Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 18 10 2016

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Agreement signed to tackle offshore tax evasion Businesswoman found dead in home Sugar workers down tools P.16

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A boat parade was held in the Pomeroon River before the launch of the Coconut Festival at Charity, Essequibo Coast on Sunday (Essequibo Chambers of Commerce photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

to feel Businesswoman Guyanese‒ asbegin local banks adjust to found dead in home squeeze US de-risking

Dead: Bibi Nesha Shairoon during the celebration of her 56th birthday last month

By Rabindra Rooplall THE BOUND and lifeless body of a 56-year-old businesswoman was found Monday at her Lot 3, Novar, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara home.

Dead is Bibi Nesha Shairoon called “Shakeela”. The mother of three, who lived alone, was found with her hands and feet tied up.

The dead woman operated a grocery store that also sold garden chemicals, cell phone cards and cell phones, in the lower flat of her home, which was also ransacked.

Police suspect that the woman might have been attacked and robbed on Saturday night since her body was found Monday morning.

Neighbours say they did not see her since Saturday.

Shairoon has been operating the business for the past two decades.

According to a relative, the bandits gained entrance to the home by breaking into a wooden section in the lower flat.

“They gone with a lot of cell phones, jewellery and her stocks; we didn’t find anything, the robbers carried away everything,” the relative said.

Shairoon’s daughter-inlaw “Mitra” (only name given) told this publication that she last spoke to her motherin-law Saturday afternoon.

“She called and tell me to send for some macaroni and I told her I also cooked macaroni, so we didn’t visit because the kids had a lot of school work to finish and we just talked. And she had called her sister after 20:00hrs Saturday night, so she was alive up until then,” Mitra said.

She added: “Neighbours called us and asked why they didn’t see her since Saturday,

Relatives nailing up an entrance to the business spot and other access points on the house were Shairoon was found dead

Reports also indicated that the businesswoman may have been raped. However, police said this claim can only be confirmed by an autopsy.

since she is accustom to go over by them and gaff; they constantly ring her phone and got no answer; they called relatives and Monday morning when we come a small boy jumped over the gate and the back door was opened and she was lying dead on the floor.”

Shairoon, who was robbed earlier this year, celebrated her 56th birthday only last month.

Citizens Bank is now engaged in wire transfers only

GUYANESE are now forced to pay double the cost of wiring cash to the United States as the recently announced “de -risking”

by American banks begin to take shape.

Local institution, Citizens Bank ceased all paper transactions that involved the acceptance of American cheques and the transfer of money to that country through this system.

The bank is now engaged in wire transfers only. Questions asked about the new system during a visit to that bank revealed that to now send money from Guyana to the US via the wire transfer cost as much as US$60 to US$70 (G$ 12,000 and G$ 14,000), a massive jump from the US$25 to US$30 fee that customers once enjoyed.

The fee to receive funds has basically remained the same.

The Citizens Bank’s teller related that its beneficiary bank in relation to transfers is Crown Agents Bank Limited based in the United Kingdom.

This intermediary institution is expected to facilitate the money transfers between the local bank and the US. Citizens Bank is among the first of several local institutions that must adjust to the new US systems and are in the process of doing so. Other banks are gearing to make the change. A visit to the Demerara Bank revealed that while

the institution was still facilitating paper transactions, there will be an adjustment.

The teller said she could not say when the bank will cease the particular transaction, but indicated that eventually all locally owned banks will have to adjust their systems to accommodate the US order.

Earlier this year, USbased banks declared that they were pulling their services from the Caribbean due to unrelenting pressure from US regulators. Caribbean leaders had stressed the pressure the region would endure as Citibank, J P Morgan, Bank of America and others continued to sever “correspondent bank relations”.

It was stated that Bank of America, in particular would have pulled its services from Guyana by August last, but the agency had provided breathing room by extending another three months to allow mop up by local banks.

The end of October should see the exit of the American institution. In the meantime, new international banks have proposed to pick up the slack left by the American fall-out. Bank of Guyana Governor, Dr Gobind Ganga had told the media that banks in the US, as well as in Europe were interested in replacing the American Bank.

The high-level of liquidity in the region was said to be the catalyst for the American

withdrawal, as a measure against money laundering, the financing of terrorism and other financial illegalities that thrives on hard cash -- ran economies like Guyana.

Many Caribbean nations are still cash-based, which makes it difficult to track financial sourcing and the movement of money. A ‘plastic-based’ or automatic financial system allows for an easier look into the networking of transactions.

While the increasing threats posed by money laundering and the financing of terrorism may be plausible – reasons to cut relations with paper-based nations, many affected countries have decried the bottleneck position they are being put into since the majority of Caribbean nations work with American banks.

Belize was said to be the hardest hit as local banks and the citizens felt the pressure of de-risking when it became harder to receive money in that country.

A World Bank report had stated that “Correspondent banking services are essential to enabling companies and individuals to transact internationally and make cross-border payments”, referring to the day-to-day financial services that banks facilitate for each other in the operationalisation of international trade and finance.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Sugar workers down tools ‒ call for better pay; GuySuCo says action detrimental to industry

By Svetlana Marshall SUGAR workers across Guyana on Monday downed tools in demand of higher salaries and better working conditions.

In order for these demands to be achieved, the sugar workers said the state-owned Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc (GuySuCo) must first engage the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) in good faith-bargaining.

And according to the union, during a meeting last Thursday, the Cooperation offered no commitment when the issue of a pay increase was raised.

“When asked pointedly whether provisions had been made for improvements in pay, GuySuCo’s representative said none had been made but adjustments could be made to facilitate an increase,” GAWU said in a statement issued on Monday.

Picketing exercises were staged outside the administrative offices of the various estates. With placards bearing slogans such as “Why are sugar workers discriminated against?”, “Treat sugar workers fairly – we are also Government Employees”, “Workers co-operating and producing, time for serious talks with GAWU”, “GuySu-

Co stop pussyfooting, engage in good-faith bargaining” and “Sugar workers deserve pay rise”, the workers demanded that GuySuCo adhere to their cries.

The union and the sugar workers are worried that GuySuCo will not approve an increase for 2016.

“The workers have rightly pointed out that unlike other state workers, who have benefitted and will benefit from pay rises in 2015 and 2016, though those increases fell below their expectations, the sugar workers have been excluded and are seemingly being deemed as ‘second class citizens’,” GAWU said.

The union said it must be noted that sugar workers’ standard of living have dropped in face of the rising cost of living, and as such an increase is necessary at this time.

PUT EMPHASIS ON WORKERS GAWU said while steps are being taken to improve the physical capital, the Sugar Corporation must place even greater emphasis on its workers.

“At this time too, workers noted that employment costs in the industry are expected to be slashed by as much as $2.5B, a staggering 13 per cent, this year (2016) while, at the same time, the top-most

Protestors in action on Monday

echelon of the Corporation’s hierarchy are benefitting to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars annually,” GAWU stated.

It noted too that these “development” which are at a disadvantage to the workers, are happening at a time of improving sugar prices, better productivity and some progress in the industry’s financial

Workers protesting in front of the Blairmont sugar Factory

standing.

During Monday’s protest, the sugar workers backed by their union also re-emphasised their strong disagreement over the decision to close Wales Estate.

The closure decision, they say is a step in the wrong direction and will condemn the thousands of workers, their spouses, children and other

near ones – who are dependent on that estate’s operations to unimaginable hardships and misery.

“Workers also raised their voices against the rollback of time-honoured and long-standing practices such as GuySuCo’s denial of paid-release for workers to attend the union’s Congress and union meetings; the denying of workers to attend union-sponsored courses during the cropping periods; the denial of transportation assistance for workers to attend union activities; the withdrawal of pro-rated Weekly Production Incentive (WPI) awards; the denial of Collective Bargaining in 2015; a pitiful 2015 API award, among other things,” the union pointed out.

GAWU is also urging the Corporation to engage in good-faith negotiations with the view to find a reasonable settlement to the workers’ pay

rise question this year.

“Continuing dialogue will be necessary to address the other concerns of the workers,” the union stated, noting that the current approach is not helpful to the process and can very well lead to greater disharmony and discontent among the workers.

NEGATIVE IMPACT But GuySuCo in a statement said for many years, one of the areas that have been impacting negatively on the business of sugar is strike action.

“During the last 10 years, strike action ranged between 160 in 2005 to 250 in 2010, and fluctuated slightly during that period. For six years, the numbers were above 200 annually, and in 2014 and 2015 there was a slight reduction,” the Corporation said.

It added that from 2005 to 2015, the total man-days lost to strikes were 813,437, and the highest man-days lost for this period was in 2009 with 130, 171 in 2006 and the lowest being 32,064 in 2014.

For four years, the number was above 90,000; this was in 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010 and for another four years, it was above 50,000 while it was below 50,000 for three years during this period.

“Being a labour-intensive Corporation, over 150 strikes per year have been contributing to the demise of the Corporation and have been impacting significantly on its financial viability. It is important to note that in order for the Corporation to grow and become a profitable entity, it has to diversify. GuySuCo is calling on the unions to just this once, put the employees’ interest above their own agenda,” GuySuCo said.

The Corporation noted that it has a responsibility to protect the rights and secure their livelihood for the workers, both members and non-members of unions.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Melania Trump calls taped comments

by Donald Trump ‘boy talk’

Melania Trump rose to her husband’s defense on Monday, describing lewd comments the Republican presidential nominee made on a leaked 2005 video in which he bragged about groping women as “boy talk.”

Trump, who has kept a low profile during her husband’s presidential bid, gave her first television interviews since the Oct. 7 release of the tape that has shaken Donald Trump’s campaign. He trails Democrat Hillary Clinton in opinion polls ahead of the Nov. 8 election.

Melania Trump told CNN her husband was engaged in “boy talk, and he was led on like, egged on - from the host to say dirty and bad stuff” in the conversation with “Access Hollywood” host Billy Bush.

NBC said on Monday that Bush was leaving the

“Today” show, following his role in the taped conversation with Donald Trump.

Melania Trump, a Slovenian-born former model, added in a CNN interview that aired on Monday night that she was surprised because she had never heard her husband use that kind of language before.

“No. No, that’s why I was surprised, because I said like I don’t know that person that would talk that way, and that he would say that kind of stuff in private,” Melania Trump said.

She told CNN that her husband behaved at times like an overgrown boy and that she saw his “Access Hollywood” remarks as in keeping with that behaviour.

“Sometimes I say I have two boys at home. I have my young son and I have my hus-

band. But I know how some men talk, and that’s how I saw it, yes,” she said.

Trump told CNN she agreed with first lady Michelle Obama that kissing or groping someone without consent constituted sexual assault, adding: “But every assault should be taken care of in a court of law. And to accuse, no matter who it is, a man or a woman, without evidence is damaging and unfair.”

‘MOVING ON’ In partial transcripts from a separate interview with Fox News, she said she had forgiven her husband for the comments in the tape, which was first published by the Washington Post.

“Those words, they were offensive to me and they were inappropriate. And he

apologised to me. And I ... accept his apology. And we are moving on.”

They were her first public comments since a statement she issued after the tape’s publication in which she said her husband’s remarks did “not represent the man that I know.”

Melania Trump told Fox News that her husband, a New York businessman and former reality television star, was committed to running for office even though it was difficult because he had been “in so many shows, so many tapes” over the years.

Asked if it was fair for the media or her husband to bring up charges of infidelity in former President Bill Clinton’s past, Melania Trump told Fox News: “Well, if they bring up my past, why not?”

After Trump denied

Melania Trump sits down with CNN television host Anderson Cooper during an exclusive interview in New York, to be aired October 17, 2016. Courtesy CNN/ Handout via REUTERS

during a debate with Clinton on Oct. 9 that he had actually done the things he bragged about in the tape, a number of women accused him of groping and kissing them without permission in incidents stretching back decades. He has denied the charges.

Asked about those accusations, Melania Trump told Fox News: “All these women

are coming out and they are allegations but they are not true. Why now? Why three weeks before the election?”

“I believe my husband,” she told CNN. “This was all organised from the opposition. With the details that they got, did they ever check the background of these women? They don’t have any facts.” (Reuters)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Bandits rob Woodlands Hospital TWO gunmen escaped with an undisclosed sum o f c a s h a f t e r ro b b i n g Woodlands Hospital at about 07:00hrs on Monday.

A cashier attached to

men, who initially posed as patients, took away the cash and made good their escape on a CG motorcycle that did not have a number plate.

A taxi driver who saw the ordeal attempted to pur-

Two gunmen escaped with an undisclosed sum of cash after they robbed Woodlands Hospital on Monday

the hospital was reportedly carrying a bag with the money to the hospital’s Accounts Office when she was held up by two men, one of whom was armed with a gun.

Eyewitnesses said the

sue the bandits, but they quickly sped away and eluded him.

