Issuu

Cheaper crossing likely for Berbice Bridge Page 2

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MONDAY, JUNE 12, 2017

Price: $80

(VAT Inclusive)

–– Skeldon Energy Inc was created to bailout GuySuCo, says Min. Sharma

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Food time:Patrons Sunday at the annual Guyana Relief Council (GRC) food festival at the New Thriving Restaurant on downtown Main Street, Georgtown (Adrian Narine photo)

$1B recovered from tax evaders Page 10

Men ditch SMG, ‘ammo’ at Land of Canaan Page 2

Four homeless in Princess Street fire Page 9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 12, 2017

Cheaper crossing likely for Berbice Bridge

GOVERNMENT is negotiating with the Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated (BBCI) to have mini-buses that ply the Georgetown to Moleson Creek route pay “next to nothing.” According to Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson, BBCI approached the ministry for help, and he is using the opportunity to ease the financial strain on Berbicians. He noted that it is expected that the mini-bus operators drop the passengers’ prices to “low gravy,” once the deal is done. Once the negotiations are successful, Patterson said, this would positively impact

the daily lives of students, teachers, and nurses, among others who utilise the bridge on a daily basis. The minister said that the BBCI “were supposed to come back to me at the beginning of this month; so, as soon as they come back, and as soon that is agreed, I will implement it. So I am hoping that everybody could make a living, and Berbice could make a living.” When the 2015 National Budget was passed, the government took the first step to ensure that prices for mini-buses to cross were lowered from $2200 to $1900, which represented a 10 per cent decrease in the toll.

Government is negotiating with the BBCI to have mini-buses that ply the Georgetown to Moleson Creek route pay “next to nothing”

Bartica man busted with ‘weed’ POLICE have arrested a 30-year-old resident of Three Miles, Potaro Road, Bartica, who was found with cannabis. According to a police report, ranks acted on a tip-off and visited a location at First Street, Bartica, where they found the man with a haversack. A search of the haversack found two parcels with 554 grams of cannabis. The man is being processed for court.

Men ditch SMG, ‘ammo’ at Land of Canaan

POLICE are on the hunt for two men who reportedly ditched a sub-machine gun and a magazine with nine live 9mm rounds at Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara, on Saturday night when they saw the police. According to a police report, ranks on a mobile patrol observed the two males standing at a street corner at Land of Ca-

naan around 23:30hrs on Saturday night. As the ranks approached them, the men dropped a bag they were carrying and fled through the unlit street. When the police retrieved the bag, it was found to contain the illegal weapon. The area was searched, but the men had long since gone. The gun and ammunition have been lodged.

The ‘weed’ that was found in the man’s possession

Suspect arrested in Omai Landing murder A PERSON of interest was arrested on Sunday morning in connection with the murder of Carlos Wong, who was chopped to death at Omai Landing, Essequibo River last Friday. Divisional Commander, Ravindradat Budhram, has

confirmed that the suspect is cooperating as investigations continue, and that several persons were initially questioned but have since been released. Wong, 45, was chopped to death during an alleged misunderstanding with two

men over a water pump. After committing the act, the two men reportedly fled the scene. Wong was taken to the Linden Hospital Complex, but was pronounced dead on arrival. The other suspect is still at large.

The illegal gun and ‘ammo’ abandoned by the suspects

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 12, 2017

–– Skeldon Energy Inc was created to bailout GuySuCo, says Min. Sharma

JUNIOR Finance Minister, Jaipaul Sharma, is of the view that the creation of Skeldon Energy Inc (SEI) on All Fool’s Day was a ploy by the previous administration to deceive the populace of the humongous problems with the Skeldon factory. According to Sharma, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government, which was in power at the time, knew fully well that some US$20M or $4B was

They knew if the co-generation plant remained in GuySuCo’s portfolio, they would have to find US$20M (G$4B) to deal with it. They didn’t want that going on GuySuCo books so they found ways and means to use NICIL and GPL to basically bail them out. So you didn’t see them going to Parliament and asking for a supplementary.” The minster explained in the quest to mask the population of the state of

company to US$13M plus. The management of SEI had explained that by design, the co-generation plant is supposed to be powered mainly by bagasse and can use HFO as a startup measure only in small quantities. But extended use of HFO as was previously done caused the tubes of the boilers to wear a lot faster. The minister stated that he had an opportunity to look at the business plan and projections that SEI did and

Engineer, Outar Ramhit, points to a damaged tube in one of the boilers

Engineer, Outar Ramhit, explains to Minister Sharma the implications of the boiler without a shed needed to fix the problems with the troubled factory. “This creation of SCI started in February of 2015 and concluded on All Fool’s Day, 1st April, and I don’t know if it was meant to fool the people, it was election, preparation for election and I don’t know what was the thinking of the government but they knew they were in trouble, GuySuCo was in trouble,” he told reporters Friday. Sharma said the previous administration wanted to bail out GuySuCo but kept it a secret due to the elections and decided to liquidate the plant through NICIL and GPL to show the money went to GPL. “Basically what the previous administration was doing was indirectly bailing out GuySuCo without the public knowledge.

the industry, the previous administration made a deal that left SEI indebted to this date. He also explained that the use of Heavy fuel oil (HFO) further compounded the amount of the debt and led to an accelerated deterioration of the co-generation plant’s boilers. HFO FUEL Sharma pointed out that the plant was worth US$30M and the equity would have been US$5M from NICIL and US$4M from GPL; however, there were some issues with electricity supply in Berbice and the previous administration forced GuySuCo to generate the power to meet this demand by use of HFO to avoid a possible election shortfall. In that deal, GPL supplied the HFO to the tune of approximately US$3-4M, taking the total debt of the

from what he saw SEI is a viable company that can be profitable. He even noted that the chairman of GuySuCo had stated that he wanted the co-generation plant back under GuySuCo since he knows of its potential. The management of SEI has made it clear that they are in the process of negotiating a power purchase agreement. They stated that the initial rates at which the company was paid were heavily subsidised to such an extent that it was much lower than the cost of production. Upon the formation of SEI, this was changed and the company was paid a higher rate; however, that rate is still being sold below market value and would have to be re-negotiated.

FINANCIALLY VIABLE Based on this move alone, the company feels it will become more financially viable. SEI Chairman Lloyd Rose said the company is capable of securing its own funds for the complete overhaul needed to have the plant function to full capacity. The company had indicated as a stop gap measure, it is investing US$2.5M to make the plant operational by the end of August. And, it will then spend a whopping US$17M from January 2018 to effect a complete rehabilitation of its facilities. This rehabilitation work is expected to be done over a three-to-fourmonth period.

The SEI said the US$200M Skeldon project, the country’s biggest investment, has found itself in a perilous state due to poor design, poor management, lack of training and oversight. According to Rose, the pinhole boiler is not suited for local conditions as he explained its deterioration in a short period of time. “We have found here, the type of grate we have here is being overwhelmed by the amount of ash obtained from the actual outturn, simply because of the amount of sand, mud and silt that comes in with the canes after a brief rainfall even during the dry season.” Rose said the conditions under which the canes

come in cannot be changed. Even though workers have tried, the pinholes become blocked due to the excessive ash content, making normal operations difficult and requiring more maintenance. This, he said should have been considered in the initial design stages to avoid the current situation. Meanwhile, Sharma also noted that it is no secret government has received non-solicited interests for the Skeldon factory by both local and international companies, and the co-generation plant would be a key component of any deal to divest the estate. That being said, the minister advised the board to move ahead with their plans until told otherwise.

Minister Sharma during the tour of the Skeldon plant

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday,June 12, 2017

KN article on Region 10 chair malicious --say police and regional officials

POLICE and regional officials have refuted claims published in Sunday’s edition of Kaieteur News under the headline, “Region Ten Chairman allegedly threatens transfer if ranks disobey him,” as malicious and mischievous. They made their case during a meeting with acting Prime Minister and Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, convened to discuss the relationship between the regional administration and the police division. At the meeting were Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud, ‘E’ Division Commander Fazil Karimbaksh, Region 10 Chairman Renis Morian and Community Development Council (CDC) Deputy National Director, Sandra Adams. Minister Harmon, who was in the region for another activity, said the article created the impression that

the regional administration and the police division were at loggerheads and could not work together. This, he said, became a matter of concern and as such, the meeting was convened. “You cannot have a region and police at loggerheads, because it sends a bad signal that there is a disconnect between security and administration and so the government thought it absolutely necessary to ensure that there is no disconnect, if indeed one existed,” he said. The police commissioner in an invited comment after the meeting, said after having seen the article, a call was made to the commander to determine the veracity of the claims. NOT FACTUAL “He assured me that the issues raised in the articles are not factual. As a matter

of fact, some of the specific ones he has no information about and regarding his relationship with the regional administration, he said it is a very professional relationship. I had some concerns when I read the article, because it impacts on public trust and it impacts on the commander’s own command of the ranks within the division. So I was happy when I heard that and I was happy also when the minister called for this intervention. At the meeting, the regional chairman spoke the same language as the commander, indicating that the relationship is a professional one, which the police need to keep,” Commissioner Persaud said. Commissioner Persaud also noted that as the Police Force continues to advance its community-based programmes in an effort

‘E’ Division Commander Fazil Karimbaksh and Region 10 Chairman Renis Morian shake hands as Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud (left) and Community Development Council (CDC) Deputy National Director Sandra Adams look on

to build trust and foster a better relationship with citizens, malicious and mis-

