Guyana Chronicle E-paper 11-26-2019

TUESDAY 26th November, 2019

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9 jailed for deadly piracy attack

No.105833

… Guyanese pirates sentenced for deadly 2018 attack in Suriname

03 … three others acquitted due to lack of evidence during trial in Suriname PAGE

Members of the Full Gospel Fellowship and Ministers of the Government pray for President David Granger, Monday morning

Cop killed after car smashes 11 into his bike

Growing interest 02 to invest in Guyana

Fired Troy workers get severance, 14 one month pay

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

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… female driver in police custody

… Go-Invest CEO says foreign companies eager to establish businesses here

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Growing interest to invest in Guyana

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

… Go-Invest CEO says foreign companies eager to establish businesses here THE growing interest in Guyana is clear after the just concluded Guyana International Petroleum Summit and Exhibition (GIPEX), which saw the participation of 250 companies from around the world.

GIPEX, which was held at the Marriott Hotel from November 20 to 22, attracted a number of foreign investors, who used the opportunity to enquire about the possibilities of investing in Guyana.

“Foreign investors are eager to set up businesses in Guyana,” said Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

of the Guyana Office for Investment, Owen Verwey, during a press briefing on the final day of GIPEX, last Friday.

Verwey said he met a number of potential investors during the course of the summit, some of whom even signaled a solid interest in returning to invest and form partnerships in Guyana.

“We have had about 19 different meetings in the last three days with different types of businesses… the majority of people that I would have met were extremely positive about their experience at this event,”

said the CEO. He said most of the companies were from North America and the Caribbean, and for some it was not their first time in Guyana. The investors’ interest was in the oil and gas sector but was not specific to exploration.

“They want to look at offering services to support that type of activity (exploration),” said Verwey, adding that the potential investors are also interested in forming partnerships with the locals.

Those foreign investors have signalled their interest, at a time when Guyana has seen a rapid growth in for-

eign interests and Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) since 2015. It was reported that the FDI is expected to grow further, reaching a record US$1.2 billion by the end of this year.

According to a report by the Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLAC), while FDI flows to Latin America and the Caribbean contracted for the third year in a row in 2017, to US$161.6 billion, a decline of 3.6 per cent relative to 2016 and 20 per cent less than in 2011, Guyana’s FDI flows had recorded a positive, upward trend.

Minister of Finance,

Winston Jordan had said that, from a low of US$58 million, in 2016, FDI flows almost quadrupled, in 2017, to US$212 million. These flows have continued this trend, rising to US$826.4 million by the first half of 2019, compared to US$514.8 million for the similar period in 2018.

“Expectedly, FDI flows have concentrated on the extractive sector, in particular gold and bauxite mining and latterly, petroleum exploration. However, as the ECLAC report noted, FDI grew in all sectors, except in manufacturing,” said the minister.

CEO of Go-Invest, Owen Verwey In keeping with the policy to diversify the economic base of the country, in order to avoid heavy dependence on the oil and gas sector, the Government, through an attractive mix of policies and reforms, is positioning the country to take advantage of the international interest in the recently discovered oil reserves, in order to promote other sectors, such as agriculture and tourism.

And so, as the economy evolves, Guyana will continue to make every effort to facilitate foreign investments across the potential economic sectors in the country.

Couple held after AK-47, drugs found in Sophia house

The AK-47 assault rifle, handgun with ammunition that were seized

A 51-year-old construction worker and his 34-year-old wife were arrested by the police following the discovery of an AK-47 assault rifle, handgun, cash, ammunitions and cannabis at their North Sophia home on Sunday night.

Reports are that an intelligence-led operation that lasted for six hours was supervised by a new officer in charge of narcotics.

The Superintendent and ranks stationed at CID Headquarters visited the home around 22:30hrs on Sunday night.

In addition to the firearms that were found, police also seized more than thirty-two kilograms of suspected cannabis wrapped in over five dozen parcels, $US currency and several hundred thousand

Some of the suspected cannabis seized by police Guyana dollars.

According to residents in the area, when police arrived at the home, the construction worker threw a small blue barrel over his fence.

When police retrieved the barrel, the guns and other illegal items wrapped up were found inside.

Police said a third suspect is currently being sought as investigations continue.

JAIL FOR PIRATES

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

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… Guyanese pirates sentenced for deadly 2018 attack in Suriname

… three others acquitted due to lack of evidence during trial in Suriname

By Nafeeza Yahya NINE Guyanese men were sentenced on Friday in neighbouring Suriname for the gruesome murder of their fellow Guyanese fishermen between April 27th and May 3rd, 2018. Three others were acquitted due to the lack of evidence.

The men were sentenced by sub district Judge, Marie Meetendaf, in Parimaribo following over a year of court proceedings. Seven of the men have been sentenced to 35 years imprisonment each.

They have been identified as Chris Parasaram, David Williams, Ganesh Beharry, Madre Kishoor, Ramdeo Persaud, Rameshwaru Roopnarine and Ray Torres. Feroze Baksh will serve 15 years and Terry Durga five years.

Guyana Chronicle understands that three others have been released due to lack of sufficient evidence.

They are Premnauth P, Sureshdien N, and Doodnauth M. Sources in Suriname revealed that these men had knowledge of the attack but were not physically present during the attack and were set free.

Between April 27th and May 3rd, four fishing vessels with five crew members each were hijacked in an area called ‘Young Bush’ in the Wai Wai Bank, Suriname waters. The men were beaten, chopped, shot, burnt with hot oil, and sprayed with gasoline. Their attackers also tied heavy objects to their bounded feet and told them to jump overboard.

Those who refused were allegedly tied together and thrown overboard forcibly.

Tilacknauth Mohabir

Danesh Persaud called Vicky

Rajkumar Bissesar

Glenroy Jones

Bharat Heralall

Ralph Anthony Couchman The fishermen’s catch, boat engines and sein were looted while their boats were destroyed or left to drift.

In the aftermath of the attacks, five fishermen miraculously survived. They were Deonarine Goberdan, called ‘Patar’ 47; Dharamdeo Persaud called Aki Bai; Shwerin Lovell, and another. Three bodies were washed ashore, including Mahesh Sarjoo called ‘Vishal, and Gavin Outar called Long Hai, while 12 others are still missing and presumed dead.

They are Tillacknauth Mohabir called‘Caiman’ 51; Bharrat Heeralall called “Cool Record”; “Palam”; “Spanish Man”; “Bandara”; “Mukesh”; Ramesh

Lalta Persaud, aka Sunil and Pudduck Sanchara called “Ravo”; Ramnarine Singh, 49; Looknarine Persaud called “Kleine”; Rajendra Bissessar; Danesh Persaud called ‘Vicky’, 27; Ralph Anthony Couchman called ‘Brunham’ 22; Glendroy Jones called ‘Alkaline’ and ‘Joshua’ 20,among others.

Investigators believed the motive behind the attack stemmed from an incident on the 30th March, 2018, when an alleged pirate, Somnauth Manohar called ‘Padi’, was shot and killed in a drive-by incident allegedly at the hands of other fishermen. Fishermen, speaking to this publication last year in Suriname, revealed that at the funeral of Manohar, his relatives had vowed

Mahesh Sarjoo aka Vishal to get revenge. Initially, police in Suriname had detained 30 persons including some immediate family members of Somnauth Manohar, but released 15; while in Guyana, three were charged and remain behind bars.

They include the alleged mastermind and brother of Padi, Nakool Manohar called ‘Fiya’, Premnauth Persaud called Sinbad and Alexander Deinharte.

Back in July this year, President David Granger ordered a Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the attack. Dr. Rishee Shri Thakur is currently conducting the inquiry. A final report was expected earlier this year, but Dr Thakur had asked for an extension.

According to the Terms

Gowkaran Outar aka Gavin of Reference (ToR), the Commission shall determine the number and identities of the persons killed in the attack and determine the perpetrators’ motive with a view to holding the guilty accountable.

Further, the ToR stated that the role of state agencies in the security of fishermen in the area, as well as all persons or organisations deemed responsible for the death of those persons, will be investigated. It was noted that a report on a plan of action be undertaken, both at sea and onshore, to prevent and counter piracy and related activities by addressing root causes of the phenomenon. The Government of Guyana, in June 2018, made a one-

Ramnarine Singh off payment to relatives of five fishermen who suffered from the deadly pirate attack. Among those who each received the sum of $100,000, were Mary Rodrigues – the mother of Sherwin Lovell – and Chandroutie Dwarka, who is the wife of Deonarine Gobherdan.

Lovell and Gobherdan are the two men who survived the brutal attack.

The other beneficiaries were the relatives of Glenroy Jones, Sunil Ramotar and Vickey Persaud, who are still missing. The attack was described by President David Granger as a “massacre”.

A national day of mourning was observed on June 25, 2018, as a solemn memorial to the Guyanese fishermen.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Dresden Green Vault robbery: Priceless diamonds stolen (BBC) Burglars have stolen three diamond jewellery sets from one of Europe’s largest treasure collections - the Dresden Green Vault in eastern Germany.

The historic sets consist of 37 parts each, and there are fears the thieves may try to break them up.

Officials are still trying to establish exactly how much was stolen in the break-in early on Monday.

Saxony’s ruler, Augustus the Strong, created the collection in 1723 in what is one of the world’s oldest museums.

“Three out of 10 diamond sets have gone,” said Marion Ackermann, head of the Dresden state museums.

The stolen sets from the Green Vault (Grünes Gewölbe) are reported to also include some rubies, emeralds and sapphires.

CCTV footage which shows two suspects in the dark. But more people may have been involved in the robbery.

A car found burning in Dresden early on Monday may have been the getaway vehicle used by the burglars, police say.

How did the thieves get in?

The thieves - still on the run - removed part of an iron grille on a ground-floor window, then smashed the glass.

At about 05:00 (04:00 GMT) on Monday, firefighters were called to tackle a blaze in a nearby electricity junction box.

There is speculation that the fire disabled the museum’s alarm system. It put out some of the street lights.

Police are examining

Giant gold coin trial opens in Berlin The museum had guards on duty at night, Ms Ackermann said.

Dozens of police cars are at the scene and the Green Vault in central Dresden is now shut.

What exactly was taken?

“Three out of 10 diamond sets have gone,” said Ms Ackermann.

However, Dresden police and museum officials did not provide any further details.

How much are the stolen

The Green Vault is a world-famous treasure collection

jewels worth?

Ms Ackermann described them as “priceless - we can’t put a figure on it”.

“The items cannot be sold on the art market legally they’re too well known,” she said.

Ms Ackermann stressed that the cultural value of the unique collection was far greater than its material value.

The popular German daily Bild said the thieves had grabbed jewels worth €1bn (£855m).

What is the Green Vault?

The collection is housed in eight ornate rooms in the Residenzschloss - a former

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royal palace.

Three rooms were destroyed by Allied bombing in World War Two, but after the war, the museum was restored to its previous glory.

It is called the Green Vault because some rooms were decorated with malachite-green paint.

The most valuable items are in the palace’s historic section on the ground floor.

There are about 3,000 items of jewellery and other treasures decorated with gold, silver, ivory and pearl. They include a figure of a moor studded with emeralds and a 648-carat sapphire - a royal gift from Russia’s Tsar Peter the Great.

One of the most valuable jewels is a 41-carat green diamond currently on show in New York.

The collection was founded by Augustus the Strong.

He was Elector of Saxony (a German prince entitled to take part in the election of the emperor) and later king of Poland.

What has the reaction been?

Saxony’s minister-president, Michael Kretschmer, voiced outrage at the crime, saying “not only were the state art collections burgled, but the people of Saxony too”.

“The valuables housed in the Green Vault and Residenzschloss were acquired by people in the Saxony Free State with difficulty, over many centuries.” He said the collection was an integral part of Saxony’s history.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

State witness Argentina: Catholic priests jailed for abusing deaf children shot dead in Claxon Bay (BBC) A court in Argentina has sentenced two Roman Catholic priests to more than 40 years in prison for sexually abusing deaf children at a church school.

Horacio Corbacho and Nicola Corradi, as well as a gardener, were found guilty of rape and abuse at the school in Mendoza province from 2004 to 2016.

Several victims were in court to see sentence passed on Monday.

The case has shocked Argentina, Pope Francis’ homeland, with many accusing the Church of acting too slowly.

The Catholic Church has faced an avalanche of child sexual abuse accusations around the world in the last few decades.

WHAT WAS THE COURT’S FINDING? On Monday, the court in the provincial capital Mendoza sentenced Argentine priest Corbacho to 45 years in prison.

The 59 year old was found guilty of sexually abusing children at the Instituto Antonio Provolo de Mendoz?a in the city of Luján de Cuyo.

Corradi, an 83-year-old Italian national, was given a

42-year sentence.

He had been investigated for abuses at the institute’s school in Verona, Italy, in the 1970s, but was never charged.

Armando Gómez, the gardener at the Luján de Cuyo school was jailed for 18 years.

