Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 12 04 2017

Eight public schools to get solar power Page 16

No. 104881

WEDNESDAY APRIL 12, 2017

Price: $80

Job well done (VAT Inclusive)

–– Linden Hospital praised for staying the course

… overcoming many challenges

Page 3

GECOM chairman

BS Roy, Claudette Singh on new list

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Man drowns trying to save girlfriend

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Policy guidelines in the pipeline Page 17

AT LAST! (L-R) GFF president Wayne Forde, FIFA’s president Gianni Infantino and Minister within the Ministry of Education, Nicolette Henry at Tuesday’s turning of the sod for Guyana’s first football stadium.

See story on Page 38. (Delano Williams photo)

–– will govern medical donations

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 12, 2017

GECOM chairman

BS Roy, Claudette Singh on new list TWO judges and a sitting member of the board of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) are reportedly on the shortlist of names which Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo intends to send to President David Granger for the post of chair of the elections body.

Jagdeo recently told another newspaper that he had shortlisted eight names for the new list, which he intends to finalise in another week or two. President David Granger recently laid out the criteria for the position, among them being that the person must have no political affiliation and

that the person should have the general characteristics of honesty, integrity, faithfulness, and diligence. The Guyana Chronicle understands that the list of persons which Jagdeo is expected to submit to President Granger includes: Retired Justices: Claudette Singh and B.S. Roy. Other nominees include former PPP Member of Parliament and GECOM commissioner, Bibi Shadick, Attorneys Timothy Jonas and Kashir Khan and environmentalist, Annette Arjoon-Martins.

Shadick, a former minister under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration, was sworn in as a GECOM

Justice BS Roy

Justice Claudette Singh

Attorney, Kashir Khan

commissioner in September 2015. Justice Claudette Singh, a legal luminary with 40 years of experience, was appointed Senior Counsel in January this year. She was called to the Bar in London in 1973 and admitted to the Bar in Guyana in 1976. Justice Singh served as the Deputy Solicitor General and as a Puisne Judge and a Justice of Appeal. During her tenure at the Chamber of

the Attorney General (AG), she spearheaded the Modernisation of the Justice Reform Project and is currently serving as the Guyana Police Force’s Legal Advisor.

In 2001, Justice Singh had famously pronounced over an election petition which declared the 1997 elections null and void. The judge made the declaration on the grounds that a requirement for voter identi-

fication was beyond the legal authority of the Constitution of Guyana. As such, the PPP’s five-year term in office was cut to four years.

Justice B.S. Roy has presided over the courts for a number of years. Recently, the Court of Appeal ruled that the presidential term limit was null and void. Justice Roy along with retired Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag) Carl Singh, upheld a previous ruling made by retired Chief Justice Ian Chang.

Jonas has been in the legal profession for over two decades. He served as President of the Guyana Bar Association from 2010 to 2012. After assuming office, the government appointed several state boards.

Jonas was named Chairman of the Competition and Consumers’ Affairs Board.

Khan has also served the legal profession here for a number of years. He also served as President of the Guyana Bar Association. Arjoon-Martins, a qualified pilot and aviation manager, spent

many years as a conservationist, mainly in the marine sector.

In January, President Granger made it clear that he will choose someone who is fit to be a judge as the new chairperson of GECOM. During his weekly recording of ‘The Public Interest’, the President revealed that the Constitution is clear on the required qualifications and it is obvious that what the drafters of the document had in mind was someone who had arrived at the position of a judge. The President made the comments after he deemed “unacceptable” a list which the Opposition Leader had submitted.

Having had his first list rejected, Jagdeo then requested that the President explain what he interprets as “fit and proper” before a second list could be submitted. The letter he (Jagdeo) received on March 16, 2017, detailed the “qualities that the candidate to be Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission should possess.”

As reported by this newspaper last month , Jagdeo noted that he had decided to return to and consult with civil society bodies which had participated in December 2016 consultations with him. Late last month he met with 55 representatives of 33 civil society organisations.

The representatives included religious leaders; members of the private sector; trade unions, including the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG); Indigenous organisations, including the National Toshaos Council; the Indian Action Committee (IAC); and the Justice Institute.

Job well done

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 12, 2017

–– Linden Hospital praised for staying the course in spite of the many challenges

By Vanessa Braithwaite THE Linden Hospital Complex has come in for high praise from none other than the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Social Services, led by Opposition Member of Parliament, Dr Vindhya Persaud.

“The building is very impressive and the management is great. I know that sometimes you are trying to do much, and you are trying to deal with challenges that are sometimes unexpected; challenges that are a little more long-term,” Dr Persaud said.

“But what is excellent is the enthusiasm displayed by the staff across-the-board, and their willingness to work with

currently experiencing a drug shortage of immense proportions that is in urgent need of attention. Several doctors complained about their inability to efficiently care for patients without certain critical drugs, which, though they have been requisitioned, are not available.

This, they say, is in addition to the lack of pertinent, portable machinery and equipment to give emergency and intensive care.

One doctor who was trained in Cuba and now works in the emergency room at the LHC vented his frustration over the adverse conditions under which they are forced to work.

She also revealed that there are limited specialty staff, and the few who are trained in these areas, leave after a while to either take up appointments elsewhere in the public sector or seek employment at private institutions.

Similar frustrations were echoed by Senior Medical Technologist, Ms Melanie Sinclair, who mans the laboratory. She revealed to the committee that currently, several of the machines are out of order, and have been so for as long as two years.

As a result of this, those tests requiring manual sampling have to be sent to Georgetown, or alternatively, patients are asked to

Dr. Farouk Riyasat in discussion with members of the committee as he takes them on a tour of the operating theatres what they have to ensure that patients get optimum care,” she told LHC staff Tuesday.

This was after she and a team of Parliamentary Sectoral Committee members were taken on an extensive tour of the Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice) medical facility by Chief Executive Officer, Dr Farouk Riyasat and other LHC senior staff.

The purpose of the visit was to examine the operational procedures of the hospital, and in keeping with this, the team, which included Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Ms Valerie Garrido-Lowe, and Opposition Member of Parliament, Ms Indra Chandarpal, visited each department and ward at the hospital, seeking answers from doctors, nurses and medical personnel on areas that need urgent attention or improvement.

LIMITATIONS Everyone they met agreed that the hospital is

“One of the biggest shortages is the injectable drugs,” he said. “We need drugs that can work effectively and in the short-term; drugs like Gravol, because we are having a lot of vomiting.

“In terms of portable equipment, I would strongly suggest that we have the ECG machine.”

As a result of the various inadequacies, the visiting team learnt, doctors are sometimes forced to do what they can in some cases, or make referrals to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Alternatively, those patients who can afford it have no alternative than to seek medical attention at private institutions in Linden.

THE FRUSTRATION Another senior medical practitioner, Dr Jewel Chester, also voiced her concern about the worrisome drug shortage, since the emergency unit cannot function as it should, if priority has to be given in-house patients.

have them done at a private institution. “The time it takes for us to send the samples to Georgetown makes no sense,” she said.

She is also of the opinion that there needs to be more lab technologists, as, ideally, one should be available on every shift, but is not due to the shortage of staff.

The issue of limited blood

CEO of the Linden Hospital Complex, Dr Farouk Riyasat, in discussion with Parliamentary Sectoral Committee Chairman, Dr Vindhya Persaud (centre) and member Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Ms Valerie Garrido-Lowe (left) and two staff members of the National Assembly in the blood bank, particularly the much-sought-after O-positive variety, was also brought to the fore.

During their visit to the pharmacy, the team also heard from the senior pharmacist manning the department, who said the biggest challenge is working around the shortage of drugs such as antibiotics, Captopril and Gravol at the institution.

Medical Superintendent, Dr. Steve Marks said that currently, the hospital out of some 89 drugs, 19 of which are critical in-house drugs.

One of the things that will, however, help alleviate the situation, Dr. Quincy Jones said, is if patients would stop double-dipping “In terms of the whole medication thing, I think patients need to stop hoarding medication,” he said, adding: “The problem is that they would collect two months of medication and then allow the medication to spoil and damage and then collect another two months.

They won’t store it properly

and stuff like that.”

TRIPARTITE SYSTEM The Committee was also briefed on the tripartite employment system that management is tasked with effectively coordinating, which can at times pose a challenge.

Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Ms Valerie Patterson, who was also part of the visiting delegation, recommended that the hospital think seriously about going corporate so as to help alleviate those challenges.

“Some come under the Linden Hospital, some come under the RDC, and some come under the Ministry of Health. So, right away, you can see a problem,” Minister Patterson said.

“And that is the reason why the recommendation of corporatisation... and then into the Regional Health Department... And we have to go that way, because we are not going to be able to deal with the challenges,” she added.

Committee member, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo pointed out that such a system would be peculiar to LHC, and that one of the major challenges will be discipline.

At the end of the tour, Dr. Riyasat expressed appreciation for the team’s visit and spoke of the many projections and improvements that will be made available shortly.

The 2017 Budget, he said, will allow for more equipment for several departments, including the kitchen and laundry room.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 12, 2017

U.S. accuses Russia of Syria gas attack ‘cover up’ President Donald Trump’s administration accused Russia on Tuesday of trying to shield Syria’s government from blame for a deadly gas attack, as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson brought a Western message to Moscow condemning its support for President Bashar al-Assad.

Trump, who has faced criticism for lacking a broader strategy to deal with the Syria crisis, insisted he has no plans to “go into” the war-torn country.

Senior White House officials, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, said

Assad’s government carried out the April 4 sarin nerve gas attack on civilians in Syria’s Idlib province, killing 87 people including many children, to put pressure on rebels making advances in the area.

Russia has defended the Syrian leader against U.S. allegations that his forces carried out the attack, saying there is no evidence. Russia has blamed Syrian rebels.

“It’s clear that the Russians are trying to cover up what happened there,” one White House official said.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer later told reporters that the facts backed up

the U.S. version of events.

“Russia is on an island when it comes to its support of Syria or its lack of, frankly, acknowledgment of what happened,” he told reporters. But at the same briefing Spicer drew criticism after he sought to underscore the ghastliness of the gas attack by saying, “You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didn’t even sink to using chemical weapons.” Nazi Germany used gas chambers to kill millions of Jews during the Holocaust.

Spicer later apologised and said he should not have made the comparison. “It was a mis-

take. I shouldn’t have done it and I won’t do it again,” Spicer told CNN in an interview. “It was inappropriate and insensitive.”

The White House officials said Russia has frequently offered multiple, conflicting accounts of Syrian government aggression including the incident in the village of Khan Sheikhoun to sow doubt within the international community. The United States launched 59 cruise missiles at a Syrian airfield on Thursday to retaliate after the attack. The strikes thrust the administration of President Donald Trump, who came to power in January calling for warmer ties with Russia, into confrontation with Moscow.

Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said on Tuesday she thought Russia knew about the chemical attack in advance. “They didn’t look shocked. They didn’t look surprised. They were so quick to defend. And then the evidence comes out, and we see exactly what it is and we know exactly what the environment was. Then you realize,” she said on CNN. U.S. intelligence indicates that the chemical agent in the attack was delivered by Syrian Su-22 aircraft that took off from the Shayrat airfield,

according to a White House report given to reporters. In a four-page document, the White House sought to rebut many of Moscow’s claims about the circumstances of the attack. It said the Syrian planes were in the vicinity of Khan Sheikhoun about 20 minutes before the attack and left shortly afterward.

“Additionally, our information indicates personnel historically associated with Syria’s chemical weapons program were at Shayrat airfield in late March making preparations for an upcoming attack in northern Syria, and they were present at the airfield on the day of the attack,” the report said. Washington wants Russia to stop supporting Assad, who has been fighting a six-year-long civil war against mostly Sunni Muslim rebels, also with the backing of Shi’ite Muslim Iran.

TILLERSON MESSAGE Tillerson carried a message from world powers to Moscow denouncing Russian support for Assad, as the Trump administration took on America’s traditional mantle as leader of a unified West.

Tillerson earlier met foreign ministers from the Group of

Seven advanced economies and Middle Eastern allies in Italy. They endorsed a joint call for Russia to abandon Assad.

“It is clear to us the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end,” Tillerson told reporters in Italy. “We hope that the Russian government concludes that they have aligned themselves with an unreliable partner in Bashar al-Assad.”

He said Russia had failed in its role as sponsor of a 2013 deal in which Assad promised to give up chemical weapons.

Russia says the chemicals that killed civilians last week belonged to rebels, not Assad’s government, and accused the United States of an illegal aggression on a false pretext.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday he believed Washington planned more missile strikes, and that rebels were planning to stage chemical weapons attacks to provoke them. “We have information that a similar provocation is being prepared ... in other parts of Syria including in the southern Damascus suburbs where they are planning to again plant some substance and accuse the Syrian authorities of using” chemical weapons, Putin said.

