Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 13 06 2017

Five awarded in Chronicle’s Quiz contest Page 2

New list coming No. 104942

TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 2017

Price: $80

(VAT Inclusive)

Penetrating markets Page 2

– plans afoot for local businesses to access Trinidadian markets

…high-level team to be appointed if third GECOM list fails Page 3

Cameraman released Page 12

…GDF says his ‘bread and water sure’

Student loan agency to manage teachers’ housing fund Page 11

Seven carjackers on the prowl Page 13

President David Granger greets Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo during their meeting on the appointment of a chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission at State House on Monday (Ministry of the Presidency photo)

Linden-Lethem road closed for repairs

Page 12

Penetrating markets 2

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, June 13, 2017

– plans afoot for local businesses to access Trinidadian markets

By Ravin Singh BUILDING on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago are working to strengthen bilateral business relations by having businesses in each country, access markets in the other.

Testimony of this is the ongoing Trinidad and Tobago Chamber Trade Mission which is being held in Guyana over the next two days.

The overseas delegation is represented by 25 companies which operate in the twin island republic, but are hoping to access Guyana’s market in the near future.

At present trade between the two countries is facilitated and regulated by the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas which establishes the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Building on this, the trade mission aims to strengthen the dynamic relationship between these two countries while promoting investment on both ends.

This was according to Mark Laquis, Director of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce Board, at a breakfast and networking session on Monday morning at the Pegasus Hotel.

Laquis explained that over the next two days, the Trinidad and Tobago Chambers is scheduled to meet with local stakeholders, and through its engagements, will seek new ways to promote an enabling environment for bilateral trade. He said that

Director of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce Board, Mark Laquis

during the deliberations, opportunities will be explored in the areas of: Information and Communication Technology (ICT); real estate development; manufacturing; business support services;

financial services; and educational services.

Despite the fact that it is a Trinidadian team visiting, the Director was keen to note that the Trinidad Chambers has also scheduled meeting with Guyanese businesses which are interested in penetrating markets in Trinidad.

With the revised treaty providing for free trade in the region, this mission seeks to provide necessary information to the business community in Trinidad on what is required to access Guyana’s markets.

Notwithstanding this, Guyana’s Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin was keen to note in his address that the government remains committed to observing and respecting the revised treaty.

He said that Guyana’s strong commitment to the CSME

Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin

and regional integration are manifested in the development and expansion of many Trinidadian companies here, including Ansa McAL and Republic Bank Limited.

In providing an overview of the business climate in Guyana, the Minister refer-

A Republic Bank representative (right) engages one of the members of the Trinidad and Tobago delegation

Five children score prizes FIVE primary school children, aged seven to 12, were on Monday awarded after successfully competing in the Guyana Chronicle’s Independence Quiz and Competition.

The five winners are: Tia Gomes, 12; Jayden Whyte and Sasha Barker, both 11; Isabella St. Aubyn, 10; and seven-year-old Narindra Isurdeen.

General Manager (ag.) of the Guyana Chronicle, Ms Moshamie Ramotar, congratulated the young children on a job well done, and encouraged them to keep reading the newspaper.

According to Marketing

Coordinator, Mr Akash Persaud, the competition is the first in a series of engagements the newspaper has planned. “We are looking to have many such events, and not only at holidays and special observances,” he said, adding that the company, through its newspapers, is seeking to engage youths as well as older persons.

Besides being rewarded with prizes, the children were told that on this World Day against Child Labour, they were fortunate to be living in a country where they were not being forced to work.

In observance of Guy-

enced the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business index, which ranked this country 98 in its last report. Noting that there is much room for improvements, Minister Gaskin told the overseas delegation that Guyana has been “taking positive actions to improve rankings on ease of doing business index.”

“We have been engaging the World Bank and we are developing an Action Plan to strengthen and improve on where weaknesses have been identified” he added.

Optimistic in tone, the Minister said that he is confident that Guyana’s economy can provide the kind of returns that can sustain the long term operation of any business in Guyana. Despite a reduction in the growth rate last year, Guyana has recorded positive growth rates for the last decade.

Shirting his attention to what is required, should Trinidadian businesses decide to set up shop here, the Minister noted that: “Guyana is looking for long term investments rather than one night stands”.

He reminded the officials too that conservation and preservation of Guyana’s natural habitat is an obligation taken seriously here. To the end of his elaborative and informative presentation, the Business Minister extended an invitation to the delegation to “explore this new economic frontier” that Guyana’s green state provides.

Offering brief remarks too, was Managing Director

of Republic Bank Guyana, Richard Sammy. Republic Bank, which is headquartered in Trinidad and Tobago, is one of the major sponsors of the trade fair. With local assets amounting to $150B and $2.7B net profit, Sammy said that the commercial bank stands ready to support businesses that are ready to invest here. Describing Guyana’s economic outlooks, the Managing Director said that: “Guyana remains strong with a promising economic outlook with expectations of key sectoral development on the horizon.”

He noted that as long as public and private sectors work together to improve the country’s infrastructure and diverse sectors, and capitalize on the natural resources potential, Guyana will achieve greater sustained economic growth and development. Touching too on the global economy, Sammy pointed out that in the financial services sector, the international regulatory climate is growing increasingly stringent in the aftermath of money laundering and terrorist activities.

He offered that legislation has increased responsibilities associated with banking globally, regionally and locally. Despite this, he was pleased to share that Republic Bank has responded to these developments by taking robust measures to ensure the bank is fully compliant with all local and international requirements and best practices associated with the detection and prevention of money laundering and financing.

– in Chronicle’s Independence Quiz contest

Four of the five Chronicle awardees. With them are, from left, Chronicle Circulation Consultant, Mr George Clarke; Marketing Coordinator, Mr Akash Persaud; Circulation’s Ms Kim Halley; Human Resources Officer, Ms Lynette Griffith; and General Manager, Ms Moshamie Ramotar

ana’s 51st Independence Anniversary, the Guyana Chronicle engaged youths

in an ‘Independence Quiz’, whereby they were encouraged to answer five ques-

tions printed in the newspaper relating to the event.

There were about 138

entries for this competition, and the drawing date was June 1.

New list coming 3

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, June 13, 2017

…high-level team to be appointed if third GECOM list fails A THIRD list of potential candidates for the position of Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) will be submitted by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo to President David Granger for consideration.

This was agreed upon on Monday, during a meeting between the President and his team, which included Ministers Joseph Harmon and Raphael Trotman, and Jagdeo and his team which comprised Anil Nandlall and Irfaan Ali. The meeting was agreed upon last week, after the Opposition Leader’s second list of nominees was rejected by President Granger on June 2, 2017. Article 161 (2) of the Constitution stipulates that the Opposition Leader must submit a list of six nominees for the position of GECOM Chairman, of which no candidate must be unacceptable.

After his second list had been rejected, the President wrote Jagdeo explaining that he had examined the Curricula Vitae of the six persons and found the list to be “unacceptable” within the meaning of the Constitution and of those criteria.

Following the meeting a joint statement issued by the Ministry of the Presidency said that both parties agreed that it would be in the best interest of the

President David Granger engaged in a post-meeting exchange with Irfaan Ali, Minister Raphael Trotman and Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo

people of Guyana that a Chairperson is appointed without undue delay. Additionally, the Ministry said that: “the parties further agreed that the Leader of the Opposition will submit a new list of six names to the President.”

However, the meeting did not conclude with those agreements alone. In fact, the statement revealed that it was also agreed by both parties that a high-level team, representing both sides, would be assembled, with a mandate of immediately exploring modalities to bring a resolution to this matter in the event that the third list is rejected.

No details were given on who would comprise that team or if persons have been identified on either side. After Jagdeo’s first and second lists were rejected, his office issued

a statement expressing his “deep concern” over the “cavalier and callous manner” in which the President expressed no confidence in those persons who were nominated.

Jagdeo’s second list of nominees included: Justice of Appeal BS Roy (ret’d); Justice William Ramlal (ret’d); Oneidge Walrond-Allicock, attorney-at-law and a former

magistrate; Kashir Khan, attorney-at-law; Nadia Sagar, attorney-at-law; and Businessman Gerald Gouveia.

The Opposition Leader had said that “it is his belief that the President is bent on unilaterally selecting a person of his choice in violation of the letter and spirit of Article 161 (2) of the Constitution and the Carter Formula. As such,

he said that there will be consequences if the President chooses to go down that path.”

However, the President had made it clear that Jagdeo must submit a list that matches the criteria set out in keeping with Article 161 (2) of the Constitution of Guyana for the selection of a ‘fit and proper’ person to fill the post of Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

The Head of State in an interview with the Press and Publicity Unit of the Ministry of the Presidency, said that the list must include six persons who are all qualified so that the choice is not limited.

“Every member of the list suggested must conform to the criteria and you cannot put on the list, a person who does not conform… I must be given a choice. I don’t believe that the second list gave me the range of choice that the people of

Guyana deserve,” he said.

“Nothing is ever settled until it is settled right and he has to get it right,” the President continued.

Article 161 (2) of the Constitution states that, “ …the Chairman of the Elections Commission shall be a person who holds or who has held office as a judge of a court having unlimited jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters in some part of the Commonwealth or a court having jurisdiction in appeals from any such court, or who is qualified to be appointed as any such judge, or any other fit and proper person, to be appointed by the President from a list of six persons, not unacceptable to the President, submitted by the Leader of the Opposition after meaningful consultation with the non-governmental political parties represented in the National Assembly.”

The two sides during the meeting at State House on Monday evening

4

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday,June 13, 2017

May tells MPs...

‘I got us into this mess, and I will get us out’ THERESA May has apologised to Tory MPs for the party’s election performance, telling them, “I got us into this mess; I’ll get us out of it.”

Addressing a meeting of backbenchers, the PM reportedly said she would serve “as long as you want me to do.”

One senior backbencher told the BBC that she had appeared “contrite and genuine, but not on her knees”.

It comes amid confusion over whether the Queen’s Speech will be delayed as talks continue to form a government.

A senior minister has said he was “optimistic” that the Conservatives and Democratic Unionists will reach an agreement in the coming days, that will allow a proposed Tory minority government to get its plans for the year ahead through the Commons, possibly as early on next Monday.

But First Secretary of State, Damian Green said

he could not confirm the the Queen’s Speech will proceed as planned on 19 June.

Labour said the government was “in chaos”, and continued to be “in denial” about the message voters had sent about their opposition to an “extreme Brexit”.

Mrs May addressed a packed meeting of the 1922 Committee for 90 minutes after her failure to win the election outright prompted days of speculation about her future.

According to reports of the meeting, she accepted personal responsibility for calling the snap election and for the result, which saw her party lose its overall majority and have to rely on the support of others.

‘DUP VETO’ Mrs May, who earlier chaired a two-hour cabinet meeting, reportedly told the party’s 1922 committee that the DUP would not have a “veto” on the government’s agenda, and there would be

no watering down of equalities laws on which the two parties disagree.

The BBC’s political editor Laura Kuenssberg said the PM’s “colleagues were demanding contrition and sounds like they got it”.

While calls for Mrs May to go had “faded”, she said her authority was “extremely fractured” and she had acknowledged she was not “calling the shots” any more.

Reacting to the meeting, Tory MP Julian Knight that the prime minister had been “humble and steadfast and certain that we have to get on with the job of government and negotiating Brexit”.

And his colleague Sarah Wollaston tweeted: “Conservative MPs all said they were standing with TM. As far as I’m concerned that hasn’t changed.”

Conservative figures have said the party needs to learn the lessons of its failure to win an overall majority and change direction

in some areas.

Gavin Barwell, who lost his seat but has since been appointed Theresa May’s chief of staff, said Jeremy Corbyn had “tapped into” public anger over Brexit and austerity, saying some voters were dismayed about the prospect of years of future public sector pay freezes.

He told the BBC’s Panorama that his party had to listen to Remain voters about their concerns. Meanwhile his colleague George Freeman said it was time for the government to “drop a hard Brexit” message and return to a “message of hope” he said Mrs May articulated when she first became prime minister.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has said the priority of Brexit talks should be the economy and free trade and that other parties should be involved in negotiations.

After attending Monday’s meeting of senior ministers and Tory officials, she

said: “We do have to make sure that we invite other people in now. This isn’t just going to be a Tory Brexit, this is going to have to involve the whole country.”

QUEEN’S SPEECH Passing the Queen’s Speech - which is written by ministers and presents an outline of its planned legislation for the next Parliamentary session - will be the first major test of Theresa May’s proposed minority government.

If the government was defeated, it would be tantamount to a vote of no confidence.

Mr Green cited the ongoing negotiations with the DUP when he was asked if next Monday’s speech had been delayed.

“I can’t confirm anything yet until we know the final details of the agreement,” he said.

“We know those talks are going well and also we know

that, at this very important time, we want to produce a substantial Queen’s Speech.”

One of the reasons for the delay is also believed to be because the speech has to be written on goat’s skin parchment, which takes a few days to dry - and the Tory negotiations with the DUP mean it cannot be ready in time.

BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith said there was an “ambiguity” about both what would go in it - with several manifesto pledges expected to be watered down or dropped - but also the need for the Tories to “nail down” DUP support.

Brexit Secretary David Davis predicted some parts of the Tory manifesto would have to be “pruned”. While the result had been disappointing, he said Mrs May was a “formidable prime minister” and accused people speculating about her leadership of “the absolute height of self-indulgence”. (BBC)

Tuesday, June 13, 2017 - 05:00 hrs Wednesday, June 14, 2017 - 08:30 hrs Thursday, June 15, 2017 -08:30 hrs

DATE: DATE: 26/11/2016 10/06/2017 26/11/2016 12/06/2017

12 14 14 19 26 18 02 05 12 13 18 15 25 N H 11

06 04 13 09

14 17

21 25

24 26

26/11/2016 12/06/2017

04 04

07 05

03 07

26/11/2016 12/06/2017

05 06

04 01

01 06

26/11/2016 12/06/2017 02 04

09 04

10 10

11 14 13 15 14 16

18 21

5

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Peru leader warns of FARC rebels to train Venezuela ‘blood bath’ as bodyguards

PERUVIAN President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski has called on the international community to take action to avoid “a blood bath” in Venezuela.

Sixty-seven people have been killed in protest-related violence in Venezuela since mass anti-government protests started on April 1.

The Peruvian president said there was “no democracy” in Venezuela. He also called on the Venezuelan government to allow humanitarian aid to be sent.

He was speaking at a meeting of business leaders in the Spanish capital, Madrid.

“There’s no democracy in Venezuela. There was an election, but now a large part of the population doesn’t feel represented,” Mr Kuczynski said.

He suggested that an international commission be formed to resolve the crisis in Venezuela.

He said that while action by the international

Peru’s President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski

community could be seen as “an interference”, it would be “to safeguard democracy”.

The Peruvian leader said that if no action is taken, there would be a risk of “a bloodbath, that people may flee to Colombia, that others leave by boat”.

Mr Kuczynski has been one of the most vocal critics of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro,

calling Venezuela’s economic and political crisis “a big problem” for the region.

He has in the past discussed Venezuela with regional leaders, including US President Donald Trump.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez reacted to those talks by calling Mr Kuczynski “a dog” which is subservient to the US.

THE Colombian government says it has started the process of training Farc rebels as bodyguards.

Under the peace deal signed by the government and the Marxist rebel group last year, 315 demobilised guerrilla fighters will be trained to protect fellow Farc members at risk of violence.

Right-wing paramilitary groups have been known to target Farc leaders.

Once trained, they will be given a gun, and paid three times the minimum wage.

The interior ministry said that more than 300 demobilised rebels had arrived at a training academy in the town of Facatativá, near the capital, Bogotá.

More are expected to arrive in the coming days. The ministry says a total of 315

candidates will be chosen for the task of providing security for Farc leaders.

