Guyana Chronicle E-paper 12-10-2019

TUESDAY 10th December, 2019

' No.105847

Appeal hearing set for Monday …in challenge to non-removal of overseas residents on voters' list

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GLSC sacks three employees over corrupt practices

SEE STORY ON PAGE 03

Crab catchers recount harrowing ordeal …walked some 36 miles before being rescued

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Coalition slams mischievous DemWaves story

…dismisses claims of US expert on PPP's likely win SEE STORY ON PAGE 02

Downtown Georgetown was busy on Monday as Guyanese begin shopping for the upcoming Christmas holidays (Delano Williams photo) (See story on page 12)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Coalition slams mischievous DemWaves story …dismisses views of US expert on PPP’s likely win

THE APNU+AFC Coalition, Monday night, slammed what it described as a mischievous Demerara Waves report under the headline “PPP ‘likely' to win next elections but tighter anti-corruption efforts needed – US expert”.

The article quotes one Robert Ellis who is styled as a United States State Department ‘advisor'. “We wish to advise that the report from which Demerara Waves cherry picked just a few words is in fact 24 pages and 9,995 words long,” the coalition said in a statement Monday evening.

“We also wish to advise the Guyanese public that Mr. Ellis is a ‘known asset’ of a certain lobbying firm in Washington DC, USA. This firm has known connections to the PPP. The Guyanese public is aware that this very firm is being paid tens of millions of dollars by the PPP and is tasked with whitewashing that party's tainted and tattered image,” the coalition noted.

According to the coalition the use of a few select words, taken completely out of context, smacks of desperation by the PPP and its agents. “Theirs is an attempt to dupe the Guyanese public into believing that the PPP stands any chance of returning to government. It also illustrates that the PPP

is attempting to distract from their beleaguered presidential candidate, dishonest Irfan Ali, and their recent disastrous manifesto launch.”

According to the coalition it is interesting to note as well that the so-called "expert" admitted that the PPP regime has a legacy of corruption, victimization,

APNU+AFC Coalition Government which has initiated a nationwide development overdrive,” the coalition statement read.

The coalition said on the other hand, not only is the PPP trapped in its image of being obscenely and grotesquely corrupt but several of its leaders are either facing

Latin American Studies Research Professor of the US Army War College, Dr. Evan Ellis (CONFIDENCIAL photo)

nepotism and narcotocracy.

“That is the PPP’s real and true image and that is in their DNA. The PPP is not to be trusted, it is not reformed and it is the same old cabal with the same kleptocracy agenda.

No high-priced Washington lobbying firm with a bucket of whitewash can mask that from the Guyanese people who are very familiar with the unending list of development work being done by the

court trials or being investigated for criminal conduct NON-PEER REVIEW Meanwhile, Ellis has provided no statistic or hard data to support his claim and the statement was found to be personal sentiments of the author. The sentiments were made in a publication titled “Security Challenges in Guyana and the Government Response” compiled Just some of the parts of the publication where Dr. Ellis cited his own work or himself.

by Latin American Studies Research Professor of the US Army War College, Dr. Evan Ellis. However, news of its existence and contents broke on the DemeraraWaves website which also acknowledged that Dr. Ellis “did not give any reason for his conclusion”.

According to his bio, Dr. Ellis’ studies focused on Latin America’s relations with China and other non-Western Hemisphere actors and he has presented an array of his work in a wide range of commercial and government forums in 25 countries. Several of the academic’s references in the journal came from his own interviews, local media outlets, overseas outlets and at times, his own publications and himself, cited as “Ellis, 2019” or “Ellis, 2013”.

His comment on the “likely return of the PPP to power” was cited at the end of the journal as “Ellis, 2019”. At the point of his remarks, Dr. Ellis was re-

fencing to the likeliness of major projects to be awarded to Chinese and funded by revenues from oil under the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP). He had earlier highlighted that under the PPP Administrations of Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar, a number of China-related projects were questionably awarded.

These he listed as the abandoned US$800M Amaila Falls hydroelectric project; the renovation of Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA); the acquisition of the Omai bauxite mine by the Chinese firm Bosai; construction of the Skeldon sugar factory; the construction of electricity transmission infrastructure by the Chinese firm China National Electronics Import & Export Corporation (CEIEC); telecommunications cables and other projects by the Chinese firm Huawei; an education program supplying Chinese Haier-built laptop computers to impoverished

Guyanese families; logging concessions awarded to the Chinese firm Bai Shan Lin; the construction of a new Marriott Hotel by Shanghai Construction Group and more.

Dr. Ellis said that the growing presence of the Chinese in commercial projects and security sector activities creates “strategic concerns for the US” and that while the PPP has expressed an interest to work closely with the US and Western investors, “such projects are likely to give the Chinese particular weight in the economic and political dynamics of the country in a future PPP government”. In subsequent recommendations, he stated: “Under the APNU-AFC government of David Granger, the nation was making meaningful, if slow progress in combatting corruption and reforming its institutions.

While the PPP governments which preceded TURN TO PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Appeal hearing set for Monday

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…in challenge to non-removal of overseas residents on voters’ list

THE Court of Appeal, next Monday, will commence hearing into the challenge against the High Court’s decision to block the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) from removing persons from the National Register of Registrant (NRR) Database.

The appeal was brought before the Appellate Court, last August, by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, who, in his application, argued that the Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire erred when she ruled that it would be unconstitutional to remove persons from the National Register of Registrants if they failed to register, during Houseto-House Registration. The case came up on Monday, December 9, 2019 and will be heard on December 16, 2016 before the Chancellor of the Judiciary, Yonette Cummings-Edwards, and Justices of Appeal Dawn Gregory and Rishi Persaud.

The respondents in the case are: Christopher Ram, Chief Elections Officer, Commissioner of National Registration and Guyana Elections Commission. The Attorney General is being represented by the Solicitor General Nigel Hawke and Attorneys-at-Law Mayo Robertson and Maxwell Edwards

while Ram is being represented by Attorneys-at-Law Anil Nandlall and Kamal Ramkarran. The Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield is being represented by Roysdale Forde.

The acting Chief Justice, while validating the House-to-House Registration exercise, which was embarked upon by the Elections Commission, ruled that it would be unlawful or unconstitutional to remove the names of persons who are already on the List of Registrants and who were not registered during the exercise with a consequence of non-inclusion in the list of electors. George-Wiltshire had explained that persons could only be removed from the list if they are deceased or disqualified pursuant to Article 159. In her judgment, Justice George-Wiltshire also ruled that residency, in the case of Guyanese, was not a requirement under the laws but the Attorney-General, in his application, contended that the Chief Justice again erred. “The learned Trial Judge erred and was misconceived in law in finding that there is no law or laws in Guyana which set out additional requirements, more particularly, residence for purposes of Article 159 (2) ( c ) of the Constitution by failing to properly address

Attorney General, Basil Williams

her mind to sections 6 of the National Registration Act, Chapter 19:08 Laws of Guyana. The learned Trial Judge erred, and was misconceived in law, in failing to properly construe section 6 of the National Registration Act, Chapter 19:08 Laws of Guyana, in order to find that residency is a requirement of the Act for purposes of Registration, during the period of the ‘ qualifying date,’” the Attorney-General contended.

He, therefore, suggested to the appellate court that it would not be unconstitutional to remove persons from the list who had previously been on the list but was not registered during the Houseto-House Registration period because of non-residency in Guyana.

Further to that, the Attorney-General contended that the learned trial Judge breached the separation of powers doctrine, arguing that

the Parliament clearly provided, in section 6 of the National Registration Act, Chapter 19:08 Laws of Guyana, for residency during House-toHouse Registration. “The learned trial Judge erred and was misconceived in law where, from the evidence, nothing established that there was a breach of the provisions of the Constitution, the National Registration Act or any other law but the evidence was consistent with the fact that GECOM acted in accordance with Article 159 (2) ( c ) 159 ( 5) and 162 of the Constitution of Guyana; the learned trial Judge erred and was misconceived in law when she breached the separation of powers doctrine by purporting to issue instructions to GECOM, a Constitutional independent actor to not remove persons who are presently registered from the current National Register of Registrants (NRR) but who are not registered under new House-to-House Registration from the current National Register of Registrants (NRR),” the Attorney-General submitted to the Court.

On those bases, Minister Williams further submitted to the Court of Appeal that Chief Justice George-Wiltshire misdirected herself in law by failing to assess and address the importance and relevance of the provisions

of the National Registration (Amendment) Act in the process of compiling a new National Register of Registrants.

It is his belief that contrary to the ruling of the High Court, the provisions of the National Registration Act (NRA) and the Elections Laws (Amendment) Act ought not to be read together in the creation of a new National Register of Registrants. According to him, the Elections Laws Amendment Act applies to an existing Register and not the creation of a new National Register of Registrants under the National Registration Act Chapter 19:08.

“The learned trial Judge erred and misdirected herself in law when it was not proper for her to rule on the issue of persons being removed from the list because it was not an order specifically claimed or sought by the Applicant; and the learned trial Judge erred in law and/or misdirected herself on the evidence as a whole,” the Attorney-General said as he summed up his arguments in the notice of appeal. He is, therefore, asking the court to set aside or reverse the judgement of the Learned Trial Judge based on the grounds laid out.

GLSC sacks three employees over corrupt practices

THREE employees of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) were fired during the course of 2019 because they were found to be engaged in corrupt practices.

Corrupt practices among employees of the Commission were discovered in the past, but the GLSC had taken measures to reduce and even eradicate corruption, measures which saw the three employees being fired this year.

Head of GLSC’s Human Resource and Administration Division, Shonda James-Williams said the Commission has zero tolerance for corruption, and had to take necessary steps to ensure that the “zero tolerance policy” was embedded in the system.

“Three employees were terminated for corruption; we found that staff would have entered into private agreements with clients,”

said James-Williams during a press briefing at the GLSC’s head office on Monday.

The human resources manager added that the former employees had issued receipts and collected money in exchange for land. An employee was also fired for inflating bills and taking money to do surveys. All of these transactions were done privately, James-Williams said.

Most of the cases surfaced after the clients, who were promised land, did not receive those lands in a timely manner, so they visited the Commission’s office to enquire about their “application”.

Other cases of fraud were discovered through financial audits, which were conducted throughout the year. “When those cases came to us, as a Commission, we acted in relation to our zero tolerance policy,” James-Williams said, adding: “We had to terminate

GLSC Commissioner Trevor Benn

the staff because it is an act of dishonesty. You see, we can’t stop corruption, but we deal with it as soon as we find it.”

When asked if clients who were defrauded received compensation, James-Williams said they were reimbursed in some cases. The human resources manager said the police was not called in, because the clients declined to pursue the matter at that level.

Although just the employees of the Commission were

GLSC Head of Human Resource and Administration Division, Shonda James-Williams

penalised, the Commissioner, Trevor Benn, believes that clients need to desist from privately engaging staff of the Commission, and offering to pay them to fast-track an application and so forth.

“Persons should not be paying staff members for any service; they should not even be speaking to them directly about any payment,” Benn said, adding that the GLSC

has been implementing systems to ensure that there is adequate and efficient checks and balances.

As part of their efforts to improve monitoring, the Commission had moved to digitise its systems, so that there would be more transparency and efficiency. Back in June, the GLSC had made a formal report to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for an investigation to be launched into the leakage of unauthorised maps to Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo.

Jagdeo had used the maps to make reference to persons to whom land were allocated.

“There was evidence of the Commission’s property being on display at a press conference without any record in the Commission to show payments were made for those properties… This is clear evidence that our staff has been corrupted,” Benn had said.

He had issued a call to the police to enquire how the documents got into the hands of Jagdeo, since there was no evidence that the documents were paid for at the GLSC. He said it is against the commission’s Human Resources (HR) policy for staff of the commission to divulge personal information of clients. The commission has a system in place, which allows persons to access or have copies of documents if they visit the GLSC. “No requests were made, I am not aware and none of my officers can attest to any request being made to us,” Benn lamented.

When asked if the GPF updated the commission on that matter, Benn said they have not received any further information from the police.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Defence team furious as Bisram matter adjourned

… due to absence of Special Prosecutor THE defense team of Marcus Bisram is furious following the absence of Magistrate Alex Moore and Special Prosecutor Stacy Gooding at court yesterday, in the matter of Marcus Bisram who was recently extradited from the United States to face the charge of murder of Berbice carpenter Faiyaz Narinedatt.

Magistrate Moore called in sick and the matter was heard at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s court before Magistrate Peter Hugh, in-

stead of Springlands Magistrates’ Court, as scheduled.

The absence of the duo, especially the prosecutor, meant there was no disclosure

instructed by Magistrate Alex Moore last week. However, due to the absence of the Special Prosecutor, that was not available.

Prosecutor Rudolph Poliah, who stood up on behalf of the state, was instructed

Attorney at Law Sanje

of evidence for the paper committal nor a site visit as was originally scheduled.

The matter was adjourned and will be heard next Monday.

