Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 31 01 2017

P.13

15-year-old girl reported missing

No. 104809

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2017

Price: $80

(VAT Inclusive)

Gov’t unveils SARA Bill

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‘Utterly disgraceful’

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– PM slams hefty salary increases PPP paid themselves Trump travel ban...

Thousands join protests across UK Page 4

Gang robs La Penitence woman – police retrieve gun, other items Page 11

‘We need we own station’ …Lindeners bemoan limited coverage of local news

LEADING BY EXAMPLE: One of Guyana’s finest buying minutes yesterday for his vehicle at a parking meter on lower Regent Street, across the way from City Hall (Photo by Delano Williams)

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Sheer drama as ‘back-track’ Venezuelan appears in court

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 31, 2017

House hears...

PPP doled out $55B in tax breaks in 2014 TAX exemptions and concessions amounting to over $55B were given out in 2014 alone by the then People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government, Junior Finance Minister, Jaipaul Sharma revealed in the National Assembly on Monday.

The minister made the disclosure while speaking to a Motion regarding tax measures introduced by the government.

According to Minister Sharma, “$55B was given in tax exemptions and concessions to friends and acquaintances of the PPP” in 2014. Those ‘breaks’, he said, amount to one-quarter of the 2017 National Budget.

He told the National Assembly that the figures he quoted are “factual”, in that they could be proven by reports from the tax regulatory

body, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

Noting that it was no coincidence that the PPP did not produce tax reports while in office, the minister said: “While they were in power, they wilfully did not produce any reports for GRA, because they did not want the nation to know what they were giving in tax exemption and concessions.”

Referencing several ailing industries, including sugar and bauxite, the minister said that those monies could have been used by the then government to help these sectors. He also said that some of that money could have been used to help to increase public servants’ salaries.

“Imagine what this money could have done for the sugar industry or the bauxite industry; for gold miners,” he said, adding: “Teachers,

nurses and other public servants could have benefitted significantly.”

VOTED DOWN Meanwhile, a Motion brought to the House by Opposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira, to have a restoration of zero-rated items in the Value Added Tax (Amendment of Schedules) was voted down by the government.

The Motion sought to have the government repeal the VAT (Amendment of Schedules) order made in 2016, which comes into effect on February 1, 2017.

Additionally, the Motion, if passed, would have seen the finance minister reinstating, and bringing back into force, Schedules I and II, which existed before these orders.

According to Teixeira, the Motion was intended to have a number of items from the VAT-exempt list shifted back to the VAT Zero-Rated list, since it puts businesses at a disadvantage.

Teixeira explained that suppliers of zero-rated goods/ services can still reclaim all their input VAT from the

GRA. However, with Government moving some of those zero-rated goods to vat-exempt goods, she reasoned that businesses cannot reclaim VAT from the GRA. She noted, too, that what this will result in is businesses charging higher prices for their products, since they would not be able to reclaim VAT.

EXHAUSTIVE DISCUSSIONS However, Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, who opposed the Motion, noted that it was the subject of ample and exhaustive discussions in the House since last year.

He explained that when the VAT Act was implemented in 2007, VAT, as a

percentage of total revenue collected by government, was 27.6% of the country’s total revenue.

He further noted that by 2008, this figure had jumped to 30.4%; and when the PPP exited office in 2015, it had regressed to 24.8%.

“So, while the economy was growing, the VAT collection was declining,” the minister said, adding: “One reason is because the policy measure put in place was weakening the VAT base.”

He, however, went on to say that by 2016, the Coalition Government had made nearly 50 food items exempt, which caused the VAT base to decline to 24% of total revenue collection.

With a decline in revenue collection, Minister Jordan

noted that there could be several serious implications, one of which is the slow-down of development.

“We made a promise that we will reduce the VAT rate, and that we will reduce food items, removing them from zero-rated to exempt,” he said in defense of the new tax measures.

“But we have always said that to do any reduction would be a broadening of the base,” he told the House.

Speaking on the Motion also was Opposition spokesperson on Health, Dr Frank Anthony, who explored the implication on the health sector, and how Guyanese would be impacted.

After hours of debating it, the Motion was eventually voted down by a government majority.

‘Utterly disgraceful!’

– PM slams hefty salary increases PPP top-brass paid themselves

PRIME Minister Mr Moses Nagamootoo said Monday evening that he finds it unconscionable that salary increases for PPP/C presidents and ministers amounted to over 386% and 220% respectively over a 17-year period while that party was in office.

The Prime Minister’s comments followed Minister of Finance Winston Jordan’s release of statistics pertaining to a question posed by Government Member of Parliament, Mr Jermaine Figueira, during the day’s sitting of the National Assembly.

The question at reference had to do with the annual increases in salaries for public servants as opposed to that paid ministers and presidents for the period 1998 to 2014.

As asked, Minister Jordan revealed that total salary increases for public servants for the period amounted to 164.7%, mainly in single-digit increments, while that of the then PPP ministers of government had increased “by a whopping 220.5%,

some 55% more than that of the public servants.

Minister Jordan further revealed that the president’s salary, during the same period, increased by a mammoth 386.5%, which amounted to over 220% the increase paid public servants for the same period.

Current Opposition Leader, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo, served as President from 1999 until 2011, while Mr. Donald Ramotar served in the same capacity from 2011 to 2015, which means that both parties would have benefitted from the salary increases at issue.

The revelations prompted the prime minister to observe: “It is utterly disgraceful that the post-Jagan Cabinet bureaucracy grabbed an average 300% salary hike during 1998 and 2014.

“They ‘helped’ the poor public servants over this period by giving a total of 164%, mostly in 5% doses, but in 17 years, the PPP ministers were paid a more than handsome 220% salary

increases.

“The Presidents helped themselves to the full trough, by taking a 386% increase in salary. Now we know how fat these cats had become while in political office.”

In 2006 alone, then President Jagdeo was given an enormous 273% salary increase, while in the same year, ministers benefitted from an 89.5% increase. The largest single increase public servants received was in 1999, when a 31% increased was granted.

In 2000, a 26% increase was provided, but for the next 14 years, only on two occasions was there a double-digit increase.

In eight of those years, the public servants salary increase was 5%, including in 2006, when the President and his ministers received an immense “top up.”

Monday’s sitting of the National Assembly was the 60th sitting of the 11th Parliament and was designated Private Members Day.

Gov’t unveils SARA Bill 3

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 31, 2017

THE government on Monday moved one step closer towards having its State Asset Recovery Agency (SARA) established, by having the Bill read for the first time in the National Assembly.

Presented by Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs,Basil Williams, the Bill seeks to establish SARA in consonance with the United Nations (UN) Convention Against Corruption 2003.

The agency, which will be headed by a director, will, inter alia, seek to recover through civil proceedings, State property unlawfully acquired by a public official or any other person, and to engage in international cooperation in the recovery of stolen assets of States within the contemplation of the Act. The State Assets Recovery Bill is seen as the APNU+AFC’s signature legislation in its fight against corruption. The government

has been harshly criticised in the past for its “lukewarm” approach to recovering stolen State assets and fighting corruption.

The agency will also be self-funded, with a percentage of assets recovered being put into a State Assets Recovery Fund.

According to Section 14 (3) of the Bill, funds will be used to facilitate the discharge of SARA’s functions; compensate victims who would have suffered as a re-

Jaisingh freed of 2010 bar brawl murder

A 12-MEMBER jury on Monday afternoon, after hours of deliberations in the High Court, returned with a not guilty of murder verdict for Antonio Jaisingh and as such, he walked out the courtroom a free man.

He was however, admonished by Justice Navindra Singh to mend his ways and make a contribution to society by meaningful employment.

According to the indictment, on November 26-27, 2010 Antonio Jaisingh murdered Randy Joseph at a bar at Sara Johanna, East Bank Demerara during a brawl.

Nine witnesses were called to testify, including the state’s only eyewitness Damon Ramgulan, who is being investigated by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) after he recanted his story during his testimony.

Ramgulan admitted to the court that he was lying and is being probed by CID for perjury.

According to the state’s case, on the

night in question at about 8pm Jaisingh said he went to the bar to drink and play pools during which time the deceased was there.

An argument erupted when Randy Joseph pulled Jaisingh to his side. Words were exchanged after which a fight ensued and the accused pulled a knife from the table. It was while, pushing away the deceased he was stabbed, after which Jaisingh in a confession statement to the police said he threw away the knife and ran off.

The case was heard by Justice Navindra Singh and a mixed jury at the Demerara Criminal Assizes, which started on January 23.

The court heard how an argument at an East Bank bar one night in November, 2010 ended up with Randy Joseph being stabbed to death.

The accused, who has pleaded not guilty, is being represented by Latchmee Rahamat.

The state was represented by Siand Dhurjon and Tuanna Hardy.

sult of an unlawful conduct; transfer property to a foreign state or territory or share it pursuant to a treaty or agreement; to fund training and capacity-building as may be required for the agency; and for payment of fees to counsel, forensic experts, investigators, receivers and other professionals.

Back in October 13, 2016, when he addressed the National Assembly, President David Granger had mentioned that the Bill was on his government’s legislative agenda aimed at correcting “these aberrations and will protect the interests of Guyanese by strengthening Guyana’s legal architecture.”

Meanwhile, to help strengthen the efficacy of the Bill, the government will be moving to pass the Witness Protection Bill, which provides for the establishment of a programme to protect certain witnesses and other persons and the Protected Disclosures Bill, referred to as the ‘Whistleblowers Bill,’ aims at combating corruption and other wrongdoing by encouraging and facilitating persons to make disclosures of improper conduct.

New staff of SARA will have to be appointed by the National Assembly within six months of the Bill’s passage.

However, according to

Attorney General Williams, “The director will have the vision of the organisation; he has people working with him, and is guided by this statute, this legislation.”

But there have been reservations regarding the power which will reside with the director. The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) is one such body which had expressed its concern last year.

In a statement,the GHRA had said, “The sweeping powers available to the director of the agency, and the manner of his or her appointment is of great concern.”

