new Guyana Forestry Commission’s (GFC) board is appointed.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

CH&PA invites sponsors for housing exhibition 2017 …special offers for advertising

THE Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) is looking for sponsors to help offset some of the costs that will be incurred in the execution of the Housing Solution 2017 and Beyond Exhibition.

The Authority has made available three different sponsors’ packages which would enable businesses to support the event and gain marketing mileage through its execution, Head of Information Communication Technology of CH&PA, Andre Ally said.

Ally was at the time ad-

Head of Information, Communication and Technology, Central Housing and Planning Authority, Andre Ally

4 years jail for... from Muneshwar travel agency a Trans-Guyana Airline’s ticket valued US$109.00 by virtue of an American Express Card in favor of Anna Carla knowing same to be forged.

(2) It is alleged that on January 10 at Georgetown, he obtained from Payne a Dynamic Airways ticket for Aziez Opanie valued US$561 by virtue of Anna Clara American Express card.

(3) On January 10, he obtained from Payne, a Dynamic Airline ticket for Rasaki Bab valued US$371 by virtue of Anna Clara American Express card.

(4) On January 10 at Georgetown, he obtained from Payne a Suriname Airways ticket for Anna Clara valued US$715 by virtue of Anna Clara American Express card.

(5) On January 19, he obtained from Payne a Goal Airways ticket for Rasaki Bab valued US$350 by virtue of Anna Clara American Express card.

(6) On January 19, he obtained from Payne an Ethiopian Airways ticket for Aziez Opanie valued USD $1,560 by virtue of Anna Clara American Express card.

(7) On January 19, he obtained a Suriname Airways ticket for Sobie Femmie valued US$1,569 by virtue of Anna Clara American Express card.

(8) On January 19 at Georgetown he obtained a Goal Airline ticket for Rasaki Bab valued US$3,710 by virtue of

From page 29

Anna Clara American Express card.

(9) On January 19, he obtained from Payne a Suriname Airways ticket for Sobie Femmie valued US$1559 by virtue of Anna Clara American Express card.

(10) On January 25, he obtained from Payne an Ethiopian Airways ticket for Dingo Azore valued US$561 by virtue of Anna Clara American Express credit card.

The unrepresented foreign national explained that the credit card belongs to his ex-girlfriend. The court heard that on the days in question, Rasaki went to the travel service and purchased several airplane tickets, using the credit card.

However, the travel agency later received a letter from Scotiabank stating that the credit card was fake. A report was made to the police and the accused was arrested.

Earlier this month, Rasaki was remanded to prison by City Magistrate Judy Latchman for attempting to defraud Lucky Dollar and Gizmos and Gadgets stores between January 9 and 13 of items totaling over $1 million using the same fake credit card.

Rasaki, had told the court that on the days in question, he had accompanied Carla, who is of Brazilian descent and does not speak English, to the businesses and made the purchases on her behalf.

dressing the media at a press briefing at the Minister’s Secretariat on Brickdam on Tuesday. The sponsorship packages for the exhibition are gold, silver and bronze and costs range from $2 Million, $1 Million and $500,000 respectively, Ally said. He explained that purchasers of the gold package would get recognition as gold sponsors throughout the entire marketing campaign. This entails the sponsor’s logo being prominently displayed on banners and backdrops during the official launch of the exhibition, and during other promotional events.

The gold sponsors would also get advertisements on

the radio, television and in all the print media for the event. They would also get social media mileage with links to products and services and/or special offers displayed on the CH&PA’s Housing Solutions 2017 and Beyond social media page, Ally said.

Representatives from the gold sponsor companies will also receive 10 minutes airtime on radio and/or television to sell their products and/or services. The gold sponsors would also be clearly identified as gold sponsors on special passes, with prominently positioned 20 x 40 foot booths during the exhibition, VIP parking passes and cocktail passes to

the exhibition, Ally pointed out.

CH&PA’s “Housing Solution 2017 and Beyond Exhibition” is set for May 1-5, in the Perseverance, East Bank Demerara area (EBD).

There will be 10 low income houses, five moderate income houses and eight middle income houses on showcase at the exhibition.

These will be built by small contractors.

The Authority will complete six duplexes and two single units, and is hoping to have one of the contractors complete a town house. The houses will be up for sale after the exhibition. (GINA)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

Taylor ton helps Kiwis square Chief selector defends Proteas ODI series non-selection of Volcanoes

(REUTERS) - Trent Boult took the prized wicket of AB de Villiers then bowled Dwaine Pretorius in the penultimate over as New Zealand secured a series-levelling sixrun victory in the second one-day international against South Africa yesterday.

The visitors had been set 290 to win in Christchurch after Ross Taylor (102 not out) scored his 17th ton to become New Zealand’s most prolific ODI century-maker in leading his side to 289 for four in their 50 overs at Hagley Oval.

