Guyana Chronicle E-paper 10-10-2019

THURSDAY 10th OCTOBER, 2019

' No.105786

‘We’re not against

cash grants’ …President says WPA was asked to work out details of proposal

…plans will address development across sectors with major focus on education

SEE STORY ON PAGE 03

$34M for hinterland sustainable community projects

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‘Revision then personalities’ 03 PAGE

…President says issues of PM candidate for coalition will come after revision of accord

Maintaining 17 profitability, growth PAGE

--Demerara Bank’s ECD branch celebrates 8th Anniversary

President David Granger receives from His Excellency Ahmed Ibrahim Abdulla Al-Abdulla, Non-Resident Ambassador of the State of Qatar, his Letters of Credence. Also photographed are Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings (left) and Director-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Audrey Waddell (right).

(Ministry of the Presidency photo) (SEE STORY ON PAGE 2)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 10, 2019

Guyana, Qatar pledge to boost trade in oil, air services

…as non-resident ambassador accredited PRESIDENT David Granger, on Wednesday, accredited His Excellency, Ahmed Ibrahim Abdulla Al-Abdulla, Non-Resident Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Guyana.

Ambassador Al-Abdulla presented his Letters of Credence to President Granger during a simple but

significant ceremony at the Ministry of the Presidency.

His accreditation comes less than one month after Guyana and Qatar signed a Bilateral Air Services Agreement, paving the way for future cooperation in investment, enhanced trade, air travel and the movement of people.

In his address, Presi-

dent Granger said Guyana is opened to having a deeper partnership with Qatar in the areas of Oil and Gas, Trade and Investment, and Tourism among other critical sectors.

“I wish to convey Guyana’s interest in deepening cooperation with Qatar in trade, capacity-building and education. I also wish to

President David Granger (second right) with His Excellency Ahmed Ibrahim Abdulla Al-Abdulla, Non-Resident Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Guyana (second left) flanked by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings (left) and Director-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Audrey Waddell (right). (MOTP Photos)

suggest that new fields of cooperation in energy and tourism be explored. Guyana is keen on enhancing partnerships with experienced oil producers such as Qatar,” President Granger said.

He added that Ambassador Al-Abdulla’s appointment will provide opportunities for fruitful discussions and exchanges in the oil and gas sector of both countries.

While alluding to the fact that the two countries have worked closely with each other in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the United Nations, the Head of State said Guyana stands ready to deepen its engagements and cooperation with Qatar within those organisations.

He told Ambassador Al-Abdulla that Guyana is in the early stages of transitioning into a ‘Green State.’

During this period, the country is placing emphasis on the protection of the environment, the preservation of the country’s biodiversity, the promotion of renewable

energy and the adoption of practical measures to ensure climate adaptation.

“The ‘green state’ will allow a more effective response to the challenges posed by climate change, which are affecting all mankind. Climate change represents a threat to both of our countries’ economy and environment. We look forward to sharing experiences in building climate-resilient economic sectors and creating a safer planet for all our people,” President Granger explained.

In his brief remarks, Ambassador Al-Abdulla said the State of Qatar is more than willing to strengthen cooperation with Guyana across various fields to the benefit of both countries. “Despite the geographical distance between the State of Qatar and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, the two countries have excellent relation since the establishment of diplomatic relations between them. Your Excellency, I am honoured and I [am]looking

forward to work and cooperate with members of your esteem government to develop and enhance the already exciting cordial relation between both of our countries,” Ambassador Al-Abdulla told President Granger.

Guyana and Qatar established diplomatic ties twenty-three years ago, on August 23, 1996.

Their relationship is based on mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, mutual non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, cooperation for mutual benefit, respect for treaties and international law and the maintenance of regional peace and security.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings and Director-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Audrey Waddell were among the officials present during the accreditation ceremony.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 10, 2019

‘Revision then personalities’

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…President says issues of PM candidate for coalition will come after revision of accord

…hopeful of early conclusion, says process progressing smoothly

By Svetlana Marshall THE A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC) will launch their joint manifesto and elections campaign after completing the review of the 2015 Cummingsburg Accord, President David Granger said on Wednesday. And the President said the issue of a prime ministerial candidate will come after the conclusion of the revision.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an accreditation ceremony at the Ministry of the Presidency, the Head of State and Leader of the APNU said that while the APNU had concluded its internal negotiations, discussions were still on-going with the AFC. “Those discussions will follow a three-stage process.

We have first drafted a set of core principles and we have agreed on those principles, that is, APNU+AFC. We are now discussing the review of the Cummingsburg Accord, and the third step in the process would be the drafting of a joint manifesto and then we will launch the campaign,” President Granger explained.

With the core principles agreed upon several weeks ago, it is anticipated that the

APNU and the AFC will soon arrive at a consensus with respect to a revised Cummingsburg Accord. “My expectation is that during the course of this month, we will move further along to reaching a solution to any other difficulty we may have but right now the discussions are going on, pretty smoothly,” President Granger said.

The revised accord will detail the method of selecting the Prime Ministerial Candidate. Under the 2015 Cummingsburg Accord, which brought the two political parties together as a coalition on February 14, 2015 ahead of the elections, the APNU nominates the Presidential Candidate and the AFC, the Prime Ministerial Candidate.

Added to that, APNU was allocated 60 per cent of the seats won by the Government in the National Assembly while the AFC received the remaining 40 per cent. As such, it is therefore expected that the revised accord will also treat with the allocation of seats in the National Assembly, and the appointment of ministers among other critical matters.

“We expect that in the course of the discussions with the Alliance for Change, we will look at personalities.

Right now we are just dealing with policies and prin-

President David Granger

ciples…Our main concern has been the agreement on the core principles and now, the manifesto will deal with the policies, so we have not come down to personalities,” President Granger said.

The AFC has submitted its Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, for the position of Prime Ministerial Candidate in keeping with the 2015 Cummingsburg Accord but the President has indicated that no decision has been taken on the proposal. He iterated that the coalition partners must first complete the revision of the accord before treating with “personalities.”

Thus far, the two sides

have agreed that the accord must be in accordance with the Constitution. In the previous accord, the parties had agreed that Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo would chair cabinet, but later this proved problematic as according to the Constitution, cabinet must be chaired by the President unless he is out of the jurisdiction or unable to perform the function.

There have been suggestions that the President could delegate this responsibility even if he is in the country.

This newspaper also understands that, as part of the core principles, the parties agreed and committed to the

establishment of a system of inclusionary democracy and the advancement of the country’s Green State development Strategy: Vision 2040.

They also committed to seeking electoral majorities at the general and regional elections and local government elections and agreed to select candidates for the upcoming elections through participatory and transparent processes which guarantee that candidates enjoy the majority of their respective constituencies and satisfy all legal criteria for election.

On the issue of allocation of seats in the National Assembly, Cabinet, Regional Democratic Councils, Municipal and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils, the sides agreed that this would be done on the basis of a formula. The sides agreed too that the prerogative of the President to appoint members of cabinet and ministers and to assign specific ministerial portfolios is explicitly embodied in the Constitution and is inviolable.

Other areas covered in the core principles are that of the publishing of a joint manifesto comprising 12 broad fields: constitutional reform, good governance, economic growth and development, education improvement, energy sector, environmental

protection, indigenous peoples, infrastructural development, international relations, social protection and social cohesion, security and human safety, women, gender equality and youth. The parties agreed to jointly finance their elections campaign and also to campaign vigorously either on their own or collectively in each contested constituency.

Discussions with the AFC on the Cummingsburg Accord were initiated after the APNU completed its internal negotiations, President Granger said. According to the Leader of the APNU, the members of the five-party partnership – People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), the Justice for All Party, National Front Alliance (NFA), and Guyana Action Party (GAP) – proposed modification to their internal agreement.

“GAP, which has a strong indigenous support, has made a change; WPA, as you know, is supportive of the cash grant; and the PNC, the NFA, and Justice for All Party have all made contributions,” President Granger disclosed.

He said there was a high degree of consensus among the parties at the end of the negotiation process.

‘We’re not against cash grants’ …President says WPA was asked to work out details of proposal …plans will address developments across sectors with major focus on education LEADER of the A Partnership for National Unit (APNU) and President of Guyana, Brigadier David Granger, said the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) has been asked to provide detailed information on its proposed ‘cash transfer’ initiative, which, if implemented, would result in Guyanese households receiving liquid cash from the revenues streaming from the Oil and Gas Industry.

“There is no for or against. The proposal has been made by the Working People’s Alliance but we have not worked out the details.

The others partners are not against cash grants, but we asked for more information and the details as to who will be eligible and how it will be disbursed,” President Granger

explained.

At the time, he was speaking with reporters on the sideline of an accreditation ceremony at the Ministry of the Presidency. The WPA forms part of the APNU – a partner within the coalition government.

“So it is not a question of refusal or any conflict; it is a question of the operationalising of that element, of what is going to be part of the Sovereign Wealth Fund,” he further added.

The President said it is important to work out a detailed plan for the use of revenues from the Oil and Gas Industry. That plan, he posited, will address developments across sectors with major focus on education. “Right now, we are eating the cake before we get it,” Presi-

dent Granger posited while noting that the country must first have an understanding of its profits before certain decisions. “So we don’t know how much we are getting, so we asked our partners to address their minds on how much needs to be spent and for what purpose and to whom,” President Granger said.

While underscoring the need for a clear plan, he iterated that the parties are not against the initiative.

“We are now in the stage of planning; and it is not necessarily the best thing to conduct this debate before the plan has been made…But the APNU is not against any cash grants; it needs to know more, so it could make a proper pronouncement to the people of Guyana,” President Granger said.

In its proposal, The WPA recommended that Guyanese households receive US$5,000 each in the form of a cash transfer. The idea was the brainchild of Economist, Professor Clive Thomas.

At a recent forum, Professor Thomas said researches done

by Rystad Energy Analytics, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Bank have shown that certain types of cash transfers aid social inclusion, food, nutrition and health; education, labour, early childhood development and hinders the impact of poverty and inequality.

He said that the initiative – if accepted – is not likely to be fully operational until the latter part of 2020 and is not intended to be permanent

as most Guyanese will be better off each new year into oil production. It is estimated that the initiative would cost $US1.05B annually.

Whether or not the initiative is implemented, Guyana, in the first 10 years of oil production, is expected to experience unprecedented development with major focus on education. This would be in keeping with President David Granger’s Decade of Development.

Emphasis will also be placed on the further diversification of the economy and infrastructural developments within the health, tourism, agriculture, social services, telecommunications and housing sectors among other critical sectors.

4 GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 10, 2019

Turkey launches Syria offensive with air strikes Turkish warplanes have bombed parts of north-eastern Syria at the start of an offensive which could lead to conflict with Kurdish-led allies of the US. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the operation was to create a “safe zone” cleared of Kurdish militias which will also house Syrian refugees.

Several locations were

hit and at least two civilians died, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said.

It vowed to resist any Turkish advance across the border.

Amid growing humanitarian concerns, the SDF asked the US-led coalition against the jihadist group Islamic State (IS) to establish a no-fly zone in the area to stop “attacks on innocent

10 October, 2019 03:00hrs ~ 04:30hrs

The Syrian town of Ras al-Ain came under attack (BBC photo)

people”.

The Kurds -- key US allies in defeating IS in Syria -- guard thousands of IS fighters and their relatives in prisons and camps in areas under their control and it is unclear whether they will continue to be safely detained.

The offensive was launched just days after President Donald Trump controversially withdrew US troops from the border area, a decision announced after a phone call with Mr Erdogan that was widely condemned at home and abroad.

In a statement, Mr Trump - who had threatened to “obliterate” Turkey’s economy if it went “off limits” in the incursion - said

the US did not “endorse this attack and has made it clear to Turkey that this operation is a bad idea”.

On Twitter, Mr Erdogan said the mission “was to prevent the creation of a terror corridor across our southern border, and to bring peace to the area” vowing to “preserve Syria’s territorial integrity and liberate local communities from terrorists.”

The scale of the long-threatened offensive - Turkey’s third military operation in northern Syria in three years - was not yet clear, and there was no information on whether Turkish ground forces had attempted to enter Syria.

Several towns and villages were hit by air strikes

and artillery fire, and residents were said to be fleeing the towns of Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad. Two civilians had been killed and two others injured in Misharrafa, west of Ras al-Ain, the SDF said.

Turkey considers the Kurdish YPG militia - the dominant force in the SDF - an extension of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which has fought for Kurdish autonomy in Turkey for three decades.

The Turkish government plans to create a “safe zone” without Kurdish militias - regarded by Ankara as terrorists - which will also accommodate two million of Turkey’s 3.6 million Syrian refugees.

The UK and France planned to request an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the situation, and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker urged Turkey to “halt its military operation”.

Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Turkey had “legitimate security concerns” but that he expected the country to “act with restraint and to ensure that any action... is proportionate and measured.

US Senator Lindsay Graham, a close ally of Mr Trump, said he would lead an effort in Congress to “make Erdogan pay a heavy price”, adding: “Pray for our Kurdish allies who have been shamelessly abandoned by the Trump Administration.” In his statement, Mr Trump also said Turkey would be responsible for ensuring that suspected IS fighters being held captive remained in prison and that IS did not regroup.

The SDF says it is detaining more than 12,000 suspected IS members in seven prisons, and at least 4,000 of them are foreign nationals. The exact locations have not been not revealed, but some are reportedly close to the Turkish border.

Two camps - Roj and Ain Issa - holding families of suspected IS members are inside the “safe zone”.

On Wednesday, IS militants reportedly carried out three suicide attacks in their former de facto capital of Raqqa. There was no confirmation of casualties. (BBC)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 10, 2019

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69 rescued from slavery in TT church

(Trinidad Express) –In a sting operation coordinated by the Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith and executed by the Special Operation Response Team (SORT), the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) 69 T&T citizens (65 men and 4 women) ranging in ages from 20 to their 60’s.

Police say they were all being held captive.Most were in cages.Some were in handcuffs.

The operation commenced at approximately 12:15am on Wednesday at a prominent church on Eastern Main Road, Arouca. Search warrants were

Three persons are seen in cages at the Transformed Rehabilitation Life Ministry Centre, where 69 persons were found at the facility in Arouca last night, during a police exercise.

issued pursuant to Section 13 Chap. 12:10 of the Trafficking in Persons Act, after a period of monitoring and investigations.

CGriffith, Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations (Ag.) Jayson Forde, the TTPS’s Victim and Witness Support Unit, Northern Division C.I.D. are also on scene as at 5:30am today, assisted by a medical unit comprising of doctors, nurses and ambulance attendants from the North Central Regional Health Authority, who are also conducting initial onscene examinations of the rescued nationals.

