Guyana Chronicle E-paper 10-06-2019

6th October, 2019

‘We’ll win again’ No.105782

President confident of ‘Coalition’ victory at 2020 polls

… says there is a wide area of satisfaction, citizens very tolerant of his government

Linden rallies for PNCR

Greenidge 10 renounces UK citizenship PAGE

Miracles behind bars

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A massive crowd attended the PNCR’s 62nd Anniversary celebrations in Linden on Saturday

Ramkarran 12 05 gets picked to lead ANUG at 2020 polls PAGE

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 6, 2019

Linden Broadcasting Network commissioned

NOT only has the Government of Guyana fulfilled its promise in ensuring that a community television station is brought to Linden, but it also invested heavily in ensuring that the station is housed in a modern building and is equipped with modern and state-of-the-art apparatus.

The building, which was remodelled extensively, was commissioned on Saturday

by President David Granger. The President, during remarks at the new studio, said that the facility and the service are representations of his Government’s Regional Public Broadcasting Service Initiative, which is pushing for every region to have a modern communication facility, whether it be a ra-

dio station or a television station. This has already been established in several towns across Guyana, including Bartica, Lethem and Mabaruma.

This is pertinent, given the complexity in our country’s diverse territory and the disparity in communication, particularly in the hinterland district, the Guyanese leader said.

Lindeners, he said, will now have a chance to channel their own communication and Guyanese, in other regions and the Diaspora can be better and truthfully informed about developments taking place in the township.

Director-General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, said that the aim was not only to hand over the instrument to

President David Granger (right) and Regional Chairman (Region Ten) Rennis Morian unveil a plaque at the Linden Broadcasting Network. Also photographed are Minister of Social Protection, Ms. Amna Ally (left of President Granger) and Director-General, Ministry of the Presidency, Mr. Joseph Harmon (left)

The Linden Broadcasting Network was commissioned on Saturday

ensure that Linden can now operate its own television station but to make that operation a top-class one. “Since then, government has provided a facility for LBN to get themselves fully equipped so that the entity can be a world-class operation. I do believe that the people of Linden are at the centre of development of this country and so it is important that we create a platform for that message to emanate from the centre to every other part of Guyana,” he said.

Secretary of the LBN Board, MP Jermaine Figueira, expressed gratitude that the government has invested heavily in ensuring that the facility was modernized with topclass equipment so that information can be transmitted in a way the people of Linden can be most proud of.

Consultant to LBN, Mr. Bobby Vieira, revealed that presently, conversations are taking place about the establishment of LBN

Radio and LBN BROADBAND. “While we started out in television, there is a vision for us to go directly into radio....LBN will not stop only at television, the next stop will go to radio; discussions are now taking place for LBN to become a broadband provider or reseller,” he said. This will enable Lindeners to access cheap and reliable internet service.

LBN will have three frequencies, namely: The Learning Channel, a local channel, and NCN. These frequencies are expected to be relayed to neighbouring communities such as Ituni and Kwakwani. The application for a television station in Linden was made after residents complained about the limited and biased content that they were subjected to during the PPP regime. This was one of the requests made in 2012, following a deadly protest, resulting in the death of three Lindeners. The government signed an agreement to grant the licence on August 21, 2012.

‘We’ll win again’

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 6, 2019

President confident of ‘Coalition’ victory at 2020 polls

… says there is a wide area of satisfaction, citizens very tolerant of his government

By Svetlana Marshall CONFIDENT that he will be returned to office come March 2020 when Guyanese go to the polls, President David Granger said his government’s prudent management of the affairs of the country is enough to secure a second term in office.

“I believe that there is a wide area of satisfaction. People are very tolerant; they realise that we have not been able to fulfill all of our promises in these first four years, and my strong feeling is that they will allow us to continue the work we started. They have seen the traces; they have seen the elements of good administration, and they would like us to continue, and that is my view, we will win again,” he said.

At the time, he was being interviewed during Guyana Chronicle’s first Edition of Vantage Point – an online television programme. Elected as President of Guyana in May, 2015, when the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) defeated the People’s Progressive Party (PPP/C) at the General and Regional Elections, President Granger has been named the presidential candidate for the coalition as it heads into the 2020 elections.

“I have been a good President,” he told the Editor-in-Chief of the Guyana Chronicle, Nigel Williams. His coalition had taken control over the governance of the country at a time when the Local Government System was broken and disparities in the education, health, and infrastructure sectors existed particularly in the interior savannahs and the highland region when compared to the coastland.

“Although there have been some disappointments in the last four years, four months, I am very confident that I will be re-elected,” President Granger said, while noting that Guyanese, in general, are pleased with the progress made in the local government, education, housing, public infrastructure, public telecommunication and public health sectors.

In keeping with the APNU+AFC’s 2015 Manifesto and a commitment by President Granger, local democracy was

President David Granger restored in Guyana. On March 18, 2016, as the government forges ahead with Local Government Elections were held its plans to reduce inequalities and for the first time in 22 years, thereby decentralise public services. allowing local leaders on the ground PETS PROGRAMME to manage the affairs of their towns In the education sector, Presiand neighbourhoods. It was held again on November 12, 2018 in compliance dent Granger, in keeping with his with the Constitution and the Laws of government’s policy to ensure that every child attends school, launched Guyana.

Resolute that Guyana’s development the Public Education Transportation will not be limited to the coastland, but Service (PETS) which started as the will extend to all regions of the country, 3Bs project four years ago. To date, President Granger, over the past four 29 buses, 10 boats and more than years, commissioned four new capital 4000 bicycles have been distributed so towns – Lethem, Upper Takutu-Upper far under PETS to make it easier for Essequibo (Region Nine); Mabaruma, children to attend school.

Additionally, to open up greater opBarima-Waini (Region One); Bartica, Cuyuni-Mazaruni (Region Seven) and portunities to Indigenous students, the Mahdia, Potaro-Siparuni (Region Eight). Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs These towns complement the other six is consulting with tertiary institutions towns – the Capital City, Georgetown; such as the Carnegie School of Home Linden, New Amsterdam, Rose Hall, Economics, Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA), Government Technical InCorriverton and Anna Regina.

The capital towns are undergoing stitute (GTI), Guyana Industrial Training Centre (GITC), Burrowes School of Art, infrastructural developments.

Additionally, greater public ser- the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) vices are being offered in those towns and even the University of Guyana

(UG), on initiatives that can be taken for greater exposure at the community level.

In the interim, the government, last July, commissioned a $186.3M Tertiary Students’ Dormitory at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, as it pushes ahead with its plans to reduce the disparities between the hinterland and coastland through education.

The multimillion-dollar state-of-theart facility is built to accommodate 120 students – 64 males and 56 females – from the hinterland, who are pursuing tertiary education in various fields at institutions in the capital city – Georgetown. There have also been major developments in the housing, agricultural, health, environment, and telecommunications sectors.

Additionally, under the stewardship of President Granger, Guyana has experienced consistent economic growth.

The country’s economic growth for the first six months of 2019 was recorded at four per cent. It is anticipated that the national output will increase by 4.5 per cent by December 31, 2019. This positive growth rate has been attributed, in part, to the measures put in place by government, such as the reduction of the corporate tax from 30 per cent to 25 per cent. Importantly, the government, through the Department of Energy, has been putting legislative framework in place to ensure the prudent management of the country’s budding Oil and Gas Sector.

In his quest to move the country forward, President Granger said he will launch a ‘Decade of Development’ in 2020 as Guyana enters a new phase of economic development. During this period, the education system will be reformed to reflect the needs of the new economy, access to information technology and the promotion of social cohesion. It will also see economic expansion, diversification, restructuring, including value-added manufacturing and food security.

There will also be focus on energy security and the transition to renewable and clean sources of energy and environmentally sustainable management of our natural resources.

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Iraq protests: Death toll nears 100 as unrest enters fifth day (BBC) he death toll from anti-government protests in Iraq has risen to almost 100, says the country’s parliamentary human rights commission.

The unrest entered its fifth day on Saturday, with at least five people killed in the latest clashes in the capital Baghdad.

The security forces are again reported to have used live rounds.

Demonstrators say they are taking a stand against

unemployment, poor public services and corruption.

It is the deadliest unrest since so-called Islamic State was declared defeated in Iraq in 2017.

It is seen as the first major challenge to Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi’s fragile government, nearly a year since he came to power.

The authorities have been trying to control the protests through curfews and a near-total internet blackout.

An emergency session of

Protesters do not appear to have any clear leadership at the moment

parliament failed to go ahead on Saturday afternoon.

What’s the latest?

The daytime curfew in

Baghdad was lifted on Saturday, and smaller groups of protesters began to renew their action.

The city’s Tahrir Square has been the focal point of protests, but it was blocked on Saturday, according to local news agencies.

The violence has also affected majority Shia Muslim areas in the south, including Amara, Diwaniya and Hilla.

A number of deaths were reported on Friday in the southern city of Nasiriya, about 320km (200 miles) away.

A total of 540 protesters have been arrested, of whom nearly 200 remain in custody, the human rights commission said. It also said more than 3,000 people had been injured. The demonstrators do not appear to have any clear leadership at the moment, and their anger in increasingly radicalising their demands, says the BBC’s Sebastian Usher. What’s been the reaction? On Friday, Prime Minister Mahdi vowed to respond to protesters’ concerns but warned there was no “magic solution” to Iraq’s problems.

He said he had given his full backing to security forces, insisting they were abiding by “international standards” in dealing with protesters.

Iraq’s most senior Shia cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, urged the government to respond to the demands for reform, saying it had “not

answered the demands of the people to fight corruption or achieved anything on the ground”.

The UN and US have expressed concern over the violence, and urged the Iraqi authorities to exercise restraint.

Why is this happening now?

Corruption, unemployment and poor public services are at the heart of the discontent faced by young Iraqis today.

The unrest began spontaneously with no formal leadership in mostly Shia areas in the south, and quickly spread.

Iraq has the world’s fourth-largest reserves of oil, but 22.5% of its population of 40 million were living on less than $1.90 (£1.53) a day in 2014, according to the World Bank. One in six households has experienced some form of food insecurity.

The unemployment rate was 7.9% last year, but among young people it was double that. And almost 17% of the economically active population is underemployed.

The country is also struggling to recover after a brutal war against the Islamic State group, which seized control of large swathes of the north and west in 2014.

Living conditions remain dire in many conflict-affected areas, with insufficient services.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 6, 2019

Miracles behind bars

By Nafeeza Yahya-Sakur

TEARS of joy and squeals of excitement filled the New Amsterdam Prison on Thursday as Minister with responsibility for Youth Affairs Simona Broomes paid the facility an unexpected visit.

Truth be told, the excitement had more to do with her helping seven female prisoners to be reunited with their families earlier than anticipated through the Guyana Prison Service (GPS)’s Special Remission Programme.

The Minister’s visit was part of the annual prison week activity, the 36th to date, being celebrated this year under the theme “Changing lives one inmate at a time”.

Speaking exclusively with the Guyana Chronicle, Minister Broomes, who is being described nationally as a champion of women rights, especially the rights of those women who live in remote communities, related that the Director of Prisons approached her for some funding to make the lives of the female prisoners more comfortable. And, seizing the opportunity to ask a favour herself, she asked his permission to visit the only female prison in the country to meet and interact with the women incarnated there to see what else can be done to help in their reformation and ultimate readmission into society.

Whilst there, she met several women, includ-

ing a mother of four from theAmerindian community of Baramita in Region One (Barima-Waini), who was on remand for the past six months because she could not afford to post a fine of $20,000.

During her six months in prison, Natasha Henry, who was on remand for wounding, first lost her father to sudden illness, and two months later her son, who died by drowning.

Now, all she has left is memories, as she could not even attend their funerals.

After listening to Natasha’s story, Minister Brommes wasted no time in assisting to post her bail out of her own pocket, and to arrange air transportation for her to return home.

She also made contact with the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs to assist in her reintegration into society, and to help her with seeds, tools and whatever else necessary to resume farming so that she can take care of her family.

MOVED TO TEARS Surinamese national, Soulele Myr, 29, who was doing time for ‘trafficking’, had spent the last 30 months behind bars and was scheduled to be released in a few weeks.

But after learning about the Special Remission programme, she asked Minister Broomes to check to see if she was qualified, and, as fate would have it, her name was among the over 600 that had been submitted and approved

nationwide.

Upon hearing that she had gotten 28 days taken off her sentence, and that she was free to go that very day, Soulele was so moved to tears that she clung to Minister Broomes and thanked her for helping her to reunite early with her two daughters, aged 12 and 17, who are both in school.

Besides Natasha and Soulele, three other women, namely, 42-year-old Rubena Rogers; Merlin Mangra, 55; and 26-yearold Nicola Christe, who were in for simple larceny, trafficking and damage to property respectively, were also on the list and released on Thursday.

Two more women will be released next week, as they, too, have been qualified for the programme.

THE PROGRAMME Explaining how the Special Remission Programme works, Director of Prisons Gladwyn Samuels said that it allows for prisoners to have their sentences reduced by as much as 28 days for good conduct and being industrious while in prison.

This amnesty of sorts, he explained, is usually done during the celebration of either Republic or Independence, as well as National Prison Service Week.

“Recommendations are made by the officers in charge of the various prisons to the Director of Prisons, and, based on those recommendations, if they are found favourable, I will then forward it to the minister for his consideration and approval,” he said. “So, it is on that basis that in observance of our 36th Prison Service Week celebrations, in excess of 600 names were submitted to our Minister, these were male and female prisoners.

That list would have received approval and resulted in the reduction of 28days on the sentence of those prisoners,” he added.

He said that following approval, the recalculation of the sentencing is done, and the prisoners will have their dates of release brought forward.

Twelve male prisoners were also released on Thursday from the New Amsterdam Prison.

An emotional Minister Broomes, after seeing the joy on the faces of the women she helped to an early release, related that she is thankful to God for the opportunity to be in a position where she can help make a difference in the lives of others.

“I really feel privileged and blessed to be in a position where I can make a difference in someone’s

life. I truly believe I was sent here today by God to make a difference in the lives of these women,” she said, adding: “When you are in a situation like this, even being released a day earlier makes a difference.”

Minister Broomes spent half the day on Thursday in the female dormitory bonding with each of the female inmates individually, listening to their concerns, and chatting and praying with them, while encouraging them to make use of the programmes available and ensure that whenever the time arrives for them to be released,

that they are not only better not equipped with vocational skills but life skills as well that will make them better individuals in society.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 6, 2019

The power-sharing discourse

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ITH elections on the horizon, the issue of Power-Sharing or Shared Governance is once again part of the public discourse.

Those who champion constitutional reform as a necessary remedy to our problems of governance and our ethnic divide, have projected power sharing among the major parties as central to a political solution.

While this is a necessary intervention at this time, it is not a new debate--it is almost six decades old. That it has not become a reality must be disappointing to its advocates but, in the final analysis, there must be consensus for such a far-reaching initiative to achieve the desired outcome.

The truth is that our political leaders have over these six decades made some efforts, both at the level of rhetoric and action.

From 1961 when Eusi Kwayana, then Sydney King, on behalf of the African Society for Racial Equality (ASRE) propose joint premiership between the two major political leaders of the day to the present, there has been a spirited debate over a political solu-

tion to Guyana’s ethno-political problems.