They will undergo a series of exams to test their physical, psychological and emotional aptitude for the job.

The successful candidates will be paid a monthly salary of 1.8M pesos ($615; £485).

Only Farc members who have not committed crimes against humanity, and who can prove they have handed in their arms are allowed to apply.

They will receive training in human rights and close protection by Colombia’s National Protection Unit.

But the fact that the rebels will be allowed to carry guns just months after having handed them over to a

United Nations monitoring team has disgruntled some Colombians.

Those unhappy with the deal say it is unthinkable that members of the Farc, who for more than five decades fought the Colombian state, should be allowed to carry guns legally, and even be paid by the state to do so.

But Farc negotiators argued that their leaders’ security had to be guaranteed, and that they only trusted their own people to do so.

To justify their demand for heavy security, they pointed to the murders of members of the left-wing Unión Patriotica party in the 1980s. The party was almost completely wiped out after dozens of its lawmakers and local councillors were killed.

6

Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday,June 13, 2017

Theresa May gamble British Prime Minister Theresa May, apparently feeling the pressure from the loss her party suffered last Thursday, on Monday said: “I got us into this mess, I’ll get us out of it.” The Conservative Party which she leads, prior to Thursday’s election, held a majority in the House of Commons. Having surprisingly lost 13 seats, and by extension its majority, the plurality of votes and seats make it impossible to govern independent of other parties.

Confident, based on opinion polls earlier this year showing the party with a 20 per cent favourability edge over others, Mrs. May, like predecessor David Cameron, gambled and called another snap elections. Her’s was the assumption that the conservatives would have achieved a bigger mandate from the electorate, which was felt to be important to negotiating Britain’s exit (Brexit) from the European Union (EU).

The election, called three years early, has not only cost the Conservative its parliamentary majority, but is bringing with it the intensification of calls, within and outside the party, for Mrs. May to step down. Additional to resisting such call, reality also informed the need to court alliance with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Strange bedfellows, the two are ideologically on some major issues, the alliance becomes necessary to ensure a working majority in the 650seat Parliament and to get the Party’s agenda through. With the conservatives 313 and DUP ten seats, May is in a fight for her political survival.

It would be remembered while Prime Minister Cameron held the opinion that the British majority, like him, will reject Brexit, his bet last year June to take the decision to the

electorate proved him wrong. He stepped down after the loss, which paved the way for Mrs May’s election by the party’s leadership as prime minister. While last Thursday’s election allows for many stories and analyses, including misjudging the electorate, polls are flash points in given time and not 100 per cent fool proof and serving as lessons for politicians everywhere, what is more important to our society is the Brexit negotiations, how it will proceed, and what will be its outcome. Conservatives since the polls last year are hoping to wrangle a better deal to access the EU’s markets from outside and this could foretell a new world order.

The possibility of a domino effect cannot also be ignored. Frankly, globalisation has not created a level playing field for some societies and segments within societies. This reality coupled with the push for the creation of free trade to be accompanied by fair trade has a chance to succeed under EU’s principles and articles. One of the positives to small states such as ours is the institution’s focus on upholding human rights in the production of goods and services. Issues such as respecting workers’ rights and eschewing Child and Forced Labour are conditional criterion to trade in the EU markets. Guyana, who through the Caribbean Community/The Dominican Republic and EU, as part of the Economic Partnership Agreement, stands to benefit not only from preferential treatment in entering the markets but also meeting human rights requirement in the business of trade.

There are other areas of interest to the society, given the protection the EU offers through upholding

required international standards, by the way of laws and enforcement. These include the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism. Stringent guidelines and requirements for association are positive indicators to bring about fair trade among participants, with impacting potential for the entire global market.

Globalisation has been with us from time immemorial but the world is becoming more complex. Practices in businesses and governments unmindful of the value of human resources and the environment in the process of trade, efforts by EU to bring about fairness and protection with the overall aim to benefit entire society cannot be ignored. Thus, for global watchers to Britain’s evolving internal politics, particularly vulnerable groups and small societies, the preservation of the EU is important given its enshrined protections from exploitation and abuses. How Mrs May will navigate her mess to get Britain through negotiations, due to start in the next few days, will be closely watched.

Fixing the problems at Skeldon Dear Editor, I REFER to the news item in the KN edition of June 11th, 2017 titled “Full investigation ordered into Skeldon sugar project”. As reported, the comments emanating from Government officials support a thrust to sell that estate – land, factory and co-gen facility – at basement prices.

The Junior Finance Minister, Jaipaul Sharma and the Chairman of SEI Board, Lloyd Rose, made some assertions which may be due to their misunderstanding of Skeldon or due to misinformation they would have received. I would urge both gentlemen to accurately acquaint themselves technically & historically before mak-

ing statements to avoid unnecessary embarrassment. Here are some hard facts on Skeldon: 1. Booker Tate Ltd., a UK-based company, was hired by the Government of Guyana to manage the entire Skeldon Sugar Modernization Project that is Design, Construction, Quality Control, Commissioning. After the many problems with factory test runs in 2008 and eventual commissioning in August 2009, the Government ended the contract with Booker Tate Ltd, which was to come to an end some years before but was extended to coincide with the completion of the new Skeldon factory.

2. The present Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

of GuySuCo was a Director of Booker Tate Ltd., UK for that entire duration of Skeldon’s design, construction & testing.

Subsequently, he was appointed as CEO of GuySuCo in 2009 and oversaw the official commissioning and handing over of the factory to GuySuCo, despite incomplete factory performance tests. He had no objections in the process and fully supported the takeover.

3. The present Deputy Technical Director was Technical Director for GuySuCo during the period 2007-2016.

By virtue of office, he automatically assumed the role of Chief Engineer for Skeldon factory with the departure of Booker Tate Ltd. He too supported the premature

take-over of the factory.

Thus, he also accepted the factory without any objection.

4. Skeldon factory is designed to operate efficiently at a cane processing rate of 300-350 tonnes per hour for approximately 156 hrs. per week, using fresh canes free of soil and extraneous material. These conditions were never achieved consistently, hence the cause of poor efficiency and deteriorating equipment.

5. The boiler deterioration observed is not because of poor design or equipment quality. It is because the equipment was subjected to sub-optimal operating conditions.

Typically, if primary fuel flow (bagasse) to a boiler reduces, its furnace temperature will drop forcing

operators to switch on secondary fuel (Heavy Fuel Oil) to increase and maintain furnace temperatures required for steam generation and flow. Inconsistent fuel flow results in fluctuations in furnace temperatures which hastens material deterioration. Additionally, if primary fuel (bagasse) has high percentage of ash (soil), it will clog furnaces and cause erosion on boiler tubes (thinning out of tubes) as observed. In short, the boiler problem seen is due to an inconsistent supply and poor quality bagasse to furnaces or operation of equipment under sub-optimal conditions.

If bagasse supply and quality problems at Skeldon are not adequately addressed, the

replacement boiler being touted will suffer the same extent of deterioration. It will not solve the problem. On the issue of the project not being officially certified and boiler shed not being in place, the Honorable Junior Minister should cross-examine the present CEO and the Deputy Technical Director as both individuals were functional operators at that point in history and whose responsibility included verification of factory performance for acceptance, project close out and ultimately financial conclusion.

Will these officers feign ignorance now?

Regards Sookram Persaud

7

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, June 13, 2017

OP-ED

Rodney, the exemplar of social justice activism and People’s Power

By David Hinds AS WE remember Walter Rodney on another June 13, we again honour the life and contributions of a product of our Guyana and Caribbean who gave hope to tens of thousands that a Guyana that guarantees the security of all its diverse groups is possible.

We honour our brother, not as an elitist scholar and activist, but as a person who put his individual gifts to the service of the collective, always acknowledging that his opportunities and achievements were made possible by the sacrifices of the people, especially the working peoples of the country and region.

Walter Rodney was a committed partisan for social and ethnic equality, justice for the downtrodden, government that is premised on and responds to the power of the people and the empowerment of those at the bottom of the social ladder to determine their own emancipation.

He was an exemplar of Social Justice activism and People’s Power.

Here in Guyana, Dr. Rodney is remembered most for his tireless crusade against dictatorial governance and his firm belief that such governance can be turned back most effectively by a multi-ethnic movement of the working peoples and their allies. His intervention in this regard brought to the fore the inherent contradictions in Guyanese politics and society, that would eventually facilitate his assassination. That his assassination resulted from a politics of spite, one-manism and a desire to monopolise power as an end itself is, therefore, beyond

doubt. Clearly the mobilization of people across ethnicity and to some extent across social class in defense of their fundamental rights ran counter to the agenda of the then rulers.

The gains of Rodney Since Rodney’s assassination, there have been inevitable changes in government—the dictatorial regime against which he fought was eventually voted out of office. The successor government continued the dictatorial ways of its predecessors and met the same fate. The present government has promised much, but seems unable to move beyond the narrow confines of traditional modes of governance.

Through all this the plight of the poor and powerless, regardless of ethnicity and gender, have become progressively worse as our governments have become more and more wedded to the neo-liberal model of development that privileges markets and elites over people. Walter Rodney’s critique of the politics and economics of underdevelopment is still relevant today and should be utilized as a rallying point of departure for those willing to confront neo-liberalism.

On the ethnic front, the gains of the Rodney era have not been sustained. The removal of the PNC from office in 1992 and the return of free elections were accompanied by a resurgence of ethnic insecurity and its attendant ills. The PPP government did not help matters by turning its back on a Government of National Unity and pursuing, in part, an undisguised ethnic agenda. By the time it left office, the country was as sharply divided as it was in the wake of the ethnic upheavals of the 1960s.

Multi-ethnic movement

It should be clear to all who want Guyana to advance that this would be facilitated most effectively by a multi-ethnic movement along the lines articulated and mobilized by Walter Rodney and his comrades in the WPA. We believe that the time has come for the building of such a movement to serve as a push-back against the unhealthy politics of ethnic division and domination and the economic assault on the working peoples.

This is our call to action on this 37th anniversary of the assassination of Walter Rodney.

The debate over the future of sugar and proposed government action in that regard have serious ethnic implications.

So too is the on-going struggle against official corruption.

Whatever one’s feelings on these issues, it must be acknowledged that they threatened to further tear our people apart. In the end we must, in the Rodneyite tradition, summon the courage to reach across the ethnic divide and search for common ground. We have learned from experience that such action often runs counter to the agendas of entrenched political parties to which most of, many of our people are affiliated. This the daunting challenge we face, but it is one that must be confronted. Walter Rodney’s example, scholarship and activism offer us something to work with.

Gov’t must stop marginalizing Rodney On this anniversary, we also renew the call on the government to put aside partisan differences and honour Walter Rodney as a Guyanese patriot. I understand the reluctance to touch the recommendations of the controversial Walter Rodney Commission

of Inquiry; but are we doomed to be forever imprisoned by partisan instincts? How can we boast of a Unity Government that includes Rodney’s party and comrades, yet the very government continues to marginalize him in such blatant ways? The government has not seen it fit to implement the very non-partisan recommendations of the COI— some of which its constituents have, in the past, called for.

Where are the Rodneyite ideas in the praxis of the government? There was no more enlightened activist of what we now call social cohesion than Walter Rodney. Yet our government publishes a strategic plan on social cohesion without a single integration of his ideas or those with which he is associated. We must do better than that.

This government has a historic duty to be a government of all Guyanese. It must decisively break with the past. In this regard, it must follow through on the big promises it made in its manifesto. Constitutional reform must take pride of place on the agenda. There can be no social cohesion and good governance outside of constitutional reform that targets excessive presidential powers, the sharing of executive power and the return of proper local democracy.

The government must find a way to witness more for the poor in our midst. It has to find space for investment in our people even as it navigates the dictates of the IMF regime. The coming

of the oil economy will not be automatic salvation for the poor. Experience has shown that oil wealth, like other forms of wealth, ends up benefiting the privileged.

Our government must also give true meaning to the notion of Coalition. Currently it is more a coalition in name than in practice. Coalition assumes consultation and partnership in word and deed. Democratization should mean a widening of the decision-making space to include the breadth of our interests.

WPA must recapture its Rodneyite soul In that regard, I must be self-critical of those of us in the WPA and other Rodney associates. I have no place for those critics of the WPA who opportunistically use Rodney’s name to malign the WPA. But, I think we have not done enough to advocate for Rodneyite ideas in recent times. We seem to be caught in between support for the government and fidelity to our own traditions which are largely grounded in Rodney’s praxis and have not found a way to properly balance the two.

Our collective voice has been too muted in the face of wrong turns by this government and other negative developments in our politics. To the best of my knowledge, we have been reluctant to speak up for Rodney in the halls of power. We have remained silent for too long as the working poor cry out for defence. The WPA and its asso-

ciates must quickly engage in a reality check, if we are to retain any semblance of relevance to contemporary Guyana. We cannot continue to hide behind the reality or myth of State Power.

Our responsibility, in the Rodneyite tradition, is ultimately to the country and all its peoples, regardless of ethnicity and other differences. The WPA must recapture its Rodneyite soul in the interest of Guyana. We can no longer afford to muzzle our voice in the service of partisan politics.

Rename UG Walter Rodney University of Guyana I have in the past call for the renaming of the University of Guyana; the Walter Rodney University of Guyana. Guyanese across generations have contributed much to scholarship locally, regionally and globally, but none can doubt that Rodney’s contributions in this regard is monumental. At a time when our university is fighting for survival, the spirit of Rodney could serve as a morale booster for that institution and as a reminder to students that academic excellence and creativity are part of our education tradition. Further, our scholars at the university should integrate Rodney and other Guyanese thinkers into the curriculum. It is a crying shame that while there is a Walter Rodney Chair at the University, there are no courses on Rodney’s ideas. This robs students of the opportunity to engage indigenous ideas.

8

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, June 13, 2017

PAC queries $2.2M overpayment of Bourda Market vendor A BOURDA Market vendor was overpaid some $2.512M by the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs in January of 2016 despite vouchers being prepared for a payment of $251,200, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was informed on Monday.

During the Committee’s meeting held in Parliament Chambers, PAC Chairman, Irfaan Ali led the questioning directed to recently-appointed Permanent Secretary (PS), Alfred King. $47.058M was expended under dietary for the Ministry and within that sum amounts totaling $6.759M was paid to a supplier who supplied fruits, greens and vegetables to the Amerindian Hostel.

It was observed by the Audit Office that payment vouchers were prepared on December 15, 2015 for an amount of $251,200.

However, the cheque was processed for $2.512M on January 5, 2016 for December 31, 2015 and was collected by the supplier on January 7, 2016.

From all indication, no one detected the anomaly between the amount on the payment voucher and the cheque, as such, the supplier was overpaid $2.261M. As a result, the Audit Office recommended that the

entire overpayment be recovered and systems be put in place by the Ministry and the Accountant General to avoid a reoccurrence. “Did this go through a tender process, public procurement or quotation?” asked Ali. King told the Committee in the first instance that he was advised that the supplier was selected through a quotation system. However, he was later forced to withdraw his utterance, as the PAC found same to be untrue.

“I am advised there were three submissions for the supply of fruits, greens and vegetables. I am reliably informed that the process was based on historical knowledge…Ministry’s knowledge,” said King who when asked whether his Ministry has a register of suppliers, answered in the affirmative.

“You awarded the contract based on quotations?” asked Ali, to which the PS responded, “Yes, Mr Chair”. Later in the proceedings, King said, “I’d like to retract” while adding that the information provided to the PAC at the start of the session was based on what was provided to him by the Deputy Permanent Secretary (DPS). There was no register of suppliers, and the supplier, Devanauth

Sugrim, who operates out of Section ‘J’ Bourda Market, Georgetown, is still listed as a supplier to the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs.

Meanwhile, it should be noted that checks revealed that the details for the payment were entered into the Integrated Financial Management and Accounting System (IFMAS) on December 29, 2015, by a staff of the Ministry and the amount was recorded as $2.512M instead of $251,200.