Trump denied further plans in Syria.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Protesters invade government offices Protesters entered the compound of the Ministry of Education here, occupying the premises for some time after a failed invasion at the headquarters of the country’s Tax Department on Monday.

For the third consecutive day, several thousand people took to the streets to protest against the Desi Bouterse administration, whom they have accused of mismanaging the economy. While the demonstrations are being organised by trade unions, the rallies are widely supported by the private sector, civil groups and opposition parties.

The protests are the result of the recent increase in fuel prices by the government that the organisers say have had a negative effect on the prices of all goods and services in the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country. They complain that they can’t meet their regular expenses anymore based on their existing salaries. Some of the protesters demanded that if the increase in fuel prices is not reversed and if there’s no change in the government’s policy Bouterse should resign.

Robby Berenstein, coor-

dinator at RAVAKSUR, an umbrella organization of trade union federations, demanded that the government put an end to its socio-economic policies which he said are squeezing the life out of the people. He said the government should be looking to get its revenue from the gold and mining sectors and not from the ordinary citizen. “Go get the money where it is,” the union leader said, accusing the government of turning a blind eye to the sector because of its interests.

President Bouterse last weekend held talks with several disgruntled members of his NDP-party who have openly criticized his policy during the demonstrations. On Monday, the protestors tried to enter the Tax Department but police, security personnel and military officers were able to prevent them from doing so. A scuffle between several protesters and the guards almost escalated into chaos but tension were contained and the march proceeded to the Ministry of Education where the security officials were unprepared for the protestors.

President of the Teacher’s Union, Wilgo Valies, called on Education Minister, Robert Peneux, to stop intimidating

Wednesday April 12th, 2017 - 05:00 hrs Thursday April 13th, 2017 -05:00 hrs Friday April 14th, 2017 - 05:00 hrs

teachers. “Let it be clear. If you don’t stop, we will come and get you”, Valies said cheered on by demonstrators.

Last week the minister issued a directive that teachers who participated in the rallies will not get paid. Peneux said teachers have no reason to demonstrate since they recently got a salary increase of at least SRD 500 (US$65). The union leaders have announced a temporary halt of the rallies and demonstrations so as to allow citizens to participate in the Holy Week and Easter activities.

Suriname has had to enter into an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country experienced a drastic decline in revenue as a result of the situation on the international market where the prices of the country’s most important commodities gold and oil dropped significantly. According to the government the country’s income since 2015 fell by 70 per cent in comparison to 2014. As a result also the foreign currency reserves were nearly depleted which led to a devaluation of the Surinamese dollar in November 2015 by 20 percent. (CMC)

Human rights group welcomes non-passage of “Spy Bill” The Grand Bahama Human Rights Association (GBHRA) has praised the outgoing Perry Christie administration for not pushing through the Interception of Communications Bill 2017 (ICB) during the last Parliament that was dissolved Tuesday.

Critics of the legislation had dubbed the bill “The Spy Bill” and the GBHRA said that the decision to scrap “the dangerous and anti-democratic “legislation “could point to a new era for civil society and public interest activism in the Bahamas”.

“The GBHRA considers this is a huge win for the concept of ‘we the people’ and a precedent that is likely to alter the country’s political landscape dramatically,” the human rights group said, adding that it wanted to thank the government “for accepting the will of the people and backing

down from the dangerous and unconstitutional course upon which it had been engaged”.

In February, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Allyson Maynard-Gibson, said it was unfortunate that in this political season most of the public discussions on the bill had become completely partisan.

Maynard-Gibson had argued that the proposed legislation had two main purposes including one to ensure that the police have a critical crime-fighting tool in their arsenal, by modernizing the law that allows them to intercept the planning and execution of serious crimes, including drug and gun trafficking, cybercrimes and other criminal activities.

She said the other aspect of the ICB was to add a new privacy protection for Bahamian citizens, so that from now on, independent judicial

review would be required before a citizen’s communications could be monitored or intercepted. In its statement, the GBHRA said that with the non-passage of the bill “the public can now see that real power is vested in their hands and that at the end of the day, government must be answerable to the citizenry – not the other way around.

“Bahamians and residents from all walks of life spoke out against the Bill on social media and in the press; they joined petitions and signed up to march in the streets against the rushed passage of a law that would have had serious consequences for their fundamental right to privacy.

“Collectively, we stood up for the principle that we should all have a voice in important decisions made on our behalf,” the GBHRA added. (CMC)

Mexico City car park collapse kills seven workers The collapse of a partially-built car park in the Mexican capital has killed seven construction workers.

At least 10 people were hurt in the accident in Mexico City. An official blamed a flaw in the construction process on the collapse. He said a heavy load had been placed incorrectly. Heavy lifting equipment was brought in to

help with rescue efforts, but rescue workers said no more survivors had been found.

The accident happened in the Álvaro Obregón area in the west of Mexico City.

Mexico City’s Civil Protection Secretary, Fausto Lugo, tweeted a photo of the collapsed building.

Mr Lugo said the col-

lapse happened when workers were attempting to place a concrete beam in the structure. Preliminary investigations suggest the beam hit a pillar, causing three storeys of the halfbuilt structure to collapse.

The attorney-general’s office said it would investigate if the construction company was responsible. (BBC)

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Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Tackling street crimes THE euphoria of the media’s headlines screaming of the Guyana Police Force capturing a mastermind of the myriad bank-related robberies seems to have subsided into a profoundly sad whisper of hope.

Every day the bandits get bolder. Every day they enter the barbarous arena at a younger age. And now young women are vying for their places in the conscious-less milieu.

They are all bound by the quest to join the nouveau riche without having to expend one iota of sweat. Families are aware of their relatives’ way of life and they subliminally endorse same with entreaties such as: “Try bring back a raise…I ain’t got nothing to cook.”

According to the Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum, a ringleader who was recently captured was deeply involved in robbing customers leaving commercial banks.He admitted to being a facilitator for his group, providing them with firearms and the ubiquitous CG motorcycles.

Since then the man has been charged, bail has been posted, and he is somewhere out there honing his craft to better his modus operandi.

It’s frustrating. There must be a way of keeping repeat offenders behind bars. Although many bank-robbing groups have been dismantled, the robbers pompously taunt the cops with the refrain: “Shooting me is a waste

Another Rasta gun take mi place.”

There was a time when the belief was that bank tellers were co-operating with the robbers, but that theory went out of the window with the accuracy of victim-spotting inside the bank and the relentless pursuits afterwards.

A special police squad has to be set up along with strengthened security in and around all the banks. The members must be trained as spotters and equipped with electronic gadgetry to relay precise information.

It is no longer guess work. The well-dressed man (and sometimes woman) enters the bank, joins a line and takes time to recce. As soon as a victim is spotted collecting a large amount of cash, the spotter exits the bank and gives a signal.

The sleek CG motor cycle moves to pick up the pillion rider and together they zero in on the victim. Time and distance mean nothing. They have done this countless times.

And the gun in the rider’s waist has ‘real’ bullets. We cannot remain dinosaurs in this fast-paced world, out-paced and out-manoeuvred. Crime and violence are at a near crisis level in these parts. Mr Commissioner, while people must desist from travelling with large sums, the trained policemen could put a heavy dent in the bandits’ operations.

Evidence has shown that crime has its genesis in the society and its growth and pattern need to be addressed

not only through applying crime-solving methods, but also putting in place preventive measures, which take on board a scientific approach in gathering and analysing data. It is within this context that our approach to crime and crime-fighting can engender positive results and societal development. Crime speaks to a violation of the laws. Equally, crime cannot be fought by committing crimes and this is why it becomes important to recognise that the upholding of laws is hinged on crime-fighting and development. When a nation accepts crime as destructive, regardless of the socio-economic and political standing of the perpetrators and is prepared to treat all equally before the law, it creates the desire to put systems in place to address crime in an holistic manner.

Ogunseye gives coalition Grade B+ for handling of economy Dear Editor,

GENERALLY, I have refrained from participating in public debate on the economy, since I believe that discourse should be left to those better equipped to do so. However, as a political activist I do pay keen attention to economic issues. The current debate on the state of the country’s economy is so important that I am forced to move away from my previous position and join the discussion, since, in my view, some opinion makers in the society who are hostile to the government and have a political axe to grind are doing everything in their power to make the economy their political battle ground.

While I respect their right to hold views which are at odds with the government’s I do object to the tactics they have adopted, which borders on dishonesty, misrepresentation and outright manipulation of public consciousness on the economic situation in the country.

This new round of debate has been fuelled by concerns of an apparent shortage of foreign exchange in Guyana and its effects on the banking system.

The government and Central Bank’s official response is that the reports of shortage are false

and point to attempts at manipulation of the system and an artificial demand,which have been created by speculators and racketeers. In spite of the differences on the foreign exchange situation, there seems to be a consensus on all sides that the economy is not performing in a desirable manner.

While some critics of the government have been vehement in their arguments that there has been no growth in the economy, the latest report out of the IMF contradicts this position. The IMF team that visited the country recently, stated that there was a 3.3% increase in the country’s growth rate for the period 2016 and projected the economy will grow by 3.5 % in 2017. This assessment of Guyana’s economic performance can be treated as objective, since it came from a “politically neutral” observer – neutral in the sense that the IMF is not driven by partisan interests and does not care which party is in office.

It should be remembered that the visit of the IMF occurred at a point in time when there were predictions of gloom and doom in the economy and the extent to which the Guyana dollar would depreciate. It is therefore in that context that the significance of the IMF report must be viewed.

The IMF report is particularly

significant, since it concurred generally with the view of the Finance Minister and the government that the economy is being managed in a responsible manner. In response to the IMF endorsement of the government’s handling of the economy, a daily newspaper close to the PPP carried an article, which quoted the opposition party as saying, “….IMF report validates its position that the local economy is in trouble.” That statement like a number of others, was erroneous and underscores the lengths the PPP is prepared to go to in order to undermine the coalition government.

Politically, the IMF’s visit to Guyana was timely and to some extent, knocked the wind out of the PPP’s and the Private Sector Commission’s (PSC) sails and helped to cool the temperature by forcing the PPP and the PSC to retreat and to rethink their propaganda on the economy. The big loser in this credibility issue is the PSC. This PPP-controlled organisation was caught with its pants down. It was forced to put its tail between its legs and subsequently, expressed public support for the IMF report and findings, which gave the government high marks for its handling of the economy. The PSC’s public endorsement of the IMF report was if not any-

thing else, a painful embarrassment for its leadership. Their strategy of playing politics with the economy in support of the PPP backfired. In the process it exposed the PSC’s hypocritical claim of being non-political.

The PPP’s position, characterised by its reckless opposition tactics is understandable, since that party’s leadership is now devoid of patriotism and is only concerned with its narrow partisan interest of returning Jagdeo to the presidency at all costs. However, the PSC on the other hand, has a moral duty to be more objective and ought to represent its members’ interest in a non-political, non-partisan way.

A keen observer will not fail to note that the consensus that the economy is underperforming collapses when it comes to the reasons for the present situation. The opposition PPP and other government detractors are accusing the APNU+AFC government of mismanagement of the economy and the country. Their accusations range from political/racial witch-hunting to the inability of the coalition to govern the country. To the government’s credit it had, in the 2016 budget presentation, conceded that the economy had slowed down and pointed to external and internal factors that were responsible for this state of affairs. The decline

in the global economy and a reduction in remittances have had negative effects on local economic activity. Additionally, in the domestic sphere, the decline of the sugar and rice industries has been draining the public purse. The reduction in the price of gold on the world market, adverse weather conditions and opposition machinations -- social, economic and political – have all contributed negatively to the economic life of the country.

It is important to look at some of the political challenges which have contributed to the slowdown of the economy.

Even before the coalition came to power, the economy was in decline due to the political situation in the country. Not least among these was the decision of the Donald Ramotar regime to prorogue parliament. The pending general and regional elections created great uncertainty, resulting in reduced investments by the private sector and a sharp reduction in government spending. The full effect of this development was only fully realised after the 2015 elections were held and the APNU+AFC emerged as the government. These are undeniable facts which the opposition and government detractors conveniently choose to forget.

There is no secret that the

pseudo economic “boom” of the Jagdeo era was driven by the underground economy and its illegal activities, ranging from narco-trafficking, gold and diamond smuggling and trafficking in persons.

Added to this is the deeply entrenched corruption in the government procurement process and the theft of state assets. This “wealth” helped to create questionable economic activities that boosted the growth rate. Now that the David Granger-led government is clamping down in these areas, the unavoidable consequence is reduced economic activity.

Another important factor is the deliberate sabotage of the economy by supporters of the PPP who are the major players in the formal and informal private sector. This is the price the nation has to pay to dismantle the criminal state and restore the economy to genuine economic growth.

