Guyana Chronicle E-paper 11-13 -2019

WEDNESDAY 13th November, 2019

‘Fruitful talks’ No.105820

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… Gov’t, GPSU hold talks on pay hike, allowances

Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally leads talks with the Guyana Public Service Union on the issues of enhanced remuneration and other allowances for public servants. Also in photo are Minister of State, Dawn Hastings-Williams and Minister of Public Service Tabitha Sarabo-Halley as well as GPSU President Mr. Patrick Yarde and Vice President Ms. Dawn Gardener.

Workers of Troy Resources ‘fed up’

AFC looking to wrap up talks with APNU tomorrow

Coalition gov’t will use oil resources wisely

Partners and media operatives signing the banner to indicate their commitment to joining the campaign to bring awareness to road safety (Adrian Narine photo)

–– see PPP hands in delayed restart of operations

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… Patterson says everything should be resolved by then

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… AG tells Washington Times PPP took care of family, friends and cronies

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 13, 2019

AFC looking to wrap up talks with APNU tomorrow … Patterson says everything should be resolved by then

THE Alliance For Change (AFC) intends to wrap up negotiations with the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) this Thursday on the revised Cummingsburg Accord.

This is according to AFC’s Lead Negotiator, David Patterson.

“We do intend that everything should be resolved by then,” Patterson told the Guyana Chronicle in a brief interview on Tuesday. Initially, AFC had hoped to sign off on the revised Cummingsburg Accord by November 10.

According to Patterson, AFC’s Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, wrote President David Granger – the Chairman of the APNU – and indicated “the extent of which discussions can go on.”

Patterson anticipates that the negotiating teams, on Thursday, will discuss the content of the letter sent to President Granger, in his

AFC General Secretary, David Patterson capacity as Chairman of the APNU. Over the past two weeks, President Granger and the AFC leader have been meeting to iron out issues that the negotiating teams were unable to effectively address.

Top on the agenda was the method of nominating the prime ministerial candidate –

an issue which was addressed when the two leaders met at State House on October 31, 2019.

Speaking publicly on the issue last Wednesday, President Granger said when the time is right; he will choose a Prime Ministerial Candidate who will deliver the best results based on nominees recommended.

“I am a prudent and wise leader and I will make a choice which I feel will deliver the best result for the people, the best outcome for the people of Guyana. My objective, and I am sure the objective of the six parties, would be to ensure that Guyana gets the best, and we are working on that,” President Granger told reporters at the Ministry of the Presidency.

Mr. Granger is the Presidential Candidate of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition for

the much-anticipated March 2, 2020 elections. While the coalition has thrown its full support behind him for a second term in Office, the method of identifying a prime ministerial candidate for the coalition has been the subject of active discussion as the APNU and AFC revise the Cummingsburg Accord – the agreement which brought them together ahead of the 2015 elections.

The Head of State maintained that as the Cummingsburg Accord goes under revision, it is important to uphold the Constitution of Guyana.

Under the near expired 2015 Cummingsburg Accord, the two sides had agreed that the APNU would nominate the presidential candidate, and the AFC, the prime ministerial candidate. However, the APNU+AFC presidential candidate has made it clear that it is the President, under the Constitution, who ap-

points a prime minister.

However, reliable sources told the Guyana Chronicle that during the first high-level meeting between President Granger and the Leader of the AFC, the two sides agreed that the AFC would nominate the Prime Ministerial Candidate.

Under Cummingsburg Accord, the APNU was allocated 60 per cent of the seats won by the government in the National Assembly, while the remaining 40 per cent went to the AFC. “Both sides have shifted their starting ratio from 60:40, but no agreement,” the source said.

It was the AFC that had proposed that the 60:40 ratio be maintained, but this was reportedly rejected by the APNU during the talks.

After numerous rounds of negotiations, the 70:30 ratio is now on the table, but the sides have not yet agreed on a formula.

President David Granger Ahead of the negotiation, the APNU and AFC had committed to uphold the Constitution and to ensure that no agreement or action collides with, or contradicts, the articles of the Constitution.

The two sides had also agreed to a number of core principles, and committed to the establishment of a system of inclusionary democracy, and the advancement of the country’s Green State Development Strategy, Vision 2040.

Gov’t in move to fix issues at RUSAL

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 13, 2019

– Minister Trotman says other companies lining up

– workers assured that they will not be left in the cold

By Vanessa Braithwaite MINISTER of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, related that the issue surrounding the Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI), which manages the Russian Aluminum Inc. (RUSAL), and the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers’ Union (GB&GWU), has not missed the government’s attention and it was actually part of major discussion at the level of Cabinet.

A decision, he said, was made to form a sub committee including all of the ministries and agencies that have a stake in the company’s operation.

These include the Ministry of Social Protection, Department of Labour, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, the Ministry of Citizenship and the Guyana Revenue Authority.

He related this news to residents of Kwakwani, at a community meeting on Sunday, after a RUSAL employee expressed his concern over the current situation facing his colleagues. In addressing his concerns, Minister Trotman said that the matter has been in discussion at Cabinet for several weeks and on Thursday, there will be a meeting with the RUSAL’s Board of Directors and a strategy has

already been discussed on what format that meeting will take. “Cabinet has, in fact, agreed to a sub-committee, Ministry of Social Protection, Department of Labour, Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Public Infrastructure because there are aspects there for shipping, roads etc., and Ministry of Citizenship because we are dealing with a lot of foreigners,” he said.

While it has been rumored that RUSAL is in preparation mode to end operations, Trotman said that the government does not have intentions of chasing the company out of Guyana but if it wants to go, there are already other companies that have expressed interest in taking up the slot. “We don’t want to chase RUSAL out of Guyana. At the same time, if they want to go, they can go and there is enough interest being shown, in the mines that RUSAL has, so we will have people to take over.

We want them to stay but they must understand that they must have fairness, [and] equity. We want to ensure they have a good rate of return of investment. We also want to see their workers treated fairly and we also want to earn revenue from their production,” Trotman said.

The operation he said, will always be in demand, since the Kurubuka mines, where RUSAL sources its

major say in this new concession,” he said.

There are currently three bauxite companies in Guyana: RUSAL, Bosai Minerals Group Guyana in Linden and First Bauxite in Region Three, which is preparing to commence its first operation.

While BG&GWU is looking at what is best for the workers, the government is looking at what is best for the country and the company as well.

Presently, GB&GWU and BCGI is in conciliation, with the union standing Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman bauxite, produces one of the best quality of bauxite in the world.

If it is in fact that RUSAL decides to leave and a new company takes over, the Natural Resources Minister said that Guyanese will have a major say in any new concessions.

While it is preferred for mining to be operated by the private sector, he said that the people and the government will, in the future, be integrally involved. In fact, he related that there is another bauxite mine up the Berbice River and a new company is discussion to operate there but the involved agencies will ensure that Guyanese have a major say. “So that is something that is up for discussion..... what we are focusing on is that Guyanese have a

firm on its position that it will not accept no less that eight per cent pay increase for 2019-2020.

The company maintains that it could only pay six per cent. GB&GWU General-Secretary, Lincoln Lewis, said it is only a matter of time before the dispute goes to arbitration. The last conciliation meeting between the two sides, ended in a stalemate. Chief Labour Officer, Charles Ogle, is expected to submit a report on the matter to Minister of Social Protection,

Amna Ally.

The process of wage negotiation started when workers staged a more than a month strike earlier in the year, when the company only offered a two per cent increase and those workers who demonstrated their democratic right, were initially fired.

Workers were also complaining about working conditions they were forced to operate under.

To date, workers have related that many of the issues have not been addressed by the company.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday November 13, 2019

Bolivia seeks new leader as fallen Morales reaches Mexico LA PAZ/MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Bolivia’s former leader Evo Morales landed in Mexico on Tuesday pledging to stay in politics as security forces back home quelled unrest over the long-serving leftist’s resignation and opponents sought an interim replacement to fill a power vacuum.

Thanking Mexico’s government for “saving his life,” Morales arrived to take up asylum in the country and repeated his accusation that his rivals had ousted him in a coup after violence broke out following a disputed election last month.

“As long as I am alive, we will remain in politics,” Morales told reporters in brief comments after disembarking the plane to be met by Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard. Dressed in a short-sleeved

Bolivia’s ousted President Evo Morales waves during his arrival to take asylum in Mexico, in Mexico City, Mexico, November 12, 2019. REUTERS/Edgard Garrido

blue shirt, Morales defended his time in government and said that if he were guilty any crime, it was to be indigenous

and “anti-imperalist.”

Morales was then whisked away in a military helicopter, television footage showed.

Mexican officials have not said where he will stay, citing security concerns. Morales arrived in a Mexican Air Force plane from the central Bolivian town of Chimore, a stronghold of Morales supporters where the country’s first indigenous president retreated as his 14year rule imploded.

The departure of Morales, the last of a wave of leftists who dominated Latin American politics at the start of the century, came after the Organization of American States declared on Sunday that there were serious irregularities during the Oct. 20 vote, prompting ruling party allies to quit and the army to urge him to step down.

Opposition lawmakers wanted to formally accept Morales’ resignation and start planning for a temporary leader ahead of a new vote. But

their plans looked at risk as Morales’ Movement for Socialism (MAS) said it would boycott the meeting. Residents of the highland capital La Paz, rocked by protests and looting since last month’s election, said they hoped politicians would succeed in finally restoring order. “Democracy has been at risk and hopefully it will be resolved today,” said resident Isabel Nadia.

Morales’ flight out was far from simple.

Takeoff was delayed, with supporters surrounding the airport, then the plane was denied permission to fuel in Peru, Ebrard said. So it stopped instead in Paraguay before arriving in Mexico City just after 11 a.m. local time (1700 GMT). “His life and integrity are safe,” Ebrard said, tweeting a photo of Morales alone in the

jet with a downcast expression, displaying Mexico’s red, white and green flag across his lap.

In a region divided along ideological lines over Morales’ fall, Mexico’s leftist government has supported his accusations of a coup. In La Paz, roadblocks were in place after soldiers and police patrolled into the night to stop fighting between rival political groups and looting that erupted after Morales’ resignation.

The charismatic 60-yearold former coca leaf farmer was beloved by the poor when he won power in 2006. But he alienated some by insisting on seeking a fourth term, in defiance of term limits and a 2016 referendum in which Bolivians voted against him being allowed to do that.

Hong Kong universities become ‘battlefields’ as citywide violence spreads HONG KONG (Reuters) Police in Hong Kong battled pro-democracy protesters at several university campuses in sometimes savage clashes, as parts of the city were paralyzed including Hong Kong’s Central financial district that was tear-gassed for a second day running.

The flare-ups occurred a day after police shot an unarmed protester at close range and a man was doused with petrol and set on fire in some of the worst violence since the protests began nearly five months ago in the China-ruled city. At the rural Chinese University near Tai Po, some of the fiercest fighting broke out at night as riot police stormed the campus where hundreds of protesters congregated, firing

a barrage of tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon.

Hundreds of masked protesters, many of them students, hurled back petrol bombs, rocks and bricks, some launched with catapults. After the clashes, dozens of the injured lay sprawled on the ground at a nearby sports pitch.

The chaotic night scenes of explosions, smoke plumes, yelling and sustained gunfire, which left scores of injured students sprawled on the ground, stoked a sense of dread among some who recalled the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown

by Chinese troops on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing.

“The fear among the students is so strong,” said Wing Long, a 25-year-old theology student. “That’s why we’ve

gathered today to stop it from happening.” The police, however, said protesters in the campus had thrown debris and petrol bombs onto a nearby highway linking the Northern New Territories with Kowloon, bringing traffic to a standstill in a haze of tear gas smoke.

The city’s 24 pro-democracy lawmakers condemned the police in a joint statement, saying the nonstop firing of tear gas had turned the campus into a “battlefield,” while urging the international community to speak out for Hong Kong’s youngsters to “prevent the recurrence of the tragedy of 1989.” Medics on the scene told Reuters that at least 60 people were injured. At City University, students in hard hats and gas masks had spent much of

the day barricading the campus, making home-made shields, and stockpiled bricks and petrol bombs on bridges and other approaches. They overran the campus and smashed up glass panels in the adjacent Festival Walk shopping mall and set fire to a giant Christmas tree.

CENTRAL PROTEST Earlier in the day, more than 1,000 protesters, many wearing office clothes and face masks, rallied in Central for a second day during lunch hour, blocking roads below some of the city’s tallest skyscrapers and most expensive real estate.

After they had dispersed, police fired tear gas at the remaining protesters on old, narrow Pedder Street. Police made more than a dozen arrests, many

pinned up on the pavement against the wall of luxury jeweller Tiffany & Co. Police said masked “rioters” had committed “insane” acts, throwing trash, bicycles and other debris on to metro tracks and overhead power lines, paralyzing transport in the former British colony. TV footage showed activists dropping heavy objects from overpasses on to traffic below, just missing a motorcyclist. “Our society has been pushed to the brink of a total breakdown,” Senior Superintendent Kong Wingcheung told reporters.

The demonstrators have been protesting since June against what they believe to be meddling by Beijing in the freedoms guaranteed under the “one country, two systems” formula put in place when the territory returned to China from British rule in 1997. Tough police tactics in response to the unrest have also fueled anger.

China denies interfering and has blamed Western countries including Britain and the United States for stirring up trouble.

Protests and road blockages ran late into the night in multiple districts including Mong Kok, Tin Shui Wai and Tai Po, where a truck was set on fire.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said protesters were being selfish and she hoped that universities and schools would urge students not to take part in the demonstrations. Most universities, and some schools, said they would close again on Wednesday. The Hong Kong Jockey Club said all off-course betting centers would also be closed ahead of Wednesday’s racing at Happy Valley as a safety precaution.

DEADLY FORCE The United States on Monday condemned “unjustified use of deadly force” in Hong Kong and urged police and civilians alike to de-escalate the situation. In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang urged Britain and the United States not to intrude, saying: “Hong Kong affairs are purely China’s internal affairs that allow no foreign interference.” Yang Guang, spokesman for China’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, said China condemned the dousing of the man with petrol and setting him on fire.

He demanded that the person responsible be arrested as soon as possible.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday November 13, 2019

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43 to benefit from First Lady’s second Early Childhood Development Workshop

FORTY THREE persons will benefit from the First Lady’s second Early Childhood Development Workshop. They will be exposed to theoretical and practical training.

Yesterday (Tuesday, November 12) the Office of the First Lady opened the threeweek workshop at the Regency Suites.

The participants, which included two men, were drawn from the Buxton Day-care Centre, the Office of the First Lady, the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG), the Lusignan Learning Centre, the St John’s Bosco Boys Orphanage and Women Across Differences (WAD).

The workshop is spearhead-

Participants in the First Lady’s Early Childhood Development Workshop which opened earlier yesterday at the Regency Suites Hotel.

ed by First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger, in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Protection’s Board of Industrial Training (BIT).

The participants will also benefit from a one-week training session in First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) at the Guyana Red Cross Society.

Facilitator, Paulette Bollers, in her overview, said that the workshop will equip the participants with the basic skills of Early Childhood Development and teach them about the important role they play in the foundation of a child’s growth and development.

“The early moments of a child’s life matter. Your impact

can last a lifetime. Some of these moments may seem small to you, but these moments, big or small, can alter the development of a child’s brain. It is a critical period of a child’s life … People who are working in the Early Childhood Development sectors must be knowledgeable because we cannot make mistakes because if we do, we can damage a child’s future,” she said.