The Auditor General’s (AG) department explained that at the end of the year, cheques are prepared for all transactions in the system so as to facilitate the closure of the accounting cycle for that year and as such, the variance would not have been detected at that time. However, a payment arrangement was being worked out with Sugrim and the AG’s department to recover the difference.

PAC member, Jermaine Figuiera, asked King to state the measures in place to prevent reoccurrence to which the PS responded that it was a slippage, and he hopes no such slippage occurs again. Member Juan Edghill asked whether the $6.759M was allocated for the entire year or for a spe-

cific period.

King said he was unsure, but noted that it is suggested that the $250,200 was owed to the supplier for four months (August 31 to November). However, Ali said based on records before him, the allocated sum was for July to September 2015. What the PAC noted was that two persons were shortlisted for the supply of greens, vegetables and fruits to the hostel, through the National Procurement and Tender Administration (NPTAB).

“You have a supplier but that approval is talking about two suppliers,” said Ali,`` who then asked for an explanation.

“You forsake one for the other? ... You have the former PS here and I don’t see you calling on him,” said Ali. “Mr Chair, I cannot explain right now the $6.759M,” a statement which prompted the PAC Chair to ask King, if he was ill-prepared to face the PAC. King, in his defence said the manner in which the paragraph was structured makes the situation a bit confusing.

“What happened to the other supplier?” asked Ali to which King responded, “Mr Chair, I can assure you that this needs a lot more work than is presented by

the DPS.” Edghill, recognising that King was not the PS at the time of the report asked, “Could I be assured that there is no purchase at any one time from this supplier in excess of $250,000? And could you tell me, how many such purchases were made during the period?”

Based on the records I am seeing… I am seeing two transactions over that value,” said the accounting Officer. Edghill described the situation as “open shopping” and questioned whether the supplier provides the greens, fruits and vegetables and after it is supplied the payment is made, or a cash advance is applied for and the supplier purchases the items and returns with receipts.

It was disclosed that the supplier was paid after the goods were supplied; a statement which prompted the PAC Chair to calculate that the Ministry was spending $540,000 monthly on the supply of the said items to the hostel. King noted too that between 150 and 180 Amerindians are catered for at the hostel, a statement which caught members of the PAC by surprise. Of the total $47.058M allocated for dietary needs, just over $40M remained after the

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Alfred King, addresses the PAC on Monday

deduction of $6.759M. “Is any amount out of that spent on the hostel?” asked Ali, who was told no. However, the PS was not in a position to provide the PAC with a breakdown of the $40,299,000. The Committee broke for about 35 minutes so that the PS and his team could provide the requisite information; unfortunately this was not done. Following the break, it was determined that given the number of instances to which King was misguided by his team, it would be best, he be given time to acquaint himself with the information requested by the PAC. He is required to submit the requested information soon.

Trial date set for $550M cocaine suspects COME July 13, the trial will commence against four men jointly charged in connection with the $550 million worth of cocaine found in lumber at a sawmill in Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo in May. The men are: motor racer, Stephen Vieira, 33, of Middle & Cummings Street, Georgetown; Nezim Gafoor, 20, and businessman Tazim Gafoor, 49, both of Menzies Street, Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara, and Drug Enforcement Officer attached to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Sherwayne DeAbreu,32 of Section ‘A’ Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.

The matter was first called on May 31, 2017, before Magistrate Rushell Liverpool at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court and the men denied the charge. Par-

ticulars of the charge alleged that between March 1, 2017 and May 12, 2017 at Narine Lall Enterprise Sawmill at Zeelugt, they aided Hakim

Mohammed to traffic 84.986 kilograms of cocaine.

Attorney Latchmi Rahamat represented Vieira, Attorney Stanly Moore

represented Nezim Gafoor, and Attorney Everton Singh-Lammy represented Tazim Gafoor, while Attorney Mark Conway repre-

sented DeAbreu.

When the matter was called on Monday (June 12), Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) officer, Konyo Sandiford served statements to the defendants in court and further disclosures will be served on June 16. The four accused were further remanded.

The Prosecutor further noted that investigation is completed in the matter and a total of 15 witnesses will testify on behalf of CANU. Additionally, investigators have three months’ worth of surveillance footage on the four accused along with evidence by Hakim Mohammed who cooperated with CANU. CANU had focused attention on the suspects following the discovery of some 84.986 kilograms (187 pounds) of cocaine

worth $550M in lumber at the Lot 227 Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo premises of Mohamed on May 12. The bust was made just as the lumber was being packed into a truck. CANU ranks had searched a truck laden with several pallets of 1×6 dressed lumber boards prepared for export. Several pieces of boards were drilled randomly by the ranks and revealed a whitish substance.

The lumber was packed at a sawmill located at Lookout, East Bank Essequibo belonging to Narine Lall, to be transported to a wharf in Georgetown and then shipped to the United States of America. Vieira was listed on the shipping documents as a representative of the shipper, Narine Lall. He has been charged separately in absentia with trafficking in narcotics.

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, June 13, 2017

‘Come back to Guyana’ …AG woos US-based Guyanese at NY event THE ‘Good Life’ was promised to Guyanese living in the Diaspora as they were encouraged to return to Guyana and invest in the rapidly developing sectors, especially in the oil and gas and tourism industries.

This was highlighted at a Guyana Unity Day held in New York on Sunday when members of the Diaspora congregated to commemorate Guyana’s 51st Independence Anniversary.

Speaking at the event was Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams who represented President David Granger since he was regrettably unable to attend the event. While addressing the gathering, Williams stressed, “everyone else is coming to Guyana except you.”

He reflected upon the interest many foreign persons are showing in Guyana, especially with its large oil find and expressed his con-

cern that many persons are not scooping up the opportunities to invest in Guyana.

Tourism is another budding industry he identified and he noted that Guyana presents a unique opportunity for eco-tourism. He related that the eco-tourism is there in abundance for Guyana.

Relating to the declaration of Guyana as a green state, he highlighted endeavours to foster the use of sustainable energy in Guyana.

The minister noted that there is also scope for investment in hydropower, and solar and wind energy and said, “You have great opportunities in those areas if you wish to invest.”

“You can’t wait until other people come to Guyana and take up all the opportunities to invest,” Williams declared and said, “Our message to you is, come back to Guyana again.”

The Attorney-General also attested that the govern-

ment has been able to “substantially” reduce crime in Guyana and it has been able to eliminate piracy in some areas. He explained many areas where improvements have been made and said, “Crime is not isolated; it is backed up by intelligence.”

“Crime is no longer a factor to deter would-be investors,” the minister posited to members of the Diaspora.

Several additional measures are also being considered in an attempt to improve the lives of Guyanese in a “holistic” way, according to Williams who disclosed that the government will focus on juvenile justice and will seek to amend the legislation for wandering. He related that persons would see children wandering on the streets when they should be in school and immediately seek to employ punishment.

This will be changed however, because as Williams said, “You are punishing children

Attorney General, Basil Williams, First Lady Mrs Sandra Granger and other officials at the Guyana Unity Day held in New York on Sunday

Jury empaneled for Albouystown Old Year’s Day murder A 12-member jury was on Monday empanelled before Justice Navindra Singh in the Georgetown High Court for the trial of Steve Allicock who allegedly murdered Wendell Tappin called “Wendell Teko” on December 31, 2009.

The state is being represented by Tuanna Hardy, Tameika Clarke and Gita Bissondyal, while the defence attorneys are Maxwell McKay and Debra Kumar.

It is alleged that on Old Year’s Day 2009, Wendell Tappin, 23, of 88 James Street, Albouystown, Georgetown was murdered at

about 16:00hrs at Hill Street, Albouystown. Tappin was involved in an argument with another man who inflicted stab and chop wounds to his chest and escaped.

Tappin was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

He was stabbed and chopped to death during a row over a cell phone/ battery. The case will commence on Wednesday at 10:00hrs in Court 3 before Justice Navindra Singh and a 12-member jury.Six witnesses are expected to testify.

Accused: Steve Allicock

without examining why.”

“Our goal is to ensure each and every Guyanese has a good life,” he affirmed.

Also speaking at the event was Guyana’s First Lady, Sandra Granger. She highlighted the number of projects she has been engaging in and the progress made in these projects in the relatively short time they have been implemented. Notably, she related that with the help of other stakeholders she was able to create and develop an interest for robotics among young people in Guyana.

She also highlighted her Youth Development Initiatives in which remedial education is provided to learners and her Self-Reliance and Success in Business Workshops for women in all regions of Guyana.

Other initiatives include: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) programmes accredited by the Board of Industrial Training (BIT); re-integrating teenage mothers into the schooling

system and caring for young children and the elderly. The event was held at the Thomas Jefferson High school Football Field in Brooklyn, New York. The Guyana Unity Movement organised this charity fundraising event to garner funds for organizations and developmental projects in Guyana.

The Guyana Unity day Charity Event in Aid of the First Lady’s Initiatives was geared at uniting Guyanese across diversities in the New York area. The Spacious and Breezy Thomas Jefferson High School Softball Track and Field was the ideal venue for such an event. The venue was outflanked by food and beverage vendors offering goodies such as coconut water fresh from the shell and baked chicken with any side you like. The Spacious field was perfect for the kids present to play and run worry free, while being careful of course. The crowd was as diverse as Guyana itself and in every age range.

Every person was wearing a piece of apparel, bandana, flag, tights, cleeves, hats and everything else they could put their hands on relating to “GUYANA” in some way.

The Charity event was hosted by Mr. Ervin Washington. Shortly after exchanging greetings with the event hosts and persons in attendance, Mr. Washington took to the stage to greet the gathering and thanking them for standing with Unity as they stand in support of the First Lady’s Initiatives. Sharief Barker Fraiser was credited with bringing the aim of the Guyana Unity Movement to the attention of Consul General Barbara Atherly by none other than herself. This happened as she addressed the gathering at the Charity Event. According to Consul Atherly “I was very impressed by her approach”; she also wished the organisation good luck in the future, in addition to wishing the gathering well.

Guyanese chutney singer, Terry Gajraj entertaining the crowd at the unity day event

Bus driver to stand trial for attempted murder A 48-year-old minibus driver was on Monday committed to stand trial in the High Court by City Magistrate, Judy Latchman for attempted murder.

Cayson Clementson of North Ruimveldt, Georgetown was informed by Magistrate Latchman on Monday that a Prima Facie case was made out against him for the indictable offence, which alleged that October 31, 2016 at Lodge, Georgetown, with

intent to commit murder, he wounded Andre Phillips.

During the preliminary inquiry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, several police officers and civilians were called to testify by police prosecutor, Vishnu Hunt. Clementson was represented by attorney, Mark Waldron who during yesterday’s court hearing made a no-case submission which was overruled by Magistrate Latchman.

The 48-year-old man will remain on remand.

According to reports, Clementson was in a relationship with the child-mother of the victim. On the day in question the men were involved in a heated argument when Clementon became annoyed and stabbed Phillips to his neck with a knife. Phillips was picked up in an unconscious state and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

10

Kato Secondary School for September completion CHIEF Education Officer (CEO), Marcel Hutson, has disclosed that remedial works on the Kato Secondary School, Region Eight ( Potaro/Siparuni) should be done in time for the new school term, in September.

Hutson, according to the Department of Public Information/Government Information Agency (DPI/GINA), said, “The situation is our children are overcrowded and we need to have that school up and running by September for maximum impact.”

Meanwhile, on Monday during a hearing of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Ministry of Education, Vibert Welch, said an assessment of what needs to be done to ensure completion will occur this week.

He was at the time providing an update on the state of affairs relative to the Secondary School. Welch said the contractor, Kares Engineering Inc., who is responsible for the inferior works done on the school is scheduled to travel to Region Eight with a consultant to conduct

In February, Minister of Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, taking a look at the hole in the floor in one of the buildings of the Kato Secondary School complex, Region Eight

the assessment.

“We’re at the stage where the contractor has agreed to undertake all the remedial works but there is the consultant to do a reassessment to date,” said the PS. The Ministry of Pub-

lic Infrastructure (MPI) has since retained the services of an independent consultant from Guyana Association of Professional Engineers (GAPE), to detail the works needed to be done. The consultant was identified in Feb-

ruary, when the Ministers of Public Infrastructure, Education and Social Cohesion visited the school to conduct an assessment.

The $1B Kato Secondary School was built under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration to facilitate students in the region who travel long distances to access secondary level education. However, due to the substandard work done by the contractor it has not been occupied.

The contract for the construction of the Kato Secondary School received Cabinet’s no objection on December 27, 2012 and was awarded by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) to the lowest of four bidders.

The $728.165M contract was signed on December 31, 2012 with a commencement date of January 21, 2013. The contract provided for a twoyear period for defects liability, one year after completion.

The contractor was granted an extension of contract to September 30, 2015.

City engineers suspended for poor performance

By Telesha Ramnarine FOUR engineers of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) have been suspended for their poor performance on the job and non-cooperation with their head, City Engineer, Colvern Venture, effective June 15.

Deputy City Engineer, Ron Eastman, along with Engineer Technician Kabila Hollingsworth, were suspended for two weeks without pay; while Engineers Marlon Harris and Vaughn Canterburry were each suspended for one week. Assistant City Engineer, Rasheed Kellman, was handed a warning letter.

A number of City Councillors, including Mayor Patricia Chase-Green had raised concerns about the conduct of Hollingsworth, in particular, when the Legal Affairs Committee met with them recently.

Councillor Malcolm Ferreira and Noelle Chow-Chee said had they been the chairperson of that Committee, they would have recommended immediate dismissal for Hollingsworth, owing to the total disrespect and insubordination he showed to the officers.

The City Engineer had

Colvern Venture

Kabila Hollingsworth

Ron Eastman

recently complained to the council that he was not receiving cooperation from the said engineers, and that follow-up memos did not bear much fruit from them.

The Mayor noted on Monday that the attitude of these engineers could have resulted in millions of dollars in losses to the council.

She had referred to the situation recently when some kokers remained out of operation for lengthy periods of time although officers were assigned to look over them.

Chase-Green had sternly cautioned Venture to rein in the people in his department, lest the Council take action.

“The attitude of those in the Engineer’s Department stinks; their attitude towards citizens is unacceptable,”

she had expressed. She said it was high time that some officers from that department go home, because they are at work doing absolutely nothing.

“You have officers in the yard liming whole day,” she charged. Chase-Green pointed out that when these officers are picked up and taken into the fields, they produce the reports months after and worse yet, give the excuse that they have to revisit the location before submitting the reports.

“These officers are not doing what they’re expected to do,” she said. “I’m tired of hearing the same names over and over again. You have senior officers sitting down doing nothing.”

The Mayor also lamented the fact that despite their

behaviour, the municipality has to find money to pay their hefty salaries every month. “It is time the nonsense stops,” she said.

“If the Engineer cannot take control of the department, we will have to take control of him; he needs to stop sorrying for people.” Addressing the Engineer in person, Mayor Chase-Green said, “You need to take control of your department, and the Council will stand by you.”

With respect to allegations in the past of rampant corruption in the City Engineer’s Department, ChaseGreen once famously said: “The only time you hear about the City Engineer’s Department, is when they are taking bribes all over the place.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Woman jailed for beating pensioner to death with belna A CRYING Zalena Whittington was on Monday sentenced to eight years in prison by Justice Navindra Singh in the Georgetown High Court after she pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter for the murder of her 62-year-old landlord, Azaad Ghanie, on May 27, 2013.

After being advised by her attorney Debra Kumar, the woman told the court that she cannot hear properly and the Judge told her to go closer to him after which she explained her situation.

During her discourse with the Judge she began crying loudly and asked for mercy.

Justice Navindra Singh however, accepted the plea and sentenced Whittington to eight years in jail and asked that time served be deducted and wished her good luck.

