Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 14 03 2017

Dental Assistant drowns during outing with friends

Page 10 No. 104852

TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 2017

Price: $80

(VAT Inclusive)

Recovering GTT shares money -top HKGT officials in Guyana for talks with NICIL on outstanding US$5M

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One love! President David Granger and Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, apply powder on each other during Sunday’s Phagwah Day celebrations at the Indian Cultural Centre, Bel Air

Guyana clinches ‘A light of progress’ Finance Minister says economy sweet rice deal has to ‘right itself’ – Mexico set to import 150,000 tons of Guyana’s rice

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One dead, two injured …after car rams into utility pole

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Road, bridges linking Bartica to Puruni to be fixed soon – following miners, drivers’ calls for speedy intervention

By Ariana Gordon

THE roadway and bridges that link Bartica and several other Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) mining communities to Puruni will soon be repaired, as engineers have just completed an assessment of an area. Minister of Public Infrastructure, Mr David Patterson told the Guyana Chronicle on Monday that a technical team was in the Region last week, where an assessment of the roadway and bridges was done with a view to having the identified deficiencies remedied. “A team just came out of the area this week; they were doing an assessment so as to repair them; they came out on Thursday,” Patterson said, adding that works will begin soon. Meanwhile, use of the roadway on Saturday proved almost impossible as heavy rainfall continues to batter the area. Trucks and four-wheel-

drive vehicles were oftentimes stuck in deep, slushfilled holes, forcing drivers to negotiate what has now become a difficult terrain. During a journey that should have lasted one hour and fifteen minutes, instead lasted about two hours, ten minutes, it was observed that many of the bridges were falling apart, and drivers were being forced to drive cautiously before their vehicles toppled into rivers and streams. FROM BAD TO WORSE “This situation is getting from bad to worse. I don’t know what it is going to take for the government to fix this road and these bridges; this is a disaster waiting to occur,” one driver, who requested anonymity, told the Guyana Chronicle. The truck driver said that many of the bridges along the route have become rotten, maybe due to the bad weather, along with what he deemed to be the reckless use of the

A driver attempts to fix his vehicle which broke down at the Teperu Crossing on Saturday, while this Johann Earle photo at right, shows a truck being stuck along the roadway over the weekend at Kamaria, also in Region 7

roadway and bridges. “It would be nice to see the government taking action to fix this roadway, because miners have to use this road on a daily basis,” he said. “I really hope that the road is fixed soon, because any day now these roads could give away.” Another driver said he

believes the fundamental issue is the contractor being used to repair the roads and bridges. He explained that for years, Mekdeci Machinery & Construction Inc. has been awarded the contract for the repair and rehabilitation of bridges. But no sooner is the work done, than it’s back to square one. Miners operating in the Takatu, MaraMara, Peters Mine, Old Granny, and Black Water areas told the Guyana Chronicle that the contract for the repair of the roadway and bridges need to be awarded to another company. “I can’t understand how the government does award contracts to a company that clearly ain’t doing the job right,” one miner said, adding: “If every time he got to build a road and it breaking down, then it is clear somebody else should be doing the job. “I ain’t know, but that is a hazard! Any day y’all will deh in town and hear how some one ah we fall through a bridge, or we truck topple.” While they acknowledge that it is because of the persistent and heavy rainfall that the roadways are almost im-

passable, the miners are all in agreement that it is the work being done by the contractor that is to be blamed for their present dilemma. LIVES AT STAKE “We keep talking about this thing, but nobody ain’t taking us serious; we ain’t trying fuh mek bad fuh the company, but this is a serious problem; lives are at stake here.” Another issue being raised was the number of trucks filled to capacity with drums of fuel traversing the roadway. One miner, known only as ‘Sal’, told the Guyana Chronicle that while he believes that the Ministry of Public Infrastructure needs to fix the roads and bridges speedily, some truck drivers need to take responsibility for the state of the road and bridges. “Nuff of them does be travelling with serious load! Drums upon drums of fuel; and the road is not built for that! But even though drivers are to be blamed to some extent, the situation at Lion Mountain is one that should be addressed immediately,” ‘Sal’ said.

Miners also contend that the bad roadways and bridges cause serious damage to their vehicles, which are costly to repair given the current price of gold. “The price for gold is low, and to find money steady, steady fuh fix truck ain’t easy,” one driver told the Guyana Chronicle. Meanwhile, several miners have complained to Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ms Simona Broomes, who visited Puruni on Saturday, about the situation with road and bridges, and her response was that the Ministry of Public Infrastructure has been informed about it. She, however, committed to following up on the matter when she returns to Georgetown. “It is something I will discuss with my colleague Minister, David Patterson, when I return to Georgetown. I intend to write him, and attach some photographs so he could see the magnitude of the problem,” Minister Broomes assured the concerned miners. “These matters must be addressed with some level of urgency,” she added.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Recovering GTT shares money – top HKGT officials here for talks with NICIL TOP officials of Hong Kong Golden Telecom Company (HKGT), the firm that owes Guyana some US$5M for the 20 Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) shares it bought, are here to negotiate with the government the payment of the debt. The Guyana Chronicle was told by usually reliable sources that it has now been confirmed that HKGT owes government’s holding company, the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) the US$5M. The HKGT officials,

including a lawyer, the Guyana Chronicle has learnt, have been having discussions with NICIL, with talks expected to continue today. Sources say that Guyana has been demanding that HKGT pays interests on the US$5M debt, which has now pushed the figure to some US$6.5M. Much mystery had surrounded the outstanding money, which at one time was described as missing. At a year-end news conference last year, NICIL had maintained that it was not in receipt of the outstanding US$5M from the sale of Government shares in GTT,

and was expected to employ the method of arbitration to recover those funds. “NICIL has not received the remaining US$5M from GTT shares which it sold… We are in the process of executing all the relief measures that are in the Sales Agreement in order for us to get it back. We have engaged our lawyers in the USA,” NICIL Chief Executive Officer, Horace James had said at the time. He went on to explain that NICIL will be utilising the services of the attorney who had assisted them in drafting the Sales Agreement, since the person

at reference was directly involved in the agreement process. “They [the lawyers] recommended a company in the United Kingdom to help us in the arbitration whenever that time comes, and when we are going there,” he’d said, adding that it is important for NICIL to use a UK company, since the arbitration will be held in London. James had, however, made it clear that the holding company will not only go after the US$5M owed by HKGT. In fact, he revealed that NICIL will also be seeking to recover interest costs,

legal fees, the signatory to the agreement, and even the person who guaranteed it. “So, that process has started, and our lawyers have presented all the issues concerning the shares, and said that it is a very good chance that we could get back the money,” James said. He’d also dismissed claims by the company that the government had written off the US$5M. James had told reporters back then that documents received by Minister of State,Joseph Harmon,from the purchaser early last year, suggested that the Hong Kong-based company was under the impression that it had been relieved of paying the outstanding

amount. “The documents basically said that the purchasers of the shares indicated that they had a discussion with David Dabydeen, and were under the impression that they were relieved from paying it. But that is not so,” he’d said, adding: “NICIL sold you something, and so you owe us; you made an initial payment and so the second payment has to be made. That is our major contention.” In 2012, the former PPP/C Government made a decision to sell its shares in GTT for US$30M. A payment of US$25M was made, with the balance expected to be paid within two years.

New markets beckon Turkey bars Dutch – as Guyana makes pitch as prime tourist destination in Kuwait GUYANA’S rich natural resources will be on showcase today in Kuwait as the government casts around for new niches in which to market its tourism product. The occasion is the Kuwait-Latin America Cultural and Business Conference, billed for the Kuwaiti capital, Kuwait City. Guyana’s introduction to the Kuwaiti market will be in the form of a presentation by its Ambassador to Kuwait, Dr. Shamir Ally, whose participation in the event is at the invitation of Dr. Mustafa Behbehani, President of the

Kuwait-Latin America Cultural Group. In a statement to the media, Dr. Ally said Guyana will be showcased as a country “with many good surprises for all interests, including birding enthusiasts.” The presentation will also entail a video on ExxonMobil/HESS’s intention to invest US$5B here in preparation for oil production by 2020. The statement notes that Tourism, Investments and Cultural exchanges are all very important to the development of Guyana.

Guyana’s Ambassador to Kuwait, Dr. Shamir Ally

envoy as rift deepens TURKEY has announced a series of measures in retaliation for a Dutch decision to block its ministers from campaigning for a referendum. Deputy PM Numan Kurtulmus said the Dutch ambassador would be barred from returning to Ankara, and high-level political discussions suspended. Turkish attempts to hold rallies in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands have been blocked. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused the Dutch and Germans of Nazism. The BBC's Mark Low-

en in Istanbul says Turkey and the Netherlands, two NATO allies, are now locked in an unprecedented diplomatic crisis. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has offered the Netherlands her "full support and solidarity". On Monday, the Dutch foreign ministry issued a new travel warning, urging its citizens in Turkey to take care, and noting the new "diplomatic tensions". The row comes just two days before a general election in the Netherlands dominated by concerns about immigration and Islamic radicalism. Dutch Prime Minister

Mark Rutte cited security concerns ahead of the election as a reason for blocking the Turkish rallies. The proposed rallies are aimed at encouraging a large number of Turks living in Europe to vote Yes in a referendum on April 16 on expanding the president's powers. The plans were criticised by senior EU officials on Monday. In Germany, for example, there are more than three million people of Turkish origin, of whom an estimated 1.4 million are eligible to vote in Turkish elections. In effect, the Diaspora is Turkey's fourth-largest electoral district. (BBC)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Parliament clears way for talks with EU

PARLIAMENT has passed the Brexit Bill, paving the way for the government to trigger

Article 50 so the UK can leave the European Union. Peers backed down

over the issues of EU residency rights and a meaningful vote on the final Brexit deal, after

their objections were overturned by MPs. The Bill is expected to receive Royal Assent and become law today. The BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg said this would leave Theresa May free to push the button on withdrawal talks. The result came as Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that she intended to hold a second referendum on Scottish independence at a time when Brexit negotiations are expected to be reaching a conclusion. Ms Sturgeon said she wanted a vote to be held between the autumn of 2018 and the spring of the following year. The prime minister could theoretically invoke Article 50, which

formally starts the Brexit process, as early as today. However, Downing Street sources have said this will not happen this week, and that the PM is expected to wait until the end of the month to officially notify the EU of the UK’s intention to leave, thus beginning what is expected to be a two-year process. “Parliament has today backed the government in its determination to get on with the job of leaving the EU,” Brexit Secretary David Davis said. “We are now on the threshold of the most important negotiation for our country in a generation.” The EU Withdrawal Bill was passed unamended after peers

voted by 274 votes to 118 not to challenge the Commons again over the issue of whether Parliament should have a veto on the terms of exit. The House of Lords had already agreed not to re-insert guarantees over the status of EU residents in the UK back into the Bill after they were rejected by MPs, with the government winning the vote by a margin of 274 votes to 135. Later analysis of the division list for the first Lords vote on EU citizens’ rights to remain in the UK showed that 25 Labour peers sided with the Lib Dems, including former cabinet minister Lord Mandelson. (BBC)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, March 14, 2017

‘A light of progress’

