Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 09 06 2016

High-tech surveillance No. 104577

THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016

Price: $80

(VAT Inclusive)

‒ Gov’t considering use of drones to combat piracy

3

P.

Cocaine found in fish cargo, 10 arrested 10

P.

The Police released this image of the cocaine in the frozen fish

Over 60% of GNNL’s Two more wells More than 27, 000 outstanding persons arrived at for Diamond ‒ Water-distribution schedule payments collected implemented to ease shortage CJIA in May 10

P.

4

P.

10

P.

2

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 9, 2016

Police win confession in Kaieteur grenade case A NINETEEN- year-old has reportedly confessed to the police as being the driver of Toyota Spacio, PSS 5252 which was used to toss a fragmentation grenade at Kaieteur News publisher Glenn Lall’s vehicle Saturday last, according to police sources.

The driver reportedly abandoned the vehicle after crashing into an elderly woman near Norton Street

and Mandela Avenue, shortly after the device was thrown.

Police Tuesday morning arrested six men and seized the motor car.

The police appear to be close to identifying the mastermind and motive behind the attack. When the device was thrown, Mr. Lall and several staffers were in proximity, outside the Kaieteur News premises, where a wake was being held for Kai-

eteur News Assistant Editor Dale Andrews.

Police said 15 detectives are working on the case to ensure that all ends are covered.

Video footage from a Kaieteur News CCTV camera shows the grey-coloured vehicle, heading north, slowing as it approached Mr. Lall’s vehicle. The occupants then accelerated after the device was thrown. The

grenade, discovered by staff of the newspaper, did not explode, although it was later discovered that the pin had been removed.

The police had exploded the device at the Kitty seawall. United Kingdom High Commissioner, James Quinn, Government officials and the Guyana Press Association (GPA), among others, have condemned the act.

The impounded car identified in the video footage linked with the grenade thrown at the Kaieteur News publisher’s vehicle

Jailed Baramita woman attempts suicide A FEMALE remand prisoner in the Baramita police lock-ups, Barima/ Waini region, last Friday attempted suicide

but quickly attracted the attention of the police who took control of the situation.

She was rushed to the

Baramita Medical Centre for emergency medical care.

This development follows closely on the heels of

the death of a 19-year-old Carib man who is reported to have committed suicide.

The body of the lad was found lying on the floor of an abandoned building at Barama Line, a village in Baramita, around mid-morning last Thursday.

Villagers, shocked on making the gruesome dis-

covery, said they had no idea what could have led to this sad development.

They recalled that young men in the neighbourhood had been playing a game of cricket until late Wednesday afternoon and the now dead young man had participated in the game too.

The house in which his

body was discovered, is said to be about 50 metres away from the end of the Baramita Airstrip where the game was being played.

The body was taken to the Port Kaituma Hospital for a post-mortem ,the results of which have not been made available to this publication at press time.

Over the last several years, there has been a marked increase in the number of suicides and attempted suicide cases in the Baramita village.

3

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 9, 2016

High-tech surveillance ‒ Gov’t considering use of drones to combat piracy FOLLOWING the recent pirate attack, the David Granger-led administration is considering employing drone technology to monitor Guyanese waters.

A well-placed source has revealed to the Guyana Chronicle that at a recent high-level meeting involving senior government officials, the issue was discussed and the government will be pursuing discussions with their Surinamese counterparts to partner on the effort.

The use of drone surveillance technology is reportedly expensive and the govern-

ment is keen on exploring a cost-sharing mechanism with Guyana’s eastern neighbour in an effort to provide hightech surveillance of the two countries’ international waters as part of a joint effort principally to tackle piracy which, after several months of quietude,has recently resurfaced.

Surveillance drones employ similar technology to consumer drones which are becoming popular in Guyana, but are much larger, fly undetected in the skies and are outfitted with powerful cameras which are able to

take video footage and photographs.

This could aide authorities in the early detection of suspicious vessels operating in the area and security personnel can be alerted and pursue these vessels before pirates are able to execute attacks on fishing boats.

The Guyana Chronicle understands that the government is also making plans to move the MV Tamakay to the Atlantic waters off the Corentyne region. The MV Tamakay is currently birthed in the Waini region, where piracy has not been an issue.

The Guyana Police Force will also deploy a specially outfitted vessel to the Corentyne to be on constant patrol of the waters where piracy has been most prevalent in recent years.

The mandatory installation of transponders on fishing vessels is also being mulled, along with a consideration to issue firearm licences to boat operators on the condition that the firearms are used exclusively for protection on the high seas and that they are lodged at the nearest police station once the boats return to shore.

Five pirates were last week charged with the murder of fisherman, Hemchand Sukdeo.

They are 19-year-old Stephan Leacock of Lot 366 #77 Village; 23-year-old Ramchan Latchman, of #65 Village; Leon Sammy, 29, of Lot 1 #75 Village; Ganesh Naidoo, 41 of #79 Village and Ramesh Singh, 53 of Liverpool Village, all on the Corentyne Coast.

It is alleged that on May 28, the five men attacked three fishing vessels in the Lower Shell Area off Nickerie, Suriname. In the af-

termath of the attack, 45year- old Hemchand Sukdeo, known as “Dread” of #55 Village, was discovered in a seine with wounds to the head.

Police acting on information from the captain of one of the hijacked boats, Seepersaud Persaud, of Corriverton, were able to detain a boat matching the description of the one used during the attack and the five men were on board at the time. It was also alleged that one of the men confessed to the act during interrogation.

Norton plugs fast-track approach to end AIDS

By Ariana Gordon in New York GUYANA through its Minister of Public Health, Dr George Norton has called on global leaders to adopt fast-track measures to end AIDS in the age of sustainable development.

In his speech on Wednesday at the United Nations High-Level Meeting on ending AIDS, in New York, Dr Norton stressed the need for all stakeholders to charter the course in ending the epidemic by 2030.

“The fast track approach is needed. This meeting therefore Mr. Chairman, must deliberate carefully on the roll out of the fast track approach, particularly focusing on strategies that will assist countries and regions to do so,” said the

Minister of Public Health.

He also emphasised the need for the required financial resources to be carefully considered and made accessible to countries that are in dire need of support countries that are facing the brunt of the epidemic.

Guyana, the Minister of Public Health assured, has come a long way in its fight against AIDS but noted that eliminating the scourge completely by 2030 will require tremendous effort.

“Guyana is ready to embark on this journey with each one of you – to end AIDS. Our Government has already indicated our intent to test and treat, we have scaled up our testing services in a strategic way to ensure maximum yield, targeting the right persons, in the right places and at

Minister of Public Health, Dr George Norton (r), Guyana’s Permanent Representative at the UN, Ambassador George Talbot (centre) and Shiraz Mohamed (L), First Secretary in the Guyana Mission at the UN Headquarters, New York on Wednesday

the right time,” Dr Norton added.

Guyana, he said, has

witnessed a steady reduction in HIV prevalence among the general popula-

tion from 3.4% in 2004 to 1.4% in 2013. At the end of 2014, a total of 751 cases

of people living with HIV were diagnosed, compared with 758 cases reported in 2013. These statistics, the Minister said, continues to represent a significant reduction when compared to the 1,176 HIV cases reported in 2009.

In order to continue reducing new infections or sustaining people living with HIV/AIDS, closer collaboration with national, regional and international partners will be required.

He said too that the Guyana Government is fully committed to ending the epidemic by 2030 and is building on the lessons of shared experience within the context of the country’s Health Vision 2020 (HIVision 2020) that provides a holistic framework for the Turn to page 15 ►

4

Two more wells for Diamond

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday June 9, 2016

- Water-distribution schedule implemented to ease shortage

IN response to a recent water shortage in the Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, two additional wells will be added to the steadily growing community by year-end, according to the chief executive of Guyana’s water company, Dr Richard Van-West Charles.

Van-West Charles told the media Wednesday at a press conference at the water company’s Vlissengen Road headquarters that a strain has been placed on the Diamond well, which remains the only well sourcing some 5000 households in the community with water.

“Clearly, one well is insufficient to service the population of this area,” the CEO continued.

According to the CEO,

there had been some challenges with the same well in February last and some works were done “which we thought were successful.”

“It worked for the last three months, but it has now again presented a problem.”

Dwayne Shako, Director of Operations at the GWI, explained that the Diamond Well had been breached and that the well was pumping mud.

The GWI technical team noted an intrusion of mud at a depth of some 239 feet of the total 665-foot well.

There was an attempt to remedy the rupture, but the remedy proved futile owing to the pressure placed on the well by the growing community.

Shako underscored poor electricity levels, voltage

fluctuations, and power complications as reasons for the other damage to the well, and even to other wells along the East Bank of Demerara, a position that was supported by Dr VanWest Charles.

Residents in the Diamond Housing Scheme have been experiencing prolonged water shortage for about a week or so. As an immediate remedy to the situation, the GWI will deliver water using tanks.

According to a release from the water company, vehicle numbers GVV 4698 and GSS 6751 will be deployed for water distribution from 1st to 6th Avenue from 8:00am to 12 midnight

by Mr John and Mr Carr, who could be contacted at 681-2118 and 616-2135, respectively.

For 7th to 12th Avenues, Mr Allicock and the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) will deliver water from vehicles GVV

4169 and GJJ 6574 between 8:00am and 12 midnight; and Mr Ward, available at 647-7291, and the Prison Service will deliver water between 13th and 21st Avenue from 8am to 12 midnight.

Although no information was available for Mr Allicock, the contact numbers for one Mr Newton was provided by the water company as 643-1942 and 621-2569.

In an effort to safe-

guard water security for Diamond residents, the company will explore a combination of g r o u n d w a t e r a n d s u rface water for the two additional wells to be drilled. This is to be done as part of a project w i t h t h e I n t e r- A m e r i can Development Bank (IDB).

Va n - We s t C h a r l e s expects the first well to be completed within two months.

Alleged fraudsters wanted THE police are seeking the whereabouts of two men wanted in connection with obtaining money by false pretense and a series of fraud-related matters.

The men wanted for questioning are: Daniel Win-

ston Roger Robertson, 25, his last known address was lot 2 “A” Cotton Tree Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB) and Jethro Motilall of Cotton Tree Village WCD. Anyone with information can contact the police

Daniel Winston Roger Robertson, Jethro Motilall on telephone numbers 225-6411, 225-2227, 2258196, 227-1149, 226-7065, 911 or the nearest police station. All information will be treated with strict confidentiality.

DATE: 08/06/2016 H 14 15 19 13 25 22 23

08/06/2016

02

08

12

15

05

08/06/2016

6

7

2

08/06/2016

06 17

13 10 21 19

20

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 9, 2016

Relations between Guyana and Russia lauded

IN observance of Russia’s National Day celebrated on Wednesday, the Russian Embassy in Guyana hosted a reception where the importance of strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries was underscored.

The event was attended

by President David Granger, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Government Ministers and members of the Opposition.

Russia’s Ambassador to Guyana, Nikolay Smirnov, in his address, said Russia will continue to promote international peace, universal security based on international law and principles of equality, mutual respect, and non-interference in the domestic affairs of other countries.

He explained that Russia advocates a multipolar world, tolerance, and respect for other states.

Through these principles, he said, Russia cherishes its relationships with other countries, including Guyana.

Shifting his attention to relations with Guyana, the Ambassador reminded all that last December marked 46 years since the two countries began sharing bilateral relations.

During this time, he noted that significant achievements have been made, moreso, in recent months. Some of these included the signing of a visa waiver agreement and a cooperation agreement between Lumumba University – a Russian university

5

-at Russia’s National Day observance

– and the University of Guyana.

He further explained that the two countries share a common vision on most issues in the international arena, including countering climate change, terrorism, d r u g - t r a ff i c k i n g a n d SIDS sustainable development. “Both states are also active advocates of environmental protection and forest conservation,” Ambassador Smirnov said.

He concluded his speech by extending best wishes of well-being and prosperity to all Guyanese, in the hope of further strengthening friendly and cordial relations between the two countries.

In similar fashion, President David Granger underscored the importance of the relations shared between the two countries. The Head of State noted that Guyana has been able to benefit from these relations and as such, looks forward to tightening and strengthening its ties with Russia, even in business relations.

“Guyana looks forward to strengthening ties with Russia,” he said.

Like Smirnov, he too lauded the signing of the visa waiver agreement, which he said will allow the people of Guyana greater access to Russia.

The President then extended warm congratu-

Cheers! Russia’s Ambassador Nikolay Smirnov, President David Granger, First Lady Sandra Granger and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo toast to the continued strengthening of relations between Guyana and Russia

lations to Russia on the occasion and made a toast for good health to the Russian President, Vladimir Putin and the people of Russia.

Following the delivery of their remarks, the officials enjoyed the remainder of the evening by partaking of a “wineand-dine” moment, which was complemented by Russian cuisine and light conversation.

6

Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams Editor

Godfrey Wray

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

Editorial

A step in the right direction

THE very fact that President David Granger has entertained the idea, followed by discussions, about the handling of national events given the faux pas during the jubilee celebration is an encouraging sign. It says too that the government has either recognised the areas that could have been handled differently and/or is responding to constructive criticisms by the public on the various aspects of the activities.

When events are held by the government or State, these are considered representation of the State, people and their leadership. The manner in which such representation is done will reflect on how others see us and treat with us, both on the domestic and international fronts. It is hoped that the idea of treating this aspect of governance with professionalism will germinate to action in some form and the not-so-pleasant experiences during the jubilee will not re-occur.

