Guyana chronicle e paper 08 30 2017

Power company eyes US$2M profits Page 2

‘Don’t be fooled’ No. 105020

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 30, 2017

Price: $80 (VAT Inclusive)

…Min. Gaskin warns Corentyne chambers against PPP ‘ramblings’ Page …says Guyana will earn revenue from oil on day one of production 3

Three get keys to new gov't houses Page 15

Linden man charged for harbouring prison escapees Page 13

NWD man falls out of canoe, drowns Page 12

Shai Hope celebrates after leading West Indies to a dramatic test match victory against England at Headingley on the final day of the second test to level the series (Reuters photo)

Bandit shot dead

…another wounded in attempted robbery Page 12

Rice shipment from Guyana busted with cocaine in Jamaica Page 14

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Power company eyes US$2M profits

By Svetlana Marshall CHIEF Executive Officer (CEO) of the Power Producers and Distributors Inc. (PPDI), Arron Fraser, has said that the power company is on target to achieve in excess of US$2M in profits at the end of 2019 as it continues to operate at an optimum.

PPDI, which took over the operations of Wärtsilä in December 2016, is expected to make between US$2.7M and US$3.9M in profits, even as it saves the Government millions of dollars. Wärtsilä is a Finnish company which had been offering operational and maintenance services to Guyana Power and Light (GPL) since 1994.

Similar services are now being provided to GPL by

PPDI under a three- year Operations and Maintenance Agreement which will end on December 31, 2019. PPDI manages the Kingston, New Kingston, Vreed-en-Hoop and Garden of Eden power plants. The CEO, while giving media operatives an extensive tour of the power plants at Kingston and Vreeden-Hoop last week, said PPDI is charging GPL a fixed rate of US$16.87 per megawatt of electricity – US$3.64 less than the fee (US$20.51) Wärtsilä’s had proposed for 2017.

With an estimated production of 650,000 megawatts of electricity per year, GPL is expected to pay PPDI some US$10.9M or approximately GUY$2.3B per annum, saving GPL US$2.4M. Under Wärtsilä,

GPL would have had to pay US$13.3M for 2017.

With an average yearly expenditure of US$9.6M to US$10M, the PPDI CEO said the company’s return is set way below Wärtsilä’s benchmark.

“Overall we are looking at a margin of just about 8-12 per cent return on revenues. It is a lot less than what our competitor (Wärtsilä) would have gotten,” Fraser had explained to the Guyana Chronicle, while noting that PPDI’s lower bound is set at US$2.7M and upper bound – US$3.9M over the three-year period.

On Thursday last, he told reporters that for the first seven months of 2017, PPDI produced 375,285 megawatts of electricity when compared to 381,347

Inside the Kingston Power Plant (Photos by Samuel Maughn)

Maintenance work ongoing at the New Kingston Power Plant by PPDI

A PPDI staff member demonstrating the company’s ability to put out a fire if one is ignited in the vicinity of the fuel tanks at Vreed-en-Hoop

for the same period last year. The CEO noted, however, that though the production is lower this year, it is based on the demands of its sole client– GPL. “Our generation is tied to the demand of the grid, so though we might have generated less this year, our output is strictly mandated by what GPL requires, which is what essentially what the customer requires,” he explained.

Fraser stated that though two of the engines at the New Kingston Power Plant are down, the company is still producing electricity at an optimum. “We have one engine that is down for major overhaul… and then the other engine that is down you will see that the alternator is away for some special maintenance work. So right now at this plant we have three engines that are operational and they are going at full load,” the CEO further explained. It was noted that the alternator was sent to Miami for repairs and is expected to return mid-Sep-

tember, however, it would require another 10 days to allow for installation before it is re-commissioned.

“Two engines that are out we are barely meeting the demands, but peak demand is covered. It is a significant undertaking which is being covered by GPL, in accordance with the contract,” he noted.

Fraser disclosed that for 2017, there are 11 scheduled maintenance sessions.

“The schedule remains the same, but because we are a new company we have been extra diligent in increasing the scope of what we do, so for instance, the alternator that you see now, alternator maintenance was not something we placed a lot of emphasis on in the past,” Fraser posited.

Meanwhile, PPDI Board Chairman Mark Bender said he was pleased with the company’s operations.

Bender said in addition to operating at an optimum, the company is big on Occupational Health and Safety. It was pointed out that the power plants, in partic-

ular the new power station at Vreed-en-Hoop, have fight fighting capabilities.

The chairman noted that so far for 2017, there have been no accidents or injuries on at the plants which have prevented workers from attending to their duties.

PPDI has a staff size of 134 persons, 80 of whom are technical people. It is headed by a CEO followed by three Deputy CEOs – Finance and Accounting, Technical, Administration. There are also five middle managers – one managing each of the four power plants and the fifth manager oversees the operations of the workshop.

Additionally, each plant is staffed by four shifts of four persons.

According to PPDI, key members of its team include six capable field service engineers, who in addition to working in the Guyana power plants, have worked in many similar plants in the Caribbean and Latin America.

‘Don’t be fooled’ 3

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 30, 2017

…Min. Gaskin warns Corentyne chambers against PPP ‘ramblings’ …says Guyana will earn revenue from oil on day one of production

By Nafeeza Yahya MINISTER of Business, Dominic Gaskin, says Guyana will earn revenue and royalties from oil from day one of production and he cautioned that citizens should not be fooled by the ramblings of the opposition.

He made the comment at the recently held dinner and awards ceremony of the Central Corentyne Chambers of Commerce (CCCC). He made the disclosure during his presentation on the oil and gas sector and noted that while there is the public outcry for disclosure on the terms of the agreement they are bound by confidentiality agreements in the initial contract that was signed by the previous administration.

“The initial exploration license was issued in 2008 by the then President of Guyana at the time and now leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo. His government would have issued the original license with the original agreement in which the confidentially clause was inserted. Now for him to ask for a disclosure from the government shows that he wants us to breach the

agreement he put in place when he could have made the deal public when he was in power.”

Gaskin did however disclose that apart from royalties and revenue from when production begins government will also earn revenue from withholding taxes due on payments for foreign contractors by Exxon Mobil.

This revenue he noted is “likely to be significant and can be earned even as we speak” since they are payable to contractors who would need to do work before oil is produced.

He stated that the Petroleum Prospective License which announced the exclusive oil exploration in a particular block was issued for a period of four years with the condition to renew twice for a period of three years each for a total of ten years per block. In 2015 Exxon Mobil found deposits of commercial quantities in the Stabroek Block of approximately 800 million barrels of oil which after recent additional discoveries is now pegged at 2.7 billion barrels of oil and submitted an environmental impact assessment to the Environmental Protection Agency and has received the

environmental permit to start production in 2020.

It is expected that Exxon Mobil will initially invest US$4.4 billion for the Liza one Project alone which includes converting an oil tanker into a Floating Production Storage and Off-loading Base (FPSO) which is the epi center of the offshore operations. The contract for this has already been awarded and it is being built in a dockyard in Singapore.

The FPSO will have the capacity to extract 100,000 barrels of oil per day. 17 wells are expected to be connected to the FPSO of which 8 are for production, 6 for water injection and 3 for gas injection. The water and gas injection wells are needed to stabilize the pressure of the production well to ensure a constant flow. According to Minister Gaskin, the government is looking at the possibility of making use of some of the assorted gas that is being re-injected into the wells without affecting production. This is currently being entertained by the government which is looking at the various options and investment needed and the feasibility of each

NA gas station robbers plead guilty Eighteen-year-old Travon Sinclair known as ‘Fatman’ of High dam, Angoy’s Avenue and his 15-year-old accomplice pleaded guilty to the charge of robbery under arms committed at the recently opened M. Ali Gas Station at Main and King Streets, New Amsterdam.

The duo along with Leon Somaru called Allan, age 27, a carpenter of Lot 8 Ogleton Dam, Angoy’s Avenue, Delon Johnson of King Street, New Amsterdam and Princess Street, Lodge, Georgetown, appeared before Magistrate Alex Moore at the New Amsterdam Magistrates

Court. Somaru, Johnson and the teen pleaded not guilty to the charge. They were granted $75,000 bail each, following a successful application by Attorney Erun Gossai and are expected to return to court on October 2, for report.

However, Sinclair has been remanded to prison, while his 15-year-old accomplice was sent to the juvenile holding centre. They will be sentenced on the adjourned date. Police Prosecutor Inspector Godfrey Playter, revealed that three of the defendants were former students of the Berbice Educational

Institute , who had all been expelled for drug-related offences.

On August 19, last, at about 2017 hrs, pump attendant Prakash Seenarine was on duty at M. Ali Gas Station at Main and King Streets, when three masked men, armed with a gun, demanded the income from the sales, which totalled $140,000. After the robbery, varying sums were divided among the defendants. However, after intense investigations, the suspects were identified after the sleuths viewed the security cameras.

Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin

option before a decision can be made. Also on the charts were the possibility of an on shore facility however since an agreement was made with a local company and Exxon Mobil for use of their wharf facilities as a support base for the Liza one Project this option is now on the back burner but can be re-considered based on need for future production.

The minister of business also asked the business community not to be fooled by the ramblings of the opposition who is advising the population not to vote for

the current administration again because they will steal the oil money. “Guyana has submitted in August its candidacy for extractive industries transparency initiative, a global standard to promote an open and accountable management of extractive resources, which is a demonstration that the government and Guyana is moving towards greater transparency in the way that it manages its natural resources and will ultimately benefit the Guyanese people as they will now be able to hold the government more accountable for their stewardship of the national platform” “In addition to this Guyana now has a draft local content framework which is designed to address how opportunities arising out the oil industry will be treated in relation to Guyanese nationals and Guyanese businesses. The draft deals with developing capacity, Guyanese ownership of businesses, provision of goods and services by local suppliers, value-addition in the sector and societal benefits. It is expected that the local content policy will develop over time with Guyana’s long term national interest as its driver.”

Further the minister disclosed to the packed audience of businessmen and women that Exxon Mobil has launched a resource centre in partnership with a local service provider that is geared to provide assistance from small to medium sized businesses to improve their competiveness and increased capacity and will also provide information on technical standards and procurement opportunities within the sector. Guyanese business can now register their businesses online and this will allow big suppliers and contractors within the industry to find suitable local suppliers for their requirements.

Based on projection, oil prices are predicted to hit around $80 per barrel in 2020 as opposed to the current price of around $52 per barrel that is around $30 more per barrel. This equates to approximately GYD$74 billion annually in revenues that the government is expected to receive based on the current agreement of 50/50 split after cost recovery with Exxon mobile from the Liza one well alone, and is touted as being the key to transforming the country and delivering the good life for all.

Wanted bulletin issued for robbery suspect QUINTYN Alvin Bourne is wanted by the police for robbery under arms, which was committed on Leon Bentham and others that occurred on August 22, at Sheriff Street, Campbellville, Georgetown.

Police said anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of 32-year-old Quintyn Alvin Bourne is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 225-6411, 225-8196, 225-2227, 227-1149, 226-7065, 911 or the nearest police station.

Bourne’s last known address is Lot 142 Eldorado Drive, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Haiti denies planning Trump warns ‘all options’ to impose tax

open on N Korea

US President Donald Trump has said North Korea’s latest missile launch signals “contempt” for its neighbours and the UN. He said the North would only increase its isolation, and that “all options” were on the table.

The missile flew over northern Japan’s Hokkaido island before crashing into the northern Pacific Ocean.

Pyongyang says it is being provoked by US-South Korea military exercises, which it says are a rehearsal for invasion.

Russia and China have also cited the drills as the source of the latest tensions.

The UN Security Council is due to hold an emergency meeting in response.

Ahead of the meeting, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the missile launch undermines regional security and stability.

He called on Pyongyang to comply with its international obligations.

President Trump, in a statement released by the White House, said the

world had “received North Korea’s latest message loud and clear”.

“This regime has signalled its contempt for its neighbours, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behaviour,” he said.

“Threatening and destabilising actions only increase the North Korean regime’s isolation in the region, and among all nations of the world. All options are on the table.”

Earlier this month, President Trump had warned that Pyongyang would face “fire and fury” if it continued to threaten the US, while North Korea threatened to fire missiles towards the US Pacific territory of Guam.

However, North Korean UN ambassador Han TaeSong said his country had the right to respond to the military exercises.

“Now that the US has openly declared its hostile intention towards DPRK [North Korea] by raising joint aggressive military

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exercises despite repeated warnings... my country has every reason to respond with tough counter-measures,” he told a disarmament conference in Geneva.

He said the US would be responsible for any “catastrophic consequences”.

Pyongyang has conducted a flurry of missile tests recently, but this is the first time it has fired what is thought to be a ballistic weapon over Japan.

On the two previous occasions its rockets crossed Japan, in 1998 and 2009, North Korea said they were for satellite launch vehicles, and therefore not weapons.

Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said the use of sanctions and force to resolve the situation was “a path to nowhere; a path to catastrophe”.

He called on the North to halt its missile launches, and on the US and its allies to avoid escalating military tension.

China also warned that tensions had reached a “tipping point”, and said the

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US and South Korea were partly to blame.

As the missile soared over Hokkaido island, Japanese authorities issued a safety warning, urging citizens to shelter in “a sturdy building or basement”.

Later, four South Korean fighter jets bombed a simulated target at a firing range in a drill, a show of strength ordered by President Moon Jae-in.

US and Japanese forces recently held a joint drill on Hokkaido, while another annual exercise involving tens of thousands of South Korean and US military personnel is still underway in South Korea.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called the missile launch an “unprecedented” threat to his country.

He said he had spoken to Mr Trump, and they agreed to increase pressure on North Korea.

North Korea’s conventional and nuclear weapons programmes are a breach of UN resolutions.

(BBC)

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P O RT A U P R I N C E , Haiti, CMC – Haiti has denied reports that it intends to impose a tax on nationals returning to the country.

Minister of Haitians Living Abroad (MHAVE), Stéphanie Auguste, told reporters there was no truth to the reports circulating in the Diaspora that all Haitians abroad would be required to pay US$86 and a flat-rate income tax of 10,000 gourdes (One Haitian Gourde=US$0.01 cents).

She dismissed suggestions that the new fiscal measures were included in the draft budget for 20172018.

Auguste, speaking in the presence of Economy and Finance Minister, Jude Alix Patrick, said “There is no question of paying $186 on arrival in Haiti, neither to the Consulates nor to the Embassies of

Haiti for the request of a public service.

“The question of the income tax does not refer particularly to the Diaspora; it concerns all Haitians or any national of other countries undertaking transactions in Haiti that involve income, importing goods, selling land, buying or selling a vehicle, or claiming the issuance of a passport…”

The authorities said that citizens whose annual income is less than 60,000 gourdes are not subjected to the payment of the tax.

They, however, said it is necessary to present the certificate of filing of final declaration to conclude certain transactions.

They warned that any citizen not in a position to present it, at the time of a transaction or a public service which requires this document, will have to pay the lumpsum of 10,000 gourdes, as provided for in the draft budget for 20172018.