Finance Minister says economy has to ‘right itself’ By Ariana Gordon EVEN AS countries close to Guyana are experiencing economic struggles, Guyana’s Finance Minister, Winston Jordan believes that we stand as a “light of progress.” During an interview done on 94.1 radio with Gordon Moseley yesterday, the Minister made it clear that it was important for naysayers to examine the state of our economy and not look at it in isolation of all that is taking place in the Region. “When we look at the countries that are closely surrounding Guyana, you see an ocean of problems, Suriname, Trinidad, Barbados…they are tired. Venezuela we know what is going on there, Brazil they have their issues and in all this ocean of problems, we are a light of progress,” said Jordan. The Finance Minister maintained that last November, government had projected a growth of 2.6 per cent but noted that with actual figures being made available, the economy actually grew 3.2 per cent last year, which he noted was better than 2015. He reminded that the local economy was driven by gold, as the agricultural sector had been struggling, but noted that with the implementation of the public sector programme, there had been some improvement. Jordan made it clear than the economy can do much better if government spending can get going, while referencing this year’s $250B budget. Asked why there appears to be a problem with government spending, the Minister said that “greater transparency and scrutiny comes with some slowing of progress.” He attributed the change in spending to the change in procurement systems and noted that there were also administrative issues with employees having qualifications and not the experience or on the converse side, those who have no qualifications but the relevant experience. “You have a public sector that needs some amount of modernisation to keep pace with the economy and the increased scrutiny that the economy is undergoing,” the minister stated. The Minister made it clear that “all that glitters is not gold”, referencing to that which obtained under the past administrations. He said the issue was one of sustainability and noted that Guyana’s economy was growing, but at the time the APNU+AFC coalition government took office “it was running on fumes “and Jordan attributed that to the fact that Guyana has not diversified its economic activities after

50 years of independence and continues to be dependent on traditional sectors; rice, sugar, timber, gold, bauxite and fish. The minister posited that some of the very industries that sustained the country’s economy have collapsed and at this point the economy has to “right itself”, something he says cannot be done overnight. “If we ourselves don’t adjust the economy, then we are just going to have to hand it over to somebody else to do it,” Jordan added noting that “the ordinary man may not feel it like he had four years ago.” The reality he said was that the economy was ripening itself and Guyana had to prepare the economy for “the take-off.” On the issue of taxes, Minister Jordan made it clear that the current tax system would be examined again as government begins to prepare its 2018 budget. He said, “Every budget we have to review our revenue, which comprises mostly taxes, and we also have to review spending,” while adding that the trio - revenue, expenditure and financing - had to gel before a new budget could be compiled. Additionally, social and moral implications are also examined. The Minister said his administration took office and was faced with a “huge burden.” That burden was the failing sugar industry, which government has thus far pumped over $23B to aid in its survival. He said Government has also been faced with a number of law suits that were ignored by the past administration and made it clear that some are huge law suits that cannot be swept under the carpet. “The economy is not growing as fast as we like…and to meet the additional burdens, we have to find new areas… it is not an economy where we inherited fantastic infrastructure,” he added, while stressing that the critics of the tax system needed to be fair. “People claiming taxes, taxes; they are not claiming take home pay. They have a job, no knocking off of people in the public sector; rising disposable income, income tax has gone down, the threshold has increased substantially. In doing those reductions, we have given up $9-10B,” said Minister Jordan, who also pointed to the reduction in the Value Added Tax (VAT) from 16 per cent to 14 per cent. Foreign Exchange Meanwhile, the Finance Minister made it clear that while there have been some issues with foreign exchange recently, Guyana has been able to maintain over $600M in its reserves, an amount that almost equals Barbados’ reserves.

Moreover, he said the commercial banks have adequate reserves so that the issue of foreign currency shortage has been contrived. He assured that there is no shortage of foreign currency here but noted that the exchange rate was “more or less stabilised.” Jordan said the rate stands between $210 and $215 though many persons are reporting that they are able to receive foreign currency from the commercial banks, though not in large sums. He explained that the banks are enforcing that you have to show why you want the currency. After an explanation is provided, the bank takes a few days to do its checks before providing the requested amount. Asked whether he believes there is a deliberate attempt to starve the economy of foreign currency, Minister Jordan said, that is part of the situation but one also has to examine the reality. “Part that and part reality. Right now the thing that is generating foreign exchange is gold. You have a couple of big gold dealers selling the gold overseas, we have a problem with them not declaring the entire amount they get overseas – the governor is trying to work with those people.” The law requires that all foreign exchange must be declared to the bank by exporters but this is not usually done. Additionally, there have been issues with the traditional crops, rice and sugar. In the case of rice, the crop lost its

prominence in 2015 when it lost its market to Venezuela. As a result, its earnings have been significantly less. Sugar is not earning anything on the export market, the Minister added, while noting that sugar can be considered a net loser in foreign exchange. “Despite that though, the holding of foreign exchange in commercial banks have not reduced dramatically, neither in the Central Bank. In fact Central Bank reserves are higher than they were in 2015/2016. Part is contrived and part is reality as foreign exchange is not in the system, and part is our own doing because we have a large project portfolio which is externally financed and to the extent that if we don’t get them going we don’t get the disbursement,” Jordan stated. He expressed confidence in the Governor of the Bank of Guyana, Dr Govind Ganga, noting that he doesn’t believe persons are trying to undermine the economy. “I must have confidence in the staff. I don’t see them fudging the numbers; numbers don’t lie; the Governor couldn’t fudge the reserves and those are numbers he just can’t make up. “To me it is a general pattern in the economy, it is not like the economy is collapsing; it is growing. We are trying to get our budget moving. Saw some numbers looking better than last year. This economy has to ripe itself to put it on a sustainable path,” Jordan concluded.

Tuesday March 14, 2017 - 05:00 hrs Wednesday, March 15, 2017 - 05:00 hrs Thursday, March 16, 2017 - 05:00 hrs

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Editorial

The state of the economy Oftentimes the homemaker (home economist) through purchasing and bargaining ability will send indicators as to the state of the economy. Minister of Finance Winston Jordan acknowledged the economy has slowed. Every economy has its boom and bust periods, and planners have the opportunity to not only put systems in place to cushion the effect, but also to devise strategies that would jump start and allow its rise. Failure in doing this would result in an economy being in the doldrums for prolonged period. The truth is for years Guyana has been deprived of an Economic Plan that addressed a holistic approach to development. Outside of the Self-Sufficiency Programme (Feed, Cloth and House) and the Structural Adjustment Programme (Economic Recovery) which were implemented, the National Development Strategy and the Guyana 21 programmes have had no such opportunity. And where the vacuum exists in implementing a developmental strategy, erratic approaches to development followed, which have been the bane of Guyana ever since. Ours is the unenviable reputation of having the longest structural adjustment programme in the western hemisphere. This programme was implemented in 1989 by the Desmond Hoyte administration,and successive People’s Progressive Party/Civic governments did nothing to replace it. Instead, for years, though it would want to be denied, the parallel economy was allowed to play a buffering role. This was facilitated and masked by relaxing the enforcement of laws, including revenue collections, and abolishing a progressive tax system, replacing it by a flat tax of (33.3 percent) that saw primarily those in the formal economy having to carry the government.

The circulating of ill-gotten gains provided false security that the economy was active when in fact it has been insipid for years. Reliance on some knee-jerk injections such as tax incentives to party promoters where revellers through attendance and spending power provided revenue for the fashion, food and beverage sectors becoming an ‘economic programme.’ This pretence masked the inability to be visionary, think big, and long term. The pan-handling (international begging) approach as a developmental strategy, utilised by the past administration, not only exposed an inability to be futuristic but reduced the country’s respect in the eyes of others. And while it cannot be doubted that the absence of confidence in an economy and concern about the leadership and political climate are disincentives to attracting investment and bringing about growth, at the same time legitimate business would shy away from investing in an economy where the underworld holds significant sway and influence. Outside of these, corruption and throwing money behind bad projects would hinder economic vibrancy. A country where leadership, even as it acknowledges global market forces would determine free movement of goods and services, in the absence of a counter-balance through incentives and creating other enabling features for local ingenuity to blossom, overtime the economy is adversely impacted. Guyana should never be at the stage where it sees as better, cheaper, or more reliable having foreign produced plantain chips, tamarind balls, fried channa, rice, coconut milk, and so forth in our markets. A country with so much resources, including human capital, has the ability to look beyond the confines of traditional

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams Editor

Godfrey Wray

Editorial: 227-5216; 227-5204 guyanachronicle.com wnigel10@hotmail.com gnnleditorial@gmail.com

Editorial

sourcing of revenue to stimulate and grow an economy. Guyana needs a holistic programme that will factor in every facet of its human development, and presented in a format as was done in the Self-sufficiency Programme, Economic Recovery Programme, the National Development Strategy, and Guyana 21. As Minister Jordan has said “all that glitters is not gold”, referencing that which obtained under the past administrations. He said the issue was one of sustainability and noted that Guyana’s economy was growing but at the time the APNU+AFC coalition government took office “it was running on fumes “and Jordan attributed that to the fact that Guyana has not diversified its economic activities after 50 years of independence and continues to be dependent on traditional sectors: rice, sugar, timber, gold, bauxite and fish. The minister posited that some of the very industries that sustained the country’s economy have collapsed and at this point the economy has to “right itself,” some thing he says cannot be done overnight. “If we ourselves don’t adjust the economy, then we are just going to have to hand it over to somebody else to do it,” Jordan added,noting that “the ordinary man may not feel it like he had four years ago.” The reality he said was that the economy was ripening itself and Guyana had to prepare the economy for “the take-off.”

GNBA should monitor Nandlall’s NTN Berbice programme Dear Editor,

PLEASE allow me to shed some light on the misinformation, lies and deception being once again given to Berbicians by the former Attorney General on his weekly Live TV programme that was aired on Tuesday 7th March 2017 on NTN, Berbice. It seems to me that the former AG is going off his head all because the corruption that took place under the PPP regime is coming to haunt him and his partners. For a man who claims to be that educated and also a professional in using those words and degrading people, sends a very negative message to the population and youths at large. It shows us the saying,

“When the fox can’t get the grapes, he say its sour”, is indeed what has happened to the former AG and his PPP party. But they are the ones that cause the grapes to go because of corruption when they were in power. The former AG should be ashamed to call the present AG a fool and degrade him by saying he knows nothing. It is indeed true that the PPP is the one that had set up SOCU as the former AG mentioned. But he falsely claims that they never used that unit. He mentioned that SOCU is going around in the nights into the houses of people and take away their belongings, gold, etc. Well, I never heard of such but what I know for a fact is that it is the PPP that used that Unit (SOCU) to

raid the homes and offices of executives and former executives of the Guyana Cricket Board a few years back. So Mr. Nandalall needs to think before he talks and stop lying to the people of Berbice. He also said that the current government is making the sugar workers suffer, which is a blatant lie. He is trying to win the workers but sugar workers are not stupid people. It was the PPP and GAWU that failed the sugar workers. Here are a few questions for him and the PPP: Why is it that after the 1992 General Elections the PPP STOP the May Day March in Region 5 (from Bath Old Well Square to Dhanar Square)? Why is it that after 1992 API was taken away from sugar workers?