A government governs best when it is responsive to the people’s concerns, needs and aspirations. It does not at times necessitate events pertaining to government and its image being affected in order to take action, but action can also be represented in every-day activities that impact the people’s welfare.

There are some obvious matters engaging public conversations that are begging for action, inclusive of explanation. Where the people are removed from public officials, elected and appointed, the media play the facilitating role in communicating the views of both sides. This function of the media is vital to democracy. Within recent times , various media outlets have been carrying news and opinions of issues the public consider important to them and which they seek action on. Offhand, the issue of the forensic audits and concerns by the people as to whether any action will be taken on them, be they judicial or organizational, are on the daily radar. There are questions as to when action will be taken and if yes, when, and if not, why not. While persons may have varying views on the audits, their purpose, and who should be held accountable, there is a singular view, across the political divide, that where corruption has been detected persons be held accountable.

Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo has reiterated this position recently.

Another area is that of The Local Government authorities which need technical and institutional support, evident from the avoidable conflicts emerging once too often. Likewise, the districts that have received tied votes, consensual resolutions should be arrived at, which would enable the local government authorities to function and the communities move ahead with their developmental plans.

In the industrial environment, the trade unions have been expressing their views on matters they consider important to them and deserving of government’s attention and

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday June 9, 2016

Hanoman, Bhim were at the helm of GuySuCo in the bad times Dear Editor, THE Guyana Sugar Corporation’s Senior Communications Officer, Audreyanna Thomas’s letter, published on June 4, 2016, captioned: “Ramotar confused business with politics on GuySuCo,” seeks to vilify former President, Donald Ramotar. My response to Thomas’s letter is not to lecture Thomas on journalistic ethics, but to make reference to two points in the letter.

The letter states, in part, “In order to come to any intelligent conclusion about the prospects of GuySuCo, one has to examine how the corporation got to this stage, and how it was governed and managed in the past as against how it is currently governed and managed” and further “it went through a gradual process of deterioration of systems and structures, which included poor leadership and management” and “an industry that has undergone a systematic process

of decay.”

Editor, the foregoing statements would give the impression to the ordinary man in the street that the current cadre of management are completely new to the sugar company and so it’s an absolute necessity to investigate, probe and research on what went wrong with the company to make it become what it is today. But this is just a hoodwinking strategy. The fact of the matter is that the two members of the Interim Management, Errol Hanoman and Paul Bhim were two previous Chief Executive Officers of the same company not too long ago. Hanoman was a senior representative of the management consultants, Booker Tate, responsible for the affairs of GuySuCo, and after Booker Tate was removed in 2008, was appointed the CEO in 2009.

He demitted this position in mid-2010 and Paul Bhim was appointed CEO until he was removed in 2014.

Under Bhim’s leadership,

GuySuCo recorded its lowest production in 23 years, when 186,000 tonnes sugar was produced in 2013.

These gentlemen cannot so easily absolve themselves from the current financial travesty facing the industry.

It was Bhim, as the CEO, who reported to the Economic Services Commission in 2014 that GuySuCo has incurred a debt of a whopping G$58 billion. If the company is now asserting that it “went through a gradual deterioration of systems and structures, which included poor leadership and management” and “systematic process of decay,” then they must take ownership as being part of the said deterioration process. It was only through poor leadership and management that the company recorded it worst production and financial performances from 2009 – 2014. The average production between 2009 and 2014 (the era of Paul Bhim and Errol Hanoman as CEOs) was 218,000 tonnes when

compared with the previous six years (2003 – 2008) of 272,000 tonnes.

The letter further states: “These pensioners of whom Mr. Ramotar speaks are highly qualified and experienced Guyanese” and “muster a cadre of the best minds in the sugar industry.” I would wish for the corporation to show one iota of any successful intervention of any one of the “highly qualified and experienced best minds in the sugar industry,” who are now consultants, for the time they previously spent in GuySuCo before becoming consultants.

Editor, I am not in the “company of naysayers” as Thomas is implying Mr. Ramotar to join. I am in the company of those who would wish for a turnaround of the sugar industry, so that the lives of all sugar workers could be improved, and not to see them joining the breadline.

Yours faithfully, FREDRICK YUVRAJ

Make available houselot forms at all NDC offices Dear Editor,

IT would be useful for the Minister of Housing to make a change for the sake of public convenience for application forms for houselots in Region Number Two to be made available at all the Neighbourhood Democratic Council offices in the district.

Presently, these forms can only be obtained at the Regional Administration Office at Anna Regina and from

my own experience, to get one recently it was not at all that easy.

All along, it was my honest belief that the Housing Department in the town was the proper place to uplift a form, but during a visit there it turned out to be a delusion, when the advice was given to check some distance away at a given location.

Before reaching there, valuable time was wasted to get the form with much concern to the extremely poor showing and

intervention. The private sector and other sections of civil society too are making public, matters they desire inputs into or feedback from government, pertaining to the economy and other spheres of development.

All Guyanese, even the pessimists in our midst, want a government that works for them and can succeed. When this happens, it creates opportunities and avenues for citizens to go about living life by unleashing their potentials and meaningfully participating in development, unencumbered by underserving and unnecessary distractions or concerns.

The Opposition too has a role to play in the nation’s development and must take it with deserving seriousness.

Given its constitutional office and electoral mandate, it is time it gets about proposing constructive ideas and working these ideas, through the different tiers and branches of government. Development, national unity, inclusionary democracy and social cohesion must be made real. The average man and woman knows this, desires it and will work with any group who can help them to realise it. Recent

slothfulness by employees just gazing at me in a disdainful manner. Not even for the sake of courtesy did anyone see it fit to ascertain the reason for being there when it is within the line of their duty and not a favour to be of help to me.

In my humble opinion, commonsense should have prevailed in a logical way for these forms to be made available right at the Housing Department until consideration is given to the change with me being

very optimistic that this will be done in keeping with all reasonableness. This region stretches from Pomeroon to Supenaam and it is very expensive to travel all the way from either end just to get a form at Anna Regina, when with the implementation of the change the unnecessary inconvenience and hardship would be eliminated once and for all.

Regards BALIRAM PERSAUD

elections and changing demographics are showing the held belief that elections can be won solely on ethnic arithmetic no longer viable.

Ideas, performance and track record are playing a role in determining the type of government the people want and the treatment they expect from their leaders. In the meantime, the General and Regional Elections are over and aren’t constitutionally due until 2020. And while the Opposition, like any Opposition, has a desire to get back into government, there is a time and place for everything. The time is now to get down to action, pay heed to the people, partner with the government where and when necessary, and deliver on the people’s behalf.

Having learnt that President Granger has taken a step to ensure clear-headedness in the handling of national events going forward, such approach would augur well if it frames similar action on all matters of governance. The leadership and rank-and-file, government and non-government, are encouraged to follow suit. Ours is a nation to build and building requires action.

7

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 9, 2016

Remembering Dale Andrews Dear Editor,

EDITOR, as a trained journalist, I quickly connected with Dale when we first met at the Kaieteur News, newsroom, in 2010. I was pointed his way by the security when I went to discuss a matter I thought was newsworthy. We hit it off immediately. I shared with him the names of media houses where I had worked and he knew several of the editors I mentioned to him.

We exchanged numbers and that was the beginning of a very fruitful friendship. I will miss calling him with story ideas. From time to time I would call him and share tips I thought were newsworthy. Like this one.

One May 10th 2016 a young lady named Dian Patterson from Jamaica, travelled to Guyana on the invitation of a man she had only known briefly. He too is from Jamaica.

She is 22, he is 29. He contacted her in Jamaica, promised to show her around his newfound home – Guyana – and he even paid for her ticket to travel here. What she did not know is that the man she was befriending is a drug dealer.

Neither did she know that he is possibly HIV positive. She did not also know that he is well known to the police in Guyana and is currently on $1,000,000 bail for trafficking in drugs, here in Guyana.

So on May 10th she went to the airport in Jamaica, collected the ticket he had purchased for her, and travelled to Guyana.

On arriving in Guyana, a taxi collected her and took her to a home just off of Nelson Mandela Avenue, in West Ruimveldt.

Early on the 11th of May she was told by the young man that he was taking her to neighbouring Suriname. They boarded a vehicle and were transported to Skeldon where she was told that she would be crossing into Suriname through the “backtrack.”

She was carrying her backpack containing her laptop and personal items, he was carrying a suitcase containing their clothing. Unknown to her, the suitcase also contained a quantity of marijuana. As they made their way through the strategically placed customs area at the landing, the drugs were unearthed. She was not carrying the suitcase. She did not know he had placed the drugs in with their clothes. Additionally, he admitted to the arresting officers that the drugs were his. They were both arrested.

At the initial court arraignment, he pleaded not guilty, thereby placing Dian is a very problematic situation. They were both remanded to prison.

Sometime around the middle of May I got a call from someone who knows the work I do and they asked if I could look into the case and offer some assistance. I was later contacted by the family of Dian, who have been in touch with me ever since. I travelled to the Berbice prison and had a meeting with Dian. It turns out that Dian is from a single-home family and a final-year nursing student, who took time off from her studies to travel to Guyana.

She told me that she does not have any father/daughter relationship with her dad and that she grew up with her mom.

She explained to me that she always thought of travelling, so when she was offered a ticket to travel, even though it meant interrupting her studies, she jumped at the opportunity.

Dian also told me that she never believed that her friend would have done something like that to her. She lamented with uncontrollable tears that she came to Guyana one day and was in prison the very next day. After I asked Dian some very pointed questions, I decided to assist with securing her freedom. On the 30th of May I was there in the Skeldon court with her. There was a mix-up with the evidence and the case was rescheduled to be heard on the 14th of June.

The young man was present at the hearing also and I took the opportunity to speak with him. I asked him why he was refusing to admit that the drug was his, knowing that he is complicating the case for Dian. He told me that if he admits it is his drug, he will be sentenced to the statutory three or four years in prison.

He said that he was buying time, hoping to secure a law-

yer. As we were speaking, he was busy making calls to some person who seemed unwilling to speak with him. I could hear him pleading with the person to get a lawyer for him. I reminded him that it was very unlikely that he will secure bail on this charge, inasmuch as he is already on bail for a similar charge.

He was unrelenting in his stance of maintaining that the drugs were not his.

Frustrated, I went into the court yard and asked an attorney, who had appeared in court earlier on another matter, to give me an idea of what it would cost to represent Dian. He told me that the cost would depend on the stage of the case. I was later told that the cost would range from $75,000 to $600,000. Dian’s folks cannot afford that. So if we don’t secure an attorney to stand for Dian, I am advising that she explain her situation to the magistrate with the view of appealing to his better judgment. The prosecution is well aware of the merits of her case. I am also asking that the media houses send representatives to cover the case. Editor, the law is not an ass. It will be a travesty of justice for Dian to spend one more night in prison, when everyone connected to this story knows full well that the only thing she is guilty of is naivety. This is a case that Dale would have been interested in. I am beginning to miss him already. May his soul rest in peace.

Regards Pastor W. P. JEFFREY Practical Christianity Ministries Founder/President

GPSU glory days were under Forbes Burnham Dear Editor,

AT this juncture, the 93rd anniversary of our existence, it is an occasion that we reflect on our history and in so doing identify the achievements as a union and particularly those that were gained at great sacrifice and were compromised to the significant disadvantage of our members and ultimately inflicted injustice on deserving workers.

These hard-won gains and full recovery must be foremost on our agenda as we pursue our vision to enhance representation for our members’ part, including the modernisation and efficient and effective performance of public servants to the pursuit of quality public service in the nation’s interest.

Towards this objective it is necessary to retrace the steps of our forefathers to the current situation.

We have travelled through the period of colonialisation, internal self-government, and independence as a nation and eventually the elevation of republican status within the Commonwealth. From an analysis of this journey and the leaders of Government over this period, it is undoubtedly from the evidence that the Guyana Public Service Union’s greatest achievements were during the period that Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham led the Government of Guyana, both as Prime Minister and President. I have concluded this based on the following: Land to the Civil Service Association Land for recreational facilities Five-day work week Unification of the public service Trade Union leave for members Avoidance and settlement of disputes agreement Agency shop agreement Check-off agreement Making collective agreements legally binding One month salary tax-free vacation allowance Re-employment agreement Secondment agreement for members to serve fulltime with the union The amendment to the constitution to facilitate the Public Service Appellate Tribunal Among many others These goals were achieved without compromising our independence as a union fully committed to our motto “Justice for the public employee” in pursuit of our duties and obligations. I say this to emphasise that contrary to malicious statements that our forefathers affiliated the Guyana Public Service Union to a political party.

Today, we struggle to enforce these rights which was ruthlessly violated by subsequent Governments; our Agency Shop Agreement was violated in 1987, restored in 1988 and once again violated again in 2000 and remains the same to date; our Avoidance and Settlement of Disputes Agreement was continuously abused. However, we look forward to the commitment given to respect collective bargaining being implemented; our check-off agreement has been repeatedly compromised; our recreational facilities were, in the most anti-working class fashion lawlessly attempted to be wrestled from the members – fortunately because of a change of government we still occupy this property and hope that it would be fully restored and regularised to its former glory fully under the control of the GPSU. We are duty bound and determined therefore to restore these valuable achievements which were realised by great sacrifice and efforts by our forefathers on whose shoulders we now stand.

