Guyana Chronicle Epaper 23 06 2017

President says no to overseas GECOM Chair Page 5

No. 104952

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017

Price: $80

(VAT Inclusive)

Guyana $$ goes digital …Gov’t, World Bank ink US$6M loan to reduce cash business

… expert pegs annual savings at $266M

Page 3

Man busted with 117 grams of ganja Page 10

Cap on CSEC must be guided by research-Ed Caesar Page 9

PUC cuts GTT ‘pay less’ promotion

Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan and the World Bank’s Senior Country Officer for Guyana, Suriname and Belize, Pierre Nadji, sign the loan agreement while another official looks on

No militarising of state

Page 5

…President reiterates persons’ hirings based on merit

… after Digicel’s complaint P about int’l component 1a0ge

Pay hike proposed for bids evaluators

Page 11

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday June 23, 2017

‘Big Worm,’ others granted $100,000 bail on drug-trafficking charges

THREE men were jointly charged for the possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.Those charged are: Kwesi Samuels,40, called ‘Big Worm’ of Lot 231 Smythfield; Dellon Harry of Lot 59 Stanleytown and Reynard Aulder, of Lot 28 Paradise Village, West Coast Berbice. They were granted $100, 000 bail each after they pleaded not

guilty to the charge.

The trio who appeared before Magistrate Marissa Mithelholzer at the Reliance Court in East Canje, was arrested following a sting operation in New Amsterdam along Republic Road, on Monday afternoon. This newspaper was informed that on the day in question, a decoy had approached Samuels and requested to purchase

$600,000 worth of ganja.

Samuels who previously had several brushes with the law and had faced charges of robbery under arms and trafficking in narcotics, accepted the marked money, and proceeded to contact his supplier.

In the meanwhile, police ranks were positioned at a popular hangout spot in the vicinity of Tucber Park, and Winkle Road, where

the supplier was expected to drop off the illegal drug.

However, the driver of the white Toyota IST motorcar on seeing the armed ranks, accelerated and in the process, threw the Karibee bag out of the right front window. The police retrieved the bag and found that it contained cannabis sativa which weighed four and a half kilograms. Instantly, the

policemen pursued the vehicle along Republic Road, in New Amsterdam where it was intercepted moments later.

Attorney Tania Warren Clement in her application for bail for her client, Samuels, told the court that the defendant never had the illegal drug and as such bail should be allowed. But, although Inspector Godfrey

Playter objected to pretrial liberty on the grounds of the nature and gravity of the offence, its prevalence, and that no special reasons were advanced, the Court overruled the submission and allowed for the defendants to be granted bail.

The case was transferred to the New Amsterdam Court, where it is fixed for hearing, report and fixture.

Teenage housewife charged with gun, ganja possession AN 18-year-old housewife of Plegtanker Village, East Bank Berbice, was granted $180, 000 bail after she pleaded not-guilty to charges of being in possession of an improvised gun, ammunition and cannabis sativa.

On Monday June 19, a party of police, acting on information, went to the home of Reshma Ragganadan, which she shared with her reputed husband, Lakeram Bakan. But, Bakan was seen fleeing the scene as the police approached, leaving his wife behind.

Following the search, the party of policemen found an improvised shot gun, four 20-gauge live cartridges and four grams of cannabis sativa.

The unrepresented woman was arrested, told of the offence, and detained, before the charges were instituted. However, following her appearance before Magistrate Marissa Mitthelholzer, she pleaded not guilty to the charges and the matter has been transferred to Sisters Magistrate Court for July 18, 2017.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday June 23, 2017

Guyana $$ goes digital …Gov’t, World Bank ink US$6M loan to reduce cash business

… expert pegs annual savings at $266M

By Ariana Gordon GUYANA is moving closer to the digital money market with the signing of a US$6M loan agreement with the World Bank for the implementation of a National Payment system here, which financial experts say will help government save as much as $266M annually or 0.4 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and move the country away from its heavy cash-based payment mechanism.

Top police sources said that this move will also reduce the temptation of bandits to go after citizens with large sums of cash. The agreement was one of two loans signed in the boardroom of the Ministry of Finance by subject Minister, Winston Jordan

Gobind Ganga; Finance Secretary, Dr. Hector Butts; Vice Chancellor and Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Dr. Ivelaw Griffith and Dr Barbara Reynolds respectively; and acting General Manager, National Insurance Scheme, Holly Greeves. (See other story on page 14) The US$6M loan will allow for the improvement of the way money is handled here and caters to the ever-growing concern of security when doing large money transactions. “This loan is for developing an information system, the electronic transfer of cash to do cash business.

They will look at the legal and regulatory framework, the policies and procedures on how to get to a kind of non-cash transaction arrangement for the handling of large

facilitate the acquisition of hardware and software required by the Government to provide inter-bank clearing and settlement services for electronic payments, including hardware and software required for the real gross settlement systems and the central securities depository, for the Bank of Guyana, the Ministry of Finance, the Guyana Revenue Authority and the National Insurance Fund.

Additionally, the programme will provide connectivity among the aforementioned entities and private sector financial entities as well as support capacity building activities for the Bank of Guyana staff in technical areas of operation, and management of the payment system infrastructure. “It is expected that this will roll out into the private sector in time

Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan and Governor of the Bank of Guyana, Dr Gobind Ganga, sign a subsidiary agreement for the implementation of the National Payment System on Thursday, at the Ministry of Finance. and the World Bank’s Senior Country Officer for Guyana, Suriname and Belize, Pierre Nadji. Also present at the signing ceremony were Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Jaipaul Sharma; Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry; Governor of the Bank of Guyana, Dr

amounts of cash; so it becomes an electronic transfer mechanism,” said the Director of Projects, Ministry of Finance, Tarachand Balgobin.

Balgobin explained that the National Payment System will initially be applied to government entities. He stressed that the project will

to come, once the platform is developed and managed by the Bank of Guyana,” he added.

Bank of Guyana Governor, Dr Gobind Ganga had said that government could save as much as $266M annually or 0.4 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic

World Bank’s Senior Country Officer for Guyana, Suriname and Belize, Pierre Nadji, hands over copies of the two agreements signed to Finance Minister, Winston Jordan on Thursday. (Samuel Maughn photos) Product (GDP) if it switches from paper-based payment mechanisms to electronic payments. Dr Ganga had noted that government is a major stakeholder as it is the single largest end-user of payment services. The Ministry of Finance, The National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and the Ministry of Social Protection all manage the largest of the outgoing payment programmes in the country, while the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and NIS, both quasi-government agencies, manage the largest inflows. Other stakeholders include Commercial Banks, Money Transfer Agencies and the Business Community. “Excluding revenue collection, the programmes managed by the Finance Ministry, NIS and the Ministry of Social Protection account for an estimated 260,000 payments a month, a daily average of over 11,000 and over 3M annually.”

Over the next four years, the Governor had said the Bank will undertake payments system regulatory reform and infrastructural development to achieve several objectives, including but not limited to, the establishing of legal clarity and certainty to cover several areas such as electronic funds transfer, e-money and cheque truncation; enhancing efficiency

of payment processing and reduce settlement times for both retail and large value transactions; strengthening risk management and mitigation across the National Payment System; expand accessibility of electronic payment across networks; attract higher rates electronic payment acceptance by vendors, merchants and other providers of goods and services; drive remittance costs down and enhance accessibility of

remittance services; strengthen oversight framework and capacity; build stakeholder engagement and cooperation and support e-commerce.

A 2015 payments cost study conducted by the World Bank’s Payment Systems Development Group (PSDG) shows that based on all indicators, once successfully implemented, the programme can lead to significant benefits in several areas.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 23, 2017

CARIFESTA participation

Writer concerned about judging criteria -head of literary team defends ‘transparent judging process’

By Ravin Singh CONCERNS have been raised over the judging criteria for literary pieces submitted by persons interested in forming part of the Guyana literary arts contingent at the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) in August.

Barbados will host the 13th edition of CARIFESTA and the Ministry of Education’s Department of Culture has announced that Guyana will field a 60-member contingent at the cultural event.

This country has traditionally participated in every aspect of the creative arts, including the literary aspect, which is usually the smallest group.

While the process for selecting representatives in the literary field has not been questioned, the judging criteria for the literary pieces have been. Mosa Telford, who is no stranger to the arts, has questioned several practices employed by the sub-committee overlooking the literary arts. That committee is headed by Ruel Johnson, Cultural Policy Advisor to the Minister of Education.

Telford, who represented Guyana twice at CARIFESTA, applied this year to be

part of the three-member literary team. However, she said that she was informed on Wednesday that she was not successful in her bid. She said that writers were asked to submit essays about why they should represent Guyana, along with samples of literary works, their literary Curriculum Vitae (CV), and their biographies.

Having not been successful, the writer said that “the judges must have had their reasons” for not selecting her, so she accepts and respects their decision. However, she expressed concern over several transparency issues, including the fact that the applicants were not made aware of the criteria by which their work would be judged. “…the literary aspect I don’t know what the judging criteria was. Other folks deserve the chance to go to CARIFESTA [but] I just wish there was more transparency,” she said.

The writer also shared that applicants were not informed as to who make up the panel of judges and when she made an attempt to enquire, she was told by a ministry official that it would be unethical for her to be told. “I don’t know who

the judges were,” she told the Guyana Chronicle.

She also pointed to similar cases in the performing and visual arts areas, where some persons believe that persons were chosen to represent the country even before auditions were called.

“I have also heard complaints from designers who also got information that designers were already chosen when auditions were called,” Telford related.

Transparency But head of the literary arts planning committee, Ruel Johnson, has since defended the process for selection which he described as “transparent.” According to Johnson, prior to the change in government, there was no transparent, competitive process for selection. Rather, he said that selection was done on the basis of political affiliations and nepotism.

He noted that for this reason, Education Minister Nicolette Henry has continuously emphasised and pushed for a transparent process in the selection round, since those individuals would be representing the country. Speaking directly to the issues raised about the literary arts contingent, Johnson noted that a plan of action had been

Ruel Johnson, Cultural Policy Advisor to the Minister of Education

developed earlier this year by sub-committees for each aspect of the arts. He said that these plans of action, which were submitted to the minister, were to guide the selection preparation of the committee.

He said that subsequently, judges of the highest calibre in the literary field were identified and given the judging criteria, which had been developed by the committee. Once this had been done, Johnson said that advertisements were then published in several newspapers for local writers to apply to be part of the literary team to represent Guyana at CARIFESTA XIII. He noted too, that an

email account had been set up for electronic submission of the candidates’ application and the judges were given full access to it. He added that two persons who had submitted hard copies were asked to submit electronic copies and this was done, which qualified all entries for consideration.

With the judging criteria based on a points-scoring system, Johnson explained that the judges requested that they be allowed the freedom to deliberate on the entries, if need be, due to the complexity of literary work.

He said that after the judges had made their final decision on the three persons to represent Guyana, they provided a report to the committee on each candidate’s performance and how points had been awarded. He disclosed too that one of the three individuals identified was forced to reject the offer due to the fact that another opportunity for his personal development had arisen. As such, the judges agreed that the person who achieved the fourth highest points was asked to be part of the team.

A former winner of the Guyana Prize for Literature, Johnson said that he too was

Writer, Mosa Telford

qualified to be a judge, but that would have compromised the integrity of the system. As such, he made a conscious decision not to have a hand in the decision-making process.

He was keen to note though, that because of the new judging system in place, which ensures transparency, persons can go back to examine the application of each candidate and see how points were awarded. “The minister was deliberate in her efforts to ensure transparency for this reason. So that if someone is not satisfied with the results, the applications and scoring sheets are there for them to examine,” he said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 23, 2017

President says no to overseas GECOM chair

THE suggestion by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo that there be a foreigner appointed as Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has been deemed unnecessary by President David Granger.

On Thursday, the president on his weekly televised programme, ‘The Public Interest,’ said “I don’t think it is necessary, possible, I don’t think it is desirable.”

One week ago Jagdeo disclosed that he had proposed to President Granger amending of the constitution, which guides the selection of a GECOM chairperson, to “broaden the pool” of nominees to include non-Guyanese. He was at the time speaking at a public meeting in Enmore, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and also noted that one of

the conditions of the Carter Center Formula is to have the chairman as someone who has deep knowledge in electoral matters. “Where are we going to find this person in Guyana?” he questioned and commented, especially people who are not political. “It’s almost impossible to meet that condition.

“We can search around the world, so my list can feature some of the best people from around the world,” he continued. However, President Granger made it clear that the Constitution of Guyana speaks clearly to the criteria of the nominees for selection for the post, while adding that those selected

by Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, must conform entirely to the criteria set out in the Constitution.

The opposition leader has thus far submitted two

lists which were deemed unacceptable by the President; he is expected to submit a third soon. “The Constitution requires the leader of the opposition to give me a list of six persons who are not unacceptable, and if he gives me a list of five persons, or four or three, it would be a breach of the constitution. He has to give me a list of 6,” said the President.

President Granger noted that he will not identify who the unacceptable nominees were, but noted that if the opposition leader submits a list of persons who do not all conform to the criteria, then his choice is being narrowed. “I have to have six names from whom to choose and if five of them are unqualified and are not considered to be fit and proper, then I have no choice…

President David Granger

He drives me into picking one person and I won’t be driven… I need to have a choice of six; that’s what the constitution calls for.”

The Head-of-State told reporters that the opposition leader is well aware of the constitutional requirements and noted that Jagdeo re-

quested of him a definition of his criteria; that was provided.

“He knows who he has put on the list,” Granger said, noting that the matter could have been settled weeks ago, but the two lists submitted to him were not in keeping with the Constitution.

The President made the point that the definition he provided the opposition leader is unchallenged. “So when the second list came, it was quite apparent, even a blind man could see, that the list could not conform to the criteria. We have now asked for a third list, I hope the third list conforms to the criteria so that I have six persons from whom to choose. I am not going to choose from one person,” he added.

Justice of Appeal BS

Roy (ret’d); Justice William Ramlal (ret’d); Ms Oneidge Walrond-Allicock, attorney-at-law and a former magistrate; Mr Kashir Khan, attorney-at-law; Ms Nadia Sagar, attorney-at-law and Mr Gerald Gouveia were nominated by Jagdeo on the second list.

The first list comprised Indian Rights Activist Rhyaan Shah, Programme Manager, Social Cohesion Programme, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Lawrence Latchmansingh, Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram, Former Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) Ramesh Dookhoo, retired Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Norman McLean and Dr James Rose, a former PPP elections candidate.

No militarising of state …President reiterates persons’ hirings based on merit

PRESIDENT David Granger has debunked accusations of him attempting to militarise Guyana and noted that persons are hired based on competences and experience.

Speaking on his weekly programme, ‘The Public Interest’ the head-of-state made it clear that he had no role to play in the appointment of former military officers to specific government roles. There have been criticisms about the appointment of former military officers to senior roles within state entities and more recently the appointment of former Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Brigadier George Lewis to the post of Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). “I have nothing to do with the appointment of the GPHC person or the CHPA (Central Housing and Planning Authority). They are human beings and citizens of Guyana and they applied; I did not ask for them to be appointed. In fact, one of them was kind enough to say, ‘I am sorry I didn’t notify you before I applied for the post’,” said President Granger who assured that the identified persons were not nominated by him.

He stressed too that persons need to be assessed based on their qualifications

and not where they worked.

