Gold board to probe $900M bank fraud – gov’t asks police for info
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No way Ramotar No. 104874
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 2017
Price: $80
(VAT Inclusive)
No evidence former President Donald Ramotar approved Red House lease – GL&SC Commissioner says CJRCI was a trespasser
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Iwokrama last Friday held an interactive session for students of the Ministry of Education Unit for the Blind on Albert Street. The students were able for the first time to experience life-sized representations of various animals (made of balata), including the caiman, jaguar, monkeys, and the capybara, to help them and teachers understand what the animals look like (see story on page 20)
Pork-knocker Linden TV meeting Gov’t to save killed during breaks up over US$2M annually – through new state-owned power company secret balloting fight Page 2
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 5, 2017
Gov’t to save US$2M annually – through new state-owned power company
GOVERNMENT in its effort to drive efficiency and to maximise the use of local capacity, installed a new board for the stateowned Power Producer and Distribution Incorporated (PPDI), which replaces Wartsila, resulting in a saving of $US2M annually. Eight of the nine members of the board were sworn in Tuesday at a ceremony held in the Boardroom of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI). The new board of directors for the
PPDI includes Mark Bender as Chairperson, Aaron Fraser as Vice-Chairman, Ronald Burch-Smith – Secretary and other board members, including Harryram Parmesar, Stephen Fraser, Amanza Walton- Desir, Derlyn Klass, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, and an opposition party member. Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson stated that the operations and maintenance of the engines were previously managed
by Guyanese workers at the Wartsila Company and, it was felt that Guyana needs to invest in its own people. Patterson added that the state owned PPDI Company replaced the Wartsila Company, whose contract with GPL
Further, he explained that the electricity rates that previously ranged between US15$26 per megawatt made the decision to implement PPDI easier. “We estimate with the establishment of PPDI a savings
work force, which demonstrated increased competence in the management of power plants,” Minister Patterson said. Over the last two years, the Minister said the most challenging of maintenance
da, Minister Patterson said government envisions Guyana being powered by a 100 per cent renewable energy resource by 2025. Minister Patterson also emphasised the significant cost-saving benefits: an esti-
Ministers David Patterson and Minister within the Ministry, Annette Ferguson flanked by the new board members of PPDI. From left to right are, Harryram Parmesar; Stephen Fraser; CEO, Arron Fraser; Chairman, Mark Bender; Minister Patterson; Verlyn Klass; Minister Ferguson; Amanza Walton-Desir; MPI Permanent Secretary, Geoffrey Vaughn; and Secretary, Ronald Burch-Smith (Samuel Maughn Photo) came to an end in December 2016. This new company will save GPL money that were previously paid to Wartsila and will provide an improvement in remuneration for the employees at PPDI.
of at least US$3.73 per megawatts. However, that was not the only criteria which guided us but in addition to the issue of cost… the local subsidiary was always manned by a 100 per cent Guyanese
activity and major overhauls were completed entirely by a local team, eliminating the need for Foreign Service engineers. He said the government is confident that PPDI will maintain high standards of its predecessor delivering cost-efficient service, matching all the key performance indicators. Further, he said the retention in generated profits will facilitate investment in people and new equipment as Government prepare for future opportunities. Reminding the board of the Governments new agen-
mated US$3.73 per MW or US$2.4M per year, based on a consumption of 650,000 MW He said the board members bring a wealth of knowledge to PPDI since their success in private and professional avocation will be placed against the backdrop of such being replicated in the oversight of the board. PPDI chairman Mark Bender said the company is expected to have an expanded role in the future as government moves forward with its plans to receive electricity supply exclusively from renewable resources.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 5, 2017
No way Ramotar
No evidence former President Donald Ramotar approved Red House lease – GL&SC Commissioner says CJRCI was a trespasser By Alva Solomon THERE is no documented evidence that Former President Donald Ramotar authorised and sanctioned the issuance of a lease of Red House to the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre Inc (CJRCI) as President, contrary to what he has said in an affidavit to the High Court. This is according to Commissioner of the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission (GL&SC), Trevor Benn. In court documents seen by this newspaper, Benn noted in an affidavit as a respondent in the matter between the CJRI and the Attorney General and the GLSC, that once a file has been opened following an application, in accordance with the Land Department Act, all relevant matters must be recorded on the note sheets in the file and the relevant documents must be lodged. However, he said that upon proper perusal of the commission’s files, there is “no formal evidence of any
sanction of approval by the President of the day, President Ramotar.” In addition, Benn noted that no approval has been granted by any Head of State for the building to be leased by the CJRI within the past seventeen years. He said that advice from Minister of Education, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, is that no approval was “ever given by any Minister of Education or himself “to lease the area for the past seventeen years. Benn contended that on March 30, 2012 the said lease was purportedly entered into by Doerga Persaud, former Commissioner of GL&SC on behalf of the Government of Guyana and Senior Counsel Ralph Ramkarran, and another on behalf of the CJRCI under Section 10 (1) of the Lands Department Act, Chapter 59:01. He said the purported lease was stated to be for educational and research purposes and for a term of 99 years commencing from January 1, 2012 at an annual rate of $12,000 for the first three years.
The Stabroek News had reported that in an affidavit drawn by attorney Anil Nandlall, Ramotar had stated that at “at all material times, I was aware of, authorised and sanctioned the issuance of a lease of government land for educational/research purposes, number 3068, dated 30th of March, 2012, in respect of Area “A” now called Red House, comprising lots 65, 66 and 67 High Street, Kingston, situate in the City of Georgetown, County of Demerara, by the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys acting on behalf of the Government of Guyana and the Cheddi Jagan Research Inc…” According to Benn, there was no formal agreement assigning control of Red House, although staff, utilities, repairs and renovation and restoration of the CJRCI were paid by the former government without approval. He said that acting on the advice of his attorney, Red House could not have been rented by the GL&SC, since it was under the umbrella of the
Guyana Lands and Survey Commission (GL&SC), Trevor Benn
National Trust. He said that the “purported lease” is null and that the CJRCI was “at all material times a trespasser “. Benn said that in mid-December 2016, he informed President David Granger of the “purported lease” being null and according to him the Head of State informed him that the document cannot be kept as part of the records of the commission as a valid lease. He said the President subsequently ordered the
lease to be cancelled. President Granger, late last year ordered that the controversial lease be revoked and that the occupants vacate the property. The decision had come one day after Attorney General, Basil Williams had issued a statement detailing the history of the CJRCI’s occupancy of the building and outlining that there was no valid lease agreement, as former President Bharrat Jagdeo had refused to approve at least two applications for the lease. Chairman of the Management Committee of the Centre, Hydar Ally, subsequently moved to the High Court requesting Conservatory Orders to restrain or prevent the government from taking possession of the building; declared that the lease was valid and that President Granger’s revocation order was illegal. The Attorney General, Basil Williams had later contended that the learned Chief Justice had no Jurisdiction to proceed with the matter, citing that an applicant, who goes ex parte to the Court has a duty to be candid with the
Court and make full and frank disclosures of material facts within his knowledge. He said failure to do so gives the court the right to discharge any order made and refuse to deal with the merits of the matter. According to the Attorney General, CJRCI failed to make full and frank disclosures of material facts in its application by way of Affidavit for Conservatory Orders when it concealed from the Court that President Donald Ramotar had approved the lease in 2012; that the lease being 99 years was not executed in the manner of a transport before the Court, e.g, was not published in the official Gazette; that the lease was not filed as record in the Registry and annotated and that Red House is a National Monument under the National Trust Act Chapter 20:03. On March 24, the then Chief Justice (ag), Justice Yvonne Cummings-Edwards, ruled that the court has jurisdiction to proceed with the Red House court challenge, brought on by the CJRCI.
Gold board to probe $900M bank fraud – gov’t asks police for info The Ministry of Natural Resources said it has noted the media reports regarding the charges of alleged bank fraud against licenced gold dealer Saddiqi Rafeek Mohamed Rasul and the alleged linkages with personnel at the Guyana Gold Board. As a consequence of these reports, the ministry said it will maintain its vigilance over the operations of the Board and will task the incoming Directors with the immediate task of probing this and related matters as to whether anyone from the agency acted improperly or outside of their mandate in conducting business with said licenced gold dealer. “We have also requested the Guyana Police Force to provide additional information and clarification with a view to aiding the investigation,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that it is committed to transparency and accountability within the natural resources sector and will be fully engaged with the authorities in addressing any matter of impropriety in the sector, and in particular, to ensure that
the Guyana Gold Board is a credible and reliable institution of State. On Monday Rasul, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court charged with six counts of obtaining money by false pretense. Rasul, who owns SSS Minerals Trading Enterprise, appeared before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan and pleaded not guilty to the charges, which alleged that he is involved in a $956M fraud at the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI). Magistrate McLennan ruled against the objections of the Prosecutor and released the 34-year-old businessman on $3M bail. The charges alleged that between March 21 and 22, 2017 at Bartica, with intent to defraud, he obtained the sum of $290M, $298M, $138M, $45M, $89M and $96M from the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) by falsely pretending he had cash in his account at Citizens Bank to honour the cheques he encashed. His lawyer, Sandil Kissoon explained to the court that his
Saddiqi ‘Bobby’ Rasul
client is being criminalised for the negligence of GBTI, which decided to pay the money without verifying the standard balance of Rasul’s Citizen’s Bank account.
In Kissoon’s application for bail, he explained that his client does not pose a flight risk since he is a prominent businessman in Bartica, who owns several dredges, mining claims and lots. Police Prosecutor, Alvin Moore strongly opposed bail, on the ground that the accused is under investigation for similar offences. According to the Prosecutor, police will soon issue a wanted bulletin for a female Manager at GBTI. Prosecutor Moore said that the Manager did not follow protocols laid out by the bank when paying out the monies. Bail was granted and the case was transferred to the Bartica Magistrate’s Court for April 21, 2017. According to officials, Cit-
izens Bank over two weeks ago closed the accounts of Rasul, after noticing several suspicious transactions in his accounts. At the GBTI’s Bartica branch, cheques drawn on Citizens Bank and totalling over $900M were deposited to Rasul’s
accounts. It is protocol that banks would normally hold other banks’ cheques until they are cleared, before making payments against them. However, it appears as though this procedure was not followed by GBTI officials.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Scores reported killed in gas attack on Syrian rebel area A suspected Syrian government chemical attack killed scores of people, including children, in the northwestern province of Idlib on Tuesday, a monitoring group, medics and rescue workers in the rebel-held area said. The Syrian military denied responsibility and said it would never use chemical weapons. The head of the health authority in rebel-held Idlib said more than 50 people had been killed and 300 wounded. The Union of Medical Care Organizations, a coalition of international aid agencies that funds hospitals in Syria, said at least 100 people had died. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attack killed at least 58 people and was believed to have been carried out by Syrian government jets. It caused many people to choke and some to foam at the mouth. Director Rami Abdulrahman told Reuters the assessment that Syrian
government warplanes were to blame was based on several factors such as the type of aircraft, including Sukhoi 22 jets, that carried out the raid. “We deny completely the use of any chemical or toxic material in Khan Sheikhoun town today and the army has not used nor will use in any place or time neither in past or in future,” the Syrian army command said in a statement. The Russian Defence Ministry said its aircraft had not carried out the attack. The U.N. Security Council was expected to meet on Wednesday to discuss the incident. Reuters photographs showed people breathing through oxygen masks and wearing protection suits, while others carried the bodies of dead children, and corpses wrapped in blankets were lined up on the ground. Activists in northern Syria circulated pictures on social media showing a man with foam around his mouth, and rescue workers hosing down almost-naked chil-
dren squirming on the floor. The incident reported at Khan Sheikhoun would be the deadliest chemical attack in Syria since sarin gas killed hundreds of civilians in Ghouta near Damascus in August 2013. Western states said the Syrian government was responsible for that attack. Damascus blamed rebels. A senior U.S. State Department official said it appeared that the attack blamed on Assad amounted to a war crime.
HOSPITALS OVERFLOWING Mounzer Khalil, head of Idlib’s health authority, said hospitals in the province were overflowing with victims. “This morning, at 6:30 a.m., warplanes targeted Khan Sheikhoun with gases, believed to be sarin and chlorine,” he told a news conference. Warplanes later struck near a medical point where victims of the attack were receiving treatment, the Observatory and civil defense workers said. The civil defense, also known as the White Helmets - a rescue service that operates in opposition areas - said jets struck one of its centers in
the area and the nearby medical point. The White House called the attack an “intolerable act” and said President Donald Trump was alarmed by the reports. French President Francois Hollande directly blamed Syrian government forces and said President Bashar al-Assad’s allies were emboldening him to act with impunity. Assad has enjoyed staunch military backing from Iran and Russia in the war. Britain said he would be guilty of a war crime if it were proved that his regime was responsible. British Prime Minister Theresa May called for an investigation into the attack. The United Nations envoy for Syria said the “horrific” chemical attack had come from the air. The U.N. Security Council is expected to be briefed on the attack on Wednesday. In February, Russia, backed by China, cast its seventh veto to protect Assad’s government from council action, blocking a bid by Western powers to impose sanctions over accusations of chemical weapons attacks during the conflict. A series of investigations by the United Nations and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) found that various parties in the Syrian war had used chlorine, sulfur mustard gas and sarin. A joint U.N.-OPCW
report published in October said government forces used chlorine in a toxic gas attack in Qmenas in Idlib province in March 2015. An earlier report by the same team blamed Syrian government troops for chlorine attacks in Talmenes in March 2014 and Sarmin in March 2015. It also said Islamic State had used sulfur mustard gas. The OPCW said it had begun “gathering and analyzing information from all available sources” about the suspected Khan Sheikhoun attack. Turkey, which backs the anti-Assad opposition, said the attack could derail Russian-backed diplomatic efforts to shore up a ceasefire. Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency said 15 people hurt in the attack, mostly women and children had been taken to Turkey. Footage from Turkey’s Dogan news agency showed at least four people being brought out of ambulances on stretchers in the Turkish border town of Reyhanli by medical staff wearing face masks. One was a young boy. An official at the Turkish Health Ministry said Turkey’s disaster management agency was first “scanning those arriving for chemical weapons, then decontaminating them from chemicals” before they could be taken to hospital. Idlib province contains the largest populated area controlled by anti-Assad rebels - both nationalist Free Syrian Army groups and powerful Islamist factions including the former al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin dis-
cussed the suspected attack, Turkish presidential sources said. They said the two leaders had also emphasized the importance of maintaining the much-violated Syrian ceasefire. TOXIC ARSENAL Idlib’s population has ballooned, with thousands of fighters and civilians shuttled out of Aleppo city and areas around Damascus that the government has retaken in recent months as Assad has gained the upper hand in the war. The United States has also launched a spate of air strikes in Idlib this year, targeting jihadist insurgents. Following the 2013 attack, Syria joined the international Chemical Weapons Convention under a U.S.-Russian deal, averting the threat of U.S.-led military intervention. Under the deal, Syria agreed to give up its toxic arsenal and surrendered 1,300 tonnes of toxic weapons and industrial chemicals to the international community for destruction. U.N.-OPCW investigators found, however, that it continued to use chlorine, which is widely available and difficult to trace, in so-called barrel bombs, dropped from helicopters. Although chlorine is not a banned substance, the use of any chemical is banned under 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention, to which Syria is a member. Damascus has repeatedly denied using such weapons during the six-year war, which has killed hundreds of thousands and created the world’s worst refugee crisis. (Reuters)
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Opposition parties urge voters to be prepared to vote out government The main opposition Free National Movement (FNM) says it regards the upcoming general election as a “referendum on the failed government leadership” and urged Bahamians to ensure they are registered to vote by April 10. Prime Minister Perry Christie said over the weekend that the Parliament would be dissolved on April 11 and also urged “all my fellow Bahamians to play their part in our democracy by registering to vote if they have not already done so, and to do so without further delay”. No date has yet been announced for the polls but Prime Minister Christie did indicate that he would “cause the writs of elections to be issued the same day” the Parliament is dissolved. In a statement, FNM leader, Dr. Hubert Minnis
said the announcement of the election date “signals an opportunity for a referendum on the failed government leadership that has been the unfortunate experience of all Bahamians over the last five years. “It gives rise to a new time for Bahamians, an era in which we can build upon the vision for a hopeful and prosperous future that all deserve.” “Bahamians will no longer have to suffer under a government that ignores the demand for transparency and accountability. With your vote, a corrupt government that cares more about lining their own pockets than supporting Bahamians can come to an end,” Minnis said. The FNL leader said he was urging all Bahamians that have not yet registered to vote to do so by Monday, April 10th.