Undoubtedly, we are operating in an environment that is in pursuit of good governance and justice for the working class. In such an atmosphere with unity of purpose within the ranks of the membership and leadership, being firm and resolute there will be greater achievements ahead. As workers and a people having experienced 50 years as an independent nation, I extend to loyal, dedicated and committed members the heartiest anniversary greetings. Long live the Guyana Public Service Union.

Regards PATRICK YARDE

8

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 9, 2016

PM: Increased DHB tolls an investment in national development PRIME Minister Moses Nagamootoo on Wednesday justified the toll increases at the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB), contending that such a move will pave the way for it to become financially viable.

In an interview conducted by the Department of Public Information (DPI), the Prime Minister said commuters must invest in national development even as he floated the idea of the construction of a modernised harbour bridge across the Demerara River, which will allow for an easier flow of traffic with the assistance of a bypass.

“If you want to enjoy better facilities then initially the commuters must be able to make a deposit on the intention of the Government to have a new bridge,” he said.

Additionally, he alluded to the fact that the Demerara Harbour Bridge has been heavily subsidised. Over a period of five years (20102015) approximately $2.5B was pumped into the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation as a form of Government subsidy.

The Prime Minister said on an annual basis, approximately $400M in taxes is used to subsidise the operations of the aged old bridge.

“You need to place on the table that unless you have a cost recovery you will not be able to maintain this bridge or any other bridge,” Prime Minister Nagamootoo said.

He said if Guyanese desire a better life then they should be willing to pay a little more.

Guyana Chronicle has been reliably informed that Cabinet has approved increases in tolls for motorcycles and cars to cross the Demerara Harbour Bridge, following a proposal made earlier this year by the corporation’s General Manager Rawlston Adams.

Writing in an OP-ED in the Guyana Chronicle, Director of Public Information, Imran Khan, said that motorcyclists, who now pay “a mere $20, would pay $40; while motor car drivers will now pay $200, instead of the $100 they currently pay.”

According to Khan, there is no proposed increase for

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

minibuses and SUVs, which currently pay $200.

“The increases proposed are marginal, and with the affordability to users firmly in mind. These increases, while not onerous by any means, and while immensely favourable to the tolls charged at the Berbice Bridge, will significantly aid in ensuring that the DHB is not dependent on the national treasury for survival,” Khan wrote.

He said the increases

The 38-year-old Demerara Harbour Bridge

will, in fact, provide relief to the taxpayers of Guyana, who will no longer be asked to so heavily subsidise the operations of the bridge – an entity that is critical to the lives of many who live in Regions 2, 3, and 7.

The Demerara Harbour Bridge was commissioned with a lifespan of 25 years, but through repairs and upgrades, this has since been extended by 13 years. Currently, a feasibility study

is being conducted for the construction of a new bridge.

Back in January, the DHBC General Manager, Adams, had reported that some 9,000 vehicles transited the DHB daily in 2015, a 4.8 per cent increase from the previous year; but, overall, incomed earned by the bridge in 2015 declined.

The Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) has reported that while $481M were garnered in revenue from ve-

hicular traffic — an increase of 4.2 per cent over the 2014 revenue — overall, income dipped from $533M in 2014 to $519M in 2015.

Floating at 1.25 miles, the bridge is a strategic link between the eastern and western banks of the Demerara River. When opened in July 1978, the structure was expected to last for only 10 years; but, 37 years later, it is still there.

Gov’t to detail plans for development of creative industries

By Ravin Singh

GUYANA has made no real progress in protecting and promoting cultural expressions, ministerial advisor on culture Ruel Johnson has said, but the government plans to address the deficiencies.

Johnson will later this month make a presentation on Guyana’s performance at a preliminary review of countries which are signatories to the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. The official review is slated for next year since the quadrennial activity was last held in 2013.

The Convention was adopted by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO’s) General Conference on 20 October 2005, during the 33rd session

which was held in Paris.

Guyana became a signatory to the convention in December of 2009.

The main objective of the Convention is to protect and promote the diversity of cultural expressions. However, the Convention seeks to highlight the fact that cultural creativity has been placed upon all of humanity, and that aside from economical gains, creative diversity reaps plenty cultural and social advantages.

Further, the Convention details that states must also promote “openness to other cultures of the world”. Protective measures are also included in the Convention and international co-operation is encouraged in times of need. This Convention works to strengthen economic growth and cultural acceptance in the international community.

According to Johnson,

Cultural Adviser to the Minister of Education, Ruel Johnson

the areas up for review later this month include: support for culture; sustainable systems of governance for culture; achievement of a balanced flow of goods and services and increased mobility of artists and cultural professionals; integration of culture in sustainable development frameworks; and the promotion of human rights

and fundamental freedom.

When examined holistically, Johnson noted that Guyana has made little to no progress in most if not all of these areas, which goes counter to the conditions of the convention.

Highlighting one incident where the promotion of human rights and fundamental freedom were violated, the ministerial advisor reflected on the incident in Linden in 2012, when several persons were killed and more than two dozen injured during a protest against electricity rate hikes.

Dealing more specifically with the arts, he recalled another incident in 2013 when then PPP government had banned Calypso music from airwaves across the country. Then minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn went as far as to travel to the state-owned National Communications Network

(NCN) “to find out what the hell was going on.”

“It was slanderous,” the minister said of the particular calypso, adding that “I hold it as my right to go to the station to intervene in an activity which I think impacted me as a citizen and also as a minister.”

Given these occurrences, and numerous others, which have stifled the development of culture and the arts, Johnson said that “I will be frank about the situation in Guyana at the preliminary review because I have to do a narrative.”

He explained that since there has not been much development in this regard, Guyana’s report will be largely aspirational, and will be supported with concrete expressions on the projects and programmes the Government intends to pursue, including the institute of creative arts and copyright legislation.

“So I will be laying out Government’s plan for de-

veloping policies relative to cultural development in Guyana,” he said.

Listing some of the impending implementations to develop the arts and culture industry, Johnson noted that the Department of Culture is currently looking at developing a registry for artistes, systems for concessions for people in the creative arts and marketing for them.

He explained too that efforts will be made to foster closer relations with CARICOM to ensure the free flow of goods and services offered by artistes in the region, which will also open markets for Guyana’s creative minds.

In addition, efforts are also being made to increase representation for Guyana at the Union of South American Nations, since according to him Guyana forms a nexus between South America and the Caribbean – given its geopolitical and historical orientation.

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 9, 2016

Mother of murdered US teen gets visa, ticket to attend funeral was charged with murder and weapons possession.

It is alleged that Ste-

phens shot Mercurius with a submachine gun after forcing his way into

her Brooklyn Ave. home on that fatal Tuesday.

The teen was shot in both

arms, with one of the bullets punching through her right arm into her chest.

Cabinet grants ‘no objections’ to several contracts

CABINET at its June 7 meeting granted its “no objection” to several contracts in the Ministries of Public Infrastructure, Health, Education, Security, Communities and Social Protection. The contracts are as follows:

Fly Jamaica Representative Desrene Caine (left) presenting the first-class ticket to Lovern Williams in the presence of other staff (Photo by Mark Benschop)

THIRTY-SEVEN-yearold Lovern Williams will travel to the United States on Friday to bid her only daughter – Shemel Mercurius – a final goodbye thanks to the US Embassy, Fly Jamaica and the Mark Benschop Foundation.

Immediately after the US Embassy (Georgetown) granted Williams a visitor’s visa to attend the funeral of her 16-year-old daughter, Fly Jamaica presented her with a free first-class ticket.

However, it was the Mark Benschop Foundation which had intervened on behalf of the grieving mother of six. The foundation has been offering much needed help to the Williams family since the murder of their loved one on May 31 in the US. The return ticket was presented to Williams on Tuesday by Fly Jamaica Representative Desrene Caine at the airlines head office at Ogle.

With mixed emotions, Williams said she will forever remain grateful to the US Embassy, Fly Jamaica and the Mark Benschop Foundation for making the trip a reality.

“I just want to say thanks to everyone for helping through this difficult time,” she told the Guyana Chronicle in a brief tele-

US-based Guyanese Shemel Mercurius who will be laid to rest on Tuesday in Brooklyn

phone interview.

Williams will depart Guyana on Friday night for the US, where she will witness the viewing of her first born in Brooklyn, ahead of the funeral on Tuesday.

Mercurius was riddled with bullets while babysitting her little cousin inside their Brooklyn apartment on May 31. On her dying bed she reportedly gave investigators the first name of her alleged killer.

Days after the horrendous act was committed, cops hauled Taariq Stephens out of his 67th Precinct stationhouse in Brooklyn.

The 24-year-old, who has more than a dozen arrests under his belt, turned himself in last Thursday after his lawyer arranged the surrender with police. He

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 9, 2016

Over 60% of GNNL’s Cocaine found in fish cargo, 10 arrested outstanding payments collected

‒ management says GINA debt of $74M down to $24M THE Guyana National Newspaper Limited (GNNL) has made significant progress in its quest to recover outstanding revenues.

A Forensic Audit Report into the operations of GNNL, which publishes the Chronicle newspapers, revealed that GNNL’s 10 top customers had owed approximately $88.9M at the end of May 31, 2015. More than a year after, the newspaper company has received more than 60 per cent of the outstanding revenues.

Though the audit report was completed late last year, it was only made public last week Friday by the Ministry of Finance.

In that report, the Government Information Agency (GINA), the National Communications Network (NCN), Video Mega, Police Consumer, Kirk Wynter, Kings Advertising, Reamos, Guyenterprise Advertising Agency Limited and Colin Edghill were identified as the company’s top 10 customers with outstanding revenues as of May 31, 2015.

However in an attempt to clear the air, GNNL’s Management has indicated that all of the identified customers with the exception of GINA and Video Mega have cleared the sums identified in the audit report since last year.

While Video Mega is repaying its debt of $3.073M at snail’s pace, GINA has made significant effort at repaying the newspaper company. As of May 31, 2015 the Government Information Agency had a balance of $24.18M from a high of $74.091M at the ending of May, 2015.

The auditors in the report had also pointed out that gas bills reviewed for the period November 1, 2011 to May 31, 2015 had revealed that gas was supplied to several vehicles that were not owned

by GNNL. In response to this observation, GNNL’s Management explained that due to the lack of finance at that time, the company was loaned vehicles from the Office of the President and in some cases vehicles were rented by the company to

execute its duties.

However, all of the borrowed or rented vehicles have been returned. The company has since purchased two additional vehicles.

The auditors had also observed that the audit of financial statements were not up to date. The last audit completed was for the year that ended December 31, 2013. As such, the auditors have recommended that an Internal Audit Department be established and managed by a Chartered Accountant.

However, GNNL’s Management explained that where the company does not have an internal audit department, its financial statements are sent to the Auditor General (AG) on a yearly basis to be audited.

The reports, however, take months or even years to be completed. The 2014 Audit Report was only completed in February 2016. With the audit report now in hand, the company has set June 29, 2016 for the staging of its Annual General Meeting (AGM) for 2014.

More than 27, 000 persons arrived at CJIA in May MORE than 27, 000 passengers arrived in Guyana in May using the country’s main port of entry – the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

According to CJIA’s Statistics Department, 27,353 passengers arrived in Guyana in May, compared to 15,173 passengers for the same period in 2015.

As such, an 80.3 per cent increase in passenger traffic was recorded at the international airport.

Additionally, the statistical data indicates that there

was a 15 per cent increase in passenger arrivals from January to May, 2016 when compared to the same period in 2015.

The total arrival for the year as of May 31, 2016 was 102,110.

The airport credited the large influx of passengers to Guyana’s Golden Jubilee Independence Celebration.

It is believed that many of the overseas-based Guyanese and tourists who visited Guyana in May would have participated in the historic flag raising, and indepen-

dence costume and float parade.

“Commercial airlines – Caribbean Airlines, Dynamic Airways, COPA, Suriname Airways, Fly Jamaica and Insel Air – also recorded surges in passenger movement for the month,” CJIA stated in a release on Wednesday.

Ramesh Ghir, the airport’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) said too that the airport’s stakeholders had partnered with management to guarantee a smooth process through the terminal building.

THE police have arrested 10 men in connection with the discovery of six kilograms and 44 grams of cocaine in a cargo shipment of frozen fish at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri.

A police release noted that the shipment consisted of several boxes. The discovery was

made at about 02:10 hrs on June 8 by ranks of the Police Narcotics Branch.

According to the release, the bust comes as the Guyana Police Force is intensifying its efforts to clamp down on the scourge of drug-trafficking. The cargo was destined to be shipped to the United States of America.

NCN stands by decision to write off Merundoi’s debts REPORTS that the Board of the National Communications Network (NCN) was split on the NCN-Merundoi $2.5M settlement are erroneous, the state-owned company said on Tuesday.

Last Friday, NCN was thrown into the spotlight after a forensic audit into its operations revealed that it had written off the $2.5M owed

by Merundoi. The auditors alluded to the fact that the out-of-court settlement was reached this year at a time when Merundoi’s Executive Director Margaret Lawrence serves a director of the stateowned company.

In a statement on Tuesday, NCN sought to clear the air on the issue. The company said that Merundoi is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation which specialises in behaviourial change communication with the aim of strengthening communities, vulnerable groups and young adults.

Merundoi was established in 2006 under a fiveyear PEPFAR programme.

However, it continued to function as an NGO through local and international sponsorships, partnerships, and projects.

