Guyana Chronicle E-paper 10-16-2019

WEDNESDAY 16th October, 2019

No.105792

5 DEAD IN EBD CRASH … as police car, private vehicle collide

Dead: Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Sergeant, Leon Tucker

Dead: Policeman Ronel Barker

PAGE

03

Dead: Special Constable Lovern Stoby

Dead: Denise Josiah and her husband, Herbert Josiah in happier times

President orders CoI into horrific accident … says there will be no further event like this in the history of GPF, GDF

President David Granger at the accident scene

“I would like you to know that this shocking event will be thoroughly investigated.

In fact, soon after the accident, within two hours, I directed the acting Commissioner of Police, Mr. Nigel Hoppie to launch an inquiry headed by a person no lower in rank than the Deputy Commissioner, to determine how such an accident could have occurred and also to make recommendations to prevent a recurrence,” the Head of State told the Public Information and Press Service.

“We will ensure that, if there was any error, any mistake, any wrongdoing… that there will be no further event like this in the history of the Police Force or the Guyana Defence Force,” President Granger said

2

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Presidential gift!

PRINCIPAL Assistant Secretary (General), Ministry of the Presidency, Ms. Roxanne Barratt on Tuesday afternoon, on behalf of President David Granger, delivered a food hamper to centenarian Ms. Kathleen Headley, who is celebrated her 105th Birth Anniversary.

The gift was delivered

to Ms. Headley at her 34 Norton Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown home, where she was surrounded by her family and members of her church. Ms. Headley expressed her gratitude for the hamper and said “I wish that he (the President) will live as long as I do and have even more visitors on his birthday than I did”.

Man confesses to choking octogenarian to death LINCON Odell, 29, also known as “Shadow”, has confessed to stomping the life out of an octogenarian, Fitz Herbert Grimes, after the elderly man refused to give him money and advised that he “go find a job”.

The murder at Race Course, Springlands was witnessed by an 11-year-old boy who peeped through a crack in a wall.

Odell, who was represented by Attorney-at-law, Siand Dhurjon, appeared before Justice Brassington Reynolds at the Berbice Assizes, where he pleaded not guilty to murder, but guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.

Odell is among 14 prisoners at the New Amsterdam Prison, who have submitted statements indicating their willingness to plead to the lesser count of manslaughter.

Meanwhile, according to the facts presented by State Prosecutrix, Seeta Bishundial, the accused is a regular visitor to the pensioner’s home. At the time of the visit, Grimes’ caretaker, along with her 11-year-old son was at the house.

Shortly after, the caretaker left to visit a nearby shop, leaving her son and the accused downstairs.

Soon after, the accused went upstairs and out of curiosity, the pre-teen followed, and peeping through a crack on the wall, he saw the accused choking the pensioner with one hand while cuffing his face with another.

On witnessing the incident, the child ran outside, screaming, ‘murder! His father saw him and after he confided in the parent, they returned to the scene as the accused was exiting the house.

Two neighbours, on hearing the scuffle next door, looked through their window and saw the accused coming out of the house with bloodied clothing.

Odell reportedly said the octogenarian fell down and needed help. A post-mortem revealed that Grimes died as a result of manual strangulation.

In his caution statement, Odell said he went to the pensioner to ask for a raise and instead of giving him a raise, Grimes also known as “Grandfather”, told him to go and work.

Odell said he got angry and choked the old man and stomped his chest until blood flowed.

Afterwards he saw the child and ran behind him with a cutlass but the child escaped.

3

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

5 DEAD in EBD CRASH … as police car, private vehicle collide

By Svetlana Marshall and Gabriella Chapman FIVE persons were, on Tuesday morning, killed when a police car slammed into another car on the Friendship, East Bank Demerara Public Road.

Among those dead are Policeman Ronel Barker; Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Sergeant, Leon Tucker; Lovern Stoby, a member of the Special Constabulary and Herbert Josiah and his wife, Denise Josiah, both of whom worked at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre.

Barker, who was driving a Guyana Police Force (GPF) car, was proceeding south along the EBD corridor in the direction of Timehri at the time of the accident. He was in the company of Police Lance Corporal Travis Fullington, who is one of two survivors.

Tucker, the GDF Sergeant, was headed in the northern direction on the roadway in his private car (PPP 515) when disaster struck. Stoby, Herbert Josiah and his wife were all occupants of that vehicle along with another woman, who survived the early morning smash-up.

Surveillance footage nearby captured motorcar PPP 515 moving at a moderate pace when the police vehicle with flashing lights, slammed head-on into it.

On the point of impact, the police vehicle spun several times before coming to a halt in a nearby trench.

Tucker’s body could be seen hanging from his mangled vehicle while his aunt

Dead: Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Sergeant, Leon Tucker – Lovern Stoby, and her neighbours – the married couple – were flung from the vehicle onto the road. The accident occurred at around 05:30hrs.

Within minutes, droves of persons flocked the scene to get a glimpse of the accident.

PRESIDENT VISITED SCENE President David Granger, who was at another EBD location, visited the scene after learning of the accident.

The Ministry of the Presidency, on his behalf, issued a statement subsequently. “His Excellency David Granger, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is saddened at the death of five persons following a tragic road accident on the Friendship Public Road, East Bank Demerara, this morning. President Granger expresses heartfelt sympa-

Dead: Policeman Ronel Barker thy to their relatives and friends,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, at Tucker’s Recht-Door-Zee, West Bank Demerara (WBD) residence, his relatives and friends gathered as they mourned his death and that of his aunt, Lovern Stoby.

His wife, Paula Tucker, was too distraught to speak.

Comforted by a pastor, Paula Tucker cried bitterly as she sat in a chair inside the house, while hugging one of their five children. The others, with the exception of one who resides in Canada, sat around in much disbelief.

“He was very quiet; always dedicated to his family; always at church; very humble; very disciplined; I can’t express myself enough,” his mother, Hyacinth Stoby, told Guyana Chronicle as she broke down in tears. “He loved his pet; he has two dogs, and he was very dedicated to them.

Whenever he got home from

Dead: Special Constable Lovern Stoby work, he would ensure that he feeds them,” she added.

Tucker, 36, joined the military as a teenager. Hyacinth Stoby said her son was heading home from Base Camp Seweyo, Linden-Soesdyke Highway when upon seeing his aunt, stopped at Friendship to offer her a drop. “He saw his aunt on the road and decided to give her a drop along with the other residents,” she said.

Hyacinth Stoby is also the sister of Lovern Stoby – a mother of four. Present also at the house was another sibling, Bonita Stoby.

Bonita Stoby, who lives at Third Street, Friendship, was at home cooking when she learnt of her sister’s demise. They lived houses apart. Though in great doubt, Bonita Stoby made her way to the scene of the accident. “When I went on the road I saw my sister lying there. All I could have done was just stand,

Dead: Denise Josiah and her husband, Herbert Josiah in happier times and look, look at my sister laying there on that grass; it was sad,” she told this newspaper.

Lovern Stoby, a special constable, was attached to John Fernandes Ltd. “She was very disciplined and punctual. Sometimes, she use to leave 4 o’clock in the morning, just to be on time, and I stopped her, so she started going out at 5:30, six the latest,” Bonita Stoby said.

She too confirmed that Tucker was heading from Base Camp Seweyo when he offered his aunt and her neighbours a drop to the city. Bonita Stoby said though she recognised her sister as one of the accident victims it was not until she reached the mortuary, that she was informed that the driver was her nephew.

“He was hanging out of the vehicle, and I didn’t know it was my nephew, and I didn’t know it was my nephew I was looking at, hanging out of that vehicle. I was just focusing on my sister, and it was my nephew there, hanging over that vehicle…So I lose my nephew and my second sister out of 10.

She was the second out of 10 from one mother and father,” Bonita Stoby told this newspaper.

At the Josiahs’ Friendship home, their children, relatives and friends gathered. Denise King-Josiah, 57, was a maid supervisor at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre while her husband, Herbert Josiah, 58, was a See page 9

4

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday October 16, 2019

Russia vows to prevent Turkey-Syria clashes

Russia has said it will not allow clashes between Turkish and Syrian forces, as Turkey’s military offensive in northern Syria continues.

“This would simply be unacceptable... and therefore we will not allow it, of course,” said Moscow’s special envoy for Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev. The withdrawal of US troops from the region, announced last week, gave Turkey a “green light”, critics say.

Russia is a key military ally of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.

Russia’s defence ministry said its forces, which have been deployed in Syria since 2015, were patrolling along the “line of contact” between Syrian and Turkish forces. Later on Tuesday, the Pentagon said F-15 fighter jets and Apache helicopter gunships had been deployed in a show of force towards Turkish-backed forces who had come close to US ground troops near the Syrian town of Ain Issa.

The Turkish-backed fighters had violated an agreement not to threaten US troops, a

16 October, 2019 05:00hrs ~ 06:30hrs

military official said.

During a visit to the United Arab Emirates, Mr Lavrentyev described Turkey’s offensive as “unacceptable”.

He said that under previous agreements Turkey can only go 5-10km (3-6 miles) into Syria - far less than the 30km “safe zone” Ankara is proposing - and that Turkey has no right to permanently deploy its troops in the country. Syria is in contact with Turkey to avoid a conflict, he said.

Mr Lavrentyev also confirmed that Russia had helped to broker a deal between Kurds and Damascus that saw Kurdish-led forces cede territory to Syrian government troops in return for military support.

The Turkish offensive, which began last week, aims to push the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) from the border region. Turkey considers the biggest militia in the SDF a terrorist organisation.

The Turkish government wants to create a “safe zone” in the area, where it can resettle Syrian refugees currently in Turkey. Many of them are not Kurds and critics warn this could lead to ethnic cleansing of the local Kurdish population.

Dozens of civilians have been killed in the operation so

far and at least 160,000 have fled the area, according to the UN. Kurdish-led forces have been a key ally of the US in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria. They described the US withdrawal, which preceded Turkish action, as a “stab in the back”.

There are fears the destabilisation could risk a resurgence of IS, as thousands of former fighters and their relatives are being detained in northern Syria. Hundreds of IS family members are said to have already escaped from one camp.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan insists the operation will continue until his country’s “objectives have been achieved” despite the involvement of Syrian government forces. The US has imposed sanctions on Turkish ministries and senior government officials in response to the country’s military offensive in northern Syria.

President Donald Trump also phoned his Turkish counterpart to demand an immediate truce, Vice-President Mike Pence said.

Mr Pence said he would travel to the region “as quickly as possible”.

Following the deal with Kurdish-led forces, the Syrian

army began to move towards the border on Monday.

The deal is seen as a boost for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as it meant his troops would return to north-eastern areas for the first time since 2012, when their withdrawal to fight rebels elsewhere allowed Kurdish militias to take control.

Despite disagreeing with their attempts at self-rule, Mr Assad did not seek to retake the territory, especially after the Kurds became partners in the coalition against IS with US troops on the ground.

Apart from fighting IS, the Kurds were fundamental to the US in limiting the influence of rivals Russia and Iran and keeping some leverage on the ground. Syrian government forces have entered the strategic town of Manbij, inside the area where Turkey wants to create its “safe zone”. Turkish troops and pro-Turkish, anti-government fighters had been gathering near the town.

For now, Syrian forces will not be deployed between Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain, where Turkey has focused its efforts.

Turkey has threatened the city since Kurdish-led forces liberated it from IS in 2016.

Manbij lies close to the border, and Turkey counts the Kurdish

militias in Syria as terrorist organisations.

Over the past two years, hundreds of US troops have visibly patrolled the streets of the city.

In March 2017, the Pentagon deployed soldiers to the area - and unlike in other parts of Syria, they flew US flags from vehicles to visibly deter a Turkish operation and reassure both sides. It was on such a patrol that a suicide bomber killed four US soldiers in Manbij earlier this year.

But the deployment has now come to a rapid end. On Tuesday, US military spokesman Col Myles B Caggins wrote on Twitter: “Coalition forces are executing a deliberate withdrawal from northeast Syria. We are out of Manbij.”

Syrian government forces and their Russian allies have quickly moved in.

A video posted on Twitter shows a Russian war reporter inside what was the US military camp, with equipment seemingly abandoned in the rush to leave the area.

According to the Russian defence ministry, Syrian government forces have now taken control of more than 1,000 square kilometres around Manbij. (BBC)

Saturday October 11, 2019

08 19 21 23 24 25 04

N

04, 10, 21, 22, 25

0, 0, 1

6, 7, 9

October 11, 2019

04, 07, 09, 10, 15

3

6

11 14 19

5

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

President orders CoI into horrific EBD accident … police car was not part of presidential convoy

PRESIDENT David Granger has ordered a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the tragic accident at Friendship, East Bank Demerara that claimed the lives of five persons on Tuesday morning.

The accident reportedly occurred at around 5:30hrs on Tuesday, when a police vehicle, driven by Constable Ronel Barker of the Presidential Guard, slammed into motor vehicle PPP 515, driven by Guyana Defence Force Sergeant Leon Tucker. The vehicles were proceeding in opposite direction. Both drivers – Barker and Tucker – died along with three others, Herbert Josiah and his wife Denis King-Josiah, and their neighbour Lovern Stoby.

President Granger, who was at another location on the East Bank of Demerara

at the time, visited the scene after learning of the accident.

During an on-camera interview with the Public Information and Press Service, the Head of State, while describing the accident as “very disturbing,” said he was saddened by the deaths of the five persons. The president, from the onset, offered his condolences to the relatives and friends of the deceased.