The sentences cannot be appealed against.

WHAT HAS THE REACTION BEEN? None of the defendants made any comment after the sentences were read out.

Some of the victims’ mothers present in the courtroom were seen crying and hugging each other.

Meanwhile, a crowd of mainly young people cheered the verdicts outside the court.

“You have no idea how important this is for us, and for the world,” factory worker Ariel Lizárraga, the father of one of the victims, was quoted as saying by the Washington Post.

“The church has been trying to hide these abuses. But these priests raped and abused our children. Our deaf children! Today, the taboo against accusing priests stops here,” he said.

Uruguay election too close to call, electoral court says Victims’ relatives and campaigners were seen crying and hugging each other in the courtroom

(TRINIDAD NEWSDAY) A Claxton Bay father who was a state witness in an attempted murder case has been shot dead.

The body of Kevin Bhukal was found in his car near to the Forres Park landfill at Cedar Hill Road, Claxton Bay, on Sunday afternoon.

Bhukal had been shot in the head. He was found in the driver’s seat.

A police report said at about 5 pm a passerby saw Bhukal’s car, a Nissan B12, parked in front of the entrance of the landfill. Gran Couva police were contacted and he was pronounced dead on the scene by a district medical officer.

Police said Bhukal was a state witness in a case in which three men were committed to stand trial earlier this month.

An autopsy is expected to be done at the Forensic Science Centre today.

Homicide Region Three police are investigating.

(BBC) Uruguay’s presidential election is too close to call, the South American country’s electoral court says.

The provisional count gives conservative Senator Luis Lacalle Pou a narrow lead over his left-wing rival, Daniel Martínez.

The electoral court said the margin was so narrow it would not declare a winner until the official count had finished, which could take days.

Opinion polls had suggested a comfortable win for Mr Lacalle.

What are the results so far?

Provisional results suggest Mr Lacalle has won 48.7% of the votes, compared to 47.5% for Mr Martínez. The difference between the two candidates is currently 28,666

votes.

The court said that the result was so close it would not declare a winner until it had gone through more than 35,000 ballots cast by voters who could not make it to their assigned polling station.

These votes take longer to check and the court said it could take until the end of the week for the official result to be announced.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE REACTION? Supporters of Mr Lacalle had been confident of victory after opinion polls ahead of the election had given him a comfortable margin over Mr Martínez.

There were celebrations at Mr Lacalle’s campaign headquarters at first but, as exit polls suggested the margin between the two rivals was much narrower than

Mr Lacalle says his lead is irreversible

expected, the mood changed.

Mr Lacalle himself stopped short of claiming victory, although he said he considered his lead “irreversible”. He also said he was disappointed that his rival from the governing Broad front coalition had not admitted defeat.

“Sadly, the government candidate has not called us and has not recognised the irreversible result,” he said four hours after the polls had closed.

Meanwhile, supporters of Mr Martínez were buoyed by the better-than-expected outcome of their coalition, which has been in power for the past 15 years.

Mr Martínez jumped on to the stage and told them to “celebrate” but warned them not to engage in provocation or clashes with the rival party while they awaited the final result.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

All are involved

MONDAY November 25 marked the occasion of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, which has been observed since 1981. However, it received its international approval in 2000 through Resolution 34/134, as the United Nations (UN) gave signal recognition and its adoption.

Arising from this very important observation is the commencement of 16 Days of Activism, during which time gender-based violence against women and girls in all its forms will be highlighted. This has been an annual phase since this seminal observation began; it centres on four key signposts, commencing with the titular date of November 25: Human Rights Defenders Day, November 29; World Aids Day, December 1; and Human Rights Day, December 16, on which date the activism ends.

Significantly, in 2008, the occasion of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls was further advanced. Then UN Secretary-General Ban Ki moon launched UNITE to End Violence Against Women and Girls; all forms of violence. A sample of some of the latest statistics from the WHO/PAHO illustrates the perilous threat that violence poses to the extant well-being and existence of women and girls; it highlights too, the need for continuous strategies in all forms, and inclusive of every social agency in every region, and in every country to combat and halt this social scourge; a scourge that has become a dangerous and almost uncontrollable interna-

tional monster.

■ Some national studies have shown that 70% of women have experienced both physical and sexual violence in their lifetime. *Victims of either type of violence are twice likely to have an abortion, depression, HIV, or other STDs, compared to women who have not suffered such an experience.

■ 35 per cent of women world-wide have been the victims of either physical and/or sexual violence perpetrated by either an intimate partner or non-intimate partner.

■ Globally, it is estimated that of all the women who were victims of homicide in 2012, one-half were killed by intimate partners or family members.

■ Adult women account for 51 per cent of all trafficking cases; women and girls account for 71 per cent, while girls represent three out of every four victims.

■ 200 million women and girls have undergone female genitalia mutilation and other horrible nightmare experiences that have been taking place in every region of the world. Instructively, it must be noted that there are a reported 49 countries in which there are no laws that protect women from domestic violence that is now a pandemic.

Guyana is no stranger to the brutal scourge of violence against women and girls. The experiences are unchanging: Of women being mercilessly brutalised and eventually killed by partners; of women sexually harassed and sexually violated, and even killed. If there is any social ill that

has been constantly highlighted on a daily basis in Guyana, whether by way of the media in all forms; through social outreaches; social media; youth groups; religious evangelicals; or dissemination by other means, it has been the scourge of gender-based violence in all its forms. In fact, more social organisations in creative ways, inclusive of social media, the arts including drama and public service announcements, have been taking discourses to even the streets, in further attempts to highlight the grim threat that this inhuman behaviour poses to the well-being of women and girls.

It has always been advocated in this column that the battle against gender-based violence must not only be the business of the parties concerned, or the individual victim; it must also be the concern of every Guyanese; every socio-cultural organisation and even organs of the state. This is because of its pervasiveness that is indifferent to race and ethnicity, social class and professional status.

So, as Guyana joins the rest of the world on this 16 Days of Activism, we at the Guyana Chronicle stand with the call for NO MORE violence against women and girls in both words and action, because this scourge affects everyone: Women, men, children, persons with disabilities and people from sexual and gender minorities. It therefore means we must involve and sensitise everyone to support vulnerable individuals, protect survivors of violence, and bring perpetrators to justice.

Rodney would not be enamoured ―with an archive being named after him

Dear Editor,

I

T IS easy in our society to escalate everything, thrive on conflicts, and lose sight of reasoning and the need to arrive at sensible conclusions. The Walter Rodney issue is often one of these.

If the Commission of Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding his death was laid before the National Assembly, a public institution, isn’t it by now a public document?

Is it true the Report from the Inquiry was presented to the Parliament in May 2016 and debated in August 2016? If yes, why is there the continuous call to make it public? As an aside, is it also true the Rodney family received a copy of the Report?

Now there is the issue of the National Archives, once ‘renamed’ the Walter Rodney Archives and no longer so as per the placement of the original sign. According to media reports the name was never gazetted, which means the remaining exercise was never legal. In short, it was not an official name but a ‘call name’, and perhaps an act of

deception by those who engaged in that ‘renaming’ exercise.

Apart from that, Dr. Rodney, a historian by education, would value the importance of naming for such aids in identifying, giving meaning, context, structure and helping us to understand our lived experiences. I doubt that Rodney the historian would be enamoured with a nation’s archive named after him. For such would say, by its very name, it is Rodney’s archives, and the body of work in that building that of Rodney, and not the nation. The historian in him would condemn such a name as ill-conceived and misguided. The politician in him; the nationalist, not the partisan, would ridicule such naming, and mock those who seek to contrive issues that divide rather than unite us.

Whilst it is not unusual to name places in a society after persons, an entity such as a the nation’s archive, which stores a body of work from pre-colonial times to now, representing the non-partisan collection of our history should not be attracting controversy. Thus the neutrality and factual name, “National Archives” is most fitting, because, by its very name, it says it belongs to ALL the People of Guyana.

It is also instructive how those who claim to love Dr. Rodney often seek to thrive on his name and not necessarily what he stood for. There is a Chair at the University of Guyana in Dr. Rodney’s name, where his body of work is open for academic review and development. It would be interesting to know the state of that Chair and the role or lack thereof of his comrades in giving true meaning to it.

The spot where Dr. Rodney died was converted to a memorial shrine by his comrades. It would be of interest to know what efforts his comrades have since made to maintain the site in pristine condition. And please don’t proffer the response that the City Council is responsible for its maintenance, because there exists doubt the Council would have refused support for its maintenance via adoption or some other means. It remains distressing to see this cannibalistic approach to Dr. Walter Rodney, his name and his contributions to society, good and or bad.

Regards, Minette Bacchus

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

OP-ED W

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We must stop procrastinating

E are doing nowhere near enough to limit climate change. Greenhouse gas emissions are rising when they should be falling. Countries need to urgently increase action or we will face a future of rising seas, extreme weather events and increased human misery.

The UN’s annual Emissions Gap Report, released in Geneva on November 26, tells us that even if all current unconditional Paris commitments were implemented, we would remain on course for a 3.2°C temperature rise. To get on track to limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5°C, we need to more than halve global emissions by 2030. Slicing this up evenly means emissions should fall 7.6 per cent per year from 2020 to 2030. For the 2°C target, the figure is 2.7 per cent each year.

Scientists, the UN and activists have been delivering variations of this message for more years than most of us care to remember, and their voices have only grown louder. Still, the world has not heeded their warnings. We have procrastinated, thinking we can catch up later. But now the hard deadline for serious action is upon us.

The size of these annual cuts is shocking. It is also unprec-

edented. The best annual emissions reduction any individual country has recorded is just over two per cent per year – the UK, between 1990 and 2018. The task may seem impossible, particularly for 1.5°C. But we have to try, and we must start now. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned us that going beyond 1.5°C will increase the frequency and intensity of catastrophic climate events such as the heatwaves and storms witnessed across the globe in the last few years. Sea levels will be higher. Almost all coral reefs will die.

The planet will be in serious trouble.

The Report’s findings are timely as they come ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference COP25 which takes place in Madrid, Spain, chaired by Chile, and where parties will review their climate action pledges.

Countries cannot wait until the end of 2020, when new climate commitments are due, to step up action. They – and every city, region, business and individual – need to act now.

We need quick wins to reduce emissions as much as possible in 2020, then stronger national climate commitments and action to kick start the major transformations of economies and societ-

ies needed to catch up on the years in which we procrastinated.

It is still possible to reach the 1.5°C target, but we should not downplay the size of the task. To close the gap in action, nations have to raise the ambition of their pledges over fivefold when they revise them. They must then immediately follow up with policies, strategies and action to meet these commitments.

The global landscape has never been more conducive to taking the necessary action. There is an increased understanding of the multiple benefits of climate action – such as clean air, green jobs and a boost to many Sustainable Development Goals. There are many examples of ambitious efforts from national governments, cities, businesses and investors. Pressure is growing in the form of powerful protest movements. Climate change is becoming a bigger issue in the ballot box. We either take advantage of this environment to deliver the radical transformations and climate-smart solutions we need now or face the consequences of a planet radically altered by climate change.

(Inger Andersen is Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme)

Jagdeo is in a numerical pickle Dear Editor,

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IFTY per cent is the magic number. Fifty per cent is what they are all aiming for. Fifty per cent is looking elusive for many. This fifty per cent target is causing at least one man severe insomnia, which is resistant to the strongest of sedatives. Propofol is his next option, but we all saw how that turned out with Michael Jackson.

So the Sleepless One rushed to Canada, greeted by Charrandass, then proceeded to give his Sermon on the Mount. There were just two problems with that. The sermon was highly immoral and unethical. The Sleepless One proposed to the masses to leave their jobs, take out loans and fly themselves to Guyana to cast their ballots.

The Sleepless One has been busy playing around with the numbers as to how he will get to this 50%. Let me remind the reader why the Sleepless One is worried. 40% East Indians, 30% Blacks, 20% Mixed, 11% Amerindian and 0.5% Other. You see, in the 1990s, that 40% was 54%. Also when the Sleepless One was

the ‘Champion’, he was all but assured the 11% Amerindian vote.

But now things have changed. Not only his base has disappeared, like if under magician Houdini spell, they have also denied him twice and now likely thrice, like Peter did to Jesus.

So the Sleepless One is in a numerical pickle. He tried and failed with that $60,000 pro-PPP recital in Black communities.

Hoping to get his following, Blacks for Bharrat, like the Impeached One. That was a colossal failure. It was bound to fail, because only a fool would pay for love. So the Sleepless One, with a change of name, is up to new tricks. He is now the ‘threecards trickster’. Recently, I was directed to one of his many news outlets. What I saw had me laughing my head off. In my “decapitated” state, I read the ‘three-cards trickster’ said that if elected, he will have a COI into the 400+ blacks that were murdered. This has to be a joke. It is like Osama Bin Laden investigating 9/11.

