Guyana Chronicle E-paper 1-27-2020

MONDAY 27th January, 2020

No.105892

Guyana lauds India’s

‘ green energy’ drive

...at 70th Republic Anniversary observance ...countries finalising first phase of Ogle bypass road

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President David Granger; Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr. KJ Srinivasa; and Ms. Ashwini Gowdara Siddeshwara cut the Republic Anniversary cake as Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo looks on (Elvin Croker photo)

Scotiabank no longer selling off Guyana branch 20

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…says Central Bank governor

Kwakwani now receiving up to 22 hours electricity 17 per day PAGE

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28/24

NBA legend Kobe Bryant, daughter among 9 killed in helicopter crash

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 27, 2020

Young people call for ‘Presidential debate’ before March 2

By Vishani Ragobeer YOUNG Guyanese are calling on political parties to agree to a public Presidential Candidates’ Debate before the March 2 General and Regional Elections, so that they can make informed decisions when casting their ballots.

Well-known youth advocate Dennis Glasgow is working to organise such a debate ahead of this year’s elections.

According to him, his personal interest in a debate of this kind stems from his lack of knowledge of the candidates contesting and their positions on a myriad of issues.

Beyond himself though, the youth advocate said, “I want young people to get the opportunity to hear from these candidates and hear what they have to say from their hearts, not the big speeches they have prepared for them by their staff.”

He believes that young people, the largest voting demographic in Guyana, will

be able to make an “informed decision” when casting their ballots, if they are engaged with politicians in a way that fosters an understanding of how they intend creating a brighter future for Guyanese youth.

rally, he said that a public forum of this manner would allow the young people to speak with the politicians, instead of being spoken to.

“Rallies are important, but a more intimate conversation may be most effective

groups of young people who are working towards planning, or lobbying for, this debate. “I believe that we are stronger together and it’s important that we all collaborate on this initiative,” he said.

Adding to what Glasgow

signatures.

Moreover, a Facebook page was also created for this petition. And here, two of the smaller and new political parties, Change Guyana and The Citizenship Initiative (TCI) have indicated their willingness to participate in such a debate.

The online petition for a Presidential Candidates Debate before the March 2 General and Regional Elections

While opining that young people have seemingly become disengaged from local politics due to the distrust of politicians, he urged that all Guyanese should consider developing a “new culture” whereby leaders are able to respectfully engage each other during this critical election period. In contrast to a political

for young voters since we get to hear directly from the candidates,” Glasgow said, reasoning: “A respectful debate will also give us a better opportunity to have a comparative assessment of what they all bring to the table.”

Glasgow also related that it is his understanding that there are quite a few other

said was Shafeena Milton, who indicated that as a 20-year-old and a first-time voter, she is quite unaware of what many of the political parties are articulating as their plans for Guyana’s future.

“I thought having a presidential debate, in comparison to rallies or paid political ads, will allow voters to know more about candidates and their future agenda,” Milton said.

Milton along with her associates began an online petition- “GY Presidential Debate 2020”, to galvanise support around the lobbying efforts for the debate. When the Guyana Chronicle last checked on Sunday, this online petition had garnered just over 1800

Youth advocate Dennis Glasgow

Further elaborating on her decision to help organise these lobbying efforts, Milton said she believes that as a candidate, literally, stands right next to their competitor at the debate, they would be compelled to present their best strategies for Guyana’s development. At the same time, this would allow all parties an equal chance to prove themselves and it would provide voters with greater insight into the respective candidates’ policies.

Through this debate, she said, “I hope that we can restore voters’ confidence…

and so that when they do vote, they can have a sense of trust so that whatever the results of the elections may be, it will be for the benefit of the country.”

Speaking specifically on the willingness of the older, established parties to participate in such a debate, Glasgow highlighted that while they may be busy with nationwide campaigns, they should answer the call of young people just as seriously as they would from international organisations such as the United Nations, or otherwise.

“They may feel that because they are the oldest party, they have already cemented their support and need not grab at every opportunity to engage like the newer parties are doing,” he said.

“Every vote counts, and if the young people all across social media are asking for you to have a debate and live Question and Answer [segment] then indulge us.

It’s an opportunity to win us over too.”

He also emphasised the need for these parties to endorse the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Code of Conduct, cognisant that this youthful generation does not take lightly the use of racially insensitive and offensive elections rhetoric.

“So once they agree to invites [for the debate] then they need to ‘come correct’,” the young man said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Monday January 27, 2020

Guyana lauds India’s ‘green energy’ drive

...at 70th Republic Anniversary observance ...countries finalising 1st phase of Ogle bypass road

By Gabriella Chapman AS India celebrates 70 years since its transition from a British Dominion to a Republic, President David Granger lauded the many achievements that came as a result of Guyana’s collaboration with India.

The High Commissioner of India, Dr. K.J. Srinivasa, hosted a Reception at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on Sunday evening, at which President Granger delivered an address.

The President overtly applauded India for setting the example in alleviating impacts of climate change and promoting solar energy. This, he said, is what Guyana has to align with in order to achieve the ‘green’ transformation.

Guyana, he said, is in tural cooperation. India’s the process of transforming assistance, by providing into a ‘Green State’, which will place greater emphasis on the protection of the environment, the preservation of biodiversity and the promotion of renewable energy, including through the generation of solar energy and the adoption of practical measures to ensure climate adaptation.

“I am happy to note Guyana’s partnership with and participation in the ISA [International Solar Alliance] which will contribute to the advancement of our Green State Development Strategy. This High Commissioner of India, His Excellency, Dr K.J. Srinivasa partnership moves Guyana closer to achieving

A cultural dance presentation at the India Republic Day celebration

“We are collaborating, today, as advocates for combating the adverse effects of climate change.

India has been a leader in its commitment to working towards mitigating the impact of climate change at the international level. India’s proactive approach is evident in its role in the establishment of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), focused on the mobilisation of resources to produce cleaner and cost-effective renewable energy,” President said.

its objective of becoming a ‘Green’ State,” President Granger said.

He noted, too, that the two countries have forged a strong alliance through interaction at the Joint Commission and, at the Ministerial level, through consultations between the Foreign Ministries.

“Guyana and India concluded the signing of two memoranda of understanding in 2018 to encourage and promote cooperation in the field of new and renewable energy for mutual benefit and to enhance cul-

scholarships and training opportunities under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) initiative, moves Guyana closer to achieving its objective of becoming an ‘Education Nation’,” Granger posited.

Additionally, Guyana and India’s Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology signed an agreement in May 2017, paving the way for the establishment and operation of a Centre of Excel-

A toast to the collaboration between India and Guyana

lence in Information Technology here.

To this regard, President Granger said “I

expected to alleviate traffic congestion on the East Coast and East Bank of Demerara, and this project amounts to nearly US$50M. Echoing similar sen-

Commissioner said.

He noted, too, that January 26 is a significant day in India, and it is a celebration of its democracy.

“On the 26 of January

The National School of Dance performing at the Reception celebration

was pleased to commission this Centre on the University of Guyana Campus in June 2019. This Centre moves Guyana closer to achieving its objective of becoming a Digital State.”

Amidst the list of achievements, the President disclosed that the two governments are working to finalise the first phase of the East Bank-East Coast Road Linkage Project “as we embark on our Decade of Development.”

The East Bank-East Coast road link network is

timents, the Indian High Commissioner said Guyana and India share a strong relationship between governments and the people, which they are looking to further strengthen.

“We’re expected to reach new heights in the near future. India is very happy to strengthen the level of collaborations with Guyana. That is why we all need to work together and think about ways and means for furthering the avenues of collaboration between the two countries,” the High

1950, the India constitution was formally adopted and this celebration aims to reiterate and reunite the citizens of India to values and principles expressed in the Indian Constitution, and we encourage all Indians in India and abroad to play their rightful role in the strengthening of Indian democracy,” the High Commissioner said.

Following the toasts between countries, the attendees were entertained with cultural presentations.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 27, 2020

China coronavirus ‘spreads before symptoms show’ A new coronavirus that has spread to more than 2,000 people is infectious in its incubation period - before symptoms show - making it harder to contain, Chinese officials say.

Fifty-six people have died from the virus. Health Minister Ma Xiaowei told reporters the ability of the virus to spread appeared to be strengthening.

Several Chinese cities have imposed significant travel restrictions. Wuhan in Hubei, the source of the outbreak, is in effective lockdown.

The infections were at a “crucial stage of containment”, Ma Xiaowei said.

Officials announced that the sale of all wildlife in China would be banned from Sunday. The virus is thought to have originated in animals, but no cause has been official-

ly identified.

In humans, the incubation period - during which a person has the disease, but no symptoms yet - ranges from between one and 14 days, officials believe. Without symptoms, a person may not know they have the infection, but still be able to spread it.

The Mayor of the city, Zhou Xianwang, has said he expects 1,000 new patients there. Wuhan has seen queues forming at hospitals as people seek treatment.

But Mr Zhou said an increase in private donations had helped reduce shortages of some medical equipment.

Sophie, from the UK, is inside the locked-down city.

She told the BBC: “We’ve been stuck in the house four days. We found out about the virus on 31 December. It’s just got worse and worse. Now it’s

Monday, January 27, 2020 - 05:00hrs~06:30hrs

really bad.”

With no taxis on the streets, volunteer drivers are bringing people to the crowded hospitals.

“There are no cars, so we are responsible for bringing people there (to hospital), and we take them back, afterwards we will do disinfecting. All for free,” Yin Yu told AFP news agency.

“We’re fine,” another driver, Zhang Lin, said. “There has to be someone who does this. We’re from Wuhan, and even you guys [journalists] are here to help us, our own citizens should also come out to do this. This is our job.”

The virus itself is a new or “novel” coronavirus - a family that normally affects animals. One human variant causes the common cold, but another, Sars, killed hundreds in a major outbreak in 2003.

This new virus causes severe acute respiratory infection.

Symptoms seem to start with a fever, followed by a dry cough and then, after a week, lead to shortness of breath and some patients needing hospital treatment.

There is no specific cure

or vaccine.

At the end of Saturday in China, there were 1975 cases and a further 2,684 suspected cases, China’s National Health Commission said.

The rapid spread of the disease coincides with the Lunar New Year festival, under normal circumstances one of the busiest travel periods in the Chinese calendar.

The government has announced it will extend the Lunar New Year holiday by three days to 2 February in a further effort to contain the outbreak. From Wuhan, a city of 11 million people, the disease spread to neighbouring cities and provinces in smaller numbers. By Saturday, cases were reported across China.

The authorities in Hong Kong have blocked visitors from Hubei entering the territory, except returning Hong Kong residents. A small group of protesters set fire to the lobby of a building in Hong Kong that the authorities had earmarked Cases have been confirmed in Japan, Taiwan, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Australia, the US, and France. (BBC)

12 dead, hundreds wounded as protesters clash with Iraq security forces Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) Twelve people were killed and 230 others injured in protests in Iraq over the past three days, the Independent High Commission for Human Rights of Iraq said Sunday.

Nine protesters were killed in the capital Baghdad and three others in the southern city of Nasiriyah, about 350 km south of Baghdad, according to the statement.

More than 600 people have been killed in anti-government demonstrations that started in October, according to the IHCHR and Amnesty International.

Dozens of Iraqi security forces used live ammunition and tear gas as they worked to disperse hundreds of anti-government protesters in al-Khalani Square, Baghdad, on Saturday, according to activists in the area.

Activists said the aggressive move came after Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announced in a statement Friday night that he would no longer support anti-government protesters.

Hours later, hundreds of his followers left Tahrir Square in response to his statement.

Security forces fire tear gas to disperse anti-government protesters during clashes with anti-government protesters in Baghdad on Saturday.

Activists said security forces clashed with hundreds of protesters in the southern city of Basra after they tore down dozens of their sit-in tents. Hundreds of protesters in both Basra and Baghdad were dispersed on Saturday, and six protesters were wounded in Basra, according to activists there.

Iraqi security forces in Baghdad and Basra did not respond to CNN’s phone calls and requests regarding incidents in Baghdad and Basra.

“Unaccountability and indecisiveness are unworthy of Iraqi hopes, courageously expressed for four months now,” UN Special Representative for Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, tweeted Saturday.

“While death and injury tolls continue to rise, steps taken so far will remain hollow if not completed. The people must be served and protected, not violently oppressed,” she said.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 27, 2020

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State of Emergency declared in East Kingston KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – A section of the Corporate Area has been placed under a State of Emergency.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced that State of Emergency has been imposed in East Kingston.

Speaking during a press conference on Sunday,

Holness said he petitioned governor-general Sir Patrick Allen sometime after midnight to make the declaration.

Also speaking at Jamaica House was Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson who said there were 33 wanted persons and 34 violence producers in the police division.

Since the start of 2020, East Kingston has recoded

11 murders – in 2019, during the same time period, three murders were recorded.

According to police statistics – last year, East Kingston saw a 16 percent increase in murders and a 49 percent increase in shooting incidents.

It was also revealed that 67 percent of the shootings are related to gang activity.

Brazil floods: Dozens dead in severe Minas Gerais rainstorms

Rescuers have been spraying water to disperse mud, as the search for the missing continues (AFP/GETTY IMAGES)

At least 30 people have died during severe rainstorms in Brazil’s Minas Gerais state, the country’s emergency services have said.

Many of the victims were buried in landslides or washed away in floods after intense rain on Friday and Saturday.

More than 2,500 people were evacuated from their homes, and local TV showed images of ruined houses under red mud.

Rescue work continued overnight into Sunday, with 17 people missing.

The Brazilian weather service said on Saturday that the state capital of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, had had 17cm (seven inches) of rain in one 24-hour period - the heaviest rainfall since records were first kept 110

years ago.

About 40 municipalities in Brazil’s second most populous state have been badly hit.

The floods and landslides come on the first anniversary of the dam collapse near the town of Brumadinho, southwest of Belo Horizonte, that killed 270 people.

Forests were destroyed and rivers polluted, in what was Brazil’s worst industrial accident.

Mining giant Vale and German auditor Tüv Süd now face environmental charges relating to the collapse, with 16 individuals who worked for the companies facing charges of murder.

Vale has been accused of failing to report warning signs before the dam engulfed a canteen, offices and farms. (BBC)

Rehabilitation project at Grantley International Airport gets underway

B R I D G E TO W N , B a rbados, CMC – The first phase of a rehabilitation project at the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA), has started.

The project, that will be conducted in four phases over a 12-month period, will feature the complete resurfacing of the runway and taxiways; expansion of the parking apron; establishment of a new parking apron on the south side of the airfield; repair to aircraft parking aprons, along with other works.

According to the Director of Engineering at GAIA, Karen Walkes, work commenced on a taxiway at the western end of the airport on January 20, and this initial phase will involve the widening and resurfacing of approximately one-quarter of the runway and adjacent taxiway.

“We will be displacing the threshold during that work, so we will have a shortened runway, but it will be well within the requirements for the categories of aircraft that fly into Barbados.”

Walkes noted that the first phase of the 12-month

project should be completed around the “end of March going into April”, and said that during this time work will take place throughout the day and night. However, it will not require closure of the airport during this period.

According to officials, the nearby districts of Fairy Valley and Thyme Bottom, located at the western and southern end of the airport, may be affected by noise and lights on the airfield at night.

Persons could also expect to smell fumes from asphalt occasionally.

There is also the possibility that surrounding areas could similarly be impacted.

The contractors, JADA Builders Inc. and Dexter Construction Company Limited, are responsible for controlling and mitigating environmental issues, and residents are asked to note that measures have been put in place to control dust.

The Airport Airfield and Ground Side Pavement Improvements and Rehabilitation Project will be executed through a joint-venture agreement between Dexter Construction Company Limited and JADA Builders Inc.

Further explaining the construction process, Walkes outlined: “The pavement work project is being done to improve the capacity of the GAIA and to renew the pavement surfaces for safety, as they were last resurfaced in 1999/2000.