It was during that interview that the President disclosed that a thorough investigation would be launched into the accident. “I would like you to know that this shocking event will be thoroughly investigated. In fact, soon after the accident, within two hours, I directed the acting Commissioner of Police, Mr. Nigel Hoppie to launch an inquiry headed by a person no lower in rank

than the Deputy Commissioner, to determine how such an accident could have occurred and also to make recommendations to prevent a recurrence,” President Granger said.

He added: “We will ensure that, if there was any error, any mistake, any wrongdoing… that there will be no further event like this in the history of the Police Force or the Guyana Defence Force.”

President Granger assured too that whatever the cause of the accident, the Government of Guyana, the administration of the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force, the Cabinet and the National Security Committee, which have since been briefed on the incident, will take every step to ensure that the roads are used safely by all members of the secu-

President David Granger rity forces.

He said steps will also be taken to ensure that regulations, Standing Operating Procedures, inspections and the careful selection and training of drivers, are measures which are put in place so as to prevent a recurrence. “The Govern-

Fishermen allegedly beaten, thrown overboard A POST mortem (PM) examination performed on the bodies of the two fishermen who were found on the Abary Foreshore concluded that both men died as a result of drowning.

The post mortem showed that Kawal Kissoon called “Ajay” was beaten before his hands and feet were tied and then thrown overboard.

Kisson had several marks of violence on his body including a chop wound. According to the autopsy, the body of Lamar Petrie was too badly

decomposed to determine if he too was beaten before being tied and left to drown.

The PM was conducted by Dr. Nehaul Singh at the Fort Wellington Hospital on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the search for Vishnu Seeram and the other missing crew member, Marvin Tamessar, continued yesterday with a team of approximately 20 persons combing the Corentyne shoreline.

Relatives, in speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, indicated they will continue

to search for men.

Marvin Tamessar and the Captain Vishnu Seeram, both of Miss Pheobe village, are still missing. The bodies of their other two crew members, Kawal Kissoon called ‘Ajay,’ 36, of Lot 233 Letter Kenny and Lamar Petrie, 20, of Miss Phoebe were found on Friday and Sunday respectively.

The four fishermen departed Guyana on Saturday October 5, destined for Suriname to ply their trade and scheduled to return on Octo-

ber 19, however, their boat – ‘Sara One’ – was found abandoned at the Cromarty foreshore on Friday October 11. The engine and catch was also missing and portions of the seine were covered in blood.

The bodies of both Petrie and Kisson were found with their hands tied behind their backs and their feet bound.

They were both found in the vicinity of Abary, some 60 kilometers away from where the boat was grounded.

ment and the security forces will ensure that the findings and recommendations of this Commission of Inquiry are fully and rigorously implemented,” the President assured the nation.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Police Force, in a statement, confirmed the deaths of the five persons while providing particulars on the accident. “About 05:35h, today Tuesday, Oct 15, 2019, Constable 22621 Ronel Barker of the Presidential Guard was on duty driving Force vehicle PTT 9313 along the Friendship Public Road, East Bank Demerara when his vehicle collided with motor vehicle PPP 515 which was proceeding in the opposite direction and driven by Guyana Defence Force Sergeant Leon Tucker, 34 years of 2544 Recht-Door-Zee, West Bank Demerara. As a result of the impact, Constable Ronel Barker and Lance Corporal 21889 Travis Fullington who was also in the police vehicle received injuries.

Constable Ronel Barker succumbed to his injuries while Lance Corporal Travis Fullington has been admitted to hospital,” the police detailed.

It also confirmed that four of the five occupants, who were in the private car, were killed in the accident.

Tricia London, 33 years of 119 Friendship Squatting Area, who survived the accident, has been admitted to a hospital. In the statement, the Guyana Police Force offered its deepest condolences to the families and friends of those who have lost their lives.

It also used the opportunity to place on the records other facts surrounding the accident while dispelling the notion that the police vehicle was part of a presidential convoy at the time of the accident.

“The Guyana Police Force wishes to clarify that contrary to reports in sections of the media, the police vehicle involved in the accident was not escorting His Excellency, the President at the time of the accident.

The matter is under investigation and the police is requesting anyone who may have witnessed the accident or is in possession of video footage of the accident to contact the police at the Commissioner’s Office, Eve Leary; Traffic Headquarters at Barrack and Parade Streets, Kingston, Georgetown or the Divisional Commander of Region 4 (b) Golden Grove – Diamond Police Station, East Bank Demerara,” the police stated.

6

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Ensuring food security THE month of October is Agriculture Month in Guyana and as the country has done in the last few years, the spotlight has been turned on the importance of agriculture to the country’s political economy.

This year’s theme is, ‘Sustainable Agriculture for ensuring Food Safety and a Green Economy,’ which evidently speaks to the government’s official agricultural thrust.

One can hardly argue against such a thrust, as it partly falls in line with the global direction of contemporary thinking about agriculture. Food security is now the buzzword across the global community, which has become much more literate about the linkage between food and issues of development. No longer is this term and concept nestled in discourses among erudite agricultural scientists and armchair economists; it has correctly become part of popular discourse and thinking that cut across social class and other social divides.

Here in Guyana, thanks mainly to young environmental activists and advocates, our governments have been forced to embrace it as both rhetoric and policy.

The World Food Programme (WFP) defines food security in the following way: “People are considered food secure when they have availability and adequate access at all times to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life.” It also lists “Food availability,” “Food access” and Food utilisation” as pivotal central planks of food security.

As we observe Agriculture Month and

heed the designated theme, it is worth reflecting on the extent to which our country meets that test of food security. As a traditional agriculture-based society, we often take food availability for granted. This is understandable, given the relatively high production of food here compared to other countries across the globe. We are blessed with lots of land and water which are key ingredients for food production. Thus, despite declines in some areas of production, we have ostensibly continued to produce enough food for local consumption and trade.

But food production is only part of food security. Do Guyanese have adequate access to food and if they do, is that food nutritious enough to lead to proper health?

It is in these latter areas that the government is challenged to make its theme real.

Many in the poorer classes of our society would argue that adequate access to food is dependent on their financial capacity to access those foods. Given the relatively high rate of poverty that still exists in Guyana, it is fair to conclude that this must be an area of food security that should be targeted by government.

Those who produce the food we consume would also have something to say about food security. In a rapidly changing world, where powerful governments subsidise agriculture in their countries, does our government do enough in that area? Does the government even have the financial capacity to adequately meet that challenge?

These and other related questions must be

pondered by the government as it attempts to reshape our agricultural thrust to meet the demands of the new technological age.

We know of the negative impact of globalisation on small, local agriculture-based economies such as ours. It is now cheaper to import some foods into countries such as Guyana, than to produce them locally; this has been a negative development for us as far as local farmers are concerned. How the government gets around this thorny issue is yet to be seen, but it is one that must be confronted. Cheap, imported food has not improved access by poor communities, but it has sadly contributed to the utilisation of sub-standard food. Mass production of food has severely hampered food security.

Of course, local food production would be enhanced by the expansion of manufacturing initiatives. This has been a troublesome area, as our entrepreneurs have not been as robust in their exploration of this sector; it is another area that cries out for adequate interrogation during Agriculture Month.

The apparent hinterland thrust of the government is welcomed. From all indications, there are vast acreages of land in the hinterland which could be used to produce both traditional and non-traditional foods.

We have always talked about a hinterland agriculture thrust--the Burnham government made some strides in this regard in the 1960s and 1970s--but these were not sustained. It would help to study these experiments to tease out what worked and what didn’t.

We observe another Agriculture Month as we are in the midst of figuring out what to do about the sugar industry, which has been the bedrock of our agricultural sector. It is a painful process that is pregnant with history, hurt, nostalgia, ethnicity and party politics -- yet it is a necessity. The government must be commended for confronting it head-on, risking political capital in the process.

We must confront agriculture, not just as economics and food production, but as culture. Many in the African-Guyanese community, for example, have advocated the return of the village economy which was essentially an agriculture-based economy. But they have had to confront the fact that the new generations do not have the same relationship to agriculture as previous ones. Most of the farmlands have been abandoned, while the limited farming that persists is hampered by poor infrastructure.

Towards this end, a current government programme which targets selected countries can be seen as a pilot programme that could tell us the extent to which agriculture could again capture the popular imagination.

Finally, as Guyana prepares to venture into the world of oil and gas, there is the temptation to downplay sectors such as agriculture; this would be a huge mistake.

We, therefore, should use the observances this month to drive home that critical point. Agriculture Month should ultimately be a time to also advocate for agriculture as a route to development, security and individual, community and national liberation.

GUYOIL rejects slanderous article in Kaieteur News

Dear Editor,

THE Guyana Oil Company Limited (Guyoil) notes the article published on Sunday October 13, 2019 in Kaieteur Newspaper “No Kickback, no contracts – Women tells harrowing tale of how Guyoil terminated contracts” and submits the following facts: 1. Invitations for bids were publicly advertised on February 2, 2019 for the supply of one (1) canter truck and the supply, fabrication and erection of two (2) 10,000 gals tanks.

2. On February 17, 2019 an invitation for bids was advertised for the supply of one (1) Rigid Tank Wagon (RTW).

3. Tenders for all three contracts were opened on February 25, 2019.

4. There were four respondents for the supply of one canter truck and four respondents for supply, fabrication and erection of two 10,000 gals tanks which included Commissiong & Company Ltd. While there were two respondents for the supply of one Rigid Tank Wagon (RTW).

5. As per Guyoil’s Tender Policy, the bids were evaluated by the company’s Evaluation Committee. The CEO of the company is not

part of the evaluation committee.

6. Evaluation of the supply, fabrication and erection of two 10,000 gals tanks was conducted on February 7, 2019 while the evaluations for the supply of one canter truck and one Rigid Tank Wagon (RTW) were conducted on March 2, 2019.

7. Commissiong & Company Ltd. was the most responsive bidder for the supply, fabrication and erection of two 10,000 gals tanks.

Therefore, the Evaluation Committee recommended Commissiong & Company Ltd. be awarded this contract to the Board’s Tender Committee. The Board’s Tender Committee is a sub-committee of the Board.

8. Included in Commissiong & Company Ltd’s bid documents was a bid security from Furness Anchorage General Insurance Limited (Trinidad & Tobago Firm). The Board’s Tender Committee made the recommendation to the Board of Directors for the award of the contract to Commissiong & Company Ltd. and this was ratified and approved by the Board.

9. Notification of award and acceptance requires a Performance Bond submission.

Commissiong & Company Ltd. submitted a

Performance Bond from Furness Anchorage General Insurance Limited. Following this a contract was signed with Guyoil on May 24, 2019.

10. Tenders for the supply of one canter truck and one Rigid Tank Wagon (RTW) were evaluated on March 2, 2019. In both cases all bidders were deemed non-responsive.

As such, in the interest of time, the company invited bids using the restricted tender process on March 11, 2019. Bids were received on March 18, 2019. All bids were evaluated by the Evaluation Committee on April 10, 2019.

11. Guyoil received three bids for the supply of one canter truck and two bids for the supply of one Rigid Tank Wagon (RTW), in which Commissiong & Company Ltd. were included for both submissions.

12. Commissiong & Company Ltd. was deemed the most responsive bidder for both tenders. Included in their bid documents, the company submitted local insurance bonds for both the bid security and the performance bonds.

13. After the signing of all contracts, an advance payment security is required. As per contract, the company was required to

submit an Unconditional Bank Guarantee in a form and by a bank acceptable to Guyoil, in amounts equal to the advance payments.

14. Guyoil’s Finance, Audit and Administration Committee (FAAC) (a sub-committee of the Board) recommended to the Board that the acceptable form for all Unconditional Bank Guarantees must be from a local entity.

The Board approved the recommendation made by the FAAC. 15. Following the Board’s decision this was communicated to Commissiong & Company Ltd. on July 18, 2019 via email by Guyoil’s Facilities Manager (ag).

16. Commissiong & Company Ltd. subsequently responded on July 29, 2019 via their attorney stating that Guyoil had accepted international bonds for the bid security and performance for all the contracts they were awarded.

17. Guyoil on August 30, in response, pointed out that an the advance security is required after the signing of the contracts and the contract clearly stipulates that the contractor must provide “an Unconditional See page 7

7

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Why is there no official policy mandating protection of the trees in our ‘Garden City’ Dear editor, A recent glance into the compound of one of the leading educational institutions of Guyana, Queens College, revealed a shocking sight – most of the trees in the yard, several of whose shade I had lounged under as a young student decades ago, had

been dreadfully mutilated.

Entire limbs had been chopped off, tops shorn, some literally halved in size. These were not diseased trees, nor were they posing any danger to human, building, or wires nearby. However, these trees had been hacked mercilessly, some down to just stumps in the ground. I daresay several of them will not

Dharamlall’s cheap attack on our Chief Toshao

Dear Editor, I was appalled after seeing a social media post by PPP/MP, Nigel Dharamlall, which seeks to insult and discredit Mr. Nicolas Fredericks, the Chairman of the National Toshaos Council.

Mr. Dharamlall posted a video showing brown tap water and a shaky bed, and claimed that Toshaos attending a conference in Georgetown were housed at sub-standard hotels. It is fair to say that conditions at some hotels should be improved but one cannot use an isolated situation to paint all hotels as sub-standard, and blame the Toshao for this.

