Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 19 07 2016

Telecoms Bill passed TUESDAY JULY 19, 2016

No. 104617

Price: $80

(Vat Inclusive)

- paves way for liberalisation 3 of sector Businesses Page

owe 2 City Hall $16.2B Region 6 REO reportedly abandons 4 post Godfrey 8 Statia is new GRA boss Page

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Minister of Public Telecommunications Catherine Hughes during her presentation to the House on the Telecoms Bill on Monday (Adrian Narine photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Businesses owe City Hall $16.2B - GCCI urges them to pay up

By Ariana Gordon THE Mayor & Councillors of the City of Georgetown (M&CC) is currently owed sixteen billion, two hundred and ninety-seven million, three hundred and ten thousand, five hundred and ninety-eight dollars ($16,297,310,598); and the

Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has called on its membership and the business community in general to pay up all rates and taxes outstanding to the M&CC. “This is an alarming amount,” said the GCCI in a statement to the media on Monday.

The entity reminded businesses that rates and taxes account for a significant percentage of total revenue obtained by the City Council, which uses that money to provide critical services to the City, as well as for the City’s restoration.

“As one of the leading business-support organisations in Guyana, the chamber is using its voice to urge the business community to be tax compliant”, the GCCI has said.

And the GCCI has urged City Hall to take “legitimate action where

able to conduct evaluations.

The Town Clerk added that City Hall’s work must not be hampered because of the refusal of citizens to honour their civic obligations.

NO AMNESTY

Town Clerk Royston King necessary” against defaulters, but cautioned that such action must be done transparently.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle on Monday, Town Clerk Royston King said the municipality welcomes the call by the GCCI. He noted that business owners need to be “ethical in the way they manage their affairs”.

“Pay up!” he admonished, as he disclosed that City Council recently received 14 judgments in its favour.

He said one business owes the Council as much as $143M in rates and taxes.

“We are asking people to come in and settle their accounts,” said King, who noted that Council has a payment plan for those who are finding it difficult to discharge their liabilities to the M&CC in one payment.

“Come in to our Treasurer…talk to the treasurer… there is a facility to allow those who have difficulties to come in and have a special arrangement to pay their rates and taxes,” the Town Clerk told the Guyana Chronicle.

King also said that, as part of their corporate social responsibility, businesses ought to be cognisant of the importance of paying their rates and taxes. He said the money paid as rates and taxes is responsible for the upkeep of the City.

“The rates we are talking

about are in place over two decades ago. There has not been re-evaluation of properties for a long time,” he explained.

FINANCIAL STRAIN City Council, he said, is in a strained financial position, and is hopeful that all citizens -- not just business owners -- will visit the rates and taxes division of the municipality and pay their outstanding balance.

City Hall had announced in May that it was seeking legal permission to commence parate execution -- the procedure by which it would be allowed to resell properties mortgaged to the bank. Those mortgages are organised without going through court proceedings, and City Hall would be given the power to hold an auction for the sale of those properties by an appointed auctioneer.

King said City Hall’s lawyers are still in the process of applying to the courts for permission to move ahead with parate execution.

“Our lawyers are working to complete the process; and as soon as they are complete, the administration of City Council will make an announcement on the matter,” he told the Chronicle.

He noted that many businesses are paying meagre taxes on their properties because City Hall has been un-

Asked whether the City Council would be inclined to grant amnesty to defaulters, given their sloth in paying outstanding sums, King said no amnesty would be granted.

“At the moment, the Council is not considering amnesty, given that last year defaulters were given three months of amnesty and, even within that time, people did not make use of it.”

The Town Clerk added that City Hall is losing money when amnesty is granted, and is not inclined to have such a system reinstituted.

“It is not a very fair system, and the Council would not want to go back to that,” he said.

Over the years, the City Council has attempted to collect outstanding sums owed by the business community; and in many cases, amnesty was granted to allow for more persons to pay up their taxes.

King has also said that City Council is in the process of finalising arrangements to begin consultations geared at formulating the 2017 budget (capital and current expenditure). The Council is desirous of meeting all stakeholders within the City, not only the business community, but ordinary citizens as well.

He said the new constituency politics instituted by the Government of Guyana allows for more democracy, and as such, citizens will be part of several public discourses.

“We cannot run Council for a selected few…we will be moving into all communities (in) early August to begin consultations with all citizens,” he said.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Telecoms Bill passed

By Alva Solomon

- paves way for liberalisation of sector

GUYANA’s telecommunications sector is now open for investment and enhancement following the passage, on Monday evening, of the Telecommunications (Amendment) Bill 2016, which has effectively liberalised the sector.

First introduced in 2011 and revised in 2013, the Telecommunications Bill had been with a Special Select Committee in the 10th Parliament, and was near conclusion when that Parliament was prorogued in 2014 by the then President, Donald Ramotar.

After the APNU+AFC assumed Executive Office last year, the bill underwent a new set of consultations with GT&T, Digicel and other stakeholders, including the Private Sector Commission (PSC), the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), the University of Guyana (UG) and several non-governmental organisations.

The Opposition, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) had called for the bill to be sent to a Special Select Committee for further consideration, but Public Telecommunications Minister Catherine Hughes told Parliament on Monday evening that the bill has been long promised and is overdue.

She described the bill as “a most significant and tangible indication of commitment of the Government to progress and development of Guyana”, and said its passage is even as the administration recognizes the tremendous impact the telecommunications sector has on economies and countries around the world.

“This bill is a major breakthrough for the telecommunications sector in Guyana,” she declared, as

she extended credit for its passage to members on both sides of the House, whom she noted worked tirelessly during the 10th Parliament to ensure that it was brought to Parliament.

She said Government recognises the potential of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector, which she noted as being a “transformational agent” for overall improvement of the citizenry, while building a 21st century economy.

“Critical to this improvement, therefore, is the creation of a telecommunications sector that is competitive and flexible enough to meet the needs of a modern, rapidly evolving technological environment,” she explained.

She said the transition is long overdue, and the sector must be an open one, so that the country can progress and not lag behind sister Caricom countries and the rest of the world.

According to Minister Hughes, the passage of the legislation provides for the fostering of an open, competitive telecoms sector in which investors will be attracted, and in which a fair, competitive environment for sector participants is created.

As regards consultations, she noted that the bill has seen extensive consultations through the work of the Special Select Committee.

Members of the committee included former Prime Minister Sam Hinds, who first took the bill to Parliament; Minister of State, Joseph Harmon; Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Keith Scott; former APNU Parliamentarian James Bond; former PPP MP Manzoor Nadir, and Opposition MP Irfaan Ali.

PPP Parliamentarian Irfaan Ali making his contribution to the debate yesterday “The Special Select Committee conducted a holistic review of the bill,” Hughes said.

Speaking to the regulatory framework, she said that detailed regulations in seven areas will complement the bill. These include licensing, spectrum allocation, pricing, interconnection and access to universal services, telecoms and consumer-related matters, among other things.

Hughes said that the legislation will address the expansion of network in underserved areas in regions across Guyana.

Opposition MP Irfaan Ali called for the bill to be sent to a Special Select Committee. He said the local private sector should be considered when the new bill is implemented with what he deemed “stringent measures”.

Ali credited the PPP for piloting the bill and its conceptualization, and he listed the historical nature of the telecoms sector in Guyana.

In critiquing the bill, he noted that the legislation provides “wide sweeping powers” to the subject minister. According to him, while

in committee, Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge was consistent in expressing his belief that the subject minister is being given enormous powers with the passage of the legislation.

But Minister Harmon, in supporting the bill, said there were many discussions on the powers of the minister as regards the bill, and he noted that in one instance it was even thought that the minister would not have much input

into the sector when the legislation is passed.

He described the bill as historic, noting that it closes a chapter in which Guyana was the only country in Caricom which had a virtual monopoly of the sector. He said that prior to being voted into power, the APNU+AFC promised to provide a new regime for a liberalised and competitive sector, and one year after, the bill was brought before the House.

“This bill was brought to the House in 2010 by the previous administration. They took it to a certain point, passed it in this House, and then suddenly recognized that they needed to bring it back,” he said.

Harmon said the select committee sat on over 32 occasions from the time the bill was sent in November 2013, and there were significant refinements which were done at the level of the committee.

Greenidge told Parliament that the legislation is intended to allow more service providers to enter the market, thereby creating competition and offering more affordable

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packages to consumers.

The Telecommunications Bill has journeyed through years of intense deliberations and consultations, particularly with the two main mobile service providers in the country -– the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) and Digicel Guyana.

The bill seeks to create a competitive regime in the telecommunications sector by providing for an open, liberalised and competitive sector that would be attractive to new market entrants and investors while preserving the activities of the current participants.

As it is, the bill is expected to result in greater choice, better quality of service, and lower prices to consumers. It also specifically addresses the expansion of telecommunication networks and services into unserved and under-served areas through the institution of new universal access/universal service programmes in an effort to further national, regional, social and economic development.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday July 19, 2016

Region 6 REO reportedly abandons post Mathew Langevine

REGION Six Executive Officer (REO) D r Ve e r a s a m m y R a mayya has reportedly ceased performing the duties of Regional Executive Officer without formally resigning from the position.

Vi c e C h a i r m a n M r Dennis De Roop, in a press briefing at the Regional Chairman’s Office in Vryman’s Erven, New Amsterdam, told reporters: “The region got a setback now, we having a little confusion: the REO has left; I must say he walk off the job. There is no correspondence to say he is on leave (and) there is no approval of leave for him. I am of the opinion that he voluntary

Dr Veerasammy Ramayya

walk off the job. I was made to understand he gone overseas; however, we [Region Six Administration] (are) yet to receive a correspondence from the Ministry of Communities about the issue.”

According to De Roop, the REO’s absence has left several issues unresolved, such as the awarding of contracts. “Further, the 2016 budget is limping. We are in the seventh month and we have only achieved 40 to 45 per cent

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of programmes proposed.

There are salary issues, some of the sweeper/cleaners of the schools are yet to be paid for June month.

They work for the minimum wage and are dependent on their monies. There is not much we can do, as the REO did not sign their contracts on time. Hopefully, it can be resolved at the end of the week.

“I must apologise on behalf of the Regional Administration. In addition, several contracts were not signed for nurses, so they, too, will not be receiving salaries, because if the contracts are not renewed, salaries cannot be processed,” he stated.

The Vice Chair added: “The machine operators’ monies have been received from the National Drainage and Irrigation (Authority) after they had protested last month due to non-payment of salaries and wages. But

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they, too, cannot be paid, as their contracts were not prepared nor was it signed by the REO. “In addition, close of 300 cheques were returned due to their ‘stale’ date. This is gross negligence. Some were issued to small suppliers of dietary essentials while some were awarded to small contractors. The cheques were not signed, and were sitting at the sub-treasury exceeding the stipulated period, and had to be returned.”

De Roop revealed that, over the last two weeks, the REO had been in office for not more than two hours per day, resulting in unfinished work back-logging.

“I have met with the two Deputy REOs, (Mr Claude Henry and Mr Badassie Poonai) and we will work towards having the issues resolved,” he said.

The Regional Democratic Council had, last May, successfully moved a motion to rescind the decisions made by Ramayya.

This newspaper’s efforts to contact Ramayya have proved futile.

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appointed FIU Director -- Abiose Thomas is deputy THE Committee of Appointment of the National Assembly which was established to appoint a Director and Deputy Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) within the Anti-money Laundering and countering the Financing of Terrorism Authority has named Mathew Edward Langevine and Abiose Thomas to hold the two posts respectively.

This is according to a second report of the committee which was presented by Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton to Parliament on Monday afternoon.

According to the report, the committee held a total of 14 meetings and in the process interviews were conducted with 17 candidates for the post of Director and an equal number for the deputy’s post.

For the selection of the Director, the meeting met on May 18, and the body shortlisted applicants to be interviewed. The candidates were shortlisted on several occasions thereafter and on May 30, the members requested the Commissioner of Police to execute a back-

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ground check on the top ranked candidate.

On June 20th, the Committee, based on the response of the Commissioner of Police, decided that the top ranked candidate was no longer eligible. Later, Langevine was considered after a debate.

A similar process was undertaken for the post of Deputy Director and Thomas was selected after differing views on his candidacy.

The names were submitted to the National Assembly for consideration on Monday.

Surinamese nationals on illegal entry charge SURINAMESE female nationals Valderrrama Lamora, 25, and Dunis Salazar, 27, appeared on Monday before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, charged with illegally entering Guyana by sea on July 7 last, and disembarked at Charity, Essequibo without the consent of an immigration officer.

They both pleaded guilty to the charge.

According to the prosecution, on the day in question, the woman entered Guyana by sea at the Charity ferry crossing, which is a port of entry, and did not present themselves to an immigration officer. They were later arrested and charged, and did not produce any documents to show that they had entered the country legally.