We are also widening one of the taxiways in order to accommodate the larger category F aircraft like the A380, and we are adding parking on the south side, so that we can have hangars for Fixed Based Operators. We are building a large parking position to accommodate

Category F class aircraft.

A new landside road will also be constructed from the Airport Police Station to the Fuel Farm to allow for better access to facilities in that area.”

The initiative is being funded by the Caribbean Development Bank, at a cost of USD $44,687,568.

It was also indicated that a hotline and an email address would be established, so that residents or other persons who have queries or concerns would have an outlet to have them addressed.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday January 27, 2020

Education, jobs, and the good life

PRESIDENT David Granger has repeatedly emphasised that, “Education is the great equaliser.” His Excellency has stated that, “One of the reasons there is so much poverty is because there is so much inequality. Once the child of a rich man and the child of a poor man have the same education, they have the chance to be equal and then they have a better opportunity at employment and making sure that you have a good life.” The truthfulness of the president’s position is unequivocal, self-evident, and beyond any doubt; an educated citizen is an empowered citizen who has a better chance at having the good life that Brigadier Granger wants all Guyanese to enjoy.

Education is defined as, “The process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits.” Evidently, education is far more than just “book-learning.” Instead, it is the process by which a person acquires the ability to be a productive member of his or her family, neighbourhood, community, and country. For example, education includes vocational and technical training in addition to academics. That is a view that has been underscored by Coalition officials on countless occasions.

Those facts considered, the David Granger administration’s policies, programmes, and initiatives are understandably relevant, and expectably effective. President Granger has said that every child should be in school and have access to formal education. He has promised to remove tuition fees for tertiary education at the University of Guyana; fees that were imposed on Guyanese by the People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) uncaring regime. His Excellency has promised that formal education will be available to all Guyanese from the nursery-school level to the university level.

Inarguably, to ensure development, a country must

necessarily invest in programmes that will bear fruit in the future; educating the nation’s next generation is one key undertaking within that category. However, simply and haphazardly dumping resources into educational programmes, as the previous PPP regime had done, will not work. Instead, a methodical approach is required. A visionary leader must accurately evaluate current shortcomings, correctly identify trends, properly predict future conditions, and implement a comprehensive agenda that is designed to guarantee continuous progress in a fast-evolving world. The David Granger administration, based on its actions, clearly understands this fact. President Granger did not sit in an office and do guesswork; he went into the field and met the people, he spoke to parents, and he observed conditions on the ground. The result was a tailored educational agenda that the Ministry of Education was tasked with effecting.

One of the most successful initiatives is President Granger’s 5Bs programme. The programme, which was launched on July 15, 2015 – the president’s birthday – has, as its primary objective, increasing school-attendance of children in the hinterland. The president had observed that many children in interior regions did not attend school because their families were poor and could not afford transportation. Even more saddening, many children stayed home because their families could not afford proper meals.

The president decided to take action by introducing the programme to distribute the 5Bs – which stand for boats, buses, bicycles, breakfast and books – directly to households and communities across Guyana. The programme has been a phenomenal success with more than 4,000 bicycles, boats, and some 30 buses already delivered. Meals are provided

GNSO supports multi-sectoral approach to violence in schools Dear Editor

THE Guyana National Students’ Organisation (GNSO) has recognised the recent incidents of violent outbursts amongst students, parents and teachers.

GNSO’s Interim Committee of Management condemns the acts of violence.

GNSO highlights that violence as a course of action is degrading to our moral fabric. Outside of the physical threats, the effects of school violence include vandalism and loss of school facilities, moral decadence, increased crime rates, erosion of cultural values and poor reputations for schools as well as societies.

The school system can sometimes have a way of dismissing violent acts, such as bullying, as misdemeanours, but this is a dangerous oversight in light of the serious incidents that are unfolding.

In addition to this, the legal system in many areas is yet to develop specific laws that will help curb school violence and make it an offence appropriately punishable by law.

GNSO will support a multi-sectoral approach to the eradication of this scourge from our moral fabric.

GNSO believes that parents and guardians have a key role to play and should ensure that the atmosphere at home, where

the child is nurtured, is violence-free and that they foster effective communication between themselves and their children in an effort to combat school violence.

Schools need to make their environments more conducive to learning and tailor teaching to engage all students. There should be more understanding and time given to address the social needs of students and strict but fair consequences for violent behaviour.

Schools and universities should have counselling sessions, and counsellors should sometimes sit in classrooms to identify violent traits and thus prevent outbreaks.

GNSO advocates for

stronger security measures upon entering schools and universities.

Policy-makers must devise and uphold non-violence in schools for both teachers and students.

Community organisations, supported by governments, should make concerted efforts to reach out to students in a counselling and mentoring capacity and work with them to explore ways to express themselves without the use of violence.

Violence is a village issue, not an individual one.

Regards Interim Committee of Management, Communications Officer- Dornel Mcfarlane

in some 200 schools and books are provided to children.

The result is that attendance has increased by thousands.

With reference to vocational education, the president has noted that, “Unemployment, high as it is, it is being reduced through the promotion of self-employment and I am convinced that most of the young people, if given the training and opportunity, want to work and we must help them with the training and with the resources and the opportunity.” He noted that more than 400 community projects worth GY$3.7 billion are being financed under the Sustainable Livelihoods and Entrepreneurial Development Project, Community Organised for Restoring the Environment, Amerindian Development Fund and the Basic Needs Trust Fund. Those are in addition to the Linden Enterprise Network, Micro and Small Enterprise Development and the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service that have together received GY$1.2 billion in grants and loans for the benefit of 3,000 young entrepreneurs, including startup businesses.

Evidently, President David Granger is taking action to foster an environment of an education-oriented nation. As government continues to take action, the David Granger government has allocated some $170 billion to educating Guyanese. In 2019, $52 billion was budgeted, accounting for 17 per cent of national expenditure. Obviously, the administration is committed to the objective of an ‘Education Nation.’

As President Granger continues the work of giving all Guyanese equal opportunities to have a good life, citizens are encouraged to support the administration’s efforts; after all, it is the average man, woman, boy, and girl who will reap the benefits.

A penalty to pay for such wanton recklessness, disrespect Dear Editor THE video posted recently on the moving mini-bus from which students were made to disembark by jumping explains the wanton recklessness of some drivers, particularly Omkar Rambharose, the errant driver who has been “slapped” with a six-month jail sentence for “dangerous driving, failure to ensure the safety of passengers and breach of insurance.”

This is as heinous an offence, as could ever be imagined and committed against any age category of citizens when one takes into account the grave responsibilities which operators of public transportation have for ensuring the safe driving of their vehicles and ensuring the safe delivery of their passengers to whatever is their destination.

It is therefore unthinkable that such an unforgivable act, such as having schoolchildren jump from such public conveyors could have gone to court without attracting such a sanction, which ought to have been more severe, both in terms of time to be served, and suspension of driver’s licence. The magistrate must be commended for laying the law down.

Also, whatever the duration of suspension – not stated – one hopes that it is adequate, for sending the message, first, to Rambharose, and those who are also similarly inclined towards disregarding the safety of limb and life of the travelling public, that there is a penalty to pay for such a dangerous act, and disrespect.

Regards Carla Mendonca

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Monday January 27, 2020

What is behind The PPP’s relentless campaign to discredit GECOM and its chairperson?

Dear Editor, OVER the last few weeks I have noticed relentless efforts by the PPP/C and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo to malign the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and its Chairperson Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh. This attack is being led by known media agents/mouthpieces of the PPP which include both the printed and electronic media. The Guyana Times, one of the PPP’s leading mouthpieces, almost on a daily basis publishes these lavish allegations. The assault on GECOM and its chair is multi-pronged. For instance, on January 9, 2020, The Guyana Times and an online PPP outlet “INews” carried an almost identical article, in furtherance of their party’s smear campaign. On that day the INews article was captioned “GECOM tampering with NRR” and the other titled “GECOM “tampering” with NRR – PPP”, and carried by the Guyana Times. In these articles the opposition PPP alleged that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) was tampering with the National Register of Registrants Database (NRRDB). The PPP claimed that GECOM was using unverified H2H information to adjust voters’ information on the NRR. This is a serious allegation which the GECOM categorically debunked by exposing the falsities. The chairperson, in her own response to this dangerous lie, deemed the news reports as poor and an attempt to sensationalise. I applaud Justice Singh for her almost immediate rebuttal of the lies and attacks on GECOM by the opposition.

Her tone and temperament seem ideal for this most important office.

Justice Singh, in her many responses to the PPP’s fabrications, provided sound legal basis and reasoning for any action GECOM took. She also called out the opposition deceptions and forcefully restated the facts. As a consequence of this kind of timely and factual response to the PPP’s concoctions, the PPP is not able to get the kind of traction they were hoping to gain from their misinformation campaign. However, they refuse to give up on their efforts.

Editor, it is rather perplexing that the opposition and the PPP seem to be on a mission to discredit and tarnish the character of the GECOM chairperson and to attack the credibility of GECOM. The said opposition leader a few months ago lauded Justice Singh as competent, fair and a person of high integrity. In fact, at Justice Singh’s swearing-in ceremony, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and his party expressed confidence in Justice Singh’s appointment. Bharrat Jagdeo noted that he was satisfied

with her nomination and subsequent appointment. So, what has gone wrong in this short time? Was the opposition hoping that Justice Singh would compromise her integrity and succumb to their pressure campaign?

Was she supposed to bow to the PPP’s pressure and disqualify those young eligible voters who made every effort to ensure that they got registered during the last registration exercise?

Was Justice Singh supposed to bow to the PPP’s demands and take action to disenfranchise thousands of eligible Guyanese voters, merely because their address may have changed! Why is Justice Singh coming under such vicious attacks by the opposition?

Are they hoping to have her engage in actions which may occasion some kind of reverse discrimination? This constant banging at GECOM by the PPP seems to be well timed, intentional and choreographed. It is a political strategy intended to achieve some specific outcomes. Allow me, therefore, to elucidate these potential outcomes targeted by the PPP. For starters, the PPP is seeing the writing on the wall. There is no way the Guyanese electorate will vote them back into office. Guyanese people have not forgotten those long 23 years!

Further, the PPP knows that it has taken actions that are self-defeating, so now it is beginning to come to grips with the daunting reality, of the fact that many of its supporters refused to register to vote. They refused because the opposition leader told them not to do so. What is the strategy now! It is clear that the PPP and its operatives have delved deep into their toolkits to resort to what they know best! Lies and misinformation! With their foreign helpers, the PPP seemed to have adopted a three-pronged approach. The first is to directly attack the office responsible for conducting the elections, GECOM. The primary objective is to discredit the chairperson and the commission. Charges of bias, and attacks on the procedures and systems used to make the commission function will be targeted. The aim here is to raise all kinds of baseless claims which seeks to project the PPP as a victim of GECOM. What does the party hope to achieve out of this strategy is anyone’s guess It appears that the hope is to make enough outrageous allegations and challenge every action by GECOM, in order to cause enough people to pay attention.

The international community is the PPP’s main audience. The thinking is that once they throw enough allegations out there the international community may want to intervene and attempt to make some statements. They feel that any such statement may work in their favour as they would have gained the attention they seek. These statements may then be used as PPP campaign pro-

paganda talking points. These talking points will be repeated ad nauseam to their supporters in an attempt to soundly persuade. The general message to the supporters will be one which projects GECOM and its chairperson as bias against the PPP. The PPP hopes that, with a support base that questions the integrity of GECOM, it may become easy to sell the idea that it was cheated at the elections. This speaks to what appears to be the second effort by the opposition, which is to lay the ground work to cry foul after the May 2, 2020 elections are declared. Those of us who have been paying attention to the PPP’s political antics, over the years, are able to predict just how they think. It is astonishing that the party continues to be so transparent in conducting its disruptive plan. I have read media reports of every PPP attack on GECOM. I have also kept myself abreast of GECOM and its chairperson’s response to these attacks. The PPP seems to have a targeted and structured approach to their attacks. Every allegation by the party strikes straight at the heart of the elections results, when you remove all the fluff from the claims.

Make no mistake, the PPP is setting the stage to cry foul! The strategy is obvious! It is therefore very important that the government and its supporters be extra vigilant. Every effort must be made to ensure that the PPP’s strategy does not work. Guyanese expect a free and fair election.

Efforts to discredit or disrupt the electoral process must not succeed.

The attempt at orchestrating a situation where reverse psychology may lead to reverse discrimination must not be realised. The PPP is on the back foot and they appear vicious! I imagine that as we get closer to elections the assault on GECOM and its chair will become more personal and outlandish! The attack on Madam Justice Singh, this female role model may come from all angles and can become very nasty! Justice Claudette Singh remains a most credible individual, with the highest of integrity.

I therefore, feel compelled to write to speak of her character and let those in the international community know that the PPP’s efforts to discredit her will not work! She is a Guyanese woman people are proud of. The PPP must know that its constant efforts to malign GECOM and its chair can do damage beyond the walls of GECOM. It may very well have the potential to cause serious disunity and strife in the society. I hope they rethink their strategy in the interest of the country.

Sincerely Lurlene Nestor

Response to a Jan 18 2020 published letter from Mr. Anthony Vieira Dear Editor, ALL adjectives aside, Mr. Anthony Vieira continues to wallow under the belief that he knows everything about everything.

He now segues the discussion into whether government should own media in competition with private media. He confuses, like his erstwhile colleague, the Fairness Issue with Equality. As I indicated in another forum there is a difference between the Fairness Doctrine and the Equal Time Rule. I will dilate no more on the difference. Mr. Vieira’s latest letter (published January 18, 2020) is riddled with other inaccuracies.

Mr. Anthony Vieira proceeds on the persistent position he has taken on subventions to the State Broadcaster which he states create direct competition with private broadcasters. In 1997, Mr. David DeCaires, another Individual and I considered a draft submission as part of a body of amendments to the Constitution. The Tripartite Group wrote: “(6) We believe that State ownership of the media causes a number of distortions both commercially and in the undue politicisation of the media.

State media inevitably report the news in a biased manner in the interest of the ruling party which leads to a sort of reactive bias by some private media. This is not conducive to professional standards of reporting. We propose that there be a clause in the constitution preventing the State from owning or operating a newspaper, radio or television commercially.”

The submission was discussed. Those who now seek to pontificate on what Enrico Woolford has to say now or whether he knows what he knows should explain where the proposal went.

Since 1997 the world of Information and Communications Technology has evolved. In Guyana a Permanent Political Paradigm was created: the then ruling party in an unprecedented move, gifted itself five radio frequencies and other frequencies to friends, followers and a few others. Anthony Vieira before that giveaway sold his station to a close friend and associate of the then President and ruling party. In addition, cable television was halted and a new dispensation declared which favoured some and sidelined others before it was restarted. Mr. Vieira now seeks to position the so-called unfairness of state media ownership and competition within that public/private paradigm shift.

Internationally, another paradigm shift was taking place.

I refer to the emergence and convergence of the plethora of platforms and the multiplicity of media in content and channels.

NCN therefore within the last four years has reformed, re-defined and is re-equipping itself using its subventions to become a truly national public broadcasting service. It has opened radio and television stations in regional capital towns and in other villages, returned community broadcasting to Linden, redefined the role and content format of its television and radio stations and is continuing its Satellite Distribution Service along with its transition from analogue to digital TV. So from Orealla to Aishalton, Mabaruma to Mahdia and places in between and along the coast only the forest covers Guyana better. All of the expansion that NCN is undertaking it is unlikely that any private broadcaster will seek to undertake.

Let me restrain myself from commenting about Vieira’s prognosis for private/ public sector growth and development and his views on the advertising pie in what is an economy that is number one on the runway, with engines revving, ready for takeoff. Anthony Vieira does not like to be told he is wrong so I would not tell him that he is.

On the Issue of Trinidad and Tobago’s jurisprudence, it is a pity that Anthony Vieira’s good friend and legal luminary Sir Fenton Ramsahoye is dead. Mr. Vieira could do well with the learned Senior Counsel’s advice and guidance at this stage.