“It would therefore be in the interest of citizens to make their final tax return annually at the prescribed time, advises the Minister, a practice designed to encourage tax compliance,” the government said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Dominica PM to visit hurricane-ravaged Texas

ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said Tuesday he intends to visit the hurricane-ravaged Houston in the United States where residents are still dazed by the battering they took from Hurricane Harvey over the weekend.

“I wish to express my empathy and solidarity with the government of the United States of America, and more particularly the residents of the state of Texas, Houston,” Skerrit said, adding that the situation is “a catastrophic

disaster which took place in Texas.”

Said he: “We know very well in Dominica the extent of dislocation; the extent of damage that these natural disasters can cause, and just almost exactly two years ago, we suffered a similar fate.”

He said that when he looked at the thousands of families that have been affected, “it really, really touches my heart as a world citizen, and I know that we have several Dominican families resident in Houston.

“I have had the opportu-

nity to reach out directly to some of them and to express our concern, and indicated to them the willingness of Dominica to assist where we can.

“I intend to visit Houston myself personally at the earliest opportunity to meet with Dominican residents there and to see how we can assist in restoring their lives to normalcy.”

The prime minister said that one of the things he would like to propose “is for us to reach out to our new citizens, in particular those

high-net-worth citizens, and see whether we can have some fundraising drive to assist our Dominican citizens who have been affected by this tragic flooding and so forth.

“Just looking at what is on the news, it is really touching. And, speaking to Dominicans who were affected, who had to be rescued by small boats and pubic authorities, they recounted to me the loss of their homes, their belongings, their homes are flooded completely.”

Skerrit said that he also

has American friends who are resident in Houston and with whom he had spoken since the storm hit the city.

“They themselves had to be rescued, and indicated that they had lost everything; some of them recently bought homes. So it really is a tragedy, and we want to express our solidarity with the president, the government and people of the United States, the governor and mayor of the city of Houston.

“We want to reach out to them and say that our prayers and thoughts are with

them in this very difficult circumstance, and for any country, notwithstanding the size and the economy of the United States of America, no matter how small or large you are, you will be affected, and these disasters, you never know when they are coming.”

Skerrit reminded nationals that the Caribbean is still in the hurricane season, “and we in Dominica have to continue to be vigilant and the rest of the Caribbean. We are really sorry for what happened.”

CCJ looking for new president

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – The Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on Tuesday said it was seeking a replacement for its President, Sir Dennis Byron, who is set to leave office next year after heading the Court for the past seven years.

In a statement, the CCJ, which was established in 2001 to replace the London-based Privy

Council as the region’s final court, said that the tenure of President is for a non-renewable term of seven years. The CCJ also acts as an international tribunal, interpreting the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas that governs the 15-member regional integration movement.

“The process of seeking his replacement has already commenced, with the post being advertised

extensively,” the statement says, adding: “Communication has also been sent directly to regional and international stakeholders, giving them notice of the start of this process. Applications for the post of the next CCJ President are due on the 18th of September, 2017 and full details, including guidelines, are available on the CCJ’s website at www.ccj.org.”

Sir Dennis, who re-

placed Trinidadian jurist Michael de la Bastide in 2011, said, “It has been an honour to serve the region as the President of the CCJ. I am particularly proud of what has been accomplished by the Judges and the rest of the Court’s team during my tenure.”

“It is now time for me to take on other challenges, but I will look back at the six years I have spent at the Court with pride,

and with a great deal of fondness,” added Sir Dennis, who has been a jurist for over 50 years, and was first appointed as a judge in 1982.

Sir Dennis was appointed by Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders on the recommendation of the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission (RJLSC).

“The RJLSC is similarly responsible for the recruitment of the next

President. Applications are invited from those persons who have been a judge for over 5 years or have practised, or taught, law for at least 15 years.

“Among the criteria that will be assessed by the RJLSC include: High moral character, intellectual and analytical ability, sound judgment, integrity and understanding of people and society,” the CCJ added in its statement.

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Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 30, 2017

and water potentials

GUYANESE have the capacity to be and can be anything to which we set our minds. Ever so often when this is proved given the pessimism, political, self or otherwise, it is worthy of noting. The National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), that has formed a partnership with the World University Service of Guyana, recently announced Guyana’s potential to engage in large-scale cultivation of onions.

This vegetable has been a staple of Guyanese diet for ages and during the period of serious economic downturn, when its importation was restricted, the outcry was visceral and political. The same can be said for ‘Irish’ potatoes, which too had similar treatment. NAREI in April advised of Guyana’s potential to cultivate this ground provision on a large scale, with the potential to save the country reportedly over US$4M on importation and attract scarce foreign ex-

change country exportation.

It is tempting in light of these revelations to engage in the ‘what if’, such as, “what if Guyanese rather than complain, condemn, flee or throw their hands up in the 1970s-1980s had sought to intensify research and development (R&D) on these and other products?” Reflection on this serves as a reminder that where there exists a will, a way can always be found and where dreams are driven by goals, with hard work they can be achieved.

The period when Guyana was doggedly pursuing economic self-sufficiency, be it in food, manufacturing, energy and so forth, the contributing factors that hindered full pursuits of this await contextual and objective analyses and it can only be hoped that academics in our midst consider the worthiness of studying this period of our history. It is said that necessity is the mother of invention, but at the same time it cannot be ignored the human element

that would make shy efforts to so pursue. Guyana has to get it right and the news of possibilities with the aforesaid cultivation, though may serve as vindication of earlier views, needs to be nurtured.

Such nurturing may require facilitating needed support, including more R&D, storage, marketing, tax incentives and whatever is needed to make these products possible, from seedling to consumption.

Our Monday edition in addition to covering NAREI’s findings on onions also carried a story on coconut cultivation in The Pomeroon, Region Two. Every aspect of this commodity has usage and market demands be it for consumption, household artefacts or otherwise. This fruit, seed and nut, for according to botanists it is all three, can provide products from its delicious, thirst-quenching and nutritious water, to cooking oil, broom, bags, cosmetics and toiletries, to name some.

The admirable undertak-

ing of Vilma DaSilva and Roopan Ramotar of The Pomeroon in forging ahead with this product, penetrating and supplying domestic and foreign markets confirm the Guyanese ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit and the employment and economic opportunities they have been able to provide others. Then there is the issue of water, and while the country’s name Guyana is derived from the language of our First Peoples, meaning land of many waters, many have gone without, have had to trek distances for, or have been compelled to create innovative means to store it.

The Guyana Water Incorporated under the leadership of Dr. Richard Van-West Charles has been carrying an ambitious but doable programme, themed: “Ensuring Equity and Improving Quality” to make potable water accessible to all . Within the past few months, several communities -- hinterland and coastal -- have been the beneficiaries of this com-

modity and some for the first time. According to the World Health Organsiation, “water is essential for life” and where efforts are being made to make it accessible to all, such represents effort not to deprive persons of this commodity. Water is used in every facet of our lives and its importance to man’s wellness and development cannot be discarded, devalued or over-emphasised.

Guyana can rise, but it requires all efforts by business, government, cooperatives, other stakeholder organisations and citizens to steer her towards the trajectory of self-sufficiency, which also includes recognising the importance of multi-pronged approaches.

Striving for development

would be more tedious and also deferred relying on few products and wanting to remain as primary producers. The economy cannot produce the needed revenue for sufficient growth and the people’s holistic development, relying only on precious minerals, bauxite, sugar or the proposed royalty to be garnered from oil and gas, including stagnation or satisfaction remaining a primary-producing country when the human capacity exists to do better. Guyana needs much more and where potentials exist, including that of value-added production and in other sectors, they should be explored and exploited to the fullest, consistent with acceptable guidelines.

GPSCCU threatens legal action against Min. Scott Dear Editor,

THE regulations made under the Cooperatives Societies Act Chapter 88:01 require that cooperatives pay to the Audit and Supervision Fund a maximum of either ten percentage (10%) on Net Annual Profits or one present (1%) of the working capital of the registered society; and this should be used for the benefit of the contributing credit union.

This has never been the case over the years.

Against this backdrop, the Guyana Public Service Cooperative Credit Union (GPSCCU) sought audience with the then sitting Minister Dr. Nanda Kishore Gopaul, who agreed and instructed that a waiver of the requirement

under Section 55 should be upheld in the case of the GPSCCU and this edict was conveyed by CCDO Ms. Carol Persaud.

Subsequent to the election of the APNU+AFC Government in 2015, the responsible minister acknowledged the existing circumstances, in a correspondence to the Secretary/Manager of the GPSCCU Ltd. In that very correspondence, he requested a donation for the GPSCCU Ltd. of two million dollars; the request was approved by the Management Committee and the full amount was paid over as requested.

A subsequent press release by the Hon Minister Keith Scott committed an act of defamation on the Committee of Management and his predecessor

Dr. Nanda Kishore Gopaul, because the Management Committee refused to comply with another ridiculous and outrageous demand by Hon. Minister Scott that the GPSCCU Ltd pay over to the Ministry of Social Protection $49,691,682.

Due to this impasse the following occurred: 1. The minister has obstructed the release of the Audit reports for 2011 to 2013, thus consequently blocking the holding of the Annual General Meeting and the payment of dividends to the members of the GPSCCU Ltd. for the years 2011 to 2013.

2. The request by the GPSCCU Ltd. to the Ministry of Social Protection for the Auditors to continue and complete the Audits of the GPSCCU Ltd. for 2014-2016 were also

denied by the ministry.

The Committee of Management views the total demand by Hon. Minister Keith Scott as contrary to the spirit and good intention of his predecessor’s decision and has attempted to impose a new decision retroactively. To date, because of the existing situation, the CCDO has failed to authorise the release of the audited financial statements for the period 20112013, thereby, holding the membership hostage hoping that the Management Committee will accede to the unreasonable demand of the ministry under the misconceived notion of entitlement.

The Management Committee stands by the belief that the intention of the Cooperative Societies

Act of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana does not require any cooperative to suffer the ignominy of financial bullyism by the ministry, but instead to benefit from a controlled development process.

The previous Minister Dr. Gopaul saw the merits of the GPSCCU’s representation and instructed in accordance with powers granted under the Cooperative Societies Act Section 55 that the funds be retained and used for the purpose of development of the GPSCCU. It is unfortunate that current posturing of the CCDO and the sitting minister has labelled this an “unfair advantage.”

Given the circumstances of the minister’s press release dated July 24th 2016, the GPSCCU

is of the view that the minister should immediately issue to the Committee of Management of the GPSCCU and the predecessor of the minister an unqualified apology for the imputations in the press statement of wrong- doings fraud and corruption which were carefully calculated to injure the characters of members of the Committee of Management and the predecessor of the sitting minister. If this is not forthcoming, then the GPSCCU would have no other recourse but to seek legal remedies through the Courts of Law. Regards, Guyana Public Service Co-operative Credit Union Limited

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Town Clerk refuses to take accumulated leave Dear Editor,

WILL this administration and those in authority in Guyana wait until everything in Georgetown collapses totally before intervening and bringing a halt to the anarchy and madness that is prevailing at City Hall?

It is clear for all to see that the Council has disintegrated to a point where the basic functions and responsibilities of a municipal government are no

longer being carried out.

The “Fantastic Four” and their cohorts are so inept and ineffective, that they are unable to collect outstanding property rates and other sources of revenue from delinquents, and instead continue to penalise law-abiding citizens who honour their commitments to the city with more and increased taxes. This is just leading to widespread corruption and criminality.

The city has a town clerk who lacks the le-

gal qualifications which are mandatory for the job.

Further, he has refused to proceed on his leave which he has accumulated over the years. This ought to be questioned by the minister, since there is no Local Government Commission in place to do so. In fact, someone should say why this gentleman is not going on his leave.

The Council’s payroll which is paid late to workers each month including this month, when their poor

workers are expected to kit out their children for school, is sagging under the weight of a bloated top- heavy staff strength, which must have broken a world record for nepotism and cronyism. At City Hall, the popular idiom obtains, ‘Too many chiefs, not enough Indians.’ There is need for an urgent cut in the workforce by at least 50% on a last-in, first-out policy, which would address the friends and family employment malpractice

that has been going on at the Council for the last two years.

City Hall is swim ming in a sea of debt with approximately a billion dollars owed the Guyana Power and Light, over three hundred million dollars owed the garbage contractors, hundreds of millions owed the Guyana Revenue Authority, National Insurance Scheme and the Guyana Water Inc. Is this not considered total failure, bankruptcy,

a fiasco and an implosion? Should the senior administrators at City Hall not be immediately removed and replaced with persons with greater competence and ability? Or are they waiting for a complete financial meltdown before doing so? One can only hope that the plan is not to use taxpayers’ money to give them another bailout.

Regards NADINE JERRICK

Cricket West Indies – the floodgates are open Dear Editor,

IN a mad rush to ensure automatic qualification for Cricket World Cup 2019, an amnesty is granted to allow anyone to be chosen. This includes cricketers who have not played in that format of the game for years.

Therefore, commentators will now be calling for the selection of any person, especially from their respective territories and the result will be name-calling, such as territorial bias and insularity.

There are presently, questions about the number of Barbadian cricketers on tour to England, chosen by a Barbadian-led selection panel, according to the commentators. But Eldine Baptiste, Travis Dowlin and Lockhart Sebastian (3/4) are not Barbadians.

As usual, no-one suggests alternatives and better yet, who should be removed from the team. Without any criteria, such as the need to participate in the regional tournaments, the regional tournaments will now be neglected and relegated to non-importance.

While two cricketers

have jumped to immediately accept the opportunity to return to West Indies colours in the one-day format, others have declined until they have sufficient practice in the one-day format. As the post-mortem continues following the first Test match loss in England, commentators-- both regional and foreign -- are quick to put forward names of players without recalling the last time such persons have played a four/fiveday match. Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Darren Sammy.

Again I ask which selector, a serious, true selector, is willing to select players who have not played in that format of the sport within recent times? Further, why is the Director of Cricket, Jimmy Adams, and the Lead Coach, Stuart Law, and the Captain, Jason Holder, not part of the selection panel? In fact, the Director of Cricket and the Lead Coach should be leading the selection panel, which should comprise the sub-Coaches, the Captain and maybe others, if necessary.

And now that the West Indies have won the second

Test match, jump on the win wagon.

But remember, we still have an issue with the hierarchy of Cricket West Indies starting from Mr. Dave Cameron. After the first Test loss, Dr. Sammy of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board stated that Mr. Dave Cameron was not on the field of play and should not be blamed for the loss. After the second Test win, Mr. Dave Cameron also was not on the field of play.

Following this second Test win, let them accept the kudos for the win, but Mr. Dave Cameron and others must go and must go now for West Indies Cricket to improve. But as we scramble to try to gain automatic selection for Cricket World Cup 2019, we will descend into permanent (not temporary) mayhem, forgetting organised plans, if such exist, for development programmes. Maybe, just maybe, one step forward, if we can get around the corner, but definitely three steps backwards.

Regards PHILIP AYOUNG-CHEE

8

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 30, 2017

ATTORNEYS and staff of the Attorney General’s Chambers and the Ministry of Legal Affairs have benefitted from a two-day staff development seminar geared at understanding the new Supreme Court Civil Procedure Rules.