“This is the people’s time and your vote for the FNM will bring about aggressive, positive reforms that will create a brighter future for ourselves, our children and grandchildren.” Meanwhile, the smaller opposition Democratic National Alliance (DNA) is promising to implement a fixed date for elections; noting “the lack of which has added to confusion in the aftermath of the prime minister’s announcement”. The party is also urging Bahamians to ensure they are registered, adding “the moment to firmly grasp the reigns of our country and change its fortunes is nearly upon us. “The Democratic National Alliance (DNA) urges eligible Bahamians to register to vote in order to participate in our democracy and bring a much needed change to governance in
The Bahamas,” the party said, telling Bahamians a vote for either the FNM or the ruling Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) “is a vote for disaster, a vote for the continued mismanagement of our nation and her precious resources. “A vote for the PLP or the FNM is vote for a recipe of failure both legacy parties have perfected over the decades,” the party said adding that it has a ”strategy to curb crime, to bring offenders to justice, and restore law and order in our communities”. The last general election was held here on May 8, 2012 with the PLP) winning 30 of the 38 seats in Parliament. (CMC)
Jamaican cop freed of murdering pregnant woman A police corporal has been freed of murdering a 25-year-old pregnant woman who was shot and killed during an attempt to arrest here for using obscene language in September 2012. The incident had sparked two days of protests in the vicinity of the Yallahs Police Station, a suburban parish in the southeasten section of the island, where the shooting occurred on September 1. The seven-member jury late Monday acquitted Dwayne Smart of the murder and manslaughter in the death of Kay-Ann Lamont, who was eight months pregnant at the time, He was also found not guilty of wounding with intent in the shooting of Lamont’s sister. The prosecution had alleged that Lamont was being taken into custody for using expletives when she was shot in the head by Smart. There was also evidence, during the four-week trial
that her sister was shot while rushing to her defence. However, Smart, through his attorney, argued that the killing was an accident. He also contended that he was facing a hostile mob opposed to his decision to arrest Lamont. He said that during his attempt to arrest her, a scuffle ensued and they both fell to the ground. Smart said that he tripped and his firearm accidentally went off as he attempted to get back on his feet. Lamont’s sister, Shemean Lamont, who testified that she witnessed the shooting, said “I don’t understand how this man can shoot a pregnant lady and get away with everything. “This is not right, this is not true. Right now I don’t think I can explain this,” she told reporters. Attorney Dorothy Lightbourne, QC, said that the family has filed a civil suit against the State for negligence. (CMC)
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Editorial
GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Safety is everybody’s business THIS month is International Safety Month and Guyana joins with other countries in not only marking the event, but also declaring its commitment to system-strengthening. A safe environment is a prerequisite for protecting lives and preventing the loss of limbs and illness in various forms. While emphasis on safety has traditionally been placed on the industrial environment, it is equally important that similar attention be given to the handling of environmental waste, use of the roads, and citizens’ education on the issue. Any failure to make foolproof the planning and execution of safety measures puts at risk Government’s focus on building a green state. The green state as is understood is founded on conventions, rules, and laws which require international observation on all fronts. The resultant effect of compliance with internationally required safety standards can see Guyana realising growth through reduction in loss of limbs, joints, lives, occupational diseases, and infectious diseases occurring because of poor management in public health. The money saved through prevention could be diverted to various forms of development. On Sunday, Guyana marked the commencement of a month of activities with a march and rally in the city of Georgetown. The event attracted participants primarily from State agencies and the trade union movement. Instructively, there was the noticeable absence of representatives from the private sector. The recent global recession that wiped out individuals’ savings and investments, which were the result of relaxed government regulations and oversight, the bitter experience has seen governments moving to avoid similar future occurrences. This is being realised through establishment
of new rules and oversights institutions with responsibility to police the financial systems and physical environments. Movement of money --- across countries, continents, and banking institutions --- no longer can be done without questions being asked as to the source of funding. Governments are aware that the absence of oversight allows dirty money to be used in formal transactions, such as in money-laundering and the financing of terrorism. Money used by terrorists puts at risk not only the safety of individuals, but also the survival of communities, given that they are usually targeted for physical destruction. While money- laundering undermines effective management of a nation’s economy and puts at risk the economic survival of citizens, it further immobilises economic planning in meeting targets in providing quality social services such as garbage collection and public health. Creating a safe environment requires involvement across the spectrum. Private employers share similar responsibilities as that of the public sector. Though the absence of the former from Sunday’s event is noted, it would be to the advantage of ensuring a safe environment for all to encourage their involvement, not only in participation at commemorative events, but also respecting the laws. The announcement by the National Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health (NACOSH) of a programme to visit work sites and encourage formation of joint workplace communities consistent with the Occupational Safety and Health Act (1997) is encouraging. In pursuing this approach, the State would be required to provide the requisite leadership, creating the momentum, and influencing citizens’ acceptance. There could be no
better place to strengthen our safety infrastructure, via national involvement, than to start with the agencies that saw it worthy to participate on Sunday. It is reasonable to assume that their presence was informed by understanding and appreciation of the seriousness of safety in the workplace and wider environment, making them the best promoters of behavioural change. Safety is everybody’s business. It means ensuring its achievement does not seek to secure the environment, workplace for self and but also for fellow worker, man, and future generations. The green state as proposed, which is grounded in respecting rights and laws, could only stand to benefit from a healthy population. It is a nation’s human capital that forms its workforce- employed, self-employed, and employer-and their safety would ultimately be responsible for its production and productivity.
Region Two completes current, capital expenditures in 2016 Dear Editor REGION Two has benefited from the Administration’s ability to prudently manage its budgetary allocation after achieving 99% and 100% completion under its capital and current expenditures respectively in 2016. The region was allocated the sum of 3,432,836,000 with 2,958,836,000 spent under current and 474,000.000 under capital expenditure. Several projects of critical importance were completed, including the construction of bridges at Baghag Dam, Richmond, Good Hope, as well as in Marlborough and Mabel Sandy in the Pomeroon River since these areas were prone to flooding and were affecting the strategic movement of residents from one section to another. Additionally, a major allocation was spent on the education sector, which saw construction of the Aurora Primary School at a cost of
86 million, Akawini Nursery 14 million and Bethany Primary 10 million dollars. The Wakapoa dormitory and the teachers’ living quarters in the Pomeroon River were also rehabilitated at a cost of 10 million and 9 million dollars respectively. Several other schools were also rehabilitated, including Anna Regina Secondary, Cotton Field Secondary, Flora and Better Success Nursery, as well as Ulele and Yarashrima Primary Schools. The Administration continues to work closely with the Department of Education in an effort towards ensuring that there remains a conducive environment for learning through infrastructural development, as well as providing adequate living conditions for teachers through the building of teachers’ quarters, especially in the Pomeroon districts. Given the geographical lay-out of the region, there is constant need for the rehabilitation of several streets and roads, despite the excel-
lent condition of the main road. In this regard, streets in Dartmouth, Adventure, Anna Regina and the road in Henrietta were completed. The upgrading of the station street in Anna Regina was done at a cost of 7 million, which will serve to ease the congestion of traffic, especially for vehicles traversing between the main road and the interior leading to Mainstay Village, which has tourist beaches, including the Lake Mainstay Resort. Under the health sector, critical work was done to the Accident and Emergency Unit at the Oscar Joseph District Hospital in Charity, as well as the Maternity Waiting Home at Public Hospital,Suddie. Additionally, a Health Post was built at Onderneeming, which will duly serve the populated housing scheme there, while living quarters were rehabilitated for doctors residing at the Suddie Public Hospital. The region remains heavily reliant on agriculture and therefore the Administra-
tion continues to place specific emphasis on drainage and irrigation. Continuing under its capital expenditure, sluices were built at Perth, Hampton Court, Charity, Spring Garden and Lima, while a box culvert was installed at Bounty Hall and an irrigation check at Huist’Dieren. These infrastructural developments will enhance the growth of rice and other agricultural crops, which will sustain the region’s capability to produce and export on a larger scale. The Administration has also conducted infrastructural development in the realisation of the attractive Independence Park at Ex-Mouth, which will promote both economic and recreational activities, as well as seek to foster greater social cohesion. While these projects were executed, major works were also done under its current expenditure during last year. It included the general repairs and repainting of the Administrative buildings, which can now be viewed as more accommodating for
both staff and the public. Existing sea sluices at Westbury and Dartmouth were rehabilitated, as well as the construction of new sanitary facilities at Anna Regina, Suddie, Huis’t Dieren, Good Hope, Windsor Castle and Dartmouth Health Centres. Several trenches were also desilted, which are regular interventions to combat the threat of flooding, as well as the irresponsible manner in which residents continue to dispose of their receptacles. The Administration remains committed to transforming the region through its drive to further stimulate and sustain the economy through infrastructural and economic development. This will require prudent management of its limited resources, which has been evident under the stewardship of the Regional Executive Officer, Mr Rupert Hopkinson. The region in 2016 was able to save $147.112.000.000 and which was expended on additional
projects at no cost to the national treasury. While in the past similar savings were obtained, the Administration in 2016 alloted 70% of the savings towards the restoration of the Regional State House. This historic building has been completely transformed into a state-of-the-art architecure with beautifully land-scaped surroundings. It is now fittingly established to host Government officials and conferences too. This indeed is a plausible achievement for the Administration, in addition to the continuing beautification of the township which can now boast of being in a state of cleanliness. While there continues to be herculean challenges, the Administration remains committed in the execution of its mandate to the residents of the region and which was proficiently done in 2016. Regards Elroy Stephney
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Congratulations to DDL for geographical certification of “Demerara Rum” Dear Editor, I WOULD like to congratulate DDL for having its rum certified as THE Geographical Indicator (GI) “Demerara Rum.” This means no one else can use the prefix “Demerara” on their rum. Back in 2003, before the EU slashed its prices for our bulk sugar and as GuySuco was embarking on its ‘Demerara Gold” marketing of packaged sugar, I raised the issue of our position on GIs in Parliament. I was advised
that it was being handled by the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM) headed by Mr Carl Greenidge. They had issued a paper on WTO-regulated GIs in 2002, but there was no follow-up activity. For instance, since the WTO agreements specified that GIs must be used in conformity with the law of the country of origin (re-application of the law of the country of origin) they had not advised the Guyana Government to enact the necessary legislation. I pointed out that since the WTO
negotiations were ongoing within the Doha timetable, Guyana still had ample time to get its act together, so that we may have another arrow in our bow to save the high-cost Demerara Plantations’ sugar. I noted for some decades, that Europe had led the way in carving out the right to use a particular name for a product that came from a specific region - and became associated with the name of that region - such as “Bordeaux Wine.” By 1995, it was able to have it incorporated into the
Hiking of tuition fees is part of neo-liberalising UG Dear Editor, THE plan to raise tuition fees at the University of Guyana by a whopping 35% is a part of the shameful project to neo-liberalize the university. This is not something peculiar to Guyana; it is affecting universities in every country that is pursuing the neo-liberal capitalist agenda. The plan is to reshape the university from academy to corporate entity, where the profit motive reigns supreme, and where any discipline that is not considered ‘marketable’ is marginalized, with the aim of eventually removing it altogether. Describing the neo-liberal university, Michael Rustin, a fierce critic of this commercialization of higher education, says that “the university has to adopt the mind-set of a commercial provider or retailer…” Our current Vice-Chancellor, Ivelaw Griffith, is an advocate of this mindset, and I daresay was appointed to drive this agenda. This policy will have the same devastating effects at UG that it has had in so many other universities worldwide, that is, the restriction of access to higher education to a wealthy minority, coupled with a severe limiting of the entire scope and notion of education on offer. When this happens, it is our young people who suffer. Many will not be able to afford to attend university, and those that do manage to attend will lack the ability
for critical thinking, because critical thinking can only be developed when education is holistic, integrative, comprehensive, and culturally relevant. To develop critical thinking, universities must provide knowledge not only in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, referred to as the STEM subjects, but also in such disciplines as philosophy, theology, history, political science etc. However, the neo-liberal order has no desire to promote critical thinking, rather, under its auspices education has been reduced to mere certification to enter the marketplace. Who would have believed that self-proclaimed, progressive politicians such as Minister of Education, Rupert Roopnaraine and his adviser, Vincent Alexander, would allow for such a reactionary education agenda to be rolled out under their watch. The OVP’s 2015 manifesto clearly outlines our firm belief that education is a human right, and as such should be free for all citizens from nursery to university. Education is not a commodity to be determined by market forces. Do not be fooled by those who tell us that free education in Guyana is not viable and sustainable. Forbes Burnham was once asked by one of his Cabinet ministers, “Can we afford free education?” His answer was, “Can we afford not to afford it.” Burnham was correct. Studies on the relationship between education and economic growth and devel-
opment confirm what we already know from commonsense, that there is a strong correlation between access to education, the ability of the educated populace to critically think and problem-solve, and economic growth and prosperity. With Guyana’s resources and the size of our population, free education is most definitely viable and a necessity if we are to build a real democracy. However, free education can only be realised when we have a government that has the courage and vision to move beyond the existing neo-liberal capitalist arrangement. Across the globe, university lecturers and students are resisting the neo-liberalization of their universities and we in Guyana must do the same. Organization for the Victory of the People (OVP), along with UG lecturers, UGSS, UG students and all Guyanese youths who are hoping to pursue tertiary education, opposes the raising of tuition fees and other draconian measures being pursued. It is time to not only make education at the University of Guyana free, but also to use the wealth of this country to make UG a leading academic institution, respected regionally and globally. Believe me when I say it can be done. Regards Gerald A. Perreira Leader (Organization for the Victory of the People (OVP)
WTO Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) as “Geographical Indicators (GIs)” protection. The latter were defined by Article 22(1) as “Indications which identify a good as originating in the territory of a member or a region or locality in that territory, where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of the good is essentially attributed to its geographic origin.” Initially utilised only for wines, it was extended to include other foodstuffs: “Florida” for oranges “Idaho” for potatoes “Washington State” for apples etc. So I asked, why not “Demerara Sugar” for brown sugar from Demerara, Guyana? Booker Tate, (hired in 1990 when the GI issue rose to the fore) which was earning
huge incentive bonuses based on overall production of our raw sugar pushed the 1998 Strategic Plan which stressed increased overall total production and only mentioned en passant possible packaging of our sugar as “Demerara Gold” -- but only for CARICOM and local markets. None of the proposed certifications mentioned GI protection. I was told that the government was advised by its lawyers to protect the value of the “Demerara” name through the trademark route. However, a trademark “is a word, symbol, or phrase, used to identify a particular manufacturer or seller’s products and distinguish them from the products of another for example, Coca Cola and Pepsi. I said that while there is nothing
wrong with pursuing this option, it does not have to be at the expense of ignoring the GIs window of opportunity. Creating a brand name takes time and while we can boast about ours being the “real thing”, it will be very expensive and time consuming to move the fake Demerara Sugar off the lucrative supermarket shelves in the developed countries. In the meantime, I said, we cannot sue anyone unless they call their product “Demerara Gold” – especially if some of our products originate from outside the Demerara plantations. I had not realised Bedessie from Berbice had already done so. The rest, as they say, is history. Regards Ravi Dev
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What ethnic cleansing?
