Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 05 06 2017

Youths rally round river preservation

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CARICOM dismayed No. 104934

MONDAY JUNE 5, 2017

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–– CARICOM Chair Granger speaks out on US’ withdrawal from Paris Agreement

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Goldfields expanding –– building new airstrip, acquiring aircraft

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GUYANA Goldfields Incorporated is in the process of constructing a new airstrip within its concession located in Region Seven (Cuyuni/ Mazaruni)

Jamaica nets cocaine Cattle farmer killed Lindener crushed in accident in hit-and-run from Guyana, Suriname Page 9

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Goldfields expanding –– building new airstrip, acquiring aircraft

By Ariana Gordon

GUYANA Goldfields Incorporated is in the process of constructing a new airstrip within its concession located in Region Seven (Cuyuni/ Mazaruni), General Manager (General Administration) Thomas Henderson disclosed on Sunday.

The mining company will also be aquiring an aircraft. During a tour of the facility, Henderson said the approximately US$150,000 project is likely to be completed by year-end. He made it clear that the new airstrip is going to be used solely by the company and the government, because it falls within the entity’s concession.

“We will treat it as a private landing strip, government always has access… we will never hold back on that; but we will treat it as private, because otherwise how do we control… it is all within our concession, if they land

there they’d need accommodation, supplies, and all of a sudden you become an outpost and we don’t really want to be that,” said Hen-

private. A visit to the new location for the airstrip saw vegetation removed and according to Henderson, clearing and grubbing are estimated to cost about

Guyana Goldfields Inc General Manager, Thomas Henderson derson.

Henderson said too that the company’s commitment to the government is that the airstrip will be

US$30,000, while some other work collectively cost US$50,000.

He was quick to point out that Guyana Goldfields Inc in addition to the construction of an airstrip, will build a hangar as well as a benab to be used for arrival and departure.

The benab will be constructed by residents of St Cuthbert’s Mission, the general manager disclosed. The existing airstrip which has been described by aviators

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday June 5, 2017

as one of the best in the country, will by next year form part of the extension of the Aurora Gold Mines.

PRONE TO FLOODING Meanwhile, Site Service Supervisor and Environmental Project Engineer, Sherrall Goodings, told the Guyana Chronicle that the existing airstrip is prone to flooding when there is heavy rainfall and the swelling of the nearby river.

That in, and of itself, he said, is unsafe. However, he believes that the new airstrip will prove more convenient for workers.

Additionally, Goodings noted that with expansion of the mines, there is a dike (in geology is a type of later vertical rock between older layers of rock. Technically, it is any geologic body which cuts across flat wall rock structures, such as bedding and massive rock formations, usually igneous in origin) located on the airstrip.

“The reason why we are moving the airstrip here is because the present airstrip is going to be the dike… is on the money. The mine has to expand, it has to be wider. The dike is going to be on the airstrip, and it would be a real (difficult) manoeuvre to land on the airstrip with the dike there,” the engineer explained.

WILDLIFE PROTECTION The company, he said, explored several options before identifying the new site for the airstrip and noted that with every action, the company considers the effect they will have on the wildlife.

As such, changes within the lives of the wilderness are monitored intensely by the mining company, as cameras are set up strategically across the jungle and analyses done to ensure that their existence is not dramatically affected.

Guyana Goldfields prides itself on its mantra to preserve the biodiversity of the area to which it has been granted concession by the Guyana Government. As a result, no hunting, fishing, killing or swimming are allowed there.

The Canada-based company is working with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to ensure that the airstrip is built according to CAA specifications.

Meanwhile, President David Granger has made it clear that his administration will intensify improvements of aerodromes, bridges, roads and stellings with the aim of bridging the gap which exists between the hinterland and coastland.

And even as the government made clear its intention to continuously rehabilitate airstrips as the need arises, it said public/ private partnerships will

prove beneficial.

In April, President of the Guyanese-American Chamber of Commerce, Wesley Kirton, suggested that the Guyana government look to the diaspora for investment in upgrading airstrips in the country’s hinterland.

In a Demerara Waves report, published on April 23, Kirton while chairing the first Annual General Meeting of the National Air Transport Association of Guyana, suggested that the government seek to establish public/private partnerships with entrepreneurs who could assist with upgrading of the country’s airstrips.

“I would like to posit the idea that government look to the diaspora for investment through public/private partnerships to upgrade the many airstrips in the interior which serve the mining and indigenous communities, and which could also help spur the development of agri-business. The facilities which this investment should include are the provision of asphalted runways with bathroom and other facilities, security and storage… even cold storage for agriculture produce from the various locations.

I hope the honourable minister might look into this possibility, although I know that there are national security considerations that would have to be taken into account,” Kirton had said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday June 5, 2017

–– CARICOM Chair Granger speaks out on US’ withdrawal from Paris Agreement

CARICOM Chairman, President David Granger, has expressed dismay and disappointment in the United States’ (US) decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

CARICOM’s position on the matter was expressed in a statement issued by the 15-member bloc on Sunday.

Nearly 200 nations, including the US under President Barack Obama’s administration, agreed in 2015 to voluntarily reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to combat climate

change.

This is referred to as the Paris Climate Agreement.

Last week, US President, Donald Trump, announced that the US would be withdrawing from the agreement, and that moves would begin to negotiate a new “fair” deal that would not disadvantage US businesses and workers.

CARICOM, which has also expressed some concern with regard to Trump’s immigration policy, said through its chairman that it “is deeply dismayed” and “disappointed” by the US decision to withdraw from

the Paris Agreement.

The regional bloc contended that the agreement was more than just another international agreement on another complex international issue.

The body said that it reflects the acknowledgment and acceptance that climate change is a global issue that requires global solutions.

Describing climate change as an “existential threat”, the CARICOM chairman noted that as members of Small-Island and Low-Lying Coastal Developing States (SIDS), the reality of this

phenomenon is making itself manifest to the region.

This, he said is in light of the fact that the Caribbean is “the most prone to natural disasters globally”.

According to the chairman, the need for global action to combat this phenomenon is past urgent.

“As one of the prime contributors to the emissions which continue to push global temperature rise to an untenable level, the leadership of the United States in efforts to curb the warming of the planet is an important factor.”

The chairman reasoned that abdication of that responsibility by the US sends a “negative signal” particularly to those states that are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, despite they do little or nothing to contribute to its causes.

Notwithstanding this, the regional bloc said it is encouraged by the overwhelming majority of states remains firmly committed to the Paris Agreement.

“Our own commitment will never waver. Our existence is at stake” CARICOM said.

President David Granger

Youths rally round river preservation

By Vishani Ragobeer UNDER the theme, “Revive the Rivers”, hundreds of youths from across Georgetown and those living along the low coastal plain rallied on Sunday for the protection and proper management of Guyana’s water resources.

The event, which was organised by the network of organisations under Policy Forum Guyana, began at the Bank of Guyana (BoG) which was the assembly point for all marchers.

The youths marched along Church Street into Camp Street, vigorously chanting and showcasing their slogans highlighting the importance of water and

the environment. The march culminated at the Seawall Bandstand in Kingston.

Prizes were also presented to outstanding groups for the “Best Chant”, which was won by Tutorial High School; the “Most Creative Group”, won by St. Ann’s Orphanage; and for “Best Banner”, which was won by the Marian Academy.

The event was held in commemoration of World Environment Day, celebrated annually on June 5, and this year under the theme, “Connecting People to Nature”.

Speaking at the short presentation ceremony at the Seawall Bandstand was United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, Mikiko Tanaka.

–– in commemoration of World Environment Day

She expressed her admiration for the vigour of the youths who came out Sunday to show their support and help spread awareness of the importance of preserving the rivers and water resources.

Tanaka also acknowledged the measures taken in Guyana to foster a “green state” and urged the youths to not only keep the rivers safe and clean, but to keep their entire environment clean.

Senior WWF Guianas Coordinator, Ms Preeya Rampersaud, enlightened the crowd that while water is often seen as an abundant

At the Seawall Bandstand Sunday

Youths get ready to march for the protection of Guyana’s rivers in observance of World Environment Day resource since it covers 7075 per cent of the earth’s surface, only about three percent of that amount is freshwater and is safe for use.

She stressed to the gathering that activities such as mining, which pollute our water resources, affect the quality of the already limited quantity of water that is available for use. She noted that unless people reorient the way they use and overuse the water resources, quality water will become less abundant for our use.

According to Gomin Camacho of Policy Forum Guyana, they believe that if young people are aware about certain issues, they would be able to police Guyana’s policy makers into safeguarding resources. “We think the buy-in needs to come from the young people,” she said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday,June 5, 2017

Lindener crushed in accident WILBERT Sidney, a resident of Amelia’s Ward, Linden, late Sunday night perished in an accident at Lover’s Lane Junction, Amelia’s Ward Highway, Linden.

The Guyana Chronicle observed relatives of Sidney searching for his body parts which were scattered on the road, while a greater portion of his body lay close by.

While information on the accident remained sketchy up to press time, the Guyana Chronicle understands that Sidney was riding a motorcycle at a fast pace, proceeding north, when he overtook a vehicle and ended up in the path of a car, into which he slammed.

A canter truck driven by one “Malit” Charles was also involved in the

Dead : Wilbert Sidney

accident. He was rushed to the Linden Hospital Complex where he is being treated for several injuries.

The two occupants of the car received minor injuries and remained at the scene of the accident. Following the accident, residents of Amelia’s Ward rushed to the scene to render assistance while police ranks carried out their investigations.

The car involved in the accident late Sunday night at Lover’s Lane Junction, Amelia’s Ward Highway, Linden

Monday, June 5, 2017 - 14:30 hrs Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 14:30 hrs Wednesday, June 7, 2017 - 14:30 hrs

‘Oi, cowards!’: How Londoners fought back Londoners fought back with whatever came to hand, including hurling chairs and tables, when three men armed with a van and knives went on the attack in a bustling area of the British capital on Saturday night.

The attack, in which the assailants killed at least seven people and injured almost 50 before they were shot dead by police, began with a van being driven at high speed into a crowd of pedestrians on London Bridge.

“It looked like he was aiming for groups of people,” Mark Roberts, a 53-year-old management consultant, told Reuters. He saw at least six people on the ground after the van veered on and off the pavement.

“It was horrendous.”

