Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 22 04 2016

No. 104529

FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2016

Price: $80

$150M to ready D’Urban Park (VAT Inclusive)

…works to be completed by mid-May

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held for cocaine in plywood 2

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Drug enforcement officers on Thursday intercepted a large quantity of cocaine concealed in plywood and destined for Florida (GRA photo)

Ramotar says Man confesses Intimidation US$5M not stolen order of the day to killing Sophia …demands gov't release documents showing money was paid 15 mother 4 ‒ Pilgrim 7 Camp St Prison CoI

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Three held for cocaine in plywood A LARGE quantity of cocaine was intercepted yesterday when members of the drug enforcement arm of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) unearthed the substance during the examination of a consignment of plywood destined for the United States.

In a statement, the GRA said that members of its Drug Enforcement and Goods Examination Units along with the Port Control Unit (PCU)

were in the process of examining a consignment of 5/8 inch plywood destined for Florida in the United States of America (USA), when upon closer examination anomalies were detected within the consignment. Further examination and testing revealed a quantity of cocaine concealed between the approximately 320 sheets of plywood.

As such, the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit

(CANU) and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) were informed and officials of both agencies arrived on the scene to provide support and carry out further investigations. The plywood’s consignor was listed as a business located on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway with the consignment’s prospective recipient being a hardware establishment in Florida. GRA officials had become even more suspicious of the contents of the consignment based on the suspicious behaviour displayed by the consignee’s representatives during the examination process. Three persons have since been detained as the investigation continues.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

Picketing forces RDC shut-down

APNU+AFC protestors outside the boardroom of the RDC

Counter-picketers outside the boardroom of the RDC

THE deadlock with respect to the holding of statutory meetings of the Regional Democratic Council of Region Five (Mahaica/ Berbice) took a new turn with activists of A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) and the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) staging picketing and counter-picketing demonstrations outside the meeting place at Fort Wellington yesterday.

The RDC’s statutory monthly meeting had to be cancelled for the fourth time this year.

The APNU+AFC protestors including their Councillors of the RDC, bore

placards demanding that Regional Chairman of the PPP/C-controlled Region Vickchand Ramphal apologise to President David Granger for absenting himself from a function attended by the President in the region in January last.

President Granger had officiated at the handing over of two school buses to the region on January 15 to facilitate free transportation of children to and from school.

Ramphal it was alleged had deliberately boycotted that ceremony.

The APNU+AFC Councillors of the region said that his absence was an act of disrespect to the President and

he needed to apologise for this act, failing which they would not allow him to chair any meetings of the RDC. Some of the protestors yesterday demanded that he resign from his position.

The PPP/C picketers bore placards demanding that the APNU+AFC Councillors respect the Chairman and allow him to hold the statutory meetings of the RDC .

They echoed the view put forward by Ramchand that although he knew of the President’s visit to Region Five, he had not attended because he was not properly invited.

He therefore saw no need to apologise and would not apologise.

The picketing and counter-picketing exercise outside the boardroom of the RDC lasted for about two hours under the watchful eyes of officers and ranks of the Fort Wellington Police Station.

The groups dispersed after it was obvious that the meeting scheduled for yesterday had been cancelled.

The monthly statutory meeting of the RDC is held on the third Thursday of every month and the impasse is likely to continue again next month, unless there is some resolution that would allow the APNU+AFC Councillors to attend and participate.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

$150M to ready D’Urban Park …works to be completed by mid-May

By Ariana Gordon BY mid-May remedial works to D’urban Park should be completed, according to Chief Works Officer Geoffrey Vaughn. A budgetary allocation under the Ministry of Public Infrastructure of $150M will be used for the completion of this phase of the project.

Vaughn told reporters yesterday morning that it is the intention of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure to have all outstanding works on D’urban Park completed within 21 days. Works by that Ministry would have commenced yesterday.

The engineer said that the roofing and remedial works for the spectators’ bleachers, the completion of the superstructure, walls, electrical wiring, lighting and power supply, tarmac, driveways, bridges, sanitary facilities and drainage will all be completed within the stipulated time.

According to him, D’urban Park would be ready to host Guyana’s 50th Independence anniversary celebrations.

“21 days is the completion time. Our approach is multiple and simultaneous work activities. You will see quite a few contractors will be mobilized along with the Ministry’s staff trying to put this together,” he told reporters at a media briefing held at the Ministry of the Presidency yesterday morning.

TWO SHIFTS Workers will be working two shifts, one set during the day and the other during the evening. Vaughn explained the scope of works for the completion of the bleachers following an inspection by engineers. “…there will be a replacement for the damaged members and these are basically columns, beams and decking…from our inspection we would have noticed we need to have some changes… installation of the additional structural members that is basically to strengthen the ability for these stands to be able to carry the loads that they’d have to carry.”

D’urban Pak: Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson makes a point to the media yesterday during a site visit at D’urban Park. Also present were Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Annette Ferguson (left) and Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Larry London Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson points to an area on one of the 27 bleachers located at D’urban Park yesterday morning (Photos by Adrian Narine)

SAFETY Additionally, he noted that ensuring the bleachers are safe is the most important aspect of the works being done.

“The bleachers is the most important thing - ensuring that it is structurally sound so when using it we would be able to have a proper bearing capacity and no stands collapsing,” he stated.

Twenty-seven bleachers are to be completed by midMay and approximately seven contractors will be used to complete the gamut of work left to be done.

Meanwhile, Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson noted that his ministry has the capacity to carry out the works needed to have D’urban Park completed, noting that manpower is not an issue.

“Yes, we do feel we have sufficient manpower…we will split it up…it will also help in the creation of employment,” said Minister Patterson.

“The administration has previously worked a model, which would have been for the opening of the Arch and the Inauguration, which was a Private-Public Partnership and we continued with that model for the D’urban Park development. However, there are some constraints in that; the primary one being the mobilisation

of resources, et cetera. It is a national project. It is for the nation. The jubilee celebration is not a singular activity.

It is an activity which will be celebrated by all Guyanese and at this stage, because of time constraints and mobilisation of equipment and resources, it was felt that it [would] be better handled now under the Ministry [of Public Infrastructure], which has the resources to so do,” he added.

And even as time draws near for the hosting of Guyana’s 50th Independence celebrations, Minister Patterson expressed confidence in his team of engineers’ ability to complete the work within the stipulated time.

“As you know it will be a push because there are two things; a fear of the rains and floods, and we have somewhat tackled that, and then there are some issues in the media of

safety and so, but all of that will be addressed in time for the jubilee celebrations. We have examined the site and we have met all the persons so that there is an orderly handover and we have developed a plan,” the Minister said.

Patterson noted that an inventory of the project is currently being done and he has asked the previous developers to provide all information required. He said the amount of money spent on the project will be made public in due course.

He explained that the $150M allocation by central government for infrastructural development is more than enough to finish this phase of the project. “There is no need for contingency,” said the Minister. There is the possibility that government will also receive a grant to fund the works.

“The funding in the initial stage is under a Line Item at our Ministry, which is for Infrastructural Development that can be used. There are alternatives including, but

has not [yet] been concluded, a grant funding which has been earmarked for such development. Cabinet has made available the sum under this Line Item and I can expend as much as $150M. However at this initial stage, we do have to get this finished before so there won’t be need for any contingency. The grant funding can be used to fund the remainder of the works,” Patterson told reporters.

There are 27 stands and it is expected that between five to seven contractors will be asked to work on these and to pull double shifts so that the deadline can be met.

He said the contractors, who were prequalified by the Ministry earlier this year, during the opening of bids for infrastructural works, will be asked to make submissions in keeping with the rules and reg-

ulations of the National Tender and Procurement Board.

“We usually prequalify contractors at the beginning of the year so we would have had a list. We would have selected 13-15 contractors and then ask them to submit… they have to show that they [can] fulfill these requirements; that they have the capacity, the manpower and financial capabilities because we are working double shifts so that would mean a double wage bill at the end of the week,” he said.

The Ministry of Communities in collaboration with the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown will ensure that the cleaning and clearing of the drainage systems are done.

Members of the media were taken on a tour of D’urban Park and were told what to expect at the venue over the next three weeks.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

Man confesses to killing Sophia mother

By Rabindra Rooplall

CLEVAUGHN Hamilton, called ‘Quarters,’ of Mahdia has confessed to killing the mother of his child and dumping her mutilated body in a canal at Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara.

According to senior police sources, Hamilton, who will be charged for murder can appear in court as early as today.

The decomposed body of the ‘C’ Field, Sophia resident, Simone Hackett, was discovered Tuesday morning. The 25-year-old mother of one was reported missing by relatives on Sunday after she had not returned on Saturday night after going to collect a package sent from Mahdia by her son’s father, and calls to her phone had gone unanswered.

Investigators had questioned a bus driver and conductor who transported Hamilton to the city Friday last, a day before Hackett went missing.

Hamilton is said to be a gold-miner.

According to the post-mortem report, Hackett died as a result of incised wounds to the neck. She was discovered by two schoolboys on their way to school and her body was positively identified by relatives who broke down in tears at the scene as scores of persons flocked to glimpse the mutilated and decomposed remains.

Police ‘C’ Division Commander Marlon Chapman, who was at the scene, confirmed that the woman’s throat had been slashed and three stab wounds were evident to the back of the neck.

The body which appeared to be dumped at the scene was clad in dark-coloured clothing when pulled from the bushy canal, and the po-

lice retrieved a ‘chopper’ and an old sheet adjacent to the bloated body.

She was clad in the same outfit with which she had left home and her jewellery was intact, leading relatives to speculate that robbery was not the motive, but that it was a case of cold-blooded murder.

Hackett was slated to be the maid of honour at her sister’s wedding the same day she went missing and was also to celebrate her son’s birthday.

She had told relatives that

Clevaughn Hamilton, called ‘Quarter’

Dead: Simone Hackett

the child’s father had sent her a package with a man named ‘Dexter.’

Hackett’s relatives were adamant that her ex-boyfriend was responsible for her murder.

According to relatives, the ex-boyfriend wanted the child to live with him in Mahdia, and it was only after her daughter had put up a fight that a decision was made for the child to stay with his mom in Sophia and visit the father whenever school was closed.

15 drug mules arrested in US$10M drug bust in Caribbean Sea THREE separate international and inter-agency counter-narcotics operations, in the past week alone, resulted in the seizure of approximately 325 kilograms of cocaine, 272 kilograms of marijuana and the apprehension of 15 suspected drug smugglers in the Caribbean Sea. The drugs seized represent a total wholesale value of over US$10.1 million.

The operations that led to the seizures were carried out by the US Coast Guard, in conjunction with the US Drug Enforcement Agency,

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other US law enforcement officials, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Royal Bahamas Police Force and

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a Bahamian Drug Enforcement Unit.

“This is a great example of how the Coast Guard

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collaborates across multiple agencies to counter the efforts of drug trafficking organizations,” said Lieutenant Ken Franklin, operations officer for the Coast Guard Cutter ‘Dependable’ whose crew carried out the drug bust.

“This past week’s success was the culmination of ongoing cooperative efforts across international borders and organizational boundaries.” The US Coast Guard said the vessels carrying the illicit cargo were likely headed to the United States.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

Time for gov’t to play bigger role in D’urban Park project - Granger

By Svetlana Marshall

OFFERING his gratitude to the corporate community for their critical role in initiating the D’urban Park development project, President David Granger said the time has come for the government to play a lead role in its execution.