The Chief Magistrate has fined each woman $20,000, with an alternative of four weeks’ imprisonment.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday July 19, 2016

Guyanese woman killed, daughter injured in Queens accident

A SPEEDING BMW driver killed a 41-yearold mom and critically injured her 9-yearold daughter when he slammed his SUV into their car in Queens on Sunday, police said.

The impact sounded like a bomb blast, one witness told the Daily News.

The mom, her daughter and a 71-year-old man were all riding in a red Toyota Corolla, driven by the doomed woman’s 47-year-old husband, in South Ozone Park at about 5 p.m., according to authorities and witnesses.

Cops identified the mother as Zaalika Rasool.

The 41–year–old woman was remembered as a loving mother, avid gardener and talented cook of Guyanese cuisine. She worked as a clerk at the city Department of Transportation.

Surveillance footage shows the BMW X5 hurtling west on 115th Ave. seconds before the wreck, when cops said it blew

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Zaalika Rasool is pictured with her husband, two sons, and daughter. She was killed in Sunday’s crash while her daughter suffered serious injuries

through a stop sign and hit the Corolla as it went north on 130th St. The crash launched the mom and her daughter out of the back seat, into the air and onto the street. The BMW then barreled into three parked cars before stopping, police said.

Th e mo th er d id n ’t stand a chance, said witness Vejai Gajai, 25, a

realtor from Ozone Park.

“It was the worst thing I’ve seen,” Gajai said. “We knew she was gone and then we saw the daughter lying on the sidewalk and she wasn’t moving either.”

Distraught relatives comforted each other at the crash site where witnesses saw the young girl with a large gash on her face.

“I was numb,” the girl’s uncle, Sadiq Rasool, told

The mother and her 9-year-old daughter were ejected from the vehicle after it was struck by a BMW in Queens

ABC 7. “I couldn’t do anything. I just had to console [the father] and help with the family.” The driver’s high speed caught the eyes and ears of those who witnessed the wreck.

“It didn’t sound like a car accident, it sounded like a bomb,” Gajai said.

“The husband kept say-

ing, ‘That’s my wife. That’s my wife right there,’ but it was like he was in shock,” Gajai added. “He didn’t know what happened.”

The BMW’s driver ran from the wreck, leaving behind a 46-year-old passenger, who Gajai said appeared disoriented and slurred in speech.

The woman died at the scene. Rescuers took the 9-year-old girl, the woman’s husband and the 71-year-old man to Long Island Jewish Hospital.

The BMW passenger went to Jamaica Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, cops said. (New York Daily News)

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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

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday July 19, 2016

Is this a nancy story?

Dear Editor,

THE letter in Kaieteur News dated July 06, 2016 and entitled “Pass lil something and you board the ferry” seems to me like a fairy story; even a kindergarten child reading that letter wouldn’t believe it.

How logical can this be for a man to be sitting in his car from Thursday 10:45 pm until Friday 8 am to board the 8am ferry to Supenaam? This doesn’t make sense to me; and to round it off, this person claimed that he was the second person in the line and some 15 to 20 vehicles passed him in the line and entered the ferry.

This more looks like a nancy story to me. At no time will this ever happen at Parika or Supenaam stellings. I am not swear-

ing for the officers who are manning those gates on my many travels to Parika and Supenaam, but whenever I approach the gate, the first thing the gateman would do is to look at his booking list to see if my car number is on his list. If it’s on, he would allow me to enter the gate; if it’s not, I would have to park outside the gate until all the vehicles which were booked have entered.

If there is space on the ferry, they would let me in; I saw it happen to many vehicles. Those gatemen sometimes go beyond their duties to help out commuters. I am not swearing for those officers, but something is amiss in this letter.

Normally, these vehicles are booked at the scale house, and then it would be sent to the supervisor for perusal. if you have a query, you

will raise it with him or her.

These officers are friendly and would greet you nice; so to say ‘when you look at their face it turns you off’ is doing injustice to these gate men and the department.

Mr Sukhai, the supervisor who has worked at the Supenaam stelling for the past 14 years, told me that sometimes he would work around-the-clock to help out commuters and vehicle owners.

Whenever they come late, they want to force their way through the gate.

That is the kind of bullying attitude displayed by some drivers when they can’t get their way. However, I must commend those supervisors and gatemen who displayed tremendous courage in standing firm against this crude bullyism, and at the same time act with great

of imports -- a less-than-inconsequential sum.

a clean City. This revenue base cannot be supported indefinitely by Central Government.

responsibility and restraint.

The picture in Kaieteur News shows vehicles being loaded on the Bartica ferry, MV Makouria, and not the Supenaam Chinese ferry.

This picture is misleading to the readers and is sending a wrong message about Transport and Harbours Department.

It is good that the letter writer could recalled that there was a booking system when the ferries had just arrived and shortly afterwards the bullying and bribery took over under the former administration. The ghost writer who penned this letter is, I presume, operating from within the Transport and Harbours Department at Parika, and has a grouse with the new management of Transport and Harbours

GRA chairman and the The container fee is small GPSU

THE chairman of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) is constantly in the news, and on occasions on controversial issues. The GRA Board is a corporate entity that has, among other things, fiduciary responsibility. Under the law, this board has no executive responsibility; that is vested in the office of the Commissioner General and team.

Consistent with the protocol of a non-executive board, when its chairman acts or makes a pronouncement, it is expected that such is being done on behalf of the members of the board, given that the authority of the chairman comes from the decisions of the board. Recently, some appointments and terminations were announced by the chairman, which were later alleged to be a unilateral decision. This aspect of the chairman’s public announcements is not the focus of this editorial, though it is hoped that, in keeping with best practices, this matter would be sorted out soonest.

Attention is being given to the recent exchange between the chairman and the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU). The latter has accused the former of creating a hostile and insecure environment for GRA workers. The former, in responding, has accused the union of being misinformed, and of not being the workers’ representative.

The chairman’s statement is that of concern, in that it highlights two major issues: one, the absence of awareness of industrial relations in the GRA; and two, an understanding of roles and responsibilities.

The GPSU is the bona fide representative of workers at the GRA. This relationship was established since the workers were employed at the Customs and Excise Department and at the Income Tax Department, which were later merged into the GRA. Though not of significant material today, the PPP/C government, during the Bharrat Jagdeo Administration, sought to make the matter of the workers’ representation a political issue.

During the Donald Ramotar government, the politics of this issue was put aside, and pronouncements were made by both the Trade Union Recognition and Certification Board (TURB) and the Minister of Labour.

Dear Editor,

PLEASE let me add my two cents to this discussion on the charging of a container fee by the M&CC. A $25,000 fee on containers will result in far less than a 0.05% increase in the cost

Objections to this fee by the importers seem to be reactionary and defensive.

There is obvious need for the City to increase its revenue base to support and maintain

The then TURB Chairman, Justice Prem Persaud, and Minister of Labour, Dr. Nanda Gopaul, wrote Commissioner General Khurshid Sattaur, informing him that the GPSU is the recognised union, and the entity has to have engagement with it on behalf of the workers. The matter of representation has been settled by the responsible authority, and should be respected. Given the established legitimate relationship between the workers and GPSU, it is reasonable to expect that the union would speak out on behalf of the workers.

It is unfortunate that the chairman apparently did not know this, and the brewing conflict between him and the union, emanating from what the union sees as an abuse of his authority, could have been handled with deserving professionalism.

Much too often, differences of opinion and conflicts escalate not because of the issue per se, but because time is not taken to understand the issue, its backdrop, and the process that ought to be employed in dealing with same.

There is, at this stage, no reason to believe the chairman in not well-intentioned in the role. However, at the same time, it should be said that, even with the best of intentions, where any act is executed without seeming regard for principles, practices, and procedures, it brings into question the best of intentions, and then it emerges into internecine conflict.

Handling this issue would require soberness prevailing and the acceptance of the need to step away from the emotive and defer to the substantive in order to resolve what is evidently resolvable.

It helps neither the GRA, the Board, the GPSU, nor the

Imposition of the fee is, however, poorly thought out and implemented. This must be done in collabo-

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ration with Government, and the fees and other charges should be collected by the wharves and remitted to the M&CC prior to the containers being released.

ROY BEEPAT

country to have differences on matters that, in the first instance, should not occur were there respective group understanding and appreciation of their roles, scope and boundaries.

The editorial section of this newspaper has previously dealt with State boards and other aspects of leadership roles in government. We have covered the issue of the difference between an executive and non-executive board, which carries with it different responsibilities. In like manner, our editorial has also addressed the local government authorities and the roles and responsibilities of the Council and those of the town clerk or overseers.

It is to Guyana’s, the subject ministers’, boards and Councils’ best interest to operate consistent with the established rules. Similarly, it will be to the embarrassment of all if attention is not paid to what can be construed as ignorance of the working of the system and refusal to accept the rules.

Frankly speaking, these are unnecessary conflicts, diverting energies and time that could be spent on worthwhile pursuits, building better relationships, and delivering best of service for the people of Guyana.

Where previous governments may have gotten away, or even benefited from, stoking such adversarial relationship and disregarding established principles, procedures and practices, there comes a time when it ought to be realised that such approach is never to the benefit of the collective, but rather a few. And if we are seriously committed to working together and building Guyana, bad practices and arrogance will have to be eschewed.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday July 19, 2016

Eccles new community under siege Dear Editor,

THE front page of the Sunday Stabroek of July 17 contained a headline that included two garbage collection services; it caught my attention. Both of these waste management services named in the news item are major players.

They are presently involved in the wanton destruction of roads and the commission of other violations in a section of the new Eccles Housing Scheme that runs parallel to the dumpsite access road, where the Government-built two-flat turnkey and other houses are located.

The road was built about two years ago, and the destruction started about six months ago when, instead

of using the dumpsite road, the garbage trucks of these two services resorted to using the community road.

As you might imagine, there are other vehicular traffic -- including other garbage collection services -- that use the road; but by sheer volume and frequency, Puran Brothers and Cevon’s Waste Disposal Services have contributed to over 90 percent of the destruction and other violations.

The shoulders of large sections of the road have been broken off; parapets are damaged; and, in one case, the electric wire that connects a resident’s house to the Guyana Power and Light pole, along with the meter, was recklessly ripped away from its secured base on the house by one of these

trucks.

Although attributed mostly to vehicles that transport garbage uncovered and to persons with no regard for cleanliness and good sanitation, there is also the problem of littering, especially along the dumpsite road.

Editor, the presence of these trucks roaming through the community and emitting a stinking, nauseating smell from very early in the morning to late in the afternoons, seven days a week, even though neither of them is known to provide collection service to the community, is contributing to the degradation of the community rather than its development. According to environmental experts, continued exposure to such conditions may

cause respiratory and other problems. Further, these trucks pose serious noise pollution challenges for us. Residents are entitled to the peaceful enjoyment of their homes and immediate surroundings, but what is happening here runs counter to the concept of living the good life, which has been promised by the government.

Where is the recently elected NDC representative? Where is the Environmental Protection Agency?

Where is the Ministry of Communities? Are they enjoying their well-to-do homes and neighbourhoods while ordinary citizens suffer?

Most disheartening is that the truck drivers of these two services seem totally bereft of any sense

of responsibility and value, and what it costs tax payers to build this road and residence to maintain their parapets. More often than not, they drive these trucks at high speed, which poses additional danger for residents and their property. I believe the time is ripe for government to take into consideration the social responsibility and other pertinent records of companies before it awards contracts to them. Clearly, we cannot have a situation where companies are involved in the destruction of public infrastructure or other actions that are inimical to government’s goals and at the same time being awarded contracts costing tax payers millions of dollars.

Editor, the dumpsite by

itself presents serious challenges to residents in terms of air pollution, littering and other undesirable conditions, which we must face day in and day out.

However, as a small comfort, I would greatly appreciate if you can bring the foregoing situation to the attention of the relevant authorities with a view to preventing further destruction to our roads, improve air quality, reduce noise levels, and eliminate the risk of accidents by speeding garbage trucks. Maintaining good health and a clean environment are prerequisites to the development of strong communities.

Yours sincerely, DERICK LOWE Resident

‘Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge’ Dear Editor,

THERE is an album that was released a few years ago by my favourite American alternative rock band, My Chemical Romance.

That album is called ‘Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge’.

I would like to say to prominent attorneys-at-Law Sase Gunraj and Charles Ramson: ‘Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge’ and for putting the brake on another one of the mad capers of City Hall -- the charge to businesses for temporarily placing a shipping container in front of their premises for offloading of goods.

Indeed, I hope that legal challenges are also made against their other irrational money-grabbing attempts,

such as the imposition of the dubious parking meter initiative, their callous intention to increase property rates, and all the other hare-brained schemes.

