Guyana Chronicle E-paper 26-09-2019

THURSDAY 26th SEPTEMBER, 2019

' No.105772

Elections in March

…President sets March 2, 2020 as earliest date for credible elections …but insists Parliament must extend period SEE STORY ON PAGE 03

GSI records 30% increase in profit at mid-year 14 PAGE

-expects consistent growth for second half of the year

Opposition urged to return to Parliament …as parties welcome President’s announcement of earliest elections date SEE STORY ON PAGE 09

Berbice woman freed of accessory to murder charge

PAGE

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President David Granger being escorted to the Multi-purpose Building, Chinoweing Village, Cuyuni-Mazaruni (Region 7) during a visit to the area on Wednesday, for Heritage Month Celebrations. Also photographed is Vice President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples' Affairs, Mr. Sydney Allicock.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 26, 2019

‘Workers must adapt to changes’

…President tells GPSU confab IN this ever-evolving world, it is necessary to adapt to changes, President David Granger said, as he delivered the keynote address at the Guyana Public Service Union’s (GPSU) 23rd Biennial Delegates Conference on Wednesday.

He warned that failure to adapt could result in redundancy.

Change, he noted, is taking place at a rapid pace,

thereby transforming the nature of the workplace.

“Workers who are not prepared for the continuous changes in the field and office could find their careers retarded and their service redundant,” he stated.

In an effort to adapt to the changes within the work environment, workers, he said, must undergo constant training. “Education is essential to preparing employees

to enter the labour market and once in the labour market, to adapt continuously to the changing nature of work.

It means that education must be continuous,” the Head of State told the delegates seated beneath the Baridi Benab at State House.

Sitting among the delegates were Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo; Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland; GPSU President David Granger

President, Patrick Yarde, and the Guyana Trade Union Congress (GTUC) General-Secretary, Lincoln Lewis among other officials and trade unionists.

In further underscoring the importance of adapting to changes, particularly in the area of technology, President Granger said a modern public service demands competent, proficient and versatile workers who can adjust to the changes within their fields.

“The public service

GPSU President, Patrick Yarde, in discussion with Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

has created jobs for highly-skilled persons but it has also displaced low-skilled employees. The conclusion is obvious, to survive, employees have to become more highly-skilled even after they have commenced their service,” he reasoned.

As in other parts of the world, and Guyana, the public service provides administrative services to citizens, communities and companies throughout the country.

These include registration,

agricultural, immigration, health, postal, legal and local government services. In the public education, public health, public infrastructure, public telecommunication, public security and social security sectors, public servants also offer critical services.

He told the delegates and officials present that if the lives of citizens are to be improved, and an enabling TURN TO PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 26, 2019

Elections in March

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…President sets March 2, 2020 as earliest date for credible elections …but insists Parliament must extend period

GUYANESE will likely head to the polls on Monday, March 2, 2020. President David Granger, in an address to the nation on Wednesday evening stated, “I am pleased to announce that… the earliest possible date for the holding of General and Regional Elections will be on Monday, 2nd March 2020,” the Head of State said in an address to the nation, Wednesday evening.

The announcement comes after extensive discussions with the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM)-- Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh-- and the Cabinet. It also comes approximately one week after Justice Singh advised the Head of State that the Elections Secretariat will have all systems in place to facilitate free, fair and credible elections by the end of February, 2020.

Early elections in Guyana were triggered when, on December 21, 2018, the Parliamentary Opposition – the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) – secured a one-seat majority in the House to defeat the government on a Motion of No-Confidence. Now recalled Member of Parliament, Charrandass Persaud, had used his vote in the House to support the Motion, thereby giving the Opposition an edge over the government in the 65 Member National Assembly.

“We challenged the va-

lidity of the no-confidence motion and defended the challenge to the constitutionality of the appointment of the Chairman of the Elections Commission,” President Granger said while making it clear that his Administration has respected the decisions of the Courts and upheld the Constitution.

The No-Confidence Motion was upheld by the High Court on January 31, 2019 but on March 22, 2019, the Court of Appeal, by a 2-1 majority, invalidated the motion on the basis that an absolute majority was not acquired although the Opposition had secured an extra vote to defeat the government. It was not until June 18, 2019 that the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) – Guyana’s final appellate court – validated the No-Confidence Motion. In handing down its consequential order on July 12, 2019, the CCJ stated clearly that the government, as a result of the passage of the No-Confidence Motion, will remain in office, though on a different footing, until a new President is sworn-in.

“The legal processes were neither frivolous nor aimed at delaying the consequences of the no-confidence motion.

They sought to clarify and interpret the Constitution and to ensure that General and Regional Elections would be conducted on the basis of a credible list,” President Granger explained.

He maintained that he and his government have com-

plied with the rulings of the Courts, upheld the Constitu-

President David Granger

tion of Guyana and respected the National Assembly at all times. “I engaged the Elections Commission from February 2019 repeatedly. I insisted that credible elections be held at the earliest possible time. Credible elections are essential to representative democracy,” he pointed out.

Notably, since his first meeting with GECOM in February 2019, the Elections Commission underwent a series of changes compounded by a number of challenges.

Ahead of the CCJ’s landmark decision, the Opposition-nominated Elections Commission, in attempting to force the hands of the Commission, constantly walked out of statutory meetings, thereby, preventing the Commission from making any

concrete decision on elections. On June 18, the same day it validated the No-Confidence Motion, the CCJ ruled that the appointment of the then Chairman of the Elections Commission, Justice (Ret’d) James Patterson was unconstitutional. Though he stepped down almost immediately, Justice Patterson, ahead of that CCJ ruling, on June 11, 2019, had issued an Order for the commencement of House-to-House Registration on July 20, 2019.

On July 29, Justice Singh was sworn-in as Chairman of GECOM after President Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo agreed on a list of six nominees, in accordance with the advice of the CCJ. Justice Singh, in compliance with a ruling of the High Court, took a decision to shorten the period initially allocated for House-to-House Registration. That process came to an end on August 31, 2019 by which time more than 370,000 persons had registered. Justice Singh’s decision followed extensive discussions between the Commission and the Secretariat.

It was not until September 19, 2019, that GECOM, for the very first time, was able to advice President Granger on its state of readiness for elections. “The Guyana Elections Commission will be able to deliver credible elections by the end of February 2020,” Justice Singh said in her letter to the President.

Berbice woman freed of accessory to murder charge

By Jeune Bailey Vankeric JUSTICE Priya Sewnarine Beharry ordered the mixed jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty, moments after she upheld a no- case submission in the case in which Lalita Bollers was charged with being an accessory to murder.

Bollers’ son, Carlos Bollers and another man, Yuvraj Singh, were charged with the murder of security guard, Munesh Prem Ayasammy Munien, who was killed at Rose Hall last March.

Prior to directing the jury at the Berbice Assizes, the Judge observed that the prosecution’s evidence, led

by State Counsel Mondel Moore, was weak, tenuous and insufficient , while the essential element of mur-

Lalita Bollers

der was not proven.

The State had earlier submitted that the accused had found a bag with two parcels which was buried in her yard, and she had admitted that she threw a bloodied knife in an outdoor toilet.

But the Judge had questioned whether the acts

proved that she knew her son had murdered the deceased.

Defence Counsel, Tania Warren Clement, speaking to reporters outside of the courtroom, said that the prosecution had failed to prove an element of the case."Even if actions were done, those actions could be deemed unequivocal, neither to help her son, as she was afraid the offence of murder was not proven by the prosecution," she said.

The prosecution’s case, in which eleven witnesses testified, is that on Saturday, March 31, 2018, Munien, called ‘Tad, was murdered during the course of a robbery. His body was found at the back of the Sukhram General and Agro Chemicals Store, at Rose Hall Town Public Road, where he was

employed as the night security guard.

Munien’s body bore a number of stab wounds, including to the throat and head. A large quantity of cash was reportedly missing from the store.

Following investigation, several persons, including Carlos Bollers and Singh, were taken into custody.

Further investigation led police to the home of Lalita Bollers, where the police reportedly recovered some money. She, along with her son and Singh, was arrested and charged with the crime.

The woman was subsequently charged with accessory after the fact.

“I convened a meeting of available Cabinet ministers that very day, within hours of receiving her advice, to discuss the timeline provided to me by the Chairman. A second meeting of the full Cabinet was held yesterday, 24th September 2019, when all members accepted the advice provided by the Chairman of the Elections Commission,” President Granger detailed in his address.

The Cabinet Ministers, he said, also benefitted from the advice of Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams.

President Granger also met with the Chairman of the Elections Commission on Wednesday, September 25.

During that meeting, statutory timelines for the upcoming General and Regional Elections were discussed. It was based on those discussions that the President arrived at the earliest possible date for elections.

“Guyanese, Guyana will observe its 50th anniversary as a Republic on Sunday, 23rd February 2020. The following day, 24th February 2020 will be a national holiday,” he noted.

The Constitution at Article 106 (7) states, “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election”.

As such, he said the extension of a period beyond three months for the holding of an election is related to the Elections Commission’s readiness to hold the elections. “The Government of Guyana must, as a consequence, return to the National Assembly to request an extension. The National Assembly reconvenes on 10th October, 2019. The President is required to both dissolve Parliament as provided for in the Constitution at Article 70 (2) and the ten Regional Democratic Councils as provided for in the Constitution at Article 73 (2),” he stated.

The Constitution at Article 61, he further pointed out, states: “An election of members of the National Assembly under Article 60 (2) shall be held on such day within three months after every dissolution of Parliament as the President shall appoint by proclamation.”

The Constitution at Article 70 (2) states further that: “The President may at any time by proclamation dissolve Parliament”. The Constitution at Article 73 (2) provides that: “Elections of members of regional democratic councils shall he held and the councils shall be dissolved at such times as subject to paragraph (3), the President may appoint by proclamation.”

He told the nation that it could now look to the Elections Commission to conduct credible elections within the timeframe prescribed. Guyana, President Granger said, is on the right path to preserve its precious parliamentary democracy.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday September 26, 2019

Memo confirms Trump urged Biden investigation The Trump administration has released details of a phone conversation in July that has triggered a US impeachment inquiry against the president.

According to the notes, Donald Trump asked the Ukrainian leader to look into corruption claims involving the son of Joe Biden, Mr Trump’s possible rival in next year’s presidential election.

Concerns about the call were initially raised by a whistleblower.

The Democrats accused Mr Trump of seeking foreign help to smear a rival.

Under the US constitution, a president can be impeached for “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanours” - a procedure that can lead to removal from office.

In July, Mr Trump froze military aid to Ukraine but he has insisted that

this was not used to put pressure on the new government in Kiev.

Mr Trump discusses with his newly elected Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, the 2016 removal of a prosecutor, Viktor Shokin, according to notes of their 25 July telephone conversation released by the White House.

The US president is quoted as saying in the half-hour call: “I heard you had a prosecutor who was very good and he was shut down and that’s really unfair.

“A lot of people are talking about that, the way they shut your very good prosecutor down and you had some very bad people involved.”

He continues: “The other thing, there’s a lot of talk about Biden’s son, that Biden stopped the prosecution [of Mr Biden’s son] and a lot of people want to find out about that so whatever

you can do with the [US] Attorney General would be great.

“Biden went around bragging that he stopped the prosecution so if you can look into it... It sounds horrible to me.”

Mr Zelensky says in response: “We will take care of that and we will work on the investigation of the case.”

Thanking Mr Trump, Mr Zelensky says he stayed in Trump Tower in New York City during a previous visit to the US. On the call, the US president also asks Mr Zelensky to work with US Attorney General William Barr and Mr Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudolph Giuliani, to look into the matter, according to the notes.

The Department of Justice said on Wednesday that Mr Trump had not spoken with the attorney general about

having Ukraine investigate Mr Biden, and Mr Barr had not communicated with Ukraine.