Speaking with Guyana Chronicle on his weekly televised Public Interest programme, which will be aired tonight, President Granger explained that the 2015 National Budget had not catered

for the project, so external assistance was sought.

“We had to wait until the budget for 2016 was passed, so in the meantime we got some assistance from civil society and the corporate community to initiate works,” he explained.

PUBLIC FUNDS The project has come to a stage in which the government can play an even bigger role, he said. “We feel that the Government of Guyana needs to inject public funds and not rely on the support

of the corporate community which was given voluntarily,” President Granger noted.

NATIONAL PROJECT “It is a national project and the government should have been more involved,” he added, while thanking the corporate community for stepping up to the challenge.

Since assuming office in May 2015 the corporate community has been pouring out support for the APNU+AFC government. “Guyana is really working as a nation in which civil society, the state,

and other sectors are prepared to help…,” President Granger noted.

Earlier this week President Granger mandated Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson to assume full responsibility for the D’urban Park Development Project. This phase of the project will now be completed by the Public Infrastructure Ministry using some $150M. The President had made the announcement following a meeting with Minister Patterson, Minister of

State Joseph Harmon, Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan, Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force Brigadier Mark Phillips and Minister within the Ministry of Education Nicolette Henry, where he made it clear that the safety of the users of the Park must be the first priority.

“I want to emphasise the seriousness of this. Our intention is to make [D’urban Park] the most useful, if not the most beautiful in the Caribbean; so it is not something short-term, it is a

symbol of nationhood…

We want it to be a space that is beautiful, safe, and open to the public. Safety must be assured now that it’s a national project, and Minister Patterson will now take responsibility for that,” President Granger had said.

Emphasising that D’urban Park is now a national project and must reflect national standards, President Granger said the Park reflects the national identity and takes precedence over municipal, partisan, commercial and private

‘Mad Dog’ disarms, shoots cop PANDEMONIUM broke out in Market Street, Rose Hall Town, East Berbice, Corentyne on Thursday afternoon as police exchanged gunfire with a known character.

According to reports, at around 16:00hrs, two patrol officers on motorcycles were passing through Market Street in Rose Hall Town and noticed Keyon Thompson, aka “Mad dog” a known character acting suspiciously. The ranks stopped their bikes, disembarked and asked Thompson to drop his beer bottle and put his hands above his head. He refused and Constable Clarkson approached him with his service revolver in hand. At that point Thompson hit Constable Clarkson to his jaw with the beer bottle and a scuffle ensued. The rank was again hit to his hand with the bottle resulting in him dropping his weapon.

The weapon was re-

trieved by Thompson and he fired several shots in the direction of the police, hitting the said constable in the region of his upper body, luckily the police officer was wearing his bulletproof vest and only sustained minor injuries. Clarkson’s colleague however exchanged gunfire with the suspect and believed he was shot in the process, however he escaped. The police have since launched a massive search to capture the assailant but up to press time were unable to arrest him.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, a shopkeeper whose shop is a few houses away from where the incident took place, said she heard what appeared to be gunshots and scampered for safety. “All I hear is pow, pow pow, me nah know where it coming from but it sound near so me run out the shop and lef everything and collect me children them and

run and hide. Later me hear people seh somebody beat a policeman and tek way he gun and shoot he,” the woman recounted.

Another resident who lives opposite to where the incident took place said she was in her yard and heard several shots. She said at first she thought it was firecrackers but after it continued she ran and hid inside of her house. “I just hide till everything ease up cause like me didn’t know what was going on. I think was a robbery but then people was saying it was the police and a man who use to be in the house through the street” Antony Cunningham who does odd jobs at the market said he was passing through the street at the time when he saw a man and a police fighting and soon after he heard what appeared to be gunshots. “I deh going up the street just past the market and see

a man and police fighting so I walk up fuh see wah going on but as I get near I hear gunshots and the police man fall down. I run

behind them stand (stalls) and hide and see the other police man start shooting, the man run way but deh shooting all the time. Later

a whole set a police pull up and start searching them houses and suh”. The police have since launched an investigation.

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Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams Editor

Godfrey Wray

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

Editorial

Constitutional Offices THE Prime Minister has written to citizen, Mr. Carvil Duncan, who holds three constitutional offices- Chairman, Public Service Commission; member, Police Service Commission; and member, Judicial Service Commissionnudging him to do what is universally accepted as ethical and decent in demitting these offices at a time when he is before the court on a criminal charge. What is disturbing is that according to the press release from the Prime Minister’s office, Mr. Duncan was given 14 days within receipt of the correspondence to reply and he has failed to do so.

This issue amplifies concerns by citizens who desire this nation return to one where ethics, propriety and decorum are held in esteem and government officials, elected and appointed, appreciate the fact that they are in service to the people and by extension, accountable to the people.

Where there is a constitution there is always an interpretation. Inherent in that instrument and the interpretation there is referred to as spirit and intent. It is this spirit and intent, the unwritten rules of engagement that are equally applicable to giving life and meaning to the document. An element of this spirit and intent carries with it expectation that persons who hold constitutional offices would conduct themselves in manner befitting the office. One such upstanding expectation is where accusation of impropriety is brought, the accused is expected to remove him or herself from the position, at least until such time that the issue is addressed and decided. Where a person is charged by the court and holds constitutional or public office it is reasonable to expect the person to remove from the position until the court has decided.

Having sworn to uphold the law and where presently there is a case before the judiciary on an allegation that is in conflict with the law, it compromises the Oath of Office to uphold the law. It also shows disregard for the Oath of Office and Rule of Law remaining in the position, while the matter is before the court for adjudication. Other government workers such as judges, permanent secretaries to the rank-and-file, when allegations of impropriety are made against them they are interdicted from duty pending the determination of an inquiry. Where members of commission and the National Assembly are accused the same principle applies. More so, these persons should not only remove themselves by taking leave but also doing the decent thing and resigning.

Outside of the court where serious allegations made against government officials, elected and appointed, it is not unfair given the importance of applying universal principles to have these to see similar action such as removing oneself to give way to an inquiry or resigning from the position.

Temptations to treat such allegations through denials and mechanisms put in place to justify the wrongs should be eschewed. It is more helpful to the nation’s holistic well-being to put mechanisms in place to arrive at the truth and thereafter take appropriate decisions to correct same and allow the society to move.

There are precedents to the society. Complaints were made to the Ombudsman against two officials of the Forbes Burnham government by a public citizen. At the conclusion of the Ombudsman’s findings, one minister

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

Comment IN recent weeks Dr David Hinds, one of our columnists, has expressed views that he was being censored by the Guyana Chronicle, citing the non-publication of two articles.

The first article in question was captioned: “Appointing top officers of the PPP to top positions would be the hottest slap in the face of the coalition’s supporters.” In the missive, Dr Hinds dealt with an unsubstantiated report by an online news outfit that former Ministers Robert Persaud and Dr Nanda Gopaul were to be appointed to top posts in the government. In the same week the report was published, Minister of State Joseph Harmon had

refuted it and had this to say: “I cannot confirm any such employment.” Further asked if there was any merit in statements made via media reports that talks are ongoing though no appointments have been made, Harmon said, “No such talks as far as I know and I would know. I see no merit in the report,” he added.

(See Guyana Chronicle November 25, 2015 “Harmon: No jobs for the PPP boys”) Perhaps Dr Hinds had missed Minister Harmon’s rebuttal, but it was the duty of the Guyana Chronicle to ensure that we did not continue to publish a false and misleading report on the subject and as such, a decision was taken to

drop the article. The second article captioned: “I am disappointed at President Granger’s remarks on the Walter Rodney CoI Report” was in our judgment very disrespectful to the Head of State and as the State’s newspaper, we felt it was inappropriate to publish same.

Dr Hinds for the time he has been a columnist of this newspaper has been allowed to express his views freely and on several other occasions has written very critical articles of the government and even one on the Guyana Chronicle. As was stated in our April 20, 2016 editorial, the right to freedom of expression does not operate in media in abstention of editorial judgment based on the paper’s policies, propriety and decorum. In effect,

non-censorship is not unbridled, it carries with it responsibility on all sides. In our historically polarised and fractured society, the state media brings with it a duty of welding the people together in keeping with our motto, ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny’ and as far as possible eschewing internecine conflicts.

The Guyana Chronicle remains steadfast in its position that we will give voice to everyone in our society, inclusive of the views of members of the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches.

Fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual, such as the right to be heard, including dissent and response, will be held in high esteem. This newspaper will hold steadfastly to this position.

Ramsammy is filled with sad, bitter ruminations Dear Editor,

IN his rumination retreat, Leslie Ramsammy has again peddled his familiar untruths. He says that Guyana is being governed by the “few for the few.”

Ours is a democratically elected government which was voted into office on May 11, 2015 by the majority of Guyanese voting at free and fair elections. A majority is not a few. The new APNU+AFC Coalition

inherited a situation where there was pervasive corruption by a few. His regime had farmed out Guyana’s best resources to a few foreign friends. His regime had forked out the television and radio airwaves to its few friends and cronies as well as juicy contracts, fat salaries and state properties.

All to a few friends.

Mr. Ramsammy also knows very well that his regime had also shared security services to a

few friends known for their involvement in narco-crimes. Ramsammy knows this all so well as he had featured in procurement of sophisticated electronic equipment for spying, which landed in the hands of the mastermind of the criminal enterprise.

Editor, do I need to say more! Having returned to his safe “home” refuge, Ramsammy is filled with sad and bitter ruminations about the damage his re-

gime inflicted on Guyana, especially the sugar industry which was placed in indebtedness to the tune of $2Billion, and the loss of the Venezuelan rice deal about which he knew and made no disclosure before his unceremonious retreat to the USA. Yours truly ABEL SEETARAN APNU+AFC Regional Councillor Region Five

Justice delayed is justice denied I AM disgusted and disappointed with the unprofessional police work by members of the Guyana Police Force stationed at the East Ruimveldt Police Outpost on January 13, 2016, the day I was beaten in my head with a hammer and left to die. My assailants were never arrested or charged.

For three months, I have gone around in circles in my quest for justice. I have

written letters to the Police Commissioner, the Minister of National Security, the Commander of ‘A’ Division, Brickdam Police Station and to the Guyana Human Rights Association. Articles were published in the Guyana Chronicle and Stabroek News, yet I was denied justice.

What if I had succumbed to my injuries on that day? It is quite clear that my murder would have been relegated

was determined culpable and that person resigned from his diplomatic posting. During the Desmond Hoyte administration, a minister’s son was charged and that minister resigned. Another minister of the said administration was accused of impropriety and he resigned giving way for a criminal investigation. Under the Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar administrations Ministers Ronald Gajraj and Bheri Ramsarran were removed after spirit-

to the cold case files and my family sent packing out on the streets. What would have been the outcome of their murderous design in a society where people with money to throw around continue to undermine the rule of law? They can retain the big criminal lawyers and so do the crime and not serve the time.

It is an unjust system under which we exist at our own risk in Guyana. It is

these errant actions that the police permit and entertain that undermine the very pillars of a democratic system and it is what gives way to lawlessness and corruption and other tendencies that are not in keeping with a democratic society. I conclude with a reminder to those in authority – justice delayed is justice denied.

DESMOND ALLI

ed protest actions by the people. These issues outside of what have been stated above, at a personal level speak to character. If one is respecting of self and cares about the society he or she lives in, that person would not suffer the society through the embarrassment of having to deal with situations that compromise the delivery of public service and the discomfort of the people having to engage with individuals over whom clouds of impropriety hang.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

I am committed to the media – Pres. Granger PRESIDENT David Granger on Thursday dismissed criticisms that his Government does not sit well with unfavourable criticism.