“So we need to look at all Guyanese based on merit and not on some profession they held in the past. I certainly am not militarising the country; I look for the best qualified persons,” the President told reporters on Thursday.

He cautioned about the use of the term militarise and noted that Guyana remains a civil state. He said the use of the term gives an impression that the military has taken control of the country. “We are still civil,” the President asserted while stressing that the mere appointment of persons with military experience cannot be defined as militarising the country. “For example, in my cabinet there are only two persons who have military experience but there are five lawyers; am I legalising the cabinet simply because they were appointed ?” the President asked while positing that the practice of recruiting former military officers wasn’t initiated by the coalition government.

He provided the example of Major General (ret’d) Joseph Singh;Michael Atherly, and Director General of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC),Colonel Chabilal Ramsaroop; Colonel Francis Abraham, a former Deputy Director CDC; Chief Magistrate Ann McLenan among others and noted that

they were all hired under the People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) administrations. “…in fact many were still serving and not even retired. When you look at the list, or the nominal role of people who were employed by the Jagdeo, Ramotar regime, they have been doing a lot of poaching not only from vet-

erans of the GDF but serving officers,” said President Granger who noted that his administration only “carried on the tradition”.

But more importantly, the President believes that to refuse employment to former military officers would constitute an act of discrimination, one which he will

Damaged Bagotville bridge THE Guyana Police Force is informing the general public that the Bagotville main access bridge on the West Bank of Demerara sank slightly this afternoon, due to two damaged supporting beams. Only motor cars and other light vehicles are allowed to use the bridge with caution. Heavy duty vehicles will be diverted via Canal Number One Polder and La Parfaite Harmonie, respectively, until the situation is rectified.

Police ranks have been deployed to direct the Traffic.

not be guilty of. “…As far as I am concerned these are citizens of Guyana, and if they are to be competent in any particular function, be it Commission of Inquiry (COI) or otherwise, why should they be prevented or discriminated against.”

He urged that there be a review of appointments under the former regimes

and pointed to the PPP’s appointment of former Minister of Home Affairs, Ronald Gajraj, a former lieutenant who served under President Granger.

Gajraj was dishonourably discharged from the GDF. He was accused of setting up a phantom squad which allegedly killed over 400 Afro-Guyanese youths.

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Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 23, 2017

When they go low, we go high PROBABLY few Guyanese, if any, did not pay attention to United States 2016 presidential elections. If persons did not directly follow events, they would have been indirectly informed by others. One of the most memorable soundbites of the campaign was in First Lady Michelle Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention.

In apparent response to the verbal attacks President Barack Obama was facing, she told the world the family’s coping mechanism is built around the motto: “When they go low, we go high.” This statement became an international hit and probably one of the most profound in defining acceptable political behaviour. The Obamas left the White House with the president’s job approval rating at 53 percent, having won the 2012 election with 51 percent of the votes.

Last week’s raucous debate in the National Assembly during the Oil Commission Bill may be worthy of examining the political wisdom of the Obamas. The saying “it takes two to tango” remains useful, and whereas the Government side knows its capability to do the rough and tumble with the Opposition, it could be making a cardinal mistake.

Society’s growth and development require not only economic but also cultural, political and socially positive movements. There was a time in the hallowed halls of the people’s House when sarcasm and retort -- acceptable art forms in politics -- were done with such finesse that only the smart could understand and appreciate. One did not have to be highly lettered as so many in the days of yore weren’t, but the use of language, anecdotes and double entendre, not only brought laughter in the House and toward those receiving it.

It also spelt of an era where animosity or disagreement did not require being coarse.

Guyana’s politics is at the crossroads where citizens are turned off, find it useless, see no light at the end of the tunnel, hope for improvement, or love it when their side is on the attack. Society suffers setbacks when its people are not interested in processes of government, or lose respect for those who hold high offices. No society can truly benefit from an apathetic electorate or low voter turnout, because it undermines the democratic processes necessary for involvement and progress.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) in the post-Cheddi Jagan era, though known for its sharp-tongued politics, has taken this to another level which frankly is not for the better of society. Having perfected the new ‘art form,’ it is important to recognise responding or reacting in like measure is walking into the proverbial lion’s trap. It is hard, nay impossible, to beat the PPP/C in its entrapment and disruptive techniques, so it makes perfect sense to rise above it and let the society have the benefit of distinction. Trading invectives not only leads to more, create the environment where parliamentarians no longer look for merit or demerit in the other’s presentation, but waiting to give the ‘las lick’ as done in primary school. The public is not being served by the bawdiness.

It would be recalled, several earlier efforts by Speaker Dr. Barton Scotland to create an atmosphere of civility in the House. His efforts represent the public’s desire and with an eye to giving the people what they clamour for could create

a society where politics is not about the lesser of two evils, but the better of the two.

It pays dividends to any who recognises the importance of differentiating politics where society is fed-up with the new normal of crassness. In days gone by, parliamentary speeches were highly anticipated and adults and the politically conscious tuned in to their radios, stood in the gallery, or on the road to hear the debates and their favourite speakers. Teachers also encouraged students to pay attention or held school tours to hear debates. Most in parliament today would have been beneficiaries of that era. Parliamentarians such as Boysie Ramkarran, Cheddi and Janet Jagan, Forbes Burnham, Kenneth Denny, Mohamed Shahabuddeen and Salahuddin were known for their sharp wit and biting sarcasm. Desmond Hoyte and Rudy Luck were known for their tongue-in-cheek offensives These are just a few examples.

It was not that Parliament back then was not loud and at times rowdy, but even in that environment it was a treat to both sides of the political divide hearing the articulation and the cut and thrust of friends and foes alike. An advantage the National Assembly presents is that of members’ speeches being archived, verbatim, through the Hansards. Where civility, and by extension relational development, is falling apart, it may be useful to recognise that high politics will always retain its pride of place and be rewarded in any society.

The average Guyanese father is a very broken man Dear Editor FATHER’S Day has just passed and the United Republican Party (URP) would first like to say how proud we are of the men who did not only father children, but more so, parented those children. The role of fathers has always been challenging. Not only internationally, but more particularly in Guyana.

The Guyanese father has always had an unparalleled struggle as compared to any other father across the Caribbean. The Guyanese father makes the least amount in salaries and wages. The Guyanese father has less access to proper healthcare. As a result

of this, the Guyanese father has a predictably shorter life span than any other male in the region. The Guyanese father is more susceptible to being the victim of crime. He is also more likely to commit suicide and murder than any other father in the Caribbean.

All of these negative realities which the Guyanese father faces are a direct result of the repressive, narrow-minded, autocratic and greedy kind of political leadership to which the Guyanese populace has been subjected, for more than half of a century. The average Guyanese father is a very broken man.

The proof of this can be visible any evening, particularly on the weekends. Pass by any

rumshop, pub or beer garden and see the endemic decimation of the average Guyanese male. It is as if rum is now the substitute for even the desire for religious or political involvement.

Most of the conversations that take place around the rum and beer bottles are political in nature, however, the gutter-most depth to which the political arena has sunken in Guyana, is a deterrent to many. So they would rather sit and imbibe alcohol and talk about politics, rather than get up from the rum-table and actually get involved.

Many of the alcoholics and budding alcoholics know that Guyana is in a political mess.

Their conversations fluctuate

back and forth between those realities. They also know that if they cast aside their own political ideology and racial biases, they can effect a movement that would substantially change the political trajectory of this Guyana wasteland. However, they have been abused and beaten down for so long (50+ years), that they feel powerless of do anything other than drink their sorry lives away.

It will be a while until the average Guyanese man is made to feel like a real man. It is nowhere in the near future that the average Guyanese man will be able to achieve a living wage and live a life comparable to the work he puts in. Guyana has

seen neither the kind of transformative leaders nor those with the political will to so turn around the fortunes of the average Guyanese man.

Yes, the politicians, the contractors, the cronies of the politicians and the families of those connected will make it. They will travel (if their visas are not revoked), build impressive homes and experience the good life. In even the most autocratic and vile societies, they are those who manage to squeeze out a decent living. However, in these kinds of politically subversive societies, where objective views are frowned upon and where any opposition to the powers that be are taken as insurrection, many

are left on the breadline and asked to be thankful for the crumbs that fall from the masters’ table.

So, notwithstanding the naked realities of the suffering of the average Guyanese man, the URP would like to belatedly wish the fathers a Happy Father’s Day and we hope and pray that as we move forward in this thing we call a democracy, that we will put our shoulders to the wheel and do what we know needs to be done to improve the lives of all men; not just the privileged and well connected.

Regards Dr. Vishnu Bandhu Leader, URP

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 23, 2017

GRA working to lay audit reports in Parliament

Dear Editor

THE Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) wishes to respond to a recent letter from Sase Singh in the Stabroek News and Kaieteur News captioned, “Why has the GRA’s Annual Report for 2015 not been laid in Parliament?”

The GRA wishes to advise as follows: 1.The audit of Revenue Statements for the fiscal year 2015 was completed by the Audit Office of Guyana. Officials from the revenue authority

were thereafter summoned to appear before the Public Accounts Committee in relation to the findings that were highlighted in the Auditor General’s report.

2. The GRA’s annual reports however are dependent on the finalisation of both the Audit of the Agency’s Revenue and its Expenditure, and the ensuing Financial Statements, which form an integral part of the report.

The Audit Office of Guyana has since completed the Audit of Financial Statements

for the year 2011. This is presently with the printers and will be presented to the National Assembly shortly.

3. The audit of Financial Statements for the years 2012 and 2013 are currently being finalised and the laying of these reports will follow shortly thereafter. 4. The Guyana Revenue Authority does not believe in double standards, and agree that this inherited state of affairs must be immediately addressed with both the Audit Office of Guyana

and the revenue authority showing a firm commitment to bringing the Audited Financial Statements up to date. This will allow the agency conformity to not only the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act 2003, but also the Revenue Authority Act 1996.

Regards Godfrey Statia CommissionerGeneral Guyana Revenue Authority

APA looks forward to all being engaged in resolving land CoI issues Dear Editor, REPRESENTATIVES of the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) met with President David Granger and his team on June 14, 2017 and discussed the APA’s concerns on the recently established Commission of Inquiry on Lands. Though called at short notice, the APA was able to quickly put together a team to meet with the President and the organisation appreciates the resulting constructive dialogue that took place in this meeting, as well as the President’s acceptance of the APA’s proposal that the CoI suspend further action on indigenous lands until adequate consultation has occurred with indigenous peoples and representative organisations such as the National Toshaos Council.

Over the past five months, the APA has been consistently expressing its concern, first about a move to establish a joint lands commission and then later the actual establishment of the commission. Among the concerns listed by the APA is the inappropriate linkage between indigenous land rights and ‘ancestral lands’

for Guyanese of African ancestry, while acknowledging the Government’s prerogative to establish a Commission of Inquiry to investigate ‘ancestral lands.’ Other concerns include the seeming duplication of activities between the CoI and revision of the Amerindian Act, which would address many of the same issues and in the most appropriate manner, and the guideline pertaining to the demarcation and titling of indigenous lands, which was adopted by the ALT Project Board and endorsed by the wide range of stakeholders -- governmental and otherwise -- who were part of its development.

The APA was also very concerned by possible delays in the approval of titles for indigenous lands that had been attributed to the CoI, including those previously approved by the Ministry of Indigenous People’s’Affairs, and pending signature by the Ministry of the Presidency.

We continue to hope that these and other pending titles will be processed expeditiously and transmitted to the communities who are eagerly awaiting news of same.

In February, the APA first wrote to the board of the Amerindian Land Titling and Demarcation Project, then to

President Granger asking for a meeting to talk about the very concerns listed above.

On May 4, President Granger met with the APA through its Executive Director, Jean La Rose,following which she again documented the APA’s concerns in a letter to him. The APA’s executive committee had been meeting in Georgetown during the end of May and therefore had sought another meeting with President Granger, but this did not happen. However, when President Granger said he could meet with the APA on June 14, the organisation seized the opportunity to do so. The APA has always recognised that indigenous rights issues are not the domain of one organisation or group alone, and has also consistently sought to have discussions with like-minded representative groups and individuals and to present common positions that come from multiple sources when possible.

In our meeting, the President acknowledged that his government had overlooked some issues in seeking to address the long-standing matter of Amerindian lands and went further to state that these issues could be corrected or improved. In

having the meeting with the APA, the President said he hoped “to discuss how the inquiry could proceed in an acceptable manner to indigenous peoples and to all Guyana.” In making his five-point proposal, he noted that he would also have to meet with the National Toshaos Council and other organisations to not only inform them of these proposals, but also to listen to their concerns and other proposals they may make. The APA, recognising that it could not make decisions on behalf of those who do not form part of its constituency, took note of the President’s proposal and made a request for the suspension of all CoI activities related to indigenous lands until there is further dialogue with all parties concerned and until all agree on the way forward.

President Granger agreed to this, and the APA therefore looks forward to all being engaged in resolving issues of concern and to common positions in moving forward.

Regards, Jean La Rose, Executive Director, Amerindian Peoples Association

Teachers’ salaries being withheld in Linden Dear Editor I have noted through various media sources, the protest by teachers of Region Number Five pertaining to the withholding of salaries.

Mr. Editor, would this bring out a similar issue that the teachers of Region Number 10 are facing? Please note that teachers of the region have been suffering harshly at the hands of education officers.

Over the past three years or so, hardworking teachers of the region that hold this country together, have been treated like outcasts by the regional education officers. Salaries have been withheld for the following periods and reasons: Seven months – leaving the country without permission (urgent medical purposes). Four Months – not resuming duties due to the sudden death of family member. Five months – for not resuming duties due to being involved in an

accident overseas (Medical certificate was sent), among others. Last but not least, five months for not wanting to take up positions in riverain areas. The list can go on…

As I read about the ‘Ghost Education Officer’ who is not in Sub District Two of Region 10, I looked to the sky and wondered … ‘Have her salaries been withheld or is she receiving her salaries, allowances and quota of supplies for her appointed position? I looked to the sky and wondered: could the salaries of the REDO be withheld for not leaving a region she has messed up and continues to mess up big time? There needs to be an intense investigation and audit on the happenings at the Department of Education, Region Number 10, as soon as possible.

Regards Affected teacher

GACC announcement of new U.S. strategy to engage Caribbean Dear Editor THE Guyanese-American Chamber of Commerce (GACC) welcomes the announcement made on Tuesday, June 20th via a press release by Representative Eliot L. Engel (D-NY), ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), the Chairman Emeritus of the Committee, of a new United States Government strategy on future engagement with the Caribbean, including Guyana.

The GACC fully supports the recommendation of the lawmakers that there be an increased commitment on the part of the United States to its relationship with the Caribbean region and its diaspora in America.

The chamber is especially pleased that among the recommendations is “announcement of a trade and investment conference with the Caribbean, focused on increasing bilateral trade and improving the region’s investment climate and regulatory environment.”

The GACC wishes to express its sincere thanks to all the members of the U.S. Congress for their approval of the Bill (HR 4939) which was signed into law last December by then President Barack Obama.

The GACC has worked closely with the Institute of Caribbean Studies (ICS) in its consultations with the U.S. Congress and the U.S. State Department over the past year, including contributing to a paper which outlined the recommendations of the Caribbean Diaspora. Later today and tomorrow, representatives of the chamber will join other Caribbean-American business and civic leaders in discussions with key members of the U.S. Congress, including Senator Marco Rubio, on the new strategy.