Mr Trump and his conservative allies have focused on how Mr Biden, as US vice-president in 2016, lobbied Ukraine to fire Mr Shokin.

Mr Shokin’s office had opened an investigation into Burisma, a natural gas company on which Mr Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, was a board member.

Other Western officials had called for Mr Shokin to be fired because of the perception that he was soft on corruption.

Mr Biden last year told a foreign policy event how he threatened to withhold $1bn in aid to Ukraine unless Mr Shokin was removed.

No evidence has come to light so far of wrongdoing by the Bidens.

Mr Trump had promised that a “complete, fully declassified and unredacted transcript” of the 25 July call would be released.

But the details disclosed by the White House on Wednesday morning were notes of the conversation taken

by US officials who listened in.

The July call occurred days after Mr Trump directed the US government to withhold about $391m (£316m) in military aid to Ukraine.

In the summary of the call, Mr Trump does not tell the Ukrainian president that US aid hinges upon him investigating Mr Biden.

But Mr Trump stresses the importance of US financial support, before pressing Mr Zelensky for action on the Democratic candidate.

“I will say that we do a lot for Ukraine,” Mr Trump says. (BBC)

The Supreme Court was wrong, Johnson tells MPs

Boris Johnson has told MPs the Supreme Court was “wrong to pronounce on a political question at a time of great national controversy”.

And he urged smaller parties to table a vote of no confidence in his government to trigger a general election.

In extraordinary scenes, Tory MPs applauded as he goaded Jeremy Corbyn over his refusal to back an election.

Mr Corbyn told the PM he was “not fit

for office” and should have resigned after the Supreme Court’s verdict.

Other MPs also rounded on Mr Johnson for his lack of contrition following the unanimous defeat for the government in the court.

Labour’s Rachel Reeves said Wednesday’s events in Parliament had been “an horrendous spectacle”. Her colleague, Jess Phillips, said the PM’s response to the court judgement looked “horrendous” to the public and he should apologise.

The SNP’s Joanna Cherry - who was one of the lawyers who led the court challenge against the suspension or “prorogation” - said the House had been “treated to the sort of populist rant one expects to hear from a tinpot dictatorship”.

The BBC’s political editor said the Commons was “an absolute bear pit”, with “so much vitriol on all sides”.

Labour and the SNP have refused to vote for a general election until a no-deal Brexit

has been taken off the table.

The PM was forced to cut short his visit to the UN in New York to return to the Commons after the UK’s highest court ruled his decision to suspend Parliament was unlawful.

He said he “respected” the court’s verdict, but did not think it should have ruled on a “political question”.

And he dared opposition parties to “finally face the day of reckoning with the voters” in an election. (BBC)

Wednesday September 25, 2019

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September 13, 2019

16, 20, 23, 03, 18

3, 2, 1

6, 4, 6

01, 03, 04, 07, 14

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday September 26, 2019

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Amazon rainforest belongs to Brazil -- says Jair Bolsonaro considered the epicentre of the environmental crisis in the Amazon. From above, the range of different pressures and stresses being put onto the rainforest by human activity is abundantly clear.

As our light aircraft swooped down, the scar of open land interrupting the forest canopy revealed itself to be a vast series of illegal gold mines.

The runoff and slurry were so

A burned area of Amazon forest in Para state

President Jair Bolsonaro has insisted that the Brazilian areas of the Amazon rainforest are sovereign territory.

Conservationists blame Mr Bolsonaro and his government for turning a blind eye to farmers and loggers clearing land in the Amazon, hastening deforestation.

But in an address at the United Nations in New York, he struck a defiant note.

He said it was a “fallacy” to describe the Amazon as the heritage of humanity and a “misconception” that its forests were the lungs of the world.

Brazil - home to more than half the Amazon rainforest has seen a significant rise in the number of fires in 2019, according to US space agency Nasa and others.

Environmentalists say the far-right Mr Bolsonaro’s policies have led to an increase in fires this year, and that he has encouraged cattle farmers and loggers to clear large areas of the rainforest since his election last October. Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Mr Bolsonaro criticised what he described as sensational reporting in the international media.

“Using and resorting to these fallacies, certain countries, instead of helping ... behaved in a disrespectful manner and with a colonialist spirit,” he said.

“They even called into question that which we hold as a most sacred value, our sovereignty.”

Mr Bolsonaro was speaking the day after an impassioned speech from teenage Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, who accused world leaders of betraying young people in favour of what she described as “fairy tales of eternal economic growth”.

The Brazilian president

defended his government’s treatment of indigenous people, saying many backed his policies.

“Some people both inside and outside Brazil... have insisted on treating and keeping our Indians as though they were real cave men,” he said.

More than 800,000 indigenous people live in 450 demarcated indigenous territories across Brazil, about 12% of Brazil’s total territory. Most are located in the Amazon region and some groups still live completely isolated and without outside contact.

President Bolsonaro, who took office in January, has repeatedly questioned whether

these demarcated territories which are enshrined in Brazil’s constitution - should continue to exist, arguing that their size is disproportionate to the number of indigenous people living there.

His plans to open up these territories for mining, logging and agriculture are controversial.

Mr Bolsonaro’s visit to New York has sparked several protests by environmentalists.

He has drawn intense domestic and international criticism for failing to protect the Amazon region, a vital carbon store that slows the pace of global warming.

The state of Pará is often

extensive that they resembled a river - but a toxic one contaminated by mercury, which seeps into the Amazon’s waterways and ecosystems.

It is not just mining, either.

In the part of the Amazon we visited, a recent wildfire had consumed an area of forest the size of 1,600 football pitches in just four days.

In the Amazonian town of Alter do Chão, opinion was

split between those urging greater protection for the forest and those saying further development was needed to bring in jobs.

Yet everyone I spoke to agreed that the Amazon rainforest was a living, breathing resource that must be respected - and that fire, mining and large-scale agriculture were doing nothing but harm. (BBC)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday September 26, 2019

The President stands by his word NOW that the President has named a date for the much-anticipated election, we hope that this announcement would silence those who have been peddling the myth that the government does not want to hold elections. From the time of the events in the National Assembly in December 2018 to the present, the president and his government have been consistent that they would not stand in the way of the Constitution and the Rule of Law. The president has made good on his word that when GECOM signals to him its readiness for holding credible elections, he would act decisively.

The Opposition PPP did everything within its power to undermine the right of the president

to have the final say on when the elections are held. They unsuccessfully sought to enlist the judicial arm by calling on the court to name an election date; they boycotted sittings of the National Assembly in the hope that that important organ does not function at its full capacity. They even sought to subvert GECOM, the very body that is responsible for conducting elections. Finally, the PPP sought to sell a narrative of gloom and doom to the international community that painted the country as a pariah state.

The truth of the matter is that the constitutional requirement enshrined in Article 6-6 was put on hold by the resort to judicial review by both the government and the PPP. When the CCJ made its final determination in July,

it made it clear to the political actors that given the centrality of GECOM to the holding of elections, they should take care to “marry principle with practicality”. The PPP promptly ignored this recommendation, and sought refuge in an abstract constitutionalism. It was the president and his government that steadfastly sought, in word and deed, to be faithful to the CCJ’s recommendation.

So, in the end, it is President Granger who, despite pressures from all sides and ridicule from some misguided elements, has emerged as the champion of right over wrong. Only yesterday, the naysayers were braying to the world that he would not name an election date; they were vowing to mount protest demonstrations

up and down the country. It will be interesting to see what their reaction would be, now that an election date has been announced.

The president and his government must be commended for withstanding the pressures to subvert the Constitution by calling an election without consulting with GECOM. This publication believes that had they done so, that would have represented a very real breach of the Constitution.

We cannot have elections just for the sake having them. Furthermore, we cannot hold elections to satisfy the whims and fancies of one political actor; that, in itself, is a denial of democratic norms.

Elections must pass the test of best-practices, and must have the full confidence of all competitors.

So, now that the date is set, let

AFC ministers have performed well Dear Editor THE Guyana Chronicle, being a responsible government publication, we expect the highest level of fair play and professional journalism which the letter

by Ryana Maraj –“AFC and the Cummingsburg Accord’ published, departs from completely and we expect that you will publish the AFC’s official response.

The article by Mr. Ryan Maraj in the September 22 edition of the Chronicle Newspaper is an unwarranted attack on the AFC, its contribution to the success of the APNU/AFC coalition government and the wisdom of key agreements embodied [in]the Cummingsburg Accord.

We wish to particularly rebuff the libelous accusation that the Minister of Natural

Resources was removed from his responsibilities for oil and gas because of allegation of corruption. It is a false and slanderous accusation, which I am surprised was elevated to the pages of the Guyana Chronicle without evidence or at least the courtesy of a comment for balance. For the record, the portfolio Minister had written a letter to the President asking to be relieved of the responsibility for oil and gas, which was later returned to the Ministry of the Presidency.

Mr. Maraj claims, in particular, that the 60/40 cabinet split of Ministerial positions was not justified based on the performance of the present cabinet. Without a shred of evidence or any attempt to analyse and discuss Ministerial contribution, Mr. Maraj launched a broadside on at

least five AFC Ministers, which was unwarranted, biased and even silly. We do not deny Mr. Maraj his opinion, regardless of how ill-informed it is, but the AFC can say without fear of successful contradiction that the Ministries of Public Security, Public Telecommunication, Agriculture, Business, Public Infrastructure as well as the Office of the Prime Minister have been run with vision, efficiency and have contributed significantly to the achievements of the coalition government in so many areas of the administration.

The AFC is well pleased with its ministers and, as a party, we are proud of our contribution in both the election of the coalition government and the stewardship of the government, having inherited a crippled

economy and governance apparatus, after 23 years of a corrupt and bankrupted PPP/C administration. The AFC remains committed to the Cummingsburg Accord and its duties and responsibilities contained therein.

We will not be derailed, diverted or distracted from our goal which is to ensure the return of the APNU/ AFC coalition to office; so that we can continue to raise the quality of life for all the Guyanese people through the sustainable development in our homeland.

Regards David Patterson General Secretary; Alliance For Change

the campaigning begin. This will be a defining election. We hope that the campaign will be one of competing ideas and not one of competing insults. Our country has gone through a lot this past year, and deserves an election campaign that lifts the standard of its political culture. May the side with the more enlightened ideas and better track record in government win!

For Guyana’s sake, may the side with the better human rights record when in government triumph! And may the side with the superior capacity to manage a virgin oil-and-gas economy capture the majority of the votes!

In the final analysis, we have every confidence that the Guyanese people will make the correct decision.

GRA improving archaic and inefficient procedures Dear Editor THE Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) would like to express its gratitude to Mr. Louis Holder for bringing to the attention of the Commissioner General the current procedures in place as they relate to the payment of taxes, the submission of returns, and the requirements related to different businesses, and the treatment of incorrect and incomplete returns.

Writing in the Sunday edition of the Stabroek News of September 22nd 2019, Mr. Holder bemoaned some of the “Archaic and inefficient procedures at Government agencies’, and expressed his dissatisfaction thereto.

The GRA, in its thrust of improving efficiency, constantly reviews its SOP’s and would gladly welcome such constructive criticisms and suggestions from the general public. All taxpayers are stakeholders, and upon review of the system, I endorse Mr. Holder’s comments that the

procedure can be more efficient, thereby allowing for less effort and time spent at the GRA by the taxpaying public.

The GRA has signed a contract with DataTorque to replace the archaic TRIPS system and such duplicity will thereafter be something of the past. In the meanwhile, in order to avoid the hassle of queueing, payments can be made via Mobile Money and returns can be e-Filed via its website, www.gra.gov. gy, with a lodgment receipt printed thereafter. E-filing will also reduce errors since the incomplete or incorrect returns would not be accepted. The Authority again thanks Mr. Holder and extends an invitation to him to visit/write the Authority and make any such suggestions that can be utilised in improving the service relationship with the taxpaying public.