Monday, June 12, 2017 -05:00 hrs Tuesday, June 13, 2017 - 05:00 hrs Wednesday, June 14, 2017 - 08:30 hrs

chievous articles such as the one published in the Sunday edition of the Kaieteur News, result in fractured relationships between the force and residents of the communities. “Articles such as these certainly impact the relationships we are trying to build with communities. We have those concerns and that is why we had this meeting. There are some unprofessional standards by the editor because they could have called, they could have asked to interview the commander on the issues before they actually published, so you have a balanced article, but to go

out and write an article that raises issues, which can cause the public to lose trust in the police is certainly one of the top issues that we deal with. We are doing a whole lot of work to build public trust, because we are dependent on that and certainly articles like these hit centre [sic] at the balance of these efforts,” the commissioner said. CORDIAL RELATIONSHIP Commander Karimbaksh echoed those sentiments, noting that since assuming command of ‘E’ Turn to page 5

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 12, 2017

Macron party set for big parliamentary win The centrist party of French President Emmanuel Macron looks on course to win a landslide victory following the first round of parliamentary elections. Projections show La Republique en Marche (Republic on the Move) and its MoDem ally set to win up to 445 seats in the 577-seat National Assembly. The final outcome will be decided at a run-off next Sunday. Macron’s party was established just over a year ago and many candidates have little or no political experience. With all the ballots counted, Macron’s LREM and MoDem had won 32.3 per cent of the vote. The centre-right Republicans had just under 16 per cent, while the Socialists, previously France’s ruling party, had won just 7.4 per cent. The far-right National Front (FN) had 13.2 per cent, followed by the far-left France Unbowed on just over 11 per cent. But turnout was sharply down, at 48.7 per cent compared with 57.2 per cent in the first round in 2012,

ed (in German) her spokesman, Steffen Seibert. Macron, 39, defeated FN leader Marine Le Pen in the presidential run-off last month. He needs a majority to push through the changes that he promised in his campaign.

KN article on Region... Division in October 2016, the regional administration and the police have had a professional, cordial relationship. “The article in the Kaieteur News, it is inaccurate. I do not take any instructions from the regional chairman. We have a very professional relationship and that has

shown they wanted to move fast on major reforms. But François Baroin, head of the Republicans, said the low turnout testified to the “deep divisions in French society” and was “extremely worrying”.

Marine Le Pen blamed her party’s poor performance on the low turnout, saying France’s electoral system, which favours larger parties, needed to be reformed. “This catastrophic abstention rate should raise the question of the voting rules which keep millions of our compatriots away from the polling stations,” she said. Socialist leader Jean-Christophe Cambadélis lost his seat in the first round. He warned voters against giving LREM an absolute majority next Sunday, saying it would result in “virtually no real opposition and we will have a National Assembly without any real counterbalance, without a democratic debate and not worthy of that name”. Those standing for LREM come from all walks of life and include students, retired citizens and a bullfighter. To win in the first round, candidates had to gain at least 50 per cent of the vote. The election took place amid heightened security after a series of devastating terror attacks in recent years. (BBC)

brought here,” he said. Meanwhile, Adams said that the region has been in a better place since Commander Karimbaksh took command of the division. “Since we have this commander here we have been doing more in the community/police relationship. His deputy and other officers would attend meetings in the communities, even with the mayor and constituency reps and CDC officers. We had meetings in the

ward, we had meetings in the valley, and more small community policing groups have been formed. To date, we have about 19 youth groups that the police actually go to, meet with them, have different kinds of discussions and sport activities on crime and abuse and more of that is happening. That relationship has been building that trust and we have seen a decrease in crimes and I attribute that to the commander,” she said.

Turnout was low, despite claims that President Macron had re-energised the voting public

which analysts say reflected a sense of resignation among Macron’s opponents. German Chancellor Angela Merkel congratulated Macron on the “great success” of his party. It was a “vote for reforms”, tweet-

been so since I assumed command of this division in October 2016 and that relationship continues up to this day. At no time [did] the regional chairman ever call me and gave me any instructions. What I do recall is that when I assumed command of this division, I spoke to the regional chairman and

he told me that he is a civilian and I must not report to him, be professional and we will deal with professional issues,” he said. According to a Ministry of the Presidency release, Morian on his part said the region could not have asked for a better commander as the crime rates have been

He has already left an impression around the world, in particular for standing up to US leader Donald Trump on issues like climate change. After the projections were announced, a government spokesman said voters had

From page 4 significantly reduced since commander Karimbaksh took over. “I am happy with the work that is coming out from the administration of Commander Karimbaksh and we look forward to seeing the crime rates falling. I am tremendously happy that he was brought to Region 10, because of the professionalism and spirt that he

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday,June 12, 2017

Editorial

Remembering Dr. Walter Rodney JUNE 13, 2017, marks the 37th anniversary of the assassination of Dr Walter Rodney, the renowned Guyanese scholar/activist. While his name has recently been associated with the Commission of Inquiry surrounding his death, the general public is not as aware as they should of the breadth of his contributions to Guyana and the rest of the world. Today we remember him with a short profile of his life and work. When Walter Rodney was born, the Anglophone Caribbean had just experienced a decade of protests which highlighted the miserable conditions under which the majority of people lived. These protests forced the British government to send a commission to investigate the causes and to make recommendations for a solution. The commission’s report led to the granting of limited self-government to the region, which speeded up the decolonisation process. Rodney, therefore, grew up with the decolonisation movement. His father was an active member of the colony’s nationalist party, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), which brought Rodney into contact with radical politics while he was still in primary school. Rodney won a scholarship to attend the elite Queens College (QC), an opportunity made possible because of changes made to the education system by the PPP government which won the country’s first elections held under universal adult suffrage. While at QC, he excelled in academics and athletics, but he maintained a keen interest in politics. His years at QC coincided with the split of the PPP into two ethnic factions in 1955. However, he traced his interest and receptiveness to Marxism back to this period. He explained that the PPP’s openness on the issue was an advantage which he and other Guyanese noticed when they arrived at the University of the West Indies. Rodney entered the UWI in Jamaica in 1960 to study history at a time of growing Caribbean nationalist sentiments.

The region was in the middle of the Federation experiment and the imminence of independence excited Rodney’s generation. He had left a Guyana which had begun to show signs of ethnic confrontation and would not return permanently for 14 years. It was during his undergraduate years in Jamaica that he became interested in African history. He recounted how when given an assignment on the relevance of Africa and Europe to the Caribbean, he could articulate the relevance of Europe but could not do the same for Africa. It was at that point that he decided to study Africa. As he puts it, “I couldn’t articulate why Africa was relevant. So eventually it was necessary to move in that direction.” (Rodney 1990:14). It was also while at the UWI that he became closely acquainted with the work of CLR James, particularly through his book: The Black Jacobins. James’s use of Marxist methodology to explain the Haitian revolution had a big impact on the young Rodney and helped to crystallise his attraction to Marxism. He also credited his travels to the USSR and particularly Cuba with helping in some small way to propel him in the direction of Marxism. So, as he left to pursue graduate Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies in England in 1963, he was already armed with an interest in African history and Marxism -- one the subject, the other the methodology--which would form the basis of his intellectual work. He quickly completed his PhD within three years; his dissertation was on the slave trade on the upper Guinea Coast in West Africa. While in England he sharpened his political consciousness and moved closer to an embrace of Marxism. He attended a study group conducted by CLR James and his wife Selma, who had returned to England following CLR’s falling out with Trinidad’s Prime Minister, Dr Eric Williams. His first teaching assignment was at the University of Dar Es Salam in Tanzania. Although his preference was West Africa, given his academic specialisation, he felt the unstable

politics of Nigeria and Ghana at that juncture would not have facilitated his quest to effectively learn the African society and its politics. He also ruled out Guinea, because of the language difference. After spending two years in Tanzania, he returned to the University of the West Indies. But after just one term he was banned from Jamaica. The government considered him a security risk on account of public lectures he had been giving off campus to Rastafarians and the urban youth. There were huge demonstrations following his expulsion that came to be known as the “Rodney Riots.” After a short visit to Cuba, he returned to Tanzania in 1969 where he taught for the next five years. In 1974 he left for Guyana expecting to get a job he had applied for at the University of Guyana. But the government overruled the decision of the Academic Board and denied him the job. Contrary to the government’s expectations, Rodney decided to stay in Guyana. He joined the newly-formed Working People’s Alliance (WPA) and became immersed in the struggle against the authoritarian regime. Within six years, he had inspired a broad-based mass movement that put the government on the defensive. On June 13, 1980, he was assassinated in Georgetown, bringing the physical end to a life that shone so brightly while it lasted. We salute this acclaimed Guyanese who, through his scholarship and activism, made Guyana proud. There was a time in the 1970s when he inspired a multi-ethnic solidarity movement in Guyana that inspired hope for a cohesive nation. Perhaps our country may be inspired again if we reach for his example in this regard. (reprinted)

Guyanese in NY celebrate Independence anniversary HUNDREDS of Guyanese in the Brooklyn, New York area converged on Church Avenue on Sunday to celebrate 51 years of Guyana’s Independence. The parade, organised by the Guyana Independence Celebration Committee, was blessed with beautiful sunshine and patriotic Guyanese donned their ‘GT’ flags and tee-shirts, even tights and sleeves to represent their homeland. As the parade got underway, led by a City Constabulary Officer as the flag bearer, persons

along the route pulled out their phones to take photos and Livestream the procession to their friends and family around the world. It was indeed ‘Guyana Day’ in Brooklyn when a sea of Golden Arrowheads could be seen in every direction. Vendors were out selling flags, rags and teeshirts, but the top selling commodity was bottled water since the temperature spiked to over 80 degrees. The heat was however no deterrent to the old or young as they too took to

A section of the parade in New York on Sunday

the streets in their numbers to celebrate their Guyanese heritage. The parade took a longer route than in previous years and got off to a slightly later start than the organisers hoped. This served not to be a deterrent but as a motivation for spectators and bystanders to join in the procession as they proceeded to Ralph and Foster Avenues. The parade was followed by a concert in which several Guyanese and International artiste were slated to perform.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 12, 2017