The knife-wielding assailants then took their attack to nearby Borough Market, where survivors described a hellish scene in an area packed with people enjoying a night out in bars and restaurants.

Gerard Vowles told Sky TV that he was on the street near the Southwark Tavern pub, the scene of multiple stabbings, when he heard someone say: “I’ve been stabbed, I’ve been stabbed.”

“I thought they were joking,” he said.

He said he then saw a woman and man being stabbed while the attackers shouted: “This is for Allah”, and recalled how he tried to distract the men.

“As they left I was going “Oi, oi, cowards!” Vowles said. “I was just trying to get their attention by throwing things at them ... I thought if I throw bottles or chairs they can come after me. If I can

get them to come to the main road then the police can stop them, they can obviously shoot them.”

Britain’s transport police chief praised the actions of one of his officers injured in the attack who took on the assailants armed only with a baton.

“For an officer who only joined us less than two years ago, the bravery he showed was outstanding and makes me extremely proud,” Chief Constable Paul Crowther said in a statement.

A supervisor at Feng Sushi restaurant inside Borough Market told the Financial Times how he had come face to face with one of the attackers.

“He was right in front of me with only the glass of the door between us. He came with a big knife, about 20 centimeters, which had blood on the blade. He was saying: ‘This is for Allah’ and tapped it on the window,” 23-year old Alex Nypels said. He said the attacker then went into another nearby restaurant.

Other witnesses reported seeing a man with a large blade, similar to a kitchen knife, and victims bleeding from stab wounds. They said people were fleeing the area in panic.

One witness, who only gave the BBC his first name of Ben, said he saw a man dressed in red who was stabbing a man with a blade that appeared to be about 10 inches long.

“He was being stabbed quite coldly and he slumped to the ground,” he said of the victim. The attacker then walked towards Southwark Tavern where a chair was thrown towards him, shortly before gunshots rang out. (Reuters)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 5, 2017

U.S. considers possible sanctions against Venezuela oil sector -- officials

The Trump administration is considering possible sanctions on Venezuela’s vital energy sector, including state oil company PDVSA, senior White House officials said, in what would be a major escalation of U.S. efforts to pressure the country’s embattled leftist government amid a crackdown on the opposition.

The idea of striking at the core of Venezuela’s economy, which relies on oil for some 95 percent of export revenues, has been discussed at high levels of the administration as part of a wide-ranging review of U.S. options, but officials said it remains under debate and action is not imminent.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters the United States could hit PDVSA as part of a “sectoral” sanctions package that would take aim at the OPEC nation’s entire energy industry for the first time.

But they made clear that the administration is moving cautiously, mindful that if such an unprecedented step is taken it could deepen the country’s economic and social crisis, in which millions suffer food shortages and soaring inflation. Two months of anti-government unrest has left more than 60 people dead.

Another complicating factor would be the potential impact on oil shipments to the United States, for which Venezuela is the third largest oil supplier after Canada and Saudi Arabia. It accounted for 8 percent of U.S. oil

imports in March, according to U.S. government figures.

“It’s being considered,” one of the officials told Reuters, saying aides to President Donald Trump have been tasked to have a recommendation on oil sector sanctions ready if needed.

“I don’t think we’re at a point to make a decision on it. But all options are on the table. We want to see the bad actors held to account.”

The U.S. deliberations on new sanctions come against the backdrop of the worst protests faced yet by socialist President Nicolas Maduro, who critics accuse of human rights abuses in a clampdown on the opposition.

Since Trump took office in January, he has stepped up targeted sanctions on Venezuela, including on the vice president, the chief judge and seven other Supreme Court justices. He has

pressed the Organization of American States to do more to help resolve the crisis.

While Trump has taken a more active approach to Venezuela than his predecessor Barack Obama, he has so far stopped short of drastic economic moves that could hurt the Venezuelan people and give Maduro ammunition to accuse Washington of meddling.

The two administration officials said the United States is also prepared to impose further sanctions on senior officials it accuses of corruption, drug trafficking ties and involvement in what critics see as a campaign of political repression aimed at consolidating Maduro’s rule.

But broad measures against the country’s vital oil sector – for which the United States is the biggest customer - would significantly ratchet up Washington’s response. The United

States has imposed sectoral sanctions against Russia’s energy, banking and defense industries over Moscow’s involvement in Ukraine’s separatist conflict.

The officials declined to specify the mechanisms under consideration and said the timing of any decision would depend heavily on developments on the ground in Venezuela.

Possibilities could include a blanket ban on Venezuelan oil imports and preventing PDVSA from trading and doing business in the United States, which would have a severe impact on PDVSA’s U.S. refining subsidiary Citgo.

A more modest approach, however, could be to bar PDVSA only from bidding on U.S. government contracts, as the Obama administration did in 2011 to punish the company for doing business

took part in a billion-dollar conspiracy to pay bribes to secure PDVSA contracts.

Both men pleaded guilty.

U.S. officials recognize, however, that oil sanctions on Venezuela could exacerbate the suffering of the Venezuelan people without any guarantee of success against Maduro, who accuses Washington and Venezuelan opposition of fomenting an attempted coup.

Given the potential for regional spillover, any decision on oil sanctions would require consultation with Venezuela’s neighbors, the officials said.

“The concern we have is that it will be a very serious escalation,” one with Iran. Those limited official said. “We’d have to sanctions were rolled back be prepared to deal with the after the 2015 international humanitarian consequences nuclear deal with Tehran. of essentially collapsing the The Venezuelan gov- government.” ernment and PDVSA did Maduro’s government not respond to requests for has been hit hard by its comment. heavy reliance on oil, whose

price has collapsed in recent ‘WE HAVE THE years, and is accused by the LEGAL AUTHORITY’ opposition of severely misThe grounds for possibly managing the economy. sanctioning PDVSA would Nevertheless, the U.S. be “to claim that they’re officials said the Venezuela corrupt, for example, or that policy review was moving they’re abusers of human forward. rights indirectly,” said one of “Our function is to be the officials, without giving ready in the event somefurther details. thing escalates in the coun“That’s enough. We have try and the president and the legal authority to do that secretary of state and (U.S. right now if we like,” the national security adviser) official said.

H.R. McMaster turn to us PDVSA has long been and say ‘OK, what do you under scrutiny. In perhaps got?’ It’s not like we’re the most damning case to going to do this tomorrow, date, U.S. authorities in 2015 but we are responsible for arrested two Venezuelan being prepared,” one offioil magnates alleging they cial said. (Reuters)

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Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday,June 5, 2017

Implications of U.S. exiting climate agreement LAST Thursday, United States (U.S.) President Donald Trump announced the country’s exit from the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agreement. The U.S., in expression of intent at least, now joins Syria and Nicaragua who are not members of the agreed efforts to preserve and protect the environment.

Lest it be forgotten, this agreement was arrived at after years of agitation and activism from scientists, environmentalists, individuals and institutions that the climate is changing, not for the better, and if mankind does not pay heed destruction is imminent.

In the face of skepticism that the environment is facing crisis, the presence of painstaking data-gathering and analyses of inconsistent weather patterns, abnormal extinction of flora and fauna, melting of the glaciers, and the drying up of fresh water, denial could no longer be sustained. The famine taking place in parts of the world, resulting in wars, is testimony to global warming.

As science has taken its rightful place in influencing decision-making, and where countries --including the largest carbon emitters such as the U.S.-- have decided the time has come for governments to play an assertive role in reversing man’s destruction, it is unfortunate the Trump Administration does not see this as a worthwhile investment.

According to the International Finance Corporation, a World Bank Group, the investment opportunities to be born from the agreement by 2030 is expected to be around US $23 trillion.

That the U.S. government doesn’t see it fitting to participate in this revenue source given the potential of its capacity as a major economic player, frankly, will create avenues for other economies to compete and surpass its economic might.

China, who ranks number one in carbon emission and who is a major global economic rival to the U.S., is moving to capitalise on the opportunities available. Make no mistake, money talks.

Whereas the U.S., notwithstanding its imperfection, is seen as

a beacon around the world for people interested in democratic values where its economic influence and might are surpassed, such carry global political implications.

Institutions such as the United Nations (UN), the International Labour Organisation, the World Health Organisation, the Inter-American Development Bank and World Bank, with significant funding and influence from the U.S., have played significant roles in advancing the social, economic, political and cultural welfare of citizens around the world. U.S. funding here too is being reduced under the Trump administration.

The simultaneous views that climate change is a “hoax” and that the U.S. withdrawal is because it was shortchanged as argued

by President Trump, is perplexing. If climate change is a hoax, exiting the agreement would make sense, but exiting based on being short-changed, questions the belief of it being a hoax.

Careful examination of the Agreement allows countries to set their targets, having recognition of the threat emissions pose to the environment. This means countries are not deprived of their sovereignty, but rather are allowed freedom to innovate and compete in a new world economy.

Knowledge of the agreement also reveals that exiting -- as it has shown for the British wanting to leave the European Union (EU) -- does not happen overnight, but requires a process that cannot be initiated until 2019. Possible withdrawal cannot happen before November 2020 and this issue may more than likely play a major role in the U.S. elections. This begs the question whether the agreement was read and understood or withdrawal was driven by fulfilling an unscientific campaign pledge in the process of creating a new version of nationalism of going it alone.

Major international institutions and governments have been coming out against President Trump’s decision. Profound statements came from EU Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete, who

said the global agreement would not be allowed to fall at the whim of a domestic election, and France’s President Emmanuel Macron, playing off on President Trump’ s “Make America great again” slogan, committed his country will honour the agreement in its desire to “Make our planet great again.”

Since Thursday, countries, multinational corporations -- including the fossil fuel giants -- and major international institutions have been forming new alliances, which is evidently demonstration not only about the seriousness of confronting climate change, but also that no government will stop those committed to living up to the agreement.

Within the U.S., there continues to be resistance by businesses, governors, mayors and others who vowed to honour the agreement in spite of the federal government’s withdrawal Billionaire Michael Bloomberg has committed to give US$15 million to ensure the UN Environment Framework Convention has the money it needs to support its operation.

In man’s evolution, where it is being recognised the ability exists, thank to science, to safeguard humanity and the environment, it is unfortunate the U.S. under President Trump, has chosen to withdraw helping to provide leadership to the change and by extension, being on the wrong side of history.

