Guyana Chronicle E-paper 10-17-2019

THURSDAY 17th OCTOBER, 2019

' No.105793

‘ABUSE OF THE COURT’ –– Chief Justice throws out PPP application for Cabinet to resign

‘Finding common ground’

SEE STORY ON PAGE 03

…deems action wholly misconceived, vexatious and an absolute abuse of the court

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…President confirms partnership talks with Shuman

‘Elimination of Phantom killing witnesses’ 14 PAGE

…hindering prosecution of culprits ---President Granger says evidence lacking due to public fear

Gov’t installing street lights on Linden Highway …Linden officials, drivers welcome projects

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President David Granger embraces mother of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Sergeant, Leon Tucker who was killed in the horrific accident on Tuesday morning at Friendship, East Bank Demerara (Ministry of the Presidency photo) (See story on page 17)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 17, 2019

‘Finding common ground’ …President confirms partnership talks with Shuman …says JLP leader convinced two parties can find common ground Schuman’s possession of dual citizenship. Shuman, Guyanese by birth, has been a Canadian citizen for some 28 years and has a wife who is a Canadian citizen by birth. Article 155 (1) (a) of the Constitution of Guyana sets out the eligibility requirements for persons to qualify as Members of Parliament. It states: “No person shall be qualified for election as a member of the National Assembly who is, by virtue of his or her own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state.”

Shuman had admitted that he is a citizen of Canada but promised to relinquish his Canadian citizenship.

The President said on Wednesday: “The question has arisen [but] dual citizenship has nothing to do with the leadership of a political party. It has everything to do with entering the National Assembly or being a

Leader of the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), Lennox Shuman (centre) greets President David Granger at a previous function

Accord. It was under the Cummingsburg Accord that the two political parties were brought together as a coalition which saw the APNU nominating the Presidential Candidate and the AFC, the Prime Ministerial Candidate. The agreement will expire in February 2020 and the President said on Wednesday that the parties are now at the second of four stages whereby they are discussing ways for reviewing or remodelling the agreement.

The Guyana Chronicle understands that the issue of a prime ministerial candidate for the upcoming Elections and the formula for the allocation of parliamentary seats are among critical issues that would be hammered out by the two teams. “We’re multitasking. APNU is looking after its relations with the

By Lisa Hamilton THE A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is in “exploratory” talks with the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) which has signalled its interest in a partnership.

On Wednesday, President David Granger told the media that the LJP, led by its Presidential Candidate, Lennox Shuman, is convinced that there are areas in which the two parties can find common ground.

“I have had preliminary, exploratory talks with Mr. Shuman. We are looking for common ground; looking for areas of convergence.

The policy of A Partnership for National Unity is that we are inclusionary and we welcome other parties who share our objectives to develop Guyana; Guyana’s children; Guyana’s environment,” the President said.

There are already several parties in the APNU such as the People's National Congress Reform (PNCR); the Working People's Alliance (WPA); Justice For All Party; National Front Alliance and the Guyana Action Party (GAP). The Alliance For Change (AFC), which is not a part of the APNU, makes up the sixth party in the coalition.

Meanwhile, Shuman, who is the former Toshao of St. Cuthbert’s Mission and former Deputy Chairman of the National Toshaos’ Council (NTC), launched his Party in January 2019. At the launching, he told those attending that while many persons have associated the LJP with the indigenous community, it is a party that represents all of Guyana and is committed to addressing longstanding issues which have divided the nation. “Mr.

Leader of the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), Lennox Shuman

Shuman has given me the assurance that there are areas of convergence between the Liberty and Justice Party and what he thinks the APNU stands for. So, we have not actually come to any agreement, talks are exploratory, but he is convinced that there is a wide area of convergence between the policies of our partnership and between his party,” the President said.

Guyana is expected to head to new General and Regional Elections on March 2, 2020, when the country’s two main political parties --- A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) coalition and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) --- will contest.

THE ISSUE OF CITIZENSHIP

President David Granger speaks with the media (DPI photo) Mr. Shuman has given me the assurance that there are areas of convergence between the Liberty and Justice Party and what he thinks the APNU stands for. So,

we have not actually come to any agreement, talks are exploratory, but he is convinced that there is a wide area of convergence between the policies of our partnership and between his party,” the President said.

Another matter discussed between the LJP and APNU was

part of the Cabinet.”

APNU and LJP have not yet ironed out a timeline on when they will meet again but the President said that APNU has indicated its willingness to meet again this month.

CUMMINGSBURG ACCORD Meanwhile, APNU is also in talks with its partner, the AFC, on the revision of its February 14, 2015, Cummingsburg

Alliance For Change as well as the proposed relations with the Liberty and Justice Party,” President Granger said.

Regarding the appointment of a prime ministerial candidate, he stated the core principles recognise the role of the President in making certain appointments but it is also still a matter under discussion by the APNU/AFC. That aside, he said that in the final decision, the parties should be focused on “principles before personalities”.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 17, 2019

‘ABUSE OF THE COURT’

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Chief Justice throws out PPP application for Cabinet to resign …deems action wholly misconceived, vexatious and an absolute abuse of the court

By Svetlana Marshall ACTING Chief Justice, Roxane George-Wiltshire, on Wednesday, threw out a Fixed Date Application (FDA) filed by People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Attorney-at-Law, Anil Nandlall, for an order, compelling Cabinet, including the President, to resign, deeming the case vexatious and an abuse of the court.

“This application is not only wholly misconceived, it is vexatious and an absolute abuse of the process of the court,” Justice George-Wiltshire said as she handed down the judgment in the High Court.

In the case brought against the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, Nandlall sought three orders, among them an order compelling the Cabinet, including the President to resign on the basis that Government was defeated by way of a No-Confidence Motion in the National Assembly on December 21, 2018. This, he had argued, was in keeping with Article 106 (6) of the Constitution of Guyana. He had also sought a ‘mandatory order’ and a ‘conservatory order’ to restrain Cabinet, inclusive of the President, from meeting, making decisions, or performing the functions of Cabinet but no such orders were granted.

UPHOLDING AG’S APPLICATION Instead, the Chief Justice upheld the Attorney General’s notice of application for the FDA to be struck out on the grounds that the FDA was an abuse of the process of the court. She explained that the No-Confidence Motion matter and its effects which included the resignation of Cabinet were ventilated at Guyana’s final appellate court – the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), for which, the applicant was integrally involved.

The Chief Justice (ag) detailed that the CCJ, upon handing down the consequen-

tial orders on July 12, 2019, addressed the issue of the resignation of the President and Cabinet.

“It is important, however, that the Court makes this point. In mandating that the Government shall remain in office notwithstanding its defeat and the resignation of the President and the Cabinet, Article 106 envisages that the tenure in office of the Cabinet, including the President, after the Government’s defeat, is on a different footing from that which existed prior to the vote of no confidence,” Justice George-Wiltshire said as she read an excerpt from the CCJ’s July 12, 2019 judgment.

In its deliberations, the CCJ said too that the Chancellor, Yonette Cummings-Edwards was correct in citing Canadian Constitutional Expert Peter Hogg, when she noted that: “…The government continues in office as a caretaker government or interim government until the next elections ensue and a President is appointed (or reappointed) depending on the results of that election.”

The Chief Justcie (ag) said given the pronouncement of the CCJ, there could not have been, and there cannot be any requirement for a mandatory order compelling Cabinet including the President to give effect to the resignation of the Cabinet, including the President.

“In any event, given that the issue was a live one before the CCJ, a court of first instance sitting as I am, cannot say that the CCJ omitted to make an order which a party or counsel for a party in the appeals thinks the Court should have made, more so, one that was actually sought; or that it somehow fell into error in its pronouncements or in its considerations of the effect thereof as the applicant as argued. This court is bound by the pronouncements and decision of the CCJ pursuant to the doctrine of stare decisis or doctrine of precedent,” Justice George-Wiltshire explained.

It was Nandlall who had said that the High Court should

do what the CCJ ‘failed’ to do, and that was to issue the order compelling Cabinet to resign.

According to him, the CCJ had fallen short in its ruling,

ment,” the Chief Justice (ag) clarified.

APPLICATION STRUCK OUT; NANDLALL TO

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams

Attorney-at-Law Anil Nandlall (Adrian Narine Photos)

but the Chief Justice (ag), on Wednesday, made it clear that the High Court is bound by the decisions of the CCJ. Referencing to her pronouncements in the case of Ram v Chief Elections Officer, Commissioner of National Registration, GECOM and the AG, Justice George-Wiltshire iterated that the CCJ’s July 12 judgment should be read dispassionately and objectively.

“While the applicant may be dissatisfied with the conclusion of the CCJ – he cannot seek to overturn or reinterpret it by filing an application such as this. The CCJ did not omit to pronounce on the issue as has been contended. On the contrary, the CCJ emphasised that it was making an important point in stating that the Cabinet including the President, and the Government are to act as a caretaker or interim govern-

PAY $500,000 It was on those grounds that the CCJ denied the application filed by Nandlall, who was present in the Court on Wednesday along with his Attorney Kamal Ramkarran. She emphasised that he was integrally involved in the hearing of the consolidated appeals before the CCJ. “The notice of application for the FDA to be struck out is granted as the FDA is an abuse of the process of the court with costs to the respondent in the sum of $500,000,” the Chief Justice (ag) said in her final words of her ruling.

Weighing on the matter prior to the ruling President David Granger was asked what would be his Government’s position should the court rule that Cabinet, including the President, should resign. He stated: “I don’t see the like-

lihood of that arising. The country cannot be without a government; the country cannot be without a President.

Our interpretation of the Constitution is that I remain until another President is elected after the General Elections.”

He stated that the Government has complied with all orders of the CCJ and continues to serve in its interim capacity by abstaining from planning a 2019 Budget. “We are an interim administration and I’m observing those regulations but the country cannot be without a government and I cannot be removed unless elections are held,” he said.

The President has set March 2, 2020 for the holding of elections and has called on the parliamentary opposition to return to the House to grant an extension of the government for the purpose of holding elections. While the Opposition continues to refuse, the President Granger said that he is seeking in-house advice on a suitable way forward.

He stated: “The Leader of the Opposition has stated repeatedly and clearly that he has no intention of going back to the National Assembly. In any event, I have not prorogued the National Assembly; I’ve not dissolved Parliament and I am awaiting the advice of my Attorney General on a date for the dissolution of Parliament.”

The Head of State said that the government will also keep its options open so that in the case of a national or financial emergency the National Assembly can be convened to deal with the emergency.

“In the final analysis, I will dissolve Parliament when the time comes but Parliament will remain in session…so, if it’s necessary, I can reconvene Parliament.”

VEXATIOUS LITIGANT Meanwhile, outside of the High Court, the Attorney General, who was present in court with the Solicitor General Nigel Hawke, said he was pleased with the decision. “The decision of the Chief Justice

has restored the position with the rule of law in Guyana, and it is a very important principle for a hierarchical system of courts that you follow precedence and the principle of stare decisis is that you follow the precedence set by the higher courts, and since the CCJ had already determined this issue…it was not fit nor proper and it was of no legal effect for you to come to the lowest court to seek to have that decision of the CCJ, the apex court, overturned,” Minister Williams said.

He said the courts have been exhibiting great patience, while again alluding to the fact that the matter was ventilated at the level of the CCJ. “Mr. Nandlall has to be careful that he does not become a vexatious litigant because he was part and parcel of the representation of the Leader of the Opposition at all levels – CCJ, Court of Appeal, High Court – and it was not fit for him, and right as an officer of the court to try to seek to come to the first instance judge and try to raise the same issue,” Minister Williams said, noting that the court should not be abused.

Nandlall disappointed, to file appeal Nandlall, on the other hand, expressed his disappointment. He maintained that Article 106 (6) and (7) of the Constitution is clear, that the Cabinet inclusive of the President shall resign. “Here it is, we have approached the court, there is a Cabinet that is refusing to resign and the Constitutional Court of the country is telling us, that because the CCJ didn’t make that order, then forever we are in perpetual error. In other words, the doctrine of precedent and the doctrine of stare decisis are now superior to the Constitution of the country,” Nandlall told reporters. He has since promised to appeal the case.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 17, 2019

Turkey-Syria offensive: Not our problem, says Donald Trump (BBC) President Donald Trump has said it is “not our problem” if Turkey enters Syria, calling the former US allies the Kurds “no angels”.

The US is facing intense criticism for withdrawing its forces from Syria, which some say gave Turkey the green light to launch a cross-border offensive against Kurdish-led forces.

Mr Trump told reporters at the White House the US is “not a policing agent”.

“It is time for us to go home,” he said.

Turkey launched the offensive in northern Syria a week ago to push back from its border members of a Syrian Kurdish militia called the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and create a “safe zone” along the Syrian side of the border, where up to two million Syrian refugees can be resettled.

The Turkish operation came after Mr Trump ordered the withdrawal of US forces from the area.

Kurdish-led forces have been a key ally of the US in the fight against Islamic State in Syria and there are fears the destabilisation could lead to a resurgence of the militants.

What did the president say?

Mr Trump said he saw the situation on the Turkey-Syria

border as “strategically brilliant” for the US. “Our soldiers are out of there. Our soldiers are totally safe. They’ve got to work it out.

Maybe they can do it without fighting,” he said.

“We’re watching and we’re negotiating and we’re trying to get Turkey to do the right thing, because we’d like to stop wars regardless.”

The president also said that the Kurds are “not angels”.

“They fought with us. We made a lot of money for them to fight with us, and that’s okay,” he said. “They did well when they fought with us. They didn’t do so well when they didn’t fight with us.”

Mr Trump added that the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) - a rebel group that fights for Kurdish autonomy in Turkey - “is probably worse at terror and more of a terrorist threat in many ways than” Islamic State.

What’s the context?

Ankara sees the YPG militia as an extension of the PKK. The US has designated the PKK as a foreign terrorist organisation and Specially Designated Global Terrorist Entity. The US has previously acknowledged links between the PKK and YPG, but it has

Mr Trump made the comments during a meeting with President Sergio Mattarella of Italy in the Oval Office

rejected Turkey’s assertion that the YPG is an extension of the PKK. The YPG dominates an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias called the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which has driven the Islamic State (IS) group out of a quarter of Syria over the past four years with the help of air strikes by a US-led multinational coalition.

On Sunday, after US troops began withdrawing from the region and Turkish-led forces made gains, the Kurds agreed a deal with the Syrian government for the Syrian army to be deployed on the border to help repel the Turkish assault.

Vice President Mike Pence

and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are heading to Turkish capital, Ankara, to meet Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The US announced sanctions against Turkey on Monday.

On Wednesday, a spokesman for Turkey’s President Erdogan said the country’s foreign ministry was preparing retaliatory sanctions against the US. Ankara has vowed to continue its offensive, and has refused to negotiate with Kurdish fighters.

What’s the latest on the ground?

The UK-based Syrian Ob-

servatory for Human Rights said on Wednesday that Syrian and Russian forces had entered the border town of Kobane, following a deal struck between the Kurds and Damascus in the wake of Turkey’s incursion.

Dozens of civilians have reportedly been killed in the operation so far and at least 160,000 have fled the area, according to the UN. The UN Security Council meanwhile on Wednesday once more called on Turkey to stop

its assault.

Syrian government forces entered the strategic town of Manbij on Tuesday – inside the area where Turkey wants to create its “safe zone”.

Turkish troops and pro-Turkish, anti-government fighters have also been gathering near Manbij.

Over the past two years, hundreds of US troops have visibly patrolled the strategic town, but they left earlier this week.

Nasa unveils new spacesuit for next Moon landing (BBC) The US space agency has unveiled the prototype for a new spacesuit that could be worn by the next astronauts on the Moon.

Nasa chief Jim Bridenstine shared a close-up look at the next-generation suits for the agency’s Artemis programme.

The xEMU prototype suit looks similar to ones used at the International Space Station.

But Nasa said it had been improved for comfort, fit and mobility on the Moon.

Mr Bridenstine also presented the Orion Crew Survival System, an orange flight suit with helmet that will be worn by crews in the Orion spacecraft for launch and re-entry.

Orion is the replacement for the space shuttle, but, unlike that system, it’s designed to carry astronauts to the Moon and other targets in deep space.

To the Moon and Beyond The new Moon suit, which is known formally as the Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU), is designed to give the wearer a customised fit whatever their size.

That would be a significant shift from the current situation. In March, the first all-female spacewalk on the

ISS had to be called off because there wasn’t an available suit in the correct size for Nasa astronaut Anne McClain.

In an event at Nasa headquarters in Washington DC, the red, white and blue xEMU suit was worn onstage by spacecraft engineer Kristine Davis, from Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston.

“To be clear, Kristine is wearing a suit that will fit all of our astronauts when we go to the Moon,” Mr Bridenstine told the audience.

Spacecraft engineer Amy Ross said the new suit would give astronauts more mobility in the shoulders, including the ability to reach overhead - which Apollo-era suits weren’t capable.

