Guyana Chronicle E Paper 20 01 2016

PURE ECONOMICS No. 104437

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 20, 2016

Price: $80

(Vat Inclusive)

GuySuCo says proposed closure of Wales based on economic reasons

School buses roll into operation

Pages 17

All aboard: Children heading to school in the new school buses commissioned by President David Granger last week

National airline still on the cards Page

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Gated community for M&CC 19 staff Page

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 20, 2016

Jagdeo urges rethink of estate closure - but proposes no alternative

OPPOSITION Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has told dozens of Wales Sugar Estate workers on Tuesday that the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) “vociferously opposes” the closure of the estate, and the Opposition is prepared to meet with the Government to get it to rethink that decision.

Jagdeo led a group of party officials to Wales on the West Bank of Demerara yesterday after Government had, the day before, announced the closure of the factory, and accused the Government of fulfilling a political objective by its announcement.

Speaking from micro-

phones mounted atop a truck, Jagdeo addressed a vocal crowd of dozens of workers at Wales, and promised the PPP will go to great lengths to ensure that the estate survives.

“What is going to happen when Wales is closed? Just imagine, all those private cane farmers will also have to probably shut down their farms,” he told the vocal gathering.

Mr Jagdeo said that transporting canes to the Uitvlugt Estate -Government’s alternative for the canes -- will be uneconomical, and he questioned whether the administration has plans in place for substitute employment for

workers.

Government had invited the PPP to sit on the GuySuCo Board, but the party turned down the offer.

According to Mr Jagdeo, the party “knew that the Board would have made decisions not related to the industry”. He alleged that the closure of Wales was made at the level of Cabinet.

“So we are not participating in those sorts of things,” he said.

Yesterday’s gathering included dozens of cane harvesters, planters and factory staff. They lined the road at Wales in the busy traffic to listen to the Opposition Members of Parliament.

Cane harvester Ramnaresh Mangru said many persons will need to find other means of earning an income if the estate is closed, while Tool room attendant Faizsul Bacchus told the Guyana Chronicle that a previous manager at the estate, one Mr Gafoor, had said several years ago that the estate would close by 2018, given its woes over the years.

Mr Bacchus has been working at Wales since

1973. He said the 1500 workers at the estate will be affected, but he is looking forward to the discussions with the sugar corporation as it moves ahead with plans for the estate.

With announcement of the imminent closure of Wales estate, many workers are now thinking of their severance package.

Government, on Monday, announced closure of the Wales Estate, which is projected to lose between $1.6B and $1.9B this year. The announcement said the estate requires extensive repairs to remain operable after years of neglect.

Analysis If Government proceeds with closure of the Wales Sugar Estate, it will be the second estate to be closed in the past six years. The Diamond Estate was closed in 2010, and the Enmore Factory was closed the f o l l o w i n g y e a r. B o t h were closed under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration under the leadership of Presidents

Sugar workers at the Wales estate yesterday Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar.

On both occasions, as had been widely reported in the press, workers at those estates were not adequately informed about the closure; the news came as a shock to them. Under the former administration, there were plans to close the Wa l e s S u g a r E s t a t e by the year 2017, as it was recognised that the estate was underperforming. The returns earned were woefully inadequate to cover its operational cost.

Armed with these facts, the then Government did not bother to invest in bringing the estate into an operable state either in terms of infrastructural or in terms of

adequate field management.

It should be noted that the sugar industry then, as it is now, was in a crisis and relied heavily on Government, year after year, for a bailout.

The state of the sugar industry is the sum total of poor management, poor worker/employer relations, high cost of production, and low returns, among other factors.

In the scheme of things, taking into consideration the former administration’s plan for the Wales Estate, the closure of that estate was inevitable. The problems of the estate did not occur overnight, but is the accumulation of consistent neglect over time.

P U R EE C O N O MI C S G u y S u C os a y sp r o p o s e dc l o s u r eo f Wa l e sb a s e do ne c o n o mi cr e a s o n s

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday January 20, 2016

UN documents ‘staggering’ violence in Iraq THE UN says violence suffered by civilians in Iraq “remains staggering”, with at least 18,800 killed between January 1, 2014 and October 31, 2015.

Some 3.2 million people have also been displaced internally over the same period, according to a new report.

The UN accuses so-called Islamic State of systematic and widespread violence, including holding some 3,500 mainly women and children as slaves.

Alleged abuses by troops, militiamen and Kurdish forces were also recorded.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Raad Al Hussein, said the report “starkly illustrates what Iraqi refugees are attempting to escape when they flee to Europe and other regions. This is the horror they face in their homeland”.

The report, by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, is based on interviews with the displaced and direct testimony from victims, survivors or witnesses of rights’ abuses.

It says the figures of 18,802 civilians killed and 36,245 wounded between January 1, 2014 and October 31, 2015 could be much higher.

In particular, the figures

the conflict face difficulties in finding safety, and if they do, can be subjected to arbitrary arrests or forced expulsions, the UN says.

Mr Kubis urged the Iraqi Government to “use all means to ensure law and order, necessary for the voluntary return of the internally displaced to their place of origin”.

Mr Hussein said the “obscene” casualty figures did not fully reflect the suffering of ci-

The UN says the actual figures for those killed could be much higher than the report suggests to be indoctrinated and given from the conflict-torn western province of Anbar, much of which is held by IS, might not fully reflect the situation.

About half of the deaths were recorded in Baghdad province, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were the deadliest tactic used against civilians.

Nevertheless, the figures for civilian deaths are still significantly below those recorded at the height of the sectarian insurgency in Iraq in 2006 and 2007.

The report says: “So-called Islamic State continues to commit systematic and widespread

military training.

Women and children were also subjected to “sexual violence”, the report states.

It says about 3,500 people, mainly women and children, and largely from the Yazidi community, were being held as slaves.

The UN Special Representative for Iraq, Jan Kubis, said the “scourge of IS continues to kill, maim and displace Iraqi civilians in the thousands, and to cause untold suffering”.

The report also documents alleged violations, including abductions and unlawful killings, by Government forces, militiamen, members of the paramilitary Popular Mobilisation forces, and Kurdish Peshmerga fighters.

Civilians displaced by

violence and abuses of international human rights law and humanitarian law. These acts may, in some instances, amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and possibly genocide.”

The report documents killings by IS militants “in gruesome public spectacles, including by shooting, beheading, bulldozing, burning alive, and throwing people off the tops of buildings”.

It notes that up to 900 children have been abducted in the IS-held northern city of Mosul,

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vilians, as many had died “from the lack of access to basic food, water or medical care”.

The most up-to-date UN estimate of internally displaced people in neighbouring Syria is 6.5 million, while more than 4.6 million others have fled to neighbouring states - including almost 245,000 to Iraq.

More than 250,000 people are estimated to have been killed since the conflict erupted there in 2011. (BBC)

North Korea invents hangover-free alcohol NORTH Korean scientists have invented a hangover-free alcohol, according to the Pyongyang Times.

The state newspaper says the “suave” liquor will spare you wincing when you wake, despite boasting between 30 per cent and 40 per cent alcohol.

The brew is reportedly made from a type of indigenous ginseng called insam and glutinous rice, and cultivated by an organic farming method.

The product apparently “exudes national flavour” without dampening your national fervour the following morning.

Among its other unique selling points, according to the Pyongyang Times, is that the spirit “is highly appreciated by experts and lovers”.

The newspaper article, titled “Liquor wins quality medal

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for preserving national smack”, says the Taedonggang Foodstuff Factory has been working for years on the elixir.

The drink derives from Kaesong Koryo insam - a natural herb thought to have medicinal properties. According to the Pyongyang Times, replacing sugar with the scorched, glutinous rice removed the bitterness from the insam and, crucially, the hangover.

“Koryo Liquor, which is made of six-year-old Kaesong Koryo insam, known as being highest in medicinal effect, and the scorched rice, is highly appreciated by experts and lovers as it is suave and causes no hangover,” the article reads.

The liquor “has already been registered as a national scientific and technological hit,” it adds.

Andray Abrahamian, who travels to North Korea on business for Chosong Exchange, told the UK-based North Korean News website that insam liquors were “OK” but he is “not that keen on it as a tasty treat”.

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Scenes 50 years ago!

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday January 20, 2016

January 21, 1966 Rival captains George Niles of Thomas United (left) and Newton Mingo of Police Sports Club drink a toast together after the lawmen had won the Eye-Witness Cup final last Wednesday with a brilliant 2-0 victory at Soccer

January 21, 1966 Prime Minister Forbes Burnham and Mr W. M Harding, UNDP Programme R Representative in Guyana, exchange cordial greetings at Mr Burnham’s office before sitting down to discuss survey plans to boost Guyana’s seven-year Development Programme.

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January 21, 1966 Deputy Opposition Leader Mr Ashton Chase (left) received a replica of the proposed flag for Guyana. At right, Minister Mrs Winifred Gaskin explains the design to PNC Assemblyman Mr David De Groot. The design was recommended by the National History and Arts Council

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Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams

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

Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday January 20, 2016

Statements distorted

Dear Editor,

KAIETEUR News’ coverage of two recent press releases issued by the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) distorts the GHRA’s actual statements to make them appear more critical of the APNU/AFC government than can be justified by anything in the releases.

KN (12/1/16) carried a headline, “Perception that

Govt’s adopting end justifies the means attitude – GHRA”. The phrase “the end justifies the means” is repeated in the text as a direct quote of the GHRA. The phrase does not appear in the GHRA’s release, and distorts the point being made that the SOCU incident tested the goodwill of citizens towards the Coalition Government.

Earlier, the Freddie Kissoon column of December

31, 2015 stated “The Guyana Human Rights Association says the coalition’s meaning of consultation seems to be the same with the PPP’s”. Nothing in the GHRA release of 18/12/16, which reviewed the hasty passage of the Anti-Terrorism Bill in Parliament, mentions the PPP, or remotely supports Mr. Kissoon’s statement.

The GHRA’s positions are clearly and carefully

stated, and do not benefit from Kaieteur News’ hype and exaggerations. It is not helpful to our work, and we request that Kaieteur News accept GHRA’s positions for what they are, or disagree with them in a manner that clearly indicates the difference.

function.

In fact, I was told that he was warned not to attend the commissioning, because the people and children of Region 5 will be benefiting from this.

The regional chairman has shown blatant disregard for his office as Regional Chairman; he is not chairman for the PPP, but for all of Region 5, and he needs to understand that and stop his nonsense of being PPP Regional Chairman alone.

The Regional Chairman spends most of his working hours at Freedom House in Bath Settlement, taking advice from someone that hardly knows anything, and only knows how to cut hair.

The vehicle that the chairman was given is to do regional work, not PPP work; and as a regional councillor, if this is to continue, I, along with other councillors, will ask for his fuel to be cut. He is hardly in the office when the day comes, but can be found at Freedom House.

This chairman has shown that he doesn’t care about the people of Region 5; that

all he cares for is the work of the PPP to stymie development in the region. He is a young man, and took an oath to serve the people of the region, no matter what race, religion or political background, but it seems like he lied when taking that oath.

We, the people of Region 5, are happy that those buses were given to the children of the region; we welcome the buses with open hearts, and would like to thank all the donors who made it possible; and we will ensure that our children make full use of it.

We would also like to assure all that the buses will carry all kinds of children -- be they Indian, African, Amerindian, Chinese, etc. Be they from PPP, APNU and AFC, Christian, Hindu or Muslim.

All the children are going to benefit from this.

I call on the PPP to please teach Region 5 Chairman some protocol -- that he must respect the Head of State and Government at all times.

The PPP needs to put people who are educated to properly

advise this young man. It is time for us to work together for the benefit of our people and region.

Together we can make the difference in making Guyana a better place, where all can be united and not separated.

Unity is the key, and this Government wants all to be united and work together, so that there can be a better life for all.

Come on, Regional Chairman, be a chairman for the region, not the PPP. If you have an agenda to not make this region look good and move forward, then you need to stop that agenda now, because you will not succeed at all. Be yourself, and if you need better advice, then I am willing to give it; and moreover, all of the APNU+AFC councillors are willing to give you advice so that we can move Region 5 forward.

Let’s continue to work for Region 5, so that our people can have a better life under this APNU+AFC government.