Confidential Secretary to the First Lady, Lieutenant Colonel Yvonne Smith, encouraged participants to complete the workshop, as it would enable them to graduate with an accredited certificate, which they can use to gain employment.

Former art teacher charged with Big Christmas deals at Lucky Dollar attempting to murder neighbour ONE month after Brian Matheson, a former art teacher was remanded to prison for attempting to murder his neighbour, he on Tuesday re-appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ court and pleaded with Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for his freedom.

Matheson, who is suspected to be mentally ill, related to the court the discomfort he has been experiencing since being incarcerated and pleaded with the magistrate to grant him bail.

“I need my freedom. The prison crowded and they only giving people bread and sugar water all day; I can’t even look at people without them getting offended. I can’t even get peace cause every minute they saying Rastaman do this, Rastaman do that,” he explained.

He added that since incar-

cerated, he uses his spare time to sketch portraits of persons.

“Your worship I have a portrait of you and I would like for you to have it.”

Magistrate McLennan then collected the portrait after which she stated, “This is the third portrait of me you have done. Thanks, please don’t do anymore.”

It is alleged that 44-yearold Matheson, on September 27, 2019, at Wortmanville, Georgetown, wounded Ronald Bettencourt with intent to murder him. Matheson, who is unrepresented by counsel, was not required to plead to the indictable charge. In his defence, he told the court that Bettencourt had attacked him first and threatened his life.

Additionally, he stated that he had made several reports to the police about Bettencourt, but he

was ignored.

However, Police Prosecutor Neville Jeffers stated that on the day in question, Matheson armed himself with a kitchen knife, went into Bettencourt’s yard and stabbed him to the abdomen. Bettencourt was rushed to the Georgetown Hospital where he was admitted; meanwhile, Matheson was arrested and charged.

The prosecutor objected to bail being granted due to the serious nature of the offence and the fact that the victim was still hospitalised and was in a critical condition.

Magistrate McLennan, after listening to the prosecutor, remanded Matheson to prison until November 16, 2019, and ordered a psychiatric evaluation for him.

THE Lucky Dollar Regent Street Store, on Tuesday, launched its Christmas promotion called Lucky Credit Week (LCW) and Road Show.

Chain Manager of Lucky Dollar, Pamela Humphrey, said that the promotion which commenced yesterday (November 12) at the Regent Street Store will continue today at the same venue. The promotion offers customers great deals, which include savings up to 68% on all purchases of specially identified products.

Humphrey stated that the LCW and Road Show was about encouraging the customers. Customers were required to provide information relating to address, income and identification.

She added that, for the customers who were already credit customers with Lucky Dollar, only an identification card/

The brand new Nissan Juke

passport was needed. A onedollar-down arrangement was in place.

“On this road show customers who open a 24-month contract get a free gift additional to all the deals we have in store; customers who open a 36-month contract get a free gift plus a five-thousand-dollar bounty grocery voucher,” Humphrey said.

There is also the big Christmas deal ‘Drive for the Christmas’. When one shops $49,999

and over, one will get a chance to win a brand new Nissan Juke valued more than $ 3M. The promotion schedule for other Lucky Dollar outlets is listed below. Schedule: Lucky Dollar Grove East Bank Demerara on Thursday 14, 2019. Lucky Dollar Vreed-en-hoop on Friday 15, 2019. Lucky Dollar Mon Repos East Coast Demerara on Saturday 16, 2019. This promotion ends on December 20, 2019.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday November 13, 2019

Youth Empowerment

GOVERNMENT’s commitment to youth empowerment, development and personal advancement is beyond question. The administration’s comprehensive programmes and initiatives are clearly aimed at elevating our youth, giving them the knowledge, skills, and motivation to create better lives for themselves; adequately provide for their families; positively contribute to the development of their communities, and, thereby, have good, satisfying lives.

Since the youth of today will be the leaders of tomorrow, the administration’s determination to focus on Guyana’s young people not only makes sense, but is vital to the security of the future of our country.

The fact is self-evident that an educated, qualified, empowered young person is more likely to obtain a satisfying, stable, secure, and well-paying job than one who lacks skills which are in demand by society. President David Granger evidently recognises the importance of having good jobs. It should be noted that a good job not only refers to working for a big company, but it also includes having what it takes to start a business and be successful at it.

His Excellency has repeatedly emphasised that the future of any society is heavily dependent on the actions of its young people. The president said too, “We inherited [Guyana] from our forefathers and we must pass it on to you [young people], who will inherit this land and we must not destroy it; and when you get it you must not destroy it, but protect it and pass it on to your children too.”

In the case of Guyana, with our geographically, politically, ethnically, and culturally diverse circumstances, government has a duty to ensure that all the country’s youth, across all regions, have equitable opportunities to contribute to the development of their communities, regions, and ultimately the nation. And the APNU+AFC administration is certainly taking action to ensure that Guyana’s youth are equipped to obtain good jobs.

President David Granger’s visionary approach, of course, emphasises education. A record $170 billion has been invested with a further $52 billion allocated for 2019. Those, and similar investments are already bearing fruit; some 15,000 jobs have been created so far through GO-Invest programmes alone. 1,800 new teachers have been trained. The

President’s innovative 5Bs programme has provided 1,400 bikes, 29 buses and 10 boats for school transportation. That transformative undertaking now allows thousands of hinterland children to attend school daily. Those children now have the opportunity to have productive lives through secure employment when they grow up. Since taking office, the APNU+AFC administration has reduced the school-dropout rate by some 58 per cent in the case of primary schools, and 25 per cent in secondary schools.

Children who may be less academically inclined are not being left out; some 25,000 youths have received training, or are being trained in everything from carpentry to robotics, welding to financial literacy--and progress continues.

Investing in Guyana’s young people is vital to our country’s future development. No amount of oil money can ensure that citizens have a good life if our population is illiterate. As it is, our young people are being afforded the opportunity to acquire the knowledge, skills, and wisdom to prudently manage Guyana’s affairs; we simply cannot afford to go backward. Together, we must continue to work to keep Guyana moving forward.

This hasty generalisation on Off-campus speech by a student is an undecided legal matter cash transfer must be rejected Dear Editor

Dear Editor,

PERMIT my brief response to Mr Anthony Pantlitz’s letter published in the Monday, November 4, 2019 edition of the Stabroek News, under the caption: “Impressed with Professor Thomas but we still differ on cash transfer.”

Editor, your letter-writer may have attended the WPA symposium on cash transfers to Guyanese households, held at the Critchlow Labour College a few months ago.

I recognised him from the reasons he gives for his opposition to the proposal. In a previous letter published in the SN (Oct 10, 2019) captioned, “Giving people free money never worked,” he had expressed the said position stated in his recent letter: “... From my experience growing up, I witnessed how my family behaved when we received large sums of money.” He continued, “My father used it to buy more alcohol, which led to him being more physically and verbally abusive to us. For my family, a large sum of money was a blessing and curse.” On the basis of this evidence, Mr Pantlitz’s family experience has a profound and lasting

impression on him. I am in no position to challenge the accuracy of his contention on how his family dealt with money. That confirmation can only be done by his family members.

However, his generalisation that poor people, “collectively” will do as his family did when it received large sums of money must be rejected, since life experiences of the vast majority of the poor in Guyana tell the opposite story. I am contending, contrary to what Pantlitz claims, the majority of poor households used monies--small or large--in a responsible way.

In this letter, I have chosen to ignore the other social prejudicial issues he raised in relation to the alleged effects cash transfers would have on the poor. However, I would like to comment on his repeated use of “free money” to describe the payment of an oil dividend to Guyanese, the true owners of Guyana’s natural resources. The poor and working classes are in their present socio-economic condition because of colonial exploitation, past governments’ policies -- the policy of state capitalism, structural adjustment and ‘Washington

consensus (neo-liberal economic). When government had little money, the poor and working classes bore the blunt of economic adjustment; now that the fiscal position is favourable it is only right, fair and just that these groups be compensated for their loss of earnings from devaluation, retrenchment, wage and employment freezes. So no Mr Pantlitz, the direct oil dividend is not free, but has been paid for by the blood, sweat and tears of the poor and working masses.

In closing, in spite of my disagreement with Mr Anthony Pantlitz’s advocacy against cash transfers, I do appreciate his interest in the proposal that was demonstrated in his letter. His uncompromising opposition against cash transfers, in spite of having participated in an event where persons present overwhelmingly demonstrated their support for the proposal, seems to have had no effects on his zeal to indict hundreds of thousands of people based on his unfortunate family experience.

Regards Tacuma Ogunseye

I DRAW the attention of your readers to the matter involving the UG student recently accused of making “nasty” racist remarks against Afro-Guyanese on Facebook. Several, including the President of the University of Guyana Student Society and the university administration, have expressed their views on the appropriate way to sanction the student. I have not seen the student’s actual comments, nor have I seen his reported apology. But even with that handicap, I wish to venture into the legal minefield to discuss the extent that such “racist rants” are protected by our constitutional right to freedom of speech and, therefore, the extent that the student is outside the penalising reach of the university administration and the state.

I rely heavily here on the verdict of a U.S. circuit court, issued just last week, which conveniently summarises the state of the law in the U.S. regarding the limits to on-campus and off-campus speech by students (https:// www.courtlistener.com/opinion/4675568/zulema-longoria-v-san-benito-indep-consch-dist/ Zulema Longoria v. San Benito Indep Con Sch Dist – CourtListener. com Opinion for Zulema Longoria v. San Benito Indep

Con Sch Dist — Brought to you by Free Law Project, a non-profit organisation dedicated to creating high-quality, open legal information. www.courtlistener.com ).

U.S. jurisprudence on the issue starts by recognising that, as citizens, access of students to all constitutional rights (including freedom of speech) does not diminish when they pass through the campus gates or sit in the classrooms. Secondly, it recognises that, apart from the general restrictions placed on such rights for all citizens, a student’s freedom of speech and other rights must be further tempered. This is due to the fact that schools and campuses have a teaching and learning mission, which requires a special environment devoid of disruption and disorder. Taken together, these two considerations serve to outlaw certain activities and behaviours of students on U.S. campuses, such as noisy protest marches. Not that that has stopped such demonstrations.

The on-campus legal situation is clear. The same thinking extends to school-sponsored activities off-site. The education mission of the school continues to limit the rights of students.

The more difficult question is the rights of students when they are off-campus engaged in their own activities on their own time. This is the case here with the UG student who was spouting

racist remarks during his own free time on social media.

Can the university penalise him? Alas, the U.S. Supreme Court is yet to rule on this, with such cases left to the individual judgments of U.S. circuit courts. A consensus, however, seems to have emerged in the U.S.: should a student (off-campus and on his or her private time) say or do something, the impact of which disrupts or could reasonably be projected to disrupt the teaching environment in his/her school, that student could face punishment by the school. The fact that social media allows hate and other deplorable speech to be widely circulated, such a law or university rule, if implemented, puts a tight noose around what students could safely post online.

Of course, Guyana has the Racial Hostility Act “for preventing conduct tending to excite hostility or ill-will against persons by reason of their race.” But given what I am told about the level of racial nastiness on Facebook (as a non-user myself), our authorities apparently think it best to turn a blind eye. As for the university, it should first publish a clear policy for on-campus and off-campus student behaviour that respects the rights of students and its need to fulfil its own educational mission.

Regards Sherwood Lowe

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday November 13, 2019

The Victoria gathering: re-affirmation of African-Guyanese spirit to overcome, and socio-economic emancipation

Dear Editor

NAME a country in which dangerous media mischief -- of all kinds -- have carved out an immoral political niche for their own selfish, and politically vested interests and I will unhesitatingly shout ‘’Guyana!’’

Editor, the well-known DemeraraWaves online newsite has again underlined its capacity for such disingenuous reporting, with reference to a captioned report, “Bulk of oil wealth to trickle down to ordinary

Guyanese – Granger.” This was with reference to President Granger addressing a mammoth gathering of African Guyanese at the Victoria Community Centre ground, on the occasion of the 180th anniversary celebration of the founding of the historic village of Victoria.

Indeed, it was a grand occasion, a national milestone that was being celebrated for a movement that had given birth, setting the stage for the socio-economic structure that is now modern local government in Guyana;

every succeeding existing village in our country owes its establishment because of this example; and it was constructed on the sweat, blood, and bones; hardships, sacrifice, dexterity, visionary thrift, and determination by their immediate successors.

These successors had been determined to survive the hostile post-slavery environment, which the former colonial slave holders/planters had sought to perpetuate to frustrate the future budding aspirations of a people seeking to chart their own

Dharamlall indulged in personal attacks rather than address the substantive issue Dear Editor AFTER reading PPP/C MP Nigel Dharamlall’s response to Liberty and Justice Party(LJP) leader Lenox Shuman publicly stated allegations against him, one could not have avoided concluding that it was a response script true to tradition -- PPP/C style.

Rather than seek to rebut Shuman in convincing fashion, Dharamlall resorted to personal attacks, and even attempted political blackmail when he stated in his response “...I do possess a tremendous lot of credible information on Shuman that can cause his political aspirations to quickly dissipate, but I will not indulge in a tit for tat with someone who is currently an imposter and not yet qualified to stand for public office in Guyana.”

Editor, I hold no brief for Shuman, except to say that once there are accusatory factors that are made against any public figure -- and this includes Dharamlall -- they must answer the public in a satisfactory manner; for, after all, they are aspirants to both public office and national leadership. Therefore, Dharamlall should have demanded that Shuman answer his accusers and not wait for the elapse of time to use it as ammunition in his own defence of allegations made against him, when he had functioned in the capacity of a senior public servant.

Editor, for Dharamlall to state, “It was only last year this very Chronicle carried articles detailing Shuman’s mismanagement of his village council and village affairs …Now, the Guyana Chronicle has become the trumpet of Shuman, which clearly establishes a formal link between Shuman and the PNC – led APNU.’’ Of course, the Chroni-

cle did carry the complaint against Shuman, as it did publicise his recent complaint against Dharamlall; AND AS IT HAS ALSO FOR BALANCE AND OBJECTIVE REPORTING, ACCEPTED DHARAMLALL’S MISSIVE AS RESPONSE TO SHUMAN’S. After all, the Chronicle is a public medium funded by taxpayers, and is therefore obliged to function in the name of the public and not in the name of any political party; and being nasty and vindictive to critics through vicious, personal attacks as had been the culture during the PPP/C’s regime. Nigel Dharamlall is too aware of this media criminality to be writing such shameless prejudice.

It is asinine for Dharamlall to seek to link Shuman with the PNC, because of the Chronicle’s acceptance of his letter for publication; and even if his discussions with the APNU segment of the coalition were unsuccessful, he has shown an understanding and acknowledgement that coalition and inclusivity should be the way forward for national politics, and not the politics of ethnic domination, as practised by the PPP/C. In fact, one must also understand Dharamlall’s attacks on Shuman, using his response to Shuman’s letter to vent, perhaps, vitriol on behalf of the PPP/C, at the LJP leader’s disclosure of a ‘back door’ attempt by the PPP/C to hold discussions with the LJP. This was the classical PPP/C attempt to continue its well-known strategy of dividing Indigenous peoples, while attempting to insert its penchant for dominance. It is obvious that Shuman would have thwarted such subter-

fuge, thus demanding that he be respected as party leader, and be allowed to chart his party’s independent course.

Perhaps, this line of action must have been the cause of the PPP/C rejecting his invitation?