Unregulated mining hurting Coomacka

-- investigation launched into Bosai’s mining practices By Vanessa Braithwaite FLOODING and severe erosion at the small mining community of Coomacka in Region 10 is the accumulated result of decades of unregulated bauxite-mining there, which continues to affect some 2000 residents. A team deployed by government to find out the source of Coomacka’s continuous environmental tragedies, discovered that years of unregulated mining around the community can be deemed responsible for its environmental pollution today. This is coupled with the fact that Coomacka is in a basin, while all of the mining activities occurred about 15 feet overhead. Over the past months, Coomacka has been struck by flooding which destroyed the community’s access bridges and roadways. Also of concern to residents is erosion of the bauxite sediments along with other aggregates being drained from the mined-out areas through their community during heavy rainfall. These end up in the upper Demerara River. The river is virtually impassable. This has threatened the livelihoods of residents, since they depend on the river as a main source of transportation, as well as for other domestic purposes. The Regional Democratic Council (RDC), realising that the situation was too great for the region to handle, invited all of the mining and environmental agencies to look into the problem. The agencies include the Ministries of Public Infrastructure, Natural Resources and Agriculture, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC). They were

The upper Demerara River has been affected by heavy siltation

given further instructions by Minister of State Joseph Harmon, who has responsibility for the CDC and disaster risk reduction. An investigation into Bosai’s present mining procedures was also launched by the GGMC and junior Minister of Natural Resources, Simoona Broomes, told this publication on Sunday that she is awaiting a report from the investigation to determine the way forward. “I want to see a copy of the report of that investigation and the recommendation; and when I see that I will be able to in my opinion, give valid guidance,” Broomes said, adding that the ministry will ensure serious monitoring of Bosai’s mining practices as they relate to land reclamation. “Mining is not only gold and diamonds, it is bauxite, timber, quarrying and all of that and the ministry will be looking at all of those areas as a whole… it is something that the ministry will ensure occurs,” she said. The junior environment minister said she has a personal interest in the environment when it comes to mining and said examples needs to be set from the top, since a lot is being expected

from small miners. INHERITED SITUATION Bosai’s Senior Technical Service Coordinator, Wainright Betune, on Sunday in an invited comment said the situation created at Coomacka Mines was one inherited from previous bauxite companies such as Linmine and Guymine, since those companies did not have an environmental department instituted. “Linmine and Guymine did not have an environmental department, so what happened is that these huge chemical overburdens were left and they didn’t take reclamation into consideration, so they have deep holes and some huge overburden piles remaining, so during the heavy rainfall when there is erosion, the sediments are transported with the water and go to the river,” Betune said. The situation plaguing Coomacka has been occurring for decades, but has worsened of late and the community is now facing the consequences, he said. When asked about Bosai’s current mining practices, Betune said land reclamation is being considered

An eroded area at Coomacka, Region 10

in Bosai’s plans. “The way the mining is designed, it is taking into consideration reclamation, the overburden is dumped in the mined-out area and compacted and flattened, also reserve some of the organic material which is the top soil, so as to promote growth and whatever vegetation the

company or the EPA has decided is suitable for that type of soil,” he said REMEDYING TOO EXPENSIVE When quizzed on Bosai’s environmental plans to remedy the situation that he claimed to have been inherited, Betune said it will be a very expensive and unprofitable venture for the bauxite company. “A lot can be done to rectify the situation, the problem is if it will make any economic sense, for you to fix that problem it is a huge cost and I don’t think it will make any economic sense, because at the end of the whole exercise, there is nothing to benefit from it, to repair it might take more or twice the cost it took to mine, because the price of fuel today is almost three times the price it used to be back in the 70s and 80s or early 90s.” He concluded that the only steps that can be taken now is to try to alleviate any future recurrence and probably look to see how Linden’s tourism industry can benefit

from the mining sites. HELP FOR COOMACKA Regional Chairman Renis Morian has revealed that the relief project for Coomacka will cost approximately $400M, which excludes the construction of the bridge that was destroyed. “They want to use French cascades at various intervals with wood. Once you build the French cascades, at various levels, it will hold back the sand and the sand will remain and the water will flow at a lesser speed and velocity, thus reducing the amount of sand and overburden going into the river,” he said. Labour for the two projects is expected to be sourced from Coomacka and other surrounding mining communities. The residents have also mulled replanting and restoring the sites and are encouraging potential residents to construct their houses on higher ground. The dredging of the upper Demerara River is also expected to commence soon.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 12, 2017

CCJ hands down landmark ruling – gives go-ahead for AG to sue former gov’t ministers

THE Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has ruled in favour of the attorney general in Belize taking legal action against two former government ministers for losses suffered by the State as a result of misfeasance. The five-member court in a joint judgment said it did not share the view of counsel for the appellants that “recognition of a right in the attorney general to sue in the tort of misfeasance would lead to the unleashing of political vendettas in Belize.” The Belize government filed the lawsuit against former ministers Florencio Marin and Jose Coye, seeking to recover BZ$924,056.60 (US$473,923) plus exemplary damages, which the Dean Barrow government claims was lost in the sale of lands below market price by the previous administration. The Ministry of Natural Resources accused the two of conduct unbecoming of government officials while in office, during the tenure of former Prime Minister Said Musa. The lawsuit alleges that the two men sold 57 pieces of prime government lots to a private company, which resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars to taxpayers. The land, which is located in the West Landivar area of Belize City, was once owned by the University of Belize.

The land reportedly was sold to the government of Belize under the Musa administration for far more than was paid by the private developer. But Cove and Marin were asking the CCJ, which was established in 2001 to replace the London-based Privy Council as the region’s final court, “whether the attorney gen-

eral is competent to institute an action against former ministers claiming damages for misfeasance in public office.” The case was first heard before Belize’s Chief Justice Conteh, who ruled that the attorney general, a quintessentially public officer, complains about abuse by another public officer, should not seek recourse in the torts of civil courts. But the attorney general appealed the ruling and the Belize Supreme Court overturned the chief justice’s ruling. Justices Jacob Wit, Desiree Bernard and Winston Anderson said that they agreed with the final conclusion of the Court of

Appeal in Belize that the State can sue the appellants for misfeasance in public office. Justice Anderson in his written judgement said he concedes “that an action of the kind initiated by the attorney general in this case is unprecedented; and that from one perspective, centuries of forensic thought and assumptions could be taken to lean against his proceeding. “I equally admit that to allow this suit could have significant implications for the role of the State in the law of torts. To recognise competence in the attorney general to bring this suit naturally raises the prospect of the Crown suing, possibly as parens patriae, in a host of other torts including trespass, nuisance and negligence. “These are matters for another day. What to my mind is presently obvious is that none of these concessions can be a sufficient reason to deny the logic of the developments in the tort of misfeasance in public office, which have in this case converged with the evolution of the corporate nature of the State in the law of torts. “To the contrary, these developments may well portend the welcome emergence of a new matrix of causes of action hitherto frozen in their historical crypts and now animated by judicial imprimatur,” Justice Anderson wrote. Justice Bernard said

there is no doubt that criminal prosecution will send a strong message to public officers who utilise powers entrusted to them for their own benefit, and which results in financial loss to the State. “These options of criminal prosecution, however, are not within the remit of the attorney general, but solely the function of the director of public prosecutions, as provided for in section 50 of the Belize Constitution, and which shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other person or authority. “In any event, the attorney general may be more concerned with recovering loss to the public purse which, in this case, is the economic value of the national lands amounting to BZ$924,056. ABUSE OF POWER She said that the novelty of the State being capable of suing under the tort is by no means fatal, “but just widens the category of those entitled to sue for abuse of power by a public officer as has been done before, provided there is a sufficient interest to be found standing, and economic loss has been established. “At the end of the day, it is the duty of the attorney general to preserve the patrimony of Belize by recovering financial loss from those allegedly responsible for undervaluing national

lands in their quest for personal financial gain.” In their joint judgement, president of the CCJ, Michael De la Bastide and Justice Adrian Saunders, said allowing the State to pursue tortious misfeasance in cases such as alleged has the effect of ascribing the same legal consequence to qualitatively different violations. “The corrupt acts of a public officer that cause material damage to the State are placed on the same level, weighed in the same scales and afforded the same redress as abuse of office causing material damage to private entities. “It is not unusual for the law to assess obligations to and by the State differently from those between citizens. The similar treatment accorded here reduces the gravity of the fiduciary obligations owed by public servants toward the State, flies in the face of the resolve of parliament and undermines the international commitments undertaken by the State of Belize,” they said. In addition, the two CCJ judges said public wrongs should normally attract public sanctions and that corrupt acts ought to be dealt with by punishing the perpetrator. “When allegations are made that a minister has misbehaved in office and the misbehaviour occasions significant and foreseen economic loss to the State and corresponding personal gain to the minister and/

or his company, it is in the public interest that criminal

CCJ President Michael De la Bastide proceedings be instituted. “The failure to detect, investigate, prosecute and punish corruption has a corrosive impact on democracy and the rule of law. We underestimate at our peril the degree to which such failure affords encouragement to the criminal element in society and contributes to burgeoning crime rates. “Extending the tort of misfeasance unnecessarily to give the attorney general another choice of civil remedies does not strike a blow for the maintenance of probity by public officials. Quite the contrary, it has the opposite effect: it offers the miscreant the softer option of civil liability.” (CMC)

Environmental levy ‘doing extremely well’ –– GRA boss COMMISSIONER-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Godfrey Statia , said Thursday that the environmental levy is “doing extremely well.” He told the media that companies have been compliant with the regulations guiding the legislation, and that the authority has been able to collect the taxes. He noted that some companies -- such as Ansa McAL-- have even been electing to re-export the bottles for some of their products, while others have opted to recycle. Both of these measures,

he said, reflect the government’s reason for implementing the environmental levy, in that it is in keeping with the broad agenda of fostering a ‘green’ economy and protecting the environment. “We must give them [the companies] credit,” Statia said. An environmental levy of $10 is applied to all non-returnable bottles of alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages or water, from February 1, 2017. This levy is in accordance with amendments to Section 7A(1) of the Customs Act Ch. 82:01, and is applicable to imported non-returnable units, or those manufactured or produced in Guyana. According to the Act:

“Notwithstanding anything in this Act or in any other written law, there shall be raised, levied and collected a levy in this section referred to as an environmental levy, at a rate of 10 dollars on every non-returnable unit of metal, plastic or glass container of any alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage or water, whether imported, locally manufactured or produced locally.” The levy also applies to the aforementioned products, whether they are imported and not warehoused, or imported and removed from a warehouse, factory, bond or other place of storage. Exports, however, are exempt from such levies.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 12, 2017

Four homeless in Princess Street fire

A fireman in action at the scene of the fire on Sunday By Alva Solomon FOUR persons are now homeless after fire of unknown origin gutted the top flat of their Princess Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown home on Sunday afternoon. Sandra Christie, who lives at the house at Lot 1515, Princess Street, told

the Guyana Chronicle that she was at the bottom flat of the house around 15:00hrs when a neighbour raised an alarm. She said when she looked up, she saw the top of the house on fire as neighbours tried to assist in moving valuables from the burning house. Guyana Fire Service Di-

visional Commander Compton Sparman, who was on the scene, commended the efforts of the firemen whom he noted, managed to contain the blaze. He said the Fire Service received a call about the building being on fire and immediately two fire trucks were dispatched to

the scene,one from the West Ruimveldt Fire Station and the other from the Central Fire Station. He said both trucks had been ready to respond to any fire in the city. Sparman said the firemen commenced operations using water from the engines and later, the canals nearby. He said because of the exposure of the two buildings on each side of the house in question, the firemen operated in defence mode, since the aim was to contain the fire from reaching the two wooden buildings on each side of the burning house. Christie, who lives at the house along with her siblings, said she was alone at home at the time at her hair dressing salon located at the bottom flat of the house. Persons at the scene reported that the fire was first observed at the kitchen, aback the top flat of the house. The fire resulted in the closure of that section of Princess Street, which is utilised by motorists as a primary route into the city.

Sandra Christie (right) and a relative peer into the bottom flat of the gutted building, where Christie operates a hair salon (Adrian Narine photos)

Revolutionary tobacco bill for Parliament GUYANA’S draft Tobacco control Bill geared towards promoting a healthier Guyana will be read for the first time in the National Assembly on Thursday. The bill will provide for the adoption and implementation of tobacco control policies in accordance with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco control. The draft bill is available to the public for public consumption at the Legislative Department at Parliament Buildings. The legislation will also serve as the legal regulator for administration, inspection and enforcement, while providing legislative protection from exposure to second hand smoke. It will also see the establishment of a National Tobacco Control Council. When assented to by President Granger, the act will also guide the way advertising, promotion and

sponsorship of tobacco is handled, the Government Information Agency (GINA) said. It will also outline sales requirements, as well as the regulations and reporting for the tobacco industry. Corrective action and additional provisions for penalties can also be found in the draft bill. The legislation, upon becoming an act, aims to protect present and future generations from the devastating harms of tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke. It will also prevent tobacco use by minors. Workers moreover the public will be protected from exposure to tobacco smoke, the bill will serve to prevent exposure of the public, especially minors to tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, while enhancing public awareness of the hazards of tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke. Among other objectives of the bill is to ensure that

Guyana’s draft Tobacco control Bill will be read for the first time in the National Assembly on Thursday every person is provided with effective health warnings about the harmful use of tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke, regulate the tobacco industry, its

products and sales, protect public health policies from the commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry. The document is to be in-

terpreted in a manner which aligns with the WHO’s convention in a way that respects, protects and fulfills the right of every human being to the highest attainable

standard of health. In Guyana, no data has been made public on how many persons die from smoking every year, but according to the WHO, tobacco kills more than half of its users. The WHO has identified the tobacco epidemic as one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced. It kills some six million people a year. More than five million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use, while more than 600,000 are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke, the United Nations health organisation said. It also noted that tobacco users who die prematurely deprive their families of income, raise the cost of healthcare and hinder economic development. Smoking, among others, causes coughs, colds, asthma, pneumonia, stroke, heart diseases and lung cancer.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 12, 2017

$1B recovered from tax evaders

THE Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has recovered $1B from tax evaders as it tightens measures to ensure compliance with the law, Commissioner-General, Godfrey Statia said. Speaking at a recent press briefing, the commissioner-general noted that 80 percent of all revenues are centered on 200 large businesses, as he acknowledged that hundreds of

millions in taxes are not paid by others. In an effort to remedy the situation, Statia said the GRA has begun establishing a large Taxpayer’s Unit, which focuses on large businesses. “The reason why we are doing so, is that in each one of those files [for the large businesses] that we would have checked, there are hundreds of millions of dollars that if we are

to review them correctly, we will be in a position to collect them,” Statia said. The authority has already engaged 12 entities and has been able to recover over $1B. Once these large taxpayers have been dealt with by the authority, the GRA will be able to focus on the low-level taxpayers. Aside from the large taxpayers, Statia noted that the authority will begin

scanning and digitalising all taxpayers records to tighten efficiency in accounting for taxes. “We are being truthful; we know we are still losing records,” the GRA boss said. He stressed too, that the only persons paying their taxes diligently are the employees who have their taxes deducted immediately from their salaries. “Our emphasis is to

widen the tax base,” Godfrey explained and added that once this base is widened, the tax rate would be reduced for everyone. There are many unregistered businesses that do not pay taxes. There are also many unregistered heavy-duty equipment and vehicles imported, that cause the authority to lose up to $6B each year. And not so long ago, Finance Minister, Winston

Jordan, reported that the vast majority of private schools also do not honour their tax obligation to the government. According to a 2015 Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean report, tax dodging cost public treasuries in Latin America and the Caribbean an estimated US$340B or 6.7 per cent of the region’s total income.

Several Soesdyke areas to get water for first time A NUMBER of areas in Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara (EBD), will get potable water for the first time, Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) Managing-Director, Dr. Richard Van-West Charles has said. According to a GWI statement, some of the areas which will benefit are Chand Sand Road, Kallicharran Sand Road, Goorahoo, Leacock and Nursery School Roads, all of which are located in Soesdyke. The areas are said to be without water since their establishment in 1991. GWI said that more than 120 households stand to benefit from this water supply and distribution project.

Some of the residents who attended the meeting on Sunday As a short-term and initial relief intervention, it was revealed that GWI will establish a network that will allow residents

to gain water access at the stand-pipe level from existing wells nearby. However, once a resident registers to become

a customer, a stand-pipe will be erected on the premises. GWI’s EBD Manager, Nishaul Samaroo, assured

the residents that this project will commence within a week. But while these systems are being established, the managing-director noted that the utility will take the requisite steps to drill a well as part of a long-term solution. “We hope to get the well done by February of 2018, if not by the end of this year,” he said, adding that a well dedicated to serving that area will provide for increased water pressure. Dr Charles also assured residents that analyses will be done to ensure the best type of well suited for the community is drilled and that the water produced will be treated. In addition, the resi-

dents were informed that meters will be installed to make certain they pay only for the amount of water used, even as they were encouraged to report any leaks that may occur. Chairman of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council Dave Singh and other residents expressed gratitude to the GWI team for their efforts and committed to working along with the team in every aspect of the project. A GWI team will be at Lawrence McPhoy’s residence on Chand Sand Road, Soesdyke, on Wednesday, June 14 and Sunday, June 18 from 09:00-15:00hrs to facilitate applications for new service connections.

100,000 trees to be planted by 2019 BY 2019, a total of 100,000 trees are expected to be planted as part of the government’s 3TP –Ten Thousand Trees Planting Project. This was noted by Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan when he addressed recipients of farming tools on Friday at the Eversham Post Office Road in Berbice. Several Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) received tools, including spades, forks and rakes. Minister Bulkan noted during his address to persons at the simple ceremony that in 2017, 20 per cent of the 100,000 trees will be planted, while 40 per cent will be planted in 2018 and the

remainder in 2019. “We don’t expect 100 per cent will survive, but a target has been set and hope that at least 80 per cent will survive and mature,” Bulkan said. He said in years ahead, the exercise will bring benefits to each community, each region and the country as a whole. In addition, he said that the initiative will assist in the conquering of some of the adverse effects that are part of global warming. Bulkan said there are 585 geographic constituencies and within a week, councillors will be informed via correspondence that in observance of National Tree Day 2017, consideration be given to crafting a plan for

the planting of trees within the communities in each constituency. Among some of the key partners that will be involved in the planned project are the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), the private sector, plant nurseries across the country, business associations and schools. “We will encourage the establishment of working committees to be able to provide technical support to all the local democratic organs,” he said. At Friday’s event, Region Six Chairman David Armogan expressed appreciation to the Ministry of

By 2019, a total of 100,000 trees are expected to be planted as part of the government’s 3TP –Ten Thousand Trees Planting Project Communities for choosing the region for the exercise. He noted the importance of

the initiative, contending that any such move geared towards mitigating the risk

factors that cause climate change has to be embraced by all.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 12, 2017

Gov’t improving public servants working conditions

WHILE there are no talks ongoing regarding wages and salaries for public servants, the government and the Public Service Union (PSU) are working on improving working conditions for public servants. Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, made this disclosure during his weekly

post-Cabinet press briefing on Friday, at the Ministry of the Presidency. “There are no talks going on right now, but the union and the government are continually engaged in ways of dealing with the terms and conditions of employment of public servants, in terms of not only salaries but non-sala-

ry benefits, and some of these non-salary benefits have to do with the training of public servants so that they become upwardly mobile,” Minister Harmon explained. This week alone, there was the Caribbean Leadership Project (CLP) in Guyana, which brought senior public servants from all

across the region in Guyana. They had an opportunity to interact with the local public servants, so that they have a broader perspective on what is required of them, he said. There is a special training programme facilitated by the CLP, for deputy permanent secretaries and regional executive officers (REOs).