IT would appear as though the North American political disease of promulgating fact-free and evidence-free information has taken root in Guyana. There has been an unsubstantiated, unfounded, outrageous and fabricated charge of ethnic cleansing of the public sector and government offices levelled against the Coalition Government by the opposition PPP. There has been no known attempt to provide any evidence or basis for this wild allegation, which is being loosely and persistently bandied about at opposition media conferences and at other forums. It is certain to also form part of the bottom-house whisper campaign. Kaieteur News, on December 18, 2016, provides reportage on the PPP congress. “The administration since taking office, Jagdeo accused, has decimated the work force
of persons perceived to be PPP supporters. He said that the statistics will point to persons being “ethnically cleansed” from the ministries and other State agencies.” Of course, no statistics have been provided since to substantiate this claim. None exist. These are the facts: Prime Minister and First Vice-President - Moses Nagamootoo Third Vice-President and Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan Minister of Education Dr Rupert Roopnaraine Minister of Communities - Ronald Bulkan Minister of Social Protection - Amna Ally Minister within the Ministry of Finance - Jaipaul Sharma Governor, Bank of Guyana - Dr Gobind Ganga
Ambassador to United States of America, Dr Riyad Insanally Ambassador to China Bayney Karran Ambassador to Kuwait Shamir Ally Ambassador to Cuba Halim Majeed Auditor General - Deodat Sharma Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud Commissioner of Police (Acting) - David Ramnarine Director of Public Prosecutions - Shalimar Ali-Hack Chief Medical Officer Dr Shamdeo Persaud Advisor to President Granger - Dr. Jan Mangal Chief of Staff, Office of the Prime Minister - Omar Bissoon Advisor to Prime Minister Nagamootoo - Dr Rovin Deodat Advisor to Minister Joseph Harmon - Geeta Chandan-Edmund
CEO, GuySuCo - Errol Hanoman CEO, Guyana Energy Agency - Mahendra Sharma General Manager, Guyana Gold Board - Lisa Ramoutar (daughter of Donald Ramoutar) CEO, Cheddi Jagan International Airport - Ramesh Gheer Director, Budget Planning - Sonya Roopnauth CEO, NAREI - Dr Oudho Homenauth Director-General, Civil Defence Commission - Col Chabilall Ramsarup Chief Hydromet Officer - Bhaleka Seulall Chief Labour Officer Yoganand Persaud CEO, Berbice Bridge Company - Omadat Samaroo CEO, National Frequency Management Unit - Valmiki Singh Legal Officer, Guyana Revenue Authority - Hessaun Nandlall (ex-wife of Anil Nandlall) Regional Executive Officer, Region Three - Denis Jaikarran General Manager (ag), Guyana National Newspapers Limited - Moshamie Ramotar Editor-in-Chief (ag), National Communications Network - Sharda Lall Editor-in-Chief, Guyana Information Agency - Shanta Goberdhan Deputy Mayor, Georgetown - Lionel Jaikarran Deputy Mayor, Bartica Kamal Persaud Chairman, National Insurance Scheme - Dr Surendra Persaud Chairman, Guyana Power & Light - Robert Badal Chairperson, GO-Invest - Patricia Bacchus Chairperson, Customs Tariff Tribunal - Claudette Singh Chairman, NARIE – Major-General (Rtd) Joe Singh Chairman, Firearm Licensing Approval Board Roopnarine Sukhai Chairman, Dependent’s Pension Fund - Col. Jawahar Persaud Chairman, National Sports Commission - Ivan Persaud Chairman, Demerara Harbour Bridge - Shabir Hussain Director, Guyana National Broadcasting Authority Schecherazade Ishoof-Khan State boards are literally loaded with a large number of Indo-Guyanese. The list is unending. If there is ethnic cleansing in government, why are the persons listed above and the thousands of others who remain in their jobs or who have been appointed since
GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 5, 2017
still in position? It is true that persons have been replaced and the services of some have been terminated, but none of this was done on the basis of ethnicity. Any such assertion constitutes a dangerous attempt at divisionist politics which seeks to pit persons of different ethnicities against each other and can be the spark to instigate ethnic insecurities. What the opposition leader is not acknowledging is his own record, which he appears to be attempting to whitewash. Under his presidency and that of his successor, there was systematic exclusion of persons of a certain ethnicity from a certain category of positions; that through nepotism, preferential facilitation and manoeuvring, political surrogates and lackeys were loaded into strategic offices. There was little, if any, consideration of suitability and capacity, the only requirement seemed to have been political loyalty. What in fact was inherited by the Coalition Government was a lopsided public service packed with PPP political underlings and proxies, who did not resign in the aftermath of May 2015 as would have been expected and many of whom, to this day, remain ensconced in the system. It is widely believed, with more than good reason, that many of these persons are taking political directives from outside of government, engaging in daily subterfuge, sabotage and internecine undermining of government’s work. There have been several public instances of this, at the Attorney General’s Chambers and other prominent government offices. This government continues to be considerate of these persons’ livelihoods and accommodate these political proxies, to its own daily detriment as the duly elected administration. What is depraved and a perversion of reality, is that with its own reprobate record, the PPP could level such a charge.
The situation was so grim and hopeless for Afro-Guyanese under the former PPP regime that in 2011, while Mr. Jagdeo was still President, his Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr. Roger Luncheon, is reported in one of the daily newspapers as having confirmed, in court, that there were no suitably qualified Afro-Guyanese to be posted as ambassador overseas. That forms part of Mr Jagdeo’s presidential legacy. Yet, there is more. Recounting Mr Jagdeo’s divisive comments in New York, writing in a column of July 30, 2016, former Speaker of the National Assembly and high-ranking PPP Executive Committee member Mr Ralph Ramkarran SC, submitted, “[T]his is a wholly new dimension to the PPP’s agenda, namely, its formal and official transformation by Mr. Jagdeo into an ethnic party representing exclusively ethnic interests. Cheddi Jagan must be turning in his grave!” Referring to Mr Jagdeo’s comments at Babu Jaan in 2015, in a letter to Stabroek News (March 11, 2015), attorney-at-law and accountant Christopher Ram, wrote, “The specifics of what he had to say about the opposition constituted naked racism.” It needs to be said so that it may be put to rest. It does not require diplomatic or charitable language. For too long in Guyana we have been hesitant, resistant and reluctant to confront that which we need to. Perhaps controversially, it requires crudeness and being direct about the issue. Someone needs to bell Mr Jagdeo for his irresponsible nonsense. And so here it is. Mr Jagdeo’s accusations of ethnic cleansing against this government is presumptuous political posturing. It lacks coherence, any grounding in reality and credibility. It is garbage, germinated in genuine desperation for continued political relevance.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 5, 2017
UG calls in cops Guyanese man shot dead on worksite to probe theft at ICT centre – manager, several staff members sent on leave
UNIVERSITY of Guyana Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith, has asked the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Guyana Police Force to launch an investigation into the operations of the Centre for Information Technology (CIT), following allegations of theft of equipment and misconduct of staff members. In a statement, UG said the Manager of the Centre and several employees have been sent on leave as an interim measure to allow the investigation to proceed without disruption of evidence, and to preserve a safe, orderly, and professional work environment. A temporary manager has been identified to oversee the operations of the centre during the conduct of the investigation. In a meeting with the relevant CIT staff and CID officials yesterday, Vice-Chancellor Griffith voiced his commitment to having the appropri-
ate action taken by the police after the investigation ends. Additionally, the Ministry of Public Telecommunications has been asked to conduct a forensic audit of the centre’s operations at the Turkeyen and Berbice campuses and the four centres of the Institute of Distance and Continuing Education located at Anna Regina, Georgetown, Linden and New Amsterdam. The audit begins today. According to the release, the vice-chancellor has briefed the presidents of the two university unions and the students’ society, as well as relevant university leaders on the development. “He also wishes to assure the university community that the centre’s service to students and staff will be normal while the CID conducts its comprehensive investigation and the Ministry of Public Telecommunications undertakes an institution-wide audit of the CIT, which has
been plagued with multiple challenges for some time.” Established in 1963 on a part-time basis with shared space at Queen’s College, UG moved to its own campus at Turkeyen in 1970 and expanded in 2000 with the addition of the Tain Campus. It now offers more than 60 under-graduate and post-graduate programmes, including the Natural Sciences, Engineering, Environmental Studies, Forestry, Urban Planning and Management, Tourism Studies, Education, Creative Arts, Economics, Law, Medicine, Optometry and Nursing. Several online programmes are available and The UG also offers extra-mural classes at four locations through its Institute of Distance and Continuing Education (IDCE). The UG also offers the opportunity for student engagement in debating, sports, and cultural, religious and professional activities.
VAT on education meeting for Friday FOLLOWING concerns raised by citizens regarding the 14 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) on private tuition, a team of Government ministers will be meeting with parents and operators of private schools on Friday at 11:00hrs at the National Cultural Centre (NCC). According to a statement from the Ministry of the Presidency, this decision was taken by Cabinet at its meeting on Tuesday. Government is inviting these stakeholders to attend the consultation to
ensure a frank and open discussion. Minister of Education, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, said that, “we are prepared to hear what the concerns are and see how best we can address them.” This tax requirement on private tuition came into effect following passage of the 2017 national budget. A group of students and private school operatives have been protesting almost weekly in front of the Ministry of Finance calling for rescission of the tax. The group had submitted to the Gov-
ernment a petition against “VAT on education” signed by 14,000 persons. President David Granger has said that the 14 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) on private institutions will stay for now. As of February 1, 2017, private education institutions are required to pay a 14 per cent VAT as a result of the removal of certain zero-rated items in the 2017 budget. Finance Minister Winston Jordan had said of some 57 private institutions in Guyana, only eight are tax-compliant.
A WORKPLACE argument spiralled into gun violence after, police said, an employee of a Chili’s restaurant in Miami Gardens was shot and killed, Monday afternoon. According to Miami Gardens Police, the male employee, later identified as 36-year-old Lester Reid, was shot inside the restaurant, located at 19801 N.W. 2 Ave., by 31-year-old Arturo Exum. Police said the victim got into an argument with another employee. They said the other employee reportedly called Exum, her boyfriend, who came into the restaurant and opened fire, fatally striking Reid. “Shot him twice and left,” said witness Alex Escalda. “She left out the front door, got into a green Mustang
Lester Reid
and took off … I saw a green Mustang take off.” Paramedics transported Reid to Aventura Hospital, where he later died. Witnesses said the victim may have been a cook. “It’s uncomfortable ’cause everybody’s here working,” said a nearby worker. “It’s a plaza full of working people.” Other witnesses told
The suspected shooter Arturo Exum
7News they saw the victim covered in blood, as he was being transported on a gurney and into the ambulance. “It was intense. It was intense,” Escalda said. The restaurant remained closed on Monday night. Police are currently searching for Exum. (7News Miami)
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 5, 2017
PAC Chairman charges...
Region Two mired in systemic administrative problems CHAIRMAN of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Mr Irfaan Ali, has charged that the Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) administration is mired in systemic prob-
lems. “There are systematic [sic] problems in Region Two, at the highest level in the administration,” Ali said. “I am very disappointed with the way the REO is re-
sponding; it shows that they have a lot of issues with following guidelines,” he told a PAC meeting Monday. In the hot seat at the time was Regional Executive Officer (REO), Mr Rupert
Hopkinson, who is alleged to have erred on many occasions in relation to issues pertaining to the receipt of monies owed by contractors and the overpayment of employees. He was also accused
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Region Two REO, Mr Rupert Hopkinson
of overstepping his bounds on at least one occasion. Although Hopkinson and his regional team were given time to reconcile their accounts and information, Ali urged Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Communities, Mr Emil McGarrell to take whatever course of action he sees necessary in sorting out the matter. The chairman, however, cautioned McGarrell to ensure that whatever action he takes will help improve the functioning of the regional administration, as the Committee cannot continue to accept “inefficiencies.” Earlier in the PAC meeting, members of the Committee grilled Hopkinson for allowing persons to occupy government’s properties free of charge. In his defence, the REO said that he had exercised “discretion” when making those decisions, and that he would be the first to admit that his discretion does not supersede the law, which clearly states that the power to make such decisions is vested in the PS and not him. When questioned by committee member, Mr Nigel Dharamlall, about his overpaying employees, Hopkinson said that having realised his mistake, he had written Republic Bank Guyana asking for a refund, but subsequently learnt that there was no money in the employees’ accounts.
Besides being told that what he did was ultra vires, Hopkinson was also advised that the bank is not obliged to tell any entity whether someone’s account has money or not. Hopkinson, however, countered by saying that he was told otherwise by the Region’s Chief Accountant, in that it was the right course of action to take. At this point, he was cau-
PAC Chairman, Mr Irfaan Ali
tioned by PAC’s Bishop Juan Edghill that the Regional Accounting Officer obviously does not know what he’s talking about, or is totally at sea where ‘simple’ banking procedures are concerned. “The right way,” Edghill said, “would have been to issue a stop order to the bank, so that the transaction could have been frozen and cancelled. “Getting money out of the person’s account could only be done by way of judgment from a court of law.” By this time, tension had begun to mount, as committee members were clearly frustrated by what they were hearing from the Region Two officials. As Chairman Ali observed, members of the delegation seem to be blithely ‘unaware’ of what’s required of them when it comes to making administrative decisions.
GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 5, 2017
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 5, 2017
Parking meters here to stay
– but cost definitely has to be reduced – Councillor Garrett By Telesha Ramnarine “THE parking meters are here to stay!” Councillor and Member of the City Council’s Finance Committee, Junior Garrett, declared on Monday. The Mayor and City Council (M&CC) had invited business owners to a meeting to discuss the way forward regarding commer-
cial waste disposal. During his comments, Bourda businessman Suresh Narine voiced his opinion of the parking meter system, which is currently on a pause, and remarked that he could not see himself giving support to it since 80 percent of the profits were going to Smart City Solutions (SCS), the company that was granted
the concession by M&CC to install the meters. In response to Narine, Garrett made it clear that the parking meters are here to stay, but was interrupted by Mayor Patricia Chase-Green, who asked that he stick to the issue of garbage disposal. Contacted for a comment following the City Hall meeting, Garrett told the Guyana
Chronicle that he merely uttered the words of Communities Minister, Ronald Bulkan, who expressed the same sentiments last week during a radio programme. “It has to remain! How are you going to have development in a country without order? People are driving wild on the road. All of the ABC (American, British and Canadian) countries that help us, pay parking fees. Why shouldn’t we?” Garrett expressed. He recalled that parking meters date back to 1966 when the Council was in negotiations with a company called Sandach Parker to have them installed. Garrett is of
the view, though, that the cost to park will “definitely” have to be reduced. Meanwhile, Town Clerk Royston King, at the City Hall meeting, in his response to the businessman, pointed out that the City Council was getting 20 percent of the profits although it had to spend nothing. “The spaces that we’re getting nothing from now… we could’ve been getting 20 percent. Some people are even selling on them but we are getting nothing,” King expressed. Former Deputy Mayor, Sherod Duncan, had referred to King, Garrett, the mayor, and Councillor
Councillor Junior Garrett Oscar Clarke as the “fantastic four,” following their overseas trip to look into the matter of parking meters.
Police awaiting autopsy results
–– in suspicious death of Lusignan man POLICE on the East Coast Demerara are awaiting the results of today’s post-mortem to point them in a definitive direction in their investigations into the death of Ramesh Narine of Lusignan, East Coast Demerara. Relatives of the 42-yearold are reportedly suspicious about how he died, since he was last seen in the company of friends drinking. Police say they were told that the Lusignan handyman had fallen Monday and injured his head, and that this may have resulted in his demise.
Dead: Ramesh Narine Relatives, however, have another take on the matter, since they are saying that Narine had been drinking on Monday with two friends a
street away from where he lived. They say they were surprised when they later received word that he was lying on the road, helpless. His sister, Savitrie, said that upon arrival on the scene where her brother lay, she saw what appeared to be marks of violence on his face and head. Police have since taken statements from the two friends with whom Narine was allegedly drinking as their investigations continue. The man’s body is at the Lyken Funeral Parlour.
Pork-knocker killed during fight ONE man is in custody as police in “F” Division investigate the death of a pork-knocker who was killed Monday in CuyuniMazaruni, Region Seven. Dead is Phillip Cort, 53, of 32 Queen Street, Courtland Village, Corentyne Berbice. His body was discovered Monday night after police received a call about a fight between two men close to Armu Landing in Cuyuni-Mazaruni. Police responded quickly and managed to apprehend a suspect, who was involved in the confrontation with the pork-knocker. The suspect is a 35-year-old gold miner from Wismar Hill, Linden. Investigations have so far revealed that about 15:00hrs on Sunday, April 02, 2017, Cort had an altercation with a male suspect, who is also said to be a miner,
over some missing raw gold, during which he was allegedly beaten by the suspect and subsequently died. The body is presently at the Bartica Hospital Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem. Police said the body was found with multiple marks of violence. When contacted, Commander of “F” Division, Ravindradat Budhram, confirmed the death, noting that ‘disorderly murders’ have always been a problem in the hinterland. According to the Commander, miners imbibe heavily and get into drunken brawls over women, among other things, which ultimately lead to death. The Commander related that the leading contributors are alcohol abuse, domestic violence and worksite disputes.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Veteran Guyanese journalist dies VETERAN journalist, Steve Narine passed away on Monday April 3, 2017 at his Success, East Coast Demerara home at the age of 83. A statement from the Guyana Press Association (GPA) offered its heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Mr Narine. According to the GPA, up to 2015, Mr. Narine worked at the Government Information Agency (GINA) as a Research Officer before he was relieved of his duties. “Many would remember him as a fixture at the Agency, an agency he would have worked with intermittently over the years,
Steve Narine
as GINA and when it was referred to as the Government Information Service,” GPA noted. According to the GPA,
Mr. Narine started his career as a journalist at the age of 20 at the Guyana Graphic. He would later work at GuySuCo, GuyBank, and the Mirror; in the 1970s he joined the Guyana Chronicle as a Senior Reporter. He would later leave the Guyana Chronicle for the Stabroek News. “Mr. Narine was one of several stalwarts honoured by the Guyana Press Association in 2003 for long and outstanding service in the local media. He would be remembered for his contribution to the media landscape, his sharp writing and wit,” the GPA statement concluded.
Parish Peak off-limits to mining – environmental, forest certification considerations must be assessed
THE Ministry of Natural Resources said the lands in Parish Peak, Upper Berbice area are off-limits to mining activities and has advised the Berbice Mining Syndicate to wait on environmental and forest certification considerations that have to be assessed before any decision can be made about accessing the area for mining purposes. In a release on Tuesday the ministry said that it has observed that the Berbice Mining Syndicate has been speaking in the media about lack of access to the Parish Peak area. At a meeting between the Ministry and various mining syndicates held last week Wednesday, this matter was raised with the Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman. The minister at that meeting informed the head of the Berbice Mining Syndicate that there are environmental and forest certification considerations that have to be assessed before any decision can be made about accessing the area for mining purposes. The minister informed
the miners that in the interim the area will remain off-limits. The syndicates were all reminded that not all lands applied for, or in which interest is shown can or will be allocated, and that the President has appointed a Lands Commission to review and make recommendations on the use of interior lands. This syndicate, like all others, will be accommodated to the best of Government’s ability and must abide by the guidelines and rules agreed at the meeting held. The area in question is a Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Reserved Area, one of which had been held by Goldstone Resources Ltd. in 1999. A Biodiversity Assessment Team (BAT) Survey in 2014 had determined that the area is important for biodiversity, as the Upper Berbice River region comprises pristine lowland forests containing diverse and abundant wildlife. The Report has recommended stringent monitoring by the relevant regulatory agencies, including the Guy-
ana Forestry Commission (GFC), EPA, and Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), along with local residents and relevant communities to ensure compliance with Guyana’s regulations and laws and to prevent overharvesting and the removal of protected/ prohibited species. It has also been recommended that local stakeholders must be incorporated in decision-making, management and monitoring of the area, since they have the best local knowledge and that the use of the main access road must be monitored. Measures must also be taken to prohibit unauthorised activities and regulate wildlife harvesting according to the 2013 Guyana Wildlife Management and Conservation regulations. In light of the above, the Ministry of Natural Resources must reiterate that engagements with the various stakeholders, including the Land Commission engagements, must continue before further decisions can be taken.
Army investigating grenade find at Timehri school
THE Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is investigating how one of its smoke-grenades came to be in the possession of a 10-year-old, while at school on Monday. The discovery was made during school hours at the Timehri Primary, on the East Bank, and the child’s uncle, an army sergeant, was on Monday night pulled in by the police for questioning. According to reports, police were called in to the school around 13:30 hrs on Monday after a teacher saw
the 10-year-old walking up the school’s stairs with the grenade in his hand. It is alleged that when asked by the teacher what he had in his hand, the child replied that it was “a spark” he got from his seven-yearold cousin, who lives at Timehri. The sergeant, who is stationed at Special Forces Base Camp Stephenson, reportedly told investigators that on March 10, he uplifted 50 smoke grenades with which to train ranks. He is reported to have
said that of the lot, only 46 grenades were used for the training, and that three of the remaining four were diffused. The other, he said, was inadvertently left in his travelling bag. He said that upon returning home, his seven-year-old son must have taken the grenade out of the travelling bag and given it to his cousin, mistakenly thinking it was some sort of toy. Police subsequently searched the sergeant’s home and found nothing else.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 5, 2017
The pseudo theory of abstinence-only approaches
By Akola Thompson
ON March 29, 2017, a letter was printed in the Kaieteur News, headlined “Pseudo theories in the promotion of sex education,” by Matthew Gaul. The letter, which appears to be a mantra for the long- failing ideology of “abstinence-only” sex education, stated that “homosexuality, abortion and masturbation are heavily promoted, while abstinence
is given miniscule attention,” in volumes done by UNESCO and the World Health Organisation. The obviously misguided Gaul went on to say in his letter that “Comprehensive Sex Education is expertly disguised abortion rights, LGBT rights and sexual-pleasure education masquerading as human rights and gender and sexual reproductive health,” and made a call for The Ministry of Education to “reject
all proposals to have contraceptive services provided to schoolchildren.” In reading the letter, I went from amusement to disbelief that despite all the evidence pointing to the failing system of abstinence only, people still have such misinformed views. The letter reminds me of those sent out by climate change deniers, who despite seeing the evidence of a fastly warming earth, refuse to educate themselves further
on it or selectively nitpick facts. I found Mr Gaul’s letter ironic also for several reasons, for one, as defined by Standford.edu as “A belief or practices which attempt to gain legitimacy by wearing the trappings of Science, pseudo-theories have no basis in fact and rely purely on belief systems. By that definition, the real pseudo-theory of sex education is abstinence. Gaul’s letter in my opinion
was a not so expertly disguised anti-choice, erasure of LGBT rights and purity politics dressed gaudily as “informed” musings. He stated that given the high statistics of STDs in Men who have Sex with Men(MSM), “we should not promote and celebrate a scientifically unhealthy lifestyle to impressionable young minds.” Yes, MSMs are much more prone to STDs and the reasons for this are several. Ranging from biology straight down to misinformation caused by those such as Gaul, who tout heteronormative ideas about sex education, basically erasing different sexualities from the right to access information merely because he has not grown up in a society in which it is considered acceptable. Yes, they have higher risks because they do not know better, due to the fact that sex education currently caters only for heterosexuals. Gaul states that “such piffle and balderdash should not be indoctrinated into innocent minds of children,” but to whom does he refer? Does he refer to the queer/questioning children trying to understand themselves and looking for ways in which they will be protected always, or the child whose sexuality aligns with popular opinions? Gaul, much like any upholder of purity politics which see many men and women -- particularly women being shamed, harassed and raped on a regular basis -- stated that we must also teach children of the “horrific physical, spiritual and psychological effects of pre-marital sex,adding, that “we must not continue to ignore God’s clearly defined boundaries for sexual activity.” If one of the strongest arguments in Gaul’s letter is his allusion to a deity, then I am not sure how much stock he expects us to place in his words. What Gaul, parents, teachers and the Ministry of Education themselves forget,
is that abstinence-only programmes violates the Constitution, as it relates to the separation of church and state and as it uses government funds to promote religious ideologies. I am not against teaching children abstinence, they should be taught it, but when we make the mistake of trying to teach them that alone without even attempting to prepare them for the realities of the world, that is when I’d need people to remove the blinders off of their eyes because their children will and are most likely already having sex. The Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association last year conducted a ‘snap survey,’ which focused on sexual trends among the adolescent and youth population in the country. Carried out in eight of Guyana’s 10 administrative regions, it was found that more than 50 percent of youths still in school are sexually active. Chances are that these numbers are remarkably higher. Abstinence-only education does not adequately prepare youths, as it does not even discuss dangers of AIDS and other diseases. Giving children information about their bodies and the risks associated with sex will not see a breakdown in their decisional capacities, but a strengthening of it. Do we really want misinformed and ill-prepared young adults running around the place? Our nation’s children rely on us to give them a truly comprehensive sex education and abstinence-only programmes do not help them. Children need to be taught about sexualities, consent, safe sex and sending them into the world without the necessary information will see higher STD and pregnancy rates. Our children do not need a long- failed approach, they actually need solid information supported by facts and not beliefs.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 5, 2017
National Library launches 9th literacy competition THE National Library, with the continued support of its partner P&P Insurance Brokers, has launched another year of its annual National Library’s inter-prisons essay and short story competition and inter-schools quiz competition 2017. Chief Librarian, Emiley King, accepted regular donations from the insurance representatives on Monday, when the competition was officially opened at the National Library. King told the Guyana Chronicle that its literacy competitions have been running since 2009, since the insurance company pledged its support in the area of literacy. What is even more astounding about the assistance of the company, she noted, is their continued support of incarcerated persons through the literacy initiative. “We look at it as part of the rehabilitation process. It is something to say to them (prisoners) that you are not forgotten and we look
Chief Librarian Emiley King accepts contributions by P&P’ representative on behalf of the National Library
forward to your successful return to society.” King explained that having this type of competition with prisoners helps to improve their literacy levels and being rewarded for it. The senior librarian said it was even found that some excellent literary pieces do come out of the prisons. The overall aim of the essay and short story com-
Demerara Criminal Assizes open for April session
petition organisers say, is to help improve prisoners’ self-image and self-esteem. To instill the pride of hard work and achievement, to help engage in healthy rivalry, a love for creative writing, positive expression of feelings and writing as a past time, among other benefits. The competition will see participants entering from the Georgetown, New Amsterdam, Timehri, Mazaruni and Lusignan prisons. The
categories are based on age groups from 17 to 36 and over. Each group will have four topics to write on, or sentences, to be incorporated into their essays. The first prize winner will receive $10,000, a trophy and a book. The second and third place winners will receive $7,000 and $5,000 respectively, as well as a trophy and a book. The competition will run until June 30. In the meantime, the
school quiz will commence on April 25 and conclude on May 31, with three rounds to be played involving secondary and primary school level students. Students will have to answer questions taken from the National Library Handbook, the Geography of Guyana, Guyana our Country, 100 Great West Indian Test Cricketers, and CXC Mathematics among many others. The areas of
questioning will involve English, Literature, Agriculture, Visual Arts, and Social Studies among others. It is said that students reading and research skills will be improved. Their knowledge-base becomes wider, while their retentive capabilities are improved. The competition seeks to foster healthy rivalry, and help students develop confidence and poise among other benefits. The library also hopes that the competition will help students recognise the importance of the facility as an information source. The schools with the highest points will emerge as winners. They will receive monetary prizes, books, trophies; an all-purpose printer for the top school and a compact disc player for the runner-up schools. Eight primary and eight secondary schools are expected to participate in the competition. It will be recorded at the National Centre of Educational Resource Development Building in Kingston and televised.