Whittington had beaten her elderly landlord to death with a rolling pin (belna) after he made unwarranted sexual advances towards her when she went to serve his meal on May 27, 2013, at Sideline Dam, Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo.

On the day in question it

Zalena Whittington

is reported that she went to the upper flat of the house and when Azaad Ghanie began to fondle her she became enraged and dealt him several blows to the body with a belna.

Whittington and her family resided on the lower flat of the house and would prepare meals for the landlord, who is said to be a relative. Police were summoned after neighbours heard Ghanie shouting for help after which his lifeless and bloodied body was found in his home. Whittington and her children were arrested.

‘I is not a thief, I found it inside the toilet’ A 49-year-old woman was on Monday fined $50,000 for stealing another woman’s phone while at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Sonia Baksh of ‘B’ Field Sophia, Turkeyen, appeared before City Magistrate Judy Latchman and confessed that on June 8 at the GPHC, she stole a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and accessories –totaling $150,000- property of Tomicia Hazelwood.

According to the facts read in court by Police Prosecutor, Shawn Gonsalves, on the day in question Hazelwood went to use the washroom at the GPHC when she accidently dropped her cellphone.

However, while the woman was leaving the washroom, Baksh was entering the said room. A few mo-

ments later when the woman noticed that her phone was missing, she returned to the washroom but could not find the gadget.

Gonsalves pointed out that Hazelwood contacted Baksh and inquired about her phone; however the woman denied having it. Hazelwood reported the matter at the police outpost at the hospital and the defendant was arrested. When ranks searched Baksh the cellphone was found in her possession.

“I is not a thief, I found it inside the toilet” the unrepresented defendant told the court. Magistrate Latchman, after considering Baksh’s early guilty plea and the fact that it was her first offence, ordered the woman to pay a fine of $50,000 or serve one month imprisonment.

11

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Student loan agency to manage teachers’ housing fund THE Housing Revolving Fund established to assist teachers who are members of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) with access to affordable housing, is likely to be managed by the Ministry of Finance’s Student Loans Agency.

This was disclosed on Monday by Finance Secretary, Dr. Hector Butts, during a hearing of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Dr. Butts noted that while there is $200M in the Fund, it has been untouched. He explained that no disbursement has been made because there is no appropriate agency to do so.

The Finance Secretary said, the Student Loans Agency is in the process of tiding some challenges it has with its systems and when that is completed in June, attention would be placed on having the Student Loans Agency manage the Revolving Fund.

“After that we will be looking at the student loan

agency, once it handles itself, to perhaps take that on (Housing Revolving Fund) because they are involved in the issue of lending and receiving,” said Dr. Butts.

In 2011, the Housing Revolving Fund was established by virtue of an agreement between the government of Guyana and the GTU. Since then three cheques valued $200M were drawn on the account and deposited into a special account held at the Bank of Guyana.

The Audit Office in its 2015 report recommended that the Ministry of Education continues engagement with the Finance Secretary so progress can be made on the issue.

Permanent Secretary, Vibert Welch, appeared clueless on Monday before the PAC when he was asked

by PAC Member Jermaine Figueira about the status of the Fund.

The PS explained that advice was sought from the

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Vibert Welch

Finance Secretary and noted that it is his intention to engage the GTU next week to work to have further discussions on the matter. “…the money is in the account of the Bank of Guyana (BOG),” he said noting that the modalities have to be worked out.

Figueira questioned why till now, the GTU has not been able to benefit

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Legal Affairs, Delma Nedd

from the money. He asked, “When will this process start?” A question Welch could not answer but asked former PS of the Ministry of Education, Delma Nedd to answer.

Nedd who now serves as PS for the Ministry of Legal Affairs explained that there were some logistical issues in administering the Housing Revolving Fund

Finance Secretary, Dr. Hector Butts

and it was recommended that advice be sought from the Finance Secretary.

PAC Member, Nigel Dharamlall, then questioned the status of the agreement, a question Nedd was unable to answer. “I am not sure there is an update. I am not sure as to the current status,” she said. But as the questioning continued on the Revolving Fund, the substantive PS said, “I

learnt of an agreement … [but] I did not read it”.

He was then asked by PAC member, Charandass Persaud, to explain the purpose of the Fund, to which he replied, “As I understand it, it is to help teachers to access low-cost housing or give them a loan to get their own house…”

Similarly, PAC Member, Audwin Rutherford, asked the PS to state what teachers can expect in the future.

“I would want to engage the GTU next week, because there are some other issues they requested I meet with them,” said Welch at which time, the Finance Secretary recommended that he (Welch) reads the agreement to better understand the conditions therein.

PS Welch was not in a position to tell the PAC who the signatories of the account are. When questioned by Edghill, he said “I ask to be allowed to find out and submit something to you…”

Parking meter consultations...

Residents, minibus drivers fail to show up – renegotiating team granted extension

By Telesha Ramnarine ONE single resident from the parking meter zone turned up for consultations on the day that was set aside by the team renegotiating the deal made between the City Council and Smart City Solutions (SCS).

This was the most disheartening moment for Councillor Malcolm Ferreira, who was tasked with heading the committee that is conducting the negotiations.

He said so on Monday while providing an update on the committee’s work so far.

What is more, minibus and taxi drivers, too, have not cooperated as much as they should have when consultations were planned with them.

Speaking at the Council’s fortnightly statutory meeting at City Hall, Ferreira said even after a poor turnout from this group, the committee sought to set up a tent at the Stabroek Market Square and went around to person-

ally invite persons to share their concerns.

“The taxi drivers responded, and I am left to conclude that most minibus drivers are so busy with the hustle that they can’t take a few minutes to make a contribution, or they simply don’t care,” Ferreira said, adding: “The response from drivers was nothing near the amount that should have been present, given the fact that traffic management directly affects their livelihood.”

According to him, the committee went even further by producing a questionnaire and going to the various bus and car parks to speak with the drivers individually for three days.

“The vast majority is of the opinion that something has to be done to correct the current traffic situation in Georgetown,” he noted.

The committee also conducted two evenings of house-to-house consultations with residents in the metered

Chairman of the renegotiating team, Malcolm Ferreira

zones.

“We completed 345 questionnaires,” Ferreira said. “A little over 50 per cent of the taxi and bus drivers we spoke to do not live in Georgetown, and 35 per cent do not own their own vehicles.

“It is sad but true that the public transportation system seems to be running on its own, more so than being controlled. It is up to us now to fix the whole system of transportation arrangements

and allocation, as the simple truth is that there are more buses and cars than space is available on the parks. Hot plate is a major issue.”

He said the committee plans to finish up its houseto-house consultations, have a two-day business walkabout, and to consult with representatives of differently-abled organisations, as well as the council’s legal team.

While the committee is still waiting on a response from the Ministries of Legal Affairs and Finance, it intends to also consult with the commissioner of police, the

traffic chief, and the minister of public infrastructure.

Since a lot of work remains to be done, the Council voted in favour of Ferreira’s request for one month’s extension to continue negotiations.

Communities Minister, Ronald Bulkan had communicated Cabinet’s decision for a 90-day suspension of the metered parking system, but the town clerk had opted to go after legal advice to challenge the minister’s order, resulting in a majority vote by city councillors to put such an order on hold.

Minister Bulkan was sub-

sequently directed by Cabinet to immediately suspend operation of the by-laws, which govern the project.

The City Council thereafter approved a seven-member team to negotiate a revised parking meter contract with SCS, the company to which City Hall granted the concession to install meters in the city.

Councillor Ferreira was elected chairman of the team that comprises Councillors Noelle Chow-Chee, Carlyle Goring, Tricia Richards, Ivelaw Henry, Roopnarine Persaud and Heston Bostwick.

Teen charged for stealing bus driver’s cash A 16-year-old boy accused of stealing money from a minibus driver was on Monday charged.

The teen appeared before City Magistrate Judy Latchman and confessed that on June 8, 2017 at the Route 41 Minibus Park, he stole $25,000 from DeShawn Pitt.

According to the facts presented in court by Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves, the victim is a minibus driver on the Route 41 Minibus Park.On the day in question the victim had left his money inside the door pocket of his bus and went

outside of the vehicle.

A few moments later he was alerted by persons nearby that someone was entering his bus. The man made checks to his minibus and saw the teen inside. The teen made good his escape but was later apprehended by the police. The 16-year-old reportedly told the police that he went into the man’s bus and stole his money.

The magistrate then ordered a probation report on the teen and ordered him to remain at the Juvenile Holding Center until June 26.

12

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Bitumen plant ‘Cameraman’ released opens in Linden …GDF says his ‘bread and water sure’

…to commence operations soon A PRIVATE company, over the past few days, has established a bitumen plant in Linden, which is expected to commence operations earliest.

This establishment of the plant comes at a time when residents have been complaining about lack of repairs to the many deplorable roads in the community. The plant which is located on the Wismar shore is one of the two portable plants that were expected in the region for 2017.

The operations of the plant is expected to see more roads being repaired and constructed for 2017 at a cheaper cost and also will create employment in the region.

Regional Chairman, Renis Morian, told the Guyana Chronicle that the establishment of the plant is one that will bring many benefits to Region 10, especially with the commencement of the first leg of the Linden to Lethem road. “Bitumen will be more readily available and by all indications will be cheaper than getting bitumen from Georgetown, this means that it should give us a boost in terms of employment and a boost in terms of cheaper bitumen [and] that means more roads for Region 10, the RC posited.

With the availability of the plant, production of bitumen will be easy as the aggregates; laterite, stone

and sand are available right in Linden.

The Regional Democratic Council recently awarded contracts for the construction of nine roads in 2017 and while this was received well by residents, many had expressed their disappointment that some of the deplorable roads in their communities will not be done for 2017.

With the operation of the plant, more roads are expected to be completed since the production cost will be lower.

In 2015, a portable bitumen plant was in Linden for a short while and eight roads were repaired during that time. In 1960’s a bitumen plant, which was also located in Linden, aided significantly in the construction of the Linden/Soesdyke Highway, which is a national edifice that stands 50 years after.

With the expectation that the plant will hold permanent operations in Linden, infrastructural development is expected to sky rocket in 2017 by not only quantity but quality since the administration is looking towards constructing bituminous surfaced roads instead on chipsy.

ROADS TO BE CONSTRUCTED IN 2017 The roads that will be constructed in 2017 include Wallaba Road at Christianburg; Boulavard Aveneue at Amelia’s Ward; 2nd Cross

Street, Amelia’s Ward; Farm to Market road at West Watooka; Daggarad Avenue and upper Green Heart Street.

The RDC has allocated $368.272M from the $3.1 B 2017 budget for Public Infrastructure, while $55M have been allocated for repairs to be done to current roads.

Several roads that are not on the list, but are in dire need of repairs include: Main Street, Amelia’s Ward; Teacher’s Hostel Street and several roads in Lovers Lane.

“I am happy that the bitumen plant is here because when this government came in, one thing Linden people thought they would have gotten relief from is the deplorable roads and for many people that was moving slow, so now things looking up because we are expected to see many more roads done because we have everything here to make bitumen, one resident of Amelia’s Ward, Sharon King said. Another resident of Wisroc, in an invited comment said, “Linden should not get bad roads, because we have everything right here but roads are one of our major problems and I am optimistic that things will change now with the bitumen plant; I hope it is not like the last one that came two morning and pack up and leave but will stay so that Linden people can really benefit from this thing,” Sherwin Belle said.

Five held for carton box of ganja FIVE persons have been arrested after police found a small carton box filled with marijuana on the Aurora Public Road, Essequibo Coast, on Monday morning.

In a statement, police said, ranks acting on information stopped and searched a hire car about 08:00hrs Monday on the

Aurora Public Road, Essequibo Coast, during which they found a carton box containing 25 taped parcels of cannabis with a total weight of 12.3 kilograms. Five persons inclusive of the driver and a female have been taken into custody and are assisting with the investigation.

The marijuana that was seized on Monday

CAPITOL NEWS cameraman, Rudy Morris, who was detained by soldiers on Sunday at Kaieteur National Park (KNP) has been released and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) said the media worker’s subsistence and accommodation are guaranteed.

In a statement, the Guyana Press Association (GPA) said it was assured by the GDF that Morris would be brought to Georgetown on Monday, after being detained on Sunday. According to the GPA, Morris and a group of other journalists had received the permission of the National Parks Commission (NPC) after paying the required user fee and landed at the Kaieteur airstrip Saturday morning.

The reporters were there to cover unfolding events related to a Presidential order for the Army, in joint operations with the Police, to enforce the law which prohibits mining within the boundaries of the KNP, the GPA said.

It added that on Sunday, Morris, accompanied by Amerindian leader Anthony Melville, a former Toshao, and Chief of Chiefs of the Patamonas, visited the area of Muri Muri by way of

Capitol News Cameraman, Rudy Morris

boat, to take videos there when they were detained.

On Monday morning, they were both allowed to leave and return to Kaieteur top.

“Officials of the GDF have assured the GPA that while arrangements are being made to have Mr Morris return to Georgetown, his subsistence and accommodation are guaranteed. The Guyana Press Association (thanks the GDF for their cooperation to have this matter resolved amicably. The Guyana Press Association will never condone its members violating specific security measures in any area of Guyana when good, sufficient and legal reasons exist for such orders. Similarly, we will not stand idly by and

have our freedoms violated,” the GPA statement ended.

Meanwhile, the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) said it was not part of, or organised the expedition into the KNP, in an attempt to verify the boundary of the protected area. This is in response to an article published in Monday’s edition of the Stabroek News entitled “Cameramen, Chenapau resident detained by soldiers while trying to verify Kaieteur Park boundary”.

The aforementioned article stated that “Cameraman Rudy Morris, was part of a four-member media team accompanying Amerindian Peoples’ Association (APA) representative Michael McGarrell who had travelled to KNP on Saturday morning,” Although Michael McGarrell is employed by the APA, his visit to the KNP was done of his own personal accord and not under the capacity as a representative of the Association. Moreover, the organisation was not involved in organising any recent visits to the KN Park with the intention of verifying the boundaries of the protected area.

Linden-Lethem road closed THE Ministry of Public Infrastructure has closed the Linden-Lethem road due to the collapse of a bridge between Mabura and Kurupukari Section.

“The Ministry of Public Infrastructure is currently managing the situation and works are in place to effect immediate emergency repairs. The Ministry humbly apologises for the inconvenience caused and is hereby asking all stakeholders for their kind cooperation,” the ministry said in a statement.

Overloaded trucks and other such vehicles continue to be a challenge in maintaining the bridges and other access facilities set up in far flung areas. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Geoffrey Vaughn, told the Guyana Chronicle that the

ministry currently has a team assessing the situation on the Linden-Lethem road ahead of works to address damaged infrastructure.

Vaughn told this newspaper that at the moment only “light vehicles” are accessing the location so as not to cause further damage to the facility, but to also ensure the flow of traffic on the access route to Lethem.

Vaughn said that the area is inundated due to heavy rainfall and this makes it difficult for larger vehicles such as trucks to traverse the road. He pointed out that most trucks using the Lethem route are usually overloaded beyond the weight load of the road and the now damaged bridge. The road, he said, is a laterite surfaced thoroughfare, which becomes saturated in the

rainy weather and therefore presents difficulty to commuters, especially when regulations for using the road and bridge is not adhered to.

It is for this reason, Vaughn said, that an entire review of the situation is being done and information relating to the extent of the damage and possible remedies would be available today.

In past years, sections of the Lethem Road had to be closed to effect repairs, because of damaged facilities particularly during the rainy season. At one point, heavy-duty trucks – single, double and triple axles were ordered to carry loads of approximately 15 tonnes so as not to affect critical areas along the route that were being fixed.