Based on the above evidence, any talk of giving the government an F grade for its stewardship of the economy is misplaced and not rooted in the economic realities. As the IMF report did not support such a grade, I will not hesitate to award the regime a grade B plus.

Regards Tacuma Ogunseye

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 12, 2017

I don’t think VAT on school fees was properly thought out Dear Editor: ON the matter of VAT on tuition fees for private education there are two issues here. One is, VAT being paid by the business that provides private education and; two, is VAT being paid by the students who access the service of private education. There exist two clear distinctions, i.e. the provider of the service (business) and the receiver (students) of the service, and these ought not to be conflated or confused in analyses or policy- making.

Education is a fundamental human right. You cannot charge VAT on services such as education and health which the people access, because it is not only inhumane, it is unconscionable and flies in the face of every government’s responsibility to ensure citizens have access to such services for their and

the nation’s well-being and development.

Having taken note of the government’s evolving position, including that of the Minister of Education and Prime Minister, what the society needs to hear from these officials is, from where they got the idea of taxing school fees and which countries are doing likewise. There is no denying the government has to find revenue to run the affairs of State, but it has to be sourced from the proper areas and based on a system that is conscionable and designed to achieve results that would be to the benefit of the people.

Placing VAT on school fees is punitive and deprives citizens of accessing a service which their country, in its Constitution, has not only guaranteed as a fundamental right but also allows the option of choice (private or public).

For profits, a business that provides education will attract taxes consistent with the law under which it is required. The not-for-profit providers and government can look at ways of ensuring shared social responsibility, such as sponsorship of a public good.

Frankly, I don’t think the issue of VAT on school fees, like some other areas, was properly thought out and in that the society has come out against it, the government feels cornered.

This notwithstanding, given that it is human to err, the government has to be mindful that digging in on a policy (taxing school fees) that lacks the humanity that ought to underpin its responsibility and the benefit to the receiver will hurt it more.

Regards Lincoln Lewis

Indiscriminate lighting of fires in Herstelling Dear Editor,

I WISH to highlight a matter of serious concerns to the residents of Plot ‘B’ Plantation Herstelling,East Bank Demerara. Some land owners are in the habit of setting fires to clear the land of grass, etc., not taking into consideration the threat to properties in close proximity to the fire.

On several occasions the Guyana Fire Service had to be called in to put out uncontrollable fires that had spread to other areas.

On one occasion, a resident lit his garbage on an unoccupied land and the fire spread; the residents had to form a bucket brigade to save a property, since the fire service called said that the fire tender did not have any water, so a message was sent to have one from another area. On several other occasions the services of the Guyana Fire Service had to be sought to put out raging fires and I had hoped that the fire service report would have been sent to the

relevant authorities. I want to believe that by-laws of the housing schemes prohibit setting fires in housing areas. I just cannot understand the thinking of people doing this. Don’t they think beyond lighting a fire?

Apart from the threat to people’s properties, houses are engulfed in smoke and ashes, laundry must be redone and in some cases children and adults with respiratory illnesses need medical attention. In most instances, the perpetrators would douse the bushes and grass with flammable substances to ensure that it caught fire. I have witnessed so many run-away fires. Only last week someone lit a fire on their land to clear it and the fire spread to several lots away, which is next to my property. Today, April 12th, I witnessed one single person setting alight his (I assumed) land and the other buildings around it engulfed in smoke. The home owners had already left for work. Such anger erupted. I emphasised one single person, because if the fire had

spread, he alone would not have been able control it.

This is a serious matter and I am calling on the NDC to conduct visits in the Council’s area of responsibility and to have matters of this nature brought under control. I am also calling on the Ministry of Communities and the Guyana Police Force to cooperate and ensure that such occurrences do not continue and that if it continues, perpetrators must be penalized, because this is a situation that can seriously go wrong. Imagine you have just completed construction of your property in millions of dollars borrowed from the bank and then some selfish individual (s) comes burning up bushes next to it.

The ministry can ensure that notices are put in the newspapers and in the agreement of sale (if it’s not there already), and that this matter be highlighted to residents and land owners continually.

Regards Indira Thakurdin

Rewarding excellence in Public Service Dear Editor,

AS we continue to embrace our national strategy towards a sustainable economy with a focus on ecotourism, we must also continue to develop our reward systems for commitment and excellence in public service. For time spent providing exemplary work as a teacher, nurse or doctor, police officer, soldier, fireman / firewoman or in other areas within Government, regardless of party affiliation, workers should be given the opportunity to obtain subsidised housing and access to preferential financing rates. This will attract more candidates to these crucial roles in our society and help ease the heaviest financial burden our citizens undertake, while at the same time fostering economic growth in the housing sector. Also, in the area of teaching, the awarding of

tenure for proven success in public schools will help retain top talent and encourage entry into the profession.

Continued investment in our infrastructure, specifically in the maintenance and upkeep of our courts, police stations, army bases, schools, hospitals and fire stations, should continue to be a top priority in the area of ongoing government investments and expenses.

It is essential that our key institutions: 1) Reflect the level of quality that our fellow Guyanese would enjoy being a part of (2) Foster confidence in the general public & visiting tourists (3) Stay competitive versus other tourist destinations.

Given the size of our government, the additional growth this investment will spur in the construction sector should not be overlooked. As the nation grows, we must not forsake that which forms the foundation that allows us to support our growth.

Working closely on an agreed agenda with the unions and institutions representing our public servants is a must for any government to be successful in designing enhancements in worker’ benefits provided to government workers. The above examples of benefits that could be additionally provided are at a very low cost to the government, given the design of the benefits package. The mentioned investment in the upkeep of the infrastructure of these cornerstone institutions in our nation should be viewed as both necessary and beneficial by administrations focused on economic growth. To govern is to provide a service to those who have empowered you to do so, and public servants make it possible for any government to serve its people well.

Best regards, Jamil Changlee

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Man drowns trying to save girlfriend

WHAT was supposed to be a warm midday dip for a young couple turned out a nightmare when the 20-year- old Richard Ramkissoon was swept away by the tides of the mighty Essequibo River on Sunday, April 9.

According to a police source, the young man had gone to Bushy Park, Parika, with his 19-year old girlfriend Bibi Shabanna Hussein at about 12:30hrs for a swim. It was revealed that neither of the two could swim and they both went some distance out and the young lady found herself sinking.

Richard Ramkissoon and his girlfriend Bibi Hussein in happier times

Richard Ramkissoon

After realising that his girlfriend would drown if help was not rendered, the police source said that the young man went under water and attempted to push her to the surface. However, it was swimmers nearby who rescued her since Ramkissoon was taken away by the tide.

The police said that it was not until Tuesday morning, at about 8:30am that Ramkissoon’s body surfaced within the same vicinity where he had been swept away by the tide.

The young man, who resided at lot 111 Wales, West Bank Demerara (WBD), was said to be a labourer who was born in Venezuela.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 12, 2017

Micobie residents call for action against illegal mining FOLLOWING a confrontation in which their village leader was physically assaulted, residents of the Region Eight village of Micobie are calling on the authorities to curb “illegal” miners in the area.

According to reports, during the last week of March, several water dredges, one of which is commonly referred to as a “dragga,” were seen along the Potaro River. The waterway passes through the indigenous community.

Reports are that Toshao, John Andre and several councillors of the village travelled to an area where the dredges were operating. The miners, who were working on the village lands, complied with orders from the village councillors to remove from the area; however, one operator remained in the area. According to a councillor, the operator appeared upset when he was informed by the village council that the dredge was working ”illegally” on the

village lands . Two weeks ago, the Toshao led a team to the area and informed the general manager of the operation to desist from mining on the village lands.

The manager became infuriated when the village councillors boarded the “dragga” and informed him that he should remove the machine from the area.

Reports are that the man and his employees verbally abused the village leader and the village councillors, using expletives.

According to a resident, the manager rose from his seat and attempted to push the village captain and the two scrambled as other miners and village councillors tried to calm the situation.

Several photographs of the confrontation were posted on social media recently and according to residents, the officers attached to the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) appeared to be colluding with the “illegal” miners, since the officers are aware of the

situation on the ground.

Toshao Andre told the Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday that it is the duty of the council to check all mining operations in the area. “They are wrong all over, and it has been going on for years”, Andre said. He said that he reported the incident to the GGMC office at Mahdia, but he was not optimistic that the situation will be addressed.

For years, miners and village councils in indigenous communities have clashed over mining on village lands. Last January during an outreach by a team led by Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, Andre had highlighted the issue . He lamented that most of his community’s titled lands have been issued to miners.

The minister informed Toshao Andre that the law states that no mining could take place on their land without the Toshao and the Village Council’s permission.

Former footballer busted with cocaine FORMER national football Captain Jermaine Smartt, 40, was recently busted at the John F Kennedy (JFK) Airport with a quantity of cocaine in his possession, and is in custody at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center.

According to a Capitol News report, Smartt was busted with 37 cocaine pellets in his possession at the JFK hotel. Capitol News reported that “as part of [an] ongoing investigation, special agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) swooped down on the JFK Inn located near the JFK International Airport.

Upon arrival, agents went to an identified room and Jermaine Smartt opened the door.”

The news report online at capitolnewsgy. com also stated that special agent with the DEA, Alexander Sosin, in a sworn court document, stated, that Smartt invited officers into the room, and a search was subsequently conducted, unveiling some of the pellets in a suitcase inside the hotel room. Some of the 37 pellets were discovered after agents opened the suitcase. Tests conducted confirmed that the substance enveloped in the pellets was cocaine.

Reports indicate that Smartt had already cleared immigration and customs at the airport but was under the watchful eye of investigators. Smartt was arrested and taken to JFK medical facility, the Capitol News report said,

and was detained until he had passed all the additional pellets “which were contained within his intestinal tract.”

Capitol News said Smartt admitted to U.S. investigators that on April 5, 2017, he had swallowed all the pellets they discovered inside the suitcase before he left Guyana. Smartt migrated to the U.S. from Guyana several years ago and had recently returned after a long while for a holiday.

Quite a few national footballers have over the years been arrested as mules at JFK with cocaine-packed pellets contained in their intestines. On June 11, 2015, Guyanese Footballer Manasseh “Ziggy” Primo, a striker in the Alpha United Football Club, was busted there with 51 pellets of cocaine amounting to 740 grams in his body. The Guyana Chronicle understands that Primo has recently returned to Guyana.

On May 24, 2014, weightlifter Colin `Mr Clean’ Chesney was busted in the USA with over 50 cocaine-filled pellets in his stomach after he arrived in the U.S. on a Caribbean Airlines flight from Guyana. Some years before national football goalkeeper Marlon Hendricks was busted in Barbados, and died after cocaine-filled pellets burst in his stomach.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 12, 2017

GWI moving towards solar-powered wells in hinterland

IN an attempt to move from the ‘old’ windmill water pumps, the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) is seeking to implement solar-powered water wells in every hinterland region.

Some of the modernised systems have already been implemented in communities around the country, but more is yet to be done said GWI’s Hinterland Manager, Osei Maniford.

During an interview with members of the media, Maniford explained that residents of hinterland communities will benefit extensively from the new project, as opposed to the old system.

The shift from the windmill water pumps was necessary because of the struggle to get parts for the machines. “Most of the time when something goes wrong with one of the windmill structures we don’t find parts so we have to fabricate a new windmill, which is very costly,” said the GWI’s hinterland manager.

It was explained that although solar panels are costly, the lifespan is long so maintenance cost is less.

And, a solution to cutting other costs has been tested and proven effective

by GWI. The company trained 27 persons from various villages in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) to operate the solar-powered wells.

Certificates were given to the participants on Tuesday after they completed the two-day training programme, which was facilitated by GWI’s consultant,

Aubrey Marks.

Given that over 50 villages in Region Nine benefit from the solar-powered well, the company thought it best to train persons from those villages to operate and fix the machines.

“Instead of travelling from Georgetown to Lethem to fix minor problems, we decided to train these persons so that we can ensure that water is restored to persons in the villages because, it takes days for the team to arrive to [the] hinterland,” said Maniford.

If the persons who were trained are unable to fix the problem they will be able to send an informative report to the head office in Georgetown. That way, GWI will be able to know what exactly is needed to fix the problem, instead of travelling miles to diagnose the problem and then head back to Georgetown in order to procure the requisite materials and then return to the community.

Trainees responded well to the progamme, said Marks, who indicated that during the sessions they were able to immediately identify problems with some of the systems in the community.

Some of the beneficiaries explained that they will ensure that they apply what they have learnt to meet the needs of the wells in their villages. They said that their villages will never be without water from now on.

GWI’s Managing Director, Dr Richard VanWest Charles said that the programme will be implemented in other regions across the country.