“Apart from salaries, the non-salary benefits which we are working with for the Public Service Union, all of those will be to the benefit of the public servants themselves,” the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported Minister Harmon as saying.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

Regional authorities assessing Mahdia flash floods THE regional authorities are assessing the aftermath of Friday’s flash floods at low-lying areas at Mahdia in Region Eight as weather conditions have improved in the area over the weekend. On Friday, several inches of rainfall, which started the night before resulted in flooding of parts of Mahdia. Regional Chairman, Bonaventure Fredericks, told

Guyana Chronicle on Sunday that the “valley” area which was the most-affected area was being examined. He said the situation is back to normal as regards the movement of traffic into Mahdia. Sunny conditions prevailed on Sunday. Road traffic was hampered on Friday after sections of the roadway washed-away under the flood waters. Fredericks said contractors who

are working on the roadway were effective in ensuring the road was fixed for traffic to resume Friday afternoon. Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, noted during a post-Cabinet press briefing on Friday morning that government is examining the situation and the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) was expected to provide a report on the situation. He said the CDC has

partment (Ag), Paediatric Medicine. Dr. Stanton MMed did in fact function in the capacity of Head of Department (Ag), Paediatric Medicine, for the month of November 2016.

She is currently Senior Registrar, but is still in charge of Paediatric Oncology and Haematology in the Paediatric Medicine Department and executes all of the duties mentioned in the introduction. The Guyana Chronicle apologises for the error and any inconvenience it might have caused.

Correction

IN our Chronicle Pepperpot feature of June 11, 2017, Page XXXVIII, captioned, “The Astonishing Dr. Sherelyn Stanton,” we referred to her as Senior Registrar and Head of De-

prepositioned supplies to areas such as Mahdia and Orinduik in the event of flood situations. Minister Harmon noted that the CDC and the Guy-

ana Peoples Militia (GPM) are currently engaged in responder training, where persons in the communities are provided with training to respond “very quickly” to

emergency situations. He said the CDC is engaged in the programme throughout the country, in all 10 administrative regions.

Russia an important development partner

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 12, 2017

–– Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo PRIME Minister Moses Nagamootoo has said that Russia has played an important role in Guyana’s development, pointing out that bilateral relations between the two countries have been strengthened remarkably over the years. Prime Minister Nagamootoo, who is performing the duties of President, was at the time speaking at the National Day of the Russian Federation on Friday held at the Russian Embassy. Noting that the government has recognised that “much more could be achieved in areas of investment, trade and tourism,” the prime minister said the two countries have collaborated in areas

of politics, economics, culture, science and security. Russia reached out to Guyana when it needed assistance. “Who does not know that Guyana’s debt to the Russian Federation has been cancelled?” he said. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties on December 17, 1970, Guyana and the Soviet Union, and now, Russia, have enjoyed cordial relations. “This year will be three years short of the Golden Jubilee of this longstanding bond of friendship,” Nagamootoo said, adding that like any enduring relationship, it has been built on respect, mutual trust and understanding, and has contributed to expanding programmes of

cooperation. “Guyana and the Russian Federation have also fostered a strategic partnership, which helps to navigate the global challenges confronting us,” the prime minister said. He noted that the size and might of Russia are awesome, that country being the largest country in the world with an area of some 17 million square kilometres, and a population of almost 150 million people. He noted too that Russia straddles Europe, Asia and North America, and shares border with 14 countries. “It would be an understatement to say that Guyana highly values relations with the Russian

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, who is performing the duties of President is greeted by Russian Ambassador to Guyana, Nicolay Smirnov, on the National Day of the Russian Federation on Friday

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, shares a toast along with Russian Ambassador to Guyana, Nicolay Smirnov, as Minister of State Joseph Harmon and others look on

Federation,” the prime minister told the gathering, which included Minister of State Joseph Harmon and Russian Ambassador to Guyana Nicolay Smirnov, among other officials. He also said that Russia has contributed and continues to contribute to Guyana’s education sector through scholarships and acknowledged other areas of cooperation in fields such as health, fisheries, culture, and visa-free travel, which he said have brought the two countries closer. At the multilateral level, he said Guyana and Russia have supported each other’s interests and concerns on a multiplicity of issues. These include the promotion of investment, trade and economic co-

operation, climate change and the promotion of peace and global security. The prime minister also noted that Guyana is committed to the establishment of a “Green State” that is fully compatible with its adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change. He said too that this country’s development agenda focuses on maintaining a balance between environmental sustainability, while still achieving the objective of economic and human development. “As a consequence, Guyana is determined to benefit from the experiences of larger partners such as the Russian Federation,” he told those gathered.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 12, 2017

Reducing poverty can reduce child labour – head of Child Care and Protection Agency By Ravin Singh CHILD Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) Director Ann Greene has said that reduction in cases of child labour hinges on the reduction of poverty as Guyana joins countries the world over today in observance of World Day Against Child Labour. According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), child labour refers to the employment of children in any work that deprives them of their childhood, interferes with their ability to attend school, and that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful. The United Nations (UN) reports that globally, 168 million children engage in child labour. While a significant portion are children from areas affected by conflict or disasters, others originate from countries which are considered poor. According to Greene: “Children who are involved in child labour [in Guyana] are generally those from poor households. They are forced to drop out of school to help support their families because income is not sufficient.” In 2015, the Ministry of Social Protection released the findings of the 2011 National Child Labour Rapid AssessHead of CCPA, ment Survey, which found Ann Greene that children in Guyana are involved in the worst forms of child labour, which included prostitution. The report explained that many of the youths canvassed were involved in selling and agriculture, while hidden evidence of prostitution was found in all of the age ranges. “Also troubling was the fact that a small percentage of the children and working youths sustained illness and injuries while working. These occurred while the children and young workers were involved in mainly weeding, begging or carrying out sexual activities,” the survey revealed. It also found that many children were involved in carrying heavy loads and operating machinery, while some were also exposed to all weather conditions, chemicals, pesticides, glues, dust, fumes and gases at their places of work. The Social Protection Ministry had pronounced that most of the homes of children and working youths were headed by single females, who had more than one dependant and most times more than one working child. VULNERABLE Greene said single-parent homes are particularly vulnerable, due to limited incomes. As such, she offered that one approach should be to reduce poverty, which would allow these at-risk families to have some form of financial security, thereby allowing children to pursue and complete their education. Asked about the role of the CCPA in helping to reduce child labour, Greene explained that the agency would examine the child’s contribution to the home and work with that family to have the child abandon employment, while still having those needs at home satisfied. She said once a case of child labour has been discovered, CCPA would approach the ministry to see what welfare services that family could benefit from, thereby eliminating the need of the child to work, and providing him with the opportunity to return to school. Greene pointed out too, that while the Social Protection Ministry and her agency have played leading roles in helping to reduce child labour, it is the responsibility for every sector of society. “The responsibility of reducing child labour is not exclusively limited to government. Every individual, family and business has a role to play to ensure no child is involved in child labour which prevents them from having an education and living a normal life,” she said. The CCPA head was keen to note too that while the cases of child labour in Guyana are not alarming, “one child involved in child labour is still one child too many.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 12, 2017

Digicel Schools Football Championship kicks off today

Essequibo Islands Secondary and Parika /Salem Secondary to collide in opener THE 7th Edition of the Digicel Schools Football Championship will kick off today with a solitary game at the Leonora Track & Field Centre, West Coast Demerara. In the opening fixture of this year’s event, Essequibo Islands Secondary will

travel to take on Parika/ Salem Secondary in what is expected to be a keen and exciting matchup commencing from 14:30hrs. Play in the championship resumes tomorrow with another match at the same venue featuring Leonora Technical versus Professional Learning Institute from 15:30hrs. On June 14, Mahaicony Secondary tackles Belladrum Secondary at the Belladrum ground in West Berbice from 15:30hrs, w h i l e Vr e e d - e n - H o o p and Patentia square off at L’Aventure ground from 15:30hrs. Over at Burnham Park in New Amsterdam, Berbice, Berbice High School collides with Berbice Educational Institute at 15:30hrs. Play continues throughout the week at various venues. One hundred and fifty schools, drawn from the ten administrative regions of Guyana, will once again vie for what is considered as the country’s ‘Holy Grail’ of schools football. One million dollars will go to the winning school for a project of their choice, while second, third and fourth placed teams will pocket $700 000, $400 000 and $350 000 respectively. H o w e v e r, t h e t o u rnament which will see Georgetown being divided into north and south, will see the winners of each zone being awarded $100 000,to go towards a school project. C h a s e ’s A c a d e m i c Foundation are the defending champions in the tournament, while the Christianburg Wismar Secondary School, popularly known as ‘Multi’ is the most decorated team. The Linden-based team have played in every final since the inception of the tournament; winning four consecutive titles, only losing in the inaugural year to the Georgetown Technical Institute and in last year’s final.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 12, 2017

Nadal crushes Wawrinka to win record 10th French Open title By Martyn Herman PARIS,(Reuters)-Claycourt king Rafa Nadal regained his Roland Garros throne after two years in exile with a brutal 6-2 6-3 6-1 mauling of Swiss Stan Wawrinka to complete ‘La Decima’ on Sunday. Rewinding the clock to the days when he was untouchable on the crushed brick dust, the 31-year-old turned 2015 champion Wawrinka into a human punch bag, winning in just over two hours. This title, a record 10th at a single grand slam in the professional era, was arguably the most impressive of his 15 majors, though, as it arrived three injury-plagued years after the last one when he beat Novak Djokovic here in 2014. He also did it without dropping a set and conceding only 35 games in seven matches. Only Bjorn Borg, who conceded 32 on his way to the 1978 title, has been a more ruthless champion. Third seed Wawrinka, having beaten world number one Andy Murray with a majestic display of firepower in a grueling semi-final, arrived full of hope as, at 32, he tried to become the oldest French Open winner since Andres

