Guyana Chronicle E-paper 4-25-2019

THURSDAY 25th April, 2019

No.105618

TRACKING THE MONEY …FIU flags close to 1, 500 suspicious transactions

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…significant number of reports made by money transfer agencies

Correcting the CJIA myth …Gov't calls out PPP for unethical practices in airport project

Top oil companies tussle for Anadarko …successful suitor could get offshore assets in Guyana

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CCJ sets two days for confidence vote hearing

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Charrandass' lawyer wants CCJ to block sitting of Parliament …lawyer says such act would breach doctrine of separation of powers PAGE

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Anadarko holds an exploration licence for the Roraima Block offshore Guyana

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 25, 2019

Guyana to implement Hague Conventions …starting with convention on adoption

Guyana will implement the Convention on protection of children and co-operation in respect of inter-country adoption with effect from June 1, 2019, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Basil Williams announced on Wednesday.

He made the announcement shortly after exiting a meeting with the U.S Embassy Consul General, Jerome Epping and Deputy British High Commissioner to Guyana, Ray Davidson. The Attorney General said the implementation of the convention on adoption represents the first of a series that will be implemented under the Hague Family Law Conventions. The Hague Family Law Conventions, in which Guyana now assent to, include the convention on protection of children and co-operation in respect of inter-country adoption, Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and other forms of Family Maintenance, Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction and Convention on Jurisdiction, Applicable Law, Recognition, Enforcement and Co-operation in respect of Parental Responsibility and Measures for the Protection of Children.

Minister Williams said not that Guyana has ratified the conventions, its main focus in on implementation. According to him, most of the conventions will become effective within a month starting with the convention on adoption of children.

The Hague Adoption Convention addresses issues relating to international adoption, child laundering, and child trafficking in an effort to pro-

tect those involved from the corruption, abuses, and exploitation which sometimes accompanies international adoption.

The Attorney General said the meeting with the U.S and UK diplomats focused primarily on The Hague Adoption Convention.

under The Hague Adoption Conventions.

Implementation of the adoption convention, and all other conventions, he said will be a work in progress, noting that the judiciary will be consulted with during the course of implementation.

Both the U.S Consul Gen-

So we are very much looking forward to working together with Guyana to help with child abduction cases, child adoption cases,” Davidson told reporters.

Earlier in the month, the Attorney General indicated that Guyana with support from the United Children’s Fund

Justice and the Chancellor of the Judiciary, were appointed by the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, SC, MP as part of the Hague Network of Judges and this will greatly help in direct judicial communication.

The Attorney General Chambers said Guyana’s ac-

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams meeting with U.S Embassy Consul General, Jerome Epping and Deputy British High Commissioner to Guyana, Ray Davidson. Other officials from the AG’s office were also in attendance. (Photo by Adrian Narine)

“Both American Embassy and the British High Commission engaged us today in relation to just one of the conventions – the adoption and the procedures that would attend (to) international adoption,” Minister Williams explained.

He said there is much Guyana could learn from the U.S and UK, explaining that they have well established systems

eral and Deputy British High Commissioner described the meeting with the Attorney General as productive, and used the opportunity to applaud Guyana on moving ahead with implementation of the conventions.

“It is a great step forward.

We found it extremely beneficial in the UK, and my American colleagues have as well.

(UNICEF) is putting measures in place for implementation of the conventions.

The Attorney General’s Chambers, Ministry of Legal Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is leading in several multi-stakeholder exercises and consultations to raise awareness among stakeholders. In 2016, two members of the Judiciary, namely the Chief

cession to conventions comes after the country hosted the regional meeting on “International Family Law, Legal Co-operation and Commerce: promoting human rights and cross-border trade in the Caribbean through the Hague Conference Conventions” held in Georgetown in July 2016. Consultations with civil society, professional groups

including the Guyana Bar Association, Guyana Association of Women Lawyers, the Private Sector Commission, the University of Guyana, the Hague Convention on Private International Law (HCCH) and UNICEF were also held here September 2017.

During the conference President David Granger had said Guyana’s hosting of the conference was a demonstration of its commitment to examine ways in which its domestic and international human rights architecture, especially on the issues of international family law, legal cooperation and commerce, can be strengthened.

He said the foundation has been laid for a solid, legal architecture of child protection but the country, he said, must commit to improving existing legislation and similarly commit to fostering an enabling environment for commerce and trade in keeping with the promise of a “good life for all Guyanese.”

President Granger pointed out back then that here in Guyana a number of important laws relating to the protection of children have been instituted including: Status of Children Act; Child Protection Act; Adoption of Children Act; Sexual Offences Act; and Custody, Contact, Guardianship and Maintenance Act. “Guyana’s legal architecture – relating to the protection of children and to issues of family law – is far from finished. We expect that the deliberations of this conference will assist us in improving our systems – both legal and administrative – for the protection of our children,” he posited.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 25, 2019

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Correcting the CJIA myth

…gov’t calls out PPP for unethical practices in CJIA project …says contractor worked unsupervised for 18 months

UNETHICAL practices by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) throughout the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Expansion Project are the basis of many challenges experienced by the current government and any investigation will prove such.

These were remarks shared by Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, on Wednesday, following the call for such by former Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn, in a Tuesday release.

While pointing out the many shortcomings of the project under the PPP, Patterson also indicated that an investigation would only show that the government adheres to procurement laws unlike its predecessor.

Patterson presented his rebuttal to Benn’s remarks on his Facebook page accompanied by documentary proof of the contract signed in 2011 between the PPP and China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC).

While Benn claimed that the project was supervised, Patterson said that the Supervising Consultants MMM group Limited, in association with Caribbean Engineering and Management Consultants (CEMCO), did not commence their supervision until July 1, 2014.

In a previous article, the minister explained that this meant that CHEC worked for over 18 months without independent supervision.

“Project supervision fell, initially, under the Works Service Group (WSG) of the Ministry of Public

Works until an international supervision consultant, MMM Group, in association of CEMCO, was awarded the supervision consultancy.

This WSG resort was not unusual and natural and necessary in the circumstances to maintain project schedules,” Benn stated in the release.

Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson

However, Patterson rebutted: “This is an incredible statement coming from a former minister of works in response to the lack of independent supervision on a design and build contract for more than three years after the contract signing. In my over 25 years as a consultant in the construction industry, I have never heard of any government or even private sector organisation supervising a D&B contract in-house, the reason is simple – risk.”

He explained that a design and build contract means that the contractor designs the project; submits it to the client’s representatives, who review and approve the designs after which the contractor begins building the project.

Although Benn attributed the 18-month delay of the project to “the process of obtaining a consultancy”, the min-

ister said that it is standard practice worldwide for projects similar to the CJIA expansion to see a project consultants being retained long before contractors are even engaged. “A simple google search will confirm these details,” Patterson said.

With the PPP, under Benn’s leadership, allowing project supervision to come from the Public Works Ministry’s WSG, it caused Patterson to express the adage ‘a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client’.

The minister also lambasted the Benn for ignoring crucial issues during the planning of the project which have since affected the way it is being conducted under the present administration.

In a previous release, Patterson highlighted that at the time of the contract signing there were no feasibility studies; soil investigations; site surveys; preliminary reports or detailed studies conducted.

Benn made no remarks on the same in his release safe to state that CHEC “took the opportunity to examine the project site before entering into a design and build fixed-price contract” and that there were several “high-level” visits made by minsters.

He also spoke to a “geotechnical examination” of the planned northern extension by CHEC, which saw them advising that the entire length of fill to the north would be excessive.

This led to the decision to share the 1,000 meters extension between the north and south of the runway 50:50.

However, Benn made no mention of when this

“geotechnical examination” took place and whether it was prior to the signing of the contract.

“Former Minister Benn makes no mention of several important issues such as the complete lack of feasibility studies, soil investigations [and] market surveys before the award of the CJIA contract and, most importantly, the lack of any public procurement process in selecting the contractor,” Patterson pointed out.

FREE SAND Benn has also sought to justify the contract signed by his party which allowed for the provision of sand, free of cost, to the contractor within a 12km radius of the proj-

of compaction and stability to provide for a safe, stable runway extension.”

While Benn also blamed CHEC for seeking a US$30M project sum increase for the project delay, Patterson noted that all issues coming from the project under the PPP can be tied to unethical practices.

UNETHICAL PRACTICES Case in point, Patterson said that it would be interesting to hear from the former minster how and where was the project conceptualised, and how the contractor came to know of the government’s interest in expanding the airport while the rest of the country was unaware.

Former Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn

ect. It also bound the government to paying US$3.115 per cubic metre for the “exploit and transportation of sand” for the project which racked up to a total of $US13,718,460.

Benn stated: “Sand had to be provided free of royalties, which are costs that would have been charged back to the project, anyway. Sand provided was designed to allow for placement of an engineered fill, at levels

“We learnt about it from a press release from the construction company in Jamaica. The former minister may also want to comment on if he considered it appropriate to be signing a contract of this size and nature, the day before the general elections in 2011,” Patterson challenged.

Though failing to shed light on these matters in his release, Benn chose to highlight that the project has been “tremendously

modified” and called for a “full-fledged public investigation into how a fixed-price contract could be subject to changes in scope and intent”.

Minister Patterson has since welcomed such an investigation even as he long outlined that taking up the project in 2018 with 35 per cent of funding already expended, the government was presented with a narrow set of options. The minister said previously that his team has worked hard to salvage the airport expansion project within the existing constraints and is proud of the outcome and the benefits for the country.

He said that the government ensured that it stuck to the guidelines that the contract sum would remain at the same level; the runway would be completed to international specifications and the terminal buildings would adequately accommodate projected passenger increases. It also ensured that residents of Timehri North would not be removed unnecessarily.

The PPP had planned to move over 2000 residents as part of the project. “His call for an investigation is most welcomed. In fact, the reason we are having this open debate on this project is based on my belief that public procurement is exactly that – public,” Patterson said on Wednesday.

He added: “Gone are the days when the cry for ‘an investigation’ sends shivers down the backs of public officials.

We are in a more enlightened and informed age.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 25, 2019

Gold worth billions smuggled out of Africa (Reuters) Billions of dollars’ worth of gold is being smuggled out of Africa every year through the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East – a gateway to markets in Europe, the United States and beyond – a Reuters analysis has found.

Customs data shows that the UAE imported $15.1 billion worth of gold from Africa in 2016, more than any other country and up from $1.3 billion in 2006.

The total weight was 446 tonnes, in varying degrees of purity – up from 67 tonnes in

2006. Much of the gold was not recorded in the exports of African states. Five trade economists interviewed by Reuters said this indicates large amounts of gold are leaving Africa with no taxes being paid to the states that produce them.

Previous reports and studies have highlighted the black-market trade in gold mined by people, including children, who have no ties to big business, and dig or pan for it with little official oversight. No-one can put an exact figure on the total value that is leaving Africa. But

the Reuters analysis gives an estimate of the scale. Reuters assessed the volume of the illicit trade by comparing total imports into the UAE with the exports declared by African states. Industrial mining firms in Africa told Reuters they did not send their gold to the UAE – indicating that its gold imports from Africa come from other, informal sources.

Informal methods of gold production, known in the industry as “artisanal” or smallscale mining, are growing globally. They have provided a livelihood to millions of Africans and help some make more money than they could dream of from traditional trades. But the methods leak chemicals into rocks, soil and rivers. And African governments such as Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia complain that gold is now being illegally produced and smuggled out of their countries on a vast scale, sometimes by criminal operations, and often at a high human and environmental cost.

Artisanal mining began as small-time ventures. But the “romantic” era of individual mining has given way to “large-scale and dangerous” operations run by foreign-controlled criminal syndicates, Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo told

a mining conference in February. Ghana is Africa’s second-largest gold producer.

Not everyone in the chain is breaking the law. Miners, some of them working legally, typically sell the gold to middlemen. The middlemen either fly the gold out directly or trade it across Africa’s porous borders, obscuring its origins before couriers carry it out of the continent, often in hand luggage. For example, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a major gold producer but one whose official exports amount to a fraction of its estimated production: Most is smuggled into neighbouring Uganda and Rwanda. “It is of course worrisome for us but we have very little leverage to stop it,” said Thierry Boliki, director of the CEEC, the Congolese government body that is meant to register, value and tax high-value minerals like gold.

The customs data provided by governments to Comtrade, a United Nations database, shows the UAE has been a prime destination for gold from many African states for some years. In 2015, China – the world’s biggest gold consumer – imported more gold from Africa than the UAE. But during 2016, the latest year for which data is available, the

Thursday, April 25, 2019

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UAE imported almost double the value taken by China.

With African gold imports worth $8.5 billion that year, China came a distant second.

Switzerland, the world’s gold refining hub, came third with $7.5 billion worth.

Most of the gold is traded in Dubai, home to the UAE’s gold industry.

The UAE reported gold imports from 46 African countries for 2016. Of those countries, 25 did not provide Comtrade with data on their gold exports to the UAE. But the UAE said it had imported a total of $7.4 billion worth of gold from them. In addition, the UAE imported much more gold from most of the other 21 countries than those countries said they had exported. In all, it said it imported gold worth $3.9 billion – about 67 tonnes – more than those countries said they sent out.

“There is a lot of gold leaving Africa without being captured in our records,” said Frank Mugyenyi, a senior adviser on industrial development at the African Union who set up the organisation’s minerals unit. “UAE is cashing in on the unregulated environment in Africa.”

The Dubai Customs Authority referred Reuters’ queries to the UAE foreign ministry, which did not re-

spond. The UAE government media office referred Reuters to the UAE federal customs authority, which also did not respond.

Not all the discrepancies in the data analysed by Reuters necessarily point to African-mined gold being smuggled out through the UAE. Small differences could result from shipping costs and taxes being declared differently, a time-lag between a cargo leaving and arriving, or simply mistakes.

And gold analysts say some of the trade, especially from Egypt and Libya, could include gold that has been recycled. But in 11 cases, the per-kilo value that the UAE declared importing is significantly higher than that recorded by the exporting country. This, said Leonce Ndikumana, an economist who has studied capital flows in Africa, is a “classic case of export under-invoicing” to reduce taxes.

Matthew Salomon, an American economist who has researched the use of trade statistics to identify illicit financial flows, said the issue deserves scrutiny.

“Persistent discrepancies in the trade of particular goods and between particular countries … can identify significant risks of illicit activity,” he said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 25, 2019

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Some Caribbean countries protest appointment of new Venezuelan representative at OAS WASHINGTON, Apr 24, CMC – Eight Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries have written to the Chair of the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) protesting the decision of the Council to accept by simple majority, the appointment of Gustavo Tarre, as the new Permanent Representative of Venezuela to the hemispheric body.

In the April 22nd joint letter, a copy of which has been obtained by the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago, said they had also taken note that on April 10, the Secretary General, Luis Almagro accepted the credentials of Tarre as the “Permanent Representative” of the National Assembly of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

The Caribbean countries said that they also “endorse” the position of Mexico on the situation. Earlier this month Tarre presented his credentials to Almagro, who had promised to work with him “to deepen the path to democratization, peace and justice for Venezuela”.

lmargo had also said that the “voices in favour of democracy in the hemisphere” voted for the resolution that accepted Tarre’s appointment.

CARICOM, with 14 votes in the OAS, were divided on the issue with St. Lucia, Jamaica, Haiti and the Bahamas voting in favour of accepting Tarre “as the National Assembly’s designated permanent representative, pending new elections and the appointment of a democratically elected government,” in the South American country.

But Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, joined Venezuela in voting against the measure, while Barbados, Guyana, St. Kitts- Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago abstained. Belize was the only CARICOM country absent when the vote was taken. The OAS Permanent Council is chaired by the United States, which is at the forefront of efforts to remove President Nicolas Maduro, who was sworn into office for a second consecutive term earlier this year, from power.

Washington wants him replaced by Juan Guaido, the Opposition Leader, who has already declared himself as interim president.

CARICOM has adopted a

united position on the Venezuelan matter and in February, the regional leaders at their inter-sessional summit in St. Kitts-Nevis reiterated their position of non-interference in the internal affairs of Venezuela and said they were prepared to mediate in the process to bring about a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

However, St. Lucia, the Bahamas, Haiti and Jamaica, have supported the so-called Lima Group that is seeking Maduro’s removal. This is the third occasion so far this year they have broken ranks within CARICOM on the Venezuelan issue. In their letter, the eight CARICOM countries note that the National Assembly of Venezuela “is not a government” and quotes Article 80 of the OAS Charter, which states in part that “the Permanent Council…is composed of one representative of each member state especially appointed by the respective government with the rank of ambassador”.

The Charter also notes that “each government may accredit an acting representative as well as such alternates and advisors as it considers necessary”. Further, the eight Caribbean countries say that the letter of Tarre’s appointment submitted to the

chair of the OAS Permanent Council, Ambassador Carlos Trujillo, who is also the US ambassador on April 8, 2019 and signed by Guaido “in his capacity as the President of the National Assembly and also purporting to be in his capacity as Interim president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela was dated January 22, 2019, one day before his proclamation as Interim President”.

The Caribbean countries also said that Guaido’s designation of Tarre as the permanent representative “is also not consistent with the Agreement of the National Assembly of …Venezuela dated January 22, 2019 which designates …Tarre as “Special representative to the OAS. “These inconsistencies call into question the legitimacy of ….Tarre’s appointment as the designated Permanent Representative of…Venezuela to the OAS,” the letter added. The eight regional countries say the resolution to accept Tarre and the subsequent actions “are not in conformity with international law and the normative framework of the OAS. “The Permanent Missions thereby express

their deep concern with this undermining of the institutional integrity and legitimacy of the OAS, and, in this context, calls for this entire matter…to be submitted by the Permanent Council to a Meeting of Consultation of Ministers

of Foreign Affairs for its review and decision,” the letter added. The Caribbean countries have also called for their letter to be “translated into all official languages and distributed to the members of the Permanent Council”.

CDB pays tribute to ‘true Caribbean son’ Sir Alister McIntyre, OCC

The Caribbean Development Bank joins the wider regional community in mourning the loss of Sir Alister McIntyre, OCC, a Caribbean statesman, a scholar, a true Caribbean son.

In a statement the CDB said: “Though we mourn his passing, we celebrate his life – one which he dedicated to the cause of Caribbean integration and development.”

Born and raised in Grenada, Sir Alister shared his intellect and ability with our entire Region. His work and his scholarship as a development economist and an integrationist influenced many of our leaders; and his legacy will endure through generations. We are especially grateful for the leading role he played in shaping CARICOM and the University of the West Indies as Secretary-General and Vice Chancellor, respectively.

Sir Alister’s vision of a stronger, more integrated Caribbean is one which we share at CDB. Almost 50 years ago, the architects of the Bank mandated us to promote economic cooperation and integration among our regional members, having special and urgent regard to our less developed member countries. We will continue to build on the strong foundation which Sir Alister left behind as we work to accelerate the economic development of our Region.

We offer our deepest condolences to his wife, Marjorie and children, Arnold, Andrew, Helga and Nicholas. We thank them for sharing him with us.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 25, 2019

Repositioning the University of Guyana

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HE University of Guyana was one of our Independence gifts to ourselves and has remained an enduring example of nationhood. It began as an initiative by the then PPP government and was completed by the succeeding PNC-UF coalition government, making it an example of bi-partisanship.

It rose to become a respected institution of higher learning by attracting some of the most prominent scholars and intellectuals in Guyana and beyond. In the process, many boasted about their UG degrees and some even returned there as lecturers and researchers. Above and beyond its academic worth, UG became one of the bulwarks of the crusade for social justice at a time when universities across the world expanded their mandate to include witnessing for the victims of oppression.

But even as the university played a positive role in decolonizing the collective mind and preparing a new generation of nation-builders, it was becoming, like many of our public institutions, a tool of partisan contestation. It is this tendency that would ultimately erode the credibility of the institution as a national space that avoids the often-poisonous partisan politics. This political entanglement would rob the university of talented faculty and the much-needed funds to push it into the rapidly changing future.

In the final analysis, the University of Guyana has become a shadow of its former self. The infrastructure fell apart, the intellectual environment suffered, workers’ wages and salaries stalled or declined, and students became apathetic.

Leadership turn-over became more frequent than normal as the authorities looked for a new vision. Some left in frustra-

tion as the challenges became overwhelming.

The new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ivelaw Griffith seems to have discovered that truth shortly after taking office. An enthusiastic educator, who was recruited from the Guyanese Diaspora, he appears to have a keen sense of the problems of the institution, but like others before him, he might not have anticipated the difficulties of managing a university that has slid as far down as UG. Since his assumption of the leadership, he has sought to make the university much more visible in the larger community by emphasizing community-based outreaches. The injection of the university into the broader socio-political discourses of the day is a breath of fresh air.

Among his achievements which he detailed in a letter to the press on Tuesday are: the newly commissioned US$665,000 Jay and Sylvia Sobhraj Centre for Behavioural Sciences and Research; the launch of the School of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation (SEBI) in 2017 and the launch this year of new degree programs in Petroleum Engineering, Food Science, Youth Work, Clinical Psychology, and in Nursing and Civil Engineering in Berbice. Professor Griffith also made mention of improvements in the library at Turkeyen and in Berbice, built a brand new building for Facilities Maintenance, and will see the completion of the new Maths and Science Classroom building soon, just to name a few.

But this has not led to a vote of confidence among some in the university community as can be gleaned from the many letters to the press and a strident workers’ and staff union. The age-old struggle of the staff for better wages and working conditions is still very much alive. In this struggle,

the Vice-Chancellor is seen as the villain while the workers’ cause is elevated to the status of righteousness. This is the lot of the leader who must juggle scarce resources and who would inevitably make decisions consistent with his vision.

But the University of Guyana is too vital an institution to continue in its present state. As the only large-scale institution of higher learning in the country, the nation is poorer in the face of the malaise that exists there. We endorse any call for improvements at the institution, but such an endeavour requires the input of all the required stakeholders. At least for a start, Professor Griffith has gone about this the right way through the Turkeyen and Tain Talks. Reform cannot be piecemeal—it must arise out of a comprehensive vision that takes into consideration Guyana’s reality and the global environment in which the country operates.

Workers’ pay must be improved as a matter of priority. For example, UG would not attract or retain top-flight lecturers with the current salary scale. And no university worth its salt can survive without a cadre of seasoned and qualified academics. But such improvement must be tied to efficiency and improved academic output. Nowhere in the world do students have to wait weeks and months to get their grades; it is a practice that must be banished as soon as the condition allows. Lecturers should be reminded that a university is an academic and intellectual space that must be constantly nourished with knowledge-production. There is no other way. The vision of Professor Griffith for the university must be supported as this is clearly aimed at upgrading the institution to become consistent with the national priorities.

Mayor Narine is leading by example Enough of the victim blaming; get the facts Dear Editor,

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LEASE permit me space in your letters column to extend, on behalf of the citizens of Georgetown, sincere congratulations to the Honourable Mayor, Pandit Ubraj Narine, for the leadership, decency and obligation to his job as Chief Citizen that he has shown, when he recently turned down an ‘all expenses paid’ visit to the People’s Republic of China, opting instead to send his deputy.

Such a decision would have been unheard of by his globetrotting predecessors and the ‘Fantastic Four’ who would probably think that he must have lost his mind to have refused such a junket.

The commitment shown

by Mayor Narine to leading the effort up front and in person of restoring the presently ruinous but once pristine Garden City must be applauded by all, as not many persons at the Council would reject the opportunity of being pampered in first class in a transatlantic flight, of din-

ing at fine Asian restaurants and being accommodated at five star oriental hotels, not to mention being provided with a hefty perdiem for which you don’t have to account for.

Surely, Mayor Narine must have reviewed what the benefits have been derived for Georgetown and the Georgetown Municipality for all the scores of travels to the farthest reaches of the world that were undertaken by his predecessors, the Fantastic Four and others, and realised that absolutely nothing has been obtained.

Jaunts to Panama and Mexico have resulted in nothing but a corrupt parking meter deal and the placement of a few reconditioned thirdhand parking meters around the city. The City Constabulary, in spite of receiving international training in bike patrolling and more than thirty professional police bicycles and allied equipment donated, can hardly mount a squad of more than six persons to patrol at any given time. The funding that was provided to repair the Stabroek Market clock had

to be given back due to the incompetence of the administration. City Hall building is collapsing in spite of many foreign-funded studies, the failed composting project funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Council’s failure to purchase a number of much-needed pieces of equipment to assist with drainage, road building, and refuse collection in spite of the present City Engineer touring several parts of the attending trade shows and exhibitions and identifying what was needed are all examples of the millions wasted by the Council on foreign travel.

It is clear that the Council does not have the capacity to make use of international offers and should, therefore, follow Mayor Narine’s lead by fixing things at home first which they can by sticking to the basics before going abroad and bedazzling their eyes with the wonders of the world.

Best regards Deodarie Putulall

Dear Editor,

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HAIRMAN of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (rt’d) James Patterson, in a recent letter to the media on the crisis of domestic violence and femicide, stated: “Our womenfolk must bear some responsibility.

It is not wise to be cute and clueless. Women must understand that you have a duty to upgrade yourselves.”

This excursion into the age-old tactic of blaming the victim was, in the words of one member of The Caribbean Voice, ‘unnerving’, and elicited ‘disbelief’. The fact is that research clearly shows that abuse has nothing to do with the ‘cuteness’, educational status or social standing of victims.

Domestic violence and abuse stem from a desire to gain and maintain power and control over an intimate partner (see wheel of power and control below). Abusive people believe they have the right to control and restrict their partners, and they may

enjoy the feeling that exerting power gives them. They believe they can get away with the abuse, and far too often they do. In effect, abuse is a choice.

Additionally, Justice Patterson’s remarks that, “Women have been infected by the orgies of violence, and both genders seem to have outsourced their brain,” seems like an attempt to tar both the abused and the abuser with the same brush, so as to provide an escape for the abuser by implying that the victim is equally to be blamed.

Justice Patterson adds, “I also understand how women could goad us to fury.”

While he follows this up with, “Yet, that is no excuse for us to wage a donnybrook in the home of which the headship rests on us,” this remark does not nullify the import of the previous one, which seeks to blame women for their abuse. Again, mountains of research make it clear that provocation (of any and all sorts) is not a cause for abuse.

The second part of the latter remarked, to wit,

‘home of which the headship rests on us (men),” is rather startling, since the concept of men as head of households reinforces the abuser, who feels a sense of entitlement, and believes that his life should take priority. As well, abusers often believe that their own feelings and needs should be the priority in their relationships, so they use abusive tactics to dismantle equality, and make their partners feel less valuable and less deserving of respect in the relationship.

The Caribbean Voice strongly urges opinion shapers and influentials in our society to always premise their remarks about social issues such as abuse on the facts and the evidence, which are available in mountainous amounts at the click or roll of a mouse these days.

To do as has been done in Justice Patterson’s letter, provides justification, as well as fuel, to abusers, while it also re-victimizes victims.

Regards Caribbean Voice

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 25, 2019

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Family violence and separation Dear Editor,

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AFE and loving families are important for the development of communities and our wider society. Its existence is critical for the protection and holistic development of children and, by extension, the well-being of our nation. It is primarily through families that social and cultural norms are learnt and transferred to the current and future generations. Separation of families, in particular, children being removed from their families because the family home is unsafe, threatens the stability of the social framework of our communities. Children exposed to these adverse circumstances experience fear, anxiety, and trauma and sometimes further abuse and violence.

There are many factors that lead to children being separated from their families, these include divorce, death, poverty and migration. However, permit me to focus on child abuse in its various forms and family violence, as this is the main reason for children being separated from their families and placed in orphanages/ institutional care.

ChildLinK’s 2016 report: An Analysis of the Nature and Extent of Institutionalization of Children in Guyana explored the experiences of children in orphanages in Guyana as well of that of their parents. The report found that an alarming total of 565 children were placed into institutional

care as a result of child abuse during a two-year period-- 2014 and 2015. It should be noted that the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) is making every effort to reintegrate children from institutional care back to family-based care because they recognize the importance of children growing up in families.

This is evident, especially in the Alternative Care Policy adopted

by Cabinet in November 2018, which places special emphasis on deinstitutionalisation of children from institutional care and strengthening family-based care.

However, the increasing rate at which child abuse cases are reported to the CPA indicates that the issue of child abuse threatens the likelihood of many children remaining in their families. In 2014, 2,745 cases of child abuse were reported to the CPA. In 2018, 4,917 cases of child abuse were reported to the CPA. That is an increase of 79% in a five-year period!

ChildLinK’s aforementioned 2016 report stated, “Caregivers and Key Informants participating in the study stated that children were commonly placed in residential care due to sexual abuse, with victims being both girls and boys. While sexual abuse was perpetrated against girls between the ages of 10-16 mainly, boys, as opposed to girls, were the main victims of physical abuse” (Bess-Bascom, 2016). With respect to child sexual abuse, 40% of child sexual abuse victims referred to ChildLinK between

2014 and 2018 were abused by a family member with access to the child (Fontes, 2018). This data indicates that children are vulnerable to abuse in the very place where they should be safe-- their home. Thus, the unfortunate but necessary measure of removing the child from the home is sometimes necessary for the safety of the child; but only as a temporary measure.

According to an article published in The Guyana Times on March 9th, 2019, First Lady Sandra Granger stated that, in 2018, it was reported that there was a 14 per-cent increase of cases of violence against women over a six-year period. “Women are often targets of … violence.

However, domestic violence is also inflicted upon children, whether they are witnesses to the abusive behaviour or themselves victims of it… The children were removed for their safety” (Bess-Bascom, 2016). We tend to overlook the extent of the impact domestic abuse has on children involved. The April 3, 2019 edition of Stabroek News reported a 2015 case where a man was sentenced to 14 years for the killing of the one-year grandchild of his ex-lover and for wounding the child’s then 12- year-old aunt in his attempt to shoot his ex.

Children are not only separated from their family due to domestic violence, but in many cases some of these children either grow up to become perpetrators of domestic violence or victims.

The troubling reality is that

Guyana Goldfields addresses claims by former CEO Dear Editor,

G

U YA N A G o l d f i e l d s Inc. (TSX:GUY) (the “Company”) has addressed false and misleading allegations and a threatened derivative action by Patrick Sheridan, who was terminated as the Company’s Executive Chairman in July 2018 and is now leading a dissident proxy campaign against the Company and its Board of Directors (the “Board”).

“Mr. Sheridan’s allegations are plainly untrue and his threatened derivative action is entirely frivolous,” said Mr. René Marion, Non-Executive Chairman. “This is nothing but a smokescreen to distract shareholders from Mr. Sheridan’s own actions.”