This cheap attack on our Chief Toshao a wicked response to the proper rebuke given to Dharamlall and five other PPP MPs who refused to respect our President, David Granger, during the opening ceremony of the National Toshaos Conference. Everyone in the hall stood up when the President was introduced, and after he concluded his speech. Standing up does not indicate support for any political party, but a common courtesy to a Head of State.

Before business starts in the National Assembly all MPs, including the PPP’s

Gang of Six, stand up and repeat a prayer which includes “praying for the President”.

But the PPP has shown only hooliganism, even in parliament, by banging on desks, opening placards and shouting in a disorderly manner, whenever the President addresses Parliament. They invaded private functions, whipped out placards, and tried to shut down the President, with vulgar noises. Protest is a form of democratic activity but it has to be done in an orderly and respectful manner, or else we will have chaos and mayhem. Our youths must be shown behaviour by which they can live.

Mr. Dharamlall was once attached to the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs and there are still reports circulating about his misdeeds among our people. We also know about his disgraceful conduct elsewhere, including one involving a gun.

But we are opposed to his attempt and that of the PPP to try to pull down our Chief Toshao in their campaign of mud-slinging and disrespect.

Sincerely, CheryCampbell

GUYOIL rejects slanderous ...

From page 6

Bank Guarantee in a form and by a bank acceptable to the employer in amounts equal to the advance payment”.

Therefore, the provision of international bonds will not be an acceptable form of advance security from Commissiong & Company Ltd. after the signing of the three contracts.

18. There was no response from Commissiong & Company Ltd. After which, a second notification was sent on September 10, 2019 giving the company 14 days to submit their local advance security.

19. Commissiong & Company Ltd., through their attorney, responded on September 11, 2019 and stated it is incorporated in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and all of its assets are based in Trinidad and therefore, they are unable to provide local advance security.

20. Commissiong & Company Ltd., in their letter, requested that Guyoil issue the advance payments within 14 days for all three projects. This was despite their failure to submit the requisite advance security to Guyoil.

21. As a result, the Board at its statutory meeting on October 2, 2019 took the decision to terminate all three contracts. The contracts were terminated in keeping with clause 10.1 (a) of contracts. Commissiong has failed to perform its obligation as per clause SCC 6.1.

This clauses states that an advance amount is required to be paid upon the submission of a “…simple receipt and a bank guarantee for the equivalent amount and in the form provided in the bid documents or another form

acceptable to the purchaser”.

In keeping with clause 59.4 of contract, it was no longer convenient for Guyoil to engage in this contract as Commissiong has failed to meet its obligation as provided in clause 51.1. This clause states inter alia that Commissiong was required to provide “an Unconditional Bank Guarantee in a form and by a bank acceptable to the employer in amounts equal to the advance payment”.

In light of the facts outlined above, Guyoil categorically rejects the malicious and slanderous report by Kaieteur News.

Guyoil further wishes to state that all tenders are recommended by the Board’s Tender Committee and approved by the Board of Directors. The CEO does not have any influence over this process and denies that she was ever in contact with anyone from Commissiong & Company Ltd. Guyoil therefore views the reports by Commissiong & Company Ltd. as presumptuous, malicious and slanderous. Guyoil rejects their attempts to discredit the company’s procurement system.

Guyoil prides itself on transparency and integrity in its operations. As the largest petroleum distributor in Guyana, we remain committed to serving the nation with integrity and dedication and subscribing to GUYOIL’s objective in providing excellence in service.

All for your information and Guidance.

Regards, Management & Board of Directors

recover from this butchery and will soon die.

QC is not the only culprit however – examples of tree butchery abound all around the ‘Garden City’ of Georgetown. The mutilation of the hundred year old silk cotton tree in the Carnegie School of Home Economics compound is a recent example. As noted in a previous letter, it appears that many Guyanese have little regard or respect for the trees in their environment although trees are essential to life. That such tree damage could happen at one of the premier educational institutions in the nation makes me question the level of understanding of those in charge of decision-making at these places.

Are these individuals so unaware of the role of trees in maintaining a healthy ecosystem? Do they not know that trees help keep the environment cool and that arbitrary cutting of them by untrained individuals causes them harm? What messages are they transmitting to the young minds they’re responsible for training when such butchery of these workhorses of the environment is allowed? It is sad really, to see examples of such disconnectedness from the natural world.

I’m no arborist, but I know that pruning a tree is not the same as cutting hair. Clearly, whoever was responsible for this tree cutting exercise knew next to nothing about proper tree trimming techniques. A quick search on Google turned up several informative videos on tree pruning, as well as tips from experienced arborists about what to do and not do

in order to maintain a healthy tree. What was done to the trees in the QC compound was exactly what these experts advised *not* to do.

In a nation like ours that has trumpeted its environmental record internationally to gain funds, and that’s pursuing eco-tourism and a ‘green’ economy, it’s incomprehensible to me such mutilation of healthy trees is allowed to occur. Planting saplings – while necessary and commendable – does not mean that mature trees can be cut willy-nilly. The fact is that a healthy mature tree sequesters far more carbon than a young sapling. Seemingly simple things like this can make a big difference in the fight against climate change – something which threatens all life on Earth, and which we should all be concerned about.

Why is there no official policy mandating protection of the trees in our ‘Garden City’?

Why does the Ministry of Education allow untrained people to hack at the trees in school compounds? A skeptic might be tempted to believe that talk of ‘eco this’ and ‘green that’ by the authorities is simply gum flapping.

If we really care about the environment, we need to do much more. I urge the responsible parties at the Ministry of Education and other entities to create and implement such tree-protection policies forthwith. This is the education for survival that our children need today.

Regards, Sherlina Nageer

8

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

The NRF Act has been lauded by Guyanese local and abroad Dear Editor, I pen this missive to commend the Minister of Finance for always bringing clarity on matters or issues relating to his ministry that the wider public may not understand.

Despite those many occurrences to bring a greater degree of simplicity, I have read with some amusement, the continued engagement of the Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, and one political grasshopper and disaffected diasporee. This attention seeker, Mr. Sasenarine Singh, seems not to get it, despite the minister has shown commendable patience in explaining at great length the various safeguards that surrounds the management of the Natural Resource Fund, including the establishment of three oversight committees – the Macroeconomic Committee,

the Investment Committee and the Public Accountability and Oversight Committee.

Mr. Editor, as a young politician and Guyanese I’m personally elated that the Ministry of Finance has ensured that this mechanism is put in place before first oil to prevent any unscrupulous person or entity from getting an opportunity to dip into these revenues outside of a legal framework, which is provided for by the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Act. Mr. Editor, it is important to remind readers once again, by reestablishing the point, that the NRF legislation meets all the “Santiago Principles” regarding sovereign wealth funds as they relate to “transparency, good governance, accountability and prudent investment practices”.

The NRF Act has been lauded by Guyanese local and abroad and also garnered prais-

es from our development partners including the IMF. Mr. Sase, in his sick convoluted and perverted mind, continues to harp on about hypotheticals and “what ifs” hence, appointees becoming “creatures” of the minister and President!

This reminds me of the old adage, “as a man thinketh in his heart so is he.” Mr. Editor, the question for this individual is, If the individuals on these three committees are nominated by various civil society and private sector organisations as well as the leader of the opposition,

how on earth, will they do the bidding of the minister or the President?

Is this “special individual” suggesting that Guyana’s Bar Association, the Private Sector Commission, Guyana Press Association, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Guyana or the many other reputable organisations named in the NRF Act, will nominate friends, family members and cronies of the minister or President?

Is this man for real?

Mr. Editor, it’s difficult to discern if Sase really has

an issue with the NRF Act or whether he has an issue with the APNU+AFC Coalition Government. This gentleman has written numerous letters over the years that are grossly misleading and on many occasions they are punctuated with inaccuracies and unproven data.

One can’t help think, his remove from Guyana for so long, has instilled a certain obsession with the country of his birth, even though he is not willing to actually come and live here to make sensible and meaningful contri-

butions which I believe he is capable of. But it’s understandable. It must be difficult for him to have to live in a foreign land that won’t listen to or recognise his “brilliance”, so to ease the pain of his irrelevance, he continues to write drivel and mombo jumbo about matters in Guyana. It’s so pathetic and sad.

Regards, Jermaine Figueira Member of Parliament Region 10

Walk in peace, my brothers and sisters Dear Editor,

I want to say a special prayer for our Toshaos who are returning home after their conference.

I pray for your safe return home.

I pray for you to re-join your family, and that you find them safe and well.

I pray that our Toshaos and Senior Councilors have gained useful knowl-

edge from their conference, and that they go back to their communities with renewed energy to continue the many good works for their people. I pray that you open their minds and heart to the many changes taking place, knowing these are for their betterment. I know that they are grateful for their better airstrips, better roads, water suppliers and improved elec-

tricity. I know too that they are glad for internet and radio services and that they know that the education of their children has been a priority of their government.

Walk in peace, my brothers and sisters!

Regards, Christine Henry

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

5 DEAD in EBD ...

and his family. He always wanted to be present for his daughter, always joyful and always here for us,” Wharton said. She tried telling her daughter that her father died, but the little girl did not want to believe it.

From page 3

porter. They got married in July this year after approximately two years of togetherness.

Prior to their union, King-Josiah had six children – the youngest 16 years old –while Herbert Josiah fathered two children known to the family. They were on their way to work when the accident happened.

Denise King-Josiah’s third child, Jawella Durant, told the Guyana Chronicle that her mother was still alive after the accident. “When I got there she was still breath-

ing but nobody rendered any assistance, they were just standing there…Mommy was still breathing and I holler, ‘y’all just standing here and y’all can carry these people to the hospital,” Durant recalled.

She said it was until she questioned why her mom was still lying on the road, that a police officer and a civilian rendered assistance.

Durant noted too that instead of helping the accident victims, onlookers stole from them. “Her chain gone, her wedding ring gone, they just

The scene of the accident

watched them there, watched them there, and offered no help,” she said.

Reflecting on the life of her mother, Durant said the community of Friendship will surely miss her.

HARD WORKING WOMAN “She was hard working; she was a tower of strength; she was best thing that happened to most people in Friendship, out of Friendship, at the hospital.

My mother, she could cheer you up in any situation…

She wouldn’t even know somebody, but once they needed a place to sleep, she would just bring them home, even if means putting somebody out of their bed to get the bed, and the rest of us share a next bed,” Durant said in the presence of her siblings.

Meanwhile, at the home of the 23-year-old presidential guard in Beterverwagting on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), his reputed wife, Oksana Wharton, could not say much, since, at the time of Guyana Chronicle’s visit,

Critical: Police Lance Corporal Travis Fullington she had not yet informed his family of his demise.

At the time, she was home with Ronel Barker’s sick grandmother and sister, but did not break the news to them because she was afraid of how they would react to his passing. While talking about Barker, the young woman could not hold back her tears. She said that Barker was a wonderful father to their three-year-old daughter, and was dedicated to his work. He was working for more than five years in that profession, she disclosed.

“He always wanted to be on time, never ever wanted to be late for his work.

He took his job seriously,

“That can’t happen. Daddy’s not dead,” the child said.

Wharton couldn’t control her tears. Barker’s mother is expected to arrive in the country today. Travis Fullington and the other female survivor remain hospitalised.

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Dr. Balwant Singh’s Hospital receives ISO Certification … first local hospital to be so certified

DR Balwant Singh’s Hospital (BSH) announced on Tuesday that it had received an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Certification, the first local hospital to be so certified.

The BSH received this certification through Perry Johnson Registrars, Inc., of Michigan, USA and will help the institution to be better equipped to offer improved services.

BSH Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Madhu Singh stated that, “We are delighted to have received the news of our ISO certification. We did this in order to ensure that we are providing the highest quality of healthcare at our facility in keep-

ing with the goal we set ourselves from the very beginning 15 years ago. There was no requirement that we do this, but we did it anyway because we believe that it is important for us and for the patients who look to us to care for them.

“The very work required for the audit has also pushed us to operate at even higher standards than we were already performing and all of us have grown through this process.

“We are very grateful to all the staff, especially the doctors and management team for the extensive work that was completed before and during the audit, to ensure that we get the ISO certification,” she said.

Dr Balwant Singh’s Hospital is now ISO-certified.

Dr Singh added that the services audited during the ISO certification process included Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Nephrology and Dialysis, ICU Services, Emergency Services, Assisted Reproductive Technology, including VE, Ophthalmology, Dentistry, Radiology, Paediatrics and Neonatology, and Cardiology.

These services now join the laboratory which was certified to the ISO15189 Standard two years ago.

The BSH is also celebrating fifteen (15) years of existence when they metamorphosed from being a lab to a hospital.

It was also the first lab to be certified by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards, under the then Executive Director Dr Chatterpaul Ramcharran. That very lab was already accredited two years ago to the ISO 15189 Standard; that makes the BSH the only hospital in Guyana with an accredited lab.

In making the announcement, Dr Singh singled out Ms Candelle Walcott and Ms Rodlyn Semple of the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), and Mr Dixon Hooper for all the support and guidance that they provided over the years and in leading up to the audit.

11

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Case against Deputy Superintendent of Police dismissed

MAGISTRATE Zamilla Ally-Seepaul on Tuesday, October 15, 2019, dismissed the case against interdicted Deputy Superintendent of Police, Patrick Todd, who was charged with causing the death of a 64-year-old pedal cyclist, following an accident on the Boerasirie Bridge on West Demerara in 2018.