These discussions are part of Caribbean-American Heritage Month Legislative Week being held in Washington, DC. Regards Wesley Kirton President GACC

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday June 23, 2017

City Hall pours $120M into flood control … mulls deploying drones to gather info on overtopping

HALF of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC)’s budget of $240M for drainage has been expended so far to ensure that floodwaters recede rapidly during the ongoing rainy season.

Town Clerk, Royston King, made the disclosure during a press briefing with members of the media on Thursday at City Hall. Due to persistent downpours over the past few days, the M&CC has been forced to take action in order to prevent flooding in areas around Georgetown.

So far, efforts to avoid flooding have cost the Council just over $120M. “Extensive work is being done in critical areas such as Alexander Village, all the divisions of Ruimveldt, Campbellville and some sections of Queenstown,” said Chief Engineer of M&CC, Colvern Venture, who added that most of their challenges are faced in the southern part

of the city, because of the prevalence of squatters who hinder their ability to access the canals.

Areas such as Cane View and Sideline Dam are also being targeted, but those are the areas that are highly populated by squatters who contribute to the blockage of drains with their outhouses which lack basic components. The Council was nevertheless able to deploy employees who are working to ensure that blockages and waterways are cleared in order to allow water to reach quickly to sluices and pumps, said Venture.

Water has not been able to accumulate because all the sluices and pumps are operational, and are being monitored regularly. Although their budget is “limited,” the town clerk said that they have been doing their work in phases and receiving support from various communities

and the private sector.

The business community in particular has been disciplined in the disposal of garbage and has played their role in helping the Council to promote community involvement in clean-up campaigns.

“We are however appealing to our business friends, to stop allowing downpipes into the street drains…instead, they should be led through the surface drain which is connected to the lower drains…when it is short, persons get wet and the water floods the street,” said King.

The chief engineer stressed that everything can be corrected and maintained once their methods of gathering information are improved. Earlier this year, a team from The Netherlands did a study on the drainage system in Georgetown and as a result, they developed a model to enhance the gath-

The Canal at North-East La Penitence being de-silted.

Chief Engineer of the M&CC, Colvern Venture (left) and Town Clerk, Royston King, speaking to members of the media on Thursday.(Delano Williams photos) ering of information so that key areas can be prioritised.

USING DRONES In an attempt to implement some of the recommendations, the M&CC will be looking to use drones to gather information. King pointed out that with the aid of a private company, they will be looking to deploy drones that will assist them with gathering information on overtopping, traffic and security within the city.

Over the course of next month, the M&CC will be working towards this goal, he said, noting that drones will allow them to save money and be more efficient. Persons are being warned not to be alarmed by the sight of drones around the city.

The town clerk said that when the project is fully operational, the Council will be open to sharing information with ministries and other stakeholders.

A vendor clearing water from the pavement.

Ministry of Communities hands over tractor, hydraulic lift trailer to Region 8 THE capacity of the Region Eight Regional Democratic Council (RDC) was boosted on Thursday with the handing over of a double-drive tractor and a hydraulic lift trailer, totaling $11,725,000M, by the Ministry of Communities.

In brief remarks at the Ministry of Communities, Kingston Georgetown, Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, explained that the Ministry’s aim is to strengthen the municipalities’ capacity to effectively and

efficiently provide urban service delivery, especially for solid waste management. He noted that this will help to promote development, growth and sustainability for healthy communities.

The Minister pointed out that the tractor procured for the region, “was first classified as a single drive tractor, however, after reviewing the nature of works See page 9

L-R Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communities, Emil Mc Garrell; Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan; Genequip Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Renger Van Dyk hands over the keys to the Region Eight Regional Executive Officer (REO) (ag), Gavin Gounga, and other officials

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday June 23, 2017

Cap on CSEC must be guided by research

… Ed Caesar urges broad consultations

By Vishani Ragobeer CHAIRMAN of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the education sector and former Chief Educational Officer (CEO), Ed Caesar says any policy for the implementation of decisions that will impact education such as the cap on the number of Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects, must be guided by research.

Caesar ’s comments come on the heels of a circular letter sent to public secondary schools, which explained that the Ministry of Education is exploring

the possibility of enforcing a limit on the number of subjects being written by students at the CSEC examinations.

This limit would debar students of the senior secondary school, including the schools with sixth form, from writing no more than 10 subjects, while students from junior secondary schools would write no more than six subjects.

But during an interview with Guyana Chronicle on Thursday, Caesar said, “The time has come to ensure that the decisions we make are informed by research.” However, he stressed that the CoI con-

ducted recently did not investigate the number of CSEC subjects that students write nor was any recommendation made in this regard. “We have not dealt with that. That isn’t an area that we have interrogated,” the former CEO said.

According to Caesar, if the ministry is exploring a cap on the number of subjects, then all stakeholders, especially students, must be consulted. “We must give them [students] the opportunity to say what is behind what they desire or their willingness to write that many subjects,” the former CEO said.

Former Chief Education Officer (CEO), Ed Caesar When that research is done, Caesar posited that the “best informed” decision can be made and a policy reflective of this will

be advanced. He stressed that an educational sector that is conducive to learning for all is imperative.

Another factor to consider, according to the Chairman, is ascertaining whether those who have written many subjects have benefited adequately. He said, “The application of what students have learnt to their professional lives is one way in which this must be assessed.”

During the ongoing debate about the cap on the number of subjects, many have refuted that those who write many subjects are not involved in extra-curricular activities. To this end, Caesar related again that adequate research must be done before such an asser-

tion can be made.

This proposal to place a cap on the number of subjects comes several months after it was first floated by the former Minister of Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine. It was reported then that Dr Roopnaraine was of the belief that students should have a more rounded education, where they can be involved in activities like sports and drama.

It was also reported in the media that Dr. Roopnaraine stressed that he wanted school to be a place, of a “wider cultural experience” as opposed to concentrating on writing many subjects and having to attend numerous extra lessons.

Remove injunction restricting mining –– says frustrated miner

CLOSE to two years after an injunction was secured at the level of the High Court blocking her husband from accessing his mining claim in Tiger Creek, Lucillia Emanuel said her ailing husband is still waiting for the matter to be resolved.

The frustrated woman told the Guyana Chronicle that her husband has all the documentation to prove that the claim is his, and that he was working there legally.

The situation, Emanuel said, has crippled her family financially, since the mining claim was their only source of finance.

On Thursday, Emanuel, also known as “Lawa,” told the Guyana Chronicle that her husband, John Emanuel, along with another individual who is now deceased, had acquired four claims – Value, Value 1, Value 2 and Value 3 in Tiger Creek, Region 8 ( Potaro/Siparuni) in 1987.

The Saint Lucian-born woman, who moved to Guyana at the age of six and has been living in Mahdia for the past 56 years, said all was well until 2015.

“On 16th July, 2015, we had some people working our claim – Value 1 when a guy by the name of Mario Rodrigues, came and told

my husband that it was his Block,” Emanuel recalled.

Rodrigues, who was at the time accompanied by two GGMC (Guyana Geology and Mines Commission) officers, insisted that the claim measuring 800 x 1500ft formed part of his block – Block 59 but Mr. Emanuel reportedly objected.

According to Emanuel, her husband acquired the claims in Tiger Creek 10 years before the block was established in the area. She said it was not long before Rodrigues filed a complaint that a cease work order was issued by the GGMC. “We leave Mahdia on

Ministry of Communities hands over tractor, hydraulic lift ...

From page 8

the tractor would be exposed (to), approvals were made to have the tractor upgraded to double-drive standard for Region Eight.”

Region Eight, Regional Executive Officer (REO) (ag), Gavin Gounga, thanked the Minister for his effort to aid in solid waste management until the establishment of the Mahdia Town Council. He said that the tractor will be utilised for a number of activities, including assisting in mowing grass, maintenance of parapets, moving and transporting of road building materials

among others.

The tractor is equipped with a hook lift trailer, which is specially designed for the management of solid waste through the use of skip metal bins.

During 2016, the Ministry of Communities, through its Sanitation Management Unit, handed over four double wheel-drive tractors, five single wheeldrive tractors and nine hydraulic lift trailers totaling $93,525,000M in an effort to aid in development within several the municipalities. (DPI/GINA)

A distressed Lucillia Emanuel holding up a photocopied receipt which indicates that her husband had acquired the claim in 1987 from the GGMC 28th July after receiving the cease work order from GGMC claiming that we were working Block 59.”

Following its investigation, GGMC found that the claim was indeed that of Mr. Emanuel given that he had all the legal documents, and as such the cease order was rescinded.

Emanuel was also issued with a mining license by GGMC in August 2016.

However, by August 5, 2015, Rodrigues had secured an injunction from the High Court preventing Mr. Emanuel from accessing his claim at Tiger Creek. A second injunction was filed on December 23, 2015, however, that one was discharged by Justice

Roxanne George.

“The first injunction is still in place though. The last time we had a hearing was on the 16th November, 2016, and up to now we are still waiting,” said a frustrated Emanuel.

“My husband have all his receipts, I have my license. We have all of our documents, and we still can’t get this matter resolved, two years down the line,” she stressed.

Emanuel said on the other hand, Rodrigues has been pressuring them to make a settlement. “They are asking for a settlement.

They want to purchase everything to work that land – Value 1 – and when they done, they take out their

expense, and then divide it half and half and give my husband but we don’t want that. It is our claim. I am not on their block.”

Their inability to mine on the land has set them back financially, the mother of eight posited. “I have eight children and 21 grandchildren, and everybody suffering because they all work with me. My husband got a stroke plus he get sugar and pressure and could hardly walk,” she added.

“I don’t have nothing.

Sometimes I would have to beg one of my good friends to get money to buy tablets for my husband,” Emanuel continued.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday June 23, 2017

PUC cuts GTT ‘pay less’ promotion … after Digicel’s complaint about int’l component

THE Public Utilities Commission (PUC) on June 15 ordered that the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph’s (GTT) “Get More Pay Less” promotion, which started on February 22, continue until August 22 following an objection by Digicel to the international outbound component of the promotion.

The Commission also concluded that the promotion does not appear to be anti-competitive and Digicel is not at a disadvantage as a result of the promotion.

Digicel has labeled that aspect of the promotion as anti-competitive, noting that the promotion provides all of GTT’s customers with minutes that could be utilised to make calls to the USA and Canada. The “Get More Pay Less” promotion offers customers a bundled package comprising three services to consumers namely: a daily + plan which costs $449. Cus-

CEO of GTT, Justin Nedd tomers who subscribe for that plan get 15 free minutes, 30 free text messages and 200 MB of data.

The three day plan by the company offers customers 25 free minutes, 500MB of data, and 50 free text messages at a cost of $749 while the weekly plan stands at $1449 and offers 1000MB of data,

40 free minutes and 80 free text messages. There are two monthly plans, the first costs $3499, and comes with 100 free minutes 200 free texts and 3000MB of data while the Monthly + plan costs $5199 and has 150 free minutes, 250 free texts and 4200MB of data.

The minutes offered in the promotion could be used in a number of ways including calls to the United States and Canada. Digicel said too that if all of the minutes provided for in the promotion are used exclusively to make calls to the USA and Canada then the effective rates of those calls would be significantly lower than the approved retail rates by the PUC to the two countries.

Additionally, Digicel contends that the promotion is anti-competitive since GT&T still holds a monopoly in the market for international services in Guyana, and is providing Digicel with

a wholesale rate which is considerably in excess of the highest possible retail rate its customers would pay.

As such, GTT’s lone competitor in the sector called on the PUC to suspend or terminate the promotion and any further promotion until the hearing and determination of the complaint.

Alternatively, Digicel requested that the Commission orders that all present and future promotions concerning international rates, be extended by GT&T to Digicel and to be offered as part of their bundled minutes to their customers.

In response, GTT relied on Section 6.2 of the Government of Guyana/ Atlantic Tele Network Agreement claiming legitimacy of its actions. That Section states that “the license granted GTT in respect of the services referred to in sub-paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of Section 6.1, during the period of the licence issued to GTT, no other company, nor Government, shall provide any services to which the licence relates.”

As a result of the aforementioned section, GTT argued that it has every right to continue with its promotion, and it will continue to insist

CEO of Digicel, Kevin-Kelly on even-handed treatment in the sector and the consistent application of the rule of law.

Following GTT’s response, the PUC began a hearing on March 21. At the hearing, Digicel continued to urge that customers are likely to utilise all of the minutes in the bundled promotion to make calls to the Unites States of America (USA) or Canada, and in so doing the cost per minute will be substantially below the PUC set rates. GTT on the other hand submitted that the promotion in question is beneficial to its consumers and can hardly be deemed discriminatory to Digicel’s consumers.

“To ascertain the veracity of Digicel’s assumptions, we requested that GT&T submit to the Commission on a monthly basis the number of subscribers to the bundled plan; and the distribution of minutes of usage that must include both local and international minutes. “ GTT has complied with the Commission’s directive and the Commission has since received from the company the latest three months of the bundled plans and minutes of use. Digicel was also requested to provide information to the Commission showing the impact, if any, that GTT’s promotion may have on the outbound segment of its business. “Unfortunately, Digicel failed to respond to that request,” the PUC said. However, the PUC found that the data supplied by GTT indicated that approximately 96 per cent of the minutes used were made to the local networks and four per cent were used to satisfy international services.

“Further, we are of the opinion that there was no significant switching

by Digicel’s consumers to GT&T’s network to take advantage of the promotion,” the PUC stated. GTT has to inform the PUC of the conclusion of the promotion.

Clonbrook man arrested with 117 grams of ganja POLICE have arrested a 35-year-old vendor of Section ‘B’ Clonbrook, East Coast Demerara, following the discovery of 117 grams of cannabis.

According to a police report, ranks acted on information received and swooped down at the vendor’s home at approximately 17:30hrs on Wednesday. The illegal substance was found packaged in small-sized zip-lock bags.

He is being processed for court.

The cannabis which were found in the vendor’s house

Man on trial for rape of child JULIUS Tejowah, a man accused of raping a minor under the age of 16, appeared before Justice Navendra Singh and a Jury on Thursday for the crime.

The Prosecution led by Tuanna Hardy and comprises of Tameika Clarke and Seeta Bishundyal, contends that on July 31, 2015 Tejowah allegedly penetrated the minor.

Meanwhile, Hardy and her team are expected to call eight witnesses to the stand during the in-camera trial.

Tejowah is being represented by attorney Maxwell McKay.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday June 23, 2017

Alexander leaving Min. of Education … to join Roopnaraine at Public Service

By Shauna Jemmott

TECHNICAL Facilitator/ Advisor to the Minister of Education, Vincent Alexander, is considering a request by newly appointed Minister of the Public Service, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, to work as advisor within the Public Service Department within the Ministry of the Presidency.

Alexander was employed by the Ministry as Technical Facilitator to Minister Roopnaraine. He expressed the view that given the nature of his appointment, it follows that with the minister being sent to another ministry, he should at minimum offer his resignation.

In an interview with the Guyana Chronicle at his office on Thursday, Alexander said Dr. Roopnaraine has asked him, among others, to accept appointments in the Department of the Public Service, Ministry of the Presidency. He also indicated that it was told to him that Minister Henry was comfortable with Minister Roopnaraine`s desire to have his staff, including him (Alexander) relocated.

