Guyana chronicle e paper 06 18 2017

SEE INSIDE

Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Charran with an official of Business Investment Development, after receiving the ‘International Star for Quality’ Award in Geneva, Switzerland in September 2015

Taking care of children in need – Exemplary father, Dennis Charran and his School feeding programme

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No. 104947

SUNDAY JUNE 18, 2017

Price: $140

(VAT Inclusive)

Happy Father’s Day

Plot thickens ...President orders CoI into plan to assassinate him

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Opposition fails to block lands COI

Old DHB pontoon removed

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Keep an eye out for ‘Red eye’ Page 3

Fire scorches Buddy’s on Sheriff Street Page 12

THE Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) was on Saturday closed to vehicular traffic for six hours, to facilitate the removal of an old pontoon and installation of a new one. The works included the replacement of winches and hydraulic pipes and the reconnection of hydraulic and electrical systems. Today (Sunday), works will continue with the reconnection of hydraulic pipes and hoses, along with checking of the hydraulic oil levels, inspection for leaks in the hydraulic components, electrical systems will be reconnected and motors will be checked.

The temporary pontoon will be removed. The Harbour Bridge will be retracted at 12:00hrs.

WPA holds firmly to coalition

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Harmon debunks ethnic bias claim Page 8

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 18, 2017

Opposition fails to block lands CoI – says it will further contribute to division

By Ravin Singh EIGHTY hours of rigorous debates in a tension-filled environment ended with the defeat of a PPP-piloted motion,which sought to block a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) set up by the President to address landtitling.

In March of this year, President David Granger moved to have the six-man CoI set up to examine and make recommendations to resolve issues surrounding Amerindian and African land issues in Guyana.

The option to have land issues of both groups addressed together was immediately rejected by the National Toshaos Council (NTC) and the opposition party.

Using the legislative arm of government to have the issue addressed differently, the PPP brought a motion in the name of its member Pauline Sukhai to block the CoI. However, after eight hours, 13 speeches, several heated exchanges and a

Opposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira

walk-out by the Speaker, government used its one-seat majority to defeat the motion which many of its members believed was “unnecessary.”

Providing clarity on the nature of the CoI was Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Dawn Hastings-Williams, who said that it was designed to resolve issues the PPP government had created.

She said that the CoI will investigate claims in an objective way as opposed to having lands being awarded at the discretion of individ-

uals.

Taking a light jab at the opposition, the minister reasoned that it was unacceptable for that party to go to the National Assembly and say that the CoI is “illwilled” when they (the PPP) did worse when they were in office.

She referenced the lamentations of scores of Indigenous leaders who had complained about not being invited to consultations prior to the passage of the Amerindian Act of 2006.

To remedy this problem, Minister Hastings-Williams told the House that: “We are putting systems in place for this not to occur again,” while adding that the opposition party had 23 years to address those issues but chose not to.

But PPP front- bencher Frank Anthony would have none of it. In response to this claim, he boasted of the “progress” made in addressing the concerns of the Indigenous peoples of Guyana, under the PPP. He specifically referenced the Amerindian Act, which he said took years of hard work to bring into effect.

Shifting his attention to the CoI, Anthony argued that this mechanism was not necessary to address this type of problem, since the land issues with the Indigenous people were different from those of the Africans.

“The two issues are separate… and so we need to find a proper mechanism.

This undertaking cannot be done in a few months,” the MP opined.

While acknowledging that this was an issue which needed to be addressed at the soonest possible time, Anthony was heckled by government MP Khemraj Ramjattan, who reminded him (Anthony) that his party had 23 years to fix the problem but never did.

Ignoring Minister Ramjattan, he continued with his presentation, eventually calling for the CoI to be abandoned as he concluded his speech.

But Minister Raphael Trotman, who is known for his fiery speeches in the House, rejected this proposal although he agreed with several of the opposition MPs. According to Trotman, it was true that the issues related to land- titling for both ethnic groups were separate in nature.

“The two issues have nothing to do with each other and will remain separate from each other” he said, reasoning that Indigenous lands, which are found in the hinterland, will be dealt with separately from lands claimed by Africans on the coast.

Dismissing allegations by the opposition that there was something “sinister” behind the decision to have a CoI, Minister Trotman detailed the series of events which lead to the decision being made by the President.

He said that during the 2015 election campaign, President David Granger

Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman

had visited several Indigenous communities in Region Nine and was made aware of the issues affecting residents.

However, it was soon realised that land-titling was not an issue affecting Indigenous peoples from one area, but across the country.

And subsequent to a meeting in Region Nine, Trotman said that he and Minister Joseph Harmon met with President Granger, who was then presidential candidate for the APNU+AFC coalition, to discuss a solution to the problem.

“The President met us and said he had heard the cries of the people and so he announced that he would set up a CoI to resolve the issue once elected to office.

So this was not an overnight decision. It was birthed out of 23 years of traversing this country” Trotman told the House.

But according to Opposition Chief Whip, Gail

Teixeira, even though this was the case, the CoI does not point in the direction of a resolution.

“Not one member of the other side has stated what were the issues and injustices that the COI seeks to address.

This commission will rectify nothing,” she argued.

But former Toshao and Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton, was of an opposing conviction.

He offered that the CoI is the most suitable option for public discourse geared towards settling this dispute.

He contended that it was not about Indigenous land rights or African land rights in isolation, but it was about the sustainable use of land and the fair distribution of same. As such, the minister said that the CoI is the ideal mechanism, since it provides a holistic approach to the issue, and provides a platform for recommendations to be made on the way forward.

Bringing the curtain down on the debate was Pauline Sukhai, who reiterated most of what her colleagues had said. She was keen to note too that most of the points made by Minister Trotman were fair, even though she disagrees with the operationalisation of the CoI. “A CoI is not the answer” she maintained, adding that it would further divide an already fragmented nation.

At 22:10hrs, the government used its one-seat majority to vote against the motion which was lost at the end of a day’s sitting.

Plot thickens 3

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 18, 2017

...President orders CoI into plan to assassinate him PRESIDENT David Granger has ordered a Commission of Inquiry (COI) into an alleged plot to assassinate him.

Well-placed sources told this newspaper that the Commission could be sworn in this week.

It is unclear what the Terms of Reference (TOR) are for the COI, but the Guyana Chronicle was told that it would address among other things the police’s investigation of the case.

In April, an investigation was launched by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the police legal advisor into an alleged plot to shoot President Granger while he was on one of his outreaches.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, had disclosed that

the administration had been provided with some information by the police about an ongoing investigation of this nature.

Harmon noted that the security of the president has been increased and made it clear that while the president was popular there were some “misguided people”, and as such extra measures had to be put in place.

Thus far, specifics of the investigation have not been revealed by the administration but Harmon had said: “I have the full confidence of the ability of the security forces to protect our President and the Ministers of Government who have been elected by the people to run the Government.

The Minister of State, when asked at that time if

names of high-ranking policemen were listed as being involved, said he was not briefed about such information.

Meanwhile, in an interview on Nightly News, a man who was approached to carry out the act spoke of a $7M bounty that was offered to him to shoot at President Granger during one of his outreaches. The $7M it was said was offered by a prominent individual.

The whistleblower in the interview stated that the businessman told him “…

President Granger, we have to have him assassinated before he moves from where he is living, before of course if he moves his security will enhance and you can’t get to him.”

He further related that

the businessman told him, “you know we and the commissioner is friends, the whole judiciary is friends, we will take care of you, all you have to do is don’t let who you know get it done to know who is we, and we ain’t want know who you get.”

The informant explained that the businessman entered his house and brought out a large weapon which he collected and minutes later returned. He explained that he had approached the businessman to conduct a business worth $6M when the proposal was made to find someone to assassinate the President and he would be paid $7M. “The next day I go back to he and said watch, me ain’t deh in them thing yo know, me aint even

President David Granger

want you tell me back about that,” the informant said, claiming that he never killed anyone before and was just a businessman.

Police Commissioner, Seelall Persaud had condemned the act while noting that it was one of treason.

He said, “Any plot to kill the President or to overthrow government is one of treason, and on the other hand if someone tells a police officer something that is false and causes the officer to act in accordance with the call of duty, then there is a charge in giving false information.”

Persaud had explained that security of the state apparatus is the number one function of the Police Force, “if you want a country go into chaos then attack the state apparatus and make it dysfunctional and its chaos, a threat against any President cannot be pushed under the carpet.”

“Even if there are elements within the force with an objective to prevent a professional investigation, it is difficult to implement and almost impossible to do that,” the police chief said.

Keep an eye out for ‘red eye’ THE Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) Eye Clinic has confirmed that cases of conjunctivitis (or red eye), have significantly increased over the past week and persons are urged to take the necessary precautions.

The Guyana Chronicle received information last week that indicated that a number of persons had contracted ‘red eye’.

When the eye clinic was contacted, General

Practitioner, Dr. Somwar (only name given) related that the number of cases treated over the past week had indeed increased.

When pressed for an exact or approximate figure, the doctor noted that it was a “significant” increase. He attributed this increase to the change in weather and noted that due to cognisance of this, a circular was sent out online alerting doctors and advising how to treat the infection.

Somwar noted that conjunctivitis can be treated by any general doctor, but warned that it is a viral disease meaning that some virus can enter and infect the eyes.

He advised that doctors can administer antibiotic eye drops to remedy the irritation and infection. He advised that persons who have contracted the infection, especially those with persistent symptoms, should visit the nearest health-care provider.

Conjunctivitis is the reddening or swelling of the conjunctiva (the clear mucous membrane that lines the eyelid and surface) and it is contagious, so it spreads very quickly. It may result in irritation and itching of the eye.

Common causes of ‘red eye’ include: infections caused by viruses or bacteria, dry eyes often from exposure to wind and sun and chemicals, fumes and smokes.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 18, 2017

Judge declares mistrial in Cosby sexual assault case PENNSYLVANIA prosecutors vowed to retry comedian Bill Cosby on sexual assault charges after a jury on Saturday failed to render a unanimous verdict despite 52 hours of deliberations in a case that echoed accusations made by dozens of women against him.

Judge Steven O’Neill, of the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas, declared a mistrial on Saturday morning following a note from jurors saying that they

were hopelessly deadlocked on three counts of aggravated sexual assault.

The result was a victory for Cosby, 79, who had faced years in prison for allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting college administrator Andrea Constand at his home near Philadelphia in 2004.

But prosecutors immediately said they would seek a second trial, which O’Neill suggested could start within four months.

“She’s entitled to a ver-

dict in this case,” Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said at a news conference.

Cosby’s spokesman, Andrew Wyatt, told reporters that the trial’s outcome had “restored” his client’s legacy.

But Cosby’s reputation remains in tatters, following a slew of sexual assault allegations from about 60 women that have destroyed the “America’s dad” image he built as star of the long-running 1980s TV comedy “The

Actor and comedian Bill Cosby (C) waves as he departs after a judge declared a mistrial in his sexual assault trial at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pennsylvania, U.S., June 17, 2017 (REUTERS/Charles Mostoller)

Cosby Show.”

Constand’s claim was the only one to lead to criminal charges, with many of the others dating too far back to allow for prosecution.

The entertainer had no visible reaction in court. As news reporters streamed out of the room, several other Cosby accusers, some in tears, waited in line to hug Constand, who smiled broadly and maintained her composure.

‘YOU’RE NOT OFF THE HOOK’ Outside the courthouse, as Cosby stood silently behind them, members of his team criticised the case against him.

“This is what happens juries are stuck when a prosecutor seeks to put someone in prison for things that are simply not presented in the courtroom,” said Angela Agrusa, one of Cosby’s lawyers.

In a statement read aloud by one of Cosby’s aides, his wife, Camille, who attended only a couple of hours of the trial took aim at the prosecutors and the judge.

“How do I describe the district attorney? Heinously and exploitatively ambitious,” Camille Cosby said in the statement. “How do I describe the judge? Overtly arrogant and collaborating with the district attorney.”

The mistrial was a blow

to the dozens of women who have said they were sexually assaulted by Cosby, including several who attended the trial wearing buttons that read “We Stand in Truth.”

Victoria Valentino, a former Playboy model who has accused Cosby of drugging and raping her decades ago, had a message for him.

“You’re not off the hook, buddy,” she said outside the courtroom.

Constand did not speak to reporters, but her attorney, Dolores Troiani, said Constand was a “very spiritual person who believes everything happens for a reason”.

Cosby has denied all of the women’s claims, saying that any sexual encounters were consensual. He still faces several civil lawsuits from at least 10 accusers.

Cosby’s starring role as beloved dad Heathcliff Huxtable in “The Cosby Show,” along with years of family-friendly standup comedy routines, made him a household name. He became an in-demand product endorser, appearing in commercials for Jell-O, Coca-Cola and Ford.

He co-starred in the 1960s espionage show “I Spy,” the first black performer to star in a weekly American TV dramatic series.

But his live performing career stalled in 2015, as multiple accusers began going public with their stories.

JURORS REVISITED TESTIMONY In Norristown, Pennsylvania, the jury struggled for days to agree on which version of the night in question to believe: Constand’s or Cosby’s.

Constand, then 31, met the married Cosby 15 years ago through her job as an administrator with the women’s basketball team at Temple University in Philadelphia, where Cosby was a trustee and the school’s most renowned alumnus.

She testified that Cosby acted as a mentor before offering her unidentified pills one night that left her unable to stop his advances.

Cosby’s defense lawyers,

however, argued that Constand’s account could not be trusted after they pointed to numerous discrepancies in her statements to police in 2005, when she first reported the encounter, which occurred nearly a year earlier.

In more than a dozen notes to the judge, the jurors asked to revisit huge chunks of trial testimony, including Constand’s account from the witness stand, her statements to police from 2005 and Cosby’s sworn depositions taken in 2005 and 2006, when Constand filed a civil lawsuit against him.

Cosby chose not to testify at the trial.