On his inaccuracy about TTT, I am not sure where Anthony Vieira gets his information from about TTT’s ownership. Please note my earlier intervention about the emergence of platforms. There is a platform on which anyone can go to check information, if not, call a friend.

However since Anthony Vieira and his erstwhile colleague wanted to gain the attention of the international community, please note that the U.S. Embassy, Georgetown, has started a Campaign #CheckFuhYuhSelf.

Best Regards Enrico Woolford

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday January 27, 2020

Change Guyana sets sights on Linden

--promises ‘up to 2000 jobs’ in quest to transform it into viable economic zone

By Vanessa Braithwaite HAILING Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice) the most resourceful of the country’s ten administrative regions, Change Guyana has set its sights particularly on the area’s politically controversial seat of administration, Linden, in its quest to transform the once thriving bauxite community into a viable economic zone.

The Party gave as its reason for making such a bold statement the region’s strategic location, as well as its being uniquely blessed with an abundance of resources, both natural and otherwise, such as bauxite and other minerals, timber, and agricultural land.

Projects already in the pipeline to make their vision a reality were shared with residents who turned up at a Town Hall meeting on Wednesday evening at the Egbert Benjamin Conference Centre.

It was there that the Party’s candidates painstakingly explained to residents that with so many resources at its fingertips, Region Ten ought not to be lacking in basic infrastructure and social services as it is, and that neither should thousands of youths be on the bread line. Nor should the economy be as stagnated as it presently is. They outlined that their

plan is to create an economic zone in Linden, so as to add value to the many resources that are leaving the town, since they believe that neither the people nor the community are adequately benefiting from them.

Presidential Candidate Robert Badal has promised that if given a chance to govern, his Party will create up to 2000 jobs through various economic projects in the township. Their first plan of action, Badal said, is to construct a port facility in Linden, by way of private-public partnership, so as to allow lumber to be shipped and royalty collected, rather than be transported by road as presently obtains.

He argues that by so doing, they will be saving the Soesdyke-Linden Highway from further deterioration, as it is the overladen lumber trucks that have caused it to be in the state of disrepair it is presently in.

The Party also plans to charge $5U.S a tonne for bauxite, which will garner up to US$7M, which monies will be used to fund infrastructural and social projects. “The people that take our resources have to pay an economic value,” the city businessman said, adding: “We can’t have all the value overseas, and we remain destitute. And that has been the failure of our leaders, in insisting that we get the economic price for our resources.”

AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT He’s also promised that significant support will be given to the agriculture sector through the establishment of an agricultural development bank, where farmers and entrepreneurs will be given soft loans to purchase equipment etc. The project, it was explained, will no doubt pattern the already government-funded Linden Enterprise Network (LEN), whereby agricultural loans are easily accessible to farmers and all entrepreneurs all across Region Ten. The presidential candidate also spoke of expanding agriculture into the region’s intermediate savannahs, where a farm-to- market road is presently being built, thus making accessibility to markets easier for over 100 farmers. Farmlands are also being distributed to new and established farmers in the region.

“We need a fundamental change in the ways things are being done,” Badal said, adding: “It starts with us; we have to demand what is good for ourselves and our family. The time has come when Lindeners have to believe that the change is possible, and they have to trust others… The best way to demand what you want is that vote.”

OP-ED

By James McAllister

OLD people say, “wuh mis yuh don’t pass yuh, and yuh play with fire, yuh gon get burn.” We must take heed; we cannot allow the PPP to unleash another round of state-sponsored violence on us, because, then old people would say, “Yuh mek yuh bed, yuh gaffuh lie pon um.”

To understand the magnitude of the threat the PPP poses, we must not only look at their track record, but also at circumstances under which they operated, such as the fact that the donor community and the ABC countries had great leverage over the PPP, and applied maximum pressure to get them to respect democratic norms.

The PPP government was dependent on the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the European Union for funds for every road, bridge, school or hospital that was built. From time to time, these institutions withheld money when the PPP stepped out of line. This led to some tense inter-personal relations between Jagdeo and several representatives from the International Financial Institutions (IFIs).

Suffice it to say, the PPP did not roll over and accept the need for democratic norms. At every turn, they pushed and fought.

They refused to allow the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to establish offices in Guyana; they rejected a loan from Britain that targeted the reform of the Guyana Police Force. They even blocked the Georgetown Municipality from accessing funds for the development of the Haags Bosch Landfill Site, and they unleashed unprecedented violence on the Guyanese people.

After the 2002 jailbreak, and the subsequent crime spree, the PPP entered into an alliance with ‘Drug Lords’ and criminals to hunt and kill young Guyanese. A minister of the government imported the equipment the ‘Drug Lords’ used for tracking their prey. And when the dust settled, over 400 young Guyanese men were dead.

All of this murder and mayhem occurred, despite the pressure on the PPP by the ABC countries to respect democratic norms and

Lindener and Change Guyana Candidate Ryan Dey addressing fellow residents during the Town Hall meeting in Linden on Wednesday

DEEP-WATER HARBOUR Another top candidate in the party, Nigel Hinds, also called on Lindeners to shun the polarised voting attitude and choose those with policies and not mere promises on how their community will be developed.

He, too, mentioned the development of a deep-water harbour as well as other projects that will transform Linden into an economic zone where jobs in particular will be created for residents.

Hinds warned residents that seeing that the previous administrations

did not deliver on their many promises, they should not allow themselves to fall for the same blarney again.

“What we have in Region Ten,” he said, “is a plunder of our resources that is benefiting other regions and other countries. This will change drastically if Change Guyana is given the chance at the upcoming elections.”

While the party is not optimistic about being at the helm of the government, it is hoping to at least cop seven seats in Parliament to make the necessary representation. “We believe that if we get some resistance, we will get a traction, and people will recognise that Change Guyana is trying to bring the people together; to move you away from the 80-20 voting pattern, and to focus on what is in the best interest in Linden,” Hinds said.

Imploring Lindeners to give the party a chance were Linden candidates Marvin Grey and Ryan Dey, who both said they are frustrated with the way the town has been run for the last couple of years and are disappointed in the leaders who claim to have the people’s interest at heart. They both believe that Linden has the potential to become a capital town, and are confident that Change Guyana has the formula to make this transformation work.

The PPP and violence

the rule of law. Despite their dire need for the loans and grants, the PPP was brazen enough to commission ‘Drug Lords’ to hunt and kill people.

Some may say the PPP only did this because of the crime situation, and it got out of control. That the people who were killed as a result of settling of old scores, or individual gang members accepting commissioned hits for a fee were just collateral damage.

So what about Ronald Waddle?

Ronald Waddle, a journalist, was a very vocal and harsh critic of the PPP. He hounded them at every turn for their corruption, discrimination, and violations of the rule of law. He was silenced by way of assassination. Evidence presented in the court in the United States established that the assassination was the work of the PPP- commissioned ‘Death Squad’.

Then there is Mark Benschop, another vocal critic of the PPP government. They trumped-up a treason charge against him, and left him in jail for five years without trial. He was eventually released without trial, confirming PPP’s abuse of the judicial process to target and silence critics.

Kaieteur News columnist Fredrick Kissoon was in for extra-special treatment. In this case, their aim was to denigrate and defile.

PPP operatives threw fermented faeces in his face. This, one must admit, required a special kind of mind to conceive and execute.

Then there were more killings. Scores shot, and three killed during a peaceful protest in Linden; the action of a government that preferred to kill rather than talk to or negotiate with citizens who are engaged in effective protest.

The killings in Linden was an escalation after years of PPP-sanctioned State violence against Guyanese. Several persons still carry PPP pellets in their bodies. Thousands suffered the effects of tear gas. One child is blind today after being caught up in PPP tear gas while she was just a baby. Then, to signal they meant business, the PPP bought armored cars and water cannons for the Guyana Police Force. The thinking of a repressive regime.

The assassination of Courtney Crum-Ewing was a stark reminder that the evil in the PPP was ever-present. Crum-Ewing’s crime was daring to think he had the right to mount a weeks-long daily protest, calling on a PPP minister of government to resign. When the assassins caught up with him, he was actively canvassing votes against the PPP. As Courtney Crum-Ewing lay dead on the streets of Providence, someone somewhere probably said, “Take that for messing with the PPP.” The list of PPP State violence is unending, but the point is made.

Even while the ABC countries and the IFIs had leverage to keep them in line, the PPP still engaged in unimaginable violence against the Guyanese people. They even had the gall to send a government minister to the home of the American Ambassador to give him a “fine busing” in front of his assembled guests.

The question we must now ask ourselves is: What would the PPP do now we are no longer as dependent on loans and grants?

What would they do now that the ABC countries no longer have financial leverage? The answer is simple: Their violence would be more rampant and capricious; no one will be safe. Remember ‘Sash’ Shaw, a PPP minister of government who was murdered for threatening to expose their dirty little secrets.

The PPP unveiled their Manifesto with a list of ‘two-bit’ projects with no vision. They will be promising to do this, that, and the other. However, the real issue is not what the PPP is promising to do; it is what they must promise not to do. Have they promised not to reactivate their ‘Death Squad’? Have they promised to respect the rights of Guyanese to protest peacefully without being shot and killed? Will they refrain from jailing and killing critics?

During their 23 years in power, the PPP demonstrated all the traits of a repressive regime. With an oil economy, PPP repression would be on steroids. Like old people seh, “Wuh mis we, nah gon pass we.” Imagine all the PPP violence ten-fold, and turn out on March 2 to vote like your life depends on it, because it just might.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 27, 2020

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Suicide survivor turns her passion for horticulture into business

By Rabindra Rooplall

HORTICULTURE is considered the heart of humanity and for Phulmattie Budhram; it is a love and passion that she turned into a business.

The 40-year-old mother of four, who was born and raised at Agriculture Road, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, said while growing up, her parent’s yard was large and she loved planting.

She started with tomatoes.

“I always had this dream that I want to get more bigger and better in planting but it never crossed my mind about a plant shop. I just loved planting and caring for plants,” she said, adding that “When I was younger, I always wished to have more plants to plant in my parent’s yard.”

Budram, who has three sisters and a brother, said at age 13, she went ahead and started her life. She settled with someone and that union produced her first daughter when she was 15.

“But it did not work out and it was a learning experience and we eventually separated,” she said.

She returned home to her parents with her daughter but soon after she got a proposal.

“Someone ask home for me, but I didn’t want anybody, but my parents told me on this occasion this persons wants you and it’s not the other way around.”

She listened to them and the young man is still her husband.

“It was not easy and it was very painful because of my in-laws. It was so bad that I wanted to kill myself,” she said sadly.

Pointing to the scars on her body, she said “at one time we had such a big problem that I could not have controlled myself and I just went ahead and threw kerosene on myself and lit a match.”

Giving thanks to her husband who she said was very “good to me”, the mother of four said the failed attempt at suicide opened her eyes to a greater meaning of life.

“My husband could have left me and gone, but no, he was there with me step by step, all four months in the hospital. Eventually when I come out he said look, let’s start a new life separately from his parents,” she said.

Her relationship had many challenges and she sought employment.

“But I always found a special love for planting, I never gave it up, and I eventually found a job as a

domestic worker.”

Over the years, Budhram said she did many jobs and even worked in the Fisheries Department at the Agriculture Ministry and later the LBI Estate. After that she managed to secure a job at the National Agricultural Research & Extension Insti-

get more results. When they do get down to the bottom of why all my plants are kept alive and many of theirs die off, they found that because I took my time and wrap my plastic. It was tighter and the water could not have seeped in, which causes the bud stick to damage,” she said.

“I worked at NAREI for seven years but I put the skills in learned into practice. I said that if I did a business off of my own I will be able to earn by making my own nurseries to sell to others who don’t find the time to go through the procedure until the plants are

its only good things I am asking about,” she said.

She credits a young man called “Vishan” whom she values as a son since he always freely assisted in writing all her letters and advising her accordingly.

Three weeks after her letter was dispatched; Budram

Phulmattie Budhram

tute (NAREI) and started off weeding in the shade house.

“I would also usually watch the NAREI officers do their planting and I would also volunteer. I made a good friend in the nursery department of the shade house and I explained how much I loved planting and she told me to meet their director and request to come over to the nursery and I eventually did so and got through because I explained myself to him,” she said.

On the same day she made her request, she said at the lunch hour the human resource manager directed her to commence work in the shade house.

“When I was there, I started to do planting by the thousands, me and the other ladies, then my friend said look, we doing the budding and the grafting here, come over and learn. I said no, I don’t think I can do that because of my hand and I only have eight fingers because of the burns,” she reflected.

However, Budram was encouraged to participate and it was related that her hands are fully capable of doing the necessary work.

“So I began learning. I moved on from doing five plants to 10, from 10 to 15, then I later started to do a 160 plants in the nursery.

But they learned to do it very fast because it was about 20 years now the ladies in the shaded house doing it,” she said.

SLOW BUT PERFECT She said because of her damaged hands the procedure of dealing with the plants was done slowly, but, perfectly done.

“So they started to get less results and I started to

Phulmattie Budhram waters a section of her nursery while being assisted by her son and daughter

Phulmattie Budhram explains the different varieties of grafted plants that are available in her nursery

She said after working for approximately four years at NAREI in the nursery, she was transferred to the laboratory for janitorial duties.

“I ended up working there in the lab for two years but I was not satisfied since my skills were not used. You can’t take somebody with skills and give them a mop and a broom in their hands.

It does not make any sense.

Then I decided that I will do my own nurseries since they were not making use of my talent,” the businesswoman said.

She said because of her love for planting and her failed attempt at suicide, there was always a love for sharing her talent and stories with youths to show them there are many opportunities available in life through the love of agriculture.

strong enough to grow by themselves,” she said.

When she is among her plants, Budram said she has a new sense of life, joy, pleasure and wonder.

“When you see you plant a plant and you see it start to bear, you see the flowers, blossoms and fruits your life has a new meaning in nature,” she said.

With support from persons she values dearly, she visited the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), put forward her idea and requested a plot of land to commence her operation.

“I don’t know how to read and write much. I only went to nursery school, so I got assistance in writing the NDC and all other things because I was never ashamed to ask for help, because when I ask, I learn, because

said the NDC contacted her about a place for her shade house, which is her current location on the line top at the intersection of Agriculture Road, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.

DREAM COME THROUGH “Before I started the business I had planted about 5,000 plants at home to bring to the nursery when it was finished building. This is a dream come through for me since I was small.

I always wanted to just be amongst plants and to just plant,” she reflected.

She continued: “Anything I tried to plant always grows; it’s only if the seed is defective it won’t grow.

But I always get over 97 per cent success in my planting.

My goal is to always have

my nursery until this life parts with me.”

Stressing that the nursery is not just for business, she said she also volunteers her time to teach her experiences to students interested in agriculture and planting.

She explained that grafting and budding are horticultural techniques used to join parts from two or more plants so that they appear to grow as a single plant.

In grafting, the upper part of one plant grows on the root system (rootstock) of another plant. In the budding process, a bud is taken from one plant and grown on another.

“I usually show the children how to plant, how to mix the soil and all these things I learned at NAREI,” she reflected, adding, “I am so lucky I was there to learn on these things to put them into practice. There are so many nurseries across the country but students cannot go into any of them and they would not want to share their talent, they keep it to themselves because of the business.”

Adding that she is supportive of all students who are willing to learn, Budram is willing to assist students in understanding the blessings and bounties of horticulture.

At her business, the horticulturist has many fruit trees, flower trees, vegetables, a varieties of peppers, spices, coconuts trees and many others trees.

In her shade house, she employed her son and daughter who assists with the business because of her passion.

Meanwhile, Budram said she is passionate about suicide prevention, since she has had her own experience.

“I am always willing to talk about the effects of suicide and the options available and why persons should choose something very different. Because I want to let others know that it does not make any sense.

There is a better way to do things. I can share with others the things that happened to me and the need to understand that life is a blessing,” she said.