Why is it that after those elections GAWU stop looking into the welfare of the workers? Why is it that PPP and Bharrat Jagdeo close down two sugar estates (Diamond and LBI)? Why is it that under the watch of the PPP sugar workers NIS contribution cannot be found and most times low? He went on to talk about the former Prime Minister, Hamilton Green’s pension package that has been passed. Something seems to be wrong with the former AG. He tells the people of Berbice that Mr. Green is in his 90’s and this government wants to give him a pension that none other PM never had. He said that not even PM Nagamootoo will be getting that and most of all that Mr. Nagamootoo does not

deserve that Pension. He went on to say that Mr. Green should ask the ministers to contribute towards his pension and that the former PM is already old and that the sugar workers should get the amount to be paid to him. Well, those statements get me real upset because everyone that gives their services to this land deserves a pension. How can we compare Mr. Green last salary as PM and then award him the pension, it’s a long time ago? The former AG seems to be out of his mind to say that PM Nagamootoo does not deserve a pension. Can the PPP and the former AG tell the people of Berbice and Guyana at large the amount of monies (includes other benefits) Mr. Sam Hinds is collecting per month

as a former PM and President? It was a programme that seems like a circus in town with a clown. He then said something that struck me further and that is: The PPP will welcome those who left to be back into the fold and he mentioned a doctor’s name. Well, that doctor maybe looking for fame because he jumping from branch to branch for gains and sympathy. He also said that the doctor and others will need to repent for what they had done to the PPP if they want salvation. Well the only thing that the PPP will get from some, especially hardcore APNU+AFC supporters like me is the truth and that is the PPP cannot deliver itself, so why would anyone think that Turn to Page 7

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, March 14, 2017

I proposed the phasing out of sugar – Ravi Dev Dear Editor, I RESPOND to Dr David Hinds’ column “Tell Indian Guyanese the truth about Sugar and State Asset Recovery”, where he accuses Ms Rhyaan Shah and myself of “deception”. He says, “Yes, diversifying out of sugar would have a near-term impact on the mostly Indian Guyanese workforce. But to not point out that the present government has continued the subsidy of the industry even as it searched for ways to get out of the historic hole leads me to question the objective of the leaders.” Dr Hinds obviously has more information that the rest of Guyana, especially the people of Wales and its environs. Wales has already been closed - but where is the “diversification” the government has promised to provide as alternative employment? I have appeared

on TV programmes with Dr Hinds where I made the point that I have no problem with diversification - but before the estates are closed there must be options for the workers. And option is not an option unless it’s an exercisable option - and none of the suggested options rice, cash crops etc have been exercised. And as I said on so many of those programmes, it is not only about Indians, since Wales has the largest percentage of African sugar workers and cane farmers. Farmers’ cane at Wales will be left standing because there is no feasible way to transport the cane to Uitvlugt. The proposed road that was supposed to be built remains a “proposal”. As far back as 1999, I proposed that Guyana phase out of sugar and that the prime drained and irrigated land not be used for houselots, but diversified into the production of other crops.

GNBA should monitor ... From Page 6

they (PPP) can rescue us. SOCU only arrested some of them for an interview and they are all crying. The PPP should be ashamed to see the hundreds of sugar workers who are crying for house lots that are not available and they took lands to create a multi-million dollar Complex. They should be ashamed to buy those lands way below the market value and the poor farmer and worker can’t get any land of the sort. He asks the Berbicians to be prepared to take to the streets if it comes to that and they should not be afraid to do so. The anger in the man face alone tells me he is ready to war. Guyana is a good country former AG and we are living as one. Why would you want to divide our people and create problems amongst them? Berbicians are not stupid to take to the streets to defend a group of corrupt officials, who stole the wealth of our nation. I don’t think workers will allow you and the PPP to disrupt their lives and family also. I do believe that GNBA needs to look into these polit-

ical programmes, especially by the PPP that is driving fear and panic in the lives of people (esp. Indians); also by trying to create political unrest by asking members of the public to take to the streets to protest. GNBA should bring charges against those persons. Imagine the former AG, who wanted to be Senior Counsel, told the farmers to support the PPP and their protest by taking their tractors and combines and block the road due to the land rent issue with MMA. It’s shameful to see a man who claims to be for the people is trying to derail them in their livelihood. It’s shocking to hear a former AG saying those words because under their watch in government everything was right for them and wrong for the people. They punished some for political gains and gave to those that they liked. Regards Abel Seetaram APNU+AFC Regional Councillor Region 5

The land would be divided into 15-acre lots to be cultivated by workers producing crops for factories established by capital (foreign or domestic) that would supply foreign markets. At that time passion fruit pulp was one option mentioned. Right now the Chinese and Indian interests are scouring the globe for such land. Alternately, each estate can be capitalised and workers par-

ticipate in ESOPs (Employee Stock Ownership Plans) for new corporations that would engage in processing and marketing crops they have identified for world markets. On SARA, my position as articulated on the programs where Mr Eric Philips appeared, was that all who stole state assets must be brought to justice. My concern, however, is as was that of the GHRA and TIGI, that in view

of our own country’s history of authoritarian excesses, I am very leery of the powers being assigned to SARA’s head. On SOCU’s recent action, as with the precipitate closure of Wales, I repeat my caution that the political directorate cannot continue to be so tone deaf as to the repercussions in the Indian community. And David, in addition to being

the anniversary of New Jewel Movement seizing power in Grenada, March 13th is also the anniversary of the killings of 15 workers at Pln Rose Hall in 1913 when they protested the precipitate actions of management. It hastened the end of Indian Indentureship. Regards Ravi Dev

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Lands CoI to play intermediary role – help diffuse land tension in the hinterland THE job of the newly-formed Lands Commission of Inquiry (CoI) is to establish clearly defined boundaries between land owned by Indigenous Peoples and those set aside for the development of the mining and forestry industries. That’s according to Minister of Natural Resources, Mr Raphael Trotman, who also told the Guyana Chronicle on Friday, when the issue of its specific role was raised with him, that his expectation is that the Commission will “mark out specific areas” and confirm specific boundaries, thereby bringing to an end

disputes in the hinterland districts in which there are Amerindian reserves where mining and forestry are prevalent. “That way, we will know where communities shall be found, and where they will not be disturbed; where mining will take place; where forestry concessions will be given out; where new settlements will come up; where roads, perhaps, will be laid down,” Minister Trotman said. “So yes, it does touch mining, which is, of course, the main disrupter of land in the interior, and we are very happy to be a part of

this process,” he told the Guyana Chronicle following a ceremony at State House to formally establish the Commission. He made the point that once the thorny land issues are ironed out, then the Indigenous Peoples can go on with their business, while mining and forestry and infrastructural development can take place unhindered. And while he acknowledged that the CoI’s focus will not particularly be on mining and forestry lands, Minister Trotman said the demarcation of Indigenous Peoples’ lands will involve investigating natural resourc-

es lands. “The whole issue of ancestral land and Indigenous Peoples’ lands cannot be ignored; and given the fact that mining takes place in the hinterland, where Indigenous communities reside, and have been doing so for hundreds and perhaps thousands of years, we can’t, in our mining and forestry activities, be unmindful of that fact,” he said. DECADES-OLD DISPUTE For decades, there has been controversy in determining lands belonging to Indigenous Peoples and those

set aside for purposes of mining and forestry. With several court battles and violent conflicts, and large, medium and smallscale miners being prevented from operating on some claims and blocks, the CoI is determined to resolve such matters, even as its Chairman, Reverend George Osborne, Peter Chuck-A-Sang and Commissioners David James, Carol Khan-James, Professor Rudolph James, Lennox Caleb and Berlinda Persaud swore before President David Granger that they will execute their duties in all fairness, and without favour in keeping with the laws of the Republic of Guyana. President Granger said his government is working on preventing a land controver-

sy, since Guyana has enough land to go around and provide for the needs of current and future generations. “Today, we recognise as a government that the issue of land is far from settled, and we’ve decided to take a decision to ensure that our people can live in this land, Guyana, without worrying about the future,” the President said. “Land is needed to satisfy human needs for food, shelter, recreation and sports… Regrettably, land is a source for pain and controversy. “The establishment of this Lands Commission is meant to settle these controversies. We need not fight each other for lands; we will investigate their claims and we will respond,” he added.

Stigma, weak prosecutions keeping rape victims quiet – US Human rights report FEAR of stigma and lack of confidence in authorities have been cited as the reasons for the low report of incidence of rape here, the United States said in its 2016 global Human Rights report. In its report the US Department of State acknowledges that the law here criminalises rape, including spousal rape, and domestic violence and that the law provides sufficiently stringent penalties for rape, with life imprisonment as the maximum penal-

ty. However, the report stated that successful prosecution of cases of rape and domestic violence was infrequent. The report that said based on media reports and commentary from Non-Governmental Organisations, the high incidence of rape and sexual assault was not reflected in official statistics. “Many survivors did not report rape and other forms of sexual assault to authorities, presumably due to fear of stigma, lack of confidence in authorities, retribution, or

further violence,” the report noted. It added that as of September, 2016, authorities received 204 reports of rape and charged 36 persons. There was a large court backlog of cases alleging rape. The report said a judge has discretion to issue a sentence of any length in a rape conviction, depending on the circumstances and severity of the act committed. The norm appeared to be a sentence of five to 10 years’ imprisonment. DOMESTIC Touching on domestic violence and violence against

women, including spousal abuse, the report said that this has been widespread. It noted that police received 2,170 reports of domestic violence, and 1,131 persons were charged. Penalties for violation of protection orders include fines up to $10,000 and 12 months’ imprisonment. Victims frequently were unwilling to press charges due to a lack of confidence in obtaining a remedy through the courts. Some preferred to reach a pecuniary settlement out of court. There were reports of police accepting bribes from perpetrators and other reports of magistrates applying inadequate sentences after conviction, the US report stated. Citing Help & Shelter, the report said the NGO observed that in most cases of domestic violence reports were not taken confidentially, but rather were discussed in the open at police stations and were not treated as a matter of urgency. The NGO handled cases of abuse and violence, including child, spousal, and other domestic abuse, and provided psychosocial services to those victims. The government and private donors funded Help & Shelter to run a free shelter for victims of domestic violence and operate a hotline to counsel victims. The NGO also conducted awareness sessions to sensitize individuals about domestic violence and counseled persons affected by domestic abuse or violence during face-to-face counseling sessions and via the hotline. In the area of sexual harassment, the report said the law does not cover harassment in schools, noting that acts of

sexual harassment involving physical assault are prosecuted under relevant criminal statutes. It said while reports of sexual harassment were common, no cases were filed. Charges of sexual harassment often were settled out of court. DISCRIMINATION Additionally, the report said although women enjoy the same legal status and rights as men, gender-related discrimination was allegedly widespread and deeply ingrained. “The law prohibits discrimination based on gender, but there was no meaningful enforcement against such discrimination in the workplace. As of 2014, 44 percent of women were in the workforce, compared to 83 percent men. Job vacancy notices routinely specified that the employer sought only male or only female applicants, and women earned approximately 61 percent less than men for equal work. The report stated that the Women’s Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Social Protection’s Department of Labour monitored the legal rights of women, but its role was limited to employment-related services. The bureau also held seminars on leadership and gender equity problems for women throughout the country. Only last week President David Granger said even though Guyana’s fight for equal rights between the sexes has come a long way, more can and must be done to fulfill its obligations to the United Nations (UN)-led Sustainable De-

velopment Goals (SDGs). “We have to change our attitude to gender equality. I do believe we can do so by creating an educated nation, by ensuring every girl-child completes primary and secondary school,” the Guyanese leader said a forum to mark International Women’s Day last week Wednesday. “We can move much further by removing the barriers to gender equality by ensuring that geographical, occupational, political and racial differences are diminished,” he told the gathering. He believes that women can be empowered in many ways, like being given more opportunity to represent their communities, or be on committees, commissions and councils. “Guyana is committed to fulfilling its obligations under Sustainable Development Goal #5,” he said. “We can, we must and we will achieve greater gender equality to empower our women and girls. The struggle for equality and parity continues.” He said that for starters, Guyana’s approach is to make gender equality a parallel policy of his government. “Gender equality cannot be achieved in the absence of a more equal society,” the President said. “Enforcement of legislation to protect women against abuse and to promote greater equality; the disparities between hinterland and coastland and between rural and urban communities for example must be reduced. “The second front is Turn to page 9 ►