By Thursday morning, after nearly 30 hours of discussions spanning three days, the jurors told O’Neill they were at a stalemate. The judge instructed them to keep working, but despite marathon 12hour sessions, the jury said on Saturday it was at an impasse.

The trial drew intense media attention, with more than 100 credentials issued for print, online, television and radio reporters.

The case itself has followed a long path to prosecution. In 2005, prosecutors declined to charge Cosby based on Constand’s account, and she filed a lawsuit that Cosby settled for an undisclosed sum.

His depositions in that case, however, were unsealed by a federal judge in 2015, revealing his admissions that he had given sedatives to young women in the 1970s and prompting prosecutors to reopen the case.

He was eventually charged in December 2015, just days before the statute of limitations was set to expire.

Although the district attorney has vowed to try the case again, Steele may have difficulty in winning an eventual conviction, according to former prosecutors and defense lawyers.

Cosby’s legal team has now seen the prosecution’s whole case and can home in on inconsistencies the second time around, they say. (Reuters)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 18, 2017

Americans lament Cuba becoming ‘forbidden island’again AMERICAN travelers who long to swill a cocktail at Havana’s legendary Sloppy Joe’s bar or dive into the rooftop pool of its newest luxury hotel had their dreams dashed when U.S. President Donald Trump announced his new Cuba policy this week.

In a setback to the U.S.-Cuban detente negotiated by his predecessor Barack Obama, Trump on Friday ordered tighter restrictions on Americans traveling to the Caribbean island and a clampdown on dealings with its military, which owns many of the capital city’s top establishments.

“You could say, ‘You could buy a drink anywhere,’ but we want to come to a famous, very nice place,” said Russell Francis, 35, a special education teach from Houston, after visiting Sloppy Joe’s, which won renown during the 1920s U.S. Prohibition era when American tourists flocked to Havana to drink and gamble to their heart’s content.

The watering hole, with its 60-foot (18-meter) bar immortalized in the 1959 movie “Our Man in Havana,” was frequented by film stars such as John Wayne, Spencer Tracy and Clark Gable.

Many Americans have headed there again since detente to soak up its historic atmosphere.

While there is a growing number of private sector joints in Old Havana, considered one of the jewels of colonial architecture in the Caribbean, virtually all the state hotels and eateries are owned by the military.

“Part of the beauty of being in the city is the historic aspect,” Matt Flynn, 30, an accountant from New Orleans, said as he wandered along popular Calle Obispo

where live salsa music floats out from restaurants and bars.

He said he was disappointed

by Trump’s move, although he understood the principle.

Lauren Sivan, 39, of Los Angeles said she was glad she slipped into Cuba before the policy shift and was still able to stay at the Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski, owned by the tourism wing of the military, Gaviota.

The stunning property, in a renovated Belle Epoque mall, opened this month billing itself as Cuba’s first luxury hotel, with a vast spa, rooftop terrace and cigar lounge.

“We’re just so glad we came now,” said Sivan, who was visiting Cuba for a long weekend with a group of friends.

U.S. visitors tripled in number in the wake of 2014 detente, emboldened by Obama’s easing of the travel ban. Many came in under the self-directed “people to people” category, which Trump is eliminating.

Americans like Flynn and Sivan said they would not have undertaken the trip under the new rules, which make Communist-run Cuba more like the “forbidden island,” just 90 miles (145 km) from Florida.

Confusion remains about what will be allowed and whether individual visitors could simply come in under the “support for the Cuban people” category now. Experts say the devil will be in the details of the regulations to be drafted over coming months.

Similarly, it is not yet clear how the ban on dealings with companies affiliated to the military will work.

GAESA, the Armed Forces Business Enterprises Group, is involved in all sectors of the economy. That means when you enter a shop

in Cuba to purchase a bottle of water, soda or beer, you probably are patronizing a military establishment.

“They are not marked so you would have to do your research,” Flynn said. “It’s very hard to police because if you come without tour guide, it’s cash and there aren’t receipts.”

Forcing would-be visitors into organized trips, issuing lists of which establishments they could not visit and auditing those tours would go some way to solving that issue. But it also would give the Cuban government, which sanctions tours, more control over what visitors see and likely reduce Americans’ contact with ordinary Cubans.

“You would probably have to go through a tour group which has its advantages but it would be considerably more expensive and very structured,” said Christian Walther, 26, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Some travelers said they understood why Trump did not want U.S. dollars going to the Cuban military but others said it would hurt Cubans who benefited from the recent tourism boom, using generous American tips to support their families.

“It is ridiculous,” said Bronwyn Hennessy, 44, who runs a fishing lodge in Montana and was wrapping up a fly fishing tour on the island with a night in Havana. She said she would not let the new restrictions dampen her desire to explore the island further.

For the adventurous, there were always other ways to slip into the island. She had entered previously via Cancun, Mexico, asking the Cuban officials not to stamp her passport.

“If we come again, we will probably sneak in,” she said. (Reuters)

A group of tourists from the U.S. take a guided bicycle tour in Havana, Cuba June 17, 2017 (REUTERS/Alexandre Meneghini)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 18, 2017

Challenges of coalition politics THE nature of politics, in or out of a coalition, is influenced by people’s thinking and behaviour. Some rightly see politics as serving the people while others see it as opportunity to pursue self-interests.

Our present coalition scenario operates within the Proportional Representation (PR) system, whereby an alliance is formed before going to the polls. Where political parties and groups come together, and voting also influenced by race, the representation of each, outside of the known established majority, is best gauged by analyses of Statements of Poll (SoP) over the several elections.

In forming a coalition, agreement is between and among political parties and groupings, and it is always better in framing such that attention is given to the constitution and laws of the country, which will impact it. The current APNU+AFC coalition government brought hope to the society that it will be promoting the cause and interest not only of its constituents, but of all. Many share the view that irrespective of the coalition’s missteps, better days are ahead under its leadership.

The Saturday meeting between President David Granger and the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) could be seen

as an effort by both sides to make the coalition work. Obviously, there would have been talks on the lines of demarcation and channels of communication which seem to be of concern to the latter.

The Alliance For Change (AFC) earlier this year also expressed concern about the need for revisiting the Cummingsburg Accord among other issues.

When A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) coalition was put together, it was made to understand there would have been a Leadership Council meeting periodically to discuss matters of interest to the group. It was felt that the structure was necessary for deliberation and collective agreement. Whether it was established and/or not working is not known, though its concept is worthwhile, given competing interests and foci, and the importance of prioritising and responding to national issues and concerns.

The Accord between the APNU and the AFC, which led to the APNU+AFC contesting the 2015 General and Regional Elections, ensconced in the agreement was that the chairmanship of Cabinet will be held by the prime minister, who is the AFC’s candidate. In the wheeling and dealing, this specific issue conflicts with

Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams Editor

Godfrey Wray

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

constitutional obligations.

As the total coalition is being examined, what seems to be a critical moment, it needs to be reinforced that while there may be an understanding between and among the parties and groups as to the sharing of ministerial positions, the authority to appoint a team is vested in the President.

Each group needs to be aware and appreciative that constitutional Executive authority in the domain of the President who is aided by a team in which he/she vests confidence to help in the discharge of his/her duties. At the same time, it cannot be ignored that the public and those within the coalition will express their opinions on decisions made,of which the President has to be mindful .

Addressing public concern about the reassigning of Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine from Minister of Education to Minister of Public Service having responsibility for the Public Service, indicates retained public interest in the coalition. Some see it as impending failure, others are concerned if the re-assignment will rip asunder the relationship and by extension the ability to govern as a cohesive unit.

There is another section is society that is concerned about information as to the

Editorial

state of Dr. Roopnaraine’s health and whether he can carry on in a ministerial portfolio.

A coalition government is never easy to navigate and its survival as a government is dependent on continuous consultation between and among those involved, and the integrity each brings to bear. The truth be told, from the time elections were won in 2015, where smaller groups began claiming credit for the victory, this telegraphed a level of hubris in that it ignored were it not for the major group, victory would have eluded all.

This attitude has not dissipated, but rather has been cemented. At the same time there is also a perception that the big party wants to dominate the small ones.

What too cannot be ignored is that some within the coalition have no numerical strength or have lost votes over the period, according to the SOPs. A flipside of coalition politics in our PR system is that it allows some to benefit from the success of the others.

With all that having been said, it cannot be ignored that hubris -- irrespective of size -- is not the best approach in keeping any coalition alive and working in the interest of all the people.

Baha’is being systematically persecuted Dear Editor, SINCE the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, Baha’is have been systematically persecuted as a matter of government policy. During the first decade of this persecution, more than 200

Baha’is were killed or executed.

Hundreds more were tortured or imprisoned, and tens of thousands lost jobs, access to education, and other rights, solely because of their religious beliefs.

Since 2005, more than

935 Baha’is have been arrested, and the number of Baha’is in prison rose from fewer than five to more than 100 at one point. It is currently 93. The list of prisoners includes all seven members of a former leadership group serving the Baha’i community of Iran.

In 2010, the seven were wrongly sentenced to 20 years in prison, the longest term then facing any prisoner of conscience in Iran. In late 2015, reports indicated that their sentences had been belatedly reduced from 20 years to 10 years,

in line with changes to the Iranian Penal Code introduced in May 2013.

The constant threats of raids, arrests and detention or imprisonment are among the main features of Iran’s persecution of Baha’is today.

In all, at least 81 Baha’i

were arrested in 2016, up from 56 in 2015, evidence that the persecution is not subsiding.

In January 2017, 16 Baha’is were arrested.

Yours faithfully ROOPLALL DUDHNATH

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 18, 2017

Dr. Rodney was no saint Dear Editor, THE continuous attempt by some members of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) to ascribe sainthood to Dr.. Walter Rodney, given honest reading of the man, it begs the question if he would have been comfortable being profiled in such a manner.

Dr.. Rodney was no saint and never pretended to be; he was a Marxist revolutionary who believed in violent overthrow of government/political power. Debasing what he believed in and stood for politically is hypocritical and downright dishonest. Let’s have conversations on the aspect of Rodney’s political life in context of the era, what he stood for, and tried to achieve.

The WPA revels in talking about Rodney’s efforts to remove a dictatorial govern-

ment, which it claims the PNC was, given what it says that that government was not elected by the people. If dictatorship is so defined, the WPA is the epitome of dictatorship. In 2017 it remains the longest and only party in Guyana to hold this record.

From Rodney’s leadership in the 1970s to present, none of the WPA leaders was ever elected by the members. This dictatorial party rotates its co-leadership between two persons, and one of whom, because of his race, is always assured the title if he wants it. Guyana has at least six races, yet the so-called acclaimed WPA anoints only Africans and Indians to its leadership.

Making logical deduction of the WPA’s actions would lead to the conclusion that at the national level, once the

party would have gotten into government, the votes of the electorate would have been ignored and it would have imposed a rotating leadership on the society. What the WPA expects from and calls for of political parties and at the national level, it does not practise at the party level.

The society continues to be ‘reminded’ what Rodney would have wanted. But if what is being said Rodney stood for and same is being practised by the WPA, the actions and inaction of some in its leadership leave much to be desired. Outside of some few instances as in the work of Dr. Clive Thomas in his writings on the State and the State Asset Recovery Unit which heads and a plus, there are many minuses in the party. The working-class activist Rodney is always projected as

is not being practised in this government, where the WPA has a voice and notably in the Ministry of Education, where his colleague is the minister.

Looking at communist countries around the world, it is a clique who leads and rotates leadership. Observe China, Cuba and Russia. A Walter Rodney government, given his communist belief, and going by the example he and other leaders set in the party, Guyana would have been governed likewise.

In 2017, the WPA wants the agreement on oil to be released on the date of Rodney’s death anniversary in homage to him. Dr. David Hinds is now asking that the University of Guyana (U.G.) be named after him. Carrying the ridiculous to conclusion, it is only a matter of time before the WPA asks for a

national holiday in his honour or Guyana be renamed Rodney. The U.G. should not be renamed after Rodney.

Distinguished a scholar some may think he was, he does not have the body of work and ground- breaking intellectual thoughts like the late internationally renowned Guyanese, Dr. Ivan Van Sertima. There may be more out there of similar stature. If the renaming is because of his foray into national politics, U.G. should be renamed in honour of Dr. Cheddi Jagan and Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham. The former is the realisation of the idea and the latter the expansion of it.

There is a chair at U.G. in honour of Rodney. The WPA should work to make it meaningful or create a school in honour of him. An intellectual giant he is being

impressed on the society to be, it should not be difficult for those who claim they are walking in his footsteps or thrive on claimed association, to be able to achieve.

The yearly sanitising and rewriting of Rodney’s history were he alive he would not even know himself, nor be proud of the pearly white robe his followers are sewing for him. Dr. Rodney was no saint and from his politics he never attempted to be.

Let’s be honest about who he was and respect what he stood for. Some of his praxes are relevant today and some are not, but it is dishonest to paint an image of what he was not or ascribe to him what he does not deserve.

MINETTE BACCHUS

More complaints about GTT Dear Editor, I KNOW I might be too constant, but these things I personally experience and they affect me, so I choose to highlight them with the opportunities granted to me by the media. Last Saturday, I activated a three-day data plan on my mobile phone with GTT. I received the usual confirmation message that the plan has now been activated.

I tried browsing but I could not. I waited over an hour, restarted the phone and tried again with the same results. I called the operator on 0488, got through and stated my problem, after which I was ordered to restart my phone and try back and if no result, call again. I did as instructed and got the same result and I called GTT again. I spoke to another operator and listed my problem and what I did.

The operator told that some-

thing is wrong with my phone and I have to take it into the Brickdam office. It was late, so I couldn’t make it and on Sunday I visited a GTT promotional stand at Parika and I told the guy there my problem. He look at the phone and told me he has to put back in GTT’s address, which would cost me $iooo.