Magistrate Ally-Seepaul, who sits at the

Leonora Magistrate’s Court, on Tuesday, ruled in favor of a no-case submission which was made by defence attorney, Dexter Todd, on the grounds that the prosecution failed to prove its case.

Todd, 54, had pleaded not guilty to the charges of causing death by dangerous driving, and driving under the influence of alcohol.

Particulars of the charge

alleged that Todd, on September 12, 2018, on the Boerasirie Public Road, East Bank Essequibo, drove motor car PTT 992 in a dangerous manner and caused the death of 64-year-old pedal cyclist, Conrad Alleyne, of Hague, West Coast Demerara.

It is also alleged that, on the day in question, he drove motor car PTT 992 when his breath alcohol

level was 0.70 micrograms.

Todd was released on $250,000 bail during the trial.

The Guyana Chronicle had reported that, on September 12, 2018, around 19:20hours at Boerasirie Bridge on West Demerara, Todd’s vehicle was proceeding east along the northern side of the bridge.

He had told the police that he had suddenly felt an

impact, and, upon investigating, saw Alleyne lying injured on the bridge.

Alleyne was taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital in a semi-conscious state, treated and referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, but died on his way there.

The police conducted a breathalyzer test on Todd, and found him to be above the legal limit.

Interdicted Deputy Superintendent of Police, Patrick Todd

12

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

PNCR executive members celebrate centenarian Kathleen Headley EXECUTIVE members of the PNCR celebrated Kathleen Headley on her 105TH birthday.

The members of the PNCR took the time to celebrate this momentous occasion with Kathleen as they

presented her with small tokens to show their support and appreciation for her.

PNCR Manager of Constituency Eight, Gregory Frazer, said he believes that achievements should be celebrated: “Kathleen has

PNCR Manager of Constituency Eight, Gregory Frazer, presents Kathleen with a birthday cake achieved such a significant age, it’s something that should be acknowledged and celebrated, and she’s apart of my constituency; so yes, I wanted to be here today to visit with her and present her with this small token to show her that the PNCR, along with myself, have recognised her

PNCR executive member Monica Thomas presents Kathleen with a token on behalf of the executive of the PNCR achievement and therefore we celebrate with her.”

He further related that he will be continuing to keep in touch with Kathleen, adding that her vast wealth of knowledge about the past is something quite

interesting to him, especially at the accuracy she has at this age.

Frazer further said that he would advise anybody who has the opportunity to speak with her to take it and learn from her.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Greater scrutiny for persons who skipped H2H registration … GECOM votes to highlight names on voters’ list

TO avoid multiple and substitute voting in the coming elections, Commissioners on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) have proposed that the names of persons who did not participate in the house-to-house registration exercise but are on the Preliminary List be highlighted on the Official List of Electors (OLE).

These highlighted names would be on high alert for staff at polling stations on March 2, 2020 to ensure that no multiple and substitute voting takes place.

Meanwhile, a proposal has also been made for the “tens of thousands” of persons who were registered in 2008 but have not yet collected their ID cards, to be excluded from the OLE. Coming out of the commission’s statutory meeting on Tuesday, Commissioner Vincent Alexander explained that while the matters were thoroughly discussed, the commissioners did not come to a final decision due to the absence of Commissioner Sase Gunraj. “[What was discussed was] the indication to electors who did not participate in the house-to-house exercise, whose names are on the preliminary list, to come forward and do a verification. Which verification, if not done, could result in their names being highlighted on the eventual voters’ list,” Alexander said.

PPP-nominated Commissioners, Bibi Shadick and Robeson Benn have condemned the move. “Apparently, these commissioners…they’re afraid of people going and vote so they are trying the hardest they can to get as many people as they can not to exercise their franchise [to vote] and that’s a battle I will fight to the last,” Commissioner Shadick said.

However, Alexander explained that there would be no deletion of names and that the names are instead being highlighted as names which can be compromised during the voting process.

He told media operatives: “All it means is that you’re creating an awareness of people whose whereabouts are unknown and we’re

therefore trying to create a greater alertness at the polling station when people come to vote with those names because, as we have said at the very inception, a bloated list provides the opportunity for multiple and substitute voting and so we need to be alert about the names which can be used for the purpose.”

ID CARDS The commission is also faced with the decision of what will be done with the “tens of thousands” of persons who were registered during the 2008 house-to-house registration exercise but, to date, have not collected their ID cards.

“The consensus on this matter is that we do everything to contact them.

Whether it’s [by] mail; whether its publication in the papers, everything should be done to contact them. If they’re not contacted then the contentious issue is what do we do,” Alexander said.

It has been proposed that these individuals be excluded from the OLE as Alexander stated that efforts have been made in the past to contact these individuals who have still not verified their existence in the country.

PPP Commissioners have contested that the law does not stipulate that citizens need an ID card to vote and therefore the collection of these cards should be non-related to who is included or excluded from the voters’ list. In response, Alexander stated that the proposed elimination of the names following the failure to collect one’s ID card over a decade now is merely a means of the commission fine-tuning its verification of the list.

“It’s like an objection.

So, the issue is not the ID card, the issue is that these persons, since 2008 and beyond 2008 have not, in any way, presented themselves to be present; to be known; to be alive; to be existing; to be resident. And, in calling them, writing to them gives us the opportunity to make a determination,” he stated.

“No one is simply denying them the opportunity.

We have already, on two occasions, sought to find these persons by physical

visits to the places where they were registered…the National Registration Act gives all power and does provide [for this action].”

Likewise, a final decision was not made in regards to this proposal.

Meanwhile, the PPP-nominated commissioners have threatened to take the mat-

ters to the court should it not pan out their way. But Alexander said that they who have accused the government-nominated commissioners of working to delay the elections would actually be doing the same.

He assured, “We are not delaying anything because all of these processes will

be realised within the timeframe for the purpose of elections on March 2, 2020.

There is absolutely no intent [to delay]. The fact that the decisions are being delayed by them [PPP-nominated Commissioners] is what in fact may point to an attempt at delaying. But we’re not in the mood for a

13

Commissioner Vincent Alexander delaying. We’re not going to court.”

Apart from these matters, the commissioners have agreed to proceed with interviews for the recruitment of an assistant chief elections officer, a civic and voter education officer, a research officer and a logistics officer.

14

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

National cultural policy progressing

GUYANA’s final national cultural policy document will hopefully be completed and delivered to President David Granger early in the new year as the Department of Culture, on Tuesday, moved closer to this with the hosting of a second series of consultations.

The three-day consultation was hosted at Tower Suites and was organised in collaboration with the government and the United Nations Educational, Scien-

tific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Its target group comprised creative artists and cultural stakeholders from government agencies, the private sector, and non-governmental stakeholder organisations.

The consultations aim to improve accessibility to the arts and creative activities for citizens and to promote the artistic musical, ethnic, literary and other experiences of the population in a country.

Spearheading the consul-

tations are Director of Culture (ag) Tamika Boatswain and Cultural Policy Adviser, Ruel Johnson.

Delivering opening remarks at the event, Minister of Social Cohesion with responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr George Norton said that he is proud of the progress being made under the current administration towards a national cultural policy.

He explained that the need for the policy originated

from the vision of President Granger who had championed the initiative since his days in the opposition.

In the joint A Partnership for National Unity +Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) manifesto launched prior to the May 2015 national elections, the coalition had declared it was “committed to a cultural policy which takes into account our rich and varied heritage, and which works to employ culture, not as a means of division,

Minister of Social Cohesion with responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr George Norton (DPI photo) but as a catalyst for mutual understanding and social cohesion.”

With Guyana experiencing cultural changes which have engendered more

this was due to budgetary constraints, the availability of time in relation to other pertinent national issues and the unstable political situation during the past year.

“Still, we are here today and I am proud that this next significant step is occurring under my tenure as Minister with responsibility for Culture,” he said.

Meanwhile, Cultural Programme Specialist at UNESCO’s Kingston Cluster Office for the Caribbean, Yuri Peshkov, stated in remarks that the organisation believes that culture is central to the development process to any country in the 21st century.

He explained that it is relevant for poverty reduction, education, gender equality, empowerment of minority groups, climate change and

Members of the audience at the National Cultural Policy consultation (DPI photo) heightened participation from various groups and in international forums, the departure of creative artists and artistes, and the refusal of some of our major creators to participate locally because of lack of relevant policy, this project is seen as vital for a breakthrough within the field.

Minister Norton acknowledged that development of the policy has taken some time, but noted that

more.

“In a culturally rich and diverse Guyana, also the wider Caribbean, placing culture at the heart of development constitutes an essential investment in the future,” he said.

“Guyana, in this regard, has a unique opportunity to blend their[sic] rich cultural traditions and further develop the cultural dialogue and creativity for the protecting of cultural diversity.”

Port Kaituma resident charged with simple larceny released on bail A 38-year-old father of five appeared before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs –Marcus on Tuesday, October 15, 2019.

Ceon Goodman appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and denied that, on October 8, 2019, at Market Square Port Kaituma, he stole a master cylinder valued at $65,000 and a valve valued at $85,000, property of Dellon Lorde.

Police Prosecutor Quinn Harris made no objection to bail and ordered that Goodman lodged his passport to the court and report to the Port Kaituma police station every Friday until the matter is complete.

Magistrate Isaacs –Marcus released Goodman on $40,000 bail and adjourned the matter until October 17, 2019.

15

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Condolences pour in for slain miner … GGDMA urges stepped-up crime fighting posture by security forces

THE Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, and staff of the ministry have expressed condolences to the relatives and friends of Mr. Deon Stoll, a gold miner who was killed during an attack by gunmen on Monday morning at DaSilva Street, New Town Kitty, Georgetown.

In a terse statement, the ministry said Stoll was a member of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association.

He was also the father of two.

“The ministry is thankful for

Dead: Deon Stoll the contributions of Mr. Stoll to the sector. It is our hope that justice be served. May the soul of Deon Stoll rest in peace and may his relatives and friends find the strength needed to overcome this trying time,” the statement concluded.

For its part, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association call for justice for the brutal slaying of Stoll. “The Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association [GGDMA] is deeply saddened over the cold-blooded killing of…

Stoll as he was about to conduct business at the establishment of El Dorado Trading.”

The association expresses its profound condolences to the family of the late Mr. Stoll, whose life was snatched away from him as he sought to conduct business in a transparent manner like any other decent citizen. The GGDMA also called on the Guyana Police Force to focus its attention on addressing real crime and the removing of criminal elements from our society. “The association also calls on the Minister of Public Security, the Hon. Khemraj Ramjattan, to address this upsurge in crime across our country. How many more must be robbed, or be slaughtered before it is accepted that we have a crime issue in Guyana which must be addressed?

The time for seriousness is now. The Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force must weed out the rogue elements from among their ranks since all they do is tarnish the image of the force and the law-abiding officers.”

According to GGDMA, miners, businesspersons and businesses must feel secure to conduct businesses in and around the city and the country

as a whole. “That is the duty of the Guyana Police Force to protect and serve.”

The GGDMA asked where are the police patrols? What has happened to the hundreds of vehicles and motorcycles the Government of Guyana has given to the Guyana Police Force? Are these vehicles being used for their intended purposes? What are the Guyana Police Force’s plans to address this upsurge in crime?

The mining body said it refuses to sit idly by and allow its miners to be slaughtered by these rogue elements. “We urge all our miners to take full security precaution and call on the joint forces to take the necessary actions so that our streets, neighbourhoods, interior and towns can be safe to live and conduct business.”

Stoll, called “Mow” of Charity, Essequibo Cost, Essequibo and Barima Avenue, Bel Air Park, succumbed to his injuries at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

Also injured during the incident were Stoll’s driver, Clayton Powley, 43, of 326 Section ‘C’ Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, who is hospi-

Injured: Clayton Powley talised along with El Dorado Trading security guard, Rory Deegs, who was shot twice and is in a stable condition at a private city hospital.

Police later discovered the body of a man, suspected to be one of the bandits, who had escaped from the scene, with two gunshot wounds to the chest, abandoned at Tucville Squatting Area. He has been identified as 18-year-old Olijah Chesney, of Lot 562 D Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown. He was also identified as a member of the Guyana Defence Force.

Enquiries revealed that Stoll and his driver had earlier visited a business place on Sheriff Street and did a business transaction where they collected a sum of cash, after which they proceeded in a Toyota Carina 212 car, PPP 7227, to El Dorado Trading at 63 Da Silva Street Kitty to conduct another transaction.

They were trailed by the bandits’ car. As soon as the gold miner pulled over at the gold dealership, the bandits’ car also pulled up and the two bandits exited the car wearing caps with their faces partially

covered with handkerchiefs.

One armed with a knife approached the driver while the other approached the businessman with a handgun.

Reports further indicated that the robber with the knife ordered the driver to get out the car while the other bandit told the businessman, not to draw his firearm. The driver then pushed the car door towards the bandit with the knife and came out of the car and was pushing the bandit away.

As a result the bandit with the gun shot the driver to his right

hand between the elbow and shoulder.

The businessman then drew his licensed firearm and he and the bandit with the gun had a shootout. However, the businessman received a gunshot injury to the right side pelvis. The bandit, who was also shot, ran away and joined the car with his accomplice, and they made good their escape.

Meanwhile, the security guard of El Dorado Trading, 40-year-old Rory Deegs, who was armed with a pistol,

opened the gate of the business to see what was going on, when it was alleged that the businessman, in a panic, discharged two rounds into his direction and he received injuries to the right hand.