The organisation also pointed out that relative to the powers, it believes that the Commissioner of Police, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Head of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), the Bank of Guyana, private banks, and the Chairperson of the Guyana Gold Board are just a few public and private entities that are required to comply with the requests of the director of SARA. This, the GHRA said, provides enormous powers to the director who, they contend, will be a “political commissar.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Thousands join protests across UK THOUSANDS of people have joined protests in London and in cities around the UK against a controversial

travel ban on seven mainly Muslim countries imposed

by US President Donald Trump.

The ban bars citizens from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

MPs are holding an emer-

gency debate on the immigration measures.

A petition calling for Prime Minister Theresa May to cancel Mr Trump’s planned state visit to the UK has gathered more than 1.5 million signatures.

The demonstration in London, organised by author and columnist, Owen Jones, took place outside Number 10 Downing Street.

The crowd chanted slogans, including “Shame on May”. Reporters at the scene said there were several thousand people on the streets.

The prime minister’s office said earlier in the day that Mrs May was “very happy” to extend the invitation to Mr Trump on behalf of the Queen.

Mrs May is also facing growing calls to say whether she was briefed on the controversial travel ban when she met Mr Trump in Washington last week.

Labour politicians, including Shadow Attorney-General Shami

Chakrabarti and Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott addressed the crowd.

Demonstrations also took place in Manchester, where about 3,000 people attended.

Crowds also attended protests in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Newcastle, Sheffield, Oxford, Cambridge, Brighton, Gloucester, Leeds, York, Liverpool, Leicester and several other towns and cities.

One protester in Leeds told BBC Look North: “I think it is really hard to make sense of the extreme way in which Donald Trump seems to be taking forward the first few days of his presidency, and how, even in America, people are defying the courts which are saying no, Trump can’t do this.

“To me, if someone has the power to get into the minds of people to the extent where they will disobey the courts, then the whole world is in a really, really dangerous place.”

Clare Solomon, who helped organise the protest in Manchester, said people wanted “to show their disgust at a racist, sexist president.

“We think Theresa May is a disgrace for holding hands with him and inviting him for a state visit.”

Charlotte Winstone, 22, a theatre producer, was among those attending the London protest.

She told the BBC: “I can’t believe something like this is happening in my lifetime. People legally allowed to be in the US, people with Green Cards, with visas, are being held against their will, all at the whim of one man’s hatred.

“We all sat in history lessons hearing about the persecution of Jewish people in Nazi Germany, feeling that if it happened now, we would stop it. This is our opportunity to make sure something like that doesn’t happen again.”

Jocy Levy, 25, travelled to London from Ongar in Essex to attend her first demon-

stration.

She said: “This protest struck a chord with me because I’m Jewish, and I feel like I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for immigration, and for countries welcoming refugees.

“So, I felt like I couldn’t be somebody who just stood by; even if it’s doing something small like attending a protest or making a placard.”

Ms Levy’s placard read: “Anne Frank could have been an 87-year-old living in Boston today, but she was denied a Visa.”

Writing on the event’s Facebook page, Mr Jones said: “Donald Trump has imposed a ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US. “That includes people who helped the US army.

That includes people on holiday trying to get home via the United States. That includes people trying to be reunited with their dying parents.”

He added: “Let’s stand in solidarity with those targeted

by Donald Trump’s hateful government, including the people of this country, outside Downing Street and all over Britain.”

Critics of Mr Trump’s policy have called it a “Muslim ban”, a charge his administration denies.

Mrs May has faced heavy criticism for refusing several times to condemn the crackdown when asked during a visit to Turkey.

Downing Street issued a statement late on Saturday night saying that the prime minister “does not agree” with Mr Trump’s travel ban, but that US immigration was a “matter for the government of the United States”.

The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, said Mr Trump “should not be welcomed to Britain while he abuses our shared values with his shameful Muslim ban and attacks on refugees’ and women’s rights”.

(BBC)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Cops still waiting on analyst’s report CHIEF Magistrate Ann McLennan on Monday remanded a 23-yearold miner who was reportedly held by police at Port Kaituma with over three pounds of cannabis sativa for trafficking.

Winnick Reid of Dairy, West Bank Demerara, denied that on

January 28 at Port Kaituma Water Front, he had 1.4 kilograms of cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Reid’s attorney Stanley Moore, during a petition for bail told the court that his client had no pending or previous matters.

Moore said that Reid

Mother accused of stealing $200,000 A 28-YEAR-OLD mother of two was Monday released on $10,000 bail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on a simple larceny charge.

Monica Braithwaite denied that she on January 28 at Compound Arakaka, North West District she stole $200,000 cash and a silver chain - all to the value of $220,000 from Vincent McTyre.

The unrepresented wom-

an told the court that the man framed her because she was refused to indulge in sex work for him.

Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones made no objections to the woman not being granted her pre-trial liberty.

The Chief Magistrate released Braithwaite on $10,000 bail and transferred the matter to the Mathews Ridge Magistrate’s Court for February 7.

Tuesday January 31st, 05:00 hrs (Day)

was a father of one and was willing to comply with any condition attached to bail.

Prosecutor Jones said that an analyst report was still outstanding from the case file.

The magistrate remanded Reid until February 7 and transferred the matter to the Mathews Ridge Magistrate’s Court

Teen boat captain remanded on another theft charge

AN 18-YEAR-OLD boat captain was on Monday remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on a $120,000 simple larceny charge.

Rolex Williams called ‘Sonny Rat’ of Saint Martin, Eteringbang denied that on January 25 at Eteringbang he stole from Trevor Joseph, one

pouch, a quantity of Digicel phone cards and $80,000 cash, all totaling$120,000.

Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones told the court that Joseph had taken Williams to buy food on the day in question; when the teen snatched the pouch containing the articles mentioned in the charge and made good his escape

but was later nabbed by the police.

According to Jones, Williams has a pending matter of a similar nature at the Kamarang Magistrate’s Court and is currently being investigated in relation to others.

The Chief Magistrate remanded Williams until February 3 for statements.

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Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams Editor

Godfrey Wray

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

Editorial

The clamping of Donald Ramotar’s vehicle

THE People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) issued a statement over the weekend about a clamped stateowned vehicle assigned to former President Donald Ramotar.

It said the wheel was clamped by a team from Smart City Solutions, accompanied by armed ranks of the City Constabulary who were aggressive and verbally abusive to Ramotar’s security guards. Given the nature surrounding the incident, the PPP/C, according to its statement, concluded that from all appearances, the act was planned and designed to embarrass the former president, who was at the time attending a meeting at the party’s Robb Street head office.

With our polarised politics, it is tempting and oftentimes successful to deviate from the real issues by playing to fears, dislike for, or non-support of the other, or other frivolous perceptions. When politicians and opinion shapers skilfully apply these ploys to project a particular perception in furtherance of a self-serving agenda, the society is hurt by it.

The PPP/C is being commended for attaching the picture of the vehicle in its clamped state. The saying that a picture tells a thousand words still holds true. Thankfully, the party shared that picture, which was carried by the media and can be found on its facebook page, which allows for objective thinking.

From the picture, it is clear that the vehicle was parked in a no-parking or loading zone and the road markings (yellow lines) were visible for all to see, including the driver. Parking spaces are typically done in white, with an opening to symbolize that a vehicle is permitted to park, but the yellow lines where there is no opening symbolises no parking. That person who parked the vehicle was in violation of the traffic laws, acted out of arrogance, and with no regard for other road users,who at the time could have been endangered.

The PPP/C and Ramotar should not be proud of, or promote what was clearly a traffic violation. While the Guyana Police Force’s statistical report for crime in 2016 showed a decrease compared to 2015, the crime that has shown an increase are road accidents. Guyana continues to lose its most vital resource, its people, through senseless and avoidable road accidents. The Laws of Guyana never stated, implicitly or explicitly, that anyone is exempted from obeying them. Similarly, the laws did not say that those who disobey the traffic laws should not be charged.

Hopefully, the city constabulary did its job and took the necessary action to ensure the process was put in place to charge the driver and bring him before the court.

Every Guyanese, bar none, has to demonstrate good use of our roads. The road is a public service, shared by different users, and safe and proper use of it requires everyone obeying the rules of the road.

Whereas the PPP/C may find it politically convenient to seek partisan political mileage of what is clearlyfrom the picture -- a traffic violation and hazard, it must accept that there is a right and wrong way for

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Guyana’s Petroleum Industry: The environmental impact question is absent

Dear Editor,

THIS “Oil Shout” reminds me of the era of the Kurupung gold rush and pork-knockers with sweet stories of their experiences, but broken dreams on the trails and rivers back home.

Don’t read me wrong! I am not a skeptic, but amidst the jubilation of the oil companies, policy makers, and economists over the potentials of the Lisa and Payara fields, the environmental impact question is glaringly absent.

In the recent news, our policy-makers tend to focus on the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) and the stabilization effect on the budget.

I sincerely hope that our leaders would have followed and understood the lessons of the outcome of a two-and-ahalf-year legal battle between Goldman Sachs, a leading global investment banking, securities, and management firm, and Libya’s $67 billion sovereign fund squandered.

The firm won this case in the London High Court later in 2016. Similarly, our economists question how the management of the SWF can lead to Guyana’s economic transformation, diversification, and sustainability.

This national conversation is necessary as it cites, among other needs, the procurement of rare skills for the industry.

We also have the chance

to respond meaningfully to the 40% unemployment of our youths, many of whom may be school drop-outs, un-skilled, and substance abusers.

One may argue that investments in the petroleum and gas industry will create employment and solve our energy and infrastructural development problems.

In some ways, the nation would benefit, but this progress comes with a price tag.

Globally, there are risks to the environment and health in the practices of these extractive industries. Drilling for oil in the waters of our continental shelf, located in the Amazon River Basin, and which hosts pristine ecosystems, can be disastrous in case of an explosion as we witnessed in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. Ocean-drilling releases methane gas in the atmosphere, which is about 85 times more harmful than carbon dioxide. There is also the risk of oil spills and slicks of crude oil from drilling rigs, tankers, and offshore platforms, which disrupt marine and other wildlife, alter their habitats on and offshore, and suppress their immune and reproductive systems which would lead to long-term ecological change.

There are further risks if we invest in a refinery.