South Africa, who won the opener of the five-match series in Hamilton on Sunday, appeared set for victory courtesy of a half-century by Quinton de Kock (57) and solid partnerships through the middle order but were unable to finish off the job.

“There were quite a few soft dismissals but not enough good partnerships,” de Villiers said. “The ones that did get going, they didn’t extend and it’s crucial to do that if you are going to win games of cricket.”

The chase faltered when David Miller’s dismissal for

Ross Taylor acknowledges the crowd after bringing up his 17th ODI century in Christchurch.

28 by leg-spinner Ish Sodhi reduced South Africa to 192-5, triggering a lower-order collapse. Boult then had de Villiers caught behind by Tom Latham for 45 before Chris Morris was brilliantly run-out with a backhand flip by Dean Brownlie.

Mitchell Santner stepped up to trap Wayne Parnell in front for a duck to leave the visitors stuttering at 214-8 as the hosts closed in on what appeared to be a comfortable victory.

Pretorius (50 from 27 balls) and Andile Phehlukwayo (29 not out), who had helped de Vil-

liers through to the four-wicket victory in Hamilton, however, then combined for 61 runs in 7.2 overs to put New Zealand’s nerves on edge.

South Africa fought back well to require 20 runs from the final two overs but some excellent death-bowling by Boult (3-63), who ended Pretorius’ resistance, and Tim Southee (160) ensured the hosts were able to restrict the visitors to 283-9.

“Another tight one; so it

was nice to be on the right side of this one,” New Zealand captain Kane Williamson said.

“Wins against the best team in the world aren’t going to come easy.

“The death-bowling was superb and the boys held their nerve at the end. It’s great to level the series but we need to improve. South Africa learn very quickly.”

The third match is in Wellington on Saturday.

SCOREBOARD

NEW ZEALAND innings D. Brownlie lbw b Pretorius 34 T. Latham c Phehlukwayo b Parnell 2 K.Williamson c Phehlukwayo bTahir 69 R. Taylor not out 102 N. Broom c Duminy b Pretorius 2 J. Neesham not out 71 Extras: (lb-2, w-7) 9 Total: (for 4 wickets, 50 overs) 289 Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-53, 3-157, 4-166.

Bowling: C. Morris 10-0-58-0 (w-2), W. Parnell 8-0-49-1 (w-2), D. Pretorius 10-0-40-2 (w-1), I. Tahir 10-0-61-1 (w-2), A. Phehlukwayo 9-0-62-0, J. Duminy 3-0-17-0.

SOUTH AFRICA innings H. Amla lbw b Southee 10 Q. de Kock c Neesham b Boult 57

balls. His partner Michael Klinger scored a controlled 62 runs off 43 balls to help take the hosts to a total of 187.

Sri Lanka began impressively but wickets tumbled as they struggled to cope with leg-spinner Adam Zampa, losing five wickets, including that of

in-form all-rounder Asela Gunaratne, between the eighth and 12th overs.

Zampa and medium pacer James Faulkner picked up three wickets each. Australia were fielding a below fullstrength side with their Test squad currently in India.

Sunil Ambris

Adam Zampa picked up 3 wickets.

Gunaratne was named man-of-the-series after scoring half-centuries in the first two matches.

Too many foreigners managing Premier League teams - Giggs (REUTERS) - There are too many foreign managers in the Premier League and little opportunity for local talents, according to former Manchester United winger and assistant manager Ryan Giggs.

Giggs, who was the caretaker boss for four games at United in 2014, was linked with a return to management at Swansea City before American Bob Bradley’s appointment in October and was considered again before En-

Former Manchester United winger and assistant manager Ryan Giggs.

glishman Paul Clement took charge in January.”I don’t think there’s enough (British

managers) at the moment,” Giggs told the BBC. “I think it is (important British coaches get a chance).

There are a lot of top quality foreign coaches in the Premier League, but there are also a lot of quality British coaches and managers out there.”

Seven of the 20 Premier League clubs have British managers, but the current top-seven sides are all managed by foreigners, with Welshman Tony Pulis’ West

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) – Chief selector Courtney Browne has sought to defend the controversial non-selection of Windward Islands Volcanoes stroke-maker, Sunil Ambris, who was overlooked for the upcoming three-match One-Day International series against England starting next month.

In response to swirling crit-

F. du Plessis b de Grandhomme 11 J. Duminy stp. Latham b Santner 34 A. de Villiers c Latham b Boult 45 D. Miller c Latham b Sodhi 28 D. Pretorius b Boult 50 C. Morris run-out (Brownlie) 7 W. Parnell lbw b Santner 0 A. Phehlukwayo not out 29 I. Tahir not out 0 Extras: (lb-5, w-7) 12 Total: (for 9 wickets, 50 overs) 283 Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-51, 3-108, 4-124, 5-192, 6-199, 7-214, 8-214, 9-275.