As a result thus far, six peoples were arrested

at the church which is supposed to be a rehabilitation centre. Reports were given to senior officers months ago about possible imprisonment of persons and Commissioner Griffith, who spearheaded the operation, is now investigating possible negligence of duties of officers. Subsequent reports will be issued in the near future.

Investigations are continuing.

Mexico mayor tied to car and dragged along by angry locals Eleven people have been arrested in southern Mexico after the mayor of their village was dragged out of his office, tied to a pick-up truck and dragged through the streets.

Police intervened to free Mayor Jorge Luis Escandón Hernández, who reportedly suffered no major injuries.

It was the second attack by farmers demanding that he fulfil his campaign promise to repair a local road.

Extra officers have been

deployed to the village in Chiapas state.

Mayors and local politicians in Mexico are often targeted by drug gangs when they refuse to cooperate with their criminal schemes but it is less common for them to be attacked over their campaign promises. Mr Escandón said he would press charges for abduction and attempted murder.

Video taken by bystanders outside the mayor’s office showed a group of men pulling

CCTV footage captured the moment the mayor was being dragged along the streets(BBC photo)

him out of the building and forcing him onto the back of the vehicle.

Footage captured later by a CCTV showed him being dragged along, tied with a rope around his hands to the back of the truck through the streets of Santa Rita, which forms part of Las Margaritas. It took dozens of municipal police officers to stop the vehicle and rescue the mayor. Several people were injured in scuf-

fles between the police and those who had abducted the mayor. In an earlier incident four months ago, a group of men trashed his office when they did not find him there.

In the lead-up to the mayoral election in Las Margaritas, Mr Escandón was himself arrested on suspicion of taking part in a brawl with supporters of a rival candidate.

He was released for lack of evidence. (BBC)

6 GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 10, 2019

Trade unionism and politics TRADE unionism has been an important pillar in Guyana’s evolution and in workers’ and citizens’ development. In 1905, Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow led dock workers to strike against poor working conditions, which included wages and salaries. This registered Guyana’s first mass-based action in the 20th century.

Under Critchlow’s leadership, workers mobilised and fought the merchant class, who, together with the colonial authorities, were comfortable in denying them better working conditions.

The dock workers’ struggle gave credence to the fact that, collectively, workers can achieve better working conditions rather than engaging the employer individually. These workers’ commitment to

solidarity among themselves in pursuit of improving their standard of living, realised the British Guiana Labour Union, which was registered in 1919 and later renamed the Guyana Labour Union.

The workers’ struggles have achieved for this nation conditions of work such as a minimum wage; an eighthour work day; holiday with pay; overtime pay; sick leave; the Workman’s Compensation Act; labour laws; the Landlord and Tenant Act; National Insurance and Social Security; Occupational Safety and Health; free education and free health care.

At the social level, the trade unions were involved in turnkey housing development such as obtained in TucVille in Georgetown, TucBer in New Amsterdam, Wisroc in Linden, and the

Kwakwani Housing Scheme in Upper Rio, Berbice. The ‘Tuc’ in the names of the two schemes means the Trades Union Congress (TUC), which spearheaded their conceptualisation and construction. The TUC also played a role in education, as is evident in the Critchlow Labour College and the Guyana Industrial Training Centre (GITC), which are brainchildren of the TUC. On the political front, the trade union movement started the mass-based struggle for internal self-government. In this 50th year of Guyana’s independence, it need not be forgotten that, 90 years ago (1926), Caribbean labour leaders -- which included Critchlow -- congregated here to conceptualise and develop a strategy for self-government, which included the

one-man-one-vote concept that set in train a series of events that culminated in independence in the Caribbean, starting in the 1960s.

If truth be told, nothing was ever willingly given to workers by employers; workers have always had to fight for what they received. Other employers, to be competitive, have incorporated the negotiated benefits from unionised workplaces into their conditions of employment. The trade union, from inception, has been a pressure group both at the workplace and in the wider society. While the movement negotiates better working conditions, it has extended its role to include workers’ welfare in the wider community. This is probably better understood through the work of the International Labour Organisation (ILO),

which was established in 1919 and has conventions impacting on the workers’ well-being both in and out of work. These conventions touch the workers’ social, economic, cultural and political lives.

No pretence is made that labour relations here have not been without their challenges, and have not at times been tumultuous; nor can it be denied that political parties, having established alliances with the labour movement and its leadership, have, from time to time, infiltrated its ranks with politicians who view the movement as a platform to further their partisan political agendas. That having been said, there remains a role for the trade union movement as a pressure group, social partner, and party in the industrial relations system.

If Guyana is to earn and maintain respect and credibility in the international arena as a member of the United Nations, the ILO, and international financial institutions whose development premises include respecting individual rights and freedoms, the trade union movement must be allowed to occupy its rightful place in our industrial relations’ system and the nation’s body politic.

Arguably, the framers of the Guyana Constitution recognised this -- as is evident in articles that refer to this institution -- and has assigned specific roles to the trade union movement.

President Granger’s APNU+AFC coalition guarantees fair distribution of oil and gas resources Dear Editor, THE nation, and wider world, those parts that have been familiar with the governance of the PPP/C for its over two decades in office, would know that this country’s resources have been cornered by the business sector, and friends and cronies.

It was systematically carried out in a manner, which although disguised as legitimate business, served as a cover for the biggest acts of pillage ever occurring in this country. In fact, it has always been contended that such de-gutting could not have taken place without collusion of this sector. But this was with political blessings with nothing to fear, since those who committed these offences against the state had political protection.

Even where there should have been opportunities for legitimate

participation by citizens, such as contract-bidding, these were given in a discriminatory manner to the business class, and other related types – all friends and cronies of the government, the cabal. Editor, it is believed that these were the two categories or combined category, to which the president may have been referring, when he addressed the massive Linden crowd last weekend. Please see “Petroleum proceeds to benefit all Guyanese, not one cabal or one group of businessmen – President Granger,” News Source October 07, 2019.

It is significant that the President has made this statement, especially against what has been the political background that commenced since 2015, to undermine his government.

There must be no resort to diplomatic language here, for ever since the EXXON announcement of oil discoveries, the same collective

has, by their naked actions, make their intentions clear – CONTROL THE OIL AND GAS!; and given the political forces that support this pole goal, this can only be an intended repeat of the pre-2015 PPP/C governance landscape. It explains all the desperation, in the form of lies, misinformation and fake news that has been originating from this component of the PPP/C bandwagon. It reminds one of the European and other leaders who gathered 130 years ago at the infamous Berlin Conference to carve up the continent of Africa, and demarcate borders which influenced the groundwork for much of the conflicts on the continent that subsequently took place.

President Granger is consistently clear as to the fair distribution of oil benefits for all Guyanese, with it not being confined to the politically privileged and its cohorts.

Editor, there will be enough for every Guyanese from which to benefit, and therefore, no one category or class of Guyanese must ever believe that this nation’s patrimony is the coveted preserve or custodial privilege of theirs. There is already a serious socio-economic imbalance that exists in this country, compliments of a well-known type of situation alluded to above. That it had been deliberate in its construct, needs no repeat or re-emphasis here. It is a stark fact, which, in essence, has created a groundswell for serious discontent, which must be remedied.

We are indeed fortunate that the discovery of hydrocarbons affords not only a God-given opportunity to correct this grave socio-economic imbalance that has become entrenched in sections of our daily lives, but also to bring about equality in the quality of life that should

be lived, and the opportunities for making this a reality. This can only become a reality when every Guyanese man, woman and child, be it vendor, clerk, artisan, small and medium-sized stall holder, the citizen in the street, etcetera, be a part of this coming bonanza.

It is only a David Granger-led administration that can make this a just reality for all the people of this nation, as has been amply demonstrated by his government’s policies that has been benefitting all Guyanese; and not the former culture of greed that had willfully garnered and confined the material resources of this nation for the well- known cabal with political blessings. This must not happen again, especially with our oil and gas resources.

Regards Earl Hamilton

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 10, 2019

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Ali’s misplaced comments: Out of his depth on national security matters

Dear Editor

OF course, it was indeed the ‘Night of the long knives’ captioned story in the Guyana Chronicle, October 8, 2019, in which His Excellency President Granger, Commander-in-Chief and Minister of Defence, gave a concise but comprehensive picture of the Guyana Defence Force decimating Jagdeo puppet, Irfaan Ali’s mischievous claim, made in a July 28, 2019 News Room report titled, ‘Presidential Candidate Irfaan Ali details plans for ‘men and women in uniform,’ where he erroneously claimed that the government is ‘interfering in the security forces’ and its use of ‘obsolete equipment.’

Editor, it was a clear pitch to

the ‘men and women’ in uniform, where he made promises to them and which had prompted a full-scale response from Commissioner of Police Leslie James, who exposed Ali’s grave mischief in seeking to cause dissension among police ranks.

Although no blood had been literally shed – as in the ‘night of the long knives’ when Nazi Adolph Hitler, at the behest of his henchmen, ordered the executions of many prominent Germans who were perceived as threats to his government. The removal of the four high-ranking GDF colonels by then president Jagdeo, to make way for four relatively junior officers as their replacements, as well as becoming the most senior administrators of the GDF, was indeed bru-

tal, and grievous, since it resulted in the seconding of those officers to the PSC, as the president outlined, while causing dissension. Most of all it amounted to supersession.

That was indeed an assault on the army’s succession planning, in addition to paving the way for political control of the country’s military, thus shifting the army away from its well-known tradition of being a professional military body tasked with the following: Protecting the Constitution; safeguarding the nation’s territorial integrity; and assisting in the maintenance of civil order, if/when required.

I will not be repeating any of what the president outlined that has been occurring within and to the army, since 2015, for the enhancement of its human capacity

building and improvement, and the development of its material capability for a better equipped armed force. The GDF has indeed grown since 2015 and who must know better about the needs of the GDF, than the Ret Brigadier General and former commander, with a distinguished military career, and one of the most seminal contributors towards making the national army what it is today.

Simply put, Ali is a fervent rabble rouser, hopelessly out of his depth where matters of national import are concerned, much less national security, and what it takes to effect a professional service dedicated to serving the needs of the nation. By his pronouncements, he has further highlighted the devious action of his handler, who inflicted

a grievous wound on the national army by an act that was quite clear in what it had intended to achieve.

By the way Editor, one wonders when will Ali produce his long overdue academic certificates, and the international community speak on a would-be presidential candidate, having 19 charges to answer in the local courts. Surely; would such be a norm for a U.S. presidential candidate, a British party leader contesting national election, or in the wider European Union?

Regards Carla Mendonca

Guyanese, be wary of getting into Bharrat Jagdeo’s bad book

Dear Editor, UNLESS you have been living under a rock, you must have heard that profanity-laced tirade allegedly by the de facto PPP presidential candidate Bharrat Jagdeo.

Most, if not all persons including myself are convinced that the voice we heard is that of Bharrat Jagdeo.

For those who have not heard the tape and do not know the background to this story, I am more than happy to fill you in. A few weeks ago when the Indian cricket team was in the Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo was plastering social media with a photo of Chris Gayle and himself. As usual, most folk did not pay any attention to Bharrat Jagdeo, since they know this was one of his regular hormonal attention-seeking games. Anyway, it was obvious from the photo that some kind of teenage crush was at play. A ball headed middle-aged man having teenage crush.

A few days ago Chris Gayle decided to join the massive crowd in Linden to celebrate the PNC’s anniversary with President Granger and his ministers. Apparently, one of Jagdeo’s ladybirds informed him of this development. Bharrat was not happy and relegated both Chris Gayle and wicketkeeper Tull to his bad book.

Come on Bharrat, Chris is a free man and can do as he wishes.

Mr Editor, this is hilarious.

Bharrat Jagdeo catching feelings over Chris Gayle. Another Dexta Daps moment of, “bring it to the owner.” There was just one problem, Chris is not

Bharrat’s own. You know what, I have serious issues with these Jamaican entertainers who are coming to Guyana and leaving our vulnerable “mermaids” devastated. I could imagine this is how it played out in that Pradoville mansion as Bharrat got the news. Bharrat reclined in his loveseat sofa while Irfaan served as his footstool to alleviate the maladies affecting

his degenerated hip and knee joints. Bishop Edghill, providing regular sips of holy water as he mops massa’s profusely sweating forehead. Bharrat is sobbing and is being consoled by none other than the character with his own love story caught on tape, Kwame. In between massive heart-wrenching wails, he stuttered, “Chris belongs to me. He held my hands.”

Mr. Editor, take my word on this. There is a grain of truth in every joke. In this case, this is much more than a grain. Now the more serious stuff. I, like most Guyanese, do not believe that Bharrat Jagdeo should ever again hold political office in Guyana. He is too vindictive and petty among other character flaws. He will, as he had done in the past, use his office to

victimise innocent citizens. He had shown these qualities when he was President. Many can attest to his mean streak; Stabroek News, Mark Benschop, the Munroes etc. All Guyanese should listen to that tape and determine for themselves if a Bharrat Jagdeo-led PPP should be elected again to run the affairs of Guyana and give him the opportunity of seeking

vengeance against those in his bad books.

Finally, Bharrat, you can now add me to that infamous bad book. Trust you get over your heartbreak soon. Ralph did find the lonely hearts club helpful.

Regards Dr Mark Devonish

8 GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 10, 2019

What are the protocols pertaining to minors?

Dear Editor A RECENT article in the media stated that, “…a 15-year-old girl who attempted to take her own life has been placed in the National Psychiatric Hospital…She was reportedly placed there with only a piece of sponge to sleep on, which she said is smelly and the surroundings are unsanitary and inhumane… According to the teenager, she attempted to take her own life on numerous occasions because she was sexually molested, but relatives did nothing to help her.”

This article raises a number of critical issues. Firstly, given that the young lady is alleging rape, should the case not have immediately been handed over to the Childcare and Protection Agency, since she’s a

minor and it is well known that rape is often a catalyst for suicide attempts. Are there any protocols in this regard? If so, should the police and the psychologists/psychiatrists at the National Psychiatric Institution not be aware of these protocols? Can the CPA and Ms Ann Greene please, please enlighten us whether there are any protocols in this regard that relate to the role of the CPA? Secondly, while the police got the child placed on a suicide watch, it seems that they did absolutely nothing regarding her allegations of sexual abuse. Were they not supposed to first take her to a medical facility to seek to get her tested with a rape kit? This begs the question as to whether appropriate training, has/is been provided to the police in this regard.

Thirdly, here is a case of attempted suicide leading to the arrest of a child, reinforcing the critical need to decriminalise suicide. In fact, it is well known by now that this would already have been done but for political grandstanding.

Meanwhile, Guyanese are still waiting on the current government to act on a promise made more than a year after it voted in parliament against decriminalisation of suicide.