Meanwhile, surveillance footage shows the businessman’s car driving on Da Silva Street towards the gold dealership with the gunmen’s car, a white Toyota Carina 212, trailing behind. Just as Stoll’s vehicle entered onto the gold dealership’s driveway, the robbers stopped behind and two

men jumped out of the vehicle and ran to the driver and passenger doors simultaneously, resulting in a scuffle.

During the scuffle to enter the driver’s seat to grab something, Stoll was seen on surveillance footage returning fire, after he was shot, and his driver wrestling one of the robbers.

From the surveillance footage, it appeared as if the bandits were not successful in robbing the gold dealer or the driver of any of their valuables.

16

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Son of Toshao charged with nine offences released on bail

THE 22-year-old son of a Toshao was, on Tuesday October 15, 2019, arraigned before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Marvin Simon of Port Kaituma was informed of the first charge which stated

that, on October 11, 2019, at Canal Bank Port Kaituma, he unlawfully and maliciously damaged an IPhone valued at $200,000, property of Anthony Weakes.

Particulars of the second charge stated that, on October 11, 2019, at another location in Port Kaituma, he assaulted

police constable Stephon Nickle.

Particulars of the third charge stated that, on the same date and at the same location he damaged a police pants valued at $6000 and police shirt valued at $9000, property of Stephon Nickle.

Particulars of the fourth charge stated that, on the same date and at the same location he damaged a police pants valued at $6000 and police shirt valued at $9000, property of Anthony Weakes.

The fifth charge stated that, on the same date and at the same location, Simon assaulted Police Constable Anthony Weakes.

The sixth charge stated that, on the following day at the same location he resisted arrest.

The seventh charge stated that, on the same date and location he damaged six louvre blades valued at $1,800, property of Onecia Simon.

The eighth charge stated that, on September 26, 2019, at Port Kaituma, he damaged ten louvre blades, valued at

$3000, property of Onecia Simon.

The final charge stated that, on June 14, 2019, at Turn Basin Port Kaituma, Simon assaulted Keron Chadnauth.

Simon pleaded not guilty to all eight charges when they were read to him.

According to information presented in court, the young mason was not a flight risk and had no prior convictions.

Reports also stated that Simon was severely beaten by the arresting officers, and requested medical attention but was denied.

Police Prosecutor Quinn Harris made no objection to bail being granted and ordered that Simon lodge his passport at the court and report every Friday to the Port Kaituma police station. Prosecutor Harris also stated that if Simon did not comply with the court’s orders he will be arrested immediately and sent to prison.

The young man was released on $210,000 bail and is to return to court on October 17, 2019.

17

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Changing the way we see public transportation

THE United Mini-bus Union (UMU) is making significant strides in changing the culture of minibus operations in Guyana.

On October 15, 2019, the union saw over 45 minibus operators being uniformed in the union’s newly designed jerseys.

President of the UMU, Eon Andrews, said that this is the first stride of many that the union intends to take to ensure that public transportation in Guyana is brought up to world standard. He explained that according to Guyana’s trajectory, the country can expect to be propelled in a new order of operations and thus the pub-

must put themselves in order and get themselves to that standard, so that the government would be able to see that our people are trying.

But it will not work unless they get themselves in order, unless they become good business persons, because it’s a business you’re doing now, and if you want to promote your business, you must have a good appearance, you must be able to speak to people, you must respect the elderly, you must respect the differently abled, you must respect children, and you must understand that there are certain criteria that you have to conform to when you’re providing

an effort to ensure that they had practical knowledge in hospitality and operations, giving them the best possible chance to serve the country and its citizens.

“A lot of these guys would have been trained at the Zarah Centre between August, September, at least 200 and something drivers and operators who should be graduating shortly, they will be receiving certification and that is in keeping with the code of conduct, which includes wearing uniforms, being in an organisation and carrying out certain hospitality requirements [and] conforming to the road vehicle and traffic

Route 45 mini-bus operators In their uniforms

Route 48 mini-bus operators In their uniforms lic transport sector must be able to keep up.

“So basically when a country starts to expand, especially with the discovery of oil, you’ll find all kinds of persons would start coming to our country, and they could very well be persons who would want to bring fleets of buses; so what we are doing here is that they

public transportation,” said Andrews.

He further went on to state that the jerseys are just one part of a larger plan the union has for mini-bus operations; he stated that the minibus operators have, through the collaboration of the Ministry of Business and the mini-bus operators, attended training exercises in

ordinance; all these things they went through in the training. And there may be legislation whereby it would be a requirement before you purchase your minibus licence, whether persons have completed the training, you would have to get this defensive driving, hospitality training, first aid, all these kinds of things, because it’s

a requirement all over the world,” Andrews explained.

Bus driver and Chairman of Route 48 bus park, Elvis Joseph, said that he believes the work done by the union is good; it would prove to be beneficial to not only the passengers, because they would get a better experience, but also to the bus operators, because it would make their job somewhat less stressful. He is encouraging all of the operators to unite and not try to fight what the union intends to do.

He said that in addition to the training that the operators have already received, the union intends this to not only be a one-off training, but a continuous one where they would be able to receive continued training and the union aims to have sessions once a month to facilitate this.

He further explained the idea the union has for how touts will operate on the park: “We are trying to give the

touts a new role; we want them to be our operators, so we would utilise them as persons who will keep the order; they would provide the passengers with guidance on which bus they would need to catch; they would make sure all of the buses are in order as it relates to picking up passengers and so on. We want to shift the role they play and give them a more stable role to help maintain order.”

Chairman of the Route 45 bus park, Seon Small, said that he is aware of the benefits of what the union is aiming to do and calls for solidarity. He said that while he is calling the drivers and operators of these vehicles to come together, there also needs to be a collaborative effort by the general public to ensure that everything that comes out of the varying training sessions would be implemented.

He further explained that sometimes the requests of persons who use public

transportation can cause some level of disorganisation as the drivers would try to meet their customers’ needs. “….the commuters have a large role to play in it, because they got a way where they leave their homes or wherever they coming from, already late and then when they get here they ready to hustle the drivers to get them to their destination on time, even though they already late cause they left late.

“So their behaviour patterns largely add to the level of disorganisation that occurs on this park. I mean at times people talk about “hot plating,” and this is one of the reasons why that actually came about, because persons would rush to buses that would be quicker to full and move off than to wait for them to full.

So the commuters have a part to play in ensuring that this transition is smooth,” said Small.

GTT ordered to resume printing bills THE Guyana Telephone & Telegraph (GTT) Company which had, without prior notice to customers, or the watchdog Public Utilities Commission (PUC), stopped issuing hard copy bills to businesses and residential consumers, has been ordered to resume the service with effect from November 1, 2019.

Also, unless notified otherwise by consumers, GTT is mandated to dispatch to all business and residential

consumers, paper bills which shall include the detailed Calling Party pay call tables and overseas call details.

The order issued by the PUC on October 11, 2019 and signed by Chairman, Dela Britton and Commissioners Rajkumar Bissessar, Verlyn Klass and Dr Leyland Klass, has its origin in a June 28, 2019 complaint which the PUC had received from Mr. Ramon Gaskin, a resident of 75 Dennis Street, Campbellville, Georgetown

and landline customer of the telephone company.

The PUC, having forwarded the complaint from Gaskin to the telephone company, subsequently saw the need to conduct a public hearing on September 12, 2019 at the Ballet Room of Cara Lodge, Quamina Street, Georgetown.

Gaskin, in writing, and subsequently in person at the hearing, had said that the format of his tax invoice for the month of May 2019 had

been unilaterally changed

by GTT without prior notification. As a consequence, the change resulted in the exclusion of the substantive billing information which had been contained in previous bills.

Gaskin further stated that, upon an enquiry with GTT, he was informed that the information omitted could be viewed online but that he had no access to online facilities and that GTT was, in effect, forcing him

to seek such facilities. He also noted that he was not aware of the PUC approving the change of billing format.

The PUC, in its order, chided the GTT for not seeking to notify it of its intention to introduce the paperless facility and its failure to provide prior notification and failure to launch an effective educational campaign for the benefit of the public.

GTT was further instructed, by way of the

order, that all consumers, who had received the new billing format issued from May 2019, be notified in their bills issued in November 2019, of the choice to opt out of paperless billing and such choice should be with immediate effect upon indication from the consumer. The option by the consumer to cancel online billings and resume paper billings should be clearly stated by GTT on its online portals.

18

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

China Focus: China to boost grain productivity, safeguard global food security BEIJING, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday issued a white paper on food security, detailing the country’s efforts in enhancing food security and expanding international cooperation in the area.

Despite a weak agricultural foundation and extreme poverty, the Communist Party of China has led an unremitting campaign of hard work over the past 70 years that has made China basically self-sufficient in food supply, said the white paper titled “Food Security in China,” which was released by the State Council Information Office.

Abiding by the principle of basic food self-sufficiency based on domestic grain production, China practices the strictest farmland protection system and a strategy of sustainable farmland use and innovative application of agricultural technology to increase farmland productivity.

Through supply-side structural reform and institutional innovation, China has raised grain productivity, modernized grain circulation, improved the food-supply structure, and achieved steady development in the grain industry, said the white paper.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed between 1949 and 2018, China’s total grain output rose by nearly five times from 113 million tonnes to 658 million tonnes, while the per capita output more than doubled from 209 kg to 472 kg.

“Looking to the future, China has the conditions, capabilities and confidence to enhance food security relying on its own efforts,” said the white paper.

However, the paper noted that in the medium to long term, China’s grain production and demand will remain closely aligned, which means China must not slacken its efforts to ensure food security.

Meanwhile, the world is still facing severe food security challenges, with over 800 million people suffering from hunger and food trade being disrupted by protectionism and unilateralism.

In view of these challenges, China will forge ahead

along its own path and implement its national strategies for food security and rural vitalization through sustainable farmland use and agricultural technology innovation to increase farmland productivity, said the white paper.

HOLDING “RICE BOWL” FIRM China will advance from a large grain producer to a food industry power, holding firm its “rice bowl,” the white paper said.

China will maintain the protection of cultivated land and continue to improve farmland quality.

By 2022, it will complete the construction of 66.67 mil-

lion hectares of high-quality farmland, and by 2035 it will keep its grain planting area generally steady.

The country will also improve the management of emergency grain reserves and build a modern grain market system.

Upholding its red line of absolute food security and zero risk to farmers from low grain prices, China will adapt itself to the WTO rules, actively and steadily reforming its grain purchase and storage systems and pricing mechanisms so as to give full play to the decisive role of the market in allocating grain resources and let the government play its role better, the white paper said.

SAFEGUARD GLOBAL SECURITY China will continue to provide assistance to other developing countries to the best of its ability within the framework of South-South cooperation, and promote the sound development of the global food industry, the white paper said.

It will work hard to achieve the goals set in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.”

China will also enhance grain trade cooperation with the countries along the Belt and Road to establish a new international platform for grain cooperation and facilitate the free and orderly flow of agricultural resources and deep integration of markets in the Belt and Road countries.

Efforts will be made to support grain enterprises in “going global” and “bringing in” to make rational use of both domestic and international markets and resources.

Meanwhile, China will explore new modes of international food cooperation and conduct multifaceted and advanced cooperation with other countries.

“Observing WTO rules, China will do all it can to make the international food supply more secure, stable and rational in order to better safeguard the food security of our world,” said the white paper.

19

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Spotlight: National Day congratulations reveal China’s expanding ‘friend circle’ BEIJING, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- Around the time the People’s Republic of China (PRC) celebrated the 70th anniversary of its founding, congratulatory messages poured in from leaders of foreign countries and international organizations in a show of the world’s best wishes.

Those messages, and particularly the changes in the amount and content of such messages over the past seven decades, provide a telling glimpse of the remarkable achievements China has accomplished in both national development and international diplomacy, and the great contributions it has made to world peace and prosperity.

NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE On Sept. 30, 1950, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, whose country was the first to establish diplomatic relations with the PRC a year earlier, sent a congratulatory message to Chairman Mao Zedong on New China’s first anniversary, wishing the Chinese people a greater victory in their fight for independence and national construction.

That telegraph, now treasured in China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was one of the messages Beijing received that year from leaders, governments and parties in nearly 20 countries, including Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, the German Democratic Republic, Vietnam, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Cuba.

Upon the founding of the PRC, the Communist Party of China (CPC) decided to make a fresh start and lean to socialist countries in building ties with the outside world.

In the 1950s, China, India and Myanmar jointly proposed the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, which helped open a new chapter of China’s diplomacy with countries outside the socialist world, especially the developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

On the 10th anniversary of the PRC’s founding in 1959, China received 171 congratulatory messages from 44 countries, including Hungary, Poland, Mongolia, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland and Norway.

In his message, Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh said the victory of the Chinese revolution and the founding of the PRC were the most important international events after the October Revolution in Russia.

It had a particularly profound and extensive influence on the national liberation movements in Asia, Africa and Latin America, he said, adding that it also helped make the peaceful force in the world stronger than ever before.

OPENING TO WORLD The 1970s marked a special period with great significance in China’s diplomacy.

In the early 1970s, China established diplomatic relations with some major Western countries such as Canada, Italy, Britain and the Federal Republic of Germany.