No one was reportedly hurt, but police have launched an investigation into the robbery.

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Establishment of religious TV station takes shape

By Vishani Ragobeer LOCAL religious leaders on Monday met with Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and other Government officials to discuss establishment of a television station that has been touted as a medium to promote peace, unity and tolerance in society.

The consultation, held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, was held “to continue a process that has already started”, the Prime Minister has said.

The process to obtain licence and equipment to commence operations of the Inter-Religious Television Channel under the Guyana Inter-Religious Television (GIRTV) has been in the making for quite a number of years.

While he is very eager to establish this channel, the Prime Minister has said this channel must act within the confines of the Constitution, which hails Guyana as a state that is indivisible, secular, democratic, and sovereign.

“Every Guyanese has the right to believe in a religion or not,” he said, adding: “We have a plurality of beliefs and the space and accommodation for those who do not.”

According to the PM, “Religion has played a cardinal role in the development of our civilization,” and “therefore it cannot be ignored.”

Speaking on behalf of Social Cohesion Minister Amna Ally, Programme Co-

harmony across social groups in Guyana.

“Religious diversity is not at odds with social cohesion,” she said as she pointed out that “there is a nexus between some of the basic principles of religion and cohesion.”

that if the channel is to be instated, it must comply with the GNBA’s broadcasting standards and the Broadcasting Act of 2011, and the various religious leaders must show respect for each other.

At a World Day of Peace

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo with representatives of various religious organisations across Guyana and other officials

ordinator of that ministry, Sharon Patterson, said an inter-religious television station would, through its programmes, put a high premium on encouraging social interaction, social integration, and

A “shared common value” must be the basis of this channel, Chief Executive officer of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA), Dr. Prudence Lewis-Bhola, has said. She noted

observance ceremony held at City Hall last September, Prime Minister Nagamootoo disclosed that he has planned to oversee establishment of this 24-hour religious channel.

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Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams Editor

Godfrey Wray

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

Editorial

Carmichael and Middle streets land acquisition

THE current move by Government to acquire two private lots under the Acquisition for Public Purposes (Amendment) Act is not new to societies; neither is it illegal, given that land, in the final analysis, belongs to the state.

Accusations and counter-accusations being made by members of the APNU+AFC Administration and the former PPP/C Administration -- which tend toward political rhetoric -- would not bring needed clarity and resolution to the matter. The public is thus far being advised that the issue of Government’s intent to acquire the Carmichael and Middle streets’ land to expand the Attorney General’s Chambers has its genesis in the PPP/C Administration.

Former president Mr. Donald Ramotar came out and challenged Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, to provide the evidence that his administration had initiated the act of acquiring the lands. The Attorney General under the PPP Administration, Mr. Anil Nandlall, came out and attempted to refute the claim, but conceded that an approach was made to the current owners of the land.

The evidence before the society is that the intellectual author for acquiring the lands was the PPP/C Administration.

It also confirms that the APNU+AFC Administration has put in place the activation of the legal mechanism to acquire the lands. The concern in the public is not only about the acquisition, but also the manner in which it is being pursued, and the persons that are involved.

Attorney General Basil Williams has informed that Nandlall advised that the GoG needs to pay $600 million for ownership, while the APNU+AFC Administration is saying it is prepared to pay not more than $50 million, based on the evaluation received. $50 million may seem an inconsiderate sum; but the purpose for which the land is being acquired, how it is being used by its current owners, and how they intend to develop the land also has to be factored in.

Although the law gives Government the right to acquire property, it need not be forgotten that such decision requires that regard be paid to due diligence and consideration. The owners of the land in contention are the Beharry Group of Companies (BGC) and Mrs. Clarrisa Riehl, Guyana’s High Commissioner to Canada, appointed under the present administration.

It has, through surrogates, been reported in some sections of the media that the ambassador was blind-sided by the announcement, and is not interested in selling the property.

Mrs. Riehl’s appointment as ambassador is political, since she is not a career diplomat. As a politician for some time, she was a Member of Parliament on the PNCR slate, and was elected Deputy Speaker on the nomination of the PNCR, in which she has been a member and has served on its Executive.

The AG is Chairman of the PNCR, making him and the ambassador political colleagues. The PPP/C is the political rival of the PNCR, and from the position that party has taken on the issue, it seems to be more concerned about the ambassador’s welfare than her colleague is.

Elsewhere in political conversations it is wondered why the administration to which the ambassador belongs would move to acquire her land without her consent, and is using argument for so doing by laying the blame at the feet of the PPP/C.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Oil and Gas MoU: T&T and Guyana Dear Editor, IN SEPTEMBER 2016, I read in one of the dailies of Guyana and one of the dailies of Trinidad and Tobago that the Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago Governments were planning to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) relative to the Trinidad and Tobago Government providing technical assistance, support and cooperation to help with the development of Guyana’s Oil and Gas sector.

The articles also said there were plans to sign an MoU in November 2016 or by the end of 2016, and that the Government of Trinidad and Tobago would provide guidance to ensure that the Guyana Government does not make mistakes that the Trinidad and Tobago Government would have made in developing its own Oil and Gas sector.

In addition, it was proposed that a delegation representing Guyana’s private and public sectors should visit Trinidad and Tobago to do the following: 1. Observe and discuss the operations available to support the Oil and Gas sector in Trinidad and Tobago.

2. Examine the options available for monetising natural gas, and 3. Examine the commercial and fiscal arrangements in place to support the Oil and Gas sector.

As we approach November and the end of 2016, I would like to highlight and remind us of the role the following entities

play in relation to development of the Oil and Gas sector of Trinidad and Tobago: 1. Petroleum Company of Trinidad and Tobago Ltd. (PETROTRIN) is an integrated oil and gas company engaged in the full range of petroleum operations: exploration, development and production of hydrocarbons; and manufacturing and marketing of a wide range of petroleum products. In addition, PETROTRIN utilizes joint ventures to increase reserves and expand participation in upstream business operations. The company was incorporated in 1993, and is a wholly owned state enterprise, 100% owned by the Government of Trinidad & Tobago (GoTT).

2. The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Ltd (NGC) was established to purchase, compress, transport and distribute natural gas to industrial users, and there is a heavy focus on development of the local gas industry of Trinidad and Tobago. The company, incorporated in 1975, is 100% owned by the GoTT. 3. The Natural Energy Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago Ltd (NEL) was established to develop and manage the marine assets of Point Lisas, as well as manage the La Brea Estate which provides marine and infrastructure facilities. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago (NGC).

4. Phoenix Park Gas Processors Ltd (PPGPL) is a major natural gas process-

ing company that is 90% owned by the National Gas Company Ltd of Trinidad and Tobago (NGC).

5. Trinidad and Tobago National Petroleum Marketing Company Ltd (NP) is a diversified company involved in the marketing of petroleum fuels; LPG and CNG; manufacturing of its own line of lubricants, oils and greases; and blends oils for foreign brands, as well as provides aviation and marine fuels, inclusive of bunkering facilities.

In 2015, PETROTRIN made a loss of approximately TT$1.7B. Its foreign exchange contribution was TT$434M. In 2015, National Gas Company Ltd of Trinidad and Tobago (NGC) made a profit of TT$1.228B. It paid corporate tax of TT$562M, and contributed foreign exchange of TT$677M. In 2015, Natural Energy Corporation Ltd of Trinidad and Tobago (NEL) made a profit of TT$493M. There was no information on the corporate taxes or foreign exchange contribution it provided. In 2015, NP made a loss of TT$16.6M. It paid corporate tax of TT$6.6M and foreign exchange contribution of TT$185M. In 2015, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago launched the country’s largest Initial Public Offering (IPO), offering shares of 75.8M of Phoenix Park Gas Processors Ltd (PPGPL) to the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago. The offer was fully subscribed. In September 2016, it was reported in Loop News Trinidad and Tobago -- Looptt.com. -that the Government of

Trinidad and Tobago was interested in developing a partnership that would be mutually beneficial with the Government of Guyana as it relates to the Gas and Oil sector. The TT Government reasoned that it had spent large sums of money to upgrade the refinery with expectation that it would have been able to refine more crude of its own and import to the extent that there was refining capacity in Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana has crude, especially crude found by Exxon, whose core business is not refining. It may very well be that the possibility might exist for the Guyana crude to be refined by Trinidad and Tobago.

Editor, I wanted to highlight the above points, which I am certain the main actors in the framing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) would have taken into consideration; but I am not certain whether the issues surrounding Oil and Gas are fully appreciated in some other quarters. I believe that the Government of Guyana has to play the most important role as it relates to the development of the Oil and Gas sector; because I believe -- and I can substantiate it -- that it is only the Government that would have a serious interest in promoting a public/ private partnership and make available a Public Offering facility for the benefit of all Guyanese in and out of Guyana.

Perception, real or contrived, in politics and governance has significant sway and influence. It is through those lens that people often form

first and sometimes lasting impressions on issues. From a legal standpoint, no law has been broken; but where the law is perceived to be encroach-

ing on persons’ legitimate interests, judicious thought and action are required.

Arguably, this matter and many others in society must be

handled with the human touch, which is necessary in building positive relations, ensuring social cohesion, and forging national unity.

Regards, DUNSTAN BARROW

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Let us work in partnership to Michael Parris wanted to achieve a Guyana of zero hunger carry Guyana flag at Rio Dear Editor,

AS WE commemorate World Food Day on Sunday, 16 October 2016, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) joins with all member states, member organisations and associate members in commemorating the 37th Observance of World Food Day under the theme: “Climate is Changing: Food and Agriculture must too”.

World Food Day is devoted to analyzing how food and agriculture should evolve in order to face the impacts of climate change. Moreover, for World Food Day, we highlight the close link between climate change, sustainable agriculture, and food and nutrition security to show that without concerted action, millions more people could fall into poverty and hunger.

The situation is threatening to reverse the hard won gains and place in jeopardy our collective abilities to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Climate change, which gives rise to erratic weather patterns (high temperatures, intensive rainfall, floods, droughts, hurricanes), increases the incidence of pest and disease outbreaks (introduction of invasive species) and negatively impacts ecosystems, agriculture biodiversity, agriculture productivity, thus undermining global food security.

As usual, the people who are most vulnerable to these impacts are poor farm families, 70% of whom depend on subsistence farming, fishing or pastoralism for income and food.

There is enough evidence that climate change is already undermining our efforts to end hunger and all other forms of malnutrition by 2030. Indications are that nearly one billion people live in extreme poverty, with an estimated 800 million people remaining food insecure. To add to this dimension, the Caribbean region just last week experienced the onslaught of Hurricane Matthew, which ravaged our sister country Haiti, leaving thousands of Haitians dislocated, without food and water, with a high level of food insecurity, and exposed to the risk of disease infection (Haiti already had an extreme poverty rate of 47 percent).

There is growing inter-

national recognition that the agricultural sectors can play a transformative role in addressing the impacts of climate change. This World Food Day 2016 is an opportunity for us to identify how best to respond to these challenges, since agriculture and food systems must become more resilient, productive, inclusive and sustainable.

To bolster food and nutrition security in a changing climate, countries such as Guyana, which are vulnerable to high temperatures, floods and droughts, must address food and agriculture in their national climate policies and action plans, and invest more in building resilience in rural communities and in rural development.

Targeted investments in agriculture and rural sectors will build resilience and increase the incomes and productivity of small farmers, lifting thousands from poverty. Such investments will also help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and safeguard the health and well-being of eco-systems and all people who depend on them.

In November, the historic Paris Agreement on Climate Change will come into force. This will provide a much-needed boost to global efforts to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, limit temperature rises and

promote climate-compatible sustainable agriculture.

This global partnership and working together on climate change can seize the transformative potential of the agricultural sector.

On this occasion of World Food Day 2016, as we partner with the Ministry of Agriculture and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector to host an official ceremony and exhibition at the Mahaicony Community Ground, I urge all of us to take a holistic, collaborative, integrated and inclusive approach to climate change, food and nutrition security, and equitable social and economic development. In the words of the Secretary General of the UN: “the well-being of this generation and those to come depends on the actions we take now”. Let us work in partnership (Government, private sector development partners and civil society) to achieve a Guyana -- and by extension, a world -- of zero hunger, free from poverty and food insecurity; a Guyana and a world where no one would be left behind by 2030.

Regards, REUBEN ROBERTSON FAO Representative in Guyana

Dear Editor,

ON FRIDAY, October 14, 2016, I happened to be conducting some business at the Bourda Market when the vendor said to me that she would signal a taxi driver she usually uses to ferry me and the bulk of my load.

As I turned around to see the approaching driver, I asked her if that was the driver, and she said yes. I smiled and said to myself, ‘the gods must be crazy.’ As the driver pulled off, I looked at him and said, Olympian Parris?