Fourthly, placing that child under those allegedly conditions at the National Psychiatric Institution will only worsen her mental condition.

It has been common knowledge for years that this institution needs large-scale renovation and upgrading. Does the law about placing individuals on suicide watch apply to minors as well? Is the child being offered counseling therapy and oth-

er needed interventions?

All of this raise the issue of the child’s human rights, which seemed to have been violated by both the police and the National Psychiatric Institution. But perhaps the very critical issue also is the parents’ role in all of this. Did they ever seek counselling help for the child after that first suicide attempt? Did they ever take measures to determine whether the allegations of sexual abuse are true? Sexual abuse activists and advocates all agree that once an allegation is made, parents and caregivers must first accept that it is true and immediately act on it.

Meanwhile, there is urgent need for the rape allegation to be investigated since, for if it is found to be true, such information could be very revealing as it relates to actions by the family and the po-

lice, respectively. As well, while this specific case has reached the public domain, The Caribbean Voice is aware of numerous other cases of sexual abuse/incest by family members that are swept under the carpet as the age old ‘need to protect family honour’ is now compounded by other family members going into denial when victims reveal their abuse and occasionally mothers as wives preferring to ‘hold on ‘ to their husbands who are the abusive stepfathers and so will either do nothing about the allegations or will further abuse the victims physically, emotionally, verbally and/or financially.

Regards Annan Boodram The Caribbean Voice

Some NDCs not working in the best interest of their constituencies

Dear Editor,

THE Kaieteur News of Thursday, 3rd October, 2019 on Page 11, under the caption NDC Chairman being investigated.

Paragraph five, “The NDC Chairman said that he indeed took the images off of the wall but never threw it on the ground. He said he placed the images that were framed on a cupboard and left his reason that his actions were premised on the

fact that the government is unconstitutional and there is no need for the pictures to be there.

During my tenure as a councillor of the Region Two Regional Democratic Council (RDC.), I was also a member of the Works and Agriculture Committee, a statutory committee of the RDC. The monthly meetings of this committee used to be held in the Drainage and Irrigation building and in the Office of the Regional Vice-Chairman,

Mr Vishnu Samaroo, who was also the chairman of that committee, and during my seven consecutive years as a member, Mr Vishnu Samaroo always had two former Presidents, Dr Cheddi Jagan and Janet Jagan’s photographs high on the wall in his office, although both of them were already dead. Myself and Mr Samaroo had and still have a good relationship, so I asked the question, where is Mr Hoyte and Mr Burnham and Mr Chung, but he would

smile and never answered.

There are certainly times where you get the impression that some of these Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) are not working in the best interest of the people in the community and by extension of this coalition government; what they often do is to undermine all efforts pertaining to development, so as to make the administration look bad, instead of carrying out the works in a timely manner from government

subventions and from rates and taxes received from taxpayers..

I can remember that a Local Government Minister of the PPP/C Government stating that he would be happy if an epidemic can break out in the city of Georgetown, so as to emphasise the incompetence of the Hamilton Green mayorship. Now think of the meaning of that statement and simultaneously that of the action of this NDC

hairman. The Minister of Communities have got to be careful in dealing with those Chairmen of the NDCs whose mindset is the same or similar.

Regards Archie Cordis Former Region Two Councillor

Nandlall trying to prejudice outcome of his law books theft case Dear Editor, I READ with amusement the threat by Mr Anil Nandlall that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) would shake up the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) if it returns to power.

Mr Nandlall was the attorney general in the last PPP Government, and he was subsequently charged with taking government law books for his personal use.

The Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) was set up to deal with white

collar crimes. When the government changed, news swirled around about former government officials who had misappropriated government lands and other properties, and of some who had walked away with billions of dollars. Several

prominent former officials were fingered and a few faced criminal charges.

It was a disappointment that these probes did not result in any of the PPP big wigs being convicted, but the public continues to be concerned, since some

of these “fat cats’’ display their loot for all to see.

Mr Nandlall, a known wannabe PPP presidential candidate, is trying to find fault with SOCU, not with those who have been placed under scrutiny. By pointing fingers

at his accuser, he hopes to prejudice the court that is hearing his law books theft case.

Regards Rovin Singh

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 10, 2019

Many good reasons for re-election of coalition

9

---PM Nagamootoo

PRIME MINISTER Moses Nagamootoo sees many good reasons why the incumbent APNU+AFC coalition will be re-elected as the new government at the March 2020 polls.

In his Sunday Chronicle column titled “Same Party; New Government” the Prime Minister said that Guyana’s foreign partners have sound reasons to know that the macro-economic fundamentals are intact. “They monitor reports, like doctors checking the pulse of patients, showing that the economy is develop-

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

ing 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. “ Describing Guyana’s democracy as stable and safe, he disclosed that our western partners and allies have influenced the crafting of long-term sustainable development plans. He added that 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, Prime Minister Nagamootoo wrote.

A veteran politician-journalist, the Prime Minister

noted that the opposition is also making out a case to be elected to government.

He said that 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”, he stated with obvious humour.

“They are promising to re-open 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 it was reduced to 14% by the Coalition Government. They are promising everything that they failed to deliver in the past.”

He provided what he described as “compelling statistics”, including a 60% increase in the national minimum wage, that would appeal to citizens to re-elect the Coalition.

World Post Day celebrated in Region Two

-$12.5M Anna Regina Post Office refurbished MINISTER of Public Telecommunications Catherine Hughes, on Wednesday, officially reopened the Anna Regina Post Office to the general public. The post office, which was refurbished at the cost of approximately $12.6M, boasts a state-of-the-art ICT hub, modern toilet facilities and also easy access for those persons living with disabilities.

Addressing the gathering during the formal opening at Anna Regina, Minister Hughes said billions of people around the world still use the postal service as a means of communication in delivering goods to friends and family or even to transact business. She added that the Ministry of Public Telecommunications has recognized that in an ever-changing technological world, the postal service must be able to adapt and diversify in an effort to continue delivering the quality of postal service in Guyana. In that view, she related that the Ministry intends to convert as many post offices as possible across Guyana into modern

Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes, speaking to the gathering at the re-opening of the Anna Regina Post Office

multi-functional facilities.

“The intention is to use every available facility to take public services to citizens and to save them the cost and inconvenience of travelling outside of their communities or regions to access them. To this end, the aim remains to renovate and rehabilitate, initially, key post offices that would be able to deliver services to its maximum number of persons” Minister Hughes said.

Speaking specifically on World Postal Day which is observed yearly on October 9, the minister added that around the world, the postal service is reviewing and re-organizing and, as such,

Minister of Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes, officially opening the Anna Regina Post Office that was recently refurbished. Mrs. Basir, who recently served on the board, cut the ribbon

Guyana is no different. She said her Ministry is still keen on turning all post offices into ICT hubs so that they can generate other sources of income.

“Access to the Internet” With the ITC hubs being set up at the Anna Regina Post Office, the Minister emphasized that children and even the elderly can use the opportunity to access free internet. The Minister re-emphasized that with the adoption of modern technology, the postal service is poised towards taking the service provision to another level.

It is also the ministry’s desire to make available close to 100 government services online. She, therefore, thanked all the staff attached to the Guyana Post Office Corporation for their dedicated services over the years.

Meanwhile, Postmaster General (Acting) for the GPOC, Mrs, Anastasia Jessemy Lynch, said that the Corporation has been serving the Guyanese public for the past 42 years. Mrs. Lynch said that over 500 persons make up the staff at the GPOC. She said World Post day is celebrated under the theme, “Delivering De-

The newly refurbished Anna Regina Post Office

Persons accessing the services at the Anna Regina Post Office Wednesday morning

velopment”.

Chairman of the GPOC board, Rev Dr. Murtland Raphael Mas-

Minister Catherine Hughes meeting with Regional Executive Officer, Region Two, Denis Jaikaran

siah, thanked the staff for their services. He said that the GPOC delivers close to 98 per-cent of Guy-

ana’s mail and remains committed to serving the Guyanese public.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 10, 2019

ExxonMobil Guyana engages coastal Regions on Payara

IN continuing its sensitisation on the Payara Development Project and its general operations, ExxonMobil recently held engagements with community members along the coastal regions of Guyana.

Last week, the company’s team visited Lake Mainstay in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) even as similar engagements will be held in Regions One, Three, Five and Six over the next few weeks.

“We are also providing and showcasing information about oil spill response and equipment. We are working with the CDC in this effort to better educate and have awareness of how we would respond in the event of an oil spill emergency,” explained

Senior Director for Public and Government Affairs, Deedra Moe, in a release from the company.

The activity was preceded by an Open House on the Payara Project Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) held at the Pegasus Hotel on September 30, 2019.

Members of the public and students of the University of Guyana (UG) were made aware of the upcoming Payara Development Project and how Esso Exploration & Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, is working to maximise safety and environmental protection.

Many of those in attendance were Environmental Science and Engineering students of the University of

ExxonMobil staff engages residents in Lake Mainstay

Guyana.

The event was attended by close to 200 persons and featured information desks

at which subject matter experts were available to answer questions. “Trying to channel the feedback from

folks at previous projects and engagements, the consultants have developed a non-technical summary of the Environ-

mental Impact Assessment to provide key information and learnings from that assessment,” Moe said.

The proposed development is targeting 180,000 to 220,000 barrels of oil per day with anticipations to produce approximately 5,700,000 to 6,600,000 barrels of crude oil per month.

Oil production from the project is expected to last at least 20 years and to result in the employment of some 600 persons during development well drilling; some 600 persons at the peak of the installation stage and up to 140 persons during production operations.

30 youths graduate with life skills OVER 30 youths from five communities across Guyana graduated from the Basic Life and Employability Skills (BLES) programme on Wednesday, and are now better equipped to enter the world of work.

The graduation ceremony took place at the Roraima Duke Lodge and was made possible through the United States Agency International Development’s (USAIDs) Community, Family and Youth Resilience (CFYR) Programme.

The five-week course is open to persons up to age 29 and teaches individuals life skills and job readiness training. The graduates came from the communities of Corriverton, Lodge, East La Penitence, East Ruimveldt and sections of Sophia.

At the ceremony, keynote remarks came from USAID Regional/Eastern and Southern Caribbean (ESC) Representative, Clinton White. He told the gathering that the programme was first introduced in October 2016 in ESC countries to reduce levels of crime and violence amongst youths and to create a safer, more prosperous Caribbean.

With youth unemployment in the Caribbean hovering between 20-40 per cent and at 22.64 per cent in

Youths receive their Certificates of Completion (Carl Croker photo)

Guyana, White stated that the BLES programme is in the best position to bring about positive change.

“The Basic Life and Employability Skills programmes responds to this challenge by creating visible employment opportunity… the graduation marks the successful completion of five weeks of intensive training on life skills, employability skills and reproductive health. After completion, the graduates will be supported in finding jobs,” he said.

He thanked the public and private sector for its role in improving lives of the youths involved and encouraged the country to continue to place its focus on youths. “Guyana cannot thrive without a welltrained youths like the graduates. They are the engine of Guyana’s economy and now is the perfect time for them to take a more prominent role in shaping Guyana,” he said.

Meanwhile, Director of Special Projects at the Ministry of the Presidency, Ronald Austin Jr., said that education

is the gateway out of poverty and every opportunity for a person to increase his or her knowledge should be capitalised upon.

He told the graduates that while they all seek out employability they must also develop an entrepreneurial mindset which can also prove to be beneficial. “You’ve got to come up with innovative ways for positive survival,” Austin advised, even as he encouraged the youths to be responsible, practice good time management, reach for

excellence and act, at all times, with integrity.

Also, in remarks, Country Manager of the CFYR Programme, Courtney Brown, stated that the youth-focused programme helps the youths not only to engage with but to identify potential employers.

He expressed confidence that much like previous cohorts, the young people exiting the current programme will also find employment in the world of work.

In a presentation to the audience, the youths ex-

pressed that BLES helped to boost their confidence; encouraged them to be hardworking and helped them to understand how to market themselves to a potential employer. Coming to the end of the ceremony, the graduates were presented with Certificates of Completion while special awards were presented to employer partners the Corum Group, Massy Stores Mega and Unicomer (Courts) Guyana.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 10, 2019

Constitutional reform consultations to be taken to Indigenous villages THE Indigenous community will not be left out the consultations and education campaigns on Constitutional Reform, and on Wednesday, village Toshaos were charged with getting the awareness and conversation going in their respective communities on the matter.

Toshaos eagerly listened, asked questions and made suggestions at the National Toshao Council (NTC) Conference, during a presentation on Constitutional Reform by Legal Adviser to the Office of the Prime Minister, Tamara Khan.

Khan reminded that it was President David Granger himself, who said that Constitutional Reform should involve the citizens of Guyana, with consultations being held at the very grassroots level.

The Indigenous peoples, she said, are a vital group of the population.

“The President said the constitutional reform should be led by the citizens. Because it is the citizens that have to live with the decisions. For the process to be effective, we have to start the process of public education.

We intend to come to you.

Invite us to your community, allow us to come to you and allow the process to become fashionable for all

Guyanese to be involved in the process,” Khan told the gathering.

Khan is the co-chair of a committee for public education on the constitutional reform that, in the next few months, will be rolling out a number of projects and initiatives geared at stimulating awareness and understanding about the Constitution.

“We are trying to create the opportunity and the interest,” Khan said.

Following the end of the conference, Khan already began discussions with varying Toshaos about visiting their communities.

During her presentation, Khan gave brief, simplified explanations on “What is the Constitution”, “Why Do We Need the Constitution”, and highlighted a few key articles of the Constitution, including those that spoke directly to the Indigenous people.

At the end of Wednesday’s NTC presentation, which marked the close of the day’s activities at the conference, the Toshaos were each presented with a copy of the Constitution.

During questions and discussions following her presentation, Khan was questioned on the need for constitutional reform. In explaining this, Khan pointed to the Oil

Legal Adviser to the Office of the Prime Minister, Tamara Khan, presenting on Constitutional Reform at the NTC Conference on Wednesday (Adrian Narine photo)

and Gas industry and the lack of provisions in the constitution guaranteeing that resources from the industry are channeled to specific areas.

“Sometimes we move away and changes occur in our life and community and we need that reflected and protected, for example, the oil industry. There is nothing in our Constitution that addresses how we protect those resources. This is an example of how society changes, and if they are enshrined in the constitution they are not subject to arbitrary change.

It should function in a way that is best for all of us,”

‘Bitter-sweet’ moment for young attorney admitted to local Bar IT was a ‘bitter-sweet’ moment for 35-year-old Attorney-at-law, Sophia Findlay, when she was admitted to the bar in Guyana, making her eligible to practise in the local Courts.