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Buxton to benefit from CDF funding project By Shauna Jemmott GUYANA Marketing Corporation (GMC) head Ida Sealey-Adams has said that produce from the backlands of Buxton/Friendship on the East Coast of Demerara is limited by ineffective drainage facilities which result in regular flooding and poor draining of farming beds. Sealey-Adams was responding to claims by Buxton farmers that they suffer much because of lack of access to market for their produce. The farmers within the Buxton/ Friendship Grantees Co-operative Society told the Guyana Chronicle recently that the GMC had visited the farm to assess the situation but still they had received no word on how the corporation would assist in marketing their products. They said as long as they have orders and a reliable market for products they would be able to plant to meet the available demands. However, the GMC head said the corporation’s assessment of the situation differs from what the farmers believe and the only way they can be helped was through improved drainage facilities. “The main issue in Buxton is drainage. With the improved drainage they should be able to plant (on a larger scale). If it’s being flooded, the product will never meet market stage… Often time people say marketing but they don’t have products to market. That’s an area that

Chairman of Buxton/ Friendship Grantees, Leroy Hamer (Photo by Samuel Maughn)

was deprived of so many things. They never get to the marketing stage,” she told the Guyana Chronicle. Buxton will be one of the four beneficiaries of the Caribbean Development Fund (CDF) Phase 2 funding project, which was established through a loan agreement with government through the Ministry of Finance. The GMC, Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) and National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) are responsible for pushing production and marketing in the communities, while the project is being executed by the Agricultural Sector Development Unit (ASDU) within the Ministry of Agriculture. Chairman of Buxton/ Friendship Grantees,Leroy Hamer,told the newspaper the GMC and NARI visited their farms but they have observed that none of the organizations

Stigma, weak... education. Gender equality can be achieved mainly by ensuring unimpeded access to education; education will open opportunities for women.” He is also of the opinion that more women in the workforce can help to break the vicious cycle of poverty. “Poor people produce poor children, and poor children, in turn, produce more poor children,” he reasoned. “It is a vicious cycle of hereditary poverty. The burden of poverty falls heavily on women; the vicious cycle of poverty can be broken in order to create a virtuous cycle of gender equality.” And one way of doing that is by creating jobs to ensure that poor women have sustainable incomes, and a chance of exiting that cycle of poverty. Again, by empowering women, the President said, women can take their rightful role in the political decision-making process. Not only that,

From page 8

he strongly believes that through empowerment, women can continue to assume leadership roles in their communities, and the country as a whole. Minister of Social Protection, Ms Amna Ally feels the same way as the President does where the importance of gender equality and the positive impact it can have on society is concerned; that by closing gender gaps, poverty and hunger can be reduced. And again, like President Granger, Minister Ally feels that even though the issue of gender equality has indeed come a long way, both globally and locally, yet women the world over continue to face many challenges in the world of work. She said her ministry will do whatever it takes to help women become economically independent, in spite of such hindrances as gender-based violence.

was helping them make marketing progress. “GMC need to do more work. NARI itself, they come and visit, but they need to do more and also give us the kind of courage as farmers to plant more. That is not happening,” Hamer said. The Grantees farmers occupy several acres of land but more than half of it is untouched. They produce their own plant nursery and are even considering selling baby plants providing that there is the demand. “Providing that we say we

get a market where we got to supply ‘X’ amount of plants, then we will know we got to set up we own nursery; we got to get people to tek care of these things… we ain’t got the resources to do it, we could just do what we doing until we could do more,” Hamer explained. Apart from poor drainage the farmers complained also that there was need for time and energy-saving equipment to help prepare their farm lands so they could invest more time into producing. “We’re doing physical work right now. We ain’t

necessarily got to get a tractor here, but we would be glad if we could get like a ‘tiller.’ You get the land tiller to use it to prepare, at least that gon save you some energy that you could do other things.” He said the farmers in the group plant according to what is in season and what is in demand on the market, and travel to Bourda and Stabroek Markets in Georgetown to find buyers of their multiple kinds of produce. They are calling on the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) to put systems in place for the revival

of the Buxton market, which was dissolved some years ago. “Buxton once had market but after the market leave and gone to Annandale, it never come back to Buxton. It go to Lusignan, it go to Mon Repos. Everybody got a market day, Buxton don’t have a market day. They try a Sunday, but when you look at the couple of people and you look at the population of the village, we should get a market day… where everybody could just come out and purchase,” Hamer said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Linden M&TC comes in for high praise – for consistently creditable performance since 2012 By Vanessa Braithwaite THE Linden municipality has been lauded by the Ministry of Communities for being among the top three municipalities to have seen an increase in revenue since 2012. This development was outlined in a Ministry of Communities’ Analysis of Revenues and Expenditures between 2012 and 2016. According to the report, one of Linden’s strengths is having one of the highest debt collection rates among the municipalities. “Linden has consistently had a higher collection rate than the Municipality average; this was consistently higher in 2014, before returning to level in 2015,” the analysis highlighted. Another of the munici-

pality’s strengths is that it is able to operate at the highest revenue and expenditure capacity of all the municipalities. “Best at delivering estimated services to citizens,” the analysis cited, “Linden was one of the top three municipalities in delivering the Capital Expenditure it set out at the beginning of the year. This makes it a more development-oriented Municipality.” Currently, the Linden Mayor and Town Council garners revenue through the collection of rates and taxes from: Residents and market vendors; drivers utilising the Amelia’s Ward/Wismar and Georgetown bus and car parks; the Kara Kara Toll Booth; and its 25% share of the revenue from the Wismar to Mackenzie Bridge. The

foregoing is augmented by the $16M it receives as subsidy from Central Government. ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT But, as with every positive, there are some notable negatives, and the Ministry of Communities, in its analysis, has outlined the several areas for improvement which, if considered, could put the Council in a better economic standing. Although Linden has one of the highest collection rates, revenue has not been significantly increased from 2012 to 2015. In addition to this, the Municipality has one of the lowest rates and taxes base per person. “The rate is $1500 per person compared to a municipality average of $3,000,” former Interim Management Committee

Chairman, Mr Orin Gordon once told the Guyana Chronicle. He’d also pointed out that the current tax regime has not been updated since 1976, and that the monies the municipality brings in can only take care of 25% of the Council’s expenses. “Persons are paying rates and taxes of between $600 and $800 per year, and this is because the valuation level has never changed since 1976; this is very outdated because of inflation and other factors,” Gordon said. For there to be significant change, Gordon had said, the valuation regime would need to be changed to match our current standard of living. AT A LOSS As a result of this anomaly, the Ministry reports that

from 2013 to 2015, Linden’s municipality ran at an actual loss, expending more than it was garnering in revenue. “No other municipality does this consistently,” the analysis stated, adding that as a result of the municipality’s underperformance, the Council racked up a $250M debt to various entities, including the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and the Linden Utility Company Limited (LUCL). The report has recommended that for the Council to sustain its high expenditure capacity, it must increase both its revenue and expenditure estimates to give the town more economic and sustainable growth opportunities in the future. With the recent re-introduction of the Kara Kara toll booth, which can be deemed as a significant boost in the Council’s revenue collection, the Council has seen

improvement in this regard. This, however, may be stymied by the fraudulent behaviour of some of the officers manning the booth. The Council has already had to fire two of these officers who were colluding to equally rob the Council of the funds garnered. There is still the belief that this may still be occurring, so the Council will soon be installing Close Circuit Television Cameras (CCTV) to the booth to better monitor its operations. In addition to this, the Council is currently engaging the National Investment Commercial to increase the 25% of the funds garnered for the Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge operations. Gordon also recommends that the Council begins collecting rates for every ton of bauxite and timber that leaves the town.

Dental Assistant drowns during outing with friends By Nafeeza Yahya A NORMAL weekend outing for a group of friends

turned tragic Sunday when one of them drowned while bathing at the Alness Beach, in Corentyne.

Nineteen-year-old Gopaul Govindan, called “Raj”, of Alness Village, was pronounced dead on arrival

at the Port Mourant Hospital after his body was recovered on the Manchester Foreshore, two villages away, some five

Gopaul Govindan, called ‘Raj’

hours after he was reported missing. According to his father, Arjune Govindan, “Raj” left home at around 14:00hrs on Sunday with some friends to go to the beach, which is located a short distance from their home. He told the G uyana Chronicle on Monday that his son had promised to return home by 16:30hrs. “They would usually go out there to ‘bush cook’ or play games and bathe almost every weekend,” Mr Govindan said, adding: “Before he left, his mother said to him, “Every week you gotta go out there man! Why you can’t stay home!’ But he said he will be back.” He said he was at home when someone called at the gate to relate the dreadful news. “Just after four, someone came and said Gopaul gone down in the water and can’t come up back,” the distraught father said.

“So I dropped my wife out to the street, and I went out to the beach. There was a lot of people there already, but there’s nothing we could have done; the tide was really high, so we had to wait until the water go down,” he added. Villagers and family members would subsequently band themselves into a search party in a bid to locate the boy, but their initial efforts proved unsuccessful in the first few hours. “We searched and swim around the location where his body went down, but could not find him. And as the water went down further, we decided to search the seashore,” Gopaul’s dad explained. Then, just after 20:30hrs that night, his lifeless body was discovered, face down, two villages away on the Manchester Village foreshore. Unable to hold back the tears, Mr Govindan said that Gopaul, who was his third child, was a very jovial and willing child, who was loved by everyone and shared a strong bond with his family. “Earlier in the day, he took his sister to the market to buy supplies to celebrate Phagwah today; he promised to take her out to play today. We will miss him a lot,” he said. Besides his grieving parents, Govindan, who worked at a laboratory in the village as a Dental Assistant, leaves to mourn his three siblings.