The Kwayana proposal did not find favour with the leaders and it is best remembered for the suggestion of “partition as a last resort” if the leaders reject joint premiership.

Two years later, Dr Jagan, sensing power slipping away from him, proposed a similar model of power-sharing, but the PNC, assured of power, did not even entertain the proposal.

Since then the two major parties along with other political and civil society forces have expressed support for power-sharing as the best solution to the ongoing problem.

After rejecting the PPP’s 1977 proposal for a National Patriotic Front government, the PNC in 1985 initiated talks with the PPP for a joint government. Although the talks had progressed, President Burnham’s untimely death brought an abrupt end to the initiative.

His successor, President Hoyte, was not convinced that that was the best direction for the PNC. Hoyte would later change his mind when ,in 2002, he declared that power-sharing was an idea “whose time had come.”

To be fair, the PPP has been the culprit

in recent times. Since the PNC’s formal embrace of the idea in 2002, it has sought to find common ground with the PPP and other parties. But the PPP when in office rejected these overtures on the grounds that the parties needed to build trust before entering into power-sharing or shared governance, which has become the preferred terminology. Many observers felt that the PPP had thrown away the best opportunity to actualise shared governance since the PNC, having concluded that it was time to move in the direction of a Government of National Unity.

It is this rejection by the PPP that forced the PNC into accommodation first with the WPA and later with the AFC to form the APNU+AFC coalition. In a sense, the PNC has shown more courage than the PPP in this regard. Its embrace of the winner-must-not-take-all was the path to power was a major breakthrough for the party and country. The PPP, for its part, continued to turn its face against shared governance even when it lost the parliamentary majority in 2011 and the

presidency in 2015. It prefers a formula whereby the PPP co-opts individuals into its so-called CIVIC component. But it is generally agreed that that does not represent the letter or spirit of power-sharing.

The PPP may well regret that it has not shown the same courage as the PNC in this regard.

On the other hand, while the APNU+AFC Coalition is not a Government of National Unity in its purest sense, it represents a giant step in that direction. The core of the coalition is the convergence of three known parties with dissimilar backgrounds and histories, along with three lesser known ones. It is this diversity that has served the coalition well, even if it has sometimes been a challenge. So, in a sense, we do have some degree of shared governance or power-sharing.

There can be no doubt that the coalition is an abbreviated form of Shared Governance and Power-Sharing that should be encouraged. Guyana would continue to be a better political landscape because of it.

We must never allow subversion of our Constitution

Dear Editor,

RECOGNISING the intense deceptive lobbying efforts of the PPP in fuelling a series of orchestrated distorted views of the Caribbean Court of Justice’s (CCJ) ruling and the constitutional requirements to aid Guyana’s restoration of constitutional normalcy and peaceful resolution of our current political crisis, I publicly called on the government on several occasions not to bow to engineered calls for proclamation of a date for elections.

The decision for so doing is now justified in the recent statement made by acting Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire, SC. As reported in the Kaieteur News (KN) 5th October, 2019. “...she maintained that the election timeframe set out in the Constitution has already elapsed and it is now for Parliament to extend same.” I am also

on record calling for full compliance of the CCJ’s ruling and Article 106 of the Guyana Constitution.

KN headlines that the “Chief Justice to rule on resignation of Cabinet on October 16.”

OUR NATION IS IN CRISIS! We are at serious risk of compounding the fractures already existing in our society and it is not merely because of the constitutional upheaval created by a successful confidence motion.

It is because of the levels to which our political leaders are prepared to sink in their quest for power-- by any means necessary. We are in crisis because truth no longer cements the building blocks of our society, because morality, social responsibility, and public accountability have been thrown through the windows by our political leaders; because our Constitution is

being bent and distorted by power-hungry politicians and mercenary or misguided lobbyists who, like hired guns, execute assignments only caring about what they are being paid and not about the disruption they cause, for the ends justify their means; because sections of our media fail in their obligation as the fourth estate, to help our nation heal and develop in accordance with lawful practices and interpretations; because we the people allow ourselves to remain fragmented and useful pawns for politicians, instead of exercising our power to hold all and sundry accountable for the public good -- regardless of race, class, status, and political association.

Today Guyana has committed another unnecessary and misguided constitutional error, all because Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo, aided by a powerful Washington D.C. lobbying firm,

was able to successfully misguide Guyanese and the international community and bring international pressure on the David Granger administration functioning in a caretaker mode to act outside of the constitutional and CCJ ruling. This actuality will hopefully not fly past the consciousness of the international community and those U.S. government officials who have been taken for a ride

by Mr Jagdeo and the PPP-hired lobbying firm.

Shame has been brought on Guyana by the PPP’s continuous distortion of the truth. Not to forget that the weakness of the government has been highlighted. The latter, in trying to quell/satisfy the demands of the international community instead of putting forth their argument in a cogent manner as to why they could not issue a proclamation naming an election date and why the opposition must

return to Parliament, has missed an opportunity to stand firmly. This could be interpreted by some as having no appetite or will for a serious political fight as being waged by the PPP with the help of invited overseas interference.

What we face today is a date for election announced without the National Assembly regularising the government’s status to do so. Mr Jagdeo was fully aware of this requirement, but he chose to circumvent the said requirement, ranting and raving as he demanded a date for elections to be called. The CCJ in its Consequential Order of July 12, 2019, ruled that resolution to the current situation is vested in the “President, National Assembly (and implicitly GECOM),” yet compliance is being demanded from the President and GECOM, not the National Assembly.

We have reached a level of political madness

never before seen and all on the desire to acquire power by any means necessary. Voices of reason, including the court, who seem to be crying in the wilderness, must continue to do their job. The political fever must break or at least history will record that persons and institutions stood up and spoke out.

We have an opportunity now to recognise the chaos that misguided public pressure and international lobbying can do. We have a responsibility to resist all who try to force us into wrongdoing and must together vow never to allow the subversion of our Constitution, the Laws of Guyana and the ruling of the CCJ, Guyana’s court of last resort.

Continuation of such violation sets the wrong precedent that may allow for transgressing workers/citizens’ rights.

LINCOLN LEWIS

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 6, 2019

Guyana’s future up to Guyanese people Dear Editor, IN my capacity as President of the Guyanese American Chamber of Commerce (GACC) and Chair of the Private Sector Council of the Institute of Caribbean Studies (ICS), I wrapped up on Friday a series of engagements in Washington DC with officials at the U.S. Department of State; some key lawmakers and their staffs on Capitol Hill; and representatives of a number of non-governmental and political organisations.

These engagements had to do primarily with efforts to ensure renewal of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (old CBI), funding for components of the U.S./ Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act and activities surrounding the State

Department’s designation of 2020 as the Year of the Caribbean. I also participated in two sessions of the Latin America and Caribbean Forecast forum at the American Association of Chambers of Commerce of Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as the Making African Trade Easy (MATE), a two-day conference and expo held at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center.

However, inevitably the current situation in Guyana formed part of the discussions. I will not get into details about my exchanges on this issue other than to say that I totally support the statements issued by the AB & EU countries as well as the Commonwealth and the OAS. I would have preferred an election this year, but that is now behind us. My concern now

is for a peaceful and stable environment in which free, fair, transparent and verifiable elections can be held, which would provide for all the contesting parties to accept the results of the elections and to work together for the future progress and prosperity of Guyana for the benefit of all Guyanese.

During my stay in Washington I saw media reports of a tweet from Senator Marco Rubio, which made reference to a new government. In diplomacy and some national Constitutions and even perhaps political jargon, when reference is made to a new government following an election, it means whichever party forms the government, including the incumbent. Unfortunately, certain sections of society were “spinning” the tweet to suggest that Senator

Rubio was recommending that the electorate reject the incumbent at the next election and elect a new government.

I am non-partisan in terms of Guyana’s politics and feel strongly that only in rare cases should foreign elected officials advise on the rejection of any political party contesting an election. So, I decided that I should seek an audience with the senator’s office to verify the authenticity and the meaning of the content of the tweet. His office afforded me an audience at short notice and was able to discuss the tweet, the current situation in Guyana, Venezuela’s ongoing claim to Guyana’s territory and maritime space and U.S./CARICOM relations.

On the issue of the tweet, the senator’s office had the previous afternoon

via telephone indicated that the tweet was authentic and that, as it had said earlier that day to some Guyanese journalists including Mark Benschop via telephone, the tweet was not meant to suggest an endorsement or rejection of any political party contesting the Guyana elections. A spokesperson for the senator’s office later sent me the following statement indicating that I was free to circulate it: “The Senator’s tweet was not an endorsement to any political party in a sovereign nation. The future of Guyana is up to the Guyanese people.”

I posted this statement to social media and received significant criticism, some even suggesting it is fake, while others questioned whether I was a lobbyist for APNU or the PPP/C. I am not a lobbyist

for anyone. In order to be a lobbyist in the U.S. one has to so register and there are certain conditions under which elected officials must interact with lobbyists. In the case of Senator Rubio, he represents Florida where I live and as any good politician would do, he and his staff react to issues and concerns raised by his constituents.

I consider the “spin” put on the tweet by certain sections of the media was unethical, unprofessional and even mischievous.

As indicated earlier, my commitment at this time is to help to ensure a peaceful, stable, and prosperous future for Guyana and all Guyanese and I will be doing whatever I can to contribute to this objective.

Regards, Wesley Kirton

Suicide is not about culture Dear Editor, UK-based Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist Meera Baahu was recently quoted in the local media as saying that, ‘Cultural change, promoting greater awareness and acceptance of mental health is necessary in promoting good mental health locally.’

In Guyana, those working and volunteering on the mental health landscape are not only already aware of the need for greater awareness, sensitisation and education, but are actively engaged in delivering these necessities. And so we wonder about the need to bring someone from the UK to inform of the obvious.

In the same vein we also wonder, why bring overseas ‘experts’ to spread misinformation and inaccuracies.

After all, in Guyana, mental

health issues are not a product of culture but of social, economic and political realities and the consequential stressors and emotional/ psychological deficits. This has been and continues to be borne out by the work of The Caribbean Voice and other stakeholders, supported by primary info gathered through our many surveys and the empirical evidence garnered through our workshops, outreaches and varied interactions.

At the Third Caribbean Symposium on Suicide, held in May this year in Trinidad & Tobago, suicidologist Dr Silvia Canetto of Colorado State University, presented a paper on ‘cultural scripts of suicidal behaviour, the implicit and culturally specific blueprints for when, where and how people engage in suicidal behaviour – and how to respond to such

behavior.’

However, Dr Canetto’s references are to societies that are significantly homogeneous – religious, such as Islamic states, or tribal, such as the Eskimos. In fact, as much as those scripts are ‘cultural’ they are also social/societal, because of the homogeneous nature of the societies, but the causes/ triggers for suicide are same as obtain globally – poverty, abuse, alcohol, drug use, the Werther Effect, depression and other mental illnesses (Suicide Among Inuit: Results From a Large, Epidemiologically Representative Follow-Back Study in Nunavut”; Eduardo Chachamovich and others). The research and attendant literature reveal that similar findings exist for suicide in Islamic nations and among Indian farmers, for example.

Besides, Dr Canetto’s

presentation made no references to heterogeneous societies such as Guyana, simply because her argumentation does not fit such mental health landscapes. In effect, it is not culture that drives suicide but overall attitudes, which become normative over time. Thus, all scripts of suicidal behaviour are social/ societal, transcending all groups – cultural, religious, ethnic, gender and otherwise.

The Guyana Government is in possession of a National Mental Health Action Plan 2015-2020, drafted under the PPP and finalised under the APNU. This plan states, “Complex socio-cultural factors and the presence of a mental disorder are likely very significant, attributable risk factors.” However, “Risk factors for mental illness in Guyana are related to environmental, life- styles, biological and psychosocial factors and include, social

class, gender, racial conflicts, housing, occupational risks, access to services, smoking, limited national policies, globalisation, macroeconomics, national politics and urbanisation.” This indicates that culture is used in an encompassing rather than a group-specific manner, making it clear that it is not specific cultural change itself that is required, but a change in attitudes.

Thus, instead of giving scope and credence to flying visit ‘experts” who sow confusion and misinformation, is it not time to affirm and foster the work of those who are familiar with the realities that prevail? It is these stakeholders who know that it’s not a cultural change that is needed, but an attitudinal change at both the governmental and individual/community levels, which can only be catalyzed about by all-stakeholders

collaboration, spearheaded by the government, and reaching across the nation on an ongoing basis.

The ‘Plan of Action’ itself is comprehensive and focused, but its implementation has been mostly at the level of rhetoric and especially so with respect to collaboration building.

With hundreds of entities and activists involved in mental health activism and advocacy, at some level across Guyana, the government arbitrarily collaborates with a selective handful, while the rest are completely sidelined and ignored.

As well there is hardly any piggybacking, or inter agency/ministerial collaboration, which would broaden outreach and scope at minimal cost.

Sincerely The Caribbean Voice

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE OCTOBER 6, 2019

Understanding Energy

Looking beyond Liza Phase 1

ONE month ago, Guyana’s first Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FSPO) vessel, the Liza Destiny, arrived offshore. This sends a clear signal that first oil is no longer something on the horizon.

Rather, oil production will soon be a reality.

Despite the fact that first oil is a major milestone, it’s never too early to start looking past the initial project to see what’s next. Current plans include development in two different offshore areas, Liza Phase 2 and Payara, to be advanced in stages over the course of the next few years.

Right now, work is proceeding on all of these projects, but each is in a different stage of development.

The Liza Phase 1 project is almost complete after the arrival of the FSPO vessel, which will eventually produce up to 120,000 barrels per day. In the meantime, Exxon expects that by the end of 2019, four drillships will be operating off the coast, drilling exploratory wells in the area.

Meanwhile, development of Liza Phase 2 is also progressing. Exxon first announced, in May, that it had received the necessary approvals and had started work. Liza 2 is scheduled to begin producing up to 220,000

barrels of oil per day in 2022.

Finally, plans for Payara, the third project planned on the Stabroek Block, have been submitted for review. Payara would involve drilling of up to 45 development wells in the eastern half of the Stabroek Block, which is targeted to begin in 2020.

Earlier this year, EEPGL submitted its Field Development Plan to the Department of Energy and its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on the project to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Right now, the Payara Development Project is before the Environmental Advisory Board, which will decide whether the application for environmental authorisation should be granted and if additional conditions apply. In addition, the Department of Energy is reviewing the Filed Development Plan before a production licence can be approved.

This week, students, citizens, and industry experts met at an open house to discuss the Payara project and its impact. Similar meetings were held for the Liza Phase 1 and 2 EIAs in communities across the country.

These meetings give citizens the chance to ask questions and voice concerns about the document.

Sunday, October 6, 2019 –– 11:30hrs - 13:00hrs

If approval continues in a timely fashion, first oil for the field is expected as early as 2023, and a third FPSO, named Prosperity, would be built to operate off the coast.

When completed, the Payara Development Project will create jobs and economic opportunity for years to come. It is anticipated that oil production from the project will last at least 20 years and employ 600 persons during development well-drilling and peak-installation, and 140 persons during production operations.