Findlay’s petition was presented by the prominent attorney, Nigel Hughes to acting Chief Justice, Roxane George at the Demerara High Court on Wednesday, October 09, 2019.

On October 5, 2019, Findlay, graduated with her Legal Education Certificate (LEC) from the Hugh Wooding Law School, Trinidad.

The new attorney at law is a former student of the St. Joseph High School and the Annandale Secondary School.

Before becoming a lawyer, Findlay worked as a Teacher, Flight Attendant, Public Relations Consultant, Human Resource Manager, and Marketing Consultant.

Attorney-at-law Sophia Findlay

Attorney Hughes, while presenting Findlay's petition,

described her as a hardworking and dedicated young woman.

The Chief Justice welcomed Findlay to the bar and urged her to commit to the hard work that success entails and to commit to conducting thorough research to serve her clients and the citizens of this nation.

Findlay explained that she had dedicated her career to her son, and the road to becoming an attorney was not easy for it was filled with tears, sleepless nights and times when she doubted herself, but, with her faith in God, she pulled through.

"I am not boastful, nor do I feel like I have arrived; I am humbled," Findlay said when she was admitted to the bar.

She is currently attached to the Hughes, Fields, and Stoby Law Firm of which, attorney Hughes is a managing partner.

Khan said.

Adding his voice to the issue, NTC Chair, Nicholas Fredericks, noted that while the Constitution does speak to some provisions for the Indigenous people such as the formation of the Indigenous Peoples’ Commission, and Article 149G (Indigenous Peoples’ Rights), there is not enough to protect the Indigenous people.

He pointed to the case of Indigenous pensioner Lucille Williams, a pensioner of Karisparu Village in Region Eight, who was driven out of her home earlier this year by miners.

“Although we have protection in the constitution, we have not seen it in action. A message to everybody here use [Constitutional reform] to our advantage,” Fredericks urged his fellow Toshaos.

One Toshao pointed out that the Constitution can be an intimidating document and at times difficult to understand, given how complexly is worded it is in some sections.

Khan, however, noted that lack of understanding should not deter persons from feeling the need to get involved in constitutional reform, and to begin a move

towards trying to understand what is in the constitution.

She said that perhaps the reform of the Constitution needs to start with how provisions are worded.

“You said the language in the constitution is not for everybody but that is exactly where the reform needs to start. We need to go inside.

Everything isn’t high, some things are simple, but you can’t not start. We are going to live with this problem forever if we don’t start. We need to go inside and make a start. Let us have a discussion on the first section in creolese. But we can’t not start,” Khan said.

Khan reminded that if the ordinary citizens do not participate, then they leave the provisions of the constitution to be decided upon by a few.

“The process to change it could be politicians and experts sitting in a room and making adjustments but that isn’t the best route.

If it affects you, you y need to have a seat at the table to say how my rights are affected. The people should have an opportunity to say I want “x, y, and z”. The Constitution it’s just a fancy word for rules. What are the rules you want to see in place,” Khan said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 10, 2019

CARICOM Secretariat using entrepreneurship training as restorative justice tool The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is giving new life to the Declaration of Paramaribo on the Future of Youth in CARICOM issued by Heads of Government in January 2010, and the Report of the CARICOM Commission on Youth Development of the same year.

Both identified entrepreneurial development as a priority for countering youth unemployment and mitigating harmful behaviours such as drug abuse, crime and violence. The Commission on Youth had pin-pointed the latter as the number one concern among adolescents and youth associated with poverty, joblessness, politics and social inequities. It also recorded an over-reliance on the criminal justice approach to crime reduction in the Region.

In this vein, it noted the value of other complementary approaches which can be effective in reducing crime.

The CARICOM Secretariat’s Creativity for Employment and Business Opportunity (CEBO) is currently advancing this idea. It is making great effort to inspire ingenuity in young people who have been in conflict with the law. The CARICOM Secretariat, with the support of the European Union, is attempting to foster the belief that these young persons’ missteps should not define the rest of their lives. The Secretariat is also equipping a cohort of Jamaicans with the skills to train young people

from all walks of life, using the CEBO methodology.

Two CEBO workshops - one involving Involuntary Returned Migrants and youth on probation; and a training of trainers - are well underway at the Medallion Hall in Kingston Jamaica.

They began on Monday 7th October and will run through Saturday 12 October 2019. These workshops were made possible through inter-agency collaboration among the CARICOM Secretariat; the Government of Jamaica through the Ministry of National Security and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information; and the European Union under the CARIFORUM–EU Crime and Security Programme.

Deputy Programme Manager, for Gender and Development within the CARICOM Secretariat’s Directorate for Human and Social Development, Ms Ann-Marie Williams, underscored the critical importance of economic resilience for young women and men, during Monday’s opening session. She highlighted the vulnerability of women as victims of violence, and the pervasiveness of young men as victims and perpetrators of violence. She told the participants to hone the skills they are acquiring, to motivate others in practical and youth friendly spaces.

Deputy Programme Manager, for Youth Development within the CARICOM Secretariat’s Directorate for Human and Social Develop-

Participants in the Training of Trainers’ Workshop hard at work during one of their practical exercises

ment, Michele Small-Bartley, in encouraging the participants, stated: “The CEBO programme seeks to bridge the gap with youth unemployment. Many of you may want to start a business and need that extra push, or maybe the idea of what you can do and how to do it. You should not leave here without knowing this. She reiterated that a mind once stretched by new experiences will never go back to its original dimension.”

Over the past two days, the Involuntary Returned Migrants, the young people on probation, and the cohort being trained to train, have been exposed to concepts, if embraced, will truly be the source of life changing experiences - the CEBO mantra.

The participants have been exposed to team building exercises to drop their guards and build camaraderie that

will facilitate the ease of structuring simulated companies, assigning personnel; developing business ideas and basic business plans.

While the participants have so far had a good idea of the purpose of the training, the more significant awareness that has been stimulated is entrepreneurship as a strategy for personal, national and regional development.

The participants have been involved in informative, interactive and robust discussions on the history, functions, organisational structure, and the flagship programmes of CARICOM. The facilitator of the training of trainers’ workshop, Ms Terisa Taylor in particular, was quite intentional in debunking myths, stereotypes, and pre-conceived notions that exist in and out of the Jamaican society, which have formed barriers to integration

in its truest and purest sense.

For example, she facilitated a touching discussion on Haiti as the forbearers in the fight for independence in the Caribbean. The discussion highlighted how the fight was used to oppress, isolate, stereotype, and define Haiti’s current economic and political circumstances. At the end, the participants had a renewed appreciation of the French Speaking Member State, including the disbelief that visa restrictions placed limitations of nationals’ freedom of travel in the Region.

The discussion on regional integration proved enlightening for the participants, specifically, why closer unity is necessary to foster the sustainable economic development of the Small Island Developing States within CARICOM. The opportunities which exist for young people in the CARICOM

Single Market and Economy were also of interest to the Training of Trainers’ participants, who are being prepared to assist in the delivery the CEBO workshop next week to unattached and marginalized youth.

CEBO was developed by the CARICOM Secretariat in collaboration with the Caribbean Group of Youth Business Trusts in 2011. It has been held in 13 Member States to date, with much success.

Ms Small Bartley expressed profound appreciation that the support of the European Union is allowing the roll-out of CEBO in six countries, including Barbados and Haiti, for the first time. The focus on involuntary returned migrants, she noted, is critical, as the Region endeavours to embrace alternatives to incarceration and adopt restorative justice and re-integration programmes. Ms Small Bartley noted it is the first time that CEBO will be used as a strategy for re-integration, and the Secretariat is pleased with the opportunity. Ms small Bartley noted that the CARICOM Secretariat anticipates that the Government of Jamaica and other local partners will be inspired and committed, to continue to mount CEBO training across the country, as well as provide follow-up support to CEBO graduates. (Caricom Secretariat)

PAHO sensitises LHC staff on Mass Drug Administration MEDICAL practitioners attached to the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC), benefitted from a sensitisation session hosted by the Pan American Health Organisation and the Ministry of Public Health's Vector Control Service on Mass Drug Administration.

Region 10 will be one of four regions that will be completely targeted in the 2019 Mass Drug Administration (MDA) aimed at eliminating filaria in Guyana by 2020.

Dr Jean Alexandre, Advisor Communicable Disease and Environmental Health, attached to PAHO/WHO, related that the campaign which will held under the slogan, 'Protect Yourself! Protect your

family! Protect your community! TAKE YOUR FILARIA PILLS,’ will be launched on October 12 and will officially commence in Region Four on October 14.

Region 10 is slated to be the last region to be targeted.

"Our plan with ending in Region 10, is to have as much sensitisation before we start and to also see if anything that can be learned in the other regions, that can be applied in Region 10...and as Region 10 will be the last region to start, everyone will be free to support Region 10," said Dr. Alexandre.

Given the fact that the campaign will be using a new drug regimen this year, compared to the previous years',

Dr Jean Alexandre addressing medical personnel at the LHC

Dr Alexandre posited that sensitisation sessions as these are pertinent and will be conducted country wide. "I think the main reason the medical doctors in this hospital, they

are the face of health in this region, when the doctors understand what is going on, they will be able to relay this information to their patients and these patients to their

households, so working with the medical personnel is critical not only in Region 10, but we are doing it country wide."

The 2019 MDA will be using a three-drug preventative che-

motherapy, with the aim of giving massive coverage in eight of the 10 administrative regions.

Compared to previous years' MDA, where two drugs Diethyicarbon (DEC) and Albendazole, were distributed in targeted regions, this year, the new drug regimen will include the pill, Ivermectin.

This regimen is called IDA. Scientific evidence has proven that adding Ivermectin to the two-drug combination, microfilaria is cleared more effectively from the blood. In addition to Regions Four and Ten, Regions Three and Five will be completely targeted; Region's Six, Seven, One and Two will have selected areas targeted.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 10, 2019

Food for the Poor Guyana Inc. constructs 10 Kitchenettes … for Region Two Schools

FFTP CEO Kent Vincent along with Shaundell Hercules from the Department of Education opening one of the kitchenettes at Riverstown Primary.

The kitchenette that was constructed

by FFTP at Riverstown Primary.

FFTP officials with teachers and the children who will be utilizing the facility.

TEN primary schools in Region Two were the recent beneficiaries of Nutritional Feeding Centres, compliments of Food for the Poor Guyana Inc. The construction of the feeding centres is aimed at boosting the Government’s feeding programme, hence alleviating child hunger within the school system.

The 10 kitchenettes were handed over Thursday morn-

ing to the Department of Education in Region Two. The primary schools that benefitted included Lima Sands, Capoey Lake, Bethany, Better Hope, 8th of May, Hampton Court, Fisher, Queenstown and St John’s in the Pomeroon River.

Presenting one of the kitchenettes to the Riverstown Primary was Food for the Poor Guyana Inc. (FFTP) Chief Executive Of-

ficer (CEO), Kent Vincent.

He handed it over to Ms Shaundell Hercules, Education Officer in charge of primary schools in Region Two. The CEO said that FFTP will continue to support hot meal programmes throughout Guyana and looks forward to future partnership between the organization and the Department of Education. He said that FFTP

is satisfied with the works done on the kitchenettes and called upon teachers and pupils to care for the facility.

He also pledged FFTP support in whatever way to ensure the school feeding programmes remain successful. He also said that FFTP Inc has its own school feeding programme that began in 2005. Last school term approximately 360 children benefitted from daily nutri-

tious meals in Regions 2, 4 and 10 said the CEO, who added that the feeding programmes have been proven to increase school attendance tremendously.

The kitchenettes constructed at the various locations measure 16x14 in length and are furnished with sink, cupboards and an area for the preparation of meals.

Representing the Department of Education,

Ms Hercules expressed gratitude to FFTP for its continued contribution to the strengthening of the feeding programme within the school system.

She said the kind gesture will significantly improve the livelihood of children.

Ms Hercules also said that the PTAs will be actively involved in the preparation of the meals.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 10, 2019

Ministry of Agriculture holds successful ‘Agr-Ability Field School’ programme -Minister Adams-Yearwood urges inclusion of PLWDs in all sectors THE Ministry of Agriculture on Wednesday held an ‘Agr-Ability Field School’ programme for disabled persons, as part of this year’s Agriculture Month calendar. The event was held at the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) on the East Coast of Demerara, where Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture with responsibility for Rural Affairs,the Hon Valerie Adams-Yearwood, delivered the address.

Minister Adams-Yearwood highlighted the importance of having PLWDs involved in agriculture. The logic behind the initiative was to ensure that PLWDs are empowered and are equipped to become self-sufficient.

“We were planning and planning and I said if we are to be inclusive, then we have to plan for the elderly and for persons living with disabilities,” the minister stated.

The minister noted that many persons living with disabilities were very talented,

skilled and fully capable of contributing to the development of Guyana. “This activity says to Guyana that not because somebody may have a disability that we should throw them in a corner, or not because somebody may have a disability means that they are impotent,” she explained.

Minister Adams-Year-

wood added that it was high time that every public building, every government building and every place accessible to the public, have systems implemented to accommodate persons living with disabilities.

The minister also urged Guyanese to be more courteous and compassionate

towards PLWDs. Programme Coordinator for the Guyana Council and Organisation for Persons Living with Disabilities, Mr Ganesh Singh, commended the minister for her continued support for PLWDs. “ When she [Minister Adams-Yearwood] was at the Ministry of Housing over

Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture, with responsibility for Rural Affairs, Hon. Valerie Adams-Yearwood delivering her address at the event.

A few visually impaired persons visiting one of the demonstration plots.

150 persons were registered for house lots, now she is in agriculture and she is ensuring that we (persons living with disabilities) are included at the highest level, so thank you once again minister for making this day possible,” he said.

A physically challenged man who attended the event, told the Guyana Chronicle that he was very pleased with the minister’s interest and the initiative taken to provide

greater accessibility for persons living with disabilities.

The field school was equipped with demonstration plots suitable for the visually impaired and physically challenged persons who attended the event.

Hydroponics, drip-irrigation, container gardening and composting, were also made accessible to persons who attended the event.

Reg. 2 current, capital projects moving apace -73% of capital expenditure completed REGION Two Regional Executive Officer, Denis Jaikaran, has declared that 73 per cent of its spending for the region’s Capital expenditure has been completed.

Jaikaran, during a media briefing, revealed that the region was allocated $532M Guyana dollars to execute capital projects. He said that the regional administration has already committed to spending the remaining 27 per cent of the money on development projects.

Jaikaran said that based on evaluation, there have been great improvements and positive feedback from residents within the various communities. He said a chunk of the spending was allocated for 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.