Guyana must it have its own oil refinery?- Part I -establishing a principled, pragmatic and patriotic decision path Dear Editor A RECENT assessment by the consultant Pedro Hass, of the UK-based international thinktank Chatham House, concludes that building a 100,000 barrel-per- day oil refinery in Guyana could cost up to $5 billion USD and that such an enterprise would yield a net negative outcome of USD2-3 billion per annum. Yet, many very thoughtful voices have argued that such an undertaking is essential to our national development project, citing a range of promising economic and financial outcomes and numerous examples of countries, not unlike Guyana, that have built and successfully operated refineries.

We disagree with each other as to whether a refinery should be built. In our discussions we quickly recognised a fundamental problem with our discourse

– we were, we are, collectively, not proceeding from a set of shared assumptions! In the first part of our series we start at the beginning – what are the foundational elements in making this, and similar decisions of this type that will undoubtedly emerge in Guyana’s near-term and medium-term future? In our next installment, we will address the key sectoral issues that are critical inputs for a decision on constructing a refinery for Guyana; and in Part III, we examine practical options for Guyana.

This lack of clarity on shared fundamental assumptions across the spectrum of key stakeholders in the national decision-making infrastructure highlights the importance of the need for a declared National Development Plan. As Guyanese, even when we are engaged in rum shop chatter over the choice of openers for the Amazon Warriors we start

from a vague, but shared vision of a dominant Guyana team.

At a national level, regarding a national asset, stakeholder positions that are undeclared, fundamentally different, or that are well meaning but factually flawed, cannot optimally serve the national interest even when the most technically efficient plan is executed. Whatever one may have felt about the quality of their strategy, planning and execution, the Burnham regime could not have been accused of a lack of clarity and transparency. “Feed, Clothe & House” was a mantra, but one that was clear. And even the previous government’s declared pursuit of a green economy was similarly clear, if arguably less transparent. The essential harnessing of available, but increasingly scarce, human capital is especially complicated, given our ethnic competition. So reference to a

(shared) national developmental plan is a sine qua non to our best advantage. The example of the Amaila Falls hydro project shows that the exploitation of our petroleum bequest will not survive the multi-racial, multi-ethnic, class-based contestation that is emerging. Evidently, an NDP which allows every citizen to confidently engage in the national discussion of the nation’s energy future and to identify with the building of a refinery or with not building a refinery is a must. Such an articulation is also necessary to better position us to anticipate up and downstream developments that may give rise to businesses, skills development and other related opportunities.

Stakeholder consensus on such a document is also vitally necessary to ensure that our regional and international partners regard us as credible long-term partners.

However awkward and tedious this might appear, it is vital to the long-term national interests that the process be transparent. We believe that until sustained and broadly based economic growth dissolves our instinctual ethnic suspicion, EVERY consequential decision in Guyana will be viewed through an ethno-partisan lens.

And national assets are just that – national. They must be disposed of in a manner that takes the (whole) nation into its confidence, transparently and with the utmost respect, notwithstanding negotiating peculiarities. The world over, commercial agreements involving national assets are subject to legislative purview. Our specific national context requires us to be even more open.

We note that the global energy sector, especially the oil sector, has fiendishly complex, technical expertise thresholds

and very seductive commercial promises – in simple English, it encourages corruption, from start to finish, i.e., throughout the petroleum supply chain, from the wellhead to the pump, and the major oil companies know that poor nations with weak governance structures and poorly articulated interests are an easy mark. So the preceding necessary NDP will be insufficient, if not underwritten by a manifestly patriotic, Guyanese political bureaucracy advised by and backed by astute commercial and technocratic interests.

We submit that a transparent process led by broadly shared Guyanese interests articulated in a widely disseminated, democratically affirmed national development plan is a necessary first step for a stable, consensual, nationally responsible, and equitable exploitation of our petroleum bequest.

Regards Terrence Blackman & Kojo Parris

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 5, 2017

President may have misinterpreted Article 161 Dear Editor LIKE every other reasonable-minded Guyanese but moreso, because I played a role in assembling both lists of persons which the Opposition Leader submitted to the President for the appointment of a Chairman of GECOM, I am disappointed by the President’s rejection of these lists.

I continue to maintain that the President has managed to make, what was, historically, a very smooth and straightforward exercise, one that is now complicated and politically acrimonious. I also maintain and with due respect, that the President cannot seriously boast a better understanding of the Carter Formula and its constitutionalisation expressed in Article 161 (2) than Mr. Hugh Desmond Hoyte S.C. This is so because Mr. Hoyte participated in the coinage of the Carter Formula and was an eminent Senior Counsel and was therefore schooled in the interpretation of a constitution.

Mr. Hoyte participated four times in the process of compiling names and submitting them to different presidents of the PPP Administration with seamless ease and without any controversy whatsoever. Those who are now contaminating

the President’s mind with absurd legal advice in relation to the interpretation of Article 162 were around at that time, but would have dared not tried that with Mr. Hoyte. He would have simply not tolerated it because he knew better.

Unfortunately, what we now have is a bizarre interpretation of Article 162 which distorts both the letter and the spirit of the Article. For example, the President tells us that Article 161 (2): (1) accords priority in relation to persons who are judges, former judges and persons qualified to be judges over and above “any other fit and proper person” when the Constitution does no such thing; (2) that these persons must not be religious leaders or part of any faith-based organisation; again the Constitution does not so discriminate; (3) that the person must not be an activist in areas such as human rights, gender discrimination etc; again Article 161 (2) contains no such exclusion; (4) that all six persons must be found acceptable before the President chooses one; in other words, if five are and one is not, then the entire list becomes unacceptable and therefore, the President refuses to choose one from

the five, though he finds them acceptable.

It is this erroneous and warped interpretation which has misled the President in rejecting the two lists submitted.

Unless this abysmal error is corrected, this cyclical exercise of submission and rejection of lists may become never-ending. I must reiterate that while Article 161 (2) resides with the President a discretion in so far as the list must find his acceptance, this discretion cannot be capriciously and whimsically exercised. It must be exercised reasonably and the President is obliged to take into account only relevant considerations and discount from his mind, irrelevant considerations.

The methodology which the Leader of the Opposition has used in compiling these two lists proves that the President’s exercise of his discretion does not accord with the rest of the society.

In my view, that is a strong indicia that the President is wrong. The Leader of the Opposition did not compile these lists by himself. Rather, these names were generated from a wide consultative exercise involving the major stakeholder organisations in this country. These organisations consulted with their respective constituencies

and produced these names.

These constituents number tens of thousands of people.

It is simply illogical to argue that all of these people are wrong and the President and his legal advisors are right.

Finally, finding another six names in compliance with the President’s fallacious construction of Article 161 (2) of the Constitution, would now become near impossible.

The pool to draw from has become significantly narrower. More importantly, more persons would become even more reluctant to offer their names for the fear of the public damage and humiliation to their professional reputations, character and image by the President’s cavalier rejection of their names.

In the circumstances, the nation has no alternative but to hope that the proposed engagement between the President and the Leader of the Opposition would result in the President’s resiling from his misinterpretation of Article 161 (2). If not, the consequences to this nation may be dire, for which the President will have to accept responsibility.

in the ICU for four days and nights, I saw how clean and tidy the Cubans are keeping this unit; every half an hour they will mop the floor and keep it sanitized to avoid any bacteria. The beds and sheets are well clean and the staff are well trained in patient care.

I can say this without any reservations, because I saw it in Ruby Hall Super specialty hospital in India, where I was a patient for two months and I know what is top-class medicare. The Cuban counterparts cannot compare them, except for those who came from the old nursing school. In this same hospital I overheard patients who worked on the rehabilitation of the hospital in 2012, saying how materials which were paid for and were supposed to be used to build several wings were diverted to West Demerara to build a private contractor’s house. No wonder this hospital is in such a shabby state.

Essequibo needs a stateof-the-art flat hospital, the one presently in use at Suddie is over 100 years old with no improvements; we need a hospital which offers the advantages of the most advanced technology combined with a compas-

sionate treatment approach to patients. The problem with this hospital is that it doesn’t have a proper functioning and experienced management committee to put policy in place to correct the faults, no one knows who they can complain to. The past management committee under Ms Nandranie Coonjah was doing an excellent job and the hospital was being managed better.

There are no daily group discussions under the chairmanship of the committee, which are looking into difficult cases, to give patients the advantage of the pooled knowledge of experts in several disciplines. In addition, no clinical meetings are held as part of the hospital’s continuing medical education programme, where papers are presented by consultants.

There are no attempts by the ministry of public health to train aspiring students to become competent nursing professionals. No library is in this hospital and no reading room with books of all nursing and allied subjects and also books of general knowledge and language books. There are no internet facilities and digital library.

Coming back to Mr Deleep Singh, they are many more big businessmen like him who can help to adopt a ward or two, but they chose not to do so, when they get ill they will go to a private hospital in Georgetown or out of the country for treatment.

I think over $ 2.3 billion was budgeted in 2013 for a state-of-the art specialty surgical hospital at Suddie .The government should use Indian government loan for this purposes. With all the billions which were expended in the health sector and training of public health personnel, the health facilities all over the country are in bad shape. Where is the $2.3 billion which was allocated in 2013, for the construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of the health infrastructure countrywide?

And which was supposed to provide comprehensive facilities in preventive, curative and rehabilitative care to the patients? I don’t think that the Suddie Public hospital will ever be certified as one of international standards.

Qualifications for REOs and DREOs should be made public Dear Editor REFERENCE is made to an article in the Stabroek News dated Monday, May 29, 2017 with the caption, “Appointment of Deputy REO of Region Three questioned.”

The article was quite an informative one and gave the public a clearer understanding of employment procedures, especially for senior Public Service positions. After reading the article, I believe for the sake of transparency in a modern democracy, the Government of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana - Ministry of Communities should for the benefit of the public release the qualifications of all Regional Executive Officers (REOs) and Deputy REOs. Should this request be met, then all doubts will definitely be erased and the government should be bold enough to release the qualifications since they campaigned on transparency and real democracy.

Regards Rev. Johnattan Samuels

Regards Anil Nandlall

Residents of Providence Scheme Phase 3 plead Suddie Hospital must improve services for water service Dear Editor,

REGION Two will never be able to get another patriotic person like Mr Deleep Singh. I have heard so many good things about this popular businessman from Charity. I cannot help risking repetition of the awesome one-man crusade by Mr Singh, who I was made to understand spent millions of dollars of his own money to fix the Intensive Care Unit and the Registry at Suddie Public Hospital. On his visit one day to the hospital, he saw that gutters were falling off from the rooftop; it was an unholy sight to the public, doctors, nurses and the administrators .The ICU and the Registry were no different,there was no air-conditioning for the patients coming out from the operating theatre.