When the matter was called in the morning session, Attorney at Law Sanjeev Datadin, on behalf of the defence, requested the full disclosure of evidence as was

Marcus Bisram

by Magistrate Hugh to make contact with Gooding and provide an update. However, when the matter was called again in the afternoon session, the Police Prosecutor disclosed that he was unable

10 December, 201904:00hrs ~ 05:30hrs

Wednesday December 4, 2019

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to reach Gooding via phone and could not say what was the status of the disclosure, noting that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had initially wanted the matter to be adjourned until January 2020.

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That, immediately, sent Datadin into a frenzy, as he accused the DPP of deliberately trying to delay the case against his client.

Speaking with reporters after the matter was adjourned, Datadin posited that the DPP does not have a solid case against his client and was using various methods to stall, hoping to build a case.

That, he noted, was against a ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice earlier this year that, given the special circumstances of the matter, it should be heard without

delay and at the earliest opportunity.

In light of Magistrate Moore’s absence, Bisram, who is being held at the Camp Street Prison, was not taken to Berbice. However his relatives showed up at the court after the proceedings had ended.

Narinedatt’s body was found around 03:30hrs on Tuesday, November 1, 2016, on the Number 70 Public Road, East Corentyne, Berbice. His death was initially reported as a suspected hit-and-run accident. It was later reported that Bisram had made sexual advances on Narinedatt, advances that the latter had not taken too kindly to.

Bisram became a Person of Interest to the police after they began investigating the death of the carpenter.

He was accused of ordering the fatal beating of Narinedatt, a young father of two. Bisram was charged on November 21, 2019, and remanded to prison, while five others: Orlando Dickie, Radesh Motie, Diodath Datt, Harri Paul Parsram, and Niran Yacoob have also been committed to stand trial for the murder.

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December 6 2019

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Norton Street man accused of drug trafficking granted bail

CHIEF Magistrate Ann McLennan, on Monday December 9, 2019, released a 30-year-old vendor on $170,000 bail for trafficking drugs.

Collis Burrowes of Norton Street, Georgetown, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded not guilty to two charges, when they were read to him.

Particulars of the first charge stated that, on December 6, 2019, at Gold-

en Gloves Speed Boat Service, he had, in his possession, 254 grams of Cristal Meth for the purpose of trafficking.

The second charge stated that, on the same day, and at the same place, he had 56 ecstasy pills, for the purpose of trafficking.

Attorney-at-law, Adrian Thompson, who represented Burrowes in the matter, asked the court for his client to be released on reasonable bail.

According to information, Burrowes had just come back from Suriname and was on the boat at the time.

Magistrate McLennan granted Burrowes $150,000 bail on the 254 grams of Crystal Meth and $20,000 bail on the 56 pills.

The matter was adjourned until January 14, 2020, and transferred to the Springlands Magistrate’s Court.

Dozens flock motorcycle auction at Ruimveldt Police Station

DOZENS of persons, on Monday, flocked the Ruimveldt Police Station, as unclaimed motorcycles were sold via a public auction.

The Ministry of Public Security had announced, in a notice published in the media, that the sale was being facilitated by the Ministry of Public Security.

The advertisement indicated that items sold must be paid for, in full, before the close of business on the day of sale.

Motorcycles will be sold along with three percent auction dues; items sold were to be removed by the purchaser within seven days after which a storage charge of two percent of the sale price would be levied each passing day; and items sold that are not removed within one month

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Man found guilty of robbery and rape to be sentenced December 18 A 25-year-old man, on Monday, December 09, 2019, confessed, before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall at the Georgetown High Court, to a robbery and rape charge, committed nine years ago on a woman.

Travis Evans, of ‘C’ Field, Sophia, Georgetown, admitted to the two charges which read that, on October 30, 2010, in the county of Demerara, while being armed with a knife, he robbed a woman of $650,500 and also engaged in sexual penetration with her.

The convict was charged jointly with John Sampson and Alex Williams, for whom arrest warrants have been issued.

Evans will return for sentencing on December 18, 2019, following a probation report.

Evans is already on remand for two counts of murder and was one of three prisoners who escaped from the Lusignan Prison on October 15, 2018.

He was recaptured days after.

Travis Evans.

The particulars of the first charge stated that, between July 31 & August 2, 2018, at Kuru Kururu Linden Highway, East Bank Demerara (EBD), he murdered Gregory Wayne Frank in the company of others during the course of a robbery.

According to reports, Frank, 46, a legal clerk of Lot 686 Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, was found dead in a pool of blood in his home on August and it was

suspected that he might have been killed during a burglary.

An autopsy revealed that Frank died from asphyxiation due to a compression injury to the neck, compounded by blunt trauma to the head. The police had said Frank’s body, “with a swollen forehead,” was discovered around 04:30 hours in the living room of his house.

The statement had noted that the rear door to Frank’s house was found ajar and the entire house was ransacked.

Valuables were also reported missing from the house.

On August 20, 2018, Evans was also charged with the murder of his friend and he appeared before Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court, It was alleged that Evans, on August 2, 2018, at ‘C’ Field, Sophia, shot and killed 21-year-old Ronsley Clarke of Fire Station Road, Timehri, during an argument.

Motorcyclist killed in Ituni Trail died of multiple injuries – Autopsy Persons outside the Ruimveldt Police Station awaiting an opportunity to purchase via the auction.

of the sale would be disposed of.

According to the Station Sergeant, Julian Griffith, the 26 motorcycles have been in the station compound for over one year.

He added that they have become somewhat of a “strain” on the station compound. Griffith was at the time alluding to the fact that the stacked- up motorcycles

contribute to a “poor” station environment and compound.

He continued, “Some of these owners don’t want to pay the transportation fees needed to uplift their motorcycle. They complain about how expensive it is, so they rather just leave it behind.”

The motorcycle prices were set by the Public Security Ministry based on the condition of the motorcycles.

FORTY-SEVEN-year-old Godfrey Willis of Goat Farm, Ituni, whose motorcycle collided with a car, on Saturday last, died as a result of multiple injuries, an autopsy done Monday confirmed.

Based on reports received, at about 19:00 hours, a mechanic of Kwakwani Park, Berbice River, Upper Demerara, was driving his motorcar (PPP 651) proceeding East on the Northern side of the Ituni Trail while Willis was riding motorcycle CG 8386 in the opposite direction.

However, Willis’ motor-

cycle, which did not have its headlamps on at the time, slammed into the front side of the car, and, as a result, the motorcyclist fell onto the road where he received several injuries about his body.

He was taken to the Ituni Health Centre but was pronounced dead on arrival by the doctor on duty.

The motorcycle Willis was riding when he crashed According to the police, both of the vehicles involved Willis is the third person in the fatal accident were lodged at the Ituni Police Sta- and second motorcyclist to tion, and the driver of the car lose his life on the roadways was assisting with the inves- of Guyana for the month of tigation.

December.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Youth Standing Up for Human Rights GUYANA today joins the rest of the world in observance of Human Rights Day under the theme: ‘Youth Standing Up for Human Rights’. The United Nations, in explaining the theme, said after a year marked by the 30th Anniversary celebrations of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which culminated on 20 November, 2019, their plan is to capitalise on the current momentum, and spotlight the leadership role of youth in collective movements as a source of inspiration for a better future. It said the aim is to celebrate the potential of youth as constructive agents of change, amplify their voices, and engage a broad range of global audiences in the promotion and protection of rights.

According to the UN, youth can play a crucial role in

positive change. Young people have always been major drivers of political, economic and social transformation.

They are at the forefront of grassroots mobilisations for positive change, and bring fresh ideas and solutions for a better world. Empowering youth to better know and claim their rights will generate benefits globally. Young people are often marginalized, and encounter difficulties in accessing and enjoying their rights because of their age. Upholding their rights, and empowering them to better know and claim them will generate benefits globally.

Here in Guyana, we pride ourselves on our plurality.

Our history, our Constitution, our culture could not reflect greater plurality for a people of less than a million, at the risk of falling into the sea so closely do we cling to the coast. In a plural society, we

accept and celebrate diversity, rule by majority, and protect minorities. To do so, we default to the ‘commons’: Common principles, commonsense, a common conscience, common concerns and common courtesies. Human rights are arguably the most common principles of a plural society.

In the face of different, often divergent, sometimes opposing views on everything that matters and much that does not, human rights principles ground us. They remind us of the most fundamental ‘common’: Our humanity. Scientists tell us that genetically, human beings are somewhere between 99.0% and 99.9% identical.

This scientific assertion is no surprise to anyone who has spent some time with a ‘stranger’. How quickly we discover that we have the same hopes and dreams, the

same fears and frustrations.

We basically are born, grow up, grow old and die, and along the way we take the same materials and create myriad recipes and styles and melodies. Unfortunately, we also make war to make peace, often because we are not content to dream our own dreams, but wish to dictate to others. And while we revel in the variety of flowers, attempt to protect ‘our’ bio-diversity, and cherish tourism as a pasttime and a source of income, we are scared, if not resentful, of the ‘other’. The result of such fears and resentments is the violation of the very rights each of us holds so dear, and the ensuing quotidian deprivations, discrimination and discord which we seem to have accepted as a matter of course.

The idea and ideal of our collective pursuit of human rights challenge our civil,

political, economic and social status quo. Pursuit of human rights suggests and asserts that as a human race, we can and must do ‘better’. That our fear and resentment of other ways of being are not merely irrational, but harmful to ourselves in the long-run, and that finding mutually tenable ways of expressing and addressing such fear and resentment, even transforming these into acceptance and respect, is likely to yield individual and collective benefits far beyond what we currently enjoy. Acceptance and respect for the ‘other’ must never, however, be misconstrued as an invitation to ‘say what I want, do as I please’.

The three fundamentals of any viable plural society: The rule of law, peace and security, and decent work are born of and engender respect for human rights.

So, what are human rights?

Simply put, they are civil, political, economic, social, cultural and group entitlements each of us holds because we are human, regardless of geography or demographic markers. Because these rights are indivisible and interdependent, their realisation is interrelated. But perhaps the most fascinating and enduring attribute of human rights is that at one and the same time, each of us is always both a rights-holder and a duty-bearer. For states are made up of people, and government, in viable states, are for, by and of the people. In the pursuit of my rights, therefore, I must respect the rights of the ‘other’.

Are rights diminishing for the next generation?

Dear Editor,

INTERNATIONAL Human Rights Day 2019 finds the world with little new to acclaim in terms of progressive enjoyment of rights when viewed as a whole.

The climate crisis engulfing the globe is a manifestation of human mismanagement and short-sightedness over the past 30 years, which threatens to reverse human rights progress achieved by successive generations.

The world today enjoys what it enjoys because outstanding people in the generations that preceded us, through their common actions, made rights real, often at a high personal price. Most of these achievements we take so much for granted as to barely acknowledge them.

Universal suffrage; everyone being allowed to vote, for example, which displaced property ownership as the basis for choosing governments, is taken for granted.

Likewise, compulsory ed-

ucation for everyone was equally unthinkable, but is now commonplace. Similarly, obligations of humane treatment for prisoners or defeated opponents in war is universally accepted, in principle if not in practice; struggles to affirm workers’ rights require a chapter of their own.

Those of our generation lucky enough to enjoy this inheritance rarely see ourselves as beneficiaries of past struggles. We overlook the fact that our human rights were achieved by the battles of others. The universality of these values is a precious inheritance which is not yet complete.

As the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) recognises International Human Rights Day 2019 with its focus on youth, what the current generation has added to inherited rights to be passed on to the coming generation is an appropriate subject for reflection. Probably the most impactful contribution

has been the recognition that there are a multiplicity of ways of being human.

Eradicating institutionalised stigma and discrimination against indigenous peoples and people with disabilities, after centuries of prejudice and of being patronised or pitied, is a matter only of recent decades. Recognizing that rights of women and the girl child are more than simply an extension of what were for centuries ‘the rights of man’, remains the most pervasive human rights challenge. But patriarchy is finally under threat from all angles. The rights of LGBT peoples remains a work in progress, serving as the current litmus test of what constitutes civilised societies.

Around the world, worship of wealth has labour rights in full retreat.

While we can take some satisfaction from these developments, the past three decades in particular has witnessed significant retrogression in areas previ-

ously considered secure.

Acceptance of unrestricted accumulation of wealth has been the single most lethal influence in undermining the enjoyments of rights.

Distortion of national elections by social media giants manipulating information in personal accounts along with billionaires buying elections is carrying us back to the age of property owners choosing governments.

Economic strategies that sharpen exclusion and inequality are prompting massive migrations and refugees be it in Syria, Central America or the African sub-continent. Overshadowing all else from the perspective of the younger generation is the ever more ominous threats generated by the climate crisis. The continued resistance of the older generation to the reality of this threat has prompted a new phenomenon of young people around the world taking issues into their own hands. A wise response would be for the older

generation to support rather than resist this phenomenon, avoiding alienation of a generation whose future it has blighted by catastrophic complacency.