Regards Guyana Revenue Authority

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday September 26, 2019

Continuing lies and mischief Dear Editor THERE can be no moral expectation, of any degree, that can be expected from any PPP/C supporter, particularly those who are known to be associated with this party.

In fact, they all have been part of its scheme of national deception, lies, and misinformation of every conceivable kind, aimed against the President David Granger administration; which have commenced since 2015 as a means of returning to power.

In quite clear terms, the treachery of the NCM, the biggest political lie in the nation’s political annals, its perpetrators, and all their filthy lies, constitute the most dishonest and hypocritical period of the nation. And they come in all forms and guises, like Michael Young, whose piece of putrid effluence ‘Mr. Granger has lost all authority to govern and Guyana has descended into anarchy’, published in Kaieteur News of September 20, 2019, is a perfect example of a well-known PPP/C supporter, who has already lost his entire sense of self-respect and decency, for sinking to such a filthy low.

In fact, all the fiction that he has so shamelessly conjured up, in his journey through the wonderland of lies, is representative of a political Munchausen category.

Editor, the ideal, in Younge’s case, would be to expose each of his dark fibs. But such is too lengthy an exercise, costly in time; hence the following examples of this supporter’s ill- informed and distorted mind will suffice.

Of course, like his political handlers, he has attacked the Madame Ret’d Justice Claudette Singh, GECOM’s Chairperson, by first stating that her time line of February 2020, for national elections “must be rejected by all right thinking Guyanese’’, and accusing her of “adopting the diabolical plan of the government Commissioners to further delay these elections…GECOM has thrown away any hope of Constitutional Compliance…”

Editor, this is an exhibition of de-

liberate ignorance, and disrespect for both the Chairperson, her functions, and of the constitutional body itself.

For this supposedly media worker, it is a sad low that he has gone to make himself sound intellectual, but instead delivering wholesale false hoods which only his crooked mind can justify. But his ignorance, wicked, and mischief must be reminded that it is the Constitutional right of GECOM to make all plans and decisions, through its secretariat, with regards the holding of national elections. In this key function of its responsibilities – it has discharged its stated duty, compliments of the unflappable madame Chairperson.

What Younge should be reminded is that his party’s invited commissioner refused the Chairperson’s invitation, also extended to the government’s, to be part of the timeline decision- making process, which she most likely opened for a consensus, but with sound evidence to support. The rest is now history – she made her decision in the most commendable of manner, as is her right, and without fear or favour, unfazed by partisanship, ‘political rhetoric and political gamesmanship as Younge has libelously inferred, but only in accordance with the constitutional mandate. One wonders as to the decrepit low that PPP/C supporters have to descend in order to support their party’s horrible utensil pot of yellow lies.

Younge then attempts to attack the impeccable person of the President.

This is committing political sacrilege, since as political leader cum president, David Granger stands head high in the pantheon of national leaders, in any era, in any country. His credentials as a law abider are unrivalled and applauded, as well as his genuine belief in the ideals of a democratic state, and non-interference in the work of constitutional bodies, and other state institutions are text book references for any aspiring would-be democratic leader. As an accomplished historian and academic, he has read well, and therefore fully understands the consequences, the pit falls for any

leader who treats his country in the manner, as Nicolas Maduro, Younge’s reference, and those former PPP/C presidents. Let Younge present a PPP/C equal in democratic practice to President Granger, and I will tell him why Saddam Hussein was a better president than either Bharat Jagdeo or Donald Ramotar!

Here comes Younge, this time, with a figment of the greatest imagination, a now worn piece of PPP/C propaganda that would immediately attract the attention of both the Public Health and environmental authorities for the obnoxious smell it emits: ‘’Any government that holds on to power by trampling on the rights and freedoms of its people usually suffers embarrassing defeat at any free and fair elections…”

Younge has this time underlined his credentials as a liar par excellence for his unsubstantiated attempt to ascribe an undemocratic practice to the coalition government. First, this acolyte, who continues to drown himself in a daily vat of his own murky imaginations, should be reminded as to Gocool Boodoo, a former Chief Elections Officer, caught rigging an extra seat for the PPP/C government in 2011, which cost him his job. Young must also know that his then party’s government commissioners voted in the negative, refusing to sanction the removal of Boodoo.

Second, that this was an example of barefaced stealing of a seat, on behalf Younge’s ‘democratic government’, which he adores, is undeniable.

And who could have trampled on the ‘rights and democratic freedoms’ of its people more than the PPP/C; Younge, one should believe, is old enough to recall the teargassing of nurses and other public servants during the last general strike in 1999; a similar treatment to sugar workers on the West Bank Demerara in the early years of the Millennium; the proroguing of parliament by president Ramotar without a debate, and not even informing the then parliamentary opposition – and the list can continue.

‘Workers must adapt to...

environment for businesses is to be created, the Public Service must adapt to technological and other changes through education. A corps of highly-trained and competent public servants, he added, is essential to ensuring the delivery of quality and timely public services.

Here in Guyana, the public service has changed since “those slow, sluggish days,” according to the President. “It has become a more complex network of agencies, departments and ministries offering a variety of services to wider urban, rural, hinterland and even international communities in terms of the Foreign Service.

It has also become more competitive and the people, who acquire new skills and can perform better than their colleagues, will move further, faster,” he pointed out.

When the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government took office in 2015, the situation was less than desirable, he said. Due to the fact that many school leavers were unable to perform effectively within the public service, the APNU+AFC Government established the Bertram Collins College of the Public Service. At the Bertram Collins College, public servants are being equipped the requisite skills and knowledge needed to effectively engage in public administration. “The College is overcoming its early teething problems and is working to enhance the competencies of cadets so that when they join their respective ministries and departments, they could deliver efficient public services,” the President noted.

He noted that government is aggressively working to provide equal and equitable service to all Guyanese regardless of their geographical location. Government’s objective, he detailed, is to reduce inequalities, including access to public services. “The creation of the capital towns in the course of time will enable the establishment of more secondary schools, better equipped, better staffed hospitals, more law courts, passport offices, police stations. Each region is going to have a divisional headquarters,” President Granger told those present. Even as the country’s economy undergoes transformational change, the public service is being reconfigured to better regulate the economic sectors.

However, the public service, in the discharge of its regulatory role, will require more special-

Editor, again, this government is democratic, and believes in a clean voter’s list for credible national elections and transparent results. Unlike the PPP/C that has objected to houseto-house registration that it had always supported, the Coalition has ensured its continuation that this important exercise be done, for upholding the rights of the people, unlike the PPP/C which refusal would have threatened the disenfranchisement of first time voters, particularly.

One wonders as to the blinkered and self-delusional state of mind of this PPP/C sorrowful mouthpiece, whose claim about the ‘dark days have returned’; ‘‘business owners must distance themselves’’ from the government, while further calling on ‘’Permanent Secretaries and other public office holders have no duties to follow instructions..’’, and advising ‘‘…….youths to boycott all events attended by Mr. Granger….”, highlights the significant folly of Younge’s wishy washy wishes, conjuring the image of a country at a standstill.

Far from the truth; For one must enquire of Younge just how, when and why did these dark days returned?

For his guidance, very disappointedly, those kinds of days that once existed during his former party government’s regime have almost dissipated since 2015. It is because of the APNU+AFC that Guyana began to move forward, on clean money transactions, with an economy forecasted at 4.4 per cent growth for 2019, and in double digits for 2020; with business booming, a reported US $1B investments made in Guyana, and all senior sector officers, continuing to support a government that allows them to function in a professional manner, which means non-interference in their daily administration, unlike the PPP/C micro managing system.

As to the nation’s youths, of course they are flocking to wherever President Granger and other ministerial functionaries are, because like me, they have a new lease in life; a better hope for tomorrow; and better self-es-

FROM PAGE 2

ised and highly-skilled public servants, he said.

In support of his position, President Granger alluded to the International Labour Organisation’s Global Commission on the Future of Work Report entitled ‘Work for a Brighter Future.’ In that report, the commission said the establishment of a lifelong learning ecosystem is critical so as to enable “people to acquire skills and to re-skill and up-skill.”

Turning his attention to GPSU, the President said the union has the experience and the expertise to inaugurate a new compact, agreement, concord between the government, the trade unions and the private sector. The union – one of Guyana oldest trade unions – has to lead by example, he posited.

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, in delivering brief

teem, all because of the numerous programmes that have continued to bring changes to their once hopeless lives. And this concerns youths from all of our ten administrative regions.

For example, the Hinterland Education Youth Services programme (HEYS) has been changing the lives of our indigenous youths, giving them a clear understanding of themselves as Guyanese and a part of the national family, with the right to be educated and play a role in national development.

While one will agree that there are existing challenges at the moment that will be resolved, there is a brighter sun shining over this land, more than ever, with citizens continuing to make their contribution, and be part of the National renewal process, underway since 2015.

The many public voices of the PPP/C DOOM AND GLOOM campaign, which is causing the opposite effect, and of which Younge is one of its shameful PR mouthpieces, pray and wish daily for their naysaying wishes to come true. But the eyes of Guyanese are daily being awakened as to the threat of the lurking perils of the very political party which he so shamelessly represent, not only by way of their criminal governance for their two decades and years in office, but as a result of witnessing their villainous acts of seeking to grab power for selfish means.

Young has described himself as a ‘‘young journalist’’ who is ‘’disheartened’’ at what is occurring.

I would re-write this to mean: a young journalist whose high-class proclivity for diatribe as displayed in his letter, illustrates a young man completely pregnant in deception, with a lie- filled abdomen that will explode at any time. Such will be his personal legacy to what he continues to create -- all lies.

remarks, said public servants are now being paid better wages and salaries in better working conditions. “When we got into the government, although we were unable to pay the wages’ debts that we inherited because of the nature and the quality of the revenue at our disposal, you still could not be unaware and unappreciative of the fact that some of the elements of the non-wage’s package were put into force with the duty free and some house lots and allowances and the raising of the income tax threshold and the withdrawal of NIS from some levels of deductions,” the prime minister explained.

GPSU President Patrick Yarde, though acknowledging the strides made in recent years, highlighted the need to fully address the issues facing sweeper cleaners in the country. Yarde said the sweeper cleans must be treated as permanent pensioners and public servants. “The torture

Regards Dillon Goring they endured for all these years must come to an end,” he emphasised. Yarde said many public servants are living below the poverty line and must be afforded livable wages and salaries. He said while there is infrastructural development taking place, much more needs to be done for public servants.

Meanwhile, GTUC Representative, Vera Naughton, underscored the importance of collective bargaining. “This showcases the strength of our unions in negotiations for a living wage and better conditions of work. The realisation of this is best achieved in a democratic environment where the rights of the working class are not only respected, but continuously advanced for the betterment of society,” she said. Guyana Agricultural and General Workers' (GAWU) Representative, Kemton Alexander also echoed similar views.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 26, 2019

Address to the Nation

By His Excellency Brigadier David Granger President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana Guyanese, The Government, since the passage of the no-confidence motion in the National Assembly on 21st December 2018, has respected the decisions of the Courts and upheld the Constitution.

We challenged the validity of the no-confidence motion and defended the challenge to the constitutionality of the appointment of the Chairman of the Elections Commission.

The legal processes were neither frivolous nor aimed at delaying the consequences of the no-confidence motion. They sought to clarify and interpret the Constitution and to ensure that General and Regional Elections would be conducted on the basis of a credible list.

I have complied with the rulings of the Courts, upheld the Constitution of Guyana and respected the National Assembly at all times. I engaged the Elections Commission from February 2019 repeatedly. I insisted that credible elections be held at the earliest possible time. Credible elections are essential to representative democracy.