Mr Singh decided to buy the air-conditioners and tiles; for the ICU, he mobilised his own carpenters and technicians to fix both. It was a good investment for both patients ,doctors and nurses, who are working 24/7 in the wards and the clerk for medical record-keeping .As a patient

Regards Mohamed Khan

Dear Editor, WITH an unexplainable degree of frustration, we the residents of Providence Housing Scheme Phase 3 would like the relevant authorities to consider our plight. After over 10 years of application we were fortunate to be granted a plot of land at Providence Housing Scheme Phase 3. Many of us took out mortgages from lending institutions to build a home where we intend to start our families, while others spent their entire life savings with the intention to retire.

Our homes have been completed, while many are in construction; however, our daily lives have been crippled with no water supply. We have made several

calls to GWI, who claims that the infrastructure is in place, but they are awaiting authorization from the CH&PA to supply water to the residents. The CH&PA however claims that the responsibility is at the end of GWI. After three years of back and forth between these two organisations, with our monthly mortgage payments, we live on rain water and continue with this burden.

We are asking the Honourable Minister Valerie Patterson, a Minister of the people, to look into our concerns, and please help us so that we can receive water in our homes.

Regards Concerned residents for Providence Housing scheme Phase 3

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday June 5, 2017

FFTP celebrates 26 years in Guyana

THE US-based charity, Food for the Poor (FFTP) is celebrating 26 years of dedicated benevolent service to thousands of families across the beautiful land of Guyana.

To mark the occasion, the organisation has issued the following statement, in an effort to document its growth here over the years: “Food for the Poor commenced operations on June 3, 1991 in Kingston, Georgetown, before moving to 248 Forshaw and Oronoque Streets, Queenstown.

“Because of the great need of essential services

outstanding service to the organisation.

“Through its committed donors, the charity has, since its inception, built more than 3 400 housing units, over 500 of which were constructed as part of 12 villages. Those villages are located in Regions One (Barima-Waini), Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and Five (Mahaica-Berbice).

“In 2016, the organisation distributed 159 containers of goods, inclusive of food, medical equipment and supplies, educational

gramme.

SCHOOL FEEDING “Additionally, 318 children from four schools, namely Mashabo, Enterprise, Sophia and Watooka Primary, benefit daily from FFP’s School Feeding Programme, whereby they enjoy hot nutritious meals, with beverages and fruits. The parents of those children are also given monthly hampers.

“President and CEO of Food for the Poor Incorporated of the United States of America, Robin Mahfood, in his address to the large

A typical FFTP presentation ceremony (Photos by Adrian Narine)

Boxes of supplies for distribution to hospitals and healthcare centres for the population, it quickly expanded and is presently located at 1999-2002 Blue Mountain Road, Festival City, North Ruimveldt.

“Headed by a Board of Directors chaired by Mr. Paul Chan-a-Sue, the daily operations are managed by Mr. Kent Vincent, Chief Executive Officer (CEO)) . It was previously managed by former Executive Director, Mr. Leon Davis, who retired in 2012 after 21 years of

supplies and sporting equipment.

“FFTP’s ‘Angels of Hope’ programme caters for 244 children from 12 orphanages. A monthly supply of food, clothing, toiletries and school supplies are donated to the Homes. The children are sponsored by donors from the United States of America. Children must be under 18 years old to be admitted to the pro-

gathering in attendance at FFTP ( Guyana)’s silver jubilee dinner at the Pegasus Hotel last June said: ‘We work in schools and orphanages. Education is one of the easiest ways out of poverty. Without a good education you’re asking for trouble.

“The entity is also engaged in water, self-sustainable agricultural and animal husbandry projects, to name a few.

A sample of the medical supplies and equipment donated to the New Amsterdam Hospital

FUNDING Most of the organisation’s funding is derived from donations and fundraising activities such as cake sales, take-away lunches, corn houses and raffles. One of the main fundraising activities is the Annual Schools Raffle.

“FFTP would like to thank the donors, both local and overseas, for their faithful support over the years,

and looks forward for more support in the future.

Food for the Poor Inc., Florida USA, one of the largest international relief and development organisations in the world, does much more than feed millions of the hungry poor primarily in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America.

“This inter-denominational Christian ministry provides emergency relief assistance, clean water,

medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance.

“Over the last 10 years, fundraising and other administrative costs averaged less than five per cent of expenses; more than 95 per cent of all donations went directly to programmes that help the poor.”

Cattle farmer killed in hit-and-run MICHEAL Andre Totaram, 42, called “Punkman”, a cattle farmer from Adelphi Village, East Canje, Berbice died in an accident which occurred on Number 19 Highway in Corentyne, Berbice on Sunday morning.

He was reportedly struck down around 001:30hrs by motor car PSS 6395, driven

by Emanuel Luther 21, of Lad Lane, New Amsterdam.

Guyana Chronicle understands that Luther, who is attached to a taxi service in New Amsterdam, was en-route to uplift a couple in Rose Hall Town when he reportedly slammed in to Totaram.

Luther reportedly told investigators that while on his way to Rose Hall, he felt an impact and thought he hit something and stopped, came out of the vehicle and noticed his front number plate was damaged.

According to him, he did not see anything on the roadway and proceeded to pick up the couple at Rose Hall Town. On his way back to New Amsterdam, his car over-heated within proximity to where he had previously stopped.

He called another car to take the customers to their destination since his radia-

tor was broken.

It was while he was trying to fix his car the police patrol vehicle approached and arrested him, taking him to the station.

According to police sources, they received a call of a hit-and-run on the Number 19 Highway and upon investigations they found a body on the road.

They took the person to the New Amsterdam Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. And upon returning to the scene, they saw Luther trying to fix his car and upon further investigations noticed his car had a fresh dent in front.

Upon questioning Luther, the police believe that he hit down Totaram and arrested him.

Meanwhile, as word spread of the hit and run, Juliet Mc Pherson, a sister of the dead man, visited the New Amsterdam Hospital after they were unable to make contact with her brother and there she positively identified the remains of her brother.

She told reporters that her brother is a known alcoholic and has been working with someone on the Corentyne as a cattle farmer.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday June 5, 2017

Gov’t MP blasts Region 10 RDC –– says protests at Kwakwani Secondary could have been avoided

By Vanessa Braithwaite

APNU+AFC Member of Parliament (MP) Audwin Rutherford has blamed the Region 10 Regional Democratic Council (RDC) for protests at Kwakwani Secondary due to the absence of electricity and water there.

It was reported that for the past three weeks, the school has been without electricity, which was precipitated by a series of electrical problems ranging from continuous power outages to the sparking of exposed wires around the school’s premises.

This situation has severely affected teaching and learning at the school.

Students and teachers also received no definitive answer from regional officials on when the situation will be rectified.

Rutherford blamed the situation on the RDC,

claiming that it was slothful in responding to the matter.

He said for a while the school has been experiencing electrical problems and the RDC was provided with a list of items to remedy same, but these had not been supplied for commencement of work, up to last Friday.

“A list was made out of things needed and they are progressing on that slowly, I am disappointed with the progress, I am totally disappointed and it is embarrassing with the slothfulness with what the region is doing,” Rutherford said, adding that the officials are acting as if they have no real concern over the issue.

He said the last conversation he had with Regional Executive Officer (REO) Gavin Clarke was that the items had been purchased and were scheduled to be sent to Kwakwani, but has

not heard back whether same has been done Last Thursday, Regional Chairman Renis Morian at the statutory meeting said the situation could have been avoided if the purchasing department at the RDC had viewed the issue as priority and purchased the items.

He said the items should have been purchased immediately after it was brought to the department’s attention and that no longer will the RDC tolerate inefficiency from employees in the department. Disciplinary action will be taken against all employees who have been negligent.

Regional Vice-Chairman Elroy Adolph said as a result of the electricity situation, the school has also been without water, since the pumps cannot be operated to fill the overhead tanks which supply the school with water.

Jamaica nets cocaine from Guyana, Suriname JAMAICAN police last week netted 165 pounds of cocaine which were found in containers shipped from Guyana and Suriname.

According to a report in the Jamaica Observer on Sunday, officers assigned to the Narcotics Division and members of the Contraband Enforcement Team (CET) of the Jamaica Custom Agency conducted an operation at the Kingston Freeport Terminal, Gordon Quay, Port Bustamante Wharf on Wednesday.

The operation led to the seizure of the illicit substance. According to the report, around 16:00hrs on Wednesday, four containers shipped from Guyana and Suriname were searched and found to contain 56 parcels of cocaine. Police said the drug seized has an estimated street value of $77,216,000.

Two containers were shipped from Guyana, each containing two travelling bags, one with 31 parcels of cocaine and the other with 12 parcels of cocaine. The other two containers were shipped from Suriname.

According to the report, in the first one, two knapsacks were found to contain nine parcels of cocaine. In the second container, one knapsack was found with four parcels of cocaine.

On Friday, during the operation, the containers from Guyana showed anomalies in the refrigeration section upon scanning. The police say the section of the container was disassembled and a further 10 parcels with cocaine was seized.

No one was arrested in connection with the find.

APNU+AFC MP Audwin Rutherford It was reported that parents and students have been protesting since Wednesday and are calling for speedy intervention into the matter.

Efforts to contact other regional officials on the matter proved futile.

Businessman found dead in home A BUSINESSMAN affected by mental illness was found dead in his 82 Collingswood Avenue, Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara (E.B.D) home on Sunday.

Dead is 59-year-old Parbhudyan Persaud called “Cecil”. He lived with his wife and son. The Persauds owned and operated Hauraruni Agricultural Development Company (HADCO) Incorporated, along with a sawmill at 284A Long Creek on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway.

The company also had a branch in Barbados and was the suppliers of exotic tropical hardwood mainly for export markets. Persaud was the holder of a licensed firearm.

Reports indicate that up to the time of his death, the businessman was a patient at a health facility.

It is alleged that residents in the area heard a gunshot but did not know exactly where it originated. Only the businessman was home at the time. His wife and son were at their business place. Upon her returning home, she discovered her dead husband Sunday morning after she opened the backdoor of their premises.