“As a matter of principle I would consider it correctly for me to tender my resignation, since my appointment as technical facilitator was an appointment to a particular minister. Advisors are appointed on two criteria: one, if the person is professionally

competent and two, when the person is considered to be someone in whom the minister has confidence and trust. It’s a relational matter.

Therefore, in those circumstances, particularly on the relational note, the best thing to do is to allow a new minister the leverage to determine who he or she would wish to be his or her advisor. So that is the principle that I am following,” Alexander told the Guyana Chronicle.

He is now considering the proposal by Roopnaraine to take up the appointment within the Ministry of the Presidency, but has not yet tendered his resignation as technical facilitator. “I will do it as soon as I am able to finalise how much leave

However, he made it clear that becoming an evaluator should not be about the money. “People can be influenced regardless of what they are paid.

The money that is being paid, is not being paid to… ascertain people’s honesty, it is just to defray any expenses they may have,” he said.

The NPTAB Chairman added, “It is not based on how much you get, it is based on your integrity and your willingness to participate in something worthwhile.”

Meanwhile, during the opening ceremony of the orientation, Wickham emphasised that the te-

nets of Guyana’s public procurement system must be upheld, noting that the country’s performance in this area has national and international implications.

The key principles that govern the process of evaluation of tenders are: non-discrimination, equal treatment, transparency and confidentiality.

“How well a country performs in public procurement has international implications in terms of our relations with other countries – donor countries and loan countries. So, it is important that we do public procurement in a manner that can stand scrutiny and is totally transparent,” he

Mr. Vincent Alexander I have because that will influence my date. Right now I am in transition out… the context is now that the minister who is leaving has asked me to take up appointment with him at his new place. That is being considered by me. So I will not be continuing with education

given that and I am considering whether I will take up the position with the minister who has gone to the Ministry of the Presidency,” he stated.

When asked if Minister Henry had indicated an interest in him staying on as her technical facilitator, Alexander answered in the negative. He referred to his status as one of transitioning out. “He left from the 15th of this month, so for all intents and purposes there is nothing that I should be doing that has his initiation after the 15th. I really have no responsibilities, I might just be wrapping up things that I was doing, but I have no ongoing responsibility.”

Alexander retired in December 2014 as Registrar at the University of Guyana.

He has since been appointed Chairman of the National

Accreditation Council and Chairman of the Georgetown Technical Institute (GTI). He said his appointments with those organisations were not in any way connected to him being technical facilitator to Minister Roopnaraine and he will continue in those positions.

“Those appointments were unrelated to my appointment as technical facilitator. I became the Chairman of the National Accreditation Council before I came to this ministry. I became Chairman of GTI before I came to this ministry.

It is not by virtue of being here that I am in those positions, which I assumed after retiring from UG, bearing in mind that those are not full-time or paid [positions].” Alexander told the Guyana Chronicle.

Pay hike proposed for bids evaluators THE National Procurement and Tendering Administration Board (NPTAB) evaluators are likely to receive a pay hike.

Currently, the evaluators, who review bids ranging into the millions, are paid $3,000 per bid, but according to Board Chairman Berkley Wickham, this fee will soon be increased.

However, he was unable to give specifics. “I have spoken to the minister about it.

It will be raised. I am sure it will be raised,” Wickham assured reporters on Thursday on the sideline of an orientation for potential evaluators. The orientation was organised by the NPTAB, Ministry of Finance.

Some of the potential evaluators who responded to the NPTAB’s call

told the potential evaluators who had gathered at the Police Officers Training Complex in Georgetown for the orientation.

In a detailed presentation, the NPTAB Chairman explained that public procurement is the process by which a government identifies the needs of its country, and provides solutions by acquiring the necessary goods and services through financial contractual agreements.

It was noted that the awarding of contracts for the needed goods and services, based on a pre-determined criteria, is also an important part of the procurement process. The entire process, he lamented, is critical to the country’s economic development.

“Public procurement in Guyana has been estimated in the order of 20-30% of GDP, due to the fact that we have a comparatively weak private sector and Government has had to act as a primary economic driver,” Wickham explained.

He told the potential evaluators that there are three key concepts and guiding principles of public procurement which are

Chairman of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) Berkley Wickham addressing the potential evaluators at the Police Officers Training Centre, Georgetown. aligned to the Guyana Procurement Act 2003. These are: maximising economy and efficiency in procurement; fostering and encouraging participation in procurement proceedings by suppliers and contractors regardless of nationality, thereby promoting international trade; and promoting competition among suppliers and contractors of goods, services or construction to be procured.

NPTAB Chief Execu-

tive Officer (CEO) Donald De Clou, who was also part of the early morning orientation, walked the close to 80 potential evaluators through the operations of the Tender Evaluation Committee.

Evaluators are usually drawn from the public sector. Once the potential evaluators indicate that they are interested in becoming evaluators, advance training would be provided.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday June 23, 2017

UG to set up diaspora centre … upbeat about upcoming conference

By Alva Solomon

AS the University of Guyana (UG) prepares to host a major inaugural diaspora engagement conference, plans are in train for the launch of a Diaspora Engagement Centre in December this year.

The initiative was announced by the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Dr Ivelaw Griffith, who along with Mexico’s Ambassador to Guyana , Ivan Robero Sierra Medel and other university officials, briefed the media at the Mexican Embassy on Brickdam on Thursday of UG’s upcoming diaspora conference . The event is slated for July 23-28 at the Ramada Georgetown Princess on the East Bank of Demerara.

According to Dr Griffith, the diaspora centre is being pursued as an avenue to assist the university in working with persons in the diaspora. He said the idea of the establishment of the centre is to enable a permanent entity to facilitate a variety of events over time. These include facilitation of linkages between the university and the diaspora, ”Guyana

beyond the university “ and he noted that it is expected that the centre will undertake conferences and hold a talent databank. “One of the things we will be asking the centre to do is to manage that,” he said of the talent database of Guyanese persons.

Griffith said that one of the outcomes of the conference is a discussion of a concept paper that will advance dialogue on the centre. He said several organisations have been engaged on funding of the facility, noting that the idea presents an opportunity to UG to extend its partnerships beyond Guyana. He said that physical location of the centre has to be decided.”

I’m excited about the centre”, Griffith noted.

Griffith said he anticipates, as part of the diaspora conference, that there will be structured guidance about the timeline leading to the opening of the centre, noting that the facility will be established in a phased process commencing this September.

As regards the conference, UG is looking to host at 100-150 participants at the event which will be held under the theme, “Dreaming Diaspora Engagement, Doing

Diaspora Engagement.” Griffith noted that while persons may not be able to attend, the interest in participation is there. “For me participation in the conference is only a small proportion of interest,” he said.

The objectives of the conference include engagement of the diaspora in facilitating the pursuit of entrepreneurship, innovations and social and human capital opportunities. In addition, the event will be used to discuss global best practices in diaspora-engagement policies and strengthen partnerships with organisations overseas.

Griffith said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been engaged in many areas in terms of the partnership with the university in the lead-up to the conference. Dr Fitzgerald Yaw, Director of the Office of Strategic Initiatives at UG, noted that the Government of Guyana is reviewing its diaspora-engagement strategy and the university plans to ask the government to launch or discuss the strategy at the conference in July. As regards the Mexican Embassy’s participation in the event, Ambassador Medel

Mexico’s Ambassador to Guyana , Ivan Robero Sierra Medel and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Dr Ivelaw Griffith, share a light moment following Thursday’s press briefing at the Mexican embassy on Brickdam noted that he has a good relationship with the university and as such, the embassy is in conversation with the institution as regards the hosting of the event. “We are open to this very important potential area”, he said. Ambassador Medel is among a list of persons who are expected to speak at the conference.

As part of the calendar of events, President David Granger is expected to host the welcoming reception on the opening day of the event

and he is also expected to deliver the keynote address the following day. Opposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira, will also speak during the early days of the event, while several government ministers have confirmed their participation.

In addition, British Member of Parliament, David Lammy, is expected to speak during the conference, while academics, civic leaders, businesspersons and members of the diplomatic com-

munity are also expected to participate in the inaugural event. Meanwhile, the conference will see the investiture of Dr Griffith as UG’s 10th Vice-Chancellor on the last day of the event. It is the first time a VC will be officially installed as head of the university.

The event’s last day will also be highlighted by a cultural extravaganza and will be organised by London –based musician Keith Waite.

GRDB ‘big six’ deny fraud charges

Ricky Ramraj

Badrie Persaud

Prema Roopnarine

Dharamkumar Seeraj

Nigel Dharamlall

Jagnarine Singh

omitted to enter some $52 million in the GRDB ledger; they also denied that they omitted to enter a sum of $77.3 million into the said ledger. Other charges read that between the years 2014 and 2015, the sums of $130 million, $9.7 million and $145 million were respectively omitted from the GRDB register; they pleaded not guilty to this charge as

well.

In May, the six officials made their first appearance in court and were indictably charged; they were released on $500,000 bail each with reporting conditions.

The charges stemmed from the findings of an audit into the finances of the GRDB. Prosecutor attached to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), Michael Somersall made no objections to the passports being returned to the officials.

Additionally, the other

prosecutor, Trenton Lake, warned the defendants that the trial can proceed without their presence and arrest warrants can be issued if they failed to return to court.

Attorneys representing the six include Anil Nandlall, Priya Manickchand, Sase Gunraj and Glen Hanoman.

Hanoman made the application for the passport to be returned to the six accused.

Meanwhile, during the court proceeding, Nandlall questioned how only six of the 15 board members were charged

as he pointed out that all 15 had the same responsibilities.

The attorney also wanted to know whether SOCU will be charging the remaining GRDB members. However, Prosecutor Somersall pointed out that he was not involved in SOCU’s investigation and is unable to answer the question.

In light of the claims, Attorney Manickchand described the charges as “political and vindictive” in nature.

The matter is adjourned until July 11.

– passports returned

By Clestine Juan SIX former board members of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) were finally allowed to plead in the multimillion dollar fraud charge on Thursday.

Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, ordered that the passports of former GRDB head, Madulall Ricky Ram-

raj; former General Manager, Jagnarine Singh; former GRDB board members, Dharamkumar Seeraj, Badrie Persaud, PPP Parliamentarian Nigel Dharamlall and former Deputy Permanent Secretary (Finance) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Prema Roopnarine, be returned to them.

During their court appearance on Thursday, the six denied that in 2011, they

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday June 23, 2017

Efforts under way to regularise squatter settlements

THOUGH the Ministry of Housing is making every effort to regularise some squatting areas across the city, subject Minister Valarie Patterson is cautioning those bent on squatting to desist from so doing.

In an interview on Wednesday, Patterson made it clear that the government has zero tolerance for those who believe they have a right to squat. While the minister accepted that many persons have squatted due to unfortunate circumstances, she made it clear that there are others who are gaining financially from the activity.

“Squatting is illegal and does not fit into Government’s housing policy; we will never encourage illegal activities,” she said, adding: “Sitting here as minister the amount of stories that came to me, and some of them are very touching. There was a need in some cases for some people to get some place to live, so I believe that out of that kind of desperation some went into it. However, some went into it as a business; they just go, take the land, rent it, build a little land and rent it. Some of them legally own house lots; they rent that and go squatting. We are not to continue to encourage that.”

Minister Patterson stressed that her ministry is attempting to bring order to the city: “This is our capital

and any one going into areas like Sophia would be very unhappy with what they see.

As the minister responsible for housing, I cannot continue to have or allow that kind of situation to continue in our garden city, we have to clean it up. We have to really let our city look like one that we are happy to be in… when our visitors come they must not see that kind of thing.”

Meanwhile, the Housing Minister said too that government is working along with international agencies such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to provide low-cost homes to squatters who will be removed from the city’s reserves. She anticipates that negotiations in this vein will conclude at the end of the year. “Even at Government level, we have already identified an area where we want to relocate squatters particularly from Sophia, La Penitence and Ruimveldt.

My view is, it does not make sense to remove a squatter from Sophia and place them somewhere [without providing a home], they are going to move the very shack they are living in to the very location.

“You’d be just transferring a shanty town from one area to the next. My view and intention is if I am going to relocate a squatter, I must be able to upgrade them.”

Patterson noted that even if

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Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Valarie Patterson

Houses belonging to squatters in the city through self-help, low-cost houses can be built before squatters are relocated. She believes that giving squatters a sense of decency is very important as many of them have children. “It will take some time, people have to be patient with us, we don’t have a money tree that we can go and shake.”

Thus far, the Ministry of Communities, Department of Housing, has done a number of surveys in the communities of Sophia, East and West Ruimveldt, John Fernandes Squatting Area commonly called Container City, Middle Road La Penitence and along the sea defence areas

on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD). Surveys have also been done in Region Three and as far as Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD).

“Since we have advertised that we are doing regularisation, there has been a mad rush for squatting; overnight shacks are being erected. We do not have you on the inventory and you will be served to dismantle, and if you don’t, we will dismantle you. We cannot allow it,” the minister added.

At the moment, Angoys Avenue, New Amsterdam, is being regularised with more than 1000 houselots

being assigned. The minister disclosed that most of the residents of that community have completed payments for their houselots. Work is currently ongoing in Middle Road, La Penitence, where there are 309 households; in Region Three, the railway embankment, where there are approximately 300 families and Crane,West Coast Demerara, where there are about 150 squatters.

Upon the completion of surveys, the Ministry of Housing invites squatters to purchase an application form for $200, fill it out and in some cases, staff from the ministry are sent to the

respective communities to conduct the interviews. “I want to appeal to the people of Guyana to stop this madness related to squatting.

Stop taking advice from rebellious leaders who just want [to] create confusion; you are not going to get life easy, because we cannot regualrise you if you are on the reserve,” stressed Patterson. In the case of other applicants, the ministry is noting that once an application form is filled, applicants must return with all documentation. Upon their return, the applicants will be interviewed and will qualify for one of the four categories of lots (low, moderate, middle or high).

However, Patterson has urged that applicants be patient as there are approximately 25,000 applications in the system and as fast as lots are allocated, more applications are being submitted by persons.

Guyana, Colombia ink pact for visa-free travel

THE Governments of Guyana and the Republic of Colombia on Wednesday signed an “Agreement on Mutual Exemption of Visa for Holders of Ordinary Passports” in the margins of the 47th Regular Session of the General Assembly of the Organization of

American States (OAS), in Cancún, Mexico.

According to a release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Guyana, the agreement will allow holders of Ordinary Passports to enter and stay in the territories of the two countries without a visa for a period not exceeding

90 days, renewable for an additional period of up to 90 days, provided that the total length of stay does not exceed 180 days per year.

The release noted that the agreement becomes effective after the internal legal procedures for “entry into force” have

been completed by both countries. “The conclusion of this Agreement signals a continuation of efforts to advance cooperation between the two countries and the development of friendly relations between their peoples,” the release stated.

In October of last year,

Guyana and Chile signed a Reciprocal Visa Abolition Agreement at the Palacio de la Moneda, the seat of the President of Chile in Santiago. The agreement was signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge and Chilean Foreign Minister, Heraldo Muñoz in the presence of

President David Granger and President Michelle Bachelet of Chile, following bilateral talks between the two Heads of State.