MICHELLE KALAMANDEEN Executive Secretary GHRA

Mayor Green’s Region 5 Chairman stayed away statement

ON January 15, this newspaper carried a story wherein Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green expressed the view that zeal is lacking in the Local Government Elections (LGE).

Mayor Green, in addressing this matter at the Council’s statutory meeting, said the lack of zeal is bad for democracy, and called on councillors to help generate interest in the elections. To all intents and purposes, Mayor Green’s concern is deserving of attention.

Local Government Elections are constitutionally due every three years, the last were held in 1994; we are in 2016, which means this nation has been denied six cycles of LGE. Within that time, the population has grown in terms of eligible voters, many of whom include those who had the opportunity to participate only once in LGE (1994) or not at all. From this standpoint, it is understandable why there could be an absence of zeal.

But the absence goes deeper than that. Unwavering efforts by our Western diplomatic partners, sections of civil society and political forces to have LGE over the years have played a major role in advancing democracy, though such a struggle may have caused persons to tire, having to continuously fight for everything, including basic rights. A case in point is the LGE Bills. President Donald Ramotar withheld assent to one of those bills, but that bill was re-tabled and assented to by President David Granger. It was passed by the National Assembly and sent to the President’s desk.

On the other hand, GECOM cannot escape attention. While the body is tasked with the unenviable responsibility of ensuring the integrity of elections -- from registration to certification -- there has been admission of some level of the masses’ lack of knowledge of the process. This newspaper, on January 7, carried a report quoting GECOM Commissioner Vincent Alexander as saying he believes that Guyanese need to be more informed on the functioning of the system of local government. Mr. Alexander explained that the majority of citizens would be going to the polls either uneducated or not sufficiently educated on local governance. He noted that such education should have taken place a number of years ago, so that the masses would understand the importance of local government.

Outside of those events, there are other events that may also be contributory factors. The recent vendors/ City Council dispute has already become a political talking point, vying for voters’ hearts vis-à-vis the physical restoration project.

It is no secret that there is consternation in some quarters -- more particularly among the youth and party workers -- that their sacrifices and hard work for the

Dear Editor,

IT IS a crying shame that members of the Opposition party, the PPP, are saying they want to represent the people of Guyana, especially those who voted for the party at the last elections.

President David Granger visited Region 5 on Friday, January 15, 2016 to commission two school buses that were donated for the children of Region 5 by community-minded businessmen across Guyana and afar. I repeat, the children of Region 5; not the APNU+AFC supporters’ children, but all the children of the region.

His Excellency was warmly welcomed to the region by hundreds of persons from all races and political parties.

There were several ministers that also graced the function with their presence. As H.E has said, almost his entire Cabinet was present. The entire region welcomed all with open hearts.

But the most astonishing thing is that the PPP Regional Chairman stayed away from the

2015 elections have resulted in others who haven’t similarly invested reaping the benefits of their labour.

Persons have also made the call that LGE should see the national parties giving way to local community leaders in an effort to reignite interest and strengthen grassroots democracy. Trade unionist Lincoln Lewis, in a letter to the editor, has posited that political parties should contest independently in the towns, while at the level of the neighbourhood democratic councils, the communities should be given the opportunity to identify and elect their leaders.

WPA member Tacuma Ogunseye has expressed the view that political parties should not contest local elections.

PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee has said the party would be contesting elections on a 50/50 split (i.e. party and non-party members). President David Granger has said the APNU+AFC will be contesting as a single unit in every area, and that this decision is reflective of the will of the people who voted for the group in 2015.

ABEL SEETARAM

This society is yet to reach the stage where public opinion can be known through scientific methods that would allow for accurately gauging the zeal or apathy of the electoral. This notwithstanding, Mayor Green’s attention to this matter serves as a wake-up call. From now until E-Day, it is up in the air for interesting contenders and their allies to work towards the involvement of the citizens.

What this newspaper knows is that local government is important to the people and the nation’s development.

Every struggle that brought the nation this far, where LGE will be held in March, was worth it. As such, we urge every eligible citizen to vote. That LGE also allows for the participation of individual, non-traditional political party or group is encouraging, since it diversifies the landscape and creates wider choice from amongst persons offering themselves for leadership, which augurs well for democracy.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday January 20, 2016

Give the Rule of Law a fighting chance Dear Editor,

THIS society must, at all times, call for explanation and proof of concepts that will impact our wellbeing from those who expound them.

We need to know what these concepts mean in serious terms, and how they will work, given the framework under which they are proposed to operate.

For instance, no Guyanese would disagree with national unity in principle, given that it implies the nation coming together as one. In fact, from this yearning, it can arguably be said that our motto, “One People, One Nation, One Destiny”, is birthed. Giving meaning, therefore, to this concept is reliant on a system of laws by which all are held to the same standards, and all play by the same rule. This is where the rule of law becomes important, in the sense that its application and enforcement are not guaranteed for some, but for all.

Such law has in place the protection of the right to freedom of association (Constitution, Article 147).

Universal respect for this law will accept and ensure our right to association with ‘Party X’, as against ‘Party B’.

In our multiracial/cultural society, where the law enshrines protection from discrimination on the grounds of race (Article 149), then respect for this law will ensure that, regardless of our race, we are free to associate with the group we think best suits our needs; can represent our needs; speaks on our behalf; and there will be no discrimination against us, given our identity and for such an association.

In essence, what the two rights represent -- if understood, applied and respected -- is acceptance of diversity based on race and representation; which, when upheld, will ensure social cohesion.

For social cohesion and national unity cannot happen in the absence of acceptance, respect and enforcement of the rule of law.

Humankind (individual and collective) have diverse interests, and where a society respects diversity in its citizens, systems will be put in place to recognise same and allow growth for it. The law, in its preamble, enjoins us to do so, and this is because diversity in itself is not inherently bad.

Where diversity becomes clouded and can lead to unsavoriness is by those who seek to represent diversity or insist that it only matters when all are herded like cattle into a box or conform to a groupthink that it matters only when it is prescribed.

We must reject this notion, since it not only goes against the spirit and intent to foster meaningful diversity, but creates space for a new class to lord it over us in similar fashion as the colonial authority, who felt they knew what was best for their subjects. In this environment, the enjoyment of fundamental rights will be hinged to allegiance, or one must be prepared to kneel for them, lest one be denied them.

And this brings attention to the configuration of our electoral system, which in itself is diverse, and should it be upheld, augurs well for the sought after social cohesion and national unity.

This country does not have a rigid Westminster system of “winner-takes-all.”

What this country is witnessing is absence of commitment and will to study, understand and apply/ respect the electoral system, consistent with the expressed will of the people. And this is primarily so because it does not fit into the desire to control the people by those who think they know what is best for the people.

Since 1992, our legislature, executive, regional and local government branches

and tiers of government have become more diverse. Yet, in spite of this, the rule of law, which mandates inclusionary democracy through involvement in the management and decision-making processes of the State on matters that affect our wellbeing (Article 13), is being observed more in the breach. The rule of law that entrusts responsibility to the legislature to make laws to ensure the autonomy of our local democratic organs and allow the regions to develop their own programme, which would be incorporated into the National Budget and funded, are yet to be given deserving respect (Article 75, 76 and 77).

From this present electoral system, in 2015, the APNU+AFC won the executive and legislature. At the regional level, the PPP won seven regions and the APNU+AFC three. In 2011, the PPP won the executive, the combined opposition (APNU+AFC) controlled the legislature, and in the regions the combined opposition won four and the PPP six.

The people have been expressing their will very clearly, but the political leadership is ignoring it when it does not fit into their grand design. It would be interesting to see if central government and the opposition are respecting the will of the people in its present form by ensuring the law works for those whose confidence they did not secure in the 2015 elections.

This country’s problem is not the “winner-takes-all” system or the constitution. The

problem is the wedded notion of a few whose desire it is not to give national unity a chance consistent with the present rule of law, because it does not fit into their theory/sense that they know what is good for the people. So the obvious is ignored in preference to fostering/imposing a new political hustle where elections now see individuals/groups forming alliance to cash in on the voters’ will in order that they can find a seat at the table, reap the benefits of elected privilege, or claim to being representatives of the people.

Persons have now found a way to rig the system to acquire power and foist them-

selves on us.

Winning over the people to ideas and competing for the privilege to represent them, which is what elections are about, no longer seen important. If this is allowed to continue, it is only a matter of time before it is advanced that elections are unimportant and the spoils should be divided among a chosen few, based on the racial demographics.

The new Local Government system allows for more diversity in electing leaders, and choice of representation, yet it is feared this will be subsumed to this emerging

culture, and accusation has been made that it fits into a “winner-takes-all” system.

We have reached a situation where some are not interested in respecting and implementing the rule of law, but more in ensuring their view hold sway and determine the system of government they think we deserve to live under.

We, the people, must reject it. Let the rule of law in its present configuration be given a chance to work; and when it is put to work, where failure exists, then let us fix it.

LINCOLN LEWIS

Poor journalism Dear Editor, “NOTABLY, at the meeting, concerns were also raised about the cost on the taxpayers in Guyana for the Secret Service escort to the event.”

The foregoing was taken from an article on the visit to New York of Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, published in a recent issue of the Guyana Times newspaper.

As far as I am aware,

the cost of Secret Service Security for visiting government leaders is borne by the host government, the United States Government.

Why would Guyana Times publish such inaccurate and misleading information, which a reporter could easily have checked either through a call to the US Embassy or by visiting the Google website?

This article, as well as another recent misleading

one about the stripping of responsibilities from the Prime Minister, is a clear demonstration of poor journalism and the ethics of the profession. These two articles suggest an attempt by Guyana Times to mislead and confuse in support of a political agenda. How unfortunate for a publication that dubs itself ‘the beacon of truth’!

WESLEY KIRTON

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 20, 2016

The 1947 Bauxite Workers Strike - seedbed of the political struggle for Independence

By Dr James Rose THE 1938-1939 West Indian Royal Commission, more familiarly known as the Moyne Commission, after its Chairman Lord Moyne, was necessitated by the pan-Caribbean working-class discontent of the mid-1930s.

The Commission unearthed what it acknowledged as the grossly exploitative conditions imposed on the workers, as well as the intent of the colonial elite to maintain that status quo. That was evidence so inflammatory that it could not be publicly released before the end of the war. Yet, its release did not lead to a repeat of the charged and violent tussles of the previous decade, because the ensuing accommodation of the trade union movement had been fashioned to provide a more structured and pacific method of dealing with the working class demand for justice.

This was the situation in British Guiana [Guyana] when the workers at the Demerara Bauxite Company [DEMBA] downed tools in April 1947 The Daily Chronicle of April 15, 1947 was headlined General Strike at Bauxite Mines Halts Production. The paper reported that, on the previous Sunday, the workers met with the local executive of the Man Power Citizens Association, the recognised union; that the shift workers withheld labour on Sunday and Monday; and, significantly, that a police detachment had been sent to Mackenzie on Monday.

The story also disclosed that MPCA President Mr Ayube

Edun informed The Chronicle that the workers' demands for better wages and better living conditions had been submitted Professor Dr James Rose

to DEMBA some time ago, but with little hope of a positive or timely response.

The situation, if not pre-planned, was decidedly propitious. A new Governor had arrived in the country on April 7, 1947, but that the MPCA did not "ramp up" its strategy was clearly indicative of the influence of structured representation.

Nor did the BGLU prove any more militant when it met the new Governor on April 15. It was far more intent on recount-

ing the benefits won for workers through normal trade union activity and soliciting support for new initiatives.

The bauxite workers were, however, committed to their cause. They personally financed the transportation of supplies to Ituni without the consent of union reps, and demonstrated unshakeable solidarity for over six weeks of strike action.

The evidence suggests that the Political Affairs Committee [PAC] gave guidance and militant support to the striking bauxite workers. Formed in 1946 by Cheddi and Janet Jagan, Ashton Chase and Jocelyn Hubbard, the bauxite strike offered a great opportunity for the pursuit of the goal of the PAC, as outlined by Ashton Chase in a July 20, 1994 interview with Frank Birbalsingh, which was to mobilise public opinion and action in the interest of the working-class of the country, and eventually to lead to the formation of a political party. Thus the Daily Chronicle of May 22, 1947 noted that Jocelyn Hubbard, speaking as the TUC General-Secretary, stressed that the struggle being waged at Mackenzie was being watched with a great deal of interest by people of every country. And though Eusi Kwayana, in his August 13, 1993 interview with Birbalsingh, denotes the PAC as a small group, it is instructive that he admits to having joined the PAC after Cheddi Jagan and his team spoke at Buxton in the lead-up to the 1947 Elections.