In 1971, at the 26th UN General Assembly, all the rights of the PRC in the United Nations were restored with the help

of developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. In February 1972, Richard Nixon became the first U.S. president to visit the PRC. On Sept. 30, 1972, the eve of the PRC’s 23rd founding anniversary, Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka sent a congratulatory message to China, wishing the PRC more prosperity and the Chinese people more happiness. That short message, with just a few dozen Chinese characters, bore special significance, because just one day earlier, the two countries decided to establish diplomatic ties.

Seven years later, in a message congratulating China on its 30th founding anniversary, also the first after the establishment of China-U.S. diplomatic relations, U.S. President Jimmy Carter said that a strong and secure China was welcome to actively participate in world affairs.

He expressed his belief that an increasingly constructive and cooperative relationship between China and the United States would increase the prospects for peace and stability in Asia and the world.

With the launch of reform and opening up in 1978, China embarked on a path of leapfrogging development, making increasing contributions to global growth despite global political

and economic turbulences.

In 1997, on the 48th anniversary of the founding of the PRC, Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk said in his congratulatory message that China’s miraculous overall development and its outstanding role in the international community had won respect and appreciation around the world.

TOWARDS REJUVENATION As a stabilizer and driver of the world economy in both the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the 2008 global financial crisis, China became the second-largest economy in 2010. Over the years, China contributes nearly 30 percent of annual global growth.

Now China has established official diplomatic ties with 180 countries, and become one of the most valued partners for countries across the world. From the Belt and Road Initiative to the vision of a community with a shared future for humanity, China has been contributing its wisdom and solutions to promoting world peace and common development.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in his congratulatory message this year, described China as a major participant in the work of the United Nations and a main pillar for international cooperation and multilateralism.

While speaking highly of China’s splendid achievements over the past 70 years, foreign leaders also expressed their confidence in China’s future, and their expectations for more contributions by China to the global good.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that over the past 70 years, China has made remarkable achievements in such fields as economy, society as well as science and technology.

China, he added, now enjoys a well-deserved high prestige on the international stage and plays a very important role in solving major global problems.

Noting that China has become the most prestigious and influential country in the world in just 70 years, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said the Chinese people will certainly achieve the two centenary goals and realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

Singaporean President Halimah Yacob, while applauding China’s phenomenal transformation over the last 70 years, noted that China’s growth and development will benefit not only the people of China but also the region and the world.

“China will stay on the path of peaceful development,” Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his National Day speech. “We will continue to work with people from all countries to push for jointly building a community with a shared future for humanity.”

20

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

New MDA to target eight regions –– activity set to commence later this month AS Guyana continues its fight to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis, the Ministry of Public Health will be taking its Mass Drug Administration (MDA) programme to eight of the ten administrative regions.

The Ministry of Public Health in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) will roll out the MDA campaign under the slogan: Protect Yourself! Protect your family! Protect your community! Take your Filaria pills! And the ministry is encouraging everyone to take their pills in order to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis.

Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) or ‘Filaria’, as it is more commonly called, affects the body’s lymphatic system, which functions to remove unwanted fluids from the body and transports ‘lymph’- a fluid which contains white blood cells that help to fight infections.

In Guyana, filariasis is caused by the Wuchereria bancrofti worm and is transmitted from human to human by the Culex mosquito. The Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis began in 2001 in Guyana. The WHO states that this disease is caused by infection with parasitic worms called nematodes, classified as “filarial worms.” In Guyana, the disease is prevalent mostly in the coastal areas. And this was confirmed during a “remapping survey” which was conducted by the public health ministry, in 2018.

“It was clear that there was a coastal spread of the infection,” said Director of the Vector Control Unit, Dr. Horace Cox during an interactive session on the MDA which was organised by the public health ministry and PAHO/WHO. According to Dr. Cox, the remapping survey was done as an update to a 2001 survey which was conducted in Regions Three (Essequibo Islands- West Demerara), Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

The 2001 survey was used as a guide to start the MDA campaign in those regions, but with the findings from the new survey, the new MDA campaign will be targeting an additional four regions. Those Regions include Region One (Barima-Waini), Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).

The new MDA campaign is set to commence later this month and will include a new treatment regimen.

Dr. Cox said, 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. “There is clear evidence that IDA is more effective than the two-drug treatment,” he said, adding that, now, instead of having to conduct the exercise for five successive years, the authorities will only have to do it for two consecutive years. This, he said, will save time, finance and human resources.

Although the new regimen will be effective, it was reported that in 2017 and 2018, more than 80 per cent of eligible Guyanese in Regions Three, Four, Five and 10 took the Diethyicarbamazine (DEC) and Albendazole, making those very successful years.

Dr Jean Alexandre, Advisor Communicable Disease and Environmental Health, attached to PAHO/WHO said Guyana is on course to achieving 100 per cent coverage for the first time. He said the MDA strategy will be targeting schools, fixed points and households.

As Guyana approaches the mark of 100 per cent coverage, the country will be hoping to come off of the global list of countries that are yet to eliminate Filariasis. Guyana and Haiti are the only two countries that are yet to exit the list. The only way it can be achieved is if everyone participates in the MDA, said Dr. Reza Niles, the Focal Point for Neglected Infectious Diseases.

She said it is important to participate in the campaign because Filariasis can only be cured in the early stage when there are no signs of the disease. One Filariasis patient, Trudy Drepaul said she is facing the consequences of “Filaria” because she did not take the pills.

A tearful Drepaul said: “when they came around with the pills I ensure that my entire family took it, but I did not take it… this is a fate I would not wish for anyone so take your pills!”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

21

22

New LED lights for BV main road

THE Beterverwagting (BV), East Coast Demerara (ECD) Main Access Road will be safer to traverse, as government moves to install 35 new LED lights in the area.

This was according to Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Jaipaul Sharma, during a recent visit to BV. Sharma said the contract for the installation of the lights was awarded to Thomas Electrical Construction and Manufacturing.

“All of the old High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) lamps along the Main Access Road will be

Desiree Allen, a resident of Beterverwagting

changed to LED lamps, which are more efficient and conservative. More so, the mobilisation for the installation of the 35 street lights had commenced last Saturday and the actual installation began today.

So, within a matter of days the residents of BV can expect their streets to be fully illuminated,” said the minister.

Development in BV is imminent, said Sharma during his discussion with officials of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) of Triumph/BV. “I am very much elated today that after such a short time, a minister listened to our cry and it didn’t go unheard,” said Chairman of the Triumph/ BV NDC, Jimmaul Bagot.

While speaking about development in the community, the chairman said he was pleased to see that the Republic Drive Road is being rehabilitated.

“The road will not be rehabilitated to an asphaltic concrete surface as was done during the first phase of Republic Drive BV,

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Jaipaul Sharma, interacts with residents of Beterverwagting Jimmaul Bagot, chairman of the Triumph/ Beterverwagting NDC but rather, maintenance of existing asphaltic surface and crusher run surface because of budgetary constraints. We are nonetheless very happy and thankful to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure,” said Bagot.

One of the community’s oldest residents, 71-year-old Desiree Allen, said she was pleased with the work that the ministry has been doing and she welcomed the installation of the new LED lights.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Jaipaul Sharma interacting with the contractor of Thomas Electrical Construction and Manufacturing

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

23

24

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

25

26

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

27

28

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

29

30

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday October 16, 2019

31

King, Walsh Jr called up for T20, ODI International debuts … No place for Bravo, Brathwaite

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Stroke-maker Brandon King and leg-spinner Hayden Walsh Jr are poised to make their international debuts for West Indies after being named in both limited-overs squads to face Afghanistan next month, but no room has been found for either Darren Bravo or former Twenty20 skipper Carlos Brathwaite.

The 24-year-old King has been included on the back of heavy scoring in the just concluded Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and the last regional firstclass season, and is now set to feature at the highest level in the November 5 to December 1

series in India, which also includes a one-off Test.

He will be joined by the 27-yearold Walsh, who has already played an ODI and eight T20 Internationals for the United States, but was born in the US Virgin Islands and has represented Leeward Islands in the past.

Walsh, whose late father Hayden Sr played first class cricket for Leewards, grabbed the attention of selectors during the recent CPL with 22 wickets for eventual champions Barbados Tridents, to be adjudged Man-of-the-Series.

Newly-appointed chief selector, Roger Harper, said he expected Walsh to add a vital wickettaking element to the West Indies attack. “During the CPL he would have excited everyone with his performance and I think when you look at the direction that limited overs cricket … has gone, we need to have bowlers capable of taking wickets,” Harper told a media conference here yesterday.

“And Walsh has proved that he is a wicket-taker, and I think he will have a great impact in the team going forward. That’s why we included him … so that in our middle overs we’re just not drifting through, we’re still able to take wickets and keep control of the game.”

The right-handed King, meanwhile, shot to prominence in the recent CPL where he emerged as the tournament’s leading scorer with 496 runs at an average of 55 for losing finalists Guyana Amazon Warriors.

The Jamaican also averages 35 in first class cricket and also topped the aggregates for his native Scorpions in the last four-day season with 630 runs at an average of 48.

Harper said his performances had “demanded” his selection.

“He had an outstanding season.

He made runs in the domestic four-day competition, following it up with an outstanding CPL competition and he just demanded a place in the team, and I think due to his performance he has

been rewarded with that,” said the former Windies off-spinner and head coach.

“We were impressed not only with his stroke-play but the maturity we have seen. We’ve seen him grow in the very recent past and I think he deserves his place.” However, there was no such fortune for Bravo who has struggled ever since returning to the West Indies setup 12 months ago, following a two-year break due to a well-publicised squabble with former Cricket West Indies (CWI) president Dave Cameron.

The 30-year-old left-hander, who was handed an all-formats retainer contract, only last July, has averaged 13 from his five Tests, 22 from 16 ODIs and 17 from eight T20s, and also failed to spark in the CPL for Trinbago Knight Riders since his return to the game.

Harper said his non-selection was an opportunity for the Trinidadian to regain his form in the upcoming domestic tournaments.

“We all know the quality of a player like Darren Bravo, the sort of Test record he is, the sort of one-day record he has, representing West Indies,” he explained. “We recognise that Darren has not been at his best, he hasn’t been the Darren Bravo that we know, that we’ve seen over the years and we wanted to give him the opportunity to go away, get his game right and come back being the best that he can be; so he can make a real positive impact for the West Indies.

“This is an opportunity for him to go back, whether he plays club cricket but definitely our regional cricket, and get himself back into form so he can be the force we know he can be in world cricket.”

Despite a maiden ODI hundred in the World Cup in England, Brathwaite’s form has also been under the microscope. The Barbadian averages 16 with the bat and 41 with his medium pace from 44 matches in that format.

In T20s where he took over as captain three years ago, Brathwaite averages 14 with

complete. We know it won’t be an easy match. We know that if we only lapse they will have us. We just want to come focussed on the game.”

He said his side are charged and ready for action. His opposing number, Nicholas McArthur, contended “We just need to come out and train and play hard. Everyone knows what he has to do.

We have a game plan. The strength of the team is there.”

McArthur confirmed that his players are fit and ready for

Belmont Race 1 Flattering Eyes

the bat from 41 games and 32 with the ball. Strikingly, his last 18 T20s have yielded a highest score of 15 not out and a lowly batting average of eight.

Brathwaite also struggled badly in the CPL, scraping 99 runs from 11 innings at an average of nine. Veteran opener Chris Gayle will also sit out the tour after making himself unavailable while Test fast bowler Shannon Gabriel has been ruled out with “medical concerns” and off-spinner Sunil Narine through injury.

However, Lendl Simmons has been recalled to the T20 squad following 24 months out of international cricket while fellow Trinidadian and former Test captain, Denesh Ramdin, returns following a year on the sidelines.

Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, sidelined from international cricket with injury since last February, has been named in all three formats.

In addition to the limited overs series, a Jason Holderled 14-man squad will take on Afghanistan in a one-off Test starting November 27 also in India.

Test squad: Jason Holder (capt.), Shai Hope, John Campbell, Kraigg Brathwaite, Shimron Hetmyer, Shamrah Brooks, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Sunil Ambris, Jomel Warrican, Rahkeem Cornwall, Kemar Roach, Keemo Paul, Alzarri Joseph T20I squad: Kieron Pollard (capt.), Nicholas Pooran, Evin Lewis, Shimron Hetmyer, Sherfane Rutherford, Brandon King, Fabian Allen, Jason Holder, Hayden Walsh Jr., Lendl Simmons, Khary Pierre, Sheldon Cottrell, Denesh Ramdin, Kesrick Williams, Alzarri Joseph.

ODI squad: Kieron Pollard (capt.), Shai Hope, Evin Lewis, Shimron Hetmyer, Sunil Ambris, Nicholas Pooran, Brandon King, Roston Chase, Jason Holder, Hayden Walsh Jr, Khary Pierre, Sheldon Cottrell, Keemo Paul, Alzarri Joseph, Romario Shepherd.

Grudge match on Sunday for LIMACOL football title THE best two youth teams in the Georgetown district will go head-to-head when the 2019 edition of the LIMACOL Football final gets underway on Sunday at the Ministry of Education ground. Santos U-20 will play their Fruta Conquerors opponents for the title of LIMACOL 2019 champions and both captains were at a press conference yesterday.

Santos captain Marcus Wilson said, “Sunday we know we have to get this

American Racing Tips

the final. Opening the proceedings was Petra co-director Troy Mendonca who said, “We have a grand final scheduled for Sunday evening. I classified this as the grudge match of the decade. “ He continued, “They would have recently met in the U-20 GFF tournament where they beat each other once and this game will decide the top U-20 team.”