“I do not share that view.

I believe criticism is good [and] I’ve privately and publicly maintained the importance of the free press,” the President posited.

Alluding to the state media, the President emphasised that all three branches of the Government must be fairly reported upon.

“The Government is made of up three branches, the Legislative Branch, the Executive Branch and the Judiciary, and I have made it clear that the state media must report fairly on government matters,” he said.

Earlier this year, President Granger pledged monetary support from the government to the Guyana Press Association (GPA) to aid training programmes and workshops, which will build capacity in the press corps.

He had made the announcement during a Media Brunch hosted on the lawns of State House, as he committed to building a stronger relationship between the State and the media.

President Granger also indicated that there were no strings attached to the financial support, and said that a free and unfettered press was critical to the development of Guyana. He called on the media to truthfully and critically examine the work

of his administration, so that they can help the government to improve its performance.

“I am committed to the media because I believe that, as a government, we couldn’t afford to be without the media; truthful media, even aggressive media. The State is not going to become involved in journalism. It will provide the platform on which young journalists can learn their profession. I would like to pledge hard money in support of the Guyana Press Associ-

ation (GPA) in 2016. Once the GPA is prepared to mount these seminars at least once per quarter, the State will help without any intervening in the actual programme or doctrine,” President Granger told the media operatives present.

He added that he did not intend to head an administration that was not open to criticism. “You write the truth and help the government to improve its performance. I won’t like to be the head of

a government which is not subject to criticism. We want to know the truth and we will correct our performance,” the President said.

Reminiscing on his years as a journalist, President Granger said it was important that persons in any field be trained, and that they abide by certain ethical standards. He noted that journalists were no exception, since journalism was a profession like any other.

Camp St Prison CoI…

Intimidation order of the day ‒ Pilgrim

By Svetlana Marshall “INTIMIDATION now is the order of the day,” Officer-in- Charge of the Georgetown Prison, Senior Superintendent Kevin Pilgrim yesterday told the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the Camp Street riot, adding that all is not well at the jailhouse.

Superintendent Pilgrim was at the time responding to questions raised yesterday by Commissioner Dale Erskine, a former prisons director, during the ongoing CoI at the Department of Public Service.

The other members of the Commission are its Chairman, Justice (retd) James Patterson and human rights activist Merle Mendonca.

STRONGER GANG CULTURE The massive shortage of prison officers at the penitentiary does not help the situation, he said. “There is a…stronger gang culture now more than ever and as it is, that poses problems in itself,” the Officer-in-Charge of the Camp Street Prison said.

As of February 29, 2016, the Georgetown Prison population, according to Superintendent Pilgrim, stood at 1,014 inmates, 413 of whom were convicts. The remaining 601 were on remand.

‘TIMID’ With a population of approximately 1,000 inmates and an increase in the number of gangs, Superintendent Pilgrim said prison officers are now “timid”.

Erskine’s final question to Superintendent Pilgrim was: “Have you gone back to the state of normalcy within the prison?” and in response he responded in the negative.

Late last week, the Joint Services took control of the penitentiary after 13 prison

Officer-in-Charge of the Georgetown Prison, Superintendent Pilgrim being cross-examined yesterday

officers reported sick. President David Granger had also instructed that the outer cordons of the prison be extended to include D’urban, John and Bent Streets, which are currently blocked off to the public except for those persons residing within those areas, as is done on Camp Street.

While the situation may not have returned to normalcy, Director of Prisons Carl Graham has recently assured that security at the prison is under control, even as he refuted claims that the prisoners had taken control of the penitentiary. However, he admitted that inmates were more agitated than usual, but he assured that they had not taken control.

Pilgrim then recounted the March 3 occurrences.

While being cross-examined by the Guyana Prison Service Attorney Selwyn Pieters, Superintendent Pilgrim, who has not had a single day off since March 2, recounted the occurrences which led to the worst prison riot in the history of Guyana. The March 3 riot resulted in the deaths of 17 inmates, leaving many prisoners and prison officers traumatised until today.

Around 08:00hrs, the

Officer-in-Charge reported for duty and subsequently conducted a joint operation with the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Prison Service with the primary goal of sanitising the prison of any contraband. During that search, Superintendent Pilgrim recalled that a number of illegal items were retrieved, including cellphones, narcotics, cigarettes and improvised weapons.

It was clear that the prisoners were not pleased with the operation that was undertaken, he said, and as such, he visited the Capital Divisions, particularly the Capital ‘A’ Division, where he spoke to a number of concerned prisoners.

The inmates had reportedly complained bitterly about the manner in which their belongings were treated during the search. But this was just the tip of the iceberg, Superintendent Pilgrim said, as the prisoners used the opportunity to voice their dissatisfaction about the protracted remand period while awaiting trial.

DPP BLAMED Others were reportedly of the opinion that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DDP) was the sole reason for them being in prison and being victimised.

Upon hearing their concerns, he assured them that their concerns had been raised at a higher level. The Officer-in-Charge said he left for home around 19:00hrs, but was forced to return to the Camp Street Prison around 21:35hrs after being informed that some prisoners had lit sections of the prison afire.

“I was a bit confused in a sense, because knowing that I would have visited that division hours before and…gave them my commitment that I would have dealt with some of the issues at my level,”

he said.

Turning his attention to March 3, Superintendent Pilgrim said it was upon the extraction of Collis Collison that some of the prisoners became agitated and began hurling threats at the extraction team. In response, they were instructed by the Officer-in-charge to “conduct themselves."

“At that time I heard the breaking of the partition wall…and it then caused me to shift into another gear, because I knew it had the potential of getting out of hand,” he told the Commission.

Knowing that the Capital A Division was not receptive at the time, Pilgrim said he attempted to establish control in other Divisions, including

‘C’ and ‘B’.

“My first decision was to remove them out of that area (Division C), so as to reduce the numbers that I would have to deal with, knowing that if there should be any further escalation, at least my numbers I would have to deal with would be few,” he recalled.

According to Pilgrim, he Turn to page 11 ►

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

President to participate in UN’s climate pact signing and Norway is more or less assisted to overcome some of the worst impacts of climate change by encouraging us to preserve

President David Granger

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo was sworn in to perform the duties of President

PRESIDENT David Granger has departed from Guyana for the United Nations Headquarters in New York to participate in the UN’s Paris Climate Agreement signing ceremony which will take place today.

The high-level signature ceremony is expected to focus on highlighting how all actors of society and economy can accelerate action, learn from each other and replicate and scale successful initiatives and activities that will deliver the transformative implementation of the landmark Paris Climate Change Agreement and of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

President Granger has indicated that addressing the impacts of climate change is a priority for Guyana, even as national policy moves in the direction of development of a green economy.

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo will be performing the functions of the President in his absence.

“As you know, Guyana is one of the States with a low-lying coastland so we are concerned with coastal zone management and the dangers of rising sea levels.

Also, you know that over the past four or five months we have been severely affected by the El Niño phenomenon and some parts of our country, particularly the Rupununi, which is our largest region, have been severely affected and there are other areas which have suffered unfavourable impacts because of climate change and we need to prepare. We are committed to the maintenance of the Iwokrama rain-

forest, which is a laboratory; an ecological and environmental laboratory so that we can learn how to cope with climate change,” the President had said in an invited comment, the Ministry of the Presidency reported.

The Head of State noted that Guyana and countries around the world worked hard to reach the Paris Agreement and said that the signing ceremony is an important event as all countries have a role to play. He said it is “a reaffirmation of the fact that we are an important player. We are a part of the Amazonian ecological environment and we are

an important player in the world, not just a few people in Guyana, for the world. We are what they call the lungs of the world. You know the Amerindians have a saying that trees hold up the sky. If you cut down the trees, the sky will fall.

This signing ceremony comes just as Guyana prepares to host a technical team from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), and Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative, from April 26 to May 4, 2016, to discuss the future of the Guyana-Norway Agreement. President Granger

said that the Government is looking to maintain strong relations with that country as the furtherance of that agreement is beneficial to both countries.

“As you know, we have very cordial relations with Norway concerning the agreement, particularly for the reduction of carbon emissions. So [discussions] will be along those lines

the forest as well. So it is a two-way street and we want to maintain that relationship with Norway,” the President said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

Satyadeow ‘Sash’ Sawh – A Decade’s Viewpoint “Death must not find us thinking that we die” – Death of a Comrade,

by Martin Carter (Guyana’s National Poet) It is hard to believe that 10 years have passed since the swoop of death befell our beloved husband and father, Satyadeow “Sash” Sawh. In that time, not a day has passed that we, his wife and sons, have not thought of him, be it through the trigger of a given event, the happenstance of a day, or in our quiet moments of reflection. He is with us, at all times, in all that we do. His memory – as a larger-thanlife, honest, energetic, loving, compassionate, intelligent and sympathetic family-man – will burn brightly in us.

But who was Satyadeow Sawh? What was his story? Where did he make an impact? When did his influence extend beyond the realm of normal? Most importantly, why did he matter?

The limitations of a letter make it impossible to capture the entirety of Sash Sawh’s life. Suffice it to say, he was a very special man whose time

among us was all too short, but was deeply significant in many ways. Besides being the heart of our home, he was an outstanding leader in every regard in the public domain.

He served his homeland with passion and distinction, and put his all into making a difference for Guyana in whatever role he was placed.

It is easy, at times, to simply remember him for the way in which he died, and for the manner in which he, his siblings and security guard were killed on April 22, 2006.

His death was as shocking as it was tragic, and the date will stand as a blight on the timeline of modern Guyanese history for years to come. The fact that there have been no clear answers as to the intellectual authorship behind the brutality of that night is, in itself, a shame. We, his family, continue to want answers, and ask that the politicisation that a thorough inquiry into the events of April 22, 2006 could be subjected to be avoided - the despicable acts of April 22, 2006 demand that an objective and complete

Satyadeow Sawh

answer to the questions that persist be obtained.? Sash Sawh deserves that much.

It would be unfortunate, though, for his half-century of inspiring life to be overshadowed by his death. We continue to honour who he was, not cower to how he went.

Satyadeow Sawh’s life is best captured by some of his key qualities. Above all else, he was a man of impeccable honesty and integrity.

Throughout his life, be it as a son, husband and father, as a leader in the community, or as a representative of the people of Guyana locally

or overseas, he lived by the principles of “satya” (truth) in all of his endeavours. He has blessed us, his family, with the ability to hold our heads high long after his passing, knowing that any stones ever cast at his name could never tarnish the brilliance of his character.

Hand in hand with his integrity came his zeal. He was, from a very young age, inspired by the concept of service over self, and always gave his time and energy to causes about which he was passionate. His ethics were grounded in his religious and moral upbringing, thanks to the lessons of his parents and his life experiences growing up in Mahaicony and, later, Georgetown.

From an early age, and through to his migration to Canada as a teenager in the early 1970s, Sash Sawh was absorbed by “the struggle” – the struggle for democracy famously led by the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan, in whom he found an ideological leader and hero. He was, unapologetically, a Jaganite, and it is the quest for fairness in Guyana that fuelled his engagement with, and leadership of, the Association of Concerned Guyanese (ACG) in Toronto.

As President of that group, he championed external agitation for a democratic Guyana, and the free and fair elections of 1992 were the culmination of

his and the ACG’s struggles in Toronto, as much as they were for the PPP itself.