Now that the judicial branch of government has decided to put a check on the unlawful attempts by the Georgetown Municipality to put more financial burdens on the citizenry, it is my sincere hope that the other branches -the administrative or the government, and the legislative or the parliament -- would play their part in reining in an out-of-control, covetous and predatory Council.

The lunacy goes on with the Town Clerk declaring his intention to replace GRA for vehicle licensing. Using most archaic laws and legislation

that could not be applied to today’s circumstances, which speak to the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) having responsibility for the identification of all public transportation system operating in Georgetown, he proposes to write the state revenue collection agency to begin discussions on reverting management of identifying public transportation to the City.

These taxis, minibuses and other public automobiles referred to also operate outside of the city; so, will they be required to have two sets of licences so that the government can put the second one toward the repair of bridges, parapets and roads outside of Georgetown? The City Council is each day

Is this a nancy ...

From page 6

Department, because he cannot get his own way in doing things, and he is trying to make this new government look bad.

Since the coalition took

office, I have seen an improved system and good coordination at Transport and Harbours Department. There is no doubt there might be petty bribery, but not to the extent that this writer is elabo-

rating about. According to him, all the vehicles which passed him and filled the ferry paid a bribe. No one would buy his nancy story.

Yours faithfully, MOHAMED KHAN

moving closer and closer to making Georgetown into a City State the likes of Rome, Athens and Carthage of bygone days.

It is important for the government to recognize that these rash, foolish, and badlythought-out revenue-earning ideas by the City Council

will have an adverse effect on employment and business in the capital; and rather than increasing the revenue base of the Council, it will force persons to conduct business outside of the city instead of coming to the commercial hub.

It is clear that City Hall has little or no capacity in

city management or city planning; and worse, the Town Clerk, who should have had a legal background based on his job specification, has no understanding of the laws of Guyana.

Sincerely, JERMAIN JOHNSON

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Guyanese woman dies in St Lucia accident POLICE have identified the victim of a fatal motor vehicle accident at La Toc roundabout in Castries on Monday.

Tanza Campbell of Corinth was one victim of the crash that suffered injuries and later died. Campbell was travelling in a Suzuki swift vehicle, bearing registration PK1031, when the vehicle started spinning and later flipped into the Castries Harbour.

The Guyanese woman was the driver and had a female passenger with her at the time of the accident. Eyewitnesses claim that soon after the vehicle flipped into the harbour, a female was heard screaming.

Two males went to her rescue, but by the time they pulled out the female passenger and went to Campbell’s assistance she was unresponsive.

When doctors arrived at the scene, the female was reportedly pronounced dead.

Campbell worked at KMZ Solutions, Saint Dead: Tanza Campbell Lucia and is the mother of one. The company said in a Facebook post: “Today, tragically, we lost a true friend, a close colleague and a wonderful leader. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and relatives and of course, the entire KM2 family. We lost a great soul in Tanza Campbell.

We will miss her. Sail on in peace!” (St Lucia News Online) –

Bishop Randolph George passes THE Right Reverend Randolph George, former Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Guyana, passed away on Monday morning at the age of 92.

His wife, Mrs Sheila George, disclosed that the retired Bishop died at his Lot 590 Republic Park, East Bank Demerara (EBD) residence at about 00:40h on Monday, following a brief illness.

It is believed that the late Bishop George suffered a heart attack.

The Right Reverend “He was the best in Randolph George everything,” Mrs George said as she reflected briefly on the life of her husband.

The Right Reverend Randolph George had served as Bishop of Guyana from 1980 until 2009. He was not only a husband, but a father of four and a devoted leader.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Godfrey Statia is new GRA boss

PUBLIC Accountant and Attorney-at-Law Godfrey Statia has been appointed Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

According to a reliable source, GRA’s Board of Directors, during a special session on Monday, selected Statia from a list of applicants who had vied for the position.

His appointment comes approximately six months after the Board took a decision to terminate the services of Khurshid Sattaur – the former Commissioner General.

However, it is unclear when Statia would commence duties, as the particulars are to be worked out.

Statia is a Certified Public Accountant and Personal

Financial Specialist, who specialises in taxation and financial planning.

He received a Master’s in Business Administration with concentrations in Accounting and Finance from Rutgers University in 1990. Additionally, he is a graduate of the Hugh Wooding Law School, University of the West Indies, and practices law in Guyana

and the Caribbean.

He has wide taxation experience at both the domestic and international levels.

Statia would be supported by Hema Khan, who was appointed Deputy Commissioner General last month. At the time of her appointment, Khan was serving as the Deputy Commissioner for Tax Operations and Services.

Strippers overstayed their time AFTER almost four days in protective custody following the Queenstown nightclub raid, six strippers from the Dominican Republic were fined for overstaying their time in Guyana and for conspiracy.

Appearing before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Monday, Shakira Alcantara, Estefani Orozco, Elizabeth Rosario, Yaliana Parez, Yesenia Holguin and Seleyny Rodriques were each fined $50,000 after pleading guilty to the charge which stated that they had each overstayed their time permitted in the country. They had been allowed to stay in Guyana from April to May, but remained until July 14.

Speaking to the court with the aid of a Spanish interpreter, the Dominican Republic nationals were represented by attorney Mark Waldron, who explained that his clients’ families had already booked their tickets to have them travel back home.

The women also pleaded guilty to conspiring with persons known and unknown to forge an extension of stay, purporting

to show same was issued by the Central Immigration and passport office of Guyana.

They were each fined $30,000, with an alternative of four weeks’ imprisonment if they failed to pay the fine.

According to the women, they had paid a man US$300 at the Rio Nightclub/Inn to have the stamps placed in their passports because they had thought the stamps were authentic.

According to the prosecution’s facts read by Corporal Deniro Jones, the Dominican Republic nationals had arrived at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport in April and were granted one month stay in the county, during which they stayed at the Rio Inn at Forshaw & Oronoque Streets in Georgetown. On Thursday, July 14, the police and agents from the Ministry of Social Protection raided the hotel and apprehended the women; and checks made on their passports showed they had overstayed their time in the country. (Clestine Juan)

Rohee accuses Gov’t of intrusion

THE PPP has expressed concern that Government has sought High Court warrants to gain access to the bank accounts of former senior Government functionaries and to search the residences of PPP party members who once held prominent positions in society.

Ventilating this concern was PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee, at the party’s weekly press conference at Freedom House on Monday. Rohee was unable to say which party members are to be served with warrants, but he accused the Government of using the State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU), the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) and the Police Force for political witch-hunting and to arrest and harass PPP activists.

He contended that SARU has no “locus standi” either

PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee within the meaning of the Constitution of the Republic of Guyana or the laws of Guyana; and he said that “any attempt to use SARU to illegally harm the legitimate economic and financial interests of any PPP/C leader and/

or former Government functionary on the basis of wild, unsubstantiated and politically-motivated allegations of corruption will be stoutly and resolutely rebuffed by the party.”

The situation, he said, is reminiscent of the once dreaded ‘PNC police state’ which has been responsible for hounding down, jailing and killing political opponents.

Only recently, Omar Shariff, a former Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of the Presidency -- who had close ties with the PPP -- was asked to proceed on leave after billions of dollars were reportedly found in his bank accounts. Shariff is currently under investigation, and documents and a safe were, earlier this month, removed from his home when SOCU visited.

In a letter to Shariff dated June 30, 2016, Minister Har-

mon told him to proceed on annual leave so that he could cooperate fully with SOCU during the investigation.

“This is [a] money-laundering and tax-evasion matter, since (there are) large sums of money that he has in his personal accounts,” Harmon said.

Minister Harmon has clarified that the SOCU investigations have nothing to do with Shariff’s role as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Presidency.

“These matters which came up are of a personal nature, and they have to do with his own personal private arrangement, and have nothing to do with his actual office of Permanent Secretary,” Harmon said.

Shariff had worked as Permanent Secretary in the then Office of the President under the former PPP Government.

FOUR WITNESSES TESTIFY - as CoI begins into deadly Drop-in-Centre fire

THE Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the fire at the Drop-in-Centre on Hadfield Street, Georgetown -- which resulted in the deaths of brothers Antonio and Joshua George -– began on Monday with four witnesses testifying before the Commissioner, retired Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Colonel Windee Algernon.

Commissioner Algernon

told the Guyana Chronicle at the Ministry of the Presidency that those witnesses were employees of the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) which is headed

by Director Ann Greene.

She said the CoI will summon more than 20 witnesses from the Ministry of Social Protection, including staff at CPA, the Guyana Fire Service, children housed at the centre, and their parents

and guardians.

The CoI will submit a preliminary report to President David Granger on July 22, while the final report and recommendations will be presented to him on August 15.

Joshua George,2, and Antonio George,6, along with three other siblings, were removed from their parents’ home on the evening of July 6 and placed at

the Drop-in Centre by the Ministry of Social Protection’s Child Services Division.

The Government’s children’s orphanage was consumed by fire on July 8, leaving two of its residents -- siblings Antonio and Joshua George -- dead.

The inquiry will decide whether or not the family of the dead boys will be compensated.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Adapt to changing global environment

9

- Greenidge urges Guyana’s foreign representatives

By Ariana Gordon GUYANA’S foreign representatives must be able to adapt to a rapid and ever changing global environment as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs works to ensure the standard of its representatives are superior to other territories.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge disclosed on Monday during an orientation seminar for the Heads of Missions and new recruits, that the country’s foreign service will see former diplomats serving as advisers to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and more so the Foreign Service Institute.

“This enables us to capitalise on the experiences that have been accumulated in the past in terms of policy formulation and the like and, therefore, that institutional mechanism I hope is going to help to see us through the re-establishment of what clearly was widely acknowledged as one of the most effective, if not outstanding, foreign services in the Western Hemisphere,” said Minister Greenidge.

Former Ambassador Ronald Austin is the Director designate for the Foreign Service Institute, said the minister, who noted that while the experiences of the former diplomats will assist Guyana significantly, new recruits need to be analytical.

“There is from one week to the next, one month to the next, not merely new issues emerging but those issues change quite radically from one day to the next, BREXIT being a good example of what was an established institutional mechanism… affecting 28 countries.”

Other advisors include former Foreign Affairs Minister, Rashleigh Jackson and Ambassadors, Timothy Critchlow, Rudy Collins and Cedric Joseph.

The Foreign Affairs Minister said it is imperative that the foreign service of Guyana becomes a foreign service that “recognises that it will have to be adaptable, it will have to develop skills, many of which lie outside of the traditional diplomatic arena”.

Greenidge made it clear that he is not interested in recruiting officers whose only interest and perhaps only training is in international relations.

“Today, you have to understand and come to grips with a range of issues and each officer should try to have at least one area of competence outside of general diplomacy so that when you come to the table, you bring some specific skills.”

Being a good Foreign Service representative, the minister stressed, requires constant learning and the constant review of information.

“What I am seeing is a diplomatic service that seeks at all times to develop its skills – yes, some of the traditional areas in terms of training are important, but today, unlike 20 or 15 years ago,language is also of extreme importance,” he added while charging foreign service officers to be bilingual.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Foreign Affairs said staff at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ought to improve their efficiency so as to be able to provide readily to the various overseas missions.

He said something has to be done about the existing deficiencies and noted that staff of the missions and those in Georgetown must work collaboratively.

(From left right) HighHigh Commissioner to South Africa, Dr Kenrick Hunte; PermanentHunte; Representative to the Representative United Nations, (From lefttoto right) Commissioner to South Africa, Dr Kenrick Permanent to Michael Tenpow; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge; Ambassador to Kuwait, Shamir Ally;Ambassador and High Commissioner to the United Nations, Michael Tenpow; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Dr Greenidge; to Kuwait, India , DavidAlly; Pollard on High the lawns of the Foreign Service Institute on Monday David Pollard on the lawns of the Foreign Dr Shamir and Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Service Institute on Monday

“It is team work,” the minister stressed.

He disclosed that proposals are being examined for the restructuring of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs so that work can be handled more efficiently.

Additionally, the minister announced that Government is currently examining ways of making emoluments appropriate for those employed by his Ministry. He said too he is looking to “enhance the rate of recruitment of skills” at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

These matters, Minister Greenidge said have been discussed with the Minister of Finance and are before Cabinet.

Meanwhile, former Ambassador Ronald Austin, who served as facilitator of the orientation session said that the one week seminar is focused on equipping the Heads of Missions and staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the requisite information to effectively carry out the country’s Foreign

Service policy.

The sessions will focus on the role of the mission in promoting investment and trade, border issues, Caricom and regional integration, terrorism, the importance of technology and Guyana’s tourism potential and anti-money laundering procedures, consular matters and the environment, among others.

