Guyana chronicle e paper 09 10 2017

SEE INSIDE

See inside:

The beauty and richness of Indigenous Art ► Page II Jan Gomes’ ► Page VI scholarship dreams become reality

The Benab ► Page

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Pa b at

III

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Villa

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A prized legacy of indigenous architecture

No. 105031

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2017

Price: $140 (VAT Inclusive)

Make use of the land …President urges Pakuri residents

Page 3

CARICOM heads meet on hurricane situation Private practitioners urged to pay their taxes Page 14

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There is always hope in life Page 9

– survivor tells of fight to overcome depression, suicidal thoughts President David Granger on the tour of Pakuri Village (formerly St. Cuthbert’s Mission) on Saturday (Delano Williams photo)

Suspect admits to building illegal airstrip Page 2

Broadcasters paying up outstanding dues Page 2

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 10, 2017

Suspect admits to building illegal airstrip

POLICE obtained a confession from a suspect in connection with the construction of an illegal airstrip where an unlawful Brazilian-registered aircraft landed in Rupununi last month, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum confirmed with the Guyana Chronicle.

He noted that as a result of the information received, the police are currently pursuing one of the businessmen previously held but subsequently released on bail. He disclosed that two other persons are in police custody assisting with the investigation.

The suspect reportedly admitted to the construction and preparation of the airstrip to facilitate the operations of the plane. A heavy-duty piece of equipment believed to have been used in constructing the illegal airstrip had been seized by police and taken to the Lethem Police

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum Station.

Acting Police Commissioner, David Ramnarine had said that the passports found inside the aircraft revealed that a Brazilian and Colombian may have been the two persons who were seen fleeing from the aircraft when it was discovered.

The plane was seized after police and other security officials had journeyed to the Santa Fe area amid reports of strange flights,

The seized foreign aircraft was seen frequenting the Santa Fe/Maracanta area and discovered illegal fuel and other items near a makeshift airstrip.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon had disclosed that the Guyana Defence

Force (GDF) would soon be equipped with drones to help monitor Guyana’s air space.

He said the provision would be made in the 2018

National Budget to purchase the drones which would provide “more accurate readings” compared to the commercial craft.

The Minister said a

number of companies were expected to dispatch representatives to Guyana to outline their quality and type of drones that they were offering.

Broadcasters paying up outstanding dues –– as President assents to bill

LOCAL broadcasters have begun clearing their arrears with the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) with the aim of

ensuring that they are compliant in preparation for possible licensing.

In August, Guyana Chronicle had reported that there was more than

$140M outstanding in licensing fees for television, as well as cable and radio broadcasters, who were not in compliance as of December 31, 2016.

Those broadcasters could find themselves offair if they fail to make the necessary payments after the Broadcast (Amendment) Bill takes effect.

Following a closeddoor meeting in August, which was attended by Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, and the board of directors of the GNBA, Guyana Chronicle was informed that only six television and cable operators were compliant as of December 31, 2016 from a total of 27.

A number of radio stations were in default as well.

As of July to September 8, 2017, the number of compliant broadcasters has doubled from 6 to 12

from July 2017 to the September 8, 2017.

GNBA’s CEO, Dr. Prudence Lewis-Bhola, told Guyana Chronicle that there are 19 television operators, eight cable operators and 11 radio stations that are being monitored and licensed by the GNBA – the majority of which are in default.

“We wouldn’t name (them) but just six are compliant, with respect to payments and other documentations required for a licence,” she posited.

The CEO noted too that GNBA wrote the operators on numerous occasions with the hope that they would have paid their outstanding fees.

“We had written to broadcasters asking them to bring themselves as of December 31, 2016 in compliance, in anticipation of the board sitting and reconvene and reconstituted,” the CEO further posited.

Television and radio

broadcasters will be mandated to re-apply for their licences within 30 days of the commencement of the Broadcasting (Amendment) Act, but failure to clear outstanding debts could result in GNBA rejecting their application.

Meanwhile, in a statement to the media, the Office of the Prime Minister said it has received correspondence from Sobers, who indicated that following discussions with several broadcasters, positive feedback has been received relative to the recent passage of the Broadcast (Amendment) Bill 2017.

Some broadcasters had expressed concerns about some amendments to the legislation.

However on Saturday, the Office of the Prime Minister said it was informed in the missive from the GNBA that no broadcaster “has expressed any disagreement with the sixty (60) minutes time al-

location for Public Service Accouchement (PSA).”

The letter, dated September 8, 2017 and signed by the chairman of the GNBA, also stated that “the GNBA fully supports the amendments, as passed by the National Assembly in August 2017,” and that the board “has formally tabled a motion” to communicate same to the prime minister.

Meetings between the GNBA and broadcasters will continue and the prime minister has expressed satisfaction that broadcasters are being pro-active in seeking to clear their arrears as of December 2016 in an effort to ensure they are compliant in preparation for this year’s licensing.

The Broadcast (Amendment) Bill 2017 was passed in the National Assembly and has since been assented to by President David Granger.

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Make use of the land SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 10, 2017

…President urges Pakuri residents

By Michel Outridge PRESIDENT David Granger on Saturday during his visit to Pakuri which was designated the Heritage Village for Amerindian Heritage Month celebrations urged Guyana’s First Peoples to make use of the land to produce more foods, fruits for sale in the markets and to look towards eco-diversification in providing employment for all in the community.

Granger also encouraged Toshao Lenox Shuman to pay attention to the protocol plan which will be introduced in the community as the way forward and will be the guide in achieving objectives as it relates to the village.

The Head of State was at the time delivering the feature address at Pakuri Village Heritage Day, where he lauded the residents for their insight of changing the name of the village from St. Cuthbert’s Mission to Pakuri Village.

He said the authentication exercise was commendable, since the village was one of the largest in terms of geographical location and bigger than most Caribbean islands.

Granger told the large gathering that the protocol plan would serve as a guide, since Pakuri must go where it is going and it will work systematically to achieve that goal in which change is continuous.

The President said the protocol plan would eliminate the use of generators

in the village and ultimately enhance the lives of residents and promote education for the children in which Pakuri must accept responsibility for each child.

He added that with the protocol plan, no child should drop out of school and he would like to see more indigenous youths graduating from CPCE and UG and for the creation of more jobs for the villagers of Pakuri.

Granger said for greater job-creation in Pakuri Village, they have to introduce agro-processing and more craft production since the village had easier access to markets than other Amerindian communities.

He said, “Every indigenous youth can be employed by utilising the resources in the village such as having[MO1] crops of plantains among others to make chips to supply supermarkets and shops.”

The President added that the residents could convert traditional products into an industrial footing and use agricultural science to produce more from less land.

Against this background, Granger told the indigenous people that Guyana belonged to us and the ‘Giants of Guyana’ that is, the animals are part of Guyana as well as, part of the environment as protection – as being the habitat of the creatures in our high, low, grass, Rupununi lands and Essequibo islands.

Granger said that we have our rainforest, rivers, and beautiful waterfalls

Cultural dance by Lokono Wiwas

and as such, Pakuri Village can make a living out of eco-tourism to the benefit of its 1,500 residents by promoting canoeing, fishing, bird watching etc., where people can visit to experience clean air and fresh water among other things.

He also implored residents to make Pakuri Village more environmentally friendly by removing empty bottles in its surroundings and to embrace eco-diversification where produce can be processed, packaged and sold in Guyana in our supermarkets, shops, and markets.

On this note, Granger told the gathering of indigenous people to get rid of the addiction to oil, which he reminded them that is coming and it will go as well.

“We wouldn’t get drunk on oil. We can produce the best hammocks,” he said.

Granger said Pakuri can have eco-tourism as profit and introduce its goal of eco-diversification for greater job-creation and to protect our habitat for animals.

Also making remarks was Chief Kafoteh Lenox Shuman, who was outfitted

with his traditional wear and head-dress.

He said in order for the village to be transformed, they must maintain their rich tradition and culture and congratulated the President for accepting his application on behalf of the village for a name change.

Meanwhile, Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, in his remarks on Saturday at Pakuri Village reflected on indigenous persons who have made contributions to Guyana, starting from former minister Vibert De Souza, who was instrumental in advocating for the Amerindian event “Village Day” to become a national one which was first celebrated in Annai.

He also highlighted the roles of other indigenous individuals as he spoke of how rich a village Pakuri is since it has all the ingredients for its residents to have a good life, but suggested they require good leadership which will have the interests of the community as a priority and not for their own personal interests.

Allicock said there was a need for Indigenous peoples to work together and to identify good leaders for development of the community and had a donation of musical pieces for the villagers.

In her brief remarks, Opposition Member of Parliament, Gail Teixeira said she was there to represent Opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo and was pleased with the changes in the village over the years.

She said that the PPP was however, proud of its track record of Amerindian rights and land titling and noted that Amerindians are the true protectors of our environment, since they were the first peoples to settle at our borders – a debt we can never repay.

Teixeira noted that instead of us deciding who came first, we should celebrate as a diverse group since we have a lot to be proud of and reflect on our achievements and move forward.

She asked President Granger to assist the floodhit Regions of Seven, Eight and Nine and in one community 60 houses were washed away where a bud-

getary allocation is needed for the residents to ‘get back on their feet’ so to speak, since he has signalled his support to assist hurricane-hit Caribbean islands.

The atmosphere at Pakuri Village was one of celebration which was well attended by Guyanese of all walks of life and there was plenty to eat and drink from the many stalls set up.

After the packed programme, there were activities of cassava processing, tocuma bursting, straw plaiting, tocuma eating, fly drinking, bow and arrow shooting and spear throwing ,all of which President Granger viewed.

He also had a walk around the village as he met and greeted both visitors and villagers.

The programme included cultural chants, prayers, songs, dances, poems, and display of traditional outfits.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 10, 2017

Floridians scramble for safety as Irma closes in HURRICANE Irma turned its fury toward the Florida Keys on Saturday after setting off one of the largest evacuations of Americans from a storm and completing a destructive march along Cuba’s northern coast.

Irma was expected to rip through Florida’s southern archipelago on Sunday morning as a Category 4 storm, the second-highest designation on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Wind gusts near hurricane force began to batter the Florida Keys late on Saturday, the National Hurricane Center said.

The storm’s enormity over the past several days has daunted even veteran forecasters. Hurricane force winds extended 70 miles (112 km) from Irma’s centre as it veered toward Florida, a state around 150 miles (240 km) wide.

Irma, which killed at least 22 people in the Caribbean, was considered a life-threatening danger to Florida as well and could inflict a natural disaster causing billions of dollars in damage to the third-most-populous U.S. state.

Tracking models showed

Irma would make landfall on the western side of the Florida peninsula and heading up the coast, bringing 130-mph (209 kph) winds, storm surges up to 15 feet (4.6 meters) and flooding in some areas.

Amid urgent warnings from state officials to evacuate before it was too late, downtown Miami was all but abandoned on Saturday.

Sheets of rain swept through the deserted city of 400,000 people, forming large puddles in empty streets that are usually filled with tour buses and taxi cabs.

The wind sent a construction crane spinning on the roof of the Miami Worldcenter, a billion dollar mixed-use project near the home of the Miami Heat basketball team and the city’s performing arts centre.

On Florida’s west coast, resident Charley Ball said he expected a storm surge to completely engulf the island of Sanibel where he lives.

“Just left the island and said goodbye to everything I own,” said Ball, 62.

HURRICANE EXPERTS

RATTLED Irma, located about 105 miles (168 km) southeast of Key West on Saturday night, was a Category 5 storm, the highest ranking possible, when it crashed into Cuba during the morning.

It gradually weakened to a Category 3 storm as it bumped along the island’s northern coastline, flooding streets and sending waves crashing over sea walls.

Maximum sustained winds stayed around 125 mph (201 kph), the NHC said. Irma is expected to regain strength as it steams over warm waters south of Florida.

Irma will dump up to 20 inches (25 cm to 51 cm) of rain over Florida and southeast Georgia through Monday, the National Weather Service said, a fraction of what Hurricane Harvey dropped on Texas and Louisiana two weeks ago, killing 60 people and causing an estimated $180 billion in property damage.

But unlike with Harvey, dangerous winds will barely abate once Irma makes landfall on Sunday morning.

Tom Durr, a 66-year-old retired physician who along with his wife, Lorraine, fled their house near a large bay on the Gulf Coast on Tuesday for a small farm they own in North Carolina, said he does not expect much to be left

Shelters are filling up quickly and people are queuing to get inside when they return. seaweed. Elsewhere, winds Trump said on Twitter.

“It will be a nice water- toppled trees and utility polls A total of some nine milfront lot in sunny Florida with or ripped apart roofs. lion people in Florida may no house, no trees, no cars, no “This was the strongest lose power, some for weeks, boats and an amazing view storm Caibarien ever had. It the Florida Power & Light of devastation as far as you will take a while to recover Co said. can see.” from this, at least a few years.”

The window for peoThe Durrs’ house is in said Risle Echemendia, 28. ple in evacuation zones to Englewood, between Fort It was the first time the flee was drawing to a close Myers and Sarasota near eye of a Category 5 storm had on Saturday, officials said, where the eye of Hurricane made landfall in Cuba since warning that gas stations Irma is forecast to hit land.

1932, state media said, and the would soon be without island’s Communist govern- fuel and bridges would be DESTRUCTION IN CUBA ment ordered the evacuation closed in some areas. But In Cuba, the destruction of more than a million people the storm’s unpredictability along the north central coast from its path. made even evacuation chalwas similar to that suffered Officials in Florida have lenging. by other Caribbean islands ordered a total of 6.3 million Chris Cardona and his over the last week as Irma people, or about a third of the wife Laurie left their mobile plowed into Ciego de Avila state’s population, to evacuate, home near Miami on Thursday province. creating massive traffic jams to seek refuge with friends Cubans walked through on highways and overcrowd- near Tampa. ankle-deep water in Caibarien, ing shelters.

“Not only did we go west, a fishing town where streets In Palm Beach, President but so did Irma. She’s tracking were flooded and covered in Donald Trump’s waterfront us, that feisty minx,” Cardona, Mar-a-Lago estate was under 54, said by phone. evacuation order.