Bowling: T. Southee 10-0-60-1 (w-1), T. Boult 10-0-63-3 (w-3), J. Neesham 3-0-20-0 (w-1), C. de Grandhomme 4-1-10-1, K. Williamson 3-0-16-0, I. Sodhi 10-063-1 (w-2), M. Santner 10-0-46-2.

Aussies pick up consolation win (REUTERS) - Australia beat Sri Lanka by 41 runs in their final Twenty20 game yesterday, avoiding a whitewash in the three-match series and salvaging some pride.

Australia got off to a flier courtesy of captain and opening batsman Aaron Finch’s 53 runs off 32

batsman Sunil Ambris

Bromwich Albion the highest-placed team with a British manager.

“If you don’t get the chance, you don’t get the chance to prove what you can do and see what you can do with a talented team,” Giggs added.

“As I say, there are quality foreign coaches as well.

I just think on the balance, there are too many foreigners at the moment and British coaches probably just don’t get the chances.”

icism over the decision to omit the prolific Ambris in favour of Test wicketkeeper batsman, Shane Dowrich, Browne told the popular Mid-Wicket Radio Show here Tuesday that while Ambris’s form was indeed welcomed, it did not merit him “walking into the international team.”

Browne argued that with West Indies having a packed one-day schedule throughout the year, he expected Ambris to gain selection at some time in the future.

“I think one of the things we want to do as a panel and we’ve said this time and time again, that we want to see people backing up their seasons,” Browne said.

When you look at last season, Sunil would have averaged around just above 35, 36 – around that number last year in about seven matches. But this year now, he tops that and it’s well received by the selection panel but we do not think at this time that he merits walking into the international team.”

He continued: “It’s a developing team, it’s a young team. We have players with just a few ODI matches. If we are developing players, we have to give players time to develop. We have loads of cricket to play this year and Ambris could find himself in an ODI squad later in the year.

“There’s opportunities in the President’s XI [match], there’s opportunities in the PCL (Professional Cricket League), we have an A-team tour in the

Caribbean – so there are loads of opportunities for people to keep pressing their case.”

The 23-year-old Ambris was one of the leading batsmen in the just concluded Regional Super50, gathering 423 runs at an average of 70 with six half-centuries.

He was one of only four players to score in excess of 400 runs, with Kieran Powell (513), Kraigg Brathwaite (484) and Shai Hope (482) the others.

Browne contended that selection was a “cycle” where players who continued to perform would eventually find their way into the squad.

“Every single player that performs eventually gets a play. You get a play, you get dropped, you get a play you get dropped – it’s just how the cycle goes,” he advanced.

“There is so much cricket that is playing now, everybody will get the opportunity. Cricket is not going to finish tomorrow, it is not going to finish next month. Cricket will be here after all of us are gone.”

Inexplicably, Dowrich gained the favour of selectors for the England ODIs, despite mustering 116 runs at an average of 19 during the recent 50-overs tournament.

With Hope the first choice gloveman for Barbados Pride and West Indies in the oneday format, it meant Dowrich was chosen as a specialist batsman, making his selection ahead of Ambris all the more baffling.

But Browne pointed to Dowrich’s lack of real opportunities in the Super50 and argued he deserved the chance to prove himself.

Barbadian Dowrich toured Zimbabwe for the Tri-Nation Series last November as a late replacement for Marlon Samuels but failed make his ODI debut.

“Let’s look at Dowrich over the last year of cricket and we would have seen Dowrich playing Test match cricket and regional cricket and we all know the ability the young man has. Dowrich did well enough [in Tests] that we felt that he could cross over into the ODI format,” Browne said.

“Now, if you look at the recent Super50 tournament and you look at the opportunities that Dowrich got within that tournament, one would tend to think they were very limited.

“A lot of the times he got to the crease, there were just a few overs left and you could not get a good measure of the young man during the tournament. And the selectors would have saw that and would’ve took that into consideration.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

Africa tells FIFA it wants 10 places at expanded World Cup

By Mark Gleeson

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (Reuters) - Africa will be looking to double the number of places it has at an expanded World Cup, the continent’s football association presidents have told soccer’s world governing body FIFA. Africa wants at least 10 spots in the 48-team World Cup that FIFA president Gianni Infantino has proposed from 2026 as the continent gave a ringing endorsement to the expansion plans.

“All associations back the idea to expand the World Cup and there is the hope that Africa can have 10 places in future,” South

FIFA president Gianni Infantino

African FA chief Danny Jordaan said yesterday.

That would be double the five places the continent has at the next two finals in Russia next year and Qatar in 2022.

Europe is seeking a

minimum of 16 places, up from 13, and wants its sides to be separated in the 16 opening round groups of three teams, with the top two advancing to a 32-team knockout phase under plans approved by FIFA last month.