Wednesday, April 5, 2017 - 12:30 hrs Thursday, April 6, 2017 - 02:00 hrs | 13:30 hrs Tuesday, April 7, 2017 - 03:00 hrs | 14:30 hrs Acting Chief Justice, Ms. Roxane George-Wiltshire taking the salute from the ceremonial Guard of Honour
SOME 152 cases are slated to be heard during the April session of the Demerara Criminal Assizes which opened Tuesday. The matters at reference are expected to be heard before Justices Jo-Ann Barlow and Navindra Singh. Gaol delivery was done on Monday by Justice Singh, bringing to an end the January session, which com-
menced on January 10, 2017. A total of 19 matters were presented during the January session in the High Court of Demerara. The Berbice February Assizes will continue until June 20, 2017, when the June Assizes is set to commence. The Essequibo February Assizes will also continue until the May Assizes start on May 16, 2O17.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 5, 2017
20 receive training in petroleum technology TWENTY participants drawn from various ministries and agencies recently engaged in an intense five-day training workshop entitled ‘Basics of Petroleum Technology’, which was administered by the University of Trinidad and Tobago and facilitated by the New Guyana School. As part of its ongoing effort to ensure that Guyana stands ready for the oil and gas sector, the Ministry of Natural Resources sponsored the training, while extending an invitation to other ministries and government departments. Par-
ticipants came from the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), the Ministry of Finance and its entity, Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MoPI), the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) and the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS). In a release the Ministry of Natural Resources said the programme took place at the New Guyana School at Lot 1, Houston Gardens, from March 28, 2017 to April 1, 2017. The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) collaborated with
Participants of the training workshop
the New Guyana School on
the new programme, given the current mode of preparation in the country with regards to the upcoming oil and gas production. The aim of the training was to give technical and non-technical staff an excellent introduction to petroleum technology with a view to familiarising them with key terms, concepts and processes in the oil and gas sector. The course sought to trace the life of petroleum from its generation to the point of sale and to assist participants in understanding and appreciating the various processes which are involved in petroleum mid-stream and down-stream production for sale to the customer. Senior Lecturer in Pe-
troleum Engineering at UTT, Mr Indar Narace, an industry veteran, who has worked as a Petroleum Engineer at the Ministry of Energy in Trinidad and Tobago, delivered the knowledge in a relatable and practical manner. He employed the use of pictures, videos, charts and other forms of data to deliver the teaching. Further, his use of practical real world examples from his experience at the Ministry of Energy allowed participants the ability to grasp the concepts, which in many cases were new. Participants now have a better understanding of the relevance and applicability of petroleum processes to Guyana as our country is
now poised to become an environmentally friendly oil and gas producer. Among the topics delivered were: origin of petroleum and chemistry of Petroleum. The release said that as part of the training, the participants learnt about current best practices in well safety and environment, including the use of Blowout Preventers (BOP) in both onshore and offshore oilfields. The Ministry of Natural Resources will continue to seek opportunities to ensure that staff at various levels of the governance architecture has a thorough understanding of the oil and gas sector and how it can be sustainably managed.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 5, 2017
CIOG donates 1,000 pairs of shoes for students in need
First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger listens as Ms. Meira Kaia James warmly welcomes her to her Grade One classroom as, first and second from right, Sheikh Mooen-ul-Hack, Director of Education and Dawah at the CIOG and Mr. Fazil Hakh, a member of the CIOG looks on
First Lady Mrs Sandra Granger on Tuesday expressed gratitude to the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG), which presented her with a collection of 1,000 pairs of shoes in support of her programme to provide footwear for students, who are in need, particularly in the hinterland. The presentation was made at the CIOG’s Woolford Avenue complex.
The First Lady expressed gratitude to the organisation for its support. “I’m very appreciative of the CIOG’s generosity, [which] made this presentation possible … We will find a community or two that can really take advantage of this very kind offer. Please convey to your sponsors, Medical Watch Guyana, how very much we appreciate this. This will help the kids, which I think is our mutual area of interest,”
Mrs Granger was quoted as saying, in a release by the Ministry of the Presidency. Examining the donation, the First Lady was pleased to note that it included shoes of varying sizes as she caters for a wide age range and will benefit students at the nursery, primary and secondary levels. Sheikh Mooen-ulHack, Director of Education and Dawah at the CIOG, in an invited comment, said that the organisation decid-
ed to make the presentation to the First Lady as it receives many donations from Guyanese locally and in the diaspora, as well as from international organisations and it is pleased to share with groups that are charities. He expressed admiration for the work that the First Lady is doing in support of women, children and vulnerable groups across the country. “We commend the work that you’re doing; the people you’re reaching. We may not reach some of those folks. I believe in preventing duplication. If somebody is already accessing those communities, we prefer to just
pass it [on] to your [office]… We do admire the work that you’re doing. We have similar objectives and so we are here to support each other,” he said. Sheikh Mooen-ulHack then committed his organisation’s support to facilitate any of the projects, particularly in areas along the coast. CIOG Member, Brother Fazil Hakh and Sister Aleema Nasir, who heads the women’s arm of the CIOG, also attended the ceremony. After the presentation, the group, led by Sheikh Mooenul-Hack, took the First Lady on a tour of the CIOG’s Al-Ghazali Islamic
Academy, which caters for students from all religious faiths from pre-Kindergarten to Grade 11. The First Lady has received thousands of pairs of shoes, including “shoes that grow,” via the ‘Rethink Initiative - Kind Soles Project and other donors, who were quick to throw their support behind her work. The distribution of shoes exercise was rolled out in tandem with the President’s Boats, Buses, Bicycles plus Breakfast and Books (‘Five Bs’) programme, which is aimed at ensuring that every child has access to education.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Linden TV meeting breaks up over secret balloting By Vanessa Braithwaite
FEARING that they may have lost the chairmanship and secretary of the newly constituted Region 10 Broadcasting Inc, directors mostly aligned to the PNCR broke up a meeting of the Trust last week Friday after a vote on whether or not voting or balloting should be secret. The first meeting convened, unfortunately ended abruptly and its aim to appoint the chairman and trust secretary was not achieved. This mandate was given to the directors by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo on March 27 at a meeting held at the Ministry of the Presidency, where he engaged them on paving the way for es-
Pastor Morris McKinnon
tablishment of the television station. Critical to this establishment was the appointment of the chairperson and trust secretary. This however was not done and various reasons were related by some of the directors who were present. While Sharma Solomon,
the trust’s acting secretary opted not to comment, Pastor Morris McKinnon, who was one of the original four directors before the board was expanded, expressed grave concern about what had transpired as he believes that the actions of some of the newly appointed directors do not reflect on them as having the best interest of the people of Linden at heart. McKinnon said that questions on the legality of the board were raised by some of the directors, which were coupled with the request made for Mr Phillip Bynoe, who was originally chosen by the Regional Democratic Council as the community’s representative to be removed and replaced by the Regional Vice-Chairman, Elroy
Adolph. This however could not have been done as requested, according to McKinnon, but though it did not rest well with some, this was not the cause of the meeting ending abruptly. “They rejected the proposal to have the elections done by secret ballot, and when it was voted on, the group that was in favour of secret balloting had the edge, and that is what caused the whole destruction, that is what caused them to decide to not proceed and that they were going to wait until the prime minister had another meeting and for clarity to be gained, that is where the meeting ended, on the secret ballot issue,” said the Director. He then revealed that Mayor of Linden, Carwyn Holland; Regional Chairman, Renis Morian; Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira and Deputy Director of Community Development Council Sandra Adams walked out of the meeting. Pastor McKinnon said that it is very disturbing as the TV Station is for the people’s development in every aspect. “What I want to say is that Mr Solomon has done a very good job in sticking with this thing, I don’t know what the major problem is, people perceive different things, like somebody can run away with the television station and control it like a personal thing which cannot happen, the legal documents are very clear that it is the people’s thing and the prime minister said that he is giving it back to the people.” The pastor added that the directors who opted to walk out are now using the excuse that Sharma Solomon did not furnish them with legal documentation of the board as the reason for not holding the elections. TARDY Meanwhile, MP Figueira in an invited comment on Tuesday, said that Solomon had given the commitment to furnish the directors with the Articles of Association, which gives guidance on
how the trust must operate and he did not honour that commitment. “We believe that it would not have been prudent for us to make important decisions with respect to electing a chairman and secretary without prior knowledge with what the articles of Association speaks to…he was mandated to do that,” Figueira said. The MP revealed that Solomon was very tardy and did not have the documents in his possession. “We did have the meeting, but it was unsuccessful, the purpose of the meeting was to have the elections… and we did not go ahead, we cannot make an important decision of that magnitude without the information, so we are saying provide us with the information so that we can have the opportunity to peruse the information so that we can make an informed decision on these two important positions.” When asked how Solomon had responded to this request, Figueira said that he skirted over the issue and did not give the directors a satisfactory answer. Vladimir Glasgow, the Prime Minister’s Representative for Region 10, was elected as the Returning Officer for the elections after some hesitation was received from some of the directors. In commenting on what transpired, Glasgow echoing what Pastor McKinnon said, posited that the first hiccup came when some of the newly appointed board members requested that Mr Bynoe be removed as a director, but were told that such a decision had to be made by the board and not Regional Democratic Councillors. Subsequently, the majority voted for secret balloting, while the minority, including Regional Chairman Renis Morian, MP Figueira, CDC Deputy Director Sandra Adams and Mayor Carwyn Holland voted against. “They weren’t in favour of it and they got up and walked out of the election because of the fact that they could not get the election to go in the direction that they wanted it to go by the show of hands and not
Vladimir Glasgow, Prime Minister’s Representative for Region 10
secret ballot,” Vladimir said. “These people do not want to see progress in the region, these people do not have the people of Linden at heart and they don’t want to see Linden strive, they are only there for personal gains and benefits, Vladimir posited. CONSENSUS At the meeting held with the directors on March 27 the prime minister mentioned that the government was eager to hand over the station, but it was the board that needed to ensure that they reached consensus on the trust company to manage the affairs of the television station. He also pledged government’s support to upgrade and better outfit the facility after it is handed over. Recently,the Guyana Chronicle solicited comments from a resident of Linden relative to the establishment of the television station and many expressed frustration and disappointment over the delay. “What I am saying is that they promise we this thing so long and we can’t get it up to now, there are so many things going on in Linden, people want to air their concerns and their views, not everybody get money to buy papers every day or read news online, and we need we television so that we can see what going on in we community at least three times a week, once a week is not good enough for Linden, we need our station,” a market vendor said. The application for a television station was made after residents had complained about the limited and bias content that they were subjected to. The Government signed an agreement to grant the licence August 21st 2012 after a deadly protest which resulted in the death of three Lindeners.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 5, 2017
75 cane planters seeking other jobs …say unfamiliar with cane-harvesting By Alva Solomon SEVENTY-five sugar workers are contemplating their next move after being left without canes to plant at the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s (GuySuco) Enmore estate. The men, who have been planting canes for years at Enmore and the defunct La Bonne Intention (LBI) Estate, were subsequently offered cane-planting jobs at the estate; however they requested other duties such as factory work, since they were not familiar with cane-cutting. The men work on the estate lands both at LBI and Enmore, commonly referred to as the East Demerara Estates. General Secretary of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) , Seepaul Narine told the media on Tuesday during a press briefing at the union’s High Street offices that the workers were told by the management of the corporation that planting was suspended at the estate. Instead, only cane-cutting jobs were available and as such the men have been out
of work for almost a month. In addition, Narine said the “cane-tops”, which are used for replanting, were reaped and taken to the factory for grinding in mid-February a move which he noted may be a signal that the Enmore estate will be closed soon. He said the corporation has also indicated that planting was suspended at the two estates. According to GAWU, on March 24, a delegation from the union met with members
of the corporation’s Industrial Relations Department and the Estate Management. The body said GuySuCo’s assurance that the planters would be offered alternative work, such as engagement in the factory, rat baiting, infield weeding, and canal-cleaning was not realised. When the men assumed work on March 27, 2017, the workers were advised by the management of the Estate that only cane-cutting tasks would be provided to
them. GAWU said this was a violation of an understanding agreed upon in a matter of days since the new task, with which the men were unfamiliar, was forced upon them. According to GAWU, the men with the Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Keith Scott on March 27, 2017 and at that minister suggested that the union write the Agriculture Minister to seek an audience with him, since he is charged with responsibility for GuySuCo.” Our Union and the workers having given consideration to
Minister Scott’s suggestion subsequently wrote Minister Holder,” GAWU said. However, the union has received no acknowledgment from the subject minister. GAWU said the ongoing situation at the East Demerara estates mirrors what occurred at the Wales Estate. The workers, several of whom flanked Narine and other officials of GAWU on Tuesday, called on Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder, to intervene in the matter. They also called on GuySuCo to give them the required payment for the
GAWU General Secretary, Seepaul Narine (second left), sits alongside the affected sugar-cane planters
days they were denied work opportunities. Narine said the union will decide on its next move if it does not receive any acknowledgment from the subject minister or GuySuco on the issue. Last month, during a protest activity outside the Ministry of the Presidency, GAWU President, Komal Chand, told this publication that Narine had said that the workers at those two estates are worried about their future, since government has not denied that the two estates in question are slated for closure. He said an estimated 2000 workers, some of whom joined him in the protest, will be affected if that decision is made. In 2016, Cabinet took the decision at its last sitting of the year, to have the consultations begin at the soonest possible time to ensure that the best interest of all stakeholders will be considered. In February, Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, in accepting the proposals from GAWU at a final stakeholder meeting held at the Ministry of Agriculture, said that Cabinet felt that consultation was the best way to go in the interest of all stakeholders.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Blind students experience forest animals for first time ‌as Iwokrama continues outreach activities
THE IWOKRAMA International Centre continues its outreach to special needs groups in Guyana in an effort to ensure that all Guyanese are informed about its programmes of
rainforest and biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. Last Friday, Dr Raquel Thomas (tropical forest ecologist and Director of Resource Management
and Training at Iwokrama), together with Daisy Payne (a British volunteer with Iwokrama), held a ground-breaking interactive session with the students of the Ministry of Education’s
Unit for the Blind at Albert Street, Alberttown, Georgetown. The Unit has been functioning since the 1980s and
was housed at the St Roses High School in Georgetown, until it came to be housed at the Albert Street location in 2014, Iwokrama said in a release. The Unit currently provides for the educational needs of 14 blind and visually-impaired students. Five of
the students attend the Unit on a full-time basis, while the others attend mainstream schools in the city, but take classes at the Unit to reinforce their knowledge in various subject areas. Turn to Page 21
A student touching the life-sized representations of various animals
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Trial continues in GMC fraud case THE trial against Former General Manager (GM) of the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) , Nizam Hassan, and Felecia De Souza-Madramootoo who are charged with conspiracy to procure money continued on Tuesday. The trial is based on the allegation that the defendants sought to be paid by false pretense in relation to the approval of payments for low-graded rehabilitation works done on the GMC building at Robb Street, Georgetown. Detective Sergeant, Selish Boodnarine, who is stationed at Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), testified during Tuesday hearing. According to the officer he was assigned to carry out investigation surrounding the construction of the GMC building on Robb Street. The witness added that on July 5, 2016 at SOCU headquarters he contacted Afraz Ali, the project manager of the construction of the GMC building and interviewed him in relation to the construction of the said building. A statement and several emails between Ali and Nizam Ramkissoon (a Director of Constantine Engineering and Construction Services Limited, Trinidad and Tobago) was taken. Boodnarine explained that he subsequently went
Nizam Hassan, Former General Manager of GMC
to the Commercial Registry and uplifted a certified copy of the article of incorporation for the company, Constantine Engineering and Construction Services Limited. However there was no objection on the tendering of the emails and the article of the company being tendering for identification purposes in court by DeSouza-Madramootoo attorney, Glen Hanoman and Hassan attorney, Marcel Bobb. The matter will continue today. A total of 34 witnesses are expected to be called by Prosecutor, Alwyn Moore. In the meantime, Hassan, 50, of Good Hope, East Coast Demerara and De Souza-Madramootoo, 34, of Lusignan, East Coast
Blind students... “I believe that everyone has a right to learn about and understand the environment around them, particularly in a country like Guyana, which is so diverse in plants and animals,” said Ms Payne. “Some of the children were incredibly knowledgeable about their country, but I am confident in saying that everyone learnt something new! The children were able to learn more about their environment, the history of protected areas and the animals of Guyana through touching, listening and engaging,” she added. Ms Payne noted that the students, as well as teachers, are now eager to learn more about Iwokrama and would even like to visit the rainforest to discover these national treasures for themselves. According to the release, the Iwokrama team mainly used life-sized representations of various animals (made of balata), including the caiman, jaguar, monkeys, and the capybara, to help the
students and teachers understand what the animals look like. After the interactive session, Ms Payne used an audio recording of the sounds of animals in the rainforest to quiz the students. “Honestly I didn’t know anything about Iwokrama until a few weeks ago when I met Raquel. I once had sight and so I know what certain animals look like, but I realised we are not conscious of the fact that those of us born blind have no sense of the world unless we experience it by touch or other means,” said Rosemarie Ramitt, a full-time teacher at the Unit. “Some of these children were born blind and this experience of feeling these animals created a whole new image in their mind. Can you imagine what it would be like if I describe an animal to you but you have no idea of what it looks like unless you get to touch it? This has definitely increased the imagination of our students,” she said after the conclusion of the session. June Herod, the Head
Demerara have each been released on $250,000 bail. The duo has been instructed to report to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) Headquarters, Camp Road, Georgetown and instructed to lodge their passports with the court. It is alleged that between October 28, 2010 and April 25, 2012, they conspired with each other to commit the offence by continuously approving payments which were made to the contractor of the engineering firm for works that were incompetently and incorrectly done with inferior materials to rehabilitate the GMC building at Robb and Alexander Streets, Bourda, Georgetown; knowing that such works should not have been approved. Also charged with the offence were Hanniel Madramootoo, the husband of De Souza-Madramootoo, his brother Phillip Madramootoo and his friend Nizam Ramkissoon, Directors of Constantine Engineering and Construction Services Limited, Trinidad and Tobago. However, the charges were withdrawn against them based on advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). Charges were recommended against Hassan and the other persons after the Spe-
From Page 20 of the Unit, was grateful to Iwokrama for recognising the need to help the students appreciate the animals of the rainforest. She said that the teachers at the Unit use various methods; including designing raised diagrams, so that children at least have a 2D vision of various lessons. The Unit currently has eight teachers; though they were not trained in special education, Ms Herod said they use their initiative, their creativity and whatever resources they have to teach the curriculum. “We do teach them about animals, but this experience, I can tell you, was very different. They were able to get a first-hand experience by being able to feel the animals in 3D. You could have seen the excitement in their expressions,” said Ms Herod. Iwokrama expressed appreciation to Conservation International-Guyana and Protected Areas Commission for providing some of the educational aids for the exercise.