Reflecting on her grandfather’s advice, she said life can be compared to the sea where the incoming waves are rough but the outgoing ones are always smooth.

“Life is filled with many experiences and life is designed to work itself out as long as you understand its blessings,” she said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 27, 2020

n e p o e h t n i t u o s g n i h t g n i t Get

(Names have been changed to protect identity)

SERENA was 14 when she came to the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) for help. This is her story. She said: “For a long time, I believed that I did not like my mother. But now I realise that it’s not that I dislike her; it is just that she does not fit my ideal of how a mother should be. We have never bonded, and the only reason I am obedient to her is that I am afraid of her. Does that sound right to you? Should a daughter be afraid of her mother?

“We have never had a proper conversation, because all she does is order me around. I wonder sometimes whether she really loves me or truly cares about me. I want to have respect for her, but I don’t. From what I’ve been able to piece together, as a young baby, I was neglected.

She was always leaving me with neighbours while she went out of town to party. She never returned when she said she would, and the neighbours eventually took me to my grandmother, who was poor.

“I was there one day in a dirty ‘Pampers’ and being fed sugar-water, because that was all ‘granny’ had, when a family-friend visited. The way I heard the story, is that the lady took me home, and told my grandmother, ‘When the mother comes, she can collect her baby from me.’

My mother collected me, but less than two weeks later, she asked the lady to have me again. I ended up spending most of my formative years with this lady, who lives alone

in a flat house. This lady has taught me how to cook and sew, and she makes sure that I try with my schoolwork.

“After I wrote the ‘Common Entrance’ exam and I started to grow tall, my mother decided that she wanted me to spend time with her and my younger half-siblings. This is when my nightmare began. She would collect me at random times from the flat house, or send one of her ‘man friends’ to get me. There is nothing wrong with a mother wanting to be with her daughter, except for the fact that my mother never spent quality time with me when I went to her home.

“On occasions, she went missing for days, leaving us children there with barely any food. When she was home, she spent most of the day lying down with her phone, and hardly any clothes on. She would say, ‘Serena, bring this.’

Or ‘Serena do that.’ I was expected to cook the food when there was food, while she did nothing. Many nights we were treated to ‘fast-foods’ like fries and chicken or pizza, instead of a proper meal. And after sharing with my siblings, I still went to bed hungry.

“I am thankful for the counselling sessions that my mother and I have been attending at the CPA. I have been able to talk openly about how I feel, and although I am still afraid of my mother, I am hoping in time things will change between us.”

The CPA says: Many adults have ingrained traits stemming from unresolved childhood issues, some of which can be destructive, that they accept as ‘normal’ behaviour. They

have no idea where or how the traits were cultivated. Also, adults become so busy living their ‘normal’ lives, that very little introspection of ‘the way’ they live their lives is ever carried out.

A child’s sense of well-being can be affected by distasteful adult behaviour; it can damage a child’s emotional and social development. Neither adult nor child may realise when this is happening, and the child may seem resilient and appear to be coping well despite the odds. However, how can anyone know the psychological effect that might be taking root beneath the surface when children are made to witness and take their cue from adults who behave badly?

The CPA works with family members to assist in areas where family relationships appear dysfunctional, or on the point of collapse. It may be difficult for adults who have never lived through certain experiences and emotions to share the same with their children, but it is important to break the cycle.

Counselling can help adults and parents to at least acknowledge that there is a problem, and also assure them there is plenty of room for improvement.

If you are concerned about the welfare of a child, call the CPA hotline on 227 0979 or write to us at childcaregy@gmail.com A MESSAGE FROM THE CHILDCARE AND PROTECTION AGENCY, MINISTRY OF SOCIAL PROTECTION

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 27, 2020

11

‘It’s truly the dawn of development, so we won’t stop the progress’ ...say East Coast residents

By Naomi Parris AS the ‘A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) + Alliance For Change’ (AFC) coalition continues on its campaign trail, residents of the East Coast of Demerara have reassured the coalition that come March 02 they will stand behind them to ensure that President David Granger is re-elected to execute the party’s mandate of creating a clean, “green” and economically wealthy country.

Delisa Stoby, a postal employee of Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara, in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle related that while there is more yet to be done in communities across the coastline, the efforts that

are currently being made by the coalition are not being ignored and are appreciated.

“The street that I live on since I was a little girl - I’m 31-years-old now – it has never been done and it was in bad state. Now it’s being done and it also makes my job easier since I’m a post girl and I have to ride around the Golden Grove to Low Land area to deliver mail,” she stated.

Additionally, Stoby noted that the recent salary increase has also benefitted her household, since she is able to budget herself better and provide for her family.

Corwin Venture, a businessman, noted that while he has been living overseas for some time he has seen that within the past five years

Guyana has taken a drastic change in development, in relation to infrastructure and education, hence he will continue to support the coalition government.

He said several communities on the East Coast have seen new roads which make access to certain areas easier, especially during the rainy season.

Venture further highlighted that there has been an outpouring of resources in the education sector which has seen the construction and expansion of several schools not only on the East Coast, but in all other parts of the country as well.

Latoya Anthony, a nurse who resides in Golden Grove, stated that she is pleased with the government’s efforts in

bringing back life to some of the communities that were once dull.

“We have a new building at the Golden Grove Secondary School, the roads are being done and we haven’t had a flood in a long time. People from the regional department usually come around and clean the drains, so we don’t have floods,” Anthony stated.

Dicola Ann, another resident, told the Guyana Chronicle that she is very pleased with the infrastructural development she has seen in her community and other neighbouring communities on the East Coast of Demerara.

She noted that she no longer has to worry about her yard flooding during the rainy seasons, since the Neighbourhood Democratic

Councils (NDCs) have been working tirelessly to keep the drains and trenches clean.

Nicola London, another resident, stated “I’m living here since I was a child and this street, Morrison Street, has never been done. My mother who is 64-years-old can now come out on the road,” she stated.

She added that the street is one of the main entrances to the community cemetery and the recent construction has made traversing easier for residents.

The coalition, since taking office in 2015, has extended the Ann’s Grove and Golden Grove Secondary Schools and constructed a tarmac at the Golden Grove Primary School so pupils can have a safe and secure play

area during recess hours.

The minimum wage has been increased from $39,540 to $70,000, making jobs more attractive; 240 local scholarships and another 68 internationally, were offered to youths across Guyana.

Additionally, the Bertram Collins College of the Public Service was established to give young people a gateway into the Public Service.

The government has initiated a $100M revolving fund which has provided over 2,727 loans and grants to support young entrepreneurs and their businesses, in addition, 1500 free computers have been installed in 172 community information and TURN TO PAGE 12

The road leading to the Golden Grove Secondary School that was recently redone A section of the East Coast Demerara road that is currently being re-constructed

The trench separating Belfield and Nootenzuil on the East Coast of Demerara being cleared from overgrown bushes

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 27, 2020

Bar Association mourns Brynmor Pollard’s passing

THE Guyana Bar Association, on Sunday, issued a statement expressing its condolences on the passing of legal luminary, Brynmor T. Pollard, S.C., who passed away last Friday, 24 January, at the age of 92.

Born in Buxton, East Coast of Demerara, Pollard travelled to London to read for his law degree, returning to Guyana in 1959 when he

was called to the Bar before serving in the Attorney-General’s Chambers under the then Attorney-General, Sir Shridath Ramphal, OE, Q.C. Prior to departing for London, he attended the Queen’s College, graduating from Sixth Form. He also taught there briefly.

In 1970, shortly before Guyana attained its Republican status, Pollard was invited

to take silk and became a Queen’s Counsel. Following this, he was appointed as the Chief Parliamentary Counsel and served as an expert authority on legislative drafting, constitutional and public law, and related matters.

“Brynmor T. Pollard, S.C., of blessed memory, was a true gentleman in and to the law in Guyana and CARICOM, he will be missed. The Bar As-

sociation of Guyana expresses sincerest sympathies and condolences to his family. May his soul rest in peace and rise in glory,” the Bar Association statement said “For Pollard, S.C., the indelible imprint of his service to the law is seen in the Acts, Regulations and other laws of Guyana; the treaties and other instruments of CARICOM and the Commonwealth; and

in later years in the columns of our daily periodicals. His legacy of service is further exemplified by his son-- our friend and colleague, Andrew Pollard, S.C.”

Brynmor Pollard, SC

Pollard left the service of the Government of Guyana in 1979, when he was engaged by the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation and seconded to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) as General Counsel. At the Secretariat, he assisted in the harmonisation of the Region’s Companies Law, and provided assistance to the Constitutional Assembly of Namibia, South West Africa, which was poised to attain independence at the time. He was also a leading participant in the efforts of the Council of Legal Education and its two law schools in Trinidad and Jamaica.

“The reflections on the service of a man or woman in the law can be in both metaphoric and literal terms.

For us in Guyana, when we mourn, we speak in symbols of either the “blink of an eye” or the “dash between birth and death”. The literal interpretation of life in the law is represented by the tangible impact of life spent in service to the law,” the Bar Association said.

Mr. Pollard served as the Vice-Chairman of the Juridical Committee of the Organisation of American States (OAS) from 2000 – 2002 and the Judicial Service Commission of Guyana. He demitted that office in 2010.

For his outstanding contributions in the field of law at the national, regional, Commonwealth and international levels, Mr. Pollard was conferred the Cacique Crown of Honour (CCH) and, later in 2015, the Order of Roraima.

Last Friday, President David Granger had also hailed Pollard’s service to this nation in a message of condolence.

President Granger expressed heartfelt sympathy to Mr. Pollard’s four children –Mr. Andrew Pollard, SC; Under Secretary-General of the United Nations; Ms. Catherine Pollard, Messrs Ian and Michael Pollard and his six grandchildren – Gina, Angelica, Nikolas, Tyla, Nataliya and Julia and other relatives and friends.

‘It’s truly the ...

FROM PAGE 11

Corwin Venture Delisa Stoby

communication technology (ICT) hubs throughout the country.

In 2018 the government started the Guyana National Youth Corps for young people aged 16-35. In 2016 this government launched the Youth Leadership Tr a i n i n g P ro g r a m m e , which provides a range of opportunities to youths across the country.

Latoya Anthony

‘I did not lie’ GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 27, 2020

13

― PRP’s Leung maintains she was not a dual citizen on Nomination Day

By Lisa Hamilton MAINTAINING that she did not breach the Constitution or the electoral laws of Guyana, People’s Republic Party (PRP) presidential candidate Dr Valerie Leung said she was not a dual citizen on Nomination Day (January 10), when she submitted her signed Statutory Declaration to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) as a candidate for the March 2 General and Regional Elections.

In an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Sunday, Dr Leung contended that GECOM erred in its decision to remove her from the PRP List of Candidates because of her Canadian citizenship.

The PRP presidential candidate said on January 8, 2020--two days before Nomination Day--she signed the necessary documents to renounce her Canadian citizenship, which made her no longer a citizen of Canada as of that date.

“I signed the declaration renouncing my citizenship; I submitted it to the Canadian High Commissioner on the 8th and it was electronically conveyed to Canada on the same day, the 8th of January,” she stated.

Dr Leung stated that if – according to Article 155 of the Constitution – a person is not qualified to be a Member of the National Assembly by virtue of his or her own act of acknowledging allegiance to a foreign power or State, that person, therefore, should be qualified for membership once he or she had renounced his or her allegiance to a foreign state.

She told the newspaper: “If it’s your signature on an oath of allegiance that immediately makes you a Canadian citizen, then should not your signature on a declaration of a renunciation of the citizenship equally be what ends your citizenship and not that piece of paper [certification of renunciation]?”

The Statutory Declaration Form signed by Dr Leung as a presidential candidate, first confirms that she is aware of the provisions of Articles 53 and 155 of the Constitution with respect to the qualifications for election as a Member of the National Assembly.

Article 155 of the Constitution states: “(1) No person

shall be qualified for election as a member of the National Assembly who – (a) is, by virtue of his or her own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state.”

Furthermore, Dr Leung who has a doctorate in law, is arguing that GECOM does not have the right to remove a candidate from its list as the law empowers only the High Court to so do.

She cited the Representation of the People’s Act, Section 14, which states: “If it appears to the commission that a List of candidates is defective, that is to say, that the list or its submission does not comply in all respects with the requirements of section 11(1), (2), (3), (4) and (5) or bears a misleading title, the Chief Election Officer shall, not later than the 30th day before election day, so inform the representative and the deputy representative of the list, specifying the defects…”

Section 15 of the Act states: “The representative and deputy representative of a list of candidates, or either of them, may, not later than the 29th day before election day, submit to the Chief Election Officer corrections of any defects in the list (whether or not those defects are defects which have been notified under section 14); and the Chief Election Officer shall forward the corrections to the commission together with his report thereon.”

She explained that if the commission finds a defect on a party’s list post Nomination Day, the commission has 30 days prior to elections within which it must return the list and allow for amendments in no less than 29 days before the election.

“The law does not authorise; [does not] give any legal authority or power to GECOM to decide on the qualification of someone for the National Assembly,” she stated.

Dr Leung submitted a letter to the commission on January 23, 2020 and she told the newspaper that the commission responded on January 24, 2020 stating that the matter would be up for discussion by the Commission on January 28, 2020 at its statutory meeting.

Should the commission decide contrary to her position, Dr Leung said that she will pursue the same in court.

“I would [go to court] because they’ve clearly broken the law,” she said.

Just about a week ago, commissioners had left GECOM’s weekly statutory meeting announcing that Dr Leung, along with leader of the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), Lenox Shuman and the leader of the United Republican Party (URP), Dr. Vishnu Bandhu, would be

Presidential candidate of the People’s Republic Party (PRP), Dr. Valerie Leung

taken off their lists for possession of dual citizenship.

“The lists were gazetted, but the commission’s decision was that Dr. Bandhu, Mr. Shuman and Mrs. Leung, their names have to be taken off those lists because when they put their names there they were all dual citizens,” Commissioner Bibi Shadick had told media operatives.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 27, 2020

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Monday January 27, 2020

PPP accused of pushing divisive message at Lusignan massacre memorial

By Lisa Hamilton AN event on Sunday meant to remember the 11 persons who lost their lives in the 2008 Lusignan Massacre was completely politicised with talk about elections and scapegoating by Opposition affiliates invited to speak at the function.

The event, ‘A Night of Remembrance’, took place at Track ‘A’ Lusignan Pasture, the street where the incident occurred, and was hosted by the Indian Action Committee (IAC) in collaboration with Panko Steel Fabrication.

It was meant to remember those killed in the massacre on the night of January 26, 2008: Clarence Thomas, 48; Vanessa Thomas, 12; Ron Thomas, 11; Mohandan Goordat, 32; Seegopaul Harilall, 10; Seegobin Harilall, four; Dhanrajie Ramsingh, 52; Rooplall Seecharran, 56; Raywattie Ramsingh, 11; Shazad Mohamed, 22; and Shaleem Baksh, 52.

However, the event largely took on the nature of a political rally, where noted People’s Progressive Party (PPP) officials used the podium to bash the government.

Delivering remarks on behalf of his party was PPP Member of Parliament (MP) Anil Nandlall, who first conveyed his sympathy to the relatives of the deceased and those who survived.

He then went on to say that such a cruel act stands the chance of reoccurring if it is not condemned, before launching into micro-aggression mode by stating that the act was a planned attack by the people of Buxton, a predominantly afro-Guyanese community, on a poor Indo-Guyanese community.

“These people came from Buxton; that is what the historical data shows,” Nandlall said. “They left Buxton; they left Annandale South and they came here. Robbery could

Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Jaipaul Sharma

not have been the motive, because these are some of the poorest people living in our community; look at the homes. And nothing was taken from them; there was no loot. They came to slaughter and murder,” he told members of the still grieving Lusignan community.

Nandlall then proceeded to accuse the People’s National Congress (PNC) youth arm, the Young Socialist Movement (YSM) of giving guns to bandits who did killings.

“The army handed over to the YSM, the youth movement of the PNC, machine guns; hundreds of them. And those machine guns were subsequently found in the hands of bandits,” Nandlall told the people at the service.