Guyanese, The Chairman of the Elections Commission Justice Claudette Singh, wrote me last Thursday, 19th September 2019, indicating that “the Guyana Elections Commission will be able to deliver credible elections by the end of February 2020”.

I convened a meeting of available Cabinet ministers that very day, within hours of receiving her advice, to discuss the timeline provided to me by the Chairman. A second meeting of the full Cabinet was held yesterday, 24th September 2019, when all members accepted the advice provided by the Chairman of the Elections Commission. Cabinet ministers also benefitted from the advice of Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Mr. Basil Williams and were guided by the need to adhere scrupulously to the advice of the Elections

President, David Granger

Commission.

I met Chairman of the Elections Commission, Justice Singh, this afternoon Wednesday 25th September, when she discussed the statutory timelines for the upcoming General and Regional Elections.

Guyanese, Guyana will observe its 50th anniversary as a Republic on Sunday, 23rd February 2020. The following day, 24th February 2020 will be a national holiday. I am pleased to announce that, after discussions with Chairman of the Elections Commission and with my Cabinet, the earliest possible date

for the holding of General and Regional Elections will be on Monday, 2nd March 2020. The Constitution at Article 106 (7) states, “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election”.

The extension of a period beyond three months for the holding of an election is related to the Elections Commission’s readiness to hold the elections. The Government of Guyana must, as a consequence, return to the National Assembly to request an extension. The National Assembly reconvenes on 10th October 2019. The President is required to both dissolve Parliament as provided for in the Constitution at Article 70 (2) and the ten Regional Democratic Councils as provided for in the Constitution at Article 73 (2). The Constitution at Article 61 states: “An election of members of the National Assembly under Article 60 (2) shall be held on such day within three months after every dissolution of Parliament as the President shall appoint by proclamation.”

The Constitution at Article 70 (2) states further that: “The President may at any time by proclamation dissolve Parliament”. The Constitution at Article 73 (2) provides that: “Elections of members of regional democratic councils shall he held and the councils shall be dissolved at such times as subject to paragraph (3), the President may appoint by proclamation.”

Guyanese can now look to the Elections Commission to conduct credible elections within the timeframe prescribed.

Guyanese, We are on the right path to preserve our precious parliamentary democracy.

Thank you and may God continue to bless Guyana.

APA commends gov’t on committing to ‘Amazon Pact’ ‘Green Gold’ coming soon --calls on it to take action to combat illegal activities THE Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) has commended the Government of Guyana’s commitment to protecting the Amazon by joining neighbouring states in signing the Leticia Amazon Pact.

“We recognise this Pact, signed on September 6, 2019, in Leticia, Colombia, as one aimed at sharing resources and taking greater steps towards protecting the world's largest tropical rainforest in the wake of recent wildfires that ravaged it and displaced countless Indigenous peoples who call the Amazon home,” APA Communications and Visibility Officer Mariah Lall stated in a press release.

Having said that, she called upon the government and all Guyanese to move beyond the limited measures specified in the Pact and take concrete actions to ensure the protection of the forests.

“We emphasise that despite acknowledging the Amazon is home to 34 million people, including Indigenous and tribal peoples, and declaring its commitment to building and strengthening the capacities of Indigenous Peoples, the Pact fails to recognise the contributions of Indigenous Peoples to the conservation of the world’s forests or biodiversity,” Lall said.

She said this is so in spite of the numerous studies concluding that Indigenous Peoples do a better job at managing their natural resources

than other actors.

Noting that the ‘Pact’ does not commit to the protection of Indigenous rights, especially land rights and their right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), nor does it speak to the effective participation of Indigenous Peoples in decision-making, Lall said that recognising this and respecting Indigenous Peoples’ land and participatory rights, as enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, would be a first step towards achieving the goals of the pact in protecting the Amazon region.

“We further urge our leaders to remember that beyond the pact, there is existing legislative and policy framework relevant to environmental protection and Indigenous land rights. Though the pact focuses on addressing illegal activities that play a role in deforestation and forest degradation, the recent wildfires were largely linked to legally sanctioned activities, including agricultural activities,” she stated.

She said that by signing the Pact, the government has committed to establishing regional cooperation and information exchange to combat illegal activities, notably extractive activities, which threaten the conservation of the Amazon.

However, she stated that there are actions the government can take to combat illegal activities on its

own as well. This would include the government taking a second look at how mining is carried out in Guyana and whether it supports the goals of the pact.

“We strongly contend that combating illegal activities begins with the prompt investigation of complaints. We recall that in case of Mamai Lucille Williams, an elderly Indigenous woman from Karisaparu, Region Eight, whose home and farm were bulldozed by miners, the GGMC neglected to even investigate the situation for more than a year. While several reports were made to various authorities, including ministers of government, requesting an intervention, it was only recently that the GGMC and the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs intervened, resulting in the agreement of compensation for Mamai,” the APA stated.

Noting that such is just one example that reflects the need for prompt and urgent action by the government, the communications officer said government should not rely solely on finances but rather on goodwill.

This would include but not be limited to the effective enforcement of existing laws and policies and development of new regulations that would support that which has been agreed to in the pact.

–El Dorado initiative seeing results

Minister of Natural Resources, Hon. Raphael Trotman appearing as a guest on VOG’s Radio Programme ‘Insight’.

THE push to ensure Guyana’s gold mining sector is mercury-free is gaining traction with assistance from Conservation International (CI). This is according to Minister of Natural Resources, Hon. Raphael Trotman.

Speaking as a guest on VOG’s Radio Programme ‘Insight’ on Monday, September 23, the minister revealed that a team of local stakeholders from different sectors recently returned from a Peruvian study tour where mercury-free mining technology was showcased.

Minister Trotman explained that “CI has been setting up model stations around the country, working with miners, the National Mining Syndicate, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners’ As-

sociation and with the Guyana Women’s Miners Organisation as well as with artisanal individual miners. They are finding better ways of recovering gold… that is said to be green; that is organically produced not with too many chemicals, in particular, mercury, there is a higher value for it on the world market.”

Conservation International, the minister said, is helping to demonstrate not only how it can be done but also where it can be sold internationally, “They’re helping us to find those markets. I believe it is a commendable programme and I wish to thank both the outgoing and current directors of CI and all of the hardworking people there for this initiative. It is not just in Guyana. It is shared amongst a few countries but we are seen as one of the flagship countries that will take this project forward, globally.”

The El Dorado Gold Project, which is a collaboration between the Natural Resources Ministry and CI and Guyana and Global Environment Facility (GEF), aims for mercury-free mining by 2025. It seeks to guide the transition to mercury-free mining and promote the adoption of environmentally friendly approaches to mining in Guyana. (DPI)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 26, 2019

Opposition urged to return to Parliament

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…as parties welcome President’s announcement of elections date

By Lisa Hamilton POLITICAL parties in Guyana have welcomed the announcement by President David Granger that the earliest possible date for the holding of General and Regional Elections will be on Monday, March 2, 2020 and have called on the parliamentary opposition to return to the house to grant an extension of the government for the purpose of holding elections.

Leaders within these parties on Wednesday stated that Guyanese can now “breathe a sigh of relief” that the back and forth between political parties has given way to a fair timeline which would allow them their right to choose their own leaders.

In a statement on Thursday, the Alliance For Change (AFC) expressed that its position has always been that elections must be held as early as possible and conducted in such a manner that maintains public confidence in the process. The AFC stated the President’s announcement is therefore welcomed by the party as continued movement in the right direction.

“The AFC is also satisfied that within the time-frame as espoused by GECOM, credible elections can and will be held. The AFC is confident that when elections are held the APNU+AFC Coalition Government will be returned to office given its stewardship of the government, having inherited a crippled economy and governance apparatus, after 23 years of a corrupt and bankrupted PPP/C administration. The return of the APNU+AFC coalition to office will ensure the continued rise of the quality of life for all the Guyanese people through the sustainable development in our homeland,” the Party stated.

Meanwhile, Executive Member of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), Dr David Hinds told the newspaper that the WPA is not surprised that the President has kept his promise and acted in the best interest

of all Guyanese. “The WPA welcomes the announcement of the date; we’re not surprised that the President has promptly named a date that is very close to the timeline given by the GECOM. We feel that the President has been consistent in dealing with this matter and we never doubted for one moment that he would not stand by his word,” he stated.

“The WPA, like the rest of the country, breathes a sigh of relief because we feel that the back and forth between the political sides was becoming very frustrating to the ordinary citizens. We have an election to go to and the citizens wanted the matter to be determined one way or the other.”

on peace and togetherness.

Because when elections are done, we all still have to live together,” she advised.

AFC YOUTH ARM Also welcoming the announcement was the AFC’s youth arm, Youth For Change (YFC) which said

CHOOSE, ACT WISELY Leaving words of advice Executive Member of the to moving forward, Dr Hinds Working People’s Alliance stated that citizens should (WPA), Dr David Hinds strive for a conflict-free election; make demands on both parties on how they intend in a release: “The March 2, the manage the country’s oil 2020 election date will give and gas resources and exer- the Guyanese people both cise their vote as wisely as the time to celebrate the 50th possible. “I think Guyanese Republic anniversary of our citizens should realise that country and, immediately this election is going to be after, part-take in free, fair the most important election and credible General and in our post-colonial history,” Regional elections. As a body that represents youth of all he said “Who governs over the backgrounds in Guyana, we coming period will determine encourage all Guyanese to a lot about what happens to exercise their democratic Guyana in that period…the right smartly and vote to refirst years of Guyana as an oil elect the APNU+AFC Government on March 2, 2020.” and gas economy.”

The youth movement said Also in an interview, General Secretary of the collectively as a democratic People’s National Congress youth arm “we reiterate our Reform (PNC/R), Amna full confidence in the APAlly hailed the President’s NU+AFC government and statement as a “welcoming fully agree with the March 2, signal” which will permit all 2020 election date. The YFC eligible Guyanese to practice also takes this opportunity their democratic right. Even to congratulate and express as the PNC/R is now more sincere gratitude to H. E enthused to campaign for a President David A. Granger sweeping win the coming and his cabinet for continuing elections, she reminded that to abide by the constitution of citizens must do away with the Cooperative Republic of divisive actions or intentions Guyana.”

Additionally, the YFC and peacefully participate.

“We would want to call said with this announcement, on all Guyanese to let all the YFC now calls on the our activities be faithful. People’s Progressive Party/ Regardless of our political Civic to vote resoundingly upbringing, we must focus with the APNU + AFC for

an extension of the period for elections to March 2, 2020 for the holding of credible elections when the national assembly reconvenes on October 10 2019.

The YFC further wishes to thank the GECOM commissioners who would have been working overtime

General-Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), Lincoln Lewis

to ensure everything is in place for credible elections at the shortest possible time.

GECOM has spoken and the President has named a date the opposition must now do its part, in the best interest of the people of Guyana. The March 2, 2020 election date will give the Guyanese people both the time to celebrate the 50th republic anniversary of our country and immediately after participate in free, fair and credible General and Regional elections.

IT’S A PROCESS However, picking through the President’s announcement on Thursday, PPP/C MP Anil Nandlall stated that the President was playing “political games.”

He pointed out that President Granger did not name a date, but stated that “the earliest possible date for the holding of General and Regional Elections will be on Monday, 2nd March 2020”.

While others have begun to run with the narrative, the Guyana Chronicle was reliably informed that the process towards the President’s proclamation of an election

date must follow certain procedures. The newspaper was reminded that elections dates are made by proclamation and, while the President has named a date, these actions must go through the statutory process which would see his decision being gazetted.

People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R), Amna Ally

EXTENSION NEEDED Added to this, President David Granger has expressed his desire to see the opposition return to the National Assembly on October 10, 2019 to facilitate an extension of a period beyond three months for the holding of an election. Article 106 (7) of the Constitution states: “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election”.