A large piece called a bearing provides the astronaut with a greater range of movement at the waist.

There are three further bearings on the legs along with a flexion-extension joint at the waist to provide more mobility in the lower part of the suit.

Ms Davis demonstrated the suit’s capabilities by moving her arms in a circular motion, performing squats and bending down to pick up a rock from the stage.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 17, 2019

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Brazil building collapse: Race on to find the missing (BBC) Rescue workers are working against the clock to find eight residents who are missing after their apartment block collapsed in the city of Fortaleza in north-eastern Brazil.

One man died when the the seven-storey building crumbled on Tuesday.

Nine people have been rescued alive but another eight who are believed to have been inside when the collapse happened are still unaccounted for.

Officials said the block had been built without the necessary permits.

‘Selfie’ from the rubble

Rescue workers have so far found nine survivors underneath the rubble

The building in Dionísio Torres, an upscale neighbourhood of Fortaleza in

Ceará state, collapsed at 10:28 local time (13:30 GMT).

Newspaper Diário do Nordeste tweeted footage of the moments just after the collapse showing dust rising from the rubble.

A small grocery store next to the building was damaged in the collapse and a man delivering water to the shop, 30-year-old Frederick Santana dos Santos, was killed.

Another delivery man, 34-year-old Antônio Gomes Marcelino, managed to get out of the shop alive.

Of the 18 residents who were inside the apartment block’s 13 flats, nine have been rescued alive.

One of them, architecture student Davi Sampaio, had sent his family a “selfie” on WhatsApp in which he was smiling and giving a thumbsup to the camera after the collapse to show that he was alive and well.

He told a friend that he had only suffered some scratches. A puppy was also pulled from the rubble alive.

Rescue workers are using sniffer dogs to search for the eight residents who are still missing.

Three Red Cross workers were injured in the search but doctors said they were not in a serious condition.

The cause for the collapse of the apartment block, which was built in 1995, is not yet clear.

Building collapses such as this one are not uncommon in Brazil.

Eight people were killed when the Palace II tower block collapsed in Rio de Janeiro in 1998 due to an engineering error. In 2012, 17 people died when three buildings crumbled also in Rio de Janeiro.

And last year, a 26-storey building occupied by squatters fell down after it had been engulfed in flames in São Paulo, killing seven.

Mexico: Army deployed after police killed in ambush (BBC) Mexico has sent 80 soldiers and an army helicopter to the western Michoacán state after a shooting in which at least 13 police officers were killed.

The police were carrying out a court order in the town of El Aguaje when they were ambushed by gunmen on Monday.

A powerful criminal group, the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel, is believed to have carried out the attack.

Separately, 14 armed civilians and a soldier died in a gunfight in the western state of Guerrero on Tuesday.

The state government said the soldiers were responding to an emergency

Relatives and friends of the victims came to pay their last respects on Tuesday

call in the municipality of Tepochica, near the city of Iguala, when they were attacked by the gunmen and returned fire.

It was not immediately known if the two attacks were related.

Also on Tuesday, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said his tough policies on drug crime would eventually pay dividends.

“I’m optimistic we’ll secure peace... we’re com-

pletely dedicated to this issue, but [past governments] allowed it to grow,” the president was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.

What happened in El Aguaje?

Police patrol vehicles were ambushed as they passed through the town.

Reports say the convoy was surrounded by heavily armed men in a number of pick-up trucks who then fired on the officers and set their vehicles on fire.

El Aguaje is considered to be of strategic importance between two battling cartels: the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel (CJNG) and a splinter group of the Knights Templar Cartel called Los Viagras.

A message left at the

site suggested the attack was carried out by gunmen connected to the CJNG. Mexico’s federal authorities had earlier said that 14 police officers were killed, but the death toll was later revised by state officials.

The supposed leader of the CJNG was killed by Michoacán police less than a week ago.

Michoacán has suffered cartel-related violence for years. In August, nine people were found hanging from a bridge with seven other corpses found on the road.

The federal government offered assistance to the state authorities after Monday’s attack.

Michoacán Governor Silvano Aureoles Conejo

said there would be “no impunity” for the attack on his officers.

However, the Jalisco cartel has grown much more powerful in recent years and there have been no significant victories against them by either the state or federal government, the BBC’s Will Grant in Mexico City reports.

Despite the government’s efforts to tackle drug crime, last year saw a record number of murders with more than 29,000 recorded.

Worse still, this year could be set to surpass that figure.

ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX unavailable in TT from 2020 (TRINIDAD NEWSDAY) FROM January 1, 2020, local television service providers will no longer be able to air FOX (News and Sports), ABC, CBS or NBC unless they obtain the legal rights to do so.

In a press release issued on Monday, the Telecommunications Authority (TATT) said the forbearance period for these networks, which began in 2015, has ended in

Trinidad and Tobago. A forbearance period occurs when there is a mutual decision to delay the enforcement of particular rights.

The release said, “The authority exercised forbearance on the transmission of foreign free-to-air networks in order to allow the authority an opportunity to consider the many issues related to the intellectual property rights of the broadcast of these stations in TT.”

The channels will be removed if the providers have not obtained the rights from the copyright owners of the stations.

TATT CEO Cynthia Reddock-Downes told Newsday the authority has been investigating the situation over the past four years. It was found that despite the networks being free-to-air networks, those rights were not extended to the Caribbean region.

She said, “Intellectual property is really a private right, so generally, the owners of the copyright are the ones to pursue action against illegal activity. What has happened in this instance is that we have been advised by the network providers that the content is not available.”

She said the authority reviewed the viewership of the channels, locally, and said they are “very popular.”

“We even explored getting them to extend the rights to the Caribbean, and we are still continuing with that. We have had one of the four saying at one point, they prepared some content for the Caribbean, but that has not happened yet.

“Until that is in fact the case, we cannot claim that we have the rights.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 17, 2019

The Cornelia Ida Provocation FOLLOWING the ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) that the December 2018 No- Confidence Motion was properly passed, the PPP commenced a series of protest demonstrations across the country.

The party contended that the government was illegal and that it should call elections forthwith. The government countered that reasoning by correctly arguing that it could not call elections until it was advised by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) that it was ready for such an exercise. When GECOM indicated that it would be ready by the end of February 2020, President David Granger promptly named and proclaimed March 2, 2020 as the elections date.

The PPP, then, accepted that date as legitimate and went into election mode. One assumed that this was a signal that the party had moved on. Lo and behold, when President Granger and other invited guests turned up for the Saras-

wati Vidya Niketan’s Secondary School’s graduation ceremony at Cornelia Ida last Sunday, they were greeted by yet another unruly PPP demonstration.

What is the point of continuing these demonstrations? If the previous ones were aimed at expressing the PPP’s frustration at the government’s reliance on GECOM’s readiness for elections, then that should have been resolved with the naming of the elections date.

Continuing with the protest demonstrations, then, suggests more than meet the eye. After what transpired at the Saraswati Vidya Niketan’s Secondary School’s graduation ceremony, it should be clear to Guyana that the PPP is bent on provoking confrontation with the police and, by extension, the government.

In the first place, the President seems to be personally targeted by the PPP for these aggressive demonstrations. That has to be cause for concern. Despite the PPP’s narratives to the contrary, the President

is still the duly-elected Head of State and should be treated as such.

These menacing demonstrations are clearly aimed at intimidating and provoking the President. Such behaviour by the protestors could lead to unfortunate outcomes, which would not be in the best interest of our country.

The PPP is obviously stung by the fact that observers have credited this government with a clean human rights record including its protection of civil liberties. It has been observed that such a record is in contrast to that of the PPP, whose performance in this area left a lot to be desired. Others have praised the government and the police for the restraint they have shown in the face of blatant provocation by the PPP. Many recall the shameful intimidatory tactics employed by the PPP at the Pegasus Hotel a few weeks ago.

The PPP was also obviously enraged that the principal of the school had the courage to withstand pressures and invite the President. It is

well known that he is not a friend of the government, but he recognises that Mr. Granger is President of all of Guyana and should have access to all communities. For taking such a stand, Swami Askarananda should be saluted. And President Granger should be applauded for accepting the invitation—he continues to act with the grace and dignity that his office demands.

This publication again commends the police and the government for their restraint. The right to protest against government is a sacred one that should be upheld in any functioning democracy. But we hasten to add that that right must be exercised within the boundaries of the law. The right of government functionaries to go about their personal and official business must also be respected. There must be a balance between freedom and order.

It is against this background that we condemn the behaviour at Cornelia Ida on Sunday—it was unnecessary. The sight of children

being used as political props by the PPP was sickening. Further, the attempts to draw the police into retaliation were clear for all to see.

The PPP has crossed the line. The reports in sections of the media that the police had intimidated the protestors played into the PPP’s script.

It is obvious that they wanted the police to react in that manner.

The PPP is playing a very dangerous game. It craves confrontation. It is setting the party’s supporters up as collateral damage in its quest for political mileage to be used to maintain the support of its constituents. Given our fragile political environment, provocation can quickly escalate into unintended outcomes. We, therefore, call on the party’s leadership to let reason prevail.

If the party must protest, let it be done in a manner that does not border on provocation. Guyana can ill-afford a political inferno.

What is Stabroek News’ real mission?

Dear Editor

THE Stabroek News is once again attacking elections officials at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

In the lead-up to the 1992 Regional and General Elections, Stabroek News was buoyant in the removal of Messrs Hector Bunyan, Er-

rol Fraser and then Chief Elections Officer Ronald Jacobs; their cry was that those electoral officials were biased towards the PNC. After the 1992 elections, the PPP came to power and the independent Stabroek News was suddenly silent on the real shenanigans at GECOM. Albert Henry, who was the legal adviser for the 1997 and 2001 Regional

and General Elections, was appointed an adviser at the Office of the President from 2003 to 2004. He then returned to GECOM as legal adviser for the 2006 Regional and General Elections and the independent Stabroek News was silent. The then PPP Minister of Foreign Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett’s son was employed by

GECOM to work in the ID card production department for the 2006 Regional and General Elections. Reverse to the 1997 Regional and General Elections when Mr Ganga Persaud was GECOM’s Deputy Chief Elections Officer; after those elections he became a PPP minister of government.

The late Doodnauth

Singh was GECOM Chairman for the 1997 Regional and General Elections; he subsequently became Bharrat Jagdeo’s attorney general.

So the million-dollar question being asked by the electorate is Stabroek News and its editor-in-chief engaging in the same mission as in 1992? The name of that mission was, Search and Destroy

the PNC and just as in 1992, their target is the GECOM Secretariat. It would come as no surprise if the call is for Mr Keith Lowenfield to resign, but this retired major is no Ronald Jacobs. He has walked the plank at GECOM. Regards George Williams

Appropriate street names in Georgetown

Dear Mayor,

I WRITE to commend you on the no-nonsense, transformative leadership with which you have provided our capital city since your tenure began. You are, no doubt, a leader with vision, accompanied by positive

action.

I, as a concerned citizen of Guyana, would hereby make my humble suggestion as regards street names in Georgetown. It is refreshing and well-received that we have streets named after world-renowned Shiv Chanderpaul and Nelson

Mandela. However, we need to continue in similar stride and rename other streets. For instance, Lord Mayor, Rabbit Walk, where the DPP’s office is located can be renamed after one of our great statesmen/women jurists (Sir Shridath Ramphal, perhaps). And what about Almond Street

(named after a tree/fruit) and East Street, South Road and North Road (named after cardinal points of the compass).

Can’t we find more appropriate and relevant names?

These are just a few examples. We have other streets named after members of the British royalty. We have to

stop idolising these people (It is a myth that Queen Victoria was responsible for freeing slaves). Where is our street, named after the ingenious icon Eddie Grant who also helped to put Guyana on the world map?

Mr Mayor, I exhort you, as the person at the helm of

the City Council, to continue to be transformative and leave a legacy. You will also go down in history for this.

Regards Karan Chand Region Two resident

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 17, 2019

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GHRA celebrating 40th anniversary Dear Editor OCTOBER 17, 2019, marks the 40th anniversary of the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA), founded in 1979 by a group of individuals drawn predominantly from professional, labour, and religious backgrounds.

Creation of the GHRA was a response to the infamous referendum that approved replacing the independence constitution by a 14%.vote.

Case-based activities to protect individual citizens against abuse by officialdom--whether planned or unexpected--remains the anchor of GHRA human rights activism. The vast majority of cases handled by the GHRA have involved abuses suffered within the framework

of the administration of justice: the death penalty, torture, police brutality, extra-judicial executions, deaths in prisons and police cells, as well as conditions in police lock-ups.

Other areas of concern over the years included sexual violence against young women and girls; rights of the Amerindian peoples; gender identity and sexual orientation; people with disabilities and people living with HIV and AIDS. Case-based approaches to human rights abuses inevitably highlight failures of agencies and institutions and the absence of policies and the limitations of laws which permit them to occur. A second major area of concern, therefore, saw the GHRA engage over the years with constitutional and electoral

reforms; the reforming of laws relating to disabilities, children, indigenous peoples, forestry and mining, flood-related/disposal of garbage and climate change, prison reform, sexual offences, the age of consent, termination of pregnancy, sexual orientation, broadcast legislation and national policies and laws relating to HIV and AIDS. Over the past 40 years, the horizon of rights has evolved, recognising many ways of being human. The third area of GHRA’s work has been to bring awareness about rights through the formal education system, social media, production of campaign materials, training programmes with the police, prisons system, teachers, nurses, HIV carers, persons living with HIV and AIDS,

youth and similar training in communities.

An annually elected executive committee has guided the affairs of the association, along with three co-presidents; an arrangement which in the early years reflected the GHRA’s three major sources of membership referred to earlier. A more diversified membership emerged in later years, over 80 of whom have acted as executive committee members for the past 40 years. Peak membership of over 700 members occurred during the late 1980s and the 1990s, coinciding with the GUARD movement in which the GHRA played a leading role.

The Guyana Human Rights Centre was formally opened on International Human Rights

Day 1997, providing a more permanent home after almost 20 years in a series of dilapidated or very modest dwellings.

In an era in which Guyanese activism is overly dependent on external funding, it remains a source of much satisfaction that the centre was built from funds raised by the current and past membership.

Forty years as a civil society institution has been the work of many hands which a wide range of persons can rightly commemorate. The GHRA has been able to operate on modest budgets, thanks to the generous volunteer spirit of many people and the solidarity of a range of business, religious and charitable organisations. While much remains to redress with

respect to enjoyment of human rights in Guyana, these many persons may justifiably consider that without their efforts, the situation would have been much worse. The 40th anniversary is initially being commemorated by an exhibition highlighting some of the events of the GHRA, from October 17th to October 24th at the National Library. Mini-exhibitions will also be mounted at regional libraries and the General Post Office.

Regards GHRA Executive Committee

Judges are concerned only with validity of legislation Dear Editor, JUDGES are concerned only with the validity of legislation; they are not concerned when adjudicating on the constitutionality of legislation, with the wisdom, political desirability or fairness of that legislation. As a corollary, a litigant’s only concern when challenging legislation, ought to be whether it is constitutionally valid. Government responds to societal ills with legislation to cure the mischief.

Popular examples of legislative response are the Domestic Violence Act (DVA); Trafficking in Persons Act (TIP), Anti Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act (AMLCFT).

Legislative responses are part of the constitutional democratic process in the pursuit of peace, order and good government. The APNU+AFC Government’s response to the mischief of serious corruption in respect of divestment of state lands and other assets was the enactment of the State Assets Recovery ACT, 2017 (SARA). And just as how the DVA, TIPs, AMLCFT, inter alia, are operational to cure the mischief, so should SARA, two years after its enactment. But an, as yet, undecided court challenge by Ramon Gaskin to SARAs constitutionality is impeding the recovery efforts of the director of the agency established by SARA. The director/agency has not contributed whatsoever to this delay. So, it is this long delay by the court in not yet deciding the Gaskin challenge that impels comment.

I argue, that while it was Ramon Gaskin’s right to challenge the con-

stitutionality of SARA by his court action in July 2017 (two months after SARA became law and in force on May 4th 2017) in the High Court, it is equally, the people’s right as part of the democratic process, to have had a determination by the High Court of that constitutionality question, by now (2019). That delay in its determination, is with the greatest respect, inordinate, and long. That great English Judge Lord Denning, MR, hated long delays.

Even laymen such as the great writers Shakespeare and Dickens hated long delays. I quote Lord Denning in his book “The Due Process of Law” at page 92: “All through the years men have protested at the law’s delays and counted it as a grievous wrong hard to beat. Shakespeare ranks it among the whips and scorns of time. Dickens tells how it exhausts finances, patience, courage and hope.”

I pause here to draw special attention to the poignant long title of SARA which relevantly reads thus: a An Act to establish a State Assets Recovery Agency in consonance with the United Nations Convention Against Corruption…to RECOVER through Civil proceedings State property unlawfully acquired…to engage in international cooperation in the recovery of stolen assets of States…”

Regionally, the Belizean authorities pursue recovery unimpeded.