Trainees pose with GWI officials, including Managing Director, Dr Richard Van-West Charles

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 12, 2017

Transphobia in Guyana

By Akola Thompson IN 2009, after an increase of transwomen being arrested by the police for cross-dressing, a group of transgender men went to the Supreme Court with hopes of having the law struck off the books. Homosexuality and cross-dressing have been illegal in Guyana since the height of colonial days. So, while it seemed relatively progressive at the time when then Chief Justice Ian Chang stated that cross- dressing was not a crime as long as it was not used for “improper purposes,” this ruling still sees trans- women being sidelined and not being able to access justice.

While intimating that as long as one was expressing their gender identity, cross-dressing is not illegal, the vagueness of the term “improper purpose” leaves the door open for more discrimination against them. Hence, it was for this reason that appellants shortly after Chang’s ruling sought to clarify the meaning behind the phrase in the courts once again.

However, a ruling on the case read by Chancellor Carl Singh stated, “It was not for the court to attempt a definition of a broad term -- it is for the magistrate to decide, on a case-by-case basis.” The problem with this is that when we allow magistrates to look at things on a case-by-case basis and use their own interpretations, their biases will get in the way of justice as we have seen with Magistrate Dylon Bess and his apparent transphobia. He has on several occasions barred transwomen from accessing justice, because

they were not dressed in a way that is considered “socially acceptable” for their prescribed sex.

Thankfully, Bess is being hauled before the Judicial Services Commission to be held accountable for his discriminatory treatment of transgender Guyanese and I truly hope that the law does not fail trans- women once again.

What I have always found curious about the cross-dressing law is that it only applies to transwomen and not transmen or ciswomen. Is it because women are seen as lesser so to dress like one is seen to be disgraceful? It might have nothing much to it but it is an interesting thought.

I always see the argument being touted that those from the Lesbians Gay Bisexual Trans community do not deserve ‘special’ rights and laws, as if that is what is being asked for.

The only thing being asked for are equal rights where heterosexuals are not seen as the only ones deserving of the full protection of the law. Human rights should never be arranged in a hierarchy, with some being considered more deserving than others.

In the year 2012, a nine-member special select committee of the National Assembly was set up with the intent to “hold public consultations on the abolition of corporal punishment, capital punishment, decriminalization of same-sex intimacy and cross-dressing, and discrimination against LGBT people.” It is unclear whether these consultations were ever completed or what the outcome was. It is now 2017 and with another Government, we may need an entirely new committee to have the same consultations once again.

For those who often wonder how we often reach a stage where gross human rights violations happen, it happens when discrimination is allowed to be institutionalised.

It happens when there exist laws in the nation’s books which challenge the basic rights of citizens and their existence.

How does one determine whether a cross-dresser has “improper” intentions? My reasoning is, if someone has committed a crime, let’s say perhaps, robbery then they should be charged for that. They being a cross-dresser is irrelevant to their crime.

Let’s examine a parallel. If a young person of a particular ethnicity commits a murder, then their ethnicity should not be the focus, but rather the murder they committed. When we attempt to link manner of identity or dress with that of crimes then what we do is further perpetuate stereotypes and encourage discrimination against members belonging to those particular groups. Then we wonder why we have such an intolerant society, but is it really a wonder when discrimination is state-sanctioned?

Having these laws remain give the dangerous impression to the public that these persons should be discriminated against or harmed because they are not considered conventional.

This of course is not the only law that needs to be struck off of the books; we have so many archaic laws sitting just waiting for someone to use them. The coalition promised constitutional reform. Have I been living under a rock or has nothing solid begun as yet? My bet is on the latter.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 12, 2017

Understanding colonial era important for social cohesion –– President Granger at Guyanese-European heritage book launch

PRESIDENT David Granger said that it is important for Guyanese to understand the country’s colonial past in order to better understand the issues, which can arise as the nation seeks to develop and promote a more socially cohesive society.

He was at the time delivering remarks at the launch of a book titled ‘Aspects of European-Guyanese History’ at the Pegasus Hotel, Monday evening. The book is a collaborative effort among the National Trust of Guyana, the Guyana Heritage Society and the European Union (EU).

“This book brings into perspective a particular Guyanese quality of multiculturalism. The colonial era brought together

people from Europe, Asia, from Africa and we met of course, the Indigenous Peoples and our multiculturalism is an asset… It created a unique society in which we learnt not only to be tolerant, but to love each other and to appreciate the unique talents and the qualities of other ethnic and religious groups,” the Head of State said.

He spoke of the European ideas that have made an indelible mark on the Guyanese society such as the recognition of citizens’ fundamental rights following the French Revolution. He explained how European aspects such as the Dutch Courts of Policy and the British system that emphasised the importance of regular elections, laid the foundation for con-

President David Granger receiving his copy of ‘Aspects of European-Guyanese History’ from Chairman of the National Trust of Guyana, Mr. Lennox Hernandez stitutional government in Guyana. The rule of law,

Among those seated in the front row are from (left) Minister of Business, Mr. Dominic Gaskin; Minister of Public Telecommunications, Ms. Catherine Hughes; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Carl Greenidge and Ambassador Jernej Videtic of the EU; Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland and President David Granger and Mrs Sandra Granger

Christianity and education are also European-influenced legacies that Guyana has inherited.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Jernej Videtic of the EU said that publication of this book is another demonstration of the excellent cooperation between the EU and Guyana.

He explained that while Guyana is known for its stunning natural beauty and its hospitality, it is less known for its architectural heritage and rich history.

“I am convinced that it will be more beneficial for Guyana to highlight this aspect as part of the

brand Guyana… this book illustrates the many facets of Guyana’s State-building process, how symbols of its Statehood had been established and how important it is to value them and uphold them for future generations,” Ambassador Videtic said.

Many persons contributed to the content of the publication, including President Granger himself, who penned an article on the Dutch Colonial Governor, Laurens Storm Van’s Gravesande. Copies of the book will be donated to 150 secondary schools across the country.

The launching ceremony also saw the attendance of First Lady Mrs. Sandra Granger, Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Carl Greenidge, Minister of Business, Mr. Dominic Gaskin, Minister of Public Telecommunications, Ms. Catherine Hughes, Veteran Guyanese Diplomat, Sir Shridath Ramphal and other dignitaries. Copies of the book will be made available through the Guyana Heritage Society. (Ministry of the Presidency)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 12, 2017

Husband, wife remanded on drug-trafficking charge

A HUSBAND and his wife, of Hururu Mission, Upper Berbice River, appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore on Tuesday, jointly charged with being in possession of 167 grams of cannabis for the purpose of traf-

ficking.

Toney Williams, a 38-year-old shopkeeper and his wife Candace France, 33, pleaded not guilty to the charge at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court and were remanded to prison until April 12.

This newspaper understands that the police conducted a raid on April 8, 2017 when the drug was found inside a bag in the kitchen of the guest house, where several occupants were also staying at the time.

The duo was rep-

resented by Gaumatie Singh and Moti Singh and in the bail application, the court heard that the drug was not found at the couple’s home, but rather at a guest house where Williams is employed as a shopkeeper.

However, Police

Prosecutor Simone Payne told the court that on the day in question, police acted on information and conducted the search on the premises.

According to the prosecutor, the illegal drugs were found in a bag belonging to the defendants

in the kitchen area of the guest house.

The prosecutor objected to bail because of the seriousness, gravity and prevalence of the offence. They are expected to appear before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan today.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 12, 2017

Enmore NDC demands return of seized computers

THE Enmore Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) is demanding the return of 15 computers which the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU) seized recently to prevent them from being sold illegally.

Through their attorney, Anil Nandlall, a letter was sent to SARU, demanding the return of the computers within seven days. Failure to comply, will result in legal action being brought against the Unit, which operates out of the Ministry of the Presidency, the letter states.

“I hereby demand that you return the aforementioned equipment to my client at the location from which they were taken, within seven (7) days from the date hereof, if you fail to do so, my client will be advised to institute legal proceedings against the State and possibly, private criminal charges against each of the officers, who were part of the aforementioned unlawful and criminal exercise,” Nandlall’s letter stated. The letter

was addressed to Aubrey Heath-Retemyer, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SARU. According to the Ministry of Public Telecommunications, a minuted decision was made by the NDC at their statutory meeting of November 16, 2016, to sell the 15 computers which were donated by the Basic Needs Trust Fund.

By virtue of the computer being donated, it would be illegal to sell them, the Ministry said.

After receiving information of the intent to sell the computers last Thursday, officials from the eGovernment Project Execution Unit, accompanied

by SARU officials made their way to the NDC, where they found the computers which were to be sold.

The officials subsequently seized the computers and the Ministry has since said that once there is a commitment by the NDC that the computers will not be sold or otherwise disposed of, they will be returned to the local gov-

ernment body.

“They [the computers] will first be serviced. eGovernment fully intends to support the residents of Enmore/Hope under its Community Information and Communication Technology (ICT) hub initiative, which provides free Internet service and computer skills training,” the ministry said.

However, Nandlall in his letter made no reference to the Ministry’s eGovernment officials and described the actions by the SARU agents as not only “authoritarian, but are unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional and amount to misfeasance in public office.”

The attorney also references his repeated “public condemnation” of the “pretention by officers” of SARU, whom he said, claim to be law enforcement officers of the State, pretending to exercise law enforcement powers.

“This continued masquerade is utterly unlawful,” Nandlall said.

Meanwhile, the Peo-

One of the computers which was carelessly left on a table ples’ Progressive Party (PPP), which controls the NDC, had claimed that the computers were being used to teach evening classes for

residents.

However, the Public Telecommunications Ministry revealed that the units were improp-

erly stored in dusty conditions, and there was no evidence to suggest that the computers were used recently.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 12, 2017

Church members robbed at gunpoint on Regent Street –– Two in police custody

TWO men are in police custody after several church members were attacked and robbed Monday night on Regent Street, Georgetown by bandits on two CG motorcycles.

Police later confiscated two motorcycles – HC 4146 and CH 9013. Reports indicate that the robbery oc-

curred at around 21:55hrs when approximately 20 persons were attending a farewell and were sitting on the northern pavement on Regent Street. The victims are all members of House of Prayers church located at Mocha, East Bank Demerara.

Police said the suspects arrived from the western

direction and came off their motorcycles, pointed their guns at the victims and robbed them. Some persons resisted and the gunmen fired about six shots in the air and made good their escape south along Oronoque Street.

This newspaper understands that two of the bandits escaped on a motorcy-

One of the CG motorcycles left at the scene of the crime by the bandits cle, while the other bandit escaped on foot and left his motorcycle, HC 4146 at the scene. One of the gunmen was identified and police later visited his residence on Durban Street, Georgetown but he was not found.

However, a motorcycle allegedly used in the robbery was seized. Police subsequently arrested two men and their hands were

swabbed for gun powder residue as investigations continue.

The persons who were robbed included Lester Andrews, 38, a clothes vendor of North Ruimveldt; he was robbed of one Samsung phone value $160,000. Quincy Waldron, 33, a High Priest of William Street, Mocha, EBD was robbed of one Blu cellular phone, valued

$30,000; Daidree Liverpool, 57, a Bishop of Nelson St, Mocha was robbed of two gold chains valued $300, 000 and Robin Firebrace, 56, of East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was robbed of three gold chains value $185,000 and one Samsung cellular phone.

Police said no one was injured at the scene but they are reviewing CCTV cameras in the area.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 12, 2017

Alleged wife killer remanded

GANESH Dhanraj, the man accused of strangling his wife, appeared before Magistrate Rochelle Liverpool at the Leonora Magistrates Court, West Coast Demerara, on Tuesday, charged with murder.

The 28-year-old man was not required to plead to the charge and was remanded to prison until June 5.

He allegedly strangled his reputed wife, 29-year-old Dhanwantie Ram, with a

Ganesh Dhanraj

bedsheet in their Parika, East Bank Essequibo home on April 5, 2017.

On April 9, the police arrested Dhanraj after four days on the run; he was caught around 02:00hrs Sunday at Parika after he was shot in his right arm by lawmen. On the morning of April 5, the lifeless body of the mother of three was found in a sitting position with a bed sheet tied around her neck.

The victim’s sister, who

Dead : Dhanwantie Ram

made the gruesome discovery, told this newspaper that the woman was found kneeling on the living room floor, slumped across a chair with the sheet around the neck.

She had also been covered with a carpet, the witness said.

Investigations had revealed that Dhanwantie, after enduring years of abuse, recently ended her relationship with Dhanraj; she left his house with their three children and went to live

elsewhere in Parika.

But although she had tried to move on, Dhanraj continued to harass her, and on April 5, as she was on her way to make a report to the police, he lured her into his house and allegedly killed her.

The two had been together for some 15 years and the union produced three children, two girls aged 10 and seven, and a boy, aged eight.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 12, 2017

Eight public schools to be solar-powered –– GEA estimates annual savings at over $7M

THE Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs (MoIPA), has commenced the installation of nine grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) systems at public institutions, mainly secondary schools across the country, which will produce an estimated 124,321 kWh of energy annually.