Meanwhile, the President is required to dissolve Parliament and the 10 Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs) with the election of members of the National Assembly to come three months after the dissolution. In this light, the AFC has called on the opposition to do its part by returning to the National Assembly for the cause in question.

“The Party remains of

the view that all constitutional requirements for the holding of these Elections are being followed by the Government of Guyana. The next constitutional requirement to be satisfied to ensure that Elections 2020 cannot be successfully challenged legally is an extension of the Election date by a two-thirds majority of the National Assembly. As such we urge the Opposition to give its support for the extension now needed for the set date,” the AFC stated.

Likewise, a statement from General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), Lincoln Lewis prior to the President’s announcement urged the same. “…it is imperative that Article 106 (7) be upheld before the calling of any election. Both parties must return to the National Assembly, agree by 2/3 majority for the continuation of government in order to facilitate the constitutional process of calling an election. Failing to do so can lead to constitutional or other challenges to any group that is elected,” he stated.

However, on Thursday night, the PPP/C in a statement contended that “there is no valid link between these two issues” and that a return to the National Assembly “is wholly unnecessary.”

“The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) remains convinced that his [the President’s] call for a return to the National Assembly is an attempt to blackmail the parliamentary opposition…”

At GECOM’s end, the secretariat has been actively training polling day staff countrywide with such still taking place in Region 4 and more training planned of the hinterland region soon. The first batch of data, encoded into the National Register of Registrants Database from the recently concluded Houseto-House, is expected to be sent to GECOM’s service providers in the United States of America (USA) to be cross-matched soon.

Feasibility study on seawall rehabilitation moving ahead

A public consultation was held at the bandstand, located at the Kingston Seawall, last Sunday for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the seawall from Kingston to Ogle as the government moves a step further with the feasibility study and design.

Following the consultation ,the consensus is that the public is pleased and supports the initiative.

Monies approved by the United Kingdom under the Caribbean Infrastructure Partnership Fund through the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has made the project possible.

Senior Engineer within the Sea and Rivers Department of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Maitland Stewart, told the Department of Public Informationn (DPI)

that Mott MacDonald UK, the company tasked with completing the feasibility study and designs, took a look at the aforementioned area that spans 7.5km.

Stuart explained that the study aims to “improve the whole flood protection infrastructure. Incorporated in this study are some ancillary designs in waterfront development to improve the space.”

According to a representative of Mott MacDonald UK, Peter Phips, “the main purpose of the project is to look to rehabilitate and make the sea defence more climate-resilient in the face of climate change and sea-level rise”.

In October, the UK-based company plans to conduct an environmental and social impact assessment. This will be done while

the preliminary design is being finalised for its November deadline.

Between December to March of 2020, a detailed design of the project will be done.

Once accepted, the procurement process will begin for the project’s construction. The Ministry of Public Infrastructure has oversight for the seawall project.

(DPI)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 26, 2019

Lesotho, Guyana pledge cooperation in agriculture, climate resilience …as High Commissioner of Lesotho accredited PRESIDENT David Granger, on Wednesday, accredited the first High Commissioner of the Kingdom of Lesotho to Guyana at an accreditation ceremony hosted at the Ministry of the Presidency.

Letters of Credence were accepted from High Commissioner, Ralechate Lincoln Mokose, who told the President that the Southern African country looks forward to partnering with Guyana in the areas of tourism, energy, education, agriculture, water, trade and investment, transport and the environment.

“Lesotho and Guyana are two small geographically distant countries with diplomatic relations established in 1979.

Being the first-ever High Commissioner of the Kingdom of Lesotho to Guyana since our established relations, I feel it is a great privilege to me to be accorded an opportunity to kick-start

our bilateral cooperation,” he stated.

In turn, President David Granger expressed Guyana’s interest in discussing and developing ways in which the two countries can improve relations in the fields of trade, investment, agriculture and energy.

He said that the countries share common views and have worked closely at the multilateral level within the Commonwealth, the United Nations and the NonAligned Movement.

Lesotho and Guyana, he said, remain advocates on global issues such as climate

President David Granger greets High Commissioner of the Kingdom of Lesotho to Guyana, Ralechate Lincoln Mokose, in the presence of Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman (left) (Ministry of the Presidency photo)

change and international peace and security.

“Guyana welcomes the opportunity to enhance its efforts at collaboration with the Kingdom of Lesotho.

We look forward to sharing experiences in building climate-resilient economies and collaborating on important developmental issues such as education, the environment, the economy, the eradication of poverty and the improvement of the livelihood of our people,” the President said.

He congratulated the High Commissioner on his appointment and relayed his best wishes to His Majesty King Letsie III of Lesotho.

Guyana and Lesotho established diplomatic relations on 25 August 1979.

The country (formerly Basutoland) was originally inhabited by local tribes of hunter-gatherers called the Khoisan; the Bantu tribes and eventually the Sotho-Tswana

High Commissioner of the Kingdom of Lesotho to Guyana, Ralechate Lincoln Mokose pays his respect at the Independence Arch (Ministry of the Presidency photo)

peoples.

King Moshoeshoe, in 1822, united the land under one rule for the first time then, in 1843, it was constituted as a native state under British protection.

After being annexed to Cape Colony in 1871, in 1884 it was restored to direct

control by the Crown and, on October 4th, 1966, it became an independent nation.

High Commissioner, Mokose later laid wreaths at Guyana’s Independence Arch as a sign of respect to the country and one of its most important national symbols.

Guyana, China relations reliable --expected to grow from strength to strength says Chinese envoy

By Wendella Davidson EVER since Guyana became the first English-speaking Caribbean country to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China 47 years ago, it has been a genuine friend and reliable partner.

According to China’s Ambassador to Guyana Cui Jianchun, the two peoples have maintained a close friendship, and the two governments have continuously deepened pragmatic cooperation in various areas such as infrastructure, agriculture, trade, investment, information technology, public health, etc.

And with Guyana expected to witness a transformative economic boom driven by oil and gas production, he said, as long as the two countries continue to respect each other’s core interests and major concerns, treat each other as equals, share mutual benefits, the relationship will enjoy steady and sustained development and upgrade to a new level.

Addressing a distinguished gathering, among whom were President David Granger and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and his wife, Sita, at a reception at the Arthur Chung Convention

Centre (ACCC) on Monday night in honour of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese envoy added that he has full confidence that both sides can seize more opportunities and secure more successes in the future.

He recalled China and Guyana signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Belt and Road Initiative in 2018, and the State Councilor and Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi paid a historic visit to Guyana. Also, Guyana participated in the first China International Import Expo and promoted Guyanese feature products to the Chinese market.

Since 1993, 15 batches of Chinese medical brigade have worked in Guyana and treated around 25 000 patients annually. This year, 16 Guyanese youth were awarded the Chinese government scholarships to study in Chinese universities. Additionally, Chinese and Guyanese experts and officials in the environment, audit, laws, agriculture, and military sectors conducted multilevel indepth communications.

Currently, the two countries are cooperating under the Belt and Road Initiative in five priorities, namely pol-

icy coordination, connectivity of infrastructure, unimpeded trade, financial integration, and people-to-people ties, based on three fundamental principles, namely extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, and endeavouring to bring tangible outcomes to the two peoples, the envoy added.

CHINA’S MANY ACHIEVEMENTS Touching on China’s achievements, Ambassador Cui Jianchun said from 1949 to 2019, the People’s Republic of China has travelled a 70-year glorious journey and its relations with the international community has changed from catching up with the others to participating and taking the lead in building a better world.

Noting that the country is fully committed to the independent foreign policy of peace, a path of peaceful development, and an opening up strategy of mutual benefit, he added that China has become the second-largest financial contributor to the United Nation’s regular and peacekeeping budget.

As of September 2019, 166 countries and international organisations have signed Belt and Road cooperation documents with China, the envoy said, adding

that China is willing to work together with all nations to build a new model of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice, and win-win cooperation, to build a community with a shared future for mankind, and to build an open, inclusive, clean, and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity.

During the 70-year period, China has changed from a poor and backward nation to the world’s second-largest economy, with its gross domestic product (GDP) increased from 30 billion US Dollars in 1949 to more than 13.6 trillion US Dollars in 2018. The GDP accounted for nearly 16 percent of the world’s total in 2018, comparing with 1.8 percent in 1978. The country contributed to global annual economic growth by more than 30 percent over the recent consecutive years, and has a big market of 1.4 billion people.

It has been, and will continue to be, a major propeller of the economic growth and vitality of the world, said the envoy, as he welcomed all countries aboard the express train of China’s development and work together to build a bright future.

Also, the lives of Chinese people changed from lack of

clothes and food to moderate prosperity, and since the reform and opening up in 1978, China has lifted more than 700 million people out of poverty, and more than 400 million people reached the middle-income level. It has also made a 70 percent contribution to poverty reduction worldwide, which is legendary in human history.

READY TO SHARE The envoy posited that by the year 2020, China will build a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and it will be the first time in Chinese history that absolute poverty will be eradicated.

China is ready to share with other countries its experience in targeted poverty alleviation and eradication, and make its contribution to the global fight against poverty.

The great achievements were scored, as a result of China having led the hardworking Chinese people using their wisdom to find a path suited to national conditions and the call of our times, which is the socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Also because of the country’s committment to deepen reform and opening up, pursue peace and prosperity together with the people all over the world. China cannot achieve its development without the

help and the support of its international friends. We welcome all of you to visit China and see the real and colorful country.

Today, we also provide a photo exhibition and videos to enable persons to learn more about China, the ambassador added..

On October 1, 70 years ago, the people’s leader, Chairman Mao Zedong, standing on top of the Tian’anmen Gate, solemnly announced the birth of the People’s Republic of China to the whole world and the five-star red flag, our national flag, was raised for the first time in Tian’anmen Square in Beijing.

That day witnessed the rebirth of the Chinese nation, marked the Chinese history entering a new era and began a new voyage towards China’s national rejuvenation. Through hard work the leader united all Chinese people as one, led them forging ahead through arduous struggles, made tremendous changes, blazed a new path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and accomplished epic achievements which captured the world’s attention.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday September 26, 2019

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GPSU urges opposition to return to Parliament --extend timeframe for elections HOURS before President David Granger proclaimed a date for General and Regional Elections, the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) challenged the Parliamentary Opposition, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), to return to the National Assembly and extend the timeframe for the conduct of elections.

With the three-month Constitutional deadline for the elections long expired (March 21, 2019), GPSU President Patrick Yarde said the Opposition should return to the House, and together with the Government extend the elections timeframe in keeping with Article 106 (6) and (7) of the Constitution.

“I challenge the Opposition Leader to respect the Constitution by returning to Parliament to extend the life for elections, and thereafter tone down the rhetoric and stop peddling misinformation that would result in breaches of the law,” Yarde said as he addressed the 23rd Biennial Delegates’ Conference at the Baridi Benab on the grounds of State House.

The trade unionist proposes that the extension be aligned with the February 2020 timeframe given by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) for the conduct of elections. He said it is the GPSU’s expectation that President Granger will also proclaim a date for General and Regional Elections in keeping with the advice GECOM has given.

Yarde told delegates and officials present at the function that the GPSU, like the government, is concerned about the credibility of the Voters List, and is comforted by the fact that the Elections Secretariat is taking steps to ensure that the Official List of Electors, when produced, would be one of high credibility.

“We are of the very firm position that the voters’ list must be credible in accordance with the Constitution,” Yarde said, adding: “This masquerade show that has been taking place, we don’t support it. The voters’ list must be credible; the people who are voting must be eligible to vote.”

He said it is for that very reason that the GPSU has applied to GECOM to be a domestic observer for the much-anticipated elections.