I bluntly told him I cannot pay for that when all the time it was the same phone I used to access the internet and if it’s an error with my phone, the GTT usually configures it free of cost, but he said I still have to pay, so I collected my phone and visited the GTT office on Monday. A staff member looked at it and told me it’s ok, so I asked him what about my data plan that I had paid for and could not use; he said that he could not do anything about it, so I left and within half an hour of leaving, the internet was cut off from my phone. I called

the operator once again and explained my problem, only to be told that if I pay for three days GTT doesn’t care if I used or didn’t use it, when the time is up it will be disconnected. I asked about my unused data and if it will be rolled over and was told no, unlike Digicel, if you activate a plan and doesn’t utilise the data, it will roll over or add up any time you activate another data plan. In GTT’s case, if you don’t utilise all your data from the plan you paid for, it would be lost unless you activate another data plan within an hour after your time is up for the plan you activated. You will receive a text message saying that.

Editor, on Wednesday 14th, I again activated another day plan and receive the confirmation text at 5:59am.

Fifteen minutes after browsing the newspapers online it stopped browsing. I noticed the GTT sign and bars going

on and off and ‘emergency calls only’ appearing periodically. I assumed it was a problem with GT&T and it was confirmed with other GTT users around, who were experiencing the same issues, so naturally I assumed that the situation would be remedied later in the day. A few times I attempted to call the operator on the 0488 number and a recording would come on saying that they are aware of the situation and are working to rectify it. Now I didn’t get to use my data again and at 6am Thursday I received another text message saying that my subscription has expired and gave me the option to apply again. I decided to call the operator again and was told that they were not aware of any problem and I should have called in immediately. I informed the operator of what I had stated above and she told me that she could not do anything

and wished me a good day.

Knowing that more than one operator answer s the phone, I tried again and the other operator said that she had checked my activity and noticed what I told her, but she too didn’t know of any problems GTT was having and that she would post my issues with some technicians and they will see what to do.

At 2:30 pm I was still hoping for some sort of justification, but got none.

Editor, this is not the first issue I have had with GTT and it is frustrating, because to me they are blatantly robbing Guyanese and the service they are providing is unacceptable. For quite a while now the $500 pre-paid phone card has been unavailable and the vendors don’t know what will happen with it. I purchased phone cards during the rainy season from vendors at Stabroek Market and sometimes the card is

wet or extra cold and when you scratch it, some numbers are likely to come off, making the card useless. You then have to call GTT and give them the serial number on the card and they would check to see if the card has been used before, or if not, they would put the credit in your phone. More than once I’ve had to call and sometimes they put the credit in and sometimes they don’t.

Many times I would call with regard to the same problems and I am always given different solutions. It might not be too much for someone to make an issue of, but just assume out of the thousands of customers, a significant amount experience the same, that will be millions of dollars that are being collected for nothing.

I ain’t able with that heat GTT! SAHADEO BATES

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Harmon debunks ethnic bias claim ALLEGATIONS which suggest that the government has been partisan in its appointment of permanent secretaries (PSs) were on Friday debunked by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon.

Commentator Sase Singh has accused the government of practicing “ethnic preferences” in the selection of permanent secretaries but Harmon rubbished the statements made by Singh and called them “nonsense”.

In a letter published on Friday, June 16, 2017 in the Kaieteur Newspaper, Singh said there is evidence of ethnic bias under the David Granger-led administration.

“As an example, look at the 16 permanent secretaries in the Granger Government.

Fifteen of them are from one race and these facts cannot be washed away.”

However, Harmon made it clear that his administration is not involved in any acts of prejudice in its selection of officers to serve. He explained that in March, many of the permanent secretaries were reassigned to different ministries while others were

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

relieved of their duties.

“If you examine that list carefully that Mr Sase Singh gave you, you’d find that all of those persons were either permanent secretaries or deputy permanent secretaries at the time. So, I want to debunk that nonsense that Mr Sase Singh is going on with and [say] that he should examine things carefully before he continues on this charade of trying to create a new bogie, as if to say this government is ethnic cleansing and is only appointing

certain persons to positions.”

The minister of state told reporters during his post-Cabinet press briefing that Singh started on the premise that if somebody is not Indian then he or she is Afro-Guyanese. “…so anybody who was on the list, who was not an Indian was considered to be black and he should examine things carefully, because some of these things affect people and they are very upset and annoyed when they are branded in a certain way by people who write and do not do their research properly,” he related.

Harmon said too, that all of the permanent secretaries have been in the system all along but noted that in an effort to allow elevation in the public service, there were internal selections for permanent secretaries once a vacancy exists.

“We look internally in the public service for the senior persons who have been there serving and have the qualifications and we move them up.”

The minister of state said too that the recent reassign-

ment of permanent secretaries is as a result of a need for more qualified and professional permanent secretaries.

Harmon added that currently there are over 50 persons training to enter the public service, and noted that at the intermediary level public servants are part of several training programmes which cater to the developmental needs of the public service and improving capacity and knowledge of permanent secretaries.

“Into all of this we looked at the levels of the permanent secretaries and at that level what we found was some persons in the system who needed some upgrading training and as such we got some of them, three or four on a programme called the Caribbean Leadership Programme.”

Harmon assured that the move to enhance the capacity of the public service stems from the recently-conducted Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the terms and conditions of the public service.

“That CoI made certain recommendations and some we have started implementing,” he stated.

Quality bilingual programme for Region Nine – Minister Allicock attends opening KARAUDARNAU, Sawariwau and Mururanau are the three Wapichan communities in Region Nine that have embarked on a pilot programme to develop quality bilingual education for primary school children there with the aim of adequately responding to the needs of indigenous children, as well as passing on wisdom and traditions of their culture.

This is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs and the Toshaos of Deep South Rupununi and supported by Jesuits working in the Rupununi.

Preparatory work and intensive grassroot-level interactions were carried out to ensure ownership of the proposed programme among the communities.

Friday last, teams from the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, led by Minister Sydney Allicock and the Ministry of Education attended the conclusion of a rigorous orientation programme aimed at determining innovative approaches to the teaching of language, mathematics and science.

Addressing the 25-member community-based Re-

source Team which included community members, Deputy Toshaos, Wapishana language and culture experts, artists and practising school teachers Minister Allicock said “language is very important, especially for Guyana and the unity, that is the unifying of our people our country and our region. We have the dedication of the people and the opportunity to move us forward into that next era, one that can change the mindset of the Guyanese people and put a new dimension on how we look at Guyana.”

Vincent Alexander, who is the technical facilitator in the Ministry of Education, adumbrated that “what language does is give you identity and recognition and when you have identity and recognition, then there’s currency to deal with the others, so what this should be doing for you is not only helping in terms of helping to assimilate, but also to give you the kind of scope to outreach beyond your region, your country and into the wider global community, because there are things that you can give to the globe and there are things that the globe can give to you.”

It is expected that all the

Minister Allicock and Vincent Alexander

stages for Nursery One will be completed and the teachers will be trained on the new materials by the end of August, so that actual implementation of the new bilingual textbooks in the programme can be incorporated in the September 2017 academic year.

Additionally, materials for Grade 2 Nursery will be completed for the next academic year, while 2019-2020 will see this introduced at the Grade 1 level, 2020-2021 Grade 2 and 2021-2022 will cover the Grade 3 level.

It is expected that

throughout the pilot programme the MOE and NCERD would undertake field review and be part of the joint review teams on a regular basis. They will allow participation of its school teachers, headmasters, and other education officers/ officials in various activities related to the pilot programme.

The curriculum will also provide a template that will be applicable to other indigenous communities across Guyana.

The three-day workshop was hosted by the Jesuits in St. Ignatius.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 18, 2017

Exxon to invest $4.4B into Liza field …one of the largest oil finds in a decade EXXONMOBIL on Friday announced that its final investment in the development of the Liza field stands at just over $4.4B for the first phase, a statement from the U.S. oil giant said. The company’s announcement came one day after the Guyana government announced that it has granted it a production licence.

The Liza field is one of the largest oil discoveries of the past decade and is located offshore Guyana.

The Liza Phase 1 development includes a subsea production system and a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel designed to produce up to 120,000 barrels of oil per day. “Production is expected to begin by 2020, less than five years after discovery of the field. Phase 1 is expected to cost just over $4.4 billion, which includes a lease capitalisation cost of approximately $1.2 billion for the FPSO facility, and will develop approximately 450 million barrels of oil,” the statement said.

President of ExxonMobil Development Company, Liam Mallon, said, “We’re excited about the tremendous potential of the Liza field and accelerating first production through a phased development in this lower-cost environment,” said Mallon. “We will work closely with the government, our co-venturers and the Guyanese people in developing this worldclass resource that will have long-term and meaningful benefits for the country and its citizens.”

ExxonMobil has said that the positive results from the Liza-4 well in which was found more than 197 feet (60 metres) of high-quality, oil-bearing sandstone reser-

voirs, which will underpin a potential Liza Phase 2 development.

Gross recoverable resources for the Stabroek block are now estimated at 2 billion to 2.5 billion oil-equivalent barrels, which includes Liza and other successful exploration wells on Liza Deep, Payara and Snoek, the company said.

Accordingly, ExxonMobil believes the Liza Phase 1 development can provide significant benefits to Guyana, including jobs during installation and operations, workforce training, local supplier development and government revenues to fund infrastructure, social programmes and services.

The Liza field is approximately 190 kilometres offshore in water depths of 1,500 to 1,900 metres. Four drill centres are envisioned with a total of 17 wells, including eight production wells, six water-injection wells and three gas-injection wells, the statement added.

The Liza field is part of the Stabroek Block, which measures 6.6 million acres, or 26,800 square kilometres. Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited is operator and holds a 45 percent interest in the block.

Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd. holds a 30 percent interest and CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana Limited holds 25 percent.

Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited is continuing exploration activities and operates three blocks offshore Guyana – Stabroek, Canje and Kaieteur. Drilling of the Payara-2 well on the Stabroek block is expected to commence in late June and will also test a deeper prospect underlying the Payara oil discovery.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 18, 2017

Walter Rodney on Race, Ethnicity and Class

By Dr. David Hinds CENTRAL aspects of Walter Rodney’s political thought in relation to Guyana were his ideas on ethnicity and class, self-emancipation and political violence. These inter-related planks of his thought informed his political practice which in turn enriched his ideas. Rodney’s ideas on ethnicity are derived from both his Black Nationalist and Marxist thoughts.

His Black nationalism was simultaneously racially grounded and class-based.

Insofar as he engaged what he referred to as “White Power,” he reached for a racially grounded Black Nationalism that critiqued White racism and affirmed Black humanity and dignity.

However, in his articulation of Black Power within the context of neo-colonialism, he privileged a classbased Black Nationalism that situated Black empowerment within the class struggles in Africa and the Caribbean.

These two approaches were not separate; they flowed from the same source and aimed for the same objective of people’s liberation.

In much the same way, his Marxism leads him to an embrace of ethnic unity. If Black Nationalism facilitates an overt racial analysis, then Marxism afforded the opportunity to stress class.

But Rodney always struggled for a synthesis of those two approaches. Whether he achieved that objective could only be borne out by his political practice. It is within this context that his Guyana groundings are vital to his wider praxis.

Rodney’s Black Nationalist views for the most part reflected those of Marcus Garvey, whom he described

as “one of the first advocates of black power” and “the greatest spokesman ever to have been produced by the movement of black consciousness” (1975:20). Rodney defined Black Power as “the hope of the black man that he should have power over his destinies” (1975: 29). For Rodney, Black Power meant three related things-“the break with imperialism which is historically racist; the assumption of power by the black masses of the islands; the cultural reconstruction of the society in the image of blacks” (1975:28).

Like Garvey, he accepted the primacy of race: Black Power is a doctrine about black people, for black people, preached by black people. I’m putting it to my black brothers and sisters that the colour of our skins is the most fundamental thing about us. I could have chosen to talk about people of the same island, or the same religion, or the same class – but instead I have chosen skin colour as essentially the most binding factor in our world.

In so doing, I am not saying that is the way things ought to be. I am simply recognising the real world – that is the way things are. Under different circumstances, it would have been nice to be colour blind, to choose my friends solely because their social interests coincided with mine – but no conscious black man can allow himself such luxuries in the contemporary world.” (1975:16).

But Rodney grounded his perspective on race in the broader context of class and anti-imperialism. In this regard, he argued that the interests of the Black ruling class were inimical to Black Power which, according to him, must be rooted in the aspirations of the masses: ..the local government

was given to a white, brown and black petty bourgeoisie who were culturally the creations of white capitalist society and who therefore support the white imperialist system, because they gain personally and because they have been brainwashed into aiding the oppression of Black people (1975-28) On the issue of cultural nationalism, Rodney’s views were similar to those of Garvey and Malcolm X. As he contended, “The road to Black Power here in the West Indies and everywhere else must begin with a revaluation of ourselves as blacks and with a redefinition of the world from our own standpoint.” (1975: 33-34). Consequently, he was critical of the negative images and stereotypes of blackness among Blacks and echoed Malcolm X’s “self-love”: Everybody recognises how incongruous and ridiculous such terms are, but we continue to use them and to express our support of the assumption that white Europeans have the monopoly of beauty, and that black is the incarnation of ugliness.

That is why Black Power advocates find it necessary to assert that BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL. (1975: 33).

While the ideas he developed during the Guyana years were part of his larger political praxis, the fact that Guyana was a peculiar society riven by ethnic conflict between two non-white peoples, his emphasis was not the same as when he dealt with conflict between Blacks and Whites. Rodney’s call for unity between African and East Indian Guyanese along class lines was not an abandonment of Black Nationalism; he did not find it a necessary tool in Guyana.

During the Jamaica years he had advocated the inclusion

of East Indians in his articulation of Caribbean Black Power. His, therefore, was always a class-based Black Power.

Hence, his Black Power was racially oriented as it related to the Black/White question and class-oriented in relation to the ethnic conditions in Guyana and Trinidad.

