Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 10 05 2017

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Trump fires FBI director Comey

UG to administer nursing programme No. 104908

WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 2017

Price: $80

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‌as gov’t moves to revamp course

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Students attending schools on Woolford Avenue have welcomed the recently constructed walkway, which they said has greatly assisted them in navigating heavy traffic along the street and also help regulate its flow (Delano Williams photo)

Son dies Political Man throws bag with ganja over after lash to mischief Sports director says accusations prison fence head by dad politically motivated Page 11

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Sport director says accusations politically motivated DIRECTOR of Sport Christopher Jones, Tuesday evening flayed media reports alleging financial improprieties on his part, urging that an investigation be conducted into the accusations which he

branded as politically motivated.

The allegations against Jones were contained in a report by the Kaieteur News on Tuesday implicating him in gross misappropriation of National Sports Commission

(NSC) funds. Referencing the article, Jones said it is “part of a naked attack on my person, character and integrity, which is politically motivated.” He noted that he can only hope that the “intellectual authors” of the

Director of Sport, Christopher Jones

allegations are exposed.

“I am pleased to have read that an investigation is being conducted. I commit my full and unreserved cooperation with same as I am confident that I and my team at the NSC will be completely vindicated,” Jones said.

Adding that, “Further, I call for an independent investigation in uncovering the intellectual authors of the article and that those culpable have appropriate action taken against them by the relevant authorities.”

Jones did not specifically address the allegations levelled against him, which ranged from issuing his personal assistant a cheque for $3M to the granting of a $600,000 loan to the Guyana Baseball League for assistance with airfare to travel.

However, a statement made yesterday by NSC Commissioner and Attorney-at-Law, James Bond, yesterday, explicitly addressed some of

the allegations and offered subsequent explanations.

The full statement as issued by Jones is as follows: It is never my intention to discuss these issues in the public domain, unfortunately, the issue was placed in the public domain and therefore I must defend my good character.

I note an article appearing in the May 9, 2017 edition of Kaieteur News under the headline: ‘National Sports Commission Director allegedly pays assistant $3M for doing nothing.’ I wish to unequivocally state that this article is based on falsehoods and I reject any assertion or allegation of improper conduct on my part as Director of Sport. At all times I have executed my duties with the highest level of integrity and within the law. Further, I have forged strong relationships between the National Sports Commission and all national and other sporting bodies as I have worked assiduously to raise the profile of sports in Guyana. Mine is a tireless and thankless task, but one which I pursue with enthusiasm, zeal and a passion for the sector.

From my interactions with the various sporting organisations I have every reason to believe that I enjoy a high level of confidence and trust from the entire sporting fraternity.

This has been achieved, even as I have operated under severe internal constraints and with limited resources

– the details of which I do not wish to disclose at this time. Nonetheless, my work in sports is on public record as is my achievements and performance in the sector.

I have every reason to believe that this article is part of a naked attack on my person, character and integrity, which is politically motivated. Further, it is my view that the intellectual authors of this attack are steeped in envy of the achievements of the NSC and the consequent positive public attention which has followed. I do not believe that it is any coincidence that this attack has come mere weeks after the successful and critically acclaimed NSC Sports Awards at which the medallists of Guyana’s CARIFTA team were awarded University of Guyana scholarships by the NSC. I am pleased to have read that an investigation is being conducted. I commit my full and unreserved cooperation with same as I am confident that I and my team at the NSC will be completely vindicated.

Further, I call for an independent investigation in uncovering the intellectual authors of the article and that those culpable have appropriate action taken against them by the relevant authorities. The source of the Kaieteur News article is unfortunate, but as a disciplined public servant, I shall say no more.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 10, 2017

UG to administer nursing programme …as gov’t moves to revamp course

By Svetlana Abrams AMID alarming failure rates, the Public Health Ministry is moving ahead with plans to revamp the Registered Nursing Programme in Guyana, with the aim of offering it at the level of the University of Guyana as against the Nursing School.

In an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Principal of the Georgetown School of Nursing Cleopatra Barkoye, disclosed that the Public Health Ministry is collaborating with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), University of Guyana (UG) Faculty of Health Sciences and a Brazilian University to have lecturers and nurses train at the Master’s and Doctoral levels in the field of Nursing.

Barkoye explained that

the authorities, through this initiative, are setting the foundation for the Registered Nursing Programme to be transferred to the University of Guyana by harnessing the calibre of lecturers needed for such a significant move.

Eight lecturers and nurses with first degrees will be selected for the Master’s Programme, while five persons, who have already acquired their Master’s, will be selected for the Doctoral Programme.

A team from the University in Brazil will be here in Guyana by July, 2017 for the final selection. The Faculty of Health Sciences has already shortlisted the applicants. The first batch of nurses and lecturers will commence their studies in September, 2017.

Though the majority of the Nursing Tutors have ac-

quired their Bachelors of Science Degrees in Nursing, and collectively have more than 300 years of experience under their belts, Principal Barkoye said there is still a great need to sharpen their skills. In 2015, a Nursing Tutor Certificate Training Programme was initiated with the primary support of PAHO, to boost their capacity. This new programme being embarked on by the Public Health Ministry is necessary, and will help to fast track the process, Principal Barkoye stated.

“The Caribbean and the world at large have left us behind. They are two steps ahead of us. They are saying that really and truly the Registered Nursing Programme is done at universities, so I am pleased that we are moving in this direction as a CARICOM nation,” she

Nursing students at the Georgetown School of Nursing (File Photo)

Principal of the Georgetown School of Nursing, Cleopatra Barkoye

posited.

Once the tutors are adequately qualified, the principal tutor said the Public Health Ministry will take the necessary steps to have the Registered Nursing Programme dissolved at the level of the schools and offered only at the Bachelor’s level at the University of Guyana.

“When you have a bachelor’s, you have a wider scope of knowledge, and you will recognise that research is really important because that is how we practise,” she posited.

However, while the Registered Nursing Programme will be offered at the level of the university, the Post-Basic Midwifery Programme, the Direct Entry Midwifery Programme, and the Nursing

Assistant Programme will still be taught at the level of the school.

“While there is still a need for the school, the Registered Nursing Programme must move beyond the school, because that is where the world is; and if we stay here we will always keep ourselves behind. If the world is moving, we have to move with it,” Principal Barkoye said.

In Guyana, the Registered Nursing Programme is complemented by a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programme, which is offered at the University of Guyana for a period of two years. The Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing commenced in 2002 under the leadership of Gwendolin Tross – a veteran in the field of health education and nursing.

SYSTEM FAILING STUDENTS Commenting on the stateof-affairs of nursing in Guyana, Barkoye contended that the system has failed the nurses that are in training.

According to reports, the 2016 Professional Nurses State Final Examination, which had to be re-taken earlier this year, had a failure rate of 90 per cent. Barkoye is maintaining that it was the system that failed the nursing students. “We don’t have enough lecturers in the class-

room, in none of the schools.

We don’t have enough materials. The curriculum specifies that you must have a clinical instructor, we don’t have any clinical instructor in Georgetown and New Amsterdam, what we have are clinical supervisors,” the principal tutor pointed out.

Painting a vivid picture of the situation, Barkoye disclosed that the Georgetown School of Nursing has 343 students with only seven tutors. “For every 20 students, you need one lecturer, that is what the system requires,” she posited.

Due to the shortage of tutors across the three nursing schools – the Georgetown School of Nursing, the Charles Roza School of Nursing in Linden and the New Amsterdam School of Nursing – there is not room for specialisation and tutors are forced to “teach too many things at once.”

However, Principal Barkoye said there is indication that things are going to get better for both students and tutors. She pointed out that following the high failure rate, the Public Health Ministry in collaboration with PAHO held a retreat with the primary players, including the students, to determine what are the loopholes within the system, and the avenues that can be taken to address those problems.

Corporate Guyana urged to embrace Housing Exposition WITH the ‘Housing Solutions 2017 & Beyond’ Exhibition just two weeks away, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) is calling on corporate Guyana to get on board.

Already, some of the biggest names in the finance industry have signed up to be a part of the coming event, which will allow Guyanese to prequalify for housing loans on the ground. On Tuesday, Jenelle Carter, one of the public relations officers attached to CH&PA, disclosed that approximately 20 companies and organisations have already registered to exhibit their products and services during the exposition billed for May 26-28 at Perseverance, East Bank Demerara.

“So far we have managed to secure sponsorship from companies such as Guy Construction, New Building Society…Republic Bank, GBTI, Citizens Bank and other companies like GAFOORS and Courts,” Carter pointed out. Insurance com-

panies have also signed up for this expo.

According to her, at least one of the commercial banks listed is in the process of preparing a package, that will allow for potential home-owners to prequalify for housing loans during the Housing Solutions 2017 & Beyond’ Exhibition. “The homes on the ground that are being built will be available for purchase after the expo…So you can go and prequalify yourself on the ground, once you have the required documents like your pay slip, job letter and proof of address,” she posited.

Additionally, Carter noted that the houses being built will be fully furnished during the expo. “One of the concepts we are bringing to this expo is giving persons an opportunity to see what their homes would look like fully furnished, so we have companies on board like Kissoon who would furnish an entire home,” she explained.

However, Carter said

there are more spots available for exhibitors. It was explained that interested businesses and companies can visit the Model Community in Perseverance ahead of the event and speak with CH&PA personnel who are on the ground, to determine the best offer, before signing up. The expo is set to have on display 10 low-income, five moderate and eight middle-income houses, as well as six duplexes and two single units, built by the CH&PA and private contractors.

These include duplexes of three designs and flat houses on stilts. The initiative, according to the Ministry of Communities, is a step in the path to create a “cohesive community” in Perseverance.

The area was strategically chosen because the layout is set to accommodate 570 house lots, some of which will help with reducing the 25,000 housing applications backlog within the CH&PA system. Some 200 houses have already

been built in the area and the houses that will be on

display at the expo will add to the community. At

the end of festivities, the houses will be sold.

‘Drunken’ fisherman slapped with five charges – ordered to stop consuming alcohol A FISHERMAN was on Tuesday slapped with several charges in relation to offences he committed while under the influence of alcohol.

Egbert Daniels, 45, of Mabaruma, North West District (NWD) appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court, charged with break and enter with larceny, damage to property, throwing missiles, insulting a woman and assault.

Particulars of the first charge alleged that on May 4, at Mabaruma Settlement, he broke into the dwelling house of Kenneth Dork and

stole $3,800 cash, property of Dork. He pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay a fine of $15,000 with an alternative of two weeks imprisonment.

It is further alleged that on May 1 at Barima, he threw a missile to the annoyance of Judy Daniels. To this charge, Daniels also pleaded guilty and was fined $7,500 with an alternative of two weeks in jail. The fisherman admitted that on May 1, he maliciously damaged four window panes valued at $12,000 belonging to Judy Daniels.

On this charge, he was ordered to compensate the victim $12,000 or in default, serve four weeks in prison.

He was given two weeks to pay the fines.

The man was also charged with calling Judy Daniels a name, other than her own name, with intent to insult or annoy her, to which he pleaded not guilty and granted $5,000 bail. The fisherman also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Winston Allen and was released on $5,000 bail.

Before transferring the case to the Mabaruma Magistrate’s Court, the Chief Magistrate warned Daniels to desist from using alcohol pending the completion of the trial; if he fails to abide by her conditions, he will be arrested and placed on remand at the Camp Street prison.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Trump fires FBI chief PRESIDENT Donald Trump has fired the director of the FBI over his handling of the inquiry into Hillary Clinton’s emails, the administration says.

The White House sent shockwaves through Washington by announcing that James Comey “has been terminated and removed from office.”

The move came as it emerged Mr Comey gave inaccurate information about Mrs Clinton’s emails to Congress last week.

The FBI is also probing alleged links between the Trump campaign and Russia.

President Trump wrote in a letter to Mr Comey that he agreed with US Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ recommendation that “you are not able to effectively lead the Bureau”.

Mr Sessions said the Department of Justice was “committed to a high level of discipline, integrity, and the rule of lawm” and “a fresh start is needed.”

The White House said the search for a successor would begin immediately.

Mr Comey, 56, was appointed four years ago, and had another six years of his term to serve as FBI director.

Mr Comey told the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 3 that Mrs Clinton’s top aide, Huma Abedin, had forwarded “hundreds and thousands” of emails, “some of which contain classified information”, to her then-husband.

But the FBI conceded on Tuesday that Ms Abedin had only sent two email chains containing classified information to her husband for printing.

The clarification was made in a letter from the FBI’s assistant director of congressional affairs, Greg-

ory Brower, to the congressional committee.

The majority of the 49,000 emails investigators uncovered on the computer of Ms Abedin’s husband, Anthony Weiner were transferred via backup of her work Blackberry device, Mr Brower wrote.

Ultimately, all 12 classified email chains found on Mr Weiner’s device were determined to have been previously reviewed by investigators who came across them via other electronic devices.