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Holi 2017 in photos GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, March 14, 2017

President David Granger spares a moment to take a photo with these ladies who performed at the Phagwah celebrations hosted by the Indian High Commission

By the look of things, these two toddlers had themselves a ball at the Inspire Inc event at ‘The Stadium’

President David Granger and Indian High Commissioner, Mr Venkatachalam Mahalingam,having a tête-à-tête during Sunday’s Phagwah celebrations at the ICC. At right is Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton

Prime Minister, Mr Moses Nagamootoo (left), has Indian High Commissioner, Mr Venkatachalam Mahalingam (centre), and former President, Mr Donald Ramotar (right) in stitches at Sunday’s phagwah celebrations at the ICC

Prime Minister, Mr Moses Nagamootoo having a little chat with this youngster on perhaps the significance of the event, during Phagwah Celebrations on Sunday The event, hosted by the Indian High Commission, saw among those in attendance President David Granger, former Prime Minister, Mr Samuel Hinds, and Members of Parliament and the Diplomatic Corps

Guyanese enjoying a cultural performance at the annual Inspire Inc festivities on Sunday at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, March 14, 2017

One dead, two injured – as car ploughs into utility pole By Nafeeza Yahya ONE person was killed and two others injured late Sunday when the car in which they were travelling, a Toyota 212, ploughed into a utility pole at Borlam Turn on the Corentyne. Dead is Shazam Ismile, called ‘Imran’ and ‘Khan Man”, 23, of Portuguese Quarters, Port Mourant. Those injured have been identified as the driver of the car, 21-year-old Devindra Seepersuad, called “Bai”, and Anthony Ramlochand, 23, of East Canje. Both were initially admitted to the New Amsterdam Hospital, where Seep-

lage. LOST CONTROL “The driver was coming around the turn and lost control of the vehicle, spin around a couple times, and then slam into the post,” one of Ismile’s relatives said.

A PREMONITION “When I reach home, me mind run straight pon meh son. And the first thing I ask isif Imran ain’t come

The ill-fated vehicle

ersaud, of Palmyra Village, remains a patient under guard,while Ramlochand has since been transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital. According to reports,

the trio was on their way to Port Mourant to take Ismile home,when the driver, who was said to be intoxicated, lost control of the vehicle, PMM 865, while negotiating a turn at Borlam Vil-

Family gathered at the home of Shazam Ismile

tell meh seh meh son dead.” According to the distraught mother, she was away at her daughter’s home at Leonora for two days, and had only retuned home on Sunday morning. Immediately after she got home, she said, she asked for Shazam, who’s her youngest child, but was told that he hadn’t returned from work as yet.

Brahas Baijauth, Shazam’s mom

Ismile reportedly died on the spot, since he was in the front passenger seat, which apparently bore the brunt of the impact. The accident reportedly occurred around 18:45hrs. His mother, Ms Brahas Baijnauth, 57, said she was notified of the accident by his boss. “Around seven time,” she said, “the boss-man wife call and she tell meh that Imran reach up in an accident. “Meh ask she if Imran dead, and she tell me no.Lil bit after, meh get wan next call from meh niece; and she

The late Shazam Ismile

home yet: Wheh Imran deh till now? Dis bhai nah come home yet from work?” The woman said she felt a bit relieved when he called around 16:00hrs to say that he was going to be late getting home. “He called and tell me,

Devindra Seepersaud, the driver

‘Mommy,leh dem bhai take care ah de sheep dem,ah gonna come home later’. That was the last time me hear from meh son. Ah can’t believe he dead,” the woman said, fighting back tears. She recalled that it was just two months ago that he injured himself while riding a donkey cart, and had to be laid up at home for a while,and that it was only recently that he started working again. She said the driver and her son are friends through work, and would hang out together regularly. Described as a hard-working lad, Ismile reportedly worked as a labourer at a poultry depot at the Rose Hall Market, but reared his own livestock and poultry at home.

US north-east braces for huge snowstorm THE north-eastern US states of New York and New Jersey have declared states of emergency as a huge winter storm sweeps in, threatening blizzard conditions. The US National Weather Service has issued blizzard warnings for parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. Schools are closed, and thousands of flights have been cancelled. The conditions have caused German Chancellor Angela Merkel to postpone a trip to Washington to meet President Trump. With winds of up to 60mph (100km/h), Winter Storm Stella is likely to cause severe disruption for commuters across many parts of

the north-east on Wednesday morning, forecasters say. A 24-hour blizzard warning was issued by the US National Weather Service from midnight (04:00 GMT Tuesday) for New York, Connecticut and New Jersey. Storm warnings were also posted from southern Maine to Virginia. "During its height, we could see snowfall rates of 1-3 inches (2.5-7.6cm), even up to four inches per hour," said Alan Dunham, a meteorologist based in Taunton, Massachusetts. More than 6,500 flights have been cancelled, tracking service FlightAware reported, with airports in New York, Washington, Boston, Baltimore and Philadelphia worst hit.

Schools will be closed today in New York, Providence, Rhode Island and in some towns across Massachusetts and Connecticut. Declaring a state of emergency, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said commuters should expect road closures, delays and cancellations. "I strongly urge everyone to limit unnecessary travel on Tuesday, and if you must drive, please plan ahead, be careful, and stay safe," he said in a statement. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie also declared a state of emergency, and ordered all state employees not involved in the response to stay at home. Mrs Merkel's visit was planned for today, but has

Snowphoughs on standby last night in Brooklyn, New York

been rescheduled for Friday. The impending storm also forced Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Enda Kenny to cut short a visit to Boston and

head to Washington a day early by train. The winter storm follows a spell of unusually mild weather in the

north-eastern US, with last month being the second warmest February since record-keeping began in 1895. (BBC)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, March 14, 2017

CORE project launched in Linden – to provide jobs for single-mothers By Vanessa Braithwaite THE COMMUNITY Organised for a Restored Environment (CORE), which is a Ministry of Public Infrastructure initiative, was on Saturday launched in the mining town of Linden by Minister David Patterson. The project focuses on the cleaning and restoration of parapets, drains and corridors of thoroughfares under the remit of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure in Linden. These include the Linden Soesdyke Highway, the Winifred Gaskin Highway, Burnham Drive, and Republic Avenue. For its commencement, 10 Lindeners have been employed and the majority of these are single mothers. Minister Patterson on Saturday provided the employees with all of the equipment and tools needed to carry out their tasks, which included brush cutters and safety gears. Minister Patterson explained that there was the option of hiring a contractor to do the work but he recognised the need for em-

Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson (centre rear) with Regional Officials and members of the newly employed team of the Linden CORE group

ployment in the region and therefore the decision was made to hire Lindeners for the project. “We want to make not only Georgetown a

garden city but also Linden, Wismar, Christianburg , and the best gardeners are those from the town,” Patterson affirmed.

There are two groups in Region 10; one based in Linden and the other in Ituni/ Kwakwani . Minister Patterson reminded the groups

that they are not confined to cleaning the roads but to render services to the needy within the communities. “In the community, once

there is an elderly person or a disabled person living somewhere and their yard and environment may need some assistance, you have my permission to assist them.” In addition to this, the group also has permission to clean churches, community playgrounds, community centres and other community-based compounds. They will be rendering their services to both the Mackenzie and Wismar shore. Minister Patterson also revealed that the project had already been funded for the entire year and said that its continuation depended on the success rate of the teams. He urged them to put their best feet forward in restoring Linden to its former glory. The CORE project has been launched in other regions and the team members related to this publication that they were satisfied with their remuneration package. “I am very pleased and I am happy that jobs came to Linden because of the project and I know that we will not disappoint the minister. We will restore linden,” a team member said.

Linden CDCs receive computers for ICT hubs By Vanessa Braithwaite THREE Community Development Councils in the mining town of Linden have been furnished with computers for its Information and Communications Technology (ICT) hubs. These communities are Block 22, Bamia and Victory Valley. The computers were presented to the CDC’s by Deputy Director of Community Development Council, Sandra Adams. The ICT hubs’ main aim is to provide students with free Internet, printing and basic computer services within their communities, which will avoid them having to travel to Mackenzie to access paid services. Other residents, especially parents who are not computer literate and

technologically savvy, can also benefit from basic knowledge and intermediate classes. Dexter Harding, Community Leader of Coomacka Mines, which is about 30 minutes driving distance from Linden, thanked Miss Adams for making representation for the mines to benefit from the computers as it will bring a great ease to the students. “It is necessary, especially for the young women who would come down to access Internet services at late hours to have their research and so done. At times advantage may be taken on them, so it is very necessary,” Harding said. Adams revealed that the office of the CDC was currently in conversation with telephone company Digicel, in relation to the hubs being

Mr Philip Walcott, Director of Social Management and Community Development, eGovernance, Ministry of Public Telecommunications, presents a laptop to Mr. Owen De Souza, CDC member of Block 22 for the community’s ICT hub

Internet accessible earliest. The community of Bamia, which is located on the Linden Soesdyke Highway, has already hosted a fund-rais-

ing event to purchase printers for its ICT hub so that the students can access free printing for their assignments. One parent at Bamia

expressed appreciation for the computers and the hub as transportation was their biggest issue. “I am very happy that the children can

have these services right here because it wasn’t easy going to Linden to go to the Internet. It was expensive for the transportation and to pay for the printing and so on. Sometimes they finished at the Internet late in the night and have to wait long for transportation to come up, so I’m very happy about it,” she said. Adams revealed that within the next three months, 15 other CDC’s within Region 10 will be receiving computers for its hubs and 39 should be beneficiaries before the end of the year. Some of the communities to benefit within the next three months are Kwakwani, Ituni, Coomacka Mines, Cinderilla City, Rivers View and riverine communities up the Demerara and the Berbice River.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Guyana clinches sweet rice deal – Mexico set to import 150,000 tons of Guyana’s rice GIVEN a favourable price, Guyana can export some 150,000 tons of rice and paddy, duty-free, to Mexico before the end of December this year, the Ministry of Agriculture has said. Rice and paddy consumption in Mexico exceeds one million tons per year, and according to the Agriculture Ministry, Mexico imports more than 80 per cent of the grains. According to the ministry, just March 1, 2017, the Mexican government gazetted the authorisation to import 150,000 tons of rice and paddy, duty-free from Guyana before the end of

December 2017. Guyana has taken aim at the Mexican rice market since 2015, when Prime M i n i s t e r , M o s e s N a g amootoo visited that country and made robust representation for Guyana’s rice exporters, following the collapse of the Venezuelan market. Since then, several steps have been taken to ready rice exporters to tap into the Mexican market, and recently, a business delegation of grain producers and exporters from Guyana participated in what was dubbed the largest trade fair for food retailers in Latin America and the Caribbean.