The installations, expected to be completed by the end of April 2017, were initiated as a direct response to His Excellency, President David Granger’s, vision to have the Government of Guyana lead the way in transitioning towards greater renewable energy use by having every government building, school convert to utilising alternative sources of energy over the next five years.

Mr Leon DeSouza, the lead Engineer on the project, indicated that “…the institutions were chosen from among those that GEA would have conducted Energy Assessments at and based on the size of the systems they would require.” He went on to explain that “GEA was responsible for procuring and installation oversight of the PV systems.”

The components of the installed systems are

Technicians installing PV Demerara PV modules, inverters and protection devices.

The PV modules and grid-connected inverters, which are the main components, have a lifespan of twenty-five (25) years and ten (10) years respectively. The following are a list of the Institutions and the size of each system: According to the GEA, at a total cost of $48,959,883, the project will aid in the avoidance of 87,025 kg of carbon dioxide emissions and will result in savings of approximately $8,336,330 annually with a simple payback period of about 5.8 years.

Photovoltaic (PV) technology harnesses the sun’s energy by converting it into electricity. With the abundance of sunlight in Guyana, and the region at large, solar PV Systems are a very attractive alternative to fossil fuel-generated electricity as, PV panels provide clean – green energy, which is also environmentally friendly, owing to the fact that during electricity generation (with PV panels) there is no harmful

Panels at Diamond Secondary School, East Bank

An inspector from the Government Electrical Inspectorate (GEI) inspecting the electrical installation at one of the sites greenhouse gas emissions.

As part of the realisation of the vision to provide reliable energy in an environmentally, socially and sustainable framework, the GEA intends to conduct similar exercises at

other public institutions in Guyana.

The agency will also continue to provide technical support, monitoring and training in the use and operation of the systems.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 12, 2017

Policy guidelines in the pipeline –– will govern medical donations

By Svetlana Marshall THE Public Health Ministry is currently formulating a policy that will guide its action when receiving donations of drugs and medical supplies.

This is according to Public Health Minister, Ms Volda Lawrence, who on Monday conceded that there is “no prescribed standard” for the acceptance of donations to the Ministry.

“I can assure you that right now, we are working on it. We have a draft; we have sent it around so that persons can give their comments,” she told reporters at the conclusion of a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting at the Public Buildings.

She readily agreed that donations must be done in a systematic way, and that critical information must be provided before donations are made.

“We want to see these institutions writing to the Min-

istry; we want to have some background on these institutions and these groups,” Minister Lawrence said.

When finalised, the policy on which they’re working, she said, will allow for the Public Health Ministry to make an input before any donations are made.

“We must be able to say whether what they are offering is needed here,” she said, adding: “And on the other hand, we must be able to say that what we would like them to give to us, and where we would like them to go, and not persons coming here and telling us where they are going and what they are doing.”

The issue of the donation of drugs and medical supplies arose Monday during a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), where Region Nine’s Regional Health Officer (RHO), Mr Rolan Choyee was responding to queries from Minister within the Ministry

of Communities, Ms Valerie Adams-Patterson.

Minister Adams-Patterson, who is a PAC member, had questioned the RHO on the process of acquiring drugs and medical supplies as a form of donation.

In response, the RHO explained that the items would be logged into a “log book”, after which the pharmacist would take them into stock for distribution.

He also noted that as far as he knew, no approval is required from the Public Health Ministry before donations are accepted by the Regional Administration or Regional Hospital.

CAUSE FOR CONCERN On hearing this, PAC Chairman, Mr Irfaan Ali registered his disapproval, saying it was a matter of grave concern to him.

Similar sentiments were expressed by Minister Adams-Patterson, who posited

that many times, the drugs being donated are often close to their expiry dates.

Her greatest fears were confirmed by the RHO, who, when asked to explain why “expired drugs with

an approximate value of $465,000” were found at the Lethem Regional Hospital and the Kumu Health Centre in the past, replied: “Most of the drugs that are expired are donated

drugs coming from Food for the Poor and other agencies.”

He, however, went on to explain that expired drugs, once logged, are sent to Lethem where they are prepared for disposal.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 12, 2017

Health Information System restoration to slash patients waiting-time

THE Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) is restoring its Health Information System (HIS) to reduce health service quality inequities between hinterland and coastal regions.

This world-class information system is designed to protect patients’ privacy, maintain confidentiality and provide security of sensitive data. When fully implemented, it will slash waiting time for medical services and improve

patients’ health literacy.

Externally, the health information system (HIS) has the support of the l PAHO/WHO, UNAIDS, the U.S. Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and I-TECH. Locally, the Ministry of Public Health is collaborating with the University of Guyana (UG), e-Government, The National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and the Government Technical Institute (GTI). These key stakeholders are all considered critical to

the sustainability of a national e-health system and they have all indicated their firm stand behind this MoPH information initiative.

UG and GTI will integrate health informatics into their curriculums to ensure graduates create a pool of skilled personnel the MoPH can draw from to maintain this longterm initiative.

“I am excited about moving ahead with this,” said Dr Karen Gordon-Boyle, Dep-

uty Chief Medical Officer (DCMO), on Monday about the MoPH decision.

Boyle said too that the hi-tech information strategy will dramatically slash waiting-time patients spend at public health facilities When fully implemented, health providers will have more time to spend improving patients’ health literacy, which Boyle foresees will move health professionals from being seen as “demi-gods” to becoming “real

partners in health.”

Patients, having been educated about their various health issues by their providers, will then assume “shared responsibility” for the maintenance of their health, the DCMO explained. This partnership between physicians and patients provides “seamless benefits,” such as a better patient-health outcomes and empowerment.

An empowered patient takes this information into the home and influences members of the family to adopt healthier lifestyles, thereby themselves becoming partners in prevention -- and ‘prevention is still better than cure’!

With the HIS replacing the mainly manual arrangement still in use at public health facilities, Boyle can foresee the creation of “health-information savvy organisations” operating from three pillars: governance and leadership; a highly-skilled and trained staff and a modernised technological infrastructure.

The HIS effort is part of a broader public health vision the government wants to see come into fruition by 2020, with three over-arching goals: advancing the well-being of all Guyanese; reducing health inequities and improving the management and provision of evidence-based, people-responsive, quality health services nationally.

Boyle is upbeat that the plan is achievable, because the MoPH has set as its vision that the strategy “will have the structure, standards, policies, protocols and capacities to ensure relevant staff have access to timely information to make evidence-based clinical, programmatic and public health decisions.”

The plan’s rhetoric is backed by its Health Information Technology (HIT) recognising in the words of David Blumenthal, that while information is the “lifeblood of modern medicine,” IT is the “circulatory system” that enables the communication of that information.

For Guyana, HIT must be integrated at every practical level of the country’s health system “to improve access to health information for decision-making and ultimately, to improve the quality of health of all Guyanese,” Boyle told a just-concluded three-day workshop in the capital.

The novel plan will reduce, drastically, the observable gap in the quality of patient-care currently existent between the country’s coast and hinterland areas. Under the new system, government-employed authorised doctors will be able to access patients’ electronic medical records from any region of the country, so patients

Dr Karen Gordon-Boyle don’t have to worry about the transfer of their health information as they move from one region to another.

“Their information will be available electronically in every region at government health facilities”, Dr Boyle assured, emphasising the central role health informatics will play in the new milieu.

The DCMO said health informatics, a central plank in the initiative, will greatly assist decision-making with its clinical, patient education and public health components.

The government’s new health vision demands novel policies and fresh legislation to give teeth to what it wants to accomplish by 2020.

As a consequence, groups are working to help finalise the country’s E–health legislation and craft supporting policies to give teeth to the effort. It is here that the privacy and confidentiality of patients’ medical information will be guaranteed.

The strategic HIS plan should be available by September, Dr Boyle indicated.

When fully operational, Guyanese can look forward to universal health coverage made available through the mobilisation and re-direction of resources to address disparities and priorities; the building of strategic alliances with community-based organisations (CBOs), private sector entities and other government ministries.

In addition, health promotion, increased health literacy, behaviour change, plus a raft of other benefits will be available to beneficiaries, Boyle promised.

She believes that the 2020 plan is within the national grasp if “we…appreciate that all Guyanese have a right to the same quality of health care [which] requires collective responsibility and collective action”.

To ensure that ‘All people of Guyana are among the healthiest in the Caribbean and the Americas by the year 2020’ which is the vision, our mandate is to ensure that the “interests of all Guyanese are adequately planned for and catered to and as we execute this plan we must hold each other accountable,” Dr Boyle counselled.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 12, 2017

Hire car drivers protest paying NIS, ban on used tyres

By Nafeeza Yahya

HIRE car drivers in East Berbice, Corentyne, staged a protest at the Tain Koker, Tain, Corentyne, on Tuesday against the ban on used tyres; they also claim that they are being forced to make contributions to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).

Drivers who operate mostly the New Amsterdam to Corentyne and Corentyne district route, expressed their dissatisfaction with the ban on used tyres and described the move as “unfair and unaffordable.”

Yadram Latchmannarine, 61, said it is not feasible for hire car drivers to purchase new tyres at the cost

Ward, related that he too was confused by the police roadblock and that his licence was seized; he was also told to speak to the NIS representatives.

“Them collect me licence and start fulling out a form without telling me nothing.

The guy who handle me was rude…just like that them gonna impose this on people… this will not be feasible for hire car drivers to pay, given the circumstances we are going through.”

The drivers are peeved that the NIS did not see it fit to consult with them first before implementing the new measure.

“I don’t know how much of this idea was shared with the public or the Hire Car As-

Totaram Seeram shows a letter given him by the NIS of $25,000 each, when they work for an average of $3,000 per day.

“I barely making it when the day come, this is gonna cause more struggle,” the elderly man said.

Drivers complained that on April 10, 2017, there was a police roadblock at Dr Tulsi Street, Williamsburg and at Spready’s, Port Mourant, where ranks seized their licences. According to the drivers, they were not told the purpose of the roadblock, but were instructed to speak with the NIS representatives who were present at the roadblock.

Totaram Seeram, a driver, explained that he was given a letter, which stated that it is compulsory for him to pay the NIS monthly at the cost of $8600.

“Them give me de paper saying I gonna have to pay over $8,000 before, or on April 18. I ain’t understand this …then them say we gonna have to start producing and showing paper that we paying NIS. This road hard, we can’t afford to do that. Soon we gonna start eat people how things hard,” the upset man said.

Another driver, Samuel

sociation, or if under the law we have to do this. They just stopped the drivers yesterday [Monday] and imposed this on them. I have been a hire car driver for the past eight years and nowhere did I hear or see this. Because I know it’s up to hire car drivers if he wants to pay self-employed that would have been acceptable, but for these people just to come now and make this an order is unacceptable. Even If they wanted to make it compulsory then they needed to let people know,” one driver said.

Meanwhile, also present at the protest was former Regional Executive Officer (REO), Dr Veersammy Ramayyah, who said that the government should act on the issues affecting the Berbice Car Association.

“The fact is you pay NIS based on the income you earn, not assumed NIS and this is exactly what they have done here,” Dr Ramayyah said.

The drivers are calling on the relevant authorities to look into the matter and vowed to continue their protest action if there is no action.

Hire car drivers braved the rain to protest (Nafeeza Yahya photos)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 12, 2017

Suspected arsonist on the run

kids in it. As a matter of fact, the man had attempted it on at least three occasions while his wife and the children were asleep, but Sewindra always managed to wake up in time to extinguish the blaze.

On Monday night, it was believed that the fish vendor had perished in the inferno, however, after investigators combed through the debris, no human remains were found.

It was later revealed that the man left immediately after setting the house on fire with two packed bags.

… leaves wife, three children homeless

By Nafeeza Yahya

THE police are on the hunt for the man who allegedly set his Lot 232 Swamp Section Reef, Rose Hall Town home on fire Monday evening. The fire has left the man’s wife and his three

children homeless.

He has been identified as 36-year-old Ceenarine Cyril Satrohan, known as “Suresh,” a fish vendor of Rose Hall Market. This newspaper understands that hours before the fire on Monday, he was involved in a heated argument

with his wife around 18:45hrs because she had loaned his bicycle to a neighbour.

According to his wife, Sarita Sewindra, called “Simple”, at around 15:45hrs, a neighbour of theirs borrowed the cycle, but when he failed to return it, she went over to

enquire about it and was told that he had got drunk and misplaced it.

Upon returning home, she and her husband got into an argument over the bicycle and he allegedly accused her of having an affair with the said neighbour. The woman

Suspected arsonist, Ceenarine Cyril Satrohan then decided to take her three children – ages seven, six and five – to her aunt’s house and within minutes, she received a telephone call that her house was on fire.