Earlier this week, veteran trade unionist Lincoln Lewis made a similar call for the Opposition to return to the National Assembly, and

extend the period for which elections must be held. “The President David Granger situation is different to that of Donald Ramotar,” Lewis said. “Ramotar, in seeking to avert a no-confidence vote, avoided the House sitting, then moved to prorogation and announced a date for election. In Granger’s case, a vote was allowed and passed, followed by litigation that saw the initial timeframe, i.e. three months, when an election could be held ran out. So, in order for President Granger to prorogue the House and announce a date for election, according to the law, i.e. Article 106(7), the House has to sit and grant him the authority to extend the time for election beyond the “three months.”

He said the Opposition Members of Parliament, by refusing to return to the National Assembly, are not only engaging in “an act of lawlessness”, but are holding the nation and its system of governance to ransom.

NEVER BEFORE “Never before has this nation witnessed where the need arises for parliamentary support of the Opposition to give effect to any act, that side of the House has abrogated its responsibility by withholding its vote,” Lewis said, adding: “For six months and counting, the nation continues to be held hostage to this conduct by the very people who are shouting they want the Constitution to be upheld. If they really care about Guyana, knowing that they hold the other part of the equation in their hands, they would return to the National Assembly and do the job they are being paid for.”

At the delegates’ conference, Education Officer, Sister Vera Naughton, who spoke on behalf of the GTUC, reminded her audience that it is the citizenry who will make a determination on who will lead the country, and that they are critically assessing the situation.

“The challenges of these times, as our political leaders fight over power and control of an oil-and-gas economy, are many and even scary, for we have a fair enough understanding of what each force represents, good, bad and indifferent, for the working class,” Naughton said, but made it known that the working class has done its homework.

“We have a good enough

comparison of corruption, mismanagement, nepotism, cruelty, disregard for laws and judicial practices, demonisation, marginalisation and destruction of citizens,” she said by way of explaining what she meant by ‘done its homework’. Calling on the working class to rise above the fray, above the past and current hurts, pains and rejection, and advocate for national unity regardless,

GPSU President Patrick Yarde

Veteran trade unionist Lincoln Lewis

Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo

Naughton said: “A nation divided cannot succeed. We must call for all politicians to give meaning to Article 13 of the Guyana Constitution.”

The delegates’ conference is the highest decision-making body for the GPSU. This year, it is being held under the theme,

‘Championing a living wage, respect for collective bargaining; striving for genuine working class and national unity’.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 26, 2019

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 26, 2019

GSI records 30% increase in profit at mid-year

-expects consistent growth for second half of the year GUYANA Stockfeeds Incorporated (GSI) has recorded a 30 per cent increase in profits for the period January to June, 2019.

Chairman of GSI, Robert Badal, in the company’s interim report, said the results for the first half of the year showed an increase in sales of seven per cent over the corresponding period last year, resulting in a 30 per cent increase in profits after tax.

Sales increased to $3.6B

compared to $3.4B and profits were $160M compared to $123M in 2018.

Actual sales of feed, rice and day-old chicks remain stable. Profits after tax were higher on account of lower grain prices.

“We foresee the outlook for the second half of the year to mirror the first half despite the prevailing shortage of chicken on the local market, as we continue to increase our hatching of dayold chicks to meet Christmas

demand,” said Badal.

There are, however, some concerns about poor quality of paddy from the autumn crop, resulting from paddy bug infestation. This, he said, would constrict the company’s margins on rice exports.

GSI traces its roots back to 1960 when it was established with its main purpose of supplying animal feed to Guyana’s growing livestock sector. In 1975, as part of the government’s strategy, the business was nationalised

only to be put back into private ownership 23 years later when the state brought in a strategic partner to reorganise the business, which was losing market share to imported feeds.

After an initial consolidation period under new management, GSI is now a growing conglomerate with interest in the livestock, rice, and edible oil sectors, being strategically located in an industrial park at Farm, East Bank Demerara at the centre

Chairman of GSI, Robert Badal

of Guyana’s poultry belt with access to its own wharf

facility.

GSI’s objective is to be the local market leader in all sectors in which it operates in order to benefit from the synergies created by operating in related sectors, control sources of raw materials, diversify business risk and ensure rapid and sustainable growth in shareholders’ value and return. In this regard its strategy is growth through diversification into export-oriented production.

Boat-builder dies in Somerset and Berks accident …bus driver in police custody A fifty-five-year old boat-builder of Dredge Creek in the Upper Pomeroon River, died on Wednesday morning following an accident on the Somerset and Berks Public Road, Essequibo Coast.

Dead is Bridganand Rooplall aka ‘Bridggy’. The accident reportedly occurred around 0840hrs on Wednesday.

The father of three was returning from the Suddie Public Hospital when the accident occurred. According to information reaching Guyana Chronicle, the driver of minibus BPP2790 was heading in a southern direction when the motorist allegedly served into his path. The man died on the spot, eyewitnesses recalled.

The motorist was riding at a fast rate when he collided with

the bus ; he was flung onto to roadway.

"It was a bloody scene, it was right next to the Better Hope Nursery, parents who took their children were in shock to see the horrific smashup," Robin Joseph, an eyewitness related.

Son of the deceased, Aaron Rooplall said his father left to visit his grandson at the hospital. He said he received a call from another cousin about the accident. When he arrived he said he saw that his father had suffered massive head injuries.

The man died while receiving treatment at the Suddie Public Hospital. His body is currently at the hospital mortuary awaiting a postmortem examination.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday September 26, 2019

Driver accused of drug trafficking granted bail

MAGISTRATE Faith McGusty on Wednesday, September 25, 2019, granted $150,000 bail to a 43-year-old driver who was accused of trafficking 156 kilograms of cannabis.

Troy Grant of Norton Street appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Particulars of the charge stated that, on September 21, 2019, at Hardina Street, he had 156 kilograms of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

Police prosecutor Seon

Blackmon told the court that, on the day in question, ranks, while on duty in the vicinity of Hardina Street, had observed Grant standing on a bridge with a milk tin in his hand and acting suspiciously.

Blackmon also told the court that Grant, on seeing the ranks, put down the said milk tin. Grant was approached and the police conducted a search on his person and in the tin, and the suspected cannabis was found in a black plastic bag.

Grant was told of the offence and was arrested.

Attorney-at-law Patrice Henry, who represented Grant, asked for reasonable bail and told the court that, at the time of the search, his client was not the only person there, and the bag was not found on his client, but on the bridge.

Magistrate McGusty granted Grant $150,000 bail and ordered him to lodge his travel documents and report to Alberttown police station every other Friday at 09:00 hours.

Grant will make his next court appearance on October 23, 2019.

MAGISTRATE Faith McGusty on Wednesday, September 25, 2019, ordered a man to complete 14 days of community service for behaving disorderly and damaging a door.

Calvin Francis of Princess Street, Lodge, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded guilty to two

charges.

Particulars of the first charge stated that, on September 18, 2019, at East la Penitence police station, he damaged one door valued at $22, 995, the property of Guyana Police Force.

The last charge stated that, on the same day, and at the same place, he behaved in a

disorderly manner.

Grant explained that he was wrongfully arrested and he got angry and kicked the door and it got damaged.

Magistrate McGusty, after hearing Grant’s explanation, ordered him to complete 14 days of community service at East la Penitence police station.

‘Disorderly man’ to do community service

Man jailed for stealing bull MAGISTRATE Faith McGusty, on Wednesday, September 25, 2019, sentenced a 55-year-old man to two years imprisonment for stealing a bull.

Brian Robinson made his second appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and changed his plea to not guilty.

Particulars of the charge stated that, on August 11, 2019, at Georgetown, he stole a bull valued at $180,000, property of Abdul Azeez.

According to information received, on the day in question, Azeez heard a noise com-

ing from his backyard and upon checking, he observed Robinson pulling the bull out of his yard.

Azeez shouted for Robinson to stop but he continued pulling the bull. The following morning, Azeez reported the matter to a police station. An investigation was carried out and Robinson was arrested and later charged.

“It was a Muslim holiday and a man asked me to give he a brace with the cow and he gonna give me a raise, I did give him a hand, I didn’t know I was stealing,” Robinson said upon changing his plea.

26 September, 2019 - 02:30hrs ~ 04:00hrs

Magistrate McGusty, after listening to Robinson, sentenced him to serve two years imprisonment.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 26, 2019

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday September 26, 2019

King blasts Warriors to seventh straight win with unbeaten 81

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BRANDON King’s unbeaten 81 helped Guyana Amazon Warriors make it a magnificent seven wins out of seven to start their 2019 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) campaign with a comfortable eightwicket victory over St Lucia Zouks at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground.

The Warriors are assured of a top-two finish and with it a place in the first qualifier for a place in the final with the safety net of a second chance should they lose that one. The Zouks remain fourth but may need to win both their remaining games to have a decent chance of staying there given the Tridents are just a point behind with two games in hand. No such concerns for the Warriors, though, who were given the ideal start to their pursuit of 162 for victory here by Chandrapaul Hemraj, who smashed two fours and three Hero Maximums in a 20-ball 33 that put Guyana ahead of the eight-an-over required rate at the outset.

When he fell, skying a sweep shot off Fawad Ahmed, King took up the charge having been relatively quiet while Hemraj was doing his thing. All but one of King’s six sixes came after Hemraj had been dismissed and, despite the loss of Shimron Hetmyer for just 5 to a caught behind decision that displeased him, the Warriors reached the 10over mark exactly halfway to their target at 81/2 with plenty of batting options still to come. They didn’t need it, King and Shoaib Malik, who finished on 30, easing the Warriors past the target with almost two overs to spare with an unbroken 92-run stand for the third wicket. After 12 overs, that required rate of 8.1 from the last 10 had come down to barely a run a ball thanks to King. He took Barnwell’s first three balls for two sixes and a four, with Shoaib Malik striking another four through backward point to round off an over that put 21 on the total. Along the way, King reached another classy half-century and the Warriors passed 100.

Suddenly, the target was a routine 49 from 48 and from there it was a cruise for the table-toppers, Malik stroking the winning single down the ground with 10 balls to spare. Earlier, there

was another masterclass in spin bowling from the Warriors. All six overs of the Powerplay were bowled by spinners, with Chris Green and Imran Tahir particularly impressive.

Their five overs under the fielding restrictions gave up just 20 runs. At one point the pair between them bowled 10 successive deliveries without conceding a run while the Zouks lost their first two wickets. Andre Fletcher was first to go, skying one miles into the St Lucia sky and being well held by Ben Laughlin to give Tahir the first of his two wickets. The second was a bad moment for Rahkeem Cornwall, run out having failed to run his bat in yet being so far over the crease that he almost made his ground with his foot. From 21/0 after three overs, the Zouks found themselves 24/2 in the sixth. Then Colin Ingram and de Grandhomme set about repairing the damage. De Grandhomme ended the runless streak by depositing Green onto the grass banks at midwicket.

Ingram contributed 25 from 14 balls to a 56-run stand before drilling Tahir low, hard and flat to longoff where Green held a stinging running catch. De Grandhomme carried on, though, and reached an excellent half-century – his first in the Hero CPL from just 27 balls with four Hero Maximums. What he lacked, though, was further Ingram-style support.

Jahmar Hamilton and Daren Sammy each made 9 off 10 and 15 balls respectively, and the pressure to accelerate the scoring began to tell on de Grandhomme who duly holed out for 65 when there were still three overs left where he could have caused some damage.

Barnwell did give the Zouks one final lift by taking Shepherd for three successive sixes in the 19th over, but the 20th from Laughlin was superb. He picked up two wickets while conceding just three singles to finish with eyecatching figures of 3/12 from three overs and leave the Zouks well short of where they needed to be.(CPL)

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday September 26, 2019

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BCB celebrates 80th Anniversary with gala event … Nagamootoo, Lamberts, Deonarine and Derick Kallicharran inducted into Berbice Hall of Fame of Fame after careful and comprehensive research.