Rodney viewed African liberation in Guyana as being tied to working-class liberation. He rejected the notion that African Guyanese should not oppose an African Guyanese government and contended that unity between the African and Indian Guyanese working classes was essential. He was adamant that any advance in Guyana had to be premised on unity across ethnic lines. Towards this end, he argued that although external influence and the machinations of the political parties were responsible for ethnic polarisation, Guyanese, in the final analysis, must rise above the division.

He further contended that the socio-economic problems faced by the Guyanese people had very little to do with race and ethnicity and more to do with class. As he observed: No ordinary Afro- Guyanese, no ordinary Indo-Guyanese can afford to be misled by the myth of race. Time and time again it has been our undoing. Does it have anything to do with race that the cost of living far outstrips the increase in wages? Does it have anything to do with race that there are no goods in the shops? Does it have anything to do with race when the original lack of democracy as exemplified in the national elections is reproduced at the level of local government elections?

Does it have anything to do with race when the bauxite workers cannot elect their own union leadership? Does it have anything to do with

race when, day after day, whether one is Indian or African, without the appropriate party credentials, one either gets no employment, loses one’s employment or is subject to lack of promotion?

(Rodney 1981:6) But unlike other Marxists, he did not dismiss race and ethnicity as irrelevant; he accepted their salience in Guyanese politics. He argued that ethnicity was institutionalised in the socio-political and economic systems and was critical of those who interpreted the absence of ethnic violence as a reflection of harmony. He drew attention to the linkage between white subjugation of non-white peoples and ethnic polarisation between non-white communities and observed that non-white groups tended to view each other through the lens of the dominant culture.

As he stated after a visit to Guyana in 1970: ...my belief is that, while, ultimately socialism is an ideology which takes no cognizance of colour and so on, our recent situation is one in which we have to admit to the reality of racial divisions, not just the oppression of the White World over the nonWhite world, but also of the forms of division within the non-White world, itself, as in our own Guyanese society... there is a single dominant culture to which each subgroup relates, so that when I as an African, in Guyanese society, speak of an Indian, I really am speaking of the European’s Indian. I see that Indian through the eyes of the European, and the other way around. (Rodney, 1970:1) As I observed earlier, Rodney had advocated a multi-ethnic position as far back as 1968 when he argued then that Caribbean Black Power must include East Indians. He posited the view

that unity between Indians and Africans was pivotal to Caribbean liberation. He contended that the problem should be tackled at two levels. First, he called for the development of separate ethnic consciousness as a prerequisite for ethnic unity.

Second, he advocated the simultaneous development of “integrative” or multiethnic consciousness and political mechanisms based on the socialist principle of social equality. Rodney’s multi-ethnicity, therefore, was premised on the acceptance rather than the rejection of ethnic identity. For Rodney, ethnicity by itself is not necessarily problematic; it is the linkage of ethnicity to political competition that is the crux of the problem in Guyana: I always like to distinguish between the existence of ethnicities, whether they are called tribes or races, and the politicisation of that ethnic factor. You can exist in different situations without being politicised, or certainly without being politicised into an act of confrontation. However, there is a little more to it in Guyana, and Trinidad, than just a case of ethnic groups. Many of the ethnic groups in African political systems did not necessarily have any conflicting interest in production, though some did. Some were actually, in fact, the remnants of feudal stratification (1990:77).

He saw no contradiction between the assertion of ethnic identity and the embrace of multi-ethnicity; for him the former was necessary for the success of the other: What we must try and understand (and this is a point I’m always trying to make very clearly) is that there is no contradiction between saying that, at this particular Turn to page 11 ►

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 18, 2017

Oil must unite, not divide us…let’s be careful BHARRAT Jagdeo Government’s unequal treatment of the bauxite and sugar industries, the workers and their communities; gutting the Public Service of professionals; exclusion of Africans as Heads of Mission because it was felt none was so qualified; uneven treatment in budgetary resources in regions not won; disbursing resources or facilitating opportunities in the regions not to the benefit of those within, but to party comrades and cohorts, are experiences that have been to this nation’s undoing.

I note Jagdeo’s statement of not relinquishing his constitutional right in arriving at the Chairman of GECOM. He is in order. But it was he, as president, who mercilessly trampled the Constitution and the rights of citizens

enshrined therein. The cesspool conduct of politicians we must not only condemn, but show zero tolerance for.

Their political rights are not superior to citizens’ fundamental rights; neither do the office-holders’ rights vest in them the authority to trample the rights of any citizen.

Jagdeo deserves every bit of condemnation from society on his performance and must feel our wrath where necessary for his stewardship, past and present. His several acts against humanity during his presidency allows for a serious case to be mounted at The Hague for crimes against humanity.

Recognition is given of the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU) and Special Organised Crime Unit’s (SOCU) efforts in holding those placed in privileged positions accountable. This

must apply to the PPP/C and APNU+AFC. Given the chicanery of politicians and group think in abusing laws, treating the nation’s resources as personal property, trampling citizens’ rights and freedoms, behaving as though they are rulers of the people and not elected to manage their welfare, it’s in their collective to not ensure proper prosecution of any member of the clique.

This is where society must remain vigilant and ensure beyond the hype of the erstwhile work of SARU and SOCU, that cases are well prepared and argued to ensure justice. Vigilance must be the operative word and we must not lull ourselves into clapping too soon or assuming confidence in any of the group until finality of actions. Let’s not forget it’s not the work of the judiciary to make the case for those appearing, as its role is that of adjudicator and will do so based on the arguments and evidence before it. This is how good cases are lost and

poor cases won.

Saying the aforesaid cannot ignore that Jagdeo offered himself for elected office, was elected by the citizens, and holds the next most influential constitutional office, i.e. Leader of the Opposition.

Respecting the constitutional right to freedom of association and to elect representative (s) of choice -- whoever holds such office -- Government has to engage the holder on behalf of the constituents represented.

Such representation requires participation and involvement in the management and decision-making processes of the State, consistent with Article 13, which is the principal objective of the political system.

Objectionable though a person may be considered, it does not help society’s growth and development to deny any the duty and responsibility of the constitutional office one holds.

Even if a person becomes a guest of the State, prisoners

too have rights which must be respected.

I say all of this to make the point that in a country where the Rule of Law is designed to reign, it behooves each and every one of us, elected to constitutional office or not, in government or not, supporters of a political party or not, to recognise where our loyalty must lie, and what must be the principle that guides our actions and interactions with each other.

Thursday’s debate in Parliament on the Petroleum Commission Bill spiked my interest, given the excitement and venom on social media.

It has not been often, since the 2015 Elections, that social media were animated about Guyana’s politics. This attention surrounded the parliamentary exchange between Minister Raphael Trotman and Jagdeo.

Trotman’s supporters applauded what they saw as ‘taking the gloves off’ for Jagdeo, as the PPP/C’s side became enraged their leader was called derogatory names.

Incidentally, when the table is turned the reaction is dissimilar. The incident presents the opportunity to review the nature of our politics, because evidently both sides prefer to be giving and not taking, but in neither instance Guyana’s and Guyanese welfare is being positively advanced.

The oil and gas industry would be a new economy.

Guyana’s resources belong to all and must be exploited for the benefit of all. In 1999, when the PPP/C Government signed the exploration agreement with Exxon, it was done at the exclusion of nearly the entire nation. In 2017, when it is certain Guyana has the resources, plans for its exploitation must have the involvement of all. The Opposition, as despised as some in its leadership may be, has the right to involvement and would add substance to the debates. At times, the best of ideas come from the most unexpected corner and none has the monopoly on knowledge.

This Government must act differently and ensure all stakeholders -- political and non-political -- have their deserving respect in the State.

The current corps of politicians is not learning from the positives of their predecessors, whom they often blame for divisions in the society.

Oil would play a major role in our economy as sugar and bauxite did, with corresponding impact on the people. As the Forbes Burnham Government (in the 1970s) saw wisdom in having a unified front in pursuing nationalisation, Leader of the Opposition Cheddi Jagan and the widest civil involvement were pursued to bring about national support for that government’s programme. This approach remains relevant for the security of our resources, borders, internal peace, and development.

Terrorism, internal division, sabotage, corruption and wars are fuelled by these resources in an environment where government feels it is not answerable to all.

Leader of the Opposition, David Granger, had attacked -- rightly so -- the exclusionary politics of the Donald Ramotar Government, citing the Opposition’s parliamentary majority and Article 13 of the constitution. In 2015, the APNU+AFC retained the parliamentary majority by one vote. Had that vote, plus one, gone to the PPP/C it would have been a parliamentary minority.

This Government must learn from history. What it demanded in Opposition it must be prepared to deliver in office. While Jagdeo and Ramotar pursued divisive politics, a matter of this national magnitude requires inclusionary approaches.

Oil presents the opportunity to unite all Guyanese around a national agenda, which remains the clamour, and government must not squander. Society did not win on Thursday; self-serving and emotive politics did.

This is not progress in the volatile 21st century environment.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 18, 2017

‘I need my money’ Honour your role – Bishops’ teacher not paid for months

Physical Education teacher Tyson English protesting outside Bishops’ High on Friday

A BISHOP’S High School physical education teacher plans to take legal action against the school board, as he is yet to receive his salary for this year.

Tyson English, who staged a protest outside the school on Friday, told the Guyana Chronicle on Saturday that he was employed as a part-time physical education (PE) teacher with effect from January 9, 2017.

He said being the only PE teacher at the school, he taught at each class level at the school from Grades 7 to 11 (Forms 1 to 5).

For the entire January term, English said he received no payment from the school, despite him making submissions to the school of all the required documentation.

“When this new term commenced, I approached the principal concerning my payment since it was long overdue,” he said.

The trained teacher noted that he was surprised when the principal of the school informed him that the school had dispatched his documentation to the Education Ministry and this could not be located at the ministry’s Brickdam offices.

Efforts by this publication to contact the school’s

principal proved futile; however, a senior education official noted that the ministry is aware of the matter.

English, who marks Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) scripts in Barbados, said during the second week in April, he was provided with a contract which was drafted by the school board and he was assured that he would be paid.

“Since I had no arrangement with the ministry, I could not have approached them,” he noted.

He then approached the school administration once more and on that occasion was informed by the principal that the Education Ministry’s permanent secretary was signing off his documents. He found the new information strange, since he thought the school board was handling the matter.

English said he became agitated since he was using his own equipment and was preparing students for the CSEC examination.

Two weeks ago, English said he was approached by a staff member of the school to sign a document, similar to one which he had signed.

He said he then refused and told the school official that he was frustrated since

the year had reached the halfway stage, and in his opinion, the school was not serious about ensuring he is paid.

“I also informed them that I don’t need the stress and I will be going home until I am paid,” he said.

The teacher said he subsequently called the principal and was told he would be paid in July. He said that he reached a breaking point and on Friday he decided to picket the school.

This newspaper understands that a senior education official visited English as he protested outside the school and informed the disgruntled teacher that he will be paid in July.

English said he was asked to meet with the headteacher of the school on Friday but he refused, noting that he was already frustrated by the situation.

He was then informed by the school administration to collect his belongings and that he would not be allowed into the school compound.

English plans to hire a lawyer to look into his concerns since according to him, he has had a difficult time over the past six months in finding money to pay his bills.

…UNICEF urges more fathers to play active role in their young children’s development THE First 1000 Days of life are the most critical growth years when the foundation for cognitive, social, emotional, language and physical development are laid and as such the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is urging fathers to honour their responsibilities to their young children.

In a statement to mark Father’s Day being observed today, UNICEF said during this critical time the human brain develops faster after conception and through the ages of 2-3 than at any other time in life. However, this period can also be one of great vulnerability, where children may fail to thrive if their basic needs remain unmet. A lack of nurturing care – which includes adequate nutrition, stimulation, love and protection from stress and violence – can hinder the development of these connections.

Fathers have an important role to play in their children’s development. They can help to give them the best start in life when they provide good nutrition, protection and interactive stimulation through play. When children positively interact with their fathers, they have better psychological health, self-esteem and life-satisfaction in the long-term. However, a new UNICEF analysis reveals that globally, more than 55 per cent of children aged be-

tween three and four-yearsold have fathers who do not play or engage in early learning activities with them.

Through simple activities such as reading, playing, feeding and interacting with their children, fathers can inspire future learning and growth.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, UNICEF statistics show that only between six per cent and 36 per cent of children aged between three and four years old have fathers who engage in play and early learning activities with them, while the proportion of children of the same age group who have mothers who engage in these activities is much higher, and varies between 31 per cent and 82 per cent. In households affected by poverty in the region, only four per cent to 22 per cent of the fathers are involved, while in the richest quintile households, this involvement reaches 39 per cent, which greatly favours the integral development of children.

“Starting from the beginning of life, children benefit when both mothers and fathers lovingly assume the responsibility of caring, protecting their children, and stimulate [sic] their brains with play and early learning,” says María Cristina Perceval, Regional Director of UNICEF for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The United Nations

Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development has made it a global priority that by 2030, all girls and boys should have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education, so that they are ready for primary education. We are committed to working towards this goal, and to enhancing the supply and demand for integrated early childhood development through public sensitisation and integrated planning across sectors. By engaging with families and communities, we hope to increase the demand for quality, affordable early childhood development programmes and services, and to advocate for investment in programmes targeting the most vulnerable children.

UNICEF urges governments and the private sector to increase spending and influence policies to support early childhood development programmes that focus on providing both mothers and fathers with the resources and information they need to provide nurturing care to their children.

“On this Father’s Day, we encourage more fathers to play an active role in their young children’s development,” said UNICEF Representative Sylvie Fouet. “When fathers nurture, protect and support their children, they create a strong bond that can last a lifetime.”