The training programme, held at the Aruwai Resort and facilitated by Martha Des Vignes, acting senior tutor of the Hugh Wooding Law School, Trinidad, also sought to improve efficiency in the use and application of the new Supreme Court Civil Procedure rules.

She told participants that efforts must be continually made to work towards restoring public confidence in the legal system and as such, rethinking the operation of the courts must be done.

The facilitator posited that citizens ought to be placed at the centre of the system, stressing that they must be heard, respected and are

seminar serves a form of continuous legal education and noted that Guyanese “deserve a civil legal process that can fairly and promptly resolve disputes for everyone.”

He like Des Vignes believes that there is need for the evolution of the system, while noting that “Our citizens deserve it. Our democracy depends on it. Our legal system must ensure that there is the just, speedy, and inexpensive resolution of civil cases,” said the attorney general.

The Rules and legal forms span 187 pages and contain procedures for the

AG chambers staff trained in civil procedure rules

Attorney General Basil Williams SC, Martha Des Vignes, Solicitor General Kim Kyte, and Chief Parliamentary Counsel, Charles Fung-A-Fat SC (front row- Left to Right), stand with participants of the two-day seminar held at the Aruwai Resort from August 25-27

thus entitled to a just result, not only theoretically, but practically.

Des Vignes said too that the rethinking process must start at longstanding beliefs about the resolution of civil cases and reminded participants that introduction of the rules will now require attorneys to be more prepared for their cases before filing.

She noted too the need

to prevent the abuse of the court’s process by filing unmeritorious claims. The proper computation of time is also critical to the entire process.

Meanwhile, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams SC ,said the training was aimed at ensuring that the attorneys and all legal staff are familiar with the rules

so as to function effectively.

Williams said too that the

settlement of civil matters and to make payments both in and out of court.

The introduction of the new rules was intended to ensure that there is a reduction in the huge backlog of cases in the courts by simplifying the processes to enable the courts to deal with cases justly and speedily.

These new rules have replaced the old civil procedure rules and are designed to ensure parties are not unjustly prejudiced.

As a result, these changes have brought Guyana’s Civil Procedure legislation in line with similar rules in the Caribbean.

Regional, international HIV experts ways to refine advocacy, meeting in Barbados …seek approaches to end AIDS REGIONAL and international HIV experts have been tasked with developing strategies to engage the Caribbean on the “treatment as prevention” approach to HIV care which will put the region on track to end the AIDS epidemic.

The challenge came during the opening ceremony of the Caribbean Cytometry & Analytical Society’s (CCAS) expert summit, “From Care to Cure – Shifting the HIV Paradigm”. The summit is being held at the Almond Beach Resort in Speightstown, Barbados from August 27th to 31st, the UNAIDS said in a release. “We know we are on the brink of being able to eliminate the AIDS epidemic,” said Professor Clive Landis, CCAS Chairperson. “However, there is a gap between what we, the HIV experts know, and what the public knows. The public is still terrified of this disease and sees it as a death sentence. We have to challenge misconceptions and the fear that is driving stigmatising attitudes of people living with HIV.” “Treatment as prevention” is an approach to HIV treatment which forms the basis of a global commitment to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals.

It is hinged on the finding that diagnosing and treating people early, and lowering the level of the virus in their blood to undetectable levels (viral suppression) virtually eliminates the risk that they will transmit HIV to other people. HIV treatment best practice now calls for people to start treatment immediately after being diagnosed, regardless of how far the illness has progressed. Treating people living with HIV fully so that they achieve viral

suppression, not only keeps them healthy but dramatically reduces their infectiousness.

UNAIDS Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Dr. César Núñez, noted that through the 2016 Political Declaration on ending AIDS, the United Nations member states have agreed to adopt a fast-track strategy that involves increasing prevention, testing, and treatment services while working to eliminate stigma and discrimination. Central to this goal are the 90-90-90 treatment targets—90% of people living with HIV knowing their status, 90% of diagnosed people on treatment and 90% of people on treatment with an undetectable viral load.

However, the ability of countries to achieve these targets will depend on the success of their work with partners, including civil society, to remove barriers to ensure that no one is left behind.

“People continue to get diagnosed late or die due to AIDS-related causes when testing and treatment services are available. Our reality is that the potential impact of game-changing scientific advances is being undermined by ignorance, fear, shame, prejudice and exclusion,” Dr. Núñez said. Dr. Núñez called for partnerships to conduct more research on Caribbean HIV epidemics, including epidemiological surveillance, sero-prevalence and key population studies.

This, he said, would help countries better respond to the unique characteristics of their epidemics. He further called for strategies to address the specific vulnerabilities of young people, men, women, migrants, men who have sex with men, sex workers, transgender people, people who use drugs, prisoners and homeless people.

The opening ceremony’s distinguished speaker, Dr. Deanna Kerrigan of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,shared the findings of a study involving female sex workers living with HIV in the Dominican Republic. Kerrigan noted that stigma and discrimination, violence and substance abuse negatively impacted the sex workers’ treatment outcomes.

However, these challenges could be addressed through a multifaceted approach that combined psycho-social support, activities that encouraged solidarity and supportive government policies.

Over the next four days, the “Care to Cure” summit will explore other strategies to maximise the impact of HIV treatment, particularly among key populations.

“Fear and stigma rule hearts and minds, blocking people form learning their status and blocking them from getting and staying on treatment. If we recast the public health message and give people clear information, attitudes can turn around,” said Professor Landis.

The Caribbean Cytometry & Analytical Society (CCAS) is a registered HIV Charity comprised of volunteers from the University of the West Indies, the Barbados Ministry of Health and the private sector. The mandate of the CCAS is to train and educate healthcare providers for improved diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of HIV and AIDS in the Caribbean region by removing technical and social barriers to care. CCAS’s annual HIV/AIDS regional workshop rotates through the region and has trained more than 1250 HIV/AIDS specialists from over 20 countries.

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Linden Town Council to manage town week 2018 THE Linden Mayor and Town Council on Tuesday announced that Linden Town Week 2018 will not be franchised out as was the case in previous years but will be manned by the Council while allowing for inclusion of all stakeholders, promoters and residents of Linden.

At a press conference held at the LMTC, it was explained that a decision was made by the Council to be the coordinator of the highly anticipated 10 days of events, but will be sub- franchising major events and signature events to whomsoever expresses interest in doing so.

Chairman of the Social Committee, Keeran Williams, explained that the Council has decided to run with the ‘inclusion’ model so that no one stakeholder will monopolise the event, thus benefiting handsomely from the funds garnered while the town is starved of same. This model will guarantee that the town fully benefits not only economically, but socially.

“Inclusion continues to be the focus of this municipality and one of the major premises, we seek to move forward the Linden Town Week and to ensure that every Lindener, every partner, every

stake- holder is given an equal opportunity to actively participate in this process,” Williams highlighted.

He revealed that the seven entertainment organisations that bid for the franchise, are still expected to come on board and collaborate with the LMTC and can also bid for signature events such as the fete events that attract thousands of people every year. Councillor Devin Sears said that the decision is not to disenfranchise anyone, but to make sure every Lindener has an equal opportunity to play a part. “The Council will not disenfranchise any investor or promoter; we are not in the business of doing that….. the Linden Mayor and Town Council is not a for-profit entity…our interest is primarily the people of Linden, if the people of Linden are happy, we are happy,” Sears posited, adding that LTW has the potential to be one of the largest socio-cultural activities in Guyana which can significantly boost Linden’s tourism and economic standing. For this to occur however, everyone need to come on board and major public consultations will occur in the coming weeks. The LMTC

From left, Councillor Wainwright Betune, Councillor Devin Sears, Mayor Carwyn Holland, Councillor Keeran Williams and Town Clerk (ag) Orleena Obermulla

will also be focusing on community and family-oriented events; something that has been described as lacking over the last few years.

BIDDING PROCESS A LTW 2018 Secretariat will be established as the bidding process for many of these events will be opened soon after consultations are concluded. There will be clauses and specifications which determine who qualifies to bid. As it relates to events that were hosted by particular promoters for years, such as the Linden Dream Team that had hosted the colour party for many years, these promoters would still have to bid for those events. Councillor Keeran Williams said that the Council is aware of the issues

of event-branding and the Council will continue to deliberate on how the issue will be dealt with, so as to not stir up contention in the town.

Meanwhile, many residents of Linden, especially young people, have expressed disappointment in the decision made by the Council as there were high expectations in many quarters for the Kashif and Shangi Organisation to win the franchise since according to many, would have executed a very successful and exciting LTW in 2006. “I think everyone should hold hands and boycott LTW 2018 because the Council didn’t take no one else into consideration but itself, they held the LTW in 2007 and nothing proper didn’t come out of it. Many people are very disappointed,

no proper consultation was done and they just made a decision claiming it is for the best interest of the town and you didn’t even ask the residents what they want; many persons will not come in and next year it [will] not be supported,” one irate young Lindener commented.

Some residents have also expressed disappointment that VYBZ entertainment, who was the franchise holder from 2015- 2017, was not given another chance, since they thought that the young entrepreneurs weathered many storms in executing a successful LTW 2017. In an invited comment, Director of Vybz Entertainment Lincoln Zephyr said that the organisation is disappointed that it did not win the bid and believes that despite the

odds, the LTW 2017 was successful. “We were looking forward to hosting LTW 2018, the Council has made a decision that is shocking to me,” Zephyr said. Despite the disappointment, VYBZ will be holding in- house discussions on how to move forward with the recent development of the Council, so that the organisation can still play a role in LTW 2018 since its proposal had also highlighted that collaboration would have been embraced.

The LMTC is expecting to launch LTW 2018 in November, while the tentative dates are slated for the 22nd April to the 1st May 2018. A theme-writing competition among primary school students will also be held soon.

Councillors not showing up for committee meetings WHEN the statutory meeting of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) was convened on Monday just after 14:00 hrs, roughly half of the total number of city councillors were absent, prompting some to joke that the reason was that yesterday was not pay day.

While excuses were received from about five councillors, nothing could be announced about the rest who failed to show up. And although a few others walked in late, at least one of them

could be seen leaving around 15:30 hrs.

Some of these men and women who are tasked with making important decisions regarding the City, were chided by Mayor Patricia Chase-Green for what she described as their lackadaisical attitude towards attending scheduled meetings of the various committees on which they sit.

In fact, Chase-Green made a call for all those who treat such meetings in a sloppy fashion to make it known

to the administration if they can no longer serve on the committees, in view of the weighty responsibilities that have been entrusted to them.

The mayor pointed out that certain matters cannot be dealt with only at the statutory meetings of the council.

“You ought to be committed to those meetings.

I expect that this Markets and Public Health Committee will be very serious in the way forward. Another committee that has not been

meeting if the Chairman is not present, is the City Works Committee.

“If there is no Chairman, the Vice Chairman, if there is no Vice Chairman, among yourselves as long as you have a quorum, you can choose someone to sit in the chair and conduct those meetings. The City Council cannot be at a standstill for the want of a Chairman not attending the meeting.

Please let us be serious as we sit around this table and take up responsibility as

Chairmen and Vice Chairpersons.”

Just last June, the mayor lamented the “lackadaisical” attitude with which the Markets’ Public Health Committee is approaching the relocation of Stabroek Market vendors to facilitate repairs to the wharf.

“I am not hearing from the [committee] and I hope that we can start consultations with those persons, so that they will be able to give us ideas of where they can be relocated while the wharf is

being constructed,” she said.

Yesterday, the Mayor noted that there are only a few months remaining in this year and that the Committee could not just rush to relocate the vendors in one week.

“We have to be very vigilant and very alert and, ensure that that market rehabilitation is not [prolonged] because of the lackadaisical way in which we approach the relocation of vendors,” said ChaseGreen last June.

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Man arrested for Mayor appeals for allegedly sexually clemency abusing daughters

– in dealing with itinerant vendors this time of year

A 49-year-old father from the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo district has been taken into custody for allegedly sexually molesting his three daughters, ages six to 14.

Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle from Lethem on Tuesday, the Ministry of Social Protection Public Relations Officer Jasmin Harris disclosed that the sisters along with their eight-yearold brother are now in the custody of the Childcare and Protection Agency (CCPA), and were expected to arrive in Georgetown on Tuesday. The children, Harris confirmed, were rescued by CCPA officers on Monday from a home in Region Nine where they resided with their parents. The officers had acted on reports made by

village leaders, including school teachers, who claimed that the children were being sexually abused by their father.

The children include three girls ages six, 12 and 14, and an eight-year-old boy.

Harris noted that after being rescued, the children were medically examined at a health institution to determine whether they were sexually molested. “Medical checks were done… and please note that these tests have established that all three young ladies were [sexually] abused,” Harris said.

She said while the test for their eight-year-old brother proved negative, he was reportedly physically abused.

“The medical tests prove that he was not sexually abused,

however, he indicated that he was physically abused,” Harris explained.

When the children were taken to the Lethem Police station on Monday to assist with the investigation, they told the police that they were being physically abused however, they did not testify to being sexually abused.

It was also alleged that the 43-year-old man may have sexually abused his older daughter, who is now 20-years-old and has relocated.

Meanwhile, the CCPA is urging citizens countrywide to report any suspected case of child abuse whether physical, emotional or sexual. All information, the agency says, will be treated with strict confidentiality.

Mayor’s wife takes matters – spearheads phonetics workshop for in hand Linden nursery school teachers NURSERY school teachers in Linden were on Monday given a crash-course in phonetics, in the hope of equipping them with the necessary skills to teach their young charges to read effectively.

The training programme, called ‘Reading Revolution’, was hosted by Linden’s First Lady, Ms. Nikosa Holland, who explained that as a mother of four, she became concerned about the reading programme in the community’s public schools.

The idea of having the workshop, Holland said, came about after she noticed that her third son, who, unlike his two older siblings, was attending public school and was lagging behind with

his reading.

“I became passionate about this, because I kept getting information from teachers and from parents that reading is not really striving in our school system,” Holland said, adding: “What is missing is that they have been taught, but not reinforced.”

The programme, which catered for 60 teachers, was facilitated by Ms. Helen Beresford, a retired teacher renowned for teaching phonetics and her teaching skills in general, and Ms. Gloria Britton, a former headteacher and education stalwart in Linden.

Holland believes that having a foundation in phonetics will help teachers do

a better job at teaching children, especially preschoolers, how to read.

“Nursery is the most important level when it comes to reading, because children are more sensitive at that time; they learn quicker at that time,” she said, “and when they grasp the concepts, they are able to master them so that by the time they get to Grade I, they can decode any word using the tools.”

The teachers were encouraged to share the skills imparted to them with the other teachers at their schools. Partnering with Ms Holland for the success of the programme was also Mr. Edmond Braithwaite of Banks DIH Limited.

Linden nursery school teachers at the phonetics workshop on Monday

ON the one hand, Mayor Patricia Chase-Green has acknowledged that the City Constabulary has to do its job when battling itinerant vendors, but on the other hand, she has asked that the department show a “human face” to some of the vendors.