Asia is expected to get eight to nine places, compared to 4-1/2 now, and South America, which has 10 member countries, a total of six, also up from 4-1/2.

The CONCACAF region, made up of the Caribbean, Central and North American countries, would get 6-1/2 places, compared to 3-1/2, with Oceania, the small Pacific Islands confederation,

having one automatic place at the finals instead of 1/2.

Inter-continental playoffs between countries with 1/2 a place would determine the additional spots at the finals.

The final allocation of places must be passed by the FIFA Council.

THREE-DAY SUMMIT The subject of the expanded World Cup featured prominently at a three-day summit between FIFA chief Infantino and more than 50 presidents of the African FAs. The talks were behind closed doors but FIFA officials told Reuters yesterday that Infantino had out-

lined plans for an expanded World Cup and new development assistance for member countries.

It is the first time a summit of this type has been held, giving Africa’s FA representatives informal contact with the FIFA leadership, including the world governing body’s recently appointed general secretary Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura.

“It has been a very good idea and a chance for the associations to also speak directly to the FIFA leadership about their issues and concerns,” said Ahmad, the president of the Madagascar Football Federation.

Ahmad, who uses just

one name, is running for the presidency of the Confederation of African Football against long-standing incumbent Issa Hayatou of Cameroon next month.

The summit comes three weeks before the CAF elections in Addis Ababa on March 16 and the FIFA event in Johannesburg has been dominated by intense lobbying, delegates said.

“Most of the business at this summit is actually outside of the conference room, in the corridors and the hotel lobby, as different candidates try to persuade associations to vote for them,” said one African FA chief, who asked not to be named.

Kohli issues Starc warning to India’s batsmen in Pune

By Sudipto Ganguly

PUNE, India (Reuters) - Australia paceman Mitchell Starc has raised his game to the next level and India’s batsmen need to be wary of his ability to trouble them with reverse swing, home captain Virat Kohli said on the eve of the first Test beginning today.

The 27-year-old leftarm paceman recalled the series in which Australia were blanked 3-0.

Starc and Kohli have played together for the Bangalore franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 tournament and the paceman will be key to Australia’s hopes of success in their four-Test series against

the world’s top-ranked team.

“He is a world class bowler we all know that.

He has been hampered by injuries quite often, but the way he has evolved as a bowler, it’s been outstanding,” Kohli told reporters yesterday.

“He has learnt the art of reverse swing and bowling with the old ball as well.

It’s amazing to see the way he has developed his skills.

That’s something that every cricketer in the world would admire. “ L i k e y o u a d m i re world-class batsmen, you admire world-class bowlers as well and you respect their skills and Mitchell is one of them.

“He has really taken his game to the next level and

that’s why he is counted among the top bowlers in world cricket and deserves to be there because he has worked really hard and the results are evident.”

Australia, ranked second in the world, have lost their last nine Tests in Asia and opted to pack their squad with four specialist spin bowlers to bog down an Indian side unbeaten in their last 19 Tests.

PRAISE FOR SMITH Kohli said he was not surprised that the opposition were not leaning on their traditional strength of attacking with fast bowlers.

“Coming to India, playing in summers, wickets are meant to be dry and they are meant to turn,” Kohli said.

Mitchell Starc was the leading wicket-taker (24) for the Aussies on the turning pitches in Sri Lanka last year.

“You will have a stronger spin bowling attack then getting six, seven fast bowlers. That is a pretty natural selection.”

Earlier this month, the 28-year-old Kohli became the first cricketer to hit a double-century in four con-

England’s Stokes hits jackpot in IPL auction (REUTERS) - England’s Ben Stokes fetched a staggering $2.17M (£1.7M) in the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) player auction on Monday, with the Rising Pune Supergiants splashing out in a frenzied bidding war to land the explosive all-rounder.

The Pune franchise fought off Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad to get the 25-year-old, paying 145 million Indian rupees despite his limited availability for the Twenty20 competition.

With England hosting South Africa in a one-day series in May, Stokes is set

to miss the final phase of the April 5-May 21 tournament, yet the bidding surged from his base price of 20 million rupees.

Pune owner Sanjiv Goenka told reporters that Stokes, now the most expensive overseas player in IPL history, would bring something new to the team for the 10th edition of the tournament.

“He’s a complete player and he completes our squad.

We’ve been lacking this one genre of player,” he said.

“We knew he was going to be there for the first 14 games ... We pretty much knew we

were not going to get him for below this price.”

Tymal Mills, Stokes’s England Twenty20 teammate, was snapped up for 120 million rupees by Royal Challengers Bangalore, who will look to benefit from the left-arm fast bowler’s ability to combine great pace with economy.

All-rounder Chris Woakes was the third England player to get a hefty payday, going to Kolkata Knight Riders for 42 million rupees.