His response was in the

affirmative. I went to work immediately and told him that a section of the media was demanding the current president of the Guyana Olympic Association and his establishment vacate office because of Guyana’s failure to secure a medal at the just-concluded Rio 2016 Olympic Games and what his opinion was.

As a reminder, this started the saga which led to other areas in question.

Olympian Michael Parris’s words to me were that he totally objects to anyone who is making such a claim, and the situation in question is beyond the

GOA. He further said that so many things need to get fixed, and we have to work together as a team. He also said he had expected he would have been asked to accompany Team Guyana to Rio and possibly be the flag-bearer because he is to date the only Guyanese to secure a medal.

I couldn’t take the conversation further because I am totally ignorant of the process, but perhaps GOA can take it from here.

Yours faithfully TREVOR PEMBERTON

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Gaskin woos Chinese investors

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Residents mum on ‘mystery’ aircraft …probe finds Colombian link

Guyana’s Ambassador to China, Bayney Karran makes a point at the event in the presence of Minister, Dominic Gaskin and another Chinese official

MINISTER of Business and Tourism, Dominic Gaskin last Wednesday declared that the economic priorities of the Government of Guyana can create opportunities for Chinese businesses in the areas of manufacturing, agriculture and infrastructure development.

He explained that Guyana, despite being a small economy, had natural resources and agricultural lands on par with more developed countries and that his government was seeking to fully exploit these advantages for the benefit of the Guyanese people. The Minister stressed that in order for Guyana to become a more competitive producer of secondary products it needs to rapidly accelerate its infrastructure development, and that this could create opportunities for Chinese companies with the necessary expertise.

The minister, who is in the Asian nation this week

to attend the 10th China-Latin America and Caribbean Trade Summit, told a high-powered group of Chinese investors that both Guyana and China can benefit by matching excess capacity in China’s infrastructural sector with Guyana’s need for improved infrastructure.

Addressing an audience of investors, CEOs, CARICOM Ambassadors and Chinese media representatives at Guyana’s Embassy in Beijing, Minister Gaskin stated that in order to better exploit its natural resources, Guyana needed access to expertise, technology and markets for agricultural products and other processed goods.

The Minister explained that with increased mechanisation and investments in the agricultural sector Guyana could be a key contributor to food security in the Caribbean. He advised representatives of several business groupings that they were welcome to

visit Guyana at any time in order to explore linkages and see for themselves the kinds of opportunities that existed.

He also issued an invitation to Chinese companies to attend the next GuyExpo which is scheduled for September, 2017.

In response to a query concerning airline connectivity, the Minister of Business acknowledged that Guyana did not currently have direct flights to many of the major global destinations and that this was due to the low demand resulting from Guyana’s small population and underdeveloped tourism potential. He stated that Guyana was promoting nature tourism and that the issue of low airlift would be addressed as tourism to Guyana increases.

The well attended event was organised to highlight Guyana’s investment prospects and to introduce the Minister to the Chinese business sector.

New CEO for GPL soon ‒ Chairman

CHAIRMAN of the Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL), Mr. Robert Badal, has said the position of Chief Executive Officer of that entity will soon be filled, as the company seeks to improve its overall performance.

Badal recently told reporters at a media briefing

hosted at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown that Acting Chief Executive Officer Renford Homer is ‘stretched’ (overworked) and the position has to be filled.

According to a vacancy advertised in the media, the new CEO will direct, administer and coordinate the internal operational activities of Turn to page 12 ►

Chairman of the GPL Board of Directors, Robert Badal

Brigadier (Ret’d) Edward Collins, Commissioner of the Commission of Inquiry, handing over the Preliminary Report to Minister of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon, earlier today

THE aircraft that was discovered at Yupukari, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo last month originated from Colombia-a major illicit drug-producing country, preliminary findings into an inquiry conducted have revealed.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon on Monday received the Preliminary Report from the Commission of Inquiry, which was established to probe the discovery of the aircraft near the village of Yupukari, Upper Essequibo-Upper Takutu on September 13, 2016. The Report was handed over by Brigadier (Ret’d) Edward Collins at the Ministry of the Presidency.

Brigadier Collins, who was commissioned to investigate, examine, advise and report on the circumstances under which the foreign aircraft, was discovered on September 13, 2016 entered into the country, said that investigations, up to this point, have revealed that the aircraft originated from Colombia, with its destination being Guyana.

“The aircraft was discovered by the Joint Services on September [13] but it was in that location long before that. There is enough evidence to suggest that the aircraft came from Colombia and was on its way to Guyana. It developed engine problems and the pilots had

a requirement to conduct a certain manoeuvre in order not to lose consciousness and when they got to Guyana, because the aircraft could not start, it remained there for a while. We have evidence to suggest that the residents found that site by August 18, 2016,” he noted.

The Commissioner noted that during the investigations, it was also discovered that the residents were not forthcoming with the provision of information to security forces and that it is likely that recommendations will include the development of better relations and communication between the security sector and members of communities in those areas.

“All of the Toshaos were interviewed and I do not know why they were unwilling to provide the information they had to the security forces. I can only assume that based on the evidence that I have received so far, that the relationship between the villages and the security forces is not as [we would have] expected,” he said.

Concurrent to the COI, a Joint Services team, headed

by Superintendent Hugh Denheart of the Guyana Police Force is conducting investigations and will pursue and probe the areas beyond the scope of the Terms of Reference of the Commission. The final report of the Commission will be present-

ed on November 16, 2016.

Minister Harmon, who received the report, expressed Government’s gratitude for the work, which has been completed so far, even as he noted that the administration looks forward to the final document and its findings and recommendations.

“I expect that within the time left for the completion of the final report that we would be able to present it to His Excellency so I want to thank you for this Report and to urge you to continue at the same pace at which you have gone ahead in producing this Preliminary Report. We look forward to the final report when its gets here, as well as the recommendations for improving the communication in the hinterland and our borders and the timeliness of that information [being transmitted] to the centre where the decisions have to be made…,” Minister Harmon said.

The plane, bearing registration number N767Z, was first brought to the attention of officials on Tuesday, September 13, 2016 by a resident of the area. The following day, Wednesday, September 14, a Joint Army and Police team, inclusive of CANU, was dispatched to the location to conduct investigations. (Ministry of the Presidency)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Big payout for Businessman to public servants give statement ‒ teachers, nurses, soldiers among others to benefit ‒ reportedly paid arsonists $40,000 to torch Gafoors bond PUBLIC servants will from this week receive Government’s promised differentiated salary increases which range from 1 per cent to 10 per cent, Finance Minister Winston Jordan announced on Monday.

At a press conference held at his Main Street Office, Minister Jordan said, “The money would be in pay packets this week… at the end of this week and next week.”

He urged all public servants to “please spend wisely”. The salary increases will be retroactive from January this year. In August, the Government announced that it has made a final offer of 10 per cent increase in salaries for public servants earning below $99,000, and an offer of 1-6 per cent for other categories of workers.

Government’s position has been rejected by the Guyana Public Service

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

Union (GPSU), which represents the rights and welfare of workers.

GPSU’s initial proposal was for 40 per cent across the board for public servants. This was subsequently reduced to 25 per cent. In response, the Government

proposed a differentiated approach to the increases with the aim of providing the greatest relief to public servants at the bottom of the salary structure.

As such, Government proposed a 6 per cent increase for persons earning less than $100,000, a 5 per cent increase for those earning between $100,000 and $300,000, 4.5 per cent for persons earning $300,000 to $800,000, while persons earning $800,000 to $1,000,000 will receive a 2 per cent increase and those earning over $1M will receive $1 per cent increase.

Traditional public servants including teachers, nurses, soldiers, the disciplined services, as well as some semi-autonomous agencies like the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), and the Bureau of Statistics will also benefit from the increases, Minister Jordan stated.

No change from chlorine ‒ GWI raps media for causing public panic DECLARING that it has not replaced chlorine as its main purifier of water, the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) has dismissed reports carried in some sections of the media that it has turned to the yet untried and untested Antinfek to purify water.

GWI, in a statement on Monday, said Antinfek is an organic chemical being researched by the company for effective disinfection prior to distribution to the public; but it has not been put to use and has not replaced chlorine for the decontamination of water.

“GWI also wishes to categorically state that chlorine is being used as the sole disinfecting agent in all the treatment plants, while laboratory studies are being done on the use of other treatment alternatives.”

GWI has revealed that for the period September– October 2016, it purchased 342 cylinders of chlorine gas

Managing Director of GWI, Dr. Van West-Charles

from JCI Jones Chemicals and ANSA McAL Group of Companies to treat water. As the nation’s sole water utility, GWI is cautioning media outlets to thoroughly research and investigate their findings before publishing articles that seek to cause public panic.

According to the GWI statement, Managing Director Dr. Richard Van WestCharles had noted with deep concern the inadequate efforts that were being placed

on disinfection and filtration when he took over at the helm of the organisation.

Thus the decision was made to research the use of Antinfek as a means of boosting the treatment of water to ensure an overall better quality of water intended for distribution.

“With quality as a top priority, GWI is constantly finding new solutions to reduce the prevalence of water-borne diseases, especially in hinterland and riverine areas. One such method for improved quality is the use of filters which have been (subjected) to robust analysis and have been proven to effectively and consistently remove microbial contamination. Additionally, GWI has implemented a 24-hour laboratory at its Shelter Belt location to test water for any contamination, even as it moves to establish mini labs at all of its water treatTurn to page 19 ►

Firefighters battling the blaze at Gafoors’ Houston Complex on October 10

A BUSINESSMAN accused of paying two men $40,000 to set fire to the Gafoors Houston Complex, East Bank Demerara bond on October 10, is expected to give a statement to the police.

According to reports, a suspect held in connection with the fire told investigators that the City businessman hired two men to touch Gafoors’ Houston Complex Bond.

The fire completely destroyed Bond Six of the complex, which was rebuilt to the tune of US$2M and contained some US$2M in

stocks.

The bond went up in flames the first day it was reopened after it was destroyed in a blaze on May 9, in a fire that threatened to devour the entire complex.

The suspect was caught at 2:00 am Sunday morning in the Gafoors Compound by the company’s security.

Under interrogation, the man reportedly informed investigators that the two men managed to set the bond ablaze. Reports reveal that the two men gained access to the Gafoors compound using a boat they boarded at the Meadow Bank Wharf.

The men then travelled and docked under Gafoors wharf at the rear of the complex and gained access to the complex at the back of the building by climbing onto a canopy.

Once they reached their target, the men reportedly sprayed gasoline through the southern vent before lighting the building on fire.

Gafsons Industries Executive Chairman, Sattaur Gafoor had revealed that a US investigator will soon arrive in Guyana to fully investigate the circumstances under which the fire occurred.

Diamond supermarket, shoppers robbed millions FIVE young men armed with handguns robbed and terrorised shoppers Monday morning at the HUA Supermarket at Lot 521, Section A, Block Y, Great Diamond Public Road, East Bank Demerara.

Reports revealed that the men drove up in a heavily tinted Toyota Spacio and barged into the supermarket where they held up more than 20 persons, including the proprietor in the supermarket.

The men, who appeared to have an idea that the Chinese-owned supermarket was restocking for the day, grabbed millions of dollars from the cash register before proceeding to rob shoppers, who they locked in a storage room.

“The place was opened up and the shutter was not pulled

The supermarket that was robbed on Monday

down, so people still keep coming into the supermarket, and as they come in, the men stick them up and take their cell phones and valuable and lock them in the storage room,” one of the victims said.

According to an employee, the business has been in operation for less than two years and Monday was the first time it was robbed.

The employee also revealed that one of the relatives of the Chinese owner was beaten and asked to provide more cash.

After grabbing all the currency they can put their hands on, the bandits collected the shoppers’ phones, phone cards, cigarettes and removed the security DVR system before making good their escape.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Lifebuoy goes to school

‒ teaches children the art of proper handwashing

The event, which was held at the school’s David Street, Kitty premises and primarily targetted Grade One pupils, was used to encourage children in the simple habit of washing their hands, using just plain soap and water.

The guiding principle behind developing such a habit, and at an early age, is because it has been medically proven that proper handwashing can help prevent the spread of certain diseases, especially diarrhea, which reportedly kills about 2000 children every year, and pneumonia, which accounts for the loss of another two million annually.

internationally as well,” DeRoche said. “We did it for the whole of last week; we did a total of seven schools, and are reaching about 720 students in Berbice and Georgetown.”

HAPPY TO HELP According to Ms Anjanie Hackett, Managing Director of D&A Advertising, the agency used by Unilever to market its products, they’re more than happy to be a part of Lifebuoy’s Corporate Source of Responsibility (CSR) project.

“Lifebuoy has been known to work with children all around the world, and they go around to teach children how to clean and wash their hands properly,” Hackett said.

alone, so, whoever or wherever they can get that information from can be useful.”