Mr Comey has been embroiled in controversy regarding the handling of his investigation into whether Mrs Clinton’s use of a private email server when secretary of state compromised national security.

The now-former FBI director made two interventions during the 2016 election campaign to make pronouncements about the investigation into her emails.

He said in July the case should be closed without prosecution, but then declared, 11 days before November’s election, that he had reopened the inquiry because of a discovery of a new trove of Clinton-related

emails.

He told the Senate last week it made him “mildly nauseous” to think his intervention could have affected the election, but insisted he would make the same decision again.

Mrs Clinton blames Mr Comey for her shock election defeat last November to Donald Trump.

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said he “cannot defend the Director’s handling of the conclusion of the investigation of Secretary Clinton’s emails, and I do not understand his refusal to accept the nearly universal judgement that he was mistaken”.

“Almost everyone agrees the Director made serious mistakes; it is one of the few issues that unites people of diverse perspectives”.

He said Mr Comey had been wrong to “usurp” the previous attorney general in July 2016 to announce the Clinton emails inquiry should be closed without prosecution.

The deputy attorney general said Mr Comey compounded his error by holding a press conference to “gratuitously” release “derogatory information” about Mrs Clinton.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 10, 2017

CCJ orders Guyana to refund SM Jaleel THE Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has ruled in favour of Trinidad-based beverage company SM Jaleel and its subsidiary, ordering the Government of Guyana to repay millions of dollars to the companies for environmental taxes paid in violation of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

The ruling was handed down on Tuesday by CCJ President Sir Dennis Byron, via a video conference, Attorney-General and Legal Affairs Minister, Basil Williams has confirmed.

SM Jaleel and its locally based subsidiary, Guyana Beverages Inc., in April last year moved to the court seeking redress. They had argued that Guyana had breached

the principles of trade liberalisation and free movement of goods envisioned by the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, the treaty which established the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

The applicants were claiming a refund of the environmental taxes imposed on the companies during the period January 1, 2006, to the date of repeal of the Act in August, 2015.

However, when Sir Dennis handed down the judgement, Guyana was ordered to pay a collective sum of Environmental Tax for the period March 7, 2011 to August 2015, together with a four per cent interest per annum.

The CCJ, in its ruling, instituted a five-year limitation period for the settlement of cases involving the unlawful collection of taxes which contradicts the Treaty of Chaguaramas. “The court holds that a five-year limitation period is appropriate, and will protect States from stale claims in respect of which there would be inherent difficulties in trying to produce documentary or oral evidence. It will, above all, encourage claimants to file suit in a timely fashion,” Sir Dennis stated.

Additionally, Guyana has also been ordered to pay 70 per cent of the cost of the court proceedings, which are to be taxed if not agreed

upon. This ruling comes on the heels of Rudisa Beverages’s win against the Guyana Government.

Rudisa Beverages had taken Guyana to court over a “discriminatory” environmental tax a few years ago.

The company had argued that there was an imposition of $10 on every disposable container imported into Guyana. They eventually won the case, by arguing that a similar tax was not imposed on local distributors, such as Banks DIH and Demerara Distillers limited.

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) subsequently granted the Government of Guyana time to repay US$6M, which the two parties agreed to, by January 31, 2016. However, Williams had explained that what is noteworthy is the fact that in the case of RUDISA, the Government of Guyana did not lead evidence to show that the tax was transferred.

As such, he had noted that it was the Government’s intention to lead such evidence in the SM Jaleel case.

SM Jaleel & Company

Limited, also known as SMJ, is the largest manufacturer of non-alcoholic beverages in the English-speaking Caribbean. Since the inception in 1924, their portfolio of beverages has been distributed to over 60 countries worldwide. SMJ’s products include a wide array of soft drinks, fruit juices, purified and flavoured water, energy drinks, and other fruit-flavoured beverages.

The company’s headquarters is based in Trinidad and Tobago, with subsidiary offices in Jamaica, Barbados, Suriname, Guyana, St. Lucia, South Africa and some parts of Asia.

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Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Grounding with the people IN any democracy, Government meeting with the people, listening to their views and concerns and making a concerted effort to help them improve their stations in life constitute key measures in the scheme of good governance.

Even though bigger in size, Guyana is smaller in population size compared to some of our top sister Caricom member states, and with 90 per cent of the population concentrated on the coastland, frequent interactions should be a norm.

Being a small nation and one which does not wield any great influence, developments in the international arena can negatively impact Guyana, and the Government must be able to communicate these implications to the people.

Communicating through the press has been the traditional way of getting information to the people, but meeting and grounding with the people is a means that should not be placed on the back burner, but should be made a priority. Not so recently, the Government has been fanning out to different parts of the country, listening to the views, concerns and complaints of the people and has been offering solutions of its own. This is a most welcomed step in the right direction.

Time and time again governments in general make decisions, but sometimes without much consultation with the people and this has been a main source of their discontent, es-

pecially when they are adversely affected by decisions made.

Frequent interactions with the people provide the avenue to alleviate some of these ill-feelings and open up a pathway to build genuine relationships and expand on gains made. This sort of rapport cannot be overstated as people generally when aggravated, gravitate to persons who would listen to them and an absence of the Government in the fields can prove to be an uphill task in effectively getting its message across.

People, regardless of where they sit on the fence, have concerns on matters that affect them, their families and communities. Even though Local Government Elections were held about two years ago after more than two decades, many are still concerned about the state of drainage, roads and bridges in their communities.

Most of these issues which should be dealt with at the regional level are not getting the attention they deserve. The manner in which their schools are managed, the operations of health centres in their communities and the negligence of district and regional officials in addressing issues that affect them are still pressing concerns of the people. In some cases, residents in their frustration have given up hope on regional officials bringing any relief to their plight and feel they have no one to whom they could air their grievances.

Government ministers visiting communities and listening

to the people will certainly restore some confidence in the people, while at the same time giving them (the ministers) first-hand information on the ground. By connecting with the grassroots, it also gives them a fair sense of how to respond to issues raised. For some time now, the Government has been calling for more persons to get into entrepreneurship and agro-processing.

While this call has been welcomed by many farmers and young people, as much as they do have an interest in getting into business, the majority lack the finance required to do so. This challenge is compounded by inadequate information on accessing financing and training.

These are matters which can be raised and discussed in some detail during the ministerial outreaches, since entrepreneurship is a key step in empowerment of the grassroots and beating back rural unemployment. Governments also do not have solutions for all the challenges of the country, and it is important that the masses are regularly engaged. The importance of the ministerial fan-outs cannot be over elaborated.

AG should have apologised Dear Editor

EDITOR, at the undergraduate and graduate levels at Oakwood and Andrews Universities respectfully, I studied Theology.

Therefore, the complications of the law are beyond my expertise and to some extent, my pay grade. This I say as a disclaimer, as I seek to enter the fray of the saga betwixt Justice Holder and the Attorney General, Mr Basil Williams, SC. In my role as an ‘Apostle to the Gentiles,’ I am involved in issues that trouble the “least among us.” I work with the ex-offenders, the recovering addicts and the street people and if there is one thing I find severely lacking in Guyana are mentors. If our chronic and precipitous brain drain has done one thing, it has robbed Guyana of a pool of

role models and mentors, increasingly among men and boys. Therefore, whenever an occasion arises and purely by evolutionary default, those in need of guidance look to their leaders. They look to pastors, priests, imams, doctors, lawyers and yes, politicians.

There is the notion (some founded), that the best politician is a dead one. However, every five years in Guyana some 400,000 citizens show up to the polls to vote for these politicians. Additionally, whenever these politicians show up at schools, churches, and other private and public places, it is observed that they receive the finest and most cordial of treatment. So in the back of the minds of those seeking for role models, there must be some exemplary qualities resident in the political fraternity.

I respected the late Presi-

dent Forbes Burnham. I liked to listen to him speak. I admired how he behaved as if the wealth of Guyana belonged to Guyanese. But I never liked him. I lived on Laing Avenue and I could remember as a little boy how on Sundays he would ride his big white horse (some say it was a mule), as his helpers handed out cassava sticks, pigeon peas seeds, cutlasses, forks and the likes. Those used to be grand occasions for us little ghetto children. However, one of the reasons I never liked him was because of how I saw him treat women. And after all these years, I am unable to shake that negative image of him. Of course, there are other things that I encounter with him that have also helped to shape a less than favourable image of him in my mind. But I loved President Desmond Hoyte.

I was fortunate to work

a brief stint for him during the 1997 campaign. I was stationed at Congress Place, Sophia, and worked in the public relations department.

Mr Hoyte was the consummate statesman. He conducted himself professionally at all times.

And after all these years, I am unable to shake that positive image of him.

And that brings me back to the fray of the saga between Judge Holder and Attorney General, Williams. Many children at the Primary and High School levels are listening and looking at how this story has descended into a blame game between two grown public figures. Parents and teachers are talking about it and taking sides. Relatives and friends are defining the battle lines and the children are watching and listening. Mr Williams continues to say that he did nothing wrong nor unusual in

that courtroom. The Judge is maintaining that he (the Judge) was disrespected. However, the Judge did not do what most Judges do when they feel disrespected in their courtrooms.

He refused, and still continues to refuse, to hold the AG in contempt of court.

Therefore, the least the goodly Attorney General could have done, as an overture, was apologise. Such an apology would have been used by teachers and parents, family and friends, to show that civility exists, even at the highest levels of our judicial and governmental systems. The AG would have moved up a notch in the estimation of some of his detractors. The Judge would have accepted the apology and might have even had occasion to favour him.

Now the moment has been lost. The AG has stone-

walled and refused to apologise. The Judge has recused himself. A wonderful opportunity to be magnanimous has slipped by. A ‘teachable moment’ on public display, was lost. And a rare opportunity to be some young child’s role model was squandered.

Maybe some public figures do not understand the weight of their offices; not only professionally, but socially. So let’s hope that the new Judge does not come to this case haunted by the memories of some void of a role model.

Let’s also hope that the new judge is not perturbed by the realities of this case. For if either of those possibilities informs the emotions of the new Justice, the AG might well find that he would have lost corn and husk.

Regards Wendell Jeffrey

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 10, 2017

GPHC fires employee --another expected to be let go shortly ISSUES of discrepancy in the procurement of drugs have led to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) dismissing one of its employees.

And word is that as investigations continue, another employee is expected to be let go shortly.

A reliable source told the Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday that the Public Procurement Commission (PPC)’s investigation into the procurement of

drugs and medical supplies for the month of March has uncovered that there were numerous discrepancies in the system.

According to the source, a tender even had to be pulled because the documents were tampered with by someone in the hospital’s finance department.

Reports indicate that because of what was uncovered by the PPC, one of the persons from the department was sent home.

“This has been going on for a while now,” said the source,

who disclosed that another person is expected to be dismissed for being a part of the conspiracy.

This publication has learnt that instances such as these have caused the procurement system to be compromised, but efforts are afoot to correct the situation.

It was reported in the Guyana Chronicle that shortage of drugs, medical supplies and human resources continue to plague the GPHC, but the government has maintained that

these deficiencies do not affect the delivery of patient care.

During a visit to the hospital by the Parliamentary Sector Committee on Social Services, Senior Pharmacist, Ms Jenelle Welch disclosed that they are short of several drugs and medical supplies, and that these drugs only ran out within the last few days and weeks.

“It’s on and off; there is some stuff that’s not in supply right now, but we still get medication coming from time to time,” she posited, while pointing out that the patient load is ever so often hard to keep up with.

Region Five fire victims receive assistance THE Difficult Circumstances Unit under the Ministry of Social Protection’s arm of Public Assistance provided aid to three victims whose houses were affected by fire or high-wind atrocities in Region Five.

While there are other houses that are affected by fire or high winds in these villages, the focus on these victims was magnified because of the dire and comparatively worst situation than others who might have been affected, a release from the Ministry of Social Protection noted. According to Member of Parliament, Jennifer Wade of

Region No. Five, high winds are common in the village of Catherine during the rainy season, while Calcutta village is affected by fires.

The recipients of assistance were Phillis King of Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice, Jennifer Inniss and Rhonda Daniels. They all expressed gratitude to the government and the Ministry of Social Protection for their concern and assistance. Some of the materials given to the victims consisted of mattresses with blankets and sheets, food items and clothes.

In a statement of gratitude, one of the victims expressed both

humility and sincerity, “No matter how small it is, I thank you,” indicating that she would make do with whatever assistance is given to her. The Difficult Circumstances Unit, which is under the direct responsibility of Minister Amna Ally, was ably represented

by Administrator, Colleen Roberts; Member of Parliament Jennifer Wade; Regional Counsellor Gloria Lyndo and CDC Regional Officer, Carol Nurse. The Difficult Circumstances Unit is one of the philanthropic arm of the Ministry of Social Protection. It usually functions in areas where

victims are grossly stricken by poverty and social degradation by loss of a family member. It also seeks to help single-parent victims who are economically burdened, incapable of meeting basic needs to survive and the incompetent and disabled who cannot earn financially.