Presentatatthe theopening opening session ofseminar the seminar were GuyPresent session of the were Guyana’s ana’s Ambassador to Belgium, David Hales; High CommisAmbassador to Belgium, David Hales; High Commissioner to South to Africa, Kenrick High Commissioner to India, sioner SouthDrAfrica, DrHunte; Kenrick Hunte; High Commissioner David Pollard;Kingdom Ambassador to Kuwait, Shamir Ally; to the United David Pollard;Dr Ambassador to and Kuwait, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Michael Dr Shamir Ally; and Permanent Representative to the United Tenpow. Michael Tenpow.

Nations, Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago and the Eastern Caribbean, Cammie Ramsaroop was unable to attend Monday’s seminar as he is out of the jurisdiction.

Murder accused granted another postponement

By George Barclay JUSTICE James Bovell-Drakes yesterday granted a second postponement of the trial of murder accused Lakeraj Fredericks, to enable jurors to be empaneled to try him for the murder of Clifton Bonus, called ‘Mutts’.

Fredericks, whose first trial for murder ended in a hung jury, appeared in court for his retrial on July 11 without

counsel; but after satisfying the judge that his desired counsel was in Berbice and that he was arranging to either get him by yesterday or be granted a state counsel, the judge granted a postponement of the start of the trial to yesterday.

However, when the accused was escorted to court yesterday, the judge was informed that a lawyer who was retained by a relative of the accused was before another court in New Amsterdam. After a short adjournment, the judge declared

that he was unable to get in contact with the Georgetown chambers of the counsel whose name was given. The judge then observed that what has been happening so far appears to be disgraceful and disgusting.

After consulting with the officer-in-charge of the prosecution, the judge postponed the matter to Thursday, when it is believed that the Director of Public Prosecutions would take steps to have a lawyer assigned as counsel for the accused.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Building sustainable and resilient enterprises and communities

By Audreyanna Thomas, Senior Communications Officer, GuySuCo AS THE Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) continues to strategize to transform itself into a resilient and sustainable business, it is critical that consideration be given to the communities which emerged from sugar.

The vibrancy of the economy in many of these communities is still heavily dependent on the estates meeting targets. Moving forward, the development programme in many of these communities has to expand beyond dependence on the sugar industry.

The debate is currently focused on GuySuCo transitioning the Wales Estate from sugar to other ventures, and the possible negative impacts this can have on

communities, many of which are subjective.

The transitioning of the Wales Estate and the financial issues of GuySuCo are no doubt a challenge; but these considerations have also created a remarkable opportunity for the emergence of communities with greater economic and social balance.

The conversation about GuySuCo has to progress to include developing sustainable and resilient communities and enterprises.

The ‘New GuySuCo’ concept, which includes sugar cane cultivation and sugar production and the Diversification Division, was recently launched. It means therefore that the economic characteristics of communities around sugar estates will change.

The current economic focus for many communities is on sugar cane cultivation, and the income generated from

sugar workers goes back into these communities. Consequently, as the configuration of GuySuCo changes to include aquaculture, growing fruit crops and engaging in livestock and dairy farming, it is expected that the economic activities and flow of these communities would also be adjusted.

IMPACT ON COMMUNITIES As stated above, it is clear that the Corporation has to move in the direction of diversification, therefore it is expected that communities will exploit new opportunities which will be created by GuySuCo. The Corporation is aware that this transition will not be automatic or even easy for these communities; however, it will undoubtedly become necessary, hence it would be strategic for relevant agen-

cies within these communities to commence and deepen discussions on resilient and sustainable communities and enterprises.

GuySuCo cannot become a profitable business enterprise by focusing only on sugar as its core business; therefore, ‘sugar dependent communities’ will have to transform.

The Corporation is also strategizing to evolve as a sustainable and resilient business enterprise. In the short term, the aim is to navigate through these difficult times and, in the medium to long term, usher in a new phase of profitability.

DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE ENTERPRISES IN COMMUNITIES This is perhaps an appropriate point for related agencies and communities

to commence or strengthen discussions and programmes on what are the preferred growth areas. This will allow for communities to adopt values, opportunities, skills and expertise, and constraints to determine the most beneficial aspects for sustained growth.

These engagements should also examine the fiscal and economic health of these communities; and an evaluation should be done on how to get better economic results not only from tapping into the ventures with GuySuCo, but also new private and other developments.

Another area for discussion will be the development of strategies for land use -- for example, around the Wales Estate -thus a part of the strategic conversation should be to incorporate the review of the use of land in this level of planning.

Stats Bureau releases compendiums 1 and 2 THE Bureau of Statistics has announced the publications of Compendiums One and Two, further detailing the findings of the 2012 Census.

In accordance with its commitment to disseminate the report from June, the Methodological Note on the final census count and Compendium One were disseminated on the Bureau’s Website in May and June 2016 respectively.

This recent publication, Compendium Two was disseminated earlier in the current month and provides further information about the country’s population composition in terms of ethnicity, age structure, dependency ratios and religion.

Additionally, new information about the population trends such as national population size by region and population growth patterns are also detailed in this latest publication.

The findings of the census highlight a continued proportionate decline in the populations of the main ethnic groups and a compensatory increase among the Mixed-race and Amerindians\Indigenous populations.

The final population count stands at 746,955 persons.

Nevertheless, the distribution pattern of the ethnic groups has still remained unaffected since the 2002 Census with Indo-Guyanese remaining as the largest group followed by those of African Heritage, the Mixed Race, the Amerindians\Indigenous peoples and the Portuguese respectively.

The Final Report for the 2012 Census will be disseminated in four main compendiums. The upcoming Compendium Three analyses the important economic activity profile of the population and will be disseminated by the end of August.

The final compendium which will address the remaining key topics such as education, fertility, mortality and housing will be disseminated by end November.

Additionally, a table module with data from other interesting topic areas will also be disseminated with Compendium Four.

A plethora of information with accompanying tables is now available for all types of users. The compendiums are available for free download on the Bureau’s web site http:// www.statisticsguyana.gov.gy/.

A media brief will be held shortly to highlight the main findings so far.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Father who lassoed daughter in custody

By Shauna Jemmott THE man who lassoed his 13-year-old daughter and walked her down the Haslington Public Road, East Coast Demerara on Sunday morning has been arrested and taken into police custody.

On Sunday, police and the Child Protection Agency (CPA) launched an investigation into reports from residents that a young girl with a rope tied to her was being taken down the Haslington Public Road by an adult male.

A woman who witnessed the unbelievable act while travelling in a minibus

along the public road, said around 10:15 hours on Sunday, she saw a man holding a coarse yellow rope, which formed a single firm loop around the child’s chest.

The rope was wrapped several times around the m a n ’s h a n d a s t h e t w o walked at a moderate pace.

A CPA official on Monday told the Guyana Chronicle that another individual within the Haslington community telephoned the CPA hotline on at 22-70979 Sunday afternoon and confirmed the reports, leading to the removal of the girl from the home of her father, and his arrest.

According to the CPA

official, the teenager ’s name first appeared in the agency’s reports just last month, with reports of her wandering in the city after school.

“She has some delinquent troubles. Last month she came in on our report for delinquent behaviour.

S h e w o u l d n ’t g o h o m e a f t e r s c h o o l . S h e w a ndered around town (and) wouldn’t go home until late at nights,” the CPA official said.

However, CPA representative said that does not give the father the right to lasso his daughter and walk her down the road.

The agency has started

working with the entire family to address the issue.

Reports reaching the Guyana Chronicle indicate that the girl is the only child for the mother and father together, but her mother has other children who live away from the residence.

Guyana Chronicle also

understands that the teenager’s father is in police custody and is assisting with the investigations into child abuse.

Meanwhile, CPA Head Ann Greene is calling on citizens to assist the CPA in addressing child abuse.

“Child protection it never stands alone! We’re look-

ing for people at the community level. All segments of society must come on board! It’s a national issue,” the CPA Director said.

Anyone with information relating to the abuse of a child or children is asked to call the Child Protection Agency hotline at 22-70979.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Babita Sarjou murder PI…

Crime Laboratory detective called to testify

THE Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the murder of Babita Sarjou, who allegedly was killed by her ex-husband six years ago, continued yesterday before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Sarjou’s ex-husband Sharnandand Narine, called ‘Anand’, of Seaforth Street Campbellville and Dorel Pronton, called ‘Yankee’, of Lot 54

Broad Street, Charlestown are currently on remand for the woman’s murder.

Naraine is being represented by Attorney Peter Hugh, while Pronton is being represented by Attorney Nigel Hughes.

Detective Deputy Superintendent of Police Rafeek Alli testified on Monday that he is stationed at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters at Eve Leary, Georgetown and

is attached to the Crime Laboratory. The matter has been adjourned for today.

Sarjou left home on November 4, 2010, telling her mother, Champa Seonarine, that she would be meeting with her estranged husband and fouryear-old son at the Kitty Seawall to view the annual Diwali motorcade.

That same night she was expected to return to her mother’s Timehri home, but was never again seen

Sarjou’s ex-husband, Sharanandand Narine alive.

Skeletal remains were eventually removed from a corner of her husband’s residence after the accused duo had led detectives to a spot located behind a zinc fence on the property, and DNA samples have been taken from those remains to confirm the identity of the deceased, but Sarjou’s relatives have

Accomplice: Darel Keith Pronton already identified a pair of shoes and parts of the attire found with the skeleton as belonging to Sarjou.

Sarjou’s husband has stated that he was furious with her because he had suspected that she was having an affair with a man at her workplace. He was also angry that she had taken him to court

Dead: Babita Sarjou on allegations that he had posted nude pictures of her online.

It is alleged that he had hired the unemployed Pronton, whom he had befriended, to kill Sarjou. Pronton was allegedly paid $50,000 and promised a trip to Trinidad, which never materialised.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Sexual violence against children under-reported, under-prosecuted

– First Lady Sandra Granger

By Shauna Jemmott

Day, pointed out that there were 1,145 reported cases of sexual violence against children between 2011 and March 2015.

The forum was recently hosted by the Ministries of Social Protection and Social Cohesion in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Mrs. Granger said while ‘A’, ‘C’ and ‘F’ Divisions of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) registered the highest

Although there are reports of several incidents of rape, incest and Trafficking in Persons (TIP) in rural and hinterland areas, First Lady Sandra Granger has contended that sexual violence against children remains under-reported and under-prosecuted.

Mrs Granger, in delivering remarks at a forum to observe World Population

number of reported cases, citizens within local communities should be more proactive in dealing with sexual violence against children.

“Systems must be put in place to prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law and to provide counsel and support to victims’ families.”

She cited lack of education, unemployment and the lure of quick and easy money, peer pressure and popularity as factors that lead youths to

crime.

“When teen girls are empowered and are given the tools to succeed, they become tools for positive change and the same goes for teenage boys,” the First Lady stated.

Meanwhile, Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton highlighted the need for strong leadership across the board to conquer challenges faced by teenagers from a social, legislative, religious and cultural perspective.

First Lady Sandra Granger He said Guyanese must consider health-related issues but there is a lack of legislation to provide for reproductive health services to teenagers, and the lack of

Bhojpuri troupe performs at NCC

AS part of Guyana's celebration of her Golden Independence Jubilee, the Indian Government dispatched a Bhojpuri cultural troupe for limited performance in Georgetown and Mahaicony.

On Friday evening, the renowned Bhola Pandey staged a show at the National Cultural Centre (NCC) at which Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, his wife Seeta Nagamootoo and an appreciative audience were entertained.

In photo, Prime Minister Nagamootoo and Mrs Sita Nagamootoo pose with the Bhojpuri troupe and officials of the Indian High Commission

a comprehensive sexual and reproductive health curriculum in schools.

Minister of Social Protection, Ms Volda Lawrence, during her remarks said while the Ministry of Social Protection has made several investments to deal with issues affecting young people, additional efforts must be made urgently to provide teenagers with the help they need.

“The Ministry of Social Protection bears the responsibility of providing the socio-financial network to cushion vulnerable families and by extension teenagers who are part of them,” Minister Lawrence said.

She said a Gender Unit has been established within the Ministry of Social Protection, which provides counselling for youths, and oversees public sensitisation projects on gender issues.

She said too that social assistance, vouchers, power loan agreements and grants are given to help single parents become businesswomen.

Lawrence also reported that a number of young prisoners who were pardoned

by President David Granger are involved in a rehabilitation programme which is managed by her Ministry’s Probation Department.

They will receive further empowerment through the Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency.

The symposium also featured presentations from teenage mothers supported

by Women Across Differences (WAD), who shared their struggles and sentiments of thanksgiving to the President and First Lady who provided sponsorship for their studies to acquire their Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) certificates.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2016

47 young women graduate from self-esteem programme

BY SHIRLEY THOMAS EUPHORIA filled the air inside the region four Regional Democratic Council (RDC) conference room on last Wednesday afternoon when 47 young grassroots women from the East Coast Demerara (ECD) graduated after successfully completing a compacted 10-week ‘self-esteem group therapy’ programme.