Undoubtedly, having a refinery would create jobs and manufacturing businesses,

since we use a wide range of petroleum by-products daily. On the other side of this reality, we can expect the release of some level of toxic chemicals, dust, and haze, which would pollute the air and water of our nearby rivers and creeks. Emissions also have the capacity to render agricultural land barren in the same way oil spills deplete marine life, thereby affecting the livelihoods of farmers and fishermen. As in the bauxite industry and OMAI gold production, we can also expect open pits and ponds to contain waste water, petroleum hydrocarbons, and organic chemicals, which can compromise the safety of our water if breached. So, I would highlight the negative effects on human health and the need for laws, stringent oversight, and compliance in regulating this industry.

These risks and potential hazards can be countered as Global Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), environmental groups, and international organisations will be ready and willing to help build local capacity consistent with their mandate to assist developing countries in matters of poverty, sustainability, and the environment.

Guyana also has a wonderful opportunity to engage the diaspora by building and recruiting from a data-base of rare petroleum industry-related skills, which would

include Geophysicists, Geologists, Petroleum Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Engineering Analysts, Geosciences Analysts, Process and Production Operators, and Technicians, among many others.

Finally, I am instructed by the New York Times article of January 13, 2017, titled ”With a Major Oil Discovery, Guyana is Focused to Become a Top Producer.” The good news is that for years the U.S. State Department has been trying to prepare Guyana for its potential oil rush with a programme that advises the government on how to draft environmental regulations, financial arrangements, and other forms of oversight.

In addition to that, while EXXON Mobil’s head, Mr Tillerson, is poised to be confirmed as the incoming U.S. Secretary of State, he promised to recuse himself from decisions affecting Exxon Mobil and thereafter consult with ethics officers at the State Department.

Guyana’s advocacy of a “green economy” may not be a contradiction if regulations are constructed and complied with, to protect the ecosystem and preserve our traditional habits of organic subsistence farming.

Regards Max Wallerson

The nation awaits announcement of GuySuCo’s 2017 sugar target Dear Editor, I READ with much hilarity, a news item on GuySuCo that appeared in Kaieteur News, January 26, 2017 edition, “GuySuCo to meet today on production targets as first crop starts.”

In essence, the company announced that it will deliberate in an executive

meeting on the projected production for 2017 and production start-up date. One of its spokespersons even stated that the proposed date is the “latter part of February.”

Editor, to understand GuySuCo’s gymnastics, let’s go back to Kaieteur News, December 30, 2016, a news item captioned “From 2000 - 2016...GuySuCo lost

using the roads. If that vehicle was being driven by a member of the Guyana Police Force, the driver should be invited by his head of department to discuss this blatant disregard for the organization with which he or she is employed. Why this is even more so important, is that this organisation has responsibility for enforcing the traffic laws and continues to bemoan the irresponsible use of our roads. Further, given that this is a state-owned vehicle, government has to be mindful that it has to set the example for others to follow.

This is not the first time that persons doing business at Freedom House had parked their vehicles in a clear

over 1.1 million man-days due to strikes – Holder.” In this December 2016 release, the Honourable Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder, explained to the nation, apart from other things, that “153,300 tonnes of canes would be carried over in 2017, which, he said, is equivalent to some 11,300 tonnes of sugar.” “Carried

over” means, 153,00 tonnes of canes were left in the cane fields at the end of 2016, which will be harvested in the 2017 season. GuySuCo could not harvest it because of many excuses which it gave the Government.

We are now in 2017 and this amount of “carried over” canes can supply

Turn to page 7

display of disregard for the traffic laws. There was a similar incident last year, which this newspaper in its 27th January, 2016 editorial, “The Robb Street Traffic Violation,” had addressed. Good sense must prevail and obedience to the traffic laws must be seen as a duty by everyone using public thoroughfares. The road in front of Freedom House, on Robb Street, is a public thoroughfare. Lives are precious, so let us treat everybody’s life as such and use the roads in a manner that is consistent with the laws. Only in this manner can we truly save lives, prevent the destruction of properties, and aid in the reduction of road accidents, injuries and fatalities.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Whither the parking meter?

Dear Editor

WELL the much-touted launch of the ‘infamous’ parking meter system got off to a rather bumpy start, indeed, expectant motorists were quite confused this week when they failed to see any parking meter maids, any constables and the meters standing idle. Hardly the fizzle and pop that was expected.

It is only at the Georgetown municipality that such incompetence and such venality could occur. But then again, there may be some other plausible reason for what occurred. As the boys would say, there seems to be more in the mortar than just the pestle. Maybe someone is dissatisfied with the whole deal.

It is unfathomable that after all of those months of publicity, promotion and advertising that the administration had failed to submit the requisite municipal by-laws for ministerial approval until the day before.

What were they expecting?

The minister to blindly sign these new regulations the same way they recklessly

signed the contract which instead of being prepared by them as any sensible city would do, but which was instead created by the contractor that was skewed considerably in his favour?.

The time spent by municipal officials flying all around Latin America and posing in front of parking meters and wining and dining with officials from the parking meter company, could have been better spent by them doing their work, including drafting the new by-laws that were needed. And why is the Council spending millions of dollars engaging and retaining the services of highpriced and fancy law firms, when at the end of the day they are made to look so ill-advised. Will the parking meter project be another colossal failure like the many other miscarriages to which we have become so accustomed coming from City Hall such as The Green Conference and Expo, The Flea Market on Regent Street, The Presidential Park, The Parliament View Mall, The Petting Zoo and the list goes on and on

The nation awaits...

From page 6

all six GuySuCo factories (Wales now closed) for 1 1/2 weeks. Knowing this, GuySuCo should be making every possible effort to start factories as early as possible, since this batch of “carried over” canes have essentially gone past their harvesting age in November/December 2016.

As these canes age further, the quality worsens and a high percentage of sugar is lost. From all indications, GuySuCo will deliberately delay the start of operations to the end of February, 2017 and this boggles the mind, because 153,300 tonnes of canes are being left in fields to become fibre. To further compound an already bad situation, a delayed start pushes the operating timeframe into the May-June rainy season,which will certainly affect operations,

assuming that canes are there. If the IMC and its advisors delay start-up, it confirms that they are not supportive of a GuySuCo survival plan and may be deceiving the Government in a clever way. A late start could also be because of bad management of factory repairs, or too little canes to harvest in the first crop of 2017, again due to bad management. The nation eagerly awaits the announcement of GuySuCo’s 2017 sugar projection. With the level of incompetence at the helm -- especially for the last 18 months -- a depressing projection is anticipated and Government will have to face the nation again to defend the IMC’s ineptitude in 2017.

Yours truly, Sookram Persaud

Citizens realise quite clearly the lack of good sense and judgement shown by the Council in entering into this contract, which gives the city whose roads, parapets, sidewalks, street lighting it is, a paltry 20% return, whilst the contractor whose only investments

are some old second-hand meters, some galvanised pipes, some cement, some signs and stickers, a whopping 80 %.

What more will it take to make the Councillors, the Minister of Communities and the President to realise that

the administration of the Council is filled with square pegs in round holes and get rid of them.

The Council should hire a retired city manager from one of the cities in a developed country, who would have the experience,and the knowledge

and would stand apart from the corruption to pull our capital out of this complete mess it has found itself in.

There is just no other way out.

Regards Nadine Jerrick

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Nations University seeks partnership with gov’t on law school

From left: Simon Askey, Director, Undergraduate Law Pogramme at the University of London, sitting alongside Ashe Singh, Head of the Law Department at Nations University and Director, Dr Brian O’Toole

AS the much anticipated JOF Haynes Law School of the Americas project progresses, Nations University Guyana is likely to participate in talks on the road to the local law school coming to fruition.

This was disclosed on Monday after Attorney General, Basil Williams met with representatives of Nations University, including its Director, Dr Brian O’Toole and

Simon Askey, Director, Undergraduate Laws Pogramme, at the University of London.

Ashe Singh, Head of the Law Department at Nations University also attended the meeting.

Nations University offers a tutorial support programme for the University of London’s (UOL) Law Degree or LLB (Literally Legum Baccalaureus) at its Georgetown campus in New Market

Street.

During a press briefing, Williams said that committees have been set-up regarding the establishment of the JOF Haynes Law School, and according to him, there is nothing which bars O’Toole from sitting on his side at committee meetings.

Williams reiterated that the entire approach to the establishment of the legal institution here stems from the

Attorney-General, Basil Williams, left, makes a point during the meeting as Justice Abdullahi Zuru of the Parliamentary Drafting Division of the Attorney-General’s Chambers and an official of the Ministry of Legal Affairs look on

difficulties the University of Guyana students encounter, regarding acceptance into the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad. He said that the alternative arrangement was also green-lighted several years ago and according to him, following the recent launch of the project several committees have been set-up regarding the JOF Haynes Law School.

He sits alongside the Attorney-General of Jamaica Marlene Malahoo Forte on one committee; representatives of the Cayman Islands’ University College of the Caribbean (UCC) and the Law School of the Americas (LSA) on another committee; and another possible committee would include the Chief Justice and Chancellor of the Judiciary of Guyana along with UG representatives.

Williams said he would

have to discuss the possibility of Nations University partaking in the discussions with the project partners before the latter can officially partake in the project. O’Toole noted that some 15 years ago, Nations University formed partnerships with overseas-based tertiary institutions and two years later, the institution established a relationship with the University of London and commenced offering law the programme.”We started offering a variety of degrees from London right here“, O’Toole said.

He noted that one of the reasons for meeting the AG on Monday was that some 55 persons are currently pursuing the LLB programme offered by the University of London here in Guyana via Nations University and not much is said publicly of the programme.

He said too that the university plans to meet with the Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin soon, as well as the Minister of Education, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, this week to discuss its plans. The institution is also planning to meet with President David Granger.

Askey said that he was at the launch recently in Jamaica for the collaborative project.

He said that the project will open doors for law students here, including those attached to Nations University. “I think it’s a great opportunity for your own country to have its own law school”, Askey said.