Walter Rodney on Race... point in time, a man needs to assert his given identity, so that, at another point in time, he wouldn’t have to assert it...And I think that within our community of Guyana, different ethnic groups need to assert their identity, need to put themselves together, to pull themselves together, and when they have and when they can operate on the basis of mutual respect, which they are not doing, now, then I think that the way will be clear for building a new society, a society of a mixed unity (Rodney 1970:3) Rodney accused both major parties of exploiting ethnic insecurity to further political ends. He pointed to the fact that although the

PNC regime discriminated against Indian Guyanese, Indian merchants and other sections of the Indian Guyanese middle class supported the PNC. He particularly chided African Guyanese for allowing the PNC regime to manipulate their fears to further its political agenda.

Although he seldom invoked Black Nationalism in his public discourse on ethnicity, he linked Black dignity to the African Guyanese need to avoid ethnic animosity towards Indian Guyanese. He, however, did not think that cross-ethnic solidarity was impossible.

Towards this end, he urged both groups to draw on their common history of struggle

From page 9

against colonialism. Rodney viewed cross-ethnic solidarity as crucial to ethnic peace and the overall development of Guyana. But he was opposed to a “hypothetical” unity; he preferred an active unity or “unity in struggle.”

Rodney, therefore, rejected the superficial unity embraced by the PPP and the PNC such as ethnic tokenism and multi-ethnic rhetoric.

More of Dr. Hinds ‘writings and commentaries can be found on his YouTube Channel Hinds’ Sight: Dr. David Hinds’ Guyana-Caribbean Politics and on his website www. guyanacaribbeanpolitics. com. Send comments to dhinds6106@aol.com

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 18, 2017

Fire scorches Buddy’s on Sheriff Street FIREFIGHTERS were called Saturday morning to quell a fire at Buddy’s located on Sheriff Street after sections of the four-storey building became engulfed in smoke.

A visit to the location saw several fire tenders and police attempting to control the fire which is believed to have been started by an overheated generator located on the southern side of the property owned by “Buddy” Shivraj.

Workers and customers of Buddy’s as well as Lens, located to the southern side of Buddy’s, were evacuated until the situation was brought under control.

Ryan Shivraj, son of proprietor “Buddy” Shivraj told the Guyana Chronicle that he was in his office when he heard screams

Ryan Shivraj

of “Fire, Fire!” emanating from outside of the building.

At that time, he alerted all staff and ensured that everyone was evacuated.

“When I looked out, I saw the smoke and we started to evacuate the building,” said Shivraj, who noted that there was never an electrical issue at the location.

However, Fire Chief Marlon Gentle told reporters that quick response by the Guyana Fire Service averted a major fire at the Sheriff Street location.

He said the Guyana Fire Service received three calls at about 10:30hrs indicating that there was thick smoke coming from the bottom flat of Buddy’s.

Three fire tenders, from Campbellville, Alberttown, and the Central Fire Station arrived promptly on the scene and battled with heavy smoke conditions on the southern end of the building.

Left to right: Buddy Shivraj, proprietor of Buddy’s, points to a section of his Sheriff Street property while in conversation with Fire Chief Marlon Gentle on Saturday

A fireman battles to quell a fire at the southern side of the premises on Saturday

“Campbellville was the first unit arriving and they reported heavy conditions, heavy smoke conditions on the southern side, which is the generator area. The fires were somewhere between the generators and the building and the other units came on scene quickly and were able to surround the fire, tackle it and put it out.”

Gentle said based on initial investigation, it appears that the fire started as a result of some electrical malfunction during the operation of the generator.

He noted too that the fire may have occurred as a result of some changes to the initial plan for the premises.

“Also, based on our last review of this building last year, there have been some

significant changes to the operations of this building, namely: a floor that we once knew as a pool hall is now converted to a school and the bottom floor, there are some renovation works that seem to suggest some type of fast-food operations that will be coming here,” said the fire chief.

Gentle was seen talking to the senior Shivraj who has accepted that there have been changes to the use of the building. Those changes were done unbeknown to the Guyana Fire Service.

“We now have to engage them because clearly, a change in occupancy will mean different fire safety measures would have to be put in place. Clearly, some of the fire-safety mea-

sures that were in place are not adequate to first detect this problem; secondly, the amount of generators that we see there…we knew of only two generators, one large and one small …we are now seeing another bank of generators which of course we believe may have led to the electrical failure,” he added.

Additionally, the Guyana Fire Service will be communicating with its technical partners at the Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s development and electrical inspection department, along with the City Engineers Department to find out whether plans were submitted for changes to the building.

Goods to be accurately weighed SOON, the purchase of goods will be accurately weighed on verified metric devices, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon said on Friday.

At his weekly post-Cabinet press briefing, Harmon said the metrification plan, approved by Cabinet, was prepared by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) to promote the use of internal system of units countrywide.

The metric system was first proposed in 1970 and is the decimal measuring system based on the metre, litre, and gram as units of length, capacity, and weight or mass.

The GNBS, along with the Ministry of Business, have been urging relevant stakeholders to use the metric system, which is the legal system of measurement in Guyana.

The system is said to conform to the Standard International (SI) units including the kilogram (kg) which is used to measure mass. It is also simple to learn and easy to use because of its decimal nature.

With the implementation of this action plan, it is hoped that wholesalers and retailers will package and sell their solid goods in metric quantities.

In February, both the Ministry of Business and the GNBS urged stakeholders to use the metric system which is the legal system of measurement here.

GNBS Public Relations Officer (PRO), Lloyd David, had said the system is easy to learn and use because of its decimal nature.

A large percentage of the countries in the world use the metric system, especially in scientific research,

manufacturing and trade.

And according to David, only a few countries still use the imperial system of measurement or a combination of both measuring systems; Guyana uses both.

David said too that GNBS has recognised that the adoption of the metric system should start from the top which includes policymakers, ministries of government and government agencies.

He noted that the school system has already fully adopted the used of the metric system and the younger generation has a good understanding of its application.

The metric base unit for measuring mass is the kilogram (kg). When the kg is divided by 1000, the result is one gram (g) and when it is multiplied by 1000 the result is one metric tonne.

Mass (weight)-for everyday transactions, especially in the conduct of commerce, there are four commonly used units; the milligram (mg), g, kg and tonne.

Mg is used for measuring very small amounts of substances for example, ingredients in medicines or drugs and some ingredients in recipes.

The g is used for measuring intermediate amounts. For example, 100g of butter, 250g of cheese.

The kg is used for measuring larger amounts, for example, one kg of potatoes, 10 kg of bananas, and 25 kg of rice One kg is equivalent to two pounds,three ounces.

The tonne is used for measuring very large amounts, for example, truckloads of sand or stone, bulk sugar or rice.

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Landline rates to go up SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 18, 2017

– GTT gets temporary permission to do so from PUC THE Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) has received temporary permission from the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to increase its landline rates from August 1, 2017, while new rates to all international destinations will also be effective then.

In a statement to the media on Thursday, the PUC said the rates will be temporary subject to GTT completing its end-toend provisioning of the FTTX Phase 1 in La Grange, and beginning the commercial launch of services in the areas which they have identified.

Additionally, the company also has to submit quarterly detailed appraisal of progress showing the number of new services rolled out, inclusive of rural areas.

“This should not be less than 1000 lines per quarter; which may include up to 25 per cent re-issue lines,” the PUC stated.

Highlighting the tardiness of the telephone company in responding to fault reporting, the PUC also requested a quarterly report from the date the rates take effect showing details of the average time taken to resolve consumers’ complaints - residential and business.

GTT is also tasked with determining a daily compensatory credit for consumers which will be contingent on its failure to comply.

“We wish to reiterate that our order will be for temporary rates, and we will monitor the services continuously to ensure that the company improves the quality of service offered to the public. The company must demonstrate that there is an urgent and genuine effort to provide services to outstanding applicants. Such installation must be executed in an orderly and systematic manner,” the PUC stated.

GTT had in July 2014, submitted an application for a variation of rates, to certain increases in the landline services, a reduction in outbound rates, and a change of methodology in the manner in which some services are billed.

The application was based essentially on a claim that they were not earning a 15 per cent rate of return on capital dedicated to public use.

After a hearing, the PUC dismissed the application and refused to order any increases.

However, GTT appealed that order and the matter was referred to the Court of Appeal for final adjudication.

Subsequently, GTT filed an application for the PUC to review the order and withdrew the appeal. As such, the PUC granted leave for a review of the application.

years, GTT was earning in excess of 20 percent but with the arrival of Digicel in 2007 their income began to reduce.

Digicel is involved in the cellular services and currently has a mobile market share greater than GTT, since they have attracted many of GTT’s consumers.

GTT has argued that the loss of market share has resulted in insufficient sums to adequately deal with the landline service.

“They have very importantly conceded that they are in default with their licence obligations but require assistance to level the playing field to expand their services. It would appear that enough was not done by the company to retain the position of strength and to try to expand their consumer base,” said the PUC, noting that GTT was complacent with its monopoly.

The Commission believes that the company now faced with competition and with the

New charges to be implemented by GTT

GTT has maintained throughout that it was not receiving a 15 percent return on capital dedicated to public use, and based on a “guarantee” in terms of the agreement signed by their principal ATN of the USA and the Government of Guyana.

“They, however, are aware of the fact that the agreement allows them only an entitlement of 15 per cent, and it would appear that the company is consistently and conveniently overlooking the fact that the said agreement (para 7.5) executed on the 18th June 1990, provided that GTT shall have the obligation to provide universal services which meant that the business and development plans of GTT will have been designed to provide as many residents of Guyana as possible the benefit of a telephone service,” the PUC said.

DOES NOT MATTER The company’s Director of Regulatory Affairs told the Commission at the public hearing that it does not matter whether GTT gets 50 percent return, but they are entitled to earn not less than a guaranteed 15 per cent.

GTT has enjoyed a monopoly of the landline services and the outbound international – and still have control of the outbound services via international circuits.

The company was allowed to provide both the landline and outbound services and they were allowed to subsidise – an exercise that they endorsed fully, and made full use of that methodology since they did not separate their accounts and there were no proper and, or, accurate accounts to present to the Commission, the statement added.

As such, figures submitted have shown that over the

coming of new regulations recognises that they are likely to fall further behind.

Therefore, GTT has sought minimal increases in some services offered by the landline and sought a reduction in most outbound rates to attract consumers back to this service.

The Over-The-Top (OTT) services are significantly cheaper than the current PUC’s approved outbound rates, the PUC said, noting that the outbound service suffers as a result of OTT, but the OTT requires data to initiate a call.

“GTT markets data. In effect, what GTT loses in the swing it gains in the roundabout. The consumer body maintained its position that the increases would impact negatively on landline consumers.”

Meanwhile, the consumer association has said that the landline is very profitable but for a flawed accounting process which determines how revenues are allocated to services, and that apparently denies the landline of its just revenues.

“We are aware that GTT’s earnings in the recent

pasts are below the 15 percent threshold on capital dedicated to public use, and we are aware that the company’s Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN) continues to deteriorate and has become a source of disquiet among consumers. We base this conclusion on the number of complaints received at the Commission with respect to the quality of the PSTN service, and the large number of unfulfilled applications for new service. Statistics from GTT informs that there are over 19,000 outstanding applications for land lines - an unacceptable position,” the PUC added.

Notwithstanding, the PUC posits that any increase of landline tariffs must lead to an expanded and improved quality of service with respect to the landline and, expects that resources must be made available to this segment of the company’s operations so that consumers benefit from an improved quality of service and the company a better public image.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 18, 2017

Over 2000 ranks trained –– to improve efficiency in Police Force

By Rabindra Rooplall THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) training centres have trained 2,152 ranks to improve the level of efficiency in the Force, since the beginning of the year.

This is according to Force Training Officer (FTO), Assistant Commissioner, Paul Williams, who was at the time speaking at the commencement of the second phase of training for 2017 at the Police Officers Training Centre, Eve Leary, Georgetown on Friday.

The training, attended by Police Commissioner Seelall

Persaud and other senior ranks of the Force, was held under the theme “Forging ahead with professionalism and intelligence-led policing in collaboration with stakeholders.”

The Junior Officer ’s Course, Number 26, focuses on station management and targets newly- promoted subordinate officers.

Williams explained that the objectives of the course are, to build competencies and increase the capacity of ranks to perform efficiently and effectively.

He explained that this will help ranks to provide

a high level of service and make appropriate decisions to sustain coordination and team-building at all levels.

For the year, there were some 32 courses overseas and 66 police officers drawn from every division benefitted.

Locally, in ‘A’ Division, 282 ranks were trained; 226 in ‘B’ Division; 182 in ‘C’ Division; 164 in `D’ Division; 119 in `E’ Division; 113 in `F’ Division; and 120 in `G’ Division.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Tactical Services Unit (TSU), Traffic Department, Finance

Department and the General Office accounted for 947 ranks.

The current batch, Williams said, will be exposed to training of the junior command level. Participants will be instructed in areas such as communication, mentorship, stress and anger management, principles of natural justice, conflict resolution, introduction to psychology and quality service delivery among others.

Commissioner Seelall Persaud said a lot of work is being done to improve the quality of ranks in the Police Force.

“The skills set has moved from knowing how to do things, to knowing how to deal with people, knowing how to communicate, knowing how to motivate and knowing how to lead…,” the commissioner said.

He explained that the content of the courses are reviewed and refined.

“Ten years ago, computer training was not necessary in the Force, now it’s absolutely necessary and those who don’t acquire the skill will be left behind and watch their colleagues go pass them in the hierarchical structure,” the commissioner noted.

Police Commissioner, Seelall Persaud, addressing ranks at the opening ceremony of the Junior Officers’ Course.

Force Training Officer (FTO), Assistant Commissioner, Paul Williams.

He also told the ranks not to leave the classroom if they do not understand what is being taught.

“This is an investment the Force is making in you, so make sure that you learn the course,” Seelall said.

He added that it is expected at the end of the training their performance will be evaluated.

“We cannot conclude at the end of such an analysis, that it was the facilitator’s problem because he did not teach. We are all adults here and this is an investment that the Force is making in you,” the commissioner stressed.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 18, 2017

WPA reaffirms position in coalition Government –– both sides commit to strengthen relations during meeting with Head of State

THE Working People’s Alliance (WPA) remains a strong an integral member of the coalition Government and Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, said Saturday morning’s meeting between executive members of the party and President David Granger has served to reaffirm that the system of communication among parties will be reinforced and will remain strong.