Continued Mr. Marion, “If Mr. Sheridan’s concerns were genuine, he had ample opportunity to raise and address them while he was in an executive position with the Company. He never did so. It is clear that Mr. Sheridan’s purported concerns are tactical, not genuine, and are being raised now in bad faith to further Mr. Sheridan’s goal of acquiring control of the Board and the Company in the ongoing proxy contest.”

After his termination as Executive Chairman, Mr. Sheridan made a number of disparaging and sensational allegations similar to the ones raised with the Company today. The Company created a Special Committee and retained independent legal counsel and a global forensic accounting firm at

significant expense to investigate those allegations.

The Special Committee’s advisers reviewed over 15,000 records and interviewed current and former employees and consultants.

The Special Committee ultimately concluded that many of the allegations raised by Mr. Sheridan were false or without merit. The Special Committee also made a number of recommendations for improvements in Company policies and procedures that were adopted and implemented by the Board.

The Board reviewed Mr. Sheridan’s latest allegations, issued in a news release yesterday. None of them was made with any verifiable information to support them. Based on the Special Committee’s prior work and findings, the Board is satisfied yesterday’s allegations have no merit and are made in bad faith.

The Company urges shareholders to ignore Mr. Sheridan’s news release and his allegations based on unnamed sources. Instead, shareholders should carefully review the Company’s Management Information Circular (the “Circular”), issued yesterday just prior to Mr. Sheridan’s news release.

The Company specifically refers shareholders to: * Mr. Sheridan’s role as Chief Executive Officer and interim Chief Operating Officer in 2012 when the previous resource model for the Aurora Gold Mine was prepared. As previously disclosed in the Company’s news release dated April 4, 2019, it is apparent that the contained ounces of gold at

the mine had been overestimated in the previous resource model. The matter is described in more detail on pages 3-7, 22, and 27-28 of the Circular; * Mr. Sheridan’s managerial performance as an officer of the Company, his conflicts, his conduct and his trading in the Company’s securities, as described on pages 21 to 26 of the Circular; and * The thorough five-month investigation by the Special Committee of Mr. Sheridan’s allegations, as described on pages 29 to 30 of the Circular.

The Company is aware of no facts that support investigating Mr. Sheridan’s complaints further and has no intention of instituting a claim as proposed by Mr. Sheridan. If Mr. Sheridan proceeds with an application to seek leave to commence a derivative action, his action would constitute a manifest abuse of the court process and the Company’s resources.

The Company will contest any litigation commenced by Mr. Sheridan. Shareholders should be concerned that Mr. Sheridan continues to force the Company to waste funds addressing his misguided hostility toward the current management and Board and his efforts to blame them for his failure to create value for shareholders.

Regards, Jacqueline Wagenaar Vice-President, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications

there is a lack of safe families for children (which) is one of the leading reasons in Guyana that many children are placed into institutional care. This is certainly an eye-opener. Children who are placed in institutional care as a result of abuse suffers double trauma. The trauma from the abuse and the trauma of being separated from their families and communities.

In spite of the violence that remains in the home, many children have a strong desire to be reunited with their families.

“When asked to identify what makes them happy, 33% of children in the study reported that being with their families made them happy… Children in the 1012 age group are bothered about their parents dying and them having to remain in residential care as a result. They expressed that they felt assured of their parents’ continued existence only when they see them. There is generally a preoccupation among the 13-17 age group with being able to live in a family setting and receiving family care before they become adults. Children in the 13-17 age group perceived visits by their parents and other relatives as an indication of care and concern for them (the child), and they highly value this experience” (Bess-Bascom, 2016). The report further states, “Children across all age groups in the sample longed for the love and care of their families, particularly their parents, and viewed parents not visiting or seldom visiting as an indica-

tion that their biological families did not care for them” (BessBascom, 2016). At the time of ChildLinK’s 2016 study, a then 19-year-old was in institutional care due to child sexual abuse revealed to the researcher, “I just want to see my family… I want my daughter to know her grandparents and aunts and cousins…

I don’t want my child to grow up all her life in a children’s home. I want her to have a normal life…”

(Bess-Bascom, 2016).

Government and civil society face a daunting challenge: keeping children in family based-care despite the reality that there are increasing reports of abuse and violence against children and women in those homes. There is also the challenge of reintegrating children from institutional care back to their family and doing so in a manner that is in the best interest of the child and in line with international best practices.

Where reintegration is possible, ChildLinK and its development partners, European Union and the British High Commission, collaborated with the CPA to reintegrate children from orphanages to their families. This initiative is called the Recovery, Safeguarding & Reintegration (RSR) project. In this initiative, counsellors in both the CPA and ChildLinK are working collaboratively to reintegrate children back to their families.

This is a process that starts with engaging the families to determine their interest in having

their children being returned and to assess the extension to which the family setting may be conducive for protecting and caring for children. Where there is an interest for the children to be returned home, ChildLinK and CPA work with the families to prepare for the return of the children and the children are subsequently informed and are prepared to return home. This process takes several months as both carers/parents and children are counselled and the home is prepared; in some instances, the CPA will provide some initial support to help the families adequately cater for the child’s needs. Both ChildLinK and CPA officers and Parenting Skills Trainer work closely with the families assisting with each stage of the reintegration process.

As a society, we all play a part in protecting children and ensuring that they are safe and live in loving families and communities. Maya Angelou “though we may encounter defeat we must never be defeated”. Children must be cared for and loved, even if a child is placed in care the possibility of creating safe families still exists. Every child deserves to grow up in a safe and loving family, community and society.

Regards Shaquita Thomas Communications Officer ChildLink Inc.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday April 25, 2019

CCJ sets two days for confidence-vote hearing …GECOM makes first appearance, to abide with the decision of the court

By Svetlana Marshall THE Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has adjusted the date for the hearing of all the matters relevant to the appeals in the no-confidence motion to allow for in-depth oral arguments.

Instead of hearing the arguments on a single day, the CCJ has agreed to allow the arguments to run for a period of two days, starting from Thursday May 9, 2019 instead of Friday May 10. However, the oral arguments will conclude on Friday May 10 before a panel of three judges led

by President of the CCJ, Justice Adrian Saunders.

The decision to extend the days for the oral arguments was arrived at during a pretrial hearing at the Trin-

President of the Caribbean Court of Justice, Justice Adrian Saunders

Senior Counsel Eamon Courtenay.

Courtenay is representing the government alongside the Attorney General Basil Williams

idad-based CCJ on Wednes-

of a video conference. The

day, which also took the form

CCJ is hearing three appeals

to the Court of Appeal’s decision that the December 2018 vote of no-confidence against the Coalition Government was invalid on basis that the opposition required an absolute majority of 34 votes. In the three appeals, the Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, along with recalled Member of Parliament, Charrandass Persaud, and political activist, Christopher Ram, is trying to validate the passage of the motion in an attempt to defeat the government. The three cases are: Christopher Ram v The Attorney General, the Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon and the Guyana Elections Commission; Bharrat Jagdeo v The Attorney General, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Joseph Harmon and the Guyana Elections Commission; and Charrandass Persaud v Compton Reid, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Attorney General, Bharrat Jagdeo, Joseph Harmon and the Guyana Elections Commission. The coalition government, through the attorney general, has filed a cross appeal.

On Wednesday, Attorney General, Basil Williams, appeared on behalf of the government along with Senior Counsel, Eamon Courtenay, while Attorney-at-Law, Kamal Ramkarran, appeared on behalf Christopher Ram. Attorney Sanjeev Datadin is representing Charrandass Persaud. Compton Reid, the farmer from Berbice who challenged Persaud’s presence in the National Assembly on the grounds that he was a dual citizen at the time of the vote, and therefore breached the Constitution, was represented by Senior

Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes. Mendes is representing the opposition leader alongside Anil Nandlall (Newsday Photo)

Counsel, Neil Boston and Attorney Robert Corbin. The Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland, was represented by Senior Counsel, Rafiq Khan, while Roysdale Forde appeared on behalf of the added respondent, Joseph Harmon. Senior Counsel, Douglas Mendes, and Attorney-at-Law, Anil Nandlall, appeared on behalf of the Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo. Abiding by an order of the court, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) was represented during the hearing by its Legal Officer, Excellence Dazzell.

From the onset, Dazzell informed the Justices of Appeal that GECOM will abide by the ruling of the CCJ, and as such, it has made no submissions. This is the first time GECOM has appeared in the court for the matter since the legal battle commenced on the validity of the vote of no-confidence. It was added as a respondent in the appeals by an order of Justice Saunders. The Speaker of the National Assembly, through his attorney, has also informed the CCJ that he will abide by its decision.

STRICT TIMELINE During the initial stages of the pretrial hearing, Justice Saunders outlined a strict timeline for the oral arguments in the three appeals.

He had intended to hear the arguments within a single day, and as such, had allotted Senior Counsels Courtenay and Mendes one hour each to present their arguments, while the other attorneys were given the maximum of 15 and 30 minutes each, with additional time for replies.

“The written submissions that have been submitted are

full, detailed, and there really is little need for extensive oral advocacy,” Justice Saunders told the parties.

However, Senior Counsel Mendes, though stating that the timeline presented was clear, made a case for more time to be granted. He pointed that some of the parties’ written submissions are in excess of 300 pages with a wide range of authorities listed.

“I am cautioning that the time that you have allotted may be too short and…quite apart from the voluminous papers that are before you.

The fact is, there are a number of issues that have to be traversed, very important ones about the constitution of Guyana. And the one hour that you have allotted to me for example, I fear may be eaten up very quickly,” Senor Counsel Mendes told the panel of judges.

He then suggested that the court allot an additional day for the hearing, emphasising that there are critical issues to be addressed. “Quite apart from the question of what is the majority of 65, you have issues concerning the jurisdiction of the court to entertain questions concerning disqualification outside of the elections petition period. You have questions on what is a vote of confidence, what is the effect of Article 156:03, what is the effect of Article 155:02 – that is, the Article that seeks to validate proceedings; what is the extent of the doctrine of necessity to save the invalidated vote, if you do find that the votes are invalid; what is the reach of the de facto doctrine in these circumstances…? So there are a number of issues that need to be explored in some detail,” TURN TO PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday April 25, 2019

Facilities to be expanded for bigger regatta crowd – Bartica Mayor

AFTER the resounding success of Bartica Regatta 2019, Mayor of Bartica, Gifford Marshall said that there is need for expansion.

In an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Marshall said that the town has seen a significant increase in visitors during the Regatta season.

“There are reports from some sections of the business community of increased sales.

Our hotels, of course, were fully booked very early and patrons turned out in their numbers at the activities. It's the first time we actually had four mega concerts. Beginning Friday night, we had the Grand Gospel event, Saturday

night we had the Demarco show, and Sunday the show at the beach. Then we concluded with a show on Monday night,” Marshall said.

Patrons and residents of the town had a very entertaining weekend, he said “and we're very grateful, first of all for the Government of Guyana and secondly, the entire business community who contributed to making this event a success.”

Marshall said “one of the things we would have observed this year is that the patrons are outgrowing the facility that we have, so there will be need for us to have further extension to the Regat-

FROM PAGE 8

CCJ sets two days ...

Senior Counsel Mendes explained.

In response, Justice David Hayton, who was a part of the panel along with Justice Rajnauth-Lee, said it was simply a matter of highlighting key points.

“We will have your written submissions, so there is no point in you really orally going over what’s already there. It is just a question of highlighting certain features, best features in your 30 or 40 pages submission on a particular point,” Justice Hayton said.

Mendes’ position, however, was supported by Senior Counsel Courtenay. Kamal Ramkarran, on the other hand, objected to an extension of the time, saying that it would cause considerable hardship. He told the court of his other obligations following the hearing. Ramkarran said it would be more prudent to allow those wishing to make additional submissions, to do so between now and May 10.

Justice Saunders upon hearing the concerns, proposed that the hearing commence on May 9 for a period of two days. He admitted that the case being heard and the

issues, therein, are important.

“This is an important case. It raises some very interesting constitutional issues and while we don’t want counsel to prolong the oral arguments, nevertheless, it is in our interest that we should not stifle you from fully developing points which you have made in writing,” Justice Saunders said.

With all parties agreeing, the CCJ President set May 9 for the commencement of the oral arguments and May 10 for continuation of those arguments. With the extension, the lead attorneys in the case will be granted two hours to present their arguments while the other attorneys will be granted one hour each. Additional time has been set aside for replies.

In March, the Court of Appeal, by a 2-1 margin, ruled that the no-confidence motion, which was filed in the name of the opposition leader last December, was not validly passed in the National Assembly, thereby overturning the High Court’s decision of Chief Justice, Roxane George-Wiltshire, which was made on January 31, 2019.

ta venue and we will go after this expansion and ensure when patrons come to Regatta next year, we have more space and we have a much more improved venue.”

He said that last year the town council had completed a section of what is referred to as The Golden Beach Development Project.

“This year we added again to it, but next year we will see a significant section of that project being extended.

As you're aware, tourism is close to our hearts and we are working feverishly to ensure that we move up the ladder in terms of our tourism ranking,” Marshall said.

On the note of boosting tourism, he said that over the years the Council had implemented a number of solid waste management programmes.

“Those programmes are intended to keep the township clean. You are also aware that we are steadily advancing and going after the “green” agenda. This too is a programme that we believe can attract persons to the town because Bartica is expected to be the model where these ideas and initiatives are concerned. So we are moving from strength to strength and this weekend we saw the fruits of our labour; and we really again

want to thank all those who participated,” he further noted.

The mayor also said that the absence of His Excellency President David Granger was felt, since his presence has became customary.

“The absence of His Excellency of course is quite unfortunate, and over the last few years every Easter Sunday we would have witnessed His Excellency coming to Bartica and spend the day with us and this year that was not the case. On behalf of all Barticians, I want to extend best wishes to him and speedy recovery and we're praying that at our next meet he will

9

visit Bartica,” the mayor said.

However, though President Granger was absent, Minister of State Joseph Harmon represented him.

Harmon said the government of Guyana is pleased to be associated with the Bartica Regatta, which is fully supported in all respects including financially.

“We also continue to strive to provide an enabling environment for such activities as the Bartica Regatta to expand and grow. We continue to provide and improve the infrastructure, not only in Bartica, but all across Guyana…,” Harmon said.

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday April 25, 2019

Datadin wants CCJ to block sitting of Parliament …lawyer says such act would breach doctrine of separation of powers

By Svetlana Marshall Lawyer for recalled MP, Charrandass Persaud, Sanjeev Datadin is to file an application asking the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to block the sitting of the National Assembly- a move, which legal luminaries have described as inviting the court to breach the doctrine of separations

of powers.

One senior lawyer told the Guyana Chronicle that the court should only be invited to perform such an action if there is a constitutional breach, “but what is before is a no-confidence vote that was invalidated by the Court of Appeal so as far as I am concerned the status quo ante has resumed and the business of the state is legitimately

going on.”

On Wednesday, during a pretrial hearing on the three appeals challenging the decision of the Court of Appeal, Datadin made an oral submission to the CCJ to block the Friday April 26 Sitting of the National Assembly. Datadin is representing Persaud, who before being recalled from Parliament used his seat in the National Assembly to

Attorney-at-Law Sanjeev Datadin

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams

vote in favor of a motion that was intended to defeat his own Government. Persaud since the December 21, 2018 vote has been on a rampage to discredit the APNU+AFC Government. Though he was not physically present in the Trinidad-based CCJ, Datadin via a teleconference, while seated in the Court of Appeal, informed the President of the CCJ, Justice Adrian Saunders of the Friday sitting.