He said too that the collaboration brings hope for students, as he acknowledged the issues UG law students encounter in furthering their studies at the Hugh Wooding law school.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 31, 2017

President hails relations with China at New Year dinner

President David Granger, on Monday evening, attended the Chinese Association of Guyana’s Chinese New Year and Spring Festival Dinner and Cultural Performance, held at the New Thriving Chinese Restaurant at Providence, East Bank Demerara. Here, he is pictured observing the Chinese Dragon Dance, which was on display upon his arrival

PRESIDENT David Granger has hailed the special relationship between China and Guyana at a New Year dinner hosted by the Chinese Association of Guyana at the New Thriving new branch located at Providence, East Bank Demerara, Sunday night.

He said that Chinese are still arriving in Guyana today, not as labourers, but as investors, visitors, workers, as entrepreneurs. The audience included Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, H.E. Cui Jianchun; Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Former President, Donald Ramotar and United States Ambassador to Guyana, Perry Holloway. The President also made mention of his decision to sign an executive order to declare January 12 as National Chinese Arrival

Day, noting that this move was to commemorate the contributions of the Chinese community in the enrichment of the country’s culture and general development. “Chinese enterprises have fostered and have been fostered by over four decades of friendly diplomatic relations, mutual cooperation and our resourceful commercial collections.

Guyana welcomes the Chinese who want to contribute to transforming the culture and economic landscape of this country,” he added.

President Granger said too in a message that the Government and the People of Guyana extend greetings to the Government and people of the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese community here on this auspicious occasion of the celebration of the Chinese New

Year, the year of the Fire Rooster.

“We are sure that the occasion is observed not only in the People’s Republic of China, but among the millions of persons of Chinese origin all around the world.

Our two republics – the People’s Republic of China and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana – are 15,000 km apart. Despite this distance and the demographic and geographical disparities, we have been united by bonds of blood, history and friendship.

We must celebrate that history, strengthen those bonds and deepen that friendship to the mutual benefit of our peoples,” President Granger said.

He added that Chinese arrived in Guyana 163 years ago as indentured labourers and they were welcomed then. “Many of them came

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo interacting with Chinese officials, including Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, H.E. Cui Jianchun

as labourers, but they quickly graduated into other professions. Guyana and China have shared strong ties of friendship. Guyana became a Republic in 1970 and within two years we had established diplomatic ties with the People’s Republic of China the first English- speaking country in the Caribbean to do so,” the Guyanese leader said.

He added; “We were the ones to support, in the General Assembly of the United Nations, the call for the recognition of the People’s Republic of China when it had been shut out of the councils of the international communities by other big powerhouses. Since then, we signed a number of cooperation agreements in the field of infrastructure, health, defence, river transportation,

energy, culture, education and information technology.

We’re no longer casual acquaintances; we are partners in economic development.”

According to President Granger, the healthy relations and partnership that developed between the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and the People’s Republic of China has facilitated the deepening of the economic partnership between our two countries. China’s economic performance remains a source of inspiration to the people of Guyana.

“It is my honour, therefore, on behalf of the government and people of Guyana, to once again extend best wishes for a productive New Year to the government and people of the People’s Republic of China on the occasion of the Chinese

New Year – the Year of the Fire Rooster. The Cooperative Republic of Guyana celebrates 45 years of diplomatic ties with the People’s Republic of China this year and in so doing, looks forward to deepening the relations between the two countries. It looks forward to creating lasting economic partnerships, building on the solid relationship of the past 45 years. We anticipate that through our financial engagements and through cooperation agreements signed between Guyana and China and other regional organisations, that development, trade, investment and cooperation can be further intensified.

Guyana is happy to join in the celebration of the Year of the Fire Rooster,” the President said.

Avishkar Kissoon

Ganga Krishna

Ruling in arson death trial today CHIEF MAGISTRATE Ann McLennan will today (January 31) make her ruling on whether a prima facie case has been made out against two men charged with the murders of Theresa and Feresa Rozario and their father Hilrod Thomas.

Ganga Krishna, 72, a businessman of Lot 11 North Road, Bourda, Georgetown and his employee, Avishkar Kissoon, 24, of Lot 1, Sheriff Street, Campbellville, George-

town, are currently on remand for the capital offence.

The preliminary inquiry (PI) is being presided over by the Chief Magistrate where the matter is being done by paper committal.

The two are being represented by Attorneys Nigel Hughes and Glenn Hanoman, in association with Mursaline Bacchus.

In November, 2014, Theresa Rozario, 15, and her 12-year-old sister, Feresa

Rozario, were burnt to death after an early-morning fire destroyed a Robb Street, Georgetown building they were occupying with their father.

The two sisters, who were reportedly asleep, were trapped in the early-morning inferno.

Hilrod Randolph Thomas, 63, managed to jump through a window to escape the flames but he sustained second and third-degree burns and later

succumbed at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Investigations in this matter took the police two years after a drug addict reportedly confessed that he was offered money to set fire to the disputed building.

Police believe that the building was torched to drive out individuals, who were also claiming ownership of the property by prescriptive rights.

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One year later….

APPROXIMATELY one year, a few blood tests and ultrasounds later and I’m sitting in the office of an oncology surgeon at a prominent Kingston hospital scheduling a lumpectomy. Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of tumours and cancer.

Surgical oncology is a specialty that focuses on the surgical treatment of a variety of tumours. Ephraim McDowell did the first reported resection of an ovarian tumour in 1809, but as early as the 7th century, ancient Egyptians described techniques for removing breast tumours.

A lumpectomy is a surgical operation in which a lump is removed from the breast, according to breastcancer.org a “Lumpectomy is the removal of the breast tumour (the “lump”) and some of the normal tissue that surrounds it. Lumpectomy is a form of “breast-conserving” or “breast preservation” surgery. There are several names used for breast-conserving surgery: biopsy, lumpectomy, partial mastectomy, re-excision, quadrantectomy, or wedge resection. Technically, a lumpectomy is a partial mastectomy, because part of the breast tissue is removed. But the amount of tissue removed can vary greatly. Quadran-

tectomy, for example, means that roughly a quarter of your breast will be removed.”

Got here pretty fast it seems, right? Yep, I was thinking the exact same thing, but that’s how fast everything seemed to happen.

What masqueraded itself as fibroadenoma, had ballooned in size in a short space of time. My breast was starring in its own horror story. I had started to experience short, intense, random bouts of pain in the area. I was scared of having any surgical process carried out on my body.

Pain was all I could think of.

I had daymares of waking up in a room surrounded by metal trays of torture devices and in excruciating pain. Or

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 31, 2017

worse yet, waking up during surgery. For the week that preceded the scheduled date I lived in my own personal nightmare fraught with all the surgical errors that could ever happen, all playing in my head at the same time.

Thank you all the stupid horror movies I’d ever watched, lol. (It means laugh out loud, Grandma ?)

My family has always been positive and supportive to me in every sphere of my life, especially my Mom, she’s the cat’s pajamas, the beez neez, the bossladyyou get the idea. It’s with their unfathomable support I made the conscious decision to remain as positive as I could regarding the surgery and the biopsy results that would follow. There’s this Eckhart Tolle quote that I like: “Whatever the present moment brings, accept it as if you had chosen it.” So when the present moment arrived and I was wheeled into surgery I accepted it and whatever fate it would bring henceforth. A pair of kind eyes peered down at my

face and introduced himself as the anaesthesiologist. He touched my shoulder-clad gown lightly as he assured me I would be fine; he asked whether this was the first time I had ever been under a general anaesthetic, I replied affirmatively. I had also discussed anaesthesia with my surgeon prior, so I understood what would be happening: I would be having both General and Local anaesthetics administered during surgery.

I entered the Theatre to the sound of Chester Bennigton’s voice and thought ‘no way are they really playing Linkin Park rock music in here?, how cool were the medical team!’, and then I immediately thought; “Do I really want the surgeon going at me with a scalpel while listening to angst music?” I’m sure the heart monitor they had me hooked up to had just spiked (lol) because soon after the surgeon said he was injecting my cannula with something from the morphine family to help me relax. I had never

had Intravenous Therapy or simply had an IV inserted in my hand or any part of my body before until that day, so I really didn’t quite know how it would make my body feel. Instantaneously it seemed, I felt as light as a feather and as for the other sensations, I don’t know how to describe them to this day, but they made all the nerves in my body do the happy dance. The surgeon dotted incision marks with a black sharpie around my breast, my hands were gently restrained at my sides so they wouldn’t flail about during surgery. This was it, the anesthesiologist placed the gas mask over my face and told me to count- One, two, three I heard myself count out loud and then nothing, everything had faded to black.

Post-Surgery and Hospital woes cont’d next week.

Disclaimers: I am no medical expert, I share researched information, but I have no prior knowledge in the field of medicine, always seek the advice of a medical professional.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Gang robs La Penitence woman

– police retrieve gun, other items POLICE are on the lookout for four armed bandits, who managed to evade them after committing a robbery at a Middle Road, La Penitence home, in the wee hours of the morning Monday.

According to the police, the victim, 25-year-old Komattie Kissoon, was in the lower flat of the two-storey house around 02:00hrs, resting on a chair, when she was confronted by the men who, at gunpoint, demanded cash and valuables.

After giving them the $4,500 in cash that she had, a cell-phone and a handbag of documents, they left; and as soon as she felt it was safe enough, she raised an alarm.

The police arrived in the nick of time to see the suspects attempting to flee the scene. They gave chase, but the bandits managed to escape by jumping a fence.

The items that the bandits left behind after Monday’s robbery at Middle Road, La Penitence

Upon scouring the area, the ranks found a .32

revolver, a black toque, and a yellow glove.

Juvenile in custody – on suspicion of Clonbrook robbery FOUR men on Sunday evening accosted and robbed a 42-year-old Clonbrook, East Coast Demerara resident and miner of a gold chain and cellular phone while he was walking home.

According to the police, the incident occurred in the neighhbouring village, Anns

Grove, around 19:30hrs, and a juvenile, who hails from Plaisance, on the lower East Coast, is in police custody as investigations continue.

From all indications, two of the four men, who allegedly committed the robbery are known to the victim.

Sheer drama as ‘back-track’ Venezuelan appears in court IT WAS sheer drama when a 21-year-old Venezuelan woman appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court Monday afternoon charged with entering Guyana illegally.

Yanelda Vellada, a mother of two, was brought before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for entering Guyana illegally by sea between January 1 and January 28 at Eteringbang, on the Cuyuni River, and disembarking without presenting herself to an immigration officer.