Sash Sawh’s passion and integrity fed into his immense capacity to lead. He was a born leader, blessed with a booming voice and an undeniable ‘people’s touch’ that allowed him to be in foreign lands discussing important matters one day, and in rural communities attempting to resolve real-world issues the next.

First, as Ambassador to Venezuela, he was a dynamic diplomat, and left an imprint on the fledgling Guyanese community in that country that led to him being awarded Venezuela’s second highest national award for non-nationals. Dr. Jagan recognised and harnessed this electricity, and called him to Guyana to serve as a Minister – first, within the Ministry of Agriculture, then of Fisheries, Crops and Livestock (with responsibility for Forestry), and eventually as Minister of Agriculture (acting) up to the time of his death.

He served tirelessly under Presidents Cheddi and Janet Jagan and Bharrat Jagdeo, and gained a reputation as a fighter for the poor and working class. His constituents – the farmers of the nation – were his focus, and his vigour helped expand the agricultural sector beyond traditional pursuits, in turn

helping to shift Guyana’s food security thrust in a new, necessary direction.

To try to capture every nuance of Satyadeow Sawh, the man, would be futile over the course of only a few lines.

Nevertheless, it is undeniable that he was no ordinary man – he gave all that he could to be a devoted husband of almost 24 years to his wife, an ideal father to his sons, and an exemplary citizen of the world.

To contemplate his ending, and all of the ramifications that hearsay, rumours, theories and postulations have offered, is to be frustrated daily, for he, and all of the victims of that night, did not deserve to go in the way which they went. Inspired by justice and fairness, the events of April 22, 2006 require justice to be served, unreservedly.

As we look back on a decade without our dear “Dad” among us, we do not lament, for lamentation would get us nowhere. His bellow was to always “heave on” in the face of adversity, and heave on we shall. But he was a champion of the cause of right over wrong. In the wake of his death, the “right” needs to emerge, so that the valuable contributions that Satyadeow Sawh made to this world will not be lost with his passing.

After all, “death must not find us thinking that we die.”

Rest in peace, we love you.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

Four in custody over Good Hope farmers’ fiery deaths POLICE detectives have detained five persons in connection with the deaths of rice-farming couple, Mohamed Munir, 75, and his wife Bibi Jamila Munir, 70, who perished in their Good Hope Public Road, East Bank

Essequibo home last Sunday.

This was confirmed by Divisional Commander Senior Superintendent Stephen Mansell. The dead couple’s handyman is among those in custody and police sources have disclosed that the men in cus-

tody are known to the police.

Ranks from the Force’s Major Crimes Unit are spearheading the investigation.

Mohamed and his wife Jamilla, who were well known rice farmers, died on Sunday night after bandits broke

into their home and later set it alight,leaving the couple trapped in their heavily grilled, two-storey house. Their charred bodies were retrieved from the debris after the fire was extinguished.

Meanwhile, the Guy-

‘Intimidation now is the order... was assured by the prisoners in that block that they were “ok” and were not a part of what was transpiring at the time.

Standing on the catwalk, he, in a firm tone, instructed the prisoners in Capital B Division to exit the area when the door is opened if they were not a part of the protest.

Though they were hecklers in the midst, he posited that there were some who were receptive.

After passing the instruction, the Officer-in-Charge said he proceeded “downstairs,” subsequent to which the cordon was established.

There he also met Deputy Director of Prisons, Senior Superintendent Gladwin Samuels and according to the Superintendent, an instruction was passed for the officers to be armed. He then equipped himself with his service pistol in keeping with the SOPs. “It was basically to create

a presence…and to establish a show of force,” he told the Commission.

Still taking a lead role, Superintendent Pilgrim in the company of the Deputy Director of Prisons returned to the Capital B Division where a second warning was issued. After instructing an officer to open the door to that division, Superintendent Pilgrim and team proceeded down the stairs.

BIG STONES “Half way down the stairs a big stone came through the door followed by many others,” he said, noting that as a result the catwalk door was closed, but the division door remained opened.

“FIRE! FIRE!” Though it took some time, the prisoners from the Capital B Division were evacuated and the area sanitised. It was while he was in the prison

yard, the Superintendent said he heard shouts of “Fire!

Fire!”

He was later informed that there was a fire between the partition wall that divides Divisions A and B. The fire was subsequently extinguished and the prisoners removed. He had also used the opportunity to communicate with the other inmates that they should be calm.

TOO LATE However, a subsequent fire was lit, and that reportedly grew out of control. Attempts were made to extract the prisoners from the Capital A Division but the prison officer was unable to open the door. Superintendent Pilgrim recalled that several attempts were made to open the door, even with the use of a disc cutter, but to no avail. Capital B Division’s door was opened

From page 7

with the hope that the trapped prisoners would have existed through the hole in the partition wall, but no one did during the raging fire. By the time the door to Division A was opened and the fire extinguished, many of the prisoners were already dead.

Dead couple: Mohamed and Bibi Jamila Munir

ana Islamic Trust, the Anna Catherina Islamic Complex (ACIC), the Guyana United Sadr Islamic Anjuman (SADR) and the Central Islamic Organisation of Guy-

ana (CIOG) have called on citizens, especially the Muslim community, to work with those in authority to maintain peace and security in the country.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

Environmental Tax

Beverage companies line up to file lawsuits SM JALEEL & Company Limited and its local-

ly-based subsidiary Guyana Beverages Inc., are

making moves to claim millions of dollars in com-

pensation for an Environmental Tax allegedly imposed on it by Guyana between 2006 and 2015.

This was according to Attorney General (AG), Basil Williams on Thursday, during a press conference held at his Carmichael Street office.

Williams revealed that the companies were seeking special leave to file an “originating application,” claiming relief and reimbursement against Guyana for an alleged breach by the South American country of the principles of trade liberalisation and free movement of goods envisioned by the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas – the treaty which established the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

The applicants are claiming a refund of the

environmental tax imposed on the companies during the period January 1, 2006 to the date of repeal of the Act in August, 2015. The AG explained that they were relying on the judgement in the RUDISA Beverages’ matter in which a similar claim was made.

Rudisa Beverages took Guyana to court over a “discriminatory” environmental tax a few years ago. The company had argued that there was an imposition of $10 on every disposable container imported into Guyana. They eventually won the case, by arguing that a similar tax was not imposed on local distributors such as Banks DIH and Demerara Distillers limited.

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) subsequently granted the Government of Guyana time to repay US$6M – which the two parties agreed to – by January 31, 2016.

However, Williams explained on Thursday that what is noteworthy is the fact that in the RUDISA matter, the Government of

Guyana did not lead evidence to show that the tax was transferred. As such, he noted that the Government intends to lead such evidence in this case.

Further, he noted that the Government of Guyana had served a request to be heard. The matter is scheduled for case management on May 13, 2016 by the Caribbean Court of Justice.

SM Jaleel & Company Limited, also known as SMJ, is the largest manufacturer of non-alcoholic beverages in the English-speaking Caribbean.

Since the inception in 1924 their portfolio of beverages has been distributed to over 60 countries worldwide.

SMJ’s products include a wide array of soft drinks, fruit juices, purified and flavoured water, energy drinks, and other fruit-flavoured beverages.

The company’s headquarters is based in Trinidad and Tobago with subsidiary offices in Jamaica, Barbados, Suriname, Guyana, St. Lucia, South Africa and some parts of Asia.

Friday, April 22, 2016 - 05:00 hrs Saturday, April 23, 2016 - 05:30 hrs Sunday, April 24, 2016 - 05:30 hrs

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

Ramotar says US$5M not stolen

…demands govt release documents showing money was paid

By Ariana Gordon FORMER President Donald Ramotar yesterday said that Chinese company Datang Telecom Technology and Industry Group has not paid the outstanding US$5M owed to the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) for its purchase of government’s shares in the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) in 2012.

He accused the APNU+AFC administration of lying when it said that documents have shown that the US$5M owed by the Chinese company was paid.

On Wednesday, Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Raphael Trotman told the media at a post-cabinet press briefing that it was discovered

by Minister of State Joseph Harmon that the Chinese company did indeed pay the outstanding amount owed.

The Chinese company bought government’s 20 per cent shares in GTT in 2012 for US$30M. However, only US$25M was paid to NICIL immediately. The remaining US$5M was to be paid within two years after the purchase.

Ramotar, in a statement yesterday, said the announcement by government that the money was paid, but that it is uncertain as to who had collected the money is “suspicious” to say the least.

The former president said the “sudden claim that the US$5m owed for the GTT shares was paid to entities/ persons other than NICIL” is strange. He called the administration out for what he believes to be lies uttered regarding the said issue.

PRESENT THE “DOCUMENTS” “The claim by the APNU+AFC Gov’t that the money was received is a lie and I challenge the Government to present the “documents” it has received (under suspicious and questionable circumstances) so that the veracity of the evidence can be tested and authenticated,” said Ramotar, who served as president for four years from 2011.

Trotman told the media that it was discovered that the payment of the US$5M was made to NICIL before May 2015, before the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration had demitted office.

DIFFERENT STORY “What I can say is that Mr. Harmon has been able to retrieve some documents

which tell a different story and that story being that the $5 million was paid and we are trying to track down to whom, when and where and that was before May 16, 2015,” said Minister Trotman.

He said too that the Minister of State provided a “full report” on the issue to Cabinet, while noting that NICIL’s board is currently examining the findings. That report is to be made public soon.

LEGAL RECOURSE “This is not true! Under my presidency, the 20% GT&T share sale transaction was executed between NICIL and Hong Kong Golden Telecom Limited for the total price of US$30m. It was never hidden that US$25m was received and that the purchaser was given two years to pay the balance of US$5m. It was also publicly disclosed by NICIL that efforts were being made to pursue legal recourse in the UK to collect the outstanding balance (refer to Stabroek News December 18, 2015),” Ramotar said in response to the statement made by Trotman.

He noted that under his

leadership, there was never a reason to doubt NICIL’s “competent technical staff” who indicated that the US$5M was outstanding and that efforts were being made to retrieve same.

According to Ramotar, if the US$5M had been paid over, it would be easy to prove as “the only entity that was and is authorised to receive any monies from the purchaser for this transaction was NICIL.” Had NICIL received the outstanding payment, then a receipt or banking documentation would be in the possession of the entity, he maintained.

“Any claim that some other entity or person received this money would also be easy to prove or disprove,” the former President added.

He believes that “the Government’s insinuation that the money was paid to someone else or some other entity other than NICIL prior to the May 2015 elections is a distraction from the real issues.”

DIGRESSION Ramotar stressed that the claim by government that the money has been paid is an effort to digress

Former President Donald Ramotar

from answering the “people’s demands for explanations on who really paid for the trip to China, the naming of the ‘honorific’ advisors and party contributors, and demands for decisive actions against the increase in crime in our country.”

He said too that the current administration has accused the former PPP/C administration of “massive corruption,” but this is yet to be proven.

“This latest claim is an expected APNU+AFC political ploy to appeal to people’s emotions rather than seeking the truth,” Ramotar added.

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Regional stakeholders here

16

By Alva Solomon

T

HE coconut industry in the Caribbean is a focal point and stakeholders within the region are meeting in Guyana to formulate a broad framework aimed at enhancing the industry by exploring market and technical avenues.

This is being undertaken through the Coconut Industry Development for the Caribbean Project, a Euro$3.5M initiative backed by the European Union (EU) and which is overlooked by the Geneva-based International Trade Centre (ITC) in partnership with its key partner, the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI).