We should too. Our patrimony is involved. In the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in the case of Martin v. AG, 78 WIR 51 Bernard, J (our former chancellor) made this very poignant and instructive observation viz a At the end of the day it is the duty of the attorney general

to preserve the patrimony of Belize

by RECOVERING financial loss from those allegedly responsible for undervaluing national lands in their quest for personal financial gains.”

Under SARA, Parliament, in its wisdom and fairness, has entrusted that duty, not to our AG (a hybrid political functionary), but to the autonomous agency and its director. (the Director for the time being is professor Clive. Y. Thomas).

I return to the crux of this letter: the impeding by the law’s delay, of the director’s efforts to recover (such assets as may be found by the courts to be recoverable) as required by SARA. As I alluded to above, Gaskin’s court action (by FDA) challenge was filed in July 2017. Fixed date applications (FDA) by their very nature are to be determined with expedition.

That is the overriding objective of the Civil Procedure Rules (CPRs) which, newly introduced that FDA procedure into our legal system in 2016. With the deepest of respect, a judicial delay of two years plus, and yet no decision as to the (un) constitutionality of SARA, cannot be expedition. It is the negation of expedition. Nor, is it as if such inexpedition does not have grave and serious consequences for the agency and its director’s recovery efforts. It has. It seems to me, a classic case of: Justice delayed, is justice denied. The evidence is empirical. Court recovery proceeding against, GBTI, and QAII (both has received wide newspaper reportage) cannot proceed because the Gaskin challenge is still undecided. This holding up, or staying, of GBTI and QAII matters is even more reason for expedition. The last fixture be-

fore the learned Judge in the Gaskin FDA was on 21st June, 2018 (over one (1) year ago). Such delay must have a corrosive effect on public confidence in the democratic process, as parliament’s will seems to be a casualty of the law’s delay, even if, unwittingly. In the clarion words of Lord Wilberforce in 1980 in the English House of Lords as regards the courts; “it is no part of their duty, or power to restrict, or impede the working of legislation, even of unpopular legislation-to do so would be to weaken rather than advance the democratic process” (see the Rossminister case) Our Parliament has taken action against long delays. Had space permitted, I would have told about the Time Limit for Judicial Decisions Act, Cap. 3.13 which requires decisions within four (4) months. -And how dealing with Gaskin’s case justly, the CPRs (mentioned above) requires the Judge to consider, inter alia, the “IMPORTANCE” of the case; the amount of money involved. The importance of the SARA (un) constitutionality question cannot be doubted. In an indirect way Gaskin’s challenge touches and concerns billions of dollars’ worth of, arguably, recoverable State assets within SARAs contemplation. There is a paradox about a case of Medical Council of Guyana v. Jose Deocampo Trueba court litigation. It was an FDA case.

It was filed on 14 September, 2017.

Decision was delivered on 19th October 2017. (a mere 36 days) by the learned Judge with exemplary and commendable expedition.

From High Court to CCJ the case was completed in six (6) months.

On a happy note, this is what Bar-

row, J (in the CCJ) wrote viz “As mentioned the case proceeded with admirable dispatch and expedition……….decided by the CJ on 19 October 2017 and heard by the Court of Appeal on 21 December 2017….hearing before the CCJ on 17 March 2018. It is a deep pleasure to pay tribute to the Judiciary, the Court Administration, and Counsel for the remarkable achievements.

This Case took six months from start to finish”. And yet the Trueba litigation had no overriding public importance, as does the Gaskin litigation, which deserves priority. It was filed/begun two months before the Trueba action.

I end with this: I am acutely aware, having myself held judicial office (albeit in the lower judiciary) that members of the judiciary are of varying temperaments and idiosyncrasies. I suspect this judge is of the ilk of Lord Denning not despising fair public comment on matters of justice which is never some cloistered virtue. So, now that the law’s delay is a matter of fair public comment, I would suggest that silence on this matter is not an option for the Guyana Bar Association. In enacting the Time Limit for Judicial Decisions, Act, our parliamentarians must have had these words in the English Magna Carta in mind: “To no one will we deny or DELAY right or justice.” The director might feel that justice is being both denied, and delayed.

Regards Maxwell. E. Edwards

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 17, 2019

Trio charged for simple larceny released on bail Three former employees of Farm Supplies were, on Wednesday October 16, 2019, arraigned before Magistrate Faith McGusty, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

30-year-old Sheldon Mckennan of Thomas Street, Kitty, 26-year-old Richard Ramsawatt of Friendship, East Bank Demerara and 36-yearold Lebrun Barnes of Belfield, East Coast Demerara, denied

the charge which stated that, on August 16, 2019, at Campbellville, they stole a quantity of truck parts valued at $121,000, property of Farm Supplies.

According to information presented in court, on the day

in question, the three men who are known to each other, conspired to steal the said truck parts from their place of employment. Following an investigation, the men were contacted and told of the alle-

gation against them. Mckennan and Ramsawatt admitted to committing the offence while Barnes denied the allegation.

Further investigations were carried out by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the

three men were arrested and charged.

Magistrate McGusty released the three men on $100,000 bail each and adjourned the matter until November 6, 2019.

‘We will be vindicated’

Dear Editor-in-Chief,

MY attention was drawn to a screaming headline, “T&T company implicates Finance Ministry in allleged kickbacks scheme,” in Guyana Times, Tuesday, October 15, 2019.

In the substantive article, which appears on page 7, is written, “According to documents seen by this newspaper, the GUYOIL employee informed Commissioning Managing-Director Nirmala Rarnbharat, that the payments were on behalf of a senior official

within the Finance Ministry.”

This assertion is patently and hopelessly false. It has no other purpose than to tarnish the image of the Ministry of Finance and, by innuendo or otherwise, impugn the integrity of senior officials of the ministry. I can state categorically that NO official of the Ministry of Finance had anything to do, directly or indirectly, with the transactions between GUYOIL and the Trinidad company. No official of the Ministry of Finance, whether senior or junior, requested any official of GUYOIL to procure any bribe or extract

any concession from the Trinidad company.

Indeed, without any checking of the veracity of the allegation, without a shred of evidence (for example, records of the dates and times of the phone calls, recordings of the phone conversation, WhatsApp or other forms of messaging), a senior official of the Finance Ministry is implicated.

The full chronology of events that led to the termination of the three contracts has been elaborated in a press release by the Chief Executive Officer, GUYOIL. We note that the Trinidad company is using

the court of public opinion to prosecute its case. The proper arena for ventilating grievance and seeking justice is obviously the courts of Guyana. The company has signalled its intention to sue GUYOIL. Once they do so, we intend to vigorously defend our rights. We will be vindicated.

Regards Mark Bender Chairman, Board of Directors of GUYOIL

How can one equate the Linden/Lethem Road to a mere business venture for Chinese?

Dear Editor,

IT is with great antagonism and disbelief that the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MoPI) seeks to respond to a paid advertisement published in the Kaieteur News edition on Tuesday, October 15, 2019, with the headline, “Linden/Lethem Road or…”

The author of the article began by saying, “Guyana should be first and foremost for Guyanese. After all, charity begins at home.” So then, may we ask, aren’t thousands of Guyanese living in Linden and Lethem?

While some may be against the construction of the Linden to Lethem road, the MoPI is adamant that this road will

continue to foster development within the hinterland regions, reduce transportation costs, boost tourism, create employment and provide ease of access to one of the first world--neighbouring country Brazil. There is a saying, only who feels it knows it, and we are well aware of how the hinterland Guyanese citizens had been neglected for decades and as a ministry, we are resolute to reverse that. The beneficiaries of the project are more than ecstatic to see it come to fruition.

Yes! We know the naysayers will condemn progress when it is being manifested right before their eyes.

Further, the article went on to say, “Instead of fixing the

dilapidated infrastructure and improving the national transportation network to make life better for the ordinary citizens, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure is taking taxpayers’ monies to create a corridor to Lethem…” It is evident that the writer of this article deems the city-Georgetown--as the only place ORDINARY CITIZENS live. Editor, please permit us to enlighten the author that ALL Guyanese are important and we are committed to transforming the infrastructural landscape of this nation, whether you are living in the rural or urban areas.

Yes! It is a fact that Chinese businesses are being opened throughout the length and breadth of this nation, not only

in Lethem, and this is called globalisation. This is evident all around the world and as a developing country we must accept this sooner or later, especially as we venture into the oil and gas sector.

Additionally, may we remind the author that the Linden to Lethem road project will be funded by a grant from the United Kingdom, supported by a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank. The evidence of this, pushes us to ask the question; If the foreign counterparts can envisage the importance and necessity of this project, why is it our local citizens cannot embrace this development?

Another important point

to note is that the MoPI is currently on the verge of building a new road to ease traffic congestion, one of the sore points highlighted by the author in his/ her advertisement.

The new road, from Ogle to Diamond, will serve to significantly reduce traffic along the sole East Bank Demerara corridor. Moreover, a road is currently being constructed on the East Coast of Demerara to boost commuters’ experience and reduce traffic congestion in our rapidly expanding economy. Just a few months ago, a new highway was commissioned on the West Coast of Demerara as well with the said goal. It therefore poses

the question: What more can possibly be done to improve the lives of those living on the coastlands? Also, is development limited only to the coastal regions? Are our hinterland brothers and sisters not equally important? It must be noted that we cannot allow the fear of “Chinese investors” to deter us from bridging the gap between the hinterland and coastal region.

Regards Krest Cummings Senior Public Relations Officer Ministry of Public Infrastructure

Mabaruma solar farm hampered by contractor's defective works Dear Editor,

THE Ministry of Public Infrastructure wishes to refute the claims in an article published in Stabroek News on Monday (October 14, 2019) under the headline, ‘Stalled Mabaruma solar farm project being reclaimed by forest-- Region One Chairman.’

On Monday, the Chief Executive Officer of the Hinterland Electrification Company Incorporated (HECI), Mr Horace Williams, reported to the Ministry that the Mabaruma solar farm has not been functional to date due to defective works by the contractor.

In 2017, the contract was awarded post-public tender to a German company to construct the 400KW solar farm. The works were scheduled to be completed by 2018. Unfortunately, due to a number of consequential factors-- most significantly, severe weather conditions causing damage to the electrical infrastructure-- the timeframes were not met. Nevertheless, Mr Williams pointed out that once the structural aspect was completed, the installation and testing aspect commenced to verify the equipment’s performance when it was discovered that the systems were not working as

required.

The contractor was engaged by the ministry about the performance of the systems, but was reluctant to carry out further works to rectify the issues. “We ended up in a dispute with the contractor about whose responsibility it is to replace these items following the lightning strike. We concluded that the contractor was responsible because the contract stipulated that they were supposed to provide equipment to safeguard against these types of things,” Mr Williams added.

Further, he emphasised that the Government Electrical Inspectorate conducted a test on the grounding of lightning protection systems and found that these did not meet the specifications. As a consequence, he said the company acknowledged that the contractor failed to meet the terms of the contract, which was subsequently terminated in September 2019, despite numerous efforts to amicably resolve the matter.

Moving forward, the CEO noted that the Guyana Energy Agency, in collaboration with HECI, is working to replace the damaged transformer. In fact, he posited that bids have already been invited for the supply of the transformer; additionally, pro-

posals are soon to be invited to complete the outstanding works on the solar farm.

Lastly, the ministry would like to highlight a discrepancy with the cost of this solar farm which is actually being constructed for $227,706,890 and not $264M as is being peddled by the Chairman of Region One. Once completed, the project will serve to benefit thousands of residents settled in Mabaruma who look forward to the use of this solar farm. The government is committed to seeing this project through to its completion for the comfort and development of Mabaruma.

I thank you for the opportunity to provide the facts on the status of this project and look forward to your support as we work towards the betterment of all.

Regards Davina Ramdass, Public Relations Officer, Ministry of Public Infrastructure

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 17, 2019

'Aim for the sky'

9

--Minister Norton urges Kuru Kuru Training Centre students the Kuru Kuru Training Centre into a youth campus where persons can come and create a future for themselves.

Norton went on to state that the Ministry of Social Cohesion is moving forward with ensuring that the centre continues to receive support for advancing its facilities, in terms of updated equipment

and machinery, to facilitate further growth of the institution.

Senior Training Officer at the Kuru Kuru Training Centre, Ernestine Wade-Ramsay, explained that the training centre has moved towards extending what is offered to the trainees, and stated that it will continue moving in this

Minister of Social Cohesion, George Norton

“AIM for the sky, take the opportunity you have here to ensure that it serves you, develops you, until you can use that knowledge that you have gained to achieve the goal you have set for yourself," urged Minister of Social Cohesion George Norton.

Minister Norton paid a visit to the Kuru Kuru Training Centre on Wednesday, where he was able to have face-to-face interaction with students of the institution hard at work in the various technical fields that the school offers to the general public.

At present, the school facilitates 218 trainees, between the ages of 16- 25, who hail from each of the 10 administrative regions. The school provides training in 10 core disciplines, namely: electrical installation; Carpentry; Masonry; class Furniture making; Motor vehicle repairs; Welding and fabrication; Plumbing; Garment production; Data operations and refrigeration

and Air Conditioning.

Minister Norton disclosed that from what he saw, the school is having a huge impact on the lives of the trainees, saying, “Well I’m impressed, there’s no doubt about it. I’ve seen the boys making blocks, involved in the actual mixing of the cement and they all seem excited. I’ve listened to the explanations given to me by the trainees of the motor mechanic area, who spoke as though they have been there for a long time and it’s only their first week.

In the plumbing area, we’ve got persons who know what they are about; they have demonstrated it to us and also in the garment manufacturing area. But most of all I’m impressed with the information technology area where for the first time the trainees have internet services available.”

He further went on to state that he can see that the training centre is fulfilling that vision of his excellency, President Granger, of making

Minister of Social Cohesion, George Norton, with trainees from the Data Operations course

Minister of Social Cohesion, George Norton, in a block– making session with trainees from the Masonry Course

direction in the future saying, “Apart from the 10 skills, we offer a driver’s education programme; we teach the trainees entrepreneurial studies and project management.

Trainees also are engaged in debating competitions sports and games competitions; we have an inter-house athletic championship, track and field, spelling bees and dorm competition among other things.”

She further said that the administration is trying to put systems in place so that the trainees can receive competency-based education and training and receive the Caribbean qualification certification (CVQ) at the end of the 10 months.

Acting director of youth at the Department of Youth, Leslyn Boyce, said that her department aims to raise standards at the institution, so as to allow all of the trainees the same level of education as any other tertiary institution in the country.

She further stated that the

Department of Youth is currently working to provide the facility with some updated machinery and equipment, and some additions to the ones they already possess.

“I’m very happy that we are moving where we are moving, thanks to the honourable minister who would have embraced and ensured that the requests that are more or less made by the managers are met.

As you would have noticed for the first time in 20 odd years since the existence of the institution, we are having internet here. And I know that before 2020 we would reach the other goals we have set with regard to facilitation standard.

Currently, another four classrooms would be certified for CVQ level one, and we are still to have some more. So we are moving expeditiously to get certain systems in place to ensure that we are able to complete all we have planned,” said Boyce.

Minister of Social Cohesion, George Norton, interacting with trainees from the Plumbing Course (Dpi Photos)

Gov’t installing street lights on Linden Highway …Linden officials, drivers welcome projects THE process to place lights on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway has commenced with the installation of lamp posts along the thoroughfare.

These posts will facilitate energy-efficient street lights that will enhance visibility for drivers and other road users at night. The call for adequate lighting on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway has been continuous, particularly from drivers and passengers who ply the route on a daily basis. The dense darkness on the 45-mile stretch thoroughfare has been deemed a safety hazard and also responsible for the many fatal and damage accidents that have occurred at nights.

The project is being executed by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and is expected to span the entire highway, from Soesdyke to Linden. While the feasibility study for the massive rehabilitation of the over 60-yearold highway has commenced, which will be followed by actual work, the Ministry believes that the installation of the lights should be done prior, given its importance to the safety of drivers and road users.

One Linden to Georgetown driver hailed the project and said it will put a lot of drivers at ease and also cause them to ply the route later, being of service to many University of Guyana students

and other persons who work in Georgetown and who travel late at night. "Many drivers don't want to work late because of the darkness of the highway and how dangerous it is and some people does lef stranded in town most nights, so now more drivers will feel more safe travelling at nights.

It is very encouraging, is long now we drivers calling for lights on the highway and I'm happy it finally happening," Keon Tappin said.

Laudable project Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira also lauded the efforts of the government and the MoPI for answering the call of the drivers and residents. "It shows that the government cares for the

people and for their safety, so to have this part of the project expedited before the actual rehabilitation, I think it was very prudent of Minister Patterson and I applaud him for it and all residents of Region Ten welcome it," he said.