VOTE CHANGE Shortly after his lengthy remarks on the YSM’s purported role in the spate of killings that occurred in the country around the time of the Lusignan Massacre and after, he proceeded to accuse the Coalition government of using the Lusignan Massacre and other historical tragedies as a “political football”, then went

on to urge the people to vote for a change in government.

“We will never be able to address these matters objectively if we contaminate them, and we allow politicians to contaminate them with biases and prejudices,” Nandlall said, later urging: “The No-Confidence Motion is a power that you the people have, reflected in your leaders elected to the parliament, to remove a government before an election time if a government misbehaves.”

Also at the Remembrance Service was Chartered Accountant-turned-Attorney Christopher Ram, who also used the forum to lecture on several political matters in relation to the upcoming elections; the no-confidence motion; Guyana’s political fu-

PPP’s Anil Nandlall

ture; and his displeasure with the current administration.

RAM’S 13-MINUTE RANT He spent 90 per cent of his 13-minute speech urging the audience to decide on the type of country they want, moving forward, while alluding to leaders such as President David Granger, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Prime Ministerial Candidate Khemraj Ramjattan.

He told the people not to see the matter as having to do with race, but a struggle

The 11 persons who were brutally murdered in the Lusignan Massacre in 2008

for justice and their right to choose the leaders they want for a better future.

Earlier on, remarks came from son of Opposition MP Juan Edghill, Juan Edghill (Jr.) who expressed condolences to the loved ones of the 11 slain on behalf of his father, but then referred to what occurred as “a crime of hate”.

He made a call for national unity and reconciliation, noting that agencies such as the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Judiciary and the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) have a special responsibility to promote the peaceful resolving of issues.

Edghill (Jr.) also encouraged that as citizens remember the ‘Lusignan 11’, they also spare a thought for those who lost their lives in the Bartica and Lindo Creek Massacres.

When Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Jaipaul Sharma rose to speak on behalf of the government, he corrected Edghill, saying that the act was not one that was done out of hate, but rather out of rage; an act that can never be justified.

“This rage that I speak of wasn’t a rage that started in January 2008,” Minister Sharma said, adding: “It would have started with the slaying of a Minister of Government, the late Satyadeow Sawh, his brother and sister and a security guard. It didn’t stop there; it went on the slaying of five pressmen from Kaieteur News, and then it went on again with the Lusignan Bartica, and Lindo Creek Massacres. This is a rage. This is not hate; this is anger.”

And although Minister Sharma advised against making remarks apportioning blame to a specific race at a vulnerable time as this when Guyana is preparing to head into new elections, Nandlall seemingly couldn’t care less as he nonetheless went on to play the blame game and more.

In his address, Minister Sharma assured the survivors of the Lusignan Massacre that the government will continue to lend its support, and commended them for showing strength by seeking to adopt positive coping mechanisms.

EVER-VIGILANT He also called on the present-day members of the GPF to be vibrant and swift in their response to reports of criminal activity, as this can be the difference between life and death.

Present and making remarks at the remembrance event was a Commissioner of the ERC, Rajkumarie Singh, who’d made remarks prior but witnessed the various speeches.

She offered condolences, and urged Guyanese that while the ERC, as a body, has a responsibility for promoting harmony in Guyana, this is also the duty of every Guyanese.

The ERC, just over a week ago, warned political parties contesting the 2020 General and Regional Elections against being “mechanisms for division” and to ensure that their actions are “transparent, free of hate, violence and racial or any other forms of incitement”.

While the newspaper attempted to verify whether the event met the ERC’s ideals, it was unsuccessful.

No problems at Mabaruma mortuary, blood bank ...Regional Chairman, REO debunk misinformation by PPP officials

ALLEGATIONS of bodies decomposing at the mortuary and blood spoiling at the Mabaruma Regional Hospital have been denounced by Ministerial Advisor to the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Mervyn Williams, and Regional Executive Officer (REO) for Barima-Waini, Randy Storm, who believe the rumours were started by malicious political figures within the region.

Regional Chairman, Bretnol Ashley also confirmed that he knew of no such situation at the

hospital. Storm explained that he first began being contacted, late Thursday, with questions pertaining to the allegations.

“There is no body decomposing and there is no blood being spoilt. Someone from here [Mabaruma], I know who it is, called and said to some of the newspapers in Georgetown that there were bodies decomposing at the Mabaruma mortuary and the blood at the blood bank was spoiling and had to be thrown away. I didn’t know of any such incident,” Storm confirmed.

He said he was subsequently contacted by Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, and officials from the Ministry of Communities, who were also informed of the issue.

“On Friday, I went to the [Mabaruma] Hospital, to the Regional Health Officer and I told her ‘I would like to see the bodies that are spoiling in the mortuary’.

She said to me there is only one body that is in the mortuary, and it is being prepared for burial. I said ok, I want to see the blood that is spoiling and being thrown away

from the blood bank. She then said to me there is no spoilt or spoiling blood in the blood bank,” Storm reported.

Storm said the rumours might have stemmed from the fact that there were some power issues in the town. Storm, however, clarified that while the hospital did have an issue with its main generator, it has never been without power.

“The main generator is down but the standby generator is working. I sent the electrical supervisor to check on the generator to see what power was coming from it.

He said the generator is only running at 65 per cent of its capacity.

This rouse was set from right at the hospital,” Storm said.

Both Storm and Williams said that the malicious allegations are part and parcel of a number of baseless allegations being purposefully instigated by political agitators in the Region.

Storm shared that he is aware as well of other rumours being perpetuated of issues at the North West Secondary School, but knows those allegations are false.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 27, 2020

Several children from orphanages back in family-based care IN 2019, over 30 children were reintegrated with their families after the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) deemed that both the child and families were ready for the same.

According to ChildLink, a not-for-profit organisation working for the well-being of children, it is normal for such a process to take several months before the child is reunited with his or her family.

“The process includes locating the families and preparation for the reintegration of their child which also includes ensuring that the perpetrator is no longer living in the same home and that the child is no longer at risk,” the organisation stated on Friday.

ChildLink notified the public that, through the Recovery Safeguarding and Reintegration (RSR) initiative supported by the European Delegation and the British

High Commission, the CPA is bolstered to strengthen its reintegration system so that children can grow up where they belong – with their families.

Meanwhile, the organisation is doing its part by working in support of the national child-protection system and with grassroots partners in Regions Three, Four and Five for the reintegration of children from orphanages back to family-based care.

“The CPA has been increasingly working with non-governmental organisations to build partnerships to facilitate a child-friendly and efficient child protection system and to conduct surveys and research that will highlight the key issues around safeguarding children from all forms of abuse,” ChildLink stated.

From the organisation’s 2016 Nature and Extent of Institutionalisation of Children

in Guyana survey, it was highlighted that girls aged 13-15 are vulnerable to sexual abuse.

It was also found that their abuse was the reason for their separation from their family and their communities and their placement in orphanages for their protection. However, ChildLink urges: “Protecting children requires everyone in your family and everyone in your neighbourhood. This is a change we need to see in more families and communities so that children are not growing up in orphanages.”

The NGO spoke strongly against child punishment in the form of beating but promoted discipline through explaining and teaching which help children to develop appropriate behaviour and better communication with their parents.

TURN TO PAGE 20

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 27, 2020

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Indian High Commission celebrates India’s 70th Republic Anniversary

NOTING that the Indian Diaspora has been a source of pride for India, President of India Ram Nath Kovind sent Indian nationals living and working here well wishes in a speech read them by India’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr. K. J. Srinivasa on Sunday, at an event held here to celebrate India’s 70th Anniversary as a Republic.

Held at the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre in Bel Air, the event featured a cultural programme of dance, song and skit performances from several groups, many of them from some Indian-based academic institutions right here in Guyana.

Among the performers were groups from the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC), as well as from Texila American University, and Lincoln American University. The event also saw presentations to the prize winners of an essay/ drawing competition for a Government of India programme, “Swachhata Pakhwada”.

At the end of the event, guests were treated to snacks of native Indian cuisine.

The event was attended by several Indian nationals living in Guyana, as well as many Indo-Guyanese. President Kovind, in his speech, spoke glowingly about how well Indian nationals living abroad have conducted themselves and represented their country. “[A] source of pride of

India’s High Commissioner to Guyana Dr. K. J. Srinivasa (left) looks on as the national flag of India is hoisted during celebrations here of his country’s 70th Republic Anniversary

Scenes from the celebration on Sunday of India’s 70th Republic Anniversary (Photos by Elvin Croker)

our country has been our Diaspora,” he said, adding: “During my visits abroad, I have observed that Indians have not only brought prosperity to their adopted lands; they have also enhanced India’s image before the world community.

Many of them have made great contributions in a wide variety of endeavors.”

Looking ahead to the future, President Kovind said, “As India and Indians march forward, we remain committed to engaging the global community to build a secure and prosperous future for ourselves and for the entire humanity. I convey my Republic Day greetings to all of you, and I extend my best wishes for your bright future.”

Turning his attention to some of the notable developments taking place in India, President Kovind highlighted the importance of such sectors as health and education.

“Access of health and education are often considered the foundation of good governance,” he said, adding: “In both of these sectors, we have come a long way in the [last] seven decades. The government has rightly focused its attention on the health sector, with ambitious initiatives.”

Still on the subject of education, President Kovind said: “In India, knowledge has always been considered more valuable than power, fame and riches. In our tradition, educational institutions are respected as temples of learning. In

an environment of scarcity of resources, our achievements in the field of education have followed a remarkable trajectory. Our endeavor is to ensure that no child or youth is denied education.”

And with this year being the Tokyo Olympics, President Kovind also spoke of the need to rally to the support of Team India, which will be attending the event.

He further remarked that this coming decade will be one that will see “the rise of a New India and a new generation,” with more Indians participating in national discourse, which will ensure that stories of the country’s achievements over struggle are continued.

“With the passage of time, we are gradually losing living links with our greater freedom struggle, but there is no reason to worry about the continuity of the beliefs that guided it. With advances in technology, the young minds of today are better informed and more confident. The young generation remains committed to the core values of our nation. With them we are witnessing the emergence of a new India,” he said.

“Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals remain relevant in our nation-building efforts. It should be part of our daily routine to introspect on Gandhiji’s message of truth and nonviolence, which has become all the more necessary in our times,” he further stated in his speech.

Kwakwani now receiving up to 22 hours electricity per day ―residents praise efforts of gov’t to provide more stable electricity to community THE Kwakwani Utility Incorporated (KUI), the company that benefits from millions in government subvention to provide subsidized electricity to the residents, is now able to provide up to 22 hours of electricity to the community per day. This is a significant increase, compared to the 8 hours of electricity per day residents were receiving in 2019, which resulted in them protesting on the streets, demanding better services.

General Manager of KUI, Leslie Sobers, related that through government’s intervention, careful strategizing and management of the company, residents are now able to benefit from more reliable electricity and water supply, since the company also provides water to the residents.

In 2018, the government had purchased two new generators for KUI, something that was not done in many years, but Sobers explained that

despite this provision, there were still hiccups in electricity provision. KUI, which was originally managed by the bauxite company, was not designed to provide electricity to a largely-populated community, but to homes only occupied by bauxite workers. Now there are over 1000 homes connected to the grid and approximately 500 kilowatts of electricity is consumed daily.

This massive increase in consumption no doubt placed significant pressure on the company, and the machinery soon deteriorated as well as monies to purchase an increase amount of fuel became problematic. Kwakwani was then affected by widespread power outages for long periods, making life for residents very difficult.

Even after the purchasing of the two generators, the situation soon regressed, given the number of homes that needed electricity. “For us to be having both generators running all day, every day, is

a lot of fuel… it posed a problem to the generator; the wear and tear was faster,” Sobers related.

KUI General Manager, Leslie Sobers

However, through careful strategizing and continuous financial and technical support from the government, the company was able to remedy the situation. Sobers said that instead of purchasing fuel from the bauxite company, RUSAL, which they started to limit, fuel is now being pur-

chased from the Guyana Oil Company Limited, (GuyOil), which is cheaper and more reliable. The maintenance schedule of the generators and other equipment was also improved, to reduce wear and tear. The company hired staff to deal with mechanical issues on the spot instead of outsourcing same, which took technicians time to travel to the community. KUI is also sticking to the manufacturer’s recommendations and is not waiting on parts to fail before changing, but is changing as required. With these moves, Sobers said, “We were able to move from the period of long hours of black out to 22 hours of blackout…previously sometimes there were three days with no lights, sometimes there were a schedule of blackouts from like four to eight hours.”

The company is also presently repairing an old generator which will be used as a stand-by generator and a new one was promised by the

government as well. Sobers said this is absolutely necessary, since the community’s population is expected to grow even more. “We expect Kwakwani to grow with all of the development happening, people will come back to Kwakwani to live and these two generators will not be able to hold off that amount of people. We are looking at a lot of expansion in Kwakwani,” he said.

The General Manager praised the government for not neglecting the small community and ensuring, through various facets of development, the residents’ lives are improved. “The government is giving a lot [of] attention and I am very proud in what they are trying to accomplish…..there is no neglect by the government, Kwakwani is not neglected. Ministers and government officials would visit often so there is no neglect. We see maintenance of the roads, so we see the community returning to its former

glory,” he posited.

Resident, Ann Gilks, also expressed appreciation for the improvement in electricity and water supply as those improvements are making her and other residents more comfortable and safer. “First, we use to have a lot of blackouts, they used to have to ‘ration’ the fuel, but now we are getting up to 22 hrs; the current would only come off from like 6-8 hours in the morning and we have light for the rest of the day. At nights, the community is safer; businesses are benefiting as well,” Gilks said.

With improvements at KUI as well, Sobers said that the company is able to honour its social responsibilities by providing support in the areas of education and health. KUI is also collaborating with the National Industrial and Commercial Investments limited (NICIL), to enhance and rehabilitate the state properties in the community.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 27, 2020

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 27, 2020

Reg 9 completes 100% of its capital projects ― residents reaping the benefits

By Tamica Garnett THE Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo District (Region Nine) has successfully completed all of its capital projects for 2019 – expending some 99.17 per cent of its budget.

Its Regional Executive Officer (REO) Carl Parker made the disclosure during a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle, while explaining that the unspent sum accounts for savings realised.

Improved roads, bridges, construction of health and education facilities, and the purchase of much-needed equipment, were among many of the projects executed by the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) during the 2019 fiscal period.

“Our total budget for this year was $534.8M, of which 99.17 per cent was expended.

We were able to complete all of our projects and that $500M is in addition to what the other ministries would have spent,” Parker said.

The region has also seen technological improvements with the installation of Wi-Fi in many communities once thought inaccessible, and the developments are being felt by the populace of the region.

“A lot of development has taken place in the region.

Notwithstanding our difficulties, people are noticing the development and it’s a talk all over the region. A lot of these villages now have Wi-Fi, and are on social media. Even the so called

“remote villages” now have Wi-Fi, and you can read their comments and so on social media, everyone is generally pleased,” Parker told this newspaper.

In the 2019 budget, over $60M was budgeted for transportation to enable regional personnel to travel to far-flung areas to execute and monitor projects and programmes.

Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo REO, Carl Parker

Accounting for some 57,750 km², Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo is Guyana’s largest administrative region.

In addition to the investment in transportation, Parker said, over 150 miles of road have been upgraded and built in the region over the past four years.

“Because of the size of the region, it will take an enormous amount of work.

We have completed in excess of 150 miles of road to impact every village. We upgraded the roadways in

North, South and Central Rupununi. We did that using the community participation method. We have engaged a lot of people in,” he said.

Notwithstanding the developments, there remains much to do in the region, Parker said.

“What we have been doing since 2015, we have embarked on the improvement of infrastructure in the region. We have embarked on a massive programme of improving our roads, our bridges, so we can get access to those areas. The region is at least 68 per cent better than when we took it over.