NINE REGIONAL TERRITORIES A two-day workshop, which began yesterday at the Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel at Providence, East Bank Demerara, has seen participation of stakeholders from nine regional territories, including Guyana, Jamaica, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago, among others.

Local and regional coconut processors and regional

government representatives are involved in the discussions.

CARDI’s Executive Director, Barton Clarke, told the Guyana Chronicle that the project which began in 2014 centres on the development of the coconut industry in the Caribbean and originated from a study which was presented at the Caribbean Week of Agriculture activities in Guyana some three years ago. “Pursuant to that, a partnership was established between CARDI and the ITC for the implementation of the project for which we are gaining support from the European community.”

He said that CARDI appreciates the support from the EU and the ITC. “This is about looking at trade issues, market issues as well as looking at technical issues,” he said of the project.

“The objective is to propel the industry,” Clarke said.

IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY He noted that CARDI’s role in addressing the technical issues associated with the project is to improve productivity at the level of the farms, addressing issues of integrated pest management solutions to the various pest and dis-

eases, as well as to identify new varieties selected from within the existing Caribbean coconut population.

Clarke said the essential aim of the project is to improve productivity and market share as regards coconut water and coconut oil. Optimistically, he said, the project will also see an increase in the level of incomes which will trickle down to the farmer.

“At this juncture, we are concentrating on trying to get the framework right,” he noted. He noted that in order to develop the industry further, there is need for effective partnerships and he noted the importance of the roles of the private sector, farmers, service providers, extension officers and in Guyana’s case the National Agricultural and Extension Institute (NAREI).

The ongoing project has seen the documentation of coconut farms in each territory, to decipher whether the farmers are young or old, how many coconuts are harvested on the farms, among other pieces of vital information.

“This is going to provide us with a baseline type of information to allow us to understand what are the issues and the problems that

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

Coconut products on display at the opening of the workshop yesterday

the farmers have, so that we are better able to map our strategy,” Clarke said.

He noted the issues facing coconut farms across the region, including the red palm-mite disease affecting farms in Guyana, as well as the momentous task facing the industry in Dominica, against the backdrop of Tropical Storm Erika which devastated that island last year.

As regards the input and responses from regional governments to the project, Clarke said that based on the economic signals that CARDI has received, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has listed coconuts as one of its priority agriculture projects. “We would not [have] been able to enable the partnership with the ITC if we did not have the blessings of the

government,” he added.

ITC’s, Senior Trade Promotion Officer, Matias Urrutigoity, noted that since the project began industry players have been examining and considering market options and linkages with different types of buyers and how to develop the coconut sector in Guyana and the Caribbean. This includes the impact of such development on the farmers in the sector. He said the project is aimed at improving the production of coconut products and overall industry advancement.

MARKET EXPERTISE Hernan Manson of the ITC told this newspaper that the international body is bringing to the table its market expertise. “We know how markets are evolving and together with

our farmers we are capable of identifying the measurable market trends and concrete market opportunities,” Manson said.

He noted also that the ongoing forum is a participatory process for different players to engage in the sector and to gain different support from different institutions.

“So we hope that together [with CARDI] we bring different expertise to this project and this will translate into a better positioning of the coconut sector in the Caribbean in the future years,” Manson said.

During the early session, Ajmal Abdulsamad of the Centre of Globalisation, Governance & Competitiveness at Duke University, informed participants of the current state of the coconut industry and factors which

e to propel coconut industry

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

Stakeholders at yesterday’s coconut industry forum

impact its development.

VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS Abdulsamad is currently undertaking re-

search on global market opportunities, using a value chain framework.

He recommended that the coconut industry stakeholders, including poli-

cy-makers, work together to develop best methods to reorganise the industry’s structure so that it becomes cost-efficient.

He also urged that the

Stakeholders at yesterday’s forum included business executive Dr Leslie Chin (right ) , CARDI’s Executive Director Barton Clarke (second right ), CARDI’s Regional Project Coordinator Compton Paul (third right ) and Research Analyst Ajmal Abdulsamad (left)

industry players invest in the conversion of coconut by-products into value-added products which he noted will come to the country’s benefits.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

Young entrepreneur battling the odds IN recent years, the business landscape in Guyana has seen a rise in youth entrepreneurship, as more and more young persons see the need to be self-sustaining in an increasingly profitable society.

However, many of these youth entrepreneurs are not able to successfully promote or grow their businesses, as finance still remains a major stumbling block.

Moreover, social pressures, fear of failure, and lack of support are responsible for many of these youthbased businesses collapsing shortly after being opened.

Despite these major hurdles, however, 20-year-old female entrepreneur Grace Williams is battling to ensure that her business does not become one of the many start-ups which quietly died away. Grace’s business, ‘Everything Bella Events’, is now a little more than a year old, and despite the slow

Grace Williams

returns, Grace said she is battling through as she wants to be someone whose potential young entrepreneurs can look up to and see that age should never be a factor as long as one works hard and steadfastly pursues one’s goals.

One of the major hurdles a young entrepreneur confronts, she said, stems from society’s reservations about the young doing as good a job as someone who is along

in years.

While her business focuses on the upper niche in society, as those persons most often lack the time to plan their own events, she said anyone is welcome to patronize her business, as different packages were created with different needs in mind.

The three packages currently offered are bronze, silver and gold, which range from partial planning to a full-service experience.

Currently, the business caters for a host of events, such as birthday celebrations, conferences, promotions, fashion shows, and even commemoration events.

“Whatever your events’ needs are,” she said, “we will be able to accommodate.”

Asked about the idea behind her business, Grace explained that she has always been very organized, even

from a young age. While in her late teen years, however, she realised there might be a market for her skills, and thus began the journey of owning her business.

The mission behind the business, she said, “is to make the clients happy,” and also to provide jobs for others, such as caterers, decorators and DJs. ‘Everything Bella Events’ has, within the time of its opening, catered to a commendable number of clients, and has several more lined up in the coming months.

Event planning, Grace believes, is slowly gaining traction in Guyana, and while she recognises that a considerable amount of time may elapse before her business really ‘takes the market’, she maintains it is something she believes in and is steadfastly committed to pioneering its popularity.

The atmosphere is set for a great birthday party

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

The Golden Children Project IT IS safe to say that in this year of our Golden Jubilee, there has been a renewed vitality in the arts industry as local artists strive to contribute to the legacy that will no doubt be created for decades to come.

Not that the industry itself was quiet, but this year, more young artists have taken up the mantle to use their creative talents, as a result of the overflowing sense of national pride brought about by Guyana’s 50th Anniversary.

With this aim as the pinnacle of their thoughts, out of the minds of some enthused young artists has sprung the idea of the Golden Children Project, a musical dedication of songs compiled by various local artistes aimed at giving the world a taste of the Guyanese sound.

Producer of the project, Jonathan Beepat of Wildfire Entertainment told The Buzz that the concept for the Golden Children Project started last year while in discussion with local rapper, Dominic Rémar Weeks, whom Jonathan manages.

HINT OF HOPE At a time when the country had just experienced political change, and its atmosphere had changed significantly to be accentuated with a hint of hope, Johnathan said that he charged Rémar to come up with a song that would reflect that feeling. Within a matter of two days, Rémar returned with a completed song titled, ‘Golden Children’, with space for participation from multiple artistes.

Following that song, the idea for an entire album took form, intended on showcasing Guyana’s multicultural diversity. “The album won’t have just Soca and Dancehall music,” Jonathan said. “We are trying to stretch into contemporary genres with more modern and mainstream music that we can market to the world.”

But the aim for the album doesn’t stop there. Jonathan revealed that the Golden Children Project is set to be a model for local artistes to create a sustainable means of earning from their music through a massive promotion campaign.

“We wanted to have these songs create value; so we

--Showcasing Guyana’s Sound

tension during elections, so to see happiness of the people, it was refreshing. So that’s where the lyrics, ‘this is our moment to shine’, came from.”

The young rapper said that so far, the response of those who have heard the song has been overwhelming. “A lot of people are saying it gives them goosebumps; and that it’s like our version of ‘We Are the World’. The response has been nothing but positive; and that’s good to hear,” he said.

In addition to his work on Golden Children, Rémar also has his single, ‘Where I’m from’, on the album, in which he repeatedly “salutes the 592”.

Apart from his spirited praise of all things Guyanese in his lyrics, the song also features the rousing words from the speeches of both the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan: … peace and harmony, especially in our country, a land of six peoples, and all the people must have an equal opportunity to grow up and have all the things in life that they want to live a rich life, not just material things,” and the late Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham: I feel confident that you must realise that you have a motherland of which you can be proud and which at all times offers you a hospitable and receptive embrace;” words which form the epitome of the renewed sense of nationalism that Guyanese today seek to emulate.

Rémar said that the idea to use these words were his way of giving a wow factor to his song, because there was nothing better than adding the wise words of two of our Founding Fathers to instill inspiration to his listeners.

“I wanted to talk about how I love my country, but there are other times when I feel frustrated,” Remar said.

“But at the end of the day, this is my country; like every relationship, it’s not perfect.”

On the other end of the spectrum is Hubert Norville, whose charming raspy vocals have begun to attract much attention while operating under the alias, ‘Juke Ross’.

“

Dominic Rémar Weeks want to market this album as though it is a concert,” he said.

“We’ll create music videos; have ads for radio and TV; and create awareness of what we’re doing, so that people will really want to buy this album.”

WHAT THE ARTISTES SAY Speaking with two of the artistes who are on the album, it doesn’t take much to see that these young men are equally enthused and serious about both the project and the contribution they are making to their country.

“We (Jonathan and I) were driving around on the day of the general elections, looking at the responses of people,” Rémar said, reflecting on the day that inspiration came for the featured song on the album.

“You could feel a renewed sense of togetherness.

People were committed to maintaining peace, and we all felt optimistic about what the future holds,” he said, adding: “A lot is made of racial

“

The 21-year-old musician’s contribution to the Golden Children Project came in the form of three tracks, including two covers of ‘Not a blade of grass’, Dave Martins’ classic tune, which, of late, has become like an anthem among all this patriotic expression.

SOULFUL DELIVERY One version is a soulful delivery, which Juke Ross says is aimed See page 22

Jonathan Beepat, Founder of Wildfire Entertainment

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

Kojo McPherson: Budding filmmaker

ALL it took was one look at Spike Lee’s 1990 musical drama, ‘Mo’ Better Blues’, for Kojo McPherson to know that film was something he wanted to be part of.

He was just eight years old at the time, but the combination of cinematography, imagery, music and all other captivating aspects of the legendary film simultaneously sent the message that film needed to be part of his life.

And though this calling was impaled in his mind, Kojo

--It’s all he’s ever wanted to be

went in a different direction, becoming a writer and photographer as he became older.

But his dream met him halfway in 2011 after he attended a workshop under the President’s Film Endowment Project, a collaborative effort between the University of Guyana Centre for Communication Studies and the Ohio University.

“It’s like a Master in Fine

Arts Degree crammed into a four to five-month period, and it was an idea brought to the government’s attention… We had to put our ideas into a bag, and mine was drawn out, so I had real practical experience,” Kojo said.

NO REGRETS But Kojo doesn’t regret occupying his prior years as a writer and photographer. In

fact, he believes that writing for the popular radio show, Merundoi, for four-and-a-half years, and operating as a freelance photographer were unconsciously entwined into his ultimate filmmaking pathway.

“It was important, because it informed a lot of my choices as a filmmaker,” he said.

“Stanley Kubrick, who directed movies like ‘The Shining’ and ‘2001: A Space Odys-

Kojo McPherson

sey’ and other films actually started off as a photographer, so it feels like I’m in good company.