Failure to ensure that the younger generation has a future to look forward to must constitute the most fundamental form of inter-generational betrayal. In light of this, an appropriate International Human Rights Day response by the older generation would be to acknowledge that younger generation is being forced to prematurely assume adult responsibilities. The corollary of this recognition would then be to provide the support and resources necessary in supporting their efforts to create the changes we need. Some of the specifics of what such a commitment entails were spelt out earlier this year by young people themselves in the following terms: We are calling on the Government of Guyana to take steps to prioritize cli-

mate justice by protecting not only human life but also promoting a world that respects all living beings. In keeping with this goal, we also call for the Government of Guyana to pay particular attention to the following specific priorities: Young people need to know the facts and be updated about the climate crisis in a language which everybody can understand.

Our education system is not preparing us for the world we will inherit. We need to be equipped for the kind of jobs required by the world we’re about to enter.

The Government must communicate to the general public, in a more direct and purposeful way, to bring our habits and lifestyles in line with climate constraint.

Regards, Executive Committee, Guyana Human Rights Association

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday, December 10, 2019

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Human Rights Day 2019: Youth Standing Up for Human Rights Dear Editor,

THE United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948, envisioning a world where “all members of the human family” enjoy “freedom, justice, and peace in the world.” These efforts are the responsibility of the State, but no government can do it on their own. This is a call for youth involvement in the pursuit of human rights. Young people represent the majority of most developing countries’ population, where we

are often directly exposed to the effects of climate change, conflict, exclusion or economic instability.

Moreover, in many parts of the world, it is still difficult for youth to garner a place in the decision-making processes. In Guyana, young people under the age of 35 make up at least 65% of the population.

Despite these challenges, every day, young people stand up for rights and against racism, xenophobia, hate speech, bullying, discrimination and other forms of human rights violations. We also take a lead role in many

areas, including advocating for climate action. On Human Rights Day, we recognise the leadership and courageous efforts of “Youth Standing Up for Human Rights” in light of this year’s theme. The aim is to celebrate the potential of youth as productive agents of change, magnify their voices, and involve a comprehensive range of global audiences in the protection and promotion of human rights. The contribution of our youth is invaluable.

Youth participation is essential to achieve sustainable development for all. Involvement in public life is an

essential principle of human rights. Young people are pursuing involvement in decisions that have a direct and indirect impact upon their lives and wellbeing. We need to be heard to inform current decision-making and realize sustainable development for all people.

Youth can play a crucial role in positive change. Young people are the key drivers of political, economic and social revolution. We are at the forefront of grassroots mobilization for positive change and bring modern ideas and solutions for a better world.

Empowering youth to better know and claim their rights will generate benefits globally. Regularly young persons are marginalized and because of our age. Safeguarding our human rights and empowering us to better know and claim them will generate benefits at country, regional and global levels.

On this Human Rights Day, let us commit as individuals and organizations to doing all that we can to guarantee that young people have safe and inclusive spaces and can contribute in all decisions that influence on our wellbeing and our communities’

development.

Regards, Sarah Bovell Human Rights Coordinator Guyana’s Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD Guyana) Kobe Smith President, Youth Advocacy Movement (YAM) Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA)

Show us how you will reopen the closed estates Dear Editor,

I DO believe that sugar industry, past and future, management will be a topical issue, and rightly so, in the upcoming election. It is for this reason that the PPP continues to argue, without articulating how, that they will reopen the failed closed sugar estates. The fact is that words are cheap, and what the electorate needs to hear is how the PPP will go about this without damaging the economy. On Monday, in the Stabroek News, I read a letter by one Sasenarine Singh. The letter is titled, “Reopening Rose Hall and Enmore Estates will restore value to the economy.”

First and foremost, the gentleman said he is a former banker and turnaround specialist who worked in the UK. It would be interesting to know what bank he was employed by?

If it was one of the banks that failed. Secondly, it would be useful for him to advise us if he knows of any bank in the UK which would finance an industry, similar to the sugar industry, which has been failing for decades? If the answer is in the affirmative, then I would be grateful if he can state the name of such bank(s)? Thirdly, from his experience of working in the banking industry in the UK, how many industries have been rescued by the Government?

From my recollection, the only time that the Government intervened in a failing industry was in 2007. Gordon Brown was PM when he intervened in the failing banks during the financial crisis. That was the only occasion I can recall. The reason postulated is that those banks were too big to fail. I should also add that these banks

were not given a blank cheque.

Strict conditions were attached to the bailout, since the Prime Minister rightfully argued that it is us taxpayers money.

Since 2007, many large companies have failed, and the Government refused to intervene. The most recent was Thomas Cook, which entered into liquidation in September 2019, where over 30,000 employees lost their jobs. Fourthly, Mr. Singh states that he is a turnaround specialist. I have not heard about this type of specialist before, but I guess it is self-explanatory. Anyway, I would be grateful for the gentleman to explain what being a turnaround specialist entails? If I’m correct, I would believe that a turnaround specialist is someone who can advise on steps that could be taken to change the directions and fortunes of a business. The closest analogy I can think of is a resuscitation officer who is specialised in bringing a patient back to life from the ‘dead’. Mind you, if that patient was dead for days and rigor mortis has stepped in, not even the world’s best resuscitation officer can bring that patient back to life. As a result, I am curious to get Mr. Singh’s ‘expert’ opinion, if he thinks both PPP and himself have missed the boat in turning the sugar industry around?

Also, what are the chances of successfully turning around the sugar industry out of its state of economic rigor mortis? Why was Mr. Singh silent all these years when the sugar industry was failing, but now has a voice at an imminent election when his party is championing, without reason, the reopening of the sugar industry?

Mr. Robert Badal, the Presidential Candidate of Change

Guyana, a chartered account and successful businessman, has said that the PPP’s argument that the sugar industry can be reopened is foolish. He argued that, assuming the PPP wins the election, then on Day One, they will need to clear the abandoned cane fields. He then argued that the soil will need to be prepared. He subsequently stated that the sugar cane will need to be planted. Finally, he said that the machinery, which were down for years, will have to be replaced or repaired. This whole process can take at least a year, during which time the reopened estates would not be making monies but will have to pay billions in overhead

costs and employees’ wages.

To me, an intelligent layman, this sounds rational. My question to the PPP and Mr. Singh is: Is Mr. Badal wrong? If he is wrong, can both Mr. Singh and the PPP outline their roadmap for reopening the sugar industry, which will not affect the economy? Mind you, Mr. Singh argued that the sugar industry can be re-opened on Day One, if the PPP wins the election. If Mr. Badal is right, and I strongly believe he is, then can the PPP and Mr. Singh please explain the economic rationale underpinning the reopening of estates which were failing for decades at a cost of billions in subsidies, to then spend bil-

lions of dollars to reopen them, only for them to continue to fail and lose billions. In effect, spending billions to lose billions. To me, that makes zero economic sense, and appears solely political. I must say that I am no financial expert or banker, but having had two mortgages and multiple loans in the UK, I can confidently state that banks are generally risk-averse. If they are so detailed in their assessments of someone who is applying for a loan or mortgage, which is infinitesimal compared to large companions, then I am reasonably confident that no bank would finance the sugar industry. Therefore, I would

expect any government to extend such care and diligence with the taxpayers’ monies. If banks are not prepared to invest our monies into economic cul-de-sacs, then why should the government? That’s my position. Until the PPP can articulate how they will successfully reopen those failed sugar estates and make them financially viable, then any utterance on their part should be seen as hot air that the world can do without when considering climate change.

Regards, Dr. Mark Devonish

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, December 10, 2019

M&CC to ‘switch things up’ by 2020 --after vendors complain about harassment from revenue collectors

By Tamica Garnett FOLLOWING complaints from Regent Street vendors about being harassed by City Constabulary Officers to pay inflated vending fees in light of the Christmas season, Deputy Mayor Alfred Mentore explained that City Hall is in the process of installing a system to abolish the collection of vending fees by revenue collectors at vending sites.

When the system becomes fully operational, all payments will be made at the City Hall offices.

“We’re almost nearing the point where the situation, where revenue people go and collect will be eliminated after this year. We’ve put systems in place where people will pay here, and all they will have is a revenue person who will go with a machine to scan their ticket. We’re trying to get in structured in our computer system,” Mentore explained.

Youman Bissessar, who says he has been vending at the same spot on Regent Street, between King and Wellington Streets, for over ten years said he was recently harassed by a revenue collector.

He said the harassment was intensified when “the road opened”.

To facilitate the increase in demand from consumers that goes with the Christmas season, the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) would customarily allow “seasonal vendors” to occupy available space along Regent Street during a specified period. This

activity typically begins from around December 15. However, this year, the MCC took the decision to begin the exercise

Market Vendors Union, Eon Andrews said he has been getting many complaints from the vendors these past few weeks.

goods like fruits, we would give an exemption to those persons because we understand the nature of their business,” Mentore explained.

Sixty-one-year-old Lorain Kirton said she was told by a M&CC officer that she could not put up a tent, and thought the situation impractical, given that the rainy season occurs in December.

“They said you gah use the umbrella, but then the umbrella don’t make no sense when the rain is falling, because we does get soak. When the big rain

said, adding: “The road does open, and the stores dem does trust yuh goods [give items on credit]. You have to secure the goods, so that you could mek a money and pay the people for their goods. If we don’t have nowhere to secure the goods, we can’t really take the goods.”

Susan Solomon, who’s 29, shared that she is also being affected by the no-tent situation.

She sells on Wellington Street.

“Before, they told me I could sell with a tent, because I’m not on Regent Street itself.

But now no tent. Where am I

61-year-old Lorain Kirton sitting at her stall at the corner of Regent and Wellington Streets

from November 20.

Bissessar said he recently had some of his goods taken away, a situation he believes came about because he refuses to pay the revenue collectors more than his regular fees.

“The constable come and carry away one of the bicycle,” he said, adding: “They did carrying more, but I hold on ‘pon one. They say they get order to carry it in the constabulary.

“We pay $2000 every week. When she come and say $2000, we pay she, but we have to give her something more, or she harass we. If two weeks we pay the $2000 and we ain’t give she nothing, she come and harass we more. Check my stand; I am not encumbering on the pave. What you realise is that there is a lot of corruption going on. Who could pay can get the best deals.”

President of the Guyana

“People are selling all year; they have no problems with them. Suddenly, at Christmas time, they’re appeasing these big stores because a lot of them also want to put things outside of stores. I don’t have a problem with that, but the Mayor has made it clear that stalls that have been here the entire year, leave them alone,” Andrews noted.

Another issue the vendors have is being told by City Constabulary Officers that they are not allowed to use tents. Deputy Mayor Mentore stressed that the vendors are allowed to use tents.

“We’ve addressed that issue. The decision on the use of tents is that they can use the 6x6 tents; that’s for the people who are there permanently. The people who are there temporary for the season, they use umbrellas. But those persons with

Youman Bissessar and his wife at his stall on Regent Street

come down, I get soak. When I get soak, at nights my knee and my hand does pain meh,” Kirton complained.

She has been selling for over 30 years at the same her spot, on the south-western corner of Regent and Wellington Streets, and has used her tent in the past without issue.

“Every year at Christmas time, they does allow us with the tent, but suddenly they ain’t want we use no tent,” she

going to get money to go and buy an umbrella for $8500?” she said.

Aside from the issue with the tent, she says she is also being harassed by the revenue collectors. She explained that she vends throughout the year, albeit intermittently.

“I don’t be around sometimes, because I does gah go out the country to look after my son, because he does trouble with his eyes. I came out since

Coalition slams mischievous ... it manifested relatively competent administration and a pro-business orientation, the accusations of corruption, and their level of cooperation with leftist populist regimes such as Venezuela, as well as the PRC, arguably caused discomfort in Washington.”

Nonetheless, the Guyana Chronicle fact checked some of additional information within the publication where he touched on longtime challenges of Guyana such as illegal mining, money laundering and drug and human trafficking. Dr. Ellis stated: “Guyana is both an exporter of marijuana to Brazil and a transit country for cocaine. Granger administration Finance Minister Winston Jordan has asserted (with strong objections from the opposition PPP) that a substantial amount of the country’s economy depends on the proceeds from narcotrafficking.”

However, the Guyana Chronicle’s research showed that Minster Jordan has not stated that the economy “depends” on the proceeds from narcotrafficking but rather that this is what kept it afloat under the PPP regime.

Minister of Citizenship and former Commissioner of Police, Winston Felix, said in 2019: “It was under their watch that contraband smuggling was prevalent, narco- trafficking and gun-running were common place, gun crimes were at an all-time high, drug death squads roamed the streets causing over 400 unsolved murders, human

trafficking was common place, crimes such as bribery, armed robberies, arson, inter personal violence, murder, piracy, rapes all increased under the PPP/C. The GPF was starved of the resources and training they badly needed.”

He noted that the National Anti-Narcotics Agency (NANA) was established by the coalition government to tackle drug trafficking. As a result, there has been an increase in narcotic seizures, with over 800kg of cocaine, 65,000kg of cannabis, 1,900kg of heroin seized in 2017 and 2018 while Guyanese authorities initiated 503 prosecutions and convicted 227 individuals for narcotics trafficking during the same period. He also credited intelligence gathering through CCTV cameras and the establishment and training of special police units.

Also, the government has been working with local and international agencies to ensure Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/ CFT) measures are put in place. “Guyana has shown strong political will to combat money laundering and has made progress on the AML front,” U.S Department of State established in its 2019 U.S International Narcotics Control Strategy Report Volume II: Money Laundering.