Used tyres association renews call for engagement MEMBERS of the Guyana Used Tyres Association (GUTA) have renewed their call for engagement with the government on the prohibition of importation of used tyres.

The Association is of the view that due to the ban which took effect in April,2017, some 5000 persons have lost jobs.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Attorney-at-law Jerome Khan, who was representing the GUTA, told members of the media that the 36 businesses that are represented by the Association have been suffering since the ban was imposed.

This new law has prevented them from plying their trade, so they are once again calling on the government to engage in talks with

them on the future of used tyres.

Khan said that the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) should be in a position where it is in possession of the technology to differentiate between good used tyres and sub-standard new tyres.

The Attorney was adamant that there is no basis for the ban on used tyres in Guyana; that used-tyres are in fact used across the developed world, in places such as Europe and North America.

In April 2016, hundreds of concerned stakeholders signed a petition to persuade the government to rescind its decision to ban the importation of used tyres into the country, but the decree was allowed to move forward nevertheless.

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Guyana moving forward TOMORROW will mark two years of the Coalition Government being in office. After an extended run of 23 years, the people of Guyana removed the floundering People’s Progressive Party government in preference for the six-party coalition.

Despite considerable and undeniable advances and as is not unusual in public life, over the past two years there has been a fixation on a handful of the Coalition Government’s less than shining moments. These have been latched on to in an effort to construct a certain political narrative. The full picture, on the other hand, reveals that while there have been not unexpected chal-

lenges and difficulties, there have also been resounding successes. Reasonable observers and the average Guyanese are not fooled.

MORE DISPOSABLE INCOME If the dollars and cents test is applied the results are clear.

There can be no question that people, public servants in particular, have more money in their pockets now than in 2014. * The minimum wage has been increased by 38%.

In May 2015, the minimum wage was $39540. Today it is $55,000. That represents a considerable increase of $15,460. * The Income Tax

Threshold has been increased from $50,000 to $60,000 (a 20% increase in less than two years). * There have been two Christmas bonuses in 2015 and 2016 totalling $75,000 ($50,000 in 2015 + $25,000 in 2016) It was the first time that an across-the- board Christmas bonus was paid.

The PPP administration limited Christmas bonuses to the security services, leaving all other public servants emptyhanded at Christmas time. * VAT has been reduced from 16%, which was the rate it was implemented at in 2007 by the PPP government to 14%. * The VAT-exempt threshold has been increased from $10m to $15m. * There has been a new

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Personal Income Tax rate (28%/40%), which allows for greater deductions versus the flat rate of 30% under the PPP government.

Guyanese have more disposable income now than they had under the previous government.

As recently reiterated by Minister of Finance Winston Jordan, the economy grew in both 2015 and 2016 by 3% and 3.3% respectively.

Though admittedly below projected targets, there was still growth.

GROWING PAINS Minister Jordan, in a television interview this week, explained the benefits of taking well thought-through fiscal measures now.

“From day one we said

that the economy would never be able to have sustainable growth if we depend on one or two crops like we have done for 50 years. And in now attempting to diversify the economy, there will be a lot of growing pains but at the end of the day it is better we go through the growing pains now and have an economy that is on a firmer footing down the road than have to depend every year on rice or gold or sugar,” Minister Jordan advised.

INFRASTRUCTURAL MAKEOVER Turning to national infrastructure,works are continuing at breakneck speed all across Guyana. The Coalition Government inherited a national infrastructural network which was substandard and decrepit. Roads were dilapidated, bridges were broken, stellings were falling apart. Literally.

Roads and bridges all across Guyana are being resurfaced, built and repaired. Where there had never before been paved roads, bridges, street lights and even potable water, there now are. Sophia, Leguan, Yarrowkabra, Mocha-Arcadia, Linden and Whim are but a few examples. The story however, is deeper than just shiny new surfaces. The quality of work is far superior to that which Guyanese had grown accustomed. Roads are not sinking and crumbling after mere months of use. Bridges are not collapsing within weeks.

After an intense programme of cleaning, clearing and reclamation and dredging of the outfall channels, Georgetown is no longer prone to chronic flooding for days on end after the lightest of rains.

Even after heavy, prolonged downpours Georgetown now remains dry. In a few trouble areas, the water recedes within hours.

This, Guyanese were told, was impossible and unimaginable -- that they are doomed to be inundated by contaminated floodwaters at the slightest hint of rain

clouds. Guyanese know better now.

MOVING FORWARD The government is steadily moving forward in difficult circumstances and pressing ahead with the challenging business of managing the economy and the affairs of the state in the best interest of all the people. During this period of growing pains occasioned by the need to stabilize the economy and put it on a credible footing, there will be some restorative discomfort which we as a nation must recognise is temporary.

In May 2015, Guyana was not a vibrant, prosperous, economically stable country. Had it been there would have been no need for the people to remove the PPP from government.

The Coalition Government received the keys to a nation in a broken state.

This is a story which is not always told, nor is it appreciated. And neither are the unavoidable ramifications of the corrective actions which are imperative to restoring order, equilibrium, credibility, confidence and lawfulness to the society.

It will take a bit more time, but once we are healed fully from all that ailed the nation, the good life will begin to emerge. We are already seeing unmistakable signs of it and the Coalition Government’s commitment to delivering the good life.

Have a look at your bankbooks, compare the numbers to pre-2015, look outside at your streets and bridges, appreciate that Guyana is safer now that it has ever been for the past 20 years. Guyana is not yet a paradise, but there can be no question that the country is on the path to prosperity and realising its long-lamented potential.

After two years there have been lessons learnt, mistakes made, gains and successes, achievements and progress. Guyana cannot move from minus 20 to 100 overnight, but every day Guyana is moving forward.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 10, 2017

State to call 18 witnesses in ‘traffic light’ murder case THE “traffic light” murder which took place at the junction of Regent Street and Vlissengen Road, Georgetown, in the vicinity of the Botanical Gardens on August 18, 2014 in which dredge owner Ashokkoemar Ragghu was killed during the furtherance of a robbery, began in the Georgetown High Court on Tuesday before Justice Navindra Singh and a 12-member jury.

The jury was empanelled on Monday and on trial is Travis Mc Dougall, who in the company of another, is accused of shooting and killing Ragghu at the traffic light when he had stopped to obey the signals.

State prosecutor Tuanna Hardy told the court that on the day in question, Ragghu and his wife Shyrazadi were in a motor car that had stopped at the traffic light, when two men rode up on a motorcycle and took away their belongings.

She related that Ragghu was pronounced dead on arrival at GPHC while his wife survived.

The state is expected to call 18 witnesses.

On Tuesday, the daughters of the deceased testified. Vinata Dabbie said in 2014 she was living with her parents and a sister at Lot 77 Pike Street, Kitty.

She recalled that on August 18, 2014, at about 11:30hrs her parents left home in a car to conduct business and they seemed normal.

The witness added that she later received a telephone call from her mother and she went to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and spoke to her mother who was in a conscious condition, while her father was unconscious.

Her sibling, Varishma Ragghu-Singh said on August 20, 2014, that she along with her sister visited the GPHC mortuary where they identified the body of their father to a policeman in the presence of government pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh.

She noted that her father’s funeral took place on August 30, 2014.

Police witness Terrence Browne testified that he was present at the mortuary when the daughters of Ragghu identified the body of their father in the presence of Dr Singh, who conducted a post- mortem and gave the cause of death.

He said he collected a multi-coloured jersey with what appeared to be bloodstains and a hole in front and placed it in an evidence bag

for safe-keeping.

An application was made by state prosecutor for the jersey to be marked, tendered and admitted as evidence in the trial and was granted by Justice Singh.

Another police witness, Mark Gasbar, took the stand on Tuesday when he testified that he was a crime scene investigator during 2014 and was stationed at the Crime Lab at Eve Leary CID and he processed the crime scene on the day in question.

Gasbar told the court he examined the car and observed a reddish substance which appeared to be blood on the front passenger side and about 2-3 inches away, he noticed what appears to be a suspected warhead.

He lodged it in a selfsealed evidence bag for safe-keeping, then took it to the Ballistics Section at CID Eve Leary and tendered same in the Magistrates Court.

An application was then made by State Prosecutor Tuanna Hardy for the suspected warhead to be shown to the witness, who identified it as the same one he had collected from the crime scene, based on his initials.

The application as granted

by Justice Singh after which the suspected warhead was marked, tendered and admitted as evidence in the trial.

Detective Inspector Herbert Henry took the stand and told the court that relative to a report of an alleged murder committed on Ragghu, he visited the crime scene and observed a burgundy-coloured car parked in the centre of Vlissengen Road outside the Botanical Gardens, facing south.

He stated that he observed what appears to be blood on the driver’s seat and the front passenger seat and he received some information, after which he visited the GPHC and interviewed the wife of the deceased.

He related that she gave him the description of the men involved in the robbery/ murder and he also observed a lifeless body which the wife identified as her husband with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the upper right side of the chest.

Henry added that Mrs Ragghu had what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the upper right thigh and she told him something, after which he contacted the accused at Brickdam Police Station and told him he would like to have a confrontation with him and

one Jermaine Otto, who is now deceased. But he refused.

During cross-examination by defence counsel Nigel Hughes, Henry said he got the description of the suspects from Mrs Ragghu which wasn’t vague and there were no eyewitnesses at the scene and he had no licence plate number for the motorcycle involved.

Henry told the court after being questioned that he did not request footage from CCTV cameras mounted on the traffic light at Vlissengen Road and Regent Street, but he thought it was important being the officer-in-charge of the probe then.

Inspector Leslie Eastman testified that he was attached to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Section in 2014 and he was

tasked with viewing live feed from the cameras around the city.

He told the court that he did not receive any requests for footage from the CCTV cameras at the crime scene, but the technicians received the request and he was told there was no footage.

When cross-examined by Nigel Hughes, Eastman stated that a photograph was circulated among a whatsApp group which consisted of police officers in 2014 which depicted the men involved in the incident but did not make a copy.

Detective Corporal Derwin Eastman testified that in 2014 he was attached to the CID at the Brickdam Police Station and on August 19, 2014, he was on patrol in an unmarked police vehicle with a party of ranks in uniform when he received certain in-

formation.

He added that he and other ranks had a briefing with a senior officer after which they went to a house at East Ruimveldt Back Circle and made contact with the accused and identified themselves as police officers by showing their police identification cards.

The accused was told that it was alleged that while being in the company of another armed man,he had robbed Ragghu and in the process shot and killed him.

Eastman said the accused was then cautioned and he remained silent, after which a search was conducted on the premises in the presence of the accused and a purple helmet they were looking for was found.

Eastman added that he took possession of same and arrested the accused.

The matter continues today when more witnesses are expected to testify.

Ragghu and his wife Shyrazadi were in their motorcar when they stopped at the traffic light at Vlissengen Road and Regent Street. Two men rode up on a CG motorcycle at the driver’s side. It had been further alleged that one of the men grabbed a haversack containing $4M, but Shyrazadi held on to it even as she was shot in the thigh.

Ragghu was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital. In July 2015, Travis McDougal was committed to stand trial for murder along with pork-knocker Jermaine Otto, who was one of the prisoners who perished in the deadly Camp Street prison fire, following riots in March last year.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 10, 2017

All pumps, sluices working – City Engineer – disciplinary action for engineers CITY Engineer, Colvern Venture has reported that all pumps and sluices in Georgetown are up and running to cater for the usual May/June rainy season.

He was called upon to provide an update on the situation at Monday’s statutory meeting after a number of complaints were received that some of the kokers were not in working order.

“I am pleased to report that all of the pumps and sluices are in operation.

The two that were down, the Forestry Pump and Princess Street Pump; those issues were corrected,” Venture reported.

According to him, delays in having the faulty ones rectified were due to major repair works that had to be carried out. In the case of one koker, he explained that

a piece of wood had entered the impeller causing severe damages to many of its components.

Venture had recently written to Mayor Patricia Chase-Green, complaining that he was not receiving cooperation from staff in his department. In the letter, which Chase-Green read during the meeting, Venture complained about the attitude of Deputy City Engineer, Ron Eastman, Assistant City Engineer, Rasheed Kellman and Engineer Technician, Kabila Hollingsworth.

According to the Engineer, even follow-up memos did not bear much fruit from the officers. The Mayor thereafter asked that the matter be referred to the Human Resources Management Committee so that some disciplinary action can

be taken.

The Mayor noted that it was unfortunate that the kokers remained out of operation for lengthy periods although officers were assigned to look over them.

“It should not have been brought to this level after weeks. And these officers are given tasks to ensure that this work is done. Why should we have to wait for someone senior to visit these pumps for action to be taken to have them working? It is unfortunate, and the persons that suffer are citizens.”

Just recently, the Mayor cautioned Venture to rein in the people in his department, lest the Council take action.

“The attitude of those in the Engineer’s Department stinks; their attitude towards citizens is unacceptable,” the Mayor lamented. She said it is high time that some

officers from that department go home, because they are at work doing absolutely nothing.