The exercise was helped along immensely by the use of a mini-skit by local raconteurs, Mr Michael Khan and Ms Natasha Azeez which grabbed the attention of the first-graders. It showed how germs can be spread easily, and what can be done to get rid of dirt and germs, while promoting a healthy lifestyle.

GHD Global Handwashing Day is observed on October 15 annually since its inception in 2008. It was so designated by the United Nation General Assembly.

GHD has been echoing and reinforcing the call for

Michael Khan and Natasha Azeez teaching children how to wash their hands properly

UNILEVER Guyana, local distributors of the ever popular Lifebuoy toilet soap, yesterday spent the

day teaching children at the F.E Pollard Primary the principles of proper handwashing.

Grade One pupils of F.E Pollard Primary paying keen attention at Global Handwashing Day event

As Unilever Guyana’s Market Development Manager, Jackie DeRoche explained, the purpose of having such an exercise around Global Handwashing Day (GHD), celebrated the world over on October 15, is to educate children on how to prevent germs and sicknesses through washing their hands regularly.

“We do it in an array of Caribbean countries, and

The school’s headmistress, Ms Dawn Collins also weighed in on the subject, saying that the initiative is very educating to the younger students.

“It is important because, many times, they come down with all kinds of sicknesses that can be avoided if they had washed their hands,” Collins said, adding: “We cannot depend on the home or the school

New CEO for... the company in accordance with policies, goals and objectives established by the Board of Directors.

The advert has said that the successful candidate will lead and direct the activities of the divisions of the company, including those in regard to operations, customer services, human resources, information technology, loss reduction, finance, and projects.

“The Chief Executive Officer shall promote positive relations with internal

and external stakeholders, including the shareholder (the Government of Guyana), customers, regulators, the private sector and the public,” the advertisement noted.

The successful candidate is required to have a professional degree in electrical or mechanical engineering from a recognised university, along with experience at the executive management level in a large electric utility business or other industrial business.

“A master’s degree or

improved hygienic practices worldwide, with the guiding vision being to make handwashing with soap both a local and global culture.

It has been found that although people around the world tend to wash their hands with water, very few do so with soap at critical moments, such as after using the toilet, while cleaning a child, and before handling food.

From page 8

higher professional degree in electrical or mechanical engineering, or finance or business administration, plus 10 years’ relevant and proven experience would be an advantage,” the advertisement said.

Colin Welch, the former acting Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Power & Light Company, was earlier this year fingered in a questionable Chinese contract, and in one case had his qualifications come under review.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

PANCAP, K4 Health unite ‒ to enhance knowledge generation among PANCAP members

By Svetlana Marshall THE Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV&AIDS (PANCAP) has formed a partnership with the Knowledge for Health (K4Health) Project to enhance knowledge generation, sharing and learning among PANCAP members.

The 18-month project, being executed at a cost of US$800,000, was launched on Monday at Georgetown’s Cara Lodge with the primary objective being to enhance PANCAP’s response to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) ‘Test and Start’ Guidelines.

In his address to reporters at the launching ceremony, made in the presence of Public Health Minister Dr. George Norton, PANCAP Director Dereck Springer underscored PANCAP’s critical role in reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS, and enabling treatment.

He pointed out that new infections fell from 27,000 cases in 2000 to 13,000 cases in 2014, while AIDS-related deaths fell by more than half -– from 18,000 in 2000 to 8,800 in 2014; and antiretroviral coverage increased to approximately 52 per cent from less than five per cent of the eligible population in 2001.

However, he said the work of the partnership of Government and non-governmental bodies, established in 2001 to facilitate a coordinated regional response to HIV/ AIDS, will be further boosted

Public Health Minister Dr. George Norton addressing reporters at Cara Lodge Hotel in the presence of PANCAP Director Dereck Springer; K4Health PANCAP Knowledge Management Coordinator Dr. Shanti Singh-Anthony, and Knowledge Management Advisor from Johns Hopkins University, Sarah Fohl

with the help of K4Health Project.

The new partnership, Springer posited, will transform the way knowledge-management and sharing is done among PANCAP member countries, particularly in regard to the new WHO guidelines for HIV/AIDS treatment eligibility.

“Study evidence shows that the earlier persons living with HIV start antiretroviral treatment, they have better health outcomes,” he said.

However, Springer said that in order to achieve the paradigm shift, the resources required for diagnostics and treatment, staff education, and clear and consistent public messaging about the benefits of Test and Start must be understood by health and other key decision-makers; hence partnership is critical in this regard.

SHARING INFORMATION “The K4Health Project will assist with packaging and sharing vital information, necessary for PANCAP members to begin the process of educating health-care workers and the public about commencing treatment immediately after an HIV positive diagnosis,” he explained.

The K4Health Project, based in Baltimore, United States, is funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Global Health, Office of Population and Reproductive Health, and is implemented by the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programmes (CCP).

Knowledge Management Advisor to Johns Hopkins University, Sarah Fohl, said: “Our goal is to bring PAN-

CAP partners together to share best practices and improve access to information that is vital to HIV testing and early treatment in concise, well-packaged communication products that can be easily accessed and utilised by policy-makers, health-care professionals, civil society organisations, and all entities involved in the eradication of the virus”.

As such, K4Health Project will conduct a number of knowledge-sharing events and workshops for PANCAP, which has a membership of 65 countries and organisations.

Fohl also noted that the partnership would result in the revamping and re-launching of PANCAP’s website with fact sheets, policy documents, brochures, and other communication products which would concisely illustrate the importance of commencing early HIV treatment after a

positive diagnosis.

K4Health/PANCAP Knowledge Management Coordinator Dr. Shanti Singh-Anthony echoed similar sentiments. She noted that best practices and innovative models for care that reduce stigma and discrimination would also be highlighted.

“Through the application of knowledge management techniques and approaches, these complex issues will be developed into concise, graphically appealing and user-friendly communication productions,” Dr. Singh-Anthony added.

In recommitting the K4Health Project, she said the organisation would work closely with “PANCAP and all of its partners to ensure that knowledge management translates into bridging the treatment gap and ending AIDS in our region”.

PRAISE Public Health Minister Dr. George Norton, in offering brief remarks, lauded the contributions made by PANCAP to the region. He said Guyana has reaped, and continues to reap, the benefits not only from PANCAP but also from other key international donors and partners.

“For example, our records indicate that in 2015, more than 55 thousand HIV tests were provided, increasing from 17.9 per cent of key populations in 2014 to 22.5 per cent in 2015. At the end of 2015, we have maintained 4,551 persons on free, high-quality antiretroviral therapy, which has helped improve quality of life and treatment outcomes,” Minister Norton pointed out.

He said the country’s commitment to reaching the 90-90-90 goals of the WHO Test and Start by 2020, and ending AIDS by 2030, will require unconventional, outof-the-box thinking. However, with the help of PANCAP, the country will make significant strides.

“With PANCAP’s support, Guyana has explored innovative financing mechanisms and developed recommendations to ensure that our response continues to be adequately funded, sustaining the gains we have made so far,” he declared.

The K4Health-PANCAP Project, based at PANCAP Coordinating Unit (PCU) in Georgetown, is a PEPFAR/ USAID-funded initiative to support PANCAP in its role as a regional coordinator and knowledge facilitator.

Audit finds discrepancies at City Hall

By Telesha Ramnarine THE Auditor General’s 2015 Report has found several “discrepancies” in the way the allotted $300M to the City Council was spent during the year.

The sum of money was allotted for the Georgetown restoration initiatives for environmental improvement and improved health and well-being, and according to the Appropriation Account, the full amount was expended as at December 31, 2015.

“The sum of $300M allotted for audit examination revealed that $6.200M was expended for the purchase of a double cab pick-up for the city police, $52.163M for the

de-bushing of the Le Repentir Cemetery, and $241.637M for the restoration of Georgetown,” the report explained.

However, after a total of 212 payment vouchers were examined, a number of discrepancies were found including that there were 167 instances, totaling $159.968M, where there was no evidence of the payment vouchers being certified by the accountant or any other authorised officer.

Further, approval by the City Treasurer was not seen on 140 payment vouchers totaling $143.682M. According to the report, there was also no evidence of the Finance Committee approving 58 payments totaling

48.404M, and no evidence of receipt or payee acknowledgement for a payment of $750,000 to a contractor via cheque #164407587.

“The basis of award of several contracts for the weeding of parapets, desilting of drains and cutting down of trees in various areas around Georgetown could not be determined due to the unavailability of the relevant supporting documents,” the report further noted, and as a result, it could not be ascertained whether proper transparency and accountability was exercised in the awarding of contracts.

Meanwhile, Communities Minister, Ronald Bulkan

had recently requested a financial statement from the City Council because he said he saw the need for a perusal of such in order to enable

proper decision-making.

According to a source, the minister was provided the statement by Georgetown Mayor, Patricia

Chase-Green, and he has since concluded that the City Council is not in a financial crisis that the public is led to believe.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Jordan flays Auditor General - says 2015 audit report riddled with errors

By Ariana Gordon

FINANCE Minister Winston Jordan has chided Auditor General (AG) Deodat Sharma for some aspects of the Auditor General’s Report for 2015, noting that it was aimed at placing the APNU+AFC coalition Administration in a negative light.

Speaking on Monday at a Finance Ministry press conference, Minister Jordan made it clear that many of the things reported on in the AG’s report and publicised in the press were “taken out of context” and were “designed to inflame, rather than educate and inform”.

Jordan said the many inaccuracies found in the AG Report could have been avoided had Sharma consulted with the Finance Ministry, as he had

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

done in the past.

“There was a period, not so long ago, when the Auditor General’s Report, before it was published, used to come right here in the Ministry

of Finance. I am not talking tales out of school, you know I worked here almost all my life, where it was edited for content and other things before it was published. Today that doesn’t happen anymore,” he said.

He added: “The Auditor General is now under the PAC, he doesn’t have to ask the Minister of Finance anything; he could write what he feels like writing and then produce his report. The Minister of Finance doesn’t see the AG’s Report before it is published.

Indeed, there is no such requirement; not even by way of courtesy,” said the Finance Minister.

His utterance was supported by Accountant General Jawahar Persaud, who was also part of the press conference on Monday. Persaud said he worked for a number of years with the Finance Ministry, and since the start of his tenure, the Auditor General has been consulting with senior officers of the Finance Ministry before publishing his report.

“He would send out an initial audit report as per normal audit, and we are required to respond. And in that regard, myself; the Deputy Finance Secretary, who is the accounting officer of the Ministry; and the Finance Secretary will attend that meeting, and we will have a discourse with the Auditor General (wherein) we

would iron out certain misinformation or corrections to his report,” Persaud stated.

This has, however, stopped happening, according to both Minister Jordan and the Accountant General.

NOT TRYING TO INTERFERE But even as a fiery Minister Jordan lambasted the Auditor General for the inaccuracies in the 2015 report, he made it clear that he was not, in any way, attempting to interfere with his work. He said what he expects is that the Finance Ministry be given a hearing.

“For me, if you want to dabble in those and any other area, to be quite honest, an opportunity to be heard is the least we would ask for,” he said, as he stressed that he was not in a position to tell the Auditor General how to carry out his functions.

“I am not telling the Auditor General how to do his work; he does his work however he wants to. But I would expect from an autonomous, independent institution a level of integrity, professionalism and competence when these things are being produced,” Minister Jordan said.

Noting that he can in no way influence the Auditor General’s Report, Minister Jordan said what he finds strange is the move from “one extreme, where it (AG’s re-

port) comes here and used to be edited before it got printed; to the other extreme, where it doesn’t come here anymore, and gets printed unedited without any opportunity for us to explain anything that may appear to be out of the ordinary.”

The Finance Minister said, too, that the way the 2015 AG

Auditor General Deodat Sharma

Report was written suggested that the APNU-AFC Administration was accountable for all of 2015, when in fact it took office only in May that year.

“We are not asking for praise, all we are asking for is factual reporting,” he stated. “You (The Auditor General) made a statement saying we did not spend $20 billion in capital expenditure, and revenues were short by $781 million. These are budgetary matters. If you are going to comment on them, ask the people who are the specialists…. A budget is just what it says: it is an estimate; your best estimate, given certain objec-

tive conditions,” he added.

Asked whether he believes the actions of the Auditor General are politically motivated, the Finance Minister declined to comment, saying: “I won’t go down that road.”

He however said he has no intention to have legislative changes be made to mandate the Auditor General to consult with him before publishing his report.

NO ROLE “I don’t want to trample on the Auditor’s autonomy,” he declared. Jordan has, meanwhile, made note of Government’s spending from the Contingencies Fund, stressing that the Auditor General has no role questioning such spending.