In this presentation, I reviewed the early mobilisation of the bauxite proletariat to the liberation struggle. In my next, I will focus on the mobilisation of the agricultural workers in the political struggle for Independence.

Police slam ‘false’, ‘Drone’ buzzes GDF ‘malicious’ iNews report helicopter

IN what could have been an otherwise tragic occurrence, a Guyana Defence Force helicopter (GDF 1) landed safely without incident at Camp Ayanganna after it was recently “buzzed” by what appeared to be a remote-controlled ‘drone’.

According to a statement from the GDF yesterday, at the time of the incident, the helicopter was making its final approach to Camp Ayanganna, in the vicinity of Queen’s College and the National Park. It was reported by the pilot that the ‘drone’ flew dangerously close to the helicopter, and also attempted to follow the aircraft.

“The Guyana Defence Force has noted with concern the frequency of ‘drones’ being flown in Georgetown as well as other parts of the country, and would like to reiterate that these devices can cause serious, if not fatal, accidents, especially when they are being operated in the airspace allocated to low-flying aircraft.

“The GDF recommends that the public refrain from operating these devices in and around Base Camp Ayanganna and all other military bases”.

THE police, in a statement yesterday, has refuted as false an iNews Guyana Inc. story headlined, “Sattaur’s son flees ‘pursuers’ in tinted, unmarked vehicle – found out later vehicle was being driven by police officer”. iNews, which is edited by Mark Ramotar, falsely and maliciously claimed that “Law-enforcement officials have once again reportedly engaged in "dangerous driving" tactics in the streets of Georgetown, this time aggressively pursuing the 19-year-old son of Commissioner-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Khurshid Sattaur.”

What the report failed to mention, or deliberately omitted, was the fact that it was the son of the Commissioner-General, who was engaged in "dangerous driving" tactics as he overtook a line of vehicles, which were awaiting the direction of the traffic lights at the junction of Sandy Babb Street and Vlissengen Road, Kitty.

The police, noting that the iNews story was “totally untrue and malicious,” explained that during the morning of Saturday, January 16, 2016, a Police Sergeant who is attached to the Traffic Department and was dressed in uniform, was driving a private motor vehicle car along Sandy Babb Street, Kitty, when she observed motor vehicle PRR 4423 overtake a line of other motor vehicles waiting at the traffic lights.

The police stated further that the police rank made a note of the vehicle’s registration number, intent on following up with prosecution. However, she caught up with the vehicle at the intersection of Lamaha and Albert Streets, where she drove

up alongside and told the driver of the offence committed but he drove away.

According to the police, the Traffic Sergeant drove behind PRR 4423 and caught up again with the vehicle at Lamaha and East Streets, where she came out and approached the driver whom she learnt to be Fiyad Sattaur of Ogle, East Coast Demerara.

She again told him of the offence committed and requested that he proceed to Traffic Headquarters and he complied, the police statement said. The young Sattaur was subsequently placed on self-bail after being charged with careless driving.

He is to appear in court sometime today.

However, according to INews, it “Was reliably informed that on Saturday last, around 09:00hrs, Sattaur’s son Fiyad was driving along Middleton Street,Campbellville, in the city and was proceeding to turn into Sandy Babb Street when he became aware of a heavily tinted vehicle on the road, driving behind him.

The young man was en route to classes at the Islamic School on East Street in Georgetown.”

The iNews story sought to give the impression that the police officer in her private vehicle was trailing the son of the GRA boss at top speed, before they ended up at Sandy Babb Street. iNews Guyana has been acquired by the Ramroop Media Group, and is one of the news outfits receiving much public criticism for its sensational and misleading news items.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 20, 2016

National airline still on the cards

By Svetlana Marshall in New York

THE APNU+AFC government is looking to partner with a private airline to assist with reintroduction of a national airline.

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo made this disclosure in response to a question posed by a member of the diaspora during a recent meeting in Brooklyn, New York.

Shortly after entering office in 2015, the Government, as a matter of policy, took a decision to pursue the re-establishment of a national airline.

“We are looking at a model that would be a partnership model…. We have started the process of soliciting (expressions of) interest from a number of airline companies that would want to partner with us,” he told a large gathering at the Woodbine Hall on Monday.

The Government is aiming to achieve International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Category One status, but this would be realised only if it pursues the estab-

lishment of a national airline.

Guyana Airways was the national airline of Guyana from 1939 to 2001. During this period, it operated services to destinations throughout the Caribbean, the U.S. and Canada. It was declared insolvent in 2001.

But even as the Government continues to discuss the possibility of reintroducing a national airline, the Prime Minister said the Government is currently negotiating with a number of airlines -- including JET Blue -- that are interested in tapping into the local airline industry.

“We have negotiations ongoing with JET Blue and a number of airlines, including a company that I just met, (which) is coming into Guyana next week to, in fact, bring more aircraft to do the Guyana route.”

Anticipating the expansion of the aviation sector, Government is moving ahead with the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Expansion and Modernisation Project, which was conceived under the former

administration.

Originally, the project included extension of the runway from the original 7,500 feet to 10,800 feet to accommodate the Boeing 747-400 aircraft; doubling the aircraft position from four to eight; installing eight passenger boarding bridges, and installing approximately 300 cameras to boost the CCTV system.

However, Government has made some changes to the original plan. Prime Minister Nagamootoo said that, in addition to the CJIA Expansion and Modernisation Project, Government has set aside funding in the 2016 National and Regional Budget for rehabilitation of 39 airstrips in the interior.

“Amerindians and miners going into the interior have had challenges because they don’t have proper airstrips and aerodromes; so we have set aside money this year to repair some 39 airstrips in the interior,” he posited.

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Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo speaking on Government’s plans to transform Guyana’s airline industry

(smarshall@ Guyanachronicle.com)

US-based Guyanese in attendance at the Woodbine Hall in Brooklyn, New York

US-based Guyanese Shamisa Anthony reading one of the many questions posed by members of the diaspora

‘City Constab’ gets new pick-ups THE City Constabulary will now boast a fleet of five vehicles, which include two new pick-ups to conduct patrols within the confines of the city.

The cost of the vehicles is under $13M; one was donated by the Ministry of Communities and the other was bought by the municipality, according to Public Relations Officer of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), Debra Lewis.

Chief Constable at the M&CC, Andrew Foo, said the vehicles would be a tremendous aid to the Constabulary in its monitoring duties. He said the nature of the Constabulary has to do with policing of 15.2 square miles of Georgetown

-- from Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara to Agricola, East Bank Demerara, and the monitoring of the 52 wards therein. He added that policing is done by foot patrols, vehicular patrols and cycle patrols.

Foo said the constable’s duty is to enforce the city bylaws under the Municipal and District Councils Act, and any breaches of those laws would attract a warning or prosecution, depending on the nature of the offence. The laws governing municipal councils provide a relatively strong legal base for municipalities to function in an efficient manner, he said.

“The ranks out there inform persons if they are committing a breach of the

by-laws, and a request will be made to correct the matter or, in cases, remove an encumbrance such as sand, stone etc. Failing to comply can result in an arrest or prosecution by way of summons,” the Chief Constable noted.

He said constables would be monitoring and visiting various wards by way of cycles and vehicles. The current strength of the Constabulary is 202, and the aim is to complement this by striving for 345 ranks by the end of the year. He said this will be done through community outreaches and also through paid advertisements in the print and electronic media.

In addition, Foo explained that the City Police are on par with the other

The new pick-up vehicles that will boost the City Constabulary operations are seen parked in the compound of the M&CC military agencies where the powers of arrest and prosecution of various offences are concerned. Further, he said a number of firearms have

been acquired by the Constabulary, and those would allow ranks within the city confines to respond to situations and robberies.

“Very soon, we also intend to change the colour of the uniform to a lighter one, because of the climate,” Foo disclosed.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 20, 2016

Race and political correctness

By Akola Thompson A FEW days ago, I observed that, most often, the ethnicities of those interviewed by media houses on issues such as government or the crime rate are either African or Indian. When I brought it up, I was jokingly asked if I felt slighted because “my people” and their opinions were not being asked for."

I brought the issue up with another, and I was told that my thoughts represented “covert racism.” Of course I

was taken aback by this, as, having a mélange of human identities pulsing through my veins, “black” and “coolie” included, any form of racism on my part would be an act of pure self-hate.

Growing up in a country such as Guyana, which has been tinged with the mark of colonialism and ethnic separation, everyone can tell you that we still have an ethnic problem, especially between the Afro- and Indo-Guyanese.

We are told that we need to be extremely aware of the race issue within the country, lest we make some politically incorrect statement. I, for one, think we have reached the stage at which we have become too aware of race and too concerned about being politically correct.

Never before has the importance of being able to distinguish racist statements from innocent ones been so paramount. A few days ago, a friend and I were in a bus headed to the Stabroek bus park. She had on a glimmering frilly blouse, which I had noticed only during our bus ride. Remembering how

I was good-naturedly laughed at last year November when I decided to wear a dashiki, I tapped her on the shoulder, saying, “Aye, I now seeing you Indian top.”

She laughed, I laughed, but the young Indian fellow sitting beside her did not. Instead, he flashed me a brief but very evident look of disdain. This unnerved me, because I began to wonder whether my seemingly harmless comment on the blouse of a friend, who just so happens to be Indian, could be considered politically incorrect, and I soon realised that in our attempts at heightening racial sensitivity, we have unwittingly aided in the promotion of acrimony.

We have become so hyper-sensitive to matters relating to race that a wet blanket has virtually been thrown over the still prevalent, and in some ways, growing issue.

If you have not realised by now, I am not a fan of political correctness. That, however, does not mean that I believe persons should be intentionally hurtful or slan-

Wednesday January 20th, 2016 - 14:00 hrs Thursday January 21st, 2016 - 14:30 hrs Friday January 22th, 2016 - 14:30 hrs

Akola Thompson derous against another. Too often, however, simple things are misconstrued and considered distasteful.

While the original purpose of political correctness may have been to ensure sensitivity to others who look or feel different from another, maybe it has all been corrupted.

Call it some far-fetched conspiracy theory if you wish, but I believe that the concept of political correctness was created in an attempt to curb important discussion on race issues. I believe it was created so as to uphold the barriers which have long been set up.

Several months ago, in the aftermath of the national elections, when racial tensions were high, I was doing a street opinion piece for a local magazine. I, of course, could pick the topic on which I would interview these persons. I, in all my idealistic glory, decided that I wanted to know their views on racism in Guyana. No one wanted to comment, at least not on the record. Later that day, my two friends, one a cameraman and the other just an idler, laughed at me for not knowing those issues have largely remained untouched for a reason. Deflated, I decided that I would settle for asking them about feminism. I was never turned away.

These incidents may seem small, and maybe in the grander scheme of things they are, but they are indicative of so much. Of course, changing the attitudes and stereotypes associated with race is one for which I believe most of us hope for, but that change will come to fruition only when systematic policies which promote racial equality are put into place.

What the system needs is a complete revamping.

Those in power, particularly those who just came out of power, benefit from the racism ingrained within the fabric of our society. Race is often used to not only divide, as was seen in the last elections, but to confuse the people about the reasons behind the economic and social crises of the system, whose problems increase with the divide and enter into what I would like to call a free fall of racial intolerance.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 20, 2016

Remove barriers to education development - Diaspora urges gov’t

By Svetlana Marshall in New York US STATE Senator Roxanne Persaud has said it is time the Government of Guyana removes the barriers impeding members of the diaspora from contributing to development of the local education system.

Senator Persaud was among US-based Guyanese professionals who engaged First Vice-President and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo in a panel discussion on development of Guyana, at the Woodbine Hall in Brooklyn, New York on Monday.

Senator Persaud, who also serves as a Registrar at the St Francis College, told the Prime Minister that while she was able to contribute a number of text books to the University of Guyana with external support, the process was not easy. Text books were sent to both the Turkeyen and Tain Campuses, but according to Persaud, it was a very difficult process

to get the university to accept the books.