No amount of three-card tricks can conceal his devious motives.

Even the world renowned three-cards trickster from Metropole Cinema who was severely bitten by vagrant goats, would not have been able to pull this one off.

Let me repeat for emphasis, PPP will likely get 30% of the Indian votes; 8% of the Mixed votes; 2% of the black votes; and 2% of the Amerindian votes. That’s the reason why Jagdeo is placing his election bait in the black pool, hoping that some will bite. In the 1990s he couldn’t care less about the blacks, because his base was strong and the Amerindian votes were relatively certain. Now facing a diminished base, and the Amerindians now being provided with other options, he is conveniently turning to the blacks. Also, the PPP was in power for over 10 years, and chose not to investigate the murder of the 400+blacks. Why now?

The fact is that many blacks were murdered. I know that, since I certified many of them while working in A&E. Many innocent blacks were murdered. No one can tell me different, because I witnessed it. As a result, I would humbly beseech all Guyanese not to fall for Jagdeo’s trick of a COI; it will just be a kangaroo court.

Regards, Dr. Mark Devonish

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Why the WTO Appellate Body Crisis Matters to the Caribbean

By Dr. Jan Yves Remy and Alicia Nicholls

The Appellate Body (AB) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) – the final court charged with hearing appeals on points of law at the WTO – faces an existential crisis. On 10 December 2019, the terms of two of its remaining three members - the quorum needed to adjudicate an appeal - will expire. Their positions will not be filled if the current United States (US) blockage of appointments continues. This means that new appeals of panel decisions will not be heard after that date.

Given Caribbean countries’ limited and ‘checkered’ experience with the WTO dispute settlement (DS) system, it is tempting for the region to be blasé about the current impasse. However, as has been chronicled elsewhere, it is the smallest WTO Members that most need a functioning legal DS system to safeguard their interests when the powerful break the rules.

In this latest SRC Trading Thoughts, we examine the possible “doomsday” scenario impending at the WTO and explain why Caribbean countries should be concerned by what portends if the AB no longer exists at the WTO. BRIEF HISTORY BEHIND THE CRISIS The prompt settlement of disputes, as provided for under the rules of the WTO, is indispensable to the security and predictability of the rules-based multilateral trading system. Once considered the ‘crown jewel of the WTO’, the DS system has been the preferred path for WTO Members to resolve trade disputes, as opposed to taking unilateral action. A major reason for this is that, unlike other international courts, the WTO has both exclusive and compulsory jurisdiction over disputes brought to it by its Members.

When the current WTO DS system was established in 1995, it was a marked improvement over its predecessor – the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (the GATT). This was because it added a standing appeal court, the AB, made up of seven judges that hear and decide appeals from decisions of the lower order tribunals – known as WTO panels. By creating a two-tier system of adjudication – comprising both panels and the AB – the current WTO DS system has introduced certainty in dispute outcomes where the appellate procedure provides a ‘check’ on the decisions of panels.

When a panel issues a decision, it is open to either party to lodge an appeal before the AB, which has binding force on the parties. Appeals must be limited to “issues of law and legal interpretations developed by the panel” although in many cases, factual determinations by the panel, that rise to the level of legal error, can also be appealed. Although international law does not follow the Common Law doctrine of stare decisis (binding precedent), AB decisions typically do not deviate from the legal reasoning employed by the AB in previous decisions, which has contributed to greater uniformity and predictability of decisions.

The AB has undoubtedly brought improvements to the way issues are adjudicated at the WTO. Nonetheless, WTO Members have, for some time now, raised concerns with aspects of its operation. Since the Doha Round negotiations started in 2001, attempts have been made to improve and clarify dispute settlement through Special Sessions of the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) but these have been met with limited progress.

In the Special Sessions, successive US administrations have aired longstanding grievances with substantive and procedural aspects of the AB’s operation, including that the AB has overstepped the parameters WTO Members agreed when they created the AB. The

US has pointed, for instance, to the fact that the AB frequently disregards the 90-day deadline for appeals and retains AB members on disputes beyond their appointment terms, without consulting Members beforehand; renders decisions on issues that are not technically required in order to resolve disputes between WTO Members; delves into factual determinations when it should confine itself to issues of law; and unduly relies on precedents from previous cases.

The US’ criticisms of the AB have only escalated under the Trump Administration. Although the record of US wins under the WTO DS is well over 80% of disputes to which it is party, this has not prevented it from claiming that the WTO has been “unfair to the US”.

Taking matters into its own hands, the US has, over the past year and a half, shut down the appointment process by vetoing the selection of new, or re-appointment of existing, AB members. As such, since December 2018, the number of AB members has whittled down to just three members, with two of the three remaining members due to retire when their second (and final) four-year terms expire in just two weeks. If arrangements for replacement appointments are not made before this occurs, the WTO’s AB will be rendered inoperable and appeals brought to a standstill. As if to turn the knife even further, the US is also now challenging the compensation structure for AB members, and has even threatened to block the passage of the WTO’s biennial budget.

SHOULD THE CARIBBEAN BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPENDING CRISIS? All Caribbean countries, with the exception of The Bahamas, are WTO Members. CARICOM countries’ participation in the WTO DS system has been limited mainly as third (not main) parties to disputes. The exception to that trend was Antigua & Barbuda which brought a complaint against the US in the US Gambling case in 2008. Although Antigua & Barbuda won the case on the merits, it has been unable to ensure US compliance with the decisions of the AB and to this day still seeks proper remedies under the WTO system.

Without doubt, the current system has its flaws, particularly with regard to enforcement of decisions for small Members. However, a WTO without a strong appeal system presents a worse outcome for the Caribbean. Without a “final check” on the panel decisions, disputes at the WTO will no longer have the blanket of predictability that the AB has offered over its near 25-year existence. The fall of the AB may well be the start of the complete demise of dispute settlement at the WTO. In this day and age where the world is witnessing a retreat from multilateralism and return to protectionism, it is even more important that rules are seen to be respected. The most recent WTO Trade Monitoring Report issued on 21 November shows a 37% increase in import-restrictive measures introduced by G20 countries. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have also warned of the negative impact of rising protectionism and trade wars on global trade and investment, and ultimately global GDP growth.

The IMF’s October World Economic Outlook forecasts global growth for 2019 at 3.0 percent - the lowest level since 2008–09.

A working system for the peaceful settlement of trade disputes, which encourages countries to pursue legal avenues for dispute settlement as opposed to unilateral action, is therefore indispensable for the global economy as a whole. Indeed, the last thing Caribbean small open economies need is another recession after it has taken many of our economies years to finally return to growth after the 2008-09 Global Financial Crisis.

As such, in spite of its flaws, Caribbean countries have generally supported the retention of the two-tiered DS system. Although the region has not made any formal submission on this issue to the WTO, it has been brought to the attention of the trade ministers at the recently held 49th Regular Session of CARICOM Council on Trade and Economic Development (COTED).

Although it may be too late to forestall the impending demise of the AB, the Caribbean should add its voice to the clamour at the WTO to retain the AB in some form or other.

SOLUTIONS MOOTED In recognition of the risks involved with a non-functioning appeal system, several WTO Members have submitted proposals for reform of the WTO AB, and the DS system in general, that seek to address the specific concerns raised by the US. But these proposals have met with limited success. Part of the problem is the US’ apparent resolve to press ahead with its plan to end the AB, at least in its current incarnation.

Given what seems to be a resignation that the AB will no longer exist after December 11, negotiators, academics and practitioners alike in Geneva have been debating what this may mean for the system – the panel reports and their adoption, the AB Secretariat that services the AB judges, and the WTO as a whole.

Proposals have also been made for temporary workarounds. One such proposal has been to resort to a procedure for arbitration as “an alternative to the normal dispute settlement process” that is provided for under the current rules, known as the Article 25 process. According to a proposal which provides an alternative appeal procedure for consenting parties that largely mimic the current appeal process, arbitral decisions would be automatically binding on the disputing parties and enforceable similar to adopted panel and AB reports. The EU has taken it a further step by using the proposal as a basis for entering interim arbitration agreements with Norway and Canada. The uptake of this proposal by the wider membership is uncertain and even internally has been met with some skepticism by EU states. Indeed, even on the technical aspects of the proposal, issues have been raised.

THE WAY FORWARD FOR THE CARIBBEAN? In this state of extreme uncertainty, what is the Caribbean to do?

Caribbean countries have a vested interest in the preservation of the rules-based multilateral trading system and the peaceful solution of disputes by an impartial body which the two-tiered DS system currently provides. But, that system is in real jeopardy which necessitates a new approach and new thinking. The Caribbean must now appraise the reform proposals on the table and consider how best to navigate the new reality sans an AB. While we are not frequent or main players in dispute settlement, this does not mean that CARICOM’s interests are any less critically affected – in fact the opposite is true since small states at the WTO have no power-base from which to ensure that their interests are reflected in a new system that is put in place. At this critical juncture when WTO Members attempt to carve out a solution to the potential existential crisis for the WTO, the Caribbean’s views must not be marginalized. This is the time for the Caribbean to stand up and be counted.

Dr. Jan Yves Remy is the Deputy Director of the Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade Law, Policy & Services and a former WTO dispute settlement lawyer. Alicia Nicholls, B.Sc., M.Sc., LL.B. is a trade researcher with the SRC. Learn more about the SRC here: www.shridathramphalcentre.com.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

$40M Soil Testing Laboratory commissioned in Berbice

THE Nand Persaud Group of Companies, in collaboration with the University of Guyana, on Monday, commissioned a $40M soil testing facility at the Tain Campus.

The facility which has the capacity to test soil, water and plant disease is the brain child of Professor Subramaniam Gomathinayagam, the Director of the Berbice Campus. Professor Gomathinayagam, who also celebrated his birthday yesterday, said the commissioning of the centre was a dream come true for him. He explained that, since he came to Guyana, several years ago, he had been assisting farmers with their various crop-related issues and saw the need for a facility which could make the lives of the farmers easier.

He continued that the multi-million dollar facility will be beneficial, not only to farmers, but the entire region,

Professor Paloma Mohamed, in her remarks, explained that the project had a very long gestation period, having gone through five different departments before being approved, but was worth the wait since it will significantly benefit everyone. She noted that the

Major General Joe Singh also echoed similar sentiments as he stressed the establishment of the facility was another use of technology to speed up information and data to farmers whom he said were the most important people in the agriculture industry. He

versify the economy from oil and gas into agriculture, more particularly, food security and export earnings. Singh further called on the youths to make use of technology and get into agriculture as that what was needed more than ever.

An inside view of the lab

“Young people in particular would be wise to see agriculture not as a burdensome back-breaking, physically arduous vocation but as something which is necessary and which can use technology to ensure food security,” he said.

to be in partnerships where everyone is making a profit and is happy so that it can be sustainable; and the effort of this lab is just that. We feel that that the potential is there for the rice industry to increase yields by 25-30% and that potential is now realized because the farmers must understand how to treat the soil…. We are putting in the effort because we want to see farmers continue to be profitable.”

He too made an appeal for an agriculture agenda in the presence of oiland gas so that Guyana does not end up like other oil producing countries that focus solely on oil and gas. He noted, from personal experience, that the Agriculture manufacturing industry was paying the highest rates of taxes which was unfair, since everyone benefits from the sector and called for the agriculture manufacturing industry to be more competitive by allowing the manufacturers to enjoy the same benefits as those in the oil and gas sector.

Chief Executive officer of the Nand Persaud Group of Companies,Mohindra Persaud, noted that not only the rice industry stand tobenefit from soil testing but fruit

CEO Nand Persaud

not see the need or consider the $8000 per test a waste of finances.

He also touched on the rice industry in general which he said had the highest production in Region Six of over 2 million bags of paddy in the last crop and foresees it to be more profitable with the use of the lab.

“What is the future of the rice industry? Same response as 40 years ago. It is getting bigger, better and more profitable. The last crop in the region produced over 2 million bags of paddy - the largest ever in the Region.”

Also offering brief remarks was Regional Chairman, David Armogan, who applauded the Nand Persaud Group of Companies and called on, not only farmers, but those in the construction industry, to make use of the soil testing facility.

President of the Central Chamber of Commerce, Mohamed Raffik, also offered

Rajendra and Mohindra Persaud along with members of the University of Guyana, Regional Chairman and others at the ribbon cutting exercise

and Guyana as a whole and urged farmers to test their soil prior to planting so that they can be better able to care for their plants and maximize on use of their fertilisers.

Deputy Vice Chancellor Philanthropy, Alumni and Civic Engagement (PACE)

fact that the laboratory was located on the University’s property meant that students will get training and jobs, the community will benefit and the university will be receiving a percentage of the earnings from the facility.

Pro Chancellor, retired

underscored the importance of agriculture, especially with oil and gas sector taking centre stage, as first oil was about to be extracted.