Gimeno in 1972. But the barrel-chested ‘Stanimal’ was powerless as Nadal turned the final into an exhibition of his claycourt supremacy -- taking his French Open record to an eye-watering 79-2. As a weary Wawrinka sliced a volley into the net on match point Nadal collapsed on his back on the baseline. EMOTIONAL NADAL “I’m a little emotional,” Nadal said before his tearful uncle Toni, his career-long coach who will take a back seat at the end of the year, handed him La Coupe des Mousquetaires. “The nerves and adrenaline I feel on this court is impossible to compare.” Wawrinka said he had not found his best level but paid tribute to the man he beat to win the first of his three grand slam titles in Australia in 2014. “For sure he’s playing the best he’s ever played. That’s for sure. Not only here,” Wawrinka said. “It’s a tough loss. But I played against the biggest clay-court player ever.” Straw hats and fans were de rigueur for an expectant Court Philippe Chatrier as

the final began with temperatures hovering around the 30 degrees Celcius mark -- optimum conditions for

drew first blood the next time an opportunity arose to take a 4-2 lead. Then he switched on the

with less than an hour on the clock his task already looked forlorn. Nadal got a time violation

Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates with the trophy after winning the final against Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka Reuters / Christian Hartmann

Nadal’s monstrous topspin game. Wawrinka, who spent nearly five hours more on court than Nadal to reach the final, looked confused and heavy-legged although he did have a glimmer in the third game when Nadal, still settling down, saved a break point. FIRST BLOOD Nadal failed to convert any of the four break points he had in the following game, but

afterburners, taking Wawrinka out of the equation, and minutes later the Swiss wafted a forehand long to hand Nadal a second break of serve and the opening set. Wawrinka was flat, striking not a single winner off his glorious single-handed backhand in the first set, and

at the start of the second, but Wawrinka could not slow the Spaniard’s charge as he bounded into a 3-0 lead in the second having won seven games in a row. With the crowd attempting to lift Wawrinka he stopped the rot to hold, firing himself up with a roar of “C’mon”.

Nadal was relentless though, pinning Wawrinka back behind the baseline. Even when he was stretched the response was emphatic, one astonishing forehand, whipped from close to the front row of seats to land in a blur of yellow in the corner, drawing gasps from the crowd and applause from Wawrinka. Social media lit up at that point with women’s semi-finalist Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland tweeting “OMG!” Wawrinka, who had been on an 11-match winning streak on clay, was being hunted down mercilessly and his frustration boiled over as the Spaniard closed in on a two-set lead, the Swiss wrecking his racket frame after a missed forehand. A brief lull as the court staff watered down the red dust failed to extinguish Nadal’s fire and, despite Wawrinka’s best efforts to extend the contest, the final set was little more than a coronation for Paris’s favorite Spaniard.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 12, 2017

England win U20 FIFA World Cup for biggest international title since 1966 ENGLAND won their biggest international football title since 1966 by beating Venezuela 1-0 in the Under-20 FIFA World Cup final in South Korea on Sunday. It was England’s first appearance in the final of a global tournament since their World Cup victory 51 years ago. Everton forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s first-half goal was enough for victory thanks to Newcastle goalkeeper Freddie Woodman’s second-half penalty save.

Everton forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin got the only goal of the game against Venezuela, with Newcastle’s Freddie Woodman saving a second-half penalty.

Woodman denied Adalberto Penaranda from the spot

after the Malaga forward was fouled by Kyle Walker-Peters.

With 17 minutes to play, the referee pointed to the spot to signal a penalty before immediately referring to the video assistant referee. The decision stood - there was the slightest of contacts but Newcastle keeper Woodman’s strong palm kept out Penaranda’s effort. In the first half Ronaldo Lucena hit the post with an audacious long-range free-kick that had Woodman well beaten, while Tottenham midfielder Josh Onomah saw a powerful effort strike the underside of the Venezuela bar after the break. After the match, England forward Dominic Solanke, due to join Liverpool from Chelsea on 1 July, was awarded the Golden Ball given to the player of the tournament. Previous winners of the award include Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, Luis Figo, Paul Pogba and Sergio Aguero. Woodman was awarded the Golden Glove, given to best goalkeeper of the tournament. “Thankfully Freddie saved the penalty. I was watching through my fingers from the halfway line and it was an in-

credible moment. It was a big, big moment that helped turn the game,” said Calvert-Lewin, who joined Sir Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters as the only Englishmen to score in a World Cup final. “To be one of only three Englishman to have scored in a World Cup final is amazing.” What is the Under-20 World Cup? It is the biggest global tournament in youth football and has helped launch the career of a number of big names in football. Barcelona forward Messi was in the Argentina team that won the 2005 event (then called the Fifa World Youth Championship), while Portuguese great Figo inspired his country to victory in the 1989 and 1991 competitions. England’s team in 2013 the last time they competed in the event - featured Ross Barkley, John Stones, Harry Kane and Eric Dier. They failed to win a game and finished bottom of their group. The last Under-20 World Cup in 2015 was won by Serbia, who beat a Brazil side containing Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus in the final. Six of Serbia’s 21-man

squad have since made a full international debut, including Liverpool midfielder Marko Grujic. England’s youth teams have won the Under-17 European Championship twice - in 2010 and 2014 - and the Under-21 European Championship twice - in 1982 and 1984. Their previous best at the Under-20 World Cup was third place in 1993. Of that squad, only four players went on to represent England at senior level - Nicky Butt, Nick Barmby, Alan Thompson and David Unsworth. Six of the squad that triumphed in South Korea on Sunday were part of that Under-17 European success in 2014. Woodman, Jonjoe Kenny, Dominic Solanke and captain Lewis Cook all started in Sunday’s final, while Dael Fry and Adam Armstrong were on the bench. The current side have made a total of 72 Premier League appearances to date. Striker Adam Armstrong leads the way with 15 since his top-flight debut in Newcastle’s 1-0 defeat by Fulham in March 2014. (BBC Sport)

Hamilton wins in Canada for sixth time By Steve Keating

MONTREAL,(Reuters)-Lewis Hamilton’s love affair with the Canadian Grand Prix reached new heights on Sunday as he won the race for a sixth time and slashed Sebastian Vettel’s Formula One championship lead to 12 points.

victory of the season and also his third in a row at the sun-bathed but windswept Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. “I had my first pole here, I had my first win here 10 years ago and to repeat it this weekend is incredibly special,” said Hamilton. “I really have to thank my team for making this possible.

Lewis Hamilton (L) celebrates winning the race with teammate Valtteri Bottas. REUTERS/Chris Wattie

After watching Ferrari sweep to a one-two finish two weeks ago in Monaco, Mercedes hit back with a dominating display as Hamilton cruised to his 56th career win, a leisurely 19.7 seconds in front of team mate Valtteri Bottas. It was Hamilton’s third

The guys back at the factory have worked so hard to really fix what we had in the last race, bring it here and really give it to the Ferraris. I’m over the moon.” The Briton might have cut Vettel’s lead further if not for an inspired charge by the German who fought his way

to fourth after a damaged front wing forced a pitstop and dropped him to the back of the field early on. Red Bull’s Australian Daniel Ricciardo came home third, for the third race in a row, to complete the podium. That gave his team something to cheer after young Dutchman Max Verstappen had his race come to a premature end with mechanical problems while running second and challenging Hamilton for the lead. Force India enjoyed a great weekend in Canada with Mexican Sergio Perez taking fifth ahead of French team mate Esteban Ocon, who was not happy at the finish. Canadian teenage rookie Lance Stroll answered some of his critics by scoring his first points in Formula One for Williams, crossing the line in ninth place to the cheers of a sell-out home crowd. But there was yet more disappointment for Fernando Alonso and McLaren when the double world champion’s engine gave up yet again two laps from the finish, leaving the struggling outfit still the only team on the grid to yet score a point.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 12, 2017

Ruthless India cruise into Champions Trophy semi-finals

London (AFP) - India swept into the Champions Trophy semi-finals and eliminated woeful South Africa as Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli inspired the holders’ eight-wicket victory on Sunday. Kohli’s side avoided the embarrassment of an early exit as they survived a do or die showdown to advance from Group B in style. Having dismissed South Africa for 191, two-time champions India cruised home with 12 overs to spare at The Oval. “We wanted to step up that intensity. This is probably our best game so far,” Kohli said. “When the opportunity comes your way, you have to grab it.” In-form opener Dhawan was the key figure with 78 from 83 balls, including 12 fours, while captain Kohli weighed in with a typically

elegant 76. It was a nerveless performance from India, who had come under fire after failing to defend a total of 321 in their heavy defeat against Sri Lanka. India join England and Bangladesh in the semi-finals, with the remaining place in the last four going to the winner of Monday’s Group B meeting between Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Kohli’s men will likely face Group A runners-up Bangladesh in Birmingham on Thursday as they bid to make the final for the fourth time. “We played in Birmingham before. We like that pitch. It suits our game,” said Kohli. South Africa could have no complaints as they limply departed the tournament after a second successive defeat. They will need a far more

determined effort to prosper when they face England in one-day and Test action

Shikhar Dhawan

shortly. Quinton de Kock’s 53 was the only score of any substance from the spineless South Africans, who had three men run out in a wretched performance. - ‘VERY SAD’ AB De Villiers was es-