“After being able to tell stories with words and pictures, it felt like filmmaking came as the next logical, progressive step.”

Since then, the budding filmmaker has had a hand in quite a few short films, and has developed a signature for sharp cinematography with poignant, hard-hitting messages.

ADERO His current project, Adero, is a short film which was a winner in the 2015 Caribbean Film Project, a brainchild of the Caribbean Film Academy.

Co-Founder of the Film Academy and Executive Producer of Adero, Romola Lucas explained that the project is one which seeks to afford emerging filmmakers from countries with a not-so-vibrant film industry the opportunity to make their work a reality.

“We’re approaching it from the ‘it-takes-a village’ perspective,” Romola explained. “And we’re using the project as a means of helping to develop emerging filmmakers, and providing an opportunity for them to experience watching their stories come alive on the screen, with the help of some of the best Caribbean filmmakers, whose interest is also in seeing new filmmakers develop.”

CARIBBEAN FILM PROJECT The Caribbean Film Project began with a script competition in Guyana, Grenada, St. Kitts & Nevis, Dominica and the “Diaspora”, which latter category the Academy treated as a country.

Entrants submitted short film scripts which had to adhere to script-writing standards. The year 2015 was the first for the project, and the Academy received about 20 submissions. A winner was chosen from each country,

with Kojo’s film representing Guyana.

Each winner was paired with a writing coach who worked with the winners to help them make their scripts production-ready. Coming out of the Project, the chosen winners are now working on the production of their film, and are currently in the pre-production stage.

Kojo’s work has been commended by the Caribbean Film Academy as being of an admirable standard. “Kojo is a great storyteller,” Romola said. “It is no surprise his script was one of the winning scripts.

“He went to the film festival in Trinidad & Tobago in 2015, the largest Caribbean film festival; competed with filmmakers from all across the Caribbean; and won the pitch competition with the very story he won the Film Project with.”

She also commended Kojo for working well with the team, adding that he is open to suggestions and ideas from members of his team, which, in addition to Academy members, also include local names like Melissa ‘Vanilla’ Roberts, who is producing the film, as well as Yaphet Jackman, who will do cinematography.

STORYLINE Adero is about a man living in corporate Guyana but who, while undergoing an existential struggle about who he is and where he is from, ventures out into the Rupununi after having recurring dreams relating to his struggle; a journey that will provide him with unimaginable experiences. Kojo is currently holding casting calls for Adero, and is encouraging persons to respond, so as to be part of something that promises to be memorable.

“The team is as deliberate as we can be about every frame of the film, so this is going to be something like people have never seen before. And that is a guarantee,” Kojo said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, april 22, 2016

Voice training lessons, anyone?

GONE are the days when finding professional voice training in Guyana was a rare gem; where tutors were professionals from the ‘old school’, few in number, and known only through wordof-mouth.

Thanks to local institution, Music Unlimited, voice training lessons are not only now within the reach of aspiring singers, but are also interactive, extremely fun and, based on results from past students, certainly worth the effort.

Music Unlimited was founded in 2012 by brothers Christian and Jeremy Sobers.

The school at first offered courses in Music Theory, Guitar, Piano, Bass, Vocals and Drums, and since its opening has trained over 400 students in the past four years. Christian said that the idea to open its doors to offer voice training lessons came from constantly hearing students express their wish to expand their horizons and sharpen their vocal skills.

“When they told us that,” he said, “we would usually go out and try to find places to send them. But we couldn’t find anything that was a credible programme, or one that had students that showed effectiveness.

What we found was mostly ‘old-school’ or classical-based programmes.”

FUN AND ENGAGING Realising there was a gap, Christian brainstormed the idea with his team, and they came up with the structure for a contemporary programme that makes mastering vocals “fun and engaging”.

The syllabus doesn’t only involve theory, but teaching students as well how to prac-

A batch of students from Music Unlimited’s voice training classes performing with the Grammy-nominated group, Della Mae during their visit to Guyana quired to do live performancAuditions are held in front tically develop their voices, giving them practice routines for even after they leave.

Christian said that the lessons draw inspiration both from the Berklee College Music Programme syllabus, as well as the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) syllabus.

The team first ran two test programmes with groups of collectively 50 people, after which they found that the results were impressive.

“We saw that the students were able to accomplish great things,” Christian said. “We had people who couldn’t even hold pitch; and when they were done, they were singing harmonies.”

SIX YEARS ON This was in 2014. Since then, the group has churned out four batches of students, and is now holding auditions for its fifth.

of tutors to assess the individual needs of each student so that those needs could be focused on during training.

Over the last two years, the voice lessons have served well for many up-and-coming musicians, including model and singer, Anasha Dutchin.

“One of our students also performed backup vocals for the opening act of the Tessanne Chin Concert held here last year.

“We have really seen growth with students,” Christian said.

Auditions are currently open for the new set of classes, which are scheduled to start in May, and Christian and team are excited to greet their new batch of students, as Music Unlimited strives to keep evolving the programme so that the students are always challenged.

Indeed, with students re-

Rihanna gets murderous

RIHANNA has graced us with the video for her single, “Needed Me”, where she goes on a murder spree once again.

This video marks the third violent video we’ve seen from the Bajan pop star, where she kills a man.

Who can forget her “Man Down” video that she shot in Jamaica back in 2011. She did get a lot of backlash from a couple of local Jamaican celebrities.

But she raised the bar a bit when she dropped her video, “B*tch Better Have My Money” last year, where she tortured and killed her accountant.

We are still trying to figure out the reason why Rihanna strolled into a strip club and shot and killed a tattooed-up guy. We are assuming that he is her boyfriend in the video.

--in ‘Needed Me’ Video

Rihanna The video was shot in Miami back in February, when Rihanna kicked off her ANTI World Tour.

The clip shows the ‘Roc Nation’ pop star riding a motorcycle through the streets, and then chilling on a boat, donning a see-

through lingerie while holding her gun with silencer in her hand.

Watch Rihanna stroll through the clip and put three bullets into a random guy, and leave like its nothing. (urbanislandz.com)

es during their course, surely the challenge is on. But serious vocalists would admit that it is such pressures that bring out the best in their voice!

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

Prince ends ‘purple reign’ at 57 PRINCE, a dizzylingly prolific multi-instrumentalist and virtuosic performer, was found dead at his home and recording studio in Minnesota early yesterday, his publicist, Yvette Noel-Schure, told The Hollywood Reporter. He was 57.

Deputies are currently on the scene at Paisley Park in Chanhassen, conducting a death investigation, authorities said. No further details were immediately available, and the cause of death is not being released at this time.

The performer was born Prince Rogers Nelson on June 7, 1958, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

He released his debut album, ‘For You’, in 1978, followed by ‘Prince’ (1979), ‘Dirty Mind’ (1980) and ‘Controversy’ (1981). All of them traded in his trademark sound: Deep synth funk grooves with provocatively sexual lyrics and heart-piercing ballads sung in pure falsetto.

His mainstream break-

through came with back-toback albums with his backing band, the Revolution.

In 1982, ‘1999’ launched several pop and dance-floor hits onto the charts, including “Little Red Corvette” and the title song, a post-apocalyptic party anthem.

Tw o y e a r s l a t e r, he released the album, a soundtrack, actually, to his movie-starring debut that would launch him into the same superstar stratosphere of other 1980s pop titans like Michael Jackson and

Madonna.

The soundtrack was 1984’s ‘Purple Rain’, a searing musical backdrop to a semi-autobiographical tale of “The Kid”, a Minneapolis rocker from an abusive family. The album launched five singles, two of which, “When Doves Cry” and “Let’s Go Crazy”, went to Number One on the Billboard chart.

The title ballad reached Number Two, and has gone on to become one of the most recognisable rock anthems in history. The soundtrack itself is frequently cited on music critics’ polls as being one of the best of all time, and Prince won an Oscar for original score in 1985.

Subsequent releases grew more experimental in nature, including the psychedelic ‘Around the World in a Day’ (1985) and ‘Sign “O” the Times’ (1987), a double album recorded partly before a live audience in Paris that dispensed with the Revolution, and which is widely considered to have been produced at Prince’s creative peak. (Among the compositions on it are “The Ballad of Dorothy Parker,” “If I was Your Girlfriend,” and “I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man”.)

In between, he starred in one more film, 1986’s ‘Under the Cherry Moon’, in which he played a gigolo wooing Kristin Scott Thomas in the south of France.

The movie bombed, but produced a successful soundtrack album: ‘Parade’, which featured the hits “Kiss” and “Mountains”.

Throughout the 1990s, Prince was later backed by a large band known as The New Power Generation, and his sound moved away from synth and heavy rock guitars and into one of brassier R&B. In 1993, he famously changed his name to that of

Prince

an unpronounceable glyph that melded the symbols for male and female.

The move was one of protest against his label, Warner Bros., leading him to shave the word “Slave” into his face at one point.

Between 1994 and 1996, he churned out the five remaining records due on his contract, and signed with Arista Records in 1998.

By the 2000s, the glyph was retired, and he was once again referring to himself as Prince. In 2001, Prince became a Jehovah’s Witness, and moved to Los Angeles to “better understand the music industry.” In a 2008 interview with the New Yorker, he compared his religious conversion to “a realisation ... like Neo in The Matrix.”

In that same interview, he grew uncharacteristically political, saying, “So here’s how it

is: You’ve got the Republicans, and basically they want to live according to this (He gestured at a Bible). But there’s the problem of interpretation, and you’ve got some churches, some people, basically doing things and saying it comes from here, but it doesn’t.

“And then on the opposite end of the spectrum, you’ve got blue; you’ve got the Democrats, and they’re, like, ‘You can do whatever you want.’ Gay marriage, whatever. But neither of them is right.” The comments drew criticism from gay rights groups and fans, many of whom felt the musician had turned his back on them since the days of Controversy, when he toyed with ideas of gender and sexuality and sang on the title song, “Am I black or white, am I straight or gay?” (yahoo.com)

The Golden Children ...

From page 19 at invoking peaceful reflection, much like Martins’ intention, while the other is a bit more upbeat and contemporary, which will appeal more to the younger generation.

His third song is an original piece simply titled, ‘Home’, which, like the other artistes’ work, delves into the personal connection he shares with his country. When asked how he feels about being part of such an occasion, his sim-

ple response was that he was “anxious”.

“It presents me with the opportunity to speak to my country to evoke feelings that are already in the air,” he said.

“I take my role seriously as a musician, and I use it to help in whatever way I can to remind people of what the country means to me, and what it could mean to them. So, I am anxious to see the outcome; to see how the public takes the hard work that we have put into this album, and to see the results of people enjoying the music.”

The Golden Children album features songs from artistes such as: Rémar, Poonam Singh, Juke Ross, Robert ‘Dublin’ Hiscock, Rose Trim (previously known as Shelly ‘G’), Rebecca Xavier and more, and will feature original pieces as well as covers of well-known Guyanese and other songs.

The album will be launched on May 6 at the Palm Court, and the artistes will attend a signing session at the Giftland Mall the following day.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

STAG Elite league ...

Alpha beat Monedderlust 3-1; Pele needle Buxton

IN a double-header in the STAG Elite League Finale on Wednesday, Alpha United FC trounced Monedderlust FC 3-1 while Pele FC held their own against Guyana Defence Force (GDF), in the second game with a one-goal victory.