“Your honours, we have learnt form the press that there is a sitting of Parliament on the 26th of April and the schedule is to pass legislation to do things related to finance and, more importantly, to pass legislation in relation to companies in the oil and gas sector,” Datadin told a panel of three judges led by Justice Saunders.

He added: “Now having regard to what is before the court and what are the implications, one way or the other, of the vote of December 21, it is our respectful submission that should be refrained from.”

The Attorney, however, noted that he did not make any specific application to the court because it was his intention to raise it with court first and solicit an undertaking from the Attorney General if necessary – failing which an urgent application would be filed to stop the

Assembly from meeting. In response, Justice Saunders indicated that he would not comment on the matter unless there is an application before the court.

In an invited comment following hearing a lawyer who asked not to be named as he was not party to the case said from his reading of things if the court were to grant such an application then “it will collude with the doctrines of separations of power. The Court of Appeal decision paved the way for the business of the state to go on. The decision of the court is that the no-confidence motion was not validly passed.” Additionally, the lawyer observed that there is no dissolution of Parliament, “then how can the court stop it?” the lawyer questioned.

NO FINANCIAL BILLS While the National Assembly is expected to consider the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) (Tax Laws) (Tullow Guyana B.v.

Eco (Atlantic) Guyana Inc. and Total E and P Guyana BV) Order, there is no legislation related to finances that would be considered on Friday.

There are, however, several reports, on past contractual arrangements, and reports on a number of Government entities. Additionally, six bills will be

introduced and read for the first time. These bills are: Interception of Communications (Amendment) Bill, Procurement (Amendment) Bill, Customs and Trade Single Window System Bill, Custom (Amendment of Schedules) Bill, National Accreditation Council (Amendment) Bill and National Accreditation Council Act 2004 (Validation) Bill.

Addressing the issue, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Ministers, Basil Williams said Datadin attempting to mislead the court into believing that there National Assembly on Friday would consider finances for the conduct of General and Regional Elections by the Guyana Elections Commission.

On the sideline of an engagement with diplomats from the UK and the US at his Chamber, Minister Williams told reporters that Datadin is attempting to “influence the court.” “This is a blatant attempt to influence the court and maligned the government and I don’t know why these attempts are being made to influence the court,” the Attorney General said.

He said the CCJ is a competent legal institution, and the Government, unlike Datadin, does not get involved in such acts. “We leave the court because we believe that they have competent people who are qualified to administer justice as our final court,” the Attorney General said.

Minister Williams said the submission in the form of a “political statement” comes at a time when the Court of Appeal has already ruled on the No-Confidence Motion and when the matter is engaging the attention of the CCJ. “The effect of the court of appeal’s decision is as though there never was a successful motion. So life goes on,” he told reporters.

Teen remanded for alleged Samsung phone theft TREVOR Gasper, age 18, also known as Brandon Gasper, appeared before Magistrate Sunil Scarce on Wednesday April 24, 2019 at the Providence Magistrates’ Court, charged with simple larceny.

Gasper is accused of committing the offence on Sunday, April 21, 2019 at the Providence National Stadium during a show.

The court was told that on the day in question, Gasper stole from Sonia Sankar a Samsung cellphone, the

value of which is $148,000.

Gasper was remanded pending sentencing, when a probation report is produced.

He will attend court again on May 10th 2019.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday April 25, 2019

CJIA addressing issues surrounding collection of fees

THE Cheddi Jagan International Airport is addressing the issues regarding the collection of fees and charges recently implemented at the country’s primary international airport.

This is according to Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson. He told the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday that he is “surprised” at the statement released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on the matter. Patterson said that prior to the statement being issued by IATA this week, neither he nor the Ministry of Public Infrastructure was contacted by the global travel watchdog on the issue. He said too that he is not sure if the body represents only air carriers or the travelling public, but he noted that when carriers hike their fares, he has not seen statements from IATA on consumer concerns.

On Tuesday IATA called for immediate dialogue with the management of the CJIA and the Ministry of Public Infrastructure on the implementation process related to the increase in the government-mandated Airport Security Fee, and the introduction of a new Passenger Service Charge at the airport.

“The continued refusal by the airport operator to cooperate with IATA on both the proper calculation and implementation of such fees and charges, has now led

to a situation where airlines have been forced to manually collect the additional amounts from both arriving and departing passengers,” the body said.

“It is completely unacceptable that passengers are being inconvenienced in such a manner. This is a direct result of the airport’s management refusal to engage with IATA on a process which is standard practice across the globe. As a consequence, our member airlines have unfortunately, no choice other than to manually collect the additional fees and charges,” said Peter Cerda, IATA’s Regional Vice-President, the Americas.

It was noted that IATA has worldwide standards in place enabling airlines to collect government-imposed fees, service charges and taxes as part of an airline ticket. It stated that these are then transferred to the respective governments. It was noted that this has provided a smoother travel experience for passengers, by eliminating the former practice whereby many governments manually collected some of these fees and taxes at airports.

In addition, IATA said it is seeking clarity from the airport operator on how the fees and charges have been calculated, as again, international standards set out by the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) Document 9082, were not

Armed robbery suspect remanded SENIOR Magistrate Faith McGusty, on Wednesday, April 24, 2019, remanded to prison 48-year-old Michael White on a charge of armed robbery.

White, a pushcart vendor of Triumph Village, East Coast Demerara, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Particulars of the charge alleged that on April 22, 2019, at Commerce Street, Georgetown, while being armed with a knife, White robbed Jairam Seetaram of a BLU cellphone valued $30,000, and $18,000 in cash.

Police prosecutor Seon

Blackman told the court that, on the day in question, the victim was confronted

by White who begged him for a cigarette. Seetaram refused and White reportedly cuffed him to the face. Seetaram fell to the ground and White allegedly whipped out a knife, held Seetaram at knifepoint, took the items from Seetaram and escaped.

White was later arrested by the police and was positively pointed out by the victim as the robber.

Blackman opposed White being granted pretrial liberty, citing the prevalence of the offence.

Magistrate McGusty remanded White to prison until May 15.

followed.

“We understand that airports need to recover their investment costs. This must however be achieved through a collaborative and transparent process, ensuring that imposed fees are proportionate to the planned expenditure.

This can best be achieved in partnership between all sectors of the aviation industry, thereby unlocking the true

potential of a country and its people. As such we urgently call on the management of Cheddi Jagan International Airport to engage into the requested dialogue, so passengers are no longer inconvenienced, and member airlines can return to their normal business. This will ensure the sustainability of the aviation sector in Guyana and facilitate the growth of

tourism and trade, thereby contributing to a vibrant and healthy economy,” Cerda said.

Several days ago, Caribbean Airlines said in a statement, that the new fees/ charges for a round trip amounts to US$35 or an equivalent of GUY$7,315. It stated that while the management of the CJIA has not issued a statement on

the issue, the carrier noted that all carriers have been apprised by the airport of the new fees which took effect on April 1, 2019. The airline said for departing passengers, they will be required to pay US$17, while arriving passengers will pay US$15 payable in Guyana dollars at the prevailing foreign exchange rate.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday April 25, 2019

Cheese vendor murder PI…

Court rules prima facie case established - Calls on accused to lead defence

By Clestine Juan CHIEF Magistrate Ann McLennan on Wednesday, April 24, 2019, ruled that a prima facie case had been made out against three men who are accused of killing former Bourda Market

vendor, Troy Romalho.

The ruling was made at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court during the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the murder.

George Paton, 34, a taxi driver of Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD); Akeem Morris, 26, of Sandy Babb

Street, Kitty; and Roy Sandiford, 33, of Section ‘D’ Sophia, Greater Georgetown, are jointly charged with Romalho’s murder.

Particulars of the charge allege that the trio, on August 15, 2018, at Bourda, murdered Ramalho during

the course, or furtherance of a robbery.

The chief magistrate ruled that Police Prosecutor Neville Jeffers was able to prove his case with sufficient evidence.

Paton, who is unrepresented by counsel, gave a

DEAD: Troy Romalho

Roy Sandiford

George Paton

Akeem Morris

statement in court and opted to call two witnesses. Meanwhile, Sandiford requested that his attorney Dexter Todd be present for his address.

Meanwhile, Morris with the aid of his attorney Siand Dhurjon, declined to address the court.

The chief magistrate adjourned the matter until April 29, 2019.

According to reports, Romalho, of North Road, Lacytown, Georgetown, was shot around 23:00hrs on the day in question, after ‘he put up’

a fight during the robbery.

The 45-year-old vendor, who was well known for selling cheese and eggs in front of Rambarran’s on Robb Street, in proximity to Bourda Street, was plying his trade when the three bandits, one armed with a gun, pounced on him.

The police, acting on intelligence, arrested the taxi driver whose car the men had hired in Buxton, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

When friends ‘fall out’ SENIOR Magistrate Faith McGusty, on Wednesday, April 24, 2019, remanded Rayon Williams to prison for malicious damage to property.

Williams was arraigned at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and denied that, on April 19, 2019, at East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, he damaged a 192 motorcar window valued $50,000, the property of Fizal Mohammed According to the facts presented in court by Prosecutor Seon Blackman, both parties are friends and Williams would frequently visit Mohammed’s home. However, on the day in question, there was

an argument between the two friends which resulted in Mohammed banning Williams from entering his yard. Blackman related to the court that while inside his home, he heard a loud noise and saw Williams smashing his car windows with a piece of wood. The matter was reported to the police and Williams was arrested.

In court, Williams requested to pay compensation, which caused Magistrate McGusty to adjourn the matter until April 26, 2019. Williams was refused bail and was remanded.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday April 25, 2019

Gov’t, GTU talk up improved relations Some of the awardees with the plaques they received

Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) President, Mark Lyte, delivers remarks

THE Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) and the Ministry of Education have acknowledged an improvement in their relations even as they pledged to continue to work for the betterment of teachers.

The sentiments were expressed on Tuesday at the opening ceremony of the GTU’s first Triennial Delegates Conference at its Woolford Avenue headquarters.

Education Minister, Dr Nicolette Henry, and Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection with responsibility for Labour, Keith Scott, were invited to deliver remarks. According to a release from the Education Ministry, GTU President, Mark Lyte, stated at the ceremony, that there has been an improvement in its relationship with the ministry even as the GTU recognises that healthy partnerships are paramount to any successful collaboration.

The conference will continue until Friday, April 26, 2019 and the GTU’s membership is being represented by delegates from all three counties: Essequibo, Berbice and Demerara. It is aimed at facilitating engagement on how the future of the union can be brighter.

Lyte noted that the union has experienced several achievements over the last three years which are directly related to specifics honored by the ministry in the last Memorandum of Agreement signed by the two parties.

He said that the union is proud to be recognised as one of the oldest and most vocal trade unions in Guyana, and will continue to hold regular meetings and collaborate

with stakeholders in the education sector for the smooth implementation of policies.

“As a union, we are not limiting ourselves to trade union matters, but also to the business of education and the relevant changes we need to vehemently support, which are critical to the advancement of an educated nation,” Lyte said.

Meanwhile, in her remarks, Minister Henry said that the contributions of teachers and the GTU to the development of Guyana are recognised and respected.

According to the release, she said that, even with this recognition, Guyana is working assiduously to strengthen its human and social development platform. A key part of this effort was highlighted as the preparation of empowerment of citizens with the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to realise sustainable development.

She added that the Ministry of Education is aware of the essential work of the GTU of ensuring that the working conditions and welfare of teachers are satisfactorily met. “For this to be fruitful, continued collaboration between the ministry and the Guyana Teachers’ Union is therefore essential.

This collaboration will also allow for an upward progression of our Education system and more significantly, the possible realisation of our nation’s socio-economic development,” Minister Henry remarked.

Moreover, she reminded that in 2018, the GTU and the ministry successfully negotiated wages, salaries TURN TO PAGE 21 ►

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday April 25, 2019

Albouystown Health Centre guards not reporting for duty

COUNCILLOR Heston Bostwick on Tuesday complained that the health centre in Albouystown currently does not have security and urged that officers responsible for guarding the facility be held accountable.

Bostwick raised the issue

at the Mayor and City Council’s (M&CC) statutory meeting on Tuesday at City Hall.

He reported that on some nights, he is out on the streets for as late as 03:00hrs, but sees no security guard turning up for duty.

The councillor argued that the council must have

a system in place to account for the time officers spend on duty. They are being paid and must be held accountable, he said.

Deputy Chief Constable, Laurel Gittens, informed that the security guards usually turn up for duty at the City Constabulary before heading

off to the various locations.

However, there is a belief that these officers show up at the constabulary but do not actually proceed to the required locations.

Gittens said the officers’ supervisors are also expected to visit the locations to check on the attendance of

the guards. As for when they do not show up for duty, she said they are often sent warning letters.

Meanwhile, the Al bouystown Health Centre was re-opened to the public two years ago at the corner of Bel Air and James’ Streets. For approximately one year, the centre had been out of operation with the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) often citing a lack

of finances to have it fixed.

The facility has been rendering services to this community since 1970 when former mayor, Hamilton Green, was the Minister of Health. The clinic also extends its services to the residents of the Dharm Shala, located one street away, at King Edward Street.

'Remorseful' Creame gets 12 years for manslaughter

Mark Creame

By Clestine Juan THIRTY-FOUR-YEAROLD Mark Creame was, on Wednesday, April 24, 2019, sentenced to 12 years imprisonment by Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court after pleading guilty to the charge of manslaughter.

Justice Singh however ordered that the prison authorities deduct the time Creame spent on remand from the sentence Creame was charged with murder, but opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.

The father of two admitted that on December 1, 2013, at Eight Miles in the North West District, he unlawfully killed 42-yearold Terrence Henry called ‘Terry.’

The state was represented by prosecutors Teriq Mohammed, Tuanna Hardy, and

Abigail Gibbs, while Creame was represented by Attorney-at-Law Mark Conway.

Conway, during his plea of mitigation, told the court that Creame while on remand learned tailoring and attends church. The accused told the court that he is remorseful for what he did.

Justice Singh, before passing sentence, noted that there seems to be an alcohol problem in the interior.

He recalled a recent case in which another man from the hinterland was jailed for a similar offence he had committed, while he was intoxicated.

According to reports, on December 1, 2013, at Eight Miles in the North West District, there was a fight between Creame and Henry. Creame became annoyed, armed himself with a cutlass and dealt Henry several chops about his body.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday April 25, 2019

TRACKING THE MONEY

15

…FIU flags close to 1, 500 suspicious transactions …significant number of reports made by money transfer agencies ent persons sending transactions to the same beneficiary on the same day or within days. So they use different methodology hoping that the transactions are not identified,” Langevine said as he further explained the method

By Svetlana Marshall THE Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has flagged over 1500 suspicious money laundering transactions between 2016 to present, most of which were transmitted through money transfer agencies, Director of the unit, Matthew Langevine, has disclosed.

Already, for the first quarter of 2019, 70 suspicious transaction reports have been filed as the money transfer agencies and other financial institutions in the country join forces with the FIU to close out avenues for suspected money launderers.