He appealed to all to not fall prey to the Dutch Disease and hopes that money would be used wisely and diThe building

Different samples of soil

He also called on those in authority to let good sense prevail to make funds available to rice farmers to get access to adequate water for their crop. He said the issue was one of bread and butter and not political and should take center stage.

Meanwhile Chairman of the Nand Persaud Group of Companies, Rajendra Persaud, noted that, through use of the facility, rice farmers can potentially increase their yields by as much as 30%.

“We understand for us to survive and be in business we recognize theneed

and vegetable farmers as well as those involved in fish rearing, since the facility tests water and all soil types. He called for an end of traditional farming where fertilisers and crops are being planted and applied based on traditions that have been passed on for many generations. He posited, that with the scientific data available, all will benefit by being in a position to make informed decisions. On that note, he issued a call to the various chambers of commerce in the region to help sponsor testing for farmers who may

congratulations on the establishment of the lab and called on all politicians to ensure agriculture is paramount on their agenda. He also called for more emphasis to be placed on the private sector since it holds the key to generating employment and improving the economic situation for all, providing the framework and policies are in place.

With Region Six being primarily an agricultural-based economy, the laboratory, once used correctly, had the possibility to transform the entire region.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Lindeners urged to help end gender-based violence ―as MoSP launches ‘16 days of Activism’ campaign

By Vanessa Braithwaite BE it sexual, physical, emotional or financial, violence against women and girls continues to be a major problem plaguing our society.

And in its effort to eradicate this scourge, the Ministry of Social Protection on Monday launched a ‘16 days of activism’ campaign in Linden so as to raise awareness on the need for everyone to play a role and get on board.

The event was held under the theme, ‘Orange the World, Generation Equality Stands against Rape’.

Giving the feature address to an audience consisting of regional officials, students, women and other stakeholders was Minister of Social Protection Amna Ally. She brought to the fore the reality that gender-based violence is a global problem affecting many women in Guyana.

This violence, she explained, has no boundaries, and poses a threat to individuals as well as communities, and the progression of a nation as a whole. “This scourge continues to pose a serious threat to human rights, public health, citizen security and physical, political and economic autonomy of women in Guyana. The level of violence against women in Guyana is unacceptable,” Minister Ally posited.

CULTURAL NORMS According to the experts, some blame must be placed on our cultural norms which continue to harbour attitudes that perpetuate violence against women. These include beliefs that women belong in the home and should not be present a certain decision-making tables. This is coupled by the unequal distribution of opportunities and even wealth.

This has also resulted in violence going beyond intimate partner violence, and Minister Ally related that 20% of the women in Guyana have experienced non-partner sexual abuse in their lifetime.

“There needs to be a paradigm shift,” she said, adding: “That means ensuring

that women have access to education, decent work and equal pay. It means removing the structural barriers, the discriminatory institutions, and gender stereotypes… It means getting more women into political office, and ensuring that women have a voice in the decision which

affects their lives, in households, in communities, in government, in the private sector and other entities.”

ROOTING IT OUT In highlighting the progress made in rooting out gender-based violence, the Social Protection Minister related

Minister of Social Protection Amna Ally addressing the audience at the launch of the event in Linden on Monday

that in 2017, Guyana established the first court to strictly deal with sexual offences cases, and this is now available in three counties. A National Plan of Action for domestic and sexual violence has also been finalised. “This Plan of Action,” Minister Ally said, “focuses on the protection of victims, prevention of gender-based violence, prosecution, rehabilitation of victims among others, and will soon be approved for implementation… Ending violence against women, is one of the government’s key priorities, and a critical part of our mission is to achieve gender quality and women’s empowerment.”

Another significant stride the government would have made is to partner with New Horizon to ensure Linden gets its first women’s home.

In her address, Mayor of Linden Waneka Arrindell related that the Home will be fully furnished and functional

by January 2020. This Home will not only function as a safe haven for abused women, but as an empowerment facility to make them financially independent. Mayor Arrindell listed gender-based violence as a serious issue facing our women, and said more needs to be done to tackle the issue.

“It has become deeply rooted in our society,” she said, “and many times we hear about it. Some of us have lived through it; some of us saw our parents go through it; some of us watched our sisters, daughters and friends endure it.

Today, we are thankful. We are thankful that under this government the Ministry of Social Protection has chosen to be with us today and to give us 16 days to eradicate, to make sure our entire country knows and understands the importance of keeping

our women and our children safe.”

‘START THE CONVERTSATION’ While we wait for the Women’s Home to be opened, she urged Lindeners to start the conversation in their homes and communities. “It is the responsibility of mothers and our fathers…

And as we say, it takes a community to raise a child; to ensure our girls and boys are taught good morals and values; that they are taught the importance of women, and that those women should be protected,” the mayor said.

Religious leaders gave the charge to particularly men to take up their responsibility as fathers, and urge their fellow men not to partake in these cruel acts of violence.

The event also saw several cultural performances from students who, through dance, song, spoken word and drama sought to send a strong message on how impacting violence is on the victims.

The launch also included an exhibition and a candlelight vigil. Deputy Director of Social Services Abike Samuels said that the intent of the 16 days of activism is to focus on eliminating sexual harassment, assault, violence and rape, committed against women and girls.

16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence was started by activists at the inaugural Women’s Global Leadership Institute back in 1991.

Over the next 16 days, beginning today and up until Human Rights Day on December 10, Guyana will join the rest of the world in calling for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Reg. 9 councillor publicly renounces PPP ties –– leads call for Katu’ur residents to join APNU+AFC

By Vanessa Braithwaite WHAT started as just cause for a good tongue-lashing from Minister within the Ministry of Communities Annette Ferguson for the dereliction of duty members of the Opposition-led Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Nine, quickly developed into an unabashed endorsement of the government, led by none other than a fellow councillor.

It happened just this weekend when Minister Ferguson paid a visit to the South-Central Rupununi village of Katu’ur.

One of the complaints was that residents were not getting the kind of assistance they need from the RDC, even though funding would have already been provided under the 2019 Budget.

A case in point was the plight of recently-appointed headmaster of Katu’ur Primary, Eon Lewis, who told the minister that the school, which was built in 2011, is in a such a deplorable condition, it’s not fit for holding classes. He said that besides a leaky roof, faulty electrical wiring, and the lack of a whole host of other basic necessities such as adequate school furniture, Lewis said his quarters is so uninhabitable that he’s too ashamed to ask his family to come live with him.

their support to the Coalition Government come March 2, 2020 when the nation goes to the polls.

They also expressed confidence that those promises that the government is yet to deliver on will be done when they return to office.

Minister Annette Ferguson addressing residents of Katu’ur in Region Nine over the weekend After listening to what the funding through the Progressive Party (PPP). the people had to say, Min- Budget for these projects.”

Then, having said her fill, ister Ferguson said the issues the woman there and then BREAKING POINT they are having should have announced, to loud applause It was at this point that from fellow villagers, that been dealt with at the level of the RDC, by the very all hell broke loose, as one she will be joining the APNU/ people they would have vot- PPP Councillor, who re- AFC, as she was in full agreeed in, and that rather than sides in the village, said ment with Minister Ferguson do their job, their mission that she did make repre- that the Coalition Government is to ignore the cries of the sentation at the level of the is doing a fabulous job where electorate to make central RDC in the hope that they development is concerned; would at least look into that the evidence is there for government look bad.

“These people who you the matter and address everyone to see, not only in have voted for have to those issues that they can her community and region, come in and find out what address. but the entire country.

But all they did was is happening, so they can At this, the residents of go back and make repre- just brush them aside. The Katu’ur joined her and Sesentation at the regional thing that rankles the most, nior Council Brian Mellevel, but they are not do- she said, is that like her, the ville in lauding the many ing that,” Minister Fergu- Chairman, Vice-Chairman efforts of the government to son said, adding, “Govern- and a majority of her fellow bring about change in theirs ment would have already Councillors are members and other communities in played its role in providing of the Opposition People’s the region, and committing

TANGIBLE ACHIEVEMENTS Among some of the achievements outlined by the villagers were the provision of potable water, the school’s feeding programme and the Hinterland Employment Youth Service (HEYS), which benefited the youths of the community.

One village youth leader posited that the HEYS programme was indeed of much benefit to him and other youths, and for that they are all very grateful.

As Minister Ferguson explained, the HEYS programme, like others made possible by the government, was one of the government’s way of standing firm on its principle of empowerment and not giving out handouts, which would only bring immediate gratification, but not long-term benefits. “In order for you to become empowered, in order for you to become educated,”she said, “it doesn’t make sense giving you the tools and not guiding you through the process of how those tools

ought to be used.

And I guess many of you are familiar with the proverbial quote, ‘You cannot give a man a fish and expect him to know how to fish; you have to teach that man how to fish… You call that empowerment, and that is what your government has been doing.”

OTHER CONCERNS In raising additional concerns, residents called for the construction of access roads and bridges; the regularisation of titled lands; the provision of transportation for students to attend school; and the provision of Internet services.

Minister Ferguson assured the residents that when the 2020 Budget is passed, all of the capital projects requested will be provided.

Relative to the regularisation of land, the minister committed to personally working along with the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs and the Ministry of the Presidency to ensure the Katu’ur lands are regularised, so that the community can also benefit from the hinterland housing project.

The meeting was part of a regional government outreach over the weekend, which saw ministers visiting several villages to listen to the concerns of the people.

Cop killed after car smashes into his bike … female driver in police custody AN off-duty policeman, riding a Ducati motorcycle CH 9436, was killed after a black Nissan Bluebird motorcar, PMM 2528, crashed into him at the intersection of Brickdam and Chalmers Place, Georgetown, in the wee hours of Monday morning.

Dead is 24-year-old Constable Carl Roach of Lot 1, Water Street, Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara. He was stationed at the Brickdam Police Station.

The driver was identified as a 34 -year-old female

resident of Norton and Haley streets, Wortmanville, Georgetown.

She is in custody assisting with investigations.

A breathalyzer test found that she was below the prescribed alcohol limit.

Enquiries disclosed that the motor car was proceeding east along the northern side of the Brickdam Public Road while the motorcycle was proceeding west along the southern side of the said road.

As both vehicles approached Chalmers Place, where there is an inter-

section, the driver of the motorcar reportedly turned south into the path of the motorcycle, causing a col-

The motorcycle Roach was riding when he met his demise

lision. As a result, the motorcyclist was flung some distance away, hitting a light pole on the southern side of the road. He sustained injuries to the head and body.

He was pronounced dead on the scene by a doctor and the body was taken to Lyken’s Funeral Home awaiting autopsy.

The Guyana Police Force has since extended condolences to the immediate family, relatives and friends on the tragic passing of the police constable who was such a dedicated member.

On Sunday morning, Republic Bank employee, David Headly, died after he

Dead: Carl Roach collided with a bridge rail along the Railway Line Embankment at Felicity, East Coast Demerara.

Headly was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

New Doctors’ Quarters, extension project at Upper Mazaruni District Hospital underway

THE Ministry of Public Health has begun work on $21M and $22M projects, which will see the construction of new doctors’ quarters to accommodate several specialists and a Centre to facilitate an x-ray and ultrasound department at the Upper Mazaruni regional hospital.

The Regional and Clinical Programme Officer, Ministry of Public Health, Caroline Hicks, stated that, the ministry embarked on an expansion project at the Upper Mazaruni Hospital in Kamarang, to provide

accessibility to facilities that the residents of the Upper Mazaruni region were not able to access in the past.

“In every region we want persons to access the same care, the same services as Georgetown. We have an area that is under construction now for the specialist personnel, so that persons here can access services that are offered in Georgetown right here in region seven and some of the same services we will have specialists staying in this region and that is why we are expanding the

hospital so that persons can stay in this region,” Ms. Hicks explained.

She added that the project will see less persons from the region having to travel from the interior to Georgetown to access the said facilities.

Dr. Stefano Duncan, the regional doctor who has been stationed at the upper Mazaruni District Hospital for the past three years, expressed immense pleasure with the initiative and noted that, when the expansion project is complete, it will be a great benefit to the residents of the Upper

Dr. Duncan giving the health officers a tour of the hospital grounds

Mazaruni region.

“I have seen quite great development over the past three years; for an extended period of time we needed ultra sounds and x-rays so persons who need these services, can soon access them because, to God be the glory, right now we have in process the construction of a doctors’ quarters which will facilitate and x-ray and ultrasound department right here in Kamarang,” he stated.

Earlier this month The Director General of the Ministry of The Presidency, Joseph Harmon, announced, at a Post-Cabinet briefing, that facilities will be put in place to accommodate doctors in the Up-

per Mazaruni area, specifically in Kamarang, with the construction of Doctors’ Quarters. J’s General Store and Construction Company will be working on the $22M project.

The same construction company will also carry out the rehabilitation and extension of the Kamarang District Hospital.

The works to be done at the hospital will cost $21M. These upgrades will allow for the provision of additional services as there is an increased patient load at the facility which is the only secondary health facility located in that section of the Cuyuni/Mazaruni Region.