She immediately raised an alarm and summoned the police.

Police confirmed that the man died as a result of a gunshot wound as investigations continue.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday June 5, 2017

Children get what they are given CHILDREN do get it: they really do understand and can comply to a sense of reason. If you, as the adult, take the time to explain to them why they should not do something and why you have made certain boundaries on their behalf, not only will they understand, they will also comply.

However, this is something you should start to do using child-appropriate language when the child is old enough to comprehend what you mean and what the possible consequences could be if they do not take heed. As the child grows and develops a better sense of understanding, you should continue to explain things: appeal to his/ her sense of reasoning, give the child the opportunity to converse with you and share his/her opinions; allow the child to participate when you

are making rules and let him/ her explain what the consequences might be if the rules are broken.

This is a healthier approach to parenting and one that can result in strong ties and life-long bonding between parent and child. It is far better than beating a child into submission, or beating a child as a punishment for something he/she did wrong.

Statistics prove that building a good relationship with a child, where you can discuss things and decide on boundaries together, is far more effective in the long term, than the frustration and pain associated with beating. The ball is in your court, only you as the parent can decide what route you choose to take when it comes to disciplining your child. But we at the Childcare and Protection Agency would like to make

you aware that there are alternative methods of getting your message across to your child without physical violence.

Of course, children also get it, (but in a negative way) when they are yelled at, shoved around and called names from very early on in their lives. They get it when everything they do wrong warrants a slap, cuff or a beating from their parents.

This negative interaction does not enhance their development or their confidence as a person. They grow up learning and believing that physical violence is the way to sort things out. Their relationship with their parents is not relaxed and open. There is no room for talking things through, reasoning, explanations and mutual understanding, the child must do as he/ she is told, or else, ‘it’s licks.’

So what they actually get is a pretty raw deal.

Children have their own minds and each mind needs to be nurtured, preferably by parents, not controlled, belittled, or suffocated, by parents, but nurtured to bring out the best in each child.

This is what parenting is really about: parents finding the right balance that works for parent and child, not just parents alone. Beating a child works for the parent alone

and is a temporary measure usually brought on through frustration, or because beating children is a custom and so the custom continues.

When you know better you do better and there are many strategies, techniques and approaches that parents can learn that are effective instead of resorting to beating. But do they care to know what they are? If you are interested in learning more about ‘disciplining

your child without beating’, you can speak to one of our child protection officers at the Childcare and Protection Agency on 225 4083.

If you are concerned about the welfare of a child call the Childcare and Protection Agency Hotline on 227 0709 or write to us on chilcaregy@gmail.com A message from the Childcare and Protection Agency, Ministry of Social Protection

Region Nine planning body soon THE Rupununi’s Plan of Action for Regional Development (PARD) is being fine-tuned, with the expectation that the region’s planning secretariat will become operational soon.

The Guyana Chronicle has also learnt that stakeholders have lent critical support to the 10-year proposal, which seeks to foster key areas of advancement in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

PARD is a new initiative implemented by the present administration during the second half of 2015, mere months after assuming office.

The objective is to assist the Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs) of the country’s 10 administrative regions in developing, implementing, monitoring and assessing appropriate action-oriented plans for their social and economic advancement.

Technical Consultant, Sabina Khan, who is working along with the Region Nine RDC in the development of their PARD, told the Guyana Chronicle this week that the plan focuses on development of the region’s economy and socio-economic matters, as well as environmental issues affecting it.

She said at the moment, besides working on establishing a secretariat in the region, the region has already identified an administrative manager and a spatial planner for the secretariat.

Personnel to spearhead socio-economic planning, as well as a Brazilian relations planner are being scouted to strengthen the functionality of the secretariat.

According to Khan, the process of establishing the plan commenced in October last year, and the first phase of the project ends this month.

“It’s addressing matters such as the integration of development in the region,” Khan said, adding that consultations are being undertaken throughout the region, as the plan is being crafted.

Khan noted that Conservation International Guyana (CIG), which has an office in Lethem, was asked by the RDC of Region Nine to provide technical guidance to the process of setting up the secretariat,

as well as with the overall development of the plan.

She said the project has received support from a number of stakeholders within the region, among them the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), as well as the Rupununi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI).

In addition, she said the Brazilians across the border have been engaged with regard to establishment of the plan.

The state planning units in neighbouring Roraima State, as well as students from the University of Roraima are being engaged in the discussion phase as the plan is crafted.

The project is being funded by the Ministry of Communities, via the RDC and CIG. Following the first phase, which ends this month, the RDC and technical advisors will decide on the way forward.

The PARD consists of three policy instruments, which describe how the region will be managed over the next 10 years. It includes a regional strategy, which is a vision for the region reflecting shared values and development priorities, strategies and targets on the economic, social, cultural and environmental conditions to be maintained, improved and realised.

In addition, it consists of a Regional Action Plan, which translates strategies into annual work plans, mobilises resources for activities, assigns roles and responsibilities of stakeholders, and a monitoring plan to track progress.

The plan also includes a Regional Land-Use Plan, which is a map of the current and future management of land, water and other natural resources, including what activities are located or permitted where, and under what conditions.

Khan said that on June 30, a draft of the plan is expected to be published and according to her, “it will tell of what people want for the region [and] the way forward among other details.”

The plan will also provide the RDC with important information in the preparation of its 2018 Budget.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday June 5, 2017

Corrective works for Linden water plants

–– GWI blames contractors for faults

By Vanessa Braithwaite THE Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) is on a mission to correct structural and implementation faults that have emerged during the executing of a US$412.3M Linden Water Supply Rehabilitation Programme.

The faults have resulted in limited and poor quality of water to Linden residents.

The flaws were highlighted by GWI Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Van West Charles, who visited Linden on Thursday with a delegation of engineers and other officers to discuss the project with regional officials.

The project was funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in 2011 and UEM Incorporated of Trinidad and Tobago was awarded the contract.

It sought to provide 24 hours of water supply from the two plants in Amelia’s Ward and Wisroc to the World Health Organisation (WHO) standard as well as provide reliability onsite power generation and production of sodium hypochlorite.

Linden was chosen for this multi-million dollar project because the residents for years have received limited and unsafe water supply from five deteriorated plants.

However, six years after, the water situation in Linden has not improved and there is no 24- hour water supply to homes, persons continue to depend on water tanks and purchase purified water for consumption.

Dr. Van West Charles said the project has not met its expectation.

“Many flaws have been

constructed and hence the expectations of the project cannot be met and GWI is now seeking to make changes to resolve a series of the flaws, but in essence will also require addition investment to make sure that Region 10 has good water supply,” the CEO said.

PLANT DESIGN GWI Director of Project Implementation and Partnership Building, Ramchand Jailal, explained to the officials that the first issue with the plant is that the design of both the Amelia’s Ward and Wisroc plants were the same, despite treating two different types of water: ground and surface water.

In the construction phase, the contractor erred in the placing and pouring of the

concrete, the variation of the filters and executed poor designs to the pipes at Wisroc.

As a result of these faults, leaks were presented and the concrete walls of the wells contain a significant amount of moisture which can eventually lead to corrosion of the reinforcement bars due to prolonged exposure.

There were no by- pass mains and well as defective soak way for the Wisroc plant. It was highlighted that the plants’ expectations were to supply 16,000 cubic meter (cm) per day to the community, but only 10,000 cm per

day is supplied which leaves a gap of 6,000 cm per day.

Councillor Gordon Callender revealed to the team that Wisroc benefited from 24- hours water supply prior to the execution of the project, and now since the new reservoir has been installed, the community suffers from limited water supply.

Councillor Charles Sampson said during the execution of the project, the contractor was advised of mistakes being made but it fell on deaf ears.

“Advice that was given by the residents of the

communities, lots of those advice were not heeded,” he said. With the completion of the project in 2016, most of the objectives were not met and the project was not able to make a positive social impact on the entire community.

GWI INTERVENTION Jailal said GWI now has to pump millions of dollars to remedy the faulty project since it is basically back to square one.

“We are forced now See page 14

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Guyana-Brazil to discuss areas of co-operation

GUYANA will host the fifth meeting of the Guyana/Brazil Group on Council Cooperation and the sixth meeting of the Guyana/Brazil Frontier Committee.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon said that the meetings will be held on June 5 and 6, 2017 and that the local delegation will be led by Ambassador Audrey Waddell-Jardine.

He said the purpose of the meeting is to address issues relating to “cooperation between communities on the borders between Guyana and Brazil on the areas of health, education, water management, animal and agricultural surveillance, trafficking and violence against women, indigenous issues and public security.”

The Guyana/Brazil Frontier Committee was established on September 14, 2009, with the inaugural signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two countries on the Takatu Bridge.

“This mechanism was established to advance the process of integration by nurturing development of the population within the frontier communities,” Harmon said.

The last meeting of the Council and the Frontier Committee was held in Brazil in 2016.

Corrective works for Linden . .

From page 11

as an entity to put money towards refurbishing the existing plant, $60M towards the Mackenzie plant and West Watooka plant” to remedy some of the faults of the contractor and consultant, Jailal said.

In addition to these, another $60M has to be spent to remedy the filtration problem and another $20M to remedy the distribution system.

Other gaps to be addressed by GWI are the non-revenue water reduction programme, installation of water meters for all customers and replacement of mains in Christianburg, Wisroc, Half Mile and Canvas City.

Looking to the future, GWI is currently exploring river bank filtration with drilling of new wells.

The water company has already engaged a Dutch firm with years of experience in drilling wells which will do so at 1/3 of the standard cost.

Dr. Van West Charles said his mission is to have purified water running from house taps and GWI is exploring options of laboratory testing.

“One of the things that I want to do is to restore people’s confidence to be able to drink the water from the tap,” he said. With the commencement of the rehabilitation project, residents of Linden should expect improved water supply earliest.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 5, 2017

Brazil retains South American Junior Championships … Guyana settle for second place

By Tamica Garnett G U YA N A’s C o m p t o n Caesar had to dig deep and push hard to make it to a silver in the boys’ 200m final, after a fierce fight from Brazil’s Derick Silva after a leg injury in the heats put paid to his sprint double aspirations in the South American Junior Championships, which concluded last night at the National Track and Field Centre in Leonora.