Saturday’s meeting was held following the reassignment last week of former Minister of Education, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine to the Ministry of the Presidency, with specific responsibility for the Public Service. He also overlooks a department within that Ministry of the Presidency (MoTP) to oversee innovation and reform in the education sector.

According to a release from the MoTP, while the WPA had complained about the lack of consultation on the decision to reassign Dr Roopnaraine, the President indicated that there had been consultation and that there is an existing system of communication between Government and the political parties that make of the coalition.

The WPA in a statement noted that the party raised a range of concerns with the president and his team. “We tried to be as frank as we could in the circumstances.

The President responded to our concerns and introduced some

of his own,” the party said.

It noted that the meeting was “cordial and fraternal.”

In addition, the party said that it is satisfied that there is a commitment on both sides to mutually address areas of

Government is structured is that there are representatives of the parties in the Cabinet and in the National Assembly and it is really a responsibility of the representatives of that party in the Cabinet [and Na-

that our coalition Government remains very strong and that is to say that all the parties within the coalition Government; the six parties, that we hold all of them as integral to the formation of our Government

sector and this is the ultimate responsibility of the President of Guyana. He said, “The President has made it actually very clear that he is not prepared to allow our children access to an education system

President David Granger on Saturday morning met with executive members of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA). concern and contention and to work to strengthen relations within both the APNU and the wider coalition.

According to the MoTP, Minister Harmon said that “The President explained that he did, in fact, consult, but they felt that the consultation should be wider and deeper.

The meeting this morning was about dealing with how we will consult and the way forward.

The President did, in fact, explain that the way the coalition

tional Assembly] to ensure that they keep the [party members and] the executives briefed on what is taking place in the Government.”

Noting the cordiality of the meeting, Harmon said the WPA executives expressed that they understood that it is within the jurisdiction and authority of the President to assign or reassign ministers as needed.

“His Excellency was very clear on the rearrangement, which needs to stay in place so

and we will continue to communicate with those parties…

I think that the respect for the President’s decision was there throughout and, quite contrary to what some people out there are saying, the WPA is a very strong part of the partnership and a very strong part of our coalition Government,” he said.

Speaking on Dr Roopnaraine’s new role , Harmon said that innovations and reforms are critical to the education

which fails them and we have to take steps and we have to make the decisions, which are necessary in the interest of the children of this country.”

According to the government, the new department will allow for the development of policies and programmes needed for the long- term development of the sector and will also allow the Minister of Education to be able to focus on the day-to-day implementation and administration of

the sector.

“The CoI [Commission of Inquiry into the Education Sector] pointed to that fact and what the President extracted out of that was that what was needed was some entity, which did not burden the Minister of Education in dealing with matters going forward; innovation, reforms and so on, in the education sector. So His Excellency recommended that we create a department that will oversee these initiatives and so this is how that came up, and in fact, [during] the meeting, this morning, they recognised that too. They said they were happy about it and they recognised that it was a good move and that His Excellency actually read the report very thoroughly and understood what was going on,” Minister Harmon said.

Accompanying the President, along with Minister Harmon, were Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, and Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally.

Those who attended the meeting on behalf of the WPA were Dr Clive Thomas, Dr David Hinds, Dr Wazir Mohammed, Dr Rishi Thakur, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, Former Member of Parliament, Desmond Trotman, Tacuma Ogunseye, Jinnah Rahaman and Mazarool Ekbaal Ali Majeed.

The WPA will host a press briefing on Monday on the subject.

Haitians detained pending investigation

By Ravin Singh FIFTEEN Haitians who were detained by the authorities upon arrival here recently are currently the subjects of an investigation which is being conducted with consideration of international obligations.

This is according to Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge, who was at the time speaking at a press conference at his Shiv Chanderpaul Drive office on Friday.

Minister Greenidge said the persons were detained by police who acted on information that they may have been victims of trafficking.

The Working People’s

Alliance (WPA), a partner in the coalition government, has called for the release of the persons detained which include children.

In a letter to President David Granger, the party said the seven adults and their eight children entered Guyana legally and are being held in detention.

Further, the party stated that the individuals had their passports taken away while the children were separated from the adults.

H o w e v e r, M i n i s t e r Greenidge could not confirm whether these reports are accurate. He offered that there would have been justifiable reasons for their passports

to be taken away, if this had indeed happened.

“There are circumstances where if you are held by authorities, for immigration issues, they hold on to your passport until you are ready to leave. So that may very well be a legitimate action,” the foreign minister said.

He minister noted that the Haitians are held because of ongoing investigations.

Minister Greenidge related that although this is the case, his ministry is concerned about the need to move expeditiously in determining whether there is evidence.

He said too that the Foreign Affairs Ministry has

made efforts to ensure that the women and children in the group are not put in any unacceptable circumstances, in terms of conditions, while the police sort the matter out.

The matter is being handled by the Ministries of Public Security, and Citizenship and Cabinet has called on the ministers with these portfolios to speedily resolve it.

“They’ve [ministries] been encouraged by Cabinet to deal expeditiously with the matter before them and to go and look at the legislation and ensure that if the legislation needs to be modified or updated, it is modified and updated,” Minister

Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge Greenidge said.

He said the two ministers and the police were also reminded of Guyana’s international obligations with regard

to migrants.

“The treatment and holding of migrants are of concern to us. So it is a subject of intense attention by these bodies,” the minister said.

Asked about Haitians still needing visas to travel to Guyana, despite the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) free movement in the region’s policy, the foreign minister said this requirement is a product of existing legislation.

He pointed out that only certain categories of travellers from Haiti were allowed to travel to certain Caribbean countries without visas and one of the categories include politicians.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 18, 2017

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 18, 2017

e-Governance expert makes presentation to Cabinet MEMBERS of Cabinet on Tuesday benefited from a presentation from Dr. Arvo Ott, Executive-Director of the e-Governance Academy in Estonia.

The presentation to Cabinet and visit to Guyana was made possible by the Inter-American Development

Bank (IDB).

According to Minister of State Joseph Harmon, Dr Ott presented on 12 subject areas.

These areas included history of the e-Governance Academy and the Estonia Government, the government framework, the purpose, competencies and current projects

of the e-Governance Academy, governance efficiency, economic competitiveness, the E-way of life, the aim of e-Governance, the examples of economic effects of e-Governance, the e-Government central unit, the legal framework, the legislation system architecture and les-

Dr. Arvo Ott, Executive Director of the e-Governance Academy in Estonia presented a token of appreciation to President David Granger after his presentation to Cabinet last Tuesday

sons learnt, Minister Harmon highlighted.

Minister Harmon said that after the presentation, Cabinet sought clarifications on the implementation of timelines of the various subject areas.

Cabinet then thanked the delegation from Estonia for their visit and presentation.

Additionally, Dr.Ott made presentations to a number of stakeholders during his stay in Guyana. Last Monday evening, Dr. Ott presented to the private sector on the benefits of operating fully digital and the returns of such investments.

Dr. Ott during his presentation explained to the businesses that one of the

benefits of becoming fully digital will ensure more efficiency and transparency of their businesses.

Meanwhile, Cabinet has approved the participation of the ministry and Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes, at a Caribbean Postal Union Conference and Ministerial Council meeting to be held on June, 19 to 23, 2017 in Guadeloupe.

Minister Harmon said the conference will bring together ministers with responsibilities for postal services, the heads and postmasters-general in the region to focus on the development of the new Union Postal Union (UPU)

and implementation of future projects of the UPU. Minister of Public Telecommunications Catherine Hughes and Karen Brown, postmistress-general of the Guyana Post Office Corporation, will attend the conference and meeting.

Minister Hughes will make a presentation on the Inter-Island Transport System and the challenges on the Inter-State Transportation Systems at the meeting.

The executive-director of the e-Governance Academy at the conclusion of his presentation gave a token of appreciation to President David Granger. (DPI/ GINA)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 18, 2017

Guyanese centenarian given ‘royal’ treatment on Fly Jamaica flight

By Frederick Halley

RESOUNDING applause greeted the announcement at the Fly Jamaica gate at the Lester Pearson Airport, Toronto, Canada, on Friday morning when it was announced that centenarian Muriel Jean Smith was about to board Flight OJ257 bound for her homeland, Guyana.

The 102-year-old, who resides in Toronto, was on the verge of making history, becoming the first centenarian to board a Fly Jamaica flight since its inaugural one flew out of Canada on December 17, 2013.

Accompanied by her daughter Joy Okuefuna, the youngest of five children, Smith was given a “royal” send off by the Fly Jamaica crew, headed by Station

Manager Lawrence Kanhai, Station Assistant Edward van Luien and a cabin crew supervised by Lavinia Persaud. She was also warmly greeted by Captain Robert Lewis and First Officer Chevon Smith as she entered the plane.

Born in Station Street, Kitty, Georgetown in then British Guiana on May, 17, 1915, Smith migrated to the USA in the early 70s and a few years later made Toronto her home ever since.

Smith’s union with her late husband “Captain” Percy Smith, who worked with the Transport & Harbours Department (T&HD) before migrating, bore five children who are all still alive.

Apart from the youngest, Joy, who will be celebrating her 62nd birthday in October, the others are Wayne,

the eldest, who turns 72 in July, Brenda, will be 71 next month, 68-year-old Claire and Rawle, who is five months shy of 64.

When Percy passed away two years ago at the ripe old age of 97, the couple had been married for some 70 years, quite a phenomenal achievement.

First-born Wayne lives in Houston, Texas, Brenda in Kent, England, Claire in Toronto, Rawle in Winnipeg and Joy in Alberta, Canada.

Twenty-four grand-children and three great grands also complement the family.

In an exclusive interview at the airport, Smith disclosed that apart from a bit of niggling in her knees, she’s enjoying perfect health with very few impediments.

Of much significance is the fact that she lives alone,

With captain Robert Lewis (right) and First Officer Chevon Smith

although a cousin takes care of her meals on a daily basis while her daughter Claire, who lives a block away, assists with household chores.

Nevertheless, she quipped, “sometimes I do a little

bit of cooking myself also although they don’t want me to.”

Questioned as to whether there was any special reason for her longevity, Smith opined, “I think long

life is really a blessing from God; there is nothing beyond that. You have to care yourself…”

An avid church-goer, Smith was also loud in praise of the support of her immediate family and the church community.

On attaining the age of 102, the centenarian, who last visited Guyana five years ago, said “it feels good to reach that milestone.”

Asked if she was subjected to any special diet, she immediately scoffed at the suggestion, saying “we ate well and sensibly.”

Both Kanhai and van Luien disclosed that Fly Jamaica was indeed proud of the historic occasion and hope Mrs Smith enjoys a fruitful one-month stay in Guyana.

Guyanese teacher gets lifetime award in the USA SOME people are born to teach… reaching the minds and hearts of the young, to disseminate knowledge, to influence change, to command respect and trust, and to contribute substantially towards guiding their communities and achieving societal transformation.

A great teacher is also by definition an everlasting student; for, he or she who ceases to learn loses the capacity to teach… and that is what has often been said of Eugenie Naomi Williams by colleagues and associates in Guyana, in Barbados and now in Boston, Massachusetts, USA – that she is forever a student.

On June 10th at a ceremony in this historic city she was presented the C-Plan Lifetime Community Champions Award for continuous and outstanding service to teaching and considerably influencing the development of young people.

C-PLAN is the Collaborative Parent Leadership Action Network whose selected Champions are individuals “who are disrupting the status quo in education to provide every child with a well-rounded and culturally reflective education, tirelessly advocating on behalf of our children, and promoting systems change...

“CPLAN sets the table for families to inform, influence, and advocate for practices and policies to improve educational outcomes for today’s most vulnerable students in all of our schools.

It does this by parent leaders mobilising their peers through direct engagement

in their schools and communities.

“CPLAN strives to define what a quality ‘whole child’ education looks like for children and works with policymakers, educators and community leaders to shape and achieve transformational and systemic change.”

Eugenie Williams,75, was born in Georgetown, began her education under Miss I. I. Friday at St. Ambrose School, Third and Light Streets, Alberttown, and won one of the very few scholarships to Bishop’s High School.

After successfully completing her secondary studies there, she began her teaching career at Central High School, tutoring teenagers while, still herself, an upper teen.

From Central High, she travelled to the United States (US) to attend the prestigious Western College for Women in Oxford, Ohio; and thereafter the Inter-American University in Puerto Rico, following which she taught at St. Stanislaus College, at the time run by the Roman Catholic Jesuits.

She later completed the Diploma in Education at the University of Guyana (UG) and a Master’s in Education at the Northeastern University in Boston.

Her teaching and curriculum development skills have been widely recognised, as she has made indelible imprints on students and teachers in Guyana, Barbados and the United States.

In the Region, she was part of a team that graded annual exams for the Carib-

Mrs. Eugenie Williams and daughter, Oneeka, a top-rated urologic surgeon

bean Examinations Council (CXC). She has published several highly, informative Caribbean school texts for the Caribbean Conservation Association and for Longman’s Publishers in the United Kingdom. At times, students were fascinated that it was their teacher who had written the Longmans book they were using in class.

Mrs. Williams’ passion for education and educating has been the driving force behind her commitment to the thousands of students that she has taught, some of whom have ascended to positions of prominence in several countries… in finance, in politics, in banking, in industry, in medicine, in agriculture, in entertainment, and other fields.

Indeed, Dr. Frank Denbow of Guyana (and a number of other former students) can attest to no-cost lessons at her home which set him on a course to academic excellence.

The now very popular Barbados entertainer, Edwin Yearwood,can speak of the first song he ever wrote - about his teacher, which he presented to her, for it was she who made him apply himself to school work, which he had tended to neglect because he was always singing.