THE Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) last Friday celebrated its 80th Anniversary by hosting a gala ceremony at the Albion Community Centre Training Hall. The venue was full to capacity as BCB celebrated the Anniversary in grand style by honouring heroes, assisting young cricketers and clubs along with looking back at the rich legacy of Berbice cricket over the last eight decades.

The BCB hosted its Tribute to Heroes, Tribute to Retired Cricketers, honoured its two West Indies debutants, donated $300 000 worth of cricket gear to junior cricketers and inducted Berbice Heroes to its Cricket Hall of Fame and Cricket Administrators Hall of Fame.

Additionally, BCB unveiled its greatest cricketers at junior, female and senior levels, handed over prizes for three educational competitions and donated water coolers/cricket stumps to numerous clubs.

Foster hailed the five awardees as perfect ambassadors, positive role models and outstanding cricketers who made Berbice a household name across the cricketing world.

Mrs Mavis Nagamootoo and her granddaughter unveiled the 2019 BCB Hall of Fame portraits.

The highlight of the packed afternoon programmes was the induction of five outstandidng cricketers into the Berbice Cricket Hall of Fame. Those inducted were Clayton Lambert, Leslaine Lambert, Derick Kallicharran, Narsingh Deonarine and Mahendra Nagamootoo.

BCB president Hilbert Foster who chaired the programme informed the large gathering that the BCB Cricket Hall of Fame was founded in 2009 with the main aim of honouring outstanding Berbice cricketers.

Those honoured to date include John Trim, Rohan Kanhai, Basil Butcher, Joseph Solomon, Roy

Essex close to title after day-three washout at Taunton ESSEX are all but certain to win the 2019 County Championship after the penultimate day of their title-decider against Somerset was abandoned.

With the Division One leaders only needing a draw, Somerset appear to have run out of time to get the win they need for a first-ever title.

Essex were 25-0 at stumps on Tuesday, replying to Somerset’s 203 all out.

While yesterday saw only light rain showers at Taunton, the outfield was deemed too damp to get started.

After several inspections, umpires Rob Bailey and Alex Wharf

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday September 26, 2019) 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) Christopher Barnwell (Warriors vs Zouks, Providence Match #2) (2) 2013 Today’s Quiz: (1) In which CPL season only a solitary century was registered?

(2) Who were the bowlers used in the first ever CPL Super Over?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

called it off at 16:30hrs BST. Unless Somerset now take 20 wickets on the final day, Essex will pick up their second County Championship trophy in three years.

Even if they do bowl Essex out quickly, they may have to bat again to set their opponents a target - taking more overs out of the game.

The weather may have the final say today anyway, with more rain forecast for the West Country.

‘WE WON’T WAVE THE WHITE FLAG’ Despite losing more than 200 overs to the wet conditions so far, Somerset director of cricket Andy Hurry said his players would not give up hope of pulling off a remarkable final day victory.

“It’s important for us to turn up in the right frame of mind,” he told BBC Somerset. “We’ve put too much on the line, for too long a period to wave the white flag.

“This summer there’s been some amazing cricket, there have been some huge twists and turns. Anything can happen; we’ve got to keep believing. (BBC Sport)

Fredericks, Alvin Kallicharran, Milton Pydana, and Sew Shivnarine. Berbice, he stated, was very proud of its heroes and stressed the importance of honouring them as this would motivate the younger generation to follow in their footsteps. The BCB every five years selected inducted players into the Hall

Clayton Lambert, a member of the Bermine Cricket Club represented Guyana and the West Indies at the senior level while Leslaine Lambert represented Guyana and West Indies ‘B’ teams. Lambert, a proud product of the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club (ACCCC) career was cut short due to injury. Derick Kallicharran of the historic Port Mourant Cricket Club, the younger brother of former West Indies captain Alvin Kallicharran and represented Guyana and West Indies as a leg-spinner and solid low-order batsman.

Foster told the attentive audience that if they were playing today, both Leslaine Lambert and Derick Kallicharran would have

played Test cricket.

Narsingh Deonarine and Mahendra Nagamootoo both represented Berbice, Guyana and West Indies at the junior and senior levels and also captained their county and country.

Deonarine of the ACCCC was known as the batsman who hit the winning six in the historic Stanford 20/20 tournament while Port Mourant Nagamootoo held Guyana’s First Class bowling record for a long time.

Portraits of each of the players, along with their cricketing records, would be placed on the Dr Tulsi Dyal Singh Wall of Fame, located in the BCB office.

Sister of Derick Kallicharran, Mrs Nagamootoo and Ms Nathalie Nagamootoo, daughter of Mahendra Nagamootoo, unveiled the portraits of the five inductees to loud applause from the gathering.

Charles heads list of exciting players for North Essequibo T20 League THE North Essequibo Cricket Committee will resume competition with a T20 League to be sponsored by its president Prince Holder.

Several matches are scheduled for this Sunday and the cream of the Committee’s players will be in action. Heading the list will be national Under-17 captain Sheldon Charles who has been in fine form, registering a century and a half-century in consecutive matches recently.

He will suit-up for WD Gunners, who will also have in their lineup former national Under-15 fast bowler Zavier McDonald, Grayson Paul and Navin Singh.

Among the other teams who will be participating are Walton Hall who will rely heavily on Vishwanauth Lall, Navin Bahadur, Suresh Persaud and Uvindra Balgobin. Lima United will have Renzo Ghani, Abdool Salim, Fazeer Khan and Faizal Karim as their strength while Devonshire Castle will rely on the experience of Ramesh Narine, Anthony Persaud, Avinash Persaud and Daramdeo Lall.

Ravens of Richmond will have as their trump cards Sugrim Ahiram, Marvin Pearson, Safraz

Former national Under-17 captain Sheldon Charles Ally and Jamal Wilson.

Other teams competing will include Charity SC, Sparwin, Young Achievers and Pomeroon Oil Mill.

According to sponsor Prince Holder, cash incentives and trophies will be presented at the conclusion of the round-robin competition.

Matches are fixed for Walton Hall, Richmond, Lima, Charity and Anna Regina Community Centre grounds. (Elroy Stephney)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday September 26, 2019

Carr Tec add Norman Sue Bakery trophy to collection … whip Good Success in Division Two playoffs final

By Frederick Halley TORONTO, Canada - Having already won two of the four titles up for grabs in Division Two of the Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL) 2019 season, Carr Tec added a third to their bulging collection with victory in last Saturday’s playoffs championship final at the Ashtonbee Number two ground, earning themselves the Norman Sue Bakerysponsored trophy.

After reaching a challenging 136 for seven in their allotted 20 overs, Carr Tec restricted Good Success to 114 all out in 19.5 overs, winning by 22 runs and ending their opponents’ dream of toppling the defending champions.

The victory also meant a repeat of Carr Tec’s performance in the 2018 season when they won both the regular season and playoffs titles. This year, they also carted off the Paul & Sons 15-over championship but were jolted by Enmore in the Caribbean Sensation 10/10

tournament final.

A three-wicket burst at the top of the innings by Fizul Haniff, backed up by an economical spell of one for 11 from four consecutive overs from Terry Mathura, forced Good Success on the backfoot at the outset of their chase.

Sheikh Parsram and Ashtaq Mohamed staged a late rally with 26 and 14 respectively after Imtiaz Ali had earlier hit 15 but their efforts were all in vain. Parsram struck a four and two sixes while Ali’s breezy knock contained a four and a six.

Haniff eventually ended with three for 20 from his four overs while Shazam Baksh picked two wickets towards the end to finish with two for seven in 1.5 overs. Captain Mahendra Monilall took one for 16 and Avinash Singh one for 21.

The experienced opening pair of Rovendra Mandolall and Suresh Persaud had earlier given Carr Tec an excellent start of 56 before both fell at the

Carr Tec players and supporters celebrate their victory.

MVP Rovendra Mandolall receives his award from Alyssa Ramadhar on behalf of the sponsors.

same score - Mandolall for 30 which included a four and two sixes and Persaud for 17 (one four).

Avinash Singh (30) and Rakesh Dyal (20) then steadied the middle order with a thirdwicket partnership of 56 with Singh clearing the boundary thrice and Dyal once.

The tall lanky Naveed Ali was Good Success’ best bowler with three for 18 while Parsram completed a fine all-round performance with two for 20.

Mandolall, like he did in the 15-

over final, was again the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the winners while Parsram was Good Success’ choice.

Carr Tec finished Division Two (Conference B) with 72 points while Good Success topped Conference A with 57 points and secured their spot in the final with a tense victory over last year’s finalists Wakenaam after rain intervened in the semifinal contest. Carr Tec, on the other hand, made light work of Leguan Warriors.

Man United scrape past Rochdale, Oxford stun West Ham

By Martyn Herman LONDON, England (Reuters) Manchester United’s current malaise was laid bare as they struggled past thirdtier Rochdale 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the League Cup third round at Old Trafford yesterday.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, showing nine changes from the one that lost at West Ham United in the Premier League on Sunday, laboured against their League One opponents before taking the lead through Mason Greenwood in the 68th minute.

Sixteen-year-old Luke Matheson volleyed an equaliser eight minutes later to send the tie into a shootout.

United prevailed, though, keeper Sergio Romero making one save to spare their blushes as the hosts successfully converted all their spot-kicks with Welsh winger Daniel James slotting home the winner.

Although United struggled, they at least avoided the complete humiliation suffered

by West Ham United who were thrashed 4-0 at League One Oxford United.

Manuel Pellegrini’s West Ham, fifth in the Premier

Sri Lanka replaces suspended Zimbabwe for India T20 tour - BCCI MUMBAI, India (Reuters) - Sri Lanka will tour India in January to play three Twenty20 internationals, replacing suspended Zimbabwe, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) said yesterday.

The International Cricket Council, the world governing body of the sport, suspended Zimbabwe in July as the country’s cricket administration was not free from government interference.

“In the wake of Zimbabwe’s suspension by ICC, the BCCI invited Sri Lanka to participate in the three-match series,” BCCI said in a statement.

“Sri Lanka Cricket has confirmed its participation.”

Itinerary: January 5 - 1st T20 January 7 - 2nd T20 January 10 - 3rd T20

Manchester United’s Daniel James scores the decisive penalty. (Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff) League, were outplayed at the Kassam Stadium with Oxford’s goals all coming in the second half through Elliott Moore, Matty Taylor, Tariqe Fosu and Shandon Baptiste.

“It’s easy to say that we played very badly, but I think Oxford did everything they needed to win this game here at home for them,” Pellegrini said.

“They played with a lot of motivation, with desire and we didn’t play well.”

Oxford’s reward is a home tie against Sunderland who added another top-flight side to the League Cup scrapheap as they beat Sheffield United 1-0 - Max Power scoring an early winner.

Top flight Bournemouth were also humbled by third-tier opposition, losing 2-0 at Burton Albion who reached the semifinal last season before losing 10-0 on aggregate to eventual winners Manchester City.

NO ALARMS There were no alarms for Premier League leaders Liverpool or Chelsea. James Milner and Ki-Jana Hoever were on target in a 2-0 win at MK Dons to set up a clash with Arsenal while Chelsea crushed Grimsby Town 7-1 to give manager Frank Lampard a first home win since taking charge.

Chelsea, for whom Michy Batshuayi scored twice and

three players were handed their first starts including Reece James who also scored, will face Manchester United in round four.

“We got some players who haven’t been playing so many minutes, players that are younger, starting the game,” Lampard, who also brought on two debutants in the second half, said.

“A nice comfortable win having not won here yet so on those levels, of course I am happy.”