Irma could cause insur“This is a storm of enor- ance losses of between $15 mous destructive power, and billion and $50 billion in the I ask everyone in the storm’s United States, catastrophe path to heed ALL instructions modeling firm AIR Worldfrom government officials,” wide said. (Reuters)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 10, 2017

The ship is not sinking yet, but it is in some distress: Change now or…

MY last two columns were driven by my increasing concern that the coalition government is losing the battle for the hearts and minds of the majority of Guyanese.

Elections are not won on election day—they are won through a longer process of political engagement with the society by political parties armed with a clear vision and accompanying message.

My support for this government is grounded in my belief that the PPP, driven by its ideology which com-

bines political domination, political spite and manifest destiny, should not be given the reins of government on its own anytime soon. I also support this government because it represents a baby step in the direction of a political ideal that I firmly embrace—a Government of National Unity. Hence, my appraisal of the performance of the government is partly against these two factors.

Unlike other government supporters, my support is not blind. I support the govern-

ment, but I will not surrender my right and responsibility to critique, to ask questions of those who govern. And I insist in doing so both publicly and within the corridors of power available to be as a member of one of the coalition parties.

I part company perhaps with most Guyanese who subscribe to the view that you must only critique in private. As calypsonian Chalkdust would sing, “I in town too long.”

So here goes. I am worried that the coalition is in trouble.

In my last two columns, I

sought to make two fundamental points. First, the PPP has over the last two years been able to push its 23 years of devastation of Guyana’s politics and political landscape into the background of the popular consciousness. The party has employed a narrative that combines appeals to Indian- Guyanese ethno-racial insecurities and fears, definition of the government as the embodiment of incompetence and bad governance. The consequence is that the PPP has succeeded in turning most of

its own political sins on the government.

Listening to the PPP frame this government, with a straight face, as corrupt, racist and authoritarian is hard to swallow, but the truth is that it is succeeding in its mission to discredit and delegitimise the government. This brings me to the second fundamental point I have sought to make, which is that the PPP’s mission has succeeded largely because of the actions and non-action of the government. The government through a combination of

frequent elementary political mistakes, lack of cohesive world-view and inability to push back against the PPP’s attacks has allowed the PPP the space it needs to accomplish its mission.

I argued that the adoption of a strategy whereby the government is administered as if it were a one-party government rather than a coalition has led to a narrowing of decision-making to the Cabinet and a concomitant sidelining of the coalition political parties Turn to page 20 ►

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 10, 2017

The pharmaceuticals inquiry reports THE inquiry conducted by the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) into the $632million purchase of pharmaceuticals for the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation earlier this year, which attracted public attention given the process used to source, has produced two reports. There is a minority report from one of the opposition PPP/C nominees, Commissioner Sukrishnalall Pasha, and while the entire content of this report is not fully known, what is known is that he recommended the involvement of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

This inquiry, while being conducted within a budding democracy, can be looked at within two contexts. One, an act of applying all the rudiments of the PPC’s process the country is expected to follow, and two, pandering to the divisive politics that have permeated the society over recent years, which continues to pose challenges to social cohesion, good governance and holistic

development.

Irrespective of the Terms of Reference of the inquiry or what the minority report recommended, what is undisputed is that both reports have made known that the procurement rules were not followed in acquisition of the pharmaceuticals. The commonality of this finding not only confirms efforts to ensure the rules are adhered to by the PPC, but also suggests possibilities of forging consensus politics on issues pertaining to the State, the management of its business, and the welfare of citizens.

This could bode well for society and follow-through could negate allegations of corruption or finger-pointing.

At the PPC’s inquiry, Public Health Minister, Volda Lawrence, advised that she did not approve the purchase of the drugs and she reiterated these statements in an interview with this newspaper on Thursday in the face of Pasha seeking to pin blame on her.

It will be recalled that after the contract was awarded, there was a litany

of statements, allegations and counter allegations as to the process, and who recommended and/or authorised the purchase. This society is still reeling from and feeling the effects of the non-establishment of the PPC by the former administration. The PPC was established only last year, though the Act to give it effect was signed since 2004. The sore issues of awarding contracts to friends and families, by-passing laws and procedures, single-sourcing, wastage of taxpayers’ money, and allegations of other unethical practices still linger. The malpractices that flowed therefrom caused Guyana to be ranked the most corrupt English-speaking Caribbean country by Transparency International (TI).

In the 2017 TI Report, Guyana registered slight improvement on the Corruption Perception Index. Though this is noted, and the APNU+AFC Government is to be commended for taking steps in the right direction, it is not of major significance and says to the society that complacency cannot step in and

vigilance must remain the watchword.

The missteps in the pharmaceuticals process, be they deliberate or not, have cast a shadow which must be removed for the good of the country.

Procurement has contributed to divisions in the society and retarded development. The appointment of the commission has gone a far way in offering some glimmer of hope that these would be stories of the past, rules and laws will be adhered to, a level playing field established and every group or individual will have a fair shot in bidding for and doing business for the State.

This view is shared by the APNU+AFC Government under whose stewardship the commission was established, and notably Minister Lawrence, a member of the Select Committee that saw the identification of the five-member PPC, on this achievement said, “All Guyana wants to see transparency, accountability and more so a level playing field in the tendering process.”

Skeldon the cause of problems in sugar industry

Dear Editor,

KINDLY permit me to reply to a letter writer Mr Sookram Persaud, who feels that he is an authority on Guysuco and sugar. In his letter to the press on September 6th and 7th in the Guyana Times, the Chronicle and Kaieteur News, respectively, he wrote about my letter peddling lies and half-truths, yet he failed to provide any tangible evidence.

If he had done any research on the co-generation facility at Skeldon, he would

have been aware that when this Government took office, the only one of the Wartsila engines was working, one was limping and one was completely down. One year after all three engines were once again operational and that was when I made that statement which was reported in the press in December 2016, that the co-gen plant was 100 percent operational.

Where is the lie?

Mr. Sookram seems to have a problem getting his facts correctly and placing them in the correct time sequence; and I do feel that

this is a deliberate attempt to twist my letter to suit his political agenda. He should also be aware -- since he is an authority on the subject matter-- that a dryer installed in the processing area in the Skeldon Factory has never worked, though it cost millions of dollars. Also, though every section in the factory was supposed to be fully automated, the entire factory is fully manual, employing nearly 300 persons.

The dumper section had to be fixed by this Government and the diffuser system never worked efficiently. Where

is the lie?

Then he has a problem with privatisation and diversification. Nowhere in my letter did I propose diversification. I said that sugar can be profitable in private hands and that Skeldon should be used as a model.

This man definitely has poor comprehension skills or is deliberately trying to deceitfully attribute things to me which I never wrote.

I also want to educate Sookram that it was the Skeldon ‘White Elephant’ which malnourished the entire industry and caused

management to resort to ‘voodoo crop husbandry.’

Mr Bhim and Mr Hanoman had to carry out the ‘political dictates’ of Jagdeo and the PPP Government at that time. In fact, Mr Hanoman had predicted that GUYSUCO will become insolvent since 2007. Political interference was the order of the day and when the PPP administration could not have their dictates carried out, they brought Raj Singh to do the ‘final rites’ for Guysuco.

Ms Audreyanna Thomas, Senior Communications Officer of Guysu-

co, invited Mr. Sookram Persaud if he does exist to have a discussion with Guysuco to enlighten him on various issues, but he never accepted the challenge (KN February 3rd2017). Like Ms. Thomas, I likewise feel that he does not exist.

Regards GOBIN HARBHAJAN Regional Democratic Council, APNU+AFC Former Board of Director Skeldon Electricity Inc. (SEI)

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SUNDAYCHRONICLE September 10, 2017

The right to work,the right to choose

Dear Editor

THE recent pronouncement by Minister Keith Scott as it relates to the banning of single mothers who are security guards from working night shifts has been hailed by some as a good initiative.

However, as golden as it may seem on the outside, one only needs to scratch the surface to reveal the inaccuracies, violations and contradictions that lie beneath.

His statement is erroneous, inconsiderate and irresponsible. This initiative is exempt of proper consultation with those who will be directly affected and without in-depth research. In short, it is not a fit and proper policy.

The minister, while attempting to seemingly look into the interest of single mothers in this sector, is nonetheless creating an atmosphere of ill will and conflict between the female and male security guards, since there are a few men who are single dads as well and could request to work day shifts only. The inaccuracies

lie in the fact that it is not only the security guard services wherein single mothers work. There are a number of sectors such as the medical, military, para-military, call centres, hospitality, restaurant, airline, bars and night clubs just to name a few. Are we to believe that very soon the single mothers in these sectors will be banned from the night shifts?

What the minister failed to do was to activate the tripartite process which would have provided him with the forum and opportunity to consult with the employer and workers representatives, from where he would have obtained valid and relevant information as to why these women agreed to be employed in a sector where they are detailed to work nights and what they would like put in place to assist them in this regard. No mother is happy to leave her child uncared for at nights. Hence, there must be some legitimate reason for her doing so.

Minister Keith Scott seems to be in oblivion as to the fact that because of these

women’s economic position, they must garner sufficient finance to pay bills and provide for the needs of their offspring.

The ban is a direct violation of the UN Declaration on Human Rights, Article 25, sections 1-3, which provides for the right to work, free choice of employment, protection against unemployment and the right to equal pay for equal work without discrimination. It contradicts the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Decent Work Agenda, which aims at fighting poverty and fostering development. The foremost being that of earning an income which allows the worker to have a good life, something that was promised by this current administration.

It also contradicts the Decent Work Check, a process which allows for the comparison of the system, where the worker is able to compare the real situation with the national regulations of the country. In this case, the real situation is that a single mother is hard pressed into having to provide adequately

The problems at City Hall

Dear Editor,

IT was quite agonising and indeed simply appalling to sit in the Chambers of the City Hall in Georgetown recently and witness the Mayor and Councillors engage in an exercise that not only defied logic and the will of the vast majority of the citizenry, but also in one that showed a complete lack of regard and thorough disrespect for the rule of

law and the judicial system of Guyana.

It is simply beyond any rational person’s comprehension, how in the midst of a matter engaging the courts of Guyana, and I speak of the burdensome and unlawful parking meter system that was foisted on businesses, residents and visitors to Georgetown by City Hall, they could be pontificating on the way forward for that very unwise and illegal initiative.

It should come as no surprise that the ‘Fantastic Four’ and their cronies voted in favour of the council continuing with the illegal parking meter system -- and more disgracefully -- continuing with the same company, Smart City Solutions, as they clearly has a vested interest in this purported company continuing with this infamous project. One should not forget that it is they who got us into this mess in the first place,

for her family. She is the sole breadwinner and every dime and dollar count. To do this effectively, she is left with no other option than to work those shifts that will earn her some extra income that will give her the leverage to take care of the bare necessities of life such as shelter, food, clothing, education and transportation.

House rent and mortgages are high, food and clothing follow next, education comes with a cost even though it might be via the government system and its hardship is compounded with the taking away of the $10,000.00 per child school grant and lastly transportation, since despite there is the David Granger buses, only secondary schoolchildren are allowed to travel on them. There are other utility bills such as water and electricity which must be paid on time to avoid disconnection. Therefore, the real situation when compared to the national regulations is unrealistic.

The minister wants us to believe that his actions are just and considerate, but once

again it is in violation of the ILO Decent Work Agenda, which states that one cannot be discriminated against in any aspect of employment on the basis of family responsibility, the right to work and protection against occupation segregation on the basis of gender. Even though it is an age-old notion that women are the principal care-givers in the family, one must not forget that family life has changed dramatically over the centuries, globally.

Instead of banning night work for single mothers in the security sector and casting them into financial dilemma, one needs to advocate for 24 hours community child care facilities which would provide a service to parents who are required to work shifts, provide responsible and supervised care to children of a certain age range and provide employment to the unemployed. In September 2015, Guyana (represented by President David Granger) attended the United Nations General Assembly.

At this important meeting, it was highlighted that the De-

cent Work and the four pillars of the Decent Work Agenda (employment creation, social protection, right to work and social dialogue) are now the integral elements of the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development.

The theme for International Women’s Day 2016 was “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step it up for Gender Equality.” This theme focused on how to accelerate the 2030 Agenda for the effective implementation of the new Sustainable Development Goals which include achieving gender equality, empowerment of all women and women’s human rights.

Despite being the minister charged with the responsibility for labour, it would seem that Minister Keith Scott has missed the memo on this important call to action. One must never forget that it is every person’s fundamental right to work and right to make their own choices.

with the signing the contract, which the town clerk had no authority to so do, flying off to Central America to “pal up” with representatives of the company, and it was they who hid the contract from the rest of the councillors and the citizens at large, and who boasted that Smart City Solutions was here to stay.

But in addition to the show of indifference to and defilement of the court system of Guyana by some councillors, it was the public display of pomposity, contempt and impertinence to the councillors

and the citizenry by the town clerk that was most egregious.

Clearly, this individual believes that he is a legal luminary even though he has no legal qualifications, believes that he is the smartest person in the room, even though Georgetown must be the most bankrupt and worst managed city in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Unless the town clerk can produce the agenda and minutes of a Council meeting he claimed that was purportedly presided over by then Mayor Hamilton Green and which decided

that a parking meter agreement should be entered into with Smart City Solutions, or in the absence of that, unless the town clerk can show on what legal authority he exceeded the limit of GYD$250,000 that he on his own can enter into as a contract on behalf of the Council, then that contract is null and void. But more importantly, he should be severely disciplined and possibly prosecuted.

happening in Guyana today.

But as someone who always tries to be fair-minded and guided by a clear conscience, I hasten to say that the performance of this Government leaves much to be desired. The electricity situation hasn’t changed for more than 40 years and that is inexcusable. Two years is more than enough time for there to have been some noticeable improvement in the supply of electricity here. The Traffic Department has fallen dormant to the ‘stopping in the intersection’

anomaly and mini-buses continue to do as they please on our roads. These are only a few of the many areas where the new Government can do a lot more.

But to earn your keep by being so insensitive to shame and disgrace to suggest that you and your consorts were doing a better job for the Guyanese people under the PPP is abhorrent and should carry with it some sort of criminal liability.

SHAMEFUL AND SHAMELESS

Dear Sir

IT is amazing that any member of the PPP could have the gall to criticise the performance of this Government in general or any ministry in particular!