The programme was held under the theme ‘celebrating new beginnings’ and was conducted by the Women’s Refuge Skills training programme.

EMPOWERMENT SESSIONS The graduation ceremony, after ten weeks of life-changing empowerment sessions, was a memorable experience for these women, many of whom admitted that it was their first experience at having been awarded a certificate. And proud of their accomplishment, they expressed a sense of pride and joy at their new found self-confidence.

Representatives from various groups shared their experiences, pointed out the benefits of self-esteem

and explained how the programme had impacted their lives. They have resolved to use the knowledge gained to take control of their lives and as a catalyst for further development.

The programme, conducted over the period May to July, under the leadership of Ms. Ingrid Goodman and a team of specially trained facilitators, brought together grassroots women of various backgrounds, from six communities, namely: Cove & John, Enterprise, Victoria, Ann’s Grove, Melanie Damishana and Beterverwagting.

Goodman, who conducts weekly counselling on Channel 9 TV on Mondays, is a community mental health practitioner with at least 30 years of experience. She has lived and worked in at least six countries and worked with at least 30 – 40 communities, including California and Florida. She has also lived in Zimbabwe and spent five years in Grenada before returning to Guyana.

The programme was funded in part by Australian aid, along with local community support. Nine sessions were conducted in those six communities, and there is an opportunity for three more communities on the East

Ms. Ingrid Goodman, Community Mental Health Practitioner Coast to benefit from the programme, which initially was intended to be conducted over 12 sessions.

Meanwhile, Goodman in her overview of the programme said that the topics dealt with included self-esteem in broad outline: building self-esteem, the causes of low self-esteem, the production of anger, looking at one’s basic needs and remembering your past and the inner child.

The group also aimed to develop support and intimacy, while looking at other pathways to self-esteem.

Goodman said that essentially, the group sought to eliminate and reduce life-threatening behaviours such as suicide attempts,as well as suicidal thoughts and intentional harm to self. It also focused on reducing and eliminating behaviours that interfere with treatment.

“We believe that in order to be a catalyst for change, we must advocate and initiate research-based programmes … such as our crime prevention community outreach and family support interventions,” she contended.

Meanwhile, over the past three weeks, a new pilot therapy group, a sexual assault survivors’ group has been started to address the subject of rape.

SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAMME Goodman said that the women’s refuge training programme had come up with the idea of a sustainable approach to community development. It begins with the self-esteem therapy at the grass roots level.

“After that we have developed and designed a skills training programme which leads towards employment,” she said, adding that they are always trying to be initiators at the grassroots level. To this end they propose introducing an interior design programme that is broken down into three modules.

The base level is the

The symbolic sticking of the cake

The proud graduates following their graduation ceremony on Wednesday

Participants of the self-esteem group therapy during the graduation at the Region4 NDC Office

self-esteem training and it is mandatory that one must complete that training before being able to participate in the skills training programme and interior design programme.

The programme she outlined is two-fold and it embodies entrepreneurial training, as well as interior design.

Goodman explained that both sets of skills are required if you are doing entrepreneurship and the women will be taught to manage those businesses.

That programme, she said, was tested and tried for two years, here in Guyana at the Institute of Distance and Continuing Education (IDCE) and would soon be rolled out.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2016

My zika story

By Neil Primus

WHEN the news of Chikungunya (Loosely translated: That which bends up) broke in Guyana, I at once took steps to avoid infection. I bought repellent, mosquito coil, mosquito netting and long-sleeved clothing. It seemed to have worked. After an initial period of fear and apprehension, the threat of this infection receded. I felt relieved, and relaxed my guard.

Then BAM! A few months after, I was hit hard by something. Upon rising one morning, my entire body ached. I had done no excessive work or exercise, so this was not a good sign.

A STRANGE RASH By the next day, my aching body was covered with a strange, irritating rash. Parched, cracked lips and a slight headache added to my misery.

By now, my muscles felt like well-beaten eggs. I headed for the Georgetown Hospital.

After a two-hour wait and not being able to even get my bio-data recorded, I took the next best option in order to maintain my sanity. I went to a private facility.

I left an hour later with tablets and a messy-looking pink lotion that, when applied, made me look like the Pink Panther.

The days that followed were like a slow-motion movie clip. Much effort was needed to get very little done.

Then, a staff member of the Ministry of Public Health explained to me about mosquito-borne diseases, and I realised that I had missed the boat on Zika and Chikungunya.

HERE COMES RAIN The rainy season arrived, and with it came trouble: an abundance of thick vegetation, which meant plenty of breeding places for droves of mosquitoes.

My only recourse was to return to my protective posture, and avoid at all cost anyone painted pink. I had no intention of being re-infected. I sought refuge under nets, a siege of long clothes, and bottles upon bottles of smelly repellent.

I also decided to do some research on the mosquito-borne diseases prevalent in Guyana, and got quite a shock by what I discovered.

The symptoms that I had were similar to those of Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika. I was now more confused than sick. Here are the facts:

SYMPTOMS DENGUE CHIKINGUNYA ZIKA 1 Fever Fever Fever 2 Rash Rash Rash 3 Second Rash(Measles like) Fatigue

Malaise(lack of energy) 4 Fatigue Joint Pain Joint Pain 5 Joint Pain Muscle Pain Headache 6 Muscle Pain Headache Red eye(conjunctivitis) 7 Headache (behind the eyes) Nausea 8 Nausea 9 Vomiting 10 Swollen lymph Nodes FACT: The main carrier of these three diseases is the AEDES AEGYPTI. It has white markings on its legs, and marking in the form of a lyre on its thorax.

FACT: Mosquito bites during the day: early morning and evening.

FACT: Infection with a different type increases the risk of severe complications.

FACT: There is no specific medicine to treat Dengue Fever.

FACT: There is no cure for Chikungunya/Zika PREVENTION 1: Use mosquito repellent/coils.

2: Use mosquito nets.

3: Long clothes.

4: Eliminate man-made breeding places, such as open water containers, tyres, plastic bags, coconut shells etc. Throw away water in plant saucers.

5: Empty and clean receptacles used by domestic animals.

6: Change water in vases regularly.

7: Clean roofs, gutters and drains.

8: Introduce larva-eating fish to large bodies of water.

9: Spread a film of kerosene oil on pools of stagnant water.

10: Screen all windows and doors.

11: Cover and seal all septic tanks, soak-aways and storage tanks.

12: Avoid outdoor activities during peak biting hours of dusk and dawn.

The ache has long gone; the rash is still hanging around. Mosquitoes are everywhere. Day and night, I have to be battling them. Whenever the mosquito orchestra strikes up, I seek refuge under a net, or beneath a thick barrier of clothes: Winter clothing!

Ignore rumours of a pink zombie. It’s only me trying to survive the Aedes aegypti assault.

379 graduate from youth entrepreneurship programme THIS year 379 students have successfully graduated from the Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training Programme (YEST).

The graduates all hail from either the Kuru Kuru, Sophia or Vryman’s Erven Training Centres.

Two hundred and sixty two students managed to successfully graduate from the Kuru Kuru Training Centre, 92 from the Sophia Training Centre and 25 from the Vryman’s Erven Training Centre in New Amsterdam, Berbice.

This year marks the 16th year of the YEST programme at the Kuru Kuru Training Centre and the 28th year at the Vryman’s Erven and Sophia Training Centres.

As students - teens and young adults - the move away from family and acquaintances (especially for the live-in students at Kuru Kuru) had required some adjustments. However, their presence there, at the graduation, was said to be proof that they had adjusted, grown and succeeded.

At the graduation ceremony held Friday, Ms. Leslyn Boyce, Assistant Director

of Youth, in her YEST course report, noted that the programme promotes positive youth development. She said it aids unskilled and unemployed youths, between the ages of 16-25, and provides these opportunities to youths from all 10 regions.

Ms. Boyce noted that the students educated at these facilities were said to have

benefited from a wide range of vocational courses ranging from Business Studies, Plumbing and Sheet Metal, Cosmetology, and Masonry, just to name a few. In addition to these specialised skills training, all students benefitted from remedial Mathematics and English Language, Entrepreneurship and Information Technology classes.

Twenty two students at the Kuru Kuru Training Centre were able to receive their driver’s licences through a Drivers Education Programme.

She also noted that the programme, which lasted for 10 months for the residential students of Kuru Kuru or six months for the non-residential students of

Minister within the Ministry of Education, Nicolette Henry (second from left), Permanent Secretary, Alfred King (right), and officials within the ministry along with students who graduated from the Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training Programme

Vryman’s Erven and Sophia, though stringent, was not one of all work and no play. She said that the students were given a monthly stipend, had many recreational activities, took part in a few workshops and in the S.T.E.M fair and were exposed to many other things. Students also engaged in Project Management training.

She also said that the students were given work attachments at certain organisations. Here she noted, that some of the students were even offered permanent jobs at the places where they did their work study. Challenges were indeed not left out of the mix, and Ms. Boyce noted that some of these included inadequate staff, the lack of birth certificates and ID cards and a number of students dropping out. These challenges, she noted, will be remedied.

Minister within the Ministry of Education, Nicolette Henry, in her feature address, motivated the students and tried to mentally prepare them for the world of work. She said, “There will be challenges” but went on to say, “you

will have to translate what you have learned here to those challenges.” She left them with several charges and sought to reassure them that “Rome was not built in a day”.

A valedictorian speech was also given by Jerome Abrams, Valedictorian of the Sophia Training Centre, and he did not fail to express his gratitude for the “second chance” given to him and his fellow graduates. Daniel Hinds was the Valedictorian of the Kuru Kuru Training Centre and Khadija Kamara from the Vryman’s Erven Training Centre.

YEST is a Technical/Vocational Education and Training (TVET) scheme managed by the Ministry of Education,Department of Culture, Youth and Sport. This programme shares partnerships with many governmental and non-governmental organisations to give selected students an opportunity to be edified.

This year’s graduation hosted less graduates than the 433 batch of last year.

The graduation was held at the National Cultural Centre and on International Youth Skills Day.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2016

GOOD LIFE FOR ALL

SOCIAL Cohesion Minister Amna Ally has said that Government is committed to providing the ‘Good life for all Guyanese’, regardless of race, class or religion.

On a recent Government outreach with seven other senior ministers to indigenous communities in both the North and South Rupununi, Minister Ally, engaging more than 100 residents at the Hiawa Primary School, detailed Government's plans for the

- Minister Amna Ally tells Hiawa residents

development of Region 9 and the Hiawa community.

The Social Cohesion Minister said she is part of a Government that is working to provide the 'good life' to all Guyanese despite colour, class, religion or political persuasion.

Minister Ally informed the residents that President David Granger's vision for a

better Guyana is one which entails elimination of all inequalities and discrimination from society, especially ethnic discrimination.

"Our President -- a man with a vision -- has decided that we must end this racial discrimination in order to develop this country. We want to bridge the gaps that exist, because we are all Guyanese

and there must be a level playing field," Minister Ally declared.

The Minister referred to establishment of Radio Lethem 95.1 FM, which she stated is the beginning of the process of integration and bridging the gaps. She said that with this critical communication mechanism, Region 9 residents “can now be aware of what is happening in Guyana and the rest of the world."

Minister Ally spoke of the involvement of youths in the developmental process of the communities, regions and the country; and she encouraged those present to get involved and be a part of the process.

"We provided bicycles to the five top students of Region Nine as a motivation for them to continue doing good.

Our Government recognises that our young people must be nurtured and developed, and that is why we are giving them a boost and motivation," she declared.

Minister Ally also presented bicycles to the top five students of the Arapaima Primary School who had done well at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) ex-

aminations. The minister, in advising the residents of the Government's plans, explained: "We have been doing things to bring the good life to all of you. We don't believe in only giving you gifts, but we want to empower you."

The minister said she has been advised that, " you are producing a lot of oranges, and I would love to partner with the Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST) to develop a project where you can produce marmalade, but this is something we will have to discuss and further develop."

The main economic activity of the over 400 residents of Hiawa is farming. Citrus crops are mainly planted, and according to the residents, oranges are usually harvested in their thousands, but these fruits are usually not all sold.

It was with this in mind that Minister Ally proposed the establishment of a unit to produce marmalade - a preserve made from citrus fruit, especially bitter oranges -prepared like jam.

During the open-floor session, residents raised several issues, including the need for furniture for the health hut; the need for youths of

the community to be included under the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS) programme; the need for sports gear, and for educational awareness programmes on social issues such as teenage pregnancy, which is dominant in the community.

Minister Ally committed to following up the issues raised with the relevant Government ministers in an effort to have them addressed. She undertook to provide the furniture needed for the health hut, and sports gear for the youths.

When staff of the Government Information Agency (GINA) spoke with the residents, they expressed gratitude for the visit by the team, and commended the Government for showing interest in their lives.