In his opening paragraphs, Dr. Ellis also referenced the attempt of a Venezuelan navy helicopter to land on a ship contracted

by ExxonMobil conducting seismic survey in December 2018. He said that Guyana’s current political crisis has the potential to “invite opportunistic challenges to Guyana’s sovereignty by neighbouring Venezuela and Suriname”.

However, thinking ahead to such threats is why President David Granger, Attorney General, Basil Williams and several other political heads of government had stressed the importance of the rightful interpretation of Guyana’s Constitution which, at no time, leaves room for the country to exist without a president or government. “My government has held to this position at all times – the country cannot be left without a government.

The country’s borders, natural resources, sovereignty and territorial integrity must be protected and its international obligations fulfilled. Citizens must be provided with public services at the central, regional and local levels to ensure their welfare,” President Granger reasoned on September 19, 2019 when the Opposition protested for the opposite.

Article 106 (7), of the Constitution states: “Notwithstanding its defeat, the government shall remain in office, and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall, by resolution supported by not less than twothirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine, and

in September, but one Monday, the girls them that does collect money saw me and tell me I have to pay $3500. I tell them I never pay that money before,” Solomon said.

According to Solomon, since going into City Hall to query the fee, she has been told by the revenue collectors that she will not be allowed to sell outside of the Christmas season, notwithstanding getting permission from the Acting Town Clerk, Sherry Gerrick, to be allowed to vend year-round.

“Me ain’t went in to complain for nobody; I went in to find out really how much money I have to pay. The Town Clerk told me when I’m not around, I can pay something so that they can know that I still want the spot. They still telling me when the road close I can’t sell anymore,” she complained.

Many more vendors are complaining about harassment from the revenue collectors.

However, Mentore is advising the affected vendors to make reports to the Council.

“If anyone comes to them let them come to me or the Mayor and we will be able to deal with those matters.

We would also speak to our administration, we have spoken to them but we will engage them again to let them understand to be a lot more reasonable and flexible with these people and be accommodating. It’s only for six weeks, work with them and let them work with us, that’s our position,” Mentore said.

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shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election.”

Dr. Ellis played heavily on the “prospect for violence” in Guyana based on the current “political crisis” and what he relayed as impending dissatisfaction of Guyanese following the outcome of the 2020 elections.

“Whatever the outcome, a significant number of Guyanese will be highly dissatisfied with the outcome and convinced that their interests can no longer be protected through traditional democratic mechanisms, raising the prospect for violence,” the scholar wrote.

However, the current “political crisis” in Guyana coupled with the coming elections have only resulted in several small parties emerging from various demographics to contest --- nothing strange to the elections season in Guyana. The country’s main political parties and their supporters have fixed their attention towards the campaign season while the government has long accepted and acts in interim status awaiting the swearing in of a new government come 2020. At the same time, the Venezuelan territorial claim, through the current government’s efforts, will be legally settled once and for all by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in March 2020.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Mottley questions relevance of ACP NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 9, CMC – The African Caribbean and Pacific Group (ACP) opened a two-day summit here on Monday with Barbados Prime Minister, Mia Mottley urging the 79-member grouping to reflect on its continued relevance in a changing global environment.

“I stand here colleagues, I ask the question: Does the ACP at this point of our destiny stand as a fast track to the future, or is it a relic of the past?” she told the opening ceremony of the summit being held under the theme “A Transformed ACP: Committed to Multilateralism”.

Apart from Mottley, Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness is the only other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leader attending the conference.

Mottley, speaking on behalf of the Caribbean, said that institutional arrangements are hard to change, and very often it takes “a crisis of legitimacy; a moment of illegitimacy” for this to happen. She pointed out that the Group of Seven (G7) largest International Monetary Fund (IMF) advanced economies became the G20 “not because of a planned democratic evolution in the affairs of global governance, but rather because the global financial crisis required a global response.

“It became immediately obvious that the G7 was totally inadequate to the task,” she said, suggesting that in the 21st Century, the old institutional configurations underlying the ACP-Europe Union relationship, “are irrelevant to the present and to the future. “Our rapid economic growth and the looming climate crisis demand a reorientation of the constel-

lation of our relations. The post-Cotonou negotiations have forced the issue, and the clear evidence of everything around us of a different reality in a world driven by a climate crisis puts this issue squarely before us. Today, the relationship that must matter equally to ACP states and to our future, is that among ourselves,” she said.

The ACP is negotiating a new arrangement with the European Union, its main development partner, as the existing accord ends next year. At the same time, the ACP will on March 1 welcome Angolan diplomat, Georges Rebelo Chikoti as its new secretary-general, replacing Guyana-born diplomat Patrick Gomes, who leaves office in February next year. Mottley said it is clear that the 45-year-old ACP must evolve from the cooperation contemplated initially in the Georgetown Agreement.

The contemplation back then was for the protection of the export of commodities from former colonies to Europe. Mottley said the ACP must now move to “a relationship among ourselves that sees ourselves not only dwelling, as my good friend the president of Ghana indicated, on the numbers that we have, but on the quality and scholarship of our thought and our commitment to take action.” The Summit is expected to endorse a revised Georgetown Agreement, named after Guyana’s capital, where it was inked, and Mottley said the updated accord “exhorts us to understand each other, or, as I said in the business summit yesterday (Sunday), not simply to know about each other, but to know each other.

“It requires of us to ad-

vocate for a multilateral system which contributes to our economic growth and sustainable development, and to strengthen our polit-

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley

ical identity as a coherent force to advance our organisation’s specific interests internationally.” She said that advancing the ACP’s global engagement as an international organisation represents “a platform of acceleration for our integration into the world economy of goods, services, culture and ideas. **“The digital revolution, which discards geography and the old routes to the metropole and back, is one of the critical devices to help us do so,” Mottley said, noting that in the Caribbean, it is easier for someone to fly from Barbados to London, than to the Bahamas, another Caribbean nation.

“And yesterday we learnt that it is easier to ship from Ghana to London, than from Ghana to Nigeria,” she said, adding that ACP countries must determine how they are going to order their affairs, and make the changes that are in their own deliberate self-interest. “Let us reconsider the limits of our

Man accused of robbery to spend Christmas in prison MAGISTRATE Sherdel Isaac-Marcus, on Monday, December 9, 2019, remanded a 29-year-old man to prison, on a robbery charge.

Orin Mitchell of Hunter Street Albouystown appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded not guilty to the charge, when it was read to him.

It is alleged that, on

December 1, 2019, at La Penitence, while being in the company of another, he robbed Ron Ramcharran of $ 43,000 cash.

Police Prosecutor Quinn Harris objected to bail being granted to Mitchell and told the court that, on the day in question, Ramcharran was walking when Mitchell and another approached him. Mitchell ‘viced’ him, placed an ob-

imagination, and allow new structures to naturally rise alongside the old, through our communion with each other. All are welcome in

ject at his back and relieved him of his cash and made good their escape.

Harris added that the matter was reported and an investigation was launched.

Mitchell was positively identified by Ramcharran and therefore arrested.

Magistrate Isaac-Marcus, after listening to the prosecutor, remanded Mitchell to prison, until December 30, 2019.

this new dispensation, but we must be prepared to shape it; to nurture it and to protect it.”

The Barbados Prime Minister said that by virtue of the revised Georgetown Agreement, the ACP can forge “an international organisation that is suited to us and our future. “We, the members of the ACP, must function on our own terms, not on the terms set by others,” Mottley said. “Now is the moment where we have a platform to be a common

regulatory space, to uphold common minimum standards of human rights, law, business and environmental standards; to be a space of easier mobility of ideas, culture, people, goods, services and capital. These are the main economic weapons of today; not the size and direction only of official assistance and aid.”

She said that the ACP cannot be a force for global good “unless we collectively own that change. “And we all know that lasting and sustainable change; resilient change, cannot be alien, cannot be imposed from outside, cannot reflect standards that we don’t own. Lasting change must come from within. “It must come from our own will to protect and nurture this organisation, because when the difference of opinions come and when the conflict come, as they naturally will, we must be able to have the commitment to do the distance with the recognition that we are always stronger together.”

Mottley urged her colleagues to reflect on the issues she had raised as they deliberate the agenda of the meeting, suggesting also that one of the early actions of the incoming secretary-general should be the urgent

establishment of a task force to see how to resolve those issues.

She spoke of the continued impact of climate change on ACP nations. “If North-South relations are to have meaning in the 21st century they must be partly defined by justice of the moment…” The prime minister said there must be a recognition by the global north that the Warsaw mechanism for loss and damage resulting from climate change “cannot simply be a footnote in the documents of the conferences to settle climate change arrangements. It has to be real”.

She said that without action government finances are being stressed to breaking points, even as insurance has become prohibitive for households and businesses in the Caribbean. Mottley recommended that one of the early actions of the incoming secretary-general should be the urgent establishment of a task force “to see how we can resolve these issues … because in many instances scale is required in order for us to be able to turn the corner, particularly with respect to the difficult issue of insurance”.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, December 10, 2019

270 Indigenous youths granted scholarships this year

–– Programme to expand in 2020 TWO hundred and seventy Indigenous youths received full scholarships this year to pursue secondary, tertiary and vocational education on the coast and within the hinterland regions, compared to 186 in 2018.

This was announced by Vice President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, during a Department of Public Information (DPI) exclusive interview on Monday. He revealed that the government plans to expand the hinterland programme in 2020, in keeping with the growing population and demand for more skilled individuals. “In the coming year we would like to add to this because the opportunity is there and its better than before. With education, we have seen

Vice President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Hon. Sydney Allicock

Miner chopped about body ––while washing clothes at Cuyuni River

A 50-year-old gold miner of lot ‘B’ Field Sophia was chopped about the body after an argument with his attacker at the bank of the Cuyuni River, Region Seven, on Sunday.

The miner was identified as Mark Wilson.

Reports indicate that Wilson was washing clothes at the bank of the Cuyuni River, when he and his attacker had

an argument.

His attacker then withdrew a sharp instrument and dealt Wilson several chops.

He (Wilson) blocked with his forearm, resulting in several severe wounds to both arms.

The victim was assisted by persons in the area and accompanied to the Aurora Mining Company’s Medical center where he was seen and examined by a doctor.

He was subsequently escorted by police to a private aircraft that shuttled him to region four, where he was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation for further medical attention.

He was admitted.

He is listed as being in a stable condition. Police are ‘hunting’ for the suspect as investigations continue.

better results, and we want to continue on this path. And, in this present state that Guyana is in there is a big call for really rounded individuals.”

According to the Vice President, this initiative is in keeping with President David Granger’s vision to ensure that the hinterland youths are afforded the same opportunities as those on the coastland. “The president is saying, you don’t have to come to Georgetown to attend a top school, every region must have a top school and in those top schools, these very young people must return to help man those facilities,” Minister Allicock said. He added, “we want to have a cadre of youth who are well geared to help with the development of their communities.”

The scholarships were issued to primary and secondary students for the National Grade Six Assessment and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate. Tertia-

ry-level recipients received scholarships to attend the Government Technical Institute, the Guyana School of Agriculture, Carnegie School of Home Economics, the E.R. Burrowes School of Art, and the Guyana Industrial Training Centre. Several students also received scholarships to attend the University of Guyana under the Department of Public Service. The secondary school students are housed at the older Hinterland Students Dormitory while the recently commissioned $180M facility in Liliendaal houses the tertiary students.

Those awarded scholarships to study at schools within their regions were placed at the school’s dormitory. Those who opted to stay by a relative or guardian also received stipends and uniform allowances. (DPI)

GLSC approved 849 leases for this year …CEO warns against illegal occupation of gov’t lands AS the demand for land, particularly in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), continues to rise, the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) will be looking to open about 6,000 acres of new land for the first time, since the 1980s.

Over the past few decades land has been transferred from one person to next because new land has not been made available for occupation and commercial use. “We have not opened up new lands since the 1980s… last time we opened lands in a real way was the Mahaica, Mahaicony and Abary (MMA),” said Commissioner of the GLSC, Trevor Benn during the commission’s end-of-year press briefing at the commission’s head office, on Monday.

He also warned citizens against illegal occupation of government and state lands.

He advised that visits should be made to the commission to acquire secure forms of tenure.

For this year, the commission processed a total of 3537 applications of which 849 of those were approved. A total of 489 leases were prepared.

Meanwhile, speaking at the news conference, Benn said that, apart from the regular housing schemes, new lands and areas have not been opened up. The lack of new land has forced the GLSC to adopt a system of revoking

Commissioner of GLSC, Trevor Benn

unutilised land and passing it to someone else- a system which has been used for years.

“There has basically been the exchange of land… Since the 1980s, land which was given to you was taken back and then given to someone else, once it wasn’t utilised,” said Benn. In an effort to end the ongoing trend of exchanging land, the GLSC is looking to open about 6,000 acres of land in the near future. The first phase will see about 3,000 acres being made available, said Benn.

“As the demand for land in Guyana, principally in Region 4 (Demerara – Mahaica) continues to increase, the commission initiated planning, over the past year, for the eventual opening up of new public lands in the region,” said the commissioner.