Without ascribing responsibility to a particular ministry for what I see as drastic and evident improvement in many sectors of Guyanese life, let me remind the blind, anosmic,

and conscience-lacking PPP spokesperson that Georgetown looks and smells a lot better now than when you were in power. Over the last few months there was a very high volume of rainfall and absolutely nothing happened to the city. Who in their right minds could deny that fact?

The economy is performing as it should under normal circumstances. We don’t want to get into the reasons why there was greater cash flow

under the PPP, we all know why, and today those of us who understand that states have a responsibility to regulate the types of businesses and transactions that operate in the economy are happy and relieved that the number of those ‘cash flow’ events is now on the decline.

The majority of streets in Georgetown (and in many other places) have been resurfaced. Attention is now being paid to Education like

attention has never been paid there since in the 60s. Internet accessibility is spreading throughout Guyana like a virus (unintentional) and that fibre optic cable thing that so much money was squandered on under the PPP had nothing to do with the spread.

Those are a representative few of the many areas where there could be no comparison made to the inept, abysmal, shameful and embarrassing tenure of the PPP and what is

Regards GILLIAN BURTON-PERSAUD

Regards MODI SANKAR

DISGUSTED

NATURAL DISASTERS 8

AS I write, tropical storm Irma is wreaking havoc and destruction in Florida, and threatens to spread her carnage farther inland to areas such as Georgia. At last count, 23 persons were killed as the largest storm since 1992 slammed several Caribbean islands. Many Guyanese nationals who are scattered in the Caribbean, are among the victims of this latest bout of natural disaster.

Like so many Guyanese, I have relatives and friends in the Caribbean, Florida and elsewhere in the United States who have fallen victims to natural disasters of various types.

I choked on my emotions as I spoke with my eldest sister, aged 80, who lives in western Florida, and had felt safe inside her home before the storm dramatically changed course.

I was worried for my niece Julie and my friend Cecil in the Fort Lauderdale area, who couldn’t leave their homes due to traffic congestion, and buckled down for the worst. They are amongst the nine million inhabitants who are exposed to the double hurricane whammy – now Irma, and later, Jose.

At a personal level, we can all agonise for our loved ones because we can do nothing else, and can only hope for the best and, in a worst-case context, that our next telephone conversation would not be the last. In any case, the footprints and scars of these storms would be enormous and tragic.

PAIN AND LOSS But as a nation, we can hold out the promise that Guyana could help in some ways to ease the pain and cushion the losses. As the Governor of Florida said, “we can rebuild your homes, not your lives.” And we have done this before when our sister Caribbean states such as Haiti and Dominica were in distress. We sent cash and food, apart from technical teams to help the reconstruction efforts. We also have to reach out to the many Guyanese who may want to return to their homeland, even temporarily, until the nightmare is over.

It is estimated that some 20,000 children are among the tens of thousands who are without adequate food and safe shelter. In Barbuda, some 132 schools have been flattened and so have bridges, roads and hospitals in Anguilla, the British Virgin islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Puerto Rico, The Bahamas and Cuba.

In Guyana, we have to abandon the idle boast that we don’t live in a hurricane or earthquake zone. The recent earthquake in Mexico, which killed 80 persons, and previous ones in nearby Venezuela, should wake us up to the reality that no where is a disaster-free haven. Tail-lashes in Regions One, Five and Eight from itinerary storms that flattened houses; and

rising water levels in some of our rivers, as in Region Nine, show that we too are exposed and vulnerable even when floods emanate from another contiguous state. The spectre of climate change now haunts us all, globally.

GOOD NEIGHBOUR So when President Granger held out our nation’s hands in solidarity with our sister peoples of the Caribbean, including Guyanese nationals, he was doing what any good neighbour should be doing. This is not a matter over which there should be politicking; or an occasion for double-speak as Opposition leader Jagdeo sought to do. He was reported by yesterday’s Guyana Times as saying, under a banner caption: “Govt must tap Treasury to help natural disaster victims at home.”

It needs very little imagination to picture what Mr. Jagdeo intended. With forked tongue, he was saying: help the Caribbean, but do something for Region Eight disaster victims.

Why Region Eight? Well, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) is politically a battleground constituency, where a few swing votes could make a difference at the polls. That was why he had called for compensation for damage caused by freak storms and flash floods in Region Eight, knowing that his administration didn’t pay compensation for previous natural disasters. It didn’t pay a dime to businesses that suffered losses in the periodic and regular, annual ritual of flooding in Georgetown. It didn’t even bother to hold an inquiry into the 2005 Great Flood, which had devastated the entire East Demerara, including portions of Georgetown. The flood had all the hallmarks of gross negligence, for which food hampers and a cash pittance were doled out to some affected areas.

DIVIDE AND CONFUSE His latest empathy for Region Eight is more of the

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 10, 2017

old divide-and-confuse, racist obsession with fortifying an electoral base. He tried to couch his pronouncement but couldn’t conceal the central message: “Don’t neglect Guyanese-Amerindians for African-Caribbean nationals”!

It’s the same divisive politics playing out, reminiscent of the Jagdeo-PPP opposing subsidies for electricity in Linden on the ground that the sugar belt was paying the full cost for the service. I recall when GPL removed street lamps that were illegally installed in a few West Berbice villages at the instruction of former government officials, the cry again was for government to withdraw the energy subsidy from Linden.

GRATEFUL NATION Guyana is known for her hospitality and one would expect that we should maintain our generous disposition, even whilst we face challenges of our own. Recently, we received reports from PAHO/WHO of an outbreak of measles in Venezuela and that Venezuelan nationals were trekking across the border for treatment in Guyana. We did not turn away the sick and the needy, although Guyana would have every reason to be disturbed by the continuing false claims raised by this neighbouring state to our territory, and had sabotaged our development. We re-affirmed that the Venezuelan people are our neighbours and our friends and we opened to them our clinics and hospitals for emergency treatment.

We know that in times of natural disasters, Guyana too has received assistance from other countries, and solidarity from our neighbours. We must therefore evolve as a grateful nation, and extend a helping hand to those in distress from natural disasters. There is no room for equivocation, double-speak or cheap politricking.

Defaulting MMA/ADA farmers have up to year-end

By Clifford Stanley MINISTER of Agriculture, Noel Holder, last week disclosed that farmers who collectively owe the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA) over $500M for drainage and irrigation and land rental charges, have until the end of this year to pay up, failing which their leases will be rescinded and given to those who are willing to pay.

The minister disclosed the deadline in a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle, saying that the dominant motivation of those who were resisting paying their arrears and the new rates was “a toxic mix of greed and politics.”

He stressed: “This $500M they owe has to do with the old rates. They haven’t addressed this much less addressed the issue of the new

rates.”

He added: “We are writing these delinquent farmers now. If they don’t pay up by the end of this year, we will do what the law says we must do.”

The minister’s comments came in the wake of recent statements by General Manager of the MMA/ADA, Aubrey Charles, who disclosed that as at July 2017, payments by farmers amounted to a mere 30% of the sums needed for the provision of D&I services .

Charles had warned that as such, the farmers should understand that the MMA would only be able to provide the level of service they require if they honour their obligations.

Commenting on the MMA/ADA situation, Minister Holder said that many of the defaulters were not even farming the land. “Many of them are landlords, which

is illegal. They are not supposed to lease land from the Government and then sublet it. That is what many of them are doing.”

He said that some of those landlords have been renting to the big farmers at rates as high as $20,000 per acre. He said: “We want $15,000 per acre.

Pay us. You will still clear.”

He stressed that a position taken by some farmers that they did not have enough capital to purchase tractors, combines and other equipment was the reason that they were sub-letting their lands, was a poor argument.

He said one farmer with 10 acres may not be able to afford a tractor, but 10 farmers with 100 acres could easily afford a tractor. What they needed to do was to form co-ops or get into some arrangement whereby they could invest in a machinery pool, so they could look after their production and then hire

out the equipment. He said that the MMA would take away the lands leased by those who would not pay and give them to the people who were sub-letting from them.

He stressed too that granting waivers of rates was out of the question.

“Some people have been paying. So you haven’t [been] paying for the last five years and I waive your rates. But this farmer has been paying. I can’t penalise him when you have been getting off. I will have to give him back his money. If the defaulters pay up the MMA/ADA does not need a subvention. With the new rates the MMA/ADA will make enough surpluses to do the Mahaicony /Abary phase of the project, as well as the Mahaica/Mahaicony section of this project.”

He said that it needed to be understood that Guyana was facing climate change.

“There is a coastland, it is

six feet below sea level and 80% of the population lives here. The coastland is threatened. We have to take cognizance of this and what we are doing is trying to improve our drainage by putting in more pumps, because whereas in the past we drained 12 hours a day through the sluices, because of rising sea levels, we can now only drain for about 10 hours.

“So we are putting in more pumps, but when we do so it costs more money to drain and it doesn’t bring a cent more productivity to the nation for the extra money we [are] putting in to maintain rice and sugar production He said that this made it very important for people to pay up to the MMA/ADA to support that extra climate change mitigation, as well as fund the two additional phases of the project.

Most of the farmers who are in default with their pay-

ments are those cultivating crops in the Abary/Berbice area.

The D&I rates for the Abary/Berbice rice cultivation was raised from a maximum of $2500 per acre to $8,000 per acre and the land rent charges have been increased from $1,000 per acre per year to $7,000 per acre per year for 2017.

This means an overall increase from $3500 per acre per year to $15,000 per acre per year.

The D&I charges for the Abary/Mahaicony area had been increased from $1241 to $7000 per acre per year and in the Mahaicony/Mahaica area, from a situation where the farmers here had not been asked to pay for D&I charges, even though those services had been provided from zero to $5000 per acre per year.

Farmers have since been protesting against the increases, saying that they are too steep.

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SUNDAYCHRONICLE September 10, 2017

There is always hope in life –– survivor tells of fight to overcome depression, suicidal thoughts

By Svetlana Marshall STRUGGLING to cope with the realities of life, Samantha Sheoprashad had made several attempts on her life after falling into a severe state of depression but it was the constant message of hope that kept her head above the rough waters.

Today, she is one of the 2017 Queen’s Young Leaders championing the cause for mental health issues to be placed on the front burner.

As she walked down memory lane, the 27-year-old Enterprise, East Coast Demerara (ECD), web designer said had it not been for the unwavering support of her friends, lecturers, counsellors and psychologist, she would not have been here to tell the story.

Growing up in Enterprise with her extended family, Samantha said at an early age she was confined to the social and cultural traditions of society – a society back then that placed little emphasis on advanced education for girls and women.

A society that taught girls and women that marriage was the best option and they were best placed in the home.

Determined to break the barriers set by her village, Samantha at the age of 21 opted to attend the University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus.

“My family didn’t afford me the opportunity to go to the university, so I had to battle that on my own,” she said.

Samantha started to read for her degree in computer science at a time when she was battling with severe depression and symptoms associated with mild schizophrenia.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), schizophrenia, like depression is a mental disorder, however, it is characterised by profound disruptions in thinking, affecting language,

Mental Health Unit Director, Dr. Util Richmond-Thomas

perception and the sense of self.

Ignorant of the mental illness, Samantha was categorised by some as a demonic person.

“Religious bodies who saw my dilemma thought that I was possessed and they would have prayed.

They did more than six years of prayers and fasting but nothing ever stopped it,” she recalled.

Her battle with the mental disorders was further compounded by the abusive relationship her parents shared and her inability to secure a job to sustain herself while attending the university.

“The painful part of it was not being able to have a job and study...you go to so many different interviews, you are not qualified because you are young, you are not qualified because you don’t have this, you are not qual-

ified because you are studying, nobody wants anybody who is studying,” the Queens Young Leader said as she spoke passionately.

Overwhelmed by her circumstances, Samantha decided to quit UG and end her life but was stopped in process by Narendra Nauth – a young man who she had grown close to while studying the same programme at the university.

For hours, he spoke her out of it, but it was not long after that she made other attempts.

Realising that she needed professional help, Narendra took her to an American Psychologist, Dr. Eton Simon.

“From there on I started to heal I started to recover,” the young lady said.

She was 23 when the

healing process started.

She also had counselling sessions at the university.

SUPPORT FROM COLLEAGUES While away from counselling sessions, Samantha received much-needed support from her colleagues and the lecturers at the university.

“Both Malcom Williams and Eldon Marks (my lecturers) coached me through that period of time and provided that support relentlessly…

Malcom was more of a logical person, Eldon came on with a spiritual point of view, and he came on with the meditative aspect. He would be like Sam, meditate on something that would bring you peace,” she recalled.

Even as she continues to heal, Samantha launched the Enterprise Youth Development Group as she created

that safe space for young people to express themselves, in particular those dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts.

“Talking helps and it is important for us to create that space where young people can express themselves, where they can be encourage and receive the guidance they need.”

It was that space and support that a 42-year-old taxi driver in Central Georgetown may not have had, that caused him to end his life after years of battling with alcohol abuse, his foster daughter, who requested anonymity, said Samantha as she cried silently.

November, 2017 will mark one year since the father of four took his life, but the pain of his passing

remains fresh in the hearts of many.

“Sometimes I think, maybe if I had reached out to him, maybe if I had given him a chance to tell his side of the story, he would have been here with us today. I regret not doing that,” she said.

In addition to alcohol abuse, the taxi driver was having domestic problems with his wife over his fear that she was being unfaithful.

Mary (not her real name) said her foster father, who was providing for her since she was five, committed suicide 11 years ago.

“He heard that if anyone is found committing the act and they survive they will be charged and placed before the court. He didn’t want to be charged and placed before the court so he left and never got professional counselling or his treatment,” Mary recalled.

Today, she is calling for the

decriminalisation of suicide, contended that her foster father could have gotten the professional help he needed if he was not fearful that he would have been placed behind bars.

While mental illnesses such as depression and alcohol abuse are not the only reasons why people attempt to commit suicide or commit suicide, they are some of the primary reasons, especially in low and middle-income countries.

On the basis that suicide is a serious public health concern, Pan American Health Organisation/ World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) representative, Dr. William AduKrow continues to call for the decriminalisation of suicide in Guyana.