Retired Teacher and resident Joseph Abrams told GINA that he was very happy that Minister Ally had visited, and he said he would like to see more such visits from Ministers.

"The visit from the Minister was really great. It’s a sign that Government is indeed interested in us and our welfare, and the Government wants to see us well developed and living a better standard of life. And we are very, very happy for this," Abrams said.

Social Cohesion Minister Amna Ally and team at the Hiawa meeting with Region Nine residents

Residents of Hiawa, Region Nine, at the meeting with Social Cohesion Minister Amna Ally

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Talking clothing with Sonia Noel

SONIA Noel Designs played host to a series of events, titled Conversations & Clothing with Sonia Noel, over the weekend.

The first was held here on Friday and ends tomorrow, while others were slated for the USA, in the states of Atlanta, New Jersey, New York and Texas.

Sonia Noel continues to motivate through the fashion platform

Tuesday July 19th, 2016 - 14:30 hrs Wednesday July 20th, 2016 - 05:00 hrs Thursday July 21th, 2016 - 05:00 hrs

The whole purpose of the idea, Noel said in a statement, was for persons to become more conversant and savvy where fashion is concerned.

"It is our intention to encourage persons to interact more at fashion events, and to provoke dialogue about life experiences within a relaxed atmosphere," she said.

It is also intended that persons would benefit from wardrobe tips and image-management insights.

"We don't have to know each other to strike up a conversation. You never know how some inspiring words from someone else can turn your life around," she said.

According to the statement, “Sonia Noel continues to motivate through the fashion platform, and to inspire through the philanthropic spirit with which she’s been blessed.”

Just recently she was at a conference in the USA for women entrepreneurs and inventors, which provided networking opportunities with women, the likes of singer Dionne Warwick, actress Jasmine Guy, and talk show host, Maggie Lenton.

Participation in the symposium is free of cost, and mini-fashion shows will be staged at each event.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2016

ARIES - Although you know what you want and have a simple plan to get it, your energy is drawn toward strengthening family relationships now, delaying your professional success. The aspiring Capricorn Full Moon in your 10th House of Career could trigger a work-related crisis that pushes you to recognise the need for self-discipline. Although you might be confused by conflicting demands on your time, your persistence will pay off in the long run. Ironically, attending to your personal needs makes everything in the outer world more manageable.

TAURUS - You are proud of your realistic goals and are more driven now than ever to achieve them. The calculating Capricorn Full Moon spotlights your 9th House of Big Ideas, revealing sensible ways to reach your destination. Nevertheless, your overly practical nature can fill you with doubts about the feasibility of your grand plans. The contrast between the real and the ideal is palpable today. Cultivate your dreams by doing the hard work necessary to make them come true.

GEMINI - You’re ready to risk your comfort by confronting a deep emotional issue now. Clarifying what you want from others enables you to advance your personal and professional interests as the Capricorn Full Moon illuminates your 8th House of Shared Resources. Although your imagination is a powerful tool that helps you achieve success, it can also colour your communication with misleading emotions.

Concentrate your energy where it counts most in order to enhance your self-worth and increase your net worth at the same time.

CANCER - You may be painfully aware of the feelings you normally suppress to maintain the harmony of personal and business relationships. The goal-oriented Capricorn Full Moon falls in your 7th House of Partnerships, reflecting your desire for emotional stability. Unfortunately, you might feel as if you have reached an impasse. Something needs to give, for you can’t sustain old illusions any longer. You have seen the truth; respond to the situation by taking decisive action now before the opportunity slips through your fingers.

LEO - It’s time to come back down to earth and take concrete steps to upgrade your life. You don’t have to conquer the world; just add some constructive order to it as the responsible Capricorn Full Moon lands in your 6th House of Daily Routine.

Practicing self-discipline on a small scale allows the larger pieces to fall into place.

Methodically focusing on one thing at a time is the most efficient way to complete your tasks. Remember, it’s the tiniest details that add up to the biggest picture.

VIRGO - Uncertainty is hanging in the air while the crafty Capricorn Moon overwhelms your 5th House of Love and Play. Emotions are revealed that test the boundaries separating a romance from a friendship. Unfortunately, your rational faculties might not be up to your exacting standards today, creating a short lapse of sound judgment. Don’t take any unnecessary risks unless you have carefully weighed the consequences. Better safe than sorry when it comes to matters of the heart.

LIBRA - You may be pulled between the pleasure of being with others and the need for quiet time by yourself. The ambitious Capricorn Full Moon lights up your 4th House of Roots, stirring an urge to take on new challenges. Vivid memories of parental advice can propel you along with their high expectations or hold you back with their fears. However, self-doubt is not a signal to curtail your aspirations; instead, your insecurities show you where you need to apply more effort to get ahead.

SCORPIO - A trivial thought can grow to grandiose proportions today, so be watchful for a loss of perspective as you turn molehills into mountains. Although your passions are stretched to extremes by the rational Capricorn Moon opposite the emotional Cancer Sun, an all-or-nothing approach to relationships might not serve your best interests now. It’s much more advantageous to try to find a middle ground. The Full Moon brightens your 3rd House of Communication, making enlightened compromise a sign of inner strength and not outer weakness SAGITTARIUS - Navigating murky emotional waters isn’t your favourite activity, yet the vulnerability it can trigger now improves strategic alliances. A power struggle over fiscal control could create unexpected stress in a relationship; money matters may erupt when the responsible Capricorn Full Moon emphasises your 2nd House of Resources. Wishing things were better is not a financial plan. Commit to stabilising your cash flow and patiently cultivate your talents to set yourself on a firmer foundation.

CAPRICORN - You are driven to establish a healthier balance between your outer professional life and your inner emotional world now. The Capricorn Full Moon occurs in your 1st House of Personality, urging you to get in better shape and consider updating your appearance. Although your relationship life may be complex, you can still set your heart on a destination and, with a little help from the cosmos, figure out the best way to get there. Even if a lucky break doesn’t turn out to be all you want, pursuing it with gusto could teach you a valuable lesson for the next opportunity.

AQUARIUS - You can cling to your vision of a better future while still fulfilling your promises. The reliable Capricorn Full Moon is a reminder that you must honour your commitments prior to indulging your fantasies. This Full Moon energises your 12th House of Secrets and can put you in touch with a practical side of your spirituality that you may have set aside. As Sufi poet Rumi wrote, “The door is wide and open; do not go back to sleep!”

PISCES - You are driven to stabilise your relationship with your local tribe or community today. The sobering Capricorn Full Moon casts its light in your 11th House of Groups and Friends, making it clear how much is expected of you as a member of the team. Open your eyes to see where you truly stand with your peers. Notice people who take more than they give and then start to change the equation in order to make it more balanced. However, don’t forget to offer plenty of words of appreciation for those who support you behind the scenes.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday July 19, 2016

Tucville take Petra title on penalties

By Stephan Sookram

TUCVILLE are the champions of the Petra-organised Ministry of Public Health’s sponsored Stop Gender-Based Violence football competition which concluded on Sunday evening.

The teams could not find the decider in normal time and had to resort to penalties to hoist the championship trophy at the softball ground on Carifesta Ave. Tucville opened the scoring in normal time through Delon Williams in the 8th minute and then added their second just two minutes later

through Kareem Knights for what seemed to be a routine afternoon.

However, North East La Penitence had other plans as Delon Hult in the 18th minute ensured that his side progressed along the path of redemption.

Calvin Moore in the 35th levelled it up in a crazy second half but the side could not secure their third to seal

the game, sending it into penalties where Tucville won 2-1.

Meanwhile, Sparta Boss made light work of Broad Street 10-3 in the third-place playoff.

Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson scored four times in the slaughter of the Broad Street side, in the 4th, 14th, 32nd and 33 minutes while Jerome Rich-

ardson scored a hat-trick with strikes in the 1st, 16th and 27th.

Devon Millington’s brace in the 2nd and 5th, coupled with Roberto Osbourne’s 40th minute strike, ensured that there would be no coming back from that deficit.

On the opposing end, Leon Richardson’s 24th and 39th minute brace along

Jimmy Gravesande in the 15th was not able to match up the goal-scoring antics of the Sparta side.

Meanwhile, Dennis Edward of Tucville was adjudged the most valuable player while the highest goalscorer of the tournament was Sparta’s Gregory Richardson who earned a gold chain from Junior’s Jewellery.

Thousands arrested in global football gambling raids - Interpol (REUTERS)-More than 4,000 people have been arrested worldwide and more than $13 million (£9.8 million) seized across Asia in operations targeting illegal gambling during the Euro 2016 football tournament, Interpol said yesterday.

The global police cooperation agency, which called the operation the “most significant in recent years”, said more than 4,000 raids were carried out across China, France, Greece, Italy, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam during Operation SOGA VI (short for

soccer gambling) on dens estimated to have handled $649 million worth of bets.

“The number of seizures is the highest and most significant amongst similar operations in recent years. The SOGA operations are important for tackling not just illegal gambling, but also the organised networks behind this and other types of crime,” said Chief Superintendent Chan Lok-wing, Head of Hong Kong’s Organised Crime and Triad Bureau.

A second operation tar-

geted transnational networks behind illegal websites and call-centre type operations, Interpol said in a statement from Bangkok.

Reuters was not able to immediately reach Thailand’s Interpol director for comment.

The arrests come amid a record spike in illegal on-

India’s top court bars ministers..

From backpage

South Africa Racing Tips Vaal 08:30 hrs Yer-Man 09:05 hrs Royal Master 09:40 hrs Kalanchoe 10:20 hrs Pool Party 10:55 hrs Noah’s Ark

12:50 hrs Culloden 13:20 hrs Maakaasib 13:50 hrs Certified 14:20 hrs Misterioso 14:50 hrs Frozen Force 15:20 hrs Run To The Hills 15:50 hrs Lady Makfi

English Racing Tips Musselburgh 09:15 hrs Incurs And Faults 09:45 hrs Copper Baked 10:15 hrs Star Cracker 10:45 hrs Our Kylie 11:15 hrs Deben 11:45 hrs Always Resolute 12:15 hrs Lizzy’s Dream Nottingham 12:40 hrs Hanheld 13:10 hrs Lightning North 13:40 hrs Show Palace 14:10 hrs Darma 14:40 hrs Dutch Artist 15:10 hrs Frozon 15:40 hrs Storm Check

Irish Racing Tips Ballinrobe 13:00 hrs Cradle Mountain 13:30 hrs Kansas Kid 14:00 hrs Buonarotti Boy 14:30 hrs Miguel Angel 15:00 hrs Ballyfinboy 15:30 hrs Georgie 16:00 hrs West Burma

Chelmsford City

American Racing Tips Parx Racing Race 1 Rare Eagle Race 2 Celebratemehome Race 3 Syrissong Race 4 Global Asset Race 5 Purrmorehissless Race 6 Fairy Grey Race 7 H K’s Merida Race 8 Pig Pen Race 9 Molasses Brown

line gambling in China with millions of yuan placed in bets on Euro 2016, a side-effect of a surge in Chinese interest in global football.

Portugal were crowned the Euro 2016 champions on July 10, defeating host nation France 1-0 to win their first major champi-

successive terms for top officials among others.

“We allow most of the recommendations of the Justice Lodha panel on administrative changes in the BCCI,” a two-judge division bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of India Tirath Singh Thakur and Justice F.M.I. Kalifulla, said in their order.

“Nobody above the age of 70 will be of-

fice-bearer of the BCCI. A person cannot be simultaneously an office-bearer in the state cricket association as well as in the BCCI.” In other recommendations, all of which would have to be implemented within six months by the BCCI, the panel wanted the board to be brought under the Right to Information Act which would allow citizens to access information held by the board.

National U-17s aiming ...

From backpage we finish second in the group and have a chance of advancing to the next round,” Stephens told Chronicle Sport via the telephone, during a final light training session yesterday afternoon.

Coach Stephens added that the team’s only player not fully fit for today’s action is left back Cosmos De San-

tos, who is still recovering from a knee injury he sustained in the opening game against Jamaica.

Today’s match at the Lionel Roberts Stadium will kick off at 14:30hrs after which the home team will play Jamaica in the final match of the group in the CFU’s World Cup Preliminary Competition. (Ras Wadada)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday July 19, 2016

Sagan pips Kristoff for third 2016 Tour stage win

By Julien Pretot BERN, (Reuters) - World champion Peter Sagan claimed his third 2016 Tour de France stage victory when he pipped Alexander Kristoff on the line at the end of the 16th stage, a 209-km ride from Moirans-en-Montagne yesterday.

Norway’s Kristoff (Katusha) celebrated after crossing the line, but it was Slovak Sagan (Tinkoff) who actually finished first after throwing his bike in timely fashion, strengthening his grip on the green jersey for the points classification.

Another Norwegian, Sondre Holst Enger (IAM Cycling), took third place.