Finally, one wonders what kind of “high ground’’ with the PPP/C is Dharamlall talking about, especially his claim of continuing ‘’to serve my country with unwavering distinction.’’ This is a case of the communist mindset, where its adherents place themselves in total, self-induced delusion. Dharamlall has proven to be a very good example of this mental characteristic of communism.

Yes, the PPP/C did stand on high ground, but with a rotten record of governance, second to none in the history of CARICOM; and as to Dharamlall’s declaratory intent of serving “my country with unwavering distinction,’’ has to be one of the great political jokes of an extraordinary political season being experienced by this country. Is Dharamlall implying also that he had served his former ministry with distinction?

If he indeed had done so, Indigenous peoples and their communities would have been far better, socio-economically, when the Granger administration ascended to office. It has been the task of the APNU+AFC coalition to bring Indigenous peoples and their hinterland communities from horrible sub-standard environmental conditions to a greater level of sustainable living and development.

This has been highlighted by the numerous hinterland initiatives which continue to enhance their lives and communities.

Regards Carla Mendonca

destiny.

It meant that every Guyanese, particularly those of African descent, had a right to be there, for the historic day of celebration, even if it means that “Several hundreds of them were bussed in from Berbice, East Bank, West Demerara, and East Coast Demerara villages.” Therefore, the thousands gathered were a re-affirmation of the African spirit to overcome and to begin the final journey for socio-economic emancipation Editor, that I have sought

to refer to this issue is because I suspect a glint of media mischief here in the DemeraraWaves story, given the fact that bussing in citizens for especially political occasions has always been cause for criticisms, especially given their nature.

Let me say, without any apology, that what took place at Victoria last Saturday was a national event, historical in every way, and one of which every Guyanese, especially African Guyanese, should be proud, and therefore had a right to be present at that historical place for com-

memorative activities, even if it means being bussed in.

Therefore, it was not a political party event as perhaps DemeraraWaves seems to want to infer, by its reference to the hundreds being bussed in for the event.

DemeraraWaves must be reminded that the event itself was much bigger than its mischievous attempt at subtly hinting at use of taxpayers’ money, in another attempt to besmirch the coalition government.

Regards Mark Da costa

8

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Brazilian family homeless after fire guts home

THREE Brazilian nationals who reside at 41b Oronoque and Lamaha streets are homeless after a fire destroyed the upper flat of their home.

The fire reportedly started at 04:58hrs on the veranda of the home.

The distraught family who was unable to save any of their belongings from the building before it was completely engulfed in flames, declined to speak to members of the media.

Divisional Officer with responsibility for operations, Gregory Wickham, said that the Guyana Fire Service responded to the blaze with four tenders.

Division Officer with responsibility for operations, Gregory Wickham (Adrian Narine Photo).

Although the building was engulfed firefighters were able to contain the fire into one building and were able to prevent it from spreading to any of the neighbouring buildings.

However the building was severely damaged internally.

Further, he related that no one was injured during the fire. “No injury sustained by anyone. Initially, the firefighters, on arriving, were informed that the fire was in the veranda George Russo the neighbour of the fire victims

A fireman tries to control the blaze area, and so that’s where we are picking up the lead from the investigators.

They are on scene and currently they are carrying out investigative work.

The result of that will be made manifest to the public by the chief fire officer,” the officer related.

A neighbor, George Russo, said he used three fire extinguishers in an attempt to put out the inferno, but to no avail. “I was alerted that there was a fire

next door and I ran across and alerted a Brazilian.

She was downstairs when she realised that there was a fire. She really did not know what to do,” Russo said.

The man added that he entered the building with a fire extinguisher and made several attempts to put out the fire but the blaze became too much for him to handle.

“I ran back home collected another fire

extinguisher ran inside got pass the dogs and started with the fire, first extinguisher finish fire contained a bit, ran back out came back for more extinguishers get back in the home by that time the fire was a little bit more blazing, second extinguisher finished and the third reached about half and the fire started to spread all over my head,” Russo recounted.

Guyanese youths with disabilities benefitting from Stimulation Centre CHILDREN, adolescents and youth with disabilities in Guyana are currently benefitting from a Regional Centre for their stimulation. The Regional Stimulation Centre (RSC) performs the function of a disabilities/special education diagnostic facility as well as treatment centre and a training centre.

The main objective of the Regional Centre is to provide care for children, adolescents and youth with disabilities through the facilitation of training for teachers and care-givers.

To date, one batch of Guyanese nationals have received training from Cuban specialists. The training programme covered, among other areas, psychological and pedagogical assessments, prevention and early stimulation and the inter/ multi-disciplinary approach for diagnosis and treatment of individuals. A second group is currently being trained.

While the RSC is located in Guyana,

it was developed with the expectation that all CARICOM Member States would have access to the services and training offered. With this in mind, the CARICOM Secretariat hosted , on November 5- 6, 2019, at its Headquarters in Guyana, a consultation with practitioners engaged in work in the field of special needs and disabilities from across the Region, to chart the way forward, with respect to wider regional access to the Centre.

Specifically, the purpose of the consultation was to inform participants on the progress that has been made in relation to the establishment of the Centre, engage the wider Caribbean Community working with children with special needs in examining the curriculum being used at the Centre, and receive recommendations, as necessary, to ensure goodness of fit of the services and training being offered with the wider Regional needs According to Meeting Organiser and

Coordinator, Health and Human Development at the CARICOM Secretariat, Beverly Reynolds, the consensus at the meeting was that the initiative was needed across the Region. She said further that the programme had the potential to sensitise and equip persons who may be working in schools in practising inclusivity of all students (those with or without disabilities and special educational needs) but may not have been exposed to training for children with special education needs. The training would help teachers recognise children who may have learning disabilities and help them with planning interventions to advance the teaching – learning experience of such students.

She said the way forward was to acquire national and/or regional accreditation for the programme and outlined that a task force would be established to craft additions to the curriculum, as

recommended by the participants, so that its utility to the entire Region could be enhanced.

The proposal for the establishment of a Regional Centre was a direct result of discussions at the Fourth CARICOM-Cuba Summit (2011), where a number of initiatives aimed at strengthening CARICOM-Cuba programme of Cooperation were proposed by the Cuban Government.

Following this, the Fifteenth Meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), held in Suriname (May, 2012) agreed that the Government of Guyana would take the lead role in the project for the creation of the Stimulation Centre and in December 2016 a Tripartite Agreement among the Republic of Cuba, the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) was signed.

‘Fruitful talks’

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 13, 2019

… Gov’t, GPSU hold talks on pay hike, allowances

MINISTER of Social Protection Amna Ally, along with Minister of State Dawn Hastings-Williams and Minister of Public Service Tabitha Sarabo-Halley on Tuesday met with top leaders of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) to discuss enhanced remuneration and other benefits for public servants.

Attending the meeting for the GPSU were the President, Mr. Patrick Yarde, and VicePresident Ms. Dawn Gardener. The meeting was held at Minister Ally’s East and Lamaha Streets office. According to the Department of Public Information (DPI), the meeting was cordial and fruitful.

The much-anticipated salary increase announcement for 2019, Minister of Finance Winston Jordan said, will be made this week.

While not stating the exact amount public servants will receive, the finance minister said that it will reflect a more than 75 per cent increase in wages and salaries for the period 2015-2019.

“Look at the space of time. We started increasing salaries from the first of July 2015. And the last increase was retroactive to January 1, 2018,” Minister Jordan said, adding: “In two-and-a-half years, we would have increased salaries by over 64 per cent.

By the time we are finished with salaries for this year, I can guarantee you that between July 1, 2015 and January 1, 2019, it will be over 75 per cent increase.”

The increase, he assured his audience, will be paid retroactive from January 2019.

Minister Jordan was at the time address-

ing residents of Kwakwani at a community outreach held at the Kwakwani Workers’ Club. He was accompanied by Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman.

Over the last four years, public servants have benefited from a more than 60 per cent increase in wages and salaries, and more than 50 per cent increase in the minimum wage.

In 2018, government had approved increases for all public servants, ranging from 0.5 per cent to 7 per cent. He had also presented a $300.7B budget for 2019, an increase of 12.6 per cent when compared with 2018.

While expressing his satisfaction with government’s achievements since taking office in 2015, the finance minister said that more could have been done for Guyanese, if

the government was not burdened with over $40B in payout to the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). “If I had that money, you know what I could have done with it; I could have done many, many things, certainly substantial development,” Minister Jordan told the residents.

Notwithstanding the challenges he faced, the Finance Minister assured the residents of Kwakwani that the future is bright for not only public servants but all Guyanese, with the Oil-and-Gas Industry on the horizon.

In this regard, he urged the residents of Kwakwani and, by extension all Guyanese, not to be shortsighted, but to give the government a chance to finish the business of providing a better quality of life for them.

Proposal made for H2H data to be added to revised list THERE has been a proposal by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Secretariat for new transactions from the house-tohouse registration to be added to the Revised List of Electors (RLE).

Of the 370,000 transactions from the exercise, a first batch of 179,000 has been received from which there are 29,082 new transactions.

Chair of the Commission, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh told the media on Tuesday that while the commission has not yet received the second batch of crossmatched names from the exercise, it hopes to receive the same by the coming Tuesday.

Speaking to the proposal made, Commissioner Vincent

Alexander said, “One of the matters discussed today was using the house-to-house data for the purpose of the preparation of the Revised List in which circumstance, the data would be used so that someone who was involved in house-to-house, who is not a new registrant, would only be affected if the person provided new information in the house-to-house.”

He explained that the only reason a person’s information from the houseto-house exercise would be affected is if he or she had made a change in addresses or claim. The names of these individuals have been up at GECOM’s various offices for public scrutiny.

However, as expressed in

Commissioner Sase Gunraj

Commissioner Vincent Alexander

the past, Commissioner Sase Gunraj is displeased with the proposal to incorporate the house-to-house data.

Gunraj does not believe that the information has been

subject to “public scrutiny” as no order was given when the data was placed at the various GECOM offices to inform the public. He is also displeased that no

objections were entertained by the commission on the house-to-house data during the Claims and Objections (C&O) period. On the other hand, Singh has maintained that the commission is within its right to utilise the data during the C&O period.

She referenced the August 2019 decisions of Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire in a case challenging the constitutionality of registration exercise in which she ruled that the Constitution and the Laws of Guyana provide for the conduct of house-to-house registration as a form of verification.

“Going back to the Chief Justice’s decision where she spoke about verification of

the list…[it was said that] we can verify the list even in conjunction with the houseto-house or separately,” the Chair said.

This house-to-house data, being lawful, the Chair stated that she decided that every entry from the data, following cross-matching, would be posted for public scrutiny.

Had the house-to-house exercise gone uninterrupted, the Chair stated that there would have been no need for the verification process.

However, she noted that she cut short the exercise because of the ruling that GECOM had no legal authority to retire names from the National Register of Registrants Database (NRRDB).

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Coalition gov’t will use oil resources wisely

… AG tells Washington Times PPP took care of family, friends and cronies

THE long-impoverished South American nation is striking it rich as Exxon Mobil taps new off-shore oil wells that analysts say could turn Guyana into the world’s No. 1 per capita oil power in five years.

But the massive revenue surge brings with it risks that the tiny country may fall victim to the dreaded “resource curse” that has bedeviled other resource-rich countries in the past. The Guyanese need only look across the border at the cautionary tale provided by Venezuela. Whether Guyana, where 1 in 3 live in poverty, becomes the next Norway or goes the way of Venezuela “will depend on who has custody of the distribution of the new oil

and gas wealth,” said the nation’s attorney general, Basil Williams.

On a visit to Washington last week to tout the country’s anti-corruption and social development programmes, Mr. Williams argued Guyanese President David Granger is well aware of the dangers that could undermine the nation’s transformation.

Since coming to power four years ago, the Granger administration has “embarked on a very strong anti-corruption drive,” Mr. Williams told The Washington Times. “When we took over, we inherited massive corruption.”

The left-wing People’s Progressive Party (PPP) that held power for the previous 23 years “just

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mr. Basil Williams on November 4th, 2019, participated in the opening session of the World Bank Group, “Law, Justice and Development Week 2019 “at the World Bank Headquarters, Washington DC. took care of family, close friends and cronies,” the attorney general said. “They really impoverished the people of the country.”

Exxon will begin pumping oil off Guyana’s coast by next year — a reality that’s fueling some serious political infighting in the former British colony’s capital, where the PPP still holds significant parliamentary seats.

The opposition accuses Mr. Granger, a retired Afro-Guyanese military commander, of being no less corrupt than past governments and of giving the U.S. energy giant overly generous contracts since 2015. Such allegations are expected to be front and center in elections slated for March 2020. Mr. Williams noted that when Mr. Granger came into office, Guyana was on the blacklist of the Paris-based international financial crime-fighting group the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). “We were blacklisted because of the state of the economy, the presence of money launderers and narco-traffickers. We were virtually seen as a narco-state,” the attorney general said.

Guyana got off the FATF list in January 2017 and the reason, according to Mr. Williams, is that “we have substantially reduced the element of corruption.” In addition to establishing budgetary independence for the nation’s judiciary, he said, the Granger government has pushed through whistleblower protections to prevent reprisals against officials spotlighting corruption.

The government has also created a natural resource fund, requiring the current and future governments to preserve a portion of oil profits annually and begun pushing a “green state development strategy” aimed at using oil boom profits to build infrastructure that harnesses wind, solar and hydro resources for Guyana’s own domestic energy needs. The goal, said Mr. Williams, is for Guyana to become like Norway — a major oil producer whose own people use “green power.”

But the transition promises to be tricky.

A recent New York Times report described the nation of about 800,000 as

a “vast, watery wilderness with only three paved highways,” where “children in remote areas go to school in dugout canoes.” The answer, according to Mr. Williams, is basic: “Education.” The president “believes education makes the nation and that no child should be left behind,” the attorney general said, outlining a government initiative since inking Exxon contracts to promote what began as the “three B’s.”

Mr. Williams and other Guyanese officials are wary of the economic mismanagement and political corruption that grips neighbouring Venezuela after years of socialist governance funded by oil revenues. “We’re very concerned about what’s happening next door in terms of the meltdown,” Guyanese Ambassador to Washington Riyad Insanally told The Washington Times.

“We have between 35,000 and 40,000 Venezuelans coming over [the border], and we are attending to their needs as a humanitarian gesture, … but they come in bringing severe security concerns.” (Washington Times)

11

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Cuba to increase rice imports from Guyana

CUBA is expected to purchase additional tonnes of rice from Guyana by January 2020, Minister of Business Haimraj Rajkumar has said.

He said he came by the information while talking with Cuban President Miguel

exclusively from Guyana.

He is also very interested in our Eco-Tourism in terms of a multi-destination package which will see visitors from Guyana travelling to Cuba, and visitors from Cuba travelling to Guyana. I think that it’s a fantastic idea, and

by 2020,” he said, adding: I am happy that we are getting into the Cuban market; I am sure that our rice farmers in Guyana would benefit from this venture.”

Minister Rajkumar also told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that during

‘expo’,” Minister Rajkumar said, “patrons were very interested in our booth.

During that time, we held meetings with South Africa and Kenya, where they were sensitised about Guyana and the goods and services we have to offer.”

Cuban President Miguel Diaz Carnel, left, and Guyana’s Minister of Business Haimraj Rajkumar

Minister of Business Haimraj Rajkumar meeting with Cuba’s First Vice-Minister of Tourism, Luis Miguel Diaz Sanchez. With them are Guyana’s Ambassador to Cuba Halim Majeed (left), and members of the Cuban delegation at the fair Díaz-Canel during a recent visit to Cuba as part of a local delegation to the Havana International Fair (FIHAV) 2019.