ARCHAIC LAW During a parliamentary confab last July, Dr. Adu-Krow said there is an urgent need for legislative changes to be made as he alluded to the Criminal Law Offences Act Cap.8:01, the Summary Jurisdiction Offences Act Cap. 8:02 and the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Act Cap, 68:09. Reference was also made to the Customs Act, the Food and Drugs Act and the Mental Hospital Ordinance Cap. 140.

Pointing to Section 95 of the Criminal Law Offences Act, Cap. 8:01, he concluded that the legislation would only fuel more suicides. According to that section, “everyone who aids or abets any person in the commission of suicide shall be guilty of felony and liable to imprisonment for life”.

It is belief that if a person escapes prosecution, that person is encouraged to commit suicide.

Section 96 criminalises the act, and creates provision for imprisonment. “Everyone who attempts to commit suicide shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and liable to imprisonment for two years,” Dr. Adu-Krow said while quoting the law.

But Director of the Mental Health Unit, Dr. Util Richmond-Thomas, during an exclusive interview with Guyana Chronicle, said while the “law is on the books, it is not enforced”.

According to her, the decriminalisation of suicide is not on the front burner for Guyana currently, stating that it may be pursued in the future.

Samantha Sheoprashad, the Queen’s Young Leader (2017) WHO states that every year close to 800, 000 people take their own life, noting that there are many more people who attempt suicide.

Guyana, according to WHO, in 2015 had the second highest suicide rate in the world after Sri Lanka with a rate of 30.6 deaths per 100, 000. Sri Lanka has the highest rate with 34.6 deaths per 100, 000.

Using 2014 as a baseline with a suicide rate of 34.7 deaths per 100, 000, the Public Health Ministry in its compilation of the National Mental Health Action Plan 2015-2020 with support from PAHO/WHO, had set a target of 25 per 100, 000 for 2017, and less than 20 deaths per 100, 000 for 2020.

It is unclear whether Guyana will meet that target.

PROGRESS But Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings said the country has been making progress, pointing that in the past it had the alarming suicide rate of 44.2 deaths per 100,000 people.

The statistics in 2012 have shown that suicide was the leading cause of death among young people aged 15-44, and the second leading cause of death among the 2024 age group.

Females attempted suicide more frequently than their male counterparts at a ratio of 3:1; East Indians had accounted for 50 per cent of the cases whereas Afro-Guyanese had accounted for 26 per cent of cases, the minister reported as she addressed the parliamentary confab in July.

The common risk factors identified were acute emotional distress and depression (37 per cent), accessibility to lethal substances such as herbicides See page 17

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 10, 2017

Not on my watch…I remain committed to a cause not personalities THE APNU+AFC Government is its own worst enemy. It need not be offended by anyone who speaks out against acts of poor governance, incompetence, contempt for citizens’ rights and the rule of law when it is blatantly engaging in the very misconduct for which its leadership, when in Opposition, had condemned its predecessor. Those getting vex with, seeking to silence or punish yours truly, David Hinds, Freddie Kissoon, Mark Benschop, Anand Goolsarran, Chris Ram, et al, who in real time vocally castigated PPP/C administrations for poor governance, which they are the beneficiaries of, are not smart or don’t understand smart politics.

Let me make it very clear in the event there exists ambiguity about my position on governance: government is about people and people’s development. Wherever or whenever there exists a threat or a threat is posed to this

principle, there shall be no silence from me. This must serve as notice to those who seek my silence or have become angry, I’ve remained vocal after 11th May 2015.

Society did not vote to continue what it condemned.

Neither is two-third of this nation’s population, i.e. young people, deserving to live in a society where hopelessness and disappointment prevail and their elected leaders live as kings and queens when they remain deprived. I was once young and the beneficiary of seniors who stood and fought for independence in order that Guyanese can chart and mould our destiny. It was a time where every citizen, irrespective of age, felt there was something at stake for them and their involvement needed and respected. The young deserve no less. In fact, where my generation has reaped the benefit, we must see it as a matter of duty to do right by all.

Sitting in the seat of government are those who were

young adults or children of independence and republican status. They have a responsibility, given what was fought for, to use the existing blueprint to build on and create a better society. Instead, we continue to witness atrocities committed by the PPP/C Government replicated by the APNU+AFC. It remains wrong governing without including those whose lives will be impacted by the decisions. The Amerindians, trade unions, business sector, political opposition, and every group have complained, publicly or privately, about this disrespect and contempt for law that requires such engagement.

Constitutional institutions, namely, the Ethnic Relations Commission, Human Rights Commission, Local Government Commission are still to be established more than two years since entering office.

But it took this administration less than six months being in office to astronomically up their pay. Increased pay goes with improved performance.

The lives of the Public Service Commission, Police Service Commission and Teaching Service Commission, either came to an end or is close and there exists no sign there will be re-appointments shortly.

Government cannot be run like a cake shop when there exist laws for and rules of governance. This cadre, like the previous, wanted the job to govern, but they don’t want people to question their performance. Big men and women are behaving like spoilt children, getting annoyed when anyone questions the mediocrity that passes for governance. If during the Bharrat Jagdeo era when fear stalked the land and phantom squads reigned, I refused to cower or be silent, these cannot silent me now. My silence can only be bought or assured when good governance prevails.

The premier interest of this cabal is ceremony, merrymaking and joy rides. In many respects, they are no different from the cabal removed. Have a function, cut a ribbon, or paint the state’s properties in their party colours they know how to do that well, but finding little or no time to get down to addressing serious issues of governance, including understanding their roles and functions in the system and the instruments that should inform their conduct. Their actions are sending a message to

us that we are stupid, incapable of deciphering right from wrong, and they are granting us a favour being in the seat of government; ignoring the fact their job is to serve us and represent our interests which we are paying them to do.

Since the group won the election its leadership has abandoned the African community whose vote it rode on to get into office. As for the Indian community, it was ignored during the elections and continues to be ignored. The Amerindian community that the APNU+AFC leadership is running to, their Toshaos/leaders are at serious loggerheads with them. In the face of all this, they have the gall to be walking around talking about social cohesion when what they are doing is a remarkable job of shattering the hopes of people who voted for them or who want them to succeed.

Here’s a message for the APNU+AFC leaders -- you are fooling yourselves, thinking the cheers you received when you turned up at gatherings are those of love for you and support for the government’s conduct; you are failing to realise those cheers reflect the people’s understanding that at your disposal is the state’s power and they hope you will use it appropriately for their benefit. In fact, the people respect the power, not the individual.

It is time Guyana has its

own political revolution. Politics influence our lives from the womb to the tomb and people must get up, speak out, and take charge of their destiny by reminding those in office who put them there, who must hold them to account, and who have the power to remove them. Let me forewarn those who will stop me on the streets, offended that I dare question their government -- I remain wedded to a cause, not personalities. It matters not to me who governs, but what they do when given the people’s privilege to manage their affairs.

A change must come.

The young generation deserves political maturity and opportunities to remain here and feel that they belong here. I was given such exposure and security in my youth and others are no less deserving. There are too many faces of despair and hopelessness and the sense that nothing positive can come of Guyana nor the politicians. A nation loses its soul and essence of being when the young lose their way or feel despair.

At the same time, the young must realise everything that Guyanese have achieved they have struggled for, and it’s their turn to create their revolution, because this government, like the previous, doesn’t care a damn about them.

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Impressive road works SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 10, 2017

WORK on the US$46M West Coast, Demerara Road Improvement Project is on-going. A few weeks ago it was reported as being 75 percent complete, according to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Senior Projects Engineer, Kester Hinds.

Hinds told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that despite challenges and harsh weather, the project

which commenced in March 2015, seeks to improve efficiency and safety of road transportation for the approximately 30.7 kilometers of the West Coast, Demerara Road from Vreed-en-Hoop to Hydronie, just about one mile east of Parika.

Meanwhile, work is also ongoing to expand the road between Better Hope and Belfield, along the East Coast

of Demerara.

Government had secured US$45M Chinese funding for the East Coast road expansion. It was reported that the Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, had signed a Concessional Loan Agreement (CLA) with the Export-Import Bank of China for RMB Yuan 313,838,800 or approximately US$45,318,337.

Taking shape! The expansion of the ECD road is ongoing

Men at work on the ECD road expansion

This worker battling the intense heat in order to get the work done

Workers laying the asphalt on the road at Leanora, as part of the expansion of the WCD road

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 10, 2017

Early childhood, men’s health programmes launched

Dr Oneka Scott makes her keynote address in the presence of Regional Chairman, Brian Allicock, left, and Regional Executive Officer (REO), Kerwin Ward

THE Public Health Ministry launched its Early Childhood, Adolescent and Men’s Health programmes in Lethem, Region Nine last week, demanding stronger legal support and protection for victims of sexual crimes.

The Public Health Ministry’s triple initiative has the backing of the global United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and endorsements from the Ministries of Education and Social Protection.

Regional Chairman, Brian Allicock, was elated that the Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo area was singled out for the launch of the

programmes.

While Dr Oneka Scott, Adolescent Health Focal Point person of the Health Ministry expressed her pain on the lukewarm national attitude towards the crisis faced

by Guyanese adolescents, it was LeAndre Stellingburg, a nurse employed in the region, who exposed the alleged tepid response of the Guyana Police Force ranks and the Village Council to the plight of rape victims.

Stellingburg said police ranks consistently seem “unwilling to act” when complaints of sexual crimes are reported and Village Council authorities routinely re-victi-

mise complainants.

“Legal representation is needed for the mothers” Stellingburg said, reminding the audience that some girls became parents against their will.

When he spoke, UNICEF’s Deputy Representative, Paolo Marchi, highlighted numerous challenges faced by adolescents and pleaded for “special support” from the wider Guyanese society for girls to help them make more informed choices.

Criminal violence, domestic violence, trafficking in person (TIP), drugs and alcohol, lack of quality education, lack of access to key

resources – whether financial or social “are all traps waiting for adolescents” Marchi counselled.

Guyana “needs to ensure that services are made available for this critical grouping,” the UNICEF official said.

He said while sexual reproductive health should be openly discussed in Guyana since 21 per cent of the population are adolescents (in the 10-19 age groups), girls must delay becoming parents since that can constrain their growth.

The UNICEF official lauded the Public Health Ministry for launching the novel triple programme simultaneously, emphasising that “this is important for Region Nine and the country.”

During her keynote address, residents heard Dr Scott referring to statistics which indicated that more than 50 per cent of the countries of the Americas have adolescent fertility rates higher than 72 out of every 100,000 in the 15-year-old age group.

In Guyana, the figure is 74/100,000, Scott said. She said in indigenous communities, some 20 per cent of the girls become mothers before the age of 16.

Dr Scott, who is also an Emergency Room physician, is troubled that adolescent health is not given the attention it deserves in Guyana.

“No one reports on adolescent health,” Dr Scott

bemoaned.

She is unhappy too that public institutions are increasingly forced to take more responsibilities for the welfare of adolescents because of the systemic breakdown in the local family structure. Dr Scott has noted that more and more Guyanese parents have accepted, as inevitable, their children becoming sexually active from an early age.

Meanwhile, ‘machoism’ still constrains men and boys in Guyana from accessing critical health services.

A recent survey here has highlighted the need for more “male-friendly” clinics, ac-

cording to Dr. Scott. She said clinics which specialise in issues mainly affecting the male population “are dynamic and go beyond (mere) physical check-ups”.

The Men’s Health aspect of the triple programme is functioning under the theme “Healthier men for a Stronger Healthier Nation.”

During the working group session with Dr Dennis Bassier targeting males, there was heightened interest among them on the issue of prostate cancer, which reportedly kills approximately 29 out of every 100,000 men living in the Caribbean.

UNICEF’s Deputy Representative, Poalo Marchi, speaking at the launch

Paolo Marchi (extreme right) and Dr Stephan Gravesande (centre) with regional officials after the handing over of items for the Early Childhood programme

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 10, 2017

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 10, 2017

CARICOM heads meet on hurricane situation HEADS of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) met in special emergency session Saturday

to receive an update on the effects of the impact of Hurricanes Irma and Jose on the Region and progress

on the coordinated response to provide relief for those affected.

The meeting, presided

over by CARICOM Chairman, Dr Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada, received a full briefing on the situation from representatives of the affected countries, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), the community’s lead agency for disaster response, CARICOM Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque and regional institutions.

Premier of the British Virgin Islands, (BVI), Dr Orlando Smith; the Prime Minister of The Bahamas, Dr Hubert Minnis; Foreign Minister of Haiti, Antonio Rodrigues and a representative of the Turks and Caicos Government provided the latest information on their

countries.

Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerritt, provided information pertaining to the situation on the island of St Maarten where a significant number of CARICOM nationals are currently located, and Prime Minister of Saint Lucia Allen Chastenet alerted the meeting to the situation in St Kitts and Nevis.

The Executive Director of CDEMA, Ronald Jackson, addressed the situation in Antigua and Barbuda and Anguilla, as well as giving an update on the Community’s co-ordinated response to all the countries affected.

Immediate needs were identified for those worst affected, particularly, Barbuda,the BVI and Anguilla.

These included water, food items and materials to aid in providing temporary shelter such as plywood and tarpaulins and especially cash to purchase items to help with the cost of immediate recovery efforts in the affected countries.

An evacuation of Barbuda was well advanced, due to the potential impact of Hurricane Jose.

Earlier this week, CDEMA activated the Regional Response Mechanism (RRM) which co-ordinates relief action and includes regional institutions, international agencies, and representatives from the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada.

CDEMA’s advance team Turn to page 23 ►

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 10, 2017

Private practitioners urged to pay their taxes

THE Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) remains in a tight position as it seeks to up tax collection from private practitioners who filed court proceedings more than three years ago, barring it from increasing professional certification fee.

While some of these practitioners are among the most well paid earners in the country, the GRA is unable to track whether they adhere to tax laws by becoming GRA-certified and paying their fair share of taxes.

The state agency has resorted to public pleas for practitioners to acquire their professional certificates at $10,000 yearly.

Head of the Communication and Tax Advisory Division, Gavin Lowe, had confirmed to the Guyana Chronicle that legal proceedings are ongoing against the GRA, preventing it from moving to ensure practitioners pay their share in taxes.

The Guyana Chronicle has learnt that under the

previous administration attempts were made to increase professional certification fees for persons involved in the legal, medical, engineering, accounting and survey, among other fields.

The new sum ranged from $75,000 to $250,000, based on the field of work and estimated earnings.