Sunday’s final will be preceded by the third-place playoff between Pele and Riddim Squad.

Race 2 Wicked Trick Race 3 Championship Alley Race 4 Who’s Driving Race 5 Fame To Famous Race 6 Queen Nekia Race 7 Concerned Race 8 Dashing Dan South Africa Racing Tips Greyville 08:25 hrs Candy Galore 09:05 hrs Classic Guard 09:40 hrs Royal Kitty 10:25 hrs Dutch Alley English Racing Tips Bath 08:40 hrs Our Oystercatcher 09:10 hrs Amarillo Star 09:45 hrs Herman Hesse 10:20 hrs Diamond Hill 10:50 hrs Quel Destin 11:25 hrs Gamesters Icon 11:55 hrs Hammy End Nottingham 08:55 hrs Zegalo 09:30 hrs So I Told You 10:05 hrs King’s Charisma 10:40 hrs Skyman 11:10 hrs Ainsdale 11:45 hrs Fantasy Keeper 12:15 hrs Zapper Cass Kempton 11:40 hrs Catapult 12:10 hrs Quiet Word 12:40 hrs Pearl Jam 13:10 hrs Cobber Kain 13:40 hrs Khuzaam 14:10 hrs Serenading 14:40 hrs Garth Rockett 15:10 hrs Ecstasea

Irish Racing Tips Punchestown 09:05 hrs The Very Man 09:35 hrs Iammastartoo

10:10 hrs Lucky Road 10:45 hrs Jan Maat 11:15 hrs Tout Est Permis 11:50 hrs Allduckornodinner 12:20 hrs Fantasio D’Alene

32

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Let’s Bet Sports 100 balls tournament

Cotton Tree beat Bush Lot Rising Star, Blairmont to reach West Berbice Final

THE Berbice Cricket Board (BCB)-organised Let’s Bet Sports 100 balls tournament, which is proving to be very popular in the Ancient County, continued with play last Sunday.

Cotton Tree CC of West Berbice clinched a place in the final of the West Berbice leg of the tournament. They first defeated a nine-man Bush Lot Rising Star CC team in the quarterfinals then Blairmont in the semifinals.

Bush Lot Rising Star CC, batting first, were dismissed for 112 in 15.1 overs with Dillon Joseph 26, Winston Joseph 34 and Maroin Mahadeo 17 being the principal scorers.

Left-arm spinner Waqar Hassan 3 for 14 and off-spinner Narshad Gafoor 2 for 12 were the best bowlers for the home team. In response, Cotton Tree CC raced to 114 for 2 in just 11 overs with

Nick Ramsaroop 32 not out and Pooran Persaud 56 leading the way. Akeem Miller and Dillon Joseph took a wicket apiece for 23 and 34 respectively for Bush Lot Rising Star.

In the semifinals, Blairmont were bundled out for 75 in just 9.1 overs. Talented wicketkeeper Zameer Nazeer scored 28 while only Saeed Khan 10 of the other batsmen reached double figures.

Waqar Hassan continued his fine form with the ball to take 3 wickets for 13, Daniel Harrinarine 2 for 17 and Narshad Gafoor 2 for 29. Needing to score 76 off 100 balls to reach the final, Cotton Tree breezed to 78 for 2 from 8.1 overs with Nick Ramsaroop scoring 44 including four boundaries and three sixes while Saif Ramah was unbeaten on 22.

The BCB would now

The winning Cotton Tree CC team

… to play arch-rivals D’Edward have to set a date for the West Berbice final which would be played at the Cotton Tree ground. The home

team would be spearheaded

by Pooran Persaud, Nick Ramsaroop, Narshad Gafoor, Waqar Hassan, Roshan Ga-

foor and Daniel Harrinarine.

D’Edward CC would start as favourites as they have a strong team on paper that

reached the final of the 2018 New Building Society Ltd 40 0vers tournament.

They also won the Perry Gossai 20/20 Tournament earlier this year when they defeated the same Cotton Tree CC at the Bush Lot ground. They would be led by the veteran Jaipaul Heralall and he would be supported by Devindra Lalsa, Abdool Subhan, Heeralall Bridgelall, Altaf Khan and Keith Fraser.

T h e We s t B e r b i c e champions would then face off with the champions of the Upper Corentyne, Lower Corentyne and New Amsterdam/Canje leagues to determine the overall Berbice Let’s Bet Sports 100 Balls champions.

BCB president Hilbert Foster stated that the different tournaments are on course to be completed by the end of November.

Bulgarian soccer chief quits after racist chants mar England game

By Angel Krasimirov

SOFIA, Bulgaria (Reuters) - Bulgarian soccer chief Borislav Mihaylov resigned yesterday after fans taunted England’s black players with Nazi salutes and monkey chants during a Euro 2020 qualifier in Sofia, prompting match officials to halt the game twice.

Prime Minister Boyko Borissov had called earlier for Mihaylov, a former goalkeeper and Bulgaria international, to go.

The fallout from what English FA chairman Greg Clarke described as “probably one of the most appalling nights I have seen in football” also triggered calls for urgent action from anti-racism campaigners and politicians.

A spokesman for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said European governing body UEFA - the tournament

organisers - needed to do more to tackle “vile” racism.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said, however, that soccer could not solve the problem on its own, and politicians must play a greater role.

“The football family everyone from administrators to players, coaches and fans - needs to work with governments and NGOs to wage war on the racists and to marginalise their abhorrent views to the fringes of society,” the Slovenian said in a statement.

“Football associations themselves cannot solve this problem. Governments too need to do more in this area.

Only by working together in the name of decency and honour will we make progress.”

Monday’s match was temporarily halted by the Croatian referee under a three-step UEFA protocol, but the stoppage did not

go far enough for some anti-racism activists who felt the England players should have walked off.

UEFA Executive Committee Member and Bulgaria soccer chief Borislav Mihaylov

Anti-racism organisation Kick It Out said UEFA’s existing sanctions were not fit for purpose and called for Bulgaria to be booted out.

“There can be no more pitiful fines or short stadium bans. If UEFA cares at all about tackling discrimina-

tion - and if the Equal Game campaign means anything – then points-deductions and tournament expulsion must follow,” it said.

UEFA said it had opened disciplinary proceedings against Bulgaria on a number of charges including racist behaviour and the throwing of objects.

England were also charged for disruption of the national anthem and an insufficient number of travelling stewards.

Mihaylov had previously defended Bulgarian soccer from accusations of racism and criticised England for what he saw as a “fixation” on potential incidents that could raise tension.

His departure came just hours after a Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) spokesman said Mihaylov would not resign because the state had no right to interfere in football.

A later statement said that

Mihaylov’s formal resignation would be presented to the Executive Committee on Friday.

“His position is a consequence of recent tensions; an environment that is detrimental to Bulgarian football and the Bulgarian Football Union,” it said.

Reuters was not able to reach Mihaylov by telephone yesterday.

More than 20 police officers swept into the (BFU) headquarters yesterday afternoon.

But the Bulgarian chief prosecutor’s spokeswoman said that the operation was part of an investigation conducted by the Specialised Prosecutor’s Office, and so not directly related to the racism row.

“It’s about crimes against sport,” Rumyana Arnaudova told Reuters. “We’re talking about corruption offences, connected to the work of the

BFU’s referee commission and the appointment of referees on football matches.

“The investigation is still under way and it’s too early to say if there’ll be some arrests.”

Mihaylov, captain of the Bulgarian national team that made it to the World Cup semi-finals in 1994, has been heavily criticised by local media and soccer fans for failing to lead the BFU out of years of corruption and controversy.

Bulgaria have failed to qualify for a major tournament since 2004, while Mihaylov’s tenure has been marred by allegations of cronyism. He has denied such allegations in the past.

There have been widespread reports of match-fixing in Bulgaria in recent years but little in the way of progress in holding anyone accountable.

Tendulkar, Lara, Murali set to feature in new T20 tournament

SACHIN Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Virender Sehwag and Muttiah Muralitharan are among the big names to feature in a T20 tournament, aimed at promoting road safety, called the Road Safety World Series.

Some other prominent names that are set to be part of the tournament include Jacques Kallis, Brett Lee and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

ESPNcricinfo understands the first season of the tournament will be played in 2020 between February 2 and 16 in Mumbai and will feature the following teams: India Legends, Australia Legends, South Africa Legends, Sri Lanka Legends and West Indies Legends.It is understood that a total of 110 players - all retired - have confirmed their participation in the tournament, which would be based on the franchise model prevailing across domestic T20 leagues around the world. The participating teams have been restricted to only Test-playing countries for

Flashback: Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara were interviewed after the game. (BCCI photo)

the first season.

Among the organisers promoting this event are Professional Management Group and the Road Safety Cell of the Maharashtra government. Part of their business plan is to host the event for 10 years across India. It is understood that the organisers had received the nod from BCCI in August 2018 to conduct the tournament.

Although the players’ payments would be taken care of by the franchises, the proceeds from the tournament itself would be utilised by the Road Safety Cell to promote the cause in addition to highlighting how India ranks highest in the world on the list of deaths caused on roads.

Tendulkar will be returning to play cricket in front of a crowd for the third time since his retirement in 2013, having played for the MCC against Rest of the World XI at Lord’s in 2014 and three exhibition T20s in the USA in 2015. (ESPN Cricinfo)

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday October 16, 2019

33

FIFA may extend punishments globally after racism at Bulgaria-England match ZURICH, Switzerland (Reuters) - Soccer body FIFA yesterday said it may extend punishments globally after racist incidents, including monkey chants directed at black players, marred a match between Bulgaria and England.

“FIFA may extend worldwide any sanctions that a Confederation or Member Association imposes for racist incidents, such as those which occurred in Sofia during the UEFA EURO 2020 qualifier match between Bulgaria and England,” the Zurich-based organisation said.

“FIFA therefore expects to be informed as soon as practicable regarding the relevant decisions of the UEFA disciplinary bodies in relation to this particular case,” it added.

“This would allow any sanctions imposed to be extended worldwide.”

European soccer’s ruling body UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Bulgaria for racist behaviour, including Nazi salutes and

FIFA president Gianni Infantino

chants, and against England for not providing enough travelling stewards.

The game, won 6-0 by England on Monday, was twice halted in the first half and a public announcement was made under UEFA’s three-step protocol for dealing with racist incidents during matches.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said more needed to be done to tackle the “obnoxious disease” of racism which

seemed to be getting worse.

“I call on all football governing bodies to join us and think together of new, stronger and more effective ways to eradicate racism in football,” he said.

Competition organisers should enact regulations which envisage life bans from stadiums for those who are found guilty of racist behaviour at a football match, Infantino said.

‘I don’t look for records, they look for me’ - Ronaldo after 700th goal (REUTERS) - Cristiano Ronaldo has lost count of the number of records he has broken. The Portugal forward disclosed this after scoring the 700th goal of his career during a 2-1 defeat to Ukraine on Monday.

“The records come naturally, I don’t look for them, the records look for me,” he told reporters after scoring his 95th goal for his country. “It’s not easy for anyone to reach this number and I thank everyone, team mates, colleagues, coaches and everyone who helped Cristiano become the player that he is.”

However, Ronaldo said that the defeat to Ukraine in a Euro 2020 qualifier took some of the shine off the achievement. “It’s a nice moment in my career but there was a bitter taste because we didn’t win,” he said. “We played well, but we didn’t win. We did everything we could and we had plenty of chances.”

Ronaldo is the all-time leading scorer in the Champions League with 127 goals,

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo in action at Kiev, Ukraine – (REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko)

holds the record for the most goals in a single Champions League season, is Real Madrid’s all-time highest scorer and Portugal’s most capped player and record-scorer.

The first five goals of Ronaldo career were scored for Portugal’s Sporting in 2002-3. He then scored 118 goals in 232 appearances during six seasons with Manchester United and, remarkably, averaged over a goal a game for Real Madrid, scoring 450 in 438 appearances over the course of nine seasons.

In just over one season with his current club Juventus, he notched a further 32 goals in 51 matches.

Despite the defeat, Portugal remained second in Group G with 11 points from six games, one ahead of Serbia, and will qualify for Euro 2020 if they win their remaining matches, at home to Lithuania and away to Luxemburg.

“We played too much with our hearts and not enough with our heads,” said coach Fernando Santos.

34

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday October 16, 2019

Hikers beat feisty Saints on opening night of National Indoor Hockey Championships DEFENDING champions, Woodpecker Hikers, were able to battle back from a goal down against Saints, in the feature female clash on Monday night in the GTT National Indoor Hockey Championships at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The game proved to be a battle of youth versus experience and for most of the first half and part of the second, youth prevailed.

Saints, winners of the recently concluded Bounty Paper Towel Second Division Outdoor Development Hockey League, were excellent at all ends.

Captain Tekeisha DeLeon and Kezia Chinian made Saints’ defence impenetrable for most of the game.

After a goalless first half, the action heated up in the second.

Four minutes in, a pass by Mariah Seegobind (who played very well in front) to

Clayza Bobb (number 21) beats Hikers keeper to score Saints’ lone goal.

14-year-old Clayza Bobb had her initially beating the defence before slotting the ball under the keeper’s extended right arm to send Saints 1-0 up.

The Hikers then began playing at second gear, which saw them attack with more control.