“His Excellency [President Miguel Díaz-Canel] has indicated his interest in continuing to purchase rice from Guyana,” Minister Rajkumar said, adding: “He has disclosed to me an allocation in his 2020 budget has been set aside as part of his budget to purchase rice

that the relationship between Guyana and Cuba will even grow stronger.”

Minister Rajkumar also said that during a meeting with the company, Al-Imports, he learnt that they too will be increasing their quota of rice from Guyana. “The President of Al-Import has indicated to me that in addition to the amount of rice that they would normally purchase, they will be increasing that amount by 29,000 tonnes

a meeting with representatives of the Cuban Private Sector Commission, both sides expressed an interest in having discussions particularly on matters pertaining to the agriculture sector.

During his sojourn to Cuba, Minister Rajkumar reportedly met with the First Vice-Minister of Tourism, Luis Miguel Diaz Sanchez where the two talked at length about the potential of Ecotourism. “During the

E’bo man remanded for unlawful, malicious wounding AN Essequibo man charged with unlawful and malicious wounding was on Tuesday arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Twenty-one-year-old Vivian Christian was not required to plead to the indictable charge which stated that on November 7, 2019, at Stone Hill Backdam, Cuyuni River, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Rayesh Lall.

According to Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield, the defendant and virtual complainant know each other and on the day in question, the two men had

Vivian Christian a misunderstanding. Consequently, Christian broke a beer bottle and dealt the

virtual complainant several stabs to the neck and face.

Lall was rushed to the Suddie Hospital and was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he is a patient.

Prosecutor Mansfield objected to bail being granted Christian because Lall is still hospitalized; additionally, according to the prosecutor, Christian gave the police and the court two different addresses.

Magistrate McLennan remanded Christian to prison and transferred the matter to the Bartica Magistrates’ Court for November 21, 2019.

The Havana International Fair (FIHAV), first held in 1983, is an annual international trade festival, and this year coincides with the celebration of Havana’s 500th anniversary as a town.

The five-day fair was held from November 4-8 at the EXPOCUBA Exhibition Site in the Cuban capital, Havana.

FIHAV is the largest international fair for trade and investment in Cuba, and attracts delegations from all across Latin America and the Caribbean, as it provides an excellent business platform for new companies in the market and those that have already been established. (DPI)

12

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Workers of Troy Resources ‘fed up’ –– see PPP hands in delayed restart of operations WORKERS of Troy Resources Guyana Inc. say they are frustrated and unsure about their future on the job as they are not hearing from any official of the company regarding the way forward.

Some of the workers believe that the issue has turned into a political game, and that former Chief Labour Officer under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government, Mohammed Akeel, is manipulating the situation.

The Guyana Chronicle was unsuccessful on Tuesday in its attempt to reach out to Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the company, Ken Nilsson, for comment on the matter.

On November 5, the company sent out its latest memo to workers in which it said that the intention is to resume its operations as soon as possible but workers are calling for a definite timeline

by which they can resume mining.

“It’s not the first time that we got that kind of news.

We’ve been hearing about the resumption of work a while now, but with no timeline attached to it. The government gave the ok to resume long ago but the company keeps postponing it, so we don’t know where to turn,” an employee, who requested to remain anonymous, told the Guyana Chronicle.

This employee, along with two others, who were interviewed by the Guyana Chronicle recently, insisted that their identity not be mentioned because of the vindictive nature of the company.

Company officials would often tell them to leave the job if they are unsatisfied with the conditions there, owing to the stack of applications that they have on hand.

SCARY MOMENTS This particular worker had more than one close calls in the past and is thankful that they all occurred during the day shift so that he could have seen the danger and leave the site.

Those working the night shift may not be as fortunate, he opined, as lighting sometimes come only from the equipment in use.

“Three guys nearly died a month before this latest incident, and the company didn’t want anyone to know about it. They don’t document the ‘near misses’ with the relevant authorities, and because of the high salaries that they offer, workers are scared to talk.

“I don’t care what the politicians do, but I need for Troy Resources to either let us return to work as soon as possible, or pay us off our benefits, so we can get back to earning for our families elsewhere,” the employee

said.

A second worker expressed that he is not receiving any income at the moment even though he has his family to care for, along with bills and even loans that he has to pay.

“No one is telling us anything and the CEO doesn’t stick to his word, or when he is cornered, he says that’s not what he meant.

I’m also worried he would pick himself up and leave the country without telling us anything.”

A third employee told the Guyana Chronicle that his life is at a standstill and he has others depending on him.

“I owe people. I owe the bank. We are being dragged out so to speak.

We do not know what’s next.”

ROGUE AGITATORS Meanwhile, in its most recent memo to employees, Nilsson said going forward the company needs ev-

eryone on board without separate agendas.

“Unfortunately, we still have rogue agitators spreading rumours in the public domain and who have no knowledge, a poor understanding and a lack of facts.

As a company and team, we need to avoid these people and set them straight... the bad mouthing by employees and others must stop if we are… to succeed.”

Nilsson said he would be able to make a decision on restarting in the near future, depending on clearance and issuing of some additional documentation.

“I know that most of our employees are hardworking, honest and genuine people, supporting Troy. However, some set themselves be to be envied by a vocal and sometimes threatening minority.

For those that continually complain, please bear in mind your entitlement to find work somewhere else if you are not happy here,” Nilsson stated, adding: “In the end we are probably victims of an unstable social environment attacked by greedy and

malicious people putting their own interests before those of Troy.”

He reminded workers of the fact that his company provides a modem camp with air-conditioned accommodations, sporting facilities, three hot meals daily and about the highest comparative salaries in Guyana. “Plus a salary increase of E1.5 per cent over the past three years. Add to this, an excellent 14 days on seven days of work roster with transport from Georgetown; a camp providing movies, adherence to local traditions and providing an employee area to have a beer and socialise at the end of the day.”

Nilsson said because the company provides so much to its employees, he feels some persons believe that the company is “soft target.”

“What we need is open and genuine professional dealings with stakeholders based on truth and respect instead of bad mouthing, threats… and misrepresentation.”

It will soon be six weeks since the workers are off the job.

Sophia man confesses to murdering brother THIRTY-YEAR-OLD Orin Jules formerly of ‘D’ Field Sophia, on Tuesday, confessed to killing his younger brother during a brawl in 2016.

Jules appeared before Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Demerara High Court for murder, but opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.

Orin Jules admitted that on June 18, 2016, at ‘D’ Field Sophia, he murdered his younger brother, 23-year-old Dexter Jules.

He will return to court on November 19, 2019, for sentencing.

Orin Jules was previously charged with other criminal offences, including break and enter and larceny. He also has a history of threatening to kill his family members and was convicted before the same court for threatening to murder his mother and his siblings.

According to reports, on June 18, 2016, Orin and his younger brother were involved in a heated argument at their Sophia

Orin Jules home. It is alleged that Orin picked up a knife and stabbed his brother several times in his chest. Dexter was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

Orin was apprehended by public-spirited persons and was handed over to the police after they found him hiding in a clump of bushes nearby.

The Guyana Chronicle had earlier reported that Dexter Jules, who operated

Dead: Dexter Jules a shop when he was not mining in the interior, was conducting his day-to-day duties at his Sophia shop when his brother attempted to take something without asking.

“Orin de want something from de shop, but when Dexter stop he from coming in, he pull out a knife and stab him three times to his heart,” a relative said. Dexter leaves to mourn his six other siblings, wife and two children.

13

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Over 13,000 objections to names on PLE

IT has been reported that over 13,000 objections to names on the Preliminary List of Electors (PLE) have been received by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) during the Claims and Objections (C&O) period concluded on November 11.

While this figure is yet to be confirmed, it was put forward by Opposition-nominated Commissioner, Sase Gunraj, on Tuesday, while Government-nominated Commissioner, Vincent Alexander said that he had heard the same and that the number might be higher.

“We didn’t get a figure on the number of objections,” Alexander said initially, adding later, “I have heard that [the number could be as high as 13,000 in particular areas, it may be greater than that generally.”

Coming out of the commission’s statutory meeting, he said that despite the number, the due process of ensuring a hearing in regards to the objections must be conducted. “The people will be invited, there’s a process, and it is a transparent process which allows to have a hearing for the objections and for the complainants, so to speak, to provide evidence. The onus is on the complainant to provide evidence,” he said.

This is also in accordance

to the country’s laws which state that an elector may visit the appropriate registration office to register an objection to the PLE of a person whom the elector believes is not qualified to be an elector.

The objection is documented, signed by the objector and then submitted to the registration officer. This is followed by an investigation of the objection and a hearing held by the Registration Officer.

Subsequently, a report is submitted to the secretariat and, if the objection is upheld, all particulars of the objectee are removed from the list to be used for polling.

Just recently, the opposition has been contesting what it believes to be a large number of “unsubstantiated” objections being made by representatives of the government.

In a release on Friday, the party claimed that GECOM officials have received over 3,000 objections in Region Five which includes almost 500 names from the Amerindian settlement, Marakabai in the Mahaicony River.

However, APNU AFC representative in Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice), Carol Joseph, saw her objections being considered and upheld having successfully provided evidence to show that there were 93 dead persons on the PLE.

“The opposition has been accusing us of making unsubstantiated objections; claiming that everybody we are objecting to is alive and well?

Well we identified the names of 93 deceased persons on the list. We provided the evidence yesterday and their names are now off the list,” Joseph said.

The some 13,000 now being floated is unconfirmed and the newspaper is unaware of whether there may have been duplicate objections in some cases or whether the objectors have evidence to suffice.

MORE INVESTIGATION ON LIST Meanwhile, Gunraj said that there has been no update on whether persons would have come in to the commission’s various offices since the publishing of the list of names of those which have not collected their Identification (ID) Cards over a period of years.

On Saturday, the Elections Commission published in the daily newspapers the names of these individuals and are also expected to send registered mails urging the individuals to pick up their ID cards within 21 days or be removed from the Official List of Electors (OLE).

Should these individu-

als fail to collect their ID cards within the timeframe, they would still be permitted should they turn up with other appropriate identification, as they will be placed on a supplementary list. The number of uncollected ID cards, once noted as many as 20,000, was narrowed down to over 19,000 with the removal of those dead with the help of the General Registrar’s Office (GRO).

Commissioner Alexander said, on Tuesday, that it while this deduction was made by the GRO, it is highly likely that there are many more dead persons on the list which the GRO would not be able to account for.

“That’s an ongoing process.

It is not a one off. Every three months the GRO sends to GECOM the list of the registered dead and that list is grossly inadequate. As I’ve said repeatedly, there’s no circumstance under which that list would give you the registered dead overseas and they are going to be in the thousands between 2008 and now. So that’s the real issue,” Alexander said.

Meanwhile, with regards to the probability that some on the list may be imprisoned, the commissioner said that this is a question the commission may very well have to explore.

He stated: “…one wonders

what that number looks like on one hand…I don’t think that we have the statistics on that but in any circumstance their place of residence would receive a correspondence in that regard. But I think it’s a good question and probably we can still have a relationship with the Prison Service based on the list that we have.”

From a list of over 18,000 names published by the commission, the majority of these come from Region Four at a total of 9,343 persons and Region Six at 3,267 persons. The area with the highest number of persons in question is Coldingen at 2,410, followed by Whim at 1,357.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Banks DIH honours 17 staff for 20 years of service

SEVENTEEN employees were honoured in recognition of their 20 years of distinguished service to Banks DIH Limited at the Company’s Annual 20-YearClub Luncheon held on Friday November 8, 2019 at Thirst Park.

Mr. Clifford Reis, Chairman/Managing Director, presented gold insignia to the honourees. In a release, Banks

DIH said Mr. Deonarain Seepaul, Finance Controller/Assistant Company Secretary, who delivered the feature address, congratulated the employees for their dedication, commitment and loyalty to the company.

He noted that 268 employees are currently members of the 20-YearClub which is a significant achievement. Mr. Seepaul encouraged the

Mr. Clifford Reis, Chairman/Managing Director and Directors pose with the newest members of the 20-YearClub new inductees to continue to serve with distinction and strive for excellence.

Also present at the ceremony were Directors Michael Pereira, Andrew Carto and Shabir Hussein.

The employees honoured were Thakurdeen Deodat (Accounts), David Carto (Materials

Handling), Garfield Southwell (Security), Alester Cameron (General Workshop), Lakerani Sukram (Special Events), Allan Whyte (Timehri Duty Free Shop), Dawn James and Aubrey Charles (OMG), Marlyn McPherson (Idiho), James Barry (Ber-

bice Branch), Sandra Roberts and Royfield Henry (Trisco/Bread Sales), Lee Baptiste (Sales Administration), Amande Murray (Bartica Branch), Wonette Sandy and Karen Daniels (Bakery) and Leona Jacobs (Krystal Dry Cleaners).

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Stepped up fight against Hepatitis B

THE Hepatitis B virus is one that can cause acute and chronic liver infections, and while there is no cure, persons can avoid contracting the virus.

The disease can be transmitted through infected blood products, unprotected sex, coming in contact with needles, unscreened blood transfusions, or from mother to child at birth.

Public Health Minister, Hon. Volda Lawrence, has noted that with an infection that can be transmitted in so many ways, there is a need to ensure persons know how they can protect themselves.

She was at the time speaking at the opening session of a meeting to review the Expanded Programme on Immunisation and the Maternal and Child Health Programme of the ministry.

“This is a chronic viral illness with no cure… I wonder how many Guyanese know this fact; how many pregnant women know this and how many women who are planning to get pregnant are aware of this… we have to find ways and means to share this and to educate our people, both women and men and we have to find creative ways to ensure that we can reach them,” she stressed.

In many cases, the infection is asymptomatic, meaning persons do not exhibit signs of illness. Those with symptoms usually get ill 30 days to six months after exposure to the virus; these include fatigue, malaise, nausea, abdominal pain, dark urine, and jaundice.

The illness can last several weeks, and some adults can become chronic carriers after being infected. Many

countries are now including vaccination against Hepatitis B in their childhood vaccination schedules. In Guyana, the prevention of Hepatitis B is promoted through the issuing of the Hepatitis B vaccine at birth while all other at-risk persons are encouraged to take it as well. Ideally, the vaccine should be administered as soon as possible after birth, preferably within 24 hours. The birth dose should be followed by two or three doses to complete the vaccine series. A safe and effective vaccine can protect from hepatitis B infection for life.

According to WHO, other at-risk persons include individuals who frequently require blood or blood products, for example, dialysis patients, healthcare workers, household and sexual contacts of people with chronic

‘Shots’ wanted for murder of court tout TERRENCE Pitt called “Sonna Boy” or “Shots”, 26, is wanted by police for questioning in relation to the murder of Darrell Breedy on November 5 at North Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

Breedy, 53, of Lot 2037 Hummingbird Street, Festival City, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was shot and killed after two gunmen broke into his home and robbed him of $11,000 and his television.

Breedy was a tout outside the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. He leaves to mourn his wife, his mother and two stepchil-

dren.

Pitt’s last known addresses are ‘B’ Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown and Third Street Timehri, East Bank Demerara.

Anyone with informa-

Wanted: Terrence Pitt

Dead: Darrell Breedy

tion that may lead to the arrest of Terrence Pitt is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 227-1611, 225-6940, 226-7065, 226-2870, 2271149, 225-3650, 911 or the nearest police station.