However, moves were made by primarily legal practitioners and members from at least two other fields, to have the court halt the increases.

Submissions in the matter are still being heard in the High Court.

According to Section 39 of the Tax Act Chapter 80:01, “…professional persons practicing privately for a reward in any year are required by law to be the holder of a practice certificate, which must be applied for from the GRA on or before February 28 of each year…”

The law goes on to say that no such person must practice their trade for reward without first acquiring their certificate.

However, while such persons could be subjected to six months imprisonment for not having the certificate, financial penalties remain archaic with fines ranging from not less than $1500 nor more than $3000.

If professionals continue to commit the offence, they are then liable to an additional $100 for each day the offence continued, subsequent to the date to which they were convicted.

The Tax Act also requires practitioners to prominently display their certificates as a means of customers recognising the authenticity of the professional, since the GRA Commissioner-General is authorised to revoke the certificate for reasons such as a questionable professional behaviour, which results in irreparable damage to his/ her clients.

The Act says “Any professional who fails to display his certificate in a conspicuous place shall in accordance with Section 39(9) (b), be liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than

$500 nor more than $1000 and, in addition to such fine, a sum of $50 for each day the offence continues subsequent to the date to which the conviction relates.”

Private professionals can rake in millions of dollars on an annual basis, but the

GRA has reported difficulty in keeping tabs on these persons as they were not only failing to acquire the certificate, but evading tax payments as a result.

The agency’s communication department told the Guyana Chronicle that it rec-

ognised the need to step up its call to private persons to adhere to their obligations, since avenues to address the matter are currently limited.

According to the GRA website, only 98 professionals acquired certificates last year.

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Indigenous Heritage Month festivities at Moraikobai VILLAGERS of Moraikobai on the Upper Mahaicony River in Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice). will stage a special day of celebrations to mark Am-

erindian Heritage Month 2017.

September 16, is the day set aside and the programme of activities will include sports featuring

a cross-country race, cricket, football and volleyball and other games against a backdrop of arts and crafts exhibitions and food drinks and music, according to

Deputy Toshao of the Arawak community, Ms. Mary Joseph.

She noted that some of the games such as canoeing and shooting of arrows, as

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 10, 2017 well as drinks like the paiwari fly will be unique to the indigenous peoples The programme begins at 9 am and the fun will go into the evening with a beauty pageant, with teenaged girls from the community who will don traditional Amerindian costumes to vie for coveted Miss Moraikobai,crown, Joseph added.

She noted that the Heritage Month festivities are

an annual feature planned by the Village Council in September, and the organisers plan to make it more colourful and enjoyable this year.

The village of Moraikobai, located some 95 miles up the Mahaicony River, is the only Indigenous community in Region Five.

Logging and farming are the two main economic activities of the riverain community.

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SUNDAYCHRONICLE September 10, 2017

There is always hope ...

From page 9

and pesticides (64 per cent), alcohol and drug use (32 per cent) and family dysfunction (34 per cent).

According to her, the coalition government has been taking critical steps to arrest the situation, pointing to the work of a multi-disciplinary team formed by President David Granger to address the issue.

The Ministries of Education, Social Protection, Agriculture, Indigenous Communities and Public Security make up the National Task Force which covers four strategic areas: (1) Risk Factors Reduction, Health Promotion and Prevention; (2) Reduction of Access to the Means of Suicide; (3) Health Systems response to Suicide Behaviour; and (4) Surveillance and Research.

Though not providing Guyana Chronicle with current stats, the Director of the Mental Health Unit said that the numbers were dropping.

“By next year we will have a comprehensive figure out,” she said.

However, in July, Dr. Richmond-Thomas had disclosed that for the period January to May 2017, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) recorded 92 cases of suicide while the Ministry of Public Health recorded 59 cases.

But she said the ministry was still in the process of collecting data from health facilities countrywide. In 2016, she recalled that there were 169 cases.

The police at the time had reported 99 cases. Most of the deaths occurred among persons between the ages of

GPA President, Neil Marks 15- 29, most of whom were male of Indian descent.

RED AREAS Despite faced with a shortage of social workers and psychologists, Dr.

Richmond-Thomas said the Mental Health Unit is placing significant attention on the problematic areas – Regions Two, Three and Six. It was noted that in Regions Three and Six, many persons are battling alcoholism, depression and dysfunctional families.

“Unavailability of jobs and economic stresses are major problems along with relationship issues,” she added.

Through the Mental Health Unit, Dr. Richmond-Thomas said persons who have been detected with suicidal tendencies are being thought how to cope with the issues facing them.

Currently, the unit, which was formed in May 2016, has six psychologist, eight social workers, and two health education officers; however, one of the social worker was transferred to Region Six while a psychologist has been transferred to Region Two. TRAINING DOCTORS “One of the major strategies of the Mental Health Unit has been to train doctors in mental health conditions. So we have trained doctors in Regions Three, Four and Six,” she posited, while noting that some 60 doctors have been trained to manage mental illnesses.

Training of these doctors is critical given the shortage of psychologists and psychiatrists in the country. Currently, there are vacancies within the unit for six psychologists and eight social workers, but the director believes that there should be social workers at every health facility in the

A portrait of someone experiencing depression or mental illness (Photo taken from FactRetriever) country.

“All are non-specialist doctors. Not all of these doctors are at the hospitals; a lot of them are at the health centres. Community mental health [is a work in progress], if you suspect that your family has mental health problems, you can go into the health centres and you will find a doctor there who can manage your issue,” she added.

The training which is in keeping with the Plan of Action is expected to be for a period of two years.

In addition to the training, the unit is preparing proposal to be submitted to the Public Health Ministry which will teach problem-solving skills and refusal skills to young people, dealing specifically with the alcohol abuse.

The unit is also working with the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board to ensure pesticides and chemicals are safely transported and stored.

THE Guyana President Association (GPA) has joined other government and non-governmental organisations in the fight against suicide. For the GPA, it is to ensure that journalists and reporters report responsibly on cases of suicide.

Subsequent to the

2016 PAHO/WHO media workshop on suicide, GPA President, Neil Marks said there has been noticeable improvement. According to him, many reporters are no longer giving detailed information in their reports such as the methods used to commit suicide; however, there have been lapses.

“There are still occasions where those who are not trained or educated still carry those things but especially the methods of suicide we have tried to get people not to report on those,” he explained. Cognisant of the situation, Marks said the GPA is constantly policing reporters to ensure they report responsibly on this scourge.

The Public Health Ministry has noted that it is working in conjunction with the Guyana Police Force to keep the Guyana Inter-agency Suicide Prevention Help Line operational.

A call to the help line – 223-0818 – proved that it is working. Answering on the other end of the line was Sherry Maison. After informing Maison that it was a journalist on the line and the purpose of the call, she explained some days are busier than others.

“People come with different problems. Some people just want to talk.

Sometimes we have to put them onto the counsellors.

We are not fully trained, we are taught the basics but we try our best to help,” she posited.

Domestic problems, alcoholism, drug abuse, spiritual issues, relationship issues and family issues are among the common issues callers have.

“Some would have called after consuming tablets and we would make arrangements to get them to the nearest hospital. They are examined and counsellors are assigned to them,” she further explained. Callers, according to Maison, most times range from 14-75.

The help lines are operational 24/7 and include 223-0818, 223-0009, 2230001, 600-7896 and 6234444. If you are feeling depressed or troubling from other mental illness, remember there is someone on the other end of the line waiting to speak to you. Break the silence!

Take a minute, save your life, it is not too late.

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Mainstreaming Culture, Youth and Sport – for the advancement of Social Cohesion WITH Guyana’s Minister of Social Cohesion recently taking over the reins for Culture, Youth and Sport, it is not difficult to see the value of this change. Not only does it allow the Minister of Education to focus on the critical task of improving performance in that sector, but it also helps to mainstream Culture, Youth and Sport as priority areas and vehicles for the advancement of Social Cohesion.

President David Granger, speaking during a fact-finding mission at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) in July, described culture as a cohesive force in any society; a force that helps diverse groups to understand the depths of each other’s belief systems, and to discover common ground.

“We have to understand each other better. You can do that through dance; you can do that through poetry; you can do that through drama, as you pointed out, but culture is a very important dimension,” the President said.

“You can’t leave religion out of culture; you can’t leave beliefs out of culture; faith out of culture. And again, I take the point that when we are looking at our education reform, these are considerations which have to be borne in mind,” he added.

Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton -- who

has now received the baton to carry on the work started by Minister Nicolette Henry, who had held that portfolio since 2015 -- recently spoke at the Harmony Festival 2017.

The objective of the Harmony Festival is to create an environment for greater understanding and appreciation of the country’s cultural and religious diversity.

Dr. Norton told his audience at the festival that culture is the backbone of the Guyanese society, and that its preservation is vital to the strengthening of a national identity. “It is, therefore, imperative that we carry on those cultural practices which were left by our forefathers instead of adapting [sic] the culture of other countries,” he said.

“Being neglectful of our culture will only lead to the erosion of our identity.”

Minister Henry, whose challenge it was to pull off the celebration of Guyana’s 50th Anniversary of Independence among other national events after inheriting a sector that had been allowed to wallow in mediocrity, noted that the creative industries can go beyond cultural expressions. She said Government is committed to building the capacity of creatives to become income generators.

“We definitely have to have more workshops, festivals and national competitions in

2018,” she said.

“And this will provide more opportunities, of course; particularly for persons in Literary Arts and Music, because, presently, there are only so many activities. And they are pretty much limited.

“We also have to educate creative people on diversification of their talents.”

THE FABRIC THAT UNITES Director of Culture, Ms. Tomika Boatswain, who described culture as the fabric that unites people, noted that Guyanese culture stands out as distinctly different, even though there are some similarities when compared to other Caribbean states.

Given its importance to forging a national identity, Ms. Boatswain emphasised the need to provide more platforms for the growth and development of artists across the country.

She said, “For Visual Arts and Craft, we will be able to do more craft fairs; workshops where craft producers can understand how they can diversify their products.

“For example, a painter would need to know that there are other options he can use.

For instance, he can use the very design to create fabric; to create screen-savers; to create book covers, for example. And you can earn from that.”

Ms Boatswain iterated that steps are being taken to ensure more visibility for artists, and that she is optimistic that with the inputs of stakeholders and members of society, Guyanese culture would be on show regionally and internationally, to the benefit of all.

Participation in activities such as the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) puts our rich and unique culture on display for the Caribbean and other parts of the world. As such, the Director of Culture stressed the need for more involvement by local talents, as the department works towards improving the landscape.

The Guyana team was one of the most colourful and energetic during CARIFESTA XIII in Barbados. The Guyana booth, set up at the Grand Market, was a sight to behold, as the country’s rich culture and diversity was beautifully displayed for patrons to enjoy, and was admired by several Guyanese and foreigners alike.

Some of the country’s skilled steelpan players were also in attendance at the event, and performed exceptionally at the Christ Church Foundation School. The team entertained the audience with exuberant performances that brought the cheering crowd to its feet for standing ovations.

There were other cultural performances in the form of dance and drama, and our Visual Arts collection brought life to the rich Guyanese culture, drawing some of the

largest crowds, with a total of 33 pieces depicting our Indigenous culture, our ethnic diversity, and the natural beauty of our Land of Many Waters.

Ms. Boatswain said, “We need to encourage more consumption in the local market, because I think that in itself adds value, and can engender more national pride, when you can say this piece is from a Guyanese artist and you have it on display in your home to feel proud. We need to get people more interested in supporting local.”

NATIONAL CULTURAL POLICY A National Cultural Policy is imperative to attaining the goal of promulgating Guyanese culture. Guyana’s first and only completed initiative in creating a national cultural policy was written by former Director of Creative Writing in the Institute of Creative Arts, Mr A.J. Seymour, and published in 1977 with the support of UNESCO. Under the previous administration, little was done to advance this national cultural policy.

However, since taking office in 2015, the Government, through the Department of Culture, has made significant progress, developing what is known as a Draft Framework National Cultural Policy.

This cultural policy is divided into three broad areas: Mainstreaming Culture in Development; Cultural Heritage Preservation, Protection and Promotion; and Creative Arts and Cultural Industries Development.

Cultural Policy Advisor, Mr. Ruel Johnson, said that the department is working to ensure that there is an updated copyright legislation, as well as a reformed Intellectual Property environment; something persons in the creative arts industry have been calling for.

Said he: “Within the framework of the CARIFORUM-EU EPA, one of the areas we are looking at is to assist countries within CARIFORUM, including Guyana, to create that sort of market intelligence infrastructure, so that we can properly assess how is it that our people consume creative products etc...

“Then, from them, we can look at market promotion, not just locally and regionally.”

There is a push for the development of a Creative and Cultural Arts Registry to better integrate information for the creation of a marketing strategy to advance the industry. An important aspect, also, is cultural preservation, which requires the collaboration of several ministries, such as the Ministry of Tourism, along with the Department of Culture. The first step involves the implementation of a multiyear process of restoration of 50 works at the National Art Gallery, with support from the Argentine embassy. n As Mr. Johnson noted, “Within that process as well, we are looking at developing technical capacity for restoration overall. “There is going to be an transfer-of-knowledge component of it, and then there are other ongoing initiatives that fall under the aegis of the National Trust, National archives and the museums.

“But certainly in the past two years and going forward, the National Trust has upped the ante in its preservation efforts.”

Important, too, is the protection of national artefacts from being smuggled out of the country, and heritage buildings from being transferred to private owners. One of the most notable achievements was the commencement of the digitalising of the information stored at all museums and archives.

This will enable better storage and retrieval of information, while at the same time making the information more readily available to the public.

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT Education is the single most important foundation for ensuring a generation of young people capable of seizing the reins of power, and tackling the country’s developmental challenges to take Guyana forward as a ‘green’ state; a state that is technologically advanced and able to develop its resources for economic prosperity.

But Guyana must still tackle, head-on, the challenge of improving the capacity of outof-school youth to become earners and income generators, reducing the probability of atrisk youth becoming involved in social ills, and providing them with the opportunities to live ‘a good life’. At this level,

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 10, 2017 education is still the answer.

President Granger has, on many occasions, said that his government is offering Guyana’s youth the opportunity to live productive lives through its investment in education.