In an interview with Guyana Chronicle, Langevine said in recent years, there have been consistently high levels of suspicious transaction reports filed. “Our analysis suggests that this may (be)because of the stringent AML measures implemented at commercial banks that the MTAs are now one of the preferred medium for the money transfers done by suspected launderers,” Langevine told this newspaper.

He noted that a significant majority of the total reports were made by Money Transfer Agencies (MTA).

“Our observation of a sample of MTA (Money Transfer Agencies) data over the period 2016-2018 provides indications that MTAs are being used to create layers of transactions, facilitating the distancing of illicit funds from its source through a series of complex transfers. Sending funds through MTAs, while acting in one’s own capacity or as a proxy, affords a criminal an opportunity to place illegitimately acquired money into the financial system; sometimes by direct credit of MTA transactions to accounts of the final recipient,” the FIU explained in its report.

It was noted that during the reviewed period, a few cases where multiple subjects sent multiple transactions to a single individual in the United States of America were observed. Citing an example, the FIU pointed out that there was a group of three individuals who each sent identical amounts to the same recipient in the USA. Two of the three senders each remitted money to two

Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit, Matthew Langevine

other common recipients, in the USA, with common surnames. Approximately GY$4.M each (USD $20k) were remitted by these individuals.

The FIU Director said that often times the transactions are inconsistent with their employment profiles, and such was the case of a 38-year-old woman. “In June 2018, it was reported that a thirty-eight-year-old customer who sent several transactions to the United States of America, the total of which exceeded GY$2.5 M, was unable to provide any information on the source of funds for the transactions.

The customer appeared to be operating for or on behalf of a connected third-party. The customers were in the habit of manipulating the surnames and given names (interchanging) of either sender or receiver to prevent the MTA connecting related transactions,” the FIU pointed out in its report.

Langevine noted that the two main methods used by criminals to launder money through money transfer agencies appear to be “structuring” and “flipping.”

Structuring refers to the fragmenting or breaking up of a large transaction into several smaller transactions into amounts below the reporting threshold to avoid the triggering of the reporting requirements while Flipping refers to the further transferring of cash received.

“They try to do smaller transactions so that they are not flagged, but what many of them do, they go to different locations and send transactions on the same day or they may have differ-

of structuring used by money launderers.

Alluding to the report, the FIU Director noted that there were also a few reported cases involving subjects entering money transfer agencies, sometimes accompanied by

others, receiving transactions from territories such as the USA and Finland and immediately resending similar amounts to jurisdictions like Nigeria and Benin. According to the FIU, Nigeria is known for a high incidence of

consumer fraud and religious extremism.

“A forty-five-year-old woman, who claimed to be unemployed, received five TURN TO PAGE 18 ►

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday April 25, 2019

Vandals steal even ‘No Parking’ signs at overpasses AT least two of the pedestrian overpasses on the East Bank Demerara have been vandalised and the

Public Infrastructure Ministry is calling on citizens to do their part in reporting such illegal activities.

“Over the past few weeks, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure engineers have observed and inspected

Vandals have also stolen the “No cycle” and “disable” signs at the conveniences.

Other destruction in-

Destroyed light at one of the pedestrian overpasses along the East Bank Demerara

Earthing connection vandalised and protective cover stolen

The smashed elevator glass door at the Providence overpass

activities of theft and vandalism at the Providence and Diamond overpasses on the East Bank of Demerara,” the ministry said.

The elevator glass door at the Providence overpass has been broken, the CCTV cameras have been disconnected and electrical and solar panel panels have been stolen at the two facilities.

cludes the removal of the corrugated electrical wire cover. The earthing connection was vandalised and protective cover stolen.

“The MoPI is calling on vandalisers to refrain from such activities since they are ultimately destroying much-needed infrastructure.

Citizens are asked to report such activities to the nearest

police station or the Ministry’s Public Relations Department on 592-227-0799,” the statement said.

First announced in 2016, the pedestrian overpasses on the East Bank were first opened in 2018 “to address road safety concerns” of pedestrians.

Prior, they had to cross the busy East Bank highway where a number of pedestrians have been struck down over the years.

The East Bank Demerara Road is among the busiest in the country, leading to the

capital city, providing linkages to not only the villages along the way, but to Linden and the hinterland as well as the Demerara Harbour Bridge which leads to West Demerara, Essequibo and beyond.

The East Bank has a total of five overpasses at Houston, Eccles, Peter’s Hall, Providence and Diamond. The Houston, Eccles and Peter’s Hall bypasses were built by B&J Civil Works while those at Providence and Diamond were built by S. Jagmohan Hardware.

Top US oil companies tussle for Anadarko …successful suitor could get offshore assets in Guyana

Reuters is reporting that Occidental Petroleum Corp on Wednesday offered $38 billion for Anadarko Petroleum Corp, a bid that topped a $33 billion offer by Chevron Corp.

The report said that both suitors offered a premium for Anadarko’s holdings in the Permian Basin of West Texas and New Mexico. According to the report, the vast shale field holds oil and gas deposits that can produce supplies for decades using new, low-cost drilling techniques.

“Occidental’s surprise $76-per-share bid is valued

at $57 billion, including debt.

That is well above Chevron’s $65 per share offer, worth $50 billion including debt, and would make an Occidental-Anadarko deal the fourth-largest in oil production,” the article stated.

Anadarko said it had received the bid but had not yet determined whether it was a “superior proposal,” and for now “reaffirmed its recommendation of a sale to Chevron.” The article said that Occidental said it boosted the cash portion of its offer to 50 percent and that Chevron offered 25 percent cash and

75 percent stock.

“We are very confident.

Our proposal is so strong, it’s definitely superior, and we now know the value which we can communicate to shareholders,” Vicki Hollub, Occidental’s chief executive officer, is quoted as saying in an interview. She reportedly said the deal would boost cash flow and allow Occidental to raise its dividend over time.

“The value of this is in the shale,” said Hollub, who ran Occidental’s Permian Basin operations before becoming CEO in 2016.

According to the report,

the Anadarko board will have to give the Occidental offer “strong consideration” and would be “hard pressed” to reject it outright even though it clearly prefers to sell to Chevron, said Brian Kessens, portfolio manager at Tortoise Capital.

“Occidental’s latest offer could pressure Chevron to revise its bid, although Kessens said Chevron has no incentive to do so unless the Anadarko board accepts Occidental,” the article said.

Anadarko holds an exploration licence for the Roraima Block offshore Guyana. The

company has been carrying out exploration surveys offshore Guyana in October 2013 when its survey vessel Teknik Perdana was arrested by Venezuelan military and made to sail to the Venezuelan island of Margarita. In july 2015 officials of Anadarko had visited Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman and restated their intention to continue exploration activities offshore Guyana.

Officials of Chevron visited Guyana during 2017 and met with President David Granger for discussions on possible entrance into the

country’s burgeoning oil and gas landscape.

With 13 discoveries made in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana since May 2015 by ExxonMobil and its joint venture partners HESS and CNOOC Nexen and with recoverable resources being estimated at more than 5.5 billion barrels of oil equivalent, Guyana is considered a hot spot by oil and gas companies and industry watchers. ExxonMobil is expected to commence oil production in early 2020 at a rate of 120,000 barrels per day.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday April 25, 2019

US-based charity donates shoes, food items to Lindeners

A section of the massive crowd that turned up to benefit from the distribution

HUNDREDS of Lindeners, particularly those residing in the Wisroc and neighbouring Wismar communities, on Wednesday, benefited from a massive charitable exercise hosted by the Atlanta-based humanitarian organisation, Caring for Others (CFO).

The event took place at the Wisroc ball ground and about two thousand people gathered and joined in long queues before receiving shoes and food items.

Founder and President of CFO, Miss Eslene Shockley, related that the exercise is part of the organisation’s 20th Anniversary celebrations being held under the theme, “No Bare Soles”.

Twenty thousand shoes across the world are being distributed in communities in need and Linden was chosen as one of the locations to

Miss Eslene Shockley presenting food hampers to senior citizens at the distribution in Linden

Men waiting their turns in a long line to collect their shoes

distribute 2500 shoes.

Senior citizens, males, females, teenagers and children received brand new, high end shoes and food hampers.

Shockley said that Linden is close the CFO’s heart since her father worked in the mining town and her older sister

was born in Linden. “Linden has been very good to our family and Linden has been one of the poorest cities in Guyana and poverty is very, very exposed here and we want to give back…,” she said.

Gracing the event with

their presence were Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources Simona Broomes and Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Annette Ferguson.

In brief remarks, they both thanked CFO for the good humanitarian services ren-

dered to Linden over the last three years.

CFO has been responsible for several donations and distributions of food, clothing, toys, farming supplies and other items in Linden.

Executive member of the Guyana Chapter, Member of

Parliament, Jermaine Figueira, said that he is happy that an organisation of such magnitude and worldwide connections has decided to play a role in alleviating poverty in Linden. “I am very much elated that residents of Region 10 have been benefiting, the CFO has been contributing to the Linden community and other parts of Region 10.”

According to Figueira, he is also appreciative of the millions of dollars Miss Eslene Shockley has been contributing to the Linden community “by giving high-end, new stuff to the people. She believes in a hands-up approach in helping people and basically giving a voice to the faces of poverty,” he said.

Troy Thomas extradited to US

TROY Thomas will today appear in the US before a judge to face justice for criminal acts he allegedly committed in New York in 2011, the US Embassy said.

According to the embassy, Thomas’s extradition reflects over one year of close coordination between the Government of Guyana and the U.S. Embassy.

In 2011, Thomas allegedly committed murder and other crimes in New York before

fleeing to Guyana.

In 2018, the US Attorney General and Secretary of State sent an extradition request to the Government of Guyana, which the embassy served to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Guyana Police Force officers apprehended Thomas in 2018 and he has remained in Lusignan Prison since then.

Thomas exhausted any further right to appeal under the Constitution of Guyana at midnight on Wednesday.

The embassy thanks the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Prison Service, the Minister of Public Security, and the staff at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, for their close cooperation and commitment to justice.

“Corruption and criminal activity rob the government and citizens of Guyana of money that could have been spent on education, health care,

Troy Thomas

and important infrastructure work,” the embassy noted.

“Extraditions are an important law enforcement tool in fighting transnational criminal organisations. Today, a fugitive from justice is being extradited to the United States to stand trial, creating a new precedent,” the release said.

The American Embassy also noted that this is a positive step forward and commended the Government of Guyana.

“The Government of

Guyana’s actions over the past year clearly indicate its dedication to law and order and established norms of international criminal justice – Guyana is moving in the right direction. Establishing a roadmap for future extraditions, bringing a fugitive to justice, making Guyana a safer place for Guyanese citizens – this is the best example of rule of law existing in Guyana,” Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday April 25, 2019

54-year-old farmer jailed for manslaughter

By Clestine Juan MARTIN Salvador, a 54-year-old farmer was on Wednesday, April 24, 2019, sentenced to nine years imprisonment by Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court after pleading guilty to manslaughter.

Salvador was charged with murder, but opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. The father of eight admitted that on October 16, 2014, at Nappi Village, Central Ru-

pununi, he unlawfully killed Wilson James.

The state was represented by prosecutors Teriq Mohammed, Tuanna Hardy, and Abigail Gibbs, while Creame was represented by Attorney-at-Law Mark Conway.

Conway, during his plea of mitigation, told the court that Creame was remorseful and has been attending church while in prison.

Justice Singh observed that the incident had stemmed from the defendant being intoxicated and the victim was his friend.

‘Martin Salvador’

A nine-year sentence was imposed on Salvador and it was ordered that the prison authorities deduct the time the accused spent in pre-trial custody from the sentence.

It was reported that Salvador and James were on a drinking spree when an argument erupted between them. The quarrel reportedly led to a scuffle, during which James was chopped several times about his body. James, a farmer and father of three died from the injuries sustained.

FROM PAGE 15

TRACKING THE ... transactions from Zimbabwe, each valued at approximately GY$100,000 and immediately after receiving each of these transactions, sent a transaction of a slightly lower value to a receiver in Ghana and, on each occasion, she claimed that the recipient in Ghana was her friend.

“In October 2017, a fortyfive-year-old female received approximately GY$40,000 from a sender in the Philippines and immediately sent a similar amount to a receiver in Nigeria. A thirty-one-year-old female, who claimed to be a vendor, sent transactions to Haiti, Dominican Republic and Colombia over a period of six months after receiving GY$1.4M in eleven transfers from the USA, Cape Verde and Antigua and Barbuda,” the FIU detailed as it cited a number of cases in its report. Another customer sent a total of GY$1.8M via forty transfers to Nigeria, some of which were sent immediately after receiving a transfer from the USA. It was noted that remittances from Guyana to destinations such as Colombia, Panama, The Dominican Republic and Brazil are likely sent by locals and illegal aliens predominantly involved in Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and illegal mining. Langevine said the belief is based on intelligence received. “Guyana does not do a lot of trading, business activity with Colombia, but the volume of money and the number of transactions we see going to Colombia, along with other evidence, could only lead us to think one thing, and similarly with the US. Monies coming back and the regularities and the kind of unusual persons sending and receiving are inconsistent with their profiles,” he further explained.

Based on the suspicious transaction reports filed, the FIU Director said the average amount of money transmitted at a time by these suspected money launders is between $155,000 and $200,000 but reiterated that they would engage in more than one transaction over a given period. He said while new names have popped up in the first quarter of 2019, the categories of persons involved in these suspicious transactions remain the same-- taxi drivers, clerks, students, housewives, employees in the hotel industry and the unemployed.

He explained that while some persons have been blacklisted by some money transfer agencies, new persons are coerced into laundering money.

Upon receiving the reports, the FIU hands them over to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) in keeping with its mandate.

The FIU Director, while applauding the work of the

money transfer agencies and financial institutions for bringing to its attention suspicious transactions, there is need for more training. It was explained that continuous training to frontline staff will equip them with the knowledge and expertise to quickly detect possible cases of Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing. Reports are expected to be submitted within three days of forming the suspicion. Langevine said much more could be done to bring awareness to customers utilising money transfer agencies on the dangers and consequences associated with money laundering. It is believed that infomercials in public waiting areas can also be embraced.

In its quest to intercept illegal transactions, the FIU has published a list of indicators or ‘red flags’ based on the analysis conducted.

These indicators include very frequent transactions over a short period of time, a single customer receiving transfers from a high number of senders, a single beneficiary of multiple remittances in relatively small amounts during a short period, and transfers done in small amounts from different MTA agents to various beneficiaries.

The U.S Department of State, in its recent report, said Guyana has made significant progress on Anti-Money Laundering (AML), and though it urges more investigations and successful prosecutions, it concluded that the President David Granger Government has shown the political will to tackle this scourge. In a further demonstration of this commitment, Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, recently appointed a new assistant solicitor-general with responsibility for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT).

The legal affairs minister said, too, that Guyana’s National Risk Assessment (NRA) report has identified and acknowledged that cambios and money-transfer entities pose a high risk to the AML regime. In 2018, the Ministry of Legal Affairs announced that a riskbased supervisory approach would take effect to closely monitor money transfer services and cambios. Coupled with that, the Legal Affairs Ministry has been conducting a series of Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) outreaches and sensitisation seminars as it seeks to raise awareness and build capacity. Minister Williams said, this year, the Legal Affairs Ministry will be intensifying its efforts through countrywide outreaches and other initiatives.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 25, 2019

Scores receive vaccines at GPHC health fair

A HEALTH fair in keeping with the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation’s (GPHCs) 20th anniversary celebration, saw over 150 persons receiving vaccines they were lacking such as tetanus; hepatitis B; Measles, Mumps, & Rubella (MMR) and Yellow Fever.