Other big-earners included New Zealand fast bowler Trent Boult and South Africa

paceman Kagiso Rabada, who both went for 50 million rupees to Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Daredevils respectively.

England’s limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan went to Kings XI Punjab for a relatively modest 20 million rupees.

Delhi Daredevils bought Australian paceman Pat Cummins for 45 million rupees, while compatriot Mitchell Johnson, who quit international cricket in 2015, returned to his former team Mumbai Indians for 20 million.

Owners mostly gave the cold shoulder to slow bowlers,

secutive Test series and his team posted 600-plus totals in three consecutive Tests, another first.

Kohli is second in Test rankings behind Australia counterpart Steve Smith and lauded his opposite number for developing

himself into a top-class batsman. Captaincy had brought out the best in both of them as batsmen, Kohli said.

“He has been performing consistently with the bat and as captain as well,” Kohli said.

“The captain’s responsibility has urged him to focus a bit more in certain situations and push that bit extra for his team, and that has shown in his performances. He is the number one Test player in the world and there’s a reason for that.

“I have seen him in the academy when he was never a dominant batsman. It’s a remarkable achievement for someone starting his career as a leg-spinner.

England’s Ben Stokes plays a shot.

(REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui)

with South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir, who tops both the one-day and Twenty20 bowling rankings, unsold.

Mohammad Nabi became the first Afghanistan player

to be bought in the IPL with Sunrisers Hyderabad offering three million rupees for the all-rounder. They also bought Afghan leg-spinner Rashid Khan for 40 million rupees.

37

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

Leaders Real Madrid stunned by struggling Valencia

(REUTERS) - Real Madrid suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat at struggling Valencia yesterday as they missed the opportunity to extend their lead at the top of La Liga after losing for only the second time in the league this season.

Simone Zaza, who endured an unhappy loan spell at West Ham United earlier this season, gave Valencia the lead in the fifth minute with a brilliant shot on the turn and Fabian Orellana added the second in the ninth.

Cristiano Ronaldo headed Real back into contention just before halftime, but the visitors were unable to build on their momentum after the break.

Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the match. (REUTERS/Heino Kalis) Real remained top on 52 points, one ahead of Barcelona and three clear of Sevilla in third, and still have one

game in hand on both of their title rivals.

“The truth is we lost the game in 10 minutes. We start-

ed well with the ball, we had chances but we made two errors and they scored two goals. We had 80 minutes to rescue the game and tried but we lacked many things today,” Real coach Zinedine Zidane told reporters.

“We had the chance to pick up points and we didn’t do it. I hope this has no psychological effect on us. We need to be more focused in future games because if you don’t concentrate you get punished. In those 10 minutes we weren’t clever or ready.”

Real’s match at Valencia was rearranged after the original fixture was postponed in December due to Zidane’s side taking part in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Valencia have endured a nightmare season filled with dismal results and upheaval off the pitch, but they got off to a flying start when a long pass from goalkeeper Diego Alves found its way to Zaza, who swivelled and fired the ball into the far top corner.

Zaza, who joined Valencia in January on loan from Juventus after flopping at West Ham, scored his first goal for his new club in Sunday’s 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao. He was a constant thorn in Real’s side, linking up superbly with wingers Nani, Orellana and Munir El Haddadi.

Real responded with a wayward shot from Toni Kroos but left themselves exposed on the break and were

soon another goal down as Zaza spread the play to Nani and Orellana darted on to the Portuguese’s pass to knock the ball through keeper Keylor Navas’s legs.

Valencia might have got a third had it not been for a decisive block from Marcelo on Munir’s shot, and the Brazilian played a crucial role in giving Real a foothold in the game, sending an arcing cross into the box which Ronaldo leapt to head past Alves.

Gareth Bale was brought on to help Real’s push for more goals in the second half but they barely mustered a decent attempt while Munir had a strong penalty appeal waved away at the other end.

Over 60 horses already registered for Possible Mayweather-McGregor Guyana Cup Rematch horse race meet bout ‘a joke’ - Alvarez DESPITE the inclement weather currently prevailing in Guyana, over 60 horses have been registered to date for the Guyana Cup Rematch horse race meet which is scheduled for Sunday at the Rising Sun Turf Club, Arima Park, West Coast Berbice.

The event which is being organised by Jumbo Jet Auto Sales and Stables in collaboration with the Rising Sun Turf Club will get underway at 13:00hrs and despite the current weather pattern, turfites are expected to have their money’s worth as most of Guyana’s top horses are already entered for the day’s event.

The feature race will be for

horses classified `D2’ and Lower and they will contest a 1800-metre race for a $1M first prize.

Among the animals so far registered for this event are: CP Got Even, Score Even, Just Call Me Boss and Princess She’s Not, Split Fire, Jack in My Style, Golden Blue, Golden Blue, lady Budapest and Light Up. Another interesting event will be the 1400-metre race for `E1’ and Lower horses that are West Indies-bred non-earners as well as U.S. and Canada-bred non-earners and this event carries a first prize of $600 000 and a trophy.