During a fact-finding mission to the Kuru Kuru Training Centre (KKTC), aimed at improving the performance of the centre to ensure it is meeting the needs of its target group and the developmental needs of the country, the Head of State said young people must first understand the importance of education to their upward mobility potential.

“When you get a job, you could produce; you can earn a living; you can earn a salary; you could produce goods and commodities which could be sold,” President Granger said, adding: “If you are running an Internet Café, you could provide services. Once you’re employed, there is that dignity; that self-esteem that you can earn your living. You don’t have to beg mommy and daddy for money. You can have a house, a car; you can raise a family. So, employment is important to your self-esteem; it’s important to your survival.”

Minister Norton has indicated that youth development is going to be a major priority of his, as he looks to advance the work done by Minister Henry.

Said he: “I would particularly want to work much more closely with the youths, because we know how they cannot only influence the rest of the society, but particularly other youths.

“Also, youths are mostly interested in sporting activities, which we plan to use to motivate them; to get them involved in a productive manner.”

Youth empowerment has long been on the front burner for the Government of Guyana, and one of its most significant achievements was the adoption, by the National Assembly, of the long-awaited National Youth Policy in June 2016.

Government envisions that this policy will create the strategic framework necessary for the development of Guyana’s youth. The policy provides five strategic areas, namely: Youth identity and empowerment; youth employment and entrepreneurship; education and market-driven skills development; and youth leadership, participation and representation.

NATIONAL YOUTH POLICY To Presidential Advisor on Youth Empowerment, Mr. Aubrey Norton, youth development is a process; and because it has been recognised that young people are most vulnerable between the ages of eight and 14, the National Youth Policy, therefore, is crafted to

find solutions to the problems they face at an early stage.

Mr Norton, while speaking in November 2016 at the closing ceremony of a Literacy and Numeracy Training Programme held at the Madewini Training Centre, said that what he has found, having traversed the length and breadth of the country, is that the problem with many of today’s youths is that they are school dropouts.

He said that it is based on those findings that the government has endeavoured to find ways of empowering them to become productive citizens of Guyana.

According to Mr. Norton, who has arranged several skills and youth empowerment training programmes: “It is in that context that this programme was developed, so that we could involve those young people, and then put the mechanisms in place for them to upgrade, so that they can have the required certification to proceed as teachers or to any other field they want.”

Director of Youth, Ms. Melissa Carmichael, said the department is in the process of developing a Youth Empowerment Action Plan, which will ensure that what is stated in the National Youth Policy is put in place. She outlined several initiatives that the department has undertaken that have provided employment opportunities for the nation’s youth in all 10 administrative regions.

“We had the opportunity to collaborate with the Ministry of Public Security, where we had approximately 90 young people trained. And they were given grants to start up their own businesses,” she said, adding: “We also had our recreational youth camps, where young people were exposed to a number of areas: Animation, life skills, designing, arts, life planning, family planning, civic education.

“We would have sensitised our young people through health fairs, which we had in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and other organisations.”

As it relates to capacity building, the Department was able to successfully host Community Skills Training Programmes across the regions, in the areas of Cosmetology, Information Technology, Plumbing and Leadership, among other disciplines.

Job Readiness Training and other Skills Training Programmes were also conducted, based on the needs of the respective communities.

Four hundred and twenty two young people benefitted from the Youth Entrepreneurial and Skills Training (YEST) programme, and graduated from the Kuru Kuru, Sophia and Vryman’s Irven Training Centres.

According to Ms Carmichael, the programme has been

certified through the Council for Technical, Vocational and Education Training; which makes the youths eligible for employment in their respective fields. Ms. Carmichael said these programmes have empowered hundreds of young people.

YOUTH WEEK ACTIVITIES Additionally, Youth Week activities were held in Pomeroon-Supenaam (Region Two), Demerara-Mahaica (Region Four), East Berbice-Corentyne (Region Six), CuyuniMazaruni (Region Seven) and Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice (Region 10), and proposals were assessed and approved for the Youth Innovation Project.

Another programme that has been making waves across Guyana by building a corps of competent, well-rounded youths with a love for their country is the President’s Youth Award Republic of Guyana (PYARG) scheme.

Executive Director, Mr. Allister Collins said the programme continues to bear fruit, with Guyana being voted in as Secretary of the Caribbean Awards Sub-regional Council (CASC).

The aim of the CASC is to foster cultural integration, and build capacity of awarded youth in the Americas region.

Given the opportunity for growth, Mr. Collins said the programme is available to youths all across the country, who are being urged to join it.

“Within the Department of Youth, we have the volunteer support platform,” he said.

“And what we have been doing is collecting information from the general public on vacancies and job opportunities, and we have been referring young people to the various organisations, based on the list coming in.”

The community service component of the Programme, Mr Collins said, allows the youths to give back to their communities by developing small projects, such as cleanup campaigns, assistance for the village elders, tutoring and mentorship initiatives among others.

The expedition aspect takes participants all across the country to have a first-hand look of Guyana’s natural beauty, and with Government’s push for a ‘green state’, they are now taught how to protect the environment for future generations.

Thus far, 48 youths have been nominated for the award.

PRIORITISING SPORT Guyana is on the path to rapid development in sport with the implementation of several programmes geared at improving sporting facilities and creating opportunities for all athletes, regardless of geographic location.

After a stellar performance at this year’s Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) games in Curaçao, Team Guy-

ana met with President Granger at State House, where the Head of State highlighted his Administration’s policy of having a broad base to produce quality athletes, with emphasis on grassroot sports.

The Head of State said, “The role of sports is very important, particularly for young people, and I always compared track and field with what happens in what used to be regarded as our primary school cricket.

“The only reason Guyana was able to rise so high in cricket, and produce international greats; you know, the Kanhais and the Lloyds, was because it had a broad base.

“So, by the time you reach the top, you really had people of excellence. But when sports have a very small, a very narrow base, you find that you do not get people consistently of international standard.

“And I would like to endorse the words of Christopher Jones, and express our government’s commitment to ensuring that there’s more grassroots sport in the schools and in the communities.”

Guyana finished the threeday CARIFTA Games with a total of eight medals: Four golds, one silver and three bronze.

It was the first time in the history of the event, which started in 1972, that a Guyanese won the male 100m, an event that’s usually dominated by the Jamaicans. Compton Caesar secured a gold medal in

the 100 metres, and a bronze in the 200-metre races. Chantoba Bright copped gold in the long jump, and a bronze in the triple jump. Claudrice McKoy also grabbed gold in the long jump, and a bronze in the triple jump.

Natricia Hooper secured a gold medal in the triple jump, while Anfernee Headecker got silver in the 1500-metre race.

Director of Sport, Mr. Christopher Jones, speaking recently with Government in Action, said that the Sport Department has embarked on an ambitious plan in 2017, which will see both patrons and players benefitting from more adequate facilities during games.

“That would be the setting down of the two synthetic tracks in Regions 10 and Six; the upgrades to the National Gymnasium, which will see a multi-purpose court as well as a lawn tennis court being placed there to enhance the facility; the ambience inside,” he said, adding: “We will also be installing cooling systems. And, in keeping with the Government’s vision of ensuring equitable distribution of resources and equal access to quality facilities for all Guyanese, officials of the NSC have been very busy over the past few months, travelling to various locations and identifying sport grounds that require upgrades.”

GROUND ENHANCEMENT FUND Those grounds that have

been identified, he said, will be upgraded through the Ground Enhancement Fund.

The “Light It Up” project will complement the Ground Enhancement initiative, and will see floodlights being installed at sporting grounds in eight regions, thereby allowing the athletes to train beyond sundown. Further, Mr. Jones said work is still ongoing in relation to the National Sport Policy, which will essentially guide the process of sport development in Guyana.

The first of the consultations with sporting associations and sportsmen and women began in July, and the Sport Director said their input is vital to advancing the process, as Government has placed a high value on stakeholders’ involvement.

More importantly, Mr. Jones highlighted the link between sport and youth development and how the two work together in moulding the nation’s youth into becoming productive members of society.

Additionally, the Sport Department has been working behind the scenes to empower youths by providing them with the opportunity to learn life skills through several training programmes being conducted in Demerara-Mahaica (Region Four), Mahaica-Berbice (Region Five), East Berbice-Corentyne (Region Six) and Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice (Region 10).

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The ship is not sinking yet, but... from decision-making and from influencing policy-making. The consequence is that the government lacks political direction which in turn has affected the ability of the coalition to craft its own political narrative and to answer the negative coordinated PPP charges. The coalition parties—all of them --- are powerless under this model. That is why they don’t speak to the media or hold public meetings -- because they are cut off from actual decision-making they have nothing to say.

I have summarised my arguments so that I can make a few more points in this col-

umn. Some PPP sympathisers have pounced on my point about treating the government as if it were a one-party government to push their age-old argument that the PNC has outmanoeuvred the WPA and the AFC and is running the government as a PNC government.

I have no doubt that there are PNC members of the government who are never going to give up an opportunity to advance that party’s hegemony. But that is not what I am driving at; I am making a much more fundamental point. I am talking about the substitution of the executive

arm of the government for the political parties, including the PNC. This model is not new. We saw Hoyte and Jagdeo use the executive to stifle and ultimately weaken their respective parties and we saw how that helped them to ultimately lose power. But the present governing crowd has not learned that lesson. I suppose what drives admirers of this model is a combination of fidelity to the centralisation of power and belief in the topdown distribution of power.

This Cabinet-supremacy model is counter-productive.

In the end, governments do not fight and win elections, parties

do. What is interesting here is that the government leaders of the PNC, AFC and WPA have all enabled this model of cabinet supremacy and its attendant marginalisation of the parties. So, the charge of PNC hegemony ignores this reality—that the PNC, as a party, is also marginalised by this model. In this regard the PNC, as a party, is being wrongfully blamed. The problem is that the Cabinet behaves like a separate political party that is not accountable to any entity outside of itself.

The WPA has recently pushed back against this cabinet-supremacy model, largely

because its non-governmental wing has more sway within the party. But in the cases of the AFC and the PNC, the government ministers are the dominant leaders of those parties, so they are less likely to push back against cabinet supremacy. And, of course, the non-governmental wings of those parties are not as audacious as they should be—they suffer in silence while the ship is in distress. These parties have to do better than that or we will suffer the bitter consequences.

My fear is that if the coalition does not change course and bring the political parties into actual decision-making, it will continue to lose the confidence of its supporters and most likely lose the next election. Cabinet must govern, but it must do so within the context of a political framework that is informed by the political parties—it currently does not. The APNU met recently after a long break.

There has never been any meeting of the PNC, AFC, WPA, JFAP, GAP and NFA to talk about the political strategy and policy direction, even after the coalition comprehensively lost the Local Government Elections mere months after winning national power. These parties meet only in Cabinet where their representatives are understandably burdened with administrative matters. Cabinet is and will never be the place to craft political strategy.

What is the lay of the land?

The government has put a break on the criminalised state.

It has tempered the authoritarian state. It is attacking official corruption. It has halted official racial discrimination

From page 5

in the distribution of shared resources. It is confronting the sugar trap. Overt censorship at the State media has decreased considerably. But the government has not confronted poverty. It has not lifted workers from below the poverty line.

It has not confronted the PPP for its wanton pilfering of state resources. It has not arrested crime.

It has not turned its face sufficiently against PPP-style cronyism. Many government functionaries who were never in the trenches, never saw a jail cell, never were exposed to the wrath of the hostile partisan police are today in big jobs with big money and big perks.

If the government falls tomorrow, these people will go back into exile or switch back to accommodating the PPP, but the ordinary people who saw salvation in this government would be once again exposed to the PPP sledgehammer.

The balance sheet is mixed, but the public verdict is negative. The government is stumbling. The coalition parties are immobilised. Some government supporters are restless. The friendly media are no longer friendly. The economy is not taking off because of both political destabilisation and bad policy.

The ship is not sinking, but it is in some distress. Time for a new politics.

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

SUNDAYCHRONICLE September 10, 2017

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CARICOM heads meet on... has been waiting in Antigua to go in to the affected countries in that area as soon as conditions permit, given the proximity of Hurricane Jose and the severe damage to ports of entry.

The hurricane caused massive damage to property and infrastructure, including sea and airports which have hindered access to the islands, therefore affecting the arrival of assessment teams and the relief efforts.

Limited access has been established to Anguilla and the BVI with the aid of the United Kingdom. A team

is also in Jamaica waiting to proceed to the Turks and Caicos Islands, The Bahamas and Haiti.

They expressed their sympathy to the bereaved of those killed by Hurricane Irma. So far four deaths have been confirmed in the BVI, one in Barbuda, one in Anguilla and one in Haiti due to Hurricane Irma, which also caused fatalities on the islands of Saint Maarten and St Barthelemy.

Heads of Government expressed concern about the long-term psychological effects of the situation, given

From page 14

the serious dislocation and sense of loss of the populations of the affected countries.

They also stressed that these disasters emphasised the economic vulnerability of the Region, given the cost of recovery and the impact on economic activity of the affected countries.

They mandated the CARICOM Secretariat and the Secretariat of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) to continue working with CDEMA to co-ordinate recovery efforts.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 10, 2017 From page 33

France looking to be good...

“When I got selected to [the] National Outdoors Men’s Hockey Team to represent Guyana at PAHF Caribbean Hockey Cup in Port-of -Spain, Trinidad, I think was the happiest memory of the sport. I think the most important thing in the sport is going to represent the Golden Arrow- head in other countries.”

He noted that preparation for Pan Am is coming along well and that there is a good feeling in the camp.

“Everybody is very excited and can’t wait to showcase the skills in front of the family and friends and those who are coming. We really want to do Guyana proud.”

Speaking about the hosting of the tournament here, he said, “I think it’s good that it is being held in Guyana for the first time and I hope it makes more Guyanese interested in the sport of hockey.”

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 10, 2017

Better day for London trio but Manchester pair head table

By Steve Tongue LONDON (Reuters) - London clubs’ erratic start to the Premier League season improved with victories for Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal on Saturday but Manchester sides continued to make the running, with United and City leading the way on 10 points each.

United surrendered their 100 per cent record in a lively 2-2 draw at Stoke City after Pep Guardiola’s City had trounced 10-man Liverpool 5-0 to replace their neighbours at the top for a few hours.