“You have officers in the yard liming whole day,” she charged. Chase-Green pointed out that when these officers are picked up and taken into the fields, they produce the reports months after and worse yet, give the excuse that they have to revisit the location before submitting the reports.

“These officers are not doing what they’re expected

to do,” she said. “I’m tired of hearing the same names over and over again. You have senior officers sitting down doing nothing.”

The Mayor also lamented the fact that despite their behaviour, the municipality has to find money to pay their hefty salaries every month.

“It is time the nonsense stops,” she said.

“If the Engineer cannot take control of the department, we will have to take control of him; he needs to

stop sorrying for people.”

Addressing the Engineer in person, Mayor ChaseGreen said, “You need to take control of your department, and the Council will stand by you.”

With respect to allegations in the past of rampant corruption in the City Engineer’s Department, Chase-Green once famously said: “The only time you hear about the City Engineer’s Department, is when they are taking bribes all over the place.”

New GPC denies supplying expired drugs to GPHC NEW GPC is up in arms against claims made by the Public Health Minister, Volda Lawrence, that in 2016, it not only fell short in the delivery of drugs and medical supplies, but delivered expired drugs in the process.

In her written response to a string of questions put before the House by Opposition Member of Parliament, Juan Edghill, Minister Lawrence on Monday disclosed that $395,251,668 in supplies were not delivered within the required time frame. New GPC was among the companies identified, and according to the Public Health Minister, had failed to supply $381.1M in products. New GPC was also identified among the companies which had delivered expired or nearly expired drugs to the Ministry.

But on Tuesday, New GPC contended that the statements made by Minister Lawrence were erroneous.

“The New GPC Inc. states unequivocally that it has never, under any circumstances, ever delivered expired or “nearly expired” goods to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation or the Ministry of Public Health,” the pharmaceutical company stated in a press statement.

“With regards to Georgetown Public Hospital contracts, the company is willing to furnish copies of delivery notes and invoices, which shows the batch number and expiry date for each and every line item supplied,” New GPC added.

It was noted that recording expiry dates and batch numbers on delivery documentation is standard prac-

tice for traceability of the products. Additionally, under the current delivery system New GPC is required to furnish a Delivery Notification showing all pending deliveriesm, including expiry dates and batch numbers, several days prior to actual delivery, the company further pointed out. This is to enable the Hospital staff to scrutinise same and plan for space to accommodate delivered items, the company pointed out.

“As regards to the alleged “non-delivery” of $381m in products, this is simply outrageous. The company received only $146,046,657M in contracts from the Hospital in 2016 so it is mathematically impossible for it to “fail to supply $381m”. From the $146m in contracts, $140,055,325 was delivered,” New GPC contended.

It further argued that it was the hospital which had initially refused to take the outstanding balance of $$5,991,332 because it was reportedly “stocktaking.”

New GPC said the hospital subsequently alleged that the time for delivery had passed.

“Later, the hospital accepted delivery on one of the same items they had earlier refused, on a purchase order. All contracts for earlier years have been fulfilled 100%,” the company stated. For 2017, New GPC complained that it has not received “Any business from its bids” although it participated in several public tenders. The last bid was submitted on February 14, 2017. “...nearly three months later it is still being “evalu-

ated” by the Tender Board, while the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation has now revealed they have already spent $1.3B in procuring medical supplies,” the company said.

For New GPC, the tender process is just a “smokescreen,” contending that the GPHC has been “secretly gifting G$1.3Bln in business to their preferred supplier, all neatly sole-sourced and contrary to the public tender procedures.”

Although the hospital has been out of insulin – the medication used by diabetic patients – it has shown no interest in acquiring the drug from New GPC, which has it in stock.

“This goes to show that the Hospital management is willing to risk the health and lives of patients just to justify its sole-sourcing from a specific company,” the company contended.

The pharmaceutical company says it feels targeted, even as it pointed to recent incidents in which GPHC claimed that it would have supplied spoilt drugs.

“NEW GPC supplied Soda Lime to another (private) Hospital which had no issues with the product, as was claimed by GHPC. New GPC has also tested the Paracetamol tablets and found no issues as was reported by the Hospital directly to the certain media houses with a known bias against New GPC. New GPC is now clearly being targeted.”

New GPC said amid the growing claims, it is still awaiting monies owed money for various goods and services supplied to Georgetown Hospital.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Nandlall’s case adjourned – SOCU still investigating

By Clestine Juan THE Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) is still to complete its investigation into the alleged larceny committed by former Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall, in relation to approximately 20 Law Reports.

This was revealed in the Georgetown Magistrates Court on Tuesday by Special Prosecutor Patrice Henry, when the matter came up before Magistrate Fabayo Azore for report.

Henry told the court he is confident that the investigations will be completed by May 26, 2017 and requested a date to report on whether the matter will be tried indictably, or whether the Administration of Justice Act will be applied.

However, Nandlall’s Attorney Sanjeev Datadin, objected and questioned on what basis his client was charged if investigations into the matter are still ongoing. Datadin then asked for the charge to be dismissed against his client, noting that when the investigation is complete, then the charge can be reinstituted.

The magistrate however adjourned the matter until May 29, 2017. Nandlall through his attorney is considering the intervention of the High Court to have the charge dismissed, on the ground that the prosecution has no evidence.

On April 27, Nandlall was charged with Larceny

by Bailee in connection with a number of law books which he took from the Ministry of Legal Affairs, which he said was given to him by former President Donald Ramotar, during his tenure in office.

The former AG was not required to plead to the charge which alleged that he fraudulently converted 14 Commonwealth Law Reports valued at GY$2.3 million to his own use, as Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs. He was released on self-bail by Magistrate Azore.

Nandlall told reporters recently that, “The criminal justice system is being used as a political instrument” and he was being supplied with those law books that predated a decade before his appointment.

Over the last two years, Nandlall has repeatedly con-

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall leaves the Georgetown Magistrates Court in April

firmed that while he was AG, law books were purchased for him by the state with approval by former president Ramotar. The missing books were bought from Lexis Nexis (U.K.), publishers of the Commonwealth Law Reports, and are said to be worth over US$2.5M. However, after the PPP was unseated in 2015, Nandlall took possession of the books which were bought for him as AG, by the state.

Nandlall had explained that the law books are in his possession and he has no intention of returning them to the State.

He subsequently secured an order in the High Court which bars the police from seizing the books.

Crabwood Creek woman reportedly kills self – husband in police custody THE police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of 55-year-old housewife Charmonie Charlie, known as “Peelo” of Grant 1803 Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, Berbice, which occurred at about 09:00hrs on Monday at her home.

A police release stated that the woman had told relatives that she stabbed herself with a knife to her lower abdomen on May 5 and prior to her death, she was treated twice at a Corentyne Hospital and sent home. Her 64-year- old husband is in custody assisting with the investigation.

This newspaper understands that Charmonie and her husband were involved in an argument on May 5, when she picked up a knife

and stabbed her self once to the abdomen; the argument reportedly stemmed from the woman’s drinking habit.

Her sister-in-Law, 49-year-old Tamaini Lakhraj, who lives next door, told the Guyana Chronicle that the woman informed her [Lakharaj] about the stabbing and efforts were made to take her to the hospital, but the woman refused to seek medical attention.

According to the relative, after the pain became intense, Charmonie was rushed to the Skeldon Hospital some 12 hours after the incident occurred.

“On Saturday night at around 11’0 clock then abee carry she and when abee reach there [the hospital] them give she one injection and a tablet to drink and

sent her away,” the relative recalled.

Lakhraj related that the hospital officials could have taken more interest in the woman’s condition and save her life. According to her, the officials at the hospital did not examine the wound.

“They give she one paper fuh come back to the hospital for more medication on Sunday, since only tablet and injection them did get… they didn’t do anything with the cut. They just raise she clothes and watch it and then send she home. If they tell we to go New Amsterdam, we could ah carry she, but them nah tell abee nothing,” the distraught sister-in-law said.

According to Lakhraj, on Monday, the woman collapsed and died in her home.

Son dies after lash to head by dad A 40-YEAR-OLD father of Better Hope Railway Embankment is in custody for allegedly killing’ his 18-year-old son.

The father, late Monday afternoon, confessed dealing his son a fatal blow on Thursday May 8, but initially told doctors at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) that the lad, who was a labourer, had fallen off a ladder at his workplace.

Dead is Azeem Khan, a labourer, who lived with his parents at Lot 8 Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara. His body is now at the Georgetown Public Hospital Mortuary.

Police said, investigation revealed that last Thursday around 19:30 hrs, Azeem and his a 40-year-old father had an altercation, during which the lad was allegedly struck to the head with a piece of wood.

The son was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he succumbed the following day. The father kept the silence until late Monday afternoon, after a post mortem done earlier in the day revealed the cause of death to be ‘hemorrhage due to blunt trauma to the head’.

It was then that the father confessed to striking his son in the head, resulting in his death, but stated that it was ‘unintentionally’ done.

Police have said the father is cooperating fully with investigators.

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Team Benschop member sworn in as City Councillor A NEW Team Benschop City Councillor, Jameel Rasul, was sworn in on Monday, when the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) met for its statutory meeting.

Rasul, a businessman, is replacing Councillor Selwyn Smartt, who resigned recently to facilitate the rotating of the Council seat.

Leader of Team Benschop, Mark Benschop had told this newspaper in an invited comment that he prefers to allow younger members of his team to occupy the Council seat so as to gain the experience in fighting for the rights of citizens.

But he, too, is expected to occupy the Council seat before the end of the three-year council.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Man throws bag with ganja over prison fence A MAN who told police he has no fixed place of abode was nabbed next to the Georgetown Prison with a bag containing an assortment of items banned from the correctional facility.

In a statement police said that about 21:30hrs on Monday an alert police rank securing a section of the outer perimeter of the Georgetown Prison observed the 42-yearold labourer with a bulky bag, which he swiftly threw

over the north-eastern fence of the prison and attempted to flee the area but was promptly arrested by the said officer, who immediately communicated what transpired.

Shortly after, Prison Officers retrieved the bag and found it to contain a number of prohibited items, inclusive of ten packs of cigarettes, a cellular phone and 793 grams of cannabis. Police said the suspect is cooperating with

investigators and is likely to appear in court soon.

Members of the joint services have conducted routine exercises in prison locations across the country to clean them out of banned items.

Back in May 2016, a large quantity of dangerous weapons and other illegal items were seized from prisoners at the country’s main prison at Camp Street, Georgetown, less than three months after security was beefed up fol-

lowing a riot which left 17 prisoners dead.

In an early-morning operation, prison authorities, assisted by police and army ranks, raided prison cells and unearthed 173 improvised weapons, two kitchen knives, three screwdrivers, one hacksaw blade, 44 cellphones, a quantity of razor blades, 149 lighters, three garden files, five tattoo machines and a quantity of marijuana.

Man shot during row over drugs New Team Benschop Councillor Jameel Rasul (Telesha Ramnarine photo)

TWO men are currently at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation receiving treatment for injuries committed by each other during a fight Monday night at East La Penitence Bridge.

Enquiries disclosed that Colin Daly, 23 years, of 23 East La Penitence and Reon Jonas, 22 years, of Phase One, Mandela Avenue, West Ruimveldt, had an exchange of words over “drugs”, during which Daly al-

legedly dealt Jonas several chops to his back and right hand. In retaliation Jonas whipped out a handgun and discharged a round at Daly, hitting him in the right arm. They are under police guard.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Importers hail GUYOIL’s switch to ‘green’ diesel SUPPORTING government’s initiative in the creation of a ‘Green State’, fuel company Guyana Oil Company (GUYOIL) on Wednesday launched the Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD).

The company is also encouraging drivers and other diesel customers to switch to the new product in an effort to reduce the effects of climate change.

The company’s Surinamese partners delivered the first shipment of 5000 barrels of the internationally favoured ULSD fuel here in April, and already it has been favourably received, with commercial automobile importers saying they will now be able to import a wider variety of vehicles which wifere before restricted from Guyana because of the unavailability of the fuel.

Available at GUYOIL’s service stations at Regent Street and Kitty, owners and operators of diesel-run vehicles can now comfortably change their fuel to that which had been catered for in US-made vehicles manufactured after 2006.

According to GUYOIL Sales and Maketing Manager, Mr Eric Whaul, the product’s launch comes at a time when government is moving toward the creation of a Green State and is an indicator of where the Guyoil Company is heading.

He said although there has already been low-sulfur diesel on the local market, there is a major difference between the two.

“In the low sulfur diesel, we have the higher quality (than regular diesel), and now we have the Ultra-low diesel,” Whaul said.

In delivering remarks at the launching ceremony, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Guyoil Reggie Bhagwandin said the ULSD is simply a cleaner diesel, and the reason behind its creation was to reduce the “particulate dispensation” from vehicles into the atmosphere which creates air pollution.

Many times, he pointed out, when vehicles which use regular diesel – mostly heavy vehicles – pass there is a thick smoke emanating from them, which releases sulfur into the atmosphere.