In March 2012, the organisation approached NCN with a written proposal to

make available the production content of Merundoi for broadcasting, with the intention of paying 50 per cent of the normal broadcast charges with NCN absorbing the remaining 50 per cent.

“NCN did not respond favourably or otherwise to the proposal but collected the 50 per cent broadcast fees and aired the programme,” the state-owned entity stated.

However, in 2014, the broadcasting company instituted court proceedings against Merundoi for the 50 per cent of broadcast charges.

“On 4th April, 2016, Merundoi made a proposal to pay $250,000, plus agreed to allow NCN access to two previous seasons of programme content of “Merundoi” Radio Serial Drama (over 500 x 15 min episodes) and also to collaborate with NCN to produce a TV Sitcom “Cheap and Sweet,” the pilot of which it had submitted to NCN since 2012,” NCN further pointed out.

This offer, according to NCN, received the full support of the board during a special meeting on April 7 in the notable absence of Lawrence.

“In arriving at the decision, the board took account of, among other things, the fact that Merundoi is an

NGO, it is not for profit, and it was willing to make the programme content available to NCN and to collaborate on the production of [the] local TV Sitcom,” the company explained. It is maintaining that reports that the board’s decision was not unanimous are untrue and erroneous.

The company also used the opportunity to encourage individuals and companies with outstanding revenues to visit its Homestretch Avenue Office with the intention of settling all outstanding debts.

“In relation to the auditor’s report that our former CEO Ms. Molly Hassan wrote off millions of dollars of debts by an advertising company, we wish to categorically state that Hassan neither had the authority to do so nor did she write off any debt,” the company stated.

It added: “As CEO, Hassan always acted in accordance with direction of the Board of Directors.

In the case referred to, she was asked to enquire whether a debt over three years old and incurred in 2011 was legally enforceable, which she investigated and advised upon. She did not write off the debt. The debt remains, but it is statute-barred.”

Handyman busted with unlicensed gun on minibus A ROUTE 42 mini bus passenger who was recently busted with an unlicensed gun was on Wednesday remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan.

Steve Anthony Ramdass, a 30-year-old handyman/driver at Avinash Scrap Metal dealership, denied that he, on Sunday, June 5 at Providence Public Road, East Bank Demerara, had a .32 Walter pistol without being a licensed firearm holder.

At the same time, the defendant also had in his pos-

session eight .32 rounds of ammunition without being a licensed firearm holder.

Ramdass denied this allegation also, while his lawyer Mark Conway made an application for released on bail.

According to Conway, his client resides at 248 Section B Block ‘X’, Great Diamond and has prior or pending matters before the court.

Police Prosecutor, Inspector Neville Jeffers, strongly opposed Ramdass being released on bail, since no special reason was raised by the

lawyer.

Jeffers told the court that the defendant was intercepted in a bus and searched, during which he was found with an unlicensed gun and matching ammunition. The prosecutor pointed out that the gun was found tucked in Ramdass’ pants waist.

The Chief Magistrate ruled in the prosecution favor and remanded the defendant until June 29. The matter was transferred to the Providence Magistrate’s Court.

11

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 9, 2016

MUCH ADO ABOUT EVERYTHING AFTER my meeting with Devika, I obtained my chemo schedule from my Oncologist, as well as a referral to the Oncology Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital to facilitate my chemo treatments. My chemo schedule was calculated based on my body mass index (an approximate measure of whether someone is over- or underweight, calculated by dividing their weight in kilograms by the square of their height in metres).

My chemo schedule consisted of four cycles or rounds of Adriamycin Cytoxan (a/c) and four cycles/rounds of Taxol, along with a pre-nausea injection and a small dose of steroids. The steroids are used in conjunction with the chemo to treat the cancer, as well as relieve sickness after chemo and boost the appetite.

My referral was accepted by the GPHC; however, this time I went straight to the Oncology Unit to visit with

the doctor, and not the Surgical Clinic, where I had been pushed around by the nurses there before.

I met a pleasant doctor, who discussed my treatment as outlined by my referral once again with me, ensuring that I understood the changes my body would go through under the chemotherapy, as well as indicating to me that with my cancer being genetic (that BRCA gene again) it was likely that the chemo may not successfully treat the cancer. I understood this.

From my research, I learned that it takes at least five years of monitoring after chemo to determine whether the cancer returns or goes into remission.

We also discussed fertility, something I was not prepared to think about, as I had never been desirous of having children before. But, alas, the human condition is so complex that we sometimes don’t realize how badly we want

something until it’s no longer an option. This is probably an inherent disease dating back to that apple Eve consumed in the Garden of Eden (if you believe in that stuff). If it were a coin toss, I knew now which side I wanted the coin to land on.

Unfortunately, chemo can cause infertility. This depends on the person involved, as no two chemo patients have the same reaction. Aside from the infertility, my doctor explained that I should not try to conceive until at least five years after my treatment, since the chemo drugs can also cause birth defects. Oh boy! So the cure is also the poison!

I was asked why I opted to do treatment at the GPHC, when I had done everything else privately. I mentioned my meeting with Devika, as well as the fact that treatment is free, to which my doctor replied, “So you want to take advantage of the Public Hospital and the Ministry of Health?”

“Of course! Why shouldn’t

I? That’s why I pay taxes. I think it’s time my tax money benefits me directly,” I responded, all ready for what I expected might turn into a heated discussion; but I looked up and saw a twinkle in the doctor’s eyes. Immediately we established a rapport -- a warm

connection I had never felt with any doctor before.

It should be noted that GPHC has the best doctors who work under stressful and strenuous circumstances. I still was worried about the nurses who would interact with me, though.

My date had been set: one week from the day I had met with the doctor. After what seemed like lifetimes of standing still, everything finally sped up. It wasn’t the time that moved faster, it was me.

I was now sporting my second

Turn to page 12 ►

12

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 9, 2016

272 pieces of cocaine admitted to evidence in Dataram trial Surviving cancer and other...

TWO boxes of cocaine, containing a total of 272 pieces of the illegal drug, were tendered into evidence Tuesday, in the ongoing trial of self-confessed drug trafficker Barry Dataram.

Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) prosecutor Kunyo Sandyford-Thompson, in her appearance before City Magistrate Judy Latchman, made the sub-

mission for the boxes of cocaine pieces to be admitted as evidence in the trial of Dataram, his common-law wife Anjanie Boodnarine, together with Kevin Charran and Trevor Gouveia.

One of the boxes contained 92 cocaine pieces while another contained 180.

These were tendered and marked as exhibits out of the 692 pieces which were

submitted to the court as the trial continues.

It is alleged that on April 16, last, at 661 Fourth Avenue, Block X, Diamond, East Bank Demerara, 129.23 kilogrammes of cocaine were found on the premises when Dataram and the others were in the building. Hence they were charged with being in possession of the drugs for the purpose of trafficking.

The prosecutors’ witness - CANU Officer Andrew Yarde - along with the de-

fendants, were allowed to examine and count the pieces before the items were admit-

ted into evidence.

The defendants’ lawyer Glenn Hanoman was absent.

The trial was subsequently adjourned to June 27.

From page 11

and shortest pixie haircut, the upside of impending hair loss was being able to play around with different haircuts that I would have been too scared to try before. Funny to think about being scared of having a bad haircut, now I was scared of just not having hair. But I wouldn’t go bald until halfway in my treatment, I thought.

My first treatment started at 7:30 am. Not being a breakfast person (yeah, yeah I know, it’s the most important meal), I had a cup of coffee and nibbled on a sandwich.

When I got to the Oncology Unit, I was taken into the chemotheraphy treatment room - reasonably sized area with about twelve comfortable reclining chairs. Nurse Benny took my pressure while Nurse Griffith prepared the cocktail of drugs for each patient there.

There was no doubt that these nurses were different that the others I had encountered in the other clinics before. Were they trained differently? Whatever it was, I was thankful to be in kind hands.

I was as nervous as you would expect. I just wanted my IV to be set the first time.

I had heard stories of patients having to be pricked a few times (not at the GPHC, but generally) before successfully ‘setting a line’, as I’ve heard it

being referred to by medical professionals.

There was no need to worry. Nurse Benny, as gently as she probably could, successfully set a line in my left hand on the first attempt. All IVs, injections and blood work are done only on my left hand.

Since my surgery was on the right side, it was advised that these procedures should all be carried out on the opposite side. I suspect it puts less pressure on an area that is healing.

One of the Oncologists I had consulted with when I was deciding on the best treatment options indicated to me that the GPHC does not provide anti-nausea medication, and that more than likely I would start throwing up as soon as the drug entered my system. This was absolutely false.

I was given everything as per my chemo schedule.

There were two bags on my drip stand, one was saline and the other was a red liquid -- the a/c or ‘red devil’ as it’s known among chemo patients, because of its nasty side effects.

I lay in the recliner and watched as the Kool-Aid-coloured liquid flowed into my iv tube. Within the first ten minutes, I developed a metallic taste in my mouth, which got worse. I didn’t want to throw up, but I also didn’t want to

close my mouth.

The husband of one of the patients next to me walked around the room sharing mints to everyone. There were about seven of us there, me being the youngest. Any of the women there could have been my mother and then some. The mint helped with the taste in my mouth. I made about three trips to the toilet; the treatment makes a recipient urinate a lot (that and being nervous), but the other patients helped to keep me in good spirits.

The people I shared my first chemo session with were jovial and pleasant. The nurses also kept us upbeat by cracking jokes as they checked on the progress of our drip bags.

My first session lasted three hours. I returned home feeling a little tired, but not upset or sick. I had a light lunch (soup), and relaxed, waiting for the sickness to start. About three hours later, I started to develop a headache, and by evening I felt very tired. I went to sleep early, not taking the Gravol prescribed to me for treating the nausea I still did not feel. Ok, this isn’t so bad, I thought as I drifted off to sleep, totally unaware of what the morning would bring.

Next week: The week after chemo and all its side effects.

13

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 9, 2016

Witness collapses during Pike St murder trial

By Michel Outridge WITNESS Kelvin Peazer had a seizure and collapsed in the witness box Wednesday during the second day of the murder trial of teenagers Kevin Washington and Dennecia Halley at the High Court for the murder of seaman Antonio Isles between March 1 and 3, 2013 at Pike Street, Kitty.

Testifying before Justice Navindra Singh and a 12-member jury at about 14:00hrs, Peazer suddenly came out of the witness box after briefly rubbing his head, causing a section of the jury to vacate the area after he collapsed there.

The witness appeared to be having an epileptic seizure which lasted for several minutes while people in the courtroom, including the police and relatives of both accused, rushed to assist the man by placing a spoon in his mouth.

Sometime afterwards the man regained consciousness and walked out of the courtroom assisted by the police and he was taken to the hospital via an ambulance that was summoned. Then

another witness was called and the matter was adjourned until Thursday.

The first witness on Wednesday was Detective Constable Halley Samuels, who told the court that he went to witness the post-mortem examination at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) with the wife of the deceased on March 6, 2013, and uplifted the PM report and lodged it. He said further that he had witnessed Isles’ burial at Le Repentir Cemetery on March 13, 2013.

The second witness Margaret De Florimonte, a resident of Pike Street, Kitty said that on March 1, 2013 at about 20:30hrs she was sitting on her bridge when she observed a crowd and she approached the scene. There she saw a group of children which she numbered to be about eight to ten armed with pieces of wood and they seemed ‘agitated’ and the deceased Antonio Isles, called ‘Montana’, was lying on the ground unresponsive.

De Florimonte said neighbours threw two buckets of water on Isles and she recognised someone resembling the number one

accused Kevin Washington as one of the children in the group and the number two accused Dennecia Halley, who was also part of the group.

De Florimonte added that she gave the police a statement on March 6, 2013 and police held a confrontation between her and the two accused at the Kitty Police Station.

During cross examination by defence counsel Peter Hugh for the number one accused Kevin Washington, the witness De Florimonte admitted that Washington resembled one of the brothers of the number two accused Dennecia Halley. She said when questioned, that she did not attend an identification parade, but that she saw the two accused at the Kitty Police Station when she gave a statement.

De Florimonte said she knew the youths because they live in the same street and she knew them as children.

When further questioned by defence counsel Dexter Todd for the number two accused Dennecia Halley, the witness said that she never

Murdered: Antonio Isles

had a confrontation with the accused at Kitty Police Station but recognised her at the scene.

The third witness, Kevin Peazer in his evidence-in-chief told the court that he and the deceased were friends and they had been consuming Guinness at a shop in Pike Street at about 20:00hrs on March 1, 2013.

He said that he was in the shop imbibing, when Isles passed and he called him for a drink at the then “K Mart” shop.

Peazer told the court that Isles asked him to buy high

wine for him but the shop did not have that particular liquor so he exited the shop after he was given a cigarette.

He added that it was about 12 minutes after Isles left the shop that he heard a commotion and saw a group of children with pieces of 2x4 wood in their hands beating Isles, who was lying on the ground.

Peazer explained that when he approached the group of children numbering about five to eight, some of them ran away but two of them remained at the scene.

He asked them: “Why yall beating this man?” and one of them said: “Why you don’t mind your own business - this man rob meh mother.”

Peazer then identified both of the accused as the two youths he saw on March 1, 2013 at the scene, adding that they appeared to be in a “rage”.

He told the court that buckets of water was thrown on Isles, who regained consciousness. He was then placed at the shop, after which he (Peazer) took him in a taxi to Kitty Police Station. The witness said he was

detained while a taxi took Isles to the hospital.