The fair was hosted on Wednesday at the hospital’s East Street parking lot and saw scores of other Guyanese receiving a range of medical care, supplies and information.

Speaking on the large number of persons vaccinated, Deputy Chief Nursing Officer (ag) at the Public Health Ministry, Nalinie Bass-Sutton said: “After discussing with them and checking their clinic cards for previous vaccines – because they are certain vaccines that you cannot administer if the person is already immunised – and, from doing so, that’s how we totaled over 150 persons not being fully immunised in our country.”

A representative along with the Guyana Red Cross Society demonstrates the right way to do chest compressions on an adult (Carl Croker photo)

She added that the persons came from the general public and the GPHC, while the vaccinations coincide with Guyana’s celebration of Vaccination Week in the Americas from April 20-27, 2019.

“To persons who really don’t know their immunisation status, contact any health facility within the length and breadth of Guyana because that is what the facilities are there for,” Bass-Sutton encouraged.

Other representation at the fair came from the Guyana Dental Association, which conducted teeth cleaning and extraction; the National Blood Bank, which collected blood donations; the hospital’s Eye Clinic, which facilitated eye testing; and several other departments within the hospital.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA), the Guyana Diabetic Association (GDA), the Guyana Red Cross Society, the International Pharmaceutical Agency (IPA) and others, shared supplies and information on various health issues.

“We had a very large turn out,” the fair’s moderator, Midwife Danelle Lee-Niles, said.

In keeping with the booth he was a part of, First Aid Instructor and First Responder at the Guyana Red Cross Society, Collis DeAbreu, told the newspaper that the common Guyanese needs to know the proper hand placement and breathe administration during Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for adults and babies.

“The common Guyanese should know this information beTURN TO PAGE 20

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 25, 2019

Equitable immunisation coverage a top priority

By Vishani Ragobeer

PUBLIC Health Minister Volda Lawrence has affirmed that government will continue work geared at fostering equitable immunisation coverage across all administrative regions to safeguard the population from a myriad of preventable diseases.

“Vaccination increases the immunity of a child which benefits not only the family and the child but also the community,” Minister Lawrence told a gathering of healthcare workers at the High Dam Health Centre, in Region Five.

She was at the time ushering in the launch of Vaccination Week in the Americas 2019.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), goal number three, calls for the promotion of healthy lives and well-being for all at all ages.

“It is with this in mind that our immunisation programme is established in all our 10 administrative regions,” the minister said, noting that through the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), Guyana continues to have coverage above 90 per cent for all the under one antigens.

She said the partnership between parents, who continue to “trust the system” and healthcare workers, who provide the services, has been instrumental in promoting immunisation coverage.

Guyana currently provides protection against 17 antigens, with the newest addition being the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine and the Hepatitis B birth dose.

“Soon after birth we know that our babies receive their BCG (the Bacillus Calmette– Guérin vaccine which is primarily used against tuberculosis)... which the health system implements in an effort to begin the process of immunity

from communicable diseases,” the minister reminded, adding: “And many of these diseases can be prevented and that is what we are trying to do.”

DEDICATED Though she hailed the work of all medical professionals who work daily to ensure that the population is immunised, she singled out the work done by those Community Health Workers (CHWs) in the hinterland regions.

“Those CHWs don’t quarrel about transportation because in some places there are no roads. They can’t call a taxi and in many times, they can’t ‘bum’ a drop like you can do on the coast. They either have to ‘foot it’, sometimes they go by motorcycles on very, very dangerous paths and many times they are up the rivers and down the creeks in order to ensure that our people are vaccinated,” Lawrence highlighted.

She disclosed that the

Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence joined with healthcare workers to encourage persons to ‘Get vaccinated now!’

A baby being vaccinated at the High Dam Health Centre as Vaccination Week in the Americas 2019 was launched

Health Ministry’s yearly review on the EPI has demonstrated that vaccination services are not evenly demonstrated across all regions.

There is less coverage in the hinterland regions.

“Clearly, those records indicate disparities in access to services. For us on the coastland, we are doing well; we are doing excellent in terms of coverage of all our antigens....

But there are some factors which inhibits us from doing the same for our people in the hinterland,” she lamented.

“Think about that health worker with the icebox on her back with a few pieces of food, a bottle of water and she’s climbing several hills or going over the mountain or going down the mountain just to meet a few persons just to ensure that they too are vaccinated. When I speak of the challenges, that is what I speak of; I speak of the medex or CHWs or nurse in a little bahaloo paddling up or down a river or creek just to get to a few communities to ensure our people are immunised.”

But even with these challenges, she acknowledged that the country is generally recording excellent coverage and that the government will continue to protect the population’s health through vaccination since it has been proven to be a “cost-effective measure with high impact on a population’s health”.

REACHING EVERYONE “We have to ensure that we continue to work to ensure that our services and our service providers can continue to provide vaccination for our people irrespective of where [they are],” she stressed, and hastened to add: “But we have to ensure that we improve where they do it. As a ministry moving forward with the EPI, we do have a vested interest in find-

ing innovative solutions to address the current challenges that hinge on providing the necessary services to our population.”

The minister joined health workers of Region Five in marching to encourage persons to “Get Vax now!”

views and document collection from some 40 persons who are interested in working in the health sector.

“The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation is a dynamic organisation and it

A member of the Guyana Dental Association conducts a teeth inspection (Carl Croker photo)

vaccinated for preventable diseases through activities conducted under the framework of the vaccine week.

Guyana’s EPI was introduced in the late 1970s, according to him, with vaccinations against measles, tetanus, whooping cough, polio,

Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence

Members from the public health sector of Suriname were also present at High Dam to commemorate the launch of the week. The minister hailed this as significant since the two countries support each other in providing cross-border health care.

Representative of the Pan-American Health Organisation/ World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO), Dr. Paul Edwards noted, too, that the week of observances is an “extraordinary effort” led by countries of the Americas to promote equitable access to vaccination, particularly in reaching out to populations with little access to the services.

Dr. Edwards also detailed that the history of vaccination week of the Americas dates back to 2003 when there was a measles outbreak in 2002.

And since then, he shared that some 323 million persons of all ages have been

Scores receive ...

cause it is very important and fundamental. Accidents happen every day, people die every day and we help to prevent harm from coming to persons [with CPR knowledge),” he said.

Similarly, representative at the GDA, Joan Alonzo, stated that Guyanese must begin to seek out the right medical sources to address their diabetic condition.

“Some diabetics are in denial and they tend to want to switch to herbs. They feel if they use carilla bitters and various other things like cinnamon and spice [they will get better]. But, the problem is, you cannot mix the herbal treatment and the patent medication. So, the point is, get to the doctor early; know what your status is early and work with it,” she encouraged.

Meanwhile, the IPA was able to promote its new line of blood pressure apparatus.

The hospital’s Human Resources Department also conducted on-the-spot inter-

-- says Min. Lawrence at launch of Vaccination Week in the Americas 2019

diphtheria and tuberculosis.

“The last case of Yellow Fever was in 1968; measles in 1961 and the last case of polio was in 1962,” he shared. At the end of 2018, however, the EPI programme now offers additional antigens against a host of other diseases.

“This programme has certainly expanded from a child immunisation programme to a family immunisation programme,” Dr. Edwards noted.

But while Guyana has solidified itself as a country that places much emphasis on immunisation through vaccination, he reminded that there have been recent outbreaks in neighbouring countries.

Due to outbreaks of measles, diphtheria and Yellow Fever, specifically in bordering countries, Edwards noted there is a need to intensify vaccination activities in all of those countries.

TURN TO PAGE 19

lends for growth. Outside of that, as management, we recognise that succession planning is important so we’re always happy to have an influx of young people come in,” Industrial Relations Officer,

←

Jermain Hermanstein said.

Today, in continuation of its anniversary celebration, the GPHC will host a grand cultural evening at 19:00hrs at the Umana Yana.

The visiting public receives information on blood-sugar testing and healthy eating

(Carl Croker photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday April 25, 2019

Region Seven REO commits to transform region into leading tourism destination THE Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Cuyuni Mazaruni (Region Seven), Kerwin Ward has said that during his tenure, he will work towards ensuring that Region Seven becomes a leading tourist hub in the country.

In an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Ward said that Bartica has always been known as the gateway to the interior, and it would have been portrayed that the region’s predominant potential is mining.

However, the REO said that though mining may be one of the main economic activities, he sees more potential in tourism.

“Upon coming here, I realised that the mining industry is not really kicking as

before. So what I would want to see happen in this region, this region has a lot of potential for tourism. From the administrative level, we will try to lobby to see how much we can encourage person’s on board to push our tourism drive in this region because I see great potential for tourism. In the world right now, tourism is a big thing and Region Seven is a beautiful region. It’s a wonderful sight to see the waterfalls, and all the eco-tourism sites,” Ward said.

He alluded to the fact that Guyana was recently dubbed the leading eco-tourism country in the world, and Region Seven he said, has the potential to ensure that, that tittle remains with Guyana. “...and since Bartica

Regional Executive Officer, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Kerwin Ward

has been identified to be transformed into the model “green” town and will push the “green” agenda, that will also help the region tremendously, in maintaining a high

tourism drive,” he added.

Ward was placed in the region early January 2019, following the resignation of Roderick Edinboro.

Ward told this newspaper

that he will fulfill the government’s mandate.

“The mandate is to see all regions decentralised and to have their own development agenda, which we are trying to achieve in this region.

We have to remember that Region Seven is not only Bartica, and realise that it is the second largest region.

So what we want to do as administration, is to reach out to all corners of the region to ensure that all persons can benefit from improved infrastructure, education, health facilities, health personnel and so forth,” he said.

For this year, Region Seven has a capital allocation of $448.6M, which Ward said will be used for developmental projects throughout Upper, Middle and Lower

Mazaruni.

“We are building four new schools in the region, including a special needs school in Bartica. We are improving the roads in the region, already started in Waramadong and Kamarang. A bridge in 72 Miles is being contstructed, a Science lab at the secondary school in Waramadong,and more doctors’ quarters. We want doctors in every district to improve services to minimise referrals,” Ward said.

These are but of a few of the developmental ventures in the region, he said, assuring that all will be done in the best interests of the people.

Gov’t, GTU talk up ...

FROM PAGE 13

and other benefits for teachers while, this year, the two parties will meet again at the negotiating table to work towards even more favourable outcomes.

At the same setting, Minister Scott said that the government of Guyana is keeping its promise to improve the education sector for all Guyanese.

He said that this commitment is evident in the substantial budgetary allocations towards the sector through the national budget. He encouraged the union’s members to demonstrate teamwork, as this an essential pillar in the unity that the GTU seeks to promote during its Triennial Conference.

Remarks were also given by Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana

(FITUG) representative, Seepaul Narine; President of the Clerical and Commercial Workers Union (CCWU), Sherwood Clarke; Member of Parliament and former Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand; Regional Chairperson of Region Four, Genevieve Allen and New Amsterdam Mayor, Winifred Heywood. The release stated that during the opening session, the GTU showed its appreciation for members who have made significant contributions to the sector by distributing several awards.

There was also the awarding of the Presidential Medal to three members, while members who have passed away were also remembered.

Standing from left singing the GTU’s Centenary Song are Education Minister, Dr. Nicolette Henry; Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection with responsibility for Labour, Keith Scott and Member of Parliament and former Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand

Culture of littering needs to change in Georgetown

– City mayor GEORGETOWN Mayor Ubraj Narine believes there is urgent need for a culture change among Georgeown residents if the Capital is to become a clean and ‘green’ City.

He offered the view in light of a huge garbage pile up on the Kitty Seawall in the aftermath of the Easter Weekend festivities.

“What took place there we are not responsible for it, we did not get a dollar from the commercial activity, the sea defence is responsible for the area. We all want Georgetown to be a better place. How are we going to do it? Are we going to do it

by pulling and tugging or are we going to do it collectively?” he asked.

He explained that it is easy to blame the City Council and City Hall for the garbage pile up but it is the attitude of persons who refuse to dispose of their refuse in bins who need to be blamed.

“When we go to other countries, within six hours we are able to change our culture. Why can’t we do it here? We are Guyanese, we don’t want to look beautiful and see a difference in our city?” he questioned.

During his travel to work, the mayor lamented that persons are pelting plastic balls

Mayor, Pandit Ubraj Narine

and bottles, without any care, out of vehicles.

As part of a new strategy, the mayor had proposed

raising the littering fee from $10,000 to $50,000.

The M&CC, under the Municipal and District Act

Chapter 28:01, is allowed to fine persons $10,000 for littering; the EPA can penalise a person with up to $50,000.

The mayor noted that before there is any finality on the proposed fine, many consultations must be held with all stakeholders.

“We don’t want to implement anything too quickly and we don’t have the manpower to upkeep it,” he said, adding: “We all need to work together to change Georgetown and if we don’t, we are going to regret it.”

He wants citizens to keep their environment clean.

“Aren’t we human beings? Can’t we alter ourselves? Don’t we change our clothes everyday? Aren’t we eating different meals

everyday? When you see something nice we don’t go after it? Why don’t we try to change our attitudes and our culture, then we will have no fine to implement and we all can work together?” the mayor said.

He continued: “We the people have a responsibility as well, not the M&CC alone, not the mayor, deputy and councillors alone, not the administration alone, we are here to work for the people, we go to church, masjid and temple.

Doesn’t the scripture teach us that cleanliness is next to godliness? What are we waiting for?”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday April 25, 2019

Driver charged in Easter Day fatal accident

Dead: Angelle Barry

THE mother of three who was struck down and killed on Easter Day by a lorry on the Canal Number One Public Road, West Bank Demerara, died of multiple injuries and the driver has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving.

Police said the driver was also charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and is expected to appear at

the Wales Magistrate’s Court today.

Angelle Barry, 30, called ‘Odessa,’ of Lot 5 L’Oratoire, Canal Number One and her reputed husband, Jusley Brisport, 36, and their three children, Akeria Barry, Nefetari and Orias Brisport ,were walking along the southern side of the Canal Number One Public Road when the accident occurred.

According to police, the driver of the vehicle, motor lorry, GPP 4022, was trying to overtake a motorcar when he knocked both Barry and her reputed husband down.

Following the accident, the badly injured couple was taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where Barry succumbed to her injuries while receiving medical attention. Her reputed husband was treated and sent away.

Sophia man facing multiple charges

By Clestine Juan SENIOR Magistrate Faith McGusty on Wednesday, April 24, 2019, remanded 27-year-old Seon Lampkin to prison on a series of charges, including escaping lawful custody and robbery.

Included among the charges are: escaping lawful custody, robbery and attempting to commit a felony. Lampkin, of ‘D’ Field, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The first charge read that on April 16, 2019, at Main Street, Georgetown, Lampkin robbed Janay DaSantos of a $5,000 handbag along $8,000 in cash.

The second charge alleged that Lampkin attempt-

ed to rob Uris Alleyne during the same incident.

The third charge read that on the same date at High Street, Georgetown, Lampkin, while being in police custody, unlawfully assaulted police officers Wilson and Keron .

Finally, while being escorted to the Diamond/ Grove Police Station lockups in a police vehicle, Lampkin attempted to escape on High Street, Georgetown.