Each of these stages contributes to the large production figures the industry is predicting for 2025. While production may grow gradually for the first few years, all the signs point to high levels of production in the future which means higher government revenues in turn.

Already, work on these projects is helping the economy.

At a recent meeting, Exxon’s Country Manager, Rod Henson, said that the company had spent more than GY$30 billion on goods and services provided by nearly 500 local businesses since 2015. More than 1300 Guyanese are working on Exxon projects so far, including more than 300 women.

We should all consider the futility of violence Dear Editor, I WILL not be able to attend the function on Sunday, October 6, 2019 for the 43rd Anniversary of the Cubana Air Tragedy, because I will be out of Guyana.

But even after 43 years, the relatives of the Guyanese students and others who perished in the Cubana de Aviacion Airlines, Flight 455, must feel the pain and anguish of losing their young ones, who I hope after training would have returned to serve the people of Guyana.

I remember that day as if it happened yesterday. The news was so shocking, that apart from contacting relatives and trying to understand the work of demonic forces, I could not do much more that day.

As we journey to the function at the University of Guyana, Turkeyen, I ask that all citizens of every side of the social and political divide consider the futility of violence.

These occasions should serve as lessons to the young and old, that nothing can be more important; that individuals, families, communities and nation-states find ways to talk, to settle perceived differences and opinions.

Failure to find a middle ground has been the tragedy in all human history and I wonder if there is something the Creator missed to allow this stupidity, stress and pain to continue seemingly unabated.

October is an interesting month. Back in 1917, in the midst of the slaughter of World War I, you had the October Russian Revolution and students will do well to find out the real cause of this event.

In October 1937, the Japanese invaded Shantung drive on Nanking, China, whilst in Washington, the U.S. dropped its neutral stand on China and condemned Japan as an invader.

One year ago, we had the disappearance and obvious murder of Jamal Khashoggi.

In Guyana, we must be wearying of those who threaten and those who beat the drums of war.

Our religious organisations, our business and commercial entities and the mass media must devote more of their energies to healing wounds engineered for many decades so that our people can truly exhale and inhale breaths of fresh air from a truly “green” environment.

You see, it is so easy to talk about what you believe is wrong and unjust and many of our people are experts of knowing what is wrong with the government and opposition.

If we are to benefit from our vast resources, we must be able to make a reality of our motto of being One People, One Nation with One Destiny.

Incidentally, because of some gloom or pessimism, very few of our leaders remind us of this vision, which we articulated at independence, of being a wholesome nation.

This is our real challenge and our babies must ask us adults, ‘Can we do it?’

I hope our leaders in business, in religion and in particular, politics, can fruitfully and with confidence tell them, “yes we can.”

Regards Hamilton Green

SUNDAY CHRONICLE OCtober 6, 2019

SAME PARTY, NEW GOVERNMENT

I HAVE checked the tweet by US Senator Marco Rubio on Guyana, which was tweaked out of proportion by the opposition press.

This was what the Senator said: “I look forward to the democratic electoral process of our important regional ally, Guyana. It’s in our strong interest to stand in support of the Guyanese people as they seek to elect a new government that can advance their security and prosperity.”

The next day in a headline story, the Guyana Times misquoted the Senator as saying that a new government was needed in Guyana, which would make it appear that the Senator was calling for regime change in Guyana.

Nothing that the Senator has said could give that impression.

statement that does not imply preference for any party, nor does it advocate the election of any party. Our Western friends look out for their investors. They are concerned with the security and safety of their citizens, which is why they issue periodic travel advisories. They are interested in good governance practices that hold out guarantees for their corporate and other citizens. Above all, our foreign partners generally encourage investment in a political environment that is stable.

As I see it, there have been, over the past weeks, statements without sanctions.

I consider those to be broad reprimands. For me, as an experienced practitioner, those demonstrate routine political interplay among democracies.

FOREIGN INTERVENTION In Guyana, unless otherwise removed, the life of a government ends after five years.

When elections are called, the electorate would vote to elect a new government. Our experience has been that the incumbent party could be re-elected to be the new government for another term, or for several consecutive terms. We do not need to distort pronouncements by foreign dignitaries, or to glorify foreign intervention to replace the will of the electorate.

It is unfortunate that on October 5, when the PPP/C should be observing “the dawn of a new era” when it came to office in 1992, its leader was busy justifying foreign intervention in Guyana’s affairs as “wholly necessary”.

Historically, Guyana has been the victim of foreign interference and intervention. After the first-ever elections held under universal adult suffrage on the basis of one man, one vote in 1953, the British landed troops in what was then their colony. They removed the democratically-elected PPP government, suspended the Constitution, imprisoned its main leaders, and governed through an interim stooge regime.

By 1964, foreign imperial powers used Guyana as a laboratory for various stratagems of interventions. Racial, religious and ideological differences were exploited to divide our people, leaving a legacy of social bitterness and distrust. Direct intervention resulted in violence, electoral fraud, and support for authoritarian rule.

It is a sad commentary, therefore, that the self-styled PPP leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, should comment that intervention in Guyana is “wholly necessary”.

It is a tragedy that a party that has been “cheated, not defeated” should now advocate interference by invitation!

GOOD PROSPECTS Our foreign partners have sound reasons to know that under the APNU+AFC Coalition Government, the macro-economic fundamentals are intact.

They monitor reports, like doctors checking the pulse of patients, showing that the economy is developing at 4.5%; that prospects are good for exponential growth, as Guyana is poised to become, in the near future, the single richest country on a per capita basis, once oil production gets underway.

Our Western partners and allies have influenced and even participated in the crafting of long-term sustainable development plans. They have access to the new “Guyana Green State Development Strategy: Vision 2040”.

They have seen the Guyana Natural Resources Fund legislation, our equivalent of the much-vaunted Sovereign Wealth Fund, and other legislative instruments that would ensure prudent management of our oil resources.

They have witnessed Guyana’s adherence to anti-money laundering, anti-terrorism and integrity in public life practices. Our democracy is stable and safe.

But the Opposition is also making out a case to be elected to government. As we saw from paid advertisements during the broadcast of the cricket match, the PPP/C is promising, in the lyrics of the spicy Caribbean creole medley, the moon and the stars.

Its presidential candidate is promising free education within five years, and perhaps free university degrees long before then. They are promising to reopen sugar estates that they had run into bankruptcy, and had placed, by 2010, on the divestment block. They are promising reduction in VAT, which they had imposed at 16%, but was reduced to 14% by the Coalition Government.

They are promising everything that they failed to deliver in the past.

GEO-STRATEGIC INTEREST Our history also shows that the same party could be elected or re-elected to form a new government.

As a party, the PPP/C won elections consecutively in 1992, 1997, 2001, 2006 and 2011, and formed new governments.

The APNU+AFC defeated the PPP/C and formed the new government in 2015. As was the case when the PPP was the incumbent, the APNU+AFC Coalition is set to be re-elected. There are many good reasons why the Coalition will form the new government after the March 2, 2020 polls.

In my view, the Senator made a politically proper

PLENTY GOOD REASONS But there are plenty good reasons why the Guyanese people will re-elect the APNU+AFC as the new government. There are some compelling statistics, and I give only a random handful that would appeal to citizens:1. Increase in the minimum wage by over 60%; removing thousands of workers from the Income Tax list, as those earning $780,000 or less do not pay; and increase of old age pension by 56 per cent, now at $20,500 monthly.

2. Government workers at lowest salary got 8% increase since 2016, plus Christmas Bonus, and tax-free

9

back-pay.

3. Corporate tax reduced from 40% to 25%, with tax amnesty given to deal with arrears; small businesses under $15 million exempt from VAT; with Revolving Fund created to help entrepreneurs, together with grant of duty-free concessions for machinery imports; and remigrants get $5 million tax-free for vehicles.

4. Over 5,000 new jobs created, some by self-employment under micro-financing for startup projects; youths from sugar and bauxite belts receive oil-and-gas training, and from Youth Skills Training projects. Many others are enlisted at call centres and info-hub facilities.

5. Youth population and educational institutions have 4G Internet; free Internet for schools and government institutions; free distribution of laptop computers to teachers, and tablets for students. A new Centre of Excellence in IT, and Campus Radio at the University of Guyana.

6. Thousands more persons joined new mining syndicates as workers; hundreds of mining blocks handed out to small miners. Gold production jumped to 700,000oz.

7. Farmers are better off now. New agricultural lands opened, including in hinterland areas. Markets found for paddy and rice in Mexico, Panama and Cuba, and over 35 other countries.

8. New housing communities have been created.

House lot costs have been reduced. 50/50 Jubilee Payment Plan benefitted 2,881 applicants. Home Improvement subsidies granted, with no VAT on Government housing units.

9. New housing schemes and several other communities received access to clean water for the first time. Three new water treatment plants constructed. Eight new wells completed in the Rupununi.

I give these as samples of the better quality of life under the Coalition Government. But more is to come when the APNU+AFC becomes the new government next year.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE OCTOBER 6, 2019

THE POLITICS OF THE PRESIDENCY OR JAIL THE evidence suggests that when politics is fraught with a fear of incarceration, it is uniquely and dangerously different; it becomes an act of survival. Statesmanship, decorum and respect for rules and norms go out the door.

Nothing sits well with the mindset of a politician if he [is] haunted by the thought of facing jail time if he does not win an election. His only resort is to the scorched earth strategy to burn everything in his path that resembles a possible defeat.

This involves objecting to everything under the sun, challenging everything at every turn and endless activism fraught with paranoia. The Presidency or prison scenario makes a candidate and special interest completely different animals in the game of electoral politics.

Perhaps, this phenomenon is on full display in Guyana which is on the precipice of the mother of all elections, hence, the need for a cursory examination of the aforementioned.

THE STATE APPARATUS AND JUSTICE Under the reign of autocratic and totalitarian regimes, law and politics become inextricably intertwined.

The law is used as a tool to execute political vendettas.

Courts and judges are politically appointed and receive directions from a ‘strong man’, so verdicts are decided at the Presidential Palace. A stark example of this lies in the documented case of Joseph Vissarionovich aka ‘Stalin’ during his rule over the Soviet Union from April 3rd, 1922 to October 16th, 1952.

In Simon Sebag Montefiore’s ‘The Court of the Red Tsar’, he describes how Joseph Stalin presents the indomitable case of the power of the state apparatus in law and politics: ‘You think Kamenev may not confess? Stalin asked Mironov. ‘I don’t know’ replied Mironov. Stalin asked: Do you know how much our state weighs with all the factories, machines, the army with all the armaments and the navy? Nobody can know that, Joseph Vissarionovich; it is the realm of astronomical figures’ Mironov replied.

Stalin said: well, and can one man withstand the pressure of that astronomical weight?” This demonstrates the case of the law being used as a mechanism of settling political scores in the context of a totalitarian regime. In the realm of a democratic setting with an independent judiciary, the candidate who has a documented inculpatory evidence of malfeasance in office is an extremely worried man on the campaign trail.

While the state might not have the power over the judiciary to direct the judicial process, once he is charged, he becomes mortified by the idea of facing an independent magistrate.

Winning the Presidency becomes an existential battle and what ensues is behavior that is guided by possible jail or the Presidency.

The psychology of a candidate who must win the presidency or face jail, Vybz Kartel melodiously remarked, ‘prison life, neva eva nice’; his caution has been heard by an entire generation. An electoral candidate facing fraud charges must retire to bed ev-

ery night reflecting on the possibility of being behind bars and for him, capturing the Presidency becomes a sine qua non. He needs control of the state apparatus to use his power to negate any judicial attempt to hold him accountable. This produces a mindset that says I must win or there shall be no country.

This results in actions such as destroying the credibility of anyone or any institution that does not support his agenda, embracing the most odious ideas if they can bring victory, a plethora of endless promises to the people and, in the event that defeat appears on the horizon, he will let slip the dogs of war.

CONCLUSION When elections involve candidates who are facing the courts, a country must brace for vicious elections.

Guyana currently faces this scenario and there is no doubt, the coming months will demonstrate the viciousness of the politics of the Presidency or jail.

Greenidge renounces British citizenship

FORMER Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge has renounced his British citizenship.

Greenidge, who serves as Foreign Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted in a statement on Saturday that the British authorities have confirmed that his application to have his citizenship renounced has been accepted.

Having completed that process, he said that he has informed President David Granger of the development, and according to the former minister, he looks forward to being included on the list of candidates from which the governing APNU+AFC will make its selection of Members of Parliament (MPs) at the Regional and General Elections in 2020.

“UK citizenship and residence enabled me to take advantage, largely free of cost to my parents, of wide-ranging educational opportunities which I would not have been in a position to access or finance had I remained in Guyana,” he said.

As he explained the benefits of his British citizenship, Greenidge said that he was subsequently able to gain invaluable employment and vocational experience in the employ of UK Government agencies before returning to Guyana to serve.” I am grateful to have had that privilege, and through it to have attained the

goals to which my relatives and many Guyanese aspire,” he said.

He has served at the highest levels professionally, at the university, and in the Public Sector as Chief Planning Officer and Secretary to the State Planning Board, before being invited to enter Parliament. “Having given up a promising academic career for politics, my record as a minister and as a successful negotiator, in particular for Guyana and developing states, is rivalled by very few other Guyanese.

I stand ready to continue that contribution,” he added.

Greenidge was one of several government ministers whose seat in the governing benches in the National Assembly were affected by last December’s No-Confidence Motion and accompanying legal processes.

Former Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin, and Former Minister of State Joseph Harmon were the other two ministers who held dual citizenship, and as such resigned from their ministerial posts following the legal processes which were ventilated in the courts after the motion was passed.

On Saturday, Greendge said the two main political parties –the governing APNU+AFC and the Opposition People’s Progressive Party- had sought, by an amendment to the country’s Constitution, a provision which the courts found inadequate if

the intention was to prevent crossing of the floor by an MP. As observed by the learned members of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), the Westminster Constitution from which Guyana’s is derived, permits MPs to cast a vote against the Party via which they gained membership of the National Assembly, he explained.

“They put great store by that fact.

Whilst we must accept their interpretation of the legislation, an M.P, who, having declared his opposition to a motion immediately before it is debated, nonetheless proceeds to vote in favour of it, is someone without integrity. Lack of integrity is not an affliction restricted to dual citizens,” he added. Former AFC M.P. Charrandass Persaud voted against the government, resulting in the passage of the Motion.

Said Greenidge, “It is obvious, therefore, that this is still a hazard waiting to happen again. People betray commitments and principle for reasons other than nationality, and in the case at hand, the M.P neither acted as he did, nor got away with this act because he was a Canadian. Some people betray their colleagues or countries for love, and even more do so for love of money! Of course, Shakespeare would remind us of ambition.”

Greenidge said that the “threat”

will remain as long as there are anomalies in the

Former Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge Constitution. According to Greenidge, the CCJ members, as well as learned counsel, highlighted some, including more stringent citizenship requirements for an M.P than for a Chief Justice or President, and most importantly that the provision collides with fundamental rights provisions.

Nevertheless, he said that the public’s attention has been diverted to nationality -without reference to the significance of its various forms- rather than to remedying these anomalies, or to the equally critical issue of ensuring the integrity of members of the National Assembly.