Alpha United FC found

the back of the net three times, once in the 31st minute with Colin Nelson, again a minute later with Anthony Abrams and the last goal in the 84th minute with Dwight Peters. For Monedderlust FC Kevin Layne scored a 39th minute goal.

In the other game,

Gregory Richardson scored the only goal in the 32nd minute for Pele men as they needled Buxton United.

Games will continue tonight at 1830hrs with Slingerz taking on GFC and Fruta Conquerors clashing with the GDF.

Dead referee ‘appointed’ to officiate Nigerian league match (BBC) - Nigerian football’s crisis has taken a bizarre twist with an attempt to appoint a dead referee for Sunday’s match between Warri Wolves and Giwa FC. It comes as Chris Giwa continues to challenge Nigerian Football Federation president Amaju Pinnick.

A Nigerian court has ruled Giwa should replace the FIFA-recognised Pinnick and in a move to wrest control he has named the weekend’s top-flight officials.

However, among those

selected is Wale Akinsanya, who died in January.

Giwa’s NFF rival group sent notice of its actions to the chief operation officer of the league management company on Wednesday.

It has raised the possibility that two sets of match officials - those appointed

by Giwa’s group and those appointed by the NFF - could turn up for the fixtures.

Football’s world governing body FIFA issued a warning last week saying Pinnick and his board must continue in charge of the NFF or Nigeria would face a

NOTABLE DATES GWENDOLYN `The Stealth Bomber’ O’Neil fought Margret `Chico’ Walcott on three occasions and won all of the battles. The last time the two female gladiators met was on April 22, 2006 at the National Park on Thomas Lands.

The fight was scheduled for six rounds but O’Neil was in a hurry and won by technical knockout (TKO) in the fourth stanza. O’Neil became a household name in Guyana when she won a world title at home. On May 29, 2004, at the ripe boxing age of 34, O’Neil defeated American Kathy Rivers by a unanimous decision at the National Park, to take the Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA) light heavyweight title.

The victory earned her the credit of being the first Guyanese to win a world title on home soil and the first female from the country to grab a world crown. Soon after, two fights with Laila Ali ended up on the wrong side for the Guyanese as she was stopped in both.

Following a four-year hiatus from the ring O’Neil returned in July 2015 to win the Universal Boxing Federation (UBF) heavyweight title.

Sonya Lamonakis of Greece was defeated via a split decision by the Guyanese. The Stealth Bomber will turn 47 in August and has recorded 19 victories, seven losses and one draw in a 16-year career.

global suspension.

Meanwhile, the Giwa-led faction has rejected a reconciliation committee set up by the country’s sports minister Solomon Dalung to resolve issues within the NFF. In a statement signed by the group’s chairman of chairmen, Effiong Johnson, it urged Nigerians to disregard the action of the minister.

Former NFF boss Ibrahim Galadima is the head of the seven-man reconciliation committee, which has one week to submit its report.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Friday April 22, 2016)

COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & A U D R E Y ’ S TA S T Y SNACKETTE-176 Charlotte Street, Georgetown (Tel: 226-4512) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: 60 matches 60 matches Today’s Quiz: Who is the first player to contest 100 IPL games?

Who is the first wicketkeeper to effect a ‘stumping’ in this season’s IPL? Answers in tomorrow’s issue

29

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

Heat take 2-0 lead over Hornets

(THE Sports Xchange) Shooting better than 55 percent for the second consecutive game, the Miami Heat defeated the Charlotte Hornets 115-103 in Game 2 of an Eastern Conference first-round series on Wednesday.

After a franchise playoff-best first half of shooting, the Heat held on in the second half to protect homecourt advantage and go up 2-0 in the best-of-seven series, which continues with Game 3 tomorrow in Charlotte.

The Hornets cut an 18-point deficit in the third quarter to seven, with less than four minutes to play, but the Heat clamped down defensively and Dwyane Wade, who led Miami with 28 points

and eight assists, hit two key baskets late.

Hassan Whiteside scored 17 points on 8-of-8 shooting from the field and Luol Deng had 16 points.

They were two of five Heat players to finish in double figures as they shot 57.9 percent from the floor.

Whiteside added 13 rebounds and two blocks, and Goran Dragic pitched in 18 points and Josh Richardson scored 15.

While the Heat were 9 of 16 from 3-point range, the Hornets hit just 1 of 16 from beyond the arc.

Kemba Walker had a game-high 29 points and Al Jefferson scored 25 on 12of-17 shooting from the floor for the Hornets.

Countering the success of Walker and Jefferson,

Marvin Williams missed all 10 of his shots from the floor to finish scoreless.

Nicolas Batum had nine points and seven rebounds but left early in the fourth quarter with a sprained left ankle and did not return.

Miami took a 72-60 lead into halftime thanks to shooting a franchise playoff-best 74.4 percent from the field in the first half, including 7 of 10 on 3-pointers while converting their final 10 shots from the floor in the first half.

Dragic hit all three of his first-half 3-point attempts.

Jefferson, with 16 points in the second quarter, kept the Hornets in it with a flurry of baskets from the low post and midrange, at one point converting eight of Charlotte’s last nine field goals made.

India to host Kiwis in day-night Test (ESPNCricinfo) - India is set to host a day-night Test during New Zealand’s visit later this year. Anurag Thakur, the BCCI secretary, said yesterday that the BCCI would use the pink Kookaburra ball for the Test match.

“We have decided that we will play one day-night Test match with pink ball against New Zealand later this year,” Thakur said. “Before that, Duleep Trophy will act as a dress rehearsal for the daynight Test match.”

There have been widespread concerns over the pink Kookaburra - particularly its durability and its visibility – used in the Adelaide Test last November. The first ever to be

played under floodlights was played on a grassier-than-normal surface to ensure the ball lasted 80 overs.

South Africa’s players, including their Test captain AB de Villiers, have expressed their reluctance to play a day-night Test during their 2016-17 tour of Australia.

The pink ball is yet to be trialled in India, where dew could be a concern under lights, and Thakur said the Duleep Trophy would serve as a trial run before the Test.

“While we have not zeroed in on the venue, there are lots of factors that need to be taken into account,” Thakur said. “Things like

dew factor, how the spinners bowl with the pink Kookaburra on Indian pitches, these things we will get an Goran Dragic of the Miami Heat blocks the shot against the Charlotte idea (of) during the Duleep Hornets during the Eastern Conference playoffs First Round Game Two. (Getty Images) Trophy.”

Given the need for India’s players to acclimatise to playing with the pink ball, it is expected that all the major names from the Test team will feature in the Duleep Trophy.

SG manufactures the red ball normally used in India’s Test matches. Thakur said a pink SG could be a possibility in the future.

“We may ask SG to manu(REUTERS) - Two days facture pink balls later, but after announcing his rethat has to be of the quality tirement, Ultimate Fighting of the pink balls that KookChampionship (UFC) feathaburra produces.” erweight champion Conor McGregor said he has not quit at all, before taking aim at the media circus surrounding the sport.

“I have become lost in the game of promotion and forgot He confronted Moss, about the art of fighting,” the who was criticised for his 27-year-old Irishman said in a performance by Match-ofstatement yesterday. the-Day pundit Alan Shear“There comes a time er, before leaving the field. when you need to stop handConor McGregor Leicester, who are five ing out flyers and get back from the card at UFC 200 in UFC boss Dana White adpoints clear of Tottenham, to the damn shop.”

Las Vegas on July 9, where opted a conciliatory tone folneed eight points from their McGregor is widely ache was due to face Nate Diaz lowing McGregor’s original final four matches to guarknowledged to be the biggest in a welterweight rematch of retirement announcement. draw in the UFC, and his antee the title. a bout he lost in March, after “I need to isolate myself statement was peppered with Their final four matchhe refused to travel to Nevanow,” McGregor said. references to how much reves are against Swansea da for media work associated “I am facing a taller, enue he has generated and (home), Manchester longer, heavier man. I need how much media work he with the event.

United (away), EverDespite his insistence to prepare properly this had to do. ton (home) and Chelsea Currently training in Ice- that McGregor should have time. I cannot dance for (away). land, McGregor was pulled honoured those obligations, you this time.”

Vardy accepts FA charge

LEICESTER striker Jamie Vardy has accepted a Football Association charge of improper conduct.

The 29-year-old confronted referee Jon Moss after being sent off in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with West Ham. By admitting the charge, Vardy, who has requested a personal hearing, could be given an additional suspension to his current onematch ban.

Premier League leaders Leicester have also accepted a charge of failing to control their players.

Vardy will miss their game against Swansea on Sunday but could also sit out the trip to Manchester United on May 1.

The Premier League’s second top-scorer - with 22 goals this season - was shown a second yellow card early in the second half after going to ground in the West Ham penalty area.

McGregor ends retirement speculation, hits out at UFC

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GTTA hails success of Junior and Cadet team

By Daniel Haynes

THE Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) has hailed the work and success of its team that toured the Dominican Republic for the 21st Junior and Cadet Championships last week.

Team Guyana, comprising four U-18 players in Shemar Britton, Kyle Edghill, Miguel Wong, Elishaba Johnson and the lone U-15 star Nicholas Romain along with coach/manager Linden Johnson, returned home earlier this week.

During a press conference yesterday at the National Gymnasium, president of the GTTA Godfrey Munroe commended the five-member team on their performances but acknowledged that there is still work to be done.

“We are very pleased to present this team and are very pleased with the results of the guys. But there still is some reservation knowing we could

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do better but we are still very pleased with the results,” said Munroe.

He also thanked the stakeholders and sponsors, the parents of the players as well as the players themselves for the dedication they showed to the sport.

Also speaking was coach Johnson who contended, “We matched up really well with the other players from the other countries; we only fell short in some areas due to mental lapses and brief lapses in focus. Otherwise we did well, given the preparation time and we can definitely improve for the next tournament.”

He also noted the need for a specialist to deal with the mental aspect of sport.

Bronze medallist Shemar Britton summed up his performance through the tournament, saying, “I think I personally performed to my best given my preparation for the CAPE examinations and not being able to train as

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much as I’d like. It was good to see the distance between the other players.”

Elisheba Johnson, who partnered Kyle Edghill for doubles gold added, “We were a bit shaky at the beginning of the tournament but our chemistry came back. Our skills level was on par with them but our confidence was far higher because we knew we had to win and we were not prepared to lose” “It was an eye-opener and a great experience for me and I will get better,” said Romain, the only U-15 player in the tournament. Miguel Wong said, “I was a bit disappointed in how I played,; my focus was not there but I’ll be better for the next tournament.”

The team copped one gold, two silver and one bronze and are currently preparing for the Pan American Junior and Cadet Championships scheduled for June 25-30 in Vancouver, Canada.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

BCCI ‘cleans slate’ of WICB penalty

(ESPNCricinfo) - BCCI president Shashank Manohar has said that the $41.97M claim imposed by the previous BCCI administration on the WICB for abandoning the 2014 tour to India mid-way has been waived.

West Indies, he said, will tour India in 2017 to complete the “unfinished” matches from the 2014 series.

According to Manohar, the issue was “sorted out” when the WICB agreed to tour India to play the pending games. The decision was taken, he said, when the BCCI’s top officials spoke with the WICB late last year, before clearing India’s tour to the West Indies scheduled for this summer. This is the first time the BCCI has clarified its position on the matter.

“That is now sorted out because they are going to come back and play here

next year,” Manohar told ESPNcricinfo. “They have to complete those (unfinished) games. That was a claim raised by the board.

(We) would be satisfied by them coming and playing here.”

Manohar said the schedule will be finalised by the end of May. He said no other conditions were laid out by the BCCI during the talks with the West Indies board.