“We need the University of Guyana to be more receptive to doing things with us here. I know of many people who are willing to go to Guyana to participate at the university level, but I think there is a barrier that has to be broken before people really invest their time in doing so,” the US State Senator explained.

She said the barriers do not exist only at the level of the university, but within the education system as a whole.

“We need to break down these barriers so that people can understand that the educational system is receptive to us,” she emphasised.

Senator Persaud was backed by Jamaican Lecturer Dr Rupert Green, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Institute for hands-on Science, Engineering and Technology Inc. At the level of his organisation, the Jamaican, who has close ties to Guyana, has been donating computers to schools and

organisations in this country, but, again, the process has been a challenging one.

HAS TO PAY “One thing I have encountered over the years (is that) when I send down the computers, I have to pay to send them down, I have to pay to clear them,” Dr Green disclosed Pledging to contribute a number of computers either to a school or organisation in Guyana, Dr Green said that, with the use of technology, Guyanese students can benefit from the wealth of intellectual knowledge available in the US. “One teacher in the US can teach 40 kids in Guyana.

All you need is that virtual technology,” he posited.

Sandra Chapman, a representative from the Brooklyn Borough President’s Office, suggested the use of iPods in secondary schools in Guyana.

“Start a pilot project within our schools with iPods,” she posited, noting that the device is easy to carry and in-

US State Senator Roxanne Persaud presenting Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo with a citation on behalf of the City of Brooklyn

formation on the various subject areas would be readily available. According to her, serious consideration must be given to the digitisation of the education sector at the level of the schools.

Patricia Jordon-Longford, President of the Guyana TriState Alliance Inc, said that, through her organisation, Communication and Law students from the University of Guyana were brought to the US to acquire hands-on experience. However, this programme, which ran for several years, was stopped because of financial difficulties and the refusal of some

students to return home.

“Before they come here, we would go to universities, and we would go to TV stations and media, and so we had a curriculum for our summer. but what I did find for the students that were here, they were amazed at the technology that was here, as opposed to what they were getting at the University of Guyana, because they learnt in theory but they were never exposed to the 21st century,” Jordon-Longford explained.

Despite the financial implications, she said the organisation is hoping to resuscitate the programme.

But Jordon-Longford said she is very concerned for the children at the primary level.

ATROCIOUS “My experience was that the reading level was atrocious, and I would like the Prime Minister to take that back.”

She had interacted with more than 75 children between the ages of six and 12 during a six-week education programme she was facilitating in Guyana.

Despite the loopholes within the local education

Please turn to page 13

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo with Ambassador George Talbot; Financial Controller of Mount Vernon, Maureen Walker; President and CEO of Emergency Physicians of Saint Clare’s, Rohan Somar; among others

Determined! This group of people were determined to take a picture with the Prime Minister before be returned to Guyana

(R-L) Patricia Jordon-Longford, Sandra Chapman, US Senator Roxanne Persaud, Ambassador George Talbot, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Salahudeen Nasrudeen, Dr. Shamir Ally, and Leroy Charles at the head table

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 20, 2016

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 20, 2016

Remove barriers to ... system, Financial Controller of Mount Vernon, Maureen Walker, said members of the diaspora should channel their human, financial and material resources to the development of the local education system.

“We are a highly educated community. Guyanese are known to be extremely brilliant, and they are known to have many, many skills that are being used in other parts of the world. So I would like to see us take time to send books back home, to open up the education process back home; and the education process home is a wonderful thing,” said the former St Roses High School student.

She said it was the foundation that was laid in Guyana that is responsible for her current success in the US. “I would like to see many of us go back home and, from time to time, do guest lectures either at the university or the high school, or at the secondary schools; because the children of Guyana can really, really use our expertise,” she added.

Professor Dr Shamir Ally, a visiting lecturer at three

universities, including the University of Guyana, said more Guyanese living abroad with the experience, skills and qualifications should do guest lectures at the local university.

EVOLUTIONARY STAGE Impressed with the work of new Education Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, Dr. Ally said education in Guyana is at an evolutionary stage.

“The new minister is revolutionising the education curriculum, the degrees, the accreditation; and right now they are advertising for a new Vice-Chancellor. There is a high-powered team that will take the university to greater heights,” he posited.

Prime Minister Nagamootoo, in noting the concerns of the diaspora, asked them not to be discouraged. He reiterated that highly qualified professionals are needed to help boost the various sectors in Guyana, including the education sector; but he said, “It is no good giving the

US-based Jamaican Dr Rupert Green making a contribution during Monday’s public discussion

From page 11

best lectures in a school when the child that goes to school doesn’t have shoes. So we have started a 3Bs programme (Boats, Bicycles and Buses).”

This programme is an initiative introduced by President David Granger, and it aims to ensure that children of Guyana are not denied a chance to be educated because of lack of transportation.

“Children in the riverine areas can’t go to school…. Give us a boat; children on the coast can’t get to school, can’t pay the fare for the mini-van, give us a bus,” the Prime Minister told those present, as he urged them to buy into this initiative.

The public discussion on Monday attracted attendance

by US-based Guyanese from New York and several other states. The well-attended event covered a number of areas, including crime and security, health, education, aviation and tourism, among other areas. (smarshall@guyanachronicle.com)

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo speaking to one of the many members of the diaspora present during Monday’s forum

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 20, 2016

Gov’t crafts suicide emergency plan GOVERNMENT, through the Ministry of Public Health, has developed a suicide emergency plan as the country grapples with the recent spate of suicides.

According to a release from the ministry, several ministers met with stakeholders, including the Pan American Health Organisation/ World Health Organisation (PAHO/ WHO), United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board, and health professionals on January 17 to address the high incidence of suicide in Guyana.

Participants were presented with a summary of the National Suicide Prevention Plan, 20152020, along with an overview of the current suicide statistics.

According to the release, in the overview, the Chief Medical Officer indicated that, every year in Guyana, hundreds of people die from suicide, which corresponds to roughly one death every day-and-a-half.

It was noted that suicide is among the three leading causes of death among those aged 1544 years, and is the second leading cause of death in the 10-24 age group.

These figures do not include attempts, which are approximated to be 20-25 cases for every death by suicide in the country.

It was noted that the National Suicide Prevention Plan, as presented, would provide guidance for the development of a joint workplan which includes a wide cross-section of partners.

The workplan will enable collaboration among government ministries, international partners, NGOs, FBOs and other stakeholders.

The proposed activities in this multi-sectoral approach will be aligned to one of four strategic action areas: 1. Risk factors reduction, health promotion and prevention; 2. Reducing access to the means of suicide;

3. Improving health systems’ response to suicidal behaviour; and 4. Strengthening surveillance and research on suicide in Guyana.

The first strategic area of action explored the importance of coordination and mobilisation of the NGOs and FBOs at the community, regional and national levels; the development of an information, education and communication framework which would be guided by appropriate language and messages to the public; and the use of consultations in relation to neglected areas, such as parenting education, coping mechanisms, youth-friendly spaces; and the modification of the Health and Family Life Manual to address issues related to suicide in schools.

The second strategic action involved identifying the means of suicide, and devising means of reducing access to pesticides, prescription meds, alcohol use and firearms.

The most important plans indicated are the enforcement of regulation on the sale, distribution and storage of pesticides at all levels; the creation of poison control and management centres in affected communities, with necessary training of persons; and following national conventions and food and chemical safety goals directed towards the reduction in the use of pesticides, especially those of high toxicity.

Strategic action number three entails capacity (training and attitudes adapted) as health care providers, public servants and as a nation, on a whole, to respond to suicidal behaviours.

The fourth strategic action responds to the need to improve the data-collection process through the creation of a multi- sectoral task force and secretariat for the management and evaluation of data.

“This Action also corresponds to the dire need for research on the different determinants of suicidal behaviour specific to our cultural setting,” the release noted.

According to the release, the meeting agreed on the rapid establishment of a multi-stakeholder task force to coordinate the work of the four strategic action areas and to provide feedback to the key minister and to Government.

The technical working groups each developed a short- and medium-term action plan of activities to be immediately implemented. The meeting agreed to a wider stakeholders’ forum nationally, involving all NGOs, CBOs and FBOs to coordinate regional-level actions in the areas where the problem is most acute.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 20, 2016

Decomposed body found in Sophia THE partly decomposed body of 25-year-old Akeem Culley, also called ‘Jamal’, of Meadowbrook Gardens, Georgetown, was found floating in a canal at GPL Reserve #1 in North Sophia, Georgetown yesterday.

His body was positively identified by his girlfriend, Kandyce Duncan, after a neighbour informed her that a body was floating in the trench some 100 yards away from her home.

Culley had gone missing on December 29 last after he was believed to be shot outside the home of his girlfriend by an armed gang.

Duncan said she was at her home with the father of two on December 29 last when, at about 1:30 a.m., she heard a knock on her door.

“I ask is who and a man

said, ‘Akeem! Come, ah wan tell yuh dis thing’.” She has a neighbour by the name of “Akeem”, so she thought it was him and opened the door.

It was then that a masked man pushed a gun in her face and asked her for Culley.

She said Culley was standing by her bedroom door when three men entered the house, grabbed him and forced him out of the house.

The men were in her yard, and she heard him cry “Ah!” just before two gunshots went off.

When she ran outside shortly after, all of the men, including Culley, had disappeared. She immediately telephoned police patrol and reported the matter at the Campbellville outpost.

She said she telephoned

Culley’s mother and informed her what had happened, and she never again heard from Culley.

On Tuesday, at about 9:00 hrs, someone told her that a body was floating in the canal some 100 yards away from her home. She later identified the body as Culley’s by the red and white eagle boxer shorts he was wearing, since that was the garment he was wearing when she had last seen him.

She said Culley’s body was badly decomposed, with just the skull remaining of his head, and a foul odour attended the body.

Duncan said it had been previously rumoured that the men had killed Culley and had dumped his body in the canal, while some neighbours had also reported that after

Culley had been wounded by gunfire, he had run in the direction of the canal but had never been seen coming out of that area.

Duncan said that a few days before Culley had gone missing, he and two other men had been accused of stealing a CG motorcycle from someone in the area, and while one of the accused men had been beaten by other

men in the neighbourhood, threats had been made against Culley.

She said that she had had an argument with Culley on December 27, after she had discovered he had a woman who mothered his two children, but she had telephoned him and asked him not to return to the area because she had heard rumours that some men in the neighbourhood

were planning to harm him.

“He said he ain’t trouble nobody and he coming to clear he name,” Kandyce told the Chronicle.

Culley has left to mourn two daughters, aged 3 months and 4 years old; his mother and his children’s mother, among other persons.

Police are investigating the matter. (Shauna Jemmott)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 20, 2016

250 fires recorded in 2015

CHIEF Fire Officer Marlon Gentle has disclosed that 2015 was not a bad year for the Guyana Fire Service (GFS). He indicated that even though the GFS saw an increase in fire calls, relatively major disasters were averted because the firemen did what they had to do with the resources they had at their disposal.

Gentle explained that the Fire Service received a total of 2,223 fire calls,

with 128 buildings being totally destroyed by fire; 25 buildings being severely damaged, and 97 buildings being slightly damaged.

Gentle said that, in 2015, a total of 19 government buildings were destroyed by fire, with four of those buildings being completely destroyed, three being severely damaged, and 12 being slightly damaged.

He noted that, last year, GFS tallied a total of 56 vehicles being de-

stroyed in separate fires.

Forty of those vehicles were completely destroyed by fire, nine were severely damaged, and seven were slightly damaged.

Gentle said that, last year, nine businesses were completely destroyed by fire, even as there were a total of 34 such fires countrywide.

He revealed that, last year, 542 persons were rendered homeless, nine lost their lives to fires, seven

were injured; and external electrical fires numbered 291, while internal electrical fires stood at 45.

The Chief Fire Officer added that there were 1,359 outdoor vegetation fires in 2015. Thirty-seven fires were recorded as a result of carelessness, while children playing with matches caused nine fires.

Gentle added that, for modern training, the GFS is seeking partnerships with overseas counterparts for tactical techniques and programmes to be employed in the Guyana situation. He said the risk is to deal with eventualities.