The feasibility study for the rehabilitation of the highway is being conducted by Bestion SRKN'gineering Company and the consultants would have briefed Region Ten officials twice on their work thus far. They would have also presented activities and findings thus seeking their input on the project. The rehabilitation will commence from the Soesdyke junction and will end at the

One of the lamp posts being installed on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway (DPI Photo)

Wismar-Mackenzie Bridge, where a new bridge will also be constructed. The feasibility for the bridge has also commenced. The

World Bank will cover the funding for the feasibility study of the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 17, 2019

Guyana a step closer to mitigating effects of oil spills AS Guyana continues to prepare itself for oil production in the first quarter of 2020, the country is a step closer to ensuring that the necessary measures are in place to effectively respond to the unlikely negative impacts of the petroleum industry.

On Wednesday, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) hosted its final workshop on the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan (NOSCP) at Herdmanston Lodge. The workshop was attended by representatives of the CDC, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), Maritime Administration (MARAD), Coast Guard, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other stakeholders.

In January 2019, the CDC established the National Oil Spill Contingency Planning Working Group. A National Oil Spill Planning Committee was also formed, which met regularly on Tuesdays to identify key roles, responsibilities and to craft the NOSCP. Commending the commission for their efforts on the issue, Minister of State, Hon. Dawn Hastings-Williams expressed confidence that the forum will provide valuable knowledge and re-

iterated government’s commitment to engaging stakeholders.

“I urge you not to underestimate the task at hand.

It is of the utmost national priority; your government is supremely aware of this and has consistently left no stone unturned in matters of this nature. As evidenced by today’s activity, we will continue to work assiduously to ensure we address this issue as much as possible.”

She reminded the participants that this remains

at every level of the sector’s development.

In brief remarks, Director-General (DG) of the CDC, Lt. Col. Kester Craig stated that the plan was developed using several guidelines and templates and caters for both onshore and offshore oil spills. He also described it as a living document.

“The CDC remains the custodian of the plan, and any update or adjustment will be documented and shared… so, from time to time, we will have different versions of the

CDC’s Director-General, Lt. Col. Kester Craig.

Minister of State, Hon. Dawn Hastings-Williams.

Minister of State, Hon. Dawn Hastings- Williams, CDC Director General, Lt. Col. Kester Craig along with stakeholders.

a national issue in which all must be involved while emphasising the administration’s willingness to continuously engage stakeholders

plan. So, whenever you have the latest version, that is the version you will be using in the event of any spill,” Lt. Col. Craig stated.

The contingency plan outlines critical roles and responsibilities for agencies in oil spill response both onshore and offshore. The

CDC has been identified as the Competent National Authority for Oil Spill Management, and, as such, has overall responsibility for

response to oil spill emergencies and should be given the authority to make and implement decisions to mitigate the impacts of an oil spill.

According to the CDC “the finalisation of the NOSCP will be very crucial in contributing towards the country’s capacity for sustainable oil exploration and production in 2020 and beyond, as it will establish and empower agencies to effect their roles in response to any oil spill to minimise impacts and losses.”

The NOSCP committee aimed to ensure that focus was given to the review, update and finalisation of the plan, as well as the establishment of the systems which would be outlined in the plan to ensure effective and efficient oil spill management in Guyana.

The draft has been reviewed by the US Coast Guard and Regional Activity Centres/ Regional Marine Pollution Emergency, Information and Training Center for the Wider Caribbean (RAC/ REMPEITC-Caribe), which have continuously provided feedback on the draft Plan, given their expertise and experience in the oil response field. (DPI)

CD vendor charged with assault remanded A 25-year-old CD vendor, charged for felonious wounding, was, on Wednesday, October 16, 2019, arraigned before Magistrate Faith McGusty.

Shawn Lee appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and admitted that,

on July 11, 2019, at George and Norton Streets, Werk-En-Rust, with intent to maim, disfigure, disable and cause bodily harm, he maliciously assaulted Dellon Fraser.

“The morning when this thing happen I load his driver flash drive and the driver tell

he pay me and he refused. So when I come out the bus he chuck me so I chop him with my cutlass,” Lee told the court.

Fraser, who is the sole breadwinner for his family, told the court, that since the incident, he has been unable to work due

the injuries he sustained and will accept compensation from the defendant to settle the matter.

Lee was remanded to prison and ordered to pay the sum of $300,000 to Fraser for the injuries he received.

Blairmont factory workers protest …demand pay hike and fair treatment WORKERS of the Blair-

lease from the Guyana Agri-

The release said that the

and capable,” the release said.

period, as the GAWU, as mentioned on several occasions, sugar workers’ pay has fallen owing to a number of factors.

That fact has placed them and

and essential element to the industry’s success. They are the ultimate producers of the wealth that accrues to the Corporation and the country as

Some of the protesting workers at the Blairmont Sugar Estate

mont Estate, on Wednesday, held a picketing exercise outside of the estate’s administrative office to demand from the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc. (GuySuCo) a pay rise and fair treatment.

According to a press re-

cultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), the workers have been on strike since October 14. They are said to be protesting the corporation’s alleged promotion of one worker over others whom the workers felt were more deserving.

protesting workers feel slighted “as some of them had applied to be tested and yet they were not given the opportunity.”

“The GAWU has always encouraged workers to seek promotion once they are able

On the need for increased wages for the worker, the release said. “As is now a wellknown and sad reality, sugar workers have not benefitted from any rise in pay since the incumbent Administration took office in 2015. In that

their families in a precarious situation bearing in mind the heavy increase in the costof-living since workers have last gotten any pay rise,” the release said.

“The workers, as we have said previously, are a critical

a whole,” GAWU said.

The union pointed out that the need for sugar workers to be treated similarly with their counterparts in other areas of the State “cannot be overemphasized in anyway.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 17, 2019

UN praises Guyana’s fight against corruption THE Attorney General's Chambers, Ministry of Legal Affairs, has reported that two representatives of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna have praised the government’s fight against corruption.

According to a release from the chambers, Tanja Santucci and Felipe Freitas Falconi of UNODC extended their commendation to Guyana during a courtesy call to Attorney-General and Legal Affairs Minister, Basil Williams.

The delegation from the UNODC Secretariat was on a country visit for the review of Guyana's ‘United Nations Convention against Corruption Draft Report’.

The release said Santucci noted that she was impressed with the volume of legislation that the Attorney General’s Chambers was able to pass in a short time and commended the attorney-general

in this regard.

The UNODC official also noted that she was particularly impressed with the efforts taken by the attorney-general to ensure Guyana was removed from backlisting by the Financial Action Task Force.

“The attorney general noted that Anti-Corruption and Anti-Money Laundering may often overlap and the fight against both crimes is a priority for the government. The attorney-general further noted that President Granger had given a high-level commitment to the Financial Action Task Force regarding Guyana’s position on combating money laundering. He further noted that one of the anti-corruption measures taken was to sensitise and train public officials throughout Guyana in anti-corruption measures that must be observed in the performance of their duties within the public service.

This is important as the government has zero tolerance for corruption. The attorney-general further noted that another measure taken was the strengthening of the legislative framework,” the release said.

During the visit, the UN officials, as well as representatives from Cuba and Vanuatu, met with several stakeholders at the Bank of Guyana’s boardroom to discuss Guyana’s implementation of articles on “Criminalisation and law enforcement” and “International cooperation” of the United Nations Convention against Corruption for the review cycle 2010 - 2015.

The team forms part of the United Nations Convention against Corruption Secretariat and the implementation review mechanism which covers 186 states.

Businesswoman shot during robbery at Harbour Bridge Mall

The compound of the Harbour Bridge Mall where the robbery occurred.

A Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD) businesswoman was shot and robbed by a gun-toting man who pounced on her at the Harbour Bridge Mall on Wednesday.

According to reports, Nelia Singh, 42 , who operates the Best Value Pawn Shop at the mall, was attacked around 10:00hrs at the mall’s compound on Wednesday.

Police noted that the victim went to the mall to open her business when she was approached by a male who was armed with a handgun.

The man was waiting in front of the Harbour Bridge Mall at the southern entrance as the woman entered the com-

pound.

The suspect reportedly held onto the victim’s bag and a scuffle ensued during which the victim was shot in the region of her right lower leg and relieved of the bag, police said.

Singh was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) for medical attention; her condition was listed as stable.

When this publication visited the scene on Wednesday, persons there reported that the robbery happened within minutes. An eyewitness noted that the gunman approached the woman as she exited her car in the parking

lot of the mall. The man scuffled with the woman and shot her as she resisted.

The eyewitness noted that the gunman ran in the direction of Norton Street, Bagotstown, an area which, he noted, was a haven for criminal elements. He said that in the past, bandits who robbed other businesses at the mall, would escape into Norton Street across the road from the mall.

Businessmen in the area called on the security forces to carry out operations in the area.

Police are investigating Wednesday’s robbery.

Left to right: Chief Parliamentary Counsel, Charles Fung-a-Fat SC CCH; UNODC Representative, Tanja Santucci; Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams SC MP; UNODC Representative, Felipe Freitas Falconi; Parliamentary Counsel, Diane Woolford; and Attorney, Tevera Franklin

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 17, 2019

Greater road safety, enforcement needed ---President says Friendship accident should not have occurred

Dead: Denise Josiah and her husband, Herbert Josiah; Police Constable, Ronel Barker; Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Sergeant, Leon Tucker and Lovern Stoby of The Special Constabulary

“WE have to be more careful, at all the levels, about safety on the roads,” President David Granger said on Wednesday as he reacted once again to the gruesome Tuesday morning accident on the Friendship, East Bank Demerara Public Road, which took the lives of five persons.

The President has recommended better road safety markings and the enforcement of road safety rules even as he said: “From every point of view that was an accident which ought not to have happened.”

ment subsequently and the President himself addressed the nation in a video later that day.

“From a personal point of view, it was very distressing to see four dead bodies on the road at that hour in the morning, extremely distressing. I hope I never have to witness a scene like that [again],” the President said on Wednesday.

“It was inexplicable that 5:45 in the morning, clear morning, no rain, no obstacles on the road that there could be such a horrific accident... there’s no reason. It’s not as

The scene of the accident

Five persons were, on October 15, killed when a police car slammed into another car.

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.

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 state-

though there were animals or some obstacles on the road which had to be avoided.”

Yet, he noted that the impact at which the two vehicles collided pushed them into or near to the opposite canals on the road. The President told media operatives that from the time of the arrival of the fleet of GPF cars, the GPF had been instructed to carefully select drivers; to schedule regular maintenance of the vehicles and to supervise the use of the vehicles.

This aside, to assure safer roads in Guyana, the President firmly recommended: “Roads have to be better marked; there must be more pedestrian sidewalks; there must be enforcement of the rule against consuming alcohol; there must be enforcement of speed limits. We have to make our roads safe.” A Commission of Inquiry (COI) has been launched into the accident as directed by the President just two hours after it took place when he met with the National Security Council (NSC). It is to be overseen

by GPF Deputy Commissioner and President Granger has stated that he eagerly awaits the findings of the incident. He said: “I can assure you that the Police Force, the Government of Guyana, Cabinet that we’ve been apprised of what occurred and we expect to have that inquiry within a matter of hours, not days.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 17, 2019

German envoy accredited …pledges to advance environmental issues

PRESIDENT David Granger, on Wednesday, accredited the first female Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Guyana, Her Excellency Ute Konig.

The two have committed the interest of their countries to advancing the protection of the environment and addressing climate change.

Guyana and Germany established diplomatic ties on September 2, 1966, and have cooperated over the years for the protection of Guyana’s forests and the establishment of protected areas.

“Guyana is cognisant of Germany’s continued efforts in advancing the protection of the environment and addressing climate change.

Guyana has also placed these issues as high priorities on our policy agenda and is moving towards the establishment of a ‘Green State’,” the President said.

“Guyana is appreciative of Germany’s support for natural resource and environmental management. Guyana welcomes, also, Germany’s economic and technical support in the fields of public health and public education.

(From left) Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Dr. Karen Cummings; Ambassador H.E. Ute König; H.E. President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, David Granger and Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Audrey Waddell (DPI photo)

I look forward to the further enhancement of our bilateral relations.”

He stated that Guyana is a low-lying coastal state, vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change and to global warming but the country is confident that shared commitment can overcome these challenges.

President to travel to Cuba for scheduled evaluation PRESIDENT David Granger will return to the Republic of Cuba on Saturday for a scheduled evaluation by doctors of the Centro de Investigaciones Medico Quirurgicas (CIMEQ).

He told media operatives on the sidelines of an accreditation ceremony on Wednesday that his health is steadily improving. “I go back to Havana (Cuba) on Saturday for another examination; every 90 days I have to go for a checkup,” he said.

President Granger was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma last year after an intensive series of tests by specialist doctors at the CIMEQ. In April 2019, President Granger completed his regime of radiotherapy in Cuba without any complication.

That was done after he had successfully completed his regime of chemotherapy which formed part of his medical treatment for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. According to the American Cancer Society, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (also known as non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, NHL, or sometimes just lymphoma) is a cancer that starts in the white blood cells called lymphocytes, which are part of the body’s immune system.

“I assure you of the full support of my government in the discharge of your duties as Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Cooperative Republic of Guyana and I extend my best wishes to you as you fulfil your mandate,” the President said.

Meanwhile, Ambassa-

dor Konig said that even as Guyana is on the brink of becoming an oil producing nation, she will continue to push the importance of renewable energy in Guyana.

She stated that she looks forward to learning more about Guyana’s GSDS as Germany believes that, in today’s world, countries are

stronger together.

“Guyana is well known worldwide as one of the greenest countries of the world with abundant biodiversity,” she said. “[However] neither Germany or Guyana alone can master global challenges such as climate change. Germany always [wants] and continues to be a strong supporter of the Caribbean region and of its determination to build up resilience against the destructive consequences of climate change.”

Ambassador Konig expressed her best wishes to President Granger and assured that she would work dedicatedly to advance the mutual interest of the country and Region. “I feel privileged to continue working to further our excellent bilateral relations and the relations between the European Union and the Caribbean Community and Common Market as well as the CARICOM to represent my country as the first female German Ambassador to Guyana,” Konig said.

Better drainage for Lower Pomeroon

Temporary variations in Republic Bank’s business hours …service availability to be affected as new banking platform announced REPUBLIC Bank, on Wednesday, advised of an upcoming change to a new core Banking Platform aimed at enhancing its customers’ banking experience.

In a press release, the bank said that to facilitate this change, the bank’s opening hours will vary, and some services will be temporarily unavailable as follows: BANKING HOURS Monday, October 21, 2019 to Wednesday, October 30, 2019, opening hours at branches will be 08:00hrs to 15:00hrs.

On Thursday, October 31, 2019, opening hours will be from 08:00hrs to 12:00hrs.

All branches/offices will be closed to the public on Friday, November 1, 2019 and the Bank will resume normal opening hours on Monday, November 4, 2019.

SYSTEM/SERVICE UNAVAILABILITY To facilitate this change, the following services will be unavailable from 14:00hrs on Thursday October 31, 2019 to 16:00hrs on Sunday, November 3, 2019:

The tubes that were handed over to the Lower Pomeroon NDC

DRAINAGE in Lower Pomeroon, Region Two, is expected to improve significantly as the Region Two Administration Engineering Department has handed over several drainage tubes to the area’s Neighbourhood Democratic Council.

At a recent meeting with Regional Executive Officer (REO), Denis Jaikarran, residents requested the tubes to enhance their drainage and irrigation network system. The REO and his engineering team were, at the time, visiting the area after the recent over-

The NDC officials

topping caused by the last spring tide. The residents were severely affected as their farmlands were inundated.

After listening to the residents, the REO made provision for the region’s Engineer’s Department to give the tubes to the NDC. Officials attached

to the Engineering Department took the tubes to Charity and handed them over to the NDC officials.

The NDC is now responsible for installing the tubes which will prevent flooding should there be heavy spring tides.

* ATMs * Points of Sale (POS) * Internet Banking * Online transactions The release said that related communication is being dispatched to the bank’s customers.

Enquires can be directed to the Bank’s Customer Care Dept. at GYEmail@rfhl.com or via telephone numbers 2237938 to 49 Ext. 2620.

“Republic Bank sincerely regrets this inconvenience and thanks its customers for their understanding during this period,” the release said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 17, 2019

‘Elimination of Phantom killing witnesses’ …hindering prosecution of culprits

---President Granger says evidence lacking due to public fear

By Lisa Hamilton WHILE the government has made efforts to bring to justice the culprits behind the massacres of innocent Guyanese during the country’s “darkest hour” of the “Troubles,” the methodical killing of those with evidence continues to hinder conviction.

The period in Guyana from August 11, 1999 to December 3, 2011 has been dubbed the “Troubles” by President

to speak because it might be felt that persons who disclose evidence which could incriminate the actual culprits might themselves be eliminated,” the President said.

From August 11, 1999 to December 3, 2011 there were three massacres: Lusignan where 11 people were killed- Bartica where another 12 were killed and Lindo Creek where seven miners were slaughtered.

Besides these, there were countless extra-judicial kill-

witnesses for some of those 12 massacres that occurred in the troubles,” he said.