He said that, looking ahead, he hopes, with the assistance of the new Parliament, “to focus on some of these fundamental challenges facing the nation, rather than on simplistic panaceas.”

Linden rallies for PNCR 11

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, October 6, 2019

…as President Granger urges residents to stick with 'Coalition'

By Svetlana Marshall LEADER of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and President of Guyana, Brigadier David Granger, said as was done in 1964 when the electorate placed the mantle of leadership into the hands of Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham to lead the country into political independence, Linden and the rest of Guyana must now step up to the task, and throw their support behind the PNCR and its coalition partners as lead the country into an era of economic development.

“Give us a chance to continue…My brothers and sisters, in 1964 the electorate placed the burden, the mantle of Leadership on the shoulders of Linden Forbes Burnham, who gave his name to this beautiful town.

He had the task of leading the country into independence, into political independence. Next year, we will launch a decade of economic development. Once again the PNC has the task of leading this country into an era of economic development.

The PNC will provide that leadership to Guyana,” President Granger told the crowd.

At the time, he was addressing thousands of PNCR supporters who had journeyed from communities across the country to celebrate the PNCR’s 62nd Anniversary at Co-op Crescent, Linden. “My brothers and sisters, the PNC was born 62 years ago when our people cried out for firm leadership and for fair government. They wanted a government for everyone, not just for a few,” the party leader told the mammoth crowd of supporters. He said Burnham, in full adherence to the cries of the people, founded the PNC. “From the time we were born, we were born to lead. We led our country to independence in 1966, and we are leading the country with greater independence now in 2019 on our 62nd birthday,” he said.

While alluding to the fact that the PNC entered government in 1964, President Granger explained that the party, just seven years old at the time, entered into a coalition. That, he said, marked the era of massive transformative development in the country. Refreshing the minds of Guyanese, he pointed out that it was under the PNC Government that the Linden-Soesdyke Highway and the University of Guyana were built while housing schemes

President David Granger shares a light moment with General Secretary of the PNCR, Amna Ally

were rapidly established along with other key infrastructure in the health, education, water, electricity, agriculture and transportation sectors. Importantly, he said the Burnham-led PNC Administration encouraged economic empowerment and entrepreneurship in its quest to reduce inequalities and poverty. “We were the pioneers of the Caribbean Community, even before we became independent... On the July 4, 1965, Forbes Burnham went to Errol Barrow in Barbados and he launched CARIFESTA – even before we became independent, that’s a visionary man that founded our party,” he said.

SERVING THE PEOPLE Now that the PNC is in government again, under a similar construct to that of 1964, as part of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change, he said it remains committed to serving the people of Guyana. He noted that the six-party coalition was elected to government in May, 2015

ernment Elections in 20 years.

The PPP removed 36 elected

“We have restored calm and we will continue to restore

A section of the large gathering at the rally

place for corrupt practices.

To ensure safer communities and a reduction in crime, the PNCR, along with its coalition partners in government, will be establishing police divisions in all 10 Administrative Regions.

“My brothers and sisters, we are defending our territorial integrity against Venezuelan claims,” he further pointed out.

It was after the APNU+AFC Government took office, that the Guyana/Venezuela Border Controversy was referred to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) by the United Nations for a resolution.

Under his watch, the country’s economy has seen positive growth from 3.2 per cent in 2015 to 4.1 per cent in 2018. In 2018, Guyana also benefitted from $89B in new investment, which will in turn generate over 1,600 jobs. He told the PNC supporters that his government has been actively reversing the financial mismanagement in the rice and sugar sectors. “We are putting right a lot of the damage that the PPP left us with. We are fixing the school at Kato which could not have been occupied…We are fixing the stelling at Supenaam,” he said.

SERIOUS INJURIES He said Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar – the two

NDCs and installed IMCs. We have been in government for four years, and four months, and we have not installed one IMC,” he pointed out. Added to that, President Granger took note of the fact that his government established four towns – Bartica, Lethem, Mabaruma and Mahadia – in his push to empower local authorities while decentralising public services.

Lindeners were out in their numbers

President David Granger addresses the gathering

by the masses who believed in the notion of shared governance. Since then to now, he said the record shows that the coalition government has been delivering on its commitments to the people.

“We restored democracy by having two Local Government Elections in four years, and the PPP couldn’t have Local Gov-

SECURITY SECTOR Turning his attention to the security sector, the President said his government has brought an end to the “massacre,” “death squads,” “phantom units” and “troubles” that rocked Guyana under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).

calm after March 2 next year.

The days of the ‘Troubles’ must never return. The days of the phantom squads must never return, the days of extra-judicial killings must never return, the days of drug wars must never return,” he said.

He added, “We have restored confidence in government, confidence to improve human safety, confidence to reform the security sector.”

President Granger, who is also Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, made it clear that his government will continue to sweep the Guyana Police Force clean of rogue cops, noting that there is no

former Presidents that served under the PPP – have inflicted serious injuries on Guyana through poor management of the country’s resources but his government will do all it can, though not easy, to remedy the situation.

With the Oil and Gas Sector on the horizon, the government has also established an Energy Department to manage the development of the sector and the petroleum resources of the country. “Everyone will benefit from petroleum. It is not for one little cabal; it is not for one little group of businessmen, all Guyanese will benefit because the bulk of the money is going

to the Sovereign Wealth Fund and that Fund will be used for you and your children and for generations to come,” he said to loud rounds of applause.

Turning his attention to Linden, President Granger reaffirmed PNC’s commitment to the development of the town and its people. “Linden loves the PNC and the PNC loves Linden…You have stood by us through hard times and easy times and we will stand by you. PNC will never let Linden down,” he said to loud cheers. He said the PNC, and by extension, his government, has not forgotten Linden. His government, he said, is reversing the decay and the neglect that Guyana was left in after 23 years of PPP Government between 1992 and 2015. Linden, Region 10 has benefitted from more than $4B from the State Budget, as government improves public service.

The establishment of the Linden Enterprise Network (LEN), the construction of the Linden Magistrate’s Court and the Linden Passport Office among others, are just a few of the developments in the town he said. The Linden Hospital Complex has also benefitted from a donation of over US$6M from the People’s Republic of China. Under construction, he pointed out, is the town’s first synthetic track.

“So things are happening in Linden and life will become better. We will continue to support the improvement of Internet access in Linden, we will establish a call centre at Kara Kara to create 150 jobs, and we have collaborated in the construction of a women’s centre and we built two new community centres in Amelia’s Ward,” he added. Five hundred additional houselots will also be developed and two wells constructed. The Linden to Lethem Road will also be upgraded, he further pledged.

“We know we have much work to do, but give us a chance to complete the work,” he urged Lindeners and rest of Guyana.

“My brothers and sisters we are approaching March next year, one more time we will be put to the test but it is a test that we have passed before and it is a test that Linden passed with flying colours. We deserve another five-year term to continue the work that we have started.

We are confident that this is what you want,” President Granger said.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 6, 2019

Pomp and flair set the tone –– as PNC celebrates 62nd anniversary

By Naomi Marshall

AMID much pomp and ceremony, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) ushered in its 62nd anniversary with a rich street parade, cultural programme and motorcade.

On Saturday, over 60 buses and hundreds of persons journeyed from across the country to join thousands in Linden in celebrating yet another year of PNCR’s worthwhile existence.

Hundreds of PNCR supporters made the 67-mile journey from Georgetown to Linden, waving their PNCR flags along the way.

Upon entering the mining town of Linden, the motorcade was welcomed by thousands of residents who were anxiously awaiting the arrival of the procession.

“Follow the leader! Who is the Leader?

Granger! Granger! Granger!” shouted thousands of persons amid the sound of drums as they waved the party’s flag and the Golden Arrowhead.

The sweet sound of music prompted persons to dance and tramp as they rejoiced along the streets of Linden. But this was only the start of the merrymaking, which saw the grand entrance of President David Granger and First Lady Sandra Granger, as they led an orchestra band to Congress Square.

That marked the beginning of the cultural programme, which was dominated by the young

Young PNCR supporter

Iconic poet, Yvonne Drakes in action and talented youths of Linden. It symbolised how the Party intends using the youths of Guyana, by allowing them to take up their rightful places as leaders of beautiful Guyana.

The cultural programme was opened with a beautiful rendition in song by Linden Mayor Waneka Arrindell.

The iconic poet, Yvonne DOWN MEMORY LANE Drakes then took to the stage with her dramatic poem that carried the audience down memory lane.

“Thank God for our party, thank God for leaders that have a vision but their vision will not become reality without you and me,” stated Drakes during her presentation.

She followed this up by saying: “Haste and rush Linden people, or you will be out of place under the new taste. Adjust in every place, whether colour, religion or race. Now is not time to turn your back or your face, or you would lose your space. Linden people, changes are taking place in every place.”

The crowd was also kept entertained by dances from the ‘Block 22 Dance Troope’; songs by Region 10’s choir; a poem by Zoe Sills; and a musical rendition by Reverend Richard McDonald.

Sixty-two electronic tablets were distributed to students of Region 10 and its neighbouring communities who excelled at this year’s National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) examination.

The presentation was done by PNCR General Secretary and Minister of Social Protection Amna Ally.

SIGNATURE POSE President Granger, amid loud screams and shouts of “Granger, Granger” did not disappoint when he struck what has come to be regarded as his signature pose, much to the fascination of his supporters as they cheered him to the podium where he delivered the feature address.

President Granger also gave five bicycles to five students within Linden in the hope that the gesture will help ease their transportation issues for them.

There was also the sticking of the traditional cake by President Granger, who was ably assisted by Minister with responsibility for Housing Annette Ferguson.

President Granger dancing with Wrapping up the event was Janea Bris- Minister Ferguson tol, Junior Mayor of Linden, who thanked the President for all he has been doing for day of the establishment of PNCR, was the country, particularly the nation’s young held under the theme, “The vanguard for people. She highlighted the ‘5Bs Initia- a decade of development through educative’ and elaborated on how she anxiously tion”. awaits the day tertiary education within The People’s National Congress (PNC) Guyana will become free once again. was founded in 1957 by the late Forbes BurnThe event, which celebrated the birth- ham, Guyana’s first executive president.

Ramkarran gets picked to lead ANUG at 2020 polls A NEW and United Guyana (ANUG) has announced that, at a Members’ Meeting held on Saturday at the Georgetown Club, Camp Street, Georgetown, Ralph Hari Narayen Ramkarran was elected as its Presidential Candidate for the upcoming General and Regional Elections due to be held on March 2, 2020.

Ramkarran was twice overlooked by the PPP/C. Mr. Ramkarran is a founding member of ANUG and is its General Secretary, the fledgling party said in a release. According to ANUG, he has played a major role, along with the Chairman, Mr. Timothy Jonas and many others, in recognising the need for a New Political Party with a unique and singular vision. “ANUG is dedicated to bringing to an end the competition for ethno-political dominance in Guyana’s politics by creating: (a) a Governance System which provides for the equal participation at the executive level of Guyana’s main political forces; (b) an Electoral System that provides for elected constituency representatives while maintaining proportionality, and; (c) a representative legislature independent of the executive.”

While ANUG’s policies have been substantially determined and will be announced

ANUG’s Presidential Candidate, Ralph Hari Narayen Ramkarran as the election campaign season develops, the party said “we are still in the process of refining some policies and devising additional ones to meet the needs of Guyana as our income grows from the exploitation of our petroleum resources.”

However, ANUG believes that the most fundamental issue facing the Guyanese people, over and above every other issue, is that of our System of Government. “We further believe that unless that system changes in such a way that the harmful consequences of ethnic competition between our main political parties is substantially reduced, the political instability which has consumed us for much of

the past yearand much of our modern political history, will continue to be the dominant features of our lives. This will occur while solutions to crime and corruption and the rewards of a growing economy over the coming years will continue to elude the Guyanese people.”

Ramkarran, an Attorney-at-Law and Senior Counsel had devoted his entire adult life to the political development of Guyana through the Peoples’ Progressive Party. Mr. Ramkarran, at 73, was a member of the PPP’s Central Committee and Executive Committee in 1974 and 1975 respectively. Among the main positions in which he served are as a member of the Elections Commission for the 1973, 1992, 1997 and 2001 elections, as a Member of Parliament from 1997 to 2001, as Chair of the Constitutional Reform Commission in 1999-2000 and as Speaker of the National Assembly from 2001 to 2012.

He resigned from the PPP in June 2012 when it was made impossible for him to continue his membership after he wrote an article in the PPP’s newspaper, Mirror, calling for steps to be taken to reduce the “Pervasive Corruption” in Guyana.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE OCtober 6, 2019

Bandits terrorise Port Mourant family

THREE armed bandits on Friday evening terrorised a Port Mourant family while demanding cash and jewellery.

Drupattie Harpaul, 76, a watermelon vendor of Lot 34 Miss Phoebe, Port Mourant, recalled that at around 21:00hrs, she was sitting in a hammock in the bottom-flat of her home when one of three masked men approached and demanded she hand over “the cash”.

The men were armed with a gun, crowbar and cutlasses. The elderly woman said she begged them not to hurt her and told them she does not have any money but the bandits proceeded to hit her across the forehead with the crowbar.

“The blood start pour out and me start holler. Meh ah beg then nah hurt me! Nah hurt me,” the tearful pensioner told this publication.

Drupattie related that she sold her produce at the market on Friday and was to return on Saturday morning but was unable

The Port Mourant house visited by the bandits on Friday

to do since she was hospitalised until midday Saturday.

Meanwhile, after only grabbing a cellphone from the grandmother, the bandits then turned their attention to the woman’s 17-year-old granddaughter, Lena Harpaul, who was in the kitchen and hit her in the head with a cutlass.

Lena told the Guyana Chronicle that the incident left her terrified and in severe pain. Her parents, who were in the upper-flat of the house, were also attacked.

She related that her father was held at gunpoint while her mother hid in a bedroom.

The thieves had to cut short their heist and quickly escaped after neighbours began to converge at the Harpauls’ house.

Lena’s grandmother had run towards the fence and screamed for help.

The bandits carted off three cellphones.

The police are investigating the incident.

Drupattie Harpaul

Reg. 10 teachers go creative ––for annual march, rally THE streets of Linden came alive on Friday morning as nursery, primary and secondary school teachers, who were joined by students of the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), from across Region 10 displayed tremendous stamina and imagination as they marched and

danced through the streets on their way to the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground (MSC) where a rally was held.

Their very creative costumes with accessories, banners, placards and dance choreographies caught the attention of residents and their students who lined Republic

Avenue and other streets en route to the MSC Ground to view the colourfully energetic parade.

Led by officers of the Region 10 Department of Education bedecked in African-inspired costumes, the teachers, representing various characters, showed that they are not only fit for the class-

Pine Street Nursery’s ‘Sailors’

room but can keep a crowd entertained.

Stealing the show were the teachers of the Amelia’s Ward Primary School with their ‘granny-fit’ costumes, accessorised with white wigs, spectacles and walking aids. Their dance routine to the popular calypso of the same name received an

overwhelming response from the crowd and their fellow teachers.

Other schools that stood out included One Mile Primary School’s ‘Guyana Amazon Warriors’; The Pine Street Nursery ‘Sailors’; the Mackenzie High School’s ‘Construction Workers’; and the Wismar Hill Primary

School’s ‘Flight Crew’.