When asked how he plans to reconcile both requests from the Mayor, Chief Constable Andrew Foo, told the Guyana Chronicle on Monday: “I don’t wish to comment, but this is just difficult!”

At the Council’s statutory meeting earlier in the afternoon, Chase-Green made reference to those vendors who are at the moment selling to make a dollar to send their children off to school.

She referred to the period as “the peak season”.

And while she didn’t say it outright, she is all for the constabulary officers going easy at this time of year on those vendors she referred to; to just caution them when they see them selling “two ribbon or two socks”.

She is of the opinion that it’s pointless making a case against these vendors, as when they reach before the courts, the matters are often dismissed. “Let’s put a human face to it,” she said.

At the same time, the mayor said the constabulary officers should not bend under the pressure of the vendors. “People come to me with tears,” she said. “All I’m asking is to execute

your job in a responsible way.”

She said the constabulary officers should warn the vendors that they are selling at an unsuitable location, as opposed to kicking down their stalls and destroying their items.

Just recently, the M&CC had said that come September and likely continuing through ‘the Christmas Season’, some Bourda Street vendors will be allowed to sell on the pavement on Regent Street, just in front of the Bourda Market.

According to M&CC’s Public Relations Officer, Debra Lewis, temporary stalls on the pavement will be constructed after consultation with the traffic department.

Bartica Market to become a “Green Space” THE rehabilitation of the Bartica Market on First Avenue, is a major project planned by the township and Mayor Gifford Marshall said that it is in keeping with the township’s clean, green environment project.

The mayor explained that the current infrastructure of the market looks like a bond hence the reason for the rehabilitation works. He stated that “…it looks like a place you store stuff, not a place that people actually sell their goods, so we want to transform that entire market”.

The project will commence in October and the council is currently examining the bill of quantities and other aspects of that initiative, Mayor Marshall explained. The township received a $15M subvention from the Ministry of Communities which will be used

The current infrastructure of the Bartica Market

to transform the area. The Mayor noted that more money will be spent next year to complete the project.

The Mayor said discussions are also on-going with the Ministry of Agriculture, to lease a Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) building located at 1st Avenue. Those discussions have been in process for some time and the Mayor noted that Minis-

ter of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, has stepped in to accelerate the process. Once the negotiations are successful, the building will be converted into a municipal mall.

Mayor Marshall is hopeful that the township will have a market place and a municipal mall, all efforts geared to the development of the green town.

(DPI)

CARICOM extends sympathy to hurricane-ravaged US

record rainfall which caused unprecedented flooding and drove thousands from their homes. Several deaths have been reported.

“The widespread destruction wrought by this hurricane has brought suffering to many and will necessitate a significant and lengthy rebuilding process,” the CARICOM Secretary-General said. “The unprecedented nature of this climatic event highlights the unusual nature of weather patterns that continue to affect nations across the globe,” he added.

THE Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has extended its sympathies to the Government and people of the United States, and especially the State of Texas, on the loss of lives and extensive damage to property and infrastructure following the passage of Hurricane Harvey.

CARICOM Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin La Rocque, in a message to U.S.

President Mr. Donald Trump, expressed the Community’s confidence that the people of Texas and the wider USA have the resilience to recover from the disaster, and he gave the assurance that the Community stands with them at this time of disaster.

Hurricane Harvey, the most powerful hurricane to hit Texas in 50 years when it made landfall on Friday, brought

11

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Vector Control Unit ups campaign to end Filaria …appoints school ambassadors

By Svetlana Marshall THE Vector Control Services Unit (VCSU) has intensified its countrywide campaign aimed at eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis commonly known as ‘big foot’ with focused attention on school-aged children.

On Monday, one week before the start of the new academic year, the VCSU appointed eight School Filaria Ambassadors. It is expected that when they return to their respective schools, the Filaria Ambassadors will disseminate critical information about the disease and the importance of receiving early treatment.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Lymphatic Filariasis, which is also known as elephantiasis, is a painful and profoundly disfiguring disease. Transmitted via the culex mosquito from human to human, Filaria is caused by three species of thread-like nematode worms, known as filariae – Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi and Brugia timori.

Though the disease affects all ages, the disease takes a number of years to develop and may cause temporary or permanent disability. Here in Guyana, several campaigns have been initiated to bring an end to the disease, since the country has signed onto WHO Resolution to eliminate the disease.

The Coordinator of the Neglected Infectious Disease Programme and the National Coordinator for the Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis Campaign, Dr. Fabu Moses, explained that in 1997 WHO classified Lymphatic Filariasis, along with five other infectious diseases, as eradicable or potentially eradicable. It was also in 1997 that the World Health Assembly adopted Resolution WHA 50.29 which called on member states to initiate steps to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis as a public health problem. In response, WHO launched the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) in 2000.

Dr. Moses noted that Guyana signed onto the resolution in 2000 and immediately sprang into action. “By 2001, we had mapped the entire country, and this is

how we know that more than 90 per cent of the Guyanese population is at risk of developing Lymphatic Filariasis because of the mapping that we did,” she said.

The national coordinator explained that following that mapping exercise, the country initiated the diethylcarbamazine (DEC) salt campaign through Mass Drug Administration (MDA) in keeping with GPELF. But the DEC Salt Campaign had proven to be a difficult one, Dr. Moses said, explaining that the Public Health Ministry was unable to determine the number of persons using DEC Salt as against the regular salt.

Guyana, she pointed out, is among four countries in the Americas that are yet to eliminate Filaria.

“The other three countries are Haiti, Brazil and The Dominican Republic.

However, Brazil is nearing elimination, Haiti has gone a far way in the sense that their entire population has been covered under a mass drug administration, and The Dominican Republic is also nearing elimination, so it kind of leaves Guyana to catch up with those countries in this part of the world,” she pointed out.

Countries such as Suriname and Trinidad have already eliminated the decease.

Cognisant of the fact that Guyana has been lagging with respect to its progress of elimination, Dr. Moses said alternative programmes have been initiated with the Vector Control Services Unit moving into public spaces and places such as the schools, hospitals, health centres, workplaces and market places.

At these locations, the unit administers the filarial pills – DEC and albendazole – as a protective measure to all persons at risk of being bitten by a culex mosquito. These pills, Dr. Moses stressed, must be taken every year for five consecutive years for them to be effective.

“Filaria is actually a disease that is caused by a worm Wuchereria bancrofti and Wuchereria bancrofti is passed from one human to the next by the bite of an infected culex mosquito. So once the culex mosquito has this tiny worm inside, it can pass from one person to the next,” she posited, while underscoring the importance of

disrupting the transmission by using the correct dosage within the specified period.

It was noted that if the programmes fails to achieve its 65 per cent coverage in any given year, it would have to be reinitiated to ensure its effectiveness.

Hence, the programme lasts longer in some communities than others.

“That is because there may have been one year or more than one year where we did not reach the target, and once we do not reach the target, we have to continue until we have five consecutive years of reaching that target, because the worm that causes this lives for five to eight years,” she explained.

The national coordinator did not disclose the number of persons diagnosed with the disease.

“So the amount of people that we have in our clinic in no way is a representation of the amount of people who actually have the disease. We say this because Filaria is a hidden disease.

It is very much stigmatised and so a lot of people do not come to clinic.”

In addition to administering the tablets, Dr. Moses said the unit has been raising awareness among all groups of people. This time around, the attention was placed on school-aged children.

To encourage their participation in the campaign,

Dr. Allena Hercules said children ages six to 18 were encouraged to compete in three categories, Essay Writing, Poetry and Poster. On Monday, a one-day workshop was held at the unit for the winners, who are now considered ambassadors for the programme.

In the Essay Competition for the six to nine category, Roshenna Holder emerged the winner, while Arysh Raghunauth came in second. In the 10-13 category for the essay competition, there was no firstplace winner based on the points system, but Hadiya McBean was adjudged the second-place winner, while Amanda Omaran came in third.

For the 14-18 category, Sundarsham Singh copped the top spot, while Omari

The Coordinator of the Neglected Infectious Disease Programme and the National Coordinator of the Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis Campaign, Dr. Fabu Moses (Samuel Maughn photo)

Joseph and Junior Kandasammy came in second.

David Jackson received

third place.

Meanwhile, in the Poster Competition, there were no first and second-place winners, but the Lusignan Good Hope Learning Centre, which made a group submission, came in third.

There were no winners in the 10-13 category, while Amia Bristol secured third place in the 14-18 category for the Poster Competition.

For the poetry competition, there were no winners in the 6-9 category. In the 10-13 category, Aruni Prashad and Daniel Seenjan, who made a group submission, received second place. Similarly, in the 14-18 category, there was no first-place winner, but based on the points system, Omari Joseph was presented with the second-place prize.

The winners of the Vector Control Services Unit Essay, Poetry and Poster Competitions. These young ambassadors will be teaching others about Filaria in their schools and in their homes (Samuel Maughn photo)

12

Bandit shot dead

…another wounded in attempted robbery A BANDIT identified as an ex-prison warden was on Tuesday morning shot and killed during an attempt to rob a woman in the vicinity of Giftland Mall at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

The former prison warden, Troyden Munroe, 24, of Canje East Berbice was dismissed from the Guyana Prison Service in March 2017, for absconding from work without leave. Police recovered a .32 pistol with three matching live rounds next to his body. Three lady’s bags were visible near Munroe when an ambulance arrived and took him to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where it was pronounced by doctors as dead on arrival. The dead man is said to have received six shots to the body.

“One less thief on the road, one less thief, I want people see,” one man pointed at the body while videoing with his cell phone. “ He get caught red-handed and I bet now his family won’t be on TV saying how he was a good boy and how he is innocent, people must stop swearing

Dead: Troyden Munroe

for their children because they don’t know what they out here doing to make other people’s lives hell,” one woman at the scene said.

Police said swift and courageous action by an armed security escort about 09:45 hrs on Tuesday morning at Liliendaal, ECD, resulted in the death of one of two armed bandits who attempted to shoot and rob him and the driver of the motor car, he was escorting.

Investigations revealed that a 42-year-old Interior

Flight Services Supervisor and her Security Escort, who was armed with a licensed handgun, went to Ogle Airport in a motor car, driven by the supervisor and collected several parcels. Police said as they were returning to Georgetown via the Railway Embankment, in the vicinity of the Giftland Mall Access Road, a dark-coloured motor car suddenly blocked their path and immediately two males, exited the vehicle, brandishing firearms and pounced on them.

During the process, the armed escort drew his firearm and discharged several rounds which struck one of the bandits who fell. The security officer then exited the vehicle and discharged his firearm at the other armed accomplice who managed to escape on foot while the vehicle that brought them sped away. The police reported that shortly after, a man suspected to be the accomplice, visited the GPHC with gunshot wounds. The lawmen kept watch over him as he received medical attention.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 30, 2017

CCJ President to leave office next year PRESIDENT of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Sir Dennis Byron, is set to leave office in 2018, having attained his seventh year of stewardship at the CCJ. The tenure of President is for a non-renewable term of seven years. The process of seeking his replacement has already commenced with the post being advertised extensively.

Communication has also been sent directly to regional and international stakeholders, giving them notice of the start of this process.

Applications for the post of the next CCJ President are due on the 18th of September, 2017 and full details, including guidelines, are available on the CCJ’s website at www.ccj.org.

Sir Dennis reflected: “It has been an honour to serve the Region as the President of the CCJ. I am particularly proud of what has been

President of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), the Rt. Hon. Sir Dennis Byron

accomplished by the judges and the rest of the court’s team during my tenure. It is now time for me to take on other challenges, but I will look back at the six years I have spent at the court, with pride and with a great deal of fondness.” Sir Dennis has been a jurist for over 50 years and was first appointed a judge in 1982.

Sir Dennis was sworn in as President of the CCJ in 2011 in St. Kitts as the second President of the CCJ. His predecessor was

the Right Honourable Mr. Justice Michael de la Bastide TC, a Trinidadian.

Sir Dennis was appointed by the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on the recommendation of the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission.

(RJLSC). The RJLSC is similarly responsible for the recruitment of the next President. Applications are invited from those persons who have been a judge for over five years or have practised, or taught law for at least 15 years. Among the criteria that will be assessed by the RJLSC include: “high moral character, intellectual and analytical ability, sound judgment, integrity and understanding of people and society.”

Interested persons can apply for the position of CCJ President using the court’s website at www. ccj.org.

Drunk NWD man falls out of canoe, drowns THE police are investigating the drowning last Friday of a drunken man in the North West District.

Reports are that Simon Morgow, age and address unknown, was being offered a drop home by canoe by a 19-year-old when the incident occurred on the Imbotero Creek.

According to the police, “On the

way home, the deceased got up and fell into the river and submerged. An alarm was raised; residents in the area came out and conducted searches and found his body.”

A post-mortem done on Tuesday at Mabaruma has confirmed that there was no foul play involved in Morgow’s death; that he’d died by drowning.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Linden man charged for Lindeners in fight over eddo leaves harbouring prison escapees EX-POLICEMAN Teon Allen was remanded to prison on Tuesday by Magistrate Clive Nurse when he appeared in the Linden Magistrate’s Court on a charge of harbouring Camp Street Prison escapees: Mark Royden Williams aka “Smallie” and former policeman, Uree Varswyck.

According to the charge, it is alleged that Allen, between July 19, 2017 and July 23, 2017, at Linden, did receive, relieve, comfort, assist and maintain Mark Royden Williams also known as “Royden Durant’ and Uree Varswyck also known as ‘Michael Gordon’, knowing that their photographs have been previously publicly displayed in the media as wanted persons for murder and other offences.

The 31-year-old miner of Labaria Creek, Essequibo River, pleaded not guilty to the offence. Police Prosecutor Pindar, told the court that the father of three is no stranger to the court as he had been remanded on previous charges, including possession of firearm, a matter that is still pending at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Upon Prosecutor Pindar’s objection to bail being posted for Allen based on the seriousness of the current matter, he was denied his pre-trial liberty.

Back in January, Allen

along with two others were jointly charged with two counts of illegal possession of ammunition and two counts of illegal firearms.

The particulars of those charges were, that on January 22, 2017, at John Street, Campbellville, the men who are all miners, had in their possession an AK 47 rifle without being the holders of a firearm licence. It is alleged that they also had several rounds of ammunition without a licence. It is also alleged that the men had a 9mm Glock pistol in their possession along with 20 live matching rounds.

In 2014, Allen and another were jointly charged before a City Magistrate with carjacking.

Meanwhile, Varswyck and Williams along with two others remain on the run following July 9, 2017 Camp Street Prison unrest which resulted in the death of a prison warden and the burning down of the entire penitentiary.

Williams of Buxton, East Coast Demerara (EBD), was charged along with several others for the February 2008 mass killing at Bartica which resulted in the murder of 12 Bartica residents. Varswyck was in jail for the murder of Edward B. Beharry’s security guard, Wilbert Stewart, at Sterling Products Limited Providence location, back in December 2014. He

Teon Allen remanded to prison for harbouring the wanted fugitives

was also fingered in the execution-style killing of a Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) engineer, Trevor Abrams, back in 2015.

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) said that a reward of G$10M is on offer for information leading to the arrest of the four remaining prison escapees, Varswyck, Williams, Cobena Stephens and Paul Goriah.