The fourth witness, Corporal Shellon Edwards said that relative to a report of the murder of Antonio Isles, she contacted Halley on March 6, 2013 and told her of the allegation after which she cautioned her.

In response, Halley told her: “Offica, all meh go tell you meh ain’t murder nobody.

I was in the house watching news and heard people making noise, meh ain’t hear anything about no murder.”

Halley was then arrested and placed in custody at the Kitty Police Station.

The state prosecutors are Michael Shahoud and Orinthia Schmidt, while the defence counsels are Peter Hugh and Dexter Todd.

Isles, 40, of Lot 248 Pike Street, Kitty, Georgetown was allegedly beaten by a group of persons at Pike Street on March 1, 2013. The seaman was admitted to the GPHC and later succumbed to his injuries.

A post-mortem examination performed by Government Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh gave the cause of death as a fractured skull.

14

Prime Minister hosts World Monuments Fund delegation

PRIME Minister, Moses Nagamootoo hosted a visit of the Prime Minister’s official residence on Main Street, which is a Heritage building, for the visiting World Monuments Fund delegation.

Prime Minister, Wednesday morning, gave the team a personal tour of his res-

idence.

Norma Barbacci, Director of Programs for Latin America, Spain and Portugal- World Monuments Fund, commended the government for the interest it has shown in preserving heritage buildings, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM)

Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo and the delegation at his residence Wednesday

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday June 9, 2016

stated.

residence.

According to OPM, Barbacci expressed thanks to the Prime Minister for hosting the team, while noting that they have visited several countries around the world and are not often afforded the opportunity to visit a Prime Minister’s

T h e Wo r l d M o n u ments Fund delegation included: Dr Eduardo Rojas, Lecturer - University of Pennsylvania; Frank Sanchis, Program Director – World Monuments Fund; the Lord Donald Hankey, Inter-

national Heritage Architect, Conservation and Cultural Planning Specialist – Gilmore Hankey Kirke Consulting Limited; Morris Hylton III, Director of Historic Preservation Program, College of Design, Construction and Planning – University of Florida;

Liam O’Hanlon, Structural Engineer and Principal – RSE Associates Inc; Ron Anthony, President and Wood Scientist - Anthony and Associates Inc and Professor William Dupont, Directs the Centre for Cultural Sustainability – University of Texas.

15

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 9, 2016

GWI pays $6M debt for PPP-labelled billboards THE Board of Directors of the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) has agreed to pay millions of dollars owed to design and advertising firm Impressions for GWI billboards embellished with the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) logo at the height of the May 2015 elections, which saw that party being ousted from government.

The water company’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Richard Van-West Charles, confirmed this Wednesday to the media. “That’s the decision of the board. That the board felt an order was made by the company to Impressions, and based on the order made, Impressions produced,” Van-West Charles said.

A forensic audit into the water company, published recently by the Ministry of Finance, noted the company’s procurement procedures were disregarded and that Impressions was solesourced to construct the 20 billboards at $300,000 each.

The GWI CEO said there is no evidence at this point to substantiate that Impres-

Dr Richard Van-West Charles sions had initially printed the billboards with the PPP campaign logo, but that the labels were placed by party elements sometime after.

Asked whether he was comfortable with the decision of the board to make the payment, the water company’s CEO underscored his role as a “servant of the board,” but then reasserted himself as both a “servant of the board” and a “servant of the people.”

“I don’t think any of the billboards are up at the moment; I think the bill-

boards are down. That was before I assumed office.” the CEO continued, adding that there are other issues which demand the company’s attention.

“What we are doing with respect to providing a service to the people is more important than to be distracting my attention and the work I have to do… than to be taking my time up at this juncture to focus on the $6M which we have had to pay to Impressions,” the CEO said.

Dr Van-West Charles shrugged off the idea of becoming involved in a court battle which could consume more of the company’s time and resources. “In essence, it appears that an instruction was given by the guy who produced it [the billboards] by the company,” he said, adding that payments should be made with the hope of the situation not repeating itself.

Asked whether there will be measures put in place to ensure that the situation is not repeated, the CEO said new measures inclusive of a programme budgeting system, and other procedures have been put in place.

The GWI billboard with the PPP logo which elections season last year “I will guarantee you that recent press conference of under my watch, that will the PPP, General Secretary not happen,” Dr Van-West Clement Rohee dodged Charles asserted. claims that his party was to This is the second ad- be accountable for the billvertisement- related saga boards, instead asserting that that the People’s Progressive the issue is one for the water Party (PPP) has found itself company. in, whereby it was accused A forensic audit into the of using its pre-May 2015 National Communications incumbency to coerce state Network (NCN) has revealed agencies into campaigning that the former PPP Governfor their party. ment benefited from some When asked about the $55M in free advertising up billboard controversy at a to May 2015, and further

was used during the

a place where HIV is now manageable, new infections and AIDS related deaths have reduced and People living with HIV have better quality of live,’ said the appreciative Minister of Public Health.

Guyana remains concerned, however, that countries of the region continue to be excluded from funding as a result of being categorized with Middle or High Income Country status.

“The focus for financial assistance in combating this disease should not only be on Small Income Countries, but rather developing countries as a whole.”

Dr Norton called for the application of every avenue and strategy available when addressing prices for ARVs and HIV commodities when addressing the issues surrounding the response to the key populations and persons in difficult circumstances.

At the UN High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS, Minister Norton said funding programmes such as the Global Fund and PEPFAR have saved many lives and prevented new infections in Guyana and across the globe.

(PLHV) on antiretroviral treatment (ART) by 2015.

Dr Norton said he is pleased with the recently released UNAIDS report on the status of the epidemic but noted that more than half of the estimated persons who need the ARV are not receiving same.

“The similar parallel can be drawn in my own country, where in 2015, about three of every five people living with HIV in Guyana were receiving antiretroviral therapy (58%), up from approximately one in five ten years ago (22%). We have made progress, but the evidence is clear that there is role for treatment as prevention and test and treat works.”

Given the aforementioned, the Minister of Public Health, said it is imperative that stakeholders work assiduously to recognise the gaps in their HIV response.

“We cannot end AIDS if persons do not get antiretroviral therapy, leaving persons living with the disease behind, is NOT an option,” stated Dr Norton.

that the state-funded NCN failed to invoice the then PPP incumbent for $18M in advertising.

A recent report in the Stabroek News daily newspaper quoted NCN’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Lennox Cornette, as saying that the company will gather all necessary invoices and letters relating to the now-opposition PPP’s debt to the entity in an effort to collect those sums.

Norton plugs fast-track approach to...

From page 3

national health response.

The Public Health Minister noted that important in the ending of AIDS is the elimination of stigma and discrimination and as such bold targets have been made to prevent stigma and discrimination.

Within the HIVision 2020 framework, Guyana’s HIV/AIDS response is guided by a comprehensive strategy, and is financed from the national budget integrating relevant UNAIDS targets, and drawing on best practices and the support of key partners, including the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP) and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), and the US PEPFAR programme.

Guyana, the Minister said, has also been successful in reducing deaths to HIV/AIDS from a peak in 2005, and the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. He said too that the marked success is as a result of Guyana’s HIVision

2020, which is underpinned by the principles of human rights, gender equality, inclusiveness, accountability, value for money and sustainability and supported by a multi-stakeholder partnership.

Its goal is “to reduce the social and economic impact of HIV and AIDS on individuals and communities and ultimately the development of the country.”

It focuses on five priority areas: Coordination; Prevention; Treatment, Care and Support; Integration and Strategic Information. The programmatic response of the government has thus been grounded in these overarching principles throughout the national HIV response.

The national response, Dr Norton added, has placed a strong emphasis on prevention, treatment, care and support. In 2014, more than 5,000 health care workers were trained in a wide cross-section of areas to assist in the fight.

These efforts were also focused on reaching the masses in the areas of sexual and reproductive health

(SRH), HIV sensitisation, voluntary counselling testing (VCT), or prevention of mother to child transmission to name a few. Focusing on youth, the Youth Friendly Health Services Initiative continued providing sexual and reproductive health services to adolescents.

“Worthy of mention is that in 2014 there was a decrease in Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).

5,127 cases were reported, which was a decrease, from the 6,777 cases reported in 2013. 42% of the cases reported were within the age group 15-24.”

On the financial front, Dr Norton made it clear that there is a great need for adequate financial resources to fast track weak countries’ approach to ending AIDS by 2030.

“I know that through the Global Fund and PEPFAR, many countries have made significant dents in their epidemics.

“Guyana is a good example of how support from these two funding mechanisms and other partners has moved our country to

He noted that the increasing domestic funding by countries as part of its shared responsibility and global solidarity is a welcome trend that ought to continue for sustainability of the AIDS response.

“Despite the commendable global and national efforts, Guyana acknowledges the risk posed by maintaining the current level of HIV service that will result in a rebound in the epidemic,” said Norton who called for front-loading and increased investments to fast-track the AIDS response; adoption of ambitious bold targets; access for all including fragile communities; health systems strengthening; continued strong and efficient global partnership; effective accountability; and the application of the model of the AIDS response to support results for the SDGs. Guyana, the Minister of Public Health said lauds the achievements of the 2011 UN Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS including reaching the target of 15M persons living with HIV

16

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 9, 2016

Hijackers beat taxi driver, car recovered A GEORGETOWN taxi was Tuesday night hijacked and the driver severely beaten; the car was later found abandoned in Plum Park, Sophia.

Two persons who were in a house opposite to where the vehicle was discovered were detained by the police for questioning.

The driver of the car, a Toyota Allion with licence plate number HC 6253, was identified as 44-year-old Gladwyn Brandis of 1170 Pigeon Place, South Ruimveldt Park. He is attached to the Green Ice Taxi Service.

According to reports, the taxi was seen parked on the roadside around 20:00 hrs and residents became suspicious after noticing it there for hours.

Wednesday morning, upon closer inspection, it was discovered that there was an injured man inside the

vehicle and a call was made to the taxi base, which in turn contacted the police.

The police subsequently arrived and discovered a muddied, bewildered and injured Brandis. The father of five was then taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was admitted for treatment.

At the scene where the car was abandoned, there were blood marks on a large brick and drops of blood were seen leading to a nearby canal as if Brandis was dragged there after being beaten.

Police are working on a theory that two men accosted Brandis in his vehicle and after realising what was happening, he pelted his keyless remote car starter out the window causing the vehicle to automatically shut down on the roadway since it was discovered in “D” gear. The men, after beating him in

Police escort two persons for questioning from a house opposite to where the vehicle was found abandoned

the head, then dragged him towards a nearby canal where they threw him hoping that he would have drowned.

They then walked away from the scene. He managed to

Police at the scene where the car (right) was found

crawl back into his vehicle where he was discovered without his cellphone and car keys.

Residents in the area recalled seeing two men at the

vehicle but they later walked away, leaving the car behind.

According to fellow drivers of the service, Brandis has been working for the Green Ice taxi service for almost a decade and he usually does not work in the nights nor pick up random passengers.

“Whoever he picked up was not assigned by the base, because the base has a record of all pick-ups,” one driver said.

Taxi drivers of the Green Ice base are willing to support the police to apprehend the perpetrators.

According to the injured driver’s wife, Nicola Brandis, she last spoke to her husband at 15:30hrs Tuesday after he left home. She said as the night stepped in, she became worried, since he was supposed to attend a cricket game at the National Stadium

and when she called at about 21:30 hrs, she realised his cell phone was turned off.

“This [Wednesday] morning I started making an alarm after I didn’t see him home; his brother started looking around and he received a call stating that he was found in Sophia and badly beaten, a lot of lacerations [cuts] to the head,” she said.

After receiving that dreadful information, Mrs. Brandis said she rushed to hospital in time to see her husband being taken out of the police vehicle. “He was covered in mud all over, his entire face was swollen and he was slipping in and out of consciousness.”

When questioned if her husband was ever a victim of hijacking before, she said not to her knowledge, this was the first occasion.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 9, 2016

Mae’s school founder defends internal adjustments

THE management of the Mae’s private school has sought to assure parents and its teaching staff that recent internal adjustments were made in the interest of the students and the preservation of the school’s strong and successful academic record.

In mid-May, parents protested the decision to cut the salaries of Grade Six teachers by $20,000.

Parents also said they had paid a fee of $20,000 for extra classes for the students, but that these were not happening.

“We take our motto ‘For Excellence We Aspire, For Excellence We Strive’ very seriously and we assure our parents and students that our commitment to that goal has never wavered nor will ever waver,” Mayfield French, the founder of the school, said in a statement.

Upon strategic review, she said Mae’s adjusted its approach to exam preparations based on changes in exam format and staffing.

The decisions taken were also grounded on the philosophy that each teacher is responsible for the success of Grade 6 students - as a team effort - and not the onus of a select few, French argued.

“In its 24 years of ex-

istence, Mae’s School has remained steadfast in its commitment to excellence.

They have been able to do this through the hard work and dedication of our Directors, Assistant Directors, Supervisors, all of our teachers from Playgroup to Secondary and general staff, and by constantly changing and trying new things. Change is not always easy, nor is it popular, but it is necessary,” she stated.

French said that recent call by parents for increased collaboration and improved communication among the Mae’s family will be addressed as an immediate priority.

She said that contrary to statements made to the media, the School is led by a multi-ethnic and diverse group of teachers and support staff, “and everyone’s input is essential to our overall success.”