Speaking through an interpreter, the woman denied the charge, and wept bitter-

ly as she stood barefooted aside the prisoners’ dock.

The woman explained that she came to work in Guyana since Venezuela was hard and there was no work.

Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones had strongly opposed to the woman being released on bail since the foreign national has no ties to Guyana and was therefore a flight risk.

Jones further explained that Vellada was nabbed by police during a road block in Linden on Saturday.

The Magistrate ruled in the prosecution’s favor and remanded the woman un-

til February 1 for the commencement of her trial.

Before her arraignment, Yanelda had created a ruckus in the court lockup, causing a female rank to accost her as she attempted to flee from police custody.

The woman was shouting in Spanish, pacing back and forth speaking in Spanish tongue as she continued to weep bitterly.

Last year over 16 Venezuelan nationals were fined and deported to their homeland after entering Guyana illegally for ‘betterment,’ because of the economic crisis in their country.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 31, 2017

‘We need we own station’ …Lindeners bemoan limited coverage of local news …urge speedy set up of Linden TV

By Vanessa Braithwaite LINDENERS’ patience may be growing thin, as it relates to the establishment of the town’s very own television station that was promised by the current administration within the first 100 days of taking office.

It has been approximately one year and six months since those 100 days have elapsed and the residents of Linden are still limited to the weekly news broadcast by the National Communications Network Linden branch. Pressure is mounting on former Regional Chairman Sharma Solomon to resolve outstanding issues that have reportedly held up the process.

On Monday, the Guyana Chronicle contacted Mr Imran Khan, Director of Public Information, in an effort to ascertain whether the process for materialisation of the station has made any progress.

He revealed that the answer lies with founder of the Trust, Sharma Solomon, as he was mandated to have its membership expanded. Solomon however when contacted,

said that the additional 11 members were indeed legally added to the board and there will be a meeting later this week to iron out issues.

In an invited comment, Mayor of Linden, Carwyn Holland, who was also added to its membership stated that he is clueless about what is going on, as he was trying to ascertain where the process is by fellow board members.

He said that the time has long passed for the members to meet collectively and discuss the way forward. The application for a television station was made after residents had complained about the limited and bias content to which they were subjected by the NCN under the PPP administration. The Government signed an agreement on August 21,2012, to grant the licence after a deadly protest which resulted in the death of three Lindeners.

FRUSTRATION Speaking to this newspaper on Monday, residents expressed deep disappointment and frustration over a process that seems unending. Some residents explained the need

for the town to have its own television station, as there is much to be desired about the Friday edition of the NCN’s Linden Branch newscast.

“What I am saying is that they promise we this thing so long and we can’t get it up to now, there are so many things going on in Linden, people want to air their concerns and their views, not everybody get money to buy papers every day or read news online, and we need we television [station] so that we can see what’s going on in we community at least three times a week, once a week is not good enough for Linden, we need our station,” a market vendor told this newspaper.

Another resident, who gave her name as Shondell, said that she is of the belief that the regional authorities are stymieing the materialisation of the station and that is not good enough. “ When the Prime Minister went up here last August and he walk about the market, he said that the region has issues and once those are sorted out, we will get our station; that was since 2016, now is 2017 and we in hear nothing up to

Former Region 10 Chairman, Sharma Solomon

now,” she said.

Devon Marks, a young man, said that he too believes that it is time Lindeners stop being made scapegoats and are granted their station that was promised since 2012. “ The news NCN bringing over is not enough, but I understand that these reporters up here working under a lot of constraints, no transportation, no money, so they doing the best they can, but we need our own, we need our own station to sensitise the people on what going on,” he said.

Last August, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, who is responsible for the state media, told the resi-

Director of Public Information, Imran Khan

dents of Linden during a walkabout that The Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) stands ready to issue the licence for the operationalisation of the Linden Television station, but there are still some unresolved issues within the Region 10 community. The Prime Minister explained that Channel 13 has already been secured for Linden, but that the station will be granted when the issues are resolved.

“I have already spoken to the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority, they are waiting to grant the licence, all you need is the licence, in the meantime you are having television but the signals

are coming from Georgetown…when I first became a Minister of Information, I came and handed over the television station to a people’s committee in Linden to run it and to have local programmes, you need to also do that, …we will help to train persons to make the local programmes and you can take part in your own activities and in your own life and see yourself on television, so we are ready and willing to move on,” the Prime Minister told the residents.

The persons added to the Trust are Councillor Sandra Adams and resident Mr Phillip Bynoe; Mayor Carwyn Holland and his deputy, Ms Waneka Arrindale; Regional MPs Mr Jermaine Figueira and Mr Audwin Rutherford; Mr Leslie Gonsalves and Ms Merna Adrian.

Some disagreements erupted, after however, as some Councillors of the Regional Democratic Council and the municipality claimed that the decision made to add members from their organisations was done unilaterally. Correspondence were written to the Prime Minister concerning this disagreement.

Bartica Massacre

Lawyers declare their clients innocent …say justice should not be clouded AS the more than two– month long Bartica Massacre trial winds down, on Monday Defence attorneys made their closing addresses before Justice Roxane George SC and a 12-member jury.

Attorney, Roger Yearwood, representing one of the accused, Mark Williams, in his submissions highlighted what he described as loopholes in the prosecution’s case, stating that Williams was never placed at the scene in Bartica. He told the jury that the trial has indeed been a long one and has engaged the attention of the country, a country which

is crying out for justice for the 12 persons massacred, in such a dastardly act but justice should not be clouded.

Yearwood added that the state wants the court to believe that Williams played a part in the incident and relied on two witnesses, whose stories didn’t quite add up and was riddled with inconsistencies. He spoke of the inconsistencies of both witnesses, Clebert Reece called Chi-Chi and Dwane Williams called “Kussum” relating that they concocted a story in their favour to implicate his client.

Meanwhile, Saphier Husain in his closing submis-

sion told the court that his client, Dennis Williams is innocent since he was not there the night in question and the state has failed in its bid to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Williams was ‘part and parcel’ of the incident.

He also told the court that the prosecution has no evidence in court for the trial and his client should be freed of the charge before him, since otherwise it will be a miscarriage of justice because there was no malice or forethought.

The matter has been adjourned to 09:00hrs on Tuesday, when Defence attorney

Peter Hugh is expected to make his closing address to members of the jury, after which the state will make its closing submission.

Up to Monday, Chief Prison Officer, Roddy Denheart, said Dennis Williams called “Anaconda” continued refusing to attend court.

On trial are Mark Royden Williams called “Smallie”, Dennis Williams called “Anaconda” and Roger Simon called “Goat Man”, each indicted for 12 counts for the murder of nine civilians and three policemen at Bartica on February 17, 2008.

However, two of the five accused, Michael Caesar and Clebert Reece have since pleaded guilty to manslaughter separately and have been

sentenced. Mark Royden Williams is being represented by Roger Yearwood, Dennis Williams’ lawyer is Saphier Hussain and Roger Simon’s attorney is Peter Hugh.

During the February 17, 2008 rampage, 12 persons were gunned down by a group of heavily armed men, who descended on Bartica at nightfall. Those who lost their lives were Bartica residents Edwin Gilkes, Dexter Adrian and Irving Ferreira; policemen stationed at the Bartica Police Station, Lance Corporal Zaheer Zakir, Constables Shane Fredericks and Ron Osborne; Deonarine Singh of Wakenaam; Ronald Gomes of Kuru Kururu; Ashraf Khan

of Middlesex, Essequibo; Abdool Yasseen and Errol Thomas of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo; and Baldeo Singh of Montrose, East Coast Demerara.

Rondell “Fineman” Rawlins, according to the police, led the gang on the rampage in Bartica, as well as the one that converged on Lusignan on January 26, 2008. Rawlins was killed during a Joint Services Operation on August 28, 2008. With his death and the arrest and prosecution of the five suspects, it appeared as though the police had closed their investigation. The state is being represented by Diana Kaulesar and Stacy Goodings.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 31, 2017

King plugs putting Sophia under M&CC quickly – so residents can access ‘vital services’ TOWN Clerk Royston King has called for expediting of the process that will see the Sophia community falling under the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), so that vital services can be provided to residents there.

At a Council meeting recently, the age-old scourge of gaming in public was raised

by Councillor Lyndon Hilliman, who pointed out that the offence is being done in full view of the public at the

Sophia bus park, at the back of the Stabroek Market, and in front of Demico Square.

Misinterpreting that Hilliman was speaking about the Sophia community instead, Chief Constable Andrew Foo, in his response, said that the Constabulary does not have sufficient resources to address the problem in Sophia. “We cannot afford, in keeping with the resources, to address that offence in that area.”

This prompted King to

ask that the process be accelerated for the Sophia community to be handed over to the M&CC. “At the moment, it is out of the curtilage of the Council. It’s a large community; it’s a valuable community, and we need to move ahead and have it brought under the careful watch and service of the M&CC,” King said.

Mayor Patricia ChaseGreen supported King’s argument, saying that Sophia has three representatives on

City Council mulls addressing gaming in public

the Council, and hence some sort of assistance ought to be granted the community.

“Sophia has three representatives in this Council, and I know they will be looking forward to some assistance from us,” she said, adding: “It’s not fair to say it’s off limits; we have to take responsibility of it, security-wise.”

LACK OF BASIC AMENITIES Meanwhile, basic amenities that the average Guyanese enjoys, such as water and electricity, can be considered luxuries for those residents in North Pattensen,

North Sophia, and Block ‘R’ Extension, among other Sophia communities. Because these communities do not benefit from the services of the M&CC, residents are, therefore, forced to foot the bill for everything, including garbage disposal, which can cost as much as $500 each week.

But they have had to live with these and other ill conditions, as they are so often reminded that they are just squatters. The communities were not started as structured or regularised areas, and so the residents have to fend for themselves in every instance.

But the good news for them, however, is that Pres-

ident David Granger has already signalled his interest in having these communities upgraded to the point that they can be handed over to the M&CC, and thus benefit from many of its services.

Only three of the eight communities in Constituency Five fall under the purview of the M&CC, namely Bel Air, Turkeyen and Liliendaal.