Stoke took the lead just before halftime through Cameroon international Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, then conceded an equaliser less than three minutes later, as Nemanja Matic flicked on a corner and Paul Pogba’s header hit Marcus Rashford and went in.

Romelu Lukaku put them ahead in the 58th minute, only for Choupo-Moting to equalise.

City benefited from the dismissal of Sadio Mane before halftime as they inflicted Liverpool’s heaviest defeat since Juergen Klopp took over almost two years ago.

The Senegalese forward was adjudged guilty of endangering an opponent by catching Brazilian goal-

Choupo-Moting joined Stoke this summer after his contract ended at Schalke

keeper Ederson in the face with a high foot.

Already trailing to a Sergio Aguero goal, Liverpool conceded two more to Gabriel Jesus on either side of halftime and fell to a rare five-goal defeat when Leroy Sane also scored twice in the final quarter of an hour.

Ederson was taken off on a stretcher but suffered no break and tweeted later that he was fine.

KANTE ROCKS FORMER CLUB Chelsea had a 2-1 win away to Leicester in the meeting of the previous two seasons’ champions.

N‘Golo Kante scored against his former club soon after halftime to extend Chelsea’s lead after Alvaro Morata claimed his third goal in four league games since moving from Real Madrid.

Leicester, having made two changes at the interval, halved the deficit with a

Jamie Vardy penalty but the champions held on to move into third place.

Tottenham’s Harry Kane reached 100 goals for the club with a freak opening effort in the comfortable 3-0 win at Everton, adding a second later.

After the home side started brightly, the England striker deceived goalkeeper Jordan Pickford from way out on the right wing just before the half-hour.

“I got a lucky one but sometimes you need that,” he said.Christian Eriksen scored the second after Pickford made a good save from Ben Davies and Kane knocked in Davies’ pass a minute after the interval. provided a boost ahead of their opening Champions League game against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley, where they are playing home league games this season but have yet to win one.

Their north London rivals Arsenal, heavily criticised after defeats by Stoke City and Liverpool, were easy winners at home to struggling Bournemouth, prevailing 3-0.

Danny Welbeck gave them the lead and close-season signing Alexandre Lacazette doubled it before halftime. After Jermain Defoe headed against a post Arsenal broke out for Welbeck to claim his second.

Bournemouth were pushed into the bottom two on goal difference by their fourth successive defeat.

Promoted Brighton, back in the top tier for the first time since 1983, achieved their first win, by 3-1, at home to West Bromwich Albion.

New signing Pascal Gross scored twice and Tomer Hemed added the third before a consolation

by James Morrison, giving West Brom a first defeat.

In the day’s other game unbeaten Watford moved above Southampton and into the top four by beating them 2-0 with goals by Abdoulaye Doucoure and substitute Daryl Janmaat.

Bottom club Crystal Palace play at Burnley and Swansea City host Newcastle United on Sunday, while West Ham United who, like Palace, have lost their first three games, face Huddersfield Town on Monday.

From back page

Holder defends batting unit, says ... didn’t carry on. We got drawn in, trapped on the crease a lot of times and taken across to off stump and [got out] nicked behind,” the all-rounder explained.

“It’s something that happens to lots of people when they come here playing in England and as a first tour for many of us, I think think it is a hell of an achievement and a hell of a fight which we put up.

“Hopefully we can learn from this. We have New Zealand at the end of the year which will probably be similar conditions and similar type of bowlers too so it should be a good chance to take what we have learnt here and take into that series.”

In the day/night first Test at Edgbaston, West Indies’ batsmen struggled badly, mustering totals of 168 and

137, to lose by an innings and 209 runs inside three days.

Headingley proved the high point of the series for the Windies as they tallied 427 and 322 for five but they perished for 123 in the first innings at Lord’s, in a disappointing showing.

Holder said despite the ups and downs of the series, the young side had shown definite improvement allround and would use the experience to further develop.

“I think we’ve shown improvement. When we sit down and critique each series we try to look for improvement and we’ve definitely shown improvement especially in our bowling,” he contended.

“We’re improving in our consistency there. Our batters are still finding their way, still relatively inexperienced but

Shai really showed what he can do. He obviously struggled early on in his Test career and to have a series like he’s had now is remarkable.

“Kraigg has really led our batting now for the last couple years and to see guys like Roston Chase in the last series and now Shai in this series putting up their hands [has been great]. It’s just us coming together a little bit more and having a more collective effort when we step out with the bat.”

He continued: “We’ve seen a guy like Kieran Powell shape up really well but not carrying on and that’s hampered us a lot. There’s still a lot of room for improvement but hopefully the guys can gain a lot of confidence from this series against a world class side, a top class

bowling unit. To be able to achieve something in this series speaks a lot.”

Holder also pushed back on suggestions he had made the wrong decision to bat first on Thursday’s opening day at Lord’s. “[There are] no regrets about batting first. We obviously didn’t bat well enough on a day with some quality bowling but at the end of the day’s play it justified what the conditions were like,” he said in reference to the murky conditions that emerged half-hour into the day’s play.

“When we flipped the toss outside was pretty sunny and the overhead conditions changed drastically.

There are no regrets, that’s just how the game goes sometimes. Hopefully we can learn from it and move on.”

From back page

Sloane Stephens beats Madison... could be competing for majors for a while.

“In America, women’s tennis needs to be really high level because it has always been and they need to be filling up the void after the Williams sisters,” former world number one Mats Wilander told Reuters.

Venus Williams, 37, was one of four Americans in the semi-finals but her sister Serena did not take part in the tournament because of the birth of her first child.

In the first all-American U.S. Open women’s final since Serena beat Venus in 2002, Stephens made only six unforced errors to frustrate Keys.

It was a remarkable turnaround for Stephens, who six weeks ago was still ranked 957th by the WTA. She sealed a straightforward win on her third match point when Keys sent yet another forehand into the net. tephens welcomed the biggest victory of her career with a low-key smile, going into the Arthur Ashe Stadium stands to hug her coach, Kamau Murray, before embracing her mother.

SURGERY Stephens, who will pocket a record $3.7 million check, underwent foot surgery in late January and made her competitive comeback at Wimbledon.

Saying earlier she was simply happy to be running around on courts, Stephens did a lot of running on Saturday to deny the

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22-year-old Keys in what turned out to be a one-sided contest.

Stephens played her usual defensive tennis, forcing her opponent to make the extra shot and testing her patience.

She was rewarded with two break points in the fifth game of the first set, converting the first one when Keys again failed to wait for the right moment to accelerate and fired a forehand long.

Stephens held comfortably and bagged the set on her second occasion, Keys hitting a backhand long, her 17th unforced error -- compared to Stephens’s only two.

Keys showed signs of frustration as she felt the game was slipping away.

Stephens moved to 40-0 up on Keys’s serve in the following game with a perfect backhand passing shot.

Another ill-timed rush to the net, though, cost Keys a break, Stephens punishing her with a delightful dipping forehand passing shot.

Keys fell 4-0 down when she hit a double fault and although she had her first break points of the match in the fifth game, Stephens held.

Keys hit the ball harder and harder but it would always come back and she needed a 19-shot rally to save her second match point. On the third, she hit her 30th unforced error of the day.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 10, 2017

France looking to be good Guyanese Ambassador playing experience in the game and believes that Guyana stands the chance of a lifetime by being host.

According to France, he became interested in hockey back in 2003. “I’d been

invited to go and watch a Diamond Minerals Water game between Everest Hikers and Canada and since then my interest peaked. I started working with the coach for Hikers Hockey Club and he

Robert France

By Stephan Sookram THIRTY- two-year-old Robert France is hard in training with the national men’s team as they get ready to host some of the top countries in the Pan American Indoor Champions in less than a month.

France, a striker and captain of the Hikers Hockey Club, has over 12 years of

Robert France (far fright) slides through the defence in wait of a through ball.

Registration forms for Prime Minister’s Softball Cup available today REGISTRATION forms for the country’s Premier Softball Cup can be uplifted today at the conclusion of the official launching of the threeday tournament.

The launch is scheduled for the Everest Cricket Club ground pavilion from 12:00hrs, and according to the organising committee, captains for each participating teams locally are asked to be a part of the ceremony.

Named the ‘Prime Minister’s Cup’, the three-day tournament is billed for October 27, 28 and 29.

The tournament will be played in two categories, the Masters and All Stars, and entry is open to any number of teams interested to be a part of the tournament.

To date a number teams locally have confirmed their

participation. To add some international flavour to the event, Toronto Cup Masters Softball cricket tournament 2017 winners SVC Mafia and

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr. George Norton

New York Hustlers, along with New York President’s X1 and Try State Masters, have confirmed their participation as well.

Players must be over the age of 45 in order to play in the Masters category, while the All Stars format is open to all ages.

Teams registering for the Over-45 category must submit photo identification, preferably valid passports for every member of their 15-man squad.

The Over-45 category will make the champions $500 000 richer while in the All Stars category the winning team will collect $600 000. Entrance is free.

A number of top government officials, including Minister of Social Cohesion, who assumed responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. George Norton, Director of Sport Christopher Jones among others are expected to grace the occasion.

Hamilton Green Cup K.O football tournament

Two exciting matches scheduled for tonight at the MSC ground IT was incorrectily reported yesterday that the Hamilton Green Cup Knock-Out football tournament would have continued last evening at the at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground with a double- header beginning at 19:00hrs.

In fact, the competition will continue this evening at the same venue and involves two of the mining commu-

nity top teams coming up against a team from neighbouring Kuru Kururu and another from Plaisance, a member of the East Demerara Football Association.

The feature game which is scheduled for a 21:00hrs start will see home side Milerock squaring off with Plaisance, while in the opening fixture, Winners Connection of Linden takes on Kuru Kururu of the Linden

Highway.

The feature game brings together Milerock and Plaisance.

The tournament will continue on Friday, September 15, with another double- header at the same venue and will see Silver Shattas tackling Riddim Squad in the opening game from 19:00hrs and Eagles United taqking on Soesdyke from 21:00hrs.

spoke to me about joining the club.”

Wearing the number 8 shirt, the forward who start-

ed out life as a student as Sacred Heart Primary believes that the adrenaline pumping, thrills and excitement” that the sport produces is “too much to explain in words; you would have to play to feel what it is about.”

France, who is a veteri-

nary assistant at Pets2000, believes that hockey is a great sport which enables persons to make new friends both locally and from other countries and says that he encourages any young person to get involved.

Turn to page 30

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 10, 2017

Jaguars Franchise League 3-day tournament….

Georgetown beat Lower Corentyne by five wickets

By Rajiv Bisnauth

GEORGETOWN completed a fighting five-wicket win inside two days over Lower Corentyne yesterday at the Lusignan Community Centre ground.

Set 157 to win, Georgetown reached their target for the loss of five wickets.

Scores in the match: Lower Corentyne 165 and 145; Georgetown 154 and 157-5.

In the morning, former National left-arm spinner Kasim Khan completed a five-wicket haul, finishing with 5-49, which ensure his team secured a 11-run lead.

Georgetown had started the morning at 154-8, were looking to overall the visitors 165, but their hopes were

crushed inside the first two overs of the day.

Both overnight batsmen Christopher Barnwell and Ahmead Nedd fell without any addition to their overnight score of 73 and 0 respectively.

Nedd was the first to depart, bowled by Nial Smith before Khan wrapped up the innings when Barnwell was bowled in the left-arm spinner’s first over of the morning.

Khan and Smith were complemented by spinners Devon Clements (2-21) and Kevlin Umroa (2-52), who contributed to the steady inroads late on day one.

Batting a second time, the visitors’ top-order batting was again exposed as they reached 75-4 at lunch.

The innings started in

Lord’s five-wicket haul delights resurgent Roach LONDON, (CMC) – A year ago, seamer Kemar Roach was having serious doubts he would ever return to international cricket.

The talented right-armer was still struggling to recover from a shoulder injury which had resulted in surgery, and subsequently also led to a loss of form.

Recently recalled for the three-Test tour of England after 18 months out of West Indies colours, the 29-yearold rebounded in style when he snatched a five-wicket haul at historic Lord’s on the second day of the decisive Test on Friday.

“I had doubts [about my return]. It was a pretty tough time,” the Barbadian told reporters.

“Breaking your shoulder is never easy but lots of hard rehab and a lot of hours of training got me back here and I’m proud of myself to be able to come back and still perform for the West Indies.”

Roach bowled superbly to finish with five for 72 as England were dismissed for 194 in their first innings, in reply to the Caribbean side’s 123.

With the performance, he became the ninth West Indies bowler to make the honours board at the home of cricket, joining the likes of legends Courtney Walsh, Malcolm Marshall and Andy Roberts.

“It means a lot. A lot of players did it before me – Courtney Walsh, Malcolm Marshall – and to be a part

of that [list] is an amazing feeling,” he explained.

“A lot of players have come here and never got it done so to be a part of that board is history. For me, it’s just about continuing to improve as a cricketer and doing it again if I come back here.”

Roach burst onto the scene in 2009 against Bangladesh in the Caribbean, bowling with express speed and quickly cementing himself in the side.

But with injuries taking their toll, Roach has cut down on pace but has become more clever with the ball – an asset he said had served him well in the current England series.

He also said advice from former West Indies bowlers on how to use the English conditions had been a boost.

“I’ve learnt my art a little bit more. I’m more experienced,” he pointed out.

“Obviously I’ve been talking to past players [like] Corey Collymore, guys that played in England for a couple of years so coming here I was prepared, so obviously I knew how to bowl on certain pitches – the length and stuff that was going to be crucial.

“Kudos to those guys for helping me out so it’s all about me going out there and exhibiting what I’ve learnt.”

Roach finished the series with 11 wickets at 29 runs apiece as West Indies surrendered by nine wickets on Saturday’s third day, to also lose the series 2-1.

disastrous fashion, after Alex Algoo was trapped leg before wicket to Barnwell without scoring.

Jason Sinclair and Kelvon Anderson added 33 for the second wicket before the spinners played their part before the interval.

Leg-spinner Steven Sankar bowled Sinclair for 13.

Eight runs later Anderson was bowled by new Guyana Jaguars recruit Ramaal Lewis for 24, while Jonathan Foo was bowled by Gajanan Suknanan for five at 49-4.