According to the schools’ founder, Mae’s remains a competitive private learning institution that offers academic growth from the infant to secondary level. The School’s Grade Six scholastic record shows that it has consistently produced achievers among the country’s top ten, with 21 students from Mae’s School succeeding

Thursday, June 9, 2016 - 05:00 hrs Friday, June 10, 2016 - 08:30 hrs Saturday, June 11, 2016 - 09:30 hrs

to be among the top 1% in the nation last year.

The School has also realised high success at the Secondary level with consistent 90% passes in subjects like Electronic Document Preparation and Management (EDPM), English, Human and Social Biology, Information Technology (IT), Physics, Principles of Accounts (POA) and Principles of Business (POB).

“We’ve seen success, and like every family, as a school, we’ve also had our challenges. However, we genuinely believe in what we are doing and why we place emphasis on the attainment of excellence at each and every level, keeping our objectives in mind and our students, parents and faculty at heart,” French stated in a report.

17

18

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 9, 2016

Housing officials to Nurses urged to uphold hold outreaches at values of profession Albion, Fort Wellington RESIDENTS who applied for house lots in Regions Five and Six would soon be able to interface with housing officials, and hopefully secure their plots of land.

Officials of the Central Housing and Planning Authority will be in Region Six today and then in Region Five Thursday.

According to Minister with responsibility for this sector, Ms. Valerie Patterson-Adams, these activities are aimed at taking affordable housing solutions to all, while ensuring equal opportunity for all, the release stated.

The Minister and her team are expected to facilitate serving members of the

Guyana Police Force at the Albion Sports Complex, between 9:00 hours and 12:00 hours today.

They will then attend to citizens with all housing related matters on 13:00 hours at the same location.

On Friday, the team will be at the Region Five, Regional Office (Fort Wellington) where they would continue the outreach programme.

Serving ranks of the Guyana Police Force and residents of Burma are expected to be attended to between the hours of 9:00 h and 11:00 h, while others would be attended to between 12:00 h to 16:00 h.

In an effort to have smooth flow of events, per-

sons attending are urged to walk with all necessary documents.

Already for the year, similar exercises have been conducted in Regions three, four, five, six, nine and ten, much to the benefit of residents of these areas.

In the past year, the Central Housing and Planning Authority has allocated 1,400 house lots.

A total of 251 lots were allocated during the period June to December 2015, while a total of 1,200 lots were allocated during the period January to May, 2016. These allocations span all categories - very low income, low income, moderate and high income.

Buggery, rape trial aborted after ‘unlocated’ accused turns up ONE day after a jury was empanelled to try Paul Abrams and Claude Craig for buggery, rape and indecent assault, the third accused - Hoston Melville - who was absent turned up Wednesday and pleaded ignorance about the trial.

The Presiding Judge, Justice Jo-Ann Barlow, was faced with no alternative than to abort the current trial; a new jury will have to be empanelled. Melville has not yet been represented by a lawyer but assured the Court that if he does not find one by Tuesday next he will have to represent himself.

The three accused are charged with hav-

ing committed the acts of buggery, rape, and indecent assault on a woman on December 5, 2007.

The duo who had pleaded not guilty at their trial on Tuesday last, will have to plea again when the new trial begins next Tuesday.

Senior counsel Mr. Bernard De Santos had at the last trial entered appearance for Paul Abrams, while Mr. Nigel Hughes had given his undertaking to represent Claude Craig.

The Prosecution is headed by Mr. Siand Dhurjon and includes Miss Shonette Austin.

Car thief jailed for 18 months ROMARIO Henry, 21, of Lot 12 ‘C’ Herstelling, East Bank Demerara appeared Wednesday before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, charged with stealing a Toyota motor car.

The Security officer attached to Cool Square Hotel, pleaded guilty to the offence, which stated that on June 7 at Georgetown, he stole Mahindra Danpaul’s car valued at $1.6M. Police Prosecutor, Inspector Neville Jeffers, said that Danpaul had parked his car at Middle Road, La Penitence with the key inside and exited. Henry jumped into the car and drove away.

The matter was immediately reported to Police, who acting on a tip-off intercepted the car along with Henry in Albouystown.

Henry had told the court that he took the man’s car and was going to visit his aunt in Berbice.

Convicted: Romario Henry

Tarmattie Barker, Chief Nursing Officer

By Svetlana Marshall NURSES in Guyana have been urged to uphold the values of the nursing profession against increasing reports of unprofessionalism displayed by some.

The Health Ministry’s Director of Regional and Clinical Services, Dr. Kay Shako, said nurses, though faced with many challenges, have contributed significantly in the area of health throughout the 20th and 21st centuries.

Nurses have played a leading role in reducing many of the risk factors of maternal and child mortality, and decreasing the spread of malaria, tuberculosis, polio and HIV, she said.

However, these contributions are ever so often overshadowed when nurses behave in an unprofessional manner. The negative attitude displayed by some nurses remains one of the biggest problems within the profession, Dr. Shako opined.

“This is a big issue in nursing. I think it was an issue previously, but for some reason it has expanded, I am not sure what is happening. Is it that persons are so caught up with their everyday problems that they take these things into the workplace without realising the impact on their service to humanity?”

Dr. Shako said no patient should have to suffer because of the personal problems experienced by nurses.

“Let a positive attitude be a part of you when you are

Force for Change: Improving the Health System’s Resilience,” was organised by the Guyana Nurses Association in collaboration with the Guyanese Nurses Association of America Inc., the General Nursing Council (Guyana) and the Public Health Ministry.

Guyana’s Chief Nursing Officer, Tarramattie Barker, who was among the health officials present, called on the nurses to be agents of change.

Barker said nurses, though faced with increasing health challenges, continue to make significant contributions towards the development of a resilient health sector.

“Nurses, your roles and responsibilities are key and

Dr. Kay Shako, Director of Regional and Clinical Services

dealing with your patients,” she admonished.

Lack of empathy, privacy and confidentiality were among the other issues brought to the table.

Nurses are therefore being urged to live up to high standards established by Florence Nightingale – a nurse who spent her night rounds giving personal care to the wounded.

“She was an investor, a visionary, a missionary, and she delivered all with…passion and love, and you nurses are no different…,”Dr. Shako emphasised.

Dr. Shako was at the time delivering the keynote address during a Symposium on Professionalism in Nursing at the Ocean View Convention Centre recently. The event, held under the theme “Nurses: A

critical, and you contribute to the development and delivery of a high quality of care and service to the population of Guyana,” she posited.

She said despite the challenges, nurses must uphold the values of the profession. “Be a face for change,” she further admonished while encouraging them to build their personal and professional resilience as well.

President of the Guyana Nursing Association, Veronica Douglas, and its Executive Director Grace Bond were among those present in addition to the President of the Guyanese Nurses Association of America, Ingrid Alleyne-Green, and nurses from across the country.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 9, 2016

19

20

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 9, 2016

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 9, 2016

21

22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 9, 2016

23

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 9, 2016

CPL tickets go on sale today

TICKETS for the Guyana leg of the 2016 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) are

scheduled to go on sale today at the new CPL Office, 238 Camp and Quamina Streets, Georgetown.

The cost per ticket is the same as last year with $4 000 or US$20 for the Red and Green Stands, $3 000 or US$15 for Orange Stand and $2 000 or US$10 for the Grass Mound.

According to a release from CPL OPCO Guyana Inc., patrons wishing to purchase tickets will be allowed 10 tickets per person for each game and where possible they may be allowed to purchase tickets with the seats of their choice in their preferred stand depending on availability.

However, corporate entities wishing to purchase more than 10 tickets can contact the ticketing office for further details.

This year, organisers have put in place many security features to prevent counterfeiting and, unlike some other venues, tickets for the Guyana National Stadium are numbered to match the seat number which will eliminate the possibility of overcrowding.

The Guyana Amazon Warriors will begin their four exciting and high-quality home matches on Thursday July 7 against the 2014

Champions, Jamaica Tallawahs at 19:00hrs then on Saturday July 9 they will play the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots from 12:00hrs.

On Sunday, July 10 they will clash with Trinbago Knight Riders from 19:00hrs and on Tuesday July 12 the Warriors will face St Lucia Zouks from 19:00hrs.

The Guyana Amazon Warriors have been very dominant in the three exciting tournaments so far having played in two finals (2014 and 2015) and reached the semi-final last year.

The Guyana Amazon Warriors will play 10 games in the preliminary phase of the League, with four matches in Guyana, two in Florida, and one each in Trinidad & Tobago, St Kitts & Nevis, Jamaica and St Lucia.

Trinbago Knight Riders are the defending champions while Jamaica Tallawahs are the inaugural champions in 2014 and the Barbados Tridents winning the second edition of the annual tournament dubbed “the biggest party in sport”.

For more information on ticketing, please contact CPL Guyana Office on 231-5344, 231-2035, 225-5840 or email at cplguyana@gmail.

South Africa Racing Tips Vaal 08:30 hrs Isolade 09:05 hrs Seven Single 09:40 hrs Will Pays 10:15 hrs Mombela 10:55 hrs Raring To Go

09:10 hrs On Her Toes 09:40 hrs Jumping Around 10:50 hrs Wavelet 11:20 hrs Lord George 11:55 hrs Johnny B NGoode 12:25 hrs Town’s History 13:00 hrs Mistymoistymorning

English Racing Tips Nottingham 08:50 hrs Tafaakhor 09:20 hrs Perigee 09:50 hrs Lady Makfi 10:25 hrs Flowers On Venus 11:00 hrs Rococoa 11:30 hrs Minty Jones 12:05 hrs Pure Fantasy 12:35 hrs Little Choosey Newbury 09:00 hrs Asaas 09:30 hrs Volition 10:05 hrs Snow Moon 10:40 hrs Squire 11:10 hrs Izmir 11:45 hrs Duck A L’Orange 12:15 hrs City Ground Yarmouth

Irish Racing Tips Leopardstown 12:55 hrs Butterflies 13:25 hrs Magnification 13:55 hrs Poetic Choice 14:25 hrs Foxtrot Charlie 14:55 hrs An Cailin Orga 15:25 hrs Venezia 15:55 hrs Okra American Racing Tips Belmont Race 1 Delay of Games Race 2 Core Portfolio Race 3 Doublebolt Race 4 On Leave Race 5 Generosidade Race 6 So Noted Race 7 Lightning Dove Race 8 Zindaya Race 9 Coturnix

24

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday June 9, 2016

USA rebound to beat Costa Rica 4-0

CHICAGO, USA -- Clint Dempsey had a goal and two assists, and the United States rebounded from their opening loss in the Copa America with a convincing 4-0 victory over Costa Rica on Tuesday night.

Jermaine Jones, Bobby Wood and Graham Zusi also scored as the U.S. moved into prime position to grab one of two spots in the knockout round coming out of Group A in South America’s championship. The Americans take on Paraguay in Philadelphia on Saturday night.

It was quite a response to days of questions after the U.S. allowed a goal off a corner kick and committed a costly hand ball in a 2-0 loss to Colombia on Friday night.

Costa Rica, who played

U.S. players celebrate after Bobby Wood scored the team’s third goal against Costa Rica. a scoreless tie against Paraguay in their Copa opener on Saturday in Florida, looked sluggish for long stretches of the first half and were unable to recover. They played without key defender Kendall Waston after he got a red card in the previous game.

The loss to Colombia ramped up criticism of U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who said last month

the Copa goal for the Americans was the semifinals.

U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati told a group of reporters before the match that recent results for the men’s team “haven’t been what we would have hoped for, especially in the official competitions.”

But Klinsmann and his players insisted they felt

pretty good in the team’s performance on Friday night in Northern California, and the coach doubled down on the positive vibe by sending out the same starters against defensive-minded Costa Rica. And it worked -- in a big way.

Moments after DeAndre Yedlin’s poor clearing attempt almost set up an early goal for Costa Rica’s Joel Campbell, the Americans started to find their way.

Wood was pushed in the back by Cristian Gamboa when he attempted to go after a cross into the box, drawing a penalty kick despite a series of protests in front of referee Roddy Zambrano. Dempsey then drove it past Patrick Pemberton on the goaltender’s left side for a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute.

It was Dempsey’s 50th international goal. He also scored his first at the home of the NFL’s Chicago Bears on May 28, 2005, against England.

The United States seemed to get stronger as the first half went along, and another flourish in the final minutes before halftime helped put it away.

Jones stole the ball at midfield and passed to Dempsey, who carried it deep into the Costa Rica side. The forward then nudged it back over to Jones, who shot it on the ground past a diving Pemberton in the 37th minute.

With Costa Rica looking a little ragged, the U.S. kept up the attack.

Dempsey passed to Wood in the middle, and he turned away from defender Oscar Duarte before beating Pem-

berton on the ground for a 3-0 lead in the 42nd minute -- delighting the crowd of 39 642 on a cool, cloudy night in Chicago.

U.S. goaltender Brad Guzan, playing near his hometown of Homer Glen, Illinois, clapped as he headed off the field after the half-time whistle, and Costa Rica barely challenged in the second half.

Midfielder Bryan Ruiz sent a header off the left post in the 67th minute on the Ticos’ best opportunity of the night.

Dempsey was saluted with a standing ovation when he was replaced by Chris Wondolowski in the 78th minute, and he applauded the crowd as he headed off the field. Zusi, who replaced Wood in the second half, completed the scoring with a drive and a shot in the 87th minute.