The others are North Pattenson, North Sophia, ‘B’ Field, ‘A’ Field, Plum Park, and Farmer’s Field.

In those hard-hit areas mentioned earlier, theft of electricity and water has become major concerns for the authorities.

15-year-old girl reported missing

CONSTITUENCY Ten Councillor, Malcolm Ferreira, has noted that the offence of gaming in public is now being carried out by children as young as eight years old on the street corners.

The issue was raised at last week’s statutory meeting at City Hall, where Councillor Lyndon Hilliman brought to the attention of the Council that the offence was being done in full view of the public at the Sophia bus park, at the back of the Stabroek Market, and in front of Demico Square.

“This offence is an ageold one. I remember seeing it as a little boy, and I am still seeing it (now). I believe gaming in public has

spread from the Demico area, and it’s now taken up in constituencies by young people,” observed Councillor Ferreira in response.

“When I am speaking about young people, I am speaking about eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, 13-year-olds.

In Constituency 10, they would come out on the corners, and, luckily, a little threat of bringing the police to intervene might not move them away from gambling, but from the frontline on the James Street corner.”

As a municipality, Ferreira said the Council ought to come together to counter the issue within the communities. Apart from Albouystown, Ferreira also cited communities like Agricola and Sophia that are

plagued with the offence.

“There must be some way that we can arrest the situation; I believe we should really do something,” Ferreira said.

Contributing to the discussion, Councillor Monica Thomas noted that while the focus is on addressing gambling from the lower level of society, there is an even bigger problem involved. “There are a lot of big businessmen that are involved in gambling.

Gambling begins at the very top; we have to address this problem holistically,” she said.

Mayor Patricia ChaseGreen offered that the problem of gaming in public is present in every community.

A 15-YEAR-OLD-GIRL of Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara has been reported missing after last being seen on Sunday.

According to Zulaika Asrufali, the child’s grandmother and legal guardian, she left the missing teen, Zairool Ali, also known as Zalina, at home preparing meals around 06:30 hrs on Sunday.

Asrufali, who is a newspaper vendor, said she left that morning to ply her trade but a downpour of rain forced her to send a young boy to her home to collect an umbrella.

When the boy returned, minus the umbrella, he told me that there was no-one at the house; that there was a padlock on the door when he arrived.

This caused her to become worried, Asrufali said, so she enquired of the girl’s father, who lives nearby, when was the last time he saw his daughter, and he replied that she had come by earlier in the day “to pick peppers” but left soon after.

However, members of the community would later tell her that they’d noticed the child getting into a taxi in the company of a young man with whom she was known to be friendly.

Asrufali said the family has since tried making contact with the young man in question but to no avail.

The missing teen, who attends the La

Zairool Ali, AKA Zalina (Photo courtesy Kaieteur News)

Bonne Intention (LBI) Secondary School was last seen wearing a blue dress. And according to her granny, she had run away once before, and was “found staying in the North West District.”

Fearing the worst, Asrufali is now pleading with anyone who has any information on the whereabouts of her granddaughter to make contact with the family on any of the following numbers: 664-9187, 698-2656, 618-3467 or 678-5424, or contact the nearest police station.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Pilfering continues at Kara Kara toll booth

…council to install CCTV to catch culprits

By Vanessa Braithwaite MONEY garnered from the Kara Kara toll booth that kicked into operation last October has been of assistance to the Linden Mayor and Town Council, according to Mayor Carwyn Holland, but he continues to be concerned about alleged theft and will be moving soon to install Closed Circuit Television cameras to catch the culprits.

Though an estimated figure was not given, Holland posited that the Council has been benefiting from the funds, as since then the Council has progressed in several ways -- the most noted is the increase in workers’ salaries by 15%.

Holland however is contending that more could be done and the Council can earn more from the booth, if security measures are put in place to effectively monitor staff members attached to the facility. Already, two of the four persons who were employed by the Council have been fired for financial skulduggery and misappropriation of funds. Since then, two new employees have been hired, but there is still the belief by some employees of the Council, that fraudulent behaviour is continuing. While Holland did not deliberate on this conclusion made by some employees and some drivers who brought it to this publication’s attention under anonymity, he posited that the Council is looking at ways to tighten security as there are still loopholes. “Soon we should be fully secured with close circuit television (CCTV) as a means of monitoring and tightening up security,” Holland said.

He disclosed that some vigilant drivers and employees would have realised that the employees who have been fired, were involved in skulduggery and revealed same to the Council. An audit was done and it unearthed proof of fraud. One employee revealed to this publication that the toll booth employees would charge lumber trucks and heavy-duty machinery their correct toll, but would give the drivers a fake receipt, while documenting a toll received for a smaller vehicle which would incur a lesser amount. “They would collect money from a truck or so, but would write like if a bus or a car and then split up the money,” the employee said. The source also claimed that several employees may

be working together to “get a draw back.”

Former Interim Management Committee Chairman, Orin Gordon, on Monday told the Guyana Chronicle that the former Council also had to deal with fraudulent behaviour before the toll booth was disbanded in 2013. Even though there was no concrete evidence against the employees there, the revenues garnered did not meet the expectations of the Council and therefore it was forced to collaborate with Community Policing Groups, who had ranks stationed at the toll booth. “We had tried our best to deal with that by ensuring that we had the community policing group assist us in the collection of the revenue…as soon as that happened, the revenues jumped up to three, four fold from what we were getting,” Gordon said. Unfortunately, Gordon said that the Council’s efforts were stymied and the Community Policing Groups were not rehired.

The Council was then faced with implementing several creative strategies to thwart any system of fraud that may be implemented by the employees. He expressed fear that the same thing is occurring now as he has been getting reports of questionable behaviour by persons living in proximity to the booth and so he advised the Council to put CCTV cameras in place earliest.

According to estimates, the toll booth should be raking in approximately $3M monthly or more than $36M on an annual basis. According to Mayor Holland, the revenues garnered cannot answer all of Linden’s economic problems, but will just “scratch the surface.” The revenues will assist with the repairing of roads and other infrastructure that have been destroyed as a result of the traversing of heavy-duty and lumber trucks, Holland pointed out at its launch in October.

The toll booth operations saw the imposition of tolls for use of the roads by 18 categories of vehicles, particularly vehicles passing through the town with fuel, lumber or merchandise. These include lumber trucks, machine haulers, container trucks, canters selling beverages, fish, fruits and vegetables, dry goods, etc. The tolls range from $2000 to $7000.

Linden-registered businesses pay only 25% of the toll for their categories of vehicle.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 31, 2017

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 31, 2017

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 31, 2017

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 31, 2017

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Cyclist Alanzo Greaves ...

From Back Page

ble from participating in any cycling events sanctioned by the International Cycling Union (ICU) or any of its affiliates thereof, including the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF).

Greaves’ initial oneyear ban from RADO was set to run from November 1, 2015 to November 1, 2016. However WADA felt the one-year ban was unconstitutional. WADA appealed the case on June 20, 2016.

As of January 1, 2015, the WADA code ruled that first-time offenders would be sanctioned with a ban of four years, with the exception that if an athlete can prove the doping was unintentional the ban could be relegated to “at a minimum, a reprimand and no period of ineligibility, and at a maximum, two years of ineligibility”.

RADO thought Greaves’ incidence could be ruled as unintentional; WADA did not believe there was evidence to support this.

Controversy first began for Greaves when his urine sample returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for prohibited substance testosterone, after the Caribbean RADO carried out random tests on ten cyclists who participated in the `Tour of Guyana’ Five Stage road race which concluded on November 1, 2015.

Cyclists from Barbados, Colombia and Jamaica reportedly also had positive tests. This was Greaves’ first violation and he waived his right to have the ‘B’ sample analysed.

When the news broke,

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Greaves and other cyclists, denied the findings, saying they had not been contacted

by RADO. However, in a letter through his lawyer, Greaves admitted that while he did not himself take the drug intentionally, he knew prior to November 1 that the drug had been given to him.

A letter from Greaves attorney, Gordon Gilhuys, stated, in part, that Greaves “was informed by one of his friends, on October 31 2015, that another friend had put the drug Proviron in his glass”.

RADO felt this constituted that Greaves “lacked intention”. WADA did not agree.

“The athlete’s attempted explanation that the prohibited substance was ingested by him in ignorance in a “spiked drink” with Proviron by an unidentified “friend” was unparticularised and unsupported by any actual evidence whatsoever,” was the summarisation of WADA’s submission, as declared in the 12-page Arbitral Award issued by the CAS. A press release issued

by RADO explained that the new four-year period ban for Greaves would commence from January 5, 2017, but considering time already served Greaves will only have to sit out a further three years, which would see this ban end January 4, 2020.

The news comes just as Greaves was trying to recuperate from the blow of that oneyear ban, and only days after he captured his first win of the 2017 season in the Ricks & Sari Agro Industries Ltd 24th Annual National Park Cycle Meet.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 31, 2017

First ODI at Eden Park …

Remarkable Stoinis century not enough for Aussies (REUTERS) - Marcus Stoinis scored his maiden one-day century but it was not enough to give an undermanned Australia an astonishing victory in the opening match of their one-day series against New Zealand at Eden Park yesterday.

Stoinis, who also took three wickets in New Zealand’s 286 for nine from 50 overs, guided Australia from 54-5 in the 13th over to within sight of victory as he grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck.

The 27-year-old, playing his second one-day international, shared in an 81-run seventh-wicket partnership with James Faulkner (25) and 48 with Pat Cummins (36) for the eighth before Stoinis exploded for 31 runs in 11 balls to put his side into a position where they needed 19 runs from the final 24 balls.

Such was his dominance he and last man Josh Hazlewood

New Zealand had been well in control of the match as make-shift wicketkeeper Tom Latham repaid the faith of the selectors with three catches and two stumpings.

Latham, who was a wicketkeeper earlier in his career, took the gloves ahead of the uncapped Tom Blundell as the

Marcus Stoinis made an incredible hundred, New Zealand v Australia.

shared a 54-run partnership, without the tall fast bowler facing a single delivery.

Hazlewood, however, was run-out while backing up too far by New Zealand captain Kane Williamson on the final ball of the 47th over to dismiss the visitors for 280, giving New Zealand a six-run victory.