Dr. Stefano Duncan, the regional doctor stationed at the Upper Mazaruni District Hospital, Kamarang

Contractors working on the foundation of the building for the Doctors’ quarters

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Youths remanded to prison on separate charges

MAGISTRATE Sherdel Isaac-Marcus, on Monday November 25, 2019, remanded to prison, three youths, on separate charges of gun and ammunition possession, simple larceny, break and entering and armed robbery.

Darrell Kennedy, 20, a mason of Perry Street, Tucville, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him.

Particulars of the first charge are that, on November 21, 2019, at Aubrey Barker Road, he had in his possession one .32 pistol without being the holder of a firearm licence.

The second charge stated that, on the same day and at the same place he had two live rounds of .32 ammunition without being the holder of a firearm license.

The last charge stated that, on November 18, 2019, at Perry Street, Tucville, he stole a motorcycle valued at $435,000, property of Quincy Hinds.

Police Prosecutor Devon Timmerman objected to bail being granted to Kennedy based on the seriousness of the offences and told the court that he had previous matters before the court.

Timmerman added that, on the day in question, Kennedy was in a yard when police ranks who were on patrol approached him and conducted a search on his person and the gun and ammo were found in his crotch.

Kennedy was arrested and later charged.

Rayon Clark, 20, a carwash attendant, of ‘Rasville’ also pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

It is alleged that between November 19, 2019, and November 20, 2019, at Cane View Avenue, Georgetown, he broke and entered the store room of Troy Benn and stole a chainsaw and two glasscutters totaling $385,000.

Timmerman objected to bail being granted to Clark and told the court that Clark had pending matters before the court and had left for Suriname before the cases were concluded.

Timmerman also told the court that Clark admitted to Benn and told him who he sold the items to.

Tarquain Atkins, 22, of Sophia denied the charge of robbery under arms when it was read to him.

Particulars of the charge stated that, on November 16, 2019, at Harris Paints Water Street, Georgetown, while in the company of others, and armed with a gun, he robbed Genil Williams of $7.7 million, property of Harris Paints.

The police prosecutor objected to bail being granted to Atkins based on the nature of the offence, the amount of money involved and the fact that a gun was used to commit the offence. The prosecutor added that Atkins admitted to the offence in a caution statement.

According to information presented, on November 15, 2019, around 05:00 hours, Williams, along with a cashier, after counting off the daily sales, they placed it in a metal safe. The following day, at 08:30 hours, Williams reported for duty when she saw one of the suspects enter through the main door and pull a mask over his face.

The court heard that Williams got up from where she

Trial in 2014 murder continues today

THE trial into the 2014 murder of Brazilian miner Joao De Souza, who was killed during a robbery, commenced on Monday, November 25, 2019, before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow and a 12-memer jury, at the Demerara High Court.

Currently on remand for the indictment is Samuel Allen, 23, formerly of Arakaka, North West District.

On Monday, Allen denied that, on April 2, 2014 at Arakaka, North West District, he murdered De Souza during the course of a robbery.

Allen was represented by attorney-at-law Maxwell McKay, while the state was represented by prosecutor Sarah Martin.

The trail continues today, November 26, 2019.

According to reports, DeSouza was walking to his camp when Allen came up from behind and, with the intention to rob him, dealt him a lash to his head with a crush hammer.

The man fell to the ground and the accused was seen searching his pockets for valuables.

The accused made good his escape. DeSouza was rushed to the hospital and died the following day.

was and ran into a room. The suspect ran behind her, with a gun in his hand, and told her to get on the floor, while the other suspects entered.

They reportedly went to the safe, took out the money and made good their escape.

The matter was reported and further investigations were carried out following which Atkins was arrested and later charged.

Magistrate Isaac-Marcus after listening to the prosecutor remanded the three youths to prison.

Darrel Kennedy

Rayon Clark

Tarquain Atkins

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Fired ‘Troy’ workers get severance, one month pay

By Tamica Garnett

EMPLOYEES of Australian gold mining company, Troy Resources Guyana Inc, have confirmed that

the company has given them their severance package last Friday.

According to an employee, who spoke anonymously, the company has

also paid out the one month pay in lieu of notice of termination. According to the company, the termination affected a total 227 workers, and not approximately 400

Aerial view of the Troy Resources Karouni Gold Mine operations (Tamica Garnett photo)

as was initially calculated.

“Yea, they did that,” one employee confirmed.

A second employee also confirmed feeling satisfied with their payment, notwithstanding being disappointed with the termination. “I feel okay with it, I don’t have a problem with nothing else.

Most obviously, I have a family and I have to feed them, so I got to go and look for it. I was kind of upset about it [the termination] but what can I do,” the employee said.

Government has described the termination of the employee as “drastic and unconscionable”.

The company has been in the limelight since the October 8 death of geologist, Ryan Taylor, at the company’s “Hick’s One Extension” pit.

Following a meeting between the local executives

and their Australian principals, on November 17, the company took the decision to terminate the services of employees who had been laid off since October 12, since the 6 weeks that the law stipulates as maximum time to lay off employees without pay was expiring.

The company has been facing financial issues for some time now.

In 2018, the company’s non-executive chairman, Peter Stern, noted that the company’s “financial position going forward remains challenging” also noting that the company had “a relatively short mine life in the absence of either the conversion of the company’s substantial Resources or a new discovery.”

The company has also had issues meeting production targets. The company reported 58,118 ounces produced for the fiscal year 2019, down from $ 70,207 in 2018.

The company was more optimistic in its 2019 fiscal year ending June 30, however, noting that the majority of the exploration effort is currently being directed towards the Ohio Creek, considered significantly gold-mineralised, with various highgrade relatively wide intersections.

The company’s other explorations include the Hicks One Extension, a review of the Smarts Underground, as well as preliminary work at regional targets such as Gem Creek, Upper Itaki, Goldstar and Kaburi Hills.

A memo sent out on November 18 by Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ken Nilsson, first informed the employees of the decision to terminate, noting that “the scheduling resources and reserves, as well as securing financial support has not been completed, and will require more time”.

Following the termination, correspondence Union for the employees, the People’s United and General Workers Union (PU&GWU), registered its concern for the lack of appropriate notice of termination, to either the employees or the union as required by law.

The company says that some 95% of its employees are locals.

Guyana’s Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act Section 15(1) stipulates a notice period of two weeks for employees working less than one year, and one month for employees

Troy Resources Guyana Inc, CEO and Managing Director, Ken Nilsson employed for one year and over. In lieu of notice, the law requires employers to pay one month’s salary.

The company, in a paid advertisement on Thursday, pledged its commitment to paying the one month pay in addition to severance payout.

The termination and severance payout did not affect employees who were not laid off in October. Even with production suspended, the company continues exploration exercises, and the remaining employees are related to that.

Troy Resources, which has a history of developing and operating mines in both Australia and South America, has been operating in South America since 2002, and in Guyana since 2013, after buying over Pharsalus Gold.

According to the company, Troy initially spent approximately US$76 million on plant and equipment plus construction of the processing plant and mine development before starting production in 2015”.

Since beginning operations, the company says it has developed a total of 10 open mines, 2 underground mines and four processing plants.

The company also has operations in Brazil and Argentina; however, in 2016, the company saw major downsizing, ceasing operations in Brazil, and selling 70 per cent of its Argentina operations. The company is banking heavily on its operations in Guyana at its Karouni Mines in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni region to return to good standing.

During a media visit to the company’s Karouni sites on November 14, management said it was costing the company some US$40,000 per day to continue in its suspended state, which began since October 12.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

President attends prayer breakfast

PRESIDENT David Granger on Monday attended the Full Gospel Fellowship Prayer Breakfast held at the Marriott Hotel, Georgetown.

President Granger was joined by several ministers of the Government including the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Public Security, Public Telecommunications, Public Health, Natural Resources, Agriculture, Citizenship, Social Cohesion and Minister within the Ministry of the Presidency with responsibility for Youth Affairs.

The Head of State thanked the Full Gospel Fellowship and their partners from other denominations, for their prayers.

The Mayors of Georgetown, Linden and Bartica and Parliamentarians also attended the prayer breakfast.

Some photographs by the Ministry of the Presidency

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

PM says coalition government ramping up development in Rupununi

THE Coalition Government is delivering to the Rupununi hinterland region, the better quality of life that it has promised.

This is according to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, who visited the Upper Takutu-Upper Rupununi (Region 9) over the weekend to commission the new $473 million Barrack Retreat Corridor, which is the name for the four-lane concrete and asphalted road in the Lethem township.

Writing in his weekly My Turn column under the caption, “Way Down South”, the Prime Minister noted that the Coalition Government has pushed unprecedented development in this frontier region. Apart from central government spending, the regional allocation during 2015-2018 amounted to some $950 million for roads, bridges and other capital works in the Rupununi region.

The commissioning of the modern Lethem Roundabout coincided with the annual Chamber of Commerce Expo, and a fan-out by government ministers to the villages in Central and South Rupununi.

Minister of Social Protection Mrs. Amna Ally, while opening a multi-purpose building in Hiawa on Saturday last, noted that under the Sustainable Livelihood Entrepreneurship Development programme (SLED) over $200 million was spent on 19 projects.

On the same day, Minister Ally commissioned a new well at Kaicumbay and Director-General, Joseph Harmon, another well at Yupukari in Central Rupununi. New wells have been constructed at Aishalton, St. Ignatius, Annai, Karasabai and Hiawa. The electricity system has been upgraded in Annai and Sand Creek, with on-going solar and hydro power at Moco-Moco and Kumu.

Health facilities have been provided at St. Ignatius, Shulinab and Lethem, and new education facilities were built in Nappi, Annai, Aishalton, Sand Creek, Katoka, Yarong Paru and Baishaidhrun.

According to Mr. Nagamootoo, as we travel in the south, Guyanese would see the stupendous prospects for green growth basking side by side with oil extraction way up north, in our maritime sea. “This complementarity would make

Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, during his visit to the Rupununi, on Saturday, fulfilled a promise and presented a keyboard to Gloria Duarte, the Head of Rupertee Culture Group.

Guyana unique, as she is blessed with an abundance of both sweet oil and fertile soil”, he noted.

The Lethem Roundabout forms the gateway from South America to the Atlantic, with portions of the

long-awaited Lethem-Linden highway taking shape, and already compacted with laterite, as part of the planned all-weather highway to the Kurupukari Crossing, to be joined with the Mabura-Linden stretch.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Man charged for Men found guilty of murder attempting to smuggle to be sentenced in December gold out of Guyana

A 44-year-old man was, on Monday, charged for attempting to export gold without an export licence.

Vibert Marks of Independence Street, La Grange, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and denied the charge when it was read to him by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan. He was granted $200,000 bail.

It is alleged that, on November 18, 2019, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), when he was not a producer, Marks had in his possession 974.13 grams of raw gold valued at $7,332,416.00, without being the holder of an export licence.

Police Persecutor Gordon Mansfield objected to bail being granted to Marks and told the court that, on

the day in question, Marks was at the CJIA, on his way to the United States of America and, when his suitcase was being checked in, a darkish object was found in the corner of the suitcase.

Mansfield added that a Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) officer then asked Marks what the object was and Marks said that he was carrying 20 ounces of gold. A further search was conducted and a large quantity of raw gold was found.

An investigation was carried out and Marks was arrested and charged.

Mansfield also told the court that Markwasis being investigated for another matter which was expected to be read in court on November 26, 2019. He said the accused was also being

Vibert Marks investigated for money laundering.

Magistrate McLennan released Marks on $200,000 bail and ordered him to report to Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) every day until the matter was completed.

The matter was adjourned.

A 12-member mixed jury on Monday, November 25, 2019, found two men guilty of the murder of security guard, John Friday, who died during the 2013 robbery committed on the Lethem Post Office.

Alvin Kissoon, formerly of Caneville, Grove, East Bank Demerara, and Calvin King, formerly of Savage Street, North East La Penitence, were found guilty of the indictment which read that, on January 18, 2013, at Lethem, they murdered Christopher John Friday in the course of or in the furtherance of a robbery.

The trial was heard before Justice Sandil Kissoon and a 12-member jury at the Demerara High Court.

The state was represented by prosecutors Abigail Gibbs and Mandel Moore while the two defendants were represented by attorneys-at-law

Calvin King Adrian Thompson and Lyndon Amsterdam.

The two attorneys made an application to the court for a probation report to be prepared for their client before sentencing. The Judge accepted the request and deferred sentencing until December 12, 2019.

According to reports, the two accused committed the crime at the Lethem Post Of-

Alvin Kissoon fice where they torched several safes and stole $9.8M on January 18, 2013. The men tied up Friday, who was a security guard, beat him and, as a result, he died.