Difficult conditions will create better players: Drakes SOUTHAMPTON, England, (CMC) – West Indies Women’s head coach, Vasbert Drakes, believes the challenging English conditions confronting his side will make for better players once they can learn from the experience. The reigning Twenty20 champions are currently undergoing a training camp at the Ageas Bowl here in preparation for the ICC Women’s World Cup starting June 24, and have so far encountered a mix of sunshine, rain and chilly weather symptomatic of the the early England summer. Drakes said not only

of determination and you’re going to need that strong will and character to prevail in these conditions. Hopefully as we progress in our training sessions, we [will] see a lot of improvement and learning taking place.” West Indies Women have struggled in the two warmup games to date – against a strong England XI last Wednesday and Southern Vipers on Friday. In both contests, the Caribbean side were easily outplayed as they battled to come to grips with the different pitches, moving ball and the climatic con-

West Indies Women star Deandra Dottin adjusts her face mask during a training session at the Ageas Bowl. (Photo courtesy CWI Media)

would the unpredictable conditions create better players but better persons, as the experiences would bring critical qualities to the fore. “Day by day we are starting to understand that we are playing in different conditions and it will define you as a person because you are going to need a lot of character,” Drakes explained. “You’re going to need a lot

ditions. Drakes said he was not overly worried at this stage as the squad was still undergoing the acclimatisation process. “In the last couple of days you get some sunny patches but also you get a lot of breeze at the ground and it has been challenging for them,” he pointed out. “For a lot of them, this is the first opportunity to play in

pecially culpable as he threw away his wicket for the third time in a miserable tourna-

England and it’s just the process of that acclimatisation period. They are aware of the fact that if you’re going to play cricket up here, these are the things you have to be mentally aware of and obviously prepare for.” West Indies have installed as one of the favourites for the upcoming tournament, especially after having won the T20 title last year in India and also having reached the final of the last 50-overs World Cup four years ago. And even though the confidence in the squad remained high, Drakes said it was important they paid attention to the fundamentals in order to win matches. “We’ve tried to manage [expectations] in the sense that we are playing cricket and we are looking to win,” he stressed. “There’s no doubt about that but to win a cricket game we have to make sure we are ticking the necessary boxes and we’re going to take it step by step. “There are some areas we are paying attention to and hopefully as coaches we will be able to pass on that information that would allow them to develop the skills that would allow them to cope in the competition in England and by extention, win cricket games.” He added: “Like anything else, we are looking to do well. The intention is to win so we’ll see how it goes.” West Indies face reigning champions Australia Women in their opening match on June 26.

ment for the South Africa captain. “We normally don’t bat that way. We never got going. It’s very sad obviously,” said De Villiers. After the flurry of South African run outs, India were lucky not to follow suit at the start of their chase.

Dhawan called for a single that was never on and David Miller narrowly missed the stumps with Rohit Sharma not even close to making his ground. Sharma celebrated his escape by smashing a four and a six off successive balls from Kagiso Rabada. Another aggressive shot from Sharma proved his downfall as a mistimed slog was caught behind by De Kock off Morne Morkel. Keen to avoid further costly mishaps, India went conservative and scored only 37 from the first 10 overs. But Kohli gradually began to take more risks and his pull to fine leg narrowly evaded the diving Morkel. After driving Andile Phehlukwayo for a soaring six to reach 21, Kohli edged the same bowler towards Hashim Amla, but the slip fielder couldn’t make a tough low catch.

With such a small target, India were never in danger of falling behind the run rate and Dhawan kept them on cruise control with some lusty blows off Imran Tahir. Dhawan has been in fine form of late and he brought up his 29th ODI half century, and third in three matches, with a majestic four back down the ground. As the partnership between Dhawan and Kohli went past 100, it was clear there would be no late fightback from South Africa. Kohli hardly had to break sweat as he reached his 68th ODI fifty. By the time Dhawan was dismissed by Tahir, his side had reached 151 and the large Indian following in the capacity crowd were in party mood. Fittingly for such a one-sided affair, the winning blow was a huge six from Yuvraj Singh.

Fyrish Primary crowned Champions of Sueria Manufacturing Inc, Windball competition

FYRISH Primary school defeated Albion Back Primary school by five runs in the final of the Sueria Manufacturing Inc. Inter Primary School Windball Cricket Competition, organized by the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club. Played last Thursday at the Albion Community Centre Ground, Fyrish Primary won the toss and elected to bat first. They rattled up 69 for 5 off their allotted 8 overs, with Asafa Poyer hitting 36 and Hemendra Deonarine 17. Albion Back Primary then responded with 65 for 4 from their 8 overs with Chrisendat Sarju hitting 29 and Shaeed Persaud 20. The competition was played on a round robin basis among the five Primary Schools within the Lower Corentyne area. Gibralter, Fyrish, Cropper, Albion Back and Belvedere Primary were the participating schools. This competition over the years has been used as part of the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club’s effort to attract young cricketers to the Club. Top Albion cricketers such as Veerasammy Permaul, Gudakesk Motie, Johnathan Foo and Kandasammy Surujnarine among others have graduated from this competition. Earlier in the day, Fyrish Primary continued their unbeaten run with their fourth win in the competition to secure their place in the final, while Albion Back defeated Gibralter Primary by 4 wickets on their way to the final. In the other matches played, there were also two wins for Belvedere Primary and one win for Cropper Pri-

mary, while Gibralter Primary was the only team that failed to secure a win in the competition. At the presentation ceremony which followed, Lloyd Kanden – president of the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club, commended the five Primary Schools for their participation and extended special congratulations to Fyrish Primary for winning the

Campbell thanked the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club for organizing the competitions and disclosed that his company was very much delighted to be part of the competition and more so to get the involvement of youths. He also commended the five Primary School for their participation and he congratulated Fyrish

Mr. James Campbell (right), a representative of Sueria Manufacturing , presenting the winning trophy and cash incentive to the captain of the Fyrish Primary School.

competition and more so, for the first time. He also expressed gratitude to the Managing Director of Sueria Manufacturing Inc., Mr. Frank Sanichara, a former Albion cricketer for coming on board to partner with the club in this important competition. Also speaking at the presentation ceremony were Community Development Officer of Albion/Port Mourant Estate, Mr. Orvin Mangru and Sales Representative of Sueria Manufacturing Inc., Mr. James Cambell. Mangru encouraged the youngsters present to join the historic Albion Community Centre Cricket Club which he claimed is among the best cricket club in Guyana and the Caribbean as a whole. He also urged them to focus on their education.

Primary for winning the final and for playing unbeaten in the competition. The winning team received a beautiful trophy and cash incentive while the runner-up team also received a trophy and cash incentive. Asafa Poyer received a trophy for being the man-of-thematch in the final;he scored 36 runs and captured 1 wicket for 10 runs from his allotted two overs for Fyrish Primary. Damion Cecil of Belvedere Primary carted off the batsman of the competition award with 155 runs from 4 games. Quinston Glasgow of Fyrish Primary was the best bowler of the competition with 6 wickets and his teammate Javes Glasgow was judged the most valuable player of the competition with 55 runs and 6 wickets.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 12, 2017

‘Greatest’ Bolt to leave unmatched legacy says Coe By Kayon Raynor KINGSTON,(Reuters)-Usain Bolt is without question the greatest ever track athlete and the Jamaican’s involvement in athletics after his retirement will be paramount to ensure its relevance to a younger generation, according to Sebastian Coe. The IAAF president watched Bolt cruise to victory in the 100 meters at the national stadium in Kingston on Saturday, the 30-year-old bidding farewell to more than 30,000 spectators at his last meeting on home soil. Coe, who won back-toback 1,500 meters golds among four Olympic medals, said no other sprinter could compare to the eighttimes Olympic champion, who will bow out at the world championships in London.

Usain Bolt (right) greets Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness, while IAAF president Lord Sebastian Coe (centre) looks on. (Jamaica Observer photo)

“When you’re sitting in the pub and you’re having the discussion: who is the greatest footballer? Nobody will agree on that,” Coe told Reuters

in an interview. “If you have the same discussion around golf or tennis, everybody will have different views. “It’s a slam dunk. (Bolt)

is the greatest sprinter the world has ever seen. “If you look at the records he set, if you look at the Olympic championships he’s had -- three in

a row -- I’m not sure I’m ever going to see that in my lifetime. “So it’s a massive legacy and the most important legacy is that he has connected our sport to people who weren’t traditional track and field fans, that’s the measure of the man.” Coe said the 100 and 200 meters world record holder would have a bigger challenge in life after competition. “The second leg of his journey, the biggest challenge athletics has, the biggest challenge the Olympic movement has, is for young people to feel what we offer is relevant to their lives,” the 60-year-old Briton said. “He connects with all ages, he connects with all denominations, all cultures, all creeds, all politics and that’s a very unique breed and we need to maintain his

involvement,” the IOC vice president said. “I’m delighted that he has agreed to help us grow the sport and to help our sport remain relevant to young people.” Coe was thrilled to see Bolt make his last run on home soil. “There’s nowhere else on this planet that I would rather be tonight, than here, this was the must see moment and I’m not just saying that as the president of the world sport, I’m saying this as a fan,” he added. “This guy has transformed our sport, he’s connected with young people, he’s connected with people that didn’t even think they liked track and field, he’s turned them into lifelong fans and every single plaudit that he receives tonight, he’s deserving of every syllable of it.”