“The Constitution (makes) the Minister of Finance the sole individual to determine the exigency, emergency…of the matter; for which he can dig his hand into the Contingency Fund (and) soon thereafter bring it to the Parliament for ex-post approval. In this he does not have to consult with the AG. Being a member of Cabinet, he consults with his Cabinet, and it is his Cabinet at the end of the day who’d give (him) the instruction,” the Finance Minister said.

If the Auditor General wants to determine whether the use of money from the Contingencies Fund was an

emergency is of no consequence under law. “I don’t have to explain anything to the AG; I have to explain to the Parliament…. So running around hollering about the APNU government can’t account for $600M or $500M… is playing to the gallery,” Minister Jordan said.

The minister said that when Government took office, it was under lots of pressure to prepare a budget in a short time frame. He also noted the pressures it had been subjected to by neighbouring Venezuela, which resulted in Government using money from the Contingencies Fund for GDF exercises.

“We can’t say zero contingencies will happen….

There was one Contingency Fund request from the Government from May to December last year, and it represented 0.36 per cent of our budgeted expenditure for last year. For similar periods in 2011, contingencies fund request represented 4.8 per cent of the budget: 2.77 per cent in 2012; 1.13 per cent in 2013, and 1.2 per cent in 2014,” the minister stated.

Minister Jordan has given assurance of his administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability in the public sector.

Calls to the Auditor General for comment on the minister’s statements went unanswered.

Pouderoyen murder trial...

Defendant’s daughter, son testify - tell similar story THE trial of Nicola Joseph for the alleged murder of her reputed husband on July 21, 2014, began yesterday before a 12-member jury and Justice Jo-Ann Barlow in the High Court.

Joseph, who allegedly committed the act at the couple’s Lot 12 Plantain Walk, Klein Pouderoyen, West Coast Demerara home, is being represented by Sonia Parag, while the state prosecutors are Siand Dhurjon and Tameika Clarke.

Of a total of eight witnesses expected to testify in this trial, three did so yesterday, among them were two of Joseph’s own children.

Treavona Joseph, the accused’s 17-year-old daughter, testified yesterday that she and seven other persons, including her mom and the deceased, Curtis McKinnon, were at home on the night the incident occurred.

She told the court that the

deceased was her step-father; that she’d known him two years prior to the incident; and that they both lived at the same residence.

Treavona recalled her mother leaving the house on July 20, 2014 to go to the Guyana National Stadium to watch cricket and returning after her step-dad did.

She said when her stepdad came home that night, it was around 21:00 hrs. She said he collected his two daughters from her, and the three of them went into their bedroom. She subsequently went to bed herself.

She was not sure what time her mother returned home, as she was sound asleep when she did; she, however, recalled being awoken by loud noises, and hearing her mother saying, “Curt, dis a wha you gone to now!

Beating me!”

At that point, Treavona said, her brother, Joshua

Peru, went to the bedroom their mother and step-dad shared and asked them to stop fighting, but they paid him no mind.

Treavona, in her evidence-in-chief, related that there was a loud talking between her parents, but she could not make out what they were saying. She also heard things being moved in the bedroom.

She said that some 10 to 15 minutes later, she heard her mother call out for help, and her brother, Joshua, going into the bedroom once again, and coming out saying, “Uncle Curt get juk up.”

Joseph told the court that she went to collect her sisters, one of whom was crying from the bed in her parents’ bedroom but did not see anything.

She said she did not see anything in her mother’s hands, but recalled seeing her on the phone, and two hours

thereafter, she gave the police a statement.

BLOOD-STAINED NETTING Also testifying was Constable Alex Solomon, who brought a blood-stained mosquito netting, a knife which is alleged to be the murder weapon and a blue bloodstained bed sheet to court.

He said he found the brown-handled stainless steel knife at the crime scene; he said he retrieved it after he observed that it had reddish spots on it which appeared to be blood.

The knife and the green, bloodied netting were tendered and admitted as evidence in the trial yesterday.

However, under cross-examination, Solomon told Defence Counsel Sonia Parag that he did not tell anyone about the knife he found at the scene, since he regarded it as evidential value, and could

have been used as the murder weapon.

He admitted that he later told Inspector Burnette about his find, and lodged it with the Station Sergeant for safe-keeping.

Solomon, when questioned, said his duty was to preserve the crime scene, and he collected the knife, but it was not dusted for fingerprints, and could not say whether the accused had held that particular knife.

He later said he was unsure whether the blood on the knife was human or not, but he collected the knife because he did not want anyone to tamper with it.

The accused’s son, Joshua, also testified yesterday, whereby he gave a similar testimony to that of his sister, Treavona.

Inspector Lalbachan Dyal also testified and brought with him a notebook in which he had made recordings to his

benefit as a reminder about the July 20, 2014 murder.

The matter has been adjourned to 09:00hrs today.

It is alleged that McKinnon, 38, a father of four, was fatally stabbed during a row with the accused.

Reports are that neighbours heard the couple arguing; they were alerted to the stabbing by Joseph’s 18-yearold son, who ran out of the house and summoned them.

McKinnon was found bleeding on a mattress, and was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

According to police reports, McKinnon was allegedly stabbed in his neck by his common-law wife, while the two were involved in a domestic row. The woman, identified as Nicola Joseph called ‘Nicky’ then went to a nearby police station and filed a report and was arrested.

Arts from the heart 15

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

By Margaret Burke

ART AND CRAFT “are objects that are meant to be both useful and beautiful”, so fittingly described b y M e r r i a m - We b s t e r.

There is no limitation to how far the artist could or would go in crafting pieces, whether costume jewelry, interior or exterior decorative pieces (large and small), tools, or even

times I would just smile or just find myself laughing at what I did. Then I know that it is not just me; it is someone greater than me doing it through me,” the gleeful artist explained.

Most of the persons who are now involved in the work of creating art and craft pieces have said they started from an early age… always striving to create something ‘beautiful’. They

such as feathers, straws, beads, tibisiri grass, cotton twine and a whole lot more items into beautifully finished craft products. In the process, she employs her simple tools, such as

bash creations for eating and decorative purposes. There are also ornaments made of horn; arrows and bows made from sticks and bamboos; carvings that are mainly used for decorative items,

Neville and Iris Callistro proudly displaying many of their products

Maria Raymundo of Annai, Region 9

Inez Samaria Hernandez of St Ignatius Mission, Region 9 drinking or eating utensils.

One artist noted, “When I am doing a piece, small or large, sometimes I myself do not know where it may carry me. Sometimes I just real-

concluded that what they do is not necessarily ‘hard work’, but more technical work that “stimulates the brain,” “touches the soul,” and according to another,

various types of knitting and sewing needles or basic kitchen knives or scissors, and her ability to bend and twist these items into artful shapes and intricate designs, making what had appeared ordinary suddenly take on very complex and intricate designs.

The weaving, the carving, the knitting, the sewing; in fact, the whole idea of making ‘cotton twine’ from the natural crude cotton, which ends up knitted or sewn into handbags, table centres, chair-backs and other items are part of what Inez does well.

Mrs. Maria Raymundo, also of Annai, Region Nine, is very skillful in making a variety of handiwork. Photo-

mainly in offices and homes.

These are all made from different types of wood that can be found in the interior.

Although her items are not on display at the exhibition, Mrs. Raymundo explained, she and other women are involved in making other items, such as hammocks, cassava casreep, cassava bread, farine, and other edible items from cassava.

Maria’s husband (seen in photo below) is very supportive of her work, and is involved in the production processes with her. One of her beautiful pieces of em-

The jovial and lively couple are creators and suppliers of various art and craft products, as well as other Indigineous products. These products include cassava bread, cassava casreep, pure cassava (piwari) wine, ‘fly’ (potato wine), cada, farine, wild meat, and other items.

Neville and Iris Callistro proudly displaying many of their products Many articles are made of wood, such as carvings, wall plaques and other products for common use in offices and the like. There are also decorative items that have been knitted; nicely embroidered cloths for various uses; baskets that have been very skilfully turned out in different shapes and for different purposes; or-

Neville and Iris Callistro originate from Kabakaburi, Upper Pomeroon River, Region Two. They work together as a wonderful husband-and-wife team who class themselves as creating “The Real thing.”

ize that I am going, going, going and can’t stop until I finish something; and then I would even be surprised at what I was able to do. I feel that when I get going I can do anything in the form of art and craft.

“Sometimes I could only say, ‘Wow! Wow!’ Some-

“Gives you a drive for accomplishment.”

EXHIBITION Inez Samaria Hernandez of St Ignatius Mission, Region 9, can be considered an expert in her field of work.

She adeptly uses her hands to convert ordinary items

graphed with her below is an assortment of art and craft items. These include excellently embroidered hand towels, plate mats, centres and wall plaques.

Maria also excels in crafting tibisiri into colourful fruit baskets, centres, trays and other items; cala-

broidered work is also set in photo below.

Neville and Iris Callistro originate from Kabakaburi, Upper Pomeroon River, Region Two. They work together as a wonderful husband-and-wife team who class themselves as creating “The Real thing.”

naments for everyday use, as well as for particular festive occasions; attractive head-dresses made of feathers and used by most tribes; and several colourful feathers.

Then there were quite a few beaded pieces that were intricately designed as

costume accessories for both men and women; colourful Amerindian musical instruments made at the cost of much labour; drums made of hollowed trunks and the skins of animals, especially the Howler monkey; flutes, rattles and pipes, all on display.

WORKABLE ITEMS The fact is that Guyana possesses some of the most beautiful beads; and these, coming in various sizes and colours, are ‘ready’ for use in creating fine-looking costume jewelry and other craft work. There are workable straws, branches and leaves; cotton – both white and brown -- useful for creating hammocks, bags and other artistic pieces; even fine pieces of wood and bamboo that can be used for making baskets and other items, carved pieces and the like.

However, many of these items are not that easily accessible in the towns and coastland of Guyana, but are more likely found in the interior locations.

What is equally interesting is the fact that these art and craft materials are not just found and used. For continuum, they have to be encouraged to grow, which sometimes demands nourishing and spreading further on, or even replanting.

The interesting pieces of art and craft were created and presented by the Indigenous Peoples of Guyana, who mostly travelled from the interior locations, such as Regions Two and Nine. They brought with them ‘arts from the heart’, which captivated those who visited the exhibition.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Agreement signed to tackle offshore tax evasion assessment to allow for a proactive approach to address anti-money laundering and terrorist financing. The results of this exercise will allow us to examine to what extent Guyana is compliant with the Financial Action Task Force recommendations,” he added.

The Government of Guyana, he reminded, has a pre-existing tax information arrangement with the US Government, but needs assistance with its implementation.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan and US Ambassador Perry Holloway exchanging signed FACTA Agreements and handshakes on Monday afternoon at the Ministry of Finance

By Ariana Gordon THE Governments of Guyana and the United States of America have signed the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FACTA), an agreement to fight offshore tax evasion.

The signing took place on Monday at the Ministry of Finance on Main Street, Georgetown. Describing the signing as “significant and historic”, Finance Minister Winston Jordan said the agreement represents the end of a long-travelled road and the beginning of a new phase in Guyana-US cooperation in tax and anti-money laundering matters.

Enacted in 2010 by the US Congress, FACTA is designed to prevent tax fraud and evasion by US taxpayers using offshore banking facilities. It creates a new regime of automatic tax information-sharing between financial institutions, and requests foreign international institutions to identity and report information about accounts held

by US taxpayers in their

jurisdictions.

FACTA also forms part of a global movement towards the automatic exchange of information on non-resident financial bank account data among tax authorities. The automatic exchange of information has the potential to increase transparency, cooperation and accountability among financial institutions, said Jordan; who also noted that it encourages taxpayers to voluntarily disclose all relevant information to tax authorities.

“Guyana chose to be involved in this important venture not only because it will help to reduce tax evasion in the US, but also in Guyana,” the Finance Minister stated, while adding that to fulfill the potential of FACTA as an important weapon in the fight against tax evasion and avoidance, Guyana is required to undertake several measures, which include the improving and strengthening of legislative arrangements.

He cited as an example, Guyana’s amendment of the

Financial Institutions Act, Cap 85:03 Laws of Guyana, to designate the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) as the competent authority to act on behalf of the Government of Guyana.

“This will allow for the financial institutions to provide the GRA with customer information on reportable accounts. The sharing of information across countries is important for the enforcement of domestic tax laws. By working together to increase transparency, both Guyana and the US would be able to detect and deter abuse of the tax system in both countries. It will enable greater accountability within the global financial sector,” he said.

POSITIVE STEP Minister Jordan declared that the signing of the FACTA agreement represents another step in the countries’ cooperation with each other to combat money laundering and tax evasion and avoidance.

He said, too, that improving financial regulations and

cooperation with international regulators has become an urgent priority, as the loss of correspondent banking relationships due to de-risking has put much pressure on financial institutions in Guyana and the Caribbean region.