“We did make a start having a Commission of Inquiry into the Lindo Creek Massacre and even now the relatives of the persons who were killed would like to see some follow up and we are discussing with them the recommendations of the Lindo Creek Massacre.

But, it pointed to the fact that there has not been any smoking gun; that evidence has not been sufficient to

Roger Khan was convicted for drug-trafficking

purchase of a sophisticated wire-tapping device were produced in U.S. courts during Khan’s trial.

Khan returned to Guyana in September after serving just about 10 years in a US detention facility. His return sparked interest in the Guyana public for those known to be involved in the troubled times to be brought to justice. While Khan has been released on bail after being held by the GPF for some time, he was not charged for any offence

interview persons but those persons who are culprits and those persons who might have been implicated or might even have knowledge about what took place have not come forward and given us the type of evidence on which we can go to court and make convictions,” he stated.

“It’s very disappointing for me but that is part of the reality of what happened during the Troubles when people were easily

Chairman of the Lindo Creek Commission of Inquiry (COI), Justice (Retired) Donald Trotman and members of the team standing at the camp at Lindo Creek in the Upper Berbice River

David Granger who, on Wednesday, said that he is disappointed that, even now, persons are being executed for the knowledge they hold.

This, in turn, continues to hinder the work of Law Enforcement in bringing peace to the many who lost relatives during the period characterised by drug-driven chaos and bloodshed under the Bharrat Jagdeo administration.

“This is a major factor that there might be people out there who are unwilling

ings- with some activists estimating that around 400 Afro Guyanese males were gunned down.

The President has stated that it is only through the acquisition of evidence that persons involved can be charged. “A previous Commissioner of Police, at some time not too long ago, in relation to another massacre had mentioned that all of the witnesses were killed. I found it very difficult to believe that they had been methodical elimination of all

bring anybody to justice and that many of the possible witnesses have been killed or eliminated.”

Back in 2003 to 2006, convicted drug-trafficker, Shaheed Roger Khan, had set up a criminal network here including active policemen and a number of former ranks, ostensibly to go after criminals, but at the same time protecting his narco-trafficking interests.

He was nabbed in neighbouring Suriname in 2006 while fleeing local police

and was later handed over to US authorities.

Although the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government had sought to distance itself from Khan, the drug-trafficker had stated publicly in an advertisement in local newspapers that he had been fighting crime on behalf of the Bharrat Jagdeo-led government.

Khan had also implicated former Health Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy in his escapades, and documents bearing the then minister’s signature authorising the

and will have to report to the police once every week.

Speaking again to the Lindo Creek massacre in which efforts were made to put answers to the many unknows of the “Troubles”, the President said that while the will to convict is there, much of the evidence is still lacking. “We would like to bring these matters to a closure and to the relatives of the persons who were killed.

Lindo Creek was a good lesson to us that we may spend millions of dollars, we may

eliminated and, even now, people are being executed and it’s difficult for the police to find motivation behind such executions.

One of the most outstanding and the most notorious is the execution of Crum Ewing. So, it’s an ongoing task of the Law Enforcement agencies. I am convinced that the police force would like to move ahead further and faster but a lot of people have been killed and dead men tell no tales.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 17, 2019

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 17, 2019

Attention on pockets of food insecu -- as Guyana observes World Food Day

Agriculture Minister, Noel Holder said while government remains committed to safe and healthy diets, there are still pockets of food insecurity and hunger that need to be addressed.

Guyana is a food secure country but there are still communities and areas that need attention, said Minister Holder in his address to mark World Food Day 2019 at the new Agriculture Complex, La Bonne Intention (LBI), on Wednesday.

“I wish to emphasise the importance our government is placing on the development of agriculture in its pursuit to contributing to ensuring a healthy nation… we recommit our actions to a zero-hunger world by 2030,” said Minister Holder.

Guyana’s position on making zero hunger a possibility was in keeping with the theme for World Food Day 2019: “Our actions are out future, healthy diets for a zero hunger world”. The country is working closely with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to achieve its goals.

In addition to making zero hunger a possibility, government intends on keeping a close watch on the rise in health problems related to malnutrition. In order to address this, Minister Holder said there

nutritious foods.

In addition, Dr. Smith said research institutions need to provide the best scientific advice and the private sector should adopt modern nutritional recommendations.

“FAO supports its member countries in their effort to make sustainable healthy diet a reality for all… food system transformation requires strong

Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder

needs to be availability and affordability of healthy diets.

“Given the significant amount spent annually on health problems related to malnutrition, strategies and policies to ensure the availability and affordability of healthy diets are essential for the food and nutrition security of our citizens,” said the minister.

The importance of his message was compounded by what was said by Resident FAO Representative, Dr. Gillian Smith, who said a local study had found that 40 per cent of the adults in Guyana are obese.

She said it was also reported that the direct and indirect costs of treating Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) was just over $220 million annually. Dr. Smith said there is a rise in NCDs and it is threatening to erode the most

School children were among the participants at the World Food Day 2019 Agricultural Exhibition at the Ministry of Agriculture Complex (Adrian Narine photo) important capital in Guyana, human capital.

In order to address this, she said individuals need to think about their food choices and eating patterns, through awareness and learning.

That particular solution was part of a World Food Day message from Director General of the FAO, Qu Dongyu.

Dr. Smith, who made refer-

ence to Dongyu’s speech, said the world needs to address all forms of malnutrition because the latest data shows that malnutrition is increasing across all regions and income groups.

“World Food Day 2019 calls for action to make a healthy and sustainable diet accessible and affordable to everyone. For this, partnerships are fundamental and farmers,

government, researchers, private sectors and consumers all have a role to play,” said Dr. Smith.

Farmers need better incentives to increase and diversify production of high quality food while government needs to adopt food standards and regulations that prioritise the availability and affordability of

Agriculture Minister, Noel Hold ond from left); Resident FAO Haimraj Rajkumar checking

Key agricultural agencies unde

By Navendra Seoraj THE Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) complex at La Bonne Intention (LBI) has been transformed into a major agriculture complex.

“In our thrust for enhanced inter-agency collaboration and to provide a more convenient service to our farmers, the Ministry of Agriculture made a policy decision to relocate a number of our agriculture agencies to our new agricultural complex here at LBI,” said Agriculture Minister, Noel Holder.

He was at the time speaking at a World Food Day 2019 celebration at the new Agriculture Complex, on Wednesday.

The new complex includes GuySuCo’s head office and the head offices of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), the Guy-

Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder

ana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC), the new Food Safety Authority (FSA) and the office of the Representative of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

The agencies will now be closer to their counterparts such as the Guyana School

of Agriculture, the National Research and Extension Institute, the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board, the Guyana Livestock Development Authority and the Fisheries Department’s Satyadeow Sawh Agriculture Station, which are located at Mon Repos, East Coast of Demerara (ECD).

“By locating most of the ministry’s technical agencies in close proximity to each other, there will be ample opportunity for coordination, collaboration and camaraderie on issues of drainage and irrigation, sugar and rice industries, and agricultural development in general,” said Holder.

With Mon Repos being only a stone’s throw away, this will further enhance and maximise collaboration with the other agricultural entities in the Ministry of Agriculture’s

groups of semi-autonomous agencies, bearing in mind that the significance of the agriculture sector to Guyana’s economy,” said the minister.

NATIONAL LABORATORIES During the transition, the former GuySuCo soil and bio-safety research laboratories will become a National Agriculture Soil Testing and Bio-Safety Laboratories, serving the entire agricultural farming community in Guyana.

“As we transition to a green economy, quality infrastructure such as laboratories that would test for disease, chemical residue, water quality and the general quality of safe and wholesome products intended for export are essential,” said Minister Holder.

Additionally, for increased productivity, laboratories are needed for soil testing. Bio

technology, tissue culture and plant breeding are also the backbone of the inspection and certification activities to meet international standards.

The soil laboratory’s main function is soil fertility management, that is, to track the flow of nutrients in the oil for optimum nutrient levels in crop production. Soil test reports will generally provide appropriate fertiliser application recommendations for the major critical elements, nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and calcium, as well as needed micronutrients.

Minister Holder said soil testing provides the farmer with a tool that can be employed for potential benefits to increase yields, reduce operating costs and enable greater care for the environment.

Additional benefits include improved crop maturity and

quality, higher tolerance to disease and pest damage, and increased growth. The laboratory provides a wide range of testing parameters for soils, plants, water, sugar and other agricultural materials. This lab will now be open to serve the entire agriculture sector.

Meanwhile, the main objective of the National Bio-Control Laboratory is to develop systems to control pests through the use of natural predators instead of using chemical pesticides.

“This fits in with our sustainable agriculture practices for a green economy. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) reduces the cost of plant protection and environmental pollution caused by the application of poisonous pesticides, the use of which is reduced significantly, or even eliminated, all to the benefit of our environment

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 17, 2019

urity, hunger y 2019

d o r -

o t m g

political commitment for collective synergies and holistic design of agriculture and food chains,” said the FAO representative.

This, she said is among the main objectives of the Handin-Hand initiative which the FAO is about to launch for match-making partnerships among public and private sectors, along with Non-Govern-

mental Organisations (NGOs).

Added to the stakeholders’ views on the way forward, were over 45 information booths which were on display during the World Food Day 2019 celebration.

There were booths from the University of Guyana, the FAO, the Carnegie School of Home Economics and other organisations.

der (left); Public Service Minister, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley (secO Representative, Dr. Gillian Smith and Minister ofBusiness, out some of the exhibits at the World Food Day exhibition (Adrian Narine photo)

er one roof

o d e , r b e

n l o l g

s n e o t

and the long-term health of the nation,” said Holder.

The laboratory will be responsible for coordinating research into the plant protection needs for various agricultural crops and propagation of bio-control agents. It will promote integrated pest management for main crops grown in Guyana such as sugar, rice, coconuts and fruits and vegetables.

GuySuCo has been using various methods of bio-control and an integrated pest management programmes for many years. GuySuCo does not use any insecticides in its cultivations and this has been true for the last 20 years.

On October 23 and 24, the ministry will also be commissioning the Hydrometeorological Water Quality Laboratory and the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board

(PTCCB)’s new laboratory, respectively.

The PTCCB’s laboratory will be examining pesticide residues to ensure food safety through monitoring the use, patterns and practices of chemicals, while the water quality laboratory will perform chemical, biological and physical testing of water samples from ground or surface water.

This is in keeping with their mandate outlined in the Water and sewerage Act of 2002 to monitor and evaluate the weather and water resources in Guyana and to actively support the government in disaster risk management.

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President visits relatives of Friendship fatal crash victims - GDF, Police Force to assist families

PRESIDENT David Granger, on Wednesday, visited the relatives of four of the five victims who lost their lives on the Friendship, East Bank Demerara Public Road on Tuesday, when a police car slammed into their vehicle.

He visited the families of the late Herbert and Denise Josiah; Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Sergeant, Leon Tucker; and his aunt, Lovern Stoby, to express his sympathy. According to the Ministry of the Presidency, the Head of State was accompanied by Chief-of-Staff of the GDF, Brigadier Patrick West and Deputy Commissioner of Police, Nigel Hoppie.

In addressing the relatives of Tucker and Stoby, President Granger recalled that he was heading to Georgetown from Pearl on the East Bank Corridor at around 5:50hs when he observed the accident. “It is a scene that I had hoped I would never see in my life, and I hope I would never see such a scene again. Because by the time I got there, four persons were already dead and the vehicles were smashed like biscuits. It was an incredible scene, and it indicated that at least one vehicle had to be travelling at a tremendous speed,” President Granger told the grieving relatives.

The Head of State informed the relatives of Tucker and Stoby that he has since ordered a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the accident, and will ensure measures are put in place to prevent a reoccurrence. “So this afternoon, the three of us have come here – the Head of the Army, the Head of the Police Force and the Head of the Government – have come here to express condolences to you, to the relatives, the friends, everyone who knew him, and to ask you to accept our deepest sympathy on this sudden and tragic death,” President Granger said.

Brigadier West, while offering his condolences, said that Tucker’s family will be assisted. “[You] will receive support…we have coordinated for the benefits to be received by the children. There are four children who are eligible to receive death benefit pension and also have the gratuity. He will have a full military funeral on Tuesday 22nd October,” said Brigadier West.

The Chief-of-Staff disclosed also that Tucker’s daughter will be enrolled in the GDF’s day care from January 1, 2020 free of charge. Likewise, Deputy Commissioner Hoppie said Stoby’s family will receive support from the Police Force.

Assistance will be given to the family through its Benevolent Fund and assistance will also be given for the holding of the last night of wake. “One of her son’s is a serving member of the Guyana Police Force and I will ask the Welfare Officer to contact him to ensure that the necessary assistance we are going to give is on time,” he said.

At the Josiahs’ residence, President Granger and the team of officials also expressed their profound sympathy to the grieving relatives.

“I came to say how sorry we are, to all you relatives, about what happened. [I know] Just saying sorry cannot bring people back to life. It cannot reverse the pain and suffering which I am sure you all are going through for those who died or are in hospital right now,” President said.

The President said the accident ought not to have happened. “The road was clear. The road was perfectly clear, and I couldn’t imagine that such a horrific accident would occur; not a bruise or a graze but a head on collision. It is something that is completely unbelievable that on such a plain road, plain daylight, no animals on the road, no obstacles that we could have such a horrific accident,” he reasoned.

A few hours after leaving the accident scene, the President convened a meeting of the National Security Committee and directed that a Commission of Inquiry be established into the accident. Just as he told the relatives of Tucker and Stoby, President Granger reassured the relatives of Denise and Herbert Josiah that systems will be put in place to prevent a reoccurrence.

“We are going to take measures to ensure that the roads are safer. The road is very heavily used and all of us in uniform have to exercise greater care. It is with sadness in my heart and a great sense of grief that I meet you, the relatives and friends of those who died,” the President said.

Meanwhile both Brigadier West and Deputy Commissioner Hoppie said support will be rendered to the families.

Brigadier West said the GDF has since granted Mr. Roberto Durant, a member of the Force and the couple’s son compassionate leave so that he could support his family during this period of grief.

“The Force has committed to providing assistance from the Force’s Welfare Fund for the burial of his mother and father. We will also support the wake the night before the funeral,” Brigadier West disclosed.

Similarly, Deputy Commissioner Hoppie said the Police

President David Granger expresses his condolence to the relatives of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Sergeant, Leon Tucker and his aunt Ms. Lovern Stoby, who was a member of the Special Constabulary at their Friendship, East Bank Demerara home (MoTP photo)

President David Granger sympathises with Mr. Roberto Durant, son of Ms. Denise Josiah. Also photographed are Brigadier Patrick West, Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force and Mr. Nigel Hoppie, Deputy Commissioner, Guyana Police Force (MoTP photo)

President David Granger speaks to a relative of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Sergeant, Leon Tucker and his aunt Ms. Lovern Stoby via a mobile phone, during his visit to their Friendship, East Bank Demerara home. Also photographed are Ms. Stacy Cheddie and her spouse, Mr. Shako Baveghems (both right of President David Granger) (MoTP photo)

President David Granger expresses his condolence to the relatives of Herbert Josiah and Denise Josiah at the couple’s Friendship, East Bank Demerara home (MoTP photo)

Force will provide support to the relatives of the police rank who died while discharging his duty. “We usually take care of the wake in its entirety. Also, he will be a beneficiary of some money that is allocated for members of the Force who died while serving. The Welfare Officer has already been engaged and preparations are afoot,” he said.

Surveillance footage nearby captured motorcar PPP 515, driven by Tucker, moving at a moderate pace when the police vehicle driven by Policeman Ronel Barker – also dead – 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.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 17, 2019

Technical, vocational training vital to reduce poverty – CARICOM programme manager

By Rabindra Rooplall TECHNICAL and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) can be used as a mechanism to reduce poverty, CARICOM Secretariat, Human Resource Development Programme Manager, Dr. Laurette Bristol said.

She offered the remarks on Tuesday, at the conclusion of the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) master trainers’ workshop for TVET practitioners in Guyana, held at Regency Suites Hotel, Hadfield Street, Georgetown.

Dr. Bristol said that the 15 participants, who were certified as master trainers after an intense one-week programme, will improve the quality of education delivery across six disciplines.

Adding that it was the first of many steps in enhancing quality development

in the region, she said standards will be held high in order to continue to improve the impact of facilitators.

She also said there will be an increasing need for monitoring and evaluation at the implementation of the CARICOM Human Resource Development Strategy.

“Right now we are working closely with member states as we look to

develop the mechanisms needed.”

Dr. Bristol said data driven activities show that there are lots more to do for the skills for life learning sector.

“We are encouraging member states and I think the Government of Guyana needs to be applauded for recognising TVET as an economic driver. We are streamlining national development plans so that we focus on more competency-based education approaches in the communication of information,” Dr. Bristol said.

The programme manager said skills and competencies are critical for states to be able to respond to 21st century challenges.

She explained that CARICOM is mapping the quality qualifications framework onto the regional network to get a seamless education system.