But we still have a far way to go, but we will get there; so that’s why it’s important that we are allowed to continue to bring relief to all citizens of this region and modernisation,” he told this newspaper.

In the health sector, a number of critical equipment was purchased for a number of health facilities; while a number of health centres and hospitals were either constructed or rehabilitated.

Some $59M was budgeted for construction, while $34M was budgeted for medical equipment.

“In the health sector, we were able to construct two maternity waiting homes, one at Annai [and] one at Lethem. We also purchased some equipment for the hospital to improve the system, such as X-Ray machines and such to improve the healthcare in the region,” the REO explained.

In agriculture $26.4M was budgeted for a spray race system at Kurupukari

Crossing and black giant birds at Rupertee, Crash Water and Rewa villages, in the fight against foot and mouth disease among cattle.

“We were able to develop some pastures, and create some shade houses, we also did the bridge leading into Yurupukari that was destroyed by fires,” Parker noted.

Towards utilities, $35M was budgeted for the development of water supply systems in the region, while $11M was budgeted for the upgrading of the electrical system at Annai Secondary School Complex.

“The solar electrical system at Sand Creek, and also the dorms in Annai, we did those. We were able to work in collaboration with GWI; we were able to drill deep wells in Aishalton, St Ignatius, Nappi, Aranaputa, and other villages,” Parker shared.

An additional $117M was budgeted for the construction of schools. This included the construction of sanitary blocks at nursery and primary schools at Kumu, Katoonarib, Shiriri, Sowariwau, Apoteri, Maruanau, Awarewaunau and Yakarinta; as well as the construction of a secondary school at Aishalton and living quarters at Annai, among other projects.

“We were able to complete the primary school extension at Paipang. We were able to construct the nursery school in Baishaidrun in South Rupununi, we also did a nursery school at Achiwib” Parker further pointed out.

Stabbed Linden student remains in ICU ― teen suspect still in custody ― police seeking legal advice from DPP THE 15-year-old Linden Foundation Secondary School (LFSS) student, who was last Thursday stabbed with a ‘Rambo’ knife by her schoolmate, remains warded at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC).

She, however, according to LHC’s Public Relations Officer Toshanna Allicock, has been recovering, though unable to do basic things for herself.

The teen survived a fivehour surgery to remove the knife which left her muscles, tendons, stomach, spleen and diaphragm damaged.

The schoolmate who allegedly stabbed her remains in police custody, while her younger sister, who was directly involved in the fight was released on bail. Commander of Region 10, Hugh Winter, related that on Monday the file will be delivered by hand to the Director of Public Prosecutions

(DPP), for advice on whether charges should be laid. In preparing the file, the police took key evidence from the video footage that captured the entire incident.

The video showed the victim and the suspect’s younger sister engaged in a physical fight. During the fight, the teen suspect took a ‘Rambo’ knife from her bag

and stabbed the victim in the lower back. The spectators, consisting of mostly students, then began to scatter as the victim, who was collapsing, sought assistance to go to the hospital.

The incident caused widespread condemnation on the increase of violence in schools and on Friday, Minister of Education Dr

The 15-year-old Linden Foundation Secondary School (LFSS) student recovering in the ICU at the Linden Hospital Complex

Nicolette Henry and a technical team from the ministry’s welfare unit, visited the school and engaged students and teachers. It was made clear that violent and undisciplined behaviour will be not condoned in any school setting and perpetrators of these acts will face the full penalty.

Meanwhile, the victim’s mother, a single parent of eight, told the media that she is hoping to receive justice for her daughter and even compensation, since the incident could have been avoided. “I need justice, I need compensation for the injury….I can’t take it anymore,” she said.

NGOs and public-spirited persons have come forward to give assistance to the distraught mother.

The Ministry of Education is also providing counselling for students and teachers who witnessed the gruesome stabbing.

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Young mother with brain injury gets new lease on life

By Nafeeza Yahya PARBATTIE “Ravina” Austin, 43, was full of praise when Guyana Chronicle visited her at the Caribbean Heart Institute (CHI), Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where she underwent a brain aneurysm surgery done by Guyana’s lone neurosurgeon, Dr. Amarnauth Dukhi and team on Thursday.

because of all that she has gone through, we have taken that cost away and Neuro Spine Services Inc is going to absorb that cost,” he said.

The treatment for the ruptured brain aneurysm is called an endovascular stenting and coiling which is not offered in the public health system.

However, in Austin’s case, the Public Health Ministry did not hesitate to assist financially

A very happy Parbattie Austin following her successful surgery

Austin, of Overwinning Village, East Bank Berbice, was diagnosed with a ruptured brain aneurysm in September 2019, but had difficulties acquiring the funds to finance the procedure. However, after a public appeal, she was able to acquire the funds needed, thanks to a number of benevolent donors, including the Ministry of Public Health.

Speaking to Guyana Chronicle on Saturday, an emotional Austin expressed appreciation to the donors who helped to save her life.

“I didn’t feel a thing. I have no side effects. I was told it was two aneurysms and I am very happy that Dr. Dukhi was able to treat both; so I have no fear that I am back to my normal self. I feel like me again!

I am ready to go home to play with puppies and see my kids and be me… I am doing well; really well! Thank you to everyone,” she beamed. She was discharged from the hospital on Saturday afternoon.

Dr. Dukhi told reporters he is confident that Austin will move on to lead a normal life.

He said that during the procedure, a second aneurysm was found. It was also stented and coiled, at no additional cost.

“Brain aneurysm is something new to Guyana… it’s here now and it’s hereto stay; where no other Guyanese should die from a brain aneurysm thatis captured and diagnosed early.

We have ways and means of treating them, so the fatality rate should go down. Both of those aneurysm were done and it should have been at an extra cost to Ms. Parbattie but

towards the life-saving procedure.

“Our main aim is to have our patients back on their feet so they could be able to lead a normal life and I am very keen in seeing Ms Parbattie go back to what she used to do and to the things that made her happy.

I knew before surgery she was somewhat depressed and anxious and now she is totally more confident in moving forward,” Dr. Dukhi related.

In September, Austin was about to start working at a booth at the Berbice Expo when she suddenly started shaking and collapsed.

She was picked up in an unconscious state and taken to the Port Mourant Hospital where doctors told relatives her blood pressure was extremely high and she was in a comatose state.

The family, after realising her condition did not change after two days, moved her to a private facility in Berbice. A CT scan done there indicated that she was bleeding in the brain.

Austin was transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital and then the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation some eight days later where she regained consciousness.

At the GPHC, Austin met with neurosurgeon, Dr. Amarnauth Dukhi, who diagnosed her with a ruptured brain aneurysm. She said he explained that her condition was critical and should she suffer a second aneurysm, it could potentially be fatal. Given the outpouring of public and private support, the mother of four is extremely happy to return home alive and happy.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 27, 2020

Scotiabank no longer selling off Guyana branch …says Central Bank governor

MONTHS after the Bank of Guyana (BoG), the country’s central bank, blocked Republic Bank Financial Holdings (RBFHs) acquisition of Scotiabank’s operations in Guyana, BoG Governor Dr. Gobind Ganga says Scotiabank is no longer exiting the local market.

“Scotiabank is not going anywhere; we should be happy to get Scotiabank here as an international bank,” Dr. Ganga said in an invited

comment on Friday.

In November 2018, Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS.TO), trading as Scotiabank, reported that fourth-quarter earnings were marginally below expectations, and said that it planned to exit nine countries in the Caribbean as part of a shake-up of its operations.

At the time, Scotiabank said it planned to sell its banking operations in Anguilla, Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts

BoG’s Dr. Gobind Ganga

& Nevis, St. Lucia, Sint Maarten, and St. Vincent & the Grenadines to RBFH. The central bank, however, denied RBFH’s application for takeover, noting that “it would lead to systemic issues, which would have affected the health of the financial system here.”

Officials had explained that RBFH’s Republic Bank held 35.4 per cent of the banking system’s assets, and 36.8 per cent of deposits in Guyana, and as such the acquisition of Scotiabank would have increased this to 51 per cent of both assets and deposits.

“This, too, will have an impact on competition, and the potential for Republic Bank to have too much influence on pricing of banking products and rates. The sale will also have an impact on issues related to correspondent banking options, and the loss of jobs with Republic Bank likely to consolidate branches,” the Ministry of Finance said last year.

Late last year, international news agency, Reuters, had reported that the Bank of Nova Scotia will not proceed with a proposed sale of its operations in Guyana, following opposition from the central bank.

When asked if Scotiabank is still on the hunt for a buyer, Dr. Ganga said the bank has since rescinded its decision to exit the market.

“Scotiabank decided to remain here, and so far, there

is business as usual,” said the governor, who, in a recent report, had encouraged Scotiabank to take advantage of the opportunities which will come from the local oil-andgas industry.

Just last Tuesday, Minister of Finance Winston Jordan, in congratulating Citizens Bank on its achievement in 2019, said Guyana is going through a period of growth, and as such it is important that the financial institution capitalises on that growth, and even seek to command a greater share in the local market.

“It [the market] is ripe for the picking, and the Bank has to right-size and manage the growing environment that is coming. We are in for good things; we just shipped our first million barrels of oil, and money should start rolling…

This is not a time for regrets; it is time to think how to manage the fortune, and how the bank can offer a different type of service,” Minister Jordan said.

As the country continues to grow, investors, including banks, will be attracted to Guyana. Testimony to this is the recent visit by a team from American multinational investment bank, Citibank, which met with government and private sector officials just last week.

Reports are that CitiBank is looking at the possibility of entering the Guyana market and setting up operations here.

Several children from ...

FROM PAGE 16

Detailing one success story, the NGO told of a nine-year-old girl who was sexually abused by her stepfather and initially struggled with the decision to tell her mother.

After running from another encounter with her stepfather, to a neighbour one night, the girl’s mother took her to the police and the CPA and she was eventually placed in an orphanage while her stepfather remained at home. “She had done nothing wrong but she felt she was being punished. Jessie spent six years of her childhood in institutional care; an orphanage – separated from families and childhood friends while struggling to cope with the traumatic experience of repeated sexual abuse and betrayal of her mother,” the organisation explained.

Soon, the young girl received counselling while in the orphanage from the CPA counsellor which initiated the healing process and her mother was referred to parenting skills education sessions facilitated by ChildLink to prepare her for the reintegration.

“These activities form part of the CPA and ChildLink’s collaboration under the RSR initiative to reintegrate children to family-based care where they can grow up in loving and caring families. Jessie and her mother have a better relationship today,” ChildLink stated. Report child abuse by calling the CPA on 227-0979, the closest Police station or ChildLink on 233-3500 or email: admin@childlinkgy.org.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 27, 2020

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 27, 2020

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Monday January 27, 2020

Rampant Jaguars thump Red Force by...

From Backpage

burst rocked the Red Force as they crashed below 100. Smith ended with brilliant figures of 5-12 and grabbed a wicket in the second innings after making the first breakthrough of the morning.

Jaguars skipper Leon Johnson’s decision to declare on day 3 with the score 177-5 proved to be a brilliant call as the Red Force batsmen were unable to maintain partnerships due to the constant loss of wickets.

Fast-bowler Keon Joseph (2-15) set the tone while spinners Kevin Sinclair, who grabbed a

South Africa Racing Tips Fairview 08:10 hrs First Knight 08:50 hrs Anuchke’s Wings

wicket and the experienced Devendra Bishoo (2-39) along with Permaul kept a choke-hold on the Trinidadians during their second innings.

Following the match, the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) presented Permaul with a trophy for his 500-wicket milestone. Territorial Development Officer (TDO) Colin Stuart, during the handing over of the trophy, encouraged the left-arm spinner to be a role model for other spinners and the future generation.

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h t u o S t e s d n a l Eng e l b a b o r p m i a c Afri n i w o t 6 6 4 f o t targe

By Mark Gleeson JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Captain Joe Root top scored as England took a huge 465-run lead over South Africa on the third day of the fourth Test and were bowled out for 248 just before stumps in their second innings at The Wanderers on Sunday.

The score left them with two days to dismiss their hosts, who will have to chase an improbable fourth-innings target if they are to win the Test and level the series at 2-2.

Fourteen wickets fell on a busy Sunday that saw South Africa dismissed for 183 at lunch, 217 runs behind England’s first-innings score of 400.

Root did not enforce the follow on but instead rammed home his team’s advantage as England batted briskly in their second innings before the captain was the last man out, superbly caught by South African counterpart Faf du Plessis to give debutant Beuran Hendricks a maiden Test five-wicket haul.

Root scored 58, Dom Sibley made 44, Sam Curran an entertaining 35 and Ben Stokes 28 with Hendricks finishing on 5-64 off 15.3 overs.

Openers Zak Crawley and Sibley put on a 56-run opening-wicket partnership in a positive second-innings start before Crawley was out for 24.

WORLD-RECORD

TARGET Stokes was in belligerent mood, having been fined for verbally abusing a spectator after going cheaply in the first innings, and sought to get retribution as he raced to 28 off 24 balls, with six boundaries, before Hendricks had him caught in the slips.

Curran also made up for a first baller in the first innings as he accelerated the run rate in the last hour before being caught in the deep off Hendricks.

All the while Root kept the scoreboard ticking over to ensure South Africa will

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday January 27, 2020

Pacer Mark Wood took his second Test five-for (Christiaan Kotze/AFP via Getty)

From Backpage

have to chase a world-record fourth innings target on a pitch where the bounce was becoming increasingly more uneven.

South Africa bowled a man light when veteran Vernon Philander pulled up with a hamstring injury after nine balls, further weakening a home attack already sorely missing the suspended Kagiso Rabada.

Philander was sent to hospital for a scan, said Cricket South Africa, threatening an inglorious end to his Test career as he is retiring

from the international arena.

Mark Wood completed a five-wicket haul earlier as South Africa were dismissed in the morning session, adding 95 runs to their overnight score.

“I’m over the moon — a very special day,” said Wood, who credited a shorter run-up for his success.

“Since I have (done that), it’s been a lot better.

I’ve got a little bit more momentum; it’s taken pressure off my body. It’s been nice to take a load off.”

SCOREBOARD

ENGLAND 1st innings (400 all out) South Africa 1st innings Dean Elgar c Chris Woakes b Ben Stokes 26 Pieter Malan c Jos Buttler b Mark Wood 15 Rassie van der Dussen c Ben Stokes b Sam Curran 0 Faf du Plessis lbw Chris Woakes 3 Quinton de Kock b Mark Wood 76 Temba Bavuma c Ben Stokes b Mark Wood 6 Anrich Nortje c Joe Denly b Mark Wood 6 Vernon Philander c Stuart Broad b Chris Woakes 4 Dwaine Pretorius c Zak Crawley b Ben Stokes 37 Beuran Hendricks Not Out 5 Dane Paterson c Jos Buttler b Mark Wood 4 Extras 0b 0lb 0nb 0pen 1w 1 Total (68.3 overs) 183 all out Fall of Wickets : 1-29 Malan,

2-37 van der Dussen, 3-43 Elgar, 4-60 du Plessis, 5-74 Bavuma, 6-88 Nortje, 7-93 Philander, 8-172 Pretorius, 9-174 de Kock, 10-183 Paterson Bowling : Stuart Broad 14 - 3 - 27 - 0, Sam Curran 12 - 4 - 25 - 1, Chris Woakes 17 - 7 - 38 - 2, Mark Wood 14.3 - 2 46 - 5, Ben Stokes 11 - 1 - 47 - 2 (1w).