“After me come home he start fuh quarrel and cuss me up nasty; he seh me ah tek man… that’s why me give am the bicycle...He tell me he guh kill me and meh children dem, so me left and gone by meh auntie across the street,” the distraught wife said.

In tears, she recalled that her husband had threatened to burn the house on numerous occasions with her and the

YEARS OF ABUSE The now homeless wife is of the view that the fire was a premediated act by Satrohan, who has now gone into hiding.

According to the woman, over the years, she has suffered tremendous physical and verbal abuse at the hands of her husband and on numerous occasions, he threatened to kill her.

“Normally when he does beat and abuse me, he does go by some family in Vreeden- Hoop. Last week, he take his ID and passport by his mother and since last week Thursday, how he working, he give he mommy the money so I think he plan to do.

Lethem miner charged with murder of friend STANISLAUS Clement appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore on Tuesday at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court, charged with the murder of his friend.

The 24-year-old Lethem miner was not required to plead to the indictable charge, which alleged that on April 5, 2017, at 111 Mile, Cuyuni River, he murdered 30-year-old Regional Charles called ‘Short man.’

Clement was unrepresented and was remanded to prison until April 12, 2017 when he will appear before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan.

According to reports on the day in question, Clemet and Charles were at a shop consuming alcohol when Murder accused: Stanislaus Clement a heated argument ensued.

Clemet allegedly became annoyed, broke a bottle and stabbed his friend.

The victim managed to run to the Mahdia Hospital where he succumbed, while receiving medical attention.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 12, 2017

Sarita Sewindra stands in front of what remains of the house she once lived in with her husband and three children. [Nafeeza Yahya photo] “He mean to do this because he had a set of money to collect from them collections he does throw. Me understand also that the bag he gone with get them children documents inside, so that might be the

only thing that save…I think he is in contact with his mother,” the wife said.

Meanwhile, the mother of three said she would be grateful for the public’s assistance to get her

life back on track; she can be contacted on telephone number: 666-6079. The police are continuing their investigations with the hope of capturing the suspected arsonist.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 12, 2017

Fire destroys Berbice house – seven homeless

A CORENTYNE, Berbice family toiled for some 10 years just to buy a two-bedroom wooden house but in less than an hour, it was reduced to ashes, a day before they were slated to move in.

Seven persons are now homeless after the fire of unknown origin razed the house located at # 43 School Street, Number 43 Village, Corentye, Berbice, on Tuesday morning.

Atchama Rawana, known as “Shereen”, 49, said she re-

ceived a call at approximately 02:30 hrs that the house was engulfed in flames. The family was unable to save anything.

Rawana explained that for the past 12 years, she and her family have been living on someone’s property at Lot 10 Number 43 Village and was given notice to move by mid-April. As such, they bought the house and for the past six months, saved money and bought household items

to furnish it.

Brand new items such as wardrobes, beds and clothing were inside the house when it went up on flames.

“Yesterday we went and pack to move over today [Tuesday], never to know this morning me go get a call say the house on fire. Everything gone,” the distressed woman said.

At the time of the fire, no one was inside the house and Rawana is baffled as to how the fire started, since there was no electricity to the building. She estimated

Atchama Rawana (left), her five children and nine month old granddaughter as they contemplate their next move. [Nafeeza Yahya photos]

The house was burnt to the ground

her losses in the region of $2M. According to her, she and her husband, 49-year-old Surendra Humphrey, worked tirelessly over the past 10 years to buy the house, so that their family can live a comfortable life.

Humphrey, a fisherman, is currently out at sea and does not know that his home

has been destroyed; Rawana said he will return in about 15 days. Meanwhile, an eyewitness said after the fire started around 02:00 hrs, neighbours formed a bucket brigade, but were unable to save the house.

Rawana, a fish vendor, is appealing to the public for any assistance. She said her children, ages 19, 17, 16, 15 and

14, moved their belongings into the house on Monday before the fire.

“The only thing we didn’t carry over was the pot me does cook with, me sponge and some wares.”

Persons desirous of helping the family can contact them on telephone number 689-8662.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 12, 2017

Sugar workers in march at Enmore –– cite rumours of estate closure

WORKERS attached to the Enmore Sugar Estate on Monday morning staged a four-mile march, citing “indications” that closure of the estate has begun.

For weeks, the workers and their union, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) have contended that the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuco) and government are making moves to close the estate. At the same time, government has not made a formal decision as regards the future of the estate.

In a release issued on Monday, GAWU said that a large contingent of East Demerara Estate workers, a combination of both La Bonne Intention (LBI) and Enmore estates, accompanied by residents, marched through Enmore and along the Railway Embankment to the community of Enterprise, a four-mile stretch.

GAWU said that the march was intended to call attention to the plight of the workers and to express “strong opposition” to the closure of East Demerara Estate.

The union said that there

are indications that the closure process has begun.” For some weeks now, cane planting at the Estate has been stopped, which portends that no plans are being made for crops beyond this year,” the union said.

According to the union 2,222 employees work at the Enmore estate, which is currently a major source of employment and plays a significant role in maintaining the rural economy of many communities throughout the East Coast of Demerara.

The union said that the perceived closure of the estate is “being done without any assessment of the social and economic consequences that would attend to the sad decision.” In addition, the union noted that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) advised the government that such an assessment is an essential element in addressing the industry’s future.

GAWU contends that while government and the management of GuySuco has identified the implementation of non-sugar ventures, such as orchard crops, legumes, rice, livestock, dairy cattle and aquaculture to replace

Miner charged with attempted murder CITY Magistrate Fabayo Azore on Tuesday remanded a 25-year-old miner on for the offence of attempted murder.

Leland Marco was not required to plead to the charge, which alleged that on April 8, 2017 at 111 Mile, Madhia, he wounded Terrence Lindo, with intent to commit murder.

According to Police Prosecutor, Steven Telford, on the day in question, Lindo was at a shop in the area consuming alcohol when he saw Marco and his wife walking along the road.

Telford told the court that Lindo reportedly “called off” and “troubled” the defendant’s wife, much to his annoyance and a confrontation ensued. The prosecutor told the court that during a scuffle between the men, Marco allegedly pulled out a knife from his waist and stabbed Lindo to his abdomen.

Marco’s attorney, Madan Singh explained that his

Leland Marco client acted in self-defence, since Lindo was intoxicated and provoked his client.

However, Telford strongly opposed to the miner being released on bail on the ground that the victim is still in a critical condition at the hospital.

The accused will appear before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan today.

sugar, such ventures have not started at the now-closed Wales sugar estate.

“There is no need to

divert lands away from sugar cultivation”, the union said, noting that the East Demerara Estate, which is comprised of the Enmore and La Bonne Intention (LBI), occupies important places in the sugar industry.

According to GAWU, the industry is more than capable of overcoming its present difficulties.

Over the years, government has made several interventions to ensure the survival of the cash-strapped

GuySuco.

As recent as last week, a $1B bailout was approved by the government to ensure payments were made to sugar workers, who were planning to protest over the non-payment of wages.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Dominica Opposition Leader bar from entering Parliament building

Opposition-Leader-Lennox-Linton

Opposition Leader Lennox Linton Tuesday said he had been prevented from entering the compound of the Parliament building and called for the removal of Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit from office.

In a posting on his Facebook site, Linton, the leader of the main opposition United Workers Party (UWP) was seen at first to be in a verbal confrontation with police officers dressed in military fatigue. “That is what we are being reduced to today in Dominica…

You understand why Skerrit must go. Skerrit must absolutely go because of this nonsensical behaviour in a democracy.

“You have people standing up in the Parliament building, in the compound telling the Leader of the Opposition he has no right in the compound of the Parliament, he must leave.” An agitated Linton said.

He said he had gone to the compound in an attempt to enter the building to retrieve documents he needed for a meeting with the Electoral Commission consultants from the Commonwealth Secretariat who are visiting Dominica. “They are denying me access to my office. I cannot go to my office in the Parliament building. They tell me to get off the compound” he said Linton said the action by the police was as a result of a “few patriots” – the words used to describe opposition supporters – had gathered near the state-owned DBS radio, which is a stone throw from the Parliament building. “Police have taken over the Parliament, police have taken over DBS radio, what a country, all because a few patriots have come together and they are here with placards,” Linton said, showing pictures of a few supporters armed with placards outside the radio station.

Linton has been leading the opposition efforts to get Skerrit out of office claiming that the government has been engaged in corrupt activities linked to the controversial Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) through which foreign nationals are provided with citizenship of the island in return for making a substantial investment in the country. (CMC)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 12, 2017

Probe deepens into deadly Kildonan fire

– son remains in police custody THE son of the man who perished in a fire at Kildonan, Village on Monday remains in police custody as the police and fire service intensify the probe. A source close to the investigation told Guyana Chronicle that a bottle containing kerosene was found at the scene of the fire.

Collin Ross, 52, was detained by police on Monday after he turned up at the scene of the fire hours after and gave conflicting reports about his whereabouts. According to Divisional Commander, Ian Amsterdam, the police are working in collaboration with the fire service to determine to cause of the fire. He said the police will await the report from the fire service, after which a file will be prepared and sent for advice.

At around 03:00hrs on Monday, an 82-year-old man died after a fire of unknown origin ripped through his Kildonan Village, despite the heroic efforts of his neighbours.

Dead is Rudolph Ross called “Uncle Bruce”; his charred remains were found lying by a window on the eastern side of the two storied wooden and concrete structure. This newspaper understands that the elderly man and Ross resided in the house but they had an argument, after which Ross moved out on

Sunday. A neighbour, Brian Jackson, 41, told Guyana Chronicle that he was awoken by loud cries for help from the elderly man.

Jackson said he imme-

Dead: Rudolph Ross diately summoned help and a bucket brigade was formed in an effort to save the elderly man, who was trapped due to grille work, the thick smoke and intense heat. Brian explained that while the bucket brigade was trying to douse the inferno he and another tried to get the senior citizen out but had to retreat after the heat became too much.

A post mortem examination was conducted on the remains of the man on Tuesday and revealed that he died from smoke inhalation due to exposure to flames.

Police band on show in Botanical Gardens on Thursday PATRONS in the Botanical Gardens will be treated to the rhythm of pan music from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) steelband for one hour on Thursday.

According to a press statement from the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Police Force steelband will host a band concert for one hour on Thursday in the Botanical Gardens, between 16:00 hrs and 17:00 hrs.

The Military Band of the GPF will also host a concert at the Seawall Band Stand on Sunday from 17:00 hrs to 18:00 hrs, police said.

The concerts will be held in observance of Holy Week leading up to the Easter Monday holiday celebration.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Blasts hit Borussia Dortmund team bus BORUSSIA Dortmund’s team bus was attacked with explosives yesterday shortly before the start of their Champions League clash with AS Monaco, injuring defender Marc Bartra and forcing the match to be postponed by a day.

German police said yesterday they did not know who was behind the attack, in which three explosions went off at 19:15hrs. near the hotel where the team was staying, but said the team

appeared to be the target.

Prosecutors said a letter had been found near the scene of the blast, but declined to give details of its contents and said it was not clear whether it was authentic.

“At this time, it is still not clear what the real background to this act is,” Dortmund police chief Gregor Lange told a late night news conference in the western German city.

Police earlier said there had been no risk to the Signal Iduna Park stadium, the largest in Germany, holding more than 80 000 fans, where the first leg of the quarter-final of Europe’s top club soccer competition was due to have been played.

Lange said police assumed the team bus was deliberately targeted in the attack as it left the team hotel on the way to the stadium.

The devices were placed in a bush alongside the street, Bild newspaper reported, without giving a source. A police spokesman had earlier said “the explosive devices were placed outside the bus”.

Windows on the bus were broken but the damage

was limited.

Dortmund police said earlier on Twitter: “After the initial investigation, we assume that this was an attack using serious explosives.”

While the motive was unclear, it revived memories of the November 2015 attacks in Paris that targeted entertainment venues including the Stade de France where France was playing Germany in a soccer friendly.

A deadly truck attack at a Berlin Christmas market in December killed 12 people putting the issue of security at the heart of the national election on September 24, in which Chancellor Angela Merkel is running in a tight battle for a fourth term.

A spokesman for Borussia Dortmund said the injured player, Bartra, was being operated on for a broken bone in his right wrist and shrapnel in his arm.

“The bus turned into the main street, when there was a huge boom, a real explosion,” Sky television quoted Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Buerki as saying.

“I was sitting in the back row next to Marc Bartra, hit by fragments ... after the

bang, we all ducked.”

Bartra, 26, joined Dortmund for 8 million euros ($8.5 million) last year from Barcelona, after coming through the Catalan club’s youth system. He has made 12 appearances for the Spanish national team.

Borussia Dortmund’s managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke said: “The whole team is in a state of shock.”

The stadium emptied quickly and without incident.