She warned him “you have to learn English Language if you intend to write good songs; and you have to learn mathematics if you hope to avoid others stealing the income from your songs”.

On arrival in Barbados in mid-1977, in her work application to the Ministry of Education, she requested to be sent to whichever was considered the worst secondary school on the island; and she was positioned at the Garrison Secondary School.

Following years of successes there,when the public perception was that Parkinson Memorial Secondary School had overtaken Garrison for the low-placed spot, she applied to the Ministry to be transferred to Parkinson.

Such a request initially encountered staff resistance, with the response being that a teacher wishing a transfer could not dictate whereto.

Applications are submitted and it is for the Ministry to decide where vacancies exist and which of the applicants on file goes where.

The matter was brought to the attention of the then Chief Education Officer who ended the impasse by declaring that this applicant, with her experience and qualifications, could have been placed in the island’s top secondary schools when she first applied, but specifically chose Garrison… “Now, if she wishes to go to Parkinson’s, then send her there”.

Thus, so she went…. and little Edwin Yearwood was in one of her classes.

She managed to imbue students with a new interest in learning, not only through in-class application of her knowledge, experience and skills, but also free tuition at her homes – in Guyana, in Barbados and in the USA. Students, some of whom have kept in touch, speak of

her deep, no-nonsense love, her academic rigour and her high standards of excellence.

Eugenie Williams left Barbados in 1994, relocating to Boston and continued to apply her exemplary skills to both the Public and Charter School systems.

Not long following her entry into the Boston public schools system, she encountered a student reputed to be among the lowest performers in class, as well as the most ill-behaved.

She got close to the child and at year’s end, the girl’s academic performance had been transformed to outstanding, and at graduation she was the class valedictorian.

Following years in the system, Eugenie Williams was among teachers nominated from among thousands to contest for the accolade of Massachusetts Teacher of the Year. She did not win the title, but it was to her great credit that she was among the few shortlisted for the finals.

She retired from the Boston Public School System in 2012, and thereafter continued to be a transformative resource in education; and has led the noteworthy improvement of Banaker Science performance at the Massachusetts State Test over the past five years.

While still in fulltime employment (tutoring high school teachers), she continues free tuition at her home in the afternoons and at weekends; is extremely dedicated to her family and delights in the time she spends with her grandsons, rediscovering the world through their eyes.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 18, 2017

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 18, 2017

Persaud eyeing Group Three battle

By Stephan Sookram WITH just over three weeks to go before the second national Race of Champions, Group Three

competitor Danny Persaud is eying a good outing in the group three class with his Mazda Miata.

Persaud, one of the strongest contenders at the local and regional level in the Group Three category, believes that there is still a fight to be had here in Guyana, especially come July 2.

“What I’ve seen [on social media] and heard is that there are a lot of guys coming out this time

ENGLISH RACING TIPS DONCASTER 09:00 hrs Mon Beau Visage 09:30 hrs Arabian Gift 10:00 hrs Alexander 10:30 hrs Humble Hero 11:00 hrs Evergate 11:30 hrs Komodo 12:00 hrs Graceful Lady SALISBURY 09:15 hrs Pow Wow 09:45 hrs Justice Lady 10:15 hrs Extra Mile 10:45 hrs Mr Lupton 11:15 hrs Billesdon Brook 11:45 hrs Aimez La Vie 12:15 hrs Tis Wonderful

around, and I welcome the competition. I’m glad to hear that there are so many guys coming out.

It will only make racing more fun,” Persaud said.

He continued, “As it relates to my car and its preparation, there wasn’t much work to be done from the last race meet. We had a little bit of handling work and ensuring that we dotted the ‘I’s and crossed the ‘t’s, but I think it will be fine

SOUTH AFRICA RACING TIPS KENILWORTH 08:35 hrs Sabina’s Dynasty 09:10 hrs Royal Chian 09:50 hrs South Side 10:25 hrs Petty Officer 11:00 hrs Jabu SCOTTSVILLE 08:50 hrs Poster Girl 09:25 hrs Witchcraft 10:00 hrs Ovidio 10:35 hrs Mojo King

the first race of champions, the issues were minimized greatly.

While he refused to single out any particular competitor, he noted that he expects a more fierce battle in the Group Three for 2017 and predicted that the local championship will come down to the wire.

He is calling on fans to come out and support the event, which is being held at the South Dakota Circuit

under the auspices of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club, (GMR&SC) The event is sponsored

by Ansa McAl, Prem’s Electrical, B.M. Soat, Mohamed’s Enterprise, Ready Mix, Special Auto, Japarts, Ticket Master, Palm Court, KGM, MAC batteries, S. Jagmohan Hardware Supplies and Construction, L Mahabir and Sons Cambio and Choke Gas Station

Ming creates history as Guyana’s first F4 Champion

By Stephan Sookram OVERSEAS-BASED Guyanese Calvin Ming created history last evening as the first Guyanese to win the NACAM F4 Champion-

ship at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit in Mexico City.

In the first race of the final round last evening, the Guyanese finished fourth which was good enough

to ensure that he took the championship.

The Guyanese headed into this weekend’s final round with a 50 plus point difference before last evening’s race which means that

he does not have to compete in the final two races today.

Details of this weekend’s action will be published in tomorrow’s edition of the Guyana Chronicle

GCF national championships

Juniors, juveniles, veterans and ladies battle today

IRISH RACING TIPS CORK 08:50 hrs Aiseolas 09:20 hrs Miss Power 09:50 hrs Monsieur Joe 10:20 hrs Glamorous Approach 10:50 hrs Mawaany 11:20 hrs Indian Tomahawk 11:50 hrs Les Arceaux 12:20 hrs Spanish Steps DOWNPATRICK 09:35 hrs Arbor Des Champs 10:05 hrs Mountain Kingdom 10:35 hrs Loch Luatha 11:05 hrs Bertie Bell 11:35 hrs Riviera Sun 12:05 hrs Heaney 12:35 hrs Its Alll Guesswork

come race day.”

“We are really using this as a gauge to the Caribbean Championship.

As you know, Paul Vieira is the defending champion for a couple years now and we’ve always had hiccups when we meet him,” the Group Three driver said.

He noted however that after the November leg last year, the mechanics had taken the car apart to solve all of its problems, and after

Claire Fraser-Green will be defending her ladies road race title

GUYANA’s junior, juvenile, female and veteran racing cyclists will today battle for honours when the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) stages its national road race championships for these categories of riders.

The event wheels off at 08:00hrs from Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown, and will proceed along the East Bank Demerara roadway with some categories turning back at the Linden/Soesdyke Junction.

The juniors and veterans over 45 years of age as well as the females and juveniles will contest a 53-mile race that will see them turning back at the Bottle Neck junction in Timehri, while the veterans under 45 years of age will proceed to camp Wesleyana on the Linden Highway before returning to the place of origin for the finish, a total of 70

miles.

The senior road race is set for next Sunday where only cyclists in the under-45 years age group will be allowed to compete along with the seniors and not the juniors as was previously stated by the GCF. United Kingdom based Guyanese, Claire Fraser-Green will be defending her ladies road race title which she won last year for a fourth consecutive time and will be looking to make it five in a row.

Like Fraser-Green, Christopher Cornelius who won the junior road race last year along with the individual time trial, will be seeking to make a successful defence of that title, but is expected to be hard pressed by the likes of Briton John, Curtis Dey and Jason Cameron, among others.

Pakistan ready to ‘change history’...

From back page

cricket.

“The pressure is high for both sides and their countries ... it is a dream final for the sponsors and the broadcasters,” he added.

“This is the game they

want, but it is up to us how we handle the pressure on the day.”

And he insisted a Pakistan victory would be no great surprise. “It wouldn’t be a shock if we won.

“No one gave us a hope when we got here. We were the number eight ranked side, and no one gave us any credit.

“But someone asked me before the tournament

who would be in the final and I said Pakistan,” Azhar insisted.

“I believe in my boys ... if we win it would be a great gift to the whole nation.”

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 18, 2017

Confederations Cup

Russia beat New Zealand in confident start (REUTERS)-Hosts Russia eased to a 2-0 win over New Zealand on Saturday in the opening match of the Confederations Cup, a tournament seen as a test for the country before it stages next year’s World Cup. Midfielder Denis Glushakov flicked the ball over goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic in the 31st min-

ute as New Zealand defenders rushed back to try to clear it off the line. New Zealand’s Michael Boxall got a touch on the ball and was credited with an own goal.

Scoring chances came early for Russia, playing with confidence and unexpected flair, a powerful header by defender Viktor Vasin bouncing

Russia’s Fedor Smolov celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

off the inside of the post before being cleared by New Zealand’s Michael McGlinchey.

Marinovic kept his team in the match early in the second half with back-to-back saves, diving to punch away a header

by Dmitry Poloz before scrambling to his left to smother a rebound attempt

by Aleksandr Erokhin.

But weak defending allowed Russia’s Fedor Smolov to slip past the New Zealand defence and tap in a low cross by team mate Alexander Samedov in the 69th minute.

World champions Germany and the champions from FIFA’s six confederations are competing in the two-week tournament that will allow Russia to test its football infrastructure in four of the 11 cities hosting World Cup matches.

Russia, a record low 63rd in FIFA’s world rankings, face Portugal on Wednesday and New Zealand play Mexico the same day.

Leggie rips through Scotland as Zimbabwe earn ODI series draw GRAEME Cremer’s 5-29 triggered a Scotland collapse as Zimbabwe earned a 1-1 draw from the oneday international series courtesy of Saturday’s six-wicket win.

Scotland prevailed by 26 runs on Thursday - their first ODI success against a full member - but they were distinctly second best at The Grange as Zimbabwe hit back, dismissing their opponents for 169 before securing victory with 13 overs remaining.

The hosts looked wellplaced to post a challenging total with captain Kyle Coetzer - centurion in the first match - and Calum MacLeod going well for the second wicket.

The pair put on 71 before Coetzer (61) became the first of leg-spinner Cremer’s victims. MacLeod (58) fell

Zimbabwe leg-spinner Graeme Cremer grabbed five for 29. to Sean Williams (2-26) six overs later and things unravelled dramatically as Scotland lost their last nine wickets for 63 runs.

Zimbabwe wobbled badly in the early stages of their chase, stumbling to 44-3 as Chris Sole (3-36) did the

damage but the third of those wickets brought about the lunch interval and the visitors regrouped.

After the resumption, Craig Ervine fell for 30 but Sikandar Raza (58 not out) and Ryan Burl (30no) saw Zimbabwe home.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 18, 2017

Juggling school and swimming Accalia Khan plans to succeed in life

By Jacinta Cave SEVENTEEN – year – old Accalia Khan, a former student of Bishops’ High School and present student at Nations University, could be hailed for being an efficient and exemplary student and swimmer.

This young lady juggles the tasks of training for competitive swimming and studying on a daily basis.

Swimming edged its way into Accalia’s life at the age of three, as it was noted as a necessary survival skill by her mother. From there on, she flourished and showed exceptional skill in this field, competing at the National Schools Championships.

Accalia has done this from primary school into high school and gained many medals along the tedious path. During an exclusive interview with Chronicle Sport, Accalia said, “I draw inspiration from many great athletes but swimming isn’t something that just feeds off of inspiration; I myself had to want to do it or it wouldn’t be done.”

Even though she is fully committed to swimming, Accalia has also participated in other sporting activities and extra-curricular activities, such as ballet, lawn tennis and karate.

Being one of Guyana’s forefront swimmers, Accalia believes that she has contributed to the overall

Accalia Khan development of the sport in the country.

“I have represented my country many times and I have medalled, hence bringing something back home,” she said.

“Also, I have influenced and helped many swimmers throughout the years either in the pool or out of the pool. I made people believe that they can swim and do school at the same time and I hope I keep doing that; you need both.”

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES Accalia intends to continue contributing to Guyana’s swimming arena.

However, she has faced her fair share of challenges as she strives to excel.

She has suffered numerous injuries in the

sport and had to take time off to focus on her exams.

However, these did not deter her from accomplishing her goals.

As a matter of fact, the challenges have helped Accalia to become a better person. In 2013, Accalia received her first individual bronze medal in the 100m and 200m freestyle. She was also awarded the ‘age group swimmer’ of the year, when she was younger.

Accalia noted that while swimming has made her a “more disciplined and hardworking person,” she also gained many social skills and made new friends.

“There’s that moment when Coach gives warm up and you first jump into the pool and there’s this surreal quietness; it’s like I’m at peace for that second…” Accalia said as she described her love for the sport.

Her advice to others who may want to join the sport: “Discipline, drive/ intrinsic motivation to want to better yourself.

Even though swimming is individual, most times you still train as a team, so your attitude must be positive most times; positivity drives a team to do better.”

(Jacinta Cave is a student of Bishops’ High School on work attachment at the Guyana Chronicle)

GFF / NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power

National U-17 league matches in Berbice THE Berbice Football Association (BFA) leg of matches for the GFF/ Namilco Thunderbolt Flour Power, Under-17 Intra Association league is set to kick-off today.

Two potentially exciting matches

are on the cards at two venues simultaneously.

NA United will match skills with Cougars FC at Burnham Park from 15:30 hrs while, over at the No. 5 Ground, Monedderlust FC will oppose Hopetown Rangers FC. (Colin Bynoe)

Accalia Khan entering the pool during one of her meets.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 18, 2017

‘Sons of Champions’ gaining momentum –– Seon Bristol

THE BrisO Promotion ‘Sons of Champions’ boxing card scheduled for December 26th in Guyana has gained momentum, with head of the organization, Seon Bristol, disclosing that three former boxers have confirmed that they will be sponsoring fighters for the event.

“We are moving apace with this card and I am excited with the feedback that I am having. We have already had three former champions who confirmed that they are on board and will be sponsoring a young and upcoming boxer for this card,” Bristol said from New York during a telephone interview.

“I have indicated that

BrisO promotion head, Seon Bristol the sponsorship should be in place at least two months before the competition so that the participating boxers can properly prepare.