He said the ULSC has been available since 2006 in the United Kingdom and

the North America but the process of making it available here started in 2016 when Suriname partners approached Guyoil executives with a proposal to supply Guyana’s market.

Guyoil is hoping to switch totally to ULSD, just as Suriname already has, Bhagwandin said and added that Suriname already has the capacity to supply Guyana the product in greater magnitude.

“It is important to launch the Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel because there is a body of vehicles that actually require the Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel… We’re not breaking any new ground, we’re just making the product available to the market…

The refinery (in Suriname) has the capacity to actually sell us the product… they actually helped us with the technical assistance in storing and distributing the product… We guarantee that the quality control is totally 100 percent,”Bhagwandin said.

The ULSD is being supplied by Staatsolie Suriname, a major oil production company which is responsible for sustainable development through oil refinery. In December 2015 the ULSD and ULSG were launched by Staatsolie in Suriname.

Executive Carlos Hughes CEO of Staatsolie Suriname Refinery said Staatsolie over years have been delivering fuel to various major companies in Guyana, and the first shipment of 5000 barrels of the ULSD has been shipped here in April.

“The Staatsolie Suriname Refinery has the capacity to produce 8000 barrels of Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel as well as 2300 barrels of Ultra Low Sulfur Gasoline (ULSG) per day. “So there is enough room to supply the immediate need for GUYOIL,” Hughes said.

The Staatsolie ULSD meets the requirement environmentally from both the US and Europe, and is highly recommended for vehicles produced from year 2000 and beyond. It has only 3ppm (parts per million) sulfur present in the product.

According to Hughes, “The Ultra-Low Sulfur (ULS) is a cleaner fuel, it’s environmentally friendly and it’s recommended by

engine manufacturers for better performance and for lower maintenance cost.

The feedback we get from drivers is that the engine will run smoother and they get more mileage … so they can drive much further.”

Candacy Bowen-Thompson of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said Guyanese should use the ULSD coupled with putting additional key measures in place to ensure a safer and cleaner environment which government, through the Department of Environment (DoE), is working to build.

Vehicle owns must ensure their tires are properly inflated, vehicles well maintained, and try to maintain a constant driving rate.

They must not “overfill your tanks” she said, pointing to the common act of drivers rocking vehicles in an attempt to create additional space for fuel. This she said is dangerous to the environment, and if measures are not put in place, then the use of the environmentally friendly diesel alone will not be effective.

“Improve your practices, to adopt green technology which will ensure a cleaner safer Guyana for all of us,” she said.

Bowen-Thomas also urged Guyanese to become innovative in creating a “Green State’ and to take advantage of new opportunities it brings.

“Even as we strive towards a green economy… we as organizations, you as businesses, as individuals or even as communities, look not only for the challenges that comes with climate change or the escalating environmental issues, but you also look at the opportunities. This is a time when people are being very creative and innovative in coming up with measures, in coming up with solutions to address some of these challenges,” Bowen-Thomas said.

Earlier in a statement, Guyoil mentioned that the newly launched fuel reduces emissions, aids in decreased corrosion and helps to maintain engines.

It is also a more environmentally friendly product which eliminates exhaust blockage, reduces black smoke, reduces exhaust odor and results in better engine performance.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Hemp and the narcotic state

By Akola Thompson

“We are still identified by many countries as a transition point for narcotic drugs. Therefore, we have to ensure that the way the world sees us is not as a narcotic state and we have to be very careful about how we are branded-” Joseph Harmon.

THOSE words were uttered by Minister of State Joseph Harmon a few weeks ago, concerning the issue of Hemp cultivation in Guyana. At face value, Harmon’s words seem reasonable. It is no secret that Guyana has a bad history and image when it comes to narcotics. As a developing nation, it is definitely something we should attempt to stamp out, as idealistic as this may be. However, in our urgency to refine and cleanse our “branding,”

the Government is falling victim to its own naivety.

Who exactly are we waiting on to give us the go-ahead to produce hemp? Is it the same countries that have already decriminalised it and are profiting billions of dollars or are we still waiting on Brother Sam to tell us when and how high we must jump?

There is always a bit of confusion when it comes to industrial hemp. Many get confused because they mistakenly identify it as the strain of cannabis used for recreational and medicinal purposes. It is understandable where this confusion comes in; after all, both plants are from the cannabis family. However, there are major differences and one should be aware of them. Firstly, we need to understand that Cannabis has three strains, Cannabis

Ruderalis, Cannabis Indica and Cannabis Sativa and in my opinion, all three should be decriminalised.

Cannabis Ruderalis is grown wild and is mainly used for its birdseed and oil. It is considered the intermediate type between Indica and Sativa. What it also does is provide food and a habitat for birds. What we popularly know as marijuana or “weed,” comes from Cannabis Indica. This of course is grown for its high levels of THC, which has psychoactive effects.

The levels of THC in this strain can run from 2 and up. Then, there is Cannabis Sativa, otherwise known as industrial hemp, which is grown not for recreational uses, but for its fibre. This strain has THC levels below 0.3 percent and higher levels of CBD, than Indica and Ruderalis, which block the effects of THC. For any recreational or medicinal use, you need higher levels of THC,at least 2 per cent. What this essentially means is that if one tries to smoke hemp, you would not

get high from it, unless of course you have the patience to smoke two buckets at a time. It is an agricultural crop and nothing more. The list of products hemp can be used for is exhaustive. With close to 30,000 uses such as health-food products, bodycare products, detergent, medicines and paper, building materials, paint, varnish, ink, ethanol fuel production, clothing and lubricating oils.

All of the developed countries, excluding the United States have established hemp as an agricultural crop. In that same breath, it should be noted that the U.S. is the largest importer of hemp products, with an estimated market of $600 million per year. Over 30 countries have grown and continue to grow hemp.

Amongst these are: China, Russia, Korea, Canada, Australia, Great Britain and France. The European Union currently certifies 26 varieties of cannabis sativa with low THC, while France and China remain the world’s top hemp producers with 71% and 24% respec-

tively.

Obviously, hemp does more good than harm, so why is it illegal? Well, as with many of the asinine laws we have today, someone’s vested interest made it so and in this case, it was the disinformation spun by the Hearst and DuPont families. With large forest holdings that would have been threatened by the legality of hemp, Hearst, through newspaper articles, led the populace to believe that there was no difference between marijuana and industrial hemp. Meanwhile, DuPont’s interest in having hemp be illegal had to do with their newly developed plastics at the time. Hemp can be used as an alternative to plastic, as it has many environmental and economic advantages over them.

This misinformation has never really subsided since the prohibition era, but the more we learn about hemp, the more we must begin to ask ourselves why we are still so reluctant to use it.

If we cannot come up with a better argument than we

need to control our image to the world, then do we truly understand hemp? Do we know of the differences between it and marijuana?

Do we know of its miniscule amount of THC? Do we know of its economic and environmental benefits?

I am becoming increasingly unsure, but I would like to think that our government has the ability to think for itself when it comes to certain things, or are we a sovereign state in theory?

Decriminalisation of hemp is not about keeping our image as a narcotic nation. Hemp is hardly even classified as a narcotic.

It is about decriminalising a plant that can help raise tax revenues, aid in a cleaner and safer environment and curb the numbers of state- sponsored prisoners arrested over it. The sooner we realise that wealthy investors are steadily profiting legally from the same plant that has ruined the lives of generations of people of colour, the better.

Wednesday, May 10, 2017 - 05:00 hrs | 14:30 hrs Thursday, May 11, 2017 - 05:00 hrs Friday, May 12, 2017 - 05:00 hrs

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 10, 2017

CoI recommends punishment for delinquent REDOs THE Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the operation of the national education system has recommended the introduction of a disciplinary system for regional education officers (REOs) who fail to function properly in the management and operation of regional education.

This was stated by Chairman Ed Caesar, when he handed over the CoI’s preliminary report to Education Minister Rupert Roopnaraine recently.

Caesar indicated that a serious review is needed pertaining to the allocation of REOs, and the establishment of sanctions, while a review is also necessary to improve collaboration between regional education departments and the Regional Democratic Committees (RDC) of designated regions.

Caesar explained that since the 1980s when the education system was decentralized to delegate powers to newly established authorities called REOs, the system has basically remained the same leading to a number of current issues.

“We have discovered that there seems to be a disconnect somewhere where people explained that some REOs do not seem to understand their responsibilities,” Caesar posited.

He explained that despite intense efforts by the ministry’s administration to ensure REOs understand their functions, many of them continue to fail

the regions. This is because there is no disciplinary action to address officers’ inefficiency.

“Unless there is in place a system of sanctions where people who are not performing are either removed or disciplined, we will continue down this same road until our great grandchildren become education officers,” Caesar charged.

The chairman said that the commission is suggesting the “reorientation of REOs in the regions.” He said this new orientation must now involve the officers giving some kind of commitment where, “…they end up signing to some kind of contract or something to say that they understand their responsibilities…” and are liable to sanctions if it is found that they have not been performing adequately.

Caesar said that CoI members are also suggesting the review of criteria used in allocating education officers to the regions. He said a lot has happened since the 1980s when the system decentralisation and the criteria were established, but the same number of regional education officers exists on the substantive list of registered officers. The CoI chairman opined that there needs to be a closer examination of the needs of each region and then the allocation of officers to ensure proper supervision is done.

The chairman said the re-

port has suggested the update of desk manuals for REOs, and the obligation of the education ministry to ensure that they read and understand their responsibilities and functions according to the manuals.

Outside of this, Caesar said that the ministry must ensure that the relationship between

the regional administration and education department in every region is enhanced. It was suggested that the RDCs establish education committees, so that a structure is established to allow the education committee of the RDC to relate back to the region’s education department.

In that way, enough in-

formation will be shared between both agencies to allow the regional chairman, the mouthpiece of that location, to effectively relate the education needs of the particular location.

Caesar opined that regular meetings and other interactions should be held between the two entities as they both work toward development of the region’s education structure.

The CoI Chairman also believes that the need exists to enhance the relationship between regional officers and

their teachers, to specifically encourage their creativity, while empowering them.

‘Too many persons in the region and during consultations, complained that they can only do (in the classroom) what has been demanded and directed by the officers. But they (teachers) can see things to adjust and adapt to suit a particular situation…” Caesar said. He noted however that the teachers fear being sanctioned for expressing their creativity.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Diaspora groups fight over NY independence celebrations

THERE is an ongoing feud in the U.S., where two diaspora groups appear to be going head-to-head just around the time when both bodies are scheduled to host events celebrating Guyana’s upcoming independence anniversary.

The Guyana Chronicle understands that on June 9 and June 11, the Guyana Unity Movement Inc is scheduled to host two events in New York. Flyers purporting to be from the organisation say that a “Presidential Unity and Soul Black Tie Gala” is scheduled at Antun’s Banquet

Hall, Springfield Boulevard, Queens Village, New York, for which tickets would cost US$150.

The other event, a show to be held at the Thomas Jefferson High School Football field, Fountain and Flatlands Avenue, is promoting President Granger as being present to deliver greetings and remarks. The show it is said will be featuring Jomo, Adrian Dutchin, Terry Gajraj and Lisa Punch, charging patrons US$10 for entry.

However, a circulation from a NY-based online news site, Diaspora Times, which says it provides Guy-

ana News and news for Guyanese associations worldwide on its website, has described the events as a “scam.” In the missive, the news site warned Guyanese and West Indians to: “Beware, that the events promoted in these (Guyana Unity Movement) flyers, which we found in circulation, are a scam to exploit the Guyanese people for money. Greedy people want to full their pockets with your money,” it charged.

The news site warned that President Granger would not be attending the events, and urged that persons make contact with the Ministry

of the Presidency here in Guyana, even providing a contact number for the office. They said that no one in the Guyanese (overseas) community seems to know the organisers, but, “They are using the President’s name to draw a crowd, so that they can charge an entrance fee to make money…”

While the Guyana Chronicle was able to confirm that indeed the president would not be attending the NY events, it was also related by a NY source that the online news site is promoted by another Diaspora group, the Guyana Independence

One of the smeared Unity Movement flyers being circulated

Celebration Committee, also hosting a number of events around the dates the Unity Movement events are scheduled.

Presidential Communication Director Mark Archer has told the newspaper that the president is not scheduled to attend the unity movement event in NY. He said that the events “are not on his [President’s] schedule,” but was unable to say whether the President was indeed invited to Unity Movement celebrations.

The Guyana Independence Celebration Committee is however scheduled to host Independence celebrations from May 26 to June 11. They are hosting an Independence Day flag-raising service, which will be held on May 26 in the Courtyard of the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Customs House, 1 Bowling Green, Manhattan NY 10004 (at the Broadway/Wall St Bull). A cocktail reception & awards ceremony in the Rotunda of the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Customs House and, an Independence Service at God’s Battalion of Prayer Church are among many others. On June 11, when the Unity Movement show is sched-

uled, the committee would be hosting its Mashramani parade. However, another missive circulated stated that Mr Rickford Burke, President of the Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID), has instructed his attorneys, “to take legal action against Patricia Trim and Sherif Barker Fraser, affiliates of a Brooklyn group which calls itself “Guyana Unity Movement.”