“Healthy correspondent banking relationships are essential because they facilitate trade, foster economic growth, (and) create avenues for growing businesses and providing access to financial services,” he stressed.

The effects of de-risking are already being felt by many countries within the Caribbean, and the Finance Minister believes if de-risking is allowed to continue, all Caribbean states can expect some level of economic instability, financial exclusion, and ultimately economic collapse.

“The implementation of FACTA, therefore, is only one aspect of Guyana’s recent efforts to strengthen the regulation of its financial sector. This year, Guyana undertook a national

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE “Mr. Ambassador, we are not unaware of the onerous burden and the grave financial and human costs placed upon us to meet the requirements of the organisations proposing this new regulation. We will therefore require technical and other assistance if these regulations are to be implemented in a timely and efficient manner,” said Minister Jordan to US Ambassador Perry Holloway.

In brief remarks, Ambassador Holloway said the US and Guyana have been working on the FACTA agreement for just over two years, and the signing represents formalising of what has been occurring all along.

“This gives us a nice formal framework to ensure we are compliant. We welcome Guyana’s commitments to intensifying their cooperation to improve international tax compliance. Today’s signing makes a significant step forward in our countries’ (working) collaboratively to combat offshore tax evasion, an objective that mutually benefits our two countries,” said the US Ambassador.

He explained that FACTA introduces reporting requirements for foreign institutions with respect to certain accounts held by US citizens and certain foreign entities to which US persons have substantial ownership interests.

“Access to information from other countries is critically important to the

full and fair enforcement of domestic tax laws. Information exchange is a top priority for the US,” he added, while noting that the US has been a leader for creating new international standards for greater transparency. “ To d a y, t h i s s i g n i n g of this FACTA agreement here with Guyana signals our joint commitment to building a stronger, more stable and accountable global financial system,” he said.

Ambassador Holloway said collaboration between the two countries to detect, deter, and discourage offshore tax abuses and increase transparency and enhanced reporting should serve as another example of the deep ties that bind Guyana and the US. GRA Commissioner General Godfrey Statia reiterated that Guyana and the US have been working together over the years. However, he noted that Guyana has, for a long time, been unable to receive information from the US because the correct procedure was not followed. According to the GRA boss, “You have to comply with the system.” He said there must be compliance with the process.

In the past, Guyana would have sent requests to financial institutions directly, as opposed to sending requests to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of the United States of America.

“The IRS is responsible for money for the US Government, so all of our demands for information have to be forwarded to the IRS…. Prior to today, there was the incorrect procedure being used,” Statia said.

He said that when requests had been made to the GRA, information was provided to the USA. He noted that since taking office at the Guyana Revenue Authority, information was requested, and same has been provided.

“It is a question of asking for the information; I have asked for the information and I have gotten,” said Statia.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Digicel Curried Duck Festival attracts big gathering also a dance-off competition, and winners were presented with prizes.

N. Singh Duck Curry

Digicel Head of Marketing, Jacqueline James, and Advertising Manager Ramesh Roopchand, posed with the winners at the Number 63 Beach, Corentyne, Berbice ger and better each year, and THE NTN Crew, led by Brahma Persaud, has won the first prize of $275,000, a trophy and other awards at the sixth annual Digicel Curried Duck Festival, held at the Number 63 Beach on the Corentyne in East Berbice on Sunday.

Twenty contestants, including some newcomers, drew a massive gathering of spectators from all walks of life, status and orientation.

Persaud said being the winner was not surprising, since he has been preparing duck curry for many years and uses all local ingredients from N& S. Mattai.

He said the secret to a good duck curry is the ingredients, but he did not reveal them.

The Purnardai Durpat group placed second and received $175,000 in cash, a trophy and other prizes;

while Looknauth Durbiji, who copped third place, pocketed $125,000 in cash and received a trophy and other prizes.

In at fourth place was Robert Singh, who received $100,000 in cash and a trophy among other prizes. Fifteen of the participants received $10,000 each for their participation.

The competition was judged by four judges drawn from the private and public sectors, who said they had difficultly announcing the winner, since all the contestants’ curried duck was very tasty and well-prepared.

One of the judges, Adrian Fraser, told Guyana Chronicle that the event was well organized, and the judging was fair and without favour.

Digicel Communications Manager Vidya Sanichara said the event has been getting big-

was a bang this year.

“We might have to look at expanding next year, based on the response from participants. It was open to anyone, group or company; no one was excluded, and it’s a fun event, since it brings people together,” Sanichara told the Guyana Chronicle.

She explained that the competition’s name was changed from the “Digicel Duck Curry Competition” to the “Digicel Curried Duck Festival” because it is more than cooking, and is more of an event wherein a variety of Guyanese cuisine is on sale.

Aside from the cooking and foods on sale, Nishard M, and Jomo Primo called “Rubber Waist”, and local comedians Michael Ignatius and Chris Gopaul, entertained the gathering. Crown Vibes also played at intervals. There was

One of the best decorated tables at the Digicel Curried Duck Festival on Sunday

A section of the gathering at the Number 63 Beach, Corentyne, Berbice on Sunday

Crew, also called Magie’s Catering from Albouystown, told Guyana Chronicle that it is the second time they are

participating in the competition. The crew hired a mini bus and a car, and took 18 persons to the celebrations.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Woman stabbed to death Broadcasting Authority by reputed husband POLICE are combing the Ulverston backlands of Central Corentyne, Region Six, for 40-year-old cane harvester Winston Benjamin, also called “Blood”, who on Monday viciously stabbed to death his reputed wife Yansen Brusch at a grocery shop in Ulverston Village.

The 38-year-old victim, of Lot 20 Second Street Ulverston, operated a canteen at the Alness Primary School. She had been in a relationship with her assailant for the past 18 years, and had mothered four children for him.

Relatives told Guyana Chronicle that the relationship between Benjamin and Brusch had been ‘on and off’ because Benjamin’s violent nature would cause their frequent separation.

However, they would still maintain a somewhat cordial

relationship.

According to shopkeeper Beverly Green, a cousin of the victim, at about 14:00hrs on Monday, Brusch came into her shop to purchase Kool Aid, and a moment later Benjamin came in to purchase sugar. As Brusch noticed Benjamin, she moved away from the counter to give him the way; and upon noticing this, Green decided to question her actions.

“Yansen come in the shop to buy Kool Aid, and less than a minute (later), Winston come in fuh sugar. So when she see he she move aside; so I ask she ‘what happen to y’all?’, and Yansen say she weary quarrel and weary sin she soul, and let God or the court decide’,” Green related.

Upon hearing the response by Brusch, Green said, Benjamin immediately whipped out a knife and be-

gan to viciously stab Brusch about the body.

Green said she tried to grab the knife from over the counter, but was unsuccessful; so she ran around and held on to Benjamin while Brusch tried to escape.

“I try fuh hold on to Winston to prevent he from getting to Yansen. She try fuh go out the side but couldn’t pass, so she run in front; but the gate lock, so she run inside the house and collapse on the chair…

Winston shirt tear off and he tell me fuh loose he. So I did, and he run towards the backdam,” the shopkeeper related.

She further related that during the entire ordeal Benjamin did not utter a word, but continued to stab Brusch.

“All the time he stabbing her he nah say nothing, he just juking she all over….

The police say she got five

The shop where the murder occurred

appoints new CEO

Dead: Yansen Brusch

stab wounds, but I see he firing more at her; but like he miss, cause she did screaming and running from he.”

Still covered in blood, Green related that she called the police while she stopped a car and rushed Brusch to the Port Mourant Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Roxane Brush, sister of the victim, said she had just returned from the hospital with her father who was ill when she heard her sister screaming.

She ran towards the shop and saw Benjamin bolting from the grip of Green while clutching a knife as he headed towards the direction of the backdam.

As she got closer to the shop, she noticed blood “all over the place” and saw her sister clutching her side before collapsing on the floor.

Roxanne is hoping that Benjamin is caught and brought to justice.

Police have sent a search party in the Corentyne backlands to capture Benjamin.

THE Board of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) has officially appointed Dr. Prudence Lewis-Bhola as GNBA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective from September 26, 2016.

“Possessing a wealth of experience in broadcasting for over a decade, and an extensive background in private sector management, Dr. Lewis-Bhola exemplifies all the requisite skills, knowledge and abilities necessary to successfully execute the mandate of the GNBA,” a release from the Authority noted.

It was noted that Dr. Lewis-Bhola currently holds a doctorate in Transformational Leadership, having completed her doctoral degree in the United States of America in June 2015. She also possesses a Bachelor of Laws and a social sciences degree in Communication from the University of Guyana.

“Dr Lewis-Bhola is convinced that there is much to be done at this time, and is eager to make a positive contribution to the GNBA and the broadcast sector as

Dr. Prudence Lewis-Bhola

a whole. Keenly aware of the issues and challenges of the local broadcast landscape, she is optimistic that much can be achieved from meaningful engagement and collaboration with all stakeholders in the broadcast industry,” the release stated.

The CEO plans to be proactive and diligent in her efforts to execute the GNBA’s statutory mandate. She has already commenced strategic planning sessions with the GNBA senior management team, and hopes to lead a series of consultative sessions with broadcast operators over the next two months.

Gov’t pays $40M+ for DDL shares in Berbice Bridge

By Ariana Gordon THE Government of Guyana has paid more than $40M to the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) to acquire that company’s shares in the Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated (BBCI).

Finance Minister Winston Jordan told reporters at a press conference on Monday that Government “bought the DDL shares for forty-something millions dollars…less than they

were asking for”. DDL had been asking for $45M, but through negotiations, the two parties settled on a price below that.

Through the purchase of DDL’s shares, Government is now the largest shareholder of the BBCI, given that the National Insurance Scheme has purchased the National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited’s (NICIL) shares.

The minister did not state specifically how much money the Government has

paid over to DDL for its shares in the BBCI, but noted that it is open to assessing offers put forward by other shareholders.

“We would, if they offer at the right price… Mr. Bobby Ramroop had offered his, but not at the right price, so we didn’t take up his offer…. If he offers at the right price, we would take it up,” Minister Jordan has said.

He also said Government is not currently negotiating with any of the other share-

holders.

“We are not in any kind of negotiations… We are not going after anybody’s shares, because that means we would have to make an offer. If they so decide, they can make an offer to us; we would consider it, as we did in DDL’s case. We didn’t offer to buy DDL’s shares, they came to us, and Cabinet looked at it and we began negotiations with them. We settled on a price which was less than they were asking for, and it was a long, uphill

task to get the shares transferred,” he remarked.

Asked whether Government would fulfill a promise to pay rates of return to some of the shareholders, the Finance Minister said, “That cannot be paid”. He explained that the return was premised on the fare to cross the bridge. “…the price hasn’t changed for many years; all that has happened is that we are paying the subsidy, but the price hasn’t changed. In the absence of that and the absence of not

getting the traffic flows and so on, there is no way that can be paid,” Jordan said.

In July 2015, Government reduced the BBCI toll, stating that it had made a promise to the people of Berbice to do so while it was in Opposition, and moreso while on the campaign trail.

The lowering of the bridge tolls is among measures employed by the Government to ease the financial burden on those who traverse the bridge.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

No change from... ment plants countrywide,” the statement detailed.

GWI has also said it was found that the residual concentration of chlorine has a short life, thus does not protect the water from recontamination during prolonged storage. The residual concentration is also consumed by organic and inorganic substances which may become present during distribution.

“Therefore, when the water goes into a black tank, the effectiveness of the protection that chlorine offers is reduced. GWI’s aim is therefore to boost the pressure of its distribution system, coupled with 24hr supply, thereby allowing customers not to become dependent on storing water in black tanks, and to resort to direct use from their taps. Chlorine is also known to cause disinfection by products (DBP’s) which are carcinogenic.”

According to GWI, water distributed to the nation must be safe for consumption, and delivering water of compromised quality is not an option for the utility.

“To date, research shows that Antinfek was tested by a number of other laboratories in countries such as Hong Kong, China, Thailand, Switzerland, Ghana, Nigeria, India, Pakistan, Kenya, Trin-

idad & Tobago and Germany, all showing favourable results in its use. Among the uses for the active ingredient in Antinfek are: disinfection of fruits and vegetables, wound dressings, eye drops, baby wipes, and disinfection of pools and spas etc.

The reference made in the local newspapers regarding its rejection in Haiti is based on a study done by one university, which is insufficient to disregard its advantages altogether.” It should also be noted, GWI said, that the use of Antinfek was not introduced to Guyana by GWI, as it is currently being utilised by other organisations in the country for disinfection of water for human consumption.

IRRESPONSIBLE The water company has also responded to comments on the issue made by Director of the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department, Marlan Cole, saying that those remarks, coming from a senior government functionary, were inaccurate and irresponsible.