Gentle pointed out that the GFS was aiming at an almost two-fold development of the officer corps, to function as the Guyana Fire and Rescue Service. He said there are 15 fire stations countrywide, and the La

Grange Fire Station is expected to be commissioned by mid-year. The building has been completed, but it has to be equipped, and

Chief Fire Officer, Marlon Gentle training of 50 recruits will start shortly thereafter.

He said the 50 recruits will undergo a 12-week training programme, because the GFS wants ranks to fill permanent positions.

Gentle noted that the GFS is in talks with the Region Four authorities in regard to sourcing a plot of land in the Paradise village area to erect a fire station to serve the East Coast Demerara corridor. He said another fire station will be built at Corriverton, East Berbice, since there is need for a station there as well.

He told this newspaper that the GFS has had 69,000 fire-prevention activities, such as lectures, seminars, drills, television programmes, and also processed buildings inspections, among other things.

Gentle said the GFS is this year hoping to roll out its Medical First Responders (MFR) ambulance service initiative, and the GFS will train first responders in the event of road accidents and industrial accidents.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 20, 2016

School buses roll into operation

THE two school buses handed over to the Region Five Education Department by President David Granger have been put into service, providing free transportation to children residing in West Coast Berbice but going to school in East Berbice.

An official from the Regional Education Department said the bus named David G School Bus # 2 has been assigned to pick up children from the western end of West Coast Berbice at Foulis and transport them to the ferry stelling at Rosignol.

The other, David G School Bus # 1, is working in Hopetown. The buses roll off at 06:30 hrs.

David G School Bus # 1 was given the additional task of picking up children from the eastern end of West Berbice at Ithaca and transport them to the ferry stelling at Rosignol.

In keeping with the Government’s policy, the children travel across the Berbice River to New Amsterdam on river taxis free of charge.

On dropping off the children at Rosignol in the mornings, the buses pick up children from the eastern end of

In good hands: Veteran bus driver Egbert McPherson awaiting children for the home run

All aboard: Children heading to school in the new school buses commissioned

by President David Granger last week

17

West Berbice who travel west and as far as Bush Lot Secondary School.

One child, who said her parents welcomed the initiative, said her travelling expenses have been reduced from a basic minimum of $640 per day to $120 per day.

“We are all very happy about this, and we feel very safe with the drivers,” she said.

Parents have expressed relief at the reduction of their expenses, a result of the good gesture by the President.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 20, 2016

By Alva Solomon

situation as being “very serious,” given the “heavily polluted” state of the waterway.

“I was on site, and from what I can tell, the life and health of people there are threatened,” Bradford told this newspaper from Bartica. He said he has since informed Junior Minister of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, as well as Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Dawn Hastings. Both public officials promised to address the issue.

“That creek is polluted. I recommended that a well be dug to ensure that they have potable water,” Bradford noted.

He said he believes the creek is permanently damaged, and sediment may be lying at the bed of the waterway.

The Karrau Village Council met with the community two Sundays ago. The villagers demanded that the village council increase its action towards finding a solution. At the meeting, the council was notified of the sections of the Amerindian Act which addressed entry and access to village lands, and some residents called on the council to prevent the claim-holder from passing through village lands.

However, Thomas told residents, the village will have to tread carefully on the issue, since the claim-holder has threatened to take legal action against the council.

The village alleges that the council was not notified by the mining authorities regarding the issuance of a permit to the miner. To this end, it said, the situation breaches aspects of the Amerindian Act of 2006, particularly as it relates to permission being granted to miners to operate on any land which is contiguous with village lands, rivers or creeks.

The issue is one of many facing the authorities regarding mining operations near Amerindian communities.

Other villages in Region Seven and other parts of the country have faced problems associated with mining activities, resulting in the main waterways in some villages being polluted.

Karrau needs ‘safe water’ wells

REGIONAL Chairman Gordon Bradford believes that a well should be drilled in the community of Karrau in Region Seven, to provide the community with “safe” potable water.

At the same time, the village council is calling on the authorities to close a mining operation which is polluting a creek passing through that Amerindian community.

COMMUNITY CONCERN Currently, a gold miner is operating in two blocks of land near the village council’s boundaries, one of which overlaps the buffer zone located off the perimeter of the village lands.

Toshao Bertille Thomas told this newspaper yesterday from Karrau that if the walls of three dams which were constructed by the village near the operation cracks, the situation will increase in severity. “It is a community concern,” Thomas said.

Thomas explained that the village received its title in 2007, while the miner applied and was granted permission by the authorities to mine in two blocks near the village lands in 2013.

He said the miner was permitted to operate in an area where the village had demarcated its lands for extension.

“There is a ravine which is a branch of the Karrau Creek, and so water passes through the ravine and enters the creek,” he explained. He said that persons live directly along the creek’s banks, while others live close by.

The miner’s operations extend to the ravine, which is located approximately 500 metres from the creek; and this, he noted, is causing the problem.

He said residents are of the opinion that water from the operations is leaking into the creek.

Thomas said that his deputy, Marlon Cozier, went to assist the miner in building up the land near his operations. He

explained that Cozier operates an excavator, and he managed to build up the banks of three tailings ponds by constructing three dams near the mining operations.

He said that Cozier was trying to cushion the problem, since the council believed “the tailings from the operations were escaping into the creek each time the miner does a ‘wash-down’.”

The villagers were, however, of the opinion that Cozier was working on behalf of the miner, and the man subsequently moved his machine away from the area.

According to Thomas, the miner is in communication with the village, and he has tried to correct the situation which was first noticed last September.

USE OF MERCURY He said mercury is used by the miners in the area, and residents are concerned that this could create health problems for the village population.

“The best solution to the issue is for the Government to close this operation; so we are asking them to act in this direction,” Thomas said.

He said that the issue was reported to the authorities, and letters were written to the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and copied to the Ministry of the Presidency as well as to the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs.

Two officers from the mining commission visited Karrau last Monday to inspect the waterway, but they informed the miner that he can continue mining. “They told him that he can continue mining, but what happened is that the water is polluted over a two-to-four-day period, so sometimes the colour goes back to normal,” Thomas explained.

‘HEAVILY POLLUTED’ Regional Chairman Gordon Bradford visited the area recently at the request of the village, and he described the

Two dogs wade across the discoloured Karrau Creek

The discoloured water in the Karrau Creek

Region Seven Chairman Gordon Bradford (in green top) speaking with residents of Karrau during a visit to the community last week

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 20, 2016

Gated community for M&CC staff

By Rabindra Rooplall THE Mayor and City Council (M&CC) will soon be commencing its housing drive for staff, as sites under its purview have already been identified for the establishment of gated communities.

In an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Public Relations Officer of the M&CC, Debra Lewis, disclosed that the municipality will shortly embark on a housing programme for employees at all levels. Several plots of land in Georgetown that belong to the council and are currently underutilized have been identified. These include lands in Guyhoc Gardens, South Ruimveldt and Bel Air. Lewis explained that, several years ago, land was identified at Guyhoc but the land was not released.

However, contractors will this month be dispatched to commence clearing the area in Guyhoc identified for allotment.

“We have decided that employees of both the fixed and unfixed establishment would have the opportunity to have their own homes at the behest of the municipality…. We have a social responsibility not only to clean the drains and to make Georgetown clean

and bright, but we have a responsibility to employees to boost their morale and to retain their services,” Lewis declared.

VARIOUS MODELS She said various models of houses were already identified for different categories of workers, based on their income and years of service.

Underscoring that the criteria set out by lending institutions are rigorous, Lewis said many are unable to access loans or funding for the construction of a home, although they may have a piece of land.

“The municipality and council really want to help in this regard, and this will be one of the main (areas of focus) in the latter part of this year. We already have the human resources to assist with building,” she explained.

“We have engineers, building inspectors, carpenters, masons, plumbers, and every aspect needed, so we will be utilizing these inhouse skills of the Georgetown municipality so the loans taken can be on a smaller scale for only building materials.”

She said the M&CC will be approaching the lending institutions, since it will be a housing drive by the

municipality, so there will be formal meetings with the Minister within the Ministry of Communities with responsibility for housing, and consultations pertaining to making a gated community for staff will be a reality.

HOUSING SCHEMES “It’s time the employees of the council benefit, because there are private organizations in Guyana that have housing schemes for

employees. One good example is Banks DIH. Many of these employees dedicate decades of their lives to service when they obtain their own home through an organization that has their interest at heart,” Lewis explained.

She said the municipality wants to create a relationship with mutual benefits for its employees.

This relationship must be reflected in their production, and be based on their

housing security for their families and the comfort of their working environs.

The PRO noted that the criteria will be finalized where the amount of income and the number of years are reviewed for all applicants and categories of workers attached to the M&CC. “We have a lot of employees who are not yet the owners of their own home because the banks and lending institutions’

criteria are too rigid; so the municipality, which has the resources, can make home ownership a reality for all staff who qualify,” Lewis emphasized.

“Homes are a place to feel secure, build a future and raise a family. There’s immense personal satisfaction in owning a home; and with homeownership, you can gain a sense of community through the neighbourhood, schools and civic groups.”

Town Clerk Royston King and other M&CC officials during a recent visit to Bel Air, where land for housing has been identified

One of the model homes identified for construction as part of the municipality’s gated community housing drive for staff

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 20, 2016

Pan-Africanists urge action on education

By Shirley Thomas LOCAL Pan-Africanists are not at all happy with where education across the Caribbean is headed these days, and have collectively decided to do something about it.

Education among the youth of Guyana and the Caribbean, they say, is in crisis; and with that thought aforemost, they recently convened a forum in observance of African Civilisation Day at the Pan-African Gardens (Merriman Mall) on Albert Street, here in the city.

Keynote speaker at the event was former University of Guyana (UG) lecturer Dr Kenneth Hunte. Other speakers were Dr David Hinds and Ms Leslyn Elliot, both of whom also teach at the University of Guyana. Moderator was Eric Phillips, Chairman of the African Cultural Development Association (ACDA).

Phillips, who contended that Guyana is slowly becoming an illiterate nation, said: “It’s a visible secret that we are all aware of…especially since we know education has been the key to success for African-Guyanese and Guyanese in general.”

He said that while there are a number of reasons for the problem at hand, the Pan-African Movement of

Guyana, which convened the meeting, is optimistic that given the new political climate, Guyana can look forward to the kind of support that will see it once again becoming “the most literate nation in the Commonwealth.”

HUNTE’S FINDINGS Dr Hunte, meanwhile, took a more clinical approach, saying there are any number of indicators for measuring the effectiveness of education, and addressing

a few.

Critically analysing what obtains here at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination, he said that only 50 per cent of the nation’s 16-plus age group are entered for the regional CSEC examination.

And the reason for this, he said, is that the remaining 50 per cent do not satisfy the criteria for acceptance to the exam.

Further, of the 50 per cent who actually write the

Dr David Hinds addressing the Pan-African Movement’s education forum in observance of ‘African Civilisation Day’

Dr Kenneth Hunte addressing the forum on “The Crisis in Education among the Youth of Guyana and the Caribbean.”

Seated is Chairman Eric Phillips

examinations, only one-third achieve CSEC Grades 1 to 3 in English Language. “This means that only about 16 per cent of the nation’s 16-plus age group can use English, which is a core subject, effectively,” Dr Hunte said.

Which brings us to the question: “Is English becoming a foreign language in Guyana?”

This level of underachievement, Dr Hunte said, began in our primary schools, and should have been spotted by the performance of students at the National Assessments at Grades Two, Four, Six and Nine.

Among other basic indicators to which he alluded were: a whopping 50 per cent of the nation’s teachers

are not trained graduates; the University of Guyana, over the last 10 years, has failed to churn out graduates in Physics; there is great reluctance among educators to speak about students’ under-achievement. Conversely, many teachers actually believe that they are doing a good job, mainly because they are actually unaware of the expected outcomes of education; there is need for a revisiting of the education methodologies; there is need for implementing appropriate remedial interventions to improve student-achievement; there is a pattern of socially unacceptable and violent behaviours of our youth, which has become the norm in society and is due mainly

to the way our children are being educated to think. It is a reflection of our system of values for humanity and a reflection of us; the schools’ curriculum needs to include aspects of education that would empower students to become reflective thinkers.