Anyone with information that may lead to the re-capturing of these escapees, is advised to contact the Police on Telephone numbers 225-6411, 225-8196, 225-2227, 2261389, 227-2128, 227-1149, 226-7065, 699-0869, 6003019, 6990867, 699-4606, 603-3261 or the nearest Police Station.

TWO farmers, who got physical over $200 worth of eddo leaves, were each fined $25,000 when they appeared in the Linden Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Clive Nurse.

It is alleged that Gregory Elexey and Trevor Pilgrim, both of Victory Valley Wismar, Linden, unlawfully and maliciously wounded each other on August 21, 2017.

Both men pleaded guilty to the offence. According to Police Prosecutor Pindar, the two farmers are known

to each other.

On the day in question, about 08:20h, the farmers were in Blueberry Hill, Wismar, Linden, when they became engaged in a heated argument over G$200 worth of eddo leaves. They eventually started pelting each other with bricks and as a result they both sustained injuries. Pilgrim subsequently lodged a report at the Wismar Police Station from where he was sent to the Wismar Hospital to procure a medical certificate.

Elexey who was contacted afterwards was also sent to the Wismar Hospital for a medical. Following an investigation carried out by the Police and both Pilgrim and Elexey were charged.

They made an appearance before Magistrate Nurse who imposed the fines.

Failure to pay will result in them spending the next four weeks in prison.

Elexey, age 47, is a first time offender unlike Pilgrim, age 56, who is no stranger to the court.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Big bikers take over East Coast roads

By Michel Outridge

FOR some time now there has been a trend whereby riders of giant-sized motor bikes use the road along the East Coast of Demerara recklessly, minus helmets and in groups, racing to and from various street limes/hangouts. This is of great concern to citizens.

Their reckless use of the roadway has become more noticeable and they are often in large groups performing daredevil stunts at alarming speeds, usually after midnight, when they would have

imbibed heavily.

These bikers in their numbers speed along the East Coast highway with pillion riders, also without helmets, and do not seem bothered that they are putting their lives and others in danger.

At some point the bikers would mobilise and ride in groups to parties at Golden Grove, the various fish shops, late-night hangouts at Plaisance, Buxton, KK Gas Station, Mahaica and other places on the East Coast of Demerara.

These bikers would start their road craze usually on

Friday nights, riding from one party to the next and at top speed with no regard for other road users.

Bikers also congregate at other locations such as the seawall on the weekends and some even ride to outlying areas at very fast rates of speed, especially the CBR fanatics. The CG groups are not far behind in this area.

Within recent times, more bikers seem to be losing their lives as a result of road accidents over the weekends.

Commander of ‘C’ Division, Calvin Brutus, told the

Guyana Chronicle that he was aware of the trend which he described as worrying for law enforcement, because the bikers were not adhering to basic road signs and signals.

He related that the police have had recent campaigns at bars, fish shops and clubs where they have had cause to issue warnings by way of letters to owners and proprietors about the breach of their licences, pertaining to the time they are supposed to close their business places.

Brutus added that with that in place they will now proceed to institute charges

where necessary, because bars are supposed to close at 12a.m. while, clubs should close at 2a.m.

The senior officer said that they have had some traffic operations where bikers were charged for traffic offences such as failing to wear safety helmets, etc. Others had their motorcycles seized until they produced documents to prove ownership.

Brutus stated that they have regular campaigns targeting motorists and they even do so after midnight to ensure they adhere to the law and practise road safety.

He noted that their enforcement campaigns continue and they are urging all road users to adhere to all traffic signals and look out for others.

Meanwhile, Police Traffic Headquarters at Eve Leary, Georgetown, reported that for this year 15 motorists have lost their lives while in 2016 they tallied 19.

The police have disclosed that there was a 27% decrease in fatal accidents at the end of June, 2017 and also a 25% decrease at the end of July, 2017.

Rice shipment from Guyana busted with cocaine in Jamaica THE Narcotics Police made another major drug bust on Monday when cocaine valued at just over $100 million was found among a shipment of rice at the Kingston Container Terminal (KCT).

According to law-enforcement sources, the rice was destined for a local distributor, whom detectives were trying to locate up to late Monday. It is the third major drug seizure by detectives from the Narcotics Division in the past six weeks.

In July, 77 kilogrammes of cocaine, valued at $92.8 million, was allegedly seized in a house in Portmore, St Catherine. Earlier this month, the Narcotics Police, with assistance from the military, seized just over 1,700 pounds of ganja, valued at $68 million, during a 10-hour

operation in St Mary.

In the latest incident, law-enforcement sources said the police, accompanied by members of the Customs Contraband Enforcement Team, conducted a snap operation at KCT and immediately trained their focus on cargo from specific containers.

“Examination of a 40-foot container revealed a total of five leather bags hidden among the shipment,” one source revealed.

According to the source, the bags had a total of 78 parcels, each containing a white powdery substance resembling cocaine. Sources say initial investigation has indicated that the container travelled from Guyana, through Santo Domingo and The Dominican Republic before arriving in Jamaica. (Jamaica Gleaner)

The five bags in which the cocaine was found in a container with a shipment of rice at the Kingston Container Terminal

Cocaine was found in a rice shipment from Guyana

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Three get keys to new gov’t houses THREE beneficiaries of the Ministry of Housing’s Housing Solutions 2017 and beyond programme were on Tuesday presented with keys to their new homes.

The first beneficiary, Debra Wilson, expressed much elation at the fact that she has now been able to own her own home after waiting for a number of years. She is now the owner of a $6.8M duplex located at Perseverance, East Bank Demerara (EBD). Like Wilson, Winston Persaud received his keys for the adjoining apartment within the duplex. Persaud too thanked the Ministry of Housing and subject Minister, Valerie Yearwood, for affording him the opportunity to own his own home.

The third beneficiaries, Angela Thompson and Gary Rowe were unable to receive the keys to their home (a $7M single elevated home), but a relative Irvington Rowe collected on their behalf. The couple is currently overseas.

Minister Yearwood told reporters after the brief handing over ceremony that she is happy to have played a part in citizens being able to own their own homes. She said, her administration will continue to have housing projects geared at ensuring all Guyanese are home owners.

In that regard, Minister Yearwood said work will soon commence on the construction of some 40 flat concrete duplexes in Perseverance. She said the duplexes will stand three feet off the ground and at the moment, the Ministry is awaiting the contractor’s performance bond before the contract is signed.

“Land clearance is already in progress,” Yearwood stated, while noting that the total construction cost stands at $540M. It is hoped that the project will be completed by December.

According to the Minister, each apartment will cost $7.1M, with $6.8M for the apartment and $300,000 for the land.

Persons interested in duplexes are being asked to visit the Ministry of Housing’s CH&PA Brickdam office on Tuesday, September 5 and Wednesday, September 6, 2017 to register for the duplexes. After registration, those

Minister of Housing, Valerie Patterson-Yearwood, hands over the keys to Debra Wilson, the first recipient of an apartment within a duplex, Tuesday

An elated Winston Persaud receives the keys to his new home from Minister of Housing, Valerie Patterson-Yearwood, on Tuesday

remain in that environment,” said the Minister.

The entity will also be investing $30M in infrastructure development which will come in three weeks’ time. Those works include roads, electric-

ity and water. Thus far, two contracts have been awarded to Ivor Allen for the infrastructural development works (roads, drainage and water) at Barnwell, EBD and works are scheduled to be completed

within eight weeks.

The Housing Minister disclosed too that adjustments will be made to the existing designs of what is known as the “Food for the Poor homes” and new designs will feature a covered veranda, along with a back patio. That aside, the Ministry of Housing and the CH&PA are working to begin infrastructural works at Farm and Covent Garden to the tune of $130M. Those projects were terminated but it is now hoped that they will be completed by December, 2017.

In the case of Parfaite Harmonie and Westminister, Minister Yearwood said road upgrading works are scheduled to commence within two weeks. She disclosed that under the Inter-American Development Bank’s new reformulated loan, it is projected that more than $500M will be spent to upgrade roads and other social facilities in the Parfait Harmonie area.

NGMC conspiracy trial to conclude soon Irvington Rowe collects the keys to a brand new elevated home located at Perseverance, EBD on Tuesday. Rowe collected the keys on behalf of his brother Gary Rowe

persons will be issued letters to be pre-qualified at commercial banks.

She disclosed too that her ministry is in the process of constructing twenty, three bedroom houses to the tune of $160M in Perseverance, EBD. Each unit will cost $9M and this includes the cost for the land. In fact, interested persons will pay $8.4M for the house and $600,000 for the land and those houses are to be completed in time for Christmas.

Minister Yearwood stressed that the project continues to be heavily subsidised in the area of infrastructural development.

Additionally, the Ministry will be constructing 173 single concrete houses, some flat and other on stilts for those persons not desirous of living in a du-

Construction underway on Tuesday at Perseverance, EBD

plex. Those will be completed during the early part of 2018.

ELECTRIFICATION PROGRAMME AND OTHER PROJECTS Meanwhile, the Housing Minister spoke of the electrification programme and said areas such as Farm, Eccles, Covent Gardens, Peters Hall and Barnwell, stand to benefit as poles are already on the ground. Transformers and cables have been shipped and are en route to Guyana. “The planting of poles will commence shortly as the tenders are out for construction of the electrical network,” said Yearwood, while noting that Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Lelon Saul and a team of technical officers are currently in China to witness the testing of the conductors before they are shipped to Guyana.

She said too that the CH&PA will also be spearheading the construction of 72 houses in collaboration with Food for the Poor at Barnwell, EBD for squatters to be relocated from Broad and Lombard Streets.

The Authority will be matching some $42M to be invested by Food for the Poor for the construction of the houses. “We cannot allow those people to

THE TRIAL involving former General Manager of the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (NGMC), Nizam Hassan and Felecia De Souza-Madramootoo, who are charged with conspiracy to procure money, is expected to conclude soon with only four more witnesses left to testify.

The matter is being heard by Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan, with evidence being led by Police Prosecutor, Gordon Mansfield. The matter continues today (August 30.)

Hassan and Madra-

mootoo are accused of paying themselves under false pretence, in relation to the approval of payments for low-graded rehabilitation works done on the NGMC building at Robb Street, Georgetown.

Hassan, 50, of Good Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and De Souza-Madramootoo, 34, of Lusignan, another village on the ECD, have each been released on $250,000 bail.

The duo have been instructed to report to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) Headquarters, Camp Road, George-

town and to lodge their passports with the court.

It is alleged that between October 28, 2010 and April 25, 2012, they conspired with each other to commit the offence by continuously approving payments, which were made to the contractor of the engineering firm for works that were incompetently and incorrectly done with inferior materials, to rehabilitate the NGMC building at Robb and Alexander Streets, Bourda, Georgetown, knowing that such works should not have been approved.

10% pay hike for Linden Town Council workers OVER 100 workers of the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC) will receive a 10 percent wage increase effective September 1, 2017.

Mayor of Linden, Carwyn Holland, told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that “after many years, workers will now benefit from a 10 percent increase in wages.”

The employees were unable to receive an increase earlier due to financial constraints on the municipality, and other projects that were being executed. The

salary increase for the workers will be effective across the board from September 1, 2017, which will allow some categories of employees to receive the minimum wage.

Many of the municipal employees were earning a mere $35,000.

“Hopefully, we can further make life comfortable for our 100-plus employees, “with the increase being a start, Holland stated. The mayor said the wage increase is a move in the right direction as Lindeners will be able to get a better life. (DPI)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Rates for commercial waste were higher in council’s budget A NUMBER of city councillors on Monday approved the announcement by Town Clerk, Royston King that businesses will be charged between $5000 and $12,000 for the collection and disposal of their garbage as of September 1.

People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Councillor, Bishram Kuppen, raised the issue of the matter coming to the Council for a vote before the rates could have been announced, but Mayor Patricia ChaseGreen reminded that the rates were already voted upon when councillors voted in favour of

the budget.

“In the budget for the Solid Waste Director, it was $5000, $10,000 and $15,000.

After consultation it was reduced to $5000, $8000 and $12,000, which is reasonable.

So we didn’t need to go back to a vote on it because we would have reduced. If we were going to a higher fee other than what was agreed upon in the budget; that would have had to come to the council to agree and change our figures,” Chase-Green explained.

Deputy Mayor Lionel Jaikarran offered that $5000 a month for garbage collec-

tion is not too much to pay.

“I think it is a very fair fee.

I don’t think many businessmen will complain about it,” he said.

Director of Solid Waste Walter Narine, during a presentation at the statutory meeting observed that $5000 when broken down, really amounts to businesses paying a mere $161 a day for garbage removal.

“I challenge you to walk down Regent Street, Water Street, Robb Street this afternoon and you will see the amount of refuse that they (businesses) are putting out.

And 98 percent of them do not have receptacles,” Narine said.

The amount of garbage to be picked up has increased, he said, especially since there is no longer a market for cardboard in the city and hence the M&CC is tasked with removing those as well.

Narine said his department has done its homework and hence knows the size of every business and under which category (large, medium, or small) they will fall. “Ask any private contractor to pick up waste from any business for $161 a day and see if they will do that,” Narine further

argued.

He said ever since the two major garbage contractors withdrew their services on July 30, every ward in Georgetown has received at least one clearance per week.

“We are doing much better now that the smaller contractors know the streets. We are on schedule and I think we are doing a fair job.”

Meanwhile, M&CC has said that the council must expend in excess of $50M per month to dispose of the city’s waste.

Explaining why a separate fee for garbage collection has

become necessary, M&CC said: “In reality, the council is subsidising the collection and disposal of the city’s waste.

However, the council could no longer sustain this on its current very narrow revenue base, it has to broaden its revenue base.

It was noted that while solid waste management is vital to the good health and well-being of citizens and their local neighbourhoods, the Council is not prepared to compromise this aspect of its statutory responsibility even in the face of financial and other shortages.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY AUGUST 30, 2017

WEDNESDAY AUGUST, 30 2017

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Schoolchildren laud Chronicle voucher promotion THE Guyana National Newspapers Limited (GNNL) on Tuesday held a presentation ceremony of prizes for the four winners of their Chronicle Back to School voucher promotion, which was held at GNNL’s office at Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown.

The promotion was

launched for Independence week and saw more than 500 entries for one month for children ages 5 – 11. However, only four winners emerged following a drawing.

One of the four winners, Vanesha Budhu, six years old of New Market Primary School, Corentyne, Berbice, won school

supplies.

She told the Guyana Chronicle that she was very happy to have received her prize and would continue to read the newspapers and participate in other promotions.

Five-year-old Michael Clarke was indeed pleased being a first time winner. He is a student at St.

The winners with their parents following the presentation ceremony at GNNL.

Christopher ’s Nursery, South Ruimveldt. He was presented with a lunch pack containing a water bottle and a lunch bowl.

After she received her prize of text books, Makeyla Younge, 7, said she was happy she had won and would utilise the text books for the upcoming school term. She is a pupil of Stella Maris Primary.