Granger was on a state visit to Chile.

The Visa Abolition Agreement paves the way for visa free travel for citizens of both countries.

Bandit nabbed after robbing man of boots A COMMUNITY Policing Group (CPG) Patrol nabbed a suspected bandit, minutes after he and his accomplices allegedly robbed a 21-year-old labourer of Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke/Linden Highway.

According to a police report, the labourer had ventured out of his community on Wednesday night

to visit the mother of his child in Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, when he was robbed of his personal belongings, which included a pair of Nike Air-Max sneakers he was wearing.

At about 21:15hrs, the victim was proceeding south along the Mon Repos School Road, when he was pounced upon by the driver of motorcar, PRR 1787,

who placed a knife to his neck and forced him into the back seat of the said car, where two male suspects relieved him of his footwear, silver jewellery, mobile phone and other items, after which he was pushed out of the vehicle, which sped away.

According to the police report, while the bandits were making their escape,

their vehicle came into contact with another vehicle, causing minor damages and they failed to stop. The owner of the vehicle summoned a CPG patrol, which responded promptly and intercepted the car and its driver in a nearby village, minus his two accomplices.

The driver was arrested and escorted to the Beterverwagting Police Station,

along with his vehicle by the CPG members, where the robbery victim was at the time making a report.

The victim positively identified the driver and that of the vehicle used in the commission of the crime.

A search of the vehicle unearthed a knife fitting the description of the one used to rob the victim. The 21-year-old suspect, who

resides at Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo and Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, is cooperating with investigators.

The Guyana Police Force recognised the swift and professional approach by the members of the Community Police Group, i n a p p re h e n d i n g a n d handing over the suspect and vehicle to the police.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday June 23, 2017

$US13.3M for UG medical programme, teachers’ training

By Ariana Gordon

GOVERNMENT has secured a loan of US$13.3M from the World Bank to boost teachers’ training and strengthen the University of Guyana’s medical programme to help it regain its accreditation.

The agreement was one of two loans signed in the boardroom of the Ministry of Finance by subject Minister, Winston Jordan and World Bank’s Senior Country Officer for Guyana, Suriname and Belize, Pierre Nadji. Also present at the signing ceremony were Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Jaipaul Sharma; Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry; Governor of the Bank of Guyana, Dr Gobind Ganga; Finance Secretary, Dr. Hector Butts; Vice Chancellor and Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Dr. Ivelaw Griffith and Dr Barbara Reynolds respectively; and acting General Manager, National Insurance Scheme, Holly Greeves.

Director of Projects, Ministry of Finance, Tarachand Balgobin explained that the loan which falls under the Education Sector Improvement Programme, Guyana will benefit from US$13.3M. He explained, however, that the loan will be split to accommodate two aspects of that sector.

The Ministry of Education is to develop a new curriculum aimed at enhancing teacher training, capacity

Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan hands over the US$13.3M loan agreement to Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry building and institutional development within the Ministry, while the other aspect of the loan will assist the University of Guyana (UG) with regaining its accreditation for its medical programme.

In fact, Balgobin told reporters that the loan will be used to build a new medical health sciences building for UG while supporting the institution in its medicine curricula, “So the medical programme at UG could come back and be accredited as it used to be.” Balgobin noted too that the loan agreement signed on Thursday

follows another loan being implemented under the Secondary Education Reform Programme where Secondary Schools are being built and teachers are being trained.

“On the same programme, called the UG Science and Technology programme, there is a lot of improvement in four of the laboratories of the UG. This loan supports those other loans and is also supporting other initiatives in the education sector.” The university’s accreditation was lost in July 2015, following the institution’s delay in submitting a report

Floodwaters recede in South Rupununi

TRAFFIC was flowing across a main bridge connecting several deep South Rupununi villages after floodwaters in the vicinity receded over the past 24 hours.

Persistent rainfall in the area earlier this week resulted in the approaches at both ends of the bridge, located some 60 miles from Lethem, being impassable.

This resulted in a total cut-off of traffic in the area.

On Thursday, reports from Aishalton indicate that road traffic had resumed in

the area as several vehicles, including buses and trucks were able to traverse the area in the vicinity of the bridge.

However, residents reported that floodwaters were still visible in the area, even as overcast conditions were prevalent on Thursday.

The levels of the water in the main waterways in parts of the Rupununi have risen in recent days. The situation is being monitored by the regional authorities as the annual May/June rains take effect.

on the school’s progress to the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions (CAAM-HP).

The regional body had reportedly granted temporary accreditation under certain conditions to medical schools in the Caribbean. UGSM was granted short-term accreditation for the periods 2008 to 2009; 2009 to 2012; and 2013 to 2015. These were followed by visits by the authority in 2012 and 2013. The Guyana Chronicle has learnt that during a visit prior to the revocation of the accreditation,

the authority had found that some of the issues that were highlighted on its previous visit had not been addressed.

The issues at reference primarily had to do with infrastructural improvements, a review of curriculum, and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) among the Ministry of Public Health, UGSM, and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) for funding of the school. UGSM was reportedly advised at the time to address the issues and submit a progress report, so that the authority could return this year to review its accreditation.

Late last year ahead of another visit by Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions (CAAM-HP, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr Emanuel Cummings had said that UG was foreseeing the wider accreditation of other health programmes offered by the university, as expansion plans—which include the addition of a spanking new World Bank- funded modern faculty building costing US$6.9 — are being considered.

At the time Dr. Cummings had said that the road to re-accreditation entailed the submission of a “selfstudy”, a process which constitutes the completion of several databases, which was done in June of last year. Dr. Cummings explained that there are 144 standards which make up the

databases, and areas assessed include the medical programme itself; the resources at hand; the teaching facilities at the faculty; internship, including the facilities where students operate at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), as well as the medical school’s relations to other branches of the wider university, including the personnel division and the bursary.

Only recently, the government signed an agreement with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) for the enhancement of skills in the education sector. Balgobin noted that with the signing of the loans, Guyana is in a better position to advance its education sector, more particularly so with the birthing of the oil and gas sectors here.

The Ministry of Finance said the World Bank’s current programme here of for the fiscal years 2016- 2018 focuses on enhancing resilience of selected infrastructure and build disaster risk management capacities, setting up the foundation for high quality education and supporting private sector development.

R e c e n t l y, t h e b a n k announced a significant increase in concessional resources to Guyana of approximately US$90M and the government intends to earmark the sums for the improvement of the Linden- Soesdyke Highway, technical assistance to the emerging oil and gas sector and policy based lending among others.

This bridge, which links parts of the South Rupununi with the North, was impassable as floodwaters were high at both ends. The water has since receded (Minime Torquarto photo)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday June 23, 2017

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Education Ministry donates $2.5M to Robotics team

THE Ministry of Education on Thursday donated $2.5M to the Guyana STEM Robotics team to compete in the first International Robot Olympics for high school students scheduled for Washington D.C from July 16 to 28, 2017.

The donation was made at the office of the First Lady, State House, to support the process. The contribution was handed over to the seven team members by Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry in the presence of First Lady, Mrs Sandra Granger.

Henry noted that her ministry is pleased to support the team and encouraged that they grab the opportunity to serve as ambassadors since “the experience would be valuable to their development.”

The seven students selected to compete on Guyana’s team are: Shawn Singh, Arianna Mahase, Anthony Frank, Chris Nelson, Deviknandan Ramnarase, Horace Moseley, Farnaz Baksh and Ricky Chand from STEM Guyana. The students will be building and programming a robot.

The FIRST Global Challenge is an international robotics event where students from nearly 160 nations worldwide will travel to Washington, D.C. this July to participate in the inaugural game. It is the organisers hope to ensure that it becomes an event that will be held in different nations annually.

Teams are comprised of high school students with the goal of increasing their knowledge of STEM so they can become the next generation of scientific leaders, who will work together to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems.

Established in 2016, STEM Guyana, with support from the government as well as local and overseas sponsors, prepares young people in Guyana to use their creativity, brilliance, and innovative spirits to create technology-related solutions to problems in their community.

First Lady Mrs Sandra Granger; Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry and the members of the Guyana STEM Robotics team

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday June 23, 2017

Gender comm action on pa

… policy on sexual har

By Vishani Ragobeer THE Women and Gender Equality Commission presented their fifth and sixth annual reports with some 22 recommendations to Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland on Wednesday.

Chairperson of the Women and Gender Equality Commission, Indranie Chandarpal noted: “we have made 22 recommendations for the National Assembly to consider.”

She explained that while there were some difficulties and challenges encountered by the Commission, the reports were ably compiled and reflect the interests of many Guyanese. Some recommendations made in the report include: the enactment of legislation and policy on sexual harassment in the workplace, the establishment of the national gender advisory committee, full enactment of the Domestic Violence Act, enforcement of breach of protection order, provisions for paternity leave by the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and a ‘speedy’ enactment of the Juvenile Justice Bill.

Of the recommendations,

the Guyana Chronicle understands from previous reports that a number of them were made hitherto but have not been enacted and thus have recurred. One such recurring recommendation is the review of the building code to include provision for access to persons with disabilities.

According to the Speaker, the function of this Commission is imperative given that it is one of the four commissions responsible for the welfare and the well-being of the people.

He, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the treatment of the reports when they are presented and posited that the National Assembly must be engaged in the recommendations of the report, or at least in discussing it.

Domestic violence and the objectification of women in music are critical areas identified by both Dr. Scotland and Chandarpal. The chairperson however noted that there were recommendations in the reports to alleviate both of these.

Another point of interest was the elimination of gender parity in government and local government bodies. It was reported that the government was

Commissioners of the Women and Gender Commissio Indranie Chandarpal (seated right).(Adrian Narine Photo

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday June 23, 2017

mission wants aternity leave

rassment in workplace

Chairperson of the Women and Gender Commission, Indranie Chandarpal, presenting the fifth and sixth annual reports to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland. fully committed to the fifth Sustainable Developmental Goal (SDG), which is, to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

While speaking to the Guyana Chronicle, the chairperson explained, “There are 22 recommendations that we’re making to the National

Assembly…and it means that government and agencies are encouraged to take up these recommendations and act on them.”

Now that the Speaker has been given the report, it is expected that the report will be tabled in the National Assembly at the next sitting on July 7.

on along with Dr. Barton Scotland (seated centre) and o)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 23, 2017

Last Friday night THERE are those who are naturally talented, those who are skilled and work hard and appear

talented, and then there are those that no amount of hard work or training will ever, ever help. And

--at the Tower Suites poolside

all those categories were present and accounted for last Friday night at the Miss World Guyana Tal-

Region Two’s ambassador in her multicultural outfit before she hit the stage last Friday night

ent Night at Tower Suites Poolside.

There was quite the turnout for the event, and in the end, notwithstanding the performances, everyone left pretty satisfied with what they saw, and perhaps have already singled out who they will be throwing their support behind come Sunday night, when the pageant goes down at the Mariott Hotel.

The Tower poolside gave the event a really great ambiance, and hosting was drama queen-in-chief Joel Ghansham, who was a little too drama queen at times, but nonetheless added an appreciated flair to the melee, as he always does.

By a long stretch, Delisha Wright was way ahead of the game and ruled that stage. But that was only to be expected, given that powerful voice she has. It was almost as if she started off with an unfair advantage over all of the other girls, because Ms. Wright is the epitome of naturally talented. Not to mention, the gal also has stage presence.

By the time she came to the end of her hair-raising cover of Destiny Child’s “Stand Up for Love”, many in the audience just had to get to their feet and stand up for her wonderful performance.

Another well done musical performance was put

forth by Joelly Valentine, who was strikingly outfitted in a crop-top and full-length, flowing skirt creation that could be the handiwork of none other than Guyana’s

Randy Madray. Valentine performed “One Voice”, which she wrote herself.

On the other side of the spectrum of musical performances was one young lady who seemed overcome with nervousness and nearly forgot her song entirely.

However, after applauding encouragement from the supportive audience, she was able to pull through and finish her entire performance.

As talent goes in Guyana, those who didn’t sing danced. Most of the dancers tried to be innovative by dancing to medleys and using props. Vena Mookram, who got the night started, even threw in a few quick outfit changes during her act.

But as the night progressed, even Joel was labelling the audience “one tough crowd”, constantly reminding them that they needed to clap for the girls, who were not motivating them to do so unprompted.

Manisha Wong was definitely one whose supporters were front and centre though; and when she hit the stage, they were not afraid to let everyone know who they Turn to Page 21

Region Five’s Joelly Valentine

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 23, 2017

The History and Arts Council --A precedent that worked WITH the necessary changes at the Ministry of Education, with Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine being reassigned to Minister of Public Service, and Minister Nicolette Henry, Minister within the Ministry of Education with responsibility for Youth, Sports and Culture now performing the duties of Minister of Education, the implication is that all that has gone on before, the meetings, goodwill on engagements with Dr Roopnaraine and his staff and has had his approval will now be rendered obsolete, which will further dwindle the already meagre prospects of the ‘Arts’ to advance from the position of step-child of the State to full family membership.

To elaborate, for over two decades, the Arts did not have a collective authority that understood or had participated in any arts field. Dr Roopnaraine is a member of that arts community, being a film-maker and knowledgeable in its supporting areas, so in minutes he understood what was being said and the direction aimed at, and offered what support was in his power to do.

When I mention the ‘Arts’, I make reference to ‘Cultural Industries’ ‘Cultural Policy’ and the development of the arts towards contributing to the GDP. As it is now, there’s no indication that even the Ministry of Business recognises the existence or potential of Cultural Industries. So far, the only financial institution that acknowledges the potential of Cultural Industries is IPED. President Granger managed, in his private life for years, a Creative Industry, ‘Academic Publishing’ that endured for 19 years, and compiled a wealth of never-before-published data on the history of Afro-and Guyanese people and villages through The Free Press publications that included the ‘Emancipation’ magazine.

The illustrated artwork that accompanied those publications were not borrowed.

Eighteenth and 19th Century European etchings, but locally assigned renditions based on local research. To this he has the largest illustrated collection in the country on Guyanese History created by Guyanese. Yet these works

were not supported by the then government, not even for school libraries, but was recognised enough to attempt mimicking the Emancipation magazine and undermining his efforts. Thus, Cultural Industries are not new, but because the concept was not inherited from the colonial period, and cultural policy that included IPR recognition was ignored, its development has languished into a concluded mindset for Guyanese arts practitioners that, on graduation, must leave these shores.

And they continue to leave in order to survive.

Post-Independence blessed this country with the keen ears and vision of Forbes Burnham. CARIFESTA, what is now NCN, the National Cultural Centre, the Burrowes School of Art, the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology, and the National School of Dance all were put in place and managed, first by the ‘History & Arts Council’, then by the independent Department of Culture.

GHOSTS OF THE PAST Why bring up the past and old ghost stories? One reason is that what we had then worked effectively within the tenets of the comparative age in which they they existed. The thoroughness and cultural astuteness of those personalities that administrated the arts then: The Lynette Dolphins, Billy Pilgrims, Denis Williams, Ms Hunt, Stanley Greaves, Dudley Charles, all of those people knew what they were doing and crafted policies that enhanced the arts collectively, debated with artists, and embraced new ideas that led to private art galleries.

Most significant was the sensitivities alive in their interactions. They dealt with matters in your presence, and within specific timeframes.

The current custom of ‘promise and postpone till whenever’ was not in their operational philosophy. All that is gone today.