The annual march and rally culminated activities for Teacher’s Week 2019, which was held under the theme, “Young teachers, the future of the profession”.

It also coincided with the observation of World Teacher’s Day on October 5. (DPI)

One Mile Primary School’s ‘Guyana Amazon Warriors’

Guyana remembers those who perished in Cubana Air Disaster GOVERNMENT of Guyana will today join others in commemorating the deaths of those who perished in the Cubana Air Disaster.

The Ministry of Social Cohesion will lead the observance at a ceremony to be held at the monument located at the University of Guyana in memory of those Guyanese who died in the tragedy. Forty-three years ago, Sabrina Harrypaul, Eric Norton, Ann Nelson, Raymond Persaud, Margaret Bradshaw, Gordon M. Sobha, Rawle Thomas, Rita Thomas, Violet Thomas, Jacqueline Williams and Seshnarine Kumar were among 73 who per-

ished when Cubana Flight-455 was bombed and crashed off the shores of Barbados. This incident occurred at the height of the Cold War that saw efforts to influence alignment to, and support for, the Western or Eastern bloc.

Guyana distinguished herself during this period by embracing the Non-Aligned Movement and policies, which allowed for the pursuing of national interest on the international stage independent of having to side with either bloc, though working with both in pursuit of our development agenda and making the world a better place.

Flashback! President David Granger back in 2016 laid a wreath at the monument erected at the Turkeyen Campus to remember the victims of the October 1976 terrorist attack

Ingrid Fung

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 6, 2019

50 years as an active teacher

ONE might think about 50 years, and consider it to be a lifetime.

To the average person, 50 years is half of a century. To the special occult scientist, 50 years has more significant and intricate meaning.

To Ingrid Fung, fifty years represents the duration of shaping and moulding the young impressionable minds of Guyana.

Five decades as a great teacher arousing awe through magnificence. Her role as a pillar in the education sector of Guyana certainly puts her in the pantheon of all-time great teachers.

This immaculate journey originated in the Cinderella County of Essequibo. Ingrid commenced teaching at the Anna Regina Secondary School with the intense yearning of becoming an air hostess. After completing her GCE O’ level subjects, this young lady, armed with vim and vigor, made her way to the Capital city of Georgetown. Being in Georgetown meant being closer to her cherished ambition of rocking the skies. Fate found ways to thwart these aspirations.

Unwittingly, in 1969, she accompanied a family

CXC Registrar, Susan Giles (right), pins an accolade of long and dedicated service on Ms. Fung

friend to an interview at the St. Theresa’s Anglican School (now Peter’s Hall Primary). In the flash of an eye, she was hired as an acting teacher in the secondary department. Basil Barnette Blair (the headmaster of the school at the time) was keen-witted enough to perceive her natural talent for tutelage and mentorship. He persuaded her to join the Government Training College (now known as the Cyril Potter College of Education). Ingrid accepted the challenge and was admitted to the college in 1972. By now, being an air hostess was simply an unrealistic and self-deluding fantasy, but she would go on to soar higher than any aircraft known to man.

After sedulous work, Ingrid graduated training college and was assigned by the Ministry of Education to teach at Queenstown Primary. Rapid upward trajectory was her mindset at this point. She decided to read for a degree in Education at the University of Guyana.

It was definitely a period of toil and travails, but she emerged successful. Upon completion, this college graduate was transferred to the St. Joseph High School, which became her professional sanctuary.

In the year 2000 the millennium bug crisis failed to materialise, but there was a bigger phenomenon occurring. A young girl from Affiance, Essequibo, had morphed into the Principal of St. Joseph High School.

This momentous milestone came only two years after Ingrid acquired a Master’s Degree in Education from the Framingham State College in Boston, Massachusetts, United States.

Ingrid’s legacy at St.

Joseph is unquestionable; when she retired as Principal in 2006, the school was embellished with the best academic results in decades.

Her magnum opus spans regionally. This amazing teacher has been a CSEC examiner for 30 plus years. Her assiduous work launched her into the top position of Assistant Chief Examiner for many years. She is now a seed marker in the online format of marking.

Of course, her name is synonymous with teaching students, but her portfolio is replete with added responsibilities. She served as the facilitator for the Non-Graduate English Distance Programme for teachers around Guyana.

She is mandated with the powers to train English teachers from all the Administrative Regions in Guyana. Ingrid is definitely a rock solid stanchion in the educational framework in Guyana.

Today, her legacy stands tall as she continues to serve as an active English teacher. Ingrid can now boast of teaching the offspring of persons whom

Ingrid Fung receives the Golden Arrow of Achievement from His Excellency, President David Granger she taught in the 1980s and 1990s – generations of positively influencing and inculcating outstanding morals.

Guyana endearingly perceived Ingrid’s devotion to education as she was bestowed with the Golden Arrow of Achievement for long and outstanding service.

If we were to hold a re-

union with all the students who were taught by Ingrid Fung, it would probably rival the Indy 500 Car Race, which is the largest single-day spectating event in the world.

Ingrid Fung is a national treasure and must be lauded ad nauseam for her continued role as an amazing teacher.

Happy Teachers’ Day to a phenomenal woman!

Students converge to hear words of wisdom

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 6, 2019

Guyana elected Vice-Chair of WHO Executive Board

PUBLIC Health Minister Volda Lawrence was, last week, elected Vice-Chair of the global World Health Organisation (WHO) Executive Board during the 71st Session of the Regional Committee, a release from the Ministry of Public Health said.

The release said that Minister Lawrence headed Guyana’s delegation to the 57th Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) meeting and 71st Session of the Regional Committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) for the Americas.

The high-level meeting was held in Washington, DC, from September 30 to October 4, and participants probed a number of wide-ranging global issues including strategies and plans to address the multitude of challenges facing the Hemisphere, includ-

Public Health Minister, Volda Lawrence, chats with PAHO Director, Dr Carissa Etienne

Minister Lawrence (third left) flanked by Dr Carissa Etienne, PAHO Director, on her immediate right and Dr Karen Gordon-Campbell on her left and another official at extreme left

Festival City resident killed in armed robbery A FESTIVAL City, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown resident was shot dead during a robbery at his home on Saturday morning.

Dead is 53-year-old, Darrell Breedy of 2037 Hummingbird Street, Festival City, North Ruimveldt. The father of two was shot in the abdomen by masked bandits around 03:30hrs on Saturday.

Relatives said Breedy was a construction worker and he was also a popular tout outside the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Reports indicate that the bandits gained entry to the two-storey house through a window in the lower-flat where they carted off a television and GY$11,000.

Breedy was shot after a confrontation with the two armed bandits.

An inquiry revealed that one of the bandits was in Breedy’s daughter’s bed-

Dead: Darrell Breedy room holding her at gunpoint, while another was in his room.

While being escorted out of the room, one of the bandits shot Breedy.

After realising he was bleeding profusely, one of the bandits took his daughter, Darnisha Breedy, to her bedroom and demanded she hands over all her money.

She handed over $11,000 after which the bandits made

good their escape on foot.

Police were contacted and upon arrival, they noticed several louvre window panes were removed from an eastern window. Investigators found a bullet several feet away from the body when they arrived on the scene.

Breedy’s body was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital morgue where it is awaiting an autopsy.

The construction worker lived with his wife who is overseas on vacation, along with three other family members.

His mother-in-law, Marva King, related that she was asleep in the upper-flat when she jumped out of her sleep as a result of screams from her granddaughter.

“I heard her screaming and crying, so I went downstairs and saw blood all over,” the traumatised woman said.

ing reducing heart disease by eliminating industrially produced trans-fatty acids; making access to organ, tissue and cell transplants more equitable; and improving the quality of care in health services delivery.

The release said the Guyana delegation, which also included Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Karen Gordon-Campbell, also participated in several events on the margins of the PAHO/ WHO 5-day programme including discussions on ‘Response to Ageing Societies’; ‘Mental Health in the Americas’; the Launch of the ‘Report of the Commission on Equity and Health Inequalities in the Ameri-

cas’ and ‘Addressing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the Americas’.

“The Guyana Public Health Minister also made a presentation on ‘Multi-sector Collaboration to prevent and respond to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Guyana’, during which she took advantage of the opportunity to highlight the Government of Guyana’s efforts to implement several measures, including the Spotlight Initiative which targets women and girls affected by GBV to help improve their overall health and well-being,” the release stated.

It noted, too, that the ‘Multi-sector Collabora-

tion to prevent and respond to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Guyana is part of a menu of measures by Guyana to respond to a slight increase in local domestic violence incidents.

At the 37th Meeting of the Council on Human and Social Development (COHSOD), which preceded the PAHO/WHO meetings, on September 28- 29, also held in Washington, DC, Guyana’s DCMO, Dr. Karen Gordon–Campbell, was also nominated to serve as the CARICOM representative on the board of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), the release said.

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National Museum hosts outreach at Port Kaituma

THE children of Port Kaituma, last week, benefited from a National Museum-outreach in which they were taught about the functions of the unit as well as the value of the nation’s artifacts.

The outreach was held at the primary schools and the lone secondary school in the area and, according to Anthropological Assistant, Kizzie Kit, the outreach involved educating the students about the history of the museum and to complement knowledge-sharing in the classroom.

“The purpose was to really bring awareness of the National Museum to the students,” she said.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 6, 2019

School children of Port Kaituma pay attention during an educational session of the outreach From Monday to Thursday of last week, the team visited the Port Kaituma Primary and the Port Kaituma Secondary schools, as well as a primary level private school in the area.

Kitt said in 2020, the teams from the museum plan to visit several other areas across the country. She recalled that in 2017, a team from the museum journeyed to Matthew’s Ridge on a similar event. On that occasion, the officials took part in the Department of Culture, Youth & Sports’ outreach at the community while in 2018, the museum hosted a children’s taxidermy camp, which involved teaching the children the art of preserving animals.

“The programme was well coordinated and well received,” Kitt said of last week’s event. She said the items, which were taken to display during the tour recently, were securely placed in boxes. She said the items, which were taken, depict Guyana’s rich social and national history.

The National Museum was established in the year 1868 and the unit is usually on the agenda of school tours and visits from members of the public.

A few pieces of items which were on display during the outreach

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 6, 2019

Packed programme for World Sight Day –– free eye testing to be conducted

By Navendra Seoraj

GUYANA will join the rest of the world to celebrate World Sight Day on October 10, 2019 and as part of the commemorative efforts for the occasion, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) will be rolling out a plethora of activities.

According to GPHC’s Ophthalmology Department, the hospital will be conducting free eye tests at its eye clinic from 10:00hrs to 14:00hrs on World Sight Day. Patients will have free access to the clinic and can get their eyes tested for Glaucoma, Cataract, Refractive Errors, Diabetic Retinopathy and other eye diseases. The Diabetic Retinopathy Centre will also be open on that day.

Through collaboration with the World Diabetes Foundation and Orbis International, the Diabetic Eye Centre was established to allow persons with diabetes to undergo free screening and tests to detect early diabetic eye disease (diabetic retinopathy) before it causes permanent blindness.

The screening on World Sight Day will be done by the staff of the Department of Ophthalmolo-

gy including ophthalmologists, optometrists, doctors and nurses of the GPHC’s eye clinic. Screening will also be done at the Vision Centre, located in the GPHC Compound.

In addition, GPHC will also be conducting free eye tests at the Mattai’s Supermarket on Water Street from 10:00hrs to 14:00hrs on Thursday.

A booth and screening area will be set up at the entrance of the supermarket where members of the public will have free

Albouystown resident injured in shootout POLICE are investigating the circumstances under which an Albouystown resident was shot twice on Saturday during a shootout with another man at the La Penitence Market, Georgetown.

Reports indicate that the confrontation occurred in the vicinity of Twins Pharmacy and the victim was identified as Shawn Brown. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

Reports indicate that Brown and two other men exited a car which was parked in front of Twins Pharmacy, and started shooting at a man, who was walking on the road. The man, who sprinted for safety, whipped out a gun and returned fire, injuring Brown.

“These got to be mad people, the one that was shooting end up getting shoot, the other man they was shooting at just run and hide then start shooting back at the other one and hit he,” one eyewitness said.

He continued: “These people didn’t care who else was around, they just shooting like they mad, vendors were running like they mad for shelter.”

access to have their eyes tested for glaucoma, cataract, refractive errors, diabetic retinopathy and other eye diseases. Staff of GPHC will be present to do vision testing and eye pressure testing.

Local optometrists and optical shops are also expected to be involved in eye screening activities at various locations in Georgetown. GPHC is also planning to collaborate with Lions Club to conduct a free vision screening exercise. The University

of Guyana (UG)’s School of Optometry will also conduct various activities on campus.

GPHC will also be hosting a World Sight Day Ophthalmic CME Session in commemoration of World Sight Day for eyecare professionals and physicians.

CME sessions are educational activities where lectures are given on various eye diseases to update physicians in practice. This year, GPHC is collaborating with Da Silva’s Opti-

cal, Modern Optical Service, Optique Vision Care and Orbis International to sponsor this event.

The session will be held on the evening of World Sight Day from 18:00hrs to 20:00hrs at Duke Lodge, Kingston.

GPHC Optometry interns will be conducting a Public Awareness Campaign of visiting various public establishments in Georgetown to distribute posters on glaucoma and diabetic eye health.

As far as sensitisation goes, the GPHC administration has also been working on constructing a billboard to encourage persons with diabetes to check their eyes for diabetic retinopathy. Early screening prevents blindness. Laser treatment for diabetic retinopathy is now available for free at GPHC and patients can prevent blindness by undergoing early screening.

In an effort to reach and sensitise more people, GPHC’s ophthalmologist and optometrist will be on the weekly Kaietuer Radio Programme on October 7, 2019 at 13:00hrs to discuss eye health and World Sight Day activities.

For the past six years, the GPHC’s Department of Ophthalmology has been spearheading World Sight

Day activities in Guyana with various activities being done over the years to promote vision health education and awareness.

World Sight Day is an international day of awareness, held annually on the second Thursday of October to focus attention on the global issue of eye health. This year, the theme is ‘Vision First - a call to nations to ensure that everyone has access to affordable eyecare.’

World Sight Day is co-ordinated by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB). It became an official IAPB event in the year 2000, and has been observed in many different ways in countries around the world.

It is a focal advocacy and public relations event for IAPB and its members and partners each year, highlighting the fact that 75 per cent of blindness is avoidable (i.e. preventable and/or treatable).

Three out of four people have avoidable visual impairment and World Sight Day provides a platform for organisations to encourage governments, corporations, institutions and individuals to actively support global blindness prevention efforts.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 6, 2019

Region Two capital works moving apace

REGION Two Regional Executive Officer (REO), Denis Jaikarran, has reported that 73 per cent of spending for the region’s capital expenditure has been completed.

Jaikarran, during a media briefing, revealed that some $532M was allocated to execute capital projects in the region and based on evaluation, there have been great improvements and positive feedback from residents.

He said a chunk of the spending was allocated towards improvements in the

health and education sectors. Millions were also spent on the maintenance of roads and bridges, as well as to improve the drainage network within the region.