In the girls’ 4x400m, the team of Avon Samuels, Tandika Haynes, Kenisha Phillips and Joanna Archer added a final gold to bring Guyana’s tally to three, as the team ended with a total of 25 medals, and in second place behind Brazil, in the points table.

Guyana missed out on a fourth gold after the boys’ 4x400m team put on

a powerful performance for their supporters to be the first across the finishing line, but later got the devastating news that they were disqualified for a baton-passing infringement.

With 32 medals, and 287 points, Brazil ended as the unquestionable winners of the 42nd Championships, defending their title, and retaining their name as South America’s powerhouse in athletics. Guyana ended with 198 points for second place.

Colombia took third with 165 points, and 18 medals, of which six were gold. Of Brazil’s tally, a whopping 18 were gold medals, leaving Brazil to end as the only team with a double-digit gold medal count.

Guyana had the second highest number of silver medals, taking 10, Brazil had 11 silvers.

Caesar’s silver added to the silver medals that Joanna Archer, Tremaine Beckles, and Dennies Roberts also earned yesterday.

The CARIFTA Games gold medallist had many worried when he pulled up in the 200m heats, and had to be carted off on a stretcher.

Many Guyanese had turned up with hopes of seeing the Lindener blaze away with a sprint double, after he had humbled Brazil’s Silva in the boys’ 100m on Saturday, clocking a time of 10.36 seconds.

But Silva would even the score when Caesar fought his way to 21.45 seconds, behind the 20.92 seconds Silva ended with.

The bronze would go to Chile’s Enzo Faulbaum in a time of 21.55 seconds.

Caesar would return to lead Guyana to another silver in the boys’ 4x100m, which he anchored and battled to bring Guyana out of

third place.

The team clocked 41.30 seconds, as the win went once again to Brazil, finishing just a tenth of a second in front.

Archer won silver in the girls’ 800m in 2:19.43s, behind Colombia’s Johana Arrieta Madera who touched the finish line in 2:10.41s. Beckles won his silver in the boys’ javelin throw, clearing 53.41m.

Brazil’s Pedro Rodrigues dominated the event with a 69.71m throw. Roberts was second in the boys’ decathlon, behind Peru’s Ignacio Sanchez.

There were also several bronze medals for Guyana, with Chantoba Bright in the girls’ triple jump (12.19m), Kenisha Phillips in the girls’ 200m (24.26s), Terrence Fraser in the boys’ 400m hurdles (58.07s), Daniel Williams in the high jump (1.90m), and the girls’ 4x100m team.

Warriors take 2-0 Finals lead against Cavs THE Golden State Warriors took control of the NBA Finals after seeing off reigning champions the Cleveland Cavaliers in game two last night.

Steph Curry and Kevin Durant upstaged LeBron James again in Sunday's 132-113 victory at Oracle Arena as the Warriors claimed a 2-0 series lead.

Reminiscent of last season's Finals – after James' men fell 3-1 behind before rallying to clinch their first championship – the Cavs head back to Cleveland for game three on Wednesday.

With head coach Steve Kerr on the sidelines for the first time since the

opening round of the playoffs after overcoming back problems, Curry and Durant gave the boss plenty to smile about as the Warriors improved

in a double-double display.

Klay Thompson contributed 22 points for the Warriors, who used their explosive offence to suf-

driver Lewis Hamilton and New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. The three-time champion put up 29

Steph Curry and Kevin Durant upstaged LeBron James again in last night’s 132-113 victory as the Golden State Warriors claimed a 2-0 series lead.

their flawless record in the postseason to 14-0.

Reigning MVP Curry posted the first triple-double of his playoff career with 32 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, while Durant had 33 points and 13 rebounds

focate Cleveland's usually stingy defence.

James huffed and puffed for the Cavaliers, but he was unable to prevent consecutive defeats in Oakland in front of Barcelona star Neymar, Formula One

points, 14 assists and 13 rebounds as he tied Magic Johnson for the most triple-doubles in NBA Finals history.

Kevin Love scored 27 points and Cavs teammate recorded 19 of his own. (Omnisport)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 5, 2017

Brilliant Kohli steers India to victory over Pakistan (REUTERS)-India captain Virat Kohli smashed an unbeaten 81 to spur his side to a crushing 124-run victory over rivals Pakistan in a rain-shortened Champions Trophy Group B clash on Sunday.

Kohli’s master-class from 68 balls helped India post 319 for three in their 48 overs, after their innings had desperately needed a spark.

Pakistan never got going in their reply were all out for 164 chasing a revised Duckworth/Lewis total of 289 in 41 overs.

The win moves India to the top of the pool on net run-rate ahead of South

Africa, who defeated Sri Lanka in their opening match on Saturday. India face the Lankans in their second fixture at The Oval on Thursday.

“This was a very complete performance from us,” Kohli said at the post match presentation. “We took the momentum we had from the practice games into this match. Skill-wise we were clinical, just in the field is something we can still improve on.”

Having been sent into bat, India made a solid start as Rohit Sharma (91 from 119 balls) and Shikhar Dhawan (68 from 65

Virat Kohli made 81 not out from 68 balls to help India post 319 for 3 in their 48 overs.: (Getty Images).

balls) put on 136 in 24.3 overs for the first wicket.

Sharma’s innings was

ended after he responded to Kohli’s call for a single.

Although he made his ground

with a dive, his bat was in the air as wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed whipped off the bails.

Yuvraj Singh (53 from 32 balls) added 93 in 56 balls with Kohli for the third wicket as the pair gave the innings an injection of boundaries.

The final over off leftarm spinner Imad Wasim resulted in 23 runs as Hardik Pandya (20 not out from six balls) smashed sixes off the first three deliveries to push his side to 319.

The Indian batsmen were particularly brutal on Pakistan seamer Wahab Riaz, who went for 87 runs in 8.4

overs before limping off injured, the most expensive spell of five overs or more in Champions Trophy history.

The rain interruptions meant a revised target of 289 from 41 overs for Pakistan, but only Azhar Ali (50 from 65 balls) offered any real resistance.

Seamer Umesh Yadav (330 in 7.4 overs) was the pick of the Indian bowlers.

“We had everything under control in the Indian innings up to 40 overs, but then we lost the plot in the last eight and credit must go to the Indian batsmen,” Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed said.

Nadal & Djokovic stay on course to meet in French Open semis

RAFAEL Nadal continued his superb form with a dominant 6-1 6-2 6-2 win over Roberto Bautista Agut to move easily into the French Open tennis quarter-finals.

Nadal’s victory was not quite as simple as Friday’s incredible 6-0 6-1 6-0 defeat of Nikoloz Basilashvili but the fourth seed has not dropped a set yet.

Rafael Nadal

Second seed Novak Djokovic remains on course to face Nadal in the semi-finals after a 7-6 (7-5) 6-1 6-3 win against 19th seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas.

Nadal, 31, is looking to become the first man to win 10 titles at a single Grand Slam event.

He will face another Spaniard, Pablo Carreno Busta, in the last eight.

Margaret Court is the only player to have won 10 or more titles at one Grand Slam event, winning the Australian Open on 11 occasions between 1960 and 1973.

Nadal now has a 76-2 win-loss record at Roland Garros with his only defeats coming against Robin Soderling in the fourth round in 2009 and Djokovic in the 2015 quarter-finals.

It is the 11th time he has reached the quarter-finals at the French Open - a record shared with Roger Federer.

Carreno Busta, 25, reached his first Grand Slam quarter-final with a 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-7 (68) 6-4 8-6 win over Canadian fifth seed Milos Raonic.

Carreno Busta, seeded 20th, failed to convert six match points in the deciding set before eventually grinding down last year’s Wimbledon runner-up.

And a first career win against a top-10 ranked opponent will be rewarded with a meeting against nine-time champion Nadal.

Djokovic through after sticky start Twelve-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic, 30, has not found his way through the draw as easily as old rival

Nadal - especially during a gruelling five-set win against unseeded Argentine Diego Schwartzman in the previous round.

Ramos-Vinolas’ resistance in a 73-minute opening set, where Djokovic had his serve broken twice to trail 4-2 before fighting back to win the tie-breaker, indicated it could be another battle for the Serb.

But any fears he might have had were unfounded.

Djokovic won the first four games on his way to wrapping up the second set in 28 minutes, then broke again in the sixth game of the third set - after Ramos-Vinolas saved a break

The 23-year-old Austrian like Nadal and third seed Stan Wawrinka - has not dropped a set on his way to the last eight, needing little over an hour and a half to win 6-1 6-3 6-1 against unseeded Argentine Horacio Zeballos.

Nishikori through in five sets Japan’s eighth seed Kei Nishikori survived a scare to beat unseeded South Korean Hyeon Chung in five sets.

Nishikori, 27, needed almost four hours to win 7-5 6-4 6-7 (4-7) 0-6 6-4 in a thirdround match finished on Sunday after the previous day’s rain delay.

“I think the rain helped

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Novak Djokovic

point two games earlier following a thrilling 41-shot rally - before serving out to victory.

Before thinking about the prospect of facing Nadal in the last four, Djokovic’s first task is to overcome sixth seed Dominic Thiem.

something to beat him, so I think I made some adjustments to make it a little better than yesterday.”

Big-serving American John Isner, seeded 21, was knocked out in his thirdround match by Karen Khachanov of Russia, who won 7-6 (7-1) 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-3).

The 21-year-old will now face British world number one

me a lot, because I was really down in the fourth set and mentally I wasn’t ready,” said Nishikori, whose only Grand Slam final appearance came when he lost at the 2014 US Open.

“I knew I had to change

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Andy Murray in the fourth round on Monday.

French 15th seed Gael Monfils reached the fourth round for a seventh time when compatriot Richard Gasquet withdrew from their rain-delayed match with a thigh injury.

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21

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 5, 2017

FIFA U-20 World Cup 2017:

Venezuela and Uruguay advance to semi-finals VENEZUELA and Uruguay made their way into the semi-finals of the 2017 FIFA Under-20 World Cup on Sunday, overcoming the United States and Portugal, respectively.

The day’s first game came to life in extra time after a goalless 90 minutes, with Venezuela emerging 2-1 thanks to goals by Adalberto Penaranda and Nahuel Ferraresi.

Later in the day, Portugal and Uruguay couldn’t be separated over the course of 90 minutes, finishing level at 2-2. The deadlock continued through the additional 30 minutes, and Uruguay emerged victorious 5-4 in a penalty shootout. Santiago Bueno netted the decisive kick in a dramatic climax.