According to a Ministry of Agriculture release, joint efforts by the Mexican Embassy here and the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) saw the Guyana team having access to the highly anticipated Expo ANTAD 2017. This event drew more than 50,000 visitors from 40 countries around the world to the Expo Guadalajara facilities in Mexico, providing significant new opportunities to tap into the Mexican market and other destinations. A DEDICATED BOOTH The MOA has said that GRDB representatives

manned a dedicated booth, which displayed samples of Guyanese produce and provided information about the rice and paddy sector in Guyana to professional purchasers. Additionally, contacts which were established even prior to the trade fair, made it possible for the Guyanese delegation to have business meetings with entities such as Oxxo, which has the largest chain of convenience stores in Mexico, and manages an average of 14,000 locations. “The Guyana team also met with representatives from Commercial Mexicana and Soriana,” the release said, adding: “These are

some of the leading brands in food retailing in Mexico; they operate in excess of 650 supermarkets in more than 200 cities.” Additionally, in order to further expand business contacts, GRDB representatives and other Guyanese exporters visited Verde Valle, the largest rice packaging plant in Western Mexico. Business conversations were also had with the senior leadership of the Mexican Rice Council, which is the single largest association of rice and paddy importers in Mexico. Beyond Mexico, the Guyanese business delegation was also able to established contacts with rice traders in Central American countries such as Nicaragua and Panamá. “Phytosanitary

procedures and business contacts for Guyanese rice and paddy made significant progress as a result of the official visit by Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo to Mexico in October 2015,” the Agriculture Ministry said. PRODUCTION TO SOAR Meanwhile, Extension Manager of GRDB, Kuldip Ragnauth has announced that rice production will be higher this year. “I like to let the figures speak for themselves. We have already seen an increase in acres sown when compared to last year. So far we have recorded 225,000 acres as opposed to 180,000 acres for the same period of last year. As a matter of fact, we had projected 210,000 acres to be sown for this crop, looking back at the weather impact on the spring crop for this year and last year,” Ragnauth was quoted in a ministry release as saying. He said although the general sowing period was delayed due to El Nino, the Rice Board still projected an increased in figures due to the number of farmers who returned to the lands. “Nutrition is a very important key when looking at yields. Farmers are encouraged to employ best practices, not only during the sowing process but during the harvesting process as well. We also encourage farmers to cultivate using the 6-point system as this has shown remarkable benefits as it relates to increased yields. Even though farmers would have experienced losses last year, the figures have shown that they were able to rebound well as it relates to sowing.” Ragnauth added. Ragnauth also indicated that general low performing areas have seen increases in their production over the years. RED RICE AND PADDY BUG On the issue of pest, Ragnauth said instances of Red Rice and Paddy Bug infestation have significantly reduced when compared to last year during the same period. He said red rice and paddy bug infestation are known factors of di-

minishing yields. This, in turn, would not reflect the achievement of the plot. As a result, the research arm of the agency is continuously working to develop new and innovative ways to address this issue, the GRDB official stated. “If paddy bug and Red Rice are present, this will definitely affect the outcome of the 6-points. We’ve started a while ago to develop new and innovative ways of addressing Red Rice and Paddy Bug. Once this can be addressed and we can help the farmers with a better level of control in the field, this will help to reduce the cost and increase the productivity of the plot.” Mr. Ragnauth said. AGRICULTURE AS A BUSINESS Ragnauth also said that the Board, in keeping with the trends and advances in the sector, have recognised the need to treat rice production as a viable and sustainable business. As a result, GRDB, through its extension services and field schools, educates farmers on the economic aspect of rice production by putting systems in place to educate farmers on the importance of production cost when compared to market prices. He said farmers are also able to determine the different parameters that contribute to their production cost, yield and income generation. “We have started exposing farmers to financial management to some extent, where we look at the cost of production. In fact, I’m sure if you ask a farmer the cost of producing for a bag of paddy he would be able to arrive at a price as opposed to years ago, where farmers were unable to arrive at those figures... We also have practical exercises for the farmers at the field schools where we try to keep it simple for the farmers. They know the prices they are paid at the mills so they would want to relate it to the cost to produce a bag of paddy,” he said. Despite the challenges plaguing the industry, the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) has been employing new and innovative ways to ensure that the inTurn to page 15 ►

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Much ado about everything AFTER my meeting with Devika, I obtained my chemo schedule from my Oncologist. My chemo schedule was calculated based on my body mass index. My chemo schedule consisted of four cycles or rounds of Adriamycin Cytoxan ( a/c) and four cycles/ rounds of Taxol,along with a pre nausea injection and a small dose of steroids. The steroids are used in conjunction with the chemo to treat the cancer as well as relieve sickness after chemo and boost the appetite. I met with a pleasant doctor at the Oncology Unit of the GPHC who discussed my treatment as outlined by my referral. It was not likely that the chemo may not successfully treat the cancer. I understood this. From my research I learned that at least five years need to be given after chemo to monitor whether the cancer returns or goes into remission. We also discussed fertility, something I was not prepared to think about as I had never been desirous of having children before. If it were a coin toss I knew now which side I wanted the coin to land on. Unfortunately,chemo can cause infertility; my doctor explained I would not be able to try to conceive until at least five years after my treatment since chemo drugs can cause birth defects. Oh boy, so the cure is also the poison! I was asked why I opted to do treatment at the GPHC when I had done everything else privately; I mentioned

my meeting with Devika as well as the fact that treatment is free to which my doctor replied “So you want to take advantage of the Public Hospital and the Ministry of Health?” “Of course, why shouldn’t I? That’s why I pay taxes. I think it’s time my tax money benefits me directly”, I responded, ready for a heated discussion but I looked up and saw a twinkle in the doctor’s eyes; immediately we established a rapport. The GPHC has the best doctors who work under stressful and strenuous circumstances. However,I still worried about the nurses who would interact with me though. My date had been set. After what seemed like lifetimes of standing still, everything finally sped up. My first treatment started at 7:30 am. Not being a breakfast person (yeah, yeah I know, it’s the most important meal) I had a cup of coffee and nibbled on a sandwich. When I got to the Oncology Unit, I was taken into the chemotheraphy treatment room –a reasonably-sized area with about twelve comfortable reclining chairs. Nurse Benny took my pressure while Nurse Griffith prepared the cocktail of drugs for each patient there. There was no doubt that these Nurses were different to the others I had encountered in the other clinics before-- were they trained differently? Whatever it was I was thankful to be in kind hands. I was as nervous but there was no need to worry, Nurse Benny as

gently as she probably could, successfully set a line in my left hand on the first attempt. All IVs, injections and blood work are only done on my left hand;since my surgery was on the right side it was advised that these procedures should all be carried out on the opposite side-- I suspect it puts less pressure on an area that is healing. I was given everything as per my chemo schedule. There were two bags on my drip stand, one was saline and the other was a red liquidthe a/c or ‘red devil’ as it’s known among chemo patients because of its nasty side effects. I laid in the recliner and watched as the kool aid coloured liquid flowed into my iv tube.Within the first ten minutes I developed a metallic taste in my mouth, this got worse -- I didn’t want to throw up but I also didn’t want to close my mouth. The husband of one of the patients shared mints to everyone- there were about seven of us there, me being the youngest. The mint helped with the taste in my mouth; I made about three trips to the toilet - it makes you urine a lot. The people I shared my first chemo session with were jovial and pleasant, the nurses also kept us upbeat by cracking jokes as they checked on the progress of our bags. My first session lasted three hours; I returned home a little tired but not upset or sick. I had soup and relaxed waiting for the sickness to start. Three hours later I

Guyana clinches... dustry continues to progress. To this end, the Burma Rice Research Station continues to advance the cause by making available new lines of rice strands, which are not only blast resistant, but tolerable to flood and drought. Such Innovation in research conducted by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) has seen rice yields moving from 1.7 tonnes per hectare in the

1960s to over 5 tonnes per hectare in 2016. “In fact, this is as a result of the number of research the Rice Board conducts annual...among the many areas, enhanced focus is placed along the line of Plant Breeding, Agronomy, Entomolo gy and Plant Pathology. These disciplines have seen the release of over five new varieties of rice, among

From page 14

them the aromatic strain, for commercial cultivation purposes all across the country,” the Extension Manager said. Guyana’s rice industry has grown to such an extent that it now rates as the second most important agricultural industry, which enjoys the application of modern technology and years of research and technology transfer.

started to develop a headache and by evening I felt very tired. I drifted off to

sleep totally unaware of what the morning would bring.

Next week: The week after chemo and all its side effects.

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South Africa racing Tips Vaal 08:45 hrs Starrett City 09:20 hrs Gratuity 10:00 hrs Snowdonia 10:40 hrs Vee Man 11:20 hrs Blue Berry Pie English Racing Tips Cheltenham 09:30 hrs Melon 10:10 hrs Altior 10:50 hrs Holywell 11:30 hrs Buveur D’Air 12:10 hrs Limini 12:50 hrs A Genie In Abottle Southwell 09:10 hrs Samtu 09:45 hrs Gnaad 10:25 hrs Oscars Journey 11:05 hrs Escalating 11:45 hrs Dose 12:25 hrs Hammer Gun 13:00 hrs Go On Gal Sedgefield 09:20 hrs Ask Paddy 09:55 hrs Le Brave 10:25 hrs Molly Carew 11:15 hrs Emerald Thief 11:55 hrs Raise A Spark 12:35 hrs Duhallowcountry 13:10 hrs Donnachies Girl American Racing Tips Philadelphia Park Race 1 House Wine Race 2 Spring Fling Race 3 Madam Aamoura Race 4 Yukon Sky Race 5 Piuoneer Spirit Race 6 This Might Be Race 7 Fire Alarm Race 8 Shaunna Alexandra Race 9 Courageous Colonel

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, March 14, 2017

The 50th Anniversary of Frank Worrell’s death -- Sir Frank was a great ‘man-manager’ and duly accomplished his goals By Dr. Rudi Webster ON March 13, 1967, fifty years ago, Sir Frank Worrell passed away. He was loved and admired by cricket enthusiasts around the world and will not be forgotten. In the Caribbean his achievements are constantly extolled in numerous cricket discussions and memorial lectures. This is extremely important. But most of these lectures have taken on too much of an academic slant. Consequently, the practical application of the cricket culture that Worrell developed as well as his principles for cricket development and performance enhancement have been forgotten or lost. This is unfortunate. The skills of ‘literacy’ – knowledge, information gathering and dissemination are very important, but are different from the skills of ‘operacy’ – doing or executing. Both are needed for successful performance. Sadly, the current West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has consistently neglected both of these things, hence the very poor state of West Indies cricket. In 1960, the WICB abandoned its policy of appointing captains only from European ranks and selected Frank Worrell as its thirteenth captain of the West Indies team. Frank then led the team in Australia and what a series it was! That tour revived cricket down under and although West Indies lost the series approximately half a million people lined the streets of Melbourne to bid farewell to the players and to implore them to ‘come back soon’. This was quite amazing because when the players arrived in Australia hardly any of them had much of a reputation, but by the end of the series they were all stars or superstars. After that series Richie Benaud, Australia’s captain declared, “I don’t think it would be uncharitable to say that Worrell’s turn as captain was long overdue. “Worrell has been a fine

Richie Benaud and Frank Worrell admire the eponymous trophy in 1961.

cricketer for West Indies for many years but this was the first time he had been given the opportunity of leading his country, and how wonderfully he justified the confidence placed in him. However, it is possible that over the years the part he played in his side’s triumph may fade. “That should not happen because he was the main cementing agent of the successful teamwork of his side. He is a man of stature, not frightened to say what he feels about any particular matter, and prepared to stand by his

opinion. “Above all, on this tour, he held to the maxim of not telling the team something that is patently incorrect. There is nothing of the ‘con’ man about Worrell. He pointed out to them (his players) all through the tour that the Australians could be beaten, but only if the side of individuals played as a team … to say that he was right would be to understate the case.” Richie added, “Worrell will quite rightly go down in cricket annals as one of the best captains we have ever seen. His quiet, happy

disposition and fine public relations have done much not only for the game of cricket, but also for many who have played with and against him.” When Frank returned to the Caribbean he further improved the team and later joined a select band of captains that won all five Tests in a series. Furthermore, he created a winning culture that Sobers, Lloyd and Richards carried on. What were the personal attributes that made Worrell such a great leader? First, he possessed a high

level of integrity, a powerful set of core values, a healthy level of self-confidence and a strong sense of self-acceptance and self-belief. Second, he had extensive knowledge of the game and its history, a sharp understanding of his players, their culture and the things that made them tick. Third, he had wide experience and a tremendous track record; he knew how to control himself and how to stay calm and focused under pressure. Fourth, he had the ability to create harmonious, cooperative and stimulating relationships within the team. Fifth, he had a keen mind, strong analytical abilities, good judgment and the capacity to think simply, clearly and strategically. Sixth, but by no means least, he possessed high levels of motivation and self-discipline, two of the most important factors in performance at the highest levels of sport. And he did his best to imprint some of these qualities into the minds of his players. It is quite rare for leaders to have all of these personal qualities. But successful