That way, they can grow up learning to understand the consequences of their decisions and other persons’ decisions as well, and how best they can contribute to national development.

“Today, the crisis in education is a reflection of the value we place on the education of all of our children.

Crises in education are man-made or person-made,

Please see page 21

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 20, 2016

Mexican actress questioned over Guzman MEXICAN actress Kate del Castillo has been called in for questioning over her links with the imprisoned drug baron Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

She set up a meeting in October between the cartel leader, who was then on the run, and Hollywood actor Sean Penn.

The actress and Guzman exchanged dozens of messages before she and Sean Penn met him in northern Mexico.

Guzman was arrested on January 8, six months after escaping from a high security jail. He was captured by Mexican troops in the northern city of Los Mochis, and taken back to the Altiplano prison. Mexican authorities are considering his extradition to the United States. In the meantime, they say he is being kept under 24-hour surveillance to prevent another escape.

Sean Penn interviewed the drug lord for US magazine Rolling Stone.

The contact between the actress and Guzman helped Mexican police establish his whereabouts and eventually capture him.

Attorney General Arely Gomez said the security forces had been following Guzman's lawyer, who led them to Sean Penn and Kate del Castillo.

Mobile phone exchanges between Kate del Castillo and Guzman reveal that he initially did not know who Sean Penn was. He seemed to be infatuated by the actress, who is famous in Mexico.

Kate del Castillo is best known for her portrayal of drug boss Teresa Mendoza in the soap opera La Reina del Sur (Queen of the South).

El Chapo was planning to get Hollywood to produce a film about his life. Kate del Castillo persuaded "El Chapo" (Shorty) that Sean Penn had the experience and connections to realise his dream.

"I don't have the means to pay for what you're doing for me," he wrote, according to transcripts obtained by El Universal newspaper.

Responding to rumours that she had become too close to Guzman, del Castillo tweeted on January 13 that she would tell her side of the story.

"As expected, many people have decided to manipulate the information and fabricate false stories to divert us from the real issue," she wrote. "I will soon give you my version."

Mexican prosecutors said Kate del Castillo, who is in the

US, will be allowed to be questioned at the embassy in Los Angeles.

El Chapo Guzman was Mexico's most wanted man. He was the founder of the Sinaloa drug cartel, which smuggled vast amounts of illegal drugs into the United States.

He is linked to other crimes, including murder and extortion. (BBC) Kate del Castillo is a famous television actress in Mexico

Pan-Africanists urge action...

From page 20

and are caused by the poor and prolonged management of resources. We can do a lot better with the resources we have, even though they are limited; and that is what we have to work at,” Dr Hunte said.

MORE TO BE DONE Asked what he thought about the situation, Technical Facilitator to the Ministry of Education and former Registrar of the University of Guyana, Mr Vincent Alexander, said: “I would not use the word ‘crisis’, but would say that much more needs to be done.”

He recalled that he and fellow academician Dr Henry Jeffrey had addressed some of the key areas of concern in relation to education in Guyana, on the programme “Spotlight” on Channel 9 sometime in the past.

Contending that one cannot talk about education in isolation, Dr Hunte said there are other considerations, such as adequate remuneration for those at the delivery end of things; the environment in which we operate; factors such as poverty, and how it impinges on those to whom education is delivered; how hunger can affect the child’s performance at school; and the whole notion of the value system and how it could affect behaviours.

On the issue of the University of Guyana not having produced graduates in Physics for the last 10 years, Mr Alexander explained that the reason for this is because the institution has had cause to suspend its Physics programme because there was a lack of lecturers to teach the subject. But in an effort to remedy the situation, he

A section of the gathering at the education forum

said, the Institute of Distance and Continuing Education (IDCE) was asked to commence offering a two-year Associate Degree Programme in Physics.

services remains unsustainable and uncompetitive.”

He said the baseline for future planning on education has to be significant reform of the system.

TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT Education Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, commenting on the education system during a parliamentary sitting last June, had observed: “While the public education system might not have collapsed to the point of complete ruin, the country is far too close to (ruin) for comfort…”

Dr Roopnaraine noted: “We’ve consistently had a series of well-crafted education policies constructed by qualified professionals, and remarkable individual showings by individual students at exams; yet, our delivery of education

NGSA FAILURE And addressing the National Awards Ceremony at the National Cultural Centre last November, President David Granger had reason to contend that the secondary school education system

here is a rebuke to the belief in equality, inclusivity and meritocracy, while lamenting that education at that level is not universal.

The administration inherited the flaws when it came to power, he said. The education system was under reform, but began to rapidly deteriorate about three and a half years ago.

President Granger also noted the alarming number of drop-outs from second-

ary schools, and that each year more than half of the students who undertake the National Grade Six Assessment fail. “This means that our secondary education system is not producing the desired results,” he said. “It means that half of the students who enter the secondary school system may not be qualified to be there.” (sthomas@ guyanachronicle.com)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 20, 2016

Social media causing library drop-off

By Michel Outridge DEPUTY Chief Librarian Nadine Moore has disclosed that the advent of social media is having a great negative impact on library services.

She said the readership had diminished, less people are visiting to read, but more persons are visiting the library to utilise the Internet service being offered; and likewise, mostly youths are showing interest in areas such as ‘Facebook.'

Moore added that when it comes to social media, library staffers were aware of the informal way of communicating using short words, but young people still need to remember that aspect of the English language which they need to apply in doing school work and assignments, and which requires the

full spelling of words.

She noted that the library was moving towards a round-table approach in addressing the situation, and hopefully the decline in readership would be arrested, since library staffers want to encourage persons to use the library more.

Moore said the Internet is an evolving area of study, and technology is part of the library science of today. With the e-book online service, the library is attracting more visitors.

She pointed out that the National Library’s role regarding use of technology and the whole aspect of social media was to encourage persons in information technology literacy as to how to use new technology, and to assist them in every way possible.

As regards modernisation of the National Library, Moore

Deputy Chief Librarian Nadine Moore is flanked by Allison Simmons, who is attached to the Reference Section (standing) said the subscription to e-book has been upgraded, as this is an area that attracts more people. Automation of the library catalogue has also been upgraded, so persons can access both books and information online.

Moore said the juvenile section has a large readership and membership, as well as a large collection of books. However, it has been discovered that by the time the children advance to the adult department, which is from the age of 13 and further, even as they are approaching or get into the CXC class, they are engaged in a lot of assignments; and at this stage it is found that people show a clear preference for the Internet.

At that stage, many of the youths drop out from the department where books are available for reading, although they would occasionally visit the reference section to do research, she said.

The Deputy Chief Librarian explained that the library has been attracting more adults than those between the ages of 15 and 18, because adults are found using the facility to do more research and reading.

She noted that plans are on stream to "jazz up" the library with extension activities apart from homework. She said the library has craft, essay and the champion reader’s competitions, and also engage visitors in other activities to attract readership and usage.

Books are provided by the Government as well as through donations, and there are more than 300,000 books stored at the National Library, ranging in topics from general to history.

At the moment, juvenile membership stands at about 8,296 (as at December 2015), while adult membership stands at about 14,880. There are 67 employees working at the National Library in Church Street, Georgetown. There are also five outlying branches, with 21 centres and one book mobile unit.

The National Library also has a link for senior citizens from the various homes every last Wednesday of the month. (moutridge@guyanachronicle.com)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday January 20, 2016

Supreme Court to host domestic violence seminar

THE Supreme Court of Guyana, in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association, will host a two-day seminar at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown.

The seminar, which will focus on domestic violence in Guyana, is an initiative of the acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Carl Singh, a press release has said.

Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Carl Singh

The seminar will cover a wide range of topics which would stimulate the interest of all participants, the release promised.

The seminar will, on Friday, be preceded by an opening ceremony which will be addressed by President David Granger. Target groups for the seminar will include the Magistracy of Guyana, representatives of the Guyana Police Force, and the Ministries of Public Health and Social Protection.

According to the acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, inputs at the planning stage of the seminar came from representatives of both of the ministries, with emphasis being laid on having a broad focus on the problem of domestic violence in Guyana.

A number of over-

seas-based persons will be in Guyana for the seminar, including Chief Justice Margaret Ramsay-Hale of the Turks and Caicos Islands; District Judge Shamin Qureshi from the United Kingdom; Mark Guthrie of the Legal Affairs Division of the Commonwealth Secretar-

iat; Dr. Meena Shivdas, Gender Expert from the United Kingdom; Dr. Dianne Douglas, Clinical Psychologist from Trinidad and Tobago; Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunnof the Cayman Islands, and gender expert Karen De Souza from Guyana, the release added.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday January 20, 2016

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday January 20, 2016

Nadal, Halep out on day of shocks in Melbourne

By Nick Mulvenney MELBOURNE, Australia (Reuters) - The more familiar shock of falling seeds added to the ructions caused by allegations of tennis corruption as former champion Rafael Nadal and highly-fancied Simona Halep both departed in the first round of the Australian Open yesterday.

Nadal arrived at Melbourne Park with high hopes of arresting his recent grand slam decline only to depart, his optimism crushed, under a barrage of winners from fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco.

Shortly after a dejected Nadal walked off court having tasted his first opening round loss at the Australian Open, women’s second seed Halep bid farewell while another high-profile casualty was

seven-time major champion Venus Williams.

Andy Murray, the men’s second seed, and 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka both impressed as the on-court action took centre stage after the allegations of match-fixing in the sport overshadowed Monday’s programme.

Nadal appeared confused at how he had managed to blow a 2-0 lead in the final set to go down 7-6(6), 4-6, 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-2 to Verdasco in a four-hour 41-minute battle that had echoes of their marathon 2009 semi-final but with a reversed result.

The fifth seed, who failed to win a grand slam title last year for the first time in a decade, lost the last six games as world number 45 Verdasco unleashed a series of explosive forehands to take his place in the second round.

“He was playing amazing in the last set. If you decide everything in one set, the opponent is ready to hit all the balls at hundred percent, then you are in trouble,” the 2009 champion told reporters.

“The real thing is I was not enough aggressive with my forehand during the whole match. I didn’t feel it.

I tried. I fought. I was ready to do it, and I didn’t. I am sad for that.”

Halep gave similar reasons for her 6-4, 6-3 defeat at the hands of Chinese qualifier Zhang Shuai, who was ranked 131 places below the Romanian in the rankings going into their contest over on Margaret Court Arena.

“I think it wasn’t my good day but I give her a lot of credit as she played without fear and hit every ball,” Halep, who has been struggling with an Achilles injury, told

reporters.

“She beat me. It’s tough but it’s only one day, only one match and I have many matches ahead of me.”

TEARFUL ZHANG Zhang burst into tears after winning her first grand slam singles match at the 15th attempt, later revealing that she had considered quitting the sport.

“I wanted to try one more time, only one more time, yeah,” she said. “If Australia Open not good, maybe I finish tennis.”

Like Nadal, veteran Williams had been hoping to carry a resurgence in form from 2015 into the New Year but she was similarly disappointed after a 6-4, 6-2 defeat at the hands of British number one Johanna Konta.

The 35-year-old eighth seeded American faces a like-

ly fine from organisers after holding a post-match news conference.

Seventh seed Angelique Kerber had to save a match point to stave off a fourth shock, rallying to beat Japan’s Misaki Doi 6-7(4), 7-6(6), 6-3, while third seed Garbine Muguruza beat Estonian Anett Kontaveit 6-0, 6-4.

Victoria Azarenka, twice an Australian Open champion, underlined her return to form and fitness, thrashing Belgium’s Alison Van Uytvanck 6-0, 6-0 in the final match of the day.

Murray’s earlier encounter with teenager Alexander Zverev was delayed in the second game when the German suffered a nosebleed but the former Wimbledon champion’s path to the second round otherwise ran smoothly.

The British four-time runner-up won 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 on

Hisense Arena while Wawrinka, his possible semi-final foe and the only man to have broken Novak Djokovic’s grip on the Melbourne Park title in the last five years, had an even shorter day, going through when Russian Dmitry Tursunov retired hurt after the second set of their contest.

Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt delighted the Rod Laver Arena crowd by extending his career for at least another two days with a 7-6(5), 6-2, 6-4 victory over fellow Australian James Duckworth.