ENGLAND 2nd innings Zak Crawley c Quinton de Kock b Dwaine Pretorius 24 Dominic Sibley c Pieter Malan b Beuran Hendricks 44 Joe Denly b Dane Paterson 8 Joe Root c Faf du Plessis b Beuran Hendricks 58 Ben Stokes c Rassie van der Dussen b Beuran Hendricks 28

Ollie Pope c Quinton de Kock b Anrich Nortje 11 Jos Buttler c Quinton de Kock b Anrich Nortje 8 Sam Curran c Dane Paterson b Beuran Hendricks 35 Chris Woakes c Quinton de Kock b Beuran Hendricks 0 Mark Wood b Dwaine Pretorius 18 Stuart Broad Not Out 1 Extras 4b 8lb 0nb 0pen 1w 13 Total(61.3 overs) 248 all out Fall of Wickets : 1-56 Crawley, 2-75 Denly, 3-92 Sibley, 4-136 Stokes, 5-150 Pope, 6-160 Buttler, 7-206 Curran, 8-206 Woakes, 9-240 Wood, 10-248 Root Bowling: Vernon Philander 1.3 - 1 - 1 - 0, Anrich Nortje 11 - 1 - 61 - 2, Dane Paterson 13.3 - 5 - 18 - 1, Beuran Hendricks 15.3 - 2 - 64 - 5, Dwaine Pretorius 18 - 2 - 87 - 2 (1w).

Federer reaches quarter-finals with win over Fucsovics

SIX-time Australian Open champion Roger Federer came from behind to reach the quarter-finals in Melbourne with victory over Marton Fucsovics.

The Swiss, 38, beat the Hungarian 4-6 6-1 6-2 6-2 and will play American Tennys Sandgren in the last eight.

After losing the first set, Federer breezed through the second and third, winning seven successive games.

He twice broke Fucsovics in the fourth set before serving out the win on his third match point.

Federer battled for more than four hours to see off John Millman in the third round and he looked unsure of the wind conditions on Rod Laver Arena.

However, the 20-time Grand Slam champion found his footing and showed some fine touches at the net in the final two sets to reach the quarters.

NBA legend Kobe Bryant...

“The morning after the [Millman] match and this morning, I lay in bed and after an hour I was wondering how to get up,” Federer said.

“I’m sure I’m going to feel better every day that goes by.

“I had a good start to the second set and from then on it got a little bit easier.”

Federer breezed through his first two matches but he was punished for a sluggish start by Millman and then again by Fucsovics on Sunday.

Fucsovics has been in superb form at the Australian Open - the only set he dropped prior to facing Federer was in his first-round win against 13th seed Denis Shapovalov - and he made the first break of the match.

The Hungarian capitalised as Federer’s backhand let him down and he remained composed to serve out the first set in 37 minutes.

However, the Swiss stepped up in the next three sets, breaking Fucsovics early

in each one as he grew stronger in his movements.

Federer was particularly strong at the net, winning 31 of 37 points from there, and his backhand, particularly down the line, became more fluent as the match possessed.

While his forehand could be wayward at times, particularly in the four-minute final game as he looked to close the set out, he was able to come through the match without any more significant problems.

“It was a tough start - I thought Marton played clean,” Federer said.

“After Millman, the guy gave me a beatdown from the baseline, so maybe that took away my confidence a bit.”

He will face Sandgren, who has come through three gruelling matches so far in Melbourne, in Tuesday’s quarter-finals, while defending champion Novak Djokovic could await in the last four.(BBC sport)

allowing the 24-second clock to expire on each of their first possessions. Bryant wore No. 24 for much of his career.

“There’s no words to express the pain Im going through with this tragedy of loosing my niece Gigi & my brother @kobebryant I love u and u will be missed,” tweeted former Lakers teammate Shaquille O’Neal, with whom Bryant won three NBA championships and frequently feuded.

“My condolences goes out to the Bryant family and the families of the other passengers on board. IM SICK RIGHT NOW,” O’Neal said.

Stunned fans gathered near the Lakers’ home arena - the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles - surrounding a wreath with a message: “Kobe we love you RIP.” Some in the crowd dabbed tears as others laid flowers and basketball sneakers at the wreath.

“Most people will remember Kobe as the magnificent athlete who inspired a whole generation of basketball players. But I will always remember him as a man who was much more than an athlete,” Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the all-time NBA scoring leader and former Laker, said on Twitter.

First responders put out the flames at the crash site, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department said, posting a picture of a fire truck and smoke emerging from the brush in a ravine.

Bryant had been known to use a helicopter for travel since his days as a player for the Lakers, when he commuted to games in a Sikorsky S-76 chopper, the celebrity news website TMZ said.

The Federal Aviation Administration identified the crashed helicopter as a Sikorsky S-76, saying in a statement that the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board would investigate.

18-TIME ALL-STAR Bryant played all 20 of his National Basketball Association seasons with the Lakers, winning five championships and being named an all-star 18 times.

He was the third-leading scorer in league history with 33,643 points, until LeBron James passed him on Saturday. In his final tweet, Bryant saluted James’ achievement, writing: “Continuing to move the game forward @KingJames. Much respect my brother.”

Nicknamed “The Black Mamba,” he became eligible to enter the Hall of Fame this year and is certain to be selected when the 2020 class is enshrined.

Bryant and his wife, Vanessa, had four daughters: Gianna, Natalia, Bianca and Capri, who was born in June 2019.

Bryant’s star power translated into the entertainment world as he mingled with show-business stars in Los Angeles.

In 2018, he won an Oscar for his animated short film “Dear Basketball.”

But he was also accused of sexual assault in 2003 by an employee at a Colorado hotel, tarnishing his reputation and leading to a media storm to cover his trial.

Bryant denied the allegations and charges eventually were dropped after the woman refused to testify.

Bryant and his wife filed for divorce in 2011 after 10 years of marriage, but the couple said in 2013 they had reconciled.

Bryant’s father, Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, also played in the NBA, and Kobe demonstrated from an early age he would surpass his father’s accomplishments.

The Philadelphia native went straight from high school to the NBA, skipping the college ranks. Since he was still only 17 years old, his parents needed to co-sign his first contract with the Lakers and he played his first game with the team shortly after turning 18 in 1996.

He also won two Olympic gold medals, part of the U.S. team in 2008 and 2012.

He retired after the 2015-2016 NBA season because of mounting injuries. In recent years, he had focused his attention on philanthropy and business ventures.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Monday January 27, 2020

Gauff knocked out of Australian Open by fellow American Sofia Kenin TEENAGE phenomenon Coco Gauff missed out on her first Grand Slam quarter-final as fellow American Sofia Kenin fought back to win in the Australian Open fourth round.

Gauff, 15, lost 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-0 to the 14th seed in Melbourne.

She showed all her undoubted quality in the first set, but tired in the third as Kenin wore her down.

Kenin will next face Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur, who beat Serena Williams’ conqueror Wang Qiang in straight sets.

After a warm embrace at the net, Kenin and Gauff broke out in tears following an intense battle on Melbourne Arena.

Kenin, 21, dropped her racquet and cupped her face with both hands after taking her second match point to reach her first Grand Slam quarter-final.

“I was just fighting,” Kenin said. “She played some good points at crucial moments but I just had to calm down and relax.”

An emotional Gauff received a standing ovation as she walked off the court, understandably disappointed at the manner of her defeat but with the likelihood of much better moments ahead of her.

“I’m doing well right now at 15. I still have so much I feel like I can get better on,” said Gauff, who will rise into the world’s top 50 for the first time next week.

“I don’t even think this is close to a peak for me, even though I’m doing well right now.”

Gauff has become a global star in less than a year, announcing her arrival with a victory over seven-time Grand Slam singles

champion Venus Williams at Wimbledon before ‘Cocomania’ surrounded her run to the last 16.

The hype returned at Melbourne Park after the Florida teenager, who turns 16 in March, produced an assured performance to knock out defending champion Naomi Osaka in the third round.

That was as much down to Osaka’s implosion as it was Gauff’s brilliance, however.

Against the streetwise Kenin, the question was always going to be whether she could soak up her opponent’s relentless returning and then play aggressively to ask questions of her own.

After a slow start where she lost the opening two games, Gauff rediscovered the things which have marked her out a potential great - hard-hitting from the baseline, fizzing angled winners and fleet of foot around the court - to break back for 4-4.

Gauff missed a set point on Kenin’s serve at 6-5 before the older American produced two double faults as Gauff eventually took the tie-break with her fourth set point.

Momentum swung back in Kenin’s direction early in the second set.

Gauff’s tendency to cough up double faults appeared again, three contributing heavily to Kenin breaking serve in the fourth game and pinching the advantage.

That proved pivotal as Gauff, with errors now starting to creep in, was unable to claw the break back.

In similar fashion to the opening set, the teenager started the decider slowly but this time could not recover like she did in the

Coco Gauff had beaten 2019 Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka in the previous round opening set.

The winners began to dry up for Gauff, allowing Kenin to dominate the rallies and breeze through the decider in 33 minutes.

“She definitely put a lot of balls in the court. She’s quick. Also her drop-shots were good,” said Gauff, who won just 15 points in the final set.

“I think I made a lot of errors too.”

Gauff has admitted she struggled to cope with the intense scrutiny at the US Open a few months ago, culminating in an error-strewn performance against Japan’s two-time Grand Slam champion Osaka.

When the pair met again on Friday, Gauff responded with an assured performance.

Asked what she has learned from her first experience in the senior competition at Melbourne Park, she said: “I’m most proud of how I handled it on the court.

“I guess what surprised me is how calm I was going into all these matches. I wasn’t really nervous.

“I’m happy that I’m not letting the moment seem too big than what it is.”(BBC Sport)

Another Rahul 50 as India coast home in second T20

WITH miserly bowling and another KL Rahul half-century, India again outclassed New Zealand as they coasted to a seven-wicket victory in the second Twenty20 match in Auckland on Sunday to go 2-0 up in the series.On the Eden Park ground renowned for its short boundaries -- and which produced more than 400 runs in game one on Friday -- New Zealand struggled with the bat and posted a meagre 132 for five, batting first against a disciplined Indian attack.

Rahul cracked his second half-century in as many matches to lead India’s reply in which they reeled in the target for the loss of only three wickets and with 15 balls to spare.

“Another good performance today, especially with the ball,” said Indian skipper Virat Kohli who could scarcely contain his glee, exclaiming “oh happy days” when he lost the toss and heard New Zealand choose to bat first.

Bowling first was India’s strength, he said.

“We demanded the bowlers stood up and took control of what we wanted to do out there, and our line and lengths... was a very good feature.

Even with a low target to chase, India had an early blip when Tim Southee removed Rohit Sharma for eight and Kohli for 11.

But Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, who set up India’s six-wicket win in game one, were rarely troubled in an 87-run partnership to ensure victory.

Iyer was eventually dismissed for 44 while Rahul was unbeaten on 57.

Despite the comprehensive defeat for New Zealand, captain Kane Williamson stood by his decision to bat first.

“India were outstanding with the ball so it was tough,” he said.

“But there’ve been good bits in both of these games

Test pacer Alzarri Joseph finsished with five for 41.

GROS ISLET, St Lucia, (CMC) – Opener Kieran Powell and Amir Jangoo struck half-centuries as Leeward Islands Hurricanes carved out a handy lead over Windward Islands Volcanoes, on Saturday’s penultimate day of their day/night third round match.

Replying to 138, Hurricanes finished the day at the Darren Sammy National Stadium on 234 for five – a lead of 96 heading into yesterday’s final day.

The opening day of the contest on Thursday was abandoned due to heavy rain with Friday’s second day limited to only 44 overs.

Powell top-scored with 69 and fellow left-hander Jangoo was unbeaten on 51, while Jaison Peters chipped in with 39 not out to form the foundation of the Hurricanes innings.

Test pacer Alzarri Joseph had earlier finished with five for 41 and new-ball partner Sheeno Berridge, four for 39, as Volcanoes lost their

Powell, Jangoo hit half-centuries after Joseph bagged five for 41 last four wickets for 45 runs.

Veteran opener Devon Smith top-scored with 49 and Alick Athanaze chipped in with 23 but no other batsman passed 15.

Powell then anchored successive half-century stands to give Hurricanes a solid start, putting on 57 with Montcin Hodge (10) for the first wicket and adding a further 60 for the second wicket with Devon Thomas who made 23.

Powell struck nine fours off 119 balls in just about 2-¼ hours before he was one of three wickets to fall for for six runs in the space of 20 deliveries, to leave Hurricanes on 123 for four.

Jangoo then propped up the innings, first in a 26-run stand with captain Jahmar Hamilton (11) and then in an unbroken sixth wicket stand of 85 with Peters.

Trinidadian Jangoo has so far faced 82 balls in just over 2-¼ hours and struck five fours.

Manchester City punish 10-man Fulham 4-0 to reach FA Cup last 16

K.L Rahul and Shreyas Iyer again impressed with the bat as India dominated New Zealand in Auckland.

without putting it all together.

“On a small ground we knew if we were able to take early wickets and try and build pressure, like they did, then you never know.”

For a brief moment at the start of the game, it looked as if Williamson may have made the right choice when Martin Guptill smacked sixes off consecutive deliveries from Shardul Thakur in the opening over.

But for much of the remainder of the innings it was the Indian bowlers who were in charge.

When Guptill was dismissed for 33 he had faced 20 deliveries and only scored off 10 of them.

Tim Seifert (33 not out) and Colin Munro (26) were the only other batsmen to pass 20, while bowling for India, left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja had figures of two for 18 off his four overs.

Jasprit Bumrah with one for 21 and Mohammed Shami with none for 22 off their four overs were also miserly.The third match in the series is in Hamilton on Wednesday.

(REUTERS) - Holders Manchester City served up an attacking masterclass as they thrashed 10-man Fulham 4-0 in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday, with Gabriel Jesus scoring twice within three second-half minutes.

Any hopes of Championship side Fulham causing an upset at the Etihad Stadium were dented in less than six minutes after captain Tim Ream received his marching orders for dragging down Jesus inside the box.

“For a few moments I thought it would be a tough game,” City manager Pep Guardiola said. “They’re a team with a lot of courage but it was a bit different after the red card.”

Germany midfielder Ilkay Gundogan converted the resulting penalty for his fifth City goal of the campaign, before Bernardo Silva made it 2-0 for the hosts.

Phil Foden slid the ball across the edge of the box to Silva, who made a sharp turn before driving the ball past Fulham keeper Marek Rodak into the bottom right corner.

City continued to carve open Fulham in the second half, with substitute Raheem Sterling striking the crossbar from close range on the hour mark.

Jesus eventually put the game to bed as he headed home a Joao Cancelo cross from the right wing.

The Brazilian striker made it four, 163 seconds later, when he pounced on a rebound after Foden’s initial attempt had forced a save from Rodak.

Having fallen 16 points behind leaders Liverpool in the Premier League title race, City are now focused on winning the remaining three cup competitions in the second half of the season.

Guardiola’s side are well placed to reach the League Cup final as they hold a 3-1 lead heading into the second leg of the semi-final against local rivals Manchester United on Wednesday.

However, a tougher test awaits in the Champions League, where City meet Spanish giants Real Madrid in the last 16 next month.

“The determination was always there and we will fight to win each competition,” Guardiola added. “Next is United and a chance to get to the final and that is our next target.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday January 27, 2020

Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’

Silver Bullets edge defending champions 1-0 SILVER Bullets dumped defending champions, High Rollers, out of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Linden Championship, prevailing 1-0 in their quarter-final matchup on Saturday at the Amelia’s Ward hardcourt.

The former two-time champions exacted revenge for last year’s semi-final loss compliments of a Colwyn Drakes strike in the 10th minute. The first-half conversion occurred as Drakes slammed

home with his favored left leg from the centre of the field to stun the large crowd, which gathered at the venue.

Silver Bullets were also joined by Amelia’s Ward Russians and Swag Entertainment in the semi-final section, following wins by the aforesaid duo. Tournament favorite, Swag Entertainment, overcame Presidential 1-0 on penalty kicks after regulation time ended 1-1.

Prior to the penalty shootout, Presidential took the lead through Kelroy Anthony in

the seventh minute, blasting into the back of the net from just over the halfway line.

However, Kwesi Quintin equalised in the 13th minute from the penalty mark after Presidential accumulated more than the allowable two fours per half following a blatant handball.