Grove ‘wedding house’ murder trial…

Judge to sum up on Wednesday HIGH Court Judge Jo-Ann Barlow is expected to sum up on Wednesday, evidence in the murder of Aliston Henry, who was beaten to death at a ‘wedding house’ in 2017, at Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

Thereafter, the judge will hand over the case to the jury for consideration and verdict.

Rajen Dindial, 36, a former resident of Section ‘C’ Block Y, Golden Grove, EBD, is on remand for the indictment.

Dindial is being represented by attorney Nigel Hughes, while the state is being represent-

ed by State Prosecutor Sarah Martin.

Dindial had denied that, on September 3, 2017, at Sarran Street, Grove, East Bank Demerara, he murdered Aliston Henry. According to reports, on the day in question, while at the wedding house celebration Henry had a misunderstanding with Dindial and pushed down a portable toilet which was nearby. The accused became annoyed and dealt Henry several lashes about his body with a food paddle.

The injured Henry was then taken home by pub-

Rajen Dindial lic-spirited citizens and, subsequently, to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where he succumbed to his injuries several days later.

Hepatitis B and persons with multiple sexual partners.

“The elimination of mother-to-child transmission of Hepatitis B is high on the international agenda, and Guyana has entered the race.

We want to actively engage in this fight and we want to see it through to the end,” Minister Lawrence added.

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of the ministry, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, said the Hepatitis B vaccina-

tion is a routine injection and must be taken like the MMR (Measle, Mumps and Rubella), Yellow Fever and Diphtheria vaccines.

The Hepatitis B Vaccine is administered to children at the child health clinic located in the respective health centres across the country and to the wider public at the Ministry of Public Health’s Vaccination Centre on Brickdam.

(DPI)

Minister of Public Health, Hon. Volda Lawrence

16

Second vagrant-- found suspect murdered in GT arrested POLICE are investigating the murder of a 40-year-old homeless man called “Samaroo”, whose body was found on the pavement at Regent Street, Georgetown, with several stab wounds.

The discovery was made at around 22:00hrs on Monday. Samaroo was clad in a pair of blue jeans.

Police have since arrested 23-year-old Devon John-

son at his Lot 165 Cummings Street, Bourda home.

It is alleged that Samaroo was lying on the pavement when Johnson began to stab him to the face, chest, left hand and foot.

Johnson later escaped the scene but was found at his home with injuries to the fingers of his left hand. Police did not find the murder

weapon.

Samaroo’s body was found on the same day another vagrant identified as 35-year-old Andrew [only name given] called “Sponge Bobb” of Timehri Dock Area, East Bank Demerara was found.

His body was discovered at the corners of Regent and Light Streets, Bourda, Georgetown.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday November 13, 2019

Infant dies after falling from hammock A NEWBORN baby boy has died one day after he reportedly fell out of a hammock after his 29-year-old mother, Vinese Sutton, did a home delivery on Sunday.

Dead is Lance Douglas, who lived at a village along the Mazaruni River. The child’s body will be brought out to Bartica for an autopsy.

Reports indicate that on

Monday, the mother tied a hammock in the house where she placed the child and started to rock him to sleep.

However, during the process, the rope of the hammock became loose and caused the child to fall to the ground.

Reports are that the infant was not taken to seek

medical attention since there were no visible injuries.

But at around 05:00hrs the next day, the child was in the hammock being attended to by his mother when he suddenly became motionless.

The body was examined and some discolouration was observed on the shoulder and back of the infant.

Bandits nabbed with raw gold, guns one day after Matthews Ridge heist

POLICE have sized an AK47 assault rifle, two handguns and a quantity ammunition in Arakaka, North West District (NWD) on Tuesday, following the arrest of three persons, after a large quantity of raw gold was stolen on Monday.

Reports indicate that four masked men armed with a rifle and handguns, robbed three men of the raw gold at Matthew’s Ridge Airstrip.

A serving member of the Joint Services has since been detained.

Acting on information gathered, police ranks from Region One intercepted a vehicle around 09:20hrs on

The firearms and other illegal items that were seized by cops

Tuesday at Arakaka, NWD with two of the robbery suspects and conducted a search.

During the search, the cops found several containers of fuel and a quantity of raw gold suspected to be part of Monday’s heist.

The suspects, a businessman and the master-

mind, during interrogation, took investigators to a location and handed over two 9mm handguns with magazines; an AK47 assault rifle with a magazine; a quantity of ammunition; a Global Positioning System (GPS) device and a camouflage jacket

17

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Xi spearheads closer China-LatAm cooperation for common prosperity MEXICO CITY, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- China and Latin America sit on the opposite sides of the globe, but the formidably vast Pacific Ocean that separates them did not stop them from sharing a long history of exchanges.

Today, the major developing country in the East

GRAND VISION Every time Xi visited Latin America, he reaffirmed China’s commitment to cementing bilateral friendship and expanding win-win cooperation.

His first trip to the region as head of state, in 2013, took him to Trinidad

plan,” the Chinese-Latin American and Caribbean Cooperation Plan (20152019), formulated to promote inclusive growth and sustainable development.

The “3” alludes to “three engines” for driving practical cooperation for comprehensive development, namely trade, investment

ernance experience and improve planning and coordination of macro policies with Latin American and Caribbean states to better synergize our development plans and strategies.”

Besides top-level engagement, Xi also reaches out to local people from all walks of life, in order to keep cementing the China-Latin America friendship and the public support for bilateral cooperation.

While in Costa Rica, Xi visited a family-run coffee plantation and tried some local brew. “I think some more coffee can well be exported to China,” Xi told his hosts with a smile.

Today, Costa Rica exports coffee to the Asian market, along with pork, dairy, pineapples and

routes, comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, and the latter is closely connected to Latin America.

For two and a half centuries, from the mid-1500s to the early 1800s, galleons laden with Chinese silk, spices, porcelain and other goods sailed across the ocean to today’s port city of Acapulco on the Mexican Pacific coast.

Latin America is the natural extension of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, Xi said in a meeting with visiting Argentine President Mauricio Macri in May 2017.

In a congratulatory message to the second Ministerial Meeting of the China-Community of Latin American and

countries.

In his meeting with Macri, Xi called for dovetailing the BRI with Argentina’s development strategy, expanding cooperation in such sectors as infrastructure, energy, agriculture, mining and manufacturing, and implementing existing major cooperation projects in hydro-power, railway and other fields.

Similarly, during the state visit to Panama in December 2018, Xi said the National Logistics Strategy of Panama 2030 and the BRI are highly compatible, calling on the two sides to synergize their respective development strategies, boost cooperation and promote connectivity.

So far, 19 LAC countries have signed BRI cooperation agreements with China. China-Latin Amer-

Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for his Argentine counterpart Mauricio Macri before their talks in Beijing, capital of China, May 17, 2017. is forging an increasingly close partnership with the dynamic region in the Western Hemisphere, especially since Chinese President Xi Jinping took office in 2013, and set into motion what is now known as Xiplomacy.

In the past six years, Xi has visited 11 Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) countries. On Tuesday, he is setting foot on the region for the fifth time as president, as he arrives in Brazil for the upcoming 11th BRICS summit.

Thanks in no small part to Xi’s push, the time-honored, distance-defying China-Latin America relationship is flourishing with new vitality. China has become the second largest trading partner of Latin America, while the latter is one of the fastest growing sources of exports to China.

Two-way trade rose 18.9 percent year on year to 307.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2018.

and Tobago, Costa Rica and Mexico. The following year saw him travel to Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela and Cuba.

It was in Brazil that Xi met with leaders from 11 LAC countries, and for the first time laid out his grand vision for building a China-Latin American community with a shared future.

“Let us seize the opportunities presented to us and work together to blaze new trails in building a community of shared destiny for common progress and usher in a bright future for the relations between China and Latin America and the Caribbean,” Xi said in a keynote speech at the first ever China-Latin American and Carribean Countries Leaders’ Meeting in 2014.

He then proposed a “1+3+6” cooperation framework to “promote faster, broader and deeper cooperation between the two sides for real results.”

The “1” refers to “one

and financial cooperation.

The “6” means the six priority cooperation fields of energy and resources, infrastructure building, agriculture, manufacturing, scientific and technological innovation, and information technologies.

In 2016, Xi visited Ecuador, Peru and Chile. Two years later, he traveled to Argentina for the Group of 20 summit as well as Panama, a Central American country which established diplomatic ties with China in June 2017.

In a landmark speech at the Peruvian Congress in Lima in 2016, Xi expounded the significance of strengthening China-Latin America cooperation.

“With one fifth of the world’s total area and nearly one third of the world’s population, China and Latin America and the Caribbean are crucial forces for world peace and stability,” he said.

China, he added, “will increase sharing of gov-

People enjoy the celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Feb. 10, 2018. other high-quality agricultural goods, especially after the inauguration of the China International Import Expo in 2018.

NEW OPPORTUNITIES With international cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) gaining steam worldwide, the Xi-proposed vision is creating new opportunities for China-Latin America cooperation.

The BRI, designed to promote common development along and beyond the ancient Silk Road trade

Caribbean States (CELAC) Forum held in Chile on Jan. 22, 2018, Xi stressed that China and LAC countries “need to draw a new blueprint for our joint effort under the Belt and Road Initiative and open a path of cooperation across the Pacific Ocean that will better connect the richly endowed lands of China and Latin America and usher in a new era of China-LAC relations.”

During Xi’s visits, the Chinese president is always dedicated to better aligning the BRI -- an open platform for cooperation -- with the development plans of LAC

ica cooperation in various areas has effectively promoted local economic and social development, bringing visible and tangible benefits to the Latin American people.

Just as Xi said in his speech at the Peruvian Congress in 2016, “China will share its development experience and opportunities with the rest of the world and welcome other countries to board the express train of its development, so that we can all develop together.”

This content is sponsored by the Chinese Embassy)

18

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Cooperation vital to raising standar –– attorney general

By Navendra Seoraj

REGIONAL universities, if they are to survive and compete with some of the larger, international universities, have to cooperate with each other, said Attorney General (AG), Basil Williams.

He believes that com-

petition is needed to raise educational standards but cooperation is necessary to ensure the programmes offered are relevant and suited for the region.

“Regional universities - including the University of Guyana, the University of the West Indies and the University of the Southern Attorney General, Basil Williams flanked by top leaders of the local Seventh-day Adventist conference Caribbean – should exHigher education, in amine avenues for greater the Caribbean, faces many cooperation so as to offer constraints. courses tailored to our deCompetition for scarce velopment needs and real- fiscal resources often ities,” said Williams during means that governments his remarks at the Indige- cannot devote as much renous Scholarship Fundrais- sources as they would like ing Gala-Lecture Dinner, towards higher education. hosted by the University of the Southern Caribbean, at HIGH COSTS the Princess Ramada Hotel.

In addition, Williams He urged regional pro- said the high costs of highviders of higher education er education deter and to explore avenues of coop- even discriminate against eration so as to ensure that students of limited means. the programmes they offer “The ability to attract remain accessible, afford- and retain quality staff is able and appropriate, and dependent on the ability are delivered with greater to offer competitive emolagility. uments which often placHigher education is now es great demands on the vital to ensuring that the Ca- slender budgets of regional ribbean acquires the human universities. resources needed for com“And then there is the petitive economies, cohe- competition from external sive societies and inclusive universities which are utilisdemocracies, the attorney ing technological platforms general said. to offer a wider range and “Providers of higher ed- cheaper and more flexible ucational services, however, programmes to our stuface the challenges of fiscal dents,” Williams said. constraints, higher costs, Technology is transdifficulties in attracting and forming the delivery of retaining quality staff and education. The use of smart increased competition from classrooms, multimedia external distance and Open resources, digital librarEducation programmes,” ies, e-tutors and computer said Williams. software is revolutionising

Berbice men bond for assaultin CHIEF Magistrate Ann McLennan on Tuesday dismissed charges of assault against two Berbice men who assaulted each other during a fight.

Thirty-five-year-old Shameer Jabar and 36-year-old Ronald Seebacahan of West Coast Berbice appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded guilty to the charge, which stated that on November 6, 2019, at Aranka Landing, Cuyuni River, they assaulted

each other during a According to st

by Police Prosecu the day in question the two men had a The misunderstand Seecharan’s intrusi tion Jabar was hav the intrusion angere himself with a piec gan to hit Seechar

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 13, 2019

rd of regional education the dissemination of information.

The attorney general said education and Open Education are making higher educational programmes more accessible to ordinary citizens. Technology has created the concept of the ‘virtual classroom’ in which students are no longer required to be physically present at one location for lectures and even examinations.

These new platforms have allowed for the provision of mass educational services across geographic boundaries. Students in one country are able to undertake courses of study in foreign universities without having to leave their homes.

Williams said thousands of students are now able to enroll in Distance Education and Open Education programmes.

He, however, believes the downside for the Caribbean is that those developments can result in greater penetration by foreign universities into the region and the undermining of the competitiveness of regional educational services.

“In the context of these constraints – fiscal, high costs, limitations in attracting quality staff and the growth and penetration of online and distance learning – the need arises for regional universities to become more agile in the delivery of educational services,” Williams said.

It has long been recognised that higher education in the Caribbean has to be accorded greater priority in order for the region to overcome its challenges.

President David Granger, speaking at the opening of the University

of the West Indies South Campus of St. Augustine in Penal-Debe, Trinidad and Tobago on July 31, 2015, argued for the region to embrace a new paradigm in higher education.

EMBRACE TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE In that regard, Williams said in response to the existing challenges, regional universities should continue to embrace technological change in education and ensure that there is greater access, affordability, appropriateness and agility in the provision of higher educational services.

He said a good response to the challenges is the Open Campus initiative of the University of the West Indies and the distance programmes offered by the University of the Southern Caribbean.

Guyana will soon also be taking steps to improve the delivery of education, especially when government launches the “Decade of Development” next year.

Williams said the decade will ensure that quality education is delivered and guarantee the constitutional right of free education from nursery to university.

President Granger had announced that the revenues from the production of oil and gas will be directed, inter alia, towards the restoration of free university education.

“However, we have not waited on these revenues to ensure that persons have access to higher education.

“The Government of Guyana has provided scholarships to many persons and recently offered full scholar-

ded for 12 months ng each other

fight. tatements presented utor Mansfield, on n at Aranka Landing a misunderstanding. ding was caused by ion into a conversaving with a woman; ed Jabar who armed ce of wood and beran about the body;

Seecharan then wrested the piece of wood from Jabar and hurled it to his (Jabar) forehead.

However, the men told the court that they had come to an agreement while they were incarcerated and no longer wished to proceed with the matter.

Magistrate McLennan, after listening to the statements presented in court, dismissed the matter and placed the duo on a bond for 12 months.

ships for a limited number of law students to pursue legal education at the Hugh Wooding Law School. We understand. It is one of the measures deployed to increase access to higher education,” said Williams.

The provision of university education is not cheap.

And it is for this reason that the government congratulated the University of the Southern Caribbean for establishing the ‘Indigenous

Scholarship’.

The scholarship paves the way for Guyanese to realise their dreams and improve human resources.

“Those who choose to invest in this programme will be investing in the future of Guyana. You who have already contributed to the scholarship fund you have ensured, through your generosity, that Guyana is left in good hands,” said the attorney general.