Jaikarran said his staff has a support mechanism in monitoring the projects and noted that he has been given approval from President David Granger to commission 16 projects from the La Union to the Queenstown area.

The projects, which include rehabilitation of the Queenstown Community Centre was the biggest. The works include upgrad-

Regional Executive Officer, Denis Jaikarran, interacting with residents during a consultation on one of the projects

Regional Executive Officer, Denis Jaikarran, interacting with Riverstown residents on a development project

ing of the fence, a tarmac and the building of a pavilion.

The regional administration has also upgraded the Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) centre at Queenstown. The centre provides a comfortable place for persons suffering from disability in the region.

The drainage and irrigation systems in the Pomeroon and Township area have also been enhanced while at La Belle Alliance, a community which is prone to flooding, recently benefitted from inter-locking drains.Â

Meanwhile, Jaikarran said the Suddie Public Hospital will soon have a state-ofthe-art operating theatre. Also, the contract for the Abram Zuil Secondary School will soon be awarded and construction is expected to commence soon after.

The regional executive officer said at least 38 other projects will soon be commissioned from Good Hope to Pomeroon, in an effort to provide residents in the region with a more comfortable environment to live.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE October 6, 2019

Soldiers return as qualified parachute riggers

TWO members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) 31 Special Forces Squadron, Lieutenant (Lt) Kaya Dover and Sergeant (SGT) Chris Corbin, recently returned to Guyana as qualified parachute riggers.

The two successfully completed the Parachute Folding and Maintenance Course at the Centro de Instrucao Para-Quedista, General Pehna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

During the six-monthlong course, they completed the jump master course, and training in cargo preparation and launching, parachute folding, and care and maintenance of parachute and equipment.

Their education consisted of theoretical teaching and practical demonstrations and exercises.

A parachute rigger is a person who is trained or licensed to pack, maintain or

Modest fees soon for companies using CRS

COMPANIES applying for medicine recommendation through the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA)’s Caribbean Regulatory System (CRS) will be charged modest fees from November 15, 2019.

According to CARPHA, the CRS became operational in early 2017 and has performed its duties free of charge for over two years.

“Companies have increasingly used the system and to date have submitted over 100 medicines applications, with the CRS recommending roughly 55 of these for accelerated registration in CARICOM member states,” said CARPHA. All are verified to be the identical medicines approved in a reference agency like the US Food and Drug Administration. This ensures the availability of the same medicines as found in highly regulated markets in CARICOM. CARPHA believes that user fees are an important part of a regulator’s budget because they pay for the services which ensure that operations are efficient and accountable, and that decisions on whether or not to approve medicines occur on reasonable timeframes.

Most pharmaceutical companies welcome user fees because it usually improves the performance of the regulator.

This, according to CARPHA, is especially important in the small states of CARICOM, which struggle to process the medicine applications they receive due to lack of human resources and adequate financing. Ultimately, these efforts are to reduce harm and improve patient access to quality medicines.

“Today is an important milestone in the history of our cooperative efforts. Charging user fees to the industry that uses the CRS is a down payment on its sustainability and will ensure that we have an efficient and effective mechanism for regional regulation in the future. It is another step towards the fulfillment of a Caribbean Single Market Economy,” said Dr. Joy St. John, Executive Director at the Caribbean Public Health Agency.

The CRS helps member states perform key regulatory functions. The CRS do these using efficiencies, such as reliance on reference authorities and a focus on essential medicines, to enable a sustainable enterprise in the resource-constrained environment of small states.

This contributes to CARPHA’s mandate to prevent diseases, promote health and respond to public health emergencies.

repair parachutes.

A rigger is required to understand fabrics, hardware, webbing, regulations, sewing, packing, and other aspects related to the building, packing, repair, and maintenance of parachutes.

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Lieutenant Kaya Dover and Sergeant Chris Corbin stand next to the Brazilian aircraft used during parachute jumps

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… battle with Tridents is feature clash of the CPL playoffs at Providence UNBEATEN Guyana Amazon Warriors are heavy favourites to advance to the final of the 2019 Caribbean Premier League (CWI) playoffs, when they battle against Barbados Tridents in the feature clash of a double-header today at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

The home team have been flawless this season and have left jubilant fans in Guyana and abroad in awe, as they demonstrated superiority in all facets of their game.

Although the weather forecast (accuweather) predicts a partially cloudy day, with a shower in the morning, it should be a very good afternoon for cricket. A win against second-place Tridents in qualifier one, would catapult the Warriors into the final, while if the home team lose, they will have a second chance against the winners of the first match eliminator between St Kitts and Nevis Patriots and defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders. Although Tridents also have a chance at qualifying for the final, they are the underdogs.

They trailed Warriors by a massive ten points after finishing their regular season with five wins in 10 games with a net run rate of 0.518. Warriors, on the other hand, have managed to secure a record-breaking 10 wins in 10 matches for 20 points and a net run rate of 1.724.

TRIDENTS BATTLE When Warriors played Tridents in match six at home on September 8, they registered a comfortable 47-run victory after Guyanese Chandrapaul Hemraj (63) and Trinidadian Nicholas Pooran (61) had blasted half-centuries. Tridents’ batsmen found it difficult to get on top of

the bowling and only lower order batsman Ashley Nurse was able to get the ball over the ropes. His three sixes and an equal amount of fours had pushed him to a top score of 40, but medium fast bowler Romario Shepherd had destroyed the lower order with figures of 4-13 from 2.4 overs, while leg break bowler Shadab Khan had taken a pair. In their second clash, at Bridgetown on September 22, Warriors won by 12 runs via the D/L method. Tridents had again succumbed to the Warriors’ bowling; with off-break bowler, Chris Green taking 4-14 from 3.2 overs and fellow spinner Imran Tahir picking up two scalps to leave the side on 138 all out in 19.2 overs. Brandon King had then blasted his way to 51 unbeaten runs to help Warriors to 81-2 before rain stopped play in 11 overs.

Tridents have improved and they have won their last two clashes.

They defeated the St Lucia Zouks on September 29 by 24 runs and the Knight Riders by seven wickets last Wednesday. In both games opener Johnson Charles played his part with the bat (47 and 55), while leg-break googly bowler Hayden Walsh Jr has been in form with the ball. They will, however, have to compete against a formidable batting, anchored by skipper Shoaib Malik and bolstered by a no-nonsense top and middle order and some quality world-rated bowlers. Adding to that will be the thousands of supporters expected at the ground.

The first game between Knight Riders and Patriots is scheduled to start at 11:00hrs, while the second clash between Warriors and Tridents would bowl off from

15:30hrs.

Jamaica beat Britain for women’s relay gold

By Steve Keating DOHA (Reuters) - Jamaica stormed to world championship gold in the women’s 4x100 metres relay on Saturday, beating Britain in a battle that featured 100 and 200m winners Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Dina Asher-Smith.

Since 2005 the United States and Jamaica have dominated the event at the worlds, with the Americans topping the podium four times, including two years ago in London, and the Jamaicans three. In Doha, though, the fight for gold came down to Jamaica and Britain, the Caribbean nation returning to the top of the podium with a time of 41.44 seconds. Britain took silver in 41.85 and the U.S. bronze in 42.10.

In a surprise twist Fraser-Pryce and Asher-Smith, the two sprint stars of the championships, were not given the responsibility of anchoring their teams but instead went head-to-head in the second leg down the back stretch. Shericka Jackson, bronze medallist in the 400m, brought Jamaica home while Daryll Neita anchored Britain. It was the second gold of the championships for the evergreen Fraser-Pryce, the 32-year-old bringing her

haul from six worlds to nine gold medals and two silvers.

The Jamaican women have taken over the mantle of global sprint superpower from their men and showed the depth of their talent by winning without the services of reigning Olympic champion Elaine Thompson, who was out with injury.

“I am really excited for Team Jamaica and our ladies,” said Fraser-Pryce. “I think it speaks volumes especially going into 2020 (Olympics). There is so many things that can happen at a championship, so we want to make sure all our ladies are ready; no matter who you call on we’ll be ready.” With the U.S. women sprinters turning in unimpressive results in Doha, Jamaica’s biggest threat at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games could very well come from Britain.

Asher-Smith established her credentials as a reliable medal producer by collecting three in Doha — gold in the 200 and silver in the 100m and relay.

“It was absolutely fantastic to go and run out there and we are on the best way to Tokyo,” said Asher-Smith. “We are ready. “We worked for this really hard.”

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, OCTOBer 6, 2019

BCB president Foster hails 80th anniversary celebrations an overwhelming success THE transformation of Berbice cricket over the last 19 months has been remarkable. The situation in early 2018 was that our cricket was leaning over a cliff but in September 2019 we are now on firm footing and on the way to greater success.

The 80th Anniversary celebration was an overwhelming success and all of our objectives were achieved. The 70th anniversary celebration in 2009 and 75th in 2014 were great successes but the 80th anniversary surpassed all expectations.

As president of Berbice Cricket Board (BCB), I can proudly say that never in the history of Guyana has a cricket board worked so hard to develop the game during a twoyear period. ” Those were the words of BCB president Hilbert Foster as he officially ended the month-long celebration of the board’s 80th anniversary.

Foster, along with Public Relations Officer Simon Naidu,

Long-serving umpire Joseph Simon receives his award from BCB president Hilbert Foster. visited the home of the president of the Berbice Cricket Umpires Association, Joseph Simon, to hand over a Tribute to Heroes Award and also donated a water pitcher, a grocery hamper, a pair of crutches and several other gifts. Simon, an umpire for over 43 years, recently lost his left leg due to complications from diabetes. The presentation officially ended the month-

long celebration for the 80th anniversary.

Foster has repeatedly stated that under his leadership, BCB would be a compassionate organisation and not only would organise cricket but also make a positive difference in the lives of others.

He committed the BCB and his club, the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club

MS (RHTY&SC) to assisting the ailing umpire on a regular basis. He also urged other clubs, NGOs and cricket associations to assist Simon. The 80th anniversary celebration started with a presentation of a $20 000 bicycle to all Under-13 female cricketers in Corriverton while among the other programmes were the Tribute to Heroes, Television Programme, 256Page Anniversary Book, Berbice Greatest Cricketers, Tribute to Retired Cricketers, Hall of Fame for Cricketers, Administrators Hall of Fame, Honouring of West Indies Debutants, Youth Information Booklet, Trophy Stall Under-13 Cricket Tournament, STAG Beer 50-overs First Division Tournament, NBS 40 overs Second Division Tournament, Let’s Bet Sports 100 Balls Tournament, UCCA InterSecondary School Tournament, Somwaru Tribute Tournament and a Four-page newspaper pullout. The BCB also assisted 15 young players with over

$300 000 worth of cricket gear.

Clubs benefitted from $400 000 worth of water pitchers while three educational competitions were organised for nursery, primary and secondary students.

Eighty less fortunate students collected school bags while donations were made to several institutions including the Port Mourant Public Hospital.

Anniversary souvenir cups were distributed while clubs and players received scorebooks, bicycles and cricket balls.

The main project was the upgrading of the BCB office, which would be completed in late October. The main objective of the upgrading project is to improve the general service of the BCB to the general public and to cut back on operational expenses. The Dr Tulsi Dyal Singh Wall of Fame would also be unveiled on October 26 by Dr Singh who would be visiting Berbice.

The BCB was established in 1939 by two former West Indies players, LS Burkett and

CR Browne who hailed from Barbados while being employed as senior Managers at the Blairmont Estate.

The BCB president is expressing gratitude to all the sponsors who made the anniversary a success: Dr Tulsi Dyal Singh, Dr. Puran Singh, AH&L Kissoon, University of Guyana, Food for the Poor, Massy (GUY) Ltd, Ansa McAL, Poonai Pharmacy, Shane General Store, Devindra Bishoo, Anthony Bramble, Gudakesh Motie, Caribbean Nations Group, Rodwell Jagmohan, Sentinel Security, J’S Printery, Ministry of Finance, Caribbean Indo Federation, RHTY&SC, Colin Elcock, A. Hamid and Sons, Vice- President Khemraj Ramjattan, NCN, Sukhpaul Gas Station, RDC Region 6, Metro Office Supplies, Trophy Stall, Republic Bank New Amsterdam and the Management & Staff of Albion GUYSUCO Estate.

England march into World Cup quarter-finals as red card cripples Pumas

By Mitch Phillips

TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) England secured their place in the World Cup quarter-finals with a crushing 39-10 victory over Argentina yesterday, as the Pumas were forced to play for over an hour with 14 men after lock Tomas Lavanini was sent off for smashing his shoulder into Owen Farrell’s head.

England were 5-3 up at the time after a Jonny May try and, though the Pumas battled valiantly for a while, they were eventually overwhelmed

England’s George Ford scores their fourth try.

(REUTERS/Issei Kato)

as Elliot Daly, Ben Youngs, George Ford, Jack Nowell and Luke Cowan-Dickie all scored, making most of the second half a cruise. Four years after going out of their own tournament at the pool stage, England are now the first team into the last eight in Japan, where they will probably face Australia or Wales. They can secure top place in Pool C by beating France next weekend.

It was, other than the opening exchanges, a dominant display, and though the red card clearly swung the momentum hugely in England’s favour they

showed a growing combination of power and pace that has made them real contenders to lift the trophy for the second time.

“I’m happy with how we stuck at the game,” coach Eddie Jones said. “We didn’t get carried away. That was a banana-slip game for us.

Previously we beat them with 14. Daly got sent off (in the fifth minute of a 2016 27-14 Twickenham win) and we beat them easily so you have to be careful. “We were just trying to push a bit and we’re a bit rusty after two easy games and a long break and that came

out a bit. In the second half we got a better rhythm.”

Argentina need France to slip up twice to have any chance of going through. Yesterday’s defeat was their 10th in a row against England and they have lost 29 of their last 34 games – a shocking decline for a team who were semi-finalists in two of the previous three tournaments.

They looked sharp enough early on, having promised to play with fire, and England needed try-saving tackles by Daly and Anthony Watson to keep Matias Moroni and Santiago Carreras out.

Sri Lanka stun Pakistan despite Hasnain’s hat-trick MOHAMMAD Hasnain’s hat-trick was in vain as a young Sri Lanka side shocked Pakistan with a 64-run win in the opening match of the Twenty20 International series in Lahore.

Top-ranked Pakistan had won six consecutive T20 contests with Sri Lanka and the tourists were smarting from a 2-0 ODI series defeat, but they pulled off an upset under new captain

Dasun Shanaka at Gaddafi Stadium yesterday.

Sri Lanka posted 165-5 after losing the toss, Danushka Gunathilaka top-scoring with 57 from 38 balls before 19-year-old Hasnain (3-37) took a hat-trick across two overs in his second international in the shortest format.

Pakistan were bowled out for 101 in reply, to suffer a fourth loss in their last five T20s,

Nuwan Pradeep (3-21) and Isuru Udana (3-11) starring in a superb Sri Lanka display in the field.

Gunathilaka got Sri Lanka off to a great start after they were put in, with Faheem Ashraf and Hasnain bringing up the 50 stand in the fifth over.

The left-hander timed the ball sweetly and continued to score freely through the leg side, taking 14 off Shadab Khan’s

first over and pulling the spinner for six to reach his half-century.