“Instead of contacting GWI to gain clarity on the thinking behind the use of Antinfek and whether or not chlorine was still being used, Mr. Cole added to an

Tuesday, October 18, 2016 - 05:00 hrs Wednesday, October 19, 2016 - 05:00 hrs Thursday, October 20, 2016 - 08:30 hrs

From page 9

unnecessary cause for public alarm”.

The utility would like to reiterate that all of the water treatment plants are using chlorine as their sole disinfecting agent (some using chlorine gas, calcium hypochlorite powder, and sodium hypochlorite produced from brine). These plants include: Shelter Belt; Central; Sophia; Eccles; Lima; Bartica; Pouderoyen; Fellowship, Vergenoegen; Amelia’s Ward; LPC; Mackenzie; West Watooka; Wisroc; Better Hope; Mon Repos; Cot-

ton Tree; New Amsterdam; Port Mourant; No. 56 Village and Queenstown.

The company has said that all customers can rest assured that GWI is committed to distributing safe and uncontaminated water at all times.

“We cannot knowingly distribute water that is contaminated by pathogens. Our first call is to ensure that whatever water is distributed is safe for consumption”, Dr. Van West-Charles has posited.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

GUYANA CHRONICLE OCTOBER 18, 2016

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

South Africa Racing Tips Durbanville 08:15 hrs My Word My Bond 08:50 hrs Beautiful Girl 09:25 hrs Jingle Belle 10:05 hrs Strathdon 10:40 hrs Silvan Star 11:15 hrs Bon Bon English Racing Tips Yarmouth 08:50 hrs Bequia 09:20 hrs Vista Steppe 09:50 hrs Neshmeya 10:20 hrs Guanabara Bay 10:50 hrs Tailwind 11:20 hrs Whippound 11:50 hrs Zippy 12:20 hrs Musaanada Newcastle 09:00 hrs Mister Manduro 09:30 hrs Commander Cole 10:00 hrs Menai 10:30 hrs Spanish City 11:00 hrs Bollihope 11:30 hrs Dark Wonder 12:00 hrs Showdaisy 12:30 hrs Kerry Icon Exeter 09:10 hrs Thomas Blossom 09:40 hrs Verygoodverygood 10:10 hrs Caulfields Venture 10:40 hrs Drumlee Sunset 11:10 hrs Old Guard 11:40 hrs Samburu Shujaa Irish Racing Tips Gowan Park 09:05 hrs Haripour 09:35 hrs In Somno 10:05 hrs Aspen Belle 10:35 hrs Cul An Ti 11:05 hrs Storm Ranger 11:35 hrs Burning Sword 12:05 hrs Mydor American Racing Tips Philadelphia Park Race 1 The Morning Guys Race 2 Water Tower Race 3 Jazz Pizzaz Race 4 Conscience Race 5 Smarty Mr D Race 6 The Great Gizmo Race 7 Stormy Allison Race 8 Twelve Stone Race 9 Ballinskelligs Race10 Vanilla Rush

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship

Jamaica, Bahamas, Guyana drawn in Group A

(DIGICEL Sportsnax) The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and Beach Soccer Worldwide (BSWW) yesterday conducted the draw for the CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship Bahamas 2017, at the Intercontinental Hotel in Doral, Florida, USA. The draw, which determined the groups and match schedule for the tournament that kicks off on February 20, in Nassau, was opened with welcoming remarks from Philippe Moggio, CONCACAF general secretary and Anton Sealey, president of the Bahamas Football Association. The event was conducted with the assistance of Bahamas national team players Gavin Christie and Leslie St Fleur.

Tournament hosts Bahamas, who were seeded into Group A will face Jamaica, Belize and Guyana. In Group B, defending CONCACAF Beach Soccer champions Mexico were joined by Guatemala, Canada and Guadeloupe, while United States, Trinidad & Tobago, Antigua & Barbuda and US Virgin Islands make up Group C. El Salvador will be in Group D with Costa Rica, Panama and Turks & Caicos Islands.

The Malcom Beach Soccer Facility will host all group, quarter-final, semi-final, third-place and final matches.

The champions and the runners-up of the competition will join hosts Bahamas as the three CONCACAF representatives in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2017. In case Bahamas (host of the World Cup) and/or Guade-

loupe (Non-FIFA member) reach the final match, the World Cup spot(s) will be allocated to the next best placed team(s).

In an effort to further develop Beach Soccer, the sixteen participating member associations are guaranteed to play six games, with all competing for final tournament placement, until the last match date.

For the draw, the Participating Member Associations were separated into pots of four balls according to the Beach Soccer World Wide Ranking dated September 2016. The draw started by selecting from a separate pot, which contained the five teams with the same ranking (38). These teams were drawn and placed into Pots 3 and 4 respectively to complete the distribution of the teams into those Pots. The

Preparations in advanced stage for Rising Sun and Jumbo Jet horse race meet

A competitive day of racing is anticipated.

WITH entries topping the 60-horse mark, the principals of the Rising Sun and Jumbo Jet horse race meet have already put most systems in place for Sunday’s event, scheduled for the Rising Sun Turf Club, Arima Park, West Coast, Berbice.

The organisers have put together an impressive eightrace programme with over $5M up for grabs.

All the big-name horses will be on show for what is

expected to be a competitive day of racing.

To this end, the organisers have decided to extend registration until tomorrow, and according to them, no late entries will be accepted.

The feature event is for horses classified E and Lower for a total prize package of $1.2M and trophy.

Other races carded for the day are the G1 and Lower, H maiden and I and Lower, two-year-old Guy-

ana-bred animals, J Class, K Class, L and Lower.

The champion jockey, champion stable and champion trainer will all receive trophies and other accolades, compliments of Trophy Stall and the organisers.

Interested persons can contact Fazal Habibulla at Chester Fry Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice on 232-0232 or 657-7010.

Race time is 13:00hrs.

teams were then drawn into the four groups, from those

final pots of four teams each.

CONCACAF Beach Soc-

Group A Bahamas Jamaica Belize Guyana

Canada v Mexico Guyana v Jamaica Belize v Bahamas Wednesday, February 22, 2017 US Virgin Islands v Trinidad & Tobago Antigua & Barbuda v United States Turks & Caicos Islands v Costa Rica Panama v El Salvador Belize v Guyana Bahamas v Jamaica Thursday, February 23, 2017 Canada v Guadeloupe Mexico v Guatemala Antigua & Barbuda v US Virgin Islands United States v Trinidad & Tobago Panama v Turks & Caicos Islands El Salvador v Costa Rica Friday, February 24, 2017 4B v 4D 4A v 4C 3B v 3D 3A v 3C *TBC v TBC – Quarter-Final #1 *TBC v TBC – Quarter-Final #2 *TBC v TBC – Quarter-Final #3 *TBC v TBC – Quarter-Final #4 Saturday, February 25, 2017 Loser Match 25 v Loser Match 26 Winner Match 25 v Winner

Group B Mexico Guatemala Canada Guadeloupe Group C United States Trinidad & Tobago Antigua & Barbuda US Virgin Islands Group D El Salvador Costa Rica Panama Turks & Caicos Islands CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship Bahamas 2017 Schedule *Kick-off times TBC Monday, February 20, 2017 Guatemala v Canada Mexico v Guadeloupe Trinidad & Tobago v Antigua & Barbuda United States v US Virgin Islands Jamaica v Belize Bahamas v Guyana Tuesday, February 21, 2017 Costa Rica v Panama El Salvador v Turks & Caicos Islands Guadeloupe v Guatemala

cer Championship Bahamas 2017

Match 26 Loser Match 27 v Loser Match 28 Winner Match 27 v Winner Match 28 Loser Match 29 v Loser Match 30 Loser Match 31 v Loser Match 32 Winner Match 29 v Winner Match 30 Semifinal Winner Match 31 v Winner Match 32 Sunday, February 26, 2017 Loser Match 33 v Loser Match 34 – 15th Place Match Winner Match 33 v Winner Match 34 – 13th Place Match Loser Match 35 v Loser Match 36 – 11th Place Match Winner Match 35 v Winner Match 36 – 9th Place Match Loser Match 37 v Loser Match 38 – 7th Place Match Winner Match 37 v Winner Match 38 – 5th Place Match Loser Match 39 v Loser Match 40 – 3rd Place Match Winner Match 39 v Winner Match 40 – Final *The top two teams from each Group will advance to the knocko u t p h a s e . T h e q u a rter-final match-ups will be decided by a draw.

Group winners will be matched up randomly with the second-place teams.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Pakistan late strikes overcome Bravo’s 116 PAKISTAN bowlers held their nerve to seize a 56run win over West Indies after an intense, attritional fifth day in Dubai, in which Darren Bravo led his side’s plucky tilt at a come-frombehind victory.

Bravo scored a 249-ball 116, taking his side to within 83 runs of the target, before Pakistan finally overcame his dogged resistance to wrest back a match that had looked like slipping away. They wrapped it up with 12 overs remaining, to register a memorable win in their 400th Test.

For much of the final day, Bravo proved to be an immovable object at the centre of the Dubai cricket ground.

He carried forward his fine form and doughty resistance from the first innings, showing the application and patience to rebuff whatever Pakistan threw at him. His forward defensive shots, of which there were many, were perfectly middled and he was equally convincing when leaving the ball. On occasions, he unfurled one of his crisp drives or cuts to the off-side boundary, but his

knock was more about grit than flair.

Bravo began the day batting on 26 off 67, with West Indies on 95 for 2, still 251 runs short of their target. After seeing Marlon Samuels depart off the first ball of the day and losing Jermaine Blackwood inside the first hour, Bravo shared a fighting 77-run fifth-wicket stand with Roston Chase and continued his vigil well after Chase departed.

As West Indies pursued what would have been their second-highest successful chase, more and more they came to depend on Bravo.

He shouldered that burden until almost an hour into the final session. But with 83 runs to win and four wickets in hand, he played a tired drive off Yasir Shah, managing only to squirt the ball back towards the bowler, whose sensational diving catch was the last, decisive turn on a gripping final day.

Yet West Indies had made Pakistan work much harder for the win than they would have expected

after a promising start to the day. After Pakistan’s demoralising collapse on the previous day, Amir’s first-ball wicket was just the tonic they needed.

It was a rather unremarkable delivery, bowled from around the wicket, pitching on a good length well outside off and angling in. Samuels was drawn into poking at a ball he could easily have left and a thin edge was gleefully accepted by Sarfraz Ahmed behind the stumps.

Blackwood, coming in at No.5, played a scratchy knock, fishing at balls outside off, with the bat well away from the body. He got away with numerous plays and misses against Amir, as well as a checked drive off a slower ball that fell between mid-off and mid-on. But it was to spin that he perished, when he played a length ball from Mohammad Nawaz from deep in his crease and was wrapped on the pads in front of leg stump.

Chase then joined Bravo for a partnership that steadily revived West Indies and unsettled Pakistan over the

course of 28.2 overs of stubborn fight.

Wahab and Sohail Khan tested the batsmen with occasional bouncers and yorkers, Amir bowled probing lines, the spinners plugged away - but Bravo and Chase looked untroubled through it all.

B y t h e 7 1 s t o v e r, Chase’s confidence had grown to the extent that he dared to drive Yasir against the turn for a boundary through midwicket. Perhaps that was when confidence became overconfidence. Next ball, Yasir flighted another one pitching outside leg and Chase attempted the same shot again. This time the ball turned past his outside edge to crash into leg stump.

Two balls later, Wahab yorked Shane Dowrich to hit his middle and off stumps, sending him back for a firstball duck. West Indies were now reeling at 194 for 6, and Pakistan had a firm grip on proceedings again.

But Bravo was still at the crease and he had his captain Jason Holder for

company. The two men saw the side through to dinner, leaving 114 to win in the final session. They continued to chip away at the target after the resumption, and Pakistan’s anxiety gradually built. When Amir wrapped Holder on the front pad with a delivery that appeared to be sliding down, Pakistan’s review of the not-out decision seemed more out of desperation than expectation. HawkEye gave them no respite.

Another hopeful review followed when Yasir’s appeal

for a catch at slip was turned down. The ball had gone off Holder’s pad. Pakistan had no reviews remaining.

West Indies were 84 runs from victory. The tension was mounting.

Two balls later, Yasir flew to his left to take the return catch of Bravo that decisively swung the match in Pakistan’s favour. West Indies’ last three wickets added 26 runs, but the sting had gone out of the contest, and a pair of run-outs handed Pakistan a hardfought win.