19

Attorney General, Basil Williams addressing the gathering

20

Project to stop erosion at Coomacka taking shape

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday November 13, 2019

--NDIA also dredging the Upper Demerara River

RESIDENTS of the mining community of Coomacka, located up the Upper Demerara River, Region Ten, can now breathe a sigh of relief as the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has embarked on a programme to stop erosion in the area.

The programme is intended to alleviate the filtering of bauxite sediments and oth-

er aggregates into the river when it rains, thereby making a section of it virtually impassable, because of the huge buildup of deposits across it. This buildup of deposits has proven to be not only an environmental problem to the hundreds of residents residing at Coomacka but an economic problem as well, since they depend on the river for multiple purposes.

The Regional Democratic Council (RDC) has tried assiduously to get the problem rectified by involving all the mining and environmental agencies.

The NDIA, however, stepped up and is presently executing the project, which includes the construction a reinforced laterite dam across the main channel where the water travels with the aggreThe reinforced laterite dam being constructed by NDIA as part of the erosion correction issue

gates when it rains. NDIA Regional Engineer Jeremy Douglas related to this newspaper that while the project will not fully solve the problem, there will be significant reduction in the amount of aggregates that are filtered into the river, and that plans are in store to ensure complete blockage is done in the long run.

In explaining the present work which he is overseeing, Douglas said. “The whole purpose of that is to reduce the energy of the water as it is coming down off of the hill to reduce the energy; that means that it will be able to fall out without going into the Demerara River. But of course, for security reasons and safety, we will have a control and release. So we are putting two tubes in the dam, so that basically, the water will be able to settle, build up to a height, and then come across. So while it is building up, most of the siltation will be behind the dam, and only water would be coming up. So in the longterm, reducing siltation in the river.”

To further correct the issue, NDIA has also commenced dredging of the river, and that huge blockage of bauxite overburden and other aggregates is currently being removed as well as the clearing of other parts. Douglas related that approximately 9500 cubic feet of aggregate is being removed. Earlier in the year, NDIA pegged the double project at $47M. Other operations will be undertaken to alleviate flooding, which widely occurs in the community. The project is also expected to include land reclamation by revegetation.

Regional Chairman Renis Morian expressed gratitude that the situation is finally being addressed, as he would have made many trips to Coomacka to monitor the situation and sift out every means necessary through multi-agency engagements for a solution. He told residents last Friday that the

erosion issue was battling Coomacka since he was a Regional Councillor, and that engagements with the previous administration to have the issue addressed proved futile.

Coomacka resident Oswald Charles expressed appreciation for the works ongoing as it will bring major relief to the residents, since the river plays and important role in their livelihoods. “I feel good that the project was started, It will remove headache from residents now that our lives can return to normal knowing that we depend on the river for so many things, boats have to pass there and can’t pass. We use the river water to wash, cook, bathe and do so many things so this was a major issue for us and we are happy that we are finally seeing some movement,” he said.

This environmental issue plaguing Coomacka is an a result of unregulated mining that occurred in Region Ten for decades, during the former years of bauxite mining. Coomacka experienced much of the impact since it is located in a basin, with huge overburden piles above the residential territory. No form of reclamation was put in place during those days but Bosai’s Senior Technical Service Coordinator, Wainewright Bethune related, that land reclamation is being considered currently.

In addition to Coomacka, several other communities in close proximity to mined out areas, are under similar threat and experience erosion issues as well.

One of these is Block 22, on the Wismar Shore. The Future Development Economic Strategy (FEDS), a Cooperative, has embarked on a revegetation project in the Block 22, Lucky Spot Mining area. The project entails the planting of 1000 acacia plants to rebuild the land, which would have lost most of its top soil during mining.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Former CARICOM Deputy SG is new UG Chancellor –– British MP appointed as UG’s first Envoy Extraordinaire

FORMER Deputy Secretary-General (SG) and United Nations (UN) Special Envoy, Professor Edward Greene, has been named the tenth Chancellor of the University of Guyana (UG).

UG’s Council, on Saturday, November 9, 2019, decided that Professor Greene will be replacing Professor, Nigel Harris, whose term ended in November 2018.

According to a statement from UG, Chancellor (elect) Greene is expected to be installed during a simple ceremony at the university’s annual convocation exercise which is scheduled for 10:00hrs on Saturday, November 16, 2019. Greene will bring to the table, a wealth of knowledge and experience which he garnered over the years.

The chancellor (elect) was born in Guyana and attended Queen’s College.

He holds a B.Sc. in Economics from the University of London, an MSc in Political Economy from Mc Master University, and a Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia. Professor Greene also held visiting professorships at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Havana, and the University of British Columbia.

The professor also worked at the University of the West Indies (UWI), where his academic career included service as Pro Vice-Chancellor, Development and Alumni Relations; University Director, Institute of Social and Economic Relations (ISER); Interim Director, Consortium Graduate School for the Social Sciences in the Caribbean (1984-1986); and appointments to the rank of Professor (1988), and Inaugural Professorial Fellow, ISER (1994).

He has authored 10 books and over 60 articles in refereed journals and is Professor Emeritus of UWI. Professor Greene had played a pioneering role in establishing the Consortium of Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences in the Caribbean, an innovative multidisciplinary enterprise linking UWI, Guyana and Suriname in 1985. He also contributed to expanding alumni relations and leading successful fund-raising campaigns at UWI from 1989 to 1994.

Professor Greene also took a leading role in expanding research collaboration and international partnerships with universities and development agencies in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America.

He was also credited with leadership roles in the establishment of major regional

initiatives such as developing the blue print for the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), which was designated an international best practice by the UN in 2004; the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Medical and other Health Professionals in 2004; and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in 2013.

Professor Greene also contributed to the establishment of the Every Caribbean Woman Every Child Programme, which is being championed by the Spouses of CARICOM Leaders Action Network (SCLAN).

He was also credited for the establishment of PANCAP’s justice for all programme engaging regional parliamentarians, faith leaders, and representatives of the private sector, youth, civil society and key populations.

Professor Greene was also an adviser in social policy development to many Caribbean governments and served on many prestigious boards. These include: Director to the Canadian International Institute for Peace and Security, and Consultant to several international agencies including the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the European Union (EU), UNDP and UNESCO. He was a member of the Commonwealth Secretariat high level panel for SouthSouth Cooperation in higher education, and the UNAIDS/ Lancet Commission on defeating AIDS- achieving sustainable health. Professor Greene was also chairman of the CARICOM steering committee for climate change and sustainable development.

He is also a former UN Secretary-General Special Envoy for HIV in the Caribbean, former Assistant Secretary-General, Human and Social Development at the CARICOM Secretariat from 2000-2010 and a former Senior Adviser on Public Policy, Health and Human Development for Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/ WHO) from 1995-1999.

Professor Greene is currently the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Global Frontier Development and Advisory Services (GOFAD), a Think Tank.

All of his work did no go without recognition, since he is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Golden Arrow of Achievement from Guyana and the second highest honor, the Yellow Star from Suriname.

He also received the prestigious PAHO/WHO Award for Administration in Public Health; the Sir Phillip Sherlock Award from the Uni-

versity of the West Indies and University of Technology, Jamaica for outstanding contribution to Health and Development; the Institute of Caribbean Studies, Caribbean American Heritage Award for Public Service; and an Honorary Doctor of Laws from UWI for outstanding academic and public service.

In addition to the likes of Professor Greene, UG named British Parliamentarian, David Lammy as its first Envoy Extraordinaire. Born to Guyanese parents, Lammy

began serving in the British Parliament in 2000. He studied law at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London.

He earned an LL.M from Harvard Law School.

Lammy has served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills and later as Minister of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

He had continuously maintained active interests in Guyana.

Chancellor (elect) of the UG, Professor Edward Greene

UG’s first Envoy Extraordinaire, David Lammy

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday November 13, 2019

Region 5 Rice Assessment Committee rejects Nandlall’s challenge to its validity

CHAIRMAN of the Rice Assessment Committee of Region 5 (Mahaica/Berbice), Attorney-at-Law Omadatt Chandan, on Monday, affirmed that the RAC has the legal authority to hear and determine applications for the payment of arrears of rent owed to the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary

Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA) by its tenant rice farmers.

He said:” I wish to make it explicitly clear that the current RAC is not unlawful nor illegal and does have the jurisdiction to hear and determine the applications being made by the MMA/

ADA.” He said so in a ruling on submissions by Counsel for the Tenant farmers Anil Nandlall who had challenged the validity of the RAC to hear such applications by the MMA/ADA. Mr. Nandlall had, during the last sitting of the RAC, at the Mahaicony Magistrate’s

Court, submitted that the body was unlawful, illegal and had no jurisdiction to hear and determine any applications by the MMA/ADA. This illegal status of the RAC, Nandlall said, was due to the absence of required Judicial Service Commission (JSC) input on the appoint-

ment of the Chairman of the RAC. Making submissions to the Committee, Nandlall had said that section 8 (2) of the Act requires the Committee’s chairman to be a magistrate, or a person with qualifications prescribed under regulations promulgated by the Minister of Agriculture in consultation with the JSC. The proviso also dictated that where the Chairman appointed is not a magistrate, that person must be appointed by the Minister of Agriculture on the advice of the JSC. Importantly, Nandlall said, the current Chairman is not a magistrate, but an employee of the Ministry of Agriculture, which means that the JSC has to be consulted on the regulations setting out the qualifications of the current Chairman.

Further, the minister was required to appoint the Chairman on the advice of the JSC. He argued that the last JSC was appointed by former President Donald Ramotar on 11th September 2014 and that Article 198 (3) (a) of the Constitution of Guyana limits the tenure of the JSC to three-year cycles, the last JSC had therefore expired on the 11th September 2017, more than two years ago.

No JSC has been appointed since.

Since the Official Gazette, dated 14th July 2018, puts the appointment date of the current Committee at 27th June 2018, there was no JSC in existence at the time the Chairman was appointed to consult on regulations setting out qualifications, and to advise the minister on the appointment of the Chairman, which, again, was required since the Chairman was not a magistrate.

In these circumstances, Nandlall contended the current RAC “was not established in accordance with Section 8 of the Act, is unlawful, and had no jurisdiction to hear and determine any application made under the Act.” In response Mr. Chandan noted that based on his research there had been consultations held with the JSC and the Chief Parliamentary Counsel since the early years when the Rice

Farmers (Security of Tenure ) Act Chapter 69:02 came into existence.

Advice was sought from the JSC and the Chief Parliamentary Counsel and it was agreed that the provisions as set out in the Act were not mandatory as it related to advice sought from the JSC. Since then the custom and practice for the constitution of these committees had been the same for over 30 years even during the years when Nandlall served as Attorney General. He said inter alia: “I am therefore constrained to dismiss the “written submissions” and subsequent “affidavit” made

by Counsel for the tenant rice farmers on the basis that the procedure implored by Counsel (Nandlall) is wholly inappropriate, not correct and is bad in law. Further (the submissions) amounts to an abuse of the Court’s process.”

He further noted that although an allegation of bias was made no evidence had been submitted to support this claim. He denied that he was an employee of the Ministry of Agriculture.

He decided that as a result he would not recuse himself from hearing applications by the MMA ADA as requested by Mr Nandlall.

Mr. Chandan refused to stay the proceedings of the Committee pending a judicial review of his decisions promised by Mr Nandlall.

As such he continued hearings yesterday against some sixty rice farmers who are the first set of defaulters placed by the MMA in its bid to recover some $1.6Bn owed by these farmers in land rent and drainage and irrigation charges. Several of these farmers however failed to show in Court yesterday.

Legal Officer of for the MMA/ADA Ms. Shinella Ghent said on the sideline of the hearings, that if the defaulters failed to show in Court on three consecutive occasions then judgement will be made in their absence and the MMA would take the necessary steps to recover the arrears owed.

The RAC sits next on November 26, its last sitting for the year.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday November 13, 2019

Reception held to honour Cy Grant THE British High Commission last week celebrated the 100th birth anniversary of Cy Grant at a reception hosted at the high commissioner’s residence in Bel Air Gardens.

Born in Beterverwagting in then British Guiana on November 08, 1919, Cy joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1941 and was commissioned as an officer and navigator on Lancaster bombers. He was shot down over the Netherlands in June 1943 and was a prisoner of war for two years, the high commission said in a release.

After the war Cy qualified as a barrister and pursued a successful singing and acting career, appearing in a variety of films and TV shows with actors such as Roger Moore, Richard Burton and Joan Collins. He was the first man of African descent to make regular appearances on British TV; he was a war hero, poet, musician, songwriter, broadcaster, actor and social activist. In the 1970s and 1980s, Cy challenged discrimination, stood up for the rights of ethnic minorities in the UK and worked tirelessly to foster improved race relations in the UK. In 1997 Cy was awarded an Honorary Fellowship at Roehampton University. He was honoured by Bomber Command at a ceremony at the UK House of Lords in March 2010 as ‘an inspirational example’ of how men and women of all races stood side by side in the fight for freedom in two world wars.

In November 2017 a Blue Plaque was unveiled at his home in Highgate, north London, where he lived for 50 years before his death, aged 90, on 13 February, 2010.

Speaking about Cy the British High Commissioner Greg Quinn said: “Ten years after his death Cy remains an enduring example of the links between Guyana and the UK. Links which have continued through good times and through bad and which I am sure will continue in the years going forward.

He was quite a character and deserves to be far better known in Guyana.”

Also speaking at the reception was Francis Quamina Farrier, who read one of Cy’s poems, Steel Pan. Cy’s three children continue to live in the UK.

Revival of indigenous languages in focus MINISTER within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, who was speaking on the National Communications Network’s programme ‘Insight’ spoke of several on-going efforts being undertaken by the ministry to revive the nine languages.

Minister Garrido-Lowe said that a story-telling festival will be held this weekend at Moruca. She added that the ministry is working to ensure that the indigenous languages are revived within the communities.

Minister Garrido-Lowe stated that each village at Moruca will be showcasing its talent in the languages.

Despite their value, languagMinister within the es around the world continue Ministry of Indigenous to disappear at an alarming Peoples Affairs, Valerie rate.

Garrido-Lowe.

“The government had budgeted for this event to ensure that our indigenous peoples are highlighted, their languages are promoted and people are aware that there is nine languages in Guyana and nine nations of indigenous people and they are well and alive,” she said.

Against this backdrop, the United Nations declared 2019 the year of indigenous languages to raise awareness of the languages and the world’s diversity.

A section of the audience at the reception

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RIO $1M Year-end Extravaganza tournament officially launched!

24 teams will head into action on Thursday evening

IT is no doubt the largest pay-out in the indoor football format and starting on Thursday (November 14), 24 of the country’s top teams in the indoor format of the game, will begin the journey to cash in on the Rio Yearend Extravaganza’s $1M first place prize.

No tournament before has offered a seven-figure pay day until now, and at the official launch of the tournament yesterday at the Rio Night Club, the organisers are promising more than just a huge payday for the players.

Gold is Money, Bent Street, Back Circle, Sparta Boss, Leopold Street, LA

Ballers, Future Stars, Avocado Ballers, Tiger Bay, Sophia, Albouystown A and B, Showstoppers, Alexander Village, Rio All Stars, Melanie, Buxton Diamond, BV, Stabroek Ballers, New Market Street, Ol Skool Ballers, Island All Stars, Broad Street, and Silver Bullets are the teams that will feature in the tournament, which will be played at the National Gymnasium.

The teams will be divided into six groups of four with the top two gaining automatic qualification, while the four best third place teams will join them in the round of sixteen when the knockout phase commences.