CHARGED: Felecia De Souza-Madramootoo
cial Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) completed its report into the investigations of the multimillion-dollar construction of the GMC office building. A forensic audit report submitted last year April by auditor, Saykar Boodhoo, had flagged the construction, citing several worrying things at GMC, an agency of the Ministry of Agriculture. The forensic audit report was sent to Cabinet, where it was decided that the findings of the report were serious enough to warrant a deeper investigation into, not only the construction of the building, but also into the handling of hundreds of millions of dollars of fertilizers.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Aries You are a force to be reckoned with wherever you go now, and you believe there’s very little that can get in your way. Your rise in confidence is less a statement of your ego than the result of your profound connection to a deeper source of meaning. Although the fiery Leo Moon harmonizes with the radiant Sun in your 1st House of Self, it’s the invincible Mars-Pluto combo that makes you an undeniable winner. Remember, you didn’t wake up today to be mediocre. Taurus Your unwavering resolve might be the key to putting things back on track today. You have an opportunity to shift the dynamics professionally, especially if you recently promised more than you could deliver or fell short of someone’s expectations. But you won’t get something for nothing; you must stay focused on your goal and be relentless in your pursuit of completion. An intense burst of effort now is worth a bit of exhaustion later. Anne Frank wrote, “Laziness may appear attractive, but work gives satisfaction.” Gemini Making changes that endure isn’t always as straightforward as it seems; your attention shifts and what was important one day may abruptly drop off your radar screen the next. Fortunately, there is cosmic superglue at work today, enabling a modification to your daily routine to become a part of your foundation rather than just a passing whim. Within reasonable limits, you really can do anything you imagine as long as you persist until you succeed. Cancer You feel invincible because everything you do now furthers your cause without running into resistance. Powerful allies show up to encourage your dreams today, and you would be wise to ask them to be a part of your team. Warrior Mars in your 11th House of Groups conspires with domineering Pluto, infusing you with a robust air of authority. Using this power for the good of all solidifies your reputation for kindness by leaving waves of positive energy in your wake. Leo You’re on a roll today and everything you encounter seems to add a little extra boost to your momentum. Unfortunately, you could be so engrossed with your forward movement that you overlook a co-worker’s feelings or ride roughshod over the wishes of those who might be your biggest fans. No goal is so urgent now that you can justify hurting anyone on your quest for success. Winnie the Pooh quipped, “A little consideration, a little thought for others, makes all the difference.” Virgo Your creativity bubbles up from a very deep well today, bringing thoughts into awareness that could change your life. A monumental idea is given a strong push by perceptive Pluto in your 5th House of Self-Expression. But you must take the next step by telling others about your intuitive vision for a better tomorrow or it will slip back into the recesses of your imagination. Ultimately, power is amplified by sharing knowledge, not by hoarding it. Libra You prefer to work with others now as part of a team on a larger project. Nevertheless, you’re unable to let down your guard while the melodramatic Leo Moon in your 11th House of Networks bumps into uncomfortable aspects with four planets. Thankfully, a resourceful Mars-Pluto trine motivates you to prevail today even when facing strong opposition. Educator Sir Ken Robinson says, “Collaboration is the stuff of growth.” Scorpio Woe be to those who attempt to block your progress today, for you’re not likely to be deterred by mere mortals. An inexhaustible trine between your key planets, Mars and Pluto, turns you into an action-hero transformer. If you don’t possess the right superpower to overcome an obstacle, you just morph into something else. But you’re not interested in wasting energy by demonstrating your capabilities just to put on a show now. Results are all that count. Sagittarius You may lose your sense of purpose, only to uncover a more meaningful mission later in the day. You’re normally not one to give up prematurely, but you’re tempted to toss in the towel when things don’t go your way today. It’s been said that quitting because of a setback is like slashing your other three tires after finding the first one flat. Tenacity is your friend. Rumi advises, “Live your life as if everything is rigged in your favour.” Capricorn There’s no reason to treat your current situation as normal since everything you do has wider ramifications than you are aware of now. You’re willing to work long hours when you see the potential for a positive outcome. Everyone knows that once you make up your mind, you put your heart and soul into reaching your goals. But spend a little time reassessing what motivates you. Satisfaction is within reach if you can stay true to your original intentions. Success without integrity is failure. Aquarius You are as steady as a rock today and people close to you feel like you are an effective anchor in the midst of a storm. However, you may find that playing the role of the dependable one grows too restrictive over time. Fortunately, honouring your priorities allows you to plot your own trajectory while also being present for someone else’s benefit. Freeing your imagination is the first step toward freeing the rest of your life. Pisces Creating a tight agenda for the day is only one piece of the puzzle needed to manifest your hopes and dreams. In fact, willful Mars teams up with dark Pluto to channel news clips from the Underworld. Inexplicably, sharing your highly opinionated perspective doesn’t scare others off. Instead, your friends stand by ready to support your efforts as you forge a new path to success. If you are persistent, you are likely to receive the respect and admiration you seek. If you are consistent, you’ll keep it.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Keep a close eye on your children --heartbroken parents warn, after losing son two Easters ago By Clestine Juan WITH schools closing on Friday for the Easter holidays and thousands of children looking forward to the two-week break, parents and guardians are being cautioned to be extra vigilant where their charges are concerned. This timely warning is coming from the parents of nine-year-old Shaquan Gittens, who died rather tragically two Easters ago. On April 4, 2015, Shaquan’s bound and half-naked body was pulled from a trench aback South Ruimveldt, thereby bringing to an end a desperate three-day search in the hope that he would somehow be alive. Three days prior to the discovery, the child was last seen flying his kite in his South Ruimveldt neighbourhood. From all accounts, he knew his assailant, since the man reportedly lived in the said South Ruimveldt community. The 23-year-old suspect would eventually confess to committing the crime, and is now awaiting trial before the High Court. Speaking Tuesday to the Guyana Chronicle, the child’s parents, Doysha Gittens and Earl McAlmont explained that during this time of year, children tend to wander around the village aimlessly, flying their kites and just having a jolly good time playing with their little friends.
act.
He’d even confessed to ‘eyeing’ Shaquan for months, and having several confrontations with the child whenever he tried to approach him. He reportedly told the police that on the day the child disappeared, he’d ambushed and tripped him, causing him to fall. After Shaquan fell, the suspect said, he dragged
Dead: Shaquan Gittens
vising that parents should pay special attention to their children’s whereabouts, since kidnapping seems to be the order of the day of late. “A lot of predators kidnapping children now!” Mr McAlmont said. “My advice to parents is to pay attention to their children, especially at this Eastertime, when they tend to stray away from home,” he added. The grieving father said that while some parents would awake this Easter Monday to the smiling faces of their children, he would be painting
The dead child’s father, Earl McAlmont
PAEDOPHILES ON THE PROWL It is for this very reason that Shaquan’s dad is ad-
his baby’s tomb to mark his second death anniversary. Quoting a familiar saying, “It takes a village to raise a child”, Shaquan’s mother, who is a teacher, said that
neighbours should be like village watchdogs, watching out for every move the children make and reporting any irregular activities. This year, Easter Monday falls on April 17. According to Shaquan’s mother, had he lived, her son would have turned 12 on April 19. He would have also written the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), scheduled this year for April 12 and 13. The last time she saw her son alive, Shaquan’s mom said, was on April 1, 2015. She’d left him in the care of his 15-year-old brother and gone to work. On returning home later that day and not seeing him, she said she was told by his brother that Shaquan had left to go on the streets and play. Neighbours even told her that they did see him flying a kite. But after night came and she didn’t see him, she became worried and went around the community in search of him, as it was unlike him to stay out late at night. When he hadn’t turned up the following day, she made a missing person report and began posting flyers. GRUESOME FIND It wasn’t until two days later, the grieving mother said, that she received word that the police had found Shaquan’s lifeless body; that a 23-year-old “junkie”, who was no stranger to the village, had confessed to killing him. The man had reportedly taken detectives to the spot where he’d committed the heinous
him all the way to a deserted area, some half-a-mile from the nearest house in South Ruimveldt. It was there, he told the police, that he manacled the child’s hands and sodomised him. As he did so, the suspect told the police, he not only had his hands around the child’s neck, choking the life
out of him, but when he was done, at some point he cut his genitals off. He would later dump the child’s motionless body, sometime the next day, in a trench. Government pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh gave the cause of death as manual strangulation and drowning. There were also signs of sexual assault, and the post mortem also confirmed that the child’s privates were missing.
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Battle Royale to determine Milo Under-18 finalists
THE top four teams in this year’s Milo-sponsored Petra-organised U-18 Schools football tournament will compete for two spots in the final. The semi-finals will feature Morgan’s Learning Centre against Masters Academy at 19:00hrs, and Chase Academy versus Sir Leon Lessons which begins at 17:00hrs at the Ministry of Education ground. The opening game will set the tone for the day with players like David Coates, Osafo Matheson, Chris Macey, Adrian Adolph, Daniel Clarke and Orin Moore. The obvious favourites are Morgan’s Learning Centre over Masters Academy. However, the underdog tag might just suit the Masters side. Their heavy reliance on defensive mindset and the smash-and-grab counterattack method means that the game may not be as straightforward as expected. Calvin Peters and Akeem Giddings will be chief in this regard and are players to be looked at. In the second match-up, defending champions Chase Academy and Sir Leon Lessons, offers a mouth-watering spectacle for any football fan - being regarded as a final in itself. With their record thus far, the defending champions are in the prime position to carry their campaign all the way to the final. Considering as well the foot-balling level of the unit with Reshawn Ritch, Job Caesar, Nicholas McArthur, Jeremy Garrett, Malachi Adonis, Rondell Peters and Ryan Hackett, the players have easily cemented themselves as the benchmark for schools football. Still, Sir Leon Lessons have shown that they are willing to go the extra mile, managing to keep their cool to hold off The Bishops’ High in the last round, on penalties. Their ‘go to’ men will be Omari James, Tyrese Forde, Richard Rayside and Adrian Aaron. Meanwhile, the winners of the tournament will collect $500 000 towards a school project and the championship trophy, while the second-, third- and fourth-placed sides will receive $300 000, $200 000 and $100 000 respectively towards a similar endeavour along with trophies. The event is being held in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 5, 2017
Cook says relationship with Root will be ‘absolutely fine’
(REUTERS) - Alastair Cook is confident his relationship with newly appointed Test captain Joe Root will be “absolutely fine” and the former England skipper has assured his successor he will get all the support he needs in the role. Cook, who was appointed captain in 2012, led England in a record 59 Tests including Ashes victories at home in 2013 and 2015 as well as series wins in India and South Africa. The 32-year-old stepped down in February after a 4-0 defeat in the five-Test series in India at the end of last year. He was replaced by Root, who will captain England for the first time against South Africa at Lord’s on July 6. “A lot will be made of it, there always is, it’s a good story to write about but I think it’ll be absolutely fine in terms of our relationship,” Cook told British media. The former captain said he hoped his transition back to just playing for the team
about,” Cook said. “That is what playing international cricket or being a professional sportsman is. You’re there to score runs.