Stoinis was left stranded on 146 not out, having hit nine boundaries and 11 sixes.

Australia were already missing David Warner (rested), Usman Khawaja (in Dubai preparing for the tour of India) and Steve Smith (injured) but then lost stand-in captain Matthew Wade before play began with a back injury.

Powell, Joseph star as Hurricanes crush Volcanoes by 184 runs inflicted a mini-collapse.

The off-spinner took three wickets in consecutive overs as Leewards fell from 172 for 1 to 189 for 4. But his off-spinning counterpart, Rahkeem Cornwall, then combined with Powell for a fifth-wicket stand of 99 from 91, and eventually took them to 333 for 6 with an unbeaten 70 off 58 balls.

Volcanoes could not establish a base to chase the score, as Joseph took two wickets each in consecutive

Kieran Powell strikes a career-best 135.

KIERAN Powell’s return to the West Indies professional circuit, following a brief attempt at playing Major League Baseball, continued to pay off for Leeward Islands Hurricanes.

Powell struck a career-best 135, which was followed by fast bowler Alzarri Joseph’s 6 for 31 as they completed a 184-run victory over Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Coolidge Cricket ground in Antigua on Sunday night.

It was Powell’s second List A century in the span of three days - and overall.

Powell put on 97 for the opening wicket with Montcin Hodge (54) after losing the toss. He then dominated a 75-run stand for the second wicket with Jermaine Otto (21) before Volcanoes captain Liam Sebastien (3-42)

overs, reducing them to 12 for 4.

Darren Sammy (33), Kyle Mayers (45) and Shane Shillingford (27) made contributions from the lower-middle order, but were the only batsmen who got into double figures as Windward Islands folded for 149 at the start of the 29th over, with Joseph completing his maiden List A five-for to pick up the Player-of-the-Match award.

SCOREBOARD

LEEWARD ISLANDS HURRICANES M. Hodge c Johnson b Mayers 54 K. Powell c wkp. Ambris b Mayers 135 J. Otto c Williams b Sebastien 21 N. Bonner c & b Sebastien 1 C. Hughes b Sebastien 2 R. Cornwall not out 70 O. Peters c wkp. Ambris b Williams 1 K. Cooper not out 28 Extras: (b-4, lb-1, w-16) 21 Total: (6 wkts, 50 overs) 333 Fall of wickets: 1-97, 2-178, 3-183, 4-189, 5-288, 6-290.

Bowling: Johnson 6-0-53-0 (w-1), Williams 10-1-85-1 (w-5), Mayers 10-0-66-2 (w8), Sammy 1-0-8-0, Hodge 3-0-21-0, Shillingford 100-53-0 (w-2), Sebastien 100-42-3.

WINDWARD ISLANDS

VOLCANOES J. Charles c & b Joseph 4 D. Smith c Hughes b Joseph 0 A. Fletcher lbw b Joseph 1 K. Hodge c Cornwall b Joseph 4 S. Ambris lbw b Cooper 7 D. Sammy c Tonge b Cornwall 33 K. Mayers lbw b G Tonge 45 S. Shillingford b A Joseph 27 L. Sebastien not out 7 D. Johnson c Tonge b Joseph 7 K. Williams c wkp. Otto b Tonge 0 Extras: (lb-6, w-3, nb-5) 14 Total: (all out, 28.1 overs)149 Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-6, 3-11, 4-12, 5-24, 6-94, 7-106, 8-141, 9-149.

Bowling: Cooper 5-0-29-1 (w-1), Joseph 8-2-31-6 (w1), Hosein 1-0-11-0 (w-1), Cornwall 6-0-25-1, Tonge 8.1-0-47-2 (nb-5).

selectors looked to build more flexibility in their squad ahead of the Champions Trophy in England later this year.

The hosts had been humbled in a 3-0 series loss in Australia before Christmas but showed a marked improvement in their fielding and bowling as they put the

visitors under pressure from the start of their run chase.

New Zealand’s innings was anchored by Neil Broom’s 73, while Martin Guptill added 61 at the top of the order.

The three-match series continues with further matches in Napier on February 2 and Hamilton on February 5.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 31, 2017

GWI 'Water is Life' U-17 tournament launched

By Rajiv Bisnauth WITH the aim at providing cricket at the youth level across the Ancient County, Guyana’s leading sport organisation, the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC), yesterday teamed up with Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) to officially launch the GWI ‘Water is Life’ Under-17 tournament at the company’s Corporate Complex, Vllissengen Road.

The tournament, which targets 16 teams will be played on a knock-out 50 overs basis.

As part of the tournament

rules and regulations, no form of indiscipline will be tolerated.

Apart from the Metro Female team, no other team is allowed to field any overage player, since teams can be disqualified if found guilty.

For the other remaining teams, only players born on or after September 1, 2000 are eligible to participate.

Meanwhile, at the simple but significant ceremony, Secretary/CEO of the Club, Hilbert Foster, hailed the tournament as another milestone, since the club has a passion for cricket and the development of youths.

GWI Director of Human Resources Management and Development, Gale Doris hands over the sponsorship cheque to Hilbert Foster.

Foster pointed out that the tournament is another effort by the club in ensuring that the game is played at the

junior level, with the ultimate aim to return Berbice cricket to its usual high standard.

“The state of Berbice

cricket should be a great worry for every lover of the game,” Foster noted.

He added, “To make matters worse, cricket tournaments are as rare as diamonds, nothing is been done off the cricket field to find and develop talents for the future. Unless something is done urgently, Berbice cricket will only get worse and we will pass Essequibo on the way down the ladder.”

Finally, the experienced sports administrator thanked the management of GWI for its support, adding that the sponsorship will definitely assist the club in fulfilling its

goal to host at least 20 cricket tournaments for the year.

GWI Director of Human Resources Management and Development, Gale Doris, expressed confidence in the club’s ability to organise a successful tournament and to fulfil every objective.

She challenged the club to encourage the youths to have a balance between education and sports.

A date for the start of the tournament is yet to be confirmed, but at the conclusion the winning team will take home $40 000 and the winners’ trophy.

Mackenzie High dominate India’s top court names Marian Academy Relay Fair administrators MACKENZIE High School dominated last weekend’s Marian Academy Schools relay fair, held at the Police Sports Club ground .

The school amassed a total of 116 points over the twelve events relegating St John’s College to second place with 72 points and President’s College third with 66 points.

There were three areas of action on the day in athletics - the U-14 which featured 4x100m males and females as well as a 1500m boys’ medley and a 800m girls’, while the U-16 and U-18 classes had 4x100m and 4x400m for both boys and girls Chronicle Sport caught up with the events’ competition director Jahleel Young, who contended, “Our CSEC Physical Education Project was

to run BCCI

The winning Mackenzie High students

a success. It was officially opened by the Principal of Marian Academy, Sr. Marie Harper O.S.U.” “Earlier during the 4x100 races, we experienced a slight setback from the rain but we overcame it and proceeded to

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finish the first set of events,” Young added.

He thanked PE teacher Keith Smith, the AAG officials, Red Cross and Marian Scout Group, adding that live streaming was done by the Marian Academy ICT Club.

The project was the brainchild of CSEC batch of students who were using it as their Physical Education (PE) assessment for the 2017

examinations.

Seventeen schools participated and the event was sponsored by Marian Academy PTA, Fly Jamaica, Mr GKH. Lall, BEV Processors, Digicel, Hardware Depot, Sterling Products Limited, the Maharaj family, the Da Silva family and Banks DIH. (Stephan Sookram)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1)Gordon Greenidge-107 (WI vs IND, Bangalore, 1974-75) (2) Fidel Edwards-6/22 (WI vs ZIM, Harare, 2003) Today’s Quiz: (1) What are the best innings bowling figures by a WI on his Test debut?

(2) Who are the West Indians with hat-tricks in ODIs to date?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue The PE students who organised the event

Anurag Thakur

NEW DELHI, India (Reuters) - A historian, a retired auditor and a financial executive were among four persons named by India’s highest court yesterday to run the country’s cricket board (BCCI).

Former India women’s captain Diana Edulji was the only administrator with direct cricket experience although historian and columnist Ramachandra Guha has written numerous books about the sport.

Earlier this month, BCCI president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke were removed by the Supreme Court

for failing to implement administrative reforms within the world’s richest cricket body.

The court appointed Vinod Rai, former comptroller and auditor general of India, and the Chief Executive of IDFC (Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation) Vikram Limaye as the other administrators to supervise BCCI operations.

In July, the court accepted most of the recommendations of a three-member panel it had set up to investigate the BCCI following a fixing scandal during the 2013 Indian Premier League Twenty20 competition.

The BCCI rejected some of the recommendations made by the panel headed by former Chief Justice R.M. Lodha, which included age and tenure restrictions for top officials as well as banning them from serving successive terms.

The committee of administrators, to be chaired

by Rai, will take immediate charge and run the board in liaison with BCCI Chief Executive Rahul Johri until new officials are elected.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Beaton, Johnson, Fudadin inspire Jaguars victory over ICC Americas LUCAS STREET, Barbados, (CMC) – Captain Leon Johnson and Assad Fudadin stepped up with half-centuries while fast bowler Ronsford Beaton notched a career-best, as Guyana Jaguars beat ICC Americas by five runs under Duckworth/ Lewis, to log their second win of the Regional Super50 here yesterday.

Chasing a tricky 221 for victory in a game reduced to 45 overs per side due to rain, Jaguars were 212 for four in the penultimate over when bad light brought a premature end to the contest at the Windward Cricket Club in the east of the island.

Calculations put the Jaguars ahead on the D/L method, handing them a victory to follow up the eight-wicket one over Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners on Saturday.

Johnson was one of the main architects of Monday’s win, top-scoring with 78 while

Fast bowler Ronsford Beaton appeals during his four-wicket haul against ICC Americas on Monday.

(Photo courtesy WICB Media)

fellow left-hander Assad Fudadin weighed in with 52 All-rounder Chris Barnwell was unbeaten on 29 in a positive stand with veteran Shiv Chanderpaul on 22 not out, when the game ended.