The teams were meticulously selected by the organisers, who ensured that the best exponents of the format will be in action over the eight days of competition.

It therefore means that fans are guaranteed a high quality of play, while they too could enjoy give backs by entering a competition that will see 10 of them win $2000 each night.

The tournament will run through to December 14 when the final will be played.

The other playing days are November 16, 21, 23, 28, 30 and December 7.

The winning team is set to receive $1M, while second, third and fourth place

finishers will be rewarded with $400,000, $200,000 and $100,000, respectively along with beautiful trophies.

The organisers are aiming to make the tournament a memorable one for fans, while also rewarding teams and their supporters for the Christmas season.

At the launch of the event, it was stated that both members of the Guyana Police Force and Private Security have been retained to ensure that fans in attendance feel secure.

Giveaways and other incentives for the fans will be a feature every night of play.

Guyana to participate in FIFA U-20 World Cup qualifiers THE Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (ONCACAF), yesterday announced the details for the 2020 CONCACAF Men’s Under-20 Championship. The men’s

world cup qualifying competition will be disputed in three stages, in February, June and July of 2020.

each of the groups will ad- El Salvador, Guatemala, vance to the knockout stage. Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Saint Kitts The participating countries and Nevis, Suriname, Trinfor the qualifying stage are idad and Tobago and USA. Unlike the previous format, Anguilla, Barbados, Belize, which included regional Bermuda, Cayman Islands, The final stage of the comqualifiers in the Caribbean Curacao, Dominica, Do- petition, knockout stage, and Central America and minican Republic, Grenada, will take place immediately one final Championship, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Mont- following the second stage. the redesigned competition serrat, Nicaragua, Puerto All knockout round matchmirrors the format used for Rico, Saint Martin, Saint es (round of 16, quarterthe men’s under-17, wom- Vincent and the Grenadines, final, semifinal and final) en’s under-17 and women’s and US Virgin Islands. will be played in a single under-20 competitions, enmatch elimination format, suring that all participating The second round of the with the semi-finalist qualteams have an opportunity to competition, which will also ifying to the FIFA U-20 qualify for FIFA World Cup be played in a group format, World Cup Indonesia 2021. and to play more top-level will take place in June of competitive football matches. 2020. The top ranked 16 par- An official draw to sort the ticipating teams, according participating teams into The first stage of the compe- to the Concacaf Under-20 the qualifying and group tition will kick off in Febru- Ranking as of June 2019, will stage groups, as well as ary of 2020. For this initial be divided into four groups the parings for the round group stage, 17 participating of four. After round-robin of 16, will take place on countries ranked from 17- play, the top three teams in Wednesday, November 20, 41, according to the Con- each of the groups will ad- 2019. The draw will be cacaf Under-20 Ranking as vance to the knockout stage. conducted from the CONof June 2019, will be diCACAF Headquarters in vided into three groups of The participating countries Miami, FL. Fans will be four teams and one group of for the group stage are An- able to follow all the acfive teams. After round-rob- tigua and Barbuda, Aruba, tion beginning at 11:00hrs in play, the top finisher in Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, ET via Concacaf.com.

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The host countries for each of the rounds and further scheduling details will be publicised after the draw.

Watson appointed Australian Cricketers’ Association president SHANE Watson has been appointed president of the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) at the body’s annual general meeting, and will now head the extended ten-member board, which includes three other new appointments: current players Pat Cummins and Kristen Beams and former player Lisa Sthalekar.

“Through a period of immense change, the players

have been, and will continue to be, a strong voice in protecting what’s made our game of cricket great, while embracing opportunities that change inevitably brings,” Watson said.

The new structure also splits the role of president and chairman, with the latter continuing to be held by former Australia wicketkeeper Greg Dyer. A number of prominent cricketers are elected directors: apart from

Beams and Cummins, they are Aaron Finch, Alyssa Healy and Moises Henriques.

The appointed directors are Sthalekar, Neil Maxwell and Janet Torney, whose work has primarily been in the fields of economics, investment and corporate governance.

One of the recent Cricket Australia initiatives Watson brought up for special praise was the parental policy for women cricketers.

“This policy, amid a host of other changes, assures Australian women that cricket is a sport which can now support you and your family,” he said. “And for girls coming through who love sport, like my daughter, it says that cricket is a sport where you will be able to have a career.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday November 13, 2019

Buy-a-brick plea to honour cricket legend Basil D’Oliveira

CRICKET fans can take part in creating a memorial for Worcestershire legend Basil D’Oliveira - by buying a brick for a pavilion in his name.

The South African club where the cricketer learned to play is honouring its famous son with the new building.

People are being invited to buy a brick for £40.

These will be used to form a silhouette of him inside the pavilion.

“It’s the chance to honour one of our greatest ever players,” said Worcester-

shire superfan Mark Ashbourne.

D’Oliveira, known affectionately as Dolly, grew up in Cape Town and began playing at St Augustine’s Cricket Club as a child.

He moved to England in 1960 because of the lack of opportunities for non-white players during South Africa’s Apartheid regime.

He played county cricket for Worcestershire from 1964-80 and represented England in 44 Tests, scoring 2,484 runs at an average of 40.

Basil D’Oliveira played for Worcestershire between 1964 and 1980 and represented England in 44 Test matches

In 1968 he was named

in South Africa, but when

in England’s squad to play

the ruling National Party

refused to accept a “Cape coloured”, the tour was called off.

This culminated in a ban on sporting ties with South Africa which would last until the early 1990s.

Mr Ashbourne, a lifelong supporter of Worcestershire Cricket Club, is spearheading the UK fans’ contributions to the Cape Town club building.

He flew out to South Africa and met officials, offering his services to help fundraise for the pavilion.

It will cost 1.2m ZAR

(£63,000) to build, and 900,000 ZAR has already been secured, he said.

“We thought the people of Worcestershire would really like to get involved with the brick project,” said Mr Ashbourne.

The bricks, which can be inscribed with names or a message, will form a silhouette of D’Oliveira in the community room of the building.

To buy a brick, email Mr Ashbourne at ma004g2691@gmail.com.

Australia Test hopefuls falter as Pakistan prosper A star-studded Australia A side has been bowled out for 122 in a calamitous tour match performance against Pakistan in Perth, where forgotten man Cameron Bancroft has provided a timely reminder of his staying powers.

Joe Burns was cleanbowled for a golden duck and fellow Test hopefuls Marcus Harris, Usman Khawaja, Travis Head and Will Pucovski also fell cheaply as the hosts crumbled on day two of the pink-ball clash at Perth Stadium.

Pakistan were 0-7 at stumps, leading by 313 runs

Imran Khan ran through Australia A with figures of five for 32. (Getty Image)

in the three-day match.

Australia A were reeling at 9-57 in reply to Pakistan’s 428 before Bancroft (49) and Riley Meredith

(19no) restored some pride, batting longer for the 10th wicket than the first nine combined.

The resistance came to an

end when left-arm quick Shaheen Afridi found Bancroft’s edge shortly before stumps.

Having only been added to the XI when Nic Maddinson withdrew on mental health grounds, Bancroft has at least given national coach Justin Langer and chief selector Trevor Hohns something to think about after coming in at No.6 and facing 155 balls.

They might have more questions than answers after veteran seamer Imran Khan (5-32) spoiled a much-anticipated Australia A bat-off on a pitch that appeared to have livened up significantly from a tame opening day.

Imran skittled Burns with his first delivery before Afridi cleaned up Harris (16) with a superb off-cutter.

Harris is the incumbent Test opener but his inconsistency has potentially opened the door for Bancroft to partner David Warner at the Gabba despite the West Australian’s mediocre Sheffield Shield form this season.

Head (13) and Khawaja (6) both fell to the part-time offspin of Iftikhar Ahmed, Head picking out backward point and Khawaja caught behind.

Imran then found the

edge of Pucovski (5), who had been duelling with Head to claim the vacant middle-order spot in Australia’s Test side.

Australia A skipper Alex Carey chopped on to an Imran delivery for a seventh-ball duck to give Pakistan a crack at the tail.

The collapse came despite Pakistan being a bowler down with 16-year-old quick Naseem Shah withdrawn following the overnight death of his mother.

The tourists opted not to replace Naseem, preferring to retain the tour match’s first-class status.

Australia primed to end T20 World Cup drought, says Gilchrist

By Sudipto Ganguly MUMBAI, (Reuters) The Twenty20 World Cup is the only major piece of silverware missing from Australia’s trophy cabinet but the hosts are gearing up perfectly to end the drought next year, former wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist has told Reuters.

Australia are the most successful side in the 50-over World Cup with five titles but are yet to taste success in the shortest format’s showpiece event, which has been held six times since its inaugural edition in 2007.

Aaron Finch’s side beat Sri Lanka and Pakistan in recent back-to-back T20 series to go unbeaten in the format in 2019 and Gilchrist said home con-

ditions would make Australia hard to beat when the World Cup starts next October.

“I think they are really well-placed seeing how they’ve started the summer,” Gilchrist said in an interview.

“They’ll love the conditions, they love the grounds, they’re bigger grounds, they’ll play them well.

“We got everyone available now, which is great. I think Australia is, probably for the first time ever, focusing on picking their best team regularly and not just for the World Cups. “ Australia won 2-0 in India in February before blanking Sri Lanka and the world’s top-ranked T20 side Pakistan at home recently and they have scheduled plenty of matches in the shortest format before next year’s

‘WONDERFUL JOB’

Ashton Agar

tournament.

Gilchrist, who retired in 2008 after a glittering career spanning almost 12 years, said Australia had enough time to pin down their perfect combinations for the shortest format.

“I think they’re probably still working out whether to use two spin bowlers or one spin bowler and a batting all-rounder like Mitch Marsh or (Marcus) Stoinis,” he said

after a promotional event in Mumbai for Tourism Western Australia.

“Ashton Agar is doing a really good job, and if you look at all the successful bowlers in T20 around the world, they’re all spinners.

Nine out of the top 10 in the rankings are spinners.

“They’ve got time to work that out but I think they have got a really well-balanced squad.”

Gilchrist says Tim Paine’s glovework is on a par with the best in the world and Australia’s 34-year-old Test captain was also doing a “wonderful job”.

Batting talisman Steve Smith is banned from leadership roles until March because of his involvement in last year’s Cape Town ball-tampering scandal and Paine has been credited with helping guide the Test side out of the dark days that followed.

While Paine also helped Australia retain the Ashes on English soil for the first time since 2001 earlier in the year Smith’s show with the bat during the series

sparked calls for him to be restored to the captaincy.

“I still think in Test cricket you’ve got to be looking to pick your best wicket-keeper,” said Gilchrist, who played 96 tests and 287 one-day internationals.

“Like every player he’s got to hold his spot in the team. As far as being selected as the best available option for that player-type, I think he’s doing a wonderful job.

“What he took on, when he took it on, he in partnership with (coach) Justin (Langer) and all the players over the past 12 months have done a remarkable job to just get a nice, stable balance back.

“I can’t see any rush to push him out, as long as he’s still performing, like we all had to, to stay in the team.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday November 13, 2019

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Hawaiian Sensation steal spotlight at OMSCC gala …Baksh, Driffield and Hunte cop MVP awards

By Frederick Halley HAWAIIAN Sensation (HS) stole the spotlight when the Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Clubs (OMSCC) held is 19th annual presentation, dinner and dance at the Qssis Banquet Banquet Halls, Scarborough here last Saturday night.

Making their debut in the Over-40 Division 2 category, Hawaiian Sensation were simply sensational, losing one game on their way to running away with the regular season title before making hash of All Stars in the Grand Championship final.

While it was a magnificent team performance throughout the season, all-rounder Zaheer Baksh stood out and was rewarded for his outstanding efforts, copping the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for Division 2, marking his second consecutive MVP albeit for Impac in 2018 while playing in Division 1. Baksh’s 106 and 82 were his best innings.

Not to be outdone, HS skipper Azib Ali Hanif, a former Guyana national wicket-keeper who led brilliantly from the front, was also in the limelight, his six sixes in one over, the first-ever in the 19-year history of the leafue, earning him a special incentive.

With the Division 1 Grand final being abandoned, Rebel Masters had to be contented with the regular season championship. However, their seasoned campaigner Richard Driffield was voted MVP for Division 1, reviving memories of 2017 when he played in Division 2. Driffield tallied 354

Division One MVP Richard Driffield is presented with his award.

runs, including a fine knock of 104.

The evergreen Rickey Hunte, who turned out for Legends, hit the most runs (429) in the Legends Over-50 category and was fittingly judged the MVP. Innings of 128, 90, 81 and 60 bolstered his ratings.

The Captain-of-the-Year award, introduced for the first time in 2017, and sponsored by Dr Rudy Singh, went to Ramblers Patrick Shivrattan.

Four players, Naresh Bodo (Dirty Dozen), Dan Patram (OSCL TC3), Hazari Girdhari, Mahendranauth “Bobby” Parasnauth (Our Own) and Tariq Hussain (Ramblers) collected awards for recording a century, taking a hat-trick, taking six catches, a hattrick and five wickets in an innings respectively.

Special awards went to Jydeo Singh – outstanding fielding achievement in the Inter-county game and Sunil Dhaniram and Desmond Chumney of Our Own for out-

Over-50 MVP Rickey Hunte collects his prize.

Hawaiian Sensation members enjoy the occasion in the presence of sponsors, sisters Kim and Natasha Sue of Norman Sue Bakery.

standing catch in the Toronto Cup 3.

There were five-feat batting/bowling awards for Ganesh

Ramraj of Miracles/Caribbean Sensation for scorers of 86, 94, bowling figures of two for 16 and two for 32 and a batting

average of 57.50.

Geenarine Ram was the six-feat star, registering 279 runs which included scores of

81, 80, 102 and claiming two for nine and two for two.

Two players, former Guyana National Sunil Dhaniram (Toronto Blizzards) and Rajen Paul (Friendship Masters) were the four-feat recipients in the batting category, Dhaniram for 112, 86 not out, 74 not out and 73 while Paul hit 78 and 64 and averaged a phenomenal 198. The four-feat bowling feat went to Pegasus’ Uniss Yusuf for figures of four for 16, three for four, three for 14 and taking the most wickets (14) in Division 1.

Outstanding bowling awards (economy rates) went to Jerry Brittania in the Over50, Gavin Glasgow (Division 1) and Sasenarine Panday (Division 2).

Appreciation Awards were given out to Hardat Paul, Peter Ramnarain, Rita Singh, Rickey Hunte, Ramkumar Singh, Nirad Lall and Guyana Chronicle freelance journalist Frederick Halley for their contributions to Toronto Cup 3; Nashenka Kistow (Ramblers), Simone Lall (Reliance Lions), Jennifer Baksh (HS), Naseer Baksh (Toronto Blizzards), Rommel Rampersaud (Pegasus) Nyssa Narine (Rebel Masters) and Terry Ramraj (Our Own).

Special recognition awards went to Anthony Whyte (Gologistics), Mohan Harihar (Our Own/Toronto Blizzards, John Ten-Pow (Friendship Masters), Roger Sunich (Trophy Stall), Harri Sukhu (DTE Industries) and Sharon and Errol Budhoo (All Trade Rentals).

Sterling-Gomez row should have been handled internally - Ferdinand (REUTERS) - England boss Gareth Southgate’s decision to drop Raheem Sterling for a clash with team mate Joe Gomez will only heap the pressure on the winger and the issue could have been dealt with better, former defender Rio Ferdinand said on Tuesday.