13

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Truck driver flees the scene – after mowing down traffic light at Mandela & Homestretch POLICE are on the lookout for a truck driver, who, rather than stay and face the music, ran away after mowing down a traffic light at Mandela and Homestretch Avenues before ploughing into a near-

by ditch.

The incident reportedly occurred at around 11:00hrs on Monday, and involved two trucks travelling south along Mandela Avenue, one carrying “tonne bags of rice” and the other with a

winch affixed to it.

According to one eyewitness, while vehicles would usually slow down on approaching the junction at Mandela and Homestretch Avenues, the lorry with the winch showed no sign of

wanting to do so, and would have collided with the other truck had he not taken evasive action.

This he did by swerving left to avoid colliding with the other truck but collided instead with the railing of a

nearby bridge and the traffic light, before losing control and running headlong into the drain.

Said the eyewitness, “After he come out, he flagged down a yellow car and got away.” Not to be outdone, the eyewitness said, the porter who was ac-

companying the driver also fled the scene soon after.

Police who were at the scene when the Guyana Chronicle arrived, confirmed that based on reports, both driver and porter had indeed fled the scene before they got there.

The demolished traffic light and the rear end of the lorry

Seven carjackers on the prowl THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) has warned taxi drivers to be on the lookout for a gang of seven carjackers roaming the city.

In a release, police said taxi drivers particularly those operating Toyota Allion and Toyota Premio motorcars should be on the alert for potential hijackers whose modus operandi has been to hire cabs in Georgetown enroute to destinations such as North Ruimveldt, Georgetown; Atlantic Ville, East Coast Demerara (ECD); Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD) and West Demerara.

According to the police, upon arrival

at their requested location, the drivers are robbed of their personal belongings as well as their motorcars. The suspected carjackers are said to be seven males.

The GPF is also appealing to the general public to provide any information they may have regarding the identities of these individuals perpetrating these types of offences and also, to immediately report to the nearest police station or call: 225-6411, 226-1389, 227-2128, 225-2227, 226-7065, 225-0575, 911, any unusual activities they may have observed. All information will be treated with strict confidentiality.

The lorry at rest following the accident (Photos by Samuel Maughn)

14

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Retrieve residents promised assistance to rebuild storm-hit homes MINISTER of State, Joseph Harmon, on Sunday visited the storm-hit village of Retrieve and the flooded community of Coomacka, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), where he met with the affected residents and assured them of government’s support, which will include from the restoration of livelihoods through the provision of seeds and other supplies to assist in their rebuilding efforts.

Minister Harmon, who first stopped at Retrieve Village, said that the government has been briefed on the plight of the residents and is committed to bringing relief to them. As such, he said that the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), which is responsible for the coordination of disaster relief efforts, will be working with the regional administration to assist the affected communities. “We will work through the CDC to ensure that we give you

as much help as we can. We will [also] work with the region and the individuals to make sure that you resume a certain level of comfort in the shortest possible time. These [floods] and other weather patterns are clear indications that we are facing the effects of climate change and, if climate change was just a concept to some people it is now a reality to you because you have seen it and what is happening and can happen, so we are working to ensure that when things happen in our communities that we can respond to it,” Minister Harmon said.

The minister praised the residents for their efforts in assisting each other during their time of discomfort, noting that this is the spirit which is needed as the country continues to experience flooding in various regions due to the heavy rainfalls and overtopping of rivers. “I want to commend the community spirit of the residents here. I

Minister Harmon examining one of the affected homes in the village of Retrieve as the owner makes a point

have been noticing that when we have disasters like these, that the residents and community come out and assist and that is a very good spirit for us here in this country.

We have had problems with Regions Seven and Eight and persons came from all over the country to make contributions,” he said.

Meanwhile, Director General of the CDC, Colonel

Minister Harmon addressing some of the affected villagers at the Coomacka Community Centre

(ret’d) Chabilall Ramsarup, noted that the Commission is working around the clock to bring relief to residents in all the affected regions, and will too, work with the Regional administration and residents of Upper Demerara-Berbice to ensure that some amount of normalcy is restored at the soonest possible time. “This is not the only region affected. We have had flooding recently in Regions Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) and Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), which affected more than 350 persons; we have had flooding in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and the entire coastland can be flooded if the rain continues to fall. So we are trying to help all over,” he said.

The Director General handed over a quantity of seeds and other agricultural implements such as shovels, cutlasses, hoes and rakes to the residents, which he said can help them to make a new start, while Minister Harmon handed over several boxes of clothing. The Regional

Director General of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Colonel (Retired) Chabilall Ramsarup, handing over some seeds to Mr. Blair, one of the affected residents of Retrieve village, Region Ten on Sunday

administration, in collaboration with the Commission, is making food hampers, blankets and other necessities available to the affected residents. Member of the Parliament with responsibility for Region 10, Mr. Jermaine Figuiera, in his brief remarks, said that the Government’s prompt response is a clear indication that it is paying attention to the well-being of the citizens, regardless of their location and this must be commended. More importantly however, he said that the communities must continue to work with each other and for each other so that they can soon overcome the setbacks created by the storm.

“We must work together to combat these situations and so it is important that we understand that communities must work together. I can assure that you have a friend in the Government and the local administration, but we cannot do it by ourselves so we must work as a community so that we can all contribute to solving the problems affecting us,” he said.

Over at Coomacka, Minister Harmon during his meeting with the residents said that he wanted to take a first-hand look at the situation to determine for himself what were the damage and needs in the area and to assure them that the Government is actively pursuing relief solutions. In May, the Government deployed a team of engineers and other experts from various agencies to the village to conduct a site visit to explore several short, medium and longterm solutions, including the construction of a new main access bridge and the desilting of the Demerara River.

These solutions are aimed at addressing the impassable roads and frequent flooding,

which occurs during the rainy season, also resulting in intense erosion in the remote farming community.

Stemming from that site visit, the engineers and other experts had decided that a new drainage system needs to be developed to stop the erosion and shifting of sand into the Demerara River. In addition, a new bridge will also have to be built for the village and, sections of the village where mining once took place will have to be reforested. The plan of action has already been drafted and Minister Harmon has assured the residents that he will soon have discussions with the Minister of Finance to see how much can be accomplished.

“I am visiting to have a first-hand look for myself because the CDC is a commission, which I coordinate and the interagency taskforce that came up here to look at the situation, they have made some recommendations as to how we are going to deal with the matter here and they have given me [a plan in three phases]. We now have to see how best we can address the situation here. I will represent your case very strongly about what is taking place here,” he said.

Councillor of the area, Mr. Dexter Harding, in an invited comment, said that the Minister’s visit is timely as he would have gotten a personal look at the villagers’ plight. He, however, noted that the residents are cognisant of the Government’s efforts and are grateful that it is working to bring relief.

“I must commend the Minister. We have been working through the region with the various Ministries to see how we can appease the situation because when the water overtops, it goes straight through the homes, it destroys the livestock and everything else.

The entire community is usually affected so it’s about 148 homes being affected. We have been pushing to see that we have certain things put in place and CDC and the other Ministries were recently in the community to look at the situation and so we know that they are working,” he said.

Before leaving, Minister Harmon took the opportunity to visit the community of Victory Valley, where he donated a quantity of sports gear to the young people in the area to keep them meaningfully occupied.

(Ministry of the Presidency)

15

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, June 13, 2017

‘Proper’ D&I works minimise flooding in West Watooka THE farming community of Linden-West Watooka has been affected by minor flooding caused by heavy rains, but farmers are happy that the situation has not been as bad as in previous years when they counted their losses in the thousands.

The last catastrophic flooding to occur in West Watooka was in January and since then efforts to remedy the situation have proven successful. Farmers have lauded the Regional Administration and the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), for collaborating to alleviate the many floods that plagued the community for years.

The slight flooding that has

occurred over the past few days were revealed to be on the low farm lands and farmers said that the losses are very little.

Pierce Ifill, one of the most established farmers in West Watooka said that while parts of his farm have been flooded, he is happy that the situation has not worsened and is thankful for the clean drains and the canals. “Is because of the heavy rain fall that we had, the low part of the farm has been flooded, only during the heavy rains but not for all of the areas, the canals are cleaned, is just because of the heavy rains that part was flood, the area has good drainage, the drains system is good right now so the

water is draining very good,” Ifill said.

Another farmer who identified himself as ‘Farmer’ said that this is the first time in many years the situation has been under control despite the heavy rainfalls Linden has been experiencing. “Yes I cannot complain, this lil flooding here is because of the heavy rain but before it was worse and ya can’t get perfection, since them man come and clean them drains and so, it really help we cuz I was hasty hasty cuz I lose a lot January deh but them man come and wuk up and things far better,” the West Watooka farmer said.

In January, the NDIA for the first time deployed

a team to Linden to execute significant drainage and irrigation works in the region. This was done following revelations of terrible flooding and erosion affecting West Watooka and other surrounding communities on the Wismar shore. About two months ago, the revetment that had collapsed by the Demerara River which was also responsible for draining waters out of the communities, was restored by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI).

While West Watooka may have been saved from severe flooding, other communities in Linden such as Coomacka and Retrieve have been hard hit.

Farmers have been battling flash floods in West Watooka

Action against squatters likely before yearend THE Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) is urging squatters to commence the process to land ownership before the agency rolls out its action plan against illegal occupancy, which could very well commence before yearend.

The Authority, in its midyear update, has reported that of some 1200 illegal occupants squatting within the capital, at least 400 have been interviewed with the intention of initiating the process to land and home-ownership.

This is according to CH&PA Community Development Director, Mr Gladwin Charles, who insists that the earlier squatters engage the ministry, the earlier they

would be able to relocate to their new property.

Charles told the media that squatting remains a major concern and challenge to the housing department, resulting in the drafting of an action plan that will see the removal of squatters, in particularly critical zones within the city.

“This year, we are looking to have our action plan completed... And even before then, persons must come in to start the process,” Charles said, adding that of the 400 squatters already interviewed, 198 have received house lots.

Outside of this, he said, 350 property titles are being processed, and 185 have already been completed.

Work on the action plan, he said, began since earlier in the year, with particular emphasis on areas designated “zero tolerance” for squatting. A consultancy firm was hired, while an inter-agency team, comprising representatives from various agencies, was also brought in to help make the transition process easier for the family.

He also touched on reports that as recent as last week, new squatters were taking up positions on dams in the Sophia area.

According to information reaching the CH&PA, Charles said, whereas before squatters tended to erect temporary shelters, or shacks as they’re called, this new breed are building better structures,

in the hope that by so doing will pre-qualify them for a home when it’s time for them to be removed.

Noting that such a ploy is unnecessary, Charles said that as Guyanese, one has no earthly reason to squat to have access to property.

And while on the subject of access and right to property, he said that Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) has been singled out for special attention this year, ostensibly to either relocate or regulate the over 1000 squatter households on New Amsterdam’s Angoy’s Avenue.

And according to CEO, Mr Lelon Saul, the Authority has plans to develop an area here in the city, where it hopes to relocate persons

squatting in areas such as Tucville, East and West Front Road.

Saul said, too, that in the medium to long term, a grant will be slated for relocating those identified squatters.

Operations Director, Denise King-Tudor told the media that the CH&PA has registered 3000 persons to obtain housing solutions following the recently held Housing Expo, which introduced duplex houses to Guyana.

The Authority for this year targeted 2000 persons for property access, and thus far, 355 potential homeowners have accessed housing solutions, while another 1855 persons have accessed titles for their properties, which

included existing properties that required remedial work.

Tudor said that to meet the Authority’s target would depend on the availability of property, since the government will construct and issue over 700 housing units this year along with house lots.

She went in-depth about Housing’s moves towards improving their planning system, and the partnerships that are currently being developed to improve it.

Out of a National Planning Forum, Tudor said an action plan was developed to better improve the entire housing sector in relation to housing designs, rules and regulations and their adherence by contractors and homeowners.

Seated from right are: Operations Director, Denise King-Tudor; CEO, Lelon Saul; acting Projects Director, Omar Narine; Community Development Director, Gladwin Charles; and Chief Development Officer, Germane Stuart (Photo by Adrian Narine)

16

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, June 13, 2017

GRC not doing so well – Chair tells patrons at annual Chinese Food Festival

ITS not necessarily down on its luck, but according to Chairperson, Ms Yvonne Hinds, the Guyana Relief Council (GRC) could do with a little more

help.

Speaking at the first and biggest of the organisation’s fundraisers for the year, its annual Chinese Food Festival held Sunday at the

New Thriving Restaurant on Main Street, Hinds said that at the moment, the organisation badly needs a vehicle to carry out its outreach programme in the hinterland.

The conviviality Sunday at the GRC food fest (Photos by Adrian Narine)

Patrons preparing to tuck in Sunday at the annual GRC food festival at the New Thriving Restaurant on downtown Main Street

She was, however, quick to point out that the organisation is willing to accept whatever help it can get, whether cash or otherwise.

She later told the Guyana Chronicle that yesterday’s event was sponsored in its entirety by New Thriving, in that it not only provided the food, but the venue as well, hosting it on their grandly decorated second floor.

She was happy to report that while they catered for 250 persons, approximately 175 persons supported the event this year.

The feast was one of the agency’s major fundraisers, the proceeds of which will go towards sustaining its work to provide material assistance to persons throughout Guyana who are affected by fire and other disasters.

Tickets for the event cost

$6000 each, and patrons were treated to a buffet-style menu at the restaurant.

Another of the organisation’s major fundraisers, Hinds said, is its annual BarB-Que a Luncheon slated for later in the year.

Funding for the organisation’s work is derived through donations from local and overseas supporters, as well as a monthly subvention from the government.

Some of the relief to vulnerable includes foodstuff, monetary assistance for building materials, temporary shelter, welfare aid and counselling.

The GRC was established on January 17, 1994 as a non-governmental organisation (NGO), and has to date rendered assistance to thousands of persons.

17

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Customs, immigration officers urged to shun corruption

CUSTOMS and Immigration Officers are being urged not to fall prey to corruption- a charge delivered by Assistant Secretary General of the CARICOM Secretariat, Dr. Douglas Slater, during the opening ceremony of the sixth Joint National Border Security Training held at the Police Officer’s Training Centre, Camp Road on Monday.

The aim of the training is to enhance the capacity of border security officials in Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states to prevent, detect and minimise the opportunity of illegal activities. Dr. Slater noted that due to the economic situation in the Caribbean, law enforcement agents are faced with the temptation of corruption. The Assistant Secretary General told the participants that it is important that they refrain from such inducements. “We know that our workers including our border protection agencies, they do have temptations and the criminals are out there and will be making offers. You have a responsibility and I expect you to uphold that responsibility to desist from such temptations, because if you do not have proper discipline and professionalism, chaos will result” Dr. Slater explained.

The Assistant Secretary

(From left to right) Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security, Daniella Mc Calmon; Assistant Director Strategic Services CARICOM IMPACS, Earl Harris; Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud; Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix; EU Delegation Representative, Ambassador Jernej Videtic; Assistant Secretary General of the CARICOM Secretariat, Dr. Douglas Slater; Deputy Commisioner of Customs, Excise and Trade Administration, Launcelot Wills and Deputy Commissioner Integrated Regional Tax Offices, Karen Giddings-Chapman, with other officials and the officers who will participate in the training

General pointed out that the illicit movement of drugs and untaxed goods puts a strain on the economy of the country.

“Such activities”, Dr. Slater stated, “hinder government’s social obligations to finance important programmes and policies that will develop the country.”

Dr. Slated urged ranks to take advantage of the training, noting that it is their responsibility to assist the government in ensuring that revenues are collected. “Be professional, be vigilant, be compassionate but most of all, be professional, do what you have to do and serve your country well”,the Assistant Secretary General urged.

Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix, in brief remarks also called on officers and ranks not to be victims of corruption. The Minister noted that officers must be able to transfer their knowledge from the training to the job. “You have the training, utilise it on the job. Fight the corrupt elements, and do not let them get to you. They get to you, they destroy you and by extension they destroy the image and reputation of the government,” Minister Felix pointed out.