According to Benn, consultations began, and are

ongoing, with a number of stakeholders and government agencies. The establishment of a committee to oversee planning and development of the area has been proposed.

The commission is also working out a cost for the project and looking at the sources of income for the project.

The commissioner said there is no infrastructure in place at the proposed location so the commission has started a design of what the area will look like. Benn said the aim is to have a modern, 21st century community. The lands will be used for three purposes which include residential use, commercial use and agricultural use.

“We want to ensure that there is a good mix between commercial and housing… we want to ensure that there is adequate size of house lots, so that persons can have space to have their garden and stuff,” said Benn.

The commission will also be looking to establish green spaces and mini-parks so that the communities will be complete. The new land is also expected to mitigate squatting. Benn said squatting and non- beneficial occupation of land by lessees continues to be a major bugbear for the commission.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Minister Ferguson visits Bent St. fire victims MINISTER within the Ministry of Communities with responsibility for Housing, Annette Ferguson,

is to make representation on behalf of the victims of the recent fire at Bent Street, Wortmanville, at a meeting

of her Board, scheduled for Monday.

The minister gave the commitment on Sunday,

Minister Ferguson gets a first-hand look at the destruction made by the fire

Minister within the Ministry of Communities with responsibility for Housing, Annette Ferguson, with some victims of the December 6 fire on Bent Street, Wortmanville, when she visited the area on Sunday, December 8, 2019.

Masked gunmen rob duo at Rock Landing Ekereku TWO persons were robbed of an undisclosed quantity of raw gold and a firearm at Rock Landing Ekereku, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, at a business place, on Sunday, by three armed men.

The victims were identified as a 36 yearold of Lethem and a 34 year-old miner of Windsor Estate, Providence East Bank Demerara.

Reports indicate that the duo were in the shop and the gunmen, who were all masked, ‘pounced’ on them and a scuffle ensued with the miner and two of the gunmen. The miner was overpowered and relieved of his firearm.

The robbers then demanded that they (the victims) handed over whatever money and gold they had.

The bandits then discharged three rounds from the stolen firearm and made good their escape, on foot, into the bushes.

The robbery was reported to the police and an investigation was launched.

when, accompanied by a team, she made an impromptu stop at the site for a first-hand assessment and to empathise with the victims. The minister was returning from an out-oftown assignment.

The early morning inferno on Friday last, has left some 11 persons, several children included, with nothing but the

clothes they were wearing at the time of the incident.

The houses in which the majority of the affected families lived were being rented, hence the immediate need of the victims would be to have a roof over their heads, beds, mattresses, clothing and foodstuff.

As is the norm during

such situations, the affected families would also receive assistance from Food for the Poor and the National Relief Council, among others.

Minister Ferguson was accompanied by councillors with responsibility for Constituency Eight, Dr. Dawn Stewart-Lyken and Gregory Fraser.

'Blue Martini' murder trial continues today THE trial into the 2017 murder of Sunil Singh called ‘Grey’, who was killed in the vicinity of the Blue Martini nightclub in Kitty, continued on Monday, December 09, 2019, before Justice JoAnn Barlow and a 12-member jury, at the High Court.

Currently on remand for the indictment is 31-yearold Shawn Harris called ‘Shawny’, formerly of Pike Street, Kitty, Georgetown.

The charge alleged that Harris, on February 5, 2017, at Owen Street, Kitty, murdered Singh.

Harris is represented by attorney-at-law Maxwell McKay while the state is represented by prosecutors Shawnette Austin and Sarah Martin.

On Monday, Inspector Prem Narine took to the witness stand and testified that he was involved in the investigation into the murder of Singh.

Narine explained that, during that period, he was stationed at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and was attached to the Major Crime Unit.

According to Narine, on February 18, 2017, about 19:20 hours he received certain information and went to ‘B’ Field Sophia, Georgetown where he contacted Shawn Harris, whom he had known a year before.

However, Narine said when he put the allegation to Harris, the man replied to him “Sir when I reach the station I gon tell you wah happen” Narine told the court that he noticed some wounds on Harris’ leg, and, when he inquired about them, the man said that he received the injuries when he fell down the steps at Blue Martini.

The Inspector recalled taking Harris back to the CID, Headquarters and taking a caution statement from him in the presence of a police rank, Corporal Laundry.

Harris, in the presence of Corporal Laundry had the allegation put to him by Narine.

Narine said he told Harris of his rights and anything he said will be put in writing and will be used against him in court. Harris agreed.

The witness told the court that Harris told him that it was not a robbery but instead a fight.

While in custody, Narine said, Harris was showed a CCTV footage from the day in question at Blue Martini and pointed himself out in the video.

“Ya see what I tell you is them man attack me at the bar and I attack them” the witness said was what Harris told him.

According to the witness, Harris then told him that he and some friends were drink-

ing at Seeta’s bar, Station Street Kitty, and decided to go to Blue Martini because

out of the club and over the road and Harris followed him.

Singh then asked Harris why

Shawn Harris called ‘Shawny’

“ it get nuff whores and does open late.”

Narine said that Harris further told him that when he arrived at the Club nobody was at the door so he and his friends walked in.

However, they were rushed by two men. One of the men ‘Buck man’ knocked him with a baton. He identified the other man as Singh.

Both parties ended up in a fight.

The Inspector told the court that Harris, in his caution statement, said that he (Harris) pulled out a knife and stabbed Singh two times and then ran behind ‘Buck man’ and stabbed him also.

This caused Singh to run

he stabbed him since they knew each.

Harris in his caution statement said that he did not reply and went home. While at home he noticed blood on his skin and the wound on his knees.

“Is na no robbery like wah people sayin…it was a fight” Inspector Narine said that was what Harris told him.

The trial continues today (Tuesday, December 10, 2019).

According to reports, patrol ranks went to the Blue Martini Nightclub and closed the club about 02:45hrs on February 5, 2017, after which they left.

However, shortly after,

according to Charles Valenzuela, an employee of the nightspot, three men arrived and wanted to enter the club.

At that point in time, the young man informed them that the club was closed and that resulted in an argument, during which one of the men stabbed Valenzuela to his left arm.

Singh, who was present at the time, intervened and was trying to make peace, when the suspect dealt Singh a ‘lash’ to his head.

Singh then reportedly ran north into Railway Street, Kitty, and was pursued by his attacker, who caught up with him and stabbed him several times.

Both Singh and Valenzuela were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where Singh was pronounced dead on arrival and Valenzuela was treated and sent away.

Harris was released from prison in 2016, after serving a sentence on a drug charge. He was also charged in connection with the Bank of Baroda robbery committed at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, on January 22, 2016.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday, December 10, 2019

The ‘hustle and bustle’ of a Guyanese Christmas

By Naomi Parris

CHRISTMAS in Guyana would not be the same without the energy of the hustle and bustle of persons maneouvering through the city to do their usual Christmas shopping; this is according to shopper, Sharon Grenada.

The Guyana Chronicle caught up with Ms. Grenada, one of the many shoppers making their way through the crowded pavements of Regent Street, during the annual Christmas shopping season.

The woman, who is currently renovating her kitchen, stated that she came to the city to buy some flowers and kitchen curtains to decorate her

Ms. Grenada inquiring about some flowers for her Christmas decorations

Andrea Bishop knitting a ‘chair back’ for a customer

dining area for the Christmas holidays.

“Well, so far I finish shopping a lot; you can see the anxiety in me; as usual I love Christmas…so I just come down to pick up some flowers and kitchen curtains” she gushed.

Grenada added that she has already prepared her ‘fruits’ for her black cake but she will return to the city during the week to purchase meat and groceries for her tradional Christmas day lunch, since she believes that the prices of many items such as eggs and beef may increase as December 25 approaches.

While it may appear that the city is busy and many persons are shopping, several store owners and vendors are expecting sales to “pick up” when the December month salaries and “back pay” are paid. Currently, shoppers are mainly scouting the prices of items they may wish to purchase at a later time.

Bissoon Singh, the owner of Bissan’s Trading Store,

stated that while sales are currently slow, he expects it to pick up in the coming week when salaries will be paid. Singh added that the prices of many items he has in stock may remain the same or even decrease as Christmas draws near.

‘Nafeesa’ of Toy Land store stated that persons are currently pricing items to purchase them later. However, she said that her store will be opened throughout the Christmas season so that those last-minute shoppers can purchase gifts for their children on Christmas day.

Among all the hustle and bustle of persons bumping into each other or stepping on someone else’s shoes, Andrea Bishop, a vendor, could be seen calling out to passersby and shoppers to take a quick look at some of her hand-knitted ‘tea cup holders and chair backs’.

Bishop related to the Guyana Chronicle that she has been knitting for some five years but only started marketing her business on the pavements in December

not be “Christmasy” without the smell of pepper pot or black cake emanating from the kitchen.

The Guyana Chronicle took a walk through Bourda Market, where several shoppers were seen scouting the prices of meat and cassareep to prepare their sumptuous meals for Christmas day.

Kevin, a well-known butcher of Robin’s Hallal Meat Centre in Bourda Market stated, “We have everything for the Pepperpot: the beef, the cow-heel, ox-tail, and cow-face.”

He explained that the price of meat is currently between, $200-$500 per pound, however, prices may go up or down depending on how

to prepare cake: black cake, fruit cake and other Christmas cuisine for the holidays.

With the Christmas season ongoing, the prices of several items are expected to increase in the coming days leading up to December 25.

Back in 2014, the local magazine, Guyana Premier, ran an article relating how consumers can safeguard themselves against inflated prices.

The article advised persons to shop wisely by finding out about the product before they buy it; think about the facts of the product; visit or call three reputable stores or supermarkets to compare

Kevin of Robin’s Hallal Meat Centre in Bourda Market, cutting a piece of meat to be sold to a customer

A cassareep vendor showcasing his famous homemade cassareep in Bourda Market

2018. However, she intends to continue marketing her business annually during the Christmas season on the streets of Georgetown.

She further stated that during the day persons would stop and order a particular style they would wish to have for the Christmas season and she would make it.

What is a Guyanese Christmas without ‘Pepper-

A customer purchasing a tray of eggs from a vendor in Bourda Market

pot and Black Cake’?

Shopping for household and gift items were not the only fulfilling things shoppers were looking for since a main aspect of the festive season is a table filled with all types and kinds of tantalizing Guyanese delicacies.

A Guyanese home would

business is during the days leading up to December 25.

Another vendor, Jean, who sells mostly eggs, stated that the price of eggs tends to be a little higher during the Christmas season, as there is a greater demand, since many Guyanese are looking

the prices of an item in order to get the best deal; think about what you are getting for your money and check expiry dates and bar codes.

Remember to shop safe.

Merry Christmas to all from the Guyana Chronicle.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Miss South Africa crowned Miss Universe

Miss Universe 2019, Zozibini Tunzi being crowned

CBS NEWS-Miss South Africa hopes to inspire girls who look like her after she was crowned Miss Universe 2019.

“I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me, with my kind of skin and my kind of hair, was never considered to be beautiful. I think that it is time that that stops today,” Zozibini Tunzi said.

The newly-minted Miss Universe beat 89 other contestants to nab the coveted title at a ceremony held at the recently opened Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta on Sunday. “Tonight a door was opened and I could not be more grateful to have been the one to have walked through it. May every little girl who witnessed this moment forever believe in the power of her dreams and may they see their faces reflected in mine,” Tunzi shared on Instagram.

The 26-year-old is an activist against gender violence and a “proud advocate for natural beauty and encourages women to love themselves the way they are,” according to the Miss Universe organization.

Zunzi takes the crown from Catriona Gray of the Philippines, who won Miss Universe 2018. Miss Puerto Rico, Madison Anderson, and Miss Mexico, Sofia Aragon, joined Zunzi in the top three at this year’s pageant.

Each provided insightful responses to the final question: What should we be teaching young girls today?

“I think the most important thing that we should

be teaching young girls today is leadership. It’s something that has been lacking in young girls and women for a very long time — not because we don’t want to, but because of what society has labelled women to be,” Zunzi responded. “That is what we should be teaching these young girls — to take up space.”

Steve Harvey returned to host the event, which once again came with a few hiccups. The five-time host of the pageant suffered grave humiliation at the 2015 Miss Universe competition when he announced the wrong winner. At last night’s event, Harvey declared Miss Philippines as the winner of the national costume contest and gestured towards the contestant standing next to him on the stage. “This is it right here,” he said, before he was promptly corrected by the surprised contestant. “It’s not Philippines, it’s Malaysia,” the Malaysian contestant Shweta Sekhon said.

Harvey quickly responded, “I just read that in the teleprompter. Y’all got to quit doing this to me. I can read,” he said. “See, this what they did to me back in 2015. Played me short like that. This is Malaysia. I really love this national costume of Malaysia. This is crazy.”

The Miss Universe organization took to Twitter to clear up the situation, tweeting that Harvey “had it right” ?— Miss Philippines was the correct winner of the national costume competition.

Other mishaps of the night included a contestant’s

worst nightmare ?— falling on the stage. Miss France, Maeva Coucke, had just that happen as she competed in the swimsuit competition.