During the investigation, the two accused were intercepted with the money, a number of Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Company (GT&T) phone cards, and two pay slips.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Early childhood ‘expo’ held

By Naomi Parris

THE Early Childhood Development Association of Region three, in collaboration with the Childcare Protection Agency, hosted an expo and cultural event, on Sunday at the West Demerara Secondary school, which saw over 50 childcare facilities displaying the different aspects of early development, such as art, craft and storytelling.

According to Zalika Williams, the Registration Officer of Region Three for Early

Childhood Centres, persons have a perception that early childhood centres and daycare Centres are all about child minding.

She added that early childhood centres are institutions that aid in the stimulation of children’s early cognitive and psychical development. They are institutions where children can learn through play.

“You might find them colouring identifying shapes, foods, vegetables, community workers, participating in activities that will help to build their strong motor muscles in their hands and their large motor muscles.

Tiny Tots playgroup displaying a model of their establishment at the Expo So it’s not just childminding, bathing them, changing them and taking them home,” Williams stated.

Williams related to the Guyana Chronicle that it was the first early childhood expo in region three, as the early childhood centres were privately owned, up until recently when the government would have built early childhood centres, in most of the regions across Guyana.

There was no government subvention for such events, hence the Early Childhood Development Association and Childcare Protection Agency embarked on the initiative to host an expo.

“The agency sought the initiative, and, considering that we are licensing them and we have to register them, we saw it fit to bring them together, as in unity there is strength.

Such a strategy allowed them to be recognized as one unit and provide them with the opportunity to showcase what they have to offer, thus encouraging parents to bring their children to early childhood centres and pre-school and not wait until nursery. By the time they get to nursery, they will be well socialized,” Williams stated.

Lisa Mahadeo of the Tiny Tots playgroup, one of the pre-schools which participated in

the expo, stated that the pre-school was created some 25-years-ago by a single mother, whose goal was to be stay-at-home-mom and provide excellent care for other children in her neighbourhood of Meten-Meer-Zorg because they were no such early childhood centres in her neighbourhood.

Naushadalli Boodhoo of Boodhoo’s playgroup, which is situated in Bell West Housing Scheme, Canal #2 polder, told the Guyana Chronicle that the pre-school was established nine years ago with the intention of creating an environment where learning was fun.

She added that the expo gave pre-school teachers the opportunity to interact with parents and other teachers so they could learn from each other and discuss some of the challenges they faced.

“We are very happy to be a part of this programme and we’re learning a lot of things in terms of sharing ideas from other schools from various locations.

They would be facing challenges that are different from us and so we walk around and observe, take our photographs, interact and share ideas so that when we go back, we’ll improve ourselves,” Boodhoo stated.

Naushadalli Boodhoo and his family from Boodhoo’s playgroup promoting healthy eating at their booth

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Exxon to partner with BIT, TVET –– to ready youths for oil sector

THERE is a partnership brewing among ExxonMobil, the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) for financial assistance for skills training to give youths a better chance of entering the oil-and-gas industry.

“We have been talking with ExxonMobil for a number of years now, and we’re at the point of launching some programmes, both at the TVET level as well as at the Board of Industrial Training to generate skills in numbers, and to build capacity in Guyana to generate

those skills going forward,” TVET Council Chairman and BIT Board Chairman, Clinton Williams recently told the newspaper.

Regarding TVET, the training programme will target facilitators to “train the trainers to train the people”, while there will be safety awareness programmes and more for the BIT. It is likely that these programmes will be up and functioning by the first quarter of 2020. Williams said that the bodies are aware that Guyana is new to the sector, and must therefore swiftly improve the technical skills of its people to benefit from a sector characterised by high standards. As such,

Five years on …

Convicted minibus driver still to turn self in, pay the penalty –– for causing death of Walton Hall man THE family of an Essequibo Coast contractor who was struck down by a minibus in 2014 is seeking justice, since the convicted perpetrator, who was sentenced in absentia, remains on the run.

Ramesh Jaigopaul, 45, of Walton Hall, Essequibo Coast, was struck down by minibus BLL 3414 on August 25, 2014 on the Walton Hall Public Road.

The father of two, who was hospitalised briefly, died on August 31, 2014.

The minibus driver, Hardin Sitaldin, known as “Troy”, was charged for causing death by dangerous driving and was placed on bail. According to the police, Sitaldin only The late Ramesh made four court appearJaigopaul ances and just vanished into thin air. In light of his Houdini-like feat, he was sentenced in absentia to 50 months imprisonment.

Anita Persaud, sister of the deceased Ramesh Jaigopal, told Guyana Chronicle that her brother’s post-mortem revealed that he died of multiple injuries as a result of the accident.

“By the time of the funeral, he (the driver of the minibus) was already charged and out on bail,” she said, adding: “When my mother or sister go to the station, we keep asking about the case, and the police said they don’t have any information on the man’s whereabouts, but that an arrest warrant is out for him.”

the plan is for ExxonMobil to provide financial resources to TVET and BIT for training in a number of skilled areas.

The Council for TVET is required to develop and initiate the implementation of policies; establish standards to meet national, regional and international requirements; develop the national system of performance testing and certification; under-

TVET Council Chairman and BIT Board Chairman Clinton Williams

take curriculum development with the use of the Competency-Based Modularised methodology; implement quality control mechanisms and more.

Meanwhile, BIT administers and delivers technical and vocational educational training via training programmes. The Chairman stated that while Guyana is rightfully forging ahead with its local- content policy, this will mean nothing if skilled workers aren’t available to

the sector.

He explained: “The most critical input of the oil-andgas sector is skills at all levels, because once you have skills at all levels, you’re going to have maximum local content, and it will lead to maximum returns on investment for Guyanese.”

The BIT and TVET are also seeking out other companies interested in partnering for training, whether locally or internationally.

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GEA awards 13 students in art competition

SEVERAL students have been awarded for their work in the recently-concluded Guyana Energy Agency’s (GEA) art competition.

The competition was aimed at promoting reliable energy use in an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable framework for all Guyanese.

The prize giving cere-

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

mony was organised as one of the activities to commemorate energy month 2019 which is being observed across the Caribbean from November 1-30, under the theme ‘Empowering people-Building Resilience’.

The event was recently held at Queen’s College Auditorium.

Public Communications Students who received trophies in GEA’s art competition.

Officer of GEA, Taiwo Williams said the art competition was launched in July, with the aim of sensitizing youth about energy use, environmental issues and sustainable development and their inextricable links, not only to energy security at a national level, but also their impact on nature and the environment.

It also aimed to facilitate discussions on such topics among students and teachers and encouraged learning throughout the process. Additionally, Ms Williams said the GEA was seeking to acquire innovative designs that might be used to further promote its cause and educate the general Guyanese public about

diversity’, was chosen to bring awareness to this.

The judging panel of the competition was made up of representatives of Burrowes School of Art, the Allied Arts, the Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Climate Change and the Guyana Energy Agency.

First place went to Bhamini Singh of Queens College ($75,000 and a trophy); second place Alicialall Hiralall of Queen’s College ($55,000 and a trophy) while Rehannah Reid copped the third place ($30,000 and a trophy).

Ten additional trophies were conferred to Michelle Su, Arayan Sankar, Swastika Nauth of Queen’s College; Mariel Hopkinson

The first place entry by Bhmini Singh Titled ‘Green Power’ alternative energy, energy conservation and efficiency.

Hence, she said, in addition to the first, second and third places, 10 additional entries were chosen to be included in GEA’s 2020 Calendar. “While sustainable and renewable energy is one of the solutions to ensuring energy security, the reduction of carbon footprint, as well as climate change mitigation, it is also linked to an impact on biodiversity and nature,” she noted.

Therefore, she said this year’s theme ‘Renewable Energy and Guyana’s Bio-

and Teana Mentore of St. Joseph High; Dhanraj Thakurdin of Christ Church Secondary; Amir Mohamed and Kishain Balkissoon of Hope Secondary; Falisha Bassant and Trisante Hutson whose pieces were selected for inclusion in the GEA’s 2020 Calendar.

Ms. Williams said the GEA will continue to facilitate and promote such activities among youths and by extension the general public as it continues to utilise various platforms to bring awareness to energy and energy-related issues.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

West Indies pick Melius to lead 15-man squad to ICC U19 World Cup ST JOHN’S, Antigua, (CMC) – Stroke-maker Kimani Melius has been named to lead a 15-man West Indies Under-19 squad to the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup which bowls off in South Africa next January.

The right-hander, who hails from St Lucia, is one of three surviving members from the disappointing campaign in New Zealand last year, with left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd and seamer Nyeem Young also included.

West Indies Under-19s will clash with England Under-19s and Sri Lanka Under-19s in a Tri-Nations Series here next month, before heading to the showpiece which runs from January 17 to February 9.

“The majority of players have been in the programme for 12 months and the Tri-Series represents the first competitive action for all bar three of the squad,” said chief youth selector Robert Haynes.

“Melius, Nedd and Young all featured in the 2018 World Cup and the experiences they gained in New Zealand will be tapped into and filtered through the team.”

Head coach Graeme West added: “I would like to congratulate the 15 players selected to represent the West Indies in both the upcoming U19 Tri-Series and the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup. “The Tri- Series was always a key component to the team’s preparation and it will be used to establish our game strategies and reinforce the key messages that the support staff have identified as essential to playing successful white ball cricket.”

He added: “Everything we have been working on over the last 12 months has been designed to prepare the team for the opening World Cup games against Australia and England on January 18 and 20”.

West Indies will do battle in a tough Group B along-

side England, Australia and minnows Nigeria, with the top two teams from each of the four groups advancing to the next round.

Melius, who averaged 38 at the last Under-19 World Cup, will lead the batting unit while selectors have opted from a strong pace element in order to exploit conditions in South Africa.

“We have looked to develop a strong seam bowling attack and the five seamers selected all offer something different,” Haynes explained. “(Jayden) Seales and (Matthew) Forde were successful in the U19s Rising Stars Regional Tournament that took place in St. Vincent and the Grenadines while (Ramon) Simmonds was the surprise package with his extra pace and bounce.

“We have also looked for batsmen that are comfortable on the back foot and are prepared to play with a positive intent. Mbeki Joseph was a late addition to the squad but fully deserved his call up with a string of big scores.”

He added: “The Tri-Series will provide the perfect preparation challenge with a mix of styles likely to be displayed by England and Sri Lanka. The six group games will provide the players with opportunities to build confidence and get their game in order before the attention turns to the World Cup.” West Indies Under-19s entered the 2018 showpiece as defending champions but finished third in Group A to miss out on a quarter-final spot, and eventually finished 10th overall.

SQUAD – Kevlon Anderson, Daniel Beckford, Matthew Forde, Joshua James, Nyeem Young, Antonio Morris, Ashmead Nedd, Mbeki Joseph, Leonardo Julian, Avinash Mahabirsingh, Kirk McKenzie, Ramon Simmonds, Matthew Patrick, Jayden Seales.

Busy weekend for Ramdhani siblings at 2019-2020 ACAC tournament IT was a busy weekend for place in the Mix doubles. cos) Guyana’s top male and female players – Narayan Ramdhani and Priyanna Ramdhani – as the pair participated in the 20192020 ACAC (Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference) Tournament held in Olds Alberta, Canada.

The Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference is the governing body for collegiate sports in Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1964.

Narayan Ramdhani, playing for the Kings University Eagles, won the second place in the Men’s singles and fifth place in the Mix doubles.

Priyanna Ramdhani, playing for the Olds College Broncos, won the third place in Women singles and seventh

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Both players performed very competitively and is the first time in their Badminton career that they played against each other since they attend different University and College. On Court, the Shuttle comes first so they had no problems giving their all.

The Results are as Follow: Men Singles-- Narayan Ramdhani (Kings Eagles) Quarter-Finals: defeated John Li (Nait) 2113, 21-17 Semi-Finals: defeated Tayler Walsh (Nait) 2115, 21-17 Finals: Lost to Nicholas Pittman (Concordia) 19-21, 21-13, 16-21 Ladies Singles-- Priyanna Ramdhani (Olds Bron10:05 hrs Ice Lord 10:40 hrs Winter Storm 11:15 hrs By Chance Irish Racing Tips Punchestown 08:40 hrs Yafordadoe 09:10 hrs Dlauro 09:40 hrs Minella Encore 10:10 hrs Peterstown 10:40 hrs Choungaya 11:10 hrs Guided By You 11:40 hrs Aione English Racing Tips Sedgefield 08:50 hrs Emma Lamb 09:20 hrs Jolie Crickette 09:50 hrs Late Date 10:20 hrs Induno

Quarter-Finals: defeated Connie Juang (Nait) 21-10, 21-18 Semi-Finals: lost to Johnna Rymes (Concordia) 17-21, 7-21 Third Place: defeated Abby Leddis (Kings) 2117, 21-18 Mix Doubles: 5th Place: Semi-Finals – Narayan Ramdhani and Abby Leddis (Kings) defeated Priyanna Ramdhani & Troy Morgan (Olds) 21-15, 21-16 Finals: Narayan Ramdhani and Abby Leddis (Kings) defeated Rylan Head & Jenna Kardos (Olds) 21-6, 21-9 Mixed Doubles: 7th Place Priyanna Ramdhani and Troy Morgan (Olds) defeated Fits Galang and Erica Jorgensen (Kings) 21-12, 21-13.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

New Zealand application, patience sealed Test win, says Williamson WELLINGTON (Reuters) Patience and application at the crease was key to New Zealand’s innings and 65-run win over England in the first Test at Bay Oval on Monday, captain Kane Williamson said.