SCOREBOARD

At close of play on the fifth day in the first Test between Pakistan and West Indies on Monday in Dubai, United Arab Emirates PAKISTAN 1st innings 579 for 3 decl. (A. Ali 302no, S. Aslam 90, B. Azam 69, A. Shafiq 67) WEST INDIES 1st innings 357 (D. Bravo 87, M. Samuels 76; Y. Shah 5-121) PAKISTAN 2nd innings 123 (D. Bishoo 8-49) WEST INDIES 2nd innings (Overnight: 95-2; Target: 346 runs) K. Brathwaite b Amir 6 L. Johnson lbw b Amir 47 Da. Bravo c & b Shah 116 M. Samuels c S. Ahmed

b Amir

4 J. Blackwood lbw b Nawaz 15 R. Chaseb Shah 35 S. Dowrich b Riaz 0 J. Holder not out 40 D. Bishoo lbw b Nawaz 3 M. Cummins run-out (, Misbah-ul-Haq) 1 S. Gabriel run-out (B. Azam, S. Ahmed) 1 Extras: (b-5, lb-7, nb-4, w-5) 21 Total: (all out, 109 overs) 289 Fall of wickets: 1-27, 2-87, 3-95, 4-116, 5-193, 6-194, 7-263, 8-276, 9-277.

Bowling: M. Amir 23-5-63-3 (w-5), So. Khan 10-1-22-0, Y. Shah 41-6113-2, M. Nawaz 18-4-32-2, Riaz 17-1-47-1 (nb-4).

GFGF/NAMILCO Thunderbolt National U-17 League

OMARI Glasgow hat-trick and Samuel Garrett brace give BV/Triumph 6-1 win over Buxton

OMARI Glasgow netted a hat-trick while Samuel Garrett recorded a brace as BV/Triumph registered a 6-1 win against Buxton Youth Developers when play in the Guyana Football Federation/NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power National Under-17 League continued on Sunday at the Golden Grove ground, East

Coast Demerara.

Glasgow was at his very best, finding the back of Buxton Youth Developers’ net in the 10th, 56th and 89th minutes, while Garrett recorded a brace in the 65th and 70th minutes.

Dequan France supported with a 60th minute goal for the winners, while Cordell Mingo scored Bux-

ton United’s lone goal in the 74th minute.

In another fixture played the same day, Mahaica Determinators and Golden Grove played to a 1-1 draw.

Shawn Adonis scored for the home side (Golden Grove) in the 21st minute while Julius Hamilton levelled the score in the 28th minute.

I n a n o t h e r f i x t u re , Bachelor’s Adventure/Paradise Sport Club downed Plaisance 3-1 with F. Williams, A. Peters and I. Charles scoring one goal each in the 2nd, 13th and 40th minutes respectively for the winners, while Azandi King registered Plaisance’s lone goal in the 48th minute.

In the West Demerara zone, Beavers moved into second position in the points standings with a 1-0 win against Wales at the Den Amstel Community Centre ground through a Seibert Baptiste 21st minute goal.

Den Amstel lead the standings with 18 points from six victories from as many matches and are followed

by Beavers who have nine points from three wins and five losses from their eight games to date.

Slingerz, who have played six matches to date, have won two, lost three and drawn one.

The league will continue this weekend with matches in both the East and West Demerara zones.

Hamilton ‘holding nothing back’ in title chase

( D I G I C E L S P O RT S MAX): Nico Rosberg pulled further away in the Formula One title race with victory in Japan but Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton will not give up.

Lewis Hamilton insists he will be “holding nothing back” as the Briton seeks to reel in championship leader Nico Rosberg and retain his Formula One world title.

The Mercedes duo have continued their personal duel

Lewis Hamilton

this year, but after being consigned to the runner-up spot in consecutive seasons, it is Rosberg who holds the upper hand now.

With four races left, Hamilton can afford to do little else but win, as he bids to cut the 33-point gap to his teammate – and he will be going all out to do just that.

Hamilton, who visited the team’s Brackley and Brixworth bases to celebrate claiming the constructors’ championship, said: “See-

ing all the guys and girls at the factory last week really brought home just what we’ve achieved together this year.

“They’ve worked so damned hard to give Nico and me this great car and you can see how much it means to them.

“We’ve got four races left to make the most of it and that’s exactly what I plan to do. It’s just about hitting every race weekend as hard as I can, going all out for every

win and seeing what happens from there.

“I’ll be holding nothing back out there.”

The three-time champion won the 2015 crown in Austin and, with the United States Grand Prix up next, he has a good feeling about the weekend ahead.

“First up, we’re back in the States, which is like a second home race for me these days,” he added. “I love the country, the culture,

the people and the track, so I can’t wait to get started.

“I’ve got some great memories from Austin, with three wins from four races and, of course, the title win last year. That was one of the highlights of my career, no doubt.

“It’s almost like the American fans have adopted me as their own, so I’ll try to channel all of that positive energy into this weekend.”

27

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Pele FC Alumni gives back … Five to benefit from club’s scholarship programme

L-R, back row, Dennis Carrington, Robbie Rambarran, David Gomes, Patrick Barton and David Chan. L-R front row: Joshua Denny, Josiah King, Isaiah Layne, Sara Matthias and Reshana Bishop.

By Daniel Haynes FIVE of the nation’s student athletes were honoured yesterday at a small presentation ceremony at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD).

The student-athletes are all recipients of the Pele FC Alumni Scholarship Award, after being selected by the

Ministry of Education.

The presentation ceremony was attended by officials of the Ministry of Education, parents of the students, headmistresses and members of the Pele FC Alumni in David ‘Doggy’ Chan, Patrick ‘Labba’ Barton, Dennis Carrington and Alumni president Robbie Rambarran.

The chairperson of the ceremony, Mrs Desiree

Wiles-Ogle, opened the programme by thanking the Pele FC Alumni for the scholarships stating: “We cannot do education alone and this is one sure way we’ve seen cooperation.

Each child matters and stakeholders should unite for the enhancement of education.”

She was then followed

by Ministry of Education

ACU Secretary Leslyn Edwards-Charles, who gave a brief look into her early years before stating: “You have to help us head teachers to encourage our children to become physically active and this scholarship is one way to do so.” Charles also made clear how much she appreciated the effort.

At that point the stakeholders in Pele, led by Dennis

Carrington, spoke to the audience. Carrington gave a background of the programme focusing on how it started and how it is being run.

“We will give them an advance of $15 000 each month and at the end of the month they will turn in to our liaison in Guyana, David Gomes, a progress report on their grades or any community service programme they are involved in,” said Carrington.

He also spoke directly to the student-athletes and head teachers by outlining his journey from Guyana to the United States via a scholarship to play football.

Also relating his story was Barton, who gave the students words of advice. “It’s about application. Nothing is wrong with dreaming. Dreams turn into visions and you can’t make it without visions, but you must answer the question: after sport, what?”

He was followed by Brian Smith of the National Sports Commission who spoke on behalf of the Director of Sport Christopher Jones.

Smith thanked the alumni for their gesture and added that he wanted to see more of these gestures from the other sport disciplines. He then

turned his attention to the student-athletes giving them encouragement.

“To whom much is given, much is expected. You have the task, the burden, and the responsibility to maintain this scholarship,” Smith said “Ensure you maintain a high standard, ensure you study, play hard and continue on the path you’re going and I guarantee you the NSC is behind you.”

Receiving scholarships were Isaiah Layne and Josiah King, both first form students at St Stanislaus College. Layne attended St Margaret’s Primary and King the St Pius Primary.

Also on the scholarship list were Joshua Denny, Reshana Bishop and Sara Matthias.

The scholarships are awarded to students who have written the National Grade Six Assessment and were awarded an ‘A’ List school after securing a score between 475 and 500 marks..

The head teacher and club leader must endorse each applicant and finally the applicant must maintain a place on the school/ club team or national team.

GFF/WDFA STAG Beer Senior League

Den Amstel back at top of points table

DEN AMSTEL clawed their way back to the top of the points standings of the Guyana Football Federation/ West Demerara Football Association (WDFA) Senior League with a 2-0 win over Wales United, while Young

Achievers edged Beavers 2-1 to jump one place higher when action in the league continued over the weekend at the Den Amstel Community Centre ground.

Gavin Graham was first to mark his name in the ref-

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Tuesday October 18, 2016) 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: Joel Garner & Colin Croft Clive Lloyd & Mustaq Mohammed Today’s Quiz: Where and when did Gordon Greenidge captain the WI in a Test for the only time?

Who was the WI captain when Curtly Ambrose made his Test debut?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

… Young Achievers move to third with 2-1 win against Beavers eree’s scorecard in his team’s (Den Amstel) victory over Wales United, as he netted the opening goal in the 16th minute before Morris Charles sealed the issue with a 76th minute goal.

The win for Den Amstel propels them back to the top of the points standings with 22 points from seven victories and one draw in eight matches. They have so far scored 20 goals and conceded eight for a plus 12

goal difference.

Wales United, on the other hand, remain in seventh place with eight points from two wins, six losses and two draws with a goal difference of minus eight.

Despite Den Amstel returning to the top of the points table, they will have to be wary of Uitvlugt who are currently placed second with 19 points from seven matches after winning six matches and drawing the other, and have a

goal difference of plus 22.

M e a n w h i l e , Yo u n g Achievers are now third in the league after defeating Beavers 2-1 through a brace off the boot of Lloyd Prince in the 44th and 64th minutes. Gavin Anderson equalised in the 56th minute but Prince extended the score.

Young Achievers are now on 19 points while Beavers remain on four points and are in ninth place.

Last Saturday at the same

venue, Stewartville ascended to fourth place with a 2-0 win against Jetty Gunners. Paul Hector and Orette Stephenson were on target for the winners in the 42nd and 59th minutes respectively.

Stewartville now have 17 points from five wins, three losses and two draws from 10 games, while Jetty Gunners are 10th with four points from one win, seven losses and one draw after nine matches.

Liverpool and Man United draw

LIVERPOOL and Manchester United played out a goalless and uneventful stalemate on a disappointing night at Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool would have drawn level on points with leaders Manchester City with a fifth

successive Premier League victory, but were subdued by a classic Jose Mourinho performance of defensive organisation and discipline.

United did not allow Liverpool to build the momentum and intensity that characterised their game this

season, while Mourinho’s limited attacking ambitions ensured chances were at a premium.

The Portuguese was still grateful for two fine second-half saves from goalkeeper David de Gea, who dived low to stop Emre Can

and saved athletically from Philippe Coutinho’s 25-yard effort.

United’s best chance also came in the second half, but the unmarked Zlatan Ibrahimovic directed Paul Pogba’s cross off target.

Pele FC Alumni gives back

(See Story on page 27 )

IGG basketball teams named

… Coaches express confidence in teams

By Daniel Haynes

A

S THE countdown to the 2016 Inter-Guiana Goodwill Games falls to three days, the male and female basketball teams have finally been selected. The two teams are packed with IGG experience since multiple players on both sides have already had IGG exposure.

On the male side, Tahquille Johnson, Stanton Rose, Troy David and Jamol Gilkes make up the Region 10 players with Neil Wills, Tafawa Daly and Ramone Fogenay forming the Berbice contingent. For Georgetown, Jaleel Duke, Travis Belgrave, Nathan Saul, Roger John and Timothy Thompson will don national colours.

On this side, Johnson, Rose, Wills, Saul and Thompson all have IGG experience and will be called upon for their experience. The male side will

benefit from the general skills of Rose who is this year’s Road to Mecca 3 MVP as well as National Schools Basketball Festival MVP. On the female side, Jenelle Belle, Makeda Rogers, Kennesha Leacock hail from Kwakwani with Tandika Bouyea and Toshieka Arthur representing Berbice. For Georgetown, Kesann Charles, Ruth Sanmoogan, Jada Mohan, Saffiya Greene, Demelza Nicholas, Ashley Khan and Analisa Barclay make up the Georgetown contingent.

On this side, Belle, Rogers, Leacock have IGG experience while Barclay, Mohan, Charles, Greene and Nicholas have CBC U-16 experience. The females will see a boost in scoring from National Schools Basketball Festival MVP Kennesha Leacock.

Both coaches have expressed confidence in

their teams. Male coach Junior Hercules provided comments for the Guyana Chronicle.

His first comment addressed the period of time for which they would have to train. “You could always use more time but the reality is this is the time that was afforded to us.”

He also said, “It’s gonna be jammed but I’m assuming, based on the players we have, they will be able to absorb the information we dispense as quickly as possible.”

He is very confident in the skills and talent. “IQ seems very solid and we have scorers at the 1, 2, 3 and 5 positions which are basically 2 and 1 positions,” Hercules finished.

The IGG basketball games begin on Friday at the newly refurbished Cliff Anderson Sports Hall at 13:00hrs and end at 17:00hrs.

Stanton Rose (left) receives NSBF MVP trophy from Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation president Nigel Hinds.

Pakistan late strikes overcome Bravo’s 116

(See Story on page 26 )

At left, Luwanna Abrams of Digicel hands MVP trophy to Kennesha Leacock.

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Darren Bravo TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2016