Sharapova hit with two-year ban

By Martyn Herman LONDON, England (Reuters) - The career of Russian former world number one Maria Sharapova was in tatters yesterday after she was given a two-year ban by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) following her positive test for the banned drug meldonium at this year’s Australian Open.

In a statement the ITF said the 29-year-old five-time grand slam champion’s ban would be backdated to January 26 this year, meaning her results and prize money from the Australian Open, where she reached the quarter-finals, would be cancelled out.

Sharapova said she would appeal to the Court of Arbitra-

Maria Sharapova tion for Sport (CAS), describing the punishment as “unfairly harsh”.

She said an independent tribunal in London on May 1819 had found that she had not intentionally violated anti-doping rules.

In a statement on its website the ITF said the ban had been backdated due to Sharapova’s ‘prompt admission’ of her violation.

“An Independent Tribunal appointed under Article 8.1 of the 2016 Tennis Anti-Doping Programme has found that Maria Sharapova committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation under Article 2.1 of the Programme and as a consequence has disqualified the affected results and imposed a period of ineligibility of two years, commencing on January 26, 2016,” the statement said.

“Ms Sharapova, a

29-year-old player from Russia, provided a urine sample on January 26, 2016, after her quarter-final match at the 2016 Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia.

“That sample was sent to the WADA-accredited laboratory in Montreal, Canada, for analysis, and was found to contain meldonium, which is a metabolic modulator that is included under Section S4 (Hormone and Metabolic Modulators) of the 2016 WADA Prohibited List, and therefore is also prohibited under the Programme.”

Meldonium was added to WADA’s list of banned substances at the start of the year after evidence that it boosted blood flow and enhanced athletic performance.

Sharapova, the world’s highest-paid female athlete, stunned the sporting world in March when she announced that she had tested positive for meldonium, a drug she said she had been taking for a decade to treat diabetes and low magnesium.

At the time Sharapova, the highest-profile tennis player to fail an anti-doping test, said she had made “a huge mistake” blaming her failure to read an email sent by the ITF that meldonium had been added to the banned list.

Sharapova, who could have been given a four-year ban, reacted to the punishment on her Facebook page.

“The ITF spent tremendous amounts of time and resources trying to prove I intentionally

violated the anti-doping rules and the tribunal concluded I did not,” she said.

“You need to know that the ITF asked the tribunal to suspend me for four years -the required suspension for an intentional violation -- and the tribunal rejected the ITF’s position.

“While the tribunal concluded correctly that I did not intentionally violate the anti-doping rules, I cannot accept an unfairly harsh two-year suspension.”

Sharapova’s career now hangs in the balance.

Unless her ban is reduced she will not be eligible to play until after the 2018 Australian Open when she would be 30.

The ban will also impact on her earning potential.

Proteas agree to play day-night Test (REUTERS) - Cricket South Africa (CSA) have overcome their initial hesitancy and confirmed yesterday that the third and final Test of the tour of Australia will be a daynight fixture at Adelaide Oval starting on November 24.

The Proteas had been reluctant to be involved in a day-night match having never played with a pink ball but with two warmup matches under lights

CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat

planned for the October-November tour, CSA said they were now willing to play the fixture.

“Following careful consideration and engagement with all our Test players, and acknowledging the need to exploit the potential of playing day-night Test match cricket, I am pleased to announce that we have agreed with Cricket Australia to proceed with this fixture,” CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat said in

a statement yesterday.

“Our Proteas were initially hesitant to play such a key Test match without previous experience and adequate preparation but after working through all their concerns and the possible options to prepare sufficiently, there is new-found excitement for this novel Test match.”

South Africa captain AB de Villiers added that the major concern for the players was having adequate prepara-

tion with a pink ball.

“We were never against this exciting concept but only wanted to give ourselves the best opportunity of competing in conditions that will be new and foreign to us,” he said.

“Two warm-up matches will hopefully give us an idea of what to expect and hopefully our preparations will help us to adapt accordingly.

“This will be the first time that our players in the Test squad will play pink

ball Test match cricket in front of such a large crowd and to be part of this novel concept will no doubt be a landmark moment in all of our careers.”

The first day-night Test was played between Australia and New Zealand in Adelaide last year and drew 124 000 spectators despite only lasting three days.

The highest score in all four innings was 224, with Australia winning by three wickets.

25

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 9, 2016

England’s Cook wants life bans for match-fixers (REUTERS) - England captain Alastair Cook said players involved in match-fixing should serve life bans although he will have no problem facing Pakistan’s Mohammad Amir, who is returning to Test cricket after a five-year suspension for spot-fixing.

Fast bowler Amir, who admitted he had deliberately bowled a no-ball against England in the fourth Test at Lord’s in 2010, was named in Pakistan’s squad for the Test series in England starting next month.

“He has served his time and was punished for what he did and quite rightly so because we have got to protect the integrity of the game,” Cook was quoted as saying by British media yesterday.

“I have no problems playing against him but my only thing is if you get caught match-fixing you should be banned for life.

“That is not to say Mohammad Amir should not be playing because the rules were probably different then but from my point of view I just think we

Alastair Cook

Nigeria football legend Stephen Keshi dies aged 54 NIGERIA football legend Stephen Keshi has died suddenly at the age of 54.

One of African football’s best-known figures, the ex-Super Eagles captain is one of only two men to win the Africa Cup of Nations as a player and a coach.

NFF president Amaju Pinnick: “This is devastating.

We have lost a superhero.”

Keshi, who is reported

to have suffered a heart attack by local media. also managed Togo and Mali, while his playing career included a spell with Belgian club side Anderlecht.

Sunday Oliseh, a former team-mate and Keshi’s successor as Nigeria coach, tweeted his shock at the “horrible news” and called Keshi “an iconic hero”.

Keshi skippered the Ni-

geria team that won the Nations Cup in 1994 before narrowly missing out on a World Cup quarter-final place the same year.

He coached the Super Eagles on three occasions, leading them to the 2013 Nations Cup title in South Africa and the last-16 at the 2014 World Cup. His contract was not renewed after the Brazil tournament but he returned

on a match-by-match deal following the team’s failure to reach the 2015 Nations Cup finals.

He was then sacked as caretaker coach but reinstated after intervention from then Nigeria president Goodluck Jonathan.

Keshi, who lost his wife to cancer late last year, was then sacked for a final time last July.(BBC Sport)

should just try and deter people from doing it.”

Since Amir was cleared to return to the sport in September, he has toured New Zealand for a limited-overs series in January, competed in the Asia Cup in Bangladesh a month later and featured in the World Twenty20 in India.

Pakistan will play four Tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 International in England between July 14 and September 7.

England, who hold an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series against Sri Lanka, play the third and final Test at Lord’s starting today.

Inclement weather forces postponement of Mayor’s Cup fixtures

CONSISTENT rainfall last Sunday forced the organisers of the 22nd Annual Mayor’s Cup football tournament to call off the triple-header card that was scheduled for the Victoria ground, East Coast Demerara, and have rescheduled it for Sunday.

According to coordinator of the tournament, Lennox Arthur, the triple-header will be played at the same venue and will see a change to the opening fixture which was to have been contested between BV/Triumph and Guyana Police Force.

Arthur told Chronicle Sport the opening game on Sunday will now see BV/Triumph tackle Cougars from 17:00hrs, while the remaining two matches are unchanged.

In the feature game home side Victoria Kings will take on Federal Winners Connections from 21:00hrs, while the penultimate game from 19:00hrs will be contested between Ann’s Grove and Grove Hi-Tech.

BV/Triumph, Grove Hi-Tech and Victoria Kings have all won their opening matches since the tournament began on May 20.

Victoria Kings defeated Agricola on penalty kicks after a 2-2 stalemate during regulation and extra time.

BV/Triumph also won their match against Mahaica in a penalty shoot-out after the two teams were tied 1-1 at the end of regulation and extra time.

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan (left) held a banquet in honour of Stephen Keshi (right) and the Nigeria team after they won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations

ICC announces unchanged elite umpiring panel for 2016-2017 season

THE International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced an unchanged Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires for the 201617 season, following the annual review and selection process.

The decision was made by the ICC Umpires Selection Panel consisting of Chairman and ICC General Manager – Cricket, Geoff Allardice, ICC Chief Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle, ex-England player, coach, umpire and now a commentator - David Lloyd, and Srinivas Venkataraghavan, the former India captain and international umpire.

Elite Umpire Aleem Dar The Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires for 2016-2017 will be: Aleem Dar, Kumar Dharmasena, Marais Erasmus, Chris G a f f a n e y, I a n G o u l d , Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Nigel Llong, Bruce Oxenford,

Sundaram Ravi, Paul Reiffel and Rod Tucker.

The game’s top umpires displayed their skills to an impressive degree in 20152016 by achieving a correct-decision percentage of 95.6 per cent in 220 matches across the three formats of Tests, One-Day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals.

This is not only an improvement on 2014-2015 figures of 94 per cent, but is the highest since the Decision Review System was introduced in cricket in 2008.

Confirming the elite panel for the 2016-2017 season,

ICC Umpires Selection Panel Chairman, Geoff Allardice, said: “The elite panel has had an outstanding 12 months.

Based on the individual performances of each umpire, as well as their ability to work together as a group, the selectors have decided that the same 12 umpires deserve to be rewarded with appointment to the elite panel for 2016-2017.

“The selectors also noted the improved performances of some of the umpires on the international panel and expect them to be pushing for selection on the elite panel in years to come.”

26

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday June 9, 2016

Narine holds the key to Pele auction: 1958 World Cup West Indies chances medal sells for £200 000 - coach WHILE admitting that the West Indies will need performances from everybody if they are to progress in the Ballr Tri-Series being played in the Caribbean, bowling coach, Roddy Estwick, has pointed a finger at Sunil Narine.

“I have nicknamed Sunil Narine ‘Iceman’, I cannot understand how this man can be under so much pressure and still be cool. He has come back from real difficulties and is bowling so well.

He is key for us and has bowled brilliantly this series and we hope this continues,” Estwick, who recently took over the role from former West Indies standout fast bowler, Curtley Ambrose, said during a press conference at the Providence Stadium in Guyana yesterday.

T h e We s t I n d i e s opened the series with victory against South Africa, where Narine took 6-27, to give the West Indies an easy run chase. Though the West Indies lost the second game against Australia, by six wickets, Narine was again brilliant, bagging 2-26.

The team batted poorly during the game, however, Estwick believes the bowling is coming together nicely.

“We are trying to stop the opposition’s momentum, not giving them that first ball four and that last

Sunil Narine. ball four, where they can gain momentum. Looking at the bowling I think we are 75 per cent there, we have to keep working and keeping passing on ideas.

Keep learning and I always say if teaching takes place, then learning will take place,” he said.

According to Estwick, his short stint has been good with the promise of marked improvement later on.

Estwick says he has put together structures for the improvement of the bowling, and that players have been working hard to pull results from those structures.

“So far we have put some systems in place and once they continue to follow it and work hard, things will be fine.

It is not going to be easy but the discipline and work ethic is there so the improvement will come,” he said. (Sportsmax.com)

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday June 09, 2016) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & AUDREY’S TASTY SNACKETTE-176 Charlotte Street, Georgetown (Tel: 226-4512) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Kieron Pollard (93); Darren Bravo (86); Jerome Taylor (83); Sunil Narine (57)

(2) Abraham Benjamin Today’s Quiz: (1) Three games in the Tri-Nations ODI series are scheduled to be played in St. Kitts. When?

(2) How many ‘extras’ did the WI concede in the first match of the current Tri-Nations ODI series?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

PELE’S 1958 World Cup winner’s medal has been sold at auction in London for £200 000 - at least £60 000 more than its estimated price tag.

The medal - won as a teenager at his first World Cup - was estimated to be worth between £70 000 and £140 000.

The three-time World Cup winner is selling all three of his winner’s medals at auction, along with more than 2 000 items of personal memorabilia.

His winning medal from the 1962 World Cup in Chile was sold for £140 800.

The memorabilia, which include shirts and trophies, are being sold over three days and his winner’s medal from the 1970 World Cup, where he was part of the Brazilian team regarded as one of the greatest in history, has yet to go under the hammer.

Pele’s World Cup winner’s medal from 1962 sold for £140 800.

A one-off Jules Rimet trophy made for the former striker after Brazil’s triumph in Mexico in 1970 is the most expensive item being auctioned, with an estimated price tag of £281 000 to £420 000.

On the first day of auction, the boots worn by Pele in the classic football film Escape to Victory sold for £8 025.

Other items sold inc l u d e L’ E q u i p e a t h lete-of-the-century trophy with book (£20 480), his

2007 FIFA presidential award (£30 720) and a 1000th goal tribute crown with book (£162 500).

Pele is the only player to have won the World Cup three times and is regarded by many as being the greatest footballer in history, scoring 1 281 goals in 1 363 matches and appearing 91 times for Brazil.

Pele pictured with the Jules Rimet trophy in 1970. He was given a replica of the trophy that will be auctioned.

New coach must understand Indian culture, says Dhoni

By Sudipto Ganguly

MUMBAI, India (Reuters) - India’s next cricket coach should have a clear understanding of the country’s diverse culture, limited-overs captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said yesterday.

India have been without a full-time coach since Ravi Shastri’s two-year tenure as team director ended with the hosts’ defeat in the semi-finals of this year’s World Twenty20.

In the advertisement for the coach’s job, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) said the ability to communicate in an Indian language was desirable but not mandatory.