During the briefing, Jaikaran said that his staff has a support mechanism in mon-

itoring the projects. He said he was given approval from HE David Granger to commission 16 projects from the La Union to the Queenstown area. Of the projects commissioned, the rehabilitation of

Regional Executive Officer, Denis Jaikaran, interacting with residents during a consultation for one of the projects

Regional Executive Officer, Denis Jaikaran, discussing on a development project

the Queenstown Community Centre was the biggest. He said Queenstown residents can now live in comfort.

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

disabilities in the region.

The La Belle Alliance community, which is prone to flooding, recently benefitted from inter-locking drains.

Jaikaran said the Suddie Public Hospital will soon have a state-of-the-art operating theatre.

The contract for the Abram Zuil Secondary

School will soon be awarded, which will see construction commencing. 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 in.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 10, 2019

$34M for hinterland sustainable community projects

Toshao of Hotoqual, Owen Singh receiving a cheque from Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Hon. Valerie Garrido-Lowe

Toshao of Santa Rosa, Whanita Phillips receiving a cheque from Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Hon. Sydney Allicock

Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Hon. Sydney Allicock and Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Hon. Valerie Garrido-Lowe handing over the ATV to Toshao of Bashaizon Sidwell Johnson

Over $34M in Presidential and Capital Grants were on Wednesday presented to Toshaos for green sustainable community projects.

The cheques were presented to 25 village leaders

by Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Hon. Sydney Allicock and Minister within the Ministry, Hon. Valerie Garrido-Lowe on the third day of the 13th annual National Toshaos' Council (NTC) conference being held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

The villages that received grants are: Villages Projects Amount Hururu

Extension of cattle ranch

Constriction of reservoir $800,000

$1M Maikwak Construction of village

office $800,000 Arakaka Procurement of boat $1M Morawhanna Procurement of chain saw, brush cutter, water pumps and fittings. $800,000 Hotoquai Procurement of boat clearing of new community ground $1M Hiawa Repairs to village bus $800,000 Fly Hill Construction of bridge $800,000 Sand Creek Construction of catwalk $1M Monkey Mountain Construction of fuel station $1.5M Waipa Construction of guest House

Procurement of boat

$1.2M

$800,000 Quarrie Construction of tourism office $800,000 Santa Curz Construction of fruit farm establishment $3M Santa Rosa Drying facility for coffee project $5M Karasabai Eco Tourism project

Construction and furnishing of village ranch house $2M

$1.5M Wiruni Furnishing and completion of community guest house $1M Tipuru Extension of sports pavilion

Ministerial Adviser and Member of Parliament (MP), Hon. Mervyn Williams handing over a cheque to a representative of Arakaka Village

Ministers of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Hon. Sydney Allicock and Hon. Valerie Garrido-Lowe hand over the boat and engine to Toshao of Hotoqual, Owen Singh

$1M Bamboo Creek Completion of water system $1M Tuseneng Instillation of internet $1M Kokshebai Construction of resource centre $1M Kanapang Electrification project $1.2M Kaibarupai Construction of guest house $1.5 Churikadnau Extension of village paddock and purchasing of chain saw $800,000 Pai Pang Instillation of water system $800,000 The villages of Swan and Quarrie also received a contribution towards their Heritage celebrations. Additionally, Bashaizon received

an ATV and Hotoquai, an outboard engine.

Hotoquai Toshao, Owen Singh explained that the $1M Presidential Grant that his village received will be used to clear a new recreational space for the youths. He explained that the current community ground is in the same geographical space as the nursery and primary schools, and to avoid any damage to the facilities, the village council has decided to relocate the ground.

Singh further noted that the 40-horsepower boat engine will be used to transport elderly residents to uplift their pension at the Mabaruma Township and assist farmers to take their produce to the market.

The Toshao commended the administration for its continued support to his community. “I am very happy to be receiving the grant and engine. It will benefit my community and the people,” he said.

The Presidential Grants

programme is aimed at creating self-sufficiency within the hinterland villages and communities through green, innovative projects. In 2019, over $200M will be invested in 215 villages and communities under the programme.

Over the past months, millions-of-dollars in grants has been handed over to villages to support community projects. The Moruca sub-District, Region received close to $17M in grants for villages in Santa Rosa; Kopinang and Bamboo Creek in Potaro-Siparuni, Region 8; and Wakapau, Kabakaburi, St. Monica and Mainstay/ Whyaka in the Pomeroon-Supenaam, Region 2 received presidential grants totalling over $8M, while, Patarinau, Region 9, and its satellite, Baitoon and Katuur also received $3M. Laluni Village, on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, will receive a tractor today.

(DPI)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 10, 2019

64 youths graduate from Youth Leadership Training programme -Director of youth urges them to become community leaders SIXTY FOUR young people, from various regions across Guyana, recently graduated from the Youth Leadership Training programme, with skills to develop themselves personally and their respective communities.

The training was organised and conducted by the Department of Youth Youth Empowerment Unit at the Madewini Training Centre, on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway. It targeted youth leaders and those with leadership potential across the ten Administrative Regions of Guyana.

The Unit executed a number of programmes during a two weekend period. It commenced on the weekend of Friday September 27 to Sunday, September 29 and concluded on the weekend of Friday, October 4 to Sunday, October 6, 2019. The trainees were taught the necessary skills needed to ensure that they would become better leaders and change agents.

As part of the programme, a ‘Mock Youth Parliament’ session was conducted. Such provided the participants with an opportunity to express their views and possible solutions on the topic of youth unem-

The Youths who recently graduated from the Youth Leadership Training programme

ployment.

In her address to the graduating class, Director of Youth (ag.), Ms. Leslyn Boyce – Garraway, congratulated and encouraged the students to exude excellence by being the best they can be in

their respective fields, “This means that you must practise what you learned and keep yourself abreast with any new developments in your area of competence,” she said.

The Director of Youth (ag.) also urged the graduat-

ing class to use their skills to contribute to the development of their respective communities, “You are now in a very strong position to make a difference in the communities from which you came. I encourage you to transfer the

knowledge and skills which you have acquired to help develop your families and communities, and the country will benefit as a result,” said Ms. Boyce-Garraway.

Recipients of the special prizes were Mr. Nayman

Gill and Ms. Deondra Wishart who received prizes for Leadership Best Exemplified and most outstanding personalities went to Mr. Rawle Major and Ms. Delicia George.

Business Ministry opens tourism office in Linden THE Ministry of Business, Department of Tourism, has launched a Linden Office for Visitors (LOV).

The office is located in the Mackenzie-Linden Enterprise Network (LEN) incubator and is being manned by a tourism officer attached to the Department of Tourism.

The Region Ten Tourism Association has welcomed the move and described it as a great help in their mandate to push the tourism industry as a means of diversifying the Region's economy.

Member of the Region Ten Tourism Association, Samuel Wright, expressed appreciation to the Department of Tourism on this move. He said the association never had the resources to fund projects as these and the collaboration will definitely push Linden as a tourism

destination.

Over the last few months, there has been a media-frenzy over Linden's tourism hot spots, particularly the Kara Kara Blue Lake. Its scenery is a concoction of blue waters, white sand, nestled between skyscraper white hills which are accessorised by clear running streams and smooth sailing black water creeks. These picturesque landscapes, deemed perfect tourism gems, were not recently discovered; they were always there.

Today, the blue lake is now recognised for its aqua tourism potential and the town has been receiving an influx of persons who visit the 'Linden Beach.

This has set the stage for regional officials, investors and promoters to see that Linden is on the cusp of becoming the next destination town. The LOV office will play a

keen role in assisting visitors with information on accommodation, restaurants, companies, places of interest to visit, amongst other things.

Great strides have been made to complement nature's offer to Linden by providing a hospitable environment for the influx of persons, especially those attending the big parties recently hosted on the beach.

Recently, one of Linden's oldest guest house-- the Watooka Guest House-- was renovated and is now the most sought after means of accommodation in Linden, with guests hoping to enjoy the ambiance of the river deck and outdoor restaurant and bar.

A wide choice of local cuisine is available at the restaurant, in addition to cocktails and other western culinary attractions.

Members of the Region Ten Tourism Association and representatives of the Department of Tourism, cutting ceremonial ribbon at the Linden LOV office

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 10, 2019

Jealous man kills self -- fails in bid to kill wife after rejection

By Nafeeza Yahya A young Black Bush Polder man is dead and his wife hospitalised after their abusive relationship took a turn for the worst on Tuesday morning.

Amar Jeffery and his wife, Mohamed Sherry Satnarine, both 29, and of Mibicuri, Black Bush Polder, East Berbice, Corentyne, had been married for more than six years and have two children together, ages five and six.

On Tuesday morning, the two children were almost orphaned after Jeffery consumed a poisonous substance and then proceeded to force the substance down the throat of his wife in front of their children.

As the woman resisted, he dealt her several blows while choking her in his bid

to get her to comply. Her screams alerted neighbours and passersby who came to the woman’s rescue but, by then, he had managed to get some of the substance in the woman’s mouth.

Both were rushed to the nearby Mibicuri Hospital where Jeffery succumbed shortly while doctors are keeping a close eye on Sherry, whose mouth, face and tongue were scorched by the poisonous substance.

Guyana Chronicle understands that the couple, since the beginning of their union, had marital issues reportedly stemming from the husband’s jealousy and refusal to financially support his wife.

The labourer, despite being one who consumes neither alcohol nor smoke, was extremely jealous and often accused his wife of being

unfaithful to him and would verbally and physically abuse her.

Fearing for her life, the woman left the relationship several times and moved out with her children but returned after Jeffery pleaded and promised to change.

Realising he was not going to change, Sherry decided to move on with her life and was living with someone else.

Eventually, after several weeks, the person she was in a relationship with decided to end the relation and called Jeffrey to pick her up, despite her protests, on Monday.

The husband and a neighbour showed up and brought Sherry and the two children to their Mibicuri home but Sherry asked to spend the night at the neighbour’s home as she did not want to go home with her husband

Dead: Amar Jeffery

Hospitalised: Sherry Satnarine

for fear of him abusing her.

The neighbour obliged and Jeffery also spent the night at the neighbour, with the neighbours keeping a watchful eye on him.

One neighbour told this publication that Sherry had made up her mind not to go back with her husband and was going to live by her mother’s home instead.

This angered Jeffery and he decided to end his life but not before trying to kill his wife.

“The next morning

(Tuesday) Sherry get up early and went to the station to make a report that she don’t want nothing to do with she husband and he keep following she. When she come back and tell he she going by she mother, he run down me step and went into the old fridge where we does keep poison, an he try to drink it but me stop he, but he nah loose the bottle and he seh he ok and go sit by the step,” the neighbour related.

The neighbour added that just after 07:00 hrs, workers

17

were passing through the street and they had to stop Jeffrey from forcing the substance into his wife’s mouth.

“He a say if you nah want me, you nah guh get nobody else. Me get frighten and me run out to call the police,” the neighbour said, relating that after the workers subdued Jeffrey, they rushed Sherry to the Mibicuri Hospital with help from the police.

Meanwhile, a few streets away, suicide claimed another victim on Tuesday. The deceased has been identified as Sheniza Hoosein, a mother of two. This publication understands the woman decided to end her life after she realised her husband was unfaithful to her.

Over the years, many cases of suicide have occurred in Black Bush Polder, a primarily farming community, where pesticides are easily available to residents.

Maintaining profitability, growth -Demerara Bank’s ECD branch celebrates 8th Anniversary

By Navendra Seoraj DESPITE the competitive nature of the banking industry, Demerara Bank’s East Coast Demerara (ECD) branch has been able to maintain profitability and growth over the past eight years.

The bank’s ECD branch, which was opened on October 10, 2011, has been serving customers from Greater Georgetown and the ECD corridor with the same pride and efficiency like the bank’s other six branches. This is according to Demerara Bank’s ECD Branch Manager, Shridat Singh, during a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle.

“I usually do comparative analysis and I think we are doing fairly well given the fact that we have been opened for only eight years… the statistics show that we have done fairly well,” said Singh, adding that the bank’s ECD branch has been successful since it was opened in 2011.

He said the branch was established at a time when there were major security issues in Georgetown. “We

saw it as an opportunity to open a branch on the east coast to facilitate our east coast customers so that they would not have to travel all the way to town,” said the manager.

Singh, who worked his way up the ranks, said he has been at the ECD location since it was established and a day hasn’t gone by without the bank being packed with customers.

The bank, he said, continues to perform at an exceptional rate and has even surpassed its target for the financial year of 2019, which ended on September 30.

“We reached our target long before the financial year concluded,” he said, noting that they are usually tasked with achieving large targets, but it serves as motivation to push forward.

Singh credited the success to the “hardworking” staff of the bank’s ECD branch. The branch has a staff complement of 13 persons.

The bank, he said, opens from Monday-Saturday and offers all the services which can be accessed at the main office or at any other branch.

Demerara Bank’s ECD Branch Manager, Shridat Singh (standing second from left) shares a moment with the other staff members

It was reported that Demerara Bank Limited had recorded a profit of $821M after tax for the first quarter of 2019.

According to the bank’s interim financial statements for March 31, 2019, the profit was less than what was recorded for the corresponding period in 2018. Chairman of the Bank, Dr. Yesu Persaud, in his review of the financial institution’s performance, said the company had recorded a profit of $907M for

the same period last year.

Despite the decrease, he said the bank’s deposits increased from $59.4 billion to $62.6 billion, an increase of five per cent.

In addition, loans and advances moved from $25B to $30B. Based on the financial performance of the first six months of the year, the Board of Directors of the bank has recommended an interim dividend of $0.35 per share. Last year the company paid $0.35

per share as interim dividend.

“The performance of the bank is good considering the challenges we have in the local operating environment,” said Persaud. Global growth is projected around 3.9 per cent in 2019. Guyana’s real growth was 4.1 per cent in 2018 and it may remain in the vicinity of 4 per cent in 2019, said Persaud. Demerara Bank Limited was incorporated on January 20, 1992, as a private limited liability com-

pany under the provisions of the Companies Act, Chapter 89:01 and was licensed to carry on the business of banking on October 31,1994.

The bank obtained its Certificate of Continuance on April 2, 1997 in accordance with the Companies Act 1991. The bank offers a complete range of banking and financial services and operates under the Provisions of the Financial Institution Act (Act 1 of 1995).

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 10, 2019

Businesses compromising on fire safety -says Fire Chief

By Lisa Hamilton THE Guyana Fire Service (GFS) is alarmed by the number of local businesses that have been compromising their safety for profits even as he urged stronger fire safety measures at their commercial properties.

Fire Chief Marlon Gentle sat down on the Guyana Chronicle’s Vantage Point on Monday when he explained that many businesses rely heavily on padlocks, shutters and grills to protect their property but often time leave no avenue for escape in the case of a fire.