Minister Felix said that in the world today, criminal syndicates reach across borders without regard for legal

restrictions to conduct illegal activities. The Minister pointed out that Guyana is one of several Caribbean countries which serve as primary transit route used by criminal syndicates. The Minister also noted that persons are repeatedly caught with false immigration stamps in their passports.

“These issues have and are presenting major challenges to Caribbean countries, and have the capability to undermine democratic institutions and hinder economic activities that are vital to countries such as Guyana and by extension the international community” the Minister explained. Making brief remarks also was Com-

missioner of Police, Seelall Persaud, who noted that we live in a world of constant change. Some of the changes, the Police Commissioner pointed out, have led to organised transnational crime and violence caused by terrorism which is heading the world security agenda today.

In addressing the issue, the Commissioner alluded to Guyana’s political will to stamp out terrorism and other forms of organised crime. “In Guyana, we are fortunate to have the political will to deal with crime and violence. That is demonstrated on several fronts and highlighted by His Excellency, the President

himself, chairing the National Security Committee. That is a necessity, political will is a necessity to deal with the crime and violence problems that exist today,” the Commissioner stated.

The training is organised by the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), European Union (EU) and the United States Customs and Border Protection. Benefiting from the five day training are 15 customs officers, 15 immigration officers and three police ranks. Upon completion of the training, participants are expected to have improved interviewing techniques, better fraudulent document inspection and be able to conduct body language analysis and examine luggage and persons effectively.

Among those present at the opening ceremony were Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Jaipaul Sharma; EU Delegation Representative, Ambassador Jernej Videtic; Assistant Director Strategic Services CARICOM IMPACS, Earl Harris; Deputy Commissioner of Customs, Excise and Trade Administration, Launcelot Wills, and Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security, Daniella Mc Calmon. (DPI/ GINA)

King defends rental of portable toilets – Says Kaieteur News ‘lacks journalistic integrity’

By Telesha Ramnarine TOWN Clerk Royston King has said that he is in the process of penning a letter to the Kaieteur News in response to articles the newspaper published recently that lacked “journalistic integrity”.

In the articles at reference, the newspaper slammed the municipality for spending large sums of money for the rental of portable toilets, when, in fact, it can expend the same sums on the purchase of new, stationary ones.

But King, at Monday’s statutory meeting, is contending that purchasing new toilets is one matter, while maintaining them is another. “I don’t understand what all the fuss is

The statutory meeting in full swing on Monday afternoon

about. You can’t just put a toilet down; it has to be cleaned and maintained.

“Purchasing a toilet is one thing, but there are other costs associated with maintaining that facility, and that cost will be far more substantial than renting the toilets,” King said.

As for building new toilets at the various locations, King said the Council will have to take into account a number of things, like space and ownership.

“These public facilities should be seen connected to the dignity, pride and personal health of our workers.

The toilets are not provided for fashion, but because they have a function,” King said, adding that if people are protecting the assets of Council, they must be provided with these facilities.

Failing to do so, he said, could result in the workers resorting to using the

drains, and molesting their neighbours to use their private facilities. “This is completely unacceptable,” he said.

Mayor Patricia ChaseGreen offered that the Council must decide if a toilet must be built at King’s residence. “I am surprised!” she said, adding: “But the former Town Clerk would have taken Council’s money, without its approval, and built toilet and every single thing at her residence without this Council’s approval.”

Chase-Green said that based on a report she received from the Solid Waste Management Department, only four portable toilets to date have been paid for. The four are stationed at the Merriman Mall, Kitty Market and at King’s residence.

“We have to find out if we can renegotiate the costs. Is somebody taking advantage of the Council? I don’t know,” she said.

Deputy Mayor, Lionel Jaikarran, recalled that in the past, he did query the usefulness of spending money each month for the rental of portable toilets, and if it did not make more sense to build toilets instead.

Jaikarran suggested that the municipality inquire about better deals that could be obtained in terms of costs.

Councillor James Samuels referred to the size of the toilets on airplanes, and suggested that they can even be built on top of a septic tank. “Why are we paying $82,000 a month, when we can build a facility that will last for years?” he asked.

18

25 years jail for man in traffic light murder case A TEARY-eyed Travis McDougall still clutching his Bible was on Monday sentenced to 25 years imprisonment for the August 18, 2014 murder of miner, Ashokkoemar Ragghu at the traffic light at Regent Street and Vlissengen Road during the furtherance of an armed robbery.

At the last criminal assizes, a 12-member jury found him guilty of manslaughter after which his sentencing was set for Monday after a probation report was recommended. Probation and Social Services Officer, Alicia October, presented the probation report in court which was tendered.

Ragghu and his wife, Shyrazadi were in a motorcar that had stopped at the traffic light, when two men rode up on a motorcycle and took away their belongings.

It had been further alleged that one of the men grabbed a haversack containing $4M, but Shyrazadi held on to it even as she was shot in the thigh. McDougall is alleged to have shot and killed the Kitty businessman and injured his wife, Shyrazadi, on August 18, 2014, during the furtherance of a robbery at around 13:30hrs

at the traffic lights at the junction of Regent Street and Vlissengen Road, in the vicinity of the Botanical Gardens.

Ragghu was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital. In July 2015, Travis McDougal was committed to stand trial for murder along with pork-knocker Jermaine Otto, who was one of the prisoners who perished in the deadly Camp Street prison fire, following riots in March last year.

Government Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh, testified that the cause of death of the victim was a perforated lung due to a gunshot.

Meanwhile, in his plea of mitigation, defence counsel Nigel Hughes asked for mercy for his client who he said grew up in difficult circumstances after his father passed away and followed bad company as a resident of East Ruimveldt. He told the court that his client who is still in his 20s, came from humble background and had no prior incident but was led astray by his association to elements in that area.

Hughes related that McDougall was unaware that Jermaine Otto called “Fun-

Sentenced to 25 years: Travis McDougall

gus” was going to commit a crime with a gun when he offered to drop him to his mechanic on that fateful day.

He added that nevertheless a life was lost and his client is very remorseful and regretful of the incident. Counsel related that McDougall is still young and is willing to turn his life around, and asked the judge to give him a sentence from which he will be able to come out of prison and contribute to society.

Hughes told the court

that McDougall is a model prisoner and is willing to reform himself if given the opportunity. In response state prosecutor, Tuanna Hardy, told the court that it was a heinous crime perpetrated by the accused and his partner who is deceased and they put the lives of others in danger, since a gun was involved. She explained that the miner was killed after he was shot and robbed of his material possessions, while his wife who was also shot survived and testified in the trial.

Hardy said that Mrs. Ragghu almost lost her life too, as such the maximum sentence should be given.

Justice Navindra Singh told the court that after listening to Defence Counsel, Nigel Hughes, he took into account McDougall’s participation in prison programmes.He handed down a sentence in which McDougall can still come out of jail in good time to repay his community.

The judge sentenced McDougall to 25 years in jail and asked that time served be deducted from the sentence and suggested that he apply for parole for his good behaviour in prison.

CH&PA repossessing lands from delinquent private developers

By Zena Henry THE Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) is in the process of repossessing lands from private developers who are in arrears of fees and have failed to honour their agreement of sale with the agency.

The Housing Authority has also forwarded many of those agreements to the Attorney General’s (AGs) office in cases where irregularities were discovered and where legal consideration is being sought before engaging the defaulting party.

This information was related Monday when the Housing arm of the Ministry of Communities held it’s mid-year report on the performance of the sector.

Housing’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Lelon Saul, told the media that the authority is currently engaging some contractors, while instructions have been given to commence the repossession

process relating to defaulting developers. “I would have instructed our Corporate Secretary to initiate action in some cases to repossess land from private developers who failed to deliver,” Saul asserted when questioned by the media.

Additionally, the authority’s Corporate Secretary, Hannifah Jordan explained that in reviewing the agreements made between the previous government and private developers, they related to the batch of agreements made in 2010- 2011 and then 2013 and beyond. It was recognised, she stated, that there were issues relating to the strengthening of agreements which had to be taken into consideration with future agreements, to include penalties and conditions to regulate defaulting developers.

In relation to the comprehensive review of those agreements, Jordan said that “…we (CHPA Board)… would have sent the agreements to the Attorney Gen-

eral (AG) for his review and we are awaiting that answer.”

On the other hand, housing officials also related that citizens were found cheating the system in that they or their spouse would have already had property received from the authority, but applied and received another. These persons would have slipped through the cracks or used alternate names such as their married title to receive another property.

There are cases where the authority has moved to repossess these properties, the officials stated, although no figure was offered. Where persons would have received property from Housing, but have failed to develop it, Saul told the media, that many of those empty lots are titled land with legal ramifications for repossession. In relation to the private developers, he said, however, that many of them still owe the CHPA, and that makes it easier for the authority to seek redress where developers fail to deliver.

In the meantime, much has been said about the

inhospitable locations of some house lots that were previously delivered to citizens. No access facilities, poor roads, limited to no lighting, water and communication amenities were also great hindrances to persons even if they wanted to develop the property.

Housing officials reminded that 16 new housing schemes are to be upgraded with such facilities. This was previously announced

by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, at an earlier Cabinet press briefing. Acting Projects Director, Omar Narine, told the media that preparations for consolidation works in existing housing schemes are moving along with road upgrades, and other facilities in areas such as Perseverance, East Bank Demerara (EBD) where 178 new lots are to be established, Berbice, Tuschen, Non-Pariel and Ameila’s Ward among others. Moves toward national procurement, identification of contractors among other preparatory work is ongoing.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Schoolchildren rally against child labour

By Shauna Jemmott CLOSE to 200 children from various secondary schools in Georgetown on Monday rallied around the global call to end child labour by spreading awareness about it.

The event, held to mark World Day Against Child Labour, was coordinated by the Ministry of Social Protection’s Department of Labour in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, and had as its theme, ‘In difficult circumstances protect children from child labour’.

The rally kicked off from the Public Buildings and headed east along Brickdam to the Independence Park, also known as D’Urban Park, where the children were addressed by Minister of Labour, Mr Keith Scott and Senior Schools Welfare Officer within the Ministry of Education, Ms Onika Pearson.

Participants were drawn from:St. Winefreids, Carmel, Sophia Special, Dolphin, Lodge and Queenstown, all Georgetown based secondary schools.

Minister Scott started off his presentation by urging the students assembled before him to be vigilant and wise in their interactions via social media.

He told them that while the government fully understands the importance of Information Technology as a driver of information and change, and a method of transformation in the development of a nation, it is also well aware of the challenges it can pose to some schoolchildren.

“One of the best ways of modern communication is for you to talk to your friends on the phone or Whatsapp,” he said. “Therefore, we have taken that into consideration, and we are using that as a means of educating you; to make sure that your teachers and the society reaches out to you.

“You therefore have no excuse but to make sure that you learn and learn and learn.”

He also encouraged students to be mindful of sexual predators who are on a mission to lure youths into sexual exploitation and other forms of child labour, and to be smart in choosing whom they interact with.

“That being the case, it is for you to make your best use of IT, and to prepare yourselves to take your rightful places in the world of work later,” the minister said, adding: “I want to encourage you, therefore, to be very careful

with how you interact with the social media, and how you allow it to influence you.

“Be vigilant! It is used to lure young people into child pornography and also into Trafficking in Persons, drugs and alcohol abuse.

“You must know that anything that can be used for good, can also be used for bad. But once you are opaque, once you listen to your teachers, once you understand how to discern between good and bad, you will be able to take care of yourselves.”

According to Ms Pearson, Child Labour is a societal scourge which steals away from children the opportunity of acquiring a sound education and their potential of being success stories.

She said that while child labour involves work which is harmful to children and deprives them of attending school, not all work done by children is child labour.

“Children or adolescents’ participation in work that does not affect their health and personal development or interfere with their schooling, such as helping their parents around the home,” she explained, “is generally regarded as being something positive, which can contribute to children’s development and the welfare of their families.

“Moreover, such work provide(s) them with skills and experience, and help to prepare them to be productive members of society during their adult life.”

Quoting the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Pearson said: “Child labour is often defined as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development.”

Such work, she said, are those which are “mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children; interferes with their schooling by depriving them of that opportunity; obliging them to leave school prematurely; and requiring them to attempt to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy work.”

Extreme cases of child labour, she said, include the acts of children being enslaved, separated from their families, and exposed to serious hazards and illnesses and/or left to fend for themselves, and the ILO said millions of children worldwide, between the ages of five and 17, work under conditions considered illegal, hazardous, or extremely exploitative.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, June 13, 2017

19

20

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, June 13, 2017

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, June 13, 2017

21

22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday,June 13, 2017

South Africa Racing Tips Vaal 08:30 hrs King’s King 09:05 hrs Zeal and Zest 09:40 hrs Effortless Reward 10:20 hrs Lakahal 10:55 hrs Le Tigre English Racing Tips Salisbury 09:00 hras Joegogo 09:30 hrs Aquadabra 10:00 hrs Important Mission 10:30 hrs Secret Agent 11:00 hrs Dubara 11:30 hrs Cotton Club 12:00 hrs How’s Lucy 12:30 hrs Swanton Blue

Yarmouth 09:15 hrs Tivoli 09:45 hrs Falak 10:45 hrs Fujaira Bridge 11:15 hrs Permanent 11:45 hrs Chetan 12:15 hrs My Girl Maisie Lingfield 12:50 hrs Sporting Times 13:20 hrs Becca Campbell 13:50 hrs All My Love 14:20 hrs Bamako Du Chatelet 14:50 hrs Nag’s Wag 15:20 hrs Elizabeth Bennet 15:50 hrs Buzz Lightyere Irish Racing Tips Roscommon 12:40 hrs Coeur Joyeux 13:10 hrs Cook Islands 13:40 hrs Super Bowl 14:10 hrs Field Exhibition 14:40 hrs Coaolaneoin 15:10 hrs na Trachtalai 15:40 hrs Scheu Time American Racing Tips Philadelphia Park Race 1 Untethered Race 2 Elevated Race 3 Pik Em Race 4 Getup Stayup Race 5 Wireless Future Race 6 Lunar Rover Race 7 Fahan Mura Race 8 Divine Desire Race 9 Helloitsme

23

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Wimbledon will be complicated, says clay king Rafael

By Martyn Herman

PARIS, France (Reuters) Rafael Nadal says winning a French Open-Wimbledon double for the third time in his career will be “complicated” but is highly motivated to have a go as he prepares for the grasscourt season.

The 31-year-old captured an unprecedented 10th Roland Garros title in sensational style on Sunday, thrashing Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka in the final after a faultless fortnight in Paris.

It maintained a return to form and fitness for the Spaniard who also reached the Australian Open final at the start of the year and who climbed to number two in the rankings yesterday – his highest mark since 2014, since when he has often been battling injuries.

Inevitably thoughts are already turning to Wimbledon and the prospect of Nadal repeating his 2008 and 2010 victories – both of which followed hot on the heels of winning French titles without dropping a set as he did this year.

Nadal, never one to fuel the hype, warned against in-

stalling him as a favourite on the Wimbledon lawns where he has also lost three finals; especially as his recent record there is dismal.

“Since I have had problems with my knee, since 2012, playing on grass has been very complicated for me,” Nadal, who lost only 35 games at Roland Garros to become the first player to win the same grand slam title 10 times in the professional era, said.

“We’ll see how my knee behaves. Playing on grass is very special. You need to play at a lower level. The body posture is down. You have less stability.

“But keep in mind I played five finals in Wimbledon. I like playing on grass. On grass, anything can happen. I’m motivated.”

After steamrolling through the European claycourt season, compiling a win-loss record of 24-1 with titles in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid before regaining his French Open crown, Nadal will spend a few days relaxing at home in Mallorca before playing in the Wimbledon warmup at Queen’s Club.