Fast bowler Ronsford Beaton had earlier produced a Man-ofthe-Match performance with four for 28 as ICC Americas, sent in, rallied well to reach 220 or seven off the allotted 45 overs.

Captain Nitish Kumar carved out 66 while Timroy Allen again showed his worth with the bat 37.

Following a delayed start because of early morning showers, ICC Americas survived the cheap loss of Kamau Leverock for 14 at 19 for one in the seventh over, to reach 120 for three in the 31st.

This was thanks to Kumar who anchored two productive stands, putting on 45 for the second wicket with Fahad Babar (24) and another 56 for the third wicket with Alex Amsterdam

(22).

All told, the 22-year-old right-hander faced 73 deliveries and counted three fours and three sixes.

When he was fourth out, Allen blasted two fours and two sixes in a swift 34-ball knock, in a 53-run fifth wicket stand with Srimantha Wijeyeratne who hit a run-a-ball 27.

Jaguars’ reply started shakily when opener Rajindra Chandrika (2) and Raymon Reifer (6) perished cheaply to the leave the innings uncomfortably placed at 29 for two in the 11th over.

However, Johnson and Fudadin combined to revive the run chase, posting 131 for the third wicket to deflate ICC Americas. While Johnson struck nine fours and a six off 84 balls, Fudadin counted four fours off 88 deliveries.

They fell in the space of six deliveries but Chanderpaul and Barnwell put on 50 for the fifth wicket to see Jaguars to safety.

2017 Hockey Season underway …

Bounty GCC, Pizza Hut GCC make clean sweeps

THE Guyana Hockey Board’s (GHB) 2017 season got off to an early start with the Bounty/Antonio’s Grill One-Day hockey competition at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, on Sunday night.

Despite a few early showers, brilliant sunshine emerged on an immaculate Providence stadium field which provided players the best opportunity to show off their skills and entertain the modest crowd.

The Pizza Hut GCC ladies took advantage by defeating all challengers and completing their dominant showing with a 5–0 drubbing of Woodpecker Hikers in the final.

The Bounty GCC men matched their club-mates with the narrowest of victories in the men’s division that was decided by a penalty shootout.

Pizza Hut GCC stormed through the women’s competition scoring 33 goals in five matches and only conceding one. Tournament Most Valuable Player, Aliyah Gordon of Pizza Hut amassed a leading 11 goals for her team which was almost double the next highest score in the competition.

After a spirited first half in

The Pizza Hut GCC girls and Bounty GCC men pose with their trophies and medals. the women’s final that saw the Woodpecker Hikers contain GCC to just one goal, the Pizza Hut ladies rattled in 4 more unanswered goals in the second half for the easy victory.

The men’s division saw the eventual victors Bounty GCC take a different path to the summit, as they lost a close duel to the defending champs Pepsi Hikers by 3-2 in the early rounds. With the Hikers playing unbeaten right up to the final, they entered as heavy favourites in their rematch against GCC who had brushed aside Old Fort by

5-0 in their semi-final.

The two sides produced some wonderfully entertaining hockey in an unforgettable men’s final that saw GCC take the lead twice but the Hikers drew level on both occasions to result in a final score of 3-3.

Tournament Most Valuable Player for men, Dwayne Scott, was particularly outstanding in defence for the Bourda side in thwarting several Hikers’ raids on goal where Scott found himself outnumbered.

The match then went into a penalty shootout to determine the winner. After

Aroydy Branford and Jamarj Assanah for the Hikers and Kevin Spencer and Kareem McKenzie for GCC all scored their penalties, Hikers’ Andrew Stewart saw his effort go just wide of the post after a fine save by goalkeeper Medroy Scotland.

Fittingly MVP Dwayne Scott had the final say in the match and succeeded by the narrowest of margins as his initial shot hit the left upright post before he pounced on the rebound to put in into the net for the win.

SCOREBOARD ICC AMERICAS K Leverock c Barnwell b Beaton 14 Fahad Babar lbw b Bishoo 24 *N Kumar c Johnson b Permaul 66 A Amsterdam c Johnson b Beaton 22 T Allen lbw b Beaton 37 S Wijeyeratne c Chanderpaul b Reifer 27 +H Tariq c Jacobs b Beaton 17 Saad Bin Zafar not out 1 N Dutta not out 0 Extras (b6, w5, nb1) 12 TOTAL (7 wkts, 45 overs) 220 Did not bat: C Pervez, Jasdeep Singh.

Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-64, 3-120, 4-135, 5-188, 6-207, 7-216.

Bowling: Beaton 9-0-284 (w2), Reifer 8-0-53-1 (nb1), Jacobs 9-1-30-0, Permaul 7-0-49-1 (w1), Bishoo 8-0-33-1 (w1), Barnwell 4-0-21-0 (w1).

JAGUARS A Fudadin c Wijeyeratne b Kumar 54 R Chandrika c Wijeyeratne b Allen 2 R Reifer c Tariq b Jasdeep Singh 6 *L Johnson c Zafar b Dutta 78 S Chanderpaul not out 22 C Barnwell not out 29 Extras (b1, lb5, w11, nb4) 21 TOTAL (4 wkts, 43.3 overs) 212 Did not bat: +A Bramble, D Bishoo, V Permaul, R Beaton, S Jacobs.

Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-29, 3-160, 4-162.

Bowling: Pervez 9-0-35-0 (w2), Allen 8-2-22-1 (w3), Jasdeep Singh 7-0-41-1 (w6, nb2), Dutta 6.3-031-1, Leverock 2-0-24-0 (nb2), Kumar 8-0-30-1, Saad Bin Zafar 3-0-23-0.

Points: Jaguars 4, ICC Americas 0.

Sutton host Arsenal, holders United at Blackburn in FA Cup

(REUTERS) - Sutton United will host 12time FA Cup winners Arsenal in the fifth round with fellow nonleague side Lincoln City facing a trip to Burnley as the Premier League clubs were kept apart in yesterday’s draw.

Holders Manchester United, who last season matched Arsenal’s record FA Cup haul, are at Blackburn Rovers while Premier League leaders Chelsea also visit a Championship (second tier) club after being paired with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Tottenham Hotspur were handed a London derby at second-tier Fulham and Manchester City are away to Huddersfield Town.

Oxford United visit Middlesbrough while Millwall host Leicester City or Derby County who replay their fourth-round tie on February 8.

But it was the giant-killing non-league sides who again grabbed the headlines following Sutton’s victory against Leeds United and fellow fifth-tier club Lincoln’s win over Championship leaders Brighton & Hove Albion in round four.

It is the first time two non-League clubs have progressed this far since the competition was reorganised more than 90 years ago.

The pair can now look forward to money-spinning last-16 ties against top-flight opposition next month.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Beaton, Johnson, Fudadin inspire Jaguars victory over ICC P.23 Americas

Cyclist Alanzo Greaves doping ban extended to 2020

By Tamica Garnett

THE woes of Guyanese cyclist Alanzo Greaves continue to climb, as he is now hit with the news that the Caribbean Regional Anti-doping Organisation’s (RADO) oneyear ban for his 2015 positive doping test has now been extended to an overall four years, after the World AntiDoping Agency (WADA) overturned the initial ruling.

See page 20

Alanzo Greaves wins the season’s first race last Saturday.

From left: GOA VP and Caribbean RADO representative Dr Karen Pilgrim, GOA president K. A. Juman-Yassin, GOA vice-president and Guyana doping control officer Charles Corbin (Delano Williams photo)

The Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) yesterday held a press conference at Olympic House to share the news that Caribbean RADO has accepted the decision handed down by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) that the “athlete should have been sanctioned with a four-year period of ineligibility rather than only one year”.

The ban means that for the period Greaves is ineligi-

A big cloud hangs over my head - Russell

… Anti-doping tribunal to deliver verdict today ANDRE Russell is praying and hoping that the independent anti-doping tribunal does not ban him for missing out on filing his whereabouts on three occasions in 2015.

The three-member tribunal will deliver the verdict in Kingston today.

Andre Russell has admitted to being stressed in recent times over the impending verdict of the anti-doping tribunal.

If found guilty, Russell could face a maximum ban of up to two years under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules. Missing three Tests in a 12-month period amounts to a failed dope test under the WADA guidelines.

“It’s been stressing and hard playing cricket and all that’s in the back of your head. But at the end of the day you have to do what you have

to do,” Russell told Jamaican Observer.

“It’s like a big cloud over my head. If I get a ban then definitely I’m out of cricket (during the period of the suspension); I mean all formats. So I’d just love to know I’m back and I can represent Jamaica Tallawahs, West Indies, and all the other teams I play for in the world.

“Honestly, I’m being positive and I haven’t been thinking about anything else that I want to do apart from playing cricket; doing what I love. I have so many fans out there and they would be disappointed, just as I would be.

I just want to remain positive

at the moment.

“I think I can (avoid a suspension) with the help of God; I think it’s out of my control, so I just have to wait on what happens on Tuesday (today).”

In March 2016, Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) pressed a legal charge against Russell for failing to provide his whereabouts between January and July 2015. According to JADCO Russell had failed to file his whereabouts on January 1, July 1 and July 25 that year despite several reminders over email, phone and letters.

In his defence, Russell told the tribunal that he had

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not been properly trained to file the whereabouts, and that he had authorised his agent and travel agent to file his whereabouts since he was busy with cricket commitments.

The three-member tribunal comprising Hugh Faulkner, Dr Marjorie Vassell and Dixeth Palmer, a former Jamaica cricketer has been deliberating on the case for a long time and even delayed the original verdict date last December.

Russell, who is recovering from a left hamstring injury which forced him out midway the Big Bash League in Australia earlier this month, remained “positive” on the eve of the verdict.

Russell tested his fitness last Saturday when he

returned to play a league game for St Catherine’s Cricket Club. He ended up with three wickets which played a role in his team’s victory.

Last July, while playing for the Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League, Russell had said it had been “depressing” for him to carry on playing while the hearings were on. Ahead of the hearing, he hoped his prayers would be answered.

“As I said in the team meeting to the guys, I just would love for them to say a prayer for me, and I’ve been praying for myself as well,” he said. “I have faith (in) the work that my lawyers put out ... I think they summed up things very well.” (ESPN Cricinfo) TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2017