There is also an event for four-year-old hors-

es that will contest a 1400-metre race and the winner will pocket $300 000.

Horses classified `H’ and Lower will battle over 1100 metres for a winning prize of $275 000 and a trophy, while three-year-old West Indies-bred horses will compete over 1400 metres for a winning prize of $225 000.

There is also an 1100-metre race for threeyear-old horses with a first prize of $180 000 and the J2 and K Class animals will do battle over 1100 metres for a first prize of $175 000.

Horses classified `L’ and Lower will vie for the $130 000 first prize over a distance of 1100 metres.

COURTS Guyana Limited sponsors Mash cycle road race today FURNITURE and appliance giants COURTS Guyana Limited will today sponsor a criterium cycle race in the Ancient County of Berbice beginning at 09:00hrs.

The event is open to all cyclists affiliated to member-clubs of the Guyana Cycling Federation and is expected to attract the best of the country’s cyclists.

The event will wheel o ff f r o m o u t s i d e t h e COURTS Store at Main and St Ann’s streets, New Amsterdam and senior and junior riders will un-

dertake a 20-lap journey around New Amsterdam, while the veterans will take part in a 10-lap contest.

The juveniles will battle five laps while the boys 12-14 years of age as well as the females will contest a two-lap event.

Riders in the BMX category will ride for one mile beginning from Alphonso Square at Tacama Turn and finish in front of the COURTS store.

Regional Chairman David Armogan and COURTS Berbice Branch

Manager Stanley McKenzie will send the cyclists on their way at 09:00hrs.

The top six overall finishers as well as the top five veterans, the top four juveniles, the top three females and the top three BMX cyclists will all be rewarded for their efforts.

Eight prime prizes are also at stake in the event which is being coordinated by Randolph Roberts, coach of the Flying Ace Cycle Club.

The defending champion is Orville Hinds of Team Evolution.

By Larry Fine

NEW YORK, USA (Reuters) - A possible bout between Floyd Mayweather and mixed martial arts champion Conor McGregor is getting lots of buzz but two fighters that are getting in the ring said the crossover tilt would be a black eye on boxing.

Irishman McGregor has been challenging Mayweather to a fight for months but the two have yet to reach terms while both have been doing their part to drum up interest with plenty of back and forth in the media.

“It’s a joke for boxing if that happens,” two-time world champion Canelo Alvarez, who fights fellow Mexican Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in Las Vegas in May, told Reuters on Tuesday.

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Mayweather, who retired in 2015 after compiling a perfect 49-0 record, has said he would require a guaranteed $100 million to make the fight with McGregor happen.

“It is a businessman fight,” Chavez said during Tuesday’s promotion stop in New York for the Cinco de Mayo weekend bout with Alvarez on May 6. “I like to fight a serious fight.”

Famed boxing trainer Freddie Roach believes the much-hyped Mayweather-McGregor showdown will happen and that he may get involved himself.

Roach, who prepared Manny Pacquiao for the “Fight of the Century” against Mayweather, said in an appearance on The MMA Hour show on Monday that the 12-time boxing champion visited his Wild

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Card gym and told him that he will fight McGregor.

“According to Mayweather, yes. He told me he would fight him. Everything is pointing in that direction right now,” said Roach, who added that he would consider training McGregor if asked.

“I think Mayweather is the favourite, yes, but I wouldn’t count anyone out.

Because (McGregor) throws, he throws hard and he’s not afraid to throw.”

Floyd Mayweather

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38

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

Rookies Peters, Hector in WI Women’s World Cup training squad ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – Uncapped Akeira Peters and Shawnisha Hector have been named in a 20-member training squad to prepare for the Women’s Cricket World Cup in June.

The 23-year-old Peters is an all-rounder from Grenada who was part of the training setup ahead of last year’s home series against England, in Jamaica, but failed to gain selection.

She was also a member of

the Windward Islands squad for the Women’s Regional Championship in Guyana last year.

Seventeen-year-old Hector, meanwhile, is a fast bowler who hails from Antigua and who captained Leeward Islands during the Regional Championship.

The call-up represents her first to the West Indies setup.

The duo will join the likes of mainstays Stafanie

Taylor, Deandra Dottin and Merissa Aguilleira in the squad which will undergo camp from March 7 to 20 in Antigua.

Later this year, West Indies Women will have a twoweek camp in England to further prepare them for the Women’s World Cup which is also being staged in England from June 24 to July 23.

At the last 50-overs World Cup in India four years ago, West Indies Women were

good enough to reach the final before losing to Australia Women.

West Indies Women are the reigning World Twenty20 champions following their triumph last April at the T20 World Cup in India.