Shadab gained a measure of revenge by trapping Gunathilaka leg-before to end an opening partnership of 84, but Avishka Fernando (33) and debutant Bhanuka Rajapaksa (32) kept Sri Lanka ticking along.

Hasnain had a moment to remember when he removed Shehan Jayasuriya to claim a hat-trick the next ball after

seeing off Shanaka, having snared Rajapaksa lbw in the last ball of his previous over.

Pakistan were in big trouble on 22-3 with star man Babar Azam (13) and the recalled Umar Akmal falling in consecutive balls to the excellent Pradeep, who missed out on a hat-trick of his own, before Udana cleaned up Ahmed Shehzad, playing for his country for the first time since last June.

Captain Sarfraz Ahmed (24) and Iftikhar Ahmed (25) got starts but were unable to go on, as Sri Lanka held their catches in a sharp fielding display,

Udana

finishing

off Pakistan after Wanindu Hasaranga (2-20) also did damage.

32 SUNDAY CHRONICLE, October 6, 2019

Rohit completes twin tons as India press for victory MUMBAI, India (Reuters) - Rohit Sharma completed a century in each innings in his maiden Test as opener as India pressed for victory in the first Test against South Africa by setting the touring side a daunting target of 395 at Visakhapatnam yesterday.

India declared their second innings closed on 323 for four wickets with Rohit’s 127 the standout knock among useful contributions from the batsmen who followed.

Faced with the difficult task of batting in the fourth innings on a slow turning wicket to save the Test, South Africa reached 11 for one at stumps with a day left in the match.

The touring side, who lost 3-0 the last time they came to India in 2015, have already lost first-innings centurion Dean Elgar for two to left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja after India successfully overturned a leg-before decision through review.

Limited-overs batting stalwart Rohit, who has cemented his place as an

India’s Rohit Sharma raises his bat after scoring a century during the fourth day of the first cricket Test match against South Africa in Visakhapatnam, India, yesterday.

opener in the Twenty20 and 50-over formats, moved up to the top of the batting order against South Africa to resurrect his stop-start Test career.

The team could not have asked for more from the 32-year-old right-hander as his quick-fire century in the second innings, after his 176 in the first, aided India’s search for quick runs while they batted the opposition out of the equation for a win.

Rohit hit 10 fours and seven sixes in his 149-ball knock for a total of 13 sixes in the Test, one more than Pakistan’s Wasim Akram who had held the record for most sixes since a 1996 Test against Zimbabwe.

India lost opener Mayank Agarwal early but recovered strongly through a secondwicket stand of 169 between Rohit and Cheteshwar Pujara, who made a chance-filled 81 after his cheap dismissal in

the first innings.

A double centurion in the first innings, Agarwal was out for seven when he edged Keshav Maharaj to slip.

There was not much luck otherwise for the South African bowlers as they toiled tirelessly on a hot and humid day unable to convert their half-chances.

Pujara edged between the slip and the wicketkeeper twice in the same over from fast bowler Kagiso Rabada while Rohit was caught on the boundary line but the fielder touched the padding with his foot for it to be declared a six.

South Africa, who fought back spectacularly from 63-4 in their first innings through centuries from Elgar and Quinton de Kock on Friday, were finally all out for 431 in the first session to concede a lead of 71.

O f f - s p i n n e r Ravichandran Ashwin added two more wickets to his overnight five-wicket haul to finish with 7-145 after South Africa had resumed the day on 385 for eight.

Last-gasp Milner keeps Liverpool flying; Spurs crash again

By Neil Robinson LONDON, England (Reuters) - A stoppagetime James Milner penalty sparked huge celebrations at Anfield, as Liverpool beat Leicester City 2-1 yesterday for an eighth successive Premier League win that moved them eight points clear at the top of the table.

The contrast with Tottenham Hotspur, whom they beat in last season’s Champions League final, could not be more marked as Mauricio Pochettino’s side continued to ship goals in a 3-0 loss at Brighton & Hove Albion while Aston Villa thumped Norwich City 5-1 and Burnley edged Everton 1-0.

With Manchester City not playing until today, Liverpool looked determined to lay down their marker and were well in control when Sadio Mane scored the opener his 50th league goal for the club - after getting on the

Liverpool’s James Milner celebrates scoring their second goal with Andrew Robertson and team mates at Anfield, Liverpool, Britain. (Action Images via Reuters/ Carl Recine) end of a superb through ball from Milner.

But Leicester were always a threat on the break and looked to have secured a point when James Maddison equalised 10 minutes from time before a rash Mark Albrighton challenge on Mane set up Milner’s penalty chance.

“We had to dig deep and

find the points,” said Milner, who said he just had to concentrate and stay calm to convert his 16th spot-kick in 18 attempts for Liverpool.

“The boys have done it time and time again. There were a few tired legs and it was about getting the result.”

The game ended with several players from both sides confronting each other

as passions threatened to boil over.

Tottenham’s defeat at the Amex stadium was compounded by a horror injury to keeper Hugo Lloris, who was taken to hospital after injuring his arm in trying to keep out Neal Maupay’s opener on three minutes.

The French keeper, who made a howler against Southampton last week and conceded seven against Bayern Munich, was badly at fault in parrying the ball straight into Maupay’s path.

But recriminations were soon forgotten as the severity of his injury became clear and Lloris was treated on the pitch for six minutes before leaving on a stretcher.

SUBSTANDARD PERFORMANCE Pochettino said the injury so early in the game affected the rest of the team although questions remain about another substandard Spurs performance so soon after

SCOREBOARD INDIA1st innings 502-7 declared SOUTH AFRICA 1st innings Dean Elgar c Cheteshwar Pujara b Ravindra Jadeja 160 Aiden Markram b Ravichandran Ashwin 5 Theunis de Bruyn c Wriddhiman Saha b Ravichandran Ashwin 4 Dane Piedt b Ravindra Jadeja 0 Temba Bavuma lbw Ishant Sharma 18 Faf du Plessis c Cheteshwar Pujara b Ravichandran Ashwin 55 Quinton de Kock b Ravichandran Ashwin 111 Senuran Muthusamy not out 33 Vernon Philander b Ravichandran Ashwin 0 Keshav Maharaj c Mayank Agarwal b Ravichandran Ashwin 9 Kagiso Rabada lbw Ravichandran Ashwin 15 Extras: (b-12, lb-4, nb-5) 21 Total: (all out, 131.2 overs) 431 Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-31, 3-34, 4-63, 5-178, 6-342, 7-370, 8-376, 9-396.

Bowling: Ishant Sharma 16-2-54-1 (nb-1), Mohammed Shami 18-4-47-0 (nb-1) Ravichandran Ashwin 46.2-11-145-7, Ravindra Jadeja 40-5-1242 (nb-1), Hanuma Vihari 9-1-38-0 (nb-2).

INDIA 2nd innings Mayank Agarwal c Faf du Plessis b Keshav Maharaj 7 Rohit Sharma stp. Quinton de Kock b Keshav Maharaj 127 Cheteshwar Pujara lbw Vernon Philander 81 Ravindra Jadeja b Kagiso Rabada 40 Virat Kohli not out 31 Ajinkya Rahane not out 27 Extras: (b-8, lb-2) 10 Total: (4 wkts, 67.0 overs, decl.)

323 Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-190, 3-239, 4-286.

Bowling: Vernon Philander 12-5-21-1, Keshav Maharaj 22-0-129-2, Kagiso Rabada 13-3-41-1, Dane Piedt 17-3-102-0, Senuran Muthusamy 3-0-20-0.

SOUTH AFRICA 2nd innings Aiden Markram not out 3 Dean Elgar lbw Ravindra Jadeja 2 Theunis de Bruyn not out 5 Extras: (lb-1) 1 Total: (one wkt, 9.0 overs) 11 Fall of wickets: 1-4.

Bowling: Ravichandran Ashwin 5-2-7-0, Ravindra Jadeja 4-2-3-1.

Most sixes in a Test Player

Rohit Sharma (Ind) Wasim Akram (Pak) Nathan Astle (NZ) Matthew Hayden (Aus) Brendon McCullum (NZ) Brendon McCullum (NZ) Ben Stokes (Eng)

Sixes Against

13 South Africa 12 Zimbabwe 11 England 11 Zimbabwe 11 Pakistan

11 Sri Lanka 11 South Africa

their mauling by Bayern.

Brighton’s other goals were scored by 19-year-old Irish striker Aaron Connolly in his first Premier League start.

“I’ve been watching the Premier League since I was four or five, so to be playing in it now, and then to score and to win 3-0, it really is a dream come true”. Connolly said.

Brazilian striker Wesley scored twice for Aston Villa in the 5-1 win over Norwich although he spurned the chance of a first-half hattrick by missing a penalty.

That hardly mattered as Villa recorded their highest away Premier League win in 11 years against a side who had

Year 2019 1996 2002 2003 2014 2014 2016

conquered Manchester City in their previous home game.

Everton sit one point above Norwich after their fourth successive

league

defeat,

a result that will pile more pressure on manager Marco Silva. Jeff Hendrick scored Burnley’s

winner

and

Everton will rue the dismissal of Seamus Coleman for two yellow cards.

Bottom remained

side

Watford

without

a

Premier League win this season after being held to a goalless draw by Sheffield United at Vicarage Road.

33

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, October 6, 2019

‘Incredible’: Athletics world erupts over never-before-seen finish

THE men’s steeplechase at the World Championships had the crowd on their feet after a photo finish was needed to separate the gold and silver medallists.

Conseslus Kipruto and Lamecha Girma rambled over barriers and through the water for more than 3 000 metres, and as they approached the finish, there was nothing separating them.

With fans in the jam-packed crowd screaming, they sprawled as they reached the line.

A photo finish showed Kipruto had crossed in 8 minutes, 1.35 seconds.

That was one-hundredth of a second faster than Grima.

“I was praying, ‘Let me be faster than him,’” Kipruto said. “I waited. I prayed. I saw the screen and saw it said ‘Conseslus.’ It was my name. I was definitely happy.”

The finish was the closest

Conseslus Kipruto of Kenya (gold) and Lamecha Girma of Ethiopia (silver) cross the finish line in the Men’s 3 000 metres Steeplechase final. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

in steeplechase history at the World Championships.

Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali completed the podium by taking the bronze.

“The Ethiopians really pushed hard because they knew I was kicking,” Kipruto said. “They had their plans before we started the race and I had plans for us Kenyans to push hard.

“For me in championships I always believe experience matters a lot, it is not about shape.

“Steeplechase is normally a Kenyan event; it belongs to Kenyans but nowadays there are competitors from around the world.”

KENYA’S DOMINANCE CONTINUES Kipruto’s victory extended Kenya’s dominant run to seven

consecutive men’s world steeplechase gold medals going back to the 2007 championships in Japan.

But the 24-year-old Kipruto only managed to keep his country on top by the smallest of margins.

Trailing the 18-year-old Girma over the final barrier, the Kenyan tapped into his experience and timed his kick to perfection to beat his rival to the wire by millimetres.

“This is my first major international competition and I am very happy,” Girma said.

“In the last 50 metres I was thinking I am going to win.

Before the race I did not expect to win.

“I am very thrilled to be the first Ethiopian to medal at the world championships.”

Stephney calls for ECB to honour its heroes FORMER Essequibo Senior inter-county captain and WICB-accredited Level 11 coach Elroy Stephney is appealing to the Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB) to honour its heroes.

He is of firm conviction that many are deserving of being inducted into a Hall of Fame for their outstanding contributions to the sport and the joy that they have brought to the hearts of their supporters across the country.

Stephney alluded to Berbice Cricket Board (BCB), which recently celebrated its 80th Anniversary with the induction of a number of its former great players including Clayton Lambert, Narsingh Deonarine and Mahendra Nagamootoo.

“I am convinced that our

Former Essequibo senior inter-county captain Elroy Stephney own cricketers from the past had a tremendous impact in how they played the game and the serious influence they had on young

cricketers like myself growing up at the time,” posited Stephney.

“As a youngster growing up, I would love going to watch players like Trenton Peters, Ramcharran Singh, Berchmore Reid, Mark Stephney, James Chattergoon and Jaimini Singh bat. Later I would eventually play with these guys and they were phenomenal athletes who would never retreat from a battle.

“They actually inspired me to appreciate and believe in my ability since there weren’t many opportunities back then.”

Stephney noted that while he did not get the opportunity to witness some of the older cricketers in action, he was told of a few who played for Essequibo and made the county proud.

He listed the late former

national fast bowler Courtney Gonsalves, Alfred Maycock, John Floyd, Jeff Jones, Fitz Garraway, Lennox Alves and Keith Cameron among others, who were as good as any player in their time.

Stephney singled out Jeff Jones as scoring Essequibo’s first inter-county four-day century; a record that was only eclipsed

by Ramcharran Singh, Dinesh Joseph, Troy Cornelius and Ramesh Narine.

“The late Courtney Gonsalves was as quick as Colin Croft in his time I was told, and he claimed several 5-wicket hauls against Demerara and Berbice, while only a few could have ferociously smash a cricket ball better than Trenton Peters, who had many famous encounters with the likes of Linden Joseph, Kevin

Darlington, Reon King and Colin Stuart.

“It is really sad indeed that we do not have a formal record of these stalwarts from Essequibo and I’m suggesting that the ECB Hostel should be renovated and should house the portraits of these wonderful players of the past.

“I’m therefore suggesting that the ECB should begin the process of identifying our first batch of heroes to be inducted into a Hall of Fame and I’m proposing those to be Courtney Gonsalves, Alfred Maycock, John Floyd and Jeff Jones. “The ECB should also honour the late Kayman Sankar and Beni Sankar for their priceless contributions to the sport both developmentally and administratively.

“We owe a debt of gratitude

to the Sankars for bringing cricket to us in a massive way, not only in terms of the resources they provided including the ground, gear and transportation, but also in enabling us to see first class cricket at the Hampton Court ground. Many of us would have never been able to witness the likes of Brian Lara, Carl Hooper, Jimmy Adams, Ian Bishop, Richie Richardson among others live in action.

“Let’s get this started, ECB, to preserve our rich legacy so we can always remember and pay our humble tributes to our deserving heroes.” acknowledged Stephney.

Fourth EBFA/Ralph Green U-11 League – Day 4 Wins for Timehri Panthers, Swan FC, Riddim Squad and Eagles SWAN Football Club and Eagles Football Club of Stewartville, West Coast Demerara both posted their first wins when play in the fourth edition of the East Bank Football Association (EBFA) Under-11 League, sponsored

by USA-based Guyanese Ralph Green, continued yesterday at the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), National Training Centre, Providence, East Bank Demerara.

Defending champions Timehri Panthers and Riddim Squad both collected their second win in four outings while Vurlon Mills

Academy and Fruta Conquerors battled to a 0-0 draw. There was also a draw in the Agricola Red Triangle vs Kuru Kururu Warriors clash, 1-1.

Despite the draw with Conquerors, Vurlon Mills Academy are the team to beat in Group ‘A’ as they are still in pole position and have sealed their place in the next round of the competition, with a game in hand.

Fruta Conquerors, with two matches to play can still seal a place in the next round but will have to win both their remaining matches and hope that Timehri Panthers slip up in their

final match.