WICB president Dave Cameron, without elaborating much, said: “We stand by whatever Mr Manohar says.”

In October 2014, when West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo led the players’ boycott, the team returned home after the fourth ODI against India in Dharamsala. The tour was meant to comprise five ODIs, one T20I and three Tests. Calling the abandonment a “monumental disaster”, the then BCCI

administration slapped punitive damages on the WICB, and also suspended all bilateral tours between the two parties till the issue was resolved.

The first signal that the relationship between the two boards was on the mend came last December when Cameron issued a media release stating India would honour the commitment to play a four-Test series in the Caribbean in July-August 2016, as listed in the ICC’s Future Tours Programme.

Cameron did not mention anything about the punitive claims, though.

Last month, Cameron sounded positive when asked about the BCCI’s claim. “We will do a joint media release for you as soon as both boards are ready,” Cameron had told ESPNcricinfo during an interview days before West Indies triumphed in the World T20.

Twenty-mile road race for Berbice cyclists tomorrow THE Flying Ace Cycle Club (FACC), in collaboration with the Fyrish, Gibraltar, Courtland and #1 Overseas Association Inc., will stage its 6th Annual 20-mile cycle road race for cyclists from the Ancient County of Berbice tomorrow.

According to a release from the organisers (FACC), whose head coach Randolph Roberts is the coordinator of the event, the race is expected to be started by Mrs Sita Nagamootoo, wife of Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

It will commence at 09:00hrs outside the Benjamin’s Sports Store, located at Fyrish on the Corentyne Coast and will proceed to the Esplanade Road, New Amsterdam, Berbice before returning to the place of

origin.

The top four finishers as well as the first three Under-16 riders and the first female will be rewarded with trophies for their efforts. Six prime prizes will also be up for grabs.

Steady rain washes out day one

TORRENTIAL overnight and continuous rainfall yesterday saw the first day of the third and final round matches of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)-sponsored Hand-in-Hand Insurance Company Under-19 three-day tournament washed out without a ball being bowled.

A waterlogged Wales ground

Both third-round matches were scheduled to start yesterday, with Demerara facing Essequibo at Bourda and the Select Under-17 team opposing Berbice at Wales.

However, no play was possible at either venue because of the waterlogged outfields.

Play at both venues starts at 09:30hrs today.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, April 22, 2016

DVA Inter-school Volleyball Tournament

St Rose’s dominate Georgetown leg … QC; Marian Academy scrape through

ST ROSE’S High, Queen’s College and Marian Academy are through to the regional finals following wins in the Georgetown leg of the Demerara Volleyball Association, inter-school championship on Wednesday.

The unbeaten St Rose’s scraped past Marian Academy in the most exciting matchup in the tournament thanks to Akil Vaughn, who helped the side register a fighting 15-14 victory and a dominant 25-8 win over St Stanislaus College Queen’s College, who booked the second spot in the finals having only lost to

the eventual winners, began their day by brushing aside Saints 25-10 before they too ran into Marian Academy, who featured Brazilian star player, 16-year-old Alexandre de Paiva Almeida.

The QC side were made to work for their 17–14 win over the Marian side to take home the Digicel-sponsored second-place trophy.

Playing to determine the last team to book a spot in the finals, Marian Academy and Bishops’ High School entertained the spectators to a game with excitement fit to be a final.

Trading the lead on nu-

merous occasions in the 10-minute timed game, Marian eventually booked the final spot practically in the last minute of play, despite a valiant effort from National U-18 Table Tennis champion, Shemar Britton.

St Stanislaus College who turned out to be the punching bag of the tournament despite a much-improved performance from the first leg of the tournament, ended the tournament without any wins as they went down to Trust College and St Rose’s.

At the presentation of awards and addresses by sponsors and hosts of the

tournament, the representative from INDESCO, who is the primary sponsor for the Georgetown leg, expressed her excitement with the level of commitment the players demonstrated and encouraged them to continue making strides to become better at the sport and possibly become national athletes.

General Secretary of the Guyana Volleyball Federation, Mr Robert Millington who spoke on behalf of the federation encouraged the students to stick to the game and one day they may see themselves representing Guy-

ana at the International level.

He went on to speak of Guyana’s participation at the upcoming Under-19 and Under-23 South American Championships. He urged them to set their eyes on possible selection to those teams.

President of the Demerara Volleyball Association, Mr Trevor Williams, explained that coming out of this tournament, DVA will be selecting a Demerara school team to represent Demerara against Berbice on May 7 in the GVF inter-county school championship.

At the end of the event,

the names of about 18 players were shortlisted and they will join with a selection from the West Side and Linden zones to compete for selection to the Demerara School Team.

This leg is sponsored by INDESCO Trading while the West zone was sponsored by Ancam Marine Supplies.

Talk is Cheap Travel Agency is the sponsor of the Linden zone which will serve off today at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground, while DIGICEL and the Guyana Volleyball Federation are also major sponsors for the tournament.

Lions flattened by Warner (ESPNCricinfo) - David Warner’s third half-century of the season paved the way for Sunrisers Hyderabad’s ten-wicket win over Gujarat Lions in Rajkot.

Warner, who slammed 74 off 48, combined with Shikhar Dhawan, who struck a fifty of his own, for an unbroken 137-run opening partnership after his bowlers, led by Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s 4 for 29, kept Lions to 135 for 8.

Warner began the chase with two fours off Dale Steyn, who was playing his first match of this IPL, and kicked into high gear with three fours off Praveen Kumar in the fourth over.

Spin did not stem the run-flow either as Warner cut and pulled Suresh Raina to the boundary. The Sunrisers captain brought up his half-century in 29 balls, by which time his team need-

David Warner ed less than run-a-ball for over changed that. victory.

At one point 25 off 24, Dhawan, at the other end, Dhawan completed his took the opportunity to bide half-century in 40 balls and his time and recover some of though he didn’t indulge in his form. He wasn’t always much celebration, he had to fluent, but a paddle sweep off a couple of balls later.

Dwayne Bravo in the 12th Warner sealed the victory

with six overs to spare and time was ripe for a twirl of the ‘tache’.

That Lions were tied down, despite Raina’s 75 off 51, was Bhuvneshwar’s doing. He swung the new ball handsomely, as Aaron Finch found out in the first over when his stumps were splayed by an in-dipper, and when he couldn’t get movement through the air, his slower balls were hard to put away on a large outfield.

Bhuvneshwar took three wickets in the final over of the Lions innings, including Raina’s, to cap Sunrisers’ strong comeback.

Mustafizur Rahman played a hand in Lions’ slowdown as well. He was saved for the final six overs again and still gave away only one boundary - when Warner misfielded at long-on. The

RCB replace Badree with Shamsi (SPORTSMAX) - Tabraiz Shamsi will be replacing World T20 winner Samuel Badree in the Royal Challengers Bangalore team after the West Indies leg-spinner failed to recover from a shoulder injury in time to be ready for the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Badree was hurt in the World T20 final while field-

ing. After the spinner had already completed four overs in which he recorded figures of 2-16, he dived to take a catch at short third man to dismiss England’s Liam Plunkett.

The spinner left the field soon after, suffering an injury that would prove difficult to recover from. This was the second time Badree had

hurt his shoulder.

His replacement, Shamsi, played in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) in the 2014-15 season for the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, where he claimed 11 wickets in seven games at an average of 6.79 runs per over.

Shamsi was not as good in the Ram Slam T20 where he picked up nine wickets in

10 games for the Titans, but according to RCB bowling coach Allan Donald there is talent there.

“I’ve seen him bowl for Titans. He is very successful with what he has done in the past couple of years.

Look out for a lot of mystery balls in there,” said the former South African pace bowler.

Bangladesh seamer finished with 1 for 19, the mystery of his cutters no closer to being solved. Sunrisers also benefited from part-time off-spinner Deepak Hooda and leftarm spinner Bipul Sharma rushing through five overs and picking up two wickets.

Lions, who had raced to 50 for 1 in the Powerplay, would have been disappointed that they could only manage 85 runs in the remaining 14 overs.

Raina eased his way back to form, scoring his first T20 fifty in 31 innings.

CPL, GoG negotiations still ongoing

UP TO late last evening Chronicle Sport was reassured that negotiations were still ongoing over the deal to host the semi-finals and final of the 2016 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

According to a source, the government and the CPL officials are yet to reach that common ground for the hosting of the tournament, which Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman said the government is trying to do.

It is unclear if the government is still trying to break down the cost of the event’s marquee playing days, though Minister Trotman confirmed that the last price heard by him was US1.5M or thereabouts.

He also confirmed that initially, the CPL Committee had the original asking price of US$2M for the two semi-finals and final and during Wednesday’s post-Cabinet media briefing, Trotman confirmed the government’s interest in hosting the six-team tournament.

He said, “What I think was attractive to the government is that the CPL organisation or the organisers extended to us the offer of hosting the final, semi-finals and four games here and in our Jubilee year, we believe that it would be a good filling to the celebrations.”

“We believe that having cricket here and having international stars in Guyana is just the festive mood that would be a good injection to our economy,” Trotman continued.

However, at the same press conference, he confirmed that contrary to reports one day earlier, the government had not solidly succeeded in its bid to host the final, as the Minister of Finance was still in talks over the proposed cost.

BCCI ‘cleans slate’ of WICB penalty

GTTA hails success of CPL, GoG Junior and Cadet team negotiations See Story on page 30

still ongoing See Story on page 31

(L-R) Linden Johnson, Shemar Britton, Nicholas Romain, Miguel Wong, Elishaba Johnson, Kyle Edghill, Godfrey Munroe. (Samuel Maughn photo) See story on page 30

Alpha beat Monedderlust 3-1; Pele needle Buxton

Alpha goalscorers L-R Dwight Peters, Colin Nelson and Anthony Abrams See story on page 28 Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216.

St Rose’s dominate DVA Georgetown leg See Story on page 31

WICB plans players retreat in the summer (Wisdenindia.com) - THE West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) hit back at its detractors on Wednesday insisting it was trying to find ways to keep its best players competing for the national team.

The WICB has faced calls recently for the entire board to resign, and following the men’s World Twenty20 victory in India last month, Darren Sammy blasted the sport’s policy-makers in the Caribbean.

The most recent call came two days back with a group of former West Indies players calling for accountability from the WICB and supporting dismantling the existing structure.

S a m m y ’s w o r d s h a d been backed by Dwayne Bravo, the all-rounder, who launched a scathing attack on David Cameron, the WICB president, whom he branded “immature”, “arrogant” and “small-minded”.

In a document sent to the media on Wednesday,

WICB president Dave Cameron the WICB claimed it was trying to resolve issues which upset its top-level players.

One of those issues is pay, with players demanding more from the WICB to keep them tied to the national team rather than cashing in on one of the lucrative contracts on offer in Twenty20 leagues around the world.

The WICB said it will meet with the players to discuss the issue at a retreat during the summer. “The

primary focus for this year’s retreat will be to find workable solutions with regard to re-engagement of players, and how they fit into the existing high performance programme and to determine the most affordable remuneration packages,” said the WICB statement.

It promised to make changes but insisted that it “so far has lived up to its promises”.

It also said that results, - both the men’s and women’s teams won their Twenty20 World Cups last month with the Under-19 side winning the World Cup in February - showed they were doing something right.

“That accomplishment has come as part of the high performance programme implemented just over two years ago. That there are small groups clamouring for the board’s dissolution is reason to ask what more could a region want?”

FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2016