England’s Alastair Cook and Joe Root (Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers Livepic) would be smooth. pair of batting prospects in “I feel like I can get back India for England’s fragile in the troops and get on with top order, Cook hoped he it and hopefully score some could continue making an runs and help England win impact with the willow. cricket games, which ulHaseeb Hameed and timately is what everyone Keaton Jennings became wants to see,” he added. Cook’s 10th and 11th openThe left-handed opening ing partners since the retirebatsman has scored more ment of Andrew Strauss; Test centuries than any of with both youngsters showhis predecessors and is also ing signs they might have England’s most prolific bright futures after impresrun-getter with 11 057 runs sive debuts in India. in 140 Tests. “You’re always under With the emergence of a pressure, that’s what life is
Singh fires Gunners to victory with aggressive half-century FIRST division cricket resumed on Sunday, in North Essequibo, following the improvement of the weather conditions and the re-preparation of several grounds. Resuming was the Motielall, Jailall and Prabhu T20 memorial tournament which is played in memory of three outstanding former cricketers from Walton Hall. At the Walton Hall ground, Gunners arrested Police after Navin Singh fired a shot-filled half-century. Winning the toss and batting,
the lawmen were ambushed and eventually dismissed for 114 in 20 overs. Left-hander Garfield Armstrong with 24 (3x4) was the only batsman to offer some resistance as national Under- 15 medium pacer Sheldon Charles in an accurate spell claimed 3-20 from 4 overs. In reply, a commanding 76 (5x4, 4x6) from Navin Singh paced Gunners to 117-4 in 13 overs to win by 6 wickets. In the second game at the same venue, Devonshire Castle easily disposed of Windsor Castle to win
CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Wednesday April 05, 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) 871 ODIs (2) 751 ODIs
Today’s Quiz:
(1) How many times PAK and the WI have played ODI matches against each other to date? (2) Who has scored most ODI runs for Pakistan to date?
Answers in tomorrow’s issue
by 53 runs. Batting first, Devonshire Castle amassed 190-9 from 20 overs with key contributions from Anthony Persaud 34, Daramdeo Lall 32 and former national T20 all-rounder Ramesh Narine 31. Off-spinner Khemraj Singh had impressive figures of 5-40 from 4 overs. In response, despite a solid 58 (6x4, 2x6) from Yogesh Singh, Windsor Castle managed only 137-9 when their overs ended. Off-spinner Narine returned with the ball to grab 4-20 from 4 overs to ensure Devonshire Castle remain in contention for a semi-final spot. Meanwhile the competition is being coordinated by the North Essequibo Cricket Committee and sponsored by Daramdeo Lall, businessman who is the nephew of the deceased. Ten clubs are participating in the competition including Imam Bacchus, Lima United, Young Achievers, Charity, Sparwin and Ravens with the top four teams, based on the most points after the preliminary matches, qualifying for the semi-finals. (Elroy Stephney)
“If you don’t do that over a period of time, people will look elsewhere. That hasn’t changed and that’ll never change,
whether it’s myself or Jimmy Anderson, you’ve got to play to a certain level to be picked for England or even Essex.”
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Stokes, Morgan among eight England players at IPL EIGHT England players are set to appear at the Indian Premier League (IPL) when the 10th edition of the competition begins today. Ben Stokes became the IPL’s most expensive foreign player when Rising Pune Supergiants bought him for £1.7M. Bowler Tymal Mills, bought for £1.4M by Royal Challengers Bangalore, could face former international teammate Chris Jordan in the opening match. Jordan’s Sunrisers Hyderabad play RCB in Deccan at 15:30 BST. The Sunrisers, captained by Australia in-
Ben Stokes became IPL’s most expensive foreign player when he was bought for £1.7M. ternational David Warner, beat RCB in the final of the 2016 competition. All-rounder Stokes could be in action tomor-
row when his side play Mumbai Indians, who have wicketkeeper Jos Buttler in their ranks. The competition features some of the best Twenty20 players in the world, including South Africa’s AB de Villiers, Australia batsman Aaron Finch and India captain Virat Kohli. England one-day captain Eoin Morgan joined Kings XI Punjab for £240 066, while limited-overs opening batsman Jason Roy was sold to Gujarat Lions and all-rounder Chris Woakes was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for £504 140. Sam Billings was also
kept on by Delhi Daredevils during the first round of the auction. Fast bowler Mills is available for the whole tournament as he is limited to playing T20 cricket because of back pain.
England’s other players may not be available for the full competition because of international commitments, beginning when England host Ireland in one-day matches on May 5 and 7.
The eight-team IPL format is similar to the proposed city-based Twenty20 tournament for English domestic cricket, which could be introduced in 2020. (BBC Sport)
Kusal in control as Sri Lanka clinch six-wicket win KUSAL Perera helmed a composed Sri Lankan chase as the hosts clinched a six-wicket victory in the opening Twenty20 International with Bangladesh in Colombo. The Test and one-day series between the sides both ended all-square, but opener Kusal led the way with 77 at the top of the order after Bangladesh set a target of 156 for the win. Seekugge Prasanna and Thisara Perera rounded off the victory, the former hitting an unbeaten 22 from 12 deliveries to help see Sri Lanka home. Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat after a rain-delayed start, but saw opener Tamim Iqbal bowled for a duck by Lasith Malinga (2-38) after just two deliveries, in stark contrast to what
his opposite number achieved later in the match. The arrival of Sabbir Rahman (16) at the crease helped steady the ship as
Kusal Perera goes for a big shot in his innings of 77. he combined with Soumya Sarkar (29) for 57 runs, but the pair fell in quick succession in the sixth over.
Mosaddek Hossain (34 not out) and Mahmudullah (31) helped push the Bangladesh total further, although 155-6 was not a score that would give Sri Lanka too much of a headache. Their reply was effective, if unspectacular, with Kusal present in the middle until four balls before Thisara hit the winning boundary. Upul Tharanga (24) and Asela Gunaratne (17) both chipped away at the target, while Prasanna stepped things up a gear as the match neared a conclusion. With Kusal finally dismissed by Taskin Ahmed (1-33), it was left to Thisara to knock the same bowler for four and earn victory for Sri Lanka. The second and final match takes place at the same venue tomorrow.
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IPL: From 2008 to 2016 – A look back at the star-studded, cash-rich T20 league
(April 5 will mark 10 years of Indian Premier League (IPL) and the start of the ultimate star wars with players who have gone toe-to-toe throughout the year suddenly getting thrown in the mix as teammates). NO other cricket event is as openly embracing as the Indian Premier League (IPL), with the best of international cricketers in fray. Tough and thrilling, it is a veritable battle of wits where whoever blinks first ends up paying the price. Today, April 5 marks 10 years of the tournament and the start of the ultimate star wars with players who have gone toe-to-toe throughout the year suddenly getting thrown in the mix as teammates. Within a week of a fiercely-contested Test series, Australia skipper Steve Smith and India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will be plotting India skipper Virat Kohli’s downfall as a part of
Sachin Tendulkar finally decided to make a statement that he remained the boss across all formats. Powered by his blistering assaults at the top of the order, Mumbai Indians decimated opposition after opposition to coast into the final. From the other side, Chennai Super Kings gradually picked up momentum. Mahendra Singh Dhoni seemed to have perfected the T20 model. He was at the peak of his power as captain and finisher. In a fitting final, it was Tendulkar versus Dhoni. The latter used his spinners astutely and came up with his trademark, uncanny field placements to stump Mumbai. 2011 The 2011 Cricket World Cup final ended splendidly for India but left its audience so emotionally exhausted that IPL 4 was played to vast tracts of empty stands and dipping TV ratings. The T20 league was on within six days of MS Dhoni & Co raising the Cup at the Wankhede Stadium on the night of April 2. It was a 10-team league with new entrants Kochi Tuskers Kerala and Pune Warriors India eventually finishing eighth and ninth. The season though belonged to Chris Gayle who led with 44 sixes in 608 runs at a strike rate of 183-plus in just 12 match-
2008 Born out of pressure from the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL), the could not have hoped for a better launch-pad than Brendon McCullum’s stunning 73-ball 158 in the tournament opener between and Royal Challengers Bangalore. The spectacular assault on bowling made everyone sit up and take notice of the new T20 league. Though there was little cheer for KKR after the dramatic start, what added to the glow of the League was Rajasthan Royals’ titillating performance - the most underrated team going on to top the glamourous outfits. The Cinderella story of Royals was scripted by the charismatic Shane Warne. Captaining the franchise with the lowest budget, Warne led the team, mainly made of virtual unknowns, to glory. It got the Indian crowd hooked on to cricket’s latest showbiz. Controversies weren’t far away too, kicking off with Mumbai Indians’ Harbhajan Singh slapping Kings XI Punjab’s S. Sreesanth during the routine of post-match handshakes in Mohali. 2009 Buoyed by the unprecedented success of the first edition, nothing was going to stop a certain Lalit Modi, the IPL head honcho, from taking on all odds. When the Indian government expressed its helplessness to provide security due to the general elections, the flamboyant Modi shifted the entire tournament to South Africa in a month’s time. The Virender Sehwag-led Delhi Daredevils set the tone in the league stage, but the star-studded Deccan Chargers finally played to their potential to canter to victory, beating Royal Challengers Bangalore in the final. Captained by Adam Gilchrist, Chargers were well served by Andrew Symonds, Herschelle Gibbs and Rohit Sharma. 2010
2014 After a controversy-ridden edition the previous year, the organisers were relieved to go through an entire season without any scandal. Since the early part of tournament clashed with the dates of elections, the event had to be shifted to the UAE this time. It got off to a subdued start with the IPL opening ceremony being a closed-door affair. But the best teams played the final which was an endorsement for the format. Kings XI Punjab, powered by Glenn Maxwell’s all-round hitting, decimated all opposition, while Kolkata Knight Riders peaked at the right time. KKR won their second title and were easily the best side. Well served by Sunil Narine with his death-bowling, their batting revolved around Robin Uthappa, who had scored 10 successive 40-plus innings. 2015 It was the most closely contested IPL ever with almost six teams having a chance to qualify for the knockouts. The uncertainty over the top four teams prevailed till the final league game. Ultimately, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings made the cut. Mumbai Indians sensationally recovered from a poor start to clinch the title, beating hot favourites and table-toppers Chennai Super Kings. RCB and RR grabbed the third and fourth playoff spots.
Under Gautam Gambhir’s captaincy, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have won the Indian Premier League (IPL) title twice. (AFP/Getty Images) the Rising Pune Supergiants’ think tank. Australia vice-captain David Warner will be looking to defend Hyderabad’s crown with teammate Glenn Maxwell leading Punjab’s charge. Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be leading the lines for high-profile outfits Bangalore and Mumbai respectively. The beauty of it is that despite some of the biggest names in the game in the fray, the top performances have often come from little-known young domestic cricketers who have to cope with living in the blinding spotlight for two months. The ultimate multi-city ‘cricketainment’ is back for its 10th edition. HT will bring all the action to you: IPL rewind: A season-by-season look at the highlights of the Indian Premier League:
Gurunath Meiyappan, son-in-law of then BCCI president N. Srinivasan and a top management official of the Chennai Super Kings, was arrested on charges of betting, fraud and forgery. Raj Kundra, co-owner of Rajasthan Royals, too confessed to betting. Srinivasan temporarily stepped aside as president at a BCCI working committee meeting in Chennai. Mumbai Indians won by 23 runs with Srinivasan being ultimately booed at the prize distribution ceremony.
Shane Warne-led Rajasthan Royals won the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). ((Photo by Santosh Harhare/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
2016 The outcome of the 2013 spot-fixing scandal put the BCCI in a fix with the Supreme Court ordering a two-year suspension for Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals from the IPL.
es. But he failed in the most important game - the final where R Ashwin dismissed him for a duck. MS Dhoni, as a result, retained the IPL in front of a sea of yellow as Chennai produced a near-perfect game and mauled Royal Challengers Bangalore. 2012 The tournament was back to its full glory, topping the charts headlined by the Caribbean flavour thanks to Chris Gayle’s batting and Sunil Narine’s bowling. Regardless of a few scandals, there were huge crowds at stadiums, who got to enjoy an extraordinary number of close finishes. The IPL had a new champion in Kolkata Knight Riders at the end of the nine-team league (after Kochi Tuskers Kerala had been terminated). Captain Gautam Gambhir and Narine hogged the headlines of a successful campaign, with Gambhir’s passion trumping MS Dhoni’s cool in the title clash. Narine was the player-of-the-tournament with 24 wickets in 15 matches at an average of 13.50 and economy rate of 5.47. KKR had been among the poorest performing franchises, being the only constant in the bottom four in each of the first three seasons. So the title was a big relief for their actor co-owner Shah Rukh Khan. 2013 The most expensive franchise, Mumbai Indians, finally won their first IPL title, beating Chennai Super Kings by 23 runs in the final at Eden Gardens. However, the on-field action had been completely eclipsed by controversies by the time the final was played. S. Sreesanth and his Rajasthan Royals teammates Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila were arrested for alleged spot-fixing and were consequently suspended by the BCCI.
David Warner’s inspiring leadership guided Sunrisers Hyderabad (IPL) to their maiden IPL glory last season. (Shaun Roy/IPL/SPORTZPICS) New tenders were floated to ensure the IPL remains an eightteam tournament. Gujarat Lions and Rising Pune Supergiants were the new entrants. The top five players from CSK and RR were traded through a draft system by the two new teams while the rest of their players went into auction. This, however, wasn’t the end of the BCCI’s woes. The Bombay High Court, acting on a PIL, ordered the BCCI to shift the IPL games in May out of Maharashtra due to drought crisis. It put the whole IPL schedule in a tizzy with the BCCI facing a logistical nightmare. As far as action on the field was concerned, RCB skipper Virat Kohli was in the form of his life, accumulating 973 runs - the most in an IPL season ever. David Warner’s Sunrisers Hyderabad, who had replaced Deccan Chargers in 2013, enjoyed their best IPL performance to lift their maiden title after beating Royal Challengers Bangalore by eight runs in a thriller at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. (hindustanitimes)
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Eagle Sports Club win Alphonso/Rahim T20 memorial trophy A LARGE and ecstatic gathering at the picturesque Teneze Ferme ground in the Lower Pomeroon on Sunday, witnessed Eagle Sports claw their way to a 22-run victory against Rising Sun to emerge champions of the Nobert Alphonso/Hassan Rahim T20 memorial competition. As the sun beamed on a strikingly fast out-field and placid pitch, Eagle Sports upon winning the toss batted first. Runs initially were difficult to gather as the Rising Sun bowlers kept shining with penetrative and short spells. Occasionally the odd boundary was hit to sustain the momentum of Eagle’s innings. At the completion of half of the overs the score was 64-3. An acceleration was needed which came with a 52-run partnership between Herald Miguel 41 (2x4, 2x6s) and Raj Parbattie 34 (3x4) that soared Eagles to 126-9 from their 20 overs. Consistent line and length from Sanjeev Ramdeen, Iglesias Vanslytman and Mark Narine earned them 2 wickets each. At the halfway stage there were signs of cracks on the pitch which made batting even more difficult. Rising Sun began their chase confidently, however, and much to the excitement of the rapturous crowd. There was a false sense of hope for them though, as Eagles bowlers began to exploit the cracks and wearing pitch. Fighting innings from Fenton Jacobus 43 (3x4, 1x6) and Ronald Kanhai 36 (4x4, 1x6) kept Rising Sun on the hunt. But with both of them dismissed at crucial stages, Rising Sun’s flames began to dim and eventually they were all out for 104 in 18 overs to concede defeat. Impressive figures from leg-spinner Patrick Samuels 3-11 (2) and Herald Miguel 2-13 (4) overs combined to seize the initiative and the title to Eagle Sports. At the presentation, the winners received $60 000 and trophy while the runners-up pocketed $40 000. Claiming man-of-the-match was Patrick Samuels who also received a trophy and cash incentive. Meanwhile, Ryan Van Slytman, Assistant General Manager of Alfro Alphonso Group of Companies represented the sponsor and presented the prizes. During his brief remarks, he thanked the eight teams while expressing his satisfaction with the competitive nature and good sportsmanship they exhibited during the tournament and the final. The competition was played in memory of the late George Alphonso and Hassan Rahim, father and father-in-law respectively of Business magnate Alfro Alphonso whose company sponsored the tournament. Relatives of the deceased along with representatives of the Pomeroon Cricket Committee were also present to enjoy a colourful day of cricket in the Pomeroon. (Elroy Stephney)
Leicester win to increase pressure on Moyes and Sunderland
(REUTERS) - Leicester City secured a fifth straight Premier League victory and increased the mounting pressure on bottom-of-the-table Sunderland with a 2-0 win at the King Power Stadium yesterday. Sunderland manager David Moyes, who has been widely criticised this week for comments he made to a female reporter last month, saw his side succumb to a fifth defeat in six league games after Islam Slimani powered home a 69th-minute header. Leicester, who have climbed away from their own relegation battle to the relative safety of mid-table, saw Sunderland go close to an equaliser before Jamie Vardy fired home to seal the points. With eight games remaining Sunderland have 20 points, eight behind Swansea City in 17th. Leicester, meanwhile, climbed to 10th with 36 points.
GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 5, 2017
Women’s Regional Super50 key to World Cup selection … Tournament bowls off April 20 in St Vincent
ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – Title-holders Trinidad and Tobago will meet arch-rivals Barbados in the opening game of this month’s Women’s Regional Super50, in a tournament designed to further strengthen the West Indies Women’s squad for their campaign in the ICC World Cup in June. Selectors will be using the April 20-30 showpiece in St Vincent to identify possible new talent which can supplement the existing West Indies squad for the June 24 to July 23 50-overs tournament in England. Josina Luke, the WICB project officer for women’s cricket, underscored the importance of the Regional Super50 to the selection of the West Indies World Cup squad. “Having reached the final of the last ICC Women’s World Cup and following up by winning the World T20 title, a lot is expected of our women’s team at this year’s World Cup in England, so Stafanie Taylor we’ve got to have the right combination of players that will give us a strong side that will be tough to beat,” Luke said. “The success of our women’s team over the last few years should hopefully burn on the inside of the players during the regional tournament, inspire all of them and make them hungry to be a part of another successful campaign on the World stage, when they see the excitement and benefits that were generated, especially after our team won the World T20 title.” She added: “They should all be eager to play well and the players should see this upcoming regional tournament as an opportunity to get into the selection frame. No one is ever guaranteed a spot in any squad, so it’s about the players putting in the hard work as they prepare for the tournament over the new few weeks and doing it on the field when the time comes.”
All of the West Indies Women’s stars will be on show as the likes of batting stars Stafanie Taylor of Jamaica, Deandra Dottin of Barbados and Merissa Aguilleira of Trinidad and Tobago suit up for their respective sides. T&T, who be led by Aguilleira, clash with Barbados at Sion Hill in the opening round, with Jamaica meeting Leeward Islands at Park Hill and Windward Islands taking on Guyana at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex. Each team will play the other once in a five-round round-robin format, with the top two teams advancing to the final. Last year’s tournament in Guyana was wrecked by rain. Itinerary Thursday, April 20 Barbados vs Trinidad & Tobago – Sion Hill Leeward Islands vs Jamaica – Park Hill Windward Islands vs Guyana – Arnos Vale Sports Complex Saturday, April 22 Windward Islands vs Leeward Islands – Park Hill Trinidad & Tobago vs Guyana – Sion Hill Jamaica vs Barbados – Arnos Vale Sports Complex Monday, April 24 Guyana vs Barbados – Park Hill Jamaica vs Windward Islands – Sion Hill Leeward Island vs Trinidad & Tobago – Arnos Vale Sports Complex Wednesday, April 26 Guyana vs Leeward Islands – Sion Hill Barbados vs Windward Islands – Arnos Vale Sports Complex Trinidad & Tobago vs Jamaica – Park Hill Friday, April 28 Windward Islands vs Trinidad & Tobago – Arnos Vale Sports Complex Barbados vs Leeward Islands – Sion Hill Guyana vs Jamaica – Park Hill Sunday, April 30 The Final – Arnos Vale Sports Complex
Late Ibrahimovic penalty earns draw for Man United
(REUTERS) - Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned after suspension to rescue a 1-1 draw for Manchester United against Everton at Old Trafford with an injury-time penalty. Ibrahimovic coolly struck home the 93rd-minute spot kick after Ashley Williams had been sent off for deliberate handball keeping out Luke Shaw’s shot. But United’s push for a top-four place in the Premier League still suffered a huge setback with a rare and deft Phil Jagielka goal giving Everton a first-half lead and ensuring them a share of the points. Jose Mourinho’s side, whose form has been so underwhelming recently at their ‘Theatre of Dreams’, were facing the end of their 19-match unbeaten streak in the league as luck had earlier deserted them. England centre back
Jagielka showed all the predatory instincts of a goal poacher, latching on to a Williams header from a 22nd-minute corner and, with back to goal, holding off Marcos Rojo to conjure up a shot that trickled between the
legs of David de Gea. His first goal of the season prompted an urgent response from United, with an Ander Herrera effort striking the bar, but even with Ibrahimovic back in the team, United were blunt.
There was misfortune, too, when Paul Pogba headed against the bar after the break before Ibrahimovic also had a headed goal ruled out for offside, with TV replays suggesting it had been the closest of calls.
Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic scores their first goal from the penalty spot. (Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff Livepic)
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 5, 2017
Bishoo excited to play at home … expects West Indies to win ODI series By Rawle Toney DEVENDRA Bishoo, the 31-year-old Guyana and West Indies leg-spinner, who will be making a return to the Guyana National Stadium in maroon for the first
Devendra time since 2011, is excited for the opportunity not only to play at home, but to help guide the West Indies to victory in an important One Day International Series against Pakistan. Coincidently, the last time Guyanese fans saw Bishoo in a West Indies uniform play
on home soil was against Pakistan, but now the stakes are much higher, as the home side play for an automatic qualification spot in the 2019 World Cup. West Indies and Pakistan will play three ODIs at the Providence-located facility, starting on Friday April 7, then on Sunday April 9. The two would wrap up the series on Tuesday, April 11. West Indies, who are currently ranked ninth with 84 points in the latest ICC team rankings, are under pressure to improve their position on the table as only the top eight-ranked teams as of September 30, 2017, will earn an automatic qualification for the 2019 World Cup. With the addition of a series against Afghanistan, West Indies now have a total of 12 ODIs – three each against Pakistan and Afghanistan, a one-off against Ireland and five away games against England – before the cut-off date. “I’m very excited, playing at home for the first time since 2011, so it’s something that I’m anxious about,” Bi-
Windies leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo inspects the newly re-laid pitch at the Guyana National Stadium. (Adrian Natine photo) shoo told reporters yesterday, adding the mood in the ahead of the West Indies’ first camp is high. “Everybody practice session since arriving is comfortable with one in Guyana Monday afternoon. another. The T20 series is Bishoo, who has played finished so we’ve put that just 16 ODIs in his career behind us and now focusing said, “We’re looking for- on this series.” Much drama and controward to this series and we know that we’ll just have to versy has been following the be focused, because this is West Indies team, especially over the past year. an important series.” However, Bishoo deIf West Indies fail to get into the top eight spots by scribes the recent events as September, they must partic- “things beyond our control” ipate in the 2018 ICC World and decided that “we can’t focus on that, we just have Cup Qualifier. But there’s no pressure to go out and do what we on the team Bishoo said, have to do.”
Fernandes, Gomes and Cadogan among opening night winners COMPETITION in four of the eight categories in the Toucan Industries Junior Skills level squash tournament commenced last Monday night at the Georgetown Club, and Madison Fernandes, Kirsten Gomes, and Abosaide Cadogan were among those who ensured they picked up early wins in the tournament. The trio all played in category ‘C’, where Gomes and Cadogan managed to dispose of their competitors in straight sets wins. It was a tough first set for Cadogan, who ultimately overcame Lucas Jonas. The Caribbean junior bronze medallist barely hung on to win in the first set which she took 1513. However, it was easy sailing afterwards as she breezed through 11-1, 11-2 in the next two sets. Gomes dealt Dominic Collins his first loss in the round-robin competition. She commanded the match from the word go Abosaide Cadogan
and collected her win 116, 11-3, 11-0. But it was Fernandes who had a very difficult time, when as she tried to keep Aliyah Persaud at bay. Persaud held her off enough to dominate the first set 11-7, but Fernandes came back hitting hard to sweep the next three sets 11-8, 11-7, 11-8. Other wins of the evening were Louis Da Silva against Nathan Rahaman (11-9, 7 -11, 11-1, 11-7) in the only category ‘D’ match of the night and Kirsten Gomes Shiloh Asregado over Liam Carpenter (15-13, 4-11, 1210) in category ‘E’. In category ‘H’ Javed Saul took down Grant Fernandes 11-4, 11-9, and Joshua Verway beat Noah Rahaman 11-5, 14-12. Matches continued at the same venue last evening from 18:00hrs. (Tamica Garnett)
Williams - one of the positives from series, says Brathwaite PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) - Rookie West Indies seamer Kesrick Williams has come in for praise from skipper Carlos Brathwaite, for his steady performances during the just concluded Twenty20 series against Pakistan. The 27-year-old grabbed only four wickets in his four outings but proved the most economical of the Windies front-line bowlers, with a rate of just six runs per over. Brathwaite said Williams’ input was one of the
Kesrick Williams (left) celebrates with Carlos Brathwaite during Sunday’s seven-wicket defeat to Pakistan at Queen’s Park Oval. (Photo courtesy WICB Media) positives which had emerged despite the disappointing 3-1 series defeat. “I think his performance was excellent. I told him ‘congrats, very well done, very, very good series’,” Brathwaite told reporters here. “And for a young man, he played his first game in Abu Dhabi and showed the world what he could have done. “The challenge is always to come back and do it again and he did again, again and again. His was one of the stand-out performances for the series and that’s definitely a positive going forward.” Williams made his debut in the 3-0 series whitewash to Pakistan last September in the United Arab Emirates, bowling excellently in his only match of the tour to claim two for 15 from his four overs. He built on that performance over the last week and was at his best with two for 16 in Sunday’s final game here which West Indies lost by seven wickets. Brathwaite said with the squad now disbanding for differing engagements, players needed to reflect in order to improve their performances for the next T20 assignment against touring Afghanistan in June. “We split up again. Persons go their separate ways, whether it’s to the ODI series or to IPL and then we meet again for Afghanistan,” the all-rounder noted. “We need to know what we did well and do that well against Afghanistan and admit where we went wrong in this series and put it (right) against Afghanistan when we meet back up.”
Battle Royale to determine Milo Under-18 finalists See story on page 30
Head coach says Windies team need to play ‘smarter’ cricket
The West Indies team huddle for prayers before their first practice session at the Guyana National Stadium on Tuesday (Adrian Narine photo) (CMC) - WEST Indies head coach Stuart Law says the regional side will have to raise their game and play “smarter” cricket, if they are to get the better of Pakistan in the three-match one-day series starting on Friday at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. The hosts are coming off an emphatic 3-1 loss to Pakistan in the preceding fourmatch Twenty20 International series, and find themselves
under pressure ahead of the one-day rubber. Law said it was important West Indies did not attempt to simply use “brute force” in the upcoming rubber, especially bearing in mind the venue. “Form is one thing but determination and the way these boys go about their cricket, we understand now it’s not going to be easy,” the Australian said here. “Pakistan are a quality unit so we’re going to have to train
hard, put our thinking caps on and play smarter rather than use brute force. “The conditions here may suit, not suit the brute force style of play but once we have a look at the centre wicket, we can then go about accordingly - training accordingly, working out strategies and going forward that way.” West Indies have made two changes to the 13man squad that suffered a 3-0 whitewash to En-
gland last month, bringing in Chadwick Walton and Miguel Cummins for Carlos Brathwaite and Kraigg Brathwaite. Carlos Brathwaite, the hero of last year’s T20 World Cup in India, was dropped for poor form while opener Kraigg Brathwaite was replaced because of his inability to score quickly at the top of the order. Law said he expected the new additions to the squad to
display their skills throughout the series. “Miguel’s been part of our squad since I’ve been here. I like what he offers. He’s a good death-bowling option and he’s got a bit of extra zip as well; so it’s a great backup for guys like Shannon Gabriel and Alzarri Joseph,” he explained. “Chadwick Walton I saw him for the first time in the flesh during the T20 series. He had an outstanding 50-overs
tournament (Regional Super50). “He scored a hundred against England in a warm-up match in St Kitts as well, so he comes in with form under his belt, runs that he has scored. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can provide in the top order. West Indies clash with Pakistan in the second ODI on Sunday and the third next Tuesday, all at the Guyana National Stadium.
Boyce/Jefford Relay Festival and Family Fun Day
Jude Bike Shop hands over sponsorship for cycle races
Proprietor of Jude Bike Shop, Jude Bentley (left) hands over the sponsorship to representative of the Boyce & Jefford Committee, Claude Bennett, at the Robb Street location of the business.
JUDE Bike Shop, on Monday, handed over its sponsorship for the cycling races that will be a part of the upcoming Boyce and Jefford Relay Festival and Family Fun Day set for April 30 at Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary. Proprietor of Jude Bike Shop, Jude Bentley, a former national cyclist who once competed at the Commonwealth Games in Australia, declared how happy he was to be able to give back to the sport of cycling as he handed over the sponsorship package. This will be the first year that cycling will be introduced at the annual Relay Festival, which is observing its second edition this year. The event will feature two cycling
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events. There will be a Devil-takes-theHindmost race for the males, which will carry a total purse of $50 000 - $25 000 going to the winner, $15 000 for second-place and $10 000 for the third-place. Replicas will complement the cash prizes. The second race is expected to be a female event. However, the organisers noted that if there are not enough female registrants for the female competition, another male race will be held. The races are expected to attract some of the top male cyclists locally. Apart from the cycling races the day’s event will also see the feature 10 relay events, softball cricket and football as well as a dominoes competition. (Tamica Garnett) WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 2017