SQUAD – Merissa Aguilleira, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Britney Cooper, Shanel Daley, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Erva Giddings, Shawnisha Hector, Chi-

Stafanie Taylor nelle Henry, Kycia Knight, Kyshona Knight, Hayley Matthews, Anisa Mohammed, Chedean Nation, Akei-

ra Peters, Shaquana Quintyne, Tremayne Smartt, Shakera Selman, Stafanie Taylor.

Thompson lowers women’s St Kitts, Haiti suffer heavy 60m indoor record CONCACAF Under-20 losses IT’S shaping up to be another phenomenal season for Olympian Brenessa Thompson who last week clocked a time that, once sanctioned, would be a new national indoor record in the women’s 60 metres.

Despite coming fourth in the women’s 60m sprint last Saturday at the Texas A&M Aggie Twilight meet, the 7.40 seconds Thompson ran superseded the 7.41 seconds standing record, which she herself had set last year December.

This record comes within weeks after the Texas A&M University athlete set the women’s 200m indoor record at 23.36 seconds.

This brings up Thompson’s

total national records to four, two indoor and two outdoor, and no doubt the 20-year-old is just getting started.

Thompson already has the 100m and 200m outdoor national records to her name, both of which she set last year. She clocked the 22.99 seconds in the 200m last year May, while she made history as the first athlete to make a track event at a local venue when she set the 11.14 seconds women’s 100m record at the Aliann Pompey Invitational.

Thompson was among only four Guyanese athletes who qualified to participate at last year’s Rio Olympics,

Olympian Brenessa Thompson

and the only one who qualified to participate in more than one event.

Thompson was in the women’s 100m and 200m events.

Brazilian designer wins Hamilton helmet challenge

By Alan Baldwin

SILVERSTONE, England (Reuters) - A competition to design Lewis Hamilton’s 2017 helmet has been won by a Brazilian who incorporated a tribute to Ayrton Senna in it along with three stars for the Formula One titles won by both the late Brazilian and the Briton.

Hamilton, who will unveil his new Mercedes race car to the world at Silverstone today, announced Rai Caldato, a professional designer, as the winner to his 3.8 million Instagram followers.

“Rai evolves my layout by adding new stripe elements on the sides. As a tribute to my hero, Ayrton Senna, the helmet features the colours of Brazil green, yellow and blue,” said the 32-year-old.

“These are accompanied with

Lewis Hamilton

the three stars that represent my Championship wins.

“There’s yellow throughout that reminds me of my helmets in the past. The candy apple red balances with the yellow very well,” he added.

The design had 52 000 ‘likes’ within four hours.

Hamilton challenged fans last month to design his race helmet for the season starting in Australia on March 26, with the winner meeting the driver and receiving a full-size replica.

Hamilton is the clear pre-season favourite following the surprise retirement of German teammate and world champion Nico Rosberg last month.

He has changed his helmet design several times over the years, racing with a yellow helmet in tribute to Senna in his early years and at McLaren. The colours changed when he moved to Mercedes in 2013.

Under Formula One’s regulations, a driver’s helmet design must be substantially the same for the entire season -- to ensure drivers can be distinguished easily -- but one special version is allowed at a race of his choosing.

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (CMC) – St Kitts and N e v i s s u f f e re d t h e i r second straight heavy defeat in the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship when they slumped to a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Panama.

Playing in Group B here Tuesday, the Kittitians held out well in the opening half but then conceded three second-half goals to lose their second game, following on from their heavy 5-1 thumping to Haiti last Saturday.

In the other Group B encounter, Haiti went down 4-1 to United States, stunned by a h a t - t r i c k b y B ro o k s Lennon who scored in the 28th, 53rd and 58th minutes.

The results left Panama as the only unbeaten team with six points, with United States second on three points – only ahead of Haiti courtesy of a superior goal difference.

St Kitts are bottom without a point or win.

The Caribbean side fell behind six minu t e s b e f o re t h e h a l f

Ricardo Avila scores twice in Panama’s win. when Andres Andrade teamed up with Isidoro H i n e s t ro z t o g e t h i s shot past goalkeeper Akimbah Francis, who only managed to get a hand to it.

Three minutes after the resumption from half-time, Panama doubled their lead when Leandro Avila got on to the end of a through ball from Ricardo Avila and finished clinically.

And St Kitts were fur-

ther in trouble when Leandro Avila beat Francis from the spot in the 57th minute for the first of his two back-to-back goals.

His second goal – eight minutes later – was a long range volley set up by Andres Peñalba.

To add insult to injury, the Kittitians finished the game with 10 players after Xavier French was sent off in the dying seconds.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday February 23, 2017) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Rovman Powell (Jam vs T&T) (2) Shai Hope (Bar vs Lee) Today’s Quiz: (1) Who was declared Man of the Match in the final of CWI/

Nagicor Super 50, 2017?