Windies hit back to level ODI series with four-wicket win GROS ISLET, St Lucia, (CMC) – West Indies won to level the three-match series with minnows Afghanistan but the inertia remained, as they were forced to labour before pulling off an attritional four-wicket victory in the second One-Day International here Sunday. Their bowling proved more clinical than in Friday’s opening game, scuttling out the Afghans for a paltry 135 off 37.3 overs, after the visitors opted to bat first at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground. Gulbadin Naib topscored with 51 batting at number eight but no other

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batsman passed 20, as West Indies quicks turned the screws on the innings. At one stage, Afghanistan were staring down the barrel at 51 for six in the 17th but recovered through Naib’s enterprise. The fast bowling trio of Alzarri Joseph (2-15), Shannon Gabriel (2-25) and captain Jason Holder (2-38), along with off-spinner Ashley Nurse (2-33) all picked up two wickets each. In reply, West Indies were hardly convincing as they stumbled and stuttered to their target in the 40th over. Shai Hope kept his nerves to top score with an

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unbeaten 48 and earn Manof-the-Match honours while opener Evin Lewis chipped in with 33. Eighteen-year-old leg-spinner Rashid Khan once again caused some consternation in the Windies batting, finishing with three for 26 from his 10 overs while seamer Naib caimed two for 15 Unlike in the opening loss on Friday, the Windies were given a breezy start this time around as Lewis and Kieran Powell (12) put on 40 off 41 balls for the first wicket. At the interval, the Windies had reached 37 without loss off just six overs but lost Powell to the fifth delivery after the resumption, caught at slip by Mohammad Nabi off Khan in the bowler’s first over. With Khan weaving his magic, Powell’s dismissal triggered a slide where four wickets perished for 32 runs to leave the Windies wobbling at 72 for four in the 18th over. The left-handed Lewis faced 36 balls and struck five fours but was Khan’s second victim, lbw on the back foot to a googly which beat his uncertain prod at 55 for two. Left-hander Jonathan Carter lasted eight balls for his two before edging an illjudged cut behind off Naib and Jason Mohammed slapped an innocuous ball from the

same bowler a couple of overs later to Samiullah Shenwari at point, to also fall for two. But the stylish Hope, unflustered in his approach,

deep off Nabi as he again swung for the fences. By that time, however, West Indies were within touching distance of victory

Shai Hope

anchored two small partnerships to stem the flow of wickets – putting on 26 for the fifth with Roston Chase (8) before adding a further 25 with Rovman Powell (17). Hope consumed 77 deliveries and counted three fours and ended just short of a well-deserved second ODI half-century. Chase, dismissed first ball on debut to Khan last Friday, found himself once against the mercy of the same bowler – drawn from the crease and smartly stumped at 98 for five in the 25th over. Powell, meanwhile, belted two lusty boundaries before perishing to a catch in the

and Holder hastened the end with 11 not out from 10 balls. The Afghans had earlier

watched their top order wiped out as they slumped badly in the face of lively pace bowling from the Windies. Holder knocked over Noor Ali Zadran for eight at 21 for one in the eighth over and Javed Ahmadi was run out for nine in the same over with three runs added, in an awful mixup with Rahmat Shah (1). Rahmat and Samiullah Shenwari (2) perished in successive overs from Gabriel and wickets continued to tumble until Naib arrived to thump two fours and two sixes in a 73-ball innings. He put on 30 for the seventh wicket with wicketkeeper Afsar Zazai (9) and 31 for the ninth with tailender Dawlat Zadran (9). The decisive third ODI is set for Wednesday at the same venue.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Monday June 12, 2017) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to Friday’s quiz: (1) Marlon Samuels-35 (2) Sunil Narine-3/11 (4 overs) Today’s Quiz: (1) Who was voted Man of the Match at the end of the recent first ODI between the WI & Afghanistan? (2) Which two teams from Group A have made it to the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017? ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 12, 2017

Green Machine aiming to exact revenge in Mexico By Rawle Toney

Guyana’s Vallon Adams powering his way against Trinidad and Tobago in the RAN South Zone Finals (Delano Williams Photo)

Qatar World Cup not under threat-FIFA president (REUTERS)-FIFA president Gianni Infantino does not believe that the diplomatic crisis which has mbroiled 2022 World Cup host nation Qatar will threaten its staging of the tournament, he said on Sunday.

five-and-a-half years’ time. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain cut links with Qatar last Monday, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism. Qatar says the allegations are based on lies. Asked if he believed that FIFA President Gianni Infantino

The global soccer body also confirmed that it had replaced a Qatari refereeing team who were due to officiate at a World Cup qualifying match involving the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday. In an interview published in Swiss newspapers Le Matin Dimanche and Sonntagszeitung, Infantino said he expected the diplomatic situation to be back to normal by the time the tournament is played in

Qatar’s hosting was in danger, Infantino replied: “No. In any case, I am not in the habit of speculating and I’m not going to this time either.” Infantino said that FIFA was watching the situation and was in regular contact with the Qatari authorities. “The essential role of FIFA, as I understand it, is to deal with football and not to interfere in geopolitics,” he said.

“We are indeed facing a diplomatic crisis. “But on the other hand, I am confident that the region will return to a normalised situation. The World Cup is in 2022. In five years. “Obviously, if football can make a small contribution, in any way, to an improvement, I will not hesitate to offer my help.” FIFA confirmed in an emailed statement to Reuters that the UAE’s match away to Thailand on Tuesday would no longer be refereed by Qatari officials. “We can confirm that FIFA has replaced the match officials originally appointed for the... game,” it said. “The decision has been taken for sporting reasons and in view of the current geopolitical situation.” FIFA added that it had changed the officials of its own accord and denied it had responded to a UAE request. The UAE federation said on Twitter that the match referee would now be Muhammad Taqi from Singapore.

THE last time the two sides met, Mexico crushed Guyana 32 – 3.However, this time around the ‘Green Machine’ will be ready to exact revenge when they meet on July 1 in Mexico City. Mexico and Guyana are holders of Rugby Americas North’s (RAN) 15s North and South Zone titles respectively, and as such, will collide for the overall title for the second time in as many years. Guyana on Saturday last scored an impressive 24 – 17 win over Trinidad and Tobago in a match in which the Guyanese demonstrated their well-rounded game of

Rugby that made them the best playing nation in the region. “We’re going to take a week off and then head back into preparation mode” said the team’s Head Coach, Kenneth Grant-Stuart. Grant-Stuart highlighted the usual plight of the team – financial support – and stated that in order for them to properly prepare and be at a competitive level, they will need “lots of money.” “We need assistance for this team to ready” the ‘Green Machine’ Coach said, while adding “we want this team to be ready because in Mexico it’s going to be tough.” Meanwhile, Captain Ryan Gonsalves while lauding his team’s performance

against Trinidad and Tobago, pointed out that they will have to be more than ready for the Mexicans this time around or else a similar fate as the last time awaits them. Gonsalves said his side’s fitness is not 100% and “Mexico is high altitude and we need to do a lot of endurance; as much as we can or else we will suffer just as we did last year. So after this week’s break, we will come together again and put things in place for Mexico.” T h e l a t e s t Wo r l d Ranking shows Mexico at 50; four places above Guyana, but for the Green Machine players, a victory in Mexico will be retribution.

Jada Mohan inspires Marian Academy to perfect record ...YBG National School Basketball Festival

Ms. Smooth! Jada Mohan scores a ‘floater’ against The Bishops’ High School during the National Schools Basketball Festival.

REGARDED as the best female ‘baller’ in Guyana, Jada Mohan continues to impress as she led Marian Academy to a perfect record at the conclusion of the Round-Robin stage of this year’s Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG) National Schools Basketball Festival. Playing at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Mohan, who is the leading scorer in the tournament, finished with 11 in her team’s 26 – 8 win over The Bishops’ High School. Mohan also had five rebounds and five steals in another sensational performance. Kelian Sauers (six points) along with Jahrier

Young who had three points and nine rebounds, were the other contributors for Marian Academy. Demelza Nicholas scored three points and pulled in seven rebounds and along with Kesann Charles (four points, five rebounds) were the main contributors for Bishops’ High in a losing effort. President’s College Girls had another strong showing, as they dominated St Joseph High School 41 – 2. Saffiya Green had a monster game, scoring a game high 21 points and hauling in 13 rebounds. Her teammate Roshelle Campbell scored seven points and Analisa Barclay had five points and

five boards. Shantel White scored the only two points for St Joseph. Meanwhile, in the boy’s edition of the tournament, Adult Education upset Bishops’ High School 36 – 18, behind David Douglas’ 12 points and five rebounds. He was supported by Terrence Adau (10) and Graig Harlequin (seven points, seven rebounds). Royden Glasgow had five points and five rebounds in the loss for Bishops’ High School. The National Schools Basketball Festival is sponsored by Edward B. Beharry Group of Companies Ltd and the National Sports Commission.

Bolt finishes Jamaican send-off in style Usain Bolt salutes the crowd as he crosses the finish line of his final race in his home country on Saturday night. (Photo: AFP)

THE flash time said 9.65 but the 10.03 seconds with which Usain Bolt sauntered to a 100 metre victory in his final race in Kingston, Jamaica more in line with the nature of the race. Bolt eased out of the blocks, and strided past Nickel Ashmeade, Daniel Bailey and Jevaughn Minzie, and as is usual, there was no doubt after that. Minzie finished second in 10.15 and Ashmeade was third in 10.18.

Ramon Gittens of Barbados was fourth in 10.24, the same as Antigua and Barbuda’s Daniel Bailey. St Kitts and Nevis’ jason Rodgers was sixth in 10.29 and Terrel Cotton was seventh in 10.31. After the race, there was a victory lap, an interview, and an award for the win. In that interview, Bolt spoke of how much he appreciated the support he had gotten over the last decade of his career.

Proving that support, nobody left the National Stadium in Kingston after the race and Bolt’s victory lap was to a full house, just as was the case when he did an interview and again, when he climbed into the stands to greet family and friends. As for the race, Bolt said there were many things wrong with it but that he knew it would have been ragged and that there would be improvements before the World Championships.

Digicel Schools Football Championship kicks off today

Essequibo Islands Secondary and Parika/Salem Secondary to collide in opener See

Page 18

Players display the new uniforms that will be worn in this year’s Digicel Schools Football Championship (Adrian Narine Photo)

Windies hit back to level ODI series with four-wicket win See

Page 22

England win U20 FIFA World Cup for biggest international title since 1966

England U20s celebrate their first FIFA world title at any level since 1966. (See story on page 20)

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MONDAY, JUNE 12, 2017