“I thought I was second, really,” said Sagan, who now has 405 points to Briton Mark Cavendish’s 291 and looks set to win a fifth green jersey in Paris.

Briton Chris Froome

(Team Sky) retained the overall leader’s yellow jersey after finishing in the leading pack in a twisting course finale in the Swiss capital.

“There was never a quiet moment, it’s good to have another day ticked off,” said Froome, who leads Dutchman Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) by 1:47 and fellow Briton Adam Yates (Orica-Bike Exchange) by 2:45.

Fans, officials and riders observed a minute’s silence at 1200 local time, shortly before the start of the stage, in memory of the victims of the Bastille Day attack in Nice.

NOT TEXTBOOK Three-time time trial world champion Tony Martin and his Etixx-Quick Step teammate Julian Alaphilippe, who was denied a possible stage win on Sunday because of a meTinkoff team rider Peter Sagan of Slovakia (L) wins on the finish chanical problem in the final line. (Reuters/Jean-Paul Pelissier)

descent, broke away early on.

The duo built a six-minute gap but Frenchman Alaphilippe ran out of steam 30km from the finish and German Martin was caught by the bunch 22.5km from the line.

Both finished last, handin-hand, 12:20 behind Sagan, although happy they had given it a try.

“It was a bit crazy and careless, but sometimes it’s good to try something that’s not in the text book,” said Martin.

Former world champion Rui Costa then jumped away from the pack but the Portuguese was reined in with 5km left in the streets of Bern.

Numerous turns and an uphill cobbled section split the peloton and Sagan was again the strongest in the final sprint.

Today is a rest day ahead of four stages in the Alps.

Steve O’Keefe grabs five as Yasir dethrones Anderson to Australians dominate day one become No.1 Test bowler LEFT-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe took 5 for 43 and Joe Burns hit an unbeaten half-century as the Australians took major honours on day one in their threeday tour game against the Sri Lankan XI at P. Sara Oval Stadium yesterday.

The visitors proved too strong for the hosts as they were able to muster only 229 after opting to bat first.

The team from down under replied at just less than 4 runs per over accumulating 127 for the loss of only wicket at stumps.

Earlier in the opening session, Oshadha Fernando was trapped lbw by Mitchell Starc in the 3rd ball of the morning and Madawa Warnapura was caught at gully by Mitchell Marsh off Jackson Bird, as both openers were back in the pavilion inside four overs.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Manoj Sarathchandra was undone by Marsh off the second ball of his opening spell.

Asela Gunarathne and Milinda Siriwardena batted with supreme authority against all odds adding 101 runs for the 4th wicket to rescue the hosts from the precarious position of 32 for 3.

S ri Lanka A r m y SC batsman, Gunarathne used both the conventional and

Steve O’Keefe has an opportunity to add to his two Test caps during the three-Test series in Sri Lanka. gling with 6 down for 135.

All-rounders, Chathureverse-sweep to great effect against Nathan Lyon and ranga De Silva and Dasun O’Keefe during his 106-ball Shanaka counter-attacked 58 before Steve Smith an- excellently especially against ticipated one of the paddle the senior spinner Nathan sweeps off O’Keefe, moved Lyon who leaked 72 runs off to his left and grabbed smart- his 13 overs. While De Silva used the inside-out stroke to ly.

Gunarathne’s dismiss- perfection, Shanaka hoisted al triggered a collapse as two sixes, one to the roof.

De Silva and Shanaka Shehan Jayasuriya fell in the same over striking constructed a timely 85-run straight to short mid-wick- stand for the 7th wicket beet. Skipper Siriwardana fore the former gave an easy smashed two lofty sixes and caught-and-bowled chance to exhibited excellent levels of O’Keefe, just a run short of a buoyancy scoring 53 off 77 well-deserved half-century.

The New South Wales deliveries with 7 fours and spinner, who has played 2 sixes.

After being dropped on only two Test matches, took 33, Siriwardana was finally two more wickets including pouched by wicketkeeper Shanaka’s wicket courtesy Peter Nevill off Jackson Bird of a one-handed grab by as the home team were strug- Smith at first slip as the

visitors wrapped up the Sri Lankan innings in the 58th over.

“He’s always got something to say to you, which is great. He always got feedback after each session, each spell and gives you hints about the field-placings and what the batsmen would do here. He’s been a massive help for us.

Steve O’Keefe told the media about the impact of Muttiah Muralitharan after first day’s play.

The Australian openers, Joe Burns and Shaun Marsh, did not face any major threats at all from the Lankan seam barrage which included the experienced Dilhara Fernando who has played 40 Tests and has taken 100 wickets.

Marsh offered Nisala Tharaka no respite as he took him to the cleaners, crisping 4 boundaries off his 4th over while adding 97 for the first wicket before playing down the wrong side and castling himself off Shehan Jayasuriya for a 75-ball 47.

Burns faced exactly 100 deliveries for his unbeaten 64 which included a massive straight six over the sight-screen while Khawaja, who walked out in the final few minutes, made 11.

PAKISTAN leg-spinner Yasir Shah has dethroned England pacer James Anderson to become the number-one ranked bowler in the world.

His rise in the ICC Test rankings list is due to a match-winning performance against England in the first Test at Lord’s where he picked up 10 wickets giving away 141 runs.

Shah becomes the first Pakistan bowler since Mushtaq Ahmed, who in 1996 achieved the feat and notched the top spot in Test rankings. As far as leg-spinners are concerned, prior to Shah, it was Shane Warne who had claimed the spot in 2005.

The 30-year-old was ranked fourth as he came into this Test in the bowlers’ section, but his compelling figures helped him score 32 points to leapfrog India spinner R. Ashwin and England duo James Anderson and Stuart Broad to the top spot.

The leg-spinner has now taken 86 wickets from 13 Tests he has played so far – the most by any bowler after that many games and stands a chance of breaking George Lohmann’s 120-year-old record of becoming the fastest to pocket 100 Test wickets.

Lohmann, who played for England, set the record when he reached the mark in 16 matches in 1896.

Shah was honoured with the player-of-the-match in his first Test outside Asia and now leads Ashwin by seven points and third-place Anderson by 10 points. With three more Tests to go in the series, he will look to add to this tally and ensure he remains at the top spot.

ICC’s top 10 Test bowlers include: 1) Yasir Shah (Pakistan) - 878 points 2) R Ashwin (India) - 871 points 3) James Anderson (England) - 868 points 4) Stuart Broad (England) - 859 points 5) Dale Steyn (South Africa) - 841 points 6) Ravindra Jadeja (India) - 789 points 7) Trent Boult (New Zealand) - 757 points 8) Josh Hazelwood (Australia) - 741 points 9) Morne Morkel (South Africa) - 724 points 10) Vernon Philander (South Africa) - 717 points

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday July 19, 2016

IOC will take ‘toughest sanctions’ over Sochi doping - Bach

By Mitch Phillips LONDON, England (Reuters) - The International Olympic Committee said that Russian doping cover-ups confirmed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) yesterday showed a “shocking and unprecedented attack on the integrity of sport and the Olympic Games”, and that it would not hesitate to take the toughest sanctions.

An independent report commissioned by WADA confirmed extraordinary

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach

systematic abuse of the anti-doping process across many sports by Russian authorities before and during the Winter Olympics in the Russian city of Sochi in 2014.

In a statement, IOC president Thomas Bach said the IOC “will now carefully study the complex and detailed allegations in particular with regard to the Russian Ministry of Sport”.

“The findings of the report show a shocking and unprecedented attack on the integrity of sports and on the

Olympic Games,” he said.

“Therefore, the IOC will not hesitate to take the toughest sanctions available against any individual or organisation implicated.”

The IOC Executive Board will hold a telephone conference today to take its first decisions, which could include provisional measures and sanctions regarding the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro next month, the IOC said.

Last week, Bach indicated that a total ban on Russia competing in Rio was unlike-

ly, saying: “It is obvious you cannot sanction a badminton player for an infringement of the rules by an official or a lab director at the Winter Games.”

However, in the light of yesterday’s report, with a wide group of sports bodies now calling for a blanket ban, a broad sanction could now be on the cards.

Russia’s track and field athletes are already banned, as are its weightlifters, subject to confirmation of positive dope tests from samples given in 2008 and 2012.

Pooran’s 81 sets up Tridents’ emphatic win

NICHOLAS Pooran smashed a T20 career-best 81 as the Barbados Tridents ended their home leg of the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with an emphatic victory over the St Lucia Zouks on Sunday.

The young Trinidadian took 18 runs off four balls from Shane Watson en route to his score that came off just 39 balls. His innings ended in the final over when he was run-out looking to get on strike but by then the Tridents had managed 173-5 after a slow start.

The Tridents were tentative, crawling to 28 without loss in the PowerPlay,

Nicholas Pooran hammers 81 off 39 balls as Barbados Tridents beat St Lucia Zouks by 25 runs in Bridgetown. could make a sizeable conmanaging only two bound- tribution as both of them aries inside the fielding fell when they tried to inject some pace into the innings restrictions.

Neither of the openers once the field went back.

Shoaib Malik and Kyle Hope fell skying catches in the space of five balls of each other.

With the openers gone AB de Villiers and Nicholas Pooran combined in a superb stand that was worth 68 runs from 40 balls. de Villiers scored 32 that included three fours and a six in just 22 balls. He departed when he misjudged a pull off a Jerome Taylor slower ball and was well caught

by Darren Sammy on the mid-wicket boundary.

However, the 20-yearold Pooran with his masterful knock ensured that

the South African’s departure did not impact the team.

That target was always going to be a tough ask for the Zouks, but they began well enough, making 29 runs from the opening 20 balls of the innings. From there the Tridents came back strong, dismissing both openers in quick time as the Zouks went from 29-0 to 33-2 in seven balls.

When the Zouks lost Shane Watson for a duck and David Miller for 11, the St Lucians had stumbled to 60-4 in the 10th over. Darren Sammy came out to bat

and he clearly hadn’t given up and got off the mark with a four as he looked to breathe some life into the Zouks innings.

With Sammy at the crease alongside Michael Hussey, the Zouks still had a chance, but the game ended as a contest when Hussey was dismissed off the last ball of the 13th over and Sammy was bowled off the first ball of the 14th.

From there it was only a matter of time before the Tridents claimed victory, with the Zouks finishing on 148-8 from their 20 overs.

(Sportsmax.com)

Amir makes impact at Lord’s for the right reasons

MOHAMMAD Amir returned to the hallowed ground of Lord’s he defiled six years ago, to earn Pakistan one of their most memorable Test triumphs over England on Sunday.

The fast bowler, who served a five-year ban and jail time after admitting spot-fixing at the home of cricket in 2010, took the final wicket of the first Test to give Pakistan a well-deserved 75run victory.

While Amir’s return to the game divides opinion, it felt like partial redemption for the 24-year-old who was cleared to return to the sport last September and who was making his first Test appearance since his ban ended.

Amir removed the key wicket of captain Alastair Mohammad Amir took the winning wicket on his return to Lord’s Cook in the first innings, and after a spot-fixing scandal as Pakistan beat England by 75 runs on the fourth day of the first cricket Test Sunday..

then finished off England’s resistance on Sunday as he destroyed Jake Ball’s stumps to spark joyous scenes from the Pakistan fans.

“He’s part of the team that has won the Test match.

It will be one of the memorable days of his life and from here he can start his career again,” Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said.

“He’s a good kid now, he’s a mature cricketer and he can prove to everyone that he’s a good bowler.”

Amir was touted as a potential great when he burst onto the international stage as a teenager, making his Test debut at 17.

But his world fell apart when he admitted to deliberately bowling no-balls against England and was convicted along with Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif

who received seven- and 10year bans respectively.

The conspiracy rocked world cricket and the reputation of Pakistan cricket was tarnished, but Misbah said the victory at Lord’s on Sunday completed a long journey back from the depths for a nation mad about the sport.

“It’s been a remarkable turnaround after the 2010 incident,” Misbah said.

“The team took real responsibility and these players showed a lot of respect for the game, fought throughout the six years and brought plenty of wins. Their on- and off-the-field disciplines are really good.

“Winning against a top side, who are really good in their home conditions, speaks volumes for this team.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday July 19, 2016

Caribbean Junior Squash Championships

Wiltshires, Fernandes, and Gomes into finals

BOYS’ Under-13 defending champion Shomari Wiltshire, and Girls’ Under-19 players, Taylor Fernandes and Larissa Wiltshire, were on the list of Guyanese who made it into the finals, when the semi-finals of the ongoing Caribbean Junior Squash Championships played out last Sunday at the South Sound Squash Club in the Cayman Islands.

Also making it into the Girls’ Under-13 final was Kirsten Gomes, who defeated compatriot Abosaide Cadogan in a four-set matchup, ending 11-7, 9-11, 11-9, 11-6.