February 20, 1961 West Indies team manager Gerry Gomez and captain Frank Worrell are cheered by a huge crowd in a parade through the streets of Melbourne.

leaders who have limitations in some of these areas usually appoint people to the leadership team who have the skills to make up for their limitations. Although Worrell had these great personal qualities he knew that he would only be successful if he could use them to get the players to execute his plans and strategies. He had great confidence in his players’ ability but he first had to get them to see the talent that they had within, and then stimulate them to express it effectively to deal with the many challenges they were likely to face on and off the field. Frank was a great ‘man-manager’ and soon accomplished those goals. At the end of the Australian tour, he said. “This is one of the happiest teams I have ever toured with, and the response from every player was tremendous whatever the circumstances or the result of any particular match.” Worrell had a clear vision of what he wanted to achieve for West Indies cricket and how he wanted his team to play the game. When he shared that vision with his players and clarified their roles and responsibilities he created an awareness of purpose and a strong feeling of belonging. The players then brought passion and commitment with them because they believed that they could truly make a difference to the performance of the team. And when Frank directed and focused these energies to the tasks and challenges at hand, a major requirement for success was satisfied. West Indies cricket is in urgent need of revival. The Board, coaches and players should make a point of revisiting the Worrell era to see what they could learn from the past to jumpstart this revival, since human performance is not only influenced by goals or models formulating the future, but also by history and past experiences.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Singh, Reifer help Jaguars regain Khan spins Red Force to 172top spot in Regional four-day run crushing of Volcanoes

-- Scorpions beaten by seven wickets KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) – Vishaul Singh struck an unbeaten half-century as reigning champions Guyana Jaguars brushed aside Jamaica Scorpions by seven wickets to regain top spot in the Regional four-day championship here yesterday. Playing on the final day of their sixth round game at Sabina Park, Jaguars successfully chased down a target of 182 to depose Scorpions as leaders, with Vishaul ending unbeaten on 63 They lost just one wicket – that of veteran left-hander Shiv Chanderpaul for five – but Vishaul found an ally in Barbadian all-rounder Raymon Reifer to see Jaguars home in an unbroken 78-run,

Jaguars left-hander Vishaul Singh hits an unbeaten 63.

fourth-wicket partnership. Reifer, who was adjudged Man-of-the-Match for his fine all-round efforts in the contest, was unbeaten on 37. All told, Vishaul faced 103 deliveries in a trifle over three hours at the crease

and struck eight fours while fellow left-hander Reifer counted three fours and a six in a 63-ball innings. Jaguars resumed the day on 79 for two and initially benefited from a 27-run partnership between Vishaul and Chanderpaul.

Hurricanes slide to innings defeat BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) – Youth World Cup star Keacy Carty’s second first class half-century was not enough to prevent Leeward Islands Hurricanes from a heavy innings defeat to Barbados Pride inside three days here Monday. The 19-year-old struck the top score of 79 as Hurricanes, resuming the day on 16 for four, were dismissed for 124 about 45 minutes after lunch on the final day of the sixth round encounter at Kensington Oval, to suffer an innings and 26-run defeat. He was one of just three batsmen in double figures with wicketkeeper Jahmar Hamilton and Akeal Hosein both getting 15. All told, Carty struck 12 boundaries in an innings spanning 181 balls and nearly

four hours. Man-of-the-Match fast bowler Kemar Roach was the leading bowler with four for 18 from 16 overs while off-spinner Roston Chase finished with two for 37. Starting the penultimate day of the sixth round contest staring at defeat, Hurricanes lost two more quick wickets to slump to 38 for six. In the fourth over of the morning, Roach bowled Gavin Tonge for two after the nightwatchman had resumed on nought and the resurgent Test bowler then sent back Jamaican Nkrumah Bonner for five to a catch at the wicket. Carty anchored two small stands to get Hurricanes to 94 for seven at the interval, adding 35 with Hamilton for the

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)Viv Richards-36 ODIs (2)ENG vs AUST, Melbourne, 1971 Today’s Quiz: (1)Who was declared Man of the Series in the

just-concluded WI/ENG ODI series?

(2) Who led the batting aggregate in the recent

WI/ENG ODI series?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

seventh wicket and a further 48 for the eighth wicket with Hosein.

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada (CMC) – Leg-spinner Imran Khan’s five-wicket haul led Trinidad and Tobago Red Force to a 172run crushing of Windward Islands Volcanoes here, yesterday, as they hauled themselves off the bottom of the Regional four-day standings. Set an improbable 375 for victory at the National Stadium, Volcanoes folded for 202 in their second innings with the 32-year-old Khan picking up five for 67 – his 16th five-wicket haul in first class cricket. He received great support from off-spinner Bryan Charles with four for 79 in only his second first class game and second in two years. Veteran opener Devon Smith failed to convert his overnight 41 into a About half-hour before lunch, Hamilton fell to another catch at the wicket off seamer Justin Greaves and Hosein followed after the break, driving chase to Jomel Warrican at cover.

Dave West Indies Imports-sponsored Inter-County U-15 bowls off today THE 2017 edition of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)-sponsored Dave West India Imports Inter-County Uner-15 one-day tournament, which is being as a yardstick by the junior selectors, bowls off today with two games in the Georgetown. According to the GCB, in the first round fixtures Demerara will play Essequibo at Police Sports Club ground, while Berbice and the GCB President’s X1 square off at the GCC ground. The second round is billed for tomorrow, while the third round along with the final will be played on Friday and Sunday respectively. The GCB also indicated that six points will be awarded for a win, two points for a wash-out or abandoned match, and 0.1 point for each fast bowling wicket. After the tournament the best squad will be selected to play in the Regional tournament later this year. Guyana have been a dominant force in the Regional tournament, winning the 2014 and 2015 seasons, while they were the runners-up last year. The respective squads are as follows: Demerara: Shoaib Shaw,

Mahindra Dindyal, Chad Shivrattan, Edmond Pearson, Andre Seepersaud, Daniel Mootoo, Mark Ramanand, Chanderpaul Ramraj, Trevon Charles, Negusa Walters, Devanand Khemraj, Ryan Persaud, Ushardev Balgobin and Brandon Jaikarran. Berbice: Sarwan Chaitnarine, Daniel Dharamdat Ricardo Ramdial, Reyad Karim, Vikash Subramani, Marvan Prashad, Anthony Williams, Farouk Subhan, Andel Milne, Abdur Ramsammy, Akash Heralall, Saif Amoi, Romel Retimyah and Gourav Ramesh. Essequibo: Sheldon Charles, Devindra Ramdahin, Oren Gibson, Ronaldo Scouten, Raphael David, Manoj Dasraat, Chaitram Seurattan, Wasim Mohamed, Ardesh Ramdial, Mark Mohabir, Sunil Persaud, Inzamam Bacchus, Shawn Monro, and Tyrone Brandon. GCB PRESIDENT’S XI: Elnathan Suknandan, Shamma Yearwood, Joel Gilkes, Zachariah Mootoo, Alex Arinda, Sai Haniff, Raynaldo Mohamed, Yadesh Persaud, Ronaldo Duraws, Zamal Ramsammy, Ezana Saaziam, Pravenand Ganesh, Ken George, Danny Atkinson, and Tamone Caesar.

score of substance, falling for 49 and it was left to Shane Shillingford with 46 to give the total some respectability. Rookie Taryck Gabriel added just eight to his overnight 24 while wicketkeeper Sunil Ambris got 24. Resuming the final morning of the sixth round clash on 68 for one, Smith and Gabriel extended their second-wicket stand to 80 before being separated, when Gabriel departed in the 10th over. His dismissal set in train the slide which saw three wickets fall for 10 runs in the space of 18 deliveries.

Ambris then propped up the innings in a 36-run fourth-wicket stand with captain Liam Sebastien (21) but Khan struck just as the partnership was threatening, removing both batsmen in successive overs. Tottering on 134 for six at lunch, Volcanoes were lifted afterwards by Shillingford who went on the attack, smashing two fours and four sixes in a 65-ball knock. He put on 34 for the eighth wicket with Delorn Johnson (5) but once they were separated, Red Force quickly wrapped up the tail.

SCOREBOARD Guyana Jaguars vs Jamaica Scorpions SCORPIONS 1st innings 255 JAGUARS 1st innings 262 SCORPIONS 2nd innings188 JAGUARS 2nd innings (target: 182) (overnight 79 for two) T. Chanderpaul ret. hurt 0 S. Hetmyer c Blackwood b Miller 42 L. Johnson c McCarthy b Green 10 V. Singh not out 63

S. Chanderpaul c wkp. Walton b Mindley 5 R. Reifer not out 37 Extras: (b-14, lb-7, w-5, nb-1) 27 Total: (3 wkts, 54 overs) 184 Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-79, 3-106. Bowling: Taylor 8-2-330, Green 6-0-29-1 (w-4), Mindley 10-0-19-1 (nb-1), Miller 20-2-32-1, Jacobs 3-016-0, McCarthy 4-0-20-0, Campbell 3-0-14-0. Result: Jaguars won by seven wickets.

SCOREBOARD Barbados Pride vs Leewrds Islands Hurricanes PRIDE 1st innings 313 HURRICANES 1st innings 163 HURRICANES 2nd innings (following-on) (overnight 16 for four) M. Hodge c wkp. Dowrich b Roach 0 J. Otto c wkp. Dowrich b Cummins 0 K. Carty c wkp. Dowrich b Roach 79 A. Joseph b Chase 1 R. Cornwall c Carter b Warrican 3 G .Tonge b Roach 2 N.Bonnercwkp.Dowrich b Roach 5

J. Hamilton c wkp. Dowrich b Greaves 15 A. Hosein c Warrican b Chase15 J. Campbell not out 0 K. Powell absent out 0 Extras: (b-1, lb-1, w-1, nb-1) 4 Total: (all out, 59 overs) 124 Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-0, 3-13, 4-16, 5-22, 6-38, 7-73, 8-121, 9-124. Bowling: Roach 16-9-18-4, Cummins 11-3-21-1 (w-1, nb-1), Stoute 6-2-19-0, Chase 14-2-372, Warrican 6-4-5-1, Greaves 6-2-22-1.