The statement said that, (an attached) legal letter was sent to Patricia Trim between June 2015 and May 2, 2017, “for numerous false, reckless and defamatory statements made about Mr Burke on social media and elsewhere.”

It just so happens that Burke is also the Chairman of the Guyana Independence Celebration Committee and allegedly closely tied to the online news site, Diaspora Times.

When Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge was recently questioned on updates regarding the diaspora, he said that one of the problems the government was having is that all the groups were claiming to be the “The real McCoy”; the real representative of the Guyanese diaspora. He said difficulty was being experienced as a result.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 10, 2017

EU stands ready to support Guyana’s ‘green state’ transition

AS GUYANA joined the rest of the world in celebration of Europe Day, President David Granger lauded the strong partnership framework that the country has enjoyed with the European Union (EU) and which has seen cooperation in areas such as agriculture, health, education, housing, sea and river defence infrastructural development, the sugar industry and security.

Speaking at a cocktail reception at the Georgetown Club Monday night, the Head of State said that Guyana looks forward to Europe’s continued support in advancing the ‘green’ state development agenda.

“Guyana values the cooperation it enjoys with the European Union.

The 11th European Development Fund identified climate change adaptation and risk-reduction as priority areas for cooperation. Guyana welcomes Europe’s assistance in enhancing capacity for climate adaptation and resilience,” President Granger said. The ‘green’ state agenda is consistent with the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and EU Ambassador to Guyana, Mr. Jernej Videtic assured that Europe stands ready to work with Guyana bilaterally and multilaterally in this area to support the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) as set out in the latter.

Speaking of economic cooperation, President Granger said that Guyana’s exports depend on access to Europe’s markets and as such, the country looks forward to increased European investments.

“This Europe Day celebration is a re-affirmation, not only of the integration process in one continent but, also, an acknowledgement of

40 years of relations we have is something to cherish, nurture and be proud of. Even though we are an ocean apart, in terms of ideas and activities, this distance is not an impediment to

A toast! President David Granger and EU Ambassador to Guyana, Mr. Jernej Videtic, toasted to the strong and friendly relationship between Guyana and the European Union. Also in photo is First Lady, Mrs Sandra Granger (Ministry of the Presidency photo)

the value of that process in other continents of the world,” he said.

The President also added that Guyana looks forward to a post2020 partnership between the African Caribbean and Pacific states (ACP) and the EU and expressed the hope that negotiations on the post-Cotonou ACP-EU relations will produce an enhanced framework for development assistance, economic relations and political cooperation.

Ambassador Videtic said that the EU is pleased that Guyana has taken the lead in the post-Cotonou discussions, which will set the terms of the future relationship between the EU and the ACP group of countries.

He also noted that the EU is grateful for Guyana’s commendable diplomacy and stewardship at the level of CARICOM. “Guyana has traditionally shown a visionary approach to international relations, which show

theinternationalweightofGuyana…

Guyana and the EU has common values and we need to work together to promote, protect and maintain them as a universal achievement of human endeavour,” he said.

He informed that this year alone, Guyana and the EU signed two important contracts, one of which is for a project that will provide protective services for people at risk of suicide and the other to help protect the rights of Indigenous communities. Moreover, the EU has provided $2.4B to Guyana to improve its sea and river defence, as well as $5.5B to help the local sugar industry improve its competitiveness and / or diversify its operations.

A seaport cooperation programme was also launched, which will train and equip inter-agency units to identify, search and interdict all forms of illicit maritime trafficking.

“The EU would love to see Guyana succeed in its economic development… The more than

our fruitful relationship,” the Ambassador said. Europe Day is annually observed on May 9. It is a celebration of peace and unity in Europe. This year, Europe also commemorated the 60th anni-

versary of the Treaty of Rome, in which founded the European Economic Commission, which essentially laid the foundation for what is today the EU. (Ministry of the Presidency)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 10, 2017

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 10, 2017

High Court trial for youth accused of shopkeeper’s murder A SOUTH Ruimveldt, Georgetown resident was committed stand trial in the High Court for the robbery/murder of a Sophia shopkeeper in 2015 at Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

Jamal Forde, 24, is the second person to be charged and committed to the High Court for the murder of 24-year-old Shawn Anys of ‘D’ Field, Sophia who was gunned down during a robbery on May 1, 2015.

The Preliminary Inquiry (PI) was presided over by Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul at Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court and prosecuted by Sargent Ayesha Gibbon.

Magistrate Ally-Seepaul in her ruling on Monday said that after reviewing the evidence in its entirety, the court found that there is enough evidence against the accused for the case to be tried before a judge and jury.

According to reports, Anys, who owned and managed a small grocery shop at his home, was confronted by the bandits just before

Jamal Forde

23:00hrs. The man was in his home when he heard his dogs barking and decided to venture out of the house to investigate.

He was then confronted by two armed men who forced him into the house and shot him while demanding money and valuables.

The gunmen made off with $40,000 in cash, along with jewellery.

Anys was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Pork-knocker charged with 2016 murder of friend AFTER almost a year on the run, a 26-yearold Pork-knocker was charged with the murder of 25-year-old Richard Culpepper of One Mile, Potaro, who was stabbed during an argument at Sand Hill Landing, Cuyuni-Mazaruni in 2016.

Jamar Ralph of South Haslington, East Coast Demerara was not required to plead to the indictable charge when it was read to him by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

While initial reports last year revealed that the murder occurred on October 2, 2016, the police charge in court stated that the murder took place on February 10,

2016 at Sand Hill Landing. Defense lawyer, Eusi Anderson explained that Ralph is the father and sole breadwinner of two minors.

The lawyer sought to assure the court that his client is innocent of the charge; the Chief Magistrate however remanded the accused until May 31 and the case was transferred to the Bartica Magistrate’s Court.

On May 4, 2017 Police in ‘F’ Division arrested Ralph at Omai, Mahdia district.

Culpepper was killed after a heated argument with a group of men he was imbibing with. The argument turned into a fight, and the suspect allegedly stabbed Culpepper in the chest with a knife. He then fled farther in the backlands.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Fireside chat set for May 16 STARTUP Grind Georgetown Guyana is gearing up to host another dynamic ‘Fireside Chat and Networking Forum,’ at WeOwn Space next Tuesday.

Addressing many of the challenges facing Guyanese Entrepreneurs, the much anticipated event will feature designer, Sonia Noel. Noel,

who is celebrating 20 years in the fashion industry, has been presented with many accolades locally, regionally and even internationally, for entrepreneurship, philanthropy, cultural ambassadorial services, advancing creative enterprise, promoting competitiveworthy fashion design and

youth empowerment.

During the Fireside Chat on Tuesday May 16, the local chapter Director, Hilary Benjamin-Byer and Dr. Noel will not only discuss the challenges facing entrepreneurs in Guyana, but the avenues that can be taken to overcome those hurdles.

The event will be held at a

Fashion Designer and Entrepreneur, Sonia Noel

time when Startup Grind is recognising some of leading female entrepreneurs in 200 cities across the world under the theme “#SGwomen Female Founders Month.”

Startup Grind is the

Director of Startup Grind Georgetown Guyana, Hilary Benjamin-Byer

largest independent startup community, actively educating, inspiring, and connecting 1,000,000 entrepreneurs in over 200 cities. It nurtures startup

ecosystems in 98 countries through events, media, and partnerships with organisations like Google for Entrepreneurs. The cornerstone of its global community are monthly events featuring successful local founders, innovators, educators and investors who share lessons learned on the road to building great companies.

Founded in Silicon Valley, Startup Grind has now hosted 5,000 fireside chats since its founding in 2010.

To date, Startup Grind has helped millions of entrepreneurs find mentorship, connect to partners and hires, pursue funding, and reach new users.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 10, 2017

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday May 10, 2017

SOUTH AFRICA RACING TIPS Kenilworth 08:20 hrs Gadget Man 08:55 hrs Liquid Dynamite 09:30 hrs Black Cat Back 10:05 hrs Catkin 10:40 hrs Mount Keith 11:15 hrs Captain’s Dove ENGLISH RACING TIPS Cheater 08:50 hrs Yogi’s Girl 09:25 hrs Alluringly 10:00 hrs Reflektor 10:35 hrs The Cashel Man 11:05 hrs Stradivarius 11:35 hrs Mutarabby 12:05 hrs Gin In The Inn NEWTON ABBOT 09:05 hrs Brillare Momento 09:35 hrs Keltus 10:10 hrs Talent To Amuse 10:45 hrs Fox Appeal 11:15 hrs Dites Rien 12:15 hrs Lets Go Dutchess KELSO 09:15 HRS Nelly La Rue 09:45 hrs Ifandbutwhynot 10:20 hrs Pikarina 10:55 hrs Doubledis doubledat 11;25 hrs Surprise Vendor 11:55 hrs Flash Garden 12:25 hrs Golden Jeffrey IRISH RACING TIPS Dundalk 12:45 hrs Declarationofpeace 13:15 hrs Fasuba 13:45 hrs Complicit 14:15 hrs Light Laughter 14:45 hrs Hailstone 15:15 hrs Alans Pride 15:45 hrs Mydor AMERICAN RACING TIPS Belmont Race 1 Saratoga Mischief Race 2 Veil Race 3 Sadie Be Good Race 4 Empressof the Nile Race 5 Fahan Mura Race 6 Privy Council Race 7 Are We Not Men Race 8 Penjade Race 9 Five Hearts

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday May 10, 2017

ISG, Sterling Products partner for EBDCA T20 tournament STARTING this weekend, cricket clubs in the East Bank Demerara Cricket Association (EBDCA) will showcase T20 action, as Industrial Supplies Guyana (ISG) teams up with Sterling Products to host a club tournament.

During a brief press conference yesterday at ISG’s

Nandy Park headquarters, the tournament was unveiled Chairman of the Eccles Ramsburg NDC, Mahamad Hafeez, contended that once again, cricket returns to the area, adding, “for too long, cricket has not been played on the East Bank, as it ought to be, like I know in my days.”

Windies eye ‘perfect game’...

From back page game and there’s no better chance to do that than in this final game.”

West Indies were almost unrecognisable in the last Test in Barbados. On every occasion they found themselves in trouble, they fought back gallantly, before producing the ultimate bowling performance on the final day to dismiss Pakistan for a record-equalling venue-low 81.

But even with the memories of the victory still fresh, Holder urged his side not to dwell on the win but rather focus on turning out an improved performance.

“It doesn’t change anything for me (that this game is a series-decider). I just take it as another cricket game,” Holder noted.

“What happened in Barbados is gone already. It’s important we put that behind us but not forget the good things we’ve done there. We have to improve on a few areas – the fielding is one especially taking our chances – (but) once we forget that (win) as quickly as possible and move on to this game, it’ll be better off for us.”

He continued: “It’s always good to win cricket games but we have to take it in stages. I think once we hold our chances, put a good first-innings total up and take 20 wickets, we stand a very good chance of winning this Test match so we have to tick our process boxes and make sure we win this game.”

West Indies’ last series victory over a higher-ranked side was when they beat New Zealand 2-0 in the Caribbean in 2012. Opener Kieran Powell is the only surviving member from that side.

Since then, West Indies have lived in virtual drought, with just nine wins in 36 Tests since then and six of those coming in series

against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.

Of the 13 series played since, the Caribbean side have lost nine.

However, with two victories in their last three Test outings and a new attitude and vigour in the camp, Holder said there was reason to have confidence going forward.

“I think we are heading in the right direction. I think the guys have put in the extra effort at practice,” the all-rounder pointed out.

“We have changed our practice routine slightly where we try to do a little bit more.

Our work ethic has been pretty good. I must commend the guys for the way they’ve put the effort in. It’s just about transferring that to the field of play.

“Even in the first game I felt that we were heading in the right direction. We ended the year quite nicely in Sharjah against the very Pakistan and coming into this year we don’t look too bad at all.”

West Indies have retained the same 13-man squad from the last Test for the encounter here.

SQUADS: WEST INDIES – Jason Holder (captain), Kraigg Brathwaite, Kieran Powell, Jermaine Blackwood, Shai Hope, Vishal Singh, Shimron Hetmyer, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Alzarri Joseph, Shannon Gabriel, Devendra Bishoo, Miguel Cummins.

PAKISTAN – Misbahul-Haq (captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Azhar Ali, Shan Masood, Babar Azam, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed, Usman Salahuddin, Yasir Shah, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Asghar, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas.

Natasha Ali, ISG Operations Officer contended that the company is pleased to be on board with the tournament, reminding that such activities help the youths to be involved in more constructive methods to develop life.

“Sports brings everyone together,” she said, adding, “If there’s a cricket match playing, no matter the age, everyone is in tune and they

are happy.”

Acting president of the association, Rohan Sarjoo, expressed delight at the companies’ enthusiasm to revive cricket in that region.