We have not, from the Hoyte years, pursued a functional replacement generation in the interest of the arts and its development. Today, we live in a different world; artistic mediums like comic books that were once frowned upon now earn billions for both the movie and merchandise

industries. The marketplace is global; the jump from stage to film, though entangled in arenas of contract and license paperwork, is encouraging.

Technology is both friend and foe, but more friend when managed.

The State must facilitate a rebirth of an independent structure that can allow for the exploration of ideas within an atmosphere of substance that encourages the creative mind to feel grounded and rooted to a purpose within his own

national universe. We have no such entity existing and peopled today, and the possibility with what is does not seem probable.

I have always advocated for a separate State facility for the arts, managed by experienced minds. Indeed, it would require a ‘Council’ to attract and extract the best in every area, which is the only way a product can be produced to compete in the marketplace of Cultural Industries.

I was surprised when

Ron Robinson was fired from NCN, though I must admit that I don’t know the details. I was presumptuous to presume that his experience in the arts would be tapped into to explore an arts-related component in segments promoting our creative world on our national TV, because he knows the territory, and the rites of the tribal culture of the arts.

Perhaps the people down there never considered it.

Whichever way we go, the

global world of cultural economics will call upon us consistently to represent ourselves on its stage; the imagery will be expected to morph from scene to scene. This will become more difficult as our talents are pushed to other shores; plagiarised ideas will be supplemented, and only the indifferent will retire comfortably, while stagnation stares into the face of Medusa on the fossilised stage of repetition.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 23, 2017

Shopping around

--seems like Guyana’s looking abroad for next Miss Universe ‘rep’ THE Miss Universe Guyana organisers on Wednesday released a poster calling for eligible young ladies to apply to compete in the Miss Universe Guyana 2017 pageant.

But if you’re living in Guyana and want to compete, having a US Visa is going to be one of the things you’ll need to ensure you get first!

And that’s because the pageant is going to be held in New York (No! You did not read that wrong!).

In an unprecedented move, a post on the company’s official Instagram page has announced that the pageant will be held at the York College Performing Arts Centre on August 19.

When questioned as to why New York, the organisers replied that it’s what in today’s world is called “a progression”.

According to the post: “With the support of the Miss Universe Organisation, Miss Universe Guyana comes to New York and we are looking for our

Miss Universe Guyana, National Director, Jyoti Hardat

next contestants.”

It continues: “For the first time, the Miss Universe Guyana Pageant will be held in New York, and we are happy to extend this invitation to ALL Guyanese women (whether you are located in Guyana or any other part of the world) who would like a great opportunity to make a difference, and be a role model for the next generation.”

It’s a move that will, of course, heavily limit

the amount of young ladies outside of the US who will able to attend, as the post offered no indication as to whether the organisation will be assisting in securing their visas, or paying their airfare.

The franchise’s National Director, Jyoti Hardat, who resides in New York, was unavailable to reply to questions up to late Thursday afternoon.

Naturally, this unpatriotic move did not sit well with several Guyanese

who have been involved in pageantry over the years.

Many were very outspoken in their outrage, as the post began to make the rounds on social media.

Though not yet posted on the entity’s Facebook (FB) page, the Instagram post was screenshot and also circulated on FB. Speculation was also aplenty as to why the pageant was not being held in Guyana.

Former queens, delegates (even overseasbased ones), fellow pageant organisers and other supporters all voiced their concern over this move, as nobody seems to see the progression of it.

“It’s a plain disrespect to GUYANA!!!” com-

mented a former delegate.

“This is a complete and utter slap in the face to our Guyanese sisters whose navel strings are planted in the soil of The Land Of Many Waters… Our forefathers did not die for Miss Universe Guyana to be held in any other country except GUYANA.” They went on to question how the local delegates, who struggle to get sponsorship for basic pageant essentials, will now be able to fund a visa and plane ticket, among other requirements.

Another former delegate asked how could the organisers recreate the Guyanese experience for the delegates in the US. Last year’s pageant in-

volved the delegates going to a resort, attending a tourism seminar, and meeting the Minister of Tourism, Cathy Hughes.

“If we are not here, how can we help and make an impact?” the former delegate wanted to know.

This will be the second year that Hardat will be at the head of the organisation after she took over last year. The pageant was held at the Marriott Hotel and left much to be desired, with several shortcomings, including the overbooked VIP section, and other complaints.

Pageant stalwart, Soyini Fraser had walked away with the crown, and is still the reigning queen.

U.S. pledges support for regional energy reforms THE United States will be looking to play a more active role in supporting the energy sector in the Caribbean by providing targeted technical support to countries with the capacity and interest in pursuing energy sector and utility reforms.

This was articulated in a U.S. Department of State report on that country’s strategy for engagement with the Caribbean. The report is titled: ‘Caribbean 2020: A MultiYear Strategy To Increase the Security, Prosperity, and Well-being of the People of the United States and the Caribbean’.

In that report, the global powerhouse purports to have recognized the drag on regional economies due to the high cost of energy. Realising this gap, the country said that it will be aiming to tap into the energy sector by offering low cost, reliable sources of energy, including renewables and natural gas.

It was noted that this is being done with an intention to spur economic development that will create new opportunities for globally competitive U.S. energy firms and exports.

In the area of energy

sector reforms, the country committed to providing “targeted technical support” to countries with the capacity and interest in pursuing energy sector and utility reforms to spur private investment and U.S. energy technology exports.

In terms of regulatory reforms, the report stated that the U.S will continue integrated resource planning efforts, and regulatory reforms. It was explained that this would be done to encourage governments and utilities to make transparent and economically viable decisions regarding capacity improvements that mitigate risk for U.S. investors and lower costs for consumers.

As it relates to regional energy planning, that country also committed to supporting efforts by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to strengthen the regional platform coordinating energy planning to achieve economies of scale.

Further, the report states that the U.S. will “leverage U.S. and international public finance resources to help energy project developers mitigate technical and political risks. This, the report added,

will result in the reduction in the region’s reliance on imported fuels and create openings for U.S. private sector investment and public-private partnerships.

Just last year, then Vice President of the US, Joe Biden, met with Caribbean leaders in Washington to discuss the region’s long term approach to energy security.

At that forum, Biden had suggested that now was the time for the Caribbean to act on the basis that the cost of energy from renewables like wind and solar had fallen; natural gas technologies are advancing, providing new options for delivery from small barge shipments of Liquefied natural gas (LNG), to floating receiving terminals Trinidad was exporting; there were US companies holding licences to export gas; and the Americas, he said, had become the epicentre of energy production in the world.

He added that it was in the US’s own self-interest to see “Caribbean countries succeed as prosperous, secure, energy-independent neighbours” and as “an integral part of the hemisphere, where every nation is middle class, democratic and secure”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 23, 2017

Last Friday...

LOOKS like it’s gonna be a pretty full weekend! Well, at least on Saturday, but Friday and Sunday are going to be interesting.

The weekend is going to come to a nice end with Guyana receiving it’s Miss World Guyana queen after the pageant concludes on Sunday night.

The delegates have been going through a lot of training and preparation over the past few months, and we can’t wait to see who delivers and who doesn’t.

If you can’t wait either, catch the show live at the Marriott! The pageant is the close to a weekend that starts off tonight with after- work limes at Tower Suites and Palm Court.

And then there’s Saturday, where you can go from Tower to Palm Court, and then some, with quite a variety of themes!

At Tower Suites, it’s Haiwaiian; at Palm Court its Brazilian; and at Ramada, it’s Indian!

DJ Bevaughn is celebrating his birthday at Club Monaco, and wants some company. Pass by if you get a chance.

Watch de Ride is back at the NCC, and it has something to do with Snapchat.

Earlier during the day, there’s a Robot Exhibition where they’re promising to let you fly a drone around the building at CASH, and even give you a chance to win one to take home.

TODAY

Cre8ive will be hosting their “Arts, Craft & Music Festival, June Edition” at the Courtyard Mall, as their monthly showcase of arts, craft, musical talent continues.

Its “Hoocorona Friday, the T.G.I.F Edition” at Tower Suites poolside as the after-work lime continues!

Relax at the poolside and enjoy our Corona bucket specials all night long! Get a free serving of Wings, with a side of your choice every time you purchase a bucket special during our happy hours from 17:00 – 19:00h!

The Palm Court After-Work Lime continues.

TOMORROW

Aloha! Tower Suites poolside will be transformed into a sexy Pacific atmosphere with “Hawaiian Style”, a day-into-night event, beginning at 17:00h.

Ladies come out in your leis and grass skirts, and fellas in your flower prints and flip flops!

Do the hula to the mixes of Selector Deron, Seen Up, Gully Ras and Diamond! Hawaiian food will be available! This is one event you don’t wanna miss!

It’s Indian Night at the Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel! Experience the authentic taste of delicious Northern and Southern India Cuisine at the poolside, with the best in Indian music! Price: $5000.

The Guyana Youth and Student Movement, Werk-en-Rust, presents “Check, Check out my melody”, a karaoke extravaganza at the People’s National Congress Reform’s Georgetown District Office.

This activity starts at 18:00h! Come out. Enjoy. Walk with someone. Food and Drinks will be on sale.

There’s a National Robot Exhibition on at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH)!

Bring your family out for a day of robots, drones, programming, math and more, as you learn about robot building, programming and operations!

Get the chance to fly a drone, and purchase a lottery ticket for a chance to win one! Get the chance to fly a drone! Find out about creating a STEM Club in your community, or sign up for their drone building camp this summer and meet the Robot Olympic National Team!

Admission: $300 at the door!

DJ Bevaughn’s Birthnight Bash is on at Club Monaco! And they’re reaching out to all who keep it real in fine style!

Royalty Vibes, Selector Andre and DJ Damian, Selector Face and Seen Up, Team Stereo Sonic, Slingerz Family’s Kenny Hype, and DJ Energy, the Party King are going to juggle like never before!

US$100 for the best dressed female, and free tequila for VIP! Admission: $1000, VIP $2000!

H&T Theatre Arts Group presents, “Watch di Ride 3: Snap Chat Blues” at the National Cultural Centre from 20:00h!

Tickets: $1500 and $2000.

Pulse wants to take you on a journey to Festa Junina with “Brazillian Night” at the Palm Court!

They’re bringing everything you know and love about Rio De Janeiro to Palm Court: The food, the drinks, the music and the sexy Brazilian girls! So, rock your yellow, green and blue!

It’s gonna be a celebration!

Entertainment by Brazil’s very own DJ Tranquilo, along with DJ Ryan and DJ Country Boi! Tickets: $2000; pay more at the door! Ladies free before 22:00h!

The Brazil-Guyana Cultural Centre presents, “Festa Junina”, at the Brazil-Guyana Cultural Centre on Church Street from 16:00h!

SUNDAY

Find out who will be the next Miss World Guyana! The ten finalists vying for the Miss World Guyana 2017 title will finally find out which one of them will be the lucky queen, when coronation night concludes at the Marriott Hotel Ballroom!

Host will be the ever regal Joel Ghansham! Tickets: $7500 regular, VIP $12000 (w/ cocktail @ 18:00h)!

want to see walk away with the crown come Sunday night.

Bedecked in native Indian ensemble, Wong pranced about the stage, dancing, while also doing a display of her people’s traditional way of life. Her props included a bow and arrow.

Thamesha Watson’s inclusion of Alison Hinds’

Faluma and Bollywood’s “Chaiya Chaiya” in her dance number helped add some animation to the night.

All the same, deciding on the top performances didn’t look like it was going to be a tough one for the judges. The night’s judges included the leading lady herself, franchise holder Natasha Martindale;

From Page 18 Wildfire Productions’ Jonathan Beepat; actor Sherry Dyal; dancer Brian DeNobrega and Mariel Vereen.

The winner of this segment of the pageant will be revealed this Sunday night, when the competition concludes, and a new queen is crowned by the outgoing Nuriyyih Gerard.

NA Prison brawl

Alleged sale of improvised weapon sparked killing The alleged sale of improvised weapons by the inmate who was killed in the New Amsterdam Prison is seen as the motive behind the murder Wednesday evening.

This newspaper understands that the brothers were in possession of an improvised weapon and another inmate wanted to purchase same to carry out an attack on another prisoner. However as word spread of the plot the intended target decided to attack the Jagmohan brothers: Neshan Jagmohan who was killed and Ramnarine Jagmohan who is nursing injuries at the New Amsterdam Hospital.

The prisoner along with two others decided to hatch a plan to attack the brothers before they attacked him.

Three persons were held for the attack and are expected to face murder charges soon.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Prison Service has launched an investigation into the incident. Divisional Commander, Ian Amsterdam told the Guyana Chronicle that the investigation will determine what transpired and, when completed, reports will be done by the Police and then submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice.

This will be done after a post mortem is conducted on the deceased’s body today.

On Tuesday afternoon at around 14:30hrs, three murder accused identified as Dillon Boucher, 25 of Haslington, East Coast Demerara, Ramchand Latchman 23, of Number 65 Village, Corentyne, and Rooplall Abrahim of Lot 4 ,Bath Settlement, pounced on the two brothers as they returned from court and dealt them several stab wounds to their bodies with a “Jucka”.

Amsterdam said based on investigations, Neshan was attacked first while his younger brother Ramnarine was in the bathroom. The Divisional Commander related that while Ramnarine was in the bathroom he heard a commotion outside. He then left to see what was occurring and was ambused and attacked.

Ramnarine’s brother was stabbed several times to his

Dead: Neshan Jagmohan

neck and chest while he also received wounds in the region of his chest. Neshan died while receiving treatment at the New Amsterdam Hospital.

Meanwhile, Pamilla Jagmohan, mother of the men told the Guyana Chronicle that she has since met with Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels who has assured her that the perpetrators will be penalized for their crimes.

Though she has received assurance from Samuels, the aggrieved mother is calling on both the Guyana Prison Service and the Guyana Police Force to act quickly.

The woman is afraid for her sons. She has another son imprisoned at the New Amsterdam Prison. The 18 year old, Tameshwar Jagmohan who is currently on remand, was charged with four other persons for the Black Push Triple murder.

On July 22, 2016 the bullet riddled bodies of Pawan Chandradeo, 37; his son Jaikarran Chandradeo, 15, both of Mibicuri Creek North, and Naresh Rooplall, 33, of Number 70 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, were found in the Cookrite Savannah, Mibicuri, Black Bush Polder.

Mrs Jagmohan said, “Them should move him from there and put him somewhere else because we nah know is wah cause this, he nah gun be safe there and he hot head. After me talk back to he and he seh it nah guh end suh, he gon avenge he buddy death…them kill am innocently”.

The woman criticised the judicial system for excessive delays in trying cases while

Ramnarine Jagmohan

noting that her sons are innocent and are imprisoned because they are poor.

“Neshan was at home at the time when we hear the gunshot; we did not too long ago come back from the prison; he did get release the same afternoon and by time we reach home was night and then them police come and arrest them,” she recounted.

The brothers were charged for the murder of Businessman, Devendra Deodat called “Dave”, of Lot 72 Hampshire Village .The businessman was shot and chopped during an armed robbery at his home on October 13, 2013.