But, in true Miss Universe fashion, she turned the mishap into an uplifting message.

“A lesson must be learned from each experience, and the lesson I draw from it is that falling and standing up is the very essence of a woman’s life, the main thing is to move forward regardless of obstacles. If you fall 9 times raise 10 times and keep your head high! Our experiences make us grow, mature and make us stronger,” she wrote on Instagram.

The contest also welcomed its first openly gay contestant. Miss Myanmar, 20-year-old Swe Zin Htet, came out publicly before the pageant even though she was representing a country where homosexuality remains illegal. “I came to a full realization about my sexual orientation over a long period of time. I knew I was ‘one of them’ way back in 2015. It is personally quite challenging but I feel that I have a greater voice and the best position to promote this cause,” she disclosed in an interview with Missosology, a pageant blog.

Last year’s Miss Universe competition included its first transgender contestant. And earlier this year, Miss USA, Miss Teen USA and Miss America made history together with the first three black women to wear those crowns at the same time.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Crab catchers recount harrowing ordeal …walked some 36 hours before being rescued

By Nafeeza Yahya AFTER walking for approximately 36 hours through knee high water, mud and dense vegetation while surviving only on coconuts and discarded bottled water or soda found along the way, twentythree-year- old Yageshwar Mangal is finally reunited with his wife and two children, ages 4 and 2, as are his colleagues with their respective families.

Mangal, called ‘Boiyo’, of Number 2 Village, East Canje, Berbice, was among a group of four Guyanese men who were stranded in neighbouring Suriname, having left on Sunday last for a crab expedition. The others are 22-year-old Nelson De Jonge of 511 Fort Ordinance Housing Scheme,

Nelson De Jonge

Yogeswar Mangal

Ramdat Goonraj

Anand Deoharry

Corentyne; Anand Deoharry, 42, of Health Centre Street, Cumberland, East Canje, Berbice; and Ramdat Goonraj called ‘Azad’, 27, of Rose Hall Town,Corentyne.

Speaking with reporters at his Number 2 East Canje home Monday morning, Mangal said all he wants to do is rest for a few days and then try to find a job on land as he does not want to ever have to relive the near-death experience he had over the past few days.

According to Mangal, their journey, which was his third to Surinamese waters, started off successfully as they managed to catch over 5000 crabs in an area called Sand Edge. However, when it was time to leave, their boat became stuck after it was grounded on Sunday.

“We used a gutter (channel) to get to the place we does call Sand Edge and we catch them crabs, but the channel get block up with sand and we boat stick up, so we can’t lef on Tuesday . We try till Friday when a boat come to help we, but the boat break it engine clamp and we lef on we own cause we nursing (food) run out. So we decide fuh walk to Buckberry cause other fishermen does be there,” he related.

He said that after walking for almost a day they finally spotted a small fishing boat that came to their rescue. However, the boat developed some mechanical issues and the two-man crew aboard became stranded with the quartet at Buckberry.

Having eaten out all the food on the boat, the men decided to set up camp on

land for the night near some coconut trees. However, Mangal and De Jonge did not want to sit and wait around with nothing but coconuts to eat nor drink, so they decided to continue walking towards “civilization” in Nickerie.

De Jonge told the Guyana Chronicle that the journey was ‘pressure’ and it was the hope of reuniting with their loved ones that gave them the strength to continue.

“We had to walk in the dark with no light, passing snakes and all kind a things in the bush; water up to we knee, sling mud, nothing to eat, it was bare pressure,” he said.

The duo persevered and made it to Nickerie where they were rescued by another fishing vessel. Onboard, the first thing they requested after having some water was a phone call to their loved ones to let them know they were ok and they were going to rescue the others.

The men were finally on land at around 22:00hrs on Sunday night and went back with a boat to pick up their stranded colleagues and the abandoned boat. They then set sail for Guyana, leaving behind 42-year-old Anand Deoharry who was too tired to make the journey home.

At around dawn on Monday, the men arrived in Guyana to be reunited with their families.

Except for being tired and dehydrated, the men are said to be in good health.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday, December 10, 2019

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$328M Bartica-Potaro Road to be outfitted with LED lights COMMENCING today, persons commuting along the Bartica-Potaro road, from 4 Miles to 5 Miles in Region 7, will enjoy a lit journey as 20 LED lights will be installed throughout the thoroughfare.

Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, issued this declaration on DPI’s One on One programme on Monday. “I estimate by Christmas the [LED] lights will be up,” Minister Patterson assert-

The stretch of the Bartica-Potaro road between Four Miles and Five Miles

ed. This complements efforts by the Ministry, with assistance from the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), to install 80 solar street lights, in several hinterland communities.

Roadworks at Four and Five Miles have already been completed. The finished product is a concrete rigid pavement, an upgrade from its former muddy surface.

The upgrade of the Bartica-Potaro road opens a window

of opportunities for miners and residents in Regions Seven and Eight, as the main roadway will successfully link Bartica to Mahdia.

Phase one of the project entailed the rehabilitation and construction of 200 metres of roadway along with drains, while phase 2 saw the completion of approximately 500 metres of road. In the final phase, 1000metres of the road were fully upgrad-

ed. $328M was invested by the Public Infrastructure Ministry to construct the Bartica-Potaro road from 4 Miles to 5 Miles. This was done while numerous portions along the route that leads to Region 8 had been completed. These roadworks are being executed to reduce the disparities that may exist between the coastland and hinterland communities.

Grimmond and Singh committed to stand trial at the High Court for conspiracy to commit murder THE owner of Mark Interior Communication Inc. and an alleged hit-man, who were both arrested by police for conspiring to execute a Lethem businessman, were, on Monday, December 9, 2019, committed to stand trial at

the High Court by the Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Mark Grimmond, the owner of the communication service, along with Mark’s Pool Side and Fun Park located at Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, was

Man who stabbed cousin granted bail CHIEF Magistrate Ann McLennan, on Monday December 9, 2019, granted a 21-year-old miner $150,000 bail, on an attempted murder charge.

Treshan Thomas of Baramita appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and was not required to plead to the indictable charge.

Particulars of the charge stated that, on December 2, 2019, at Baramita, he wounded Kevin David, with intent to commit murder.

Police Prosecutor, Gordon Mansfield, made no objection to bail and told the court that, on the day in question, Thomas and David were at a camp when they had a misunderstanding.

Thomas then pulled out a knife and dealt David several stabs.

Mansfield added that David was picked up and rushed to the Baramita Hospital and was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

Thomas was arrested and later

Treshan Thomas

charged.

Magistrate McLennan granted Thomas $150,000 bail and ordered that he reports to the Baramita Police Station every Friday until the completion of the matter.

The matter was adjourned until February 4, 2020 and was transferred to Matthew’s Ridge Magistrate’s Court.

Brazilian teen sentenced to three months in prison CHIEF Magistrate Ann McLennan, on Monday December 9, 2019, sentenced a Brazilian Teen to three months in prison and fined him $99,000, for possession of marijuana.

Nathan DeAlmeiba, 19, of Mococa Brazil, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, and, through an interpreter, he pleaded guilty to the charge, when it was read to him. Particulars of the charge stated that, on November 30, 2019, at Karasabai Village, he had, in his possession, 66.2 grams of cannabis, for the purpose of trafficking.

Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield made no objection to bail and told the court that, on the day in question, about 08:45 hours, DeAlmeiba was arrested by the toshaos of Karasabai, on the allegation of murder which occurred in Brazil. On ‘arresting’ him, the toshaos contacted the police.

Mansfield added that the

Mark Grimmond

charged alongside Chatterpaul Singh called Kevin.

The men were not required to plead to the charge which

Brazilian National (Nathan DeAlmeiba)

police arrived shortly after, a search was conducted on DeAlmeiba and, in his left side pants pocket, and in his pants crotch, two transparent plastic bags were found containing leaves, seeds and stems.

He was arrested and later charged. Magistrate McLennan, after listening to the Prosecutor, sentenced DeAlmeiba to three months in prison and fined him $99,000.

The Magistrate also ordered that DeAlmeiba be escorted to the nearest port of exit and be deported to Brazil after his period in jail.

Chatterpaul Singh called ‘Kevin’

stated that, between April 1, 2018, and June 7, 2019, at Georgetown, they conspired

with persons known and unknown to murder Dwayne Grant.

Magistrate McLennan stated that, after going through the evidence, she found sufficient evidence against them. Both men are out on $500,000 bail each with the condition that they stayed no less than 50 feet of Grant.

According to reports, Grant is a businessman who lives in Lethem and had received a ‘tipoff’ that Grimmond had hired

someone to execute him.

The businessman became fearful for his life and reported the matter to the police, who went to a Hotel in Lethem and found Singh with an illegal firearm in his possession.

The police is contending that Singh, while in custody, told the investigator that he was hired by Grimmond to kill Grant. Grimmond was arrested and the police found telephone records between the men.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Rotary Charter Club celebrates anniversary with new inductees

By Wendella Davidson THE membership of the Rotary Club of Demerara was strengthened with the induction of five new Rotarians, three males and two females, on Sunday December 08, 2019, when the organisation hosted its 26 Charter Anniversary and Induction Ceremony at Parc Rayne, Lot 1 Ra-

haman’s Park, East Bank, Demerara.

At the well-attended function, the new members, Dominique Cameron, Tariq Jagnarine, Dr. Keisha Chin, Sohan Shetty and Ronald Nandalall, were introduced to the audience by the Rotary’s president, Hansraj Singh.

In brief remarks, Singh said that during the 26 years of existence, the club has

experienced a fair share of challenges but has still been able to battle through.

“I think 26 years of existence for the Rotary Club of Demerara is a very happy feeling. Along the way, we would have had our fair share of challenges and so on but this is a very good time for us. The Rotary Club of Demerara is in a place where we are transforming

from old Rotary ways to new Rotary ways, even while adding newer members who are actively participating”, he remarked.

Rotarian Patrick DeGroot, a past president, was assisted by Rotarian June Ramsammy, to adorn the new members with their lapel pins. DeGroot and Ramsammy also did the honour of cutting the ceremonial cake.

The five new members of The Rotary Club of Demerara being inducted during the 26th Charter Anniversary and Induction Ceremony at Parc Rayne, yesterday

Rotarians Patrick DeGroot (Past President) and June Ramsammy cutting the ceremonial cake on the occasion of the 26th Charter Anniversary

A section of Rotarians and their guests at the function

As is the norm, the club will, during this festive period, undertake a number of charitable events.

The sweet sounds of Christmas music reverberating from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) steel pan orchestra, and spirited performances from youthful, violinist, Akeem Peter, added the needed fillip to put those in attendance in a festive mood.

Rotary has been credited as one of the most outstanding service organisations worldwide and is separated from the rest not only by its belief `Service above Self’ but the way Rotarians worldwide have transformed the lives of everyone they touch.

The Rotary Club of Demerara which joined the Rotary International family on December 9, 1993 was

accredited when it was established, being the only dual gender club, in addition to having redefined what it was to be a Rotarian in Guyana.

The club has a membership of 60.

Rotary is a global service organization with membership of 1.2million passionate individuals in 35,000 clubs worldwide, in 200 countries and territories. The organisation, whose stated purpose is to bring together business and professional leaders in order to provide humanitarian services, encourages high ethical standards, in all vocations, and helps build goodwill and peace in the world. It shares core values such as service, camaraderie, integrity and leadership.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, December 10, 2019

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, December 10, 2019

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday December 10, 2019

Guyana complete ‘sweep’ of Grenada THE Junior Hercules-coached Guyana National Basketball team defeated Grenada 97 – 73 on Sunday last at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, to end their threegame Goodwill Basketball Series undefeated.

It was the most competitive of the three games played between the two countries, since Guyana won the first encounter 90 – 73 and the second 97 – 75.

In the final game watched by a small but appreciative crowd at the country’s premier indoor facility, Guyana led 21 – 17 at the end of the first quarter and 56 – 30 at half time. Heading into the final period, Guyana held an 82 – 55 advantage.

Ray Victor once again led all

scorers with a well-rounded 17 points, while Nikkoli Smith and Travis Belgrave finished the night with 16 and 15 points respectively.

For Grenada, G. St John and J Williams both netted 16 points.

At the presentation of prizes, where Guyana collected the series trophy, which was sponsored by Trophy Stall, president of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation

(GABF), Michael Singh, thanked both teams for putting on a nightly show for the fans, especially the home side.

According to Singh, the series is the first of many to come for Guyana, the reigning regional champions, as they begin preparation for the 2021 Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) qualifiers. (Rawle Toney)

Guyana finish third at Caribbean Boxing Championships

GUYANA finished third at the 2019 Caribbean Boxing Championships after winning nine medals against a tough field of boxers in Trinidad and Tobago over four nights of competition, which concluded on Sunday evening at the Na­tion­al Cy­ cling Cen­tre (NCC) at Bal­ main, Cou­va.

Trinidad and Tobago, which had a field of 25 boxers, are the new champions, while Barbados just pipped Guyana by a single point to place second. Some 17 nations, including powerhouse Cuba, participated in the championships.