Aston Villa won an all Premier League match against Brighton and Hove Albion, prevailing 3-1 to set up a fourth-round meeting with Wolverhampton Wanderers

who also needed penalties to get past Championship side Reading.

While Solskjaer will have breathed a sigh of relief that United avoided a shock exit, it was Rochdale’s 5 500 fans who were applauding most loudly after the shootout.

Rochdale are 17th in League One and were beaten 6-0 by Peterborough 10 days ago but defended valiantly against a United side lacking a clinical edge despite overwhelming possession.

“Go 1-0 up, get the second.

That is a learning curve,” Solskjaer, said. “At this club you don’t just sit back and think one is enough.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday September 26, 2019

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Tributes pour in for former national netball and basketball stalwart Patricia Russell

By Joe Chapman in New York

THE Guyana basketball and netball fraternity in Guyana and the diaspora are mourning the loss of one of their stalwarts - Patricia Veronica Russell, who passed away last Thursday in Canada.

Patsy, as she was fondly called, represented Guyana in netball and basketball during the late 1970s and early 1980s and also served as an outstanding administrator before migrating.

It was way back in the 1960s when Patsy got involved in volunteerism with CUSO International and learnt games and gymnastics and after being involved as a banker five decades after, Patsy got back into volunteerism with the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry, but later left that vocation.

After working in the banking industry in Guyana and in Canada it was Patsy’s desire to help small businesses in Guyana to get the start necessary to expand Guyana’s economy.

But later the Guyanese/ Canadian returned with CUSO International and it was noted that despite being in and out of Guyana, Patsy kept an eye on what was happening in her homeland. She maintained her strong contacts in Guyana even as she was very active in Toronto’s Guyanese community, where she was part of the Toronto association of her alma mater.

Former national player and close friend Patricia Waterman-Mitchell, who resides in New York, when

contacted, was in grief of her close friend’s passing saying her memorable experience knowing Patsy will be missed.

She recalled that in 1977 Patsy was a member of the-then Panthers Basketball team who went to Trinidad and Tobago even though she was a member of the Eagles Basketball Club. She was invited to be a guest player with the Panthers.

According to WatermanMitchell, Patsy began playing netball while she was attending St Rose’s High School and she was an explosive defence player, who dominated the defensive area.

Former national basketball player and past FIBA referee Cecil Chin when contacted said he was informed of Patsy’s passing by former Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) president Colonel Carl Morgan, who also resides in Canada, and former national player Major Ron Pickering.

“Patsy was initially a netball player along others who made the transition to basketball. She was very passionate about both disciplines and her hallmark achievements in her administrative abilities did play significant roles in our (Guyana’s) Caribbean Basketball Confederation participation from as far back as 1985 to 1990,” Chin related to Chronicle Sport.

Chin added: “She was manager of female teams in 1985 in Barbados and 1986 Trinidad and Tobago, and Administrator in 1988 along with Col Morgan and Percy Boyce Jr.” Chin opined, “Patsy Russell was a very cooperative team player deserving of any accolades directed

Patricia Veronica Russell to her and may she RIP. She made a sterling contribution to the game during her time in the administration but not very many may know that.

We are saddened by her passing.”

Other former national players in the United States expressed shock at Russell’s passing and

took to social media expressing their condolences to her children Wayne and Stacy.

Former national player Joycelyn Merchant, who played alongside Russell, said, “We the members of the Panthers Basketball team regret the passing of our dear friend Patsy Veronica Russell; our condolences to her family.” Another former national basketball teammate of Russell, Avril Edmondson was lost for words when reached for a comment only saying, “It’s a sad time for us” Also, in the diaspora former National Men’s basketball captain Leon Christian expressed regret at Russell’s passing, as he remembers her as “such a wonderful person.

Heartfelt condolences to her family and friends!”

Another United States-based former National forward Harold ‘Zar’ Caesar, who played for Linden back then in the 1970s in many great matches against Georgetown teams, remembers her well.

According to ‘Zar’ Caesar, “She was always there when we were playing and calling on our opponents to ‘hold Zar, Gavin (Kendall) or Clifton (Brusche)’ the top players of the mining town team when they faced their Georgetown counterparts. But ‘Zar’ admitted that she was an ardent supporter of basketball in general in his reflection of her.

General Secretary of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF), Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) vicepresident and International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Board Member Patrick Haynes,

on hearing of Russell’s demise, used one word to describe the moment saying it was “sad” for basketball.

Back in Guyana, President of the GABF Mike Singh took time out to send condolences to Russell’s family on behalf of the basketball fraternity. “Knowing that she would have served the game well both as a player and an administrator during the 1980s, under a number of presidents, Patsy was instrumental in the development of the game among the ladies as well.”

Former national netball player Lavern Fraser-Thomas spoke on behalf of the Guyana Netball Association (GNA). She commented: “I am so sorry to hear this. Condolences on behalf of the Guyana Netball Association and the netball family!

Russell’s viewing is set for tomorrow (Friday) from 17:00hrs to 21:00hrs at the Highland Funeral Home, Scarborough Chapel 3280, Shepperd Avenue East (Warden and Shepperd) while a service is set for Saturday at 13:00hrs at the Church of the Nativity, 10 Sewells Road, Scarborough, and there will also be a reception on Saturday from 15:00hrs at the Church of the Nativity.

Zouks bowl brilliantly to upset Patriots

GROS ISLET, St Lucia (CMC) – St Lucia Zouks bowled brilliantly to upset St Kitts and Nevis Patriots by 20 runs here Tuesday night and re-ignite their quest for a spot in the playoffs of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

Fast bowler Hardus Viljoen, a 30-year-old who played a single Test for South Africa three years ago, spearheaded the Zouks effort with a superb spell of three for 14 from his four overs, as Patriots, asked to chase 166, came up short at 145 for nine off their 20 overs.

He was backed by discarded West Indies white-ball seamer Kesrick Williams who claimed three for 48 while Australia’s Fawad Ahmed snatched two for 19 from four overs of leg-spin.

Hardus Viljoen celebrates, after dismissing Shamarh Brooks in Tuesday’s night win over St Kitts and Nevis Patriots. (Photo courtesy CPL) Pakistan’s Mohammed Hafeez struck 29 and Englishman Laurie Evans chipped in with 28 but Patriots lacked that big innings to turn the result their way.

Zouks had also struggled earlier after being sent in at

the Darren Sammy Cricket Stadium, and their 165 for six appeared well short of a competitive total.

Opener Andre Fletcher struck 36 off 23 balls and captain Darren Sammy, 30 off 19 deliveries, while Guyana all-rounder Chris

Barnwell helped to add precious runs at the end with an unbeaten 27 from 23 balls.

Hafeez earned three for 22 with his reliable offbreaks while West Indies speedster Alzarri Joseph was outstanding in four overs, finishing with two for 20.

The win for the Zouks was only their second in seven matches but it moved them into fourth place on five points. Patriots, meanwhile, missed out on a chance to seal a playoff spot, and remain third on eight points.

Zouks started well as Fletcher was out on 34 for the first wicket with Rahkeem Cornwall (13) and a further 38 for the second wicket with South African Colin Ingram (21).

Cornwall lashed two sixes before he was bowled,

missing a heave at Joseph and Fletcher belted four fours and a couple of sixes before going stumped down the leg-side off Hafeez in the eighth over at 72 for two.

Hafeez then knocked over Ingram and New Zealander Colin de Grandhomme (17) cheaply as Zouks lost four wickets for 29 runs but Sammy and Barnwell put on 56 for the sixth wicket to rescue the innings.

What should have been a straightforward run chase quickly turned problematic when lefthander Evin Lewis (10) and Devon Thomas (9) perished cheaply to leave Patriots on 31 for two in the fifth over.

Hafeez and Evans then combined in a 49-run thirdwicket stand to steady the innings but they were both bogged down and the

partnership

required

44

deliveries.

When Evans tried to break the shackles, he skied a return catch to Williams in the 13th over and in the same over, Fabian Allen was trapped plumb lbw on the crease for one at 89 for four.

Captain Carlos Brathwaite holed out to deep midwicket off Fawad Ahmed in the next over for two and Viljoen

bowled

Shamarh

Brooks for seven in the 15th over as the batsman attempted to improvise.

Facing a required run rate of over 12-½ an over in the last five overs, the task proved too difficult for Patriots and they buckled under the pressure.

24

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday September 26, 2019

King blasts Warriors to seventh straight win with unbeaten 81 20 PAGE

A jubilant Warriors team celebrate their seventh straight win at the Darren Sammy ground last night.

IAAF returns Sebastian Coe as SEBASTIAN Coe has been re-elected for a second term as president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

The 62-year-old twotime Olympic champion was returned to his post unopposed at the governing body’s 52nd congress in Doha.

Colombia’s former 400 metres runner Ximena Restrepo was voted the first female vice-president of the IAAF, joining Sergey Bubka, Geoffrey Gardner and Nawaf bin Mohammed al Saud beneath Coe. After chairing the organising committee for the 2012 Olympic Games in London and while serving as the chairman of the British Olympic Association, Coe took on his post with the IAAF in 2015.

Despite being elected on a manifesto promising

Sebastian Coe re-elected for a second as IAAF president.

radical change, much of his time in office has been spent dealing with controversies, such as the ongoing fallout from the Russia doping crisis and new rules governing testosterone levels in female athletes. South Africa’s world and Olympic 800m champion Caster Semenya will not compete in the World Athletics Championships in Doha this week as she continues to appeal the federation’s ruling. For the second World Championships in succession Russia will not take part after the IAAF

extended its ban this week, in light of fresh allegations of impropriety made against the country anti-doping authority.

Some Russian athletes with no doping history will be allowed to compete as neutrals, although the Russian flag and national anthem will not feature in the instance of them winning an event.

In 2016, Coe’s IAAF stood firm by upholding a ban on Russian track and field athletes competing at the Rio Olympics.

Boys from Brazil send Real Madrid top of La Liga BARCELONA, Spain (Reuters) - Real Madrid’s teenage Brazilian duo Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes sent them top of La Liga as both scored in a 2-0 win over Osasuna yesterday.

Vinicius ended a goal drought which had dragged on since February with a deflected effort in the first half from the edge of the box.

Striker Luka Jovic spurned two good opportunities and had a goal ruled out for offside as Real dominated, with debutant substitute Rodrygo curling home to seal the win shortly after coming on.

Real Madrid climbed to the top of the standings with 14 points from six games, one point and one place ahead of Atletico Madrid, whom they face on Saturday in the derby at the Wanda Metropolitano.

“We’re really pleased with the result, the work we put in and for the win,” said Real winger Lucas Vazquez.

“I’m really happy for Vinicius, he’s a great lad, he works hard and I’m super happy for him.”

Coach Zinedine Zidane made several changes to the side that beat Sevilla, leaving out Gareth Bale entirely, and choosing to start with Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois, Karim Benzema and James

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Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior celebrates scoring their first goal.

(REUTERS/Juan Medina) Rodriguez on the bench.

Victory in Andalusia steadied the ship after a heavy Champions League defeat

by Paris St Germain and this win eased supporters’ worries further.

The hosts should have opened the scoring in the 18th minute when Alvaro Odriozola’s charge up the right flank led to a scramble in the box and Jovic stabbed over from close range.

Vinicius sent Atletico ahead in the 36th minute with a longrange effort which deflected off Raul Navas and flew into the top corner.

It was the Brazilian’s first goal since Zidane returned in March

and the 19-year-old cried tears of joy as he celebrated.

Jovic, hunting his first Madrid goal, blew another big chance in the second half before finding the net, only to see his effort ruled out by VAR because he was narrowly offside.

The 18-year-old Rodrygo, who arrived in June from Santos for 45 million euros, wrapped up the win a minute after entering the fray, surging into the area and sweeping home.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019