Having declared on a massive 615-9 in their only knock in response to England’s first innings 353, the hosts then bowled the tourists out for 197 in Mt. Maunganui.

With Bay Oval hosting its first Test little was known about how the wicket would play and while there were rare occasions when the ball kept low or reared off a length, it was still a relatively good batting surface.

The main difference between the two sides appeared to be patience and decision-making, with New Zealand’s middle order in particular prepared to wait for the right ball to put away

and build their innings.

Man-of-the-match BJ Watling, who scored his maiden test double century with 205 and shared in partnerships with Henry Nicholls, Colin de Grandhomme and Mitchell Santner, batted for 667 minutes — longer than either of England’s entire innings.

“His application at the crease and his focus ... he faced nearly 500 deliveries which was an incredible effort,” Wil-

liamson said.

“Just the patience to make good decisions for long periods of time, it was what the team required.

The side also lacks experience, particularly in the batting with Root and Ben Stokes the only players in the top six to have played more than 15 tests.

New Zealand’s Neil Wagner, Kane Williamson and Tom Blundell celebrate after the match REUTERS/Ross Setford

“(But) there was a huge amount of heart from that middle order to get us to the 600 mark.

“For them to keep making good decisions and bat for long periods of time and for 200 overs was an outstanding effort.”

New Zealand kept England in the field for more than 14 hours and by the end of their innings the visitors looked exhausted. The physical toll on their bowlers could be telling with the second match starting at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Friday.

Of greater concern for Root, however, would be the decision-making of his side, with several players getting dismissed by deliveries the New Zealanders would have ignored.

Root is the only player with a test average in excess of 40, while Jeet Raval is the only player in New Zealand’s top-seven averaging under 40 and all of the top eight have now scored test centuries.

The England captain, however, said he felt his side would be able to turn it around quickly.

“I thought we did a lot of good stuff,” Root said. “We just need to do it for longer.

“There are areas we can definitely address. We just have to make sure that we continue to work really hard (because) we have got an opportunity to come back and level things up.”

SCOREBOARD

ENGLAND 1st innings 353 New Zealand 1st innings 615 for 9 declared England 2nd innings o/n 55 for 3 Rory Burns c Colin de Grandhomme b Mitchell Santner 31 Dominic Sibley c BJ Watling b Mitchell Santner 12 Joe Denly c BJ Watling b Neil Wagner 35 Jack Leach c Tom Latham b Mitchell Santner 0 Joe Root c Tom Latham b Colin de Grandhomme 11 Ben Stokes b Tim Southee 28 Ollie Pope c Mitchell Santner b Neil Wagner 6 Jos Buttler b Neil Wagner 0 Sam Curran Not Out 29 Jofra Archer c (Sub) b Neil Wagner 30 Stuart Broad lbw Neil Wagner 0 EXTRAS: 12b 1lb 1nb 0pen 1w 15 TOTAL: (96.2 overs) 197 all out Fall of Wickets: 1-48 Sibley, 2-53 Burns, 3-55 Leach, 4-69 Root, 5-121 Stokes, 6-132 Denly, 7-133 Pope, 8-138 Buttler, 9-197 Archer, 10-197 Broad Bowling: Tim Southee 20-4-60-1, Trent Boult 6-4-6-0, Colin de Grandhomme 10-3-15-1 (1w), Mitchell Santner 40-19-53-3, (1nb), Neil Wagner 19.2-6-44-5.

Nadal delivers Davis Cup title for Spain

By Martyn Herman

MADRID, (Reuters) Hosts Spain made light work of a youthful Canadian side to win the inaugural edition of the new-look Davis Cup and claim the team trophy for a sixth time on Sunday.

Fittingly it was Spain’s talisman Rafael Nadal who sealed the triumph, beating 20-year-old Denis Shapovalov 6-3 7-6(7) to rack up his eighth victory in eight matches during a gruelling week.

Playing for the fourth successive day, the 33-year-old was surely tired and it began to show as Shapovalov fought to keep Canada alive in their first Davis Cup final.

Nadal saved a set point in the second-set tiebreak before claiming his 29th successive Davis Cup singles win.

Spain got off to a flying start in front of a sellout 12,500 crowd in La Caja Magica as Roberto Bautista Agut returned to the team days after the death of his father to beat Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6(3) 6-2.

fiesta on hold in a combative second set as the zip went out of Nadal’s legs.

Nadal would not be denied though as he delivered Spain’s first title since 2011.

It completed a re-

Spain’s Rafael Nadal takes a selfie with team mates after winning the Davis Cup final in Madrid , Spain on Sunday (Photo credit: Reuters)

That left Shapovalov facing mission impossible against the 19-time Grand Slam champion but the stylish left-hander threatened to put the Spanish

markable week in the Spanish capital which has been hosting the new version of the 119-year-old event featuring 18 nations.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

England fast bowler Jofra Archer subjected to ‘racial insults’ during NZ defeat

Jofra Archer took one wicket during the first-Test defeat by New Zealand

…NZC to apologise to the England cricketert

ENGLAND fast bowler Jofra Archer says he was subjected to racist abuse by a spectator during the final day of the first-Test defeat by New Zealand.

The 24-year-old, who was making his first appearance in an overseas Test for England, says he heard comments from “one guy” at the Bay Oval.

England lost the match in Mount Maunganui by an innings and 65 runs.

“A bit disturbing hearing racial insults today whilst battling to help save my team,” said Archer.

In a post on social media, he added: “The crowd has been amazing this week except for that one guy. The Barmy Army was good as usual.”

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said it is conducting an investigation into the incident, which took place as Archer walked off the field following his dismissal.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said it would be apologising to Archer but added it has yet to identify the perpetrator.

“New Zealand Cricket will be contacting, and apologising to English fast bowler Jofra Archer, who was racially

abused by a spectator as he left the field at the conclusion of the first Test at Bay Oval, Mt Maunganui,” it said in a statement.

“Although security providers at the venue were unable to locate the perpetrator, NZC will be examining CCTV footage and making further inquiries tomorrow in an endeavour to identify the man responsible.

“NZC has zero tolerance towards abusive or offensive language at any of its venues and will refer any developments in the case to police.”

It will contact Mr Archer tomorrow to apologise for the unacceptable experience, and to promise increased vigilance in the matter when the teams next meet in Hamilton.

In September, an England fan said he heard a group of eight men singing a racist song about Barbados-born Archer during the fourth Ashes Test against Australia at Old Trafford.

Archer took one wicket during the defeat at the Bay Oval, dismissing BJ Watling for 205.

The second Test of the two-match series starts in Hamilton on Thursday (22:00 GMT). (BBC Sport)

SCA president describes 2019 as breakthrough year

By Frederick Halley TORONTO, Canada -Scarborough Cricket Association (SCA) president Shiv Persaud has described 2019 as a breakthrough year for the association since it was able to make advancements in the areas of playing representative cricket and generate more excitement with different formats of cricket.

According to the Guyanese-born Persaud, “SCA was successful in brilliantly hosting the Kumar Rampat Cricket Academy from Trinidad and Tobago. This experience generated raving reviews on the talent of players on display from the visiting academy and generated impressive support from avid cricket lovers.

Persaud, who made the remarks in his message to mark the 39th anniversary of the SCA, stated that “our youth players formed great friendship with the visiting academy players and created possibilities of playing cricket abroad in the future. We are thrilled at the response of this initiative and will explore our options to take our youths on tour in the near future.”

Persaud also pointed to

an unprecedented level of interest from prospective members wanting to become a part of the association.

“This to us, along with the growth over the past four years, is a huge acknowledgement of the hard work, dedication and commitment of the entire Executive board and the incredible support of our existing members. We will continue to ensure that the SCA remains an intriguing and coveted association to play organised cricket at the youth, women and open categories.”

Shiv Persaud

Boasting about other achievements, Persaud said “we were also successful in organising a women’s exhibition game at the invitation of the Guyana Independence Festival Committee. Our

women displayed great skills and represented themselves exceptionally well. This past cricket season also saw many of our women players represent Canada at the national level.”

The dynamic president said he was hoping that Cricket Ontario would schedule inter-league competitions in the future so that players across all categories of the SCA can have more exposure and experience competing against other players. “We are looking to put forward a better showing in the Canada Central T20 competition with our best players.”

Persaud disclosed that the SCA is working with different councillors and the City of Toronto Parks and Recreation to have access to more indoor and outdoor cricket facilities. “We urge you-- our members-- to write letters of support and reach out to your respective councillors as well as to support us in this initiative. As we celebrate the success of our 2019 cricket season, we are also beginning the planning for our 40th Anniversary as a cricket Association. This is a milestone achievement for us and we are actively planning various activities to celebrate and look forward to

your participation.”

Persaud reiterated that “it is with great pleasure that we celebrate the success and individual achievements of our members on this glamorous evening to close the fourth decade while at the same time launching the fifth decade of cricket in Scarborough. It is truly a monumental achievement that we should all be proud of and celebrate together.

“We are grateful to have supportive sponsors who continue to provide valuable contributions benefiting our youths and Women cricketers. We look forward to the continued commitment from our members, players, sponsors, supporters and executive board as we work together to achieve our common vision of making cricket a mainstream sport in Canada.”

The SCA president extended hearty congratulations to all individual and team awardees on their accomplishments in 2019, pointing out that it was an honour and privilege to be leading the Scarborough Cricket Association at a time when it is making great strides in promoting and developing cricket in the community.

Russian Olympic chief calls for full overhaul of athletics federation

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The head of Russia’s Olympic Committee on Monday called for a full overhaul in the leadership of the country’s suspended athletics federation after the sport’s global governing body halted its reinstatement process.

Russia’s athletics federation had been suspended since 2015 over a report commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) which found evidence of mass doping in the sport.

It has since been working towards reinstatement but World Athletics, the sport’s global governing body formerly known as the IAAF, last week halted the process and raised the possibility of the Russian federation being expelled altogether after its president and six others were provisionally suspended over breaches of anti-doping rules.

Russia’s Olympic chief Stanislav Pozdnyakov

Stanislav Pozdnyakov, head of Russia’s Olympic Committee, said in a statement that the entire leadership of the Russian athletics federation should be replaced and its presidium dissolved.

“If this recommendation will not be taken into account, we will consider the question of the membership of the athletics federation in the Russian Olympic Committee at our next executive committee meeting,” he said in a statement.

Pozdnyakov added that the scandal around its athletics federation “discredits all of Russian sport, inflicts colossal reputational damage on our country as a whole and undermines the foundations of the Olympic movement’s integrity”.

The federation officials were suspended for having provided false explanations and forged documents to explain three whereabouts violations by Russian high jumper Danil Lysenko, the silver medallist at the 2017 world championships.

In addition to the turmoil at its athletics federation, Russia’s chances of competing at next year’s Tokyo Olympics are in jeopardy after WADA’s Compliance Review Committee recommended that Russian anti-doping agency RUSADA be suspended again.

The recommendation came after WADA discovered inconsistencies in laboratory data provided by Moscow this year.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Tuesday, November 26, 2019)

COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL- Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD- 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY’S QUIZ:

(1) 3/17-Keswrick Williams (2) 5/11-Karim Janat

TODAY’S QUIZ:

(1) Who are the WI that made their T20 International debut during the just-concluded WI/AFG ODI series?

(2) Who are the AFG players debuting in the series?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

26

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Yusuf stars as Regal win Trophy Stall Champion of Champions clash AFTER several keen and exciting contests during the 2019 season, Regal got the better of archrivals, Mike’s Wellman, in their Trophy Stall-sponsored Champion of Champions Over-45 clash, played at the Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) ground, Thomas Lands on Sunday.

Led by a brilliant allround performance from Uniss Yusuf, who slammed a boundary-studded 60 and

claimed two wickets for 12 runs, Regal won by one wicket with three overs to spare in their 20-over affair played in a festive atmosphere.

Set a challenging 152 for victory, after Mike’s Wellman had reached 151 for nine in their allotted 20 overs, Regal reached the required target in 17 overs, losing nine wickets in the process.

Yusuff, who blasted two fours and eight sixes in his

knock, gave the innings a rollicking start along with his partner, Mahesh Chunilall (16), the two adding 53 for the first wicket.

Despite suffering a middle-order slump, Regal were always up to the required run rate and with Keith Fraser shoring up the middle and lower-order with 26, which included one four and three sixes, Regal romped home eventual winners.