In the initial stage of a building being constructed, the plans for such are sent to the GFS from the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA).

The GFS then advises on fire safety measures such as fire detection systems, passive fire suppression systems, exists construction and placement, fire extin-

guishers, smoke alarms and sprinklers. However, even with all this available, many businesses are still being set up void of the basic necessities to cater for a fire.

“We’re still not getting that full support or that support by compliance,” Gentle said.

“As businessman, while security may be one of the biggest things in your focus --- you construct your business bearing in mind that you secure your building and what you have in there to sell --- you have to also be cognizant that, at the same time, a fire can also occur in there and you could become trapped.”

Regarding putting business over safety, Gentle said that it is common in Guyana for residential buildings to be enclosed and sub-sectioned into various businesses where acts such as illegal electricity sharing and bartering are conducted.

Speaking on the recent fire at Vreed-en-Hoop where two Chinese nationals lost

Fire Chief, Marlon Gentle

their lives, Gentle said that a number of businesses which occupied the small space was a contributing factor to the magnitude of the fire.

“Initially, that building was wired for a basic living accommodation and now you have in it a business environment where you have a supermarket with freezers, displays and lighting and everything else in there and you compound that now by putting grills, and then on the outside of the grills and metal shutters,” Gentle said.

Investigation showed that the Vreed-en-Hoop fire originated in the supermar-

ket from a walk-in freezer with a faulty power supply.

The Fire Chief also noted that for some time the GFS was unaware that the two individuals were living in the commercial building.

Had they known, the Fire Service would have conducted a rescue prior to putting out a fire if there is reason to believe that someone may be trapped in the building.

“The persons became trapped because they were living in a section of the supermarket; they’ve shuttered it with both grills and metal shutters and they became trapped because these

shutters are padlocked and locked from the outside, nobody could get to them,” he said. “Even then, there was no one to say that there is someone living in there and the person was trapped because the firefighting strategy’s size up would have said that we’re dealing with a business structure so the issue of lives and persons trapped would not be that great…it was somewhere late down in the firefighting operation that information started to surface that there were possibly two to three persons living in some area that they would have created in that supermarket.”

The Fire Chief stressed that buildings must always have an easy escape route in the event of a fire. Referencing another fire which took place in the popular business area of Regent and Camp Street, Gentle said that it was the banning of persons inside the building on the shutters padlocked outside that brought to the GFS’ attention that persons were trapped in the building.

He mentioned incidents in Berbice whereby a funeral parlour owner was trapped

in his own building as well.

“It’s a personal decision by persons to put their security as the highest aspect of their safety requirement whereby they put grills and all these things. While this may be so, it is necessary to have an escape route. You have to because fire is always a risk,” the Fire Chief said.

He also took the opportunity to caution against the use of uncertified electricians for electrical upgrades at homes and businesses. In celebration of Fire Prevention Week, the GFS will collaborate with its stakeholders to conduct fire inspections at some government buildings and private businesses. They will also use the week to ramp up sensitization to all Guyanese on the importance of placing greater seriousness on fire prevention and escape measures.

The Vreed-en-Hoop fire

Labourer accused of robbery granted bail MAGISTRATE Faith McGusty on Wednesday October 9, 2019, granted $150,000 bail to a 22-year-old labourer who allegedly robbed a woman.

Travis Allen of Front Road West Ruimveldt appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

It is alleged that, on August 18, 2019, at Forshaw Street, he robbed a woman of an iPhone valued at $170,000, a car key and $43,000

cash, property of Lukriesha Parks.

During the time of the robbery Allen used personal violence to the said Lukriesha Parks.

Police prosecutor Annalisa Brummell objected to bail being granted to Allen and told the court that, on the day in question, Parks was leaving a popcorn show when she was approached by Allen and some friends. Allen held on to her bag and she immediately raised an alarm and Allen fled the scene.

Brummell also told the court

that after Parks left the show she went to Rio night club where Allen approached her again with a Pepsi bottle in his hand and dealt her several ‘lashes’ and grabbed her bag. Allen was later arrested and charged.

Magistrate granted Allen bail in the sum of $150,000 and ordered that he lodged his travel documents at the court. The case was adjourned until November 6, 2019.

Man accused of robbing woman remanded MAGISTRATE Faith McGusty on Wednesday October 9, 2019, remanded a 24-year-old man to prison for allegedly robbing a woman.

Fazel Shaffee of Front Road West Ruimveldt appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Particulars of the charge stated that, on September 14, 2019, at New Market Street, Georgetown, Shaffee, while

in the company of others, and armed with a knife, robbed Anita Molian of a bag, a cellphone and $15,000 cash, the total value being $85,000.

Prosecutor Seon Blackman strongly objected to bail, based on the offence and the penalty attached.

Magistrate McGusty remanded Shaffee to prison until October 23, 2019.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 10, 2019

Senior public servants urged to enhance management skills DIRECTOR-General, Ministry of the Presidency, Mr. Joseph Harmon has underscored the important role that human resources practitioners play in Public Service governance and urged them to sharpen their management skills to ensure that the sector becomes effective.

Mr. Harmon made these statements in his address at

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, Ms. Karen Vansluytman-Corbin

the opening ceremony of a one-day Senior Personal and Human Resources Practitioners Conference, which was hosted at De Impeccable Banquet Hall, Brickdam. The Conference was hosted by the Ministry of the Presidency’s Department of Public Service. The Director-General pointed out that the government, in 2015, envisaged a new public service that is accessible, relevant, reliable, resourceful and responsive to the needs of the people, and that is equally effective in all regions. He emphasised that the modernisation and a concerted effort to enhance the management capacities at all levels of the public sector are needed if this is to become a reality.

Mr. Harmon stressed that in keeping with government’s vision, practitioners must understand their roles.

“I am confident that as you discuss issues and barriers to effective personal management at this conference, this forum will provide useful knowledge that will make you wiser, to execute your professional duties on behalf of the Government of Guyana and the people of Guyana,” he said.

The Director-General charged the practitioners to extend their areas of responsibility to include all areas of the public service’s human resources management for the benefit of all, before adding that the profession is one of great importance. “Personnel officers are the engineers

efficiency and for delivering quality and competitive public services. It is a dynamic process that changes the architecture of government, identifies issues and challenges, develop new processes, creations, selections and implementation of new TURN TO PAGE

Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Mr. Joseph Harmon delivering his address during the opening ceremony of the Senior Personnel and Human Resources Practitioners Conference

of the public service…The public service has been described as the ‘Engine of the Executive’. This description derives from the fact that there can be no delivery of services to the citizenry by or on behalf of the government without the public service,” the Director-General said.

Meanwhile, Minister of the Public Service, Mrs. Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, in her address, said the conference aims to transform management throughout the Public Service of Guyana.

She urged the participants to approach the management of their staff in a more effective and efficient manner, while opining that the practitioners should step away from the traditional personnel manager’s approach and to adopt a human management approach when dealing with public servants.

“It is my hope that as we go through this Conference, the issues and concerns from all across the country will be raised as to how personnel matters are dealt with, and should be dealt with and I am hoping that innovative ideas can come as to what can be transformed over the next few years. I look forward to your suggestions to the changes in the rules to personnel management,” she said.

Additionally, Ministry of the Presidency Department of the Public Service, Permanent Secretary, Ms. Karen Vansluytman-Corbin, in her remarks, said that the department is motivated by the vision of becoming innovative, which is a necessary requirement to becoming a high-performance public service organisation and it is working assiduously to achieve this goal. “The innovation process is essential to increase the public sector

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Director-General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Mr. Joseph Harmon (third from left); Minister of the Public Service, Mrs. Tabitha Sarabo-Halley (second from left); Permanent Secretary of the Public Service, Ms. Karen Vansluytman- Corbin (left) and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Presidency, Ms. Abena Moore (right) at the Senior Personnel and Human Resources Practitioners Conference

20

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 10, 2019

Sugar breakthrough:

FROM PAGE

CARICOM producers upbeat after Belize meetings A Caribbean Development Bank-funded technical study has found that plantation white sugar can be used to replace refined sugar and, in fact, is being used in manufacturing processes within CARICOM and elsewhere in the world, a finding that has changed the tone of a trade dispute among CARICOM producers.

Interest groups came away from a series of meetings in Belize, where the report was presented, saying the talks from October 2-4 made more progress in the past week than in the past several years in resolving the long-running stand-off between sugar producers and manufacturers over the quality of white sugar, also called plantation white. The two sides are fighting over the high volumes of refined sugar being imported into the region to the disadvantage of regional producers of plantation white.

“It’s the best progress we have made in years,” said Karl James, chairman of the Sugar Association of the Caribbean (SAC). Providing an update on the discussions, James said there were also presentations on the long-standing use of plantation white sugar by large companies, including soft drink makers Coca-Cola and PepsiCo and food and drink manufacturing conglomerate Nestlé.

The report is a win for Belize, which is the leading producer of plantation white sugar, accounting for nearly all of the region’s output; and potentially for Guyana, which is said to be advanced with plans to start producing plantation white.

With the question answered by empirical study, the region’s ministers of agriculture and trade have agreed to forward a number of recommendations for agreement and policy changes at the next meeting of CARICOM’s Council for Trade and Economic Development in November.

The main proposed policy change is central to a lobby effort mounted by the SAC running, several years, and involves the imposition of the existing 40 per cent common external tariff, CET, on all sugar – brown, refined and plantation white – entering CARICOM markets from outside the regional grouping. Jamaica and Barbados are the other CARICOM sugar-producing territories.

The application for granting of waivers or exemptions from applying the CET on refined sugar in countries with heavy manufacturing operations, like Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica, has been a source of upset for sugar producers in the region for some time. The Belize decisions are likely to provide a ready CAR-

ICOM market for 160,000 tonnes of plantation white sugar produced in the region each year and slash the extra-regional imports of refined sugar, which is said to be about 200,000 tonnes per year.

James said the Belize meetings produced further evidence that not only are large amounts of refined sugar being exempted on the basis that the product is not produced in the region, but that substantial amounts of plantation white sugar are also being imported from Guatemala, Brazil and Colombia without the established tariff being applied.

Producers and users of white sugar in the region have agreed to meet to discuss issues pertaining to the supply and price of the product as the region readies itself for a policy shift that is likely to see the greater purchase and use of plantation white sugar to make products including sodas, flavoured water, other drinks, as well as a wide range of baked products and other foods. “That is where we are, and we are hoping to do some legwork between now and November so that more of the users will understand what we are trying to do,” James said in interview with the Financial Gleaner on Tuesday.

The talks will now turn to whether regional producers can supply

CARICOM manufacturers with the product in sufficient quantities, and at the desired quality levels and price.

“We are prepared to sit with the manufacturers and talk rationally about their needs,” James said.

It is expected that the key point to be resolved in those discussions will be the matter of the price at which the product will be sold to regional manufacturers, who have been seeking the cheapest source of white sugar to maintain their efficiencies, product price points and profit margins. James adds that liquid sugar, which is more desirable for drink manufacturing, could soon be produced by Jamaica, Belize and Guyana and will receive the same policy treatment as other forms of sugar. This decision is likely to encourage the reopening of some liquid sugar operations which were shuttered because of the lack of market protection.

Jamaica’s Worthy Park Estates is said to be poised to start making plantation white sugar and liquid sugar. (Jamaica Gleaner)

19

Senior public servants urged ... solutions …Our goal is to see innovation used in a way in order to bring enhanced efficiency… However, it must be noted that change and transformation must be done in a structured manner. So, I urge you let us go out there and innovate, collaborate and cooperate to create a better public service for Guyana,” she said.

Recommendations coming out of the forum will be presented to Minister Sarabo-Halley for consideration and possible action by the government.

The conference was held under the theme, ‘Innovation and Best Practices in Public Service Governance’. Human Resources officials from across the country attended the conference. (Ministry of the Presidency)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 10, 2019

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 10, 2019

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 10, 2019

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23

Welshman, Daniels, Bonds to boost ‘Golden Jaguars’ against Antigua tomorrow … Trayon Bobb returns to National team

By Rawle Toney HULL City’s Elliot Bonds, Hapoel Haifa FC forward Emery Welshman and Margate FC’s Kadell Daniel were all named in coach Márcio Máximo’s 23-man squad to face Antigua and Barbuda tomorrow, when the CONCACAF Nations League continues across the region.

Guyana opened their CONCACAF Nations League (League B) campaign with a 1-0 win over Aruba in Curacao, but Gold-

en Jaguars went down 4-0 to Jamaica at the National Track and Field Centre, putting them in a must-win position to stay afloat in the league, to avoid relegation to League C and to keep their CONCACAF Gold Cup hopes alive.

Daniel, despite not featuring as expected at this year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup, was instrumental in the Golden Jaguars qualifying for their first major tournament in the sport.

Welshman, just after the Gold Cup, signed with Israe-

li professional club Hapoel Haifa FC but like Bonds, missed Guyana’s two matches against Aruba and Jamaica due to injuries.

Bonds was highly praised for his defensive prowess during Guyana’s Gold Cup run and was badly missed against Aruba and Jamaica.

Meanwhile, Trayon Bobb, who many believed should have been included in the Gold Cup squad, will make a return to International football since the qualification stage of the Gold Cup

and Nations League earlier this year.

Alex Murray, Akel Clarke and Sese Norville are the goalkeepers in the team, while Matthew Briggs, captain Samuel Cox, Kevin Layne, Sherwin Skeete and Kevin Dundas are the defenders.

Danns will have Delwin Fraser, Clive Nobrega, Ryan Hackett and Daniel Wilson in the midfield, while Welshman and Holder will turn to Keanu Marsh-Brown, Bobb and Pernel Shultz up front.

MVP Sports/Jefford Classic delivers prizes to champion athletes

NATASHA Alder and Cassie Small, the top athletes from this year’s Jefford Track and Field Classic, yesterday received their prizes from MVP Sports, one of the sponsors of the 10-year long event.

Alder won the women’s discus, javelin and shotput events while Small won the women’s 100m, 200m and

400m.

Both athletes, after receiving an outfit of their choice, from MVP Sports, thanked organiser Edison Jefford and proprietor Ian Ramdeo for their continued contribution towards the development of athletes in the track and field arena.

Ramdeo made it clear that MVP Sports, locat-

ed on the ground floor of the Giftland Mall, will be a ‘friend to the end’ to the Jefford Track and Field Classic, and wished the athletes well on their feature endeavours in the sports.

Jefford apologised for the lateness in the presentation of prizes, telling the gathering of media that he

had left the country and upon his return, had taken a new professional portfolio.