Hewitt, who is retiring after his 20th Australian Open, sent his compatriots into a frenzy when he wrapped up the match with a trademark lob to set up a clash with eighth seed David Ferrer.

“This is what I’m going to miss the most, the buzz from the crowd,” he said.

‘Family fun’ is the real aim of Unity Cricket

By Stephan Sookram WITH less than two weeks before the 007 and Legacy Entertainment’s Unity Cricket gets going, organisers are touting the programme as a family-themed event featuring fun for all ages.

During the launch of the cricket festival on Tuesday morning, member of the Promotion Group 007 and Legacy Entertainment, Ewart Lewis, contended that the one-day activity, set for January 30 at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, will feature something for every

member of the family.

“We see it as not just unity, but as a time for family; most times daddy could go somewhere and mommy can’t go somewhere; so we saw it best to bring everyone together one place for some time that they can enjoy together,” contended Lewis He noted that given the nature of society within the last few weeks - suicide and all - the event could not have come at a better time, reminding fans to come out to witness clean entertainment.

Meanwhile, corporate sponsor Digicel, through

its Senior Sponsorship Executive, Louanna Abrams, added that the company is always ready to fulfil its corporate social responsibility.

She hinted at major giveaways for Digicel customers heading to the game.

Others in attendance included Technical Development Officer of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Collin Stuart, president of the Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association Ramchand Ragbeer and cricketers Ramnaresh Sarwan and Jonathon Foo. The event will feature

regional stars like Chris Gayle, Jason Holder, Darren Sammy, Dwayne Smith, Lendl Simmons, Andre Fletcher, Samuel Badree, Sulieman Benn, Ryad Emrit, Nicholas Pooran and Raymon Reifer.

The local participants will comprise Christopher Barnwell, Rajendra Chandrika, Veerasammy Permaul, Assad Fudaduin, Foo, Sarwan, Anthony Bramble, Ronsford Beaton, Leon Johnson, Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford and Robin Bacchus.

Sarwan and Barnwell will be the two captains of

... Tickets go on sale today the mixed team event with the respective squads to be announced in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile the body has confirmed the blessing of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the GCB, the territorial body.

The day will also feature five softball matches, inclusive of one Female and one Masters, as well as a fun park for the children when the gates open at 09:30hrs on January 30.

Live commentary of the

feature T20 affair with all the stars will be broadcast via the National Communications Network (NCN) Radio.

Fans in attendance on the evening will have the chance to win US$500 dollars if they can take a one-handed catch during the final.

Tickets for the event go on sale today at various venues across Guyana and cost $2 000 dollars while persons who wait to pay at the gate will have to pay a $1 000 increase.

Guyana Jaguars seek to topple TT Red Force in ...

From Backpage

mined as follows: (1) The team with the most wins; (2) If still equal, the team with the most wins over the other team(s) who are equal on points and have the same number of wins; (3) If still equal, the team with the highest number of bonus points and (4) If still equal, the team with the highest net run rate.

The Windwards Volcanoes, as the winners of Zone B will take on Barbados Pride, runners-up of Zone A; in the second semi-final carded for tomorrow at the QP Oval starting at 13:30hrs.

In their final Zone B match against Combined Campuses and Colleges, the Guyana Jag-

uars did not start with evergreen Shivnarine Chanderpaul and strokeplayer Vishaul Singh and promising fast bowler Romario Shepherd who made an instant impact in his debut outing for the Guyana senior team.

Both Chanderpaul and Singh are expected to return to the starting eleven to strengthen the top order.

Both Georgetown Cricket Club players have shown good form with the bat and much will be expected of them in this crucial encounter.

“I have the feeling that Guyana Jaguars team would be more comfortable against the current Trinidad Tobago Red Force outfit that has been playing

without the services of senior stars Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Lendl Simmons, Samuel Badree, Kevon Cooper, Ravi Rampaul and mystery spinner Sunil Narine who is debarred from participation in the regional 50-overs-a-side competition.

Narine wreaked havoc and was the chief destroyer in the grand final last year. He finished with the exceptional analysis of 8-3-9-6 as Guyana folded up for a paltry 65 in 23.5 overs. It was the most dismal performance by a Guyana senior national team.

For this year’s semi-final encounter, the T&T Red Force will still be without the services of Narine, Dwayne Bravo, Pol-

lard, Rampaul, Badree, Simmons and Cooper.

But the almost new-look Trinidad and Tobago team, under the leadership of Jason Mohammed, have displayed a lot of determination and grit against Jamaica Scorpions (both rounds) and Barbados Pride (first round).

Guyanese-born franchise player Narsingh Deonarine was a key player for the T&T Red Force in their five earlier matches but was surprisingly omitted for the crucial sixth round fixture against Barbados Pride in the final round.

The defending champions lost their winning streak and probably the momentum that

they held until some questionable umpiring decisions against Barbados Pride, last Sunday left them jittery and anxious, as their usually high standard of fielding was punctuated with series of fielding blunders that eased the pressure on the Barbadians who would have been boosted immensely for their three-wicket win.

“I expect that Deonarine to regain his place in the Red Force starting eleven especially with the Guyana Jaguars having four left-handed batsmen in Assad Fudadin, Vishaul Singh, Chanderpaul and skipper Leon Johnson at the top of the order.

The talented all-rounder should make a big difference

with his off-spinning ability and with first-hand knowledge of batting style and temperament of his former colleagues.

With both West Indies Test players Denesh Ramdin and Darren Bravo back in the homesters’ line-up and already showing great form with the bat, the T&T Red Force will also feel happier and a much bigger crowd comprising supporters for both teams should witness an absorbing contest.

It is difficult to envisage another one-sided contest like what transpired last year.

The Guyana Jaguars will be seeking to avenge that loss and become the first team to qualify for this year’s final.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday January 20, 2016

Redick shines from downtown as Clippers ground Rockets (THE Sports Xchange) Guard J.J. Redick set a franchise record with nine three-pointers and scored a career-high 40 points as the Los Angeles Clippers held on for a 140-132 overtime victory over the Houston Rockets at Staples Center on Monday.

Redick broke Quentin Richardson’s record of eight three-pointers set on February 2, 2004 against the Boston Celtics. The Clippers also broke the club record for treys made, connecting on a 22-of-37 attempts (59.5 percent).

Point guard Chris Paul, who made five three-pointers, had 28 points, 12 assists and six rebounds as Los An-

Los Angeles Clipper guard J.J. Redick sets a franchise record. geles (27-14) ended a five- Crawford scored 17 points, game losing skid against the and centre DeAndre Jordan, Rockets. who returned after missing Los Angeles guard Jamal two games with pneumonia,

finished with 16 points and 15 rebounds.

Centre Dwight Howard had 36 points and 26 rebounds to lead Houston (22-21), while guard James Harden added 20 points.

Houston guard Marcus Thornton, who scored 23 points, hit a three-pointer with 7.4 seconds left in regulation to force the extra session. Paul misfired on a jumper with 3.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

Back-to-back threes

by Crawford and Redick boosted Los Angeles to a 128-122 cushion with 3:40 left in overtime and the Rockets never recovered.

The Clippers held a 94-

80 advantage at the end of the third quarter before the Rockets rallied in the final period with a 42-28 edge despite Harden failing to score in the quarter.

A layup by forward Trevor Ariza reduced the Clippers’ lead to 116-114 with 18.9 seconds remaining in regulation. However, two free throws by Redick increased the margin back to four with 16.4 seconds left.

Thornton buried a three with 14.4 seconds left to cut the deficit to one before two more Redick free throws gave Los Angeles a 120-117 advantage with 13.3 seconds remaining.

Two foul shots by Ariza

cut the lead to one again before Redick made two more to put the Clippers up 122-119 with 10.2 seconds remaining, setting up Thornton’s bucket.

Redick also took sole possession of fourth on the franchise’s list of most-made three-point field goals with 376. Corey Maggette has 367.

The Rockets got back guard Patrick Beverley, who missed Sunday’s contest against the Los Angeles Lakers with a left ankle sprain.

Beverley went scoreless in 16 minutes, leaving the contest in the third quarter after apparently re-injuring the ankle. He did not return.

Blatter still being paid despite ban from world soccer

By Simon Evans MIAMI, USA (Reuters)-FIFA’s Sepp Blatter may have been banned for eight years from the game but he is still receiving his president’s salary from world soccer’s governing body, a spokesman for FIFA’s Audit and Compliance Committee told Reuters on Monday.

Blatter was suspended for 90 days by FIFA on October 8 and then banned from the game for eight years last month for ethics violations over a $2M payment FIFA made to European soccer boss Michel Platini with Blatter’s approval in 2011.

But Blatter, a Swiss national who has been president of FIFA since 1998, will continue to be paid

until a new president is elected on February26, the spokesman Andreas Bantel said.

Sepp Blatter That would mean Blatter would have been paid for nearly five months during which time he was unable

to carry out his duties, and a period in which FIFA has appointed an acting president, African soccer head Issa Hayatou.

The compensation sub-committee of FIFA’s Audit and Compliance Committee recently ruled that it could stop Blatter’s bonuses but not, according to his contract, his salary.

“Until the election of a new president on February 26, Mr Blatter is the elected president and therefore - according to his contract - is entitled to receive his remuneration,” Bantel said.

Blatter ’s U.S. lawyer and his Switzerland-based spokesman could not be immediately reached for comment.

FIFA is facing the worst corruption crisis in its history as a total of 41 individuals and entities, including many former FIFA officials, have been charged with corruption-related offences in the United States. The U.S. investigation is far from over and FIFA also faces a parallel Swiss probe.

Blatter’s bonuses have been stopped because he was not carrying out his duties of supervising the organisation, including its general secretary.

Only last week, FIFA announced that Jerome Valcke was fired from his position as general secretary. It gave no reason but an investigation had followed allegations of corruption related to World Cup ticket sales.

COMPENSATION A SECRET “The duty of supervision is listed explicitly in the target agreements for the payment of bonuses. The compensation committee has therefore decided, at its last meeting, not to make any further bonus payments to Mr Blatter,” said Bantel.

The size of Blatter’s compensation from FIFA has remained secret although reforms to be voted on at the organisation’s February Congress call for the disclosure of individual compensation for the president and top executives.

It is also unclear what Hayatou is getting paid to be acting president.

FIFA’s finances may have

taken a blow in the past year because of the costs and distractions of the corruption scandal. According to a report from the UK’s Press Association late last year, the organisation suffered its first loss last year since 2001.

Bantel declined to discuss what proportion of Blatter’s payments came from his bonuses.

The FIFA Ethics Committee said the payment to Platini, made at a time when Blatter was seeking re-election, lacked transparency and presented conflicts of interest, though both men denied any wrongdoing. Platini has also been banned from soccer for eight years.

Both Blatter and Platini have said they will appeal against their bans.

South Africa will play hard to salvage pride - Rabada JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (Reuters) - South Africa are fired up to perform in the dead-rubber fourth Test against England and will “play hard” as they try to salvage battered pride, young Proteas fast bowler Kagiso Rabada said yesterday.

England have wrapped up the series as they take an unassailable 2-0 lead into the final Test starting in Pretoria on Friday, but the 20-yearold Rabada said the match was an opportunity for South

South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada (C) is congratulated by teammates after he bowled out England’s Stuart Broad during the third cricket Test match in Johannesburg, South Africa,

Africa to rebuild.

“There is another game to play and we have to look to the future,” he told reporters.

“We are trying to stay positive, there is another match and we are going to rock up and play hard. We are not going to throw in the towel; it’s unlike us to do that.”

Rabada feels South Africa’s woes, which centre largely on their misfiring batsmen, will pass and that the team can regain the form that took them to the top of

the world Test rankings before being deposed by India this month.

“There are always going to be ups and downs in cricket and in life,” he said.

“The good times will come and we will look back at the tough times and think ‘look where we were and look where we are now’ “It happens to everyone, unfortunately it’s happening to us right now but we have to stick together as a team and stay positive.”

The series has been a

dismal failure for the Proteas but one of the few positives has been the continued development of Rabada, who took career-best figures of 5-78 in England’s first innings in the last Test at the Wanderers. “ I t ’s a m e m o r a b l e achievement and milestone,” he said. “I try to stick to my game-plans and the team’s game-plans and luckily it paid off.” South Africa have not won any of their last nine Test matches, their longest winless run since 1964-65.