Earlier, Mike’s Well-

man were indebted to opener, S. Ramdeen, who stroked four fours and two sixes in a top-score of 39 with supporting knocks of 38 from Rawle Reid, whose innings contained two fours and three sixes while skipper Wayne Jones hit 20 with one four and one six.

Apart from man-of-thematch Yusuf, David Harper and Eric Thomas were also among the wickets with two for 19 and 26 respectively.

The victorious Regal Over-45 team following their win over Mike’s Wellman

Buxton Stars, Pouderoyen move into next round of Turbo Football

BUXTON Stars and Pouderoyen moved into the next round of the Turbo Knockout Football competition with both teams picking up wins on Sunday evening.

In the first game, the Stars took the lead and never looked back.

Despite their Camptown FC opponents being the more threatening, it took one chance from Jumaci Mayor in the 35th minute to set the record straight.

Camptown returned with fight in the second half but could not overcome that one goal that had been set.

In the second game, Pouderoyen beat Pele by a 2-0 margin.

The shock result left fans in disbelief as the fan favourites went down early to a Stephen Jupiter goal in the 7th minute.

Things went from bad to worse after that with madgoal scrambles resulting in an own goal from Sean Taylor in the 15th minute.

While there was still a lot of time left in the game, Pele could not overcome the daunting task that was ahead of them Matches continue today from 19:00hrs with Uitvlugt and Buxton U-20 and GFC playing Mahaica Determinators from 21:00hrs.

Man-of-the-match Uniss Yusuf receives his award from GSCL president, Ian John

At the presentation ceremony which followed, Georgetown Softball Cricket League (GSCL) president, Ian John, spoke about the competitive rivalry that existed between the two top teams which saw them reaching the Prime Minister Softball Cup T20 Over-45 finals in 2018 and also this year. While the battle for supremacy last year went right down to the wire, Regal made light work of their opponents in this year’s final.

John expressed sincere thanks to sponsor, Ramesh Sunich of Trophy Stall, for his kind gesture in sponsor-

ing the Champion of Champions encounter and also for his unstinted contribution to sports in general.

The GSCL president also extended heartfelt thank you to Regal and all the other sponsors who were part of the softball fraternity throughout the year and looks forward to their continued association in the new year.

The annual Republic Cup tournament is slated to be the next major competition in the new year while both teams are also gearing up for participation in the Orlando tournament slated for March 29, 21 and 22, 2020 in Orlando.

WADA committee recommends four-year Russia Olympic ban

By Steve Keating

(REUTERS) - Russia should be hit with a four-year Olympic ban and barred from all world championships for the manipulation of data retrieved from a tainted Moscow laboratory, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said on Monday.

The recommendations were made by WADA’s independent Compliance Review Committee (CRC) and will be put to the executive committee at meetings in Paris on Dec. 9.

In a 26-page report CRC said the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) should be declared non-compliant after an investigation found data handed over from a tainted Moscow laboratory was neither complete nor fully authentic.

Weary of a doping saga that has dragged on since 2015, WADA looks prepared to follow through on threats it made to come down hard on Russia if it failed to get control of the doping crisis.

A four-year ban would prevent Russia from taking part in next year’s Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 Beijing Winter Games.

The CRC recommendations did, however, leave the door open for the participation of Russians as happened at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games where some of the country’s athletes competed as neutrals under the Olympic flag.

These athletes would have to demonstrate that they are clean and meet a number of other strict conditions.

The CRC also recommended that Russia not be allowed to host or bid for any major sporting event and any events that have already been awarded should be moved to another country, unless it was legally or practically impossible to do so.

In addition, Russia may not bid for the right to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, irrespective of whether the bidding takes place during a ban.

For a four-year period athletes and officials representing Russia, including the president, secretary-general, CEO and any member of the executive board of the Russian Olympic Committee, would not be welcome at any major sporting event.

Russia can appeal any sanctions to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Russia was again under the doping microscope when WADA said in September that historical data supplied by the country’s anti-doping authority contained “inconsistencies” that resulted in a decision to open a formal compliance procedure.

In a controversial decision last September, the WADA executive committee voted to conditionally restore RUSADA’s accreditation on the agreement that Russia would turn over data in a discredited Moscow laboratory.

The Russian agency missed the December deadline but after last-minute brinkmanship a WADA inspection team was finally allowed to retrieve the data in January, recovering more than 2,200 samples.

That was expected to bring an end to the Russian doping affair until the evidence of tampering was unearthed.

27

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Discipline and community-wide partnership drive District 10’s athletics dominance ―manager Carmen Small

DISTRICT 10 continues to produce champions because they work hard together and with a plan, their successful manager, Carmen Small, said after her team won their fifth consecutive title and 18th overall at the just concluded 59th edition of the National Schools’ Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships.

“Talent wins events, but teamwork wins our championship,” Small noted.

At the Nationals, Upper Demerara-Kwakwani were able to dominate the students’ leg of the track and field competition, while they finished second in the cycling and swimming and fourth in the teachers’ competition, which earned them 68 overall points; nine more than second place finishers, North Georgetown.

Although several of

the districts improved in various disciplines, none showed as much consistency as the champions.

According to Small, that

consistency is not due to talent alone, but to a systematic approach.

“For years, we start preparing for these champion-

Pride is always at stake for District 10

‘Cheeky’ wins for BV and Mahaica in ‘592 Beer Inter-Village Football Festival’ Beterverwagting (BV) and Mahaica walked away with hard-fought wins on Sunday over Golden Grove and Plaisance respectively when the inaugural ‘592 Beer Inter-Village Football Festival’ continued at the Golden Grove Community Centre ground.

The visiting BV side defeated the Golden Grove unit 1-0 in a game that left the partisan crowd stunned as Jermin Somerset sealed the physical affair in the 62nd minute, cheating the ball down the centre of the goal after an attempted header was parried into his path.

In the earlier match, Mahaica defeated Plaisance, also by a 1 – 0 scoreline, thanks to Azuma Roberts, who recorded the only conversion

of the match in the 27th minute, directing his powerful header into the left side following a cross from the left of the box.

Action in the competition continues on Friday at the Buxton ground. BV will face-off with Annandale at 19:00hrs and Friendship will battle Victoria from 21:00hrs.

The event will also continue at the Buxton ground on Sunday. Brush Dam engages Ann’s Grove at 19:00hrs while Mahaica take on Buxton from 21:00hrs.

The event features 12 teams battling in an initial group format. Group-A comprises Buxton, Plaisance and Mahaica, with group-B consisting of Friendship, Paradise and Victoria and group-C featuring Brush Dam, Mela-

nie and Ann’s Grove.

Group-D contains Annandale, Golden Grove and Beterverwagting [BV]. The winner of each group will advance to the semi-final round. The grand finale is pegged for December 14th.

Winner of the event will pocket $300,000 and the championship trophy, with the second, third and fourth place finishers collecting $150,000, $100,000 and $75,000 respectively and the corresponding accolade.

Individual prizes will also be awarded for the Most Valuable Player [MVP] and the Best Goalkeeper.

Among the other sponsors of the event are Bakewell Guyana Inc, ExxonMobil and the Colin Talbot Construction Services.

ships soon after returning from the previous one. We would have Inter-Schools Relay Championships, Relay Festival; we would have U-8

Carmen Small has won five consecutive titles with and U-10 Championships District 10 as team manager

in preparation for the next year.”

The experienced official, who has managed the side every year over the five years of dominance, added that they are always focused on getting better and, over the years, have concentrated heavily on bettering their weak areas.

Additionally, the side has not relied on big names alone and has been able to address their longevity.

“In the past five years, we would have used our strategies, we developed a clinic, a nursery…because of the nursery preparations for these championships, we always have someone in line.”

Small added that although the aging athletes leave, many of them still help the younger crop whenever they can.

Rovaman Powell ton not enough to save Scorpions as Vocanoes claims semi-final spot

“We have those athletes who would come back and coach the other children because we know that we are the defending champions and that we must come to defend our championships.”

Teamwork is not just between athletes and coaches, but the wider community.

Small said that there is togetherness in the district, and both the regional democratic council and the Department of Education contribute. “We work hand-in-hand so that Linden must bring home the championship, because our pride would be at stake.”

Next year, Small is again looking to win; she is confident that title number 19 is within grasp.

JAMIACA middle-order batsman Rovman Powell slammed a brutal 106 in just 40 balls but could not prevent a 13-runs loss to the Leeward Islands Volcanoes, who booked a spot in the semi-finals of the Colonial Medical Insurance Super50 Cup, on Sunday.

The Scorpions were set 256 to win, on the back of a patient 105 from Kieran Powell, but crucially needed to achieve the target inside 31 overs to overhaul their opponents’ NRR. The Scorpions found their run chase way off target after finding themselves at 25 for three in the fifth over, after losing top order batsmen Assad Fudadin, Aldane Thomas and Nkrumah Bonner.

Powell, however, kept the Scorpions in touch with an explosive display of batting, reaching his second hundred of the tournament from 38 balls with two runs into the leg-side off Quinton Boatswain. Jamaica’s chances went up in smoke, however, when Powell was caught behind off Boatswain in the same over he got to the third hundred of his Super50 Cup career.

Boatswain was the pick of the Leewards bowlers after claiming figures of 4 for 85.

In their turn at the crease, the Leewards were in early trouble after losing opener Montcin Hodge for 10, with 27 on the board.

Amir Jangoo joined Powell at the crease, however, and pair put on a match-winning 154 for the second wicket.

The Hurricanes will play hosts Trinidad & Tobago Red Force in the second semi-final on Friday at the Queen’s Park Oval in the Trinidad capital of Port of Spain, where the first semi-final, a day earlier, will feature Group A winners Barbados Pride and either Guyana Jaguars or West Indies Emerging Players, one of which will be the runners-up in Group B.

Rovman Powell

One-off Inaugural Test

Holder backs batsmen to negate Afghan spin threat LUCKNOW, India, (CMC) – Captain Jason Holder says West Indies are bracing for the anticipated trial by spin against Afghanistan but has backed his batting group to negate the threat when the one-off inaugural Test bowls off here Wednesday.(Tuesday night Caribbean time) West Indies batsmen had their hands full in the preceding white-ball series as the likes of wily leg-spinning captain Rashid Khan and off-spinners Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb-ur-Rahman put their immense qualities on show.

“Afghanistan will be no pushovers especially in these conditions which they are familiar with. I expect they will play plenty spinners,” Holder said.

“It will be up to our batsmen to negotiate their spinners and do it well… they have some really good spinners, but I believe we have the quality to do that. Our bowling unit has done well over the last three to four years – arguably one of the best bowling attacks in the world. Hopefully our bowling attack can continue.”

West Indies were forced to share the white-ball series, making a clean sweep of the three-match One-Day In-

ternational series before losing the Twenty20 rubber 2-1.

The upcoming Test will the sixth and final one for West Indies this year and Holder said his side was highly motivated to come away with a victory.

They beat England 2-1 in a three-Test series at the start of the year before going down 2-0 to India recently.

“We are really up for this, we really want to win this match and we really want to end the series with a win and end the year on a high, where Test cricket is concerned,” Holder pointed out.

“I don’t think we play another Test match until we tour England next year. Having started the year with a series win, it would be fitting to end the year with a series win.”

Conditions will play a key role in the contest at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee International Stadium, the venue for every match in the series so far.

The surface there has provided plenty encouragement for the slower bowlers and West Indies spinners Jomel Warrican and Rahkeem Cornwall finished with nine wickets between them in the three-day tour match which ended in a draw

Bangladesh’s wily leg-spining captain Rashid Khan

Windies captain Jason Holder backing his batsmen to negate the Bangladeshi spin threat

earlier this week.

However, Holder said he believed his seam attack still possessed the ability to get assistance from the flat track.

“In the Caribbean you get more bounce than we have seen in the surfaces here, even though we have noticed the pace of the pitches back home has slowed down a bit,” he noted.

“For me the skill level of our bowlers is what has really done it for us. We have Kemar Roach, who has been tremendous and who is approaching 200 Test wickets, and we’ve also seen great improvement and commitment from Shannon Gabriel, who even though he’s not here, has been good for us.”

He continued: “They have earned success mainly due to their tremendous skills, rather than due to pace. In this day and age, you have to be skillful with the ball. We also have spinners who are eager to get going in these conditions because, as we all have noticed, the conditions will favor the slow bowlers.

“Overall, it will be a good challenge and I’m looking forward to the start of it.”

West Indies pick Melius to lead15-man squad to ICC U19 World Cup PAGE

23

Busy weekend for Ramdhani siblings at 2019-2020 ACAC tournament

PAGE

23

Narayan Ramdhani (Right) and Priyanna Ramdhani, following action in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference Tournament PAGE

27 Batsman Kimani Melius … will lead West Indies Under-19s

Carmen Small

Left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd

Discipline and community-wide partnership drive District 10’s athletics dominance

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2019