SCOREBOARD Red Forde vs Windwards Islands Volcanoes RED FORCE 1st innings 275 VOLCANOES 1st innings 104 RED FORCE 2nd innings 2035 decl. VOLCANOES 2nd innings (target: 375 runs) (overnight 68 for one) D. Smith c Alexis b Charles 49 T. Theophile run-out 2 T. Gabriel c Pierre b Imran Khan32 K. Lesporis b Imran Khan 8 S. Ambris b Imran Khan 24 L. Sebastien lbw b Imran Khan 21 K. Mayers c wkp. Katwaroo b

Charles 1 S. Shillingford c Richards b Imran Khan 46 D. Johnson c Pierre b Charles 5 K. Peters c Pierre b Charles 13 S. Lewis not out 0 Extras: (b-1) 1 Total: (all out, 81.3 overs) 202 Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-82, 3-92, 92, 5-128, 6-129, 7-148, 8-182, 9-196. Bowling: Cottrell 5-1-14-0, Richards 8-1-17-0, Pierre 10-220-0, Charles 30.3-4-79-4, Imran Khan 25-6-67-5, Cariah 2-0-2-0, Hope 1-0-2-0.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, March 14, 2017

GKC concludes successful grading SHUSEKI Shihan Frank Woon-A-Tai, 9th Degree Black Belt Founder, Chairman and Chief Instructor of the International Karate Daigaku, successfully graded and advanced 95 karatekas of the Guyana Karate College (GKC). He was assisted by the College’s Vice-Chairman and Vice-Chief Instructor Sensei Jeffrey Wong 6th Degree Black Belt; Sensei Dr Guy Low 5th Degree Black Belt and Sensei Kenrick Cheeks 2nd Degree Black Belt. Students came from the GKC’s Carifesta Sports Complex and Cornelia Ida’s Dojos. Leading the promotions for this grading exercise was 2nd Degree John McGrath who turned in a scintillating performance to earn a 3rd Degree Black Belt or Sandan Ranking. He was followed by the sister and brother pair of Alyssa Kristy and Aiden Davendra Singh, Otho Harris, Deron Austin Samuel Austin and Jayden Hurry all of whom advanced from 1st Degree to 2nd Degree Black Belts or the Nidan Ranking Jonathan Ng-a-Fook, Diego De Nobrega and Taissa De Nobrega were also elevated from 1st Kyu Brown Belts to 1st Degree Black Belts or the Shodan Rank. Being promoted from 10th kyu to 8th kyu were Nathan Taitt, Janiya Lee, Kissiah Jordan, Jared Hurry, Jonathan Wong while Louis Alexandro Da Silva was promoted from 10th kyu to 7th kyu.

The successful karatekas of the Cornelia Ida dojo

The 9th kyu karatakas who were promoted to 8th kyu were Ameer Shariff, Amosdanial, Darnell Klass while Eli Jordan moved from 9th kyu to 7th kyu as well as Prosper Jacobus, Rizwan Mahadeo, Anusha Jodhan, Chinelo Enekwechi. Mia Ritchie was promoted from 7th kyu to 4th kyu while promoted from 6th kyu to 5th kyu were Lemuel Wilson, Jerome Blyden, Rishabh Ramessar, Micaiah De Peazer, Omar Shariff and Joshua Aaron. Moving from 5th kyu to 4th kyu was Laurence Baptiste, while those elevated from 5th kyu to 3rd kyu were Angelina Campayne, Jared Bird, Daniel Gonsalves, Jadon Lee, Aretha Trisho Persaud, Najuma Gibbs and Jermain Holder. From 4th kyu to 3rd kyu was Randolph Scott while from 4th kyu to 2nd kyu was Jose Rodrigues. Moving from 3rd kyu to 2nd kyu were Mekhi

GDF win historic ...

Immediately the Warriors went on a sustained attack to reduce the deficit but it remained 2-0 at the halfway mark. Five minutes after the resumption the visitors had a golden chance to narrow the lead, but muffed a penalty kick awarded. Undaunted, they continued to pressure the Army’s defence but met stout and calculative resistance, led by captain Odessa Romeo who was outstanding. Samantha Roberts who displayed sound technical skills had a number of near misses after skilfully

making her way into the Army’s box, with her attempts going agonisingly close to the upright or wide. Midfielder Jackie Williams eventually breached Ronette Cort’s citadel in the 56th minute with a well-placed shot from the top of the box. Despite their spirited efforts, Paiwomak had to settle for the runners-up position as captain Romeo defended stubbornly to hold on to a 2-1 win. Earlier, St Ignatius took 3rd place after putting away Fruta Conquerors 3-1, led by a brace from

Ritchie and Daniel Denny, whilst those elevated from 3rd kyu to 1st kyu were Sophia Mittelholzer, Joshua Gibbs, Somlata Bispat and William Grant Sr. Those who were promoted from 2nd kyu to 1st kyu were Damale Denny, Nalini Rampersaud, Brandon Yong and Paula Louis-Grant. Meanwhile, from the Cornelia Ida Dojo those moving from 10th kyu to 8th kyu were Sandeep Parsram, Mirta Cecil, Justin Persaud, Roy Khadoo, John Saugh, Pramod Hanoman, Chitra Devi Persaud, Jessica Seetahal, Amrita Teekaram, Layshtianna Hansraj, Smriti Devanand, Sanjana Persaud, Karuna Lall, Yogini Devi Dolai, Rehana Bascom, Navita Gunraj, Harshani Danpaul, Chitradevi Alli, Heimala Dookie, Yugdarnhani O’Brian, Kelly Bridgewater, Namrata Parsram, Jasmini O’Brian, Abbas Nazarallie.

From Page 24 Amanda Cabral (21st and 46th) and one by Sonia Griffith (60th). For the losers Natalie Nedd was on target in the 24th minute. The main event started out at a blistering pace on the wet surface and mistakes were frequently made on both sides as Fruta Conquerors tried to unlock the Army’s defence by being the aggressor in the opening minutes of play. The evergreen Anthony ‘Awo’ Abrams looked threatening, as he made several lateral runs in the area that opened up opportunities

Moving from 7th kyu to 5th kyu were Sadiea Ajodah and Sharda Persaud. Moving from 6th kyu to 5th kyu were Amarnauth Madh, Said Jeffers, Raveena Persaud, Geetanjalee Motielall, Sharda Ranglall. Rising from 5th kyu to 4th kyu were Shalena Sookdeo, Sarah Persaud, Darchani Chetram, Rajmattie Chintaman. The sole person to go from 4th kyu to 3rd kyu was Sabreena Mohamed. Heading from 3rd kyu to 2nd kyu were Chameli Dahaniram, Gavena Doodnauth, Leah Bisesar, Vanita Chulie, Manoj Nachhman, Omadai Kukul, Danesha Doodnauth Jayanti Ram. Rajnie Brijmohan moved from 3rd kyu to 1st kyu. Master Woon-a-Tai is now in Suriname where he continues his journey to nine other countries in the region for more training sessions and grading exercises. which the Tucville-based unit could not make use of, as the Army’s defence soaked up the early pressure. Neither side gave much room in midfield during an evenly contested first half. After the break the search for the go-ahead goal continued then Technical Director Bilaal Nantambu made a double substitution in the 62nd minute. Striker Jeffrey Perreira and midfielder Delroy Ferdinand were replaced by Sherwyn Caesar and Delroy Fraser and the home team looked reenergised as they launched attack after attack. The relentless attacks eventually brought the reward that broke the deadlock with four minutes

Morgan; Pure Masters wreak havoc in Milo U-18 football

MORGAN’S Learning Centre and Pure Masters wreaked havoc in the competition, as action continued on Sunday in the Petra-organised Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and Milo-sponsored football tournament. In the last game of the day, the Morgan Learning Centre thrashed Tucville 7-1 with a hat-trick from Leon Richardson in the 16th, 36th and 70th minutes respectively. Richardson’s hat-trick, coupled with single strikes from Osafo Matheson (18th), Alistair Frank (24th), Carl Griffith (45th) and Daniel Nedd 58th, ensured that the score ended 7-1. Tucville saw Darren Daly (53rd) on target during the match. Meanwhile, Pure Masters overcame St John’s College 5-0 with a brace from Jamain Simon (6th and 56th) while Alton Benn (13th), Daniel Dorway (26th) and Junior Andrews (55th) each scored once. In the day’s opening game, East Ruimveldt edged St Mary’s 2-1 thanks to Trevon Bailey (23rd) and Tony Nelson (67th) while Mary’s had Michael Damion (6th) on target. Lodge Secondary and Kingston Secondary rounded out the 20-goal day with a 2-2 stalemate. Kingston had Terrence John and Shawn Innis on target while in response, Rickie Stuart 68th and Shamar Dover 70th brought the game back level just before the whistle Matches continue this weekend.

Part of the action during Sunday’s Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) Milo-sponsored football tournament

remaining in regulation time. Captain Eusi Phillips’ pass to Olivis ‘Jim Reeves’ Mitchell in the area was buried by a low right-booter to the far post that left goalkeeper Derek Carter flat-footed at the near post. Substitute Fraser then sealed the victory, one minute into injury time with a beautiful solo effort from the left side that was punctuated with a powerfully struck right-footed shot which curled into the ‘V’ at the far post. The result was no surprise to the smiling Army coach Nantambu who gave credit to Conquerors in his post-game comment: “It

ended as was planned. Keep it close and finish it off in the second half, but I must admit they are experienced and seasoned players and so we expected a hard-fought game. I think having played last Friday left them a bit tired, but it was a good game and they were worthy opponents.” The 6-pack Elite teams will next take to the pitch on Sunday with the start of the second round of the STAG Elite League. The unbeaten leaders GDF will take on thirdplaced Devcon Victoria Kings and bottom side Topp XX tackle 2nd-placed Fruta Conquerors in the opening double-header.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Singh, Reifer help Jaguars regain top spot in Regional four-day P.22

GDF win historic national football double … crowned male and female champions

GFF president Wayne Forde hands over Elite League Leaders’ trophy to captain Eusi Phillips surrounded by happy team mates and supporters.

Women’s Development League Champions celebrate with captain Odessa Romeo and Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe holding the winners’ trophy alongside GFF boss Wayne Forde and team members. (Pics courtesy: Matthew Falloon)

By Ras Wadada

See Page 23 Joined together ... Army’s ‘Sheroes’ and Heroes. (L to R) Aboscie Heywood and Kendra Thomas (Ladies) and Olvis Mitchell and Delroy Fraser (Men) 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

THE Guyana Defence Force etched its name into Guyana’s football history when they were crowned the first-ever male and female national champions of football last Sunday night. The unprecedented achievement, simultaneously, was fittingly completed on home turf at Camp Ayanganna before a disappointingly poor turnout of fans amid persistent showers. The Army yet again proved their superiority over Fruta Conquerors with a third consecutive victory to capture the inaugural GFF/STAG Elite League Leaders’ prize of $1.5M, while the women turned back the challenge of Paiwomak Warriors of Region Nine to win the first National Women’s Development League title. The Macushi lasses from the village of Annai in North Rupununi only have themselves to blame, as they squandered numerous opportunities, including a penalty. The 70-minute final was played on wet and slippery conditions that both sides adapted to well on a much smaller pitch. The Army took the lead in the 7th minute when Kendra Thomas cannoned a left- booter, from the vertex of the area on the attacking left, that ended up in the ‘V’ at the far post. Pint-size Aboscie Heywood doubled the score 21 minutes later with a right-footed effort that had more placement than power as it ricocheted off the keeper’s post to her right. From Page 21 TUESDAY, MARCH, 14 , 2017