Here’s how the action played out on Sunday in South Korea, with Venezuela and Uruguay making strides into the last four.

Having impressed so many in their four matches at the competition so far, Venezuela were big favourites against the United States on Sunday.

In truth, they should have finished the game

long before extra time. Sergio Cordova and Ronaldo Chacon hit the bar with headers, and the Vinotinto let a string of other chances slip by. It meant they had to

throughout the contest, found space in the box and diverted a cross brilliantly into the corner. Scouted Football highlighted the Watford forward as the star man after the game:

But the United States set up a nervy end to this draining clash, with Jeremy Ebobisse halving the deficit two minutes later. It was the first goal Venezuela conceded in the

Venezuela were well worth their win.

JUNG YEON-JE/Getty Images

wait until extra time to make their dominance count.

It was Penaranda who did so. The forward, a threat

Ferraresi looked to have made the game safe for Venezuela in the 115th minute, heading home from a corner.

competition.

While there were some edgy moments for Venezuela from that point on, they nev-

er looked to be in real danger of surrendering their lead.

Afterward, football journalist David Cartlidge picked up on the profligacy showcased by the South Americans and praised the performance of skipper Yangel Herrera, who was supreme in the middle of the park: Venezuela will face Uruguay in the last four. The Celeste overcame Portugal in another entertaining semi-final, as the contest ended in a dramatic penalty shootout.

Portugal were in front with just a minute on the clock, as Xadas robbed possession in midfield and fed Xande Silva in the penalty area; he made no mistake.

Uruguay responded well and were deservedly back on level terms in the 16th minute, as Bueno nodded home a loose ball in the box. However, Diogo Goncalves put the Portuguese back in front before the break, lashing in a stunning shot from long range in the 41st minute.

Uruguay showcased their trademark spirit in the second half. Having been so impressive in the opening period,

Xadas conceded a penalty.

Federico Valverde converted with composure in the 50th minute to level matters once again.

Despite an open finish to the game, neither side found a winner inside 90 minutes.

Opportunities came and went in extra time too, with Portugal on the front foot for the majority of the additional 30 minutes. But the guile and sharpness that was on display early in the game was absent at the end of the breathless encounter.

The penalty shootout lifted tensions and shredded more nerves. The first eight kicks were expertly finished before none of the next five were netted, with Uruguay and Portugal both spurning opportunities to guarantee their progression.

However, after Uruguay stopper Santiago Mele denied Andre Ribeiro—the goalkeeper’s third save of a thrilling shootout—Bueno kept his cool to send Uruguay into the last four. They will now face Venezuela on Thursday to earn a spot in the final.

GBTI tennis off to impressive start Costa Rica banking on brilliant home

THE eighth edition of the GBTI Open served off last week Friday, and marked the peak of competition season on the Guyana Lawn Tennis Association’s (GLTA’s) calendar.

In the Men’s Round 32, Daniel Lopes defeated Jordan Beaton, 6-4, 6-3, Joshua Kalekyezi defeated Surendra Khayyam 6-0, 6-2, while President, Jamal Goodluck defeated Adesh Khayyam 6-0, 7-5.

Ronald Murray first defeated Alexandre De Almedia 6-1, 6-1, and set up a clash against Andre Erksine. Erskine looked lethal in his 6-0, 6-0 defeat of Khalid Gobin.

Roraima club mates Oswin Coggins and Devon Gonsalves played the match of the evening, as Gonsalves displayed exceptional touch at the net, but was unable to stay focused at the critical point, allowing Coggins to press his style of play and eventually close with a 6-3, 7-6(7/3) win.

Khawn Rodney had his challenge against the household name Rudy Grant. It was the joy of the tennis family to see the effort and love for the game displayed by Grant.

Grant deployed his tactical launch of drop shots and lobs that flustered Rodney in a few games, but Rodney was able to shake the nerves off and secure the win at 6-4,6-4 Kalyca Fraser, who is one

to watch, defeated former President Grace McCalman 6-2, 6-1.

Saturday night primetime had epic matches that lasted until midnight. All eyes were focused on Nicholas Glasgow/ Sandeep Chand and Alexey Almedia/Albert Razick matches.

able to get the upper hand to defeat Razick 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.

In the Boys’ Round 32, Dominic Skeete defeated Tyrese Trim 6-2, 6-4 after meeting twice in less than a month.

While on the girls’ side, Kalyca Fraser marches into the semi-final after handling

Left: Albert Razick Right: Alexey Almedia

Glasgow showed confidence from the strike of the first point against a fearless Chand. He was able to pull off a 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 win.

Members of the diplomatic corps, Brazilian Almedia and American Razick had a match of class sportsmanship and quality tennis that lasted over three hours. The senior players made full use of the court strategically and were examples of mental toughness.

However, Almedia was

the upcoming junior, Sekai Jones.

Alana Chung made her way past Charlese Adams 6-1, 6-1. Sarah Klautky confidently dismissed Margaret Subryan 6-0, 6-0. Nathalie Ramdyhan looked sharped against her best friend, Ciara Pooran, as she also booked a semi-final spot at 6-4, 6-4.

Matches continue at the GBTI Recreational Facility, Bel Air, all week from 17.00hrs.

record in World Cup qualifiers

IN four home CONCACAF After opening WCQ play qualifiers for the 2018 FIFA unbeaten in eight straight World Cup, Costa Rica is a matches, Costa Rica picked perfect 4W-0D-0L. up only a point in its last two With their next two fi- outings, rallying for a 1-1 nal-round games scheduled draw at Honduras on March to be played at the Estadio Nacional in San Jose, if that form can be maintained, the second-place Ticos (21-1, 7) will travel a much smoother road to Russia.

They will host third-place Panama (1-2-1, 5) on June 8 and then last-place Trinidad & Tobago (1-0-3, 3) five days later.

“Six points is being talked about, but we have to win the first three,” midfielder Celso Borges said about the upcoming matches.

“Obviously, we put into play the best-case scenario, which is a win. But you have to be clear that this is football and I have not seen a team qualify with Costa Rica seven points and neither midfielder with 13. So once they tell Celso Borges us that we’re qualified, the team can think about a lot of things. Before then, no.”

28. For that reason, the 2014 World Cup quarterfinalist is taking nothing for granted.

“We want to do it well, replicating what we have been doing in the last matches that we played here,” said attacker Daniel Colindes. “We know that when the team goes in motivated, it looks good and we finish the chances at the right time.”

The statistics support Colindres’ assertion. In its home qualifiers, Costa Rica has scored 11 goals (10 in the last three) and conceded only one.

“It is not a secret to anyone that we have to win at home,” finished defender Johnny Acosta.

“Above all, to win these six points because we would get a lot closer to what we want, which is to go to Russia. When we get the six points, plus with a combination of results, we would be a step away from getting it.”

(Sportsmax.com)

22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 5, 2017

Trophy Stall on board with Xtreme Clean GT Beer ‘Gold Rush’ Futsal Competition TROPHY Stall continued its unrelenting contributions to the development of sports in Guyana on Friday, when sponsorship in the form of trophies was officially handed over for the ongoing Xtreme Clean GT Beer ‘Gold Rush’ Futsal Competition, which continues Tuesday night at the National Gymnasium.

Managing-Director of the South Road, Bourda store, Devi Sunich, said that she was happy to be part of a grassroots programme aimed at promoting business among youth. Sunich congratulated the organisers and wished them well in the tournament.

Proprietor of Xtreme Clean and Maintenance, Roger Cambridge, indicated his gratitude for the “kind contribution,” stating that the support means

that the company is heading in the right direction.

Some of the country’s top Futsal teams will know their fate on one of the most important nights of the competition Tuesday, since it could decide the teams likely to advance to the quarter-final stage of the tournament set for June 13.

Twenty-six teams were allowed to participate in the tournament, and after the gruelling opening round last weekend, 12 teams were left in the competition to compete in three groups of four for the round- robin phase that continues on Tuesday and Thursday nights.

The two best teams from the three groups and the two best third-place finishers will emerge in the quarterfinals that will be a knock-

Managing Director at Trophy Stall, South Road, Bourda, Devi Sunich (left) hands over one of the trophies to proprietor of Xtreme Clean and Maintenance, Roger Cambridge, yesterday.

out phase. The quarterfinal,

Prolific Chase earns maiden ODI call-up to face Afghanistan ST JOHN’S, Antigua, (CMC) – Roston’s Chase enterprise in the Test arena has earned him a call-up to the West Indies one-day side for the three-match series against minnows Afghanistan starting later next week.

The 25-year-old righthander is the only newcomer in a 13-man squad announced Sunday, which will be again captained by all-rounder Jason Holder and includes no surprises.

averages only 25 in his List A career, but chief selector Courtney Browne said the player’s heavy scoring in Tests, coupled with his useful off-spin, would be an asset to the side “Roston Chase is the one new player in the squad. He was considered before for ODI selection, primarily because of his all-round ability,” Browne explained.

“With his prolific run scoring in the last Test series

Roston Chase … called up to the West Indies one-day side for Afghanistan series.

Chase has come to the fore in recent times as the Caribbean side’s most dependable batsmen in the Test format, despite his limited experience of having played only 10 Tests.

He struck back-to-back hundreds in the recent Test series against Pakistan en route to becoming the only batsman to top 400 runs and currently averages 48.

Chase gathered only 214 runs at an average of 26 for Barbados Pride during this year’s Regional Super50 and

and his continued steady allround performances in the PCL we now feel it’s time to introduce him to ODI cricket. He was not among the leading runscorers in the Super50 tournament earlier this year, but we believe with his skill set and the way he has been playing he could be an asset.

“His outstanding efforts with the bat could not be ignored any longer coupled with his useful bowling can only add value to our squad.”

Chase will add to a spin

attack which includes fellow Barbados off-spinner Ashley Nurse and front-line leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo.

Selectors have persisted with the ineffective Bishoo despite the Guyanese’s single wicket in 26 overs in the three-match series against Pakistan in April.

New ball bowlers Shannon Gabriel and Alzarri Joseph have been retained and headlines an attack that also includes seamers Holder and Miguel Cummins.

“Our bowling attack remains the same with four seamers and two specialist spinners,” Browne noted.

“With Roston now adding an additional spinning option for the captain, this offers further variety to the bowling attack. This gives the team the option of playing an additional fast bowler if required.”