Spain’s Rafael Nadal poses with the trophy near the Eiffel Tower, a day after winning the tournament.

(REUTERS/Benoit Tessier)

After weeks spent on the bouncy red clay, it is a tough transition and Nadal is well aware of the dangers having suffered early defeats at Wimbledon to the likes of outsiders such as Steve Darcis, Lukas Rosol and Dustin Brown.

Since losing in the 2011 final to Novak Djokovic he has not gone beyond round four while last year he could not play because of the left wrist injury that curtailed his French Open.

He also pulled out in 2009 when his creaking knee

prevented him from trying to defend his title.

“I could win the first two matches and then things could change,” Nadal, whose first grand slam title for three years took his total to 15, said. “The fact is that the two first matches could be very dangerous.

“I need to feel strong, low, and have powerful legs to play well in Wimbledon. If I have pain in the knees then I know from experience that it’s almost impossible. If I am healthy and I am able to have the right preparation I’ll have my chances.

Nadal’s incredible form he is 43-6 so far this season means there is also the strong possibility of overhauling Andy Murray and ending the year as world number one for the first time since 2013.

“Winning these kind of titles, then you have chances to become any number on the ranking. I don’t know. I am playing well. If I am able to keep playing well, why not?” he said.

“I am right now seeded No. 2. We will see what happens during the rest of the year. It really depends on me.”

Algeria, Ghana win in Nations Cup qualifying, Egypt lose Heavyweights Algeria and Ghana recorded victories in their 2019 African Nations Cup qualifiers on Sunday but Egypt, runners-up in Gabon earlier this year, were beaten 1-0 in Tunisia.

Ghana, who have reached the semi-final stage at the last six tournaments, began in emphatic fashion with a 5-0 home victory over Ethiopia in Group F. Captain Asamoah Gyan put them ahead after 10 minutes before John Boye and Ebenezer Ofori made it 3-0 at half-time in Kumasi. Debutant Raphael Dwamena then scored two more after the break.

Algeria looked tentative in their first competitive outing under new Spanish coach Lucas Alcaraz but edged Togo 1-0 at home thanks to Sofiane Hanni, who lobbed home in the 24th minute after being set clear by Islam Slimani.

Also in Group D, Stephane Sessegnon scored an early goal for Benin, who held on for a 1-0 win over the Gambia in Cotonou.

In Group J, Egypt went

down 1-0 in Tunisia where Taha Yassine Khenissi scored the only goal just after half-time of a match that kicked off at 11 P.M. because of the Ramadan fast.

Newly appointed Zimbabwe captain Knowledge Musona grabbed a hat-trick as they beat Liberia 3-0 in front of a boisterous crowd in their Group G match in Harare where the attendance

was swelled by a decision to cut ticket prices to only $3.

Godfrey Sserunkuma scored seven minutes from time to hand Uganda a 1-0 win away in the Cape Verde Islands in a Group L game postponed by 24 hours when their scheduled flight from Dakar was delayed for eight hours by technical problems.

The Central African Republic led Rwanda 1-0 through

Debutant Rapahael Dwamena.

Junior Gourrier’s goal just after half-time and after conceding the equaliser in added time grabbed the winner through Salif Keita just before the final whistle in Group H. The next round of qualifiers for the finals in Cameroon will be played in March.

There are 12 groups from which the winner qualifies along with the three best runners-up.

Digicel Schools Football Championship

Clarke nets hat-trick, Essequibo Islands send Parika/Salem packing From the back page

By Rawle Toney DICQUAN Clarke recorded the tournament’s first hat-trick, as Essequibo Islands Secondary became the first team to advance to the next round of this year’s Digicel Schools Football Championship, after picking up a 6-1 win over Parika/Salem Secondary when the seventh edition of the competition kicked off yesterday at the Leonora Track and Field Centre.

Before the start of the tournament, the two teams were met by Digicel’s Head of Marketing Jacqueline James and Director of Sport Christopher Jones, who both wished them well.

Jones and James then participated in the ceremonial ‘kick off’ to get the tournament started, as the teams wasted no time at running at each other.

Reon Venture scored his first of two goals of the day in the 13th minute to give Essequibo Islands the advantage, but Jamal Baker equalised for Parika/Salem in the 40th minute to balance the scores.

However, Clarke got the first of his hat-trick just before halftime (44th minute), to put Essequibo Islands Secondary in the lead (2-1) at the close of the first stanza.

But it was all Essequibo Islands after the resumption of the second half. Clarke scored his second in the 48th minute then Venture completed his brace in the 52nd minute.

Clarke completed his hat-trick in the 61st minute and David Charter’s strike in the 64th minute was the icing on the cake for Essequibo Islands Secondary who will now play Vergenoegen Secondary on Wednesday June 21.

Meanwhile, the Championship continues today with Leonora Technical tackling Professional Learning Institute at 15:30hrs at the Leonora Track and Field Centre.

On Wednesday, Mahaicony Secondary tackle Belladrum Secondary at the Belladrum ground in West Berbice from 15:30hrs, while Vreed-en-Hoop and Patentia squaring off at L’Aventure ground from 15:30hrs.

At the Burnham Park in New Amsterdam, Berbice High will collide with Berbice Educational Institute at 15:30hrs.

Play continues throughout the week at various venues.

One hundred and fifty schools, drawn from the ten administrative regions of Guyana, will once again vie for what is considered as the country’s ‘Holy Grail’ of schools football.

One million dollars will go the winning school for a project of their choice, while second through fourth will pocket $700 000, $400 000 and $350 000 respectively.

However, the tournament which will see Georgetown divided into north and south, will see the winners of each zone win $100 000 towards a school project.

Chase’s Academic Foundation are the defending champions for the tournament, while the Christianburg/ Wismar Secondary School, popularly known as Multi, are the most decorated team.

The Linden-based team have played in every final since the inception of the tournament, winning four consecutive titles, only losing in the inaugural year to the Georgetown Technical Institute and in last year’s final.

24

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday,June 13, 2017

England’s Under-20 World Cup winners may struggle to play at their clubs (REUTERS) - England’s newly crowned Under-20 World Cup winners woke to back-page headlines acclaiming a golden generation yesterday and congratulatory tweets from a future British king and one of the country’s greatest sporting heroes.

But despite the plaudits from FA president Prince William and Geoff Hurst, hat-trick scorer in the 1966 World Cup final, a spotlight was shone on the difficulty most will face in even securing a club game once memories of Sunday’s 1-0 win over Venezuela fade.

England’s two standout performers, Dominic Solanke, who scored four goals and won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player, and Freddie Woodman, who made a superb penalty save in the final, are among those struggling to break through.

Solanke, 19, will join Liverpool on July 1 after rejecting a new contract at Chelsea out of frustration at the lack of first-team opportunities. Ten years at the club where he came through the Academy yielded just one first-team appearance -- 17 minutes as a substitute in a Champions league game against Maribor.

England’s newly crowned Under-20 World Cup winners celebrate.

But Solanke may also struggle to play under Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp who yesterday was linked with a move for Monaco’s 18-year-old striker Kylian Mbappe. At Anfield, Solanke will join up with two other Under-20 stars, Ovie Ejara and Sheyi Ojo, who remain on the first-team fringes.

The picture is similar for Woodman, whose face appeared on many English newspaper back pages. Last

season the 20-year-old Newcastle keeper - godson of national manager Gareth Southgate - was loaned out to Scottish club Kilmarnock and admitted he is unsure where he will play after the summer.

“I am not sure what will happen at Newcastle,” Woodman told The Daily Telegraph. “I am just waiting for them to tell me when I am back in pre-season. I am a Newcastle player and my goal is to play for Newcastle one day.”

Kumble likely to remain coach for Windies tour THE BCCI is likely to retain Anil Kumble as coach for India’s tour of the West Indies immediately after the ongoing Champions Trophy. Kumble will be given the contract extension if the cricket advisory committee (CAC) fails to pick India’s next coach before then.

The decision was taken by the Committee of Administrators (CoA), after consulting BCCI secretary Amitabh Choudhary and chief executive officer Rahul Johri yesterday.

“In case there is a delay in taking a decision (by the CAC) we will request Anil Kumble to cover the West Indies tour also,” Vinod Rai, the CoA chairman, told ESPNcricinfo. Rai said the BCCI would check whether

Kumble was “happy” to continue until the West Indies tour, which starts on June 23.

India are scheduled to travel to the Caribbean from London on June 22, for five ODIs and one T20 international.

Kumble was appointed India coach in June last year and was given a one-year contract, which ends after the Champi-

ons Trophy. Last month, the BCCI decided to invite fresh applications for the position after being made aware of the players’ reported unhappiness with Kumble’s man-management skills.

Kumble was on the shortlist of six candidates and remained the first choice of the CAC, which comprises Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman Though the BCCI was in favour of appointing the new coach on a two-year contract until the 2019 World Cup, the CAC said that it did not want to take a hasty decision. The CAC’s first option, as previously reported, was to try and patch up differences between the India captain Virat Kohli and Kumble. (ESPN Cricinfo)

Former Newcastle and England striker Alan Shearer questioned how many of the side, who delivered the country’s first World Cup win at any level for 51 years, will see action in a league packed with foreign talent and governed by short-termism.

“How many top-flight managers will have been given a mandate to blood them and make them part of their first team,” Shearer wrote in The Sun. “How many managers will have had the

patience to give these young players a chance?

“Or alternatively how many simply realised that results are all-important, finance is all-important and dipped into a readymade option from the foreign market to ensure success?”

England’s Football Association will be among those hoping for change after attempting to establish a pathway from youth teams into the seniors, who have underperformed badly in ma-

jor tournaments for decades.

The FA blueprint appears to be working, as no other England team had even won a match at an Under-20 tournament since 1997 and even failed to qualify four times over 20 years.

Among the clubs most likely to give youth a chance is Everton, who supplied five players to England in South Korea, three of whom – Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Ademola Lookman and Jonjoe Kenny – were in the first-team squad for the final game of last season.

England’s captain Lewis Cook is another looking ready to step up after making six first-team appearances for Bournemouth last term.

Of the team who reached the semi-finals in the 1993 edition of the Under-20 competition, only Manchester United’s Nicky Butt went on to win a senior cap.

So, unsurprisingly, victorious Under-20 manager Paul Simpson was cagey about predicting too bright a future for his starlets.

“Let’s see what comes next and hope they continue to develop. We hope (they) get the football they need and they can go on to be successful.”

England name Livingstone for T20 series against South Africa (REUTERS)-Lancashire all-rounder Liam Livingstone is one of five uncapped players named in England’s T20 squad for the series against South Africa starting this month.

Dawid Malan, Tom Curran, Mason Crane and Craig Overton are also included in the 16-man squad, which was released by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Monday.

Moeen Ali, Jake Ball, Adil Rashid, Joe Root and Ben Stokes are all rested by England while Tymal Mills is ruled out

through a back injury.

Livingstone, 23, is viewed as one of English cricket’s most exciting young talents and scored an 83-ball 129 against the tourists for England Lions.

Crane, a 20-year-old leg-break bowler, played for New South Wales as an overseas player earlier this year.

The three-match T20 series, which follows the Champions Trophy, starts in Southampton on June 21.

Squad: Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Mason Crane, Tom Curran, Liam Daw-

Lancashire all-rounder Liam Livingstone

son, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan, Craig Overton, Liam Plunkett, Jason Roy, David Willey, Mark Wood.

25

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Sarfraz sends Pakistan through T&T refocusing as Sri Lanka let victory slip on Costa Rica after USA disappointment

PAKISTAN survived a batting collapse as they capitalised on an error-strewn Sri Lanka performance, to progress to the ICC Champions Trophy semi-finals with a three-wicket win in the game of the tournament.

Despite Niroshan Dickwella’s 73, the Pakistan attack – led by Junaid Khan (3-40) and Hasan Ali (3-43) – forced a Sri Lanka collapse from 161-4 to 236 all out at Sophia Gardens.

Fakhar Zaman’s rapid half-century fired Pakistan to 74-0 in reply, but they slumped to 162-7, setting up a fascinating and thrilling conclusion.

Captain Sarfraz Ahmed (61 not out) held the key to the Pakistan innings and Sri Lanka, with victory in sight, twice dropped the skipper as he posted a crucial half-century.

Sri Lanka’s bemusing errors in the field aided Sarfraz and Mohammad Amir (28 not out) in their match-winning stand of 75, the captain ramping a four to the boundary at third man to book a semi-final with England that had looked extremely unlikely after their opening 124-run defeat to

Sarfraz Ahmed roars in delight as Pakistan seal a tense win over Sri Lanka at Cardiff.

India.

Dickwella’s solid start gave little hints of the low-scoring thriller that was to come, but the seeds were sown with Kusal Mendis (27) and Dinesh Chandimal (0) falling inside three deliveries as Fahim Ashraf (2-37) claimed his maiden ODI wicket.

Captain Angelo Mathews (39) helped steady the ship but his wicket - Amir’s first of the tournament - prompted a dismal slump.

A ripper from Junaid dismissed Dhananjaya de Silva (1) before a stunning low catch from Sarfraz ended Dickwella’s admirable effort and Thisara Perera (1) lasted just five balls.

Suranga Lakmal (26 off 34) provided a useful contribution only for a Hasan bail trimmer to halt his progress. Asela Gunaratne was expansive in his 44-ball 27 but fell when he hit Hasan to deep midwicket.

Azhar Ali survived a drop and a run-out chance in the opening two overs, but he and Fakhar scored freely, the latter reaching 50 in 34 balls before falling to Nuwan Pradeep (360), who claimed his second scalp when Babar Azam (10) picked out midwicket.

Pradeep took the catch as Mohammad Hafeez (1) fell cheaply, and Sri Lanka’s confidence was further boosted when Azhar (34) edged Lakmal (1-48) to first slip.

Shoaib Malik (11) and Imad Wasim (4) both failed to make a significant impression, and Pakistan’s luck appeared to be out when Perera ran out Fahim (15) by deflecting a Sarfraz drive onto the stumps.

But fortune turned in Pakistan’s favour when Perera dropped a dolly from Sarfraz on 38 and substitute fielder Seekkuge Prasanna was unable to take a stooping chance at square leg.

The errors mounted as Sri Lanka’s composure completely disappeared, a drive through mid-off bringing up Sarfraz’s 50 before he fittingly completed the recovery mission with 31 balls remaining.

Archer hailed as one of the best following 10-wicket haul LONDON , England (CMC) – Sussex skipper Chris Nash has hailed seamer Jofra Archer as among the best in the country at present, following the Barbadian’s outstanding maiden 10-wicket haul against Leicestershire in the English County Championship on Sunday.

Archer snatched six for 70 as the hosts were dismissed for 175 in their second innings at Grace Road, leaving Sussex with a target of 232 for victory.

Luke Wells then struck an unbeaten 90 yesterday as the visitors got home by five wickets to register their second straight win in Division Two. However, the foundation was laid by the 22-year-old Archer who ended the contest with match figures of 11 for 137 following his five-wicket haul in Leicestershire’s first innings.

“From looking at what we’ve seen over the last two months, he’s one of the best you’re seeing,” Nash beamed.

“I think the way he does it is one of the really interest-

ing bits. He bowled 50 overs in the game and didn’t even sweat.”

He continued: “He’s a top man. The way he’s playing at the moment is as good as anyone in the country. The pace he bowls and how he keeps coming back and back and back is great.

“It’s really refreshing to see someone come in and play with that enthusiasm and just enjoy going out there bowling and he just wants to keep bowling.”

Archer was a revelation last season after he broke into Sussex’ first team towards the end of the season, claiming 23 wickets in six outings.

Rewarded with a full contract for the new season, the right-armer has not disappointed and has so far picked up 35 wickets from six games at an average of 23.

Nash said despite Archer’s success, they were focusing on managing the young talent who had already shouldered much of the Sussex attack this season.