Nonetheless, he said that he looks forward to seeing the two ladies next year at the 11th edition of the country’s premier track and field event in Linden.

Crystal Palace act after Zaha subjected to racist abuse LONDON (Reuters) - Premier League side Crystal Palace said on Wednesday they had taken action after Ivory Coast forward Wilfried Zaha was again subjected to racist abuse on social media.

“We will not tolerate this behaviour being directed at any of our players and will fully support them in dealing with such incidents,” the South London club said on their website (www.cpfc. co.uk).

“Any action we can take unilaterally as a club will be taken immediately and we will also seek cooperation from other clubs where relevant, following that we will pursue the matter criminally with the full force of whatev-

er the law allows.”

Palace did not say what action they had taken or give further details.

Zaha said earlier this year that he was subjected to racist abuse in “nearly every game”.

Taylor, Fletcher named respective captains ahead of Hero CPL Women’s T10 matches Affairs, COURTS and the National Lottery Control Board (NLCB). Hero CPL would like to express their gratitude to these partners for making these games possible.

Events Manager at NLCB, Susan Worrell, said: “The NLCB is delighted to be supporting the initiative by CPL of Women’s Cricket for the advancement of the sport which can be an inspiration to young girls since the NLCB continues its quest to create benefits.”

Clive Fletcher, Managing Director, Unicomer (Trinidad) Ltd said: “This is a most significant partnership for us as it further supports the development of diversity in cricket. This investment pushes the envelope for the evolution of the sport to

new heights, as we provide a platform to showcase the full spectrum of talent displayed by our female cricketers across the Caribbean Region”.

He continued, “At Unicomer (Trinidad) Ltd. and COURTS, we are very passionate and committed to the development of our people, and we believe in providing the opportunities to push the boundaries of innovation.”

These matches will take place before the semi-final and final of this year’s Hero CPL and ticket holders for those matches will be able to attend at no extra cost.

The teams for these matches are as follows: NLCB Revellers

1. Stafanie Taylor (capt.)

(Jamaica) 2. Anisa Mohammed (Trinidad & Tobago) 3. Chinelle Henry (Jamaica) 4. Natasha McLean (Jamaica) 5. Chedean Nation (Jamaica) 6. Jodian Morgan (Jamaica) 7. Stacy-Ann King (Trinidad & Tobago) 8. Reniece Boyce (Trinidad & Tobago) 9. Britney Cooper (Trinidad & Tobago) 10. Felicia Walters (Trinidad & Tobago) 11. Karishma Ramharack (Trinidad & Tobago) 12. Caneisha Isaac (Trinidad & Tobago) 13. Shawnisha Hector (Leewards)

FROM PAGE 27

COURTS Gladiators 1. Afy Fletcher (capt.)

(Windwards) 2. Kycia Knight (Barbados) 3. Kyshona Knight (Barbados) 4. Hayley Matthews (Barbados) 5. Aaliyah Alleyne (Barbados) 6. Qiana Joseph (Windwards) 7. Akeira Peters (Windwards) 8. Erva Giddings (Guyana) 9. Shabika Gajnabi (Guyana) 10. Kaysia Schultz (Guyana) 11. Cherry-Ann Fraser (Guyana) 12. Sheneta Grimmond (Guyana) 13. Shakera Selman (Barbados)

24 GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 10, 2019

R u g b y World Cup

By Ian Ransom OITA, Japan (Reuters) - Winger Josh Adams grabbed a hat-trick of tries as a battered and bruised Wales battled to a 29-17 bonus-point win over Fiji yesterday to book their place in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.

In a frenzied clash under the roof at Oita Stadium, the Fijians gave the Six Nations champions a real scare, surging into 17-14 lead early in the second half of the Pool D with a penalty try.

That revived memories of the ‘Nightmare in Nantes’ when the Pacific islanders knocked Wales out of the 2007 World Cup. Adams, however, steadied the ship with his hattrick try on the hour-mark and fullback Liam Williams crossed 12 minutes from the siren to settle the game.

Wales ended the game with concerns over talismanic flyhalf Dan Biggar, sidelined with a head injury for a second time in the tournament and who was quickly ruled out of the team’s final pool game.

“We probably started a little slowly out of the box, we knew that if Fiji got their

Brilliant Adams grabs hat-trick as battered Wales reach quarters

Wales players bow to their fans after the match at Oita Stadium, Japan. (REUTERS/ Peter Cziborra)

tails up we were going to be in for a hard day at the office,” said Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones.

“But credit to Fiji, we saw the best of them at times today. We did the job today but plenty to work on.”

The result ensured Wales, with 14 points, leapfrogged Australia (11 points) to top the pool ahead of their final game against Uruguay. Fiji were eliminated after losing earlier matches to Australia and Uruguay.

Melbourne Cup-winning trainer charged with animal cruelty, conspiracy

Australian Weir has won more than 30 races at the elite Grade One level.

AUSTRALIAN trainer Darren victory in the 2015 Melbourne Weir has been charged with Cup when jockey Michelle Payne animal cruelty, conspiracy and won aboard Prince of Penzance, possessing an unregistered He faces nine charges, including weapon. three counts of “engaging in the The Melbourne Cup-winning torturing, abusing, overworking trainer was given a four-year ban and terrifying a thoroughbred from the sport in February for race horse” and three counts of possessing equipment used to “causing unreasonable pain or deliver electric shocks to horses. suffering to a thoroughbred race The 49-year-old is one of four men horse”. charged after an investigation by Weir was charged with Victoria State’s Sporting Integrity conspiracy to defraud stewards Intelligence Unit. of the state racing authority, Weir is due to appear at Melbourne possessing an unregistered Magistrates’ Court on October 23. Category A firearm and using He is one of Australia’s top the controlled weapon without trainers and claimed a landmark excuse. (BBC Sport)

“I’m so proud of the effort our boys put in this evening,” Fiji coach John McKee told reporters.

“They’re playing a Six Nations champion team that’s been number one in the world this year and they really took the game to them.

Although we didn’t get here in the end, it was an absolute gallant effort all round.”

Wales, with England or France awaiting them in the quarter-finals, are also monitoring Adams and key centre Jonathan Davies

after they also suffered injuries.

Wales, rejuvenated after a 10-day break, were looking for a fast start but instead it was Fiji charging out of the blocks, spreading the ball wide from an attacking scrum to winger Josua Tuisova, who bashed through Adams and Biggar to score in the right corner.

Wales responded immediately only for backrower Josh Navidi’s score after a turnover to be ruled out by the TMO due to a knock-on.

Fiji, too, thought they had scored moments later but scrumhalf Frank Lomani’s effort was also scratched by the TMO. The early drama continued when Wales hooker Ken Owens was yellow-carded in the eighth minute for a flip-tackle on number eight Viliame Mata and barnstorming Semi Radradra, the player-of-the-match, made Wales pay at once, setting up a try for fullback Kini Murimurivalu in the right corner to make it 10-0.

Fiji’s numerical advantage did not last long as lock Tevita Cavubati was also yellow-carded for a shoulder charge in the 17th minute and now Biggar responded with a sumptuous cross-kick to Adams.

Fiji’s scrambling defence was soon on the brink of collapse as Wales upped the tempo and flanker Semi Kunatani earned the third yellow card of the first half after a string of Fijian offsides.

Soon after, Adams strolled over for his second five-pointer as the Welsh sliced open Fiji’s threadbare right flank.

BIGGAR WORRY

Fiji were fortunate to trail by just 14-10 at the break but blew a chance to retake the lead in the 49th minute with another forward pass disallowing a try for Radradra.

The game threatened to turn on its head minutes later as James Davies was yellow-carded for a ruck infringement. Fiji kicked for the corner, rumbled a lineout drive to the line and were awarded a penalty try after Wales collapsed the maul.

Liam Williams then clattered into Biggar as both attempted to catch a clearing kick. After several minutes of medical attention, Biggar groggily got to his feet and jogged off.

Soon after, however, Adams had his hat-trick, again at the corner, before scrumhalf Gareth Davies cantered through a hole to set up Williams for the sealing try.

Oshada stars on debut as Sri Lanka whitewash Pakistan OSHADA Fernando smashed a blistering half-century on his Twenty20 International debut and Wanindu Hasaranga excelled with the ball, as Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 13 runs to seal a historic whitewash.

The tourists wrapped up a first bilateral T20 series win over the top-ranked side with a match to spare and put the icing on the cake with a first ever 3-0 whitewash in Lahore yesterday.

Oshada bludgeoned 78 not out from only 48 balls as the tourists posted 147-7 after winning the toss, Mohammad Amir being the pick of the bowlers with 3-27 at Gaddafi Stadium.

Pakistan - who left out Ahmed Shehzad, Umar Akmal and Mohammad Hasnain - could make only 133-6 in reply, the excellent Hasaranga taking 3-21 and Lahiru Kumara 2-24 to secure an unlikely clean sweep as Haris Sohail’s 52

Oshada Fernando bludgeoned 78 not out from only 48 balls.

proved to be in vain.

Amir struck twice in the powerplay to leave the tourists in trouble on 30-3, cleaning up Danushka Gunathilaka and getting rid of Bhanuka Rajapaksa after the economical Imad Wasim removed Sadeera Samarawickrama.

Angelo Perera was runout for only 13 but Oshada came to the rescue, dominating a fifth-wicket stand of

76 with new captain Dasun Shanaka and reaching his half-century from only 33 balls.

Oshada and Shanaka were dropped off back-to-back deliveries in an over from Wahab Riaz and the debutant rubbed salt into the wounds by hitting the left-arm seamer and Amir for six.

Wahab had the skipper taken by Fakhar Zaman

for 12 and Amir had a third wicket in the penultimate over as the Pakistan bowlers did a good job of restricting Sri Lanka to what appeared to be a below-par total.

Pakistan endured an awful start to their run chase, with Kasun Rajitha bowling Zaman with a peach of a first delivery of the innings, but a slow-moving partnership of 76 between Babar Azam and Haris laid a solid platform.

Babar (27) fell, caught behind, attempting to cut Kumara, and Pakistan were 94-3 in the 16th over and needing to step up the run rate as Haris was dismissed by Hasaranga.

Imad and Ali failed while Hasaranga bowled Sarfraz Ahmed as the best T20 side in the world made another mess of it with the bat, failing to secure a consolation victory.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 10, 2019

25

Hero Caribbean MotoCorp, Cancer Institute join forces … Institute benefits following 2019 CPL promotion

CELEBRATING their second anniversary in Guyana, Hero Caribbean MotoCorp made the Cancer Institute of Guyana beneficiary of monetary contributions to a worthy cause.

On Monday, the Cancer Institute of Guyana located on Lamaha Street was the recipient of the US$1500 cheque, compliments of Hero Country Manager Deon Williams.

The donation was received

by Medical Director of the Institute Dr Sayan Chakraborty in the presence of Coordinator Monette Harry and Accountant Kamla Mohan.

The funds originated from a raffle that was held during the Guyana leg of the Hero Caribbean Premier League 2019. “We know and we’re confident this (donation) will be put to good use,” Williams said, while Chakraborty added, “We will definitely make good use of this because we find a huge number of people need screening and investigation and are unable to do those because of financial

Dr Sayan Chakraborty (left) receives the donation from Deon Williams (right) in the presence of Monette Harry (second left) and Kamla Mohan. constraints. This donation and generosity to the Cancer Institute will help to save a lot more lives.”

As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, observed globally in October, the Cancer Institute has planned a number of activities to raise awareness and edify the public on the epidemic.

Coordinator Harry expressed gratitude to Hero and said that an Awareness Walk, in partnership with Digicel and Oasis Water, will take place

on October 20 in Georgetown while a vigil on October 25 in collaboration with Giving Hope Foundation at Square of the Revolution and a screening exercise at Hard Rock Café at MovieTowne on October 26 are among the major events planned for the month.

At the raffle drawing, which took place live during the first Playoff game of CPL 2019 last Sunday, Mohamed Shahab Rasool of Malgre Tout on the West Bank of Demerara emerged

winner of a new Hero Hunk motorcycle.

Although he’s elated to win, Rasool said his primary intention when he bought the ticket in early September was to support Hero and the Cancer Institute’s fight against the disease.

“It feels great to win, but I didn’t expect to win. First time I ever win something,” Rasool said. “I wasn’t too sure (when I got the call) because there’s lots of prank calls, and it take a while

Raffle winner Mohamed Shahab Rasool (left) collects the keys to his Hero Hunk from Deon Williams. before I believe, and then my wife overheard it on the television also.”

The raffle was held in

partnership with Rose Ramdehol Auto Sales, the local dealer for Hero MotoCorp.

Teenager Reifer signs one-year rookie deal with Surrey LONDON, England (CMC) – Promising teenaged Barbadian all-rounder Nico Reifer has penned a one-year rookie deal with English county Surrey for the upcoming 2020 campaign.

The 18-year-old, who has attended Whitgift School in South Croydon for the past four years, has already made 10 Second XI appearances for Surrey across all formats

Barbadian all-rounder Nico Reifer

since his debut two years ago and the county’s director of cricket, Alec Stewart, said he expected the player to continue to develop.

“Nico has been in our academy and involved with the 2nd XI and has shown good potential,” said the former England Test captain.

“Through signing his first rookie contract he has the opportunity to really develop

his all-round talent and be a part of the professional set up. This is a great opportunity which we’re confident he will grab.”

Reifer was part of the West Indies Under-15 squad which toured England in 2015, emerging as his side’s Most Valuable Player and subsequently led the side on the 2016 tour of England.

A right-handed batsman who bowls medium pace, Reifer also turned out for

Barbados in the 2017 and 2018 CWI Regional Under-19 tournaments before missing out earlier this year through injury.

A product of Queen’s College School in Barbados, Reifer said he was thrilled with the chance to further develop his skills.

“I’m proud to have signed this contract with Surrey and I’m excited to have the opportunity to show what I can do,” he said.

“I’ll be working hard over the winter to make sure I’m ready for pre-season and the start of the 2020 season in England.”

Also in preparation for the season,

Reifer

will

travel

Down Under where he will represent Midland-Guildford in grade cricket.

Silverwood ‘wouldn’t have been my choice’ - Kevin Pietersen KEVIN Pietersen has expressed reservations about Chris Silverwood’s inexperience, saying the new England head coach “wouldn’t have been my choice” for the job.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed on Monday that Silverwood would be promoted to replace Trevor Bayliss having previously worked as the team’s fast bowling coach under the Australian.

Silverwood had success as a head coach in domestic county cricket with Essex, winning Division One of the County Championship the year after he led them to promotion to

the top tier.

However, Pietersen, who played in 104 Tests for England between 2005 and 2014, feels the ECB should have gone with a coach who had led a team at international level.