Guyana had initially selected a team of 21 boxers, but funding only allowed for 13. Nine of them won medals. Sisters Alesha and Abiola Jackman and defending Caribbean bantamweight champion, Keevin Allicock, led the charge with three gold medals.

Three other boxers finished with silver medals, including Dennis Thomas, who became a two-time Caribbean middleweight silver medallist. Thomas lost to US Virgin Islands’ boxer, Deion Pruitt via points.

National Open best junior boxer, Mark Crawford, also lost in the final when he tackled 2018 Caribbean Junior Welterweight champion, Blessing Waldropt from T&T, in the Youth Lightweight 60kg division.

Jullius Kesney also went down to Bajan boxer, Jabali Breedy, in a bantamweight battle.

The bronze medal winners were Kevin Hunte, Josh Howard and Daren France.

Emanuel Pompey did not get a chance to fight after Barbados decided to pull out their boxer from the competition. The middleweight (75kg) boxer had opted to drop down to 69kg to compete.

Meanwhile, there were several strange decisions by the judging panel, which forced Guyana to protest two of the decisions.

DOMINANT SISTERS After 15-year-old Alesha Jackman had won gold on Saturday night, it was her 17-year-old sister’s turn on Sunday evening. The East Ruimveldt resident was able to display her superior boxing skills against local girl Kinesha Clarke. Abiola, who attends the Business School (on a scholarship), used a combination of punches to stop her older opponent in one minute and 30 seconds into the first round of their Women’s Novice Division 69Kg final.

Allicock, who was Guyana’s trump card, lived up to expectation when he dominated his USVI opponent, Otoniel Ortiz in their bantamweight final.

The Guyanese dominated the fight from the start with left hooks and right hands and focused body shots, which led to a unanimous victory.

Team Guyana was scheduled to arrive back home last evening.

GFF-Always Championship Cup 2019 from backpage

took full advantage of Lady Panthers not having their leading player, Shavey Reuben, due to studies at UG. Before the end of the first half of 30 minutes, Conquerors were already up 4-0.

Tiandi Smith netted the first of her brace in the 8th minute after which Abiosi Heywood took over proceedings with strikes in the 13th and 22nd minutes.

The second half saw Lady Panthers putting a more steady performance to the extent that Conquerors only found the

back of the nets once; Smith completing her double in the 40th minute.

Lady Panthers did produce a few chances of their own but were unable to crack the airtight Fruta Conquerors backline which had not conceded a goal in their three matches whilst scoring a total of 23 goals to date.

Smith is the leading scorer of the league with eight goals-- a helmet-trick and two doubles.

Matches will continue this weekend.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday December 10, 2019

Rose Hall Town Poonai Pharmacy lift BCB /Trophy Stall Under-13 trophy

IN 2018, the Rose Hall Town(RHT) Poonai Pharmacy was defeated by Port Mourant in the final of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) Under-13 one-day cricket tournament but, on Saturday

last, they held their nerve to edge Albion in the 2019 Trophy Stall Under-13 final.

Playing In front of a full house of parents and relatives at the Hampshire Cricket Ground, both teams played a high stan-

dard of cricket as the future of Berbice cricket was on full display.

Albion won the toss and elected to take first strike. They were soon in trouble at 10 for 3 in the fifth over as they lost

The winning RHT Poonai Pharmacy team pose with their sponsor, Poonai Bhirooj

opener Shazid Ali, bowled for nought by impressive pacer Khemraj Tika, who later bowled Nathaniel Chinapen for nought also. Tyrone Hooper then trapped Dian Sital LBW for 05. Skipper Afraz Budhoo (11) and lalbehari (12) were the only batsmen to reach double figures as Albion were bowled out for 55 in 24 of their allotted first innings quota of 40 overs.

Bowling for RHT Poonai Pharmacy, off spinner Deeraj Ramjit took 4 for 4, Khemraj Tika 2 for 8 while Tyron Hooper and Imran Mohammed took a wicket apiece for 7 and 13 respectively.

Rose Hall Town Poonai Pharmacy batted out their allotted 40 overs and ended on 68 for 8. Tyrese Smartt batted well to remain unbeaten on 15 not out while Tyrell Hutson (10), Mario Butcher (09) and Imran Mohammed (08) also contributed to lead their team to the crucial first innings points and their hands on the conveted Trophy Stall-sponsored championship.

The atmosphere was tense as Butcher joined smart with Rose Hall requiring two runs for victory at 54 for 8. Smart

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then flicked Feaz Baksh for two to spark wild celebration by his teammates and parents.

With a first-innings deficit of 13 runs and time running out, Albion soon found themselves reeling at 8 for 4 as Khemraj Tika cleaned bowled Dion Sital, Shazid Ali and Afraz Budhoo for nought while left arm medium pacer Tyrone Smartt bowled Nathaniel Chinapen for nought as well.

The promising Devin Lalbehari, 23 not out, and Dhanesh Prabhudial, 13 not out, took the score to 46 for 4 when Albion, in an unlikely bid for outright victory, declared with six overs remaining in the day’s play.

Tika ended on 3 for 8 while Smartt and Tyrell Hutson batted out five overs to end on 11 without loss when the game was called off.

BCB president, Hilbert Foster, described the tournament as a great success and stated that several promising talents were identified for the future. These players, he stated, would benefit from special coaching sessions, early in 2020.

Foster urged the attentive Under-13 players to return to their respective clubs from

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today and continue training as the BCB intends to organise cricket tournaments on a regular basis for them. Foster, who would be seeking re-election on December 22nd, also unveiled plans to concentrate on assisting junior cricketers in 2020 on a large scale.

In 2018 and 2019, the BCB, with support from the RHTYSC, had assisted clubs with cricket balls, gear, bicycles, educational materials, stumps, and scorebooks but, in the future, only clubs with a youth section would receive assistance.

Representatives of Trophy Stall, Daniel Samaroo, hailed the BCB for organising a successful tournament and expressed satisfaction at the level of cricket he witnessed at the final. The Trophy Stall, Samaroo stated, was quite passionate about sports and would continue to offer support.

Devin Lalbehari was named man of the finals.

The winner and runner up received trophies and a financial prize.

The BCB would like to express thanks to Ramesh Sunich for his sponsorship of the tournament April 09:30 hrs Gelboe De Chanay 10:30 hrs Mystic Dreamer 11:00 hrs Mortens Leam 11:30 hrs Royal Concorde Uttoxeter 08:40 hrs Desque De L’Isle 09:10 hrs Vereina 09:40 hrs Bullionaire 10:40 hrs Good And Hardy 11:10 hrs Freddie Darling Wolverhampton 11:45 hrs Never Said Nothing 12:15 hrs War Princess 12:45 hrs Augustus Caesar 13:15 hrs Aloysius Lilius 13:45 hrs Disruptor 14:15 hrs Loving Glance 14:45 hrs Grey Mist 15:15 hrs Qaaraat

21

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday December 10, 2019

World champion Joshua ‘had health issue’ before first Andy Ruiz fight UNIFIED world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua said a health issue left him “tired” and “drained” in the build-up to his June defeat by Andy Ruiz Jr. Joshua, 30, reclaimed his world titles in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, dominating the Mexican over 12 rounds.

Conspiracy theories had circulated after his initial defeat, one of the biggest shocks in heavyweight history.

“I had some issue with my health which I was going through for a long time,” Joshua told the 5 Live Boxing podcast.

The Briton added: “I didn’t know what was wrong with me. I felt so tired and drained and thought it must be down to training.

“In the changing room before the fight I got a bucket of ice and was putting my head in it thinking ‘why do I feel so tired?’

“The responsibilities of being world champion are difficult. All that stuff, feeling so tired, dealing with obligations.

“Now I have energy, I haven’t missed a session.”

He added: “After my check-ups it showed what the problem was and this is what you have to get sorted.

“Even in this camp I had an operation done but as I’d started training in June I had no issues.”

Joshua refused to say what the operation was but it is understood the procedure he had was linked to the issue diagnosed after his defeat by Ruiz.

Joshua opens up at last Joshua had hinted previously that he had something to reveal about what went on before his first career defeat and, after initial hesitation, provided at least some insight to the 5 Live Boxing podcast.

Theories aired in the interim had ranged from him having shown the effects of being concussed in sparring to having a seizure before the bout at Madison Square Garden.

He now says he feels “back” and “focused”.

The two-time world heavyweight champion also said he learned a valuable lesson not to accept opponents at short notice - Ruiz was draft-

ed in six weeks before their fight after American Jarrell Miller failed three drug tests.

Joshua, who will return to the UK in the early hours of Monday morning with the IBF, WBA and WBO belts, was on the front of Sunday’s Saudi newspapers, alongside Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, who attended his fight.

Despite widespread criticism of staging the bout in a country criticised for its human rights record, Joshua said he would “100%” be happy to return to the kingdom on holiday or to perform.

‘All challengers are welcome’ Joshua is now expected to face either the WBO’s mandatory challenger - currently Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk - or the man in the same position with the IBF, Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev.

He said he was no longer interested in calling out WBC champion Deontay Wilder for a historic bout with all four world heavyweight titles on the line.

Chasing a contest with compatriot Tyson Fury was also dismissed as Joshua said he hoped to focus on one “hurdle” at a time.

“Looking so far ahead it can be a blurry vision looking that far out,” Joshua told BBC Sport.

“Sooner or later I will be looking directly at the undisputed championship of the world.

“If the opportunity presents itself I will fight Wilder and Fury. Wilder has a fight with Fury in February.

Once that is out of the way they can start mentioning my name.

“I can’t keep on fighting all the champions, the best in the division and then other people who say they want to step up don’t step up.

“All challengers are welcome to take on this current unified champion.”

Joshua said to defend his belts “on home soil would be big news” after promoter Eddie Hearn revealed he had been in discussions over a fight at Tottenham’s new 60,000-capacity stadium, most likely against Pulev.

“It would be mega,” Joshua added. “Looking at how many people came out here shows there is still

a big interest in the heavyweight division, especially now we are taking the belts back.

“Sometimes it would be better against a Brit, but if not I follow the mandatories and defend them that way.”(BBC Sport)

“The winner by unanimous decision” - finally, we get a smile as the Briton is embraced by those closest to him in the ring. (Getty Images photo)

22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday December 10, 2019

Russia banned from next Olympics and World Cup soccer

By Brian Homewood, Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber LAUSANNE/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia was banned from the world’s top sporting events for four years on Monday, including the next summer and winter Olympics and the 2022 soccer World Cup, for tampering with doping tests.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) executive committee acted after concluding that Moscow had planted fake evidence and deleted files linked to positive doping tests in laboratory data that could have helped identify drug cheats.

The decision was a huge blow to the pride of a nation that has traditionally been a powerhouse in many sports but whose reputation has been tarnished by a series of doping scandals.

“For too long, Russian doping has detracted from clean sport,” WADA President Craig Reedie said after a

meeting of WADA’s executive committee in the Swiss city of Lausanne.

He said in a statement Russia’s actions had demanded a robust response and added: “That is exactly what has been delivered today.”

WADA confirmed the Russian national team could not take part in the 2022 World Cup soccer in Qatar under the Russian flag and could participate only as neutrals.

It was not clear how competing as neutrals at the World Cup might work in practice.

FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, said it was in contact with WADA to clarify the extent of the decision.

The ban also means Russian sportsmen and sportswomen will not be able to perform at the Olympics in Tokyo next year under their own flag and national anthem.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), which has come under attack for not tak-

ing a harder line on Russian doping, said it fully backed the ruling by the Swiss-based WADA. The 2020 Tokyo Olympic organising committee said it would welcome all athletes as long as they were clean and work with other organisations to fully implement anti-doping measures, Tokyo 2020 spokesman Masa Takaya said.

YEARS OF DOPING SCANDALS Russia has been embroiled in doping scandals since a 2015 report commissioned by WADA found evidence of mass doping in Russian athletics.

Many of Russia’s athletes were sidelined from the past two Olympics and Russia was stripped of its flag altogether at last year’s Pyeongchang Winter Games as punishment for state-sponsored doping cover-ups at the 2014 Sochi Games.

Monday’s sanctions, which also include a four-year ban on

WADA President Craig Reedie

Russia hosting major sporting events, were recommended by WADA’s compliance review committee in response to the doctored laboratory data provided by Moscow this year.

One of the conditions for the reinstatement of Russian anti-doping agency RUSADA,

suspended in 2015 but reinstated last year, had been that Moscow provide an authentic copy of the laboratory data.

The sanctions in effect strip the agency of its accreditation.

The punishment leaves the door open for clean Russian athletes to compete at big international events without their flag or anthem for the next four years, something they did at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.

Some Russian officials have tried to cast WADA’s behaviour as part of what they say is a broader Western attempt to hold back Moscow.

Igor Lebedev, a lawmaker and deputy speaker of Russia’s lower house of parliament, said the move was a serious blow to Russian sport that required a tough response from Russian authorities, the RIA news agency reported.

If RUSADA appeals WADA’s punishment, the case will be referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

“DEVASTATING BLOW TO CLEAN ATHLETES” Some sport officials wanted tougher action. Travis Tygart, head of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), said the failure to impose a complete ban was “yet another devastating blow to clean athletes.”