Meanwhile, Dr. Bristol noted that youth unemployment rates in the Caribbean are among the highest in the world. She noted that out of every four youths, one in unemployed in the Caribbean compared to two in every 25 adults while unemployment among young women is more than 30 per cent compared to 20 per cent for young men.

The data shared was from the study “Youths are our future, the imperative for Youth Employment for Sustainable Development” 2015 commissioned by the Caribbean Development Bank Dr. Bristol said more than a quarter of the region’s unemployed is between 2534 years of age including graduates of secondary and tertiary education.

TRAINING CRITICAL Noting that research done by the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) indicates that 79 per cent of member country’s GDP is produced by the service economy, Dr. Bristol said training of people to work in crucial sectors is critical.

“Policies are then needed to assist with youth employment so that the changes to the high youth unemployment rates are dealt with…

So what CTVET is doing is addressing a very real problem facing us in the Caribbean,” Dr. Bristol said.

She explained that when there are high rates of youth

unemployment, it causes society to operate in a particular way that is not desirable, resulting in social security issues such as crime and violence.

However, she said that CARICOM Human Resource Developmental Strategy which was approved by heads in 2017 recognised that education, training and productive employment are vital for economic and social development of the region.

This strategy, Dr. Bristol said, aims at unleashing the potential of all Caribbean citizens and this is done by creating a seamless pathway of education that allows for adaptability and flexibility in learning.

Competency-based education and approaches, she said, can lead to entrepreneurialism where persons can create their own employment.

“Persons can become employers, rather than sit and wait on being employees is a thing that will drive the development, not just of the Caribbean in terms of sustainability and resiliency, but, it is going to drive the development of Guyana,” Dr. Bristol said.

TVET Council Chairman, Clinton Williams thanked the Caribbean Development Bank and the Education Ministry for the support in advancing the work programme.

Williams said the CTVET has a responsibility to ensure an effective and efficient delivery of quality technical and vocational training.

“This programme was intended to build and enhance capacity in keeping with international best practices in competency-based education training. However, given the stigma which has, and continues to impact the technical and vocational programmes, this workshop will not only have a positive impact for the increased employment generation but also entrepreneurship and empowerment,” Williams said.

This, he said should be viewed as a vital socioeconomic intervention as it related to poverty alleviation and crime prevention.

The chairman challenged the master trainers to be the best teachers, role models, agents of change, nation builders and enablers of research and readers.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 17, 2019

Guyana recommits to tackling statelessness -- as Venezuelan migrant crisis takes centre stage at Geneva meeting DEPARTMENT of Citizenship, Technical Officer Jermaine Grant recently attended a five-day high-level meeting on statelessness in Geneva, Switzerland, where he made several pledges to reassure Guyana’s commitment to address the issue.

Grant, who represented Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix, on Monday made a presentation to a multi-agency coordinating committee meeting for addressing the influx of Venezuelan migrants into Guyana.

The technical officer emphasised that in keeping with the Citizenship Act of Guyana, the department is doing a lot of work to address statelessness, including the registration of Venezuelan migrants and children of Guyanese parentage.

The 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons defines stateless persons as individuals who are not considered citizens or

nationals under the operation of the laws of any country.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), a person’s citizenship and nationality may be determined based on the laws of a country where an individual is born or where her/his parents were born. Further, the organisation states that a person can also lose citizenship and nationality in a number of ways, including when a country ceases to exist or a country adopts nationality laws that discriminate against certain groups.

Grant told the committee that with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Guyana Embassy in Geneva, he made four pledges and though not legally binding, they show Guyana’s commitment to addressing statelessness.

The four pledges are: to continue to simplify access to birth registration procedures,

including late registration to ensure universal birth registration; to ensure that particular groups which are entitled to nationality under the law and that have not acquired documentation proof of nationality are able to do so by improving access to such persons to individual national documentation services; working with UNHCR to raise awareness and foster common understanding about statelessness and nationality through outreach activities, and to implement its obligation under the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, regarding a target that speaks to birth registration which in itself deals with the question of statelessness.

Grant said that at the end of the meeting it was reported that 360 pledges were made by 88 governments, regional organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Of that numbe, 251 pledges were made by 59

Technical Officer, Department of Citizenship, Jermaine Grant at the high-level meeting on Statelessness in Geneva, Switzerland

states, out of which four came from Guyana.

The pledges, he explained, covered a number of issues inclusive of gender discrimination, protection, verification and naturalisation of persons who are considered stateless.

He said the participating Latin America countries raised the issue of the Venezuelan crisis.

Guyana is not a signatory to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

The meeting, which was held from October 7-11 at Palais des Nations, coincided with the 70th Executive Committee meeting of the UNHCR.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 17, 2019

Damage to distribution panel stalls Mabaruma solar farm commissioning

THE coming on stream of the 400KW solar farm at Khan’s Hill, Mabaruma, was stalled after the contracting company continually refused to take responsibility for the poor earthing which resulted in a lightning strike, damaging the distribution panel of the structure.

“The solar farm was struck by lightning and one of the distribution panels was burnt. This is the panel that distributes electricity from the solar farm to the power house. An engineer came up here, who knows about solar, and say what has to happen is that the plant has to be properly earthed or another lightning strike will damage the panel again even if they replace it,” notes Barima-Waini Regional Executive Officer, Randolph Storm.

The farm was originally scheduled to become operational in 2018, however despite being completed, it was found that the facility was not functioning. The damage and resulting negotiations with the contractor affected the timeline.

The solar farm is being built by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MoPI), and managed by the Hinterland Electrification Company Incorporated (HECI). The farm was constructed by German company Meeco, at a cost of $227,706,890.

“The Mabaruma solar farm has not been functional to date due to defective works by the contractor. In 2017, the contract was awarded post-public tender to a German company to construct the 400KW solar farm. The works were scheduled to be completed by 2018. Unfortunately, due to a number of consequential factors – most significantly, severe weather

A section of the solar farm at Khan’s Hill, Mabaruma during misty conditions

conditions causing damage to the electrical infrastructure – the timeframes were not met,” a statement from the ministry said, on Wednesday.

According to MoPI, “despite numerous efforts to amicably resolve the matter,” the contractor “was reluctant to carry out further works to rectify the issues”, as such the decision was taken last month to terminate the contract with the contracted company, and have the damage fixed by other means.

“The Guyana Energy Agency, in collaboration

with Hinterland Electrification Company Incorporated (HECI), is working to replace the damaged transformer… bids have already been invited for the supply of the transformer. Additionally, proposals are soon to be invited to complete the outstanding works on the solar farm,” the statement further said.

In the ministry’s statement, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Hinterland Electrification Company Incorporated (HECI), Horace Williams, notes that investigations revealed the company

did not construct the facility in keeping with certain specifications.

“We ended up in a dispute with the contractor about whose responsibility it is to replace these items following the lightning strike. We concluded that the contractor was responsible because the contract stipulated that they were supposed to provide equipment to safeguard against these types of things,” Williams is quoted as saying.

“Once the structural aspect was completed, the installation and testing aspect

commenced to verify the equipment’s performance when it was discovered that the systems were not working as required. The Government Electrical Inspectorate conducted a test on the grounding of lightning protection systems and found that these did not meet the specifications.”

The ministry also refuted claims that the farm is being “reclaimed by the forest” as reported by Regional Chairman, Bretnol Ashley, in some sections of the media.

The ministry says the

“government is committed to seeing this project through to its completion for the comfort and development of Mabaruma”.

Upon completion of the project, the town can rely on 1,808 kWh of reliable renewable energy per day.

This will minimise the use of diesel generators and avoid the region’s burning of approximately 21,000 litres of fuel per month.

SBM Offshore completes US$1.14 billion financing of Liza Unity SBM Offshore, awarded contracts to construct, install, lease and operate the Liza Unity Floating Production, Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO), has completed the project financing of US$1.14B. The company made the an-

nouncement on Wednesday in a release which stated the project financing was secured by a consortium of nine international banks. “The Company expects to draw the loan in full, phased over the construction period of the FPSO. The financing will become non-recourse once

the FPSO is completed and the pre-completion guarantees have been released. The project loan has a tenor of two years post completion, in line with the duration of the charter, and carries a variable interest cost of LIBOR plus 1.50 per cent,” the Company explained.

The Liza Unity FPSO will be designed to produce 220,000 barrels of oil per day with a storage capacity of 2 million barrels in comparison to the Liza Destiny FPSO witth120,000 barrels of oil per day with 1.6 million barrels storage capacity.

The FPSO design is based on SBM Offshore’s industry leading Fast4WardTM programme which will incorporate the Company’s new build, multi-purpose hull combined with several standardized topside modules. It will have associated

gas treatment capacity of 400 million cubic feet per day and water injection capacity of 250,000 barrels per day.

It will be spread moored in water depth of about 1,600 meters and able to store some 2 million barrels of crude oil.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 17, 2019

Men nabbed with $21.4M worth of ganja

TWO men were, on Tuesday, busted with some $21.4M worth of Marijuana, the Custom Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) said.

The bust was made following an operation in the wee hours of Tuesday, October 15, which led to the arrest of the two men, who were in a motor car at Parika Public Road, East Bank Essequibo (EBE).

According to reports, on the day in question, about 03:00hrs, after conducting surveillance, CANU intercepted Shafeek Latif, 39, and Naresh Totoram, both residents of Tuschen New Housing

Scheme, EBE. Both men were occupants of a Spacio motorcar at Parika Public Road, EBD. The vehicle was intercepted by CANU ranks and two bulky salt bags containing the suspected narcotic were found on the back seat.

The cannabis was weighed and amounted to 42.824 kilograms which carries the street value of $21,412,000, CANU said. Both men are in custody assisting in investigations as CANU seeks to tighten its grip on narcotics distributors throughout the country.

Shafeek Latif

Naresh Totoram

Wanted man surrenders to police DAYS after a wanted bulletin was issued for his arrest, Alfie Garraway turned himself over to the police on Wednesday, in the company of his attorney, Siand Dhurjon.

Garraway of Norton Street, Lodge, was wanted by the police in relation to the possession of gun, ammunition and cannabis which were allegedly found at his home during a police raid on October 5, 2019.

Presently, he is at the Criminal Investigation De-

partment (CID), Headquarters, Eve Leary, assisting

the police with their investigation. According to reports, on October 5, 2019, police, acting on information received, went to Garraway’s home to conduct a search.

However, he was not home at the time; only his mother, Roseann Garraway, was at home. Some 39 grams of cannabis was found in the home. The mother is currently on $60,000 bail after she was charged for possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

During the search, a fire-

21

arm and ammunition were also found along with a parcel containing leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis. Alfie Garraway is among three men who are currently awaiting trial at the High Court for the grenade attack on Kaieteur News, Saffon Street, in 2016. Garraway, Leroy Williams and Janeil Howard are accused of conspiring together with other persons to cause an explosion by way of grenade, likely to endanger lives and cause damage to property,

The cannabis that was seized

on June 4, 2016, at 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown.

The men are out on bail while awaiting hearing at the High Court. According to reports, on the day in question, a security staffer heard an unusual sound coming from near a Toyota Lexus Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) – PRR 8398 – which belongs to Glenn Lall, Publisher of Kaieteur News.

The SUV was parked on the western side of the newspaper’s Lot 24 Saffon Street, Georgetown

office. On checking the front of the vehicle, the staffer spotted a grenade lying near one of the front tyres. Video footage from the company’s CCTV cameras showed a grey-coloured vehicle slowing down as it approached Lall’s vehicle.

The driver accelerated after the explosive device was thrown.

Man gets 20 years for killing brother-in-law HIGH Court Judge, Justice Sandil Kissoon, on Wednesday, sentenced a 35-year-old man to 20 years in prison for the 2014 murder of 52-yearold Alvy Israel Richmond of Strath-Campbell, at his Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara home. Travis Hyman, a former sawmill worker of Strath-Campbell, Mahaicony, had confessed to killing Richmond on July 21, 2014.

Hyman was initially charged with the capital offence of murder but opted to plead to the lesser count of manslaughter.

The state was represented by prosecutor Abigail Gibbs

kill Richmond. Such was done in anger.

State Prosecutor Gibbs told the court that Hyman was previously charged for cannabis and gun possession, and now murder. In keeping with the case, she asked the court to consider the 17cm knife Hyman used to stab Richmond to his heart. On the day in question, Gibbs said, Hyman was a visitor to Richmond’s home and killed Travis Hyman him in his bathroom. while Hyman was represented by remorseful and was sorry for the hurt After stabbing Richattorneys-at-law Mark Waldron and he caused to Richmond’s family. mond, Hyman ran away Keoma Griffith. In a plea of mitigaOn the day of the incident, Wal- from the crime scene and tion, Waldron said that Hyman was dron said, his client did not intend to did not help the injured

man, who still had the knife stuck in him. Gibbs asked the court to send a strong message to the perpetrator and potential offenders to deter them from contemplating similar crimes.

Justice Kissoon, after considering that a life was lost and the aggressive factors of the case, sentenced Hyman to 20 years in jail and ordered that the prison authorities deduct the time spent on remand from it.

The Guyana Chronicle had previously reported that Hyman shared a relationship with Richmond’s sister. On the day in ques-

tion, Hyman visited the home and wanted to use the washroom which was located outside in the yard.

However, Richmond came home and wanted to use the facility but when he approached to access the toilet, he found himself locked out. Hyman and Richmond argued over space in the washroom and Hyman became overly aggressive and stabbed Richmond to the chest. After committing the act, Hyman had tried to escape but was apprehended by persons in the area.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 17, 2019

‘GECOM has no intention of disenfranchising anyone’ – Commissioner Alexander – GECOM to contact persons still to uplift 2008 ID cards

GOVERNMENT-APPOINTED Commissioner of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Vincent Alexander, said everything is being done to contact the tens of thousands of persons who are yet to uplift their identification (ID) cards from the 2008 house-to-house regis-

tration exercise. “There will be no deletion of names, but the names will be highlighted on the eventual voters’ list. The highlighted names will allow persons to vote.

All it means is that awareness is being created of people whose whereabouts are unknown,” he said.

The GECOM commis-

sioner explained that the elections body had previously attempted to contact those persons, and will again do so through home visits, letters and other means. He explained that if that process yields little or no results, a decision will still have to be made on the next step.

Speaking to the media

following a commission meeting on Tuesday, Alexander noted that the entity has no intention of disenfranchising anyone, but wants to verify their whereabouts.

“We are using the ID card issue to determine the presence of our voters, their presence, their existence. The issue is not the ID card, the issue is that these persons, since 2008 and beyond, have not in any way presented themselves to be known, to be alive, to be existing, to be resident and the calling them, writing to them gives us the opportunity to make a determination in the context of an objection to say where are they,” Alexander told the media operatives.

The verification exercise, Commissioner Alexander

explained, will provide persons with the opportunity to “let us know… We are not denying them an opportunity, we have already, on two occasions, sought to find these persons by physical visits to the places they were registered and by registered mail.”

He reiterated that a bloated list provides the opportunity for multiple and substitute voting and so one needs to be alert about the names that can be used for substitute voting.

“Persons will be alerted with the consequences of being known. We are trying to go through the process of verification. We are seeking to have a fulsome verification. We exercise our minds and judgement in the matter, and there is a final place of

judgement if the need arises,” he told journalists.

Commissioner Alexander dismissed claims by the opposition that it will use the process as a delaying tactic. According to him, all processes will be concluded within the timeframe for elections on March 02, 2020.

Meanwhile, a decision is also pending on the invitation by GECOM, to electors who did not participate in the house-to-house registration exercise, and whose names are on the Preliminary List of Electors (PLE), to come forward and do a verification. He said if this is not done, their names could be highlighted on the Official List of Electors (OLE). (DPI)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 17, 2019

Diamond man committed to stand trial for murder

FIVE months after a 24-year-old man was sentenced to a total of 14 years’ imprisonment on a series of charges, he was, on Wednesday, October, 16, 2019, committed to stand trial for the murder of an East Bank Demerara man, who was shot during a robbery in 2017.

Anthony Chester, called ‘Sharky’, of 236 Section C,

Block Y, Diamond Housing Scheme, was on trial before Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

It was alleged that, on December 20, 2017, at Craig, East Bank Demerara, Chester murdered Purcell Moore, a resident of the village, during a robbery.

Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus

ruled that, after going through the entirety of the evidence, she found sufficient evidence against Chester.

Hence, Chester will go on trial at the next practicable sitting of the Demerara Assizes.

According to statements presented in court, Moore was returning home from a shop when Chester, who was armed

Anthony Chester

with a handgun, confronted him. An argument reportedly ‘erupted’ between the men.

This escalated into a scuffle, during which several rounds were discharged at Moore. He was rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Last May, Magistrate Rondel Weever sentenced

Chester to a total of 14 years and six months behind bars after finding him guilty of a series of offences, including armed robbery, possession of an illegal gun and ammunition, and discharging a loaded firearm.