(2) Who took most catches in the tournament/ (non-wicket keeper) ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

39

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 23, 2017

Cornwall ready to shed weight for Windies call TALENTED Leeward Islands all-rounder Rahkeem Cornwall has admitted that he is desperate to earn a spot in the West Indies team and willing to do whatever it takes to make that dream a reality.

The 24-year-old player has been one of the region’s brightest prospects in recent years having notched several successful domestic cricket seasons.

In the most recent limited overs competition Cornwall picked up a total of 10 wickets for 313 runs and amassed 251 runs with a highest score of 74.

The player also shone for the regional team during the West Indies A tour of Sri Lanka in October of last year where he claimed 23 wickets with his off-spin, including a career-best eight for 108 in the opening game in Colombo.

Cornwall has, however, failed to secure a call to

the senior team, with many speculating that his omission has been due to his widely documented weight issues.

The regional sport’s governing body Cricket West Indies (CWI), however, recently promised a special programme to help the player prepare to move to the next level. The programme crafted by CWI is said to include

coaches and dieticians. For his part Cornwall insists he is ready to meet the challenge.

“If losing weight is the issue then that is why I am on the programme with the West Indies Cricket Board so I am putting in my best and putting in the work to lose the weight if that is the case; because it can’t be performance so I will do what I have to do to make the West Indies team,” he said.

Rahkeem Cornwall

Cornwall ready to shed weight for Windies call See story on page 39

Trinidad champions for Georgetown Grand Prix

Group Three driver Ravi Singh THE Georgetown Grand Prix will take on a regional flavour with a Trinidad and Tobago father and daughter set to compete at tomorrow’s event at GT Motorsports facility at the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC), Albert Street and Thomas Lands.

Group Three driver Ravi Singh and his daugh-

ter Bridget Singh will arrive in Guyana this evening and will come up against local drivers in their respective categories.

Ravi, who has been competing in Group Three in Guyana since 2008, said he is excited to participate in the first-ever Georgetown Grand Prix.

S p e a k i n g f ro m h i s home in Trinidad and To-

bago yesterday, Ravi, who has won the Group Three category in Guyana on four occasions, said he is enthused by the fact that the karts will be equally matched for tomorrow’s event.

“It will all come down to driving skills and that is a good thing,” Ravi said. The 43-year-old, who has been racing competitively since

Group Two driver Bridget Singh the age of 15, will compete in the Four-Stroke Class, and he is keen on putting on a show for his Guyanese fans on his debut at the newly refurbished track.

Bridget, who started racing karts at age nine, will throw down the gauntlet to Guyanese Emma Vieira in what is expected to be a sizzling showdown.

While Vieira will look

to defend home turf, the 20-year-old Trinidad and Tobago racer will no doubt want to prove that she’s the better driver.

Bridget, a Group Two driver, won the 80cc Class two years in a row, before moving to the 100cc, which she dominated for another two years.

She then stepped up to the 125cc Rotax Internation-

al. During the first year she finished second and won the championship the following year. After taking time off to focus on her academics, Bridget returned to the track last year and won the GP 1 Championship.

Tomorrow’s activity, which will comprise 15 races, will commence at 18:00hrs and admission to the venue is free.

Sun Burst renews partnership with badminton star

GUYANA’S number one badminton player Narayan Ramdhani has once again been endorsed by Sun Burst Juices for his continued improvement in the sport.

During a simple ceremony at the company’s Head Office at Ruimveldt, Georgetown, president of the Guyana Badminton Association and national coach Gokarn Ramdhani accepted the sponsorship from Marketing and Sales Manager Rudy Jairam.

Narayan is currently on a badminton scholarship in Vancouver, Canada.

Jairam noted that Sun Burst is happy to align itself with a youngster, who is making Guyana proud.

“Sun Burst is produced by Guyanese in Guyana and for Guyana. Over the years we have been supporting a lot of young talented athletes, more specifically today we are presenting this support to young Narayan Ramdhani in the form of a cash sponsorship and we want to wish him further success as he climbs to the top of the ladder,” Jairam stated Gokarn Ramdhani, who is also the father of Narayan, expressed gratitude at his son being chosen to once again represent the Sun Burst brand.

“We are thankful and happy at this time, especially because Narayan is now at a stage where he has to get a lot

of support leading up to the 2020 Olympics.

“Other than Yonex, who the other day gave him sponsorship for his gear and accessories, we are now receiving another donation from Sun Burst, who has been sponsoring him for the last four years, and we are very much grateful as I said, because it’s hard to get sponsorship with the economy going up and down. This will help him in representing Guyana at the Pan American Championships,” Ramdhani noted.

Narayan will represent Guyana from April 27 to 30 in the Pan American Games, scheduled to take place in Bogota, Colombia.

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Rudy Jairam (left) presents the sponsor’s cheque to Gokarn Ramdhani.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2017