A raffle will also be held in the New York area to assist in making the event a success,” he informed.

Bristol himself will be loosening up his purse strings to support Caribbean Super Heavyweight champion, Jason `AK 47’ Barker. “Mr. AK 47 is a national treasure and should be treated that way.

BrisO Promotions would be taking care of him leading up to the Sons of Champions card.”

Earlier in the year Bristol returned to Guyana to hold discussions with the executives of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) relating to the staging of the card.

He met the then GBA president, Steve Ninvalle, Treasurer Dexter Patterson and Technical Director, Ter-

who now have children participating in the sport. For those former champions who do not have children in the sport, then we will ask that they adopt one for this card,” Bristol stated.

The former amateur boxer and nephew of former Commonwealth light middleweight champion, Kenny

Jason ‘AK 47’ Barker rence Poole, and later disclosed that the name`Sons of Champions’ was given to pay homage to former boxers who have children currently in the sport discipline.

“It is being called ‘sons of champions’ as we have several former champions

Windies Women need to take fresh guard, warns Fletcher LEICESTER, England (CMC) – West Indies Women leg-spinner Afy Fletcher has warned against taking the euphoria of last year’s Twenty20 World Cup triumph into the upcoming 50-overs World Cup starting next week.

The 30-year-old all-rounder, a member of the successful side which beat Australia in India to take their maiden World title, said the formats were different and West Indies needed to evaluate each game

carefully.

“I think this is a different version of the game so I think we need to look forward to his version and not carry any T20 pressure from the last World Cup,” Fletcher said.

“We need to look forward and take each game step by step and once we do that we will not (put) ourselves under any pressure but just carry our basic knowledge and apply it in each game.”

Fletcher has been joined

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Sunday June 18, 2017) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel; 225-6158)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) Asghar Stanikzai-32 matches (2) 9 wickets

Today’s Quiz:

(1) What was the result of the recent WI/Afghanistan ODI series?

(2) Who are the winners of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

West Indies Women leg-spinner Afy Fletcher in the 15-member squad by the likes of World-rated players Stafanie Taylor and all-rounder Deandra Dottin for the June 24 to July 23 tournament.

Opener Hayley Matthews, former skipper Merissa Aguilleira and Anisa Mohammad, all members of the championship-winning side, are also expected to feature prominently.

Fletcher, who has played 27 one-dayers since making her debut nine years ago, said West Indies needed to take a calculated approach to the tournament and guard against complacency.

“I think we have a fairly good team so I’m looking forward for us to take it one day at a time,” he stressed.

“We’re not rushing anything; just take it step by step, day by day with each game.

I’m looking forward to us … doing our best.

“I think each game is important. (Each team) we have to face is important. I look at all my opponents as threats so everybody has to be prepared equally.”

Fletcher, who has taken 27 wickets at an impressive average of 20 in her career, said bowling on the pitches in England would require a different approach.

“I’m just trying to keep it simple and go within every practice sesssion … and practise on whatever area I need to work on,” she explained. “(I need to) just focus on each area and do what is expected. I just need to continue doing what I have to do and keep my consistency.

“Basically we can see that the wickets are flat and don’t generate much spin so we just have to focus on what we want to do.”

Bristol, declared that he was saddened that the country had no card last Boxing Day, hence the decision to stage one this year.

The `Sons of Champions’ card will take on an international flavor as boxers from the USA, Suriname and St Lucia are expected to participate.

Seven races carded for KMTC’s pre-emancipation meet slated for July 30 THE Kennard’s Memorial Turf Club (KMTC) will stage a seven-race meet on July 30 in observance of Emancipation Day at its club, Bush Lot farm, Corentyne, Berbice, beginning at 13:00hrs.

The feature event on the day’s card is opened to horses classified `B2 and Lower’ Special Weights over a distance of eight furlongs and the winner will earn for its owner $1M, while the other top three performers will receive $500,000, $250,000 and $125,000 respectively. Entrance fee for the event is $110,000 per horse.

The main supporting event is a five-furlong race for horses classified `E Class non winners and F and lower open.

The winning stable will receive $400,000, while the other top three finishers will earn $200,000, $100,000 and $50,000 respectively.

There will also be a five-furlong race for animals classified `L’ non winners and the winner will earn $110,000, while the second, third and fourth place finishers will receive $55,000, $27,000 and $13,000 respectively.

Two seven-furlong races are also carded: one for horses classified H1 and Lower with the winner earning $250,000, while the other top three performers will be rewarded with $125,000, $62,000 and $31,000 respectively.

The other seven-furlong race is opened to Guyana bred three-year old and older horses and has as a first prize $240,000. The second, third and fourth place finishers will receive $120,000, $60,000 and $30,000 respectively.

There will also be two six-furlong races: one for horses classified `K’ non winner5s and `L’ open and the winner will earn $120,000. The second, third and fourth place finishers will collect $60,000, $30,000 and $15,000 respectively.

The other six-furlong event is opened to animals classified `J2 and Lower’ and will see the winner receiving $140,000 and the other top three performers will draw down $70,000, $35,000 and $17,000 respectively.

These races will be run under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority and entries close on June 21. No late entries will be entertained.

To enter horses for the event, horse owners and trainers are asked to contact Fizal (657-7010), Nikita (662-4668), Dennis (640-6396 or 609-9143), T. jagdeo (618-7278) Justice Kennard (623-7609) or Daloo (689-0629).

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 18, 2017

Bravo blocked by Cricket West Indies again … Cameron says until the player removes the offensive tweet

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) – Cricket West Indies (CWI) president, Dave Cameron, has made it clear that lefthander Darren Bravo will remained sidelined from selection until he removes the offensive tweet which resulted in his sending home ahead of the Tri-Nations Series in Zimbabwe last November.

Speaking in a candid interview with Massy Insurances Line and Length Network, Cameron said the tweet – labelling him ‘a big idiot’ – was the kind of behaviour CWI was not prepared to accept, noting that Bravo needed to face up to this reality.

“Let me make it very clear: what Darren Bravo has to do first and foremost is take down the tweet. Every day that tweet stays up, it is an infraction,” Cameron reiterated.

“Secondly he needs to accept that he’s done something wrong and then we can move forward from there.”

He added: “But we’ve decided as an organisation – it came up at the board meeting – [that] we’ll put it to the disciplinary committee, let them have a look at it and determine if there is further action to be taken and how that will go. We’ll move it from

Cricket West Indies president Dave Cameron there.”

Controversy erupted last November after CWI announced the 28-year-old Bravo had declined a central contract for the period up to September 30, 2017.

It emerged subsequently that Bravo, one of the most experienced members of the Test squad, had rejected the offer of a Grade C contract, a downgrade from his previous contract Defending the move in a TV interview, Cameron stirred further controversy by saying the Trinidadian’s performances had not merited an enhanced retainer.

“His averages in the last two years have been declining, so what do you do?

Reward poor performance or do you encourage him to get better?” Cameron was quoted as saying.

He continued: “If you continue to keep giving him an A contract then what is the motivation to get better? He has been on an A contract and he hasn’t done well.”

An angry Bravo lashed out in response on Twitter, tagging Cameron in a tweet which said: “You hav been failing 4 d last 4yrs. Y don’t u resign and FYI I’ve neva been given an A contract. Big idiot.”

CWI demanded an apology from Bravo and also asked him to remove the offending tweet, with failure to do so likely to result “in further disciplinary action, including referral to the WICB disciplinary committee.”

Bravo complied with neither demand.

Cameron, however, defended his media statements at the time, noting they may have been misinterpreted.

“If you’ve listened to my interview, I didn’t actually say you (Bravo) had a contract. I said ‘if you had such a contract’ … it was not ‘you have an A [contract]’,” Cameron explained.

“It was really about if you had a higher contract then is it right to give someone who’s not been putting

the numbers on the board.

We did statements about clarifying that. We have no issue. I have no issue with saying it … could have been interpreted in a partciular way.”

In April, CWI chief executive Johnny Grave said a move to have the Bravo matter resolved had been scuppered after the player slapped a lawsuit against the regional governing body for damages arising from loss of earnings.

Media reports said the resolution would have involved a partial apology from Cameron to Bravo and a similar apology from the player to the president.

Bravo’s lawyers said in a statement no resolution had been reached with CWI but the player remained committed to representing West Indies “in an environment of mutual trust, confidence and respect.”

Cameron, who in the past has been no stranger to controversy, told the Line and Length Network the Bravo impasse was symptomatic of a larger problem in West Indies cricket.

“These are the kinds of lack of standards we have had in the past that we are now trying to [deal with].

We’re not going to accept that kind of behaviour going forward,” the Jamaican administrator said firmly.

Darren Bravo remains the West Indies premier Test batsman “No player, no one is entitled to represent Cricket West Indies, none of us. And again, how we operate, how we behave is a reflection on all of us and that’s very important.

“One-point-three billion Indians see Christopher Gayle as an ambassador, they see Bravo [as an ambassador] so how they behave says that’s how Caribbean people are and we take that very, very

seriously.”

Bravo remains the Windies’ premier Test batsman, with 3400 runs from 49 Tests at an average of 40, including eight centuries and 16 half-centuries.

In one-dayers, he averages 32 from 94 matches with three hundreds and 17 fifties.

In Bravo’s absence West Indies have lost two of three Tests and won just three of 12 one-dayers.

Brian Lara Stadium to host CPL finals

CASTRIES, St Lucia, (CMC) – The newly opend Brian Lara Cricket Stadium in Trinidad will host the finals of the 2017 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) in September, organisers confirmed Saturday.

Four games comprising three playoffs and the grand final will be played at the 15 000-seat venue in south Trinidad from September 5-9.

The stadium, named after the aruguably the greatest batsman of the contemporary era, opened last month and the CPL finals marks the first major event to be held there.

“We are absolutely delighted to be bringing the

Hero CPL finals to Trinidad & Tobago. There is nowhere that can host the CPL finals quite like Trinidad & Tobago,” said CPL’s chief executive Damien O’Donohoe.

“CPL is without doubt the biggest sports event in the Caribbean and has attracted huge international attention so this is a great opportunity for Trinidad & Tobago to showcase everything that makes this country so special to hundreds of millions of viewers around the world.

Sports tourism is now creating lots of much needed jobs in the region and so Trinidad and Tobago are set to really benefit from hosting these games.”

Brian Lara Cricket Stadium.

The stadium is run by the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago, an arm of the Ministry of Sports here, and was only recently completed following years of delays.

Originally scheduled to host warm-up matches during the 2007 Cricket World Cup, the construction was plagued with controversy and cost over-runs and eventually stalled.

Building resumed last year and the structure was finally completed earlier this year.

Sports Minister Darryl Smith said the venue would do justice to the CPL finals.

“What better tribute

could we ask for the Academy’s namesake and the cricket-loving citizens of Trinidad & Tobago?” he said.

“The CPL has become a true spectacle for the game and is enjoyed by cricket lovers across the Caribbean and the world. When the CPL officials visited last month and discussions began, I was quietly confident.

“We will ensure that it will be one of the best finals in the tournament’s history.”

The stadium hosted a domestic Twenty20 tournament recently to mark its opening.

The CPL, in its fifth year, is set to run from August 4 to September 9.

Bravo blocked by Cricket West Indies again See story on page 27

Champions Trophy final

Pakistan ready to ‘change history’ against India

LONDON (AFP) - Pakistan are ready to change the course of history in a clash that’s “bigger than the Ashes” when they face arch-rivals India in the Champions Trophy final.

Some estimates suggest today’s match between the sub-continental cricket giants at the Oval in south London could attract a worldwide television audience of more than a billion viewers.

Title-holders India will be firm favourites against a Pakistan side who were the lowest ranked of all the teams taking part in a tournament featuring the world’s top-eight one-day international sides.

It was only on June 4 that India launched their title defence with a 124-run rout of Pakistan at Edgbaston.

Yet even by their own “unpredictable” standards, Pakistan’s transformation since that reverse has been remarkable and on Wednesday they knocked previously unbeaten tournament hosts England out of the competition with a comprehensive eight-wicket win in Cardiff.

Pakistan have yet to play a match at the Oval this tournament but in bowling coach Azhar Mahmood, who spent several seasons at his “second home” playing for Surrey, they have someone familiar with all the vagaries of the London ground.

And the former Pakistan all-rounder insisted all the burden of expectation was now on India’s shoulders.

“We’ve got nothing to lose -- the pressure

is more on them,” Azhar told reporters at the Oval on Friday.

“They are ranked higher than us - so everyone is talking about India, India. But I can tell you one thing -- we have come to win.”

India have won all three of their previous matches with Pakistan in the knockout stages of International Cricket Council (ICC) tournaments to date but Azhar, 42, said there was no reason why the sequence had to be extended this weekend as well.

“India have the upper hand in ICC tournaments,” he admitted before adding: “But things can change, and this is the time for us to change the tag that we don’t perform well at ICC events.

“History can change, and I hope we can (change it).”

- ‘DREAM FINAL’ Meanwhile Azhar said there was no hiding from the scale of a fixture which, mainly because of political pressure, rarely takes place outside of a major international tournament.

“It is massive,” said Azhar. “India refuse to play against us (in Pakistan’s adopted home of the United Arab Emirates).”

“But (now) on the biggest stage it is India v Pakistan. It is like the Ashes ... it is bigger than the Ashes -- and expectation The captains Virat Kohli (India) and Sarfraz Ahmed (Pakistan) pose with the is high from both nations, crazy about Champions Trophy in front of the famed pavillion at The Oval, London, Saturday.

See page 23

Persaud eyeing Ming Group Three battle creates See story on page 23

Flashback: Danny Persaud at the second leg of the 2016 CMRC (photo by Kasey Ramoutar)

history as Guyana’s first F4 Champion See story on page 23

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Calvin Ming created history as Guyana’s First NACAM F4 champion.

SUNDAY, JUNE 18, 2017