Sterling was dropped from the squad to take on Montenegro in Thursday’s Euro 2020 qualifier at Wembley after a “disturbance” at the national team’s training camp on Monday, the Football Association said.

The Daily Mail said that Manchester City’s Sterling had clashed with Liverpool’s Gomez at the

of the haters that had their keyboards turned off due to him becoming a very worthy ambassador for the English game,” Ferdinand wrote in a Facebook post

Liverpool’s Joe Gomez and Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling clash Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine

England team’s Burton on Trent training centre — less than 24 hours after City were beaten 3-1

at Anfield in the Premier League.

“Now Raheem is left to defend himself from all

here “If this was a terrible incident then I would be all for public shaming and discipline. But for this ‘throat grab’ that we are TOLD it’s for, I can’t understand it.

“Gareth would no doubt had seen worse many times during his time as a player and manager. I just feel this could and should have been handled better to support the player and not hang him out to dry.”

The newspaper said that “Sterling attempted to grab Gomez by the neck follow-

ing his arrival in the players’ canteen”. The duo had earlier squared up during Sunday’s Premier League clash. “As a manager I’m sure having a harmonious squad is the best scenario — handshakes and hugs on sight not confrontations. But let’s be honest now this kind of stuff isn’t uncommon in squads full of testosterone,” added Ferdinand, who made 81 appearances for England in his career. “In the various squads I’ve been a part of I’ve seen players get punched in the face, ribs broken, nose busted, head kicked like a football... a throat grab was the equivalent of the intricate handshake embraces that are all too familiar today.

“The main question is:

Why this couldn’t be handled internally?”

Sterling issued a statement after being dropped saying emotions got the better of him and he was ready to move on.

“It seems to me, Raheem felt embarrassed by all that went on... a sign of winning mentality... however channelled wrongly. Help educate him,” former Manchester United defender Ferdinand said.

“One of our world class players who has conducted himself wonderfully through racism and unwarranted criticism... will now come under more scrutiny and be vilified in the media.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday November 13, 2019

BCB/ Ivan Madray Memorial 100 balls tournament

Anderson holds nerve as RHT Namilco Thunderbolt edge Young Warriors -Rose Hall to face Albion in finals A SPIRITED last over from all-rounder Kevlon Anderson saw Rose Hall Town Namilco Thunderbolt Flour to a tense win over the Young Warriors Cricket Club, when the semi-finals of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB)/Ivan Madray Memorial 20/20 first division tournament continued last weekend.

Playing at the Area ‘H’ Ground, the Guyana youth all-rounder Anderson defended 10 runs from the final

over, successfully dismissing Amir Khan with his fourth delivery to help his side defend 135.

Batting first, Rose Hall Town Thunderbolt Flour were given some impetus from Anderson, who earlier made 30, Jason Sinclair 34, Eon Hooper 12 and Jonathan Rampersaud 12, who took their side to 135 for 8 from 20 overs.

Bowling for Young Warriors, Kassim Khan 2-28 and

Devendra Ramoutar 2-17 were the most successful bowlers. Needing to score 136 to advance to the finals, the defending Champions were kept to 128 despite Seon Hetmyer striking 40 and Alex Algoo chipping in with 28.

The Rose Hall side was given inroads from the experienced spinner Hooper, who ended with 2 for 20, while the hero Anderson ended with 2-21 and Rampersaud 2-19.

The winning Rose Hall Town Namilco Thunderbolt Flour team

NAMILCO continues funding of its Rose Hall Thunderbolt Flour 1st division team THE National Milling Company (NAMILCO) continues to throw support behind their adopted team; the Rose Hall Town Namilco Thunderbolt Flour First division unit; with another timely monetary donation.

The Berbice team, on Friday last, was presented with the final sponsorship imbursement of 2019, compliments of Ralf Hemsingh, Operations Manager NAMILCO, during the brief ceremony held at the Milling Company’s Agricola, East Bank location.

Recipient, Secretary/CEO of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club (RHTYSC)

(from left)-RHTYSC Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster receives the sponsorship cheque from Ralf Hemsing of Namilco in the presence of Financial Director Fitzroy McLeoud

and President of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) Hilbert Foster, said the support of the company has been crucial to the success of the team, which has so far reached the finals of two tournaments in 2019.

Rose Hall Thunderbolt defeated the mighty Albion in the semi-finals of the Stag Beer 50-Overs round robin tournament, while easing past the Young Warriors by seven runs to advance to the finals of the Ivan Madray Memorial 20/20 tournament.

The team has three of its members currently involved in the ongoing CWI Super50 with former West Indies/Guy-

ana batsman, Assad Fudadin, who recently scored a century for Jamaica Scorpions; pacer Clinton Pestano (Guyana Jaguars) and Kevin Sinclair, who has impressed on debut for the West Indies Emerging Players (WIEP) team.

All-rounder Kevlon Anderson is also a part of the West Indies U19 training squad for the World Cup, while female stars Sheneta Grimmond, Shamaine Campbelle and Shabika Gajnabi are on international duty with the West Indies female team.

Additionally, a total of 10 players played in the recent

GCB franchise league – Pestano, Junior Sinclair, Anderson, Shawn Pereira, Eon Hooper, Chanderpaul Govindhan, Jonathan Rampersaud, Kevin Sinclair, Jason Sinclair and Sylus Tyndall.

The team is currently preparing for this weekend’s upcoming BCB/Banks Beer two-day and Busta Champion of Champions 40 Overs Tournament, respectively.

Foster also revealed that NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour U21 team has reached the finals of the ongoing BCB Elizabeth Styles U21 tournament.

Bermuda coach forced to make changes for Mexico trip HAMILTON, Bermuda, (CMC) – Bermuda’s national coach Kyle Lightbourne has been forced to make three changes to his squad for their final group game against Mexico in League A of the CONCACAF Nations League

in Toluca next week.

Bermuda face a daunting task having lost last month’s home leg 5-1 and are on the verge of relegation to League B as their goal difference is four worse than second-placed Panama’s.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Wednesday November 13, 2019) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Shiv Chanderpaul (vs NZ, Auckland, 2006) (2) Nawroz Mangal (vs IRE, Colombo, 2010) Today’s Quiz: (1) When and where did the WI win a T20 International match for the first time?

(2) When and where did Afghanistan win a T20 International game for the first time?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

CaptionL Bermuda head coach Kyle Lightbourne.

The Bermudians lost 4-1 at home to Panama before springing a shock by winning the away leg 2-0.

Missing from the 23-man squad are Tre Ming, Jaylon Harvey and Calon Minors,

who have been replaced by the recalled Kilian Elkinson and Jahkari Furbert, while Eusebio Blankendal has earned his first call-up.

“Calon can’t make it because of school commitments

and Jaylon is injured from the Mexico game and he’s not recovered from that,” Lightbourne said. “Tre has asked to be excused for personal reasons.”

Lightbourne said of the three new faces, two are left-footers who replace two left-footers, adding:. “Eusebio is more of a utility player. He can play defence, can play in midfield, but we’re looking at him more of a defender.”

Bermuda will warm up for next Tuesday’s match against Mexico, the Gold Cup champions, during the international break with a friendly against Major League Soccer side DC United in St Croix, US Virgin Islands, on Friday.

English-based professionals Nahki Wells and Reggie Lambe, as well as non-League players Justin Donawa, Osa-

gi Bascome, Milan Butterfield and newcomer Knory Scott, are also in the Bermuda squad, along with winger Zeiko Lewis, who plays in America for United Soccer League side Charleston Battery.

Wells, 29, who equalled his club tally of last season when he scored his ninth goal of the term at the weekend for English Championship outfit Queens Park Rangers, where he is on loan from Premier League club Burnley, scored both goals in Bermuda’s 2-0 win in Panama and also fired the consolation goal in the 5-1 defeat against Mexico.

Bermuda secured a top seat at the Nations League table by finishing fifth in the qualifiers, which also led to them reaching the Gold Cup for the first time last summer.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday November 13, 2019

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India finally join the pink-ball party in Bangladesh series

By Amlan Chakraborty NEW DELHI, (Reuters) - India play their first day-night test as part of a two-match series against Bangladesh this month and while there may be some apprehension about using the pink ball for the first time they are unlikely to lose any sleep about facing a team in disarray.

Bangladesh were forced into a leadership change on the eve of their tour of India after captain Shakib Al Hasan was banned for breaching the International Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption code.

Their Twenty20 team under Mahmudullah began brightly but could not deny India a 2-1 series victory despite the absence of the

Bangladesh new Test captain Mominul Haque.

resting Virat Kohli.

The task, as newly-installed Test captain Mominul Haque is likely to find out, will be significantly tougher in the Test series, which gets underway in Indore on Thursday.

India have won all five Tests since the World Test Championship kicked in, including a 3-0 whitewash

Both India and Bangladesh will be playing a pink-ball Test for the first time. © (Getty Images)

against South Africa last month to record their 11th consecutive Test series victory at home.

In addition to Shakib, Bangladesh are also without opener Tamim Iqbal,

who has opted out of the tour to be with his pregnant wife, and all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin, who is nursing a back injury.

India are without Jasprit Bumrah, who is recovering

from a lower back stress fracture, but fellow quicks Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav ensured the pace spearhead was not missed against South Africa.

Rohit Sharma’s seamless transformation into a Test opener after years of struggles in India’s crowded middle order appears to have ended the only uncertainty in India’s compact batting lineup.

The limited-overs stalwart, playing his first series as a Test opener against South Africa, walked away with the man-of-the-series award for his three 100-plus knocks in four innings, including a maiden double century.

The elegant righthander, who led India in

the Twenty20 series, faces a fresh challenge in the series which includes the first daynight Test for both sides in Kolkata from Nov. 22.

Rohit is one of the few players from either side with at least some experience of the pink ball to be used for the day-night test.

“I’ve played only one pink-ball game in the Duleep Trophy ... but I batted at number six then and now I’ll be opening,” Rohit told Reuters in a recent interview, adding he was more excited than apprehensive about the experience.

“Obviously we need a lot of more experience with that ball, but it’s a great time for us to play a daynight Test.”

Reifer, Barnwell star to hand USA second straight defeat PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, (CMC) – Chris Barnwell’s attacking half-century and Raymon Reifer’s destructive five-wicket haul spared Guyana Jaguars blushes against minnows United States here Monday night.

Sent in at Queen’s Park Oval, Jaguars needed Barnwell’s 63-ball 80 to get up to 226 all out off their 50 overs, before Reifer snatched five for 35 with his left-arm seamer to complete the Jaguars turnaround, handing them a nervy 13-run victory The victory was Guyana’s second in three out-

Chris Barnwell

ings leaving them second in Group B while the defeat for United States was their

second in two appearances.

Unconvincing in their previous two matches, Jaguars again looked vulnerable when they slipped to six for two in the sixth over, losing opener Chandrapaul Hemraj (1) and rookie Kemol Savory (1).

Captain Leon Johnson, who made 43 off 57 balls and opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul who notched a painstaking 40 off 104 balls, posted 61 for the third wicket in an attempt to rebuild the innings.

But both found the difficult going against the accuracy of left-arm pacer

Saurabh Netravalkar (2-20) and right-armer Ian Holland (2-35) and the partnership required 115 deliveries.

Johnson struck three fours and two sixes and was beginning to finally up the tempo of the innings when he sliced off-spinner Steven Taylor to Holland at slip.

Barnwell’s arrival signalled an increase in scoring, the veteran blasting seven fours and four sixes to dominate a 66-run, fourth wicket partnership with Chanderpaul.

Even then, Chanderpaul managed only two fours before missing a sweep at a full

length delivery from left-arm spinner Karima Gore (3-38) and falling lbw.

Barnwell put on a further 40 for the sixth wicket with Jonathan Foo (39) to keep the runs flowing but finally perishing in the 44th over, spooning Holland to Taylor at cover.

In reply, USA got a top score of 43 from opener Mrundal Patel while Akshay Homraj struck 32 and Holland chipped in with 28, but the innings never really moved into high gear.

They were in good stead at 141 for four in the 38th over with Holland and Hom-

raj involved in a 33-run stand but Jaguars made key strikes down the stretch to set back the innings.

Holland strayed from his crease and was stumped off left-arm spinner Chandrapaul Hemraj (2-31) and Homraj added a further 31 for the sixth wicket with Gore (17) before smashing a full toss from the same bowler to Ronsford Beaton at deep square in the 44th over.

With the required run rate building, the pressure told on the US innings and the run chase petered out tamely.

DaSilva, Harding silence Volcanoe TAROUBA, Trinidad, (CMC) – Joshua DaSilva struck a maiden hundred in only his third List A appearance as West Indies Emerging Players produced a polished all-round performance to stun Windward Islands Volcanoes by 107 runs in the Regional Super50 Cup here Monday.

The 21-year-old righthander gathered an unbeaten 103 off 124 deliveries as Emerging Players, opting to bat first at the Brian Lara Stadium, piled up 261 for three off their 50 overs.

Left-hander Gidron Pope hit exactly 50, Roland Cato carved out a pulsating unbeaten

Fast bowler Keon Harding snatched four for 45 Joshua DaSilva celebrates his maiden hundred against Windward Islands Volcanoes.

49 off just 29 balls while Justin Greaves chipped in with a valuable 46.

Fast bowler Keon Harding then snatched four for 45 and new-ball partner Kevin Sinclair, three for19, to wreck the Volcanoes innings and send it tumbling to 154 all out off 38 overs.

Shane Shillingford, bat-

ting at number nine, resisted with an unbeaten 41 while number eight Kerron Cottoy got 33, but Kavem Hodge with 28 was the only specialist batsman to pass 10.

The victory, their second in three matches, put Emerging Players in a three-way tie on eight points in Group B but they lie third behind hosts Trinidad and Tobago Red Force and Guyana Jaguars on net run rate.

Volcanoes, meanwhile, are rock bottom without a win in two outings, following their opening defeat to Red Force.

DaSilva took centre stage over the first 50 overs, hitting eight fours and two fours as he inspired a series of part-

nerships to put his side in the ascendancy.

He lost opening partner Kimani Melius in the third over for 10 with as many runs on the board but put on 89 with Pope for the second wicket and a further 96 for the third wicket with Greaves.

Pope faced 70 balls and struck seven fours and a six while Greaves counted five fours in a 63-ball innings.

When Greaves was bowled by medium pacer Bhaskar Yadram in the 44th over, Cato arrived to inflict more misery on Volcanoes smashing a four and five sixes in an unbroken fourth stand with DaSilva worth 66.

DaSilva eventually reached three figures in the penultimate over with a single to deep point off fast bowler Sherman Lewis.

Emerging Players then maintained their dominance through Harding and Sinclair who combined to wipe out Volcanoes’ top order to reduce the innings to 45 for six in the 11th over.

Hodge and Cottoy put on 26 for the seventh wicket before Cottoy and Shillingford added a further 51 for the eighth, but Harding returned to claim the last two wickets and give Emerging Players an emphatic win.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday November 13, 2019

RIO $1M Year-end Extravaganza tournament officially launched!

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31

Organisers of the inaugural RIO $1M Year-end Extravaganza tournament at yesterday’s launch at the RIO Night Club.

Guyana to participate in FIFA U-20 World Cup qualifiers

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31

Watson appointed Australian Cricketers’ Association president PAGE

31 Shane Watson will head the ten-person ACA board (Getty Images)

FLASH BACK! Part of the action between Guyana and Guatemala at the 2018 CONCACAF U20 Championship.

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2019