The Panthers defeated Diamond United 2-0 yesterday on account of goals from Esteban Madina in the 11th minute and Shaquelle Caleb in the 17th minute.

Swan romped to a 3-0 win over Friendship All Stars in a very close match which saw Friendship wilting under the midday heat in the final five minutes of the match. It had looked like the match was heading for a draw but Swan’s players had differing ideas.They knocked in three unanswered goals, a double from Kevin DeGoias in

Riddim Squad’s Jaheam Lewis (partly hidden) nets the winning goal against Grove Hi Tech.

Terez Moore sealed the deal of Eagles FC, the West Demerara-based lads. the 25th and 27th minute with Marko Andrews tucking in the other in the 29th minute to seal a memorable win for the Swan lads.

Riddim Squad needled Grove

High Tech through a Jaheam Lewis 9th-minute goal. The win propelled Riddim Squad to the top of the points standings in Group ‘B’ on goal difference ahead of Kuru Kururu Warriors who had to claw their way back from being a goal down against Agricola Red Triangle to earn an equal share of the points.

Agricola went ahead in the 4th minute thanks to a Brandon Narine goal. It took the Kuru Kururu

Warriors until minute 22 to be able to respond in like manner through a Jahson Maddison goal.

Eagles FC sailed to their first win via a 1-0 margin over Samatta Point/Kaneville - Terez Moore the player who sealed the deal for the West Demerara-based lads in the two minutes before full time (28th minute). Matches will continue next Saturday at the same venue.

34 SUNDAY CHRONICLE, October 6, 2019

Holding says Pakistan safe for touring teams KARACHI, Pakistan (CMC) – West Indies fast-bowling legend Michael Holding has endorsed the full return of international cricket to Pakistan following a weeklong visit here.

The 65-year-old Holding, a member of the Caribbean side’s fearsome pace battery of the 1970s and ’80s, visited the once volatile Asian nation as a special guest of philanthropist and entrepreneur, Dr Kashif Ansari, for Pakistan’s threematch one-day series against Sri Lanka.

“Nothing has changed in Pakistan. The love for cricket attracts me to visit this country,” said Holding, now a renowned television commentator, while reflecting on the first time he visited the

West Indies fast-bowling legend Michael Holding country in 1981.

“I would like to say that the security here is fantastic. I hope that more international teams will consider playing cricket in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

“If I had any apprehension or fear of security, I wouldn’t have come to Pakistan. I have no problem here. It is good and encouraging news that the Sri Lankans are here to

play international matches.”

He added: “Pakistan should not be isolated from the game just because something had happened ten years ago. It is useful to have security precautions which obviously are every country’s priority and Pakistan is not any different.”

Pakistan was hit by a lengthy suspension from hosting international cricket after a terrorist attack during Sri Lanka’s 2009 tour resulted in injury to several players, and the death of members of the security forces.

However, cricket authorities have lobbied fervently for the return of international cricket and last year April, a weakened West Indies side toured for three Twenty20 Internationals.

Earlier this year, West

Indies Women also contested three T20 Internationals in Karachi.

Holding, who was accompanied

by West Indian commentator Barry Wilkinson – also as a guest of Dr Ansari – witnessed the historic return of ODI cricket to the National Stadium here.

Holding and Wilkinson also paid a courtesy call to Dr Ansari’s privately-run hospital, the Omair Sana Foundation, a home for kids with the blood disorder thalassemia.

Holding also placed a vote of confidence in Pakistan’s new Prime Minister Imran Khan, the country’s former all-rounder and Test captain whom he faced during his playing days.

Khan was one of the prolific

cricketers the world of cricket has witnessed. If he leads the country the same as he did the cricket team, Pakistan will be fine,” he concluded.

Wilkinson, who has covered the last three T20 and 50-over World Cups, was impressed with the level of security, hospitality and also Pakistan’s crowd which came out in their numbers to witness the matches in Karachi.

“There is an obvious energy to this crowd watching their team at home, a vibe that you don’t get when they are playing in Dubai,” the Barbadian said.

“So to deny them of seeing their team on home turf is not fair, especially after the security requirements have passed with glowing colours.”

American Biles lands new skills at the world gymnastics (REUTERS) - American Simone Biles landed the triple-double on the floor exercise and the doubledouble dismount off the balance beam at the world gymnastics championships in Stuttgart, Germany yesterday to have two new skills named after her.

The triple-double - a tripletwisting double backflip - on the floor exercise will now officially be named the ‘Biles II’ while the double-double tuck (two flips and two twists) dismount off the beam will simply be called the ‘Biles’.

Gymnasts earn the right to have a skill named after them after

Simone Biles of the USA in action in Stuttgart, Germany.

(REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay) they submit it for evaluation and land the move successfully at a major competition.

“I’m pretty pleased because that’s how I train beam and it finally felt good to go out

there and hit a beam routine ... because I feel like every time ... I just bomb it,” Biles told the Olympic Channel.

“Overall, I still feel like I could do better. My goal going into tonight was to not be great, just to do well. I feel like I accomplished that and made it into finals. Yay!” The U.S. team topped the qualifying standings with a total of 174.205, followed by China (169.161) and Russia (168.080).

The U.S., Chinese and Russian women’s teams had already earned places at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics while nine other teams - France, Canada, Netherlands, Britain, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Japan and

Spain - will join them.

Only the top eight qualify for the team final on Tuesday so Germany, Belgium, Japan and Spain missed out. The leading 24 gymnasts qualify for the individual all-around final on Thursday.

Biles led the individual standings with a total score of 59.432 on the vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor, followed by compatriot Sunisa Lee (57.166) and France’s Melanie de Jesus dos Santos (56.782).

The owner of 20 world medals, including 14 gold, the 22-year-old Biles could end the championships as the most decorated athlete

in the competition’s history by topping Belarusian Vitaly Scherbo’s haul of 23 medals.

Although Biles stepped out of bounds to earn a 0.2 penalty in the floor exercise, she still topped the standings with a score of 14.833 ahead of team mates Lee and Jade Carey.

The double-double dismount on the balance beam also earned her the top spot with a score of 14.800.

In the vault, Carey and Biles led the standings while Belgium’s Nina Derwael had the highest score on the uneven bars.

Caribbean to annually honour outstanding boxers -Ninvalle CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Sunday October 06, 2019) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL- Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD- 83 Garnett street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1)

Chris Gayle-93 (Warner Park, 2017)

(2)

Christopher Barnwell (vs Zouks, Providence) Today’s Quiz:

(1)

In which year no CPL centuries were scored?

(2) In which CPL season only one century was recorded?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

THE Anglophone Caribbean is pushing for recognition of its outstanding boxers on an annual basis through the presentation of awards. This was disclosed by Chairman of the Caribbean Boxing Steering Committee (CBSC) and vicepresident of the Americas Boxing Confederation (ABC), Steve Ninvalle.

Speaking with Chronicle Sport by telephone from Oslo, Norway where he is attending a meeting, Ninvalle informed that the CBSC has approved in principle for the hosting of the annual awards but the modalities are still to be worked out.

“At the level of the Steering Committee we believe that

recognition of athletes from their community is important.

Rewards and recognition are both motivational tools that obviously will contribute to enhanced commitment and performance of boxers.

“We feel that a show of regional appreciation is paramount and will form another pillar in the development of the sport in CARICOM,” Ninvalle declared.

Acknowledgement will be given to boxers in all categories including Schoolboys and Juniors. Coaches will also be honoured when the award ceremony is held. Ninvalle, also president of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) explained that the first ceremony is

scheduled for 2020.

“Our intention was to have our first Caribbean Boxing Awards this year but there is still much work to be done and at this point in time 2019 seems unlikely. However, you can rest assured that there will be Caribbean Best Boxer (male and female), Elite, Youth, Junior and Schoolboy by the end of 2020.

According to Ninvalle, countries will be required to send in their nominees in each category with the requisite information relating to achievement during the calendar year. The same goes for coaches.

The CBSC was formed last February with the mandate to chart and promote the development of boxing in the Region.

It has a life of four years. Ninvalle

was elected unopposed as was his vice-chairman Cecil Forde of Trinidad and Tobago, widely regarded as the Caribbean’s elder statesman.

The four committee members elected are: Dr Debra StephenJohn of Grenada, Leyla Jackson of

Cayman

Islands,

David

`Shakes’ Christopher of St Lucia and Jose Rosario of US Virgin Islands. AIBA Three Star referee James Beckles of Trinidad and Tobago was nominated Special Adviser to the committee.

35

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, October 6, 2019

John wins feature race at 15th annual Hand-in-Hand cycling JAMAUL John rode away with the top prize in the feature clash of the 15th annual Handin-Hand Mutual Fire and Life Insurance Companies cycling competition, which was held yesterday in the National Park.

John, who has been in dominant form of recent, stayed with a pack of four other cyclists from the sixth of the 35 laps in the School Boys and Invitational. The riders battled well in the last lap to assert dominance and the distance that separated them was not great, but as has become the norm over

Jamaul John celebrates as he crosses the line ahead of the pack.

the last few weeks, the 22-yearold was the first across the line in 1:15:48secs.

Paul De Nobrega finished second ahead Briton John, while Christopher Griffith placed fourth and Curtis Dey fifth. Some 21 riders started the feature event.

John later said that he was elated with the win and thanked his sponsors from Team Coco’s for their continuous support.

Along with the feature clash, cyclists battled in four other

events.

Junior Niles won the Veterans Under-50 five-lap race after finishing in a time of 13:05.45. He was followed by Kwame Ridley and Jaikarran Sukhai. In the Veterans Over-50, Ian Jackson got the better of Andy Spencer and Kennard Lovell over five laps while in the Juveniles 10lap, Sherwin Sampson defeated Aaron Newton after clocking 21:56.14.The Mountain Bikes five-lap Novice battle was won

by Darius Ramsammy with Nigel

London in second and Lennox Jackman third.

In the other event, BMX Boys 6-9 two-lap race, Lennox Jackman Jr emerged ahead of Aditya Deokarran and William Green respectively.

All three youngsters were presented with new bikes compliments of the sponsors.

Meanwhile, Business Development Personnel Shannon Yan pledged Hand-inHand’s continued support of the cycling event.

GDF, Rose Hall Jammers share opening honours in GBA Intermediate Boxing

Andrey Bess won his opener on points on Friday night.

THE Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and Rose Hall Town Jammers registered a win each on the opening night of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) Lennox Blackmoore National Intermediate Championships, which is currently underway at the National Gymnasium.

Only six bouts took place on Friday night, four of which were exhibition clashes.

In the Intermediate bantamweight division, 18-year-old Andrey Bess defeated GDF’s Jermaine Grant, while in the lightweight clash GDF’s Jerimiah Jackman gained a

walkover victory against the Jammer’s Kellon Williams.

In the four exhibition bouts, 75% involved GDF boxers competing among themselves, while the other bout was between two Forgotten Youth Foundation (FYF) boxers.

Five gyms, including defending champions GDF, FYF, Jammers, Pocket Rockets and Ricola are competing in the three-night event.

Technical Director of the GBA, Terrence Poole, noted that some 33 boxers, two of whom are females, were scheduled to

take the ring.

The bout between Abiola Jackman and a Pocket Rocket Gym boxer would take place tonight as well as several of the male weightdivision finals.

Meanwhile Bess, who attends the New Amsterdam Technical Institute, was set to cheer on his gym mate Raphael Sebastian last night in another bantamweight bout, which could end with the two 18-year-old Berbice boxers reaching the final.

According to president of the GBA, Steve Ninvalle, the association will next look to run off the National Open, as it prepares

for its most difficult Caribbean Boxing Championships, scheduled for December 4-9 in Trinidad.

Ninvalle said that the Open, scheduled for later this month, would be used to select a large national squad to be encamped for at least a month to stand a chance against boxers from powerhouse nations such as Cuba (who have produced several World and Olympic champions), Venezuela, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

The four Latin American nations were invited to the event this year.

Coleman, Lyles help U.S. end relay gold drought

By Gene Cherry DOHA, Qatar (Reuters) - A United States quartet, led by Christian Coleman, blazed to the 4x100 metres relay title at the world athletics championships yesterday, clocking the second fastest time ever at 37.10 seconds to end a 12-year gold medal drought.

Coleman, world 100m champion, put the Americans ahead with a stunning start and 200m gold medallist Noah Lyles completed the job, crossing the line with his arms raised triumphantly as his team mates celebrated, wrapped in American flags.

“We were all motivated to do something special and it just

Christian Coleman, Justin Gatlin, Michael Rodgers and Noah Lyles of the U.S. celebrate after winning gold at Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar. (REUTERS/ Kai Pfaffenbach)

happened, everybody wanted it,” said Lyles, who will leave his first world championships with double gold.

“We all wanted to break the curse, a generational curse and bring on a new era,” he added.

“That is the part that feels the most exciting to think the time we break the curse is the time something great happens. “Every time you come across in the relay with the USA it is magical, all of a sudden you get this energy to run around the track again.”

Defending champions Britain took the silver in 37.36 seconds, a European record, as Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake failed to catch Lyles on the final straight.

Japan won bronze with a time of

37.43 seconds, an Asian record.

Joining Coleman and Lyles, the two rising stars on the global sprint scene, were veterans in Justin Gatlin, twice world champion, and 34-year-old Mike Rodgers, who had never before stood atop a world championship or Olympic podium.

After a wobbly performance in the heats in which Canada filed a protest against the U.S. for failing to make a proper exchange, the American quartet had a meeting to ensure there were no hiccups in the final. Victims of sloppy exchanges and dropped batons over the years, the message came through loud and clear as the United States made four clean exchanges in a polished

effort to come home just outside Jamaica’s world record 36.84.

“We had a meeting in the morning,” said Coleman, who also heads home with two gold medals. “We just got to come together, everybody just got to execute, focus on what they need to do, have an open dialogue about what went wrong in the prelims and what we are going to do better in the final.

“If you never have that conversation then you are just going to go there and you kind of can’t expect different results,” Coleman added.

“So we just got to talk about what we needed to do and everybody locked in and we got it done.”

Pure racing, Happiest Men Alive win overall titles Rotary Club of Demerara Off-Road Rally FORTY-TWO teams registered but only two teams emerged victorious at the end of the Rotary Club of Demerara Off-Road Rally yesterday.

Held in the Soesdyke, Linden and Marudi area, Pure Racing won the bike class overall

with Happiest Men Alive’s Jacques Foster taking the overall vehicle class.

Competitors traversed four terrains of varying difficulty.

(Details in tomorrow’s edition)

Some winners of the 2019 Demerara Rotary Off-Road Rally

36 SUNDAY CHRONICLE, October 6, 2019

Unbeaten

Warriors are favourites to reach CPL final today 30 PAGE

Guyana Amazon Warriors became the first team to finish a Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season with a perfect record of 10 wins from 10 matches.

Jamaica beat Britain for Caribbean to annually honour women’s relay gold 30 outstanding boxers -Ninvalle 34 PAGE

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Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Natalliah Whyte, Jonielle Smith and Shericka Jackson celebrate winning gold. (REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach) Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limited, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 226-3243-9 (General); Editorial: 227-5204, 227-5216. Fax:227-5208

Chairman of CBSC and vice-president of ABC, Steve Ninvalle

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 06, 2019