It was alleged that, on January 6, 2019, at TURN TO PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 17, 2019

Diamond man ...

Conciliation Drive, Tucville, Georgetown, while being in the company of another and being armed with an unlicensed gun, Chester robbed Bowen Cromwell of $512,600 in cash and jewellery.

It was further alleged that, on the same date and at the same location, he damaged two car parts, valued at a total of $85,000, property of Cromwell.

Chester was also charged with discharging a loaded firearm with the intent to wound Cromwell, having a pistol in his possession without being

FROM PAGE

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the holder of a firearm licence, and being in possession of unlicensed ammunition.

He had denied all the charges.

Magistrate Weever, at the end of the trial, ruled that the prosecutor throughout the trial presented sufficient evidence to convict Chester for the offences.

Hence, she sentenced him to a total of 14 years and six months for the five offences.

The sentences will run concurrently.

Friday, October 17, 2019 - 05:00 hrs

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday, October 17, 2019

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday, October 17, 2019

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday, October 17, 2019

GFF, Denmark FA ink historic ‘MoU’

THE Guyana Football Federation (GFF), through president Wayne Forde, inked what is being seen as the cornerstone for their plans, heading into 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the Denmark Football Federation and its president Jesper Moller, at the Pegasus Hotel, in Kingston, Georgetown.

Witnessed by CONCACAF’s Senior Project officer, Howard McIntosh and Union of European Football Associations’ (UEFA) Head of International Relationship, Eva Pasquier, the Memorandum of Understand (MoU) is tailored to see the two Federations focus on several key areas

in the sport, both on and off the pitch.

The football love-story between the two nations, according to Forde, dates back to 2017, and was birthed in Lagos, Nigeria, when they were guests at a FIFA Summit.

“By the simple act of affixing our mark to sheets of paper, today we have sowed the seeds of friendship that in time, can produce a harvest of new and exciting opportunities for the longterm development of Guyana’s football,” Forde said.

The terms established for the two Federations’ collaborative efforts for the next six years, state that there will be implementation of some key strategic

objectives and programmes.

Apart from coaching exchanges, infrastructure development will be one of the most important areas, with Forde pointing out that Guyana will benefit from Denmark’s engineering and architectural services for the technical centre and construction of the D’Urban Park football complex.

Competition Management and Professional Football League Development is also on the table, since, according to the GFF, capacity-building for clubs, officials, administrators and oversight of establishment of a professional league are vital to Guyana.

The area of Women’s Football development is

also listed in their MoU as a comprehensive women’s football strategy.

Perhaps one of the most important of them all, Grassroots Football and Youth Development, will see the GFF and Denmark Federation facilitating youth training camps in preparation for international competition.

As it relates to Governance and Administration, the Denmark ‘FA’ will facilitate a Management exchange programme for the General Secretary, Finance Manager and other key Management Staff of the two entities.

“No one should pretend as though genuine, meaningful and sustainable foot-

ball development in a small nation is easy. It is not and I would also assure you that good intentions are simply not enough. For football to grow in any country, big or small, genuine partnerships that endure all seasons are essential,” Forde compounded.

Meanwhile, Moller told reporters that he was interested in the GFF’s regional academies, stating, “We don’t have an academy or a training side in Denmark yet and perhaps we can get some knowledge about doing that. You have a big country but not so much infrastructure and it is quite the same in Denmark,”

2019 Guyana Open Golf tourney officially launched … Ganesh Spare Parts, Copa Airlines, Marriott on board

By Clifton Ross PROFESSIONAL golfers from across the world and those locally will be gearing for the upcoming 2019 Guyana Open Golf Cup which was officially launched yesterday at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston.

Golf’s biggest event of the year tees off on October 26 and 27 but the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) executives, in partnership with the Marriott Hotel Guyana, who is a major sponsor of the sport, as well as tournament title-holder; Ganesh Parts, through their world-famous Bridgestone tyre brand, unveiled the Cup’s official plans for 2019.

During yesterday’s brief ceremony, LGC president Aleem Hussain noted that the Cup is expected to be bigger than usual with a number of golfers

from Canada, Barbados, Trinidad, USA, French Guiana and others visiting the local soil in pursuit of the coveted Guyana Open Title; held by reigning nine-time champ Avinash Persaud.

Speaking on his defence this year, Persaud, who will be chasing his 10th Guyana Open title, highlighted that it would be a repeat of the previous years where he walks away with the title; seemingly on one leg given the dominant ways he snatched the title in the past.

Persaud also thanked Hussain for keeping golf alive and making the sport bigger than it’s ever been over the years, adding that the course was in outstanding shape and he expected high levels of competition in a few weeks.

Marriott Guyana Director of Sales, Sandra Bernal, said that the hotel sponsors golf internationally

and was excited to have the partnership with LGC to sponsor golf in Guyana. She further pointed out that the hotel will be hosting its official Open on November 3 as a way to thank and give back to Guyana for their loyalty.

LGC treasurer Aasrodeen Shaw said that the recently acquired golf carts which were in partnership with Marriott came at a great as the Open will be the ideal place to make the visiting bevy of golfers feel like they’re in the international golfing atmosphere.

Hussain, meanwhile, revealed that Copa Airlines is now an official sponsor of the LGC for the upcoming year, while Friday, October 25 will be the official opening of the Guyana Open weekend with a Champion’s Dinner to be held at the LGC indoor clubhouse.

Barca’s Messi receives record sixth European Golden Shoe BARCELONA, Spain (Reuters) - Barcelona forward Lionel Messi picked up a record-extending sixth and third consecutive - European Golden Shoe award yesterday following his outstanding individual 2018-19 domestic campaign.

The award is presented to the top goalscorer in league football across Europe, with the Argentine finding the net

36 times last season as Barca retained their La Liga title.

Messi was three ahead of nearest rival Kylian Mbappe, who scored 33 times for Paris St Germain as they won France’s Ligue 1.

“My team and my teammates, I would have never been able to win even one of these awards without them,” Messi said at the presentation in Barcelona. “This is Race 7 Dream Passage Race 8 Kit Kat Katie

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recognition for everyone, all the team.”

The forward, who won his first Golden Shoe in 2010, admitted he was disappointed to have missed out on Champions League glory again after Barcelona blew a 3-0 first leg lead to Liverpool at the semi-final stage. However, he said he was conscious that the league should be the club’s priority.

“The Champions League is something special and we all want to win it, but we are conscious that the Liga is the most important.

“La Liga can help you reach the Champions League and the Copa del Rey. It is very difficult if you don’t perform well in the Liga to compete in the Champions League.

“We never forget about

the Liga and the Copa because we are Barcelona and we always aim to win everything.”

Barca have endured a difficult start to the season, losing twice in their first eight league games. They have won their last three matches to pull themselves into second place on 16 points, two behind leaders Real Madrid.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday, October 17, 2019

2019 BCB Let’s Bet Sports 100 Balls

Rose Hall Canje march into New Amsterdam/Canje final … RHT Tigers reach Lower Corentyne semifinals

THE packed Berbice 2019 cricket season continued last weekend with several important matches being completed despite heavy rainfall which affected several fixtures.

Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) is aiming to complete all of the tournaments it started in 2019 including the Guyana Lottery Company’s sponsored Let’s Bet Sports 100 Balls tournament by the end of December.

The tournament, which involves over 80 teams, is being played in four different zones. The four different champions from the different tournaments would then go on to play each other to decide the overall Berbice Let’s Bet Sports 100 Balls champions.

The four zones are West Berbice, New Amsterdam/ Canje, Lower/Central Corentyne and Upper Corentyne.

Playing at the Area ‘H’ Ground, Rose Hall Tigers, consisting of mostly veteran RHTYSC members, defeated Tamarind Root to become the first team from Lower Corentyne to reach the semi-finals of that zone. Tamarind Root were dismissed for 96 off 18.2 overs with S. Jugister 18, Dillip Rangasammy 15 and David Prahalad 16 being the principal scorers.

Khemraj Mahadeo, Jamal Jarvis and Therbuwan Jagdeo took two wickets for 15, 8 and 20 runs apiece for RHT Tigers. In reply, the home team raced to 99 for 3 as former Under-19 player Balchand Baldeo scored 48 not out and Delbert Hicks 15 not out.

The batsmen dismissed

were Mark Papannah 12, Rondalph Lewis 00 and Jamal Jarvis 04. D.Looknauth took 2 for 20 in a losing cause.

RHT Tigers would play the winners of the Albion vs Fyrish quarterfinals match in the lone semifinals while the winners of the RHT Bakewell and Chesney match would advance to the final after drawing a bye.

K. Amsterdam took 2 for 20 for Police, who in reply reached 135 for 8. Amsterdam returned with the bat to score 35. Left-arm spinner Mark Sampson took 6 wickets for 20 and Balram Samaroo 2 for 18.

On Sunday, Rose Hall Canje restricted YWCC to 85 for 6 off their 100 balls with Mortimer Fraser 20,

Yo u n g Wa r r i o r s h a d reached the semifinals by getting past Betsy Ground by 76 runs at the Cumberland Ground on Saturday. They scored 152 for 4 from 100 balls with Trevon Stanislaus 76 including eight boundaries and four sixes and Suresh Dhanai 32 not out including three boundaries and two sixes leading the way.

Patrick Day ( at right) won 17 of his 22 fights, with four defeats and one draw

The winning Rose Hall Canje team

Rose Hall Canje Cricket Club continued their remarkable progress in Berbice cricket by advancing to the finals of the New Amsterdam/ Canje Zone by defeating Police in the quarterfinals then upsetting favourites Young Warriors CC in the semifinals.

Last Saturday they defeated Police by 103 runs. Batting first, Young Warriors amassed 238 for 7 from their 100 balls with Moonsammy Verasammy hitting a majestic 126 not out while Jermone Henry 35 offered support.

Sanjay Khan and A. Khan (16) being the top-scorers as Mark Sampson 2 for 12 and Raymond Vankenie 2 for 18 bowled well for the home team. Needing to score 86 runs to book a place in the final, RH Canje reached 86 for 3 in 13.2 overs. Michael Campbelle blasted a quickfire 32 while J. Henry was unbeaten on 30 along with skipper Ameer Rahaman 11 not out. Kassim Khan and Anil Beharry took a wicket each for 7 and 17 respectively for YWCC.

Kishan Gangaram took 2 wickets for 24 runs for Betsy Ground, who, in reply, were bundled out for a meagre 76 with only Y. Jugister 12 and Gangaram 12 reaching double figures. Trevon Stanislaus, Sanjay Khan and Kassim Khan took two wickets apiece.

East Bank Blazers have already reached the semifinals and would play the winners of Flying Star vs Guymine CC Quarterfinals scheduled this Saturday October 19.

Wakenaam upset Bacchus Bulls in Under-17 clash

A PURPOSEFUL all-round performance by the Wakenaam Under-17 team earned them a deserved three-wicket win over Bacchus Bulls of Central Essequibo last Saturday at the Imam Bacchus ground in Affiance.

A 35-run opening stand between national Under-17 captain Sheldon Charles and Rajindra Ramballi was an ideal platform for a huge total.

However, when Ramballi departed for 15 (2x4), the remaining batsmen per-

to bat enterprisingly before he was brilliantly caught for 41 (7x4).

None of the other batsmen reached double figures, as Tushal Surajpaul 3-11, Terrence Softleigh 2-0, Ravi Nandalall 2-8 and Gladwin Henry 2-10 spearheaded the

Skipper Tushal Surajpaul receives the winner’s trophy from coach Nankishore Andrews as his teammates share the moment

The 30-overs encounter saw the hosts winning the toss and batting on a solid, flat pitch and fast outfield.

American boxer Patrick Day dies in hospital four days after suffering brain injury in Conwell fight

ished with the introduction of a combination of accurate medium and spin bowling. Charles continued

collapse of the Bulls to 116 all-out in 22 overs.

In reply, Wakenaam weathered the storm of

some hostile fast-bowling from Sheldon Charles and Govinda Toolsie, who combined to take five of the seven wickets to fall. Charles with 3-12 from 7 overs and Toolsie 2-18 from his 7 overs were, however, not enough as Wakenaam rallied to 118-7 from 23 overs to win by three wickets.

Stephen Madramootoo with an unbeaten 18 (2x4) and Mohendra Surajpaul 14 (1x4) held their composure to the end as they were also assisted by the Bulls, who conceded 45 extras, consisting mainly of wides and no-balls.

At the simple presentation ceremony, Wakenaam were presented with a trophy, compliments of the Wakenaam Cricket Committee.

A return fixture is set for this Saturday at the San Souci ground in Wakenaam. (Elroy Stephney)

BOXER Patrick Day has died aged 27 - four days after suffering a brain injury in a fight against Charles Conwell.

The American was put into a coma on Saturday after he was knocked out in the 10th round of his super welterweight bout in Chicago.

Promoter Lou DiBella confirmed Day had died on Wednesday “surrounded by his family, close friends and members of his boxing team”.

“He was a son, brother, and good friend to many,” said a statement.

“Pat’s kindness, positivity, and generosity of spirit made a lasting impression with everyone he met.”

Day was taken from the ring on a stretcher after the conclusion of the fight on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk’s heavyweight victory over Chazz Witherspoon in the US. “Patrick Day didn’t need to box,” the statement from DiBella Entertainment continued. “He came from a good family, he was smart, educated, had good values and had other avenues available to him to earn a living.

“He chose to box, knowing the inherent risks that every fighter faces when he or she walks into a boxing ring. Boxing is what Pat loved to do. It’s how he inspired people and it was something that made him feel alive.”

Fellow American Conwell, 21, wrote an emotional letter to Day following the fight.

“I never meant this to happen to you, all I wanted to do was win,” he said.

“If I could take it all back, I would. No-one deserves this to happen to them.”

Day won 17 of his 22 fights, with four defeats and one draw.

In July, Russia’s Maxim Dadashev and Argentina’s Hugo Santillan both died following injuries sustained during fights.

“It becomes very difficult to explain away or justify the dangers of boxing at a time like this,” the statement continued.

“This is not a time where edicts or pronouncements are appropriate, or the answers are readily available. It is, however, a time for a call to action.

“While we don’t have the answers, we certainly know many of the questions, have the means to answer them, and have the opportunity to respond responsibly and accordingly and make boxing safer for all who participate.

“This is a way we can honour the legacy of Pat Day. Many people live much longer than Patrick’s 27 years, wondering if they made a difference or positively affected their world. This was not the case for Patrick Day when he left us.”

A brave, kind and wonderful friend’ - the boxing world reacts Boxing announcer Michael Buffer was among the first to pay tribute to Day, describing him as a “wonderful young man”, before adding “everyone in the boxing community is crushed”.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said boxing had lost a “brave, kind and wonderful friend”. (BBC Sport)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday, October 17, 2019

Basketballer ‘Zul’ Coppin laid to rest ONE of the members of the first Under-18 Guyana team to beat Suriname at the Inter-Guianas Games, basketballer Alvin David ‘Zul’ Coppin, aged 61, was laid to rest Tuesday afternoon after a funeral service at Wismar Baptist Church in Sunflower Street. The body was then taken to the Bamia Cemetery for burial on the Linden Highway.

‘Zul’ Coppin was a member of that team at Burnham Court back in 1975 when the series ended 2-1 for the Guyanese who had lost their previous encounters.

Coppin was a noted player from Linden who occupied the guard position and was a spotup shooter. The former Mackenzie High School (MHS) player represented his school at the National Inter-Secondary School championships and was spotted as a national prospect.

Among the members of that Ian Harding- led side that won the coveted Jules

Sedney Trophy for the first time were Linden players Ewart Padmore and James Brusche in the 1975 series.

Padmore recalled that third game which Guyana won.

He said Zul had a very good game.

Zul Coppin

According to the newspaper reports about the deciding game three of that series which was locked 1-1, Guyana’s Trevor Paul and ‘Zul’ Coppin brought off two of the finest jump shots of the match

to seal the issue at 61-39.”

Two members of that successful team in 1975, Brusche and Padmore, were taken aback by the passing of their friend.

Among those in attendance were close friends Clyde Brusche, Ewart Padmore, former National player Gavin ‘Poppy’ Kendall, who spotted the talent of Coppin at an early age, and Secretary (ag.) of the Linden Amateur Basketball Association, Ms June Harris.

Some of the clubs Coppin played for were McCity Knicks, YMCA, Kings, Georgetown club Zenith Warriors, the semi-professional team Hot Shots and Linden.

‘Zul’ Coppin migrated to the United States in 1982 and returned to his hometown Linden, Guyana in 1992.

He is survived by his wife Nicole, children Ronel, Godfrey, Desmond, Rita, Jacqueline, Claudette and Desiree.

International selection dream come true for King, Walsh BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Brandon King and Hayden Walsh both said Tuesday their selection to the West Indies limited overs squad for next month’s series against Afghanistan had been the fulfilment of a childhood dream.

sible for me being selected.

“I was fully focussed from the start. As athletes we pride ourselves on facing the challenges and conquering them so I’m hoping to continue to make strides.”