Meanwhile, Ramnarine who remains a patient at the New Amsterdam Hospital did not know his brother died during the commotion at the penitentiary. He has reportedly recounted the ordeal to his mother. “He seh when he come from court he put he stuff in the cell and he been in a bathroom and them attack he and them start fuh fight and he tek the bucket in the bathroom and he use da fuh fight them off suh come he alive today” the mother, Pamilla Jagmohan, said.

The mother of four said Ramnarine was unaware that his younger brother was attacked and has died. “When he see me at the hospital he say nah cry, you son nah dead, he alright but when me tell him that Neshan dead he just say “me buddy dead and he blackout”.

She disclosed too that Ramnarine managed to tell investigators who his attackers were and indicated that he “nah get problems with none of them”.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 23, 2017

National Seniors Championships … T&T and Suriname officially launched expected to participate

By Tamica Garnett ATHLETES from Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago may be participating at this year’s National Seniors Championships, scheduled to be held from July 1 to 2, at the National Track and Field Centre, in Leonora.

This was disclosed yesterday at the launching of the event, which took place at the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) office on Light Street.

The AAG is hoping to build on the excitement that was created by the South American Junior Championships earlier this month, and make this event just as exciting, and just as well attended.

“This is going to be a great championships as the seniors are very eager to compete. They would have seen what the juniors had done and they want to equally have the opportunity to showcase their skills, and warrant selection to represent Guyana going forward,” said AAG

president Aubrey Hutson.

“We’ve put a lot of things in place, not just to make it any other event that we would run off, but to make it an event where we would like to see the stands filled. So we’re going to start doing a lot of advertising over the next week leading up to this Championships to ensure that we have a big crowd for them to compete in front of.”

Hutson admitted that for some time now the focus has been on the junior athletes, while the seniors have been feeling neglected.

“By and large we’ve heard the cry of the senior athletes who’ve continued to complain that our programmes are primarily junior-based. I have heard that cry, so I’m giving them the opportunity to be a part of a great competition,” He said.

Co-chairman of the event, James Cole, took the opportunity to extend an impassioned plea for members of the corporate community to come on board and sup-

port the event, which will be doling out monetary prizes for first to third spots in each of the 36 events.

“Now that we have officially launched our National Senior Championships, we are asking the business community to come on board and give us their support because as it stands right now our budget is $5.5 million, and we are starting at $0 So we are asking all possible, small or large, to come on board with us and help to make this a success,” Cole remarked.

Each event will carry a total purse of $20 000, being divided up with $10 000 for first place, $6 000 for second place, and $4 000 for third.

Patrons who hope to attend the event will have two ticket options, whereas they can either purchase a ticket for $1 000, which will be inclusive of a barbeque, or otherwise pay $500 for entrance.

A few of the athletes scheduled to participate at the event were also present at yesterday’s launch.

Bennett promises pace and power, come July 2 SUPERBIKE competitor John Bennett promises pace and power come July 2, when the second National Race of Champions takes place at the South Dakota Circuit.

Chronicle Sport caught up with Bennett yesterday who contended that following the Jamaica leg last month he is ready and raring for the battle.

“So far, the bike is going through a repair period. We just got them back and we are doing the prerequisite repairs; of course you know I had a spill in Jamaica and the bike had some damage.”

“Hopefully, we get the

bike up by this weekend and start practising for the July second race of champions,” he added.

“The fall down was not scary, it’s motor racing and especially on motorcycles, it’s sometimes expected but on my recovery end, I still feel some pains but that wouldn’t harm me come July 2.”

He noted that he is ready for the competition but expects it to be no easy task to match some of the best riders locally.

“I’m not going to single out any rider specifically as guys to watch. I think we need to watch the entire pack

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and at any time, they can pull something out of the hat.

I’m focusing on me at the moment.”

His Kawasaki ZX6-R is sponsored by Orchid Consultancy Group, Union One Express, HallMark.

The event is sponsored

by Ansa McAl, Prem’s Electrical, B.M. Soat, Mohamed’s Enterprise, Ready Mix, Special Auto, Japarts, Ticket Master, Palm Court, KGM, MAC Batteries, S. Jagmohan Hardware Supplies and Construction, L Mahabir and Sons Cambio and Choke Gas Station.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 23, 2017

Australia fight back to draw 1-1 with Cameroon

(REUTERS) - Australia fought back to draw 1-1 with Cameroon in the Confederations Cup yesterday, a result that further dents both countries’ hopes of progressing in the eightteam tournament in Russia.

Andre Franck Zambo Anguissa put Cameroon ahead with the last touch of the first half, but a Mark Milligan penalty on the hour mark ensured a first point for both in Group B. Australia play Chile in Moscow on Sunday and Cameroon face Germany at the same time in Sochi in their final group games.

Yet the chances of both the African and Asian champions finishing in the top two and progressing to the semi-finals look slim.

Germany and Chile, who faced each other later yesterday, both have three points.

Australia and Cameroon were meeting for the first time and traded free kicks in the opening 20 minutes but it took until the 37th minute for either to create an opening.

Australia keeper Matt Ryan was called into action after a smart one-two between Cameroon captain Benjamin Moukandjo and striker Vincent Aboubakar allowed the former to fire

fence bounced over Aboubakar but Zambo Anguissa’s deft touch steered it past the on-rushing Ryan.

The Olympique de Marseille midfielder, who spurned a call-up to play for

Cameroon’s Sebastien Siani in action with Australia’s Jackson Irvine. (REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach)

at goal.

The African champions ended the first half with a succession of corners and then opened the scoring with the last kick before the break.

A long ball out of de-

Cameroon when they won the African Nations Cup in Gabon at the start of the year, missed out on a second in the first 10 minutes of the second half.

Australia levelled on the hour mark when Er-

nest Mabouka brought down Alex Gersbach to concede a penalty, after Serbian referee Milorad Mazic consulted the Video Assistant.

Stand-in skipper Milligan stepped up and converted from the spot.

Mabouka sought to make amends with a strong run down the right in the 65th minute before he teed up Aboubakar right in front of goal, but the burly striker lifted the ball over the crossbar.

Aboubakar then headed over from a similar position with 12 minutes remaining.

Cameroon coach Hugo Broos said it was unfortunate that striker Aboubakar had an off-day.

“This is the life of a front player, sometimes you score with your eyes closed and sometimes you miss chances you can’t afford to miss,” the coach told reporters. “Today was a bit unlucky for him ... that can happen; it’s a pity for us that it happens today.”

“The chances were there but we didn’t score, and then you don’t win the game.”

Brazilian Oscar handed eight-match ban for sparking CSL brawl

(REUTERS) - Former Chelsea midfielder Oscar was handed an eight-match ban by Chinese football authorities yesterday for his role in a brawl that broke out during Shanghai SIPG’s draw with Guangzhou R&F at the weekend.

The Brazilian, who moved to China for a record transfer fee in January, was also fined 40 000 yuan (£4 622.12) by the Chinese Football Association in the latest move by the country’s authorities to stamp out indiscipline.

“According to the referee’s report, video evidence and a written explanation from the parties involved, Oscar offended opposing players in an immoral manner, leading to a massive brawl which has had a very bad influence on the Chinese Super League’s reputation,” an official statement said.

The incident was triggered in the dying seconds of the first half of Sunday’s game after Oscar had set up Hulk to score his side’s equaliser, with Guangzhou players complaining to officials the strike should have

players, provoking a response that led to a scuffle on the halfway line.

Oscar was pushed to the ground by Guangzhou’s Chen Zhizhao, while R&F’s Li Tixiang and Fu Huan of SIPG were sent off for their

Chelsea’s Oscar celebrates a goal..(Action Images via Reuters/John Sibley Livepic)

been ruled out for offside.

Soon after the restart, Oscar deliberately kicked the ball at two Guangzhou

part in the ensuing altercation.

The 25-year-old joined SIPG from Chelsea in Jan-

uary for an Asian record transfer fee of 60 million euros ($66.96 million) as Chinese Super League clubs continued a spending spree that has seen several high-profile acquisitions in recent years.

Oscar’s purchase was the third in a 12-month period the Asian transfer record had been broken with the fee paid for the Brazilian surpassing that paid by SIPG for Hulk seven months earlier.

His sanction is another sign Chinese authorities intend to crack down on poor behaviour as the profile of the Chinese Super League grows overseas.

Shanghai Shenhua’s Qin Sheng was given a six-month ban in March for stamping on the foot of Belgium international Axel Witsel in a game that was televised internationally.

Mooney stars in Australia warm-up victory BETH Mooney topscored for Australia as they eased past Pakistan by eight wickets in their final warm-up match ahead of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017.

Captain Meg Lanning opted to put Pakistan in to bat and the opening pair of Ayesha Zafar and Nahida Khan saw off the first spells of Ellyse Perry and Megan Schutt.

But teen-aged seamer Belinda Vakarewa did make the breakthrough as she forced Ayesha into misplaying a shot that fell straight into the hands of captain Lanning.

That opened the floodgates. Sarah Aley chipped in with four wickets as Pakistan was bowled out for 156. Nahida top-scored with 51.

In reply, Australia openers Nicole Bolton and Mooney put on 61 runs before Bolton was caught for 31 off the bowling of Diana Baig.

That left Mooney to take the role of aggressor as she reached her half-century off 56 balls, before retiring on 63.

Lanning and Rachael Haynes saw Australia home as they chased down the target off just 23.2 overs.

BCB senior 50-overs competition continues this weekend THE Competitions Committee of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) has announced fixtures for this Sunday with four matches scheduled at venues around the County.

The Albion Cricket Club will do battle against Young Warriors Cricket Club at the Albion Community Centre, Port Mourant Cricket Club will be hosted by Blairmont Cricket Club at the Blairmont Community Centre, West Berbice Cricket Association and Bush Lot will compete at Bush Lot Community Centre ground, Tucber Park will engage Police Cricket Club at the Port Mourant Community Centre ground and Rose Hall Estate Cricket Club meet hosts Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club at the Area H Ground, in Rose Hall Town.

The competition is being played in the 50-over format, and contested by 12 first division teams in the county.

Teams are mandated to play on a round-robin basis in their respective zones before qualifying for the next round of competition. Two teams from each of the two zones will qualify for the quarter-final stage.

Matches are scheduled to start at 09:30hrs and teams are being encouraged to be punctual, since penalties are attached for lateness and other forms of negligence.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Friday June 23, 2017) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & the City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Virat Kohli-258 (IND) (2) Mushfiqur Rahim-163 (BANG) Today’s Quiz: (1) What were the best bowling figures in a single game

in ICC Champions Trophy 2017?

(2) Who were the losing semi-finalists?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 23, 2017

NA United beat Cougars FC 1-0 in GFF/NAMILCO Thunderbolt U-17 league OAKHAM, England (CMC) – A sensational batting meltdown left West Indies Women with a crushing six-wicket defeat to South Africa Women in their final official warm-up game, and teetering on the brink of turmoil just five days before their opening game of the ICC Cricket World Cup next Monday.

Opting to bat first at Lime Kilns ground yesterday, West Indies stunningly collapsed to 63 all out off 23.5 overs, with opener Hayley Matthews top-scoring with 19 to be one of just three baters in double figures.

The Caribbean side were 60 for three in the 16th over but lost their last seven wickets for three runs in the space of 49 balls, in an astonishing slide.

Seamer Masabata Klaas grabbed four for 14 to be South Africa’s best bowler.

In reply, the Proteas lost four wickets en route to their target which they achieved in the 19th over with Laura Wolvaardt hitting 26.

She put on 45 for the first wicket with Lizelle Lee who made 18 but South Africa then lost four quick wickets for 11 runs, to take some shine of the victory.

Veteran off-spinner Anisa

Opener Hayley Matthews misses a stroke and is bowled during West Indies Women’s warm-up game against South Africa on Thursday. (Photo courtesy CWI Media)

Mohammed finished with two for six.

The defeat for West Indies was their second in three days and fifth since they arrived in England nearly four weeks ago to prepare for the June 24 to July 23 showpiece.

Both captain Stafanie Taylor and batting coach Stuart Williams had underscored the importance of winning both warm-up games but their urging went unheeded as West Indies failed to show any enterprise.

There was no sign of the

collapse to come when the in-form Matthews put on 35 with rookie Felicia Walters (14) for the first wicket in good conditions.

But once the 19-year-old Matthews played on to leftarm seamer Moseline Daniels in the 11th over after facing 38 balls and striking three fours, the innings fell apart spectacularly.

Walters followed in the 16th over, playing on to Klaas and three balls later in the same over, Reniece Boyce departed for 10 to a catch at extra cover.

West Indies had crawled to 60 for three when Deandra Dottin played across one from Klaas and was bowled in the 18th over for six.

Four balls later in the following over without addition to the total, Chedean Nation drove left-arm speedster Chloe Tryon to extra cover to fall for three and Shanel Daley (0) and former skipper Merissa Aguilleira (1) both perished via run-out as the Caribbean side capitulated.

They face Australia in their opening game of the campaign in Taunton.

New Zealand’s Ronchi retires from international cricket NEW Zealand wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi has retired from international cricket but will continue to play in franchise-based Twenty20 tournaments around the world, the country’s cricket board said yesterday.

The 36-year-old played four one-day internationals and three T20 matches for

Australia in 2008 and 2009 before switching his allegiance back to his native New Zealand in 2013.

Ronchi went on to play four Tests, 85 ODIs and 32 T20 matches in total with this month’s Champions Trophy match against Bangladesh his last for the Black Caps.

“It was a dream come

New Zealand’s Luke Ronchi in action in the recently concluded Champions Trophy

true,” Ronchi said in a statement released by New Zealand Cricket. “I can’t think of a better time to have been involved with New Zealand cricket.

“From the 2015 World Cup campaign, through to the overseas tours of that time and some amazing games and series, it’s been a genuine highlight for me.”

New Zealand coach Mike Hesson called Ronchi, known for his ability to score briskly with the bat, the perfect team man.

“We’ll remember Luke fondly for the energy he created in the field and his selfless attitude towards the team,” Hesson said.

He was always prepared to play a role for the greater good of the team; to do what was required even if that risked sacrificing his wicket.

“Luke was one of the best glove-men going around and I think that’s often overlooked in a game increasingly dominated by batting and run-scoring.

He was a very skilful wicketkeeper, and a very destructive batsman.”

Ronchi’s sole one-day international century, 170 not out off 99 deliveries, came against Sri Lanka in 2015. His highest Test score of 88 was made on his debut against England in Leeds the same year.

(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly; Editing by John O’Brien)

The lone goal scorer Odinga Smith

NEW Amsterdam United defied a spirited Cougars Football Club (FC) to win (1-0) at the end of regulation time as play continued in the Berbice Football Association (BFA) leg of GFF/ NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power National Intra Association Under-17 match at Burnham Park on Sunday last.

The first match in the BFA leg of GFF/NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power National Intra Association Under-17 tourney got off to a compelling start. In the 69th minute

goal, Odinga Smith from the edge of the box which cannon to the back of the net, as Cougars goal keeper Trivette Edwards was caught off guard.

The NA united lads proved that they will be a serious force to reckon with. The game scenario for both teams was filled with energy.

NA United look the more determined team, they created many plays.

Cougars FC played the ball nicely in the first half but, failed to find the back of the net.

GBA to host ‘Shuttle Time’ programme from today THE Guyana Badminton Association runs off its Badminton World Federation & Pan American Shuttle Time programme today at the National Gymnasium and the Guyana Olympic Association.