Bhimsain was Project Coordinator, Siddiq Mohamed, who congratulated all the winners especially, Tina for being a top performer at CSEC. The company also provided a lunch pack to Michael Clarke.

The other sponsor, Tashem’s Enterprise and Document Centre of King Street donated school supplies to Vanesha Bud-

The smiling winners of the Guyana Chronicle’s promotion with their prizes on Tuesday.

Tina Bhimsain will be attending President’s College when school reopens having attained 489 marks at CSEC. She expressed gratitude to the donors for her prize of a back pack, containing all the necessary stationery for school.

The sponsors were VNET Communication located at 25 Delph Street, Campbellville, a satellite Internet provider for remote locations throughout Guyana and the Caribbean.

On hand to make the presentation to Tina

hu, while GNNL gave text books to Makeyla Younge.

GNNL’s Marketing Coordinator, Akash Persaud, said that the event was part of a series of promotions held to get children involved more in reading and education via the Guyana Chronicle.

He added that it was the company’s way of giving back to its young readers and urged them to look out for massive prizes in the promotion that will be launched for Christmas.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Bagotville library in dire need of repairs, extension --serving communities a strain under current conditions, says librarian

By Navendra Seoraj

THE Bagotville, West Bank Demerara (WBD) branch of the National Library is in urgent need of repairs and extension, in order to facilitate the growing number of persons who utilise its services.

of persons who utilise the services on a daily basis.

She said that at times they are left with no other alternative than to seek the use of the nearby community centre to host certain activities because of space constraints.

Jacobs, who has been at the institution for over 16

Two on the West Bank.

She explained that by utilising what little they have by way of resources, the librarians were able to create a youth department, an adult section, and an administrative section where a few computers are housed and made available to anyone.

Librarian-in-Charge, Yonnet Jacobs (second left) with her staff. They are, from left, Theresa Barrow, Onica Thompson, Palesa Lam and Carol Halley

Although the advent of technology has reportedly seen a decline in the reading of books, it appears that persons in Region Three (West Demerara -Essequibo Islands) are still finding the library useful for their research and completion of assignments,among other things.

years, recalled that in the past things were far worse space-wise, as they were then only utilising a small section of the NDC building. That all changed when some U.S. volunteers offered to extend the building.

“Because the building is, nonetheless, owned by the NDC, we still have to

The exterior of the Library

But, Librarian-in-charge, Ms. Yonnet Jacobs, is not at all happy about the deplorable state of the local Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) building in which the facility is housed.

During a tour of the library recently, the Guyana Chronicle observed that not only are the stairs leading to its youth section rickety, but the windows are also old-fashioned, and the floorboards have certainly seen better days.

“We are strapped for space,” Jacobs said, adding that there is now a need also for a bigger facility, in order to accommodate the amount

write to them to have stuff done, but still they are not done regularly because of the Council’s small budget,” she said.

In addition to receiving support from the NDC, the main branch of the National Library also assists in whatever way they can.

She said that while there’s only so much that their supporters can do, they are in dire need of a better facility, because aside from lending books, as was mentioned earlier, the library offers a lot of assistance to students from communities as far off as Vreed-en-Hoop, on the West Coast, and Canal Number

“Persons come to use the computer, photocopier and so on… We also go to schools in order to take the library to students who cannot come to us,” Ms. Jacobs said, adding that in spite of their circumstance, the library also gives children the opportunity of participating in spelling bee competitions, quizzes, debates, poetry competition and so forth.

They also offer extra-curricular activities during the August and Easter vacations, while one for the adults is conducted in December.

Slow learners also have an opportunity to be given special attention through a progamme which is hosted in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Stabroek.

Activities are also held during the month of September to mark Amerindian Heritage and Education Months.

The National Library will also be celebrating its 108th anniversary with a host of activities which will be replicated at the Bagotville branch as well.

Said Jacobs: “We are committed to serving the communities of Region Three, but we need to see a lot of things being done so that we can embark on new initiatives for the children…

For instance, we want a toy corner.”

They are on a mission to ensure that the library remains there, in order to serve the need of the communities in the Region.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 30, 2017

The Night Women

By Akola Thompson

OVER the past few days,

two news stories concerning the security sector caught my attention.

The first was a disturbing story posted on News Room, in which it was al-

leged that female security guards were often sexually harassed at their place

of employment. Stories of men, one in particular, forcing out sexual favours from the women when they were caught sleeping on the job was something that surfaced to public knowledge through that story. On the heels of that, came Minister within the Social Protection Ministry, Keith Scott, making statements regarding female security guards and their working hours.

His comments were made at a seminar for security service providers on Thursday. ‘It was focused on private security services within the area of national development; the role of the security services in safety and the economy; the impact of security services on single mothers and the elderly. It also looked at the social impact of the security services on men.’

He called for a policy change for female security personnel, claiming that they should not work at nights, given that the “level of danger to which the family is exposed increases astronomically when that family is headed by one parent only, who happens to be the mother and has to work all night while her children are left unprotected, unsupervised and to the mercies of possible predators.”

Security jobs are often low-paying. As a result, many women who take late hours do so because they have more than one job.

They are trying to make ends meet and there are sacrifices that have to be made. If the minister is interested in bettering the lives of security guards, then the thing to do would not be to place a ban on women from working late hours, the plan should be for their wages to be raised and better facilities to be provided for them.

What Scott is aiming to do according to the Department of Public Information, is to develop and implement policies that completely prevent women from working night shifts.

There are several things wrong with Scott’s reasoning and I find it hard to believe that his suggestion might have gone through several ministerial challenges without being shot down. One thing that seems to fly over the head of politicians is the reality of the people and the situations leading to the problems.

They tend to look at things in isolation. So when they think of protecting women, they place the responsibility on the women rather than ensuring their administrative systems and sanctions are in place to deal with the offending men. Better yet, they fail to look at the root problem of the issues and when an effort is made towards something it is more of a reactionary approach.

If we are serious about significantly diminishing the cases of sexual harassment in the workplace, then we need to start looking at not only preventative measures.

We need to begin the process of education as soon as they are brought into the workforce. Ensure there are classes or informative sessions concerning sexual harassment in the workplace. Ensure that workplace has a human resource centre to which complaints can be taken and effectively addressed. Do not wait until you receive several complaints and then say that a woman has been placed in a position of power to address the issue as Roshan Khan did.

Volda Lawrence was in a position of power as a Minister of Social Protection and she once referred to rape allegations as a “family matter.” We need to ensure that we not only have women in positions of power, we must ensure the women we promote are capable of the tasks before them and we must ensure measures are put in place to deal with the systemic issues, rather than just being aware of them and watching them continue.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Alleged cattle rustlers put on bail THREE alleged cattle rustlers were on Tuesday released on $60,000 bail each, by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for stealing cows.

Curtis Charles, 22; Quison Frank, 18; and Ivor Rodrigues,

28; all from Tabatinga, Lethem, were charged with stealing four heifers valued $480,000 the property of Walter Martin, between August 21 and August 24, at Coke Bridge, North Savannah.

According to the facts

read out in court by Police Prosecutor, Arwin Moore, Martin secured his ranch with 13 heads of cattle on August 21, 2017 and left. However, upon his return the next day he found that four of the animals were missing.

Martin suspected that is was Charles who was involved in the theft and contacted him. Charles confessed that it was his friends who had taken him to the area where the cows were. He then took Martin to another area where

he handed over two heifers and disclosed that he had slaughtered the other animals.

Prosecutor Moore objected to the trio being released on bail citing the seriousness and prevalence of such crimes in the particular area.

The Chief Magistrate, however, released the men on bail and transferred the matter to the Lethem Magistrate’s Court for September 5. The men also have to report to the Lethem Police Station every Friday.

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Teamwork, cohesiveness led to Regional U-19 double – captain Mohamed

By Stephan Sookram GUYANA’S victorious U-19 cricketers returned home yesterday after sweeping the Cricket West Indies (CWI) double for a second consecutive time, with cohesiveness and teamwork being the pillars of their success.

According to captain Renaldo Mohamed, the side’s dominance in the regional three-day and 50over competitions was due to how well they worked as a unit.

“It feels great to be champions again. It was a real effort from the guys throughout the tournament - the support from the coaches, the players, all the fans and everything.”

Greeting the team yesterday, the incumbent Minister with responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport Dr George Norton contended that to meet on such winning terms is always a pleasure.

“I’m willing to work with you. Myself and the Director of Sport Christopher Jones, could not have been introduced in a better ambience than this, where you are victorious.” he said.

Also on hand to receive

English Racing Tips Lingfield 08:40 hrs Zanetto 09:10 hrs Gavota 09:40 hrs Teppal 10:10 hrs Shoyd 10:40 hrs Whitecrest 11:10 hrs Chunkyfunkymonkey 11:40 hrs Transmitting 12:40 hrs Wassail Catterick 08:50 hrs Cool Spirit 09:20 hrs Fairy Lights 09:50 hrs Question Of Faith 10:20 hrs Magical Effect 10:50 hrs Melaniemillie 11:20 hrs State Residence 11:50 hrs Mambo Dancer 12:20 hrs Ebitda Musselburgh 09:00 hrs Three Saints Day 09:30 hrs Relight My Fire

the team was Cricket West Indies director and secretary of the Guyana Cricket Board, Anand Sanaise, who commended the unit for their win.

The CWI director said, “Winning this particular tournament has been something that we have been looking forward to because this basically is the last of the youth stage where the players are now moving to the senior level.”

“It means that our programmes that we have, despite some criticism of them have been working. But like everything else, you have to fine-tune them,” hadded.

The Chairman of the senior selection panel of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Rayon Griffith, GCB Territorial Development Officer Colin Stuart and Assistant Administrator Avee Fedee-Grimmond were also in attendance.

The team picked up the Regional three-day championship earlier this month by defeating Jamaica in the final round of competition.

On Monday, the side recorded their sixth consecutive win during the one-day tournament after defeating the Windward Islands by six runs.

10:00 hrs Mr Sundsowner 10:30 hrs Rosina 11:00 hrs Take A Turn 11:30 hrs Tectonic 12:00 hrs Suwaan South Africa Racing Tips Kenilworth 08:45 hrs Orkal 09:25 hrs Raise Your Hand 10:05 hrs Dex Dexter 10:40 hrs Time To Think 11:15 hrs Border Control Irish Racing Tips Bellewstown 11:15 hrs Olly’s Folly 11:45 hrs Poetic Light 12:15 hrs Gold Struck 12:45 hrs Lightening Stricks 13:15 hrs Daliyah 13:45 hrs Pillar 14:15 hrs Dalton Highway 14:45 hrs High Expectations American Racing Tips Saratoga Race 1 Sp[ecial Risk Race 2 Call Provision Race 3 Dunk a Din Race 4 SZummer Punch Race 5 R Lucky Charm Race 6 Wise Strike Race 7 Stay Fond Race 8 Mr. Crow Race 9 Trumpi

32

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Warner leads the way as Aussies chase down 265 for victory DAVID Warner’s composed riposte helped Australia make great strides towards a rare away win against Bangladesh on day three of the first Test in Mirpur.

Brutish opener Warner and Australia’s struggles on the road, especially in Asia, are well documented but the left-hander scored a brilliant unbeaten 75 to leave the tourists 156 runs away from their victory target of 265.

Nathan Lyon had earlier turned the tide, taking 6-82 and affecting a run-out, as Bangladesh were limited to 221 in their second innings, despite fine contributions from Tamim Iqbal (78) and Mushfiqur Rahim (41).

The departures of Matt Renshaw (5) and Usman Khawaja (1) suggested Australia’s appetite for the fight may be lacking, but Warner made the most of a dropped chance to compile his highest score in Asia since 133 against Pakistan in October 2014, with captain Steve Smith (25 not out) an able partner.

Australia have won just two Tests on Asian soil this decade and their hopes of a third appeared to be fading as Josh Hazlewood left the field early on with a side strain which will end his tour.

But Lyon had other ideas and removed Taijul Islam and Imrul Kayes for single figure; only for Mushfiqur and Tamim to combine resolutely to give Bangladesh a 176-run lead at lunch.

Just 13 balls after the restart, Tamim was gone, how-

ever, gloving a Pat Cummins delivery which disturbed the surface through to Matthew Wade - umpire Aleem Dar’s not-out decision overturned

by Smith on review.

liant, plunging grab to remove Shafiul Islam, completing Lyon’s five-for and a late Mehedi Hasan blast was curtailed on 26 by the same bowler.

Mehedi was in more

by reverse-sweeping for four.

The left-hander’s excellent use of his feet regularly turned good balls into boundaries and running Shakib down for a huge straight six was further proof of his nimbleness.

Victory is far from assured for the tourists, but Warner and Smith at least drew up the template for a rare Australian success in these conditions. (Omnisport)

SCOREBOARD

Nathan Lyon removed Mehidy for 26 and claimed his fifth five-wicket haul in Asia and tenth overall ©Getty Images

Shakib Al-Hasan (5) soon followed trying to smash Lyon over the top and the off-spinner was well in the game when he got fingertips to a Sabbir Rahman drive to run the hapless Mushfiqur out.

Nasir Hossain went without scoring and the collapsing hosts’ luck was out as Sabbir (22) followed three balls later, caught by Peter Handscomb at short leg, only for replays to show he got nothing on Lyon’s delivery before it came off the pad.

Handscomb took a bril-

familiar success when he trapped Renshaw lbw and Australia’s wobble continued when Khawaja top-edged Shakib to deep-backward square.

The wobble threatened to become a full-on tremor when Smith walked off after being stumped first ball, but he was saved on review with perhaps just a boot spike behind the line.

Warner had been dropped on 14 by Soumya Sarkar off Shakib’s bowling, but the lefthander’s confidence was in evidence as he ended that over

BANGLADESH 1st innings 260 (S. Al Hasan 84, T. Iqbal 71) AUSTRALIA 1st innings 217 (S. Al Hasan 5-68) BANGLADESH 2nd innings (o/n 45-1) Tamim Iqbal c Wade b Cummins 78 Soumya Sarkar c Khawaja b Agar 15 Taijul Islam lbw b Lyon 4 Imrul Kayes c Warner b Lyon 2 Mushfiqur Rahim run-out (Lyon) 41 Shakib Al Hasan c Cummins b Lyon 5 Sabbir Rahman c Handscomb b Lyon 22 Nasir Hossain c Wade b Agar 0 Mehidy Hasan c Khawaja b Lyon 26 Shafiul Islam c Handscomb b Lyon 9 Mustafizur Rahman not out 0 Extras: (b-15, lb-3, w-1) 19 Total: (all out, 79.3 overs) 221 Fall of wickets: 1-43, 2-61, 3-67, 4-135, 5-143, 6-186, 7-186, 8-186, 9-214.

Bowling: J. Hazlewood 4.12-3-0, P. Cummins 14-3-38-1 (w-1), N. Lyon 34.3-10-82-6, G. Maxwell 5-0-24-0, A. Agar 20.5-2-55-2,U. Khawaja 1-0-1-0.