King enjoyed a successful first class tournament for his native Jamaica Scorpions, pummelling 630 runs at an average of 48 and capping off the season with 496 runs at an average of 55 for Guyana Amazon Warriors, to be the leading scorer in the just concluded Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

Brandon King

King, a 24-year-old stroke-maker and Walsh, a 27-year-old leg-spinner, were both called up for the November 5 to December 1 series which will be played in India and includes a one-off Test.

“Obviously it’s a huge honour to be selected to represent the West Indies at this level.

These moments are what you work towards as a player. I always had a dream to represent the West Indies. I’m really excited to get started on the upcoming tour,” King said.

“I was in the West Indies ‘A’ team against India ‘A’ – they had a very good team – and I was in a groove going into the CPL tournament. I carried on and those performances were mainly respon-

Hayden Walsh

Walsh also impressed on the CPL stage with 22 wickets to be the tournament leader as he helped fire Barbados Tridents to their second title.

Having grown up in Antigua and honed his skills on the island, Walsh boasts a strong family background in sports as his father, the late Hayden Walsh Sr, represented Leeward Islands during the 1980s and 1990s.

His uncle Vaughan Walsh also played for the Leewards as a feared fast bowler while two other uncles, Wade and

Audwin, also represented Antigua and Barbuda in the sub-regional Leeward Islands tournament.

“It’s one of those boyhood dreams that me and my younger brother Tahir had – he went on to be a star in track and field – and I stuck to the cricket,” said Walsh.

“When I got the callup my mind flashed back to when we played in the yard with my father, and we were imagining what roles we would play in the West Indies team. Today, my dream is reality, and I’m really proud to be named in the West Indies team.

“This is just the beginning.

I’m just looking forward to getting onto the field and making a name for myself and helping West Indies win – that’s the main goal.”

Walsh, who has turned out for ICC associates, United States, in a single OneDay International and eight Twenty20s, acknowledged he needed to be at his best for the new challenge.

“It’s going to be a step-up.

I’m going to have to zoom in and bring my ‘A’ game,” he pointed out.

“I’m confident I can do whatever the team requires of me. Also, we have a few players I have played with in the team and I’m familiar with everyone in the West Indies systems, so I know I will fit in with the team unit.”

Walsh is a member of Liberta Cricket Club in Antigua where he is teammate of off-spinning all-rounder Rahkeem Cornwall, who was named in the Test squad.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday, October 17, 2019

SBF Petroleum/CGI Jaguars One Day League

Winners seeking added points, as losers look for points ROUND three of the ongoing Jaguars One Day League continues today across the country as winning teams seek added momentum while the unfortunate ones hunt a change of fortune as action intensifies.

Essequibo will venture out of area, as they seek to continue their winning ways against West Berbice, one of the better teams in the competition, up at Bush Lot, West Coast, Berbice.

Having won two in two, the defending champions Essequibo will want to carry on especially with the forms of Kemol Savory, Quintin Sampson, Ricardo Adams, Ronsford Beaton and a few others who have been their match-winners.

Batsman Kevon Sinclair, along with Guyana Jaguars

bowlers Gudakesh Motie and Keon Joseph, is in form and will play a huge role in today’s encounter.

The Berbicians will also fancy themselves playing at home as this is Essequibo’s first match out of area since the

Action in round 3 set to be more exciting as players up the tempo

Smith, Gayle among most expensive players in ‘The Hundred’ draft LONDON, England (Reuters) - The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced Australian duo Steve Smith and David Warner and West Indies opener Chris Gayle are among the most expensive players listed in Sunday’s draft for the new domestic tournament The Hundred.

Smith helped Australia retain the Ashes in England last month while Warner endured a miserable series, managing just one fifty in five Tests.

Paceman Mitchell Starc, who played just one Test in that series, is the third Australian in the six-man group who will command a £125 000 ($159 400) reserve price, the ECB said in a statement.

Sri Lankan Lasith Malinga and fellow speedster Kagiso Rabada of South Africa are the other players in the top bracket for the inaugural edition of the 100-ball competition, which will be played in July-August next year.

Five of the eight citybased sides will have an Aus-

tourney bowled off.

A woeful Georgetown were hammered in backto-back games by Essequi-

tralian in charge with Shane Warne, Darren Lehmann and Tom Moody among them.

None of the men’s teams have a local coach.

ners Mark Wood and Liam Plunkett headline the 331 domestic players who have put their names forward for the draft.

West Indies batsman Chris Gayle (left) and Australia’s Steve Smith. (Photo: Reuters)

Tw e n t y 2 0 s t a l w a r t s Rashid Khan of Afghanistan and West Indian Andre Russell, with an identical £100 000 reserve price, are among 239 players from outside the UK to enter the draft.

England World Cup win-

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday, October 17, 2019)

COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL- Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD- 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) (1) (2)

ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY’S QUIZ: Jonathan Carter (BT) Nigel Duguid & Gregory Braithwaite

(1) (2)

TODAY’S QUIZ: Who took most wickets in CPL 2019?

Who scored most runs in CPL 2019?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

“Teams will select 12 players on the night - with a maximum of three overseas picks - who will join the already-announced England red-ball contracted players and Local Icons,” the ECB said in a statement.

bo then by West Demerara.

Skipper Leon Johnson has been making starts but his star-studded side have misfired on two occasions, making today’s encounter against Lower Corentyne at Bourda, a must-win match for the veteran side.

Lower Corentyne will be more confident, having won by 7 wickets in round two and could take their momentum into the third round and against a hapless Demerara. Lower Corentyne might have their tails up and with Kelvin Umroa, Seon Hetmyer and Kevlon Anderson in-form, they could be in for a match against the Demerara outfit.

At their home turf on the Enmore ground, East Coast,

another out-of-sorts team, will be seeking their first win when they oppose the uncanny Upper Corentyne.

The Berbice franchise almost bowled out Essequibo in round two thanks to their dangerous trio of bowlers in Gaurav Ramesh, Sylus Tyndall and Dimitri Cameron who all played huge roles.

Meanwhile, East Bank who are desperately in need of a morale-boosting win against the Tagenarine Chanderpaul-led side West Demerara, will have their tussle at the Tuschen ground as both sides could seek to outdo the other as the tournament progresses.

Weather permitting, matches will bowl off at 09:30hrs. (Clifton Ross)

Ruthless Jamaica hit six past Aruba in Curacao MAALIQUE Foster scored a brace while Chavany Willis, Shemar Nicholson and Lamar Walker all scored, as Jamaica hammered Aruba 6-0 in the return leg of their Group C match at the Ergillo Hato Stadium in Curacao on Tuesday.

Junior Flemmings also scored his first goal for Jamaica in what could be described only as a rout.

Following a lack-lustre performance at the Kingston National Stadium on Saturday when the Jamaicans won 2-0, the visitors would have been hoping for an improved performance on Tuesday night.

Jamaica got on the score sheet early when Willis delivered from the penalty spot after only seven minutes.

Jamaica netted their second 10 minutes later when Maalique Foster slammed home a half volley from just out of the 18-yard box

past a stunned Eric Abdul, who stood motionless as the ball crashed into the back of the net.

Foster turned provider two minutes later, putting through Lamar Walker on goal. The 19-year-old Bethlehem Steel midfielder, demonstrating composure that belies his age and experience at this level, rounded Abdul and slotted home to put the Reggae Boyz up 3-0.

Jamaica continued to threaten the Aruban goal and found a fourth in the 34th minute when Abdul parried a shot from Willis into the path of an onrushing Shamar Nicholson for a tap-in from two yards.

Jamaica went to the break leading 4-0 completely in control of the match.

At the resumption, it did not take long for Jamaica to add to their lead.

Flemmings, who was very

effective down the left flank early in the half, drove past several defenders and into the box before passing the ball into the far corner, well out of Abdul’s reach for Jamaica’s fifth.

Flemmings sank to his knees and raised his arms to the heavens in celebration after he scored, was integral to Jamaica’s sixth that came in the 53rd minute. His shot from the left side of the box was parried by Abdul into the path of Foster who tapped into net for his second on the night.

The win means Jamaica have the maximum of 12 points from their four matches so far in the group and Theodore Whitmore’s side have yet to concede a goal while scoring 18.

Aruba remain at the bottom of the table with no points from their four matches.

Unbeaten Khan, Nathoo to clash in round five of GAICO Construction chess THE only unbeaten players left in the second GAICO Construction Grand Prix Chess Swiss System Tournament, Taffin Khan and Loris Nathoo, will battle this afternoon in round five of the seven-round event at the National Racquet Centre on Woolford Avenue.

Candidate Master Khan is in dominant form. The former national junior and senior champion sits comfortably on four wins in four clashes and would

start the battle as favourite. He has also won three of his last six battles with Nathoo, who has 3.5 points (three wins and a draw) and holds second position. He is also strategic in his approach, which has resulted in a win and two draws in his previous six encounters with Khan.

Both players won their fourth round games on Tuesday afternoon.

Khan got past Davion Mars, who had won his first three games, while

Nathoo got the better of Frankie Farley (two points).

Mars and Robert Neto, and CM Ronuel Greenidge and Errol Tiwari, who are set to battle this afternoon, are tied for third on three points each.

Meanwhile, Shiv Nandalall and Ethan Lee, who are also scheduled to clash this afternoon, are on 2.5 points each.

Twenty-two players are competing in the tournament.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday, October 17, 2019

Clinical Pepsi Hikers ‘school’ Saints at GTT National Indoor Hockey Championships

Richardson replaces Coley as Volcanoes head coach ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, (CMC) – Former Jamaica fast bowler Andrew Richardson will take charge of Windward Islands Volcanoes for the upcoming Professional Cricket League.

The 38-year-old, who grabbed 192 wickets in 68 first class matches before resorting to coaching, replaces fellow Jamaican Andre Coley who led Volcanoes since 2017.

“I’m very happy for the opportunity to work with the Windwards Volcanoes,” said Richardson, who toured England with West Indies in 2009 but failed to make his international debut.

“There’s a lot of talent here that just need to be guided in the right direction and hopefully working together we can get things moving in a winning direction.”

Richardson holds a Level III coaching certificate

and a university degree in Sports Science with Sports Management.

He has also served as assistant coach and manager of West Indies A and has performed similar roles in the Caribbean Premier League with Jamaica Tallawahs and in the regional domestic tournaments with Jamaica Scorpions.

Windward Islands Cricket Board president, Dr Kishore Shallow, said the acquisition of Richardson would be a boost for Volcanoes.

“Andrew is a fantastic addition to our setup. He brings great value with his experience as a former player and coach. He also has the exuberance required to help our players realize their fullest potential,” said Shallow, the Cricket West Indies vice-president.

“Further, I commend the recruitment panel for their utmost professionalism exhibited in the process of selecting the new head coach.”

Volcanoes are currently preparing for the Regional Super50 which bowls off from November 6 to December 1.

They will do battle in Group B scheduled for Trinidad alongside Guyana Jaguars, United States, West Indies Emerging Players and hosts Red Force.

In the last first class season, Volcanoes finished last of the six franchises after winning only three matches.

Regal’s Anil Hardyal – the organiser of the tournament

GSCL president Ian John

Aroydy Branford (right) was flawless in his execution for the defending champions

THE Pepsi Hikers edified their younger counterparts, Saints, on the fine points of indoor hockey with a clinical opening win in the feature clash of night two in the GTT National Indoor Hockey Championships, on Tuesday evening, at Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The long-standing champions, who are favourites for the Division One male title again this year were solid in all facets of their game, although they had not played as a unit in months.

On the court, the lack of playing time was not evident as the Hikers executed their passes and runs with precision. Leading the charge was Aroydy Branford, who was involved (through scoring and assisting) in six of his team’s goals in the 7-3 win.

He scored twice in the first half, first via a high shot that evaded the outstretched arms of the goalie then a flat shot in front of the box.

Although Saints’ players were outclassed, they had their moments of glory and proved that they are a quality side.

Baraka Garnett was one of the shining stars and his breakaway on the right side in the 17th minute gave the young side hope, but Branford was the dream killer and his bullet, passed from the right side to Robert France who struck it home before the goalie could react, made it 3-1 at the break.

Branford’s second assist came early in the second period, when he found Randy Hope. Two minutes later the Hikers’ aggressive pace and precise passing resulted in Leon Bacchus

finding Devin Munroe to make it 5-1.

Saints skipper Hilton Chase kept his team alive after he scored twice via quality plays, but Hikers were too good and Branford was their trump card, as he slotted home two more goals to ensure a comfortable opening victory.

Defending female champions Woodpecker Hikers also proved their might after rolling to their second consecutive victory when they disposed of the YMCA Old Fort Bloods by a 2-1 margin, despite playing without goalscorer in their opener, Nicole Eastman, for most of the second period after she was red-carded in the 28th minute of play.

Seasoned player Maria Munroe scored twice (3rd and 30th minutes) for the winners, while Minsodia Culpepper pulled one back in the 35th minute for Old Fort.

As on the opening night, Tuesday evening also had six games.

In a second division male Group B clash, the YMCA Old Fort Top Form were able to get past recent outdoor champions, Bounty GCC The Sequel, by a margin of 3-0, while in a Group A second division clash, Saints Sensation registered their second win with a 3-1 victory against Hikers Cadets.

Meanwhile, Saints females lost again when they met GBTI GCC Spice in the first women’s clash of the night. That game ended 2-0 after Tiffany Soloman and Sandy Roopnarine found the back of the net.

In the Over-35 division, Bounty GCC Vintage were able to edge out YMCA Old Fort Hot Shotz by a 5-4 margin.

New Windward Islands Volcanoes head coach, Andrew Richardson

PM Cup 3 registration closes tomorrow THE third edition of the annual Prime Minister’s Twenty20 Softball Cup is drawing closer and teams are asked to finalise their participation for the November 1 to 3, 2019 showpiece on or before tomorrow.

There is no registration fee for teams in any of the three categories - Legends Over-50 years old, Masters Over-45 years old and All-Stars, but teams must confirm their squads and pay a security deposit of G$60 000 to indicate their participation.

The draw to place teams in zones within their respective categories will be done on Sunday October 20, at GNIC Sports Club at 14:00hrs.

Teams are asked to contact the organisers, Georgetown Softball Cricket League (GSCL) Inc. for more information and to collect the playing conditions and other critical information upon paying the security deposit.

Teams are expected from Canada, USA and Guyana to compete for more than $2M in cash and other prizes over the weekend of exciting cricket. Preliminary and semi-final matches will be played at various venues in Georgetown while the finals of all three categories will be played at Everest Cricket Club (ECC) on Sunday, November 3.

At the launch of this year’s tournament, GSCL president Ian John disclosed that both All Stars and Over-45 winners will cart off $500 000 each, while Legends Over-50 victors will take home $300 000.

The runners-up in each category are also guaranteed $100 000.

This year marks the first for the Legends Over-50 category which has been gaining popularity since its introduction at the 2017 Toronto Cup. In addition to trophies, there are a number of lucrative incentive prizes which include man-of-the-match in the finals and the Most Valuable Players (MVP) in each category.

The man-of-the-match in All Stars final will receive a trophy and $10 000, while the MVP will ride away with a Hero motorcycle, compliments of Rose Ramdehol. The man-of-the-match in the Over-45 final will take home a trophy and $10 000 and the MVP a 55-inch smart TV while the man-of-the-match in the Legends Over-50 will collect a trophy and $10 000 and the MVP one gold bracelet.

Unlike the two previous tournaments, the All Stars

final will be staged under floodlights at the ECC ground, Camp Road, following the completion of the other two finals.

All teams will be required to attend a meeting on Thursday, October 31, prior to the commencement of the tournament the following day.

While new Over-50 champions will be crowned, Speedboat and Regal Masters are the defending champions in the All Stars and Over-45 categories respectively. (Frederick Halley)

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A F k r a m n e D ’ U o GFF, M ‘ c i r o t s i h k n i

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HISTORIC! Denmark Football Federation and its president

Jesper Moller (second from right) and GFF president Wayne Forde (second from left) inking their MoU, while UEFA Head of International Relationship, Eva Pasquier, and CONCACAF’s Senior Project Officer, Howard McIntosh, look on. (Carl Crooker photo)

From left (sitting) LGC president Aleem Hussain; Marriott Guyana Director of Sales, Sandra Bernal; LGC treasurer Aasrodeen Shaw; LGC Public Relations Officer, Bishop Guy Griffith (standing back row); Guyana Open Champion Avinash Persaud and LGC Assistant Club Captain, Dr Joaan Deo. (Clifton Ross photo)

Barca’s Messi receives record sixth European

Golden Shoe Page

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2019 Guyana Open Golf tourney officially launched … Ganesh Spare Parts, Copa Airlines, Marriott on board

Barcelona's Lionel Messi poses with the golden shoe during the ceremony. (REUTERS/Albert Gea)

American boxer Patrick Day dies in hospital Page 28 ...four days after suffering brain injury Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2019