The programme, which will run from June 23 to 25, 2017 is expected to feature two sessions, the first of which is theoretical and will take place during the mornings from 09:30hrs to 12:30hrs at the GOA office The afternoon sessions will take a practical approach at the National Gymnasium with today’s activity commencing at 15:00hrs and going until 19:00hrs. Sessions on Saturday and Sunday start at 13:30hrs and end 17:00hrs The course will be facilitated by Mr Richard Wong (BWF Shuttle Time tutor & coach).

The course teachers will have access to free resources, training and equipment, to support the teaching of enjoyable, safe and inclusive badminton activities to children aged 5-15 years old.

Shuttle Time lessons are designed to provide children with a positive image of badminton through many opportunities to have fun, engage with others, and experience success.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 23, 2017

Arthur eager for World XI visit to Pakistan after Champions Trophy triumph

By Julian Guyer PAKISTAN coach Mickey Arthur said he hoped a proposed World XI visit to the country later this year went ahead after his side served notice of their enduring talent with a stunning Champions Trophy final win over India.

Bottom-ranked Pakistan produced a breathtaking display at London’s Oval on Sunday to inflict a 180-run defeat upon arch rivals India, the title-holders, in the climax of a tournament featuring the world’s top eight one-day international nations.

Pakistan made 338 for four, with Fakhar Zaman’s 114 -- the left-handed opener’s maiden ODI hundred -- the cornerstone.

Mohammad Amir then reduced India to 33 for three by dismissing all the members of their much vaunted top three, with Rohit Sharma out for a duck and opposing skipper Virat Kohli, the world’s leading ODI batsman, falling for just five.

India eventually collapsed

to 158 all out as they suffered their heaviest defeat, by runs, in 129 ODIs against Pakistan.

With the exception of Zimbabwe’s tour two years

Cricket Council (ICC) are set to send a World XI to Pakistan in September.

That team could find themselves acting as a ‘path-finder’

task force said, in comments reported by the Guardian in March: “The desire is to give the cricket-starved Pakistani supporters the

Pakistan’s coaching staff Shane Hayes, Steve Rixon and Mickey Arthur enjoy the moment, India v Pakistan, Champions Trophy final at The Oval, London.

ago, Pakistan have had to play all of their ‘home’ matches outside of the country since a 2009 terror attack on Sri Lanka’s team bus in Lahore.

However, the International

for the resumption of tours of Pakistan by major cricket nations.

Giles Clarke, the president of the England and Wales Cricket Board and head of the ICC’s Pakistan

chance to see some of the world’s finest players in live action.

“Furthermore, the terrorists cannot win and cricket must not give up on Pakistan.”

Arthur for one was look-

ing forward to the series.

“We’re scheduled to have a World XI in Pakistan in September for three Twenty20 games,” he said.

“So hopefully that starts paving the way for future tours. We can only hope.”

Pakistan’s victory on Sunday was all the more astounding given a 124-run defeat by India in their tournament opener at Edgbaston on June 4.

‘KEEP BELIEVING’ The turnaround was a triumph for Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed, who impressed in his triple role of wicketkeeper, batsman and skipper.

“I hope this win will boost Pakistan cricket and all the (major) playing nations will come to Pakistan,” said Sarfraz, who will now look to lead Pakistan at the 2019 World Cup in England as well.

He added: “Hopefully this win, everyone will remember, not just for today, not just for tomorrow, but for a very long, long time.

“When we arrived here (in England), we were No 8 and now we are the champions.”

Meanwhile, Arthur paid tribute to Sarfraz’s role as both tactician and leader following what was by, the coach’s own admission, a “shambolic” first-up loss to India.

“We just had to keep believing ... they kept on believing, trusting their roles (and) trusting the game-plan that ‘Saffy’ (Sarfraz) and I had set up,” said Arthur for whom this was a first major tournament success after spells in charge of both his native South Africa and Australia.

Amir, whose career was nearly ended across London by a ban and jail sentence for his involvement in a spot-fixing scan during a 2010 Test at Lord’s, was in superb form after a back spasm forced him out of the semi-final win over England.

“It says a lot about his personality ... but what I do know is that Mohammad Amir is a big-match player,” said Arthur. (AFP)

Geron ’Lone Soldier’ Williams due home India drops sedition charges against villagers over Pakistan win tomorrow to defend road race title

DEFENDING champion of the Guyana Cycling Federation’s senior road race title, Geron `Lone Soldier’ Williams, is expected back home tomorrow to defend his title at this year’s championship which will be staged on Sunday.

Williams, who is based in the United States riding for Team Foundation and is currently the only cyclist wearing the local (Guyana) Continental Cycling Club’s uniform, is, according to reports, performing creditably on the U.S. circuit and will be bringing with him that form and experience.

Only two Sundays ago, Williams placed second to Australia’s track champion in a 35-mile criterium and was expected to participate in two more criteriums over the past weekend. However, no word has been received

by Chronicle Sport as to his performances in those two events.

According to reports,

Williams has some fine-tuning to do to his contract with Team Foundation before he can be released by the team to return to Guyana to defend his title.

Geron Williams

With a mere five days before the national road race is staged, Williams might have a problem acclimatising to the current weather conditions in Guyana, but, being the `Solider’ he is, with grit and determination he will surely `throw out his belly’ to give his many supporters lots to talk about.

Williams, unlike the other cyclists to face the starter, will not have domestic riders to help him during the 103-mile event which gets underway from Homestretch Avenue and proceeds to Camp Soweyo on the Linden Highway before turning back to finish at the place of origin.

Williams could very well be coming up against the likes of his fellow U.S.based Guyanese riders like Raynauth Jeffrey and Paul DeNobrega, who are already home for the event, as well as Andrew Hicks, Hamza Eastman and Christopher Holder who have all stated their intention to be home for the championships.

The above names mentioned will join Jamal John, Walter Grant-Stuart, Alonzo Ambrose, Enzo Matthews, Mario King, and Romello Crawford who are all locally based.

With this powerful lineup, Sunday’s event promises much excitement.

INDIAN police said yesterday that 15 Muslims arrested for celebrating a recent Pakistani cricket victory over India would not be charged with sedition, but could still face prison for cheering the rival side.

- which can carry a life sentence - among other offences, drawing criticism from rights groups.

But Burhanpur Police chief Raja Ram Parihar said the sedition charges had been dropped as there was no

Pakistani cricket captain Sarfraz Ahmed acknowledges fans as he holds the Champions Trophy following his arrival from London in Karachi.

The villagers from central Madhya Pradesh state were arrested Monday after letting off fireworks and cheering for Pakistan as the underdogs beat India in the final of the Champions Trophy in England.

A Hindu neighbour in Burhanpur district complained to police and the men were detained for sedition

evidence the men chanted anti-India slogans.

“They did shout slogans in favour of the Pakistan cricket team and lit firecrackers, but that does not warrant sedition charges,” Parihar told AFP. However, they still face charges of disrupting communal harmony and criminal conspiracy for the rowdy cel-

ebration in Burhanpur, which has large Muslim and Hindu populations and a history of religious violence.

Rights group Amnesty International slammed the arrests and demanded the men be immediately released.

At least eight other cricket fans were arrested around India on sedition charges after celebrating Pakistan 180-run thumping of their arch-rivals.

Passions run high in both countries over cricket, especially when the hostile neighbours meet on the pitch.

Cricket fans in both countries have been arrested in the past for supporting rival teams.

Around 60 Indian students were arrested for sedition in 2014 after being accused of cheering for Pakistan after a similar upset over India.

Last year a Pakistani man was arrested for waving an Indian flag after his idol Virat Kohli, India’s cricket captain, made a match-winning century.

T h e n u c l e a r- a r m e d rivals have a history of animosity dating back to independence from Britain in 1947 and partition of the subcontinent. They have fought three wars. (AFP)

31

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 23, 2017

ICC confirms Afghanistan and Ireland given full Test status AFGHANISTAN and Ireland will join the ranks of full Test-playing nations after receiving the backing of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) conference yesterday.

The body said it had voted to admit the two nations into the elite group that is permitted to play traditional five-day Test matches.

As new full members of the ICC, Ireland and Afghanistan will take the total of countries playing Tests to 12.

“For a nation like Afghanistan it is a huge and remarkable achievement, the entire nation will be celebrating across all five regions and different provinces. It is the perfect Eid gift,” said Afghanistan Cricket Board chief executive Shafiq Stanikzai, referring to the approaching Muslim holiday that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

“Everyone has waited for this news and has been so keen to hear this news.

Afghanistan cricket has gone from strength to strength and we dared to dream that this would happen and today it has become a reality,” he

added.

Until 1982 there were only seven full members of the ICC but that year Sri Lanka was admitted. Zimbabwe then joined in 1992 and Bangladesh became the most recent member in 2000.

Cricket has a long history in Afghanistan but the country played amongst the sports minnows until gaining oneday international (ODI) status in 2011.

Two years later, still suffering from the impact of war and conflict, the country was given ‘associate member’ status of the world governing body ICC. In 2015 Afghanistan played in their first 50-over World Cup and they have also featured in the World Twenty20 competition.

Ireland have steadily progressed in the game and first qualified for the World Cup in 2007, when they pulled off a shock win over Pakistan, and they have qualified for both World Cups since then.

“We are delighted and proud with today’s historic announcement. It is an extraor-

Afghanistan and Ireland are the newest Test nations // Twitter @ICC dinary testament to the talent and endeavour of thousands of passionate players, coaches, volunteers, staff, clubs and committee people,” Cricket

Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom said.

The ICC conference also agreed on a new revenue-sharing system and voted to expel

the United States of America Cricket Association following a series of disputes.

The ICC said it would now work to “establish a

new governing body for cricket in the USA that is capable of unifying the fractured cricket community in that part of the world”.

First ODI at Queen’s Park Oval

Windies focusing on execution not India’s internal problems

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – West Indies are not taking any comfort from coaching controversy overshadowing India’s trip to the Caribbean, as they look to turn the tables on the powerhouse in the opening One-Day International of the five-match series bowling off here today at Queen’s Park Oval.

Head coach Anil Kumble, who oversaw India’s recent ICC Champion’s Trophy campaign when they reached the final before losing to Pakistan, dramatically stepped aside this week citing an untenable relationship with captan Virat Kohli.

And with all eyes focused on the side for possible fallout during the series, West Indies captain Jason Holder said his side would be focusing on their execution and not on India’s internal problems.

“That’s no concern for me.

At the end of the day, we’ve still got to play cricket. We’ve got to focus on West Indies and what’s best for us,” Holder told a media throng here

yesterday.

“India will deal with their own problems. We’ve just got to face them and play them.”

He added: “Once we do the right things and execute our

our batting hasn’t been the most consistent and those are obviously areas we need to address.”

West Indies have kept the same 13 from the recent Afghanistan series but will be

West Indies captain Jason Holder plans, we have a good chance of beating India. But we have to play cricket on the day.

“We set out our plans – batting, bowling and also in the field. I think once we hit those targets, more often than not we will end up on the winning side.

“In the past we let ourselves down in the field –

hoping for a diametrically opposite performance to the one that saw them struggle to a 1-1 draw in the three-match series in St Lucia.

The hosts crashed to a shocking 63-run defeat in the opener and then struggled to overhaul a modest target of 136 in the second ODI before winning in the 40th over.

Once again, the Windies batting lay at fault. Not a single batsman scored a half-century and for the exception of Shai Hope, very few displayed any enterprise against the-then ICC Associate side.

the one-day game has transitioned,” the all-rounder explained.

“If you look at our team, most of the guys are now budding, looking to make their mark on the internation-

India captain Virat Kohli Holder said a lack of experience in batting had led to their recent woes and contended that once the young team found their footing, performances would improve.

“Experience counts a lot for it. The more we play together as a unit, the more guys will understand the international circuit and how

al circuit so I believe if we stay together and we start to get some performances, have a solid foundation, hit some targets in terms of minimum standards – and once we hit them consistently then we can improve.”

West Indies enter the game on backs of a poor run, without a win in their last five

series and having won just three of their last 16 ODIs. The record has seen them lose pace in the race for automatic qualification for the 2019 Cricket World Cup, where they need to be in the top eight in the ICC rankings

by September 30.

West Indies are currently ranked ninth and need a positive result in the series against India to gain valuable rankings points.

SQUADS: WEST INDIES – Jason Holder (captain), Devendra Bishoo, Jonathan Carter, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Ashley Nurse, Kieran Powell, Rovman Powell, Kesrick Williams.

INDIA – Virat Kohli (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Kedar Jadhav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Umesh Yadav.

New-boy Joshua Persaud advised to be good ambassador

By Stephan Sookram “PLAY with passion and pride.” These were some words of wisdom offered to cricketer Joshua Persaud, during a brief appreciation ceremony yesterday to honour his introduction into the West Indies Under-19 team to South Africa and Zimbabwe later this year.

Persaud heard these words from the Chairman of selectors of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Rayon Griffith who noted that those are two of the aspects lacking in the current regional game.

He contended that Persaud must be able to show the world his talent and ability, adding that “you should turn up on those days and play with passion and pride. I am very happy and proud to be seeing you off.”.

CEO of GNIC, Clinton Williams, was stern in reminding the young right-hander, “You are now not only an ambassador of your club and your country, but now

Windies U-19 player Joshua Persaud (centre) stands with well-wishers. (Delano Williams photo) you represent your region. Continue to make all of us proud.”

He reminded those players and administrators present of the strides that the club has been making locally.

“From as long as I can remember, the company has taken a policy decision that as part of our social corporate responsibility we contribute to the development of sports.”

Georgetown Cricket

Association (GCA) president Roger Harper stated his pride at seeing yet another Guyanese donning the colours. He was warned young Persaud that this is just a nibble of the cake.

“If you want to, and I hope you do; if you want to make a career out of playing cricket, it is not going to happen for you.

You have to work for it,” Harper said, adding that this is a small but signifi-

cant step in that direction.

Former chairman of selectors of the West Indies Board Clyde Butts who chaired the proceedings also wished the top order batsman well, reminding him to “continue to play positively”.

Apart from GNIC and Griffith, the Regal Family, owners of Regal Stationery and the Regal XI Softball team also handed over a token to the youngster, with their representative Mohendra Arjune extending best wishes on behalf of the family.

The full West Indies squad reads: Emmanuel Stewart (captain), Kirstan Kallicharran (vice-captain), Teshawn Alleyne, Alick Athanaze, Joshua Bishop, Cephas Cooper, Mykile Louis, Darren Nedd, Matthew Patrick, Persaud, Jeavor Royal, Kegan Simmons, Jeavier Spencer, Bhaskar Yadram, Nyeem Young.

T h e We s t I n d i e s U-19s will take on South Africa from July 4 before moving over to Zimbabwe on July 23.

Windies focusing on execution not India’s See internal problems page 31

National Seniors Championships Bennett promises pace officially launched and power, come July 2 … T&T and Suriname expected to participate See page 27

The head table at yesterday’s launch: Standing are a few of the athletes while sitting (from left) are coach Julian Edmonds, AAG secretary Mayfield Taylor-Trim, AAG president Aubrey Hutson, Event co-Chairman James Cole; Competitions Director Yvonne October.

See page 27

John Bennett during the CMRC Round 1 in Jamwest. (Mikey Spice photo)

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FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017