Chadwick Walton, who managed just 36 runs from three innings against Pakistan, has been dropped from the side.

West Indies face Afghanistan in the first ODI starting Friday at the Darren Sammy National Stadium in Gros Islet, St Lucia.

SQUAD – Jason Holder (captain), Devendra Bishoo, Jonathan Carter, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shannon Gabriel, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Ashley Nurse, Kieran Powell, Rovman Powell.

semi-final and final will be

hosted on June 13, 15 and 17

in that order.

The winning team will cart off a whopping $500,000 (2 ½ ounces of gold), while second place will take home $200,000 (1 ounce of gold), third place $100,000 (½ ounce of gold) and the fourth-placed team $50,000; trophies will accompany all of the cash prizes.

The Most Valuable Player (MVP) will also be awarded. In addition, patrons have benefitted from up to $10,000 cash in giveaways at the tournament already. The organisers have said that the trend of giving back will continue for the duration of the competition.

Some of the sponsors include Trophy Stall, Fast Grafix and Jefford’s Distribution and Sales; Giftland Distribution Store and FARMSUP Mining Investments Inc.

West Indies claim T20 series with 29-run win BASSETERRE, St Kitts, (CMC) – West Indies easily beat an out-of-sorts Afghanistan by 29 runs under the Duckworth/Lewis system in a low-keyed, rain-hit affair, to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series here Saturday night.

In a contest reduced to 15 overs per side at Warner Park, West Indies rallied to 112 for three with Chadwick Walton top-scoring with 29, his opening partner Lewis getting 25 and Marlon Samuels, 22.

Set a revised target of 123, Afghanistan never looked the part and faded quickly without so much as a whimper to end on 93 all out with nine balls remaining.

Seamer Kesrick Williams finished with three for 11 to take Man-of-theMatch honours while captain and medium pacer Carlos Brathwaite claimed two for 26.

West Indies, who won Friday’s opener by six wickets, will now look to make a clean sweep of the series in the final match on Monday at the same venue.

Saturday’s win broke a losing slide for the reigning World champions who had lost back-to-back T20 series to Pakistan in the last 10 months.

Opting to bat first, West Indies were away to a flier as Walton and Lewis put on 42 off 27 deliveries.

The right-handed Walton faced 17 deliveries and struck four fours and one six

before holing out to long-on off off-spinner Mohammad Nabi in the fifth over.

Lewis, who blasted a four and a six in a 28-ball knock, put on a further 32 for the second wicket with Samuels before he perished in the 10th over, pulling seamer Karim Janat into the deep.

West Indies had reached 79 for two after 11 overs when heavy rain caused a near two-hour break in the innings.

With just four overs

Seamer Kesrick Williams

left to face after a revision of overs on resumption, the hosts managed to add only 33 runs as the Afghan bowlers kept their wits about them under pressure.

Afghanistan appeared to lack a clear plan for their run chase and quickly lost Gulbadin Naib in the third over for 12, bowled by leg-spinner Samuel Badree with the score on 15.

Williams then struck twice in the following over – the first of his spell – to

further set back the visitors.

First, he had opener Noor Ali Zadran caught at short fine leg by Jerome Taylor for six after being tucked up by a short ball and off the very next delivery, claimed Samiullah Shenwari without scoring to a catch at the wicket.

Tottering on 19 for three, Afghanistan continued to lose wickets steadily. Mohammad Nabi stylishly cut off-spinner Sunil Narine behind square for four in the seventh over but was then run out five balls in the same over looking for a non-existent single.

And captain Asghar Stanikzai perished two balls later in the following over from Brathwaite when he tugged a short ball to Lendl Simmons running around from mid-wicket to mid-on, after clearing the ropes at mid-wicket with the previous delivery.

Three more wickets fell for 14 runs in the space of 18 balls to leave Afghanistan in danger of their lowest-ever T20 total at 55 for eight in the 11th over.

But top-scorer Karim Janat struck a four and two sixes in a 15-ball 20, putting on 30 off 10 balls for the ninth wicket with Dawlat Zadran (9).

The charge, however, came a little too late and though the 12th over from Brathwaite leaked 18 runs, the required run rate remained onerous at 13 and in the end proved overwhelming.

23

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 5, 2017

GCB/Hand-in-Hand Inter-County 3-Day Tournament....

Disciplined bowling display puts Demerara on top

By Rajiv Bisnauth DEMERARA capitalised on a dismal batting display from Essequibo to close the opening day of the firstround fixture of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/ Hand-in-Hand Mutual Fire Insurance Company Limited-sponsored under-19 Inter-County cricket competition yesterday at the Police Sports Club ground.

Essequibo found themselves in early trouble and never recovered from the disastrous start, which eventually gave the hosts the early momentum.

Demerara turned in a sound bowling and fielding performance to skittle out Essequibo for 106 in 38.2 overs, 38 minutes after the lunch interval.

Opener Raymond Perez then stroked an enterprising 95 as the hosts reached 2305 at the close, a first innings lead of 124.

Earlier, five Essequibo batsmen got to double figures,

- Select U-17 hit back with late wickets

Keshram Seybodan (left) and Sagar Hatheramani were the leading wicket-takers for Demerara.

but the accurate, disciplined Demerara bowlers allowed none of the batsmen to take charge.

Spinners Keshram Seybodan (3-27), and Sagar Hatheramani (2-1), were the leading wicket-takers, but it was essentially a typical team effort.

Kishna Singh (1-13) and Richie Looknauth (131), also contributed to the spectacular batting collapse.

After deciding to bat first, the dramatic collapse in the first session left the visitors 83-6 at lunch.

The visitors had only

themselves to blame, after there were three run-outs in a mistake-ridden innings, which ultimately cost them.

Mark Ramsammy was run out for two before Mark Williams and Kurt Lovell added 33 for the second-wicket. However, Seybodan broke the promising partnership when he removed Williams for 22.

Thereafter, Essequibo lost Lovell, run out for eight, Adrian Campbell (15), was dismissed by Singh, while Looknauth removed Mahindra Persaud (3), before Chanderpaul Mohabir was the

Sylus Tyndall

other batsman run out for 11.

Sheldon Charles and Joshua Jones survived the testing period before the interval, but after adding 36, Essequibo lost their final four wickets without an addition to the score.

Seybodan and Hatheramani shared the four wickets after the interval, with Charles (9), and Jones hitting an eightball 25, inclusive of four fours and a six.

Demerara lost Bhaskar Yadram (16), but Perez held the innings together almost

Ashmead Nedd

to the end of the day’s play, before he was dismissed. His innings spanned 189 minutes, 125 balls, with 11 fours.

The other batsmen to have been dismissed were Joshua Persaud (31), Ronaldo Ali Mohamed (21) and Garvin Boodwah (11).

Ramnarine Chatura and Looknauth will resume today on 23 and 13 respectively.

At the Everest Cricket Club ground, the Select Under-17 made a courageous fightback after they failed to click substantially with

the bat. Asked to bat first, the Select Under-17 were bowled out for a meagre 86 in 49.4 overs.

Kevlon Anderson (39) and Junior Sinclair (16), were the only two batsmen who went into double figures.

Sylus Tyndall returned the best bowling figures, finishing with 4-13, while Javid Karim (2-5), Kevin Sinclair (2-21), and Keith Simpson (2-26), were the other successful bowlers.

In reply, left-arm spinners Ashmead Nedd (4-30), and Kelvin Umrao (3-30), ripped through the feeble batting line-up.

No batsman could have provided admirable resistance, with only Sinclair (28), Tyndall (16) and Adrian Sukwah (11), reached double figures.

Batting a second time, the Select Inder-17s were 5-2 when bails were lifted.

KevinChristian (1) and Umroa (0), were the batsmen dismissed off Simpson. Play resumes today at 10:00hrs.

Windies head coach hints at giving reserves a run in final T20 BASSETERRE, St Kitts, (CMC) – Head coach Stuart Law says West Indies will consider giving their reserve players a run in today’s final Twenty20 International against Afghanistan, but remain keen on making a clean sweep of the series.

Beaton yet to feature, Law said consideration would be given to exposing the untested players.

“We’ve won the series [but] that doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy.

We have to start digging in and make sure we get that ruthless streak.

Uncapped pacer Ronsford Beaton … yet to get a game in the series.

West Indies won the opener last Friday by six wickets at Warner Park and took an unassailable lead in the three-match series when they pulled off a 29-run victory in a rain-hit affair at the same venue on Saturday.

With the likes of uncapped pacer Ronsford

Three-nil is a lot better than 2-1,” the Australian said.

“It’s an opportunity too for us to have a look at some other players. We’ve got Ronsford Beaton who’s sat on the sideline and I would like to see what he’s got out in the middle. “[I would like] to con-

tinue to give Rovman Powell a go. He’s been travelling around with the team but has not played many games.”

He continued: “It’s nice to be in this position, the luxury you have to see the young kids. I would like to see them get out there and enjoy the atmosphere and enjoy the moment.”

Powell is an extremely talented all-rounder but only played in the two games because of illness to Kieron Pollard.

As expected, West Indies have dominated the Afghans, with the Asian side showing little sign of fight in the two games so far.

They suffered a shock defeat to the ICC Associate side in last year’s T20 World Cup in India but have quickly made amends with victory in both matches in the series.

Law said while the hosts could have been more convincing in winning the opener, he was thoroughly pleased with the professional manner they had gone about their assignment.

“The first game I thought we could have been a little bit more clinical but the way the boys

played and the way they responded to the challenge that we set out … we’ve done that so far,” Law explained.

“The batters in the first game probably needed to dig in and be ruthless and

be not out but they came here [in the second T20] and got us off to a great start. Rain curtailed an innings where I think we were probably on target for 180 and the bowlers stood up and did a great job.

“The spinners are doing a great job – (Samuel) Badree and (Sunil) Narine and you’ve got Kesrick Williams and everyone else chipping in with wickets which is a good team performance.”

Brazil retains South American Junior Championships

See Page 19

The Brazilian team was all smiles after their first place win at the South American Junior Championships.

‌ Guyana settle for second place

The Guyana team celebrate their second place position at the South American Junior Championship which ended last night.

Warriors take 2-0 Finals lead See19page against Cavs

Guyana's Compton Caesar finishes second to Brazil's Derick de Souza Silva in the boys' 200m finals.

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MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017