“We would like other businesses on the East Bank to come forward and donate and give sponsorship to this association. We are a very small association but we have members with big hearts who are willing to sit

and work with sponsors.”

He noted that sponsorship has been hard especially on the East Bank with several visits bearing no fruits with the exception of the two title sponsors.

Technical Director of the GCB, Colin Stuart, in his remarks commended the job the association has been doing, adding, “We cannot underestimate the role of sponsorship.”

“We have to look at sport as a bigger picture, as ISG was looking at it, not just helping to fund cricket for competition but the other benefits that can be realised, like team work.

The tournament will target clubs from Linden in Upper Demerara to Ruimveldt and will start this Saturday with fixtures expected to be released later in the week.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday May 10, 2017

Drubahadur must publicly account for his GCB Stewardship … Who holds the Berbice Cricket Board shares in Guyana Cricket Inc.?

DRUBAHADUR’S recent public announcement of his resignation as President of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) emphasises the magnitude of the ongoing crisis in this failed cricket administration.

The number of previous resignations has effectively reduced the illegal GCB Executive to a veritable one-man show. During his tenure Drubahadur seemed powerless, without authority, but was expected to act the part. On his first appearance within the cricket administration, he was appointed Asst Secretary at the illegally-held 2011 Elections of the GCB. In 2013 when elections were again due, the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) did not attend and the Demerara Cricket Board Executives/officials were all under injunction; yet by some unknown mechanism he was promoted to the prestigious office of President of the GCB. As a professional accountant but with limited knowledge and experience in cricket administration, Drubahadur had placed himself at a terrible disadvantage thereby making his duties more ceremonial than executive. After all, he who pays the piper calls the tune. It certainly is not good enough for Drubahadur to just resign without properly accounting for his six (6) years stewardship by saying that he cannot precisely recall when he resigned and that his record speaks for itself. What record?

Now, the Guyana Cricket Board’s constitution clearly states that the President of the GCB is the first choice to represent Guyana on the Directorship of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). Chetram Singh during his twenty-odd years enjoyed that privilege as did Ramsey Ali in his brief sojourn.

Yet during Drubahadur’s purported tenure, Anand Sanasie and Anand Kalludeen were the two persons questionably selected to serve on the WICB Executive Body. Kalludeen of course never played nor administered cricket at any level before this surprising appointment to the GCB Executive and more so as Guyana’s representative to the WICB. Also, since the 2011 elections were illegally held basically for want of a quorum and the 2013 elections for the same reason was illegal (due to the non-attendance of the Berbice Cricket Board and the Demerara Cricket Board) and there has been no elections held in 2015 or 2017 (since the Cricket Administration Act 2014) Drubahadur must now tell the public: 1. How, where, when and who voted for his election to the presidency of the GCB. 2. Definitively when he resigned from the GCB and the real reason for so doing, especially since he seems so vague on this issue approximately two (2) months after it was supposed to have occurred.

3. In clear terms what were his major contributions (lows and highs) during his term of office.

4. What legal mechanism was utilised to transfer all the assets (conservatively valued at $2.5 billion) to the privately-owned group named Cricket Guyana Inc. Company No 6850, formerly named D.E.B Essentials Organisation Inc. Also, Drubahadur must explain who is holding the Berbice Cricket Board’s shares since the incorporation document shows that shares for the Essequibo Cricket Board are held in the name of Fizul Bacchus and for the Demerara Board in the name of Raj Singh.

5. By what legal authority were Mr Chetram Singh and Mr Lionel Jaikarran empowered to effect such a transfer of the GCB assets to a private body.

It is indeed sad, even sinful for our cricket to be relegated to this pitiful state, more so with the Essequibo Board president Fizul Bacchus, now the president of the GCB, things could get only worse.

Just look at the state of Essequibo cricket! When one considers that the Essequibo Cricket Board has been the mainstay, the backbone of all the illegalities that have kept the so-called GCB in office and the state of their cricket is in shatters, and virtual disarray, there must be some sinister reason why that Board is still supporting the GCB. The fact that the current GCB is illegal and in violation of the Cricket Administration Act (which both Drubahadur and the erstwhile GCB Secretary claim they support) is extremely subversive to the Berbice Cricket Board, the Georgetown Cricket Association and the East Coast Cricket Board. he GCB has deliberately ostracised the Upper Demerara Cricket Association where immense talent exists. One is therefore left to ponder as to the delay by our Government in resolving the cricket crisis and bringing order, transparency and accountability as provided for in the Guyana Cricket Administration Act Mr President, Mr Attorney General, Minister of Sport, the entire Government, the Opposition, the media and the public in general must act now; act decisively to resolve the illegality that prevails. It is our collective responsibility to our great national game failing which things will get only worse.

CLAUDE RAPHAEL Former GCB Executive Former WICB Director

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday May 10, 2017

Froome unhurt but bike ‘totalled’ after hit-and-run case (REUTERS) - Tour de France champion Chris Froome said yesterday that he had escaped unhurt while having his bike written off by an impatient car driver in a hitand-run incident.

The 31-year-old threetime winner of the world’s biggest bike race, tweeted a picture of the twisted remains of his “totalled” training bike, saying he had been deliberately knocked off by the driver.

The Team Sky rider said he was “okay” after the incident that happened during a training ride near his home in the south of France.

Sky News reported that it understood Froome would be reporting the incident to police.

“Just got rammed on purpose by an impatient driver, who followed me onto the pavement! Thankfully I’m okay. Bike totalled. Driver kept going!”,

Chris Froome unhurt but bike ‘totalled’ after hit-and-run case. the Team Sky rider wrote, adding an emoji of hands clasped in prayer.

Team Sky said the Monaco-based Froome had continued his training session after returning home to get a spare bike.

Froome is training for June’s Criterium du Dauphine, his familiar warm-

up event before the Tour de France between July 1 and 23. He is favourite to win the event for a third successive year.

The incident was just another reminder of the continued perils faced by professional cyclists on the road during training rides.

It occurred less than

three weeks since the death of 37-year-old Michele Scarponi, the former Giro d’Italia winner, who was struck by a van while training in Italy.

His team, Astana, described the death of Scarponi, a husband and father of two, as a ‘tragedy too big to be written’.

Canal 6 cart off 11th annual Sash Sawh memorial dominoes

Indra Jagmohan (right) hands over the winning trophy to Avinash Persaud of Canal 6, in the presence of other team members.

CANAL 6 emerged winners of the 11th annual Satyadeow ‘Sash’ Sawh memorial dominoes tournament, played last Friday (Arrival Day) at Ernest Shop, Canal Number One, West Bank Demerara.

The tournament, organised and sponsored by Sash Secretariat, saw the eventual champions mark 79 games to win easily from International Six with 70 and the hosts who trailed on 62.

Apart from the first sitting when Canal 6 trailed International Six by three

games, they took command and were only really challenged in the fifth which ended with both teams on 63 games.

However, the eventual winners tallied 16 games in a brilliant final sitting which saw International Six manage a mere seven while Sash Secretariat were never in contention.

Skipper Avinash Persaud led from the front for Canal 6 with the maximum 18 games and received admirable support from Ramroop Sukhai (16), Basdeo Persaud

(14) and Surin Sukhai (13).

Claude Stuart was the International Six top player with 14 games while Intikhab Alli, who played through, marked 13 in his first three sittings and 12 in the other three.

Govil Persaud was outstanding for Sash Secretariat with 15 games but saw two of his teammates, Kunal Persaud and Ameer Kham go down lovers’ lane.

The winning and first runner-up trophies plus prizes for the three top players in

each team were sponsored

by Sash Secretariat while the Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophy was added, compliments of Ramesh Sunich of Trophy Stall.

The three top players were Avinash Persaud of Canal 6, Claude Stuart of International 6 and Govil Persaud of Sash Secretariat. Avinash also copped the MVP prize.

Sawh, a former Minister of Fisheries, Crops and Livestock, died under tragic circumstances on April 22, 2006 and a minute’s silence was observed for his passing, prior to the commencement of the tournament.

Among those responsible for the staging of the tournament are United States-based Guyanese Mark Dookhan, who served as driver to the late minister, Sahadeo Mahabali, Vishnu Persaud and Indra Jagmohan.

The organisers would also like to take the opportunity to express sincere thanks to the proprietor of Ernest Shop for allowing the venue to host the tournaments over the years.

Derrick won’t step down as CFU boss CARIBBEAN Football Union (CFU) president Gordon Derrick has rejected claims he is set to resign from the post following FIFA’s announcement of formal investigations being opened against him by its ethics committee judging chamber.

Derrick, who is also the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) General Secretary, has, however, indicated that he will be maintaining a low profile as he prepares to fight to clear his name.

“No, I’ve not resigned from the CFU. I’ve recused myself until the conclusion of the matter that’s going on at the moment,” DerCFU president rick said in an interview with Antigua radio proGordon Derrick gramme Good Morning Jojo Sports Show.

“I have only about two weeks left to get all of my defence in and there is a significant number of files that I have to go through. I have to make sure I go through everything to make sure I can have my defence in properly and on time.”

According to the ethics committee Derrick is reportedly being investigated for “alleged conflicts of interest, offering and accepting gifts and other benefits, mismanagement of funds, abuse of position and disloyalty.” One such issue has to do with the mortgaging of lands, housing the FIFA Goal Project. The official has, however, maintained his innocence in the matter.

“I cannot mortgage the ABFA’s property by myself. Anything to do with football, the decisions must be passed by the executive committee. I am an employee of the association and my job as the (general secretary) is to carry out the objectives of the executive committee body and if I am not doing that, they would let me know and they would fire me and reprimand me, or do whatever they want to do with me as an employee.” (Sportsmax)

Kings XI Punjab win keeps play-off chase alive CHRIS Lynn’s 84 was not enough to prevent Kolkata Knight Riders falling to a 14-run defeat by Kings XI Punjab yesterday, keeping the IPL play-off chase alive for the time being.

Victory for Knight Riders would have locked in the competition’s top four, with Kings XI the only team able to force their way into a play-off position.

However, Kings XI kept their hopes of knockout cricket alive, now sitting three points adrift of Sunrisers Hyderabad with two matches left to play - one more than the current fourth-placed team.

Knight Riders need just one more point to be sure of qualification to the play,offs.

Kings XI set their visitors a challenging target thanks to notable contributions from Manan Vohra (25), Wriddhiman Saha (38) and Glenn Maxwell (44).

Chris Woakes (2-20) and Kuldeep Yadav (2-34) shared four wickets for Knight Riders and the team’s initial efforts at the crease were promising, after Kings XI had racked up 167-6.

Sunil Narine (18) was first to fall with Knight Riders 39 runs into their chase, while Lynn stood firm to rack up 84 from 52 deliveries opposite a rotating cast of disappointing batting partners.

Gautam Gambhir (8), Robin Uthappa (0) and Manish Pandey (18) all came and went before Lynn was eventually run-out two balls into the 18th over.

Colin de Grandhomme (11) and Woakes (8) were in the middle at the end, but the visitors had been left with too much to do and must wait for their passage to the play-offs. (Omnisport)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday May 10, 2017

FIFA’s chief ethics investigator and ethics judge replaced

By Simon Evans MANAMA, (Reuters) - The ruling council of world football’s governing body ousted chief ethics investigator Cornel Borbely and ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert yesterday in a move the pair labelled as “de facto the end of FIFA’s reform efforts”.

FIFA had issued a statement yesterday saying Colombian investigator Maria Claudia Rojas had been nominated as the new head of the investigatory chamber with Vassilios Skouris of Greece, a former president of the European Court of Justice, put forward as head of the adjudicatory chamber.

Several dozen football officials, mainly from Latin America, were indicted in the United States in 2015 on corruption-related charges, sparking the worst crisis in FIFA’s history.

German Eckert and Swiss Borbely were at the forefront of efforts to clear up corruption in the organisation and had expressed a desire to continue the work beyond the

FIFA ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert end of their current mandates, which run until tomorrow’s FIFA Congress.

But the decision not to nominate the pair for another term in their roles led to a strident response.

“The impending non-election will set the work of the Ethics Committee far back and is de facto the end of FIFA’s reform efforts. It must be assumed that entire FIFA will suffer from this decision in the

medium and long term,” said a statement from Borbely and Eckert.

“The work of a credible and independent Ethics Committee is an important part of the FIFA reforms whose goal was to restore the trust of the public and other stakeholders.

“Since 2015 the Investigatory Chamber has carried out 194 investigations and the Adjudicatory Chamber has sentenced more than 70 officials,” the statement added.

Among the officials banned from the sport were former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and Secretary-General Jerome Valcke.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino was also investigated by the Ethics Committee but was cleared in August 2016.

Current FIFA senior vice-president Angel Villar Llona was fined by the committee in November, 2015, for failing to cooperate with an investigation into the contest to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

The FIFA statement on the council’s decisions made no reference to Borbely or

Eckert nor was there any explanation for their removal.