AUSTRALIA 2nd innings (Target: 265 runs) D. Warner not out 75 M. Renshaw lbw b M. Hasan 5 U. Khawaja c T. Islam b Al Hasan 1 S. Smith not out 25 Extras: (b-3) 3 Total: (for 2 wickets, 30 overs) 109 Fall of wickets: 1-27, 2-28.

Bowling: Mehidy Hasan 142-51-1, Nasir Hossain 3-2-2-0, Shakib Al Hasan 8-2-28-1, Taijul Islam 4-0-17-0, Mushfiqur Rahim 1-0-8-0.

Defending champion Kerber stunned by Japan’s Osaka

By Julien Pretot NEW YORK, USA (Reuters) - Angelique Kerber became the second women’s defending champion to lose in the U.S. Open first round when she was crushed 6-3, 6-1 by 19-year-old Japanese Naomi Osaka yesterday.

The German sixth seed, who has not won a title since winning at Flushing Meadows last year, never got into the match against the 2016 WTA newcomer of the year.

The last defending women’s champion to lose in the first round in New York was Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova in 2005.

“I was always believing until the end that I could turn around the match because I turn around a lot

of matches,” Kerber told a news conference.

“She played good, especially also at the end of the match. I’m always trying to go for it when I had the chance.”

pion Serena Williams as ’very dangerous’, put her on the back foot with her aggressive play.

“Today she went for it. I think she took the chances, and she played a very good

Angelique Kerber

Kerber, however, barely got that chance as Osaka, who last year had been described by 23-time grand slam cham-

match. But for me it was for sure not the best day and not the best match,” said Kerber.

Osaka, who grew up in

New York, broke for 5-3 and sealed the opening set with a sizzling winner down the line under the closed roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

World number 45 Osaka broke in the first game of the second set when her opponent made a mess of a routine backhand, and she continued to pepper the court with winners to hold for 2-0.

Kerber had four break points but failed to convert any as Osaka completed her demolition job to claim her first career victory against a top-10 player.

She next faces either Swedish qualifier Rebecca Peterson or Czech Denisa Allertova, with a potential fourth-round clash against French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko looming.

Hope guides Windies to epic Headingley win with twin tons LEEDS, England (Reuters) - Shai Hope became the first man to score a hundred in both innings of a first-class match at Headingley as he inspired the West Indies to a truly magnificent and wholly unlikely five-wicket win over England in a thrilling second Test yesterday.

Hope and fellow Barbadian Kraigg Brathwaite reprised their first-innings heroics to inspire a side written off and dismissed as “pathetic” after a crushing innings defeat in the first Test at Edgbaston.

The pair, who both scored hundreds first time around, again combined superbly, compiling another century partnership to provide the backbone of the Windies’ gripping chase of 322 runs to level the three-match series.

Jermaine Blackwood then muscled the visitors towards the finish line with Hope, smashing a typically thunderous 41 off 45 balls including two sixes.

It was the Windies’ first victory in a Test in England for 17 years and one of the most unexpected triumphs in the game’s history such have been the recent woes of Caribbean cricket.

Hope, 23, proved the visitors’ hero with his unprecedented achievement of twin centuries in a match after 118 years of first-class cricket at the famous Yorkshire venue.

Hope, who had scored his maiden Test hundred with 147 in the first innings, batted for 211 balls for his unbeaten 118, playing with remarkable skill and composure to guide the Windies to victory.

England will rue dropped catches - Alastair Cook spilled Hope and Brathwaite at first slip off Stuart Broad - but there could be no complaints about the defeat as Caribbean cricket enjoyed a dramatic reawakening.

With a healthy crowd of over 5 000 on the fifth day, the visitors had been given little or no chance of scoring the 317 more runs they needed.

CLOUD COVER The pitch was turning and the cloud cover gave England’s pacemen real hope but young Bajans

Brathwaite and Hope negotiated the testing conditions superbly.

A mixture of calm defiance combined with judicious attacking frustrated the England bowlers to the point that James Anderson, who had a run-in with opener Kieran Powell, and Stuart Broad, who was warned for kicking the pitch petulantly, became increasingly disgruntled.

This was only the fourth time a pair had registered two century stands together in a single Test for the Windies and the first since Brian Lara and Ramnaresh Sarwan achieved the feat in 2001.

In 534 first-class matches at Headingley, no batsman had scored a century in both innings – but, though Brathwaite missed out, caught at slip off Moeen Ali just before tea for 95, Hope battled on to reach the landmark in 276 minutes.

As the day wore on, Cook’s early miss, dropping Brathwaite, had looked ever more costly and when he spilled Hope after he had scored 106, the game was effectively up for England.

Brathwaite again made the best of his good fortune to mix caution with admirable aggression as he faced 180 balls, striking 12 fours.

Hope remained unfazed and, coming into the last hour with the Windies still needing 47 to win at just over three an over, Blackwood’s unorthodox hitting, including a straight six off Anderson in the first over with the new ball, powered them home.

SCOREBOARD

ENGLAND 1st innings 258 (B. Stokes 100, J. Root 59; S. Gabriel 4-51, K. Roach 4-71) WEST INDIES 1st innings 427 (S. Hope 147, K. Brathwaite 134; J. Anderson 5-76) ENGLAND 2nd innings 490 for 8 decl. (M. Ali 84, J. Root 72, C. Woakes 61 n.o, D. Malan 61, B. Stokes 58, M. Stoneman 52) WEST INDIES 2nd innings (o/n 5-0; target: 322 runs) K. Brathwaite c Stokes b Ali 95 K. Powell c Stokes b Broad 23 K. Hope run-out (Broad) 0 S. Hope not out 118 R. Chase c sub. b Woakes 30 J. Blackwood stp. Bairstow b Ali 41 S. Dowrich not out 0 Extras: (b-4, lb-9, nb-1, w-1) 15 Total: (for 5 wickets, 91.2 overs) 322 Fall of wickets: 1-46, 2-53, 3-197, 4-246, 5-320.

Bowling: J. Anderson 24-6-73-0, S. Broad 25-4-91-1, M. Ali 253-76-2 (nb-1), C. Woakes 12.22-44-1 (w-1), B. Stokes 5-0-25-0.

33

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 30, 2017

West Indies’ redemption story

By Jarrod Kimber ONCE the West Indies arrived for this Test, they treated it as if it was normal. The problems had been discussed, dealt with, there was no need for more talk, they knew they had to fight, and they knew how.

On the first day that was with the ball. Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel looked better on their own than the entire fiveman attack had in the previous Test. Had they taken more of their chances they could have all but ended the match on the first day, but in the end they had to be pretty happy with England being out for 258.

The next day was theirs as well. When Brathwaite and Shai Hope came together it was tough. They had lost three early wickets, they were still haunted

by Edgbaston. But Hope and Brathwaite passed England’s score on their own. For two days, they were almost as good as they were bad in the previous Test.

But as terrific as they were on the second day, they started day three losing two wickets in two balls. In the tour matches against Essex and Kent they lost early wickets and got themselves in trouble and fought back.

So while Edgbaston was on everyone’s mind, they were thinking about their good times, they still thought they could fight back. And they did.

Holder, Blackwood, and the tail got them a proper lead.

Then the bowlers took early wickets, and created plenty of chances.

But their fielders didn’t take them, they dropped Joe Root when they could have destroyed England on day three, and then on day four they shelled Dawid Malan as well. And day four, well it wasn’t as bad as anything

they managed at Edgbaston, but it was a pretty poor day of cricket. They looked directionless at times, and like they’d lost. And somehow after three top days of cricket, they went from favour-

Jermaine Blackwood lays into a pull shot.

(Getty Images)

ites to rank outsiders.

642 teams have been set over 300 runs in a final innings chase, 29 have been successful. That is a 4.52% success rate. Look at the teams who have done it; they’ve had Bradman, Greenidge, Amla, and Younis in their teams.

The West Indies side has Kieran Powell opening and Kyle Hope batting at three.

But at the press conference at the end of day four, their bowling coach Roddy Estwick said: “We’re still looking to win this Test match. We’ve got nothing to lose.”

The chorus of Jimmy Cliff’s Stand Up And Fight Back goes, “Stand up and fight back, You got nothing to lose”.

There was no chance to fight back this morning; this morning was about standing up. Brathwaite edged the ball straight to slip, Alastair Cook dropped it. Brathwaite edged

straight to slip again, this time it landed inches in front of Tom Westley, and then finally he drove the ball straight back into Stuart Broad’s hands, and Stuart Broad dropped that as well.

Shai Hope is named Player-of-the-Match.

(Getty Images)

This was all in the morning, and it doesn’t include the many times he faced an incredible ball that he barely kept out.

Other batsmen would worry about this kind of start.

Brathwaite is a bubble batsman, he’s batting, the outside world might be in flames, but he’s just focusing on the next ball.

And once he was set, it would have been the first time England believed they had declared too early. Some batsmen enter zones that make them look un-dismissible, and that was Brathwaite’s afternoon.

But as he approached 100 for the second time this match, he showed signs of being a human. Brathwaite had tried to get away a wide one from Moeen Ali - perhaps with half a mind on getting his hundred before tea - and the edge flew into Ben Stokes chest.

It was Shai Hope who showed the emotion, waving

his bat around in anger, looking away in disgust. Brathwaite, the man who has been making hundreds since the age of 13 like a robot, just looked confused. His walk off the ground looked like

Kraigg Brathwaite

he was trying to come to grips with why he had to leave.

Hope and Brathwaite had faced 109 overs in this Test together, scoring 390 runs.

Hope could have been forgiven if like elderly married partners, when one died, the other followed.

But if Brathwaite looked set, Hope look regal. There was a back-foot drive so good, oh, so good, so so, so good. Until you see it, you don’t truly know what love is. It went through mid-off; it was as if it was too extraordinary to travel via cover, this one had to go straight.

And that is what Shai Hope does, plays shots of such aesthetic and cricket quality that you burst with highpitched squeals, orgasmic sighs and nonsensical giggles.

In this innings, even with Brathwaite struggling at times, the youngest man in the match batted like it was his birthright to succeed in Tests, maybe even

this Test.

For the longest time it looked like the only time there was a chance he’d get out was if his team mate drilled a drive and the ball was fumbled onto his stumps, which happened to his brother.

Even when it got tough after tea, with three successive maidens, Roston Chase was almost out every ball, balls keeping low, balls spitting up, reverse swing, Hope only looked marginally challenged.

When Shai Hope was six years old, he took a photo posing as a batsman using some new cricket gear. Behind him smiling is Clive Lloyd. Fifteen years later it was Lloyd who gave Hope his first Test cap. Today Lloyd would have smiled more than either of those two occasions.

It was Shai who said on day two after Jermaine Blackwood took ten runs off the last over that “Jermaine’s, Jermaine”.

Blackwood is something special; he’s a five-foot weapon of destruction, that can destroy the bowlers, himself, practically anything. He’s the last cold beer in your fridge, a beam of pure light, he’s a real life Tickle me Elmo. Today he was the whopping great cherry on West Indies ice cream cake of joy.

Blackwood stood back and humped a ball straight back over James Anderson’s head. He charged down at fast bowlers like they were club spinners. When the crowd started chanting, “Oh, Jimmy Anderson” it was like he misheard and thought it was for him.

He attacked the new ball like it’d stolen his lunch money as a child. He almost fell over attempting something like a drunken Nat-Meg. He sliced a ball over third man’s head for six, and then walked down the pitch like he’d been named

emperor of cricket, waiting for underpants and roses to be thrown at his feet.

The West Indies had fought hard for four and two third days, and now it was party time, and no one parties like Jermaine. He parties on his own at two in the afternoon doing his taxes. So when he was within a boundary of winning the match, he gave away his helmet. If he was going to win this - and he deserved it after his great knock at Edgbaston - it was going to look pretty as hell, hitting the ball harder than Thor. Instead he was out, and pretty embarrassed.

It was left to Shai Hope to hit the winning runs. He came into this Test as a 23-yearold without a Test hundred, was ranked below Joe Burns, Jayant Yadav and Mark Craig in the ICC rankings, and had an average of 18.

Eighteen, and in the 534th first-class match played at Headingley this was the first time a man had made firstclass hundreds in both innings.

That is making history. That is standing up. And he stood up as he clipped the ball off his pad for two, the match-winning two.

The West Indies came into this Test having suffered one of their worst losses in history, ranked eighth in the world rankings, and of their last 87 away Tests they had won three.

Three, and for the fourth time in twenty years, they beat Jimmy and Broady, Root and Stokesy, England at home, and the Headingley clouds. And they stood up as they achieved one of the greatest comebacks in Tests. History. Stand up. Fight.

As Jimmy Cliff sang, “No matter what the people say, Never, never, never run away. You’re the youth, you’re the change, you’re the new You’re the one to free yourself.” (ESPN Cricinfo)

Report reveals high level of drug use in athletics Nadal eases into US Open second round

By Karolos Grohmann

BERLIN, Germany (Reuters) - Over 30 percent of athletes who competed at the 2011 world championships admitted to having used banned substances in the past, according to a World Anti-Doping Agency-commissioned study released yesterday.

The study, conducted by researchers from Germany’s University of Tuebingen and Harvard Medical School in 2011, found that more than 30 percent of world championship participants and over 45 percent of athletes at the 2011 Pan-Arab Games said they had taken banned drugs.

The researchers asked a total of 2 167 athletes whether they had used banned substances. A combined total of 5 187 athletes competed at those two events.

The 2011 world athletics

championships were held in Daegu, South Korea while Qatar hosted the Pan-Arab Games that year.

A process of indirect questioning was used for the study titled ‘Doping in Two Elite Athletics Competitions Assessed by Randomized-Response Surveys’ in order to guard the athletes’ anonymity.

More than 90 percent of athletes asked to take part agreed to do so.

Only 0.5 percent of drugs tests in Daegu were positive, while the figure was 3.6 percent at the Pan-Arab Games.

“The study shows that biological tests of blood and urine reveal only a fraction of doping cases,” said Harrison Pope, Harvard Medical School professor.

“As described in the publication this is likely due to the fact that athletes have found numerous ways so as not to be

caught during tests.”

The study’s release had been delayed for years as the researchers wrangled with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the international association of athletics federations (IAAF) over how it was to be published, researchers said.

It has now been published in Sports Medicine magazine.

WADA could not be immediately reached for comment.

Athletics is desperate to improve its tarnished image after a doping scandal led to the banning of Russia’s track and field team from the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

More than 100 athletes have been found to have used drugs at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympics during re-tests conducted last year by the International Olympic Committee.

NEW YORK, USA (Reuters) - World number one Rafael Nadal dismissed Dusan Lajovic 7-6(6), 6-2, 6-2 to ease into the US Open second round yesterday, setting the Spaniard on a collision course for a long overdue Flushing Meadows showdown with Roger Federer.

While the year ’s final grand slam is just underway tennis fans have circled September 8 when, if all goes to form, Nadal and Federer would meet to decide a place in the final.

One of the great rivalries in sport, Federer, a five-time US Open winner and Nadal, twice champion, have clashed 37 times over the years but never have they stood across the net on Flushing Meadows’

hard courts.

On French Open clay, Wimbledon’s manicured lawns and in Australian heat, the elegant Swiss maestro and muscular Spaniard have played for titles and while no trophy would be on the line a New York meeting would still have the Big Apple buzzing.