34

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday January 20, 2016

Arjune cops MVP award at HACC presentation

By Frederick Halley

TORONTO, Canada -Former Guyana and West Indies B Team opener Krishna Arjune was adjudged the Most Valuable Player (MVP) when Hawaiian Artic Cricket Club (HACC) held its spectacular annual presentation dinner and dance at the Palace Multi Cultural Centre, Milvan Drive, North York, Toronto here last Saturday night.

On a night when the club was celebrating its unprecedented six consecutive championships in the Scarborough Cricket Association (SCA), it also took the opportunity to honour its long-standing Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Eon Gunraj for his immense

contribution over the years.

Arjune, despite missing games during the regular season, was quite instrumental in the playoffs with both bat and ball, culminating with an unbeaten 103 in the final against Scarborough Cricket Club (SCC) on a cold and wintry Saturday in early October, 2015.

Arjune also had the distinction of slamming 132 versus Toronto Smashers in one of the preliminary round games while he had outstanding economical figures of one for 17 from 10 overs in the semi-final versus Highland Creek and two for 19 in nine overs in the final.

Apart from receiving trophies for his efforts, Arjune was also the recipient of a gold bracelet, compliments of Harry Singh’s Jewelry,

…Club bestows honour on long-standing CEO

HACC president Narchand ‘Archie’ Mohan (right) hands over the winning SCA trophy to CEO Eon Gunraj, as a token of appreciation for his contribution to the club. ing the game by the rules. despite being hearing-imIn an emotional address, success”.

“He has shown us the way long-standing HACC presIn response, Gunraj paired. Allard also received ident Narchand ‘Archie’ and HACC is blessed to played down his role in the a gold bracelet from Harry have him with us.”

Mohan once again showclub and while being thank- Singh’s Jewelry.

As a token of appreciaTouching on the captainered praises on his charges ful to be recognised, pointed tion, the president handed for continuing to make the out that the players were re- cy of Chattergoon, Mohan over the winning trophy HACC family proud while sponsible for the magnificent said he has been an inspirathat was presented at the singling out Gunraj for speshowing of HACC over the tion to the team and hopes SCA awards to Gunraj with cial mention. years. Gunraj himself played he stays on for many years to an inscription reading: “\ In dedicating the sixth a few matches in the 2015 come. While not committing If success is a journey then himself, Chattergoon said title to the unassuming season. you are the way to discover Gunraj, Mohan described Special awards were he was also proud to be part and experiment it. Your him as a brother and also handed out to skipper of the HACC family and principle and adherence friend, who stands for the Hemnarine Chattergoon thanked his players for the for this game are the sole principles of the game and for his brilliant leadership efforts they exhibited, espereasons for our continued one who believes in playover the years, including cially in the playoffs when leading the side to the last it seemed that the club’s three championships; Za- reign of success was being heer Allard for being the threatened.

All the players and oftop all-rounder; veteran Mathew Francis for com- ficials also received rings ON the night of January 19, 1992 at the National Park ing out of retirement and and medals while the main on Thomas Lands a deafening noise erupted when Mihelping the team when in supporters, including the chael Benjamin TKOed Anthony `The Pearl’ Andrews crisis and Ryiad Sattaur for wives of players, were also in a welterweight contest. The 25-year-old Benjamin his contribution to the club decorated with medals. was rock-solid going into the fight but many had the slicker Andrews, two years older, to win.

The quintessence of grit and determination, the professional boxer Benjamin was also ferocious, courageous and tenacious.

He was born in March 1966, and at one time was considered one of the feared boxers in Guyana. As a lightweight and welterweight, Benjamin possessed power, speed and an appetite for destruction.

Andrews, on the other hand, was a master boxer and consummate counter-puncher, believed well-equipped to handle any onslaught Benjamin could have offered. The result of their bout proved otherwise. `The Pearl’ had snatched the Guyana bantamweight title following an 11th round TKO of Michael Parris. A three-year sojourn in the USA saw Andrews going on a losing spree. He won two of nine fights and upon his return in 1989 was defeated by Barrington Cambridge while contesting for the national welterweight title.

Benjamin won the national lightweight title in November 1997 and added the World Boxing Council Krishna Arjune (left) collects his MVP award (WBC) Continental of Americas lightweight crown to from HACC president Mohan. his collection in August 1988.

NOTABLE DATES

Skipper Hemnarine Chattergoon receives his award from Mohan. CEO Eon Gunraj is at centre.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Wednesday January 20, 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) Charles Bannerman (AUST vs ENG, Melbourne, 1876-77) (2) England’s Fred Truman Today’s Quiz: (1) Who was the first WI to 300 Test wickets?

(2) How many Test centuries Rohan Kanhai made?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

35

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Wednesday January 20, 2016

Franklin cites ‘new motivation’ for 2016

RECENTLY-crowned men’s senior champion Christopher Franklin says that a new motivation, coupled with wanting to give back to the sport, has guided his return to the sport of table tennis.

Franklin last weekend returned to competitive action in the Guyana Table Tennis Association’s National Senior Championships held at the National Gymnasium where he picked up the top prize

in the Open men’s division.

Speaking to the media after taking the title, Franklin, who returned after a five-year hiatus from the sport said, “I have a new motivation (for the sport)”, adding, “I just want to come out back this year and contribute to table tennis. It’s something I really love and to help the team build and try to win championships with the guys.”

“I played reasonably well tonight. I came today

Christopher Franklin and Chelsea Edghill pose with their trophie after taking the men’s and women’s singles titles last Sunday.

with a clear game plan, I know that I didn’t have fitness, I haven’t been training a lot; I only put in a week’s training for this tournament so I came and just stuck to keeping the game simple and to win as many points as possible, ”said the player, He stated that his strategy moving through the rounds was just to play calm and try to reduce the amount of movement t h e re b y re d u c i n g t h e amount of energy used.

“That’s one of the strategies because I know I don’t have the fitness to go all out with these guys; you know these guys are young and enthusiastic and they like the big games so I just changed it around. I worked on this tactic and it paid off,” said the men’s champion.

Franklin coasted to victory in the round-robin playoff, defeating defending champion Nigel Bryan and Edhino Lewis.

(Stephan Sookram)

IAAF scandal worse than football’s crisis, says Johnson

LONDON, England (Reuters) - The corruption scandal that has rocked athletics is worse than the one that has plunged football body FIFA into crisis because it punished clean athletes, four-time Olympic gold medallist Michael Johnson said yesterday.

“With athletics, if you think about the victims, it is absolutely worse,” the 400 metres world record holder

told BBC radio.

“The victims here are those (clean) athletes.

They never had the opportunity to stand on the podium and they should have,” added the American sprinter.

An independent commission of the Wo r l d A n t i - D o p i n g Agency (WADA) has stated in a damning report that “corruption

GBA express shock at McDonald’s passing

THE Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) on Monday expressed deep shock at the sudden death of second vice-president of the St Lucia Amateur Boxing Association (SLABA) Brian McDonald.

In a statement the GBA said that it was with deep sadness and shock that it received the news of McDonald’s demise.

The veteran sports journalist died around noon on Sunday in his native St Lucia of suspected cardiac arrest. He was 43-years-old.

McDonald was in Guyana in November as part of the St Lucian team to the Caribbean Development Boxing tournament.

“The region has lost a great son who has been cut down in his prime. Mr McDonald was a staunch supporter of boxing and a fierce advocate for Caribbean unity and integration.

He was instrumental

Four-time Olympic gold medallist Michael Johnson IAAF president Lamine was embedded” at the Diack covered up organInternational Associaised doping and blacktion of Athletics Federmailed athletes while seations (IAAF). nior officials looked the The report found that other way. a clique run by former

Diack is under formal investigation in France on suspicion of corruption and money-laundering linked to the concealment of positive drug tests in concert with Russian officials.

FIFA is facing the worst crisis in its history as a total of 41 individuals and entities have been charged with corruption-related offences in the United States.

FIFA also faces a parallel Swiss probe.

Sepp Blatter, the football body’s long-serving head, has been banned for eight years.

Johnson said the IAAF, now led by Britain’s Sebastian Coe, needed to be “completely restructured” but saw little merit in a

suggestion that world records should be reset as a way of moving on from the crisis.

“It doesn’t make sense to me how a reset of all the world records is going to deal with the issue of people cheating,” said Johnson.

“It doesn’t create a clean competition and that does not deter anyone from cheating.”

The American also questioned whether Russia’s ban from all competitions as a result of state-sponsored doping should extend to this year’s Rio Olympics.

“Do you ban an entire country that ostensibly could include clean athletes, from participating in Rio? That is a very difficult

Gayle exits Big Bash with social media rant Brian McDonald in the organisation of the Goodwill Tournament here in February 2014. His contribution to the sport both as a journalist and an administrator is unmatched and we will miss him dearly,” the GBA statement said.

In an invited comm e n t G B A p re s i d e n t Steve Ninvalle said that he has requested details of McDonald’s funeral arrangements from SLABA president David `Shakes’ Christopher. “Our intention is to have a representative of GABA at the funeral,” Ninvalle disclosed.

WEST Indies star batsman Chris Gayle left a strong message for critics following the end of his Australia Big Bash League campaign, making any future appearance in the tournament seeming even more unlikely.

Gayle was at the centre of a firestorm a couple weeks ago after making inappropriate comment to reporter Melissa McLaughlin during a television interview.

The incident led to global and harsh criticism of the big left-hander, with some calling for him to be banned from the league and even from the game.

Yesterday the 36-year-old

posted his thoughts via social media platform In-

Chris Gayle stagram and was particularly critical of former cricketers.

“The real ppl who stand

by Gayle worldwide through the so call BS against me in the media, Thank You! “I think a lot of past and present cricketers who smile in front my face could’ve have there say in the public when my so call issue was going on,” Gayle’s post read.

“But y’all don’t have the BALLs to stand firm when it matters - but yet when u see me you’re like, Chris that’s BS against you, it was blown out of proportion.

“Smh ... don’t tell me, tell the media and public!”

The post in part seems to refer to Network Ten commentator and former English cricket captain An-

drew Flintoff who tweeted his distaste at Gayle’s behaviour at the time, saying although he was a big fan, he ‘made himself look like a bit of a chop.

“The past cricketer who say I make myself look like a chop, the other who claim I was no good to the youngsters while playing for the Thunder, the next one who said he expect that sort of behaviour from Chris - Y’all can kiss my ‘Black ****,” Gayle wrote.

“I love Australia and I will be back again.”

Gayle was fined US$10 000 by the Melbourne Renegades for the incident.

(Sportsmax.com)

Gayle exits Big Bash with social media rant See Story on Page 35

Chris Gayle

NAGICO Super50 cricket

Guyana Jaguars seek to topple TT Red Force in first semi-final today

By Brij Parasnath

G Promising fast bowler Romario Shepherd made an instant impact on his debut against Leewards Hurricanes.

UYANA Jaguars will be seeking to avenge last year’s massive defeat to the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, when the two teams clash in the first NAGICO Super50 semi-final to be contested at the same venue today from 13:30hrs.

And the Guyana Jaguars will fancy their chances of turning the tables in their quest to qualify once again for the grand final carded for Saturday.

The Guyanese outfit suffered two narrow defeats to Windwards Volcanoes in both rounds of the Zonal round-robin

series this year in St Kitts. It was those two losses that saw them relegated to runner-up spot to the Volcanoes after both teams completed their six matches on 18 points each.

Both the Jaguars and Volcanoes registered four victories but the regulations give the advantage to the team that emerge winner of their face-to-face matches.

The Tournament Rules and Regulations Article 21.9 of the Playing Conditions state that “In the event of teams finishing on equal points in their zone, the higher placed team will be deter-

See page 31

‘Family fun’ is the real aim of Unity Cricket See Story on Page 32

Back row (L-R) Ramnaresh Sarwan, two Unity Cricket cheerleaders and Jonathon Foo, Sitting: L-R, CEO of 007 Productions, James Bond, GCB TDO Colin Stuart, 007 committee member Ewart Lewis, Unity Cricket PRO Sean Devers, Digicel Senior Sponsorship Executive, Louanna Abrams, president of the GFSCA Ramchand Ragbeer and organising secretary Wayne Jones. (Samuel Maughn photo) Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2016