Blackman explained that Lampkin tried to relieve the two officers of their firearms and was shot to his abdomen.

He was taken to a city hospital, where he was treated.

The prosecutor opposed bail for Lampkin, contending that he is a flight risk.

He was therefore remanded to prison until May 15, 2019.

23-year-old spared prison term DELLON Smith 23,, who was charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm, was on Wednesday found guilty by Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Providence Magistrates’ Court and jailed for 18 months.

Smith is accused of committing the offence on Paul London on January 26, 2019, at Yarrowkabra, Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

When asked by Mag-

istrate Sunil Scarce if he had anything to say before the sentenced was handed down, Smith told the court that “he has a family to maintain and jail time is waste time.”

However, Magistrate Scarce told Smith that he is reducing his sentence from five years to 18 months, because he does not like to see young men go to jail.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 25, 2019

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 25, 2019

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 25, 2019

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 25, 2019

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 25, 2019

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Chantoba Bright – Guyana’s most decorated CARIFTA Games athlete

By Rawle Toney

CHANTOBA Bright will go down as the most decorated Guyanese athlete (to date) ever to grace the CARIFTA Games, with the 19-year-old freshman at University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), amassing a total of nine medals – three gold, four silver and two bronze in her four outings at the championship.

Her three gold medals came in the long jump, while she won three silver and two bronze medals in the triple jump. In 2018, she also won silver in the Girls U-20 400 metres relay, running alongside Joanna Archer, Kezra Murray and Kenisha Phillips.

Speaking exclusively with Chronicle Sport from Texas, Bright said she wanted to go out with a ‘bang’ this year since it was her last time representing Guyana at the Caribbean’s most prestigious track and field event, which started in 1972.

However, despite claiming a third successive gold in the long jump, and silver in the triple jump, the usually candid athlete noted that “this year CARIFTA was not what I expected … there was no energy to feed off; I just wasn’t feeling the CARIFTA spirit for many reasons, nevertheless I went out there and did my best on the given day even though it might not have been my best performance overall”.

“I was a bit disappointed in a

lot of things including my performance but I made the best of the situation and came out with gold and silver - the best medals combo I’ve gotten throughout the competition,” Bright said.

Guyana finished this year’s games with a record 10 medals (four gold, two silver and four bronze) and Bright praised the performance of the entire team, telling Chronicle Sport, “I know the struggles we faced at the games and we still went out there and did our best that we had to offer on that day and if we were in a better position we may have been able to perform to the best of our ability overall and bring home more medals.”

When asked what was her best

Russell, Gayle headline Windies World Cup squad ... Pollard, Narine omitted BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Dynamic all-rounder Andre Russell was yesterday named in West Indies’ 15-man World Cup squad but speculation over the anticipated return of several veteran T20 stars proved pointless, as they were overlooked for the ICC showpiece in England next month.

The 30-year-old Russell has played 52 One-Day Internationals but has not suited up for West Indies in almost a year. He was recalled for the recent series against England but did not feature due to injury.

Left-handed opener Evin Lewis, who has also been on the sidelines for nearly a year, has been recalled in the squad which retains the core of players who featured in the recent five-match home series against England which finished tied 2-2.

Debate had raged over the last week about the possible inclusion of previously marginalised players but there was ultimately no recall for the likes of all-rounders Kieron Pollard and the retired Dwayne Bravo.

Off-spinner Sunil Narine, currently campaigning in the Indian Premier League, was not considered for selection due to a finger injury and neither was fast bowler Alzarri Joseph who also pulled out of the cash-rich T20 league with a dislocated shoulder.

“Based on the new selection policy approach which allowed us to consider a number of players that have not regularly appeared in the side over the last two years, we had a wide base of talent from which to choose,” said new interim chairman of selectors, Robert Haynes.

“There were a number of tough calls we had to make to settle on our squad of 15, including ensuring there was

some continuity in the side, but we believe we have chosen a strong squad of players taking into consideration such factors as experience, fitness, team balance, current form and conditions.

“In keeping with tournament regulations, we submitted our squad prior to the deadline date of yesterday. All players named for the Tri-Nations Series could, however, stake a claim to be in the final 15-member squad that will be submitted after the Tri-Series and before the final deadline next month.”

As expected, veteran lefthander Chris Gayle heads the batting group and is now set to play his fifth World Cup and his final, following his announcement earlier this year that he intends to retire from ODIs after the tournament.

If there were lingering doubts about the 39-year-old’s form, he quenched them with a Manof-the-Series 424 runs against England recently and Haynes backed the talismanic former captain to produce at the May 30 to July 14 World Cup. “To have a player the calibre of Chris in the side to lead the batting with his vast experience and his ability to play match-winning or game-changing innings is a blessing for us and the motivation of becoming the leading scorer for West Indies in ODIs is something which I think he will relish,” said Haynes.

“Looking at the condition of pitches in ODIs over the last few years in England and Wales, it appears that big totals will be the order of the day, so we believe we have a line-up that can put big totals on the board or chase them, as we have seen from recent matches.

“With players like the cap11:05 hrs Elegancia

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tain, Jason Holder, as well as Andre Russell in the lower middle-order, we believe we have good depth to our batting which will allow us to play the brand of cricket that will give us the best chance of winning the World Cup.”Gayle will be surrounded by the youth of Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer and Nicholas Pooran, all in their first-ever World Cup. Fast bowler Shannon Gabriel, who will also play his first World Cup, will lead the pace attack which includes veteran Kemar Roach, left-armer Sheldon Cottrell and rookie Oshane Thomas.

Holder, Russell and fellow all-rounder, Carlos Brathwaite, will all provide additional firepower in conditions expected to be seam-friendly.

“We are excited about the pace attack led by Kemar and Shannon, and we are confident that any bowling combination we put on the park is capable of providing a serious challenge to the opposition in any conditions,” Haynes said “It will be a long tournament and it will be important for the bowling attack to stay fit and healthy for us to remain competitive and make a strong push to win the World Cup.” Following the upcoming Tri-Nations Series in Ireland, West Indies will stage a one-week camp in Southampton, May 1824, before launching their World Cup campaign against Pakistan.

SQUAD – Jason Holder (captain), Fabian Allen, Carlos Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Sheldon Cottrell, Shannon Gabriel, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Evin Lewis, Ashley Nurse, Nicholas Pooran, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Oshane Thomas.

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memory of the 2019 CARIFTA Games, the Victory Valley, Linden resident recounted, “Being reunited with my mom and getting to spend time with her, also retaining my long jump title and winning with a six-metre jump and being able to celebrate with my mom and seeing most of my friends after almost a year.”

Meanwhile, Bright said her focus is now on the NCAA circuit and representing Guyana at the senior games.

“For me it’s mostly senior games now, like Pan Am Games, South American Senior Championship, World Championship, Olympics; along with my college meets especially Conference USA, NCAA Regionals and NCAA Nationals. So I have to step up my performance and step up in training for this new level of higher competitions that awaits me,” Bright said.

Breakdown of Chantoba Bright’s CARIFTA Games per-

formance 2016 – Silver (Girls U-18 long jump), Silver (Girls U-18 triple jump) 2017 – Gold (Girls U-18 long jump), Bronze (Girls U-18 triple jump) 2018 – Gold (Girls U-20 long jump), Bronze (Girls U-20 triple jump), Silver (Girls U-20 4x400 metres relay) 2019 – Gold (Girls U-20 long jump), Silver (Girls U-20 triple jump)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 25, 2019

Marshall century helps USA clinch ODI status for the first time

Turner’s unwanted piece of T20 history

…Oman become second team of the day to clinch ODI status

By Peter Della Penna in Windhoek

XAVIER Marshall’s first official international century for USA set the platform for his team to secure ODI status for the first time in their history as they cruised past Hong Kong at United Cricket Club.

gish start, scoring 18 off his first 55 balls, before he was dropped twice in the space of three overs off Ehsan Khan. The first chance was a scorching drive that Ehsan did well to protect his face from, but the second, when he was on 23, was a straightforward chance to midwicket that captain Anshuman Rath

Xavier Marshall grins from ear to ear as he celebrates his century in style. (Peter Della Penna photos)

USA were sent in - they lost their fourth consecutive toss in Namibia - and former West Indies Test player Marshall anchored the innings after losing opening partner Monank Patel at the end of the second over.

Monank, who was Man-of-the-Match for his unbeaten 70 a day earlier against Papua New Guinea, chipped a leading edge back to off-spinning all-rounder Kinchit Shah.

Marshall got off to a slug-

couldn’t hold.

Rath’s drop cost Hong Kong dearly as not only did Marshall go on to make a century off 153 balls, but also compiled an 184-run partnership with Steven Taylor, who hit 88 in 95 balls.

It’s the highest second-wicket stand in USA’s one-day cricket history and their fourth highest partnership for any wicket. One ball after Marshall brought up his century with a boundary over mid-

wicket, though, he fell to spark a flurry of wickets.

But Timil Patel’s cameo of 34 not out off 12 balls concluded the innings with two sixes over long-on to take USA to 280.

The chase proved to be anticlimactic after Ali Khan struck the decisive blow in the sixth over. Khan trapped

Fast bowler Kaleemullah and Oman Cricket director Pankaj Khimji celebrate their gaining ODI status.

the tournament’s leading scorer Rath with an in-swinging yorker for his tournament-high 13th wicket.

From there, victory was assured as Hong Kong played to limit the damage to their net run-rate for the majority of their innings as they still hold a chance of securing fourth place.

Scores: USA 280 for 8 (Marshall 100, Taylor 88, Timil 34*; Kinchit 4-37, Aizaz 2-57) beat Hong Kong 196 for 7 (Kinchit 45, Aizaz

India’s Dhoni to rest before World Cup if back trouble worsens (REUTERS) - India’s Mahendra Singh Dhoni will not hesitate to take time off before World Cup if his niggling back problem worsens during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), the stumper-batsman has said.

Chennai Super Kings skipper Dhoni missed last week’s defeat by Sunrisers Hyderabad due to a back spasm and the 37-year-old is unwilling to risk a serious injury that could rule him out of the World Cup starting in England and Wales on May 30.

“It’s holding up, it’s not showing signs of getting worse. With the World Cup coming up, I have to keep in mind that I can’t really get injured,” Dhoni said of his injury

after Chennai’s six-wicket victory over Hyderabad on Tuesday.

“There’s a bit of stiffness. There was a bit of spasm at the start of the tournament but there’s no spasm as of now. I’m used to playing international cricket with some kind of pain.

“If you wait to be 100 percent before you play a

Mahendra Singh Dhoni

35*, Ehsan 31*; Gore 2-49) by 84 runs.

Oman became the second team on the day to clinch ODI status, about 45 minutes after USA, as Sandeep Goud struck an unbeaten 57, including the winning six, with five balls to spare to keep Oman unbeaten with a win over Namibia.

game maybe you’d have to wait five years before you play the next game.

It’s something I can afford to do. If it gets worse, I’ll definitely take some time off.”

Dhoni has played 341 one-day internationals, scoring 10 500 runs at an average of just under 51, and his glove-work makes him the first-choice wicketkeeper in the limited-overs format.

India’s 2011 World Cup winning captain has scored over 300 runs in nine ODIs this year, with four half-centuries, including three in a row during the tour of Australia.

The IPL ends on May 12. India begin their World Cup campaign against South Africa in Southampton on June 5.

Four years earlier at Malahide, Oman had secured T20I status with a dramatic win over the same opponents at the World T20I Qualifier and Goud’s knock provided a bit of déjà vu at Affies Park for Oman.

Scores: Oman 214 for 6 (Goud 57*, Suraj 51, Ilyas 44, Frylinck 3-34) beat Namibia 213 for 9 (Smit 60, Green 46, Erasmus 30, Fayyaz 3-52, Khawar 2-23, Zeeshan 2-27) by four wickets. (ESPN Cricinfo)

A fifth duck on the trot for Ashton Turner in the IPL has secured an unwanted slice of history

AUSTRALIAN batsman Ashton Turner has created an unwanted piece of cricket history, scoring his fifth consecutive T20 duck in the Indian Premier League on Monday.

Playing for the Rajasthan Royals under the captaincy of countryman Steve Smith, the 26-year-old Western Australian was dismissed without scoring against Delhi Capitals – his third-consecutive golden duck – when he was caught off the bowling of Ishant Sharma.

It followed ducks in Rajasthan’s matches against Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab, making him the sixth batsman to record three consecutive ducks in the IPL. His previous two scoreless innings came in the first T20I between Australia against India in Visakhapatnam in late February – he also played the second match of the series but wasn’t required to bat – and for Perth Scorchers against Adelaide Strikers in the KFC BBL on February 9.

But it hasn’t all been bad

news for Turner during that time – called in to replace an injured Marcus Stoinis in the fourth ODI against India in Mohali in early March, the big-hitting batsman struck a brilliant 43-ball 84 against India, helping Australia pull off a record 359 run chase.

Turner just missed out on Australia’s World Cup squad earlier this month, overlooked when the 15-player squad was named on April 15.

“Given the depth of talent and competition for spots there were a number of tough calls we had to make to settle on our squad of 15,” selector Trevor Hohns said in a statement.

“Unfortunately, from the recent squad which toured India and the UAE, Peter Handscomb, Ashton Turner and Kane Richardson have made way for the above inclusions, but all three have been included in the Australia A squad for the tour of England.”

Rajasthan Royals are seventh on the IPL table, with three wins from 10 matches.

English FA ditch champagne for cup winners (REUTERS) - The Football Association (FA) will break with tradition and no longer hand out champagne to competition winners to avoid offending players whose religious beliefs prohibit alcohol consumption.

The decision was also taken to avoid handing alcohol to players under the legal age for drinking, which is 18 in Britain.

“Winning teams will be awarded with non-alcoholic ‘champagne’ for their celebrations in all FA competitions, starting from this year’s Emirates FA Cup Final,” FA said in a statement.

“This is to ensure that we are as inclusive as possible to players and communities who may be prohibited from alcohol, as well as any

players who are under 18.”

Champagne is often sprayed on the pitch during the victory celebrations.

Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez, Benjamin Mendy and Ilkay Gundogan are among the Muslims who

Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - May 19, 2018.

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte sprays champagne as they celebrate victory. (REUTERS/David Klein/File photo)

The move will come into effect at next month’s FA Cup final when Manchester City take on Watford at Wembley Stadium on May 18.

could take part in this year’s final, along with Watford’s Abdoulaye Doucoure. Islam prohibits the consumption of alcohol.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 25, 2019

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City take big step towards title with derby win at United

Arthur backs Pakistan to mount World Cup challenge MICKEY Arthur believes Pakistan can “go all the way” in the Cricket World Cup despite their one-day international slump.

Pakistan were whitewashed 5-0 by Australia in the United Arab Emirates following a 3-2 series defeat to South Africa.

Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur

Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva scores their first goal. (Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine)

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - Manchester City took a big step towards retaining the Premier League title with a 2-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford yesterday, sending them back to the top of the table.

City have 89 points, one more than rivals Liverpool, with both teams having three games to play.

Second-half goals from Bernardo Silva and Leroy Sane ensured a comfortable win for City against a United side that remain in sixth place, outside the Champions League qualification slots.

United, smarting from their 4-0 hammering at Everton on

Sunday, played with aggression and energy in the scoreless first half but the game was put beyond them after the break.

Bernardo Silva picked the ball up on the right flank and cut inside, surprising United keeper David De Gea with a low drive that sneaked in the bottom corner in the 54th minute.