AS Monaco goalkeeper Danijel Subasic told Croatian newspaper 24sata: “We are currently in the stadium, in a safe place, but the feeling’s horrible.”

Dortmund and UEFA said the match would go ahead today at 1645 GMT. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said: “I was deeply disturbed by the explosions which occurred tonight in Dortmund.”

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said: “The thoughts of every one of us at FIFA are with the people of Dortmund, and the fans of both Borussia Dortmund and Monaco following today’s (yesterday) troubling events.”

The Bus transporting Borussia Dortmund players

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Samson’s maiden ton razes Rising Pune Delhi Daredevils 205 for

4 (Samson 102, Morris 38) beat Rising Pune Supergiant 108 (Mishra 3-11, Zaheer 3-20) by 97 runs A maiden T20 hundred from and a blistering unbeaten 38, off just nine balls, from Chris Morris, led Delhi Daredevils to their first 200-plus total since April 2012.

It was more than enough to give them their first win of the season, as Rising Pune Supergiants - who were without Steven Smith, their regular captain and best batsman - crumbled in the face of a steadily mounting asking rate, folding for 108 in 16.1 overs.

The efforts of Samson and Morris - helped by some not particularly clever death bowling from Ashok Dinda, Adam Zampa and Ben Stokes - brought Daredevils 76 runs off their last four overs. It was the third-best last-four tally in the IPL, behind two Royal Challengers Bangalore blitzes, and it undid the control Rising Pune’s bowlers - Imran Tahir in particular - had exerted through the middle overs, and ensured they would be chasing 206 rather than, say, 184.

Samson walked in after Daredevils lost Aditya Tare in the second over and began with a flurry of

boundaries against Rising Pune’s quicks, piercing the field with a series of drives and punches through point and cover. Capitalising on the width given by Deepak Chahar and Dinda, Samson scored 31 off his first 14 balls, hitting six fours in that time. With Sam Billings similarly positive at the other end, Daredevils scored 62 for 1 in the Powerplay - their best effort since scoring 64 against Deccan Chargers in May 2012.

The spreading of the field and the introduction of slower bowlers - Tahir, Zampa and Rajat Bhatia - slowed Samson down. He didn’t

Sanju Samson’s 63-ball 102 contained eight fours and five sixes

manage a single boundary as he went from 31 off 14 to 54 off 45, with Rishabh Pant - who smacked 31 off 22 assuming the dominant role in a third-wicket partnership worth 53.

Then came the third phase of Samson’s innings, which began with a straight six off Zampa.

From that ball on, Samson made 48 off 17 - the bulk of them in a 19-run 18th over from Dinda - and reached his century with another six off Zampa before being bowled by his quicker ball in the 19th over. Samson’s 63-ball 102 was the 43rd IPL hundred, and the sixth slowest.

Cricketers could be sent off as MCC brings in rule changes Cricketers could soon be given their marching orders if they do not behave properly on the field.

Umpires will be able to send off cricketers, while a law allowing mechanisms tethering the bails to the stumps will also come into effect on October 1 this year.

Players will face possible dismissal for poor onfield behaviour all over the world after a Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) Committee approved new laws following a three-year project, which included trials and global consultation.

And bails flying off the stumps will also be a thing of the past in world cricket, in an attempt to improve safety in the game.

South Africa wicketkeeper Mark Boucher had to retire in 2012 after being struck in the eye by a bail while keeping in a tour match against Somerset.

The MCC Committee has also placed limits on the thickness of the edges and the overall depth of bats, while bowling of front foot no-balls on purpose are to be treated in same way as deliberate full-tosses – with

bowlers given a warning for one and banned from bowling if they do it a second time.

The handling of the ball by batsmen has been deleted and merged into obstructing the field law, while the running out the non-striker rule has been altered.

Substitutes will not be permitted to take over as keeper, while a concept of penalty time has also been amended and the bouncing bat law has been changed.

Fraser Stewart, the MCC’s laws manager, said: “MCC has left no stone unturned in researching and redrafting the new Laws of Cricket and has done so in order to make the Laws work in a way that makes sense to players, umpires and spectators.

“The Laws are applicable worldwide so they need to be as simple as possible to understand and inclusive to all.

“The Club hopes to encourage interest in the game at all levels and believes these new Laws are reflective of the present time and easier for cricketers and umpires to interpret.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Bounty Farm supports CARIFTA swimmer NATIONAL swimmer Lian Winter, earlier this week received sponsorship from Bounty Farm Ltd, towards her attendance at this year’s CARIFTA Swimming Championships, where she will be participating in six events.

“Bounty Farm Ltd as part of our corporate responsibility has made a financial contribution to assist Lian Winter to be able to attend the championships,” the company said in a press release yesterday.

The sponsorship was handed over to Winter’s coach Stephanie Fraser, as a smiling Winter looked on.

Also present was her father Duane Winter.

The Championships, which will be held in Nassau, Bahamas from April

Lian Winter coach Stephanie Fraser accepts the spon from a Bounty Farm Ltd representative.

Guinness East Coast leg begins tonight THE East Coast leg of the Colors/Guinness Greatest in the Street Football Challenge will commence this evening with fifteen matches at the Haslington tarmac.

On the opening night, Nabaclis take on the Lusignan Prison from 18:00hrs, while in game two, BV-B clash with Golden Grove South. Young Jiggers and Uprising play game three,

with Plaisance-B and Portmore United do battle in game four.

Game five at 20:00hrs will see Melanie-B versus Annandale Warriors, Future Stars face Doctor Yard Assassin, BV-A against Top Seven and Buxton D&J will challenge Non Pareil City Boys.

Melanie-A will tackle Turkeyen from 22:00hrs,

Pakistan take... onto the stumps.

Following that dismissal, Kieran Powell and Hope struggled against spinners Hafeez and Imad Wasim and could not rotate the strike regularly or find boundaries.

However, after adding 28 for the third-wicket, Powell did not capitalise on the dropped chance on 16 and was eventually stumped for 23 when he waltzed down the pitch to Wasim.

Hope and Mohammed came together and started rebuilding on a pitch which seemed to be offering the bowlers more assistance as the day progressed.

Mohammed too was in some discomfort upfront but after the run rate slipped to a low 3.34 runs per over both batsmen began to climb their way back into the contest.

With a composed mindset, their intentions were clear: to give their bowlers

adequate runs to defend. Mohammed smashed Hasan for sixes in consecutive overs and the pair’s running between the wickets was crisp as they set their team up for the final push.

Mohammed reached his fifty in 59 balls, while Hope achieved his landmark off 97 balls. But following Mohammed’s dismissal, the hosts lost their way at the back end of the innings, losing a number of wickets and could only stitch together 29 runs off the last five overs.

Pakistan went into the series-decider unchanged from the team that won the second ODI by 74 runs. They did not have a great start to the run chase as they lost both openers along with the inform Babar Azam in the first nine overs.

Kamran Akmal fell off the first delivery of the innings, caught off a leading edge at cover off Gabriel

with Bare Root Mafia and Anns Grove contesting in the other fixture and Plaisance A opposing Mahaica.

Paradise and Victoria Church Yard are also on the cards for the evening, with Golden Grove North and Buxton Diamond going toe-to-toe. C Division will tackle Victoria Eagles and Haslington Hypers will clash with Belfield Warriors.

From Page 37 before Holder removed Ahmed Shehzad to a brilliant one-handed catch at the wicket.

Gabriel then completed an explosive opening spell when he bowled Azam off an inside edge that ricocheted into the leg stump.

Hafeez and Shoaib Malik then batted with skill, mettle and intelligence and steadily built a platform that thwarted the hosts’ attack from posing further threats to their batting.

They took the total to 149 before Ashley Nurse provided the breakthrough when he removed Hafeez but at that point the game had already slipped away from the hosts.

Malik and Ahmed then came together and formalised the win.

With qualification for the 2019 World Cup ending on September 30 the West Indies will need to improve quickly in order to reach their goal of qualifying.

15 to 18, will see Guyana represented by a four-person delegation - two pool swimmers and two open water swimmers. Apart from Lian, the other pool swimmer is Leon Seaton.

Winter will be participating in the Girls’ 11-12

category where she will be competing in the 50m, 100m and 200m butterfly, and 50m, 100m, and 200m backstroke.

This will be Winter’s first time at the Championships, and her biggest event to date.

36

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Faizal Khan leads peaceful protest outside FIFA press conference

‘It’s their democratic right to protest’ – Infantino

By Rawle Toney A GROUP of aggrieved players and administrators peacefully protested outside the Pegasus Hotel yesterday where visiting FIFA president Gianni Infantino hosted a press conference to wrap up his one-day visit to Guyana.

Faizal Khan, football enthusiast and General Manager of the Georgetown Football Club (GFC), led the peaceful protest and stated that the FIFA president is being misled with regard to the way the game of football is being administered in Guyana.

The GFC, along with National champions Slingerz FC, former champions Alpha United and Pele FC had refused to participate in the second installation

of the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) STAG Elite League, citing what they’ve called an ‘illegal’ move by the sport’s local governing body to include two clubs – Victoria Kings and Topp XX – boosting the league from eight to ten teams.

After months of uncertainty, CONCACAF, in a correspondence to the GFF, ruled that STAG Beer Elite League winner Slingerz FC and runners-up Alpha United were barred from participating in the CFU Club Championship because the two clubs were not in good standing with the GFF. “President (Wayne) Forde, and what some of the guys are calling him now ‘president fraud’, refused constitutional arbitration over agreements

made, which investment followed from that weren’t expected,” Khan said.

“Legally, Khan said, “what we’ve tried to do is respect the process … but the Federation has no respect for the constitution, hence today’s protest, which we’re glad the FIFA president saw.”.

Meanwhile, when asked

by Chronicle Sport about the protest, FIFA president Infantino stated, “I think that since we are living in a democratic world and football is a democratic sport, you are free to have an opinion. That’s one of the good things about football, we are always open.”

According to Infantino, “We (FIFA) are in very close contact with Wayne (Forde) and the GFF and somebody might have dif-

ferent views on how football is run and what I could say is that they (the GFF)

are making a different view today; certainly differently from the past.”

“We all make mistakes, Wayne sometimes

a little less than me, but we want to do both and we have football close to our hearts,” the FIFA boss said.

Faizal Khan and other protesters outside of the Pegasus Hotel yesterday (Delano Williams Photo)

Anthony looking to defend Director of Sport commends ‘Reds’ Universal Auto Sales feature Perreira address at Moray House 35-lap cycle race on Saturday FORMER National Sports Council Chairman, Joseph ‘Reds’ Per-

TEAM Evolution’s Michael Anthony will be looking to make a successful defence of his 35-lap title, when cycle coach Hassan Mohamed organises the 13th Annual Universal Auto Sales 11-race cycle programme around the inner circuit of the National Park on Saturday from 09:00hrs.

Anthony will be part of the Guyana Cycling Federation on a four-member Elite team to represent Guyana at the Upcoming Pan-American Cycle Road Race Championships set for San Diego, Dominican Republic from May 4 to 7.

While Anthony won the event last year in a time of one hour 18 minutes 69 seconds and is excited about making a successful defence of his title. He will, however, have to be wary of Team Coco’s Jamal John and Hamza Eastman and Raynauth `Obeahman’ Jeffrey as well as Team United’s Andrew Hicks, who were all

Michael Anthony

selected to be a part of the four-member Elite team for the Pan-American championships.

The other team member is Team Coco’s Junior Niles who incidentally will also be seeking to make a successful

defence of the veterans’ Under-50 five-lap title he won last year with a time of 11 minutes 56.67 seconds.

John has been in tremendous form since the season began and only last Sunday placed third in an 80-mile road race in the Linden Community. Prior to that, John won back-to-back road races and placed among the top six finishers in four other events that were staged since the 2017 season began.

Christopher Cornelius will be defending the juveniles 10-lap race which he won last year with a time of 24 minutes 29.85 seconds.

Keon Thomas is the defending champion and favourite for the five-lap race for mountain bikers.

Managing Director of Universal Sales, Shameer Baksh, a veteran cyclist as well, will participate in the veterans’ event and will make the presentation of prizes to the respective winners.

Director of Sport Christopher Jones

reira last Monday evening spoke extensively on the history of several sport disciplines in Guyana, and offered valuable advice on the way forward when he addressed a gathering of sports enthusiasts during a forum at Moray House.

Those in the audience included Director of Sport Christopher Jones, who commended the thoughts

and dialogue that the event produced.

“I think he was very incisive,” Jones commented. “He provided us with a bit of nostalgia, speaking a little about what was obtained under his tenure. He challenged associations to improve on their structure, recognising that one of the things that are lacking now among the various associations and federations is the club structure. For the federations to grow stronger they must have a solid club structure which is lacking.”

Perreira, during his address, focused on sports in Guyana during pre-Independence era and how things have changed to what it is today. He also presented ideas on how Guyana can better perform and make an impact on the regional, Pan-American and World stages.