“We do not face much problem with communication,” Dhoni told reporters on the eve of the Indian team’s departure for a limited-overs series in Zimbabwe.

“With the players coming in these days, English I don’t think is a big barrier.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni There are also other players who take the initiative to help anybody in the team who does not understand.”

Players in the Indian team often come from different parts of the country, speaking different languages and having diverse cultures.

Former teammates Shastri and Sandeep Patil have applied for the position with New Zealand ex-captain Daniel Vettori’s name also in

the frame for one of the most demanding jobs in international cricket.

The BCCI has put assistant coach Sanjay Bangar in charge for the tour of Zimbabwe beginning on Saturday.

“What’s important is what the team require. We need to select the best that is available,” said Dhoni, who has led India to both the 50-over and Twenty20 World Cup titles.

“A number of international coaches have a problem with the amount of cricket that we play in a year keeping in mind the family commitments and other factors,” Dhoni said.

“One of the most important things I believe is he should understand our culture. More than the language, one who understands our upbringing and culture will be better with us,” he added.

“The coaches who have understood us in the past ... we have seen the difference on the field.”

Dhoni had formed a

formidable partnership with South African coach Gary Kirsten and the duo led India to the top of the World Test rankings while also winning the 2011 50over World Cup at home.

New Zealander John Wright was also a successful coach for India.

Like Shastri, Patil is also eyeing a second spell in charge of the team, having coached them in 1996.

Patil has also coached Kenya, guiding them to the 2003 World Cup semi-finals, and Oman.

Test captain Virat Kohli last month said he had a chat with his Royal Challengers Bangalore coach Vettori regarding the job.

The BCCI has formed a cricket advisory committee comprising former players Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman who are expected to pick a new coach before the team’s tour of West Indies begins on July 6.

27

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, June 9, 2016

Colombia book Copa America quarter-finals spot A FIRST-HALF goal from captain James Rodriguez saw Colombia book their spot in the quarter-finals of the Copa America Centenario.

Colombia advanced to the quarter-finals of the Copa America Centenario courtesy of a 2-1 win over 10-man Paraguay on Tuesday.

Captain James Rodriguez overcame a shoulder problem to score the match-winner in the first half after Carlos Bacca gave Colombia an early lead at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

The goal was James’ second in as many Copa America games as the Real Madrid attacker extended his goal-scoring tally for Colombia to 16.

Paraguay made things difficult for Colombia in the second half as substitute Victor Ayala pulled a goal `back with a stunning strike, but a red card to Oscar Romero dented their chances of finding an equaliser.

The Lanus midfielder received two yellow cards in as many minutes, with Colombia holding out for victory.

The win means Colombia advance to the last-eight of the centenary tournament, while Paraguay must beat the United States in their final Group A

Colombia captain James Rodriguez celebrates after scoring his country’s second goal against Paraguay fixture to go through to the quarter-finals.

Colombia coach Jose Pekerman named an unchanged line-up, with James keeping his spot in the side despite concerns over his fitness following a shoulder injury sustained against USA last week.

Paraguay counterpart Ramon Diaz made just the one change, replacing Derlis Gonzalez with Miguel Almiron for the 22-year-old’s international

starting debut.

Colombia looked the livelier of the two sides in the opening stages and James threatened with a shot from distance before Bacca gave them the lead in the 12th minute.

Cristian Zapata won a corner after his header was blocked, and James delivered a perfect ball for Bacca to head home the opener.

James had the chance to score himself in the 16th minute

but his effort was saved by Paraguay goalkeeper Justo Villar.

Colombia shot-stopper David Ospina hardly touched the ball in the opening half, and a Robert Piris Da Motta strike was the only shot they had on goal in the opening 22 minutes, but even that was blocked by defender Jeison Murillo.

However, Colombia eventually did double their advantage through James, after Edwin Cardona’s brilliant layoff inside the box set up the

NAMILCO/GFF Flour Power Nat. U-17 League

Soesdyke power to 11-0 win over Herstelling; Grove beat Agricola 4-1

NATIONAL Milling Company of Guyana (NAMILCO) Finance Director Fitzroy McLeod’s remarks to the players prior to the kick-off of the East Bank Football Association (EBFA) leg of the NAMILCO/GFF Flour Power National U-17 League invigorated the players to the extent that two powerful results were recorded.

The association’s number one and two teams were in dismissive mood with Grove Hi Tech trouncing Agricola Red Triangle 4-1 while Soesdyke Falcons romped to a huge 11-0 win over Herstelling Raiders.

Agricola took the lead early in the encounter when Isaiah De Lover rocked the back of the net in the 5th minute of play. As it turned out, it was the only goal of the match.

Leading the EBFA’s number one team, Grove, to their win were Kevin Padmore, who netted a double, and Rasheed Evans and Threvon Pluck with one each. Grove absorbed the early runs of Agricola but gradually turned the tables to come out victors as they virtually sealed the win by

Tyrell Khan the end of the first half.

Pluck opened proceedings in the 12th minute to even things up; his performance was matched by Evans in the 22nd minute as they took the lead and never looked back. Padmore took centre stage netting his first, two minutes to halftime and his second one minute into the second half.

Soesdyke Falcons have sounded a stern warning to all with a solid all-round performance which produced their 11-0 win. The consistent Tyrell Khan blasted a hat-trick including the fastest goal of the competition so far which came in the first minute of the tournament.

Soesdyke, like the other teams, have been eagerly awaiting the start of action

Tyrone Khan and they celebrated same with quick goals as the lead was doubled in the second minute. Stephon Steel emulated Khan.

Khan’s elder brother Tyrone led all scorers with a helmet-trick while Kevin Sobers converted twice. Tyrell was on target again in the 11th and 61st minutes. Tyrone blasted the net in the 23rd, 31st, 65th and 67th minutes while Sobers inked his name on the score sheets in the 34th and 56th minutes. The other goal was scored by Shanon Samnauth.

Meanwhile, in remarks to the teams prior to the start of the matches, Mr McLeod commended the players for being members of their respective teams while encouraging them to be the best they

can be.

“I would like to encourage you to always play fair, be disciplined and play hard. This tournament is an investment for your development from NAMILCO along with the Guyana Football Federation.

We are here to stay and we want to see many of you go on to represent Guyana at the other levels, ultimately, the senior team.”

McLeod told the players and officials that similar tournaments are being held in the other associations affiliated to the GFF, making the competition a national one - the first using this format in Guyana.

“NAMILCO has been around for quite some time and we are known for producing quality products which are second to none. We would like to see you play the best football of your lives. May the best team win.”

Matches that were scheduled for last Sunday were called off due to the ground being unplayable as a result of excessive rainfall. Weather permitting; matches will be played on Saturday and Sunday at the same venue.

Madrid attacker to smash home the second.

Paraguay managed to pull one back in the 34th minute through a Paulo da Silva header, but he was adjudged to have been offside by the assistant referee in a tight, but correct call.

Cardona set up Bacca with a delightful curling cross a minute later but the Milan forward could not connect with the ball properly, before Ospina was forced into his first save of the half approaching the break, putting out his hand to deny a bouncing free kick.

Paraguay were unlucky not to go into the half at least one goal down, after Dario Lezcano smashed a free-kick in a dangerous position off the crossbar.

Colombia thought they had scored a third when Bacca put

the ball into the net in the 69th minute but the goal was ruled out for offside, and Paraguay struck back just two minutes later.

Substitute Ayala received the ball from distance but unleashed a thunderous effort past Ospina to reduce the deficit with just under 20 minutes remaining.

However, the task at hand became even more difficult for Paraguay when they were reduced to 10 men after Romero received two yellow cards in as many minutes.

Cardona almost buried the game a minute later but his strike came off the post. However Colombia were able to run out the game as Paraguay pushed hard for an equaliser to no avail. (Sportsmax.com)

Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket off to great start GEORGETOWN, Guyana – The Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket Programme for 2016 got off to a rousing start, as over 100 enthusiastic children participated in the onfield skills display at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

The aspiring cricketers were taken from the top performing primary schools in Guyana to showcase their talents during the halftime break in the opening match of the Ballr Cup Tri-Nation ODI Series between West Indies and South Africa last Friday.

The primary schools were: North Georgetown, Patentia, Hope Town, Mae’s, Supply, Saraswat, Watooka and Philadelphia.

One of the participants was Shiloh Adams, an all-rounder from North Georgetown Primary, who was then chosen to accompany captains Jason Holder and Steve Smith at the toss for the Match 2 of the Ballr Cup between West Indies and Australia on Sunday.

K.J Singh, the WICB’s Senior Project Officer, said he was pleased with the day’s event and is expecting more growth in the tournament.

“We are off to a great

start for 2016. The children who participated in the first Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket display here in Guyana were fantastic and showed great discipline and talent. They were very enthusiastic and enjoyed their time on the field, and we look forward to similar demonstrations in the coming months as international cricket visits other countries across the West Indies,” Singh said.

“The WICB has definitely seen great success from the Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket Programme which has been going for over 20 years. Players such as Britney Cooper, Shaquana Quintyne, Jason Holder, Carlos Brathwaite, Shamar Springer, Ryan John, Gidron Pope who have come through the programme were members of the West Indies teams which won the three international titles earlier this year.”

Singh added: “We hope the exposure and experiences these young Scotiabank kiddy cricketers take away for the interval display at the international series inspire them to work hard and achieve great cricketing success, just as those before them.”

Shiloh Adams stands with Jason Holder and Steve Smith at the toss.

Colombia book Copa America quarter-finals spot

See story on page 27

Wrong squad selected for tri-series, says Perreira ... Questions WI youth policy strategy

By Rajiv Bisnauth GUYANESE-born cricket commentator Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira has maintained that the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) selection panel has named the wrong squad for the first four games of the ongoing Ballr tri-series involving Australia and South Africa.

Perreira is of the view that some changes to the squad must be made in order for West Indies to be more competitive for the remainder of the tri-series.

“The wrong squad was selected, and I am not surprised by our performance against Australia last Sunday. Seriously there needs to be some changes to the squad,” Perreira told Guyana Chronicle Sport yesterday in an exclusive interview.

Further the veteran com-

Chairman of Selectors Clive Lloyd mentator questioned whether West Indies chief selector Clive Lloyd has lost his focus on the youth policy strategy he implemented last year prior to the home series against Australia.

Prior to that series, Lloyd said he wanted his young players to gain “exposure” and be “tested” against Australia.

“Our aim is to continue to play our young players

Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira to give them exposure, and you can’t get better exposure than playing against one of the best teams in the world,” Lloyd had said. “They will be tested and that is what it’s all about.”

Lloyd’s wish was granted. His young players were certainly exposed and tested. Unfortunately, most of his batsmen were found to be wanting against a strong Australian bowling line-up that turned the series into

a rout.

Based on that youth policy strategy, Perreira suggested that experienced opener Kraigg Brathwaite be included in the tri-series squad, since it is important to get a solid start.

He also recommended that Marlon Richards, who is a genuine swing bowler, Shane Dowrich, Shai Hope and Royston Chase, all be given an opportunity in keeping with Lloyd’s youth policy.

Perreira is of the view that batsman Marlon Samuels must produce or be replaced if he continues to fail while skipper Jason Holder should take much more responsibility with the bat.

It is no secret that West Indies cricket has fallen on hard times, and the latest result against Australia in the ongoing tri-series was just

GFF’s STAG Elite League semi-final matches set for tomorrow POINTS leaders in the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) STAG Elite League, Slingerz will face Pele, while Fruta Conquerors take on Alpha United tomorrow when semi-final action in the league starts at the Leonora Sports Facility.

In the opening game, Slingerz will tackle Pele from 18:00hrs and in the feature match, Fruta Conquerors face Alpha United.

According to a release, the GFF has made arrangements with a bus company to provide services to persons wishing to travel to the Leonora facility to wit-

ness the matches and this will cost each person $600 for the return trip.

The assembly point is Square of the Revolution, Homestretch Avenue and Vlissengen Road.

The first bus departs at 18:30hrs, while the next bus leaves the location at 19:00hrs.

In the last two matches of the preliminary round, Fruta Conquerors edged Pele 2-1 to occupy second position in STAG Elite League, while GFC registered their first win of the League with a 2-1 win after 14 matches. They, however,

remain at the bottom of the points table with a mere five points.

The North Ruimveldt-based team Fruta Conquerors came from one goal down after Julian Joseph sent Pele into the lead with a 30th minute goal. Fruta Conquerors equalised compliments of Jahall Greaves’ 71st minute goal and another from Jermey Cornette two minutes later.

The win for Fruta Conquerors took them to 34 points where they occupy second place going into tomorrow’s semi-final.

In the preliminary round, Slingerz led the points standing with 40 points from 13 victories and one draw.

They scored 43 goals and conceded a mere eight for a goal difference of plus 35.

Fruta Conquerors registered 34 points from their 14 games having won 11, lost two and drew one. They recorded 34 goals conceded 22.

Alpha United ended third in the preliminary round with 30 points from nine victories, two losses and three drawn games. They scored 36 goals and conceded 11.

Pele ended with a goal difference of minus five.

Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

Kraigg Brathwaite

the latest reminder of how far Caribbean cricket has fallen from the halcyon days when they were the most feared team in the world.

By the conclusion of the

tri-series, it should be clear whether Lloyd’s strategy on youth is starting to pay dividends, or whether it will be back to the drawing board.

CPL tickets go on sale today See story on page 23

THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016