“I’m always worried about (over-bowling him) because we don’t want to

Barbadian seamer Jofra Archer snatches his maiden first class 10-wicket haul.

bowl him into the ground so we have to be careful,” Nash explained.

“The last two games have probably highlighted (that concern). We bowled twice in a row in the last game against Worcestershire and we came here (Grace Road) and bowled first. You add to that when (Steve) Magoffin went down in the last game and Vernon (Philander) and David Wiese in this game with injuries so he did have to bowl his overs.

“We are very aware of

that and we will manage him very effectively over the next two weeks to make sure he does get a bit of recovery time because he’s put in a heavy stint for us.”

As an aggressive righthander, Archer has shown his quality with 251 runs at an average of 35 this season, including two half-centuries.

Archer was again superb on Sunday, bowling with hostility and guile, to wreck Leicestershire’s innings.

Without Philander who limped off with an ankle injury, Archer assumed the role as leader of the attack and excelled.

He got the breakthrough when he had Paul Horton caught at the wicket off a nasty lifter for 16 before trapping Ned Eckersley (1) lbw with a quick full-length delivery, to leave Leicestershire on 72 for four.

After lunch, Archer bowled Marl Pettini with a yorker for four and then got the key wicket of top-scorer Harry Dearden for 36, caught at the wicket off another rapid bouncer, as he ran through the lower order.

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (CMC) – Downcast Trinidad and Tobago are desperately trying to put last Friday’s defeat to United States behind them and lift themselves for the challenging assignment against Costa Rica here today.

The Caribbean side crashed to a 2-0 defeat to the USA in Denver last week, playing well in the opening half to keep the hosts scoreless before conceding twice within the space of 10 minutes early in the second half.

Head coach Dennis Lawrence urged his side to quickly forget the result and train their focus on the challengeing Costa Rica game.

The USA match is gone, it’s out of the way and now we’ve got to look ahead to the next one which is Costa Rica,” Lawrence said.

“We have got to pick up and go again.”

This view was also shared by veteran winger Carlos Edwards who said there was no advantage in looking back.

“We’ve got to roll our sleeves up and move onto the next one,” the 38-year-old stressed.

“It’s no sense dwelling on the game with the U.S.” The defeat left T&T bottom of the CONCACAF final round and virtually needing a miracle to climb into the top four and secure qualification to the 2018 World Cup. They have lost four of their five matches with their only victory coming over Panama in Port of Spain last March, and

Head coach Dennis Lawrence

now lie bottom of the six-team standings on three points.

Seasoned goalkeeper Jan Michael Williams, who was outstanding in the USA contest, said the mood in the camp had steadily improved since the defeat.

“The camp is a bit quiet now because obviously we are very disappointed with the result against the U.S. but we’ve had a couple training sessions since the match and the focus is coming back and we have to push on from here,” he noted.

“We just have to go in and do exactly what the coaching staff is asking us to do. We need to be confident, eliminate our errors and get on with the task at hand in Costa Rica.”

T&T arrived here on Sunday after staying behind a couple days in Denver to prepare for the encounter. They played a practice game last night at the Estadio Nacional.

The Caribbean giants have only beaten Costa Rica three times in 25 meetings but are winless against the Central Americans in World Cup competition.

26

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday,June 13, 2017

Downes begins GBTI Open Men’s singles defence MEN’S singles defending champion Anthony Downes began his campaign for a seventh consecutive title by dealing a double bagel to junior player Joshua Kalekyezi, while Andre Erskine delivered the same fate to Ronald Murray, when matches in the GBTI Open tennis tournament continued at the GBTI Recreational Centre in Bel Air. Downes also collected another double bagel on Sunday night, in his first match in the Mixed doubles category. A confident Downes is hoping to charge to another three-title tournament, after he walked away with the Men’s singles, Men’s doubles and Mixed doubles titles last year.

He’s expected to begin his Men’s doubles battle later this week, where he’s partnering up with Jason Andrews. Last year Downes won the match with Harry Panday.

His match against Kalekyezi moved him into the quarter-finals where he is next set to come up against Nicholas Glasgow.

In other matches in the

Anthony Downes (right) and Mixed doubles partner Afruica Gentle

Men’s singles round of sixteen, Benjettan Osborne was all business as he delivered a double breadstick against Oswin Coggins. Osborne was calm but relentless in his attack on Coggins’ game, with Coggins

Benjattan Osborne (left) is into the Men’s quarter-finals after he defeated Oswin Coggins.

unable to answer Osborne’s laser focus.

Osborne will next face Leyland Leacock, after the latter made it into the quarter-finals by ousting Viraj Sharma 6-4, 6-1. As Leacock

put on the pressure, Sharma handled it well, having to play decisive shots to accumulate his 5 games.

Downes’ men’s doubles partner, Andrews booked his first GBTI singles quarterfinals

after overcoming his nerves against Khawn Rodney. Rodney opposed Andrew’s big serves, breaking serve early and maintaining a steady lead.

However, a shaky 8th game allowed Andrews to up his game, and close off Rodney at 6-4, 6-2.

Glasgow entered the quarter-finals bouncing off a win against Jamal Goodluck, who got in only two games in the entire match, played in the final set. The level of Glasgow’s game should afford him the ability to poke some holes in the seemingly impervious game of Downes.

Over in the Men’s doubles Erskine was also to have another double bagel. Teaming up with Mark McDonald the pair defeated the team of Shimron Lewis and Ravin Rampersaud.

The Ladies’ open is being played in the round-robin format, and as matches took off, defending champion Afruica Gentle ploughed her way through three consecutive wins.

The budding rivalry between Cristy Campbell and Gentle was put to the test once more. Despite putting up a

stronger defence, Campbell was unable to deny Gentle a 6-1, 6-3 victory.

Gentle took down Kalyca Fraser, winning 6-1, 6-3. It was Fraser who had given Gentle a close fight in the Sheltez Home Safe Security Tournament. However she was once again out-matched

by Gentle’s aggression and placement. Gentle was able to play to 6-0, 6-0 against Grace McCalman, immobilising her at the baseline.

In other categories, matches were as follows: Men’s 45s Single Quarterfinals Rudy Grant claimed a 6-0, 6-3 win against Brazilian Ambassador Lineu Pupo DePaula.

Harry Panday closed 6-1, 6-2 against new player Colin France.

Mixed Doubles Quarterfinals Joshua Kalekyezi and Alana Chung fought their way to a 6-3,, 6-4 victory against Ariel Khan/Nathalie Ramdyhan.

Daniel Lopes/Sarah Klautky had a comfortable 6-1, 6-1 win against Tyrese Trim/Charlese Adams.

`One-Hand’ Grant-Stuart wins second Albert Rose Memorial cycle road race KNOWN by most in the cycling fraternity as `OneHand’, Walter Grant-Stuart once again did not allow his disability to prevent him from dominating the second Albert Rose Memorial 50-mile cycle road race, which was held in Linden and on the Soesdyke Highway on Sunday, covering a very hilly course.

Grant-Stuart, over the past few years, has defeated some of the best local cyclists and last Sunday was

no different, even though some of the local `big guns’ were absent, due to overseas engagements.

According to reports, Grant-Stuart’s dominance of the event was evident from the start of the second lap of the three-lap race when he and Briton John broke from the pack and opened a sizeable gap, but the latter (John), a junior cyclist was subsequently dropped and was caught by the peloton.

Grant-Stuart went on to record a memorable victory in a time of two

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

COMPLIMENTS OF: THE TROPHY STALL Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & AUDREY’S TASTY SNACKETTE 176 Charlotte Street, Georgetown (Tel: 226-4512)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Rashid Khan (2) England & Bangladesh

Today’s Quiz: (1What were Rashid Khan’s bowling figures at the end of the recent first WI/Afghan ODI?

(2)Which team won all their preliminary round games in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Walter Grant-Stuart

hours 22 minutes 13 seconds and in the process won six prime prizes.

The chasing pack, after catching John, upped the tempo and almost caught Grant-Stuart but could not.

In the end, Andre Green crossed the finish line second, ahead of Paul DeNobrega, Curtis Dey, John and Mario King respectively.

By placing fourth overall, Dey was declared winner of the junior category ahead of Christopher Cornelius and John respectively.

Jonathan Ramschuit won the juvenile category from Jomar Holigar and Esau Lowden in that order.

Hazina Barrett won the ladies’ category. Second was Abigail Jeffrey.

Warren McKay won the veterans Under- 45 years category from Junior Niles and Everal Mundy respectively.

Ian `Dumb Boy’ Jackson won the veterans Over45 years category. Second was Andy Spencer and finishing third was Oliver Young.

Knight believes team effort could bring Windies success SOUTHAMPTON, England (CMC) – Batter Kyshona Knight believes a focused team effort could bring West Indies success in the ICC Women’s World Cup starting later this month.

The elegant top-order batter said while the Caribbean side would depend heavily on the likes of veterans Stafanie Taylor, Deandra Dottin and Shakera Selman, it was critical every player took responsibility for delivering strong performances throughout the June 24 to July 23 tournament.

“Once everyone chips in and puts up her hands in the games as

a whole team, I think we will do a very good job,” the left-hander said during the ongoing training camp at the Ageas Bowl.

“Everyone is looking for us to do very well in this World Cup but I don’t think the girls are trying to put that added pressure on themselves so we’re just going out there to play each game as it comes and give of our best.”

Knight’s runs at the top of the order will be valuable as West Indies Women seek to add the 50-overs title to their Twenty20 World title captured last year in India.

The 25-year-old has not played a one-dayer in nearly two years however, with her last match coming when Pakistan Women toured the Caribbean in 2015.

However, Knight said she was looking to contribute to the Windies success and hoped her side could capitalise on the conditions.

“I just want to get out there and give of my best, and hopefully as a team we can put in some good performances and probably bring home the World Cup,” the Barbadian said.

“The pitches are really good.

Once you get in on them, hopefully the batters can capitalise and the bowlers can use the swing to their advantage.”

West Indies open their campaign on June 26 against reigning champions Australia Women – a team Knight believes will be the heavy favourites along with hosts England Women.

“They have some really key players and I guess the conditions down here really suit their players.

I think they will be our biggest opponents.”

27

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Priority to develop female football in Essequibo … says executive member

By Elroy Stephney ESSEQUIBO is set to benefit from the resuscitation of female football in the Region. Speaking to Chronicle Sport, executive member of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Maxine Stewart, who also serves as an executive member of the Essequibo Football Association (EFA), confirmed that female football will be a priority for the local administration since it is also a mandate from the GFF to develop female football in all regions.

She expressed great optimism of having a wide cross section of females being involved in the sport and according to her “the EFA will ensure that the necessary mechanisms are put in place to encourage, support and sustain the drive to have female football thrive in the region”.

Ms Stewart further stated that “moves are already in place to form clubs within various districts” while acknowledging “that same was already done in Dartmouth and Henrietta”.

The EFA executive disclosed that the concentration will be on training at the Under-17 level with sessions already commencing at the Anna Regina Community Centre (ARCC) ground in the afternoons.

It was also revealed that Travis Bowen and Ranzolin Durga, technical directors assigned by GFF, are working with the female players and will generally develop football across the region, including hinterland districts.

Meanwhile Stewart, who remains committed towards realising success in football in Essequibo, is appealing to all stakeholders including the Government and Private Sector to cooperate in realising that dream through continued sponsorship, mentorship, better facilities and training opportunities.

The veteran administrator remains one of the highly driv-

Female charges pose fot this photograph after completing one of their training sessions with Travis Bowen (standing at right). en individuals in Essequibo whose love and passion for football is unquestionable.

In this regard, she was impressed and happy with the large attendance of approximately 65 young footballers who participated in a recently held coaching clinic in Dartmouth.

“Essequibo has an abundance of raw talent, and we want to harness them into becoming the final product,” she emphasised.

Further, the forthright

Panama look forward to Honduras after big Costa Rica draw FOR the first time in its World Cup Qualifying history, Panama (1W-3D-1L, 6 points) earned a point at Costa Rica (2-2-1, 8) thanks to a scoreless draw on Thursday night.

Head coach Hernan Dario Gomez hailed his team’s execution, but knows that for the accomplishment to have lasting value on the road to Russia 2018, it must be followed up with a win tonight against visiting Honduras.

“To get a point here is important because of the opponent and we showed some important things,” said the 61-year-old Colombian after the game. “The draw for us here is good and Panama’s performance against this opponent shows that it is as strong as them,” The Panamanians currently occupy fourth in the CONCACAF Hexagonal table, but could jump to second by topping Hondu-

ras and Costa Rica losing to Trinidad & Tobago.

“If we do not get the three points in the Rommel Fernandez, this point serves nothing,” Gomez finished.

“We are going to face a Honduras that is always strong, that is a World Cup team and it will be an exciting match.”

In their previous WCQ meeting, Panama earned a 1-0 win over host Honduras on Fidel Escobar’s first-half goal.(Sportsmax).

Part of the action in the Panama , Costa Rica clash

campaigner was also pleased with the grassroots academy where the GFF and the EFA

are partnering to capture talent across the Essequibo Coast and Pomeroon. The

players with potentials must be given the opportunity and exposure to be involved in formal training, with prospects towards possible selection in the future.

While the sport remains popular, “getting the structure right is what is required in order for our footballers to excel,” Stewart added.

In this regard, the champion female football enthusiast is prepared to trot the extra mile to fulfil the dreams of countless footballers in the county, and in particular to give prominence to female football in Essequibo.

NAMILCO Under-17 football kicks off Sunday in Essequibo THE NATIONAL Milling Company (NAMILCO)-sponsored Under-17 countrywide football competition will kick off in Essequibo on Sunday with various matches.

The competition is being played in collaboration with the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and will have eight teams - Henrietta, Charity, Capoey, Dartmouth, Mainstay, Queen-

stown, Wakapoa and Good Hope competing for supremacy.

In the scheduled matches billed for the opening, Mainstay will host Henrietta, Capoey and Good Hope will compete at the Anna Regina Community Centre (ARCC) ground, Queenstown at home to Dartmouth while Wakapoa will travel to Charity for

their game.

Matches will continue every weekend, with the winners qualifying to compete nationally with the other teams from across the country.

A formal ceremony will be held at the ARCC ground where executive members from the EFA will address the participants and declare the competition open.

Sarfraz sends Pakistan through as Sri Lanka let victory slip P.25

Digicel Schools Football Championship

Clarke nets hat-trick, Essequibo Islands send Parika/Salem packing

Extra ‘Bolt’ World Champs tickets go on sale this week

Usain Bolt

GOAL! Reon Venture (second from left), celebrates after scoring his first of two goals for Essequibo Islands Secondary. (Adrian Narine photos)

See page 23 Digicel’s Head of Marketing Jacqueline James and Director of Sport Christopher Jones being introduced to the players from Parika/Salem Secondary Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

AN extra 60 000 tickets, including those for the men’s 100-metre final in London at the 2017 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships in London, are due to go on sale this week.

The extra tickets became available after organisers are able to offer extra tickets for previously sold-out sessions after organisers were granted an increased capacity licence at the Olympic Stadium in London with competition scheduled to take place from August 4 to 13.

Tickets for popular events like the men’s 100 metres final and heptathlon, will go on sale once again.

The extra tickets will be available from Thursday, June 15 and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Ticket prices for adults vary between sessions, but all children’s admission will cost £9.58 with the fee reflecting Usain Bolt’s 100m world record.

The Jamaican is currently in his last season as an athlete and he will only be competing in the 100m and 4x100m in London as he targets final global golds.

The men’s 100m final on August 5 is the most expensive of the extra tickets costing between £45 and £155.

Extra tickets are also available to see Sir Mo Farah, who plans to focus on road racing after the World Championships, competing in the men’s 10 000m on August 4. (Sportsmax) TUESDAY, JUNE, 13 , 2017