Twelve minutes later and City doubled their lead Fred giving the ball away in midfield, Raheem Sterling breaking forward before feeding Sane on the left with the German’s powerful drive flying in off the outstretched leg of De Gea.

Walsh’s warning for Bangladesh bowlers WEST Indies great and Bangladesh bowling coach C o u r t n e y Wa l s h h a s warned that the bowling conditions in Britain will make the upcoming World Cup a tough test for the South Asian side.

The 10-team tournament will run from May 30 to July 14 in England and Wales.

“It will be a big challenge,” Walsh told reporters in Dhaka. “There are going to be some good cricket wickets, which are batting-friendly. We have to be intelligent, and try to execute well.

“We have to read the conditions and the surfaces we play. Some places the ball might swing more than the others. We have to assess when we get there.”

Walsh, who played four

World Cups for the West Indies between 1987 and 1999, tipped the bowlers to rely on their variations to be successful.

“Most of the wickets will be docile and flat. We have to

work on our variations and execution,” he said.

“Everybody studies one another these days. So they know our strengths and weaknesses. Likewise, we also know theirs.”

Windies great Courtney Walsh

Walsh will be overseeing a Bangladesh pace bowling unit already grappling with injury problems.

The Caribbean star revealed that three of his five charges - Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain and Mohammad Saifuddin - were injured.

“We need to get them back into bowling, within the right frame of mind, and be sharp enough to do a bit of bowling in Ireland and be ready for the World Cup,” he said.

Bangladesh, who will also open their campaign against South Africa on June 2 at the Oval, will play a tri-nation tournament in Ireland involving the hosts and West Indies in May as part of their build-up for the World Cup.

There are also concerns that leg-spinner Shadab Khan could miss the World Cup after he was ruled out of the ODI series against England next month due to a virus.

Yet coach Arthur feels Pakistan can achieve more glory in England and Wales, two years after winning the ICC Champions Trophy.

Speaking at a news conference before Pakistan’s departure for England, Arthur said: “We leave very, very well prepared.

“We leave with a team that has both the talent and attitude to be successful.

Our preparation over here has been outstanding, and our preparation leading into

the World Cup is brilliant with a series against the world number one side in their own conditions.

“That will give us an opportunity to test ourselves and to test our combination, and to head to the World Cup with a lot of confidence. We know if we play to our potential, we have the ability to go all the way.”

Arthur has challenged Yasir Shah – who was not included in the World Cup squad – to grasp his opportunity to face England in the absence of Shadab. “ We w a n t e d a wrist-spinner (for the England series),” Arthur said.

“Wrist-spinners are in vogue in cricket at the moment, all teams have good wrist-spinners.

“The key for Yasir is to challenge both edges. If Yasir challenges both inside and outside edges of the bat, he becomes a different beast. If he only challenges the outside edge, players can line him up and hit him one side of the ground.

“That means he has to bowl his googly more often. In the UAE, the wickets were especially flat and didn’t turn. If we get on a wicket that just grips a little bit, Yasir is a bowler we still feel can be a weapon for us. But time will tell on whether we decide to pick him for the final World Cup squad.”

Arsenal’s top-four hopes dented by defeat at Wolves

(REUTERS) - Arsenal’s fragility on the road returned, as a 3-1 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers yesterday put a huge dent in their hopes of a top-four finish in the Premier League.

Arsenal needed only a point to reclaim fourth spot from Chelsea but conceded three times before the break.

Unai Emery’s side were stunned, as Wolves recovered from a slow start to take the lead with a stunning Ruben Neves free kick before Matt Doherty headed a second in the 37th minute.

It got even worse for Arsenal in first-half stoppage time as they carelessly gave the ball away in midfield and Diogo Jota surged through to fire a shot past Bernd Leno.

A late Sokratis header from Granit Xhaka’s cross was scant consolation for the Gunners fans who had made the trip to the Midlands.

With three games left Arsenal remain in fifth place, a point behind Chelsea and four behind third-placed Tottenham Hotspur.

Wolves moved into seventh spot - a position that could offer a route into European football next season.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 25, 2019

Cougars are CDA 2019 dominoes champs TORONTO, Canada – Cougars took top honours when the annual Canadian Dominoes Association (CDA) aggregate tournament ended recently at Starlite Family Restaurant & Bar, Scarborough here.

Unlike last season when the tournament only attracted six teams, this year saw nine vying for supremacy over several weeks. In the end, the consistent Cougars tallied 2 634 games, 64 clear of Young Blood who occupied the second spot on 2 570. Empire finished third with 2 498.

Glory Guys placed fourth with 2 488 games, one more than last year’s winners Better Hope, who had to settle for fifth with 2 487. Demerara (2 484), Carr Tec (2 474), Titans (2 447)

and Lions (2 441) were the other competing teams.

Glory Guys’ Derrick Chung displayed remarkable consistency throughout the tournament to end with 471 games with Cougars’ Duggie placing second on 456, four more than his teammate Moses Debidin who ended with 452.

Better Hope’s Komal s h a re d s e v e n l o v e s t o emerge tops in that category, collecting Cdn$100 in the process.

Cash prizes were handed out to all the participating teams with the winners collecting Cdn$1800, first runners-up $1500, second runners-up $1200; fourth $900; fifth $830, sixth $780, seventh $720, eighth $660 and ninth $600.

The victorious Cougars members pose with the winning trophy.

Top player Chung was awarded $200, Duggie received $150 and Moses $100.

Apart from their cash prize, Cougars took a lien on the challenge trophy while all their registered players were recipients of trophies. They will have a replica of the trophy while any team winning on three occasions will have the trophy for keeps. The tournament was organised and run by Ray ‘Lance’ Williams who also represented Titans.

Williams expressed sincere thanks to the proprietors of Starlite for allowing the entity to stage the tournament at the venue while owner, Albert Ramcharran, also pointed out that it was a pleasure hosting the annual competition. (Frederick Halley)

AB de Villiers fireworks power RCB to fourth win Aguilleira calls time on international career ROYAL Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) impressive Indian Premier League (IPL) resurgence continued with a fourth win in five matches as Virat Kohli’s men defeated Kings XI Punjab by 17 runs.

RCB were deep in trouble in this year’s competition as they began with six consecutive defeats, leaving little room for error in the remainder of the tournament.

But they have thrived under the circumstances and did so again at home to Kings XI, with a sensational unbeaten partnership of 121 off 66 from AB de Villiers (82 not out) and Marcus Stoinis (46no) stealing the show.

That carried RCB from 81-4 to 202-4, setting a target that Kings XI never truly looked like reaching as Umesh Yadav finished with figures of 3-36.

The visitors mustered 185-7 from their 20 overs, but the momentum they required deserted them late on.

RCB were sent in to bat first and initially looked set to continue their strong run in real style as Parthiv Patel and Kohli combined for 35 runs in the first three overs of the powerplay.

But Kohli (13), having already been dropped at the start of the second over, was

soon snared by Mohammed Shami.

Parthiv kept chipping away for a time and reached an impressive 43 off just 24, yet his departure signalled the start of a tough stretch for the home side and they were reduced to 81-4.

balls to bring up the century partnership with Stoinis, who was also in the mood for a slog, and RCB made 64 from the final three overs.

Kings XI set a good early pace to maintain some interest in the contest, though,

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Former captain Merissa Aguilleira yesterday announced her retirement from international cricket, bringing to end a stellar career that saw her play over 100 One-Day Internationals.

“It is an absolute honour to have been of service to West Indies Cricket. My continued goal is to assist CWI to build and develop women’s cricket and help others like me to achieve their dreams.”

Aguilleira led West In-

AB de Villiers dazzled with the bat for RCB, hitting an unbeaten 82.

de Villiers had let Parthiv do the heavy lifting in their partnership, but the South African responded in stunning fashion to losing three team-mates.

Some sublime big hitting included four sixes in five

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019)

COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) ANSWERS TO SUNDAY’S QUIZ: (1) Kane Williamson-735 runs (Sunrisers Hyderbaad) (2) 5 centuries TODAY’S QUIZ: (1) Who took most wickets in last season’s IPL? (2) What were the best bowling figures in a single game in IPL 2018?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

reaching 101-1 through the first nine overs.

KINGS XI CANNOT UNDO DAMAGE KL Rahul made 42 from 27 through partnerships with Chris Gayle (23) and Mayank Agarwal (35), but he eventually departed to Moeen Ali. Kings XI’s scoring rate did not quite reach the required standard, yet they were in a position where a final flurry - which de Villiers earlier delivered - might have stolen victory.

It did not materialise, though, with David Miller (24) and Nicholas Pooran (46) gone in the same over, before Yadav removed Ravichandran Ashwin (6) and Hardus Viljoen, who endured a torrid time with the ball, from consecutive deliveries.

Former West Indies skipper Merissa Aguilleira

The move comes a week after the 33-year-old Trinidadian was dropped for the upcoming tour of Ireland and England, following a poor domestic championship.

“I wish to thank all members of the team with whom I worked and who worked with me to secure success in our endeavours to bring pleasure, pride, happiness and inspiration to West Indian people everywhere,” said Aguilleira.

dies in 74 of her 112 ODIs and in 73 of her 95 Twenty20 Internationals, and was in charge when the Caribbean side reached the final of the ICC 50over World Cup in 2013 in India where they lost to Australia.

With the emergence of Stafanie Taylor, Aguilleira handed over the captaincy four years ago but remained a part of the side, and played a key role when they won the historic first T20 World

Cup in India in 2016.

However, her performances declined in recent years and opportunities became fewer, most notably when she failed to get a single game at the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean last November.

Her last international came on the tour of Pakistan last February when she led the side in the three-match T20 series after Taylor opted out.

Director of cricket, Jimmy Adams, said Aguilleira’s professionalism would be her greatest legacy.

“From my own experience this cannot be the easiest of times for Merissa. However, her dignity and candour in communicating this decision has been exceptional,” he said.

“The highest accolades are due to her for a career spanning more than 10 years and which included over 100 ODIs. Far exceeding the statistics, Merissa has been the epitome of professionalism throughout her career whilst consistently upholding the highest possible standards on and off the field.”

Aguilleira made 1 752 runs in ODIs at an average of 20, while claiming 78 catches and 26 stumpings.

In T20s, she scored 768 runs at 14 and completed 38 catches and 34 stumpings.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 25, 2019

31

GCA/American Youth Premier League Under-19 competition

Wilson spins DCC to victory over TSC Br Rajiv Bisnauth

DEMERARA Cricket Club (DCC) off-spinner Ezekiel Wilson completed a nine-wicket matchhaul yesterday, as the hosts thumped Transport Sports Club (TSC) by six wickets to advance to tomorrow’s final of the GCA/American Youth Premier Cricket League Under-19 cricket competition.

60-4 in 22.2 overs, losing both openers, Wilson (3) and Brandon Jaikarran (0), along with Orlando Giddings (10) and Nkosi Beaton (0), in the run chase. All four batsmen were dismissed off the bowling of Joel Spooner, who finished the innings with 4-22.

However, the run chase was indebted to Alphuis Bookie, who struck three

Ezekiel Wilson

Opener Saiteja Mukkamalla

The Queenstown-based club have played unbeaten so far and will meet New York Tri State, who were the other winning semi-finalists, having beaten Malteenoes by six wickets.

The 15-year-old Wilson proved the unlikely bowling hero. The off-spinner destroyed his opponents with 9-19 off just 8.5 overs, as TSC were bundled out for 58 in 15.5 overs.

fours and a six in an unbeaten 29. Jaden Campbell was the other not-out batsman on four.

Meanwhile, at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground, the match was reduced to 45 overs due to overnight rain. The tourists’ seamers bowled beautifully upfront and then stifled their opponents with clever use of spinners in the middle overs.

With boundaries hard

Medium pacer Vedant Parwal (left), and leg-spinner Gautham Ravindran shared nine wickets.

Deciding to bat first, the visiting team slid to an ignominious defeat in bright sunshine, as Wilson made the most of the pitch which offered some spin. He also benefited from some poor shot selections with only Adrian Hinds and Devon Allen managing double digits with 13 runs apiece The home team started with a pace/spin attack. Wilson maintained the pressure at one end, picking up wickets at regular intervals while Jafar Pinder was the other successful bowler.

The hosts then reached

to come by, the home team should have rotated the strike more often. Failure to do so meant the Tri State bowlers had more time to clamp down, never letting MSC batsmen off the hook as they were bowled out for 133 in 41.5 overs.

It was a total bowling effort from the visiting team with medium pacer Vedant Parwal (5-24) and leg-spinner Gautham Ravindran (4-34) doing most of the damage. Andre Seepersaud was the other successful bowler Jeremiah Scott hit the top

score of 40 with four boundaries, and Shamar Yearwood made 27 in a third-wicket stand of 69 that gave the innings some backbone.

After MSC elected to bat, Elian Whyte contributed an unbeaten 26 towards the end.

The visiting side started the run chase on a worrying

note, losing opener Ishaan Bansal without scoring, to Tathesh Shivrattan, at 3-1 but recovered to reach 136-4 in 41.3 overs.

However, fellow opener Saiteja Mukkamalla struck a composed 60 with four boundaries and Sanjay Stanley made 43. The

right-handed pair then consolidated, and shared in a 100-run second-wicket stand which eventually took them close to the victory target.

Both batsmen mixed patience with attacking stroke play before Stanley was dismissed off spinner

… To face New York Tri State in tomorrow’s final Akeem Critchlow.

Mukkamalla then went off the bowling of Wayne Bollers while Isaiah Jagernauth (1), was dismissed by Critchlow but Chaitanya Parwal (16 not out), and Seepersaud (5 not out), saw their team home.

Chantoba Bright – Guyana’s most decorated CARIFTA Games athlete 27

Chantoba Bright is Guyana’s most decorated athlete at the CARIFTA Games.

(Photo compliments: Track Alerts)

Page

Russell, Gayle headline Windies World Cup squad

FIFA slaps life bans on two former T&T players

... Pollard, Narine omitted Page

27

Veteran left-hander Chris Gayle set to play his fifth World Cup

Dynamic all-rounder Andre Russell

FLASHBACK: Defender Keyeno Thomas #5 of Trinidad & Tobago collides with forward Brian Ching #11 of the United States during the first half at Toyota Park on September 10, 2008 in Bridgeview, Illinois.

TWO former Trinidad and (Unlawfully influencing match one), Kudzanai Shaba (ZimbaTobago football players have results). bwe), Séïdath Tchomogo (Bebeen banned for life from The following individuals nin), Leonel Duarte (Cuba), FIFA after being found guilty have been banned from taking Mohammad Salim Israfeel of match manipulation. part in any kind of football-re- Kohistani (Afghanistan).

FIFA announced yesterday lated activity at both national FIFA did not specify which that its Disciplinary Commit- and international level (admin- games the players were intee found nine individuals – istrative, sports or any other) volved in that led to the accueight players/former players for life: sations of match manipulation. as well as one players’ agent The players are: Karlon The two players are the – guilty of having been in- Murray and Keyeno Thomas first T&T nationals to be volved in match manipulation (Trinidad and Tobago), Hell- banned for life from football, in violation of art. 69 par. 1 of ings Mwakasungula (Malawi), since former FIFA vice-presthe FIFA Disciplinary Code Ibrahim Kargbo (Sierra Le- ident Jack Warner.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019