“The non-election will lead to long delays in current investigations and proceedings, and complicate the prosecution of violations of the Code of Ethics,” said the statement from the outgoing pair.

“It appears that the heads of FIFA have attached greater weight to their own and political interests than to the long-term interests of FIFA. They have accepted jeopardising FIFA’s integrity, and, hence, the future of the game,” it said.

The nominations of Rojas and Skouris, along with other proposed heads of committees, will be put to a vote of the full FIFA Congress tomorrow.

The changes to the Ethics Committee follow the resignation of former reform and compliance chief, Domenico Scala, last year.

He argued that the independent committees had been undermined by changes made by FIFA president Infantino, who denied the accusation.

Local cyclists fail to medal at Pan American road race cycling championship … but turn in creditable performances amid challenging conditions GUYANA’S six-member team who competed in the just concluded 32nd Pan American road cycling championship in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic failed to medal but despite challenging conditions, turned in creditable performances.

Last Sunday, Guyana’s

Paul DeNobrega and Junior Niles competed in the 170km race which was staged around the Mirader Sur Park that has a 10km circuit and at the end of the race, DeNobrega finished the gruelling event in the 44th position while Niles placed 69th.

It was probably the

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Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) 0 (2) 313 (vs SL, Karachi, 2009)

Today’s Quiz:

(1) In which Test match three players were dismissed for 99 apiece?

(2) In which Test match a player set the record for the highest individual score in the fourth innings?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

highest level of competition for the two Guyanese as they came up against some of the best cyclists in the Pan American group.

Colombian Andres Martinez (3:18.47) won ahead of Mexico’s Alfredo Infante, Sebastin Benarides (Colombia), Francisco Chomarro (Argentina) and Ignacio Maldonado (Uruguay) respectively.

Barbadian Phillip Clarke ended 13th and Cuba’s Felix Fernandez 14th.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, Andrew Hicks, Hamza Eastman and Jamal contested a 140km race for Under-23 cyclists and in the end, Eastman placed 20th of 71 riders while John finished 36th. Hicks, who was with the leading bunch nearing the finish, developed cramps in both his legs and had to settle for 69th.

It must be noted that on the local scene, cyclists

Paul DeNobrega are not accustomed to such long races and especially on hilly courses and that made the exposure important for the Guyanese.

Some 240 cyclists from 27 Pan American nations participated in the championships and these cyclists came from other countries including Cuba, Colombia, United States, Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Guatemala and Mexico.

JADCO appeal against Andre Russell withdrawn after failed procedures revealed THE Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) has withdrawn its appeal against the length of the ban imposed on West Indies cricketer Andre Russell because of an internal procedural error by its executive director Carey Brown.

This was disclosed on Monday during a press conference hosted by chairman of the JADCO Board, Alexander Williams.

The decision to withdraw was made after consultation with Jamaica’s Attorney General.

However, despite the foul up, Brown maintains the full confidence of the board, Williams said as he addressed journalists gathered in the boardroom at JADCO in HalfWay Tree in Kingston.

Andre Russell, one of the best T20 all-rounders in the world, was banned for a year in January after an independent disciplinary panel found him guilty of an anti-doping violation in 2015.

Russell had failed, on three consecutive occasions in 2015, to notify JADCO as to his location for possible drug-testing.

Russell was warned about the breaches, and asked on each occasion to explain his filing failure and he failed ANDRE RUSSELL to do so.

JADCO appealed the length of the sentence but earlier Monday that appeal was withdrawn. Russell’s attorneys also withdrew their appeal of the one-year sanction before an appeals panel at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston.

According to Williams, the executive director may have misunderstood, a change of procedure introduced following a visit of officials of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in 2013.

“In 2013, WADA officials visited Jamaica to see how JADCO was functioning, and WADA came to the decision that changes had to be made to the structure of JADCO and indicated that there was a need to set out the role and functions of the members of the commission, and that of the executive director,” Williams said.

The decision, Williams explained, led to the repeal of the Anti-Doping Sport Act of 2008, under which JADCO was formed and the Anti-Doping Sport Act of 2014 introduced as its replacement.

The main idea behind the change was to ensure that there was no undue interference by what is now the board of the commission with the role and the function of the executive director.

“I think, though, that it is fair to say that there was a misunderstanding about what the new law prescribed. While it is true that the board of the commission is not responsible for doping control, we are nonetheless required by law to monitor the administrative operations, which must include doping control, and, indeed the executive director is to have regard to the advice and recommendations given to him by the board,” the chairman said.

“While the board of the commission has no authority to interfere in complaints, the WADA Code, and JADCO’s own rules both require that before an appeal is commenced, a post-decision review should be undertaken and it is now determined by the board that this should be done by the executive director in consultation with the board.

In this case, involving Mr Russell, the simple fact is that there was no consultation with the board of the commission by the executive director prior to the appeal being lodged.”Subsequent to this situation, the board has decided that the board would be notified of any complaint being lodged to the Independent Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel and that, prior to any appeal being pursued, the executive director must seek and obtain the approval of the board.

(Spotsmax)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday May 10, 2017

Mexico claim third straight Boxing fans in for a CONCACAF Under-17 title treat as Caribbean MEXICO earned their third straight CONCACAF Under-17 Championship title by outlasting the United States 5-4 on penalty kicks,

tle blew, the match went directly to penalty kicks, where both sides converted their first two attempts.

Akil Watts missed on the

for the first time in 20 competition matches.

Then, in the second minute of stoppage time, everything changed. Mex-

Mexico’s footballers celebrate after defeating the USA by penalty kicks in their Under-17 CONCACAF final football match at the Rommel Fernandez stadium on May 7, 2017 in Panama City. (AFP/RODRIGO ARANGUA) after their 2017 final ended in a 1-1 draw on Sunday, at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez.

Andrew Carleton gave the Americans a 1-0 lead, while Carlos Robles levelled for Mexico late in dramatic fashion.

Once the final whis-

USA’s third and Mexico went on to net three straight, with Roberto de la Rosa getting the clincher.

Thanks to U.S. goalkeeper Justin Garces, who made several outstanding saves, it appeared that Mexico’s remarkable CU17 run was going to end by being shutout

ico’s Daniel Lopez fought off Josh Sargent to gain control of Jairo Torres’ diagonal pass and dribble deftly towards the left-goal line. While Sargent lunged desperately to block the eventual cross, Lopez lifted the ball to the edge of the six-yard box. Robles was

there to snap a header into the right side of the net.

Just two minutes earlier, an attempt by Chris Goslin, which would have given the Americans a 2-0 advantage, crashed off the woodwork.

The U.S. took a 1-0 lead in the 62nd minute on an awkward miscue by Mexico goalkeeper Cesar Lopez and a touch of brilliance by the excellent Carelton.

Lopez’s attempt to kick a back pass from the edge of the six-yard box barely went 20 yards in the air as USA substitute Tim Weah outjumped Luis Olivas to win the header. The ball fell to an unmarked Carleton, who turned quickly to time a shot from 19 yards out beyond the reach of the right-diving Lopez.

Mexico had solid opportunities to get on the scoreboard earlier, only for Garces to thwart de la Rosa (26’) and Jesus Perez (35’) in the first half and de la Rosa (73’) again after break. Daniel Lopez had a goal disallowed for what appeared to be a handball in the 52nd minute. Six minutes later, a Torres free kick ricocheted off the post.

(Sportsmax)

Goodluck returns unopposed as GTA president JAMAL Goodluck was last Saturday re-elected president of the Guyana Tennis Association (GTA) when the body held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and election of office-bearers at the National Resource Centre on Woolford Avenue.

This will mark Goodluck’s second term at the helm. He will now lead the association for another year.

After serving as a committee member for the last year, former president Grace McCalman has now been elected to the vice-president’s position.

The association’s other vice-president will be Samuel Barakat. McCalman and Barakat replace outgoing V-Ps Nigel Niles, and Ramesh Seebarran. Seebarran was conferred with a special Life Member title, along with Fritz McLean. Niles will now serve as a committee member.

Also returning in their original positions are treasurer Leroy Chapman, asistant treasurer/secretary Oswin Coggins, and committee member Robert Bostwick.

GTA president Jamal Goodluck (sitting, centre) and the other members of the new executive of the GTA; sitting (from left) VPs Grace McCalman and Samuel Barakat; standing (from left) committee member Robert Bostwick, treasurer Leroy Chapman, assistant secretary/treasurer Cristi Campbell, committee member Nigel Niles and secretary Oswin Coggins.

The other committee members are Nicolas Glasgow, and Fadil Ahmad, while junior player Afruica Gentle will serve as assistant Public Relations Officer.

Goodluck expressed his gratitude to the executive and clubs present for affording him the opportunity again to serve as president. In an earlier address of the 2016 President’s Report he

highlighted the work laid out to make the dream of a tennis facility to host the 2017 Inter-Guiana Games a reality.

“The purpose of this facility will reap benefits for years and aid in the development of the youths and nation. This will take lots of work but will be possible with everyone working towards this goal,” Goodluck related.

During the presentation,

he also informed that encouraging relationships are being bridged with the tennis community of the Guyanese Diaspora. These Guyanese have taken a particular interest in helping to move the project along.

Towards that end, Goodluck said a Go Fund Me account is expected to be launched in the coming weeks, which will make it easier for persons to donate.

Schoolboys and Juniors tournament draws near WITH two days remaining for the start of the second edition of the Caribbean Schoolboys and Juniors Boxing Championship, local fans are in for a treat as five countries have indicated their participation in the tournament which gets underway at 20:00hrs on Friday night at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue.

To date, Trinidad and Tobago, St Lucia, Barbados, Jamaica and Suriname have confirmed their participation and all of them will be seeking championship honours, and to dethrone defending champions and hosts Guyana during the three-night event.

The locals, however, will strive to emulate their senior counterparts, who made a definitive statement a few months ago by making a clean sweep of the prestigious medals at the Caribbean development tournament in Barbados.

St Lucia encamped a squad a few weeks ago and local fans can expect quality pugilists, since St Lucia boxers have always demonstrated the level of application, determination and skill necessary for action-packed encounters.

The team will be coached by former Guyana amateur champion Conrad Hunte with assistance from the counDANIEL HYLTON try’s boxing association president David `Shakes’ Christopher.

Trinidad and Tobago selectors will field an eightman team and their association’s president Cecil Forde is beaming with confidence.

The team comprises Abdul Taylor, Tyriane Hosien, Blessing Waldropt, Denzel Massy, Meshack Thomas, Nyrell Hosein Juan Rodriguez and Edwin Felix.

The names of Suriname’s team are yet to be released, but one can reasonably assume that the team would have learnt from their sojourn in Guyana last year, when Guyana hosted the inaugural Schoolboys and Juniors tournament.

Barbados is also to name its team.

Jamaica’s five boxers will be accompanied by two coaches and that country’s boxing association president Stephen `Bomber’ Jones.

The reggae punchers will be led by lightweight Daniel Hylton who would be on his third trip to Guyana.

Hylton first fought in Guyana in November 2015 when he contested the first Caribbean Development tournament at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall and the following year (2016), he participated in the inaugural Caribbean Schoolboys and Juniors tournament.

Hylton will be supported by Joseph Coley, Ramone Chung, Reshawn McWhinney and Jerome Ennis.

The team’s head coach is Gilbert Vaz, while Godfrey Collins is the assistant coach.

ISG, Sterling Products partner for EBDCA T20 tournament see story on page 27

Some teams turned out yesterday to join with EBDCA executives as acting president Rohan Sarjoo collected the sponsorship cheque from ISG Safety Officer Andre Meredith at the company’s Nandy Park office for the launch of the ISG/Sterling T20 tournament. (Delano Williams photo)

Boxing fans in for a treat as Caribbean Schoolboys and Juniors tournament draws near see story on page 31

Windies eye ‘ perfect game ’ as rare series victory beckons

> JASON HOLDER

MISBAH-UL-HAQ >

ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC) – West Indies enter the decisive third Test against Pakistan at Windsor Park here today, chasing the ‘perfect cricket game’ as they seek to notch their first series win over a higher-ranked side in five years and turn the corner on a worrying trend of results.

A series which started in disappointment with a seven-wicket defeat at Sabina Park last month suddenly took a turn for the better last week when the Windies produced a memorable performance to crush Pakistan by 106 runs at Kensington Oval and level the three-match series.

And with the hosts on the verge of ending a protracted drought, captain Jason Holder told reporters that rather than feeling pressure, it was critical for his side to pull all the various facets of their game together to execute over the next five days.

“There’s no pressure. We’re in a situation where we’ve played some good cricket in this series so far,” a calm Holder said on the eve of the contest.

“We haven’t been perfect but we’re striving to play a perfect cricket game. Once we strive to do that and we get 99 per cent of that going right I think we will be on the better side at the end of this game.”

He added: “It always gives you confidence to win any cricket game. As I said before, there are still a few areas I would like to see them tighten up in. One is, for sure, our fielding and I urge the guys to play a perfect cricket See page 27

>

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 2017