Pietersen, who was speaking at the launch of Hublot’s first boutique in India, told Omnisport: “He wouldn’t have been my choice but I don’t make the decision.

“I hope it works out for English cricket, I hope it works out for (director of England men’s cricket) Ashley Giles. Ashley Giles is a very close friend of mine.

New England head coach Chris Silverwood

He looked after me when I came into the England (ODI) team in 2004 and it’s a brave decision.

“The England cricket team is in the headlines all the time around the world. Wearing that England cricket badge, you’re in the headlines all the time.

The reason why he wouldn’t

have been my choice is because he’s had no international coaching experience and it’s a big job. Coaching England is a huge job.

“I understand Ashley Giles’ reasons for that. He wanted to keep one coach across all three forms of the game. I hope it works out, I really hope it works out for him. But with no (international) head-coach success, failure … let’s hope he’s learned a hell of a lot from (Trevor) Bayliss, because it’s a tough world being the head coach of an international team, especially England.”

Former India and South

Africa head coach Gary Kirsten was thought to be the leading candidate for the role, yet Pietersen has not been impressed by his record in Twenty20 cricket.

“He wouldn’t have been my choice either,” he added.

“I don’t think Gary has the greatest numbers when it comes to T20 cricket. The game evolves, the game gets a lot faster, but he has some fantastic numbers with South Africa and with India (in) the longer form of the game, the Test side of the game, the oneday side of the game.”

Pietersen would have instead opted for his old Surrey

coach Graham Ford, who previously helmed South Africa and Sri Lanka, and now presides over the fortunes of the Ireland national team.

“An amazing man; has an incredible knowledge of the game,” Pietersen said of Ford.

“He understands the game of cricket. He treats the youngest player the same as the most senior player.

“He can guide a captain, he’s worked alongside some of the most fantastic players and he could guide that young England team and he could definitely make a difference with that batting.

26 GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 10, 2019

Grenada Government lauds Peters’ historic gold medal capture

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada (CMC) – Grenada’s government has lauded the achievement of Anderson Peters following his historic capture of the men’s javelin title at the World Championships in Qatar last Sunday.

The gold medal was the first ever for Grenada in a field event at a World Championship and only the second gold overall, following on from Kirani James’ success in Daegu in 2011.

“On behalf of the Government and people of Grenada, the Ministry of Youth Development, Sports, Culture, and the Arts congratulates

Anderson Peters celebrates with the Grenada flag following his capture of the men’s javelin title in Dohaon last Sunday..

Anderson Peters on capturing “We also wish to extend the gold medal in the men’s congratulations to Anderson’s javelin at the 2019 IAAF World family on this great Athletics Championships in achievement.

Doha,” a statement said.

“Anderson Peters’ historic win

has made him the first Grenadian to win a World Championship medal in the field events. He is also the second athlete in Grenada’s history to become a World champion, with Kirani James being the first.

“He concluded his 2019 athletics season undefeated as the two-time SEC Champion, two-time NCAA Champion, NACAC Under-23 Champion, and Pan-American Champion.”

The statement added: “The Ministry extends congratulations to coach Paul Phillip and the team officials who assisted Anderson Peters on the remarkable achievement.

“Their commitment and expertise continue to guide and

ensure that our athletes have an opportunity to compete and succeed on the world’s stage.”

Peters measured 86.89 on his fourth attempt which proved to be the winning mark, upsetting a field which saw defending World champion Johannes Vetter of Germany forced to settle for bronze with a throw of 85.37.

Estonia’s Magnus Kirt clinched silver with a mark of 86.21.

The 21-year-old Peters, a student at Mississippi State University in the United States, said he hoped his success served as an inspiration for the tiny Caribbean nation.

“I want to tell my fellow Grenadians that everybody can

do it, if I can do it,” he said.

“It’s possible for everybody to become a World champion.

You just have to want it as badly as I do.”

There was disappointment, however, for James who could only muster a fifth place finish in a time of 44.54 seconds as Bahamian Steven Gardiner took gold in a national record 43.48.

His effort also came in for praise from government.

“Although James did not bring home a medal for Grenada, his return and performance showcased his resilience, especially with the recent passing of his mother, Ms. Annie James.”

Kohli bats for double points for away win in Test Championship MUMBAI, India (Reuters) - The World Test Championship has already raised the excitement level in the longest format with points on offer for every match but an away win should earn a team double that is awarded for a victory at home, India captain Virat Kohli said yesterday.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has been determined to create a meaningful competition for Tests, which is typically played over two-innings-a-side and up to five days, and the WTC has been designed to give proper context to bilateral matches.

The Championship will see the top nine Test nations face-

off over a two-year period, scoring points based on their success and culminating in a final at Lord’s in June 2021.

World’s top-ranked Test side India lead the standings with three wins from as many matches with away victories against West Indies and the win over South Africa on Sunday.

“The importance of every game has become that much more,” Kohli told reporters yesterday ahead of the team’s second Test against South Africa.

“In situations in a three-match series you probably would have played out a draw, teams are going to go for wins and get those extra points.

“I think it’s great for Test

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday October 10, 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)

Sunil Narine (TKR)

(2)

Brandon King (GAW) Today’s Quiz:

(1) How many times TKR/Red Steel have won the CPL title?

(2)

How many times the Tallawahs have won?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

India Test captain Virat Kohli cricket. The matches are going to be that much more exciting is what we all feel and we can already experience that.

“If you would have asked me to make the points table, I would give double the points for an away Test win. That is

something I would definitely have liked to see, maybe after the first edition.”

India notched up a convincing 203-run win in the opening Test against South Africa at Visakhapatnam with an allround performance and would have a chance to wrap up the three-Test series with a game to spare. While the hosts did not name their playing side with a final call to be taken on the morning of the match today, Kohli said he did not expect any change, looking at the pitch on which India lost to Australia inside three days in 2017.

“It will have to be a decision taken tomorrow morning,” Kohli said, adding the pitch should be suited to good

cricket.

“More or less our team is settled. I don’t think it’s going to play that big a factor because when the pitch is damp, it turns as well. “(But) Unless you have a pitch which has total grass coverage, only then you think of changing your combination too much.

Because you know it’s going to dry out at some stage.”

India deployed two spinners in Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja and the same number of fast bowlers in Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma with Hanuma Vihari the spin-bowling allrounder in their opening win in the series.

Sussex head coach Jason Gillepsie extends contract until 2022 SUSSEX head coach Jason Gillespie has extended his contract with the club, and will remain at Hove until the end of the 2022 campaign.

The 44-year-old Australian took charge at the start of 2018. “I really feel we’re moving in the right direction, which is really pleasing,” he said. “I can’t fault the efforts of all our players and coaches. Everyone wants what’s best for the club, and I feel we’re progressing.”

Gillespie has had success in the T20 Blast, leading Sussex to the final in 2018 and also progressing to the

Jason Gillespie coached Yorkshire to back-to-back County Championship titles in 2014 and 2015

quarter-finals this year.

However, the club have twice missed out on promotion from Division Two of

the County Championship - finishing third in the table last year and sixth in 2019.

“We’ve had some really

good times together, and we’ve had some challenging times,” the former Yorkshire coach added.

“We’re all clear about what we’re setting out to achieve and focussed on improving and developing.

“I want to thank the club for the opportunity to carry on and for showing faith in me. I’m determined to repay that faith by keeping things moving in the right direction and hopefully having some success down the track.”BBC Sport).

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 10, 2019

27

Tridents track-record gives them edge over TKR as big match looms tonight

By Clifton Ross

WITH all the chips on the table and a dangerous, unbeaten Guyana Amazon Warriors waiting, both Barbados Tridents and defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) will collide with everything on the line as the remaining spot in the 2019 Hero CPL is up for grabs tonight.

Outgunned and outplayed by the rampaging Warriors, who surged to 11 straight wins this season as they easily stormed into the final. After escaping the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots a few days ago, the defending champs managed to keep their hopes alive thanks to Lendl Simmons’ 5th half-century for this edition, coupled with skipper Kieron Pollard’s power-hitting which gave the TKR another slice at the finals.

The Tridents are the only team to look somewhat dangerous, apart from the Warriors, sitting in the number two spot with 10 points, less than half of what the Warriors possess (20). Despite a mixed season, Tridents enter this battle-for-everything against the Knight

Riders with a huge advantage.

In both encounters this season, Tridents easily beat TKR by 7 wickets and 63 runs respectively thus making tonight’s game even more interesting. Having disposed of the champs with relative ease on two previous occasions will bring much joy and confidence to Jason Holder and company.

Although TKR had a mixed tournament by their standards, the win which allowed them to qualify for the qualifier was good for their egos. The champs were under pressure and Simmons and Pollard stood up as the seniors and saw their side home, further highlighting the grit and danger which the champs possess in their side.

Both sides have in-form top-order batsmen who are ranked 2 and 4 respectively on the run-getters’ list with Simmons being the key man given his 429 runs and five scores of 50 or more.

Darren Bravo, Colin Munro and James Neesham have been relatively quiet given their aggression with the bat, while Pollard who has 300 plus runs will be keen on continuing his

relentless power-hitting at the back-end of the innings.

TKR’s experiment with Sunil Narine as an opener has not gone according to plan while other players in the side will be tasked with contributing runs, come their time in the middle against a lethal Tridents attack. With the clear-cut advantage being in the camp of the Tridents, leading run-scorer for the franchise Johnson Charles, has a huge role to play at the top of the innings. The West Indies opener smashed 55 and 58 in his two encounters versus the champs and will likely be seeking to exhibit more of his aggression against the champs. South African star JP Duminy has been in good batting form and his half-century in the first match against Trinbago will further boost his form heading into such a tense encounter. England star batsman Alex Hales has been scratchy but could come alive at the right time while Jonathan Carter and Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan all showed good signs in prior encounters.

Due to the number of talented pure batsmen and batting all-rounders in the side, both

In-form batsman Lendl Simmons will be the key for TKR.

units will desperately be relying on their crop of wicket-taking bowlers to either restrain or rattle the other side.

The ace of the bowlers in any side is most certainly leg-spinner Hayden Walsh Jr of the Tridents. The 27-yearold is the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 19 scalps and has been the primary tormentor to TKR after bagging a magical 5-19 and 2-34 from his two matches against them.

Spinner Hayden Walsh Jr will be an X-factor for Tridents given his form against TKR.

Skipper Jason Holder comes in as the next big threat with 13 victims. Despite the class of Walsh Jr and Holder, Tridents will rely heavily on additional wicket-takers in Shakib, Raymon Reifer, English pacer Harry Gurney and Duminy.

Neesham is TKR’s most successful bowler to date with 11 wickets but the likes of Na-

rine, Kharry Pierre. Ali Khan and the other part-timers could pose a threat to the Tridents.

When the smoke clears, tonight’s winner will be in for a definite dog-fight when they tackle Amazon Warriors in the final set for October 12.

Match bowls off at 19:00hrs at the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium, Tarouba Trinidad.

Diamond Mineral Hockey tourney among others set for coming weeks … GHB reels out fixtures for remainder of 2019 THE Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) plans to wrap up 2019 with a bang, as a number of high-profile tournaments are set to smack off in a few weeks.

Hockey players across the board will be upbeat, following the confirmation of what could be considered mouth-watering indoor events. The first tourney will see players locked to do battle in the GT&T National Indoor tourney, which gets un-

derway October 14 to 20.

The follow-up event, which spikes off from November 6 to 10, will feature a number of Guyana’s brightest upcoming junior hockey players vying for a chance to prove their supremacy.

Saving the best for last, GHB will then host their grand event of the year; the Diamond Mineral Hockey Festival from November 27 to December 1.

It will be a definite treat for

fans of the sport as a host of national male and female star players will duke it out in hopes of retaining their titles. Newbies will likely be seeking to etch their names in the champion books.

Reigning, defending junior champs Old Fort will come up against the likes of Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) Pitbulls, who will also be aiming to defend their U-21 title. Other defending junior champs

The Guyana Hockey Board will be hosting a series of tournaments in the weeks ahead.

include St Joseph and GCC Bingo Spartans who are the custodians of the U-16 title.

In the highly-anticipated senior category, the war will feature big guns in the Men’s leg; Old ‘Old’ Fort, defending champs Pepsi Hikers and GBTI GCC who ran roughshod over their opponents in last year’s edition and will be seeking to maintain their dominance come this season.

Taylor, Fletcher named respective captains ahead of Hero CPL Women’s T10 matches

… Five Guyanese in COURTS Gladiators team A STAR-STUDDED list of ladies will do battle as squads for the two women’s T10 matches, hosted by Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL), was announced yesterday.

Set for today at 15:00hrs and Saturday at 12:30hrs at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, cricketers from Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and Leeward Islands will form the teams; NLCB Revellers and COURTS Gladiators.

Gladiators will feature cricketers from Barbados, Guyana and Windward Islands. NLCB Revellers will be captained by Windies Stafanie Taylor while her international teammate Afy Fletcher will lead COURTS Gladiators.

The two teams will feature the best cricketing talents from across the Caribbean with the likes of Anisa Mohammad, Britney Cooper, Natasha McLean, Kycia Knight,

Hayley Matthews and Qiana Joseph taking part.

Taylor, commenting on the news, said, “It is very pleasing to have an initiative such as this that the CPL has done for Women’s cricket in the Caribbean. It’s a long time coming to potentially have a women’s T20 franchise tournament here in the West Indies, bringing international players here to our conditions and pitches, just as we go to their leagues. No doubt this

will aid Cricket West Indies (CWI) in growing women’s cricket in the region.”

Meanwhile, Fletcher in her remarks added, “I think that it’s a great idea. Women’s cricket is rapidly growing so kudos to the persons for taking the initiative to find different avenues to expose the talent of the ladies of the Caribbean. Knowing that we have a small pool of female cricketers, I strongly believe that this is a stepping stone to move forward and also a way of attracting the eyes of the young girls across the region.”

West Indies teammates Stafanie Taylor and Afy Fletcher will lead opposite sides when the two Hero CPLsponsored T10 matches bowl off.

These games have been made possible thanks to the support of the Trinidad & Tobago

Ministry of Sport and Youth TURN TO PAGE 23

28 GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 10, 2019

Emery Welshman (#10) returns to the Golden Jaguars.

Welshman, Daniels, Bonds to boost ‘Golden Jaguars’ against Antigua tomorrow 23 PAGE

MVP Sports/Jefford Classic

delivers prizes

to champion athletes

PAGE

23

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha before the match Action Images via Reuters/Tony O’Brien

Crystal Palace act after Zaha subjected 23 to racist abuse PAGE

From left, MVP Sports proprietor Ian Ramdeo, Natasha Alder, organiser Edison Jefford and Cassie Small.

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2019