Also, Amelia’s Ward squeaked past Amazings 2-1. A Guinness Goal (a goal scored in the final three minutes and counted as two)

Action between Silver Bullets (white) and defending champion, High Rollers, in the quarter-final round of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Linden Championship on Saturday at the Amelia’s Ward hardcourt.

in the 20th minute by Jevante Waldron sealed the win. For the loser, Errol David netted in the fifth minute.

Meanwhile, Quiet Storm drew a bye to the semifinal round which is slated to be held at the Christianburg Hardcourt on January 31st.

In the earlier Guinness Plate Championship, Barsenal de-

feated NK Ballers 1-0 on penalty kicks, after regulation time ended 0-0.

In their earlier match, Barsenal defeated Retrieve Unknown 1-0. Barsenal will now be joined by the losing quarter- finalists in the semi-final round of the Plate section.

Winner of the event will pocket $400,000 and the

championship trophy. On the other hand, the second place side will pocket $150,000 and the respective accolade.

Similarly, the third and fourth place teams will receive $100,000 and $75,000 respectively and a trophy.

Meanwhile the winner of the Guinness Plate Championship will pocket $60,000.

Manders voted in as No 2 after president survives revolt over Adams move HAMILTON, Bermuda, (CMC) – Former national coach Arnold Manders has been voted in as first vice-president of the cashstrapped Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) a week after the clubs’ backing for the president, Lloyd Smith, sparked an exodus by almost the entire executive committee.

The walkout was in protest at Smith’s decision to bring in former West Indies Test captain Jimmy Adams as a guest speaker against their wishes.

But the clubs came to the rescue and voted against a motion to censure the president, who replaced Lloyd Fray in November 2017.

Critics have termed Smith’s presidency authoritarian throughout.

However, at Thursday night’s rescheduled annual meeting Smith was upbeat about the future of the national sport after a new committee was sworn in, despite a slew of recent defeats at international level.

All but two of the vacant executive positions up for grabs

at the meeting were filled, 60-year-old Manders, a former national team captain who later became national coach, among them.

“I think that we have a very strong executive that has come on board,” Smith said.

“Obviously, we have a lot of new faces but we have guys that have been around the board before as well as people that suit the needs of the board.

“We have specialised people that we need so I think Bermuda cricket is looking good going forward with what’s coming up and where we are looking to progress to. I think we have a good collection of people on the board now.

“I am very optimistic about the future and hopefully we can hit the ground running. “ Smith went ahead with retaining the services of Adams, in his capacity as the Cricket West Indies director of cricket, as guest speaker for the board’s end-of-season awards night on November 9, and used his BCB-issued corporate credit card to do so.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Monday January 27, 2020) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUM-

MINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) WI 1 ; IRE 1 ( 1 NR) (2) Kieron Pollard (WI) Today’s Quiz: (1) Who took the first Test hattrick?

(2) Which WI was the first to claim a Test hattrick?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue Answers in tomorrow’s issue

At a special meeting convened at Warwick Workmen’s Club last week, Smith was charged with inappropriate use of the BCB’s credit card.

The executive committee deemed this in breach of the Financial Management Policy, in breach of the Code of Conduct and borderline “theft”. The

group had earlier determined that, with the board’s degree of indebtedness brought on by the Bermuda team’s international commitments in 2019, it was not fiscally prudent to engage Adams.

The president, determined to attract someone of Adams’ profile, ultimately disclosed that

a “friend of cricket” would get him on island instead, which he revealed weeks later would be himself.

Smith’s falling-out with his executive over this matter is believed to be at the heart of the originally scheduled annual meeting on December 12 lasting only five minutes so that a special meeting could be called to find a resolution.

West Indies’ director of cricket, Jimmy Adams.

Futsal ‘top dogs’ begin Magnum Mash Cup with wins SPARTA Boss, Leopold Street, Spartacus and Showstoppers secured opening-night wins when the 3rd edition of the Magnum Tonic Wine Mashramani Cup Futsal tournament started on Saturday at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue.

Sparta Boss edged Back Circle 1-0.

Deon Alfred recorded the only goal, in the fifth minute. Similarly, Leopold Street bested Melanie 2-1. Omallo Williams fashioned a brace in the third and 12th minutes. For Melanie, Odell Gulliver scored in the second minute.

Likewise, Spartacus defeated Rio All-Stars 3-2. Jamal McPherson fashioned a double in the 10th and 14th minutes, while Simeon Moore netted in the fifth minute. For the loser, Kelsey Benjamin and A. Austin scored in the 12th and 13th minutes respectively.

Also, Showstoppers defeated North East La Penitence 2-1. Luiroy Nieuelder and Akeem Trim scored in the seventh and 14th minutes each. For the loser, Lance Forde scored in the fifth minute. In other results, Alexander Village crushed Spot-7 by a 6-1 scoreline while Ansa

Action between Melanie [green] and Leopold Street at the National Gymnasium in the 3rd edition of the Magnum Tonic Wine Mashramani Cup Futsal Tournament.

McAl defeated Bad-a-Yard 2-0.

Also, Bent Street and Avocado Ballers battled to a 1-1 stalemate. The tournament continues tomorrow [Tuesday] at the same venue with another round of matches.

The tournament, which features 24 teams, will be played over nine playing dates. The respective competitors will be divided into six groups of four, with the top finishers from each pool, alongside the four best third place teams, progressing to the knockout section.

The other match-days are Tuesday January 28th, Thursday January 30th, Saturday February 1st, Tuesday February 4th, Thursday February 6th [Round of 16], Saturday February 8th [Quarterfinals] and Saturday February 15 [Semi-finals], with the finale scheduled for February 22nd.

The groups are Group-A: Back

Circle, Sparta Boss, Ansa McAl AllStars and Bad-A-Yard, Group-B: Rio All-Stars, Leopold Street, Spartacus and Melanie, Group-C: Future Stars, Alexander Village, Spot-7 and Mocha, Group-D: Bent Street, Showstoppers, North East La Penitence and Avocado Ballers, Group-E: Sophia, Broad Street, Kingston and Island All-Stars and Group-F: Gold is Money, Albouystown, Stabroek Ballers and Belfield Warriors.

Winner of the event will pocket $700,000 and the championship trophy, while the second place side will collect $400,000 and the respective accolade. On the other hand, the third and fourth place units will receive $200,000 and $100,000 respectively and the corresponding trophy. Below features the complete results for the matches staged and the impending results for day two.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Monday January 27, 2020

s t n i r p s t u John o if eld to win i r a S d n a s Rick r e l l i r h t g n i cycl

The various winners with their prizes.

JAMUAL John outsprinted his fellow cyclists in an exciting and extremely close finish to pedal off the 2020 season, which took place Saturday morning at the inner circuit of the National Park, in Georgetown with the 27th Ricks and Sari-sponsored event.

Although there were several races carded for the day, it was the main event, a 35-laps School Boys and Invitational, which had the crowd in a frenzy. In what was literally a photo finish, John was able to win the opener by inches ahead of Michael Anthony. Paul De Nobrega, Kemuel Moses and Christopher Joseph, the third to fifth place finishers respectively, were close behind.

Overall, John clocked 1:19:07.63.

Marcus Keiler and Anthony ended the event with two prime prizes

each, while there were one each for DeNobrega, Ajay Gopilall and Stephano Husbands.

In the five-lap Veterans Under-50 event, Warren McKay got the better of Junior Niles and Segun Hubbard in the top three battle, while the five-lap Over 50 event was won by Shameer Baksh.

Andrew Spencer finished second and Kirkwood Kellman third.

In the Junior/Juveniles 10-lap race, Jeremiah Joseph finished ahead of David Hicks and Steve Bhimsen on the podium, while in the Novices 10 laps, Eybo Orforde claimed victory. Lennox Jackman placed second and Toquain Lopes third.

In the BMX 6-9 division, Lennox Jackman won ahead of William Greene and Antonio Andries-Junor, while Jason Primo finished first in the BMX 9-12 division.

Jamual John collects his prizes for winning the feature event.

Lawyer of several cricket stakeholders ask CWI to intervene in Guyana’s cricket CRICKET West Indies has been asked to intervene on issues affecting Guyana’s cricket by several stakeholders of the game.

Attorney-at-Law, Arudranauth Gossai, from the Berbice-based law firm, Gossai and Gossai, who represents the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB), the Georgetown Cricket Association, the East Coast Cricket Board and the Upper Demerara Cricket Association, has appealed to the President of the West Indies Cricket Board, Richard ‘Ricky’ Skerritt to look into Guyana’s cricketing issues.

He thoroughly highlighted the problems affecting the game locally and the

lengthy process, which included court proceedings and court orders that has swamped the national sport.

High on the agenda of interventions was the prevention of elections, originally scheduled over the weekend, for the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) and the Guyana Cricket Board.

The Attorney-at-Law, through his clients, deemed the elections to be “unlawful and illegal,” and pointed out that the stakeholders that he represents control a majority, both at the Demerara level and at the national level.

There were no indications that the

elections, which were referred to, took place or if CWI had intervened.

Gossai noted that the Guyana Cricket Board is made up of three main boards-- the BCB, the DCB and the Essequibo Cricket Board. According to the attorney, his clients already control the BCB and with their majority in the DCB, they have a bigger stake in the game.

“The Demerara Cricket Board is made up of five (5) associations: the Georgetown Cricket Association, the East Coast Cricket Board, the Upper Demerara Cricket Association, the West Demerara Cricket Association and the East Bank Cricket Association.

“From the above, my clients represent a majority stakeholder in the administration of cricket in Guyana.”

The Attorney-at-Law, who wrote the letter on Thursday, noted that his clients are working with the law and wants the issues to be resolved in the right manner.

“My clients have utmost respect for the Court process in Guyana, and have done everything legally possible to stop Messrs. Sanasie and Kalladeen and their group from their continued illegal stranglehold of the administration of cricket in Guyana.”

Manchester United hit Tranmere for six in FA Cup mauling TRANMERE, England (Reuters) - Manchester United thrashed third-tier Tranmere Rovers 6-0 on Sunday to join Manchester City in the FA Cup fifth round but it failed to silence protests against the club’s owners.

A muddy and bobbly Prenton Park pitch looked the perfect stage for an old-fashioned Cup shock but it was Tranmere who sank as Harry Maguire’s thunderbolt signalled a United onslaught that saw Diogo Dalot, Jesse Lingard, Phil Jones and Anthony Martial all score before the interval.

Mason Greenwood added a second-half penalty meaning it was the first time since 1892 that six different players had scored in the same game for United.

It was an impressive display from a United side that had lost three of their last four Premier League games, and eclipsed Manchester City’s 4-0 win over Championship side Fulham earlier, but it might only be a temporary respite for disgruntled fans.

They sang songs against the Glazer family who own the club and vice-chairman Ed Woodward even as the goals rained in.

“It was really important to get the win, coming off the back of a bad performance and result against Burnley,” skipper Maguire said referring to Wednesday’s 2-0 home defeat. “We set our stall out to put in a positive perfor-

mance for the fans.”

Tranmere knocked out Premier League Watford’s second-string side in a replay on Thursday and were fired-up for the visit of a United team missing key players and looking vulnerable.

But when Maguire advanced and belted a right-footed effort into the top corner after 10 minutes before Dalot jinked into the area to finish with aplomb three minutes later and Jesse Lingard curled home three minutes after that it was all over.

NO ESCAPE Tranmere had come back from three down against Watford to force a replay but there was no escape this time as United turned on the style on the type of surface rarely seen these days.

“When you score two or three goals in quick succession, it’s sit down and enjoy the game and let the players enjoy it,” United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said.

If Maguire’s strike was a rarity — it was his first of the season — then when Phil Jones looped in a header for his first goal since 2014, after Dalot and Lingard had put United in control, the visitors knew it was going to be a good day.

Anthony Martial added a fifth goal just before the break with a deflected effort and poor old Rovers keeper Scott Davies could have done nothing about any of them.

United had not scored five times before halftime since

Prenton Park, Birkenhead, Britain - Manchester United’s Diogo Dalot celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates REUTERS/Scott Heppell

2001 and Greenwood’s penalty, after a foul on Tahith Chong, meant it was their biggest away win since they beat Nottingham Forest 8-1 in the Premier League in 1999.

“You can see everyone wanted us to fail but it doesn’t bother me,” Solskjaer said. “I’m happy but won’t relax.”

Holders Manchester City romped to victory over second-tier Fulham — a task made easier as the visitors played virtually the whole game with 10 men after Tim Ream was red-carded after six minutes for conceding a penalty converted by Ilkay Gundogan.

Bernardo Silva made it 2-0 and Gabriel Jesus scored twice after the break as City reached 100 goals for the season in all competitions, the first club to do so in Europe’s top leagues.

NBA legend Kobe Bryant, daughter among 9 killed in helicopter crash

By Steve Gorman CALABASAS, Calif. (Reuters) - Kobe Bryant, one of the NBA’s all-time greats whose international stardom transcended basketball, was killed on Sunday in a helicopter crash near Los Angeles along with his 13-year-old daughter and seven others on board, officials said. He was 41.

Bryant rocketed to fame as an 18-year-old rookie and played 20 years for the Los Angeles Lakers, 18 of them as an all-star, and winning five NBA championships. His death sent shockwaves through the National Basketball Association, which he helped propel to international prominence, and around the world.

The chopper went down around 10 a.m. (1800 GMT) in hilly terrain in Calabasas, California, about 40 miles (65 km) northwest of central Los Angeles, sparking a brush fire, officials said.

“There were no survivors. We have a manifest that indicates there were nine people on board the aircraft, the pilot plus eight individuals,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva told a news conference, declining to identify any victims.

Asked by reporters if he believed there were nine bodies at the crash site, after earlier reports indicated only five dead, Villanueva said: “That is our belief, yes.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver confirmed Bryant and his daughter Gianna were among those killed, and sent condolences to Bryant’s wife, Vanessa.

“He was one of the most extraordinary players in the history of our game with accomplishments that are legendary,” Silver said.

A teammate from Bryant’s daughter’s basketball team, a parent of the teammate, and the pilot were also killed, NBC News reported.

Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli was also killed, the Orange County Register reported, citing assistant coach Ron La Ruffa.

‘KOBE WE LOVE YOU’ Reaction to Bryant’s death was swift in the basketball world and beyond.

In San Antonio, the NBA’s Toronto Raptors and San Antonio Spurs paid their respects by See Page 24

Rampant Jaguars thump Red Force by 219 runs to seal emphatic win --Permaul voted Man-ofthe-Match, bowlers instrumental in 3rd round win

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HEARTFELT THANKS:

Kobe Bryant acknowledges the Garden crowd after his final game in Boston in the Lakers star’s 20-year career.

By Clifton Ross THE Guyana Jaguars got back to their winning ways after inflicting a 219-run win over the Trinidad Red Force, wrapping up a commanding display at home as round 3 ended yesterday at the Providence Stadium.

Led by Man-of-the-match, Veerasammy Permaul, with a match-haul of 8 for 71 after picking up 4 for 29 in first innings and 4-42 in the second, Guyana outplayed the Darren Bravo side in all departments to shoot up back to the number 2 spot after their second round loss put them in 4th place.

The visitors resumed day 4 on 122-6, needing 281 for a win before Permaul had other plans to mop up the tail within the first hour of play in the morning session.

It was a feeble batting

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performance by the Red Force as opener Jeremy Solozano (34), Jason Mohamed (33), Yannick Cariah (27) and 22 apiece from Kjorn Ottley and Terrance Hinds failed to take them close to the target as they were knocked over for 186, batting a second time.

Red Force were put under pressure from the inception after the Jaguars racked up 332 batting first, thanks mainly to Anthony Bramble’s 91, Tagenarine Chanderpaul (68) and Chris Barnwell (58).

Red Force spinner, Bryan Charles, grabbed 7 wickets in a losing effort while his team had a completely opposite experience when they fell for 98 in their 1st innings.

Rookie pacer, Niall Smith’s lethal 5-7 opening See Page 23

Veerasammy Permaul poses with his trophy presented by the GCB for taking 500 1st class wickets.

MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020