Federer was due to follow Nadal on to Arthur Ashe Stadium later yesterday looking to hold up his end against American Frances Tiafoe.

After a sluggish run-up to the US Open that included a shock round-of-16 loss to Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov in Montreal and another to Australian Nick Kyrgios in the Cincinnati quarter-finals, Nadal needed a few games to find his range against

the 85th-ranked Serb.

The 21-year-old, chasing a first US Open win, showed no sign of nerves, using his stylish groundstrokes to grab the early break on the way to a 4-2 lead, the four games as many as he won in his only other meeting with Nadal, a round-of-16 loss at the 2014 French Open.

But a steely Nadal found his comfort zone, breaking back at 5-5 to force the opener to a tiebreak that he took 8-6.

A ruthless Nadal delivered the young Serb another tennis lesson, breaking his opponent at the first opportunity in both the second and third sets to improve his record in first round US Open matches to 13-0.

34

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Seventh COURTS 10K Road Race to be launched today … Over $2M invested COURTS Guyana Inc., in collaboration with the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), will today launch their seventh annual COURTS 10K Road Race.

The event which is now a part of the AAG calendar sees some clubs, athletes and gyms participate with COURTS annually in the largest 10K race in Guyana.

In total the company is investing in excess of $2M in this year’s race to ensure the success of the event as the company is proud of the growth it has seen throughout the years.

The event is open to runners in the Juniors, Seniors

Defending COURTS 10K champion Cleveland Forde

and Masters categories for both men and women and COURTS will be handing over $1.5M in cash, prizes and trophies.

The race will take place on October 1 and will commence at the COURTS Main Street Store at 06:00hrs and will follow a prescribed route. A 3K event will be held simultaneously for staff members of the company and first- to third-place winners for both male and female staff members will be awarded cash prizes and trophies.

“COURTS is proud to be able to continue to host this event every year and make good on its commitment to sports in Guyana”, a release

from the company stated yesterday.

Cleveland Forde and USbased Euleen Josiah-Tanner are defending male and female champions respectively, having dominated the event for a number of years.

Forde clocked 32 minutes 40 seconds (32:40.0) to win last year’s 10K, while rivals Winston Missigher (33:15.1) and Cleveland Thomas (33:26.7) finished second and third respectively.

J o s i a h - Ta n n e r r a n 40:12.20 to finish ahead of the now Monroe College student Claudrice McKoy (41:42.9), while Ashanti Scott was third in a time of 41:56.6.

Euleen Josiah-Tanner

Exciting double-header tonight in CWI Director concerned over Bishoo’s use in second Test Hamilton Green K.O. Cup football

By Stephan Sookram

AN exciting double-header is expected tonight when the Hamilton Green K.O. Cup football tournament continues at the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) ground with a double-header.

The tournament will involve two of the mining community’s top teams coming up against a team from neighbouring Kuru Kururu and another from the East Demerara Football Association.

The feature game which is scheduled for a 21:00hrs start will see homesters Eagles United face Kuru Kururu of the Linden Highway, while the opening game from 19:00hrs will be contested between Silver Shattas of Linden and Plaisance of the East Demerara Football Association.

For the opening game, the hosts (Silver Shattas) will be hoping to take advantage of their home turf and will be relying heavily on their star strikers Robin Adams and Damion Williams, who are expected to get valuable support from midfielders Michael Wilson and Dexter Garraway.

Romel Matthews will marshal the defence with Kellon Major between the uprights.

The opposition’s (Plaisance) attack will be spearheaded by Vincent Thomas with support from midfielders Keon Kyte, Oneal Clarke and Akeem Thomas.

Manning the defence will be Travis Simon and Javid Mohamed.

For the feature game, home side Eagles United will use a three-man strike line which will be made up of Kellon Primo, Clive Mobora and Omar Brewley.

Quasey Quintin will spearhead the midfield while Benny Neblette, Julian Smith and Romain Adams will marshal the defence.

For Kuru Kururu, The man between the uprights Joshua George will be the last line of defence and is expected to get support from defenders Joseph Walker and Catio Sttholpe.

Overlapping midfielders Kester Alleyne and Kester Fraser will both lend support to Cordel Johnson and Michael Charles who will be on the striking line.

The tournament will continue on Friday with another double-header at the same venue and will see Winners Connection take on Riddim Squad and Milerock face Georgetown Football Club in the feature game from 21:00hrs.

THE Windies have won their first Test match in 17 years against England, in England, but one Cricket West Indies (CWI) director is particularly concerned about the use of the side’s specialist spinner.

Anand Sanasie, secretary of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and CWI director for Guyana questioned the use of the Berbician Devendra Bishoo in the second Test which the West Indies won yesterday by five wickets.

Speaking exclusively to Chronicle Sport yesterday, the CWI director said, “I’m worried that you play a specialist spinner and he doesn’t bowl as much as he is supposed to.”

“I don’t know if he is carrying an injury or

something but that should be the only thing that keeps him from bowling a full complement of overs

the leg-break bowler only got the nod for six overs in the first innings and 25 in the second - a combined

Devendra Bishoo

for the Test match,” he said.

West Indies captain Jason Holder’s use of Bishoo came into question by television commentators after

total of 31 for the entire second Test.

The use of the 31-yearold was questioned by fans and analysts on social media with many not able to under-

stand his underutilisation.

Sanasie, however, was quick to point out that there were a host of positives out of the win, saying that the victory represented a rebirth of the Maroon side.

“It’s a rebuilding process, it’s a bright young team and it can only move to better things from here.

I hope when they move to Lord’s they can do the same,” Sanasie said.

“As a director, it’s been tough but I think we are turning the corner with these kind of performances. I always say that as a director of the WICB and secretary of the Guyana Cricket Board that you have to win on the field of play and once you can do that then something good is happening.”

Quarter-finalists for Corona Invitational Football decided

By Stephan Sookram

IT was a tense night of football action as the Corona Invitational Football tournament, organised by the Petra Organisation concluded its round-robin segment.

In the first of the games, Santos were in no playful mood as they disposed of East Veldt FC 8-0.

Kacy John led the line with half of the side’s goals and all in the second half, commencing in the 51st

then 62nd, 78th and 88th.

Valuable support came from William Europe with goals in the 24th and 63rd while Sherwin Skeete and Lionel Holder chipped in with one each in the 26th and 90th respectively.

In the second game of the night, GFC dropped the hammer on Beacons FC with a brace from Benjamin Opera in the 1st and 66th.

Alberto Da Santa and Dwayne Robeiro also scored one each in the

22nd and 53rd..

Quasan Mcaulay was the man on target in the 34th for the Beacons who bowed out of the competition.

Game three was a battle royal and probably one of the best to end the night and the round, with a potential final featuring Western Tigers and Police.

In the end, it was the Tigers who roared loudest but not before having their fair share of issues. Dwayne McLennon’s 20th minute

strike opened the scoring for the Tigers but Antonio Wallace responded right on the brink of the half to ensure that the half ended level.

It took a Phillip Rowley intervention in the 71st minute to give Western Tigers the eventual lead once more which held to the finish In Friday’s quarter-finals, Northern Rangers will play Camptown from 19:00hrs while the Western Tigers will face longtime rivals Pele FC.

35

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Tanvir destroys Barbados Tridents with devastating figures of 5 for 3 ONE of the all-time great spells of T20 bowling from Sohail Tanvir propelled the Guyana Amazon Warriors to a huge 99-run victory over Barbados Tridents in Match 25 of the 2017 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) last night.

Defending 159, Tanvir removed Kane Williamson, Dwayne Smith, Eoin Morgan and Kieron Pollard in a scintillating spell of swing bowling which left the Tridents 13-5.

They were eventually bowled out for 59 in just 13.4 overs, the second lowest Hero CPL total of alltime. Tanvir finished with 5 for 3 - the second-best figures in the history of domestic T20 in the Caribbean.

Scores: Guyana Amazon Warriors 158-6 (Mohammad 42, Fudadin 27; Hosein 2-19) beat Barbados Tridents 59 (Hosein 17; Tanvir 5-3, Rashid 3-15 by 99 runs.

Bowling from over the wicket, Tanvir immediately found swing across the bat and beat Williamson four times in a row before a thick edge flew to third man.

In his next over Smith’s

outside edge was found with a delivery similar to those that beat Williamson’s. The Amazon Warriors promoted Akeal Hosein and Imran Khan to three and four. In the fourth over Khan was caught looking to attack Roshon Primus who was bowling from the other end, leaving the score 13-3.

It was in Tanvir’s third over that his spell was transformed from good to great.

First he trapped the left-handed Morgan leg-before-wicket for a first-ball duck with a ball that jagged sharply in off the pitch and then the very next ball he induced an edge from Pollard outside off stump.

Tanvir couldn’t take a hat-trick but his spell of 3-12-4 had gutted the Tridents top-order.

When the players returned following a brief rain delay, the Tridents’ last hope, Nicolas Pooran, picked out long-off against leg-spinner Rashid Khan, leaving the Tridents 31 for 6.

The Tridents lower order mounted little resistance.

Rashid finished with 3 for 15 from 3.4 overs and Tanvir had time to return and collect

his five-wicket haul with his final delivery, finishing with astonishing figures of 4-1-3-5.

Earlier in the evening after being put in to bat by the Tridents, the Amazon Warriors started aggressive-

fought hard throughout the game, so we needed to do well with the bat.”

Hope added: “I’m just pleased to get the win. We needed this win. We fell way short in the first match so we sat down, looked at ourselves and came up with a plan on how to fight back, not just for ourselves as a team, but for the people who support us.

By Stephan Sookram

Sohail Tanvir

get the win; that was the main thing, just to get us back in the series.”

It was Windies’ first Test win in England for 17 years and the highest run chase in England since Gordon Greenidge’s double century to lead the great West Indies side to victory at Lord’s in 1984.

Hope’s unbeaten 118 – with 14 boundaries off 211

Shai Hope scored back-to-back hundreds at Headlingley (Image: Getty)

“We know that we came here to play and that we have the fight, the belief and the players to do it, so we just needed to go out there and execute. I was just pleased to

3 for 38 from their eight overs. Assad Fudadin fell in the 15th over for battling 27 off 28.

The Amazon Warriors finally got moving in the eighteenth over when Ravi Rampaul was taken for 15

by Jason Mohammad who edged two boundaries behind the wicket and nailed a straight six before being caught attempting to hit a second.

Two big sixes from Primus off Wahab Riaz in the 19th and a last-ball four off Wayne Parnell lifted the Amazon Warriors to 158 for 8.

UPCOMING FIXTURES: Wednesday, Jamaica Tallawahs v St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, Kingston, 18:00hrs Thursday, Barbados Tridents v St Lucia Stars, Bridgetown, 18:00hrs.

I want to lead by example, says Dr Norton re Sport Ministry addition

Leading Windies to victory was my duty, says hero Hope

LEEDS, England (CMC) – West Indies batting hero Shai Hope said yesterday he saw it as his duty to see the team to victory on the epic fifth and final day of the second Test against England at Headingley.

Windies started the day on five without loss chasing 322 for victory and Hope made a superb 118 not out as the visitors won under lights after another enthralling day’s play.

The win boosted the Windies hopes of redemption especially following their innings defeat inside three days in the Edgbaston first Test, and now gives them a real sniff at a series win with one match left at Lord’s.

“Someone had to do it and that someone was me.

Today was my day and I felt I had to dig deep and take us home. This was a five-day battle and we gave it all we had. It was a remarkable Test match,” the 23-yearold said.

“I feel elated. We’ve worked hard as a team and we’re pleased to get over the line. I am a professional cricketer for a reason so I always believe in myself. We

ly but found themselves in trouble at 30 for 2 after 3.4 overs with both Tanvir and Chadwick Walton caught in the deep.

Luke Ronchi was unperturbed by the early wickets though and blitzed a quickfire 24 from just 13 balls to take them to 68 for 2 at the end of the Powerplay.

The introduction of spin slowed the Amazon Warriors, who lost Ronchi to the second ball of the seventh over, bowled by a Khan googly and in the eighth over Gajanand Singh also departed as a top-edge sweep off Hosein was caught at point.

After a brief rain delay the Amazon Warriors struggled to get their innings moving with one over of 15 off Pollard a lone bright spot Otherwise the spin of Khan and Hosein tied them down. Together they took

balls – guided the Windies to an emphatic victory after they resumed the day on five without loss. This followed his first innings 147 – making him the first batsman to score

two centuries in a first-class match at Headingley.

The Test was the 534th first-class match at the venue and 76th Test match.

He also became the third West Indian to achieve the feat of twin tons in a Test in England – the others coming via the legendary George Headley at Lord’s in 1939, and Gordon Greenidge at Old Trafford in 1976.

Hope shared a match-winning stand of 144 with Kraigg Brathwaite, who made 95 off 180 balls with 12 fours, to follow up his 134 in the first innings.

Overall he batted for 10 hours in the match.

“Kraigg was brilliant throughout the match, he really set it up for us. In the first innings he made 134 and came back in the second innings to play another amazing knock, full credit to him,” Hope said.

“He has done a lot for us and he’s become the rock of our batting. We played well in this match and we want to carry that momentum with us to Lord’s where we believe we can win the series.”

LEADING by example is what the newly appointed Minister with responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr George Norton, hopes will highlight his tenure in government.

The former Athletics Association of Guyana administrator continued, “What I want to do first is to get my terms of reference and to work along with what is there; to look and see what there is for youth, what there is for culture and what there is for

Minister of Social Cohesion Dr. George Norton

Dr Norton, whose current ministry, Social Cohesion, will be joined with Culture, Youth and Sport, is excited at this new venture as he related to reporters yesterday.

His first order of business is to get the requisite paper-work to ensure that all things are correct before making any more disclosures.

“Work or no work, I like being there (at sport events).

I get excited about sports.

I want to lead by example and I want to encourage my fellow Guyanese to come out and support our young sportsmen and women.”

sport. There might be some adjustments and we can do that easily.”

“I can tell you that it (Culture, Youth and Sport) fits neatly into Social Cohesion.

Many of my presentations before in sensitisation exercises and training, I had to emphasise the function and the role of youths in our society for development,” he continued.

Dr Norton will now take up office at the Department of Culture, Youth and Sport on Main Street according to a Ministry of the Presidency release. His tenure will begin on September 1.

Tanvir destroys Barbados Tridents with devastating figures of 5 for 3 See Page 35

Shai Hope is congratulated by Jermaine Blackwood after reaching his century (Image: PA)

Hope guides Windies to epic Headingley win with twin tons See Page 35

Kraigg Braithwaite hit 95 and shared a fine partnership of 144 runs with Shai Hope (Picture: Getty)

…Hope incredibly scored his first and second Test match hundreds in the same match in Leeds to level the series 1-1

Teamwork, cohesiveness led to Regional U-19 double – captain Mohamed … GCB credits sturdy youth programmes

See Page 31

Incumbent Minister of Sport Dr George Norton stands with the victorious U-19 team, Director of Sport Christopher Jones and GCB executives.

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017