Gomes set up a re-match against the defending champi-

on Sumairaa Suleman. Gomes lost to Suleman last year in the category’s quarterfinals after Gomes went under 0-3.

Suleman made her way into yet another final at the Championships after taking down Guyana’s Madison Fernandes 11-6, 11-3, 11-4, in Sunday’s semi-finals.

The top-seeded Wiltshire cleared his path in the Boys’ Under-13 finals after an easy 3-0 victory against Bermuda’s Matthew Elliott. Wiltshire was set to take on Barbados’ Darien Benn, in the final, to see if he could retain his title.

In the Girls’ Under-19 category, Guyana are guaranteed a title, with the final set to be

‘Teach them young’ table tennis camp underway THE annual ‘Teach them young’ table tennis camp, organised by the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA), started yesterday morning at the National Gymnasium with over 30 participants in attendance.

This year called the Fifty Shades of Games Table Tennis Camp, the event is a developmental programme targeting youngsters wanting to get involved in the sport of table tennis.

According to national tennis coach Linden Johnson, the number of participants is expected to grow to around 50 persons by the end of the week.

The four-week camp which ends on the August 12 aims at teaching participants the basics in order to move on to becoming competitive table tennis players.

“This is actually about breaking the barriers to get players involved in table tennis. Teaching them the fundamentals.

The fundamentals are most important and that’s what we’re working on right now. In any sport as long as you don’t have the basics the players don’t really last too long, so that’s one of the areas we’re reinforcing.” Johnson noted.

Another objective of the game is to spot those players who are particularly talented in the sport, with many of them going on to becoming national players.

“It’s a talent-spotting thing also, because we look to see the talented ones, and they go on to play nationally. Eighty to ninety percent of the persons who make the national team are persons who came from camps like these.” Johnson said.

The camp caters for persons of all ages, thus far attracting players as young as 4 years and as old as 18 years.

Training sessions are being conducted by Johnson himself and two other coaches. Sessions are held every Monday to Friday from 10:00hrs to 12:30hrs.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Tuesday July 19, 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: (1) 7 games (2) 64 (Hashim Amla & Mike Hussey) Today’s Quiz: (1) What is the highest team score made at the Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad in Hero CPL 2016?

(2) What are the best bowling figures recorded in Trinidad in Hero CPL 2016?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Karan Dhiman.

In the Boys’ Under-15 Daniel and Anthony Islam won against Kemar Lord and Kyle Haddad respectively, in the preliminary rounds.

Daniel continued his winning streak all the way to the semifinals where he was cut down

by OECS Kai Bentick.

National Girls’ Under-15 champion Makeda Harding registered wins against Cayman Island’s Skylar Smith

and Jamaica’s Mia Mahfood, while Paige Fernandes, participating in both the Girls’ Under-13 and the inaugural Under-11 categories, prevailed against Barbados Rebekah Nichols and Cayman Island’s Jade Barnard.

Madison Fernandes also triumphed over Nichols, in the Girls’ Under-13, where the competition was being played in a round-robin format.

Defending Boys’ Under-13 champion Shomari Wiltshire in his semifinals match against Bermuda’s Matthew Elliott an all-Guyanese affair. Larissa took on reigning national champion Fernandes last night for the Caribbean title.

Fernandes had earlier this year proved that she was more than Wiltshire could handle when the two battled it out for the national title in May. It remains to be seen if Larissa improved her game enough to overpower Fernandes this time around.

Meanwhile, Guyana had a good opening day of competition on Saturday where

a number on players bagged wins before bowing out.

Boys’ Under-19 national champion Benjamin Mekdeci reached the quarter-finals after crushing Jamaica’s Tahjia Lumley 3-0, before being blanked 0-3 by OECS Jason Doyle.

Rithew Saywack recorded wins against Dylan Pratt and Nicholas Caddle before making it into the Boys’ Under-17 semi-finals but lost to Barbados’ Shemane Griffith. Alex Cheeks also won in the Boys’ Under-17 when he ousted Jamaica’s

Taylor Fernandes (left) delivers a backhand against Jamaica’s Alyssa Mullings.

Hero CPL teams confirm changes for closing stages of tournament WITH a number of South African internationals set to end their Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) stints, the tournament organisers have confirmed a list of three replacement players for the remainder of the tournament.

Barbados Tridents duo AB de Villiers and Wayne Parnell as well as Dale Steyn of the Jamaica Tallawahs have been recalled

by Cricket South Africa to fulfil a contractual obligation to attend the annual Cricket South Africa/South African Cricketers Association Awards ceremony which takes place in Johannesburg.

Both de Villiers and Parnell made a winning contribution to the Tridents in their last game on Sunday night when they helped the home side defeat the St Lucia Zouks by 25 runs.

The duo will be replaced

by Pakistan’s Ahmed Shehzad and Proteas fast bowler

Dane Paterson

Marchant de Lange

Marchant de Lange, respectively.

Shehzad is expected to link up with the Tridents squad ahead of their next game against Jamaica Tallawahs in Sabina Park tomorrow night (20:00hrs) and de Lange will be available from the St Lucia leg.

Steyn, meanwhile, featured in the Tallawahs’ final two home matches against Trinbago Knight Riders (last evening) and the Tridents tomorrow before being replaced by his compatriot Dane Paterson who will be making his Hero CPL bow.

Shehzad, 24, previously played for the Tallawahs and is an experienced top order batsman having represented his country in 11 Tests, 75 One-Day Internationals and 44 T20 Internationals. In 140 T20 matches overall, the Lahore man has a strike rate of 126.05 and averages 29.13.

Capped four times at Test level for South Africa to date, 25-year-old de Lange previously featured for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Hero CPL. He also has four ODIs and six T20 international games under his belt, and has

Ahmed Shehzad claimed 53 wickets in 44 T20 first-class games to date.

Fast bowler Paterson, meanwhile, will link up with the Tallawahs later this week ahead of the St Lucia leg of matches and he could come into the frame for the opening game of the Central Broward Stadium, Florida leg of matches.

Paterson, 27, has claimed 245 first-class wickets and boasts strong figures in the shortest format of the game, having taken 33 wickets at an economy rate of 6.79 in 32 games to date.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday July 19, 2016

RHTYSC M.S hosts Regional female cricketers

THE Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club M.S last Saturday hosted several cricketers who are currently playing in the WICB Women’s tournament.

The players were drawn from Trinidad and Tobago, Leeward Islands, Windward Islands and Guyana teams and included West Indies players Marissa Aguilleira, Shemaine Campbelle, Tremayne Smartt and Britney Cooper.

West Indies captain Stephanie Taylor was unavoidably absent, but was inducted as the ninth awardee of the club’s prestigious Dolphin Award of

Taylor receives Dolphin Award of Excellence while Aguilleira inducted as honorary member

(From left) the four West Indies players, Britney Cooper, Shemaine Campbelle, Merissa Aguilleira and Tremayne Smartt

Excellence Scheme while Aguilleira was inducted as an honorary member of the club.

Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster said the initiative was part of the club’s effort to expose its membership to positive role models, with the hope of inspiring them to fulfil their potentials.

Foster proudly stated that the club will continue to spearhead the effort to guide youths on the correct path, and issued an

invitation to Taylor and Aquilleria to visit the club for a working visit.

The former West Indies captain accepted the offer immediately, and has indicated that she will pay a visit to the club by year-end.

Meanwhile, Aguilleira speaking to club members, congratulated the club for its outstanding work, adding that she is delighted to be inducted as an honorary member of such a dynamic and progressive organisation.

W.I. young brigade need to answer their call, says King … Test series against India will be tough for the Caribbean side

By Rajiv Bisnauth FORMER West Indies fast bowler, Reon King agrees that the upcoming Test series between West Indies and India will definitely be a tough challenge for the Caribbean side.

West Indies are currently languishing at number 8 in the Test rankings, just above Bangladesh, and King, who took 53 wickets in his 19 Tests, pointed out that India have a formidable batting line-up and the contest will be equally tough against the Indian spinners.

“Definitely West Indies young brigade need to step up. They were given an opportunity to play in their own backyard, and to play against a quality team, so they must answer their call,” King revealed.

The 40-year-old King added “West Indies are still in transition phase, but playing at home certainly will give them some boost. While the series will be challenging, I think ‘patience’ will be the key word, but having said that, India, on the other hand, are also going through a transition phase. They too have a young team,” King pointed out.

Despite the format, battles between West Indies and India have always provided

Reon King that sort of flare that cricket aficionados looked forward to with immense anticipation.

However, the West In-

dies having faded as a force in the game’s longest format in recent years, and there is no doubt, however, that India will go into the four-match series as overwhelming favourites.

India have won the last five Tests series between the two teams – three in India and two in West Indies.

West Indies haven’t won a single Test against India, home or away since 2002, when they pulled off a stunning series win against the visitors. In all, 21 Test series have been played between the two teams.

India’s winning streak of five series equals the longest.

West Indies had won the first

five series played between the two teams from 1948 to 1966.

India lost 12 Tests before winning their first Test in 1971. If India win the present series, it will be the longest streak of series wins for one team. Overall, West Indies have won 12 series, India 7 and two have been drawn.

West Indies have not won a Test match against India in 14 years and have lost eight of their last 15 encounters and drawn seven.

The first Test against India begins on July 21 in Antigua, followed by Tests in Jamaica, St Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago.

Jason Holder and his team will definitely face a tough challenge during the Test series against India.

West Indies Test squad reads: Jason Holder (c), Kraigg Brathwaite (v-c), Devendra Bishoo, Jermaine Blackwood, Carlos Brathwaite, Darren

Bravo, Rajendra Chandrika, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Leon Johnson and Marlon Samuels.

Russian PM suspends sports ministry official named in doping report

(REUTERS)-Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has suspended Deputy Sports Minister Yury Nagornykh, who was named in a report on the doping of Russian athletes at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, the government said yesterday.

President Vladimir Putin said earlier on Monday that Russian officials named in the World Anti-Doping Agency’s report would be temporarily suspended.

The report said Nagornykh had been advised of every positive test across all sports from 2011 onwards and decided “who would benefit from a cover-up and who would not be protected.

The investigation was led by Canadian sports lawyer Richard McLaren, who sat on the independent commission that last year exposed doping and corruption in Russian track and field, leading to its exclusion from international competition.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) did not spell out whether it would heed growing calls for Olympic bans already imposed on Russia’s track and field athletes and weightlifters to be extended to all its competitors in Games in Rio de Janeiro in August.

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko was defiant, telling TASS news agency that there were no concrete confirmation of doping violations in the report.

“I hope that the IOC, while taking up a decision, will be guided by common sense and will proceed from the fact that there is no a concrete confirmation of a violation by this or that athlete in the report,” he was quoted as saying.

W.I. young brigade need to answer their call, says King (See Story on page 27 )

Tucville take Petra title on penalties

Tournament winners Tucville collect their trophy from Petra director Troy Mendonca after beating North East La Penitence 2-1 on penalties. (Delano Williams photo)

See story on page 23

National U-17s aiming for win today … Final group game against Antigua

Head coach Anthony Stephens GUYANA’S National U-17 football team are aiming to end their Group four campaign today against Antigua and Barbuda on a winning note after losing the opening match to Jamaica.

The game is considered the most crucial of the group competition being staged in St Thomas, USVI and will determine who are the 2nd placed team of the four-team group.

Both teams lost to Jamai-

ca and defeated the USVI, but the young ‘Benna Boys’ have a superior goal difference (+2) to the young Golden Jaguars (-2) who just managed a 1-0 win over the home team whom the ‘Benna Boys’ disposed of 5-1. The Antiguans went under 1-3 to Jamaica while Guyana were defeated 1-4; so a draw today will put the ‘Benna Boys’ in 2nd position.

The must-win situation for the young Jaguars is one that the management and coaching staff feel is achievable having watched the Antiguans play. The key to winning today, according to head coach Anthony Stephens, is ‘sticking to the game plan and converting our scoring chances’.

“The boys are ready for the challenge and confident of the win. I expect them to give their best so at the end (See page 23)

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India’s top court bars ministers, bureaucrats from BCCI

By Suchitra Mohanty

NEW DELHI, India (Reuters) - India’s top court has barred ministers and bureaucrats from holding posts in the country’s cricket board (BCCI) as part of administrative reforms in the world’s richest national cricket body.

The Supreme Court yesterday accepted most of the recommendations of the Lodha Committee, a three-member panel it had appointed to look into the functioning of the BCCI which is perceived as a cash-rich but opaque body, run by politicians and businessmen.

Chief Justice of India Tirath Singh Thakur In their report, submitted in January, former chief justice of India RM Lodha and two of his colleagues recommended age

and tenure restrictions for top officials and cooling off period between (See page 23) TUESDAY, JULY 19, 2016