One such attack, nine minutes into the second half, resulted

in a gift for Jasmine Assanah at the mouth of the goal, which equalled the score.

Although the Hikers stayed aggressive, the game looked set to finish in a draw, before a breakdown in defence resulted in Nicole Eastman taking the ball from the middle of the court and working her way

Four more companies on board with 1320 Heat Rematch FOUR more companies have confirmed their support for the upcoming 1320 Heat Rematch.

Those companies are Miracle Optical, Motor Trend Service Centre, Trans Pacific Auto Sales and Spares and official betting partner of the GMR≻ IBet Supreme.

Dubbed ‘1320 Heat Rematch’, the local competitors will be revving to end the season on a high while no less than five cars from Suriname have been confirmed to participate in the event.

In a release yesterday, the club expressed gratitude for the support given and explained that running off a motor racing event is very costly so every dollar earned is appreciated.

The correspondence further noted that, “These companies have long been supporters of motorsport in Guyana and although IBet Supreme partnership with the club is new, we look forward to continued cooperation for years to come.”

The release further explained that, “The GMR&SC

up, before slotting home the winner in the last possession of the game.

The one-week event had six games on the opening night.

In the opener, Saints Sensations whipped YMCA Old Fort Hardball 9-0 after Shakeem Fausette netted four and Hilmar Chester a pair.

In the opening female encounter, the GBTI Spice, one of three GCC female teams in the championships, defeated YMCA Old Fort Bloods via first half goals from Vanessa Pires and Sandy Roopnarine.

An All-GCC female clash followed, with the GBTI GCC Tigers beating the GBTI GCC Spartans 4-1. Abosaide Cadogan opened the scoring in the 18th minute for the Spartans before Marzana Fiedtkou answered just before the break.

The Tigers stamped their

authority on the game in the second period with another goal from Fiedtkou and successful strikes from Sonia Jardine and Gabriella Xavier.

In the lone Over-35 clash, GCC Bounty Vintage surged ahead of Antonio Hickers 9-4 after a dominant second period.

Alan Fernandes led the attack with a hat-trick, while Kevin Spencer and Dwayne Scott scored two each for the winners.

Brian Asregado finished with a brace for the Hickers, who were trailing 3-2 at the half.

Meanwhile, in the male first division battle, YMCA Old Fort beat Bounty GCC 5-2.

In the clash, Old Fort took the initiative early and were ahead 2-0 by the break before they scored another two goals in the second period to make it 4-0, GCC answered later. Their

three goals came in the space of six minutes via the sticks of Dwayne Scott, Steven Xavier and Meshach Sargeant.

Ascofu Simon scored twice for Old Fort, while there was a goal each for Omar Hopkinson, Jason Desantos and Aderemi Simon.

The championship continues daily until Sunday.

THREE first-division female games, including one between defending champions the Woodpecker Hikers and Saints will highlight the opening day of the 2019 GTT National Indoor Hockey Championships, which starts this afternoon at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

According to President of the Guyana Hockey Board, Philip Fernandes, all systems are in place for today’s openers.

Woodpecker Hikers and Saints

Fraser-Pryce makes shortlist for Female Athlete-of-the-Year award

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

IBET representative Dustani Barrow hands over sponsorship to GMR&SC’s Cheryl Gonsales

is constantly looking to upgrade the South Dakota Circuit. This year, the club completed its target of constructing a Launch Pad and extending the strip to a full quarter-mile. Both those objectives were reached due to the generous contributions of sponsors, support by the fans and very importantly the

competitors.”

Admission stands at $1 000 for adults and $500 for children this Sunday.

Sunday’s fourth and final round of the 2019 Drag Race championship will start at 10:00hrs.

JAMAICA sprint queen Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has predictably been named to a shortlist for the 2019 IAAF Female World Athlete-of-the-Year award.

The 32-year-old Fraser-Pryce set the track alight at the Doha World Championships, this year, after clocking 10.71 to claim a fourth 100m world title.

The diminutive athlete is back to the peak of her powers after taking time off to have her first child two years ago. Fraser-Pryce’s winning time was the fastest in the world over the distance this year, edging out compatriot Elaine Thompson’s 10.73.

Joining the Jamaican on the overall list of 11 athletes is Beatrice Chepkoech, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Sifan Hassan, Brigid Kosgei, Mariya Lasitskene, Malaika Mihambo, Dalilah Muhammad, Salwa Eid Naser, Hellen Obiri and Yulimar Rojas.

Fraser-Pryce, who won the award in 2013 after claiming the sprint double at the Moscow World Championships, will face stiff competition for the top prize.

Muhammad broke the world record with 52.20 at the US Championships and went on to improve that mark to win the world

400m hurdles title in 52.16.

She then added the 4x400m title to her accolades.

Hasan claimed the world 1500m and 10 000m titles in Doha with world-leading times of 3:51.95 and 30:17.62. She also won the IAAF Diamond League 1500m and 5 000m titles in addition to breaking the world mile record with 4:12.33.

Bahrain’s Eid Naser won the world 400m title in 48.14, the third-fastest time in history. She also won the Diamond League title and three gold medals at the Asian Championships.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday October 16, 2019

35

Be patient with us; we’ll get the job done! - coach Maximo

By Rawle Toney GOLDEN Jaguars head coach Marcio Maximo, is asking football fans to be a bit more patient with the country’s Senior Men’s National football team, as they push to qualify for another CONCACAF Gold Cup. Competing in the inaugural CONCACAF Nations League, Guyana are currently second place in Group C of League B on six points from four matches, behind leaders Jamaica (nine points from three games), while Antigua and Barbuda are third and Aruba at the bottom of the table.

Despite having two wins and a loss with six points like Guyana, the ‘Benna Boys’, who conceded 13 goals (the most in their group) scored just five of their own and are a -8 in goal difference. Guyana netted seven times, but had the exact number scored

Trayon Bobb, the star of Guyana’s 5-1 win over Antigua and Barbuda, goes airborne for a ball during the contest at the National Track and Field Centre. (Carl Crooker photo)

against them.

Speaking to reporters following Guyana’s 5-1 win against Antigua and Barbuda on Monday at the National

Track and Field Centre, the Golden Jaguars’ Brazilian coach said that apart from being happy with the win, he was happy to see the younger play-

ers and those based locally have a chance to shine on the biggest football stage in the region.

Maximo came in for criticism following Guyana’s back-

Essequibo spinners maul Upper Corentyne to chalk up second win

By Clifton Ross A RUTHLESS spin attack coupled with some power-hitting saw defending champions Essequibo run roughshod over Upper Corentyne yesterday in the 2019 SBF/CGI Jaguars oneday League, hammering them by 115 runs to continue their undefeated streak.

All-rounder Ricardo Adams made amends for his failure in the opener as he cracked three big sixes and five fours in his top innings of 54.

The mighty Quintin Sampson also continued his feats of power-hitting as he blasted a quick-fire 45 down the order to help Essequibo reach 235-9 in 50 overs. Upper Corentyne did well to take 9 wickets, almost bowling out the de-

Essequibo continued their dominance as they seek to retain their 50 Overs title.

fending champions as spinner Gauran Ramesh bagged 3 wickets while seamer Sylus Tyndall and Demitir Cameron snapped up two scalps apiece.

The chase proved to be too much in the end for the Berbice franchise, who plummeted

for 120 all out in the 47th over. It was a ruthless pack hunt for the Essequibo bowlers, led mainly by the spinners in Ricardo who returned to be a wizard with his 3 wickets.

Akinie was lethal, following up his 2 wickets from game

one with another amazing spell of spin, returning 3-21 from 10 while his brother and captain Anthony ended with good figures of 1-21.

Johnathan Rampersaud (33) and skipper Shawn Perreira (30) were the lone, sig-

to-back defeats to Jamaica at home (0-4) and away to Antigua (1-2), but made it clear that fans and supporters of the team should be patient for results they want, since the team is going through a rebuilding stage following the players’ showing at this year’s Gold Cup. “We just need time and patience to improve this team.

You wouldn’t have real development without giving chances to local players. This combination for me is a secret for Guyana where we have a team and a good squad.

“I’m very happy with the win and of course we should develop a lot, we just started the job, and I think if we develop this way, great days are coming for Guyana,” Maximo said. With Jamaica almost certain about booking their ticket to the 2021 as an automatic qualifier, as the group winners, Maximo believes the second spot, which will see

nificant contributors who found it difficult to cope with the star-studded bowling attack.

Not to be undone by the spinners, pacer Ronsford Beaton (2-19) followed up his 5-for with another brutal spell as he continued to find his rhythm, snaring the wicket of opener Alex Algoo, the top-scorer in the last match, for duck.

The spin-fest began soon after as the entire top order crumbled to 60 for 6 at one point. So much was the hostility that both Perreira and Rampersaud only managed to hit three fours between them and once they fell to the Adams' magic, Upper Corentyne crumbled.

When the captain knocked over Cameron with a beauty, Ricardo wrapped up an MVP performance with the final nail on the coffin to seal an emphatic victory for their side.

Earlier, Essequibo openers Kevon Boodie (17) and Parmesh Parsotam (13) added 34 after the former hit three fours while Parsotam continued to find form with

that team playing in qualifying tournament next March, is still open, adding I’m happy for this win because we take a few wins away … the amount of goals we scored also was very important.”

In their latest fixture, Trayon Bobb scored two exceptional goals in the first half, while Kadell Daniel, Sheldon Holder and Pernell Schultz netted a goal each in what was Guyana’s first win against Antigua and Barbuda in 13 years.

The last time Guyana defeated Antigua, they walked away 6-0 winners on November 24, 2006. Since then, the ‘Benna Boys’ won five consecutive games, with the latest being a 2-1 victory last Friday at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.Guyana will host Aruba on November 15, and will then travel to Jamaica for their return clash on November 18.

two boundaries.

Sylus Tyndall (2-33) and spinner Eon Hooper (1-25) did well to remove the openers but in-form batsman Kemol Savory (34) and Adams then systematically chipped away at the bowling during their half-century stand. Adams was his usual aggressive self. When he brought up his fifty, the team were still decently placed at 150 for three with roughly 15 overs in the bank. Ramesh's spin proved to be the equaliser as he removed the half-centurion and Mark Williams (4) in quick succession.

Just when Upper Corentyne seemed to pull things back, three fours and two big sixes (one of which hit a car parked on the street from the bat of Sampson), turned things around.

Sampson's cameo was the ideal spark needed at the back end of the innings. A solid 18 from the skipper earlier on before he departed and 16 not out from Jones were enough to take the champs to a winning total.

Defending champs Sparta Boss to battle Charlotte Street on opening night SPARTA Boss, the defending champions of the annual ‘GT Beer/Keep Your Five Alive’ Futsal tournament, will open their quest for another title against Charlotte Street, when the competition kicks off tomorrow at the National Gymnasium at 19:00hrs.

With over $1M up for grabs in prize money this year, the tournament which is in its 7th edition will open with a ‘bang’. Apart from the mouthwatering clash between Sparta and Charlotte Street, Upsetters and Bad-A-Yard will get things going from 19:00hrs, Next up will be North East vs Back

Circle, Leopold vs Avocado Ballers, Showstoppers vs LA Ballers, BS vs Stabroek Ballers and Tiger Bay vs Bagotstown.

Bent Street and Broad Street will collide in the seventh game of the night, followed by the penultimate game of the evening which will feature Alexander Village taking on Ol Skool Ballers.

Promoter Kevin Adonis disclosed recently that this year’s competition has been tailored to provide riveting action throughout the seven days.

Unlike previous years where the top two teams were the only ones compensated, this year will see the

top four teams win cash in excess of $1M. Adonis said he has acquiesced to a request made by the teams and will now reward the top four teams with cash prizes and other incentives.

Another change that Adonis has made is the number of teams invited to the tournament has moved from 32 to 24 and they will be divided into six groups of four, with the top two from each advancing automatically to the knockout phase, along with the best four third-placed finishers, following the completion of the round robin stage.

The teams invited are: Gold is Money, Sparta Boss, Leopold Street, Tiger

Bay, Albouystown, BV, Melanie, Vryheid’s Lust, Avocado Ballers, Future Stars, Back Circle, North East La Penitence, Showstoppers, Broad Street, Alexander Village, GWI, Upsetters, LA Ballers, Bagotstown, Sophia, Spot 7, Charlotte Street, Ol Skool Ballers and Bent Street.

Among the corporate entities that have signalled their intention to support the tournament are: GT Beer, Hits and Jams 94.1 Boom FM, Star Party Rentals, Royal Castle, Prime Security, Fireside Grill and Chill, Keep It Clean Car Wash, Flashback 2020 and BK International.

Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson (with the ball) has been Mr Dependable for Sparta Boss in the Futsal format of the game and is expected to once again play a key part as they hunt another GT Beer/Keep Your Five Alive title.

36

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday October 16, 2019

Hayden Walsh Jr celebrates another scalp. Randy Brooks - CPL T20/Getty

Jamaican stroke-maker Brandon King playing for Guyana Amazon Warriors during the recent Caribbean Premier League.

King, Walsh Jr called up for T20, ODI International debuts 31 PAGE

Grudge match on Sunday for LIMACOL football title PAGE

Nicholas McArthur (left) of Fruta Conquerors U-20 shares the trophy with his opponent Marcus Wilson of Santos U-20.

Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limited, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 226-3243-9 (General); Editorial: 227-5204, 227-5216. Fax:227-5208

31 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2019