The well-known former cricket commentator pointed to Bartica as a location where more sports should be heading as the area continues to grow and develop.

“If I were a president

of a national association I would be heading to Bartica to see how my sport would thrive in Bartica.”

He also spoke of the need for the associations to utilise the resources of the National Community Development Councils.

During a brief question-and-answer segment at the end of the event, Perreira begged the question as to why Guyana has the only stadium without the stands being named - which was met with resounding applause from the 30 plus in attendance.

Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira

37

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 12, 2017

President Granger advocates for closer relationship between Guyana and FIFA PRESIDENT David Granger was yesterday paid a courtesy call by President of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Gianni Infantino and his delegation, who were in Guyana for the sod-turning ceremony for the FIFA Forward Project at Providence, East Bank Demerara.

The meeting was held at Base Camp Ayanganna before the commencement of this week’s Cabinet meeting.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon and Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr George Norton were also present.

The visiting delegation, which includes two former star football players, Mr Juan Angel of Colombia and Pablo Aimar of Argentina, was accompanied by president of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Wayne Forde, First vice-president Brigadier (Ret.) Bruce Lovell and Sec-

ond vice-president, Rawlston Adams.

During their discussions, President Granger said that much more needs to be done with regard to training and the provision of resources to bring the game of football up to the same popularity as cricket.

President Granger explained that Guyana shares an extensive border with Brazil, which is considered a football powerhouse and that, in many ways, has generated great interest and love for the game in the Land of Many Waters, particularly in the hinterland.

The Head-of-State said that collaboration between Guyana and FIFA, which has the expertise and resources to support the further development of the game in the country, will give young people in those regions the opportunity to become worldclass football players.

Meanwhile, Infantino

President David Granger (L) receives a token of appreciation from FIFA’s Gianni Infantino following their meeting yesterday.

Pakistan take ODI series

By Rajiv Bisnauth

PAKISTAN overcame a weak and underperforming West Indies side to clinch the three-match One Day International (ODI) series 2-1, beating the hosts by four wickets in the final game at the Guyana National Stadium yesterday.

It has been more than a quarter of a century since West Indies last defeated Pakistan in a bilateral ODI series. The last time the Caribbean overwhelmed Pakistan was under Richie Richardson in November 1991, in the latter’s backyard.

The victory was set up, firstly by a disciplined bowling effort, before man-ofthe-match Shoaib Malik smashed an unbeaten century, and Mohammed Hafeez contributed a fluent 86-ball 81 runs.

Pakistan were in early trouble as they slumped to 36-3 in their reply within the first nine overs. Shannon Gabriel and Jason Holder

had applied the brakes but a magnificent fourth-wicket stand of 113 between Hafeez and Malik steadied the ship and set their team on the path of victory.

Malik then stitched together an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 87 with Sarfraz Ahmed (24 not out) to seal the win.

Malik’s knock of 101 off 111 balls - his 9th ODI ton – guided Pakistan home with 41 balls to spare. The righthander smashed ten fours and two sixes, with the last six off Holder which eventually sealed the game.

The hosts had their chances to seize control of the match, but paid the price for basic errors.

Earlier, barring battling half-centuries from Shai Hope and Jason Mohammed, it was yet another instance of West Indies batsmen not being able to convert promising starts into substantial contributions, as the hosts were reduced to 233-9 after they opted to bat under overcast conditions.

(71 off 112 balls) and Mohammed (59 off 64 balls) set their team on course for a competitive total.

Evin Lewis opened proceedings with a crisp drive to the cover boundary off Khan in the second over, while Chadwick Walton got in on the act, with two crunchy boundaries off Amir – one through point and the other wide of mid-on with a straight bat.

But the innings started badly through reckless shots

noted that the Caribbean Region is blessed with exceptional natural talent for sport in general, adding “every kid that we could take off the streets to play football is a benefit for society”.

Infantino also spoke of the possibility of greater collaboration through the mechanism of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

In this regard, the FIFA head requested that President Granger, who is the current Chairman of CARICOM, should use his office to ensure a meeting between the football and regional body is included on the agenda for the next Heads of Government Conference.

The FIFA boss indicated, too, that a similar request was already communicated to the Prime Minister of Grenada, Dr. Keith Mitchell, who will take over the responsibility of Chairmanship in July. from the openers, as they were both removed in the space of nine balls.

Lewis was caught at the deep square-leg boundary for 16, pulling a short, rising ball from Khan in the eighth over, while Hassan Ali’s golden arm immediately came to the fore.

The Caribbean side suffered another early blow when the out-of-form Walton (19) dragged a delivery that was shaping into him Turn to page 35

SCOREBOARD

WEST INDIES innings

GCB Secretary Anand Sanasie hands over the winner’s trophy to Pakistan Captain Safraz Ahmed

Mohammed Amir (241), Junaid Khan (2-60) and Shadab Khan (2-57) were the most successful bowlers for Pakistan.

Hope and Mohammad combined for a 101-run fourth-wicket partnership in 21.5 overs, which released the

shackles after the hosts were reduced to 68-3.

West Indies included Veerasammy Permaul in the final eleven - his first ODI since November 2013.

Runs were hard to come by during much of the first half of their innings but Hope

E. Lewis c M. Hafeez b J. Khan 16 C. Walton b H. Ali 19 K. Powell stp. S. Ahmed b I. Wasim 23 S. Hope c S. Malik b S. Khan 71 J. Mohammed c S. Ahmed b J. Khan 59 J. Carter b S. Khan 11 J. Holder c S. Khan b M. Amir 12 A. Nurse not out 10 V. Permaul c M. Hafeez b M. Amir 8 D Bishoo run-out 0 Extras: (lb-1, w-3) 4 Total: (9 wickets, 50 overs) 233 Fall of wickets: 1-31, 2-40, 3-68, 4-169, 5-192, 6-211, 7-219, 8-231, 9-233.

Bowling: Mohammad Amir

9-0-41-2, Junaid Khan 10-0-60-2, Hasan Ali 6-1-29-1, Mohammad Hafeez 7-0-21-0, Imad Wasim 10-1-24-1, Shadab Khan 8-0-57-2 PAKISTAN innings K. Akmal c Powell b Gabriel 0 A. Shehzad c Hope b Holder 3 B. Azam b Gabriel 16 M. Hafeez c Permaul b Nurse 81 S. Malik not out 101 S. Ahmed not out 24 Extras: (b-3, lb-4, w-3, nb-1) 11 Total: (4 wickets, 43.1 overs) 236 Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-16, 3-36, 4-149.

Bowling: S. Gabriel 10-0-602, J. Holder 8.1-1-37-1, D. Bishoo 10-1-42-0, V. Permaul 4-0-31-0, A. Nurse 10-0-49-1, J. Mohammed 1-0-10-0.

38

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Guyana’s first home for football to change the landscape of the game – Infantino

By Rawle Toney IT was dubbed one of the best things to ever happen to football in Guyana, probably in the last decade, when Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) president Gianni Infantino turned the sod yesterday for the country’s first FIFA Forward Programme (formally FIFA Goal Project).

In 2015, under the Clinton Urling-led Normalisation Committee, the GFF officially signed a 30-year lease agreement with the Eccles/Ramsberg Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) for the Providence Community Centre ground which will be the site for the multi-million US dollars facility.

Infantino, in the presences of Hon. Nicolette Henry, Minister within the Ministry of Education and GFF president Wayne Forde, said the facility “will change the football land-

scape in Guyana and not only football but the society because we know the value of football and what football can do for the people.”

The Italian, who was voted in as the ninth FIFA president in February last year, lauded the Wayne Forde-GFF for what he (Infantino) said is ‘thinking big’.

“They are dreaming big and what’s important is that they are putting it into practice and that’s encouraging to FIFA,” the FIFA boss noted.

Asked by Chronicle Sport what guarantee will be given to the people of Guyana who are wary of seeing and hearing about the possible first home for football here, Infantino responded, “The guarantee is Wayne (Forde). It’s a new team; they work with the same principle like we do.

Of course in the past, more things happened in FIFA more than anywhere else; just to have things done in a proper way.”

WELL DONE WAYNE! … FIFA president Gianni Infantino (L) and Wayne Forde, president of the GFF, share a light moment during the visit to Guyana yesterday.

(Delano Williams photo)

Guyana’s FIFA Forward Programme history In 1999, Guyana, Belize, The Bahamas, Nicaragua and St Lucia were listed as countries to benefit from FIFA’s new initiative, the ‘Goal Project’.

The year 2001 saw former FIFA president Blat-

ter visit Guyana reportedly for the historic turning of the sod for what was thought to be this country’s first football stadium on land under the control of the University of Guyana.

But Blatter had stated that the building of stadiums

was the responsibility of governments and subsequently revealed that FIFA would contribute some US$400 000 once the GFF is able to acquire the necessary land.

The local football federation struggled for years to acquire a piece of land from the Government of

Guyana until Moroccan Alami Binani made available to them a piece of land at Orangestein, East Bank Essequibo.

After Klass was suspended during 2011 in the famous ‘Cash for Votes’ scandal, the project was shelved with only a land clearing exercise ever conducted.

Under Klass’ successor, Franklin Wilson, the GFF acquired US$500 000 funding for the resuscitation of the project after initially being allocated US$400 000.

Christopher Matthias, elected to the GFF top post in 2013, discarded the Orangestein land due to the uncertainty surrounding its ownership and the distance from the capital city.

He then engaged the government in an attempt to acquire land behind the Leonora Track and Field Facility, but nothing came to fruition as the government allegedly offered less than four acres which was not approved by the world governing body.

‘Don’t be caught with your hands in the cookie jar’

By Rawle Toney

PRESIDENT of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, is making it clear, that while under his tenure at the helm of the world’s most popular sport (football) the international body has significantly increased funding for their member association, there’s zero tolerance for corruption and misuse of funds.

To put things simply, Infantino is stating ‘don’t be caught with your hands in the cookie jar’!

“We were investing.

FIFA was investing or distributing to its associations in the CONCACAF region, US$19M every year until 2015. As of my election last year we increased the amount from US$19M to US$60M; more than triple that investment,” said Infantino while addressing members of the media at the Pegasus Hotel in Georgetown.

The Italian further added that “we (FIFA) don’t call it distribution we call it investment to complete projects and this is the difference, from now compared to the past we as a team are much more present. We are there, we are working together, not to police, but to cooperate and we sign a contract with each association.”

Touting his ‘New FIFA’ initiative, Infantino bragged about drastic increase in funding, where every member association now has access to US$1.2M annually as compared $250 000 previously.

“This is also new in FIFA and each association has to outline in detail what they are going to do with the money that they are going to receive, and we are going to monitor this, because I am fully aware of the risks involved and, unfortunately, human beings are as they

FIFA President Gianni Infantino

are,” said Infantino.

He added, “We are investing much more, but don’t cheat, because there will be zero tolerance. If we

catch somebody who says he is building a football pitch and he is building a swimming pool, then he is out and he has to repay

each single cent. We trust, we invest, we monitor, we check, we control, much more efficiently than in the past and if somebody thinks he is more-clever, then he will have to abide by the consequences.”

Infantino became the third FIFA president to touch down in Guyana, following João Havelange’s stop in 1976 and Sepp Blatter in 2001.

Apart from the turning of the sod for the countries first FIFA Forward Project (formerly known as the FIFA Goal Project), Infantino met with President David Granger and Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ambassador Irwin LaRocque.

“What is important to mark in the president’s statement is consistency in the developmental thrust in FIFA and what we been trying to do in Guyana,” said Forde, the GFF president.

“Clearly we (GFF) have demonstrated as an executive committee over the past 17 months that our focus is on football. We have a robust and new development programme which will get better in time,” said Forde.

Forde also pointed out that “the word of caution that I share with the wider society and from my colleagues within the fraternity and with FIFA and CONCACAF, is that many of the results we are going to witness in the coming years we will not see them overnight. This is a long, arduous, painstaking process in developing football and developing excellent footballers.

“But one of the things that we have on our side is a parent body that sees the value in the work we are doing, a president that has taken bold initiatives in setting out the forward funding programme that has more than tripled.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, April 12, 2017

FIFA PRESIDENT GIANNI INFANTINO’S VISIT TO GUYANA

39

Photos by Delano Williams

(L-R) Minister Nicolette Henry, Infantino and GFF President Wayne Forde after the turning of the sod

Unveiling the commemorative plaque for football’s first home

The FIFA delegation at the GFF Football Academy

(L-R) Juan Pablo Angel, Pablo Aimar and FIFA President Gianni Infantino showing off their football skills

FIFA’s President says THANK YOU!

Football stadium finally a reality

See story on page 38

Conceptual design for FIFA Forward Programme

WI BEATEN! See story on page 37

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL12, 2017