However, Seon Hetmyer and Clements navigated their way to the interval without any further casualties.

But soon after the break, the visitors were left wobbling again, after Lewis and

Sankar claimed the last six

Kassim Khan

wickets.

The off-spinner Lewis picked up four of the six wickets to finish with figures of 5-35, while Sankar who

EBFA Ralph Green U-11 League

Agricola open title defence on winning note; Grove and Diamond Utd. motor on DFENDING champions, Agricola Red Triangle opened the defence of

Jaden Paul was the player who broke the deadlock in the 24th minute and once

Agricola Red Triangle and Mocha Champs matching skills yesterday at the Grove Playfield.

their East Bank Football Association (EBFA) / Ralph Green Under-11 title on a winning note yesterday with a solid 3-0 win over Mocha Champs at the Grove Playfield.

Also notching up wins on the day were Grove High Tech which chalked up their second win in as many matches, a 6-0 thumping of Friendship to move to the top of Group B, while Diamond United also sit at the top of Group A after they were gifted three points following the no-show of Diamond Upsetters.

Agricola did not find the going easy against the Mocha boys and had to wait until the final five minutes of the 30-minute encounter to get past the defence of the lads from Mocha.

that was achieved, Agricola fired in two more unanswered goals.

Terry Moore rocked the nets in the 27th minute with the third and final goal coming on the stroke of full time off the boot of Jonathan Andries.

Home team Grove was once again in ripping form led by their leading striker, Jamal Cordis, who blasted a hat-trick to follow up his double against Mocha in their first match, which they won, 5-0.

Cordis rocked the net in the 2nd, 13th and 20th minutes with one each from Dwayne Cliffe in the 6th minute, Kevon Pluck (18) and Jeremiah Henry in the 28th minute. Matches will continue on Saturday at the same venue.

removed Hetmyer for a top score of 53, ended with figures of 3-29. Akeem Hinds (23), was the only other batsman reached double figure.

Barnwell then made a composed 79 in the run chase to set up the win.

He received support from Raymond Perez 39 and Robin Bacchus 18. Lewis (13) and Kellon Carmichael (0) were the other two batsmen dismissed. Sunil Singh (3 not out) and Dextor Solomon (3 not out) were at the crease when victory was achieved.

Khan again was the main threat, claiming four wickets, while Smith was the other successful bowler.

Meanwhile, in scores in the other second round of matches saw Upper Corentyne facing East Coast at

Port Mourant, West Berbice taking on Essequibo at Bush Lot and East Bank going up against West Demerara at Tuschen.

Scores provided by GCB’s Assistant Administrator, Avee Fedee-Grimmond as follows: East Bank 171 all out. (S. Rutherford 67; Richi Looknauth 5-46).

West Berbice replying to Essequibo’s first innings of 196, were bowled out for 146. Ricardo Adams and Anthony Adams had figures of 4-32 and 5-34 respectively.

Upper Corentyne 233 all out (Joshua Ramsammy 65, Chanderpaul Hemraj 5-22).

In reply East Coast 259 all out. Amir Khan 92, Brain Sattuar 59, Joshua Persaud 62.

No new playing conditions for India-Australia, England-WI series THE new set of International Cricket Council (ICC) playing conditions, effective September 28, will not be applied for the limited-overs series between England and West Indies, and Australia and India.

This decision has been taken because the revised rules come into play midway through both series and the ICC wanted to avoid the resulting discrepancy.

So, the first games of cricket with teams not losing a review for an umpire’s call verdict on DRS, and umpires having the authority to send players off the field for bad behaviour will be the Test series between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and between Bangladesh and South Africa beginning in the last week of September.

Three months ago in June, the ICC cricket committee had taken suggestions from the Marylebone Cricket Club, custodians of the laws of the game, and approved various changes to the playing conditions.

These included restrictions on bat sizes, introduction of DRS in T20Is, and an amendment to the run-out law so that batsmen are no longer dismissed if their bat pops in the air at

the time of the stumps being broken after having been grounded behind the crease initially.

Catches and stumpings will also be permitted off deliveries where the ball makes contact with the protective helmet worn by a fielder or wicketkeeper.

The ICC has also made it mandatory for all international matches to have DRS with accredited ball-tracking and edge-detection technology once the new rules take effect. However, reviews will no longer be reset after 80 overs in a Test match.

Key changes to ICC Playing Conditions DRS to be available in T20 internationals Teams will not lose a review for “umpire’s call” lbw decisions No more DRS reviews top-up after 80 overs in Test cricket Umpires have power to dismiss players from field for serious misconduct Restrictions on thickness of edges and total depth of bat enforced The ‘bouncing bat’ runout eliminated from the game Concussion substitution trials green-lighted for first-class cricket

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 10, 2017

Anderson’s career-best seals 2-1 series win for England

Champagne corks were ready to be popped as Joe Root lifted the trophy to end a successful first summer as captain ©Getty Images

LONDON (Reuters) - England pace bowler James Anderson took a career best of seven for 42 on Saturday to destroy the West Indies’ batting on the third day of the third Test at Lord’s and set up his team for a 2-1 series victory.

Af11111ter West Indies had been dismissed for 177 in their second innings, England reached 107 for one to ensure they retained the Wisden trophy with more than

two days’ play remaining in the final test of the English summer.

Anderson, who on Friday became the first England bowler to take 500 Test wickets, captured the key wicket of Shai Hope for 62 immediately after lunch and two balls later bowled Devendra Bishoo for a duck.

He then bowled Kemar Roach for three to better his previous best of seven for 43 against New Zealand at

Trent Bridge in Nottingham in 2008.

Bowling under clear skies on the third morning of a match in which 23 wickets fell on the first two days, Anderson, with two wickets already from day two, struck twice in the first hour.

Roston Chase was caught behind by Johnny Bairstow for three pushing forward to the fourth delivery of the morning and Jermaine Blackwood fell in similar fashion

for five.

England’s fielding was again fallible with Broad dropping Blackwood and failing to hold on to a stinging caught-and-bowled opportunity from wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich while Alastair Cook failed to take a catch at gully from West Indies’ captain Jason Holder off the last ball before lunch bowled by captain Joe Root.

Hope, who scored a century in each innings of the second Test at Headingley when West Indies squared the series, batted throughout the opening session, playing one glorious cover drive to the boundary off Ben Stokes and brought up hishalf-century with an equally delightful push to the mid-wicket boundary.

But with his dismissal after nearly four hours at the crease, West Indies’ hopes of setting England any sort of challenging target disappeared.

After Bishoo had dismissed Cook lbw for 17 with the leg-spinner’s first delivery of the match, Mark Stoneman (40 not out) and Tom Westley (44 not out), who both needed runs to press their claims for a place

SCOREBOARD WEST INDIES 1st innings 123 (B. Stokes 6-22) England 1st innings 194 (B. Stokes 60; K. Roach 5-72, J. Holder 4-54) West Indies 2nd innings (Overnight: 93-3) K. Brathwaite b Anderson 4 K. Powell b Anderson 45 K. Hope lbw b Broad 1 S. Hope c Bairstow b Anderson 62 R. Chase c Bairstow b Anderson 3 J. Blackwood c Bairstow b Anderson 5 S. Dowrich c Broad b Roland-Jones 14 J. Holder c Anderson b Broad 23 D. Bishoo b Anderson 0 K. Roach b Anderson 3 S. Gabriel not out 0 Extras (lb-17) 17 Total (all out, 65.1 overs) 177 Fall of wickets: 1-6 K. Brathwaite,2-21 K. Hope,3-69 K. Powell,4-94 R. Chase,5-100 J. Blackwood,6-123 S. Dowrich,7-155 S. Hope,8-155 D. Bishoo,9-177 J. Holder,10-177 K. Roach Bowling: J. Anderson 20.1 - 5 - 42 – 7, S. Broad 19 - 9 - 35 – 2, T. Roland-Jones 11 - 4 - 31 – 1, B. Stokes 12 - 3 - 41 – 0, M. Ali 2 - 0 - 6 – 0, J. Root 1 - 0 - 5 - 0 ENGLAND 2nd innings (Target: 107 runs) A. Cook lbw b Bishoo 17 M. Stoneman not out 40 T. Westley not out 44 Extras (b-4 lb-1 w-1) 6 Total (for 1 wickets, 28 overs) 107 Fall of wickets: 1-35 A. Cook Did not bat: J. Root, D. Malan, B. Stokes, J. Bairstow, M. Ali, T. Roland-Jones, S. Broad, J. Anderson Bowling: S. Gabriel 5 - 0 - 22 – 0,K. Roach 1 - 0 - 4 – 0, J. Holder 6 - 1 - 16 - 0(w-1),D. Bishoo 11 - 2 - 35 - 1 R. Chase 5 - 1 - 25 - 0

in the England side to defend the Ashes in Australia at the end of the year, guided their side home to an untroubled victory.

Stokes was named as the man-of-the-match ahead of Anderson after taking six for 22 in West Indies’ first

innings and then top-scoring with 60 in England’s reply.

“To share the moment with guys I have played 100 Tests with is very special,” Anderson said. “We set a target of not going for many runs this morning and we are just delighted with the result.”

Putin, FIFA head send main soccer trophy on Russia tour before 2018 World Cup MOSCOW (Reuters) Russian President Vladimir Putin and FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Saturday launched the World Cup trophy on a tour across Russia ahead of the 2018 championship, with the head of world soccer’s governing body lauding Russia’s readiness for the event.

“To the people of Russia, I tell them: enjoy and celebrate the trophy tour and then the World Cup. And to the people of the world, I tell them: come to Russia, enjoy Russia and celebrate the World Cup,” Infantino said, standing next to Putin on a stage in Moscow’s Luzhniki

FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Russian President Vladimir Putin attend the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour kick-off ceremony at the Luzhniki Stadium which will host matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, in Moscow, Russia September 9, 2017. REUTERS/ Maxim Shemetov

stadium.

Surrounded by hundreds of young soccer players, Infantino and Putin took turns to hold the FIFA World Cup in their hands before it started its 123-day, 26,000 km (16,250 mile) journey.

“We are starting now the tour...to prepare the whole world for next year’s event when in this stadium three billion people around the world will watch this trophy being handed over to the next world champion,” Infantino said.

Moscow has eased visa regulations for foreign soccer fans and pumped billions of dollars into stadiums, hotels and other infrastructure as the Kremlin

is keen to improve Russia’s image in its worst crisis with the West since the Cold War. Russia has come under several rounds of Western sanctions over the annexation of Crimea and Moscow’s role in Ukraine’s conflict with pro-Russian separatists.

“Everything is proceeding according to plan, everything is financed properly,” Putin told Infantino at a separate meeting later in remarks shown by state television.

The Luzhniki stadium, which has undergone a five-year reconstruction, will host the opening and final games of the World Cup 2018.

Anderson’s career-best seals 2-1 series win for England

Page 35

Sloane Stephens surges past Madison Keys to win US Open title

By Julien Pretot NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sloane Stephens stayed composed throughout the U.S. Open final, playing near-perfect tennis to win her maiden grand slam title with a 6-3 6-0 victory against Madison Keys as the future of American women’s tennis seemed assured on Saturday.

The 24-year-old, back this summer from almost a year off the courts because of a foot injury, was never in trouble as her defensive play derailed the 15th-seeded Keys, who was playing with a heavily bandaged right thigh.

“It’s incredible. I honestly had surgery Jan 23 and if someone had told me I’d win the U.S. Open I would have said it’s impossible,” said the unseeded Stephens who, after celebrating, sat down and

Sloane Stephens was ranked 957th in the world six weeks ago, having only returned at Wimbledon after 11 months out with a foot injury. Photograph: Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images

Holder defends batting unit, says Windies have improved LONDON, (CMC) – Captain Jason Holder has leapt to the defence of his batting unit, after West Indies slumped to a nine-wicket defeat at Lord’s to concede the three-Test series, 2-1, here Saturday.

Resuming the third day on 93 for three, the Windies were dismissed for 177, with only the in-form Shai Hope getting among the runs with 62.

At Headingley when West Indies stunned England in the second Test by five wickets, Hope was again the main run-scorer with 147 and 118 not out, while opener Kraigg Brathwaite got 134 and 95.

Jermaine Blackwood was the only other Windies batsman in the series to score a half-century but Holder said the batting element of the side continued to be a work in progress.

“I think a lot of your batsmen shaped up pretty well but Turn to page 31

chatted with Keys.

“Madi is one of my best friends on tour and to play her here, I wouldn’t have wanted to play anyone else.

I told her I wish it could be a draw and if it was the other way around she’d do the same. To stand here with her today is incredible, that’s what real friendship is.”

Keys noted, “Sloane is truly one of my favorite people and to get to play her was really special. Obviously I didn’t play my best tennis today and I was really disappointed but Sloane was very supportive and if there was someone I had to lose to today I‘m glad it’s her.”

FILLING A VOID The friendship could also develop into a great rivalry as both women showed throughout the tournament, and before that, that they Turn to page 31

Finalists to be decided tonight in Corona Invitational football

GFC will have the uphill task of taking on Northern Rangers

Shai Hope made an excellent half-century.

THE finalists in this year’s Corona Invitational Football tournament will be decided this evening when the semi-finals get rolling at the GFC Ground.

In the first of the matches, Northern Rangers will take on hosts GFC from 19:00hrs.

The Rangers will have the 12th man against them in their clash against GFC and it will be interesting to see how they will overturn that factor.

However, with their run in this Corona invitational leaving many stunned, pundits are predicting another win for the Rangers.

GFC, on the other hand, have suffered at times with a lack of depth in their squad.

Their ability in the final third has also left a lot to be desired and while they prefer to ‘fancy dance’ at times, their fans would be

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hoping that they keep things simple and find the back of the nets.

The second match is expected to be a firecracker as the Guyana Police Force takes on the Western Tigers. Both teams are regarded as powerhouses in the Georgetown region and will leave no stone unturned in the demolition of each other.

Western have been a force to be reckoned with in the final thirds and their ability to turn half chances into goals always makes them the clear favourites.

Still, the police side have been developing into a formidable, compact unit that play from the back, meaning that any slip in that Western Tigers back line and they will pay for it Still, when the dust settles, one team must be declared the winner. (Stephan Sookram).

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER, 10, 2017