Russian doping whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov, the former head of Moscow’s suspended anti-doping laboratory, said that without the complete data from the Moscow laboratory there was no telling how many athletes were still competing doped.

“Russia’s falsifications and cheating continued in 2019 even when Russia was under scrutiny,” Rodchenkov, now in hiding in the United States, said in a statement.

Noting that many files had been deleted and results lost, he said: “Who can say whether there are any clean athletes in Russia if the crucial data is lost?”

PAKISTAN set ‘home’ Test in a decade on Wenesday LAHORE (Reuters) - There is a lot more at stake than World Test Championship points for Pakistan when they host Sri Lanka in a two-match series this month as the country hosts its first Tests on home soil since the 2009 militant attack on Sri Lanka’s team bus in Lahore.

That attack left six security personnel and two civilians dead and six players injured, and saw Pakistan spend the next decade in the Test wilderness as teams refused to play there.

With the country’s cricket board (PCB) giving assurances that Pakistan was safe to travel, Sri Lanka returned to play several limited overs matches earlier this year, though 10 key players opted out citing security concerns.

Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne said it was now time to bring Test cricket back to Pakistan.

“After the 2009 incident, players were scared to travel to Pakistan,” he said in a PCB podcast.

“But our Twenty20 and ODI teams have toured the country and they told us that security and other arrangements were really good.

“All our guys are ready to play. We are looking forward to a good series in Pakistan.”

The series, which begins in Rawalpindi on Wednesday, will be as much a test of Pakistan’s organisational abilities as its cricketing skills.

The PCB has promised watertight security for the tour and has invited Bandula Warnapura and Javed Miandad, captains in the first Test between the teams in 1982, for the series opener.

“December 11 will be a very special day in Pakistan cricket history and it is appropriate that it is celebrated with Bandula Warnapura and Javed Miandad on our side,” PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani said in a statement.

“PCB will continue to hold similar events ... as we are now on the road to hosting regular international cricket at home.”

Pakistan, who were forced to play their “home” Tests at neutral venues, will look to use the series as an opportunity to bounce back after being swept 2-0 in Australia, suffering innings defeats both in Brisbane and Adelaide.

Sri Lanka will be playing under new

In a show of gratitude, respect and appreciation for their services to cricket, the PCB has invited Sri Lanka’s Bandula Warnapura (left) and Javed Miandad of Pakistan as special guests for the historic Rawalpindi Test.

head coach Mickey Arthur, who only Karachi from Dec. 19. took charge last Thursday and will start The series is part of the World Test his tenure against his former employers Championship, which sees the top nine Pakistan. test nations face-off over a two-year periThe tourists suffered a blow hours be- od, scoring points based on their success fore their departure for Pakistan on Sunday and culminating in a final at Lord’s in when quick Suranga Lakmal was ruled out June 2021. of the series with dengue fever.

Uncapped Asitha Fernando, currently playing in the South Asian Games in Nepal, will join the squad ahead of the second test in 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)

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday November 21, 2019)

Arsenal fight back for win at West Ham to end winless run (REUTERS) - Arsenal scored three goals in nine second-half minutes as they came from a goal down to beat West Ham United 3-1 away on Monday to end a seven-match winless run in the Premier League.

The Hammers took the lead seven minutes before the break, with Angelo Ogbonna charging into a crowded box to head home a Pablo Fornals cross at the London Stadium.

But Arsenal, with interim coach Freddie Ljungberg searching for his first win since taking over from the sacked Unai Emery, equalised on the hour thanks to a

sharp finish from Brazilian Gabriel Martinelli, his first Premier League goal.

Six minutes later record signing Nicolas Pepe put the visitors ahead with a superb curling shot into the far corner before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang volleyed home a Pepe cross.

West Ham suffered a third straight home loss which leaves them in 16th on 16 points, just a point above the relegation zone. Arsenal moved up to ninth on 22 points from 16 games.

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) Norman O’Neil-134 (Lahore, 1959-60) (2) Saeed Ahmed-166 (Lahore, 1959-60) (1) (2)

Today’s Quiz:

Who is the first player to crack a T20 International hundred?

Who is the first player to take a five-wicket haul in a T20 International match?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

23

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday December 10, 2019

RHTY&SC, Bakewell assist young cricketers as Club Secretary/CEO celebrates 50th birthday THE Management and members of Guyana’s leading youth and sports organisation, the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, on Thursday last, hosted a surprise gala dinner and presentation ceremony in honour of Hilbert Foster, Secretary/CEO on his 50th birth anniversary.

The gala ceremony, attended by executives of the RHTYSC, the Berbice Cricket Board, club members, sponsors and friends, was held at the ST. Francis Community Developers Training Centre. The club, with sponsorship from long- time sponsor, Bakewell, presented eight of its most promising players with a pair of batting pads as part of the 50th birthday celebration.

Long-time friend of Foster, Gregory Rambarran, congratulated him on reaching the half-century landmark. Noting

that Foster’s life is a perfect example of service to humanity, Rambarran urged others to emulate his high standards.

Asst Secretary/CEO, Simon Naidu, who organised the event, stated that working on a daily basis with Foster was the most rewarding period of his life. He stated that Foster, for over thirty-five years, had transformed the lives of countless youths, the elderly and described him as a very simple, down-to-earth and loving individual.

Foster, in an emotional speech, hailed the support of his entire family, the members of the RHTYSC, the BCB and Sponsors.

Noting that he was surprised with the club’s gesture, Foster described the entire club as a family, which works as a collective unit to make a positive difference in the lives of

others. He described his daughter, a University of Guyana distinction student and newspaper columnist, as his greatest achievement.

The Secretary also listed the restoration of the Area ‘H’ Ground, construction of charity kitchen and children playfield restoration of the Lower Corentyne Secondary School (1991-1992), winning two national cricket titles and producing players for the West Indies and Guyana as some of his proudest moments.

As he always does at club functions, Foster urged his audience to touch the lives of those less fortunate than themselves and to spread the Say No/ Say Yes message to every youth across Berbice.

The long-standing club official also pledged that as long as God grants him health and strength, he would ensure

RHTY&SC’s Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster poses with young cricketers after presenting them with a pair of batting pads each.

that the RHTY&SC remains the best club in Guyana.

Naidu stated that for 2019, the RHTYSC has assisted over fifty youth cricketers across

Friendship, Golden Grove secure quarter-final berth GOLDEN Grove and Friendship secured their berths to the quarterfinal round when the inaugural ‘592 Beer Inter-Village Football Festival’ continued on Sunday at the Golden Grove Community ground.

Golden Grove crushed Annandale 4-0 in front of a large partisan crowd. Sirestsi Huntley opened the scoring in the fifth minute, blasting a powerful shot into the top right-hand corner.

The second goal came in the 18th minute as Quason McAulay scored, compliments of a right-foot drive into the far corner from outside the penalty area.

Veteran forward and captain, Dwain Jacobs, made it 3-0 in the 25th minute with a left foot effort which slipped through the grasp of the goalkeeper and settled into the back of the net.

The final nail in the coffin was then applied in the 60th minute as McAulay rifled a

powerful effort into the roof of the left corner.

Meanwhile, Friendship edged Paradise 2-1. Dillon Wright opened the scoring for Friendship in the 32nd minute, lashing a left-foot shot from inside the box which rolled under the body of the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.

Wright then scored his second in the 51st minute with another left-foot shot into the far corner from inside the box.

Tyreek Cummings scored a consolation goal for Paradise in the 80th minute, blasting a powerful effort past the custodian from inside the 18-yard area.

The event resumes at the Buxton ground on Sunday, December 15th with the opening round of the quarterfinal.

Initially, the 12-team event featured four groups of three. Group-A comprised Buxton, Plaisance and Mahaica, while group-B consisted of Friendship, Paradise

and Victoria and group-C featured Brush Dam, Melanie and Ann’s Grove.

Group-D was made up of Annandale, Golden Grove and Beterverwagting [BV].

The winner of each group, alongside the second place finisher, advanced to the quarterfinal round. The grand finale is pegged for January 1st.

The eventual champion of the event will pocket $300,000 and the championship trophy. On the other hand, the second, third and fourth place finishers will receive $150,000, $100,000 and $75,000 respectively and the corresponding trophy.

Similarly, individual prizes will also be awarded for the Most Valuable Player [MVP] and the Best Goalkeeper. Some of the major sponsors of the tournament include Bakewell Guyana Incorporated, ExxonMobil, and the Colin Talbot Construction Services.

GMR&SC EGM set for December 22 FINANCIAL members of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) have been invited to an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).

According to a notice posted in the dailies, the club has invited all the members to adopt the financial report for the 2018 season.

According to GMR&SC President, Rameez Mohamed, the move is to ratify all data ahead of the elections set for early next year.

“We want to ensure that our house is order moving into 2020.

We encourage all financial members to show up and ask whatever questions they may have,” Mohamed said.

Meanwhile, the club has released a provisional schedule for the 2020 season commencing with an endurance meet on January 26.

An EGM of the GMR&SC is scheduled for December 22

The first circuit-racing event of the season is set for February 16 with Drag racing set for March 15.

Circuit racing returns on July 5 with the highly anticipated

International Drag race set for August 16.

Round two of the Endurance Championship is set for September 13 with the last round of Drag racing set for October 4th.

The International Circuit-racing event is set for November 8.The karting calendar is being worked on and will be added in the coming days, a source from the club stated.

Berbice and, as such, a decision was taken to assist club members at the Under-15 level for the 50th birthday celebration.

The players benefit-

ting were Tyrone Smartt, Dharshanie, Tyrell Hutson, Nyron Hicks, Sohail Hardwar, Nathan Kistama, Trisha Hardat and Matthew Pottaya.

Windies Under-19s slump to 29-run defeat against England NORTH SOUND, Antigua, (CMC) – A batting meltdown saw West Indies Under-19s squander a golden opportunity for their second win of the Tri-Nations Series, when they slumped to a 29-run defeat to England Under-19s here Sunday.

What should have been a straightforward run chase in pursuit of 170 for victory at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground quickly became complicated as West Indies declined from 74 for two in the 12th over, to be all out for 140 in the 37th over.

Captain Kimani Melius top-scored with 46 from 32 deliveries while Kirk McKenzie chipped in with a patient 33 from 54 balls but no other batsman passed 20.

New-ball seamer George Balderson was the chief destroyer, claiming four for 47 while fellow pacer Kasey Aldridge was among the wickets again with three for 32.

Pacer Nyeem Young (3-16) and off-spinner Matthew Patrick (3-27) had earlier snatched three wickets apiece to help limit the young Englishmen to 169 in the final over.

Dan Mousley, at number seven, struck 48 while Thomas Clark scored a run-a-ball 34 but the innings struggled for momentum and never really got going.

Opting to bat first, England slumped to 19 for two in the eighth over before Clark, who counted six fours, put on 44 for the third wicket with Jack Haynes (15).

Both perished in the space of nine balls with a single run added and their demise led to a slump which saw four wickets tumble for 24 runs. It was left to Mousley, who hit four fours and a six, to rally the innings in two partnerships.

First, he put on 27 for the seventh wicket with Balderson (8) before adding a precious 55 for the ninth wicket with Scott Currie, who finished 22 not out.

In reply, the hosts slipped to 19 for two in the fifth over after Balderson knocked over both openers in the same over but Melius and McKenzie stitched up the innings in a 55-run third wicket stand.

Melius attacked almost from the outset, clobbering five fours and a brace of sixes while McKenzie counted three fours and a six.

Once Melius fell in the 12th over, the innings quickly unravelled as the last eight wickets went down for 66 runs.

Guyana complete ‘sweep’ of Grenada

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19

GFF-Always Championship Cup 2019 …Fruta Conquerors trounce Lady Panthers; Santos wins via walk over from Police

PAGE

19 Fruta Conquerors FC strike force!

Tiandi Smith (right) Abiosi Heywood and Lakeisha Pearson

Guyana’s Akeem Crandon (#14) executes a block on an attacking Grenadian player during the final game between the two sides at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. (Samuel Maughn photo)

FRUTA Conquerors romped to their third win in as many matches and, in the process, handed Lady Panthers their first loss when action in the GFF-Always Championship Cup 2019 continued on Sunday last at the GFF National Training Centre, Providence, East Bank Demerara.

It was another successful day for the Fruta ladies as they emerged 5-0 winners, led by a brace each from Tiandi Smith and Abiosi Heywood.

The other match yesterday saw Santos Football Club taking full points from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) via the walk over route; it was Santos’ first points and the GPF’s fourth successive loss.

Yesterday’s match was anticipated to be a keen affair between the two best teams in the competition, but it did not turn out that way as Conquerors stormed out of the blocks from the opening whistle to score on the first run down; Lakeisha Pearson netting the fastest goal of the league so far-- in the first minute.

From that point, the Conquerors team did not relent and

Guyana finish third at Caribbean Boxing Championships -Allicock and Abiola Jackman win gold medals on final night PAGE

19

Eight of the nine medal winners in Trinidad yesterday afternoon.

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Keevin Allicock (centre) defended his bantamweight title at the regional championships.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2019